SONA May and June Meetings
Thursday May 10, 2018 6:30pm
Thursday June 14, 6:30pm
Bascom Community Center, 1000 S. Bascom Ave
TRAFFIC – TRAFFIC – TRAFFIC
Due to the increase in complaints about speeding, cut through traffic and more, SONA is hosting a two-part meeting. In May we will sit down with our neighbors and our maps and outline what the issues are in each portion of our neighborhood. And we will discuss how those problems might be addressed without pushing the problem over into the next street.
In June, our council office will be present to go over our issues and hear from you how significant they are. This will be our opportunity to outline the issue and ask what the council office can do for us.
May 10 June 14
6:30pm Meet and Greet, get settled in
7:00pm Maps and More, general discussion about what the city usually allows 8:00pm Wrap up and make sure there are spokespeople for June
6:30pm Meet and Greet, make sure we are organized
7:00pm Outline the issues and discuss with council staff
8:00pm Review the discussion and next steps
In May we will go over some of the improvements we’ve already seen in the last few years.
For discussion….all the problems we have with traffic, speeding and parking with a look towards the future. Also, where do we need to concentrate some effort to make it safer for pedestrians and bicyclists? Where do we need sidewalk improvements, crosswalks or signs? How can we tie into the incoming development process? What is the budget for these things? How do we get real data and not just “..the neighbor down the street said…”. What’s the best way for us to get information, make requests, do surveys? How can we make it safer to get to light rail?
Who is willing to step up and take part of the data gathering or other chores? Who is already working with the council office or others on these issues?
It’s taken decades for our problems to grow, so we cannot expect them to be solved in one meeting or with one idea. We can, however, join together to develop a more cohesive plan among ourselves to become advocates for our neighborhood.
Thank you to everybody who turned out last month to pack hygiene kits for the Sunnyvale Homeless Shelter. We fully filled about 180 kits (including some for kids!), had bags of feminine hygiene supplies and have hundreds of toothbrushes for our next round. It’s amazing how little effort it takes to make a big difference in the lives of our neighbors.
Our late Board Member Layne Kulwin was honored by the Bascom Library as their volunteer of the year. Layne’s dedication to our library, his enthusiasm and support will be missed. Whether playing Santa or manning the tables at the quarterly book sale, he was present for everything.
Our new website has launched and is still being populated and developed. But, we need your help to make sure we have what you need. Also, please sign up to receive the newsletters online. Our goal is to cut back on the paper we use and build our online portal. This will also allow us to send you notices about upcoming events that may miss our print cycle. Your security will be protected online. Go to www.sonasj.org
There have been several meetings lately that relate directly to our traffic and housing locally. The Bascom Urban Village is being moved forward through the city process and the VTA Bascom corridor study is moving along on a parallel track. SONA has been diligent about reminding staff that we already experience significant traffic circulation problems that need to be addressed as our community grows.
We have the next few meetings planned out and are also looking forward to our ice cream social this summer. What activities would you like to participate in and what speakers or meetings would you like to see?
It’s rapidly getting close to summer so make sure you check out the city’s summer programs for kids and youth. The daycamps at Bascom have been a big hit every year. In addition, our parks system has a wide variety of programs at all the regional parks for kids and adults.
If you haven’t had a chance to get down there, the Heritage Rose Garden on Taylor is in full bloom. This is one of the largest collections of roses on the west coast, showing off everything from the minis to the creeping and climbing variety. Just down the park is the Rotary Play Garden with an entrance and parking lot on Coleman. The all access playground is fun for everybody.
With summer on the way, it’s not too soon to look around your yard and make sure it is not a friendly spot for mosquito breeding. Being close to the creek puts us at higher risk of mosquitos and West Nile Virus. We can do our part to make sure we are not letting ponds, pools and fountains become breeding grounds.
It’s also time to make sure that those of you with shrubs adjacent to the sidewalk keep them cleared back to allow pedestrians full access.
Spring cleaning? Don’t forget that you can get rid of bulky items for free by calling your garbage company. Yes, for free. You can find the number to call on the inside of your garbage cans.
Did somebody do some spring cleaning and leave junk around? Use the MySanJose app on your smart phone and report dumping, abandoned vehicles, graffiti and more. You can also go online and file complaints on the city’s website.