COUNCIL AGENDA: 11120/07 ITEM: ?, I CITY OF SAN JOSE Memorandum CAl'lli\l.. OF SILICON VALLEY TO: HONORABLE MAYOR, CITY FROM: Debra Figone COUNCIL AND REDEVELOPMENT Harry S. Mavrogenes AGENCY BOARD SUBJECT: VIETNAMESE RETAIL AREA DATE: November 6,2007 DESIGNATION Council District: 7 SNI: TullyIScnter, SpaiIadKeyes RECOMMENDATIONS (a) Adoption of a resolution recognizing Story Road, bctween Seiiter Road and US 101, as a Victnauiicse retall destination arca and to select a name to identify the arca. (b) Direct the City Manager aiid City Attorney to explore policy and ordinance changes to allow for thc placeiiient of dccorative street banners and gateway signs in tlic public right-of-way for tlie purposcs of identifying unique retail arcas. OUTCOME Approval of the proposcd actioii will designate the proposed area as a unique destination to visitors, locally aiid internationally, helping to fuel the City's economy, enhance the neighborhood's identity and quality of life, generate economic developlnent and foster the branding of tlie City of San Jose as an international city. BACKGROUND On Julie 5, 2007, tlie City Council directed staff to conduct community outreach on the designation of a portion of Story Road, between Senter Road aiid US 101, as a business district. As directed by City Council, Redevelopment Agency and City staffs scheduled a con~munity meeting on August 15, 2007, to solicit coln~nunityinput 011 the proposed Vietnamese retail destination area. More than 100 people attended this coniuilunity meeting. Participants ovcrwhehningly supported the proposal and no one voiced opposition to the proposal. Highlighted public coinlncnts included suggested new naines for the Vietnamese retail destination arca (Little Saigon, Saigon Business District, New Saigoil Business District, Saigon Town and Vietnamese-Aniericall Business District), traffic mitigation and saving open space for parkland aiid trails. MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, AGENCY BOARD 11-6-07 Vietnamese Retail Destination Area Page 2 Tlie meeting resulted in the cornm~initymembers suggesting and advocating alternative nalnes for tlie proposed Vietnaniese retail destination area, particularly the name "Little Saigon". To gather additional input, City and Redevelopment Agency staffs sent a survey to stakeholders within a 1,000-foot radius of the proposed Vietnamese retail destination area asking what they would want to name the proposcd area. Tlie survey results are as follows: Original number of surveys sent: 1,336 Returned niailiwrong address: 200 Total stakeliolders who received survey packet: 1,136 Total Respondents 117 (Approximately 10% responded) Survey Question "Help us name the Proposed Vietnamese retail destination area." 1 Choices I RespondeA Little Saigon 44 Vietnamese-American Business District 16 Nn NamcIOthcr 16 Saigon Town 15 Vietnamese Business District 12 New Saigoii Business District 8 Saigon Business District -6 Total Respondents 117 A secolid community meeting was held on October 10,2007, with more than 200 people in attendance. At this meeting, City and Agcncy staffs presented the results of the survey to the community as well as drafts of proposed banners for the comlnunity to provide input. The community chose not to providc input into the proposed banners presented. They made a rcquest to first approvc the name for the proposed Vietnamese retail destination area as "Littlc Saigon" and then establish a colnmittee to provide input Into the design of the banncrs. Other comments at the mecting iticluded no name or a gencric name, traffic mitigation and crime issues and youth gang activities. Along with receiving input from the community meetings, staff has also received letters (attached) from the All Associations of Vietnamese Community in Northern California, a consortium of 13 Vietnamese social, political and religious groups, the Story Road Business Association and tlie Hispanic Chamber of Commerce endorsing the proposed Vietnamese retail destination area and supporting naming the area "New Saigon". Letters fro111 the Vietnamese- American Community of Northern California and tlie Cornmiltee for Little Saigon support tlie name "Little Saigo~~".Staff has received results from a survey conlpleted by the community, specifically by the group, Vietlish Generation Radio Program 1430 AM, suggesting that the majority of tlie respondents to its survey prefer tlie name "Little Saigon" and the runner-up name, "New Saigon". Staff has also received concerns from the SparlanIKeyes NAC about MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, AGENCY BOARD 1 1-6-07 Vietnamese Retail Destination Area Page 3 the impact a Vietnamese retail dcstination area could have on the community's longstanding desire to have access to Coyotc Creek from Keyes Street, through trails made accessible to the community. ANALYSIS The proposal to establish a Vietnaniese retail destination area on this section of Story Road has received strong support froni the Vietnamese-American and non-Vietnamese community in the area of the proposal. Where differences exist is what to name the proposed Area. There are scveral groups who believe strongly that the proposed Area should be named "Little Saigon", while others believe that the proposed Area should be named "New Saigon". It has been suggested by supporters of the "Little Saigon" name that "Little Saigon" evokes a successful brand name that already exists thro~lghoutCalifornia and the United States. The first and most significant Little Saigon (Vietnan-America tourist zone) is located in Southern California in Orange County and borders the cities of West~ninsterand Garden Grove. The Westminster City Council designated Little Saigon as a tourist zone and special redevelopment project in 1989. Another example is the City of San Francisco passing a resolution to recognize a two-block corridor (the Larkin Street Conidor from McAllister to Geary) as Little Saigon in 2004. Banners, gateway signs and trash receptacles with the name Little Saigon decorate this area. EVALUATION AND FOLLOW-UP Upon approval, City and Redevelopment Agency staff will work with the City Attorney's Office to explore options within the framework of tlie existing ordinances to allow for the placenient of decorative street banners and gateway signs in tlie public right-of-way for the purposes of identifying unique retail areas within the City. In the meantime, Agency and City staffwill continue to work with the community 011 the design of the proposed banners, potential creation of a business association, and the design of proposed gateway signs. POLICY ALTERNATIVES The City Council could opt to decline to designate the Vietnamese retail destination area, whereby plans for naming the Area would not occur and the drafting of a policy and any related ordinance amendments that would allow sucli identification banners and signs. PUBLIC OUTREACHIINTEREST Criterion 1: Requires Council action on tlie use of public funds equal to $1 niillion or greater. 0 Criterion 2: Adoption of a new or revised policy that may have implications for public health, safety, quality of life, or financial/econornic vitality of the City. a Criterion 3: Consideration of proposed changes to service delivery, programs, or staffing that may have inlpacts to community services and have been identified by staff, the Board or Council, or a community group that requires special outreach. MAYOR, CITY COUNCIL, AGENCY BOARD 11-6-07 Vietnamese Retail Destination Area Page 4 Although this item does not meet any of the above criteria, City and Redevelopment Agency staffs were directed by City Council on June 5,2007, to use Council Public Outreach Policy 6-30 as a guide in implementing this project. Community meeting notices, translated in English, Vietnamese and Spanish for the proposed Vietnamese retail destination area were distributed to business owners, property owners and tenants located within a 1,000-foot radius of the proposed site, along with the mainstream local media, Vietnamese, Hispanic and other ethnic media, Story Road Business Association, TullyISenter and SpartanIKeyes Strong Neighborhoods, Strong Neighborhood Initiative (SNI) Project Advisory Committee (PAC), and a mass email to members of the community, which included members of the SNI Neighborhood Advisory Committee. The notice was also published in a general circulation local newspaper, San Jose Mercury News, posted on City and Redevelopment Agency websites and on the public information board at City Hall. Outreach for the 'name survey' was limited to stakeholders within a 1,000-foot radius of the proposed site. COORDINATION This memo has been coordinated with Planning, Building, and Code Enforcement Department, Office of Cultural Affairs, General Counsel and the City Attorney's Office. FISCAL IMPACT The Redevelopment Agency has budgeted $100,000 for this project in the FY 2007-2008 Capital budget: line item NBD Program Operations, Story Road sub project line. Not a project. City Manager-u Executive Director Attachments For questions, please contact Richard Keit, Director Neighborhood &Business Development, at (408) 795-1849 and Ed Shikada, Deputy City Manager, at (408) 535-8190. -~- ~ San Jose September 9-2007 To: - Mr. Chuck Reed, Muyor oj'San Jose - Mrs. Madison Nguyen, Councilwoman District 7 Sun Jose City - C.'ouncilmembers ofSan Jose We undersigned which included Vietnamese Religious congresses, Vietnamese Organizations, The Friendlship Associations and residents who are living in San Jose, Northern California would like to submit this letter in order to speak out our