It’s not too late for New Year’s resolutions, at least for the
five elected decision makers on the Morgan Hill City Council.
Morgan Hill – It’s not too late for New Year’s resolutions, at least for the five elected decision makers on the Morgan Hill City Council.
Holed up for two days in a small room at the Community and Cultural Center, the council clarified a set of tentative goals for 2007 that includes preparing a detailed list for spending $20 million – or more – in downtown revitalization within five years. The council’s community and economic development subcommittee would draft the list and the city would hold a public workshop in March to review it.
Other possible goals from the council’s retreat last Friday and Saturday center on balancing the budget, boosting police and fire service as needed, adding one or more car dealerships and promoting more solar-powered buildings.
The tentative goals will be ratified by the city council on Feb. 7. On a related note, Mayor Steve Tate will deliver the State of the City Address at 7pm, Feb. 26, in the El Toro Room of the Community and Cultural Center.
The retreat’s purpose was to establish what the city council expects to work on in 2007 with help from its committees, commissions and staff, said Morgan Hill City Manager Ed Tewes. There is no matrix to measure progress because the goals are considered workplan items, he said.
“These are not outcome-goals as might be included in a corporate strategic plan,” Tewes said. “The purpose of the retreat was for the council to review policies and establish expectations for the work of the city organization over the next year.”
The 14-hour policy session began with visions for Morgan Hill’s future five years down the road. Tewes acted as facilitator, scribbling ideas on poster boards as quickly as council members spoke them. Long-term visions included a Whole Foods grocery store, a vibrant and remodeled Third Street, a thriving downtown with a preserved Granada Theater, multi-level development in the city’s core, more parking and livable structures downtown, more sustainable jobs that allow people to live in Morgan Hill, more police officers on the street, better fire safety and emergency services, greener policies for developers and a higher profile among Bay Area cities.
Other ideas included connecting Butterfield Boulevard north and south to Monterey and Watsonville roads, building more city parks, remodeling City Hall and improving the city’s relationship with the Morgan Hill Unified School District.
Much of the discussion Saturday focused on how to use Morgan Hill Redevelopment Agency money to revitalize downtown. The city approved a $330 million RDA plan in November and a group of seven major property owners asked the RDA to eschew eminent domain and spend up to $40 million in downtown revitalization. Additionally, the city has allocated 100 more housing units for downtown and received two grants to remodel Depot and Third streets into pedestrian-friendly promenades.
Councilmember Mark Grzan said he’d like to raze downtown and build a European-style city center with alleyways for pedestrians and more sidewalk cafes. Grzan realized there’s no eminent domain power available and private property owners would have to play a role. Other council members were skeptical of the idea.
There was more consensus on the idea of saving the landmark Granada Theater on Monterey Road with partnership from the private sector.
Council members felt RDA money could be used to save the historic facade but were uncertain if a movie theater was a viable option for the site. The theater’s been closed five years.
Councilmember Marby Lee suggested finding a different use for the building to draw people downtown, similar to a compromise reached in Palo Alto more than a decade ago when Borders bookstore filled the old Varsity Theater without exterior remodeling.
Carr, speaking passionately, said the city should use RDA resources to buy the Granada without delay to preserve it before worrying about what to do with it.
“That theater’s sat empty for five years while talks between potential operators and the owner have broken down,” Carr said. “We need to take control of that property and lease it to a private business … the RDA should act like an RDA.”
While Carr suggested owning the building and perhaps using a 30-year lease to fill it, Lee said she was uncomfortable with that solution.
“I’m not sure that’s government’s role,” Lee said, adding she’d rather encourage a deal for the private sector to fill the site with a vibrant business while perhaps using the city’s planning and regulatory powers to keep the nostalgic facade as is.
Other retreat discussion areas featured boosting police and fire services as needed, delivering a balanced budget without cutting jobs or reducing city services and adding one or more car dealerships north of Dunne Avenue without disrupting existing neighborhoods.
Council members also agreed they’d like to fill empty office parks and bring more companies to town, as urged by the Morgan Hill Chamber of Commerce.
On the environmental front, the council agreed to hold a joint workshop with the Morgan Hill Planning Commission to encourage solar-powered housing developments. One question raised was whether greener homes that cost more for buyers but have lower energy bills can meet the state’s definition for below-market-rate housing.
The city also wants to develop an environmental agenda this year that could promote drought-resistant landscaping.
The council members adjourned in good spirits Saturday afternoon and mingled later at a dinner party with their spouses and government colleagues at Tate’s house, vowing not to discuss city business behind closed doors – in case anyone wanted to after the long workshop. Still, it was up to them to police themselves.
HIGHLIGHTS OF TENTATIVE CITY COUNCIL GOALS, 2007
- Police Services: To evaluate current levels of services and recommendations for future service levels. Create list of options for investment by May 2.
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Fire Services: Evaluate fire and EMS service levels with recommendations for future funding strategies by the end of September.
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Budget Goals: Double parks maintenance investment; ask city manager to deliver a balanced budget proposal and keep current service levels in May.
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Economic Development: Add one or more car dealerships in 2007 north of the Ford dealership that mitigate neighborhood impacts and are
compatible with neighbor identities. Reduce the level of commercial and industrial vacancy.
- Downtown: Prepare detailed list for $20 million RDA investment in downtown. Plan workshop to review that list in March.
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Environment: Hold joint workshop with the
Morgan Hill Planning Commission to promote greener buildings next fall. City Council’s Utilities and Environment Committee to develop
environmental agenda this year.
Tony Burchyns covers Morgan Hill for The Times. Reach him at (408) 779-4106 ext. 201 or tb*******@*************es.com.
