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Greenbelt Newswire
In this edition Volunteer of the Month: Kristal Ip Greenbelt Alliance’s volunteer of the month for May is Kristal Ip. A recent graduate of the University of California in San Diego, she studied an impressive triumvirate of subjects: communications, theatre and dance, and urban studies and planning. As a regional policy intern in Greenbelt Alliance’s field department, Kristal researched nationwide best practices for encouraging infill development at the local level. She also analyzed development policies in Bay Area cities to help prioritize Greenbelt Alliance’s fieldwork. She used her communications background, too, to write for our website, helping to explain how land-use decisions affect the earth’s climate. Thank you, Kristal!
Action Alert: Help Get the Word Out - "No on 98, Yes on 99" Proposition 98, which appears on the June 3 ballot, threatens the constitutionality of laws that protect California’s natural lands and create great communities. This measure is one of the gravest threats our work has ever faced. We need your help to call voters and let them know to vote NO on 98 and YES on 99. We’ll provide background information, a phone script, and pizza. Join us! Can’t make those dates? Visit our website for volunteer opportunities with our partner organizations in Oakland. And don’t forget to vote on June 3!
Event: Bluegrass for the Greenbelt June 22 Tickets are on sale now for Bluegrass for the Greenbelt! Bring a picnic, throw your blanket down on the lawn, and enjoy the tunes – while helping to protect the greenbelt! Lineup: Hot Buttered Rum, Laurie Lewis & the Right Hands, The Wronglers Tickets are just $25 for Greenbelt members, $40 for non-members. Non-members can pay a reduced rate of $60 to get a ticket along with a year’s membership.
Action Alert: Support Good Development in Emeryville In the East Bay, a proposed development called the Emeryville Marketplace will transform 15 acres of land that is now mostly parking lots into a mix of homes, shops, jobs, and open space. The development will include 674 new homes, 20% of which will be affordable to workers of modest means. It will also include an improved transit center with access to Amtrak Capital Corridor Commuter trains, AC Transit, and free Emery-Go-Round service. In addition, the green development will introduce bike-sharing to Emeryville, expand and improve an existing park, and provide free or discounted transit for new residents. This is a great example of the kind of development the Bay Area needs. Speak up in support of the Emeryville Marketplace at the May 20 City Council hearing.
Event: Find Out About Green Affordable Housing Can green design make homes more affordable? It can and does—find out how at a public forum on green affordable housing sponsored by Greenbelt Alliance and North Bay partners. Greenbelt Alliance field representative Daisy Pistey-Lyhne will be moderating the discussion between green designers, affordable housing developers, and a for-profit builder who has built green and affordable homes in the North Bay. The panel is part of Sonoma County Affordable Housing Week.
Event: Climate Action Workshop in Berkeley The City of Berkeley has made a commitment to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050. Because transportation is the single largest contributor to Berkeley’s carbon footprint, creating walkable neighborhoods near public transit must be a critical component of the city’s Climate Action Plan. Join us at a workshop to discuss how to make that vision a reality.
Action Alert: Speak Up for a Better Solano County General Plan The news is not good, following the release of the Environmental Impact Report of Solano County’s Draft General Plan. The plan, which should be a blueprint for the future, instead is likely to reduce the quality of life for Solano County citizens. The plan opens up county land to major new development. If it passes, the results will be more traffic and air pollution, a dwindling water supply, and farmland that is lost forever. Sound like a good blueprint for the future to you? Tell the Planning Commission that the county should get out of the development business, and get serious about protecting Solano’s land, air, and water. For a list of meetings, visit the county's website or contact Nicole Byrd at (707) 427-2308.
Greenbelt Alliance and local partners convinced the Pittsburg City Council to reconsider a flawed hillside ordinance that failed to protect the hills that rise between Concord and the Sacramento River. We’re working to get the City Council to adopt an ordinance that truly protects these hills. Get a closer look at what’s at stake: Join us for a 2.6-mile hike that climbs to the top of Lougher Ridge, where you’ll get breathtaking views of land threatened by development. Leader Troy Bristol will also share stories about Black Diamond Mines’ rich history and the campaign for the James Donlon Road extension (Buchanan Bypass). This hike will be offered on three dates (see below).
Volunteer: Lend a Hand at Bluegrass Concert Volunteer at the 3rd annual Bluegrass for the Greenbelt on June 22, and you’ll see Hot Buttered Rum, Laurie Lewis & the Right Hands, and The Wronglers for free! Greenbelt Alliance needs volunteers to support in greeting and registration, ushering, security, logistics, and Greenbelt Alliance promotion. Volunteers will enjoy all the benefits of Greenbelt Alliance membership free for one year. The concert begins at 2 p.m. at the Dunsmuir Historic Estate in Oakland. Please contact Ken Lavin at klavin@greenbelt.org, or call (415) 543-6771 to learn more about volunteering.
Feature: Urban Map Provides Tools for Smart Growth The Urban Land Institute’s Bay Area chapter has launched a website, www.urbanmap.org, which gathers existing online Bay Area land-use information into one place.
Greenbelt Alliance in the News “You can’t take designated open space for granted. The bottom line is there are several ways that people continue to build on open space, and it’s really up to the community to protect this open space by always being vigilant.”
"I think people are sick of traffic, and they do care about the issue of global warming, and they do want to spend more time with their families and spend less time in their cars."
Urban Outings: Point Richmond, San Francisco Chronicle, April 17
Sun May 18: Sibley Volcanic Adventure, East Bay Sun June 22: Bluegrass for the Greenbelt, Dunsmuir Historic Estate, Oakland Wed Sept 10: 50th Anniversary Celebration at Herbst International Exhibition Hall, San Francisco
Become a Member or Renew Your Membership Support Greenbelt Alliance's work to protect the Bay Area's open space and make its cities
better places to live. Join or renew now, or join the Greenbelt Guardian monthly donor club.
Thank you for reading! To subscribe to the Greenbelt Alliance Newswire email list, enter your name and email address at www.greenbelt.org. To unsubscribe, simply send an unsubscribe request to unsubscribe@greenbelt.org. |
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