Wednesday, October 27, 2010
The second public meeting about updating the city's economic development strategic plan takes place at 7 p.m.
The second workshop about the city's economic development strategic plan starts at 7 tonight at the San Ramon Community Center, 12501 Alcosta Blvd. As the city prepares its long-term and short-term blueprint for future economic growth, it invites the public to weigh in. The public's comments will be included in the updated plan, which would become official after City Council approves it, likely months from now. The 42-page draft update to the document is available online (see attached document). It includes strategies to attract new business, improve relationships with companies already based in San Ramon and how to align the city's economic growth with long-term land-use plans. One of San Ramon's highest priorities is to strengthen the …
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Navigate carefully when you're heading to or from the Dougherty Valley. The stretch of Bollinger Canyon Road subject to new construction has apparently thrown off some drivers.
Police say six cars have crashed into a fence off of Bollinger Canyon Road in the last several months, during which contractors have been widening the stretch of highway. The city plans to widen the middle part of the roadway, between the golf cart bridge and Alcosta Boulevard, as part of a $13 million effort to improve San Ramon's busiest streets. To caution motorists, the city may post advisory signs – beginning at the bottom of the hill by Alcosta – marked with a 35 mph speed limit, said San Ramon Police Lt. Dan Pratt. That's 10 mph under the normal limit. "The police department has been regularly enforcing the speed limit on that stretch of roadway," he said.
The San Ramon Valley school district held a study session Wednesday afternoon for the public to share their thoughts on options to redraw boundaries that dictate which school a student will attend.
Frank Tijiboy, 34, lives 400 feet from Hidden Hills Elementary School. His third-grade daughter attends Quail Run Elementary School, about two miles away. A week ago, when her mom and dad couldn't leave work, she had to skip school. Tijiboy said it was because he couldn't line up a ride for his oldest daughter since none of her classmates live in the family's Windemere Ranch neighborhood. "What was I going to do?" asked Tijiboy, a firefighter. "Have an 8-year-old ride her bike down Bollinger?" Tijiboy was one of more than 100 people who crowded the boardroom at a public hearing held by the San Ramon Unified School District to address two issues: How to redraw the elementary school boundaries that determine which campus a child attends and…
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
After an hours-long public hearing, the San Ramon City Council unanimously OK'd the planning document amendments, one of which would expand the city's urban growth boundary into the Tassajara Valley.
The City Council on Tuesday passed changes to San Ramon's General Plan 2030 after an hours-long public hearing that drew dozens of opponents. Most of the speakers addressed a controversial part of the document that would pull 1,600 acres of the Tassajara Valley into the city's urban growth boundary. About 50 people attended the 5 p.m. meeting. Environmentalist groups say that the move will lead to development in the rural valley east of the city, which is opposed by Greenbelt Alliance and Save Mt. Diablo. Council members, however, said the heart of the issue is about control. If San Ramon leaves the boundary as is, Contra Costa County may determine what gets built there. "It's about placing control in the hands of San Ramon residents," …
Thursday, July 1, 2010
The proposed update on land-use designations and policies is on its way to City Council.
The General Plan 2030 is one vote closer to appearing on ballots in November. In a 4-1 vote last night, Planning Commission members passed a motion to accept the plan, which would adjust the city's sphere of influence and other land-use designations and policies. Under the proposed plan, the city's urban growth boundary would be extended to incorporate Laborer's Property and Norris Canyon Estates to the West, and Camino Tassajara to the East. This would amount to 2,200 acres total, with 1,626 of those acres in the Tassajara Valley. The sole dissenting vote came from Planning Commission Chairperson Phil O'Loane, who expressed his opposition to expanding the urban growth boundary. During the special meeting that ran past 11 p.m., the …
Save Mount Diablo supporter
3:47 pm on Thursday, September 30, 2010
In Measure W the city hasn't even considered further impacts on schools but is proposing to break the urban growth boundary in 3 places for more growth--the "No on W" committee estimates between 2,300 and 4,200 new residential units could be built in Tassajara Valley alone, and the city is also proposing another 1,500 at North Camino Ramon. Add it up: 4600 houses already approved + up to 4200 in … more ›