2021 12 07 CC MinutesCITY COUNCIL MINUTES Page 1 of 7 DECEMBER 7, 2021
CITY COUNCIL
MINUTES
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2021
CALL TO ORDER
A regular meeting of the La Quinta City Council was called to order at 4:00
p.m. by Mayor Evans in remembrance of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor,
December 7, 1941.
This meeting provided teleconferencing accessibility pursuant to Executive
Orders N-60-20 and N-08-21 executed by the Governor of California, and
subsequently Assembly Bill 361 (AB 361, 2021), enacted in response to the
state of emergency relating to novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and
enabling teleconferencing accommodations by suspending or waiving specified
provisions in the Ralph M. Brown Act (Government Code § 54950 et seq.).
PRESENT: Councilmembers Fitzpatrick, Peña, Radi, Sanchez, Mayor Evans
ABSENT: None
STAFF PRESENT: City Manager McMillen, City Attorney Ihrke, City Clerk
Radeva, Deputy City Clerk Romane, Management Assistant McGinley, Director
of Business Unit and Housing Development Villalpando, Community Resources
Director Escobedo, Community Resource Manager Calderon, Public Works
Director/City Engineer McKinney, Finance Director Martinez, Interim
Accounting Manager Hallick, Design and Development Director Castro,
Planning Manager Flores, Code Compliance Supervisor Meredith, Permit
Technician Lorett.
CONFIRMATION OF AGENDA
City Clerk Radeva said City Attorney Ihrke will make a verbal announcement
on Business Session Item No. 1 regarding the salaries and fringe benefits of
the City’s executive employees pursuant to the Brown Act [Government Code
Section 54953(c)(3)].
CLOSED SESSION – None
PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE
Councilmember Peña led the audience in the Pledge of Allegiance.
PUBLIC COMMENT ON MATTERS NOT ON THE AGENDA – None
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ANNOUNCEMENTS, PRESENTATIONS AND WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS
1. PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING LIEUTENANT BUOMPENSIERO
WITH RIVERSIDE COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT FOR HIS
PUBLIC SERVICE
Mayor Evans presented a Proclamation to retiring Lieutenant Buompensiero,
La Quinta’s Assistant Police Chief for his public service. Captain Lopez and
each Councilmember added their appreciation and thanks to the Lieutenant.
2. INTRODUCE RIVERSIDE COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT NEW
LIEUTENANT ANDRES (ANDY) MARTINEZ
Captain Lopez introduced Lieutenant Andres (Andy) Martinez and gave a brief
description of his experience. Lieutenant Martinez thanked Council for their
warm welcome.
CONSENT CALENDAR
1. APPROVE COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES DATED NOVEMBER 2,
2021
2. APPROVE COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES DATED NOVEMBER 16,
2021
3. AFFIRM RESOLUTION NO. 2021-035 FINDINGS RELATED TO THE
STATE OF EMERGENCY DUE TO COVID-19 AUTHORIZING THE
CITY MANAGER TO CONTINUE TO IMPLEMENT TELECONFERENCE
ACCESSIBILITY TO CONDUCT PUBLIC MEETINGS PURSUANT TO
ASSEMBLY BILL 361 (STATS. 2021, CH. 165)
4. AUTHORIZE OVERNIGHT TRAVEL FOR THE MARKETING
MANAGER TO ATTEND 2022 VISIT CALIFORNIA OUTLOOK
FORUM IN SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, FEBRUARY 13-16,
2022
5. AUTHORIZE OVERNIGHT TRAVEL FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO
ATTEND LEAGUE OF CALIFORNIA CITIES CITY MANAGER’S
CONFERENCE IN MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA, FEBRUARY 2-4, 2022
6. ADOPT RESOLUTION TO AMEND FISCAL YEAR 2021/22 SALARY
SCHEDULE INCREASING THE MINIMUM WAGE RATE EFFECTIVE
JANUARY 1, 2022 [RESOLUTION NO. 2021-042]
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES Page 3 of 7 DECEMBER 7, 2021
7. APPROVE CHANGE ORDER NO. 2 TO CONTRACT WITH R
DEPENDABLE CONST INC. FOR THE FIRE STATION NO. 70
REVITALIZATION PROJECT NO. 2019-07 FOR ADDITIONAL
MISCELLANEOUS REQUESTED WORK
MOTION – A motion was made and seconded by Councilmembers Radi/Peña
to approve the Consent Calendar as recommended, with Item No. 3 affirming
Resolution No. 2021-035 and Item No. 6 adopting Resolution No. 2021-042.
Motion passed unanimously.
WRITTEN PUBLIC COMMENTS
City Clerk Radeva said written public comments were received from Brad
Anderson of Rancho Mirage in opposition to Consent Calendar Item No. 3,
Resolution No. 2021-035; Mr. Anderson’s written comments were distributed
to Council and incorporated into the agenda packet and public record of the
meeting.
BUSINESS SESSION
1. APPROVE EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT WITH CLAUDIA MARTINEZ
TO SERVE AS FINANCE DIRECTOR/CITY TREASURER
City Manager McMillen presented the staff report, which is on file in the Clerk’s
Office.
Verbal Announcement: City Attorney Ihrke announced that pursuant to
Government Code Section 54953(c)(3), prior to taking final action, there shall
be a verbal report on the summary of recommended final action on the
salaries, salary schedules, or compensation paid in the form of fringe benefits
to any local agency executive, as defined by Government Code Section
3511.1, subdivision (d), during the open meeting in which the final action is
to be taken. The recommendation of Business Session Item No. 1 will approve
an employment agreement for the Finance Director/Treasurer position, a
“local agency executive,” as defined, and fringe benefits as listed below
effective December 20, 2021:
Annual salary is set at $143,887.60
Health benefit cap of $1,742 per month applies based on the 2021
approved citywide benefit cap.
MOTION – A motion was made and seconded by Councilmembers Radi/
Fitzpatrick to approve the At-Will Employment Agreement with Claudia
Martinez to serve as Finance Director/City Treasurer effective December 20,
2021; and authorize the City Manager to execute the agreement. Motion
passed unanimously.
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES Page 4 of 7 DECEMBER 7, 2021
Council heard from Claudia Martinez via Zoom. Ms. Martinez expressed her
appreciation to Council and City Staff for their support and dedication.
2. ADOPT RESOLUTION TO CONFIRM CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTION
LIMITS TO FOLLOW SATE LAW, ESTABLISH CITY REGULATIONS
RELATING TO SPECIFIC CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS, AND
AUTHORIZE SPECIFIED PENALTIES FOR VIOLATIONS OF CITY
REGULATIONS PURSUANT TO ASSEMBLY BILL 571 (STATS. 2019,
CHAPTER 556) [RESOLUTION NO. 2021-043]
City Clerk Radeva presented the staff report, which is on file in the Clerk’s
Office.
Council clarified that accepting campaign contributions does not create a
conflict of interest; Council discussed the effect the new regulations would
have on Primary Elections; limits on Political Party contribution to Statewide
candidates; effect of not adopting City limits; City’s ability to adopt higher or
lower contribution limits; limits on Independent Committee contributions;
application of limits to local municipal elections; inefficiency of changing bank
accounts, election committee numbers, etc. for each election; and amending
Section 3 of the proposed Resolution to state that the City shall have no limits
on campaign contributions.
City Attorney Ihrke made suggested language to amend the proposed
Resolution to include Council’s desire to eliminate a limit on campaign
contributions.
MOTION - A motion was made and seconded by Councilmembers Peña/
Sanchez to continue this item to the December 21, 2021, Council meeting and
amend the Resolution to eliminate the contribution limit. Motion passed
unanimously.
STUDY SESSION
1. DISCUSS SHORT-TERM VACATION RENTAL (STVR) PROGRAM
CURRENT CHARACTERISTICS, COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT
OVERVIEW, AND CURRENT AND FUTURE OBJECTIVES AND
INITIATIVES
City Clerk Radeva presented the staff report, which is on file in the Clerk’s
Office. Code Compliance Supervisor Meredith and Permit Technician Lorett
assisted in answering Council questions.
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES Page 5 of 7 DECEMBER 7, 2021
Council discussed the effect of increased fines on the number of complaints
received and on sales of investor-owned homes; understanding that rentals
for 30 nights or more is not a STVR, it is a tenancy, and therefore, not
addressed by the STVR Program and not included in the STVR data; availability
of disturbance data on properties rented for 30 nights or more; disturbance
data on properties leased for 30 nights or more is not included in any STVR
data; removing online listings of unpermitted properties and collecting fines
and Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) from unpermitted operators; existing and
new booking platforms; zero valid complaints and no enforcement actions on
homeshare properties; the importance of residents notifying the City of
complaints so that complaint data is accurate, and their complaints can be
addressed by Code Compliance; the effect of the ban has resulted in a
significant reduction in active permits and resident complaints as anticipated;
permit attrition may resolve the permit density concern; overdue cooperation
from STVR hosting platforms to assist with owner compliance; the explosion
of STVRs in 2020 that residents had to endure; City’s incremental actions to
address the Program’s problems, and subsequent data reflecting the resulting
improvements; municipal code amendments adopted with input from all
groups is working; goals of both pro-STVR and anti-STVR advocates are the
same; greater compliance from permitted STVRs allows staff to be proactive
in identifying and eliminating un-permitted STVRs; revisiting the ban on new
permits, and considering allowing a certain number of new permits per year,
or some other parameter; allowing new permits only in zones designated for
STVRs so as not to reverse the progress made in reducing STVR problems
residents have endured; exempting homeshare from the ban on new permits;
clarification that the “ban” is not a ban on the STVR Program, but a ban on
new permits; density concern is gradually being resolved by the decrease in
permits being renewed; cost of STVR Program, including Code Compliance
time, is fully funded by STVR permit fees and violation fines – no General Fund
money is being spent on the Program; as permit density and related fees
decrease in residential zones, the Program’s self-sufficiency will have to be re-
examined if unpermitted properties continue to consume the bulk of Code
Compliance time; and Council’s approach to residents’ issues was to amend
the Program so that it balances the needs of both residents and visitors to
our resort city.
Council thanked staff for the quality of the report, and the impressive data
collected and well presented.
Councilmember Sanchez supports lifting the ban on all STVRs, or at a
minimum allowing a certain number of new permits per year, or setting a total
permit limit so unrenewed permits open a slot for a new permit to be issued.
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES Page 6 of 7 DECEMBER 7, 2021
Councilmembers Radi and Fitzpatrick do not support lifting the ban on new
STVR permits in residential zones, but only support new permits in commercial
zones designated for STVRs.
Council reached a consensus and directed staff to:
Add this staff report to the City’s STVR website page;
Include updated STVR data in the quarterly department report to
Council;
Agendize a Study Session on the STVR Program every six months;
Include STVR compliance with TOT payments in future reports;
Include STVR Program’s economics in future reports, and;
Add Program updates to the Community Workshop scheduled for
January.
COUNCIL RECESSED TO THE OPEN HOUSE AT 5:53 PM
MAYOR EVANS RECONVENED THE OPEN SESSION PORTION OF THE
MEETING AT 6:33 PM
PUBLIC HEARINGS – None
DEPARTMENTAL REPORTS
All reports are on file in the City Clerk’s Office.
MAYOR’S AND COUNCIL MEMBERS’ ITEMS
Councilmember Radi announced the passing of former Councilmember Kristy
Franklin. Council observed a moment of silence in her memory.
REPORTS AND INFORMATIONAL ITEMS
La Quinta’s representative for 2021, Mayor Evans reported on her participation
in the following organizations’ meetings:
CVAG COACHELLA VALLEY CONSERVATION COMMISSION
IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT – COACHELLA VALLEY ENERGY
COMMISSION
COACHELLA VALLEY ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS
La Quinta’s representative for 2021, Councilmember Fitzpatrick reported on
her participation in the following organization’s meeting:
COACHELLA VALLEY MOUNTAINS CONSERVANCY
La Quinta’s representative for 2021, Mayor Pro Tem Radi reported on his
participation in the following organization’s meeting:
SUNLINE TRANSIT AGENCY
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES Page 7 of 7 DECEMBER 7, 2021
Council also acknowledged successful events in the City such as the Ironman
competition, City’s and La Quinta Resort’s tree lighting, Museum’s historic
casita holiday lighting, Art on Main Street, and the City’s shred and hazardous
waste collection events.
Council thanked staff for publishing fireworks permits and for the intersection
monitoring cameras installation.
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business, a motion was made and seconded by
Councilmembers Fitzpatrick/Peña to adjourn this meeting at 6:46 p.m., in
honor and in memory of former La Quinta Councilmember Kristy Franklin who
recently passed away. Motion passed unanimously.
Respectfully submitted,
MONIKA RADEVA, City Clerk
City of La Quinta, California