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Home My WebLink About9/20/2006 - STAFF REPORTS - 3.A. Jay Thompson From: David Ready Sent: Tuesday, September 19, 2006 9:35 AM To: Jay Thompson Subject: FW: Airport Commissioners - Extending Full Vote to "Rotating" Commissioners Jay, Below is a message to the Council that Bob Elsner, Cbairman of the .Airport Commission would like to have part of the record regarding this weeks council agenda item. Thanks p.s. l also e-mailed this to the council members. 0 David H. Ready, J.D., Ph.D. City Manager City of Palm Springs Tel: (760)322-8350 3200 E.Tahquitz Canyon Way Fax: (760)323-8207 Palm Springs, CA 92262 TDD: (760)864-9527 wwmpalmsp ings-ca.gov Dav @ d.Readvoalmsprinas-ca.aov From: RELSNER@aol.com [mailto:RELSNER@aol. om] Sent: Monday, September 18, 2006 6:19 PM To: David.Ready@palrnsprings-ca.gov Subject: Airport Commissioners - Extending Full Vote to "Rotating" Commissioners David, As you know, the Airport Commission has unanimously proposed modification of the outdated, and really unfair, section of Municipal Code Chapter 2.16, to extend voting member status to those cities that now "rotate" the vote every third year. In effect, it would give full voting member status to all 17 members of the Commission. As it now stands, Commissioners from the 3 cities of Desert Hot Springs, Coachella and Indio now must "rotate" the vote each year, thereby denying two Commissioners the vote or ability to make motions during that year. The basic effect of adopting this recommendation would give all 17 Commissioners a vote, without increasing the size of the Commission. It would simply enfranchise two currently "rotating" Commissioners each year, who now represent their respective cities but are, in effect, denied basic rights of participation. 9/19/2006 / /%!0!(W 4- Adding more Commissioners would be counterproductive, and only serve to make an already large body larger. Palm Springs now has 8 Commissioners. No one can ever recall an instance where there has been a bloc vote split between Palm Springs and all other Commissioners. Inasmuch as the Airport Commission actually serves in an advisory capacity to the City Council, this would not in anyway diminish the ultimate authority of the Palm Springs City_Council, which always has the final word in recommendations by the Airport Commission. We currently have a very cohesive and enthusiastic Airport Commission. Much thought and consideration was devoted by the Commission to its unanimous recommendation to the City Council. We ask for amendment to Municipal Code Chapter 2,16, eliminating the archaic and provincial concept of"rotating" Commissioners—particularly since some of the cities affected are now among the fastest growing in the Coachella Valley. Their growing number of year-round residents who utilize our Airport should not be denied representation on the Commission. If the City Council concurs with our recommendation, I respectfully propose that the anticipated code changes be shared with the Commission before being submitted for final action. I will attend Wednesday's City Council meeting, and summarize the Commission's proposal and rationale during Public Comments. Thanks for your help, David. Bob Robert H. Elsner Chairman,Airport Commission 521 W. Via Lola Palm Springs, CA 92262 (760)416-i799 9/19/2006 iy U n w r c CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT DATE: OCTOBER 4, 2006 NEW BUSINESS SUBJECT: PROPOSED ORDINANCE TO MODIFY MUNICIPAL CODE CHAPTER 2.16 — PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT FROM: David H. Ready, City Manager BY: Department of Aviation SUMMARY The Airport Commission has requested City Council to amend the Palm Springs Municipal Code, Chapter 2.16 — Palm Springs Airport, to change the Cities of Indio, Desert Hot Springs and Coachella from rotational voting member status to regular voting member status. RECOMMENDATION: 1. That City Council discusses the Airport Commission's request and provide direction to staff. 2. Authorize the City Attorney to prepare any required code changes. STAFF ANALYSIS: The Airport Commission unanimously recommended at its regularly scheduled February, 2006 meeting that City Council amend the ordinance concerning Municipal Code 2.16.020 and change the rotational voting member status to regular voting member status for the cities of Indio, Desert Hot Springs, and Coachella. The Commission Chairman has met with the Mayor to outline the Commission's rationale for the request and the Mayor recommended that the issue be agendized for discussion by the Council. Section 2.16.020 Membership — Creation states; "There is created in the city a regional airport commission, which shall consist of fifteen members. The fifteen members shall be appointed in the following manner.- eight regular members, appointed by the mayor of Palm Springs in accordance with Section 2.04.060 of the Palm Springs Municipal Code, five regular members, one appointed by each of the cities of Palm Desert,, /� Item No. 3 A City Council Staff Report October 4, 2006 -- Page 2 Modification to Modify Municipal Code Chapter 2.16—Palm Springs Regional Airport Cathedral City, Indian Wells, Rancho Mirage, La Quinta, in the manner which each city shall determine, a regular member appointed by the board of supervisors, Riverside County,- and a rotational member appointed in turn by the cities of Indio, Desert Hot Springs and Coachella, in the manner which each city shall determine." Section 2.1-6.020 further elaborates the criterion in determination of permanent and rotational members; "... is based on consideration of population, hotel rooms, hotel sales and distribution of trips to the airport and may be adjusted from time to time by amendment of this section as circumstances warrant." The criterion for membership as set forth in this section for permanent voting cities, as a general matter is quantifiable. To gather such data will require a survey throughout the Valley over a period of time and would further require the collection support of the Valley's hoteliers. Overall, the criterion is predicated upon a "seasonal" economy and does not account for year-around permanent valley residential growth. Hence, no thresholds are provided that, once obtained, would trigger automatic induction as a full- voting member. As the Valley continues to grow so to will its transportation needs and the subsequent requirement to modify our Airport's infrastructure. The Commission's recommendations to Council to accommodate this growth will be enhanced from a Valley-wide perspective, while at the same time being cognizant of the "impacts" to the City of Palm Springs. Staff assessed two options relative to the Airport Commission's recommendation, they are: 1. Take no action, maintain status quo; 2. Alter the Municipal Code to eliminate "rotational membership" thereby allowing the three identified cities full member status Option One, would be the least desirable to the affected Cities and the Airport Commission based upon several months of discussions. Relative to Option Two, multiple permutations of the structure can be offered. However, given the original intent of the Municipal Code of maintaining a Palm Springs majority, it is reasonable to assume elimination of rotational status would necessarily require the addition of at least two (2) more City of Palm Springs members in compliance with this intent. Acceptance of this premise enlarges the Airport Commission from fifteen (15) to nineteen (19) voting members: ten (10) members for the City of Palm Springs, one (1) for each of the eight valley cities and one (1) member for Riverside County. While cumbersome, this solution would allow for greater valley inclusion while not forfeiting the Palm Springs advantage of the majority. However, the Airport Commission acts ultimately as an advisory body to the City Council of Palm Springs. City Council Staff Report October h, 2006 -- Page 3 Modification to Modify Municipal Code Chapter 2.16—Palm Springs Regional Airport The following chart indicates the current commission structure and the proposed structure: Current Commission Commission Proposal 8 Palm Springs 8 Palm Springs 5 Valley Cities 8 Valley Cities 1 Valley Rotating Member 1 Riverside County 1 Riverside County 15 Total Voting Members 17 Total Voting Members FISCAL IMPACT: The Airport Commission as formed carries with it no financial burden to the City of Palm Springs. David H. Ready, Richard S. Walsh, A.A.E. City Manager Director of Aviation Attachments: