Nick’s News for March 2021
Good morning everyone,
Welcome to the latest edition of "Nick's News," which is my monthly newsletter covering the latest stories, developments, and upcoming events in the City of Burbank. In this edition we will cover:
A brief recap of the developments at City Hall in February 2021.
A preview of upcoming and important City Council meetings.
Upcoming community activities and events.
First, I would like to reflect on a few important developments over the past month. Since I first announced my candidacy for Burbank City Council, I have called for the creation of a Burbank Economic Recovery Taskforce. Late last month, the City Council voted unanimously to adopt a version of this proposal by repurposing an existing City Council Sub-Committee into a new Economic Recovery Sub-Committee. Two members of City Council will work with the City's economic development team in the months ahead.
The Economic Recovery Sub-Committee will be responsible for bringing new ideas and initiatives to City Council based upon meetings with stakeholder groups such as: the chamber of commerce, the entertainment studios, the airport, Burbank Housing Corporation, small and micro businesses, and our frontline workers. I am thrilled that my colleagues joined me in taking this crucial step within the first 100 days of this new City Council! I look forward to working with the Sub-Committee to set the course for a sustained period of economic growth and recovery for our community.
In an effort to save our local restaurants, I proposed an urgency ordinance to cap the delivery fees that third-party delivery providers (e.g., DoorDash, Grubhub, Uber Eats) charge our local restaurants. At our last regular City Council meeting, however, the urgency ordinance failed to pass with the required 4/5 vote. Regardless, this proposal will be brought back for consideration as a regular ordinance (which merely requires a majority vote) in the very near future. Stay tuned for more information!
Recap of February 2021
February 9, 2021 - The Burbank City Council conducted a joint meeting with the Burbank Police Commission. During the course of the meeting, the City Council received and listened to substantial public comment before taking the following actions:
Agreed to conduct a special joint meeting with the BUSD School Board to discuss the School Resource Officer (SRO) program.
Directed the Burbank Police Commission to study pilot programs utilized in other cities to deal with mental health incidents without involving police officers.
Expanded the size of the Burbank Police Commission from five (5) members to seven (7) members, pending formal approval of an ordinance at a later date.
Committed to expeditiously funding the necessary technology upgrades to collect data required by the Racial Identity and Profiling Act (RIPA) by 2023.
During that same meeting, the City Council appointed two Burbank residents to serve on our Transportation Commission to fill two vacancies. Click here to watch the recording of this meeting from February 9, 2021.
February 22, 2021 - The City Council held a special meeting to adjudicate alleged violations of the conditional use permit (CUP) held by a local restaurant, Tinhorn Flats Saloon & Grill, in the City of Burbank. In summary, this restaurant was accused of violating two conditions of the CUP by continuing to operate and allow both indoor and outdoor dining during the most recent COVID-19 local and regional "stay at home orders," which prohibited such activities.
At the conclusion of this special meeting, the City Council unanimously concluded that Tinhorn Flats continued operations in violation of the public health orders, continued operations after their public health permit were suspended (and subsequently revoked), and created a public nuisance. The City Council revoked the CUP issued to this local restaurant and has since directed the City Attorney's Office to pursue all necessary and appropriate legal action. Click here to watch the recording of this meeting from February 22, 2021.
February 23, 2021 - The City Council met again for our regularly scheduled meeting. First, the City Council reviewed the Central Library Vision Study and directed city staff to explore a plan to finance and construct a replacement Central Library. Next, the City Council authorized the General Manager of Burbank Water and Power to execute a substation agreement to construct a new substation near The Burbank Studios.
City Council also received an updated forecast on the General Fund's financial status. While the City is projected to run a deficit in the coming fiscal years, we remain confident that our cost savings measures and access to cash reserves keep the City in good financial health. Lastly, we created the Economic Recovery Sub-Committee as described above. Click here to watch the recording of this meeting from February 23, 2021.
Outside of City Council meetings, I have continued to represent the City of Burbank on the Board of Directors for the Valley Economic Alliance. I have also been regularly attending meetings of both the Sustainable Burbank Commission and the Burbank Police Commission to serve as a resource for the commissioners.
Last month, I was appointed to serve on the Southern California Association of Governments' (SCAG) Community, Economic, and Human Development (CEHD) Committee. This Committee is responsible for studying problems and programs related to the regional issues of community, economic and human development and growth. I look forward to working with our regional partners to promote economic recovery policies and expand housing opportunities in the City of Burbank.
Upcoming Events
This month, I will be co-hosting a "Community Update" with Dr. Emily Weisberg, who was recently elected as our newest member of the Burbank Unified School District (BUSD) School Board. Please join me and Dr. Weisberg for a conversation about our city and schools at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 20th. We will be discussing:
Strategies to safely reopen our local economy and public schools.
Methods to foster diversity, equity, and inclusion in our community.
Opportunities for the City of Burbank and BUSD to partner together to help our families and students.
If you would like to join us for this exciting event, please RSVP by visiting: https://www.nickforburbank.com/events.
I also encourage you to visit the City of Burbank's calendar of events to learn more about some of the latest happenings in our community, including upcoming Board and Commission meetings. For example, there will be an online workshop concerning proposed short-term rental regulations at 5:00 p.m. on March 11, 2021. Check it out!
Upcoming City Council Meetings
The Burbank City Council will be meeting three more times during March 2021. Below is a tentative list of meeting dates and important agenda items:
March 9, 2021 - There will be no City Council meeting.
March 16, 2021 - City Council will begin the meeting by recognizing "Women's History Month" by issuing a proclamation. Next, City Council will approve the design for the City of Burbank's float in the 2022 Tournament of Roses parade. There will also be the adoption of an ordinance to recognize the Independent Republic of Artsakh, as well as the re-introduction of the third-party delivery fee cap ordinance. Additionally, the City Council will receive an update on commercial cannabis and conduct a public hearing concerning AT&T wireless services. We will also appoint a Burbank resident to fill a vacancy on the Board of Library Trustees. Lastly, the City Council will adopt a Road Repair and Accountability Act (Senate Bill 1) project list and, separately, authorize a design-build contract to replace playground equipment. Please click here to view the meeting agenda once it is posted.
March 18, 2021 - There will be a special joint meeting of the City Council with Assemblymember Laura Friedman, who represents the City of Burbank as part of the 43rd Assembly District. Please click here to view the meeting agenda once it is posted.
March 23, 2021 - There will be no City Council meeting.
March 30, 2021 - City Council will begin the meeting by recognizing "Cesar Chavez Day" by issuing a proclamation. Next, City Council will conduct a public hearing regarding the Burbank Housing Authority's Section 8 program, which provides tenant-based rental assistance. In addition, the City Council will also discuss and approve the City's General Plan and Housing Element annual progress reports for the previous year. A three-year transit service agreement with Burbank Bus will also be considered by the City Council. Lastly, there will be discussion and consideration of a "digital media policy" to facilitate the submission and use of videos for public comment during City Council meetings. Please click here to view the meeting agenda once it is posted.
Staying in Touch
As a reminder, you will find my latest press releases, blog posts, and upcoming events on my community page. I encourage you to keep in regular contact with me by regularly visiting my community page or by following my social media accounts (see links below).
Please feel free to forward this newsletter to your family and friends. If you know someone who would like to be added to the recipient list, please ask them to visit my community page and sign-up to receive it. In the meantime, please stay safe and be well. Thank you for reading!
Your Friend,
Nick
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