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Politics & Government

City Council Concerned About the Future of Redevelopment Agencies

Council members are of one mind on three contentious issues.

The City Council was missing a member Wednesday night. Mayor Casey Tanaka took the night off to view a missile launch test run by the Navy.

Councilman Mike Woiwode served as mayor pro tem. Despite the contentiousness of the issues, the council found a way to reach consensus.

Much of the evening was taken up with the complicated and in the face of to close all redevelopment agencies and only allow projects that were in the pipeline before Jan. 1 to continue. Others have put the date at July 1.

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Right now there is a lot of confusion. After much discussion about the possibility of issuing more bonds for the CDA, City Manger Blair King said it might be too late to issue bonds.

The city says Brown’s actions are illegal. , which passed in 2010, explicitly prevents the state from taking redevelopment money. 

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It is widely believed that if the plan is approved by the legislature, the League of California Cities and other entities will sue. Because of Proposition 22, most believe the courts will overturn any legislation. But just in case the courts don’t intervene, the city wants to be ready to move ahead with some worthy projects.

The council unanimously agreed with city staff recommendations. Staff said there are a number of outdated and inadequate public facilities and a number of worthy redevelopment projects, such as a new senior center, a new fire department headquarters and a sports park. The council asked the staff to come back with alternative ways to fund these projects.

The need for appeared to be the most pressing. More than 40 seniors turned out to show their support. Francette Roeder, who is spearheading the drive for a new center, reminded the council that Coronado’s senior population is large and growing.

“The senior center has over 400 members, the city has over 4,000 people over 65 and there are more than 1.7 million who will soon be seniors,” she said. “We are confident that you are all in support and will find a fiscally responsible way to fund the project.”

No one on the council disagreed.

A proposal to park a port-a-potty near South Beach didn’t fair as well. “We would not like our legacy to be toilets on the beach, temporary or permanent,” Denny said. 

Trisha Trowbridge, a Shores resident, suggested that instead of restrooms the city erect signs directing people to the restrooms at the community center across the Silver Stand. Others suggested people could use the restrooms at the Hotel del.

“That wouldn’t help people who were unable to walk that far,” Al Ovrom said of the first suggestion. Carrie Downey, a mother of three, pointed to the difficulties shepherding young children in and out of the restrooms at the Del. 

While both saw the need for bathrooms on South Beach, they weren’t sure a temporary facility was the answer. Downey suggested that “we look to citizens to tell us what to do” she said. Her motion calling for a public workshop on the issue passed unanimously.

The council also sent a proposal to install a screen and a stand of trees between the 15th hole on the Coronado Municipal Golf Course and court 7 at the tennis center back for more study. The council had received a deluge of correspondence opposing the idea.

Several people who live across from the courts on Glorietta objected to a proposal because it would spoil their view. “I don’t want a screen between me and my sail boat,” Bill Kelly said.

Downey and Denny objected to a dearth of data.

“This may not be necessary,” Downey said.

King said that the staff was mainly concerned about public safety.

“In my world a conk on the head is a statistical outliner,” Woiwode said.

The proposal also called for replacing the tennis courts' concrete surface with a cushioned surface, or Premier court, was also sent back. There was no public opposition, but Denny pointed out that no one knew how much it cost. Others agreed. The vote on both counts was unanimous.

The council also put out a plea for more applications for the new Transportation Commission. A number have been received, but as Ovrom said, “more is better,” especially from the Shores. Many residents there believe that they have to be nominated by the homeowners association.

“That is not true,” Woiwode said.

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