September 22 IA Meeting: Will the City Council Sell the Village?

On September 22. 2009 at 8:30 AM at the Northwoods Resort, the Big Bear Lake Improvement Agency and the Planning Commission will be presented 9 more Low Income Housing Developments proposed by prospective development partners. In the Meeting Agenda dated 9/15/09, the Improvement Agency states it has determined where to get the best advise on where, Low Income Housing (LIH) is constructed in our city. That advise, and proposals will be heard from the developers who will ultimately profit from the federal and city funds, tax deferments and tax credits sold off to large financial institutions for construction funds.


http://www.citybigbearlake.com/documents/IAagenda092209.pdf


I have asked around, and to date, have yet to hear of any public involvement by any citizen from any of our many neighborhoods, business groups or organizations in determining where LIH might work in our city. Apparently we are asking developers where they would like to build. While we have a zoning map, it is clear the IA will implement re-zoning to meet a quota instead working to a plan that would make best use of our limited resources, and community infrastructure.

The pitfall of this latest city agenda is that there is no plan and any decisions we make approving these Low Income Housing Projects (LIHP's) will forever limit our ability to successfully craft a plan that meets even the basic guidelines and recommendations set forth in our General Plan of 1999.



As the IA has already committed it's entire 5.2 million set aside for Low Income Housing, (Knickerbocker Rd., The Crossings) the question is, where will the "funds available" advertised to the LIH development industry come from. The answer is that the IA will borrow against our future property taxes in order to make contributions equal to the Knickerbocker Development to quickly meet State mandates. All this before any City Master Development Plan can be formed with public involvement, to hell with the outcome. Big Bear Lake residents and businesses will be paying for these developments long after the City Council accountable for poor planning decisions and our top city administrators move on to greener pastures.


The threat to the Village is real with high density low income housing being proposed that would dominate the landscape and forever limit the growth of our Village Marketplace. The re-zoning and dumping hundreds of residential Low Income Housing units in the Village is poor planning on any level. The City's facilitating of these proposals is extremely risky and threatens the vitality of our retail economy. I truly regret that the city took this approach in an effort to meet current LIH quotas after 25 years of letting time pass without planning for this day.

Adding millions of dollars of debt to existing IA liabilities (that must be paid back by the year 2036) should be looked at very closely and perhaps by an independent firm, with new citizen-led oversight.

VBA Squares off Against City of Big Bear Lake over More Low Income Housing

In the September 2009 VBA Voice, President Charlie Brewster, in his Presidents Message, expresses his frustration with the lack of progress and the years of pleading with the City regarding improvements in Landscape and Lighting, Parking and Better Pedestrian Connections from the Village to the Lake. Earlier this summer, Village Merchants were awakened during their busiest season to learn a 42 unit government subsidized rental project was being approved that would create a hard boarder for future development of the Village on Knickerbocker at Pennsylvania, adjacent to the Elementary School, just as the large senior housing complex (owned by City Councilor Bill Jahn) has done on the South of the Village.

It seemed to me that at the Public Meetings regarding the hastily approved Knickerbocker Low Income Rental Complex, Residents, Merchants and the City Council (who unanimously approved the project despite pleas by Village Merchants to reconsider the location of the apartments as less than optimal for residents and the vitality of our Retail District) were assured by the Redevelopment Agency Director, that any more low income projects would be made widely know to all and certainly not be clustered in the Village area.


Apparently, the City does not consider the property on Badger and Bartlett (in the Village Specific Plan District) currently zoned Village Retail (the most restrictive zoning intentionally set aside for future retail expansion) to be worthy of mentioning to anybody, even as late as the first public workshop to update the current Village Specific Plan on August 31, 2009, that it is in the planning process for yet more subsidised housing.


As Verizon has already initiated splitting the parcel that they currently occupy, and have the property on Bartlett and on Badger in escrow pending approval of this new low income project, I assume promises have been made to the developer and Verizon as to the outcome of this latest stab by the City, to re-designate the vision and current use of Village property by the City's Redevelopment Agency and City Council.

In his message, Mr. Brewster urges all property owners and businesses to have their opinion heard by filling out his attached petition and making sure it is recognized by the City Council.

VBA Voice: http://tinyurl.com/nld932

Park City's Mayor Has a New Job

Can't help but be blinded by the contrast in the lifestyle differences for civic leadership in Park City and Big Bear Lake....

Jay Hamburger of the Park City Record: http://tinyurl.com/mc9hkn

ExploreBigBearLake in the Inland Empire Visitors Guide

Big Bear Lake Retail Merchants, Restaurants and Lodges have gotten together to get some exposure off the hill and promote Big Bear Lake as a destination worthy of consideration when it comes to Shopping, Dining or just some high quality Unwinding. The two page ad features the pristine beauty of our alpine landscape that provides an unequaled theme, year round Activities for the 39-55 demographic that seek a clean and healthy atmosphere, and wholesome Entertainment, Dining and Cultural Aspects that appeal to the Leisure Travel visitor. Many of our Fine Dining establishments are showcased on the www.explorebigbearlake.com web site as are over 100 other places in Big Bear Lake that will surely attract weekday as well as weekend visitors and staycationers.

Since inception in 2008, the Primary Goal for Big Bear Lake Retail Merchants, Restaurants and Lodges is the successful promotion of Big Bear Lake as a Leisure Travel Destination and to increase the number of visitors during weekdays and weekends in the shoulder seasons, providing a more consistent demand for our many Retail Oriented Businesses.

Directory and Maps USA from Redlands, CA are the publishers of the Inland Empire Visitors Guide, a full size, glossy magazine format printed piece about 100 pages. The publication is partially funded by the Inland Empire Tourism Council in partnership with the California Travel and Tourism Council.

150,000 Visitors Guides will be printed and distributed for the 12 months at SoCal California Welcome Centers, Chambers of Commerce, Tourism Trade Shows, and Mass Transit Hubs from San Diego to Bakersfield.

An online Visitors Guide will be available at www.visitinlandempire.com.

For information and to learn how you can join the move to improve, contact Tim Breunig at the United Wood Craftsmen Gallery in the Village.

Verizon motivated into action. What's up?

Public Notice From the Big Bear Grizzly 9/2/09:

CITY OF BIG BEAR LAKENOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING BEFORE THE CITY PLANNING COMMISSIONNOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT A PUBLIC HEARING HAS BEEN SCHEDULED BEFORE THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF BIG BEAR LAKE ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2009, AT 1:15 P.M., FOR CONSIDERATION OF THE FOLLOWING ITEM:Project: Minor Subdivision 2009-178 (Tentative Parcel Map No. 19227), an application by Verizon California, Inc., property owners, represented by Jordan Gecht of Blu Croix, Ltd. to subdivide a 29,124 square foot property into two parcels. Parcel A is proposed to contain 14,559 square feet in area and Parcel B is proposed to contain 11,641 square feet in area. The properties are currently developed with an office building and telecommunications facility and these structures are proposed to remain. The subject property is located at 560 Bartlett Road, identified as Assessor Parcel Number 0308-163-53, and is zoned Village Retail (VR) and Public-Quasi Public (PQP). This project has been determined to be exempt from environmental review pursuant to Section 15315, of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Case Planner: Ruth Lorentz. The public hearing will be held at the City of Big Bear Lake Hofert Hall, 39707 Big Bear Boulevard. Any person may appear and be heard in support or opposition to the proposal at the time of the hearing. Please address written responses to the Planning Division, Post Office Box 10000, Big Bear Lake, CA 92315-8900. Information on the above items is available for review at the Planning Division, 39707 Big Bear Blvd., Big Bear Lake, (909) 866-5831, fax: (909) 866-7511, e-mail: bblplan@citybigbearlake.com.If you challenge the above action in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues which you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice or any future public hearing on this item, or in written correspondence delivered to the Planning Commission at or prior to the public hearing.The City of Big Bear Lake wishes to make all of its public hearings accessible to the public. If you need special assistance to participate in this hearing, please contact the City Clerk’s office at (909) 866-5831. Notification 48 hours prior to the hearing will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this hearing.