By Suzanne Bragdon - Suisun City Manager
February 2007 "Voice" Newsletter
Fairfield-Suisun Chamber of Commerce
As in most California cities at this time of year, our City Council will work closely with the community and staff in the coming months to lay out the broad goals that will guide development of the fiscal year 2007 - 2008 budget and supporting work programs.
Although these efforts appear to be fresh starts, in organizations that really make things happen, they are more a “building upon” process that considers prior years’ gains and accomplishments.
That brings us to one point of this article: highlighting major ongoing efforts the Council will consider in guiding the budget process.
There are a lot, so bear with me:
- Main Street West Partners (our master developer of 14 parcels in the Waterfront District) has gained Redevelopment Agency board approval for a waterfront restaurant and banquet facility, which will complement its 37,000 square foot mixed use courtyard project less than a block away at Main & Solano streets.
- An application for our long sought after waterfront hotel was submitted (!) and is moving through the process. The environmental analysis should be completed by early February, with Planning Commission and City council action anticipated in April.
- A community charette on the multi-acre site along our southern waterfront was held on January 22nd with the focus on designing a space of balanced uses – public access, public amenities, and new development – that complements our downtown revitalization efforts.
- Trumark (an innovative, fast-paced commercial and residential development company) is leading the effort of our Gentry annexation (SW corner of Highway 12 and Pennsylvania Avenue), with current schedules anticipating City Council action as early as July and LAFCO action in September.
- The environmental analysis continues for a new Wal-Mart supercenter on the eastern end of town (Walters Road at Highway 12), with the expectation that the project will come before the City Council this fall.
- The Redevelopment Agency is entering into an exclusive negotiating agreement (ENA) with Trustreet Properties and Silverwing Development to develop our 8+ acre site along Highway 12 behind the Sunset Center.
These are just the high points of all that’s going on in Suisun City. Perhaps in subsequent writings I will delve more deeply into these and other critical projects. But I guess I should get back to our owl – the Snowy Owl.
Have you read the headlines? Birders are flying in from all over the West to board the historic boat based in Suisun City and cruise by a nesting ground of our own Snowy Owl – a rarely bird rarely sighted outside the Arctic.
It’s been a great way to get people out into the nature preserve and to our downtown, while reinforcing Suisun City’s role as a waterfront gateway.
Unfortunately, we can’t take credit for his/her unheard-of appearance on our shore. But she/he does remind us that we have to keep our eyes open for the unexpected to make sure we’re not missing those unique opportunities that make our communities so special.
After all, isn’t that what we should be striving for through our annual budget process? (And you were wondering how I was going to tie the Snowy Owl into something as seemingly mundane as the budget!)
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