The Morgan Hill City Council will conduct a public High-Speed Rail study session at 5:30pm Nov. 15, followed by the body’s regular meeting at 7pm.
The back-to-back meetings will take place at council meeting chambers, 17555 Peak Ave.
The purpose of the High-Speed Rail study session is “to receive an update from Michael Baker, the City’s consultant on their findings associated with a high speed rail alignment that most closely aligns to Highway 101,” according to the agenda packet, posted on the city’s website at morganhill.ca.gov. “In addition, the City has reimbursement consultant agreements specific to the High Speed Rail project that will be also discussed at the Study Session.”
The California HSR project will route trains through or around Morgan Hill, depending on which alignment the state officials select. The local segment’s environmental study is expected to be underway by the end of this year.
At the regular city council meeting, the council will consider, discuss and possibly approve the following items:
• Final map approval for the Evergreen rental project, a 168-unit residential apartment rental complex to be located at the northeast corner of San Pedro Avenue and Condit Road in east Morgan Hill.
• Final map approval of the Evergreen for-sale project, a 74-unit subdivision on the northwest corner of San Pedro and Murphy avenues.
• A three-year contract with Salinas Pump Company for $275,000, for on-call routine and emergency repair, maintenance and rehab of the city’s wells and pump stations.
• A conceptual plan for improvements to Jackson Park in east Morgan Hill. The city has applied for grant funding for the improvements from the “Healthy Play Initiative.” The council will consider matching the grant with up to $72,327 from the city’s park impact fund.
• Authorize the city manager to execute a letter of intent to purchase a 19.98-acre vacant property on Hendry Drive in unincorporated east Morgan Hill for an agricultural conservation easement. The cost of the purchase is not yet known, according to the city staff report. If the council approves the drafting of a letter of intent, the city will next conduct an appraisal to determine the site’s value. The appraisal is expected to cost about $12,000.
• Site approval for the architectural and landscape plan for the 6,434-square-foot addition to the Morgan Hill Library, located at 660 W. Main Ave. The council has previously hired local contractor Weston Miles Architects to complete the expansion. The project will cost about $3.3 million worth of library impact fee revenues.
• Approve an agreement with the California Student Opportunity and Access Program (South County Cal-SOAP) to provide a $25,000 college scholarship to a Morgan Hill student.
• Award the Outdoor Sports Center artificial turf replacement project to Astroturf USA for about $1.48 million. The project will replace the turf on two fields at the complex on Condit Road.
• Receive a report on the city’s 2016 water loss audit. The audit shows that in 2016, the city lost 9.9 percent of the water it distributed to customers. The losses are from unbilled water use and leaks. The lost water cost the city about $314,000. Most of that sum ($244568) is from leaks. The remainder is from unbilled water usage.
• Receive a report from MHPD on police resources and recommendations for the city’s Public Safety Master Plan.
