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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08/26/05 B A K E R S F I E L D CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE MEMORANDUM August 26, 2005 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council :~/.~/ FROM: Alan Tandy, City Manager SUBJECT: General Information 1. We had separate meetings with Cai Trans and KernCog on what we are calling Project 787. This stands for the $630 million Congressman Thomas obtained for. us, plus the local match of $157 million, for an overall total of $787 million. Cai Trans and KernCog demonstrate positive cooperation, and a great many concepts were agreed to. A contract between the City and Cai Trans, making us the lead, will be drafted. Processes are also underway to clear the red tape necessary for us to access cash so that staff and consultants can be hired. A more detailed report will be provided to you at your September 7th meeting. 2. As you are aware, the Board of Supervisors approved the South Beltway alignment, which is another step forward with our major roadway projects. 3. The Fresno Bee ran the enclosed article earlier this week about the Iow fees allowed there for developers and the consequences that have resulted from the city's policy. They are now considering a plan to raise their fees. 4. Enclosed is some information, with visuals, on other cities that have done "canal walk" or "creek" type projects similar to our downtown Mill Creek concept. There appear to be several positive examples. 5. SMG announced this week that two popular groups in the young alternative rock category, Audioslave and Seether, will appear in concert at the Rabobank Arena on September 24th. 6. SMG has published the attached schedule of coming attractions that are confirmed for the arena, theatre, and convention center for 2005 and 2006. 7. I will be on vacation from August 29th through September 5th; my staff will be able to contact me, if necessary. Honorable Mayor and City Council August 26, 2005 Page 2 8. EDCD was notified this week that their grant request for the BEGIN Program housing funding was approved. We will receive $1.5 million to provide mortgage assistance for 52 first-time Iow to moderate income homebuyers in the Chardonnay project, which is located east of Ridgeview High School. 9. The schedule for next week's street maintenance work is enclosed. 10.A memo is enclosed from the Public Works Department in response to Council's request to meet with Father Chaffee regarding the Washington Street Alignment. 11. Responses to Council requests are enclosed, as follows: Councilmember Carson · Citizen inquiry regarding the possibility of extending and annexing Belle Terrace; Councilmember Benham · Clean up of hydraulic fluid spill on Shattuck Avenue; Councilmember Couch · Modification of landscaping standards at the northeast corner of Brimhall and Calloway; Councilmember Sullivan · Street and alley repairs at: 1217 Club View Drive, 3713 Lillian Way, Westwood Estates, alley behind 3100 Ash Road, and Hemstead Lane; · Report on the land purchase history of the City farm land. The land was purchased from the Kern County Land Company in segments between 1947 - 1949 for approximately $90,000. Councilmember Scrivner · Report regarding signal light operations after a power outage. AT:rs cc: Department Heads Pamela McCarthy, City Clerk .~ :~ l~os Angeles Times: Fresno May End Low-Fee Policy for Developers . Page 1 of 4 http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-:me-fi'esno23aug23,0,7204318.story?coll::::qa-home-local Fresno May End Low-Fee Policy for Developers By Mark Arax Times Staff Writer August 23, 2005 FRESNO -- In an effort to give developers one of the best deals in Califomia,'this city has dug itself into a deep financial hole that could undermine its future even as a construction boom is turning orchards into suburbs on every side of town. As the city looks to overtake Long Beach as the fifth largest in the state, officials project a shortfall of billions of dollars to build streets, parks,.police and fire stations and other facilities to serve its 470,000 residents -- and the hundreds of thousands more expected in the next 20 years. "We're facing a world of challenge," said Mike Kim, assistant director of public works. The reason for the shortfall is plain, city officials say: Developer fees are far lower than those charged in most other California cities. In an era when state and federal dollars are tight and politicians are loath to raise local taxes, most cities look to developers to pay for a big share of the infrastructure required by new homes. For years, Fresno officials have been reluctant to do so. Today, Fresno's City Council will get a first look at a plan to raise fees to build police and fire stations. If they agree to fee hikes, the move will reverse a two-decade pattern. Through the 1990s, while comparable cities were charging builders from $7,000 to $20,000 a house for new infrastructure, the fees in Fresno stayed at $3,500. Only last year, with its infrastructure kitty in the red, did the city raise the amount to $5,000. Commercial developers also have paid cut-rate fees. While Modesto, just up the road, collected $520,000 for a four-story office complex, Fresno charged only $90,000. FOr years, successive mayors, city managers, development director~ and city councils failed to raise the fees even to keep up with inflation. Such an increase is required every year under municipal code. Critics of Fresno's approach call those low fees a billion-dollar subsidy for the building industry and blame the low payments for a host of shortfalls in city services. For instance, some city fire crews work out of mobile homes and a 1,200-square-foot duplex and park their engines in makeshift garages. http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-fresno23aug23,0,3018312,print.story 8/23/2005 ~ l~os Angeles Times: Fresno May End Low-Fee Policy for Developers Page 2 of 4 "Fresno is still a goOd old boy system, and whatever the good old boys want, that's what gets greased," said Tom Boyajian, a city councilman who favors higher fees. "One of the biggest shames in this city is that growth isn't even covering its own costs." Those views, however, aren't shared by the majority of elected officials in this conservative farm belt. If the state government took less revenue from local coffers, the. city would haVe more money to pay for new projects, argues City Councilman Jerry Duncan. High fees drive up the costs of houses and drive offbuilders to even cheaper places, he and other conservatives argue. Low fees, they believe, eventually will generate enough growth to cover the new costs. "I'm philosophically opposed to impact fees," Duncan says. "Impact fees are hidden taxes." That school of thought has dominated this city for decades.' In the mid-1990s, an FBI investigation of extensive corruption here sent 16 developers and politicians to prison and demonstrated how influential builders dominated the city's zoning and development policies. Many of those involved . in the scandal were key players in keeping development fees low. The fact that the pattern may now be giving way is the result of prodding by a new set of city administrators who are charting a different course for the city. Fresno, they say, needs to raise developer fees significantly or face an additional shortfall of several billion dollars to serve growth from now to 2025. "Of all the cities I've worked with, Fresno faces the biggest challenge becaUse its developers have been under-funding the infrastructure for so long," said Bob Spencer, an Oakland-based municipal finance expert recently hired by the city to update its fee program. "Once you get as far behind as Fresno, it's almost impossible to catch up and fix the holes in your infrastructure. Not unless you're willing to raise local taxes." Builders here acknowledge that they have lobbied to keep fees down at a time of record profits -- ' $60,000 and more on each house. But they say their opposition to higher fees isn't driven only by bottom-line concerns. For many years, they say, the fee program was poorly run. "They start charging a fee in Fresno, and they couldn't tell us how or why they set it up," said Mike Prandini, head of the local building industry association. The cost to a city of each new residence depends on such factors as the location of the subdivision, its density and whether residents are commuters or retirees. But municipal finance experts say that, on average, developer fees need to be about $35,000 for each house to fully cover the costs of services. With its patchwork services, the city's new consultants warn, Fresno may be consigned to the status of third-rate city, attractive to big-box bargain stores but not to Nordstrom. "Good infrastructure is what the best industries and retailers are looking for when they locate to a city," said Walter Kieser, a Sacramento-based consultant who works with both developers and cities on fiscal issues. http://www.latimes.com/news/l°cal/la-me-fresno23aug23,0,3018312,print.story 8/23/2005 ,~ l~os Angeles Times: Fresno May End Low-Fee Policy for Developers Page 3 of 4 "In Fresno, they've done such a miserable job with the roads, parks, libraries and schools that they haven't created a nice place t° live. Instead, they've allowed developers to just maximize their profits." Over the last 25 years, as the population doubled, Fresno built one new library. The park acreage for a city its size is among the lowest in the state. For example, Sacramento, which'has a slightly smaller population, has 4,400 acres of parkland compared to Fresno's 1,400. The police headquarters, buil. t in 1960, is so cramped that several units overflow into an annex of the old City Hall. The Fire Department's main repair and maintenance division sits in a crumbling building that dates to 1928. When it came time for developer Farid Assemi to build a fire station to serve his new subdivisions in northwest Fresno, the city allowed him to put in a tract house instead of a firehouse. Three firefighters and their single engine will soon reside there. The transportation system struggles with its own prOblems. Only 10% of the traffic lights, for instance, are synchronized, adding long minutes to cross-town trips and more pollution to an air basin already ranking as the nation's smoggiest. California Department of Transportation officials have taken the extraordinary step of suing the city. The suit cites the failure of Fresno's fee program to deal with the problems that growth causes on state highways. Fresno has risked the safety of motorists by failing to widen and improve dozens of one-lane country roads that now serve areas with dense populations, Caltrans says. "It takes a lot for the state to sue another government entity," said Mike Leonardo, district director for Caltrans. But,. he added, "Fresno doesn't seem to think it has to do environmental studies or mitigate for the impacts of growth." Even one of the building industry's chief lobbyists, Jeff Roberts, now agrees that "the fees need to go up." In the absence of any local lobbying restrictions, Roberts, who served 14 months in federal prison for his role in the corruption scandal of the 1990s, has become a full parmer with the city as' it drafts a new fee program. BecaUse of decades of low fees, the fund managing the fees is in the red. Builders who put in the basic streets and curbs to serve their own subdivisions are spending more on infrastructure than the small amount the city requires them to pay in fees. Not surprisingly, builders are pressing to keep the new fee on the low end -- $12,000 a house. But consultants say Fresno needs to raise the fees higher to reflect the true costs of growth. "High fees don't raise the price of homes. The market does that," said Spencer, the consultant preparing the new fee proposal. "In fact, it's the fastest-growing cities that charge the highest fees for a simple reason: They need the ihfrastructure to keep growing." If you want other stories on this topic, search the Archives at latirnes.com/archives. Article licensing and reprint options http://www.latimes.com/news/loCal/la-me.fresno23 aug23,0,3018312,print.story 8/23/2005 Creekwalk~ Page 1 of 2 Communi'Iy Services Department CreekWalk The CreekWalk, winding along Ulatis Creek in downtown Vacaville, has been a center for community life.since its opening in April of 2000. Bordering Ar/drews Park, the CreekWalk blends Vacaville's natural resources with the rich history of its downtown. Tree-shaded, meandering walkways and a peaceful waterfall make the CreekWalk a scenic sanctuary for families to relax and an inviting place for downtown visitors to stroll. The CreekWalk's Plaza is home to a myriad of community events, including festivals, fairs, .luly 4th fireworks, and a holiday tree~ lighting. The City of Vacaville hosts the Summer Concert Series every Friday evening from May to September. Hundreds of residents meet at the CreekWalk to join in the food, drinks and fun, enjoying all kinds of music from country to punk, R&B to rock & roll, oldies to jazz. For more information check out www.creekwalk.com. http ://www.ci. vacavi~e.ca.us/departments/c~mmun ity-services/print/creekwa~k/index~php ? 8/25/2005 Creekwalk Page 2 of 2 The CreekWalk is the crown jewel of the Vacaville's downtown redevelopment efforts, earning the City a statewide award from the California Downtown Association. Recent improvements along the Davis Street build upon this success. A "faux" creek of blue- . pigmented concrete embedded in the sidewalk and a new canopy of fruitless pear and crepe myrtles create an inviting entryway to the downtown area. http ://www. ci.vacaville.ca.us/departments/community_services/print/creekwalk/index.php? 8/25/2005 ~ lmdianapolis Canal Walk, White River State Park Page 1 of 5 iPark · Text and images Copyright © 1998, 1999 John A. Lind Introduction Within the heart of downtown Indianapolis is the White River State Park. Having a state park in the middle of a major city is unusual. It is an oasis free of automobile. traffic, tight spaces and din of an urban environment. The only noise is the sound from the waterfalls and fountains with a feeling of spaciousness from enormous expanses of lawn and wide pedestrian malls. The sole reminders of its central urban setting are several spectacular views of the downtown Indianapolis highrise skyline and is a tribute to the architect(s) that designed the park. A major feature and key attraction that ties the park together is the Canal Walk that runs through the park. It follows the.general path of a portion of the old Central Canal through downtown Indianapolis. This canal was funded by the state in the 1830's. It was intended to connect the Wabash Canal with the Erie Canal and promote trade and commerce along its length. This was a time prior to rail commerce. Rivers and canals were a major means of long distance transportation. It met financial disaster for reasons I am not yet clear about. It might have eventually succeeded were it not for the development, improvement and speed of rail travel. Rail freed long distance trade and commerce fromthe banks of major rivers and canals just as the. development and growth of passenger air travel after W.W. II was the death knell for passenger trains and ultimately ocean liners. The first visit to White River State Park and its Canal Walk found an area rich with interesting architecture, landscape and sculpture. On a clear sunny day this is a photographer's dream. Each successive visit finds another perspective to photograph and can be a study in itself to hone one's architectural and.landscape photography skills. Since I live in Kokomo, about 55 miles nOrth of downtown Indianapolis, it requires arising early and spending the entire day there to catch the early morning and late afternoon sun angles. This is a visual essay about the park and its Canal Walk using photographs compiled over several visits. I already have a list of several more aspects to photograph on my next visit. Let your mouse do the walking here and some time when you are in downtown Indianapolis take the walk yourself. The images alone only present a taste of the- entire environment found in White River State Park. Relatively small images of lower resolution are embedded in the text that foilo~vs. To see the full:size version with high resolution, simply click on the image with your mouse. To get back to the text and continue the essay, use the "Back" button on your browser menu http ://johnlind.tripod. com/canalwalk/cw.html 8/24/2005 ,,. Indianapolis Canal Walk, White River State Park Page 2 of 5 toolbar. These photographs are best viewed in 32-bit color and the monitor set for 800x600 pixel resolution. They are also in the galleries for the cameras used to take them. Ail of the photographs are 35mm format. Most of them were taken using an Olympus OM-10 SLR with Manual Adapter. Most of these were with a 50mm f/1.8 OM F.Zuiko standard lens. A few were with a 28mm f/3.5 OM Zuiko or 75~150mm OM Zuiko Zoom. A couple were taken using a Zeiss Ikon Contax Ilia "Color Dial" with its Carl Zeiss 50mm f/1.5 Sonnar. All were taken hand-held (no tripod). Canal Walk Photographic Essay The upstream (north) end of the Canal Walk runs north and south along the west side of downtown Indianapolis and is north of the White River State Park. Resort hotels and condominiums are found along this stretch of the canal which is about a story below street level isolating it from the rest of the city. A broad walkway lines each side. Small foot bridges periodically connect one side of the canal to the other and steps leading to ground level are found at major street intersections. This is a peaceful area and some portions get little direct sun except at mid-day. Since it is below ground level the buildings on each side provide the shade. Numerous waterfalls and fountains can be found along here and the sound of water fills the air. This small waterfall with a tinyl pool at the bottom is embedded in steps leading up to condominiums/apartments. It's just a small trickle to provide the sound of running water. Other fountains and waterfalls line the walk, some of which turn themselves on and off periodically. At the point the canal tums west to enter White River State Park it runs right along side the lower level cafeteria of an Indiana State Government Center. The roaring sound of rushing water increases as one nears the government building. Then this large columned waterfall comes into view. A bridge connecting to two sides of the canal has its platform in the middle directly in front of it. The waterfall is in the shade most of the day receiving direct sun only late in the afternoon with a low western sun. Paddle boats can be rented during the day just behind this view of.the waterfall. Heading west from the large waterfall passes a large fountain into White River State Park on the southern edge of Military Park. The canal opens up from the buildings that surround its north end transforming the environment from a feeling of seclusion into one of spaciousness. One of the best views looking east at the downtown skyline is on a footbridge over the canal connecting the southwest comer of Military Park to White River Park. The paddle boats can use this and the northern canal section. During the afternoon one can see the buildings reflected in the canal water from here and the view is very good at night. Lights illuminate the walkway at night giving a superb night view of the canal and skyline also. The Congressional Medal of Honor Memorial is on the south edge http ://johnlind. tripod, com/canalwalk/cw.html . 8/24/2005 Indianapolis Canal Walk, White River State Park Page 3 of 5 of Military park along the bank bordering the canal. This is well worth visiting.. It is unique in its curved glass panels listing the names and service branch of all the recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor. During the day an audio system periodically tells the storY of one of the recipients. Each of the panels covers a separate time period in U.S. military historY, including times of "peace" inbetween major wars and conflicts. A little known fact is each of the U.S. Unknown Soldiers is automatically awarded the Medal of Honor. They are also listed in their own place on the panels. At · night lights at the base of each panel illuminates them. ~: >'"-~:'- After MilitarY Park and the Medal of Honor Memorial is the large Indiana University/Purdue University at Indianapolis campus. The canal turns south briefly here and past.the NCAA Hall of Fame, then heads west again towards the White River. At the turn west it finally emerges at ground level as the ground gradually slopes downward toward the river. The broad continue on both sides at canal level, but there are several ramps, bridges and sets of steps for access from various directions. This is a view of the turn west where there are steps, a fountain and a semi-secluded area to sit between the steps and enjoy the view. Step out of the seclusion by the fountain to view the Indianapolis skyline in the background which is continuing to grow to the south. Following the canal further takes you to its end in an ampitheater on the bank of the White River where there is an upper and lower falls. From the ampitheater you can sit and veiw the smaller upper falls. It is picturesqe from several vantage points in the ampitheater and a walkway leads a viewpoint above the upper falls as to its base between the two looking out .over the river. Occasionally an artist with sketch pad is in the ampitheater making drawings of the views. Indiana limestone blocks can be found throughout the canal walk but here in the ampitheater large blocks of it are used everywhere. It has a unique yellow cast to it. On many of them the marks.from the rock drills used to cut the stone blocks at the quarries are quite visible. The limestone blocks are used in the waterfalls, to line the path and to terrace the ampitheater. A path leads up the side of the ampitheater from the falls, past the rows of limestone blocks. Circular granite steps end of the path out of the ampitheater. Looking back into the ampitheater from the steps gives a view of the ampitheater, the upper falls at the end of the canal, and the White Ri.ver in the distance. Around these steps.is what used to be the Washington Street bridge. Running ~ east and west, Washington Street is also ~'~ U.S. Highway 40 which follows the general path of the National ~~ Road funded by Congress in the early 1800's. The bridge crosses ~ at a bend in the White River as it cOntinues east. Washington ~~ Street is now diverted around the park and the bridge is now a pedestrian mall lined with prominent lights down each side. The first thing noticed though are the larg~ pieces of artwork placed down the center. http ://j ohnlind.tripod, com/canalwalk/cw.html 8/24/2005 Indianapolis Canal Walk, White River State Park Page 4 of 5 Before entering the bridge which runs east and west a trip to the White River Park Visitor Center might be worthwhile as it is one of the few places along the entire walk with public restrooms! The center resides in what was the Indianapolis water pumphouse. Built in 1871 it ~rovided the first public water service for Indianapolis has portions of the pumping station restored inside. The canal's water drove its turbines. Exiting the visitor center, go straight toWard the railing along the river's edge instead of the bridge entrance. There is a.good view there of the bridge's arched architecture and footings along its south side. Washington street used to run in of the old pumphouse. Closer to the bridge entrance is a good view of the glass conservatory and other facilities from the back of the White River Gardens. A very new attraction to the park, it has over three acres of gardens. Also on the other side of the bridge is the Indianapolis Zoo. Little known is a nearly hidden path at far end of the bridge that goes between the gardens and zoo allowing access to the entrances of both the gardens and the zoo. Also little known is another half- mile path called the River Promenade. It follows the south bank of the White River along the back of the zoo and exits at White River Parkway. Entering onto the bridge past the first sculpture is another interesting and colorful one made of Indiana limestone. It is carved from a stack of limestone slabs. The colors revealed in the carving are intriguing with hues of yellow, green red and black. The last sculpture on the bridge just before the zoo and gardens is a bison made [ ~i , ' · completely of nearly black wire. The wire bison is mounted on a pedastal of limestone set in a sea [,ii,~);. 5/11~ ofprame grass. It ~s best viewed on a clear day, either in the early mom,ng from th, s side, or in the late afternoon from the other side, so that the direct sunlight brings out the detail in its surface. It is worth traveling back and forth across the bridge on both sides to look at the various views offered from the bridge. About halfway across on the north side a portion of the upper falls and -- the entirety of the lower falls at the end of the canal can only be seen completely from the bridge. The best time is in the late afternoon with the sunlight highlighting the water in the falls. Visible are more of the Indiana limestone blocks and the walkways around the falls. The sound of the falls can be heard even from the bridge. This view can easily be missed walking down either the middle or south side of the bridge. This last scene concludes the photographic tour of the Canal Walk. Looking east about halfway across on the south side of the bridge is perhaps the second best place to see the Indianapolis skyline with an unobstructed view straight into the heart of Indianapolis down Washington Street. http://johnlind, tripod, com/canalwalk/cw.html 8/24/2005 ~ . ~ lndianapolis Canal Walk, White River State Park Page 5 of 5 Besides being aesthetically beautiful it is one of the locations along the Canal Walk that serves as a subtle reminder of White River State Park's venue in the center of Indianapolis. Take a Virtual Reality Tour of the Indianapolis Canal Walk! Thanks for visiting this site and hoping this page has been enjoyable. If you are interested in and enjoy photography, visit the home page and go from there to the Olympus, Rollei or Contax pages (the Mamiya section is still under construction). There are links to galleries of photographs taken using these various camera systems, plus some descriptions of the camera systems and the history behind them. http ://j ohnlin d. tripod, com/canalwal k/cw.html 8/24/2005 RON WH II "DRUNK IN PUBLIC" 2005--2006 BAKERSFIELD BUSINESS *"SHOWCASE OF ENTERT~klNMENT" SEASON CONFEBENCE 2005 For I~o~ion Cnll 32~838 WRESTLI N6 YMPHONY o~ob., ,. zoos COMING OCTOBER 1;~ ~G~; C~3~2938ro. Mo~o~ O~TOBER ~S, ~006 2008 ~FIE~ ~N~ VS F~SN0 K~NS 7:~0 PM L.A. ~KERS DISN~N ICE DISNEY / PIXAR WASHINGTON WIZARDS FINDING NEMO NOVEMBER 2a 7:~ PM GAMES ~ MII~ DECEMBER BEGIN 2008 DEC. 2nd BASKETBALL BASED ON THE SONGS 0F ABRA 8;00 PM DECEMBER A S'' ~ H~B~K 3,. NEW YEAR'S EVE h ~~ ~ CELEBRATION Jnnua~ 17, 200e · 7:30 PM HYSfERY' ~L~BETROTTER~ ~ESTLING ~AHPIONSfllPS C ~ 7:&O PM PROKFESSIONAL mnm...mmmn...m~.m.m.n BULL.,.. ,,RIDING · -, YG~, a .OCKEY L~GUES A R E HA AG~ 5 T0 I~ s AGE mw.o.s F~~L FOR MO~ INFORMATION CALL 852-7~ HOCKEY L~GU~ MAY 4 BEGINNER T0 ADVANCED TEAHS FOR MORE INFORMATION C~L 8S2-7~ 7:30 PM BIRTHDAY MRTIES ~~ ~?~;~, SEVE~L PAC~GES AVAI~BLE FOR MO~ INFORMATION ~[ 882-7~t ,~ 2,to .2... YOU ~l LMM 10 SGIll ~ I P I Z ZAN g R lie I~R ALL · DAILY I~IOH · SRM1 HgIIC ~L ~ FOR INFOR~TION ABOUT PUBLIC ICE S~IlNG SPONSORSHIP 0PPOR~NmES- GROUP TICKET DISCOUNTS RIITAU. FIGINE AMD ~ I~ ADVERtiSING IN ~E ARENA For Class and Schedule Iflfor~atiofl: ~or Event and Ticket Iflfor~atiofl: ~ (66~) 852-7400 ~~ ~ (66q) 852-7777 ~~r B A K E R S F I E' L 4^N^ ERs° F''cE Economic and Community Development Department MEMORANDUM ~¢.,,0/¢1-~ August 23, 2005 TO: Alan Tandy, City Manag~'t~)Cz," FROM: Donna L. Kunz, Economic Development Director SUBJECT: Funding Award Notification from the State for Mortgage Assistance Last May, Council authorized EDCD staff to apply for grant funds in the Building Equity and Growth in Neighborhoods (BEGIN) Program from the California Depa/'tment of Housing and Community Development (HCD). The funds are eligible for cities and counties that provide regulatory relief for affordable housing projects that demonstrate project readiness. Attached is a HCD letter dated August 17th notifying the City of a successful application for BEGIN funds in the amount of $1,560,000 for downpayment assistance (deferred-payment second mortgage loans up to $30,000). The state funds will be used to provide mortgage assistance to 52 first-time Iow income home buyers in the proposed 260 unit Chardonnay tract in SW Bakersfield which is located due east of Ridgeview High School (Ward 6). The affordable housing developer for the 52 units will be Self Help Enterprises. The affordably priced residential units will be 3 and 4 bedrooms and average 1,300 sq. ft. Applicants must be first-time homebuyers with household incomes that do not exceed 80% of the family median area income. Downpayment assistance marketing priority will be initially given to renters who live or work within the City of Bakersfield limits. State HCD intends to follow-up with program guidelines and legal documents in the next few months for review and approval. Subsequent to execution of state (HCD) documents, the grant funds will be Council appropriated for use in the proposed Chardonnay tract. The affordable housing project will be phased over three years and the tentative start date is no later than the end of this year. A "First Time Homebuyer Second Mortgages for the Chardonnay Tract'' brochure will be placed on the City's website by no later than October 1st for interested eligible applicants. C:\DOCUME~l\dscanlan\LOCALS~l\Temp\Council Memo State 2005 BEGIN Award Notification.doc ] STAT .E:~F CALIFORNIA -BUSINESS. TRANSPORTATION AND HOUSING AGENCY ' Arnold Schwar-zene~eer. Governor DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ' FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE DIVISION ~ 1800 Third Street, Suite 390 P. O. Box 952054 Sacramento, CA 94252-2054 (916) 322-1560 FAX (916) 327-6660 August 17, 2005 Mr. Alan Tandy City Manager City of Bakersfield 900 Truxtun Avenue, Suite 201 Bakersfield, CA 93301 Dear Nh-. Tandy: I am pleased to advise you that the Department of Housing and Community Development (Department) has reserved $1,560,000 for the City of Bakersfield application for the 2005 Building Equity and Growth in Neighborhoods (BEGIN) Program funding. These funds will be used to provide mortgage assistance loans to 52 first-time Iow- or moderate income homebuyers in the Chardonnay project, developed by the City of Bakersfield. The Department is committed to expanding housing opportunities for all Californians. The BEGIN Program plays an important role in the efforts of the Governor and this Department to address California's housing and community revitalization needs. The Administration is committed to targeting valuable State resources to communities making progress in addressing their share of the regional housing need. We hope and expect these funds will contribute to your success in meeting your share of the .regional housing production need. Congratulations for having submitted a successful application. We applaud your commitment to provide regulatory relief to the Chardonnay project thereby making affordable homeownership opportunities available to first-time Iow- or moderate-income homebuyers. We look forward to developing a partnership with you and assisting you to provide homeownership within your community. Your BEGIN contract number will be 05-BEGIN-046. If you have any questions, please contact Peter Solomon, BEGIN Program Manager at (916) 445-3086. Sincerely, Deputy Director PUBLIC WORKS STREET MAINTENANCE SECTION - WORK SCHEDULE WEEK OF. AUGUST 29, 2005 Finishing the street reconstruction project in the area between White Lane and Planz Road, sOuth of Sandra Drive. Street sealing in the area of Stockdale to Ming from Gosford to west city limits. Concrete work in the area south of California to 8th Street from "P" Street to "T" Street; and on Oliver Street between Planz Road and Brook Street. Pulverizing the streets north of Wilson' Road, off Akers Road. AUG 2 6 ZOO5 B A K E R S F I E L D CITY IVlANAGER'S OFFICE CITY OF BAKERSFIELD PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM TO: Alan Tandy, City Manager FROM' Raul Rojas, Public Works Director DATE: August 17, 2005 SUBJECT: MEETING WITH FATHER JOSEPH CHAFFEE Referral No. 1220 COUNCIL REQUESTED STAFF MEET WITH FATHER JOSEPH CHAFFEE TO ADDRESS HIS QUESTIONS AND PROPOSALS REGARDING GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT 04-2005 REARDING CIRCULATION ELEMENT AND ADOPTING A SPECIFIC PLAN LINE FOR THE WASHINGTON STREET ALIGNMENT. Staff has been unsuccessful in attempts to reach Father Chaffee to discuss his questions and proposals. Staff will continue to try to contact Father Chaffee and will respond to Council once contact is made. G:\GROUPDAT~Referrals\2005\08-17~Re~1220 Meeting with Father Chaffee.doc B .A' K ..'E R .S '.F I E .L D CITY OF BAKERSFIELD PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM TO: Alan Tandy, City Manager FROM: Raul Rojas, Public Works Director~_~ DATE: August 24, 2005 SUBJECT: EXTENSION OF BELLE TERRACE Referral No. 1216 (Coundl Meeting: 8/17/2005) COUNCILMEMBER CARSON REQUESTED STAFF CONTACT SUSAN SALVUCCI AND ADDRESS HER QUESTIONS REGARDING EXTENSION OF BELLE FROM COTTONWOOD ROAD TO WASHINGTON STREET. Staff contacted Ms. Susan Salvucci regarding her question about Belle Terrace. She and her partners own 50 acres at the intersection of future Belle Terrace and Washington (see the attached map). The City/County boundary is the centerline of Washington Street. Ms. Salvucci had spoken with County representatives before City staff contacted her. Belle Terrace has been constructed on the north half of the street from Cottonwood Road to the northwest comer of their property, but the read is blocked off at this point and they cannot access their property from there. Ms. Salvucci's concem is that the only physical access to their 50 acre property is on an easement from Casa Loma over some neighboring property. The developer of the neighboring property wants to eliminate the easement and is, according to Ms. Salvucci, pressuring them for a quitclaim. She wants to know when Washington Street will be constructed by the City or the County. Staff explained to her that there is currently no City project to extend Washington Street past Belle Terrace, and that as a rule roads are constructed by the person developing the fronting property. She understood this, and spoke of contacting the developer to "trade" their access easement for some improvements on Washington Street. She also indicated that they may be interested in annexing to the city to get city services. G:\gROUPDAT~Referrals~005\08-17~Ref-81216 Extension of Belie Terrace.doc 8/24/2005 2:39:55 PM B A K E R S F I E L D OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER MEMORANDUM August 26, 2005 TO: Alan Tandy, City Manager FROM: Alan Christensen, Assistant City Manager/~ SUBJECT: Annexation of Belle Terrace Extension & Washington St. Alignment Council Referral #1217 Council requested that staff look into annexation of Belle Terrace extension and Washington St. alignment. I spoke with Susan Salvucci, one the partnership group that owns the property, and invited her to discuss with City staff the possibility of annexation. Ms. Salvucci indicated that she is wanting to protect the property from losing an easement which might devalue the property. She was personally interested in discussing annexation to the City, but needed to convince her partnership group to look into it. She said she would contact them and get back to me regarding a meeting.  AUG 2 5 2005 ~ITY MANAGER'S OFF]CE B A K E R S F I E L D CITY OF BAKERSFIELD PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM TO: Alan Tandy, City Manager FROM: Raul Rojas, Public Works Director~__..~.L~ _....___~-~ DATE: August 17, 2005 SUBJECT: HYDRAULIC FLUID SPILL BY SANITATION VEHICLE Referral No. 1222 ICOUNCILMEMBER BENHAM REQUESTED STAFF CLEAN UP HYDRAULIC FLUID SPILLED BY SANITATION VEHICLE AT 1309 SHATTUCK AVENUE. On July 29th, Street Maintenance staff responded to hydraulic spill by placing an absorbent on the spill, as is procedure. Consistent with procedure, staff returned with street sweeping equipment and removed the absorbent material. Resident indicates spill material remains, but site visits from the Solid Waste Division and Streets ' Superintendent indicated all material has been cleaned. The remaining effects from the spill are visual, and not material.. Pressure washing the street to remove visual stain is likely to damage the pavement surface. Customer has been contacted in writing (attached). G:\GROUPDA%Referrals~2005\08-17~Ref~1222 Hydraulic Fluid Spill by Sanitation Vehicle.doc B A K E R S F I E L D PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT 1501 TRUXTUN AVENUE BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA 93301 (661) 326-3724 RAUL M. ROJAS KEVIN BARNES PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR SOLID WASTE DIRECTOR August 25, 2005 E.L. Sutherland 1309 Shattuck Ave. Bakersfield, CA 93305 Dear Ms. E.L. Sutherland, Sorry about the delay in responding to your initial letter regarding the hydraulic spill at 1309 Shattuck. As you are aware, city staff responded to the spill immediately with a crew to place absorbent material down on the spill. As this happened on a Friday, unfortunately it was not until early the next week that the street sweeper followed up and removed the absorbent. In response to your continued request to dean up the spill, both the Street Department Superintendent and the Solid Waste Division Supervisor have visited the location and confirmed that the site has been cleaned thoroughly. All fluid and absorbent has been removed safely and all hazards mitigated. A discussion occurred whether pressure spraying of the pavement and cracks would improve the quality of the clean up and the conclusion was that the result would be more harm than good in that pressure spraying would damage the pavement. Both affirmed that the only remaining effect from the spill was visual and not material. Attempts to contact you by phone have been unsuccessful as that number is not available but if you would like to discuss this further, please feel free to contact me at 326-3136. Sincerely, Sal R. Moretti, Superintendent Solid Waste Division SOLID WASTE DIVISION (661) 326-3114 4101 TRUXTUN AVENUE Fax (661) 852-2114 BAKERSFIELD, CA 93309 B ': A E ..R:.::;'S : F :I. ': r"~Ty i, 4AIX!AO'-ER'S OFF'.C'''= CITY OF BAKERSFIELD PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM TO: Alan Tandy, City Manager FROM: Raul Rojas, Public Works Director DATE: August 25, 2005 SUBJECT: LANDSCAPING @ BRIMHALL AND CALLOWAY Referral No. 1227 (Council Meeting: August 17, 2005) COUNCILMEMBER COUCH REQUESTED STAFF REVIEW COMPROMISING ON USUAL LANDSCAPING STANDARDS FOR THE DAVID GAY PROJECT AT THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF BRIMHALL AND CALLOWAY TO ENABLE THE ROADWAY TO BE DEEMED AN ARTERIAL. DETERMINE TRADING LANDSCAPE STANDARDS. The Public Works staff, in Subdivision Engineering and in Traffic Engineering, reviewed the project plans for a shopping center being developed by Mr. David Gay. The site is located on the northeast corner of Brimhall and Calloway. The modifications proposed by the developer, to widen the roadway to try to meet Arterial widths, are acceptable, Planning staff also reviewed this request. Although landscaping is a bit reduced, it will still meet the intent of the ordinance. Planning staff therefore also finds the modifications proposed by the developer to be acceptable. mps G:\GROUPDA~Referrals~2005\08-17~Reffi1227 Landscaping at BdmhalI-Calloway.doc (8/25/2005 11:57:06 AM) B A K E R S F I E L D CITY OF BAKERSFIELD PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM TO: Alan Tandy, City Manager FROM: Raul Rojas, Public Works Directo~.~l _ DATE: August 17, 2005 SUBJECT:' STREET & ALLEY REPAIRS Referral No. 1224 COUNCILMEMBER SULLIVAN REQUESTED STAFF FILL POTHOLES AT 1217 CLUB VIEW DRIVE AND 3713 LILLIAN WAY; REQUESTED TIMEFRAME AS TO RESURFACING OF WESTWOOD ESTATES; DETERMINE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF ALLEY BEHIND 3100 ASHE ROAD AND ASSURE REPAIR OF THE CHAIN LINK FENCE AND ALLEYWAY; AND REQUESTED REPAIRS AND RESURFACING OF HEMSTEAD.. Staff investigated the above request and reported that there is no pothole to be found at 1217 Club View Drive. Club View Drive, which is in the Westwood Estates, has some thin surface crecks. There are several streets within the Westwood Estates (Ward 5), including Club View Drive, that are in need of reconstruction and are on our 2007/2008 street reconstruction schedule. La Puente Drive, which is also in the Westwood Estates area, receives a lot of bus traffic and we are constantly patching potholes on it. For this reason we have scheduled La Puente Drive to be reconstructed in November 2005. The Streets Division is responsible for maintenance of the pavement surface on the alley behind 3100 Ashe Road. We do not sweep alleys. The alley, like so many other alleys is in need of resurfacing. The Street Division has a list of alleys that are in the stage of disrepair. However, we have a backlog of streets that are in need of resurfacing/reconstruction and have not scheduled any resurfacing of asphalt alleys during the last three to four years. In addition, Our paving machine is to large for resurfacing alleys that have a concrete "V" gutter in the center, like the alley behind the apartments, located at 3100 Ashe Road. We will explore the possibility of having alleys resuffaced by an outside contractor. Staff did not find any chain-link fence in the alley behind 3100 Ashe Road. All the fences in the alley are wood fences. Hempstead Lane is on the Streets Division 2006 reconstruction schedule. There are several potholes on Lillian Way. They will be patched the week of August 29, 2005. Lillian Way and approximately four other streets in the same area are on our 2005 street reconstruction schedule and they will be done in mid-October. G:\GROUPDAT~Referrals~2005\08-17~Ref~1224 STREET & ALLEY REPAIRS_I .doc MEMORANDUM TO: Alan Tandy, City Manager Smith, Finance Director ,~ FROM: Nelson K. DATE: August 25, 2005 SUBJECT: Council Referral # 1214 - City Farm Land Purchase History Referral Item: Council Member Sullivan requested staff research and provide a report as to when the City obtained the City farm land properties. ~ Response: The attached report provides a listing of City owned farm land, identifying the number of acres of each parcel and the date the City acquired the land. The land that the City is considering selling was bought in pieces from 1947 to 1949 from the Kern County Land Company. The City paid about $90,000 for the parcels in question. There was no Sewer Enterprise Fund at the time these land pieces were purchased. Our financial records show that sewer operating revenues and expenditures were accounted for in the General Fund up until the 1980-81 fiscal year, at which time the Sewer Fund was established as an Enterprise activity and separated from the General Fund. Attachment cc: Roberta Gafford, City Clerks Office Don Anderson, Property Manager File name: nks:p:memo-city farm land.doc SEWER FARM # 2 APN ACRES REC DATE 172-010-02 314.21 10-17-47 174-100-09 312.55 10-17-47 174-100-03 616.27 7-13-49 414-220-01 312.31 7-13-49 185-010-04 634.55 4-29-77 185-010-07 137.43 4-29-77 185-240-05 423.80 4-29-77 185-270-09 646.61 4-29-77 185-300-30 319.02 4-29-77 185-350-01 638.80 4-29-77 173-230-01 326.82 6-15-77 173-240-15 136.83 6-20-77 174-180-08 4,82 1-6-78 518-020-02 140.82 4-18-88 518-020-,01 163.61 , 9-21-98 '185-280-50 156.02 6-22-99 185-300-02 312.87 7-9-99 518,010-15 35.36 11-28-03 518-010-16 14.79 11-28-03 518-010-17 11.50 11-28-03 TOTAL = 5,659.43 SEWER PLANT #2 'APN ACRES REC DATE 1173-210-01 159,16 12-10-14 173-210-04 154.94 8-24'38 173-210-05 1.79 1-25-39 170-250-08 178.88 5-14-45 170-270-14 157.01 5-14-45 TOTAL = 651.78 SEWER PLANT # 3 APN ACRES REC DATE 532-010-01 561.93 3-2-72 532-0.10-07 66.34 3-2-72 TOTAL = 628.27 AUG 2005 B A K E R S F I E L D , CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE CITY OF BAKERSFIELD PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM TO: Alan Tandy, City Manager FROM: Raul Rojas, Public Works Director ,~-~q~,~~~~ DATE: August 17, 2005 SUBJECT: SIGNAL LIGHT OUTAGE Referral No. 1223 COUNCILMEMBER SCRIVNER REQUESTED STAFF PROVIDE REPORT REGARDING REDUCING LENGTH OF TIME SIGNAL LIGHTS ARE NOT TIMED AFTER A POWER OUTAGE. Normal, daily power outages do not cause a major concern with respect to traffic signal operation. Generally, after the power goes out and comes back on, the intersection either returns to normal or goes on flash until a technician is notified and responds accordingly. Power outages caused by storms, specifically lightning storms, tend to be more widespread, cause damage to equipment, and are more difficult to return to normal operation. Staff is currently researching and installing equipment that can better withstand storm damage. In addition, staff is investigating best practices in regards to notification of a signal technician when a problem is detected. The goal is to reduce response time to signal problems. G:\GROUPDA~Referrals~2005\08-17~Ref~1223 Signal Light Outage.doc