Laserfiche WebLink
Ms. Selena Kelaher <br />Page 4 of 6 <br />The proposed Development Agreement provides legal recognition to a series of largely <br />private commitments, provides a number of entirely uncertain/vague promises of future action, <br />delegates powers to City employees in violation of the City's Charter, and facilitates public <br />contracting of public spaces without meaningful notice. Examples of some of the defects in the <br />Development Agreement follow: <br />• Section 3.6.1 provides a protocol by which the developer will submit covenants, <br />conditions, and restrictions (CCRs) to the City Attorney for review and "approval" <br />without Council consideration. The review criteria is limited to whether the CCRs <br />conflict with the Development Agreement, General Plan, and development <br />conditions. However, the City Charter does not give the City Attorney authority to <br />"approve" CCRs. See Section 703 of the Charter. Section 3.6.1 does not provide <br />any opportunity for public input or Council input. <br />• Section 4.2.1 (a) requires the developer provide and maintain public art valued at <br />.5% of the design, engineering, and construction costs for the Project. This <br />provision does not indicate where the art will be installed, how the calculations of <br />value will be determined, and whether and how the Council would approve the <br />submission. Given that no plans have been submitted, such an has not been <br />reviewed/evaluated commensurate with the EIR and aesthetic impacts associated <br />with the project. <br />• Section 4.2.1(b) delegates the management and construction of unspecified <br />improvements to Park Santiago and appears to violate both the Brown Act and <br />public contracting requirements. <br />• Section 4.2.1(c) provides for benefits given solely to the Park Santiago <br />neighborhood including private security patrols, street -light enhancements, <br />decorative concrete, and graffiti abatement. Although the developer should agree <br />to these items (which could have been pan of an overall settlement with the <br />neighbors and private covenants), they are problematic as they appear to convey <br />private benefits to a discreet/defined area without public input. Even assuming this <br />were appropriate, why are such benefits not being conveyed to Floral Park, West <br />Floral Park, Washington Square and other neighborhoods south of 17'h street that <br />will also be impacted by the Project? Although the City may take the view that <br />public funds are not being expended, the reality is that such concessions constitute <br />a portion of the overall value of the Project to the City, are being provided in an <br />attempt to mitigate impacts, and are classified as being "public" in nature. <br />• Exhibit H to the Development Agreement identifies a public park (Park Santiago) <br />as being within the private roving patrol area. The adoption of a subsequent <br />security/patrol regimen requires both public input and review per the Brown Act <br />and appears to delegate policing to a third party. <br />