Target: next hearing and advocate

From Louise Yost:

Dear Friends,

I received a notice in the mail recently alerting me about the next public hearing for the Target store proposal. I would like to invite you to come to the May 20 Design Review Board public hearing at San Rafael City Hall, 1400 - 5th Avenue, San Rafael. The hearing starts at 7pm, but I don’t know yet when the Target proposal comes up on the agenda. I’ll let you know soon.

At the very same hearing is another agenda item of great importance.
Verizon Wireless is proposing to the city that they be allowed to erect 6 panel antennas on an already existing electrical tower on Windward Way near Bellam Blvd in the Canal. This is a public health issue, for it concerns the health effects of Electric Magnetic Fields(EMF) that are emitted from electrical towers such as these upon the surrounding neighborhood. I live at Ecology House which is half a block away from the tower, and where there are 8-10 acutely disabled people who are extremely electrically sensitive.
The tower is also near the soon to be opened Marin Health & Wellness Campus, so I am very concerned for the well-being of all of us.

The Design Review Board is composed of 5 people who are architects, urban designers, or landscape architects. The board’s purpose is to evaluate the above projects based on design issues only. They do not approve or deny permits. An Environmental and Design Review Permit is required for new projects and for most exterior changes to buildings. The application is evaluated based on General Plan and Zoning Ordinance design policies and criteria which require projects to harmonize with the natural environment and surrounding area.

I would like to encourage everyone to either email the city about the Target store and the antennas, and/or to come to the hearing and speak out during the public speaking time, which gives each person 3 minutes to talk. If you come to the hearing, the Design Review Board only will hear us talk about such issues as:

1) the landscaping of the Target, which we’re advocating to have trees on all 3 sides to act as a visual buffer for the nearby Baypoint Lagoon neighbors. The store causes visual pollution to the Canal neighborhood in general, so we need to object to that.

2) the excessive light pollution created by the parking lot & store lights, so we’re asking them to use lower wattage lights, and to use LED lights that conserve energy

3) how close the Target is allowed to be from the nearby bay (37.5 feet!).
We’re urgently requesting that there be at least a 100′ buffer zone between the eastern edge of the parking lot & Shoreline Park boundary line.

4) the enormous lighted “Target” & “Pharmacy” signs on the store which are way too big & glaring, producing light pollution & energy waste,

5) the effect on traffic in the Canal which is already gridlocked during rush hours,

6) objections to the proposed 629 parking spaces they want which is way too many. Target should be environmentally responsible and encourage people to use public transit, bike & walk to the store, so that they don’t need many parking spaces. They should have bike racks too.

7) Target is required to follow San Rafael’s Green Building Ordinance and use green materials throughout the entire building & parking lot. We need to hold them to it.

You can send an email about Target to the City Planner, Sarjit Dhaliwal at:
sarjit.dhaliwal@cityofsanrafael.org And/or you can call him at
415-485-3397.

You can send an email about the antennas to the Project Planner, Jill Pirog,
at: jill.pirog@cityofsanrafael.org Her phone is: 415-485-3392.

Please let me know if you can come to the hearing. It is so important to tell the city & the Design & Review Board that we have many objections to their plans. Public health comes first, as does environmental concerns & socio-economic concerns. Please take time to email the city! Thanks so much!

Peace,

Louise Yost
Environmental Health Network
Events Director
www.ehnca.org

Action dialogue and voter education drive in Marin City today!

The third Marin City dialogue will be today. Brainstorm solutions for change, get to action and up to date on the upcoming June 3rd Election. Voter information materials will be available. For more information, click here.

Novato dialogue #2 today

The second of three Building Healthy Communities dialogues in Novato is today - Tuesday, May 13 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at the Oak Room of the Marin Community Foundation. Join Novato residents for a screening of Unnatural Causes followed by a discussion of the issues preventing their community from being healthy. Click here for details.

AND…

Continue the dialogue online! Concurrent with the community dialogues, we are hosting an online forum to gather additional feedback from community members and leaders. The question, already posted to our blog is: What do you believe are the 2-3 most important issues that must be addressed to improve the health and quality of life of your community? Read details and find out what others are saying.

Canal community dialogues begin tonight

The first of three Building Healthy Communities dialogues in the Canal will be today, May 8 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at the Pickleweed Park Community Center, 50 Canal Street in San Rafael. Join Canal residents in visualizing the change they want for their community. Click here for details. Para español, haga click aquí.

Concurrent with the community dialogues, we are hosting an online forum to gather additional feedback from community members and leaders. The first question, already posted to our blog is: What do you believe are the 2-3 most important issues that must be addressed to improve the health and quality of life of your community? Read details and find out what others are saying.

Marin City holds second dialogue today

The second of three Building Healthy Communities dialogues in Marin City will be today, May 7 from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. at the Marin City Resident Council Office. A screening of Unnatural Causes, focusing on the social determinants of health will be followed by a discussion of the issues preventing Marin City from being healthy. Click here for details.

Those unable to attend the community dialogues are encouraged to join our online forum.

Novato dialogues begin today!

The first of three Building Healthy Communities dialogues in Novato starts today, May 5 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. at the Oak Room of the Marin Community Foundation. Join Novato residents in visualizing the change they want for their community. Click here for details.

Have your say here! Concurrent with the community dialogues, we are hosting an online forum to gather additional feedback from community members and leaders. The first question, already posted to our blog is: What do you believe are the 2-3 most important issues that must be addressed to improve the health and quality of life of your community? Read details and find out what others are saying.

Have your say! - Question 1

Over 250 Marin County residents have completed the Building Healthy Communities survey since July 2007. On April 7, 2008 community partners started a conversation and offered their input on two important questions, crucial to the development of the action platform. Community dialogues are underway inviting community residents to answer these questions in a group setting, over three sessions. If you were unable to make the 4/7 meeting, or would like to continue the conversation online before the next partners’ convening in July, here’s your chance. The first question is:

What do you believe are the 2-3 most important issues that must be addressed to improve the health and quality of life of your community?

What community leaders are saying:

  • Lack of non-toxic, safe housing and affordable housing
  • External and internal chemical pollution
  • Lack of universal health care
  • Lack of supportive, unified infrastructure with effective policies of change
  • Lack of a multi-pronged approach to education
  • Lack of affordable, available and accessible transportation
  • Lack of access to affordable healthy foods
  • Lack of implementation of land use policies that promote, rather than discourage physical activity

Have your say! Leave your comments below.

Download fliers and discussion guide for BHC Community Dialogues!

The fliers for the community dialogues are being distributed around Novato, Marin City and the Canal. Help us spread the word by downloading and distributing the fliers, available in English and Spanish.

Also available is the discussion guide to be used during the dialogues in the different locations. It includes the questions to be discussed in three sessions, tips for facilitators and recorders and an overview of the Building Healthy Communities planning to date. A summary guide has been developed for groups interested in holding a one-meeting dialogue about Building Healthy Communities. Spanish translation to come.

Click here to access it all!

Citizenship application assistance

FREE CITIZENSHIP APPLICATION ASSISTANCE: On Sunday, April 27 at 1:00 you can get free assistance filling out citizenship forms. At Canal Alliance, 91 Larkspur Street, San Rafael. Co-sponsored by Catholic Charities and Canal Alliance. Appointments are required; call 707-578-6000 to make an appointment and find out what you need to bring.

AYUDA GRATIS CON LA APLICACION PARA LA CIUDADANIA:  Domingo, Abril 27 a la 1:00. En Canal Alliance, 91 Larkspur Street, San Rafael. Patrocinado por Caridades Catolicas y Canal Alliance. Cita necesaria. Para hacer una cita y saber que llevar al evento, llamar al 707-578-6000.

Reflections on World Health Day

I am so glad to hear that the meeting held on World Health Day with the Building Healthy Communities Partnership members was a great success. I couldn’t attend, but part of my spirit was there.

There is a quote that I really like and that summarizes my reflections about the theme of World Health Day 2008 - “Protecting Health from Climate Change”:

“Walk upon the Mother Earth
As if each step
Were a kiss
Heal yourself, heal her.”
 
Sally Clapper, 2005
From “We’Moon’ 08 - Gaia Rhythms for Womyn”

What are/were your reflexions about the theme of the World Health Day 2008?