Dublin • Livermore • Pleasanton • Sunol Thursday, March 27, 2014
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VOLUME LI, NUMBER 13 Your Local News Source Since 1963 SERVING DUBLIN • LIVERMORE • PLEASANTON • SUNOL THURSDAY, MARCH 27, 2014 Dublin Sued Over The Crossings EIR The Alameda Creek Al- and 2000 homes on the site. oper SunCal is not a defen- base, and SunCal is "fully support burrowing owls. liance (ACA) has filed suit Dublin failed to measure dant, but was served with a conforming" to it. The plans There are about 500 acres against Dublin for approv- the impact of development notice of the suit, because as were approved by "various of flat grasslands that po- ing The Crossings residen- on the owl habitat, or include the developer it is a party in public agencies" in 2011. tentially are suitable for tial development on 189 proper mitigation measures interest, said Miller. They require the creation of owl habitat on Camp Parks' acres. to protect it, claims the suit. SunCal stated in a pre- new owl habitat as a condi- remaining 2300 acres, said Find Out What's The suit, which was filed Jeff Miller, director of the pared statement that be- tion of development. Miller. There was never any in Alameda County Superior ACA, said there was never cause the matter is in litiga- The mitigation requires discussion in the city's EIR Happening Court on March 21 in Oak- any discussion in the EIR tion, "we cannot comment two new acres of owl habi- about how many acres are Check Out Section A land, alleges that Dublin's about how many acres are on the suit." tat to replace every acre of needed for mitigation, or Section A is filled with EIR for the project was impacted. "We are trying However, SunCal pro- existing habitat, states Sun- what the impact would be, information about arts, inadequate. to go back to Step 1 to see vided background informa- Cal's statement. according to Miller. people, entertainment and The residential land, just what the impact is, and come tion about the issue. It said Miller told The Indepen- A spokesperson for the special events. There are north of Dublin Boulevard, up with a mitigation. They that the Army prepared a dent that mitigation is not City of Dublin did not return education stories, a variety is located on the southern skipped the first step." final environmental impact just finding some land. It an e-mail and a call before of features, and the arts and tip of Camp Parks. SunCal The city is named as the statement and habitat miti- must be in the right location, entertainment and bulletin (See DUBLIN, page 3) board. plans to build between 1600 defendant in the suit. Devel- gation plan for the military with the right conditions to Tri-Valley Livermore Redwoods Considers Injured By Initiative to Drought Set Council Coastal redwood trees, prized in the Tri-Valley for Benefits their beauty, majesty and fast The Livermore staff will growth, are increasingly at look into the possibility of risk as Northern California’s placing an initiative on the drought deepens, tree and November 2014 ballot that garden experts say. This is would set council benefits particularly true if home- "in stone." owners do not recognize The city council also di- the danger and fail to take rected staff create a to plan steps necessary to keep them giving councilmembers the healthy. ability to purchase benefits In neighborhoods from using pre-tax dollars. The Livermore to Sunol, red- other area of concern to the woods are turning brown, council involved retirement sometimes from too little benefits. Staff will provide water, sometimes from salts low cost options. Currently, in the soil, sometimes from the city contributes to the pests and cankers that have benefits. taken advantage of weak- Mayor John Marchand ened trees. raised the issue of council The basic remedy – deep benefits last year. He said watering plus frequent over- Monday, at a time when we head sprinkling -- may be are asking our bargaining prohibitively expensive as groups to make concessions, water rates rise, and impos- Photo - Doug Jorgensen the councilmembers are the sible if serious rationing Opening day, March 25, for the Amador Valley High School softball team was designated as the 5th Annual Breast only part-time employees to begins. Cancer Awareness Game. Amador Valley took on San Ramon Valley in "Playing for a Cure." The day included receive full-time benefits. The Livermore Valley has a survivor first pitch, pink bases, pink softballs, pink uniforms, a breast cancer awareness table with literature There are no part-time em- already been told that it may and survivor stories, breast cancer merchandise for sale along with a research donation box, pink sno cones, ployes receiving medical not receive any water from a bake sale and a 50/50 raffle. In the photo, Amador players line up to present autographed softballs to cancer benefits. He said that he did the State Water Project this survivors. The survivors then threw out the first pitches using the softballs. not want people to run for summer. council for the benefits. Coastal redwoods argu- Councilmember Laureen ably do not belong in the Turner stated that a part-time Livermore Valley in the first Livermore School Board OKs MOU to Share employee has defined start place, according to a range and end times. Council- of authoritative sources. members are always "on." They are native to coastal Parcel Tax Funds with Charter Schools She pointed out that when regions where summers are After much discussion, poration to receive funding McLaughlin absent. ter Preparatory High School she was elected she had to cooler, rainfall is heavier and a memorandum of under- from a school parcel tax. The Livermore Valley (LVCP). reduce her work hours, caus- fog brings moisture to their standing (MOU) was ap- The Livermore Valley Learning Corporation oper- The discussion revolved ing her to lose her medical needles year-around. proved last week that lays Joint Unified School District ates the Livermore Valley around how the charter benefits. Many thousands of red- out the terms for the Liver- Board of Education okayed Charter School (LVCS) and schools might spend the Turner added that she wood needles on a single tree more Valley Learning Cor- the MOU, 4 to 0, with Tom the Livermore Valley Char- create a huge surface area for (See PARCEL TAX, page 5) (See BENEFITS, page 5) absorbing or losing water. A tall coastal redwood can require up to 500 gallons of water a day through its needles and roots, accord- Pleasanton OKs Measures ing to online horticultural resources like the University To Deal with Drought of California’s Division of The Pleasanton City water situation." He pointed Agriculture and Natural Council amended the city's out that in March of this year Resources. drought ordinance to allow Pleasanton water customers For these reasons, “I implementation of a variety had reduced use by only 13 would not recommend red- of measures if the drought percent. It should be at 20 woods in a place like Liver- worsens. percent. more,” said Igor Lacan, The vote was unanimous. The drought ordinance, environmental horticultural Daniel Smith, Director of as approved by the council, advisor in that UC Division. Operation Services, reported grants legal authority to the Half a century ago, how- that voluntary reduction in city to enforce reductions in ever, they were planted en- water use doesn't work that water use. The usage would thusiastically to green up well. "A lot of people don't be based on average use for a region whose orchards, understand the gravity of the (See DROUGHT, page 5) native oaks and rose gardens were being cut down to make room for development. Many long-time Liver- Dublin Declares Drought more residents recall an ag- ricultural company distribut- State of Emergency Photo - Doug Jorgensen ing free redwood seedlings cies after Gov. Jerry Brown The Dublin City Council David Lum displays his collection of Warriors' items. decades ago. declared a state of emer- declared a statewide emer- Beyond the simple ab- gency concerning water gency Jan. 17, sence of water, redwoods consumption during the Although a state of emer- Lum Stars in 'We Are Warriors' Ad are sensitive to the build-up drought, and called for a 20 gency can support manda- of damaging salts in the soil. percent voluntary water us- tory water rationing, the By Carol Graham I'm not sure I would have repeat the scene more than In a rainy year, this problem age cutback from residents, council chose to make it It's a good thing David gone through with it!" said 20 times - having to get out is typically seen in late sum- with an emphasis on reduc- voluntary, in keeping with Lum didn't know certain the Livermore Police De- of the tub, dry off and put my mer or fall, months after the ing outdoor watering. similar declarations from things ahead of time. Like partment records clerk, clothes back on each time. last soaking rains of the past Dublin and other cities Pleasanton, water wholesal- the part about the ice bath; laughing. "I assumed I was The tub was plastic and a winter have leached the salts and agencies were able to er Zone 7 and Dublin's water and, the Speedo. going to be in shorts or bit slippery, which made it to lower levels in the soil. declare water emergen- "If I would have known, swimming trunks. I had to Similarly, alkaline chemi- (See EMERGENCY, page 4) (See WARRIORS, page 2) cals from freshly poured concrete can damage red- wood tree roots. Inside PET OF THE WEEK Igor Lacan, the Univer- Say bonjour to Bianca! The lively toy poodle mix sity of California environ- is looking for her forever famille.