Highlights from this week’s city council meeting

Posted: 7:57 am, June 19, 2014 by Publisher Scott Brennan

The Paso Robles City Council met this week and voted to take action on several items. Here is a review the council’s action from Paso Robles City Manager Jim App:

The council approved a 4-story 128 room Marriott Residence Inn on South Vine Street north of Highway 46 West.
The council approved replacement of $1,121,000 of Public Safety vehicles including police squad cars and a fire engine.
The council received the semi-annual Spring 2014 5-year Financial Forecast update – bottom line, the city’s finances are improving, primarily due to continued cost cutting, principally in the form of fewer staff. Annual operating surpluses are forecast, but not so great or reliable that significant or sustained service restoration can be implemented on a large scale. Most sobering, while pre-recession revenue levels will be regained in 2016, purchasing power equal to 2007 will not be achieved until 2020 at the earliest.
The council awarded a contract to rehabilitate Union Road between Kleck and Montebello Oaks. This is a significant road repair project that will not only provide a new driving surface, but safer hill top and curve sight distances allowing drivers to better view oncoming traffic. To accomplish these safety enhancements, the road must be cut and lowered by four feet, underground utilities relocated, and retaining walls installed. Consequently, the road will be closed for 12-18 months to complete the requisite work.
The council allowed the proposed Pine Street Promenade project to present a project application that includes use of some city property (bus parking area) at the Train Station. The project is located at the old Hayward Lumber property downtown. It includes a 100+-room full service destination hotel, market, spa, conference facility, restaurant and parking. It is also proposed to include a performing arts facility, approximately 500-seats – similar to the Clark Center in Arroyo Grande. In conjunction with the performing arts center, a 240-space parking structure is proposed – it is the parking structure that may use the city property and provide public parking in addition to arts center parking.
The council approved design of a new Nacimiento Water recovery well in the Thunderbird, Salinas River, well field. This well will provide additional drought protection by allowing added recapture of Nacimiento water deposited into the river – up to approximately 400,000 gallons per day.