Correspondence
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1 Danielle Navarro
From: Danielle Navarro
Sent: Tuesday, April 4, 2023 12:31 PM
To: Allen Vinson; Matt Rinn; Susan Noack; Tim Flaherty; Zac Shess Cc: June Catalano; Juanita Davalos; Geoff Gillette; Janet Coleson Subject: thank you (re district mapping process) - Susan Hedgpeth From: Susan HEDGPETH <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 4, 2023 12:28 PM
To: City Council <[email protected]>
Subject: EXTERNAL: thank you (re district mapping process) Mr. Mayor and Councilmembers,
I attended last night's City Council meeting. I wanted to thank you for a few things you decided at the meeting. 1) to have a Saturday meeting about the district mapping, 2) to add additional dates for public comment about the mapping, 3) to send postcards to every resident of Pleasant Hill, 4) to post info prominently at the library and (I think) on the marquee outside City Hall, and 5) to provide translation services to those residents who might need them.
Thank you.
Susan Hedgpeth
2212 Lisa Lane
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Danielle Navarro
Sent: Tuesday, April 11, 2023 9:30 AM
To: Allen Vinson; Matt Rinn; Susan Noack; Tim Flaherty; Zac Shess Cc: June Catalano; Juanita Davalos; Geoff Gillette; Janet Coleson Subject: Public Comment: April 17 Districting Hearing - Michelle Simone Attachments: Schools Ranking Map.png; Safest Areas Map.png; Police Hotspots Map.png From: Michelle Simone <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, April 10, 2023 8:50 PM
To: City Council <[email protected]>
Subject: Public Comment: April 17 Districting Hearing
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender.
Dear City Council Members and Demographer,
I am writing to share with you two additional maps from the website Neighborhood Scout that help shed light on the experiences of communities within the City of Pleasant Hill. These maps offer insight that could aid the demographer in drawing district lines. I think you will find that they assist with understanding the needs of our residents and highlight localized issues in our community.
The first map shares crime data. This map clearly shows that the majority of incidents occur along Contra Costa Blvd, particularly in East Pleasant Hill. This information is important because it identifies these neighborhoods as having similar experiences where additional resources may be needed to address safety concerns.
To support this data, I have also included a similar map that indicates hotspots from the Pleasant Hill Police Department. This additional information helps provide a more comprehensive view of criminal activity in our city and the affected neighborhoods.
The second map is a "school ranking" map. This map shows that East Pleasant Hill has schools rated differently than the rest of Pleasant Hill. This information is crucial for understanding how different communities experience our education system and can help us identify where resources and improvements may be needed.
To support this data, you can visit the Great Schools website which has ranked Fair Oaks Elementary School at 2/10 and Ygnacio Valley High School at 3/10 or visit the California School Dashboard. According to the Dashboard, seventy percent of students going to Fair Oaks were socioeconomically disadvantaged and fortythree percent were Hispanic in 2021. Seventy-two percent of students attending Ygnacio Valley High School are socioeconomically disadvantaged and eighty percent are Hispanic. In comparison, College Park High School located in Pleasant Hill is twenty-three percent socioeconomically disadvantaged. https://www.greatschools.org/california/pleasant-hill/472-Fair-Oaks-Elementary-School/ https://www.greatschools.org/california/concord/511-Ygnacio-Valley-High-School/ https://www.caschooldashboard.org/reports/07617546004055/2021 2 https://www.caschooldashboard.org/reports/07617540737809/2021 https://www.caschooldashboard.org/reports/07617540731646/2021 By examining these maps, we can begin to understand which communities share the same experiences and which may have unique needs. It is essential that we take this information into account as we make district line decisions that affect our city and its residents.
Thank you for taking the time to review the school and safety data. I hope that these maps will be helpful in identifying communities of interest to assist with creating fair and representative district maps for Pleasant Hill.
Sincerely,
Michelle Simone
Pleasant Hill Resident
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Danielle Navarro
Sent: Wednesday, April 12, 2023 9:27 AM
To: Allen Vinson; Matt Rinn; Susan Noack; Tim Flaherty; Zac Shess Cc: June Catalano; Juanita Davalos; Geoff Gillette; Janet Coleson Subject: postcards? - Susan Hedgpeth
Mayor Flaherty and Councilmembers,
Geoff will respond to the correspondence below.
Danielle
From: Susan HEDGPETH <[email protected]>
Sent: Tuesday, April 11, 2023 10:20 PM
To: City Council <[email protected]>
Subject: postcards?
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender.
Hello Mr. Mayor and Councilmembers,
At the meeting on Monday 4/3 (10 days ago) you made a commitment to send postcards to all Pleasant Hill residents, informing them of the district mapping process and inviting them to contribute their thoughts.
My understanding is that there is only one more meeting where comments about communities of interest can be made before the demographer makes his maps -- Monday 4/17 -- which is coming up fast.
Would you please respond and let me know when the postcards were sent out -- I have not yet received one.
Thank you.
Susan Hedgpeth
2212 Lisa Lane
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Danielle Navarro
Sent: Thursday, April 13, 2023 9:01 AM
To: Allen Vinson; Matt Rinn; Susan Noack; Tim Flaherty; Zac Shess Cc: June Catalano; Juanita Davalos; Geoff Gillette; Janet Coleson Subject: upcoming dates for input on district maps - Susan Hedgpeth Mayor Flaherty and Councilmembers,
Geoff will response to the correspondence below.
Danielle
From: Susan HEDGPETH <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, April 12, 2023 7:11 PM
To: City Council <[email protected]>; CityManager <[email protected]> Subject: upcoming dates for input on district maps
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender.
Dear City Councilmembers and City Manager,
I was checking your website for information about the upcoming dates for meetings about the district maps. I'm looking at this page:
https://www.pleasanthillca.org/1557/District-Based-Election-Process I don't see anything about the additional meeting that was agreed upon for May 22. It was my understanding that you had decided on that additional date. If I am correct, please add it.
Also, I believe you are planning to continue the discussion (regarding an ordinance to cover the logistics of future elections?) on June 5 and I don't see that date listed either.
I think all Pleasant Hill residents should be informed of the full scope of this process, from beginning to end, including all the meetings where they can learn more and make comments if they wish.
Thanks for your attention.
Susan Hedgpeth
2212 Lisa Lane
1 Danielle Navarro
From: Danielle Navarro
Sent: Thursday, April 13, 2023 12:33 PM
To: Allen Vinson; Matt Rinn; Susan Noack; Tim Flaherty; Zac Shess Cc: June Catalano; Juanita Davalos; Geoff Gillette; Janet Coleson Subject: District map feedback for city council & demographer - Maya Lane Attachments: supporting images.pdf
From: Maya Lane <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, April 13, 2023 12:30 PM
To: City Council <[email protected]>
Subject: District map feedback for city council & demographer CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender.
Hello, my name is Maya Lane and I am a resident of the Pleasant Valley neighborhood in Pleasant Hill. I would like to provide input on the district boundaries being drawn for the city of Pleasant Hill.
Pleasant Valley is a small close-knit “pocket” neighborhood (sometimes referred to as "Poets Corner adjacent"), bordered by the following streets/landmarks: Astrid Dr. to the North, Esther Dr. to the East, EBMUD trail & North Fork Grayson Creek to the West, and Oak Park Blvd. to the South. Large physical boundaries are North Main St & the 680 freeway to the east and Pleasant Hill Middle School and the new library properties (including a planned park) to the west.
Many houses in my neighborhood have direct access to the EMBUD trail through their backyards and residents frequently access the trail network (to the east of the 680) for dog walking, biking, walking, and to access the library, Pleasant Oaks Park, Pleasant Hill Elementary and Middle School, and downtown Pleasant Hill. Children in the Pleasant Valley neighborhood attend Pleasant Hill Elementary, which is located at the SW border of the Poets Corner neighborhood. We do all our errands, shopping and general day to day activities on the western side of the 680. It’s safe to say the general orientation of the neighborhood is toward the Civic/Park area and Poets Corner neighborhood.
I strongly feel that the Pleasant Valley neighborhood should be placed in a district with the Oak Park Properties Civic/Park area and the Poets Corner neighborhood. I am also strongly against a district that would place Pleasant Valley in a district otherwise completely composed of neighborhoods on the eastern side of the 680 freeway. (I’m referring specifically to a draft map that has been circulating by community members showing Pleasant Valley in an “East” district, placing it with neighborhoods solely to the east of the 680 that share no communities of interest with our neighborhood.) Here’s why I believe Pleasant Valley should share a district with Poet’s Corner and the library/civic/park area, and not be tacked on to a district oriented to the eastern side of the 680 freeway.
2 School:
The children in Pleasant Valley attend Pleasant Hill Elementary, which draws 100% from neighborhoods on the western side of the 680 freeway. Placing Pleasant Valley in a district with Poets Corner would keep our community whole, whereas placing us in a district composed of neighborhoods on the eastern side of the 680 freeway would cut us off from our school community.
Flood Plain
Pleasant Valley is directly adjacent to North Fork Grayson Creek, and is in a high risk flood zone due to its proximity to the creek. This is a huge issue in our neighborhood and in other communities living adjacent to North Fork Grayson creek and Murderers Creek. Many homes in these areas experience disruptive flooding several times a year. This is a community of interest that needs to be placed in the same district so our representation can reflect the whole community that is affected by ongoing flooding due to these creeks. The communities on the Eastern side of the 680 are not in the same high risk flood zone, nor do they live adjacent to these creeks. This is why it is very important we are not separated from the community of interest that is impacted by living in proximity to these creeks.
Development/Planning:
We are directly affected by all development and activities happening (or that will happen) in the Civic & Park project, as well as Pleasant Hill Middle School and at Pleasant Oaks Park. We are one of a few communities impacted by activity coming from those spaces, and would be directly impacted by any developments that would impact the flood plain and/or developments that would increase noise/light pollution, etc.
Any development or changes in those areas will directly impact our neighborhood, therefore the communities adjacent to the new library/park should be in the same district so we share representation at city hall. Separating Pleasant Valley from this community of interest would be detrimental to our ability to have equal say in any development/planning in these areas, and could potentially marginalize our neighborhood. It should be noted that Pleasant Valley does not have any common development/planning interests with the neighborhoods to the Eastern side of the 680 freeway due to the large natural barrier of North Main St. and the freeway.
Please keep my community whole by placing Pleasant Valley in a district with the library/park and Poets Corner where we have many overlapping communities of interest. Please do not separate us from our community.
I have attached a document with the following screenshots:
Pleasant Valley neighborhood + landmarks and outline of communities of interest. Elementary school boundary
High risk flood zone.
Thank you,
Maya Lane
Here’s a map showing the Pleasant Valley neighborhood along with other landmarks. I’ve loosely drawn a line around the communities of interest I described in my letter (other areas could obviously be included, but I think these areas should be in the same district).
See below:
Pleasant Hill elementary attendance zone pulls from southern Pleasant Hill and Northern Walnut Creek. It does not make sense to separate Pleasant Valley from the rest of the school community. See below:
Map showing the flood plain: