Dear Mayor and City Council members,
We recently had a special event at Fremont Park called “Shop Local! Light up the Season!”
But if the city removes one particular element, we’ll be going elsewhere to shop. And that essential element is: parking lots!
The fact is that almost all shoppers drive to their destinations. Why? Because it’s the most convenient way to shop. Proximity to stores and restaurants is a huge plus, and for a variety of reasons, often a necessity.
Recently, in chats with shoppers as we happen to be in line in local venues, e.g. the Post Office, Trader Joe’s, Draegers, and the Sunday Farmers’ Market, the conversation turns to two things on the Council’s plate: the notion of placing “affordable housing” in three of our busy downtown parking lots—which people are furious is under consideration—and the Sunset Project—which is as roundly hated and reviled as the plan to rechristen three of our parking lots as “surplus” land so low-income housing projects can be built on them.
With all due respect Council members, we voted for you to stand up for the interests and quality of life of We the Residents—not for a Russian Oligarch’s obscenely out of place skyscraper towers, or for ABAG’s bizarre overreach regarding our built-out city’s zoning and infrastructure capacity.
We elected you to represent us, the residents, homeowners, and business owners who all have a vested interest in the ambiance and prosperity of the community. We expect you to make every effort to help the community maintain its special character, to stand up for us and resist interference and so-called mandates that would diminish or destroy what we have built. We need you to find win-win solutions, rather than abandoning our city to outlandish proposals that would drastically worsen our quality of life, cause unbearable gridlock, strain the capacity of our infrastructure and schools, and decimate our beloved local small businesses. .
People are dismayed that you’ve taken no decisive action opposing the two singularly grotesque plans mentioned above. But I have a solution to propose.
Here’s how you can kill two birds with one stone:
Reject the Oligarch’s Sunset Project—which is preposterously out of proportion and character for our small suburb—and negotiate the purchase of the land. Then, instead of even contemplating building housing in our busy parking lots, zone the Sunset Magazine property for that same affordable housing!
You may consider me your consultant, and I’ll count myself well compensated if you simply following my recommendation.
Sincerely,
Cherie Zaslawsky
