http://bm.tribe.net/thread/eb371e19-92b5-4ccb-b29c-588f3bd7e86d?format=rss Tribe.net. Local Connections http://bm.tribe.net/thread/eb371e19-92b5-4ccb-b29c-588f3bd7e86d#2a3e45bd-8edb-4f2f-94ee-cb08899c1757 "[T]his pressure from many sides turned the shipyard issue into a larger city discussion of the difficulties moving art/innovation spaces and recycled building materials through the realities of use permit and bldg code processes. [A]ctivities and values clearly prioritized in the city, and enshrined in city legislation as goals and mandates, do not find enabling (or tolerant) treatment when they interact with the reality of city bldg regulators." This is similar to what happened in Washoe County with the DPW work ranch. Public involvement and lawyers applying pressure made the county work in good faith with Burning Man, after Burning Man's good faith effort to do the right thing was summarily denied. That resulted in a special use permit which covers and stipulates the various uses out there, and the relationship with Washoe County has mellowed and become more professional. Alot of it was reframing the activities of the ranch in a way that the various building and other departments could understand. The newest stage of that on-going saga is a review of the development code, aka High Desert Area Plan. Agricultural and mining uses have traditionally had much more latitude to build barracks and mess halls for their employees in northern Washoe County, but now these industries are in decline. It would be good for the local economy to promote business activities and development related to responsible recreational uses of the region, like RV parks, beds and breakfasts, and retail/grocery shops. From 100 miles away in Reno, "planners" (as they're called) dictate the required thickness of the stalks of plants in required landscaping. Ugh. I think the revision of the High Desert Area Plan should include more local definition of community standards, and the county should relax onerous requirements to foster small business opportunities. We'll see how it goes. I'm glad to hear the Berkeley situation has turned around. I wrote a letter back when it erupted. I hope it helped. Wed, 20 Feb 2008 17:55:59 GMT http://bm.tribe.net/thread/eb371e19-92b5-4ccb-b29c-588f3bd7e86d#2a3e45bd-8edb-4f2f-94ee-cb08899c1757 Metric 2008-02-20T17:55:59Z http://bm.tribe.net/thread/eb371e19-92b5-4ccb-b29c-588f3bd7e86d#79073488-5583-4eac-9061-29fbef5c4377 Congratulations, Jim. Nice fight btw. Keep it up. Wed, 20 Feb 2008 04:09:52 GMT http://bm.tribe.net/thread/eb371e19-92b5-4ccb-b29c-588f3bd7e86d#79073488-5583-4eac-9061-29fbef5c4377 Sensei 2008-02-20T04:09:52Z http://bm.tribe.net/thread/eb371e19-92b5-4ccb-b29c-588f3bd7e86d#0e30c93e-4eac-4622-a13b-c0426373c295 Big Congrats, Jim! Thanks for all of your and your crew's efforts to make this happen. Mikey Wed, 20 Feb 2008 03:54:28 GMT http://bm.tribe.net/thread/eb371e19-92b5-4ccb-b29c-588f3bd7e86d#0e30c93e-4eac-4622-a13b-c0426373c295 M 2008-02-20T03:54:28Z http://bm.tribe.net/thread/eb371e19-92b5-4ccb-b29c-588f3bd7e86d#e26dc4ce-8d4f-4a99-b15d-8d8c2493eac4 ***HOLY DOUBLE FUCK YEAH WITH CHERRY ON TOP!!!*** no smooches though Wed, 20 Feb 2008 01:36:02 GMT http://bm.tribe.net/thread/eb371e19-92b5-4ccb-b29c-588f3bd7e86d#e26dc4ce-8d4f-4a99-b15d-8d8c2493eac4 grouchosuave 2008-02-20T01:36:02Z http://bm.tribe.net/thread/eb371e19-92b5-4ccb-b29c-588f3bd7e86d#90bae258-03ed-447a-907b-dc181744af37 Jim, congratulations! Can I get a F*CK YEAH! oh, <and ending with a big wet smooch. no tongue, mind you.> Wed, 20 Feb 2008 01:32:01 GMT http://bm.tribe.net/thread/eb371e19-92b5-4ccb-b29c-588f3bd7e86d#90bae258-03ed-447a-907b-dc181744af37 RealGirl 2008-02-20T01:32:01Z http://bm.tribe.net/thread/eb371e19-92b5-4ccb-b29c-588f3bd7e86d#82d8d110-84ea-4239-aa2b-df222027079b for valentine's day, an announcement of big greasy love: the shipyard is reopening. partially, and in stages, but we are finally able to start doing things here again. as of this month, the city is allowing our existence again, and progressively re-blessing the particulars of our facility. the fiery, 9 month long bureaucratic tango seems to be ending with a big wet smooch. no tongue, mind you. but is a willing smooch on the lips, nonetheless . . . this survival over treacherous bureaucratic waters has been made possible by the volcanic eruption of outrage, financial help, and generally mushy sentiments in the realm of "come on guys, this is art and alt energy, how can this be illegal in berkeley". the city got hundreds of emails, letters, media, tv, blog, etc. last spring/summer about our situation, ultimately forcing the mayor, city council, city manager and city attorney to take notice. this political and media pressure, in combination with the deep skills of les young the architect and ragi the lawyer, gathered into a lethal mysterious force, one which ultimately succeeded in doing the impossible-- turning around a building department. about three weeks ago the city reaffirmed our use permit for half of the facility (the alt energy part), as well as agreed to return grid power (yes, grid power coming right out of the walls). the remaining space (the north side, the murray side, the original shipyard space) should be clear within a month or so. following that is an already agreed to threshold for use of the shipping containers for temporary art related uses on site. this gets us back up and operating for the forseable interim. the permanent building projects are following in parallel. the city now seems willing to hear and contend the shipping container building scenarios in a less hostile manner, as well as other regular prefab building types. all this comes after a long internal political battle between the mayor, city council, city depts, and ultimately bringing in the ragi legal ram to push hard from our side. this pressure from many sides turned the shipyard issue into a larger city discussion of the difficulties moving art/innovation spaces and recycled building materials through the realities of use permit and bldg code processes. activities and values clearly prioritized in the city, and enshrined in city legislation as goals and mandates, do not find enabling (or tolerant) treatment when they interact with the reality of city bldg regulators. added to this is the fact of near zero internal check or public oversight of the discretionary decisions and interpretations of bldg officials. they are the police of the built world, but without any ajoining court to check and review their decisions. well actually, they are the judicial review of themselves, which is the problem. you are assumed guilty, and have no recourse other than an offensive legal action, which is costly, which is why most just roll over and pay whatever to comply with this racket. our project has brought these contradictions to public light in a manner which is unpleasant for them. the result is now a near complete turn around with zoning and bldg staff. also, the fire marshal who drove this mess, david orth, retired in december (not as a result of us mind you, but it is a nice coincidence anyway). everyone has now returned to the table with renewed "enthusiasm" to make this work, and with sudden reasonable and doable paths to restore use to the legacy bldgs on our site and the containers afterwards. while things are far from done and many hurdles remain, especially on the financial side, i do feel confident that the basic existence battles are now over and we have finally turned the corner into details that are surmountable. the mission and focus of the facility is going to change slightly on reopening. we are going to add a formal "alt power engineering" front, with the intention of creating a combined center for "art and energy". a facility, information resource and gathering of people engaged broadly in the endeavor of creative diy power hacking. a place to experiment with power generation and conversion as an idiom and medium of art- in all its social, sensual, conceptual and existential dimensions. i think art/energy is going to be the next art/tech like mashup. such has already been going on informally in the yard for years. the reopening will formalize this in name, program and facility particulars. more on this to come in a later note. in the meantime, thank you again for the support of many types all of you provided to help us through this. your generosity is most deeply appreciated and remembered. and soon, it will be repaid with more interesting stuff and general pleasure across the hacking arts. with gratitude, jim Tue, 19 Feb 2008 21:13:38 GMT http://bm.tribe.net/thread/eb371e19-92b5-4ccb-b29c-588f3bd7e86d#82d8d110-84ea-4239-aa2b-df222027079b jim 2008-02-19T21:13:38Z