Lisa Quan Q&A: Fremont Planning Commission (1/12/2009)

Brian Chang: Why did you move to Fremont?
Lisa Quan: I was born and raised in the Bay Area. I moved to Fremont because I believe that this city has a lot of potential for growth and is very hospitable to family life at the same time.

Brian Chang: Should A's move to Pacific Commons or Warm Springs BART Station? Why?
Lisa Quan: I would like to make our very best efforts to bring the A's to Fremont and turn this city into a major destination point. Therefore, while I prefer to see the project in the Pacific Commons area because it is more remote from single-family residential units, I am not foreclosed to the Warm Srpings option by any means. However, in the event that is the Pacific Commons area is not feasible, we should look carefully at the Warm Springs area and make creative efforts to make that choice happen.

Brian Chang: How are you going to address traffic, school, parking, and crime at the A's Ballpark Village?
Lisa Quan: I believe that these factors can all be handled successfully through the use of careful evaluation and creative planning.

Brian Chang: Do you think that the A's will move to Fremont? Why? How about San Jose?
Lisa Quan: I am very optimistic about the A's moving to Fremont because I have seen many presentations given by Lew Wolff and his team and believe that Fremont fits the A's criteria. I know that a move to San Jose has been discussed as an alternative but I do not think that San Jose is a good fit for the A's.

Brian Chang: What do you want to see Fremont in the future?
Lisa Quan: I would like to see more venues that would attract people from all age groups thereby increasing tax revenues for the city. I especially would certainly like to see a substantial boost to high-end retail and restaurants.

Brian Chang: How are you going to solve Global Warming?
Lisa Quan: Everyone is confronted with the problem of global warming. Therefore, each of us will have to make changes in our lives such as looking to more mass transportation, to alternative fuel sources and monitoring our carbon footprints.

Brian Chang: Do you think Fremont is well designed? Why?
Lisa Quan: While projects such as the Pacific Commons are successfully designed, Fremont certainly has room for more improvement.

Brian Chang: Do you think Fremont needs more recreation like Sport Center and Performance Art Center?
Lisa Quan: Since many people travel to other cities for recreation, I think that a sports center will keep residents in town and attract others as well. In general, Fremont needs more places where people can shop, watch sports games, watch movies, and live performances, dine and play.

Brian Chang: What do you think of the Creekside Landing shopping center? What types of retail do you want to see inside the shopping center? Should they open big box stores?
Lisa Quan: I would like to see more movie theaters, clothing stores, restaurants and other non big-box retail in that area.

Brian Chang: Should Fremont retain bedroom community feel or a big city? Why?
Lisa Quan: Fremont now has over 200,000 residents and is the fourth largest city in California. As such, it simply is not practical to attempt to keep it a bedroom community. People need recreational places, shopping and dining within the city limists rather than just having a place to come home to after work. Now, most people drive to San Jose or Palo Alto in search of interesting restaurants and attractive retail stores. This impacts this city's tax revenues, the number of jobs within the city and fuel expenses for the residents.

If you wish to support Lisa Quan, please write or send an e-mail to Mayor Bob Wasserman at 3300 Capitol Avenue, Fremont, CA 94538 or bwasserman@ci.fremont.ca.us.

Fremont Planning Commission

I urge you to support Lisa Quan's appointment to the Fremont Planning Commission. She is supportive of the A's move to Fremont. She hopes to see more places in Fremont where people can live, shop, dine and play. She is the new president of Citizens for Better Community, is an officer of the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association (APAPA), Bay Area Chapter, sits on the board of Vision New America, a member of the Fremont Rotary and a board member of the Exchange Club of San Jose. Lisa is dedicated to the care of Fremont.

If you wish to support Lisa, please write or send an e-mail to Mayor Bob Wasserman at 3300 Capitol Avenue, Fremont, CA 94538 or bwasserman@ci.fremont.ca.us.

2009 update

Capitol Avenue Downtown Project
TMG Partners will present their Capitol Avenue plans/alternatives early next year, likely in April.

Creekside Landing Retail
The Planning Commission is tentatively scheduled to consider the project on Jan. 8.

To consider a Conditional Use Permit, Vesting Tentative Tract Map 7994 with a minor modification, and Preliminary Grading Plan for development of a 487,000 square regional shopping center on 59 acres of a 147 acre site located at the southern terminus of Fremont Boulevard, north of the Dixion Landing interchange and west of Interstate 880 in the Industrial Planning Area. An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) has been prepared and circulated for this project pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act.


Fremont Times Square
Under Construction

Oakland A's Ballpark Village
1) Now through Late Spring 2009: City and consultant team conduct preliminary environmental review, prepare Draft EIR (Environmental Impact Report)
2) Late Spring 2009: City mails public Notice of Availability of Draft EIR; begin 45 day circulation period for public and agency review and comment. Draft EIR available at City Hall, branch libraries, and online at http://www.fremont.gov/Community/BallparkVillage/default.htm
3) Summer 2009: City and consultant team prepares Responses to Comments, addressing comments received on the Draft EIR
4) Fall 2009: Planning Commission EIR certification hearing

Fremont Bank Aqua Adventure Water Park
Sneek Peek May 16th
Open Weekends Starting Saturday May 23rd
Grand Opening on 24-26, 2009

Hastings Mixed-Use
Because of issues with the one commercial space not being visible from the street as well as the dispute over the color scheme staff recommended delaying approval until January 8, 2009.

The Globe
Unknown

Centerville Unified Site
The new project now includes about 35,000 square feet of rental retail space along Fremont Boulevard, with as many as 300 residential rental apartments and live-work units.

Blake Hunt Ventures and BRE Properties are expected to submit project details to the city by February.

Warm Springs BART Station
1) Subway construction to begin mid-2009
2) Line, Track, Station, and Systems final design and construction to begin early 2010
3) Commencement of revenue service June 2014

Summerhill Project
A new proposal for a big housing complex at State Street and Walnut Avenue will consist of two, four-story buildings with a total of 301 apartments, a park and a small commercial space fronting Beacon Avenue.

It’ll have a pool, fitness area, and parking spaces. The Planning Commission is tentatively scheduled to consider the project on Jan. 22.