HOMES Newsletter: February, 2005
1. Attend the next Alameda Point Community
Meeting – March 3rd, 6:30 pm, City Hall.
2. Victory in December: City Council Will Consider Non-Measure A Alternatives
3. October Forum Success
4. HOMES Notes
5. Historical Perspective
Attend the next Alameda Point Community Workshop
The next Alameda Point
Community Workshop will occur on March 3rd at
6:30 PM in City Hall. The meeting will
be televised live on Cable TV Channel 15.
Our voices have been heard, but we need
to continue to speak up! This meeting will focus on land use
alternatives and will be hosted by the APAC (Alameda Point Advisory Committee)
and the Planning Board. Because of the
powerful presence of HOMES members and supporters at past workshops, the City
is now considering non-Measure A alternatives for Alameda Point
development. Now is the time to look at
these alternatives and determine which development plan is in the best interest
of our community. We encourage each of
you to come to this workshop, participate in the discussion and give your
input. This will easily be the most
important Alameda Point workshop yet!
Here’s what the city says
about this meeting: “The presentation and community discussion will focus on
the four most frequently raised issues in the previous two workshops: historic preservation, transportation,
Measure A, and financial feasibility.
The workshop will explore the tradeoffs between these issues and the
implications for the land use plan of adjusting or modifying one or more of
these constraints. The presentation
will be followed by a community discussion during which time the public is
invited to share ideas, suggestions, concerns and preferences for the land use
plan.”
Victory in December: City Council to Consider Non-Measure A Alternatives
A
big thank you to all of you who have supported our efforts. It has made a huge difference! At the December 16 meeting of the ARRA/City
Council we called on the Council members so that the citizens of Alameda could
consider the best possible options, including a “smart growth” alternative that may require voter-approved
modifications to Measure A. We called
for an open and free exchange of ideas for the Alameda Point community planning
process so that the citizens of Alameda could consider the best possible
options. We stressed our belief that
consideration of a non-Measure A alternative is essential to a real dialogue
about Alameda Point. And we shared our
concerns about the decision we make at Alameda Point, realizing that those
decisions will transform one-third of our island and affect all Alamedans for
generations to come.
The City leaders heard us
and they responded. Now we have the
opportunity to see just what some of those alternatives will look like, at the
March 3rd community workshop.
It’s important that we remain committed to our vision and continue to
actively participate in the process of Alameda Point redevelopment.
October Forum Success
Our forum for City Council
candidates held in October was a huge success!
We had the largest turnout of any candidates’ forum and the event was
covered in the Alameda Journal and Contra Costa Times. The forum was focused on achieving “smart
growth” in future development, specifically around the issue of creating
housing of various types at Alameda Point.
Those who joined us in co-hosting this forum and supporting our cause
included: Urban Ecology, Bike Alameda,
Greenbelt Alliance, Alameda Transit Advocates, the Transportation and Land Use
Coalition, and the East Bay Housing Organization.
HOMES Notes
HOMES is fortunate to have
so many members and supporters dedicated to smart and responsible development
at Alameda Point. To organize all that
needs to be done, we are committed to the necessary coordination and
communication efforts to ensure that our vision for Alameda Point becomes a
reality. We hold regular monthly
meetings – the next steering committee meeting is March 8th at 5:00
pm (call 510-521-3940 for details). Our
members are working to build relationships and coalitions around Alameda Point
housing issues. We are attending
community meetings and communicating with community leaders. We are actively seeking funding to support
our growing efforts. And, as with this
e-newsletter, we are committing ourselves to regular and frequent communication
around the issues.
Historical Perspective
The city of Alameda had its
origins back in 1851 when a 2200 acre peninsula, known as “The Encinal,” was
purchased by William Worthington Chipman and Gideon Aughinbaugh. Early residents settled in three separate
communities: “Old Alameda,” located on
the east and around High Street; The Encinal on lands adjacent,” located along
the shore of the estuary at the foot of Grand Street; and the “Woodstock” area,
located on the west end. Although each
of these communities was distinctive from each other, each included a mix of
residences and businesses.
In 1872, Alameda
incorporated the three communities under one charter. Public transportation, business development and recreation along
with a focus on being a residential community all helped shape Alameda. Today, Alameda continues its tradition of
“offering many recreational attractions, including tennis, golf, beaches, yacht
clubs, marinas, boat ramps, plus numerous parks. Small business districts with corner markets, antique shops,
restaurants, and neighborhood schools add to the area charm. Civic groups and service clubs, combined
with the diversity of its people and the recent addition of technology
companies...make Alameda a truly wonderful place to live.” (www.alamedamuseum.org/alahist.html).
We hope to preserve this
charm at Alameda Point by advocating for a variety of housing types along with
a mix of businesses. We don’t believe
that the walled off, suburban style housing dictated by Measure A restrictions
is in concert with the heritage of Alameda.
Rather, we envision that the inclusion of different types of housing
along with mixed use buildings will continue the tradition of effective
transportation use, economic vitality, open space and recreation, ethnic
diversity, and neighborhood vitality that does, truly, make Alameda a wonderful
place to live.
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816 Grand St.
Alameda, CA 94501