RDA Min 1996-02-05 - Laserfiche WebLink

Browse Search

Jean Cloud, 819 Edgewood Road, said it was a beautiful project but in the wrong place. Mrs. Cloud said the middle of town was no place for children, there were no schools or playgrounds close by. Mrs. Cloud said the Civic Center was the wrong place for family living and an affordable housing development. 4) Close public hearing; MIS: RUSKINIHOW ARD TO CLOSE THE PUBLIC HEARING CARRIED BY UNANIMOUS VOICE VOTE AND PUBLIC HEARING CLOSED AT 8:16P.M. MINUTE ORDER NO. 96-027 5) Council action; In response to CouncillBoard Directors questions, Redevelopment Agency Director Church advised that the funds used for the Main/Middlefield development were part of the 20% set-aside Redevelopment increment funds restricted by law to be spent on affordable housing only. Director Church advised that the Redevelopment Agency set-aside funds could not be commingled with City funds. He added that these specific funds can not be spent on a fire station nor any other project. They are limited to affordable housing. In response to CouncillBoard Directors questions, Director Church described the Redevelopment Agency's purchase of the parcels that make up the Main/Middlefield project land, and advised that private developers could have bought and developed that land as well. Mayor/Chairman Hartnett said it was obvious the City/Agency was dealing with a quality development and a quality developer with lots of quality experience. Mayor/ Chairman Hartnett said the Agency was selling the land at market value with a low interest rate which would provide affordable housing in a common sense way. He added that the project would become a model for government and private partnerships, it was a good opportunity to revitalize the downtown area, and was good for the whole community. Council/Board Directors stated their reasons to support the project, including: the affordable units will help meet the legal requirements for a percentage of affordable housing required by all cities; it will revitalize the downtown area; it will compliment the Library and new City Hall; it will have quality maintenance assured through the DDA; Raiser and MidPeninsula have excellent track records and are here to stay; the project will stimulate business and the residents will have adequate disposable income; appropriate building materials will be used; adequate child care and after school care will be provided to diminish the possibility of the building being defaced; the magnet school concept has already encouraged children to attend schools away from their homes; the Franklin Area Plan will bring more families to the downtown area; many, many children have grown up in downtown areas and MINUTE BOOK NO.1 Page No. 292 Special Meeting Minutes February 5,1996 Page 4