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City Council Business Retention & Development Committee <br />Meeting Minutes <br />December 1, 2008 <br />Page 3 of 4 <br />without a plan, or there will be no land left for parking. He added that if the fee is <br />reasonable, the developers can make up their own minds regarding how to proceed <br />Yarnell added that parking fees can always be waived as an incentive for the right <br />project. <br />Grassi noted that parking is not yet a problem in downtown, but the City shouldn't create <br />new rules that will make it worse not better. Don't make parking so cost prohibitive that <br />no one will develop. <br />Menaker stated the parking rules needs to be consistent, predictable, and fair, and it <br />would be better to establish the rules earlier before new developments come in for <br />approval. <br />Wood noted that the City and other Cities in this situation have learned a great deal <br />about how to manage parking in a downtown area and we should learn from that. He <br />added that the fee should be such to encourage developers to build parking on site. <br />Grassi stated that as the City has purchased the Post Office site for parking, the City <br />should donate the cost of the land and only charge for the cost to build parking. <br />Pritchard stated that if the fee if too high only large developers will be able to afford it <br />and small developers will not come to downtown. <br />Fleming stated that the real question is how much should the City subsidize parking to <br />encourage shared parking in specific areas. <br />Menaker stated that if the goal is to allow the market to determine development market <br />in downtown then there is one approach but if the idea is to encourage development in <br />downtown, the City will need to make parking waivers a serious incentive. <br />Members decided to host a public meeting in January to which property owners will be <br />invited to have a broader discussion of the cost and the implications. Staff will schedule <br />an evening meeting in January. <br />DISCUSSION/DIRECTION - 2008 WORKPLAN RECAP <br />Hogan recapped the 2008 workplan noting accomplishments for the year <br />DISCUSSION/DIRECTION - 2009 WORKPLAN & BUDGET <br />Hogan reviewed the planned 2009 workplan and asked the members if there were any <br />other items that should be considered or discussed. <br />Members had no changes. <br />RETENTION VISIT REVIEW & FOLLOW-UP <br />Muth briefly reported on the recent visits. <br />NOVEMBER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BRIEFING <br />Hogan reviewed her activities for November. <br />