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01/09/2023 City Council Regular Agenda Packet January 9, 2023 | 6:00 PM Page 1 of 6 City of Gilroy City Council Regular Meeting Agenda CITY COUNCIL AGENDA CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS, CITY HALL 7351 ROSANNA STREET, GILROY, CA 95020 REGULAR MEETING | 6:00 PM MONDAY, JANUARY 9, 2023 MAYOR Marie Blankley COUNCIL MEMBERS Rebeca Armendariz Dion Bracco Tom Cline Zach Hilton Carol Marques Fred Tovar CITY COUNCIL PACKET MATERIALS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT www.cityofgilroy.org AGENDA CLOSING TIME IS 5:00 P.M. THE TUESDAY PRIOR TO THE MEETING Due to COVID-19, it is possible that the planned in-person meeting may have to change to a virtual meeting at any time and possibly on short notice. Please check the City of Gilroy website www.cityofgilroy.org for any updates to meeting information. COMMENTS BY THE PUBLIC WILL BE TAKEN ON AGENDA ITEMS BEFORE ACTION IS TAKEN BY THE CITY COUNCIL. Public testimony is subject to reasonable regulations, including but not limited to time restrictions for each individual speaker. Please limit your comments to 3 minutes. The amount of time allowed per speaker may vary at the Mayor’s discretion depending on the number of speakers and length of the agenda. Written comments on any agenda item may be emailed to the City Clerk’s Office at cityclerk@cityofgilroy.org or mailed to the Gilroy City Clerk’s Office at City Hall, 7351 Rosanna Street, Gilroy, CA 95020. Comments received by the City Clerk’s Office by 1 p.m. on the day of a Council meeting will be distributed to the City Council prior to or at the meeting and available for public inspection with the agenda packet located in the lobby of Administration at City Hall, 7351 Rosanna Street prior to the meeting. Any correspondence received will be incorporated into the meeting record. Items received after the 1 p.m. deadline will be provided to the City Council as soon as practicable. Written comments are also available on the City’s Public Records Portal at http://bit.ly/3NuS1IN. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting. If you need special assistance to participate in this meeting, please contact the City Clerk’s Office at least 72 hours prior to the meeting at (408) 846-0204 or cityclerk@cityofgilroy.org to help ensure that reasonable arrangements can be made. If you challenge any planning or land use decision made at this meeting in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing held at this meeting, or in written correspondence delivered to the City Council at, or prior to, the public hearing. Please take notice that the time within which to seek judicial review of any final administrative determination reached at this meeting is governed by Section 1094.6 of the California Code of Civil Procedure. A Closed Session may be called during this meeting pursuant to Government Code Section 54956.9 (d)(2) if a point has been reached where, in the opinion of the legislative body of the City on the advice of its legal counsel, based on existing facts and circumstances, there is a significant exposure to litigation against the City City of Gilroy City Council Regular Meeting Agenda Page 2 of 6 January 9, 2023 | 6:00 PM Materials related to an item on this agenda submitted to the City Council after distribution of the agenda packet are available with the agenda packet on the City website at www.cityofgilroy.org subject to Staff’s ability to post the documents before the meeting. KNOW YOUR RIGHTS UNDER THE GILROY OPEN GOVERNMENT ORDINANCE Government's duty is to serve the public, reaching its decisions in full view of the public. Commissions, task forces, councils and other agencies of the City exist to conduct the people's business. This ordinance assures that deliberations are conducted before the people and that City operations are open to the people's review. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON YOUR RIGHTS UNDER THE OPEN GOVERNMENT ORDINANCE, TO RECEIVE A FREE COPY OF THE ORDINANCE OR TO REPORT A VIOLATION OF THE ORDINANCE, CONTACT THE OPEN GOVERNMENT COMMISSION STAFF AT (408) 846-0204. If you need assistance with translation and would like to speak during public comment, please contact the City Clerk a minimum of 72 hours prior to the meeting at 408-846-0204 or e-mail the City Clerk’s Office at cityclerk@cityofgilroy.org. Si necesita un intérprete durante la junta y gustaría dar un comentario público, comuníquese con el Secretario de la Ciudad un mínimo de 72 horas antes de la junta al 408-846-0204 o envíe un correo electrónico a la Oficina del Secretario de la Ciudad a cityclerk@cityofgilroy.org. To access written translation during the meeting, please scan the QR Code or click this link: Para acceder a la traducción durante la reunión, por favor escanee el código QR o haga clic en el enlace: bit.ly/3FBiGA0 Choose Language and Click Attend | Seleccione su lenguaje y haga clic en asistir Use a headset on your phone for audio or read the transcript on your device. Use sus auriculares para escuchar el audio o leer la transcripción en el dispositivo. The agenda for this regular meeting is as follows: 1. OPENING 1.1. Call to Order 1.2. Pledge of Allegiance 1.3. Invocation 1.4. City Clerk’s Report on Posting the Agenda 1.5. Roll Call 1.6. Orders of the Day 1.7. Employee Introductions 2. CEREMONIAL ITEMS – Proclamations and Awards City of Gilroy City Council Regular Meeting Agenda Page 3 of 6 January 9, 2023 | 6:00 PM 3. PRESENTATIONS TO THE COUNCIL 3.1. PUBLIC COMMENT BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA BUT WITHIN THE SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL This portion of the meeting is reserved for persons desiring to address the Council on matters within the Gilroy City Council’s jurisdiction but not on the agenda. Persons wishing to address the Council are requested to complete a Speaker’s Card located at the entrances and handed to the City Clerk. Speakers are limited to 1 to 3 minutes each, varying at the Mayor’s discretion depending on the number of speakers and length of the agenda. The law does not permit Council action or extended discussion of any item not on the agenda except under special circumstances. If Council action is requested, the Council may place the matter on a future agenda. Written comments to address the Council on matters not on this agenda may be e-mailed to the City Clerk’s Office at cityclerk@cityofgilroy.org or mailed to the Gilroy City Clerk’s Office at City Hall, 7351 Rosanna Street, Gilroy, CA 95020. Comments received by the City Clerk’s Office by 1:00 pm on the day of a Council meeting will be distributed to the City Council prior to or at the meeting and available for public inspection with the agenda packet located in the lobby of Administration at City Hall, 7351 Rosanna Street, prior to the meeting. Any correspondence received will be incorporated into the meeting record. Items received after the 1:00 pm deadline will be provided to the City Council as soon as practicable. Written material provided by public members under this section of the agenda will be limited to 10 pages in hard copy. An unlimited amount of material may be provided electronically. 4. REPORTS OF COUNCIL MEMBERS Council Member Bracco – Cities Association Santa Clara County Board of Directors (Alternate), Santa Clara County Library Joint Powers Authority, Santa Clara Valley Water Commission, Valley Water Joint Water Resources Commission, SCRWA Council Member Armendariz – Santa Clara County Library Joint Powers Authority (Alternate), Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency Governing Board, Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency Implementation Board, Silicon Valley Clean Energy Authority JPA Board (Alternate), South County United for Health Council Member Marques – ABAG, Gilroy Gardens Board of Directors, Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency Governing Board, Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency Implementation Board, SCRWA (Alternate) Council Member Hilton – CalTrain Policy Group (Alternate), Silicon Valley Clean Energy Authority JPA Board, South County United for Health (Alternate), VTA Policy Advisory Committee Council Member Cline – Gilroy Economic Development Partnership, Gilroy Sister Cities Association, Gilroy Youth Task Force, Silicon Valley Regional Interoperability Authority Board, VTA Policy Advisory Committee (Alternate), Visit Gilroy California Welcome Center Board City of Gilroy City Council Regular Meeting Agenda Page 4 of 6 January 9, 2023 | 6:00 PM Council Member Tovar – Gilroy Youth Task Force (Alternate), Santa Clara County Expressway Plan 2040 Policy Advisory Board (PAB), Santa Clara Valley Water Commission (Alternate), SCRWA, South County Youth Task Force Policy Team (Alternate), VTA Mobility Partnership Mayor Blankley – ABAG (Alternate), CalTrain Policy Group, Cities Association Santa Clara County Board of Directors, Gilroy Economic Development Partnership, Gilroy Sister Cities Association (Alternate), Gilroy Youth Task Force, Valley Water Joint Water Resources Commission, SCRWA, South County Youth Task Force Policy Team, VTA Board of Directors, VTA Mobility Partnership 5. COUNCIL CORRESPONDENCE 6. FUTURE COUNCIL INITIATED AGENDA ITEMS 7. CONSENT CALENDAR All matters listed under the Consent Calendar are considered by the City Council to be routine and will be enacted by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a request is made by a member of the City Council or a member of the public. Any person desiring to speak on any item on the consent calendar should ask to have that item removed from the consent calendar prior to the time the Council votes to approve. If removed, the item will be discussed in the order in which it appears. 7.1. Action Minutes of the December 12, 2022 City Council Special Meeting 7.2. Removal of Commissioner Destiny Saldate from Youth Commission Pursuant to Gilroy City Charter Section 900. 7.3. Acceptance of the Annual Development Impact Fee Report for Fiscal Year 2021-2022 as Required under Government Code 66000 7.4. Adopt an Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Gilroy Repealing Ordinance Number 99-13, Removing the Use of Liens to Collect for Delinquent Garbage Fees 7.5. Claim of Roohi Eskandarian (The City Administrator recommends a “yes” vote under the Consent Calendar shall constitute the denial of the claim.) 8. BIDS AND PROPOSALS 9. PUBLIC HEARINGS 10. UNFINISHED BUSINESS 10.1. Annual Appointments to City Boards, Commissions, and Committees with Seats Vacant or Expired as of December 31, 2022 1. Staff Report: Thai Nam Pham, City Clerk 2. Public Comment 3. Possible Action: Appoint members to the following commissions: Arts and Culture Commission One (1) seat with a term expiring 12/31/2024 One (1) seat with a term expiring 12/31/2025 Two (2) seats with term expiring 12/31/2026 City of Gilroy City Council Regular Meeting Agenda Page 5 of 6 January 9, 2023 | 6:00 PM Building Board of Appeals Two (2) seats with terms expiring 12/31/2026 Library Commission One (1) seat with a term expiring 12/31/2026 Open Government Commission One (1) seat with a term expiring 12/31/2024 Two (2) seats with terms expiring 12/31/2026 Parks and Recreation Commission One (1) seat with a term expiring 12/31/2026 Personnel Commission Two (2) seats with terms expiring 12/31/2026 Physically Challenged Board of Appeals Two (2) seats with terms expiring 12/31/2025 One (1) seat with term expiring 12/31/2026 Planning Commission One (1) seat with a term expiring 12/31/2023 Two (2) seats expiring 12/31/2026 Youth Commission One (1) seat with a term expiring 9/30/2024 11. INTRODUCTION OF NEW BUSINESS 11.1. A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Gilroy Authorizing the Submittal of Applications for Payment Programs and Related Authorizations 1. Staff Report: Daryl Jordan, Public Works Director 2. Public Comment 3. Possible Action: Adopt resolution authorizing the City’s application for recycling program funding through the annual CalRecycle program. 11.2. Council-Initiated Item: Review of the Social Host Ordinance 1. Staff Report: Jimmy Forbis, City Administrator 2. Public Comment 3. Possible Action: Council review the Social Host Ordinance and advise staff of any direction. 11.3. Downtown Survey Results 1. Staff Report: Jimmy Forbis, City Administrator 2. Public Comment 3. Possible Action: Council receive the survey results report. 12. CITY ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORTS 12.1. Federal Budget Update – Gilroy Allocations City of Gilroy City Council Regular Meeting Agenda Page 6 of 6 January 9, 2023 | 6:00 PM 13. CITY ATTORNEY'S REPORTS 13.1. 2023 Brown Act Update (AB 2449) 14. ADJOURN TO CLOSED SESSION IN MEMORY OF DON CHRISTOPHER 15. CLOSED SESSION 15.1. Conference with Negotiator – Collective Bargaining Unit Pursuant to Government Code Section 54957.6, Gilroy City Code Section 17A.11 (4) Collective Bargaining Unit: Gilroy Police Officers Association, Inc., Representing Gilroy Police Officers; City Negotiators: Jimmy Forbis, City Administrator; LeeAnn McPhillips, Assistant City Administrator/Administrative Services & Human Resources Director; Anticipated Issue(s) Under Negotiation: Wages, Hours, Benefits, Working Conditions; Memorandum of Understanding: MOU Between City of Gilroy & Gilroy Police Officers Possible Action: Receive Public Comment on Closed Session Item. 16. ADJOURN TO OPEN SESSION Report of any action taken in Closed Session and vote or abstention of each Council Member if required by Government Code Section 54957.1 and GCC Section 17A.13 (a); Public Report of the vote to continue in closed session if required under GCC Section 17A.11 (e). 17. ADJOURNMENT FUTURE MEETING DATES JANUARY 2023 23* Regular Meeting - 6:00 p.m. 28* Strategic Planning Workshop - 9:00 a.m. FEBRUARY 2023 6* Regular Meeting - 6:00 p.m 20* Regular Meeting - 6:00 p.m MARCH 2023 6* Regular Meeting - 6:00 p.m 20* Regular Meeting - 6:00 p.m * Meeting is webstreamed City Council Special Meeting Minutes 12/12/2022 Page 1 of 7 City of Gilroy City Council Special Meeting Minutes December 12, 2022 1. OPENING 1.1. Call to Order 1. Pledge of Allegiance Council Member Leroe-Muñoz led the Pledge of Allegiance. 2. Invocation Pastor Malcolm MacPhail from New Hope Community Church led the Invocation. 3. City Clerk's Report on Posting the Agenda City Clerk Pham declared the posting of the agenda. Attendee Name Title Status Marie Blankley Mayor Present Rebeca Armendariz Council Member Present Dion Bracco Council Member Present Zach Hilton Council Member Present Peter Leroe-Muñoz Vice Mayor Present Carol Marques Council Member Present Fred Tovar Council Member Present 1.2. Orders of the Day There were none. 1.3. Employee Introductions There were none. 2. PROCLAMATIONS, AWARDS, AND PRESENTATIONS 2.1. Proclamation for Gilroy Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Mark Turner Mayor Blankley read aloud the Proclamation and presented it to Gilroy Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Mark Turner. 2.2. Retirement Proclamation for Gilroy Police Department Records Technician Virginia Hernandez Mayor Blankley acknowledged the Proclamation. 7.1 p. 8 of 184 City Council Special Meeting Minutes 12/12/2022 Page 2 of 7 3. PRESENTATIONS TO THE COUNCIL 3.1. PUBLIC COMMENT BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ON ITEMS NOT ON THE AGENDA BUT WITHIN THE SUBJECT MATTER JURISDICTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL The following speaker spoke on items that were not on the agenda: Ron Kirkish thanked outgoing Council Member Leroe-Muñoz for his work on the City Council. There being no further speakers, Mayor Blankley closed Public Comment. 4. REPORTS OF COUNCIL MEMBERS Council Member Bracco had nothing to report. Council Member Armendariz had nothing to report. Council Member Marques reported on no report. Council Member Hilton reported on Silicon Valley Clean Energy Authority JPA Board and third graders from Rucker Elementary visiting the Council Chambers on December 7th. He also wished everyone Happy Holidays. Council Member Tovar had nothing to report. Council Member Leroe-Muñoz had nothing to report. Mayor Blankley reported on VTA Policy Advisory Committee and third graders from Rucker Elementary visiting the Council Chambers on December 7th. She also announced that the YMCA Holiday Toy Drive is in full swing at the Neon Exchange. 5. COUNCIL CORRESPONDENCE 5.1. City Council Member Meeting Attendance Council accepted the meeting attendance report. 6. FUTURE COUNCIL INITIATED AGENDA ITEMS There were none. 7. CONSENT CALENDAR (ROLL CALL VOTE) Mayor Blankley opened public comment. There being no speakers, Mayor Blankley closed public comment. RESULT: APPROVE [UNANIMOUS] MOVER:Peter Leroe-Muñoz, Vice Mayor SECONDER:Dion Bracco, Council Member AYES:Blankley, Armendariz, Bracco, Hilton, Leroe-Muñoz, Marques, Tovar 7.1. City Council - Regular Meeting - Dec 5, 2022 6:00 PM A motion was made to approve the minutes. 7.2. Approval of City of Gilroy's Response to the Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury Report Regarding Ballot Measure Wording 7.1 p. 9 of 184 City Council Special Meeting Minutes 12/12/2022 Page 3 of 7 A motion was to approve the City of Gilroy’s Response to Santa Clara County Civil Grand Jury Report Regarding Ballot Measure Wording and Recommendations and Authorize the Mayor to Submit the Response on Behalf of the Gilroy City Council. 7.3. Mayoral Appointments of Council Members to Serve in Regional Representative Seats and Seats on Local Boards and Committees A motion was made to approve representative seat assignments as determined by Mayor Blankley per California Government Code section 40605. 7.4. Council Designation of Obsolete and Used Computer and Other Electronic Waste as Surplus and Auction or Discard as Deemed Appropriate by the Administrative Services and Finance Departments. A motion was made to declare the list of electronic waste as surplus and designate the items to be auctioned or discarded as deemed appropriate by the Administrative Services and Finance Departments. 7.5. Approval of Parcel Map and Property Improvement Agreement No. 2022- 05 for 6605 Automall Parkway Commercial Development, APN 841-16-117 A motion was made to approve Parcel Map and Property Improvement Agreement No. 2022-05 for 6605 Automall Parkway Commercial Development, APN 841-16-117. 8. CEREMONIAL ITEMS 8.1. Acceptance of the Official Canvass of the November 8, 2022 Municipal Election Results City Clerk Pham provided a brief report. Mayor Blankley opened Public Comment. There being no speakers, Mayor Blankley closed Public Comment. RESULT: APPROVE [UNANIMOUS] MOVER:Fred Tovar, Council Member SECONDER:Peter Leroe-Muñoz, Vice Mayor AYES:Blankley, Armendariz, Bracco, Hilton, Leroe-Muñoz, Marques, Tovar Enactment No.: Resolution No. 2022-91 8.2. Presentation of Plaque to Outgoing Council Member Leroe-Muñoz Mayor Blankley recognized Council Member Leroe-Muñoz with a plaque for his 12 years of service as Council Member. 8.3. Council Member Leroe-Muñoz Farewell Remarks Mayor Pro Tempore Leroe-Muñoz gave his farewell remarks. 8.4. Adjourn Sine Die The Council adjourned sine die. 7.1 p. 10 of 184 City Council Special Meeting Minutes 12/12/2022 Page 4 of 7 8.5. Swearing in of Council Members Elect City Clerk Pham administered the oath of office to incoming Council Members Dion Bracco, Tom Cline, and Carol Marques. 8.6. Roll Call Attendee Name Title Status Marie Blankley Mayor Present Rebeca Armendariz Council Member Present Dion Bracco Council Member Present Tom Cline Council Member Present Zach Hilton Council Member Present Carol Marques Council Member Present Fred Tovar Council Member Present 8.7. Incoming Council Member's Remarks Council Members Bracco, Marques, and Cline gave incoming remarks. 8.8. Recess for Refreshments for Outgoing and Incoming Council Members Mayor Blankley recessed the Council for refreshments in honor of outgoing Council Member Leroe-Muñoz and incoming Council Members Bracco, Cline, and Marques at 6:32 PM. Mayor Blankley reconvened the Council at 6:48 PM. 9. INTRODUCTION OF NEW BUSINESS 9.1. Selection of Mayor Pro Tempore Following the November 8, 2022 General Election City Clerk Pham provided a brief report. Mayor Blankley opened Public Comment. There being no speakers, Mayor Blankley closed Public Comment. Possible Action: Elect a Mayor Pro Tempore for calendar year 2023. RESULT: ELECT DION BRACCO AS MAYOR PRO TEMPORE [UNANIMOUS] MOVER:Marie Blankley, Mayor SECONDER:Rebeca Armendariz, Council Member AYES:Blankley, Armendariz, Bracco, Cline, Hilton, Marques, Tovar 9.2. Adoption of a Resolution Approving a Budget Amendment in Fiscal Year 2022-23 Adding $265,801 from the Office of the District Attorney to the Police Grants Fund for the South County Youth Task Force (SCYTF) Police Chief Espinoza and SCYTF Coordinator Sandra Cruz provided a staff presentation and responded to Council Member questions. Mayor Blankley opened Public Comment. 7.1 p. 11 of 184 City Council Special Meeting Minutes 12/12/2022 Page 5 of 7 There being no speakers, Mayor Blankley closed Public Comment. Possible Action: Adopt a resolution of the City Council of the City of Gilroy approving a budget amendment in Fiscal Year 2022-23 adding $265,801 from the Office of the District Attorney to the Police Grants Fund for the South County Youth Task Force (SCYTF). RESULT: APPROVE [UNANIMOUS] MOVER:Rebeca Armendariz, Council Member SECONDER:Fred Tovar, Council Member AYES:Blankley, Armendariz, Bracco, Cline Hilton, Marques, Tovar Enactment No.: Resolution No. 2022-92 9.3. Acceptance of the 2022 Title II Board of State and Community Corrections Three-Year Grant Award in the Amount of $1,049,952 to Support Delinquency Prevention and Juvenile Justice System Improvement and Adopt a Resolution Amending the Fiscal Year 2023 Operating Budget by $349,984 SCYTF Coordinator Sandra Cruz provided a staff presentation and responded to Council Member questions. Mayor Blankley opened Public Comment. There being no speakers, Mayor Blankley closed Public Comment. Possible Action: a) Authorize acceptance of a three-year Title II grant award in the amount of $1,049,952 from the California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC), and authorize the City Administrator to execute all grant agreements and related documents; and b) Adopt a resolution amending the Fiscal Year 2022-23 Operating Budget in the amount of $349,984, appropriating the first year of the Title II grant funds and c) Adopt a resolution of the City Council of the City of Gilroy accepting grant funds and designating certain positions as agents for the City of Gilroy’s application for, and administration of, funding from the Board of State and Community Corrections. RESULT: APPROVE ACTIONS A, B, and C [UNANIMOUS] MOVER:Dion Bracco, Mayor Pro Tempore SECONDER:Carol Marques, Council Member AYES:Blankley, Armendariz, Bracco, Cline, Hilton, Marques, Tovar Enactment Nos.: Resolution Nos. 2022-93 and 2022-94 7.1 p. 12 of 184 City Council Special Meeting Minutes 12/12/2022 Page 6 of 7 10. BOARD AND COMMISSION INTERVIEWS 10.1. Interviews for Open Seats on Boards, Commissions and Committees with Future Appointment January 9, 2023 Possible Action: 1. Accept three applications for open seats on City of Gilroy Boards, Commissions, and Committees that were received after the November 30th, 2022 application deadline; and The Council accepted the three late applications. 2. Interview candidates for open seats on City of Gilroy Boards, Commissions, and Committees. The Council conducted Commission Interviews. Arts & Culture Commission Applicants 1. Joseph Robinson - Present 2. Jan Bernstein Chargin - Not Present 3. Ruben Dario Villa - Present 4. Ronald Robinson, Jr. - Present 5. Adilene Moreno - Present Building Board of Appeals Applicants 1. Ronald Robinson, Jr. - Present Open Government Commission Applicants 1. Terence Fugazzi - Present 2. Sandra Ramirez - Present 3. Joseph Robinson - Present 4. Jan Bernstein Chargin - Not Present 5. Diane Sanchez Bentz *incumbent - Not Present 6. Shayne Somavia - Present 7. Rebecca Garcia - Present Parks and Recreation Commission Applicants 1. Terence Fugazzi - Present 2. Luis Ramirez *incumbent - Present 3. Sandra Ramirez - Present 4. Vincent Saso - Present 5. Jan Bernstein Chargin - Not Present 6. Adeline Moreno - Present Planning Commission Applicants 1. Mike Kim - Not Present 2. Terence Fugazzi - Present 3. Manny Bhandal *incumbent - Present 4. Michelle Montez - Present 5. Sandra Ramirez - Present 6. Zhuoyuan Zhang - Present 7. Harold Sontag - Not Present 8. Adilene Moreno *incumbent - Present 7.1 p. 13 of 184 City Council Special Meeting Minutes 12/12/2022 Page 7 of 7 9. Kelly Ramirez - Present Youth Commission Applicants 1. Natalie Nguyen - Not Present 2. Melanie Reynolds - Present 3. Jaimee Nguyen - Present 4. Ryan Verrette - Not Present 5. Mariam Ndao - Not Present 11. CITY ADMINISTRATOR'S REPORT City Administrator Forbis provided a brief report. 11.1. 2022 City of Gilroy Year-End Video City Administrator Forbis presented 2022 City of Gilroy Year-End Video to Council. 12. CITY ATTORNEY'S REPORTS City Attorney Faber wished everyone Happy Holidays. 13. ADJOURNMENT The meeting was adjourned by Mayor Blankley at 8:03 PM. I HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing minutes were duly and regularly adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Gilroy. /s/ Thai Pham, CMC, CPMC City Clerk 7.1 p. 14 of 184 City of Gilroy STAFF REPORT Agenda Item Title:Removal of Commissioner Destiny Saldate from Youth Commission Pursuant to Gilroy City Charter Section 900. Meeting Date:January 9, 2023 From:Jimmy Forbis, City Administrator Department:City Clerk Submitted By:Thai Nam Pham, City Clerk Prepared By:Thai Nam Pham, City Clerk STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS Not Applicable RECOMMENDATION Council terminate the term of Youth Commissioner Destiny Saldate due to lack of attendance effective immediately and declare the seat vacant pursuant to Section 900 of the City of Gilroy City Charter. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY N/A BACKGROUND Gilroy Youth Commission Members are appointed by the Gilroy City Council. Section 900 of the Gilroy City Charter states, “…if a member of a board or commission absents himself from three (3) consecutive regular meetings of such board or commission, unless by permission of such board or commission expressed in its official minutes, his office shall become vacant and shall be so declared by the Council." On December 12, 2022, Commissioner Saldate of the Youth Commission was absent from her third consecutive regular meeting (October 10th and November 14th were the 7.2 p. 15 of 184 Removal of Youth Commissioner Pursuant to Gilroy City Charter Section 900 City of Gilroy Page 2 of 2 City Council Meeting January 9, 2023 previous Youth Commission Regular Meetings). These absences are not shown in the official minutes of the Youth Commission as being by permission of the Commission. NEXT STEPS Should Council approve the declaration of vacancy at tonight’s City Council Meeting, staff will immediately open recruitment for the Youth Commission seat with the term ending September 30, 2024. 7.2 p. 16 of 184 City of Gilroy STAFF REPORT Agenda Item Title:Acceptance of the Annual Development Impact Fee Report for Fiscal Year 2021-2022 as Required under Government Code 66000 Meeting Date:January 9, 2023 From:Jimmy Forbis, City Administrator Department:Finance Submitted By:Harjot Sangha, Director Prepared By:Harjot Sangha, Director STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS Develop a Financially Resilient Organization RECOMMENDATION Accept and file the annual development impact fee report for Fiscal Year 2021-2022. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In accordance with the Mitigation Fee Act (Act), Government Code 66000 et seq. the City must annually review and make a public report on development impact fees. BACKGROUND The Mitigation Fee Act, Government Code 66000 et seq., (adopted as AB 1600 and commonly referred to as “AB 1600 requirements”) governs the establishment and administration of development impact fees paid by new development projects for public facilities needed to serve new development. Fees must be separately accounted for and used for the specific purpose for which the fee was established and imposed. The City’s adopted development impact fees are listed in the attachment. Expenditures are authorized by Council through annual capital and operating budgets and committed via the City’s five-year capital improvement program. 7.3 p. 17 of 184 Acceptance of FY 21-22 Annual Development Impact Fee Report City of Gilroy Page 2 of 2 City Council Meeting January 9, 20231 3 8 ANALYSIS This report is for information purposes only. The establishment of fees and expending of fee-generated revenue occurs in separate Council actions. ALTERNATIVES Not Applicable. FISCAL IMPACT/FUNDING SOURCE This report has no direct fiscal impacts as this report only provides information describing each development impact fee and a list of revenues, expenditures, and fund balance for each impact fund. Attachments: 1. Gilroy Impact Fee Report FY2021-2022. 7.3 p. 18 of 184 Account FY21/22 FUND 410 - Storm Drain Development Impact Fee Number AB 1600 Revenues Storm Drain Development Impact Fees 4105500 45150 34,506$ Bank Interest 4105500 46110 3,957 Interfund Transfer Interest Income 4105500 46210 12,795 Transfer from General Fund 4105500 48110 1,196 Total Revenues 52,454$ Expenditures Contractual Services 4105500 51630 39,435 Overhead Expenses 4105500 54150 188 Total Expenditures 39,623$ Revenues Less Expenditures 12,832$ Fund Balance as of June 30, 2021 2,078,854 Fund Balance as of June 30, 2022 2,091,686$ Relationship between and purpose for which fee is charged: Storm Drain Impact Fee charges are as follows: Residential - Low Density $581/acre Residential - High Density $913/acre Commercial $1,574/acre Commercial-Assembly Hall $581/acre Industrial $1,162/acre City of Gilroy Impact Fee Revenues and Expenditures For Fiscal Year 2021/22 Fees are to finance the construction of drainage collection and conveyance systems in conformance with the Gilroy Storm Drain Master Plan in order to accommodate development of new residential, commercial, and industrial uses as well as expand system capacity. Projects are identified and undertaken in compliance with updated and approved master plans based on population projections, the General Plan policies, land use needs, and other standards approved by the City Council. 7.3 p. 19 of 184 Account FY21/22 FUND 420 - Street Tree Development Impact Fee Number AB 1600 Revenues Street Tree Development Impact Fees 4205500 45150 481$ Bank Interest 4205500 46110 453 Transfer from General Fund 4205500 48110 27 Total Revenues 961$ Expenditures Program Expenses - Overhead Expenses - Total Expenditures -$ Revenues Less Expenditures 961$ Fund Balance as of June 30, 2021 139,092 Fund Balance as of June 30, 2022 140,053$ Relationship between and purpose for which fee is charged: Street Trees Impact Fee charges are as follows: City Planting and Replacement $3.15/ff Inspection and Replacement $0.42/ff City of Gilroy Impact Fee Revenues and Expenditures For Fiscal Year 2021/22 The Street Tree Development Impact Fund collects a front footage fee to plant trees in new developments. 7.3 p. 20 of 184 Account FY21/22 FUND 425 - Traffic Impact Fee Number AB 1600 Revenues Traffic Impact Fees 4255500 45150 4,991,929$ Bank Interest 4255500 46110 56,572 Transfer from General Fund 4255500 48110 48,769 Total Revenues 5,097,271$ Expenditures Contractual Services 4255500 51630 4,111 CIP - Tenth at Uvas Creek Bridge 4255500 53135/53142 428,634 CIP - Cohansey/Monterey 4255500 53135/53142 21,236 CIP - North West Quad Cohansey and Llagas Creek 4255500 53135/53142 1,411,220 Overhead Charges 4255500 54150 26 Audit Services 4255500 51620 2,500 Total Expenditures 1,867,726$ Revenues Less Expenditures 3,229,544$ Fund Balance as of June 30, 2021 14,258,526 Fund Balance as of June 30, 2022 17,488,071$ Relationship between and purpose for which fee is charged: Traffic Impact Fee charges are as follows: Residential - Low Density $12,633/unit Residential - High Density $10,241/unit Commercial - Low Traffic $13,978/ksf Commercial - High Traffic $28,235/ksf Industrial - General $5,539/ksf Industrial - Warehouse $4,015/ksf City of Gilroy Impact Fee Revenues and Expenditures For Fiscal Year 2021/22 Fees are to finance the construction of streets, bridges, interchanges and traffic signals as identified in the City's General Plan Circulation Element to accommodate development of new residential, commercial, and industrial uses for the purpose of expanding transportation system capacity. Projects are completed in conformance with approved master plans based on the General Plan, population projections, land use, and other standards approved by the City Council. 7.3 p. 21 of 184 Account FY21/22 FUND 430 - Sewer Development Impact Fee Number AB 1600 Revenues Sewer Development Impact Fees 4305500 45150 3,552,755$ Bank Interest 4305500 46110 48,447 Transfer from Interest Income 4305500 46210 15,994 Transfer from General Fund 4305500 48110 28,351 Total Revenues 3,645,547$ Expenditures Contractual Services 4305500 51630 39,435$ Interfund Transfer Out 4305500 54110 708,865 Overhead Expenses 4305500 54150 14,082 Audit Services 4305500 51620 2,500 Total Expenditures 764,882$ Revenues Less Expenditures 2,880,665$ Fund Balance as of June 30, 2021 13,182,409 Fund Balance as of June 30, 2022 16,063,074$ Relationship between and purpose for which fee is charged: Sewer Development Impact Fee charges are as follows: Residential - Low Density $12,876/unit Residential - High Density $6,967/unit Commercial $4,075/cgpd Industrial $4,075/cgpd City of Gilroy Impact Fee Revenues and Expenditures For Fiscal Year 2021/22 Fees are to finance the construction of expanded sewer collection, treatment and conveyance systems as identified in the Sewer Master Plan in order to accommodate development of new residential, commercial, and industrial uses based on standards adopted by the City Council. 7.3 p. 22 of 184 Account FY21/22 FUND 435 - Water Development Impact Fee Number AB 1600 Revenues Water Development Impact Fees 4355500 45150 981,863$ Bank Interest 4355500 46110 19,582 Transfer from General Fund 4355500 48110 5,893 Total Revenues 1,007,338$ Expenditures Contractual Services 4355500 51630 39,434 CIP - McCarthy Well Project 4355500 53142 16,020 Overhead Expenses 4355500 54150 6 Audit Services 4355500 51620 600 Total Expenditures 56,060$ Revenues Less Expenditures 951,278$ Fund Balance as of June 30, 2021 5,102,066 Fund Balance as of June 30, 2022 6,053,344$ Relationship between and purpose for which fee is charged: Water Development Impact Fee charges are as follows: Residential - Low Density $4,423/unit Residential - High Density $1,789/unit Commercial $6,933/kgpd Industrial $6,933/kgpd City of Gilroy Impact Fee Revenues and Expenditures For Fiscal Year 2021/22 Fees are to finance the construction of improvements and expansion of water production, transmission, distribution and storage systems within Pressure Zone 1 as described in the Water Master Plan. This includes costs necessary to accommodate the capacity requirements of new residential, commercial and industrial uses and in accordance with the General Plan, population increase projections and other standards established by the City Council. 7.3 p. 23 of 184 Account FY21/22 FUND 440 - Public Facilities Impact Fee Number AB 1600 Revenues Public Facilities Impact Fees 4405500 45150 8,665,502$ Bank Interest 4405500 46110 15,315 Interfund Transfer In 4405500 48110 40,763 Total Revenues 8,721,580$ Expenditures Interfund Interest Expense 4405500 58125 79,971 Interfund Transfer Out 4405500 54110 3,182,644 Contractual Services 4405500 51630 28,426 Audit Services 4405500 51620 2,500 Total Expenditures 3,293,541$ Revenues Less Expenditures 5,428,039$ Fund Balance as of June 30, 2021 (5,397,489) Fund Balance as of June 30, 2022 30,550$ Relationship between and purpose for which fee is charged: Public Facility Impact charges are as follows: Residential - Low Density $21,958/unit Residential - High Density $18,474/unit Commercial $3,309/ksf Industrial $1,466/ksf City of Gilroy Impact Fee Revenues and Expenditures For Fiscal Year 2021/22 Fees are to finance the construction of parks, police, fire and library facilities as identified in the Public Facilities Master Plan based on the need to expand City facility capacity to accommodate new development and pursuant to standards approved by the City Council. Note that in 2008 the City purchased the Gilroy Gardens Property for $13.7 million, of which there is a remaining balance of approximately $5.4 million. The beginning negative Fund Balance above includes the remaining loan payable amount that was due. This amount is shown as a liability in the City's financial system, resulting in the negative balance stated above. 7.3 p. 24 of 184 FUND 410 - Storm Drain Development Impact Fee Residential - Low Density $581/acre Residential - High Density $913/acre Commercial $1,574/acre Commercial-Assembly Hall $581/acre Industrial $1,162/acre FUND 420 - Street Tree Development Impact Fee City Planting and Replacement $3.15/ff Inspection and Replacement $0.42/ff FUND 425 - Traffic Impact Fee Residential - Low Density $12,633/unit Residential - High Density $10,241/unit Commercial - Low Traffic $13,978/ksf Commercial - High Traffic $28,235/ksf Industrial - General $5,539/ksf Industrial - Warehouse $4,015/ksf FUND 430 - Sewer Development Impact Fee Residential - Low Density $12,876/unit Residential - High Density $6,967/unit Commercial $4,075/cgpd Industrial $4,075/cgpd FUND 435 - Water Development Impact Fee Residential - Low Density $4,423/unit Residential - High Density $1,789/unit Commercial $6,933/kgpd Industrial $6,933/kgpd FUND 440 - Public Facilities Impact Fee Residential - Low Density $21,958/unit Residential - High Density $18,474/unit Commercial $3,309/ksf Industrial $1,466/ksf City of Gilroy Impact Fee Schedule Summary For Fiscal Year 2021/22 7.3 p. 25 of 184 City of Gilroy STAFF REPORT Agenda Item Title:Adopt an Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Gilroy Repealing Ordinance Number 99-13, Removing the Use of Liens to Collect for Delinquent Garbage Fees Meeting Date:January 9, 2023 From:Jimmy Forbis, City Administrator Department:Administration Submitted By:Jimmy Forbis, City Administrator Prepared By:Bryce Atkins, Assistant to the City Administrator STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS Not Applicable RECOMMENDATION Council adopt the ordinance. BACKGROUND This ordinance will amend the Gilroy City Code by repealing Ordinance No. 99-13, thereby removing the imposed mandatory garbage service on property owners, liability for maintaining mandatory garbage service on property owners, and the lien process for collecting delinquent garbage and recycling services. This ordinance was introduced at the December 5, 2022 Regular City Council Meeting (staff report containing the analysis is attached). The change is driven by the change in the delinquent bill collection process contained in the 2022 Solid Waste Franchise Agreement with Recology compared to the process in the previous agreement adopted in 1997. This ordinance will not alleviate the requirement for the removal of refuse and recycling from properties within the city, only eliminating the lien process as it relates to delinquent garbage fees. 7.4 p. 26 of 184 Repealing Ordinance No. 99-13 City of Gilroy Page 2 of 2 City Council Meeting January 9, 20231 3 6 ALTERNATIVES Council may choose to reject the ordinance. This is not recommended, as it would keep an inconsistent portion of City Code against the recently adopted solid waste franchise agreement. FISCAL IMPACT/FUNDING SOURCE No fiscal impact is expected from the action to rescind the ordinance. PUBLIC OUTREACH This item was presented and discussed at the December 5, 2022 Regular City Council Meeting. Additionally, the item was included on the publicly posted agenda for tonight’s meeting, and notice was advertised in the Gilroy Dispatch previously. NEXT STEPS Once adopted, the ordinance will be sent to our codification company to make the changes to the City Code. Attachments: 1. Draft Ordinance – Garbage Lien Ordinance Repeal 2. December 5, 2022 Staff Report – Garbage Lien Repeal Ordinance 7.4 p. 27 of 184 ORDINANCE NO. 2023-XX AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GILROY REPEALING ORDINANCE NUMBER 99-13, REMOVING THE USE OF LIENS TO COLLECT FOR DELINQUENT GARBAGE FEES WHEREAS, on September 7, 1999, the Gilroy City Council adopted Ordinance No. 99- 13 regarding garbage and refuse collection and disposal, and procedures for the collection of delinquent garbage and refuse customer billings as special assessment liens; and WHEREAS, the 1997 Franchise Agreement between the City of Gilroy and Recology, then called South Valley Disposal and Recycling, Inc., instituted the process for using liens to recover delinquent billings of customer accounts by placing the liens on the property; and WHEREAS, Recology South Valley and the City have entered into a new franchise agreement effective December 1, 2022 (2022 Franchise Agreement); and WHEREAS, the 2022 Franchise Agreement has changed the manner in which delinquent garbage fees are collected, switching to a model of terminating service for unpaid bills with terms contained in the 2022 Franchise Agreement; and WHEREAS, the placement of liens for unpaid bills is no longer a practice under the 2022 Franchise Agreement, nor mandatory service under the termination model, and therefore the need for the lien process in the City Code is no longer needed or to be used; and WHEREAS, if the City Council decides to repeal Ordinance No. 99-13, Section 12.16 would revert to the original language of Ordinance 77-15, and Sections 12.23-2 through 12.23-12 would be removed from the City Code. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GILROY DOES HEREBY ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: SECTION I The foregoing recitals are true and correct and are incorporated herein by this reference. SECTION II That the City Council hereby repeals Ordinance No. 99-13, regarding garbage and refuse collection and disposal, and procedures for the collection of delinquent garbage and refuse customer billings as special assessment liens. SECTION III If any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this Ordinance is for any reason held to be invalid or unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this ordinance. The City Council of the City of Gilroy hereby declares that it would have passed and adopted this ordinance, and each section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase hereof, 7.4 p. 28 of 184 Ordinance No. 2023-XX Repeal of Ordinance 99-13: Liens for Delinquent Garbage Fees City Council Regular Meeting | January 9, 2023 Page 2 of 2 2 7 irrespective of the fact that any one or more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses or phrases may be declared invalid or unconstitutional. SECTION IV This Ordinance shall take effect thirty (30) days after its adoption. The City Clerk is hereby directed to publish this Ordinance or a summary thereof pursuant to Government Code Section 36933. PASSED AND ADOPTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GILROY this 9th day of January, 2023 by the following vote: AYES:COUNCIL MEMBERS: NOES:COUNCIL MEMBERS: ABSTAIN:COUNCIL MEMBERS: ABSENT:COUNCIL MEMBERS: APPROVED: Marie Blankley, Mayor ATTEST: _______________________ Thai Nam Pham, City Clerk 7.4 p. 29 of 184 City of Gilroy STAFF REPORT Agenda Item Title: Council Introduce an Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Gilroy Repealing Ordinance Number 99-13, Removing the Use of Liens to Collect for Delinquent Garbage Fees Meeting Date: December 5, 2022 From: Jimmy Forbis, City Administrator Department: Administration Submitted By: Jimmy Forbis, City Administrator Prepared By: Bryce Atkins, Assistant to the City Administrator Strategic Plan Goals ☐ Develop a Financially Resilient Organization ☐ Ensure Neighborhood Equity from City Services ☐ Promote Economic Development Activities ☐ Promote Safe, Affordable Housing for All ☐ Maintain and Improve City Infrastructure RECOMMENDATION a) Motion to read the ordinance by title only and waive further reading. b) Introduce an ordinance of the City Council of the City of Gilroy repealing Ordinance Number 99-13, removing the use of liens to collect for delinquent garbage fees. BACKGROUND On November 21, 2022, the City Council adopted an urgency ordinance enacting the 2022 Franchise Agreement with Recology to provide solid waste hauling services. The 7.4 p. 30 of 184 previous 1997 Franchise Agreement had a provision within it that delinquent bills that were not paid would be applied as a special assessment on the property owner’s property tax bill. An ordinance was adopted on September 7, 1999 – Ordinance No. 99-13 – to implement the terms of the franchise agreement. The ordinance enacted the legal authorization to apply delinquent bills as special assessments. ANALYSIS The new 2022 Franchise Agreement has changed the method for collecting unpaid solid waste customer billing fees. Instead of applying the debt as a special assessment, the 2022 Franchise Agreement sets that service shall be terminated after a delinquent payment is in arrears by 120 days for residential customers, 60 days for non-residential customers. Recology, if service is terminated, will let the City know so that the property condition can be monitored to ensure a health and/or safety issue does not arise from the accumulation of refuse/waste. The enforcement mechanism to prevent the accumulation of refuse is the use of the City’s Code Enforcement program. Due to the change in methodology, Ordinance No. 99-13 needs to be repealed to reverse the code language it implemented. With the repeal of Ordinance 99-13, the City Code language will revert to the previous version adopted with Ordinance No. 77-15 adopted in 1977, the most recent language in effect before Ordinance No. 99-13. City Code Section 12.16 will change back to the language contained in Ordinance 880, which is attached to this staff report, and provided below: Sec. 12.16. Mandatory garbage service required; unlawful to hinder collectors. a. It shall be mandatory for all owners, occupants or persons in possession, charge or control of all places and premises in the City of Gilroy in or from which garbage is created, accumulated or produced to subscribe to and use the City' s garbage collection service in the manner and according to the terms and provisions of this Chapter, and failure to do so shall be unlawful. b. It shall be unlawful for any person to hinder, threaten, impede or obstruct any garbage collector holding a permit as provided in this division, in the performance of his duties as defined in section 12.9. The remaining sections of the Code enacted by Ordinance 99-13, specifically Sections 12.23-2 through 12.23-12 that included the special assessment liens, will be removed in their entirety, as 99-13 created those sections. 7.4 p. 31 of 184 ALTERNATIVES Council may adopt, modify or reject the ordinance. Not recommended, as the 2022 Franchise Agreement is now in effect, and the code section needs to be updated to be consistent with the application of the Franchise Agreement. FISCAL IMPACT/FUNDING SOURCE None. There may be additional Code Enforcement time spent on refuse accumulation. Costs associated with any abatement of refuse accumulation from not having refuse service will be collected via fines, penalties and fees established for code enforcement activities. CONCLUSION Adopting this cleanup ordinance will aid in keeping consistency between the regulatory provisions of the garbage chapter of the City Code, and the practical applications and processes of the 2022 Franchise Agreement with Recology. NEXT STEPS After the public hearing, if introduced by the City Council, staff will bring the ordinance back to the January 9, 2023 Council Meeting for adoption. PUBLIC OUTREACH This item was discussed briefly during the public hearing for the urgency and regular ordinance adopting the 2022 Franchise Agreement with Recology and was included on the publicly posted agenda for tonight’s regular Council meeting. Attachments: 1. Proposed Ordinance - Garbage Lien Ordinance Repeal 2. Ordinance 99-13 3. Ordinance 77-15 7.4 p. 32 of 184 City of Gilroy STAFF REPORT Agenda Item Title:Claim of Roohi Eskandarian (The City Administrator recommends a “yes” vote under the Consent Calendar shall constitute the denial of the claim.) Meeting Date:January 9, 2023 From:Jimmy Forbis, City Administrator Department:Administrative Services Submitted By:LeeAnn McPhillips, Assistant City Administrator Prepared By:LeeAnn McPhillips, Assistant City Administrator STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS Not Applicable RECOMMENDATION Based on the recommendation from Municipal Pooling Authority (MPA) and/or legal counsel, this claim is recommended for rejection. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Based on the recommendation from Municipal Pooling Authority (MPA) and/or legal counsel, the following claim is submitted to the City Council for rejection at the January 9, 2023 meeting: •Claim of Roohi Eskandarian Attachments: 1. Claim of Roohi Eskandarian 7.5 p. 33 of 184 7.5 p. 34 of 184 7.5 p. 35 of 184 City of Gilroy STAFF REPORT Agenda Item Title:Annual Appointments to City Boards, Commissions, and Committees With Seats Vacant or Expired as of December 31, 2022 Meeting Date:January 9, 2023 From:Jimmy Forbis, City Administrator Department:City Clerk Submitted By:Thai Nam Pham, City Clerk Prepared By:Thai Nam Pham, City Clerk STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS Not Applicable RECOMMENDATION Appoint members to the following: Arts and Culture Commission One (1) seat with a term expiring 12/31/2024 One (1) seat with a term expiring 12/31/2025 Two (2) seats with terms expiring 12/31/2026 Building Board of Appeals Two (2) seats with terms expiring 12/31/2026 Library Commission One (1) seat with a term expiring 12/31/2026 Open Government Commission One (1) seat with a term expiring 12/31/2024 Two (2) seats with terms expiring 12/31/2026 Parks and Recreation Commission One (1) seat with a term expiring 12/31/2026 Personnel Commission Two (2) seats with terms expiring 12/31/2026 Physically Challenged Board of Appeals Two (2) seats with terms expiring 12/31/2025 One (1) seat with term expiring 12/31/2026 Planning Commission One (1) seat with a term expiring 12/31/2023 10.1 p. 36 of 184 Annual Appointments to City Boards, Commissions, and Committees City of Gilroy Page 2 of 3 City Council Meeting January 9, 20231 2 5 Two (2) seats expiring 12/31/2026 Youth Commission One (1) seat with a term expiring 9/30/2024 BACKGROUND Nine (9) of the City’s Boards, Commissions, and Committees had seats vacant as of December 31, 2022. At the close of the recruitment period, the following applications were received, and the Council interviewed applicants at the December 12, 2022 Special Meeting. The Council is now asked to consider the appointment of members to the following open seats: Arts & Culture Commission Applicants Joseph Robinson Jan Bernstein Chargin1 Ruben Dario Villa Ronald Robinson, Jr. Adilene Moreno Building Board of Appeals Applicants Ronald Robinson, Jr. Open Government Commission Applicants Terence Fugazzi Sandra Ramirez Joseph Robinson Jan Bernstein Chargin2 Diane Sanchez Bentz3 *incumbent Shayne Somavia Rebecca Garcia4 Parks and Recreation Commission Applicants Terence Fugazzi Luis Ramirez *incumbent Sandra Ramirez Vincent Saso Jan Bernstein Chargin5 Adeline Moreno 1 Applicant was not interviewed. 2 Applicant was not interviewed. 3 Applicant was not interviewed. 4 Applicant withdrew her application on Tuesday, January 3, 2023. 5 Applicant was not interviewed. 10.1 p. 37 of 184 Annual Appointments to City Boards, Commissions, and Committees City of Gilroy Page 3 of 3 City Council Meeting January 9, 20231 2 5 Planning Commission Applicants Mike Kim6 Terence Fugazzi Manny Bhandal *incumbent Michelle Montez Sandra Ramirez Zhuoyuan Zhang Harold Sontag7 Adilene Moreno *incumbent Kelly Ramirez Youth Commission Applicants Natalie Nguyen8 Melanie Reynolds Jaimee Nguyen Ryan Verrette9 Mariam Ndao10 Library Commission, Personnel Commission, and the Physically Challenged Board of Appeals (PCBA) received no applications during the recruitment period. The recruitment period for the open seats on Library Commission, Personnel Commission, and PCBA is ongoing. In addition, on Tuesday, January 3, 2023, staff received correspondence from Open Government Commission Applicant Rebecca Garcia requesting to withdraw her application for the Commission. All applications and the 2022 incumbent attendance log are included with this staff report. Attachments: 1. Application Packet 2. 2022 Boards and Commissions Attendance Log 6 Applicant was not interviewed. 7 Applicant was not interviewed. 8 Applicant was not interviewed. 9 Applicant was not interviewed. 10 Applicant was not interviewed. 10.1 p. 38 of 184 Arts and Culture Commission Applicants10.1 p. 39 of 184 Arts and Culture Commission Applicants10.1 p. 40 of 184 Arts and Culture Commission Applicants10.1 p. 41 of 184 Arts and Culture Commission Applicants10.1 p. 42 of 184 Arts and Culture Commission Applicants10.1 p. 43 of 184 Arts and Culture Commission Applicants10.1 p. 44 of 184 Arts and Culture Commission Applicants10.1 p. 45 of 184 Arts and Culture Commission Applicants10.1 p. 46 of 184 Arts and Culture Commission Applicants10.1 p. 47 of 184 Arts and Culture Commission Applicants10.1 p. 48 of 184 City of Gilroy Board, Committee, & Commission Application All Commission, Board, and Committee applications are a public record. Board/Committee/Commission of Interest: Name:Ronald Robinson Jr Phone number(s): email address*: Are you a registered voter within the City limits? Yes Physical Address*: Driver’s License or ID No.: Date of Birth*: Last 4 of SSN: List your qualifications for this appointment: There are two qualifications that I believe allow me to meet the standards of this appointment. One would be my certificate of completion from the state of California in partnership with the Department of Industrial Relations as well as the Division of Apprenticeship Standards, another would be my certificate of achievement with Foothill College In partnership with the Santa Clara County Electrical JATC which has given me all of my training to be up to date with building codes throughout the county and state. List any service to the community including any prior appointments: First, I do not have any prior appointments. A lot of the service work I do in the community is really myself reaching out to local organizations and non profits. I donate, contribute, lend a helping hand and advocate for them any chance possible. I take pride in that work and do it when I can because I feel it’s important to be apart of the community in any way you can. What are your goals while serving on this Board/Commission/Committee? My goal if granted the opportunity to serve on this board would be to make sure I can be of service to the community and do the necessary work after being provided information that the infrastructure in Gilroy is built correctly. My goal would be to be as useful as possible and contribute to the future of Gilroy as a pertains to the community we are trying to shape. Given that this is a volunteer position my goal is to give back to the city they gave so much to my family. Why are you the most qualified to serve on this Board/Commission/Committee? I believe I’m the most qualified to serve on this board because this is what I do for a living. I work daily with multiple trades throughout the city and county on various projects such as commercial buildings, fire houses, libraries, schools, public infrastructure and even homes. I work daily with project managers, designers, engineers, management and city inspectors as well as inspectors of the county. I believe this is a great Building Board of Appeals Applicant10.1 p. 49 of 184 opportunity for me to use my every day craft to give back to the city of Gilroy and that’s why I feel I’m qualified to serve in this roll. By clicking on this box, I declare under penalty of perjury that I am currently a registered voter within the City limits of the City of Gilroy. Furthermore, I understand that this application and any attachments are subject to disclosure under the Public Records Act and must complete mandatory Open Government Ordinance Training. I further understand that members of the Planning Commission, Building Boards of Appeals, and Physically Challenged Board of Appeals are also subject to filing the Fair Political Practice Commission’s Statement of Economic Interest Form 700 relating to financial disclosures. Building Board of Appeals Applicant10.1 p. 50 of 184 Open Government Commission Applicants10.1 p. 51 of 184 Open Government Commission Applicants10.1 p. 52 of 184 Open Government Commission Applicants10.1 p. 53 of 184 Open Government Commission Applicants10.1 p. 54 of 184 Open Government Commission Applicants10.1 p. 55 of 184 Open Government Commission Applicants10.1 p. 56 of 184 Open Government Commission Applicants10.1 p. 57 of 184 Open Government Commission Applicants10.1 p. 58 of 184 City of Gilroy Board, Committee, & Commission Application All Commission, Board, and Committee applications are a public record. Board/Committee/Commission of Interest: Name:Diana Sanchez Bentz Phone number(s): email address*: Are you a registered voter within the City limits? Yes Physical Address*: Driver’s License or ID No.: Date of Birth*: Last 4 of SSN: List your qualifications for this appointment: I am currently the chair of the Open Government Commission and have demonstrated strong leadership skills. List any service to the community including any prior appointments: Volunteer service for many community projects and drives - Rucker School, Garlic Festival, One Giving Tree, Rebekah Children's Services, Toys for Tots, and other non-profits. Also, I was Pro Tem of the 2021 Civil Grand Jury and am currently the chair of the OGC.. What are your goals while serving on this Board/Commission/Committee? To ensure that the goals outlined in the OGO are adhered to and focus on letting the community know about the Commission and its mission. Why are you the most qualified to serve on this Board/Commission/Committee? I've been on the commission for one term of experience and am the past vice-chair and currently the chair of the committee. I feel my background fits well with this commission. By clicking on this box, I declare under penalty of perjury that I am currently a registered voter within the City limits of the City of Gilroy. Furthermore, I understand that this application and any attachments are subject to disclosure under the Public Records Act and must complete mandatory Open Government Ordinance Training. I further understand that members of the Planning Open Government Commission Applicants10.1 p. 59 of 184 Commission, Building Boards of Appeals, and Physically Challenged Board of Appeals are also subject to filing the Fair Political Practice Commission’s Statement of Economic Interest Form 700 relating to financial disclosures. Open Government Commission Applicants10.1 p. 60 of 184 Open Government Commission Applicants10.1 p. 61 of 184 Open Government Commission Applicants10.1 p. 62 of 184 City of Gilroy Board, Committee, & Commission Application All Commission, Board, and Committee applications are a public record. Board/Committee/Commission of Interest: Name:Rebecca Garcia Phone number(s): email address*: Are you a registered voter within the City limits? Yes Physical Address*: Driver’s License or ID No.: Date of Birth*: Last 4 of SSN: List your qualifications for this appointment: I have 16 years of professional experience in the public sector. I have worked in the affordable housing and homeless realm supporting the City of San Jose, the County of Santa Clara, and currently for the City of Morgan Hill. I know firsthand the importance of communication, community engagement and open government. I value the opportunity to be on the commission. I was born and raised in Gilroy where I currently live with my family. My leadership skills, professional experience, and education make me the ideal candidate for this position; however, it is my passion for this work and what is best for everyone in our community that will facilitate my ability to stay grounded in the values that allow us to thrive as a democracy. List any service to the community including any prior appointments: I was previously on the City of Gilroy’s Housing Commission and currently serve as the Board Chair of the South County Collaborative, composed of local non-profit community-based organizations, schools, hospitals and clinics, and public agencies that serve South Santa Clara County’s most vulnerable populations. The Collaborative advocates to increase the quality and quantity of human services in southern Santa Clara County as well as making them more accessible, efficient, and effective. What are your goals while serving on this Board/Commission/Committee? My goal is to support the implementation of the City of Gilroy’s Open Government Ordinance, building upon the great work that has already taken place, and continuing to give the citizens of Gilroy greater access to information in this new era we find ourselves in. I aim to increase and diversify public participation in the City’s governmental decisions. Ensuring that we encourage and engage with all generations and residents of diverse backgrounds is at the heart of this work. Why are you the most qualified to serve on this Board/Commission/Committee? Open Government Commission Applicants10.1 p. 63 of 184 Since 2004, I have worked in local government fostering strong relationships throughout the County of Santa Clara and community. My work ethic, interpersonal skills, responsiveness, and leadership have allowed me to develop a credible reputation for being effective. These relationships and credibility along with my experience in working for cities will support the implementation of the City of Gilroy’s Open Government Ordinance. While I am sure you have other fine candidates to consider, I offer my support for this commission. Thank you for your consideration. Rebecca Garcia By clicking on this box, I declare under penalty of perjury that I am currently a registered voter within the City limits of the City of Gilroy. Furthermore, I understand that this application and any attachments are subject to disclosure under the Public Records Act and must complete mandatory Open Government Ordinance Training. I further understand that members of the Planning Commission, Building Boards of Appeals, and Physically Challenged Board of Appeals are also subject to filing the Fair Political Practice Commission’s Statement of Economic Interest Form 700 relating to financial disclosures. Open Government Commission Applicants10.1 p. 64 of 184 Parks and Recreation Commission Applicants10.1 p. 65 of 184 Parks and Recreation Commission Applicants10.1 p. 66 of 184 Parks and Recreation Commission Applicants10.1 p. 67 of 184 Parks and Recreation Commission Applicants10.1 p. 68 of 184 Parks and Recreation Commission Applicants10.1 p. 69 of 184 Parks and Recreation Commission Applicants10.1 p. 70 of 184 Parks and Recreation Commission Applicants10.1 p. 71 of 184 Parks and Recreation Commission Applicants10.1 p. 72 of 184 Parks and Recreation Commission Applicants10.1 p. 73 of 184 Parks and Recreation Commission Applicants10.1 p. 74 of 184 Parks and Recreation Commission Applicants10.1 p. 75 of 184 Parks and Recreation Commission Applicants10.1 p. 76 of 184 Planning Commission Applicants10.1 p. 77 of 184 Planning Commission Applicants10.1 p. 78 of 184 Planning Commission Applicants10.1 p. 79 of 184 Planning Commission Applicants10.1 p. 80 of 184 Planning Commission Applicants10.1 p. 81 of 184 Planning Commission Applicants10.1 p. 82 of 184 Planning Commission Applicants10.1 p. 83 of 184 Planning Commission Applicants10.1 p. 84 of 184 Planning Commission Applicants10.1 p. 85 of 184 Planning Commission Applicants10.1 p. 86 of 184 Planning Commission Applicants10.1 p. 87 of 184 Planning Commission Applicants10.1 p. 88 of 184 Planning Commission Applicants10.1 p. 89 of 184 Planning Commission Applicants10.1 p. 90 of 184 Planning Commission Applicants10.1 p. 91 of 184 Planning Commission Applicants10.1 p. 92 of 184 City of Gilroy Board, Committee, & Commission Application All Commission, Board, and Committee applications are a public record. Board/Committee/Commission of Interest: Name:Kelly Ramirez Phone number(s): email address*: Are you a registered voter within the City limits? Yes Physical Address*: Driver’s License or ID No.: Date of Birth*: Last 4 of SSN: List your qualifications for this appointment: I have been engaged in a number of community organizations the past several decades. Aside from my community involvement, on a professional level, I have 17 years of teaching experience and 15 years of non- profit management experience. I've taught at St. Mary School, Eliot School and Gavilan Community College. My non-profit management includes: Event Manager at the American Cancer Society; Chief Development Officer at the YWCA Silicon Valley and Executive Director of the Mt. Madonna YMCA. During my tenure as the Chief Develpment Officer at the YWCA, I oversaw the application, management and reporting of a number of CDBG grants. List any service to the community including any prior appointments: Over 25 years ago I introduced the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life event to the Gilroy community and was the volunteer chairperson for the first 3 years. My success with that event led the ACS to offer me an Event Manager position. I have volunteered at St. Mary School and served on the parish board at St. Mary Parish. I have volunteered for approximately 30 years with the Gilroy Garlic Festival and now serve on the board of directors as the treasurer. I also have been actively involved in Gilroy Rotary and have served on that board for the past 6 years. What are your goals while serving on this Board/Commission/Committee? My goal is to be a servant to the community of Gilroy by working collaboratively with the members of the planning commission to ensure that we adhere to the city's general plan, state requirements and various zoning restrictions. Why are you the most qualified to serve on this Board/Commission/Committee? Planning Commission Applicants10.1 p. 93 of 184 Having lived in Gilroy for over 45 years and having raised my family here, I have a passion for and vested interest in the community that I call home. Both professionally and with my volunteer experience I have held numerous leadership positions. I have extensive experience collaborating with others. By clicking on this box, I declare under penalty of perjury that I am currently a registered voter within the City limits of the City of Gilroy. Furthermore, I understand that this application and any attachments are subject to disclosure under the Public Records Act and must complete mandatory Open Government Ordinance Training. I further understand that members of the Planning Commission, Building Boards of Appeals, and Physically Challenged Board of Appeals are also subject to filing the Fair Political Practice Commission’s Statement of Economic Interest Form 700 relating to financial disclosures. Planning Commission Applicants10.1 p. 94 of 184 Youth Commission Applicants10.1 p. 95 of 184 Youth Commission Applicants10.1 p. 96 of 184 Youth Commission Applicants10.1 p. 97 of 184 Youth Commission Applicants10.1 p. 98 of 184 Youth Commission Applicants10.1 p. 99 of 184 Youth Commission Applicants10.1 p. 100 of 184 City of Gilroy Board, Committee, & Commission Application All Commission, Board, and Committee applications are a public record. Board/Committee/Commission of Interest: Name:Ryan Verrette Phone number(s): email address*: Are you a registered voter within the City limits? Yes Physical Address*: Driver’s License or ID No.: Date of Birth*: Last 4 of SSN: List your qualifications for this appointment: I am the ongoing president and founder of a Health and Fitness Club at my school that aims on educating my peers on the basics of self-care, personal hygiene, and maintaining your overall health. We have covered topics such as the importance of your eating and sleeping habits. Through taking on this position, I have gained experience in how to start and run a club/organization effectively as well as utilize leadership qualities. I am also an ongoing member of another leadership commission, the YMCA Student Leadership Council, that focuses on improving the lives and conditions surrounding the youth through advocacy and initiatives. In this organization, I frequently provide my own input on topics that need focus, such as making parks and schools safer for children. Also, I often am involved in leadership building activities with others on the council. I believe that I can take the leadership skills that I picked up from prior opportunities and utilize them here on the Gilroy Youth Commission. List any service to the community including any prior appointments: I have volunteered extensively (100+ hours) at local organizations or events around my area, such as through the Santa Clara County Parks Organization, or at nearby animal shelters In these opportunities, I am often working with others in maintaining local parks or taking care of animals in need. Frequently, these acts of customer service require me to engage with citizens/bystanders coming through such organizations, ultimately allowing me to build a sense of community with those around me. I aim to volunteer around 3-5 hours per week as I feel that it is a good opportunity to give back to my community and help those around me. I have also volunteered around 20+ hours with the City of Gilroy at events such as the Gilroy Garlic Festival and I aim to be able to do more in the future. What are your goals while serving on this Board/Commission/Committee? While serving on the Gilroy Youth Commission, I hope to be able to act as a voice for my peers in creating change within my community. Specifically, I hope to be able to advocate for the reduction of vape or smoking products like e-cigarettes that are circulating among the youth. In schools especially, I feel that this problem is Youth Commission Applicants10.1 p. 101 of 184 beginning to grow dramatically as many teens carry around products such as these. These products find themselves in the hands of youth due to factors such as peer pressure or from a lack of information about the harms that it can cause. In order to address this problem, I hope to advocate for the dangers of e-cigarettes and products alike that can cause harm to youth going into the future. I also hope to be able to build strong relationships with others on the commission so that we can all collectively make change. Why are you the most qualified to serve on this Board/Commission/Committee? I believe that I am most qualified to serve on the commission as I have prior leadership experience that can transfer to my position on the commission. I also believe that I have worthwhile opinions on creating change within my community and those around me. I feel that I have the ability to be able to effectively converse and engage with others on the council in order to meet a common goal through discussion. By clicking on this box, I declare under penalty of perjury that I am currently a registered voter within the City limits of the City of Gilroy. Furthermore, I understand that this application and any attachments are subject to disclosure under the Public Records Act and must complete mandatory Open Government Ordinance Training. I further understand that members of the Planning Commission, Building Boards of Appeals, and Physically Challenged Board of Appeals are also subject to filing the Fair Political Practice Commission’s Statement of Economic Interest Form 700 relating to financial disclosures. Youth Commission Applicants10.1 p. 102 of 184 City of Gilroy Board, Committee, & Commission Application All Commission, Board, and Committee applications are a public record. Board/Committee/Commission of Interest: Name:Mariam Ndao Phone number(s): email address*: Are you a registered voter within the City limits? No Physical Address*: Driver’s License or ID No.: Date of Birth*: Last 4 of SSN: List your qualifications for this appointment: I have consistently participated in community geared activities to actively be involved in Gilroy (listed below). These have taught me crucial critical thinking skills, collaborative skills, and leadership skills. List any service to the community including any prior appointments: I am currently a part of the YMCA Youth Board, where we plan and execute ways to service the young people of our town. I am also a part of the Getting To Zero Youth Advisory board, where we focus on breaking stigma against HIV prevention and sexually transmitted diseases. What are your goals while serving on this Board/Commission/Committee? My goal is to introduce the voice of a young teen of Gilroy to represent and become involved in town endeavors. I believe it is a part of my obligation as a young person of society to stand as a symbol for all youth and the reality of our world. Why are you the most qualified to serve on this Board/Commission/Committee? I am a dedicated individual to all of my endeavors, and I have learned through each of them that no change will come if action is not taken. I would like to take action with this board and work with likeminded individuals to achieve the goal of serving our town. By clicking on this box, I declare under penalty of perjury that I am currently a registered voter within the City limits of the City of Gilroy. Furthermore, I Youth Commission Applicants10.1 p. 103 of 184 understand that this application and any attachments are subject to disclosure under the Public Records Act and must complete mandatory Open Government Ordinance Training. I further understand that members of the Planning Commission, Building Boards of Appeals, and Physically Challenged Board of Appeals are also subject to filing the Fair Political Practice Commission’s Statement of Economic Interest Form 700 relating to financial disclosures. Youth Commission Applicants10.1 p. 104 of 184 2022 BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE ATTENDANCE Page 1 of 4 ARTS AND CULTURE COMMISSION (7 members meets 2nd Tues/6:30 p.m.) MEMBER Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Melanie Reynisson C C P C P P C P A P Camille McCormack C C P A E P D C P P P D Federico Saldana C C A C P A A C A P A A Lisa Carter C C P A P P R C P P P R Frank Patterson C C P A N/A N/A K N/A N/A N/A N/A K Alexandra Perdew C C A C P P C P P P BUILDING BOARD OF APPEALS (5 members meet as needed) MEMBER Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Francois Rothe ------------ Todd Mazza ------------ Patricia Giordano ------------ Moe McHenry ------------ Metra Valle ------------ LIBRARY COMMISSION (5 members meets 2nd Wed/7 p.m.) MEMBER Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Sumana Reddy P P P P P Katherine Robinson P A P P A Victoria Coverson-Baxter P P P P P Gabriela Kim P P A P P Saeid Nooshabadi P P A P 10.1 p. 105 of 184 2022 BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE ATTENDANCE Page 2 of 4 OPEN GOVERNMENT COMMISSION (5 members meets quarterly / 6:00 p.m.) MEMBER Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov*Dec Diana Bentz P P P P Matthew Carvalho P A A N/A Karen Enzensperger P P P P Jessica Irwin - - P P Rebecca Scheel P P P A PARKS & RECREATION COMMISSION (7 members meets 3rd Tues/6 p.m.) MEMBER Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Patricia Bentson P P C P P A P P P P Angela Reinert P P C A P P P P A P Efren Pineda A A C Theresa Graham P P C P P P P P P P Ermelindo Puente P P C P A P P P P A Eric Arredondo P C P P P A P P P Sergio Patterson P P P P P A A PERSONNEL COMMISSION (5 members meets 2nd Mon/5:30 p.m.) MEMBER Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Robin Bronze A C P P C P C C P C P C Catherine Cummins P C A P C P C C P C P C Marissa Haro P P C P C C P C A C Nita Edde-Mitchell P C P P C P C C P C P C Sholly Nicholson A C P P C P C C P C A C Annie Tomasello P C 10.1 p. 106 of 184 2022 BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE ATTENDANCE Page 3 of 4 PHYSICALLY CHALLENGED BOARD OF APPEALS (5 members meets 2nd Tues-Jan/April/July/Oct/10:00am) MEMBER Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct. Nov Dec Mary Drummond P C C C Tracy Stephens P C C C Leah Terry McCarthy A A - - Marco Machado - - - - Mercy Mollinedo-Goold - - - - Martha Johanson 12/31/21 - - - - PLANNING COMMISSION (7 members meets 1st Thurs/6:00 p.m.) MEMBER Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Manny Bhandal C P P P C P P C P A C C John Doyle C A A P C A A C A -C C Adilene Jezabel Moreno C P P P C A P C P P C C Joan Lewis C P P P C P A C A P C C Stefanie Elle C P P P C P P C P P C C Adriana Leongardt N/A N/A P P C A P C P P C C Annedore Kushner N/A N/A P P C P P C P P C C 10.1 p. 107 of 184 2022 BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE ATTENDANCE Page 4 of 4 YOUTH COMMISSION (11 members meets the 2nd Mon/6:00 p.m.) MEMBER Jan Feb March April May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov (SM)Nov Dec Alfred James N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A P P P P Alexis Kong C P E P P N/A N/A N/A N/A Aiden Francis N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A P A A P Alexis Miller C P P P P P P P P Ezequiel Lopez C P P P P A P A P Isaac Hwang C P P P P P P P P James Dinh N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A P P P P Jacob Baker C P P E P N/A N/A N/A N/A Sophie Gong N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A A P P P Lavander Hwang C P P P P P P P P Meyhar Kamrah C P P P P N/A N/A N/A N/A Reet Padda C P P E P N/A N/A N/A N/A Winston James C P P E P P P P P Michael D'Angelo N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A A N/A N/A N/A Destiny Saldate N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A A A A A Yashila Suresh C P E P P N/A N/A N/A N/A 10.1 p. 108 of 184 City of Gilroy STAFF REPORT Agenda Item Title:A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Gilroy Authorizing the Submittal of Applications for Payment Programs and Related Authorizations Meeting Date:January 9, 2023 From:Jimmy Forbis, City Administrator Department:Public Works Submitted By:Daryl Jordan, Director Prepared By:Michael Lewis, Management Analyst STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS Develop a Financially Resilient Organization RECOMMENDATION Adopt a resolution authorizing the City’s application for recycling program funding through the annual CalRecycle program. BACKGROUND On May 16, 2016, Council adopted a resolution authorizing the submission of a funding request for the Beverage Container Recycling Payment Program. The State of California has annually provided payments to all communities for over a decade to support beverage container recycling and litter reduction or cleanup efforts. Recently, the aforementioned resolution expired, and a new resolution needs to be adopted to apply for annual funding over the next five (5) years. ANALYSIS The purpose of this report is to provide the City Council with an opportunity to consider adopting a resolution that would allow the City to apply for the Beverage Container Recycling Payment Program. The City’s share of approximately $15,000 is an anticipated funding source in the adopted budget and contributes to the City’s environmental 11.1 p. 109 of 184 Authorizing the Submittal of Applications for Payment Programs and Related Authorizations City of Gilroy Page 2 of 2 City Council Meeting January 9, 20231 3 1 budget. On May 16, 2016, the City Council adopted a Resolution authorizing the annual submission of a funding request for the Beverage Container Recycling Payment Program. The resulting activity is an administrative program, it will not result in a change to the physical environment, this action is not a project under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). ALTERNATIVES The Council could decide not to approve the resolution and direct staff not to apply for the available funding. This would result in missed opportunities for the City to engage with the community on issues of state-required solid waste recycling and management, and also increased difficulties in reaching recycling targets. FISCAL IMPACT/FUNDING SOURCE Revenues to the General Fund (Fund 100) of approximately $15,000 annually are expected. These funds will be used to fund environmental activities related to the City’s recycling program. These funds are accounted for in the City’s budget for this purpose and no budget amendments are being requested. NEXT STEPS With Council adoption of this resolution, the City will continue to collect funding for the Beverage Container Recycling Payment Program. Attachments: 1. Draft Resolution 11.1 p. 110 of 184 RESOLUTION NO. 2023-XX RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF GILROY AUTHORIZING THE SUBMITTAL OF APPLICATIONS FOR PAYMENT PROGRAMS AND RELATED AUTHORIZATIONS WHEREAS, pursuant to Public Resources Code sections 48000 et seq., 14581, and 42023.1(g), the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) has established various payment programs to make payments to qualifying jurisdictions; and WHEREAS, in furtherance of this authority, CalRecycle is required to establish procedures governing the administration of the payment programs; and WHEREAS, CalRecycle’s procedures for administering payment programs require, among other things, an applicant’s governing body to declare by resolution certain authorizations related to the administration of the payment program. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Gilroy is authorized to submit an application to CalRecycle for any and all payment programs offered; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Administrator or his/her designee, is hereby authorized as Signature Authority to execute all documents necessary to implement and secure payment; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this authorization is effective until rescinded by the Signature Authority or this governing body. PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Gilroy on this 9th day of January, 2023 by the following roll call vote: AYES:COUNCIL MEMBERS: NOES:COUNCIL MEMBERS: ABSTAIN:COUNCIL MEMBERS: ABSENT:COUNCIL MEMBERS: APPROVED: Marie Blankley, Mayor ATTEST: _______________________ Thai Nam Pham, City Clerk 11.1 p. 111 of 184 City of Gilroy STAFF REPORT Agenda Item Title:Council-Initiated Item: Review of the Social Host Ordinance Meeting Date:January 9, 2023 From:Jimmy Forbis, City Administrator Department:Administration Submitted By:Jimmy Forbis, City Administrator Prepared By:Bryce Atkins, Assistant to the City Administrator STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS Not Applicable RECOMMENDATION Council review the Social Host Ordinance and advise staff of any direction. BACKGROUND At the June 6, 2022 regular City Council meeting, a future Council-initiated agenda item was approved by Council, to bring back the Social Host Ordinance for Council’s review and possible update. ANALYSIS Attached to this staff report is the Social Host Ordinance, contained in Chapter 19C of the Gilroy City Code and adopted in June of 2007. One challenge that has occurred in the process of enforcing the ordinance is the requirement that the citation under this Chapter must be completed and issued within thirty days of the violation. In most situations this is not practical. The general provisions of this chapter are summarized below: 19C.1 Council findings. This section identifies the reasons why the Social Host Ordinance was enacted, mainly that the occurrence of loud and unruly gatherings where alcoholic drinks are served to, 11.2 p. 112 of 184 Social Host Ordinance Review City of Gilroy Page 2 of 3 City Council Meeting January 9, 20231 3 7 consumed by, or in the possession of underage persons is harmful to themselves, as well as a threat to public health, safety, and general welfare. It also outlines that the imposition of administrative penalties are to be used to protect and promote the health, safety and general welfare of the youth and other residents. It further finds that the imposition of cost recovery fees on social hosts and/or landowners who knowingly allow these gatherings to occur is a reasonable means to offset the municipal costs of providing emergency services that are required to respond to such gatherings. 19C.2 Definitions. This section details definitions used in the chapter. Key definitions include: 1) differentiation of a juvenile (less than 18 years of age) compared to a minor and underage person (less than 21 years of age); 2) Person responsible for the event being the person who owns, rents, leases or otherwise has control of the premises where the gathering occurs, the person in charge of the premises, and/or the person who organizes, supervises, conducts or controls the gathering as further defined in this section; and 3) a loud or unruly gathering, with the criteria that is used to determine if such an event qualifies as a loud or unruly gathering. 19C.3 Prohibition of loud or unruly gatherings where alcohol is served to, consumed by, or in the possession of underage persons. This section’s title is self-explanatory and surmises the statement of this section. 19C.4 Administrative penalties. This section denotes the amount and conditions of the application of administrative penalties. The penalties range from $250 to $2,000 based upon the number of violations within a 12-month period. It includes the option of applying cost recovery fees, as discussed in section 19C.5. 19C.5 Administrative cost recovery fees for public safety responses. This section discusses how cost recovery is to be collected for public safety response costs, to a maximum of $500 per incident. This section describes what triggers the application of cost recovery, and other terms and conditions for collection of associated costs. 19C.6 Hearings on the imposition of administrative penalty and/or imposition of administrative cost recovery fees; appeals. This section identifies the process for administrative hearings, pursuant to Chapter 6A of the Gilroy City Code, and identifies the process for applying for a hearing, the ability to receive the record of the hearing officer’s decision by aggrieved persons, that the hearing is subject to judicial review, and that the penalties and/or cost recovery fee shall be a debt owed to the City. ALTERNATIVES None. There is no recommendation provided to offer alternatives to. 11.2 p. 113 of 184 Social Host Ordinance Review City of Gilroy Page 3 of 3 City Council Meeting January 9, 20231 3 7 FISCAL IMPACT/FUNDING SOURCE None. PUBLIC OUTREACH This agenda item was included in the publicly posted agenda for tonight’s Council meeting. Attachments: 1. Chapter 19C of the Gilroy City Code 11.2 p. 114 of 184 Chapter 19C SOCIAL HOST ACCOUNTABILITY Sec tions : 19C.1 Council findings. 19C.2 Definitions. 19C.3 Prohibition of loud or unruly gatherings where alcohol is served to, consumed by or in the possession of underage persons. 19C.4 Administrative penalties. 19C.5 Administrative cost recovery fees for public safety responses. 19C.6 Hearings on the imposition of administrative penalty and/or imposition of administrative cost recovery fees; appeals. The Gilroy City Code is current through Ordinance 2022-05, passed July 5, 2022. Gilroy C i ty Code Chapter 19C SOCIAL HOST AC COU NTABILITY Page 1 of 8 11.2 p. 115 of 184 19C.1 Council findings. The c ity council of the City of Gilroy hereby finds and declares that the oc currenc e of loud or unruly gatherings on private property where alcoholic beverages are served to, c ons umed by or in the pos sess ion of underage persons is harmful to the underage pers ons thems elves , and is a threat to the public health, s afety, or quiet enjoy ment of residential property and the general welfare. The c ity council als o finds that in order to promote the reduction of underage drink ing and to fac ilitate the enforc ement of laws prohibiting the s ervice to, consumption by or pos s ess ion of alcoholic beverages by underage persons, the imposition of administrative penalties on persons responsible for loud or unruly gatherings where alc ohol is c onsumed by , s erved to or in the pos sess ion of underage persons is a reasonable and nec essary means to protect and promote the health, safety , and general welfare of the youth and other res idents of the city . The c ity council further finds that, the impos ition of an administrative cost rec overy fee upon s ocial hos ts and/or landowners who k nowingly allow s uch loud or unruly gatherings to occur on their premises , at their res idenc e, or at rented fac ilities where alcoholic beverages are served to, consumed by, or in the posses sion of underage pers ons is a reasonable and necess ary means to offset the munic ipal c osts as sociated with providing fire, polic e and other emergenc y s ervices to loud or unruly gatherings. This c hapter is intended to protect the public health, s afety, quiet enjoyment of res idential property, and the general welfare, rather than to punis h. Persons who actively or passively aid, abet, or allow loud or unruly gatherings, shall be held liable for the nuis ances c reated by such gatherings , the administrative penalties for suc h v iolations and the cos ts assoc iated with responding to suc h gatherings . (Ord. No. 2007-14, § I, 6-4-07) The Gilroy City Code is current through Ordinance 2022-05, passed July 5, 2022. Gilroy C i ty Code Chapter 19C SOCIAL HOST AC COU NTABILITY Page 2 of 8 11.2 p. 116 of 184 19C.2 Definitions. For the purpos e of this c hapter, the following definitions s hall apply: “Alcohol” means ethyl alc ohol, hy drated oxide of ethy l, or spirits of wine, from whatev er sourc e or by whatev er process produced. “Alcoholic beverage” inc ludes alcohol, spirits , liquor, wine, beer, and every liquid or s olid c ontaining alcohol, spirits , liquor, wine or beer, and which c ontains one-half (1/2) of (1) one perc ent or more of alcohol by v olume and which is fit for beverage purpos es either alone or when diluted, mixed, or combined with other s ubstances. “City adminis trator” shall mean the city adminis trator or his or her designee. “Enforcement officer” s hall mean the c ity administrator, or any c ity employee of the c ity designated by the city adminis trator to enforce any prov is ion of the City Code. “Juv enile” means any person less than eighteen (18) y ears of age. “Loud or unruly gathering” means a party or gathering of four (4) or more persons at a residence or on other private property or rented public property upon which loud or unruly conduc t occurs . Such loud or unruly c onduct constitutes a public nuis ance and inc ludes but is not limited to: (1) Excessive nois e; (2) Excessive traffic; (3) Obstruction of public s treets and/or the presenc e of unruly c rowds that hav e s pilled into public s treets; (4) Public drunk enness or unlawful public c ons umption of alcohol or alcoholic beverages; (5) Assaults, batteries, fights, domes tic v iolenc e or other disturbanc es of the peace; (6) Vandalism; (7) Litter; or (8) Any other conduc t whic h constitutes a threat to the public health, safety, or quiet enjoyment of res idential property or the general welfare. “Minor” means any pers on less than twenty-one (21) years of age. “Person res pons ible for the ev ent” means and inc ludes , but is not limited to: (1) The person who owns , rents , leases or otherwise has control of the premis es where the The Gilroy City Code is current through Ordinance 2022-05, passed July 5, 2022. Gilroy C i ty Code Chapter 19C SOCIAL HOST AC COU NTABILITY Page 3 of 8 11.2 p. 117 of 184 gathering occurs ; and/or (2) The person in c harge of the premises ; and/or (3) The person who organizes, superv ises , officiates, conduc ts or controls the gathering or any other person(s) ac cepting responsibility for suc h a gathering. A pers on need not be present at s uch gathering resulting in the res pons e giv ing rise to the impos ition of c ivil fines or c iv il fees for res pons e c osts . Prior knowledge of the loud or unruly gathering is not a pre- requisite to a finding that any specific individual is a res ponsible person as defined by this s ection. “Public safety serv ic es and/or res pons e c osts ” means the c osts as s ociated with res pons es by law enforcement, fire and other emergency response providers to loud or unruly gatherings , inc luding but not limited to: (1) The portion of the cos t of s alaries and benefits of law enforc ement, fire or other emergency res pons e personnel for the amount of time s pent responding to, remaining at, or otherwise dealing with the loud or unruly gathering(s), and the adminis trativ e costs attributable to s uch res pons e(s); (2) The c ost of any medical treatment to or for any law enforc ement, fire or other emergenc y res pons e personnel injured res ponding to, remaining at or leaving the sc ene of a loud or unruly gathering; and (3) The c ost of the us e of any c ity equipment or property, and the c ost of repairing any city equipment or property damaged, in responding to, remaining at or leaving the s cene of a loud or unruly gathering. “Residenc e or other priv ate property or premises ” means a home, yard, apartment, c ondominium, hotel or motel room, or other dwelling unit, or a hall or meeting room, whether oc c upied on a temporary or permanent basis, whether occupied as a dwelling, party or other s ocial func tion, and whether owned, leased, rented, or us ed without compensation. “Underage pers on” means any person les s than twenty-one (21) y ears of age and shall hav e the same meaning as “minor,” defined in this section. (Ord. No. 2007-14, § I, 6-4-07) The Gilroy City Code is current through Ordinance 2022-05, passed July 5, 2022. Gilroy C i ty Code Chapter 19C SOCIAL HOST AC COU NTABILITY Page 4 of 8 11.2 p. 118 of 184 19C.3 Prohibition of loud or unruly gatherings where alcohol is served to, consumed by or in the possession of underage persons. It shall be unlawful for a person to knowingly c onduct or allow a loud or unruly gathering where alcohol is serv ed to, cons umed by or in the pos s ess ion of an underage pers on or pers ons on premises owned by the pers on responsible for the event, on premises rented by or to the pers on responsible for the ev ent, on premises where the pers on responsible for the event resides or on premises where the person res pons ible for the event is in c ontrol of suc h premises during the loud or unruly gathering. (Ord. No. 2007-14, § I, 6-4-07) The Gilroy City Code is current through Ordinance 2022-05, passed July 5, 2022. Gilroy C i ty Code Chapter 19C SOCIAL HOST AC COU NTABILITY Page 5 of 8 11.2 p. 119 of 184 19C.4 Administrative penalties. (a) Any enforc ement offic er of the c ity, at his or her dis c retion, may issue an adminis trativ e citation for a v iolation of this chapter. There is no requirement of a first warning in order for the enforcement officer to is sue this citation. (1) Administrative Penalties. A first violation of this section s hall res ult in a citation with a two hundred fifty-dollar ($250.00) penalty . A sec ond violation within a twelve-month period shall res ult in a citation with a thousand-dollar ($1,000.00) penalty. A third or subs equent violation within a twelve-month period s hall res ult in a citation with a two thousand-dollar ($2,000.00) penalty. (2) The polic e s hall giv e notic e of a violation of this section by is s uing an administrative c itation to any and all pers ons identified by the enforcement offic er within thirty (30) day s of the v iolation. The adminis trativ e c itation s hall als o giv e notice of the right to request an adminis trativ e hearing to challenge the validity of the administrative citation and the time for reques ting that hearing pursuant to sec tion 19C.6 below. (3) The adminis trativ e penalty prescribed in s ubs ection (1) is in addition to any administrative c ost recov ery fee for public safety responses that may be as ses s ed pursuant to sec tion 19C.5 below. (4) In the event that the person who is in violation of this s ection is a juvenile, then the juv enile and the parents or guardians of that juvenile will be jointly and sev erally liable for the adminis trativ e penalty. (Ord. No. 2007-14, § I, 6-4-07) The Gilroy City Code is current through Ordinance 2022-05, passed July 5, 2022. Gilroy C i ty Code Chapter 19C SOCIAL HOST AC COU NTABILITY Page 6 of 8 11.2 p. 120 of 184 19C.5 Administrative cost recovery fees for public safety responses. (a) In addition to any adminis trativ e penalty impos ed for violation of this chapter, when any loud or unruly gathering where alcohol is served to, c ons umed by or in the poss ession of underage pers on(s) oc curs on private property and an enforcement offic er at the s c ene determines that there is a threat to the public peace, health, s afety or general welfare, the public safety officer shall give to the pers on(s) responsible for the event warning that a second or follow up violation of this sec tion on the same date or on any later date will result in his/her/their liability for the c ost of prov iding public safety servic es (i.e., fire, ambulance, polic e, and other emergency prov iders) (hereinafter “administrative cos t rec overy fees.”) (b) The requirement of a first warning does not limit the ability of the enforc ement offic er to is s ue an administrative citation, or for the imposition of adminis trativ e c ost recov ery fees on the same day that the warning is giv en if the warning does not end the loud or unruly gathering. The administrative cos t rec overy fees s hall be s eparate and distinc t from an administrative citation and penalty a violation desc ribed in sec tion 19C.4 above. (1) The amount of administrative cos t rec overy fees inc ludes but is not limited to those c osts s et forth in s ubs ection 19C.2(i) of this c hapter and s hall not exceed five hundred dollars ($500.00) per incident purs uant to sec tion 16.35 of the Gilroy City Code. (2) In the event that the person who is in violation of this s ection is a juvenile, then the juv enile and the parents or guardians of that juvenile will be jointly and sev erally liable for the impos ition of administrative cos t rec overy fees. (3) Administrative cost rec overy fees will not be impos ed in those situations where those present at the gathering c all for emergency servic es for an ac tual emergenc y at the premis es. (Ord. No. 2007-14, § I, 6-4-07) The Gilroy City Code is current through Ordinance 2022-05, passed July 5, 2022. Gilroy C i ty Code Chapter 19C SOCIAL HOST AC COU NTABILITY Page 7 of 8 11.2 p. 121 of 184 19C.6 Hearings on the imposition of administrative penalty and/or imposition of administrative cost recovery fees; appeals. (a) Any person subject to a adminis trativ e penalty pursuant to s ection 19C.4, or s ubjec t to an administrative cos t rec overy fees pursuant to sec tion 19C.5, s hall have the right to request an administrative hearing within thirty (30) day s of the is suance of an administrative citation for a violation of this chapter and/or the impos ition of administrative cos t rec overy fees as s pec ified in this chapter, pursuant Gilroy City Code Chapter 6A, Artic le II, s ection 6A.11 through 6A.23. (b) To reques t s uch a hearing, the person requesting the hearing shall notify the city clerk in writing within thirty (30) days of the iss uanc e of the administrative citation and/or impos ition of administrative cos t rec overy fees, purs uant to section 6A.16 of the City Code. (c) The hearing proc edure shall be as set forth in sec tion 6A.17 of the City Code. (d) Any person aggriev ed by an administrative decis ion of the hearing officer may obtain review of the adminis trativ e decision by filing a petition for rev iew with the Superior Court in Santa Clara County in acc ordanc e with the time lines and prov is ions set forth in California Gov ernment Code Sec tion 53069.4. (e) Notwithstanding the prov isions of Chapter 6A.20, the amount of an administrative penalty and/or administrative cos t rec overy fees, shall be deemed a debt owed to the c ity by the person found in violation of s ection 19C.4 and/or s ection 19C.5 and, if that person is a juvenile, then als o his /her parents or guardians . Any person owing suc h adminis trativ e penalties and/or adminis trativ e cost recov ery fees shall be liable in an ac tion brought in the name of the c ity for rec overy of suc h administrative penalty and/or administrative fees . These recov ery c osts may include reas onable attorney fees incurred in the action. (Ord. No. 2007-14, § I, 6-4-07) The Gilroy City Code is current through Ordinance 2022-05, passed July 5, 2022. Gilroy C i ty Code Chapter 19C SOCIAL HOST AC COU NTABILITY Page 8 of 8 11.2 p. 122 of 184 City of Gilroy STAFF REPORT Agenda Item Title:Downtown Survey Results Meeting Date:January 9, 2023 From:Jimmy Forbis, City Administrator Department:Administration Submitted By:Jimmy Forbis, City Administrator Prepared By:Bryce Atkins, Assistant to the City Administrator STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS Promote Economic Development Activities RECOMMENDATION Council receive the survey results report. BACKGROUND On October 3, 2022, the City released a survey pertaining to downtown Gilroy. The survey, commissioned and reviewed by the ad hoc Downtown Committee (Committee), was not one of the Committees formal recommendations, but was determined to be a beneficial tool to gain current understanding of the public’s concerns and hopes regarding downtown Gilroy. The survey featured 22 questions and an open comment area as the 23rd question. The survey was intended to be a general barometer of current activity and concerns in the downtown area. The survey asked questions pertaining to the basic relationship of the respondents to the downtown area, concerns about safety, shopping behavior, parking issues, and business and property ownership issues. The survey was closed on December 14, 2022, nearly two months of being available and public for those interested in participating. ANALYSIS 11.3 p. 123 of 184 Downtown Survey Results City of Gilroy Page 2 of 6 City Council Meeting January 9, 20231 4 3 Attached to this staff report are the results of the survey in order by each question, as well as a brief description of the process. Survey Dissemination and Data Collection The survey instrument was created and hosted on Google Forms, and was open to the public at-large. The survey was in both English and Spanish. Staff issued notices of the survey via the e-mail newsletter, the City’s website, social media, and sharable links sent to the Chamber of Commerce, Visit Gilroy, and the Gilroy Downtown Business Association for distribution. Overall, a total of 677 responses were received. The survey was designed so that not every question was required to be answered by participants. Additionally, some of the questions allowed multiple choices. As such, the number of responses to a single question can be larger or smaller than the total for the survey overall. It is important to note that this survey is intended to serve as a high-level data collection tool. It is not intended to be a detailed, scientific survey drilling down on a specific topic. As an example, the survey features two or three questions regarding parking behavior and issues. This is to obtain the perception of the issues from customers and business owners. However, in comparison, the Downtown Parking Management Plan development will be a more detailed survey and assessment. Response Trends Below are some of the key insights provided by the survey: •Who responded to the survey: o 99.6% of the respondents completed the survey in English o 90% live within the City of Gilroy, 10% from outside the City ▪The majority were in the southwest and northwest parts of the City (combined 72% of respondents), with 8% living in downtown and 10% combined on the northeast and southeast parts of the city, evenly distributed o 83% responded that they are homeowners, with 12% being renters, and 5% living with parents. o 86% responded that they are customers, with 5% living downtown, 3% each working downtown and business owners, and another 1% being property owners •Overview of responses: o The majority feel safe traveling through downtown in motor vehicles, crossing streets, and walking from parking lots to shops, but feel less safe riding a bicycle or walking to and from the bus or train station. o Additionally, the majority drive or ride as a passenger in a motor vehicle when coming to the downtown. Walking and bicycling follow, with less frequent use of busses, trains, rideshares and taxis. o 69% of respondents travel into the downtown area from the west, with the approach from the east at 14%. 11% are within walking distance from 11.3 p. 124 of 184 Downtown Survey Results City of Gilroy Page 3 of 6 City Council Meeting January 9, 20231 4 3 downtown, and the other 6% come from the south, north, or had other responses. o To encourage more bicycling and walking in downtown, majority responses included improving safety (58%) and having more bike lanes, paths and routes (53%). Less frequent responses include having bike racks and lockers (35%) and education and enforcement (33%). o Only 20% of respondents state that they always feel safe from crime in downtown. 35% responded that they feel safe either with a group, and 39% feel safe before 6 pm. 17% of respondents state they feel unsafe and avoid the area at night, and 17% report that they feel uncertain and don’t visit downtown at night. o When asked how often respondents typically visit downtown shops, restaurants or events, the results are scattered. However, there are more visits for restaurants, shopping, and bars more frequently, and less frequent visits for civic or religious purposes, medical or other professional services, and working downtown. o In asking about the kind of items that respondents would purchase in downtown if available, gifts, services, home goods/décor, and apparel/jewelry received responses from over half of the total respondents to this question. o When asked about current spending amounts, most respondents would spend less than $25 per week on various items listed, such as apparel, art, crafts, home décor, furniture, etc. The only categories with higher spending amounts include dining and entertainment o When asked about what type of events that they would likely attend in downtown Gilroy, overwhelmingly 91% of respondents replied with farmer’s markets. Other questions with a majority of respondents replying affirmatively include festivals (79%); music and concerts (78%); Food, wine and beer events (76%); and plays and cultural events (54%). Other responses with less than 5% include family events, cars, parades and art events. o Participants in the survey frequent downtown on Saturdays most often, weekends overall more than weekdays, and more on evenings than weekdays. o For self-reported parking habits, respondents most frequently responded affirmatively to parking in a dedicated parking lot and walk down the street. However, this represents only 40% of the respondents. The other categories, including parking on the main street (27%) and parking directly in front of the business (25%) carried the majority of the rest of the responses. o Businesses were asked in the survey what comments their customers have expressed about parking in downtown. 27% responded for each of not enough parking close to the business and feeling unsafe walking from available parking. 24% responded that there was not enough parking downtown. 12% responded that parking is plentiful and convenient. The remaining were entries of “not applicable” and “other”. 11.3 p. 125 of 184 Downtown Survey Results City of Gilroy Page 4 of 6 City Council Meeting January 9, 20231 4 3 o The survey asked business owners what they think can be done to improve customers’ experiences downtown. 75% responded having attractive streetscapes and storefronts. Other majority responses included more outdoor dining (65%), a wider array of offerings (65%) and having more organized events downtown (58%). Other responses included safety improvements, better parking management and supply. o The survey inquired of businesses to see if they are looking to expand their business, and if so, is there anything preventing them from expanding. Over half of the respondents selected that they are not expanding and that the business is operating as desired. There are 6% of respondents (three respondents), who are looking to expand now but are not able to do so, with another 22% (12 respondents) looking to expand sometime in the future. o The survey asked property owners of how many buildings or spaces are vacant. 84% of respondents answered none or not applicable. Of the remaining amounts, two respondents have 1-2 spaces available, and one respondent has 3-5 available. There was also one that responded they are waiting for a tenant to sign a lease at the time of the survey. o The survey asked any prospective tenants to help identify what challenges they may be experiencing in finding a building to lease downtown. The more common responses were rents being too high, cost of improvements too high, and getting permits and approvals being too time consuming and costly. o The survey finished with an open comment option for participants. Of the total 677 responds, 233 comments were supplied which covered a myriad of topics, many re-enforcing their answers to earlier questions, some with additional comments. The survey comments did reveal that everyone’s perception of what improvements are needed to make downtown successful varies, and often are opposed by others. There are comments both supporting more bicycling in downtown, and others strongly opposed. There are statements about too many bars, breweries and alcohol-related businesses, and others that state the downtown needs more. One consistent comment, which is supported by these opposed comments, is the call for a wider array of options and business in the downtown. We can also surmise that respondents are generally concerned about safety, whether from crime or accidents, and the desire for downtown to reach a higher level of aesthetics and quality to be attractive to shoppers and businesses alike. Many compared our downtown to neighboring cities, both in this county but also deeper north into the Bay Area, as possible examples for improvement. Future Actions The data presented in this survey is meaningful as a barometer of the public sentiment, concerns, and hopes for downtown Gilroy. This information will be considered when conducting plans for future economic development activities, as well as downtown- focused activities. Depending upon the strategic plan goals established by Council for the 11.3 p. 126 of 184 Downtown Survey Results City of Gilroy Page 5 of 6 City Council Meeting January 9, 20231 4 3 next two-year cycle, this data may help inform the eventual workplan items developed related to economic development and downtown Gilroy. Future Jumpstart Downtown Recommendations Implementation This survey has revealed that the public generally supports the goals and intents of the Council approved Downtown Committee recommendations, with several comments from survey participants echoing the recommendations that were developed. Below is an update and anticipated timeframe for the pending downtown recommendations. 1. Update the Downtown Strategic Plan This item will be considered in the FY 24 and FY 25 Recommended Budget and Departmental Workplan. 2. Develop New Ordinances to Address Vacancies and Noise Staff is currently reviewing an existing code section requiring registration of vacant buildings, contained in Chapter 5D of the Gilroy City Code. This ordinance was adopted in 2012 but is only a registration of vacant buildings and a registration fee. The chapter requires window treatments and other conditions on vacant downtown commercial buildings, and states that it may be enforced upon the property owner. More research is being conducted to see if the chapter is still viable as-is to meet this recommendation, or if amendments are needed since the ordinance adoption approximately ten years ago, and the status of its sunset provision. 3. Pursue Opportunities for an Assessment District A consultant has been hired to aid in the development of a business improvement district. This matter will have to go before a vote of the affected property owners. The consultant has provided guidance, and before the Christmas closure data has been accumulated that was needed to continue the process. Staff and the consultant will be recommencing the project now and are targeting the first part of the second quarter of calendar year 2023 for the draft business improvement district plan. 4. Develop a Downtown Parking Management Plan This project is underway. The consultant continues to gather information and modeling. The City provided sales tax information to the consultant when Council approved the non-disclosure agreement on November 21, 2022. The work was initiated in 2022 and will continue into 2023. 5. Implement a Façade/Painting Improvements or Plywood/Blight Removal Program The draft program terms and conditions, as well as funding recommendation, are coming to Council at the January 23, 2023 regular Council meeting. 6. Create a Downtown Building/Planning Fee Reduction Program 11.3 p. 127 of 184 Downtown Survey Results City of Gilroy Page 6 of 6 City Council Meeting January 9, 20231 4 3 Like above, the draft program terms and conditions for the fee reduction program, as well as its funding recommendation, are coming to Council at the January 23, 2023 regular Council meeting. 7. Establish a Downtown Pop-Up Park Staff has initiated discussions with the Gilroy Downtown Business Association (GDBA) concerning design and programming for the pop-up park. Staff will continue gathering details for a pop-up park located on Monterey Road, more specifically the grassy lot north of the Gilroy Center for the Arts, including proposed costs and implementation planning. This project requires design and formal bidding and thus will return to Council for contract award and a funding request. Staff will update Council once conceptual planning is completed. The sidewalk access from the new parking lot to Monterey Road, adjacent to the Gilroy Center for the Arts, has been completed and the physical conditions of the park area are now known affirmatively with the installed infrastructure. Work on the conceptual planning will commence this quarter, and design and bidding scheduling will then commence thereafter. 8. Develop Beautification and Decorative Lighting Improvements Council approved on October 17, 2022 a $100,000 budget appropriation for such projects, which may be expended at the discretion of the City Administrator. Staff has held preliminary discussions with the GDBA on potential improvements, and additional improvement planning will be commencing this quarter. 9. Commence these Initiatives with a “Downtown Jumpstart” Kick-Off Meeting This recommendation was completed on October 27, 2022. ALTERNATIVES None. This is a report on survey information gathered. The data may be used in future analysis and goal/strategy setting, but no specific action is proposed in this agenda item. FISCAL IMPACT/FUNDING SOURCE None. PUBLIC OUTREACH The survey was posted on the City’s website, e-mail newsletter, social media, and disseminated through the City’s economic partners. The agenda item reporting on the results of the survey was posted in the publicly available agenda for tonight’s meeting. Attachments: 1. 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 11.3 p. 128 of 184 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey January 9, 2023 11.3 p. 129 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 2 Survey Background On October 3, 2022, the City of Gilroy (City) released a bilingual, online survey to the community to answer questions relating to experiences of the City’s downtown area, and to receive suggestions on ways to improve the customer, resident and business experience. Below are the questions in order, along with the statistics on the answers. The survey period ended December 14, 2022, lasting a little over two months. The survey was developed by the Downtown Committee and City staff and released to the public via sharable links. The survey was for both Gilroy residents, as well as those living outside of the City. The survey was designed so that not all respondents had to answer all the questions. The total number of respondents was 677. Not all answered each question, so there are deviations in the number of responses to each question. The questions also allowed opportunities, based on the specific question design, to allow “other” as a response. Some allowed comments to be made as the “other” response, while other questions would only allow “other” to be selected, and ask for comments to be provided in the final comment section. In reviewing the comments, staff conducted a cleanup of spelling, grammar and punctuation, to the extent possible without altering the intent of the statement. As such, there are in the comment sections incorrect grammar and punctuation, as well as some word choices that remained in error but were not able to be changed without risking a change to the intent of the comment. Question 1. Which Language do you read/speak? ¿Qué idioma lee/habla? The initial question was focused on identification of the language preference/use of survey participants, as well as structuring the jump to the questions in the Spanish language if Spanish was selected. Each question had a mirror in the Spanish language to help reduce the language barrier to participation. Of the 675 participants who answered this question, 672 participated in English and 3 participated in Spanish. There apparently were two participants in the survey who did not select an answer to this question. Question 2. What best describes where you live? The first questions were to identify the nature of the respondents, such as living location, living arrangements and how they are associated to the downtown. Respondents predominately live within Gilroy, a total of 605 of the respondents identifying a location with the City of Gilroy, 90% of the total 672 that responded. Below is a chart that identifies the breakdown of where respondents live. The “other” category includes some entries that could not be identified within a specific area (i.e. near Santa Teresa, just outside of downtown, etc.), or in areas outside of the County (Capitola, Pleasanton, etc.). 11.3 p. 130 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 3 Question 3. Which best describes your living arrangement? This question was to determine the ratio of respondents who owned their own home, rented, or lived with parents. Overwhelmingly the respondents are owners of their own home, with 83% of respondents making that selection. The “other” responses included RV park, mother’s caretaker, and live with son and his family. These responses do not provide enough detail to determine if they own, rent, or have another living arrangement. Downtown, 55, 8% Northeast, 34, 5% Northwest, 231, 34% Southeast, 33, 5% Southwest, 252, 38% County, 56, 8% Other, 11, 2% What best describes where you live? Live With Parents, 30, 5% Other, 3, 0% Owner, 557, 83% Renter, 83, 12% Which best describes your living arrangement? 11.3 p. 131 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 4 Question 4. How are you associated with the Gilroy downtown? This question is used to identify the relationship of the respondent with the downtown, to help understand who is answering the questions, and the nature of the relationship to help better understand the underlying nature to the answers in later questions. Overall, the respondents are primarily customers of the downtown area (86%), as opposed to business owners, property owners, and those who work and live in the downtown. The “other” category responses are listed below: Downtown Gilroy is my community downtown. Drive thru...hate the parking in downtown. Gilroy resident would love to go downtown instead of Morgan Hill. I don't go downtown. I lived in Gilroy the last 10 years and moved to Morgan Hill a few months ago. I own a business several blocks from downtown. In the town I live in. Live near. Lived here for 15 years. Mother owns a business downtown. None of the above. Very little interaction, in essence, "WHAT DOWNTOWN?" Business Owner, 22, 3% Property Owner, 8, 1% Work Downtown, 22, 3% Live Downtown, 35, 5% Customer, 574, 86% Other, 12, 2% How are you associated with the Gilroy downtown? 11.3 p. 132 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 5 Question 5. Do you feel comfortable when traveling in downtown Gilroy? This question was to assess the comfort level of those who travel within the downtown. The question limited responses to certain options, and due to the design no “other” category was possible. Participants were allowed to add comments to the general comments section of the survey. Below are the responses. Overall, more felt safe than not traversing through downtown, except for riding bicycles or walking to the and from the bus or train station. In reviewing comments, the specific reason for these two low- safety responses are not provided in the comments, but there are comments relating to crime and concerns about accidents in other questions that may be associated, but cannot be linked on the data provided. This may be a desired focus point for further analysis in the future to help determine what is causing the concerns, and what the City may do to help improve conditions related to this result. Question 6. Do you feel safe from crime in downtown Gilroy? This question is used to ascertain how respondents felt about their safety from crime in downtown Gilroy. The data is contained in the table below. Respondents were able to select multiple responses, which is why the total of all answers exceed the total number of respondents. The answers are different, but there is crossover where multiple statements can be true, which is why multiple answers were enabled. The results of the survey reveal that 20% of respondents feel safe all the time. This rate is increased when considering only daylight hours (39%) and when in a group (35%). There are 17% that report feeling unsafe, whether it is avoiding the area at night or feeling the need to use caution when visiting. 606 550 504 460 135 116 66 116 154 192 254 219 3 7 15 20 280 337 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 Driving a vehicle Walking along sidewalks Crossing a busy street Walking from parking lot to shops Riding a bicycle Walking to and from bus or train station Do you feel comfortable when traveling in downtown Gilroy? Yes No Not Applicable 11.3 p. 133 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 6 Feel safe from crime in downtown Gilroy Number of Respondents Selecting This Answer % Of Those Who Chose This Answer I feel safe all the time 133 20% I feel safe with a group 237 35% I feel safe before 6 PM 262 39% I feel unsafe, but use caution when visiting 117 17% I feel unsafe and avoid the area at night 114 17% Uncertain, I don't visit at night 98 15% Other 20 3% I feel safe most of the time 3 0% Total Respondents 675 “Other” comments included the below: Comment Because it is unsafe, I no longer visit at all Crime has increased all over Gilroy, I try to avoid going anywhere here at night. Depends on the night of the week Feel safe but am always cautious wherever I go I always feel unsafe I am always watching to see if anyone who seems to have symptoms of mental illness or signs of gang affiliation or criminal intent are anywhere near my family and I, no matter what time of day it is. I would not walk around much in any part of the city at night. I cannot ride my bike downtown due to the lack of bike lanes & although there are bike racks, I cannot use as my bike will get stolen if I go inside to shop/dine. I feel safe all the time, but am more cautious when visiting after 8p I feel safe alone for most of the day; accompanied at night I feel safe with specific businesses at night around 6th street I feel SAFE, but use caution when visiting I feel safe, but use caution when visiting It depends on the situation. There are often threatening unstable people near our office that make me feel very unsafe. It's unsafe near the liquor market stores where there is loitering downtown Mostly safe even at night on walks home No one should let the guard down ever. I don’t visit mush as the only establishment I do go to is Milias. Unsafe and not willing to go near day or night Unsafe at night when walking by myself We feel safe but are always aware of our surroundings Selected but no comment provided 11.3 p. 134 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 7 Question 7. What route do you usually take to enter downtown Gilroy? To identify the common route of travel into the downtown area, the Committee asked respondents if they travel in from the east or west, or are within walking distance. The intent is to determine the most prevalent routes that people access the downtown. This information assists in helping to prioritize infrastructure and other improvements to travel routes to downtown. Below are the responses. Overwhelmingly, 69% of respondents travel into the downtown area from the west. This is not surprising, however, in that most of the residential areas of Gilroy are to the west of the downtown area. 11% reported being within walking distance of downtown, with 6 % providing an “other” response. The comments are provided below. Comments All routes Both Both Depends on where I am coming from Different as I drive thru From First Street From north From the north on Monterey From the North/I'm right off Monterey From the South From the south From the south From the south From the south From the east, 92, 14% From the west, 466, 69% I am within walking distance, 71, 11% Other, 41, 6% What route do you usually take to enter downtown Gilroy? 11.3 p. 135 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 8 From the South From the south on Monterey road From the south typically but also from Northwest Quad about once a week I live in town and can enter from any street I live south of tenth and could walk, but never have and won’t because it is not safe due to the transients. Salinas’s Oldtown is much nicer and safer, day or night, and I will walk there. Downtown needs to address the transients in order for the businesses to prosper. I travel south into downtown I usually park in a lot on Eigleberry or walk from Library. I'm coming from the Gilroy library If I am at work, I walk. From home, I usually park at work on West side. If I go directly from home I enter from the east Monterey Rd going south North North North North of Gilroy Not sure? South South South South South on Monterey Travel south on Monterey Usually either from the North on Monterey, or via First Street. Varies Varies Varies daily Wouldn't Monterey be from the North or South? I either come from that direction or from First Street. Question 8. How do you travel to and from downtown Gilroy? The question asked for various modalities of transportation what frequency the respondent uses each mode of transportation to travel to and from the downtown area. Below are the responses. This question limited responses to certain options. Participants could add comments to the general comments section of the survey. Overall, driving a motor vehicle is the most common, followed by a distant second of being a passenger in a motor vehicle. The other modes of transportation featured far more limited utilization rates, based on the transition and increase in the sometimes and never responses. 11.3 p. 136 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 9 Question 9. What suggestions do you have to encourage more bicycling and walking in downtown Gilroy? This question is to assess the ideas the community may have to encourage more bicycling and walking in the downtown area. This question limited responses to certain options, but allowed for multiple selections. Participants were allowed to add comments to the “other” answer option. Below are the responses. Improving safety and more bike lanes, paths and routes are the two largest response categories to encourage more bicycling and walking downtown. The other responses were generally split among supporters and opponents of more bicycling in downtown. Suggestions to Encourage More Bicycling and Walking in Downtown Gilroy Number of Respondents Selecting This Answer % Of Those Who Chose This Answer More bike lanes, paths, routes 343 53% Improve safety 377 58% Bike racks and lockers 230 35% Education and enforcement 215 33% Other 141 22% Total Respondents 651 395 54 10 25 0 5 202 100 12 33 2 1 49 232 87 139 19 55 10 37 290 232 345 317 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 450 How do you travel to and from downtown Gilroy? Always Mostly Sometimes Never 11.3 p. 137 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 10 “Other” responses included the below. Comments A parking garage so there would be plenty of space to park a car and then be able to walk downtown All the above but please don't forget to make it age friendly. Gilroy applied for "age friendly" designation with the WHO Arrest and prosecute. Remove homeless. Clean sidewalks. Avoid it, there is nothing there worth seeing, traffic can be hazardous Bartenders Union has unruly customers that make dining at surrounding restaurants unappealing Beautification, make it visibly appealing Beautify Benches and plaza areas Better businesses to visit, improve cleanliness, add foliage Better lighting Better lighting Better lighting, more visible/frequent security or police presence Better lit pass through. Relieving the area of the homeless transplants Better shops (retail) and restaurants will attract more foot traffic. Better upkeep and more establishments. Maybe some that don't close down when people are typically getting home from work. Bicycle borrow service. Bikes will be stolen. Just increasing the number available to steal in one location. Biking and walking to downtown is undesirable with little kids if you live in the North West quad of Gilroy. You have to drive to get to downtown Business that are of interest to me. Close downtown to vehicles. Make downtown pedestrians only. Close Monterey from cars between 4th and 6th street Close of a section of downtown example between 5th and 6th Close off street completely. Cars can go around side streets or take the freeway to get around. Close the street to cars. Make it a promenade. This would make it a very unique space in the entire county and lure new businesses. Configuration is perfect. Don’t change it. Consider blocking off permanently a one block area to all traffic Creative designs for bike sharrows on street and green paint for the lanes Crosswalks are plentiful. Speed limit is slow enough. Why would anyone bike or walk downtown to shop, eat, or go to a bar? Crosswalks on neighboring side streets!!! Church St. Destinations Don’t eliminate cars because if you do, I’ll never go there again Don’t. Please don’t bring more bicycles in Don't need more biking. Area is congested already because of narrow streets , bikes, pedestrians, etc. Downtown doesn’t have an inviting aesthetic Downtown needs to be fixed with better restaurants and shops. 11.3 p. 138 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 11 Comments Downtown sidewalks are filthy with gum and garbage, need cleaning. Leaving your bike for even a second is not safe, they get stolen, even when locked. Downtown was designed decades ago. The street is narrow, overcrowded with cars, parking, venue seating, etc. If you are serious about this, it needs to be widened and redesigned, which will require moving the buildings back. Huge project, large cost, will take a long time...but if you want a usable and future stable downtown that is inviting, that’s what needs to be done. Driving through Gilroy has become very hard to do the way parking is and the huge trucks that try to park in downtown it’s hard to get through Enforce existing laws, remove known riff raff Enforce laws regarding riding bikes on sidewalks. Enforcement of homeless/loitering/sleeping and stronger lighting as a deterrent Ensure cyclists obey all traffic rules. They rarely do. Fine as is Fix the mess they made of the parking and street very narrow Fix up empty buildings Focus on walking and unique businesses to walk to. Bicycles can focus to the parallel street to the west. At sunset it’s very challenging to see cross traffic heading west when sun is low suggest focus on safety measures on intersections with Eigleberry. Forcing us to bike is unreasonable Get more involvement in reducing crime and homeless population Gilroy has good but neglected downtown bones. Decide if we are suburb or a small nurtured town. Good enough as is. Don’t need more biking. Have more open shops, several have been under construction/remodeling phases for years. There are limited reasons to walk or bike around. It’s more of a one stop trip, you go eat, then go on with your day. Have sidewalk ramps on every corner leading into downtown. Yellow crossing lights too. Having somewhere to go besides bars & walking by empty buildings Hold more bike events - ie Viva Calle San Jose, join SVBC, get advocates on the planning commission etc. I do not support or encourage biking. Walking, if applicable I don’t recommend bikes in downtown I don't ride a bike downtown. I don’t see why bikes need to go downtown when they can utilize side streets as access points. I don't think bicycling is safe period on Monterey in the downtown I have health issues and cannot bike. I will never take my bikes downtown as they are expensive, and I KNOW they will be stolen no matter how or where they are locked up. Too many thieves in this town and NOTHING gets done about petty theft. I'd love to ride a bike but only in a divided lane. Just too many drunk/distracted/aggressive drivers Improve alley area from 1st -10th equally, Improved store fronts, less vacancies, safety cameras, no clubs Incentives and events relating to biking or walking Increase businesses that locals are interested in 11.3 p. 139 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 12 Comments It isn't downtown that I am worried about, it is the spaces in between downtown and my home. It would be a little scary riding a bike on Monterey. I sometimes ride in from the levee but only if I can bring my bike inside my destination. I would never leave my bike on the street. It wouldn't be there when I got back. Its already tight bike lanes will just make it more congested. Keep bikes off sidewalks Keep sidewalks and crosswalks clean Make 2 or 3 blocks walking or biking only Make downtown a nice place to go. Make it better looking. Not so run down Make it clear where bikes and pedestrians are expected to be. You. Expect a bike to drive on the one lane road. Are they expected to walk a bicycle on the sidewalk? Make it look nicer Make it pretty so people want to come walk there. Right now, it’s very utilitarian but pretty ugly. Make it safe. Dedicate police officers specifically to downtown like Salinas on foot patrol in a duo to ensure there is a visible police presence so people feel safe. Make Monterey Rd as an open air mall with no cars allowed between 4th and 6th More attractions. Entertainment More businesses that are open at night (a better variety of restaurants and other retail. Honestly, I avoid downtown Gilroy - I prefer Morgan Hill) More businesses to walk to, partake in, visit More desirable restaurants and shopping More handicapped parking downtown More large trees lining the streets leading from other areas (like 5th Street has). It is very hot or exposed, in summer especially, to bike to downtown from other neighborhoods. Also, motorists are sometimes inconsiderate or unaware. Not sure how to remedy that. More lights, restaurants, kid friendly areas/park or community gathering for families More public art, more culture, plants, trees, good lighting at night like MH. More restaurants and shops More restaurants with outdoor seating More restaurants, bars, shops, events More shops to walk around to. More shops/stores/restaurants. Too many open vacant locations More signage for parking lots MORE tenants (restaurants, stores) that people would actually care about. An anchor tenant that will drive visitors to come to downtown. More things to do (better restaurants) More variety of stores and sitting areas, fountains, plants, murals Need to enjoy the walk or have a purpose Needs more parking not more bicyclists New and more businesses Nicer buildings, a lot look dilapidated No encouragement needed 11.3 p. 140 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 13 Comments No need for more bikes Nobody bikes in downtown or to downtown. Whoever is pushing biking in general in Gilroy is not in touch. Walking in downtown, maybe 2-4 block east and west zone with significant lighting and security/police presence None None None None we don’t need bikers clogging the downtown None. Do NOT create more bike lanes Not applicable to us as neighborhood to get to downtown isn’t safe to walk or bike through Not interested in biking downtown Not sure Offer better businesses to attract more walkers and bicycling. Mature shade trees would also make it more attractive to walkers. Open up zoning restrictions and allow people to build more things for people to walk to. Our bike lanes are too narrow - they need to be widened. Please no more bike lanes. Police presence due to homeless people with mental issues Provide a variety of businesses for both adults and children Public bathroom access Realize that many of us are too far, so we need a central parking structure Reduce crime! Nearly 100% guarantee my bike will get stolen if I lock it up outside while dining or shopping. Remove low income stores and beautify empty buildings also no clubs or liquor stores Remove the parking from the main street in downtown, add bike lanes, create parking structure Revamp. Make it one way. Add more parking spots. Diversify and offer incentives for more restaurants or stores to come downtown. Some foot patrols by GPD. Maybe add some walk they’d of GPD at clubs and bars. Signs telling where to park? Some of the shops are really dark and imposing. If downtown had a more open and light/well-lit feel to it, that would help. Also, there’s almost no nightlife in downtown where you can do things like shop or get some great dessert. Strong Police presence. Make and enforce policies that do not encourage crime, drug use and homeless presence The emphasis on bikes has been overboard lately, there is enough and its unused The noise and speeding cars on Monterey are a concern. Loud motorcycles ripping through town. Cars that ignore the speed limit. The sidewalks aren't very wide and there's not much room. There are too many stop signs around downtown. It makes riding bikes and driving cars around downtown unpredictable. We need timed traffic lights that have a deliberate and predictable flow of traffic. Too many closed buildings, better businesses and keep it clean. Too many odd people walking around, lots of lower end, family owned business which is nice but the buildings are run down, does not attract a family oriented vibe 11.3 p. 141 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 14 Comments Turn streets into promenades Use discount incentives Walk paths that are safe Walking on sidewalks, yes. What is in downtown to go to? While impossible, widening the street Why am I going into downtown? More eateries and places to hang out Wider road for vehicles to drive. Question 10. How often do you typically visit downtown shops, restaurants, or events? This question seeks to understand the major drivers of business from customers in the Gilroy downtown. The results are scattered, but there are more visits for restaurants, shopping, and bars more frequently, and less frequent visits for civic or religious services, medical or other professional services, and working downtown. There were limited response options. Participants could add comments to the general comments section of the survey. Below are the responses. 13 6 1 2 4 5 29 1 4 1 35 6 91 93 103 39 61 20 42 10 13 15 6 6 235 255 289 152 185 120 125 48 140 31 14 20 134 143 140 136 135 156 114 60 269 75 26 17 141 124 100 255 220 289 271 437 170 427 465 264 050100150200250 300350400450500 How often do you typically visit downtown shops, restaurants, or events? Daily Weekly Monthly Yearly Almost Never 11.3 p. 142 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 15 Question 11. What kinds of items would you purchase in downtown Gilroy, if available? To help direct future business attraction, the survey sought to identify the likely retail items that residents would be interested in purchasing from downtown retailers. Respondents could make multiple selections. Overall, gifts, services, home goods/décor, and apparel/jewelry received responses from over half of the total respondents to this question. Participants were allowed to add comments to the “other” option, and have been included below the summary results. The comments were broken out to food and other categories, given the frequency of food-based entries. The comments are included to demonstrate what type of food items were listed. Below are the responses. Kinds of Items You Would Purchase in Downtown, If Available Number of Respondents Selecting This Answer % Of Those Who Chose This Answer Gifts 430 65% Services (fitness, salon, repair, other) 410 62% Home Goods/Home Decor 384 58% Apparel/Jewelry 347 53% Crafts 313 48% Groceries 307 47% Home and Garden/Home Improvement 300 46% Books 294 45% Antiques 202 31% Music 165 25% Furniture 140 21% Electronics 134 20% Other Comments (written below) 44 7% Other: Food (including but not limited to: Nice Restaurants; Family Restaurants; Alcohol; Candy; Bakery; Breweries; Ice Cream; etc.) (written below) 54 8% Total Respondents 658 Comments: Included In Things to do, events. Other Wine tasting Other: Food A real Bike Shop, not a Front for whatever that Bike Center has doing for 20 years with no inventory and dust on their shelves Other A wider variety of restaurants and shops would be great. Not just bars and breweries. Additional arts expansion - performing arts especially Other Activities (i.e. bowling) Other 11.3 p. 143 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 16 Comments: Included In Alcohol Other: Food Alcohol/food Other: Food Amazon Other Anything for dogs or bicycles Other As of right now only facials, I avoid it because it’s not safe. Too many homeless Other Bakery items, Other: Food Bakery, ice cream shop, kitchen store, sandwich shop. Other: Food Beer/wine, dinner, happy hour/appetizers Other: Food Better restaurants Other: Food BOOKS please BOOKS - and cookies! Mom & pop type toy store. We love the comic book store. Different cuisines (Native American, Indian, Asian, innovative menus) - Bring in the farmer's market. We love the crystal/metaphysical shop...it's different. We always find treasures there. Other Bowling, skate arena, dance hall, family activities Other Breweries and Tap Rooms Other: Food Candy, comic books, cigars, novelty items Other Candy/ice cream/smoothies Other: Food Coffee Other: Food Coffee Shop Other: Food Collectibles Other Comic books Other Desserts, Parks Other Dining if I felt safe and parking issues Other: Food Entertainment - revamp the bowling alley! Other Entertainment- bowling, films, paint shops, etc Other Experiences- meaning, we need more fine dining options in downtown. I’ve lost count on how many beer businesses are in downtown, but restaurants are limited. There needs to be a balance, if we look at Morgan Hill's downtown their forte is restaurants, they offer many options, limited yet curated shops but not a saturation of shops- mainly restaurants. Other Farmers Market goods Other: Food Food Other: Food Food Other: Food Food Other: Food Food Other: Food Food - Restaurants Other: Food Food and eateries needed. Use Morgan Hill as a guide. Other: Food Food and bar, but they close really early before most people are home from commuting. Other: Food Food and beer Other: Food Food and drinks. Downtown needs good restaurants. Other: Food food from restaurants Other: Food Food, Drinks and concert tickets Other: Food 11.3 p. 144 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 17 Comments: Included In Food/ drink Other: Food Food/drink Other: Food Good food Other: Food Good restaurants Other: Food Have more diverse options for shopping downtown. Seems like every new business coming to downtown is a tavern. We have reached our limit of alcoholic venues. Let’s bring more diverse restaurant options to downtown. Other High end dining, good restaurants like in Morgan Hill Other: Food Hispanic cultural items Other Honestly there are limited shops that are interesting to visit, you have the nice Mexican authentic store and a lot of bars that attract all the riff raft and not family oriented Other I don't purchase items unless it's something I truly need. I'd rather spend my money traveling. Other I feel we need more variety of retail. Some of the businesses are for a specific customer only (repair, constant “going out of business” furniture store, paintball supplies, etc. Other I mainly go for restaurants. Other: Food I often think it would be good to have specialty shops among the restaurants in the bars. Something like a bakery and another shop devoted to unusual spices and other local offerings. Carnitas Michoacan is a unique offering that people drive from Modesto to visit. They are example of having a single product that is special to their family and their business. While this is a huge success, having some other businesses, create an environment where you can shop for gifts or something to take home for yourself among the restaurants would be interesting while you wait for your table you can, walk and shop. Other I would love an ice cream shop Other: Food I would welcome boutiques, yoga/pilates studios, bookstores, home decor, upscale furniture and lighting shops, record and musical instrument stores, non-chain restaurants...things you can't get at the outlets or a mall. Other Ice cream shop Other: Food Ice cream/candy, baked goods Other: Food If this was all available at a good quality. I would but from downtown in order to support local businesses Other In need of more family friendly places rather than just pour rooms & bars Other It would be nice if the stores selling furniture and such looked more maintained. If they can't take care of the building then their furniture quality can't be that good either. Other Italian deli, good bakery, old-fashioned soda/ice cream shop Other: Food Kid items: toys, comics, desserts, etc. kid stuff Other Maybe if the businesses were not run down and more welcoming. Enough with the cheap furniture and pinata/antique shops!! Other More dining Other: Food More family and upscale restaurants with outdoor sitting and entertainment Other: Food 11.3 p. 145 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 18 Comments: Included In More food places Other: Food More restaurants Other: Food More restaurants Other: Food More restaurants that are family friendly with no alcohol focus Other: Food My boys go to the boxing gym daily Other My company, Visiting Angels, tried to rent a place downtown. When people want to consider care, it is an emotional decision and being downtown would have made it a "casual" encounter--eat, have snack then "oh, look--there's Visiting Angels". But the City did not see that Other N/A Other Need nice cafes and restaurants. Too many bars/beer joints. Other: Food Nice restaurants, Other: Food No more antiques and Mexican stores with pinatas please. More more more outside dining options. Dog friendly options. Other: Food None Other None of the above, have used 1 or 2 businesses in 24 years. There is no reason to go to the Gilroy 'donkey stop' that is referred to its downtown. Other Nothing available I like, rarely go there due to lack of quality of items offered Other Prefer to have more restaurant choices like downtown Morgan Hill Other: Food Pizza or Italian fare, Thai fare, Ice Cream cones Other: Food Please more restaurants - have you been to downtown Visalia? Other: Food Restaurant KID Friendly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Other: Food Restaurants Other: Food Restaurants Other: Food Restaurants / bakery Other: Food Retired, already have most everything Other Several "anchor" stores and restaurants like Morgan Hill has done Other Some variety of food Other: Food Take a page from Los Gatos! Other There really aren’t a lot of great options anymore. Just a whole bunch of future beer pubs, certainly not a family friendly downtown Other Toys & collectibles Other We need attractions that are age appropriate always, kids’ days, young adults dinner, young adults night. Other We need higher end things. For example, Old Town Salinas has a high-end spa where I can get a massage. We don’t have anywhere comparable here. They have some wonderful restaurants. The closest thing we have is Westside Grill. They have some breweries, nice gift shops, clothing shops, the antique mall, the movie theater, the Steinbeck Center, First Awakenings, etc. Look at what they have. There isn’t anything to draw me downtown I can’t get in Monterey or Salinas that is better there. (I don’t mean that rudely. I want downtown to be nicer and safer so I can spend my money HERE.) Other We need more food options. I'm really excited about all the new breweries that are opening however two things I wish we had more of were activities and food. Other: Food 11.3 p. 146 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 19 Comments: Included In For example, a place that had a bar, FOOD (more than just 5 little appetizers), and games! We need a place that has a pool table, cornhole, big Jenga, a small dance floor, etc. Another fun activity would be a small outdoor roller rink. We need stuff to do to attract people and we need food and drinks to keep them there. I would really love to be able to walk to downtown and spend all day there then walk back home rather than driving to Morgan Hill!! We rent from the party supply place Other Wineries, tasting rooms, art galleries. Other Would love a bakery, deli, ice cream, etc. Other: Food You are allowing way too many bars. Need more food options. Would love to attend music events but would be hesitant, especially in the evening. Other: Food Question 12. For Visitors – When do you typically visit downtown Gilroy? Obtaining data on the days and times that customers frequent the downtown area aid in knowing the type and frequency of economic activity in the downtown. This information may also be beneficial in conducting business attraction or development efforts to help inform prospective businesses of trends in the area. This question limited responses to certain options. Participants were allowed to add comments to the general comments section of the survey. The results favor weekends and evenings over weekdays, and Saturdays as the most frequent day that respondents visit the downtown area. Below are the responses. 55 41 64 74 106 79 158 184 238 268 302 268251 230 179 154 98 145 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 Weekday Mornings Weekday Noon Weekday Afternoons Evenings Saturday Sunday For Visitors –When do you typically visit downtown Gilroy? Often Ocassionally Almost Never 11.3 p. 147 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 20 Question 13. What kinds of events, if held in downtown Gilroy, would you likely attend? The Downtown Committee is interested in what events may attract residents and customers from other areas to downtown. Events often draw business to the area on the day and time of the event, but also presents an option to bring more awareness of the businesses and products that are available in the downtown. The information requested from respondents identifies those events that have the potential to draw the most interest, based on responses to the question. Respondents could select multiple answers, and add their own in the “other option”. Below are the responses, followed by a listing of the other option comments. Kinds of Events You Would Attend in Downtown Number of Respondents Selecting This Answer % Of Those Who Chose This Answer Farmers market 582 91% Festivals 505 79% Music and concerts 497 78% Food, wine, beer 487 76% Plays and cultural 346 54% Other 23 4% Other: Family 7 1% Other: Cars 5 1% Other: Parade 4 1% Other: Art 3 0% Total Respondents 637 Comment Included In All of the above at age appropriate times. Other Any event as long as it’s safe and tastefully done. Other Anything downtown Other Anything family oriented for young children, but the Cops Night Out anti- gang stuff is really not applicable to our demographic. More child centered would be good. Other: Family Art Other: Art Art Other: Art Attend holiday parade Other: Parade Attend if shade and seating available Other Better shopping options, i.e. clothing, shoe stores, Trader Joes Other Bowling Other Bring more events down to 7th St. Include the art studio, Neon Exchange and the Center for the Arts in downtown events. Other: Art 11.3 p. 148 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 21 Comment Included In Can’t afford to get Covid from others. I wear a mask and prefer only going places where others are masked as well. Other Car Cruise Other: Cars Car shows Other: Cars Car shows (we have classic cars) are fun, cultural events, holiday parades...for goodness sakes...please advertise events better! Other: Cars Car shows/meets Other: Cars Chefs allowing us to sample their best cuisine, seasonal crafts fair, fundraising event for Veterans Food, wine, beer Craft fairs Festivals Day of the horse like wood side. Rodeo/horse events: atmosphere like other rodeos Other Dog Park- Family Events Other Downtown Gilroy (1st to 7th streets) needs, better upscale and family restaurants not pubs/bars. Other Events that bring the community together Other Family friendly events Other: Family Family friendly events, children events Other: Family Food Food, wine, beer Higher end restaurants, steak house, Italian, Greek, America etc. Food, wine, beer Hispanic Culture/Holidays. Other I attend most events located downtown. Other I avoid crowds due to my health issues. Other I could not get the music and concert button to select, but I go downtown for music. Music and concerts I like the car show and summer music concerts as well. Other: Cars I would love to attend more, but it’s hard to find parking around that central Monterey and Fifth Street area. We really need a parking structure like Morgan Hill has. Other If consistent and like Morgan Hill. Other If it was nice looking, I'd attend all of the above. Other Metropolitan center with bookstores, quality restaurants, some upscale high class restaurants, breakfast bistros/restaurants of quality, night club, business offices, parking facility, small park located in the center with lawn, trees, benches, fountain. A center befitting a growing city with upscale money moving in. A section carved out that creates a split in Monterey Road, west side of center south and east side of center north. Other Non Other Outdoor movies at night Other Parades Other: Parade Parades Other: Parade Parks, family gathering area, water area for kids in the summer Other: Family 11.3 p. 149 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 22 Comment Included In Plays is such a wide category. The local play scene is bowdy and I am not a fan. Get me Shakespeare in downtown and that's a different scene that I would enjoy. Plays and cultural Pop ups! Other School/kids events Other: Family Seasonal parades. bonanza day parade. restaurant discount days Other: Parade Street Markets Other Things that attract families Other: Family Toys and collectibles Other You need more events for family with kids Other: Family Question 14. For Visitors – What best describes your parking habits? Parking has long been a point of contention in downtown Gilroy. While the parking management plan is under development, the survey attempted to assess the parking habits and issues that are present in the area. This question was directed towards visitors, to determine the more frequent parking behaviors of customers. Overall, the most frequent response to the prepared categories is to park in a dedicated parking lot and walk down the street. However, this represents only 40% of the respondents. The other categories, including parking on the main street and parking directly in front of the business, carried most of the remaining responses. “Other” responses constituted 8% of the entries and are listed below the chart. Prefer to park in a dedicated parking lot and walk down the street, 235, 40% Prefer to park on the main street and walk up and down the street, 159, 27% Prefer to park in front of each business I visit, 143, 25% Other, 46, 8% For Visitors –What best describes your parking habits? 11.3 p. 150 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 23 Comments Included In Again, I don’t visit downtown Gilroy unless I am working, but I would prefer to park my car (preferably in a parking garage that is well lit with cameras) and walk to stores/boutiques. Other All of the above. Other All of the above. I like the parking in front of the shops. Many business owners park there taking up the spots, but it's fun to get "rock star parking". Other Anywhere I can find lighted and safe parking. Other Building a parking garage. Have you seen the one in Morgan Hill? Other Depends on time of day & who I’m with. Other Designated parking. Other Don't really care where I park, everything is very close by. Other Due to health issues, I cannot walk many blocks, so prefer to park in front of or near the business I'm going to. Other Either on the street or in parking lot. Other I always prefer to park in the parking lot behind the Chamber if visiting businesses on that side of the street, or the parking lot near that medical center if I’m visiting ODs. Dedicated Parking Lot I live in walking distance. Other I often walk, but when I drive, I park on Monterey and walk to the shops or restaurants. Park on Main Street I prefer to walk if I think is safe. Other I try not to park downtown too many homeless drug addicts screaming or hitting your car. Other I typically walk to/from downtown. Other I usually park on Eigleberry street. I usually walk to downtown Gilroy. about a mile. Other I usually walk with the family. Other I walk from home. Other I walk to downtown. Other I want to feel safe wherever I park; I don't mind a lot. Other I will park closest to my destination whether on the street or dedicated parking, and then walk up and down the street. Other I would prefer to bike downtown or walk. I like street parking a block or two away to get a bit of a walk in. Other I’ve never had a problem parking. I don’t understand why we need a parking lot. Other I'd park where it's most convenient. Other If it felt safer I would park far and walk through the downtown. With the current situation I try to park super close to the business or my office so I can get in and out safely. Other 11.3 p. 151 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 24 Comments Included In If parking behind building it has to be extremely safe and monitored perhaps a ticket with a gate to enter. Other It depends on if I'm only visiting one business or enjoying a more leisurely time. Other Live downtown and have my own parking space. Other Main street or side street then walk. Park on Main Street Need more handicap parking. Other No particular preference, all are satisfactory Other No preference as long as it's safe and convenient. Other No preference. I've always been able to find parking easily. Other Obviously everyone wants to park right in front of the business they are visiting. Parking management is not about preference. It’s about supply and demand. In front of business Open to any parking situation, but need a more vibrant business and restaurant culture. Other Park at home and walk. Other Park at my home and walk. Other Park in Eigleberry or Hornlien parking lots. Dedicated Parking Lot Park on side street. Other Park where convenient. Other Parking in the block (behind or in front) I am visiting. Other Parking is not an issue don’t waste money on more lots. Other Parking structure needed. Other Prefer to park in the nonexistent clean, well-lit parking lot. Other Prefer to park nearby where I am visiting but MUST feel safe when walking. I do not want to walk past homeless freaking out, staggering, once a man dropped his pants and urinated within 5 ft of me. Too much very much unpleasant things to deal with and downtown looks dirty. Other Prefer to walk. Drivers are unsafe and parking is not always available. Other Spaces which are large enough to be confident that my car will not be damaged. Other This is tricky. A mixture of options perhaps. Other Wherever there is parking available. Hard to find spots. Other Will park wherever its safe and convenient. Other 11.3 p. 152 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 25 Question 15. For Visitors – How much do you typically spend downtown a week? The question is targeted to determine how much customers spend in downtown businesses. The assessment looked at various categories, then asked respondents to select an amount for each spent per week. Overall, the most common amount in the responses is less than $25 per week in most categories. Larger amounts are more common in dining and entertainment, with a distant second highest amount in services. The other categories generally trended close together in distribution, as can be seen on the chart below. The structure of the question did not facilitate comments for the “other” response, but respondents could enter information in the general comments section of the survey. Question 16. For Businesses – What is your current type of business? The survey asked those respondents representing a business in the Gilroy downtown to identify what type of business they are engaging in. The results were categorized based on the responses, including creating categories for those not included in the original broad listing. As such, there are no “other” responses. There were ten responses of Not Applicable, which have been included for completeness of the data. Office/Professional represents the largest type in the responses (24%), but the remainder is spread across many different types of businesses. 138 290 295 286 287 279 288 284 281 228 158140 24 14 27 27 18 8 16 35 77 7 173 17 11 10 17 16 9 9 6 43 2 44 4 2 2 3 5 2 2 1 9 211121156427 3 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 For Visitors –How much do you typically spend downtown a week? Less than $25 $25-$50 $51-$100 $101-$200 More than $200 11.3 p. 153 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 26 Question 17. For Businesses – What do you think the City could change to improve your customers’ experience? The Downtown Committee included this question to gather information on what businesses think could be done to improve customer experience. There were several categories provided, as well as the “other” response allowing for unique answers to be entered. Methods that received affirmative responses from over half the respondents included having attractive streetscapes and storefronts, more outdoor dining, a wider array of offerings, and holding more organized events. Safety improvements and better parking management came in just under half of all respondents selecting those methods. Those entries under the “other” response are included below the table of summary responses. How to Improve Customers' Experience Number of Respondents Selecting This Answer % Of Those Who Chose This Answer Attractive streetscapes and storefronts 82 75% More outdoor dining 72 65% Wider array of offerings 72 65% More organized events 64 58% Safety improvements for customers 53 48% Better parking management 49 45% More parking supply 45 41% Other 19 18% Office/Professional, 18, 24% Restaurant/Bar/Brewery, 11, 15% Retail, 11, 14% N/A, 10, 13% Services, 11, 14% Entertainment, 6, 8% Non-Profit, 3, 4% Real Estate or Owner, 3, 4% Art, 2, 3% Agriculture, 1, 1% For Businesses –What is your current type of business? 11.3 p. 154 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 27 How to Improve Customers' Experience Number of Respondents Selecting This Answer % Of Those Who Chose This Answer Total Respondents 110 Comments Included In Actually patrol the parking times. Better parking management Add more businesses, looks dead from the older ones, that closed down. Wider array of offerings Business is not open to the public. Other Designate the block between 6th and 7th Street as the Art District. Other Downtown Gilroy (1st to 7th streets) needs, better upscale and family restaurants not pubs/bars. Monterey road (including buildings) needs to have a BIG facelift! Other Downtown that is warm and inviting. Other Encourage new businesses downtown. Wider array of offerings Fill in abandoned buildings! Downtown looks like city didn’t care (probably because they don’t). Other Get tenants that people actually care about visiting. A good restaurant or two. I'm tired of having to go to Morgan Hill to get a decent downtown experience. Other Homeless is a really big problem. They repeatedly go to the bathroom in front of our office. Other Information kiosks showing upcoming events, and things like our Taco Trail and Garlic Trail. Other Less bars more police presence. People walk by and flinch at you while in parking lots. Alleys are creepy with weird zombie like people. Other Less demonization of homeless individuals. Other More coffee shops. Small park. A place to hang out and make people stay to spend money. Wider array of offerings More dining and recreational events Wider array of offerings More family affordable dining Wider array of offerings N/A Other N/A Other N/A Other N/A Other Need to improve buildings. Front scape. Attractive streetscapes and storefronts 11.3 p. 155 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 28 Comments Included In Not all vendors follow "the protocol, standard" for downtowns. There should be some rules--for e.g. the displays--don't stand a mattress outdoors. Paint the front of your store or at least enhance the look of what is old. Bring class to the place. Other Please keep historical aspects of downtown Gilroy - facades etc. Other Really all of the above. Events will draw lots of synergy. If there were more shops there would be more reasons to visit as well. I would certainly spend more if there were additional opportunities to do so. Ivori and Gallery 1202 are fantastic examples of great storefronts and offerings. Downtown needs to feel clean, cared for, energized but safe first and foremost. Other The shopping with a few exceptions tends to be very low end. The restaurants conversely are higher end. We need nicer shops. Other We should really stand out, there is no comparison to Morgan Hill new structure, let’s keep Gilroy small but move to attracting great retail, food and cute and safe wine and beer locations that offer food and that safe environment for all. Gilroy downtown needs a face lift and get that sense of safety back so we can all enjoy. Other Question 18. For Businesses – What comments have your customers expressed about parking in downtown? The survey also asked businesses about what comments their customers have stated about parking in downtown. Overall, three of the responses have roughly similar frequency, namely that there isn’t enough parking close to the business (27%), that customers feel unsafe walking from available parking (27%), and that there is not enough parking downtown (24%). 12% state that parking is plentiful and convenient. There are a few that selected Not Applicable, with the rest selecting “other”, and the comments associated with those are included below the chart. 11.3 p. 156 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 29 Other Comments I don't really have an issue typically finding parking reasonably close by. I just worry about my car getting broken into if it's around the corner and my safety traveling to and from my car, so I try to park close to the office door when I can. I never not found a parking space within a block of my destination (in the 30 years I have worked downtown). More alley access would be helpful. None. My business is not open to the public. Unsafe and need more parking. Question 19. For Businesses – Are you looking to expand your business in downtown? If so, is something preventing you from expanding? The Committee decided to request responses from participating businesses if they are looking to expand their business. For those that are, there is an interest to see what challenges are being experienced in expanding, to provide information for potential future action to help lessen the hurdles to expansion. Over half of the respondents selected that they are not expanding and that the business is operating as desired. There are 6% of respondents (three respondents), who are looking to expand now but are not able to do so, with another 22% (12 respondents) looking to expand in the future. There were four respondents who selected “other”, and their comments are included below the chart. Not enough parking close to the business, 22, 27% Feel unsafe walking from available parking, 22, 27% Not enough parking downtown, 20, 24% Parking is plentiful and convenient, 10, 12% N/A, 4, 5% Other Comments, 4, 5% For Businesses –What comments have your customers expressed about parking in downtown? 11.3 p. 157 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 30 The “other” comments include: Comments I'm not a businessman No Slow construction of existing supply. Building at 6th and Monterey is a great example The homeless is a huge problem Question 20. If you are a property owner of a vacant building, please identify the reasons you are unable to find a tenant business for your property. The survey asked for the reasons why vacant property owners are having hard times finding tenants. The respondents to this question were few enough that no “other” category was needed, and all answers are included in the chart below. Of those that responded, nearly half replied as Not Applicable. The other responses are generally equally spread, with each answer having one or two responses. These include no interested tenants, improvements needed being too costly, as well as costs per square foot, lack of City support and encouragement, as well as owners needing to be more willing to work with new businesses. I am looking to expand in the future, 12, 22% I am looking to expand now, but am unable to do so, 3, 6% No, I am looking to move my business out of the downtown, 3, 5% No, my business is currently operating as I desire, 28, 51% N/A, 5, 9% Other, 4, 7% For Businesses –Are you looking to expand your business in downtown? 11.3 p. 158 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 31 Question 21. If you are a property owner downtown, how many buildings or spaces in those buildings are vacant? The survey asked property owners how many buildings or spaces are vacant. 84% of respondents answered none or not applicable. Of the remaining amounts, two respondents have 1-2 spaces available, and one respondent has 3-5 available. There was also one that responded they are waiting for a tenant to sign a lease at the time of the survey. No responses were for more than five available spaces. Cost per square foot to lease too high, 1, 8% Improvements needed are too costly, 2, 15% Lack of City support/encouragement, 1, 8% N/A, 6, 46% No interested tenants, 2, 15% Owners need to be more willing to work with new businesses. , 1, 8% Please identify the reasons you are unable to find a tenant business for your property. None, 15, 63% N/A, 5, 21% One to Two, 2, 8% Three to Five, 1, 4% Waiting for Tenant to Sign Lease, 1, 4% If you are a property owner downtown, how many buildings or spaces in those buildings are vacant? 11.3 p. 159 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 32 Question 22. If you are a prospective tenant identify the reasons why you are unable to find a building to lease downtown. This final question of the survey asked prospective tenants to help identify what challenges they may be experiencing in finding a building to lease downtown. There were several varied responses to this question, which are listed below. The more common responses were rents being too high, cost of improvements too high, and getting permits and approvals being too time consuming and costly. The highest three related to costs and administrative issues. The next type of response was that the location or site would not attract businesses. “Other” responses are further detailed below. Prospective Tenants - Reason Why Unable to Find A Building to Lease Number of Respondents Selecting This Answer % Of Those Who Chose This Answer Proposed rent for location too high 9 17% Cost of improvements too high 8 15% Getting permits/inspections/approvals needed are too time consuming, expensive 8 15% Location/site will not attract businesses 7 13% Condition of building is too low 6 11% N/A 5 9% No availability of desired space 3 6% Time to complete improvements too long 3 6% All of the above 1 2% Other 3 6% Total Respondents 53 Other General Plan mentions mixed-use, but it is not really an option. Visiting Angels provides home care. We wanted to rent facing Gourmet Alley and was told the Commission won't allow it. We could have brought people to downtown--people who ordinarily don't choose to go downtown Gilroy Gilroy downtown is missing an overall strategy. A number of great restaurants has started to open outside of downtown - have a strategy to bring culture to downtown and encourage these restaurants to open in a centralized area. Property owners need to make the improvements if they want a tenant. 11.3 p. 160 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 33 Survey Specific Comments The survey asked respondents to provide specific information whenever they marked “other”, as well as an additional location to place comments regarding the downtown area. The comments have had grammar and some punctuation changes, whenever doing so would not change the intent of the message. As such, there are language and grammatical errors in some of the comments below. # Comment 1 With all the bars/breweries opening downtown the crime will get worse. Bar Tenders Union constantly has fights. We need more restaurants and not just locations to go bar hopping. 2 I only define Gilroy's downtown as from 4th Street to 8th Street. Anything outside of that area I don't consider downtown. The movie theater is not part of downtown. Downtown is not a destination. The business is the destination. So I don't look at downtown as a place to walk and visit. I go to eat or shop or buy and I leave. 3 I could’ve answered in multiple ways to various questions but some questions would only allow one box checked. We need more food options and less alcohol establishments opened. My concern is the level of alcohol consumption will grow without the oversight which is counter-productive to a family friendly Downtown. Just my opinion as a business/building owner with a family that frequents Downtown. 4 The crosswalk located at Monterey St and IOOF is dangerous. Vehicles don’t stop. Children coming out of school are going to get run over. Please do something about it soon. 5 Nighttime safety should be the upmost importance. The current businesses that operate past 10pm should have much stronger and more trained security. More often than not I’ve been out and there has been altercations and had security been better trained/more equipped, those situations could’ve been avoided. 6 The businesses that thrive in downtown are those that serve the — mostly Latino/Hispanic — neighborhoods around downtown. Why fight this? Embrace it! 7 Parking behind buildings do not appear safe; well lit. Downtown on street parking is horrible. 8 1.) Improve the viability of shopping by encouraging more high-end locations downtown (not chains). 2.) The Church on the north side should be downtown's northern anchor but instead there is a sizable gap of wasteland between there and downtown proper 3.) While Sixth (Milias) to Fourth (Tempo/Fifth Street Coffee) is mostly safe and well developed, south and north of there is problematic 4.) You are developing a homeless problem by not dealing with vagrants. Fix this before it overwhelms you. 5.) You need equivalent "towns" on the West side in the new developments so they aren't food deserts 6.) I ride into downtown, while I would like some cross walks, I don't want a "cyclist paradise". That didn't work out in Morgan Hill. I don't want it here. 9 I like what our downtown can be but unfortunately it is so far behind our local counterparts that I don’t visit as much as I’d like to. 10 Need more things downtown. Morgan Hill is a clear model to follow. 11 Rent is too high to support the amount of business in downtown. 11.3 p. 161 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 34 # Comment 12 We need to rebrand our downtown as a more diverse place (people think it's a bunch of Mexican restaurants & shops). We must remove the homeless and criminal elements and increase police foot presence. We must ensure the business looks clean and friendly (signs, building exterior). We need to bring some big-name brands to attract more people, which will also benefit the small shops. More diversity of food (Asian, Mediterranean, etc.) Farmer's market on the weekend, Clean the roads, and improve lightning leading to downtown (Monterey). Put cameras to deter criminal activity and increase the sense of safety. Arrest people that throw fireworks at visitors and scare them. If it looks clean, safe, and diverse, people will come. If not, they won't. 13 Downtown Gilroy hasn’t changed in years! With the exception of a few nice restaurants, there is NOTHING downtown to draw people. It’s a mess! There are more empty buildings and what is there is nothing to go there for. The City of Gilroy should take a lesson from Morgan Hill, Campbell who improved their downtown areas and have made their towns nice to go to. Everybody I know from Gilroy usually goes to Morgan Hill for nice places to eat. What has Gilroy done to improve their downtown area? I have lived here for 15 years, looks the same. Who would want to open a business there the way it is? Time to clean it up!!! 14 More night life is needed. A farmer’s market in downtown would also be great. 15 We need to have more outdoor dining, and retail suited for a weekend shopping stroll. With the current shops, you have just a few shops to visit. I know it can’t be matched; but downtown Willow Glen (for retail) and Morgan Hill for its outdoor/dining options are incredible. 16 No more Mexican restaurants or antique shops. There are way too many downtown. 17 More restaurants/pubs and less traffic would be great. I feel Monterey St should be for walking only, with more outdoor eating options. It is too crowded to feel safe when driving or parking. 18 The parking laws must be enforced and not just downtown but all through the city. 19 Downtown needs more stores/venues for kids. The comic shop closing because the building is being sold. We need to keep places like comic shops because it creates a family environment for kids and family outings. Not everything is about drinking alcohol. Comic shops, dessert shops, candy stores, etc. would be an excellent addition to downtown Gilroy. I would go as far to say it is needed. These things create character for downtown, outside of a place to drink. 20 I love downtown. I have had my business in Downtown Gilroy for nearly 30 years in three different locations. For the first 20 years I never felt unsafe at night or otherwise. In the past 5+ years, I have dealt with homeless camping next to our office on 5th St, a break in and threats walking along the sidewalk. We are currently at Neon Exchange and that has been a good fit for us, but there are consistently very scary moments by the Arts Center on the way to my car. I am very excited to see what the City is doing in the Downtown - and throughout Gilroy. Lots of good things happening!! 21 Why are we spending over a million for a parking lot when so many stores stand empty? 22 As a customer there isn’t much to keep me in downtown after eating lunch or dinner. At night, almost everything is closed, it is poorly lit, and basically dead. A dessert spot would help this a lot along with other boutiques open up later for the after-dinner crowd. Also, when trying to buy locally there aren’t many options beyond antiques and the random craft fair, I’d like my dollars to stay in Gilroy but it is hard to find quality places with a variety within Gilroy that isn’t a chain or large box store. 23 As a resident, I would like to know why it takes many businesses so long to open once they begin moving into a building. Is this something that can be resolved? Is the City creating barriers (whether financial or time-related) that are preventing new businesses from opening? Two business that come to mind are Bitter Taphouse and Good Life sandwich shop. Can additional funding opportunities make it easier for business to open so that we can attract more local businesses? 11.3 p. 162 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 35 # Comment More people will visit if there is more TO visit. Gilroy's downtown area has a very clear reputation of making it hard for businesses to open, get all permits approved, and then stay open. 24 Downtown Gilroy is old, unattractive and frankly - the city needs to hire top notch planners to attract developers who can bring a fresh perspective. The fact that the city has allowed for 8-9 breweries to be placed in a such a small area is horrible. Downtown Gilroy has so much potential. I would like to see more family friendly restaurant style venues. right now, there are very few choices, so we just go to Morgan Hill when we want to have a good meal and fun time. I feel completely unsafe walking downtown at night (I always want to leave before 7). 25 Make loud, ugly, or in need of repair buildings prettier and fill up all the stores. We don’t need a new parking lot. Waste of money. 26 I would visit downtown Gilroy more often if they have a bigger variety of shops and food. Buildings need a facelift to look more inviting. It looks rundown and not up kept like our neighboring downtowns which I spend more time at. When it looks unkept it feels ghetto and unsafe. I am not at all comfortable downtown without my husband with me, especially in the evening/nighttime. 27 Public safety and aesthetics are a main concern. 28 Downtown has good bones; it has potential to be very quaint, but we need more dine-in restaurants with outdoor seating. Food selection (variety) is very scarce in Gilroy. 29 We need a cleaned up downtown, family friendly, pop-up park for kids to play in, sitting area to enjoy lunch, ice cream, while kids have a safe place to play. Parents can sit and talk….,, something with a fence. A nice downtown like Morgan Hill….. decorated with white lights that line the sidewalk/trees …… the nice-looking welcoming streets. We as a family don’t even go downtown because there is nothing there for us…… we travel to Morgan Hill…… where we can enjoy gelato and the fenced in new park they have…… night life feels safe there and there is a great friendly community! Gilroy could have this….. people would come visit….. IF WE HAD A NICE DOWNTOWN! Half the downtown is ugly, boarded up buildings that definitely does not make anyone feel welcome. 30 I feel there is too much focus on breweries lately. While they are nice to have, the downtown area should be more diverse in offerings. We need some boutiques, ice cream parlor, deli, gift store/cards/books, craft/paint/ceramics, a bakery/donut shop and shoe store. 31 I’d like to see downtown modernized. The antique shops and vacant buildings need to go. Downtown should be more like Campbell or Morgan Hill's downtown areas. Bring in more quality restaurants and emphasize more outdoor dining and better lighting. 32 Downtown Gilroy needs a MAJOR facelift. Buildings are ugly. Businesses look run down. Need more parking and PLEASE....better upscale and family restaurants. Enough of Bars, Pubs and lower scale places to eat. It also needs various events that are family friendly. I hate to say this but Morgan Hill has class, why can't Gilroy do it better? It has the potential!! I would rather spend my money in Gilroy (if it improves)! 33 There have been multiple surveys with no action ever taken! Is there a revitalization plan that can be viewed by the public? There is so much opportunity to put Gilroy downtown on the map - I think we need a dedicated community development specialist that can provide the public with updates - come on Gilroy we can do this!! It’s time to pass ordinances that require building owners to use their property or sell it to investors to bring the services we all want to downtown!! It’s time to modernize - Thank you. 34 Safety is huge. More police at night and during events. Lots of the same businesses in downtown. Need more variety. 11.3 p. 163 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 36 # Comment 35 Would love to have more family friendly restaurants (variety) and activities. Maybe bring back bowling or something that can have food and activities for all ages. Fewer party supply stores on Main Street. The entrance from both directions on Monterey St. could be more inviting. 36 I am hoping with the improvements to Gourmet Alley and 'Gallery Alley', and the coming of Shark's Ice, we will be able to attract some new types of businesses to downtown and finally see some measurable progress. 37 Clean up downtown, buildings look old and falling apart, and a lot of old businesses that do not attract visitors like furniture stores. Look at what cities like Morgan Hill have done with their downtown. Restore the bowling alley, and live theater, and bring new restaurants that are diverse and attract foodies. 38 As a resident of downtown, it is frustrating that City Hall seems to see “Downtown” as being nothing but a shopping mall instead of a neighborhood. 39 We are new to Gilroy. I still usually go out in downtown Morgan Hill, I feel mostly safe there except late at night. I would like to see downtown Gilroy become the same or better. I have heard it’s not really a safe place to go out. We explored the shops once a few years ago (pre-Covid). I felt like there were way too many not nice-looking antique stores and other stores that weren’t attractive or well maintained. I think getting some more desirable businesses in there would really help. In a small downtown area one antique shop is plenty. Some fun/hip stores, wine/beer bars would also really help to drive up business. Safety and a clean, inviting environment should be top priorities. 40 Modernize downtown Gilroy, Morgan Hill has many more appealing restaurants and bars. More welcoming to families. Need to enforce noise ordinance in Gilroy, too many bikers blasting music and revving up motors. Its great to see new tap rooms opening up but more new restaurants are needed. Gilroy needs a facelift. One of the best wine tasting rooms recently closed. Great ambience but bad location next to a bar. Out with the old and in with the new. I stopped going downtown and now enjoy my time in Morgan Hill. 41 I wish Gilroy had more restaurants and cute shops. Too many tap rooms. We always have to go to Morgan Hill to find good restaurants. 42 Enough with the tap rooms and breweries. 43 To create "atmosphere" it is better to have a smaller area of contiguous operating shopping/dining/etc. locations rather than a longer street broken up by vacant spaces. Probably not practical, but much more inviting than the current situation. Some kind of effort (guidelines?) for making storefronts attractive needs to happen also. I'm not into chain stores but Santana Row is such a pleasant, European-feeling area to visit. (Bike-hostile, though.) It was disappointing that none of our streets closed down to support our restaurants during the pandemic. Nothing better than a pedestrian street with outside dining. We drive to Redwood City just to go to Coffeebar on a closed, leafy street. Thank you. 44 Bring Tristan’s Bakery Downtown!!!!! 45 I mainly spend money at the Comic shop and restaurants. I have looked at opening a toy and electronics store downtown, but the economics of updating a building and also the attractiveness of a downtown location don’t work in favor of doing so. 46 I live here now and know from my prior business background, the downtown's good bones are being neglected. 47 I would love to see downtown Gilroy more family friendly with more kid friendly places to eat, shop, and play. Safe sidewalks would be nice, it is difficult to manage stroller with kids along bumpy sidewalks. More community gatherings such as farmers markets and festivals. 48 Crime is a serious concern. 11.3 p. 164 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 37 # Comment 49 I would love to see more family owned restaurants downtown and a more inviting environment. Similar to downtown Morgan Hill. I believe Gilroy is an amazing town with a great deal of diversity and town pride. We need to pour resources into our downtown. We also are really lacking in parking and good nighttime lighting, road quality. 50 The City of Hollister has reduced one lane of traffic and created more outdoor dining. A variety of restaurants would be wonderful. Also, the parking situation is awful. I hate parking downtown. Pulling out of a slanted space is always tricky. I love how Morgan Hill has an outdoor park and amphitheater with live music in the summer. They have a vibe that Gilroy doesn’t offer, which is why I rarely visit. 51 Brighter lighting, love the tree lights, but more. Homeless sleeping on benches scary. Other towns have put a divider in the middle of benches to prevent sleeping on benches which is a deterrent. More law enforcement presence. 52 I’ve not felt safe downtown since my walking tour group was accosted by a homeless person who threatened to kill members of our group. Homeless encampments in areas of Gilroy have caused many to not feel safe in going out by foot or after dark. 53 If we had mote things to do for young families I would spend more time and money downtown. 54 I am really excited for the new bars and such to go in. I have also really enjoyed the music in the street and enjoy whenever there are activities going on. More dining options would be nice as well as some family friendly restaurants and activities. My kids do some activities, but they are more kid oriented than family. 55 Need more casual food options/restaurants downtown with several bars/pubs opening soon! 56 We need better restaurants and a grocery store like Sprouts or Whole Foods. 57 Would love to see all the old buildings revitalized! The history & potential is there but have heard the earthquake retrofitting that is necessary keeps businesses away. I would love to frequent downtown more often but currently there’s nothing to really entice me. And too many breweries/bars. Would love cute shops. Stuff to do for young families! And if more people start going downtown, parking really should be considered. It’s very limited. 58 I would spend more money downtown if there were better shops. 59 Right now, there are not enough reasons to visit downtown regularly. It needs quality food/beverage options. It could also use a minor facelift. Livermore is a good example of a downtown that didn’t have much going on, but a little investment made it a destination. 60 I like the new barber school and would like to see a downtown more like Morgan Hill, updated, decorated and with lots to do, thriving. 61 We need a couple of big retail/restaurant anchors. Perhaps even a chain to get the word out that downtown is happening. With all the homes, there has to be demand but everyone drives to Morgan Hill. Downtown looks run down, old and not appealing. We should take parking off the downtown streets and use that for restaurant seating . It will widen the curb and appeal. 62 I do not frequent downtown as there are no businesses that offer anything I am interested in. It is also very unattractive. 63 I would love to visit and spend more money in downtown Gilroy if only there was more variety of shops, restaurants and services. Not interested in more bars or antique/junk shops. We travel to Morgan Hill on weekends because it's much cuter and has fun/nice restaurants and shops. 64 I use a shared workspace around once a month. 65 Soccer shop. 66 Less bars please ;-; 11.3 p. 165 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 38 # Comment 67 Downtown Gilroy is unfortunately a disappointment. I've lived here since 1982 and have been hoping Gilroy's downtown would turn into a true venue. My husband and I ran a business in Gilroy for almost 20 years. Downtown looks shabby, has little of interest and doesn't have fun and engaging places to meet. Yes, there are businesses like Old City Hall and the coffee shop at 5th St but it's depressing continually walking by boarded up businesses. There are no standards. I've visited places for years like Clovis near Fresno that have a strong Downtown and you can tell that their business standards are working even in tough times. Gilroy's downtown always looks like it's about ready to close down. You don't see young families going downtown...because there's still nothing there. It's sad.... And it's not because there aren't enough bicycle racks or better sidewalks. It's because there aren't enough businesses open! And the ones that are open don't truly know how to DO business. Their windows are dirty and displays are unprofessional looking. Nothing invites you into some businesses except old, tacky flyers. The downtown needs to be revamped by professionals who want to truly make it happen and not just throw money at it hoping something works this time. It's long overdue. And this survey from a 'visitor's' point of view doesn't ask enough of the right questions. And I spend virtually NO $$$ downtown. 68 Please try to upgrade downtown Gilroy to at least be somewhat like Morgan Hill's downtown. My husband and I spend a majority of our time and money in Morgan Hill. Morgan Hill offers lots of variety in food and bars. It’s our first thought when we decide where we want to go eat and drink. The atmosphere and experience are always positive. The lighting, the crosswalks, I always feel safe regardless of the time of day we are there. We always have a good time in Morgan Hill. There is no balance of establishments in Gilroy. Gilroy doesn’t need another antique shop. There are too many breweries and outdated restaurants. I’m glad there is a new energy coming to Gilroy with all the breweries but we need a balance of dining and drinking along with entertainment. My husband and I are in our 50’s and enjoy going out to dinner but we want a nice safe place to enjoy all of that. We are looking forward to the future of downtown Gilroy. 69 Get good. 70 My family loves to go downtown for events, especially the music events and we go to dinner about twice a month there and sometimes for takeout. We occasionally go to lunch downtown, mostly on a weekend. We like many of the options, but feel Asian food is greatly missing downtown. I also would like more shopping for clothing, gifts and home goods type of stores and wish they stayed open a little bit later. I feel downtown is slowly coming back to life and excited for the new places, but don't think we need many more bars. 71 In regard to parking habits I currently prefer to park near the business I'm visiting because we don't have many parking options. Some areas have restricted parking to a particular business, so there's the threat of being towed. The lot off of Eigleberry is sketchy & I don't feel safe by myself at night there. Gilroy downtown needs nice parking structures like Morgan Hill. 72 We love Gilroy and love the gradual changes we are seeing to downtown. We appreciate the culture that Gilroy has to offer and when we do go out we try to support local bars/restaurants when possible. The history of the buildings are amazing. I am hopeful for the future of our downtown and hope we can shake the preconceived notions of the past and move forward in offering Gilroy residents the vibrant downtown they deserve. 73 I wish building owners were held accountable for the front of their building. Instead of throwing up plywood which is very unpleasant to the surrounding buildings. I wish they would also add a variety of businesses not another taqueria or drinking business. Need variety if we’re going to attract customers, use downtown Morgan Hill as an example. 11.3 p. 166 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 39 # Comment 74 We would spend more time downtown if more space was available for outdoor dining, or even if there were more restaurants! There also should be more retail shops downtown; not just the antique "niche" or party stores. 75 Would love to see an old-fashioned ice cream/candy place with a soda fountain counter; No more taprooms too many already; More variety of restaurants e.g. Thai, Italian; helping current small businesses to make exterior more aesthetic. An independent bookstore or used bookstore. 76 It would be nice if we could get more trendier places downtown. Don’t get me wrong I love our small businesses, but maybe like a Boba Guys or Tastea would be nice. Different cultural food would also be nice. 77 I don’t typically spend time or money downtown unless there is an event like the summer concerts or a street fair. Even then, we try to support downtown but often there’s low attendance which dissuades us from checking out the next events held. We’ll drive by or skip it all together unless we know there will be a good turnout. We’d like to see more fun entertainment spaces with activities, bowling, pool hall, more diverse restaurants with lots of outdoor seating to entice visitors to spend time downtown. With as many residents as we have, our downtown should be better. Looking forward to all the new changes currently happening and what’s to come. 78 The homeless and the unstable people after hours discourage me from visiting downtown in the evenings. 79 I was born in Gilroy in 1955. Downtown Gilroy was vibrant in shopping. so many families shopping during the holidays, midnight madness, back to school, then slowly stores started closing. The Strand Theatre closed, that was huge!! Downtown used to have four lanes, then, they changed to two lanes. Terrible!! Now there are too many antique stores and so many empty buildings wasting away. Downtown Gilroy could be vibrant again but I've heard from many friends that the owners of the empty buildings don't want to improve and lease/rent out their building, or they ask for too much money for anybody to want to open a restaurant or retail store. I've mentioned eminent domain for the City to purchase the properties to improve our downtown Gilroy. Parking is horrible downtown. I envy how downtown Morgan Hill has so many nice restaurants downtown. I've been going to the Gilroy museum looking through past issues of the Gilroy Dispatch. I've seen and copied photos from the years 1961-1975 so far. I could show you so many advertisements from local downtown businesses back in the day. I copied articles about improving downtown Gilroy and building more parking since 1961!! Nothing has been done!! In approx. 1971, our community leaders had a group from downtown Santa Cruz, who revitalized their downtown talk to our city leaders. Nothing happened!! On my Facebook page every week since January I've posted events specifically with downtown Gilroy and local Gilroy wineries. I walk on a weekly basis and my walk takes me from 1st and Monterey all the way to 7th street. So many abandoned buildings, rotting away. Give new businesses/restaurants/retail stores a tax break so there is incentive to occupy and take a chance on our downtown. Penalize the old school building owners that if they don't have a tenant in their empty building, they'll get fined until they find a tenant. Please, something has to be done! To whoever reads this, please walk through downtown Gilroy during the day with other Gilroy leaders. Look firsthand at the empty buildings. I try to find time to support our downtown Gilroy every weekend - the Milias, Old City Hall, the District, Capos, and Tempo. One last time, please do something. Please do not let more time waste away with nothing being done. I see the corner of 4th Street and Monterey and just an empty lot. I envision an outdoor theatre where Gilroy can have live music performing there during the summer. Look at how packed Morgan Hill gets downtown for their summer music series, and many people from Gilroy go to Morgan Hill!! Gilroy is losing money to Morgan Hill. thank you for your time, Ruben. 11.3 p. 167 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 40 # Comment 80 Any future city offices or city owned buildings should be put downtown. Mountain View revitalized it’s downtown with that model. Parking garage is necessary to improve the downtown. 81 Visually and interactive equity on alley renovation efforts through the downtown area from 1st Street to 10th Street. 82 I feel strongly that a town square/green would attract cafes, restaurants, music events, and become a place to gather with friends. Gilroy suffers from not having a welcoming center where citizens can enjoy a coffee, sit outdoors, attend outdoor music events, farmer’s markets, etc. Every successful small town has a center park, square, green to draw citizens and visitors. Great examples: Healdsburg, Sonoma, Los Gatos and many others. These public outdoor spaces draw people, provide anchors for cafes, restaurants, and shops while beautifying the downtown. Gilroy feels dead without this kind of space. Not inviting!! 83 Our town is unsafe for pedestrians & cyclists. My husband was nearly killed on his way to the bus stop, crossing Monterey. The light was red, my husband was walking his bike across the intersection with the walk sign when a big truck came speeding through the red light & missed him by inches, only because he jumped back in time. Parking downtown is atrocious. We need another parking lot. Also, downtown extends at least to Leavesley. Don’t forget to make improvements for Gaeta’s & shops around it. They have been left out of previous improvements. I would love to shop downtown regularly. Making it safer, with better parking, I would be happy to visit downtown Gilroy more often! 84 So pleased to hear that the enhancements are in the plan finally. A good friend who left Gilroy came to visit after 15 years and thought it looked like "Tijuana" still, with some improvements. Seems that there is an effort to attract better restaurants/retail - a lot of us are hoping you will make sure that some who are there, conducting business as if it was a market on a sidewalk, raise their standards. I support restaurants downtown but do not go there to take a stroll, etc. It isn't inviting enough to take a stroll or hang out for coffee outdoors. We at Visiting Angels were hoping to help bring people to downtown and engage our clients, our visitors, our caregivers to see their visit, their support, as part of the evolution--as a way to make a difference. But since we are not welcomed under the mixed-use category, we have to support, help promote where we are going - but of course we will still support downtown but in a more passive way. As a citizen of Gilroy, this effort is exciting--a stroll downtown would be nice. Boutique shopping would be great. Please don't forget to make it age friendly. Remember that the baby boomers actually have a lot of green (money) power!!! 85 Love Downtown Gilroy. I would love to see more of the vacant buildings filled and more outdoor sitting areas. During the holiday it would be nice to see it more decorative that just the lighted poles. I hope that more businesses would fill our Downtown area. 86 1. The Latino oriented businesses are thriving near the train station. Expansion of this district is key to increased foot traffic. 2. We are not Morgan Hill, totally different demographics, stop trying to be bougie like them. 3. Tourist oriented district “The Garlic Grove” “Garlic District” to attract local Bay Area tourism, there are tens of thousands heading to Monterey and we can capture them with a garlic themed tourist district. 4. Create a new month-long Garlic/Ajo festival to build up Downtown tourist district and not associated with that old defunct organization. 5. Weekend food/craft/antique flea market festival in CalTrain lot every weekend to build up tourism. 87 Downtown Gilroy needs to be improved. We go to Morgan Hill for restaurants. 88 My kids do jujitsu downtown which is great. We need to have someone frequently clean the sidewalks, they are disgusting. Also, a program for painting or window designs on vacant buildings would help with aesthetics. Time to update the tree lights and add some unique lighting like large LED globe lights that can change during holidays etc. (maybe a project that can be funded by arts 11.3 p. 168 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 41 # Comment and culture commission) need more funding for arts as well as the upkeep. Need to have an artistic approach when replacing old light fixtures, benches, sidewalks etc. to create an artistic space and add character to our downtown. 89 Long story short I am seeing and hearing of a lot of great things coming to downtown. I want to point out we have a lot of breweries coming up which is absolutely fantastic. I cannot wait to enjoy myself downtown with all these options. I hope we can get more food options as well so we can balance the amount of alcohol we got going on! And lastly I believe we need more activities or attractions. Roller rink of some kind would be absolutely awesome those types of things are coming back into "style". But also smaller games as mentioned before pool table, table tennis, big Jenga, big checkers, cornhole, ring toss, water pong, just things people can do while they're having a drink. 90 I really enjoyed the historic walking tour of downtown. Would love to see more of those offered. 91 I would like to see Gilroy be transformed to a vibrant, safe and flourishing community, much like successful Bay Area cities like Los Gatos, Palo Alto, Mountain View, Pleasanton and the likes. We have hesitated to start a business in Gilroy all these years. 92 I feel there are too many bars and breweries downtown. There needs to be more of a variety of things to do. Gilroy needs things for teens/kids/families to do. Maybe put in Petroglyph (place where you can paint ceramics). Also, Downtown needs more lighting and buildings need to be refurbished so it doesn’t look so run down. 93 I think Gilroy Downtown is an undiscovered gem, way more pleasing than Morgan Hill...but there is nothing to draw me. Stabbings at the concert hall or nightclub? No thanks. No upscale restaurants serving something other than Mexican fare. No thanks. Groceries? It's a food desert in Gilroy. Where's the Starbucks (or private party equivalent)? Where's the Whole Foods (or Private Party equivalent)? Where's the Indian Food? The Chinese Food? I love all kinds of food. Why do we have mostly half-baked steak houses when Costco sells nice steaks that you could markup to a premium? Did you ever visit "The Grove" in Hollister before it was ruined? Service attitude of many businesses is apathetic. Servers here often act like I'm a hassle in their day instead of a customer. Take a look at Santana Row in San Jose...you don't need high end businesses in Gilroy, but you do need high-end aesthetics and safety. Today, lots of bicycles riding on sidewalks, lots of pan handlers, and trash everywhere in Gilroy! Would I invest my hard-earned money in a business here? Maybe - if the aesthetics were spruced up downtown. Build a park for the kids to play on. Build a business that people will drive south for...make it a destination. At the moment it's not even fun to eat here because all the restaurants roll up their carpets at 8pm. The streets are empty of people other than creepers that make one uncomfortable. Other than eating or drinking or the library, I cannot think of one business that draws me downtown. The creative ones like the ceramic shop and the kids clothing consignment used to be cool...they've left for some reason. No ice cream downtown. I could go on...build a community rec center in Gilroy. Call Great Wolf back and tell the NIMBY's in Eagle Ridge to FO. What a loss to our community and our coffers. 94 Downtown needs updating. There are some nice restaurants and breweries, but a lot of empty store fronts and it is not a nice, walkable area that you want to spend a lot of time in. Most of the time we go down to our destination and then go home. Rumors are that it is very difficult to open businesses, get permitting… very prohibitive to new businesses. We need fresh ideas, new concepts to draw people here. Make downtown a destination on its own with innovative shopping, restaurants, and vibe! 95 I would really like to see downtown developed into a nicer area that would attract not only residents but also visitors. Kid friendly areas would also be nice. 11.3 p. 169 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 42 # Comment 96 Get downtown fixed. Tired of going to Morgan Hill, Salinas or even Watsonville to enjoy a downtown vibe. 97 Downtown needs a lot of work. 98 More kid friendly events should be made. Example: trunk to treat, Christmas events and more dance classes for children. 99 Downtown needs more shops people want to visit. It needs places to bring kids. If there was a park instead of a parking lot I'd take my kids every weekend. We'd buy coffee, snacks, comics. Give people a reason to be in the area for an extended period. 100 Downtown Gilroy needs a cleanup so families and locals can visit freely without feeling like it’s unsafe. 101 It would be nice to have better and more inviting restaurants, events, shopping etc. so we don't need to go to Morgan Hill. We spend most of our time in Morgan Hill for what I mentioned as it's nicer, more friendly and inviting. 102 Downtown Gilroy has a lot of potential, but it seems the city doesn’t put any effort compared to Morgan Hill. Morgan Hill is doing something right; it feels safer and there’s more exciting nightlife and shops there. 103 Many people do not have disposable income to spend on luxury retail items, but they might splurge on a meal out. I would like to see a wider range of restaurant types downtown...Pizza/Italian, Thai, Ice Cream Parlor, etc. Also, I feel retail shops are not a good investment for downtown, unless it is a shop selling unusual wares/services that you cannot order easily online, AND a shop people want to visit for the unique or aesthetic experience, like an old-school candy store/soda fountain, or specialty wine and cheese shop, for example. I miss the Nimble Thimble quilt shop very much. It was always busy when I went in, partly, because I think people enjoyed the aesthetic experience of seeing and touching the fabrics in person. Anyway, in the interest of keeping the downtown buildings filled and the tax-base up, a wider range of restaurant fare might be a good solution, along with service businesses that you cannot engage with online (like the salons-- you have to go to them in-person), and shops that offer a very unique tangible and aesthetic experience. Thanks for the opportunity to contribute. 104 We need quality restaurants. Everything is mediocre except Mexican food (that is great). We call it Gilroy good. Which is just blah. Anytime we want a good dinner we go to Monterey or Morgan Hill. Also more coffee spots. Not Starbucks but good quality coffee. Nicer markets like Zanotto’s, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, or Sprouts. Pizza is blah, all Italian food is blah. I really want Gilroy to be a destination but it just isn’t right now. 105 Downtown has such great potential. 106 Beautify the city of Gilroy, all you see are bars and unopened buildings. 107 We need more parking for the handicapped. 108 Would love to see more businesses open downtown and have dedicated walking only times/events (I.e. Saturday morning farmers market). I really enjoyed the live music events that took place in Summer 22. 109 Downtown Gilroy needs a LOT of help. There are not enough businesses, restaurants, bars to keep people downtown. We eat (maybe once a month) and leave. There is nothing around to look at. Shops aren't open in the evening when we are out. Same old antique shops. Not enough dining options. So many Mexican Food choices. Need more diverse options. Look at downtown Morgan Hill and take notes on what their downtown scene looks like, then take a look at Gilroy. You'll see why no one visits. We have enough diversity to have a downtown like Morgan Hill. From what I've heard (don't have firsthand experience) is that Gilroy makes it so difficult for business to get permits, etc. 11.3 p. 170 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 43 # Comment to get their businesses going. It's not very welcoming either. It's disappointing that we'd rather go to Morgan Hill to eat than just down the street in our own town. 110 The downtown area doesn’t have a variety of shops. It’s all bars, Mexican discos, crappy furniture and a couple of good restaurants. There is no appeal to going down there. Unsafe at night especially around the Mexican discos. 111 I hope downtown is moving in the right direction! We have many new breweries coming in and the bowling alley is being remodeled, now we just need to encourage the health center to move OFF the MAIN St, get a few more cafes for lunch and some cute boutique shops and then have more events! Why were the summer Thursday music nights basically only for one month? I feel strongly that Food trucks should not have been part of that, our downtown restaurants need business, NOT our own city taking business away from them! More parking and more lights and also a police presence would be good to add to the weekend nights. I loved when Golden State had the outside coral for dining, could we create one on the other end of Monterey? Many Gilroy residents go to Morgan Hill for dinner, let’s ask ourselves WHY? What is Morgan Hill doing that Gilroy is not? This is what we should do! Seems much easier for businesses to "remodel" old buildings (they just tear them down and start over), much cheaper, faster and safer for everyone! They allow outdoor seating at practically every restaurant and actually beautify the streets and barricades. They have Uber hotspots so customers can get a ride home after a late evening. They have a variety of restaurants and bars, not just 20 beer places with no food. It's going to be hard, but I think we can do it and I hope we have the support of the Gilroy residents. I would much rather head to our downtown than to drive to Morgan Hill, but I fear that I am alone! 112 The downtown shops and businesses are inconsistent in physical appeal and many buildings are run down. You could be visiting a fixed up, somewhat classy store or restaurant while at the same time be next to a deserted broken down bldg. with loitering drunks. 113 The buildings downtown were built as strip buildings and do not meet CA earthquake requirements. All need to be torn down to meet current CA building code requirements. Gilroy was informed of this years ago and has ignored making citizens safety. Furthermore, the bars downtown are known to be occupied by Hispanic gangs making all other nationalities unwelcome; Personal safety not a priority. Theft is high in Gilroy from break-in, porch package theft, mail theft, and car theft a common norm; GPD response to thefts is dismissive. Stabbings and gun violence on a sharp rise. The 365 days of fireworks leading to fires and homeless camps is ridiculous. The “farm Gilroy” is disappearing. Overall, Gilroy’s City Council, Mayor, GPD, City Administration have turned a blind eye to their city’s population. I would not recommend Gilroy as a place to live, shop or dine. Question: What is the population to police ratio in Gilroy? 114 My child goes to daycare downtown. 115 You should have a map with the boundaries of downtown with this survey to ensure everyone knows the exact area you want feedback about. 116 My family and I have lived in Gilroy for 25 years and we have always seen Gilroy Downtown as such a missed opportunity. We always drive to Morgan Hill to eat and shop and attend events. We feel safe in Morgan Hill and there is a clean inviting atmosphere. Gilroy needs to do a much better job planning its infrastructure and providing more and better choices for its residents. 117 There are so many ugly and rundown buildings that I don't want to be there more than I absolutely have to. None of the styles match for buildings and there is no green. I would love to see downtown with large oak trees lining the street. It would bring up the feel of the location. Small dinky trees that are for decoration don't cool the area or provide shade. Sacrificing a parking spot every once in 11.3 p. 171 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 44 # Comment a while for a large oak to grow would probably solve a lot of the perception problems. Reality is wealthy areas have lots of trees while areas with poverty are covered in concrete. 118 I’d love for more restaurants, kid friendly places, and a farmer’s market to come to Gilroy while preserving the small-town feel. I don’t want a bunch of chain restaurants or stores. 119 Downtown Gilroy has the potential to be very nice and welcoming to out of town visitors which would help increase business revenues and more tax money for the city but a lot of the business that are currently in Downtown are unattractive to shop at. Better restaurants and cafes that will draw people in for dining and to spend money in our city. 120 Would love to see a variety of shops and businesses. Like a full-service bakery, an ice cream shop, places to go with children, like a pizza place or sandwich shop. Specialty food stores would likely do well too. If our downtown had a little face lift and some fun places to go, we would visit all the time and spend our money in Gilroy instead of Morgan Hill. 121 Grocery 122 Looking forward for Gilroy downtown to be more safe with more family friendly businesses. 123 This survey should have been better prepared in order to get statistically significant results. To begin, identifying the type of respondent at the outset could have better steered only the appropriate questions. Also, optional demographic data could have been collected that would have greatly affected the usefulness of this survey. 124 Not a business owner but my kids go to the gym and work here. I never feel comfortable letting them walk to any destinations no matter what time of day. At night is the worst if I am by myself waiting for them to get out of work I always have pepper spray to protect myself. There are not enough police for the growing city. Bike safety, lanes, racks and people smoking in their own apartment should be your last priority. People getting ran over and killed, shot at your council members house and the useless south county youth task force should be higher priority. 125 Downtown Gilroy is trending in the right direction with the poor houses and tap rooms. We could use more restaurants. The downtowns such as Morgan Hill, Los Gatos, Palo Alto etc. are nice models for us to build after. 126 We need more parking downtown; the lot on Eigelberry (Gourmet Alley) has no parking available anymore, and it's no better on Monterey St. I've noticed a big difference in past several years and business owners/employees have, also. 127 Downtown is devoid of diverse stores/eateries. We must create vibrancy similar to Morgan Hill. 128 Downtown needs more investment on making it beautiful. A bit too run down, nice to see new business. 129 Would love to go downtown more but there aren’t many options for eating or shopping. Gilroy has a need for new restaurants! 130 A downtown similar to Morgan Hill’s would be nice. Various restaurants and dessert places. 131 I travel through downtown weekly. It is much improved over the years. I used to visit an antique store there but it is gone now. I have dined at Old City Hall. It’s charming. A pet boutique would be good! Downtown could use a bakery. Ideally a bakery in our town should be part panaderia plus regular. I would prefer it to the Safeway products. 132 City leadership needs to observe the changes/improvements that have been made in many downtown areas locally that have revitalized the area leading to much stronger city centers, thriving businesses and increased tax revenues. 11.3 p. 172 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 45 # Comment 133 I believe downtown Gilroy has potential to be better, cleaner, and have more businesses that actually bring in money. Entertainment, bars, and better restaurants can be a huge help. Antique shops have no use anymore and take up space for better business opportunities. 134 Downtown should be comfortable and charming, yet modern and lively. 135 Follow the lead of Morgan Hill's downtown to make it more enticing. 136 Gilroy's downtown is anemic with tenants that people would want to visit. Parking is tough too. It has the skeleton to be great but lacks muscle and other important attributes to make it vibrant. Gilroy needs to tap into the diverse cultures and social experiences that occur in other parts of the Bay Area. Gilroy isn't simply about Garlic either - push the envelope to innovate downtown to support other popular activities/cultures. Also how do we not have a weekly Farmers Market in Downtown Gilroy - but it's at the outlets?! C'mon. People want to stroll a downtown with a Farmer's market - Morgan Hill does it, Santana Row does it, Mountain View does it. We need to change that ASAP. Gilroy's downtown has a poor image as it's perceived to be in an unsafe area of the town (although I think it isn't too bad but I never go there at night - but night activity is important as people want to go out to bars and restaurants past 6pm!). Planners need to create a program for downtown to flourish and we need to give businesses opportunities to plant themselves in Gilroy. Otherwise all the new stuff will go to First Street - or even worse to another town. We are over indexed with Hispanic restaurants and markets and the city needs to embrace the diverse cultures that have migrated here from other parts of the Bay Area. I could go on and on and I realize all this takes time - but something needs to be done. I'm sad I need to get a nice downtown experience outside of Gilroy. I want to put my dollars toward our downtown but I'm not motivated to. 137 The downtown area needs a huge face lift. It has such potential. The facades or structures need help. Lighting should be appropriate and the actual fixtures modern or unique to the character of the whole design and consistent. Furniture stores should not be on the main strip. Coffee shops, bookstores, antique shop, crafts, should be there. Diversify. Bring in other types of merchants… I spend my money in Morgan Hill. Bring that vibe to us and my money will stay in town. We look poor. We look underdeveloped. Come on, let’s brighten up. Class it up. 138 Too many Hispanic business that have no interest to me. No good dining options. Old City Hall is mediocre, Milias too loud. Garlic City Cafe is good, but that is it. 139 Downtown needs to be cleaner. It looks dirty and dingy. 140 Morgan Hill has done a great job of making their downtown quaint and inviting. It's well-lit and the buildings are in good repair. I know no one wants to hear about some other town but you have a good model very close at hand. Why not use it for inspiration? 141 I would visit more if I felt it was safer for children and eat out much more often if places were family friendly. I am disappointed the large amount of brewery businesses are not also open to families with food served. 142 We need more tenants (including more restaurants) and then people to visit those businesses! 143 Need more parking in the block you are visiting with easy access to Monterey Rd. And more parklets to make Monterey street active. 144 The GDBA did a survey in 2018 of downtown parking and concluded there were a deficit of parking spaces by 30% which were needed in order to fully support the businesses. No matter what is done to attract people to the downtown, if there is not enough parking, then they physically cannot patronize any of the businesses. Parking is the downtown's biggest obstacle for a business to be successful. 11.3 p. 173 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 46 # Comment 145 I am a Gilroy resident. Our downtown needs revitalization. We need family friendly restaurants, fun shops, alfresco dining and safety. 146 Please change the diagonal parking. It’s difficult to pull out. People park long trucks and makes it unsafe. 147 Although I said I felt safe on the sidewalks, it would be a LOT SAFER IF Gilroy police enforced the NO RIDING ON THE SIDEWALKS LAW! You need to require a license to ride a bicycle in Gilroy, just like driving a car! Then folks would ride in the bike lanes, or safely on streets without and in the correct direction!!!!!!!! 148 We would visit and spend money more often in downtown if more family-oriented things were offered rather than bars and alcoholic attractions. 149 It would be amazing to see the City of Gilroy helping small business owners making the improvement of downtown Gilroy a reality. 150 As an avid bike rider using my bike for leisure as well as transport to get to and from the library as a volunteer tutor, downtown does not incorporate traffic safety measures conducive to city bike riding. Sharing the road with vehicles is not a suitable alternative in high density traffic areas. Unfortunately, I take my chances going downtown because I want to be conscientious about pollution, getting exercise, and avoid the high cost of gas. It would have also been interesting to have a question regarding if the public would bike more often if suitable traffic safety measures were in place such as bike lanes, bollards, traffic calming measures. No improvement may simply net limited use. 151 Downtown needs a major revamp. I would visit if it had similar offerings as Morgan Hill and felt safe like Morgan Hill. While I understand the demographics are different in Gilroy, the majority of shops downtown seem to be very Hispanic/Mexican-centric. More diversity and options in shopping and food would be appreciated. Also, need better enforcement of homeless/sketchy people in the area. 152 As I stated in previous comments, I believe good food and drinks would attract more people to downtown. Those diners and drinkers would then support other businesses. 153 I had moved to Gilroy from Morgan Hill in the late 90’s since we wanted land with open spaces, views, etc. Since that time Gilroy has continued to deteriorate (downtown). It’s actually the only town we have known that continues to go backwards. The windows are boarded, graffiti on the window fronts, etc. The Gilroy residents deserve so much more! Please bring more restaurants, outdoor eating, downtown parks, larger parking lots, etc. offer incentives to businesses to move downtown (free rent for 3- 6 months). The post office needs to relocate to a larger building with better parking! The city had a great opportunity to relocate the post office to the former Orchard Supply bldg. - another missed opportunity! The current landlords of the downtown buildings need to be given tighter guidelines to get the buildings under code or the buildings need to be torn down! 154 Gilroy should look at the successful, popular and beautiful downtown area of Monterey. They do have unique breweries & shops, but they also have the chain stores and businesses needed to bring the younger crowd and useful commerce. Alvarado street has Starbucks, Jamba Juice, Round Table, Wells Fargo, Walgreens, etc. These businesses bring people of all ages to downtown Monterey 7 days a week! Gilroy has all these businesses, but they are so spread out in strip malls around Gilroy, most people don't have a reason to visit our downtown on a regular basis. 155 Downtown Gilroy is a cesspool of crime, drugs, loitering and overall filthiness. Too many bars, not enough pride and care for the downtown area at all. It is so sad that honest hard-working people cannot feel safe with their business properly which is constantly being vandalized and broken into. 11.3 p. 174 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 47 # Comment 156 For those of us who have grown up in Gilroy, we would love to see a vibrant downtown where we can hang out, eat and shop for gifts. Seeing all the purely alcohol related establishments going in, and a large parking garage where vehicles will all be in one place, is a brewing ground for theft and violence. I know with all the San Jose transplants moving here you are trying to make downtown like Morgan Hill or Los Gatos. Gilroy has a much different culture than those cities. I would love to see the history of downtown preserved and make it a safe place for the businesses there to thrive. Just need to be cautious mixing entitled transplants with the gang element. 157 Downtown needs more eateries. We need more types of options other than steakhouses & Mexican food. The ones we have now are good but a few more would be nice - a deli or sandwich shop that’s open late for us commuters during the week would be great. A pizza spot downtown would also be on point. It would be nice to have the city facilitate a relationship with our wineries & encourage them to open small tasting rooms downtown. If the city helped them a little financially to do this, maybe they could imitate what some did a few years back when they opened up behind Target (Stomping Grounds). I believe 4 wine makers did this & it was really nice. Maybe the old bowling alley could be used for this or the large space just south of 6th St on the eastern side of Monterey. My wife & I visit Paso Robles often and we really enjoy the wine tasting rooms downtown. The City needs to vastly improve the parking lot appearance behind the businesses west of Monterey. The two big parking lots could use new pavement & landscaping around those areas. I wish the city could buy out what appears to be an auto business (I think) behind Promise Land Brewery with a fairly good size lot that’s always roped off to convert that entire area for parking. We need more parking. Capos draws huge numbers sometimes & we need to consider expanding downtown & increasing parking spaces. I’m glad we don't have so many antique shops anymore. One or two is enough. It sure would be nice to get rid of these old furniture stores too. We’re not living in the 1950’s anymore. I’ve been in Gilroy for nearly 20 years and I’ve never seen any shoppers in the furniture store on 6th & Monterey. We can’t wait for Promise Land’s new restaurant to open and the new breweries too. If the city could encourage Philz Coffee or Dutch Bros to come to town that would be awesome. 158 Don’t take away the downtown parking. 159 We need more restaurants and to improve the area at night. Add more lights and greenery (like Morgan Hill, Livermore, and Pleasanton). 160 Downtown Gilroy is a disgusting slum. I'm embarrassed to take my out-of-town guests there. I've lived in Gilroy for 12 years, and the downtown area has gotten worse and worse--ugly vacant buildings, dirty streets, unpleasant interiors and exteriors. (Even though Cielito Lindo has decent food, it's a dump, with a big hole in the ceiling. Not a pleasant eating environment.) I prefer to shop and eat in Morgan Hill, Los Gatos, or San Jose. Is there someone charged with economic development in this city? If so, are they doing their job? How is their success measured? Why are most new downtown business establishments alcohol focused--bars, dives, restaurants that are more concerned with drink than with food. Why aren't owners of vacant buildings being pressured to fix them and rent them or sell them? This was a problem long before the pandemic. Why does Morgan Hill have a lovely downtown with new restaurants being opened regularly, while Gilroy continues to be an eyesore? 161 There is very little for me downtown. The restaurants are few & awful, too many bars (don’t drink), the sidewalk is filthy, shopping for essentials is not available (food, etc.). The merchants are unfriendly, the buildings not inviting & basically, it’s ugly. We go downtown for festivals & events but are always disappointed. The City continues to spend $ but the things improved have not 11.3 p. 175 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 48 # Comment helped. Building a parking lot when no one wants to go is a total waste of money. Getting rid of the Community Garden was shameful. 162 Love less bars, more quick food. Ice-cream, coffee, deli, etc. 163 The question should have been phrased “WHEN you spend money in downtown how much do you typically spend?” Because my family and I don’t visit often, but if we do we spend about $65-$100. However, we have not spent money there in months. 164 We need to do something different to get more business wanting to come downtown. Make it one way and the opposite way Eigleberry. Ease up on code requirements if needed or historical building to allow development and change and not cram conformity into old buildings. Add more outside seating. Maybe have specific timeframes or events where we can bar hop and have beverages outside? Think different. Think outside the box. 165 There needs to be more events on Monterey street that way I can stay instead of driving to another town also the closing times are too early. After 10 pm downtown is empty. Don’t feel safe to go to the only bar open. 166 It would help if there was a specific area of "downtown" to which these questions refer, i.e., is St Mary's church downtown? Does downtown include the businesses on 10th Street east of Monterey Road? On another note, it would make the areas between 3rd and 7th streets on Monterey more pleasant to visit if there were a gathering place - coffee kiosks, outside benches, green space, etc. Sadly, there are no stores or businesses to draw people besides a few restaurants none of which I visit very often. If I take visitors to dinner, I take them to Morgan Hill. Wish this was not the case. 167 Wider road, more parking spaces, more events, more police presence. 168 There’s a garbage stench that invades downtown Gilroy regularly. It’s usually in the early morning or evening. It’s a problem worth addressing because most visitors, workers, business owners, and residents don’t enjoy the smell of garbage. It can really ruin a good time. There’s also a homeless problem on the railroad tracks (tent cities near schools) and a Mad Max style homeless village near the Leavesley Freeway Exit. This can heighten safety concerns in downtown Gilroy and the surrounding area. And although it may not be a popular question, is it time to consider rebranding Gilroy away from the story of it being the Garlic capital of the world, which it is not? Garlic is simply grown here, alongside many other crops. This town could be known for boutique wine production, theater and arts, amazing food, kid-friendly outdoor activities, a great selection of retail shops, craft beer, festivals, bike-ability, and live music. But that would require a shift in focus, resources, and commitment. Is Gilroy ready for that? 169 • Love Tempo and Neon Exchange - Brings good energy and community • Need more places to buy things (that I can't get online) i.e. plant store, locally made goods, bakeries, hobbyist stores for activities (ceramics, crafts, video games, anime, pets) • Would love to see more cultural diversity (boba shops, restaurants, home decor) • There aren't a lot of things to do or places to hangout for younger people (trendier thrift shops, arcades, coffee shops, casual dining, skate shops, parks) • When I look at Gilroy, I see a lot of young families, dogs, and growing diversity, and I want to see downtown reflect that • Transforming the park into a place where I can enjoy food from nearby and include community building areas like a dog park or local communal garden. 170 GPD needs to have a more presence - daily & nightly; streets are too dark - turn up the lights. 11.3 p. 176 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 49 # Comment 171 Sorry downtown will never be like it was in the 70's and 80's. There is nothing to attract customers. When the Outlets were built all the little mom and pop shops couldn't compete. I'd love to see a ladies clothing store, kitchen store, small bookstore, ice cream shop etc. and if all the people who own shops up town would stop parking in front of their businesses there would be lots of parking for customers. Good luck! 172 I believe the city needs to fine the owners of vacant building that are in poor condition. Owners need to either sell the building or clean them up. The city or health dept also needs to fine and stop the food vendors from selling food on the sidewalks at night, the sidewalks are dirty and smell like cooking oil. It is unsafe and unsanitary. The alleys behind the building are unsafe, and also unsanitary there are piles of garbage and boxes littering the alleys. I really hope the city can help clean the downtown, most Gilroy residents go to Morgan Hill and Hollister for dinner and entertainment. 173 Do we really need so many tap rooms? It is unlikely they will all succeed. I'm concerned they will cannibalize each other's business. I think the idea of a good watering hole is it is somewhere where everyone gathers. With the current plan, this is going to split patrons up and business will suffer. We need more variety downtown. We definitely will need late night eateries down there with so many drinking establishments. Also, what about the kids? 174 Downtown Gilroy at night (especially) is a joke! How many pool hall/Latino night clubs do you need on one stretch of road? I avoid downtown at all costs and I have been a resident for over 2 decades. Downtown is dirty, unsafe, and all of the vacant buildings make it look like the ghetto. I much rather spend my money in downtown Morgan Hill where I don't feel threatened by crime or speeding cars. Why is there nothing fun to do downtown except going to a bar? The restaurants are lack luster and mediocre at best. The city of Gilroy should take notes from Los Gatos and downtown Campbell as far as getting people to come out and enjoy the town. Gilroy has changed so much in a negative way that hardly any residents want to come out after dark anymore let alone enjoy the laughingstock of what some call downtown. It's become more embarrassing over the last few years to actually admit you live in Gilroy, the city name comes with such a stigma. 175 The bar crowd is very loud at night - especially Thursdays through Sundays! Coming from Monterey, I never heard anyone fighting on the street corners, retching on the sidewalk, or screaming obscenities at imaginary companions before. And some drivers have their car stereos so loud that they rival the noise of the passing trains! You need to seriously consider the enforcement of noise ordinances. 176 I would like to see more art, community events, and partnerships with the 2 local high schools. It would be great to showcase our wineries too, most of all, we need some good places to eat!! 177 Hopefully, downtown Gilroy will move forward in looking for a solution. We have Morgan Hill to the north that has totally transformed their downtown. Paso Robles is another downtown that was transformed years ago and is thriving. Unfortunately, Gilroy’s downtown is embarrassing. Why can’t we get it transformed? 178 Add more stop signs especially in the intersection of Church St. and 2nd St. I have seen so many accidents because of people speeding through this intersection. It is unsafe to even cross despite there being a sign for a crosswalk. Some of these accidents have been so bad that the cars almost end up crashing into houses on the corners. There is also not enough visibility when turning left on 2nd St. to turn to Church St. 179 I would love if downtown had more specialty shops and things to do for the residents. Such as, a playground, an outdoor event space for monthly festivals/music venue, a variety of foods from 11.3 p. 177 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 50 # Comment different cultures, clothing shops, home goods, and especially outdoor patio dining!!! We need a communal space where people can hang out, be seen, and see others. 180 Build a parking garage. 181 I strongly believe that making the direction of the driving only one way would improve the experience of driving Downton. Similar of what they did at the San Juan Bautista downtown. There are enough streets nearby that could help with the traffic and make the walking and dining outdoor experience much nicer and wider. 182 I think Gilroy has a lot of potential of becoming a destination for the Bay Area in general. Gilroy is situated in the Bay Area and has some great views and amenities that don’t seem to be made widely public or leveraged. Morgan Hill is trying to attract crowds with their “Morgan Chill” campaign. Gilroy should really spend some time refining the “taco trail” experience, wineries, camp sites, hiking trails, fishing locations, any Farmer Markets, petting zoo farms, Gilroy Gardens (especially if the expansion to Gilroy Gardens happens as Great America is set to close in a bundle of years), and the outlets (this is a huge one as it has potential to attract large crowds and they can be funneled somehow into downtown for great food or experiences). All of these aforementioned points can be leveraged in a marketing campaign for Gilroy once they’ve been refined. Downtown is a whole separate point to leverage, but it needs a face lift. I believe adding more light at night (like hanging commercial Edison lights on the strip) will give an instant face lift. At the same time parts of the downtown strip buildings look tired, and perhaps that’s the look they may be shooting for as the buildings are quite old, however, it could also portray an image of an “unmaintained” or “depressed” downtown. Classic buildings can be made hip but they need a modern touch too. Some of the bars on the strip at night look a bit rough to walk by or even want to enter. I think it’s great that Gilroy may be going through a renaissance. There are several points that can be leveraged and exploited. I also think that turning downtown into a great spot to find a variety of culinary experiences will be a huge plus for hungry shoppers from the Outlets (again, the thought here would be to turn Gilroy into a destination - an overall experience and something to remember that will make you want to come back and experience something new again - with it comes returning revenue as well) 183 We need more lighting in parking areas. Also need more small businesses and a better variety of restaurants. I know some people say we are Gilroy not Morgan Hill. Morgan Hill is flourishing because it has a little bit of something for everyone and their downtown feels very safe. 184 I am a newer resident to Gilroy and love it. I’m excited to explore more of the restaurants and businesses that exist. Though we have not gone in person to too many restaurants we have door dashed often. But we look forward and hope the expansion of downtown will continue and offer more stores and restaurants!! It’s such a great place. 185 Too many homeless all over the city especially on the Eastside. Who would want to visit Gilroy when the 101 corridor passing through looks like a third world country? One of the most disgusting areas I've ever seen in the country. Gilroy has so much potential and leadership is not seizing the opportunity. Create safe spaces for individuals to camp and get them out of tent cities they create all along the 101/downtown corridor. Everything from 101 to downtown should look immaculate in order to increase revenue dramatically. 186 Pertaining to purpose for downtown visits is dependent upon necessities and entertainment, not always a weekly or monthly occurrence. Just depends upon what's going on and what is needed (dining, shopping, services) on any given day. 11.3 p. 178 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 51 # Comment 187 Gilroy needs to clean up downtown and diversify the businesses. The sidewalks are often dirty, building fronts need painting and to be cleaned up. Homeless hang out there. There's no architectural theme to downtown. It's just a hodgepodge of businesses - most of whom don't offer any services of interest or worth driving downtown for. We need some great cafes, coffee houses, restaurants, specialty shops, playhouse/outdoor amphitheater for cultural and music events, etc. These would attract our local community to downtown as well as visitors from out of the area. Morgan Hill has a beautiful downtown with fantastic restaurants, shops and services. Gilroy's downtown has remained a rundown, unkempt place with little improvement in all the years I've lived here. There's nothing to draw people to downtown, barring several decent restaurants and a few repair shops. We seem to only focus on adding wine/beer bars. It's time to bring some class and desirable services to downtown Gilroy so we can be proud of our downtown area. 188 I have lived here 18 years and I have heard for 18 years how Gilroy is going to be made more attractive for residents and visitors to enjoy downtown. Still dirty, unattractive and now even more unsafe. 189 I'm a business owner in Willow Glen/San Jose. I would love to bring my business to Gilroy, however for the reasons listed above I won't do it. 190 1. Some Business owners need to stop complaining that Gilroyans don’t come downtown and up their services and customer service. 2. Somebody needs to figure out how to have a successful farmers market, especially in our downtown area. 3. Maybe downtown can partner with City of Gilroy and do a major re-marketing campaign. There are lots of unique things about downtown. It appears that we are stuck in a rut and a perception issue that downtown is never going to improve, yet, there are lots of great services down there. Banking, insurance, travel, real estate, salons, gyms, beer, taquerias. Need to change the perception. 191 Downtown Gilroy needs much more commercial development to bring people downtown. Obviously, Morgan Hill’s downtown improvements in the past couple of years is an excellent benchmark of where our downtown should be heading…and an example of how wonderful our downtown could be. 192 Gilroy Downtown would benefit from moving parking off the street and into parking lots or a parking structure. Convert the existing street parking to wider sidewalks allowing for outdoor seating for restaurants, cafes, bars, etc. Consider reducing traffic to one lane/one way for the same reasons. Encourage shopping (attire, specialty, boutique, antique, bakery/deli, small convenience, mom & pop style), dining, drinking, entertainment, salon businesses. Discourage basic service businesses such as medical/clinic, general grocery, liquor store, etc. 193 Downtown needs Nice dining restaurants Xxxx, that do not turn into a night club. Do kit add more Beer stores. Need a variety of store fronts. 194 Too many beer and wine options, why not make it more family friendly. 195 There are a lot of empty buildings in downtown that obviously need repairs and improvements. I believe that discourages potential business owners from leasing in downtown. There should be more support and help for potential business owners to put a business in downtown. Starting with making improvements to the buildings to make them suitable to rent. Me and my husband own a repair shop in Morgan Hill and we’re looking to start a business here in Morgan Hill to sell food preferably in downtown, but the buildings are so unattractive we prefer to do business in Morgan Hill. 11.3 p. 179 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 52 # Comment 196 I think downtown has improved over the years, however, as feel that more updating to buildings needs to happen to make it more inviting. Also, more entertainment at restaurants and local wine bars. 197 More parking! And better enforcement. Parking is 2-hour limit yet they park there all day. More bars are coming into town, which is great! But parking is tough already and will become tougher with new bars/restaurants coming into town. Parking garage may be a solution. Take a look at Morgan Hill… they have it done perfectly. 198 I spend $30 or less in downtown per month-this is usually for a meal or my haircut. 199 We have too many bars downtown. Need something for Teenagers and Young Adults and Family, maybe a Dave and Buster’s. 200 Downtown needs vibrancy, things/businesses to attract people to want to be there and ensured safety, not more signage or “street furniture”. It’s the lack of anything to do or places to go not because there aren’t flowers in the landscape or lack of bike racks. Bike folks here don’t seem to follow the rules of the road no matter how many signs or arrows you install. 201 The buildings that are under construction need to be finished. Maybe the owners need to be fined or the city can lend funds to them so that they can finish. Even though more bars are opening, those buildings are an eye sore. At least have them display something on the windows instead of them being boarded. We don’t have a parking problem; we have an enforcement of parking problem. I have 4 parking spots in front of my store that are used all day long by the business next door. The customers follow the parking rule, it’s us, the owners and staff that don’t because they know no one is checking. The process of opening a business in downtown should be priority to the city. We feel like a hamster in a wheel going in circles trying to get it done. That needs to be addressed. I feel the staff at the city don’t care because at the end of the week, they have their paycheck anyway. 202 I visit for research at the Museum, photography projects for Gary Walton as needed. 203 I love our downtown. I would like to see it become more vibrant. Expand the offerings of boutique shops, antique shops, bookstore. Expand the restaurant options. Put a limit on the number of new alcoholic options opening in downtown. Most taverns are open in late afternoon or evening. How does that contribute to daytime foot traffic downtown? We need to focus on downtown vibrancy in the daytime as well as evening. The Center for the Arts is the southern anchor to the downtown. Provide activities that include the downtown block from 6th to 7th street when planning downtown events. Encourage a farmer’s market in the new downtown parking lot. The market would serve many of the downtown residents. Solar panels should have been incorporated into the new parking lot. Not only would that have provided shade for parked cars, it would have provided energy to power the lights in the parking lot and provide excess power for downtown streetlights. A public bathroom is needed downtown. Shopkeepers are constantly cleaning up human waste behind their buildings and in their green spaces. Continue to support the plans for the improvement of Gourmet Alley. This will add a needed ambiance to the downtown area. Underground the utility lines in Gourmet Alley. Thank you for the opportunity to contribute to the improvement of our downtown. 204 Again. Close the street to traffic and make it a destination. Be bold! 205 You need to carve out a several square mile square (4, 5, or 6) miles on each side making (16 sq mi, 25 sq mi, or 36 sq miles for this metropolitan center, it becomes a major hub for the city, conduct business, services, banking, entertainment eating out facilities, bookstores, specialty shops, music store, etc. Upscale, quality, no two-bit donkey stop joints. The city councils’ days are numbered with all the new money coming in. Lack of vision to properly prepare with result in your replacement (fact) Morgan Hill has severely outclassed Gilroy, citizens of Gilroy go spend their upscale money in Morgan Hill, time to wake up. "proper planning prevents poor performance (copasetic version). 11.3 p. 180 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 53 # Comment 206 Several "anchor" stores would draw more people downtown and then they would be more likely to shop in the smaller, family-owned businesses. Gilroy can learn a lot from how Morgan Hill developed their downtown. We lose a lot of business to them. More outdoor dining and improved store facades with a consistent look would be wonderful. 207 Please involve the students and staff of our schools in your planning and events. 208 Parking in front of shops makes the downtown too congested and unsafe. Please improve the shops in downtown like in Morgan Hill. More fine dining and better retail shops. 209 Lots of potential. Like the Gourmet Alley concept, let’s take it to a higher level. Maybe a night with food trucks and music. 210 I believe the car shows need to be replaced with something else. 211 Downtown has such potential, but its biggest problem is a fundamental lack of relevant, modern businesses that attract plenty of foot traffic -- retail boutiques, services (spa/beauty/fitness), non- chain restaurants, etc. There are a handful of fantastic restaurants/bars, but the overwhelming majority of storefronts remain either empty or unappealing. I'm not sure why Gilroy's downtown is so far behind Morgan Hill's or Salinas', but I believe if you concentrate on improving storefront aesthetics (no broken or boarded up windows, no crumbling infrastructure), charge fair rent prices and focus on filling out one block at-a-time, you can attract better, more diverse businesses that will STAY in business. People may not notice a few new shops scattered out along the 10+ blocks of downtown, but they would pay attention if the stores were grouped together, easily and enjoyably walkable (i.e. within a concentrated group of improved blocks), and could provide an hour or two of entertainment. I've lived in Gilroy for many years and have been hoping for the day I could go out to a chic restaurant, book a facial, and buy a cute outfit right in my own downtown! 212 Because of the increase in homeless, the increase in crimes, the lack of prosecution and the overall complacency of negative behavior, myself, my wife and my 4 children will not be visiting Downtown, taking part in public events, support small businesses or engage with the community. 213 Morgan Hill seems to have it up on Gilroy. Whatever they are doing. They are doing right. 214 We need more retail and good restaurants and a safe environment to visit the establishments. A Trader Joe's or Lunardi's or Sprouts would be a great addition. 215 Gilroy downtown has so much potential and all those businesses that are actually open are bars, not kid friendly restaurants. I feel disconnected from my own town because there aren't things we can do as a family. It would be nice to see where all the tax money goes. 216 While I have definitely enjoyed seeing downtown Gilroy improve in recent years, and I love the Mexican restaurants we have, it would be nice to have a wider selection of restaurants, such as Thai, Asian, Italian, pizza, etc. And since we have such nice weather in Gilroy in general, it would be nice to have a LOT more outdoor dining. Also, while I think it's great that we have a lot of beer tap rooms, it's starting to feel a bit oversaturated. Furthermore, the downtown events like car shows and food truck events are terrific, and I would welcome MUCH MORE of that. One more thing... I am not a legal expert, but it would be interesting to see if there is a way to motivate owners of empty/boarded-up/dilapidated buildings to either improve their properties or to sell them to someone who will. It's a letdown to see rundown storefronts pulling down the downtown experience for the rest of the businesses who are doing their best to improve downtown. 217 Downtown needs to be beautified and increase safety. 11.3 p. 181 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 54 # Comment 218 I wish there were more dining options as well as boutique shops. I’d love more high-end services such as nice hair salons, yoga studios, pilates studios, great gym, good dining. Also, a large community park/area where community events can take place and a dog park area for small dogs. These parks bring many dog owners that then can walk the downtown area and spend their money at the dog friendly businesses. Think of Santana Row in San Jose. Unfortunately, I end up spending my money in Morgan Hill or San Jose instead due to the lack of options here at home. We have potential in Gilroy. With so many wineries, we need great restaurants to pair with the many local wineries (think of Napa, great wine, great food). There is a beauty to small quaint towns as they can feel personal, luxurious and lively all at the same time. There is wealth in the area, let’s keep it local by spending locally. I want to live and play in Gilroy, not just live in Gilroy. 219 Now that downtown is fixing empty buildings, it's better. Can't have too much parking, though. 220 We do not need any more furniture stores and no more Mexican restaurants. I love Mexican food but need variety of choices such as Steak house, Italian, etc. 221 We used to go out to breakfast on the weekends downtown but no longer due since COVID began. We would like to spend more money in town, but there isn’t anything to do here that we can’t do in Salinas/Monterey or San Jose after we work. We need higher end things: restaurants, spa (like Aquablue), clothing shops, etc. A bookstore would be nice, too. We are educated and do not have children. Everything in town is for families. Being family focused is great, but it’s boring if you’re single or you do not have children. You’re missing tax revenue in that bracket. People would like to play where they live, but there’s nothing to do here if you don’t have kids. If you can’t rent out some of the vacant businesses, does zoning allow them to be made into market rate housing? (Genuine question.) Not low-income units, market rate that will improve the aesthetics of downtown and increase foot traffic to businesses by people who would patronize the businesses? Salinas waived the zoning rule that required them to include x amount of low income units in order to get a developer to fix the old Dick Bruhn department store building and get the vacant burnt building turned into market rate apartments. The old Rabobank building was converted to nice studio apartments, some market rate, some moderate-income units. How can we make downtown nicer? 222 Quite honestly, there is so much room for improvement as a downtown area when you compare it to Morgan Hill, Campbell etc. Also, trash left (and barely ever moved) by homeless in and around the City of Gilroy puts me off going anywhere in the entire town. Visitors do see these things too. How do you think they’ll recommend Gilroy to others? 223 Look at Morgan Hill's downtown. We need better restaurants and shops and not all the Hispanic shops and bars. It will never change if that is the vibe. Upscale the tenants, upscale the downtown. There is also too many vacant buildings so why would we go there? All we are getting is breweries. Some people don’t drink or like beer. We need a major overhaul. Everyone goes to Morgan Hill. 224 I think all that needs to be done is to look at our neighbor to the North to see how to make downtown successful. There needs to be an overall improvement in the businesses that are there and fewer empty spaces. Many of the buildings look very run down and one in particular has been under construction for years. Frankly, it seems that large portions could use a year down and rebuild with some mixed use-type buildings replacing them. Fundamentally, a thriving downtown needs residents there. Ideally, there would be a parking garage built somewhere. Perhaps between Eigleberry and Gourmet Alley. I think abundant and safe parking would go a long way toward increasing visitation. The summer concerts are a great idea, but most of the bands cater to an older audience and are nowhere near the level that Morgan Hill brings in. An investment in the band types and quality would create more exposure for downtown businesses. Fundamentally, I think a 11.3 p. 182 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 55 # Comment venue like the amphitheater at Christmas Hill park is a better place for the summer concerts, but if they are to be downtown, you have to entice people with a better band selection. The folks at the District have some bands they work with that draw well. Seems like they would be a good source. 225 I walk through downtown a few times a week just for the fun of it. What happened to the music that used to play as you walked downtown? I miss that! 226 Gilroy’s downtown is sorely in need of revitalizing! How depressing to see all of the closed and boarded up storefronts! Hoping the city can take an example from successful, beautiful and thriving downtowns like Livermore. I would happily pay higher city taxes to create a vital downtown! 227 I think that Downtown Monterey should be closed to traffic so that it could be developed into a family friendly environment...like Santana Row! 228 Visiting areas like Walnut Creek, Palo Alto, and Los Gatos give me ideas on what I’d hope to see Gilroy grow to be. Most of these places start with buildings that are historic and have character. I think we have enough of that to get started. Next day incorporate businesses for services and dining. I think we have a start to that. Next to bring in unique gift items that can be cultivated by the owner and marketed to the public in the area for dining. San Luis Obispo is also doing a good job of this. A lot of people talk about Morgan Hill. I think Morgan Hill is nice, but I think Gilroy can develop without having to copy exact. I’ve heard things from time to time that development of businesses can be difficult when working with the city permits and time to open. This kind of things are being evaluated possibly I’m sure offering us feedback here as I’ve heard it took one particular brewery over three years to open. I wish us all good luck and I hope that the investment continues and that we see Gilroy grow into the fantastic downtown area that we all imagine. Thank you for the opportunity to get feedback. 229 We visit downtown rarely. My husband visits more because the breweries. Once a month. I visit every other month to have dinner. We attended 2 of the summer concerts. There needed to be more food trucks and vendors to encourage attendance. 230 You need to clean the sidewalks every month, add it to the budget. Twice a year is terrible. 231 Our downtown is unappealing and lacks venues to attract visitors. I would rather drive to Morgan Hill for a “downtown” experience. With all the property tax from the Outlets and proceeds from the Garlic Festival, one would think our downtown would be a sight to see. It’s an embarrassment and adds no value. My honest opinion - look at what Morgan Hill has done and TRY to do the same here in Gilroy. Otherwise we remain a commuter town with no heart. 232 Gilroy’s downtown has all the potential to become a lively and nice downtown like Morgan Hill and Los Gatos. 233 It has become more common for Gilroy residents (including myself) to visit Morgan Hill's downtown as they have better infrastructure in place, safety, better roads & sidewalks, better lighting and store fronts for both stores and restaurants that provide outdoor seating. We need to invest in our downtown and improve the livelihood of our community as well as attract more visitors. 11.3 p. 183 of 184 2022 Gilroy Downtown Community Survey Report 56 # Comment 234 Me gustaría tener un bonito downtown en Gilroy para visitar. Hace un tiempo fui a caminar y no hay NADA interesante. Yo prefiero ir a Morgan Hill donde si tienen un muy bonito Downtown que con gusto caminas. Me da tristeza que en Gilroy no tengan nada interesante el Centro está sin chiste, solo y nada acogedor. !Hagan algo por nuestro centro por favor! Me gustaría saber quienes son los responsables por este downtown tan feo! Pertenecemos al Condado de Santa Clara pagamos Taxis y no vemos cómo se reparten. Todas las personas y mis vecinos que hemos hablado de nuestro downtown nadie está conforme! Hasta Hollister tiene un mejor downtown☹ HAGAN ALGO POR FAVOR! Translated: " I wish I had a nice downtown in Gilroy to visit. A while ago I went for a walk and there is NOTHING interesting. I prefer to go to Morgan Hill where they do have a very nice Downtown that you are happy to walk. It makes me sad that in Gilroy they don't have anything interesting, downtown is not attractive, and not at all welcoming. Do something for our center please! I would like to know who is responsible for this ugly downtown! We belong to the County of Santa Clara, we pay taxes and we do not see how they are distributed. All the people, and my neighbors that we have talked to about our downtown, are not satisfied! Even Hollister has a better downtown �� PLEASE DO SOMETHING!" 11.3 p. 184 of 184