March 2012 by Western City Magazine

MARCH 2012 |

The Monthly Magazine of the League of California Cities

Trailblazing a Sustainable Path p.11 Operation Mulch-a-Lotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Benefits p.9 Public Input on Land-Use Decisions p.8

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CONTENTS 2 3

Calendar of League Events

Executive Director’s Message

By Gary Gallegos

The Power of Groupthink: The New Denial

A new era of transportation planning has dawned in California as metropolitan planning organizations throughout the state work to comply with Senate Bill 375.

By Chris McKenzie Groupthink is a phenomenon in which the group members form individual opinions that match the group consensus rather than critically evaluating information.

City Forum

Hayward’s Mural Art Program offers an outstanding example of a local effort that has helped reduce crime, build public-private partnerships, enhance community pride and save taxpayers’ money.

This year marks a milestone for the League and California cities.

News from the Institute for Local Government

Resources for Involving The Public in Land-Use Planning Decisions Land-use planning can present difficult and divisive issues for communities. A local agency’s land-use planning decisions literally affect people where they live.

Sustainable Cities

Operation Mulch-a-Lot: Long Beach Chips Away at Blight and Green Waste By Jessica Aviña Tong Long Beach has a creative use for vacant city lots that offers several added benefits.

California Cities Helen Putnam Award for Excellence

Hayward Uses Murals to Fight Blight

Celebrating 30 Years: The Helen Putnam Award for Excellence Program By Eva Spiegel

Trailblazing a Sustainable Path

Job Opportunities

Professional Services Directory Cover Photo: A view of San Diego Photo: Christopher Penler/Shutterstock

President Michael Kasperzak Mayor Mountain View

1400 K Street Sacramento, CA 95814 (916) 658-8200 Fax (916) 658-8240

First Vice President Bill Bogaard Mayor Pasadena

Second Vice President José Cisneros Treasurer San Francisco

Immediate Past President Jim Ridenour Mayor Modesto

Executive Director Chris McKenzie

For a complete list of the League board of directors, visit www.cacities.org/board.

leaguevents

Magazine Staff Editor in Chief Jude Hudson (916) 658-8234 e-mail: <editor@westerncity.com>

MARCH

Managing Editor Eva Spiegel (916) 658-8228 e-mail: <espiegel@cacities.org>

20 – 22

Public Works Officers Institute & Mini Expo, San Jose City and county engineers and public works officials come together for updates on issues affecting their work and to build working partnerships to better serve the public.

Advertising Sales Manager Pam Maxwell-Blodgett (916) 658-8256 e-mail: <maxwellp@cacities.org> Production Manager Sara Rounds (916) 658-8223 e-mail: <srounds@cacities.org>

20 – 22 Planners Institute & Mini Expo, San Jose This annual meeting offers sessions designed to meet the needs of planning commissioners and planning professionals at all levels.

Contributors Samantha Caygill JoAnne Speers

29 – 30

Associate Editors Carol Malinowski Carolyn Walker Design Pat Davis Design Group, Inc.

Policy Committee Meetings, Ontario The League’s policy committees review issues of interest to cities statewide and make recommendations to the League board of directors.

For photo credits, see page 23.

30 Legal Advocacy Committee Meeting, Ontario The committee reviews and recommends friend-of-the-court efforts on cases of significant statewide interest to California cities.

Western City (ISSN 0279-5337) is published monthly by the League of California Cities, 1400 K St., Sacramento, CA 95814. Subscriptions: $39.00/1 year; $63.00/2 years; student: $26.50; foreign: $52.00; single copies: $4.00, including sales tax. Entered as periodical mail January 30, 1930, at the Post Ofﬁce, Los Angeles, CA 90013, under the Act of April 13, 1879. Periodical postage paid at Sacramento, Calif.

NT RI

ED US IN G

Postmaster: Send address changes to Western City, 1400 K Street, Sacramento, CA 95814. Western City Trademark Reg. U.S. Pat. Off. ©2012 League of California Cities. All rights reserved. Material may not be reprinted without written permission. This issue is Volume LXXXVIII, No. 3.

IND EN

Supplied by Community Energy

APRIL

25 – 26

Legislative Action Days, Sacramento City officials attending these events get updates on key legislative issues and meet with their legislators to discuss local priorities.

26 – 27 Board of Directors Meeting, Sacramento The League board reviews, discusses and takes action on a variety of issues affecting cities, including legislation, legal advocacy, education and training, and more.

Event and registration information is available at www.cacities.org/events. For the latest information on League conferences and events, follow us on Twitter @CaCitiesLearn. For legislative and policy updates and more, follow @CaCities. Join us on Facebook! www.facebook.com/westerncity www.facebook.com/LeagueofCaCities

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Executive Director’s Message by Chris McKenzie

The Power of Groupthink:

The New Denial

Denial in all its forms is alive and well in each of us. We use it to justify what we do and do not want to do. We use it to protect ourselves. We even use it to push back the inevitable as long as possible so we can get ready to deal with it. Adults are often in denial, and we can see it at work best in our children who stamp their feet, pout and hide to avoid confronting reality. In its darkest form denial has justified unspeakable cruelty to our fellow human beings. In its best form it allows us to compassionately handle depression, disappointment and loss. But what can we do when denial is rampant in an institution? This can take many forms, ranging from an idea advocated by a powerful leader to a pervasive belief among those active in the institution that certain tenets are truisms, or self-evident, even though they were on no one’s radar screen a few years ago. In its most powerful form, however, it can take on the character of something organizational psychologists refer to as “groupthink.”

When Consensus Replaces Critical Thinking Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon in which the group members form individual opinions that match the group consensus rather than critically evaluating information. Groupthink seems to occur most often when a respected or persuasive leader

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is present, inspiring members to agree with his or her opinion. It also is a powerful force when it validates the preconceived opinions of the individual members. It can be spot on and right. It also can be dreadfully wrong. In private institutions or businesses groupthink can result in the development of failed products (like the Ford Edsel car) or services. After all, groups of people developed the product or service and must have thought it had value. Where did they go wrong? Things probably went awry because opposing views were not encouraged or rewarded during the development process, and the underlying assumptions about the value to the creators and the potential customers were not challenged. continued

Western City, March 2012

The Power of Groupthink: The New Denial, continued

Groupthink and the Financial Crisis One of the most powerful examples in government of groupthink gone awry in recent years with catastrophic consequences was the rush to repeal the GlassSteagall Act in the final days of the Clinton Administration. For decades since the Great Depression the Glass-Steagall Act (also known as the Banking Act of 1933) prevented commercial banks from being active in any significant investment banking in order to prevent them from taking on too much risk with depositors’ money. The rush in Congress and the White House in 1999 to eliminate the firewall between investment and commercial banking was explored by Bill Moyers in a recent interview with former Citigroup CEO John Reed and former U.S. Senator Byron Dorgan of North Dakota. Reed, who retired in 2000 from Citigroup eight years before the Great Recession began, helped secure congressional and presidential approval for the repeal. In the interview Reed describes how dreadfully wrong business and government leaders got it, saying that to characterize what occurred afterward as a “disaster” is probably not strong enough. When asked how it happened, he described it as a pervasive exuberance that drowned out any contrarian’s views. Moyers showed Reed a speech that Sen. Dorgan gave in 1999 in which, as one of the few dissidents (more than 90 senators supported the repeal), Dorgan accurately

predicted that within 10 years the repeal of Glass-Steagall would cause a financial crisis. Dorgan presciently said that it would lead to banks becoming so large that they would be “too big to fail.” When Moyers asked whether he remembered what Dorgan and the handful of others said, Reed said he did not — and that they were, in effect, voices in the wilderness.

Groupthink in Action Today Examples of groupthink are alive and well in California state government today as well. Perhaps the most obvious one at the moment is the apparent belief by a large number of state leaders that cities can quickly dismantle more than 400 local redevelopment agencies without real and lasting damage to the state’s economy, the state’s bond rating or other priorities, such as reducing carbon emissions. In fact, some seem convinced that the AB 1X 26 legislation requiring this change and timeline, which was passed and upheld by the state Supreme Court (while it struck down the mandated payments by cities and counties), does not need any improvement despite its apparent flaws. I hope this will change, but the pervasive resistance to admitting it was not done perfectly remains strong as this issue of Western City goes to press. On the other hand, there are opponents of pension reform who seem locked in collective denial about the underperformance of retirement stock portfolios, the

longer life span of public employees and the good intent of anyone who speaks up and says we have a sustainability problem with the current system. Fortunately there is a slowly emerging consensus that this is a problem that must be fixed (something the League has consistently said), but it’s only through an open exchange of differing ideas that we have any hope of adopting a policy that does not suffer from the flaws of groupthink. Finally, some (but not all) supporters of SB 375 who favor more aggressive landuse and transportation planning strategies — before we have even one round of experience with developing what are known as Sustainable Community Strategies in each metropolitan planning organization’s Regional Transportation Plan — are afflicted with their own form of groupthink. As important as carbon emissions reduction is, our local and regional agencies are engaged in implementing a new planning paradigm under SB 375 that requires care, sensitivity to the local land-use protections in SB 375 and recognition of local and regional officials’ desire to “get it right.” We need at least one cycle with all metropolitan planning organizations preparing regional transportation plans before the courts or the Legislature are asked to make changes. As the examples presented here demonstrate, just because a group consensus emerges that action is necessary does not mean our institutional framework can implement it without serious consequences for the public or even the groups themselves.

Groupthink can be dreadfully wrong.

League of California Cities

www.cacities.org

Something Worth Considering If too many people think something is a good idea, it might be advisable to pay extra attention to the dissenting voices in the wilderness. The dissenters might have it right. At the very least, it’s worth considering that possibility. n

Examples of groupthink are alive and well in California state government today.

Jamie Casso Los Angeles

Art Hartinger Oakland/Los Angeles

Steve Mattas San Francisco

Ruthann G. Ziegler Sacramento

FOUR MEYERS NAVE LAW YERS NAMED TO THE DAILY JOURNAL’S “TOP 25 MUNICIPAL LAW YERS” LIST FOR 2011 For over 25 years, Meyers Nave has practiced public law in California, combining in one firm general counsel services as well as the many specialties that public agencies need. Our readiness to help clients find creative and innovative solutions to financial, regulatory and legal issues coupled with our extensive knowledge of local, state and federal laws allow us to cut to the core of our clients’ issues and deliver solid results. Meyers Nave congratulates all attorneys selected by the Daily Journal for your dedication to municipal law in California. OAKLAND LOS ANGELES

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Western City, March 2012

Thank you to our 2012

League Partners Platinum

($15,000+)

AT&T Aleshire & Wynder LLP1,2 American Fidelity Assurance Company Best Best & Krieger LLP1,2 Burrtec Waste Industries Inc.2 Global Water FATHOM HdL Companies Honeywell IBM Kaiser Permanente Keenan & Associates2 MuniServices Northern California Carpenters Regional Council PG&E2 SIEMENS SmartCitiesPrevail.org Solarcity Southern California Edison Southern California Gas Co./ SDG&E/The Sempra Energy Utilities State Farm Insurance Visa Walmart Willdan2 2

Gold

($10,000+)

Bank of America Burke, Williams & Sorensen LLP1,2 DW Development2 Hanson Bridgett LLP1,2 Liebert Cassidy Whitmore1 Renne Sloan Holtzman Sakai LLP1,2 Richards, Watson & Gershon1,2 Union Pacific Railroad

Silver ($5,000+)

Athens Services2 Bureau Veritas North America Inc. CALPORTLAND Company2 Comcast Dart Container Corp. Garaventa Enterprises/ S.E.G. Trucking2 ITRON Inc. Interwest Consulting Group Inc. Jenkins & Hogin LLP2 Kronick Moskovitz Tiedemann & Girard1 Lewis Group of Companies2 Meyers Nave1 Northrop Grumman Republic Services Inc.2 Starbucks Union Bank Wells Fargo

Bronze ($3,000+)

Charles Abbott Associates Inc.2 AndersonPenna Partners Inc. Atkins California & Nevada IBEW/NECA Labor-Management Cooperation Trust California Dental PAC California Water Service Company Cerrell Associates Inc. City Ventures Colantuono & Levin2 Greenberg Traurig LLP Herum\Crabtree Attorneys Hill International2 Johnson and Johnson Jones & Mayer2 Library Systems & Services LLC Molycorp Minerals2 Morley Brothers LLC2 Morongo Band of Mission Indians2 Bob Murray & Associates PARS

PERC Water Corp. Pacific Development Group Inc.2 Petra Solar Inc.2 Piper Jaffray Prime Healthcare Services Inc.2 Prometheus Real Estate Group Inc.2 Recology Inc.2 Janice Rutherford2 San Bernardino Police Officers Association San Manuel Band of Mission Indians2 Trane U.S. Inc. TY LIN International2 Young Homes LLC2

Basic ($1,000+)

Advance America Amador Valley Industries LLC2 Arnold & Associates2 Avery & Associates2 Berliner-Cohen Best Way Disposal2 Blue Line Transfer Inc.2 CH2M Hill C+S Engineers Inc. CA Association of Physician Groups Califia LLC dba River Islands @ Lathrop2 California Building Industry Association California Contract Cities Associates PAC2 California Grocers Association California Hotel & Lodging Association California Refuse Recycling Council Check Into Ca$h City National Bank Civil Justice Association of California Classic Communities2 Cost Control Associates Inc. DiMare, Van Vleck & Brown LLC E&J Gallo Winery2

Ecology Auto Parts2 Emanuels Jones and Associates Food 4 Less2 Fresno Police Officers Association General Mills2 Gonsalves & Son2 Gonzalez Goodale Architects Harris & Associates HydroPoint Data Systems Inc. Inland Valleys Association of Realtors2 Issues Mobilization Political Action Committee2 Jones Hall A Professional Law Corporation2 Kinsell, Newcomb & De Dios Inc. Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP2 Lilburn Corporation2 Livermore Sanitation Inc.2 Management Partners Marchetti Construction Inc.2 NASA Services Inc.2 Pacific Water Quality Association Parsons2 Peters Engineering Group2 Premier Medical Transportation Inc.2 Quad Knopf2 Robson Homes LLC2 SNW Securities Corp. Santa Monica Police Officers Association Servpro South Bay Recycling LLC2 Southern California Concrete Producers Southwest Water Company2 Specialty Solid Waste and Recycling2 SummerHill Homes LLC2 Swinerton Management2 The Sobrato Organization2 Transtech2 Vulcan Materials Company2 Waste Management2

Partial list as of 1/30/2012

1 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Institute for Local Government supporter 2 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; CITIPAC supporter Join the Partners Program Today! Contact Mike Egan | (916) 658-8271 | egan@cacities.org

League of California Cities

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Celebrating 30 Years: The Helen Putnam Award for Excellence Program by Eva Spiegel

This year marks a milestone for the League and California cities as the Helen Putnam Award for Excellence program turns 30. It’s not too late to submit your city for consideration in 2012. Applications are due April 12. Entries must be submitted online at www.HelenPutnam.org and will be judged by volunteer juries composed of city officials. The juries judge each entry on: • The impact of the problem/challenge and how well it is outlined; • The innovativeness of the solution; and • The quality of the results achieved. Sponsored by the League Partners, the Helen Putnam Award for Excellence program recognizes how cities creatively address local challenges. Winning entries demonstrate innovation, resourcefulness, efficiency and enhanced public trust and support. In the past three decades, the program has recognized hundreds of cities for programs addressing a wide array of issues. Winning projects serve as an inspiration to all cities and as a model that can often be easily replicated. The League announces the winners during the opening General Session of its annual conference in September. The honorees are also given a booth in the Expo Hall’s Partners Village where conference attendees can learn firsthand from the people responsible for each project. After the conference, the award winners are further recognized at the local level by their city councils, regional groups and the news media. Throughout the year, the winning projects are featured in Western City magazine.

Established by the League board of directors in 1982, the award program was created in memory of Helen Putnam, the League’s first female president. Putnam also served as the mayor of Petaluma and on the Sonoma County Board of Supervisors. She believed that meeting one’s potential was the measure of success and always encouraged others to strive for excellence. When the award program was launched, just one award was presented. The City of Davis won the first award in 1982 for three programs creating improved efficiencies. Five individual categories were added in 1986. The categories expanded to eight in 1992, and today there are 11 categories. It’s not too late to submit one of your city’s noteworthy programs for recognition. Applications must include a narrative of 1,500 words or less that addresses the challenge that inspired the program, the solution identified and results. To learn about past winners and submit your city’s entry, visit www.HelenPutnam.org. n

Award Categories 1. Cities, Counties and Schools (CCS) Partnership Intergovernmental Collaboration Award; 2. Community Services and Economic Development; 3. Enhancing Public Trust, Ethics and Community Involvement; 4. Health and Wellness; 5. Housing Programs and Innovations; 6. Internal Administration; 7. League Partner Award for Excellence in City-Business Relations; 8. Planning and Environmental Quality; 9. Public Safety; 10. Public Works, Infrastructure and Transportation; and 11. Ruth Vreeland Award for Engaging Youth in City Government. In addition, the President’s Advocacy Award honors a person or program that best advocates for one of the League’s annual strategic goals.

Eva Spiegel is communications director for the League and can be reached at <espiegel@cacities.org>. www.westerncity.com

Western City, March 2012

News from the Institute for Local Government

Resources for Involving the Public In Land-Use Planning Decisions Land-use planning issues can present difficult and divisive issues for communities. A local agency’s land-use planning decisions literally affect people where they live. Such decisions also affect people’s sense of who they are and the value of their real estate. Engaging a broad spectrum of the community in these decisions can have a number of benefits. These include enhanced community buy-in and support for policies that are ultimately adopted and minimizing the need to repeatedly revisit the same planning issues. Community members often evaluate local officials’ public service based not only on the wisdom of their decisions but also on their commitment to seeking and then incorporating public input into their decision-making.

Beyond the Public Hearing Public hearings and the discussions that occur at the planning commission or governing body level are important elements of the decision-making process. Additional opportunities for public information and discussion that occur before these more formal and constrained meeting formats can enhance community understanding of the issues presented. More importantly, this kind of involvement can enable the public to collaboratively explore options and share ideas. These resources from the Institute for Local Government (ILG) can help: • Planning Public Involvement: Key Questions for Local Officials (www. ca-ilg.org/PublicParticipation) describes

League of California Cities

12 key questions to ask when planning public engagement efforts; • Beyond the Usuals: Ideas to Encourage Broader Public Involvement in Your Community (www.ca-ilg.org/ BeyondUsuals) explains ways to achieve more complete representation of the entire community in public engagement efforts; and • Principles of Local Government Public Engagement (www.ca-ilg.org/PublicEngagementPrinciples) identifies 10 principles to help guide local officials in designing public engagement processes and strategies. Case stories on public engagement efforts related to planning issues are also available at www.ca-ilg.org/PEplanning.

Promoting Informed Public Engagement on Land Use Land-use decision-making can be a fairly technical process, involving the application of specific criteria required by local, state or federal law. Sharing plain-language information about the more technical aspects of land-use decision-making can enhance the effectiveness of the public’s input in the decision-making process. It can also reduce the stress associated with participating in public discussions. To enable local agencies to help residents understand the land-use planning process in a cost-effective way, ILG has developed these resources:

“variances”) that local agencies can use to explain the decision-making criteria to people who are interested in providing input; • Land-Use Basics (www.ca-ilg.org/plan ningguide). Understanding the Basics of Land Use and Planning: Guide to Local Planning provides an overview of the planning process. A separate four-page checklist describes the nuts and bolts of reviewing a typical development application; and • Translating Terminology (www.ca-ilg. org/PlanningTerms). The Glossary of Land Use and Planning Terms defines the words that are common in land-use and planning decisions. It also covers acronyms and abbreviations of land-use and planning terms. ILG encourages California local agencies to take advantage of these resources in their planning process and also welcomes links to all of these resources from agency websites. Finally, avoiding technical jargon in staff presentations or discussions among decision-makers can also help make the planning process accessible to all in the community. For more information, read “The Ethics of Public Language” at www.westerncity.com.

More Resources Online For additional resources and links, read the online version of this article at www. westerncity.com. n

• One-Pagers (www.ca-ilg.org/onepagers). These are one-page summaries of common land-use issues (for example,

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Operation Mulch-a-Lot:

Long Beach Chips Away at Blight and Green Waste by Jessica Aviña Tong

Entry-level job trainees load mulch at a city composting facility. The Mulch-a-Lot program provides steady work for youth.

The Great Recession has hit California hard. With unemployment hovering around 11 percent and high foreclosure rates continuing to plague communities, many cities are wrestling with how to deal with large numbers of vacant properties. These include city-owned properties where development may be delayed because of the slow construction industry or local budget constraints.

Vacant and abandoned lots in a community can attract crime, create health hazards or lead to depressed property values. Cityowned lots are one area where local government can directly reduce neighborhood blight at a minimal cost. The City of Long Beach has a fairly simple, creative and easily replicated use for vacant city lots that also offers added benefits for sustainability, job training, community collaboration and access to healthy foods. Managing Lots of Lots

Long Beach’s richly diverse western side is one of the city’s oldest areas. It has experienced a wide variety of development trends over the years and has recently been a target of business corridor revitalization. The city’s redevelopment agency carried out a strategy of buying and demolishing properties considered nuisances, such as liquor stores or motels with a long history of repeated police calls. After clearing the properties, Long Beach continued on page 21

Jessica Aviña Tong is a program coordinator for the Institute for Local Government and can be reached at <javina@ca-ilg.org>.

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Western City, March 2012

Trailblazing a Sustainable Path by Gary Gallegos

League of California Cities

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Increasing the percentage of housing within a halfmile of transit is a key strategy.

A new era of transportation planning â&#x20AC;&#x201D; centered around the mandate to cut greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions â&#x20AC;&#x201D; has dawned in California as metropolitan planning organizations throughout the state work to comply with Senate Bill 375. Hailed by environmental advocates as a game changer, SB 375 requires metropolitan planning organizations to include a Sustainable Communities Strategy in their Regional Transportation Plan as part of the statewide effort to combat climate change.

n October 2011 the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), one of the four largest metropolitan planning organizations in California, became the first to adopt a transportation plan with a sustainability component. Our 40-year blueprint, known formally as the 2050 Regional Transportation Plan, was the result of more than two years of careful work and extensive public input.

As a trailblazer, SANDAG bore the brunt of public scrutiny, but ultimately succeeded in producing a viable plan that meets the carbon-emissions reduction targets set for our region by the California Air Resources Board. Three major reasons account for our success: 1. Our history of progressive land-use planning; 2. Collaboration with all 18 cities, the

county government and other regional planning agencies; and 3. The flexibility built into SB 375 regulations.

Progressive Land-Use Planning Long before SB 375 took effect in 2009, local governments in San Diego County continued

Gary Gallegos is executive director of the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG). For more information about SANDAG, visit www.sandag.org.

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Western City, March 2012

Trailblazing a Sustainable Path, continued

had been working toward creating sustainable communities. That made our job of complying with SB 375 much easier because we weren’t starting from scratch. The San Diego region has had natural resource preservation plans in place since the 1990s. We adopted the Multiple Species Conservation Program in 1997 and launched our Multiple Habitat Conservation Program in 2003. Together these two plans established a regional “greenprint” that limits sprawl. For the past decade we have also integrated housing, land-use and transportation planning to create compact, walkable and transit-oriented communities, although without focusing specifically on GHG emissions. In 2004 SANDAG adopted a Regional Comprehensive Plan, which sets forth a strategy to locate higherdensity and mixed-used development near existing and planned transportation infrastructure. The strategy focused on elevating the role of public transit by making it competitive with the car in terms of travel time, thus giving people realistic travel choices. With these prior efforts in place, SANDAG was able to combine the General Plans of the 18 cities and the county government in our jurisdiction to create a land-use pattern for our Sustainable Communities Strategy that achieves the desired results. The land-use pattern shows that the vast majority — 84 percent — of the new homes projected to be built between now and 2050 will be multifamily units concentrated in urban and community centers. In addition, the land-use pattern protects and preserves 1.3 million acres of open space, more than half of the land in our county. We are fortunate because our area’s geography naturally limits sprawl. To the north sits Camp Pendleton, a huge Marine Corps base made up largely of open land. On the south we have the U.S.Mexico border, and to the west lies the Pacific Ocean. To our east are mountains and deserts. For the most part, development is concentrated in the western third of our county.

League of California Cities

Creating compact, walkable and transit-oriented communities has been a major focus for the San Diego region for more than a decade.

Crucial to our success is the fact that the state left it to the metropolitan planning organizations to decide on the best strategies for meeting the targets in their particular jurisdictions. Extensive Regional Collaboration With a long-standing track record as a planning agency, SANDAG had the advantage of having all of its local governments at the table as we went about developing our Regional Transportation Plan. Elected officials from all 18 cities and the county government in our region sit on the SANDAG Board of Directors, and they all took part in the process. The challenges we faced as the first in the state to adopt a Sustainable Communities Strategy were also eased by the bonds we forged with other metropolitan planning organizations in our collective struggle to understand how to implement SB 375. Along with other metropolitan planning organization leaders, I was appointed to serve on the Regional Targets Advisory Committee formed by the California Air Resources Board. The committee was

charged with making recommendations on methodologies to be used for setting GHG targets and also included diverse representation from other stakeholders. The committee had many open, honest discussions on a wide range of technical and policy issues that were helpful as SANDAG went about developing its Sustainable Communities Strategy. Committee members studied regional scenarios for testing the effectiveness of various land-use and transportation policies in reducing GHG emissions. Having this stakeholder group work out a common approach for calculating carbon reductions was critically important, because otherwise the law would not be implemented consistently statewide. For example, just having a different assumption for the price of gasoline in the future continued on page 14

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Regional Flexibility and Local Control Critical to Success of SB 375 by Dan Carrigg The California Air Resources Board concurred in November 2011 that the San Diego Association of Governments’ (SANDAG) Sustainable Communities Strategy will achieve the region’s greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets assigned as part of the SB 375 implementation process. Shortly afterward, the Cleveland National Forest Foundation and the Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit in San Diego Superior Court that brought a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) challenge to SANDAG’s 2050 Regional Transportation Plan and Sustainable Com-

Efforts to undermine local flexibility

munities Strategy. The lawsuit claims that the Regional

will serve only to sour the good will

Transportation Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy

and collaboration needed to achieve

will worsen air quality, climate change and urban sprawl. The Sierra Club and California Attorney General Kamala

the regional targets.

Harris joined the suit in January 2012. This is a troubling development. One of SB 375’s crucial elements is that once a target is established, the regions have flexibility in determining how they will achieve their respective targets. The state’s only role is for the Air Resources Board to agree or disagree with the region on whether

laboration needed to achieve the regional targets, which are designed to improve land-use patterns that help reduce GHG emissions.

the region’s plan will achieve the targeted reduction — not

Moreover, achieving GHG reduction targets via SB 375

to micromanage the methods and strategies developed by

has now become much more difficult. The elimination

the region.

of redevelopment agencies and reductions in federal

Preserving regional flexibility and local control was a critical factor for the League, business groups, homebuilders and other organizations in the final agreement on SB 375. Although meeting the state’s GHG reduction goals does not relieve a metropolitan planning organization from complying with other requirements under CEQA, using CEQA to

programs supporting infrastructure leave local agencies practically nothing to work with to resolve the challenges of infill: cleaning up brownfields; small lot assembly; upgrading sewer, water and other infrastructure to support higher-density development; providing affordable housing; and other issues. How will this now be accomplished?

challenge the way in which SANDAG chose to meet the

As regions move forward with developing and implement-

goals is contrary to the spirit of the regional control built

ing Sustainable Communities Strategies they need flex-

into SB 375.

ibility to develop plans that reflect local realities, which are

SANDAG was the first region to adopt a plan in compliance with SB 375, and other regions are now following in its footsteps. It’s essential that all regions will have the same flexibility that SANDAG experienced in developing a plan to achieve their assigned GHG reduction targets. Efforts to

now even starker. Those groups clamoring for additional progress would be more helpful if they focused their efforts on understanding the practical challenges faced by local agencies and the marketplace and working to develop the financial and other resources to match desired goals.

undermine local flexibility — the cornerstone of SB 375’s framework — will serve only to sour the good will and col-

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Dan Carrigg is legislative director for the League and can be reached at <dcarrigg@cacities.org>.

Western City, March 2012

Trailblazing a Sustainable Path, continued from page 12

could dramatically change projections of GHG emissions. After the committee wrapped up its work, the staff at different metropolitan planning organizations formed their own groups to share ideas on the fine details of implementing SB 375. Planning directors of the metropolitan planning organizations created their own group, and so did the legal staff and modeling specialists.

Extensive outreach and public input played a vital role in the planning process.

Metropolitan planning organizations have taken their collaboration to a new level. More than ever, we are leveraging each other’s expertise to come up with solutions. Metropolitan planning organizations in California have some of the brightest minds in regional transportation in the nation. Working together, we are more likely to develop innovations and avoid pitfalls. After all, nobody has a monopoly on good ideas.

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Flexible Regulations The implementation of SB 375 could have easily become a colossal failure if it weren’t for the fact that flexibility was built into the regulations and idealism was tempered with pragmatism. Regulators were wise enough to know that one-size-fits-all GHG reduction targets would not work because of the Golden State’s incredible diversity. As a continued on page 16

League of California Cities

www.cacities.org

To Murrieta & Points North

To Murrieta & Temecula

To Orange County & Points North

5 56

continued 8

15 163

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54 125

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Western City, March 2012

Trailblazing a Sustainable Path, continued from page 14

result, the California Air Resources Board set unique targets for each region. The San Diego County targets include a 7 percent per-capita reduction by 2020 and a 13 percent reduction by 2035, both measured against a 2005 baseline. These targets are ambitious yet achievable. For SB 375 to succeed and make a difference, the targets must be realistic. If piein-the-sky goals are set and no metropolitan planning organization can meet them, then the law is just rhetoric.

Equally crucial to our success is the fact that the state left it to the metropolitan planning organizations to decide on the best strategies for meeting the targets in their particular jurisdictions. Depending on geographic, funding and political factors, different regions are likely to explore different options. A thousand ideas will bloom. For SANDAG, one of our key strategies for cutting per-capita emissions from cars and light trucks is to invest heavily in

transit systems. Over the next 40 years, our region plans to: • Add 156 new miles of trolley and Sprinter (diesel) rail service; • Expand and speed up Coaster commuter rail service by double-tracking the coastal rail corridor; and • Construct 130 miles of managed lanes to facilitate premium bus services, car pools and van pools.

Housing Near Public Transit

2008

2050 Within 1/2 Mile of Transit 45%

Not Within 1/2 Mile of Transit 55%

Within 1/2 Mile of Transit 64% Not Within 1/2 Mile of Transit 36%

Source SANDAG 2050 Regional Growth Forecast

By mid-century we will have more than doubled transit service miles, with increased service frequency in key corridors.

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“We needed a material for the ADA compliant areas of the parking lot that would facilitate wheelchair access, accept code required striping and still allow the storm water to percolate.” — Brian Dougherty, FAIA, Dougherty + Dougherty Architects LLP

League of California Cities

Our 2050 Regional Transportation Plan calls for progressively larger investments in transit in each decade of the plan. In the first decade, $10 billion is slated for transit improvements, with nearly $16 billion in the second decade, $25 billion in the third decade, and $55 billion in the final decade. When the plan is fully carried out, the number of homes in San Diego County located within a half-mile of public transit services will increase to 64 percent, up from 45 percent in 2008.

sccpconcrete.com

Along with a deep commitment to public transit, the San Diego region plans to invest heavily in bicycle and pedestrian continued on page 20

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Murals provide a significant deterrent to graffiti and enhance public spaces.

Hayward Uses Murals to Fight Blight

he City of Hayward (pop. 154,000), located in the eastern San Francisco Bay Area, is one of the state’s most diverse municipalities. Hayward’s Mural Art Program takes its inspiration from the city council’s Safe, Clean and Green Priorities. Launched in 2009, the program uses a proactive, preventive approach to help eliminate graffiti, which represents 35 percent of all property vandalism reported to the Hayward Police Department. Graffiti’s effects include declining property values and intimidation of law-abiding neighborhood residents. Graffiti-prone neighborhoods also suffer from increased rates of other types of crime, including gang violence. Hayward spends more than $1 million each year to combat graffiti vandalism. Communities with similar programs have learned that such murals are rarely defaced by graffiti and stimulate a sense of neighborhood pride and collective ownership. In addition to its primary focus on graffiti prevention, Hayward’s Mural Art Program serves multiple purposes, including: • Addressing health and safety conditions; • Reducing blight; • Enhancing the attractiveness and vibrancy of the community; and • Establishing and fostering partnerships with local artists, businesses and residents. The Mural Art Program produces highly visible, rapid improvements, while creating enduring artistic representations of

Hayward’s rich cultural diversity. Murals provide an active and creative outlet for self-expression and invite participation from community members, artists and educators to create something of value in the neighborhoods where they live. Hayward’s murals showcase a variety of themes, including civic pride and historically significant local events. The program extends to graffiti-prone commercial buildings, schools, underpasses, utility boxes, fire hydrants, benches and other sidewalk fixtures. Owners of these previously vandalized properties have responded enthusiastically to the opportunity to participate in this innovative program, which also provides a way to create new partnerships. Hayward’s partners in these collaborative efforts include Pacific Gas and Electric, Union Pacific Railroad and the Hayward Unified School District as well as local businesses and artists, homeowners’ associations, residents and hundreds of volunteers. The first mural project, completed in April 2009, represented a collaboration of the city, the local Community Resources for Independent Living agency and California State University, East Bay. Since then, these projects have been completed through the Mural Art Program: • Eleven commercial building walls throughout the downtown corridor, with two more currently under way; • Two schools; • Fifteen library book-return boxes; continued on page 26

The City of Hayward won the Award for Excellence in the Community Services and Economic Development category of the 2011 Helen Putnam Award for Excellence. For more about the award program, see page 7 or visit www.HelenPutnam.org.

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Western City, March 2012

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Display Advertising

Western City magazine’s job opportunity section is the source for job seekers looking for positions in local government. When you place a job opportunity ad in Western City magazine, it will be posted at no additional charge on our website. For rates and deadlines, visit www.westerncity.com and click on the “Advertise” link.

Call Pam Maxwell-Blodgett at (800) 2621801 to place a display (boxed) ad or for rate and deadline information. Or e-mail <admanager@westerncity.com>. Website Job Postings

ad into the magazine, you can post it on the Western City website right away. To post your job opportunity ad on our automated website, visit www.western city.com or e-mail Sara Rounds at <srounds@cacities.org> or phone (916) 658-8223 for more information.

Display ads are posted on our website at no additional charge. But if you miss the deadline for getting your job opportunity

Did You Miss the February Issue? Read it online at www.westerncity.com

We are passionate about local government and recruiting talented professionals with an affinity for public service!

City Manager/ City Clerk

The City of Lomita is seeking a team oriented professional with solid local government experience. The incoming City Manager will oversee a full-time staff of 46 and an operating budget of $14.3 million. Lomita is a contract city. A Master’s Degree is preferred. The salary for the City Manager is open depending upon qualifications and experience. The City also offers an attractive benefits package. Please submit confidential application and resume with three references to City of Lomita, City Manager Recruitment, PO Box 339, Lomita, CA, 90717. Please contact (310) 325-7110, should you have any questions. Open until filled, first review by March 31, 2012.

League of California Cities

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MuniTemps will Save Your City Money! Police Chief, City of Salinas, CA The City of Salinas, population 150,300 is located fifteen miles inland from Monterey Bay, 325 miles north of Los Angeles and 106 miles south of San Francisco. The City of Salinas is seeking a Police Chief who will be a strong and committed leader, and will earn the respect from his/her staff. The ideal candidate will be fair, ethical, and one who embraces diversity. The selected candidate will be a leader for cultural awareness for all staff, and a team player within the organization. The incoming Chief should be creative, innovative, open to technology and be collaborative with outside agencies. An individual who is visible, approachable, and who can represent the Department in a positive way will excel in this position. The ideal candidate will possess outstanding managerial skills and abilities including problem solving and decision making capabilities. Candidates should have experience with organizations that have a strong team orientation, open communication, and an employee participation environment. The new Chief will inspire the Department to work together to create a more efficient working environment. Ideally, the selected candidate will provide clear direction, establish measurable goals, and hold staff accountable for achieving results. Candidates who can demonstrate a proven track record dealing with ethnically diverse cultures, experience in community policing, and experience in community based programs which deal with drug and gang issues are essential for this position. A Bachelor’s Degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, Law, Criminal Justice, or a related field is required. A Masters Degree in one of these fields is preferred. The salary range for the Police Chief is $161,676 - $196,534. The City also offers an attractive benefits package. To apply for this opportunity, please visit our website at www.bobmurrayassoc.com and you will be prompted to apply online. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Bob Murray at (916) 784-9080. A detailed brochure is available. Filing Deadline: March 23, 2012.

phone 916•784•9080 fax 916•784•1985 www.bobmurrayassoc.com

www.cacities.org

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Blessed with the natural beauty of the Santa Rosa Mountains, La Quinta (pop. 37,000) is the “Gem of the Desert.” Long hailed as an exclusive resort getaway with some of the best golf in the country, La Quinta has grown into a retail, restaurant, art, and entertainment hub tucked in a quaint, residential mountain cove. Appointed by the five-member City Council, the City Manager will oversee a full-time staff of 86 and $126 million operating budget. Proven experience in municipal finance/budgeting, economic development/redevelopment is desired. Bachelor’s degree in public or business administration or related field required; Master’s preferred. Salary is DOQ.

Please send your cover letter and resume electronically to:

Peckham & McKenney apply@peckhamandmckenney.com Call Bobbi Peckham at (866) 912-1919 for more information or to request a detailed brochure. The brochure is also available on our web site at www.peckhamandmckenney.com. Filing deadline is March 30, 2012.

POLICE CHIEF — CITY OF EUREKA

Police Chief - City of Eureka, California A Victorian Seaport situated along the spectacular Northern California coast, the City of Eureka is one of California’s best-kept secrets. The City sits adjacent to beautiful Humboldt Bay, and is bordered by rich pasture lands, farmhouses, coastal mountains and giant redwoods. The City boasts a rich logging and fishing heritage amid an historic and extraordinary Victorian urban landscape. A variety of active cultural or outdoor recreational opportunities abound for our 27,000 citizens, including theater and artisan events, boating and hiking trails. Annual salary range is up to $133,260 with excellent benefits including CalPERS (3%@50). Please submit a City application, cover letter, resume and completed supplemental questionnaire packet to: City of Eureka, Personnel Department, 531 K Street, Eureka, CA 95501. For a complete job description and application packet, please contact the City at the above address, or call the City’s job line at 707-441-4134 to request that one be mailed to you. Or you may apply online at http://www.eurekawebs.com/cityhall/human/positionsavailable.cfm CLOSING DATE: March 30, 2012

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TOWN OF ATH E RTON

City Manager

City of La Quinta, CA

CITY MANAGER Salary DOQ including exceptional benefits The Town of Atherton, located in the San Francisco Bay Area, is home to some of the most beautiful estates in the country. The Town, operating under a councilmanager form of government, is seeking a highly qualified City Manager to provide day-to-day operational authority over a small in-house staff, contract service providers and a customer service based in-house police department. The new City Manager will have significant experience in municipal operations including experience as a city manager or assistant city manager. The ideal candidate is fiscally conservative, a supporter of lean government and committed to efficiency of service within the Town. A minimum of eight years of government work experience is preferred, including six years in a management capacity. Candidates should possess a Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration or a related field; Master’s is desirable. The current interim City Manager will not be a candidate. To apply please contact Theresa DellaSanta at tdellasanta@ci.atherton.ca.us for a copy of the criteria before submitting a cover letter, resume and salary history. Open until filled.

Western City, March 2012

Trailblazing a Sustainable Path, continued from page 16

projects and programs, new car pool and telework incentive programs to reduce solo driving, and advanced technology to better manage traffic.

Looking Ahead Although SANDAG has won both state and federal approval for its 2050 Regional J

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By mid-century the region will have doubled transit service miles.

CITY OF BENICIA The scenic Bay Area city of Benicia is unlike any other, with a beautiful waterfront, bustling arts community, top notch shopping and dining, and rich history. The moderate Mediterranean weather produces dry, warm summers and mild falls and winters. Discover all that Benicia has to offer, and one is sure to have “A Great Day by the Bay!”

FINANCE DIRECTOR

The City of Benicia is seeking a highly qualified finance professional to direct and oversee the accounting and financial operations of the City. The incumbent in this high profile department head position is also responsible for coordinating activities with other departments William Avery & Associates and outside agencies; providing highly responsible and complex Management Consultants administrative support to the City Manager, and serving as a member of 1 3 /2 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Suite A the City’s Senior Executive team. Los Gatos, CA 95030 408.399.4424 The ideal candidate will possess six years of increasingly responsible Fax: 408.399.4423 experience in governmental financial planning and administration, including three years of managerial and supervisory responsibility, email: jobs@averyassoc.net www.averyassoc.net coupled with a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in finance, accounting, business administration, public administration or a related field. Possession of a Master’s degree in a related field and a CPA are desirable. To apply, submit your letter of interest, resume, current salary and five work related references (email preferred) to Bill Avery or Paul Kimura by March 23, 2012. The salary range for this position is $121,296 - $147,444 annually, DOQ. A formal job announcement is available on our website at http://www.averyassoc.net/jobs.

Fire Chief, Peoria, AZ Established in the 1880’s, Peoria is a fast-growing city of 160,000 residents located in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The City of Peoria is currently seeking a new Fire Chief to oversee a staff of 180 full-time, benefitted employees and a FY2012 budget of $19.6 million. The City is seeking a Fire Chief who operates in an open, approachable, and collaborative manner. A successful candidate will not only demonstrate experience in Fire Operations and familiarity with the use of data-driven and predictive fire and emergency management techniques, but also be able to mentor and coach others in their most effective uses. A strong candidate will have substantial municipal fire service experience, including at least four years of experience at the command level. A Bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, Justice Studies, Political Science, Fire Science, Emergency Management, or a closely related field of study is required; a Master’s degree in a related field of study is highly desirable. The hiring range for the Fire Chief position is $120,000-$145,000, dependent on qualifications. If you are interested in this outstanding opportunity, please apply on line at www.bobmurrayassoc.com. Please contact Bob Murray at (916) 784-9080 should you have any questions. Brochure available. Closing date March 16, 2012.

Transportation Plan, our work is far from over. Just about every week, our staff receives calls from their counterparts at other metropolitan planning organizations who want to find out how we did it. We at SANDAG are also closely following what other metropolitan planning organizations are doing to comply with SB 375. It will be interesting to see the variety of strategies used to meet the reduction targets and which ones will prove over time to be the most effective. The next SANDAG Regional Transportation Plan won’t be adopted for another four years, but we are already on the lookout for transportation modeling technology that will enable us to make more sophisticated analyses. Next year we plan to implement an advanced activity-based model that simulates individual and household travel decisions. The model can predict whether, where, when and how people travel, as well as with whom they will travel, offering great insights for regional transportation planning. This technology will give us the ability to analyze vehicle miles traveled by household, giving us more information about primary emitters of GHGs. As a trailblazer in implementing SB 375, we want to be at the forefront of developing next-generation modeling to deliver superior data analysis. n

phone 916•784•9080 fax 916•784•1985 www.bobmurrayassoc.com

League of California Cities

www.cacities.org

Operation Mulch-a-Lot: Long Beach Chips Away at Blight and Green Waste, continued from page 9

built simple white fences around them to signal to the public that the lots were not abandoned and hired a property manager to landscape and clean the lots every two weeks. Although the city plans to sell many of these properties to revitalize neighborhoods, a large portion have not yet been sold due to current market and budget conditions. In 2008 Long Beach created an Office of Sustainability within the City Manager’s Office. The Office of Sustainability has goals in seven different areas; one is waste reduction. Sustainability Coordinator Larry Rich was particularly interested in reducing green waste. The city already achieves state waste-diversion targets required under AB 939, and Long Beach’s trash goes to a facility that converts waste to energy. However, Rich discovered that about 12,000 tons of green waste are generated annually through routine tree trimming done by the city, and these tree trimmings can be turned into mulch relatively easily. By spreading a 12-inch layer of mulch from tree trimmings on city-owned vacant lots, Long Beach could suppress weed growth and reduce the need to pay for property upkeep. Thus Operation Mulch-a-Lot was born. To date Long Beach has been able to divert approximately half of its yearly treetrimming waste — roughly 6,000 tons — onto vacant lots. The program has also reduced property maintenance costs by about 37 percent. One Program Becomes Three

When Long Beach started spreading mulch on vacant lots, it put up signs explaining that the city operated the Mulch-a-Lot program. Almost immediately people started calling to see if they could pick up the mulch for their own uses, but the lots were not managed for public access. The city already operated a green jobs training program, where local youth learn to build community gardens,

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City of Anaheim The largest city in Orange County is seeking a new

City Manager TB&Co. is honored to be representing the dynamic City of Anaheim (pop. 340,000) in its search for a new City Manager. Find detailed information at www.tbcrecruiting.com. This recruitment will close on April 2, 2012.

Teri Black-Brann • 310.377.2612 Carolyn Seeley • 949.487.7606 www.tbcrecruiting.com

ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER City of Santa Maria The City of Santa Maria, which lies in a lush valley within Santa Barbara County on the beautiful Central Coast of California, is accepting applications for the position of ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER. With a diverse population of over 100,000 and an employee to population ratio of 4.56%, the City is a growing community balancing development while maintaining agricultural lands and promoting business. The incumbent, acts as the primary staff assistant to the City Manager, coordinating daily interdepartmental activities, budgetary issues, formulating and managing operational procedures toward improving City services; is responsible for and participates in labor relations; actively participates in the development of the Citywide budget; supervises staff as assigned; acts on behalf of the City Manager in his absence; and performs other duties as assigned. This is a hands-on working department head position that performs in a fast-paced environment. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of providing exemplary customer service; be known as an analytical, flexible, and collaborative proactive problem solver, skilled in project development and management; an excellent negotiator; and for getting results. Minimum qualifications: Graduation from a 4-yr college, specialized in public or business administration. Master’s Degree in Public Administration is highly desirable. Four years of seasoned, responsible administrative or managerial experience in municipal government. Full job requirements and on-line application available at www.ci.santa-maria.ca.us. Competitive salary, $137,697 – 167,372* annually, and excellent benefit package. Contact the HR Division for further questions at (805) 925-0951 x203. Filing deadline: April 30, 2012 at 5:00 p.m. *Does not reflect 5% salary concession.

continued

www.westerncity.com

Western City, March 2012

Operation Mulch-a-Lot: Long Beach Chips Away at Blight and Green Waste, continued

set up rain barrels, plant community trees and assist with other green projects. Recognizing that tree trimming produced more mulch than could be spread on vacant lots, the city initiated a home delivery program in partnership with the green jobs program.

Residents can request mulch by calling the city or filling out a simple online form. A part-time city employee leads youth workers who fill a city truck with mulch and make deliveries to residents two days a week. The team can make about 14 home deliveries per week. The

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With stunning vistas of Mt. Shasta and Lassen Peak in the distance and located along the winding Sacramento River, the City of Anderson is a growing community of 10,600 in Northern California’s Shasta County. Appointed by the five-member City Council, the City Manager will oversee a full range of services with a staff of 60 and $7.8 million operating budget. Proven leadership experience in local government including municipal finance/budgeting and economic development is desired. Bachelor’s degree in public or business administration or related field required; Master’s preferred. Salary is DOQ.

Please send your cover letter and resume electronically to:

FINANCE DIRECTOR

League of California Cities

When the local newspaper wanted to cover the mulch delivery program, city staff realized they could not readily accommodate increased interest. So Long Beach added a mulch pickup opportunity, opening one lot each month for a few hours when youth workers help residents load mulch into their vehicles. Community Gardens and Urban Farms Are a Plus

City Manager

City of Anderson, CA

program is so popular that there is a sixweek waiting period to have mulch delivered. In November 2011, the program made its 500th delivery.

Vacant lots that have been mulched have attracted the attention of organizations interested in community gardens and urban farming, because mulch greatly improves soil quality. The city decided to allow community gardens and urban farms to use properties not slated for development in the near future. This arrangement is on an interim basis. For example, a local charter school was interested in transforming a vacant lot into a farm. The school entered into a lease with the city to open the New City Farm, which serves as a living classroom

Operation Mulch-a-Lot By the Numbers Long Beach’s Operation Mulch-a-Lot provides three services: 1. Mulch for vacant lots. Twentyfive lots have been mulched since the program’s inception in 2009, diverting approximately 6,000 tons of mulch per year; 2. Home delivery. Youth workers deliver mulch to Long Beach residents, which diverts approximately 250 tons per year; and 3. A pickup program. Residents can pick up mulch once a month. This program launched in September 2011. In its first three months, 150 people picked up about 50 tons of mulch.

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City Manager, City of Chino, CA for its students. Long Beach has also had success with short-term leases. While waiting for work to start on a property slated for development by Habitat for Humanity, the city granted a two-year lease to a community garden. When the lease concluded, the property reverted to city control. Operation Mulch-a-Lot originally focused on city-owned properties, but the city has since been approached by owners of private lots who also want the service. The Salvation Army asked the city to deliver mulch to a vacant lot it owns to help control weeds and beautify the property. Subsequently the nonprofit Long Beach Community Action Partnership approached the Salvation Army with a proposal to put a farm on the property. The Salvation Army agreed, and the farm, part of the Spring Street Farm Project, now includes a stand that sells fresh local produce to the community. continued

Youth workers spread mulch at one of the city’s vacant lots.

The City of Chino, population 82,000, is recruiting for a City Manager. The City Council is seeking a proven leader, with exceptional communication skills, adept at earning the trust and respect of the City Council, staff and the community at-large. Candidates who promote a collaborative work environment and value teamwork are ideally suited to this position. The City of Chino is both politically and financially stable, with a total operating budget of $113 million; $56.7 million of which are General Fund dollars. The City has 329 full-time positions. Operating departments within the City are: Police, Community Development, Community Services, Finance, Human Resources and Public Works (which includes water and sewer). Fire Services are provided by contract with the Chino Valley Independent Fire District. Candidates should possess a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, Business Administration or a related field. Compensation will be determined based on qualifications and includes a competitive benefit package. If you are interested in this outstanding opportunity, please see the detailed job announcement and employment application online at www.bobmurrayassoc.com. Should you have any questions, contact Bob Murray at (916) 784-9080. Apply by no later than April 6, 2012. EOE phone 916•784•9080 fax 916•784•1985 www.bobmurrayassoc.com

County of Placer County Executive Officer This is an extraordinary career opportunity to join a creative and innovative county located in scenic Northern California (Auburn is the County seat) as its next County Executive Officer. This progressive and award-winning organization has been able to accomplish so much and earn the reputation as one of the best managed municipalities in the Western United States. The CEO is an at-will position that reports to the five-member Board of Supervisors. The Board of Supervisors is looking for an individual who will make a long term commitment to this distinguished organization. Placer County (pop. 352,000) encompasses 1,506 square miles and is located 80 miles northeast of San Francisco, California. The County’s Budget for FY2011/12 is $764 million with staff of approximately 2,200. The ideal candidate will be a results-oriented, collaborative leader with a confident, “hands-on” style. Bachelor’s degree required; an advanced degree may be a plus. This is a well-compensated executive level position and starting salary will be dependent on qualifications, salary history, and career accomplishments. Resumes, including cover letter and record of accomplishments, will be reviewed and evaluated as received. Electronic submittals are required to apply@ralphandersen.com by Friday, March 16, 2012. Confidential inquires welcomed to Heather Renschler, (916) 630-4900. Detailed recruitment brochure available at www.ralphandersen.com.

Ralph Andersen & Associates Photo/art credits: page 3, i3alda/Shutterstock; page 4, LackO’Keen/Shutterstock; page 7, Elena Schweitzer/Shutterstock; page 8, FloridaStock/ Shutterstock; page 9, courtesy City of Long Beach; pages 10–12, courtesy SANDAG; page 13, Jim Lopes/Shutterstock; pages 14–16, courtesy SANDAG; pages 12–16 and

www.westerncity.com

page 20 border, aceshot1/Shutterstock; page 17, courtesy City of Hayward/League of California Cities; page 20, courtesy SANDAG; page 23, courtesy City of Hayward/League of California Cities; pages 24–25, forestpath/ Shutterstock; pages 26–27, courtesy City of Hayward/League of California Cities.

Western City, March 2012

Operation Mulch-a-Lot: Long Beach Chips Away at Blight and Green Waste, continued

Program Benefits

Operation Mulch-a-Lot has contributed to a more sustainable community in many innovative ways since 2009. These include: • Reducing Blight. Spreading mulch signals to the community that vacant J

lots are not abandoned and can help transform a neighborhood hazard into a community asset. • Diverting Green Waste. Placing mulch on local lots helps divert green waste from the waste stream and guarantees that the mulch is used as compost.

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Compliance Officer

Restore Neighborhoods LA, Inc. RNLA is a non-profit property holding and development corporation created in January 2009 to purchase foreclosed or abandoned properties at a discount from lenders and loan servicers in order to stabilize neighborhoods and stem the decline of house values of neighboring homes. RNLA rehabs these properties to a high GREEN standard and then they are sold or rented to qualified households. The Compliance Officer is responsible for monitoring all of RNLA’s activities to insure they are in compliance with NSP rules and other federal requirements. Salary will be commensurate with the experience and qualifications of the selected candidate along with competitive benefits.

Please send your cover letter and resume electronically to:

Peckham & McKenney apply@peckhamandmckenney.com Call Phil McKenney at (866) 912-1919 for more information or to request a detailed brochure. The brochure is also available on our web site at www.peckhamandmckenney.com. Filing deadline is March 23, 2012.

• Decreasing Stormwater Runoff. Mulch acts as a sponge, holding water and reducing the amount of stormwater runoff from vacant lots. • Reducing City Costs. The city saves money by reducing the need for property management. For example, the Housing Services Bureau, which manages a portion of the city-owned vacant lots, saves approximately $50,000 annually in property management costs. • Employing and Educating Youth. Operation Mulch-a-Lot requires minimal start-up infrastructure and provides a steady stream of work for Youth Green Jobs Trainees, a program that helps develop entry-level youth job skills. The mulch program also complements other urban greening operations and tree plantings that involve youth. • Increasing Neighborhood Food Access Through Urban Farming. Although it was not part of the program’s original intent, lots that were mulched became attractive places to farm and garden. The short-term leases for community farms and gardens have helped increase access to healthy, fresh produce

CITY OF LIVERMORE Livermore, California is an integral part of the SF Bay Area, and a successful competitor in the global market. With its wealth of research, technology, invention, arts, culture, western heritage, and vibrant wine industry, Livermore is a vibrant and highly desirable community and a cornerstone in the Tri-Valley region.

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR

The Administrative Services Director has responsibility for the Finance, Human Resources and Information Technology Divisions and serves as the City’s Treasurer and Purchasing Agent. As a member of the City’s Executive William Avery & Associates Leadership Team, the Administrative Services Director must demonstrate Management Consultants strategic thinking and be a seasoned leader with a proven track record of 31/2 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Suite A effective engagement at all levels within the organization. Los Gatos, CA 95030 408.399.4424 The ideal candidate will have a minimum of six years of extensive Fax: 408.399.4423 financial experience and a solid working knowledge of human resources email: jobs@averyassoc.net and information technology preferably in a municipal setting, and at www.averyassoc.net least three years managing a major division or department. A thorough knowledge of local government along with a BA/BS in a related field is required. To apply, submit your letter of interest, resume, current salary and five work related references (email preferred) to Bill Avery or Paul Kimura by March 23, 2012. The salary range for this position is $135,288 - $169,110 annually, DOQ. A formal job announcement is available on our website at http://www.averyassoc.net/jobs.

League of California Cities

www.cacities.org

Tips for Success From the Mulch-a-Lot Program • Twelve inches of mulch reduces to about 6 inches in one year, meaning that mulch will need to be reapplied to a vacant lot on a one- to two-year cycle. • Signs highlighting the program can help create community interest in multiple uses of mulch. • When choosing a vacant lot, be sure to communicate in advance with neighbors about the program, as mulch has a woodsy odor when first applied.

and serve as educational tools for students and neighbors. “I think this program is relevant to many communities and replicable — everyone is trimming trees, and everyone has to dispose of the green waste,” says Sustainability Coordinator Larry Rich. “Some communities have green waste facilities, but because the Los Angeles area is very urbanized, taking green waste to a composting facility means trucking it more than 100 miles, which adds transportation costs. This way we can use mulch locally without lots of costs.” n

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City Attorney, City of Concord, CA Concord, California is located 29 miles east of San Francisco, adjacent to beautiful Mt. Diablo. With 124,467 residents, it is the largest city in Contra Costa County. The City provides a wide range of services to its residents with an operating budget of $124 million. Concord is now seeking a new City Attorney; the City Attorney is appointed by the City Council and supported by a full-time staff of three. The City Council seeks an exceptional attorney with demonstrated expertise in municipal law; the areas of land use, development, personnel law, risk management, litigation, contract development and review, and open meetings law are of particular importance. The Council seeks an open, transparent, and collaborative individual who will work closely with the Council, City Manager, and department heads to proactively address challenges and opportunities city-wide and to guide City personnel regarding pertinent legal issues. A candidate who will provide balanced, thoughtful alternatives to issues faced by the City is sought. The salary for the City Attorney is open and is dependent upon qualifications. If you are interested in this outstanding opportunity, please apply on line at www.bobmurrayassoc.com. Please contact Bob Murray at (916) 784-9080 should you have any questions. Brochure available. Closing date April 13, 2012. phone 916•784•9080 fax 916•784•1985 www.bobmurrayassoc.com

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Community gardens and urban farming are an unexpected benefit of the Mulch-a-Lot program. While such uses were not anticipated when the program was planned, they are delivering significant community benefits.

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Contact Interim City Manager Don Powell at 714-998-1500 or via email at dpowell@villapark.org, or send your resume to: Don Powell, 17855 Santiago Blvd., Villa Park, California, 92861.

The “Hidden Jewel” of Villa Park in Orange County seeks a new City Manager. The City is celebrating its 50th anniversary of incorporation this year, and is proud of its tradition of financial stability and volunteerism. The professional staff enjoys a collaborative and supportive relationship with the Council members and residents. Most city services are provided under contract, with police and fire services from the Orange County Sheriff ’s Department and Fire Authority, respectively. The right City Manager will be a hands-on professional who likes being involved in all aspects of a dynamic little municipality. This is the ideal position for a young professional seeking a great career growth opportunity, or a more experienced department head or other senior manager looking for a City Manager role as the capstone of their career.

Western City, March 2012

Hayward Uses Murals to Fight Blight, continued from page 17

• A 10,000-square-foot sound wall, with a second under way; • Twelve tile benches created for the Hayward Paratransit Program; and • Thirty utility boxes, with work on 35 more beginning in spring 2012.

Many of these locations were covered in graffiti before the murals were painted. Now they are unique works of art and a source of community pride. Operational Details

The city uses a flexible procurement process to select local artists, which includes O

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Community Services Director, Peoria, AZ The City of Peoria (population 160,000) is a fast-growing city located in the Phoenix metropolitan area; the City is currently seeking a new Community Services Director to oversee a staff of 101 full-time and 781 part-time employees. The Director will work closely with the City Council, City Manager, staff, and community members in analyzing and addressing the needs of the community in terms of desired programs and services, as well as working with other regional agencies to develop a comprehensive service structure; the Department has responsibility for functions in the areas of Parks, Recreation, Library Operations, and the Sports Complex. Any combination of education and experience supplying the necessary skills and knowledge is acceptable; typically, candidates will possess a Bachelor’s degree in Recreation, Public Administration, Social or Human services, or a closely related field. A Master’s degree in a related field of study is highly desirable. The hiring range for the Community Services Director position is $120,000 – 145,000, dependent on qualifications. If you are interested in this outstanding opportunity, please apply on line at www.bobmurrayassoc.com. Please contact Bob Murray at (916) 784-9080 should you have any questions. Brochure available. Closing date March 16, 2012. phone 916•784•9080 fax 916•784•1985 www.bobmurrayassoc.com

City of Bell founded in 1927; renewed in 2011 With the anticipated appointment of a new City Manager in May 2012, four career opportunities are available to assist in leading this organization into the future. Chief of Police Director of Community Development Director of Community Services Director of Finance Stay tuned to learn more. Recruitments will begin in May with anticipated start dates in September 2012.

Call Bobbi Peckham or Phil McKenney at (866) 912-1919 for more information.

Join in the renewal of the City of Bell – what better opportunity to contribute your proven experience and commitment to local government? www.peckhamandmckenney.com

League of California Cities

outreach to the local art community and academic institutions. An artist or project may be selected through open or limited competition, invitation or direct purchase. Hayward’s standards for contracting and compliance with federal regulations are met through formal agreements with the artists and property owners. Success on Several Levels

Of the 30 mural utility boxes completed, only three have been modestly marked since they were painted, thus saving the city and community approximately $30,000 annually so far. All 11 wall murals have remained untagged or marked since their completion. Some of these murals have been in place for nearly three years, saving property owners and the city tens of thousands of dollars annually. The program’s popularity and success has generated several related activities, including a dedicated page on the city’s website, a city mural blog and a brochure for a self-guided mural tour. Through webinars and in-house seminars, the City of Hayward has also assisted more than a dozen other local jurisdictions in their efforts to implement similar programs. Two of these local jurisdictions, the City of Livermore and Alameda County, have launched their own mural art program. Hayward’s Mural Art Program offers an outstanding example of a local effort that has helped reduce crime, build publicprivate partnerships, enhance community pride and save taxpayers’ money. www.cacities.org

The subject matter of Hayward’s murals ranges from the realistic to the whimsical and reflects the style of the local artists who create these public works of art.

Contact: Stacey Sorensen, Neighborhood Partnership manager, City of Hayward; phone: (510) 583-4233; e-mail: <stacey. sorensen@hayward-ca.gov>. n

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