Mark Sawicki Economic Development and Housing Manager 600 Elm Street San Carlos, CA 94070 Phone: (650) 802-4263
Economic Development Advisory Commission Meeting - Minutes March 31, 2009
CITY OF SAN CARLOS
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMISSION (EDAC)
Meeting Minutes of March 31, 2009
The meeting was called to order by Chair Scot Marsters at 4:05pm.
1. Commissioners present:
Connie Barton Barba
Scot Marsters (Chair)
Mark Green
Harold Schuette
Mark Lockenmeyer
Gary Wiessinger (Vice Chair)
Mark Luckenbach (Secretary pro tem)
Advisory:
Mark Sawicki
2. Approval of minutes:
Minutes of the March 4, 2009 EDAC meeting were unanimously approved.
3. Agenda Review:
Scot Marsters stated that proper protocol calls for public comment after the Agenda Review.
4. Public Comment:
Pat Potter, resident of San Carlos and a member of San Carlos Green, expressed concern regarding the ED Plan goal of recruiting mid to large plate retail on the Eastside and how that might negatively affect small local businesses. Ms. Potter asked EDAC to rethink this strategy and provided a few books and printed excerpts to some EDAC members on this topic. Ms. Potter also commented on the potential revenue measures the City may consider, suggesting that a utility tax coupled with a weatherization program would raise City revenue while mitigating the effect of a cost increase on ratepayers by reducing electric and gas consumption.
5.Old Business and Reports
a.Update from General Plan Advisory Committee
Scot Marsters reported that the last meeting focused on housing element. Final input will be incorporated into the General Plan Update draft. Final draft should be ready to review by EDAC in early May.
b.Update from Economic Development Partnership
Gary Wiessinger reported that the last EDP meeting focused on the Communication Plan and the next outreach meeting which will be held on April 28 and will target the sporting goods, recreation, health and fitness business sector.
c. Update from Staff
Mark Sawicki reported that the City Council’s March 11th retreat produced a statement of strategic objectives and a SWOT Analysis. Mr. Sawicki noted that the previous economic development goal in the three year goals had been changed to “Plan for and implement long-term financial sustainability.” Gary Wiessinger expressed concern regarding this language and the elimination of the reference to economic development. Mr. Sawicki stated that economic development projects and activities were ongoing and did not have particular deadlines or goals that needed to be addressed by Council in the next six-month period. Rather than indicating a de-emphasis on economic development, it appears that Council is satisfied that long term progress is being made.
Mr. Sawicki also reported that a selection committee of 5 members had been formed to review the RFP responses for a marketing consultant. The RFP should be released within weeks and the committee will report back to EDAC with a recommendation probably at the July meeting.
d.Consideration of Work Plan Progress Report for fiscal 2008/09 and Work Plan for 2009/10
Mark Sawicki reported that the 2009/10 plan had been revised to include a prioritization of tasks and a plan schedule. Gary Wiessinger noted that there had been some omissions in the Table of Contents and expressed concern on the targeted completion dates of some tasks.
Motion/Second: Connie Barton Barba/ Gary Wiessinger, to send the Work Plan and Progress Report to City Council with suggested changes.
Approved: Vote was 6 yeas and one abstention (Mark Green).
5. New Business
a. Consideration of Economic Development Plan Update for FY 2009/10
Not all EDAC members downloaded the Update and the brief Staff report page was not published. Approval of the Update was needed at this meeting because of timing of the budget process. Mr. Sawicki stated the Update had no major changes and mostly was a restatement of existing ED Plan goals and progress. Scot Marsters noted that the charts showing Annual Percent Change in Taxable Sales did not compute.
Motion/Second: Scot Marsters/ Hal Schuette, that the ED Plan Update be sent to Council with corrected charts and that EDAC members could e-mail any additional comments to Mr. Sawicki.
Approved: Unanimous vote.
b. Establishing ad hoc work group and framework to research, analyze and advise on Affordable Housing Strategy and BMR Ordinance modifications
Scot Marsters reported that based on comments at the last EDAC meeting, it was felt that forming a work group would be preferable to having this task be fully taken on by the entire EDAC group. Mark Lockenmeyer asked what the mandate of the work group would be. Mark Sawicki said 1) to prepare recommendations on an affordable housing strategy and 2) study and make recommendations on revisions to the BMR ordinance. Scot Marsters reported that several people have expressed interest in joining the work group. Discussion ensued on the timing and the number of meetings that would be needed. Scot Marsters felt that 4 meetings of 2 hours each between April 1 and August 1 would be sufficient. The make up of the group was discussed and it was noted that the group should have stakeholders representing all viewpoints on the issues involved. Mark Sawicki stated that the Council would like to see not just one recommendation on each issue but alternatives with pros and cons. The work group would report back to EDAC to facilitate a final draft at the July, August or September meetings. Mark Green asked how many issues required decisions by EDAC. Mark Sawicki stated the issues could probably be reduced to about six.
Motion/Second: Mark Green/Hal Scheutte, that the work group be formed with Connie Barton Barba and Mark Lockenmeyer as co-chairs with Scot Marsters as the third EDAC representative.
