Zelinka's Community Dialogues



Al Zelinka, Director
Community Development



Last night I attended one of Community Development Director Al Zelinka's "Community Dialogues" meetings.  About 30 residents and business owners attended the even at Grace Ministries Church on Brookhurst to hear Zelinka and voice their concerns.

Zelinka began with a state of the city from a planning perspective.  He noted that planning and community development had been out-dated and out of sync for perhaps several decades.

A shift from business as usual to long-term investment in the City's infrastructure was outlined.

The residents and business owners expressed their strong displeasure with the City's streets and the aesthetics along the main roads, Euclid, Orangethorpe, Brookhurst, and Magnolia to name a few.

Among the topics of discussion were the "abandoned" businesses like the old Dodge dealer on Orangethorpe.  Neighbors want the site maintained and free from vandalism.  Joining Zelinka was Building and Code Enforcement Manager Kirke Warren.  Warren said the City has been working for months to uncover who was responsible for the property and have come up empty-handed each time. 

Many questions about code enforcement were raised.  From graffiti to shopping carts, it seems residents are tire of the mess.  Although homelessness was brought up as was the task force on the issue, the discussion didn't progress beyond acknowledgment of the problem. 

Also discussed was a Planned Parenthood clinic on the west side, though details were sketchy.

My hat goes off to "Adam" who walked door-to-door in his neighborhood to tell residents about this meeting.  He was unanimously elected to represent the residents of those west side neighborhoods.  Zelinka gave him a credit for helping bring attention to these often overlooked areas and the quality of life issues they face to the attention of city staff.

Zelinka, a 3-year veteran of the City, is the first non-elected department head to step out into the community to ask how he can serve the people better.  After nearly 2 hours, Zelinka wrapped up with explaining that there is a shift afoot within City Hall to use Fullerton Redevelopment funds for the City's infrastructure.

The residents all commented that they want to know more about what goes on at City Hall.  They all expressed an interest in being involved.  As I said last night, the easiest way to know what's happening is to subscribe to the City's eLists. The site will take you through the process of setting up the customized service that will email you about upcoming public meetings and events.  And you have already paid for it with taxes!

You can also subscribe to this blog by entering your email address in the box on the right side of this website.

The next "Community Dialogues" meeting is scheduled for November 22 at the Fullerton Chamber of Commerce at 8AM. 

My thanks and appreciation goes to Al Zelinka for his willingness and effort to reach out into Fullerton and seek input.  I am impressed by his desire to empower residents with improving their neighborhoods.  Community input is a big step in the right direction. 

The City Official Who "Gets It" - Al Zelinka

"Al Zelinka, is the community development director for the City of Fullerton, California. Prior to joining the City of Fullerton, Zelinka was vice president of RBF Consulting and served as principal of RBF Consulting's urban design studio. For the past 20 years, Zelinka has played an active part in more than 150 projects (20 of which have received awards) and has practiced planning and delivered presentations or training in more than 28 states (plus the District of Columbia). He is the coauthor of two APA publications, SafeScape and Placemaking on a Budget. Zelinka received a master of regional planning from Cornell University."

The Cornell grad is a shift from the usual bureaucratic appointments by an otherwise largely failed City Council.   

Last night was the first time I felt that someone at City Hall "gets it".  Not that there aren't a few very talented folks down there but anyone who has had to develop a piece of property in Fullerton knows the frustration and expense associated with the process.

Speaking to the residents and selection committee at last night's DCCSP public meeting Zelinka said something that hit straight to the core of Fullerton's problem with private investment and development.  With about 30, maybe 40, people in the room, Zelinka said "We need to get government out of the way!" 

Holy Hot Tamale!  That was my message during the 2010 City Council election! 

Zelinka is the first to realize and, more importantly, vocalize that City Hall with its commissions and council is actually hindering growth, development, and investment.  For years, perhaps decades, Fullerton has been a difficult place for developers to work.  Between the NIMBYs (not-in-my-backyard), a disjointed development code, and a void of leadership few have been willing to invest here.

Zelinka went on to explain that the specific plan which is to be created by the public through various workshops will create a framework for expediting development.

The way it has been explained to me is like approving which Lego's you will allow to be used upfront and then, anyone using those Lego's gets a quick approval.  I realize that is overly simplified but the concept is the same.

Some of the public comments included a strong desire for NEW architecture.  I truly hope those with that or similar opinions and concerns stay engaged in this discussion so that we don't end up looking like Irvine with the same beige stucco facades that seem to be creeping into downtowns across the U.S.

I was not a fan of this project from the start, mostly over concerns of the costs to taxpayers for condemnation and the potential for suppressing property rights. 

Although I still have those concerns, what is good for the goose is good for the gander.  That is, if Chevron can request and have their property rezoned then why not the downtown...even if the downtown zone change is initiated by the City of Fullerton.

A major component of the plan is to address the roads and properties fronting certain arteries (corridors) leading into the Downtown "core".  This is where I see our tax dollars being invested first and foremost.  It is also where the largest segment of Fullerton's residents will be adversely affected if it isn't done right.  It will require YOUR input to make it a good plan that is uniquely Fullerton.

With Al Zelinka's clear vision of getting government out of the way, I am optimistic that he and other City regulators will know when (and how) to step aside and allow growth to take place without heavy handed tactics or the use (and abuse) of public funds.

Fullerton just might survive...

TWO IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Two important announcements:

First, the Water Rate Study will be held at the City Yard (1580 W. Commonwealth Ave.) at 6:30PM tonight and at City Hall tomorrow morning (4/13/2011) at 7:30AM at City Hall.
Please attend the meeting, hear what City Hall has to say and be ready to offer up solutions that do not include doubling our water bill.

You can find the City’s budget at: http://www.cityoffullerton.com/depts/admin_serv/budget/budget.asp

You can find the DRAFT Water Rate Study Report at: http://www.cityoffullerton.com/civica/filebank/blobdload.asp?BlobID=7063

Second, the Planning Department needs your help. I will share my personal feelings about this at a later date but until then, please help. If you don’t pitch in and speak up, imagine who will…

Here is the text of the message from City Hall to YOU:

Community Partners:
The City of Fullerton is inviting residents, property owners, business owners and community groups to help select a consultant for the Downtown Core and Corridors Specific Plan and Program Environmental Impact Report. The goal of the Downtown Core and Corridors project is to develop a vision and plan to guide the future development of the City’s downtown and its major entry corridors, or streets. By creating detailed standards that are aligned with the community-based vision, the design and review process for future projects will be improved as there will be more clarity and direction for the parties involved.

Selecting the right consultant for this project is extremely important, and the City has intentionally created a process where members of the community will be involved in the decision.

In January 2011, the City of Fullerton released a Request for Qualifications for the Downtown Core and Corridors Specific Plan and Program Environmental Impact Report. Twenty consultant teams responded and submitted Statements of Qualifications. On March 30, 2011, an Evaluation Committee (consisting of 10 members of the public appointed by the City Council and 7 City staff members) identified the top three consultant teams. These three consultant teams have been invited for interviews before the Evaluation Committee and the Fullerton community.

At the community interviews, members of the Fullerton community will have the opportunity to hear presentations from the three teams. They can also interact with the consultant teams and ask them questions. Community members will also have the opportunity to fill out evaluation score cards for each team. The score cards will be used by the Evaluation Committee to select the best consultant team for the project.

Details related to the Community Interviews are provided below:

Monday, April 25, 2011

4:00pm – 8:00pm

City of Fullerton Maintenance Services Building

1580 W. Commonwealth Avenue

Please participate in this important process and invite your friends, family, neighbors and co-workers do the same by forwarding this email to them. Together we can insure that the downtown and its entry corridors get the best consultant team for this important project.

For more information, please contact:

Heather Allen, Planning Manager: heathera@ci.fullerton.ca.us or 714.738.6884

Jason Jones, Project Manager: Jason@JonesPlanningandDesign.com or 408-310-7881

Al Zelinka, Community Development Director: alz@ci.fullerton.ca.us or 714.738.3347.

Fullerton's Future

As Costa Mesa begins the largest layoff in Costa Mesa history, I can’t help but wonder what may be in store for Fullerton’s 700-plus employees.  For that matter, public employees throughout Orange County should be very nervous. 

Our country and certainly our OC cities are struggling to maintain basic services while Wisconsin public employees battle their governor and legislature to protect their ability to collectively bargain and negotiate salaries.  Costa Mesa employees discovered the price for their great salaries and benefits the hard way. 

Although Fullerton employees are not as likely to see half of their co-workers get pink slips, they should nonetheless step up to the table and make concessions from within, if for no other reason than to save their own job from getting cut.  There are some large expense coming and something somewhere will have to be cut.

The water rate study with its built in franchise tax has me pondering the future of Fullerton.  Specifically, I can’t help but repeat the same question to myself, searching for the answer.  What else, besides our water system, has city management neglected to plan for?

We carefully prepare all sorts of planning documents with the craftiest of legalese to head off and divert certain disasters such as having a tattoo parlor too close to a school or live outdoor entertainment.   These plans serve to protect our city from unscrupulous developers and businessmen who would otherwise wreak havoc on our [perfect little town while corrupting the morals of our youth.

Unfortunately, as the quote goes, even “the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.”   

So, back to that haunting question, what has management missed that needs to be accounted for and planned for, like the water system?

Roads.  Those are important and they are terrible, at least in most of Fullerton.  The potholes wreck my suspension and tires.  The broken asphalt soon turns to loose gravel and we’ve all seen those loose gravel signs.

The sidewalks and curbs are pretty bad, too.  There is a very real and hidden danger with broken and uplifted curbs when they create ponds that act as mosquito nurseries.  Mosquitoes transmit West Nile virus and dozens of other dangerous pathogens. 

Our street lights are in bad shape.  There are about 6 or 8 street lights that I drive past early every morning on my very short commute.  Several have been out for as long as I can remember noticing the absence of light.  And you may recall the story in the Orange County Register that featured several downed street lights still lying where they had fallen.  In one case, the light remained for a month and a half!  

Electricity, gas, phone…all are provided for by private companies, not the City of Fullerton.

There is our sanitary sewer, yet to be mentioned.  The irony is paralyzing.  There is nothing sanitary about any sewer!  In Fullerton, we pay to maintain the sewer through our water bill.  The powers of City Hall have determined that the water that flows through your meter will eventually trickle into the sewer.  That’s a good theory if we all had landscape water meters and used reclaimed water which few homeowners have.  My point being that the sewer fee attached to our water bill should be enough to maintain the sewers forever.  But will it really cover the true costs?  Doubtful.

What about our public buildings?  Do we have a plan to repair and eventually replace all of our public buildings?  The taxpayers are in the process of building a shiny new $28 million community center in Amerige Heights.  Do we have funds set aside to maintain and eventually replace it? 

The City of Fullerton owns several parking lots.  Have we set aside the appropriate funding to repair and replace the pavement?

As a licensed professional land surveyor, I am always in search of survey monuments.  Some mark property lines and others are reference markers to help piece land boundaries together with the infrastructure like puzzle pieces.  When cities ramp up their maintenance operations, the survey monuments get destroyed.  Despite the fact that destroying a survey monument is at the very least a misdemeanor (CPC605), they are still destroyed by well intentioned engineers and contractors.  Replacing just one monument can cost thousands of dollars if it is not accounted for before construction.  And who pays the bill to replace them?  According to California’s Business and Professions Code (§8771), the contractor and the government agency who hired the contractor are both responsible.  Eventually, all of California’s cities will have to take stock of their monuments and pay to replace them; it’s just a matter of time.  Anaheim and New Port Beach have done a great job which will help keep costs low for many years. 

Whether we are talking survey monuments, water systems, or streets, Fullerton is behind the curve and the cost will be substantial.

All too often, we feel good about a project and move forward without thinking about tomorrow.