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Why are you running for re-election to the City Council?

The opportunity to serve the citizens of Redlands for the past 4 years on the city council has been very rewarding. It has provided a tremendous opportunity to work with a city staff, volunteer citizen committees and commissions, and individuals that are dedicated to keeping Redlands a special place. Much has bee accomplished, and many efforts on which I am working are nearing fruition. I would be honored to continue working on your behalf over the next 4 years on these and other projects to continue to enhance our quality of life in Redlands.

What have you accomplished as a councilmember?

Over the past 4 years I have lead efforts as well as collaborated with others to ensure our quality of live is not just maintained, but enhanced whenever possible. Some of the accomplishments of which I am most proud include the following:  

• Safe streets program – I have initiated “safe streets program” working with the Police and Public Works Departments to undertake low cost traffic safety improvements for pedestrians and motorists. Streets near schools and parks will be first priority. This program will: Add pedestrian safety and traffic calming features to roads. Educate students, parents and drivers regarding pedestrian and driving safety. 3. Provide an additional traffic officer to get drivers to slow down.
• Fire safety and paramedics – I supported council efforts to improve our fire safety and paramedic services by purchasing 2 new fire engines, opening a fourth fire station, and adding 6 additional fire fighters/paramedics. The result is better coverage of the city that keeps emergency response times in line with national standards.
• Downtown Planning and Development - I have lead the effort to establish a shared vision for a downtown revitalization project. The vision defines what Redlands wants as a pedestrian friendly, walkable downtown with mixed commercial and residential uses that complement our existing downtown's historical charm. By having this vision, the city is able to coordinate private development projects to make sure that individual and collectively they will contribute to the downtown we want as citizens of Redlands.
• Street Trees - I have worked with Street Tree Committee and city staff to increase tree trimming funding each year, create new street tree regulations to protect our current trees and encourage volunteer tree planting. I obtained council support for the recently completed street tree inventory that will be used to create a street tree master plan to guide future tree plantings by volunteer groups, individual citizens and the city.
• Working with citizen groups, listening to constituents – I have worked with many groups of citizens to make positive contributions to our community. I’m not just listening, I acting with them in formulating successful programs and then championing those programs before the full council.
  • North Redlands Vision Committee – attend all meeting to listen and provide input.
  • Street Tree Committee – help establish a strong working relationship between committee and staff that has enabled committee to move forward on many programs and help staff develop tools needed to better explain our street tree program to community.
  • Cultural Arts Commission – helped commission define art in public places program and gain unanimous council support to proceed with development of a program for formal adoption.
  • Open Space/Emerald Necklace – work with Redlands Conservancy Open Space Committee and city’s Ad-hoc Open Space Committee to define natural resource management program, obtained a donation to help fund this program, and to explore funding alternatives for land purchase from willing sellers.
  • Public Works Infrastructure Committee – worked with committee to define program to inventory the street, sidewalk and other infrastructure needs, and determine appropriate funding alternatives to bring forward to the full council. Added my computer mapping and work program definition skills to create the forms and methods for capturing data about existing conditions. Worked with Committee to secure funding for effort from full council.
  • Downtown master planning – both the initial feasibility study by Futterman and Associates, and the master plan by Torti Gallas involved extensive citizen participation to ensure all points of view, all ideas were presented and discussed. Hundreds of residents and land owners participated in both projects.
  • Orange Blossom Trail – work with committee to prepare grant applications, including 3 successful grants to date. Met with other agencies to promote the project.

What are the most important issues facing the city?

Safety - The safety and security of Redlands' residents is the number one priority for me. I support efforts by Chief Bueermann and the Redlands Police department to respond to calls for service and keep crime rates low. I also support the role of the Police Department in recreation, and crime prevention that provide alternative activities and role models for our youth as a way to prevent crime in the future. I support efforts by Chief Drabinski to ensure or Fire Department continues providing fire and paramedic response in accordance with national standards. I supported opening of a 4 th fire station and addition of 6 firefighter paramedics in the last 2 years to ensure the best and fastest service possible is provided.  

Redevelopment/Downtown Revitalization - Revitalization and Redevelopment of Redlands downtown as a specialty shopping district is a priority for me. Redlands is uniquely positioned to fill this role in the east valley, both geographically and because of the past redevelopment efforts in downtown that revived our historic shopping area 20 years ago. Efforts now are to expand the shopping area and add residential uses. Redevelopment is an important tool for attracting the private investment needed. Through our efforts we have attracted large retailers, such as General Growth to redevelop the mall site and Hopkins Group to develop additional commercial. We are also attracting small developers so that we have a mix of local businesses and nationally recognized names in our downtown. Krikorian theaters are in processing for an expansion of their theaters which are a major attraction in downtown. Several nationally recognized hotel companies are again interested in building an upscale hotel in Redlands as well.  

Open Space - Four years ago, I ran on the notion of keeping a balance between our built environment and our green environment. I have made sure projects that are developed provide the best quality of built environment and meet or exceed their open space obligation. We have obtained substantial parks and open space at no cost to the city as a result in the past 4 years. I believe open space must be available for use by the public if it is truly to be considered as meeting our city's obligations under the general plan.  

I am active with efforts to plan and develop the Orange Blossom Trail - an 8 mile trail through the center of Redlands along the old railroad right of way. I worked with several groups to obtain $750,000.00 funding for the initial planning of a 6,300 acre regional park including habitat and recreational components in the Santa Ana River Wash area of north Redlands. I obtained funding for development of the city’s natural resource management plan, currently under development by the Redlands Institute of the University of Redlands.  

Accountability to the Public - I have always been available to citizens to discuss issues of individual importance or community wide importance. This accessibility is essential to understanding all sides of an issue so that the best possible decisions for the community are made.

 

What is your position on Measure P – the no-growth initiative?

Among its many faults, Measure P will severely constrain the ability of our downtown to develop in a manner that keeps it competitive with freeway oriented commercial development. To ensure our downtown can expand to its full potential, I urge a NO vote on Measure P.

What is your position on Measure Q – whether to restore the cross to the city seal?

The ACLU threatened to sue the city to remove the Roman Cross from our seal. Based on reliable legal advice and concern about the fiscal impacts of a losing lawsuit, the city council chose to remove the cross. Some in the community felt the entire community should be given the opportunity to weigh in on that decision. The result is Measure Q which allows each voter to express his/her opinion on this matter.

What is your position on Measure R – the zone change referendum?

An important part of the quality of life in Redlands has been access to the natural areas in our canyons. Measure R questions whether a landowner should be allowed to develop more houses than the current zoning allows in exchange for providing the majority of the site (approximately 60% or 108 acres) for a public park (73 acres), trails and habitat conservation (35 acres). The alternative is the development of fewer houses on larger lots that would cover the entire project site. The consequence of this alternative is the loss of public access and enjoyment of the area forever. By voting YES on Measure R, you can ensure public access to and enjoyment of the natural areas in our canyons continues as part of our quality of life.

 Paid for by: Jon Harrison for Redlands City Council, ID # 1235484
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