
Union City, California
General Plan Update
Eastside Neigborhood
July 19, 2000 Workshop
On July 19, 2000, over 20 people attended a workshop that explored neighborhood planning objectives for Union City's east side communities. The participants worked as members of planning teams to identify important existing and future community places; existing and needed connections; and priority public investments.
Planning Team Features:
Working in teams, participants established overarching planning objectives that stressed the development of community facilities for families and youth. Union Landing, inter-modal station, sports and recreation facilities, and Kennedy Park were identified as important places to be featured in Union City's future. A performing arts/cultural center and childcare centers were also mentioned as high priority places.
Planning priorities expressed by workshop participants included:
1. Creating a sports complex
2. Improving pedestrian and bicycle connections
3. Increasing care for seniors and children
- Planning Team # 1
![]()
- Exercise #1: Community Places
- What are the most important existing places in your neighborhood?
- o Maria's neighborhood
- Church
- Schools
- Stores
- BART
- o Tony
- Town Estates Park/Kitayama School
- Trail system
- o Dan
- Church
- Logan/Searles Schools
- BART & bus system
- o Rosemary
- Civic Center Park/Library
- OLR
- BART
- o Cathi (Seven Hills)
- BART/bus
- Park in 7 Hills
- Logan & Barnard-White Schools
- Assignment: Draw a line around your neighborhood on the map.
- Identify the center of the neighborhood on the map.
- What places or activities are missing that can improve the quality of residential and business environments in your neighborhood?
- o Community sports center
- o Social services resource Director
- o Hardware store
- o Transportation hub
- o Cultural center
- o City parade
- o More parks & Bay Area Ridge Trail
- o Regional transportation connections going south & west
- o More shopping choices including a good cup of non-Starbucks coffee
- Exercise #2: Connections
- What are the most important destinations for children in your neighborhood?
- Assignment: show these destinations on the map. Say what they are. Draw a five-minute walking radius around each destination.
- How do children move around your neighborhood? Where do they walk and ride their bikes?
- o Bikes, walk, skateboards, rollerblading, electric scooters
- o Dest.: Park, school playgrounds, Hayward, creek, Red Devil, Fremont, Niles, Union Landing, Logan, library
- o Walk, skateboard, bike
- Assignment: Using a colored marker, map the key routes used by children.
- Indicate connections that are missing.
- Exercise #3: Priority Public Investments
- What are the three most important public investments that should be planned for in your neighborhood?
- o Wider streets (newer devo, speed bumps)
- o Sports complex
- o Par courses (devo, upgrades, distribution)
- o Better traffic planning
- On flip chart paper:
- o Expanded area for intermodal station ( include areas such as bowling alley)
- o Community sports complex
- o (Including skateboard park)
- o Affordable housing
- Assignment: Make a list on the flip chart paper and list the three most important investments above.
- Planning Team # 2
![]()
- Exercise #1: Community Places
- What are the most important existing places in your neighborhood?
- o Creek Trail
- o 7-11
- o Kitayama School
- o Park
- o Union Landing
- o Smith Street Business Dist.
- o Casa Varde Park
- o TVHC
- o Cetro de Cervios
- o Schools (4)
- o Head Start
- o Churches
- o 7 Hills Park
- o Mission strip mall
- o Bus stops
- o Masonic Home
- Assignment: Draw a line around your neighborhood on the map.
- Identify the center of the neighborhood on the map.
- What places or activities are missing that can improve the quality of residential and business environments in your neighborhood?
- o Creek trail access
- o Crossing guards around school (Kiayama)
- o Better lighting & drainage in park (Town Estates)
- o Cleaner environment in strip mall area (Jim Otto's)
- o Not enough parking
- o Safety
- o Cleanliness
- o Mental health access/quality of life
- o Not enough parks & rec in area
- o Railroad protections
- o Improved bus transportation
- o Sidewalks & better lighting on Mission Blvd.
- Exercise #2: Connections
- What are the most important destinations for children in your neighborhood?
- Assignment: show these destinations on the map. Say what they are. Draw a five minute walking radius around each destination.
- How do children move around your neighborhood? Where do they walk and ride their bikes?
- Assignment: Using a colored marker, map the key routes used by children.
- Indicate connections that are missing.
- Exercise #3: Priority Public Investments
- What are the three most important public investments that should be planned for in your neighborhood?
- Assignment: Make a list on the flip chart paper and list the three most important investments above.
- On flip chart paper:
- o Sports complex
- o Better traffic planning
- o Connected communities
- Planning Team # 3
![]()
- Exercise #1: Community Places
- What are the most important existing places in your neighborhood?
- o Head Start
- o Churches
- o Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center
- o Library (Civic Center)
- o Schools
- o BART
- o Mercado shopping center
- On flip chart paper:
- o Decoto neighborhood
- o Tibercio Vasquez Health Center
- o Head Start
- o Churches
- o Schools
- o Civic center
- o Churches
- o BART
- o Shopping center/Safeway
- Assignment: Draw a line around your neighborhood on the map. Identify the center of the neighborhood on the map.
- What places or activities are missing that can improve the quality of residential and business environments in your neighborhood?
- o Open space (E Street/Decoto)
- o Cultural museum
- o Sports complex
- o Extension of clinic
- o Theater
- o Hardware store
- o Convention center (free use)
- o Adult daycare
- o Children daycare (Full)
- o Affordable housing
- On flip chart paper:
- o Open space (E. Decoto St. area)
- o Cultural museum
- o Sports complex
- o Hardware store
- o Convention center (free use)
- o Extension health clinic
- o Adult daycare
- o Full daycare (children)
- o Affordable housing
- Exercise #2: Connections
- What are the most important destinations for children in your neighborhood?
- o Schools (Guy Emmanuel, Searles, Barnard)
- o Head Start
- o Library
- o Kennedy Park
- o Logan High
- o BART
- Assignment: show these destinations on the map. Say what they are. Draw a five minute walking radius around each destination.
- How do children move around your neighborhood? Where do they walk and ride their bikes?
- o Streets, railroad tracks, creek
- Assignment: Using a colored marker, map the key routes used by children.
- Indicate connections that are missing.
- Exercise #3: Priority Public Investments
- What are the three most important public investments that should be planned for in your neighborhood?
- o Clinic (expanded services)
- o Affordable housing (near BART)
- o Adult & children daycare (Full day)
- On flip chart paper:
- o Clinic expanded services
- o Affordable housing near BART
- o Daycare Adult/Children
- o Hardware store
- o Museum
- Assignment: Make a list on the flip chart paper and list the three most important investments above.