Tom on vacation, Mike is ill, Charles not present.
Present: Barbara Pendergrass, Wendi Gosliner, Deborah Butler, Susan Swift

7:00 pm Meeting called to order by Barbara Pendergrass, Chair

Pledge of Allegiance – Susan Swift
Minutes approved as presented, MSP
Treasurer’s Report: Nothing to Report

Public Comment
Elizabeth O’Shea, SPAWNERS: traffic question re: red striped on San Pablo Dam Road except for spot where truck is parked. Homeless group moved away, thank you. Still a problem with people hanging out at picnic table.

Earth Day in El Sobrante, Saturday, April 21. Start clean-up at library, includes Dam Road and Appian Way.

Susan: Earth Day a ground-breaking for the Children’s Reading Garden at 2:00 with Supervisor Gioia.  Also, starting an ad hoc group to review the Richmond General Plan for items relating to El Sobrante, Brian Jarvis of R-9 may assist. Barbara P. would like to participate as well.

Consent Item (see supplemental agenda 1:)
Payment of $48.87 to Barbara Pendergrass for copies. Susan M; Deb S; Approved

Reports
Lt. Donny Gordon: Residential burglary is creeping up. Auto burglary 10, is high. Need to do probation searches and pay attention before school lets out (crime goes up). Unincorporated area not represented with deputies at schools. Last month, mentally unstable man with knife attacked a deputy at gas station near post office. Deputies shot the man who is in critical at county hospital. Homeless continues to be an issue – but its health and economic, not criminal. Sheriff’s dept. has developed a protocol to address on an individual basis. One problem is that they are being employed, “under the table” by local merchants. As for the Dept. there’s staff turnover, younger deputies, 3 tenured deputies serve the area, one person during day. Minimums are an issue, still 5 beats for West Contra Costa County. Lt. Gordon thinks that there should be 6 because of increased population.  Current beat includes Unincorporated El Sobrante, downtown and out toward the dam, Appian to the Pinole border. It’s a challenge because of the number of non “stakeholders,” i.e. renters.  Volume of activity is comparable to Hercules.

Susan asks: unlike fire, we do not have a mutual aid policy? Response: Yes, in an emergency situation, but not for ordinary, everyday stuff. Limited so we can’t be pro-active, like with the homeless situation.

Wendi: What about the relationship of funding to coverage? Crime in downtown El Sobrante Affects Richmond residents too.   

Susan: Help us prepare for next month’s forum, where should we put pressure to get better results? Response: Sheriff wants to restore eliminated positions.

Barbara: Requested information on tax base in order to evaluate funding and what we’re getting.

Department of Justice report not inclusive, ask to restore online reporting.

Terrance Cheung unable to attend on behalf of Supervisor Gioia because of family illness.

Barbara will speak to Patrick Roche re: status of the Traffic Study.

Michelle Blackwell, EBMUD: Slight delay for testing at the Dam Seismic Retrofit Project (due to change in EPA Regulations and matching plans to compliance with new standards). Hope to mobilize this week (April 21) and will test through June. Storytelling Festival will not be impacted by noise, nor will the Pentathlon. Snow pack is 43% of normal, will not refill reservoirs completely. Will decide in a week whether to declare “drought.”

Susan question: What exactly is the test? Response: check the noise level, but especially will do a section to see if it achieves structural goals, etc. WSMP 2040 Water Supply Management Plan looking at water supply resources.

Wendi requests additional info for residents ahead of time (re: work on the dam).  

SDI. a Safe circulation of cars, etc. Wendi/Mike will revisit next time. Would like recommendations & action now, not wait for the long (very) term plans to be enacted. Bike-to-Work week is May 14-18, encourage participation. Considering inviting Supervisor and other elected representatives to ride through El Sobrante.

DI.1 Report attached No discussion of items listed

DI.2 Eleanor of Planning & Zoning Notes April 21st is a Clean-Up Day (Earth Day) Report  to code enforcement 665 Appian Way, additions without permits will be investigated. Tom Powers  met with residents on Castro Ranch Road about developing100 acres. Valley View Project had some problems, but they are allowed to continue grading while LAFCO reviews. El Grande Place  has tall garages and adding living space on second floor. No problem with sign on the corner of Appial Way and San Pablo Dam Road. The tile Co. wants to put up a sign  50” X 90”  individual letters. 33-43 homes proposed off  Castro Ranch Road.  Tom Powers will be appearing later tonight  at the MAC meeting and P&Z tomorrow night. Hilltop Drive Project approved. Richmond Planning allowing Fran Way apartments to become condos. Approved variance for 10- 1 bdr and 2 – 2 bdrm but no parking variance. Forest Lane at Sobrante Avenue. Park Fee $4,489 pre house (see attached notice from newspaper proposing amendments to the County’s Park Dedication Ordinance raising the Park Dedication Fee and setting new Park Impact Fees for acquisition and development of parks and facilities. This item has been placed on the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisor’ May 1, 2007 agenda. P&Z sent a letter re: Canyon oaks II about the intersection into the project at Castro Ranch Road. This issue is to be addresses at the next meeting of the Richmond Planning Commission on April 26. Some of the issues and concerns are: removal of trees, need more info on the project, especially: the segmented area, fire trails vs. roads in the EIR, and landslide (geotechnical) potential. Forest Green, waiting for the revised Vol 1 of the EIR. Richmond General Plan the next GPAC meeting (Eleanor is a member, General Plan Advisory Committee) is scheduled for 4/18 [it didn’t happen] 6pm at Richmond City Hall, 1401 Marina Blvd.  They have a grant to create a “health element” in the General Plan. Hope to have numbers by November [?]

Susan reviewing the existing 157 page. Richmond General plan and invites others to help. Found several notices re: the pool complex facility at DeAnza and will also look at the Hillside Ordinance. Councilmember Tony Thurmond provided two copies of the plan, Susan will share one with R-9 and one with ESMAC.

Wendi said that developers of large-scale projects should be invited to present to the MAC, especially to discuss parks and other mitigations. Letter to Mr. Zentner to appear before the ESMAC.

Supplemental Agenda
DI.3 May meeting with Sheriff Rupf & Richmond Police Chief Magnus
Want to understand their strategy. How much taxes are collected vs. how much is spent in the Valley. Compare growth in tax base, while coverage has been reduced. Also, why is crime data not online?  Goal: To get more coverage without increasing taxes. Compare overall growth to crime rates. Barbara will write a letter requesting this information and to get a firm commitment from Sheriff Rupf to appear at our next meeting. Tom Owens has gotten the meeting publicized in the paper. Talked about homeless problem and how it is being addressed.

Presentation by Presidio Development, LLC for the property at 1255 CastroRanch Road. Considering purchasing for development. This is a preliminary meeting, attending: Alex Waterbury. 20 acres zoned for low-med density. Plan has evolved form 43 to 35 homes, increasing lot size. Some problems mentioned: steep hillside, creek. The 10-acre section flatter section of the parcel would accommodate the homes. They would demolish the 2 existing homes. Whip snake habitat issue, possibly swans and yellow-legged frog. Estimated price range for the homes $850 - $950K for 3,000-3,2000 s/f No application on file. Came to obtain a sense of feasibility or opposition.

Information Items
Boys & Girls Club had a successful dance, made $4,500. A good Open House is upcoming and also a BBQ during El Sobrante Earth Day, Sat., April 21for the volunteers.

Sub-committee Reports- Land Use committee need to publicize the meetings more. Next meeting Wendi wants to address development guidelines for future development projects. Need to put this together ASAP.  

Public Comment
Is Charles Marino still on the committee? He’s given no response to email or phone calls.  We cannot replace him until his term expires?

Susan, there’s been discussion to bring together El Sobrante Groups to discuss common interest & share ideas (ESMAC, R-9, the Chamber, etc.)

Speaker for May is the Sheriff, June is LAFCO, include in the May meeting agenda what’s to be discussed at the LAFCO meeting.

Adjourned at 9:30

Respectfully submitted by Deborah Butler

 

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