Downtown Oakland Association/Lake Merritt-Uptown District Association Joint SOBO Committee August 19, 2010 12:00 p.m.

. Cathedral Conference Room E Present: Staff: Minutes Martin Ward, Tanicia Jackson, Michelle Lane, Laurie Berberich, Nola Montgomery Marco Li Mandri, Steve Snider, Andrew Jones, Ted Tarver, Rick Williams

388 19th Street Oakland, California 94612

The following items were discussed and recommendations or actions are made to the Board as follows:

Subject
Security Ambassador Report: 1)Update from Ted Tarver -monthly updates -next month outlook (events and special projects) Hospitality Ambassador program update

Discussion
Ted Tarver was unable to attend the meeting, so District Services Coordinator Andrew Jones gave the update in his place. Andrew announced that Burger King has officially fired their security company and will be downgrading to one guy in a blazeressentially a greeter. Unfortunately, this means that the ambassadors will have to address the daily issues that arise in front of that business. Everything else has been going well. Andrew announced Art & Soul on August 21 and 22, Sistahs Steppin in Pride in Snow Park on August 28th and Oakland Pride taking place along Franklin on September 5. Steve will discuss with Ted the possibility of extra staffing hours on the morning of the Pride event. Early next week the hospitality interns will be suited up and ready to go. They will be riding the buses along the Broadway corridor, handing out information about the restaurants and the shuttle. They will be working a 4-8pm or a 5-9pm evening shift to coincide with people getting off of work.

Action?

Maintenance Ambassador Report 1) Update from Rick Williams

Rick informed the committee that instances of graffiti in the districts are down and that trash and litter pick up has increased by two bags per day. Rick explained that urine abatement continues to be an issue, specifically at 12th and Broadway in front of Community Bank. Rick intends to do some outreach to property owners to request that they look into installing pull-down gates. To that point, Michelle and Tanicia interjected that those gates are both unsightly and costly. Rick explained that any doorway near a bus stop becomes a bathroom, and, as a result, his calls are increasing daily. Marco advised coordinating a meeting with AC Transit to deal with public restroom issue. Steve interjected that Blair Miller of CEDA is asking about maintenance because the BART gateway at 17th is experiencing the same issue. Rick explained that the 8 Summer youth interns will have completed approximately 1,000 hours by Summers end. The interns have been responsible for cleaning garbage cans on Broadway, tree-well maintenance and weed abatement in Uptown (specifically the medians on 23rd, 24th, and 25th). Rick expressed that this group of interns have been fantastic. Rick explained that he has been receiving calls from property owners inquiring about additional power washes. Typically the power washing is done twice a year; however, certain high traffic areas require more frequent service. Steve will be meeting with the property owners to explain that there is a limited budget, but that it may be possible to buy additional services. Marco advised that property owners need to go through our office to receive supplemental services and asked that Rick provide us with an hourly rate. The money will go to Peralta, but the CBDs will be the first point of contact. The same sort of arrangement could be arranged with Block by Block, but these services would only available to members of the district. Marco referred to a letter from John Russo stating, in essence, that there is nothing that precludes us from moving forward with hanging plants, trashcans, news rack abatement and bike rack

Update on Russo Letter -news racks -Snow Park/Veterans

Memorial Building -Other encroachment permit elements

Encroachment Permit Process: -Hanging Plants -Banners -Trachcans -Next steps

installation/relocation. In addition, the letter granted maintenance ambassadors access to Snow Park and the Veterans Building on the weekends. Security ambassadors can go anyplace at any time, but maintenance ambassadors have limited weekend access to Snow Park and the Veterans Building, but no access at any time to Frank Ogawa Plaza. In regards to the medians, they are considered no mans land right now. Andrew submitted the Adopta- Median application to Brooke Levin in February, but has received no response. Marco emailed Vitaly Troyan, PWA director, and asked why there had been no response. Vitaly requested the application from Brooke last week and still there has been no response. Andrew explained that Columbine is ready to go with the hanging plants on September 1st and that we are simply awaiting a response from Tim Lowe before proceeding. Marco interjected that we also want to follow up with Columbine regarding the medians. Andrew went on to explain that part of the hanging plant and median contract process will be separating out the two projects, per Liz Clarks recommendation. This is necessary because one project will begin before the other. Trashcans and banners have been approved and we are now in the design phase for the banners. The City has been convinced to remove the aggregate cans along Broadway and replace them with the Renaissance-style cans. 6 have been replaced so far and recycling tops have been installed on the aggregate cans. Marco recommended moving the Renaissance cans to the corners to create the uniformity we are going for. At least on Broadway, from 9th to 25th, on each corner, there should be a branded Renaissance can. Tanicia asked Andrew to provide her with a budget that includes everything line by line so she can submit her grant request to Stop Waste. Andrew explained that he will need to need to get back to her with those figures because the project has multiple phases with different expenses and budgets. Marco interjected that we need to look to the City to spend redevelopment money and advised waiting until next year to proceed with adding additional cans. The City should give

us the money to purchase the cans. Projects: Status of clock repair/approval last SOBO, awaiting Board approval 13th Street Task Force/Latham SquareRedevelopment funds (DISI) Fern Hotel Issue Andrew explained that we are moving forward with the clock repair as The Board approved the expense at the meeting yesterday. We are looking at a two-month turnaround on the repairs. Marco asked that removal and reinstallation of the clock be documented with photos and proposed a press conference announcing the repair, once completed. Marco addressed the issues stemming from the residents of the Fern Hotel on 15th and proposed looking into cost recovery through the City Attorneys office as a way to hold the property owners responsible for who they rent their property to. Steve explained that this hotel is where the thugs and drug dealers in the district reside and that residents were involved in a recent holdup at the UPS store on Franklin. Marco tasked Andrew with contacting Code Compliance to see if they have a cost recovery ordinance. There was no discussion of the budget at this meeting.

Budget

Other

Michelle inquired as to the legality of sandwich boards in the medians. Andrew explained that there is a City sandwich board ordinance and enforcement falls under the prevue of Bill Quesada. Rick informed the committee that he had seen a flyer announcing a Mehserle sentencing rally on October 23rd at 1 pm at City Hall. Marco and JC are trying to outreach to Nancy OMalley to see if the judge in the Mehserle case would be willing to change the date of the sentencing. As it stands now, the sentencing will be announces on November 5th, a First Friday. Marco suggested proposing to the City that any potential rallies or protests be confined to Frank Ogawa Plaza. Marco explained that property owners Eddie Orton (1440 Broadway) and Wayne Jordan want to darken the sidewalks in front of their property and that they plan to present a proposal to the SOBO Committee for funding. If they plan on putting in other improvements

(beautifying the bust stop in front of their property), we may consider paying for the darkening as a one-time expense. If the process is successful, we may be able to implement it in other problem areas. Next Meeting Dates September 22nd, 2010 at 12 noon-Cathedral Conference Room (TBD).

Minutes taken by Victoria Decker, staff