Wednesday, March 26, 2014 • Vol. 8 Issue 2 26,000 copies Independent, locally owned and operated! delivered bi-weekly to Lamorinda homes & businesses www.lamorindaweekly.com • 925.377.0977 FREE Wendy Scheck and furry companion Amberite recently enjoyed a midday hike on the Briones-to-Mt. Diablo Regional Trail. Photo Andy Scheck Lafayette trail maps get thoughtful upgrade just in time for spring By Cathy Tyson he hills are popping with poppies! Precious late- thanks to Lafayette’s trail maps project. and Recreation office at the Lafayette Community Center and winter rains turned Lamorinda green, at least for a Looking to avoid steep hills? Then these new and improved other locations noted below. Updated trail maps range from the Tlittle while, as spring arrives in full bloom. If maps are your friends – that crucial information, along with trail challenging, yet scenic, Walter Costa Trail (a steep, more than two- you’re in the mood to take it all in you’ll be glad to know length, surface, terrain and parking information is now a click mile trek) to the much more moderate Silver Springs Trail to the that taking a hike just got easier, or rather, more informative, away via the city’s website; printed maps are available at the Parks flat, one-mile Hidden Oaks Trail. ... continued on page A12 Advertising Quote of the Week: “As much as we love our sports, the arts are so important in defining and building a community.” Read The Broad Shoulders of a Volunteer, page A6. Risky Business By Nick Marnell Town News A2 - A12 he politics and the dangers of the firefight- from ConFire. the room. “One of our chiefs has been in an ac- Business A10 Ting industry collided at the March 20 “The chief has a point here,” said Steven cident,” said Carman. Life in Lamorinda B1 - B12 meeting of the Lafayette Emergency Services Falk, city manager. “If there's a risk that The station 46 discussion ceased. And in one Classified B8 Task Force. Lafayette will detach, why invest $1 million?” of the many ironies of the evening, Pat Frost of Not to be Missed B10-B11 The initial focus of the meeting was the sta- He proposed that detachment efforts could be Contra Costa Emergency Medical Services HOW TO CONTACT US B11 tus of fire station 46, the proposed joint venture put on hold until Carman received an answer began her presentation on the state of the Food B12 between the Contra Costa County Fire Protec- from his board. Co-chair Traci Reilly agreed, county's EMS system. Service Directory B12 tion District and the Moraga-Orinda Fire Dis- saying that she'd be in favor of “hitting the pause ConFire captain Chris Leimpeter returned to Sports C1 - C3 trict. ConFire chief Jeff Carman, who spent button. We're in charge of how we pace this the meeting and relayed that the injured firefighter Shop Moraga C4 most of his day involved with a three-alarm process,” she said. had been rushed from Pittsburg to John Muir Hos- Our Homes D1 -D12 brush fire in Pittsburg, reported that he and chief Task force member Peter Clark did not pital, where his condition was improving. This Week Read About: Stephen Healy of MOFD were closer than they agree. He said that station 46 will not be a cure- “It's the worst thing that can happen in your have ever been to an agreement on the station. all, and that the committee should continue to career,” said Carman, who discussed his initial Eden Opens A2 But he needed to know the position of the task explore all options for providing fire service to reaction to the emergency call. “It pains you ... Town Center Homes A4 force. the city. “The ConFire model is not sustainable, it's an out of control feeling, for someone who Roads 2015 A6 “Do you get behind 46 and support it? Or, with an intractable financial problem,” added is used to always being in control.” Unplugging B2 are you still going to seek detachment? I need committee member Rich Cunningham. The politics of the firefighting business – as OAC Arts Competition B3 to decide where to put our emphasis,” he said. As Cunningham spoke, an obviously preoc- discussed by those at the task force meeting – OLLI in Lafayette B5 Carman did not want to present a station 46 cupied Carman ran across the room and ushered continue to be wrought with delay and frustra- Lamorinda Reads B6 plan to the Board of Supervisors and have it Falk out of the meeting. An ashen Falk returned tion. The dangers of the firefighting business – Lafayette Youth Arts B7 be simultaneously reported that the Lafayette to his seat while Carman grabbed his assistant impressed upon those at the task force meeting Basketball Wrap C1/C2 task force was still looking at detachment chief and two ConFire captains and shot out of – resulted that day in a near tragedy. Life in Lamorinda B1-B12 Sports C1-C3 Our Homes D1-D12 Jellyfish First Award-Winning Wine Art Pitch Cave Unique works Baseball season's under "Let us celebrate by a Lafayette way and Lamorinda's the occasion with artist to light high school teams have wine and sweet up your life - their eyes on the prize - words." (Plautus) page B1. page C1. - page D1. Page: A2 LAMORINDA WEEKLY www.lamorindaweekly.com 925-377-0977 Wednesday, March 26, 2014 STILL #1 FOR A REASON 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 1291 Quandt Court`:7VV Lafayette’s Best Located on a large .23±AC corner parcel, this updated 3BR/2BA, 1656± sq. ft. home was remodeled to perfection in ‘03 with hardwood floors, recessed lighting, French doors, open living spaces, & updated kitchen & baths. Civic News Great location close to Springhill Elementary, Springbrook Pool, town, Hwy 24, & BART! Public Meetings cV`VR: $5 5 1291QuandtCourt.com Just Listed! Dana Green City Council License #: 01482454 Monday, April 14, 7 p.m. Lafayette Library & Learning Center, DanaGreenTeam.com | 925.339.1918 Community Hall, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd. Tri Cities Council Meeting Monday, April 7, 7 p.m. Affordable Housing Project Opens Doors in Lafayette Saint Mary’s College, 1928 Saint Mary’s Rd., Moraga By Cathy Tyson through Eden Housing. There was a Planning Commission very simple pre-application form with Monday, April 7, 7 p.m. basic information provided to all 600 Lafayette Library & Learning Center, interested parties–that group was ran- Community Hall, 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd. domly assigned lottery numbers. Design Review Lucky seniors who received numbers Monday, April 7, 7 p.m. 1-300, and are at least 62 years old, Lafayette Library & Learning Center, were invited to fill out more detailed Arts & Science Discovery Center, applications that documented their fi- 3491 Mt. Diablo Blvd. nances, including tax returns and ev- Check online for agendas, meeting idence of income and assets, and then notes and announcements a criminal background check was City of Lafayette: completed along with contacting their prior landlord. Those who met all of www.ci.lafayette.ca.us the requirements and had a qualifying Phone: (925) 284-1968 lottery number were approved. Chamber of Commerce: Fair housing law prevents apart- www.lafayettechamber.org ments to be selectively allocated to tenants whose population is not rep- School Board Meetings resentative of greater Contra Costa Some of the residents of Belle Terre gather in the lobby area, from left: Property manager Leslie Bown, Evora Acalanes Union High School District County. While it’s true that the vast James, Larisa Lantsova, Yuet Yuen, Nirmalui Bains and Mac Parker. Photo Andy Scheck Wednesday, April 16, 7:30 p.m. majority of Lamorinda residents are AUHSD Board Room at 1212 emand clearly outstripped sup- downtown listed for $2,100 per could only qualify for one of these Caucasian, that representation is not Pleasant Hill Road, Lafayette Dply for the brand new low-in- month. For most house hunters, es- apartments if they made a maximum true of the entire county. www.acalanes.k12.ca.us come senior housing project on Mt. pecially seniors on a fixed income, of $32,750 per year. It was challenging to win one of Lafayette School District Diablo Boulevard, Belle Terre, devel- that is clearly unaffordable. All sources of income are these apartments and it was equally challenging to get the structure built. Wednesday, April 9, 7 p.m. oped by Eden Housing. Finishing There was phenomenal interest in counted, including Social Security The project took nine years from the Regular Board Meeting touches were completed in late Janu- the property, said Eden’s senior proj- benefits, 401K, disability and interest initial efforts of the Senior Housing Stanley Library ary and a parade of residents moved ect developer Woody Karp of the from bank accounts. Tenants pay rent Task Force which was created to help 3477 School St., Lafayette in, filling all of the 45 one-bedroom roughly 600 requests for housing. that is calculated at one-third of their the City Council meet its goal of pro- www.lafsd.k12.ca.us units in just under a month. “It’s a very, very desirable property, income, with the balance paid through Long time homeowners in Lam- because it’s so deeply affordable.” operating subsidies which are ulti- viding senior housing in Lafayette. orinda may be shocked at the going This project is specifically designed mately paid by HUD vouchers, via In 2008, the project was approved Share your thoughts, insights rates for an apartment in Lafayette. A to serve extremely low income and the Contra Costa County Housing for very low income seniors, but se- and opinions with your quick look at Craigslist, a popular on- low income senior residents.