The Dublin City Council met this past Tuesday and voted unanimously to decrease the fees that developers pay to acquire land, construct roads, and make other improvements to minimize traffic impacts in east Dublin. The previous impact fee schedule was established in 2004 and needed to be updated to reflect the drastically lower cost of land, changes in land use (i.e., higher density than expected), and higher construction costs. With this approval, the traffic impact fees for residential projects will decrease by a combined 11% and non-residential fees will decrease by 3% effective June 7th. This should help to encourage development in Dublin.
The calculation of impact fees is based on the estimated number of “trips” generated by building new projects (e.g., trips to the grocery store, trips to/from home). The most significant reason for the decrease in fees is that Dublin has built at a higher density than what was initially forecast. Higher density means more people will be generating more car trips. With fixed traffic costs and more people than expected, the cost per “trip” has been less than expected.
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Topics: Avalon, East Dublin, Impact Fees, Metropolitan, Residential Density, Traffic
The Dublin City Council overturned the Planning Commission’s January 27th ruling and unanimously approved Iroonet’s request to allow a boarding house in Dublin Ranch – with one catch. The approval is only good for one year and no more than 6 student boarders and the caretaker’s family will be permitted (for a total of 10 residents). This was a compromise from Iroonet’s original request to have 16 residents and conforms to the Dublin Ranch HOA’s permission to allow 6 student boarders. Iroonet also agreed to address the Planning Commission’s safety related concern to have the caretakers live inside the Dublin Ranch home.
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Topics: Boarding House, City Council
The Dublin Unified School District just published the draft budget reductions for next year. For a complete description along with impacts on personnel and plans for reintroduction, please go to the source data.
The reductions have been placed in five groups to aid the Board members in recommending implementation and reinstatement. The State cash flow problems are going to impact the DUSD budget for next year, the question is how much. $2.1 million is a number (after credits for additional revenue and expected staff attrition) that has frequently appeared in the last few weeks. Therefore, the Board will probably be forced to choose at least four of the five groups presented below and may want to adopt all five to allow for uncertainty in the State budget process. It does appear that for the most part the District listened to parents and did not recommend huge cuts to sports, music (with the exception of band), or art.
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Topics: Budget, DUSD
According to the Schedule A Summary from the California Form 460 filed by his campaign, Mayor Tim Sbranti received a total of $26,800 in itemized monetary contributions and a total of $7,574 in unitemized monetary contributions of less than $100 during the 2008 election cycle. This detailed disclosure of campaign contributions is in accordance with the Political Reform Act of 1974, which won overwhelming support from voters that year as Proposition 9. The map widget below is modeled after the one seen from the Huffington Post and other similar political websites. For a complete listing of contributions received by our newly elected councilmembers and mayor, please refer to the City of Dublin Fund Race 2008 Google Spreadsheet.
Topics: Campaign Finance, Tim Sbranti
According to the Schedule A Summary from the California Form 460 filed by his campaign, Councilmember Kevin Hart received a total of $16,900 in itemized monetary contributions and a total of $1,225 in unitemized monetary contributions of less than $100 during the 2008 election cycle. This detailed disclosure of campaign contributions is in accordance with the Political Reform Act of 1974, which won overwhelming support from voters that year as Proposition 9. The map widget below is modeled after the one seen from the Huffington Post and other similar political websites. For a complete listing of contributions received by our newly elected councilmembers and mayor, please refer to the City of Dublin Fund Race 2008 Google Spreadsheet.
Topics: Campaign Finance, Kevin Hart
According to the Schedule A Summary from the California Form 460 filed by her campaign, Councilmember Kasie Hildenbrand received a total of $21,387 in itemized monetary contributions and a total of $2,894 in unitemized monetary contributions of less than $100 during the 2008 election cycle. This detailed disclosure of campaign contributions is in accordance with the Political Reform Act of 1974, which won overwhelming support from voters that year as Proposition 9. The map widget below is modeled after the one seen from the Huffington Post and other similar political websites. For a complete listing of contributions received by our newly elected councilmembers and mayor, please refer to the City of Dublin Fund Race 2008 Google Spreadsheet.
Topics: Campaign Finance, Kasie Hildenbrand
I’m very happy to announce details of the Tri-Valley’s first Citizen 2.0 training, March 29, 2009, from 1:00PM to 3:00PM at the Elan community room in Dublin (between BART and Dublin Blvd). This is very important to me, because the main reason I write a blog is to spread the word about how busy folks can use modern communications tools to take direct control of their democracy. Social media and 2.0 culture has the power to engage active citizens and businesspeople with their local community and government in ways not seen since the decay of small town life. This changes everything, from business development to governance.
This free training will target entry-level folks who don’t know a Twitter from a MySpace but may already be engaging their customers with newsletters, or their government with public comment. PR pro George Millington, Realtor and social media enthusiast Jonathan Fleming and I are taking on this project with support and help from the Around Dublin Team. We also hope to get a local business or two to offer raffle prizes to get folks in the door, and we’re providing food, because what good event is complete without it?
So, what does a Citizen 2.0 training consist of? This is what we hope to convey in our two-hour program:
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Topics: Citizen 2.0, Social Media
On Friday, February 20, Dublin will announce its 2008 Citizen of the Year award to an individual who has made signifant contribution toward enhancing the quality of life for residents of Dublin during the past year. Hands down, the nominee that should receive the award is John M. Zukoski. The award is for an individual with signficant contribution in enhancing the quality of life for residents of Dublin, and I believe John has done that and more so in many ways. He sets the bar for what a Dublin resident is–a visionary leader, a contributing volunteer, and most important a friend of all residents. John, my family and I particularly thank you for your tireless efforts in making Dublin one step closer to a premier California city for many years ahead.
Below is my entire nomination letter for John that was not completely read at this past Tuesday City Council meeting.
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Topics: Citizen of the Year
As a follow-up to their December 2nd meeting where Councilmember Kate Ann Scholz demanded that additional measures be taken to ensure pedestrian safety near John Green Elementary school, the Dublin City Council met tonight and unanimously approved these additional safety measures:
- Install two “School Crossing Ahead” signs and lateral markings in the crosswalks at the intersection of Oak Bluff Lane and North Dublin Ranch Drive.
- Paint “Stop” lines in front of the crosswalks at Oak Bluff Lane and North Dublin Ranch Drive to further assist drivers in remembering to stop.
- Install “Yield to Pedestrians” signage and two “Stop Ahead” advance warning signs.
The total cost of these safety improvements is $4,500 and will be paid for from the Dublin gas tax fund.
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Topics: City Council, DUSD, Dublin Unified School District, Pedestrian Safety
The Dublin City Council has been working with Amador Valley Industries and City Staff to create an action plan to improve recycling efforts within Dublin by diverting recyclable materials away from local landfills. The City Council approved this action plan on February 3, 2009 by a unanimous vote of 4 – 0. The scope of the proposed action plan is broad – encompassing businesses, multi-family dwellings, and the local partners like the Dublin Unified School District (DUSD).
Of the proposed 24 action items and strategies, the two most notable were to:
- Provide the Dublin Unified School District (DUSD) with ongoing funding and one-time grants to promote recycling programs (such as food-scrapping).
- Recognize local businesses that divert 75% of their waste away from landfills.
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Topics: City Council, DUSD, Dublin Unified School District, Recycling
