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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 11051996 - D13 D.13 THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA DATE: November 5, 1996 MATTER OF RECORD SUBJECT: Gale Ranch Inspector Greg Saffelbach, County Building Inspection Department, presented an oral report to the Board with regard to dust control mitigation for construction related activities at Gale Ranch. Chairman Smith invited the public to comment on the report, and the following persons spoke: Elizabeth Pforr, 2070 Shoreline Loop #262, San Ramon; and Chris Truebridge, Shapell Industries, 100 North Milpitas Boulevard, Milpitas. All persons desiring to speak having been heard, Chairman Smith ended public comment on the matter. Supervisor Bishop requested the Director, Growth Management and Economic Development Agency, to advise her office of any further complaints about dust at the Gale Ranch construction site. THIS IS A MATTER FOR RECORD PURPOSES ONLY NO BOARD ACTION TAKEN �, 13 00' —'✓ —' i.►1 O �1► °oro � 0 mss G G j •0) 31 O �r Iwo co 0 w"* G tp Ica co !g, �r � � t � �• U G ` ' r '� t72 U G / tD N E•N s p' Gco coU 4� i� C6 9L1 N d L co to 7 @aco � 3 r— too G U 7 rG ,n, ! --0 S c� G N_ N n1 35t O S1 O N �"� d U a N N D 9 ri , O N•O-�" 1� `Q ri?`1 °M:r ••i• �� l l � `•.3?."?,*,`�"� � �.,3':i .., sem.�.,¢''',. a;. ap IN- V CCO Supervisors Mtg. 11/5/96 I speak as a tenant at The Shores condominiums in the Crow Canyon district, and also as a former employee for 18 years in the Environment Division of the large Electric Power Research Institute in Palo Alto. So I am somewhat informed about air pollutants . Some consideration should have been given at the time the County planners gave permission to Shapell Industries to excavate for ��fheir 1100 homes + golf course, to the effects this would have on the existing occupied properties . The dust, black diesel emissions and racket over the past 1112 years have been at times unbearable . It is unfair to expect us who live at The Shores to not complain. My main concern is the health hazard from the air pollution caused by the Shapell land excavations. Windblown particulates cause cardiopulmonary, vascular diseases and serious threats to our lungs. Even on hot Spare the Air days or when there have been dense fog or low-lying clouds, the Shapell/Independent Construction Co. earthmovers have been stirring up the dirt . Diesel smoke from the combustion of fuels produces air polluting oxides . When I complained to Shapell over one year ago, I was told that "the wind would carry dust in a direction away from our condo ' s. " That is not so. The prevailing Crow Canyon winds blow their dust straight at us who live on the perimeter facing the Shapell project . This will continue, I was also told by Shapell , for a long time into the future as their plans call for covering the entire large area close to us . DUST CONSTANTLY SIFTS ONTO MY DECK to the extent that I have been unable to use it. I have to hermetically seal myself into my condominium if I want to avoid breathing the polluted air and to avoid the dust enterin the windows or door. Our Shores manager stated to me in front of her supervisor that her desk also gets covered with dust . Essex Properties of Palo Alto, which now owns The Shores, proceeded to raise many of our rents last summer and told me if I felt my rent to be too high despite the dirt, I should request that Shapell pay half my rent ! It causes me to wonder what is between Essex and Shapell ! I resent the dust, air pollution and racket from Shapell ' s up to 16 or 18 earthmonsters and trucks between 7 :45 AM and 6 PM (last May until now) and many Saturdays. Not only our health is at risk, but the dust is covering our cars and getting under the hoods into our engines. When I sent Shapell the receipt for my car cover, they did reimburse me for it which shows that they acknowledge the dirt they are causing with their Gale Ranch con- struction! -2- There are approx. 70 condo ' s just on the perimeter facing the construction project . Certainly the hundreds of other Shores condo ' s are also getting the dust . I feel that restrictions should have been placed on Shapell to prevent them from excavating so close to the existing occupied Shores buildings . As the County Supervisors failed us on this, I request the County Supervisors to require Shapell to compensate me, and other tenants who object to the dirt and dust, for periodic cleaning of our apartments and for periodic car washes, as long as the Shapell excavations continue to cause dust pollution. Elisabeth Pforr 2070 Shoreline Loop j#262 San Ramon, CA 94583-5533 510/735-9889 CCOSUPS Y e $LWlDAY,SEPTEMBER 29, 1996 ra PAGE A-2b Hills .ruined,6y. development 1 LIVE in The Shores'c6hdo miniums on Crow Canyon in San Ramon. When I moved here 3Y2 years ago, it was bucolic, with lovely rolling hills and cattle for my view. Now, at 7:30 a.m. sib morn- ings a_�week, there is a, racket: COriS>�PtiC"t1Glri disturbs 5�101'eS from up to 16 or 17 earth movers, I live in The Shores condominiums on Crow and trucks, and an 'ugly, un'=' Canyon in San kamon.When I moved here healthy pall over the entire valleX 3'/a years ago,it was bucolic,with lovely rolling caused by the ,dust..and black.. hills and cattle for my view. Now, at 7:30 six diesel smoke 6f Shapell's excava- mornings"a week,there is a racket from up to tions for the disputed Gale Ranch, 16 or 17 earthmovers and trucks and an ugly, development.They are a curse. unhealthy pall over--`the entire valley caused'by the dust and black:diesel smoke of Shapell's I can'no longer take walks'at" excavations for the disputed Gale Ranch de- any time during the day because l velopment..They are a curse. I can' no longer do not want to breathe the,foulQd;' take walks at any time during the day because dirty air. Who knows what may I do not want:to breathe the fouled,-dirty air. be in those millions of 'partic- I blame not only Shapell Industries for the ulates? havoc they create,but equally I blame the county me not only ShapeIl In blame supervisors and planners of San Ramon and I dus bla for the havoc it creates, Danville for permitting developers to go in and but equally I blame the county su-:pervisors and planners of Sari, absolutely ruin the natural ecology of the once- beautiful areas of San Ramon and Danville. Ramon and Danville.for permit-: Such real estate developers suffer from in- ting developers to go in and abso-' satiable greed.They are not satisfied with net tingly ruin the natural analogy,of Worths of$500 million or more.They are ob- sessed with building more and more and more Ramon and Danville. of the boxes one arm's length apart or closer. They care not about the jammed freeways and Such real estate developers overcrowded schools that result from their suffer from insatiable greed.They,, over-building. are obsessed with building more The co-called"county and city planners"of and more and more of the boxes San Radion and Danville care not about the one arm's length apart or.closer. quality of their constituents' lives. They gave They care not about the jammed the word"Go"to those developers: Don't for- freeways and overcrowded get,readers;you are paying their salaries. schools that result from their Q 'Beth Pforr overbuilding. /O.-n .` /(� San Ramon The so-called "county and city, planners" of San Ramon and - Danville care. not .about the quality of their constituents'lives: They gave the word"go"to those'- developers. Don't forget, readers; you are paying their salaries. Bet14 Pforr San Ramoti