After attending yesterday's (Thursday's) meeting which took nearly three hours longer than I expected, there was a good public comment turnout by the community with mixed reactions if the Japantown Better Neighborhood Plan should be endorsed or not. While it was an informational meeting and a vote could not be made, the reaction from the Commissioners shows serious doubt about the plan, especially the part about the future of the Japan Center (the malls).
Unfortunately, the next meeting with the SF Planning Commission has changed. Instead of holding it on June 4th, the next "informational" meeting will be held on June 18th at City Hall, Room 400, with a vote to see if it will be endorsed or not on June 25th (this one is the regularly scheduled date).
It looks like the staff who was hired to work on the J-Town plan didn't work out the official date to have the second "informational" meeting with the commission, and literally got caught with their pants down when the commission stonewalled them because it was not in the planned agenda. (And what a waste of money since the postcards they mailed out states the meeting next week).
Dang... getting to our agenda item yesterday took FOREVER. At least I brought my iPod and was able to get a tasty lunch in the cafeteria.
1 comment:
Excellent news! Hopefully the incompetency of the planners to, you know, do their job, will bode well for those of us who do not want this plan endorsed as is. Poor planning on simple things is an indicator of poor planning on the larger things...
The businesses that oppose this should do a little grass roots effort to the members of the community, as well. I spoke to my neighbor of this plan, and all he knew was of the little postcard we all got. I then told him the true costs of the plan, and how it would disrupt our lives (which may sound selfish, but the jpop construction was tough, and that has only been 1 year or so). He was surprised and then went to read more.
Anywhoodle, hopefully this will be sent back for a few more years of planning, or, they can refocus efforts to just revitalize what we currently have -- a lovely little center that just needs a little TLC.
Post a Comment