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Redwood City E-News
Building a Great Community Together
Issue #32 ~ April, 2006
(Back to index of all issues)
IN THIS ISSUE:
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Redwood City Reads – One Book, One Community
Redwood City is very excited about a new community event coming up called “Redwood City Reads – One Book, One Community” - everyone in Redwood City is being asked to read the same great book, at the same time, and then join together for book discussions, presentations, activities, and other fun activities.
A volunteer committee did an online survey of the community, and has selected The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. The book is available now, and the events take place all throughout the month of May.
This is a perfect opportunity for people throughout our diverse community to join together with a common interest, around this wonderful book. It’s an unforgettable and moving story, sure to inspire everyone to talk about it and share their impressions with each other, and with many new friends that are also reading it.
The community is encouraged to read The Kite Runner and be a part of this great program that will help us all to build a great community together.
Buy the book at Barnes and Noble here in Redwood City or from your favorite local or online bookseller, or borrow it from the Redwood City Public Library. Read the book – you can get going with friends, as part of book clubs, with neighbors, or with other associations – or on your own!
Then, join in on any of the great activities that are planned - get all the details online – and we look forward to seeing many of you during May’s “Redwood City – One Book, One Community!”
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Council Holding Public Hearing on Water Rate Increases – April 3
The City Council of Redwood City has scheduled a public hearing for Monday, April 3rd, at 7 pm to discuss and take community comment on how best to implement upcoming necessary water rate increases. At this meeting, the Council will open the public hearing, discuss rate increase recommendations, and take public comment on how the increases should be implemented. The meeting takes place at City Hall, 1017 Middlefield Road.
Final decisions on how to implement the rate increases will not be made at the April 3rd meeting. Instead, after a three-week public comment period, the Council will address the issue at its April 24th meeting, at which additional public input will be encouraged, and final decisions will be made. During that three-week comment period, the community is asked to send written comments on the implementation of the upcoming rate increase, to the City Clerk’s Office, 1017 Middlefield Road, Redwood City, CA 94063.
The rate increase is necessary to reflect dramatic increases in the wholesale cost of water from the City’s sole provider (the Hetch Hetchy system, administered by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission), and to help finance the City’s recycled water program – a crucial project in assuring our long-term water supply.
Last year, the City made necessary rate changes after working with the public to develop a rate increase scenario consistent with community values and equity, as expressed at a community roundtable workshop. The Council’s Utilities Committee (Council members Aguirre, Foust, and Ira) agreed that the considerable community input and results of that workshop process should be considered in the course of determining the current recommended rate increases.
The recommendation calls for the monthly basic service charge (currently $12) to be raised to $14.25, and the “consumption rates” (the charge for the amount of water used) to increase by 10¢ per “unit” of water used (one unit = 748 gallons). For the typical residential customer, that consumption rate increase represents an estimated additional $3.35 per month (in addition to the basic service charge increase).
Historically, Redwood City has enjoyed water bills significantly lower than the average for similar cities, and even with the necessary increases will still be able to provide water at rates that are among the lowest on the Peninsula. If the recommended rate increase is approved by the City Council, then all water used as of May 10th will be charged at the new rates, and will be reflected in customer bills beginning on July 10.
The community is encouraged to read the full staff report on this item and participate in helping the Council to determine how best to implement these necessary rate increases. Information on Redwood City’s recycled water and water conservation programs is available online.
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The Forum Presents: Creating a High Density & Livable City – April 5
Former Vancouver City Councillor Gordon Price will be featured at “The Forum at Redwood City” on Wednesday, April 5, 2006, from 6:00 - 7:45 pm. His exciting and very topical presentation is entitled, “Designing the Inevitable: Creating a High-Density and Livable Inner City”
Is high-density urbanism the key to protecting the environment and social welfare? Or does it only create crime and traffic congestion?
Mr. Price, a 15-year, six-term former Councillor in Vancouver, B.C., believes people want both – and that urban regions need to have a mix of choices for their own health. Using his own city as an example, Mr. Price will illustrate the unique conditions that resulted in the central area of Vancouver growing faster than any other place in North America during the 90s. He 'll describe the processes, planning, and participants who made it possible. And he 'll discuss some of the lessons learned and mistakes made.
The Forum takes place at the Little Fox Theater, 2209 Broadway, in Downtown Redwood City. Doors open at 5:30 pm and the cost is $10 per person, payable at the door. No RSVP is required. An optional no-host dinner with the presenter and other participants will be held following the Forum for those wishing to continue the discussion.
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Free Music by Woodside High School/Kennedy Middle School - April 5
“Broadway for the Band” is a great fundraiser for the Woodside High School Band. On Wednesday, April 5th, selected Broadway restaurants will donate a portion of their proceeds to the band. Come have dinner on Broadway and hear live music by the Woodside High School Band, starting at 5 pm, on Broadway between Jefferson Avenue and Main Street.
Then, Kennedy Middle School music students will entertain you near the corner of Broadway and Main, between 6:00 - 8:00 PM.
Their free concert is a “thank you gift” to the community for its tremendous financial support last spring after the parcel tax did not pass and the district music program was facing the chopping block. With the great number of contributions from the community, the music program survived, and this is just a small way of them saying “thank you” for your support!
The Symphonic Band will perform at 6 PM, the Cougar Orchestra will perform at 6:45 PM and the String Orchestra will perform at 7:30 PM.
Don’t miss this fun, free live music while you dine Downtown!
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EarthDay Spring Cleanup – April 22
This year Redwood City’s Spring Cleanup Day will share national Earth Day, Saturday April 22nd 2006 focusing on sprucing up Redwood Creek and nearby waterways, and the Historic Union Cemetery.
Community members are invited to volunteer in showing their civic pride in Redwood City! Participants can meet at 8:30 am on Saturday April 22nd at the City’s Public Works Services building, located at 1400 Broadway (near Broadway and Woodside Road). After a complimentary continental breakfast, clean-up teams will move out and descend on this year’s targeted areas: Redwood Creek and the Historic Union Cemetery. Then at noon, volunteers will meet for a special free lunch as a ‘thank you’ for participating in this annual fun project that helps the entire community.
Redwood City thanks the generous sponsors of the Annual Spring and Fall Cleanup Days – San Mateo Credit Union and Norcal Waste Systems of San Mateo County. Please call 650-780-7300 for more information.
On the same day, Allied Waste Services will sponsor the Great Compost Giveaway. Compost is an excellent addition to existing soil, and also makes a great groundcover to help with weed and erosion control. On April 22 and 23 from 10 am to 6 pm,, members of the Redwood City community can bring 2 or 3 trash cans, bags, boxes, or other containers to the Public Works Services parking lot and load up with free compost – a limited supply will be shared among our community’s neighbors on a first-come, first-served basis. The compost is generously provided by Allied Waste Services.
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Planning Commission to Unveil Guiding Principles for General Plan – May 2
The Redwood City Planning Commission has incorporated many community comments from eight public workshops, into the Guiding Principles for the General Plan. These Guiding Principles will in turn drive the vision and specific elements of the General Plan.
The community is invited to join the Planning Commission for the unveiling the Guiding Principles, illustrating how the workshop participants’ thoughts and comments were brought forward and connected to the Principles, and to set the stage for the next steps in our General Plan Update.
The meeting is Tuesday May 2nd starting at 7 pm, in the Council Chambers at City Hall, 1017 Middlefield Road. During this meeting you’ll have a chance to comment on the Guiding Principles, and the Planning Commission will consider formal adoption of their content.
The next steps of the General Plan process include the development of the Vision for the General Plan, Planning Commission action on that Vision, and then expanding on that Vision with specific elements that directly correspond to the many important issues that the General Plan addresses. Once the Planning Commission has taken those steps, the entire General Plan Update and all of its elements will be presented to the City Council for its consideration.
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Free WaterWise Spring Gardening Workshops in May
Redwood City invites the community to attend FREE spring gardening workshops this May. For anyone with a garden, landscaping, or sprinkler systems, this “WaterWise” workshop is a must-see!
Interested community members can register online at , or call 780-7436 to reserve their place for one or more of these fun and informative workshops for residents:
May 6
- Irrigation Basics for Homeowners (9 am to 12:30 pm) ~ Learn the components of an irrigation system, how to lay out, install, and maintain your system, and how to identify and solve common irrigation problems.
- Smart Gardening (1:30 pm to 5 pm) ~ This workshop brings together home gardening basics like garden design, irrigation systems, scheduling and fertilizers, and plant selection.
May 13
- ET Controller Concepts (9 am to 12:30 pm) ~ Get the scoop on evapotranspiration (ET) irrigation controllers that “know” when your landscaping needs water, and how much water to provide!
May 20
- Irrigation Scheduling/Maintenance (9 am to 12:30 pm) ~ How much water is enough...or too much? You’ll learn that it all depends on the weather, the plant selection, soil condition, and your irrigation system.
- Smart Gardening (1:30 pm to 5 pm) ~ This workshop (a repeat of the May 6 class) brings together home gardening basics like garden design, irrigation systems, scheduling and fertilizers, and plant selection.
Lots of important and useful information on Redwood City’s water conservation program is available online. People can learn how to save water (and money!) at home, at their business, indoors and outside, and more.
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Keep It Clean – Save the Bay’s Pollution Prevention Campaign
Are you polluting the Bay? Pollution from our homes, cars, and neighborhoods is one of the greatest threats to San Francisco Bay.
Take Save The Bay’s “Keep It Clean!” survey today to learn how you may be polluting the Bay and how to make some easy changes to help keep the Bay healthy for future generations.
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Mayor’s Beautification Awards
For the 18th consecutive year, Redwood City residents, non-profit organizations, and businesses are showing their civic pride by applying for a Mayor's Beautification Award. Individuals, homeowners associations, apartment complexes, businesses, non-profits, and others are invited to participate. Applications are available by calling the contact number above, or by visiting City Hall (1017 Middlefield Road).
The application is also available online, where applicants can print it, fill it out, and send it in. The deadline for entries is June 30, 2006, and judging will be completed by the end of July. Call 780-7300 for more information.
A panel of volunteer judges will prescreen the entries, and the final selection process will include a site visit to the top entries. Categories include best architectural design, remodel, historical restoration; most beautiful garden or landscape; best compatible building and garden or landscape; and more. If an entry doesn 't exactly fit into one of the categories, applicants can create their own category. Entering the Mayor's Beautification Awards program is an easy and fun way to demonstrate neighborhood and civic pride, and help to connect with the community of Redwood City.
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View City Webcams
You can view webcams on the City’s website – see the retail cinema project, the skate park, the Courthouse Square project, or the construction of the recycled water facility.
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