Blair Park/Moraga Canyon Signs Try to Influence City Council
The Piedmont City Council should be honored by the extensive campaigns to win their favor and vote. Given the great polarization on the issue of whether or not to develop Blair Park, perhaps it is time to allow all citizens of Piedmont to express their preference on this consequential project in the privacy of the voting booth rather than leaving the decision to five people, the members of the City Council.
The campaigns for and against the Moraga Canyon/Blair Park sports facility have been enthusiastic on both sides. The pro group has been very active tapping sports families for support. The con group has worked up a growing constituency through advocacy. There are slogans, T-shirts, mailings, websites and yard signs. One set of signs, printed in green and lavender with white lettering proclaims, “Support the Gift Blair Park improve Moraga Canyon… save 330 www.blairpark.org”. The signs opposing the development, printed in black lettering on a white field with orange and yellow hills, state, “Save Moraga Canyon moragacanyon.org”.
Presumably, each homeowner with a sign feels strongly and wants to make their support or opposition public. Some signs are placed to support friends with strong feelings. There have even been reports to PCA of uninvited advocacy signs appearing suddenly in yards to the surprise of homeowners. Enthusiasm or concern seems to have reached a new level on each side of the Moraga Canyon/Blair Park issue.
The homes without any signs are in the vast majority. A civic solution to Blair Park could be found through a citywide election on the matter.
This is a huge impact on all Piedmont residents and as such it should be put to a vote. For instance, who is responsible for maintanence, insurance, additional police and saftely issues? Traffic will be impacted long terms and only get worse over time. I do not see these issues being addressed only the pro attitude of more sports facilities being a plus.
This is a tremendous loss of the last open space in Piedmont, all without a vote.