I just now finished my Grand Jury Complaint, consisting of the Complaint Form, four pages of arguments, and a stack of supporting documents. The subject is displacement of vulnerable communities, akin to the 2010-2011 Grand Jury Findings on potential displacement resulting from the Parkmerced Development Plan.
The package is too big to fax, so I will have to mail it, which will probably put the package in their hands by Thursday or Friday. So, since I am not going to the final-vote meeting, if you go, please let me know of any changes which will significantly alter the Draft Plan Bay Area, especially regarding population displacement. If there are significant changes, I will change my complaint accordingly.
Hi Marcy! Thanks for your work on this homework assignment. I'm sure it's scholarly and thorough and will give the Civil Grand Jury something to think about, and hopefully they will decide to investigate. I would love to read it.
Yes, I will be going tonight for sure. I wouldn't miss the action for anything--from all the emails I'm getting from the coalition, it's going to be a total showdown between the environmentalists pushing PBA and the coalition against it. Busloads coming in, hazardous material suits (PBA hazardous to your health and the "communities of concern" that will be living in the high density housing near train tracks, bus stations, and freeways), cowbells, chanting, moments of silence for the loss of our freedoms, press conferences--it's going to be a wild one and definitely not your cup of tea. In typical ABAG/MTC style, they have placed the Public Comment section as the last item in the agenda so they can vote in the plan and leave and not have to listen to the unfavorable comments, but since the media will likely be there, I think they will hang around for good show. It's expected to run past midnight so I haven't decided if I'm taking BART or not
because the last BART out of Oakland is no later than 12:30 AM.
For those interested in coming to the "show," it's at the Oakland Marriott City Center, West Hall-1001 Broadway and starts at 6:30 PM, though there will be pre-show activities before the meeting starts. This is the last chance to speak publicly against the plan before it's officially adopted tonight and a nice gesture to show solidarity with those who have been fighting this monster for the last few years. Without their efforts, Plan Bay Area would have been adopted quietly a few months ago without any of us knowing anything about it. Will post an after-show update tonight if I'm not too pooped out.