Pleasanton Can Lead Sustainability Drive

VOLUME XLVII, NUMBER 22 Your Local News Source Since 1963 SERVING LIVERMORE • PLEASANTON • SUNOL THURSDAY, JUNE 3, 2010 Pleasanton Can Lead Sustainability Drive By Ron McNicoll gether to accomplish the kind program, said that Pleasanton is driveway at Pleasanton’s newest The panel met on the night Sustainability can save the en- of networking that will spread ahead of the curve on sustain- fire station helps the underground after the Lovins-Hoffman lecture, vironment and the U.S. economy. education to each other through ability, and can become a model, basin absorb rain, instead of and saw five new people show Pleasanton can help lead the way, brainstorming solutions, they not only for California, but also sending it to the streets and out up in the audience because of according to the co-founders of noted. for the United States, in cities of to the Bay, the way an asphalt the talk. “That might not sound Natural Capitalism Solutions. Those businesses include cit- its size. driveway would. like much, but it’s a big percent- L. Hunter Lovins and Elliot ies. Pleasanton is involved in a The city has completed a The city also will be ready age increase over the one or two Hoffman told an audience of 160 network of eight entities, includ- greenhouse gas emission inven- soon to hire a consultant to work usually there,” Smith told The at the Pleasanton Senior Center ing UCSF, two banks and an of- tory, as required by AB32 of all on its climate action plan. Independent. Find Out What's on May 25 how something as fice supply company. Pleasanton California cities. It also has insti- Another sign the city is mov- SUSTAINABILITY simple as turning off computers has learned quite a bit from the tuted a green building ordinance, ing ahead has been the formation SIMPLY SAVES MONEY Happening and light bulbs really can make a contact, said Daniel Smith. He a new system of curbside recy- of an Energy and Environment Lovins’s contribution to the difference to the pocketbook and is the city’s director of operation cling designed to take more out Committee, which sponsored the program focused on how it is Check out the the green, growing things. services, and took part in some of the waste stream, and placed talk last week. Its job is to coor- good business and good envi- However, not much will hap- of the discussion. solar panels on city buildings. dinate and stimulate the city’s ef- ronmentalism to undertake the second section pen unless businesses get to- forts concerning sustainability. (See SUSTAINABILITY, page 4) Section II is filled with infor- Hoffman, in his part of the Even small details count. The mation about arts, entertainment and special events. There are education stories, a variety of features, and the arts and entertainment and bulletin board Measure D Oak Grove listings. Supporters Outspend Opposition 50 to 1 Supporters of the Oak Grove May 22. There was $59,465.86 development in Pleasanton have in non-monetary contributions. outspent opponents by a 50 to The campaign lists $200,544. 1 margin in an effort to pass 93 in debts. Measure D. Frederic and his sister, Jenni- The measure is on the June fer, own the land on which Oak 8 ballot. A “yes” vote would Grove would be built. Charter allow the development in the Properties is the developer. southeast hills of Pleasanton to Most of the funds were used move forward. The reports, filed to hire the services of Davies last Thursday, cover contribu- Public Affairs of Santa Barbara, Stefanie Erlwein tions and expenditures through a public relations firm. Davies is May 22. described as “the national public Finalist for Com- Frederic Lin Family for affairs firm of choice for clients Oak Grove reported spending who need to win high stakes, cast SportsNet’s $379,308.60 in support of Mea- defining issues.” All-Star Teacher sure D. The development includes 51- By Patricia Koning In contrast Save Pleasanton’s luxury home sites and 496 acres Stefanie Erlwein, a seventh- Hills, opponents of Measure D, of permanent open space. The grade science teacher at East Photo - Doug Jorgensen spent $6,915.28. developer says of Oak Grove, Avenue Middle School, has been In the photo, Heather Howell from Alisal Elementary School in Pleasanton plays in a mixture of Charter Properties and James this reduced plan is the result of selected as one of five finalists water and cornstarch used to demonstrate various textures. It was one of the booths at a science Tong, through Frederic Lin, do- the Council asking the landowner for Comcast SportsNet’s 2010 fair hosted by high school students. For the story, see the front page of Section II. nated $120,000 in cash during to set aside what was wanted and All-Star Teacher Award. The the period between March 18 and (See OAK GROVE, page 4) (See FINALIST, page 8) Wine Country RV Yard Seeks Expansion By Ron McNicoll Opponents at that time object- erty, in the spirit of being a good Burnham. goals and objectives of the South A proposal to add 720 spaces ed to the expansion on grounds neighbor, Migliore stated. It also Six of the 12 TVC board Livermore Valley Area Plan. to the Ideal Board and Camper that it would visually harm the covered some of the RV spaces members met June 1 to discuss “The plan is supposed to Storage facility on rural Tesla area’s viewshed in wine country, with heavy canvas tops that re- the application. Burnham said support the preservation of ag- Road will be heard on June 7 by and also bring in more traffic. semble sheds or garages. They the consensus was to send a letter riculture and promote the Valley the Alameda County Planning The application this time are arranged in a way that helps stating that TVC opposes the ex- as a unique wine region,” said Commission. would add 720 spaces to the 1000 screen the uncovered vehicles pansion as inconsistent with the (See EXPANSION, page 4) The meeting will begin at 6 that already exist, said Steve Mi- from eye-level along the road, p.m. in the public hearing room, gliore, Ideal’s general manager. said Migliore. 224 W. Winton Ave., Hayward. The property, originally a hog The proposed expansion County planning staff has stated farm, has been in the family for would also have some covered Pleasanton District Wants James Miguel that unless Measure D is amend- more than 40 years. spaces blocking a motorist’s view ed by Alameda County voters, Migliore said it is likely the of the uncovered vehicles, said Consultants for Parcel Tax New Fire Ideal Boat and Camper Storage number of spaces will not be as Migliore. The Pleasanton school board to hire a consultant that would could not expand. high as 720, because new regu- CONSERVANCY took another step down the road both advise about elections and Chief Named An earlier attempt to expand lations about water run-off may CONCERNED toward a parcel tax by authoriz- conduct a survey, or have the James Miguel will be the new the facility at 6271 Tesla Road result in Ideal having to provide ABOUT EXPANSION PLAN ing a search for consultants to survey undertaken by a separate Fire Chief of the Livermore- was unsuccessful, ending in 2005 on-site water storage. That would The Tri-Valley Conservancy advise them about parcel tax consultant. The board decided to Pleasanton Fire Department. He with a negative vote from the take up some of the expansion (TVC), which holds conserva- elections and a possible com- call in proposals from both kinds will join the department on July Board of Supervisors. The de- area. The alternative would be to tion easements on vineyards that munity survey related to it. of consultants. 6, 2010. nial followed a two-year process pay a fee for run-off impact. surround the property, is sending The board made the unani- Superintendent John Casey Miguel replaces Bill Cody, through the planning commission Although Ideal lost its bid in a letter to the planning commis- mous decision at its meeting May said that he met earlier with who has retired. and the East County Board of 2005, the firm did add Soquel sion detailing its concern, said 25. The only question that the Parvin Ahmadi, who will replace Miguel brings 27 years of fire Zoning Adjustment. Sequoia trees to screen the prop- TVC executive director Sharon board had to decide was whether (See PARCEL TAX, page 4) service experience to the posi- tion, including eight years at his most recent post, Fire Chief for the City of Modesto Fire Depart- ment. As Fire Chief, Miguel will State Budget Cuts Threaten (See FIRE CHIEF, page 2) The Exceptional Needs Net- work’s Summer Camps By Patricia Koning I don’t know if the camps will For the past 9 years, Tri-Val- continue. That’s very unfortunate ley parents of disabled children not just for the families who’ve have come to count on summer been at our camps, but also for camps run by the Exceptional those who might be coming for Needs Network (ENN). How- the first time.” ever, state cuts to funding for Through bingo, a rummage the Regional Center of the East sale, and a grant from Autism Bay (RCEB), which in years past Speaks, ENN is only $4,000 short paid for most of the counselors, of what it needs to run the sum- have jeopardized the two camps mer camps.

Load more