Eye On Modesto

Thoughts and observations about Modesto and Stanislaus County

City Staff Says It Could Spend $2.5M – $6M but Says it Doesn’t Know Who Owns the Property

By Emerson Drake

At last Wednesday’s 8/15 meeting of Modesto’s Economic Development Committee the discussion was about where

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he City Council  might spend the ‘extra’ money from the 1% sales tax (Proposition X ) one funding option was for a annual/one time expenditure of $2.5 Million.  It was explained they  couldn’t decide which column, annual or one time, to place the funding option under but they could easily spend the money on infrastructure in the Bangs area.despite having already mentioned we needed to spend approximately $50 M for infrastructure to prepare the Kiernan East and South Business Parks.  But Brent Sinclair said he preferred to spend $6M in the Bangs area. He commented the land owners there were anxious to move forward.

Public Records Request (PRR)

I made a PRR to find out who owned the property Mr. Sinclair was in such a hurry to jump start.  Here was the response I received.

Mr. Drake,

Brent Sinclair has advised us that he has no listing of the property owners in the Bangs area.

This completes your public records request.

Thank you,

Apparently the Modesto City Council is in hurry to spend the money but claims they don’t know who will benefit from the voters largess should Prop X be approved.  More than just a little scary, or should I say disingenuous  don’t you think?

I’m starting to believe this Proposition should have been named (Proposition WHY )

The Cuts the Finance Committee Refused to Recommend for Political Reasons

By Emerson Drake

On Wednesday August 15,2013 the Modesto Finance Committee met to discuss the budget reductions recommended by

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the City Manager Greg Nyhoff in the event the one percent sales tax doesn’t pass. The committee which consists of Chair-Stephanie Burnside. Vice-Chair David Cogdill, and Joe Muratore (absent with Dave Geer standing in) had made prior arrangements with Nyhoff and Mayor Marsh to withhold discussion because of Councilwoman Burnside’s unwillingness to voice her opinions due to  her up-coming re-election bid.  Of just as much concern was Nyhoff having not placed his recommendations on-line (they still are NOT on the city website.

All of the Department heads were there to discuss and or answer questions regarding the potential cuts but because of the previous behind the scenes agreement to help Burnside, no give and take took place.  As a matter of fact Nyhoff told the Dept. heads they could leave.  This article isn’t meant to be a discussion of the right or wrong of the sales tax or of the cuts, we’ll do that in another article.  It’s about disdain and the lack of  transparency by Modesto City officials towards the public. The room was full with Chamber of Commerce members,  a couple of members of the public and one candidate, Bill Zoslocki. Of potential interest were the only three people in attendance with color printouts in white folders, Brent Sinclair, lobbyist Cecil Russell, and candidate/developer Bill Zoslocki. Everyone else had the black and white copies from the table at the door.

Then there was the single page Nyhoff handed out during the meeting containing the cuts.  It was noted the potential deficit this year was $11.8 Million and much is expected to be the same next year.  If they don’t fill positions again this year in the Public Safety and Non-Safety Departments the deficit will be only about $8 Million.  Yet the goal for the day’s exercise was $6 Million.

Here is the list of recommended reductions.

The City Manager’s Dept.  ……………………………………………………….$141,000                                                                                                                    Eliminating lobbyists contracts, eliminating dues, memberships, supporting Alliance, CA League of Cities, Conference of Mayors, eliminate CM and DCM conference attendance.

Human Resources Dept.  …………………………………………………………$209,000                                                                                                                  Position reductions (slow recruitment and hiring, reduced HR assistance to departments regarding personnel matters, delayed response to labor group inquiries.

Finance Dept. ………………………………………………………………………..$450,000                                                                                                                  Downsize budget division (annual budget process, cannot expand to 2 year budget, minimal forecasting and pro forma updates, slower responses to operating dept inquiries) downsize purchasing division (formal RFP’s will go from 120 days to 240. master contracts will expire and require delay in renewals), downsize grant section (grant compliance will shift to operating depts. causing a greater potential for errors in regulatory grant reporting, internal controls weakened significantly)

Parks Recreation & Neighborhood Services ……………………………….$1,000,000                                                                                                              Close Centre Plaza, Closure of Dryden Golf Course, eliminate GF subsidy for John Thurman Field (impact to Modesto Nuts). eliminate support for parades, recreation  programs and Leisure Bucks Programs, eliminate graffiti abatement.

Community and Economic Development ……………………………………$400,000                                                                                                               50% reduction in code enforcement services and complaint inspection, elimination of planning activities of 50% reduction in service (eliminate support for CIP Task Force, 50% reduction in response to customers, developers, City Manager, City Council, inquiries), eliminate participation in Regional Rail. regional transportation and sustainable communities, Eliminate long-range planning (General Plan, ag preservation, housing element, Urban Growth Review), eliminate Downtown Hospitality Program, (parking study, policing and security, entertainment and nightlife)

Total non-public safety …………………………………….approximately $2,200,000

Public Safety Departments–Police and Fire

Modesto Regional Fire Authority (MRFA)…………………………………..$1,400,000                                                                                                      Brown out one fire engine / station

Police …………………………………………………………………………………$2,500,000                                                                                                      Reduction in patrol, reduction in Animal Control Services, elimination in STAN CATT participation, withdraw from Auto Theft Task Force, reduce office hours in customer service, eliminate participation in Federal Gang Task Force

Total Public Safety–Police and Fire …………………………………………$3,900,000

TOTAL PUBLIC SAFETY AND NON-PUBLIC SAFETY ……………………..$6,100,000

QUESTIONS WE NEED ANSWERED REGARDING CHAMBERS PATHWAY TO GROWTH/ SPRAWL

By Joan Rutschow

QUESTIONS TO BE ANSWERED IN REGARDS TO THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE “PATHWAY TO JOB GROWTH” LAND

A montage I (Valente Q.C.) made with pictures ...

DESIGNATION AND DESTRUCTION OF PRIME FARMLAND PLAN

1.  In the residential area east of McHenry – how many homes will be built?

2.  Will any of these homes satisfy the RHNA low income housing mandate?

3.  Does this development plan fit or match the designs of the City’s determination of a “sustainable city” under SB 375?

4.  Will any “compact” housing be built in the “Kiernan” road area (which is designated for commercial development?

5.  What commercial square footage would be built for any one building?

6.  Will any commercial buildings allow manufacturing or industrial purposes?

7.  What are all of the exact boundaries (street locations) of each of the proposed employment (business park) and residential areas?

8.  Why hasn’t the proposed buildling of 553 residential homes (to include 182 low income units) been featured in the MAP provided in this presentation?  This large project is known as “Woodglen” which would be bordered off Pelandale/Carver/Dale/Tully?

9.  What has the Economic Development department, or others, done towards obtaining any future employer guarantees to relocate to Modesto (to substantiate that such commercial development will be reasonably filled)?  How many business locations will be built?  How large for each?

10.  What are the water expectations (daily volume needed) for these large areas of commercial and residential development?  Are you expecting that any of these sources will come from any of the two Del Rio Tank Wells project?  Please answer both questions in detail.

11.  Why do you think employers will want to relocate to the proposed Kiernan commercial areas when Modesto has a severe crime problems (gangs and realignment persons) with not enough officers on duty to serve 206,000 residents and with an additional proposed 11,000 low income housing units to be built for Modesto and another 5500 low income housing units to be built for the unincorporated areas)?  

Do you think that these conditions, along with bad air quality, would be favorable conditions for successful businesses to have their best employees to relocate to Modesto?

12.  Per the City and County’s LAND USE documents, no growth will go forward until sufficient public service levels exist for fire, police protection and water availability.

13.  The AG ELEMENT of the General Plan is to protect prime farmland.  Why is the Chamber of Commerce Plan proposing the destruction of prime farmland from Salida to Del Rio?

14.  How many acres of prime farmland would be destroyed under this Chamber of Commerce Plan?

15.  Is any part of the Chamber of Commerce Plan to be compliant with SB 375?

PARTICIPANTS IN A RECENT SURVEY WANTED YOU TO KNOW:

88% would NOT like to have a high-density (high-rise) low-income housing unit in their neighborhood.

80% think an increase in high-density (high-rise) low-income units will negatively impact your property values.

78% are concerned that 100,000* new residents would put their water supply at risk.  *25,608 new low-income, high-density units as mandated by the County Board of Supervisors on 8/28/12, at 4 persons per unit.

By Joan Rutschow

 

A Follow-up to Aug. 13 Letter Regarding Modesto City Planners

By D. Minighini

 

This is a follow-up to the letter written by Carla von Hungen and posted here on 8/13. Please scroll down or http://wp.me/p1UFSP-14g 

 

Dear Residents Across Modesto (whether living in the incorporated or unincorporated areas):

 

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Remember to look at page 11 of the July 15, 2013 Planning Commission AGENDA This document can be found in its entirety on the web by searching the Modesto Planning Commission website, under this date. … View more

 

This document outlines some of the development the City and County wants to implement under the General Plan Amendment project. The General Plan Amendment is the document that governs all of Stanislaus County. The Planning Commission will vote to approve it or not, on August 19th at their public meeting.

The redevelopment of our existing neighborhoods with be with low income affordable housing via the verbage on Page 11 of the agenda report entitled “Neighborhoods.”     This how our local government will destroy middle class neighborhoods, destroy thousands and hundreds of thousands of dollars in real estate gains, and destroy the social fabric of a group of similar families with similar values and behaviors.  By this document, our local government has decided to mandate that low income affordable housing will be incorporated into existing neighborhoods.  This is NOT a mandate by    state law, SB 375. This is OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT’S planning ideas, and might I say, very bad planning without care for people’s current and future wealth that is present in the homes they own.  Let’s not even talk about the social problems that will occur from forcing low income or Section 8 (benefit) residents into our neighborhoods.  Low income housing needs to be developed and located properly within the city and county. The below new “neighborhood” redevelopment (per the General Plan Amendment document) is being mandated ACROSS THE ENTIRE CITY OF MODESTO (that’s incorporated and unincorporated areas). 

 

These kinds of housing plans are negligent misinterpretations and malformations of a “sustainable city” under SB 375 by local city planners and other government personnel who have written or approve the General Plan Amendment as it now states.  Anyone in our local government, or city planners, should respect people’s economic holdings of home ownership and the financial wealth that exists in the varying neighborhoods of this city. The expectation of real estate gains coming from the one major asset that families have, is sometimes, all that they have. There is no law that demands that low income housing should be incorporated into existing neighborhoods. The placement of low income housing is a very important decision and its location should not infringe or hurt any other existing resident’s real estate values. Low income housing brings various social and economic ills to middle class or upper class neighborhoods. It will destroy financial wealth for existing residents. These are real estate facts that are well known. This also intrudes into our constitutional protections to the pursuit of happiness and the foundation of economic prosperity that this country was built upon. Every American strives to reach higher, and as their lives progress and when they decide to invest in, they choose and spend thousands of dollars into a particular neighborhood because of its economic level, social behavioral expectations, and the type of residents who live there who have similar values. Homeowners who buy into middle and upper class neighborhoods have worked hard to afford it, and have finally achieved it, with no government handouts.

Local Modesto government and City Planners have no right to destroy the American economic model and cause financial injury to its residents who own property.

The below verbage of the General Plan Amendment document is a direct proximate cause of injury to residents if it passes.  The below verbage should be modified and deleted:

“The City of Modesto will promote and facilitate a fabric of complete, cohesive, pedestrian-friendly and family-oriented neighborhoods across the entire City. New neighborhoods are to be integrated with existing neighborhoods, through contextual design consideration, compact development patterns and application of Neighborhood Compatibility Guidelines and other applicable development guidelines.”

“Goal III.C
Neighborhoods. Neighborhoods should be complete, compact and sustainable so that housing, jobs, shopping and transit access are within easy walking distance of each other. Neighborhoods should include a mix of compatible land uses within close proximity, contain a diversity of housing types to accommodate a wide range of economic levels…”

“Policy III.C.1
Complete Neighborhoods. Complete neighborhoods promote livability, sustainability and safety for all residents. Modesto’s neighborhoods should contain: a mix of housing types including affordable and market-rate;…”

(“Compact” and “affordable” housing is referring to the city’s “sustainable city” high- density, low-income RHNA housing!)

Residents need to attend the Monday, August 19th Planning Commission public meeting and voice their opposition to this and other development under the General Plan Amendment document.
The Planning Commission meeting will be held at 6pm at 1010 10th Street, basement level.

Your voice is needed.   We all need to stand together, in as large of group as possible, to demand that this verbage be modified or deleted.  This neighborhood building code is just about millions of dollars in grant monies being paid to developers and having a steady stream of tax payer money paid to our government. SB 375 is just ONE method of reducing greenhouse gases by building compact high density cities. We need to encourage our government to use “other” ways to meet the 5% GHG reduction mandate by 2020.
We don’t have to let our government destroy our neighborhoods by low income housing (which people all over the Bay Area will come to live in it. There is no guarantee that our local residents will be chosen for it.).
Don’t think your voice won’t matter. There is only one more chance on August 19.

Unincorporated area residents of the City of Modesto need to be concerned about this too.

 

D. Minighini
Modesto unincorporated resident 

 

What’s on America’s Mind With Emerson Drake Wednesday 8/14 at 8PM

Tonight’s topics include women’s issues around the country,  Profiteering developers in Modesto running for office, opening

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Modesto Plaza, these topics and more so tune into tonight and find out what you need to know to make decisions important to you, your family and your community.

104.9 FM our flagship station

To listen live or in our archive : http://www.blogtalkradio.com/whats-on-americas-mind/2013/08/15/whats-on-americas-mind-with-emerson-drake-1

Unknown by Most, Plans Made by our City Planners…Next Meeting 8/19/13 at 6 PM

By Karla von Hungen

Have we got a plan for you.  It is going to solve our air pollution problems, improve our economy,
English: Author: Carl Skaggs This image was ta...transportation and provide housing for just about everybody.  We will have more biking trails and more places to walk.  Doesn’t this sound like a city you want to live in?   Welcome to Smart Growth or Sustainable Cities brought to you by StanCOG called Valley Vision Stanislaus.

The more I looked into the Sustainable City idea, the more I felt like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz when she lifted the curtain.  Here is the truth.
Cities will be required to follow the sustainable city formula made up of the three “E’s”, economy, environment and equity (social justice). These mandates, emanating from SB 375, will kill many city budgets and change forever so many unique and safe neighborhoods.  This plan is hardly smart and it is far from sustainable.
Have you seen what our City planners have in store for us?  Did you attend the latest Planning Commission Workshop on July 15, 2013?  Check out the 56-page set of documents attached to their agenda.  Nestled in these pages are maps where the City intends to build high density housing and two to three-story apartment units which will be for low-income individuals, euphemistically called “fair share housing.”
Read their definition of complete neighborhoods.  Among the characteristics of a complete neighborhood is a mix of housing types affordable to all income levels.  This housing must be placed along transportation corridors to allow convenient access to public transportation.
Where are these transportation corridors in Modesto?  According to this draft plan, they are McHenry Ave, Yosemite Blvd., Crows Landing Rd, Paradise Road, Maze Blvd, North 9th Street and others as needed.
Reviewing the  four maps illustrating where high density housing is being planned, I found two on McHenry Ave, one on Yosemite Blvd and one on Crows Landing Road.  The housing on North 9th is already being built.
For the sake of the length of this article, I will only discuss the two developments proposed by our City Planners on McHenry Ave at this time. The first is to build  20 two and three-story “multi-family units” on a .8 acre plot of land on McHenry Ave. between Elmwood Ct and Stoddard Avenue.  That particular neighborhood is a historical rare gem containing some of the most unique and interesting homes in Modesto.  It does not take much thought to realize the negative impact this high density housing would have on the immediate neighborhood.
The second proposal is a 5.5 acre site on McHenry Ave bordered by West Granger Ave, Timothy Ave and Judith Lane where they plan to build 76 townhome units and 90 two and three story multi family units. I walked the property and could not help but notice that there were businesses sitting within these borders.  I decided to visit one of them and spoke with a manager and showed her the plans.  She was speechless.  She had no idea all of this was in the works.  She told me she would contact the owner to let him know. No one I spoke to – business owners or home owners – had any knowledge of the Plan.  Most people’s initial reactions were something like, “Oh they would not do that” or “This will never happen” to “Why would the City think this is a good idea?”
The point that really drove home for me was the fact that no one seems to know about this, especially those most directly affected.  According to the Valley Vision Stanislaus website” This is a collaborative, open, transparent and inclusive process engaging businesses, community organizations and elected officials throughout Stanislaus County.” I have complained before the Modesto City Council, the StanCOG Policy Board and the Valley Vision committee meetings about the fact that the citizens of Modesto have no idea what is coming their way.  However, I am met with pat answers that since there were public workshops conducted, proper notification was done.  I ask you, the reader, do you know about any of this?
How can anyone think building more high density housing is good for Modesto?  The city receives no property taxes for this housing.  Who can say how much revenue is lost from the businesses in the bull’s eye of these plans?  It makes no sense.  As it is, cities in the Valley are struggling to support what they already have. We don’t have enough water, our fire and police departments are stretched thin, and schools will be overwhelmed.  Services have been trimmed and likewise the quality of life has spiraled downward.
Amazingly, the Plan touts local control, yet in reality, our tax dollars are hijacked to fund subsidized housing, forcing the cities to plan for falsely inflated population targets, and cities’ transit budgets are held hostage until they comply.  That is outrageous.  If the plan is so great, why use such deceptive data and strong arm tactics?
If we, the citizens, don’t stop this, it will happen.  Attend the next Planning Commission meeting on August 19th at 6:00 PM at the Modesto City Council Chambers. Watch for upcoming workshops put on by Valley Vision Stanislaus which can be found at valleyvisionstanislaus.com. Let your voice be heard. Fight for your city.  If this plan goes through, we might find ourselves one day looking around and saying to ourselves, like Dorothy, “I don’t think we are in Kansas anymore.”
Karla von Hungen
Modesto Resident

Bill Zoslocki, Village I Profiteer, Developer, Broker, Modesto City Council Candidate

By Emerson Drake

It’s election time and the first deadline has passed for candidates to turn in their donation lists called in government

Since their invention, heavy equipment such as...

parlance  “the 460’s.” The 460’s detail who their donors are, what kind of business they’re in, and where they live.  It shows who is supporting them and in what amounts.  It also show where they spend their money/donations.

To have an understanding one has to compare over a period of years what the donors share in common and the ideals, if any, they represent. While no examination is perfect, after observing the relationship between certain donors and the politicians they donate to you can get a fairly accurate feel for what the donations portend.

What do the following people and companies have in common?   They regularly support the Modesto Chamber of Commerce’s  and housing developers slate of candidates.  Most of these people donated at an invitation only fundraiser. The was just the first dip into many of these wallets. If the election appears to be close a second and third dip will occur.

Craig Lewis real estate salesman $1,000__Newman Romano LLC Developers $1,000__John Britton Developer $600__JKB Energy Developer $1,000__George Petrulakis Land use attorney$750__Lyons Investments Developer $500__Stephen Endsley Developer $500__Doug Highiet steel sales $1885__Britton – Konynenburg Partners land developers $600__Thomas Neilsen CFO Beard Land Development $200__American Chevrolet $1,000__Central Valley Automotive $500__Chris Tyler Gruet Gable LP Investment $250__John Bentencourt Atherton Assoc. LLP $500__J.David Wright Insurance $300__Michael Winn Building Industry Ass. $200__Kieth Schneider Developer Keystone Corp $100__Earthcalc Inc $100__Dennis Wilson Land Planning Horizon Consulting___ and many more.

The complete listing is included in the following pdf:

Zoslocki, Bill District 4

At the end of June Mr. Bill still had $14,294.12 left in his bank account to spend.  And he’s just getting started.  Raising money won’t be a problem for this campaign.  Developers, especially home builders, want people beholding to them sitting on the Modesto City Council.  If Mr. Bill makes it he’ll be one more vote they have in their pockets.  Cha Ching.

Infrastructure Fee Shortfall Plagues Modesto’s Village I

1 September 2002 – 12:00am

An infrastructure fee shortfall for an 1,840-acre project in the City of Modesto could reach into the tens of millions of dollars and has become a major controversy in the Central Valley city.

No one knows for sure just how large the deficit is, but there is little doubt that the revenue available to the city does not match the amount needed for roads, storm drains, parks and other infrastructure promised in the Village I Specific Plan. And the potential solutions — ranging from increasing fees on future development to asking current residents to pay more taxes to whittling away at planned infrastructure — are all unpalatable.

The reasons for the mess are many. A consultant concluded that fee reductions for the Village I Community Facilities District (CFD) — which the City Council approved in 1994 and 1997 to induce development — created a deficit. The city has compounded the problem by failing to increase fees to account for inflation and rapidly rising land costs. This issue is frequently a front page story in local newspapers and has even drawn the interest of the district attorney, http://www.cp-dr.com/node/882

What’s on America’s Mind at 7:30 PM After the City Council Meeting

Tonight’s special starting time is 7:30 PM

The discussion will include Texas roadside body cavity searches of women, and explanation of the phrase All Politics are Local, a

08/12/2009: Lights of Christmas

report from tonight’s Modesto City Council meeting on Denny Jackman’s RUL proposal, an update on the Chambers Pathway to SPRAWL,  the one percent tax proposal, these and more so tune in at 7:30 PM Wednesday and find out the things you really  need to know.

104.9 FM Modesto our Flag Ship station

To listen to the show live or from or archive at a later date :http://www.blogtalkradio.com/centralvalleyhornet/2013/08/08/whats-on-americas-mind-with-emerson-drake

A Readers Response to: Grade point averages create school ‘segregation’ Bee Letter to the Editor

By Jim Bonetti

In response to a letter printed by the Modesto Bee from a lady in Escalon called “Grade point averages create school ‘segregation'”.

She takes exception to the achievement system in this school claiming that some students will feel discriminated against.

"Competition"

“Competition” (Photo credit: mbgrigby)

Only in HER mind.  She thinks teaching kids to compete is wrong.  Well, everything done in this world is through competition!  It’s better to teach your kids to learn and compete at a young age because when they grow up and get out into the big, cruel world, they will have to compete for jobs, a residence, a good woman or man as the case may be, etc.

How does a parent help to prepare their child for the “real world” following high school graduation?  As most children are not home schooled, most parents rely on the public school system to do that for them.  However, the duty of parents is to help their kids learn priorities in life.

When kids are young, they need to apply themselves in school.  They learn academics in school and values, attitudes and responsibilities at home, maybe with the threat of “no homework, no X-box”.  When this is done, the child has a good chance to become a responsible, otherwise parents send self-destructive messages to their kids.

Parents naturally want their kids to be independent and self-supporting.  If parents don’t teach their kids good attitudes and values, then they are the ones who will wind up supporting them or the public welfare system will have to.  There are already too many people on the public dole!  And I don’t mean Social Security or Medicare, as those belong ONLY to the folds who have contributed to them!

So, the schools handing out colored cards for achievement and privilege is a good thing.  This is nothing new and there’s nothing wrong with it either.  We didn’t have cards in my day because there were no cards for anything except playing cards.  But we did have clubs to belong to like C.S.F. (California Scholarship Federation) and others.  I never belonged to a scholastic club like that because I was not an academic, outside of geometry and mechanical drawing.  But life was different then and I was later able to enroll in a school for plumbing and spent my life working at it and did well for myself.

By Jim Bonetti

What’s on America’s Mind With Emerson Drake

In our first segment we are going to discuss Family issues and women’s issues across the nation and how they effect our family

 

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life, then it’s onto the proposed Modesto sales tax and what its passing or failure means to you along with those behind the issue and why, the recent Salida MAC meeting both issues and comments plus well be playing some of the meeting and discussing it, those behind the issue, these and more so tune in at 6:30 PM Wednesday and find out the things you really  need to know.

 

104.9 FM Modesto our Flag Ship station

The call in number is 1-347-215-9414

 

To listen to the show live or in our archives at a later date: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/centralvalleyhornet/2013/08/01/whats-on-americas-mind-with-emerson-drake

 

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