Hundreds of Oaklanders turn out for the June 18 "Uptown Unveiled"
Street Party
From your Councilmember: Comments on the Unpopular Parking Rate Increases and Other Bad Press
Downtown Zoning UpdatedBusiness Assistance Center is Open!
Oakland Public Library Branches Will Shift to Five Days Week Starting August 1, 2009
Modifications to Traffic Configuration Coming to El Embarcadero Intersections
Lakeshore Parking Garage - No Changes, no Charges For Now
Update on Implementation of Oakland's Bicycle Master Plan
Update on Proposal for Off-leash Dog Play Area at Park Blvd/Fifth Avenue Open Space
Looking for Candidates for the Central City East Redevelopment Area Committee
What Do Bella Vista Park and the Morcom Rose Garden Have in Common?
EVENTS
Saturdays, July 19 and July 25 Chinatown Night Market at Pacific Renaissance Center Sundays, July 19, July 26 and August 2 Municipal Band Concerts at the Lakeside Park Bandstand by Fairyland Tuesday, July 21 DEADLINE Mail Your Ballots! Tuesday, July 21 is Deadline for Registrar's RECEIPT of ballots in City’s Special Election for 4 Measures Thursday, July 23 Harrison Street/ Oakland Avenue Community Transportation Plan: Community Workshop #3 Saturday, July 25 100th Year Anniversary of the Office of Parks & Recreation: A Family Celebration & Play Day at deFremery Park Friday, July 31 Outdoor Movie Night on lower Park Blvd. Throughout July Adopt-a-Spot and Volunteer to Clean up Oakland’s Parks, Creeks, Medians, Blocks and Streets Saturday & Sunday, August 1 & 2 Lakeshore Avenue to Host 2nd Annual LakeFest Street Festival Throughout July and August Twice Weekly Fun and Affordable Events at Oakland Ice Center
EVENTS
Saturdays, July 19 and July 25: Chinatown Night Market
at Pacific Renaissance Center
Premier of Chinatown Night Market featured cooking demonstrations, cultural performances, and magic shows for the children4:00 pm to 9:00 pm, 388 9th Street, plaza, Oakland. THIS SATURDAY NIGHT!
The Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce launched its first ever Night Market in Oakland Chinatown in the Pacific Renaissance Plaza on 9th Street between Franklin and Webster Streets. The Oakland Chinatown Night Market will continue on Saturday evenings through July 25th from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm. The Night Market features cooking demonstrations by chefs from local restaurants, food sampling, cultural performances, entertainment, and vendors selling products. Coupons will also be distributed to guests , offering discounts at participating Chinatown merchants and businesses.
Click here to see the brochure for more info.
Sundays, July 19, July 26 and August 2: Municipal Band Concerts at the
Lakeside Park Bandstand by Fairyland
Drop by for an old-fashioned day in the park! All concerts are from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Bring lunch, beach chairs or blankets. All concerts will offer an array of jazz, contemporary, pop, big band, international, classical, marches and show tunes.If anyone wants to volunteer, contact Anne Woodell here.
Tuesday, July 21 Election DEADLINE for Your Mail-in Ballot
to be Received by the Registrar of Voters -- Special Election for 4 Measures
to Help Balance the City’s 2009-2010 budget, Save Vital Services
Ballots must be received by the Registrar by 8 pm on Tuesday, July 21. If you haven’t yet received your ballot, contact the Registrar at (510) 272-6973. There are four Measures put on the ballot by a unanimous vote of the City Council to help balance the City’s ’09 – ‘10 budget. They are Measures C, D, F & H .
Thursday, July 23: Harrison
Street/ Oakland Avenue Community Transportation Plan: Community Workshop
#3
Westlake Middle School, Cafeteria, 2629 Harrison @ 27th Street, Open House from 6:00 pm to 6:30 pm, meeting from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
Review and refine a concept plan for improvements to transportation safety, access and livability along Harrison Street and Oakland Avenue. For more information, go here. For a flyer of the event, go here.
Saturday, July 25: 100th
Year Anniversary of the Office of Parks & Recreation: A Family Celebration
& Play Day at deFremery Park
18th St and Adeline, 11:00 am to 6:00 pm.
Bring your picnic basket and your blanket and enjoy free public swimming, games for all ages, skate boarding, 3-on-3 basketball tournament, crafts and more. There will be performances by Prescott Clowns, Circus Bella and other local artists and recreation performing arts programs. For more information, call (510) 238-3791.
Friday, July 31: Outdoor Movie Night on lower Park Boulevard
Outdoor Movie will start at 7:30 pm with pre-movie entertainment. Movie projected on the back wall of Woody's Laundromat, 1841 Park Blvd., across the street from the Parkway Theater. Sponsored by the Lake Merritt Business Association, Lake Neighbors , iLiketheParkway and the local Neighborhood Crime Prevention Councils' groups.
The movie is Space Jams (yes, the one with Bugs Bunny and Michael Jordan). Click here for the flyer.
Throughout July and Afterwards: Adopt-a-Spot and Volunteer to Clean up
Oakland’s Parks, Creeks, Medians, Blocks and Streets
Due to recent and pending budget cuts, Oakland's parks, creeks, medians, blocks and streets are going to need a little more Tender Loving Care.
There are lots of opportunities listed in the attached July 2009 Calendar.
Now is also a good time to encourage your family and friends to Adopt-a-Spot and volunteer a few hours a week to keep that special place in your neighborhood, well, special.
Here is the location for the Adopt-a-Spot information.
Saturday & Sunday, August
1 & 2: Lakeshore Avenue to Host 2nd Annual LakeFest Street Festival
LakeFest Street Festival in 2008 drew a festive crowd for great food, live music, and art displays - 2009 promises more of the same
LakeFest '09, the second annual Lakeshore Avenue street festival, will take place on August 1-2 (Saturday & Sunday) from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. Lakeshore will turn into a pedestrian zone from Lake Park to Mandana to host this free community event featuring live music, artisans, merchant sidewalk sale, art installations, "green" businesses and non-profits, street performers and a children's fun zone.
Date: August 1st & 2nd (Saturday & Sunday)
Time: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Location: Lakeshore Avenue Business District, Lakeshore Ave exit off I-580 Freeway
(near Grand Ave and Lake Merritt)
Website here.
LakeFest '09 is a free community event brought to you by Oakland Events, LLC and sponsored in part by the Lakeshore/Lake Park Business Improvement District.
Throughout July and
August: Twice Weekly Fun and Affordable Events at Oakland Ice Center
Ice Center is located at 519 18th Street.
The first is an Adults Only skate – Sizzling Hot Summer Nights - on Wednesday evenings in July and August. This is a discounted skate (even more discounted for couples who arrive and pay together) that also offers the option to pay for a drop-in skating class to learn how to ice skate. See flyer here.The second is a series of family-friendly “Theme Nights” on Saturday evenings that range from a 50’s Sock Hop to a Hip Hop Party, and a 10% discount is offered for anyone who arrives in era-appropriate costume. See flyer here.
Information is also available here.
REPORTS
From your Councilmember: Comments on the Unpopular Parking Rate Increases,
Grand Jury Report on Travel Abuse, and Other Bad Press
I am hearing from a lot of outraged constituents this week. First they read about the Grand July report on City employees taking liberties with travel expenses and then the City raises parking rates and extends parking meters to 8:00 pm. Needless to say, many people are not perceiving the City is a good light. Below I provide some background on both issues that may or allay some of the concerns and frustrations.
Travel
The County's Grand Jury Report found numerous instances of unnecessarily high charges for hotels and restaurants by City employees during fiscal year 2007-08. Some of these were charged on City credit cards and not reviewed by superiors.
Here's the good news: The City Council has already implemented most of the Grand Jury's recommendations to tighten up the rules and oversight of travel. We passed a new and very restrictive travel policy later in 2008, after the fiscal year studied by the Grand Jury. A report on all travel done by City employees in FY 2008-09 is coming to the Council's Finance and Management Committee in September. We will be able to see the details of all travel by City employees and see if our new policy has been successful in cleaning up the problems. Further, in our just-passed budget, we essentially wiped out the travel budget. There is still a small amount for really essential needs, but it has to be personally approved by City Administrator Dan Lindheim, and he has been very strict in allowing it to be used.
A further improvement of administrative oversight: . Most City credit cards have been cancelled. There about 13 still in use, and those are closely monitored.
After all the tales of nepotism by former City Administrator Deborah Edgerly, many people believe that City government is rampant with waste and abuse of public resources. I don't believe that is the case. Though there is still much room for improvement in management of performance, I don't think the level of cynicism that I'm hearing is warranted. Most City employees are working very hard. (And they all just took a 10% reduction in compensation.) Also contrary to perception, most City departments are not top heavy with management positions, as many managerial positions were eliminated in the Jerry Brown years and in recent budget cuts. There is still much work to be done, but we are making progress toward reform.
Parking Increases
No one likes to pay for parking, including me. Last month the City Council approved increases to the parking fees and fines reluctantly, knowing it would be unpopular, but also knowing it was necessary as part of the solution to close our $83 Million budget deficit. Unfortunately, implementation of the new increases was done with little public notice and no outreach. For that I fault the City administration. I had brought up at two different Council meetings the importance of giving people fair warning and informing people of the new rules. It didn't happen. Consequently, the sudden new rules and beefed up enforcement feel punitive.
The Council did not make this decision lightly, we approved these parking increases only after making deep cuts in jobs and services in order to balance the budget. Eight months ago, we closed a $45 Million revenue shortfall, and last month we slashed further to balance another $83 Million deficit. In the last year and a half, the City has eliminated over 350 jobs. All civilian employees are taking a 10% cut in compensation. The Police are negotiating a reduction as well. Weeds are growing 3 feet high in our medians because we laid off over half the maintenance workers. Libraries are closing an extra day per week. Most City pools are closed for the summer. Police overtime has been drastically reduced. In order to cope with a massive loss of revenue, the City Council has had to make these very difficult decisions and more. It was only to avoid further cuts to basic public services that we resorted to increasing the parking fees and fines. Those increases are projected to bring in over $4 million dollars, which means we can avoid laying off many essential workers.We realize there is a downside to doing this, both in alienating the good will of our citizens and possibly deterring shoppers. Some unhappy residents believe the higher parking meter rates will cause shoppers to go to other cities. It's unclear if that will really result--I certainly hope it won't. We will monitor the amount of parking spaces that continue to be used and make decisions accordingly.
I think the inadequate job of preparing the community for the new fees and fines exacerbated the public's anger. If people knew that half of the money they pay for parking and fines was going to fund the Police Department, maybe it would make it more palatable. If the public saw this as a way to have everybody chip in to keep our City functioning, it might be something people could more easily accept. Unfortunately, since there was no community education on the topic, many people just feel gouged. Today the City Administration issued a press release stating what the new fines are and the reasons that they were adopted (click here).
Meter Rates and Higher Fines - somewhat different issues
Though I recognized the financial need for the rate increase at parking meters and the 8:00 pm extension, I objected to the level of increases in the fines, especially for parking on the sidewalk. I got out-voted on that. The sidewalk parking fine went from $30 to $100. I think that's too much, in light of our inadequate street infrastructure. I strongly support enforcing against sidewalk parking in areas that have considerable pedestrian use, but I also know there are very narrow residential streets where everyone on the street parks parallel with two wheels on the sidewalk so that traffic can squeeze between the parked cars on each side of the street. I thought it was unfair to enforce on those streets without some discussion and potential accommodation for the deficient street width.
I met today with the Parking Director, the Fire Chief, a traffic engineer and the ADA Coordinator to discuss possible solutions. They are going to use GPS maps to analyze street widths, previously identified major paths of travel for pedestrians, fire safety and other issues to see if we can come up with any guidelines for prioritizing enforcement of sidewalk access. I don't know yet what will come of it, but I am trying to get to a common sense approach.
I wish we were living in more prosperous times. I will continue to try to find better ways to fund the basic services that our citizens rely on, and I welcome your suggestions.
photo courtesy of John KleinCity Planning staff are taking advantage of the lull in development activity to update the City's Zoning. Oakland's zoning hasn't had a comprehensive update since 1968. Planners are tackling it in sections. One of the first to be completed is for the downtown area, called the Central Business District. The zoning process involved 18 months of meetings with the public and committees of the Planning Commission. Among the issues of contention were maximum building height and protection of historic buildings. The finished product was a very comprehensive set of guidelines that had a goal of bringing more density to the Broadway corridor and areas near transit, and creating vitality on the street. The zoning focuses residential in some areas and offices in others. Several low-rise historic neighborhoods will be preserved, including Old Oakland and the Gold Coast apartment area around Jackson. Future development on Lakeside Drive between 14th and 17th will be limited to 55 feet in order to preserve views of the sky from the Lake.
Staff's zoning recommendations went to City Council on July 7 and were approved with several minor amendments. There are two outstanding issues that will be completed in the next year, which are an analysis of view corridors and demolition standards (which are key to the preservation of historic buildings).
Here is the height map for the Central Business District. This is just one aspect of the zoning, but it gives you an idea of where taller buildings are likely to be constructed in the future.
For more detailed information on the CBD Zoning, here is the link.
Oakland Business Assistance Center Opening July 2009!
Starting this July, setting up a business in Oakland has gotten a bit easier with the opening of the City of Oakland’s first one-stop Business Assistance Center. Staffed with experienced professionals, the Oakland BAC will offer the following services to help entrepreneurs and existing business owners streamline the process of starting, relocating and growing their business in Oakland:
- Guide prospective and existing business owners through sometimes complex
issues ranging from license and permit requirements to the zoning codes by
coordinating with the various City agencies and departments. - Serve as a clearinghouse for a wide range of business support services
provided by
the City of Oakland and its various agency and nonprofit partners. Provide information,
referrals, guidance and face-to-face interaction to resolve the challenges businesses
face in today’s economic climate. - A self-administered assessment form will identify areas of concern
for business
owners and assist center staff in creating a customized service path.
The Oakland BAC will also have an interactive website for online assistance
accessible 24 hours a day. City forms will be available for completion and submission
online. The website will also provide links to outside agencies as well as State and
Federal resources.
Oakland Business Assistance Center
270 Frank Ogawa Plaza - Downtown Oakland
(Entrance off Clay Street, between 14th & 16th streets)
Questions? Contact Michael McPherson, City of Oakland, (510) 238-4727
Click here for more info.
Oakland Public Library Branches Will Shift to Five Days Week Starting
August 1, 2009
Due to budget reductions for the 2009-2010 fiscal year, the Oakland Public Library will be changing neighborhood branch hours and raising some fines and fees beginning August 1, 2009. Generally, all branch libraries will be open five days a week.
As of this date, all fifteen branch libraries will be open Tuesdays through Saturdays; closed on Mondays and Sundays. The Main Library at 125 14th Street will maintain its current 7-day per week schedule. In addition, all branch libraries will be open on Tuesday evenings, either from 12:30-8:00 p.m. or 11:30 a.m.-7:00 p.m. The new schedules are as follows:
Asian, César Chávez,Dimond, Golden Gate, Lakeview, Montclair, Piedmont Avenue, Rockridge, Temescal Branch Libraries:
Tuesdays: 12:30-8
Wednesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays: 10-5:30
Fridays: 12-5:30
Brookfield, Eastmont, Elmhurst, Martin L. King, Jr., Melrose, West Oakland Branch Libraries:
Tuesdays: 11:30-7
Wednesdays, Thursdays & Saturdays: 10-5:30
Fridays: 12-5:30
Special programs, such as the Temescal Tool Lending Library and the Second Start Adult Literacy Program, will no longer be available on Mondays. The library’s mobile services unit, the bookmobile, has ceased operations.
Several fine and fee charges will also be affected starting August 1. Overdue fines for most adult/teen materials will now be $0.25 per day (instead of $0.20 per day), and it will cost $2.00 (not $1.00) to replace a lost or damaged library card. Individuals will also have to pay $0.15 per page for computer printing (no free copies), and $2.00 (not $1.00) to make an interlibrary loan request.
For more information, updates and a more comprehensive list of fee and fine increases, please check the Oakland Public Library’s Website. You may also contact your nearest library.
Modifications to Traffic Configuration Coming to El Embarcadero Intersections
The traffic configuration at the new El Embarcadero lanes is taking shape; more changes are in the works. The initial lane configuration was based upon predictions of a Synchro traffic model utilizing actual traffic counts performed earlier by a traffic engineer. Those counts showed a large number of cars traveling from Grand Avenue to Lakeshore Avenue, then turning right. That’s why the extra lane goes in that direction.
As it’s turning out, there apparently aren’t as many cars as before looping around the Lake through El Embarcadero in a clockwise direction . Staff had expected congestion for awhile when El Embarcadero was made two-way, until drivers figured out the new layout. Congestion certainly occurred, and having PG&E still working on its transmission cable upgrade on Lakeshore hasn’t helped. Although traffic flow seems to have improved a lot since the first weeks, an upcoming change in the middle El Embarcadero lane should further reduce backups. The western half of the middle lane will be re-striped for left turns onto Grand; the eastern half of the middle lane, for left turns onto Lakeshore.
Other changes are in the works. The pedestrian crossing signal will be adjusted to separate cars making turns from El Embarcadero onto Grand and pedestrians crossing El Embarcadero. Also, the new signals are currently operating on a timed basis. Once video detection systems are installed, the green light time in various directions will automatically adjust according to need on a real-time basis, resulting in fewer delays. Somewhat later, the Lakeshore turn-pocket where vehicles heading north queue to turn onto El Embarcadero will be expanded; it accommodates three vehicles now. When the median is adjusted and Lakeshore is repaved and re-striped, the turn-pocket will accommodate about eight vehicles.
Shortly, work will begin on resurfacing Lakeshore between MacArthur and E. 18th Street, beginning with repair of the road base in specific locations. Next will come removal of the top two inches of pavement, to be replaced with an entirely new road surface. At that time the road way will be re-striped for one vehicle travel lane in each direction, a continuous turn lane between them, bicycle lanes outside the vehicle lanes, and parking lanes next to the curbs. The change from two vehicle travel lanes in each direction to one travel lane in each direction will require some adjustment. Vehicles will move more slowly and their trips will take a bit longer, but that’s the intent of the “road diet”. Once the signal upgrades and the lane transitions are complete, the impact on drivers isn’t expected to be too bad, and the benefits for bicyclists, pedestrians and park users should be substantial. Based on information from Joel Peter, Measure DD Program Manager, and
Lyle Oehler, Project Manager for Lakeshore Ave – El Embarcadero Project
Lakeshore Parking Garage - No Charging for Now
As you may recall, the City was considering a proposal to lease the Lakeshore Avenue parking garage to a private entity for operation. Part of this proposal involved charging cars for parking after a first free hour. The revenue would have allowed more revenue for maintenance and upgrades to the parking garage. A more detailed description of the proposal was in last month's E-News here.
In last month's E-News I asked for feedback on the proposal, which would have included a charge for parking after the first hour. We received 56 email responses, with 29 voting Yes and 23 voting No, and 4 "Depends." I also held a second community meeting on the topic on June 22. The public sentiment on this topic was pretty evenly split. In light of the fact that the City hasn't received a detailed plan for how parking fees would be collected, and given the practical challenges for doing so, I told the group at the meeting that I would like to hold off on any changes for the time being. I don't anticipate coming back to the community with a further proposal in the next year. Especially in light of the City's rate increase at parking meters, I think the free parking in the garage is more appreciated than ever.
Update
on City's Implementation of Oakland's Bicycle Master Plan
The City of Oakland's Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities Program is pleased to share the fifth edition of the "I BIKE OAKLAND" newsletter. This newsletter provides an overview of the City's progress implementing Oakland's Bicycle Master Plan over the last six months.
To download the newsletter, go here. The newsletter is currently available in English, and will be available in Spanish, Chinese and Vietnamese by the end of this month.
Update on Proposal for Off-leash Dog Play Area at Park Blvd/Fifth Avenue
Open Space
In June, my office was approached by residents who want to create a permanent dog play area in the open space on Park Blvd near Fifth Avenue. Knowing that dog parks are an issue about which people have strong feelings, my staff and I called a community meeting on the topic for June 25. We wanted to let neighbors on all sides of the issue have an opportunity to voice their opinions. Additionally, we wanted to take the opportunity to educate all those concerned about the dog play areas that are currently available in Oakland, the current dog ordinance as it pertains to dogs in parks, and the process by which a dog area might be established in a public park.
About 20 residents attended the meeting held at The Church of All Faiths (2100 Fifth Avenue), which is just across the street from the proposed dog play area. Proponents of the idea presented a proposal for creating a fenced dog play area in approximately 45% of the open space that is bordered by Park Blvd., E. 22nd St, 5th Ave. and E. 21st. The proposed area would be located on the E. 21st side of the open space.
See map - click Aerial map and zoom
Proposed Dog Play Area Location (not to scale)Dog-owning residents proposed this use after receiving citations for walking dogs in the open space, which currently is a violation of the park ordinance prohibiting dogs in public parks, even on-leash. The fine is currently $275 for the citation.
There was also strong opposition voiced to the proposal for a dog play area in this location from long-time residents who cited the following as concerns:
• Noise
• Unattractive look of a fenced area and damage to the grass
• Loss of the use of already limited green space in the area
• Negative interaction between dogs and kids, which causes parents with young children to avoid parks where dogs are off-leash
• Bringing too many visitors to the area, thus increasing parking and traffic congestion
• Dog litter is already a problem and will be exacerbated
• Fear of dogs
• Possible historic significance of the park as a remainder of the F.M. “Borax” Smith estateResidents in favor cited potential positives of creating a dog play area including:
• Having a fenced area is safer for dogs and owners; dogs have been hit on busy streets nearby
• Crime is reduced when more people are on the street
• Neighborhood dog-owners would not have to drive long distances to reach sanctioned dog play areas
• Dog owners could become potential park stewards, better maintaining the area
• Bringing more people to the area would benefit neighborhood business
• A dog play area is a community building, socializing opportunity for residentsThere are positives and negatives about this idea that deserve consideration. While I agree that there are certainly not enough dog play areas in the City of Oakland, I am uncertain about whether this particular space is a good candidate for a dog play area. I have several concerns:
• It is an area with high traffic volumes – this may pose a safety issue for the owners and their dogs. We have received many complaints about speeding on Park Blvd., which ultimately resulted in my office advocating for the installation of a speed radar sign on Park Blvd. We also pushed for improving the visibility of the crosswalk at Park Blvd and Newton and for investigation by the City’s Transportation Services Division of additional traffic-calming measures to make the area, particularly at Park and Newton, safer for pedestrians.
• It is a highly visible area and I am concerned about the negative effect a dog play area might have on the beauty of the open space. Perhaps careful attention to design could mitigate negative effects such as grass being worn away and exposing dirt in the area, but I would need more information about that
• I also want to know more about whether the area has historic significance, so we are investigating whether it was part of the original F.M. Smith estate.There are other issues I would like to think more about before making any decision. I definitely want to hear the opinions of many more neighbors of the area so I can find out if there is a strong consensus for or against.
At the meeting, all residents indicated that the proposed area is already being used by dog owners as a “de facto dog play area.” Dog owners currently use the area to walk their dogs at the risk of being fined $275. As a compromise position, I would be willing to explore whether we could designate this particular open space as a permissible area to walk a dog on-leash. That would require amending the park ordinance, which currently prohibits dogs in parks even on leash. That change would eliminate the risk of citation for dog owners who wanted to use the space in that way.
In the meantime, I strongly encouraged the proponents of a dog play area at this location, who are supported by Oakland Dog Owners Group (ODOG), to reach out to more neighbors, including through Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council groups, merchant associations and other neighborhood forums to introduce their idea and get feedback from a wide range of people in the neighborhood. I also would like to hear from you about your thoughts on the issue. Please email Joanne Karchmer on my District 2 staff and share your opinion with us. This is clearly a dialogue that needs to continue and broaden in its reach.
Looking for Candidates
for the Central City East Project Area Committee
I am looking for four District 2 residents to serve on the CCE PAC. To qualify to serve on the CCE PAC, you must live or work within the Eastlake/San Antonio subarea (click here to see the map and the boundaries of the Eastlake/San Antonio subarea). Here are the four vacancies:
Business owner: If you own a business located in our subareaCommunity organization representative: If you work for an existing community organization or non-profit that operates or provides services in our subarea
Tenant: If you are a renter in our subarea
Homeowner: If you own a home in our subareaThis is a very important board because it makes recommendations on the use of roughly $68 million of tax increment funds (spread over the five year period from fiscal 2008-2013 and four subareas, the East Lake/San Antonio area being one of the four subareas). Click here for more detailed information about the CCE PAC. In addition, the City’s Redevelopment Agency issues bonds from time to time, which may also be used to fund projects within the CCE redevelopment area.
The best way to get a feel for the workings of the CCE PAC is to attend one of its meetings. The board meets from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm on the first Monday of every month at Patton University on 2433 Coolidge Ave.
If you are interested in joining a group that decides how to best allocate the millions of tax-increment dollars we have to combat blight and stimulate redevelopment in the CCE area, please get in touch with Kevin Liao on my staff here or call (510) 238-7022.
What Do Bella Vista
Park and the Morcom Rose Garden Have in Common?
Both Bella Vista Park and the Morcom Rose Garden have dedicated volunteers who turn out regularly to do gardening chores, pick up litter and perform other essential sprucing to keep these treasured sites inviting. The first Sunday of each month is Volunteer Spruce Up at Bella Vista Park from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm. The August volunteer day, August 2, will prepare the park for the neighborhood’s National Night Out event, featuring a Jump House for the young and live music. Go here for a flyer with details about the August volunteer day.
For several years the Morcom Rose Garden has benefited from monthly volunteer work crews showing up on the second Saturday of every month from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. A Wednesday group is now forming of those for whom the Saturday time doesn’t work. Calling themselves the Morcom Dedicated Deadheaders (think of all the spent roses that must be cut off, called deadheading), they will get to work the first Wednesday of every month, also from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. For more information, contact here.