Community Enhancement Program Meeting

7/18/12 Update

By Hatfield McCoy

7/22/12

with editorial comments in italics

There have been innumerable meetings about how to improve Vallejo over the years, but never before have we seen so many Vallejo city department heads attend. But that is just what the new city manager, Dan Keen, has arranged. This was the case at the initial downtown community enhancement meeting held at the Empress Theatre last month; and at the second meeting held Wednesday, July 18^th. About forty Vallejo citizens showed up at the Joseph Room in the John F. Kennedy Library to hear what city staff had discovered at the first community forum. The city staff wants to obtain public input as to what people would like to see in Historic Downtown Vallejo. And for the first time in many years, they truly seemed to care about public concerns and opinions. Each department head gave a brief introduction and presentation as to what their duties entail, and how the public may contact them.

Ursula Luna-Reynosa introduced herself as the head of Economic Development. She told the audience that her department oversees the Building Department and Planning Department. “This is very unusual for a city to have this structure. I guess Vallejo puts a big emphasis on Economic Development,” said Luna-Reynosa. This does seem as though it would put too much stress on Economic Development whose job it is to find and attract new business, not be the big boss of the people in the building and planning divisions. Perhaps our new Manager Dan Keen will help Luna-Reynosa out and change this structure too. Luna-Reynosa stated that she is doing a “Cluster Analysis” to determine the driving economic forces in Vallejo, and to discover what would be the best ‘niche’ market for the town.

The Public Works Department came up with some interesting facts. We now know that there are 8,000 street lights in Vallejo, and 916 of those lights were recently changed to LED which saves money. They are working on eventually changing the remaining 7100 lights too. There are also 121 traffic signal, 22 alleys, and 53,000 trees to maintain. All of this is done by the Public Works department which covers the maintenance for landscaping, infrastructure, the Marina, street signs, lights, etc. Routine dumping in alleys is an ongoing problem.

Sadly, our new interim police chief was a no-show. But the police department sent a representative who settled some debates. The audience learned that loitering (per se) is not a crime. The cops receive many reports of ‘suspicious characters’ but unless that person is doing a criminal act, they cannot approach him/her for loitering. He also noted that last year they received 175,000 calls, but only responded to 66,000. In the last three months they had fourteen prostitute arrests, and they now have 25 new cameras in town, mostly placed downtown. (Some would argue this is due to the HUD and Section 8 housing downtown). The police also mentioned that each camera costs $24,000. They had initially tried cameras which cost $6,000 but “they proved to be crap,” Guy Rico, of the Vallejo Housing Department, told the audience, adding that there are currently 2,000 Section 8 vouchers in use in Vallejo and there are 12 multi-family Section 8 housing projects,

Aside from city department heads, the room was full of some ‘heavy hitters’ who have tremendous invested interest in Vallejo, either financially or on a personal and emotional level. Former Councilwoman Joanne Schivley was there, along with former Councilman Tom Bartee. Some of you may remember that Tom Bartee was practically given the Charles Hotel which was owned by city taxpayers. Documents show that he paid less than $200,000 for it, and later sold it for well over a million). Also in the crowd was Buck Kamphausen, current president of CCRC (Central Core Restoration Corp.), who proudly announced that he owns fifteen buildings downtown. He further lamented the potential cost of earthquake retrofit. (The law mandates that a building with four or more residential units must be reinforced.) The only current City Councilmember to attend was Councilman Robert McConnell who had some ideas as to how to make positive changes not only in Historic Downtown, but throughout the city. Other stakeholders in attendance included downtown business owners Fred Menard, Natasha Clark and Greg Leopold. Attorney David Fisher was also seen in the crowd. Fisher not only owns a building downtown, but actually has it rented. Mike Browne of the Visitors & Convention Bureau was there as well, along with Tony Adams, Vallejo’s newest member of the Planning Commission. Recent candidate for Solano County Supervisor, Katy Meissner, was also in the audience.

Approximately half of the audience had attended the first fact finding meeting, others were anxious to weigh in with ideas and suggestions about how to make downtown more attractive to citizens as well as tourists. After department head presentations, the audience was divided into three groups. Each group was asked to review six categories: Economic Development, Safety & Cleanliness, Infrastructure, Youth & Education, Organizations/Communications/Partnerships, Housing & Homelessness, and Image & Perception; the lists for each category had been taken from the first ‘Enhancement’ meeting last month at the Empress. After considerable time given to each focused area, each person was asked to place a blue sticker dot next to their most important concerns.

One group vehemently noted that the whole town needs better Code Enforcement. They also want to see more activities downtown for youth and seniors, a better downtown vision, and definitive ‘Branding.’ Another group wanted better parking conditions. They suggested placing diagonal lines in the 500 block of Georgia, narrowing Georgia Street to two lanes in that area to create more parking for businesses. Katy Meissner noted the other advantage to diagonal parking: “It would slow people down as they drive into the downtown,” she said. That group also wanted more market rate housing, and less Section 8 housing downtown. This point is almost moot as the council just approved the Temple Arts Project which will bring even more Section 8 into downtown. Katy also said that her group would like to have a central ‘Public Information Officer’ to send out messages to promote Vallejo by the Bay.” Isn’t that what Mike Browne is supposed to be doing?

Another group wants more multi-cultural events downtown, greater use and exposure of the existing artists, more large anchor stores, and service oriented stores such as a dry cleaner, laundry mat, or grocery store. There has not been a major grocery store downtown since Safeway left many years ago; Luna- Reynosa said she is diligently working on this. Others suggested perhaps a recreation center, a skate park, or a music or art school and more night life such as restaurants, and clubs. Acting Planning Director Michelle Hightower told the group earlier that six Brew-Pubs & Wine Bars had just been approved by City Council. Buck Kamphausen suggested a major summer youth job program, and others said that perhaps the people who have misdemeanors could do volunteer community service such as cleaning up or other needed tasks downtown.

Almost everyone wants to see a ‘marriage’ between the waterfront and downtown. They want a clear vision as to how we want to present the entire downtown/waterfront area. They want a theme for the city and they demanded consistency. Former California Maritime Academy (aka Vallejo State University) employee, Kristina Naughton said that it would be nice if the style of lighting in downtown and at the waterfront was more consistent. As she had said at the first meeting, Kristina advocated that the city encourage the local colleges to establish satellite classrooms or administrative offices downtown.

Overall, it became quite clear that people want Code Enforcement to improve, they want to celebrate the downtown and Mare Island artists, and they want to have more activities for youth and seniors. But the most overwhelming demand from the entire crowd is one of a better vision, and greater overall focus as to how we want to promote Vallejo: Branding, Branding, Branding.

The next ‘Community Enhancement meeting (Area of Focus: Downtown) will be held on August 29^th at the downtown Empress Theatre on Virginia St. Note: This date has been changed from what was originally advertised. The meeting will begin at 6:00p.m. If you are interested in the present and future conditions of downtown, and have not attended so far, this will be the third and final meeting. So try to attend and weigh in with your own personal opinion as to how you would improve historic downtown. It will also give you an opportunity to meet each and every department head. That in and of itself is a reason to attend.

Comments

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Art Revives   |July.25.2012 I completely agree with focus on art and I am not an artist. Artist and the creative type proves the point that "lack of money/poor" is not a problem and due to this constrain, sometime they are more creative and more inspiring. Think about it, artists basally create something beautiful from nothing and that is the spirit we need for downtown. SOHO is a good case in point. It is the poor behavior, dis-respecting self and others, criminal activities that kill a place. We have many artists in town and I am glad to see Obtanium Works moving here too. We have the space (warehouse, community theater, Empress, galleries..) we need some creative vision and marketing to glue things together. We need to get the words out early about temple art project to the greater SF art community and maybe have a competition type selection process to get the most of our resources.

One for Councilman McConnell   |July.24.2012 I was in Councilman McConnell's group. He suggested a good branding idea... "ART CAPITAL OF THE NORTH BAY" He said historically it is the artists who help revive cities. He talked about revival through performing art, visual art, and literary art. Let's hear it for him. Sounds like a good plan to me. But then again, I am an artist!

anon111   |July.23.2012 Brilliant idea ! Kamphausenville could be a theme park the possibilities are endless a dog and pony show maby pin the tail on the millionaire it could be a smash and bring much money downtown .

Anon II   |July.23.2012 Perhaps Mr. Kamphausen, aka Mr. Potter as in "It's a Wonderful Life", wants to own all of downtown so he can level the whole thing and create Kamphausenville..... where ego and greed THRIVE.

Anonymous   |July.23.2012 Let's be politically correct here. People with money will not tolerate the underclass values some (not all) poor people exhibit including open drug dealing, prostitution, groups of thugs loitering, turf battles, with guns, loud hate music, taking things from others, etc. I stopped going one evening when two groups of very nasty young black girls got into a physical and screaming fight at the Wednesday night market and extended that fight into a group of creative type folks. No fun!!!!

Anonymous   |July.23.2012 I don't think poor or black bothers me, it is something else. e.g. the guy pushing a cart selling ice pop does not bother me. Even though I may not buy his product I respect him, he is trying to make a honest living and better his family. I also know black people who I am very comfortable interacting. It is easy to say "poor black" but I think it is something we need to clarify..because those characters also shown in "while trash".

Anonymous   |July.22.2012 Yes, this is the problem. "Downtown" is a for-profit enterprise. It needs to bring in net revenue to our town but people with money will NOT TOLERATE poor blacks. That's the bottom line here. If we have a large number of poor blacks hanging out downtown with no better place to be then business there is a non starter. That's it. That's the problem statement.

Anonymous   |July.22.2012 I am trying to think why I react differently between Mission in SF and Vallejo downtown. Mission is probably more dangerous, you do see gang-members around sometimes, however, I don't feel they OWN that place, you have more normal people than non-normal people. I also don't feel they bother normal people. They do not call attention to themselves. (they may be killing rival gangs.) The street there is dirtier, the shops there may not interest me but I do feel the street scene is very lively, people are busy making a living and productive. I went there for bakery and food sometimes. In Vallejo downtown, especially around the corner of the thrift shop, I feel those people OWN that place, it is their living room. Sometimes they talk loudly as if they are in the confine of their own home. People try to explain that those people are harmless and I am sure they are. I just do not want to visit their living room every time I go there.

Not Quite Correct   |July.22.2012 There was a change in the city ordinance to "permit" up to six brew pubs/wine tasting rooms. There are none in the works.

Anonymous   |July.22.2012 I agree with rocketman's observation. My experience is very similar to his that keeps me away from going downtown - you just do not feel safe. Of course, if there are more interesting shops there, I may still go (e.g. Mission and SOMA in SF). Good news, there are 6 brew pub/wine bar approved. Let us see what will happen.

Anonymous   |July.22.2012 re: Solution to Buck Kamphausen Let us not plan for other people's business. What we need to do is just enforcing the law. What ever needs to happen needs to happen. Wherever the chips fall.

Hell No   |July.22.2012 "Solution to Buck Kamphausen owning 15 buildings: (1) New developer buys them all from him; and (2) New developer bulldozes them for modern multistory office buildings. New developer makes money off leasing to business tenants. Vallejo becomes business friendly." This might be the dream of Kamphausen but I promise you it will never happen. Never.

Anonymous   |July.22.2012 Solution to Buck Kamphausen owning 15 buildings: (1) New developer buys them all from him; and (2) New developer bulldozes them for modern multistory office buildings. New developer makes money off leasing to business tenants. Vallejo becomes business friendly.

Anonymous   |July.22.2012 Temple Arts Lofts is for "struggling" artists who need a place to stay and promote their "art". Isn't that what the VIBers support - "artists" in the "arts and entertainment" district?

rocketman   |July.22.2012 It is well known what the biggest issue with downtown Vallejo is--the denizens who hang out there, particularly along Georgia Street. Many of these jokers spend hours hanging around, often joining up in small groups. Their very presence is a massive deterrent to downtown visitors and potential customers, but it gets far worse. The BEHAVIOR of these people is what keeps downtown empty. Anyone with any sense of propriety and sensibility will NOT put themselves in a position to be near these denizens of downtown. The abrupt hollering & yelling at each other, whether they are close or across the street is the prime behavior. They appear to be living their lives and conducting personal business on the street, in public view. And I was on Georgia Street a few days ago, near the thrift shop next to the Town House. Some old guy started yelling and hollering that a girl had stolen a battery from him. His verbal tirade was VERY loud and filled with a variety of expletives, and was repeated for effect or out of personal vitriol. In any event, NO ONE would care to put up with that kind of public exhibition & behavior. These are, to many, just scary people. Good citizens with money to spend will NOT put up with such public presences and behaviors. Unfortunately artists & business owners will NOT want to be or say in downtown Vallejo in order to be yelled at, in order to be pan-handled, in order to witness the odd, loud, in-your-face behavior of the denizens of downtown Vallejo. Unfortunately the City government has permitted these denizens to exist downtown, and many of them live around the area in Section 8 complexes, though certainly not all do. If Temple Lofts is becoming another Section 8 complex, located right at a key intersection on what might otherwise become a real gem in Vallejo, it will never happen. An even larger population of the loud Ebonics, live-on-the-street, expletive-rich culture that now dominates downtown Vallejo will undermine ANY and ALL efforts to improve the place.

Anonymous   |July.22.2012 Vallejo: Where pigs can fly. In their own private LEARJET?

Jay   |July.22.2012 So does this finally answer, at least in part, the Buck Kamphausen mystery? He owns 15 properties downtown and, as I understand it, only a small percentage are leased, nor does he try to lease them. If doing so would require expensive retrofitting, that would explain why he's dragging his feet. Is he biding his time, hoping the market will improve, when he will then retrofit and get his properties on the market? That might be a sound strategy if he owned just one or two buildings, but if he has 15, that's enough of a weight to hold down the entire area. Sounds like he's bitten off more than he can chew, economically. Perhaps there's a way the city can encourage him to sell some of his properties to people who would be ready to act now.

Anonymous   |July.22.2012 Vallejo: The Athens of Greecifornia?

Anonymous   |July.22.2012 Vallejo: Come for the Hookers, Stay for the Crack?

Anonymous   |July.22.2012 Vallejo: Where the Sewer meets the Sea?

City of Opportunity   |July.22.2012 We need to pull down all the signs at our City entrances that say Vallejo,(picture of sailboat) City of Oppertunity. I cringe when I see these signs, they say nothing,are are do nothing signs. Too general, too vague, as written by someone who has never been to vallejo. Come on, a generic sailboat for logo? What does the sign even say? Opportunity for what??? It's not as bad as the stupid slogan that wrapped the buses a few years ago, that started off in poor English "Don't Trash My Town." You never want to use the word "Don't or the word Trash" in a persuasive ad." Who wrote this, a City of Vallejo employee who lives in another city or county? Come on folks, we need a new slogan and a new logo for our city, let's this time have it really say and mean something. How about a contest for the best slogan and new city logo? We have a lot of artist and literary folks in Vallejo, lets have a contest and the winner would receive a small fee and be able to list the City of Vallejo as one their clients, the city could use the artist in other future works as well.

Clarke Johnston   |July.22.2012 Thanks to VIB and her crew for being there, reporting, and informing our citizenry. Our very roots as a country sprang from leafletted newsprint, typeset and then printed, spreading the word from Taverns and Inns. Although the distribution and publishing methods have changed over time, evolving to electronic media and press, the mission remains the same. All politics aside, briefly, "Thank You" for continuing in this honorable, American tradition. It fosters active and spirited debate, arguing with a pint instead of a pitchfork.

Jim Davis   |July.22.2012 Nice summary, Marc. The marriage between the waterfront and downtown could take place if there was a waterfront with high-rises, condos, restaurants, a Borders (or an indepedent book shop), etc. In other words, historic downtown can survive only if historic waterfront changes. Boat landing? 'Fraid not. We preserved history downtown but neglected development elsewhere. It's pretty, but a ghost town. Love, Jim

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