■ Panel also will talk about retaining retail

By Keri Luiz
Assistant Editor

The Economic Development Board on Wednesday will hear an update on the proposal to purchase land and build a transit hub in the Industrial Park.

The project has been proposed as a way to attract and retain businesses in the Industrial Park, according to a report by Economic Development Manager Mario Giuliani.

The project involves the purchase of 1 acre at Park Road and Industrial Way, Giuliani wrote, and the construction of “a transit bus hub for Fairfield and Suisun Transit, SolTrans, and other providers such as future vanpool services to businesses within the Industrial Park.”

The project budget would be $1.2 million, he wrote, which would come from the Regional Measure 2 bridge toll funds.

“A key driver for this project is the city’s priority to retain and and attract businesses within the Industrial Park,” Giuliani wrote.

Attraction and retention of a different kind of business — retail — will be the subject of another presentation to the board Wednesday when the Subcommittee to Encourage Retail Establishments presents its findings.

The subcommittee, formed in July 2012 to review regulations of other cities, the 2002 Benicia Downtown Market Study and the 2007 Benicia Mixed Use Master Plan and the current First Street retail landscape, has gathered information through Internet searches and visits and interviews with various elected officials, Chamber of Commerce representatives, business and property owners in other cities.

According to its report, most of the cities selected by the subcommittee were believed to have vibrant and desirable downtown districts, were similar in size to Benicia and were nearby. The panel, made up of appointees Ellen Kolowich, Ann Lindsay and John Johnsen, will discuss a variety of approaches, including zoning limitations on ground-floor uses in the downtown area such as are exercised in Healdsburg, where no professional offices or personal services are allowed on ground floors, or Los Gatos and San Mateo, where conditional-use permits are required to open any business that isn’t retail, restaurant or entertainment.

New Benicia businesses, or businesses that have moved or made any changes to their business name since the last EDB meeting, will be acknowledged in a presentation. They are: Becon Construction Company; The Dharma Door USA; Kiwi Tyz LLC; The Loft Wine Bar; RA Storelee Insurance Agency; Santa Clara Warehouse Inc.; Steve Desmond Inc. — DBA Desmond Johnson LTD.; Ling’s Spa; RV/Kincaide & Associates Inc.; Napa Bella; Crane Station Inc.; Wild Flower Skin Care Studio; and Sky Capital Management LLC — DBA Sky Capital.

If You Go
The Economic Development Board will meet at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Commission Room at City Hall, 250 East L St.

Sharing is caring!