HNA News: B/W Status, Disaster Prep, Ashby BART Planning

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Halcyon Neighborhood Association E-Newsletter*
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In This Newsletter

1. Update on B&W Liquor Status
2. Berkeley Alliance of Neighborhood Associations Meeting Focuses on
Disaster Preparedness, Saturday, Dec. 17th, 9:30 a.m.
3. City Council Approves Ashby BART Application
4. South Berkeley Crime Prevention Council to Sponsor Info Forum on
Ashby BART Transit Village Project Proposal

If you have items you'd like to see included in the next newsletter,
please email them to me at ngc2@mindspring.com. In the meantime,
please stay safe and enjoy the holidays!
-Nancy Carleton, HNA Co-Chair and E-Newsletter Editor

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1. Update on B&W Liquor Status

Dawn Rubin (HNA Crime Watch/Disaster Prep Coordinator) and Chris Lien
(HNA Steering Comm. member) have been effectively tracking the
permitting status of Black & White Liquors (3027 Adeline) on behalf of
HNA along with other concerned neighbors. They report that the Zoning
Board at the public hearing on December 8th seemed inclined toward
finding B&W Liquors a nuisance and instituting much tougher conditions
on its use permit, although they declined to take immediate action in
shutting them down. The owner of B&W Liquors has spoken with some of
the neighborhood spokespeople and is indicating a willingness to work
on issues raised by neighbors. Another public hearing concerning B&W
will take place at ZAB on Thursday, January 12. If you would like to
participate or have input, please contact Dawn Trygstad Rubin at
843-6306, familyrubin@comcast.net.

Here's a summary of ZAB's 12/8 discussion from Chris: The ZAB gave us
a mixed proposed ruling...Mr. Banger's attorney still has a chance to
respond prior to the next ZAB Board Meeting, set for January 12, 2006.
If the public sends something in, prior to approval of the finding, it
may be considered if it is deemed sufficiently important. There was a
unanimous finding of nuisance, and a somewhat stiff "proposed" remedy
as follows:

FIRST B&W must only operate between 9 am. and 9 pm.
SECOND B&W must hire a guard for the hours of 5pm. to 9pm.
THIRD The owner must work the night shift until closing at least
twice a week.
FOURTH B&W customers must receive their purchases in branded bags.
FIFTH The owner must meet with members of the community every 2 months.
SIXTH Outside video cameras (already installed).
SEVENTH Probation of some kind for 6 months or a year (this is still
under discussion ).

The ZAB gave no serious discussion to the possibility of closing down
Mr. Banger. The reason they cited was that there had been no
significant complaint by anyone from the neighborhood against Mr.
Banger prior to the initiation of the nuisance proceedings. However,
the ZAB also made it pretty clear that if there was subsequent bad
behavior by Mr. Banger during the probationary period then most Board
Members seemed very disposed to shut him down.

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2. Berkeley Alliance of Neighborhood Associations Meeting Focuses on
Disaster Preparedness, Saturday, Dec. 17th, 9:30 a.m.

Berkeley Alliance of Neighborhood Associations Meeting, Dec. 17, 2005,
9:30am, Fireside Room, St. John's Presbyterian, College between Stuart
and Derby.

Recent natural disasters elsewhere (the tsunami, hurricanes Katrina &
Wilma) have left many residents with the desire to know what the big
picture plan is for rescuing Berkeleyans in the event of a
catastrophic earthquake. This will be the featured topic at Saturday's
BANA meeting.

Classes on individual preparedness offered by the City's Office of
Emergency Services are very much appreciated. However, they do not
provide one with the overall picture as to what we can expect from the
various governments (City, County, State and Federal) and how that
relates to what we must do in caring for ourselves, given we are in a
position to do so.

Here are some questions that came up at the last BANA meeting
following Janice Thomas' presentation:

How will the City of Berkeley coordinate w/ the residents,
University, County, City, State and Federal agencies?

What services will the various agencies provide to Berkeley in the
event of a large scale natural disaster?

Will we need to be self-sufficient for 7 days vs. 3 days?

What type of law and order can we expect?

Will residents need to protect their homes/neighborhood?

Los Angeles has had all of its hospitals retrofitted and will have
food and power for 7 days--are our local hospitals as prepared?

How will residents adjacent to the University be evacuated? Will the
University clog evacuation routes blocking residents in?

Can anyone shut off the gas line to a residence in order to avoid a
possible fire in their neighborhood?

What support can residents expect from the various agencies in a major
disaster and what should they be prepared to do?

The budget for emergency preparedness has been cut. What type of
staffing and funds would be needed for Berkeley to be a better
prepared city?

Gil Dong from the City's Fire Department and Office of Emergency
Services will meet with us to answer the questions above as well as
discuss the City's emergency evacuation plans for the "Big One".

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3. City Council Approves Ashby BART Application

The City Council voted at their 12/13 meeting in favor of a grant
application which will move the planning process forward for
implementation of a Transit Village at the Ashby BART station (west
side of the parking lot, where the flea market currently takes place).
This project will clearly have a huge effect on our neighborhood and
surrounding neighborhoods (especially since recent Transit Village
legislation potentially affects properties -- and zoning -- within a
quarter-mile radius of the project).

You can view the background information and summary of the Council
meeting discussing the grant application by looking at item 12 for the
regular meeting of 12/13 at the link below:

http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/citycouncil/agendaindex.htm#current

The grant proposal itself can be viewed at:

http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/citycouncil/2005citycouncil/packet/121305/2005-12-13%20Item%2012%20Grant%20Ashby%20Bart.pdf

Further information is available in two recent Daily Planet articles:

pre City Council vote
http://www.berkeleydaily.org/text/article.cfm?issue=12-13-05&storyID=22936

post-City Council vote
http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/article.cfm?issue=12-16-05&storyID=22958

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4. South Berkeley Crime Prevention Council to Sponsor Info Forum on
Ashby BART Transit Village Project Proposal, Jan. 16th

South Berkeley Crime Prevention Council ( a network of neighborhood
group) is planning an information forum on the proposed Transit
Village to be held on Monday, January 16 at South Berkeley Senior
Center, 7-9pm.

The Transit Village project area covers 260 acres, including 1,386
parcels. The borders are north to Oregon St, west to California St,
south to Alcatraz, and east to Fulton. Upzoning is possible, which
means increased density in new developments and other implications.

You can review the Grant: Ashby BART West Parking Lot

http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/citycouncil/2005citycouncil/packet/121305/2005-12-13%20Item%2012%20Grant%20Ashby%20Bart.pdf

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The Halcyon Neighborhood Association E-Newsletter: The HNA
E-Newsletter forwards occasional crime watch notices as well as
announcements about events of interest to neighbors in the
Ashby/Telegraph/Woolsey/Shattuck area of south Berkeley. If you're
receiving this email, either you signed up at a neighborhood event or
a neighbor may have forwarded it to you. Please note that to prevent
spam, HNA always uses bcc and does not share your email address with
third parties. If you wish to be removed from this list, reply to HNA
Co-Chair Nancy Carleton/Halcyon Neighborhood Association
<ngc2@mindspring.com>. Please feel free to pass the HNA E-Newsletter
on to other neighbors you think might be interested.
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