The Foundry and Office buildings, the subject of a debate that has lasted more than a year, will remain standing. The Benicia City Council granted an appeal for an emergency demolition of the historic structures at 678 East H St. during Tuesday’s meeting. The two buildings, constructed in the 1850s and once the home of […]
Cannabis business applications, Foundry and Office buildings back on council agenda
Once again, cannabis and a final decision on an emergency demolition permit for two historic buildings are on the Benicia City Council agenda for Tuesday. The council will discuss requesting the Department of Justice (DOJ) to approve of conducting background searches of city employees would deal with applicants for commercial cannabis uses. At the Feb […]
Cannabis, Foundry and Office buildings back on council agenda
Two issues that have been hotly debated by the Benicia City Council in the past year– cannabis laws and the final decision of an emergency demolition permit for two historic buildings– are on the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting. The council will introduce ordinances to allow personal cultivation and to regulate and allow commercial cannabis uses […]
Council reaffirms appeal to save historic buildings from demolition
On the agenda for the Benicia City Council’s first meeting of the year were decisions on the rehearing of the emergency demolition permit of two historic buildings and adding an amendment to Benicia’s Industrial Park Transportation and Employment Center (TEC) plan. In 2016, automobile import company AMPORTS filed for an emergency demolition permit for two […]
Foundry and Office building debate back on council agenda
The Benicia City Council is back in session tonight, and topics like an emergency demolition approval or denial and possible changes to the Industrial Park Transportation and Employment Center Plan will be on the agenda for this evening’s meeting. The saga of the emergency demolition permit for the Foundry and Office Buildings at 670 and […]
2017 Year in Review: Local issues dominated Benicia in past year
The year 2018 is just around the corner. Before we see what the new year has to offer, let us look back at the big stories that affected Benicia in 2017. Staff changes In February, interim City Manager Steve Salomon left to become the interim city manager of Orinda. Fire Chief Jim Lydon initially filled […]
Letter: City meetings are the real Comedy Central
Comedy central at its best What am I talking about? One guess could get you the answer. It was the Planning Commission’s Oct. 12 meeting and the City Council’s Oct. 17 meeting. The first two-thirds of the Planning Commission meeting went as usual, but when it got to the cannabis issue, it all fell apart. […]
Council pushes back water rate, historic building discussions for future meetings
To raise water and sewer rates while deciding the fate of two historic buildings was the question the Benicia City Council had to answer at its Tuesday meeting. The council began reviewing why the water and sewer rates had increased. According to a staff report, water conservation efforts, financial forecasts, Benicia not being able to […]
Water rates, building demolition on council agenda tonight
Water rate increases and the potential demolition of a historical building are up on the dock for the Benicia City Council at tonight’s meeting. First up for the council will be the water rate increases. The city of Benicia recommended the water and sewer rate increase after an 18-month dialogue and review by independent financial […]
Council reschedules historic demolition permit hearing
The Benicia City Council made a decision on the request by Amports to reschedule a rehearing of the Yuba demolition mediation at Tuesday night’s meeting. The vote was part of a continuing debate over two buildings– collectively known as the Foundry and Office buildings– on East H Street which were once the site of Yuba […]