Advocacy for Youth and Children, Transportation and Traffic, Water Resources & Conservation

By Cindy McGovern

For the safety of children, background screenings of all coaches and volunteers spending one on one time with children should be required. Childcare facility guidelines need to be adopted to provide standards for childcare operators. To conserve water resources, Pleasanton needs to begin the usage of recycled water. To reduce traffic on Valley Avenue and Santa Rita Road, Wheels Bus RAPID Transit from Livermore to the Dublin BART station will begin in 2009.

Priorities: For our children's safety, it is time to follow the Pleasanton Unified School District and Pleasanton RAGE leadership and require background screenings for all coaches and volunteers that spend one on one time with the children in our city programs.

It is also time to establish clear, specific criteria for childcare facilities through out the city. Pleasanton has a higher percentage of families with school age children than surrounding cities. Childcare is necessary as more and more families have working parents. The Planning Commission should review current practice and recommend to the City Council guidelines for facilities that would set the standard for quality childcare facilities for our children including privacy bathrooms, adequate outdoor play areas etc.

Transportation and Traffic

Reduce Regional freeway Congestion:

I was one of the elected officials from the City of Pleasanton that worked with elected officials from Livermore, Dublin, Alameda County and the Alameda County Congested Management Agency on the Triangle Study. The purpose of the study was to develop a sequencing plan for constructing roadway improvements in the I-580, I-680 and SR 84 Corridors. Studies clearly showed that widening State Route 84 offers the most cut through traffic congestion relief to Pleasanton city streets. In June 2007, the Alameda County Congestion Management Board placed the SR 84 widening project at the bottom of the sequencing list which placed it behind such projects as the westbound to southbound I-580 flyover which is estimated to cost over 1 billion dollars. There is no money set aside for this project and no estimated start date for this project. Likewise, there is no money set aside to widen SR 84 or any estimated start date. Relief for Pleasanton cut through traffic is nowhere in the current plans for improvements and yet the region is pushing for the extension of Stoneridge Drive:

RAPID Transit:

I serve on the Board of Directors of LAVTA (Wheels Bus System) and for the last three years we have been planning and gathering the funding to provide the RAPID service from Livermore to the East Dublin/BART station. Wheels Bus RAPID Transit is scheduled to begin in August 2009. The RAPID route will connect Downtown Livermore to Downtown Dublin with stops at the East Dublin/Pleasanton BART station and the Stoneridge Mall. This route will reduce traffic on Valley Avenue and Santa Rita Road as that is the most common way for Livermore commuters to access the East Dublin/Pleasanton BART station.

Stoneridge Drive Extension:

Pleasanton has done numerous traffic studies for the General Plan update and Specific Plans for development within Pleasanton. Studies have shown that if we opened Stoneridge Drive today, that cut through traffic could be as high 50% on Stoneridge Drive. Once Stoneridge Drive is full to capacity, the spillover traffic would move to other streets in Pleasanton compounding the impact to other city streets. Studies have also shown that if the improvements are made to I-580 and if Route 84 is widened, with development projections for buildout of Dublin, Livermore and Pleasanton, that Stoneridge Drive could possibly be opened with minimal cut through traffic. This is around the year 2030.

I will willingly work with the region for the improvements on both I-580 and Route 84. I will continue to monitor the progress of each of the improvements and to work with staff to determine the level of traffic relief each brings to the city of Pleasanton. I don't believe it is in the best interest of Pleasanton to build the Stoneridge Drive Extension today.

Important information:

In a letter to Robin Giffin, a Pleasanton Associate Planner, dated July 18, 2008, LAFCO (Local Agency Formation Commission), there are the following statements."The draft of the Tri-Valley Transportation Plan and Action Plan Update (February 26, 2008) indentifies the Stoneridge Drive Extension as a Route of Regional Significance. According to the Tri-Valley Transportation Committee members, a Stoneridge Drive Extension (SDE) would serve as a major parallel facility to the I-580 freeway and potentially provide congestion relief for the I-580 Corridor."

This clearly shows that the region wants the Stoneridge Drive Extension to relieve traffic congestion on the I-580 freeway. The extension of Stoneridge Drive would provide two lanes in each direction through the city of Pleasanton. This would be the cheapest way for the region to reduce traffic congestion on I-580. The cost is estimated by our Alameda County Supervisor at $5 million to extend Stoneridge Drive. Pleasanton would then foot the bill to maintain the commuter heavily used lanes, to police and manage traffic brought in to our city. This does not sound like a good benefit to our community especially since the region has not supported the widening of SR 84 to relieve current cut through traffic in Pleasanton in the near future. Stoneridge Drive Extension would bring additional cut through commuter traffic without any relief of current traffic congestion in Pleasanton.

Water Resources and Conservation

Priority: Bringing recycled water to Pleasanton for use in our City is one of my priorities. The Staples Ranch project offers us the opportunity. Pleasanton's recycled water is currently being distributed to the Tassajara Valley. During the 9/2/08 council meeting I asked staff, and it appeared that I had council support, to work with DSRSD (Dublin San Ramon Services District) to come to an agreement on how this can be done.

Pleasanton currently receives 80% of its potable water from Zone 7 and 20% from ground water pumping at city operated wells. Zone 7 has asked for reductions in customer water usage again this summer due to two years of below average snowfall, dry weather conditions, and the recent court ruling related to endangered species in the Delta. The court mandated reduction of water being pumped from the Delta reduces our water supply from that source. Recently while reading a city report, it stated that in their Annual Review, Zone 7, projects a sufficient sustainable supply of water through 2015 if demands continue to rise and if there are no improvements in the current restrictions in Delta pumping. This projection is also based on average rainfall which may or may not occur. The City of Pleasanton is supporting Zone's 7 requests for a 10% reduction in water usage. Refer to the City website for a comprehensive list of conservation tips and resources at: http://www.ci.pleasanton.ca.us/services/utility/water-system.html

To me this means we as a City must do our part to conserve water and to use it wisely. In the above mention report, recycled water pipelines were discussed as being within the vicinity of the proposed Staples Ranch project area along El Charro Road. I asked at the Council Meeting of 9/2/08 that the City begin work with DSRSD to reach agreement to bring recycled water to this project and into Pleasanton. We have to start using our own recycled water.

Housing developments with bigger and bigger houses on ridgelines and hills are being approved in the City. This is not a sustainable practice. To buffer these houses from the view of the community, more and more scrubs and trees are being planted that need long term irrigation. For any development approved, the conditions of approval must include drip irrigation system, native plants and trees, and drought resistant landscaping.

We currently have nothing in place to curtail the use of large amounts of water. While some residents can afford to pay water user fees for large quantities of water, their water consumption will ultimately affect the water usage of the small home owner that needs water, conserves and is responsible for their usage. The Council will review our water fees this year and over usage must be addressed. Some suggest a tiered plan with increased charges per tier others suggest imposed restrictions. Public input in these discussions will be paramount.

We must monitor the usage of our ground water basin by Zone 7. With the loss of water from the Delta, this water will be in greater demand. Depending on this source of water is not sustainable and the degradation of the ground water has to be monitored. We must find ways to store water during the wet months of the year.

If drought conditions continue, the Tri-Valley cities should consider the formation of a regional committee or a regional forum to look at water consumption, recycling possibilities, conservation and the level and timing of development being considered in the region.