Legislation Sponsored

Councilor Benton has a proven record of working with others to get important legislation adopted. He has researched, developed, and carried many pieces of legislation, and he has also worked in partnership with nearly every other member of the Council to see resolutions and ordinances through the legislative process.

• Planning and Zoning
• Sustainability
• Public Safety
• Economic Development
• Transportation and Infrastructure

Planning and Zoning

Form-Based Zones (O-08-58)

• Led a two-year effort to have new “mixed-use/transit-oriented” zones added to the City’s Zoning Code. Process included a citywide Town Hall meeting, 9 community meetings (one in each Council district), 4 hearings before the Environmental Planning Commission, one hearing at the Council’s Land Use, Planning and Zoning Committee, and one hearing before the full Council. Numerous hours spent working with different stakeholder groups to improve and revise legislation.

Front-yard parking bill

• Limiting the percentage of a residential front yard that can be paved and used for parking (O-07-61 – co-sponsored w/Mayer)

South Yale Sector Development Plan

Barelas Sector Development Plan

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Sustainability

Green Building Ordinances

• O-07-73 and O-07-105
• Co-sponsored w/Cadigan & Heinrich

Tree removal moratorium

• Prohibiting removal of trees from City properties without consulting the City Forester (R-07-267)

Increasing the Energy Conservation set-aside in the G.O. Bond from 1% to 3%

Acquisition of Gutierrez Canyon Open Space

• Co-sponsored w/Heinrich

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Public Safety

Ban on hand-held cell phones while driving

• O-06-57
• Co-sponsored w/Sanchez

Secured funding for the renovation and expansion of Fire Station 2

• The oldest station in the city
• 2007 G.O. Bond

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Economic Development

Mesa del Sol Tax Increment Development Districts and Master Development Agreement

• Including negotiating higher affordable housing percentages

Purchase of the Historic BNSF Locomotive Shops in Barelas (Rail Yards)

• R-07-202
• R-07-274
• R-07-332

Rail Yards Pre-Development Process (R-08-47) 

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Transportation and Infrastructure

District 3 Storm Drainage Prioritization

• Resulted in storm drainage retention ponds being built in Barelas (Tingley Park with brand new park constructed as well) and Santa Barbara-Martineztown to prevent future devastating flood events

Transportation Infrastructure Tax and Streetcar bills

• Including O-07-71
• Cost/benefit analysis
• Creation of the 21st Century Transportation Task Force
• 21st Century Transportation Task Force Final Report (OC-08-15)

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