Parking or "Where do we put all the cars?"

When I decided to run for City Council, I had lots of conversations with people in Emeryville concerned about traffic. I have written a few times about this, and yet, after 3 years on the council, I am not sure that the average person thinks things have improved. Consider that within the next 20 years, it is projected that the number of residents in Emervyille will increase from 10,000 to 16,000, according to our General Plan. Where are we/they going to put all those cars?

I have found a strong consensus through the transportation planning world about how plentiful, free parking actually encourages people to use cars when they otherwise might not; free parking is like a car magnet. Emeryville is different from our immediate neighbors to the north and south, in that public parking is free here. (Note that some private parking, like at our hotels and at Bay St. is not free.) I believe that free and unrestricted parking is part of the reason we have more cars here than we like. You should also know that we have 20,000 people working in Emeryville each day. They weigh many considerations as they decide how they will get here, including the direct cost to them of driving.


Several years ago (before I joined the council) Emeryville commissioned a study of the North Hollis area to look at parking issues and solutions, as the streets in this part of town are very often completely "parked up" on a weekday. Restaurants and businesses with customers who come and go have complained people can't find a place to park, and that this could impact their number of customers and sales. With off-street parking required to be provided for employees, why is the on-street parking so full all the time?

Wilbur Smith Associates, who completed the study, found that people will park where it is most convenient. With free unrestricted street parking, people will park there first, and when it is full, find another spot (maybe in a garage). Some people don't have access to off-street parking as it is private or don't want to park there as it is costly, and find themselves circling, looking for a spot on the street. With no time limits on the street, during the day there is very little turn-over of spots.

By limiting street parking in non-residential areas with a time limit, we can help people find spots that are meant for them. This is about managing parking, not just providing it. We can manage it with time limits or fees. Our hope is to first put limited time parking zones in places planned out by the study. The transportation committee, on which I serve, is having a special meeting on Tuesday, December 11, 2012, at 9:00 am at the Fire Station on Hollis and 63rd St. (6303 Hollis) to talk about next steps in the parking plan. Eventually, if the city puts in paid parking on the street, we could use the revenues (once capital costs are covered, which would likely be within 2 years) to fund additional pedestrian or bike improvements that would enhance the area for everybody. This is called a parking benefit district, where the use of cars and paid parking actually helps to pay for direct improvements. Right now we taxpayers are all subsidizing those who drive here and park for free.

Residents need to be protected from other users spilling over into the areas they depend on for parking. We have some areas with residential parking permit programs, and the city can support more if it is warranted.


What is important is to hear from the community regarding this pending change. I want residents to have residential parking, I want employees to have employee parking, and customers to be able to find customer parking. It is great if we can share parking, but I know we can manage the parking we already have better to be sure each type of user can have parking when and where they need it.

Emeryville is special in that we have a free shuttle provided by businesses, property owners, and our city government that gives us a ride to and from BART, the Emery-Go-Round. With over 1.3 million riders each year, Emery-Go-Round certainly keeps some cars off our streets. We can build on this service to further encourage people to get to Emeryville without driving their cars.

Democracy in Emeryville

I serve Emeryville on the city council with the goal of increasing people's involvement with decisons that impact them. You may have heard that our city council elections typically have low voter turnout (in 2011 it was 26%). By having our elections on odd-years (2011, 2013), there often is not a lot of other things to vote for, and statistically fewer people vote (than in even years: 2010, 2012). In 2010, for example, the turnout and vote for local measures (in Oakland), even down at the bottom of the ballot was about 60%.

When I won my council seat in 2009, I won with a 13% margin over the next person, more than 100 votes over him, but alas, I won with only 855 votes! We had about 5,400 registered voters in town, but only 855 votes got me elected. That means 16% of people who could have voted, voted for me. With 10,000 residents now a mere 8.5% of people who lived in Emeryville voted for me.

I believe that it is time for Emeryville to move our elections to even years, when more voters vote. Yes, we will be competing for attention with all those other candidates, propositions and measures, but it is when more people actually pay attention and participate by casting their votes. I proposed this to the city council last month, and they unanimously agreed to consider it formally. We will have an item to discuss this again and get your input on sometime in early 2013 (not on Tuesday, December 18 at our council meeting, which begins at 7:15pm, City Hall, 1333 Park Ave). Bottom line is, Emeryville will save money by consolidating our elections with the rest of Alameda County.

How to make a transition to even years is another consideration on which I would like to hear your input. To me, the simplest and cheapest way to make the change would be to extend all terms of current council members for a 5th year. That would mean the next elections would be changed to one year later: from 2013 (for me and Kurt Brinkman) to 2014. The other three council members (Ruth Atkin, Jac Asher and Nora Davis) would be done with their current terms in 2016 instead of 2015. Others think that making the next term a 3 year term would be better. In other words, whoever is elected in 2013 is up for re-election in 2016.

There are many views on this. Some say it will cost more for candidates, some say it will favor incumbents, some say it will favor new-comers, some say people will not have the patience or attention span to vote all the way down the ballot. Some say it is better to have only those who care about city issues voting in the smaller elections on odd-years. I think it is worth making the change in the interest of greater potential participation and democracy (with a small "d").

This could impact our School Board elections, which are also held in odd-years, as we have shared the extra cost of the odd-year elections with Emery Unified School District.

Further information (if you are still reading): the only other two cities in our County with odd-year elections were Livermore and Newark. Livermore voters just voted to change their elections to even-year. I hear that Newark is also considering a change.

My new job!

I have completed my personal transition and career change by taking a full time job with TransForm, a non-profit organization based in Oakland that does transportation policy and transit advocacy. In many ways, this is my dream position: working on transportation and land use issues that have been so important in my service to Emeryville. I work specifically on GreenTRIP, a certification program for new development projects that are low-traffic by design (like LEED is for energy efficiency). TransForm is also known for administering Safe Routes to Schools, a program to encourage kids and families to walk and bike to school. You may also be interested in our Great Communities Collaborative, which includes increased engagement of stakeholders in local land use planning.

With our climate concerns, with CA's focus on reducing Greenhouse Gas emissions, and with SB375 rolling out in our region, I am very excited to be working right in the thick of it. And my commute to Downtown Oakland by either bike or bus is great (especially when it is not raining)! Also, having the chance to put the skills I learned in my Masters of Public Policy program (Goldman School, graduated June 2012) to work is very satisfying. Please check out the organization, and let me know if your work is related to what we do or if you would like to learn more!

The other side of this transition is that my time for public service is less than I had before. I remain a strong and engaged council member (will end my year as Mayor on Tuesday, December 4, and have greatly enjoyed it), but I no longer have the luxury of time with my own children in the afternoons. As a result, I am reducing my evening commitments. I am still reachable by email and phone, but my responses might be a bit slower than before.

The positive side is that I have a whole new area of expertise that I bring to Emeryville, our transportation challenges, parking, and development projects. I look forward to working with you on these challenges moving forward.

VOTE!

Today is the day! Be sure you get to the polls, if you haven't already turned in a mail-in ballot. They are open until 8:00 pm, and City Hall at 1333 Park Ave. has a polling place!

The City Council meets this evening, but we hope to have a short meeting so that we can all go watch the election returns. Come at 6:15 pm for a special study session on trees in Emeryville. Stay for a conversation about the council committee structure during the regular City Council agenda beginning at 7:15 pm.

Today is an exciting day, and you have a part to play in our beautiful democracy!

Some of my positions include:
YES on Prop  30
No on Prop 32
YES on Prop 34
YES on Prop 37
YES on Measure A1
YES on Measure B1

Just go get that little "I voted" sticker and wear it with pride! VOTE!

Celebrate Art! Friday, October 5, 6-9 pm, 5890 Christie Ave.

Friday, October 5 is one of the best nights of the year! This year that evening is the opening night of the annual Emeryville Celebration of the Arts exhibition, which will run (free of charge!) from October 6-28. Please come to 5890 Christie Ave. to see the wonderful collection of art made by people who live or work in Emeryville.

The artists of Emeryville are passionate about what they do, and the variety at this exhibit never disappoints. I love spending time with my children gazing at the art, and then enjoying the magic of turning and meeting the artist who created the piece, and discussing the work with him/her. There will be music, snacks and drinks, and all the community turned out to celebrate. My appreciation to all the volunteers who make this event one of the best all year, every year! More information is here.

Oversight Board - where are we now?

For those of you who have followed the end of Redevelopment in Emeryville, the Oversight Board has been meeting since April 2012 to oversee the unwinding of the Agency. See my previous posts here (Feb. 29) and  here (May 17) on the work we do and who serves on the OB. To read about the end of redevelopment read my January 17 post.
 
Next Tuesday, October 2, at 5:30 pm at City Hall, there will be a public comment session.
The following Wednesday, October 10, at 5:30 pm at City Hall, the Oversight Board will meet.

With the new state budget passed in June 2012, there have been some modifications to our process of "unwinding." Emeryville is undertaking a "due diligence review" of all of the redevelopment funds and assets in two parts. First, all of the Low and Moderate Income Housing Funds are being audited (to be completed and released to the public by Monday, October 1), and second all other funds are to be scrutinized (by December 15). At the end of these reviews, any unencumbered cash will be redistributed to the taxing entities (who are represented on the Oversight Board and are listed on your property tax bill), and the remaining enforceable obligations will be paid from cash on hand or future tax increment money. Only enforceable obligations listed on the ROPS and approved by the Department of Finance are allowed. The public meeting next Tuesday is for people to weigh in on the first of the two "due diligence reviews." At the 10/10 meeting, the Oversight Board will review the document as well. The public is welcome at both meetings.

At the end of this process, the state is allowing the Successor Agency (which took over the unwinding of the former Redevelopment Agency) to use unspent bond proceeds that are still being held. For Emeryville, that means that there are $24.5 million from previous bond sales (most recently 2004) to pay for projects such as the Center of Community Life, to which we have committed $21.2 million. The remaining $3.3 million will be decided on in the spring of 2013.

Zoning Ordinances being considered, Saturday, September 29 at 10:00 am

Emeryville is nearing the end of the process of updating the zoning in town. After adopting a new General Plan in October of 2009, Emeryville has worked with many dedicated people to update the Emeryville Planning Regulations: those serving on the Zoning Update Steering Committee, the staff who support their, and consultants as well .

This Saturday, September 29, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm at City Hall (1333 Park Ave.), there will be a public workshop on the zoning ordinances. Please consider attending. The public is welcome at all of these meetings at City Hall. After this public input session, the regulations will come to the Planning Commission and City Council for a joint study session on October 30, 2012 at 6:00 pm. Then the Zoning Update Steering Committee will meet again on November 15, 2012 at 6:00 pm. The Planning Commission will consider the zoning update with a public hearing on (tentatively) December 13, 2012 at 6:30 pm and the City Council (tentatively) on January 15, 2013 at 7:15 pm. This means that the public will have 5 more opportunities to weigh in on decisions for how the General Plan will be implemented including what uses are permitted where, density of development, and design guidelines. The chart of all the meetings scheduled can be found here in the E-News (which you can opt into receiving twice per month).

Trees Study Session, Planning Commission, Thursday, September 27

At the Planning Commission meeting on Thursday, Sept. 27, there will be a study session discussing street trees in Emeryville. It is toward the end of the agenda. The meeting begins at City Hall at 6:30 pm. In my opinion, the City is not doing enough to preserve mature trees when developers want to cut them down. Here is an open letter from me to the Planning Commissioners:

I have long been concerned about how well we are maintaining our trees in Emeryville. To me, mature trees are a real asset and make a tremendous difference in the feel of a place, the quality of life, and in the property values. I would much rather live on a street with tall, healthy trees, than without. We all know it takes years to allow trees to reach their full maturity, and patience!

Emeryville passed an Urban Forestry Ordinance (UFO) in 2003 and updated it in the past couple of years, but it alone is not enough. It is up to the decision-makers in town to remember the time required for trees to mature, and to value those trees more than saving a developer money. We all know that clearing a parcel before building is cheaper. We know that designing a park on a blank piece of paper is easier. But it is simply not worth it!

Trees can be preserved and incorporated into new developments in Emeryville, and the Planning Commissioners and the City Council members are the ones who can make that a priority. I hope that staff will also encourage or require developers to consider existing trees in their plans, but until they do, it is the appointed and elected members of the Commission and Council who must protect the community from the continual cutting down of mature trees.

The UFO has some good protections in place. Now folks must pay a penalty when street trees are cut down. Now developers are required to replace the cumulative circumference of trees cut down with new trees (which can be hard to do with limited space for all those trees, but encourages planting large replacement trees). But the City is exempt from the UFO. The City doesn’t HAVE to follow these rules. And as a result the city has been inconsistent in the application of the UFO.

At Parkside (formerly PaperMill) on Stanford between Doyle and Hollis, more than 40 mature trees are being removed as part of a project building 164 apartments. I cannot vote on this item as it is close to my residence, but I feel that no public body properly considered alternatives to cutting down these trees. We were shown a design for a new park and commented on details, glad to see something other than a parking lot! Yes, there were public community meetings, and no one asked for the trees to be preserved. There were study sessions at the Planning Commission, and no one asked for the trees to be preserved. The council considered the Park Design in February 2012, and no one asked for the trees to be preserved. The arborist report (prepared after the community meetings and the Planning Commission approvals and which was not required because the City doesn’t have to follow the UFO), was commissioned by the Developer Archstone. It had 2 sections removed from the report by suggestion of the City staff: 1. the value of the trees slated for removal and 2. the steps needed to preserve the existing trees. I think that those sections should have been retained. At least for the City to know in monetary terms what is being taken away by the development proceeding according to the plans, and to help all decision makers and the public know what is feasible in terms of preservation.

These are the 20 year old trees to be removed for a park

When I spoke to a member of the community who attended the public meetings, I heard that no one in attendance had mentioned, talked about, or asked about the removal of all the trees on the site. All comments were focused on the new park plan – no one even thought about considering what is currently there. Not the City staff or the developer. She, too, is excited about the new park, but devastated to think that all the mature trees are being cut down to build it.

This developer was asked to build a public park as a condition of approval for the City. Good for the city to ask for something back for the community! But next time, ask for a park WITH the existing trees incorporated into the design! No one did, and we didn’t get a park with mature trees – we will get a lovely park with brand new trees and wait 20 years for them to grow to be like the trees that are there now.

Please consider the following points as new development projects come forward: 

1.  What trees are already on the site? Can they be preserved? What is their value?
2.  Ask for more benefits from private developers, even if it might increase the cost of the project.
3. Visit the site and look at what is there now.
4. Require the City to follow its own UFO unless it is an emergency situation.
5. Post notices on all trees to be removed, and do so early in the process, before plans have been settled on.
6. Get our City Arborist to review private arborist reports.
7. Use the fund we have created under the UFO to maintain and preserve existing trees and to plant new trees.

If we have the foresight to do right by trees in Emeryville, 20, 30, and 50 years from now the residents and people who work in Emeryville will thank us!

Drop off prescription drugs at Police Dept this Saturday

This Saturday, September 29, you can take any medications to the Police Department between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm to drop off. Please, for the environment's sake, do not flush any old medications down the toilet. Clean out your medicine cabinet and bring it to the Police Dept. this Saturday.

Emeryville Police Department   

2449 Powell St., Emeryville    (across from Watergate)

Register to Vote by October 22

Yesterday was National Voter Registration Day! Barbara Lee had a rally to remind people of the importance of voicing our vote in our democracy. We need to do all we can to get people registered and ready to vote. Too many states are dealing with voter suppression laws. Now Californians can register to vote online (as of last week), and October 22 is the deadline for registering for the November 6, 2012 election. If you have moved, you must update your registration.

I heard that on Monday Governor Brown signed into law a bill that will allow Californians to register on election day, but not until 2015.

Cohousing Conference, Oakland June 13-17

In a few weeks, Oakland is hosting the National Cohousing Conference, June 13-17, at the Marriott Oakland City Center, 1001 Broadway.

What is Cohousing? Cohousing is a Danish model of community living, where all families/individuals own their own unit, but also share a "common house" where the community spends time together. I live at Doyle St. Cohousing, on Doyle St. in Emeryville. We are celebrating our 20 years since the project was completed this spring. We have 12 separate units, with a condominium structure. We have meals in our common house, cooked by one of the adults in the community, three times per week. Over dinner, neighbors chat, share news, discuss their day, issues in Emeryville, etc. Those of us with kids find that neighbors are open to watching a child for a few hours here or there, and the kids have built in friends and playdates that don't require driving across town. I learn a lot from my neighbors, borrow things, watch movies together... just like a "village" of sorts.

Once a year a conference brings people interested in this intentional community type together. Emeryville should be proud as our community is often featured in articles and books about cohousing, as we were one of the first places in the county with a cohousing community built from the ground up (or in our case, converted from a warehouse).

When we talk about having more family friendly housing in Emeryville, I think that including another cohousing community makes a lot of sense. I think about all the units promised in the Public Market development, or future affordable housing developments, and think that cohousing would be a great addition.

I have to say that Doyle St. Cohousing is the reason my family and I moved to Emeryville in 2004 from Oakland. The support that we get from our community is the reason that I can serve Emeryville on the council and as mayor. After living this way, going back to a single family home or a multi-family unit without the added structure of community would be hard for me. I will have the opportunity to share my appreciation for the role cohousing plays in my life at the National Conference as I introduce one of the leaders of the cohousing world, author of the book, and developer extraordinaire, Katie McCamant. It just so happens that Katie and her husband Chuck Durrett used to live in Emeryville. In fact, I bought my unit from them!

Please email me if you want more info, or go to the website for the conference and sign up to attend.

June 5 election recommendations

As a permanent absentee voter, I received my ballot for the June 5 election last week. I usually turn my ballot in last minute at the polls, but for those of you who are quicker to respond, I thought I would share with you my views of the items on the ballot.

First of all, this is the first time we have voted with the open primary system, where the top two vote-getters then square off in the General election, instead of having party nominees face each other in November. When Proposition 14 passed in June 2010, it changed the way primaries are run. As a registered Democrat, I received two ballots: one with no party label that has the State Senate, Assembly, Superior Court Judge, County Supervisor and Measures 28, 29 and B, and the other that is labeled "Democratic Party" with the President, County Committee, US Senator and US Representative.

My voting recommendations are below:

Yes on Measure B: this will help to fund Peralta Community College District which includes Berkeley City College, Merritt College, Laney College and College of Alameda. It will cost each property owner $48 per year for 8 years and will be collected with property taxes. The threshold required for this measure is two thirds majority. Supporting our community colleges which are so affordable and accessible to help folks extend their educational opportunities and improve their skills is very important.

Measure 28: Term limits. After watching the decline of compromise and rise of partisan politics in both the state and federal legislatures, I am not in favor of term limits. Short terms mean greater influence of lobbyists and staff, and less expertise and relationship building of politicians. As a result, I was not clear which way to vote on 28, as both sides claimed it would "fix" the problem to make term limits more effective. The yes vote will allow potential leadership to stay in one body longer and develop stronger positions there, compared with the current combined 14 year limit (6 in Assembly and 8 in the Senate). The yes side is also supported by organizations I support: labor unions, Democrats and Common Cause. Sounds like I am leaning YES.

Measure 29: I will vote yes to impose an additional $1 tax on a pack of cigarettes. The money will be used for medical research and the additional cost will discourage purchasing cigarettes particularly for teens who may balk at the higher cost.

Superior Court Judge: I met with Andrew Weiner who has an impressive background in the court system and innovative ideas about reducing costs and increasing compromise settlements through case management and mediation. I think he would be a terrific addition to the court. That said, the percentage of women on the bench is still only around 30% , and I think that Tara Flanagan, who is endorsed by the Democratic Party among others, would also be a good fit. You may only vote for one.

For the Democratic County Committee, I recommend the following people (you may vote for 9):

1. Elizabeth Echols
2. Kathy Neal
3. Jesse Arreguin
4. Bonnie Wheatley
5. Beverly Greene
6. Andy Kelley
7. Joel Cohen
8. Sharon Ball 
9. Michael Barnett

For President, Barack Obama
For US Senator, Diane Feinstein (although there are 23 people running against her, and I haven't done my homework on them all)
For US Congresswoman, Barbara Lee!
For State Senator, Loni Hancock
For State Assemblymember, Nancy Skinner
For County Supervisor, Keith Carson

Allegro Ballroom hosts community benefit, May 26 at 7:30pm

On Saturday, May 26, from 7:30pm until midnight, the Allegro Ballroom is hosting a benefit for the Emeryville Celebration of the Arts event (in October) and the Friends of ECDC (a group that supports art and music at the City run child care center). More information is here. Allegro Ballroom is at 5855 Christie Ave. If you have not visited this dance hall, you must come to see what a grand place it is! They offer classes for all levels of dance, and have many beginner classes as well as free classes.

Oversight Board hears back from the State Department of Finance

When the Emeryville Redevelopment Agency was dissolved by the State in February, there were many projects that were in various stages of beginning, development and completion. The process to end the flow of tax increment money to these projects is messy and confusing. Our Oversight Board consists of 7 members (including me) from the community representing tax entities who are in positions to benefit from tax increment money again flowing to them instead of redevelopment. We have been grappling with the list of "recognized obligations" that are allowable under the dissolution law. After sending our list of what we considered allowable expenses to the State, we received back a letter that challenged many of the larger projects that are underway. We meet again on May 29 at 5:30pm at City Hall, to consider these projects in more detail, sifting through the contracts and paperwork to determine whether they pass the test of "obligation" to a third party.

For now, the uncertainty is high. The Emeryville Center of Community Life (ECCL), a joint project with the School District, and the South Bayfront Bike and Pedestrian Bridge, along with parcels purchased for affordable housing have all been questioned by the State Department of Finance. Meanwhile, legislation to clarify and help with the termination of redevelopment are wending their way through Sacramento, but there is no fix yet put up for a vote by the Senate or Assembly. It is tangled up in the state budget problems/process.

All this is to say, that I will keep you posted, but you are also welcome to attend or watch the Oversight Board meetings. They are on the second and fourth Tuesdays at City Hall at 5:30pm (except in May the meeting will be on the fifth Tuesday).

Affordable Housing Week - Groundbreaking!

This week is Affordable Housing Week. In celebration, we are having the official groundbreaking ceremony for the Ambassador. The information flyer tells you that on Friday, May 18, from 3:30 until 4:30 there will be an event at 1168 36th St. (corner of Peralta). What most impresses me about this project (that has been in the works for about 10 years) is that it is 68 affordable housing units with a significant number of 2 and 3 bedroom units, suitable for families. We know Emeryville has a low number of families, and we know that our housing stock has a low number of larger units. With the Ambassador, we can welcome more families to Emeryville, which is very important considering our efforts to strengthen our schools and build the Center of Community Life. Please join us in celebrating a milestone in our affordable housing efforts.

Last Friday, May 11, I had the honor of speaking at another groundbreaking event -- this one for the 64th & Christie apartments at the Public Market. The ceremony was well attended and also highlighted Emeryville's efforts to include affordable housing in developments that receive funding assistance from the City or former Redevelopment Agency. This development will have 29 affordable housing units in the 193 unit development. At that event, we also got a tour of the Green Living Room, an outdoor space that is under construction to highlight innovative green technologies you can touch and see. The new Urban Outfitters is nearly complete (opening June 7), and also reuses wood and materials from older buildings. The upgrade of the Public Market is impressive, especially when you learn the details of how much of the materials are finding a new life here after spending as much as 100 years in another building that was then demolished. Stop by Hot Italian, a new, delicious pizza place and bar. (I heard they are showing Breaking Away, a great bike movie from my hometown, Bloomington, Indiana on Thursday, May 24.)

Library event: Sunday, June 10, 2012 from 2-4

My daughters and I love to go to the library. We spend hours there, looking at books, reading books, checking out videos, doing art, getting to know the librarians, and running into friends. Today, when I dropped by, I ran into a former librarian, who has retired, but was back to promote an event remembering Lottie Rose, a woman who was committed to improving the library. A quilt has been made in memory of Lottie Rose, and on Sunday, June 10, from 2-4, there will be a dedication ceremony to honor Lottie's contributions to the Golden Gate Library and the community. Please come! Golden Gate Library, 5606 San Pablo Ave. in Oakland. 510-597-5023

Flyer here.

City Council Update May 2012

Coming up next week is your chance to weigh in on the next 2 year budget of the city of Emeryville. Please come to City Hall (1333 Park Ave.) on Weds, May 23 at 5:30 pm to address the Council and hear our deliberations. On Monday and Tuesday (both days at 5:30pm, also at City Hall) the Department Heads will present their portions of the budget. The agendas are posted for your information. Childcare will be provided.

Planning Commissioner applications are being accepted until Monday, May 21 at 5:00 pm. There are two positions that are up for re-appointment or new appointments. Please find the application here.

Last night, the City Council addressed many issues that may be of interest to you. The list is below, followed by more detailed information on these items with links to even more info.

• Red light camera system eliminated
• Fire Services contracted with Alameda County Fire District
• Bicycle/Pedestrian Plan adopted
• Information on the hydrogen leak at AC Transit's bus yard (Friday, May 4) shared
• Emeryville Child Development Center (ECDC) status reported on in special study session
• ECAP financial support provided for two months

Of course, all of this can be watched online here, or can be viewed on Channel 27, E-TV.

The red light cameras at 4 intersection approaches in town have been in place for about 9 years and they are being discontinued. They are no longer cost effective for Emeryville (staff report is here) as more staff time has been required to support the violations, and the number of citations have decreased. From my perspective, there have been numerous complaints about unfair citations, where the presence of an officer might have resulted in no citation, but the camera just captures one dimension, and the courts have not been willing to consider other information when appealed. These tickets are very expensive, costing around $500. We increased the length of the yellow lights slightly which reduced the number of citations as well. Recently, we added a new sign on eastbound 40th St. alerting drivers to come to a complete stop before turning right on red onto Horton St. This corner was one that provided most of the citations by camera. Please look for pedestrians and drive safely in Emeryville!

With the support of staff in the Fire Dept., we have committed to a contract (staff report) with the Alameda County Fire District. The ACFD is very well run and will provide enhanced services for a lower cost than we currently spend. Over the years, ACFD has grown to include Dublin, Newark and the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab. Our fire stations will remain open, the staff will be the same, but we will have better coverage and support from both the county and our nearest neighbor, Oakland. The contract is for 5 years.

I am very excited about the Bike/Ped Plan (this is a large file for the plan itself, the staff report is shorter). It very clearly lists projects and improvements throughout town that will make alternative, active transportation better for all residents and workers in Emeryville. Look for new bike fix-it stations with tools to repair your bike! Safety and convenience are key to encouraging more people to leave their cars behind.

The hydrogen leak at the AC Transit bus yard is still being investigated. We know that AC Transit has been responsive to the City's concerns, and that the Fire Dept., the Police Dept., and the School District were all prepared and fast to respond to the emergency on May 4. The hydrogen tanks are now empty and the program will not be reactivated until all concerns have been addressed. The safety system worked as it was supposed to. Please see the official press release for more information.

For the latest on ECDC, you can read the staff report about the Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) that our new, dedicated Center Manager is already implementing. We asked for an outside analysis of the Center and have found that there are many improvements to be made. This is an opportunity to really support the center and anticipate the positive, long term results from a strong early childhood education program in Emeryville. We know this is one way to support the schools as well. Now we need to encourage the state to keep funding for subsidized childcare for those who cannot otherwise afford it, as the Governor's budget reduces both the subsidy and reduces the number of families that qualify. Please consider lending your voice to that need as well here for pre-school support and here for K-12 support.

ECAP has been organized and cleaned up by a dedicated group of people over the past several months, and its doors are still open to help those who really need it. For 15 years, ECAP has offered food and clothing to people who do not have enough to get by (located at San Pablo Ave. near 37th St.). With the loss of the redevelopment agency in Feb., the organization was suddenly on its own to find money to pay the rent and utilities. In our next 2 year budget, the City is considering whether to assist this organization, but in the meantime, we have approved funds to cover operating expenses for May and June to keep the lights on. Please consider donating money, time or clothing to this organization. Staff report is here.

Current vacancies on committees: Ad Hoc City Mission statement and Motto Committee (applications due by Monday, June 4); Marina Committee (applications due by Friday, June 8). Application is here.

State of the City Town Hall, Senior Center, Thursday, April 19, 7:00 pm

Thursday evening, April 19, at 7:00pm,  at the Senior Center (4321 Salem St.) I will be sharing with you a "State of the City" report. Emeryville's City Manager, Pat O'Keeffe, and I will do a presentation, followed by time for your questions and concerns. Please come to the Senior Center next Thursday evening to hear about what is happening in town, and to have a chance to share your thoughts. This event is open to all, and I hope you will invite your neighbors along!
--
Jennifer West
Mayor of Emeryville
emeryvillewest@gmail.com
blog at http://emeryvillewest.blogspot.com/
(510) 420-5795

Capoeira in the Community

Years ago, as a parent at Head Over Heels, the fabulous gymnastics organization in town, I met Malandro. He has coached at HOH over the years, and was a favorite of my then 3 year old daughter. She is now 11, and Malandro is now one of the leaders in the area for teaching and playing Capoeira. In case you are not familiar with this Brazilian dance/martial arts, it is amazing to watch and clearly takes incredible strength to do. Please consider supporting Malandro and his group.

His group uses the Emeryville Senior Center for some of their events. See more info at
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1044871629/from-brazil-2-the-bay-2012-united-by-resistance

I am proud of the variety of groups here in Emeryville, and hope that we can learn from each other through our crafts.

ECAP - Emeryville's service for folks who need help

Emeryville Community Action Program (ECAP) is located on San Pablo between 36th and 37th St. and passes out food and clothing to people who do not have enough to get along. Sometimes when I bike or drive by I see a line down the street that turns the block. Nellie Hannon, who has run ECAP for a long time, used to serve on the Emeryville City Council. The council will recognize her contributions to the community at this Tuesday's City Council meeting (4/3, 7:15pm, City Hall, 1333 Park Ave.).

For years the Emeryville Redevelopment Agency supported ECAP by paying the lease on their building and the cost of utilities. It cost the Redevelopment Agency about $45,000 per year. There was an additional donation from Community Development Block Grants in the amount of $2,000 per year for holiday baskets. With the end of the Redevelopment Agency in February, the financial support for ECAP disappeared.

At the same time, ECAP lost its tax-exempt status due to lack of filing papers. A new entity, Ohana Community Outreach, has stepped in to help support ECAP and keep the doors open. They are working on plans to sustain the current services and expand them as well. They have applied to regain the tax-exempt status for the organization as well.

My question to the community as we plan for our next two year budget cycle, is whether the City of Emeryville should renew its support for ECAP (or another entity) that provides these services? Right now, money is very tight with redevelopment funds gone. At the City we are potentially cutting staff and shrinking our own services. But within our $28 million General Fund, is there room for the $45,000 that the RDA gave over the years for ECAP? We provide a rent-free location to the Emeryville Chamber of Commerce. Can/should we arrange something similar for ECAP?

Please send me an email at emeryvillewest@gmail.com to let me know your opinion.

Trees in Emeryville

Maybe it is my Mid-West upbringing, or my appreciation for natural beauty, but I am always wanting to see Emeryville do the best we can to preserve mature trees -- and work to plant more trees. Do you feel the same way?

As a result, I am disappointed in 2 items that have recently been considered or will be considered by the City Council at public hearings (the second one is this Tuesday 4/3 at 7:15pm at City Hall). Both have to do with a new development project called "Parkside" which is located on the block bordered by Powell and Stanford, Hollis and Doyle. This project will have 169 units of rental residences, and includes some retail space and a small park with a dog run. I actually do not get to vote on any aspect of this project as a City Council member, as I live and own property just a block away.

This Tuesday the council will consider whether to allow the developer to take out all of the street trees located along the south side of Powell on this block. The staff report and the arborist report can be reached by these links. The arborist suggests, "Costs related to demolition, construction and planting site preparation will be significantly reduced if all trees are replaced." The information that is not included is what it would take to retain the mature trees, rebuild sidewalks next to them as part of the project, and perhaps enhance the environment for the trees to make them grow and thrive in this spot. It also does not mention that the trees on this block are the same as the trees along Powell for 3 blocks, and make a cohesive feel along that part of Powell.

Additionally, 2 weeks ago, the City Council was to consider this item, but then it was pulled from the agenda. The change in those two weeks is that instead of asking the developer to pay $52,100 for the removal of these mature trees as provided by our Urban Forestry Ordinance, now 9 out of the 10 street trees have been declared "nuisance trees" and the developer will have the fees reduced to $4,447 (to pay for the one tree that does not constitute a "nuisance").

I am glad to read that the staff has changed their recommendation to replacing the 10 trees with 12 new trees, larger than previously recommended two weeks ago, but the loss of mature trees is still a problem.

When will we start to ask developers to work around existing trees? When will we ask for the appropriate fees to help fund the planting of more street trees (as I have heard of some residents who request trees and don't get them)? Why is the staff trying to reduce the importance of the trees and the fees that we have in place to deter cutting these trees down?

On the same project, on February 7, the City Council approved the design of a new park, and the removal of 33 mature trees to accommodate it and the parking lot. All of those tall trees that are around the parking lot, on the Stanford side of the project will be taken down to make room for a park. I find it surprising that the park could not be designed to incorporate and enhance the mature trees that are already on the site. When I look at the project, I see that some of the trees simply could not remain with the plans for construction, but there are others that might have been retained with careful planning. If the developer and architect don't value the trees, or see keeping them as a costly measure, at least the city council, who must approve the removal of all trees, should see the value in keeping them. Again, I did not vote on this project as I live so close to it.

I know that arborists have come a long way in the past decades in terms of concensus on proper soil volume needed for trees to thrive. According to staff, most of the trees in Emeryville planted longer ago than 5 years were not planted properly, and therefore, removing them and replacing them with properly planted trees would in the long run make our community better. I agree with that to some degree, but would like to see the city show a real interest in trees, and recognize that a gradual replacement might be better than a complete overhaul. Leave some of the mature trees and plant new ones with better practices. Then, as those trees mature and grow large, remove the older ones. Also, commit to maintaining our current trees and sidewalks in recognition of the value trees bring to our community.

I know that community meetings were held on this project, and these views would have been better shared at that time, but I bring them up now.

I ask that staff invite our City Arborist to come and speak to the council on an overall strategy on how to maintain our street trees so that they are not in the future considered "nuisance trees" that can be cut down without a penalty. Let's see Emeryville become a place where mature trees are valued, as I believe their value enhances our town and our properties.

As always, I invite your comments sent to me directly at emeryvillewest@gmail.com.

Update on the ECCL (Center of Community Life)

Last night at the City/Schools Committee meeting (first Thursday of every month at 5:30 at ESS), we had a presentation and accepted the final conceptual design plan for the Center for Community Life (ECCL). After the School Board officially recommends this conceptual design (which will come at the March 13th meeting I expect), the architects will move on to the schematic design, which are the details on how the buildings will look and from which the construction documents will be drawn. The last public workshop on the conceptual plan will be this Saturday, March 3, from 2-5 at Emery Secondary School. Childcare and refreshments provided. All welcome! Demolition is planned for this summer (2012) for the Secondary School to prepare the site for the new facility.

We also heard last night from the 6 student ECCL Fellows whose job it is to engage the community and spread the word to keep the community informed. They presented information about their activities and answered questions about the program. They expressed a desire to have more students involved. There are also 4 adults who are part of the Fellows project.

Here is a link to the website that contains information on ECCL and also the presentation that the City/Schools Committee heard last night. With the bonds that have been sold by the district ($48 million) and the commitment of former redevelopment funds ($25 million), the project has $73 million available for it at this time.

We also heard from a few people who serve on the Citizens Oversight Committee (COC) which collects information on the Measure J Bonds and how they are being spent. Putting in place the tools that the COC needs and figuring out their role with 17 members has made for a challenging year. Brian Carver, who has served as the chair, gave his monthly report which included some changes to the structure of the committee. After his report, he also expressed personal frustration with the process, the amount of time and effort that this work demands, and some of the resistance or attitudes he has met from staff when procedures or assumptions are questioned. He is concerned that the School Board is not looking long term at the management and use of all 3 of their properties, spending most of their attention on the one ESS site. He thinks that the argument for K-12 co-location has not been made adequately. He is considering leaving the committee, he said. I am very sorry to hear that level of frustration from any volunteer who has dedicated so much. I urge all elected officials, staff and residents to respect people who share ideas that are different from their own, truly listen, and maintain a constructive dialogue. That is how public projects are improved and how individuals contribute.

Oversight Board

To keep you informed on Redevelopment changes, I will share with you about the Oversight Board. The Oversight Board is being formed in the next month or so and will be in place by May 1, 2012. This body will be reviewing all decisions made by the City Council as Successor Agency to the Redevelopment Agency as we wind down its affairs, including looking at all of the projects and "enforceable obligations" that are listed on our Enforceable Obligation Payment Schedule (EOPS). The Oversight Board will have 7 members:

• the Mayor
• a person appointed by the County Superintendent of Schools, Sheila Jordan
• a person appointed by ACTransit
• a person appointed by the Peralta Community College District
• a member of the County Board of Supervisors
• a person appointed by the County Board of Supervisors
• a member of our staff: Helen Bean the Director of Ecomonic Develeopment and Housing will serve in that capacity

The Oversight Board includes representation of the other taxing entities who have been impacted by tax increment money going to Redevelopment projects and debt service over the years. The oversight of the Successor Agency decisions ultimately rests with the State Dept. of Finance, but the Oversight Board provides local input on those decisions. Tonight after our public visioning workshop, the council will be recommending folks for the County Board of Supervisors' appointment. We have been asked to make recommendations to several of the appointing bodies. The status of several projects in town hinge on the decisions that are made by this board.

Important meeting to chart Emeryville's path

Please come on down to City Hall on Tuesday, February 28 to share your ideas with the City Council. Redevelopment is gone and we must set our shared priorities before the new 2 year budget is drafted and adopted in June. We start at 5:30 pm and will go until 9:30 if we need to. You will get a chance to hear information from staff, add your own voice, meet some neighbors, hear the council share their views and even have a few refreshments. The agenda is available here.

I look forward to seeing you at 1333 Park Ave. at 5:30 on Tuesday, Feb. 28.

Jennifer West
Mayor of Emeryville

I-80 Corridor Congestion Relief project meeting, Feb 13, 6:00-9:00pm

Here is a link to information on this meeting!

Yellow Pages Opt out link

Emeryville Neighbors,

If you are interested in no longer receiving yellow pages directories, please follow the info provided below. Realize that it may take a month or more to process your request and you may still receive a yellow pages in the interim.

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YELLOWPAGES Opt-Out

Consumer Choice

Developed in partnership between the Local Search Association and the Association of Directory Publishers (ADP), www.YellowPagesOptOut.com provides an easy and secure way for you to control the number of Yellow Pages telephone directories you receive or to stop directory delivery entirely.  It is a completely free service for residents, municipalities and organizations that want to help promote sustainable business practices.

The Internet-based tool is specifically designed to prevent directories from being delivered to anyone who does not want one while ensuring that they are delivered to the majority of consumers who continue to rely upon and use the print Yellow Pages to make purchases supporting the local business community and economy.  It is a significant and unified commitment on behalf of directory publishers of which the positive impacts are already being realized in many communities around the country.

As the industry’s official website to manage requests, all Association and ADP member companies are committed to honoring requests made through the opt-out web portal. Information gathered through the site will not be sold to third-parties and will be used solely to update publishers’ delivery information.

Simply go to www.YellowPagesOptOut.com, enter your zip code and follow the prompts to make your choice.  Once complete, you will be sent a confirmation email.  Click the link embedded in the email to confirm your request.

What is the State of the City?

On February 7, at the City Council meeting at 7:15 pm at City Hall (1333 Park Ave.) there will be several items that may interest folks in town.

The Mayor (that's me) will give a State of the City address at the beginning of the meeting -- the same address I gave at the Chamber of Commerce Luncheon just a week ago. To reach the citizens of Emeryville, I asked to give the speech again so that more might hear about what has gone on in the past year and what can be expected going forward. Pat O'Keeffe, the City Manager, will also give a part of the speech. You can also watch this live on your TV on Channel 27, or on your computer with live streaming. You will be glad to hear that we are also taking this show on the road -- reaching out even further as we are committed to attending neighborhood gatherings to share the same information. Consider inviting us to one of your homes, your complex, or your community room in the near future.

Contracting with the County for fire services? Before our regular meeting there is a study session (beginning at 6:30) to hear about the proposals we have received to improve Emeryville's fire services. The folks who work in the Fire Dept., the Task Force that was created to look into our fire service delivery, the consultants who we hired to analyze our needs, and the managerial staff all have recommended to the Council that we consider joining the Alameda County Fire Department. Come to this session before the City Council meeting to hear more about this topic.

You may have noticed new LED street lights lighting up the street outside your home. There is an item on the agenda to discuss the changes in lighting, both the quality of the light and the cost savings that we anticipate from the energy saving technology and the lower maintenance costs. A number of residents have brought this to our attention and we will discuss the change at our meeting.

We are appointing a new Planning Commissioner as Art Hoff has left the Planning Commission. Several people have applied and now the Council will appoint one.

The design for a new park next to the development dubbed "Parkside" in the block bordered by Hollis/Powell/Stanford/Doyle will be considered by the council.

A group named Ohana that is proposing to assist ECAP, the Emeryville Community Action Program, an organization that helps people who need food, clothing and support services will be presenting an update on their activities.

And we will hear about regional sustainability with the Sustainable Communities Strategies presentation. For me, this is a very important and exciting opportunity to be involved in the way our region tackles transportation and land use decisions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as mandated by CA law, SB375. If you are not able to attend Tuesday evening, but want to participate, please consider this virtual workshop as a way to share your thoughts.

Finally, we will proclaim how kids need parks, the importance of the Red Cross, celebrate the dedicated career of a Police Service Technician, and acknowledge one impressive college freshman from Emeryville!

I will do my best to get all the hot topics as early as possible in the evening.

See you there!

The end of Redevelopment as we know it

On February 1, 2012, if no other urgency legislation gets passed, the two Redevelpment Agencies (RDA) in Emeryville will be dissolved. I want to give you a little background as to how we got here, and what we might expect as we move forward.

Emeryville has two redevelopment areas that collectively cover 95% of our town, everything except the Watergate Condominiums. The 1976 Redevelopment Agency was established in 1976, and the Shellmound Redevelopment Agency was established in 1987. Over the years both agencies have issued bonds to finance projects that have cleaned up our town and assisted with public and private development of parcels. Redevelopment agencies use tools like eminent domain to assemble parcels. Emeryville was left with a large amount of toxic waste when industry left, and we have used these funds to clean up brownfields, and are still doing so. Some of the most visible projects of redevelopment have been the Bay St. development, along with IKEA and the Courtyard Marriott, and the East Bay Bridge mall where we have many big box stores.

When a redevelopment area is established, all future increases in the property taxes come back to the redevelopment agency as "tax increment." In other words, whether the property taxes in that area might have gone up on their own or not, the gains are attributable to redevelopment and help to pay back the debt that redevelopment has accrued. Redevelopment may indeed have contributed to increasing the property taxes, but all other agencies that normally take a slice from the property tax pie (Alameda County, the City of Emeryville, the Emery Unified School District, AC Transit, Peralta Community College District to name a few) do not get any of the tax increment. Their amount of property tax revenue was frozen back when the RDA was established.

Because our RDAs have helped to build hotels and retail, our city's general fund has benefited from hotel taxes (TOT) and sales tax revenues as a result of redevelopment as well.

Over the years, the state has had to fill in on school funding when the district did not get adequate funding from the property taxes collected locally. Today, our EUSD gets only about 20% of the funding from local funds, and 80% comes from the state. The burden on the state has increased, which has led to serious budget issues (I know you know about these), and the State has again and again turned to local funds to try and balance their budget. In 2010, cities and counties successfully passed Prop 22 which again stated that the state could no longer take local government funds. That seemed like a good thing to protect our dollars, but there was an unintended consequence.

Last year, Jerry Brown, proposed ending redevelopment as we know it to free up tax increment funds, allowing more money from property taxes to flow to schools and counties, reducing the state's burden. The legislature ending up passing 2 bills, AB 26 and AB 27. The first one ended redevelopment; the second one re-established RDA with a "voluntary" program and extortion payments from RDAs to pay for the opportunity to continue to exist. Emeryville would have had to pay $13 million this week in order to play. We were planning to do so, as by continuing to exist, the RDA would hold onto assets of around $120 million.

But last summer, the statewide CA Redevelopment Association challenged AB26 and AB27 in court. The CA Supreme Court decision, released on Dec. 29, 2011, upheld AB26, but struck down AB27. Essentially, they said that the legislature had the power to eliminate redevelopment, but under the constitution (which now included Prop 22) the legislature could not require payment to re-establish RDAs. It is ironic that Prop 22 was the reason that AB27 was struck down.

There are many people talking about how this was not what was intended by state legislators. There may be a new form of redevelopment that is considered, one perhaps that allows RDAs to continue working toward affordable housing goals. Some bills are already in the works.

In Emeryville, we have a number of RDA projects in various stages of completion and planning. The real question on everyone's mind around the state (there are 400 redevelopment agencies) is "How far along does a project need to be to be considered an 'enforceable obligation' and allowed to continue?"

When RDAs dissolve on Feb. 1, a "Successor Agency" will take over to assist with the wind down of affairs. In Emeryville it is likely that the Successor Agency will be the City Council (decision comes this evening). All actions by the Successor Agency are subjected to an "Oversight Board" which has on it representatives of the other taxing entities that serve to benefit from the release of tax increment funds, such as the County, Schools representative, the Community College Board, AC Transit, etc. We will also have a representative on that Board, appointed by me, the Mayor. Additionally, the County Auditor-Controller and the State Controller and Department of Finance have oversight of the actions of these agencies. Tax increment will still be allocated to pay off the debt of the RDAs, which is about $14 million per year, and other pass-through payments that are "enforceable obligations."

Because the intent of RDA dissolution is at least partly to assist the schools, we feel confident that the joint-use facility called the Center of Community Life will be allowed to move forward. We have "enforceable obligations" in place with the School District already in the form of MOUs, and we hope that with our accelerated design and construction plan due to federal funds we are receiving, we will have no problem on that project. Other projects are not as clear at this time. I can speculate, but do not know the fate of projects such as the Bike/Ped bridge to Bay St. that has been planned, but has been waiting these past 9 months or so to move forward, pending these decisions.

One thing that is very clear to me is that the future of Emeryville will look very different without the RDA there to assist with development. For that reason, it is imperative that the council and the community come together and talk through our priorities moving forward. On Feb. 28, 2012, at 5:30, at City Hall, the Council will meet for a long term visioning workshop. I hope you can attend.

Tonight, Jan. 17, 2012, at our Council meeting at 7:15 pm we will have a couple of items discussing these developments. Please consider attending to learn more. As always, feel free to send questions my way.

Planning Commission vacancy

The City Council will be appointing a new member of the Planning Commission at our February 7th Council meeting. To apply a person must either be a resident who has lived in Emeryville for at least one year or a person who has worked in Emeryville for at least one year. Any person who is interested in a position should apply by email no later than Monday, January 16 at 5:00 pm. Applications can be submitted electronically by emailing a completed application as an attachment to the City Clerk at khemphill@emeryville.org. They can also be dropped off by Friday, Jan. 13, before 5:00pm (as this is a 3 day weekend due to the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday).

Applicants should also attend the Planning Commission meeting on Thursday, January 26 at 6:30 pm.

Feel free to email me if you would like to discuss the important role of the planning commission.

Mayor for 2012

Happy New Year! I am proud to announce that on December 6, the council voted to have me serve as Mayor of Emeryville. I am honored and humbled, and look forward to working directly with residents and businesses to improve services and make Emeryville a better place to live and work. Please email me or call me with any concerns or ideas that you would like to share.

As part of my new role, I will be delivering the State of the City Address along with City Manager, Pat O'Keeffe, on Thursday, January 26. The Chamber of Commerce traditionally hosts this speech at a Chamber luncheon. Additionally, I have asked that the State of the City also be given directly to the public at a City Council meeting. I will advise you of when that will take place as it has not yet been scheduled.

I am looking forward to further opportunities for outreach and contact with you. Check this blog to learn more about when and where these opportunities will be arranged.

I invite you to come on down to City Hall for one of our city council meetings: the first and third Tuesdays of each month at 7:15 p.m., 1333 Park Ave. I will be there presiding. Agendas can be read on the city website from the Friday afternoon preceding each meeting.

I am also very pleased that Jac Asher has been sworn in as our newest council member. She will be a strong advocate for families and livability in Emeryville. In other election news, both Measure C and Measure D, which increased the rate and the cap on the business license tax passed. Measure F, which would have outsourced the city attorney position, did not pass.

Finally, I want to recognize Ken Bukowski for his 24 years of service to the City of Emeryville. I trust that he will remain active and engaged in city issues.