Notes-20120912

LOCCNA meeting 2012 Sep 12

Subject: Parlets proposal

Approx. 40 - 50 people in attendance

Guests: Heather Hensley, NSA Executive Director

and District 4 Councilmember Jesse Arrequin

Moderator: Alan Gould

Agenda

Neighbors voted to hear the guests first, Heather/info on the proposal, Steve/process, and Jesse/process to date. This was followed by Q&A and comments from the audience about the proposal and process.

Heather

After the 2007 experience with the North Shattuck Plaza, the group went towards more incremental projects, ex. mural on the side of Virginia Bakery, removing of recycling bins at Safeway (though residential recycling and the Safeway project were also factors).

There are 3 projects that work together.

1. Pedestrian safety and bike transportation. Creation of Vine St. Bike Shelter (similar to Solano) and 4 bulbouts on the sidewalks on Virginia to create shorter crossing for pedestrians, particular the school children.

2. Diagonal parking spaces. To create more parking, diagonal parking spaces are being created north of Vine, the street in front of Bel Forno and street near CVS. They plan to create 10 more spaces plus one handicapped space. This will leave one lane for traffic on each side. There are bollards (removable posts) to be located about half way down the access road. So when the bollards are in place, the traffic will be directed back onto Shattuck (just like in the Downtown area). This proposal is being reviewed by Fire and Transportation depts and follows state transportation codes. This is in process.

3. Parklets.

Heather was about to review the poster with pictures of the parklets, but ran out of time (10 min). (These photos are on the LOCCNA website.)

Steve Martinot

Steve spoke about the relationship between neighbors (neighborhoods in general) and the City. This has happened a couple of times before, where a space is modified, we suddenly hear about it, and then we get involved. We should be involved in the process right away and give input. He described how Safeway had a meeting with the neighbors on their renovation, and some of the neighborhood's ideas were incorporated into the project. We should establish a mechanism on how the City, project designers, and neighbors should interact. He had copies of a draft resolution that he had sent to LOCCNA.

Jesse Arrequin

He likes the parklet proposal in North Shattuck and other areas, but has questions about the process as well. He agrees that there should have been regular consultation with the neighborhood. The City has not established a process yet. (He also asked the City Manager if a city representative could come to our meeting, but since the project has not been moved forward by the City Council, they said it would not be worthwhile to send anyone. Once a project goes forward, they can send a City rep to speak to us and answer questions). The diagonal parking spaces have gone to review. The bike shelter at Vine and pedestrian safety crossing at Virginia and Shattuck with beacons are paid for by grant funding. Parklets are a public space. They are paid for and maintained by the businesses and on-going maintenance by the BID.

Q&A (not organized in any manner)

- Question to Steve about why work with businesses than the City.

Steve said he considered the businesses as part of the community, but ultimately the approval goes to City Council.

-What procedure would work in getting feedback from the community?

Heather said they had a volunteer designer work on this and NSA talked to the City manager. City wants parklets in the community, but there was no process yet. NSA had regular meetings on this, and wanted to get a read from the City Council first.

Jesse said they they should have gotten input from the neighbors. SF has advanced notices posted in the areas where the parklets would be located and has a public hearing for input.

-Were the resource people not allowed by the City Manager to come to the meeting?

Jesse was told that it would not be useful. The proposal is at the conceptual phase so no specific info could be shared. There was no process yet. They would send someone once the project was further down the line.

-Are the parklets removable?

Heather said yes.

-Comment about consent calendar and notification.

The Actor's Ensemble is in a similar situation. The group has maintained the Live Oak Theater for 30-40 years and is near likely to lose it's bid for the theater space. The City went through the consent calendar and took a RFP (Request for Proposal). The City didn't tell them who the other bidder was (professional group, TheaterFIRST) and wouldn't talk to them.

-Question about authorizing legislation creating Business Improvement Districts (BID) in economically disadvantaged or underutilized areas. Can North Shattuck be characterized as disadvantaged and under utilized?

Jesse said that was a general statement/preamble and does not necessarily rule out North Shattuck as a BID. Legal counsel has approved these BIDs. A charter city can come up with their own guidelines (Berkeley is a charter city)

- Question about where we are right now.

Diagonal striping will go on, only the parklet proposal is on hold. Heather said they had a public process with the Transportation commission in June 2010. The City said that since this was a pulbic right of way, it was simple and you didn't need a public hearing.

- Are the parklets just for the businesses, Guerilla Cafe, Philz Coffee, Sauls and Cheese Board?

Jess said the parklets are for the public, every single member of the public. They are not just for the businesses.

-Is the City trying to figure out what process is needed? Shouldn't we have the process first and then the proposal?

Jesse said that was an open question. They are looking at SF's RP and design parameters. Heather said the process is the pilot so City Council could direct staff. NSA wanted the Council to weigh in on a parking waiver. In retrospect this should have been differently, maybe have two separate proposals. She said that BID and LOCCNA could have meetings along with other agencies like AC Transit and Public Works to update everyone.

- Drive-by mailbox will still be there.

Other Comments

-Parklets discriminate against other businesses

- I don't believe the proposal leads to safer streets

- We're talking about loss of 7 parking spaces over 3 blocks

- Merchants can't take care of the sidewalks now, how will this be an asset?

- We need on-going information

- Parklets are an exciting proposal. They give flexibility to Farmer's Market and other events. Problem is more in terms of trust and process

-Healthy North Shattuck, requires healthy businesses. There are trade offs and there is a need to get more people there. We can't make decisions for businesses.

-BID pools resources of the businesses to approach government, they are not a quasi-govt entity

- If a proposal is underdeveloped, they will say you have no ideas. If the project comes with drawings and plans, then you are accused of the project going too far. You're damned if you do and damned if you don't. The process needs to be jumpstarted.

- Check out the parklets in SF

- Neighbor enjoys the "cool and hip" vibe of the area. Brings his family to Off the Grid

- Others said the area was crowded, hard to walk on the sidewalks with all the people and tables on the sidewalk.

- Several neighbors said parking is a problem in the area. And cars encroach on the surrounding neighborhood and parking is hard to find for the residents.

- How about rotating the parklets?

- It will be safer to cross fewer lanes than 7 lanes of traffic.

- Our elected rep should be here

- Why give public parking spaces away to three businesses? Aren't 2 of the 3 on the Board? Can't they get a larger space? It's hard for handicapped people to park.

- We need more parking in front of our businesses.

-We need communal spaces/ commons

- This proposal are incremental to what? What is the goal?

- We need on-going communication with BID and neighborhood. We do need revitalization here. "Grow or die".

- One neighbor was disappointed that people have taken hard positions, pro and con. It would be better to work on solutions.

- One person said that she heard neighbors asking about what is the appropriate process. We need regular consultation and meetings. Everyone had valid opinions based on their experience. We tcan take all the perspectives and take them into account.

Next Steps

- See Steve Martinot who is forming a sub-group to work on a draft resolution on how the City should work with the neighborhoods.

- ? quarterly or bi-annual meetings with NSA so that before a proposal is made, for input from the neighbors and opportunity to build a consensus.