On June 21, 2017 Mayor Anni Marshall, Mayor Pro Tempore Oley Olsen, the City Manager, Kris Wilhelm and Paul DeMyer of the Catalina Island Company, Director of Planning Amanda Cook, and the Director of Public Works Bob Greenlaw, met at City Hall to discuss workforce and affordable housing opportunities being explored by the Catalina Island Company and the city Housing Authority.
On June 21, 2017 Mayor Anni Marshall, Mayor Pro Tempore Oley Olsen, the City Manager, Kris Wilhelm and Paul DeMyer of the Catalina Island Company, Director of Planning Amanda Cook, and the Director of Public Works Bob Greenlaw, met at City Hall to discuss workforce and affordable housing opportunities being explored by the Catalina Island Company and the city Housing Authority.
The discussion was wide ranging and productive. It addressed issues relating to the proposed Catalina Island Company development of workforce housing at Las Casitas, the possible development of affordable housing in Upper Tremont, and amenities that might be included in a future memorandum of understanding and/or Development Agreements.
Some items discussed include:
I. Island Company consideration of a new location for the skate park;
2. Island Company agreeable to discussing the creation of a dog park;
3· Island Company desires to install and utilize new company-financed water well field after appropriate environmental review;
4· the Island Company’s desire to use the Las Casitas site for company year-round housing; the city’s interest in evaluating the future uses of Tremont Hall or its equivalent; the city Housing Authority interested in more discussions about property for affordable housing and the ownership component of same;
6. Other property ownership issues were discussed;and
7· All agreed that the develop of Las Casitas and Upper Tremont will require an evaluation of traffic safety and street configuration issues at Five Corners.
Both parties agreed that the business points for any development in the area would have to be approved by the City Council and CIC Board of Directors.
State law and the Avalon General Plan encourages and supports actions that removes artificial bureaucratic barriers to the delivery of affordable housing in California communities.
Tremont Hall and Las Casitas are two areas under consideration as discussions between the Catalina Island Company and the Housing Authority continue to progress.
David Jinkens is the city manager of Avalon.
