August 16, 2009

San Anselmo Vision continues to work with the Town, Chamber of Commerce and other local organizations providing outreach to community stakeholders, and their sustainable design solutions.  Due to the outreach efforts San Anselmo Vision was awarded grants from both Greenbelt Alliance and Marin Community Foundation to further the work of the dedicated volunteer effort.

Pro bono services from local professionals have tremendously advanced the Vison.  Jeff Ivarson and website designer Michael Holt are two exemplary volunteers offering graphic design and web design services.  San Anselmo Vision’s new website (going live later this summer) will enhance community awareness, invite participation in the visioning process, provide a means to share work-to-date, and engage San Anselmo residents and the business community to discuss ways to achieve the community’s goals and solve local problems. 

Also of note, Stantec Engineers, the firm that designed the underground parking for the award-winning Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park, provided at no charge the initial drawings for the under-the-avenue parking garage. Geoff Adams of Stantec sent a letter to be read at the council meeting supporting the concept as a carefully considered solution to the problem of meeting parking needs without sacrificing street level land that is too valuable to use for parking. The underground parking design could also be a start for LEED rating of the total project. (LEED is The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design - Green Building Rating System™ which encourages global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices). 

In addition to its weekly meetings, the San Anselmo Vision committee also attends and contributes support and input at numerous Town and staff meetings related to the issues and concerns addressed in whole or in part by San Anselmo Vision. Most recently, these included the Bolinas Traffic Calming Workshops, Measure G Committee meetings and the Town's Housing Element Update.

San Anselmo Vision is assisting the Town in its efforts to comply with Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) required housing mandates by identifying viable sites downtown where it is feasible to build affordable homes; the corridors a key solution would be the proposed San Anselmo Vision. San Anselmo Vision also conforms to the State’s Senate Bill 375 because it reduces climate change by locating jobs closer to homes and along transit corridors.

While a Specific Area Plan Study Session is not scheduled at this time, if and when it is, it will greatly enhance efforts to secure funding for further economic and design studies, as well as funding for various aspects of the plan, notably transit oriented development (TOD) and similar state and federal programs. While waiting for this opportunity, San Anselmo Vision will continue to present to different segments of the community its innovative solution to the Town’s economic, environmental and social needs. 

 

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