Activities in Vol XVV No. 1 The AlamoA Improvementlamo Association 2010 www.alamoca.org AIA PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE A.I.A. 2010 - 2011 Meeting Dates AIA Turns 55 in 2010 Planning Committee Dates by Brad Waite May 12, 2010 November 10, 2010 June 9, 2010 December 8, 2010 Since 1955, Alamo residents have been joining the Alamo Improvement July 14, 2010 January 12, 2011 Association because they want to preserve the semi-rural character of August 11, 2010 February 9, 2011 Alamo. Sept. 8, 2010 March 9, 2011 Generations of residents have also volunteered hours to serve on the October 13, 2010 April 13, 2011 AIA Planning Committee and Board of Directors. Board of Directors Dates May 13, 2010 November 11, 2010 Over the years, they have all contributed to the differences we see today June 10, 2010 December 9, 2010 between Alamo and other communities in the San Ramon Valley and July 15, 2010 January 13, 2011 San Francisco East Bay. August 12, 2010 February 10, 2011 In 2010, it is near-luxury to live in a Bay Area community with tree- September 9, 2010 March 10, 2011 canopied, two-lane roads, minimum half acre lots, generous views of October 14, 2010 April 14, 2011 open space, and a distinct downtown with local businesses that cater to local needs. BALLOT AIA’s simple, sustaining, and historic mission is to see that Alamo stays INSIDE that way. In my final year as AIA President, I want to thank the members of our See Page 12 Board of Directors and, especially, the members of our Planning Committee – they donate their knowledge from school and career to All AIA Members review applications and make recommendations to Contra Costa County, are eligible to vote Alamo’s local government, for building and development in Alamo. I also want to acknowledge our community of over 1,000 member households throughout Alamo. In 55 years, AIA membership has never been higher. Table of Contents (Continued on Page 2) Committee Reports............................2-7 Planning Report................................2-3 Membership Report..............................4 Transportation...................................4-5 Code Compliance...................................6 Local Governance in Alamo...............7 Candidate Statements......................8-9 NonProfit Organizations Serving Alamo............................10-11 Ballot.............................................12 Membership Renewal.........................12 Activities in Alamo (Continued from Page 1) Generally, the County Planning Department staff’s (AIA Planning Commitee Report 2010: Con’t from Page 2) recommendation and the County Zoning with existing neighborhood buildings. AIA supports AIA President's Message Administrator’s decision are in agreement with AIA’s the design of the fire station to resemble a residence, by Brad Waite, President recommendation. However, occasionally the County’s and the design of a tower, no higher than neighboring decision does not agree with AIA’s recommendation. My deepest thanks to you all – long-time members, and residences, to house and abate noise from utilities. Should this happen, AIA or other interested parties members of families new to AIA. Be sure to turn to AIA will also work with the Fire District to assure may appeal a County decision to the County Planning the back of this publication where you will find the landscape improvements on the site. Commission, and, again, to the County Board of AIA Ballot, and send us your choices for AIA Board of Supervisors. Residential Proposal Review Directors in the upcoming membership year. If you are not an AIA member and wish to join, you will also AIA Planning Committee members are Chuck A proposed large residence on a sloping hillside prompt- find a membership form in back. Bauman, Jack Behseresht, Glenn Brown, Dave ed neighbor concerns about a history of seismic issues Ciapponi, Pat Gulliford, Jeff McClung (Co-Chair), Ed from the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake on the site. AIA And I invite you to page through our Annual Report Moran, and Roger Smith (Chair). All are Alamo forwarded this information to the County. and review the past year’s work of AIA volunteers residents and customers of Alamo businesses, and and members. We do it with pleasure for you and AIA’s support of neighbors concerned about soil many are business owners themselves. Together, for Alamo! ; stability resulted in a study by soil engineers that they spend an average total 100-135 hours per month determined the structural plans would provide a on Planning Committee business! stable foundation for the house. AIA also worked AIA PLANNING In 2009, the Planning Committee reviewed 46 agenda with the applicant and neighbors to develop a land- COMMITTEE 2010 items, about 40 of which required successive meetings. scaping plan that would create a buffer zone to give privacy to all parties. REPORT Most were recommended to the County for approval, many with conditions of approval added by AIA. Cellular Structures in Alamo — By Roger Smith Several flagrant items were recommended for disap- Can You Find Them? proval, and, in most cases, the County’s decision was The AIA Planning Committee consistent with AIA’s recommendation. AIA believes that applications for wireless transmis- sion facilities need to balance the need for better cel- reviews applications to the 2009 AIA Planning County Planning Department lular service with sites that are visually non-intrusive. that require discretionary review for real estate use in Committee Highlights The trade-off is that sites prized for transmission Alamo – sub-divisions, land use permits, rezoning, San Ramon Valley Fire District Proposal facilities are typically elevated to cover more area and, therefore, prominent and visible. variances, and occasional amendments to the County’s In 2009, Alamo’s Fire District applied to the County General Plan. for a land use permit to build a new fire station that The Planning Committee has adopted a position that An application is placed on the Planning Committee would serve Alamo at the signalized corner of Stone these facilities be located at non-obtrusive sites meeting agenda, which is mailed to all AIA members Valley Road and Miranda Avenue. The Fire District when possible, camouflaged through paint, land- and distributed by Committee members to neighbors was seeking to upgrade its facility at a site where fire- scaped to minimize unsightly effects, and removed of the project site. At the meeting, neighbors are fighters could decrease their response time by con- when equipment is no longer in use. Performance asked for their input, and Committee members make trolling an existing traffic signal that drivers on busy bonding is required to insure that conditions of a project recommendation by majority vote. AIA Stone Valley Road are accustomed to responding to. application approval are actually met and the facility Board of Directors receive the recommendation and The County referred the project to AIA for discre- is maintained. take a subsequent vote. All AIA meetings are open to tionary review. Wireless sights under review for improvements include the public. Fire District representatives met with the 312 Alamo Square site next to Cherubini’s for The County Planning Agency AIA Planning Committee members addition of another service, ClearWire, and, at the reviews AIA’s recommendations several times, and Planning Committee Livorna Park/Easy Street location, an improvement to along with those of County agen- members met several times with con- meet new data service requirements and an applica- cies, like Public Works and Flood cerned neighbors. As a result of these tion to modify the original conditions of approval for Control, and special districts, like meetings, the District changed the the replacement of antennas and the addition of one the Fire District, and gives their location of the building, from within equipment cabinet. ; recommendation to the County the County’s required setback from a Zoning Administrator for discus- creek, to outside the setback. CAN YOU FIND THEM IN ALAMO ? sion at a public meeting in An AIA objective for new buildings Among these photos, one is a flag/bird pole, one is a faux chimney, and one is masquerading as a tree. Martinez. Pary Court, Round Hill Country Club, and Alamo Square. Square. Alamo and Club, Country Hill Round Court, Pary in Alamo is that they are compatible ANSWER: 2 Activities in Alamo (Continued on the next page) 3 (Transportation Committee Report: Con’t from Page 4) MEMBERSHIP AIA in the CRIPP, there is no description of the project related widening. Doing so would cause more tree loss COMMITTEE TRANSPORTATION other than the title. Report and increased traffic and safety impacts to these neigh- COMMITTEE 2010 borhoods – all residential – along Danville Boulevard. AIA will continue to monitor the CRIPP update pro- by Dave Ciapponi REPORT cess, confirm that the “Danville Boulevard/Stone Valley Impending Release of the Two-Year Update of Road Intersection Improvements” project is removed Membership has been the By Michael Gibson the County’s Roads Plan – Which Projects and determine the intent of any undescribed projects. foundation and backbone of Will It Include? Historical Discussion of Downtown Alamo the Alamo Improvement AIA continues to advocate with the County for resi- As we go to press, Contra Costa County’s updated plan Traffic and Pedestrian Circulation Association’s voice in our community and to the dents’ wishes about Alamo roads and transportation. for Alamo roads is due to be revealed. It is called the County since inception in 1955. At this writing, We support retention of the trees that give our roads CRIPP, which stands for Capital Roads Improvement The County has made no further public decision about over 1000 of Alamo’s 5000 plus households are character, and we support road improvements that & Preservation Program. It contains a list of projects a discussion going on since 2006 of changes called Association members, an unusually large partici- increase safety without accommodating more freeway that the County intends to plan for and seek funding Phase I and Phase II to downtown Danville Boulevard.