City Hall
by John M. Zukoski on February 28, 2010 | 
No Comments | Topics: City Hall · Sustainability
The City of Dublin, CA, recently joined the CaliforniaFIRST program to assist in financing energy projects for private property owners. Coordinated by California Communities and launching in Summer 2010, the CaliforniaFIRST program will provide residential and commercial property owners with a lower-cost option to finance renewable energy, energy efficiency, and water efficiency improvements on their properties. Dublin property owners can borrow $5K to $75K for projects over a 5 to 20 year period. Property owners will be able to repay the loan through a parcel-specific assessment on their property tax bills. California Communities will issue bonds to provide the financing for these projects.
Qualified residents can benefit from the CaliforniaFIRST program in many ways. CaliforniaFIRST will likely offer property owners a lower financing rate than they otherwise would get through private financing companies. Additionally, payment for the CaliforniaFIRST loans will be collected along with the property tax, so property owners will enjoy the convenience of making semi-annual payments for their energy efficiency projects. The CaliforniaFIRST financing program is also unique in that assessment obligation transfers with the sale of the property, so the loan does not have to be paid in full as part of the property sale process. In fact, CaliforniaFIRST will assess a 5% prepayment penalty to discourage property owners from paying back their loans early.
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by John M. Zukoski on February 25, 2010 | 32 Comments | Topics: City Hall · Opinions
The City of Dublin, CA, recently conducted a survey amongst 400 likely voters to gauge their support for a new city tax. The survey questions were prefaced by the fact that Sacramento borrowed $2M from the City this year to bridge the State budget deficit; however, what the survey did not mention is that the City of Dublin was able to get all $2M back from the California Communities Prop 1A financing program. In exchange, California Communities gets the interest that the State would have paid to Dublin for the $2M loan.
The survey found that residents are most concerned about losing police and fire services as a result of budget cuts. The respondents noted that if a new temporary City tax were approved, fire stations, police services, and emergency response operations should be first in line to receive the extra money. Most residents noted that they are largely unaware of the many steps taken by the City of Dublin to balance the budget, the impact the state seizure of local funds had on City operations, and the choices the City will face without a new City tax. Residents don’t see us taking cuts internally,” Councilmember Kasie Hildenbrand said to Robert Jordan of Contra Costa Times. In the same article, Councilmember Hildenbrand warns that “the cutbacks may become much more apparent.”
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by John M. Zukoski on January 30, 2010 | 3 Comments | Topics: City Hall
Mayor Tim Sbranti recently shared his vision for Dublin, CA, during the annual State of the City address. The focus of the Mayor’s speech was the “Changing Landscape in Dublin.” In his speech, Mayor Sbranti noted that everyone is feeling the financial pinch, including the City of Dublin. Although the City is in better financial shape than most other cities, Dublin still needed to make some difficult cost reductions. The City is nevertheless moving forward with numerous park and public works projects such as Fallon Sports Park, the Historic Park, and the Dublin Sports Grounds renovations.
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by John M. Zukoski on November 21, 2009 | No Comments | Topics: Announcements · City Hall
The City of Dublin is accepting nominations for the 2009 Citizen of the Year, Young Citizen of the Year and Organization of the Year.
The purpose of these awards is to recognize outstanding individuals and groups who have contributed to the quality of life in Dublin this past year. Nomination criteria for both the Citizen and Young Citizen of the Year Awards are based on the Dublin Pride – Integrity in Action Program’s 10 Characteristics: Responsibility, Respectfulness, Caring, Giving, Positive Attitude, Trustworthiness, Cooperation, Doing One’s Best, Honesty, and Self-Discipline. The Young Citizen of the Year recognizes the volunteer service of Dublin’s youth in 1st – 12th grade.
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by John M. Zukoski on November 15, 2009 | 7 Comments | Topics: Announcements · City Hall
The Dublin City Council and Planning Commission will hold a joint study session on November 17th at 6pm in the City Council Chambers (100 Civic Plaza) to discussion the Downtown Dublin Specific Plan project.
Downtown Dublin is generally considered to be the area encompassed by I-580 /Amador Valley Boulevard (south and north) and San Ramon Road / Village Parkway (west and east). Please see the picture below for reference.
The Specific Plan is important to Dublin residents and businesses because it will encourage development and revitalization in the downtown area that:
- Takes advantage of the transportation opportunity presented by the new BART station;
- Maintains and enhances the sales tax base of the downtown are;
- Encourages a mix of existing large format retail uses, smaller retail, service, office, hotel, and mixed use development; and
- Includes design guidelines.
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by John M. Zukoski on October 21, 2009 | 23 Comments | Topics: City Hall
Tax freedom day may start coming a few days later for Dublin residents as the Dublin City Council is looking to possibly levy a new city tax against residents to help pay for municipal services. The Council voted this past Tuesday to hire consulting firm Lew Edwards Group to:
- Conduct a survey to gauge interest in levying the new tax on Dublin residents;
- Get the tax measure on the November 2010 ballot; and
- Campaign to rally supporters and voters in favor of the tax.
The City of Dublin is looking to create this new tax to help off-set the doubling of fire and police services costs in the past 7 years, reduced development impact fees, and lower sales and property tax revenues.
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by John M. Zukoski on October 1, 2009 | 13 Comments | Topics: City Hall · Development
This has been a year of resetting and recharging for the economy. However, 2010 looks to be a year of great promise for local development. We’ll likely see a trend towards smaller project phases and lower density as lenders look to minimize their risks as much as possible.
Here are updates on some of the exciting developments that we should see activity on in 2010:
- Farmers Market – the City Council will be evaluating the feasibility of a Dublin Farmers Market within the next few months. Potential locations could include the parking lot of the former Mervyn’s, maybe Grafton Station, or even a school facility that is easily accessible from the freeway.
- Sorrento East – a public hearing is expected for sometime during the winter of 2009-2010. This is a key project for east Dublin given that it will help provide impact fees for the construction of Kolb Elementary school. The big controversy has been whether or not apartments will be built at Sorrento East.
- Dublin Hills – the details for the staging area are now complete and the Dublin Planning Commission will be evaluating the proposed plans in the near future. It will be great to see Discovery Homes deliver on their promise so that East Bay residents will be able to enjoy this vast 600-acres of open space in west Dublin.
- School of Imagination – the plans for School of Imagination’s permanent home at Schaefer Ranch are coming along great (illustration above)! The folks at Discovery Homes and School of Imagination have been working closely with the City to design a building that meets the needs of our children and the community. We should hopefully see plans for the permanent facility in front of the Planning Commission very soon.
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by LeeAnne Jones on September 29, 2009 | 1 Comment | Topics: City Hall · Profiles
When Tim Sbranti was in fifth grade, the playground rules suddenly changed, and the kids weren’t too thrilled with the new ones. “So, I filed a grievance,” he says. “I got a petition signed by the other fourth and fifth graders, and the principal sat down with me to discuss it.”
While not all the new playground rules were reversed, some details were negotiated, and Dublin’s future mayor got his first taste of making change in a community.
Sbranti has a relaxed but jovial personality. He greets several people by name as we order coffee at Peet’s on Tassajara, just a few blocks from where Sbranti lives with his wife, Stephanie. As he shares about his life growing up in Dublin, it’s easy to spot the pivotal moments and experiences that helped shape him into a leader.
Due to changes within the district, Sbranti attended three elementary schools without moving: the original Fallon (where the district offices are now located), Murray, and Frederiksen (when it transitioned from a junior high to an elementary school). By the time he reached Wells, he knew most of the students in his grade. As a student at Dublin High, Sbranti was editor of the school paper, a basketball and tennis player, and student body president—during which he helped create the student representative position on the school board that still exists today.
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by John M. Zukoski on September 28, 2009 | 1 Comment | Topics: City Hall · Schools
Dublin Mayor Tim Sbranti announced last week that he is working with the Livermore Amador Valley Transit Authority (LAVTA) and Dr. Stephen Hanke of the Dublin Unified School District (DUSD) to create a more direct WHEELS bus route from east Dublin to Dublin High School.
The current bus route starting at the intersection of Bent Tree Drive and Fallon Road takes 34 minutes in the morning to arrive at Dublin High School and 32 minutes in the afternoon to arrive home on Bent Tree and Fallon Road. Additionally, there is only one bus in the morning that departs at 7:06am and two buses in the afternoon that depart at 2:52pm.
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