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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08/04/00 BAKERSFIELD CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE MEMORANDUM August 4, 2000 TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FROM: ALAN TANDY, CITY MANAGER SUBJECT: GENERAL INFORMATION 1. Congratulations to the City Council and thanks to the .County Board of Supervisors! At long last, universal collection is a reality! The Mayor, John Stinson, and Kevin Barnes appeared for us at the marathon hearing. 2. A memo is enclosed from Alan Christensen regarding two possible trips we are setting up for you and the Redevelopment Agency to tour the new Lancaster stadium and see a game. Hopefully, you can make one of the two dates. Seeing the family orientation, multiple marketing strategies, and comfort and quality will make your time be well spent. Ideally, you can go to a game at Sam Lynn on your own, first. The contrast is great, indeed. It is not dissimilar to comparing the old and new Amtrack stations. Along that subject, there is an article enclosed from the CNN Sports Illustrated web site about the nationwide popularity of minor league baseball. 3. The GRC study regarding the financial implications of the City Center arrived as a rough draft but has flaws and needs significant work. It will likely be several weeks. 4. Our congratulations and appreciation go out to Joe Lozano, Public Works Operations Manager who, after 30 years of dedicated service to the City, has announced his retirement, to be effective December 31 st. 5. An update on the Development Streamlining Task Force is enclosed from John Stinson. We expect to finalize our report on the task force recommendations in mid- August. 6. We were recently made aware of additional transportation revenues which have become available to the County. KernCOG will be programming approximately $36 million dollars in additional Regional Improvement Program (RIP) at their September meeting. We currently have a project that is in a position to utilize a portion of these funds. The attached letter proposes the use of approximately $9 million for the Fairfax Rd at State Route 178 interchange. KernCOG has formed an ad hoc committee to look into programming these funds and will make their recommendation at the September KernCOG meeting. Honorable Mayor and City Council August 4, 2000 Page 2 7. The San Diego area has experienced a doubling of electric rates, as an unintended consequence of electric utility deregulation. Some speculate the effect will occur elsewhere in the state in the future. We do not know if that is true, but it is worth monitoring. 8. A memo from EDCD is enclosed outlining the agenda for the upcoming Southeast Bakersfield Community Revitalization Workshop, which is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, August 26th at the Bakersfield Senior Center. 9. The demolition of the Bakersfield Inn Restaurant site located on Union Avenue is scheduled for this month. EDCD has provided the timeline in the attached memo. 10..Last month, EDCD sent letters to seven non-profit and for-profit housing developers to request their interest in building affordable single family dwellings on five City surplus properties. We received two written proposals, as required by the RFP. A summary of the two proposals that were submitted is enclosed. 11. A status report from Development Services regarding code enforcement activities is enclosed for your information. 12. A response to a Council inquiry is enclosed, as follows: Councilmember DeMond · Review Flower Street, between Alta Vista and Baker Streets, for speed and traffic and install pedestrian warning signs. AT: rs cc: Mayor-Elect Harvey Hasll Department Heads Pamela McCarthy, City Clerk Trudy Slater, Administrative Analyst BAKERSFIELD CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE MEMORANDUM August 3, 2000 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council FROM: Alan Christensen, Assistant City Manager SUBJECT: Lancaster Jethawks Baseball Game and Stadium Tour Management of the Lancaster Jethawks minor league baseball team has arranged for members of the City Council and the Redevelopment Agency to see a Jethawks game and a grand tour of their stadium, which has been in operation for 4 years. Many of the issues surrounding baseball stadium design and construction are difficult to grasp until you actually see and experience them. This trip is an opportunity for a visual perspective that should prepare you when design issues arise in public discussions in the coming months. Because of short notice and the lack of home games available this month, we only have two available dates: 1) Friday, August '!1th against Rancho Cucamonga, and 2) Saturday, August 19th against Lake Elsinore. Both games start at 7:15 pm. A tour of the stadium will precede the game. The van(s) will be leaving Bakersfield at 3:30 pm and the tour will begin upon our arrival at about 5:30. We will be eating dinner in the Jethawks barbeque area of the stadium. Let us know your preference for either date. I will be contacting each of you by phone to coordinate. Call me at 326-3751 if you have questions. cc Alan Tandy, City Manager P:\Gen. Info\cc invite to jethawks game.wpd ~NNSl.com - Inside Game - John Don...it - Friday July 28, 2000 02:1 http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/i...hn_donovan/news/2000/O7/28/minors/ From your Desktopto the Blacktop.D°dge Minors a major hit Cheap food, good seats -- who needs the big leagues? Latest: Friday July 28, 2000 02: l I PM ;~,~C~ ~:~ I!~ ~ ......... more~o:~n.:~ ~sto~ CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. -- You can smell the hot dogs at BellSouth Field. ~ll[~[~ ~ Actually smell them. You can have one, ~lfll~ ll~~l~ too, if you want, for two thin $1 bills. You can sit in a nice seat down close to the field (most expensive seat: $8), have your frankfurter brought to you by cheerful young waitresses and sip on a cold beer (a big one: $3.5.0) or a soda ($2.50 for a large one). You can even -- get this -- watch the game. ' Not that some 4,000 screaming rugrats, here on this day for a mid-summer minor-league classic between the Chattanooga Lookouts EVENTS and the Mobile BayBears, are the least bit interested in the game. It is a simmering July afternoon, a businessman's special at the new park on a hill overlooking the Tennessee River, and more than 6,000 fans -- most of them kids -- have come not so much to watch the game, but to enjoy being outside with their friends and family. j It is like this all over America, of course. Minor League Baseball is enjoying a great summer, its best summer in more than five decades. From Buffalo and Portland to Rancho Cucamonga and Adelanto and all sorts of little towns and big towns in between, people are CENTERS streaming into minor-league ballparks. Attendance jumped to more than 18 million at the end of June for the 160 teams that make up Minor League Baseball. That's about an 8.5 percent increase over last year. Teams like the Muckdogs and Crocs and Crawdads all are benefiting -- though, certainly, it's still tough.going in some towns. Still, the CNNSI.com GROUP Jammers and the Lugnuts and Scrappers and RockHounds and -- you want to keep going?'-- the BayBears and Boll' Weevils and Sand Gnats and Wart Hogs, all are happy to see this interest. You can point .to lots of reasons -for that. New stadiums like BellSouth Park in Chattanooga are a big one. BUt you'd be missing the point. COMMERCE Fact is, Minor League Baseball is the only baseball many people I of 3 7/31/00 12:27 PM ~CNNSI.com - Inside Game - John Don...it - Friday July 28, 2000 02:1 http://sportsitlustrated.cnn.com/i...hn_donovan/news/2000/O7/28/minors/ Fact is, Minor League Baseball is the only baseball many people throughout America can see. There are teams in 41 states and Canada, many in pretty remote spots. But even in places close to Major League cities, Minor League Baseball increasingly is becoming a real alternative to Major League Baseball. The reasons are simple. Smaller parks. Friendlier. Cheaper. Cleaner. Safer. Less hassle. "I can come with myself and my wife and my son, and come with a $20 bill and, with food and everything, not have to get into the second $20 bill," says Rich Mozingo, the general manager of the Lookouts, who almost certainly gets it cheaper than that. Still, the point is, you can get into a minor league park for nothing. The Lookouts were running a promotion on this day. Kids could get in for $5. And that includes a Coke and a 'hot dog. General admission bleacher seats in Chattanooga - and you can get them behind home plate -- are $4. It's cheaper than the movies, and a whole lot cheaper than travelling about two hours south to Turner Field to see the Atlanta Braves. But cost is only part of it. In the minors, you don't have to hear about greedy owners and trade deadlines and small-market teams and revenue sharing. Frank Burke and the two other co-owners of the Lookouts put up $10 million of their own money to build BellSouth Park. They didn't ask for a tax increase to pay for the stadium. They simply asked for some support, in the form of ticket sales, from the community. Chattanooga responded, according to the Lookouts, by anteing up for 2,200 season tickets (price: $400) in thebest areas of the new 6,160-seat stadium. The Lookouts had 811 season ticket holders last season. If fans want to talk to Burke, he's not hard to find. Walking through the gate .on this day, you could hardly miss him, hawking programs for $1 on a-podium just inside the entrance. The ballplayers, too, are different in the minors. They are playing for something other than a paycheck or pride. They're playing for a dream. They are playing to survive. And they don't seem to suddenly go deaf when you ask them for an autograph or shout their name from the stands. "Ah, it means a lot to the kids," says Corky Miller, the Lookouts' catcher, who signed every autograph asked of him after the game -- many while toting a large duffel.bag of equipment on the long walk from the dugout to the team's clubhouse under the right field stands. "I figure I have the time now to do it. So I do it." Sure, there are drawbacks to minor league ball. Rosters than change almost weekly. Some not-so major-league play. And baseball sometimes plays second fiddle to just having fun. 2 of 3 7/31/00 12:27 PM ~CNNSI.com - Inside Game - John Don...it - Friday Jhly 28, 2000 02:1 http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/i...hn_donovan/news/2000/O7/28/minors/ "It's absolutely secondary," Mozingo admits. But you can see the game, if you want. You can see it cheaply. And, if you're not interested, there's always the hot dogs. John Donovan is a senior writer for CNNSI. com. The opinions expressed here are solely those of the writer. Comments? To e-mail Donovan, click here. Re!areal !nfomtatlon Multimedia · , · · ~ Visit Multimedia Central for the latest audio and video _Specials , ,, , Play Full Blitz Fantasy Football,.the 4 FREE tdal issues FULL Fantasy game that's FREE to oJ Sports Illustrated play - Win cash!" ~ All the gear you'll need for.the JJ~ CLICK HERE baseball season -- CLICK HERE! Search our site Watch CNN/SI 24 hours a day ' II Search Sports Illustrated and CNN have combined to form II a 24 hour sports news and information channel· To receive CNN/SI at your home call your cable operator or DirecTV. Copyright © 2000 CNN/Sports Illustrated A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you. Read our privacy guidelines. 3 of 3 7/31/00 12:27 PM BAKERSFIELD PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM TO: ~,LAN TANDY, CITY MANAGER SUBJECT: RETIREMENT After 30 years of employment with the City of Bakersfield, Public Works Operations Manager Joe Lozano has announced his retirement effective December 31, 2000. Mr. Lozano's retirement plans include spending more time with his family and traveling. Some of Mr. Lozano's personal successes are attributed to his confidence, exceptional professionalism and willingness to accept with enthusiasm the challenging situations to resolve any outstanding tasks. Ranks held during his employment with the City are, as follows: Automotive Serviceman I Feb 1970 Automotive Serviceman II Jan 1972 Mechanic I Jan 1973 Mechanic II Apr 1974 Supervisor III Jan 1980 Equipment Maintenance Superintendent Dec 1983 Acting Assistant City Manager Jul 1985 Public Works Operations Manager Jan 1995 - Dec 2000 He will be missed by his peers, colleagues, and staff. Congratulations Mr. Lozano! c: Honorable Mayor and City Council Department Heads Public Works Division Heads G:~GROUPDA'l'~laria~Memos~LozanoRetirement.wlxl BAKERSFIELD CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE MEMORANDUM August 3, 2000 TO: Alan Tandy, City M. anager FROM: John W. Stinso~, ~ant City Manager SUBJECT: Streamlining Update Marion Shaw from Public Works, Carl Hemandez and I met this week to finalize the draft report for the Development Streamlining Task Force. There are some changes to several draft ordinances needed and additional policy clarifications from Public Works which should be completed by the end of this week. I also spoke with Fred Porter the CELSOC representative on the task force regarding their responses to proposed language we had previously submitted to them for comment. He indicated it would be a week or so before he would have a response. I told him the draft report was nearly complete and we would like to send it out. I suggested that we could send it out, as is, without their comments and address them when the Task Force meets to discuss the draft report in a week or so. He was in agreement with that suggestion. ! will be sending copies of the draft report to members of the task force on Monday when the ordinance information and additional information from PUblic Works is completed. I will be scheduling a meeting of the Development Streamlining Task Force to review and finalize the draft report during the week of August 14. S :XJOHN~UrbanDev\St reamlineGroup\Status 8-3.wpd August 1, 2000 Kern Council of Governments Board of Directors 1401 19"~ Street Bakersfield, CA 93301 Attn: Paul Ackermann, Chairman RE: 2000 REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT FUND ESTIMATE Dear Mr. Ackermann: The City of Bakersfield was recently informed of the good news regarding an increase in funding levels which will augment the 2000 State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).~ It is our understanding that the Kern Council of Governments Board of Directors, will consider the most appropriate way to program these additional revenues in the not too distant future. Currently, the City of Bakersfield has two projects on the RTIP list; Route 58 and an interchange project on State Route 178 and Fairfax Road. As you know, the Route 58 project through Metropolitan Bakersfield has historically been and continues to be the Region's top priority project. KernCOG is now in the process of a year long study by the nation's leading engineering firm to determine the most effective connection to State Route 99. The purpose of this letter is to explore the possibility of advancing a portion ofthe increased ~..:. .... .... RTIP dollars for the State Route 178 and Fairfax Road interchange project. Due tOthe additional year delay in the Route 58 project, it seems prudent to advance a project that is ready to go, as long as the cash flow does not disrupt the Route 14 and Route 46 projects. In 1998, the KernCOG Board of Directors adopted a policy which established an equitable split of RTIP revenues through the year 2012. This policy was subsequently modified to be extended through the year 2014 as a result of the Route 46 project advancement. The City of Bakersfield continues to support that policy as a means to fulfilling the Region's long term transportation needs. One of the hallmarks of this policy is built-in flexibility under certain circumstances. Our proposal for the advancement of the Fairfax project is based on the understanding that it would come only from the 60% Metropolitan Bakersfield share and it would in no way interfere with the cash flow necessary to propedy advance the State Route 14..aa~ projects. 1501 Truxtun Avenue · Bakersfield, California 93301 · (661) 326-377{: o Falx t66, 11 3~-377R E-mail address: mayor@ci.bakersfield.ca.us CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE Kern Council of Governments August 1, 2000 Page 2 We feel that the Route 178 @ Fairfax Interchange project meets these circumstances for the following reasons: · The CalTrans required Project Study Report (PSR) was completed and approved in 1997. · The City has funded the Project Approval/Environmental Document (PA/ED) phase and will also have the necessary right of way purchased this fiscal year using local dollars. · Plans, Specifications and Estimates (PS&E) will be funded by the City and completed in the 2001/2002 fiscal year Cycle. · All clearances will be obtained and the project will be ready for construction within the 2000 STIP cycle. ·We have been informed by KernCOG Staff that no other project in the region is ready to advance within the 2000 STIP cycle. ·Of the $36 million that has recently become available, the City requests only $9.1 million (25.3%). Please rest assured that the City of Bakersfield has no intention of requesting additional funding outside its established 60 percent share. In fact, other than the Route 58 project, Bakersfield has no other project on the official list of KernCOG candidate projects. However, we see this influx of additional funds as an opportunity to advance this much needed interchange. Therefore, we respectfully request your Board consider advancing the construction funding of the State Route 178 @ Fairfax Road Interchange project. Yours truly, Mayor cc Mayor Elect Harvey L. Hall Councilmembers Alan Tandy, City Manager Raul M. Rojas, Public Works Director Jacques R. LaRochelle, Engineering Services Manager BAKERSFIELD Economic and Community Development Department MEMORANDUM July 25, 2000 TO: Alan Christensen, Assistant City Manager FROM: George Gonzale~/~munity Development Coordinator II SUBJECT: Planning Meetin§ for the Southeast Bakersfield Community Revitalization Workshop On July 14, 2000, Economic and Community Development Department staff and Darnell Haynes met with Councilmember Carson and members of a planning committee to develop an agenda for community information meeting for Southeast Bakersfield. The workshop is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, August 26, 2000 from 10:00 a.m. to noon at the Bakersfield Senior Center located at 530 4th Street. Below is the list of those individuals who were invited and those who attended. Councilmember Carson asked that as part of the agenda for the workshop, description of funding programs be included and how non-profit and for-profit agencies can access these funds. Attached is the tentative agenda for the August 26, workshop. Darnell Haynes will work with MIS to develop base maps of the Southeast Project Area boundaries and the location of current activities underway. Staff will also prepare short narratives on the funding sources and status of these projects. We are estimating about 90 minutes of presentation on the major funding programs with 30 minutes for questions and answers and community feedback. Internally staff will be preparing our presentation and information. Our next meeting will be August 8, 2000. A follow-up meeting with the planning committee is scheduled for August 10, 2000 at 10:00 a.m. to review the agenda and presentation. Staff will continue to report on the status of the community workshop. RECE VF:.D dlk:P:\GEORGE~southeast planning committee MEMO.WPD ~ CITY MANAGER'S OFF~~ .~., Southeast Bakersfield Community Planning Committee August 10, 2000 - 10:00 a.m. to Noon City of Bakersfield Economic & Community Development Department 515 Truxtun Avenue I. What is Community Revitalization? II. Pro~ess & Tools III. Current Southeast Projects IV. City-wide Projects V. Case Studies VI. Question and Answer VII. Community Feedback BAKERSFIELD Economic and Community Development Department MEMORANDUM August 3, 2000 TO: Alan Christensen, Assistant City Manager FROM: George Gonzales unity Development Coordinator SUBJECT: Demolition of the~akersfield Inn Restaurant site. As mentioned in the June 8, 2000 memorandum, Session Construction and Demolition was the Iow bidder to demolish the Bakersfield Inn restaurant building. On July 28, 2000, the pre-construction conference was held to review the demolition timeline with Session. The asbestos removal will begin on or before August 8, 2000, the actual demolition is scheduled for August 14, 2000 and the compaction will begin on or before August 21, 2000. This project is scheduled to be completed on or before August 31, 2000. CEIVED dlk:P:~VlEMOTEMP.WPD ,Cr~ MAN~,- ;7~7I :;% .. BAKERSFIELD Economic and Community Development Department MEMORANDUM August 3, 2000 TO: Alan Christensen, Assistant City Manager FROM: George Gonzale~'~'munity Development Coordinator SUBJECT: Status of Propo~lls for City Surplus Properties, On July 5, 2000, letters were mailed to seven non-profit and for-profit housing developers asking their interest in building affordable single family dwellings on 5 City surplus properties. The list of developers included: Habitat for Humanity, Self Help Enterprises, Kern County Economic Opportunity Corporation, Mclntosh and Associates, the Cornerstone Group, Southeast Bakersfield Community Neighborhood Housing Development Group, and Affordable Homes, Inc. The developers were requested to prepare a development plan consistent with the surrounding neighborhood of any of the 5 City surplus properties. Of the seven developers contacted by the City, only two submitted written proposals as required by the Request for Proposals. The two developers that submitted proposals were Southeast Bakersfield Community Neighborhood Housing Development Group (SEBCNDG) - Marvin Dean and The Cornerstone Group -Stephanie Campbell and Barbara Harris. Both developers are forrprofit entities with little or no affordable housing development experience. Below is a summary of their proposals for the 5 available sites: Address Sq. Ft. Sales Price Sq. Ft. Sales Price 406 Eye Street 1,050 $105,000 1,200 $62,500 5300 Jonah Street 1,250 $62,500 1,200 $62,500 5304 Jonah Street 1,250 $62,500 1,200 $62,500 329 Clyde Street 1,250 $61,802 1,200 $62,500 3531 AdanacCou~ 1,595 $79,750 1,200 dlk:SSGEORGE~ciW su~lu, memo update- [C MANAGER'S OFF[C~ Because the 5 properties were not purchased with CDBG or HOME funds, the development of the proposed homes do not trigger any of the HUD limit requirement or regulations. Staff will be meeting with the developers to negotiate the business points of the agreement and timelines for construction of the homes on the City surplus properties. Below is a tentative schedule. August 9, 2000 Meeting with Developers August 30, 2000 Final Agreement submitted for developers review September 8, 2000 Developers execute agreement review for City Council agenda deadline for Action September 27, 2000 September 27, 2000 City Council considers agreements November 1, 2000 Construction begins dlk:S:\GEORGE\city surplus memo update MEMORANDUM August 3, 2000 TO: Alan Tandy, City Manager FROM: Jack Hardisty, Development Services Dir SUBJECT: Code Enforcement Highlights 1. Since there have been appointments to the Board of Building Appeals a workshop is being scheduled to review the board's role and responsibilities. The members will then be prepared to hear cases. The first one will be consideration of the Building Director's order to abate the Brown Building at Kentucky and Baker Street. 2. Toward the end of this week we will be sending notices to property owners between California Avenue and the railroad west of Union Avenue to dean up accumulated weeds, trash and debris. 3. The contractor has been given a notice to proceed with demolition of the old restaurant at the southwest comer of Union Avenue and California Avenue. He has 15 days to start. 4. Abatement orders have been sent to the Turner Inn. The City Attorney will be taking this to court for enforcement. 5. Summary abatement of the recently burned wing of the Chaparral has been ordered. We are now accepting bids to do the work. 6. Somewhat less dramatic but very difficult work by code enforcement is the suppression of blight in the southwest (around Ming Avenue, Ashe Road and White Lane) south (Pacheco Road area) and northeast (Columbus and University Avenue). During the recent National Night Out sponsored by the Police Department we received many requests for help in restoring and saving the quality of neighborhoods. BAKERSFIELD PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM TO: ALAN TANDY, CITY MANAGER FROM: UL M. ROJAS, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR · DATE: v~ August3,2000 SUBJECT: Councilmember Inquiry- Ward 2 FLOWER STREET BETWEEN ALTA VISTA AND BAKER STREET Attached is a status report, prepared by the Traffic Engineer Steve Walker, at the request of Councilmember DeMond to review the operation of Flower Street for speed and traffic to make the roadway safer by installing "Children at Play" signs. Attachment .: '~--RECE~VED '~i BAKERSFIELD PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM TO: RAUL M. ROJAS, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR FROM: STEPHEN L. WALKER, TRAFFIC ENGINEER.,~J DATE: August 3, 2000 SUBJECT: INFORMAL REFERRAL, WARD 2, FLOWER STREET BETWEEN ALTA VISTA AND BAKER. "COUNCILMEMBER DEMOND ASKED TRAFFIC ENGINEERING TO REVIEW THE OPERATION OF FLOWER STREET FOR SPEED AND TRAFFIC TO MAKE THE ROADWAY SAFER FOR KIDS, SUCH AS PUTTING UP 'CHILDREN AT PLAY' SIGNS" I reviewed the road segment of Flower Street between Alta Vista and Baker Streets. Flower is an older street built to the wide street standard found in older neighborhoods of Bakersfield. The speed limit is 25 miles per hour. The most recent traffic count for the street recorded a traffic volume of only 1675 vehicles. Based on my observation of traffic at different times of the day over a several day period, I found no operational problems and very light traffic. The vehicles using the street were traveling at or near the speed limit of 25 miles per hour. A five year review of accident history for the street shows one pedestrian accident where the pedestrian was at fault for "jaywalking" and two auto only accidents caused by unsafe u-turns. Since "children at play" type signs are not allowed by California law, other signs such as standard pedestrian warning signs may be used and will be installed in the next few weeks. cc: Traffic Engineering File - Ward2.FlowerStreet.ref. wpd slw: S:\WP\CC_RE FS\Ward2. FlowerStreet.ref. wpd Page I of I