 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
||||||
|
|||||||||||||
|
Home March 2006 |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|
Greenbelt Newswire
In this edition
Are You a Member? Join Today! Greenbelt Alliance is a member-based organization: join today to be part of creating a better Bay Area! Volunteer of the Month: Ben Harrington Ben Harrington came from the Pacific Northwest to California, where Ben volunteered for Greenbelt Alliance by spending the last days of his winter break chugging through a 700-page Environmental Impact Report on the SMART train proposed for Sonoma and Marin counties. His work will help Greenbelt Alliance make sure SMART is on track to ensure better development and more transportation options. While he was working on this project, the Sonoma-Marin office moved to a new location; during the transition, Ben's steady effort and good cheer helped keep things running smoothly. This summer, Ben will be working as a law clerk for the U.S. Department
of Justice, Environment and Natural Resource Division. He looks forward
to working with Greenbelt Alliance to encourage more good environmental
policies in the future. Thank you, Ben!
Action Alert: Precinct Walking in Napa, April 1st and 2nd This weekend, enjoy the spring weather while talking with people about important issues on the ballot this June. We'll be doing precinct walking in the city of Napa, where you can spend a morning or afternoon talking with citizens about the future of the greenbelt. When: Saturday, April 1 and Sunday, April 2 To sign up, or for more information, contact Nicole Arnold at nicole@greenbelt.org
or (707) 427-2308.
Action Alert: Protect Open Space at the Concord Naval Weapons Station The U.S. Navy is closing the Concord Naval Weapons Station, putting 5,100 acres on the development auction block. Much of the land is pristine wildlife habitat, with rolling hills and forested flatlands, as well as Mount Diablo Creek, the last free-running creek in Contra Costa. The City of Concord has created a general plan for building up to 13,000 houses on the base and is now soliciting feedback. Done well, this could be a unique opportunity to create a model smart growth community. Done poorly, this presents a serious threat to the area's scenic natural landscapes. Greenbelt Alliance and concerned residents are encouraging the City to protect the open space north of Mount Diablo Creek. Come to the hearing and speak up! When: Wednesday, April 5, 7:00 pm Or write to the City Council and urge them to protect the area north of Mount Diablo Creek. Contact info is here. The City is accepting comments on the Environmental Impact Report until April 20; send comments to Phillip Woods, Principal Planner, City of Concord. For more information, visit
Action Alert: Make Oakland a More Livable Community Oakland, the third largest city in the Bay Area, is experiencing a major housing construction boom. But the vast majority of the new houses are not affordable to local people. Oakland's lack of affordable homes drives people out to look for homes at the region's edge, creating pressure to develop natural areas and working farms. Oakland is a major job center with huge potential for accommodating expected growth. To live up to that potential, Oakland needs to provide a range of housing types and prices. The City can do this by adopting an inclusionary housing ordinance saying that for all new residential developments, 20% of the homes must be affordable to families earning $65,000 and less. Inclusionary housing will help create a balanced, livable community for all Oaklanders. Contact Councilmember Jane Brunner, chair of the Community and Economic Development Committee and tell her you support inclusionary housing. Let us know when you contact her, so we can keep the pressure on.
Alert: Sprawl Threat in Sonoma Valley The Sonoma Valley Hospital Board is attempting to build a massive new hospital on working farmlands outside the city's Urban Growth Boundary. The development would pave over important agricultural land, and incur an immense cost: $148 million. This location is unnecessary; it makes much more sense to put the hospital inside the city of Sonoma, which would be more convenient for patients and their families. The Hospital Board has put a bond measure (Measure C) on an early, mail-in ballot to raise the money for this ill-conceived project. But a broad coalition is opposing Measure C, including Greenbelt Alliance, the Farm Bureau, the Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Association, as well as taxpayers' groups and other concerned citizens. Together, the coalition is working to find a better location for the hospital in town, instead of out in the greenbelt. Vote NO on Measure C! To learn more or get involved in the campaign against Measure C, visit http://www.no-on-c.net.
Action Alert: Support Better Development in Santa Rosa The City of Santa Rosa, with a grant from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), is developing a plan for the neighborhood around the proposed SMART train station in Railroad Square. Next Wednesday, the City will be holding a community meeting to discuss the alternative visions for this property. The feedback the City gets will be extremely important in shaping the future of downtown Santa Rosa, and will also influence the economic viability of the SMART train. Come to this meeting to help support transit and better development in Santa Rosa! When: Wednesday, April 5, 6:30pm
Event: Go Greenbelt! Bay Area Bike Tour April 23-29 There are still a few spots left on Greenbelt Alliance's fantastic bike tour of the Bay Area! Celebrate Earth Day by spending a week pedaling along coasts, over green hills, and through fields of wildflowers, while raising funds to protect the greenbelt! When: Sunday, April 23 - Saturday, April 29 For more information, visit: http://www.greenbelt.org/getinvolved/events/go_overview.html
Announcement: Greenbelt Alliance Fashions on Sale! Looking for stylish organic clothing, but don't know where to find it? You've come to the right place: Greenbelt Alliance organic cotton t-shirts and caps are on SALE! In timeless black emblazoned with Greenbelt Alliance's green logo, these wardrobe necessities go with everything. Just $10 for a cap or a t-shirt: get yours today!
Sat Apr 1: Blossoming San Bruno Become a Member or Renew Your Membership Support our work to protect the Bay Area's open space and make our cities better places to live. Click here to join or renew, or click here to join our Greenbelt Guardian monthly donor club. Questions? Contact Melissa Wright at 415-543-6771 or mwright@greenbelt.org.
Thank you for reading! You received this message because you are subscribed to the Greenbelt Alliance Newswire email list or because a friend from the list forwarded the message on to you. For more information, please visit http://www.greenbelt.org. To unsubscribe, simply send an unsubscribe request to info@greenbelt.org. |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
