Suisun approves Adams Marine negotiations

From Daily Republic // Sept. 21, 2005
By Ian Thompson

SUISUN CITY - The City Council approved a deal on Tuesday to exclusively negotiate with Adams Marine owner Bill Adams to expand his business, but not before councilmembers voiced concerns over the project.

Adams wants to buy most of an adjacent Redevelopment Agency parcel from the so he can expand the Adams Marine building by 50 percent and increase the size of his boat yard.
He also wants to buy the land Adams Marine sits on, which he is leasing from the Agency.

Councilman Sam Derting was concerned that Adams doesn't want the entire lot, and that what he doesn't buy would be difficult to market.

Councilman Mike Segala also wanted to ensure whatever is built doesn't cut off public access to the waterfront, which would allow residents to walk along the waterfront from downtown to the public boat launch.

Mayor Jim Spering was not pleased to hear this, saying he was "disappointed that the council has decided to sit here and design." He cautioned the council against putting constraints on the project before it was presented to the city's planning commission.

Nothing was heard from a group of three developers who wanted to build three live-work houses on the site accused the Agency earlier this summer of sidelining them in favor of Adams' proposal.

Adams has 60 days to reach an agreement with the Agency with the possibility of getting a 45-day extension from the City Manager if she feels Adams and the Agency are close to a deal.

In other business, the council approved creating a business assistance program to help businesses in the Suisun City Waterfront Business Improvement District pay their assessment fees.

The program puts aside $5,000 to pay the district fees for businesses that can't afford the fees. The program was proposed after the city council approved requiring businesses to pay their fees if they want their business licenses renewed.

Resident George Guynn spoke out against the program calling it "another example of creeping socialism."

The BID requires businesses to pay between $200 and $300 a year for membership and one BID member said if the business can't afford that they should not be in business.

Reach Ian Thompson at 427-6976 or at ithompson@dailyrepublic.net.