Laurel Neighborhood News

by Kathleen Rolinson and John Frando

Bay Breads Bakery Campaign

In a survey that the Laurel Village Association conducted in early 2005, a quality bakery topped the list of new businesses that area residents wanted in the Laurel commercial district. Laurel resident Mark Baldwin, communications director of a nonprofit equity capital company that invests in affordable rental housing throughout California, was reading the San Francisco Business Times and saw an opportunity. Bay Bread bakery owner, Pascal Rigo, wanted to expand his bakery of French-inspired breads and pastries into the East Bay in 2006. With the encouragement of the Laurel Village Association, Mark began a campaign to bring a Bay Bread retail bakery to the Laurel.

Mark teamed up with graphic designer Tom Klump to create a marketing brochure tailored to entrepreneurs like Mr. Rigo, with updated demographic information and available retail space in the Laurel. Mark also started a postcard campaign to deliver to Mr. Rigo over 400 signatures indicating strong support for bringing Bay Bread bakery to the Laurel. Look for postcard boxes at Laurel Ace Hardware, Oakland Veterinary Hospital, Laurel Book Store, Full House Cafe, Phnom Penh Restaurant, Kidz 'N Dance Theater Arts, and World Ground Café.

Campaign volunteers plan to make a presentation to Mr. Rigo in December.

Halloween Décor Contest

This Halloween, five Laurel residents and one business won prizes in the Laurel Village Association's Halloween Décor Contest. Laurel Ace Hardware and Albertsons donated prizes. See the winners on the Web site at www.LaurelVillage.org.

More Daffodils in the Laurel

Stella Lamb and a team of volunteers decided that they could not wait for Caltrans to clear weeds and litter along the freeway ramps at 35th Avenue. In early November, with shovels, rakes, wood chips, and 1,000 daffodil bulbs donated by the City of Oakland, they spruced up this gateway to the Laurel District.

The Laurel at Envisioning MacArthur Boulevard

On November 5 at Mills College, Councilmember Jean Quan hosted Envisioning MacArthur Boulevard "Planning Community Growth for the Next 30 Years." The conference brought together developers, city planners, community development experts, and over 200 residents of the Dimond, Bret Harte, and Laurel neighborhoods to discuss land-use planning along the major transportation and commercial corridor.

The area has seen significant recent change. The Laurel, in particular, has seen construction of Laurel streetscape improvements and passage of the Laurel Business Improvement District.

High-density residential and mixed-use development brought about by anticipated changes to zoning ordinances and increasing developer interest in the area could transform MacArthur Boulevard. Mixing new housing with retail, commercial, and office uses could create urban spaces where residents could walk to their favorite eateries and shops. Increased property and sales-tax base and special assessments on developers and residents could fund new amenities like parks and libraries.

Laurel District participants bemoaned past city planning policy, which left them with no neighborhood public park, recreational center, or library.

"I would like city planners and the City Council to have a plan in place to fund new public amenities in the Laurel before they contemplate allowing more high density residential development," voiced a Laurel resident.

Councilmember Quan will release a final document of the conference outcome on her Web site, www.JeanQuan.org.

Contact Kathleen at Krolinson\@gmail.com or John at Jfrando\@gmail.com.