20010529notes

Notes from 29 May 2007 meeting

North Shattuck Neighbors

Live Oak-Cordonices Creek Neighborhood Association (LOCCNA)

Opening Introductions

Art Goldberg:

Summary of Actions to now

When Plaza plan was released there was surprise/upset

and disappointment from many members of the neighborhood and some

businesses. At meetings issues were raised and clarified.

Committees formed to deal with various categories of issues: such as

beautification, traffic, parking, transportation, overall vision.

Steve Martinot: Where we are today in Loccna.

Heather Hensley:

Business Improvement District.

There is division of opinion about what people would

like to see by way of improvements. Would like to hear

from community and businesses. If we can reach

agreement, would like to raise money for project(s).

Margot Smith:

Participants

There are four main players concerned with local development:

the Business Improvement District, local Merchants, North

Shattuck Plaza Inc, and this, the neighborhood association.

Linda Trujillo Bargemeyer,

chair of transportation and Vision

She introduced the committee members:

Bruce Bargmeyer, Madan Kumar, Bessie Chin,

Fred Dodsworth, Anna Giske, Steve Martinot, Nina Luce, Jane Harada,

Lloyd Andres, Mary Ann Brewin.

The vision wanted connections between people and

nature, and interesting experiences.

Madan: tried to address broad framework, not specifics of a

particular project. Bessie Chin did a lot of research on

transportation--really needs to be addressed in separate meeting.

Bruce: While we are attracted to the idea of making things nicer in

the neighborhood, we are concerned about dangers of unchecked growth

and expansion of business. Passages of the document were read...

Bruce Bargmeyer

Vision Summary:

Details may be read on the website or emailed if desired.

"'Goodness of Living' depends upon a number of factors including a

strong sense of community; close proximity to nature; the

availability of quiet and environmentally safe public transportation;

close proximity to intellectual, cultural, and outdoor activities;

opportunities to participate in the democratic process and influence

our living conditions; opportunities to know and interact with our

fellow human beings; opportunities to savor good food and drink;

access to vibrant and diversified local shops; an ability to preserve

our connection to the past; the opportunity to understand diverse

people; and the ability to afford living here...."

"We want North Berkeley to remain a strong and cohesive neighborhood

community, not a domain of anonymity. We do not want it transformed

into a high-density city, like San Francisco. We want to increase

opportunities to interact with neighbors, friends, and business

owners and their employees, which includes protecting neighborhood

streets from the incursion of high-volume traffic; and, promoting the

needs of children, teenagers and seniors.

Summation

"The 'Goodness of Living' in North Berkeley should be protected and

enhanced. To do this, we want to maintain our low density, low rise

residential neighborhood. We want to protect our small, independent

business community by supporting incremental improvements rather than

massive disruptions.

We want to increase the amount of greenery on

Shattuck by planting not only trees, but thoughtful and beautiful

landscaping. We want to connect Live Oak Park with the Plaza by

providing window displays announcing activities at the park. We want

a community bulletin board.

We want to be connected with the past, by

installing informational plaques on historical buildings.

We want to revisit how Berkeley's forefathers implemented public

transportation so that we can make large strides in developing a useful public

transportation system for commuting and other uses. We want to more strongly support the

use of bicycles, by providing bicycle lanes and

safe areas to park bicycles.

Finally, we need to organize to fight

the developmental forces that would like to change North Berkeley

into something that meets their needs instead of ours."

There was a discussion on whether density in itself was bad.

Margit Roos-Collins Was not at ease with was trying to avoid big ugly

multistory buildings. To get more open space, there might NEED to be

some more dense housing in certain locations, but only if buildings

are attractive, and if it was accompanied by working with local

businesses so they do not go out of business and avoid lots of chain

stores.

Bruce Bargmeyer: ABAG is pressuring communities to plan higher density as

condition for financial support/state money. We don't like that

premise.

Heather Hensley: maybe neighborhood needs to approach the question of

the zoning of the North Shattuck commercial area.

Margit moved that we keep the portions of vision statement that

relate to goodness of living and delete the portions that are

specific negatives such as pertaining to specific plaza project

proposal or blanket opposition to higher density buildings.

Did not pass.

A discussion about the actual area the neighborhood covered

ensued. It was generally felt that the North Shattuck Area was

not well defined, but we were concerned mainly about the area

from Cedar to Rose and those people affected by the

proposed North Shattuck plaza.

Comments were that some people who favored the original plaza plan feel

really marginalized at these meetings and sustainability goals are missing from the

vision statement. Some were not sure what was meant by sustainability. Some

commented that the first two paragraphs of vision statement are negative

statements about plaza and there was a need to indicate scope of area of concern.

It was moved by Diane Sequoia and passed that a succinct statement indicating

highest level, e.g. desire for more human scale planning be added as the

first paragraph to the vision statement. Then, the Vision statement has more

details to flesh that out.

Jesse Townly: Development is a huge issue in many areas of Berkeley.

We should communicate this vision statement to other neighborhood

groups.

Fred moved that Vision Committee meet again to revise the Vision

statement based on input from the meeting.

Did not pass

Motion to accept the Vision statement as amended. Motion passed.

Alan gave e-mail address for those who wish to join the LOCCNA Yahoo Group.

adgould{at}comcast.net

The meeting was adjourned .

Notes by Alan Gould

and Margot Smith