Director's ReportCUPERTINO CITY HALL
10300 TORRE AVENUE
CUPERTINO, CA 95014
TELEPHONE (408) 777-3308
FAX (408) 777-3333
GUP~1tTIN~
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Subject: Report of the Community Development Director
Planning Commission Agenda Date: Tuesday, August 11, 2009
The City Council met on August 4, 2009, and discussed the following item(s) of interest to the
Planning Commission:
1. Simms &Stocklmeir Properties -
SIMMS PROPERTY:
• Authorized the planning commission to rezone the Simms property,
• Adopted the Parks & Recreation Commission s recommendation that the Simms addition be
integrated into a nature preserve in a manner that will protect and enhance the natural and
cultural resources and create opportunities for education, research, restoration and low impact
recreation,
• Authorized the continuation of the lease to June 2010 if necessary and authorized the City
Manager to negotiate and execute the extension to the Simm s property lease
• Authorized city staff to determine the cost of removing the house, and to include that
information during the FY 2010-2011 budget discussion.
STOCKLMEIR PROPERTY:
• Approve the recommendation of the Parks & Recreation Commission to have the Stocklmeir
Task Force develop a plan to create a legacy farm at the Stocklmeir property,
• Approve including the work of the task force as part of the design study for the Stevens Creek
Corridor Trail Phase II.
Miscellaneous Items:
1. Civic Center Fountain -The Civic Center fountain was turned on Monday, July 27~ at
approximately 1 PM. There were some pretty happy kids out there. On Wednesday, the
numbers were great enough to impact parking.
2. CIP Update -Attached is a summary of the status of this year's Capital Improvement
Program projects prepared by Public Works Director, Ralph Qualls.
Upcoming Dates of Interest:
Aug 14,15,16,21,22,23 Shakespeare in the Park-"The Comedy of Errors' Mem.Park @ 7:30pm
Sept. 26 Diwali Festival, memorial Park, 10 AM to 6 PM
Sept. 26/27 Citywide Garage Sale
Nov 3 Election Day (no Council meeting)
Enclosures:
CIP Project Summary Status Report
Business Journal News Article: Redevelopment agencies gear up for Round 2 in California fund fight.
G: ~ Planning ~ AartiS ~ Director's Report ~ 2009 ~ pd8-11-09.doc
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GIP PROJECT SUMMARY STATUS REPORT - as of July_1p, 2009__- R. Qualls, DPW
BUDGET START FINISH
PRQJECT ESTIMATE CONSTR. CONSTR CQMMENTS
Mary Ped/Footbridge $ 14.8 M 02108 04109 Bridge Opened April 30, 2009
Stevens Creek Gorridor
And Trail (Phase I) $ 13.8 M 06108 06109 Park and Trail reopened July 4, 2009
Stevens Creek Gorridor
And Trail (Phase II) $ 1.3 M TBQ Grant Applications underway Design to begin 08/08
Sterling Barnhart Park $ 700 #~ 11109 04110 Contract Award by Council October 2009.
Lawerence Mtty Park $ 50 K Unk
('~ Sports Center Tennis
~ Lighting Upgrade $ 250 K
Quinlan Plaza (Fountain
Replacement) $ 300K 08/09 03110
Civic Center Fountain $ 400 K 01!09 07/09
Annual Paving Contracts $ 2.8 M Various
Linda Vista Pond Study $ 30K TBQ
Blackberry Farm
Upgrades and. Repairs
$ 800K Various
Completion April 2010
Funding for Site Planning only
Total Project Funding Unknown -Grants to be sought
Project Completed July 2009
Design 54% complete. Completion March 2010*
Fountain Opened and Operating as of July 27, 2009
Pavement Mgmt Report #o Council May 5, 2009
Study begins in August 2049
Report to Council for Mid-year Budget 02/10
Consultant selection and project scoping underway
Work to begin after BBF closes in September 2009
Schedule moved out 3 months to avoid interference with major booked events in November-December 2009
Redevelopment agencies gear up for Round 2 in California fund fight -Silicon Valley / S... Page 1 of 3
Silicon Valley /San Jose Business Journal -August 3, 2009
/san joss/stor_es/2009/08/03/story2h#ml
SILICON YALLEY t SkN 30S(E
^
Friday, July 31, 2009
Welcc
Redevelopment agencies gear up for Round 2
in California fund fight
Silicon Valley /San Jose Business Journal - by William Arthur Haynes
It cost the California Redevelopment Association
....................................................................... ...........................
$~oo,ooo to head off a $35o million money grab by the
state earlier this year, and now the association is gearing up for a second round.
California is after $2.05 billion in local redevelopment funds as part of the solution to reconcile
a $26.3 billion deficit, and the association will try to stop it with a legal challenge. In October
the state attempted to divert $35o million. Advocates of redevelopment agencies sued to block
that attempt and won. They say a second challenge is one they cannot afford to lose.
"This is the lifeblood of redevelopment," said Brent Hawkins, the association's general counsel.
Municipalities, already dizzy from balancing their budgets, will have to slice the numbers again
because of the latest round of state cuts, and a lawsuit to protect redevelopment funds is
another legal headache they don't need. As it stands, city agencies would be required to send a
check to Sacramento on May io, 2oio.
"Our entire program is at risk," said John Weis, assistant executive director of the San Jose
......................................
Redevelopment. Agency. "You don't take one of your most important economic
development engines and dismantle it statewide for a year or so during the deepest recession in
the state's history."
Weis said it's too early to tell how the proposed reductions would affect city programs and
projects, including the redevelopment of San.Pedro_Sgnare Urban Market and the
expansion of the convention center. Weis said he would know more once he could determine
whether his agency can borrow money and at what rate.
"It doesn't freeze us up, but it certainly affects our willingness to move forward with downtown
initiatives," Weis said.
With an annual budget of about $i5o million, San Jose's RDA is the second largest in the state,
after Los Angeles. The state wants to grab $62.2 million, or 4o percent, of the city's
redevelopment dollars.
Redevelopment funds misused
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Redevelopment agencies gear up for Round 2 in California fund fight -Silicon Valley / S... Page 2 of 3
This time around California is attempting to circumvent the April court ruling, which deemed
the state's proposal to divert funds unconstitutional.
The state filed a notice to appeal that ruling, but instead of proceeding, it is trying to address
the court's decision by rewording language in the current budget.
Underlying the dispute is just how redevelopment money can be used. Under the state
constitution, redevelopment dollars must be applied toward RDA districts and debt accrued on
redevelopment projects. But the state instead wants to use some of that money to fund public
schools in those areas.
"Whether a court buys that or not is something we're going to have to test," said San Jose City
Attorney Rick Doyle.
San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed characterized the state's current attempt as nothing more than a
school financing "gimmick."
The redevelopment association's Hawkins said the state's plan not only runs afoul of the
constitution, it also would create disparities between wealthy and less wealthy school districts.
Debt service
Another factor in the lawsuit is how grabbing the funds will impair a municipality's ability to
service bonds debt. Most local agencies have issued bonds to finance redevelopment projects
and allocate a large proportion of redevelopment funds to paying that debt.
John Shirey, executive director of the California Redevelopment Association, said that portion
of the lawsuit, which was not addressed in the April ruling when the judge simply found the
state's proposal unconstitutional, would warrant attention in this go-round.
"We will press that issue again," Shirey said. "And we have an even stronger argument this time
because instead of trying to grab $35o million, they're trying for $2.05 billion. For most
agencies, that's all the money they have."
Who voted for the RDA land grab?
The final votes were Senate 23-15 with 2 not voting,
and in the Assembly 41-31 with 7 not voting.
Local votes were as follows:
State Senators
Elaine Alquist (D-Santa Clara) -yes
Joe Simitian (D- Palo Alto) -yes
Leland Yee (D-San Mateo/San Francisco) - no
State Assembly
Jim Beall (D-San Jose) -yes
Joe Coto (D-San Jose) -yes
Paul Fong (D-Mountain Vew)- yes
Jerry Hill (D-South San Francisco)
Ira Ruskin (D-Redwood City) -yes
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Redevelopment agencies gear up for Round 2 in California fund fight -Silicon Valley / S... Page 3 of 3
Albert Torrico (D-Fremont) -yes
Anna Caballero (D-Salinas) - no
Valley cities threatened to lose millions
An estimate of what the state will take from local redevelopment agencies in 2oo9-io to solve
^ the state's budget deficit.
Download.the.map.in.PDF.formathere.
...........................
Online exclusive
Rede_velopment_agencies_hire_t~-notch_to_ fight. California_state grab
William Arthur Haynes can be reached at 408.299.1829 or whaynes@bizjournals.com.
Katherine Conrad contributed to this report.
All contents of this site O American City Business Journals Inc. All rights reserved.
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