Issues Facing Orinda

By Carlos Baltodano

The Orinda News recently posed 4 questions to the City Council Candidates. Below are the questions and the full replies by Carlos Baltodano.

Diversity of perspective is important to effectively formulate public policy in an open democratic society. As a member of the Planning Committee for six years, and as Chair the past year, I have a deep understanding of the State requirements (5th Cycle Housing Element) and the City's plans to address them.

The Housing Element must be consistent with the City's General Plan. It is subject to official certification by the State Department of Housing and Community Development which ensures that it complies with State law. If the Housing Element is not certified as compliant with State law, Orinda could lose State grant money to improve our roads. We must not let this happen!

There are two issues: 1) What constitutes compliance, and 2) How to address and incorporate public concerns. Compliance is providing opportunities to meet the goal of 227 units by 2023. The City has already made large strides to meet this goal. Over half of the required units have been built and will count towards meeting the 5th Cycle Housing Element. Specifically, the 67 units being built by Eden Housing for low-income seniors will count towards the low-income housing requirement. The 8 units in the Pulte project will count towards the goal for moderate income persons, and more than 4 second units will count towards meeting the low-income housing goal. The units being built at Wilder and Orinda Oaks more than meet the goal for market rate housing.

The housing needs of Orinda continue to be housing for seniors. More than 1/3 of Orinda homes have a head of a household 65 or older. There needs to be a continued high priority to meet the needs of seniors and to find opportunities for less expensive housing to enable a transition from larger homes in the community. In addition , there is a need to address housing for young professionals and locally-employed, lower-paid occupations.

It is crucial to incorporate local public concerns in this process. The City Council needs to be open and diligent in seeking divergent view points and making them part of the Housing Element. In addition the Council has to own the process and take a leadership position in every meeting, rather than having staff or consultants take the lead. Leading in an open environment will go a long way to address the community's concerns. My weekly open-door policy should help as well.

2. Question: The changing face of Orinda's downtown continues to be a source of concern for many. What are your views on building height and density issues? (200 word limit)

ANSWER

The downtown in Orinda is a precious area that reflects our history and serves as an important shopping, dining and professional center. But our local businesses need to be enhanced and supported, and for that, we must address the issues of congested traffic and parking for patrons and workers. My view, on the Planning Commission and now, is that we should look for opportunities for smart and sustainable growth.. Any new construction must provide adequate additional parking. Several vacant parcels downtown may present opportunities that could enhance the quality of life in the community, while retaining its unique character.

There is no reason to increase height limits generally in the downtown. But we might consider a limited exception if a project provided substantial additional parking. Most of all, we need a measured process that seeks opportunities to increase the vitality of the downtown!

Seven years ago, Orinda began to look at its downtown. There were numerous meetings with the Planning Commission and City Council, plus several community meetings. Then, two years ago, the process came to a halt. We must re-engage the community again and hold a public meeting or workshop to discuss this important issue.

3. Question: How would you rank, in order of importance, three areas of need in Orinda? (200 word limit)

ANSWER

As 22 year Orinda residents, my wife and I cherish our local history and charm. We raised three daughters here and want to help preserve its uniqueness. The three areas of need in Orinda are:

• To Improve communication between City Council and residents. As a Council member, I would have a weekly open-door policy for residents to express concerns. This would help all issues in Orinda, including to find opportunities for smart growth to enhance local business and address downtown traffic.
• To Continue to improve and fix all Orinda residential roads. I would try to work collaboratively with residents for an acceptable Housing Element to obtain State grant funds for roads. We must continue the progress already made.
• To Combat the increasing crime rate. Safety is of paramount importance. All Orindans know of our dramatic increases in burglaries and theft. Indeed, many residents moved to Orinda for its relative safety, but that has lately been shattered. I would work to enhance resident safety. I support Chief Nagel's efforts, along with community members, to develop anti-crime cameras and other measures for safety. We should also encourage use of Nextdoor, more neighborhood disaster preparedness and CERT trainings.

ANSWER

I have worked as a public administrator for over 30 years and much of that time was in leadership capacities. I attended the University of California, Berkeley and received a Bachelor of Architecture and a Masters in City and Regional Planning. I began my career as a planner for the City of San Francisco. Since then I have served in management and executive level positions at the City of Hayward, City of Berkeley, and the County of Contra Costa where I served as the Director of Building Inspections for 10 years. In these roles, I had the pleasure of helping formulate public policy and help guide the development of these jurisdictions. This involved interacting with key stakeholders, the general public, affected communities, elected officials, consultants, and professionals from a variety of public agencies (such as HUD, Caltrans, HCD). My ability to forge good working relationships with stakeholders and representatives at all levels of government will help me make good policy decisions for Orinda residents.

In my position with the County I supervised a staff of 146 employees with a budget of $11 Million. I was responsible for budget development, preparation and the monitoring of the budget to ensure all funds were spent well. During this tenure, we provided contract services to fourteen of the nineteen cities in Contra Costa County. This meant working closely with cities, and partnering with the City of Orinda to develop a Building Inspection Office in City Hall to provide more direct services to Orinda residents.

Land use issues are important to Orinda residents. My 30+ years of professional experience in the land-use arena and management has provided me with a set of skills that will be useful as a Councilmember as we grapple with difficult land-use choices and budget management issues.