Contra Costa Herald

News Of By and For The People of Contra Costa County, California

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Supervisors approve $100 million mixed-use Saranap development between Walnut Creek and Lafayette

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Artist’s rendering of the approved Saranap Village Development near Walnut Creek. Courtesy of Hall Equities Group.

By Daniel Borsuk

After five futile years, developer Mark Hall finally got the green light from the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors to build his $100 million mixed-use Saranap Village Development in unincorporated Walnut Creek on Tuesday.

Site A

A jubilant Hall told the Contra Costa Herald after the supervisors voted 5-0 that he plans to begin construction of the major residential-commercial development in mid-2019. It will be located on 4.6 acres on the southwest side of the Highway 24 and Interstate 680 interchange, clustered around the intersection of Boulevard Way and Saranap Avenue.

Of the 45 persons speaking before the supervisors, 42 supported the proposed project, that will provide 122 rental apartment units and 76 residential condominium units, which were a key selling point for supervisors, especially Supervisor Candace Andersen whose District 2 includes the development site.

Longtime Saranap resident Jennifer Russell was one of the few opponents.  She said the development’s 71 feet height is too tall for the residential area.

“We’re really a residential area,” said Russell.  “Keep the development a bit smaller.”

Russell preferred that the project height be scaled down to 57 feet.

Sharon Lyons, a Saranap resident since 1958, welcomed the project that will bring about 21,522 square feet of commercial space.

“This development will make the area a destination area for us.  It will be a wonderful addition for our area,” she said.

Site B/B1

Giving the project an added architectural punch will be a traffic roundabout that will feature a piece of public art work on Boulevard Way.

“This is a beautiful project,” Supervisor Andersen said.  “We need all types of housing in the Bay Area.  One hundred ninety-eight new residential units is a good step forward.”

“This is a poster child project that shows how the community and developer can work as a team,” said District 1 Supervisor John Gioia of Richmond.  “Unfortunately, this project should not have taken this long, yet it is one of the best projects that I have seen.”

Mary Brooks of the Walnut Creek Chamber of Commerce urged supervisors to approve the development that will also include an outdoor seating area along Boulevard Way for commercial tenants.

As part of the deal with the county, Hall has established a Saranap Area Plan with a $50,000 startup fee.  The plan will serve as a guide for future commercial development, architecture, and the future location of a park for the Saranap area.

Other features of the Saranap Village Mixed-Use Project include:

  • 492 on-and off-street parking spaces
  • Narrowing of a portion of Boulevard Way from four lanes to two lanes.
  • Installation of diagonal on-street parking along Boulevard Way and Saranap Avenue.
  • New traffic median on Boulevard Way at Flora Avenue.
  • Earth moving activities consisting of about 26,500 cubic yards of cut and about 2,615 cubic yards of fill.

Site C

So far Hall’s Saranap Village Developers LLC has paid the county $26,095 in total fees for the General Plan amendment ($5,000), rezoning review ($14,745), tentative subdivision map review ($2,850), and for the final development plan ($3,500).

Five days after project approval, the developer is expected to pay the California Department of Fish and Wildlife a CEQA filing fees of $3,078.25 and a $50 processing fee with the county clerk.

Once the project is completed, Contra Costa County estimates to draw $864,416 in yearly tax revenue from the development, an increase from the estimated $14,000 a year in tax revenue that the county now draws.

For more information on the project, visit http://www.cccounty.us/5195/Saranap-Village and http://saranapvillage.com/.

Los Vaqueros Reservoir expansion project seeks $400 million in state funding

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For Ecosystem Improvement and Emergency Response Benefits  

With $2.7 billion available in state funding available for water storage projects, Contra Costa Water District (CCWD) is working with partners to secure over $400 million to pay for public benefits of expanding the Los Vaqueros Reservoir.  State funding could help build storage and other facilities that would provide substantial ecosystem and water supply reliability benefits.

Los Vaqueros Reservoir, in Brentwood, is owned and operated by CCWD.  Efforts have been underway, with potential partners, to evaluate a Phase 2 expansion of Los Vaqueros from 160,000 acre-feet to 275,000 acre-feet. An expanded reservoir could provide varying levels of benefits for local partnering agencies, while maintaining all the existing benefits in which CCWD’s customers already invested.

“CCWD and its customers benefitted greatly from Los Vaqueros in the last drought and continuously benefit from the improved water quality the reservoir provides,” said CCWD Board President, Lisa Borba.  “The potential expansion of Los Vaqueros into a regional facility presents a significant opportunity for our customers, the environment and local agency partners.”

More storage capacity and additional pipes to move water directly to partners could bolster preparedness for droughts, increase water deliveries to wildlife refuges, and provide additional Delta ecosystem improvements.

Potential beneficiaries include local water agencies and Central Valley wildlife refuges.  While an expansion cannot meet every water service need for all agencies, it would give partners an additional tool to help deal with droughts and other challenges.  An expansion will depend on a combination of local, state and federal investments – state funding is one component.

State funding for water storage projects will be administered by the California Water Commission.  Only public benefits can qualify for the state funding approved by voters when Proposition 1 passed in 2014.  CCWD has submitted an application on behalf of the potential partners for $434 million to fund the public benefits of the $914 million expansion project (estimated in 2015 dollars).

The majority of the public benefits would come by way of reliable water supplies for wildlife refuges that provide critical habitat for migratory birds and many other species dependent on the last remaining wetlands in the Central Valley.  Additional public benefits include emergency response, fisheries protection, and recreation associated with an expanded reservoir.

The California Water Commission will be reviewing all applications for the Proposition 1 funding, with a preliminary eligibility and funding decision scheduled for June 2018.

For further information about the project and application, or to provide comments, please visit: www.ccwater.com/lvstudies.

Concord dental assistant pleads guilty to child molestation

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Alejandro Saro. Photo by Concord Police.

Sentenced to 25 years to life in state prison

In April, 2016, the Concord Police Department investigated a report of a child molestation that occurred at La Clinica dental office on Sierra Road in the City of Concord. The eight-year-old female victim told officers that a male dental assistant sexually assaulted her and that he video recorded the incident while he committed the crime. Special Victims Unit Detectives were notified and quickly identified the suspect as 24-year-old Alejandro Saro, from Antioch, CA.

During the investigation, detectives reviewed patients’ records from four different dental offices where Saro had worked which led to the identification of four other female victims between the ages of 5 and 13 years old. Saro was employed as a dental assistant at La Clinica Monument in March of 2015. He was also employed by Patino Orthodontics and Western Dental, both in Concord – and a branch of Western Dental in Antioch.

The investigation also uncovered evidence that all five of the victims had been assaulted by Saro while they were under sedation for various dental procedures. Saro was arrested by detectives and the case was turned over to the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s office. The DA’s Office charged Saro with multiple counts of child molestation. He remained in-custody with bail set at $8.1 million dollars.

Saro was due to appear in court this week to stand trial, however, SVU detectives received notification from the Contra Costa District Attorney’s Office late Sunday night that Saro had pled guilty to five counts of felony child molestation; one count for each victim.

It is not uncommon for perpetrators who commit such horrendous crimes to reach a plea bargain agreement rather than face all of the evidence against them in front of a jury of peers. Based on the thorough investigation conducted by the SVU detectives and the mounds of evidence they uncovered and piled against Saro, including numerous videos, it is presumed that he voluntarily accepted responsibility for his actions with this agreement. Saro will now appear in front of a Contra Costa County Superior Court judge for sentencing on Friday, September 22, 2017, in Martinez, where he will be sentenced to 25 years to life in state prison.

Man dies in Lafayette industrial accident, Monday afternoon, police investigating

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At about 3 PM this afternoon, Lafayette police officers responded to a report an industrial incident at a worksite on the 800 block of Avalon Avenue in Lafayette. Officers were later informed that a person who was driving a forklift was trapped. 

The fire department also responded and later pronounced the victim deceased. The 35-year-old man is not being identified at this time pending next of kin notification. 

Cal/OSHA responded to the scene. The investigation is ongoing by Cal/OSHA and Lafayette police. Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Lafayette Police Department at (925) 283-3680.

Forum for five Interim Contra Costa DA applicants tonight, Tuesday, Aug. 15 in Martinez, watch online or TV

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The Board of Supervisors is encouraging input from the public during this process.  A public forum will be held tonight, Tuesday, August 15, at 6:00 p.m.   The meeting will be in the Board Chamber at 651 Pine Street in Martinez.  Beginning at 5:00 p.m., there will be an hour reserved for public comment. During that time, you can also submit written comments to be entered into the public record.  If you have a question you would like to suggest for the forum, you will have an opportunity between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. to do so. Volunteers from the League of Women Voters will be on hand to assist in collecting the question cards.  During a break in the forum, the moderator will have the ability to choose audience-submitted questions to ask during the second half of the event.  

The forum will be televised live on CCTV, as well as streamed live on this website.  CCTV can be watched on Comcast Channel 27, Wave Channel 32, and AT&T U-Verse Channel 99.

See more at http://www.contracosta.ca.gov/6807/District-Attorney-Recruitment-Informatio

 

Rep. McNerney defends sanctuary cities against DOJ threats to withhold funds

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(Washington, DC) – On Friday, Congressman Jerry McNerney (CA-09), who represents portions of Eastern Contra Costa County, sent a letter to the Department of Justice (DOJ), responding to the agency’s threat to withhold federal dollars from the City of Stockton, and several other cities, if local law enforcement does not notify the Department of Homeland Security regarding the detainment of illegal aliens.

In response to DOJ’s initial letter, McNerney issued the following statement:

“The City of Stockton has made significant progress combatting crime, in large part due to its highly capable police department. The Stockton PD is nationally recognized for its innovative and effective approaches to reducing crime, and in order to ensure they can best serve their communities, Stockton police and other local law enforcement must be able to decide on the best strategy to combat crime without federal interference.

“The funds DOJ is threatening to withhold come from the Public Safety Partnership (PSP), which was created to help keep cities and communities safe and to improve relationships between community members and law enforcement. These grants are essential to our local law enforcement and withholding them would be counterproductive to the progress these regions have made.

“I sent a letter to the Department of Justice, underscoring the benefits of this program and its role in the agency’s mission. If the DOJ is truly committed to public safety through federal leadership, they will seek other opportunities to support their local law enforcement counterparts, rather than handicap them.”

Senate committee approves Frazier’s “Jeff Belle Bill” to increase penalties for ballot statement lies

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Jeff Belle, source Contra Costa County Board of Education

Increases maximum fine from $1,000 to $20,500

SACRAMENTO – The Senate Public Safety Committee has unanimously approved a bill by Assemblymember Jim Frazier, D-Discovery Bay, which would impose stiffer financial penalties on candidates who lie on ballot statements when seeking political office. AB 894 would impose a fine of up to $5,000 if a candidate includes knowingly false information on statements they submit for inclusion on election ballots. If an offender is convicted of associated criminal wrongdoing, a formula that multiplies the base fine could result in as much as $20,500 in total financial penalties for those who intentionally lie to voters.

“The penalty for shamelessly lying to voters should be very painful,” Frazier said. “And right now, it’s not painful enough. Often, the only information a voter may have about candidates is what is contained in ballot statements, especially in races for local offices that might not get a lot of press coverage. AB 894 creates a strong deterrent to dishonest candidates who falsify their qualifications in an attempt to mislead voters.”

Frazier authored AB 894 after Jeff Belle, a candidate in East County who was elected to the Contra Costa County Board of Education in 2014, was found to have blatantly lied about his qualifications, background and criminal record in the candidate statement he submitted for inclusion on the ballot. The current maximum fine for intentionally misleading voters on ballot statements is $1,000. However, instead of a punishment, the Contra Costa District Attorney’s office allowed Belle to receive just an entry into a diversion program for offenders, which required he admitted he didn’t have a degree and perform 20 hours of community service. (See related article). 

AB 894 has received unanimous bipartisan support in every committee and floor vote. It has been approved by the Assembly Elections Committee, the full Assembly and the Senate Elections and Public Safety committees without a single “no” vote. The bill’s final vote will be on the Senate Floor after the Legislature returns from recess. If the full Senate approves AB 894, it will go to Gov. Jerry Brown for his signature.

Congressman DeSaulnier to host Town Hall Meeting in Pittsburg on Monday

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Congressman Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11) will host a town hall meeting at Pittsburg Senior Center on Monday, August 14th at 6:30 p.m. Since assuming office in 2015, Mark has hosted 47 town halls and mobile district office hours throughout Contra Costa County.

The congressman invites residents to attend the town hall to listen to a presentation and legislative update. During the town hall constituents will have an opportunity to ask questions, share their opinions on actions taken by the Administration, and discuss issues important to their communities.

Pittsburg Town Hall
Monday, August 14, 2017

6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Pittsburg Senior Center

300 Presidio Lane

Pittsburg, CA 94565

Please RSVP online at www.desaulnier.house.gov/town-hall-rsvp or call 925-933-2660. For more information or to request ADA accommodations contact Congressman DeSaulnier’s office in Walnut Creek or Richmond.

Criminal defense attorneys support Graves for Contra Costa District Attorney

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Dear Editor:

We are some of the criminal defense attorneys who practice in Contra Costa County.  We are the individuals who defend people accused of crimes.   We have worked with the District Attorney’s Office for decades, and are in a unique position to know what qualities are most important for the District Attorney to possess.

We believe in the Constitution, in fairness and colorblind justice, and that every person accused of a crime deserves competent and zealous representation so that the police, the prosecution, and the system are held to the highest standard.

As the top law enforcement official in the County, we believe our next District Attorney should share these values. They should keep our community safe, but also do the right thing even when it’s not popular.

We need someone honest, trustworthy, fair, ethical, diligent, and compassionate.

We need Paul Graves.

Paul Graves’ energy, ideas and fresh approach to the office as outlined in his public application to the Board of Supervisors reveals the dedicated and honorable public servant that we already know him to be.

What really sets Paul Graves apart is that he has dedicated his professional life as a prosecutor to Contra Costa County, and that he has earned the respect of all partners in the criminal justice system, because he treats every defendant as an individual and is fundamentally fair.

Paul Graves’ judgment has always made him stand out as a fair and ethical prosecutor we can trust.  Even though we represent opposing sides in the courtroom, we know Paul Graves is everyone’s partner in fair and equal justice.

Paul Graves provides the character, experience, and integrity our community needs to move forward.  We want the Board of Supervisors to know that as defense attorneys dedicated to the Constitution, fairness and colorblind justice, Paul Graves has our highest recommendation.

Blackie Burak

Derek Ewin

Dan Horowitz

David Larkin

Thomas McKenna

Tom O’Connor

Dan O’Malley

Chris Varnell