We're a grassroots group of Baker residents who came together over a shared concern: the Burnham Yard redevelopment could fundamentally change the safety and character of our neighborhood — if we don't speak up now.
We aren't a political organization, an advocacy group, or a developer interest. We're parents, dog-walkers, small business regulars, and longtime residents of the streets south of 8th Avenue who started talking to each other and realized we were all worried about the same things.
We put together the Baker Votes Together survey guide so that every neighbor — whether you've been here for 30 years or 3 months — can quickly and confidently fill out the city's Small Area Plan survey with informed, unified answers.
The more of us who show up with a clear, consistent message, the harder it is for the city to plan our neighborhood without us.
The Burnham Yard redevelopment covers 150 acres directly west of our neighborhood. Without strong community input, early plans show outcomes that would harm the people who live here every day.
Early renderings show tens of thousands of cars from the new stadium and entertainment district funneling through Baker's quiet residential streets — directly past our elementary school, our Montessori preschool, and our largest park, Dailey. The developer has explicitly stated they intend to route 15% of all traffic through Baker to prevent highway backups for fans.
More traffic means more exhaust, more honking, and more engine noise on streets that families, kids, and cyclists depend on every day. The stadium is expected to hold 100,000 people — and the new women's soccer stadium will hold 14,500 more.
The SAP area is already nearly devoid of shade, which discourages pedestrian presence and raises overall neighborhood temperature. Without meaningful investment in trees and green infrastructure, the new development will only make this worse — especially for our most vulnerable residents.
This effort runs on shoe leather and conversations over fences. One person got it started.
Jim is leading the grassroots mobilization effort — knocking on doors, bringing neighbors together block by block, and making sure Baker's voice is heard before the Small Area Plan is finalized. If you've gotten a flyer or had a front-porch conversation about the survey, chances are Jim was behind it.
The most important thing you can do right now is fill out the survey. After that — talk to your neighbors. Every voice counts.
Take the survey now →