The Emeryville City Council and Redevelopment Agency's Capital Improvement Program budget will be decided on in a study session on Tuesday, March 15 (time to be determined). Please consider attending and sharing what projects are most important to you.
Did you get a survey in the mail? Mine came today. Fill out the list of projects with the ones you would prioritize and send it back in -- just fold it so the city's address is on the outside and put a stamp on it. It must be received by Friday, Feb. 25, which is only one week from now!
Realistically, the amount of the CIP budget is going to be smaller than we had originally anticipated. Maybe you have read about how Governor Brown has proposed to eliminate redevelopment going forward. Well, if that happens business as usual in Emeryville will change, cutting back on projects that can be supported by redevelopment funds. The transformation that Emeryville has enjoyed over the last 20 years was funded mostly by redevelopment money. Redevelopment also pays for a portion (approximately 10%) of staff at city hall.
But the other side of redevelopment funding is that the property tax increment money that flows into redevelopment is money that would otherwise be shared with the schools, the county and the city itself to fund services. Tax increment money is defined as the amount that property taxes have grown since our redevelopment agencies were established (1976 and 1987 respectively), excluding the annual 2% adjustment for inflation. It is now about $30 million per year. This cannot be ignored, in my opinion. If redevelopment ends, so will the big projects, but we will have more flexibility in our city budget. And the state will let some of the tax increment funds remain to be used to pay back the debt service on the existing bonds.
So, like many other municipalities, we have joined in the "rush to issue bonds quick before our opportunity disappears" and the City Council voted on Tuesday evening (2/15/11) to issue bonds to raise somewhere between $45 and $50 million dollars. A chunk of that (approximately $17 million, although actual amounts are not determined yet) will be spent on affordable housing. Is this the last hurrah?
Maybe that is more than you wanted to know about redevelopment and the CIP budget! Hope you were still reading! Turn in that survey!
Friday, February 18, 2011
Community Forum -- Feb 26, 3:30-5:30
Help Shape Your Emeryville in 2011
and Beyond
Food! Idea-Sharing – Brainstorming
R.U.L.E. (Residents United for a Livable Emeryville) invites you to a community forum to express your hopes, ideas and concerns
Do you want…
- A city council which listens as seriously to Emeryville residents as it does to well-funded special interests – and is transparent about all its activities?
- A city with calm, pedestrian and bike-friendly streets and sidewalks?
- Development that encourages connectivity and community life?
- More good-paying jobs for Emeryville residents?
- More affordable housing for families?
- More local businesses like independent grocery stores, cafes, bookstores, bakeries and galleries?
- More trees and parks?
If so, please join us:
Saturday, February 26, 3:30 – 5:30
Bay St. Community Room (2 floors below the AMC movie theater)
Let’s start planning for the election of progressive City Council members in November!
City Council Member Jennifer West will talk to us about her vision for Emeryville
Sponsored by R.U.L.E., Residents United for a Livable Emeryville
For more information call Judy Timmel, 601-6521; Ruth Major, 316-9343;
Tracy Schroth 205-5850
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Emeryville needs you!
The Housing Committee has a big role to play in the next few years. People who serve on this committee will have a significant impact on what kind of housing is created in Emeryville. Do we want denser developments to encourage more local serving retail and public transit? Do we want larger units that families would like to live in? Do we direct the development of new affordable housing, or let developers come to us? All of these questions are guided by our General Plan, but the committee plays an important role in how these ideas get implemented, and how the Low and Moderate Income Housing Fund gets allocated. These questions and their answers will be very important to Emeryville in 2011, 2012 and after!
The Housing Committee meets at City Hall on the first Wednesday of every month at 6:00pm. The application is available on the city website.
The Housing Committee has 2 vacancies and 3 members who wish to be reappointed to the committee as well. If you are interested in serving on this critical committee, you should apply online. The City Council will be considering applications at our meeting on Tuesday, March 15, 2011 (it was carried over from the February 1, 2011 meeting). Applications must be received by March 2. Go to the City of Emeryville website to apply, or click here. Please include the reason you are interested in serving on the committee.
I personally value diversity on a committee, in terms of geographic (where you live in town), demographic (what kind/size of household you live in) and longevity in town (newer residents are welcome!). Consider sharing your strengths with the community!
There are other vacancies to be filled as well. Please consider applying! This list includes many important committees:
The vacancies for the 2011 Roster of Emeryville Boards, Commissions and Committees are as follows:
1. Child Development Center Advisory Committee (2) Business Member
2. City/School Committee (1) Youth Member
3. Emeryville Celebration of the Arts, Inc. (1) Board of Directors (16 totaled)
4. Emeryville/Oakland Joint Planning Authority for East BayBridge (2)
2 – Planning Council (2 Emeryville Planning Commissioners)
5. Housing Committee (5)
2 – Members (Rooney and Huang)
3 – Members whose term expired 12/31/10 (Treuting, Cardoza, and Jorden)
6. I-80 Pedestrian/Bicycle Crossing Committee (2) Members
7. Marina Committee (2) Members
8. Park Avenue District Advisory Committee (1) Resident
9. Planning Commission (2) Planning Commissioners (terms expire 6/30/11)
10. Public Art Committee (4) Members
11. South Bayfront Pedestrian-Bicycle Project Committee (1) Resident
12. Zoning Update Steering Committee (1) Business Representative
The Housing Committee meets at City Hall on the first Wednesday of every month at 6:00pm. The application is available on the city website.
The Housing Committee has 2 vacancies and 3 members who wish to be reappointed to the committee as well. If you are interested in serving on this critical committee, you should apply online. The City Council will be considering applications at our meeting on Tuesday, March 15, 2011 (it was carried over from the February 1, 2011 meeting). Applications must be received by March 2. Go to the City of Emeryville website to apply, or click here. Please include the reason you are interested in serving on the committee.
I personally value diversity on a committee, in terms of geographic (where you live in town), demographic (what kind/size of household you live in) and longevity in town (newer residents are welcome!). Consider sharing your strengths with the community!
There are other vacancies to be filled as well. Please consider applying! This list includes many important committees:
The vacancies for the 2011 Roster of Emeryville Boards, Commissions and Committees are as follows:
1. Child Development Center Advisory Committee (2) Business Member
2. City/School Committee (1) Youth Member
3. Emeryville Celebration of the Arts, Inc. (1) Board of Directors (16 totaled)
4. Emeryville/Oakland Joint Planning Authority for East BayBridge (2)
2 – Planning Council (2 Emeryville Planning Commissioners)
5. Housing Committee (5)
2 – Members (Rooney and Huang)
3 – Members whose term expired 12/31/10 (Treuting, Cardoza, and Jorden)
6. I-80 Pedestrian/Bicycle Crossing Committee (2) Members
7. Marina Committee (2) Members
8. Park Avenue District Advisory Committee (1) Resident
9. Planning Commission (2) Planning Commissioners (terms expire 6/30/11)
10. Public Art Committee (4) Members
11. South Bayfront Pedestrian-Bicycle Project Committee (1) Resident
12. Zoning Update Steering Committee (1) Business Representative
Trees
One of the things I value most in a community is mature trees. Emeryville is lacking in this department, and it is not something that can be fixed overnight. In my opinion, the beauty of mature trees (and the increased property value) is partly the patience that it takes to bring us to that state. I have appreciated the new trees that have been planted in the Triangle neighborhood over the past few years, and look forward to the day they provide shade.
Recently, the Tattler printed an article about the new Target parking lot, and how 18 years ago the entire East Bay Bridge Shopping Center parking lot (the stretch south of 40th St., between San Pablo and the railroad tracks) was stripped of the requirement to plant more trees. I am sure you can agree that the parking lot is barren and huge today.
City staff have looked into this issue and have given some history and some good news in terms of the Target parking lot. Target is planting many more trees with adequate root space to grow large. The coverage of the lot will be much better in 10 years, but will not necessarily reach 25%, the original requirement that was voted down in 1993. Still, I think this will be a real improvement.
Recently, the Tattler printed an article about the new Target parking lot, and how 18 years ago the entire East Bay Bridge Shopping Center parking lot (the stretch south of 40th St., between San Pablo and the railroad tracks) was stripped of the requirement to plant more trees. I am sure you can agree that the parking lot is barren and huge today.
City staff have looked into this issue and have given some history and some good news in terms of the Target parking lot. Target is planting many more trees with adequate root space to grow large. The coverage of the lot will be much better in 10 years, but will not necessarily reach 25%, the original requirement that was voted down in 1993. Still, I think this will be a real improvement.
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