Finally on April 27th we celebrated a day that so many of us have been waiting for – the groundbreaking of the Dennis and Janice Caprara Community Center Complex. The day was In As the new school year gears up, we continue to ask students, parents, and the community to be mindful of the activity going on in front of the construction site. There are quite a bit of students who still want to use that side as their preferred sidewalk, and that is not recommended at this time as there are open trenches and large trucks coming in and out of there. The sidewalk is closed off for your safety. Please adhere to the signs and those conducting traffic control in that area. To view the daily progress of the Center, visit the link below. https://share.earthcam.net/GonzalesCommunityCenter.
Economic Development and Revenue Generation
• The City Council has decided to place Measure S on the ballot this November. The Measure would help generate funding for unfunded programs and services like Fire, youth and adult programming, road and street maintenance and repairs, and City parks. If approved, the new sales tax would sit in line with the rest of the local cities at 9.25%, an increase from 8.75%.
City of King and the County have also decided to put similar tax measures on the ballot for their unfunded projects. For more information on Measure S, please visit the City’s website. • The Gonzales Planning Commission approved an electronic billboard sign that is set to go up near Highway 101 on September 9th. It will be going to the City Council for consideration at their October 7th meeting. The sign would be on a City owned parcel resulting in a bit of unrestricted revenue coming in for the use of the land. • On August 20th, the Rianda Cooler project was finally annexed into the City limits. The City’s first annexation since 2006! This annexation brings in 44.8 acres of a 103.54-acre parcel into the City limits. The facility will consist of 343,800 square feet. Approximately 210,000 square feet will be used for raw product cold storage and processing lines where the produce will be cleaned, sized, packaged and shipped, as well as approximately 33,800 square feet of office administration space and miscellaneous mechanical and storage rooms and shop areas. It will bring in 430 new jobs and contribute $75,000 in tax revenues once completed.
City of Gonzales
City Manager Report
August 2024
Housing
• The Visita Lucia Housing project continues to advance. Negotiations are ongoing with the developer, and LAFCO application components are being put together to seek annexation. • Three ADUs are in process.
Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion and Rehabilitation • On September 3rd, the City Council awarded a construction contract to Sierra Construction and Excavation, Inc. to start the construction of the industrial wastewater pipeline. The Wastewater Treatment Plant project will be delivered in 3 Phases. Phase 1 includes: 1) The construction of the industrial wastewater pipeline along Fermin Lane and to the Business Park; 2) The construction of the industrial wastewater treatment facility; and 3) Once the facility is under construction, a contract to rehabilitate the existing 21-inch sewer main that was constructed back in 1981.
Community Engagement
• The City Council has declared September as Community Beautification Month! Here are some ideas of what you can do to beautify the community: clean after your pet, plant or clean up your garden, maintain your property, and get rid of old junk that is hanging around your residence. We can all contribute to making our community a beautiful, clean and healthy one.
Save the Date for the upcoming events:
• Fall Festival is scheduled for Saturday, October 26th from 4:00pm -7:00pm on Fourth Street. • Community-Wide Garage Sale is shceduled for October 12th and 13th. • Tri-Cities Cleanup Event is scheduled for October 19th from 8:00am – 1:00pm at Fairview Middle School.