Rio Vista Council to discuss designated mixed-use areas within city
RIO VISTA — The City Council will be asked Thursday to support the submission of an application for downtown Rio Vista to be designated as a Priority Development Area.
The designation will allow Rio Vista to apply for transportation grants and hopefully enable the city to implement some long-range downtown waterfront revitalization plans in the Waterfront Specific Plan that currently have no tangible funding options.
A Priority Development Area is a designated mixed-use area that combines businesses with housing, pedestrian-friendly byways and transportation.
Rio Vista City Council
- 7 p.m. Thursday
- 374-6451
- http://www.rio-vista-ca.com.
The ability to apply wasn’t previously in Rio Vista’s purview because it didn’t meet some of the criteria, being more rural than urban. That put Rio Vista “behind the curve in some ways” as various cities — including Fairfield, Suisun City, Vacaville and Vallejo — already have Priority Development Areas, said Dave Melilli, director of Public Works and Community Development. He said that the designation will open the door to transportation grant money.
“We’ve been skipped over, so this is our chance to get in the mix,” he said.
Rio Vista’s proposed designated area contains 100 acres and lies between the waterfront, Highway 12, Hillside Terrace, Seventh and California streets, according staff reports. The area contains downtown, the transportation corridors and opportunities for housing, commercial and mixed-use development. It’s estimated that the area could provide an additional 400 dwelling units. The additional housing would create new demand for business and transportation use, according to reports.
The city previously received funds from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s Livable Communities Program, a predecessor to the current Priority Development Area program. It received $850,000 in federal transportation funds to construct the Main Street improvement program in 2000. In 2004, it was given a $50,000 federal Livable Communities Program planning grant for the Waterfront Specific Plan.
Also on the agenda, the City Council will discuss whether to form a citizens committee to involve the community in the recruitment and selection process of a new city manager. The contract of the current city manager, Hector De La Rosa, ends in April.
The regular open meeting begins at 7 p.m. at One Main St. in Rio Vista. For a copy of the agenda, go to http://www.rio-vista-ca.com.
Reach Susan Winlow at 427-6955 or swinlow@dailyrepublic.net.
Short URL: http://www.dailyrepublic.com/?p=127106
Posted by Susan Winlow
on Jan 17 2012.
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