SAC MIN 2017-01-10 - Laserfiche WebLink

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SENIOR AFFAIRS COMMISSION MINUTES OF THURSDAY,JANUARY 10, 2017 COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Chairperson Draeger, Vice Chair Cooperman, Commissioners Britschgi, James,Jones, Paley and Turk STAFF PRESENT: PRCS Director Chris Beth, PRCS Manager Bruce Utecht, PRCS Supervisor Mark Yasuda & Administrative Clerk Kathy Bede GUEST PRESENT: Council members Janet Borgens, Diane Howard and Alicia Aguirre, YMCA Executive Director Julie Wesolek, Fair Oaks Adult Activity Center Director Laura Swartzel, The retreat meeting of the Senior Affairs Commission was called to order by Chair Draeger at 10:05 a.m. at the Veterans Memorial Senior Center, 1455 Madison Avenue, Redwood City, California. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: The minutes of the November 10,2016 SAC meeting were approved as written. Council Member Janet Borgens Janet stated the important need for housing at all levels, from low to high incomes. She is pleased that the SAC is keeping the issue in front of the Council and wants to keep hearing from them on such important issues. The real estate association proposed building low income housing with their offices below and apartments above. She favors these kinds of partnerships between developers and businesses. However, the cost of land and negative community attitudes are barriers to low income housing. Mobility and transportation are also important topics for the senior community. She often hears complaints about traffic and lack of parking and so promotes carpooling or other shared transportation as an alternative. The state has mandated that all municipalities conduct elections only in even years with SB415. This requires that currently elected officials will either have their terms extended by one year or special elections will be held in order to adhere to the new law. PCRS Director Chris Beth—New Facility Update Chris announced that the Environmental Impact Report has launched. The total time for the work will be about 7 or 8 months. The scope of the traffic impact has been expanded. The parking study will extend to 7 blocks around the project. Outreach to the community has also been expanded to 2,500 homes in the area that received information about the project. The responses have been both positive and negative. The concerns include parking impact,traffic, parking garage, neighborhood permit parking, visual impact, keeping trees, and having attractive buildings. Chris will meet with neighbors in small groups during the next few months with a Senior Affairs Commissioner also present. He will explain that planning is done on a large scale but the actual size may be smaller and that the building will not be a big box but will have design features as well. Pedestrian and bicycle trails and paths are being studied. Herkner pool is a general fund loss, inefficient and out of date. The City cannot afford to run aquatics programs. The Y is able to run the pool and offer fitness programs for adults and seniors. This year will be a year of conversations to reestablish public trust of government.