While kids filled the West High pool in late June, a bigger swim center for now has been delayed. Glenn Moore/Tracy Press
At a recent council meeting, swim center advocates Marsha McCray, Sandi Taylor and Michel Bazinet asked the council to spend money it has set aside and design the swim park.
McCray slammed former mayoral candidate and community activist Celeste Garamendi of the Tracy Region Alliance for a Quality Community and her husband, Mark Connolly, who sued the city in January over its approval of the swim center.
McCray read a prepared statement that seemed aimed at pressuring the council to design the swim center now, even though it will likely be several years before it gets built.
“Everything is in slow-mo because of the lawsuit, unfortunately,” McCray said Tuesday. “It’s hard to move forward when you’re battling a lawsuit.”
The swim center is earmarked for about 16 acres of land in a proposed subdivision at the northwest corner of Linne and Corral Hollow roads.
Developer Les Serpa worked out a deal with the city that saw him last year win the rights to build 2,250 homes on the property starting in 2012 in exchange for $10 million and about 16 acres of land that Tracy will use to build the aquatics center.
But that’s less than what Serpa originally proposed, which was to give the city 20 acres of land and $20 million. A last-minute proviso also allows the city to build the swim center anywhere it wants, rather than requiring it be built within Serpa’s subdivision.
And that, in part, was the basis for the lawsuit, which said the city failed to study the environmental impacts of putting the swimming pool at a spot other than the subdivision. The lawsuit also argues that those changes are big enough to negate the city’s environmental impact report.
Connolly sees no way the lawsuit will be settled before next year. At the moment, the group and the city are haggling about what will be used as evidence to decide the case, which relies completely on public documents.
But even without the lawsuit, there’s a long way to go before Serpa will be required to hand the city a $10 million check.
Tracy needs ear bureaucratic obstacles first.
For one thing, the city must have a regional board OK changes it wants to make to its general plan. The Local Agency Formation Commission will vote on changes to Tracy’s blueprint for future growth, which shrinks the land that could be developed and sets a 10-year rather than 30-year horizon for growth.
Those general plan changes are being challenged, though, by the Center for Biological Diversity, which says the city fails to adequately plan to cut its greenhouse gas emissions.
Potentially, that could lead to a further delay to agency approval of the general plan, which the city hoped to have OK’d by fall. Andrew Malik, the head of the city’s engineering and planning departments, says the city hopes to have the agency’s blessing by the end of the year.
But the agency also has to OK a plan the city must present to show that it has enough water and sewage treatment capacity to serve all the homes that could be built under the revised general plan.
LAFCo also has to allow Serpa’s subdivision, which is slated for now-unincorporated land outside the city that would have to be annexed into Tracy’s city limits.
Once annexation happens, Serpa’s outfit, The Surland Cos., has two years before it must hand over the $10 million.
The lawsuit is a wild card in the timeline.
“Every year that goes by is a wasted opportunity,” McCray said. “It sure would be nice this time of the year to have our aquatics center.”
McCray said she’s heard from no officials to see if her prodding helped convince decision-makers.
At least one councilman said he’s not ready to spend money to design the center, though.
Councilman Steve Abercrombie said he first needs to know if the swim center will be built at Serpa’s subdivision before he votes to spend money to design it. And he wants to know how the city, which is in a financial hole, is going to run the center without a government subsidy.
“For me, anyway, there’s a lot of questions that have to be answered before we design anything,” Abercrombie said.
I'm curious, were you referring to the award winning Redbridge development, design, in Tracy, CA?
Perhaps you mean to write, 'when special interest's court cases were tossed out of court (TWICE)?'?
Or what about when part of Measure A was overturned? Did you ever read that article in the TP?
Or perhaps you were suggesting that the city of Tracy followed the money when they voted against what one commentor called a special interest's "land deal" in June/July '08, which the developer never brought their "plan" to the full council (only partial council?)? Did you ever read that article? And, if not, how did you draw your conclusions?
Curious?
Don't you think the greatest special interest's lawsuit's and expenses are aimed at the citizens and businesses and are not necessarily fiscal, city impact? But instead, wouldn't you think they are costs associated with delays caused by impacts of ammenities, business and a direct result of special interest's lawsuits? Isn't it true that these special interest's delays cause local businesses recurring fees and lost revenue? Not to mention costs associated with environmental issues pushed to the county because of special interests? Don't you think we are not paying for special interest's lawsuits in terms of tax dollars but still costs us more in delays, in the end? And lost ammenities?
It' not clear about following the law, since no law is really been broken like "hound dogs", you suggested. Just asking if you have done the math or are only upset at some city worker, here that's all?
Another story the TP could have wrote is regarding the "plan" for the "8000 home deal" that was brewing and voted at City Council in June/July 08. The special interest's developer never even bothered to take it before the full council. And, if I recall correctly, the TP editors never bothered to pick up the story? Why did they turn their eyes from the smell especially after making such a stink about other developers? Favoritism?
Maybe also make sure to charge TRAQC extra for to pay for a special election to overturn Measure A whch they pushed (like the tobacco companies?) and the associated costs for pushing development into the County and the environmental impact on Tracy and lost businesses?
Keenan Land picks its spots
by Michelle LoomisOct 25, 2006 | 7 views | 0 | 0 | |
Have your readers seen the slick new flier that is being sent to Tracy residents It catches your attention, especially with the guy holding his nose and complaining that something smells at City Hall. Is the smell coming from a collaboration of Keenan Land Co. and Tracy Region Alliance for a Quality Community
Did you read the Oct. 14 commentary in the Tracy Press about Keenan Land’s alternative plan to build a sports park Did you notice how the city is to buy property that Keenan Land controls and would pay for the facilities using taxpayer money Are you impressed
What a great deal for Keenan Land! Keenan Land pays for nothing. It would take up to 20 years to get the kind of money it says would come from a community improvement fund. The city and its taxpayers would still pay since the fund is at zero because no home building can take place until 2012. So, if there’s no building, there are no developer fees to pay into the community improvement fund. Then, in 2012, the building moratorium from Measure A is lifted and money builds slowly during the next 20 years.
When The Surland Cos. went to a City Council meeting and proposed the aquatics center, it wasn’t behind closed doors. Why should Keenan Land be allowed to jump on board in midstream
Keenan Land is not a local company and has no community accomplishments. How can we trust Keenan Land to care for the city’s best interest
Surland and Souza Realty
&
Development are from Tracy. Why would they want to build something that would not be a showpiece What they want to build will be a gem in the Central Valley. Keenan Land had every opportunity to bring an idea to the city. But it did not and waited until someone else did. Talk about something smelly!
Get the real facts. Check out the City Council meetings. See how TRAQC is manipulating Tracy.
Do you really want to wait another 25 years before the city has an aquatics park
• Michele Loomis, a mother of Tracy Triton swimmers, was involved in the initial discussion and site selection for a local aquatics park.
From what I saw, only 7 people viewed it and non commented on it, buried story?
At least one councilman said he’s not ready to spend money to design the center, though.
Councilman Steve Abercrombie said he first needs to know if the swim center will be built at Serpa’s subdivision before he votes to spend money to design it. And he wants to know how the city, which is in a financial hole, is going to run the center without a government subsidy.
Plans may be great, but timing calls for postponements?
Just don't turn this into an expensive lawsuit?
Keep the money, city council!! No more spending with the money you DO NOT HAVE.
For now use the pools you have in Tracy?
California is in deep deficit, no kidding about it, worse than Oregon!
""California Parks Could Be Seized By Feds
huffingtonpost.com — California officials said Wednesday they are trying to avert the federal government's threat to seize six parks that could be closed to help reduce the state's ballooning budget deficit. Parks that could be seized include Angel Island, Point Sur State Historic Park, Point Magu State Park, etc.""
Governor looked sickly on CNN in giving his declaration of emergency in CA.
;)
If you don't have anything to add, here, one could also ask, why didn't you just take a longer lunch?
That's nineteen, but who's counting?
Wink included, here for fun ;)
18 comments out of 31 are from Francis.
I think most of them say the same thing.
Why can't you say what you want, make your point, and leave it at that?
Does TRAQC not want a Swim Center in Tracy, CA?
Does TRAQC buy into the global warming scare?
If so why don't they take their beef to the state, or the feds, or the global level?
The Ellis homes won't be built till after 2014, so what exactly is TRAQC attempting to gain?
Is it political?
Here is the referenced article where the question about that was asked.
http://tracypress.com/bookmark/2807983
Hope it helps.
And, I think you're going in circles again. Was it, 'bob blinker', or was it "what?", or the blogger known as "why?"
??
They are supposed to follow the law - not break it!
Excuse my curiousity. Just trying to understand what you mean by the use of the words: "gain" and "bribe", here?
The people want an Aquatics Center in Tracy.
Are you suggesting that special interest group TRAQC doesn't want a swim center for their own political gain, here?
Thanks in advance, for clearing that up?