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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCVRC Min 2008/07/24 MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE CHULA VISTA REDEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (CVRe) July 24, 2008 5:00 P.M. The Annual Meeting of the Chula Vista Redevelopment Corporation was called to order at 5:11 p.m. at the South Bay Fish & Grill, 570 Marina Way, Chula Vista, California. CVRC ROLL CALL PRESENT: Directors: Paul, Reyes, Rooney, and Chair Lewis ABSENT: Directors: Desrochers, Munoz, Salas ALSO PRESENT: Executive Director/City Manager Garcia, Chief Financial Officer/Finance Director Kachadoorian, Deputy City Attorney Shirey, Redevelopment & Housing Assistant Director Crockett, Redevelopment & Housing Manager Mills, Principal Project Coordinator Hines, Senior Project Coordinator Do, Senior Project Coordinator Kluth, Senior Project Coordinator Kurz, Project Coordinator Dorado, Executive Assistant to the City Manager Peoples, Senior Administrative Secretary Fields PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE, MOMENT OF SILENCE I. ELECTION OF CHAIR AND VICE CHAIR ACTION: Director Paul nominated Chairman Lewis to remain as Chair of the CVRe. Director Reyes seconded the motion, and it carried 4-0 with Directors Desrochers, Munoz and Salas absent. Director Reyes nominated Director Paul as Vice Chair of the CVRC. Director Rooney seconded the motion, and it carried 4-0 with Directors Desrochers, Munoz and Salas absent. CONSENT CALENDAR (Items 2) 2. WRITTEN COMMUNICATION A. Memorandum from Paul Desrochers requesting an excused absence from the CVRC meeting of June 12,2008. B. Memorandum from Sal Salas requesting an excused absence from the CVRC meeting of July 24. 2008. Staff Recommendation. That the CVRC excuse the absences. ACTION: Director Rooney moved approval of the Consent Calendar. Items 2A and 2B. Director Paul seconded the motion. and it carried 4-0 with Directors Desrochers. Munoz and Salas absent. Page 1 of 5 CVRC - Agenda - July 24, 2008 PUBLIC COMMENTS There were none. 3. DISCUSSION ITEMS A. DISCUSSION OF DEVELOPER AND BROKER FORUM Assistant Director Crockett introduced the item and staff members Do and Kurtz, who would be presenting the item. Executive Director Garcia stated that even with the slow economy, there was still a lot of opportunity within Chula Vista given the inventory of land and its potential for development. He stated that staff was currently working to match the land with people who had good ideas for redevelopment, and that now was the time to do outreach to brokers, the real estate industry, and the development industry to get them familiar with what Chula Vista has, and to do a marketing effort to determine who to partner with. Senior Project Coordinator Do provided that the concept was meant to be a conversation between staft~ CVRC, and the public wherein information would be gathered and brought back. Executive Director Garcia responded to questions and comments of the Directors noting that there were very different opportunities with different development needs throughout the City-The bayfront and university site, which needed large scale developers for example, versus Third Avenue, which would be smaller, infill development. Director Paul requested staff look to the CVRC Board for references and lists of contacts and recommendations, and encouraged staff not to get too broad of a group who are uninformed on the community, but to stick with more accomplished, serious, informed organizations. Senior Project Coordinator Kurz provided staffs thoughts on the conceptual structure, which included the holding of a tented event along the bayfront and perhaps a half-day forum during the morning. It would include a presentation with a slide show showcasing Chula Vista's assets, leading into a panel of speakers to discuss the specific issues, challenges, and benefits of the proposed development that may occur around the bayfront. and concluding with a round-table discussion. Chairman Lewis inquired and Assistant Director Crockett responded that it was important that the panel audience consist of both real estate professionals and developers. Chairman Lewis then suggested that the first panel discussions with experts in different fields address the pros and cons and issues, and then consider a tour or several tours of the areas being discussed. He encouraged staff to reach out to the local real estate organizations in the county to assist. Page 2 of 5 CVRC - Agenda - July 24, 2008 DISCUSSION ITEMS (continued) Director Reyes suggested the properties be identified as districts, such as the Third A venue District, the H Street Corridor, and market them like that rather than as a single package. He also suggested that the panel focus on different criteria such as high density, industrial, bayfront, infill etc.-being the intro, make it broad and diverse. Senior Project Coordinator Do inquired as to what levels the CVRC Board was interested in participating at such as presenting as a moderator, a panel participant, or working with staff to put the event together. Chairman Lewis stated that he expected the majority of the CVRC Board would be interested in participating in one form or another and requested that staff place the topic on a future agenda. Senior Project Coordinator Do stated that the draft would be brought back to CVRC for discussion. Chairman Lewis inquired and members of the public submitted the following suggestions: . Segment, tour of sites, short-targeted program . Keep the process positive throughout all areas of the City Executive Director Garcia added that staff needed to make sure they didn't neglect key lenders who will be partnered with, and that they should make sure to educate and provide the same information to everyone. Director Reyes suggested that staff look at any infrastructure projects such as fire stations or libraries and look at redevelopment and development projects with a mixed-use component to help subsidize financially some of the needs of the project. B. ANNUAL REDEVELOPMENT WORKPLAN Assistant Director Crockett provided a brief overview on current redevelopment projects and requested input from the Board on what they saw as potential future projects. Director Paul inquired regarding the status of the ULI and H Street study. Assistant Director Crockett responded that the item was continued from the July 22nd Council meeting to the meeting of August 5th He said there were a number of issues along the H Street Corridor that had been present for a number of years such as the Chula Vista Center. which has been unable to reinvent itself. Then there are the questions of how to capture the market potential that is available along H Street and from a marketing standpoint. staff should go for hospitality. retail. commercial, housing. Things to consider are what form or function they should look at in terms of a design standpoint, and how should it be implemented from an infrastructure standpoint as the corridor is a major corridor which runs from the east to the west. What comes first, the development or infrastructure? What is bein~ looked at is how to answer those questions. A meeting has been scheduled Monday, July 28t between staff. the CVRC Chairman, and various members of the community and community groups to address those issues. Page 3 of 5 CVRC - Agenda - July 24, 2008 ANNUAL REDEVELOPMENT WORKPLAN (continued) Executive Director Garcia added that staff was trying to ensure that what happens on the bayfront does not happen in isolation, and that the total downtown area obtain the full economic benefit of the Gaylord and convention center project. This is why the study area was designated from Third Avenue at H Street down to the bayfront and the Gaylord project. Additionally, concerns have been expressed from some community members about the study, and several Council members have expressed concern about the amount of money that would be paid by the Redevelopment Agency on the study, the boundaries going from Third, Fourth and Fifth to the bayfront, and that there is not financial participation from some of the other major sites such as the hospital, the mall, the Broadway businesses and Goodrich. These were some of the reasons the item was continued at the last Council meeting. Staff feels it is an important exercise that is vital to the long term health of the core area, certainly Broadway and the mall, and staff would like to include Third Avenue in the discussion. Staff will be working to incorporate some of these concerns into the discussions and recommendations, and the CYRC will continue to be an important part of the ULI process. Assistant Director Crockett responded to an inquiry by Director Paul regarding the CYRC involvement in vetting the ULI process. He stated that Chairman Lewis would be participating in Monday's meeting to determine the process, and then a couple (not a quorum) of Directors would be invited to be involved after that, as the application needed to be completed by the end of August in order to hold the session in October of this year. Director Paul expressed concerns with how to involve the community at large and with making sure that they were comfortable with the process. Assistant Director Crockett explained that they would be helping write the questions. Executive Director Garcia further elaborated that the process could not be forced on people. Those who choose not to participate would be respected, but it was known that there was enough interest from some of the major property owners to ensure that the bayfront project would benefit the whole community. The goal was to find a consensus for the best framework to pursue. Chairman Lewis stated that he felt that with being an advocate for educating people, staff was responsible for educating the general public on what the ULI is, and that they are not consultants. Director Paul offered that it would help for everyone to understand the benefit of having a third party group of specialists who have no axe to grind, but were involved to provide insights that mayor may not have been thought about, an important training tool, that mayor may not be acted upon. Assistant Director Crockett stated that his goal on Monday was that the group could agree to a process and then be able to meet the timeline the end of August. Director Reyes clarified that although staff was referring to the H Street corridor, the area of influence was actually much larger than just H Street. Page 4 of 5 CVRC - Agenda - July 24, 2008 4. CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER'S REPORTS Executive Director Garcia provided a brief update on Galaxy noting that their proposal had been received and was reviewed by staff with the assistance of Directors Paul and Reyes. He stated that a counter proposal was developed and had been provided with the changes requested, and that Galaxy had accepted the counter proposal. 5. CHAIRMAN'S REPORTS Chairman Lewis congratulated the Board on their hard work, acknowledged their frustration, and noted that although there was nothing in the ground, a lot had been accomplished. He reminded everyone that they needed to exercise a leadership role and participate in the ULI project, and stated that he hoped to have a report on their accomplishments and goals, and hoped to report to the Agency at a meeting in the near future. Chairman Lewis then spoke of there being a move under way for people to fund and develop infrastructure for mixed infill projects, noting that complex, mixed-use projects were in vogue at present. 6. DIRECTORS' COMMENTS There were none. Pat Aguilar, Chula Vista resident and member of Crossroads II, stated she wanted to publicly compliment and thank Assistant Director Crockett on his conversations and involvement of the community in discussions of the process and parameters for the ULI. ADJOURNMENT At 5:54 p.m., Chairman Lewis adjourned the meeting. ~~ / Eric Crockett, Secretary Page 5 of 5 CVRC - Agenda - July 24, 2008