Recently in City Government Category

YUCAIPA - The City Council meets Monday at 6 p.m. at City Hall. Some of the items on the agenda for the council to consider include the following.

• Conduct a public hearing on AB 811 energy independence program on July 27 at 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers. Under the program, the city would make loans to eligible owners of residential, commercial, and industrial property within the city limits to finance the installation of energy improvements.

  
  Property owners would repay the loans through annual assessments collected at the same time and in the same manner as property taxes. Under AB 811 a lien would be placed against the property until the loan is paid off. The initial fiscal impact is projected to be $2.5 million, which would come from the general fund.



• To enter into a contract with DCS & Associates of Oak Hills to build the cover over the Yucaipa Community Park Amphitheater Stage in the amount of $77,532. Bids varied from a high of $140,000 to $109,000.


• A recommendation by the Planning Commission to hold a public hearing regarding a development code amendment to provide standards for the conversion of senior-only mobile home parks to all-age mobile home parks.


• Royal Street Communications is requesting to lease land in the southwest corner of Fire Station No. 3 to build a wireless communications antennae about 70-feet high with a "stealth" design resembling a large evergreen tree. A masonry wall is proposed to screen the ground equipment. The lease could range from $1,500 to $1,750 a month.

A dedication and ribbon cutting celebrating the opening of the I-10 Freeway and Live Oak Canyon Interchange Bridge was held on Thursday at the bridge.
By Bob Otto / Staff Photographer

YUCAIPA - It took 12 years of gathering reports, planning, and procuring funding, and another 20 months of construction work to build the I-10 Freeway / Live Oak Canyon Interchange bridge. But on Thursday the $20 million bridge was officially declared open and marked with a dedication and ribbon cutting ceremony.

"The concept of this improved interchange project began in 1995," said Yucaipa Mayor, Dick Riddell. "This project has been a long time coming and we are happy this day has finally arrived."

Construction on the project began September 2007. The project widened and realigned the I-10 Freeway with Live Oak Canyon Road. It also widened and lengthened the on and off ramps and added signals. From two lanes the bridge has been expanded to five lanes with turning lanes. Sidewalks and fencing were added, with landscaping planned for the near future.

The City of Yucaipa, San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG), and Caltrans worked closely together on the project that cost $20 million of which $9.7 million came from the Transportation Congestion Relief Program, and $10.3 million from the City of Yucaipa and Measure I. The city has an agreement with SANBAG to be reimbursed as Measure I funds become available in future years, Riddle said.

Third District Supervisor Neil Derry said that the bridge provides a welcome relief for Yucaipa residents.

"For those people that frequently travel here and who have had to exit and enter on this interchange through the years, I don't think I have to point out to them the congestion relief and safety enhancements this bridge has to offer."

Lou Amendola uses either the Yucaipa Boulevard Bridge or the Live Oak Canyon Bridge on and off ramps to leave or return to his Yucaipa home. He envisions commuters having a much easier time with two travel options now available.

"To get on the freeway at 7:30 in the morning is a nightmare," Amendola said. "This is awesome because it will even out the flow of traffic between the Live Oak Canyon and Yucaipa Boulevard bridges."

News Release:

YUCAIPA, CA - The I-10 Fwy/Live Oak Canyon Road Interchange bridge will be officially dedicated on Thursday, May 28, at 10 am. The interchange is located in Yucaipa, just east of the Yucaipa Blvd. Interchange.

The public is invited to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony, which will take place at the San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG) field office parking lot on the south side of the freeway by the Live Oak Canyon bridge.

Plans for the project originated in 1995, followed by a project study report, environmental and design studies, and funding plans. Progress was put on hold when the State Transportation Congestion Relief Program funds were suspended from 2002 to 2005.

YUCAIPA - At the March 11 City Council meeting it was brought up that the State Department of Finance suggested to governor Arnold Schwarzenegger that the state can take from the counties and cities up to 8 percent of the property tax that the two entities collect to help the state with its current budget deficit.

Mayor Dick Riddell said, "Twice within 10 years they can raid the city. They are supposed to pay it back within three years with interest. Our principal source of income is property tax and it would hurt us quite significantly if we lost 8 percent of it."

News Release:

YUCAIPA - The City of Yucaipa, San Bernardino Associated Governments, and Caltrans will hold a Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony marking the completion of the Interstate 10 / Live Oak Canyon Road Interchange reconstruction project in Yucaipa on Thursday, May 28th at 10:00 a.m.

YUCAIPA / CALIMESA - I find it truly astounding and disturbing that Yucaipa and Calimesa were left off the TOP 100 Places To Live in America by Relocate America.

Which cities from California made the list? Riverside, Temecula, and Vacaville. All fine cities, sure, but once you've lived in the Yucaipa Valley, would you want to live "there?"

Throughout the calendar year, (Relocate America) accepts nominations for cities and towns throughout the country to be considered as a "top place to live."I guess we had better let the good folks at Relocate America know about Yucaipa and Calimesa!

Oh, the injustice of it all!

Click Here To See TOP 100 Places

News Release:

SACRAMENTO - RJ Feild, a Riverside County teenager, will travel to Sacramento tomorrow to testify with Senator John J. Benoit (R-Bermuda Dunes) in front of the Senate Human Services Committee in support of "RJ's Law" (Senate Bill 384).

Benoit will host a press conference with RJ and invited coauthors in Capitol Room 2040 at 11:00 AM.

"RJ's powerful story presents a compelling case for reforming a broken system of dependency, a common-sense measure that would be a model for other States to follow," said Senator Benoit.

Letter to the Editor:
By Dan and Fanny D'Amelio

YUCAIPA Over the past five years, four thousand American military men and women have died in Iraq and thousands have come home permanently maimed. How are we in Yucaipa honoring their sacrifice?

Are we having a Memorial Day ceremony at Flag Hill Veterans Memorial Park?

Unfortunately, we are not. Instead, we are having the ceremony at our city's community park, where there is no veterans memorial.

The entrance to Flag Hill Veterans Memorial Park is at Fremont St. and Yucaipa Blvd, and the park's memorial is at the far end of the park. The memorial was constructed by a Yucaipa Marine veteran and city constable, Jim Martines.

At the memorial, concrete steps lead you up to a high, columned arch , which bears the insignias of each of the armed forces.

The arch opens to a large area that is lined by trees, and facing you is a long, curved wall with a bronze plaque containing the names of the men from this community who were killed in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. There are also three bronze ground tablets near the entrance to the park to commemorate those missing in action.

Located at the highest point in Yucaipa, with a panoramic view of the city, this veterans memorial is one of the most beautiful in the Inland Empire.

Memorial and Veterans Day ceremonies used to be held on California Street. But, through the urgings of Fanny D'Amelio, Helen Ruggles and Betty Martines, Memorial and Veterans Day ceremonies were held at Flag Hill for the first time in 2000.

The ceremonies again were held at Flag Hill in 2001, 2002 and 2003, with increasing community attendance. The attendance, in fact, reached more than 300, which was a far larger number than when the ceremonies were held on California Street

In 2004, the city spent $380,000 renovating Flag Hill Veterans Memorial Park, and in the process, unfortunately, landscaped over the handicap parking near the memorial.

And it was in that year that the Veterans Day ceremonies were held instead at the Community Park, where they have been held since.

But there is sufficient parking available at Flag Hill Veterans Memorial Park and at nearby streets for Veterans and Memorial Day ceremonies to be held there. Golf carts could be made available for the handicapped for the one-minute ride to the memorial area.

It is regrettable that Memorial Day and Veterans Day ceremonies are not being held where they should be: at Flag Hill Veterans Memorial Park.

However, since the decision has been made to have the ceremonies at the Community Park, we ask that all of us on Memorial Day go to Flag Hill Veterans Memorial Park and, at least momentarily, pay our respects to those who sacrifice so much for our nation.

Dan and Fanny D'Amelio
12151 Fremont St. #54
(909) 790-4219

YUCAIPA - The Yucaipa City Council meets tonight at 6 p.m. at City Hall. Several items on the agenda will be considered including:

• A municipal code amendment establishing citywide location restrictions for sex offenders.


• A request by the Yucaipa Valley Chamber of Commerce to waive all rental fees for the use of the Yucaipa Community Center for its monthly membership luncheons.


• The installation of photovoltaic solar energy systems in new residential construction.

Yucaipa City Hall
34272 Yucaipa Blvd.
Yucaipa, CA 92399
Phone (909) 797-2489
Fax (909) 797-9203
www.yucaipa.org.
Click Here For City Website

Hours:
Monday -Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

YUCAIPA - The City of Yucaipa and Yucaipa Disposal, Inc. are pleased to sponsor a City Clean Up Day, FREE OF CHARGE on Saturday, April 11, 2009 - 8 AM - 12 Noon.

City of Yucaipa residents may dispose of household trash at the conveniently located drop-off site at the corner of California Street and Avenue "G". The local drop-off site will have containers for the following material categories: (1) trash and, (2) metals.

Depending upon the type of material that you are disposing of, you will be directed to the appropriate container. To receive service by noon, please be in line no later than 11 a.m. - the temporary drop-off site will close promptly at 12:00 noon.

Cars, trailers and pickup trucks up to 3/4 ton will be allowed to drop off trash for FREE. (No trucks with trailers allowed.)

YUCAIPA - The Seventh Street Park Rehabilitation - Phase II project consists of retrofitting a partially finished concrete pad for three covered basketball courts with
lighting.

In addition, the project will include a modular skate park and retrofitting several gazebos with additional landscaping around the "formal" main gazebo to enhance its use for special events.

On Thursday, the concrete pad for the skate park was being readied for a resurfacing of epoxy coating.

YUCAIPA - Work continued on the Yucaipa Blvd. Storm Drain project at the corner of Yucaipa Blvd. and California Street on Monday.

Chicken Springs Wash Storm Drain and Street Improvements / Yucaipa Boulevard Storm Drain projects include the construction of curb and gutter, sidewalk, asphalt concrete pavement, and storm drain improvements.

The projects also include earth channel grading, placement of grouted rip rap, concrete structures and catch basins, removal of existing storm drain culverts, construction of concrete flood walls/retaining walls, and reconstruction of existing surfaces between Adams Street and Third Street along Yucaipa Boulevard and at the Third and Fourth Street culvert crossings.

The project is underway and is scheduled to be completed April 2009.

CALIMESA - Belonging to the Chamber of Commerce has many benefits that can help a local business expand its marketing opportunities, and create a bond and fellowship with other local small business owners.

"One of the many benefits of membership includes the wide array of marketing opportunities provided to our members," says Chamber President, Jim Murcray in his Welcome to the Neighborhood address. "From newsletter advertising, to on-line Membership Directory, from information packets and webstreaming to in office referral, membership has its benefits."

Reduced Fees For In-Home Businesses,
In 2009, the Calimesa Chamber of Commerce encourages in-home business owners to join the chamber. For the discounted price of $60 a year for your first year membership, new members of in-home businesses will find chamber membership a key to networking and increasing referral and word of mouth, says Murcray.

For more information, call (909) 795-7612, or visit www.calimesachamber.org. Membership applications can be completed on the website.Click Here For Chamber website

YUCAIPA - The City Council will meet tonight at 6 p.m. Agenda items include, among other things:

• Funds for Yucaipa Youth Scholarship Program.


• Mobilehome Rent Control Ordinance - 1987 base year.


• Fire Dept. annual report.


• Police Dept. annual report.


• Yucaipa Police Department needs assessment and facility planning services discussion in an amount calling for $57,530.


• Study and review citywide energy efficiency / solar energy initiatives, which includes implementation of a solar energy requirement for all new residential construction; establishment of a city sponsored and funded financing program for making energy efficiency improvements and / or purchasing solar energy systems; and installation of photovoltaic solar energy systems at several city owned facilities.

News Release:

Banning, CA - The Banning Redevelopment Agency will begin accepting applications from interested property owners for the Downtown Façade Improvement Program on March 11, 2009.

The Downtown Façade Improvement Program was substantially revised and was approved by the Community Redevelopment Agency in December of 2008.

The program provides for financial assistance in the form of loans and grants to
downtown property owners to rehabilitate and remodel the exterior of their buildings.
Grant and loan amounts range from less than $25,000 to over $100,000 depending on the scope of the proposed repairs and improvements.

Yucaipa Mayor, Dick Riddell.

YUCAIPA - At last year's State of the City address, I warned that the country was entering a recession, although I admit I didn't realize it would get this bad. Home foreclosures are at an all-time high.

Unemployment in California is over ten percent. Individual retirement accounts invested in equities have plummeted.

Businesses, including our local ones, are hurting.

By Bob Otto / Staff Photographer

Bob Otto, Staff Writer
YUCAIPA - Some of the surrounding cities are struggling to balance their budgets as the country, and the state, are mired in a recession.

As for Yucaipa, the city's budget is in pretty good shape, said Mayor Dick Riddell.

Riddell, along with city officials, business owners, service clubs and organizations, attended the 17 th annual State of the City Luncheon at the Yucaipa Community Center on Thursday.

At the event, Riddell said the city has a $42 million general-fund surplus with $27 million of those funds loaned to various projects.

"Out of our $42 million surplus, $15 million remains safely invested where a sufficient amount will be kept in reserve for the continuation of normal operations and for emergencies," Riddell said. "We should be OK in the foreseeable future, barring a complete collapse of the national economy."

Press Release:

By Brian Nakamura, Executive Director
John Jansons, Redevelopment Manager
Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Banning
(951) 922-3171

Banning, CA - The Banning Redevelopment Agency will begin accepting applications
from interested property owners for the Downtown Façade Improvement Program on
March 11, 2009.

The Downtown Façade Improvement Program was substantially
revised and was approved by the Community Redevelopment Agency in December of
2008.

The program provides for financial assistance in the form of loans and grants to
downtown property owners to rehabilitate and remodel the exterior of their buildings.

Grant and loan amounts range from less than $25,000 to over $100,000 depending on the scope of the proposed repairs and improvements.

Eligible work includes: architectural modifications, exterior refinishing, signage, lighting, doors windows and awnings, and other rehabilitation and restoration work.

News Release:

By Pamela Emenger
Executive Director
Yucaipa Valley Chamber of Commerce

Get the latest updates on the City of Yucaipa

YUCAIPA - The Yucaipa Valley Chamber of Commerce will host the 17th Annual State of the City luncheon on Thursday, March 19, at 11:30 a.m. at the Yucaipa Community Center located at 34900 Oak Glen Road in Yucaipa. Verizon is the official corporate sponsor of this event.

Mayor Dick Riddell and City Manager Ray Casey will give a report on the city's accomplishments, developments and financial status. Members of the Chamber and the public at large are invited to attend.

News Release:

YUCAIPA - The City of Yucaipa has contracted with Redflex Traffic Systems to provide an Automated Photo Red Light Enforcement System at the intersection of Yucaipa Blvd and Oak Glen Road.

The system installation has now been completed and the system activation is set for March 1, 2009. During the first 30-days of operation violators will be sent warning letters/notices stating the date, time and type of violation that occurred.

After the 30-day period any and all violations will be issued citations with fines.

For more information, contact:
Bill Hemsley,
Director of Public Works
(909) 797-2489, Ext. 253