Council to Schedule Public Hearing for Lighting and Landscaping Improvements

The City Council is expected to vote tonight on a date for a public hearing regarding plans to improve landscaping and lighting in various parts of town. The vote is scheduled as a consent agenda item. If approved, the public hearing will be held on June 23.

City staff will also ask the council to vote on whether to authorize a letter that outlines concerns regarding regional plans for sustainable community development.

The concerns stem from guidelines listed in a report known as the Initial Vision Scenario of the Sustainable Communities Strategy, which is a general plan based on projections from regional agencies.

The objective of the regional plan is to provide a 25-year land use strategy for the Bay Area that is realistic and identifies areas to accommodate the region's population growth and income groups as well as set up a land use pattern that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

At the council's April 28 meeting, .

Newark must plan for an increase of 5,800 residential units and 2,750 new jobs within he next 25 years, according to the projections in the Initial Vision Scenario report.

The regional agencies that oversee the projections include the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the Association of Bay Area Governments.

Community Development Director Terrence Grindall said at the April 28 meeting that the regional agencies' projections for residential units are higher than what the city's general plan calls for.

If approved, the concerns of city officials and staff will be drafted in a letter, signed by Mayor David Smith and forwarded to the regional agencies.

A draft of the  letter lists the concerns as follows:

• Infrastructure/policy support being essential
• Regional growth forecasts are unrealistic
• Employment assignment is flawed and
• Housing assignment needs minor corrections.

The council meets at 7:30 p.m. at , 37101 Newark Blvd.