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City Beat
Association installs its new board members
WGNA to conduct traffic study of Lincoln Avenue
By Kate Carter
The Willow Glen Neighborhood Association's newly elected board members began their term this month, reminding city officials of the importance of involving them in projects that affect Willow Glen.
New board president John Gibbs also introduced his first appointed board member, Patrick Love.
Gibbs told District 6 City Councilman Ken Yeager at the June 13 meeting that he wanted an association representative to participate in a study planned for Lincoln Avenue.
"I cannot understate the interest in the neighborhood association in being part of that," Gibbs said.
The $200,000 study is included in the redevelopment agency's 2001-'02 budget, ratified by the city council last week. It would review traffic and parking problems and the concerns of businesses and surrounding neighborhoods, along the stretch between Minnesota Avenue and W. San Carlos Street.
Yeager said the redevelopment agency is in the process of establishing a complete plan for the study, to be conducted by a consulting firm and a citizens' task force. He said a representative from the association will be invited to join the task force, which could be in place by August.
Traffic calming and pedestrian safety on Lincoln Avenue are among the association's biggest concerns. The board has started a traffic-calming subcommittee, and the association's general meeting last month included presentations by a city traffic expert and representatives from two grass-roots groups, concerned with traffic calming and pedestrian safety.
Those who attended the general meeting were asked to fill out a survey to see if they agreed with the traffic subcommittee's concerns. Subcommittee member and former association President J. Michael Gonzales said at the June meeting that the surveys had not yet been tabulated.
At the general meeting, the traffic subcommittee also presented a list of possible solutions to Lincoln Avenue's traffic. Love recommended that professional traffic engineers review the suggestions to determine, if the ideas were appropriate or even legal.
Yeager agreed and said the traffic study would be included in the street's survey.
"We can get a traffic study on Lincoln Avenue done much faster and be more comprehensive" that way, he said.
Other issues raised at the meeting included when construction would begin on the Longs Drugs store planned for the northwest corner of Lincoln and Brace avenues, development plans for the former Del Monte cannery and youths loitering on the northeast corner of Minnesota and Lincoln avenues.
Yeager aide Denelle Fedor said the Longs construction has been delayed and could begin in six months. Yeager said he wouldn't support any Del Monte development plans, unless they were appropriate for the surrounding neighborhoods. The two said they would look into concerns about the youth loiterers, to make sure they aren't doing anything illegal.
The group tentatively agreed to cancel its July meeting.
Gibbs is required to appoint between two and four board members during his one-year term. Gibbs told appointed Love because of his commitment to Willow Glen and his view of Willow Glen issues.
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Willow Glen, California Since 1992
