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CONSENT CALENDAR

All matters listed under the Consent Calendar are considered routine and will be enacted by one motion by the City Council. The items are not individually discussed by the City Council unless a request is made by a member of the public or the Council, in which case, the item(s) will be removed from the Consent Calendar and will be considered separately.
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1.

READING OF ORDINANCE TITLES - Government Code Section 36934 requires that all ordinances be read in full prior to Council taking action on the ordinance. By listing the ordinance title on the Council meeting agenda, Council may determine that the title has been read.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Determine that the titles to all ordinances which appear on this public agenda have been read and waive further reading.

2.

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACT: RED GATE COMMUNICATIONS - It is anticipated that Representative Howard P. "Buck" McKeon (R-CA-25) will soon be introducing legislation in the United States Congress for purposes of resolving the dispute between the City of Santa Clarita and CEMEX regarding the proposed Soledad Canyon Mine. Red Gate would provide a significant part of the legislative advocacy effort which will involve a public advocacy component. The public advocacy element will be critical to securing support for the proposed measure and will likely include preparation of media materials, public outreach, development of printed and electronic advocacy materials, and communications with opinion leaders and elected officials.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Authorize City Manager or designee to enter into a professional services contract with Red Gate Communications for the period March 1, 2008, through June 30, 2008, for an additional $45,000. This action is an extension of an existing contract authorized under the City Manager's contract authority for January 1, 2008 through February 29, 2008. The maximum amount of the cumulative contract shall not exceed $65,000.

3.

AWARD CONTRACTS FOR PLAN REVIEW, BUILDING INSPECTION, AND PERMIT-RELATED PROFESSIONAL SERVICES; AUTHORIZE EXPENDITURE AUTHORITY FOR CONTRACTUAL SERVICES FOR SERVICE CONTRACTS; APPROPRIATE FUNDS FOR PREVIOUSLY AWARDED CONTRACTS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS - The Public Works Department is tasked with a variety of projects throughout the year. Some of these projects require contracts with outside consultants. Contracts are used when staff requires specialized expertise that is unavailable in-house, when outside assistance is needed to help expedite projects, or when a third party is needed to perform review. City Council approval is needed at this time to enter into contracts, increase existing contracts and obtain proper expenditure authority, and to appropriate the funds needed to pay for these contracts.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Award contracts to California Code Check, Interwest Consulting Group, JAS Pacific, Inc., and West Coast Code Consultants, Inc. for plan review, building inspection, and permit-related professional services for the Building & Safety Division, in an amount not to exceed $150,000 each, plus Consumer Price Index (CPI) adjustments, contingent upon the appropriation of funds by the City Council in the annual budget for such Fiscal Year; and authorize the City Manager or designee to execute all contracts and associated documents, or modify the awards in the event that issues of impossibility of performance arise, and execute renewals, in accordance with the terms provided herein, subject to City Attorney approval; authorize an increase to each of the contracts with the following contracted geotechnical/soils consultants, Fugro West, GeoDynamics, Allan Seward Engineering Geology, and R.T. Frankian & Associates, in an amount not to exceed $75,000, and authorize expenditure authority of up to $75,000 per contract as needed through the end of Fiscal Year 2007/08; and appropriate funds from Unappropriated Fund Balance from Fund 356 in the amount of $33,000 to Expenditure Account 14600-5161.002 for Fiscal Year 2007/08 for the payment of previously awarded contracts to California Watershed Engineering (CWE) and AEI-CASC Engineering for review of Urban Stormwater Mitigation Plans and Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans.

4.

ANNUAL OVERLAY AND SLURRY SEAL PROGRAM, PROJECTS M0046, M0049, AND M0052 - PROJECT ACCEPTANCE - The Annual Overlay and Slurry Seal projects are an integral part of the City’s pavement management program and adds pavement and slurry seal asphalt maintenance treatments to selected City streets.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Accept the completion of the Annual Overlay and Slurry Seal Program, Projects M0046, M0049, and M0052; direct the City Clerk to file the Notices of Completion; direct staff to release the remaining retention 35 days after the Notices of Completion are recorded, provided no stop notices as provided by law have been filed; and authorize the City Manager or designee to execute all documents, subject to City Attorney approval.

5.

RUBBERIZED ASPHALT CONCRETE GRANT PROGRAM FOR FISCAL YEAR 2007-08 - The Rubberized Asphalt Concrete Grant Program is administered through the California Integrated Waste Management Board. Cities will compete for approximately $3,020,583 to fund portions of projects up to a $250,000 maximum per project.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Adopt a resolution authorizing the City's Rubberized Asphalt Concrete Grant application each year, for the next five years, as part of the Annual Overlay and Slurry Seal Program; direct staff to submit the completed grant application to the California Integrated Waste Management Board; authorize the City Manager or designee to execute all documents, subject to City Attorney approval.

6.

SANTA CLARITA REGIONAL COMMUTER TRAIL SEGMENT I, PROJECT T0017 - AWARD CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT - The Santa Clarita Regional Commuter Trail Segment I consists of the construction of 1.0 mile of asphalt paved Class I bike path and pedestrian walkway from Interstate 5 near The Old Road/ Rye Canyon Road junction to the terminus of Anza Drive in the Industrial area.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve the plans and specifications and award the construction contract for the Santa Clarita Regional Commuter Trail Segment I, Project T0017, to R.C. Becker & Son, Inc. in the amount of $1,023,716, and authorize a 20 percent contingency in the amount of $204,743; award various construction support contracts totaling $223,000; and authorize the City Manager or designee to execute all documents, subject to City Attorney approval.

7.

TAX-SHARING RESOLUTION FOR SANITATION DISTRICT ANNEXATION 1035 - The Santa Clarita Valley Sanitation District provides wastewater treatment services within the District's service area. To provide wastewater treatment service to property located outside of the District's service area, the boundary must be expanded through the annexation process.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Adopt the Sanitation District's resolution approving and accepting the negotiated exchange of property tax revenues resulting from Sanitation District Annexation 1035.

8.

LICENSE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY AND THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA FOR THE CONSTRUCTION, OPERATION, AND MAINTENANCE OF AN 8-INCH UNDERGROUND SEWER LINE (SOLEDAD CANYON ROAD AT PENLON COURT) - APPROVAL OF AGREEMENT - Approval of License Agreement ("Agreement") for the construction, operation, and maintenance of an 8-inch underground sewer line between the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority (a public agency) and the City of Santa Clarita (a General Law City and Municipal Corporation).
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve the License Agreement (Agreement) for the construction, operation, and maintenance of an 8-inch underground sewer line, and authorize the Director of Public Works or designee to execute the Agreement, subject to City Attorney approval.

9.

RESOLUTION TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY AND FIRE PROTECTION FOR AN URBAN FORESTRY INVENTORY GRANT FUNDED THROUGH PROPOSITIONS 40 AND 84 - The Urban Forestry Division is responding to the preliminary approval of $63,000 in grant funds from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The funds will aid in the purchase of an urban forestry inventory program and the collection of necessary data to populate the program.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Adopt a resolution of intent authorizing the City Manager to submit an application to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for a 50 percent reimbursement grant under Propositions 40 and 84 Urban Forestry Inventory Grant Program; increase estimated revenues in Account 259-4431.001 by $63,000, and appropriate $63,000 to expenditure Account 14508-5161.00; and direct the City Manager, subject to City Attorney approval, to execute all documents and enter into necessary agreements with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection to participate in and receive funds from the Urban Forestry Inventory Grant Program.

10.

CONTRACT AMENDMENT FOR UNITED PACIFIC SERVICES FOR EMERGENCY TREE TRIMMING SERVICES - Expenses totaling $72,454 were incurred by the City's tree trimming contractor, United Pacific Services, who assisted in clearing the public right-of-way of fallen limbs and trees caused by the Buckweed Fire of October 2007. This amendment will increase the contract amount to recover the additional costs related to this event.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve the second amendment to the United Pacific Services Contract 06-00355 for emergency tree trimming services in the amount of $72,454, plus a ten percent contingency. The new total contract amount will not exceed $629,700, and is subject to City Attorney approval. Funds were appropriated as part of the 2007-2008 midyear budget adjustment process in Account 14507-5161.001; and authorize the City Manager or designee to execute all documents, including subsequent annual renewals in accordance with the terms of the contract, subject to City Attorney approval.

11.

AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER INTO A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH PCR SERVICES CORPORATION TO PREPARE AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT FOR SAND CANYON PLAZA SHOPPING CENTER AND THE ASSOCIATED RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT - City staff is recommending PCR Services Corporation to prepare an EIR for the proposed Sand Canyon Plaza shopping center and the associated residential development that will be constructed immediately north of the retail and office buildings.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Authorize the City Manager or designee to enter into a professional services agreement between the City and PCR Services Corporation to prepare an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Sand Canyon Plaza shopping center and the associated residential development, for a total contract amount not to exceed $560,000, subject to City Attorney approval. EIR preparation costs will be borne by the applicant: Sand Canyon Plaza LLC.

12.

CHECK REGISTER NOS. 6 & 7 - Approval of the Check Registers.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve and ratify for payment the demands presented in Check Register Nos. 6 & 7.

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PUBLIC HEARINGS
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13.

UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE AMENDMENT TO PROHIBIT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES CITYWIDE -
Modifications to the Unified Development Code (UDC) to prohibit the establishment of facilities that sell, distribute, give, or otherwise transmit marijuana for medicinal purposes, or medical marijuana dispensaries.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Conduct the public hearing and introduce and pass to second reading an ordinance entitled: " AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING MASTER CASE 07-016, UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE AMENDMENT 07-001, AMENDING CHAPTERS 12 AND 13 OF TITLE 17, OF THE SANTA CLARITA MUNICIPAL CODE TO PROHIBIT MEDICAL MARIJUANA DISPENSARIES CITYWIDE AND ADOPTING A NEGATIVE DECLARATION".