Sunday, December 25, 2011

JLDA Year in Review 2011

This was a busy year for the JLDA. We thank everyone in the District for their continued participation and support.

Here is a sampling of the projects JLDA undertook in 2011:

  • Neighborhood trash clean up
  • A new look and expanded coverage for The Call, our bi-monthly newsletter
  • Coordinating parking permits with the city
  • Working with residents on a Train Quiet Zone
  • Supporting the Oakland bid for an LBNL campus at Brooklyn Basin
  • Holding a neighborhood meeting for businesses and residents to discuss late-night noise on Broadway
  • Providing feedback and marketing information to new and potential businesses in the District
  • Participating in the Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council
  • Coming up with solutions to the District's pervasive dog poop problems
  • Advocating for a greater presence in the Lake Merritt Station Area Plan
  • Providing a forum for discussion of a new home for the A's.
  • Investigating the possibility of a Community Benefits District for JLD
  • Outreach to area HOA's and businesses to establish JLDA-community liassons
  • Working with Redevelopment Agency and CalTrans to improve the underpasses
  • Organizing a community design charrette for a future Webster Green

All members of the Jack London District community are welcome at Board and committee meetings. See the calendar for meeting times and places. If you haven't come to a JLDA meeting, 2012 will be an exciting year to get involved. We are always looking for more participation and help.


All the best in the New Year!

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Webster Green Charrette a Success

JLDA organized a neighborhood design charrette on December 7, 2011. This was a working session to discuss and sketch ideas for a potential Webster Green connecting Chinatown to the waterfront. Participants were divided into four teams: two worked on Lower Webster (Embarcadero to 4th Street) and two worked on Upper Webster (4th Street to 7th Street). All teams were asked to address specific categories of development: character, program, features, transportation, financing, sustainability, and events. After ninety minutes of intense brainstorming, the groups came together to present their ideas and discuss outcomes.

You can download a PDF of the the Full Charrette Report (2.7 MB) or just the Development Principles (600 KB).



At the next JLDA Land Use and Transportation Committee meeting we will discuss the results of the charrette and next steps towards creating a Webster Green: January 23rd from 7-9pm at 229 Harrison Street in Oakland. All interested parties are welcome.

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Monday, November 14, 2011

Save the Date: Webster Green Community Design Charrette

What would a Webster Green look like?


Calling all architects, designers, bicyclists, pedestrians, dog owners, and everyone who has creative ideas for a new public space in Oakland. The Webster Green, extending from Embarcadero to 7th Street, would connect Chinatown to the waterfront and be at the heart of the urban renaissance that has taken place in Jack London District over the past ten years. Here's an opportunity to take part in shaping your city! What should the Webster Green feel like? How should it be used? How can it be financed and maintained? How will it effect district-wide transportation?

JLDA's Land Use and Transportation Committee will be hosting a community design charrette to capture good ideas for transforming the underutilized parking lots that sit atop the Webster Tube into beautiful, safe, and sustainable public open spaces. The results of the charrette will ultimately help inform the Lake Merritt Station Area Plan which has funding and support from the community and the City.


SAVE THE DATE: Wednesday, December 7, 2011
TIME: 6:30-9:00 PM
PLACE: 278 4th Street, Oakland (Google Maps)
RSVP: brendon [at] jlda.org

We have developed an online forum to share ideas before the charrette. Please visit us at the Webster Green Community Forum and leave your comments.


This is part of a series of planning efforts spearheaded by JLDA intended to plan and promote a cohesive vision for the Jack London District. All interested parties are welcome - feel free to forward this invitation to anyone you think might like to be involved.

Sincerely,
Brendon Levitt, LUTC co-chair
Steve Lowe, LUTC co-chair

Jack London District Association
Land Use and Transportation Committee

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Wednesday, August 31, 2011

JLDA Discusses Possible Community Benefits District


Imagine what better signage, lighting, paving, security, marketing, and maintenance could do for the Jack London District.



The JLDA Land Use and Transportation Committee met on Monday, August 29, to discuss the potential establishment of a Jack London Community Benefits District (JLCBD). Most of the discussion centered on what improvements could arise from a CBD. First, they looked to existing benefits districts around Oakland such as Temescal, Lake Merritt, and Downtown. These neighborhoods have successfully implemented security "ambassadors," graffiti abatement, trash cleanup, district marketing and streetscape beautification. They’ve seen a general rise in safety and a corresponding rise in business investment.



While everyone agreed that safety, maintenance, and marketing would be high priorities for a JLCBD, the meeting went beyond these generics to explore how a CBD could maintain the funky heterogeneity of the neighborhood while continuing to improve it. The discussion centered around freeway underpasses, green space, lighting, business development efforts, and streetscape improvements along major circulation arteries.



Improvements to the freeway underpasses were among the first subjects of discussion. Better lighting, pavement improvements, more active uses, and even murals were mentioned. There was also interest in increased green space in the District. A Webster Street Green, which connects Chinatown to the Waterfront in the form of a long, linear park was one option discussed. There was also talk of better maintaining Estuary Park behind the Jetro building. There was an interesting discussion about street trees: although the knee-jerk reaction to streetscape improvements is to have coordinated and abundant street trees, it was suggested that this might not be appropriate for the Jack London District. Part of the character of the neighborhood is the wide-open sidewalks covered by awnings and street trees may be an unnecessary way of spending money. Instead, that money might be better spent by having coordinated signage, garbage cans, and pedestrian lighting along the sidewalks.



Another focus of debate was the primary circulation arteries in the District: Broadway, Embarcadero, Webster, and Oak. Each street has its own set of issues but there was general agreement that each artery could use better signage and lighting at a minimum. Ornamental crosswalks and sidewalk paving, banners and bike lanes were also mentioned. Broadway could benefit from better median maintenance, Webster could benefit from a linear park, and Embarcadero could benefit from … well, Embarcadero’s list is too long to include here, but it was agreed that a Community Benefits District could go a long way toward rehabilitating all of these “front doors” to the District.



In addition to these physical improvements to the district, the CBD could help with district marketing and business development. It’s long been a goal of the neighborhood to have a grocery store, and the CBD could facilitate this. In fact, one arm of the CBD could be devoted entirely to business recruitment, helping to match empty storefronts to willing businesses. It was even suggested that the CBD could help organize temporary or rotating businesses (political campaigns, cultural events, rotating exhibits, etc.) that help fill empty storefronts and give the district a more vibrant identity.



Look for more news about a potential Jack London Community Benefits District in the coming weeks, including a special Q&A community forum on October 5 at a date in October to be determined.



See meeting minutes for a complete list of improvements and benefits that were discussed.


For an updated list (9/21/11) of potential benefits click here.

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Monday, July 18, 2011

2011 Oakland Railroad Quiet Zone Study Update

The purpose of the Oakland Railroad Quiet Zone Study is to explore the potential for implementation of a Quiet Zone on the Union Pacific Railroad (UP) corridor through the Jack London Square area of the City of Oakland. A railroad Quiet Zone is an area where locomotive engineers are not required to sound train warning horns as they approach an at-grade crossing.

There are six crossings for this Quiet Zone study: Oak Street, Webster Street, Franklin Street, Broadway, Washington Street, and Clay Street. From the east end at Oak Street, the Niles Subdivision tracks traverse west across Oak Street before entering the Jack London Square Amtrak Station. The tracks continue west on Embarcadero West/First Street from Webster Street all the way through Clay Street and into the Port Railroad Shipping Yard and Amtrak Maintenance Yard

To see the full report of this study, please Click The Link Below:

https://docs.google.com/a/jlda.org/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B6P5mtwBnUAYNmIyMzUwODgtODgwMC00YTJlLThmZDQtYmZhNmFkYzU0YmEw&hl=en_US

Thank you,
Jack London District Association

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Monday, July 4, 2011

How To Get An Area M Parking Permit: July 1, 2011

What is an Area M Parking Permit? "A motor vehicle on which is displayed a valid [Area M] parking permit [may park] within the Jack London [District] without being limited by time restrictions wherever signs are posted exempting permit holders].”(O.M.C. Section 10.45.040 A.)

Who Can Purchase an Area M Parking Permit? "One Jack London District Mixed Use parking permit [MUPP] may be issued for each vehicle owned, leased or under the continuing custody of any person who can demonstrate that they are currently a resident, employee, business owner or a representative of a neighborhood serving establishment located within the Jack London District designated mixed use parking permit area.” (O.M.C. Section 10.45.070 C.) See below for map of the mixed use parking permit area:

Where can an Area M permit be purchased? “The [City’s Parking Division] shall issue Jack London District mixed use parking permits with a term of one year.” (O.M.C. Section 10.45.070 B.) Go to [www.oaklandnet.com/government/fwawebsite/parking/pdf/permitapplication.pdf] for applications or visit the Parking Citation Assistance Center, 250 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Ste 6300. Completed applications may be delivered in person or by mail to the Parking Citation Assistance Center, 250 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Suite 6300, Oakland, CA 94612.

What documents are needed? Each applicant must submit:
1. Completed application form
2. Copy of current vehicle registration
3. Copy of driver’s license
4. Check for $150 payable to City of Oakland-MUPP
5. Document that demonstrates eligibility:
a) Residents must submit proof of residency (residential rental agreement or current utility bill)
b) Business owners (including for-profits, nonprofits, and other neighborhood serving establishments) must submit copy of valid business license, list of employees requesting permits, and employee license plate numbers.
c) Employees and representatives of neighborhood serving establishments must verify that business owner has submitted items requested in b) above or else submit comparable materials that demonstrate eligibility.

For More Information:
City of Oakland Parking Division can be reached at 510-451-0456.

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