24 March 2004

Mr. Alex Hahn

80 Grand Avenue, Suite M

Oakland, CA 94612

Dear Mr. Hahn,

As concerned residents of Oakland's Grand Lake and surrounding neighborhoods, we are distressed by your efforts to attract a national fast food chain to replace the Kwik Way at 500 Lake Park Avenue.

While we recognize that your ultimate objective as a property owner and businessman is profitability, we also think it's important that you be aware of the amount of controversy your efforts are generating. The mere mention of a McDonald's or similar national fast food chain in this location attracted a record turnout for the December 2003 meeting of the Grand Lake Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council - at which you were to have been the featured guest. The opinions expressed at that meeting were largely identical to those the undersigned subsequently heard during the course of polling our respective memberships. To put it bluntly, there is virtually unanimous opposition to a McDonald's, Burger King or any other national fast food chain in this location.

The principal objections stem from the realization that a national franchise would not serve the local community, but would instead import additional traffic from the adjacent freeway and complicate our ongoing efforts to increase pedestrian safety and reduce litter. Your proposal seems particularly short-sighted in view of is incongruent with the renaissance that Lake Park Avenue is currently experiencing - thanks largely to the new Splash Pad Park and the expansion of the Lakeshore Business Improvement District. Both of these changes were attuned to the community's desire for a safe, attractive, pedestrian-friendly commercial district that maintains the charm and unique character of our Grand Lake neighborhood.

Mr. Hahn, we are convinced that a national fast food chain would be equally detrimental to the community and to your long-term financial interests as the owner of this property. We urge you to consider three options that would better serve us, as neighbors, and result ultimately in substantially higher property values for Lake Park Avenue:

•  Consider an alternate use for the property. Due to growing concerns over the negative impact of a fast food diet, most of our respondents would prefer some other kind of business-especially in view of Lakeview School's proximity. Alternatives include a multi-use structure such as the wildly successful Market Hall in Rockridge or other restaurants such as Zachary's Pizza. We would be delighted to facilitate input. Arizmendi and Noah's Bagels are just two examples of highly successful businesses that opened as a result of lobbying by the Grand Lake community.

•  Restore and improve the existing Kwik Way. This is a neighborhood institution with a distinctive, early 1960's retro architecture and true character. The improvements that you've made over the past several months are a step in the right direction. Additional restoration, cleaning and landscaping would help Kwik Way resume its place as a neighborhood asset.

•  Consider a locally owned restaurant or small, specialized chain. If you must close Kwik Way, but intend to maintain it as a fast food restaurant, there are other options that would attract a neighborhood clientele. Nation's, Mel's and Chris's Burgers are just three examples that have been mentioned.

As the extent of our opposition becomes public, we expect that the executive management of any national fast food franchise will be hesitant to enter the Grand Lake Neighborhood. If there is an attempt to alter the footprint of the existing structure to accommodate a national chain, residents will protest. On the other hand, we will actively support changes for which there is a neighborhood consensus . and We will be distributing a neighborhood survey to determine what type of business our community will support.

In summary, we would prefer to avoid conflict with you, but we are frustrated that we have been thus far unable to engage you in a constructive, community forum. We will embrace a business that contributes to our neighborhood character and is pedestrian-friendly. We will oppose one that draws additional traffic off of 580 and adds to pedestrian dangers and litter. We do not want more national fast food chains in our neighborhood. As you are a member of the Parks and Recreation Commission, you undoubtedly share our commitment to creating more attractive and livable neighborhoods. In that spirit, we hope to sit down with you in the very near future to explore mutually beneficial solutions.

Please call Kim Cardoso at 510-839-3938 or 415-505-0165 One of our members will be phoning you shortly to seek with your response. Thank you in advance for considering our concerns and recommendations.

Sincerely,

Mary Ellen Navas
Grand Lake Grime Busters

Bob Archibald
Grand Lake Neighborhood
Crime Prevention Council

Kim Cardoso
Rose Garden Neighborhood
Preservation Association

Ken Katz
Splash Pad Neighborhood Forum

Mike King
Adams Point Neighborhood
Crime Prevention Council

Jim Ra tliff
Beat 15X (Haddon Hill)
Neighborhood Crime Prevention Council

Cc: Jerry Brown , Mayor of Oakland

Cc: Desley Brooks , Council Member District District 6

Cc: Jane Brunner , Council Member District District 1

Cc: Henry Chang , Council Member District At-Large

Cc: Ignacio De La Fuente , Council Member District District 5

Cc: Nancy Nadel , Council Member District District 3

Cc: Jean Quan , Council Member District District 4

Cc: Larry Reid , Council Member District District 7

Cc: Danny Wan - Council Member District 2