A new concept for neighborhoods in Pleasanton

Last week, DeNova Homes opened its new neighborhood near the Gateway Shopping Center at Bernal Avenue and Interstate 680.
It’s an interesting new concept for Pleasanton. Glancing at the buildings under construction, I had assumed they would be condos or apartments. My error—the two- and three-story buildings are single family residences.
DeNova’s advertising cites bringing East Coast brownstone living to Pleasanton. The homes range from 2,844 to 3,662 square feet, so there’s plenty of room with up to five bedrooms in some models. There are spaces between each building allowing for yards and patios in the back. The community also will have its own “Club on the Square” with bocce, a swimming pool, a fitness center, kitchen and other rooms.
The easy access to I-680, particularly after upgrades to the interchange are finished, will be inviting for folks commuting to the Silicon Valley. In addition to that location advantage, DeNova also will have most of the Pleasanton new home market to itself. There are a couple of other small projects under construction with single family dwellings priced well into seven figures.
So, for potential buyers, it will come down to choosing very urban densities for single family units in a highly desirable community with excellent schools. Just how walkable the community will be remains to be determined once landscaping and other amenities are finished. It is close to a variety of shopping, banking and a variety of restaurants and fast-food places at Gateway Square.

There was one real irony in the two-bill emergency drought package that the Legislature approved last week and Governor Brown signed. It was about $1 billion for the spending package, which sailed through committees and both houses of the Legislature.
But language in the bill implementing the spending—the so-called trailer bill—found Democrats and Republicans on opposite sides over permanent new authority given to the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife to investigate and fine people illegally diverting water from streams. The department indicated it is primarily targeted at marijuana grows that have drained creeks and streams along the North Coast and harmed endangered species of fish such as salmon and steelhead trout.
The measure passed on a party-line vote with Democrats supporting the increased power to pursue and fine diverters (up to $8,000/day), while Republicans objected because of the lack of due process because all of the authority was given to fish and game. When was the last time you ever saw Republicans standing up for marijuana growers? In fairness, the lack of any sunset for the law and its wide ranging authority could have a wildlife agent citing a rancher for a small channel diverting water to livestock. Prior to this law, it was up to the state water board to determine whether diversions were legal and to assess penalties if they were not.
Nonetheless, such are the strange bedfellows that politics creates.