Residents vs School District: Pivotal Planning Commission Meeting Thursday

Meeting Thursday 6:30 

Are We to Have a General Plan?

Opinion/Announcment
In most cities, the desires of the local school district are the same or close to the same as those of the citizens.  Here in Emeryville however we've got a school district that's so single minded, so dogged in its pursuit of its ill conceived vision of the Center of 'Community' Life, the concerns of the residents have taken a back seat.  From the shutting down of citizens interested in saving Anna Yates Elementary School to the sneaky and budget busting Capital Appreciation Bond construction financing, this district has sought to end run around the interests of Emeryville residents.

Now comes the final push.  The School District is trying to squeeze fit the Center of 'Community' Life, a project too big for the cramped San Pablo Avenue site...it's busting at the seams and its violating our General Plan.  The whole project is spilling out along its perimeter, ruining General Plan identified quality-of-life amenities.  On the north side of the project for instance, the proposed 53rd Street Greenway is being compromised by a major shrinking down of the proposed wide sidewalk, destroying its capacity for benches, planters and other planned amenities.  The 53rd Street Greenway is proposed to be as pedestrian friendly as the popular 'Emeryville Greenway' on the north side of town.
The Center of 'Community' Life is also ruining the proposed 47th Street 'green street', again a pedestrian and bike friendly thoroughfare on the south side of the project and the proposed bike/pedestrian path along the west border is to be simply removed.  All these resident amenities are prescribed by our award winning General Plan but they all going to be dramatically shortchanged  by the Center of 'Community' Life because there's not enough space on the site and because the School District thought it could get away with acting the bully.

The General Plan is our plan and it's being wholesale abandoned.  The General Plan is a good plan and we should ask the Planning Commission to simply recognize this.  The Center of 'Community' Life can be built in harmony with our General Plan and that's what we should tell the Planning Commission.

The Planning Commission needs to hear from us.  Please attend the fateful meeting today at 6:30 at City Hall.  Please speak up and add your voice to those who want a beautiful and pedestrian and bicycle friendly Emeryville.

Thursday July 25 6:30 at City Hall

the Planning Commission wants to hear from you

The existing 'Emeryville Greenway' 
the 53rd Street Greenway is supposed to be as nice