INCLUDED IN THIS E-NEWSLETTER:
• Alley Activation Introduced to Council
• Central City Alley Naming Standards Adopted by Council
• Park Restrooms Reopened
• District 3 Residents Come Together to Raise Funds to Keep Pools Open for Recreational Swim
• Friends of McKinley Park Tennis Raise Money to Resurface Courts
• Welcome to East Sacramento Signs Pop up Around the Neighborhood
• SHPS/ Mercy Construction Update

UPCOMING EVENTS
• Friends of Grant Park Upcoming Events
• Friends of the River Bank - Second Saturday
• Sacramento Fire Department Open Houses
• SOCA Home Tour – September 20th
• Cops & Community Celebration– September 26th
• East Sacramento Home Remodeling Tour – September 27th
• Design Dialogue re: K Street – September 30th

Alley Activation Introduced to Council
A group of Central City residents, business owners, architects, developers, city staff and other stakeholders (Alley Activation Committee) have been meeting regularly for the last year or so to discuss how to transform selected alleyways in the Central City from garbage dumping and criminal hideout zones to vibrant livable mixed use places that contribute positively to ambience of the Central City.
Most Central City alleys currently function as service areas for trash disposal, vehicle access to garages and rear/side entrances of abutting property and emergency service access. However, examples from other cities and a few right here in the River City have shown the tremendous potential that alleys present as pedestrian thoroughfares, residential front-doors, small business locations and even restaurant and café designations.
On August 11, 2009, the Alley Activation Committee introduced three different pilot project ideas to the Council:
(1) “Pedestrian First” Alleys look at ways to beautify alleys to encourage their use by pedestrians while maintaining vehicular access. Improvements would include porous pavements, way-finding signage, ADA requirements, solar/LED festival lighting, landscaping (e.g., almond trees in containers) and some street furniture. Two potential “pilot alleys” are located between 17th and 19th, L Street and Capitol Avenue.
(2) “Alley Oriented Residential Uses” was encouraged in the General Plan as a way to increase density within the Central City without affecting the existing streetscape or threatening historic resources. Locating units on an alley provides a public benefit of “eyes on the alley”. There are some existing alleys that have small carriage houses, cottages and small apartments above garages. Several newer developments have also been accomplished already, such as the highly touted “9onF” townhouses (15th & F St). Most recently, the first application for a “Stitch Development” (three condominium units at the rear of an existing 40’x160’ lot) was submitted by Jeremy Drucker, the 9onF developer, to the City Zoning Administrator for review and approval.
(3) “Restaurant” alleys can be seen in scenic cities throughout the world, including San Francisco’s Belden or Maiden Lanes; however, Sacramento has little experience locating restaurant and café seating within alleys. The City currently has an application on file for a “Restaurant Row” located within the alley bounded by I and J Streets, 16th and 17th Streets (adjacent to the Memorial Auditorium). This project is expected to move through the process and to the Council within the next few months. Another project called Meridian II, located between the Convention Center and the Marriott Courtyard Hotel at 15th and L, is proposing to limit vehicular access in favor of pedestrian oriented uses on the alley during the day.
These ideas were well received by Council, which directed city staff to continue to work with the committee on the pilot proposals, look for potential funding sources and increase community outreach. The Alley Activation Committee plans to form a nonprofit organization that will better position the group to access a broader base of funding sources including grants and charitable giving organizations.

I recently put forth a challenge to the Alley Activation Committee to get a “Pedestrian First” pilot alley done within the next year. I have committed $100,000 in District 3 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding, which was made available when a streetlighting project came in under budget, provided that the committee can raise matching funding for the enhancements.

I look forward to continuing to work with this creative group to resolve all of the issues raised by city technical staff (fire, transportation, drainage, solid waste, etc.) and neighbors (noise, parking, traffic, etc.). Sacramento could have one of the most attractive and interesting alley districts anywhere in the world. Imagine an “Almond Blossom Festival” in the spring to celebrate the wonderful nexus between Midtown’s urban flair and tasty restaurants and the Central Valley’s rural cornucopia of find food and wines.

Central City Alley Naming Standards Adopted by Council

Several years ago I introduced the idea of naming our Central City alleys and I’m happy to report that on August 11, 2009, the Council adopted standards for naming those alleys and directed staff to look at the theme of historic names and places. A special thanks goes to William Burg who came up with a comprehensive list of historic names that could be considered. A consistent alphabetic addressing system will allow for quicker response time for emergency services, assist with postal and general delivery services and provide more efficient delivery of City services. This will be especially important as we begin to activate more of our alleys. An example of how this would work is that the name for the alley between I and J would begin with an “I”, the name for the alley between J and K would begin with a “J”, etc.

Park Restrooms Reopened

Although the City Department of Parks and Recreation have cut a number of services, including closing pools and recreation programs, and reducing park maintenance and garbage pickup, City staff heard loud and clear from residents throughout the City that keeping restrooms open is a high priority. Furthermore, after evaluating the capabilities of park maintenance operations since the reductions were implemented, the department has determined that maintenance efforts can be re-focused and as of Friday, August 21st, all restrooms were re-opened. Unfortunately, until the economy and the City budget turn around, this will come at the expense of further reductions in trash pick up, mowing, blowing, edging and general park cleanliness.

District 3 Residents Come Together to Raise Funds to Keep Pools Open for Recreational Swim

Due to extraordinary fundraising efforts by the River Park and East Sacramento communities, recreational swim hours were restored at Glenn Hall Pool, Bertha Henschel Wading Pool and Clunie Pool at McKinley Park. With a $500 Pops in the Park grant, neighbors of the Bertha Henschel Wading Pool raised an additional $500 to fully restore pool hours through the end of the season (August 23rd). Likewise, the McKinley East Sacramento Neighborhood Association donated $500 and with a Pops in the Park match, Clunie Pool will be open on Labor Day, Monday, September 7th from 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Glenn Hall Pool was slated to be closed to recreation swim beginning on Monday, July 6, 2009. However, through a concerted community effort, we were able to raise enough money to keep open through the end of the pool season (August 23rd). First, I announced a $3,000 grant from Pops in the Park. Then, the River Park Neighborhood Association, River Park Mother’s Club and Caleb Greenwood PTSO, the Fremont Presbyterian Church, and others came forward in a big way to raise over $13,000, including $4,150 through a car wash and bake sale sponsored by the above groups plus the Caleb 4th R, Glenn Hall Swim Team & Coaches, Selland’s Market, and City of Sac Lifeguards. Finally, the Fremont Presbyterian Church contributed an additional $6,000, the River Park Neighborhood Association $2,000, and various other donations through the City’s Gifts to Share Program totaled over $1,000. A big THANK YOU to everyone who made this possible.

Friends of McKinley Park Tennis Raise Money to Resurface Courts

Thanks to another tremendous community effort, the City will be able to resurface the McKinley Park tennis courts and make other related improvements to the facility this fall. The project cost estimate is $250,000. The U.S. Tennis Association (USTA) announced a grant of $35,000 and a hardy group of tennis enthusiasts called the Friends of McKinley Park Tennis banded together to host a tennis tournament and do other fund raising totaling over $10,000, including a $3,100 contribution from Spare Time, Inc., which owns Rio Del Oro and other tennis/swim clubs in town.

I was able to cobble together the remaining $200,000 from a variety of places, including remaining bond capital dollars, Alhambra cell tower revenue and district funds. If we can raise more private money, we will be able to invest even more in enhancements, such as a practice backboard, new bleachers and renovated tennis office/shack. For more information on this project, contact Susan Vieth at 808-1575.

The Friends of McKinley Park Tennis have partnered with Paragary Restaurant Group for a fund raising event on Wednesday, September 2nd. On that date, you can bring the attached flier and mention that you are a “friend” of McKinley Park Tennis. Twenty-five percent of all food purchases will be donated to the effort to improve the tennis facility. If you wish to make a contribution to this project, checks should be made payable to Friends of McKinley Park Tennis and mailed to PO Box 19463, Sacramento, CA 95819-0463.

Welcome to East Sacramento Signs Pop Up Around the Neighborhood

In partnership with the East Sacramento Chamber of Commerce, East Sacramento Improvement Association (ESIA) and McKinley East Sacramento Neighborhood Association (MENA), we were able to raise about $13,000 to design, fabricate and install “Welcome to East Sacramento” signs at seven entry locations: 30th Street & J Street, 30th Street & Capitol Avenue, 39th Street & R Street, 56th Street & H Street, 57th Street & J Street, 65th Street & Folsom Boulevard and 65th Street & Q Street. Both MENA and ESIA used funds donated by Union Pacific Railroad in 2007 as a thank you for neighbors’ patience during the round-the-clock reconstruction several years ago of the burned railroad trestle on the north bank of the American River. The East Sacramento Chamber of Commerce requested that their sponsorship dollars for Pops in the Park be used toward the project as well. We hope to add more signage as funds become available in the future.

SHPS/ Mercy Construction Update

Soil remediation on the school site almost is complete. Foundational footings have been dug for the new buildings, and steel framework has been built. Tunnel work between the Mercy Medical Plaza and Hospital is expected to be complete by September 2009. An Ambulance Canopy on the Northeast corner of the Hospital is being built, and structural steel bids have gone out to be used for construction of the Alex G. Spanos Heart and Vascular Center building, which will begin with some preliminary foundation work this fall. The last Neighborhood Advisory Committee (NAC) meeting for 2009 is November 17 at 5:30 p.m. at the SHPS Cafeteria.

For updates on the Neighborhood Traffic Management Plan (NTMP) visit
www.cityofsacramento.org/transportation/traffic-engineering/mercy-ntmp.html or contact Debb Newton at 808-6739 or dnewton@cityofsacramento.org. For questions or concerns regarding construction, please feel free to call the construction hotline at 552-6931.

ADDITIONAL UPCOMING EVENTS:
Friends of Grant Park Upcoming Events
“Crafty Kids at the Park” – Thursday, September 24th from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon. Save the date for the annual Midtown Childrens Fair in Grant Park – Sunday, October 4th, 2:00 noon to 3:00 p.m. For questions, contact friendsofgrantpark@yahoo.com

Friends of the River Bank
Friends of the River Bank sponsors a gathering at the American River each Second Saturday at 9 am at Sutter's Landing to encourage people, especially families and children, to enjoy and appreciate the wildlife and to spend a little time with nature. For more information, contact Laurie Litman at llitman@pacbell.net

Sacramento Fire Department Open Houses
The Sacramento Fire Department invites you to come by to meet your firefighters and take a station tour. A very successful open house was just held on Saturday, August 29, at Station 4 behind Safeway on Granada Way. The Department is holding several more open houses throughout the city, including the following for District 3 residents:

September 12th – Station 19, 1700 Challenge Way
September 19th – Station 8, 5990 H Street, 2pm-5pm

For more information call 808-1347 or visit www.sacfire.org

SOCA Home Tour – September 20th
This year’s SOCA home tour will be held in historic Boulevard Park on Sunday, September 20 (10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.). Tickets may be purchased in advance at several local businesses ($18.00) or at the street fair on the esplanade on 21st Street between F and G Streets on the day of the tour ($20.00). Bicyclists will get a dollar discount ($19.00). Ticket-holders will be given an illustrated brochure with detailed information about the homes and the neighborhood. As in past years, the street fair will feature artisans and information booths. Restored antique cars will be on display throughout the tour’s neighborhood, courtesy of the Sacramento Capitol A’s Model A Club.

The Boulevard Park neighborhood incorporates a mix of late nineteenth and early twentieth-century homes, ranging from single-family residences to the distinctive courtyard-style arrangement of cottages that can be found throughout the city of Sacramento. The homes also vary in size, having served a wide cross-section of Sacramento society, ranging from railroad and cannery workers to doctors, bankers, and businessmen. The core of the neighborhood is a development by a local building firm, Wright and Kimbrough that was constructed on the former site of the city’s race track in the early 1900s. In fact, 2009 marks the centennial for many of the houses in the original Boulevard Park neighborhood, which was bordered by B, H, 22nd, and 20th Streets. The greater Boulevard Park neighborhood also includes some handsome Victorian and Queen Anne residences from the late 1800s. Several homes from the original and greater Boulevard Park neighborhoods have been selected for the 2009 tour. Tickets may be purchased in advance at Joann's Elegant Gifts (1019 L Street), Collected Works Books & Other Fine Gifts (4524 Freeport Blvd.), 57th Street Antique Mall (875 57th Street), and The Avid Reader (16th & Broadway). For more information visit http://sacoldcity.org/?cat=10

Cops and Community Celebration – September 26th
A celebration of Cops & Community working together will be held on Saturday, September 26th from 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m. at The William J. Kinney Police Facility, 3550 Marysville Boulevard. North Area neighbors are encouraged to attend this event that will feature Children’s activities, great give-aways, police demonstrations, childrens’ fingerprinting, free hot dogs and hamburgers and much more. For more information, contact Jeannette Bonner, Judy Kovanda or Kurt McCray at 566-6401.

East Sacramento Home Remodeling Tour – September 27th
The East Sacramento Home Remodeling Tour, sponsored by Friends of East Sacramento, will be held on Sunday, September 27th from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Featuring six remodeled homes, the theme for the 2009 tour is “Honoring Tradition, Making it New.” While enlarging spaces inside, the homeowners have honored the tradition of the house. Tickets go on sale beginning September 1st and proceeds will go to support neighborhood parks and beautification projects in East Sacramento. For more information, call 452-8011 or email eastsaclife@aol.com

Design Dialogue re: K Street – September 30th
The Urban Design Alliance and Sacramento Downtown Partnership will host a Design Dialogue regarding K Street will take place on Wednesday, September 30th from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at The Crest (main theater) – doors open at 5:30 p.m.. Featured will be a panel of three experts re: (i) urban design and streetscape issues; (ii) circulation (including whether or not to bring cars back to K Street); and commercial/retail development appropriate to K Street. If you would like to receive email announcements about this event please send your email address directly to marquart-policy@comcast.net