Agendas are available on the City Website
https://www.ridgecrest-ca.gov/council-agendas
Ridgecrest City Council
Successor Redevelopment Agency
Financing Authority
Housing Authority
AGENDA
December 11, 2023
SPECIAL Session 5:00 p.m.
City Hall, Council Chambers
100 100 West California Avenue
Ridgecrest CA 93555
Ricca Charlon, CMC
City Clerk
[email protected]
(760) 499-5002
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you are a disabled person and you need a disability-related modification or accommodation to participate in the meeting, please contact Ricca Charlon at (760) 499-5002. Requests must be made as early as possible and at least one full business day before the start of the meeting.
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CITY COUNCIL
Eric A. Bruen, Mayor
Solomon P. Rajaratnam, Mayor Pro-Tem
Kyle Blades, Vice Mayor
L. Scott Hayman, Council Member
John ‘Skip’ Gorman, Council Member
Ron Strand, City Manager
Keith Lemieux, City Attorney
Martin Koczanowicz, City Attorney
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100 W. CALIFORNIA AVE. | RIDGECREST, CA 93555
Phone 760.499.5000 | Fax 760.499.1520
www.ridgecrest-ca.gov
NOTICE AND CALL OF A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE
RIDGECREST CITY COUNCIL / SUCCESSOR REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY /
HOUSING AUTHORITY / FINANCING AUTHORITY
To The Members Of The Ridgecrest City Council / Successor Redevelopment Agency / Housing Authority / Financing Authority, Public And City Clerk:
PUBLIC NOTICE that a SPECIAL MEETING of the Ridgecrest City Council is hereby called on
Monday, December 11, 2023 @ 5:00 p.m.
City Council Chambers
100 W. California Avenue
Ridgecrest, California
Said SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING shall be for the purpose of:
1. Letter To Congressman Kevin McCarthy Requesting Support In Congressional Legislation To Facilitate A Land Exchange Between The City Of Ridgecrest And The Bureau Of Land Management Strand
Dated: December 8, 2023
Eric A. Bruen, Mayor / Chair
ATTEST:
Ricca Charlon, City Clerk
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RIDGECREST CITY COUNCIL
SUCCESSOR REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
FINANCING AUTHORITY
HOUSING AUTHORITY
SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA
Monday, December 11, 2023 Regular Session – 5:00 p.m.
CALL TO ORDER
• Roll call
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
REGULAR SESSION
• Pledge Of Allegiance
• Invocation
DISCUSSION / ACTION ITEMS
1. Letter To Congressman Kevin McCarthy Requesting Support In Congressional Legislation To Facilitate A Land Exchange Between The City Of Ridgecrest And The Bureau Of Land Management Strand
MAYOR AND COUNCIL COMMENTS
ADJOURNMENT
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Ridgecrest City Council
Successor Redevelopment Agency
Financing Authority
Housing Authority
STAFF REPORT
SUBJECT: Letter To Congressman Kevin McCarthy Requesting Support In Congressional Legislation To Facilitate A Land Exchange Between The City Of Ridgecrest And The Bureau Of Land Management
PRESENTED BY: Ron Strand, City Manager
SUMMARY:
For the last couple of years, City staff has been working with staff from Congressman Kevin McCarthy’s office on a potential land exchange between the City and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) for economic development purposes.
The City is interested in exchanging 640 acres of undeveloped land it owns within the Owens Peak Wilderness Area adjacent to Sand Canyon (an Area of Critical Environmental Concern) for approximately 500 acres of undeveloped BLM land near the intersection of Highway 395 and China Lake Blvd.
The City’s long-term strategy is to develop an economic hub on Highway 395 (Hub 395).
Development of Hub 395 could include a travel center, fast casual dining, and an EV charging center. This part of Highway 395 is remote with the nearest travel center being 50 miles to the south. These amenities will provide services and safety to the traveling public on Highway 395 and hopefully will drive tourism travel through Ridgecrest.
NAWS China Lake is the City’s primary employer representing 61% of the City’s workforce and 87% of the economy. Unfortunately, NAWS China Lake is exempt from paying state and local taxes, which places the City in a unique financial situation as having one of the lowest general fund budgets in the state. Our budget is at least 50% less than a city of similar size in the state. As a result, the City struggles to provide the infrastructure and quality of life services to our community. Developing Hub 395 is important to the economic future of the City and the mission of NAWS China Lake.
Both parties to the land exchange will benefit. The City will acquire land for future economic development purposes and the federal government will acquire land to place in the Owens Peak Wilderness for conservation.
The land exchange will enable the City to expand its city limits by annexing a contiguous portion of Federal land up to Highway 395. The annexation process can only begin when the City acquires the land.
The City reached out to the County of Kern and they support the land exchange and future annexation.
Ridgecrest City Council
Successor Redevelopment Agency
Financing Authority
Housing Authority
STAFF REPORT
Attached is a letter to Congressman Kevin McCarthy for City Council approval requesting support in Congressional Legislation to facilitate a land exchange between the City of Ridgecrest and the Bureau of Land Management (Exhibit A).
If legislation is approved, the City will be responsible for reasonable costs of the required land survey, and any environmental analysis or administrative expenses related to the exchange.
It may take up to one year to complete the land exchange process.
Exhibit A: Letter to Congressman Kevin McCarthy
FISCAL IMPACT: TBD
ACTION REQUESTED: Recommend for approval.
CITY MANAGER’S RECOMMENDATION: Action as requested.
Submitted by: Ron Strand Action Date: December 11, 2023 RESOLUTION NO. 23-XX
A RESOLUTION OF THE RIDGECREST CITY COUNCIL APPROVING A LETTER
TO CONGRESSMAN KEVIN MCCARTHY REQUESTING SUPPORT IN
CONGRESSIONAL LEGISLATION TO FACILITATE A LAND EXCHANGE
BETWEEN THE CITY OF RIDGECREST AND THE BUREAU OF LAND
MANAGEMENT (BLM)
WHEREAS, the City desires to expand its city limits by annexing a contiguous portion of Federal land up to Highway 395 for economic development purposes; and, WHEREAS, to accomplish this the City is interested in exchanging 640 acres of undeveloped land it owns within the Owens Peak Wilderness Area adjacent to Sand Canyon (an Area of Critical Environmental Concern) for approximately 500 acres of undeveloped BLM land near the intersection of Highway 395 and China Lake Blvd.; and,
WHEREAS, the City’s long-term strategy is to develop an economic hub on Highway 395 (Hub 395). Development of Hub 395 could include a travel center, fast casual dining, and an EV charging center. This part of Highway 395 is remote with the nearest travel center being 50 miles to the south.
These amenities will provide services and safety to the traveling public on Highway 395 and hopefully will drive tourism travel through Ridgecrest; and,
WHEREAS, NAWS China Lake is the City’s primary employer representing 61% of the City’s workforce and 87% of the economy. Unfortunately, NAWS China Lake is exempt from paying state and local taxes, which places the City in a unique financial situation as having one of the lowest general fund budgets in the state. Our budget is at least 50% less than a city of similar size in the state. As a result, the City struggles to provide the infrastructure and quality of life services to our community.
Developing Hub 395 is important to the economic future of the City and the mission of NAWS China Lake; and,
WHEREAS, both parties to the land exchange will benefit. The City will acquire land for future economic development purposes and the federal government will acquire land to place in the Owens Peak Wilderness for conservation; and,
WHEREAS, if legislation is approved, the City will be responsible for reasonable costs of the required land survey, and any environmental analysis or administrative expenses related to the exchange. It may take up to one year to complete the land exchange process.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, authorize the Mayor Eric Bruen to sign and forward a letter to Congressman Kevin McCarthy requesting support in Congressional Legislation to facilitate a land exchange between the City of Ridgecrest and the Bureau of Land Management (Exhibit A).
APPROVED AND ADOPTED, this 11th day of December 2023, by the following vote:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
Eric A. Bruen, Mayor
ATTEST:
Ricca Charlon, CMC
City Clerk
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CITY OF RIDGECREST
100 West California Avenue
Ridgecrest, CA 93555-4054
Telephone (760) 499-5002
Eric A. Bruen
Mayor
Solomon P. Rajaratnam
Mayor Pro Tem
Kyle Blades
Vice Mayor
L. Scott Hayman
Council Member
John “Skip” Gorman
Council Member
Ron Strand
City Manager
Cheri Freese
Finance Director
Travis Reed
Public Works Director
Mike Scott
Interim Chief of Police
Ricca Charlon
City Clerk
December 11, 2023
Congressman Kevin McCarthy
United States House of Representatives
2468 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
RE: Request for support in Congressional Legislation to facilitate a land exchange between the City of Ridgecrest and the Bureau of Land Management Dear Congressman McCarthy:
On behalf of the City of Ridgecrest, I am writing to you to request your support with congressional legislation to facilitate a land exchange between the City of Ridgecrest (City) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
The City desires to expand its city limits by annexing a contiguous portion of Federal land up to Highway 395 for economic development purposes. To accomplish this the City is interested in exchanging 640 acres of undeveloped land it owns within the Owens Peak Wilderness Area adjacent to Sand Canyon (an Area of Critical Environmental Concern) for approximately 500 acres of undeveloped BLM land near the intersection of Highway 395 and China Lake Blvd.
The City’s long-term strategy is to develop an economic hub on Highway 395 (Hub 395).
Development of Hub 395 could include a travel center, fast casual dining, and an EV charging center. This part of Highway 395 is remote with the nearest travel center being 50 miles to the south. These amenities will provide services and safety to the traveling public on Highway 395 and hopefully will drive tourism travel through Ridgecrest.
NAWS China Lake is the City’s primary employer representing 61% of the City’s workforce and 87% of the economy. Unfortunately, NAWS China Lake is exempt from paying state and local taxes, which places the City in a unique financial situation as having one of the lowest general fund budgets in the state. Our budget is at least 50% less than a city of similar size in the state. As a result, the City struggles to provide the infrastructure and quality of life services to our community.
Developing Hub 395 is important to the economic future of the City and the mission of NAWS China Lake.
Both parties to the land exchange will benefit. The City will acquire land for future economic development purposes and the federal government will acquire land to place in the Owens Peak Wilderness for conservation.
The City reached out to the County of Kern and they support the land exchange and future annexation.
We appreciate your consideration of our legislation request, and we look forward to discussing this further with you. You can reach our City Manager Ron Strand at [email protected] or at 760) 499-5001 should you have any questions or need further clarification.
On behalf of the Ridgecrest City Council, we appreciate your consideration of our request and we look forward to discussing this with you further.
With Best Regards,
Mayor Eric A. Bruen
City of Ridgecrest
Attachments:
Attachment A: City Land Exchange to BLM - 640 acres of undeveloped land it owns within the Owens Peak Wilderness Area adjacent to Sand Canyon - an Area of Critical Environmental Concern.
Attachment B: BLM Land Exchange to the City - 500 acres of undeveloped BLM land near the intersection of Highway 395 and S. China Lake Blvd. (See attachment B). The land has no power, water or sewer access and highway improvements are needed to develop.
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