<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><HTML><FONT SIZE=2 PTSIZE=10 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0">HI All,<BR>
<BR>
Please help if you can. David Ledesma sent me this about the latest on the SAVE BAREC front.<BR>
<BR>
Merriam<BR>
<BR>
Subj: <B>S.O.S.! </B> <BR>
Date: 6/25/2007 12:29:43 PM Pacific Standard Time <BR>
From: <A HREF="mailto:svtriathlete@hotmail.com">svtriathlete@hotmail.com</A> <BR>
To: <A HREF="mailto:svtriathlete@hotmail.com">svtriathlete@hotmail.com</A> <BR>
<I>Sent from the Internet (Details)</I> <BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
Greetings Friends (Santa Clara residents)-<BR>
On Tuesday evening, June 19, the Santa Clara Mayor and City Council,<BR>
voted unanimously to change the zoning of the 17 acre BAREC property<BR>
on Winchester (at Forest) from agriculture to high density housing.<BR>
The grassroots "Save BAREC" committee mobilized members of the<BR>
community to speak out at the Council meeting to save the property<BR>
by maintaining the zoning as agriculture, and to work with the<BR>
committee to develop a 17 acre organic Urban Farm for the community.<BR>
<BR>
Save BAREC organized over 200 supporters to attend the meeting, and<BR>
the developers sadly manipulated a few dozen elderly citizens to<BR>
support the high density housing development. Before the Council<BR>
vote, well over 100 people filled out speaker cards to give a 2<BR>
minute talk in support of either position. Some 90% of the<BR>
speakers favored maintaining the zoning as agriculture. Speakers<BR>
took to the podium one after another until 2:15am!<BR>
<BR>
Despite the huge outpouring of the community in favor of a 17 acre<BR>
organic Urban Farm at the site, the Mayor and Council voted<BR>
unanimously to change the zoning to make the property available to<BR>
sell to the greedy developers for high density housing, even though<BR>
ValleyFair Mall and Santana Row are planning for expansion, which<BR>
will further complicate traffic problems at an already congested<BR>
area.<BR>
<BR>
Despite this setback, Save BAREC is now planning to place an<BR>
Initiative on the ballot to allow Santa Clara voters to reject the<BR>
Mayor and Council's eager plan to sell out the best interest of<BR>
Santa Clara residents. We must gather about 8,500 signatures of<BR>
eligible Santa Clara voters on our petition to place the initiative<BR>
on the ballot. This must be completed in 3 weeks!<BR>
<BR>
The Petition is being drawn up by our Attorney, then will be sent to<BR>
the printer and we hope will be ready for signatures on Tuesday,<BR>
June 26. For more information on our work you can visit our website<BR>
at http://www.savebarec.org.<BR>
<BR>
Prior to the name "Silicon Valley", Santa Clara Valley was known as<BR>
"The Valley of Hearts Delight", due to the numerous orchards and crops<BR>
grown in the fertile soil that is now covered with concrete and<BR>
asphalt. Let's keep 17 acres of Santa Clara GREEN! Tell the Mayor<BR>
and the Council that you want the BAREC property to stay zoned<BR>
agriculture and to plan for an organic Urban Farm for our community.<BR>
S.O.S. - "Save Our Soil".<BR>
<BR>
Please spread the word about this important issue to orgs that may<BR>
have registered Santa Clara voters , and visit our website for<BR>
further information. Thank You. -D.<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
http://www.savebarec.org<BR>
P L E A S E D I S T R I B U T E W I D E L Y!!!<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
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