Come out on Friday, October 23, from 5 to 8 pm as Oakland businesses
hold "Open House" events to welcome shoppers back
Parking Meters Rolled Back to 6 PM
Oakland Airport Connector Likely to Go Ahead
PG&E Project on Grosvenor Place Will Cause Temporary Weekday Road Closures
Dogs in Parks
Oakland Urban Pathways: Volunteer OpportunityCaltrans Improvements of 23rd and 29th Ave Overpasses
No Drugs Down the DrainFree Bicycle Safety Classes
Looking for Candidates for the Central City East Project Area Committee
Recruitment For Open Seat On The Oakland Public Ethics Commission
EVENTS WITH COUNCILMEMBER
KERNIGHAN
Tuesday, October 13 Public Works Committee Considers Councilmember Kernighan’s Two Parking-Related Matters - Wrong Way Parking and Extending Time Limits on Parking Meters
OTHER EVENTS
All Throughout October 8th International Film Festival at Various Oakland Theaters All Throughout October Events at Lakeview Library Saturday, October 10 Neighborhood JamFest & Outdoor Movie Night at Parkway District Saturday, October 10 Clean-up Day at FM Smith Park Saturday, October 10, 17, 24 & 31 Oakland Fire Department’s Open Houses Saturday October 10, Sunday October 11 Domestic Violence Awareness Month Self-Defense Class Tuesday, October 13 (and every second Tuesday of the month) FM Smith Park Advisory Council Meeting Saturday October 17 Lakeshore Neighborhood Free Plant Exchange Saturday, October 17 Reflect. Honor. Prepare: 20th Anniversary Commemoration of the Loma Prieta Earthquake Saturday, October 17 Interdisciplinary Jazz Performance by Saxophonist and Composer Francis Wong at Oakland Asian Cultural Center Friday, October 23 Oakland Merchants Welcome Back Shoppers! Evening Open House in All Commercial Areas Saturday, October 24 Help Spruce Up Splash Pad Park Saturday, October 31 Halloween Party for Families at Bella Vista Park Thursday, November 5 Public Meeting re Broadway-Valdez Specific Plan: Project Alternatives for Retail Development Thursday, November 5 Thursday, November 5: Meeting to Identify Housing Needs and Develop Priorities for Oakland’s Consolidated Plan for 2010-2015 for District 2 Saturday, November 7 FREE. Making Your Home Affordable: Foreclosure Prevention Clinic at Oakland City Hall Saturday, November 7 and Thursday, November 12 Commercial/Corridor and Residential Rezoning Update: Community Meetings Saturday and Sunday, November 7 and 8 Oakland’s Re-Create 2009 Art Contest and Exhibition for Students K-12
EVENTS
Throughout October: 8th International Film Festival
at Various Oakland Theaters
Tired of what's playing at the local cineplex these days? Waiting for your next Netflix movie to arrive? Experience an international flavor of cinema, courtesy of the 8th International Film Festival, organized by local Oaklander David Roach. A variety of films will be playing at various locations in Oakland throughout October.
For a listing of the movie schedule, click here. To purchase tickets, click here.
Throughout
October: Events at Lakeview Library
The Calendar of Events at Lakeview Library has been posted to the website of the Friends of Lakeview Library here.
Saturday, October 10:
Neighborhood JamFest & Outdoor Movie Night at Parkway District
Corner of Park Blvd and E.19th St., 3 to 9 pm.
The Lake Merritt Business Association & neighborhood partners would like to invite you to celebrate their 2nd Annual Neighborhood JamFest, follow by the Outdoor Movie Night at the Parkway District. Click here for the flyer.
Saturday, October 10: Clean-up
Day at FM Smith Park
1969 Park Blvd, 11:00 am to 3:00 pm
The FM Smith Park Advisory Council is launching monthly park clean-ups, and invites all to join in sprucing the park.
Saturday, October 10, 17, 24 & 31: Oakland Fire Department's Open
Houses
The Oakland Fire Department will be hosting open houses at 14 stations during October. Here’s your chance to tour stations, look closely at the fire trucks, meet firefighters and learn fire safety information. Go here for times and locations of various open houses.
Saturday October 10, Sunday October 11: Domestic
Violence Awareness Month Self-Defense Class
Hand to Hand and Self Defense for Self Determination instructors are offering a free 3-hour women's self-defense class. October 10th and 11th. The attached flyer has information on how to register for the class.
If you have any questions, please contact Joyce Mende Wong, Certified Self-Defense Instructor and Co-Director of Hand to Hand Self Defense Program
Tuesday, October 13 (and every second Tuesday of the month): FM Smith
Park Advisory Council Meeting
FM Smith Recreation Center, basement, 1969 Park Blvd, 6:30 pm
Everyone is welcome to attend and discuss conditions and activities at FM Smith Park .
Tuesday, October 13: Public Works Committee
Considers Councilmember Kernighan’s Two Parking-Related Matters
- Wrong Way Parking and Extending Time Limits on Parking Meters
City Hall, Hearing Room 1, 10:30 am
Please attend the Public works Committee meeting to make your voice heard on these two issues:
1) WRONG WAY PARKING. Adopt a "lowest enforcement priority" for parking in the wrong direction on narrow streets. In recent months, parking enforcement staff have been issuing tickets for this violation in District 2 neighborhoods and probably all over the City. This violation has not been enforced for decades on narrow residential streets and has not created a safety problem. Most people feel is just a money-collection measure, not a public safety issue. To read why I recommend that wrong way parking on narrow streets be the lowest enforcement priority, read my report to the Public Works Committee, click here.2) LENGTHEN TIME LIMITS ON METERS. I question whether there is still a need for one-hour time limits. I propose that staff work with merchants to identify blocks where it makes sense to increase the parking time limit from one hour to two or more hours. I personally favor extending the limits to 3 hours in many places throughout the city. The main parking concern for most shoppers is to avoid getting a ticket. With longer time limits, most tickets can be avoided. To read my report to the Public Works Committee, click here.
Saturday, October 17: Lakeshore Neighborhood
Free Plant Exchange
3811 Lakeshore Ave, 12 noon to 4 pm.
Once again, gardeners can trade plants just in time for fall planting. For more details, go here.
Saturday, October 17:
Reflect. Honor. Prepare: 20th Anniversary Commemoration of the Loma Prieta
Earthquake
Cypress Freeway Memorial Park, Mandela Parkway at 14th St, 3:00 pm to 5:30 pm, near the site where 42 people lost their lives when the freeway collapsed.
A remembrance ceremony at 5:04 pm will honor the 42 individuals who lost their lives in the collapse of the Cypress Freeway during the earthquake.
• A free raffle: 100 earthquake preparedness kits will be given away;
• Free blood pressure checks; and
• Multiple vendors and agency partners (i.e., FEMA, Red Cross, USGS, CARD, BAAQMD) to help residents be fully prepared for the next such event.Go here for a flyer.
Saturday, October 17: Interdisciplinary
Jazz Performance by Saxophonist and Composer Francis Wong at Oakland Asian
Cultural Center
Diaspora Tale #2: 1969 is an interdisciplinary jazz composition by saxophonist and composer Francis Wong. It will be performed by the Francis Wong Unit with contributions by spoken word artist A.K. Black and dancer/choreographer Lenora Lee. "1969" is the next episode of Wong's compositional cycle exploring and expressing his family's experience in the diaspora. Diaspora Tale #1 recounted his parent's journey as refugees of the Chinese civil war in 1948 from their homeland to Hong Kong and eventually to the United States.
"1969" commemorates the 40th anniversary of the UC Berkeley Third World Strike for ethnic studies on the UC Berkeley campus. It followed on the heels of a similar strike at San Francisco State University the year before. Both were historic examples of student self-determination that inspired activism on campuses nation-wide. Wong's brother was a participant in the Third World Strike and the composition is dedicated in part to him.
In addition to the performance, there will be a short panel discussion about the history of the Strike and an exhibition of photos documenting the strike and its legacy. The panel discussion will be moderated by Belvin Louie, who participated in the strikes as a field marshal and will feature Oakland City Councilmember (District 4) Jean Quan; UC Berkeley, Asian American Studies Program lecturer Harvey Dong; Eastside Arts Alliance founder Greg Morizumi; and, Teresita Bautista co-founder of Filipinos for Affirmative Action. They will discuss their experience during the Strike as well as the impact and legacy of the Strike on the East Bay community.
Co-presented by Asian Improv Arts.
This is a benefit for OACC's cultural arts programs and services.
When: Saturday, October 17, 2009
Performance and panel discussion: 8 pm - 10
Doors open: 7:30 pmWhere: Oakland Asian Cultural Center
388 Ninth Street, Suite 290, Oakland, CA 94607Tickets:
General Admission:
$100 (Section A)
$75 (Section B)
$50 (Section C)
Student (with ID): $25
Senior (65+ with ID): $25
Visit here for artist bios and pictures and for more information about the program.
Friday, October 23:
Oakland Merchants Welcome Back Shoppers! Evening Open House in All Commercial
Areas
On Friday, October 23rd, from 5 to 8 PM, merchants all over the City of Oakland from: the Fruitvale and Laurel to Rockridge, Piedmont Avenue, the Grand Lake area, including Uptown, Old Oakland, and SOBO (south of Broadway), will hold an open house to welcome their neighbors and customers back to their shops and restaurants.The recession and parking woes have hit our local stores and eateries hard, but we believe that we’re important to the life of Oakland’s unique neighborhoods. To show our appreciation to our neighbors and customers, we’ll stay open late and offer specials, refreshments, and even music (where local musicians are available). Come enjoy a festive
evening with family, friends, and coworkers in our many wonderful neighborhood retail districts. For more information, contact Pamela Drake here or call 510-834-9198.
Saturday, October 24:
Help Spruce Up Splash Pad Park
The little park that could will be celebrating the 6th Anniversary of its rebirth on October 20. Considering the intensive use it gets on Saturdays, it's held up amazingly well. There are, however, a couple of initiatives underway that will hopefully resolve some of the more obvious problems. For starters, Councilmember Kernighan (in consultation with Splash Pad/Farmers Market Advisory Committee) will be meeting with the Marin County Farmers Market Association to discuss providing financial assistance towards the maintenance of the park--particularly the wear and tear that is directly attributable to the market.
In addition, SPFMAC is beginning to explore some possible modifications and improvements in the landscaping and infrastructure. The first step was a very productive meeting this past week with Walter Hood to get his input and discuss our options. If you're interested in more details, please attend the upcoming Advisory Committee meeting on October 21 at Lakeshore Avenue Baptist Church beginning at 7:00 PM.
You can also contribute in a more hands-on fashion by volunteering to work a one or two-hour shift at Splash Pad on Saturday, October 24 from 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM. Plan is to dig up the weeds in the California Native Plant Bed. To make this a more permanent remedy, we will also be adding soil amendments; and then covering with cardboard. Once 6" of mulch is added, we should finally have the upper hand on this problem. Work gloves and some tools will be available--but weeding implements are always in short supply. Beverages and snacks will be provided.Anyone who wants to help with landscaping and other improvements at Splash Pad, but who is unavailable on the 24th, should email here or contact Jerry Barclay here.
Saturday, October 31: Halloween Party for Families at Bella Vista Park
2631 11th Ave, 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm
The wonderful neighborhood volunteers around Bella Vista park are putting another great event for kids and families on Halloween. Go here for all the free fun activities planned for children and their families. Come in costume and bring a potluck dish to share.
Thursday, November 5: Public Meeting re Broadway-Valdez Specific Plan:
Project Alternatives for Retail Development
First Presbyterian Church, 2619 Broadway, Oakland, 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Are you interested in getting more retail in Oakland? This is your chance to comment on several alternative scenarios that would bring retail and housing to the
"Valdez Triangle" and Upper Broadway. Go here for available reports and for agenda.
Thursday, November 5:
Meeting to Identify Housing Needs and Develop Priorities for Oakland’s
Consolidated Plan for 2010-2015 for District 2
Eastlake/San Antonio/Chinatown, City Hall, Hearing Room 4 – 6:30 pm
The Consolidated Plan describes the City’s housing needs, priorities and a variety of strategies and actions that will be undertaken to address those identified needs and priorities that will be funded through the Community Development Block Grant Program, HOME, ESG and HOPWA grants from 2010-2015. The Plan includes all of HUD's programs - community development, housing, and economic development.
Saturday, November 7: FREE. Making Your Home Affordable: Foreclosure Prevention
Clinic at Oakland City Hall
Oakland Mayor Ronald Dellums is hosting a FREE Making Your Home Affordable foreclosure prevention clinic at Oakland City Hall on November 7, 2009. The Making Your Home Affordable Clinic is designed for homeowners to meet face to face with HUD approved counselors and participating lenders. These counselors and lenders will be on-site, approving qualified homeowners for loan modifications. If a homeowner has a mortgage payment that is unaffordable or will be unaffordable in the near future, they can not afford to miss out on this opportunity.
Making Your Home Affordable Clinic offers:
· 100% Free services
· Lenders on-site to approve loan modifications
· Meet with a certified housing counselor· Meet with lender loan advisor
· HUD approved counseling
This event is an opportunity for many families to remain in their homes and avoid foreclosure by curing mortgage delinquencies and modifying high monthly mortgage payments into a payment that is affordable.
Click here for the English or Spanish flyer.
Saturday, November
7 and Thursday, November 12: Commercial/Corridor and Residential
Rezoning Update: Community Meetings
City staff will present draft proposals on Residential Zoning and Commercial/Corridor Zoning at each of two community meetings:
• Saturday, November 7, from 10:00 am to 12:00 noon at Peralta Elementary School, 460 63rd St, and
• Thursday, November 12, 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm, Fruitvale-San Antonio Senior Center.
For materials presented at previous meetings, go to the Citywide Zoning Update website and scroll down to the Schedule and Meetings section here.
If you are interested in being notified of community meetings on the rezoning, please e-mail and ask to be put on the e-mail distribution list or call the Zoning Update Message Hotline at (510) 238-7299 and leave a message with your contact information.
Saturday and Sunday,
November 7 and 8: Oakland’s Re-Create 2009 Art
Contest and Exhibition for Students K-12
Entries Can Be Dropped off between 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm
Sponsored by the City’s Public Works Agency and the Museum of Children’s Art, this recycled art competition and exhibition is open to student artists (grades K-12) in Oakland schools. Students are invited to create artwork using discarded or reused materials and compete for prizes. Awards will be announced at the Artist Reception November 13, 2009. Go here for more information on eligibility, rules of entry, criteria for judging, submission details, etc.
REPORTS
Parking
Meters Rolled Back to 6 PM
Last Tuesday, the City Council passed my proposal to roll back the parking meter ending time from 8 PM to 6 PM. We directed the City Administrator to implement this immediately, which he did. By the next day, the parking kiosks had been re-programmed to say parking was free after 6 PM. I wish everything else the Council mandates could be implemented so swiftly.
I received several thank-you emails from merchants who said it would really make a difference to them. I sure hope it does.
The dialogue about parking fees and management will continue to go on. The system doesn't work well in most neighborhoods, and so Council directed City transportation staff to begin an analysis to come up with a more comprehensive parking management plan. The plan needs to address Oakland's future transportation goals as well as the health of our businesses. In order to address global warming and climate change, we need to make the transition to being more urban and transit-friendly, but it is going to be a very difficult transition. Our city is a mix of urban and suburban, old and new infrastructure. In neighborhoods all over the city, there are many more cars than on-street parking spaces, which makes for all sorts of problems. Our current transit system barely serves the hills communities, so most people there rely on cars for travel within the city. Most of us are very car-dependent, as cars are still a convenient and fast way of getting around, not to mention that cars are deeply embedded aspect of American culture. This is not going to be easy, but eventually we need to transition to life-styles that use more walking, biking and public transit.
A huge part of the solution needs to be having a comfortable and efficient bus system with service available everywhere. We are a long way from that, especially as AC Transit continues to lose funding. No doubt people are not going to change their habits until driving a car is more expensive and less convenient than riding public transportation. It is certainly arguable that Oakland's implementation of higher parking meter fees and hours this summer was a step in that direction. However, it back-fired completely because the City failed to reach out to the community first. The lack of notice and very aggressive ticketing totally alienated most people. (Not to mention that it happened at a time when just about everybody was feeling very stressed by the bad economy.) Most of us Oaklanders are car-dependent people. We will need a lot of education and dialogue--winning hearts and minds along the way--in order to effectively implement a more sustainable transportation policy.
Oakland Airport Connector Likely to Go Ahead
Last Tuesday night the City Council considered a proposal to oppose implementation of BART's elevated rail connection to the Oakland Airport. The opposition motion failed after spirited presentations on both sides. Ultimately I decided it was best to proceed with the Connector. Here is a brief background on the issue.
The Oakland Airport Connector has been in the planning stages for over 20 years. It was a major effort for Oakland to get the regional transportation agencies to commit funds for this project, as attested to Tuesday night by former Councilmember Dick Spees and former City Manager Henry Gardner. Some of the funds were voter-approved and some were discretionary allocations of state and federal transportation dollars. The City of Oakland is not providing direct funding.
The project was deemed to be important for the region because travelers all over the Bay Area could conveniently get to the Oakland Airport. The Port of Oakland, which runs the airport, strongly supported it because the BART connector will help them attract more airlines to operate out of OAK. The Chamber of Commerce supported it because the ease of getting to and from the airport is a strong selling point for businesses to locate in Oakland. Because of all this, Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and Alameda County Transportation Improvement Agency (ACTIA) committed multiple sources of funds over a period of years to make the project happen. The final piece was federal stimulus money of $70 million, granted on the basis that the connector project will create over 700 construction jobs starting very soon--possibly in six months. BART had already gone out to bid on the project, proposals have been received and are being evaluated. In the past six months, bids on major public works projects all over California are coming in much lower than engineer's estimates, ranging from 20 to 40% less than expected. Though the estimated price tag for the connector was a whopping $522 million, it is speculated that the actual price will be substantially lower.
Councilmembers Kaplan and Nadel urged the Council to oppose the Airport Connector because the project had changed significantly from the original proposal (not as fast and no intermediate stops) and had hugely increased in cost over 7 years, from $130 million to a possible $522 million. Many transit advocates argued that an improved bus connection from the Coliseum BART station to the Oakland Airport could be just as functional for an initial cost of only $65 million. The cost to ride BART's elevated connection had also risen with construction costs. Though the fare is not actually decided upon yet, it could be as much as $6 each way on top of the rest of the BART ride. Another argument against the connector was that it would eat up all the regional transportation funds that Oakland would get for 20 years, at the expense of the basic transit needs of the East Bay, particularly AC Transit. These are all very important factors and gave me great pause.
I struggled with this decision, perhaps more than with any decision I've had to make as a Councilmember. I finally decided it was best for Oakland to go ahead with the project, given that the project was ready to go and based on the following benefits: The connector will in fact be a very convenient link to the Oakland airport, it will be a boost for both the airport and a selling point for Oakland businesses. It will create at least 689 construction jobs at a time when local construction workers are 30% unemployed. (The actual job measurement is 2,700 "job years.") The project will take about three and a half years. There will also be a multiplier effect on the Oakland economy, as supplies are purchased and construction workers spend money in Oakland. BART entered into a project labor agreement with the building trades union and committed to hire 50% of the workers from the region and 25% from Oakland. 50% of the apprentices wil be hired from Oakland.
Two other factors were key to my decision. After much study and inquiry about the sources of funding, it became clear to me that the great majority of regional transportation funds allocated to the Airport Connector would NOT in fact be re-allocated to other Oakland transit needs if the connector project was cancelled. Only $7 million of the federal stimulus dollars would go to AC Transit. Possibly $80 million of the Measure B money could be re-allocated by ACTIA to the East Bay, but most of the money was controlled by the MTC, which clearly had other priorities for the money. MTC has a long list of other projects in line far from Oakland, such as the Warm Spring BART connector (to San Jose), and that's where the money would have gone. My final concern was that if Oakland, this late in the game, rejected a fully-funded project that had been worked on for years by many leaders in the region, then it would send a very negative message about Oakland to future funders and investors. This was a difficult decision because there were significant downsides no matter which direction we went. In the end, I believe that going forward with the Connector is the best choice for Oakland in the long-term.
PG&E
Project on Grosvenor Place Will Cause Temporary Weekday Road Closures
PG&E is undertaking a major construction project to a substation on Grosvenor Place to a substation in Jack London Square. The project is necessary to improve outdated infrastructure and enhance electrical service to the neighborhood. It involves installing new underground transmission lines between the two substations. This is the same project that had work occurring on Lakeshore a couple of months ago and on Grand Avenue in the past few weeks.
From October 5-30, Grosvenor Place will be temporarily closed between Holman Road and Park Boulevard, Mondays through Fridays, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Grosvenor Place will remain open during non-construction hours and on weekends. The road will be closed each weekday only after the heaviest morning commute and school drop-off period.
PG&E representatives conducted outreach to the schools in the neighborhood in an effort to mitigate congestion in the morning hours. Detour signs are posted which recommend alternative routes along Bates and Holman Roads to Hampel Street. We realize that no alternative route seems ideal when it puts more traffic on your street. However, we ask for your patience during this relatively short period of construction.PG&E informed 130 directly affected residences that it was hosting community meeting on Oct. 6 at Edna Brewer Middle School to discuss its construction plans and to hear neighborhood concerns. They also requested that the Lakeshore Homes Association inform members. If you were unable to attend the meeting or did not know about it, please feel free to contact Miguel Martinez, the public liaison for the project, here to discuss your concerns.
As we reported in the July e-news, at the request of residents, on June 25, we held a community meeting to discuss whether there was interest from community members regarding a proposal from dog owners who wanted to create a fenced dog area in the open space that is bordered by Park Blvd., E. 22nd St, 5th Ave. and E. 21st. The proposed area is located on the E. 21st side of the open space. Mindful that dog areas tend to be controversial uses of public space, we wanted to let neighbors on all sides of the issue have an opportunity to voice their opinions.
About 20 residents attended the meeting and since then our staff has continued to hear from people on both sides. As a result I have decided to prepare and conduct a survey in an effort to reach a broader audience on this topic. I hope to announce and publish the survey soon – stay tuned. In the survey I will ask about three alternatives for that space: 1) status quo--no dogs allowed; 2) a fenced dog play area, and 3) dogs on leash allowed, but no fence.Here is some information about the current rules pertaining to dogs in Oakland::
- Current law as it pertains to dogs in parks. See ordinance.
- Pooper Scooper requirement, See OMC O6.04.070
- Enforcement – This issue first came to my attention because people who were permitting their dogs to be off-leash in the open area near Park Blvd and Fifth Ave. were being cited and receiving very substantial fines. Given the lack of available space to exercise a dog in our urban parks, I do not agree that the fines should be as high as they are. I am willing to work on changing the fine structure. For current structure click here.
- Process required to establish a fenced dog area in any City park area. Go here, to page 109.
Oakland Urban Pathways: Volunteer Opportunity
Oakland Urban Pathways (OUP) is working to improve the condition and awareness of the 440 historic stairways and pathways that exist in Oakland. OUP is affiliated with Walk Oakland-Bike Oakland (WOBO), a non-profit group with a mission of improving neighborhood livability, vitality and sustainability by making Oakland a better place to walk and bike.
OUP is collaborating with the City of Oakland to complete a condition and needs survey of the stairways and pathways that at one time fed the historic Key Route Street Car System. Each stair/path assessment takes approximately 15-30 minutes. The project is city-wide, so there are probably locations right near you, where assistance is needed. If you are interested in assisting with the stair/path inventory, please e-mail OUP. They are also interested in receiving community input or concerns generally related to the project.
Caltrans
Improvements of 23rd and 29th Ave Overpasses
The Alameda County Congestion Management Agency (ACCMA), in conjunction with Caltrans, City of Oakland, City of Alameda, and Metropolitan Transportation Commission, will be implementing improvements that will, among other things, improve local circulation at I-880/29th Avenue and 23rd Avenue Overcrossings.
Because local traffic circulation is complex due to the existing street network and infrastructure in those areas, improvements will focus on enhancing access from northbound I-880 to the Park Street Bridge and northbound 29th Ave on ramp vehicles and 23rd Ave off ramp vehicles.
Using regional Measure 2 and federal funding, the project will
• Remove and replace the 29th Avenue overcrossing (increasing vertical clearance)
• Remove and replace the 23rd Avenue overcrossing (increasing vertical clearance)
• Reconstruct the northbound 29th Avenue off ramp – directly connecting to the bridge
• Reconstruct the northbound 29th Avenue on ramp – increasing distance to 23rd Ave off ramp
• Reconstruct the northbound 23rd Avenue off ramp – directly connecting to 23rd Ave
• Reconstruct the northbound 23rd Avenue on ramps – consolidating two on ramps into one
• Construct sound wall along northbound I-880 between 29th Avenue and 23rd Avenue
Project Schedule (major milestones) committed to in the funding application:• October 2009: Public Circulation Environmental Document IS/EA
• April 2010: Adopted Environmental Document
• December 2011: Complete Design
• April 2012: Right of Way Certification
• August 2012: Award Construction Contract
• October 2015: End Construction
Do you know where to properly dispose of your unwanted or expired medications? Over half of the households in the United States either flush prescription and over-the-counter drugs down the toilet or throw them in the trash, primarily because there are not enough collection sites for safe and convenient disposal. Even though wastewater is treated, many drugs contain persistent chemicals that cannot be removed before wastewater is discharged into waterways. As a result, over 80% of American waterways show traces of medications, and the impacts on human health and the environment are of great concern.
A permanent drop-off location will be installed in Downtown Oakland soon. Beginning Thursday, September 24th at 10:00 am, you will be able to drop off your unwanted prescription and over-the-counter medications in the lobby of the Elihu M. Harris State Building, 1515 Clay Street, in Oakland. You may stop by the State Building anytime during business hours to drop your medications in a collection bin. This will ensure that unwanted drugs will be disposed of safely and legally, and prevent continuing pollution of our streams, rivers and Bay.
Examples of the medicines that will be accepted at the collection bin include: antibiotics, birth control pills, anti-depressants, pain relievers, cold and flu treatments and veterinary medications. Please do not bring controlled substances or narcotics. Place all pills and capsules in a plastic zipper bag, and recycle your pill bottles at home to protect privacy. Liquids should remain in sealed containers with personal information marked out.
Questions? Contact Senator Loni Hancock’s office at 286-1333.
Free bicycle safety classes, sponsored by the East Bay Bicycle Coalition and funded by a grant from the Alameda County Transportation Improvement Authority, have been scheduled for the Fall. Each class consists of a 3.5 hour Traffic Safety 101 Classroom workshop and a 6.5 hour Traffic Safety 101 Road Class of on-bike instruction. For details or a flyer, go here.
Looking for Candidates
for the Central City East Redevelopment Project Area Committee
I am looking for four District 2 residents to serve on the community board for the Central City East Redevelopment Area. To qualify to serve on the Central City East Redevelopment Project Area Committee (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 subarea
- Community 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 subarea
This 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.
Recruitment For Open
Seat On The Oakland Public Ethics Commission
The Public Ethics Commission is seeking applications for a seat on the Commission beginning in January, 2010 and ending January, 2013. Deadline for applications is Friday, October 30, 2009. Attached is a copy of the recruitment notice and application. Please feel free to contact Dan Purnell here if you need any further information.