Take Back The Whit!

[fredxmertz]

BORING POLITICAL BS to follow
not really boring, thats just what I said at the Black Forest show, whereafter I smashed two guitars. BUT! the Shiteaker , sorry WHITEAKER neighborhood council was having its meeting last week with focus on board elections, a parking permit scheme, and a noise ordinance, partly in response to the somewhat revitalized music scene in town. Now the Whit council was after Tiny Tavern when they were applying for a liquor license, and its looking like the council is trying to squash one of the few live music venues in town with stricter noise regulations. This caused a bit of a firestorm down here, musicians, punks, hippies, club kids etc all took offense at this and made some moves to spread the word via Facebook and by word of mouth in the hood.
My house-mate "Navid Dickles" jumped on the wagon and took it as a personal affront and sign of gentrification in our little boho spot on the map. So the music and youth contingent came out in force, delayed the elections and ensured that all of those in attendance at last Wednesday's meeting are now eligible to vote, though anyone can be nominated.
We claim victory at this point, but much more remains to be seen where we can take this.


https://www.facebook.com/events/1438878103025566/

There's a new skate park in my neighborhood also!

Comments

[vicar.livejournal.com]

You know, I'm pro-gentrification (not the negative aspects, but violent places getting safe seems like a no-brainer to me) but hate it when people complain about social businesses leading to traffic and noise. Many move to these places because it's near the nightlife they like - and they love the tax revenue that comes in - but then turn against the parties that are revitalizing the area.

Pardon the pun, but did you just literally rock the vote?

[fredxmertz.livejournal.com]

my house-mate and some band members rocked the vote. This is not a violent neighborhood, so basically there are some younger residents who are fighting sprawl, high rents and chain store infiltration. Basically, we are worried that yuppies are going to see what a great neighborhood this is, move in, and ruin all the things they saw as appealing in the first place.
But we have a new skate park, 3 "micro" breweries
Ninkasi
Oakshire Tap House
Hop Valley
and no chain stores, except a few convenience stores on the periphery. We have some great restaurants, bars, a kind of 'open source' hands-on bicycle workshop (http://www.catoregon.org/)
so really, there is a great deal of neighborhood pride and current residents have a burning desire to have greater say in how things are going.

[vicar.livejournal.com]

Curious - there are upsides and downsides to local activism. Where I live now and am mildly involved in local politics, it's been a tremendous boom of economic (and even independent, plus chain) growth, but affordable housing has been smashed (everyone mentions it as a priority, and I admit they are putting affordable units in new developments). There are a lot of contractors contributing to local politicians, and a lot of NIMBY. Where I'm moving, there are accusations of pay-to-play which lead to an upheaval in local politics - but also rampant race-based politics (if the listserv is any guide).

That's all to say I think overall you're better with local control, but the results aren't always going to be different.

[kling-klang-bed.livejournal.com]

You just summed up the plot of Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo!