Topics lead informal Friday talks at corporation yard
Gilroy – Noisy neighbors, a 1.5-million-square-foot Mega-mall, and new incentives aimed at beautifying downtown buildings are among the topics city leaders will hash out during informal policy talks this week.
The Friday policy summit at the city’s corporation yard is one of three such meetings held each year. Only a handful of residents typically attend the all-day event, though council urges citizen participation. The meetings offer a glimpse into the origins and shape of policies before they are enacted.
On Friday, council expects to put the final touches on a controversial policy to limit the amount of noise from homes. Officials plan to gauge the decibel levels produced by an air conditioning unit and air hammer, among other things, to help pinpoint an appropriate threshold for noises from pools, spas and air conditioners. If approved, violators could face citations and fines.
Officials expect a few details on the status of a proposal by Westfield Corporation to build a 1.5-million-square-foot mall on farmland just east of the Gilroy Premium Outlets. The project will likely take years to pass through the regulatory process and will likely face its toughest challenge at the hands of regional land-use officials, who have frowned on the city’s efforts to pave over farmland.
Efforts to generate new business are not only focused on the city’s outskirts. Officials will also discuss a new program intended to further polish the city’s rejuvenating downtown. The city recently unveiled a newly paved Monterey Street and plans to complete sprawling new sidewalks in coming weeks. Now, they hope to entice building owners to repair facades by offering grants or low-interest loans.
“It fits right in with what we’re trying to do downtown,” Mayor Al Pinheiro said. “Some buildings only need a little facelift, a new paint scheme or uplift on some awnings. … Right now is the perfect time to consider a program like this as we upgrade the downtown.”
Officials also plan to discuss a reduction of fees on solar energy installations in homes and businesses, and a policy to prevent oversized homes on small pieces of land.
“There’s actually a lot of stuff on here of equal import,” City Administrator Jay Baksa said. “This is where a lot of the ideas come up, the general conversation that (shapes) our agenda for the next year. You can hear, outside of a formal process, what council is thinking.”
