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Gated Communities
<br />According to Census Data, approximately 10 million housing units in the United States live in secured
<br />communities (American Housing Survey, 2009). These secured communities or gated communities
<br />restrict public access with walls, fences, gates with codes and alarms, and private security. Public
<br />access is restricted to streets, sidewalks, parks, open spaces, trails, and playgrounds, which are
<br />resources that should be open and shared by all citizens of a locality (Blakely & Snyder, 1997). In
<br />general, residents choose to live in gated communities for the sense of safety, privacy, community, and
<br />to keep out unwanted individuals such as strangers and thieves.
<br />Studies and data indicate that besides car theft, gated communities do not have less crime than un -
<br />gated communities (Blakely, 2012). This is because gates provide little in the way of extra protection
<br />by creating an artificial or false sense of security, which can lead to complacency (e.g., leaving garage
<br />doors open). Also, the apparent affluence of a gated community can also make the community a more.
<br />attractive target for a thief (Bell & Lang, 1998). Further, the effects of gating decline over time, since
<br />gates codes are shared with friends of residents, delivery people, vendors, and tradespeople (Snyder,
<br />1997).
<br />One important issue that faces gated communities is that the restricted gate access can hamper
<br />emergency personnel efforts of police, ambulances, and fire trucks through slower response times,
<br />which can lead to public safety issues. Also, gated communities can fragment neighborhoods and
<br />erode a sense of community, social stability, and social structure within a community, as residents
<br />located in gated communities are disconnected from their larger communities and are less likely to be
<br />civically engaged. The lack of social cohesion and lower social interaction may result in
<br />socioeconomic polarization, which can lead to segregation, isolation, and exclusion (Blakely &
<br />Snyder, 1997). It is believed that the Neighborhood Watch Program is the most effective way to
<br />reduce crime by neighbors keeping an eye out for each other, as a basic defense against crime and a
<br />means to build community (Drew & McGuigan, 2014).
<br />San Francisco Bay Conservation Development Commission (BCDC)
<br />Prior to the May 15 Planning Commission meeting, BCDC stated that it had strong concern that the
<br />proposed gates and fences could restrict public access for walking, sitting, bicycling, viewing,
<br />picnicking and related purposes across Bayfront Drive at Heron Bay to the Bay Trail. It would
<br />research its current permits to the Heron Bay property and the City. Although the Bayfront Drive
<br />pedestrian gate would freely be open to hikers/walkers and bicyclists during the daytime hours, the
<br />restriction to evening access would be a violation of the existing BCDC permit.
<br />On June 12, the City received a copy of a letter and exhibit from BCDC to the applicant, that clarifies
<br />the proposal would be a violation of its BCDC permit to make changes to the public access area
<br />without first obtaining written authorization from BCDC to amend the current permit. The letter
<br />further states that the gate as currently proposed would adversely impact the existing required public
<br />access across the Heron Bay HOA's property, which provides access to the tidal marshes and trail
<br />systems_west. _of Heron. Bay. _on_.the_City__s._property._BCDC_staff _believes it__would_ be_difficult to _
<br />approve the proposed project (see attached).
<br />Operations
<br />Although the proposed gates and fences have been approved by the Association, operationally the volume
<br />of traffic would increase on Anchorage Drive and the east -west streets that it feeds (i.e., Charter Way,
<br />Planning Commission Staff Report June 19, 2014
<br />PLN2014-00007 Page 6 of 8
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