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About this blog: I am a native of Alameda County, grew up in Pleasanton and currently live in the house I grew up in that is more than 100 years old. I spent 39 years in the daily newspaper business and wrote a column for more than 25 years in add...  (More)

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Planning the "Pleasanton way"

Uploaded: Apr 17, 2014
The government approval process in Pleasanton has been notorious as "the Pleasanton way."
Sometimes, that results in good projects—other times the seemingly interminable approval process amounts to lost opportunity.
The Staples Ranch property is a prime example (located at El Charro Road, I-580 and Stoneridge Drive).
The Stoneridge Creek senior housing project that offers a continuum of care opened last year and is thriving. I know a number of people who are living there and are delighted. Unfortunately, other people died (personally, I knew two) while awaiting city approval and the construction process that lagged for years.
That same many-year process coupled with the 2008-2009 recession, led the Hendricks Auto Group to halt plans to relocate its luxury dealerships at the Pleasanton Auto Mall there and instead expand them on Rosewood Drive. In that case, the city is going to come out very well.
Earlier this month, the Planning Commission unanimously approved CarMax Inc.'s plans to build a used car "superstore" on 20 acres that the Hendricks stores were originally planning to occupy. CarMax is the largest seller of used cars in the country and will add nicely to the city's sales tax revenue.
There still will be room for two more dealerships in the 37 acres zoned for automotive sales.
The news, of course, is not so good about the rest of the parcel where plans have been cancelled. Given the land values in Pleasanton, its likely new development proposals will emerge eventually, but that will not include the San Jose Sharks' four-arena complex. The deal, which looked so promising, is apparently dead.


A quick update: The agenda item on the Pleasanton Parks and Recreation Commission agenda this month to name the sports park for the late Mayor Ken Mercer was postponed until May because of an error in the staff report. I'm sure commissioners would welcome thoughts from residents before that meeting.

Flying to Las Vegas on business last month, twice I was able to go through the screening line that did not require any of the disrobing that goes with the typical line. We were at Oakland so absurdly early on the Sunday that daylight savings changed (0:600) that there were only a handful of people going through security.
It was much different coming back from Las Vegas at a slightly more civilized 7 a.m. Friday. There were already plenty of people at the airport and my boarding pass sent me to the "speed line."
Unfortunately, people in that line could not read and went through the normal routine. That irritated the bureaucratic woman working the line who insisted they put everything back on before running their luggage through the scanner. The result—my partner, who was enduring the regular line—got through almost as quickly as I did in the speed lane.
It's great to see that the TSA is finally re-evaluating the effectiveness and inconvenience of the system that was put in place after the 9-11 attacks. Clearly, they've done a good job of communicating that what they thought is necessary for safe travel and people have adjusted well to it.
Community.
What is it worth to you?

Comments

Posted by Jorma -- the Wicked, a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood,
on Apr 19, 2014 at 8:22 am

This rube has spent how many years in the newspaper business? Yet he's never quite learned the rules for -- using a hyphen. Oh, I guess I'm required to respond to the content of his blog. Well, I knew three people who died -- last year. And my relatives flew to Reno -- last August. The lines -- at the airport -- were long. Big government at its worst. Sincerely -- yours, Jorma -- the Wicked


Posted by ms. bunny, a resident of San Ramon,
on Apr 21, 2014 at 8:46 am

Jorma, you need to chill. You're making a big deal where there is NONE. This is a blog dear, not the New York Post or one of your highschool classes. If you haven't moved beyond this period (pun intended) in your life? Then you need to exercise a little circumspection. There are ALWAYS conflicts on the usage of punctuation, grammar, vocabulary and people who think they know all the rules (even though? Much has changed in applying them in the past two decades in writing, as I learned going back to college) Further? That's NOT what the article is ABOUT.

You're right about one thing though: "Jorma -- the Wicked" does seem appropriate. Enjoy picking my response apart.

As for your concern the City of Pleasanton takes too long in their approval process Tim? I've worked with all the East Bay cities in the past in my business life. For the most part? I also use to be pretty critical but I've come to realize it does take time to evaluate all impacts and that timeline NEEDS to belong to the city planners to do so. It really does (annoying though it may be)


Posted by Ms.bunny, a resident of San Ramon,
on Apr 21, 2014 at 8:50 am

Naw Dan. You're such a blowhard. You monopolize everyone's writings...Best just to leave you in your own little world of the righteous.


Posted by Bill, a resident of Pleasanton Heights,
on Apr 21, 2014 at 9:13 am

Weird articles from this guy. It's like he's talking to himself about completely random events. Time to take away the car keys.


Posted by Frederick, a resident of Downtown,
on Apr 21, 2014 at 11:53 am

You can offer apologies for bad writing all you want to, Ms. Bunny. Fact is, bad writing usually reflects a lousy thought process. With our Mr. Hunt, the two seem to go hand in hand. This reflects badly on the newspaper; and it reflects badly upon our city. I personally find the whole crew of PW blogger yokels to be an embarrassment to all. (See Hunt above; see Roz's pontifications on her toenails; see Cushing's censorship of those he consistently cannot best in an argument.)


Posted by Formerly Dan from BC, a resident of Bridle Creek,
on Apr 22, 2014 at 8:44 am

Formerly Dan from BC is a registered user.

Ms Bunny,

I am most decidedly not JtW.

I'm registered and the PW has all my info. Why aren't you registered?

Besides, you should know I debate ideas, not grammar and punctuation. Couldn't. Care. Less.

Sincerely,

Dan


Posted by Jorma -- the wicked, a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood,
on Apr 22, 2014 at 12:01 pm

Ms. Bunny, I am most decidedly not poor old Dan. Unlike poor old Dan, I write with grammatical sentences, and I cast my views in argumentative form, backed by validity claims and evidence. You, Ms. Bunny, might do well to follow my lead.


Posted by Formerly Dan from BC, a resident of Bridle Creek,
on Apr 22, 2014 at 4:25 pm

Formerly Dan from BC is a registered user.

Jorma

Blah, blah, blah, blowhard...!

Dan


Posted by pleasantonwasnice40yearsago, a resident of Del Prado,
on Apr 23, 2014 at 10:39 am

In my opinion Tim was not a very good sports reporter in the 70s. It appears reading this article that he has not improved with age. Would be nice to see some quality blogs on this site but I guess its not what you know its who you know. some things never change.


Posted by pleasantonwasnice40yearsago, a resident of Del Prado,
on Apr 23, 2014 at 10:39 am

In my opinion Tim was not a very good sports reporter in the 70s. It appears reading this article that he has not improved with age. Would be nice to see some quality blogs on this site but I guess its not what you know its who you know. some things never change.


Posted by pleasantonwasnice40yearsago, a resident of Del Prado,
on Apr 23, 2014 at 10:39 am

In my opinion Tim was not a very good sports reporter in the 70s. It appears reading this article that he has not improved with age. Would be nice to see some quality blogs on this site but I guess its not what you know its who you know. some things never change.


Posted by Formerly Dan from BC, a resident of Bridle Creek,
on Apr 23, 2014 at 4:34 pm

Formerly Dan from BC is a registered user.

Wow!

I have a feeling that pleasantonwasaniceplace40yearsago really doesn't care for Tim very much.

Don't know why, though.

/sarcasm

Dan


Posted by Farmerly Don from PC, a resident of Another Pleasanton neighborhood,
on Apr 23, 2014 at 5:09 pm

So, Frederick, you're the one who got canned? IIRC, that wasn't about any disagreement. It was about you acting like that famous bodily exit. I think you are the only guy it ever happened to.

Oh yeah -- leave Roz out of this. That little old lady is twice the man you are.


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