The following statement of neighborhood concerns was drafted, re-worked at a public meeting of what became the Live Oak/Codornices Neighborhood Association, circulated in a neighborhood newsletter, revised in light of comments, and given to Beth El in fall 1996, before the synagogue bought the property. It has been reprinted and re-circulated since. No large number of people will achieve unanimity, but there appears to be broad agreement on these ideas.

CORE VALUES
FOR 1301 OXFORD

COOPERATION

  • Buyers, neighbors, and other affected institutions and groups should set up ways to work together to avoid or resolve problems and help each other meet their goals.

GREEN SPACE

  • A green corridor should extend along Codornices Creek from Live Oak Park east through the site. This corridor, 'in conjunction with Berryman Path, should encourage pedestrian and bicycle travel as well as biological links for native plants and wildlife. It should remain possible to someday open up the culverted portion of the creek. A productive, community-oriented garden as part of this corridor would contribute to ecological and urban diversity, as well as pay tribute to the site's historic status Berkeley's first large farm.

  • Codornices Creek should be protected from pollution and erosion, and restored where possible to its native state. Paving and increased runoff should be minimized with measures such as soft-surface play yards, play areas that can be used for special-event parking and sound traffic planning.

  • The site should have a green perimeter. Landscaping should minimize impacts on adjacent homes. The landmark's historic trees should be preserved where possible.

TRAFFIC

  • Buyers should plan for car, bus, and pedestrian safety, taking into account the present traffic loads on Oxford and Spruce and possible hazards at the curve on Oxford St., the unmarked crossing at Spruce and Glen, and the three-way stop at Spruce and Rose. These and other plans should be verifiable, enforceable, and written into appropriate permits.

  • Buyers should plan to limit the impact of traffic and parking from even-day events. These plans should encourage travel by foot, bicycle, carpool, van, and public transit. They should let parents pick up and drop off children smoothly and safely, with a minimum of disruption for neighbors.

  • The Live Oak neighborhood hosts large, diverse events that are important to Berkeley; for example, the Live Oak Crafts Fair, Himalayan Fair, and San Francisco Mime Troupe. Buyers should be aware that there are limits to how many large events a neighborhood should have to tolerate. Buyers also should have plans to coordinate scheduling of large events and reduce the impact of vehicles.

BUILDINGS, LIGHTING, NOISE, POLICING

  • Buildings should be well designed, with scale and architectural detailing congruent with the neighborhood.

  • Night lighting should be at low, residential levels. Lighting needed. for safety should be minimized by placement of buildings, shielding, and using lights only when they are needed.

  • Buyers should plan to minimize noise by curbing amplified music, school-type bells, and hours of morning and nighttime activities; and by keeping active recreation away from immediate neighbors.

  • Buyers should plan to use volunteers and/or police presence to avoid any litter, drunkenness, noise, or illegal camping that events might encourage off the site, e.g. in nearby Live Oak Park.

  • Buyers should minimize noise and interference with neighbors during construction.