City Council Agenda Highlights For June 13, 2023
City Council Regular Meeting
There will be a variety of items that will be discussed by the City Council at its upcoming meeting. The main item will be the 2023-2025 financial budget. The meeting will take place at 4:00 pm on Tuesday, June 13th in the Irvine City Council Chambers.
Some standouts of the agenda include:
Agenda Item 1.1 Employee Evaluation – City Manager
This item will be discussed by the City Council in a closed session.
Agenda Item 2.1 Scoping Session for a General Plan Amendment (GPA) for Los Olivos.
The submitted GPA seeks to increase the residential cap for the area from 4,030 to 4,700 units.
Agenda Item 4.6 Recovery Plan Grants Program Contracts Authorization
The IRP Grants Program is a City initiative offering $2,200,000 in grants to nonprofits that assist vulnerable populations, $2,200,000 in grants to nonprofits that help small businesses, and $300,000 in grants to emerging nonprofits.
Agenda Item 4.11 Second Reading and Adoption of General Plan Amendment for Irvine Marketplace residential development
Allow the addition of 969 dwelling units to the planning area dwelling unit cap for planning area 4 (Lower Peters Canyon) with up to 1,261 dwelling units assigned to the 4.9 Lower Peters Canyon regional commercial zoning district.
Agenda Item 6.1 Fiscal Year 2023-25 Biennial Budget
Salaries & benefits represent the majority of expenditures for local government agencies as it equates to the essential services provided to residents and businesses in Irvine. The City’s overall salary and benefit costs represent 64.1% of total expenditures. Industry best practices recommend that total salary and benefit costs represent no more than 75% of total expenditures, to allow local jurisdictions operational and fiscal flexibility.
Overtime is proposed to be appropriately aligned with the recovery from the pandemic and increased usage as services return to normal. Overtime is budgeted at $3.7 million in FY 2023-24, an increase of $0.6 million, or 17.8 percent, compared to the FY 2022-23 Adjusted Budget.
Contracts are proposed to be budgeted at $31.3 million in FY 2023-24, an increase of $5.8 million, or 22.6 percent, from the FY 2022-23 Adjusted Budget. Increasing costs of construction, labor, and materials have resulted in higher expenditures in contracts, especially in the City’s largest contracts, such as streets, landscape, and facilities maintenance services.
Supplies are proposed to be budgeted at $6.2 million in FY 2023-24, an increase of $1.2 million, or 25.2 percent, compared to the FY 2022-23 Adjusted Budget. The increase in supplies is to accommodate higher prices, the City’s growth and development, and maintain the City’s programs and services.
Other expenditures are proposed to decrease from the FY 2022-23 Adjusted Budget to the FY 2023-24 Proposed Budget primarily due to the one-time Utility User Tax refund that was launched and budgeted in FY 2022-23. Also, the expenses to the Irvine Chamber of Commerce will no longer continue starting July 1, 2023, and will be administered in the City’s HID Special Fund.
Key Great Park projects and activities for FY 2023-25 include:
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- Begin construction as the City implements the Great Park Framework Plan
- Public-private partnership delivery (i.e. Cultural Terrace West project: Pretend City, OC Music and Dance, and Flying Leathernecks Aviation Museum)
- Complete multi-year capital projects including improvements for permanent utility services, water quality improvements, shade, and concessions,
Agenda Item 7.1 Building Electrification Ordinance Update and Options
The Council had passed on first reading an ordinance requiring that most new construction be all-electric, but final approval was put on hold when a 3-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals struck down a similar Berkeley ordinance. The City of Berkeley has now petitioned for a rehearing before an 11-judge panel, which could overturn the previous decision. While outlining other options, staff recommends abandoning the original ordinance in favor of a new one that relies on incentives instead of mandates.
Agenda Item 7.2 Consideration by Mayor Khan to Discuss the Adoption of a Community Workforce Agreement (CWA)
The proposed CWA would prioritize the hiring of Irvine Residents for city-related construction projects that cost over $500,000 per year.
Agenda Item 7.3 Consideration by Councilmember Carroll to Discuss the Be Well Irvine Mental Health and Substance Use Facility
This item was removed from the agenda. However, there has been recent news about the Orange l located facility with the shutdown(1)(2) of its drug treatment program. The Irvine Site will span about 22 acres, feature outpatient services, medical clinics, and serve as a gathering place for the community to learn and engage around mental health.
Agenda Item 7.4 Consideration by Councilmember Agran to Discuss Improvements to Sepulveda Vista Point
Enhance the area with ADA-accessible pathways, installation of monument plaques, and develop recognition elements to honor Ed Mcnew.
Agenda Item 7.5 Consideration by Councilmember Treseder to Update the City’s Noise Code
Address concerns about noise generated by gas-powered leaf blowers, lawn equipment, and amplified music.
Agenda Item 7.6 Consideration by Councilmember Carroll to Discuss OCPA
This agenda item directs the OCPA representative(s) to vote in line as directed by the City Council.
How to comment: As always, public comments can be made in person or via Zoom. E-comments can also be submitted. Instructions are here.
