Dear Editor,
During the last 20 years in Gilroy there have been several
attempts to jump start downtown with a government sponsored
consultant.
Dear Editor,
During the last 20 years in Gilroy there have been several attempts to jump start downtown with a government sponsored consultant. A new consultant is currently trying to reinvent the wheel. Today, for all to see, we have an example of why private enterprise works where government sponsored consultants have failed.
The Downtown Specific Plan Task Force recommended that the city waive development fees for a period of one year. A dedicated Mayor and visionary council agreed. As a direct result there are more than a dozen properties considering major improvements that will significantly bring the downtown out of its decades long funk. This one action will have a snowball effect. The dozen properties, when built, will add value to all properties nearby. Yes all boats rise on a rising tide.
The new private projects, the new cultural center, the cannery project and the $2.5 million streetscape will further enhance the downtown. Wait, there is more. The city council brilliantly created 100 residential allocations specifically for the downtown. The public sector has empowered the private sector in a way that no con-sultant ever could. These residential allocations allow the downtown property owners to build projects that can pay for themselves and bring people, therefore life, to downtown
Can you believe there is more? Well there is. The mayor and council has or is about to allocate $100K for the engineering work for the identified unreinforced masonry buildings. This coupled with increased property values should encourage another wave of improvements. Those owners of such properties that do not make the necessary improvements, or tear down the dangerous building run the risk of the government enforcing the law regarding unreinforced building. This is the third wave of the transformation.
Admittedly this will take place over the next five years but that sure is better than what has (not) happened over the last 20. Congratulations to the Specific Plan Task Force, Mayor Pinheiro and the entire city council. The only icing on the cake would be if the city was able to cancel this new study and use those funds ($80K) to offset the engineering for the unreinforced buildings.
Jeff Martin, Gilroy
