SAN BRUNO CITY COUNCIL REGULAR MEETING
November 14, 2023
Public Comment
From: sadana castillo
To: City Clerk
Subject: Public Comment City Council meeting Nov. 14, 2023 Date: Tuesday, November 14, 2023 11:12:45 PM
Dear, City Council and Mayor Rico Medina,
I am reaching out to express my concerns regarding the allocation of funds generated from the parking meter program. It's disheartening to learn that these funds won't be directly reinvested into downtown for beautification, improvement, or community events.
This issue gains significance when considering the community's prioritization of downtown during the Listening Campaign 2.0, where it emerged as a critical need.
Additionally, the 2023 Community Priority Servey ranked downtown fourth most important local issues, following road repairs, homelessness, and crime.
Given the clear community consensus on the need for downtown revitalization, I kindly urge you to reconsider the allocation of parking meter funds to ensure a direct and positive impact on our downtown area.
On the Downtown Parking Plan report on the city website, there is a part in there that says.
"This Plan served to implement the City's General Plan (2009) and Transit Corridors Plan (TCP)
and to support the City Council's on-going efforts and interests in development and revitalization of San Bruno's Downtown while respecting the existing residents." If the city is interested in the revitalization, to enhance community well-being and economic growth.
I am curious to understand why there appears to be no significant change downtown over the past decade.
At the last meeting there was no discussion or mention of allocating the funds back into the downtown community.
Downtown still seems to be getting the short end of the stick here.
Meters rates on San Mateo Ave will start at $1.50 an hour, that is more than surrounding cities, even Burlingame, - from 8am to 8pm Monday through Sunday. You are doing the most to an area you give the least.
Chief Johansen had initially written the parking report as a comprehensive program where the citation revenue and the meter revenue would go into one pot.
The new CFO, who was brought on at the tail end of this, had fundamentally changed the structure of the parking program by separating the citation and meter money.
I do think it's important pay attention to the volume of citation revenue that will now exist because of the metering money.
I believe the projected revenue for both the metering and the citations was grossly underestimated in the staff report, as we will see enforcement like never before.
Can we have a conversation about how that money could then be reinvested back into downtown once the loan from the general fund is paid back? Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Sadana Traxler
@ Twice As Nice Bay Area