COVID-19 Youth Sports Discussion

City Manager Steve Rudolph provided a report to City Council on COVID-19 and the status of guidelines from the state and Placer County on reopening businesses and resuming activities.

With organized youth sports still prohibited by the state, the City Council expressed a desire to provide some relief to local leagues by allowing them to conduct day camps, some of which are allowed under health guidelines.

However, Placer County on Thursday provided clarification to the City that youth sports day camps are still prohibited by the state. The City will adhere to the clarified guidelines and await further updates on youth sports activities before reopening fields for organized sports use.

Continuing Economic Development with GSEC

The Rocklin City Council approved an agreement to continue the City’s partnership with the Greater Sacramento Economic Council (GSEC) for the 6th consecutive year. The City of Rocklin has seen significant growth in its population and business climate over the last five years, aided, in part, by economic development programs implemented by GSEC throughout the region.

As the economy works to recover from the recession brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, this partnership is critical now more than ever. The City will continue to invest in retaining, growing, and attracting businesses, training the workforce for the jobs of tomorrow, and creating innovative economic development programs.

“We’ve gained some ground as a region. I think we’re a lot more attractive than we were in 2008. As you know, [the region was] last in the United States almost in recovery. We don’t intend for that to happen this time. We’re a different community now, and I think it has to do with all the leadership in this room across Placer County and the region that’s been working together,” said Barry Broome, President and CEO of GSEC.

GSEC has provided direct benefits to the City, including: 1) manpower and datasets that supplement lean city economic development staffing, 2) online tools, 3) business recruitment assistance and location marketing, 4) training and engagement opportunities for staff and elected officials, and 5) regional coordination of recruitment, retention, and expansion strategies.

The one-year agreement is for $27,700, based on 40 cents per capita applied to Rocklin’s population of 69,249. The per capita rate has not increased since GSEC’s inception.

Finn Hall Lease Agreement

The Council extended the Rocklin Community Theatre (RCT) organization’s lease of Finn Hall until December 2020.

RCT has leased Finn Hall from the City since 2012. The group has held enjoyable programs, plays and enrichment activities at Finn Hall, and the organization has drawn visitors to the Rocklin Quarry District, benefiting Rocklin businesses.

RCT’s three-year lease with the City expires on June 30, 2020. Lease renewal discussions began in January but were stalled by the COVID-19 health crisis. Council approved a lease extension to allow both parties to continue negotiations until December.

During the lease extension, Council also expressed interest in allowing other performing arts groups to utilize Finn Hall.

Oak Pine and Pacific St Project Proposal

A draft development agreement is being created for a potential housing project on the Oak, Pine and Pacific Street property that will feature 94 affordable units, with a mixture of 1, 2, and 3-bedroom units, along with a community center, open space, and retail.

Proposed benefits include providing affordable housing near a multi-model train station, creating housing for additional residents in downtown Rocklin to support existing businesses, and developing a long-time vacant site.

Staff is working with a private developer on a disposition, development and funding agreement that will be brought before Council once complete. If approved the housing project would then proceed through the public hearing and approval process, which would include review by the Architectural Review Committee, and public hearings at both the Planning Commission and the City Council.