| Reposted by San Lorenzo Express |
MINUTES
SAN LORENZO VILLAGE HOMES ASSOCIATION
MEETING NO. 1116
January 19, 2006
The regular meeting of the San Lorenzo Village Homes Association Board of Directors
was held Thursday, January 19, 2006.
1.1 CALL TO ORDER -- President Kathie Ready called the meeting to order at 7:35 pm.
1.2 SALUTE TO THE FLAG -- President Ready led the Board and the audience in the pledge of allegiance.
1.3 ROLL CALL -- Directors Kathie Ready, Jim Sherman, Pat Pebelier, Peggy Sheridan and Director Patrick Ledesma were all present.
2.O MINUTES FROM THE PREVIOUS MEETING -- Director Sheridan moved to approve the minutes from the December 15, 2005, meeting Number 1115. Director Pebelier seconds the motion. The minutes are approved unanimously.
3.0 COMMENTS FROM PUBLIC AGENCIES
3.1 CHP Report -- Officer Hauhn gave the following statistics for the past month's tickets/citations:
CHP Statistics for December 2005
Total for
Infraction San Lorenzo Unincorp. area
Collisions 21 167
Tickets 120 1,956
Parking Tickets 22 212
Storage/Impounds 8 136
Stolen Recoveries 4 24
Traffic Complaints 37 226
DUI Arrests n/a n/a
Resident Steve Daly on Via Alamitos stated that they need more parking control on his
street. He said that when he calls the CHP to report a problem, it seems as if they do not
take his complaints seriously. Other residents in the audience expressed similar problems
in reporting complaints. Officer Hauhn said he would report this back to his superiors.
Director Sheridan stated that there are many problems with people speeding on Bockman
and Hesperian. Director Ready asked that patrols be stationed on Grant Ave near Arroyo.
She noted that the students from Arroyo, as well as many parents from the two schools
are speeding on a continuous basis.
3.2 Alameda County Sheriff's Dept. -- Deputy Franco reported the following
Statistics for Alameda County Sheriff's Office December 2005
Change from
Crime Number last month Affected Streets
Stolen vehicles 7
Attempted Stolen Vehicles
Recovered Stolen Vehicles 0
Residential Burglary 0
Commercial Burglary 1
Auto Burglary 2
Grand Theft 4
Vandalism/graffiti 1
Robbery 3
Deputy Franco stated that there has been an increase in graffiti and they are have some
leads as to who is doing the "tagging". Some of the problems are related to the recent
truancy kids who are cutting school.
The Administrator complimented the sheriff's department for taking care of illegal vendors who have been selling oranges on neighborhood corners. A resident asked Franco if they had a report of vandalism/theft on Via La Jolla where all the wheels had been taken off of several vehicles which were parked up and down the street. Franco said he would look into this, but had not received that report.
3.3 Supervisor Alice Lai-Bitker -- Staff member, Kevin Dowling reported that tomorrow will be the first meeting for the new Economic Development Committee with its newly "appointed" members. This is an open meeting and everyone is welcome.
At the next Unincorporated Meeting the agenda will include a discussion of the county's master plans for pedestrian and bike paths in the county's unincorporated area. He also announced that there will be a booster seat give check and give-a-way sponsored by his office on Saturday, February 11th in the Homes Association parking lot at 377 Paseo Grande.
Dowling announced that his office is still meeting with interested residents who have questions regarding Medicare Part D. Call his office to schedule an appointment.
3.4 Zoning Enforcement Report -- Babcock was not present at the meeting. See Attachment A for monthly report.
3.5 Public Comment -- None.
4.0 FINANCIAL REPORT
4.1 Approval of December 2005 expenditures, including payroll, and discussion of significant variances -- The Administrator reported there were no significant variances since December 2005. Director Sherman moves to approve the December 2005, expenditures, including payroll, Director Ledesma seconds, the motion carries unanimously.
5.0 LIENS AND VIOLATIONS REPORTS -- The Administrator reported there have been five liens released since the December Board meeting.
November 2005 Violation Report
Number Violation # of Letters 1/19 Inoperable Vehicles in driveway 5 2/22 Recreational veh/trailer in driveway 6 6 Lack of General Maintenance 4 10 Lawn Height 2 11 Dead Trees 0 12 Overgrown Vegetation 0 13 Holiday Lights 0 14 No signs 0 15 Building Exterior 1 16 Dirt Accumulation 3 17 Attractive Nuisances 0 18 Lean/miss fence 0 20/7 Unpaved parking 0 21 Working on vehicles 0 23 Dogs/Cats more than 2 0 24 Barking dogs 0 25 Prohibited animals 0 26 Excess noise 1 27 No Home Business 1 28/99 Other/ comments 4 99 Multiple violations 1 Total 28
6.0 HEARINGS AND VARIANCE ISSUES
6.1 Hearing Dispositions
1) 16075 Via Descanso -- Dirt Accumulation. All debris gone. Writing to owner about
garbage cans and chair that is left in the driveway.
2) 17366 Via Andeta -- Lack of General Maintenance, Multiple Violations. Refer to
attorney for contempt; all violations still present.
3) 16150 Via Arriba -- Inoperative/stored vehicles. Owner agreed to paint house (weather
permitting) by the end of March 2006, and to remove vehicle by the weekend.
4) 963 Via Bregani -- Lack of General Maintenance, Lawn tall, debris and items in
driveway. Refer to attorney.
5) 1244 Via El Monte -- Trailer/boat in driveway. Boat removed. Closing file and asking
owner to paint garage door by May 2006.
6.2 Variances approved/disapproved at the work session
A) 369 Hacienda -- Front yard fence. Owner did not show and wanted to be present;
reschedule for February 2006 meeting.
B) 1826 Bandoni -- Second story addition with 4'8" setback (existing house has this
setback). Board approved owner going to county with plans (measurement between
houses is 10 feet). Owner will bring approved plans back to Association after county
has approved for final review by neighbors and Board.
C) 16045 Via Segundo -- Front yard proeprty line fence 3'10" with front yard fence. Front
yard fence denied; Administrator to site visit regarding dimensions of side fencing.
Director Ledsma moves to approve the Hearings and Variance decisions. Director Sheridan seconds, the motion carries unanimously.
7.0 ADMINISTRATORS REPORT
7.1 Informational Items -- The Administrator reported that the Association will be counting the election ballots on Friday, February 3rd. She already has volunteers, but needs more people to help out. Please contact the Association office if you are interested. She has invited all the candidates to review the counting and the entire process is open to the public as well.
The Administrator announced that the Association website is finally being updated. It should be up and running by this coming Monday. Agendas for community meetings and the Association's monthly Board meetings will be posted on the site. There will also be information on street sweeping, community events and other information located on the site. She invited all residents to visit it at slvha.com.
The Administrator said that as of January 1, 2006 there are three new changes to the Sterling Davis Act that will affect the Association. Most of the changes, the Association is already in compliance with and are related to "Member Inspection Rights", "Voting Procedures", and "Architectural Alteration Review Procedures". (See attachments B, C, D).
8.0 OTHER BUSINESS
8.1 Report on Oro Loma Meeting -- Administrator reported that both she and President Ready met with Oro Loma regarding the recycling pick up and street sweeping in Friday's area. There continues to be ongoing problems with cans left in the street, which affect the ability to sweep the area. Oro Loma has continued to suggest that the Association change the street sweeping day to avoid this conflict, however the Association has resisted this. The Association came up with wording that could be placed on Friday's cans via sticker that would essentially inform residents to "keep their cans out of the gutter". Oro Loma stated that it needed to have its legal department look at the wording prior to moving forward with the Association's suggestion.
8.2 Appointment of Alternate for the Redevelopment Committee -- The Administrator noted that she has not been able to get in touch with the previous alternate, Anne Brichacek, she suggested this be tabled until the next Board meeting. The Board had no objections.
8.3 Update on the Bockman Project -- The Administrator reported that she had placed an article in the upcoming newsletter regarding an update on the project (See Attachment E). She also reported that she has contacted over 10 retail brokers regarding the Bockman project. There are five (5) who have agreed to meet and discuss the feasibility and viability of commercial real estate in the Bockman Shopping Center. Some of these individuals have agreed to speak at no cost.
One of the developers who will be speaking is Vic DeMello who is involved with the new Target development in Hayward. The Administrator stated that they are trying to schedule meeting with these developers next Friday from 8:00 am until 3:00 p.m. in the community hall. This will be an open meeting, with both members of the BRAC and Association Board members invited.
Resident Kelly Pena and other BRAC members questioned whether the Olson Company was going to pay for these broker's time. They were not convinced they would. The Administrator noted that Phil Kerr has not said anything to the contrary, and that if by some "outside chance", they do not pay, she will. Director Ready noted that regardless of who pays, this is essential information, to determine the viability of retail in that area.
Some of the members of the BRAC voiced their concerns that they felt the newsletter article was "biased" towards the developer's plan. The Administrator noted that the article was based on an update of what has been happening on Bockman. It was not meant to be an article that either supported or not supported the project.
Director Ledesma noted that the Board has never been in total agreement with the Olson Company's existing plan for the area. The Board wrote a letter to the Planning Commission outlining the fact that the project is too dense, and the units are too high along with other issues. Ledesma stated that it is not the Board's intention of trying to "sway" anyone resident one way or the other. He noted that the article that would be published in the newsletter is factual update about the project and nothing more. He stressed the idea of working as a community to get results, and noted that the BRAC and the Board have agreed on many issues related to the Bockman Shopping Project. Ledesma said that the Board continues to want to work with the Community and the BRAC, to bicker about the semantics of an article is premature and against the nature of what the Board is trying to do, and has already done.
8.4 Alameda Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan
Paul Keener from Alameda Public Works spoke about the county's pedestrian and bicycle mater plans (See attachment F). They plan to have the Pedestrian Master Plan finalized by March 2006, the bicycle plan will be later in the year. He is doing outreach throughout the unincorporated area to get input. Resident Peter Hagberg is concerned with how far the San Lorenzo Creek Pedestrian Trail goes into local neighborhoods. It was taken out of the bicycle master plan, but is still imbedded in the General Plan. He produced several petitions showing that residents along the San Lorenzo Creek, who would be affected by this "trail" do not want it in their respective "back yards". He is concerned that although the current pedestrian/bike plans do not have this area included that the General Plan will set the stage for a trail in this area in the very near future, which residents, have proven they are already opposed to. (See attachments)
The problems that Hagberg sees with this type of trail are that the residential housing is much too close and could be subject to many problems. What the public wants is a public use trail to enjoy a leisurely hike throughout the area, enjoying the surrounding nature. What exists in the area now, is not a pristine nature trail, but access to the flood channel. The area does not lend itself to your "typical" nature hike and is far too near homes. Past problems from the canal have included, arsonists, using the channel to escape a crime scene, homeless encampments. Young teenagers using the channel to smoke marijuana and a suicide. Hagberg encouraged the board to write a letter to Cindy Horvath of Alameda County Planning, asking her to remove this particular residential area from its plan to extend the pedestrian trail.
Keener noted that in the current pedestrian plan, the county is only looking at the area near Grant Avenue that does not have any residents which abut it. He is concerned that if the area Hagberg is referring to is taken out of the General Plan, the county would have to start its process all over again to get an extension on this trail in years to come. By leaving the area in the General Plan, but noting that "there was opposition to it from the community", the county has an "in" later on if a majority of the residents become interested in extending the trail near their homes.
Hagberg noted that 99 percent of the residents who live there now, are against the including this extension near their homes. If in the future, the community of residents changes its mind, and wants this trail, then they can bring it back to the county staff when that time comes. He does not feel that it is necessary to have it included at this time, and sets the stage for the county to move forth with something the community has already opposed in force.
Keener said that if the community does not want this in the plan, they need to make comments by February of this year. He stated that the county has acknowledged that the surrounding community does not want the trail extended near residential housing and has no plans to move forward at this time.
Director Ready said that she will make it clear in her comments at the next meeting for the Eden Area General Plan, that the community is in opposition of including the wording in the General Plan. Director Sherman noted that it was not only San Lorenzo, but residents in Ashland and Cherryland who were against this extension. He was in agreement with Ready that the Board would make it known that its residents did not want the extension left in the General Plan.
9.0 PUBLIC COMMENT
Resident Keith Barros stated that the deflector for the Lewelling Project near San Lorenzo High is being reconsidered. He heard recently that Lowell Shira, with the San Lorenzo Unified School District is talking to the Public Works Department. Barros noted that this was what he thought was a step in the "right direction" to help mitigate concerns of excessive speeding and pedestrian safety in that area once the Lewelling project is complete.
Barros also suggested that the issue with the intersection of Via Rodriguez and Paseo Grande be revisited. The Administrator reminded Barros that the residents in and around that area showed very little interest. The Association sent two mailing out to residents in the surrounding tracts and only a handful of people came. There was a petition sent to residents outlining options and asking them to respond, there was not enough response to form a majority for any of the alternatives outlined. Dowling said that he would look into the number of accidents that have occurred in the area and speak with Art Carrera in Traffic Engineering, to see what can be done.
10.0 COMMITTEE REPORTS -- None.
11.0 COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS -- Director Sheridan noted that as a Board member it can be frustrating to try and please the community. Not everyone will agree on every issue, but unless the community tries to make some concessions, and unless we can all work together to get development and businesses in our area, regardless of some of our own personal agendas, then nothing will ever get done. She thanked all in attendance.
12.0 ADJOURNMENT -- Director Ready adjourned the meeting at 9:55 pm.
Respectfully Submitted,
Pat Pebelier
Secretary-Treasurer
Recorded & Transcribed By: Kathleen Harrigan, Sr. Admin. Assistant
Reviewed By: Nancy Van Huffel, Administrator , Kathie Ready, Board President