Steve Cohn's Accomplishments from 1994 to 2000 on the City Council both citywide and for District 3 (Midtown, East Sacramento, River Park, CSUS, Campus Commons, Sierra Oaks, Point West and Swanston Estates) and Citywide
1994-2000 RECORD
1. Improve existing neighborhoods and create a vibrant city center.
Citywide Neighborhoods
- Led Council vote to create a $1 million program to fund street lighting in existing neighborhoods throughout the City.
- Sponsored an amendment to the City ordinance to prohibit a landowner from destroying or moving a house without notice and a public hearing and voted to adopt stricter historic building ordinance requiring notice and a hearing before a historic building can be demolished.
- Led City Council effort to deny developer proposal to tear down six homes next to the old Newton Booth School in Midtown.
- Opened the 72-hour hold detoxification center Downtown.
 Voted to adopt a strict new City ordinance regulating on-site and off-site liquor sales in over-concentrated areas.
- Led City Council effort to fight the overconcentration of social and homeless services in the Downtown/Midtown area and to seek locations in the County outside the City's existing neighborhoods.
- Led Council effort to fund graffiti and strike force efforts throughout City neighborhoods.
- Partnered with the Chief of Police and the Criminal Justice Cabinet to establish a Sacramento area Neighborhood Accountability Board.
- Sponsor a demolition ordinance to prohibit a landowner from destroying or moving a house without notice and a public hearing.
East Sacramento/River Park Neighborhoods
- Secured funding through Pops in the Park and other funds to install park and playground projects throughout District 3, including the resurfaced tennis courts, panhandle jogging trail, enhanced wading pool, playground, and duck pond in McKinley Park; the new wading pool and fountain at Bertha Henschel Park; the renovated pond at Sutter's Fort; the new snack bar, backstops, landscaping, and girls' softball field at the Old Sacramento Little League fields at Phoebe Hearst; the field work at the River Park Bambino League baseball diamond at Ciavarella Field; the completion of the new Dan McAuliffe Memorial Baseball Park near CSUS; the soccer goals at most of the East Sacramento Youth Soccer League's fields; the new playground under construction at East Portal Park; and the kindergarten and regular playgrounds at Caleb Greenwood School; and drinking fountains at parks throughout the District.
- Supported the neighborhood and business coalition's opposition to Taco Bell's bid to put a larger drive-through restaurant at 58th and Folsom.
- Secured neighborhood police officers (NPOs) and worked with residents to expand neighborhood watch citizen patrols and graffiti squad patrols.
- Secured over $4 million in City funding to upgrade the City's combined sewer/storm drain system to reduce street flooding south of Folsom on 42nd St. and Berkeley Way, and numerous other projects.
- Funded and landscaped the median and roadside on J Street in front of CSUS, filled in the ditch at the River Park entrance at Carlson and H Streets, and worked with the community to install a fountain dedicated to the Yermols.
- Worked to secure old commercial billboard (location) from Eller Media to be used for community billboard on Folsom Blvd.
- Shamed the SCUSD into painting Theodore Judah School.
- Adopted a tough curfew for outdoor concerts at Cal Expo (10:30 p.m. on weeknights and 11:00 p.m. on weekends).
- Reopened the Clunie Community Center and Library at McKinley Park with a new kitchen and refinished auditorium, and held several special events such as a City Council Meeting and 60th Anniversary celebration for the Library.
- Secured funding and Sheriff's Deputy crew labor to renovate the McKinley Park Duck Pond for $30,000 (projected cost was over $100,000).
- Formed an East Sac Traffic Advisory Committee to develop common-sense solutions to neighborhood parking and traffic problems, such as placing parking on the McKinley Park dogleg near Alhambra, and widening lanes on J Street by removing one lane of traffic between 36th and 42nd Streets.
- Helped form the East Sacramento Chamber of Commerce to develop a partnership between East Sac businesses, residents, and the City.
- Helped the River Park Neighborhood Association close Glenn Hall Park at dusk instead of 10:00 p.m. to reduce crime in the neighborhood.
- Established a committee of neighbors and businesses to adopt stringent conditions to ensure that future development at the old Centrage site and Cannery Business Park will be compatible with surrounding neighborhoods.
- Worked with parents to secure funding for a new 4th R portable classroom at Caleb Greenwood School.
- Spearheaded the design and funding of the CSUS/65th Street Pedestrian, Bicycle and Light Rail Tunnel Connection, which includes safety, landscaping and beautification measures along 65th, Folsom, Elvas and J Streets.
- Appointed a citizens' advisory committee to draft design guidelines for McKinley Park improvements.
- Worked to ensure that the East Bay MUD Pipeline Project, if it is ever built, would minimize impacts and maximize benefits to our neighborhoods.
Midtown Neighborhoods
- Completed the $400,000 Midtown street lighting pilot in two areas bounded by 21st Street on the west, 24th Street on the east, H Street on the north and I Street on the south; and 17th Street on the west, 19th Street on the east, Capitol Avenue on the north, and Q Street on the south and secured future funding for street lighting.
- Completed the Neighborhood Preservation Transportation Plan (NPTP), which included converting G and H streets to two-way streets with bike lanes, and installing new storm drains, pedestrian islands and traffic circles throughout Midtown north of J St., and five new traffic lights on J, K and L.
- Developed a 16th Street Lighting and Landscaping Plan, working in concert with CADA, the Midtown Business Association, SHRA, and area businesses and residents, and secured $60,000 in initial funding.
- Brought the Pops in the Park summer concert series to Midtown and secured Pops in the Park and other funds to build a new playground at Washington School, help renovate Fremont Park, reopen the Sutter's Fort pond, enhance Stanford Park, and build a future playground at Winn Park.
- Supported local retailers through free holiday parking and assistance with special events and promotions, such as the Midtown Gardens beautification project and Midtown maps/guides.
- Led Council to adopt the neighborhood-supported R Street Plan and Zoning Ordinance changes.
- Worked out settlement with UP Railroad to obtain necessary right-of-way for construction of the 20th Street Bicycle crossing.
- Pushed for aggressive code enforcement of problem properties.
- Led Council to adopt the Sutter's Landing Park Plan to convert the City Landfill into a park and move all garbage disposal operations offsite.
- Worked with parks staff and area residents to develop an improvement plan for Fremont Park.
- Regularly participated with the Neighborhood Association Group and all of the Central City neighborhood associations to find solutions to problems plaguing the Central City neighborhoods.
- Helped develop several new city ordinances to address the growing over-concentration of social services in the Central City and supported an emergency ordinance regarding financial management facilities.
- Participated in the Central City Neighborhood Design workshop.
- Negotiated "Good Neighbor" conditions as part of the Blue Diamond retention deal, including additional security patrol for the immediate area around Blue Diamond, $50,000 per year from SHRA for lighting in Midtown, $50,000 per year from Blue Diamond for community non-profits, right-of-way along the river parkway, and for the new bicycle trail and future light rail.
- Procured a Sacramento START program at Washington School, which had been previously targeted by the School District's closure list.
- Helped to reduce vagrancy problems at 20th and I streets by persuading the LIFE center to relocate.
- Replaced the old K Street shuttle with the new Downtown Area Shuttle (DASH) connecting Midtown to Old Sacramento.
- Obtained federal transportation (TEA-21) funding for conversion of L, N, P and Q Streets from one-way to two-way streets.
- Completed construction of the 20th Street Bicycle crossing.
- Helped fund a study to form a new Midtown Business Improvement District.
- Targeted code enforcement of biggest problem properties and property owners.
- Installed angled parking in Midtown Business District.
- Opposed the developer proposal to tear down six homes next to the old Newton Booth School.
Campus Commons/Sierra Oaks Neighborhoods
- Secured funding to construct storm drainage improvements in Campus Commons and city portion of Sierra Oaks.
- Brokered a major agreement between neighbors and Sacramento Country Day School to preserve the existing greenbelt and ensure the school's expansion will be compatible with the surrounding neighborhood, and worked with Country Day School to ensure continued compliance with permit conditions.
- Supported formation of the new Sierra Oaks Neighborhood Association.
- Worked with all neighborhood associations in the area on improving safety and increasing flood protection and preparedness.
- Brought Pops in the Park to University Park and CSUS.
- Directed staff to offer a smaller garbage can and lower garbage service rate to residents in Campus Commons.
- Worked with neighbors to help Police track down burglars in Campus Commons.
- Worked with Campus Commons residents to develop common sense solutions to traffic problems.
Swanston Estates/Point West/Cal Expo/Arden Fair/Rancho del Paso Neighborhoods
- Worked with neighbors to develop the first major street lighting program in the City in decades for Swanston Estates.
- Negotiated with Arden Fair and directed staff to fund and install a new traffic light on Ethan Way at the back exit from Arden Fair (J.C. Penneys).
- Negotiated with Arden Fair and directed staff to fund and install a new traffic light on Arden Way near the Sears entrance.
- Negotiated a settlement with Kaiser Permanente to approve their new medical facility on Exposition Blvd. conditioned on Kaiser's commitment to pay $95,000 for a portable classroom for an after school program and Swanston Estates meeting room at Babcock School, install lighting around Babcock Park, install a traffic signal at Challenge Way and Response Road, work with other Point West businesses to fund additional security and join the Point West Area Transportation Management Authority, and add new turn lanes at several intersections.
- Worked with the Point West Area Business Association to make better use of City Police, Cal Expo security, and private security in the area.
- Opened the Expo/160 Connector.
- Finalized traffic mitigation plans for Swanston Estates, including speed humps, stop signs, and other traffic calming devices.
- Used Pops, L&L and volunteer funds to install new playground and purchase new soccer goals at Babcock School and Park.
- Worked with neighbors and school to use new school portable as community meeting room.
2. Develop a More Balanced Transportation Network
- As STA Chair, crafted a compromise to allocate over $70 million in federal TEA-21 funds, including 45 percent to rail/transit projects, 41 percent to roadway projects, and the remainder to bikeway, parkway and landscaping projects, such as the CSUS Access project and the Tower Bridge project to better link Old Sac with the new riverfront ballpark in West Sacramento, and several projects to beautify aging business corridors, such as Fulton, Watt, Marconi, Stockton, Northgate, and Folsom Blvd.
- As STA Chair, promoted a program to offer free RT rail and bus passes on smoggy "Spare the Air" days.
- Significantly increased maintenance and repairs of City streets.
- As Chair of the Capitol Corridor Rail Board, led negotiations to have Amtrak run a sixth daily train between the Bay Area and Sacramento, reduced the travel time to 2 hours, increased ridership to record levels, and developed plan to offer hourly service between Roseville, Sacramento, Davis and the Bay Area and extended service to the Reno/Tahoe area.
- As Vice Chair this year and Chair of Sacramento Transportation Authority, worked to obtain funding for the South Light Rail line to Meadowview, which began construction in November 2000.
- Sponsored Council effort to expand the Downtown Shuttle to Midtown and Point West Area hotels.
- Voted to adopt the Master Bikeway Plan and the Sacramento River Parkway and Bikeway plan.
- Sponsored a resolution and testified before California High-Speed Rail Authority to support a high-speed rail connection to Sacramento.
3. Enhance Public Safety
- Led Council to establish a more aggressive program to fight graffiti and vandalism, including a parental responsibility ordinance, a portable Graffiti Paint Wagon, neighborhood strike forces to remove graffiti, and increased arrests and prosecutions.
- Helped establish the Neighborhood Accountability Board to allow citizen participation in alternative sentencing for youth offenders.
- Voted to receive federal grants to fund 23 new neighborhood officers and hire 33 civilians to perform crime scene investigation and lab work.
- Developed a comprehensive strategy to fight crime in Midtown, including: improving crime surveillance, increasing graffiti enforcement, and improving communications between Police and the community, and NPOs devoted exclusively to Midtown.
- Worked with NPOs, CADA and the Fremont Park Neighborhood Association to open a Neighborhood Police Service center at 16th and Capitol.
- Voted to reinstate the Police Department's Traffic Division and increase fines for red light violations.
- Voted to establish the City's award-winning Neighborhood Traffic Management Program to reduce traffic speeds and volumes and truck traffic through neighborhood streets.
- Voted to adopt an anti-camping ordinance to allow police to more effectively control transients in our neighborhoods.
- Voted to establish a 911 intergovernmental emergency communication system.
- As SAFCA Board member, helped secure federal authorization and funding for two-phase program to raise the City's level of protection from 80 to 140-year level through construction of a levee slurry wall along the American River (to be completed in 2000) and modifying Folsom Dam.
- Helped to establish emergency flood response plans for all City neighborhoods and activated them for the 1995 and 1997 Floods.
4. Improve Public Schools
- Helped elect the new Sacramento City Unified School District School Board which has made great strides in improving student performance under the leadership of Board President Jay Schenirer and Superintendent Jim Sweeney.
- Helped the School District and the Area Congregations Together (ACT) coalition to pass the recent School Bond with over 80 percent of the vote.
- Developed a strong partnership with all of the schools in District 3, including those in the North Sacramento and San Juan Districts to work on the START after school program and other neighborhood, youth and recreational issues.
- Raised money to fund new little league baseball and soccer facilities.
- Helped raise private matching funds for the City's Late Night Sacramento and START (Students Today Achieving Results for Tomorrow) programs.
- Supported a successful bond measure for North Sac School District.
- Supported youth employment programs.
- Worked with the Point West Area Business Association to make better use of City Police, Cal Expo security, and private security in the area.
- Opened the Expo/160 Connector.
- Finalized traffic mitigation plans for Swanston Estates, including speed humps, stop signs, and other traffic calming devices.
- Used Pops, L&L and volunteer funds to install new playground and purchase new soccer goals at Babcock School and Park.
- Worked with neighbors and school to use new school portable as community meeting room.
5. Protect the Urban and Natural Environment
- As leading recycling advocate on the City Council (and past Chair of Sacramento Solid Waste Authority), led City to attain 50% diversion rate, one of the highest in the country, by expanding the City's recycling programs to include all types of paper products, including junk mail and cardboard, and by partnering with BLT to construct a new transfer station and recycling center to lessen need for more landfill space and decrease disposal costs.
- As the leading advocate on the Council for rail, transit, bicycle and other alternative transportation modes, worked to obtained fund for the South Light Rail line and other alternative mode projects.
- Voted to adopt the Master Bikeway Plan and the Sacramento River Parkway and Bikeway plan.
- Voted to upgrade the City's lighting and mechanical systems, resulting in thousands of dollars in energy savings and a prestigious award in conservation.
- Principal sponsor of Earth Day 1999 and 2000 programs and City resolution supporting Earth Day.
- Sponsored resolution for Sacramento to join Cities for Global Climate Protection.
6. Promote Economic Opportunity.
- Worked closely with Metro Chamber of Commerce, SACTO, Valley Vision, Midtown Business Association, East Sacramento Chamber of Commerce, Point West Area Business Association and city staff to improve the business climate in Sacramento in general and the Central City in particular.
- Helped retain Blue Diamond and its 1,100 employees, which has had its corporate headquarters in Midtown since 1910.
- Strongly and consistently supported all Downtown revitalization efforts, including the Downtown Partnership, the Sacramento Riverfront Master Plan, the Public Market in Old Sacramento, the Hard Rock Café, the skating rink and, the IMAX theater on K Street, the Sheraton Convention Center Hotel, the Embassy Suites Waterfront Hotel, and the restoration of the Crest Theater and Memorial Auditorium.
- As member of Welfare to Work Board and Council, developed a new structure to put former welfare recipients to work and supported homeless, social services, and welfare reform policies which reward individual responsibility and community service and relieve the strain on overburdened Central City.
- Supported 60 Quinn cottages for transitional housing and the Midtown Gardens project to employ formerly homeless.
7. Reestablish the City's parks and recreational - Established the Pops in the Park summer evening series to include five to six concerts in neighborhood parks attended by thousands of residents, and raising thousands of dollars for District 3 park improvement projects.
- Established partnerships with schools, labor unions, little leagues, community groups and the State to complete numerous park and playground projects throughout District 3, including:
- the resurfaced tennis courts, panhandle jogging trail, enhanced wading pool, playground, and duck pond in McKinley Park;
- the new wading pool and fountain at Bertha Henschel Park;
- the renovated pond at Sutter's Fort;
- the new snack bar, backstops, landscaping, and girls' softball field at the Old Sacramento Little League fields at Phoebe Hearst School;
- the field work at the River Park Bambino League baseball diamond at Ciavarella Field;
- the completion of the new Dan McAuliffe Memorial Baseball Park on City utility property near CSUS;
- the soccer goals at most of the East Sacramento Youth Soccer League's fields including Kit Carson Middle School;
- the new playground under construction at East Portal Park;
- and the kindergarten and regular playgrounds at Caleb Greenwood School; and drinking fountains at parks throughout the District.
- Adopt a revised Master Park Plan, including new baseball and soccer fields, and one or more permanent parks for skateboarders, in-line skaters and bicyclists, and the use of Sutter's Landing Park (next to the old City landfill on 28th Street, north of the UPRR tracks).
- Pushed Council to set aside $1.4 million in funding for new parks acquisition, including acquisition of property along the American River to complete the parkway.
- Improved park maintenance with the Lighting & Landscape Fund, which received more than 70% voter approval to continue the program.
8. Promote World Class Arts, Sports and Cultural Attractions.
- Consistently led the Council's support of the Crocker Art Museum, the Sacramento Symphony, Sacramento Ballet, Sacramento Opera, and other arts groups.
- As Past Chair of the Library Authority, worked with volunteer community groups to establish and carry out a plan, approved by more than 60% of City voters, to substantially increase library hours and book collections; and more recently to install Internet computer terminals in all City libraries, and to open the Central Downtown Library two evenings a week.
- Arranged for Sac State basketball games to be played at Memorial Auditorium.
- Consistent supporter of the Sacramento Sports Commission's efforts to bring sports to the area, including the Olympic Trials in 2000.
9. Hold Local Government More Accountable.
- As only Councilmember with utility experience, I led the Council to adopt practices similar to SMUD, voting for no City residential utility rate increase for three years in a row (1996-98), holding average rate increases to under 3 percent during 5 years on Council compared to double digit increases the preceding 5 years, and establishing electronic utility bill payments.
- Reduced city's commercial garbage collection rates by 25%, while also pushing for more competition among waste haulers and disposal sites.
- As member of Council's Technology Committee, pushed to establish the 24-hour City Operator program (264-5011) which handles 35,000 non-emergency calls a year and the development of a City internet website (http://WWW.cityofsacramento.org).
- Conducted public meetings and sidewalk hours throughout District 3 neighborhoods.
- Served on the City Council committee that negotiated the deal to sell the City's interest in the Hyatt Hotel for a gain of $8 million.
- Supported variable garbage can sizes and rates so residents can save on their utility bills by using smaller cans.
- Opposed the City Council's $73 million loan to the Kings and asked that it be put to a vote of City residents.
10. Promote Unity and Tolerance of Sacramento's Diverse Population
- Joined with Mayor Serna and Assemblymember Darrell Steinberg to co-found the Capital Unity Council, a broad-based coalition of area leaders devoted to fighting hate crime and establishing a new Unity Center.
- Leading advocate of a new City program to contract with small and emerging businesses on a non-discriminatory basis and to continue outreach into the minority communities in the post-Prop. 9 environment that prohibits many affirmative action programs.
- Member of the Hate Crimes Task Force to respond quickly to hate crimes.
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