Scotts Valley city council notes

This list is a summary of decisions made by the Scotts Valley City Council at its Feb. 16 meeting. For more information: www.scottsvalley.org.
**The council voted unanimously to move forward with a plan to enact a two-year amortization process in regard to AmeriGas, 232 Mount Hermon Road, which stands where the council plans to build the future Town Center complex.
According to City Manager Steve Ando, the site is not zoned for a propane facility, but because the business was there before the zoning took place, it was grandfathered in.
The council’s decision means AmeriGas can stay where it is for two years, but then it will become subject to the zoning laws and must relocate.
**The council discussed the possibility of favoring local businesses in bids for city jobs, but no vote was taken. The idea would echo a plan in place in Santa Cruz County that declares that if a local contractor were to make an offer for a county contract that was within 5 percent of the low bid, the local company would be given an opportunity to match that bid.
Councilman Jim Reed broached the notion of a tiered system of preferential treatment for bids: Preference would be offered first to businesses within Scotts Valley, then to businesses within Santa Cruz County, before considering out-of-the-area businesses.
Councilman Randy Johnson suggested the possibility of a trial run and said he hoped to observe the county’s approach to determine its benefits and flaws.
**Council members supported the decision of City Manager Steve Ando to deny a business license application for a medicinal marijuana dispensary by local entrepreneur Scott Gates, on the grounds that the proposal violates a city ordinance that prohibits dispensaries within city limits.
While Gates and several supporters appealed the rejection, the council echoed its sentiments against the proposed dispensary that had been aired at the Dec. 15 meeting where the initial proposal was unanimously voted down.
The council will return to the issue of medical cannabis at its March 2 meeting.
**The Scotts Valley City Council voted unanimously to set aside $1,500 of its recycling funds to create a city-wide garage sale to coincide with the city’s e-waste recycling drive and Scotts Valley Educational Foundation’s Community Day. The money will be spent to advertise the event, which would take place Sept. 10.
**Following major improvements to the Meadow Way roadway funded by the Meadow Way Road Association, a request was submitted to the Scotts Valley City Council that asked the council to add the private road to the city’s list of routes on which vehicles weighing more than six tons are prohibited. In a 5-0 vote, the City Council approved the request.
**In a 5-0 vote, the council elected to amend the Glenwood Open Space Easement, which would allow the Scotts Valley Water District to install a monitoring well and conduct other scientific research.