Waterfront Watch

CCTA recommends $2.5m for ITC project

Jeffrey Wisniewski — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 04:06:24 +0000

Breaking news. The full CCTA authority board accepted the recent recommendation of the planning committee and voted to provide $2.5m in grant funding to the ITC project at its meeting this evening. The federal STP, CMAQ and TAP funds are part of MTC’s OneBayArea Grant (OBAG) program for Transportation for Livable Communities (TLC), bicycle/pedestrian (bike/ped) [...]

Times: California public records law ‘eviscerated’ in budget bill, critics charge

Jeffrey Wisniewski — Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:00:32 +0000

More than a decade of Cabral. Two years (and counting) of Tang. It now may become legal in California. Thomas Peele and Josh Richman report: Legislation tucked into the state budget bill would “eviscerate” the public’s ability to track tax dollars and hold local officials accountable, open government advocates charged Friday. [...] Language inserted into [...]

Bayside residents frustrated by HOA’s stance on Sycamore North

Jeffrey Wisniewski — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:58:01 +0000

Some Bayside residents are fed up with the Bayside HOA’s legal stance on Sycamore North, which, in short, is demanding the removal of the upper story in order to receive temporary easements required for construction. The growing clamor is much more clear and in unison on the neighborhood’s southern side — closest to Sycamore North. [...]

City in advanced discussions with Lewis Group for Parcel C

Jeffrey Wisniewski — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 14:01:53 +0000

Breaking news. The city is nearing completion of a deal with Lewis Group to purchase the Parcel C property. Lewis Group had been the owner of the property prior to selling the land to Walmart. Lewis had also been the developer of Bayside — selling building rights to John Laing Homes and William Lyon Homes. [...]

ITC project submits application for TIGER funding

Jeffrey Wisniewski — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 06:49:58 +0000

The city filed for $24.7m in grants under the TIGER program last week for the ITC project, thanks to the city’s consultant (William Silva) and continued “support, advocacy, and resources provided by the Contra Costa Transportation Agency (CCTA), East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD), Gray Bowen, and Hercules Bayfront, LLC,” according to the most recent [...]

Express: Council orphans LED sign discussion, other ideas

Jeffrey Wisniewski — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 05:31:07 +0000

Alyssa Morrisey reports: Council member Dan Romero defended the freeway sign, adding that it could help generate between $200,000 and $250,000 for the city each year in much needed revenue. “I’m just asking than when you’re deciding on something like this with a trivial vote, without hearing anything about it, that you come back and [...]

City manager reports continue to lack updates on land deals

Jeffrey Wisniewski — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 14:45:44 +0000

The past several city manager reports have included no updates — substantive or otherwise — on the status of Sycamore North, Sycamore Crossing, Victoria Crescent, and Parcel C. The weekly report was introduced in autumn of 2012 by then-interim city manager Charlie Long as a means to relay information to the public as he unearthed [...]

Attorney fees top $800k in budget

Jeffrey Wisniewski — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 06:15:26 +0000

What is the cost of a good lawyer? What is the cost of a lawyer that is mediocre at best? What is the cost of a lawyer that is not even in the room? The city council discussed the latest budget numbers at tonight’s meeting in the wake of Measure A being approved last week. [...]

Council to evaluate city attorney’s performance

Jeffrey Wisniewski — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 05:48:13 +0000

The council will review the city attorney’s job performance in closed session on Tuesday evening. The timing could not be better. Legal misstep after misstep (unforced errors); Tuesday night musical chairs; illegal closed-door sessions and resolutions and PSAs; and an abundance of illogical, specious rationales on every which subject with absolutely no consistency or accountability. [...]

Times: Hercules’ stand on BART extension study in limbo after Planning Commission punts

Jeffrey Wisniewski — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 05:38:30 +0000

Tom Lochner reports: On May 20, after a similar presentation, the Planning Commission invited Mallett to help draft a revised resolution that would address the council majority’s fears. But on June 3, the commission declined to take up a resolution asking the council to “reconsider” its May 14 action, after invoking a legal opinion, attributed [...]

Responding to the musings of a BART director

Jeffrey Wisniewski — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 14:00:21 +0000

As reported previously, BART District 7 Director Zakhary Mallett manages a West County BART Facebook page, where Mallett announces progress on his efforts (albeit without disclosure). Much of the commentary provides an opportunity to examine Mallett’s position and opinion — especially when it comes to his recent outreach efforts in Hercules — and an opportunity [...]

Times: With Hercules tax measure passed, doomsday budget plan jettisoned

Jeffrey Wisniewski — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 13:36:02 +0000

Ton Lochner reports: On Wednesday, a trio of panels recommended that the City Council later this month adopt an updated 2013-14 draft budget plan that includes a balanced, $12.6 million general fund budget. The draft plan, presented by Hercules Finance Director Nickie Mastay at a joint meeting of the City Council Finance Subcommittee, Citizens Finance [...]

CCTA committee recommends $2.5m for ITC

Jeffrey Wisniewski — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 05:37:28 +0000

Breaking news. The CCTA Planning Committee recommended $2.5m funding for the ITC project at its meeting this evening. It’s another victory on a long road to a fully-funded transformative project for the city’s waterfront. The committee doled out $24.3m of spending recommendations as part of MTC’s OneBayArea Grant (OBAG) program for Transportation for Livable Communities [...]

Times: Hercules property owners to see sewer service charge increase

Jeffrey Wisniewski — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 01:02:02 +0000

Tom Lochner reports: In April 2009, the City Council raised the charge, then $38, to $40, as part of an eight-year program of annual $2 increases in the monthly charge, to be applied after any augmentation of the previous year’s monthly charge in proportion to the change in the Consumer Price Index. The rate hikes [...]

Times: Hercules utility tax hike measure wins easily

Jeffrey Wisniewski — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 07:42:40 +0000

Tom Lochner reports: A tax hike measure to tackle the city’s financial crisis, cruised to an easy victory in Tuesday’s lone election in Contra Costa County. With all five precincts counted as of 11:15 p.m., Measure A passed by a more than 2-1 margin — 70.7 percent in favor and 29.3 percent opposed. [...] Measure [...]