Convene
2:08:43 PM

The Redevelopment Agency of the City of Santa Rosa met in regular session at 2:08 p.m. on the 28^th day of February, 2011, in the Council Chamber, City Hall, 100 Santa Rosa Avenue, Santa Rosa, California

Roll Call

Present:  Chairman Arnone, Agency Members Evans, Olsen, Lemke, and Harris.  Absent: None.  Also in attendance Economic Development and Housing Director David Gouin, Deputy Director-Parking, Cheryl Woodward, Program Specialists Frank Kasimov, Kim Nadeau and Alice Miller, Legal Counsel Michael Casey, and Recording Secretary Shirley Stevens.

Public Appearances
2:09:09 PM

 None

Acknowledgements and Announcements

 None

Statements of Abstention

Agency Member Evans abstained from Item 10.2 and recused himself from Item 10.3 due to owning property in the downtown area.

Approval of Minutes
2:09:36 PM

Moved by Mr.  Olsen, seconded by Mr.  Harris, carried 5-0-0-0, to approve the Minutes of January 24 and February 7 Special Meeting, and February 7 Joint City Council/Agency, 2011, carried 4-0-0-1(Ms. Lemke abstained due to absence from the February 7 Special and Joint meetings).as submitted.

Chairman/ Commissioner Reports

Mr. Harris commented that he has been pursuing getting property tax allocation data for City of Santa Rosa and Sonoma County.

Committee Reports

None 

Consent Items
2:11:55 PM

Mr. Harris asked that this item be moved to Scheduled calendar.  He also inquired what the criteria is used to determine whether an item will be consent or scheduled.  Mr. Casey replied that a discussion could not take place at this meeting because it wasn’t on the agenda.

Chairman Arnone moved the item to Scheduled.  He asked that a discussion regarding consent versus scheduled be added to the next regular meeting agenda.

Item 9.1
2:17:55 PM
CODDINGTOWN OWNER PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT BENEFIT FINDINGS FOR UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE

Pursuant to §33445 of the California Health and Safety Code, the Agency must make benefit findings for the upgrading of public infrastructure on the north side of Coddingtown Mall, an activity to be assisted with an Agency loan to Simon/Coddingtown LLC under a recently approved Owner Participation Agreement.

Moved by Ms. Lemke, seconded by Mr. Evans, carried 5-0-0-0 to adopt and waive the reading of the text of the resolution in Item No. 9.1 as follows:

RESOLUTION NO.  1650  ENTITLED:  RESOLUTION OF THE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE CITY OF SANTA ROSA APPROVING MAIKNG CERTAIN BENEFIT FINDINGS FOR THE CODDINGTOWN INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

Item No. 10.1 FUNDING AGREEMENT, BENEFIT FINDINGS AND BUDGET REVISIONS FOR THE BURBANK AVENUE PATHWAY

Kim Nadeau made staff presentation.  The proposed segment of the Burbank Avenue Pathway between Hearn Avenue and the Roseland Creek Elementary School is located in the Southwest Redevelopment Project Area (Project Area).  The Five-Year Implementation Plan for the Project Area for 2010-2015 contemplates the Burbank Avenue Pathway as one of the redevelopment activities to be undertaken by the Agency.  The Funding Agreement sets out the terms and conditions for payment by the Agency to the County to pay a portion of the costs for the Burbank Avenue Pathway to benefit the Project Area

Moved by Mr. Olsen, seconded by Mr. Evans, carried 5-0-0-0, to adopt and waive the reading of the text as follows:

RESOLUTION NO.  1651  ENTITLED:  RESOLUTION OF THE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE CITY OF SANTA ROSA AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF A FUNDING AGREEMENT WITH THE COUNTY OF SONOMA AND MAKING CERTAIN BENEFIT FINDINGS FOR THE BURBANK AVENUE PATHWAY FROM HEARN AVENUE TO ROSELAND CREEK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Item No. 10.2
2:21:38 PM
SANTA ROSA CENTER REDEVELOPMENT PLAN AMENDMENT FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS

Frank Kasimov made the staff presentation.  The purposes of a redevelopment plan amendment would be to (1) extend by 10 years the effectiveness of the redevelopment plan, which gives the Agency more time to conduct projects and programs; (2) extend the time limit to collect tax increment to repay debt and to provide affordable housing; (3) repeal the time limit to incur debt, which has already been reached; and (4) make land use provisions under the redevelopment plan track the City’s General Plan, as it may be changed from time to time.

Significant blight appears to remain, based upon the preliminary assessment, to make the required finding under Community Redevelopment Law.  A time extension amendment would result in increased revenues for the Agency’s affordable housing program and decreased revenues for redevelopment projects and programs.

On motion made by Ms. Lemke, seconded by Mr. Harris, the motion to pursue an amendment to the Santa Rosa Center Redevelopment Plan to extend project area time limits was denied

Item No. 10.3
2:44:08 PM
OBLIGATION OF REDEVELOPMENT FUNDS

Cheryl Woodward made the staff presentation.  Governor Brown’s Budget Summary, released Monday, January 10, includes a proposal to eliminate all local redevelopment agencies and dismantle tax increment financing as part of an effort to close the State’s $25 Billion budget deficit.  Urgency legislation may be introduced shortly that may immediately prohibit redevelopment agencies from incurring any further debt or contractual obligations. 

On February 7, 2011, the City Council and Redevelopment Agency held a joint meeting to approve eleven (11) funding agreements to obligate and preserve funds for specific projects benefitting the local community.  The Council and Agency received information regarding available appropriations and reserves for each redevelopment project area and provided direction to staff to prepare funding agreements for the B Street Trunk Sewer Line and the New Railroad Square Project, including assistance with affordable housing and on-site infrastructure improvements.  In addition, direction was given to appropriate available reserves in the Southwest Project Area to offset shortfalls in the 20% housing set-aside revenue pledged to pay debt service.

A total of three (3) funding agreements, obligating a total of $6,901,920 for projects benefitting redevelopment project areas, including Santa Rosa Center/Grace Brothers (SRC/GB), Gateways (GW), and Transit-Oriented Redevelopment Project Area (TORPA), have been prepared for Agency consideration and action.  Budget adjustments are required to appropriate reserves and transfer available appropriations between projects consistent with the funding commitments recommended for Agency approval for the Santa Rosa Center/Grace Brothers, Gateways, and TORPA redevelopment project areas.

Moved by Ms. Lemke, seconded by Mr. Olsen, carried 4-0-0-1 (Mr.  Evans abstained), to adopt and waive the reading of the text as follows:

RESOLUTION NO.  1652  ENTITLED:  RESOLUTION OF THE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE CITY OF SANTA ROSA APPROVING A FUNDING AGREEMENT WITH THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF SANTA ROSA FOR ADDITIONAL ALLOCATION FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Moved by Ms. Lemke, seconded by Mr. Harris, carried 4-0-0-1 (Mr.  Evans abstained), to adopt and waive the reading of the text as follows:

RESOLUTION NO.  1653  ENTITLED:  RESOLUTION OF THE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE CITY OF SANTA ROSA APPROVING A FUNDING AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF SANTA ROSA AND MAKING CERTAIN BENEFIT FINDINGS FOR THE NEW RAILROAD SQUARE PROJECT TO BENEFIT THE TRANSIT-ORIENTED REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT AREA

Moved by Mr. Olsen, seconded by Ms. Lemke, carried 4-0-0-1 (Mr.  Evans abstained), to adopt and waive the reading of the text as follows:

RESOLUTION NO.  1654  ENTITLED:  RESOLUTION OF THE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE CITY OF SANTA ROSA APPROVING A FUNDING AGREEMENT WITH THE CITY OF SANTA ROSA AND MAKING CERTAIN BENEFIT FINDINGS FOR THE B STREET TRUNK SEWER LINE 

Moved by Mr. Olsen, seconded by Ms. Lemke, carried 4-0-0-1 (Mr.  Evans abstained), to adopt and waive the reading of the text as follows:

RESOLUTION NO.  1655  ENTITLED:  RESOLUTION OF THE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY OF THE CITY OF SANTA ROSA APPROVING FY 2010-11 BUDGET CHANGES FOR THE SOUTHWEST REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT AREA

Written Communications 3:02:55 PM

Mr. Gouin commented on Item 11.2 and the need to commit Redevelopment funds to projects.  He stated that if the governor closes redevelopment agencies, there is an indication that several lawsuits will be filed against the state.  He requested that the Agency keep March 7 or March 8 open for a special meeting of the Agency.

Adjournment
3:14:20 PM

With no other business to come before the Redevelopment Agency, Chairman Arnone adjourned the meeting at 3:14 p.m.

_______________________________

 Shirley Stevens, Recording Secretary