pages: PlanningBoard/2021-07-26.pdf, 9
This data as json
body | date | page | text | path |
---|---|---|---|---|
PlanningBoard | 2021-07-26 | 9 | and that was against the City-Wide Second Hand Smoking Ordinance. She said she had talked to local businesses and they said this event space was not helping their businesses. Marie Milam discussed how difficult this had all been. She had been bombarded with too many load events and on top of that trying to find out how City Hall Works. She felt like she was not being heard. She said she was very disappointed in WABA, The Fireside, and West End Arts District; all they had to do was lower the sound. They had 3 months to do just that and that she was would never forget how many people could be so inconsiderate and not care. She begged the board not to renew and extend the permit, end this in October. Sandy Russell, an applicant, thanked the board for hearing this item again and clarified that no event with amplified sound had been booked in over a month. The only events that were listed were ones that they were bound by contract for. She discussed all the things they had done to mitigate the sound and stated they were not without concerns for the neighbors. She had herself walked the sidewalk with the decimal reader and it was always below 74 at most outside of the property line and 80 at the stage. She apologized that this was a discomfort that was never the intention of this group. She discussed her role as the President of WABA, to bring people to the street and to support the businesses. She also had quotes from businesses that were in the provided packet, that said how good and helpful this had been for businesses. She also discussed all the money that had gone into making this work and that a portion of the proceeds had gone back to support the West End Arts District. Zac Bowling supported this project. This was not in the middle of a neighborhood, it was on one of the main streets of Alameda, this is where you would put something like this. He thought it was a great use of a parking lot, a parking lot that had never been very full. He was very much in support of this type of event to bring people to the streets and to encourage more business in the commercial corridors. Janet Koike, Rhythmix Cultural Works, discussed that they were using this space as a fundraising location that supported their performance art and learning program. This program brought arts to schools not only in Alameda but also to 7 different cities in Alameda County. Due to Covid a lot of their funders had had to move their funding to Covid related issues so without this location to raise funds they would be unable to provide their program to school children. She said how grateful she was to WABA and the West End Arts District for creating a beautiful gathering space for people to have a shared community experience during such a difficult time. Staci Lewis, a vendor at these events and a resident of the West End area, said this was an opportunity for the high tide rising a lot of boats here. She had been supported as an arts and craft vendor by the West End Arts District and had supported the parklets. She believed it was an important street that continued to develop. This was an opportunity to Approved Planning Board Minutes Page 9 of 21 July 26, 2021 | PlanningBoard/2021-07-26.pdf |