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294 . their civic pride and interest in ways other then clamoring for the federal government or the local city authorities to foot the bill. Stop looking for a "handout": To demonstrate the possibility - to offer constructive means - I offer the following method of procedure. 1. Property owners to the north and south of Harbor Boulevard, and surrounding the port area, and which properties are not now a part of the corporate limits of Redwood City, should annex their properties to Redwood City and thus become city taxpayers as well as proponents for port development. 2. Said property owners after annexation should petition the city council to form an assessment district for the purpose of reclaiming such lands by adequate fill and ..d thus convert it into valuable industrial properties. 3. The fill for purposes indicated (in 2 above) could be provided by dredging the required width and depth for the proposed turning basin and appurtenant channel. 4. The dredging referred to (in 3 above) to be paid for by the assessment district, which would receive the benefits of the excavated materials as fill for their land. 5. Estimating that an average of three feet of fill would be required, or approx- ...r imately 14,000 cubic yards per acre, and further estimating the cost of -pumping and dredging at 60 cents per cubic yard, it would mean an average cost of $3,000 per acre. An amount easily recoverable through the enhanced value of the industrial lands thus created. The proposal cannot be so far-fetched and visionary, because just to the north of Redwood City along the Belmont littoral this methos is being used, by private indiciduals and corporations. (The map shows that the territory referred to belongs to Leslie Salt Co.). The writer feels that he is fairly conversant with the-aims and needs of the port authorities, having been instrumental in obtaining the original federal grant to the port; a member of the original board of commissioners; an ex-sailor with-years of service behind him; a fairly successful business man; and a firm beliveer in the adage (The Lord helps those who help themselves." Councilman Weiss suggested that the matter of said letter be -taken cognizance of, and that the matter be referred to the City Manager and the Port Commission with the request that they make independent exploration of the advisability and feasebility of the proposal therein contained and their recomm - 1 endation on the subject be submitted to this council for,further study and consideration. Council- man Weiss changed his suggeettion into the form of a motion which was seconded by Councilman Herkner on the condition that Councilman Weiss add to his motion that an engineering study be made as to the amount of spoils is available and the amount of land available for fill. This was included in the motion. Councilman Granger was of the opinion that the Council shoulb be given move time to think this matter over before making a decision. Councilman Weymouth stated that it was hard to make a decision an this type of report and he asked that in the future they be given a copy of these types of reports before they are asked to make a decision. Councilman Stout raised the question of prior surveys on the cost and land available. City Engineer Jain stated that the engineering cost would be very expensive. This was followed by discussion. Paul Jones suggested to the Council that they study this matter and try to leave the matter open at both ends. Councilman Stout asked for an opinion from the Port and from the City Manager in an attempt to determine whether or not this matter would be feaseble. This was followed by discussion. Councilman Granger was of the opinion that this motion was out of order because this was a port matter. They should drop the matter and let the Port pick up the matter if they do desired. The motion carried on roll call with Councilmen Granger and Spillers and Mayor Royer voting NO. DISCUSSION ON ANNEXATION FEES, ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, COUNCILMAN STOUT. Councilman Stout stated that he had received information he requested from the League of California Cities in regard to annexation fees. He read the report which listed different cities in the State which had annexation charges or rr contemplated annexation charges by July, 1956. Councilman Stout asked to hold this item on the agenda for another week so he might check with the City Manager in an a ttempt to see if there was some manner in which they could collect additional funds. This was followed by discussion in regard to adding additional annexation charges. Mayor Royer and Councilman Spillers spoke against raising the annexation charges. Councilman Stout stated that he did not want to raise the annexation charges.