Vacant Properties Highlight Tuesday's Council Agenda

The city council on Tuesday will consider moving forward with plans to bring new medical offices to a vacant lot on Pinole Valley Road and to address a fenced vacant lot at the corner of San Pablo and Tennent avenues.

City officials are scheduled to ask the council to approve a city sale of empty property at  the corner of Pinole Valley Road and Henry Avenue. The property is adjacent to the Kaiser Medical Office building. The potential buyer would construct a building or buildings and attract doctors and other medical-related tenants.

The city had a similar proposal for a sale in 2009 by a prospective buyer who couldn't get financing without first having signatures from tenants who would occupy the building. Now the city has negotiated a price of $653,430 for the parcel. At $25 per square foot, that is $2 per square foot more than the 2009 proposal. The size of the lot is more than 26,000 square feet.

The Old Town lot that is currently fenced and vacant is referred to by some critics as "the ugly green fence" property. The is asking the city to allow some low-maintenance improvements, such as plants, gravel and mulch. Intended as a temporary measure until the city can sell the property, it would not include irrigation, lighting, benches or trash cans.

Chamber President Ivette Ricco said at a Pinole Economic Development and Housing  Advisory Committee meeting last week that her group, with the help of other organizations, are willing to donate the labor to install the project.

In a report, city staff are asking for direction by council members as to whether support  the project and will allow staff to spend some time and possibly some  money on it. Staff suggested that they consider allocating up some money for the improvements, which are estimated to cost about $7,000. Meanwhile, the Chamber of Commerce and other groups also could raise money. If approved, the project could be in place by July or August.

The city pays about $2,400 per year to rent the fence, which has been in place since 2007. The Pinole Redevelopment Agency owns the lot, which is zoned for commercial development.

Also on Tuesday, the council is expected to approve the hiring of Rodeo-Hercules Fire District Chief Charles Hanley to run the Pinole fire department. Hanley would remain the Rodeo-Hercules chief and would replace Pinole's retired Interim Fire Chief Jim Parrott. The city is asking the council for $160,000 per year, which would pay its share of Hanley's salary and an administrative fee.

The public portion of the meeting will be held after the council completes a 6 p.m. closed session. The meeting will be at city hall, 2131 Pear Stt.