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| Perhaps the most important outcome of
this planning work will be continued cooperation between the two cities
and among neighborhoods that touch at the city limits. Relationships
that will perpetuate cooperation should be “institutionalized.”
Recommended Actions |
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1. The cities will co-sponsor, with the affected neighborhood associations, an open house for meeting and talking with the Police Chiefs (and perhaps Fire Chiefs) of both cities. The Chiefs will describe existing formal and informal mutual assistance programs and will discuss ways residents can work together to improve public safety. Staff from both cities will offer to assist neighborhoods with the formation of Neighborhood Watch or Home Alert programs which may span the city limits. 2. The cities will assess the value and feasibility of a cooperative “911” program to improve response times in areas near the city limits. 3. The cities will meet with the Airport Area Business Association to work on keeping the existing Business Watch program active, and extending it to additional industrial areas on both sides of the city limits. 4. The cities will sponsor meetings for residents of neighborhoods that touch at the city limits in order to promote the formation of inter-city neighborhood associations. Alternatively, if such joint associations are impractical, the institutionalization of regular joint meetings and/or other activities will be encouraged. The city staffs will be available for technical assistance for the initial noticing and organization of neighborhood associations where strong groups do not already exist. 5. The cities will establish a method of regularly noticing residents and neighborhood associations of significant public or private development projects that could have impacts across the city limits. Thresholds for the type, size and location of projects warranting this special noticing will be recommended by the respective planning divisions. 6. The cities will increase consistency in code enforcement across the jurisdictions and will institute continued communication and shared technical assistance regarding code compliance and building services. Suggestions for specific actions include staff comparison of code provisions and enforcement procedures, contacting other municipalities that may use other problem solving techniques, compiling a common data base and Internet connections, and holding periodic meetings with staff from both cities to share experiences and ideas about how to do their jobs better. 7. The cities will consider a Memorandum of Understanding or similar agreement to coordinate planning and redevelopment efforts on MacArthur Boulevard and International Boulevard / East 14th Street, between 105th Street in Oakland and Dutton Avenue in San Leandro. 8. The cities will assess the value and feasibility of establishing a joint earthquake preparedness program, modeled on the highly successful efforts in San Leandro. The San Leandro program includes technical assistance for home owners, building and plan check fee reductions, and loaning tools at no cost. 9. The cities will study the feasibility of after school recreation programs and homework centers that may be cooperatively initiated by the cities and the school districts. 10.The City of Oakland is working on a community environmental center in the Doolittle Drive area. The two cities will consider developing a joint recreational or cultural project for inclusion or display in this new center. 11. The cities will jointly study the feasibility of redesignating an alternative route for the State highway off of International Boulevard/East 14th Street in the area near the city limits. 12. The cities will work to improve the paving treatment of railroad crossings in the two communities. 13. The cities will review their respective truck routes to ensure that they are coordinated across city limits and that they adequately protect residential neighborhoods from unnecessary truck traffic in both communities. 14. The cities will identify staffing for the implementation of the recommended actions included in this plan. 15. The cities will create a task force or similar group to further explore ways of encouraging interaction between the two communities and removing social, psychological, and economic barriers to such interaction. The task force may be composed of citizens from both communities, supported by relevant staff. This effort may lead to other ideas for “institutionalizing” cross-city cooperation. In addition, other public agencies and non-profit groups that provide services in the area near the city limits should be engaged in this effort as well. |
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This joint revitalization project is really only a first step toward even greater cooperation between the cities of Oakland and San Leandro into the future. The recommended actions were selected largely because they can be implemented quickly, and thereby demonstrate progress and build momentum. The enthusiasm expressed by the elected officials of the two cities, as well as by their staffs and, perhaps most importantly by the residents of the two communities, is the most hopeful bellwether of continued success. This version of the revitalization plan is a preliminary draft only. Comments or suggestions are welcome and can be sent to either of the cities. Furthermore, if reviewers have questions about specific programs, they can be directed to the staff persons listed below. |
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| City of Oakland Office of the Mayor 1 City Hall Plaza Oakland, CA 94612 |
City of San Leandro Development Services Department 835 East 14th Street San Leandro, CA 94577 |
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| Copyright © 1996-1998 ABAG. All rights reserved. | ||
| jmc 08/31/98 | ||