Despite efforts by citizens to advocate for a semi-rural path and/or just paving the street to make it more pedestrian friendly, an impervious concrete slab was built along Evergreen Avenue in the summer of 2012.
For many of us, the very legality of the process - and the entire project, remains in question.
We have been informed (hearsay) that Safe Routes to Schools projects are notorious for skipping Environmental Review.
It is a fact that Safe Routes has been controversial.
Many residents of Homestead Valley only found out about this sidewalk during construction.
WHY? There was NO public hearing.
No signs were posted along the street.
Our efforts to bring Homestead together were undermined by a small and vocal group connected to the school - and Mr. Kinsey's desire to ensure the County was "reimbursed for money already spent" engineering the sidewalk designed by David Parisi, the Safe Routes to School consultant.
HEAR US continues to advocate for an at grade permeable path - which would restore Evergreen's "complete street" status, and historic semi rural character.
Plus, by adding more green plantings and natural paths to filter storm water, we will protect the health of Reed Creek (habitat for federally endangered Steel head.)
Our elected representatives need to hear from YOU.
Please note - the following SIDEWALK HISTORY is still a work in progress, started as an earnest attempt to share information and answer the following questions:
How and when did a neighborhood recommendation for a pathway turn into a $1.1 million dollar sidewalk project?
Moving forward, HOW can we work together as a community to preserve Evergreen's perfect safety record, while restoring the semi-rural character of our community?
- FACT
- The Board of Supervisors approved the currently proposed project on Tuesday April 3rd, 2012(LINK)
County gave ITSELF an exemption from Environmental Review re : California Environmental Quality Act - CEQA - for "existing facilities" - when no concrete sidewalk with curbs and gutters existed on Evergreen before the SR2S project. (more info on CEQA)
Forcing concrete on our green street was not an improvement to Evergreen and will not be the answer to MHS' traffic management challenges.
Why change what has worked for so many years?
- | By addressing the drainage issues, we will create more natural pathways where needed. (LINK)
- | To learn more about watershed management, watch this video : (LINK)
- The HEAR US group made a sincere effort to work with the DPW on an alternative "green" solution. We did our best to prevent a lawsuit, because we would have preferred to use our community resources to helping our neighbors build a "community built path."
Since 2010, when most residents first learned of the project (which had been in development for several years without our knowledge,) there has been a large amount of opposition to THIS sidewalk.
It is an environmental matter - as well as a civil rights matter.
Plus, many creative, low cost, environmentally friendly alternatives proposed to the SR2S/County - raised, impervious sidewalk with curbs and gutters. But they were not seriously considered by the "powers that be" - because the County already spent too much time and resources on their current design - which was created without proper community input or knowledge.
WHY? Lack of complete communication to residents- and a lot of misinformation.
The raised concrete sidewalk, with curbs and gutters, conflicts with our Community Plan and does not reflect Stormwater best management practices - it will add more stormwater pollutants to Reed Creek - documented sensitive creek habitat for endangered species (Steelhead.)
The impervious concrete slab will :
- cover up green pathways, reduce the amount of open earth area that filters storm water
- add storm water runoff and pollutants to Reed Creek, which contains federally protected endangered species : Steelhead.
- change the physical structure and road use patterns of a street with a 100% safety record
- reduce the amount of shared road space for wide strollers and bicyclists
- destroy our neighborhood aesthetic
- offer little added benefit compared to cost of the project
Why all the FUSS about this sidewalk?
Well, there are MANY reasons, but here are the main three:
 |
| Melrose and Evergreen Natural Path on school holida |
HVCA knew about this since 2007, and wrote letters of support "on behalf of the community" without ASKING the community.
Furthermore, the HVCA neglected to inform residents about the proposal of a sidewalk all along Evergreen. Evergreen residents found out about it in July 2010, and many people have since voiced opposition to this design, requesting instead, an eco-friendly path.
DPW Director Farhad Mansourian said in July 2010, that if we don't want a sidewalk, we don't have to have a sidewalk, but, despite many residents asking that it NOT be built, the County built the sidewalk and regraded the street in summer of 2012.
There was no public hearing.
The two public meetings held were stocked with supporters of Marin Horizon School, which serves only 1% of the Homestead population, and causes an increase in traffic in the mornings and afternoons, (it was the increase in traffic which initiated the original request for the sidewalk.)
The sidewalk was estimated to cost over $1.1 million dollars to build, largely funded from a $900,000 grant from the State Safe Routes to Schools fund.
Did you know that Marin County is the richest County in CA, with a budget surplus of millions of dollars?
WHY do we need Safe Routes funding to build an environmentally irresponsible concrete sidewalk all along the entire length of a quiet, semi rural street?
Why destroy already existing paths to pour more concrete?
2) Design of sidewalk is NOT consistent with the following goals of the TAM plan :
a) Evergreen Avenue is located in Homestead Valley which is designated as a "semi-rural" community. The TAM Plan states "...we do not encourage sidewalks, curbs and gutters in the Planning Area..." page IV-43, Program T6.1a
b) Tamalpais Area Community Plan Main Goal # 1: Maintain the semi-rural character of the community as defined by its small town residential and commercial setting and the quality of the natural environment.
c) Tamalpais Area Community Plan Main Goal #5 : Preserve the natural beauty and wildlife diversity of the tidal and seasonal wetlands in the Planning Area through a program of land acquisition and/or strict land use regulation. For more info on Tam Plan : CLICK HERE
3) Environmental Impact Study was warranted by the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) :
a) Evergreen Avenue intersects with Reed Creek in several places and also runs parallel to it. The currently proposed concrete raised sidewalk will cover already existing dedicated green and natural earth pathways, reduce natural, open earth's filtering effect. This will increase storm water runoff and cause additional pollutants to drain into Reed Creek and the bay.
b) Demolition of already existing dedicated natural paths will negatively alter the character of the neighborhood.
c) Grading of road surface and installation of curbs and gutters will increase storm water runoff and pollutants that drain into Reed Creek and the Bay.
Related Post : http://www.hv94941.com/2012/04/sidewalk-project-evergreen-homestead.html
BACKGROUND: Here's the condensed version :
2004 : a small meeting of concerned citizens about increased traffic from Marin Horizon School and an inside scoop that some funding might be available for a sidewalk - resulted in a suggestion, among others, to "restore an historic walking path along the South side of Evergreen" -
There was a walkabout to decide where to put the sidewalk.
2006 : a survey was sent by the "Traffic Committee" through the Homestead Headlines, but no one showed an interest in spearheading the restoration of the historic walking path.
A survey from the Safe Routes showed that 12 people voted for a "sidewalk or path along the right side of Evergreen from Miller to Melrose." There are approximately 1000 parcels in Homestead.
Despite the community's lack of interest in altering our landscape to suit MHS, David Parisi, a Safe Routes to Schools planner/consultant, was recruited to design a sidewalk. He disregarded residents' requests for "no sidewalk" and drew up plans for a raised sidewalk (conflicts with TAM plan.) That recommendation was handed off to the DPW.
2007 : A DPW engineer (now retired) contacted Roz Hamar of Marin Horizon School to help him work on the grant proposal for funding for a sidewalk. Each year, they added information, applying three times : 2007. 2008 and in 2009, the proposal was awarded $900,000. Roz Hamar told the HVCA, but the information never went into the Headlines. By the time most residents found out about it - the neighborhood path recommendation had become a $1.1 million dollar raised concrete sidewalk.
2010 : July 2010 - July 2010, Homestead's Evergreen residents received a letter from the DPW about a $900,000 grant from Safe Routes to Schools, to build a sidewalk all along the length of Evergreen Avenue, from Whole Foods to Marin Horizon School.
Although the funding for this sidewalk was awarded on the THIRD attempt, July 2010 was the first time most Evergreen residents were given the opportunity to learn that any proposal for a concrete sidewalk all along the entire length of Evergreen Avenue was in play.
At a July 14th meeting at Marin Horizon School, Evergreen residents and a mixture of people from who knows where were shown what was described as a "10% plan" of a $1.1 million dollar concrete urban sidewalk with curbs, gutters and federal yellow ADA domes.
However, the grant application states that DPW had already completed 60% of the design.
So....
At that first community meeting in July 2010, there was a HUGE uproar - when the DPW revealed their design, an audible gasp was heard in the room. "It was interesting..." said DPW's Bob Beaumont.
Many Homestead residents were confused as to how and why anyone would even think we needed a concrete sidewalk, since we already have a dedicated pedestrian path along most of the street - and the street is currently used by walkers, bicyclists, people with strollers, scooters, etc. without incident.
So, eager to know more, we asked to see the grant application.
Marin County DPW staff seemed quite taken aback at the community's response.
As far as they were concerned, the Homestead community had asked them to build a sidewalk.
DPW engineering staff, at community request, uploaded the pdf file of the grant proposal to a Google discussion group. File has since been moved to FILE : SR2S Grant Proposal
In reading through the application, it was discovered that:
1) The grant application misrepresented actual threat to pedestrian safety.
It used minor accident data from a different street - and an area of Evergreen in the city of Mill Valley, near Whole Foods (where there are already sidewalks and crosswalks) to justify need for a sidewalk on Evergreen in Homestead Valley.
In contrast, Evergreen in Homestead, where the proposed sidewalk will be built - has a 100% safety record. Plus - it already HAS plenty of room to walk on either side of the road.
2) The application misrepresented Homestead Valley community support for the project.
The non-profit group, the HVCA, was misrepresented in the application as our "Homeowner's Association." While the HVCA does many wonderful things for our community - it has no legal authority to represent the community on such matters. At request of MHS' head of school, HVCA officers wrote letters of "enthusiastic support" for the concrete sidewalk project proposal - on behalf of the community - WITHOUT asking the community.
Also : the HVCA suppressed information about the sidewalk proposal for four years, until the DPW was awarded the grant.
When the grant was awarded, the HVCA placed a notice in their monthly newsletter, offering an opportunity for residents to write a letter of support for the project.
Several Evergreen residents, after learning that the HVCA is NOT a HOA, attended HVCA Board meetings and asked the HVCA to withdraw their support of the sidewalk.
First, we were told "the HVCA takes a neutral position on these matters."
Then, we were told that they did not support the sidewalk, they "supported the proposal."
When a group of residents requested to use the Community Center to discuss this issue, a "matter of concern to the community," we were charged a fee to use the Community Center.
(We have since learned that several other local groups are allowed use of the Center free of charge - the HVCA leases the Center from the County and rents it out as they see fit, for free or fee.)
When residents gathered for a coffee chat one morning on Evergreen, an unknown person called the sheriff to complain someone was "harassing kids." (note: an HVCA Board member was seen walking along Evergreen at that same time.) When I explained the truth of the matter, the sheriff left the scene. (LINK to Post from 9/2/2010)
In December 2011, in yet another effort to reach a win/win compromise, we started a crowd funding campaign "For Evergreen" - which asked for a $1 donation for either "no sidewalk" or a "community built pedestrian path."
An editorial with the link for consideration in the HVCA's monthly newsletter, Homestead Headlines, was rejected for publication by the HVCA Board. Reasons given for rejection : it had no opposing viewpoint and asked for funding.
(fyi: By comparison, the official 2009 Measure A voting ballot for a parcel tax increase of $125 per year - 60% of which goes to fund the Center's renovation - contained no opposition statement.)
HVCA is not an official elected government body with any authority to represent the community. It is a CLUB, which elects its board, unopposed, by a show of hands at a yearly potluck meeting.
http://hv94941.blogspot.com/2010/08/role-of-hvca.html
http://hv94941.blogspot.com/2010/09/history-of-hvca-as-told-by-chuck.html
In addition to the HVCA, other supporters of the application:
Mill Valley Police Department - which does not serve Homestead Valley and has no jurisdiction in our unincorporated area of Mill Valley.
Stephanie Moulton Peters, then Mayor of Mill Valley, who serves on the Safe Routes to Schools Task Force and also has no jurisdiction over our neighborhood.
Steve Kinsey - the Supervisor for our district, who was heading up the Transportation Authority of Marin, which runs the Safe Routes to Schools project
3) No street survey to verify any need for "traffic calming" or need of a concrete sidewalk all along Evergreen Avenue exists. The only traffic survey in the SR2S file is from 2002 - BEFORE the MHS Traffic Plan update.The community input for low cost improvements to Evergreen - and requests for improvements along streets that were viewed as unsafe - was disregarded.
The grant application was written by an engineer at the DPW (now retired) and Roz Hamar, then the head of Marin Horizon School (she now works at another school.) The application is written from an engineering perspective and from the perspective of the school, which is a commuter school - 99% of the student body does not live in Homestead and 96% does not live within walking distance of the area. (Source: R. Hamar)
There was no participation from parents from Mill Valley schools nor MHS parents. Therefore claims of a sidewalk's benefit to area schools are not based in fact. (source: October 2006 Headlines)
Further research revealed that the initial idea for the raised concrete sidewalk was drawn up in 2006 by David Parisi, a consultant for Safe Routes to Schools -
Mr. Parisi was present at the original 2004 meeting where a suggestion to restore an historic walking path along the south side of Evergreen Avenue was among several suggestions to address residents' concerns about increased traffic from Marin Horizon School.
Based upon the design, it is OBVIOUS that Mr. Parisi, not living in Homestead nor having much experience with building in Homestead, was unaware that Homestead is designated as semi-rural in the Tam Plan, which does "not encourage sidewalks, curbs and gutters in the planning area."
Either he disregarded or never received the community input.
(LINK to inital design and Tam Plan https://sites.google.com/site/hv94941files/ )
(LINK to David Parisi in local news.)
Additional facts :
Several residents told the local Caltrans office - the "watchdog" for the SR2S/SRTS funding program - about the inaccurate information on the grant application, this was their response: "Well, we want to make it easy for DPW departments to apply for funding."
Mr. Kinsey admitted "Evergreen is a very quiet street."
In May 2011, Mr. Kinsey wrote a letter to the head of Marin Horizon School suggesting that she ask parents to write letters to support the sidewalk.
In order to promote better transparency in government, HEAR US group has requested the full copy of the letter, as well as all communication received from Homestead regarding this sidewalk project.
WE HAVE YET TO RECEIVE THIS LETTER.
Sidewalk Timeline, in reverse chronological order :
4/3/2012 : Laura Chariton, MV Watershed Steward, requests Environmental Review (LINK)
4/3/2012 : Board of Supervisors approves sidewalk plans for Evergreen SR2S project (LINK)
3/2012 : link to editorial "ode to pothole"
2/2012 : Mari Tamburo requests Environmental Impact Study at the Board of Supervisors meeting 2/28/2012 : http://www.hv94941.com/2012/02/hear-us-request-for-environmental.html
2/2012 : Chaos = Cooperation : the Planning Concept of Shared Space (LINK)
1/27/2012 : Indie Gogo Campaign Ends. February Homestead Headlines is out. ( LINK)
12/2011 : M. Tamburo asks Safe Routes to use surveys : they say "no" (LINK)
12/2011 : A Vehicle for Change launches Indie Gogo campaign : FOR EVERGREEN
10/20/11 : Mill Valley Patch and Marin IJ Publish new articles about the sidewalk
10/17/11 : On October 17th, a letter was mailed to CSA-14 residents regarding the proposed sidewalk for Evergreen Avenue. The letter stated that the project was moving forward and construction was expected to start in 2012. CLICK HERE for letter.
5/22/11 : Joint Committee meeting : Roz Hamar reads Letter from Steve Kinsey, who states he plans to send a questionnaire to all residents of CSA-14, Kinsey also suggests that MHS ask parents to send letters of support for the sidewalk.
2/2011 : Steve Kinsey Responds to Concerned Residents
1/15/11: HEAR US launches blog
1/15/11 : HEAR US launches Evergreen sidewalk survey v.2 :
1/01/11 : HEAR US launches first survey
12/10/10 : Keith Garriott forwards HV resident Paula Wegeworth's letter
Homestead resident responds to Keith's request for a Full Mockup on Evergreen Avenue
Charles Sands suggests that HV residents send their thoughts/concerns about reduced road width to elected representatives
12/07/10 : Mill Valley Patch publishes another MHS story - HV residents comment
Charles Sands sends another letter to "inform" DPW Farhad Mansourian
12/06/10 : Beat post : Many Entities, One Goal?
11/30/10 : Charles Sands points out misrepresentations in the SR2S grant proposal
Mari Tamburo proposes another solution
11/27/10 : Keith Garriott (Save Evergreen) requests Full Scale Mock Up
11/26/10 : Evergreen residents Paul and Nancy Reck write another letter to county with questions about Evergreen Avenue Proposed Sidewalk
Charles Sands sends another letter to the County "Fraudulent use of SR2S and County Funds"
11/25/10 : Charles Sands 3rd request for action from the County
11/16/10 : In an effort to give concerned parents a sense of security, HEAR US proposes a petition to install Stop sign at Melrose & Evergreen
11/10/10 : Marin IJ does follow up article on the sidewalk issue.
11/06/10 : Safe Routes to Schools GRANTS a one year extension to the proposed Evergreen Sidewalk Project to June 2012
11/06/10: Supervisor Kinsey chairs a meeting at the Mill Valley Community. Many supporters of the school are there and Mr. Kinsey controls the microphone : meeting is covered by The Mill Valley Patch
11/03/10 : Marin IJ posts article - receives comments on forum - most against the sidewalk.
10/27/10 : Katy Butler, Homestead Resident, writes a letter in support of the sidewalk to the Mill Valley Herald
10/18/10 : Charles Sands requests project scope description
10/17/10 : Charles Sands, asks HV residents to request an Environmental Impact Study
10/09/10 : HV resident cites the TAM Plan, a legal document that discourages sidewalks
10/07/10 : Charles Sands sends a complaint to the County :
10/05/10 : Charles Sands posts Frank Lurz letter : "Permission to Vomit"
and pics of traffic in April 2004
09/26/10: Marin IJ posts article about sidewalk controversy and comments are posted
09/20/10: Mari Tamburo sends another letter to DPW : Behavior is flexible, concrete is not.
09/02/10: I awoke to see the Sheriff outside my house. (LINK to Post from 9/2/2010)
Post : Sense of Place : Why we Care
09/01/10: HEAR US responds to group input, many confused by Keith's petition for a 4 foot sidewalk.
08/31/10 : Roz Hamar's perspective of sidewalk timeline
Mari's response to Roz's email. : My first day of school experience.
08/28/10 : Mari Tamburo writes to Roz Hamar asks for minutes of Joint HVCA/MHS meetings
08/27/10 : Dan Brousseau contacts Wendi Kallins of SR2S to try to learn more about how this project progressed so far without his knowledge. She sends him original doc of first meeting with Homestead Valley residents.
Keith Garriott and Charles Sands author a petition and Keith starts to gather signatures. Several residents contact "hear us" group - ask if that petition is follow up to 8/17 meeting.
08/24/10: HEAR US representatives deliver letter, based on views expressed at the 8/17 Residents meeting, to the Board of Supervisors
08/21/10 : Charles Sands responds to Christina's letter
08/20/10: HV Resident. "Frank" calls to check on the "occurrences" cited in the grant proposal, and sends an email report to the HEAR US group.
Christina Oldenburg, Co-Chair of Joint MHS/HVCA committee, weighs in
08/19/10: Mari writes to the co-chair of the Joint HVCA/MHS Committee
Bob Cogswell writes to Steve Kinsey and the DPW
08/17/10: Homestead Resident, Byron Phipps, responds to the proposed sidewalk
Residents Meet at Homestead Valley Community Center: MINUTES. Homestead Valley resident, Winston Albert writes a letter to Steve Kinsey and DPW.
08/16/10 : Scott Schneider of Marin DPW, posts SR2S Grant proposal to hear us group files section.
08/13/10 : Charles Sands forwards a letter : MHS History
08/10/10: Arne Frager writes another letter to Steve Kinsey
08/09/10: Mari Tamburo writes a letter to Steve Kinsey and the DPW. In an effort to engage community in more effective, two way conversation, starts "HEAR US" online discussion group. Group is moderated.
08/06/10: Mari Tamburo sees Patch article, comments as do several Homestead Valley residents.
08/05/10 : Charles Sands requests use of community center for HV residents to discuss proposed sidewalk. Les Lizama responds.
08/02/10 : Keith Garriott starts passing out "Save Evergreen" flyers and asks the neighbors to get involved
08/01/10 : Thomas Dessle writes to the Supervisors.
07/28/10: Mill Valley Patch article - COUNTY BACKS EVERGREEN PROJECT
07/24/10 Steve Kinsey responds to Arne Frager's Letter
07/21/10: Arne Frager, Evergreen Avenue resident letter to Steve Kinsey Evergreen Resident, "Photo man" Malvino, suggests paving shoulders instead of sidewalk
...and saga continues.
07/20/10: Marin BOS votes to accept SR2S grant funding : $900,000
07/14/10 : "Public meeting" is held at Marin Horizon School.
07/08/10: Notice from Homestead Valley Headlines: Evergreen Sidewalk Project - Site Walk Today!
06/29/10: July edition of Homestead Headlines announces a "public meeting" at the Marin Horizon School on July 14th re: a "proposed" sidewalk along Evergreen Avenue.
10/ 09 : HVCA Minutes : DPW surveyors mentioned (LINK) No Mention in Headlines.
03/08 : Roz Hamar : Traffic Mitigation Report in HVCA Minutes : (LINK)
"14. TRAFFIC MITIGATION COMMITTEE
14.1 : Marin Horizon School encourages but doesn’t mandate walking to school because of the danger of walking down Evergreen.
14.2 : There is a dedicated path on Evergreen for construction of a sidewalk which
would be funded by the County."
NOTE : MANY Homestead residents walk, jog, bike and stroll down Evergreen DAILY - WITHOUT INCIDENT. If Marin Horizon School clients would avoid Evergreen, 50% of traffic volume would be eliminated.
November 2007 : Hank Van Dyke, a retired traffic engineer engaged by the county to draft a proposal for federal SRTS funding to build the project, contacts Roz Hamar. Source: Roz Hamar
December 2006 : Safe Routes to Schools consultant, David Parisi, proposes "improvements" to Evergreen Avenue.
October 2006 : Plea for volunteers re: traffic mitigation in October Headlines, and what appears to be the results of the survey from June (?) or recommendations from committee members:
"Community news …
MONEY IS AVAILABLE TO HELP WITH TRAFFIC ABATEMENT
Various sources indicate that many residents are bothered by the increase in traffic through Homestead Valley.
Substantial funding is available through the ‘Safe Routes to School’ Program, and a committee has been formed in Homestead Valley to identify and assess safe routes that children can travel on foot or by bike. Currently, committee members are walkers rather than students or parents. In order for the committee to have meaningful representation and maximum impact, we desperately need participants from the school population. This includes both Homestead parents driving to various area schools, as well as MHS families.
Participation involves helping to develop plans and attending one or two meetings a month. Every member does not have to attend every meeting, but we do need a consistent presence and a voice from the local schools (i.e. MVSD, MHS, Tam High.)
As school starts, the traffic increases appreciably. This year many of the MHS students are attending school at a temporary location in San Francisco. These children will be returning to the main campus next year if all stays on schedule with the school construction. It is in everyone’s best interest to be sure that we are well represented as various communities are identified to receive funding for the Safe Routes program.
For additional information or to volunteer... " and then it lists
"UNSAFE ROUTES IN HOMESTEAD" along with suggested solutions
"Montford from just beyond Linden Lane to the Molino turnoff.
The sidewalk to continue on the SW side to the corner.
Evergreen Avenue from City Limits to Linden Lane.
Put in Curb to prevent parking on easement. Permit owners to maintain easement (landscape/gravel/pave.)
The curve on Reed Street just beyond Linden Lane toward LaVerne
A dangerous area without relief in sight.
Lower Reed Street from Ethel to the service station. Especially scary during the winter after dark.
A drainage pipe in culvert with drains and covered pedestrian walkway.
Melrose between Montford and Evergreen, during school hours.
No Parking on the East side of Melrose: Pedestrians will have a place to walk; Two way
traffic slowed by pedestrians; and Preschool children with drivers will be less likely to
be walked across the middle of the street. " (LINK)
Sept 2006 : HVCA minutes :
6. COMMITTEE REPORTS – MHS
6.1
A community leader has not come forward to champion the traffic mitigation issues. It was suggested that we print an appeal for volunteers in the next issue of Headlines. (October) We hope to identify someone to lead this effort, so that potential future funding can be directed to the traffic issues of our community.
June 2006 : Survey in Homestead Headlines results:
"Hi Mari,
I'm out of town this weekend and got your message when I checked my phone messages. I gave you all the information I gathered about the history of the Evergreen sidewalk proposal in my last email. I checked with Les, and the members of the traffic committee who were listed in the Oct., 2006, Headlines--Renee Glazier and Suz Lipman (the 3rd member of the Traffic Committee, Laurie Stoelting...)--and none of them remember where or what the results of the survey were. As I said in my last email, my conclusion is that very few people showed an interest in getting involved and/or responding to the survey about proposed improvements to Evergreen.
I'm sorry I can't be more help in locating the survey results.
Kris"
09/2004 : David Parisi meets with Homestead residents Marin Horizon School sets up a meeting with Safe Routes to School and some residents to discuss increased traffic concerns. Photos of what traffic used to be like back in 2004 :
 |
| April 2004, Evergreen, facing Melrose photo credit : F. Lurz |
 |
| April 2004, Melrose Avenue. photo credit: F. Lurz |
2002 - Marin Horizon School adopts carpool program
2001 "The original idea for the sidewalk came from the Mill Valley SRTS Task Force in 2001 when representatives from all school neighborhoods were identifying possible ways to get folks out of cars" source: Roz Hamar
Mill Valley Patch articles on the sidewalk (LINK)
FACT : Sidewalk repair and maintenance is the responsibility of the fronting land owner as stipulated in the California Streets and Highways Code Section 5610...(LINK)
FICTION : "We already have the funding, might as well build the sidewalk."
FACT : The Safe Routes funding operates via reimbursement. What that means is, the County will receive $900,000 from the Safe Routes to Schools fund only AFTER they build this proposed concrete sidewalk and apply for reimbursement.
Additional : DPW management and engineering staff have stated repeatedly that they do not need to build this sidewalk. They have plenty of other projects to keep their department busy and were led to believe that the community wanted this sidewalk.
Several reps in the road maintenance department, however, have stated that they would like to build this sidewalk, because they don't get enough funding for road maintenance.
When asked on several different occasions, "If we could get you the $400,000 you need to repave the road, would you just repave the road? "
Answer : "No. We would use that funding somewhere else. There are other roads in Marin that need more work than this."
When asked, "What is the worst case scenario for this road?"
The reply was, "In five years, you MAY start to see potholes."
Mr. Kinsey : WHY would you waste money on litigation with citizens to force an environmentally irresponsible impervious concrete sidewalk along a blue line creek in a semi-rural neighborhood when you could just give the DPW funding to fix what needs fixing??
FICTION : "This is our only chance to get funding."
FACT : The $900,000 grant for construction of a concrete sidewalk sidewalk with curbs, gutters and yellow ADA domes was awarded Safe Routes to Schools funding Cycle 8. A new Cycle, (10) of Safe Routes to Schools funding is open - deadline to apply for Safe Routes to Schools funding is March 2012. Most communities have to go through Level 1 - education and encouragement - and then Levels 2 and 3 before they get to Level 4 - engineering.
The Community Built Association builds sidewalks and paths that are ADA compliant all the time, based upon the needs and desires of a community : for a lot less than $1.1 million dollars.
http://www.communitybuilt.org
There are a variety of funding sources to encourage children to walk and bike.
Please click here for some examples.
FICTION : "Gutters MAY improve the water situation for homeowners in the flood plain..."
FACT : Covering up the earth along Evergreen Avenue with installation of 9,000 sq. ft. of impervious concrete, plus regrading the street (44,000 sq.ft.) WILL increase storm water runoff, drain into Reed Creek and then to the Bay. Therefore, it MAY make flooding worse for homeowners in the flood plain.
FACT : Storm water runoff carries pollutants into the Bay. (Municipal Code Chapter 23.18 )
VIDEO on Storm water runoff
Cal Trans Local Assistance has informed HEAR US that up to 10% of the project construction budget can be used for education and encouragement.
The construction budget for currently proposed project is $831,600
LINKS :
- | - HEAR US : Homestead & Evergreen Ave. Residents United for Safety & Serenity
- | - FILES : SR2S Grant Proposal
- | - Safe Routes to Schools : the organization funding the proposed Evergreen sidewalk
- | - Transportation Authority of Marin Bike and Pedestrian Plan Updates
- | - Complete Streets Movement : a coalition of people promoting the inclusion of better facilities for pedestrians, bicyclists and people with disabilities
- | - CDC - Kidswalk : the movement to fight obesity by getting kids to walk to school
- | - People Powered Movement - another coalition for people and bikes
- | - WALK SCORE : walkable neighborhoods
If you have any questions or comments, pro or con, please contact HEAR US at 415-779-4941 or send us an email.
