Eleven people attended a public information meeting of Sonoma Valley’s Redevelopment Advisory Committee (RAC) on Thursday evening, Nov. 1, to learn about the process for running for open seats on the RAC.
The RAC makes recommendations to the County Board of Supervisors for programs and projects in the Springs area.
Three of the seven seats on the committee are up for election. The three open seats are to be filled by a business operator, a residential tenant and a residential owner/occupant in the Springs Project Redevelopment Area. Committee members serve four-year terms and meet the first Thursday of every month at 7 p.m. The election will be held during the next regularly scheduled meeting of the RAC on Thursday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. at the Valley of the Moon Boys and Girls Club.
At last Thursday’s meeting, Ellen Conley introduced herself as the new supervisors’ appointee, replacing outgoing member Kathy Perry. Gay Kisbey and Lisa Murray are also retiring from the committee. Ryan Lely will run for reelection for the residential tenant seat. Other committee members whose terms are not expiring are Kara Olness Reyes, Stephen Cox and chairman Rich Lee.
In other committee business, County Redevelopment Manager Boris Sztorch reported that staff will be seeking the supervisors’ approval on Nov. 6 to increase the amount of tax increment revenue that can be used for redevelopment from $20 million to $120 million, with an annual cap of $7 million, and to increase the amount of permitted bond indebtedness to $40 million. Without these increases, proposed improvements for Highway 12 will not happen, said Sztorch. Staff will also ask the supervisors to change the name of the redevelopment project from “Sonoma Valley” to “The Springs” to more accurately reflect the project boundaries.
Outgoing committee member Gay Kisbey proposed forming ad-hoc committees to work on specific projects such as commercial facade improvement. She suggested it would be a good way to get more members of the community involved in RAC business, and would be a way to get more projects brought before the group. Ellen Conley suggested a marketing and outreach committee to let businesses, developers and members of the public know about redevelopment opportunities.
For more information on The Springs Redevelopment Area, or to learn about running for a seat on the Redevelopment Advisory Committee (RAC), call Vicki Sacksteder at 707.565.7523, or visit www.sonoma-county.org/cdc/redevSonomaValley.htm
