City Council Study Session

>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO CITY OF MARTINEZ CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION. IT IS WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 21st, AND IT IS 5:35 P.M. CITY CLERK, TONIGHT WILL BE DD FAMILY, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR FILLING IN FOR CAT GALILEO. FALSE FIRST UP IS ROLL CALL, PLEASE. >> COUNCILMEMBER JAYE HOWARD. >> COUNCILMEMBER MARK ROSS. >> COUNCILMEMBER MALHI >> VICE MAYOR McKILLOP IS EXCUSED AND MAYOR ZORN. >> PRESENT. ALL RIGHT. WE HAVE TWO ITEMS ON THE AGENDA THIS EVENING. WE WILL BE HAVING PUBLIC COMMENT ON THESE TWO AGENDA MEETINGS ITEMS ONLY THAT YOU WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY AT THE END. FIRST UP IS THE PROPOSED 2020 FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WORK PLAN. JILL, WILL YOU BE PRESENTING ON THIS ITEM? >> GOOD EVENING, MAYOR AND COUNCIL MEMBERS. I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE CONSIDERABLE STRIDES MARTINEZ HAS TAKEN IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS PARTICULARLY IN GUIDING DOCUMENTS WHICH GUIDE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE COMMUNITY FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. FURTHERMORE, IT IS ESSENTIAL TO NOTE THAT OVER THE PAST YEAR, WE HAVE EXPERIENCED A DYNAMIC SHIFT IN LEADERSHIP WITHIN THE CITY, AND OUR COUNSEL HAS THOUGHTFULLY IDENTIFIED LEADERSHIP IS A PRIORITIZED GOAL. THIS TIMING PRESENTS A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS A SUBJECT THAT MAY HAVE BEEN SENSITIVE AND CHALLENGING FOR MARTINEZ, WHICH IS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. DESPITE PAST HURDLES, WE BELIEVE WE ARE WELL POSITIONED TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT STRIDES AND ANTICIPATE A STRONG YEAR AHEAD. I'LL, DO I HAVE A CLICKER? THANK YOU. SO, WE ARE HERE TO GIVE YOU A SNEAK PEEK ABOUT WHAT WE WILL BE DISCUSSING THIS EVENING AND PROVIDE AN OVERVIEW OF THE BUILDING BLOCKS FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, WHICH MANY OF YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH, BUT WE FEEL IT IS IMPORTANT TO TOUCH UPON THEM TONIGHT FOR CONTEXT FOR THOSE WHO MAY BE LESS FAMILIAR, OR OBSERVING FROM THE OUTSIDE. WE ARE GOING TO DISCUSS HOW THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY VIEWS MARTINEZ CHECKS STRENGTHS AND CHALLENGES AND THEN DIG INTO THE OVERALL ACTION PLAN THAT WILL BEGIN THIS YEAR. AFTER MY PRESENTATION, WE WILL BE TURNING OVER THE MIKE TO TRY COMMERCIAL, WE HAVE CONTRACTED WITH TO HELP US DEVELOP A MAP FOR RETAIL ACTION FOR THE COMMUNITY. I WANT TO TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN A NOTABLE CHALLENGE FOR MARTINEZ. WE HAVE CONDUCTED SEVERAL STUDIES IN THE PAST AND WHILE SOME INITIATIVES WERE IMPLEMENTED, THEY HAVE NOT GAINED TRACTION IN ATTRACTING THE TYPES OF BUSINESSES WE ALL TRULY DESIRE. WE ARE ALL AWARE OF MARTINEZ'S IMMENSE POTENTIAL AND WE SHARE ASPIRATIONS AND DREAMS AND THE ASPIRATIONS AND DREAMS WE SHARE FOR OUR COMMUNITY -- TONIGHT, I WILL SHARE THAT WE ARE PREPARED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH AN AGGRESSIVE PLAN. IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TAKES TIME TO LAY THE FOUNDATION AND FRAMEWORK, SO WE ASK THE COUNCIL FOR CONTINUED SUPPORT AND PATIENCE TO BEGIN THIS JOURNEY. WE WILL BE UPDATING YOU AS WE GO, BEGINNING WITH THIS PRESENTATION TONIGHT. I CHOSE THIS GRAPHIC TO ILLUSTRATE ECONOMIC SUCCESS FOR UP IN THE COMMUNITY IS NOT SOLELY RELIANT ON ONE ENTITY. IT'S LIKE A PUZZLE FOR MULTIPLE PIECES NEED TO COME TOGETHER FOR SUCCESS, AND IT IS ALL ABOUT TIMING AND IT TAKES A LOT OF PIECES TO MAKE UP A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT WHERE BUSINESSES CAN THRIVE IN NEW BUSINESSES WILL WANT TO JOIN. THIS INCLUDES EVERYTHING FROM LENDERS, INVESTORS, SKILL BROKERS, DEVELOPERS, INFRASTRUCTURE, THE RIGHT TENANTS, WORKFORCE, RESPONSIBLE PROPERTY OWNERS AND REALLY SOUND GOVERNMENT. ONE OF THE WAYS IN WHICH THE CITY'S ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUNCTIONS , IS THAT WE DON'T DO EVERYTHING OURSELVES. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE ARE STILL IN A PRIVATE BASED ECONOMY, BUT WHAT WE CAN DO IS REALLY SUPPORT AND HELP CONNECT BUSINESSES TO THEIR NEEDS, HELP PERMIT STREAMLINING, WORK AS A FACILITATOR WITHOUT BROKERS, LINK PEOPLE TO THE SERVICES AND RESOURCES THAT WE NEED SO WHEN THE PUZZLE PIECES DON'T ALIGN IT WILL SIGNIFICANTLY IMPEDE HER ECONOMIC GROWTH SO IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT OUR ECOSYSTEM IS SOMETHING WE LOOK AT WHENEVER WE PROCEED FORWARD WITH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES. SO, THIS IS THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMPONENT. THERE ARE MANY COMPONENTS THAT MAKE UP ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AND WE WANTED TO PROVIDE YOU WITH A SNAPSHOT TO GIVE YOU IDEAS OF WHAT IS INVOLVED WITH THESE PROGRAMS AND THEY VARY AT DIFFERENT TIMES, IN WHICH WE WILL BE IMPLEMENTING IN PLANNING THIS TYPES OF PROGRAMS, SO THIS IS REALLY JUST A QUICK SNAPSHOT FOR THE COUNCIL. WE ALL KNOW MARTINEZ IS A SPECIAL COMMUNITY AND WE WOULD ALL AGREE ON THAT, BUT HOW DOES THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY VIEW MARTINEZ AND I DON'T NECESSARILY MEAN THE ONE THAT IS HERE. IT'S THE ONES LOOKING THROUGH THE LENS FROM THE OUTSIDE THAT WANT TO INVEST IN MARTINEZ. WHAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT ASSETS THE COMMUNITY HAS TO OFFER SO THEY WILL WANT TO CHOOSE MARTINEZ. WE'VE LISTED HERE THE ASSETS. WE HAVE A LOT OF THEM. FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE WE HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF ASSETS. WE HAVE A WONDERFUL, HISTORIC DOWNTOWN WITH VIBRANT FOOD AND RETAIL SCENE. WE HAVE A LOT OF REGIONAL EVENTS AND LOCAL ARTS AND MUSIC THAT IS A BIG ATTRACTOR. WE HAVE A SPECTACULAR WATERFRONT AND IT'S ONLY GOING TO GET BETTER WITH THE NEW LAND-USE PLAN WE HAVE IN PLACE. WE ARE ALSO REALLY WELL POSITIONED WHEN IT COMES TO OUR TRANSIT CORRIDOR AND THE TYPES OF TRANSIT WE HAVE, SPECIFICALLY WITH AMTRAK AND THE RAIL SYSTEM THAT REALLY CONNECTS US THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA AS WELL AS THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. WE ARE VERY CLOSE TO FREEWAYS AND ALSO OF AN EXECUTIVE AIRPORT. WE HAVE AN EXISTING INDUSTRIAL BASE AND EMERGING TECH BASE. THERE ARE SEVEN LOCAL UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES WITHIN A 15 MILE RADIUS. THAT IS IMPORTANT WHEN IT COMES TO THE EDUCATIONAL UPBRINGING IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE HAVE A LOT OF FAMILY-FRIENDLY RECREATION. WE HAVE THE COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE HEADQUARTERS AND MAJOR EMPLOYERS. WE HAVE A VAST AMOUNT OF RECREATIONAL OPEN SPACE AND A LOT OF HISTORY, SO WE HAVE A GREAT DEAL OF ASSETS IN OUR COMMUNITY. BUT THEN, WE ALSO HAVE CHALLENGES. IMPORTANT TO BE HONEST ABOUT THIS, OUR LIMITATIONS, SO WE CAN ACTUALLY LEVERAGE THE RESOURCES WE HAVE CONTROL OVER TO HELP MINIMIZE THEM. THIS INCLUDES THINGS SUCH AS POLICY CHANGE, ZONING ORDINANCE UPDATES, MARKETING, OR CHANGING OUR APPROACH TO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SHOULD BE VIEWED AS A FLUID TYPE OF PROGRAM THAT CHANGES WITH THE WAY THE MARKET AND ECONOMY CHANGES. WHAT WE DID POST-PANDEMIC IS NOT THE SAME PRACTICE IN WHICH WE PROCEED FORWARD NOW. WHEN YOU LOOK AT SOME OF OUR CHALLENGES, WE HAVE A LOT OF LIMITATIONS IN TERMS OF ACCESS AND GEOGRAPHY. WE ARE IN A UNIQUE GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION. WE ARE BORDERED BY THE NORTH WITH WATER, OPEN SPACE TO THE WEST, REFINERIES TO THE EAST. THIS GEOGRAPHICAL LAYOUT CONTRIBUTES TO THE SENSE OF ISOLATION FOR THE NORTH PART OF MARTINEZ, NORTH OF FOUR, PARTICULARLY IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA AND WHERE IT IS SITUATED INLAND. WE ARE LOCATED IN A HIGHLY COMPETITIVE REGION. IF YOU ZOOM OUT A LITTLE BIT, YOU WILL FIND LARGER CITIES THAT HAVE ATTRACTED NATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL TENANTS IN THE BUSINESSES WE ARE TRYING TO ATTRACTOR THE SAME AS OUR NEIGHBORING CITIES. THAT GIVES YOU A PERSPECTIVE OF HOW WE HAVE TO BE UNIQUE AND CREATIVE IN THAT. WE HAVE LIMITED POPULATION GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH OR SOMETHING WE COULD IMPROVE UPON. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE UNFAMILIAR WITH MARTINEZ. THEY KNOW A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE IT IS THAT BUT DON'T REALLY KNOW THE ASSETS AND WONDERFUL THINGS THAT ARE HERE AND WE HAVE A DEFICIENCY IN LARGE PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYERS, AS WELL AS AGING PUBLIC AND PRIVATE INFRASTRUCTURE. WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR ECONOMIC INITIATIVES, AND WITH THIS BACKGROUND, THE QUESTION IS, WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? WE HAVE ASSEMBLED INITIATIVES WE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH THE COUNCIL TONIGHT TO RECEIVE FEEDBACK ON WHAT WE MIGHT HAVE MISSED, WHAT WE NEED TO FOCUS MORE ON WHAT YOU MIGHT THINK WE NEED TO FOCUS LESS ON AS WE START TO LAUNCH THESE INITIATIVES. THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES FALL INTO THREE MAJOR CATEGORIES. BUSINESS ATTRACTION AND MARKETING, SUPPORT BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURS CITYWIDE, STRATEGIC PLANNING, ANALYSIS AND LONG-TERM PLACE MAKING FOR OUR COMMUNITY. WITH ALL THREE OF THESE INITIATIVES, WE ARE TRYING TO DO A LOT WITH UNLIMITED, DEDICATED STAFF. WE WILL BE LEVERAGING RESOURCES, PLUS AS YOU HEARD LAST WEEK FROM OUR PLANNING TEAM, THEY WILL BE TAKING THE LEAD WITH A LOT OF REGULATORY INITIATIVES AND OTHER STAFF, INCLUDING MYSELF AND VALUED CONSULTANTS WILL SUPPORT ON OTHER INITIATIVES MOVING FORWARD. IN THE FIRST CATEGORY, BUSINESS ATTRACTION AND MARKETING. WE TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS EARLIER BUT REALLY, IT IS A LOT ABOUT HOW TO ATTRACT -- WHAT ARE THE DYNAMICS IN WHICH YOU ARE ATTRACTING THEM? WHAT IS THE ENGAGEMENT AND WHAT CAN YOU BE DOING TO BE ABLE TO FULLY DIVE INTO THIS TYPE OF THE ATTRACTION AND MARKETING COMPONENT. WE NEED TO BE ENGAGING WITH LOCAL DEVELOPERS, BROKERS, PROPERTY OWNERS, FINDING OUT WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE, WHAT RESTRICTIONS OR LIMITATIONS THEY HAVE, HOW CAN WE HELP AND SUPPORT WHEN IT COMES TO PERMIT STREAMLINING. LEARNING EVERYTHING FROM THEM. THOSE ARE THE TOOLS THAT ARE GOING TO HELP US AS WE WORK TOGETHER. TARGET MARKETING AT INDUSTRY EVENTS. NEXT MONTH I WILL BE ATTENDING THE ICS SEE EVENT TO MEET WITH DIFFERENT RETAILERS TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS OF WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR, WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO LOCATE, WHAT KIND OF SPACE DO YOU NEED SO WE CAN SEE IF THERE ARE THINGS THAT WOULD MATCH. ALSO, WOULD THEY BE INTERESTED IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE ARE ALSO GOING TO LOOKED FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO THE CITIES ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WEBSITE, SOCIAL MEDIA AND ALL OF OUR PRESENCE TO SUITCASE ASSETS. WE WILL BE DEVELOPING A SERIES OF BROCHURES AND MARKETING COLLATERAL. ONE IS BEFORE YOU TONIGHT BUT WE ARE ALSO GOING TO BE FOCUSING ON WAYS --SIMPLE TOOLS FOR BUSINESS AND HOW TO START A BUSINESS IN THE COMMUNITY, HOW TO GET THROUGH PERMIT STREAMLINING AND SO FORTH. SHORT AND LONG-TERM MEDIA STRATEGIES, WE WILL BE IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE STREAMLINING PERMITS AND OTHER GOVERNMENTAL PROCESSES AND THIS IS GOING TO BE AN ONGOING THING. WE'VE MADE EFFORTS AND STRIDES IN THIS AREA IN TERMS OF GETTING OUR BACKLOG UP TO SPEED AS WELL AS DOING AN INFORMAL CONCIERGE PROCESS TO MEET WITH PROPERTY OWNERS AND BUSINESSES TO SEE HOW WE CAN HELP THEM NAVIGATE THE PROCESS. WE WANT TO TAKE TIME TO EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR TOURISM AND HOTEL DEVELOPMENT. WE'VE MET WITH HOTEL DEVELOPERS, AND RIGHT NOW IS NOT THE BEST TIME. COVID HIT THE HOTEL INDUSTRY HARD, SO COMING OUT OF COVID THERE'S NOT A LOT OF ACTIVITY ON THE HOTEL FRONT, BUT WHAT WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED IS THAT IT WILL BE CHANGING IN THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS. RIGHT NOW, STRENGTHS ARE HIGH AND VARIABLES ARE IN PLAY, BUT GOING OUT OF POST-PANDEMIC, THEY WILL BE LOOKING FOR EXPANSION. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE SETTING OURSELVES UP FOR THOSE ASSETS AND BEING ABLE TO BE PART OF THAT CONVERSATION CONTINUALLY. OUR REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS. IT'S IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS, SPECIFICALLY WITH OUR MOST PROMINENT PARTNER, WHICH IS THE COUNTY HERE IN TERMS OF BUILDING THAT RELATIONSHIP. IF YOU ARE AWARE, THE COUNTY HAS A MASTER PLAN IN TERMS OF THEIR FACILITIES AND WHAT THEY WANT TO DO WHEN IT COMES TO CONSOLIDATION. WE WANT TO BE PART OF THAT CONVERSATION BECAUSE A LOT OF THEIR ASSETS ARE WITHIN THIS COMMUNITY SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHATEVER IS HAPPENING WITH THOSE ASSETS, THAT WE ARE TRYING TO WORK WITH THEM TO BUILD OPPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE HOUSING OR OTHER TYPES OF COMMERCIAL SPACE FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND INDUSTRIAL SPACE. IT IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE HERE. MARTINEZ HAS A SPECIAL COMMUNITY OF HIS NIECES AND ENTREPRENEURS AND WE WANT TO CREATE THE BEST KIND OF ENVIRONMENT FOR THEM TO SURVIVE. A LOT OF THE THINGS WE WILL BE DOING IS TAKING A LOT OF TIME TO VISIT OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES, TO BUILD RELATIONSHIPS, GATHER DATA, IDENTIFY POTENTIAL ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES. WE WILL BE DOING THIS WITH OUR PARTNERS IN DOWNTOWN MARTINEZ. WE HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THIS TO UNDERSTAND WHAT ARE THE NEEDS. WE WILL BE LOOKING TO LINK LOCAL BUSINESSES AND STARTUPS TO FINANCIAL RESOURCES AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. THERE IS A LOT OF FREE ASSISTANCE OUT THERE AND A LOT OF GOOD TOOLS THROUGH SBA AND VENTURE CAPITAL THROUGH FUNDING THAT WE WILL HAVE AN ABILITY TO TRY AND MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS AND HELP THEM. WE WILL BE INCREASING OUR MARKETING OF EVENTS AND SUPPORTING LOCAL SHOPPING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. AND THEN WE ALSO HAVE OWNERSHIP DISCUSSION BACK IN DECEMBER, AS YOU KNOW, WITH THE CHAMBER. WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE FUNDING TO SUPPORT A LOT OF INITIATIVES THEY ARE READY TO CHAMPION, AND THESE ARE GREAT PARTNERSHIPS BECAUSE IT ALLOWS US TO AGAIN LEVERAGE OUR RESOURCES BECAUSE AGAIN, THE CITY CANNOT DO IT ALSO WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH PARTNERS, SO WE ARE ALREADY STARTING THE PLANNING PROCESS, AND THE CITY IS THERE FOR BOTH THE CHAMBER IN DOWNTOWN MARTINEZ AND COMPANY AS WE GO THROUGH TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN HELP AND MAKE EVERYTHING THEY WANT TO DO A SUCCESS, AS WELL. THIS INCLUDES SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER. THAT IS WHEN THE CHAMBER WILL BE PARTNERING WITH WHEN IT COMES TO THE WORKSHOPS THAT WILL BE DEVELOPED. THE SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER IS A WONDERFUL RESOURCE FOR BUSINESSES. I WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYONE TO CONTACT AND REACH OUT TO. IT IS ANYTHING FROM LEGAL SUPPORT TO WRITING BUSINESS PLANS TO FIGURING OUT FINANCIALS TO HUMAN RESOURCE QUESTIONS. THEY HAVE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE RETIRED TO BE ABLE TO HELP WITH THESE AND THEY PROVIDE FREE CONSULTING, SO IT IS A GREAT TOOL FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES AND THAT TIES INTO THE FREE CONSULTING AND BUSINESS SEMINAR I WAS MENTIONING. NEXT IS STRATEGIC PLANNING. UTILIZING THE STRATEGIC PLANNING ALONGSIDE LONG-TERM MARKET DATA ANALYSIS ALLOWS US TO IDENTIFY STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES, AND OPPORTUNITIES COMPREHENSIVELY. BY SHARING THIS INFORMATION WE CAN SEAMLESSLY INTEGRATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONSIDERATIONS INTO A VARIETY OF GUIDING DOCUMENTS. AN EXAMPLE WOULD BE RANGING FROM THE GENERAL PLAN TO CREATING A PARKS MASTER PLAN. IT ARE LOOKING AT HOW TO ACTIVATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. WE WILL BE FOCUSING IS IMPORTANT THAT CITYWIDE, WE ON THE RESTORATION AND REMEDIATION OF ONE OF OUR ASSETS IN TOWN, WHICH IS THE OLD TOWN DEPOT. WE WILL BE DEVELOPING SHORT AND LONG-TERM GOALS TO IMPROVE THE CITY'S ECONOMIC VITALITY, INVESTMENT, HIGH-QUALITY JOBS, JUSTICE AND PUBLIC IMAGE. WE WILL BE BRINGING FORWARD ZONING AMENDMENTS TO FACILITATE BUSINESS ATTRACTION IN KEY INDUSTRIES. ALSO, GIVEN THE STATE MANDATE RELATED TO HOUSING, WE WILL BE LOOKING AT OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP HOUSING AS A TOOL TO ACTIVATE DOWNTOWN AND OTHER AREAS OF THE CITY TO STRENGTHEN ECONOMIC VITALITY. LASTLY, WHILE I WILL NOT SPEND A LOT OF TIME ON THIS BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR MORE IN THE NEXT PRESENTATION, IT IS CRITICAL TO IDENTIFY FOR JOBS AND INVESTMENT ARE GOING TO COME FROM IN THE FUTURE. OVER THE LAST 18 MONTHS, THE CITY HAS DONE SOME IMPORTANT ANALYSIS AND IDENTIFIED SEVERAL TARGET CLUSTERS THAT INTEGRATE INTO THE GENERAL PLAN AND WE ARE BASICALLY PROVIDING THAT SNAPSHOT FOR THE DISCUSSION TONIGHT. WE CURRENTLY HAVE SHORT-TERM OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE CAN PURSUE IMMEDIATELY AS WELL AS MORE ASPIRATIONAL LONG-TERM PROSPECTS THAT MAY NOT MATERIALIZE RIGHT AWAY. HOWEVER, WE ARE BEGINNING TO OBSERVE CONDITIONS THAT WILL PAVE THE WAY FOR THESE OPPORTUNITIES, AND IT'S GOING TO BE CRITICAL FOR US TO POSITION OUR HOUSE SELLS A SET OF TIME SO WE CAN CAPITALIZE ON THESE OPPORTUNITIES AS THEY ARISE. THAT'S MORE AT LOOKING AT DIVERSIFIED MANUFACTURING, CLEANTECH IS A HUGE ONE. WE WANT TO GET OURSELVES INTO A POSITION OF HAVING SOME SHOVEL-READY PROPERTIES SO WHEN THOSE PROSPECTS COME FORWARD, WE HAVE A NICE, CLEAN PATH FOR THEM TO GET TO WHERE THEY NEED TO GET TO. SO, THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION. I KNOW YOU HAVE A DETAILED WORK PLAN IN YOUR APPENDIX THAT HAS A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ON THE THINGS THAT I HAVE KIND OF OUTLINED. BUT RIGHT NOW, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE PAUSE AND TAKE TIME FOR QUESTIONS AND COUNSEL DISCUSSION AND RECEIVE THE FEEDBACK FROM THE COUNCIL AND NEXT UP, WE WILL MOVE INTO THE COMMERCIAL STUDY AND ANALYSIS PRESENTATION. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL OF THE SLIDES THAT YOU JUST PRESENTED AND ALL OF THE ACTIONS YOU'VE BEEN TAKING THIS PAST YEAR. THESE ARE THINGS WE HAVE NOT HEARD THAT WE HAVE HAD THE CAPACITY TO DO IT CITY HALL FOR QUITE SOME TIME SO I AM SO EXCITED EVEN TO JUST HEAR THAT YOU'RE GOING TO CONFERENCES . THIS PIECE OF COLLATERAL MATERIAL IS GREAT AND I THINK IF I WERE UNFAMILIAR WITH MARTINEZ AND I WAS LOOKING TO FIND A PLACE TO CALL HOME MOVING FORWARD, I THINK THIS WOULD BE THE KIND OF THING THAT WOULD PEAK MY INTEREST. THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR EFFORTS. I THINK --I DON'T BELIEVE I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON WHAT YOU JUST PRESENTED. ACTUALLY, THAT IS NOT TOTALLY TRUE. I HAVE ONE QUESTION. THE LAST SLIDE YOU JUST PRESENTED, WHICH WAS THE TARGET INDUSTRIES, THEY SEEM TO BE SOMEWHAT INCONSISTENT WITH THE COMMERCIAL ANALYSIS THAT WILL BE COMING UP NEXT, SOME OF THIS ITEMS DID NOT SEEM TO ALIGN. MAYBE I SHOULD WAIT UNTIL THAT SECTION. WAS THAT SLIDE FROM THEIR REPORT OR WAS THAT PULLED FROM SOMETHING DIFFERENT? >> IT IS KIND OF A BUILD OFF OF, BECAUSE A LOT OF THOSE MISSIONS WERE ONES THAT WERE FOLDED INTO OUR GENERAL PLAN BUT THEY ARE VERY SIMILAR IN THE SECTORS IN WHICH YOU WILL HEAR FROM THAT REPORT, AS WELL. >> OKAY. IF I REMEMBER WHICH ONES, I'LL POINT IS THAT WHEN WE GET THERE. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? >> WE'VE GOT ABOUT AN HOUR LEFT AND I WANT TO GET A LAY OF THE LAND AND HOW MUCH TIME ARE WE GOING TO SPEND ON PRESENTATIONS AND HOW MUCH TIME ARE WE CAN HAVE FOR QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS AND DISCUSSIONS? >> PROBABLY LOOKING AT ANOTHER 15 MINUTE PRESENTATION FROM TRI COMMERCIAL AND THE REST OF THE TIME IS UP FOR CONVERSATION. >> IT WILL BE GOOD TO HAVE DISCUSSION NOW BEFORE THE TRI COMMERCIAL PRESENTATION OR SHOULD WE JUST GO FOR IT? >> IT'S WHATEVER YOU PREFER. >> WELL, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S COMING. YOU MAY. >> HOW ABOUT IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS FOR JILL FOR THE PRESENTATION SHE JUST GAVE, YOU CAN ASK HER AND THEN HE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE REST OF THE ATTACHMENTS WILL GET PRESENTED SHORTLY. >> JUST GO AHEAD. WE'LL JUST DO A HOLISTIC DISCUSSION. >> ALL RIGHT, GREAT. >> YEAH. EXCUSE ME. I AM REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS , THE WHOLE FLYER, UNLIKE THE MAYOR WAS SAYING, ABOUT YOU GOING TO THESE OUTSIDE EVENTS , PITCHING MARTINEZ. I THINK THAT IS WONDERFUL. I HAVE BEEN BRAGGING ABOUT YOU QUITE A BIT IN THE DOWNTOWN REGION. YOU KNOW, IT IS EXCITING THAT WE HAVE YOUR LEVEL OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HERE IN OUR TOWN . I REALLY LIKE THE FACT THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT GOING OUT AND ENGAGING THE LOCAL BUSINESSES , AND I THINK --I CAN ONLY SPEAK FOR DOWNTOWN MARTINEZ, BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE I AM EVERY DAY WALKING MY DOG, THEY ARE VERY EXCITED ABOUT GETTING HELP IN GETTING SOMEBODY THAT THEY CAN TALK TO ABOUT EXPANDING THEIR BUSINESS OR STAYING AFLOAT. SOME BUSINESSES ARE STRUGGLING MORE THAN OTHERS. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR FREE CONSULTING TO THEM? WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? >> YEAH, A LOT OF THAT RELATES TO THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE COUNTY, AS WELL, SO I CAN OFFER FREE SUPPORT JUST LIKE HAVING CONVERSATIONS AND FIGURING OUT WHAT THEIR NEEDS ARE, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF RESOURCES AVAILABLE THROUGH OUR SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER THROUGH THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT BOARD THAT ARE REALLY UNDERUTILIZED. THOSE ARE THE ONES WHERE I WOULD WANT TO BE ABLE TO CONNECT THEM WITH LIKE, WHAT IS YOUR CHALLENGE? WHAT IS YOUR ISSUE? FROM THERE, IT ALLOWS ME TO GET THEM IN TOUCH WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE TO HAVE CONTACTS IN THESE ORGANIZATIONS. IT MAKES IT A LOT EASIER TO CONNECT PEOPLE SO THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY'RE GOING INTO A VORTEX. SO, IT IS HAVING THAT CONNECTION THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT, AND TO YOUR POINT ABOUT BUSINESS EXPANSION, IF SOMEONE WANTS TO EXPAND, HAVE THEM COME MEET WITH US. WE CAN WALK THROUGH WHAT THE PLANS ARE, WE CAN LAY OUT THE PROCESS SO THERE ARE NO SURPRISES. WE CAN LAY OUT EXACTLY WHAT IS INVOLVED AS PART OF THAT PROCESS. I LIKE TO CALL IT THE CONCIERGE TYPE SERVICE WHERE I THINK IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE JUST NOT FAMILIAR WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT TO THAT LEVEL THAT WE LIVE AND BREATHE IT, SO BY BEING ABLE TO SIT DOWN AND REALLY JUST HELP THEM UNDERSTAND IT IN A WAY THAT IS DIGESTIBLE FOR THEM IS REALLY WHERE I AM A GOOD RESOURCE AT. YOU KNOW, WE ALSO HAVE THE CHAMBER IN THE DOWNTOWN MARTINEZ. IF WE MEET WITH BUSINESSES AND FEEL LIKE THAT IS A MORE APPROPRIATE THING WE WILL ALSO OFFER THAT SUPPORT. I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH TALKING TO BUSINESSES WHO CALL ME AND SAY HAVE YOU JOINED THE CHAMBER, HAVE YOU LOOKED AT WHAT THEY HAVE TO OFFER? IT IS UNDERSTANDING THE AMENITIES BECAUSE A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE LIKE, I DON'T KNOW AND ONCE YOU KIND OF COMMUNICATE THAT TO THEM, THE RISING TIDE LIFTS ALL BOATS. ONCE WE WORK TOGETHER IT'S GOING TO MAKE A HUGE IMPACT, ESPECIALLY BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS, IS HUGE IF YOU START GETTING YOUR CELLS INVOLVED IN THESE TYPES OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT YOU KNOW, YOU WANT TO SUPPORT IN CHAMPION. TO YOUR POINT ABOUT GETTING OUT, IT'S LIKE I'VE BEEN HERE EIGHT OR NINE MONTHS. I'VE GONE OUT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, MET WITH SOME PROPERTY OWNERS, BUT WITH SOME DEVELOPERS BUT NOT TO THE LEVEL IN WHICH I WANT TO SO NOW I WANT TO START DOING THAT MORE AGGRESSIVELY AND I WANT TO BE ABLE TO DO IT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CHAMBER IN DOWNTOWN MARTINEZ. THEY HAVE OFFERED TO INTRODUCE ME TO A LOT OF FOLKS. I HAVE TWO CALLS ON THE BOOKS FOR TODAY AND TOMORROW WITH TWO BUSINESS OWNERS SO IT IS REALLY JUST MAKING MYSELF AVAILABLE IS THE BIG THING. >> YEAH, THAT MAKES MY HEART SOAR BECAUSE A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TYPE OF SERVICES WHAT TYPE OF HELP THEY CAN GET FROM THE CHAMBER DOWNTOWN, AND YOU PUT TOGETHER --I THINK THAT IS A WINNING PACKAGE FOR THESE PEOPLE BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES I THINK THEY FEEL LIKE THEY ARE ON THEIR OWN, AND SOMETIMES THEY INTERACT WITH THE OTHER BUSINESSES AND HAVE A LITTLE GROUP GOING BUT I THINK YOU STOPPING AT THEIR BUSINESS WOULD JUST BRIGHTEN THEIR DAY, YOU KNOW. >> AND PLEASE DON'T BE -- GIVE OUT MY PHONE NUMBER. 925-500-3460. IT'S MY CELL. I MEAN, THAT IS THE BEST WAY OF REACHING. IT'S A SMALL ENOUGH TOWN THAT I APPRECIATE THAT AND THINK IT IS WELL-RECEIVED. SO, I DON'T MIND IF PEOPLE GIVE ME A CALL AND SAY YOU KNOW, THE PERSON I'M GOING TO BE MEETING WITH ON FRIDAY, THERE LIKE DO YOU JUST HAVE AN HOUR TO SIT DOWN. IF WE CAN SCHEDULE IT OUT, IT'S GREAT. >> IT MEANS A LOT. GREAT. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> CAN I JUST SAY I LOVE THIS? THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, JUSTIN. >> YES, THIS IS AMAZING, SO THANK YOU, JUSTIN, THANK YOU, EVERYONE FOR DOING THIS. THIS IS WHAT WE'VE NEEDED FOR A REALLY LONG TIME. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS EASY. IT IS PLEASING TO THE EYE, VERY DIGESTIBLE. I AM JUST ALSO GENUINELY EXCITED TO HAVE YOU AS PART OF OUR TEAM, JILL, SO THANK YOU. REALLY APPRECIATE IT AND I REALLY LOVED A LOT OF WHAT YOU SAID. I THINK YOU TOUCHED UPON THINGS I'VE BEEN REALLY SAYING, IS REALLY TRYING TO BE HOLISTIC IN SCOPE AND IDENTIFYING THESE OPPORTUNITY SITES . I HAVE SAID THIS BEFORE. I LOVE MY DOWNTOWN. I WANT TO SEE IT SUCCEED AND THRIVE, BUT WE ARE SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST THE DOWNTOWN. WE HAVE OTHER RETAIL CENTERS AND WE WANT TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO HELP SUPPORT THEM TO SEE THEM THRIVE, AS WELL. AND THEN, I REALLY LIKE THE PIECE ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY SITES AND I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW WE CAN HELP MODIFY THE ZONING TO CREATE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES AND PERHAPS MAYBE THAT WILL BE TALKED ON IN THE NEXT PRESENTATION. ALSO VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE CONSULTING TEAM WE HAVE BROUGHT IN. I SEE ED HERE AND ALEX AND JUSTIN. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT. A LOT OF GREAT -- AND JOE, THANK YOU FOR REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO COLLABORATING IN PLACE, WHATEVER WE CAN DO TO HELP SUPPORT YOU ALL. TO THE EXTENT YOU'LL HAVE ME, I'D LOVE TO BE A FLY ON THE WALL AND SOME OF THOSE MEETINGS TO SEE HOW WE CAN HELP BUT ONE THING I SAW, I JUST WANTED TO POINT OUT, YOU MENTIONED IN THE CHALLENGES, LIMITED POPULATION GROWTH. CAN YOU JUST EXPAND ON THAT A LITTLE BIT? WHAT IS DRIVING THAT? I KNOW IT'S PROBABLY PRETTY OBVIOUS, BUT THAT IS NOT UNIQUE TO MARTINEZ. THAT'S JUST OUR REGION IN GENERAL. DO YOU HAVE ANY INSIGHTS ON THAT? >> I WILL STEAL ITS THUNDER IF I ANSWER THAT QUESTION. >> I DON'T WANT TO DO THAT THEN. CAN YOU JUST TOUCH UPON THAT BECAUSE I SAID THIS BEFORE AND I KNOW IT IS BECOMING COMMON FOR ME, BUT I WILL SAY IT WAS LIKE WHEN WE WERE LOOKING AT ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING POLICY, THEY ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE. THEY GO HAND IN HAND AND IT IS IMPORTANT THAT AS WE THINK ABOUT THIS, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON OUR HOUSING ELEMENT. IT LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE WORK TO DO, BUT AS WE HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH THAT PROCESS THIS WHOLE TIME, I HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT THIS MAP, WHERE ARE THESE OPPORTUNITY SITES FOR HOUSING AND WHERE ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR BUSINESSES, RIGHT? I'M THINKING OKAY, WE ARE IDENTIFYING THESE OPPORTUNITIES FOR HOUSING, BUT WHERE CAN WE HELP UPLIFT BUSINESSES? I THINK THAT'S SO IMPORTANT. PARTICULARLY NOW WHEN WE HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS ABOUT OUR BUDGET SITUATION. WE HAVE THIS ONE-TIME MONEY THAT'S GOING TO BE DISAPPEARING IN THE NOT-TOO-DISTANT FUTURE, SO WE ARE GOING TO REALLY NEED TO THINK ABOUT OKAY, HOW ARE WE GOING TO BRING IN THOSE ADDED REVENUES TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT AND DELIVER THE LEVEL OF HIGH QUALITY SERVICES THAT OUR RESIDENTS HAVE GROWN ACCUSTOMED TO. AND SO, THIS IS THE KEY, IT REALLY IS, SO I'M FIRED UP, SO. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO TURN IT OVER? >> PLEASE DO. >> THANK YOU. I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE TRI COMMERCIAL WHO PARTNERED WITH TO HELP US PUT TOGETHER THIS MARKET ANALYSIS. THIS IS ONE OF THE INITIATIVES I FIRST WANTED TO ACCOMPLISH WHEN I STARTED WITH MARTINEZ. I DID SOMETHING SIMILAR IN DANVILLE BECAUSE TO YOUR POINT, THIS ALONG WITH THE OTHER DOCUMENT HE CREATED REALLY GIVES THE BASELINE SNAPSHOT OF THE COMMUNITY SO WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING FROM A PERSPECTIVE LIKE TRYING TO GO INTO A COMMUNITY, YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND ALL THE DIGESTIBLE PARTS SO IT WAS SOMETHING WE WERE ABLE TO DO AS A COMMUNITY, GET IT DEVELOPED AND CREATIVE AND NOW IS A RESOURCE WE ARE GOING TO BE MAILING OUT TO ALL THE PROPERTY OWNERS IN TOWN, ALSO INTRODUCING MYSELF TO THEM AS WELL AS PROVIDING A TOOL FOR BROKERS SO THAT THEY HAVE THIS IS A QUICK REFERENCE ON THEIR TRYING TO COME INTO THE AREA AND SHARE WHAT MARTINEZ IS TO THEIR PERSPECTIVE RETAILERS. WITH THAT, ED, TO YOU. >> HELLO. THANK YOU, JILL. THAT WAS A GREAT PRESENTATION. I REALLY LOVE THAT PUZZLE PIECE. I LOVE THE ECOSYSTEM OF WHAT IT ALL TAKES TO MAKE IT HOLISTIC AND THINGS HAPPEN. THANK YOU, CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS. THANK YOU, CITY STAFF, FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY. THIS IS WHAT WE COVERED IN OUR STUDY OF OTHER THINGS, BUT FOR TODAY, WE ARE GOING TO CONCENTRATE ON RETAIL DEVELOPMENT BUT WE DID TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THESE OTHER FACTORS, AND SOME OF THAT WAS ADDRESSED. IN THIS PRESENTATION OF 10 TO 15 MINUTES , TO ALLOW TIME FOR QUESTIONS, WE WILL CONCENTRATE ON THE RETAIL DEVELOPMENT ASPECT, ENHANCING EXISTING RETAIL, BRINGING IN RETAIL, ET CETERA. YOU CAN VIEW SEPARATELY WITH MUCH MORE DETAIL, OUR JANUARY 24th STUDY THAT GOES INTO THE SAME ISSUES. OUR METHODOLOGY, BY THE WAY, IS OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS. IN ANY GIVEN AREA, WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES AND ASSETS TO CAPITALIZE ON? HOW DO YOU ENHANCE THEM? WHAT ARE THE SO-CALLED CONSTRAINTS THAT MIGHT HINDER SOME OF THIS AND SINCE WE ARE PROBLEM SOLVERS IN YOUR CITY IS A PROBLEM-SOLVING CITY, IS HOW DO WE MAKE IT MOVE FORWARD. TRI COMMERCIAL COMMERCIAL SERVICES IS A 45-YEAR-OLD FIRM. WE ARE A BOUTIQUE THAT ALLOWS US TO DO SOME CREATIVE FIRM --THINGS THAT THE BIG FIRMS CAN'T DO. I WANT TO INTRODUCE THE TEAM. JUSTIN DID A LOT OF THE DETAILED RESEARCH. HE IS A 10 YEAR VETERAN BEHIND THE GRAPHICS WORKING WITH JILL ON THAT FLYER UC. JOHN AND I --WE'RE FIBBING A LITTLE BIT, HAVE 70 YEARS OF COMMERCIAL EXPERIENCE INCLUDING BROKERAGE, DEVELOPMENT, OWNERSHIP AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT, SO JOHN AND I HAVE COVERED ALL THOSE THINGS. WE HAVE A SET OF EYES FOR EACH PERSPECTIVE. BY THE WAY, THE KEY IF YOU ARE A DEVELOPER, IS YOU CREATE. IF YOU SEE A PARKING LOT, YOU SEE A BUILDING. YOU SEE A ONE-STORY RETAIL CENTER, THERE IS A TRANSIT HUB. YOU SEE SOMETHING ELSE, SO PROBLEM-SOLVING AND HOW TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. IN THIS SLIDE, AGAIN, ADDRESSING STRATEGIC RETAIL DEVELOPMENT. IT IS DIFFERENT FROM SIMPLE RETAIL ATTRACTION. HOW DO WE HAVE PROACTIVE STRATEGIES AND STEPS TO MAKE IT HAPPEN? SOME OF THE COMMENTS WILL BE SHORT TERM RETAIL ATTRACTION. WHAT DO YOU DO TO EXISTING RETAILERS WHO MEET THE CURRENT -- WHERE MARTINEZ MEETS THE CURRENT SITE LOCATION PARAMETERS, AND WHAT DO WE DO LONG-TERM TO MAKE IT SUSTAINABLE AND ATTRACT MORE INTO THE CITY? SO, WE REPEATED WHAT THE TOP PRIORITY IS FOR THE RETAIL ASPECT, WHICH IS , ATTRACT SPECIFIC STUDIES, STORES, RESTAURANTS, COMMERCIAL, INCREASE THE QUALITY OF SHOPPING , LIFE, REGIONAL REPUTATION, AND SALES TAX. THE WORD HOLISTIC WAS USED. LATER ON, WE WILL ADDRESS THAT IN MORE DETAIL. IF YOU GROW YOUR POPULATION, BRING UP A MAJOR EMPLOYER, IF YOU DO THIS, YOU DO THAT BUT ACTUALLY, RETAIL IS THE AFTEREFFECT IN SOME CASES, SO HOW DO WE MAKE SURE RETAIL IS SUSTAINABLE? WE WILL ALSO THEN ADDRESS WHAT NEW RETAIL REQUIRES SO YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES. NOW, I'M GOING TO INTRODUCE MY PARTNER, SEAN, WHO IS THE REAL RETAIL GURU. >> COUNCILMEMBERS, MAYOR. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH YOU, AND REALLY, THIS PROJECT IS EXCITING AND THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INVITING US TODAY. I HAVE OFTEN BEEN INVITED TO -- FROM A DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE, MANY SHOPPING CENTER OWNERS HAVE INVITED ME TO THEIR CENTERS TO GIVE THEM A DIAGNOSTIC. WHAT IS RIGHT WITH MY CENTER? WHAT IS WRONG WITH IT? WHAT CAN WE DO WITH THESE VACANCIES? TO TRANSFER THAT MENTALITY TO A CITY, IT IS NATURAL. IT'S VERY NATURAL FOR ME FOR SO THANK YOU FOR THAT OPPORTUNITY. THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE TALKS A LOT ABOUT WHY RETAILERS PICK THE CITIES THAT THEY LOCATE INTO. YOU KNOW, RETAILERS ARE VERY SOPHISTICATED. THEY HAVE I.T. DEPARTMENTS, PERSONNEL, THEY ARE PRAGMATIC. PROGRAMS, AI THAT THEY ARE INTRODUCING TO OTHER PROGRAMS, IT IS ALL ABOUT , AS FAR AS THE CITIES THAT THEY IDENTIFY WHICH ARE QUALIFIED, IT IS BASED UPON THEIR INTERNAL PROPRIETARY SITE CRITERIA. WE CAN IDENTIFY ALL THE CATEGORIES MISSING IN THIS PARTICULAR MARKET, AND THE RETAILERS WITHIN THESE CATEGORIES . IF THE SECRETARY DOES NOT MEET THEIR STANDARDS, THEY WILL NOT LOOK AT US. I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS VOID ANALYSIS STUDY WE'VE CRAFTED. I PRETTY MUCH INVENTED THIS ABOUT 35, 40 YEARS AGO AND IT HAS BEEN PLAGIARIZED SINCE BY EVERY BROKERAGE HOUSE IN THE COMMUNITY, WHICH IS FINE. AND NOW, RETAILERS HAVE PICKED UP ON IT, ALSO. ESSENTIALLY, IN A NUTSHELL, THE VOID ANALYSIS STUDY TAKES EVERY SINGLE RETAIL CATEGORY KNOWN TO MAN, AND REPLACE ALL OF THE RETAILERS WITHIN THOSE CATEGORIES, DETERMINE WHICH OF THOSE CATEGORIES AND RETAILERS ARE LOCATED IN THAT CITY, AND DETERMINE WHERE THE VOID IS. WHICH CATEGORIES ARE AVOIDED? WHICH RETAILERS WITHIN THOSE CATEGORIES ARE VOID IN WHICH RETAILERS ARE MOST LIKELY TO POTENTIALLY RELOCATE TO THAT CITY, AND THAT IS AN IN DEPTH ANALYSIS. WE TOOK 160 RETAIL CATEGORIES FOR THIS STUDY. BASED UPON THE DEMOGRAPHICS FOR THE CITY OF MARTINEZ, IN COMPARISON TO A LARGE SAMPLE SIZE OF CITIES WITH SIMILAR DEMOGRAPHICS, THIS STUDY PRESENTS US WITH CATEGORIES OF RETAIL, RESTAURANT, SERVICE , COMMERCIAL AND HOSPITALITY USES. THESE ARE THE USES THAT WOULD NORMALLY BE FOUND IN A CITY LIKE THIS WITH THE EXACT DEMOGRAPHICS. ONCE YOU HAVE THOSE USES IDENTIFIED, THE VOID CAN THEN BE DEVELOPED, WHICH IS WHAT WE DO. ONCE YOU HAVE THAT VOID, THE NEXT PHASE IS DETERMINING, WITH OUR PROJECT, WHICH USERS , TAKING IN THEIR SITE CRITERIA, FITS OUR SITE CRITERIA HERE. SOME OF THAT IS PROPRIETARY. SOMETIMES RETAILERS WON'T GIVE YOU THEIR EXACT INTERNAL SITE CRITERIA. MANY OF THEM WILL GIVE YOU A GRAPHIC OF THEIR SITE CRITERIA RELATIVE TO POPULATION DENSITIES, EDUCATION , AND YOU KNOW, THEN THEY DO A STUDY ON THEIR COMPETITION. WE CAN ANSWER A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS. I WILL LET ED TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE REST. >> THANK YOU, JOHN. QUESTIONS BEFORE WERE ASKED ABOUT THE DEMOGRAPHICS, SO HERE, WE DID ONE, THREE, AND 10 MILE RADIUS IS SO YOU CAN SEE THIS IS ACTUALLY A DENSE AREA. PUT IT IN PERSPECTIVE, A 10 MILE RADIUS IS 528,000. SAN FRANCISCO IS ONLY 800,000 PEOPLE, THE COUNTY. WE IDENTIFIED BUSINESSES, EMPLOYEES, HOUSEHOLD INCOME, HUNDRED AND 76, PROJECTED FOR 2028, IS ACTUALLY A GOOD NUMBER FOR THE AREA. THE ONE I WANT TO KEY ON, THOUGH, IS THE 45.1%. PEOPLE WHO BUY STUFF FOR 25 TO 40, AND SO HOW DO YOU GROW THAT SEGMENT? IF YOU ARE MY AGE, YOU ALREADY HAVE YOUR DISHWASHER. YOU HAVE YOUR APPLIANCE. YOU ARE TRAVELING BUT YOU'RE NOT DOING HOUSEHOLD FORMATION, SO IT IS IMPORTANT TO GROW THE DEMOGRAPHIC OF 25 TO 35 AND 40, SO AGAIN, RETAILERS LOOK AT THAT DEMOGRAPHIC. IF I SKEW TO THE OLDER PART OF THE SPECTRUM, THAT IS A FACTOR. THERE ARE THINGS THAT OLDER PEOPLE STILL WANT TO BUY, BUT REALLY COME THE 25 AND THE 35-YEAR-OLD HOUSEHOLD FORMATION PERSON. HOW DO YOU GROW THIS? THAT IS A QUESTION. IN THE NEXT SLIDE, AGAIN, REMEMBER, THESE ARE OPPORTUNITIES AND CONSTRAINTS, WE IDENTIFIED -- IT IS MUCH MORE DETAILED IN THE STUDY, BUT WE IDENTIFIED KEY STRENGTHS AND POTENTIAL. BY THE WAY, YOU NEED TO HAVE THESE POTENTIALS IN PLACE TO BUILD ON. I DON'T WANT TO PICK ON READING, BUT IF WE WERE JUST IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT OR NOWHERE, IT'S TOUGHER. MARTINEZ HAS A LOT OF POTENTIAL. SO AGAIN, HOW DO YOU CAPITALIZE ON FAMILY-FRIENDLY COMMUNITY WITH HISTORIC AND AUTHENTIC CULTURAL SENSE? HOW DO YOU DEVELOP --REMEMBER, MARTINEZ AT ONE TIME WAS A MANGER TRANSIT FOR THE FERRY, WATER AT THAT TIME, SO HOW DO WE DEVELOP THE DOWNTOWN MARINA OR THE CITY IS ALREADY DOING THAT, HOW DO WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT? SAME THING WITH THE MOBILITY TRANSIT HUB. HOW DO WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT, AND ONE OF THE IDEAS WE HAD IN THE STUDY -- IT IS AMAZING WHERE AMTRAK GOES, SO WHY NOT HAVE WINE TRAIN? OTHER CITIES HAVE DONE THIS. YOU GO UP TO NAPA, DON'T HAVE TO DRIVE, AND YOU HAVE A DESTINATION. PART OF THE IDEA IS HOW DO WE BRING PEOPLE HERE? THERE IS A LIMITATION ON THE NUMBER OF HOUSES, BUT HOW DO YOU CREATE DESTINATION EVENTS TO BROADEN THE APPEAL? SEVERAL CATEGORIES THERE. AS JOHN MENTIONED, WE DID VARIOUS THINGS. IT WAS ALSO MENTIONED THAT INDUSTRIAL SALES TAX USES TO GENERATE SALES TAX, SO HOW DO YOU COMPLEMENT THAT? AND THEN, JOHN WILL REVIEW IN GREATER DETAIL SOME OF THESE THINGS. HOW DO YOU CREATE DESTINATIONS? AND, OTHER KEY FINDINGS. SOME OF THE CONSTRAINTS , SOME OF THESE WERE ALREADY REFERENCED BY JILL AND JOHN. IT IS A HIGHLY COMPETITIVE REGION. AS WAS MENTIONED --YOU HAVE THE TOUCH. IT IS A HIGHLY COMPETITIVE REGION, SO YOU HAVE TO THINK , YOU KNOW, IN THE GREATER EAST BAY WE NOW INCLUDE PARTS OF SOLANO COUNTY IN THE EAST BAY MARKET. IT IS 2.7 MILLION, BUT THERE ARE ALMOST 30 CITIES IN THE GREATER EAST BAY AND ALL THE WAY TO TRACY. EACH CITY WANTS TO DO THE SAME THING. HOW DO WE ATTRACT? THE BAY AREA WANTS TO KNOW HOW DO WE TRACK. CALIFORNIA WANTS TO KNOW HOW DO WE ATTRACT, SO THERE IS A LOT OF COMPETITION. WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT POPULATION. IT IS GROWING AND I MENTIONED ANOTHER NEARBY CITY THAT IS ACTUALLY SHRINKING, SO MARTINEZ IS NOT SHRINKING, BUT IT IS AGING IN PLACE, CERTAIN SEGMENT, AND THAT IS A NATURAL PHENOMENON. WE DISCUSSED ALL THE DETAILS WHERE BECAUSE OF PROP 13, PEOPLE STAY IN PLACE LONGER AND HOUSES DON'T TURN OVER, SO YOU GO FROM SIX PEOPLE WITH KIDS TO TWO AND THEN SO EVEN THOUGH YOUR STOCK HOUSING PEOPLE PER UNIT DECREASES, SO THE CHALLENGE IS, HOW DO WE INCREASE THAT RATIO? BY THE WAY, POPULATION IS BACK IN VOGUE. CITIES WERE ALWAYS JUDGED BY THEIR AMOUNT OF POPULATION, SO HOW DO WE GROW THE POPULATION? HOW DO WE GROW THE SEGMENT OF THE POPULATION THAT WANTS TO BUY, PURCHASE, LIVE AND ENJOY AND HOW DO WE BRING OTHER PEOPLE AND TO INCREASE THE TRAFFIC IN THE STREETS, ET CETERA. BY THE WAY, IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, TRAFFIC IS A GOOD THING. I ONCE DID A STUDY FOR A NEARBY CITY WITHOUT MENTIONING ITS NAME. I STOOD IN THE STREET FOR AN HOUR, AND NO CARS PASSED ME AND THEY WANTED TO KNOW WHY THERE WERE EMPTY STOREFRONTS, SO AGAIN, TRAFFIC IS GOOD. LACK OF MAJOR EMPLOYERS. WE HAVE A LOT OF MAJOR EMPLOYERS BUT WE NEED TO SPREAD BEYOND SOME OF THE REFINERIES AND OTHER THINGS. HOW DO WE GET MORE? BECAUSE AGAIN, IF I'M WORKING IN THE CITY DURING THE DAY, I WILL THEN SHOP, GET MY COMPUTER REPAIRED, MY CAR REPAIRED, AND EVERYTHING LIKE THAT. ONE OF THE THINGS WE FOUND IS, HOW DO YOU INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF INDUSTRIAL ZONE AREAS? I EVEN JOKED WITH JILL, YOU NEED TO INCREASE THE CITY AREA THAT YOU CAN PUT SOME OF THOSE USES BECAUSE THAT BECOMES HOLISTIC SO THERE ARE A LOT OF CONCEPTS COMING IN. ADVANCED MANUFACTURING, ADVANCED FOOD MANUFACTURING, MEDICAL TECH, ET CETERA, SO WHERE DO WE PUT THOSE USES THE PICKUP AND PAY HIGH INCOMES TO JOBS. ONE OF THE CONSTRAINTS IS WHAT WE ARE NOT ON THE HIGHWAY. SO AGAIN, WHETHER YOU ARE CONCORDE, PARTS OF SAN RAMON, IF YOU'RE NOT NEXT TO INTERCHANGE, THAT IS A FACTOR. WE WILL MOVE THE HIGHWAY, SO WHAT DO WE DO DESPITE THAT TO IMPROVE WHAT MARTINEZ DOES? THE GOOD NEWS ON THE MARINA, IS THAT IT IS GOING TO BE DEVELOPED. WE WISH YOU WOULD SPEED UP THE 10 YEARS, BUT I AM TALKING TO NEARBY CITIES AND YOU MIGHT'VE HEARD MTC IS GOING TO GIVE A GRANT FROM THE COUNTY TO ANTIOCH AND PITTSBURGH . SO, THE FERRY SYSTEM. HOW DO WE MAKE THAT MUCH IS TRANSPORTATION TO SAN FRANCISCO BUT INCLUDE HERCULES, AND EAST CONTRA COSTA COUNTY FOR VARIOUS EVENTS, SO THEN, A MARINA. AGAIN, WE HAVE LESS WARINESS TODAY IN THE BAY AREA THAN WE DID 10 YEARS AGO SO HOW DO YOU TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT? HOW DO YOU MAKE IT A DESTINATION? WE ALREADY MENTIONED LACK OF AVAILABLE SITES. BY THE WAY, AS THE NEXT DEVELOPER, ANYTHING UNDER ONE STORY IS VACANT. ANYTHING UNDER ONE STORY DOWNTOWN IS VACANT LAND, EVEN TWO STORIES, SO HOW DO YOU USE ZONING, SPECIFIC ZONING, NOT NEXT TO SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES, BUT NEXT TO THE MOBILITY HUB, INCREASE THE ZONING THERE FOR HEIGHT AND DENSITY TO THEN IMPACT THE GIVEN AREA? THERE IS ACTUALLY QUITE A BIT AN AREA WITH POLICY CHANGES THAT YOU CAN THEN BRING IN DIFFERENT RETAILERS, COMMERCIAL, ET CETERA. NOW IT IS JOHN'S TURN AGAIN. >> WASN'T IT YOGI BERRA THAT SAID IT IS TOO CROWDED THERE, NOBODY GOES THERE ANYMORE, IT'S TOO CROWDED? SO YEAH, TRAFFIC IS REPRESENTATIVE OF A THRIVING COMMUNITY . RESIDENTIAL IS A CATALYST. RESIDENTIAL IS A CATALYST FOR RETAIL. THE CATALYST FOR ALL THE ECONOMICS OF RETAIL AND DYNAMICS THAT SIT WITHIN THAT. RESIDENTIAL CREATES THE DEMAND FOR THE RETAIL, AND SO, HOW DO YOU DO THAT? WHEN I WAS WORKING IN ANTIOCH, I HELPED DEVELOP THE SLOT AND RANCH SHOPPING CENTER AND FOUR SHOPPING CENTERS NEXT TO THAT, ABOUT 1 MILLION SQUARE FEET, I PUT MY SIGNATURE ON OUT THERE WITH ABOUT EVERY MAJOR NATIONAL TENANT YOU CAN THINK OF. I SIGNED EVERY ONE OF THOSE UP THERE AND CONTINUED ON ACROSS THE STREET. HOW DO YOU DO THAT? HOW WAS I ABLE TO TALK TO A TENANT IN BOSTON THREE, FOUR MILES -- 3000 MILES AWAY TO COME TO THE CITY OF ANTIOCH OR COME TO THE CITY OF MARTINEZ? FOR ANTIOCH, THEY HAD 9000 PROPOSED HOMES ON THE BOOKS, WHICH ESSENTIALLY WAS 30,000 MORE PEOPLE SO WHEN YOU TALK TO A RETAILER AND SAY HERE'S WHAT THE DEMOGRAPHICS ARE TODAY, HERE IS WHAT THE POPULATION BASES TODAY, BUT HERE IS WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE TOMORROW. HERE IS WHAT IT IS GOING TO BE IN 26. HERE'S WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE AND 28. THE INCOME LEVELS ARE GOING TO RISE TO THE NUMBER YOU SAW EARLIER AND 28. THAT'S AN AMAZING NUMBER, BY THE WAY. WHAT THEY SEE NOW IS A STATIC WHEN THE FIRST >> WHEN YOU TALK TO A TENANT , THEY ASK ONE OF THE DEMOGRAPHICS. I THESE ARE THE CATEGORIES WE FOCUSED ON, THESE ARE SOME OF THE ONES WE HIGHLIGHT THAT WE SHOULD CONCENTRATE ON IMMEDIATELY TO ATTRACT PEOPLE TO THE CITY. SOME OF THESE WE HAVE IDENTIFIED IN THE VOID, WE BELIEVE THESE ARE PRIORITIES BECAUSE THEY MAKE SENSE. WHEN YOU GET INTO THE WEEDS OF THE SPECIFICS OF THE TENANTS, WE HAVE SOME MODELS THAT CAN ACTUALLY IDENTIFY WHAT THE GROSS SALES ARE OF THE EXISTING GROCERS IN TOWN. THAT IS GOING TO BE SUPER IMPORTANT. IF YOU WANTED TO TRY TO ATTRACT THE TRADER JOE'S OR WHOLE FOODS, WHAT IS THE COMPETITION DOING? WHAT IS SAFEWAY DOING OUT THERE IN VIRGINIA HILLS? BY THE WAY, THERE'S ANOTHER THOUSAND UNITS PLANNED IN DOWNTOWN MARTINEZ, WHICH IS GOING TO ATTRACT ANOTHER 2500 PEOPLE OF THE UPWARDLY MOBILE BUYER, AND THAT IS WHAT WHOLE FOODS WANTS. TRADER JOE'S WANTS THAT YOUNG, EDUCATED CUSTOMER . THAT IS THEIR CUSTOMER. THAT IS EXACTLY WHO IT IS SO WHEN THEY GO TO COLLEGE TOWN, OR BERKELEY OR WHERE THEY LAND IN EMERYVILLE AND THERE IN A 10,000 SQUARE-FOOT STORE THAT IS DOING ALMOST $4000 A FOOT AVERAGE GROCERY STORE DOES 800, YOU KNOW, THEY JUST LOOK FOR ANOTHER SITE BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO RELIEVE THE PRESSURE, AND IT'S AMAZING. IF YOU HAVE THE RIGHT DYNAMICS IN THE RIGHT RESIDENTIAL COMPONENT, IT ATTRACTS THOSE PEOPLE. WITH ALL OF THESE CATEGORIES WHAT WE WOULD DO NEXT IS IDENTIFY ALL THE USERS, OTHER RETAILERS, ALL THE RESTAURANTS THAT FIT WITHIN THESE CATEGORIES, SPECIFICALLY TARGET THEM FOR MARTINEZ AND SEND THEM FLYERS, INTRODUCE THE CITY, INTRODUCED JILL, INTRODUCE ALEX TO ALL OF THE PATRONS, THE RETAILERS THAT HAVE REGISTERED FOR THIS ICSC. GIVE THEM CONTACT NUMBERS. I CAN HELP SET UP MEETINGS WITH THEM. I WILL BE THERE PERSONALLY, AND SO AS AN ENTR?E, WE CAN SET MEETINGS UP THERE, TOO, AND IT IS A FUN PLACE TO DO BUSINESS. RETAILERS ARE THERE TO TRY TO MAKE DEALS. WALL STREET OFTENTIMES DICTATES HOW MANY DEALS A RETAILERS GOING TO DO. SOMETIMES THEY SAY HEY, OUR QUOTA IS MET. WE'VE GOT TO WAIT TWO YEARS OR THEY WILL SAY WE NEED SOME SITES RIGHT NOW, WE'VE GOT TO FULFILL THIS BECAUSE SAME-STORE SALES ARE STAGNANT SO WALL STREET SAYS YOU HAVE TO GROW SO IF YOUR SAME-STORE SALES ARE NOT GROWING THEN HOW DO YOU GROW? TO GROW BY MORE STORES SO THAT IS ALSO A CATALYST AND THAT OFTEN COMES FORTH AT THESE CONVENTIONS THAT JILL IS GOING TO GO TO , SO APPRECIATE YOU SENDING THEM THERE BECAUSE IT IS QUITE A DEAL. SOMETIMES I AM A GUEST SPEAKER THERE ON IDIOSYNCRASIES WITHIN THE RETAIL WORLD AND BELIEVE ME, IT IS SUPER ENERGETIC AND A LOT OF DEALS GET MADE THERE, SO IT IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY. DID I HAVE SOMETHING ELSE HERE WITH REGARD -- ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT ASK? I GUESS WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THOSE AT THE END, OR DO YOU WANT TO TAKE SOME OF THOSE NOW? >> WE ARE ALMOST DONE, THREE MORE SLIDES. >> NOW, HOW DO YOU TAKE THE FOUNDATION STONES AND THE GOOD THINGS IN PLACE AND HOW DO YOU HAVE A FIVE TO 10 YEAR PROGRAM TO GROW? AND SO, THIS IS A SHORT SUMMARY OF SOME OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS. THERE ARE MANY MORE IN THE STUDY THAT WE DID. AGAIN, DOWNTOWN. WE NEED A MINIMUM OF 1000 UNITS. THEY COULD BE AFFORDABLE OR MOSTLY MARKET, BUT AGAIN, WE ARE TRYING TO ATTRACT THAT DEMOGRAPHIC THAT CREATES TRAFFIC, CREATES A LIVELY SCENE IN SEVERAL CITIES ARE NOW DOING THE SAME THING, SO FOR INSTANCE, UC SAN RAMON TEARING DOWN 2 MILLION FEET OF OFFICE AND BUSINESS PARKS NEXT TO THAT BECAUSE WHEN YOU DO A RECTANGLE IN THE SAN RAMON VALLEY, IT IS ACTUALLY NOT THAT DENSE, SO THEY ARE GOING TO BUILD ANOTHER RETAIL CENTER AND THEY FIGURED OUT THEY NEED THAT MANY MORE PEOPLE SO THEY ARE BUILDING ALMOST 5000 NEW UNITS IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. AND, THEY'VE TORN DOWN OFFICE BUILDINGS THAT ARE OLD, ET CETERA. AGAIN, SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE THAT MOST CITIES DON'T HAVE IS YOU HAVE AN AMTRAK TRANSIT STATION AND YOU HAVE WATER , AND WITH THE RAILROADS, HOW DO WE CAPITALIZE THAT TO BRING PEOPLE IN? I MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY LIVE HERE BUT YOU CAN ATTRACT PEOPLE FROM 10 TO 20 MILES AWAY. WE'VE ALREADY DEMONSTRATED WITH FESTIVALS THAT PEOPLE FROM ALAMO, PLEASANT HILL OR VENETIA COME BECAUSE OF THOSE EVENTS, SO HOW DO WE HAVE MORE OF THOSE ON PURPOSE? SO, SOME IDEAS ARE, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SPORTS FIELDS . A BAD JOKE WHICH IS ACTUALLY QUITE TRUE, I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE TALKING TO THE A's. MAYBE WE CAN GET THE LETTER IS THERE. BUT THEN, WHY NOT RAISE THE AMBITION? WHY NOT A REGIONAL OR STATE CHAMPIONSHIP ? >> BOCCE TOURNAMENTS THAT ARE STATEWIDE AND PERHAPS YOU HAVE THE FACILITIES . WHY NOT MUSIC FESTIVALS AND ART FESTIVALS, CORPORATE RETREATS? SO FOR INSTANCE, I FOUND OUT FROM REFINERIES THEY HAVE AT LEAST TWO EVENTS A YEAR WHERE THEY FLY IN 2000 PEOPLE. WHERE ARE THEY STAYING? WHAT DO WE DO TO HAVE CORPORATE RETREATS? STREAMLINE THE PROCESS. EVERY CITY SAYS THIS, BY THE WAY. FREMONT NOW APPROVES ADMINISTRATIVE USE PERMITS IN 90 DAYS. THE CREEK CUP PROCESS IS 14 MONTHS , TWO YEARS. THE VACANCY RATE IN FREMONT, BY THE WAY, IS 3%. THEY WENT FROM A 1958 MOVIE SET TO ONE OF THE BEST MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS MANUFACTURING AND OTHER HIGH-TECH, AND YOU KNOW, IF YOU GET SERIES 2 MONEY YOU HAVE FOUR MONTHS TO HIRE PEOPLE, PROOF OF CONCEPT. IF YOU GET SERIES 3 MANY, YOU ARE HIRING PEOPLE. YOU CAN'T BE TOLD 14 MONTHS, SO HOW DO WE ACCOMMODATE THESE NEW CONCEPTS? SO, THEREFORE, WHAT ADMINISTRATIVE PERMITS CAN BE DONE? IS STILL DO SEEK WORK, YOU STILL HAVE THE ZONING, BUT WHAT YOU DO WITHIN THOSE PLANNING STRUCTURES TO SPEED UP? BY THE WAY, ONE OF THE IDEAS JILL IS CHAMPIONING IS CONCIERGE SERVICES. I GUARANTEE YOU, ENTREPRENEURS, YOUNG BUSINESSES HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE PROCESS IS. ANY SERVICE THAT REACHES OUT TO SAY YOU MIGHT HAVE COMPLICATED RULES ON THE SURFACE BUT HERE'S THE WAY THROUGH, SO THAT'S A BIG PLUS. SOME RHETORICAL QUESTIONS. WHAT IS THE EDGE FOR THE CITY OF MARTINEZ? VERSUS OTHER CITIES AND REGIONS. IT'S NOT RHETORICAL IN THAT SENSE. OKAY, THE JOB, OUR JOB, THE CITY'S JOB IS TO ACTUALLY ANSWER THAT QUESTION AND AGAIN, THINK OF IT AS YOU ARE COMPETING WITH OTHER CITIES. IF I'M GOING TO OPEN UP ONLY SIX WHOLE FOODS IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, TWO YEARS, WHERE ARE THEY GOING? I CAN LOOK AT 1000 CITIES IN CALIFORNIA, SO WHERE AM I GOING? WHAT IS THE EDGE WE BRANDED? ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT? LIKE JOHN MENTIONED, HERE IS WHERE HOUSING IS GOING. HERE IS WHERE THE TRANSIT HUB IS BEING DEVELOPED, ET CETERA. JOHN DOES THE NEXT SLIDE THEN WE HAVE ONLY ONE MORE AFTER THAT. >> THE OTHER SLIDE REPRESENTS A PHASE OF OUR ACTION STEPS AND WE PROPOSE THE FOLLOWING. WHAT I THINK NEEDS TO HAPPEN NEXT IS IDENTIFY, AS WE HAD MENTIONED EARLIER, ALL OF THE AVAILABLE SITES A RETAILER WOULD CONSIDER, AND POTENTIALLY THOSE SITES MAYBE THAT COULD BE FLEXIBLE TO HAVE A REZONE. WE COULD DISCUSS THAT. WE OBVIOUSLY HAVE THE ABILITY TO REACH OUT . EVERY WEEK WE TALKED TO PROBABLY 350 BROKERS. WE HAVE THAT ABILITY. WE HAVE A FANTASTIC PROPERTY OWNERSHIP RESEARCH DIVISION THAT JUSTIN IS AHEAD OF , SO WE CAN TALK TO VARIOUS --WHENEVER, THERE MAY BE SOME ABSENTEE OWNERS, TRUST OWNERS THAT ARE TOUGH TO FIND SOMETIMES THAT WE IDENTIFY PRETTY QUICKLY. WE ALSO HAVE SOME OF THE MARKETING PLANNING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IDEAS THAT WE ARE COMING UP WITH AND AGAIN, WE MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT THE ICSC RETAIL CONFERENCES AND DEVISE THE CITY POLICY IMPLEMENTATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS. WE HAVE SEVERAL OF THOSE ALSO THAT WE WOULD LOVE TO WORK WITH YOU AND JILL ABOUT. >> AGAIN, WE WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY, THE TEAM OF JOHN, JUSTIN, AND I PAID IT WAS GREAT WORKING WITH JILL AND ALEX IN THE CITY. A COUPLE OTHER POINTS TO MAKE, ONE OF THE EMPHASIS WE MADE IS INCREASING HOUSEHOLD INCOME. YOU CAN HAVE A HIGH HOUSEHOLD INCOME BUT NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE. HAS ANYONE EVER BEEN TO BLACK HAWK, THE SHOPPING CENTER THERE WITH A GROCERY STORE? THEY'VE GONE THROUGH SIX, SO THE JOKE IN BLACK HAWK IS THE RICH, WERE GOING TO HAVE TO PASS A LAW THAT YOU HAVE TO SHOP THREE TIMES A DAY. THEY'RE JUST NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE SO THEY ARE ACTUALLY THINKING OF TURNING PART OF THAT SHOPPING CENTER DOWN TO ADD PEOPLE. SUN VALLEY MALL AT HOLIDAY TIME, PARKING LOTS WERE ONE THIRD EMPTY. THERE 50% EMPTY TODAY. SO WHY NOT TAKE SOME OF THOSE AREAS AND BUILD TOWNHOUSES. JOHN AND I ARE REPRESENTING TIME EQUITIES . EMPTY SEARS, EMPTY MACY'S, EMPTY THIS SO WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TEARING DOWN THE THREE BIG BOXES, BUILDING 900 UNITS. THAT SAVES THE EXISTING RETAIL AND CREATES A VILLAGE CONCEPT SO AGAIN, POPULATION DEMOGRAPHIC GROWTH THEN FINALLY WANT TO THANK THE CHAMBER FOR EVERYTHING THEY DID. I INTERVIEWED THE CHAMBER DOWNTOWN AND I GUESS I'M ADDRESSING ON MARCH 12th, THE STATE OF THE CHAMBER . I HAVE OTHER STATISTICS. SO, I'M OPEN FOR QUESTIONS. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION. >> WILL START WITH THE BROKERS. HELLO, FELLOW REAL ESTATE BROKERS. I AM A BROKER MYSELF, PROPERTY MANAGER AND JACK OF ALL TRADES. AND IF IT'S A NICE TRIPLE WIDE, I'LL EVEN WORK WITH THAT. THANK YOU FOR --WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH YOU. I'LL TRY TO BE BRIEF BUT LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT DOWNTOWN MARTINEZ RIGHT NOW. WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN SPEAKING OF WITH GREAT AUTHORITY AND GREAT EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO IN 10 TO 20 YEARS? I MEAN, THOUSAND UNITS. THAT'S GREAT. THAT'S GOOD THEORY, BUT THAT IS PROBABLY NOT GOING TO HAPPEN IN THIS TOWN, AND IT IS CERTAINLY NOT GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS, SO I GUESS I SHOULD'VE STARTED WITH THIS. WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WE ARE SOLVING FOR TONIGHT? WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WE ARE SOLVING FOR TONIGHT, AND WE HAVE TO ASK THE QUESTION, IS IT TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF BUSINESSES IN EXISTING BUILDINGS THAT WE HAVE, OR TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT WILL THEN BRING MORE BUSINESSES TO DOWNTOWN MARTINEZ, SOME COMBINATION OF, OR ARE WE JUST TRYING TO CREATE A BETTER QUALITY OF EXPERIENCE FOR THE EXISTING RESIDENTS? ARE WE TRYING TO GROW THE TAX BASE? EVEN IF WE FILLED EVERY STORE AND THEY WERE BOOMING PER SQUARE FOOT IN SALES, THAT STILL DOES NOT SAVE OUR BACON. IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE BUT IT'S REALLY NOT GOING TO MAKE A BIG DENT IN OUR OVERALL BUDGET SO WE ARE LOOKING AT QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES, AND TO FEEL ISSUE THAT WE HAVE A VIBRANT DOWNTOWN , REALLY NOT CARING ABOUT SALES TAX OR INCOME TAX OR HOW REVENUE-GENERATING THAT IS. SO THE SOLUTIONS YOU ABLY PRESENTED, TEAR DOWN AN EMPTY MACY'S -- WE DON'T HAVE AN EMPTY MACY'S. ARE WE SHOOTING FOR THE SOLE PROPRIETOR , THE MOM-AND-POP , THE FIVE TO 20 PERSON EMPLOYEE BUSINESS? THOSE PEOPLE ARE LOOKING TODAY AND THEY ARE LOOKING AT WHAT CAN WE MOVE INTO TODAY ? WHAT IS THE RENT GOING TO BE? WHAT IS THE SUPPORT FROM THE CITY GOING TO BE AND WHAT ARE THE DEMOGRAPHICS? SOME OF THESE SMALL BUSINESSES, THEY JUST WANTED NICE INTERNET CONNECTION. THEY WOULD LOVE A HIGH-SPEED INTERNET CONNECTION RUNNING DOWN MAIN STREET THAT THEY CAN PLUG INTO. THEY DON'T NEED A LOT OF RETAIL . WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THOSE KIND OF BUSINESSES, TOO, NOT NECESSARILY RETAIL BUT SMALL, INCUBATOR TECH-RELIANT FIRMS, BUT NOT NECESSARILY TECH FIRMS. SO, I THINK WE KIND OF HAVE TO PULL BACK OUR AIM A LITTLE BIT . THE BIG PICTURE, EVERYBODY WANTS TRADER JOE'S, BUT WE KNOW THEY'RE NOT COMING. THIS IS NOT THE PLACE THEY'RE GOING TO COME UNTIL WE BUILD THOSE THOUSAND UNITS, AND WE HAVE A VOID AS YOU MENTIONED, WE HAVE A VOID. IT'S THE WATER. AS YOU KNOW, THEY DRAW A CIRCLE AROUND THE LOCATION, SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE IN THAT CIRCLE AND HALF OF OUR CIRCLE IS WATER, SO WE HAVE TO LEARN TO BRING PEOPLE IN. THIS IS WHY WE HAVE A TOUGH CHORE. TO BRING PEOPLE IN. I'M NOT GOING TO HOG UP ALL THE TIME BUT WE HAVE SOME THINGS WE ARE NOT LOOKING AT. WE HAVE A WEAPON STATION. WE DON'T NEED 1000 UNITS BEING BUILT. THERE'S GOING TO BE 11,000 UNITS BEING BUILT 6000 MILES AWAY FROM US. THE B.A.R.T. STATION A 6.1 MILES. MARTINEZ COULD BE THE FRONT DOOR OR THE FRONT DOORSTEP TO THOSE 11, HOLY CITY IS GOING TO BE SITTING THERE, AS MANY UNITS AS THERE ARE IN THE CITY OF MARTINEZ. WE HAVE ABOUT 12,000 UNITS. THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE ALMOST AS MANY UNITS SIX MILES AWAY SO WE'RE GOING TO DOUBLE OUR DEMOGRAPHICS IF THEY EVER FIND A DEVELOPER THAT WORKS WELL. THAT'S A WHOLE ANOTHER STORY. BUT, WE HAVE TO -- WE SHOULD BE PRESENTING THAT. THE 680 CORRIDOR, AS YOU GUYS KNOW, THE 680 CORRIDOR IS ONE OF THE RICHEST PER CAPITA IN THE COUNTRY. IT'S IN THE TOP FIVE, ISN'T IT? PEOPLE ARE ASTOUNDED THAT CONTRA COSTA COUNTY , INCLUDING EAST COUNTY -- WEST COUNTY AND EAST COUNTY, IS ONE OF THE RICHEST COUNTIES IN THE COUNTRY, SO YOU KNOW, AND WE ARE THE BEACH FOR THAT. WE ARE THE WATERFRONT ACCESS TO THAT SO I THINK WE GOT SOME WORK TO DO IN THE LONG TERM AND THE MORE IMMEDIATE. I APPRECIATE WHAT IT TAKES TO PUT FLYERS TOGETHER BECAUSE I PUT THESE TOGETHER MYSELF AND THEY ARE A PAIN. FOR MULTIMILLION DOLLAR PROPERTIES. I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO YOU GUYS ABOUT WHAT I THINK WE COULD DO BETTER ON THESE. ONE THING IS WE HAVE THE DEMOGRAPHIC THAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT, 25 TO 45, THEY ARE LOOKING FOR THE QR CODE. THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THE VIDEO LINK. AND JILL, YOUR PHONE NUMBERS AND EVEN HERE. YOU'RE RIGHT, PEOPLE LIKE THAT CONTACT, SO WE HAVE TO AIM THESE THINGS FOR THE PROBLEM WE ARE TRYING TO SOLVE. I THINK WE ARE DOING, LIKE YOU SAID, EVERY OTHER CITY IS LOOKING FOR THE SAME THING . AND WE ARE DOING THE SAME THING. I THINK WE NEED TO GET OFF THE BEATEN PATH A LITTLE BIT AND TAKE OUR UNIQUE ATTRIBUTES AND FLAWS THAT WE HAVE AND WORK WITH THEM . 20% OF THE REMAINING TIME, SORRY, BUT I DON'T THINK MY WORDS ARE NOT BEING SUPPORTIVE. IT'S A JOURNEY AND YOU GUYS HAVE FAR MORE EXPERIENCE AT THIS THAN I DO. >> DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THEM? GREAT. >> I DID HAVE ONE QUESTION. IN THE QUESTION, THE SMALL, SOLE PROPRIETOR TYPE, THE $1 MILLION-$2 MILLION GROSS RECEIPTS BRAND, HOW DO YOU SEE US ATTRACTING THAT? >> FIRST OF ALL, VERY WELL ARTICULATED IDEAS IN THE GOOD NEWS IS THEY ARE NOT MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE. WE ACTUALLY DEVISED A SHORT-TERM STRATEGY IN THE LONG TERM. THE SHORT-TERM IS CAPITALIZE ON EXISTING ASSETS, EXISTING TRAFFIC PATTERNS, EXISTING LAND USE. SO ONE OF THE DETAILED VOID ANALYSIS IS HOW DO YOU GET IN THE EXISTING STOREFRONTS, HOW DO YOU GET IN THE EXISTING EMPTY SPACES? WHO QUALIFIES FOR THAT BUILDING? PART OF OUR STRATEGY IS YES, SHORT-TERM. SECOND ISSUE, LONG TERM. SAY 2030. LET'S ASSUME WE HAVE A GOAL OF X BY 2030. THEN WE REVERSE ENGINEER THE TIMELINE OF POLICY ACTIONS AND TIME CHANGES TO GET THERE, WE FIND WE HAVE TO START TUESDAY, SERIOUSLY, TO GET THESE THINGS IN PLACE. SO AND AGAIN, YOU DO HAVE TO ENHANCE YOUR POPULATION GROWTH. BY THE WAY, HAVING SOME DECENT SIZED TENANTS, THE SMALL TENANT PROSPERS BECAUSE OF THOSE TENANTS, SO, WE CALL THEM TELLTALES AND COMPANION TALENTS. I'M MAKING UP WORDS. FOR INSTANCE, STARBUCKS TELLS YOU THERE ARE PEOPLE WILLING TO BUY FOR 50 COFFEE VERSUS DENNY'S COFFEE. PEOPLE THEN GO TO THIS FAMOUS RESTAURANT, CAN'T GET A RESERVATION, THEY GO TO THE NEXT THREE RESTAURANTS, SO THEREFORE ATTRACTING NATIONAL AND REGIONAL, PEOPLE COME IN AND THE SMALL BUSINESS PROSPERS. HERE'S THE OTHER ISSUE THAT HAS TO BE ADDRESSED. HOW COME BUILDINGS ARE NOT BEING REHABBED? A LOT OF DOWNTOWNS IN THE GREATER BAY AREA HAVE THIS. ONE ISSUE IS OLD BUILDINGS. THEY'RE NOT SPRINKLER, A.D.A., SEISMIC -- WHATEVER THE CASE, AND THE RENTS ARE LOW, SO I HAVE TO SPEND $200 PER FOOT TO FIX IT UP AND I ONLY GET AVERAGE RENTS, I AIN'T GOING TO DO IT. ONE REASON WHY THERE ARE EMPTY STOREFRONTS, INCLUDING PARTS OF WALNUT CREEK, IS IT IS TOO EXPENSIVE TO REHAB THE EXISTING STRUCTURE SO THEREFORE, WHAT YOU DO IF YOU INCREASE TRAFFIC THEN THE RENT GOES UP? YOU HAVE REHAB. IT'S ALMOST NOT THAT SIMPLE, BUT HOLISTIC TO YOUR POINT, SO HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH THE COMBINATION OF EVENTS AND THEN THE SMALL BUSINESS PERSON PROSPERS. >> GREAT COMMENTS. 20 YEARS AGO , VARIOUS CITIES THAT I HAVE VISITED AND HELPED, THE KEY COMPONENT TO RE-GENTRIFYING DOWNTOWN WAS ENTERTAINMENT. EVERYBODY SAID, WE'VE GOT TO HAVE A MOVIE THEATER DOWNTOWN IF WE WANT TO CREATE TRAFFIC. WANT TO CREATE EXCITEMENT. THAT FREES THE RESTAURANTS. THAT POINT IS A GATHERING POINT. THAT WAS 20 YEARS AGO. IF EVERYBODY ADDED ALL THESE NEW SCREENS, HOLLYWOOD DID THEIR PART WHEN THEY WERE NON-STRIKE, AND THEY WERE ABLE TO GENTRIFY DOWNTOWN. SO NOW, WHAT IS THE NEW HOT TICKET NOW? IT IS A VERTICAL RESIDENTIAL. IT IS CRITICAL MASS. IT IS ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL MASS. THE ENTREPRENEUR THAT IS DOWNTOWN IS TRYING TO NOT LIVE DAY-TO-DAY BUT TRYING TO MAKE ENDS -- NOT JUST MAKING ENDS MEET, BUT TRYING TO GROW THEIR BUSINESS AND INCREASE THEIR EMPLOYEE BASE. VERTICAL RESIDENTIAL, WHERE THEY CAN ACTUALLY WALK TO THAT BUSINESS INSTEAD OF HAVE A WEAPON STATION, THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO CHANGE DOWNTOWN RIGHT NOW. I THINK THE MARINA IS FABULOUS. WE HAVE IDENTIFIED THESE. THE TRAIN IS ANOTHER -- THE TRANSIT, YOU KNOW, WE WERE TALKING ABOUT A WINE TRAIN. LET'S INTERFACE WITH NAPA AND CREATE BETWEEN MARTINEZ AND NAPA AND MAYBE DO SOMETHING THERE COULD BE FUN. I KNOW THE REFINERIES ARE TOUCHY SUBJECT RIGHT NOW BECAUSE OF THEIR ORDINARINESS ON WHAT IS GOING ON THERE BUT I CAME UP WITH A --AN IDEA. I WAS DRIVING OVER THE BRIDGE AND SAW ALL THE TANKS AND I THOUGHT WERE NOT GOING TO MAKE THEM GO AWAY, BUT HOW ABOUT WE MAKE THEM DISAPPEAR? SO I CAME UP WITH AN IDEA OF HAVING AN INTERNATIONAL ART CONTEST AND OF COURSE THEY WILL CONTRIBUTE THE PAINT AND SCAFFOLDING IN WHATEVER LIST --LIFT NEEDED TO BE DONE AND HAVE AN INTERNATIONAL ART COMPETITION FOR EACH ONE OF THOSE TANKS. SHOWING SOMETHING FROM THE WATER, SOMETHING THAT IS DOWNTOWN LIVERMORE, IT'S A WATER TANK AND ON THE MIDDLE OF LIVERMORE AVENUE AND THEY PAINTED THIS BEAUTIFUL OCEAN SCENE WITH WALES AND ITS STUNNING . IT DISAPPEARS. YOU DON'T EVEN SEE -- YOU SEE THE ART, SOMETHING LIKE THAT. THANK YOU. >> ONE OTHER QUESTION I WANT TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS AND WE SAY DENSITY DOWNTOWN, IN OUR MIND, WHERE ONLY LOOKING AT FOUR TO FIVE BLOCKS AWAY FROM THE SINGLE-FAMILY, NEAR THE HUB . ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS IS TO MOVE THE RELOCATION SO IT'S REALLY THREE OR FOUR BLOCKS TO THE TRAIN STATION, NOT THE WHOLE DOWNTOWN. SO THEY MAINTAIN THE TWO STREETS . TOYOTA SQUIRTED THE SAME THING FOR CONCORD. SO YOU MAINTAIN THAT, ENHANCE IT, STILL TWO STORIES AND GREAT FOR THE CITY BUT THEN ON THE THREE OR FOUR BLOCKS, YOU CANNOT EASILY 1000 UNITS . >> THANK YOU FOR THOSE COMMENTS. I ACTUALLY DID HAVE A QUESTION SINCE YOU BROUGHT THAT UP AGAIN. IS IT REASONABLE, REALISTIC WITH THE CURRENT GENERAL PLANNING CURRENT HOUSING ELEMENT TO HAVE 1000 UNITS IN THAT AREA? I'M LOOKING AT JILL BECAUSE I'M JUST -- DO WE HAVE WE ACTUALLY DESIGNED THE HOUSING ELEMENT THAT PUTS 1000 UNITS DOWNTOWN? >> I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO ANSWER THAT. IT'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE HAVE TO LOOK AT. WHEN YOU SAY 1000 IN WEST DOWNTOWN, WE ALL GO WELL, THAT'S NOT CONSISTENT WITH WHAT WE'VE BEEN SAYING, BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENT ABOUT IT ONLY BEEN A COUPLE OF BLOCKS, BECAUSE I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE RESIDENTS OF MARTINEZ ARE VERY SENSITIVE TO, THE IDEA OF WALNUT CREEK ING OR DOWNTOWN AREA. I THINK SOME OF THOSE COMMENTS MIGHT MAKE PEOPLE A LITTLE UNEASY SO I APPRECIATE YOU CLARIFYING WHAT PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT AND THERE ARE QUITE A FEW SPACES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN DEVELOPED FOR THE MOBILITY HUB IS SUPPOSED TO BE SO I CAN ENVISION WHAT YOU ARE SUGGESTING IN THAT AREA OF TOWN. >> TO ANSWER THE QUESTION, VERY GOOD POINTS, INDEED. TO ANSWER THE QUESTION OF THE GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT, PROBABLY IN SOME CASES, THE HEIGHT AND THE SAR IS NOT EXISTING BUT REMEMBER THE GOAL OF 2030. STARTS TUESDAY. WHAT ARE WE DOING FOR A MINOR GENERAL PLAN FOR FOUR BLOCKS. SECOND, THE JOB REMINDED ME OF THIS. THE SECOND IS NOT GOING TO BE BY WEDNESDAY. HOW DO WE DO 300 UNITS IN TWO TO THREE STORIES? HOW DO YOU BEGIN IT SO OVER THE EIGHT-YEAR PERIOD, WE HAVE THE THOUSAND DOWNTOWN SO AGAIN, YOU KNOW, IF YOU MAKE IT AN ENGINEERING OPPORTUNITY , YES, YOU HAVE ALL THESE TIMELINES BUT THEY CAN BE DONE, SO WHAT WE DO FOR THE BEGINNING HUNDRED UNITS, 200 UNITS, WHAT WE DO ET CETERA? SO, THAT WILL BE -- THAT IS WHAT A STRATEGY WOULD ENTAIL SO AGAIN WERE NOT GOING TO DO THIS OVERNIGHT, BUT WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO STARTING NOW TO GET TO THE TARGET? >> BECAUSE OF TIME, I'M GOING TO PAUSE FOR THE REST OF THE COUNCIL AND OPEN UP TO