Despite residents’ concerns about traffic impacts, the East Palo Alto Planning Commission approved a $3 million playing field for East Palo Alto’s youth Monday night — a memorial sports complex to be named for slain police Officer Richard May.
Commissioners approved the field 4 to 1 during an acrimonious and emotional hearing.
The soccer and rugby field, which would replace a dirt and weed-strewn lot behind St. Francis of Assisi Church on Bay Road, has been four years in planning by May’s family and friends through the Rich May Foundation.
The family wanted to establish the field as a way to help keep youth in the city engaged and out of gangs, foundation member Frank Merrill, May’s stepfather, has said in previous interviews. May was shot and killed in 2006 by Alberto Alvarez, an East Palo Alto gang member who has been sentenced to death for the killing.
Planning commissioners have been hesitant to allow the playing field, with some citing traffic congestion.
Tami McMillan, May’s sister, said the traffic issue is being mitigated by a 500-foot setback for the passenger drop-off area. During the meeting, an emotional exchange erupted between McMillan and commission Chairwoman Renee Glover Chantler.
McMillan said a small group of people within the city were supporting the status quo.
“The status quo killed my brother,” she said.
McMillan said the issue was scheduled for the end of the meeting, when kids and other supporters would not be able to stay because of the late hour. A few people in the community were letting small political issues get in the way of helping the kids, she said.
She said she believes opponents will appeal the decision.
Sharifa Wilson, president of the Ravenswood City School District, said the project should have an environmental impact report to address impacts on the surrounding neighborhood. She could not be reached Tuesday (Nov. 23) for comment regarding whether she plans to appeal the commission’s decision.
Commissioners required a traffic study to be done by the project architect within one year.
If you would like to watch last night’s important and groundbreaking meeting, it will be replayed on the Media Center’s Comcast Channel 29 and streamed over the Media Center’s Website (www.midpenmedia.org/stream) at the following times:
Friday, Nov. 26, 7 pm
Saturday, Nov. 27 11 pm
Sunday, Nov. 28 7 pm
The Media Center’s five channels serve the towns of Palo Alto, East Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Atherton and Stanford. Visit our government meeting schedule page to see the many civic committee meetings and council meetings that we bring to our community. (http://www.midpenmedia.org/govgrid.html)
BTW, I am the programming manager at the Media Center so I know about this stuff! Democracy is alive and well in our community, albeit a trifle messy sometimes!
What a shame a soccer field which will enable youth to have a positive outlet has to be postponed by a few. Let there be some traffic congestion if it helps our youth!
I am sure the May family is still deeply hurt by their loss. Gangs exist in part because people don’t care enough to stop them, beginning w/their own families. Ditto crime in the community. People get scared, sure, but people are also too busy, resigned or simply don’t care enough to make good changes in the community. Why point the finger at people trying to accomplish good change instead of acknowledging the status quo? Sheesh, I’ve had more than my share of status quo garbage to deal with here & so have many others. It’s time for change, the kind of change that builds the character of the community.
I’m not sure how Officer May’s family can be considered cocky, when they are trying to give BACK to the EPA community that Officer May worked and participated in while attempting to change the kids’ lives for the better. They are taking a unused lot and, through fundraising efforts, are providing money and faciities back into the community, so that Officer May’s legacy of helping the EPA kids continues. Being passionate about the need for the park in his honor is certainly not “cocky.”
People, please don’t be dicks.
These kids need a place where they won’t get shot, discriminated against, and/or impregnated.
Let them make their inspirational kids-in-the-ghetto stories here.
(It’s better than them coming into white neighborhoods to burglarize your home and steal your childrens’ ipods.)
@ defender
Sorry I was a (as you say) “EPA kid” who grew up with a lot of other (as you say) “EPA kids”. Now I am an adult and Richard May never helped me or any of my other EPA friends. Only thing he did for me was assault me for false identification (he thought I was one of those “EPA thugs” as May’s family says). May’s family doesn’t live in EPA. Id have a little more compassion for them if they actually lived in the community that they care sooooooooo deeply for. Also verbally attacking people who actually LIVE in the community that you visit from time to time is not a good way to start. Again to get respect you have to give it. Something the May’s have yet to learn I see.