A Quarter Into 2017, Exciting & Challenging Times!

Levee Protection Planning & Improvements Project

On Monday May 8, 2017, the City Council provided direction regarding the Levee Protection Planning and Improvements Project. The Environmental Impact Report was certified by the City Council, policy direction was given to proceed with a design that includes meeting FEMA accreditation and anticipated Year 2050 Sea Level Rise, as well as choosing a preferred financing alternative in the form of a General Obligation Bond. The City project team will be proceeding with design based on this direction. A ballot measure will be presented to the voters in November 2017 for approval of the project, due to the tax measure associated with the General Obligation Bond. Public outreach will continue as it is of utmost importance that the ballot measure be approved to proceed with project construction.

Read more on one of the most critical projects in this City's history at: www.fostercity.org/leveeproject.

Water and Wastewater Rates

Coming up on June 5, 2017 at 6:30 PM, the City will be conducting a public hearing on the newly proposed water & wastewater rate increases from Fiscal Year 2017 to Fiscal Year 2021. These proposed rates come from evaluation of infrastructure needs, operation and maintenance costs; which are done on an annual basis. These costs are essential to maintain safe, reliable, and cost-effective water and wastewater services for the Foster City community.

The two part increase in water and wastewater rates are primarily a result of the following factors:

• Water - Increased cost of wholesale water from the San Francisco Public Utility Commission (SFPUC) and the associated bond surcharge paid to the Bay Area Water Supply and Conservation Agency (BAWSCA), along with maintenance, operational and capital improvement costs for the District’s water system.
• Wastewater - Capital improvements to the San Mateo Wastewater Treatment Plant, along with maintenance, operational, and capital improvement costs for the District’s wastewater system. The Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) project includes approximately $900 million in improvements, of which the District is responsible for $119 million.

To learn more on why such increases are necessary, including rate calculations, please view the Public Hearing Notice here. Please also feel free to contact Dante G. Hall, Assistant City Manager, at (650)286-3214 or dhall@fostercity.org with any additional questions.

Kiva-Foster City Partnership

On the Economic Development front, Foster City has recently partnered with Kiva -- a microlending non-profit organization based in the Bay Area. Just in time as we celebrated National Small Business Week this past week, Foster City's partnership with Kiva will provide 0% interest crowdfunded loans and matching loan funds to small and micro business owners in Foster City. With this, the City will match every dollar that individuals lend to Foster City borrowers. 

This commitment stems as an initiative from the City's Economic Development Strategic Plan, which was adopted in September 2016. Small businesses are a crucial part of our community and to best help them thrive, providing access to capital and financial opportunities has become evermore important. Become a part of a local success story or allow us to be a part of yours! You may reinvest in our local businesses at www.kiva.org/lend/foster-city or find out how you may become a borrower at www.kiva.org/borrow. 

CommUNITY Dialogue Series

As we work to find solutions on how to best provide services to our community, we also want to continue the dialogue with our constituents. Starting this month, Foster City will be hosting the "CommUNITY Dialogue Series" -- a four session program spanning from May to December. Each session that takes place will focus on critical topics affecting our City, that being Land Use, Affordable Workforce Housing, Transportation, and Commercial Retail. 

The first of this series is on Wednesday, May 17 at 7:00 PM in the Foster City Community Center. This session is entitled Celebrating the Evolution of Our City. The discussion on this evening will set the foundation for all the subsequent sessions. Join us for live music and great food as we explore what has brought Foster City to where it is today, as well as what's to come in the future. It is also an opportunity for you to share your thoughts and ideas for our City.

For more information on the CommUNITY Dialogue Series (including registration details), please visit: www.sustainable.fostercity.org. Whether you live, work, or play in Foster City, we encourage and invite you to attend!