APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY
2022OCT 32 PM 5t
OFFICE OFTHE CITY CLERK
OAKLAND CITY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
OAKLAND CITY COUNCIL
RESOLUTION NO. C.M.S.
RESOLUTION: 1) APPROVING THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE
ROCKRIDGE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT ADVISORY
BOARD; 2) DECLARING THE INTENTION TO LEVY AND COLLECT
AN ANNUAL ASSESSMENT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2023-2024 FOR THE
ROCKRIDGE BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT; AND 3)
SCHEDULING A PUBLIC HEARING FOR DECEMBER 6, 2022
WHEREAS, the State of California allows for the formation of business assessment districts under California Streets and Highways Code Section 36500 et seq.; and WHEREAS, the business license holders in the Rockridge business district petitioned to form the Rockridge Business Improvement District (District) under said legislation to undertake the Management Plan for the District (Plan) which is on file with the City Clerk; and WHEREAS, the Plan provides for new security, beautification, and economic development and marketing activities with the intent of creating a positive atmosphere in the District area (as more specifically identified in the Plan); and WHEREAS, the District was established by the City Council on November 28, 2000, pursuant to Ordinance 12301 C.M.S (as amended by Ordinance No. 13261 on October 21, 2014); and
WHEREAS, California Streets and Highways Code Sections 36533 and 36534 require that before the next annual assessment for the District is levied, the City Council must: (1) approve the District’s annual report, and (2) approve a Resolution of Intention that declares the City’s intention to collect the assessments, and schedules a public hearing to be held about the levy of the proposed assessment; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to said law, the Rockridge Business Improvement District Advisory Board has prepared and filed with the City Clerk, the Annual Assessment Report (Report) (attached hereto as Exhibit A), which contains the required particulars including a detailed description of the improvements and activities to be provided for fiscal year (FY) 2023- 2024 , the boundaries of the area and any benefit zones within the area, and the proposed assessments to be levied upon the businesses within the area for FY 2023-2024; and 2646873v8 / Attorney Initials - updated 12/28/2021
WHEREAS, if the District’s proposed assessments for FY 2023-2024 are approved and levied, they will be held (until disbursed) in a special trust fund established by the Finance Department on behalf of the District in Miscellaneous Trusts Fund (7999), Economic Development Organization (85411), Pass Thru Assessments Account (24224), DP850 Administrative Project (1000019), Rockridge BID Program (RBID); now, therefore, be it RESOLVED: that the Council of the City of Oakland does hereby approve theFY 2022- 2023 Report for the District; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED: That the City Council does find and state its intention as follows:
Pursuant to California Streets and Highways Code Section 36534, the City Council declares its intention to levy and collect the assessments for FY 2023-2024 as provided for in the said Report and pursuant to the assessment formula as provided for in the Plan, if the requested assessments are approved by the City Council after the Public Hearing scheduled by this Resolution of Intention.
1. The location and boundaries of the District shall remain the same as specified in the Plan on file with the City Clerk and there are no changes to the boundaries or benefit zones.
2. The types of the improvements and activities proposed to be funded by the levy of FY 2023- 2024 assessments on businesses in the area are those described in the Plan and the Report on file with the City Clerk. No substantial changes in the improvements or activities for the District are proposed to be made.
3. The proposed method and basis of calculating the assessments to be levied against each business in the District are those specified in the Plan and Report on file with the City Clerk.
For FY 2023-2024 assessment, a sub-classification of businesses that earn annual gross receipts of $25,000 or less is proposed to be created with a reduced fee for that assessment year of $60 (instead of the $120 fee). Such sub-classification is proposed to be temporarily created to reduce the number and expense of processing hardship partial fee waiver requests, and the reduced fee amount would not apply to future assessment years unless renewed in the annual assessment resolution for such future years; and be it
4. FURTHER RESOLVED: That a Public Hearing is hereby set for December 6. 2022, or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard, to hear all public comments, protests, and to take final action as to the levying of the proposed assessments for the District for FY 2023-2024.
Details regarding time, location and how to participate in the Public Hearing can be found at www.oakland.legistar.com. or by emailing the Oakland City Clerk’s Office at [email protected] or by calling 510-238-3226; and be it FURTHER RESOLVED: That pursuant to California Streets and Highways Code section 36534(b), the City Clerk is directed to give notice of the Public Hearing by causing the Resolution of Intention to be published once in a newspaper of general circulation in the City of Oakland not less than seven days before the Public Hearing; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED: That at the Public Hearing the testimony of all interested persons for or against the proposed assessments will be heard, and written and oral protests may be made in the form and manner provided by Sections 36524 and 36525 of the California Streets and Highways Code as follows:
A protest may be made orally or in writing by any interested person. Any protest pertaining to the regularity or sufficiency of the proceedings shall be in writing and shall clearly set forth the irregularity or defect to which the objection is made.
Every written protest shall be filed with the Clerk at or before the time fixed for the public hearing. A written protest may be withdrawn in writing at any time before the conclusion of the public hearing.
Each written protest shall contain a description of the business in which the person subscribing the protest is interested sufficient to identify the business and, if a person subscribing is not shown on the official records of the City as the owner of the business, the protest shall contain or be accompanied by written evidence that the person subscribing is the owner of the business.
1. 2.
3. A written protest which does not comply with the requirements stated above shall not be counted in determining a majority protest.
If written protests are received from the owners of businesses in the District who will pay 50 percent or more of the assessments proposed to be levied, and protests are not withdrawn so as to reduce the protests to less than that 50 percent, the proposed assessment shall not be levied.
4. 5.
3217701vl
m 12012IN COUNCIL, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA,
PASSED BY THE FOLLOWING VOTE:
AYES - FIFE, GALLO, KALB, KAPLAN, REID, TAYLOR, THAO AND PRESIDENT FORTUNATO BAS _
NOES -rr
ABSENT-/9f
ABSTENTION -
ATTEST:
City Clerk and Clbrk of the Council of the
City of Oakland, California
BID Annual Report
Rockridge Business Improvement District, FY2022-2023
Oakland, California
1. Any proposed changes in the boundaries of the BIMD or in any benefits zones within the district:
There are no proposed changes to the Rockridge Business Improvement District boundaries or benefit zones.
2. Improvements and activities provided in FY 2022-2023:
Please see attached Accomplishments for this year to date and attached 2022-2023 proposed budget
3. Estimated costs for providing the improvement and services in FY 2023-2024:
See attached budget for more detail.
Expense Category % Amount
$110000Organization 39
Marketing $60,00021
Streetscape and Security $50,00018
$50,000Capital Projects 18
Reserves (needed to cover March/April expenses in 2023) $15,0005 $285,000TOTAL 100%
4. Method and basis for levying the assessment:
A) Assessments are based on business revenue of our merchants in the District. Assessment table attached.
B) We are NOT requesting an Assessment increase for the upcoming fiscal year.
5. Surplus or Deficit for FY 2023-2024 to be carried over from a previous fiscal year.
Carry Forward from 2022-2023 is anticipated to be: $15,000 Capital Projects available funds: $50,000
6. The amount of any contribution to be made from sources other than BID/CBD assessments to be levied.
We received marketing Grants in the amount of $945 from merchants.
RDA, a Rockridge Business Improvement District
Proposed Budget
March 2023 to February 2024
Income
Gross BID Revenue
Capital Projects Carryforward
March/April Carryforward
$220,000
$50,000
$15,000
Total Income $285,000
Expense
Organization $110,000
$60,000Marketing & Promotion
$50,000
$50,000
Streetscape & Security
Capital Projects
Reserves (needed to cover March/April expenses in 2023) $15,000 Total Expense $285,000
Rockridge BID Key Accomplishments For 2022
The Rockridge District Association made a significant investment in marketing and events in the 2022 period in response to the economic fallout from covid closures, inflation, and economic pressures facing our merchant community. Every industry in our district was impacted, including our numerous second floor medical offices that drew foot traffic to the commercial corridor. The RDA responded swiftly to draw out locals and attract new visitors through the programs outlined below.
We launched a successful live music event called Rockridge Rock-N-Stroll as a trial in 2021. In 2022, we decided to make this a permanent monthly series and voted to invest a majority of our marketing resources to building the event over the course of the year. The concept is a relatively low-cost — and therefore sustainable —event series with a high impact on day-of sales for our Rockridge stores, restaurants, salons, spas, and other businesses. Though our 15 (or more) local street musicians —dotted along the full length of College Avenue — is our lead feature, the merchants also participate by offering big sales, hosting pop-up vendors, offering free tastings, conducting give-a-ways, and other attractions to bring people into their shops.
Additionally, we frequently introduce a theme to the event, like our highly successful Pup Promenade and our recent Rock-N-Hunt scavenger hunt. Our goal is use Rock-N-Stroll to attract neighbors and new audiences to our Rockridge's businesses, giving them a reason to visit again and again. By all reports, merchants are reporting an increase in sales and foot traffic on Rock- N-Stroll event days.
The Rockridge District Association developed a closer working relationship with the neighborhood residential association, the Rockridge Community Planning Council, partnering on a wide range of projects from the Annual Halloween Parade to informational workshops on building secondary dwelling units. The neighborhood association also publishes the Rockridge News, a residential delivery newspaper, which now regularly features the activities of the RDA and stories about our merchants based on news that we gather and pitch. Our PR efforts extend to regular press releases and idea pitches to all Bay Area media. This effort has rewarded us with frequent coverage — whether it be about RDA activities or individual merchant profiles — from KTVU, Montclarian, Oaklandside.com, and other local media outlets.
In addition to earned media, we invested in ongoing paid advertising in Oaklandside.com and the Rockridge News to promote our events.
We published a new pocket-book guide to Rockridge and distributed four thousand copies around the community. There is also a digital version available online and that was sent to community partners like Visit Oakland and local Air-BNB hosts. The Guide models after stylish "look books," profiling an individual merchants on each beautifully designed page. The project was partially subsidized by participating businesses at the low cost of $100 per page.
The previously mentioned Halloween Parade was previously produced by our residential association. In 2021, we partnered with them, taking the lead on the marketing and getting merchants along College Avenue to participate by passing out candy, offering free face painting,
and other fun kids' activities. We drew a significant number of families and school-aged groups to the area. Some merchants reported that it was the busiest sales day they had since covid.
Though we previously have had holiday shopping season campaigns, we invested more in marketing this past year than in recent history. This included helping merchants to light their storefronts in addition to the holiday lights we had displayed. We added outdoor live music to the busiest weekends (Friday-Sunday) leading up to Christmas. And we invested in advertising in local media outlets to help drive foot traffic to shops and web traffic to the online shopping directory we created for the season.
The Rockridge District Association produced a series of shopping Guides around Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day, Graduation, and the holiday season. The Guides consisted of featured items for sale at our shops and links to purchase them online. We also rounded up dozens of gift cards you can purchase from Rockridge merchants and continue to feature them on our website.
Finally, we committed to drawing more attention to a large, and uniquely Rockridge, business sector, and that is our mental health professionals. We created a comprehensive directory of each of their practices (over one hundred of them) on our website and added a detailed mental health resource directory which we regularly promote. The task of identifying these businesses was made challenging by a high turnover due covid closures (where they primarily operated by Zoom for two years). We used our research to help the City of Oakland identify these often "under the radar" businesses to ensure they had business licenses and were paying Rockridge assessment fees.
We believe the marketing efforts we invested in this past year will pay dividends as we build upon it moving forward. Our website traffic has increased 186% in the first 9 months of 2022 over all of 2021, our mailing list grew from zero to two thousand, we have strong local residential and media relationships, and our merchants are seeing an increase in business activities as a direct result of our work.
RDA Board 2022 - 2023
Elected/Re-
Elected
6/17/2021
6/16/2022
6/17/2021
6/17/2021
6/16/2022
6/17/2021
6/17/2021
Business Address: Phone: (510) Email Address:Business:Name Officers ^ 1 Veronica Bhonsie
2 Susan Bernosky
3 Robin Pennell
4 Katy Winter
5 Andrew Snow
6 Monte McClain
7 Stephanie Walton
6052 College Ave 985-0406
5940 College Ave 450-9050
5278 College Ave 654-6755
6034 College Ave 917-843-2758 [email protected]
5940 College Ave 735-9220
5951 College Ave 658-3665
332-1965
vbhonsle(5)aol.com2005 VERO
2006 Strahan Ins Svcs Inc
2013 Jarvis Architects
2017 Vita
2018 Golden Squirrel
2019 College Presbyterian
2021 Community at Large
T [email protected]
VP [email protected]
goldensauirrelpubOgmail.com
[email protected]
steph@stephforoal<land.comP
Chris Jackson
Jody Colley
Operations Manager
Marketing Manager