From valerie at vanngroup.com  Thu Jun 12 00:00:58 2003
From: valerie at vanngroup.com (Valerie Vann)
Date: Thu, 12 Jun 2003 00:00:58 -0700
Subject: [OldNorth] Food COOP building project
Message-ID: <3EE82529.FF49D923@vanngroup.com>

Would it be possible for the Old North Association to enlist
the help of the other Davis Neighborhood Associations and
the co-housing groups with our concerns about the Davis Food
COOP's out of control office project?

All of the associations and co-housing groups probably include
many COOP members.

I suspect that many of them would be as astonished as we are
that "converting the existing duplex for office space" has
escalated into total demolition of the duplex and total coverage
of the lot with a three-plus story monster with three 
residential units aggregating seven bedrooms, plus the offices, and
a 400 seat auditorium, kitchen, and only 5 parking spaces.

This project is a block-buster; it will be an open invitation 
to every other existing building in that block to go for high
density, multi-story mixed or commercial use.

We need to get through to COOP membership on this, not just
the (new) general manager and board. Since the current COOP
bylaws do not require COOP membership action on this project,
our best hope is to rally the support of the membership to
get the management's attention. (Anybody for a COOP board
recall action?)

A couple of other suggestions:

Draw up a 1 page statement of the Old North concerns and ask to post it 
on the information kiosk in the COOP (the "official" one inside the
north entrance.)

A table outside the COOP with leaflets and a display of
the elevations and plans (these were handed out at the last
Old North meeting.)

Ask to have a letter about this from those Old North members who
are also COOP members (most of us?) published in the COOP
newspaper. (It ain't much when it comes to actual communication
**between** COOP members, but its all we've got. The Sacto
Food COOP newspaper actually has guest editorials and letters..)

Valerie Vann