Editor’s note: If you have a question about a city issue—or a suggestion for filing a Public Records Act request—email Associate Editor Charles M. Kelly at editor2@sunnews.org and CC him at ckelly@localnewspapers.org.
Outdoor dining hearing set for April 3
Outdoor dining will be the subject of a Planning Commission public hearing set for Monday, April 3. The meeting will be held at 7 p.m.
Joseph Kirolos in care of Marina Cafe has requested a minor use permit for an outdoor dining and seating area in front of the restaurant at 101 Main Street, Suite N.
On that same night, the Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on an application for a conditional use permit to allow the expansion of the Chick-Fil-A drive through lane on Seal Beach Boulevard. The Chick-Fil-A wants to expand the drive-through lane from one lane to two lanes and build two drive-through canopies for the lanes.
The meeting will be held in the City Council Chambers.
The public hearings were announced in legal notices published in the March 23 edition of the Sun.
According to the notices, any court challenges may be limited to issues raised at the public hearings.
Speaking of planning …
District Three Councilwoman Lisa Landau reminded the public at this week’s meeting that the City Council and the Planning Commission will hold a joint session on Monday, April 24. Landau encouraged the public to attend.
I’ve marked my calendar.
I asked, I got answers
I recently asked readers for their thoughts on how I should deal with unanswered questions from city officials. Thanks to those of you who replied. See the Letters to the Editor. Speaking of unanswered questions.
March 10 questions about the Public Records portal
If you think you’ve read this section before, it’s because you have.
On March 10, 2023, I sent a message to City Manager Jill Ingram that included some observations and questions about the city’s Public Records request portal.
The March 23 Sun published that message.
I re-sent the questions on March 27, and added: “I’d appreciate it if someone could get back to me by close of business on Friday, March 31.”
The questions:
“I recently visited the Seal Beach records request portal.
“I logged in and clicked on ‘All Requests’. I found only my requests.
“Why aren’t all records requests visible to the public on the site?
“I checked my recorded requests and found they were all ‘unpublished’.
“How does one get their public records ‘published’?
“Let’s say three or four different people request a copy of XYZ permit. Does the city release the document only to each of the three or four requesters? Or does the city post the document on the city website where the public may find it without making a formal records request?
“How many records request were filed in 2022?”
This is Thursday, March 30. I’ll let you know when I receive answers.
Why all the questions? Because telepathy doesn’t exist
I edit three weekly newspapers. From time to time, I hear that some official in one of the communities I cover wonders what a reporter is up to when they are asking questions. I’ve even received questions about reporters working for other news organizations as either employees or freelancers.
First of all, I’m no one’s supervisor.
Second of all, asking questions and filing public records requests are really the only tools we have. And attending meetings. And reading documents.
Many years ago, I asked an official in another city a question. This individual wouldn’t answer the question until they knew what the story was about.
I wrote: “How can I know what the story is about if no one answers my questions?”
“Oh. I hadn’t thought of that.”
Seal Beach record retention
schedule is copyrighted
by a private company
On Jan. 10, I requested a copy of the Seal Beach record retention schedule. I used the city’s Records Request portal page.
On Jan. 20, the city replied: “The City of Seal Beach has determined that additional time is required to properly review and respond to your request for public records. Government Code Section 6253(c) permits this extended period, however the City endeavors to provide all requests promptly.”
On Feb. 3, the city sent me another message: “The City of Seal Beach is operating under State, County and locally-declared states of emergency. City staff are, in many cases, working remotely and fully occupied with the City’s response to the emergency. Pursuant to Government Code Section 6253, additional time is necessary to search for, review, redact and provide responsive records, if any exist. The City will endeavor to provide responsive records on or before March 6, 2023 or sooner if the emergency declarations are lifted.”
On March 6, Seal Beach released the document.
However, I’m not sure how much I can tell you about the document, because there’s a private sector copyright notice on this public record.
Under the words “How To Use Retention Schedules,” are the words “©1995-2021 Gladwell Governmental Services, Inc. (909) 337-3516 – all rights reserved,” followed by the words “Do not duplicate or distribute without prior written permission”.
Remember the pedestrian sign on Main Street?
There used to be a vertical sign in the middle of the Main Street crosswalk, warning drivers that this was a pedestrian area.
It’s gone. That appears to be temporary.
“The sign you are referring to kept getting hit by cars and / or delivery trucks and has not been replaced yet,” wrote Seal Beach Police Lt. Julia Clasby in a March 23 email.
