Important Elements and Paper Topics

What are elements that are important to us? Be specific.

• Safe, at night and for all people.
• Additional lighting
• Additional Police Presence
• Are there foot patrols? There should be.
• Control behavior, but address the homelessness in a humane way.
• Changing the shape/dimension of Shattuck
• Creating a pedestrian Promenade
• Making wider sidewalks to allow sidewalk cafes
• Trying to bring the two sides of the street together more
• Providing areas for all uses – bikes, buses, cars, pedestrians, etc.
• Reasons to go to downtown:
• Nicer movie theaters
• Shops – higher end, clothing stores, not necessarily chain
• Farmer’s Markets – expanding them?
• Advertising the parking more
• Hotel – yes!
• With Bar/Restaurant
• Figuring out a way to reroute buses around it
• Day-lighting the creek – no!
• However, we aren’t opposed to water features – it just seems like this idea wouldn’t have any environmental benefit, for a really big cost
• More liquor licenses
• There should be more bars, particularly higher end ones that serve liquor
• More Cabs, especially in areas outside of the center street area
• Less historic designation
• Less power in the LPC – allow some rebuilding but protect legitimate historical interests.
• Youth center, etc.: there needs to be something for high schoolers to do in the downtown area that doesn’t create conflicts with other users.

What should we write about? (Values to consider: Must be relevant to our constituents. Must be something that can express ourselves at our best – preferably some law)

• Jesse’s comments on PCE à legal questions?
• Zoning Issues:
• Arts district
• Liquor license
• Historical Designation
• Anti-chain limits
• Inclusionary Housing
• Process issues
• Streamlining – fewer commissions
• Restructuring electoral process to make general council members
• Creating incentives to develop, create affordable housing, etc.
• Comparison? (This one I was thinking about after class, so it’s just my idea and not necessarily that of my group)
• Lots of our guests have said what they want downtown to be like (Hayes Valley, Soho, Cambridge, MA, etc.)
• Could we compare the zoning and legal issues to see if there are any major differences?