Alamo Improvement Association
(Did You Know)? May is International Mediterranean Diet Month
Mediterranean-style — also known as the Mediterranean diet, limits dairy; emphasizes vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, fatty fish and extra virgin olive oil; and includes moderate drinking of red wine.
Your favorite healthy winter and spring goodies can be found at your Alamo Certified Farmer’s Market with the best and the freshest fruits (oranges, Mandarins, Apples, and Pomegranates, strawberries, blueberries) as well as vegetables (green leaf, broccoli, early tomatoes and root vegetables) all which are full of taste, vitamins, nutrition and fiber that everyone needs for their diet! There is fresh fish as well as meat available too!
It is Time for Spring (Celebration)
Mark your calendars as we are having our 12th Annual Spring Celebration on May 18th!
We will have a kid's zone (games & prizes, puppet and ventriloquist artist) as well as a drawing for a basket of goodies from the Market (winner need not be present to win)!
In addition, there is Rhose’s Famous Lumpia, Vazquez Mexican Kitchen and Yuri’s Peruvian food for your takeout enjoyment.
We also have some brand-new vendors: M & L Mini Sweets, Farmers’ Daughter Cottage Bakery, Bay Area Harvest. Plan to visit us each Sunday (9:00 AM – 2:00 PM) in front of the Bank of America parking lot with plenty of Free and Easy Parking, Live Music and Friendly Vendors!
Always plenty of free parking, music and good times. Alamo Certified Farmers Market is located at Alamo Plaza, off Danville Blvd. in Alamo.
If you wish to make some vendor/market suggestions, feel free to call or text our Farmer’s Market Manager - Heather Harlow at 669.237.5564. ___________________________________________________________________________
Our Alamo Community Survey thoughts are about Tree Sustainability and Tree Canopy for Alamo. When asked what residents’ top concerns were:
…60% responded that they were concerned about the loss of tree canopy as more mature trees are removed for larger homes and additional dwelling units (ADU’s)
…20% are worried about the impact of climate change on children.
…20% stated their concern around the use of toxic pesticides and herbicides (such as RoundUp) which have been shown to be carcinogenic….
Understanding the Value of Trees within Our Communities
More and more communities are beginning to recognize the tangible benefits that trees provide in the urban environment. Healthy trees reduce air and noise pollution, provide energy-saving shade and cooling, furnish habitat for wildlife, enhance aesthetics and property values, and are an important contributor to community image, pride, and quality of life. Furthermore, many communities have realized that to protect and enhance their valuable tree resources, it is useful to view and manage their trees as a cohesive unit, the community or urban forest.
Contra Costa County New Tree Ordinance
Contra Costa County is in the process of adopting a new tree ordinance after several years of review. Designed to provide an efficient method of permitting for tree removal of trees sized 9” in diameter and above, the ordinance will be applied to all unincorporated County land including Alamo and other similar community lands along with all other non-community lands, such as ranch and agricultural.
Two tree species are categorized as fire hazards (Monterey Pine and Eucalyptus) enabling their removal without a permit. Also, the ordinance will adapt to current requirements for fire regulations impacting trees within a residence’s fire buffer perimeter.
For more information on the New County Tree Ordinance and to view both the summary of the New Proposed Tree Ordinance and the Full Ordinance, please visit www.AlamoCA.org and www.AlamoVision2040.org.
What are your thoughts on protecting Alamo’s Tree Canopy?
Now (before June 30th) is the time to make your comments known. Please do not delay!
Please contact Contra Costa County’s Conservation and Development Dept. at (925) 655-2700/(855) 323-2626 and/or visit their website at https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/4712/Contact-Location-Hours
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AIA 2025 Annual Report
Please watch for your upcoming AIA 2025 Annual Report, ballot and membership form, then complete and return to AIA to our P.O.Box 156, Alamo, CA. 94507
Now celebrating its 70th year, AIA, a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization, has an outstanding history of serving our community and helping shape it into “Alamo - the place where we love to live”!
Please visit our website www.AlamoCA.org and www.AlamoVision2040.org
for information on AIA, articles of interest to Alamo residents, membership and more.
Don’t be left out, now is the time to renew or become a new member of AIA!
Latest News
Jul 5, 2022
Take a survey of land use - http://tinyurl.com/3k9z6jd8
Help us collect input on land use preference
AIA SCOPING COMMENTS FOR HOUSING ELEMENT EIR
By Email to “housing.element@dcd.cccounty.us”
Department of Conservation and Development
30 Muir Road
Martinez, CA 94553
Attn: Daniel Barrios
RE: Scoping Comments for Housing Element EIR
Dear Mr. Barrios:
The Alamo Improvement Association has received the Notice of Preparation for the subject EIR, including the proposed Housing Element Sites Inventory. The Housing Element will be an integral element of the impending new General Plan and will, by necessity contain goals, policies, actions, etc., that have not been described. CEQA analysis of the Housing Element based upon the Sites Inventory separate from the whole General Plan makes it difficult for the public to determine where one CEQA project ends and the other begins in preparing scoping comments and, likely, comments to the Draft EIR. A fuller description of the Housing Element “CEQA project” should be provided.
Based upon the project information provided thus far, we offer the following comments pertinent to the preparation of this EIR:
Circulation: Significant increases in housing and population densities not previously considered in the current General Plan will adversely impact current Levels of Service (LOS) at key intersections and thoroughfares. Current freeway rush hour bypass traffic will further impact ingress and egress from neighborhoods with access only to Danville Blvd. Signalization of uncontrolled intersections may be warranted as mitigation measures to control traffic flow and access. Large scale residential development along Danville Blvd may require public transit service increases and transportation management conditions on new developments. Mitigation measures such as TSM and impact fees should be considered
Emergency response and public safety: High density residential development on Danville Blvd requires analysis of emergency response protocols and capabilities in the event of a failure of the high-pressure petroleum pipeline along the Iron Horse Trail, a major seismic event disabling the I-680 corridor, or a wildfire conflagration originating from Mount Diablo or Las Trampas wildlands. This is an environmental issue because it may require vegetation clearance of nearby wildlands, relocation of the pipeline and hardening or expansion of existing infrastructure. Fire stations may require modification
Dept. of Conservation & Development
Attn: Daniel Barrios
August 12, 2022 Page 2
and/or relocation as well as acquisition of additional equipment. Mitigation measures such as controlled burning, automatic pipeline shutoff valves, staged equipment and emergency response resources, and impact fees should be considered.
Water Supply and Sanitation: Do EBMUD and CCCSD have planned capital improvement projects to increase service capacities to accommodate the growth implicated by the increased densities and population growth anticipated by the Housing Element. If not, the DEIR should evaluate the necessity for, cost of, and timing of such improvements necessary to service growth. Further, state law obligates the County to identify the sources of potable water to serve all new development.
Police and Fire Suppression: Does the Sheriff or the San Ramon Fire Protection District have sufficient equipment and staff resources to serve the residents of Alamo should the number of dwelling units in Alamo increase by 359-484 (and over 3,000 as proposed in the draft General Plan Land use Map). What are the means of financing increases in capital facilities and uniformed staff. Will the existing residents be adversely impacted by a reduction in services. Mitigation in the form of taxes, assessments and impact fees should be evaluated.
Growth Inducing Impacts: Projects shown in the Sites Inventory and the proposed General Plan Land Use Map, especially along Danville Blvd., will have growth inducing effects. As high-density developments are permitted on Danville Blvd, normal economic forces will induce other property owners to consolidate lots for development to maximize value and will seek General Plan amendments and rezoning. The historic pattern of urban development in California clearly demonstrates that introducing high value uses such as multi-story high density residential development creates an economic incentive for other similarly situated property owners to seek greater value for their property. As single-family homes are held for ultimate aggregation and development the quality and appearance of the neighborhood changes adversely. Properties become rentals, small home occupations flourish, landscaping is removed for off street parking and more incompatible uses are sought for approval like quick marts and restaurants. Mitigation measures such as design control, lot coverage limitations and a prohibition on non-residential uses should be considered.
Water Quality and Flood Control: Increased urbanization will adversely impact surface waters, water habitat and water dependent species in local creeks such as Las Trampas Creek and San Ramon Creek. Flood control structures were sized based upon the urban development standards set in the prior General Plan and did not consider the increased urbanization anticipated by the Housing Element. What are the environmental impacts associated with increased channelization and impoundment weirs on local creeks. How are improvements to be funded.
Dept. of Conservation & Development
Attn: Daniel Barrios
August 12, 2022
Page 3
Air Quality: The Housing Element DEIR should evaluate the increased emissions from mobile sources as well as particulates from construction activity. Many undeveloped properties were previously used for agriculture. Often these properties have the residues of toxic chemicals used in agriculture (e.g., Xavier Estates property in Alamo). Accordingly, the DEIR should examine the presence of contamination and the mitigation measures to remediate such properties.
Schools: The addition of the units shown in the Sites Inventory, and in the General Plan, will have significant impacts on school enrollment. and the need for new facilities. The DEIR should specify how these will be funded and by when they must be provided.
Mitigation Monitoring & Growth Management Program: To assure that impacts are mitigated in a timely fashion and do not fall behind the pace of development, the EIR should include a Mitigation Monitoring & Growth Management Program that identifies sources of funding and establishes thresholds of development at which specified mitigations must have been accomplished to progress to further development.
Thank you for the opportunity to offer CEQA scoping comments on the project as defined thus far.
Sincerely,
Roger Smith,
President