GREE NBE LTACTION

The  Bay Area ’s Advocate for Open Spaces & Vibrant Places Since 1958 Summer  2008

A Lasting Vision for a

Sustainable Metropolis
Greenbelt Alliance’s
Past and Future
By Jennifer Gennari
Communications Associate

In the pursuit of making the San Francisco

Bay Area a truly sustainable metropolis,
Greenbelt Alliance employs regional think-
Mike Kahn / www.kahncious.net

ing, agenda-setting research, and local action.

This winning formula is the legacy of a few
determined and bright rabble-rousers who
started it all.

Napa County has remained a region of farms and vineyards, in large part because of Roots in Housing
visionary policies. Measure J, the pioneering initiative backed by Greenbelt Alliance founder
“Well, it never began with open space, you
Dorothy Erskine and others, faces renewal in November as Measure P.
know. It began with slums, as far as I was
Napa’s Groundbreaking Preservation Measure concerned. That’s where it began.”
—Dorothy Erskine
Vote in November to Save Measure J The remarkable history of Greenbelt Alli-
ance really begins 70 years ago, 20 years before
By Nicole Byrd the Agricultural Preserve. Bay Area activist it was founded. In 1938, housing advocate
Field Representative Dorothy Erskine and vintner Jack Davies Dorothy Ward Erskine surveyed the living
spearheaded the creation of the preserve, conditions in San Francisco’s Chinatown. Her
When you visit Napa County, you notice which resulted in an ordinance that protected report on the need for good low-cost hous-
something special. The cities are not sand- hills and the Napa Valley floor. (Ten years ing introduced her to a group of crusading
wiched together, with each right on top of earlier, Erskine had founded Citizens for
the next. Instead, hills and vineyards separate Regional Recreation and Parks, which later
the cities. This is largely due to Measure J, became Greenbelt Alliance.) The preserve
which has shaped the landscape of Napa became the foundation for land-use planning
County by protecting agricultural land and in Napa County.
directing development into the county’s five “The Ag Preserve was really a moral and
cities, where it belongs. economic decision,” said Volker Eisele,
Measure P, which will “Save Measure J,” Greenbelt Alliance Board member from
will be on the November ballot. Local voters 1977 to 2007. “It set the course for Napa
will have the opportunity to renew this land- County to be pro-agriculture.” Eisele, the
mark initiative, which has been protecting the Napa County Farm Bureau, and others
county for 18 years. The initiative will extend were part of the successful campaign to pass
farm protections for another 50 years. Measure J in 1990, when voters reaffirmed
John Erskine

their commitment to local agriculture.

The Agricultural Preserve Greenbelt Alliance is advocating for the
Napa Valley has a long tradition of agri- measure’s renewal in November. Dorothy Erskine, Greenbelt Alliance founder
cultural preservation. It started in 1968 with continued on page 6 continued on page 7

greenbelt alliance 1 Summer 2008

 members’ Place
A Bay Area Family Gives Back
LOPA PAL
MA JOR GIFTS ASSOCIATE
The Holloways, both lifelong Bay Area
residents, have been generous donors to
Greenbelt Alliance for several years. Maurice
Holloway is the former CEO of Cornnuts
Inc., a family-owned business, and his wife
Jan had an art gallery specializing in the
work of California artists.
Q: You’re natives of the Bay Area. Where
did you choose to raise your family?
Maurice and Jan Holloway (left, second and third row) with their four children and families. With
deep roots in the Bay Area, the Holloway family is a strong supporter of Greenbelt Alliance.
upcoming events
Wednesday, September 10
Greenbelt Alliance 50th
Anniversary Celebration
Enjoy delicious food and wine from
the greenbelt as we celebrate Greenbelt
Alliance’s 50th anniversary at the Herbst
International Exhibition Hall at the Presidio
in San Francisco. RSVP to Lopa Pal at (415)
543-6771 or lpal@greenbelt.org.
Sunday, September 28
Tarantula Trek
A 19th-century explorer described
tarantulas as “possessing fangs the size of a
greenbelt alliance
Maurice Holloway (MH): Jan and
I attended high school in San Leandro,
went to Cal Berkeley, and then lived in
Alameda while I was in the Navy. Later,
we moved to Hayward and then Lafayette.
But we had always hankered to be in San
Francisco. We moved here in 1964. We
were motivated by the city’s rich mixture
of ethnicities, big city sophistication, and
compact geography.
Q : How did you get involved with
Greenbelt Alliance?
rattlesnake’s, and delivering a bite generally
considered fatal!” Fact or fiction? Join us on
a hike to discover the truth about Mount
Diablo’s giant spiders. We’ll also learn about
local Greenbelt Alliance campaigns to protect
open space for people and arachnids.
Saturday, October 25
Sunset at Point Bonita
Experience the wild edge of the continent
on this special sunset tour of the historic
Point Bonita Lighthouse in the Marin Head-
lands. The trail passes through a hand-carved
tunnel and over a suspension bridge. ■
2 Summer 2008
MH: Being unaware of Greenbelt Alli-
ance would be nearly impossible given its
fifty-year activist history. Moreover, Jan
was acquainted with Dorothy Erskine, the
founder, and we were motivated by our gen-
eral awareness of Greenbelt’s activities.
Q : You have four children, and five
grandchildren: What do you think is most
relevant for families about Greenbelt Alli-
ance’s work?
MH: Perhaps the most significant is the
effort to minimize sprawl through infilling
and urban growth boundaries. Also, if kids
can reach school and parks with an easy walk
or bike ride, that’s good for them and their
parents. It also helps minimize automobile
travel, which is better for the climate.
Q: When you have a free weekend, where
do you like to go in the Bay Area?
MH: We are fortunate to have had a
weekend place in West Marin for the past
14 years. We chose West Marin because so
much of it remains in the public domain:
Mount Tamalpais, Stinson Beach, Samuel
P. Taylor State Park, and the Point Reyes
National Seashore. Marin County retains
more of the open space that attracts people
to the Bay Area.
Q: Why is it important to get the next
generation involved with Greenbelt Alli-
ance?
MH: The Bay Area has benefitted greatly
from the foresight, sensitivity, and dedica-
tion of citizens and planners over the past
75 years. The next 75 years will be equally
challenging—if not more so.  ■
Intern Appreciation
Emeline Audrezet, East Bay Media and Policy
Intern ■ Sophie Dosick, East Bay Media and
Policy Intern ■ Jessica Garcia, Compact
Development Team Intern ■ Anne Greenley,
Grants Intern ■ Heather Hooper, East Bay
Media and Policy Intern ■ Kristal Ip, Regional
Policy Intern ■ Alex Lew, Communications
Intern ■ Michael McGunagle, GIS Intern
■ Marian Pierce, Green Vision Intern ■
Samantha Robinson, East Bay Media
and Policy Intern ■ Nora Zappas, Livable
Communities Outreach Intern  ■
Homes that Make a Neighborhood
Speak Up for Good Development
By Marla Wilson
Sustainable Development Associate
When a bad development is proposed
in your town, you know it’s important to
go to City Hall and speak up in protest.
But what about using that same passion to
support a good proposal?
One of the reasons developers like to
build on open space is that there are fewer
people living nearby who will oppose it.
When developers propose to build in exist-
ing communities—a better alternative to
sprawl—too often, the only reaction from
people nearby is opposition.
Good development projects need recog-
nition and active support.
The Compact Development Team
That’s where Greenbelt Alliance’s Com-
pact Development Team comes in. This
team of volunteers researches development
proposals and endorses those that are mod-
els of how the Bay Area should grow.
“It’s great when groups like
Greenbelt Alliance help make
good projects like 33 San
Pablo a reality.”
—Greg Brockbank,
San Rafael Councilmember
By speaking up in support of good
development—writing letters and testifying
at local hearings—the team is expanding
the meaning of environmentalism.
Projects around the Bay
Despite the housing market slowdown,
the Compact Development Team has
recently endorsed several proposals.
In Marin, San Rafael’s 33 San Pablo
is next to the Marin Civic Center. It will
provide 82 homes close to jobs and give
residents the opportunity to walk or bike
to work. Parking will be tucked away
underground, and bus lines are nearby.
Thanks to San Rafael’s inclusionary hous-
greenbelt alliance
McLarand Vasquez Emsiek & Partners, Inc.
Greenbelt Alliance’s Compact Development Team endorses projects that are models for the
Bay Area, including this proposal in Walnut Creek, which is next to a BART station.
ing ordinance, 20% of the homes will be Get Involved
reserved for low-income residents, too. To find out more about Greenbelt Alli-
The San Rafael City Council approved ance’s compact development endorsement
33 San Pablo in June. “It’s great when program, go to www.greenbelt.org and click
groups like Greenbelt Alliance help make on “What We Do.” To get involved, contact
good projects like 33 San Pablo a reality,” Marla Wilson at (415) 543-6771 or at
said San Rafael Councilmember Greg mwilson@greenbelt.org.  ■
Brockbank. “Without well-designed infill
development, we’ll never be able to protect Summer Urban Outing
Marin’s beautiful natural areas and build
San Jose’s North First Street corri­
homes for our growing population.”
dor, currently home to sprawling
In the South Bay, Greenbelt Alliance
office parks, will be transformed
endorsed 121 North San Mateo Drive,
with up to 32,000 new homes and
with 33 new homes a short walk from San
83,000 new jobs, as well as parks,
Mateo’s downtown Caltrain station and
bike lanes, plazas, and widened
near several bus routes along El Camino
sidewalks, all near the light rail
Real. This proximity to transit meant the
line. Join us to explore this area’s
development could scale back its parking.
potential!
San Mateo policies will also ensure that
10% of the homes will be affordable.
What: Urban Outing
In the East Bay, the Walnut Creek Transit
Village proposal is currently under envi- Where: North First Street, San Jose
ronmental review. Endorsed by Greenbelt When: Saturday, August 16
Alliance in May, this project will replace Co-Hosts: Greenbelt Alliance, The
vast parking lots with a vibrant new com- City of San Jose Redevelopment
munity of 600 homes next to the Walnut Agency, and the Great Com­
Creek BART station. Shops and outside munities Collaborative.
dining will add life to a new pedestrian plaza
Info: mwilson@greenbelt.org or
connecting the BART station to downtown,
(415) 543-6771
featuring views of Mount Diablo.
3 Summer 2008
 Around the Greenbelt

Stopping sprawl and spurring smart growth through­out the Bay Area

South Bay victories, the City of Pittsburg then decided in May to stop all work
Santa Clara & San Mateo Counties on the ordinance. In another attempt to develop the hills, the City
is hoping to extend water and sewage to these hillsides even though
Michele Beasley they are outside city boundaries. Greenbelt Alliance is closely moni-
south bay toring the Council’s
field representative actions
and will
The City of San Jose continues to work on green components for push for a
its General Plan, with a proposed city-wide green building policy better hillside
and measurable standards for sustainable development. While ordinance that
supporting these initiatives, Greenbelt Alliance is also urging San will preserve these h
Jose to be truly green by designing the city for people instead of striking hills once h
cars, one of their stated goals. and for all.
In contrast to San Jose’s embrace of development within its On the other side of the
borders, Morgan Hill is about to swell its city size. The city is ridgeline, the deadline to finalize
proposing to open up 1,200 acres of farmland for sports and a re-use plan for the Concord
recreational buildings, and other development. This land is on Naval Weapons Station has been
the east side of town near San Martin, a community that is extended to January 2009. Through-
pursuing incorporation, which could also open a large area of
working farms to development (see page 6). Both proposals will
out the summer, Greenbelt Alliance
is commenting on the Draft Environ-
h
go before the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO). mental Impact Report and engaging
Unfortunately, although LAFCOs are charged with preventing public participation in workshops
sprawl and protecting farmland, this particular commission is and meetings. Our goal is to get the
likely to approve the proposals. Greenbelt Alliance will continue City to approve a plan that protects the
advocating for tighter city boundaries. majority of the former base as open space
On the June ballot, San Mateo County’s Measure O, known and creates walkable neighborhoods.
as Parks for the Future, was the second attempt in as many years San Ramon’s attempt to grab the Tassajara Valley
to secure a dedicated funding stream for city and county parks. in southern Contra Costa County remains a critical
Unfortunately, despite a strong campaign with numerous endorse- challenge to the county-wide, voter-approved urban limit
ments including Greenbelt Alliance’s, Measure O did not pass, line. Greenbelt Alliance and partners halted one proposed
getting 60% of the vote, not the two-thirds vote it needed. expansion into the valley in February. We are continuing to
gather support to keep it off-limits to development since the
TAKE ACTION! proposal is expected to return this year.
If you live in Morgan Hill and don’t want to bring more land h
into the city unnecessarily, please contact Michele Beasley at TAKE ACTION!
mbeasley@greenbelt.org or (408) 983-0856. Voice your preference for smart growth and open space protec-
tion at the Concord Naval Weapons Station. Attend the August
2 workshop at 9 a.m. at 2727 Parkside Circle in Concord.
East Bay
Contra Costa & Alameda Counties
New! Marin Office
Christina Wong Greenbelt Alliance is pleased to announce the open­
east bay ing of our fifth field office, located in San Rafael. New
field representative field representative Nathan Johnson will focus on Marin
County, with some support to Sonoma County as well.
Greenbelt Alliance’s campaign to protect the majestic Pittsburg
hills from imminent development continues to be challenging. In The San Rafael office will begin by promoting a wider
April, the Pittsburg City Council agreed to strengthen the toothless variety of housing and transportation choices in Marin,
hillside ordinance that Greenbelt Alliance strongly opposed. Greenbelt to complement and support the county’s success at pre­
Alliance and allies also successfully convinced the City that a full envi- serving farmland and open space.  ■
ronmental impact report was needed. Unfortunately, after these minor

greenbelt alliance 4 Summer 2008

 Sonoma & Marin counties
Daisy Pistey-Lyhne
sonoma- marin
field Representative
The SMART (Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit) train has taken
off from the station! In late July, the SMART Board voted to place
a measure on the November ballot that will help fund a train line
for Sonoma and Marin counties. Greenbelt Alliance is working
to see this measure pass to create a transportation alternative for
the North Bay. Public transit will help provide more options to
heavily trafficked Highway 101 and will create focal points
for compact development, reducing pressure on open
space and farmlands.
After years of deliberations, the final draft of the
Sonoma County General Plan will be coming before
the Board of Supervisors on September 9. Greenbelt
h
Alliance is advocating for stronger policies in the plan
to protect the climate, the county’s water resources,
h and open space, including lands that act as com-
munity separators around Cloverdale, Petaluma
Hill Road, the Laguna de Santa Rosa, and the
Sonoma Valley.
hh TAKE ACTION!
Tell Sonoma County Supervisors to adopt
stronger climate policies and protect community
separators to ensure a healthy environment for
h the region. Write to gcarr@sonoma-county.org.
Solano & Napa
Counties
Nicole Byrd
solano -napa
h field representative
As it stands now, the updated
h Solano County General Plan
h could allow more than 30,000
acres of farmland to be paved
over in the next 20 years—a
larger area than the entire city
of Fairfield! In addition to the loss of farmland,
the plan’s environmental impacts will include worse traffic, worse
air quality, and inadequate water supplies. That’s why Greenbelt
Alliance and our allies have hired a top legal team to point out
the plan’s fatal flaws and persuaded the State Attorney General to
write a letter to Solano County to tell it to improve its General
Plan. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that the pro-sprawl Board of
Supervisors will try to improve the plan. Greenbelt Alliance is
greenbelt alliance
mobilizing Solano residents to speak up for a better vision for
the county’s future.
In Fairfield, the City Council is considering moving a proposed
Amtrak train station from a poor site on the edge of town to an
even worse one further afield. The new site is known for its vernal
pools and endangered species. Greenbelt Alliance is advocating
for a better site to both preserve wildlife and help Fairfield take
advantage of this rare transit opportunity.
In Napa County, Greenbelt Alliance is gearing up for the
“Save Measure J” initiative on the November ballot to extend
the county’s successful agricultural protections for another 50
years (see story page 1).
TAKE ACTION!
Contact Nicole Byrd at nicole@greenbelt.org to help fix the
Solano General Plan before the Board of Supervisors adopts
this blueprint for disaster.
Region-Wide
Stephanie Reyes
Senior Policy Advocate
On June 26, the California Air Resources Board released its
draft plan for implementing AB32, California’s landmark climate
change bill. The draft plan includes reduction of the number
of miles Californians drive in their cars as a core strategy for
reducing greenhouse gas pollution.
This is great news, because it is an opportunity to improve
the state’s development patterns. The best way to reduce driving
is to build compact communities where people can easily walk,
bike, or take transit instead of having to drive.
The next step is to ensure that the final version of the plan (to
be released in October) includes these recommendations:
■ Invest in climate-friendly growth. All state capital programs
should focus their resources to reward walkable, transit-
oriented developments that are light on the climate.
■ Plan regionally for emissions reductions. Each region
of California should be assigned a target to use land and
transportation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and develop
a blueprint for growth to achieve the target.
■ Offset the climate impacts of high-emission growth. New
developments should be required to calculate the greenhouse
gas emissions of their project—including those from antici-
pated car trips. Developments with high emissions should
offset their impacts above a certain threshold.
TAKE ACTION!
Write to the California Air Resources Board and ask them to
include these policy priorities in the Final Scoping Plan. Email
your comments to ccplan@arb.ca.gov. ■
5 Summer 2008
San Martin Pursues City Status
By Michele Beasley
Field Representative
San Martin, just south of Silicon Valley,
is a rural community between the sprawling
cities of Morgan Hill and Gilroy. Horses
and chickens abound on small farms dotted
throughout the area. And while this bucolic
setting has lured many residents here, their
quest to preserve their natural environment
could be the very thing to unravel this small
town’s charm.
Having already organized around issues
such as perchlorate-contaminated wells,
residents of San Martin have been gearing
up for a bigger campaign—to become a city.
Nearly 7,000 people live in this part of Santa
Clara County and they see incorporation
as an opportunity to take control over their
Some residents of San Martin, an unincorporated area in Santa Clara County, want San
­Martin to become a city; unfortunately, they also want to include acres of farms, hills, and
other open space (including this golf course) in the city limits.
destiny and to better protect local farms
and open space.
Too-Big Boundary
But the boundary line drawn by pro-
ponents includes the entire valley floor
between Morgan Hill and Gilroy. They do
not want urban services—so as to restrict
growth—and yet do not want to disenfran-
chise any residents, hence the expansive
boundary lines. If they are successful in
achieving cityhood, however, they will need
greenbelt alliance
to take on the responsibility of collecting
taxes and providing services. And in a time
when many larger cities are struggling to
balance their budgets, it is doubtful San
Martin can maintain its no-growth ideals
amid intense development pressures and
residents’ needs.
Greenbelt Alliance opposes incorporation
because, not only has the community stated
it doesn’t wish to grow, the expansive bound-
ary line does not encourage city-centered
growth and includes working farms and
open space. When the new city is faced with
developers’ offers of community amenities, it
might be all too easy to start developing.
SPRAWL POTENTIAL
Because of the expansive city limits,
that development could happen at all four
corners of San Martin, eating up precious
working farms and community buffers
before ever focusing on the downtown core,
close to this community’s Caltrain station.
This is a recipe for a sprawl nightmare.
While the grassroots organization and
determination of local incorporation
advocates is admirable, their endeavor is a
cautionary tale of biting off more than a new
city can chew. Greenbelt Alliance is work-
ing with a growing group of San Martin
residents to oppose incorporation.  ■
6 Summer 2008
Save Measure J
continued from page 1
A Strong Measure
Measure J requires voter approval to
change any land designated as “Agricultural
Resource” or “Agricultural Watershed/
Open Space” to any other land-use des-
ignation. Requiring voter approval means
that the community gets to weigh in on
important development decisions.
The new initiative, called Measure P, is
identical to the original Measure J with
three additions. First, it extends the original
Measure J for 50 years. Additionally, the
new measure allows the County to meet
state-mandated affordable housing laws,
and it maintains the 160-acre minimum
parcel size, protecting the watershed lands
from being subdivided and developed.
Founder’s Reach
This year marks two anniversaries of
Dorothy Erskine’s forward-thinking work.
Greenbelt Alliance is celebrating its 50th
anniversary, and Napa is celebrating the
40th anniversary of the Agricultural Pre-
serve. Erskine, who died in 1982, inspires
much of the work that Greenbelt Alliance
engages in. “She was an incredible motivator
and was always working to make things
better,” said Eisele.
Erskine would be happy to know that
Napa’s farmland is still intact, thanks to
Measure J.
To make sure it stays that way for
decades to come, visit www.greenbelt.
org and click on Napa on the Bay Area
map.  ■
Victory! Prop 98 defeated;
Prop 99 passes
Proposition 98 on the June ballot,
which presented a grave threat to
Greenbelt Alliance’s work to protect
open spaces and create vibrant com­
munities, was handily defeated by
61% of voters. This resounding defeat
should send Prop 98’s backers pack­
ing. Proposition 99, the community-
friendly alternative measure, passed
by a similar margin. Thank you for
making this victory possible—all your
phone calls, emails, and donations
made it happen!
 History
continued from page 1
planners, including T.J. “Jack” Kent, and a
powerful partnership was formed.
Together, Erskine and Kent went on
to establish the San Francisco’s Housing
Authority, the San Francisco Planning and
Urban Research Association, and what was
to become Greenbelt Alliance.
Regional Thinking
“There is no other metropolitan region in the
USA that has ever said there ought to be a
big permanent greenbelt around its existing
system of central cities.” —Jack Kent
In 1958, Erskine and Kent invited friends
and advocates to Erskine’s home to discuss
a looming battle over 6,500 acres around
San Pablo Reservoir. The 12 activists united
to form Citizens for Regional Recreation
and Parks (CRRP). Their victories were
decisive: they saved the San Pablo watershed,
and helped preserve Angel Island, Napa
vineyards, and the Marin Headlands.
Erskine’s push for a regional vision fueled
the alliances CRRP made during those years.
“Dorothy always played a unique role as a
citizen volunteer, linking the professionals
about us
Central Office
631 Howard Street, Suite 510
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 543-6771
info@greenbelt.org www.greenbelt.org
South Bay Office
1922 The Alameda, Suite 213
San Jose, CA 95126
(408) 983-0856 mbeasley@greenbelt.org
East Bay Office
1601 N. Main St., Suite 105
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
(925) 932-7776 cwong@greenbelt.org
Solano-Napa Office
1652 West Texas St., Suite 163
Fairfield, CA 94533
(707) 427-2308 nicole@greenbelt.org
Sonoma office
555 5th St., Suite 300 B
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
(707) 575-3661 daisypl@greenbelt.org
Marin Office
30 N. San Pedro Rd., Suite 285
San Rafael, CA 94903
(415) 491-4993 njohnson@greenbelt.org
greenbelt alliance
and the intellectuals to the citizens and their
political leaders,” Kent said.
CRRP published the influential Regional
Exchange newsletter and persuaded the Asso-
ciation of Bay Area Governments to form a
regional plan. Through the 70s and 80s, as the
nonprofit People for Open Space, it pushed
for a regional agency to protect the greenbelt.
By the time the group became Greenbelt
Alliance in 1988, it was renowned for regional
planning and coalition-building—today that
continues with efforts like the Great Com-
munities Collaborative, dedicated to creating
a region of vibrant neighborhoods.
Action Research
“If you don’t have facts you can trust, you can’t
make decisions.” —Dorothy Erskine
Over the years, Greenbelt Alliance research
has won respect. “Understanding issues and
then communicating that knowledge as
policy proposals and as powerful information
has been a strong hallmark of Greenbelt
Alliance,” said Larry Orman, who served as
its first executive director for 20 years.
Greenbelt Alliance has published more
than 30 reports, from the landmark The
Case for Open Space (1969) and the farm-
our mission: To make the nine-county San Francisco
Bay Area a better place to live by protecting the region’s
greenbelt and improving the ­livability of its cities and towns.
We work through public policy development, advocacy, and
education, in partnership with diverse coalitions.
Staff
Jeremy Madsen Executive Director
Alexis Amann Office Manager
Michele Beasley Field Represen­tative
Chuck Binckley Systems Administrator
Troy Blair Membership Associate
Amanda Brown-Stevens Field Director
Nicole Byrd Field Represen­tative
Jennifer Gennari Communications Associate
Nathan Johnson Field Representative
Carey Knecht Policy Research Director
Miriam Kronberg Director of Finance & Administration
Ingrid Lassleben Executive Assistant
Ken Lavin Outings & Volunteer Coordinator
Danny Margolis Staff Accountant
Ernie Notar Development Director
Lopamudra Pal Major Gifts Associate
Daisy Pistey-Lyhne Field Represen­tative
Stephanie Reyes Senior Policy Advocate
Elizabeth Stampe Commu­nica­tions Director
Marla Wilson Sustainable Development Associate
Christina Wong Field Represen­tative
Founder Dorothy Erskine (1896–1982)
7 Summer 2008
land study Endangered Harvest (1978) to
its groundbreaking housing report Room
Enough (1982) and its award-winning Bay
Area Smart Growth Scorecard (2006). Today’s
research continues to focus on smart growth
and conservation strategies, which are all the
more critical in the face of climate change.
Acting Locally
“We helped in whatever ways we could to
support many locally led open space preser-
vation actions.” —Jack Kent
Although the greenbelt wasn’t saved with
a single pen stroke, the founders realized
the pressure they had been putting on local
governments was yielding tangible results.
Greenbelt Alliance field representatives
were making the difference, and still do today.
They mobilize people to speak at hearings
and write letters, and they work with planners
and elected leaders. “Our ability and focus
on the local level makes us special, and it’s
the reason we’re now opening a fifth office in
San Rafael,” said Jeremy Madsen, Greenbelt
Alliance’s current executive director.
In the spirit of its forward-thinking fore-
bears, Greenbelt Alliance is advancing a
sustainable vision for the Bay Area.  ■
Board of Directors
Jean McCown President
Jake Mackenzie Vice President
W. Anderson Barnes Vice President
Michele Stratton Vice President
David Azevedo Secretary-Treasurer
Nancy Adler
John Chapman
William D. Evers, Jr.
Mort Fleishhacker
Donna Gerber
Jon Harvey
Mike Howe
Robert E. Johnson
Deepak Kamlani
Dan Kingsley
Duane Kromm
Craig Lundin
Charles F. McGlashan
Sandra Y. Nathan
Michele Perrault
Margaret Spaulding
Dee Swanhuyser
Laney Thornton
Vivian Fei Tsen
Wells Whitney
Gary Williams
Michelle Yesney
 Hall, San Francisco
Herbst International Exhibition
Wednesday, September 10
Come to our 50th party!

Change service requested

S a n F r a n c i s c o, CA 9 4 1 0 5
631 Howard Street, Suite 510

San Francisco, CA
Permit No.9294
U.S. Postage Paid
Nonprofit organization

inside action:

Napa County’s Measure P Our History of Regional

will Save Measure J Thinking and local action

(Page 1) (Page 1)

Good Developments can When Becoming

make a neighborhood a City is Bad

(Page 3) (Page 6)

Bluegrass for the Greenbelt

Photo: Mike Melnyk

Under sunny skies at Oakland’s Dunsmuir Estate, the bluegrass

bands at our benefit concert had everybody on their feet.

greenbelt alliance 8 Summer 2008