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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 11191996 - C163 C.160, C.161, C.162, and C.163 THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Adopted this Order on November 19, 1996 by the following vote: AYES: Supervisors Rogers, Bishop, DeSaulnier, Torlakson and Smith NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None SUBJECT: Convspondence C.160 LETTER dated October 31, 1996, from Ro Aguilar, Legislative Assistant, East Bay Regional Parks, 2950 Peralta Oaks, P.O. Box 5381, Oakland, CA 94605-0381, advising that the term of Mary Ann Gaebe, Contra Costa County's representative on the Committee, will expire on December 31, 1996, and of her eligibility to be nominated for another two-year term. ****REFERRED TO INTERNAL OPERATIONS COMMITTEE C.161 LETTER dated November 1, 1996, from Daniel Smith, Superintendent, Liberty Union High School District, 20 Oak Street, Brentwood, CA 94513, expressing concern with the reimbursement agreement between the School District and the county Flood Control District for the Detention Basin located at Freedom High School. ****REFERRED TO PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR C.162 RESOLUTION dated November 6, 1996, from Michael De Sa, Superintendent, Walnut Creek School District, 960 Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek, CA 94596, adopted by the Governing Board, Walnut Creek School District, requesting approval by the Board of Supervisors to change the regular governing board member election of November 4, 1997, to be consolidated with the statewide general election of November 3, 1998, and with every statewide general election of even numbered years thereafter. ****REFERRED TO COUNTY CLERK AND COUNTY COUNSEL FOR RECOMMENDATION C.163 LETTER dated November 7, 1996, from Reverend Ronald Schmit, St. Anne's Catholic Church, P.O. Box 476, Byron, CA 94514, commenting on the increased pressure on the infrastructure from development in the neighboring San Joaquin County and the need to responsibly plan for all phases of growth, particularly in the East County. ****REFERRED TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR IT IS BY THE BOARD ORDERED that the recommendations as noted (****) are approved. c.c.Correspondents �haxny tAet oft Is a true and caner of County Administrator an a o akin WW ante awn tra muroo 0700m, Internal Operations Committee M414 / Public Works Director PHIL BATCHELOR,Clerk of the board 01 8upervisore and Co ty Administrator County Clerk County Counsel 6y Deputy Community Development, Director St. Anne's Catholic Church (� Z Camino Dia6Co andWcCade Dads r P.O.BwC 476 t— Byron, California 94514 _ RECEIVED ,Founded 1916 NOV 8 (996 November 7, 1996 CLERK BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CONTRA COSTA CO. Community Development Department 651 Pine Street North Wing-Fourth Floor Martinez, CA. 94553 To Whom It May Concern: I am pastor of St. Anne's Church in Byron. We at St, Anne's and the local region of Catholic parishes (Antioch, Oakley, Brentwood and Byron), as well as, the Diocese of °Oakland=hav'el been closely`folfowirig the growth•in east Contra•Costa County W_ are in the:proress'6t'olanningg'for the-future'-rYiinistries`of the Catholic Church In.this ',region, _ _ 3 :I "want-to`,adtifess�'-th'e'=proposed'development, of Cowell Ranch; which wiII directly impact my I am sensitive to the needs of the natural environment and endangered species. I believe that we need to responsibly care for all of God's creation.-1 am, also, sensitive to the "endangered species of housing" that young Bay Area families can afford. There are over five hundred registered families (from Byron, Discovery Bay and Brentwood) in my parish. Many of these are young families with small children. They moved out here because this is where they could afford to live and still reasonably commute to work. Many commute to the San Jose area, others San Francisco. This makes for long days. If they did not live here they would be forced to live even further out, commute further and see even less of their families. So, the development in this area has been good for these people. When we look to the future, I believe population growth is inevitable. It makes sense to accept this as a reality. Even if Contra Costa were to stop all development in east county there is pressure on the infrastructure from development in neighboring San Joaquin County. The traffic that passes between here and Tracy, between here and Stockton, between here and Livermore is heavy and constant. Since the opening of the new Vasco' traffic_=o '_Camino' bT bb_'(church •ioeatlon) hash become very heavy! The Church'parking' lot has bocome'a truck-turn around Th6`25 mile.an; our zone in =Byron is,-'h'ot observed.-*°There have been several serious.accidents on:"a. fax(510)634-4194 E-Mail address:www.annebyron@aol.com phone(510)634-6625 narrow and tight turn on Camino Diablo and Holway streets. The narrowness of Camino Diablo was not intended for the kind of traffic it now sees. A once quiet residential area feels like a major highway. I am not suggesting that anyone can stop this increase. However, I believe that we should be pro-active rather than reactive. We need to responsibly plan for the growth. Not to plan for growth and adequately develop the infrastructure will be disastrous for the region. We need new highways now! Vasco Road should have been four lanes. If you come through there at 5 PM the traffic is backed up from Brentwood to at least a mile past Camino Diablo. People use Camino Diablo as secondary route around the traffic. The traffic is already coming and it does not seem we are prepared. We in northern California seem to fight the idea of freeways and expressways. We do not build them and the traffic comes anyway. We let traffic onto surface streets not designed to handle the volume. I lived in Hayward for five years and have seen when the decision is made not to build 'highways. Traffic, that is merely passing-through Hayward, is funneled through the surface streets. The volume of traffic in Hayward strangled downtown and helped to kill it. The same kind of strangulation is beginning to happen here. We need to deal with it, whether with freeways or toll roads, extending BART or developing less expensive light rail etc. I am not against the growth. What I am against is the attitude that somehow we can maintain the status quo or even prevent the growth. I believe that attitude is a form of denial, and prevents responsible, creative and practical solutions. Is it not better to plan than to react under crisis? It is for this reason that I find the idea of Cowell Ranch appealing. It is trying to address the need for housing in the Bay Area. But it also is trying to do it in a new way. I think it would be wonderful and healthy for families to be able to live and work in the same area, without the long commutes that over tax so many. If we plan rather than react we can balance the needs of people, the ecology and the pressure that development puts on both. This means making an investment of commitment, creativity and revenue. Not to deal with these issues will condemn both the ecology and the quality of life for the people living here. Let us not ignore these issues. Together the people of this region and county can reasonably work to achieve a.balance between human needs and nature. Both can benefit from our creative, reasonable and realistic efforts. S' Rev. Ronald G. S hmit Pastor CC: Contra Costa Board of Supervisors