City Manager's Update, March 25, 2012

WEBSTREAMING: March 20 was the first City Council meeting residents were able to through the city’s website. Agendas and videos of City Council meetings will be archived and available online any time. The City Council approved the webcasting media solution in December 2011 as a method to expand transparency, promote citizen involvement, and to enhance communications to residents and businesses of San Juan Capistrano.

CLASSES: The Spring 2012 Hometown Happenings Newsletter, which contains community information and classes from April-June, is available to view at the city’s website. Newsletters are available for pick up at the Community Services Department. Newsletters were mailed out to residents on Friday, March 16.

TAXES: The AARP Tax Program continues at the Community Center every Tuesday until April 10 and is available at no charge for seniors who need to file a simple tax return. All returns are completed by trained AARP tax preparers and are filed electronically. Appointments can be scheduled by calling (949) 493-5911

: Mission officials have submitted their plan check application for the Phase 2 gift shop, a 1,750-square-foot building with a second-story mezzanine.Construction time is estimated at 10 months to complete. The group entry, wall and gatehouse look great and will be completed prior to .

: Staff has been researching other cities’ code provisions for assembly uses and will be conducting a work session with the Planning Commission on March 27 to review a draft ordinance and bring back a final ordinance at the April 10 meeting which will be forwarded to the City Council in May.

: To ensure compliance with the $498,000 grant, a state monitor inspected the property, reviewed required documents and was satisfied with progress as the city is still on schedule. The conceptual landscape plan and environmental review are nearly complete.

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES: On Tuesday, March 6, the San Juan Capistrano City Council . The new assistant director will be responsible for the city’s planning, land use and zoning, grant funded projects and historical preservation efforts. The assistant director of Development Services will also play a vital role in accomplishing the City Council’s strategic priorities, such as; economic development, creating a business friendly environment, open space management, implementing a Historical Town Center master plan and creating an infrastructure improvement plan. The position is being advertised will be filled through an internal recruitment process and applications are being accepted through March 21, 2012.

DEL OBISPO STREET BRIDGE WIDENING: The contractor worked on construction of the bridge deck and north side bridge barrier forms. Workers installed inserts for dry utility hangers, which will be set in the deck concrete. They started constructing steel for the bridge deck. They also started removing non-structural forms from the diaphragm and pier cap concrete pour. The project completion date is June 2012.

EAST OPEN SPACE LEMON GROVE SITE: Installation of irrigation lateral pipes and appurtenances at the property area west of Reata Road is now complete, with work progressing to the area east of Reata Road. This work along with the installation of the electrical meter pedestal to service the irrigation system is expected to be completed by the end of the week. Installation of the balance of equipment such as the irrigation controller, flow meters, and fertilizer injector is anticipated to begin towards the latter part of the week when delivery is expected. Planting of the Valencia orange citripots shall commence as soon as the irrigation system is installed in entirety, inspected and accepted.

MAINTAINANCE ITEMS: Pavement markings and raised pavement markings were completed at the intersection of Junipero Serra and Rancho Viejo roads. Crack seal maintenance was completed on Camino Capistrano from La Zanja Street to Oso Road. Pavement markings were freshened up for the downtown area. Preliminary work on establishing new striping to calm has begun and will be completed next week.