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Home Resource Center April Newswire |
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Greenbelt Newswire
In this edition Greenbelt Alliance Fights Delta Development On July 24, Greenbelt Alliance pressed ahead with its lawsuit against the City of Oakley to block plans to build more than 5,000 new homes below sea level. With Eastern Contra Costa County already hard hit by foreclosures and underwater home values, the proposed development on a Delta island is unnecessary and unsafe. If built, air quality would suffer and more than 1,600 acres of agricultural land would be lost. In 2006, Greenbelt Alliance prevailed in its litigation against Oakley, and the City was ordered to address the loss of farmland. Unfortunately, it later readopted the plan without compensating for the lost agricultural land. Greenbelt Alliance is asking the court to order Oakley once again to set aside its approval of the plan. The hearing is set for Thursday, August 6.
Public outcry against closing California state parks made a difference; the legislature rejected Governor Schwarzenegger's proposal to completely eliminate funding for parks. But they still voted to cut $8 million from the final state budget, and with his blue-pencil veto power, the Governor cut $6.2 million more -- for a devastating total of $14.2 million. Those cuts could cause up to 100 parks to close. A list will be posted on savestateparks.org. But the battle is not over. Ask the legislature to challenge Schwarzenegger's cuts and to find a secure funding source that will protect our state park legacy.
Urban Outing: Tour Lake Merritt August 7 With nearby transit connections and a central location, the neighborhood around the Lake Merritt BART station is ready for new homes, shops, and jobs. The City of Oakland is creating a plan, and Greenbelt Alliance is leading an Urban Outing to help imagine a pedestrian-friendly area with a distinct urban character. Join Greenbelt Alliance, TransForm, and the Asian Pacific Environmental Network as we tour the neighborhood August 7. We’ll discuss how compact homes and good urban design can help make the area more safe, livable, and prosperous.
Please RSVP to Amber Chan at (510) 390-1543 or amber@apen4ej.org.
Fund for Affordable Homes in Marin Threatened Last October, Marin County unanimously approved a fee on large new homes to fund the creation of affordable homes. Now, the Board of Supervisors is considering waiving the fee for houses up to 4,000 square feet until July 2010. This suspension makes no sense. It's estimated that the Affordable Housing Trust Fund would lose $78,000 just at a time when people need more affordable places to live. The final vote on the proposed suspension is at 11 a.m. Tuesday, August 11. If you live in Marin, tell your supervisor to oppose the ordinance and the fee suspension. Call 499-7331 or visit the county's website to email your supervisor.
Novato residents are invited to discuss where and what kind of homes Novato needs in the future. The City has slowed down its planning process to hear from more people, so this is a great chance to speak up for homes near downtown that families and senior citizens can afford.
Bay Area is Home to Smarter Cities In a ranking of the nation's cities by the Natural Resources Defense Council, three of the top five most sustainable large cities are in the Bay Area. San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose snagged second, fourth and fifth place for their green efforts. The organization ranked the urban areas based on seven factors, including air quality, green space, green building, and transportation. Read the full story. Making Transit-Oriented Development Work Mark your calendars! Greenbelt Alliance is a co-sponsor of the fourth annual TOD MarketPlace, which connects city planners with developers who can help them realize their vision for vibrant communities near transit. Over the summer, each participating city leads a tour of its Transit-Oriented Development area and presents its plan to a panel of real estate, transportation, and affordable housing specialists. At the September 24 Marketplace, panelists present their findings and recommendations in a dynamic conversation with city staff and the audience. The event concludes with a walking tour of downtown San Jose.
Volunteer of the Month: Lee Wong Lee Wong is the August Volunteer of the Month. A student at Boston University Graduate School of Management, Lee has a B.A. in economics. Lee explored how Bay Area cities could pay for infrastructure -- the pipes, water plants, sidewalks, and parks they need, a critical step toward achieving Grow Smart Bay Area. Using her strong research and analysis skills, Lee summarized dozens of white papers about the general opportunities and challenges of funding infrastructure, then sifted through three cities' budget documents to summarize what funding they have and where there are gaps. Lee immersed herself in a complicated topic, distilled the most important information, and presented it clearly. Many thanks, Lee!
Greenbelt Alliance in the News
Affordable housing first in four major funding initiatives, North Bay Business Journal, July 13 Terra Verde: Green cars good enough? KPFA, July 10 Urban Outings: Water Dog Lake Park, San Francisco Chronicle, July 23
Sat Aug. 15: Oakland's Hidden Gem (East Bay)
Become a Member or Renew Your Membership Support Greenbelt Alliance's work to protect the Bay Area's open spaces and vibrant places. Join or renew now, or join the Greenbelt Guardian monthly donor club. And don't forget to ask your employer about matching contributions!
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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