He further refers to the petition that two Chamber members were” armed with” when they asked for the chambers help. It might have been good for the chamber to have read the petition on which they have taken such a hard stance. It claims such tidbits as: Leucadia Blvd. dead ending at the tracks, the majority of trees destroyed, eminent domain, loss of beach access, and more are in store with this crazy new plan. They have gone to businesses shared this info. And scared people.
Later the columnist offers, ” The Preferred Alternative included…cut down a significant amount of tree canopy entitling it “restoration” in the public workshops…” (The columnist was not seen at the workshops). Well gee, I heard that 92% of the trees are to be saved and hundreds more planted.
…on Nov.13 the chamber brought out more than 200 people…to evaluate the plan.(if you count the entire library, less if you include chamber members and city staff ). No residents ,or businesses without a reservation received by a phone call you had to make to get your name on the list. Chamber members could not get in unless their dues were paid. The chamber made the agenda. It offered more opinions than any new information. The chamber declined a request to get involved with this process early on and have not been an entity at any L101 Streetscape meetings, until ‘chamber members’, (2) asked for their help.

Does this represent the position of the Chamber of Commerce as the columnist states it does? It couldn’t be.

The business owner’s information exchange, refered to was not a public meeting, no residents, businesses had to call to see if they could attend and there was no new information exchanged and a lot of negative chamber OPINION offered.
I can see why,”…the chamber has been accused of taking city money and acting against local business.”