Below is the new Downtown Lake Merritt Neighborhood Group mission statement.  After a 10 day public notice period in which all members of this listerv can reply to this email with comments, the mission statement will be ratified pursuant to the DLMNG by-laws.

Downtown Lake Merritt Neighborhood Group (DLMNG) Mission Statement:
The mission of the DLMNG is to inform Downtown Lake Merritt residents and business owners about proposed development projects and to promote the beautification and greening of our neighborhood.  Our group takes action to address the needs and concerns of the Downtown Lake Merritt community through a democratic and transparent process laid out in the DLMNG by-laws.  We encourage neighborhood voices and points of view to be shared and discussed openly at DLMNG meetings and on our Message Board. 

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Public meeting about development and zoning around Downtown and Lake Merritt:

Last year, Councilmembers Nancy Nadel and Pat Kernighan initiated a Zoning Study for the perimeter of Lake Merritt to address community concerns regarding future development around the lake. The next steps in this process include community workshops on March 1 and 17, 2008 (see details below) to get your feedback.
 
At these workshops, the City will be seeking community input on proposed zoning regulations regarding height, intensity, density, uses, and other development standards for the City's downtown area, including the Downtown Lake Merritt Neighborhood side of Lake Merritt.
 
The next community workshops are:
 
Saturday, March 1, 2008: 1 pm to 3:30 pm:
-Location: Veterans Memorial Building (Downtown Senior Center), 200 Grand Ave (between Harrison and Bay Place).
-The purpose of this meeting is to present and discuss proposals for height, intensity, and density of development in downtown, including the Downtown Lake Merritt Neighborhood side of Lake Merritt.
Monday, March 17, 2008: 6:30 to 9 pm:
-Location: TBA.
-This meeting will focus on discussing regulations regarding allowed uses and development standards for the proposed zones in downtown, including the Downtown Lake Merritt Neighborhood side of Lake Merritt.