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Greenbelt Newswire
In this edition Give to Our Campaign for the Climate To reduce our impact on the climate, we have to reduce the amount we drive. Greenbelt Alliance knows that the best way to do that is to build neighborhoods where people can walk, bike, or take public transit easily. Your special year-end gift will help us make the Bay Area a sustainable model for the rest of California, and the nation. This holiday season, donate now to support the environment in which we live.
Success! Street Tour Educates East Bay Leaders More than 25 people—including El Cerrito Councilmember Janet Abelson, Councilmember-Elect Ann Cheng, and members of the San Pablo Avenue Advisory Committee—attended the Greenbelt Alliance urban outing November 15 in the East Bay. Greenbelt Alliance led a tour of completed infill developments in downtown Berkeley to promote similar smart, transit-oriented growth along the San Pablo Avenue corridor. The participants were excited with the prospect of making San Pablo a more walkable street, and urged elected officials to implement climate-friendly policies along the shared thoroughfare.Thanks to our cosponsors and to all who made this event a success!
Action Alert: Speak Up for Greener Plans in Novato A developer is proposing a model green development on an underused parking lot in Novato, and Greenbelt Alliance and a coalition of business and housing advocates are lobbying for more affordable homes and a walkable community at the site. The plan envisions a development that would generate all its energy needs on site and even recycle its wastewater. To make it truly green, Greenbelt Alliance is urging two additional goals: building affordable homes and integrating access to the nearby future SMART station. Taking these steps will give local workers a chance to live within walking distance of their jobs and the train.We need your support! Come to the first community meeting and speak up for walkable neighborhoods and more affordable homes.
Action Alert: Support Affordable Homes in San Jose On December 9, the San Jose City Council will consider an ordinance that would create more affordable homes throughout the city, especially near transit. By requiring a percentage of new homes to be affordable, the inclusionary housing ordinance would provide relief for those who struggle to live close to jobs in one of the most expensive housing markets in the country. Of the top ten fastest growing occupations in Silicon Valley, five pay under $11 an hour. A key element to a thriving, healthy city is the provision of homes that are affordable to everyone who works there. And building more homes within city boundaries eases the pressure to build on the working farms and natural areas that define our region. We need your voice! Please call or write your San Jose council representative in support of a strong and flexible inclusionary zoning ordinance and join us at the public hearing.
Action Alert: Strengthening the State's Climate Plan Good news! On November 21, the California Air Resources Board voted to explore a greater role for smart land-use planning in the state’s climate change plan. Board members are starting to recognize that communities where people can walk, bike, or take a train or bus rather than drive can significantly reduce greenhouse gases. But we haven't won yet; the target for how much we could reduce greenhouse gases through land-use planning hasn’t been finalized. Greenbelt Alliance thinks the current target of 5 million metric tons is too low. We urge them to set a goal to reduce 11 to 14 million metric tons of greenhouse gases through less sprawl and more homes near transit. The board will vote on the final plan at its December 11 meeting. Email the Air Resources Board at cc@arb.ca.gov and urge them to increase the target!
Action Alert: Attend Final Meeting for Concord's Future The future use of the Concord Naval Weapons Station—5,100 acres in Contra Costa County—will be decided on January 12, when the City Council will pick the final plan. Come to the last meeting to ensure the plan includes permanent open space, public transportation, homes that people can afford, local jobs, and green building standards.
We need help calling our supporters to attend this important meeting! To volunteer, contact Christina at cwong@greenbelt.org or (925) 932-7776.
Green Gift Idea: Order a License Plate for Open Space Share your passion for conservation and invest in the Bay Area's future by giving the license plate that gives to the Bay Area's open space. The "Nature Within Reach" license plate features an iconic image of the Golden Gate Bridge and delivers green benefits long after the holidays (and won't end up as clutter in a closet). To order one, call 1-877-4SF-BAY1. To learn more, visit bayarealicenseplate.org.
Volunteers of the Month: Zev Vernon-Lapow and Jason Goltiao December's Volunteers of the Month are a team of recent college graduates returning to their native Bay Area, Zev Vernon-Lapow and Jason Goltiao. Zev brought his extensive experience at the weekly newspaper at UC Santa Cruz. Jason brought his background in urban studies and planning from UC San Diego and a dedicated interest in community empowerment and research. Jason and Zev carried out case studies of what infill development might mean for five neighborhoods around the Bay Area. Using the Greenbelt Alliance infill capacity model to see what could be built in those places, they then visited, photographed, and conducted interviews to understand how infill—for example, developing on vacant lots to build new homes and jobs—could revitalize that area, and what it would mean for local residents. Zev and Jason's mapping, research, interviewing, and writing skills were what made this project happen. Thank you very much, Jason and Zev!
Greenbelt Alliance in the News
New Land-Use Law's Message: Build Near Transit, San Francisco Chronicle, November 28 Concord leaders leaning toward village land-use concept on shuttered military base, Contra Costa Times, November 19 San Pablo Avenue Urban Outing, KPFA, November 15 Urban Outings: Vermont Street and McKinley Square, San Francisco Chronicle, November 13
Sun Dec. 14 Berkeley Hills Loop (East Bay)
Become a Member or Renew Your Membership Support Greenbelt Alliance's work to protect the Bay Area's open spaces and vibrant places. Join or renew now, or join the Greenbelt Guardian monthly donor club. And don't forget to ask your employer about matching contributions!
Thank you for reading! To subscribe to the Greenbelt Alliance Newswire email list, enter your name and email address at www.greenbelt.org. To unsubscribe, simply send an unsubscribe request to unsubscribe@greenbelt.org. |
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