VOLUME XLVII, NUMBER 47 Your Local News Source Since 1963 SERVING LIVERMORE • PLEASANTON • SUNOL THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2010 Housing Plan Could Change Face of Pleasanton Pleasanton has begun an Judge Frank Roesch ruled that addition, the city will need to is an understanding of what the of special housing needs includ- update of its housing element. the City of Pleasanton’s housing accommodate the units it did not housing element update is about. ing special populations such as Some of the provisions to be in- cap violates state law, because it zone for during the last update, We are talking about provisions the homeless, elderly, disabled, cluded are the result of a lawsuit limited the city’s ability to meet around 521 units for a total of that will change the face of Pleas- and large families. For example, settlement with Urban Habitat. its regional housing numbers. 3,798. anton with high density housing. the city would have to designate The settlement requires that The court ordered the city to A task force has been estab- There need to be neighborhood zoning districts where year-round there be areas zoned for low in- complete re-zoning that is re- lished to prepare the new housing meetings to make sure that what emergency shelters for the home- come housing at a minimum of quired by state law so that it can element. Under the lawsuit settle- we are doing is very visible.” less could be located. 30 units to the acre. The city must meet its share of the region’s ment, a draft housing element Director of Development New climate laws will also also develop a nondiscrimination affordable housing. The Court’s must be submitted to the state by Brian Dolan told the council the come into play in the new hous- Find Out What's policy and program with regard ruling did not affect the City’s August 16, 2011. most substantial task facing the ing element. Dolan explained that Happening to housing. urban growth boundary. Councilmember Matt Sul- task force is designating sites for where housing is located could The lawsuit filed by Urban In the current planning pe- livan commented, “The task potential development. He added impact greenhouse gas input in Check out the Habitat challenged the city’s riod, which lasts through 2014, force has its work cut out for it. that in addition to the lawsuit the city. second section housing cap. In March of this Pleasanton has been assigned a It is important to reach out to the settlement, there are new state Dolan added that the trend on Section II is filled with infor- year, Alameda Superior Court regional share of 3277 units. In community and make sure there requirements such as an analysis (See HOUSING, page 4) mation about arts, entertainment and special events. There are education stories, a variety of features, and the arts and enter- tainment and bulletin board list Council Hears Concerns Residents About Plans Invited to For Downtown 'Stuff a Bus' Much of Monday’s Livermore The Livermore Amador Val- City Council was devoted to the ley Transit Authority (LAVTA), citizens forum. The topics of operator of the Wheels bus focus included the downtown system, will hold its 1st Annual BART station and the 2000 seat “Stuff the Bus” Holiday Food regional theater. Drive in cooperation with the Speakers provided reasons for Tri-Valley Haven Food Pantry and against both projects. and Open Heart Kitchen to ben- The BART Board of Directors efit families in need this holiday has selected the downtown sta- season tion along with a Vasco Road sta- The “Stuff the Bus” event tion as the preferred alternative to will take place on Saturday, extend BART to Livermore. December 4, 2010 at the Lucky The city council is in the Supermarket located at 2000 process of reviewing the financ- Portola Avenue, Livermore from ing plan for the regional theater, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. which would be built and oper- “One of the effects of the ated by the Livermore Valley Per- challenging economy has been forming Arts Center (LVPAC). the dramatic increase in the LVPAC has proposed use of number of people who rely on the the general fund as surety for its services of local area food banks. financing obtained. The council To help our Tri-Valley neighbors has asked for information on in need during this holiday sea- the risk to the general fund and son, I encourage the public to protections for it. come out and ‘stuff the bus’ with The financing does not look non-perishable food items and to the general fund as the source cash donations,” said Alameda of debt service. The redevelop- County Supervisor Scott Hag- ment agency (RDA) would be gerty, chair of LAVTA’s Board the source of funding from the city. It is estimated that the RDA of Directors. Photo - Doug Jorgensen Wheels bus drivers, who vol- would have enough money to pay unteer their time to this event, Cottage Preschool held a Thanksgiving Feast last Thursday. The preschoolers, ages 2-5 years, prepared stuffing, turkey, pumpkin the debt service and to fulfill its will be on hand along with radio bread, vegetables, applesauce and orange ice to share with their families. They also prepared all the table decorations. In the current obligations and projected station 101.7 KKIQ to collect photo, the students are entertaining their families with a song. The preschool is located at Trinity Baptist Church in Livermore. costs including a new parking non-perishable food donations, garage. LVPAC revenues are distribute prizes, and help spread more than double the amount holiday cheer. Every “Stuff the needed to meet their share of Bus” attendee may also register debt service. to win a $50 Lucky Supermarket At the outset, LVPAC has gift card and receive a special Zone 7 Will Review Agricultural Water Contracts $10.5 million on hand to meet discount coupon from Mountain its obligations. It is anticipated By Ron McNicoll meeting Nov. 17, will go to the ever, the staff attorney left. Now contract drafts. The staff expects the amount will grow to $60 mil- Mike’s Pizza in Livermore. Zone 7 Water Agency direc- end of 2011. That will allow staff to need one year to research the For a Wheels schedule and that a firm with water law experi- lion in 2043 when the financing tors approved a one-year ex- enough time to research current ence is in place with the agency, contracts and come up with a concludes. bus stop locations call Wheels tension for 40 untreated water contracts, and come up with com- draft for board approval. Customer Service at (925) 455- the task will be finished. The regional theater is con- contracts, most of them in rural mon language for all contracts, so Staff will meet with both Zone 7 assistant general man- sidered to be a catalyst project 7500 or visit us online at www. Livermore. they are all consistent. ager Kurt Arends told the Inde- wheelsbus.com. large and small landowners who for the downtown. It is projected The extension, approved The agency several years ago have contracts, to ensure clear pendent that the task is a little to bring in a new hotel, shops, unanimously by the board at its wanted to accomplish that. How- communication about the future (See ZONE 7, page 10) (See DOWNTOWN, page 4) Pleasanton Police Report Mountain Lion Activity LARPD Grants Trial Period On Nov. 23, Pleasanton police officers responded to an area on For Off-Leash Dog Training Busch Road at the eastern edge of the city, where a deer carcass was The Livermore Area Recre- drafting rules that will be printed located. Based upon the evidence ation and Park District board of on signs in the Meadow. at the scene, it was determined directors approved a six-month Director Steve Goodman that a mountain lion killed the trial for off-leash dog training in commented, “We have to try to deer. There were no witnesses to one of its parks. see if it works. Hopefully, it will the attack. However, there have The off-leash site will be in work and this won’t be a pilot been previous sightings of moun- an area known as the Meadow, program.” tain lions reported in the general a grassy part of Robertson Park Director Beth Wilson, who region between Mohr Avenue and about 3.5 acres in size located had been hesitant to approve the open space behind the City of between the field house and the the pilot program, stated, “I had Pleasanton Operations Service arroyo. District staff will post some reservations about off-leash Center at 3333 Busch Road. signs notifying the public of the dogs. The dog owners have given There have been no reported pilot program’s guidelines. us some good reasons to try it.” attacks on people or pets thus The Meadow has been used by The trial period will run far, according to the Pleasanton Police Department. dog trainers in the past. However, through May 31. The Board will (See LION, page 9) recently, the district began en- then evaluate feedback from the forcing its rule that dogs be kept public and decide whether to on-leash except in specifically make the area off-leash perma- designated areas. nently. Members of the Livermore The board also said good-bye Pet Alliance had requested an to two of the directors. Scott Photo - Doug Jorgensen opportunity to demonstrate that it Kamena and David Furst did not The Foothill High School girls varsity volleyball team celebrated the win over the San Ramon was safe to train off-leash when a seek re-election in November.