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Sunday, March 25, 2012

County Meeting Recap : Why I Care

I had a meeting with our County Supervisor, Steve Kinsey, this past week. It was, of course, mostly about the proposed sidewalk for Evergreen.
During our conversation, I explained that when I first found out about the project, I thought the sidewalk might be a good idea.
But that was before I knew :
- how it happened that a concrete sidewalk for Evergreen could be so far along in the process before we, who live on the street, found out about it
- and before I noticed what it was doing to our community's sense of place and my neighbors' spirit
- and before I realized that most people in our neighborhood don't want this sidewalk.
- and that was before I found out that our street had a 100% safety record
- and before I discovered we live in an area designated as "semi-rural" and our community plan states "...we do not encourage sidewalks, curbs and gutters in the planning area."
And that was WAY before I found out about storm water runoff  -
and that Reed Creek is what they call a "blue line" creek.
- and that the County was trying to skip environmental review...

After about an hour meeting with us going back and forth, Mr. Kinsey said "People adapt to change...They'll get used to the sidewalk." As I left, Mr. Kinsey noted that I have put a lot of energy into this, and he asked me WHY I care so much.
 -- I care because it makes no moral sense to take a million dollars from the Safe Routes to Schools fund  - just so a few people in Mill Valley can have a more convenient walk to a yogurt store.
 -- I care because it makes no sense to destroy already existing paths to build a concrete sidewalk all along the whole street  -- when clearing a path on a part of the street that has no path will suffice.
 -- I care because it doesn't make much sense to change an area of the street with a 100% safety record to be more like an area of a street where there was an accident - especially if the goal is to create a "safer route..."
 -- I care because it doesn't seem legal or moral to skip environmental review for "existing facilities" - when no such existing facilities exist -  especially when the "facility" you are proposing to build is going to dump more pollutants into a blue line creek (that contains a federally protected species of fish.)
We should be figuring out how to REDUCE the storm water runoff and RESTORE the creek habitat, not make it worse.
I know I'm not the only one who cares.
I'm just one of the few who hasn't given up yet...

Related Posts :
http://hv94941hearus.blogspot.com/2012/03/if-we-are-left-with-no-option-but-to.html
http://hv94941hearus.blogspot.com/2012/03/county-meeting-recap.html

this blog post was edited on 8/10/2013

3 comments:

  1. I like all these comments very much! Complete agreement!

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  2. Kinsey doesn't care that the community wasn't consulted? The TAM Plan doesn't matter? Evergreen residents' objections to the sidewalk don't count? Shouldn't come as a surprise.

    A quick read of the Coastal Post story published in 2001 reveals Kinsey for what he is, a me-first – screw-you politician to whom the rules don't apply and the concerns of anyone else, even his own neighbors, simply don't matter. He's a bully ready to sic his County lawyers on ours. THAT was the same mindset we saw in 2005 when he ignored 450 Homestead residents' concerns over the expansion a private school onto a parcel of land already four times too small by California Department of Education standards. Not long before, he came to Homestead to ask residents for their support for his reelection — and then he gave them the shaft!

    As I've repeatedly said since July of 2010, the use of facts and logic, especially on Kinsey, to justify leaving Evergreen as is are a waste of time because reason doesn't apply. This is about dirty politics, a vast amount of money, fraud, and County's view that it can do whatever it pleases. It's also about an architect wannabe who, in asking why we care so much about preserving the character of our own neighborhood, makes it clear that he's incapable of understanding the answer. Given the opportunity, he'd pave over all of Marin with a smile.

    If there's anything I've learned about Kinsey and his acolytes it's that you can't reason with them. Public protests and civil disobedience are the only language they understand. Kinsey is a narcissist. The last thing he wants is to see his image defiled on Youtube and in the headlines of the Marin IJ. Those against vandalizing Evergreen Ave. are going to have to stand up, put on the brass knuckles and fight back, or sit down, keep quiet and be good little citizens — at least until Marin Horizon's next round of neighborhood impacts.

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  3. Just in case anyone wants to read the Coastal Post article that Frank mentioned : http://www.coastalpost.com/00/4/04.htm

    ReplyDelete