Salida MAC Newsletter - August 2013

The July Salida MAC meeting video is viewable online by clicking this link thanks to Salida MAC Councilmember, Brad Johnson and local Salida Public Radio Station 104.9 FM. LIKE “Salida MAC” on Facebook and follow on Twitter https://twitter.com/SalidaMAC
and sign up to receive our newsletter via e-mail. ~ Katherine Borges, Editor

Nick W. Blom Salida Regional Library Report - Library Branch Manager, Diane Bartlett shared that the library has a new "Reader's Theater" which has met the last few Mondays and performs their favorite stories. 

Salida Fire District Report - Salida Fire Protection District Fire Chief, Dale Skiles, reminded everyone that National Night Out is coming up on Tuesday, August 6 and asked residents to call the fire

Jaden Wenger waves to his dad, Jake, from
a fire truck on National Night Out

department and/or sheriff dept if they are having a block party and would like either department to attend.  

Chief Skiles announced that Salida Kountry Kitchen will be hosting a National Night Out block party in conjunction with the Salida Chamber of Commerce between 6-8 pm. 

Salida Fire Fighters Association will be hosting their annual chicken bar-b-que on August 24th. Tickets on sale at the fire department.

Renovations will continue for some time in and around the fire station and the contractors have been phenomenal to work with.

Salida Sanitary Report - Salida Sanitary Board member Brad Johnson shared that the Sanitary District has received a proposal for a solar array to be placed on the property.

Salida Chamber of Commerce Report - Amanda Sorensen, Secretary of the Salida Chamber of Commerce shared that there existed a previous Salida Chamber of Commerce, which brought such improvements as the Salida Lighting District and Salida Park to the community of Salida. The new Salida chamber has plans to improve the quality of life for Salida's residents in addition to supporting and promoting business and commerce in Salida. The Salida Chamber of Commerce will have a booth at the Salida Town and Country Festival on August 24 so stop by and see us. We will also be participating in National Night Out at Salida Kountry Kitchen on August 6. Applications to join the chamber are on the back table and if you have questions, see Amanda after the meeting. 

Stanislaus County Planning Department Report - Javier Camarena gave a brief overview of the Community Block Grant funds and Emergency Solutions grant funds. CBG funds are to benefit low to moderate income people to prevent and minimize blight and urgent community needs. He shared some highlights of the programs over the past year like the allocation of approximately $2.1 million. Some of the funds were allocated to Parklawn and Airport sewer infrastructure projects. Funding was also provided to fifteen non-profit programs which provided services to low and very low-income families. Over the last year, about 1,300 individuals were assisted in the county with emergency shelter grants. 

CHP Report - CHP Officer Chuck DeLeon researched that as far as the trucks parking on Elm, he issued warnings and next time, he will issue tickets. As for the trucks parked on Gateway, they are parked legally. 

Special Presentation - The Modesto Chamber of Commerce's "Pathways to Jobs and Prosperity" - Modesto Chamber CEO, Cecil Russell introduced fellow presenters, Brad Hawn, Craig Lewis and George

George Petrulakis and Craig Lewis
present Modesto Chamber of
Commerce growth plan.

Petrulakis.  Craig Lewis noted that there were more attendees for this meeting than at the Planning Commission meeting. He went on to say that there's a lack of shovel-ready land in Modesto for jobs.

George Petrulakis stated that the plan is in draft form and they visit groups like Salida MAC looking for input and ideas. Most groups presented to so far have been in Modesto and are co-sponsoring the plan. Mr. Petrulakis mentioned the book, "The Coming Jobs War" by Jim Clifton and cited several of the key factors for job creation, and it needs to occur at the city level. The Modesto Chamber's presentation only deals with two of the key factors: a modern freeway transportation network and shovel ready land. They looked at the Modesto area-proper to the city limits and what the current condition is. The shaded blue areas are in the Modesto City limits and the Beard Industrial tract is outside the city limits. The conclusion they drew is that Modesto does not have a lot of large sites for job creators, and no sites along Freeway 99, and without Beard, they would be in real trouble. 

Modesto's job centers are in three areas: the Beard tract, downtown, the area straddling 99 north of downtown. He reviewed the various freeway transportation routes that lead into Modesto. Highway 132 does help the Modesto route as well as go into other communities. Mr. Petrulakis then reviewed the other local cities and their available land that bordered freeways. One of the problems that Modesto has is a lot of land for business parks but almost none of it is shovel-ready. 

Since Salida is not a city, the Modesto Chamber used light grey to show the current boundaries based on the Salida Sanitary map and the dark grey distinguishes the Salida Community Plan boundaries.

 
Mr. Petrulakis noted that Salida was the first outside (of Modesto) group they had visited so requested that attendees share any transportation priorities they might have. 

Craig Lewis gave an overview of the taxes that fund transportation projects. About eight-five cents of the price we pay at the gas pump goes to a transportation tax. However, Stanislaus County is not a "self-help county" which means that only 20-25% of the eight-five cents comes back to our county for improvements. The rest goes to other counties in the state. Eighty percent of the population in California have a 1/2 percent self-help tax. For every penny that is put into the tax, two pennies come back to the county in self-help counties. We are helping to fund those improvements in other counties like the Arch Road improvements in San Joaquin County. Part of the Modesto Chamber's plan is for Stanislaus County to become a self-help county. 

George Petrulakis then resumed the presentation and provided descriptions for the color-coded areas on the map. Three broad areas have been defined as "study areas" as the best land for job creation: one to the west (Beckwith Triangle/Wood Colony), one north of Kiernan, and one east of Modesto for housing. Modesto already has a lot of land within its sphere of influence for housing in the east so it may never need the land that's within the study area.  Mr. Petrulakis then explained that the words "Salida Self-Determination" is the Salida Community Plan area and Salida is in charge of that.  

The west (Beckwith Triangle/Wood Colony) area was compared to business parks in other cities with an overlay adjusted for population. Mr. Petrulakis then addressed the adoption of 'Ag Investment Zones' that will not be converted to urban uses. Some of these areas include land between Waterford and Modesto and Dry Creek and the river. He also mentioned that Salida residents have attended Modesto General Plan update meetings and requested Salida to be removed from the General Plan. Another concern regarding the Modesto Chamber's plan is that it "boxes Salida in" or "landlocks" Salida which the Modesto Chamber will take back to their commission and address. 

Watch the Q&A portion of the presentation online.

Next Salida MAC Meeting:

Tuesday, August 27, 2013 at 7 pm @ Salida Library Community Room

4835 Sisk Rd. - Salida

Presentation: The Salida Town & Country Festival
and Salida Civic by Salida Civic President,
Debra Allen