HomeMy WebLinkAboutPCDC Minutes 01/19/19991 MINUTES
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3 PETALUMA COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION
4
MEETING
s TUESDAY, JANUARY 199 1999
6 ROLL CALL 3:00 mm.:
7 Present: Healy, Torliatt, Cader-Thompson, Maguire,
s Vice Chairman David Keller, Chairman E. Clark Thompson
9 Absent: Hamilton
10 PUBLIC COMMENT
11 Geoff Cartwright spoke about the Payran area. His comments relate to the City Council and are
12 included in the City Council minutes of January 19.
13 MINUTES: The October 19, 1998, minutes were approved as submitted.
14 RESO.99-01
15 AGREEMENT COTS & PCDC
16 Resolution 99-01 approving a contract with the Committee of the Shelterless (COTS) to extend
17 their scope of services beyond providing shelter to the homeless singles population to developing
18 and expanding existing social service and mental health resources that will result in successful
19 rehabilitation, early intervention and prevention, mitigation of public safety involvement, and a
20 better quality of life for all concerned.
21 For the last several years COTS has worked with the City with regard to helping the homeless
22 population in the City of Petaluma. There have been a number of successes, and there have been
23 a number of problems. One of the problems is the placement of homeless services at the location
24 of Ellwood Center at the foot of East D Street. Many in the neighborhood have expressed their
25 concerns at the neighborhood meetings about the homeless' actions, as well as expressions of
26 concern at the redevelopment and City Council meetings. The City Council has directed staff to
27 develop some solutions to the problems that have been encountered. This contract expands the
28 COTS charge to assist in the development of solutions.
29 The status of mental health needs at the Opportunity Center is that more funding assistance will
30 be required to reach a resolution, noted John Records of COTS. For instance, dust one person
31 can really take a lot of time, Mrs. Gaebler told the Commission. They will be developing a plan
32 and looking for ways to make the plan make sense in this community. Councilmember Matt
33 Maguire suggested the contract contain language, which would allow non-binding arbitration.
34 Housing Coordinator Bonne Gaebler said that there is Housing and Urban Development money
35 (HUD) coming into the County of Sonoma for this sort of need. However, very littleof that
36 funding actually comes to South County and to Petaluma.
37 Councilmember Pamela Torliatt noted there are areas other than downtown where homeless
38 congregate, Lynch Creek, Washington Bridge and the Corona area to name a few. In response
39 to the question, "Is this a one time program?" Bonne Gaebler said there are no easy answers
40 here. "We don't know what we are looking for. A year from now, she said she will have a much
41 clearer answer to the question."
PCDC Meeting January 19. 1999 Page 1 of 4 pages
1 Regarding the HUD funding that comes to the County seat, Chairman Clark Thompson said he
2 would meet with Mrs. Gaebler about this subject to try to obtain some more HUD monies for
3 this area.
4 A future agenda item about this subject is Neighborhood Revitalization, which is tentatively
5 scheduled for February 16. Bonne Gaebler noted that this contract is meant to look at a long -
6 term approach to the homeless situation. In response to Councilmember Pamela Torliatt's advice
7 that the new Governor may open the armories for homeless, staff reminded the Commission that
s the East D and Payran neighborhood has been promised by the Commission that the homeless
9 will not be placed at the armory again.
10 Victor Chechanover, 2301 Marylyn Circle — questioned the expenditure of funds for the stated
11 purpose. $75,000 a year could go a long way to provide housing. He also noted that Petaluma
12 deals with the homeless better than most places.
13 Requesting that staff keep the Commission updated, the resolution was introduced by
14 Councilmember Pamela Torliatt and seconded by Vice Chairman David Keller
15 Ayes: Healy, Torliatt, Cader-Thompson, Maguire,
16 Vice Chairman David Keller, Chairman E. Clark Thompson
17 Noes: None
18 Absent: Hamilton
19 RESO.99-02
20 1998-99 BUDGET
21 Resolution 99-02 adopting the 1998-99 Fiscal Year Petaluma Community Development
22 Commission budget. (Assistant City Manager) Assistant Executive Director Beatty, said the
23 budget has three parts: Central Business District, the larger area east of the freeway, and the
24 low and moderate income housing plan.
25 The revenue for the Petaluma Community Development Commission is determined this way.
26 When a redevelopment project is approved by a city, the property tax rate in the
27 redevelopment area is identified as the `base tax rate.' Each year thereafter when the property
28 tax bills are calculated (usually at a higher rate), the difference between the "base tax rate" of
29 the redevelopment agency and the tax rate for the current year, also known as `the incremental
30 tax,' is distributed between the city's redevelopment agency and city and county schools
31 divided into a certain percentage which was agreed upon earlier. These percentages are
32 developed through agreements with the County government. Taxes that are distributed to
33 schools et cetera through these agreements are called `pass-throughs.' The State of California
34 no longer allows the division of the redevelopment area tax increment revenue to be
35 determined by local agreement. There now is State law establishing the percentages of
36 division of the tax increment funding among the various agencies.
37 Commissioner Healy asked if there are projects that have been planned for future years.
38 There is a five year Capital Improvement Plan, he was told; but with the fragmented manner
39 that the City and Redevelopment budgets have been created over the years, it is difficult to
40 identify the various projects that would receive funding and dificult to identify the total
41 funding as shown in the budgets. It is hoped that we will be able to show all the expenses
42 together. The Rainier project and the flood fix are two projects which are in both budgets.
43 There was a question about the reason for transferring an amount between the larger area and
44 the downtown area. The response was to expand the downtown district in order to include
45 the warehouse area and to extend the life of the downtown district by virtue of adding the new
46 district.
PCDC Meeting January 19. 1999 Page 1 of 4 pages
I Councilmember Janice Cader-Thompson asked about sales tax from automobiles being
2 purchased through the Internet. She was advised the State Legislature needs to develop some
3 guidelines for that. On automobile leasing, the State law has been changed, but the State
4 Board of Equalization has not yet dealt with distributing the sales tax revenue on vehicle
s leases.
6 Councilmember Janice Cader-Thompson left the meeting at 4:50 p.m. Vice Chairman David
7 Keller asked for information on the Marina note. The Petaluma Downtown Association
s budget was discussed at length. Linda Buffo, Executive Director of the Petaluma Downtown
9 Association reviewed their dues structure and told the Commissioners that after the Main
10 Street organization disintegrated, the Petaluma Downtown Association was organized with
11 the encouragement of the City. Because business owners were concerned about the viability
12 of a new downtown organization, the dues were kept low to allow participation of even the
13 smallest owner operated business.
14 Priority projects for the Petaluma Downtown Association are:
15 #1 Security of the downtown and of the Keller Street Garage. They have retained private
16 security to assist in this effort, which costs them $600 a month for night security. They asked
17 for City funding to help support the night time security patrol.
18 #2 Loan Fund of $40,000 — The purpose of the money would be for low interest, short-term
19 loans to property owners for fagade improvements. This loan fund could be modeled after
20 one used by the City of Larkspur
21 #3 Directory and Brochure as marketing tools and promotional information for the
22 downtown.
23 #4 Sign Study — the Petaluma Downtown Association (PDA) was allocated $4,000 for a `way
24 finding sign study' last year. They obtained one bid from Design Pacifica. It was approved by
25 the Planning Commission. When it was brought before the Council, David Keller instructed
26 Pamela Tuft to get two more bids. No action has been taken. This year the PDA is
27 requesting an additional $4,000 to bring the total funding for the `way finding sign study' to
28 $8,000. The cost of the study will be approximately $30,000. Linda Buffo said that she
29 would solicit funding form other sources to make up the difference. She said there are other
30 groups such as the Visitors Program and Chamber of Commerce interested in helping with the
31 project. It will be an all city project. The cost to implement the study could be as high as
32 $200,000. Examples from the recently completed `way finding sign study' for the City of Napa
33 were presented.
34 The Commissioners expressed support for the security and the loan for fagade improvements.
35 Commissioner Healy said he would only pass the budget if amendments could be brought
36 back. He asked Gene Beatty and David Spilman to look for a way to help fund t/2 year of the
37 private security costs that the PDA has requested. He also asked that they return with the
38 amendment information as soon as possible. They thanked Linda Buffo for her clear budget.
39 The Commission asked for an opportunity to have these subjects agendized: security, grant
40 solicitation, discussion of consultant, Libby Seifel, documentation about the redevelopment
41 agency, information on funding in general, more clear coordination between the
42 redevelopment budget and the city budget, economic development plan, replacement of the
43 Armory for a homeless shelter, and status of the unreinforced masonry building project.
44 Introduced by Vice Chairman David Keller and seconded by Councilmember Matt Maguire.
45 Approval of this budget was on the condition that amendments were brought back to the
46 Commission, especially on the night time security.
47 Ayes: Healy, Torliatt, Maguire, Vice Chairman David Keller, Chairman E. Clark Thompson
48 Noes: None
49 Absent: Cader-Thompson, Hamilton
PCDC Meeting January 19. 1999 Page 1 of 4 pages
I RESO.99-03
a 1997-98 ANNUAL REPORT
3 Resolution 99-03 accepting receipt of the 1997-98 Petaluma Community Development
4 Commission Annual Report. Introduced by Councilmember Matt Maguire and seconded by Vice
s Chairman David Keller.
6 Ayes: Healy, Torliatt, Maguire, Vice Chairman David Keller, Chairman E. Clark Thompson
7 Noes: None
s Absent: Cader-Thompson, Hamilton
9 ADJOURN
10
11 ATTEST: E. Clark Thompson, Chairman
12
13
14
15 Patricia E. Bernard, Recording Secretary
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PCDC Meeting January 19. 1999 Page 1 of 4 pages