The city of Yucaipa (mayor, council, city staff) (San Bernardino, Redlands: city hall, buy)

[steel7]

The city of Yucaipa (mayor, council, city staff) apparently are not here to serve the community and the long-established businesses. The mayor and his henchmen — like Ray Casey (overpaid city manager) and John McMains (overpaid director of community development) are only chasing their own agendas. They take federal grant money (tax money) and local development impact fees and they push their development agendas. When a private developer and/or homeowner wants to improve their property, the city requires inflated fees and permits to be paid for the permission to be granted.
The city then requires as a condition to obtain a building permit the dedication of the frontage of property to the City. This is the city strong arming the individual property owner (taxpayer) out of their land. Basic theft, and if the landowner does not comply, the permit will not be granted. This tactic is applied to both commercial and residential projects within the city. I have seen projects die on the vine due to the extensive fee and tax structure and the requirements to dedicate land and to install curbs, gutters, and sidewalks. These additional impacts on the individual landowner/developer are financially crippling. The city (mayor and staff), however, do not care about the financial means of the person applying for business permits. The people of Yucaipa need to know what is happening at the city. We have endured many projects bought and paid for by our tax dollars. The mayor may spin this and say it was federal grant money and/or state, county money. It is all the same, our money from taxes. The same money that pays for the city staff salaries and benefits that exceed the private sector packages. Some of the projects we have paid for and will pay for with our tax dollars are the City Hall and park area facing Yucaipa Boulevard the uptown Phase I improvements, the new bus and transit center, and now the $2.1 million carports with solar panels on top. The mayor said this will pay for itself in 18 years which is a cost of $120,000 per year? Does the Community Center’s Edison bill cost $120,000 per year? Did the citizens of Yucaipa have a say in these projects? What if the city paid the school district $2.1 million? Maybe the buses would be reinstated? Maybe no more schools would be closed? What if the city took the $4.5 million allocated for the up*town roundabouts and used it for sidewalks and streetlights throughout the city?
Are the citizens of Yucaipa receiving proper representation from our council, and is the city staff working for the actual taxpayers or for the various social programs and agendas of their choosing?
As citizens of this town, I encourage you to protest the city and let the Mayor know about the horrible treatment received by Newell’s Nursery and many others in town.
Let’s show our support for the Newell family and Mr. Newell, who started the business in 1978. Tell the city that the treatment of Newell’s is unacceptable and should cease. The city should support local businesses, not drive them out of town.


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[YucaipaTrap]

I have had the same experience as the last poster. I've never dealt with a city government that actually deters new businesses and development within their city. They are unorganized, carry a huge God complex, rude, cold and calloused. Yes, I understand there isn't any room for "heart" at City Hall, but this town goes far beyond not straying from the "laws and bylaws" it seems they actually interpet the law whatever way is worst for the property owner and whichever avenue will cost the residence the most money. Talk about the "grabbing hands grab all they can, all for themselves after all".

These guys/girls have their minds made up before the trial even begins, with one hand on the trigger and the other in your pocket. I'd never attempt to develop anything anywhere near Yucaipa, Ca. They don't want you here and they make their dislike for you extremely evident. Apparently this city takes enough money through robbing the rich, charging some of the highest property taxes in the Inland Empire and excessive fee requirements for permits for ANYTHING a property owner would like to do with or on their own property.

Stop at Angus McCurdy's for an amazing burger if you can figure out the European round-a-bouts (Engineered by Yucaipa's finest engineers at their tip top! I wouldn't hire them to engineer a Birthday Cake, it would probably come out upside down and extremely angry.) then... get back in your car and drive straight through to Oak Glen, you've already had the best Yucaipa can possibly offer. It must have cost Angus a fortune to develop and open his business here, he deserves your business.

In a town where Burrtec trucks block single lane streets to remove residence refuge all the way up to the 10 freeway various days of the week. Shanties line most residential streets. A breath of fresh air can cost you a lung if your looking to inhale anywhere near this pot smoking, tobacco worshiping majority.

Where tax dollars buy you the largest lodge'esque City Hall around, and Police Department to match. A town where you drive in a circle to turn left, right, straight or reverse and stop Main Street traffic (riding your rear) to back into a parking space, so you can get a tattoo or check out a thrift store of obsolete and discarded items.

Yes we have it all! Except, Costco, Target, Walmart, In N Out or just about any other establishment you would require or desire. You will have to go to Redlands, Ca or San Bernardino for any of those.