[OldNorth] Old East Infill meeting

[Valerie Vann]

Re: Old East Aug. 12 meeting with Infill Subcommittee

What's going on? Does the committee intend to meet separately
with all three neighborhoods? Wasn't the committee supposed to answer
all of our concerns about infill policy in our neighborhoods?

Or did the level of ONDNA concern and desire to participate get lost
at the Council meeting, given that public comment was cut short and
the two projects under consideration at the Council meeting were not
actually IN Old North?

Personally, I was hoping (and expecting) a serious effort on the part
of the Council to step back, slow down, and do some in depth work
on a holistic approach to "infill" and "densification" that addresses
the specific concerns of our three traditional neighborhoods, including
garbage, parking, noise, street tree & landscape maintenance, open
space; pedestrian, bike and auto traffic; public transit; and affordable
housing issues; the approaches being taken by other California small
and medium cities, especially those with similar traditional core
areas (e.g. Sonoma, Santa Rosa, Grass Valley, & other towns with
student and/or senior populations like Chico).

I'm very concerned that we're going to get a piecemeal, ad hoc
approach to the infill issue, an ill-thoughtout reaction to the
latest "planning" fad(s), or a divide and conquer strategy, or
all of the above.

Valerie Vann
valerie at vanngroup.com