Open Letter to the Community of Brisbane

I know I have only lived here for 7 years which isnt long compared to some of the families who have been here for generations but I love it here and there are things I want for the community. I want there to be no more building on San Bruno Mountain. End of story. I think the light industrial that has been polluting the industrial park should be moved to the bay lands and the industrial park should be redeveloped into a mixed use area with some offices, high density housing and a high school. That all new developments should be built to the highest energy standards and be self sufficient with regards to energy consumption. That the bay lands in addition to housing light industrial should also include things like a theater, offices, hotels, wetlands, open spaces and a wind farm. That we should have a community farmers market/flea market/fundraiser/freecycle event every Sunday along the park where people could sell the lemons and oranges from their trees and set up their yard sales. Where people can come and trade some of their home grown veggies for someone elses glass vase or another persons home made jam. There would even be a booth where people could donate their things and all proceeds would go to the schools. There could also be a small booth fee that would go directly to our schools. A farmers market/fleamarket/fundraiser/freecycle event could raise maybe $50/per week for the school? Maybe a lot more if some of the large vendors from the farmers market and flea market came. That someone would please open up a shoe repair shop in town. That people would do their best to walk in town unless they are on their way out of town or returning back into town. That we had a good community wide resource for carpooling and that we had good public transportation for when car pooling isnt going to work.  That this community was working seriously towards being self sustaining and independent with regards to energy, employment, housing and food.  That neighbors would share things with each other so everyone didnt have a garage stuffed full of items they use only once per year.  That everybody recycled and that people would wait to put out their recycling bin until the bin is fullish. For us this is about every two weeks. If everyone adopted this habbit, that would amount to about a 50% reduction in the time the noisy and obtrusive trucks spend idling in the streets while the pick up cans. That everybody owned one or more rain barrels.  That a large minority of houses displayed Brisbane Stars during the winter months to warm all of our hearts with good spirits. That clothes hanging up on a sunny day was a common and welcome sight. That everyone stopped to thank a plant at least once per day. That our library is expanded to fill both the upstairs and downstairs with lots of room for noisy people and quiet people and computers for anyone who needs them. That the city could buy the church on San Bruno and that it housed a small preschool in the offices upstairs and Brisbane Dance Workshops and all the Rec programs for the city downstairs. Thank you for listening to me.   Barbara