Extracted text · highlighting “Marge Gibson-Haskell”

The

Vol. 2 No. 7 Issue No. 19 *

Com-
muni-
cation

Communication. A big word made up of
little parts. Taken in one chunk, it’s a word
that can be a stumbling block for groups who
want to work together to reach goals for the
betterment of all. When we break it down
and take things one step at a me, no one
stumbles.

Much has been written in The Rockridge
News about development of the Rockridge
Area Specific Plan. Neighbors have been
polled to learn their interests for the future of
College Avenue and surrounding residential
blocks. Members of the College Avenue
Merchants Association (CAMA) have been
asked for their thoughts, too. Occasionally
the two groups have met together to discuss —
approaches to RASP concerns, but few
merchants have time to take from their
businesses to attend meetings to put their
views forward, although all recognize the
importance of planning for the future.

This issue of The News inaugurates a
forum where merchants, businesspeople and
property owners on College Avenue can
present their views on Rockndge, commerce
and planning. An effective plan supported by
all can be reached if everyone has a say in
putting it together.

Beginning on page 2, four individuals
involved in College Avenue business offer
their views of the current state of the Avenue,
the direction it is headed, and planning for
the future.

Dates Calendar Events Calendar Dates"

Rockridge News

Sponsored by the ROCKRIDGE COMMUNITY PLANNING COUNCIL, 6225 Ross Street, Oakland California
November 14, 1987 *

Circulation: 4,500 Residences; 200 Businesses

The Planning Process
At Street Level, Part Il

City Planning And RCPC

The October issue of The Rockridge News published part of a proposed
Neighborhood Action Package (NAP) being prepared by RCPC for distribution
to anyone interested in participating in the planning process.

NAP outlines procedures to follow when Neighbors have concems about a
project requiring a zoning application. Neighbors are encouraged to assume
responsibility for information gathering, consensus-building, compromise, and
public dialogue through the following steps:

l. Talk with the applicant/neighbor. 2. Get the facts.
3. Talk with other neighbors. 4. Invite applicant to a block meeting.
5. Attend public hearing.

This month, discussion of the proposed Neighborhood Action Plan focusses
on RCPC’s organizational role in this process. At what point does RCPC get
involved in Zoning applications? What is the role of the Board of Directors?
When do they get involved?

As stated last month, Board members are available at any time to discuss
specific proposals and strategy, but often the zoning matters are best dealt with
by the immediate neighbors or the block club.

When RCPC as an organization does get involved, at least three different
scenarios are possible:

Scenario 1: RCPC Notifies Neighborhood Block Captain
RCPC is informed regularly about pending applications by twice-monthly
mailings from the Planning Commission. In turn, the Chairperson notifies the
appropriate Rockridge News distribution block captain about the application,
and suggests that he/she discuss the matter with neighbors.

ScENARIO 2: RCPC Is Asked To Take A Position
Either the applicant or any other interested party contacts the Chairperson
(Barbara Anderson, 655-3499) or any other Board member, and requests that the
RCPC take a position and convey that position to the Planning Commission.
The request can also be made at the regular General Membership monthly
meeting (3rd Wednesday, 7:30 PM, College Avenue Presbyterian Church).

ScENARIO 3: RCPC Independently Initiates Action
The Board decides to consider a particular application because the proposal

has policy implications for the larger Neighborhood. See “Planning”, page 6

oT uesday Nov 17
« Wednesday Nov 18
« Wednesday Nov l8

* Wednesday Nov 24
« Tuesday

City Council Meeting
1:30 pm Planning Commission Mtg.
7:30 pm ,RCPC General Meeting

City Council Meeting
Dec 8 7:30 pm City Council Meeting

Cancelled.
City Hall, Room 115. Regular meeting.

College Avenue Presbyterian Church Sanctuary. RASP, Zoning.
Invirep: Officer Hugo Gonzales, College Avenue Beat Patrolman.

Cancelled.
Council to vote on RCPC request for RASP funding from Community

Development funds.

Business Looks at College Avenue and Rockridge

a

remarks.

—

The comments in these columns are compiled from wide-ranging interviews held with each respondent. They were asked for their
views on College Avenue, Rockridge, community communication, the role of the City, their assessment of City Planning and for general

All of the interviewees reviewed and approved their own comments prior to publication. Thanks to all for their time and help.

=

@ Ruth Giovanetti

Owner, Rockridge Realty
6019 College Avenue

Mrs. Giovanetti has been in business on College Avenue for
25 years. In addition to her Real Estate office, she has also
owned two retail businesses on the Avenue. She raised her
family in the area and still lives nearby.

I have seen many changes in this area in the last twenty-five
years. For one thing, the name of the area has changed. It was
formerly known as Temescal and ran from Shattuck Avenue up
to College Avenue. Above College was called Lower Rockridge
and higher up was called Rockridge. I have a photograph on my
office wall showing the name Rockridge high up on the hill. The
name gradually changed after I opened my office and called it
Rockridge Realty.

Effect of Rapid Transit and the Freeway

Building BART and the freeway were real disasters for the
area from the standpoint of loss of housing. People lost

impeccable homes they and their children had planned on living
in all their lives.

The area has always been popular. There has always been a

shortage of housing, as
This Has Always

there is now. Some of the
housing shortage has been

Been A Popular

Area

met by in-law apartments.
A lot of in-law units were
created from _ second
kitchens and clean up areas

the Italian families had
designed into their homes to match their lifestyle.

College Avenue Changes

Other changes have occurred along College Avenue; it has
improved a lot recently.

For example, foot traffic has increased because formerly large
stores (like Knox’ TV at Harwood and College) have been made
into smaller stores. This brought more diversification to the
Avenue: more variety among stores and more diversity of
merchandise.

I give a great deal of the credit for this to Larry Olund. He
is responsible for turning many of the old buildings on Piedmont
and College Avenue into useable commercial space. The minute
he buys a piece of property you can bet your boots it'll become
a valuable piece of property. He tries to retain the flavor of the
building and, as much as possible, he provides off-street parking.
Otherwise, parking is even more of a problem.

Housing and Prices

However, as property changes ownership, prices go up.
Housing becomes more expensive. We have lots of Senior
citizens in the area living on fixed incomes. Where can they go
when rents go up? There is always a scarcity of rentals anyway.
The people who move in are young professionals, generally two
income families. The net effect for the neighborhood is a

younger, more affluent group. The quality of property goes up,
but the quality of life... I’m not sure. I really wonder what's
Please see “Point of View”, page 7

mw Steve Listug

Manager, First Federal
Savings and Loan Association of San Rafael

6058 College Avenue

Mr. Listug grew up in Marin County and now makes his
home there. He has been with First Federal for four years.

College Avenue pulls the Rockridge Area together.
Rockridge is a busy and crowded area but it has a community
feeling that comes from the style of businesses on College
Avenue. There is a midwestern type of community feeling, the
kind of place where you can walk down the street and meet people
you know. Although close to San Francisco, the district does not

fee] at all like a suburb of the city; it isa community within itself,

Change and Planning
There are pressures that can change this — such as rising rents
and increasing popularity — but planning can help keep the
integrity of College Avenue intact. bree ee .: Aba
ht change, ma only hide it for awhile.
ka ahead echt 2d "Ultimately, the market will
‘ dictate how the street as a
College Avenue: whole tums out.
Traffic, parking and
Glue For The housing are three critical
. areas that planning can
Rockridge Area  telbp. |
Traffic and parking
problems stem from the general location: the area is a
transportation hub for a larger network that stretches well beyond
this part of Oakland.

Housing and rent costs are a problem for some new buyers and
wage earners. As prices increase, how can new buyers afford a
move into the area? The neighborhood will become too one sided
financially and lose its appeal.

Growth and Control

Good management of current resources can control a too
strong regional appeal and help keep costs down.

I can see the value of contols on growth to preserve an area,
but it is hard to know where to draw the line to avoid excessive
control. I altered my own belief in growth when I started
spending too much time in stalled freeway traffic.

I think the Rockridge Area Specific Plan can be used to
develop protections for aspects of College Avenue that we want
to preserve. Still, planning controls can be weakened by
exceptions such as variances. A variance here and a variance
there and nobody really notices until one day the cumulative
effect is apparent and people are shocked at changes they didn’t
expect or want.

The Future

I would like to see the active merchant and neighborhood

associations continue their work. Active people are good for a
neighborhood.

I would like lo see College Avenue in the future remain a
neighborhood oriented commercial area. If I could add a
business, it would be a hardware store. I love hardware stores.

@ Jack Ripsteen

Owner, Shell Station
College and Claremont

Mr. Ripsteen has lived in the Bay Area most of his life. He
attended John Muir School, Willard Jr. High, Berkeley High

and received his law degree from the University of California.
Mr. Ripsteen is an attorney in San Francisco and lives in the

Neighborhood with his family.

Merchants’ pride in the Rockridge Area helps keep College
Avenue clean and a desirable place for neighbors and merchants
alike. It is essential that businesses feel good about the
community and businesses feel supported by the neighborhood.
I think we offer a lot as merchants. We do offer services but we
also return something to the community: we make donations to
public groups, events and charities and work hard to maintain
moderate prices.

A Neighborhood Feeling

Because I live in the neighborhood, I have a strong sense of

commitment to the community. I like the neighborhood feeling,

I like the fact that people can walk to businesses and services. It
is a nice feeling to be

able to see your friends
at a local store.

Whatever changes
occur on College
Avenue, I hope that that
feeling does not change.
It can change if we lose
our community pride.
The current zoning is
pretty good. It helps to
keep the mix of busi-
nesses now on the Avenue, but we need flexibility for the future.

Currently RCPC has been working on possible changes in the
zoning. What would the Rockridge Area Specific Plan do? It’s
not clear to me yet. I think it’s OK to tighten up elements of the
existing business zone but I fear regulation by the City in a new
plan could result in too much restriction that might not be
beneficial to the neighborhood or business.

Development and College Avenue

Continued development on College Avenue won't be a
problem if it meets zoning requirements. There is not a lot of
room for new growth in terms of unimproved property. Certain
development would be unacceptable. I’m thinking of fast food
chains and other mass marketing types of chain stores. Not all
chains are bad, though, and we should be open to some types on

a case by case basis.
Parking will always be a problem and not necessarily because

of development. Adding to the parking problem is the fact that
we are a transportation hub.
Role of the City

The Planning Department is responsive to the neighborhood
and business desires on planning issues. They appear to react to
react to the issues surrounding each circumstance rather than
putting their stamp on the area.

The police foot patrol has been a real plus and it is essential
that we let the City know that we appreciate Officer Gonzales’
fine efforts. The City must keep this patrol on College Avenue.

The community, both neighbors and merchants, can guide

Please see “Point of View’, page 7

Merchant Pride
Critical Ingredient
In Success Of
College Avenue

@ Warren Wincorn

Co—Developer, Rockridge Court
5335 College Avenue

Mr. Wincorn, originally from Dallas, Texas, has lived in
Oakland for 15 years. Working first as a property manager,
he began buying, fixing up and selling apartment properties,
then built a small restaurant and office building in Oakland.
He owned his own construction business for 5 years before
moving into development. He lives in Oakland.

My goal in developing Rockridge Court was to add an attrac-
tive, functional building to College Avenue. We were especially
concerned that the building fit the area architecturally. My style,
as well as that of my partner, John Knight, tends toward the
understated. This was reflected in Daniel G. Smith's architec-
tural design.

Since John has long been a merchant on the street (Rockridge
Antiques and Mothers) we knew that the retail spaces would rent
more easily than the second floor offices. As it turned out, that
was the case. Almost all of the merchants and office users in the
center live within minutes of their businesses and, with the
exception of Cybelle’s and the FitLab, this is their only location.

College Avenue Businesses Trends
We want businesses that add diversity to the neighborhood.

mmm One of the sirengths of
College Avenue is its lack
My Goal Was

of chain operations and its
: businesses that cater to or-
An Attractive,
Functional

dinary as well as expensive
tastes. I expect this trend to
Building

continue. Oakland has or-
dinances restricting the re-
moval of rental housing
and many ground floor
businesses have apart-
ments above.

Additionally, I don’t expect College Avenue to become
gentrified like Union Street in San Francisco; most of the cus-
tomers come from nearby. There is no cohesive architecture or
tourist trade to cause such changes. Certainly the street will be
upgraded. As the older leases come up for renewal, some of the
businesses requiring large square footage, easy parking or ware-
house rents, will be forced to move.

Another trend which I expect will continue is the conflict
caused by commercial establishments adjacent to residences.
The Planning and Zoning Departments encourage local residents’
participation in decision making. We spent many hours working
out solutions to avoid delays caused by long battles with local
residents. There is also no assurance that the Planning Commis-
sion or the City Council will follow staff recommendations when
neighbors strongly oppose a project.

Planning and the Future

As for future planning, it seems coordination between City of-
ficials, developers, local residents and organizations such as
RCPC is essential. Completing and implementing the Rockridge
Area Specific Plan will be difficult. Compromises are needed as
there are diverse issues to be resolved. It is important that
pragmatism be the rule. Residents who live next to new devel-
Opments or new businesses are less concerned with orderly
development than the inconvenience of noise, increased traffic or

Please see “Point of View”, page 7

ae Sew - eee —_ —_

———_

——__-—_~-

Page 4

The Rockridge News

November 14, 1987

Rats Plague Rockridge

Are you living with a rat?

No, no, no, not that one, bless your heart — the four legged
variety.

Rats have been spotted by several Rockridge Neighbors lately
and Mr. Joe Lambert, Alameda County Vector Control officer,
has been assigned to clear up the problem.

According to Mr. Lambert, two types of rats cause concern in
urban areas: the Norway, or wharf, rat and the Roof, or tree, rat.
In addition to the danger they pose through the spread of disease
and infection, rats may carry fleas capable of spreading the
plague, although this has not happened in Alameda County.

The appearance and habits of each type of rat differ; if you are
troubled by one of these creatures, you can at least know what you
are up against. The Norway rat has a heavy body and a tail shorter
than its head and body, while the Roof rat has a slender body and
its tail is longer than its head and body. The Norway rat lives in
nests and underground burrows. They also live in sewers and may
enter houses through uncapped sewer lines and toilets. The Roof
rat nests above ground and lives in ivy and blackberry vines as
well as attics and garages. Norway rats leave droppings up to 3/
4" in length while the Roof rat’s are smaller, up to 1/2" long.

To prevent rat infestation in your home, remove their sources
of food and water by storing garbage in tight metal containers,
repairing leaky faucets, and putting away left over pet food.
Remove their shelter by repairing broken or open sewers, stacking
lumber and firewood 18 inches off the ground and away from
walls and fences, and cleaning up accumulations of leaves and
lawn clippings.

If rats have already moved in, carefully use traps and poisons
to eliminate them. Details about rats and how to deal with them
are available in a pamphlet supplied by Mr. Lambert that will be
available at the RCPC General Meeting Wednesday, November
11, 7:30 pm at the College Avenue Presbyterian Church.

In addition to rats, the Alameda County Environmental Health
Division, Vector Control Services, deals with bee and homet
infestations and with skunks.

Call 667-7557 for further information.

Oakland March and Rally
For Righteousness

Mark your calendar and save Saturday, November 21 to join
the March for Righteousness. This City-wide event has been
organized by Oakland Churches to fight the epidemic of drugs
gripping many Neighborhoods.

North Oaklanders assembling at 11:30 am at the North
Oakland Baptist Church, 1060 32nd Street, will parade down
Adeline Street to 7th Street, turn up 7th to Broadway and link up
at City Hall with marchers who started from Allen Temple Baptist
Church. They will join a Rally for Righteousness on the Oakland
City Hall Lawn at 1 pm.

Live music and educational forums will be also be presented
at City Hall.

Call Ms. Betita Coty at 261-2052 for more information.

Help Keep The Lights Ont

Have you had a chance to see it yet?
Lake Merritt, always the social and
cultural focal point of the City, is
now encircled by a dazzling,
dizzying crown of lights— a
spectacular view these Fall
nights.

Sponsored by the Lake Merritt
Breakfast Club, the Lake Merritt
“Necklace of Lights” project did not
come cheap! Some costs have been paid, but
the project owes about $200,000. fag

Will you help? In exchange for your contribution of $25 or
more, your name will be memorialized on a permanent recogni-
tion scroll which will be on display at the Lake Merritt Garden
Center. Contributions are tax deductible and can be made in your
own name or in the name of your parents, grandparents or any

other honoree you choose. | |
Send checks payable to the Lite-A—Light campaign to Lake

Merritt Breakfast Club Charitable Foundation, P.O. Box 31915,
Oakland, CA 94604. Call 874-2572 for more information.

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e Dietary & Nutritional ° Kinesiologic Treatment
Counseling

By Appointment Insurance Accepted

6201 Florio Street
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in the First Federal Savings Building

428-1234

November 14, 1987

The Rockridge News

Page 5

RCPC Activity Review

Volunteers Needed To

Review Dreyer’s EIR

Oakland City Planning Staff is working
on its preliminary review of the
Environmental Impact Report (EIR)
submitted by Dreyer’s in connection with
the company’s proposed College Avenue
development.

Neighborhood volunteers’ with
expertise in any of the following areas are
needed to help review separate elements of
the Draft EIR when it is released for public
comment:

¢ Traffic, circulation and parking;

eLand use and relationship

to city policies;

¢ Visual impacts;

e Noise;

« Air quality;

*Geology and hydrology;

- Energy;

«Public services and facilities.

If you can help, or for additional
information, call RCPC Boardmember
John Gussman at 654-9269 (evenings).

RCPC Design

Review Committee

The RCPC Design Review Committee
is headed by RCPC Boardmember and
architect Richard W. Smith and by Mr.
Glen Jarvis, also an architect. The
committee meets whenever a design
proposal pertaining to the Rockridge Area
is submitted to the City by a developer or

property owner.
Committee members are typically

merchants and residents from the
immediate project area, but the
participation of architects, designers and
planners, and residents and merchants

from the Rockridge Area in general are
welcome.

When drawings are submitted to the
City for a new building, an addition or
remodeling, the Design Review Committee
reviews the application for conformance to
specified design standards including
general design theme and character, height
and bulk of buildings, colors and materials,
signs, location of required parking, views
and view blockage, and relationship to
open space, sidewalks and pedestrian
circulation. These issues are examined
from the perspective of the project itself
and in terms of compatibility with the
Neighborhood, block face and immediately
adjacent buildings.

Call Richard Smith at 981-6076 (days)
to help with this committee or for further
information.

CAMA, RCPC Meet To

Discuss Area Specific Plan

On Tuesday, November 3, RCPC
Boardmember Kerry O’Banion met with
the Board of Directors of the College
Avenue Merchants Association (CAMA)
to describe efforts to date on the Rockridge
Area Specific Plan.

The next step in the process—
establishing the basic goals of the Plan —
is the single most important step in the

entire process and the group discussed how Ff

CAMA and RCPC might best cooperate in
this task.

A joint committee of residents and
merchants will meet the first week in
December to draft a set of goals which will
then be presented to the RCPC and CAMA

general memberships for review and
adoption at their respective General

Meetings.

Suggested minimum; $10 per category

Letters To

The News

Dear Editor:

After you printed my open letter
to the Rockridge Community in
September’s Rockridge News (titled,
‘“What’s Missing on College
Avenue?”), many people spoke to me
of their basic agreement with the
sentiments expressed. That is, they
too would like to see more cultural
activity in Rockridge alongside the
economic development already taking
place.

I would therefore like to ask the
people in Rockridge to start
presenting ideas on how we can Start
enlivening our Neighborhood with
different aspects of the arts. Do we
want a performing center?...an art
gallery?...live music — jazz,
classical?...Sunday concerts at
Chabot School park? I urge people
to send their ideas in care of the
newsletter or to call me at 654-4462.
Sincerely,

Margret Elson

Send Your Letters and Comments
on Neighborhood issues to:

The Rockridge News

c/o Don Kinkead

5626 Oak Grove Avenue
Oakland 94618

We Want To Hear From You!

Enroll Me as a Supporting Member of the Rockridge Community Planning Council!
I have enclosed a check payable to RCPC for my tax-deductible donation for a year’s registration

|
|
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and other support areas I have checked off:
|
|
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$ Registration Donation Don Kinkead

. 5626 Oak Grove Avenue
$ Rockridge News Donation Oakland. CA 94618
$ Legal Fund Donation Thank you!

eR

~~ oe —— ta — —_—_—— —, — — = — —_—— —_>—_ —_ -

LS

Page 6

The Rockridge News

November 14, 1987

Of General Interest:

City: Marge Gibson Haskell
Involvement — The Name of
The Specific Plan’s Game

The work that RCPC has done to advance the Rockridge
Specific Plan has been substantial but, as I’ve written before,
the organization can’t do it all. The entire membership of the
community must be touched and involved, from the children in
school who need to be asked about the adequacy of the
community resources they use to the elderly who need safety
on the streets, security in their homes and accessible services.
Questions to our youth might be general ones concerning their
feelings and needs, or specific, such as would they use a bike/
hiking trail between College Avenue and Temescal Park and the
North Oakland Sports Center. Our seniors might value an
inquiry about what special activities could be provided for them
at the proposed library.

The merchants on College Avenue similarly need to become
fully involved in the specific plan process. There is a strong
track record of involvement by the College Avenue merchants
which dates, at least as far as I know, to the early 1970’s when
Gordon and Anne Winchester owned Firehouse Fabrics on
College Avenue and resided not far away. They made certain
that residents and merchants worked together to rezone College
Avenue and its environs.

This same energy from those on the Avenue is desperately
needed today. The merchants would benefit from a specific plan
that assured parking for those that live, work and shop around
College Avenue, which might include a proposal for double
decking of the BART parking lot. Similarly, if College Avenue
gets a reputation as a place where traffic doesn’t move, no one
will benefit in that the residents will suffer from people trying
to short-cut through side streets and the merchants will have
reduced patronage.

The next stage in the planning process will require the
merchants to consider what they need from the process and
assure that their input is received, understood and considered.
They may wish to have a brain-storming session within their
group to ascertain their needs, then organize them and see that
they are integrated into the specific plan process.

From this short discussion, I hope it is clear that everyone
needs to participate in the formation of principles and policies
for guiding future growth in the College Avenue area.
Involvement may even include (as Rockridge representatives
did when the Upper Telegraph Coalition appeared before the
Council requesting approval to commence their specific plan
process) working with others to achieve a plan. This is a
recognition of the fact that one part of the City will not achieve
its plan if others are blocked from achieving theirs. This
approach will involve and benefit all.

RCPC and The Rockridge News present these columns to assist
regular communication from local officials, Give some thought

to what you read here, then give a call:

Marge Gibson-Haskell — 273-3266
City Council District 1

Rockridge Avenue/Inman & Doty

(CC) BRADLEY INMAN, 1986. Ald RIGATS LETERVED.

pe

Examiner columnist, cartoonist and Rockridge Resident
Bradley Inman has generously offered a selection of his work
for use by The Rockridge News.

Will the real Rockridge Avenue please stand up...

Planning, from page I

In either Scenario 2 or Scenario 3, the Board contacts the
applicant and other interested parties to get the facts. Sometimes
a written statement is requested. If scheduling permits, the Board
may request that the matter be brought before the General
Membership meeting or before the Executive Board of the
College Avenue Merchants Association (lst Wed). When
possible, the matter is presented also in The Rockridge News.
Usually, the Board tries to get all parties together for a meeting.
Frequently, the community works out a solution satisfactory to
all, prior to going to the Planning Commission

Normally, the Board’s decision is made at its regularly
scheduled meeting (2nd Wednesday). The majority position of
the Board is presented in writing and orally to the Planning
Commission, and to the City Council, if necessary.

What kind of action or position might the Board be expected
to take? The Board majority position may be “in favor” of
approving the zoning application. Its position may be “opposed”
lo granting the application. Sometimes the Board supports
“conditional” approval of the application, that is, only if certain
conditions are met. Also, the Board may take still another, or
compromise, position of “not opposed” which means that the
Board is not willing as a body to advocate for a project, but at the
same time, has no reason to oppose the project.

The Board’s past actions reflect a primary concer that

growth and change occur within the spirit and intent of exisuing
zoning law.

November 14, 1987

The Rockridge News

Page 7

Bits OF ROCKRIDGE

Improvements For
Ocean View Fire Hydrants?

Evaluation and testing of water flow problems affecting fire
hydrants in the Ocean View—Manchester—Margarido area is
underway, according to EBMUD Sr. Civil Engineer Leo O’Brien.

When tests in June showed water supply to some hydrants to
be insufficient, ERBMUD officials ordered an examination of the
problem. Initial findings call for installation of a larger regulator
valve to increase the amount of water for existing mains. Mr.
O’Brien feels it is clear some mains will need to be replaced.
Further testing will determine which are best to upgrade for
overall improved flow.

“This process can take awhile,” he said.

How Birch Court
Brickwork Stacks Up

Work to restore the damaged brick pillar at the intersection of
Birch Court and College Avenue is well underway.

Rockridge resident and volunteer brick mason Mr. Steve
Pendergrast reports he has assembled the bricks and the help to
do the job. His next step is to clean the bricks with muriatic acid
and begin the actual rebuilding. The unique design of the pillar
and the type of brick used mean the project will take some time.

Thank you, Steve!

Shop With College
Avenue Merchants

Office Space Rental: Part-Time

Beautiful, unique office on College Avenue
near Rockridge BART.
Flexible hours, reasonable rates.
Ideal for writing, counseling.
Call: 654-4462, or 655-8389

—_—_—_—_—_—_—_—_—_—_—_—

Enjoy Your Meal In Our Garden Patio
Or Order To Go

pizzeria

e Calzone ¢ Pizza ¢ Salads
e Wine & Beer °

Gu glielmo

5 p.m. — 10 p.m.
\ 5461 College Avenue ¢ 653-2911

Continued from pages 2 — 3

Point of View

Giovanetti

going to happen when a few more of these buildings turn over,
It’s a difficult subject to speak to because it’s so controversial.

Although I have a lifetime membership in the College Avenue
Merchants Association, I have not been active lately. Once the
merchants were more active than neighborhood groups. RCPC
has been a good addition to what CAMA used to do.

I have mixed feelings about the effect of Planning on two
areas: parking and in-law apartments. It would be helpful if
residents could have some sort of assurance of parking space.
Additional parking areas are needed and plans should take that
into account. I am also concerned that Alvin James, Director of
Planning, wants to enforce in-law unit rules and close them to
rental opportunity. I think this will make the housing shortage
worse. I really feel zoning has been refined about as much as it
can be.

I think the City has done little to help College Avenue; they
are putting all the resources into downtown.

For the future of College Avenue, more retail space should be
available. It would help to control prices and maintain the current
variety of shops and services.

Ripsteen

development with design review and general input. Actually, I'd
like to see design review so that buildings fit with what is already
here. It is necessary that we preserve the style and look of the
area.

RCPC does not seem to me to be anti—business in general but
some merchants do feel it is too neighborhood oriented and not
considering the needs of the business community. I am pleased
to see at the latest RCPC meetings that it is reaching out and
asking to communicate more with merchants regarding the
proposed Rockridge Area Specific Plan. I hope that other
merchants who read these articles will take the time to review
what is being proposed.

Wincorn

changes in the “feel” of their immediate environment. It is here
that RCPC can play a moderating role.

We feel that the process of developing Rockridge Court was
a successful one and that the businesses who located there are
attractive additions to the street. We encourage local residents to
come by and see for themselves what we have done.

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——

Page 8 The Rockridge News November 14, 1987

Got something planned you'd like to have
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