Acton Town Council Regular Meeting Minutes November 6,2023 Approved

1. Call to Order, Flag Salute & Roll Call – The meeting was called to order by President Jeremiah Owen at 6:31 pm.  Present at the meeting: Jeremiah Owen, Jacki Ayer, Tom Costan, June Perkins, Pam Wolter, and Kelly Teno.
2. Community Comments – A resident asked about a new proposed storage unit on Soledad Canyon Road near Kashmere.  The ATC had not heard about it.
3.  Announcements and Correspondence –  Jacki announced all the upcoming events for the Antelope Valley.  Congressman Garcia announced that last year there were over 80 fentanyl-related deaths in Santa Clarita, Lancaster, and Palmdale areas.  He recently introduced legislation to combat this epidemic by better supporting local law enforcement and holding the CCP accountable for fueling this epidemic.  PSPS threats are coming with regularity and are lengthy.  We are encouraging people to review the CAP and make comments.  The CAP is not good for rural areas like Acton since it calls for decarbonizing all energy supplies in the County which will result in the elimination of propane and natural gas for heating and cooking.  This would be detrimental should we lose electricity especially in higher elevations.  On Sept 24, 2023 the County Board of Supervisors approved a $14,750,000 grant funded by Measure A.  It is for an aquatics center in the unincorporated community of West Puente Valley.  It appears that LA County Parks and Recreation prepared the grant on behalf of the community.  West Puente Valley has 24,000 residents and already has 2 large parks with a skateboard park, community center, multiple splash pads, soccer fields, gyms, multipurpose rooms, classes and other amenities.  Despite this they were deemed by County Parks Department to have a very high park need.  Neither Acton or Agua Dulce are considered to have a high park need.  The ATC was copied on an email from a resident to Kent Truckor of Hecate, she laid out her concerns with the proposed Humidor Project.  She expressed concern over the vagaries and incorrect information presented in the pamphlets that they are mailing out to all female residents of the community.
4. Representative Update – None
5. Library Report – Jim Wall – Upcoming events and Library closures were announced.
6. Sheriff’s Report – Deputy Martinez – October 2023 stats; 0 part 1 crimes, 6 property crimes.  He spoke about the ongoing effort to catch illegal dirt bike riders.
7. DPW – Traffic –  DPW came to talk about the stop signs at Sierra Highway and Santiago.  They spoke about the different ways to slow people down and possibly not running the stop signs.  Public Works prefers Stop Beacons which are solar powered.  The other things that they have a could use are solar powered flashing LED stop signs, red reflective sheeting which covers the post, and transverse rumble strips which generate sound and vibration.  We asked about Sierra Highway and Red Rover Mine and our disappointment that it didn’t warrant a four way stop.  we asked that they do a new study and take into account the high school traffic times. A resident had reached out about the need for a traffic study at  Sierra Highway and Red Rover Mine Road for a 4 way stop. Jacki asked about the criteria for Stop Beacons.  It is the number of collisions.  PW will go back and plan and come back to present.
8. Short Term Rental Ordinance – Monica Allen from the County Tax Collector gave a presentation of the ordinance.  March 19, 2019 the Board of Sopervisors made a motion to create the Short Term Rental Ordinance (STR).  STR is an accessory use of a hosts primary residence.  It can be rented 30 consecutive calendar days or less.  This will ensure they wont become a nuisance.  They will be subject to Transient Occupancy Tax TOT.  She reviewed the terms and regulations and prohibitions which included prohibiting renting ADU’s and other accessory structures.  Vacation Rentals are prohibited.  She went over Nuisance Prevention, Hosting Platform & Host Responsibilities and Enforcement.  The Board of Supervisors will consider adopting the STR Ordinance on 2/23/2024.  Questions from the audience included about enforcement on Party Houses which are plaguing our community.  STR and Party Houses are two different things.  To be a STR guests have to spend the night.
9. Battery Update – Jacki gave a update on the BESS report submitted to the Board of Supervisors and the many discrepancies and problems in the report.  Ruth Brock of Acton Takes Action gave a report on the brochure that is being sent to only women.  There is a settlement meeting for the lawsuit on November 15, 2023.
10. Thousand Trails – Table
11. Climate Action Plan – Table
12. Election – Due to the motion made to waive the election due to not enough applicants Chuck Bostwick from Supervisor Bargers  office administered the Oath of Office to Tom Costan and Kelly Teno.
13. Treasurer Report – None
14. ByLaws – Tabled
15. Minutes – Tom Costan made a motion to approve the minutes.  June Perkins 2nd the motion.  The motion carried. 
16. Councilmember Comments – The Fall Festival at Vasquez High School went really well.  Switzerland has banned EV’s because of power issues.  Frustration with the STR.  Email from a group in LA about the STR.  Add West Puente Valley park money to the agenda.  Thanked Tammy Necessary for taking care of Illegal Dumping and Ruth Brock for Acton Takes Action and the BESS.
17. Committee Reports – The following committees had reports ; Trails Open Space and Recreation – We need to ask for a meeting to discuss the money for West Puente Valley.  Jacki made a motion to ask for a meeting with DPR upper staff, Supervisor Barger, and Parks Department Representative Susie Nemer.  Tom Costan 2nd the motion.  The motion carried.
18. Unfinished/New Business – None
19. Items for the Next Agenda – Thousand Trails, BESS, CAP
20. Adjournment – 10:00 pm