S.F. Chronicle Reports on Library Vote

The Chronicle reported today on the City Council's 4-1 vote in favor of moving ahead with a leaner library project that we feel will enhance Civic Park for generations to come. The article quotes City Manager Mike Parness and his funding optimism, Adriel Hampton on praise for the City's revisions to the design, and No on R spokesman Hardy Miller on possible funding shortfalls in the future. ...

The Lone Vote of Dissent

The Mercury News has a short article by the Times' Theresa Harrington about last night's vote on the library. Councilman Gary Skrel, right, was the lone vote against the resolution, arguing, according to Harrington's article, that the City needs to hammer out funding options up front and may need more parking for the future. ... Hopefully the rest of the council are acknowledging with their yes votes that new funding strategies have to be a lot better than Measure R. While we support a modest increase in parking fees (now some of the lowest in the greater Bay Area) if needed for the project, any new property tax measure is bound to fail worse than the last. No matter how much folks talk about 61 percent, No on R voters won that battle. ... Civic Park is simply not the place for a large parking garage for downtown businesses. A fair amount of people are still unhappy with any kind of expanded structure in the park, even if it's a library. ... To stave off a future parking crunch, the City must focus more on transit and on getting folks to park in the gargantuan Broadway Garage that's seldom more than half full (or tear it down - monstrous garages just don't work without attached retail or offices). ... The results of the November election show that the design is important, as is community outreach and compromise. It doesn't matter how long the City plans a library - if it goes to the ballot with a poor design or without reaching out to people it will fail. ... One of our aims here is to shine more light on the project as it goes forward. Perhaps Skrel will help drive a resolution on funding options, which should be cemented this summer. ...

Council Approves Bold New Library Plan

Adriel and Gregg, foreground, listen as Friends of the Library advises the council.

The Walnut Creek City Council voted 4-1 last night to move forward with planning for a new downtown library. The proposal voted on last night does not rely on new property taxes, drops plans for an above-ground parking structure, and frees up more green space in Civic Park. ... Check out the details on the City's site. ... We're excited to see our civic advocacy against Measure R and for a library of the future pay off with a dramatically better plan. ... Please join us in supporting the state library bond on the June ballot. ...