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UID:Indybay-18312762
SEQUENCE:18317769
CREATED:20060920T070500Z
DESCRIPTION:Protect Frederick Street Park and Neighborhood! Community left out 
 again!\n\nCome to the Public Hearing\n\nTHURSDAY, September 21, 2006 at 7 
 p.m. \n(first substantive item on theagenda)\nCity Council Chambers \n(809 
 Center Street)\n\nIf you enjoy Frederick Street Park, live in the area or 
 care about public space in Santa Cruz, you're a stakeholder in a proposed 
 development that would fundamentally alter the park and neighborhood. But 
 did the City get word out to you? If not, you're like thousands of people 
 who would be surprised to hear that the Planning Commission will take 
 public comment tomorrow on this high-density, out-of-character proposal 
 that would permanently change our park and community.\n\nDevelopers are 
 moving forward with a plan for 170 Frederick St., current site of Kingdom 
 Hall, to build an extremely high density 16-unit project. There would be 
 four townhouses lining the street, four three-story houses bordering the 
 park and six accessory dwellings on this small parcel.\n\nCity excludes 
 stakeholders.	\nThe City provided hearing notices only to homes within 300 
 ft. of\nthe site (and some say they didn't receive them). Small signs were 
 placed on Kingdom Hall. Nothing was posted in or in view of the park. But 
 all stakeholders deserve to be able to participate!\n\nThe only way to get 
 real information about the plan is by going to\nCity Hall. Little is 
 available on the Web. But all stakeholders should have easy access to 
 information needed for meaningful participation!\n\nApparently City 
 staffers are pushing the highest-density design,\nallowing major zoning 
 rule exceptions on lot sizes, setbacks and building heights. No wonder they 
 aren't eager for real public involvement.\n\nThe City recently held a 
 dog-leash policy input meeting in the park and more than 60 people 
 attended.\n\nReal participation would allow airing of other options, 
 like\naffordable housing and park expansion.\n\n--> The Planning Commission 
 should defer judgment until there is real public participation!\n\nProtect 
 our park!\n\nFrederick Street Park is a treasure of the east side, serving 
 people all over the city and beyond.\n\nThe massive structures will hem in 
 the park, obscure views of Arana Gulch and make it feel small.\n\nBuilding 
 in accordance with the zoning rules would result in fewer,\nlower-profile 
 buildings.\n\nTwo heritage trees would be destroyed. Responsible 
 development of the site would provide new trees to screen the houses from 
 the park, as is at least partially the case on the south side.\n\n--> The 
 Commission should only approve a plan that minimizes the impacts on our 
 wonderful park!\n\nProtect our neighborhood!\n\nResponsible development 
 must respect the character of the\nneighborhood. This plan extends high 
 density development north of the park, violating the letter and spirit of 
 the area's zoning. Even the condo developments south of and across from the 
 park have smaller frontages.\n\nFrederick Street has already absorbed its 
 share of high-density\ndevelopment, with hundreds of units at the south end 
 which have turned our neighborhood street into a dangerous 
 speedway.\n\nHigh density, in-fill development should be created to 
 create\naffordable housing, not more expensive homes and rentals for those 
 with high incomes. The accessible housing project slated for north 
 Frederick is a good example of responsible high-density in-fill.\n\nAny 
 development on the site should be coupled with traffic calming measures to 
 make our street safe and peaceful for the community. The City has been 
 unresponsive to repeated traffic-calming requests.\n\n--> The Planning 
 Commission should only approve a plan that meets the needs of our 
 neighborhood!\n\nCome to the Planning Commission hearing! \n\nSend your 
 email address to spitzer@cruzio.com to join a Friends of the Park 
 effort!\n\nJoin Seabright 
 Neighbors!\n(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/seabrightneighbors)\n\n___\n\nSkip 
 Spitzer\nSanta Cruz, California\nspitzer -o- cruzio -o- com\n 
 https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/09/20/18312762.php
SUMMARY:Protect Frederick Street Park and Neighborhood!
LOCATION:City Council Chambers \n(809 Center Street)
URL:https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2006/09/20/18312762.php
DTSTART:20060922T020000Z
DTEND:20060922T040000Z
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