Council Looks at Bike Lanes, The Row

The City Council meets Tuesday to discuss the installation of new bike lanes, fees for events at a downtown park and the expansion of corporate office space at Santana Row, amongst other items. Not on the agenda, according to city spokesman David Vossbrink, is a report expected to come out Tuesday morning from the office of State Auditor Elaine Howle, who took a closer look at Mayor Chuck Reed’s use of the number $650 million in regards to the city’s worst-case unfunded liability scenario.

State Assemblyman Jim Beall (D-San Jose), who is running against fellow Democrat Joe Coto for a state senate seat this November, called for the audit along with other Democratic legislators after NBC Bay Area’s report on the mayor’s repeated use of the $650 million figure while drumming up support for Measure B.

Here’s a rundown of items that are on the agenda:

The council will consider establishing new permit fees for events held at Parque de los Pobladores, which currently sits under construction on South First Street directly in front of San Jose Inside’s office. The park’s overhaul was a topic of considerable debate.

The council could approve bike lane installations on Hedding and Ocala streets. (Side note: If you want an example of objectivity in journalism jumping the shark, check out this Mercury News article in which an 83-year-old woman is the main person complaining about unnecessary bike lanes. We’ll leave it up to you if this is the Merc pandering to its print demographic.)

The council is almost certain to give final adoption of an ordinance to change land zoning for corporate office space at Santana Row.

Amend the city’s agreement with Turbo Data Systems Inc. to extend the contract as well as allow for an online appeals process to citations, such as parking tickets.

Approve six teenagers to the San Jose Youth Commission. Of the mayor and five councilmembers to recommend appointees, councilmembers Rose Herrera and Pete Constant provided the most thorough reasoning for their recommendations. Others simply listed the kids’ names in a single-sentence request. An apple to Herrera and Constant for doing their homework. Only time will tell if those other four candidates are trouble.

Consider making a uniform policy on how the city examines donations, sponsorships and fundraising done by city-sponsored foundations.

Updates on labor negotiations will be handled in closed session in the morning.

Click to see the City Council Agenda for August 21, 2012.

Josh Koehn is a former managing editor for San Jose Inside and Metro Silicon Valley.

2 Comments

  1. There are many young gang members who ride bicycles.  They now have the freedom shoot anyone because the SJPD has been stripped, thanks to council.  When these gang kids kill they need a safe way to get home. Having bike lanes is important.

  2. Corporate office space???  There’s tons of vacant office space downtown….fill that space up before you waste money on Santana Row.  Saratoga Sam assured Chnl 2 his get tough on downtown crime that will be taking place in the next two weeks (2 transit deputies/contracted out security that will work hand in hand with SJPD(when they are not pulled to work the 187s city wide)/maybe 2 off duty SJPD officers for the recently city passed minimum wage) That will make businesses feel super secure to move and thrive downtown.  Keep up the below average job Sam….You’re not as good as PLO!!!!

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