HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015-04-14 City Council Summary MinutesCITY OF PALO ALTO CITY COUNCIL
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Special Meeting
April 14, 2015
The City Council of the City of Palo Alto met on this date in the Council
Chambers at 6:10 P.M.
Present: Berman, Burt, DuBois, Filseth, Holman, Kniss, Scharff, Schmid,
Wolbach
Absent:
Oral Communications
None.
Action Items
8. Hearing on Buena Vista Mobile Home Park Residents Association’s
Appeal of Hearing Officer’s Decision Relating to Mitigation Measures
Proposed by Buena Vista Mobile Home Park Owner in Connection with
Mobile Home Park Closure Application (continued from April 13, 2015).
Vice Mayor Schmid reported the Council would hear an appeal by the Buena
Vista Residents Association of the Hearing Officer's determination in the
Buena Vista Mobile Home Park closure matter. The Council's role was to
determine whether the Hearing Officer's decision, as it might be amended by
the Council, provided a package of mitigation measures that were adequate
to mitigate the adverse impact on displaced residents, provided that the
package did not exceed the reasonable costs of relocation. Once the Council
identified mitigations that met the criteria, the Council had to approve the
closure application. The Council was not present to discuss whether closure
of the park was fair or the right thing for the community. The park was
privately owned, and the owner had a right under State and local law to go
out of business provided that he mitigated impacts to displaced residents to
the extent required by law. The Council was not present to discuss the hope
and aspirations of many of the community that Buena Vista could be
preserved for affordable housing; that was not within the Council's
jurisdiction at the current time. The Council was aware that other
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community and neighborhood leaders were working toward that goal. The
City Manager had informed the Council that he had set aside City funds;
therefore, at the correct time the Council could hold that discussion. Before
the Council could attend to those issues, it must consider the closure
application. The Council had an obligation to be neutral, unbiased, and fair
to reach a decision based on the evidence before the Council. Only after the
closure process was concluded could the Council participate in the broader
community conversation regarding Buena Vista.
Mayor Holman indicated that the Council would take no public testimony, as
it was taken the prior evening.
David Beccaria, Beccaria & Weber Inc., Expert Witness for Park Owner,
advised that the homes in the park could not be financed due to age and the
lack of permitting for additions. Dated homes in the subject park and
competing parks typically were not financeable. The history of the park
demonstrated only one reported financed sale over more than 20 years. The
typical transaction was an all cash sale. The park had small pad sizes,
except for one section of the park. The infrastructure in the park was
inferior and dated. Because of this, old homes could not be replaced with
new manufactured homes. The few park model units located in the park
were not manufactured and could not be financed. Space rent partially
offset location. There was a lack of park facilities. The buyers' acceptance
of these deficiencies was the location adjustment; it was embedded in the
data. Homes in that price range provided the most basic and lowest cost
housing, which was true of all comparable park locations. Buyers in that
price range were concerned primarily with basic shelter. To reach that
conclusion, he studied sales history for the prior 20 years as provided by the
California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD)
through Santiago Financial. That data showed no correlation with the Palo
Alto residential market at any time in the past. Comparing in-park sales
with sales in competing parks did not show a premium for the Palo Alto
location beyond the buyer acceptance of park deficiencies and space rent
differences. He performed a median sale price comparison for mobile home
parks in Santa Clara. Appraisers analyzed condominiums and townhouses in
Palo Alto and single family residences in Palo Alto. Clearly, no correlation
was noted between conventional housing and the mobile home park data,
inside or outside the park. He attempted to survey park residents in both
English and Spanish in an attempt to gather as much information as
possible; however, very few questionnaires were returned. An appraisal
report was based upon an effective date and based primarily upon all
available market data as of the effective data. Since the time of the
assignment in 2013, prices had increased. If appraisals were completed in
2015, the valuations would likely be significantly higher. He chose a
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hypothetical condition that forgave the unpermitted additions. He would
perform the appraisal reports in the same manner and fashion as previously
performed. The only difference between appraisal reports performed in
2013 and 2015 was time. The issue of permitting seemed to be largely
ignored by market participants, because the homes typically were not
financeable, required cash from buyer to seller, and most importantly buyers
in the price range were concerned mainly with basic shelter in an area sorely
lacking affordable housing alternatives.
Nadia Aziz, The Law Foundation of Silicon Valley for Buena Vista Mobile
Home Park Residents Association, requested two minutes to address
comments made by Mr. Beccaria.
Mayor Holman agreed.
Ms. Aziz remarked that State law and the Palo Alto Mobile Home Park
Conversion Ordinance (Ordinance) required the park owner to mitigate
negative impacts of park closure. The State recognized that mobile home
parks were one of the last bastions of home ownership for low-income
individuals. Palo Alto's Ordinance specifically protected the park owner's
property interest by allowing the park owner to request either a partial or
complete exemption from relocation assistance if he could demonstrate that
providing relocation assistance would substantially limit the park's
reasonable use or economic value. The Ordinance specifically described park
owner actions needed to mitigate negative impacts of park closure. The
term reasonable costs of relocation was not defined in the Ordinance. The
Ordinance anticipated that comparable replacement housing would be
reasonable. State law and the Ordinance contemplated replacement housing
as a reasonable mitigation cost. The park owner ignored the fact that the
Ordinance considered what was needed to move to comparable housing
rather than appraised value. The park owner advocated his responsibility to
create a plan that would allow residents to move to comparable housing.
HCD sales data was not provided as part of the relocation impact plan. If
comparable housing did exist, then it needed to be identified within the plan.
It was difficult to determine whether the proposed assistance would allow
residents to move to comparable housing as the park owner did not report
any figures for relocation assistance. The park owner provided photos of
residences; however, those residences did not reflect the vast majority of
housing available in Buena Vista. The Council was given not only the park
owner's appraisals but also the residents' critique of the appraisals and
methodology. The Council should use that information to determine the
values of mobile homes in Buena Vista. The Ordinance specifically required
the rent differential to consider the rent of new locations. The actual rent
cost should be reflected in the rent differential. The relocation specialist
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could revise moving costs, but not all relocation assistance. The City Council
should find that the mitigation assistance was inadequate, because it would
not allow residents to move to comparable housing or to purchase a mobile
home in a comparable community. The Council could instruct the park
owner to provide a specific plan; require the park owner to have a plan that
specifically defined terms and comparable housing; and require the park
owner to provide an analysis. There was no community similar to Palo Alto,
because there were no mobile home parks remaining in Palo Alto. The City
Council should instruct the park owner to develop a plan that specifically
considered the amount of money needed for residents to move to a mobile
home in a comparable community within 35 miles. She requested the
Council require the appraised value be the floor amount rather than the
ceiling amount. The City Council should require compensation based on
actual rent for residents who chose to move into rental housing. The Council
could require the appraiser to consider in-place value; allow residents to
obtain a second appraisal; and allow a third-party to choose the amount that
would most adequately mitigate negative impacts of park closure. She
requested the Council not approve mitigation measures without a third-party
review. Residents should be able to appeal the proposed relocation
assistance to ensure it complied with the Ordinance. After the park owner
developed a plan, the City Council could require the plan be subject to
review. If the Council rejected the mitigation assistance, it could instruct the
park owner specifically to consider schools when considering comparable
housing. The Council could and should provide concrete definitions and
concrete topics for inclusion in the specific plan. The proposed relocation
assistance would not allow residents to move to comparable housing in a
comparable community.
Margaret Nanda, Attorney for the Jisser Family/Park Owner, reported the
Hearing Officer did not find that the park owner must purchase comparable
housing for Buena Vista homeowners. To require the park owner to
purchase comparable housing would exceed the reasonable cost of
mitigation per Government Code § 65863.7. The rent subsidy was
calculated using market rate rents. Mr. Beccaria assumed all additions to
residents' homes were legal. The Hearing Officer found that Mr. Jisser's
allowing mobile home owners to expand their homes did not mean the park
owner had to purchase homes that were bigger than residents' current
homes. If the manufactured home itself contained only one bedroom, then
the park owner was required to provide a market rate rent subsidy for a
total of 15 months, including start-up costs. The park owner was found
wanting, because he did not provide a housing relocation plan. The words
housing relocation plan did not appear anywhere in the Ordinance. The park
owner was not required to prepare or provide a housing relocation plan. If
the Residents Association believed the park owner was required to provide a
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relocation plan, then surely they would have stated that prior to the Council
meeting the previous evening. The Ordinance required the Housing
Relocation Specialist to assist residents with finding and moving to relocation
spaces and comparable housing. The park owner paid the fees of the
Housing Relocation Specialist, but did not instruct the Housing Relocation
Specialist. The Housing Relocation Specialist created a plan after working
individually with each resident. The park owner had to defer to the specialist
but could not interfere in that process. Attorneys for the Residents
Association stated the park owner failed to identify specific comparable parks
and specific mobile homes for sale. The Ordinance required the park owner
to provide data regarding mobile home parks in the first version of the
housing Relocation Impact Report (RIR). That report was a snapshot in
time. The date on which the park would actually close was unknown. Under
State law, park residents were entitled to at least six months notice of
closure after the Resident Impact Report and mitigation assistance were
approved. During those six months, residents would work with the Housing
Relocation Specialist to choose new housing. The City's Ordinance required
a payment of lump-sum assistance. In her experience, the payment of
lump-sum assistance contemplated that the homeowner and the Housing
Relocation Specialist would explore and choose the best option of relocation
for the homeowner. The Council must reject the argument that the
appraised values of homes was not known now and; therefore, the park
owner had not offered sufficient mitigation assistance. The park owner had
exceeded Ordinance requirements by accommodating the residents'
statements that appraisals were too low. The park owner stipulated that he
would pay at a minimum the amount of the first appraisal and anything
beyond that. The existing appraisal was the floor. The Council should
consider the experience of the Residents Association expert in weighing her
opinions. The Residents Association expert was not a Housing Relocation
Specialist and did not speak to any experience with relocation of mobile
home tenants. The appointed housing relocation expert did have experience
with relocating mobile home park tenants. The proposed lump-sum
mitigation assistance did provide sufficient options for residents to relocate.
Sixty-eight homes in Buena Vista were either RVs or trailers. RVs or trailers
could be purchased for less than mobile homes listed for sale in Mountain
View. The Housing Relocation Specialist stated a Buena Vista tenant could
obtain financing of a mobile home in a traditional park, if the tenant
qualified. The Council could offer Buena Vista residents a right of first
refusal to affordable housing in the City of Palo Alto that the City would
build. The California Relocation Assistance Act would require the City to
purchase comparable housing for Buena Vista residents.
Council Member DuBois inquired whether Council Members could ask
questions.
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Mayor Holman responded yes, questions for either party or Staff.
Council Member Scharff believed the Hearing Officer was thoughtful and
thorough. He referred to Page 15 of the Hearing Officer's decision regarding
one-bedroom homes and unpermitted additions. The Hearing Officer did not
support his decision for that with statute. A four-person family could not live
in a one bedroom home.
Ms. Nanda indicated the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) standard was two plus one per bedroom or three people
per bedroom.
Council Member Scharff felt the park owner should provide a rental subsidy
based on a two bedroom home if a family consisted of more than four
people. The purpose seemed to be relocation of Buena Vista residents;
however, moving four people into one bedroom housing was unrealistic.
Ms. Nanda suggested the Hearing Office was stating that residents had been
given the benefit of living in a self-created, unpermitted, two or three
bedroom home, because the appraiser was instructed to ignore the
unpermitted nature of the additions. The appraisal provided a value based
on the actual number of bedrooms in the homes even though second and
third bedroom additions were unpermitted. The value did not need to be
captured a second time through the rent subsidy. The rent subsidy was
based on market rate housing in Palo Alto and surrounding cities. Rent at
Buena Vista did not represent market rate housing, because it was rent
controlled. The value of the unpermitted additions was captured in the
appraisal rather than the lump-sum assistance. The rent subsidy was based
on the market rate for a one bedroom apartment; however, residents could
rent a two or three bedroom apartment at below-market rates.
Council Member Scharff asked if there were any legal impediments to the
Council imposing an additional condition for the park owner to provide a rent
subsidy for a two bedroom home.
Ms. Nanda understood multiple families were living together in one home.
Under the HUD standard, a family of six or seven people would need three
bedrooms. A family of eight people would need four bedrooms. The rent
subsidy far exceeded the reasonable cost of relocation.
Council Member Scharff reiterated a condition for a two bedroom home for
four or more people living in a mobile home. He was concerned that four
people would not be able to move to a one bedroom apartment.
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Ms. Nanda felt the only impediment was the Hearing Officer's decision for a
one bedroom home and the park owner accepted the Hearing Officer's
decision. That gave the park owner grounds to appeal the decision.
Council Member Scharff asked if the Council had a de novo review of the
Hearing Officer's decision.
Ms. Nanda suggested he submit his question to the City Attorney. That did
not eliminate the park owner's right to appeal to a Superior Court under a
writ of mandamus.
Council Member Scharff inquired about possible grounds for an appeal.
Ms. Nanda would need to review the statute, but either they exceeded the
terms of the Ordinance or the reasonable costs of relocation. The residents
had benefited from the permitted additions, and the Hearing Officer
recognized that fact.
Council Member Scharff requested Ms. Aziz explain her understanding of the
35 mile radius.
Ms. Aziz reported the Residents Association expert drew a 35 mile radius.
Council Member Scharff asked why the expert drew a 35 mile radius and
how the radius related to the statute.
Ms. Aziz advised that the Ordinance stated the cost of physically relocating
the mobile home within 35 miles of the park. Another section of the
Ordinance limited the Relocation Impact Report to considering comparable
mobile home parks within 35 miles of the park. The Ordinance
contemplated a comparable community within 35 miles of the park.
Council Member Scharff indicated the Ordinance seemed to be broken into
two parts. The first part pertained to residents whose mobile homes could
be relocated to a space in a comparable park. The second part pertained to
residents whose mobile homes could not be relocated to a space in a
comparable park. Based on the record and testimony, he understood no
mobile homes could be relocated. All residents were taking the lump-sum
payment.
Ms. Aziz stated the vast majority of residents would not be able to move
their homes.
Council Member Scharff believed the statute clearly applied only to moving a
mobile home from Park A to Park B within a 35 mile radius. Page 7, Number
2, of the Ordinance did not mention 35 miles. The definition section also did
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not mention comparable housing. He felt Ms. Aziz had misled the Council
regarding a 35 mile radius. He requested Ms. Aziz address that.
Ms. Aziz advised that the Council had to review provisions that would
mitigate the negative aspects of park closure. Residents stated they lived in
Palo Alto in order to access community amenities. The definition of
comparable housing contained an inclusive list of amenities.
Council Member Scharff inquired where the statute stated comparable to
Palo Alto.
Ms. Aziz reported Section 9.76.030(j) referred to a list of comparable parks
within a 35 mile radius.
Council Member Scharff reiterated that the statute stated mobile homes
should be moved to a park within 35 miles. Residents who moved their
mobile homes would receive a separate set of benefits. Part 2 of the statute
contained no 35 mile radius and provided a different set of benefits.
Ms. Aziz indicated that part of the Ordinance discussed comparable housing
and defined comparable housing as "the cost of purchasing a comparable
mobile home in a comparable mobile home park." The definitions of
comparable mobile home and comparable mobile home park did not exactly
use the term 35 miles. The definitions mentioned a park with access to a
community similar to Palo Alto and to similar amenities. The Ordinance as a
whole considered parks within 35 miles. The purpose of the Ordinance was
to allow residents to remain in a community similar to Palo Alto and to retain
their jobs with the understanding that Buena Vista was the last mobile home
park in Palo Alto. The intention of the Ordinance was to look at comparable
housing within a limited area.
Council Member Scharff asked where that could be found in the record. He
found comments by Council Members stating the park probably had a ten-
year life and the City should create a development agreement and a
development plan. He wanted to base his decision on the record.
Ms. Aziz advised that the definitions of comparable mobile home park and
comparable community specifically stated a community that had similar
access to shopping, medical services, recreational facilities, and
transportation or a comparable mobile home in a comparable mobile home
park. Other sections of the Ordinance discussing comparable mobile home
parks limited the distance to 35 miles. The Ordinance did not intend to force
residents to move wherever they could find affordable housing. The
Ordinance intended to allow residents to move to a community similar to
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Palo Alto. The Ordinance had to be read in light of mitigation of the negative
aspects of park closure.
Council Member Scharff read Page 6, letter g, of the Ordinance. He asked
what actions the Council could take within that structure of the Ordinance to
support Buena Vista residents. The Ordinance did not seem to anticipate the
Council preventing closure of the park.
Ms. Aziz remarked that the Ordinance did contemplate a plan. It did
contemplate allowing sufficient relocation assistance so that residents could
move to a comparable mobile home in a comparable mobile home park. The
Ordinance specifically required the park owner to review mobile home parks
within 35 miles. The park owner had to identify realistic options and had to
state the amount of mitigation that would allow residents to move. The park
owner provided an updated appraisal, but provided an estimate of the
mitigation amount. The residents could not appeal the estimate if they were
unable to find comparable housing in a comparable community.
Vice Mayor Schmid referred to the Palo Alto Code regarding measuring the
value the mobile home would have if the park was not being closed. Mr.
Beccaria stated one mobile home sale had been financed in the prior 20
years and only two sales were reported. Mr. Beccaria also stated
information for sales was difficult to obtain. The report listed 27 listed sales
at Sahara Village and 45 listed sales at Santiago Villa between 2011 and
2013. That seemed to indicate residents of Buena Vista did not want to
move. Longevity was one of the characteristics of the park. Longevity for a
community had value. He asked how Mr. Beccaria assessed the value of
people wanting to remain in the community. He asked Ms. Nanda if, in her
experience, it was extraordinary for longevity to be so high in mobile home
parks.
Ms. Nanda clarified that Mr. Beccaria found only one Multiple Listing Service
(MLS) listing of a home in Buena Vista for the past several years. Buena
Vista was not a traditional mobile home park with landscaped spaces, wide
streets, and uniform houses. Buena Vista did not look like Santiago Villa or
Sahara Village. In her experience, sales in mobile home parks similar to
Buena Vista were accomplished by word of mouth or through a for sale sign
placed in a window of the home. HCD required a mobile home be titled or
registered. The 30 mobile homes in the park would be titled by HCD and
would be found on the personal property tax rolls of Santa Clara County.
The other 68 homes were registered most likely through the California
Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), because they were a type of vehicle.
Santiago Financial, a private data service, obtained HCD data and separated
it by park, city, and county. Mr. Beccaria stated that information was often
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delayed. In order to verify he had the latest information, Mr. Beccaria called
Santiago Financial and discussed potential missing information. Mr. Beccaria
could not simply call or visit the DMV to obtain information. An attorney
could apply for information from the DMV to determine the ownership of a
motor vehicle.
Vice Mayor Schmid asked if she found a difference in longevity for Buena
Vista compared to the other mobile home parks with which she had worked.
Ms. Nanda noted Buena Vista was an all age park. In her experience, there
was a difference in terms of longevity for a senior park. In her experience,
seniors were most determined to retain their homes and did not want a park
closure.
Vice Mayor Schmid requested a response from the Residents Association
attorney.
Ms. Aziz believed many residents had lived in Buena Vista for 20 years or
more. Mr. Brabant's report contained critiques of longevity and comparable
sales data. The park owner's expert stated permitting of additions was
ignored by market participants. However, most residents purchased their
homes with existing additions and paid more for those homes with additions.
The idea that residents received a windfall because appraisals assumed
additions were permitted was incorrect.
Council Member Kniss referred to Packet Page 214 regarding schools. She
inquired whether Ms. Nanda had dealt with the issue of schools in park
closures in other cities or had those closures affected senior citizens only.
Ms. Nanda had closed both family and senior parks.
Council Member Kniss requested Ms. Nanda comment. Ms. Nanda could not
know the reasons the Ordinance did not mention schools; however, her
experience or observations regarding the inclusion of schools in closures
would be helpful.
Ms. Nanda reported the six closures in which she participated did not raise
the issue of valuing schools in the manner suggested by the Residents
Association. She could not speculate as to reasons for omitting schools from
the Ordinance. She respected the Hearing Officer's conclusion that the
legislative intent to include schools was not present when the Ordinance was
drafted. In other closures, she had faced the issue of schools as a barrier to
finding another mobile home or other housing.
Council Member Kniss was puzzled by the Ordinance omitting schools.
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Ms. Nanda recalled residents' testimony at the public hearings that they had
lived in the community for many years and they moved to Palo Alto because
of Palo Alto schools. She assumed schools would have been included in the
Ordinance had they been a critical factor.
Council Member Kniss had directed her question to Ms. Nanda because of
her experience with park closures, but requested Ms. Aziz comment if she
wished.
Ms. Aziz advised that even without schools the Ordinance contemplated a
community similar to Palo Alto.
Council Member Berman asked if rents were altered when residents
constructed the additions.
Ms. Nanda replied no. Rents were not increased because of the additions.
Council Member Berman inquired about the number of Buena Vista sales
used in Mr. Beccaria's comparisons.
Mr. Beccaria remarked that the number varied with each report. Each report
contained at least one, sometimes two.
Council Member Berman clarified for the totality of appraisals.
Mr. Beccaria answered probably five altogether.
Council Member Berman asked if those sales occurred within 12 months of
the appraisal.
Mr. Beccaria reported the most recent sale occurred in late 2011. He did use
sales of a couple of trailers from 2012.
Council Member Berman asked if some of the sales occurred more than 12
months prior to the appraisal.
Mr. Beccaria advised that the last sale of a park model unit occurred in
2006, when it was located in the park as a new unit.
Council Member Berman inquired about Mr. Beccaria's dismissal of home
sales that occurred more than 12 months prior to the appraisal.
Mr. Beccaria commented that time was a critical factor. Some of the cited
sales dated back to 2010 when he could locate sales in 2011 or 2012 in
similar parks or the same park. He had to use the most recent and most
similar sales.
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Council Member Berman inquired whether Mr. Beccaria would utilize more
dated sales if two sales in the year prior to the appraisal were wildly
different in terms of valuation.
Mr. Beccaria advised that he utilized a group of eight or nine parks in order
to find more current data.
Council Member Berman did not understand why Mr. Beccaria dismissed
concerns about time adjustments and a $20 per square foot flat rate across
all properties.
Mr. Beccaria reported 2011 sales showed up on the higher end of the value
range while 2012 sales showed up slightly lower. If primary data conflicted
with statistical data, then the primary data overrode other data. He did
make time adjustments between late 2011 and January 2013. The $20 per
square foot adjustment was the minimum adjustment, because of
substandard housing and because the average value was approximately
$18,000 or $19,000. No higher adjustment was warranted. The $20 per
square foot adjustment did not work when analyzing all data simultaneously.
Council Member Berman recalled that Mr. Beccaria chose not to use a time
adjustment, because the median sale price in 2012 for mobile homes in
Santa Clara County was $70,000 and the sale price in 2006 was
approximately $85,000. He inquired whether Mr. Beccaria could have
utilized San Mateo County as a comparison, because Palo Alto was more
similar to Menlo Park than to Gilroy.
Mr. Beccaria needed a great deal of good mobile home park data which was
not available in Menlo Park. Locations in Redwood City were not the same
as in Palo Alto. He preferred to use data from Sunnyvale or Mountain View,
because those locations provided good data and park deficiencies offset the
location issues.
Council Member Berman requested Ms. Aziz respond.
Ms. Aziz could ask her expert to respond in writing to Council Member
questions, if the Council felt that was appropriate.
Council Member DuBois inquired about the sources for the chart contained
on Page 10 of the Staff Report. They seemed to have different pricing.
Ms. Nanda reported the City Attorney requested she provide data for market
rate apartments in cities surrounding Palo Alto when she was preparing the
RIR. She used Sunnyvale, East Palo Alto, Mountain View, Redwood City, and
Palo Alto. The Hearing Officer's Exhibit A directed the use of an average,
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market-rate, one bedroom apartment to calculate the rent subsidy. The RIR
data was old, because it was originally approved in April 2014. Therefore,
she utilized the same internet sources to update the average rents for those
cities.
Council Member DuBois asked if those were listing prices or actual rent
prices
Sonya Welch, Attorney for Park Owner, advised that those were actual rent
prices. Zillow.com, rentjungle.com, and rentbits.com provided rental data
per city. She utilized multiple websites in order to obtain a comprehensive
average rental rate. The average rate was most likely inflated, because the
data that was easiest to track came from larger, luxury apartment
complexes.
Council Member DuBois asked why she did not include Menlo Park, Los Altos,
or Burlingame.
Ms. Welch utilized the same cities as in the RIR.
Ms. Nanda clarified that the City Attorney and Planning Staff directed her to
focus on specific cities.
Council Member DuBois asked how the cities were determined initially.
Ms. Nanda did not recall. She may have initially tracked Palo Alto data, and
then the City Attorney's Office requested surrounding cities.
Council Member DuBois was surprised by a $300 monthly difference between
one bedroom and two bedroom apartments.
Ms. Nanda noted an income qualification issue for residents. It was felt that
apartments in Sunnyvale and Redwood City were likely more affordable than
apartments in Menlo Park or Los Altos. There was a sense that these cities
surrounded Palo Alto, but were more affordable.
Council Member DuBois inquired whether residents could expect
infrastructure repairs and upgrades if the park was an ongoing concern. Mr.
Beccaria factored the condition of the park into the appraisal.
Mr. Beccaria was making the point that currently an older home could not be
replaced with a new home in Buena Vista, with the exception of park model
units, because of old infrastructure,
Council Member DuBois understood the sewer hookups and such were
substandard, and asked if that or amenities factored into the in-place values.
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Mr. Beccaria did not entertain sewer hookups or anything like that, but did
include amenities. Buena Vista did not have a pool or clubhouse or wide
streets. Those types of issues were factored into appraisals. They were
inherent in not making a location adjustment.
Council Member DuBois asked who was responsible for ensuring additions
were permitted in a park.
Mr. Beccaria believed that fell under the jurisdiction of the HCD.
Council Member DuBois asked if the park owner had a responsibility to
ensure additions were permitted.
Mr. Beccaria did not know.
Council Member DuBois inquired whether safety was specifically discussed as
an aspect of comparable community.
Ms. Aziz advised that a comparable community was a community similar to
the community in which the park was located with similar amenities. The list
of amenities could include other aspects. The Ordinance contemplated a
safe community, because it contemplated a community similar to Palo Alto.
Safety should be a factor.
Council Member Filseth did not completely understand how location factored
into the appraisal result. Mr. Beccaria stated the condition of the park, pad
sizes, and infrastructure offset the location. He requested Mr. Beccaria
explain the offset again. He requested details regarding the appraised value
of one unit being lower than the price paid for it, according to the
homeowner's testimony the prior evening. He understood the in-place value
assumed the park would continue operating in perpetuity. However, the
park owner had clearly stated for many years his intent for the disposition of
the park. The knowledge that the park would close in a few years would
seem to depress the value of units in the park. He asked if that was true
and encompassed in the appraisal.
Mr. Beccaria noted Palo Alto schools were terrific. Families wanted to live in
Palo Alto. Families were willing to accept park deficiencies in order to live in
Palo Alto. He reached that conclusion by correlating the values of homes in
Buena Vista over time to activities in traditional mobile home parks in
surrounding communities. They did correlate. It was the closest and most
practical means to develop a value. Residents in other mobile home parks
were paying similar amounts as residents of Buena Vista paid, but Buena
Vista offered considerably fewer amenities and lower quality infrastructure.
The only variable was Palo Alto. Therefore, he equated the location issue
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with a buyer's acceptance of park deficiencies. He studied and reviewed the
market from every possible angle.
Council Member Filseth asked if Mr. Beccaria considered all types of other
factors and attributed the difference to the location.
Mr. Beccaria stated the park deficiencies and location issue offset each
other. Part of that were differences in space rents. Some parks charged
much higher space rent. Those issues combined with relatively similar
prices had to be the difference. People were willing to live in the park in
order for their children to attend Palo Alto schools.
Council Member Filseth reiterated his question regarding a resident's
statement that the appraised value of her home was less than the price she
paid for it.
Mr. Beccaria did not have his files and was not in a position to address
specific appraisals.
Council Member Filseth asked if the known closure of the park would impact
the units in the park.
Mr. Beccaria was very careful about that issue. He could utilize data prior to
the announcement of the park closure. All data after knowledge of park
closure was tainted. He believed all data utilized from the park, perhaps five
sales, was dated prior to the closure announcement.
Council Member Filseth believed it was a matter of public record that the
park owner intended to close the park as early as 2001.
Mr. Beccaria was not aware of that fact, and did not believe residents in
general were aware of that fact. If a resident provided him with sale
information, he conducted a detailed interview of the resident to confirm the
information. By and large residents provided accurate information.
Ms. Aziz advised that the value of a mobile home had to include the in-place
value. The Council was being told that the in-place value should not matter,
because of the condition of the park. The park owner's failure to maintain
the park should not invalidate any value of the park being located in Palo
Alto. The review of appraisals discussed the need to consider in-place value.
Council Member Filseth reiterated Mr. Beccaria's argument that in-place
value was considered in the appraisal.
Ms. Aziz clarified that Mr. Beccaria was stating that it should not be
considered, because the condition of the park was terrible. His statements
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ignored in-place value and allowed the park owner to take advantage of not
maintaining the park. Ignoring in-place value was not fair to residents. The
price of housing in Palo Alto had increased exponentially. The park had a
high value because it was located in Palo Alto. The Ordinance did not
contemplate consideration of the appraised value. It did contemplate the
amount needed for a resident to move to comparable housing. The Council
should consider that measure.
Council Member Burt requested the City Attorney review information that
was in the public record and public knowledge in 2001. He recalled the park
being given approximately ten years of amortization of its infrastructure.
Molly Stump, City Attorney, was not employed with the City in 2001. People
on the dais and in the room could have some recollection of those
conversations in 2001. From reviewing the material in the record, she
understood the primary focus or the instigation of the public conversation
among the park owner, the residents, and the City involved a rent increase
and the City's desire to regulate in that area. The Mobile Home Park
Conversion Ordinance resulted from those conversations. Parties who had
reviewed those records in detail could have additional comments.
Council Member Burt remarked that Ms. Stump did not address the ten years
of remaining infrastructure life in anticipation of eventual closure of the park.
Ms. Stump had not specifically researched that question. There was some
material in the record that was relevant to that topic. She knew the Council
had reviewed that information.
Council Member Burt requested either party address park infrastructure.
Ms. Nanda explained that the Council's discussion of the Mobile Home Park
Conversion Ordinance and the rent Ordinance was prompted by the park
owner's notice of a rent increase published on October 1, 2000, which would
become effective January 1, 2001. The Council began meeting about the
matter in 2000 and enacted the Ordinance in 2001. The minutes of those
Council meetings reflected that a Council Member acknowledged that the
useful life of the park was ten years and that there had been discussion with
the park owner about the life of the park and his continuing its operation. A
Mobile Home Park Conversion Ordinance was enacted, because the Council
and Staff foresaw the closure of Buena Vista. The Ordinance was enacted
specifically with Buena Vista in mind.
Council Member Burt advised that was consistent with his recollection. The
appraiser stated he was not aware of that circumstance. He inquired about
the number of current residents who were living in the park in 2001.
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Ms. Nanda reported Mr. Beccaria did not know. Mr. Beccaria's point of
reference was that in September 2012 the park owner wrote a letter to
residents indicating he was considering closure of the park. In November an
actual application was filed. Mr. Beccaria did not consider any data after
those dates.
Council Member Burt stated that seemed reasonable. He wanted to know if
the data between 2000 and 2012 should reflect that the useful life of the
park was ten years and that buyers and sellers anticipated closure in 2012.
He questioned reasons for a buyer paying the same amount for a residence
with perhaps five years of useful life as a residence with a much longer
useful life.
Mr. Beccaria related his experience with the closure of a mobile home park
in Capitola. Capitola residents knew the closure was going to occur, but
sales continued. Sales of homes in the Capitola park correlated with sales in
the marketplace, because people had few alternatives.
Council Member Burt recalled Mr. Beccaria's offset of location and park
condition. He suggested three elements comprised that offset: the park
condition depressed pricing; the limited remaining life of the park depressed
pricing; and the location offset both of those. He questioned whether the
value of residents' homes should be discounted and whether that was an
appropriate discount.
Mr. Beccaria explained that comparable sales were taken from other
communities for traditional mobile home parks that had long-term life
expectancies.
Council Member Burt asked how Mr. Beccaria would calculate the difference
in price for Buena Vista homes if the park closure had not been announced.
Mr. Beccaria indicated Council Member Burt was making the appraisal
assignment hypothetical. He had to appraise the homes and park based on
the current reality.
Council Member Burt did not find a mention in the Ordinance regarding
discounting home values because the park had a limited life. In discussing
comparable physical conditions and comparable communities, the Council
should not ignore the discounting that occurred because the park and homes
only had a few years remaining.
Mr. Beccaria disagreed with Council Member Burt's view point.
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Council Member Burt noted Section 9.076.030(D)(5)(v) of the Ordinance
recognized pop-out rooms, porches, etc. However, there was an ambiguity
as to whether non-permitted pop-out rooms should be recognized as part of
the unit. For some reason, the Hearing Officer recognized them for purposes
of the appraisal but not for purposes of the rent subsidy. He asked if the
Ordinance provided guidance for treating pop-out rooms differently.
Ms. Stump advised that the park owner was required to describe what was
physically present at the park. That was done in the RIR which included
those porches, patios, pop-out rooms, etc. The Hearing Officer's decision
was independent, and Staff had not consulted with him because it was not
appropriate. In essence, the Hearing Officer did treat them differently.
There was a complexity to the issue in that residents may have reported
those additional structures as bedrooms. Nothing specific in the Ordinance
dictated treatment of those structures. The issue was within the Council's
discretion.
Council Member Burt inquired whether the park owner interpreted the
Ordinance as excluding schools.
Ms. Nanda interpreted the term community as all aspects of the community.
However, the Residents Association argued that appraisal values should
specifically reflect and be increased by the park's location in Palo Alto and
attendance at Palo Alto schools. The Residents Association also argued that
schools should be a factor in determining comparability. Schools could not
be a factor in appraisal or comparability as evidence in the record indicated
by the Assistant City Attorney in 2001 reviewed other ordinances that
included schools, yet schools were specifically excluded from the Ordinance.
Council Member Burt stated under Ms. Nanda's interpretation "such as"
would have the effect of "limited to." In that sense, "such as" was exclusive.
Ms. Nanda argued that shopping, medical services, recreational facilities and
transportation, as stated in the Ordinance, did not embrace the school
system. The Council could not stretch that list of amenities to include
schools. Drafters of the Ordinance failed to list schools as an amenity even
after they reviewed other ordinances that did include schools. The Hearing
Officer did not find legislative intent for including schools as an amenity.
Ms. Aziz responded that "such as" meant "for example." Real estate listings
for Palo Alto listed the schools for each property. Prices were high in Palo
Alto because of its schools. That factor needed to be considered when
reviewing comparable housing.
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Council Member Burt commented that including schools as a factor would
require a value be assigned to Palo Alto schools. Palo Alto expended more
per student than surrounding school districts. That could be a method to
determine the value of a Palo Alto education.
Council Member Wolbach could not conclude that the exclusion of schools
was intentional when the language of the Ordinance seemed inclusive.
Hearing Procedures in the Ordinance specifically stated the Hearing Officer
"... may condition the approval on additional conditions including but not
limited to the following....". Sections of the Ordinance provided the Hearing
Officer with the ability to exceed the examples given. He asked how the
park owner justified the claim that the Council must assume the absence of
schools was intentional, and how she reached the legal conclusion that the
Council was precluded from considering schools.
Ms. Nanda explained that the definition of comparable housing (similar
access to shopping, medical services, etc.) did not mirror the language of
comparable mobile home parks (such as shopping, medical services, etc.).
There was a difference in the wording. Because of the difference in
language, she did not believe the use of "such as" allowed the inclusion of
schools. The record of the Council minutes and the discussion in 2000/2001
indicated the Assistant City Attorney reviewed closure ordinances,
specifically the Monrovia ordinance. The attorney for the Residents
Association represented to the Council that he had reviewed more than 150
ordinances and that the language of the proposed Palo Alto Ordinance was
as it should be. The language of the Hearing Procedures provided a plethora
of possible additional conditions, but it did not necessarily mean additional
conditions were related to or justified by the terms of the Ordinance. The
Hearing Officer's finding of a lack of legislative intent to include schools
dictated that the language should not be stretched to include schools. The
Hearing Officer was allowed to include schools; however, he did not.
Council Member Wolbach referred to Section 9.076.020 wherein "such as"
appeared in Subsection (B) but not in Subsection (C). Subsection (C)
appeared to refer back to (B), thus leading back to the inclusive language.
He inquired whether he was misinterpreting the language of the Ordinance.
Ms. Nanda was not saying that Council Members were misinterpreting the
language. Council Members were saying "such as" led to an unlimited field.
In her opinion and experience, "such as" did not lead to an unlimited field.
The list of amenities following "such as" did not stretch to include schools.
She and Council Members disagreed on the meaning of "such as."
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Council Member Wolbach asked if the reference of Subsection (C) to
Subsection (B) meant Subsection (C) included the flexibility of "such as."
Ms. Nanda remarked that it could be interpreted in that manner. It was
interesting that the list of amenities was the same in both subsections;
however, one subsection utilized "such as" and the other "access to."
Because the list of amenities did not stretch to schools, Subsection (C)
referring to Subsection (B) did not mean schools were included in
comparable housing.
Council Member Wolbach asked if Ms. Nanda agreed that Subsection (C)
referred to Subsection (B).
Ms. Nanda responded yes, to the extent that Subsection (C) stated a
comparable mobile home in a comparable mobile home park and there was
a definition of that in Subsections (A) and (B).
Council Member Wolbach agreed that the Ordinance did not explicitly state
school, Palo Alto Unified School District, school district, or value of local
education. He was unsure how the City Attorney's failure to include one
specific example of a community amenity was evidence of intentional
exclusion when the Ordinance utilized inclusive language. He inquired
whether Ms. Nanda could agree that the purpose of expansive language was
to allow consideration of other items which may have been omitted.
Ms. Nanda noted attorneys often utilized the phrase "including but not
limited to" rather than "such as." She reiterated her argument that the City
Attorney and the attorney for the Residents Association reviewed other
cities' ordinances and still omitted schools from the Palo Alto Ordinance. The
Hearing Officer reached the same conclusion as Ms. Nanda based on the lack
of legislative intent to include schools in the definition.
Council Member Wolbach concurred with a clear absence of those words in
the legislation. The purpose of including expansive language was to allow
future consideration of items which may have been omitted from a specific
list.
Ms. Nanda did not agree, because the schools were just as important and
just as much a factor in the City of Palo Alto in 2000/2001 as in 2015. If
schools were that important and contained in other cities' ordinance, then
the City Attorney would have included schools in the Ordinance.
Council Member Wolbach wanted to understand how Ms. Nanda reached the
conclusion that the absence of schools was intentional. He asked what
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precluded the Council from considering schools in some way at the current
time.
Ms. Nanda based her claim of an intentional omission of schools on the
record of Council meetings. The Council should not rewrite existing law.
Reading more into an Ordinance than was contained in the Ordinance was
unusual.
Council Member Wolbach disagreed in that inclusive language allowed
consideration of some things which might not be stated explicitly. However,
he had not determined whether that would include schools.
Ms. Stump noted the parties contested the issue, and it could remain a topic
of additional legal procedure. It was not helpful for her to comment publicly
in the current forum.
Council Member Wolbach indicated the Residents Association had placed a
great deal of emphasis on the importance of Palo Alto schools. He asked
how Ms. Aziz proposed to modify or improve the relocation package to
reflect accurately the presence of Buena Vista residents within the Palo Alto
Unified School District. He wanted to hear specific actions that the Council
could legally consider.
Ms. Aziz explained that intent should not be considered. The Ordinance
specifically addressed community amenities. "Such as" allowed an exclusive
list of amenities which should include schools. She had talked a great deal
about the plan the park owner needed to develop.
Council Member Wolbach remarked that the park owner's need to develop a
plan was debatable; however, he was not questioning that.
Ms. Aziz suggested the Council should require the park owner to include
schools in the list of comparable communities and to assess comparable
communities that provided comparable schools and a high quality education.
Schools were the most important community amenity, especially for families
with children. She requested the City Council instruct the park owner not
only to offer relocation assistance that allowed residents to move to
comparable housing, but also to include schools in the definition of
comparable housing.
Mayor Holman was confused by the Hearing Officer giving residents credit
for two to three bedrooms in determining value but not in determining
relocation assistance.
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Ms. Nanda explained that the unpermitted additions were recognized as
bedrooms; therefore, the appraised value reflected the bedrooms and
compensated residents for them. The Hearing Officer did not instruct the
park owner to count the number of bedrooms created by the tenant in
determining relocation assistance.
Mayor Holman was not aware of zoning that governed mobile home park
additions, setbacks, or anything of that nature.
Ms. Stump understood those issues were regulated by HCD, which typically
delegated inspection authority to the county. Although the park was located
within the city limits, that type of activity was undertaken by the county.
Mayor Holman asked what constituted legal nonconforming use.
Ms. Stump understood construction work on the units would not be
permitted in the same way as traditional housing in other residential zones
within the City.
Mayor Holman commented that the discussion of schools included the terms
"intention" and "intend". A prior City Attorney had stated that he could not
interpret intentions.
Ms. Stump explained that the parties and Hearing Officer referred to
intentions, because they were all lawyers. When a court reviewed a writing,
the court asked what was intended by the language. It was not the same
thing as looking into an individual's heart and mind. It was an attempt to
ascertain what was meant by the language when it was drafted.
Council Member Scharff remarked that the definition of comparable mobile
home park contained language different from the definition of comparable
housing. Comparable mobile home park was important only when
discussing residents physically moving their existing mobile homes from
Buena Vista. Otherwise, the language was not important.
Ms. Nanda concurred. It was important to recognize that there were no
other mobile home parks in Palo Alto.
Council Member Scharff felt that was irrelevant. "Such as" would only apply
if someone was moving his mobile home from Buena Vista to another mobile
home park. The lump-sum payment involved comparable housing which did
not contain the "such as" language.
Ms. Nanda agreed.
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Council Member Scharff believed that the only time schools could be
included was if someone was physically moving thier mobile home. He
inquired whether any Buena Vista residents would be physically moving their
mobile homes. If so, perhaps the Council should consider schools in that
instance. If not, then there was no argument for considering schools.
Ms. Nanda reported that moving units from Buena Vista was possible but
highly unlikely or improbable, with the exception of park units. Other mobile
home parks would likely not accept units from Buena Vista, because of the
age of the units.
Council Member Scharff asked if residents would have to choose at some
point whether to move their mobile homes.
Ms. Nanda advised that any vacant space in any park was available to Buena
Vista residents, if the mobile home park would accept the mobile home.
Park owners wanted to improve the overall appearance of their parks.
Ms. Aziz argued that the definition of comparable mobile home park did
affect residents whose mobile homes could not be moved. She referred to
Section 9.076.040(F)(a)(2) regarding residents whose mobile homes could
not be moved. Schools were a factor for residents whose mobile homes
could be moved and whose mobile homes could not be moved. Subsection
(F)(2)(a) was expansive. The Council's role was to interpret the Ordinance
as it felt appropriate. The Ordinance allowed the Council to conduct a de
novo review; therefore, the Council did not have to accept all of the Hearing
Officer's findings. If the Council believed certain issues were important and
should be included in mitigation assistance, then it was the Council's
responsibility to include those issues.
Council Member Wolbach agreed that the definition of comparable housing
included the option of a comparable mobile home park.
Council Member Berman was attempting to determine methods to address
the value of schools. He asked if the appellant intended to factor schools
into rent subsidies or appraisals.
Ms. Aziz indicated schools could be factored into both. It was a good
possibility that many residents would not move to a comparable mobile
home; therefore, they would have to rent. In looking at rental opportunities
as a source of comparable housing, the Council should also consider the
ability to access schools of a quality similar to Palo Alto's schools.
Council took a break at 9:08 P.M. and returned at 9:22 P.M.
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Council Member Berman remarked that his values were urging him to
oppose closure of the park. More than 40 percent of Palo Alto residents
were renters. Rental rates were steadily increasing. It was important to
increase the affordable housing stock in Palo Alto. However, his
responsibility in hearing the appeal was to determine whether State law and
the City Ordinance were being followed.
Council Member Scharff concurred with many of Council Member Berman's
comments. The Council was not in its usual role of a legislative body. The
Council's role was to determine whether the Hearing Officer made the
appropriate decision in the context of the law. He was looking forward to
community efforts to save Buena Vista once the hearing of the appeal was
completed.
Council Member Filseth remarked that many Buena Vista residents would not
be able to find other housing in Palo Alto or the Bay Area. The root issue
was the price of housing in the area surrounding Palo Alto. The
socioeconomic diversity of the City of Palo Alto was not the responsibility of
the park owner. If the park owner complied with the Ordinance, then he
should be allowed to close the park.
Vice Mayor Schmid recognized Buena Vista residents as a key part of the
City and critical to the City's future. The Council should consider
adjustments that reflected the value of Buena Vista residents to the
community. Those adjustments should consider the value of schools and
safety.
Council Member Wolbach supported comments made by Council Members.
He would be inclined to agree in a large part with the Hearing Officer's
decision. He was eager for suggestions to modify the relocation package to
reflect the value of owning a home in Palo Alto.
Council Member Burt commented that all parties had proceeded with a good
faith effort and performed effectively. He was interested in reviewing the
need for more than one bedroom with respect to comparable housing;
utilizing a broad description of amenities; and reviewing the discounting of
value through the knowledge of park closure. Any one of those factors
would not radically change the appraised value, but they should be included.
Council Member DuBois noted the safety and stability of Buena Vista.
Safety, City services, and schools should be considered as aspects of
comparable housing. The unpermitted additions should be included in
calculating the rent subsidy. He suggested the Council direct the appraisal
methodology to place more weight on in-place value. The calculation of
average rents utilized more comprehensive data sources and more cities on
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the Peninsula; and provided a process for residents, especially handicapped
residents, to appeal proposed mitigation assistance.
Council Member Kniss felt the decision was difficult for the Council, but even
more difficult for Buena Vista residents. She hoped others in the community
would unite to assist the residents.
Mayor Holman stated Buena Vista was a community. People would unite to
solve the problems for the Buena Vista owners and residents. Palo Alto
schools should be considered in calculating the value of Buena Vista homes.
MOTION: Council Member Scharff moved, seconded by Council Member
Kniss to:
1) Approve the Hearing Officer’s decision with the following modifications:
a) Updated appraisals of the on-site fair market value of each mobile
home shall be completed within 6 months of the owner’s relocation
from Buena Vista, at the Park Owner’s expense. Updates shall be
prepared by Beccaria & Weber, according to the methodology utilized
in the 2013 reports. If for any mobile home the updated appraisal
amount is less than the appraisal calculated in the 2013 reports, the
Park Owner shall pay the higher of the two appraisals, as may be
modified by the Hearing Officer as described below; and
b) Within 6 months of the mobile home owner’s relocation from Buena
Vista, the Park Owner shall complete an updated market survey of
average apartment rents in the cities surrounding Palo Alto, using the
methodology in the RIR. This survey shall be the basis for calculating
the 12-month rent differential and start-up costs described in the
Hearing Officer’s decision; and
c) Within 30 days of receiving the updates described above, any mobile
home owner may submit a written objection, comment or
supplemental data to the Hearing Officer. The Park Owner shall have
15 days to rebut any such submissions. The Hearing Officer shall make
a determination regarding the appraisal amount and comparable
market survey based on the evidence submitted. The Hearing Officer
shall not award less than the amounts contained in the updated
analyses of the Park Owner, or more than the amounts supported by
evidence submitted by the mobile home owners. The Hearing Officer
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shall not have jurisdiction to reopen any matter addressed by the
Council’s Decision or the Sept 30, 2014, Hearing Officer’s Decision.
The Hearing Officer shall issue a short written determination, which
shall be final. The Hearing Officer’s determination shall not be
appealable to the Council. Any appeal shall be to the Superior Court,
to the extent provided by law; and
d) Final determination of actual moving costs and additional mitigations
for disabled mobile home owners shall be determined by the
Relocation Specialist, as set forth in the Hearing Officer’s decision; and
e) In addition where a one bedroom mobile home unit has more than one
bedroom because of unpermitted additions, where family is greater
than three people, the rental compensation will provide for a two
bedroom rental unit.
2) Staff shall return to Council for adoption of written findings and decision
consistent with this Motion.
Council Member Scharff believed the Hearing Officer addressed all issues.
However, the Hearing Officer did not support the one bedroom issue with a
reference to the statute. The park owner's attorney did not offer any
impediments to the Council changing the rent subsidy. The purpose of the
Ordinance was to ensure residents could obtain housing. He did not
understand how families of four, five, and six people could move into a one
bedroom apartment. The Motion added a measure of better planning if the
park did close.
Council Member Kniss hoped this would be an opportunity for the community
to unite and support Buena Vista residents. With regret, she supported the
Motion.
Vice Mayor Schmid inquired whether it was appropriate to include
"unpermitted additions" in the Motion. That language seemed to penalize
any permitted additions.
Council Member Scharff understood a permitted addition counted as two
bedrooms.
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INCORPORATED INTO THE MOTION WITH THE CONSENT OF THE
MAKER AND SECONDER to add “permitted and” to Section e) in the
Motion.
Ms. Nanda reported the Hearing Officer found that if the mobile home
originally contained two bedrooms, then the rental subsidy should be
calculated for two bedrooms. If the mobile home originally contained one
bedroom, the rental subsidy should be calculated for one bedroom.
Vice Mayor Schmid stated there could be some permitted additions to a one
bedroom unit.
Council Member Scharff understood a one bedroom unit with a permitted
addition was counted as a two bedroom unit.
Ms. Nanda concurred.
Council Member DuBois wished to clarify timing. Section (c) of the Motion
did not specify a time period for the Hearing Officer to make a
determination.
INCORPORATED INTO THE MOTION WITH THE CONSENT OF THE
MAKER AND SECONDER to add “within thirty days or as soon as practical
thereafter,” to Section c) in the Motion.
Ms. Stump reported Staff would draft language such as "to the extent
practicable" or "will make all reasonable efforts." The Hearing Officer would
not know the number of matters he would have to review.
Council Member DuBois wanted to impose a time limit because the parties
were given time limits. He suggested Section (d) provide disabled residents
with a time period in which they could submit written objections, similar to
the language of Section (c).
Ms. Stump would need to hear from both parties, because actual expenses
were negotiated and perhaps paid on a "pay as you go" basis for needed
expenditures for those individuals.
Council Member DuBois expressed concern that handicapped residents had
no process to object.
Ms. Stump understood the amount could not be determined and paid in a
lump sum or in advance. Relocation assistance for handicapped residents
depended on documented, actual expenditures. The Hearing Officer found
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that the relocation specialist was sufficiently independent to resolve those
matters.
Ms. Stump clarified that the Motion was direction to Staff to return with
specific written language documenting the Council's decision. As long as
Staff understood the Council's intentions, they could provide a draft. The
Council would have an opportunity and an obligation to review the draft and
make adjustments as needed to conform with its intentions.
INCORPORATED INTO THE MOTION WITH THE CONSENT OF THE
MAKER AND SECONDER to remove “In addition” from Section e) in the
Motion.
Council Member Burt expressed concern that the appraisal did not reflect a
more complete definition of amenities in the community. The Motion did not
provide any guidance for the considerations the Council discussed. If the
Council proceeded in that direction, it would have no method to verify that
occurred. The Council could direct that some form of reappraisal with the
new methodology be presented to the Hearing Officer for approval and that
the closure plan would not be officially approved until that act had occurred.
He inquired whether Council Members were interested in including those two
actions in the Motion.
Council Member Scharff explained that appraisals utilized various legal
approaches. He was concerned that the Council would be telling an
appraiser how to do his job, when none of the Council understood the
business of appraisal. However, he would discuss the idea in order to
understand Council Member Burt's intentions.
Council Member Burt was not proposing a methodology for an appraisal, but
a scope for items to be considered. The appraiser would continue to utilize
an established methodology. He questioned whether the existing scope
captured the full breadth of amenities. If the scope was limited to those
factors stated in the Ordinance, then the language of the Ordinance would
have been different.
Council Member Scharff asked which factors Council Member Burt would
want to include.
Council Member Burt answered schools and safety.
Council Member Scharff asked if the appraiser should consider only mobile
home parks in communities which had good schools and which were safe.
Those were value judgments.
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Council Member Burt inquired whether an appraisal would utilize comparable
properties or assign some value basis.
Mr. Beccaria would prefer to answer after thoughtful consideration and
consultation with his partner. That scenario would exclude all park data
completely, because it was tainted by the 2000 disclosure of park closure.
Council Member Scharff advised that knowledge of park closure was not part
of the scenario.
Mr. Beccaria clarified that it was embedded in the scenario. Part of the usual
analysis was considering all the sales history in the park and then sales in
competing parks. The proposed scenario focused on Palo Alto. Off the top
of his head, he suggested performing a median price comparison between
single family residences in Palo Alto and single family residences in other
communities to determine the percentage differential, and then studying
that for all the different communities. He could then make a positive
adjustment for the Palo Alto location that reflected what was being done for
conventional housing among the various communities. There were no other
mobile home parks in Palo Alto where he could extract information;
therefore, he would have to build it with a mirror. That would likely be the
best method; however, he reserved his final opinion until he had an
opportunity to think through the scenario.
Council Member Burt felt that would be a reasonable methodology.
However, if the Council was attempting to reach a resolution in the current
meeting, it would have to give discretion to the appraiser. The Council did
not need to address the issue of impending park closure in order to state
that the value of other amenities would be reconsidered in a reappraisal.
Mayor Holman inquired whether Staff could draft language for a decision
based on the Council stating its intentions in a Motion.
Ms. Stump would consider the logistics of drafting a decision based on
Council intentions; however, the parties could have some input regarding
those intentions.
Mayor Holman requested Council Member Burt provide language that would
provide discretion to Staff with input from both parties.
Ms. Stump was suggesting the Council hear from the parties at the current
time.
Ms. Aziz suggested the Council allow residents to submit their own
appraisals and direct the Hearing Officer to utilize the appraisal that most
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closely met the Council's concerns or utilize the higher value of the two
appraisals. Disabled tenants should have a right to appeal the relocation
assistance. Disabled residents would not learn the full amount of relocation
assistance until after meeting with the relocation specialist. Not affording
disabled tenants the same opportunities to appeal a final relocation package
as nondisabled tenants raised fair housing issues. She requested Section (b)
be clarified to mean six months before, and Section (c) clarify that the park
owner's notice would be issued after the appeal process had been
completed.
Council Member Scharff wanted to hear from both parties prior to Council
Members offering suggestions. He had not planned on making changes
based on input from the parties.
Ms. Aziz agreed with instructing the appraiser to consider schools and safety
and other factors.
Ms. Nanda did not believe the Council was amending mitigation assistance,
but rather the Ordinance. The Council could not do that in the appeal
process. She preserved that objection for the record and a possible appeal.
As she understood it, the Council was issuing a decision that stated the
Council would approve the application to close the park with the mitigation
assistance contained in Exhibit A of the Hearing Officer's decision in the
Motion. If the park owner chose to accept the proposals, then on May 5,
2015 the park owner could issue a six-month notice of termination of
tenancy under the Civil Code. That was the result of an approval of an
application for conversion under the Ordinance. Ms. Aziz wanted the park
owner to obtain all these new appraisals before issuing any notice of
termination of tenancy. The amended RIR, as approved by the Hearing
Officer, stated that the park owner would provide an updated appraisal
within six months of the residents' relocation. She did not understand that
logic given that the Council's Motion stated the Hearing Officer's decision
was final. The Council wanted to affect the outcome of the appraisals which
the park owner voluntarily agreed to update. If the Council approved the
application for conversion on May 4, then the park owner had the legal right
to begin the closure of the park the following day.
Council Member Burt did not believe comments from the appellant were
intended to be incorporated into his proposed language for the Motion. The
Motion stated that final appraisals would be performed in the subsequent six
months. In revising the methodology, he assumed the appraiser would
determine a factor that revised appraisals performed subsequent to the
closure notification. The Council was not asking the appraiser to perform
revised appraisals prior to approval of the closure plan. The appraiser would
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review a broader notion of amenities as permitted by the Ordinance and
present that methodology to the Hearing Officer as the appraisals would be
adjusted upward by X amount as a result of additional factors. He would
want to ask the Hearing Officer if that process was feasible.
Ms. Nanda asked if Council Member Burt was talking about the original
appraisals or the appraisals performed within six months of relocation.
Council Member Burt advised that the factor could apply to both. The factor
determined by the appraiser could increase the amount of the original
appraisals. New appraisals would include the factor and reflect a value
higher than the original appraisals.
Ms. Nanda advised that a change in the scope could only be legal if it applied
to the future appraisals. Discarding appraisals contained in the record and
using a new scope exceeded what could be done.
Council Member Burt was not sure why existing appraisals were important as
the future appraisals would be the basis for compensation.
Ms. Nanda felt there was a problem with the entire proposal.
Mayor Holman understood Mr. Beccaria to say that the existing appraisals
could be adjusted based on the percentage differential between housing
prices in Palo Alto versus other communities.
Ms. Stump requested Council Members focus on the appraisals to be
performed.
Council Member Burt did not understand the importance of the existing
appraisals.
Council Member Scharff recalled Mr. Beccaria stating that he could include a
different scope in the appraisal methodology. The Council had not agreed to
Council Member Burt's proposal. This was the parties' opportunity to explain
why the proposal was good, bad, legal or not legal. He wanted to know
what legal argument the park owner would make in appealing the Council's
decision to the Superior Court.
Ms. Nanda did not believe that a review of a Hearing Officer's decision was
an opportunity to rewrite the Ordinance. The Ordinance contained language
regarding the appraisals to be performed and how they were to be
performed. The park owner amended the RIR to provide for an updated
appraisal. The park owner did not agree to an updated appraisal based upon
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a different scope. The Council was exceeding the provisions of the
Ordinance.
Council Member Scharff requested an explanation of how the Council was
exceeding the Ordinance.
Ms. Nanda indicated the Council was changing the terms of the Ordinance
and the terms of the appraisal. Furthermore, the Council was providing a
procedure, which was not contained in the Ordinance, for residents to
individually contest to the amount of those appraisals. The Motion stated
the Hearing Officer made the determination. That was not included in the
Ordinance. If the park owner had not amended the RIR, updated appraisals
would not be an issue, because the Ordinance did not provide for updated
appraisals. The Hearing Officer stated in his decision that he did not have
further jurisdiction.
Council Member Burt requested the City Attorney comment.
Ms. Stump reported there was some discussion amongst the parties before
the Hearing Officer regarding the possibility of him retaining some limited
jurisdiction to resolve any specific issues that might remain later in the
process. From reading the record, she understood both parties were
amenable to the Hearing Officer retaining some type of limited jurisdiction.
She believed the park owner and his attorney requested the Hearing Officer
retain jurisdiction for six months. In his decision, the Hearing Officer
indicated he did not have that authority under the Ordinance. She
suggested the Hearing Officer believed the Council could craft a limited
delegation of jurisdiction. That was proposed to respond to the concern that
supplemental updates to the market survey and the appraisals had no
further process or check. It was intended to be a limited delegation with
bounded authority on that particular issue. If the parties felt the procedure
was not consistent with State law, the Council should consider providing an
opportunity for the parties to put their legal arguments in writing. The
Motion was silent as to the Council's view of when the park owner's closure
application would be accepted. She believed, based upon her initial reading
of State law, that the Council could have discretion to make that final
approval decision on May 4 or at some point later in the limited return of
jurisdiction to the Hearing Officer. If Ms. Nanda did not believe that was
consistent with State law, she would like to understand specifically the basis
for Ms. Nanda's belief so that the Council could be fully apprised before
making a final decision.
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Council Member Scharff inquired whether the City Attorney was suggesting
the parties provide their legal arguments prior to May 4 so that the Council
could modify the Motion if necessary.
Ms. Stump answered yes. The Council had a Motion and a second as well as
additional ideas on which it was receiving input from the parties. Those
additional ideas were not a part of the Motion at the current time.
Ms. Nanda stated the application for conversion was either approved or not
approved. She did not understand how the Mobile Home Residency Law, the
Government Code, or the Ordinance allowed some kind of "conditional
approval" at some later date. The closer in time that the appraisal was
performed to the park owner's actual purchase of the home in the closure
process should represent its highest value. Now, reappraisal of the homes
would occur and then this new process involving the Hearing Officer would
occur and it was not within six months of the purchase. The purchase could
not occur until the park owner issued the notice of termination of tenancy.
Council Member Burt explained that the appraiser would develop a revision
to the scope that the Council believed captured the intent of the Ordinance.
The Hearing Officer would approve that revision to the appraisal factor.
Then the park owner had the discretion to proceed with the actual appraisals
under the new revision to the scope.
Ms. Nanda clarified that three months later Mr. Beccaria, using the scope
approved by the Hearing Officer, would appraise a resident's home. That
appraised value would be the amount paid to the resident. That resident
could not return to the Hearing Officer and declare his home was worth more
money.
Council Member Burt believed Section (c) needed clarification. The City
Attorney wished to hear Ms. Nanda's reasoning for that part not being
allowed under State law.
Ms. Stump advised that the Council was asking the parties to respond to a
fairly complex issue. Perhaps the parties did not fully understand the
Council's intentions. The Council could clarify their intentions for the parties.
The Motion provided one trip to the Hearing Officer within a narrow time
period. Now, Council Member Burt was contemplating two trips to the
Hearing Officer.
Council Member Burt noted Ms. Nanda had an objection to Section (c) of the
Motion.
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Ms. Stump understood Ms. Nanda's concern after the last few comments.
The park owner agreed to an updated appraisal within six months of the
tenant leaving. Under State law, that could happen six months after the
park owner posted a notice of closure. If the appraisal was performed some
weeks or months prior to the posting, then it did not meet the standard
stated in the Motion, that it be within six months.
Council Member Burt understood Ms. Nanda objected to the language
allowing a mobile home owner to submit a written objection.
Ms. Nanda was also objecting to that language. That language rewrote the
Ordinance.
Council Member Burt suggested the parties recommend to the Council
whether that should be a part of the Motion.
Mayor Holman requested Council Member Burt provide language for his
proposal so that Council Members could determine whether they supported
the proposal.
Ms. Stump heard multiple concerns from Ms. Nanda and some from Ms. Aziz.
It was helpful and important to hear from both parties. Mayor Holman's
suggestion was good. The parties would need to respond before the Council
made any final decision. Staff wanted to see the response as well, so that
they could fully advise the Council.
Council Member Filseth advised that the Council was discussing two issues:
the scope of the appraisal and residents' appeal of the appraisals. The City
Attorney seemed to be suggesting a simple process for the Hearing Officer
to determine residents' appeals of the appraisals. The Council intended for
the park owner to be able to issue a notice of closure as early as May 5,
2015. He requested Ms. Nanda comment on the potential for a simple
process that allowed residents to provide input regarding appraisals.
Ms. Nanda was aware of many Ordinances that provided a process for
residents to oppose appraisals. The City's Ordinance did not contain that
language. To add that language now would amend the Ordinance after the
process was close to finalized. She was not as concerned with the appraiser
being instructed to utilize a different scope and the Hearing Officer
approving or not approving that scope.
Council Member Filseth wanted to discuss the two issues separately.
Ms. Nanda advised that the Council had jurisdiction over the elements of
mitigation assistance only. The appeal process for appraisals was not an
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element of mitigation assistance. The Council was attempting to change the
process and procedure of the Ordinance. She did not believe the Council
could amend the Ordinance in the current stage of the process.
Council Member Filseth asked if she thought that was an unreasonable
request.
Ms. Nanda answered yes. The discussion would not be occurring if the park
owner had not agreed to update the appraisals. The appraisals and the
methodology had been available to opposing counsel and the Residents
Association since the beginning of the process. The purpose of the hearing
was not to rewrite the Ordinance to allow residents a process to oppose
appraisals. A process for appeal of appraisals did not address the sufficiency
of mitigation assistance.
Ms. Aziz agreed with including Section (c). Allowing the Hearing Officer to
make a final decision was reasonable. Section 9.076.030(B) specifically
allowed the City to require conditions on approval adopted by the City. That
was also noted in Section 9.076.050. A Hearing Officer could do that as
well. If the Hearing Officer had that discretion, then the Council had that
discretion.
Council Member Filseth felt the Council disagreed with the park owner
regarding whether a mechanism for appeal of the appraisal value was
available to residents.
Council Member Wolbach referred to Page 22 of the Hearing Officer's
decision regarding an administrative process for contesting the appraiser's
calculations. That seemed to state that the Council had the discretion to
include a process for appeal of appraiser findings for individuals. He
requested the attorneys comment on whether that language did or did not
preclude Section (c) of the Motion. The Council was attempting to
accommodate the concerns of both parties. The language on Page 22
seemed to authorize the Council to include Section (c) in the Motion.
Ms. Nanda believed the Council was discussing complex legal issues, and the
parties should be allowed sufficient time to present their arguments.
Council Member Wolbach concurred with the City Attorney's suggestion for
both parties to provide feedback in writing.
Ms. Aziz also concurred with the parties providing feedback in writing. Both
the Residents Association and park owner suggested the Hearing Officer
retain jurisdiction. The Hearing Officer provided parameters for the City
Council to allow him to retain jurisdiction.
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Ms. Nanda believed the Hearing Officer was stating that the parties had
adequately addressed the matter throughout the process and that due
process did not require a further process. She stood by her opinion that the
Council was amending the Ordinance by allowing a process for residents to
oppose appraisals. To allow such a process because of the park owner's
amendment was not appropriate or legal. She advised the City Attorney in
January 2015 that she had scheduled a two-week trip beginning April 18.
She was not sure she would be able to respond in writing under those time
constraints. To proceed without the park owner's response was not
supported by due process.
INCORPORATED INTO THE MOTION WITH THE CONSENT OF THE
MAKER AND SECONDER that the appraiser will revise the scope of
community amenities to include things such as safety and schools.
AMENDMENT: Council Member Burt moved, seconded by Council Member
DuBois to add to the Motion “The closure plan shall be effective upon
approval by the Hearing Officer of the modified appraisal scope.”
Council Member Scharff noted the Amendment contained two parts. The
stated amenities were broader than just safety and schools. It was difficult
for the Council to state "other factors."
Council Member Burt wanted to be suggestive rather than prescriptive.
Council Member Scharff would accept the Amendment with the clear
understanding that he could change his mind based on the parties' briefs on
the issue. He inquired whether the closure notice could have been issued
the day after approval if there had not been an appeal of the Hearing
Officer's decision.
Ms. Stump answered yes, because the park owner accepted the Hearing
Officer's decision. If the appeal had not been filed, then the park owner
could have posted the notice of closure.
Council Member Scharff expressed concern that the process was not fair. He
asked why Council Member Burt proposed a modified appraisal scope.
Council Member Burt explained that the Hearing Officer acted as the arbiter
of the process. The Hearing Officer could approve the change without
holding another public hearing.
Ms. Stump noted the Motion provided a very limited additional process
before the Hearing Officer. Section (c) indicated short timeframes for
written submissions only, no in-person hearing. The proposed language
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seemed to suggest a description of a revised appraisal process before the
Hearing Officer prior to the appraisals being performed. Mr. Beccaria stated
he needed to contemplate the assignment and his compliance with it.
Council Member Burt indicated additional information would be presented to
the Council at the May 4 meeting.
Mayor Holman suggested separating the two issues of the proposed
Amendment.
Council Member Burt clarified that each Council Member could change his
opinion regarding provisions of the Motion based on written arguments from
the parties or advice from the City Attorney.
Ms. Stump noted Ms. Nanda's comments regarding the complexities of the
issues and her time constraints to respond in writing. She suggested the
Council allow her to work with the parties to determine an alternate date,
not to delay the matter but to provide a reasonable opportunity for the
parties to respond.
Mayor Scharff would accept Section (f) but not Section (g).
Council Member Kniss asked if Council Member Scharff was comfortable with
excluding "other factors" in Section (f). "Other factors" was vague. The
Council had discussed mostly schools and safety.
Council Member Burt requested the City Attorney's opinion regarding
including "other factors."
Ms. Stump explained that appraising was subject to professional standards.
The appraiser was contemplating methods to fulfill the assignment. The
Council needed a response from the appraiser as to whether he could fulfill
the assignment within professional standards.
Council Member Burt wanted the City Attorney's opinion as to whether it was
better to include the broader language of "other factors."
Ms. Stump was concerned that it would not provide the appraiser with
guidance of what the Council was seeking in a revised process.
Mayor Holman indicated the Maker and Seconder would accept Section (f) if
"other factors" was omitted.
Council Member Burt agreed to omit "and other factors."
Mayor Holman noted the Maker did not accept Section (g).
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Council Member Burt reported "such as" in Section (f) was no longer
relevant because "and other factors" had been deleted. With respect to
Section (g), allowing the Hearing Officer to have the final approval would be
consistent with the process.
Council Member DuBois did not believe the process would require a great
deal of time.
Council Member Berman asked when the closure plan would be effective if
that was not approved.
Ms. Stump explained that the Council was indicating a preliminary direction
that Staff would codify and on which the Council would receive feedback.
The Motion was not a final decision of the Council. The Council was
providing definitions so that parties could respond. The most
straightforward assumption, which the Council could clarify, was that the
Council's action to adopt a final decision would approve the closure
application. At that point, the park owner could post the closure notice.
Council Member Berman asked if the Council would take action to adopt a
final decision in May 2015.
Ms. Stump responded yes.
Vice Mayor Schmid felt the Council had discussed legal complexities, but not
economic complexities. He favored capturing some of the value of Palo Alto
property, especially schools and safety. Mr. Beccaria suggested the value of
Palo Alto property could be captured through comparing current pricing of
single family homes against neighboring communities and using that as an
adjustment factor. The Council was provided with two data sources. Exhibit
A indicated the difference could be 8-15 percent. Mr. Brabant indicated the
difference could be 100 percent. The Council should achieve a number that
was feasible.
Ms. Stump understood the Motion proposed changing the appraisal
methodology, Mr. Beccaria developing a methodology including those
changes, and the Hearing Officer approving the methodology.
Vice Mayor Schmid asked if the methodology would be presented to the
Council.
Ms. Stump answered no.
Vice Mayor Schmid clarified that Mr. Beccaria and the Hearing Officer would
go through the process during the appraisal.
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Ms. Stump indicated the methodology would be approved in advance of the
appraisals being performed.
Council Member Filseth reiterated that if the Council passed the Amendment,
then the Hearing Officer would approve or deny the appraisal methodology.
He inquired about the process if the Council did not pass the Amendment.
Council Member Scharff understood the appraisal methodology would be
submitted to the Hearing Officer whether or not the Council passed the
Amendment. The issue was the effective date of the closure plan.
Ms. Stump advised that additional details were needed.
Council Member Scharff did not accept Section (g), because he did not want
to delay the closure plan when the park owner had agreed to obtaining
updated appraisals.
Council Member Burt disagreed. With Section (f) alone, there would be no
approval of the methodology. The final appraisal would utilize the new
methodology proposed by the appraiser without any approval process.
Council Member Filseth felt Section (f) should be suggestive as opposed to
directive. Mr. Beccaria stated earlier that the appraisals accounted for all
factors relating to the community. The amenities discussion in the
Ordinance was not part of the appraisal discussion. It was part of the
definition of comparable mobile home parks. He was concerned by the
Council's directing the appraisal methodology.
Council Member Kniss asked if it was important for the Hearing Officer to
approve the methodology.
Council Member Scharff would agree to the Hearing Officer having the
authority to approve the methodology, but he would not agree to delaying
the closure plan.
Council Member Wolbach was worried that the Amendment placed an undue
burden on the applicant and substantially changed and expanded the
process. He would not support the Amendment.
AMENDMENT FAILED: 3-6 Burt, DuBois, Schmid yes
Council Member Wolbach believed Mr. Beccaria offered a good concept;
however, Mr. Beccaria wanted to consult with others before ruling out other
possible methods. Any Council guidance should align more closely with Mr.
Beccaria's suggested methodology.
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Mr. Beccaria did not believe he could reach a conclusion for the best
methodology prior to May 4. The analysis was complex. Use of single-
family homes, townhouses, or condominiums probably would not work well.
More than likely it would be a comparison of apartment prices, because the
economic groups would be similar.
Council Member Wolbach clarified that the date would not be May 4.
Ms. Stump suggested Mr. Beccaria would not need to provide a final
methodology at that time. He should assess whether the methodology was
a realistic approach for the appraiser to take.
Council Member DuBois asked if the timing of the actual payments needed to
be stated. He asked if residents could receive the original payment amount,
move, and then receive the differential.
Ms. Stump understood residents could move once the closure notice was
posted. If there was an update to the appraisal at some point after that,
then the payment amount would be clarified.
Council Member DuBois did not believe residents could move until they had
received payment.
Ms. Stump explained that residents could move at any time should they
decide to do so.
Council Member DuBois meant that residents could not afford to move
without a payment. He inquired whether the Council could either pass the
Motion or approve or not approve the Hearing Officer's decision.
Ms. Stump interpreted Ms. Nanda's comments as the Council could take or
leave the Hearing Officer's decision; however, she did not read the
Ordinance in that manner. In her opinion, the Ordinance allowed the Council
to accept the park owner's proposed mitigation assistance with additional
conditions. The Hearing Officer added some conditions, and the park owner
agreed to most of those conditions. The Council had the ability to modify
those conditions and, therefore, could accept the Hearing Officer's decision
with some additional conditions provided they complied with State law. She
expected Ms. Nanda to explain clearly in writing if that was incorrect.
Council Member DuBois asked if the Council could clarify those conditions
should it vote not to approve the Hearing Officer's decision. He asked if the
result would be the same even though an additional step was required.
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Ms. Stump reported the Council's proposal was to accept the vast majority of
the elements addressed by the Hearing Officer in the same manner that he
addressed them with some modifications. It was logical to approve that
decision with modifications.
Vice Mayor Schmid read the Motion as amended.
Mayor Holman indicated Staff would work with counsel for the park owner
and Residents Association to determine an alternate date.
Ms. Stump would work with the parties and Mr. Beccaria to determine a date
as soon after May 4 as possible.
Council Member Filseth noted the term "community amenities" did not
appear in the discussion of appraisal in the Ordinance. It appeared in the
discussion of comparable mobile home park and comparable housing. He
inquired whether the language in the Motion modified the definitions of
comparable mobile home park and comparable housing in the Ordinance.
Ms. Stump understood the concern was to ensure an appraisal was
performed as the Ordinance referred to it.
Mr. Beccaria explained that the appraisal methodology was called the scope
of work. He offered language of "the appraiser will revise the scope of work
to include safety and schools." In that manner, the language was directed
toward the appraiser.
MOTION AS AMENDED PASSED: 9-0
Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 11:28 P.M.