DDA Education

Attention City Leaders:

John Knox White has an excellent post on the difference between DAs (Development Agreements) and DDAs (Disposition and Development Agreements) that explains the controls a City has via the DDA process.

We hope you’ll take a look: http://johnknoxwhite.com/2010/01/13/alameda-point-all-the-protections-in-place/

savealameda.com : "Alameda city government to SunCal: We want to work with you, so drop dead"

Click here to read this post that was posted at savealameda.com:

http://savealameda.com/2010/01/08/alameda-city-government-to-suncal-we-want-to-work-with-you-so-drop-dead.aspx

A Citizen’s Perspective: Measure B Meets Objectives, Benefits City

AAPR’s Helen Sause has excellent editorials in Friday’s Journal and Thursday’s Sun. You can read them here:

http://www.contracostatimes.com/alamedajournal/ci_14142549?nclick_check=1

and here:

http://www.alamedasun.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6341&Itemid=11

Meeting Recaps

It was a busy week for those seeking to learn more about Measure B.

Tuesday’s night’s joint Council/Board of Education meeting was long. Several blogs posted coverage of it including: http://johnknoxwhite.com/, The Island http://www.theislandofalameda.com/2010/01/on-point-the-prisoner/ and Lauren Do http://www.laurendo.com/ (The Nogotiator, 1/7/10).

Thursday night, the League of Women Voters hosted an excellent forum on the pros and cons of Measure B. The conference room was filled beyond capacity as many Alamedans – and not just the usual suspects – sought to learn more about Measure B.

AAPR’s Honora Murphy was excellent in presenting an Alamedan’s perspective on the necessity of moving forward with transforming the deteriorating former Base into a usable, vibrant community that all can benefit from. SunCal’s Pat Keliher answered the many excellent questions asked by the audience.

The opposition’s Dave Needles focused on the need to examine the initiative in a vacuum as if there are no such things as Disposition and Development Agreements, Business Plans, or Environmental Impact Reports. At several points it became obvious that Needles does not support the actual land plan for the Base either, with its planned mix of housing types and walkable neighborhood, leaving one to wonder if focusing on fears about the initiative is simply a ruse to prevent a sustainable, mixed-use development at all.

Needles concluded by stating that the City of Alameda has all the expertise needed to take on the master developer role. One wonders if perhaps the City’s dogcatcher isn’t terribly busy and could take on this role.

AUSD School Board Vice-President Mike McMahon Endorses Measure B

The following is a message that Mike McMahon sent out via email this morning:

After sitting through a two hour presentation from City and AUSD staff on Measure B, I am prepared to take a position on Measure B. My primary focus is overseeing of the schools and as such I will not tread into City Council's arena of responsibility. One of the main factors that makes Alameda desirable is our very good schools and I am committed to maintaining that reputation.

I believe the overall benefits of choosing to develop Alameda Point using the existing framework presented by Suncal is better than the alternative of another sixteen years of doing nothing but plan to plan. The vision for the Alameda Point development will provide for a vital community that will serve the needs of children, adults and seniors. While there are no guarantees in Measure B, I am confident that AUSD is in a strong position to negotiate a mitigation agreement that will serve Alameda Point and the West End residents. Suncal has vested interest to insure that schools are fully integrated into the development and we will be able to work with them to achieve a solution that meets the needs of future Alameda children.

I realize this issue is bigger than the schools, so if you need more information please attend the League of Women Voters Pros and Con's Forum on January 7, 2010 at 7:30 p.m. at the Main library. If you can not attend, they have a updated link to their analysis of the measure.

http://alameda.ca.lwvnet.org/files/measurebcorrected.pdf

Important Meetings!

Two critical meetings happen this week that will help inform voters about Measure B.

The first is a combination City Council/Board of Education meeting on Tuesday, January 5, 7:00 pm at Mastick Center.

Although the purported purpose of this meeting is to discuss how the Revitalize Alameda Point plan impacts the Alameda Unified School District, SunCal is not being allowed to make any sort of presentation. Presentations will only be by the Interim City Manager, an outspoken opponent of the plan, and the AUSD superintendent.

Many of us at AAPR are also very strong public school supporters. We feel it is essential that any plan at Alameda Point benefit the schools, and we feel this plan does. We hope the meeting will provide at least an opportunity for questions and answers related to the plan’s impact on our schools so that the voting public can be fully and accurately informed.

On Thursday, January 7th, the Alameda League of Women Voters will be hosting a pro and con forum at the Main Library. More information can be found at the LWV web site here: http://alameda.ca.lwvnet.org/MeasureB.html

Proponents and opponents, including AAPR, were asked to provide answers to a LWV questionnaire. That can be found here: http://alameda.ca.lwvnet.org/files/measure_b_q_and_a.pdf

Please come to these meetings this week and show your support for revitalizing Alameda Point!

"More about that Treasure Island development" by Lauren Do

Lauren Do writes on her blog about the development at Treasure Island. You can read it here.