Eye On Modesto

Thoughts and observations about Modesto and Stanislaus County

Archive for the tag “Modesto City Council”

20 Jul 2013

A Salidan’s Comments to the Modesto Planning Commission

By Jim Bonetti

The people of Salida have had to fight to protect our land ans homes every time a current Modesto mayor takes a notion to annex us.  We are aware of what you Chamber says of the mayors and councils. Every administration for the past 30 years has failed to do anything to improve business here because they did not know what to do or how to do it!

 

Salida CA - Salida, CA

You did manage to steal some nice pieces of Salida for Kaiser Hospital, Costco, Lowes, and Save Mart….THROUGH EXTORTION!  No Water without annexation!  Mr. Mayor, you did play by LAFCO’s rules, you sent out notices to farmers within 300 feet of the property to be annexed.  Not enough to get writers cramp, for sure.  Most of Salida never knew what hit us! Salida shrank a little more that day to feed Modesto’s gluttonous appetite for more tax money to spend.

You say you’re doing it for JOBS, JOBS, JOB!  That is crap and you know it.  You don’t care about jobs, REAL, GOOD PAYING JOBS.  You care about legacy, campaign donors, and what the people think of your progress and accomplishments! That’s what you care about.  I’ve been hearing all about some 27,000 jobs you will create by developing all of that PRIME FARMLAND and ANNEXING SALIDA. There is little that can compete with the gross farm product from that land.  You can’t develop ANYTHING that can compete with those farmers.  THEY know what they’re doing!  All of this speculation about commercial/industrial development in the greater “Beckwith Triangle”, which doesn’t much look like a triangle anymore, is your PIPE DREAM!

The jobs brought here will be lost somewhere else, but hey, why would companies want to move to Modesto anyway?  Modesto according to statistics, is the 6th worst town to live in, and the 6th WORSE RUN city and they don’t want to move there because there are fewer educated people there to work in their businesses.  I mentioned that fact at the “Transportation Workshop: meeting last year at city hall and was just ignored.  They had an agenda to promote and couldn’t be bothered with statistics.

Now, you think it’s high time, Mr. Marsh and Council, to do something outstanding for the constituents so they think you’re doing Mayor’s  job for once. You can pump up your tax base and developers can line their pockets!!  Something to pull Modesto out of the hole.  You’ll get a lot of tax money out of the people of Salida by annexing our town or cherry picking pieces of Salida because you think it’s the answer to what ails Modesto!  You figure to cure Modesto’s problem on the backs of the good people of Salida. WHAT A DESPICABLE ACT OF OPPRESSION!!  There is nothing you or your council can do or will do for Salida that we can’t do for ourselves with incorporation.  Water or no water , the people of Salida will make it happen.

You have been told EVERY TIME we DON”T WANT TO BE ANNEXED!! WHAT PART DON”T YOU UNDERSTAND??!!

By Jim Bonetti

Salida CA.

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17 Jul 2013

A Salida Resident’s Comments to the Board of Supervisors 7/16/13

By Katherine Borges

 

My comments tonight are to share with you an update on the Salida Annexation and Incorporation.  I find it extremely

 

English: This map shows the incorporated and u...

English: This map shows the incorporated and unincorporated areas in Stanislaus County, California, highlighting Modesto in red. It was created with a custom script with US Census Bureau data and modified with Inkscape. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

sad and unfortunate that I even have to include the annexation part of these comments considering that the people of Salida have spoken and our Supervisor came out in support of us, yet the land grab rape and pillage of Salida continues.

 

 

 

The latest assault occurred in this very room, just 24 hours ago, sitting in your very seats were Modesto’s Planning Commissioners. They were presented with two General Plan updates for Modesto – one by Brent Sinclair, Director of Community and Economic Development for Modesto and the other was presented by various members of the Modesto Chamber of Commerce.

 

 

 

Both plans include Salida.  Mr. Sinclair’s plan includes an additional 1,800 acres along Kiernan that is part of the Salida Community Plan.  It’s quite callous and arrogant the manner in which Modesto’s planners treat Salida in that regard.  That they have the gall to include portions of the Salida Community Plan’s land, let alone Salida, just because they can. Its called “The Salida Community Plan” for a reason and not “The Modesto Community Plan”.

 

 

 

Now I know you have seen the Modesto Chamber’s presentation which contains the further troubling aspect of landlocking Salida to the East and the West with land grabs of astronomical proportions. And I know that nearly all of you farm so I’d be preaching to the choir with any data or statistics I could quote about the quality of prime farmland in and around Salida, so all I really want to do is remind you that you five are the stewards of this prime farmland.  You have it within your power to stop Modesto from making a travesty of their city seal over there.

 

 

 

You also have it within your power to help free Salida because the citizens of Salida can only do so much. We had hoped to file for a designation called a “Community of Interest” which in Riverside LAFCO has previously been used to set the boundaries of an unincorporated community and protect it from annexation.  But Stanislaus LAFCO has a different policy for a Community of Interest which has turned out to be a real bust for us.  In Stanislaus, all the designation affords is that the MAC and Sanitary District are notified of any pending land annexations.  The only way left for Salida to protect Salida is through incorporation.

 

 

 

So now we are working on completing the steps required by LAFCO for incorporation.  I plan to come back and give you updates on how this progresses.

 

 

 

In the meantime, its up to you to protect Salida and preserve our community plan for Salida. I realize that even though the Modesto Chamber has asked both the Modesto City Council and the Modesto Planning Commission to adopt their plan, that that might not necessarily happen.  But they could end up in some sort of compromise where the Chamber starts out asking for more, much much more, and settles for less which may even be the happy medium that they were going for in the first place.  Either way, unless you stand up to them on Salida and the other county areas behalf, we stand to get shafted once again.  We need you to defend us.  You are our voice.

 

 

 

In closing, I would like to thank Salida’s Supervisor Withrow for his continued support of Salida, I’d like to thank Supervisor Chiesa for attending the Salida MAC and Ad Hoc Committee meetings; we appreciate your involvement.  I’d like to thank Supervisor O’Brien for his “No” vote on the Salida Now initiative because you would’ve preserved our vote, but I’d also like thank Supervisors DeMartini and Monteith for their “Yes” votes on Salida Now because that gave us a better community plan than the one we previously had and its one that’s worth fighting for.

 

By Katherine Borges

 

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14 Jul 2013

Planning Commission Meeting Monday 7/14 6 PM in Council Chambers

Everyone Needs to Attend This Meeting It May Be the Last Opportunity to Meaningfully Address the Planning Commission. Lets Get Salida OUT of Modesto’s General Plan. If You Don’t They Will Be In control  of SALIDA in the Future

Greed

Greed (Photo credit: Muffet)

SUBJECT: GPA-10-001 – General Plan Amendment for Land Use and Circulation:
Public Workshop (City-initiated)

PURPOSE
The current Modesto general plan was adopted in 1995.

There has been a long-standing need to update the land use and circulation elements to enable the general plan to serve as a better tool to guide future growth and development, and this General Plan amendment (GPA) project
is intended to meet that need. In conjunction with GPA project work, staff facilitated public workshops for the benefit of the community in general and the Planning Commission in particular.

The purposes of these workshops were to inform the Planning Commission about
the GPA project, educate the public and provide opportunities for comments and questions.
The preliminary public workshop series included three (3) workshops – March 18, April 15 and
June 3, 2013.

These workshops proved valuable in terms of the public comments, concerns
and questions raised. Staff recorded all the comments and discussion points from the three
workshops, which will be used as the proposed GPA documentation continues to be refined.

The purpose of this fourth workshop is for staff to provide additional detail, for the
Commissioners’ benefit, regarding proposed General Plan policy language and other specific
project information. The Chamber of Commerce has expressed an interest in presenting their
preferred land use plan as well.

Secondary purposes include providing additional opportunity for public input and for the
Commission to provide direction to staff regarding the proposed project, which will help confirm
the project description for purposes of environmental analyses.
A fifth workshop is scheduled for August 19, 2013, for the Planning Commission to provide
feedback and direction on the General Plan amendment. Following a Planning Commission
recommendation, staff will then seek formal confirmation by the City Council in September or October.

BACKGROUND
California cities and counties commonly review their general plans to evaluate the need for
updates every five to ten years. Although the Modesto general plan has been amended
several times since its adoption 18 years ago in 1995, the land use and circulation elements
remain largely unchanged since that time.

The focus of this GPA is on the land use and
circulation / transportation elements, and the broad project objectives are to:
• adjust land use designations to be more realistic and to reflect economic development
objectives;
• align the circulation element with infrastructure planning instruments (e.g. Capital
Improvement Program, Regional Transportation Plan, Federal Transportation
Improvement Program, and Capital Facilities Fee program);
• achieve a more livable community through application of smart growth principles;
• establish priority areas for economic development;
• achieve a more coordinated, efficient process for linking general plan goals with
infrastructure investment policy; and,
• implement new state laws to improve air quality, reduce vehicle miles traveled, and
create a balanced transportation system (AB 32, SB 375, AB 1358).

Incentives for pursuing the GPA project include the need for implementation of state laws
referenced above, and the fact that federal grant funding for the project was awarded in late
2010.

These factors result in a need (state law) and opportunity (funding) to undertake and
complete the GPA. While the GPA is not a comprehensive general plan update, the fact that
both the land use and circulation / transportation elements will be amended means that
Modesto’s general plan can be significantly improved and modernized.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The scope of work for the GPA project includes: consideration of General Plan goals, policies
and objectives; establishing priorities related to economic development; establishing linkage
and consistency among the General Plan, Regional Transportation Plan, Capital Improvement

Program and other infrastructure funding plans and programs; and, addressing the complete
range of laws and issues described under Background, above. A significant amount of work has
been done, which has resulted in new draft / proposed General Plan goals and policies, and
related new draft / proposed changes to the General Plan land use and circulation diagrams.

The project is a complex undertaking, and a range of issues has been identified. These include
land use compatibility, transportation analysis, alternative transportation solutions,
infrastructure, and others that will be resolved through completion of project work.

The “work-in-progress” draft general plan land use and transportation chapters are attached for
Commissioners’ review, and they have been posted to the City’s website. Although staff is not
necessarily seeking specific feedback on the draft text amendments at this time, the proposed
land use and transportation diagrams must be confirmed in order to initiate the necessary
Master Environmental Impact Report (EIR) update. Therefore, as indicated under “Purpose,”
above, staff will be seeking confirmation and/or direction from the Commission regarding the
proposed GPA on August 19.

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
It is anticipated that the General Plan Amendment project will require a Supplemental EIR to
the Modesto Urban Area General Plan Master EIR. Funding for the Master EIR work has not yet
been identified, and it is anticipated that the City’s budget for FY13-14 may include that
funding. If so, the proposed General Plan and Master EIR should be released for formal public
review toward the end of calendar year 2014. At that time, staff will be seeking comments
regarding the complete draft General Plan and Master EIR proposed for adoption.

The following information will NOT be provided to the public at the meeting. 

ATTACHMENTS (included with Commissioners’ packets only)
1. Work-in-Progress General Plan land use (Chapter III) and transportation (Chapter V)
elements / chapters

Open the following pdf and go to Chapter III the City sealed this online portion from the public.

071513_PC Agenda GP Workshop

 

 

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12 Jul 2013
1 Comment

Modesto Chamber Double-Crosses Pathway to SPRAWL Supporters

By Emerson Drake

In recent weeks the Modesto Chamber of Commerce has been going around to a variety of civic organizations

attempting to drum up support for its dubious  Pathways to Jobs plan which should be more accurately named  Pathway to SPRAWL because of the housing the Chamber plans on building houses instead of business parks.  The Chamber has visited the Latino Community Roundtable (LCR), the King Kennedy Community Center Board, and even had a discussion with Frank Johnson, President of the local NAACP.  Now while I might and will question how wide spread the support is in these various organizations, the Chamber uses their endorsements when speaking to the Modesto City Council and the Stanislaus Board of Supervisors to claim some in the community support their plan.

After talking with many members of these organizations one topic reverberates consistently, and that’s the unrelenting belief of a need for more police officers in their respective neighborhoods. I’ve also talked with and interviewed many of the council candidates and they too expressed the over arching concern of the people they’ve talked with for the need for more police officers.

Now that the Modesto Chamber has their endorsements for the carrot on a stick, “JOBS” , and their Pathway to SPRAWL, the Chamber has pulled the old switcheroo. 

On Tuesday night at the Modesto City Council meeting the Chamber’s head lobbyist, Cecil Russell, announced very

Hetaera urinating in a chamber pot. Tondo from...

Hetaera urinating in a chamber pot. Tondo from an Attic red-figure kylix. Antikensammlung Berlin, 3757. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

plainly the Chamber would not be supporting the proposed “sales tax” initiative which according to Modesto City Manager could add 60 to 80 more police officers.  No real surprise there considering the Chamber is afraid if Modesto’s sales tax gets approved this year the voters won’t approve the County road tax in November of 2014 and they feel the road tax is a necessary link for their proposal.

The Modesto Chamber says NO to more Police Officers for Modesto

BUT now the Chambers representatives, George Petrulakis and Janice Keating and others are  actively seeking  groups and individuals to undercut community support to DEFEAT the sales tax proposal.  Now that the Chamber has the endorsements of LCR, NAACP and the King Kennedy Board they are seeking to remove, what these groups feel is the  number one concern, SAFETY in their neighborhoods.  How many more drive-bys shootings and children being stabbed and killed over cell phones are we going to endure just to support the greed of the members of the Modesto Chamber of Commerce?

Why should lobbyist Cecil Russell care, he lives in a gated community safe and far away from much of Modesto’s crime.  Will these organizations rethink their endorsements?  Or will they continue to follow along like lemmings to the slaughter?

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10 Jul 2013

What’s On America’s Mind Wednesday 7/10 at 6:30 PM

Topics include a conversation about Modestos sales tax and some of the ramifications involved, the Fitzpatrick  Homes

Radio RED 104.9 FM

Radio RED 104.9 FM (Photo credit: Mahdi Ayat.)

and some interesting side issues, some of the crazy things going on in Texas and Ohio along with right here at home, 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

To watch live or our archive: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/centralvalleyhornet/2013/07/11/whats-on-americas-mind-with-emerson-drake

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10 Jul 2013

From a Concerned Citizen

Dear EyeonModesto,

 

 

I am in shock, disbelief, and have a very ugly feeling inside after attending last night’s Modesto City Council Meeting.

English: Author: Carl Skaggs This image was ta...

English: Author: Carl Skaggs This image was taken by me on January 14, 2010 in Modesto, California I hereby relinquish all rights to this photo. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The subject of concern was that of the Woodglen 533 residential project – the largest residential build in quite some time.  The Council voted to approve the project.

 

 

What I and other public members witnessed was the Council disregarding the majority of public comment against the Woodglen project.  Council members appeared to ignore the public’s concern about how the large 533 home subdivision of Woodglen would ADD to Modesto’s already large inventory of unsold foreclosure homes and ample supply of private rentals.  Allowing more residential building at this time would cause further residential real estate value loss to existing Modesto homeowners.

 

 

The Council seemed to ignore residents’ concern about safety issues posed by a new development of 533 homes from an already underserved city with fire and police protection.  The 682 EIR report had volumes of other concerns if this project were built.

 

 

The formal presentation was from City Planners (not the developer himself) and the planner who gave the presentation to the Council said NOT one word about the 176 high density multi-units being for low-income persons.  After attending several meetings on this project, there has never been any description of the 176 units meeting the RHNA housing mandate which accommodates low-income persons.

 

When a public member asked why isn’t a true description of the project being provided to the public which includes this project as a low-income project, evasive answers were given.  The Mayor even lied to the public when he said “the project is not low-income” (despite a public member’s quotation of the EIR which clearly says “”In accordance with Program 4.1 of the 2003 Housing Element (Chapter 6), ……the residential portion of this Specific Plan would yield 8 acres of land designated for multi-family development.  A minimum density of 22 units per acre would result in 176 housing units that can meet the needs of very low-and low-income households.”

 

 

This City Council pushes through their own agenda – with not listening to public sentiment or protecting public interests.  This council appeared to only serve the developer’s interests and the City plan.  Clear concerns of the public do not seem to make any impact.   Be careful who you vote for.

 

 

D. Minighini

 

Modesto resident

 

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03 Jul 2013

What’s on America’s Mind Wednesday at 6:30 PM

Topics include a conversation about Salidas incorporation, Modesto’s possible sales tax, how special interest groups

Radio RED 104.9 FM

Radio RED 104.9 FM (Photo credit: Mahdi Ayat.)

effect city politics, the Sheriffs latest boondoggles, MID candidates, and a look at Texas politics, Modesto Chamber of Commerce’s Pathway to SPRAWL, 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

To listen to the show live or in our archive : http://www.blogtalkradio.com/centralvalleyhornet/2013/07/04/whats-on-americas-mind-with-emerson-drake

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19 Jun 2013

What’s on America’s Mind

The latest on the up coming Salida MAC meeting, how easy it is to get endorsements from local groups and just how

Radio RED 104.9 FM

Radio RED 104.9 FM (Photo credit: Mahdi Ayat.)

effective they are, the Chambers Pathways to SPRAWL, how little real news we get from the local print media and the slant they give what we read, 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

Our live and archived link to this episode:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/centralvalleyhornet/2013/06/20/whats-on-americas-mind-with-emerson-drake

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12 Jun 2013

What’s on America’s Mind Wednesday at 7:00 PM

The man who flaunted his promises to MID ratepayers not to run for office Jim Mortnesen, the Modesto Chamber of

Radio RED 104.9 FM

Radio RED 104.9 FM (Photo credit: Mahdi Ayat.)

Commerce’s land grab and what it means to Salida, Safety/ General/ Road, which of these taxes appeal to you? these and more so tune in at 7:00 PM Wednesday and find out the things you really  need to know.

 

104.9 FM Modesto our Flag Ship station

 

The link to the live and archive show

 

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/centralvalleyhornet/2013/06/13/whats-on-americas-mind-with-emerson-drake

 

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10 Jun 2013

The Planning Commission 6/3 and the Only Public Copy of the Land grabbing Proposal

By Emerson Drake

The meeting was sparingly attended with only about thirty members of the public present. Unfortunately for a Planning

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

A montage I (Valente Q.C.) made with pictures that I took for the Infobox in the Modesto, California Article. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Commission Workshop this was a lot of people.  I say unfortunately because it makes the phrase “Politics just happens to most people” ring true.  With the exception of Cecil Russell even the Chamber’s usual attendees  stayed home.  The secondary problem is that it gives our local politicians an excuse to ignore the suggestions made by those in attendance.

Salida was well represented

There were at least six Salida residents attending, most of whom reminded the Planning Commission that Salida shouldn’t be in Modesto’s General Plan. Brent Sinclair reminded the Salida contingent (and everyone else) that it was the city council who requested Salida continue to be included and only the council could take them out.

So why bother going?

The Public had heard the Chamber was going to give a presentation called “Pathways to Growth” but that didn’t come to pass.  Since the presentation has been delayed until July several present challenged why the Chamber didn’t make their presentation that night after making a huge deal out of Denny Jackman supposedly waiting until the last minute to bring RUL forward. But as we’ve come to expect of of lobbyist Cecil Russell, that was all show and no substance. When Cecil finally approached the podium he didn’t bother to tell the truth.  He made the claim he was called by city staff late Friday afternoon cancelling their presentation. But after exchanging several calls during the week with city staff we learned he had actually been called Thursday.  Apparently the Chamber was insisting to talk for 60-90 minutes and there wouldn’t be enough time for the scheduled workshop.

So why did Cecil mislead the public?

Apparently he’s used to saying anything that comes to mind and most don’t fact check him.  But we do. We’ve found the need cut through the haze of his non ordinary reality time and time again.  When he was asked by several of those in attendance for a copy of the draft proposal,  he REFUSED.  Fortunately some were so shocked they offered to supply copies.  Thanks to Katherine Borges with a assist by Duane Spyksma (scanning) with a major hand-off from Councilman Dave Geer we can present you a draft copy of the Chamber’s presentation.  After seeing the presentation twice I can tell you other than the presentation getting as slick as a late night infomercial nothing has changed.   The massive land grab they propose is still includes somewhere between 5,000 and 6,000 acres of prime farmland west of 99. The proposed western border of an extended Hammett Road is just the starting point.  They have spoken behind closed doors about using Gates Road on the West and want to extend South of Kansas  to the proposed 132 on the lower end.

Here is the Chamber’s draft proposal

Landgrab_chamber_draft

We truly have concerns that city staff is working too closely with the Chamber of Commerce to the detriment of the citizens. Will we get a fair shake in the end result?  I believe the finished product will be as rewarding as standing next to a long haired dog that just came of of the river.

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