BRAINSTORMING: S.W.O.T. ANALYSIS
strengths – weaknesses – opportunities – threats

See also write-in comments from survey included with January 2004 newsletter.

WHAT ARE THE ASSETS/STRENGTHS OF PIEDMONT PINES?
Brainstormed List
· The forest setting
· The area’s residents
· Open space
· Slight traffic
· Wildlife – deer, raccoons
· Quick access
· Diversity of the people
· Views
· Surrounded by the largest park system in the area
· Chabot Space and Science Center
· Mix of generations
· Mix of residential architecture
· The Piedmont Pines Club
· Butterflies and birds
· Sense of community
· Supportive neighbors
· Nice landscaping
· Proximity to the Village and the City
· The surprise on people’s faces who have not been here before
· Less light pollution
· Access to all the trails
· Quiet and peaceful
· Joaquin Miller Elementary School
· People working together
· The Village
· A sense of privacy that is possible
· Beautiful views
· Diversity of housing styles
· Single family home ownership and diversity
· Access to San Francisco and Berkeley
· Lovely people
· Relatively safe to live here
· I like knowing my neighbors and knowing if they need anything
· No hazardous or polluting facilities
· The fact that the trails up here allow dogs off leash
· The established community
· Not a lot of concrete
· Close proximity to quality higher education
· I feel like I’m going on vacation when I come home from work; retreat-like atmosphere

WHAT ARE THE WEAKNESSES/CHALLENGES?
Brainstormed List
· Fire danger
· Ruts along the shoulder of Skyline
· Crowded street parking
· Lack of public transportation
· Illegal dumping
· Power failures
· Underutilized Castle Canyon Park
· Improper clearing of wooded areas
· Congestion around Joaquin Miller School
· Mail theft
· Lack of bike lanes on Skyline Blvd.
· Lack of dog walking etiquette – pick it up!
· Overgrown vegetation
· Narrow streets
· Off-leash dogs in the park
· Too little parking in Montclair
· Poor preparation for natural disaster
· Exploited labor for tree work in the area
· Trash around bus stops
· Commercial use of the parks
· Problems with paths to the Village near schools
· Unsolicited ads by landscapers (flyers with rocks in a bag thrown onto property)
· Lack of residents reporting code violations
· Ancient infrastructure
· Too many wires
· Speeding
· Age of huge Monterey pines – a hazard
· Traffic on Skyline is too fast
· Lack of sidewalks
· Lack of police presence
· Lack of water pressure
· Uninsurability/loss of insurance
· Storm drainage flooding the streets
· Taggers on street signs and in Montclair
· Illegal in-law apartments
· Muddy trails in Redwood Park
· Too much parking in the hills on narrow streets
· Dangerous walking paths to schools and the Village
· Unidentified residents who are renters -- potential safety issues if need to evacuate
· Building on formerly unbuildable lots
· Dirty eucalyptus trees
· Careless smokers throwing out cigarettes
· Unattractive entry into Piedmont Pines, e.g. weeds
· Lack of level play space for children
· Lack of heating in the Joaquin Miller cafeteria
· Trash cans left out too long
· Lack of entry signage into Piedmont Pines
· Vandalism and theft of cars
· Unkept houses
· Trees falling on power lines
· The negative reputation of Oakland
· Potholes and paving
· Illegal removal of protected trees
· Garden blowers
· Suffocation of nature and trees by invasive, non-native vegetation
· Ignorance of safety measures in an emergency
· Trash at the Skyline lookout

WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES--EXTERNAL FACTORS/TRENDS THAT WILL/MIGHT HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON PIEDMONT PINES IN THE NEXT 3 YEARS
Brainstormed List

• Improvements to the public school system
• Changing perception of Oakland to the positive
• City employees’ responsiveness and accessibility
• Preservation of natural beauty
• Better response from City Hall
• Economic impact of expanded port and airport facilities
• Actual enforcement of school zone signs
• Improved public transit
• Emergency vehicles (police and fire) knowing the streets
• Enforcement of the speed limit on Highway 13
• Increased income per household in the area
• Improved pedestrian walkway maintenance by the city
• PG&E coming out of bankruptcy
• Increasing home values
• Reducing crime in Oakland
• Stronger zoning rules and better enforcement
• Fire Assessment District
• Noise abatement for the airport
• Under grounding
• Maintaining the roads better
• Increased employment opportunities
• Infill development
• Better traffic management (e.g. intersection of Mountain and Ascot)
• Lower gas prices at the Montclair station
• Reduction of the speed limit on Highway 13
• Improved onramps and off ramps for Highway 13
• Controlled development in Montclair Village and the hills

WHAT ARE THE THREATS--EXTERNAL FACTORS/TRENDS THAT WILL/MIGHT HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON PIEDMONT PINES IN THE NEXT 3 YEARS
Brainstormed List

• Housing bubble bursting
• Mania for overclearing the area due to fear of fire
• Aging community
• Increase in cars parking in front of houses
• Increased housing prices leading to increased density (residents per house)
• Changes to state tax structure, e.g. Prop 13
• Expanded number of overflights
• Continuing deterioration of state finances and the trickle-down to cities
• Terrorist activity in the Bay Area
• Public deficits
• Natural hazards, e.g. fire, earthquake
• Lack of homeowners insurance – inability to get it
• Return of the mountain lion
• Inaccessibility in case of disaster
• Not maintaining property, e.g. not clearing, no maintaining the blue marker on the street to indicate a fire hydrant
• Violence and riots
• Overage pines and cypress trees
• Crime
• Export of leading edge industries, e.g. life sciences, because of California’s regulations
• Increased cost of education

DEVELOP A FIVE-YEAR VISION STATMENT:
Brainstormed statements from which the Vision Statement was developed

• Be the most desirable place to live in Oakland
• Maintain the single family zoning
• Become a more environmentally sensitive, progressive community that actively promotes and maintains the area’s natural beauty
• Recognized as the safest, most peaceful, most beautiful and community-connected neighborhood in all of Oakland
• A close-linked, involved, safe community, living in harmony with our natural environment and prepared for an emergency
• Replace old age trees with fire safe trees
• Perfect blend of nature, homes and outdoor activities, in an urban setting through enhancement of relationships
• Stronger ties with other hills communities
• Become a more cohesive community that promotes and enhances the quality of life for diverse families
• An improved cultural community
• Beautify Piedmont Pines
• Strong, diverse community dedicated to preserving the beauty, the safety and the harmonious lifestyle
• Will be scenically beautiful, safe, diverse, wireless and with excellent schools that attract young families

THREE-YEAR GOALS:
Brainstormed list of potential goals from which the Three-Year Goals were developed

• Achieve 100% emergency preparedness
• Remove old growth and replace with new, native vegetation
• Have underground wiring
• Maintain and improve the built environment in harmony with the natural environment
• Maintain views
• Implement and enforce parking restrictions
• Educate and organize neighborhood groups that focus on earthquakes, fire and crime
• Improve traffic enforcement
• Eliminate blight
• Promote parent involvement in the schools
• Increase the number of ethnic restaurants
• Develop a bike lane on Skyline Blvd.
• Promote cycling safety
• Balance beautification efforts with environmental sensitivity
• Support the public schools
• Create a Tree Management Plan
• Achieve greater participation
• Advocate for adequate city services
• Develop an Open Space Master Plan