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Bob Bryant, owner of Bob's Courthouse Restaurant and elected President of the <br />DBG, strongly urged Council to pass the ordinance. He stated it will be positive <br />and voiced some concerns related to the DBG. As a volunteer organization, it is <br />unable to maintain the cleanliness, put on events for all citizens due to financial <br />constraints for cleaning after events. He requested funding from the parking <br />meter revenue to assist in lighting, cleanliness of sidewalks, tree trimming, trash <br />pickup and any other areas to make the downtown a better place. He further <br />stated that access to funds will allow the DBG to succeed and greatly contribute <br />to a better downtown, requesting inclusion in the ordinance as a policy with <br />benefit to all. <br />Douglas Kolozsvari stated he spoke at the forum in April about parking and that <br />Redwood City is breaking ground in the country by allowing the market to <br />determine the parking rate. He further stated that the City is not breaking ground <br />by charging a rate that encourages an 85% occupancy rate because certainly <br />many other cities experience this by accident. Redwood City is actually breaking <br />ground by recognizing that parking is a resource affected by demand and that <br />the city is enabling itself to better control that resource. He stated that the <br />experience in Old Pasadena was very positive for both the businesses and <br />residents because they knew the revenue was going toward such items as <br />lighting, security and cleaning of sidewalks. He stated that there will be a top <br />notch downtown that will become more popular as people come to the theatre <br />and encouraged not selling the downtown short and recognize it the value it has. <br />Kim Wilkins stated her family has owned a building at 702 Marshall Street for 22 <br />years and is adjacent to the Marshall Street parking garage. Letters have been <br />sent from tenants of the building regarding the new information and issues such <br />as the rate structure, entrance and exit of the parking garage. She further <br />referenced a January 20, 1971 resolution with the City that did not allow for <br />sufficient parking but that the City was to provide enough parking for the building <br />in District no. 1. Regarding the parking permits and increased fees, she stated <br />that she disagrees that the tenants should double the parking fees to keep what <br />they currently have to support the new theatre and restaurants located in the <br />retail district. She stated she does not belief the tenants should pay double the <br />parking fees to keep what they have in order to support the new theatre and <br />restaurants as doubling the parking fees will place an undue burden on business <br />owners. She further requested validation equipment for the building and working <br />with the businesses in the area. <br />Irvin Dawid stated he had attended the forum, "The High Cost of Free Parking ", <br />and commented that when library patrons request free parking, the answer might <br />be that it is not free, but perhaps we can keep it unpriced. He stated that parking <br />is often viewed as free, but that it is not. He further stated that the plan is <br />innovative and he is looking forward to its approval with one concern. His <br />JOINT MEETING MINUTES JULY 25, 2005 <br />CITY COUNCIL AND REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY PAGE 9 <br />MINUTE ORDER BOOK NO. 60 <br />Page No. 543 <br />