South Oceanview Neighborhood Association
Next meeting:
February 4; 1813 8th St
(6:45 shmooze & meet your neighbors; 7:15-9:00 business meeting)
for information about SONA or this page mail [email protected]
Let’s talk about our ideas and goals for Oceanview in 1997!
While our first meeting of the year was originally supposed to focus on our ideas and goals for the new year, hot development issues took precedence. Now that things have calmed down a bit, we can seriously address building an agenda for 1997. But first, a quick update on what transpired at the January 22 Planning Comm. hearing: Cody’s on Fourth Street: The commission voted 6-3 in favor of the proposal. No news yet on whether there will be an appeal to the City Council. West Berkeley Plan: The neighborhood won a big victory, thanks in part to SONA members Darcy Morrison and Jim Orjala, with the creation of a West Berkeley Planning Sub-committee to focus on the unique development and planning needs of our area. The subcommittee will consist of three of the commissioners from West Berkeley; meetings seeking public input will be scheduled sometime during the next couple months. Suggestions for topics of discussion: Crime/safety issues: 1996 was a relatively quiet year in the neighborhood although we still have a ways to go. There are still pockets of drug dealing in the area and the ripple effects of this activity continue to be felt throughout the neighborhood. What role does James Kenney Neighborhood Watch play in keeping the neighborhood safe and what role, if any, should SONA play?
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-Neighborhood beautification/quality of life issues: A tree planting manual was put together and distributed last year for those interested in planting trees on the green strips bordering the sidewalks. What other issues are people interested in? speed bumps? traffic flow? (particularly along Hearst Street), street lighting? -Development issues: Development and planning issues have increasingly entered into our group discussions as a topic of interest and concern. A SONA Development Sub-committee was created at the last meeting to research the key issues more thoroughly and present their findings back to the group. Changes to the West Berkeley Plan and how they will impact Oceanview/West Berkeley will be discussed at the next meeting. What other development issues would you like the group to investigate? -Social activities and events: How can we better connect with the rich diversity that our neighborhood has to offer? A block party? softball league? Oceanview beauty pageant? (not serious). How can we better utilize the community center and recreation program at James Kenney Park? Important Announcements: -The next Planning Commission meeting will be February 19 at the West Berkeley Sr. Center. Focus will be the West Berkeley Plan. -James Kenney Park Neighborhood Watch: They meet regularly on the 2nd Thursday of each month, from 7 to 8 p.m. Their next meeting will be February 13. -West Berkeley Planning Com. Sub Com.: Notices will be going out on telephone poles as soon as we learn of the date of their first public meeting.
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