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Attend in person, 2212 Beach Boulevard, 2nd floor. Or, view on local television or live feed Pacificcoast.TV, (formerly pct26.com). The meeting begins at 7 p.m., or shortly there following. City council updates and archives are available on the City website.
City council agenda, 4/14/14.
Fix Pacifica agenda article, 4/14/14.
Posted by Kathy Meeh
42 comments:
Nothing will ever be done, build, developed or changed in Pacifica until the taxpayers and residents start paying attention.
The same 5-6 people keep showing up at council and the city council members know they are not being watched. They have a Carte Blanche to do what ever they want. Every now and then the Pedro Point nimbys or the Vallemar nimbys come out.
Bad sewer system. ever rising taxes, higher water bills, bad roads, no development and possible bankruptcy or being taken over by San Mateo is what will happen.
I like that takeover idea, assuming you mean San Mateo County. Time to disband all our little villages. The glue never held anyway.
So your next move is circulating an disincorporation petition or are you just blowing hot air and hoping that unbanding will happen on its own?
147, yeah, your comment may be one glue short of a paste. First came the successful plot to steal our city land. Now we hear the advancing drum beat of "disincorporate our city".
No improved cohesive city future-- just anarchistic deterioration into four or five weak villages, like Moss Beach, El Granada, Piscadero. The NIMBY dream is to live rough, close to the earth, in a paradise where the default government is San Mateo County in San Carlos and Redwood City. Just think 1147, as an entire community, you would have us share your separate villages dream; hence, you would force that isolated tribal disincorporation nightmare upon ALL of us.
But for those who understand the ongoing NIMBY dream is in reality a superficially disguised nightmare, remember to stop NIMBIES at the polls next Fall. Work and vote to elect only trusted city councilmembers who will fix this broken city-- those candidates who will fulfill the #1 city goal of economic development. And those of you who claim not to vote, its to your advantage (as well as to the advantage of our community) for you to reconsider. NIMBIES do vote, and you not voting is a vote for them.
Whoa, Kathy, I'm not a nimby, I'm a realist. And I vote. Pacifica's days in its current form are numbered. The damage done since the '70s is irreparable. We're a park with no way to produce revenue. No commercial, no retail, no industry and none on the way. The scraps in that re-cycled souvenir of a general plan won't change the game. Meanwhile, our operating expenses are tied to SF, the most expensive city and region in the country. Of course, we always have the option of paying more taxes although that's unpopular, thus far.
The village thing might be a big step up. Prosperity might visit and how different would that be? Other than occasional totem-capture raids, it'd probably be peaceful. You know, that's not an entirely nimby concept.
Now, hypothetically of course, and using current district names, which tribal village would you choose?
Dream as you may 510, we are as likely to disincorporate as California is to split up into 5 separate states. Many cities have had to file bankruptcy and are in much worse shape. None have disincorporated. We may go bankrupt, but history tells us disincorporation rarely heppens.
http://www.calafco.org/docs/Municipal_Disincorporation_in_California-Knox.pdf
More's the pity 534.
Realist 510, maybe reread the totems of 534 and 555. If city disincorporation is possible, there are expenses, the mess, legal delays, avoidance of core solutions, and the expectation of residential tax assessments. Governance would be further removed from local control, as well as potentially improving this entire community. What is needed is an earnest city effort and attempt to address the #1 city council goal, economic development.
In response to your alleged non-NIMBY question, the only tribal village I'm interested in is one we have, but much improved supporting a better balanced city infrastructure and economy. Want the past 30+ years of city council majority and associated NIMBY interference totem poles? They're all yours. If this city council can't make progress on their #1 goal (such as hiring an effective Economic Development Director), consider "raiding" that one too. Should make good firewood.
Kathy, it's too late. The damage is done. Local control got us in this mess. It won't get us out. Not unless it can sell us on regular tax increases. Six or seven years ago Julie Lancelle made a remark, in support of an earlier tax measure, to the effect that maybe we should be willing to pay more to live in a beautiful, undeveloped area. In the last 6 years or so, with this so-called new council, that attitude has prevailed. Certainly not openly because it is politically passe. Their rhetoric is mildly and carefully pro-development, but the reality is that a bond-financed library/council chambers on a prime parcel is council's top goal. And the reality was also Measure V for the privilege of living in Pacifica. I'm with you on the importance of an economic development director. It would be a Hail Mary play, but at least we'd be in the game. So far, we're not, and I don't believe for a second that it's because money can't be found to hire one. I think Council is afraid of what hiring an EDD would say about them to the community, loud and clear and unmistakably. So much for local control.
East Palo Alto was the murder capital of the United States. The city leaders were overwhelmed so they brought in the County and State and asked them how to get the city back.
The city bought out the Whiskey Gultch part of town and put in a 4 star hotel and a Home Depot and Ikea anchored shopping center complex.
East Palto Alto wanted and accepted change for the better good of the community.
Pacifica seems to be stuck in a rut with people who figure, well the bills are being paid, it's all ok.
The Fired Department and Police are understaffed and we all learned our local Police Department was in over their heads with the Chang shooting at Pedro Point.
The vast majority of the "gang of no" think everything is fine. In fact Julie, says, well everyone I speak too wishes they lived in Pacifica. Well, Julie, you don't understand that in order for a city to thrive and prosper you need revenue. You need Fire and Police Departments that are well staffed.
These problems in Pacifica didn't happen overnight, It took about 35 years for the "gang of no' to take control of city council and put them in a sleeper hold. These problems won't be solved overnight also.
The City's idea of putting a 35 million dollar library/city council meeting chambers on the Old Waste Water Treatment Plant, is just another way to "taint" the parcel against future develeopement. As the sewer pump building remains on the site. Do you want to stay in a 3 or 4 star hotel by the sea next to a poop pumping plant?
This council has the mentality of councils past, well we are paying the bills, oh sorry we have to raise fees and taxes. They just do not get it.
For a city the size of Pacifica, a $35 million Library/City Council meeting chambers is absolutely not justified.
One suggestion is let them build a beach front star hotel with a condition that city will have the right to use a meeting hall or whatever for some time / month and so on.
Building a library for $35 million is a waste of money and would be an undue and unnecessary and unjustified burden on tax payers.
Almost all of the reading material is available online from multiple different digital libraries from all over the world.
Better yet, maybe push for a San Mateo State University Campus or some such in Pacifica. That could bring in more consumers/money to our economy.
850 Questions. Where did EPA get the money to buy that land? Hardly a DIY project for the city council. Did they hire an Econ Dev Director or the equivalent in expertise? Could Pacifica do the same thing with the quarry? Or did EPA use RDA money--another boat Pacifica missed? Pacifica's DIY and do it our way mindset is a huge handicap to development. But hiring the know-how means you're serious about economic development and don't care if the voters know it. We're not serious.
1229 I guess putting a public library there is meant to produce instant foot traffic for the new downtown. Got to have foot traffic or it's not a downtown but would library-goers linger in the area and spend money? On what? They're mostly young kids. Your idea of a satellite campus for a community college would create an economic engine for the area and tremendous foot traffic. Jobs and consumers create business opportunities for the area. Could be a public school or private. Skyline, CSM, Notre Dame, Heald?? Uh oh, there's that expertise problem, again.
People wanted to put a brew pub like Half Moon Bay Brewing Company on Palmetto but the Palmetto chapter of the "gang of no" chased them away. Traffic noise parking problems.
Zero reason to go down to Palmetto now. Karen, promised us a new downtown center on Palmetto and minus a few overhead power lines put underground, I don't see much improvement a year later.
The Brew Pub would run into the same problem today. Residential area in that zoning nightmare of Palmetto. No way is that suited to be a downtown. Maybe that's why a library seems a good idea to some people. Nice and quiet. It'll be a dead zone, not a vibrant downtown.
Council has been peddling this downtown Palmetto thing for 6 or 7 years. Underground utilities and pavers might boost nearby property values but a downtown they do not make.
At last night's city council meeting, General Manager Lorie Tinfow acknowledged that "City expenses are exceeding income" (revenue). Surprise, surprise. There has been a financial gap in this city since most of us can remember. Currently the General Fund structural shortage appears to be about an 1 million dollars. This is not a 1x event, it is annual.
The city has outsourced, cut where it can-- still the current short fall exists. Over time, to the annual $1 million General Fund shortfall, add accelerated inflation, maintenance, and improvement cost. As citizen Sue Vaterlaus commented to city council, "don't cut funding to the organizations that help, push for economic development."
As Sue Vaterlaus said, and Anonymous 850 described (above), the bottom line is that substantial economic development is needed. And where could such economic development revenue funding be amassed? Well, we all know that answer, its the quarry. Will NIMBIES, support quarry development for the benefit of this city this time? Or do NIMBIES have a better plan (no plan doesn't count). Otherwise, will NIMBIES get out of the way? Or will NIMNIES continue their "see no evil, hear no evil" downward destruction path to disincorporate this city?
558
Palmetto idea is a non-starter. The idea that people will somehow automagically be attracted to Pacifica just because a certain part of the city is beautified is ludicrous. Pacifica is already a beautiful place and yet it is unable to attract people.
The reason is, it inherently lacks an economic engine that draws people to Pacifica. Therefore spending money on ventures that have no guarantee of profitable economic output is nonviable and unjustified.
Pacifica lacks good last mile public connectivity. It takes 1.5 hours to get to the city from Pacifica. That is by any measure horrendous.
Improving these last mile connectivity issues can help bring more people who would like to live in Pacifica and work in the Bay/City.
For example, Ocean Beach, Richmond, 19th Avenue etc neighborhoods in SF have about the same weather and general conditions as Pacifica. However, the real estate and the rents are lot more expensive - in spite of the density - !!!
This is simply because those areas have better last mile connectivity that Pacifica lacks.
Oh, Tinfow saw that did she? Should make for very interesting budget sessions.
9:05
Comparing San Francisco to Pacifica is like comparing Nordstroms to Big Lots.
Comparing San Francisco to Pacifica is like comparing Whole Foods to Grocery Outlet.
Palmetto's success will depend on attracting enough people to support businesses. One block away you have the ocean. Make Beach Blvd mixed use and you will have restaurants, little shops and more of a draw. The homeowners shouldn't mind as this will increase values and beautify the street. So with a swipe of the pan council can do something for the economy. I can't take credit for this idea though.
Hutch
You have to have a city council who has the mindset of how to make money. The city council members are on their little hobby power trips thinking they are big power brokers. Palmetto Brew Pub would have been the start. One good core business would have got other people down there and so on.
The nimby's Palmetto Chapter led by Robin Runneals owns city council, they whisper in Mary Ann's ear and she trembles with fear. The noobees, nimby's and "gang of no" endorsed these bozo's on city council.
What you see is what you get on Palmetto a zoning nightmare from north to south.
Anon 850, That idea for making Beach Blvd mixed use came from a council person. I think it's a great idea. Palmetto area can be special but not with a library taking up valuable real estate.
I heard another good idea about putting a concession at the end of the levee by Mori's Point. Of course the gang-of-no will have a shit fit. But plenty of National Parks have commercial concessions.
Hutch
That idea was floated before BART started buying up property in Daly City. I would say mid to late 1960's. The first plan was to buy everything from where BART is now up to Mission Street.
The other plan was to buy up everything from Beach BLVD up to Palmetto and redevelop the whole area. This idea died with the "gang of no" city councils.
Well I wouldn't want to see houses bought up in mass and torn down. But a conversion of some apartments or houses to restaurants and shops along with some inns or B&B's would really revitalize West Sharp Park as well as add to the city coffers. All that's needed is to change the zoning to mixed use.
850 Nihart's only fear is that people who supported her and thought she was all about economic development will discover she's not.
1119 Ah, Redevelopment. Now there's a story that'll bring tears to your eyes. Think of what Pacifica could have been with the help of that money and an Economic Development Director. Instead, we wait and hope for private investment money that continues to go elsewhere. And we watch as this council rolls out its version of mixed-use development on Beach Blvd. with a nice, quiet, neighbor-friendly library/council chambers as the centerpiece.
City Council won't have a clue even after the checks start bouncing. This council is just switching around playing musical chairs while the Titantic hits the iceburg.
City Council thinks the the ship is unsinkable but water is pouring in fast and no one has a bucket to start bailing.
How's that CCC approval for the Beach Blvd fiasco coming along? So far they expressed their usual concerns about encouraging public access to the beach and including open space. The city split the library project off from the rest last year. If voter approved and funded, it can go forward alone.
What if the CCC approval involves providing more open space for the public at the expense of the space planned for hotel and condos? How long do you think this council would have to think about that one? Yup, another prime parcel saved from grubby economic development by a Pacifica City Council. Maybe the county would split the book fines with us.
The people who live in West Sharp Park like the neighborhood the way it is. That's the problem. They didn't like the WWTP there so they went all nimby and got it moved it to the quarry. That raised the regulatory bar for the quarry, but maybe some of the "situational" nimbys didn't know. You dust for fingerprints on that one and you'll find our current mayor and her nimby friends, not all of whom live in WSP.
That end of Palmetto has seen other efforts to revitalize it. John Lucia tried to do it almost single-handedly in the '80s with that complex of shingled buildings. One of them housed a pretty good Italian restaurant and then another restaurant followed that one. All of it failed, other than a nail salon, I think. The antique places never grabbed hold. Pacifica's most successful type of business--nail salons and personal services. We don't support much else. It's an ugly area. Unless total redevelopment took place, and obviously it can't, you're left with a mess.
2:00
Don't forget the junk hauler business, which seems to be thriving.
1:44
It was Mary Ann Nilihist and Robin Runneals.
That's not true 144. I live in West Sharp Park and I and many neighbors are up for positive changes here like restaurants at the beach, hotels, stores. Maybe a Friday night street fair. Just put some gas heaters around ha.
And 2:00 I tell you I'd rather live here than some parts of Linda Mar that look like a used car lot. The antique stores have been here for a decade or more and they do fine along with most of the other businesses.
And as far as the CCC wanting open space at that site I say give it to them and dump the library if that's what it takes to get that thing going.
And when are we hiring a damn economic development planner? That should be the #1 priority.
Are you nuts Hutch? Hiring an economic development director would mean council is serious about development--so serious they'd risk losing all those nimby votes and the fence-sitters the nimbys could persuade. Politicians are good at tossing bones to the yapping public and what we probably will see happen is the hiring of some low-level development co-ordinator who's nothing more than a paper shuffler for senior staff, ie, a bone.
212 Oh I remember very well who ran that show, up front and behind the scenes. Even Scott Holmes told them not to put it there. He knew exactly what it would mean for the quarry. There were other choices that would not have saved oops I mean compromised a developible parcel, but it just had to be the quarry.
The idea was to develop legitimate antique stores to draw collectors from all over the Bay Area. Ours got no further than junk and used furniture. Nothing wrong with that because that's clearly what the Pacifica market will bear, but another example of how hard it is to build foot traffic to shop in that area. Libraries do bring foot traffic, but there's no proof they want to hang around and eat or shop. Unless you put in something that includes a toy with your burger.
I think the CCC found the library the least objectionable element of the project. They know how to use their power to change a project. Just speculating, but if they want to change that one to provide open space and better public access, it's the hotel and condos that are at risk, not the library. You think anyone at city hall would be surprised?
The Brew Pub would run into the same problem today. Residential area in that zoning nightmare of Palmetto. No way is that suited to be a downtown.
Most of Palmetto is zoned neighborhood commercial.
The city has the grand vision of Palmetto being the downtown.
Some people also said the RV park on Palmetto would never succeed. I was one of them. Who the hell would want to stay there. Well they have been a huge success. Full most of the time. Bringing us tourists from all over the world. Have a little faith.
@Hutch at 1015: Don't forget that for quite awhile,that RV park was an eyesore with the (former/) operator hauling old trailers and renting then out for the long term, not necessarily to the best tenants. Glad to see that for the most part, it's been cleaned up and is can be considered by some a "success." I'm not a RV type guy, but if I were, I would likely have less reservations stopping there now than in times past.
Anything bright shiny and new on Palmetto would be an improvement for the area but there's no cohesiveness to any of it. Rv's, a trailer park, homes, storage units, social services, nondescript apartments, struggling stores with hand-lettered signs, a school, the Recology office. As earlier poster said it's zoned neighborhood commercial and it looks like it. Venture off Palmetto down the side streets and the identity crisis is even more obvious. Slap down a library at one end and you've got a library at one end, nothing more. Continual small scale changes are great because they improve the neighborhood for the folks that live there but it won't be a downtown regardless of council's visions.
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