January started off very busy for City staff. Not only are staff busy ensuring that the recent storms don’t cause havoc for the community, but we are also gearing up for major undertakings that will start this year, including the groundbreaking of the Dennis and Jancie Caprara Community Center Complex in April.
Our City Manager and Councilmembers Worthy and Silva attended the League of California Cities Mayors and Council Members Academy in Monterey on Wednesday the 24th– Friday the 26th.
The sessions they attended were very informative. They consisted of legislative updates, the role in policy and land use planning, and key City issues among others.
Gonzales Community Center Complex
• The work on the Community Center continues to move along. We are set to meet our timeline and will be hosting our Groundbreaking Ceremony on April 27th at 1:00pm at the site. We hope you will be able to join us. See the Save the Date flyer for more details. And don’t forget to scan the QR code to see the fly through video of the site. • Staff continue to work on the Capital Campaign to secure the rest of the funding needed for Phase 2. Currently, we have $6.6 million secured in pledges and contributions out of the $10 million dollar goal that was established.
• If you are interested in making a donation or for more information, please visit the Community Foundation’s website (www.cfmco.org) and type in Gonzales Community Center in the search box. Donations made through their website are secure and will come directly to our Community Center fund.
City of Gonzales
City Manager Report
January 2024
June 2023
Economic Development and Revenue Generation
• City Staff have been busy working on grants to bring in funding. In January, we submitted two grants, and we are working to complete one more. We are hoping that some of them will be successful and will bring in much-needed revenue for our community. • The Council has directed staff to continue exploring the idea of a digital billboard for the community as it has the potential to produce revenue for the City.
Housing
• The 6
th Cycle Housing Element wraps up its public comment period on February 12th .
• The Visita Lucia Housing Environmental Impact Review (EIR) will be open for public comment in February and will close on March 19th.
• Staff, the Council, and our partners, continue to be engaged with the County and LAFCO regarding their policies.
• Economic Development staff are also currently reviewing Accessary Dwelling Unit plans and are about to finalize one.
Community Engagement
• City staff continues to partner with the Blue Zones Project, Olinga Learning, and others to bring a Community Garden to the community. The Community Garden is set to cover a piece of the empty lot next to the Skate Park and the Gonzales Pool. We are excited about the opportunities this can bring to the community and the partnerships that are supporting this project. We have received the donated planters and are beginning to plan a Community Planting Day. Stay tuned to hear more and to get involved as the project progresses.
Save the Date for the upcoming events:
• April 20th- Gonzales Car Show
• April 27th at 1:00pm - Dennis and Janice
Caprara Community Center Complex
Groundbreaking Ceremony