Community housing site suggestions

The town of Danville has announced the results of a community engagement effort aimed at bringing the town's residents into the process of identifying potential new housing sites to help plan for the minimum of 2,241 new housing units officials are required to allow for under the state's Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) process.

By the end of the community housing site suggestion activity last month, residents had dropped a total of 281 "pins" on 99 different sites throughout the town.

Staff are currently evaluating the site suggestions in accordance with criteria based on state guidelines. Sites that meet the criteria will be included in an online Housing Plan Simulation tool, set to be open to the community by late June. The tool will allow community members to recommend their own housing plans that account for the 2,241 assigned units for the town, and align with density requirements.

The community input will be used as insight for the Planning Commission and Town Council in future decisions about sites that can be used to meet the town's RHNA requirements.

More information on Danville's housing element update is available here.

"Women of the Gold Rush"

The Museum of the San Ramon Valley is hosting a free online program aimed at highlighting the often overlooked contributions and stories of women in local history during the Gold Rush.

Author and professor Mary Volmer will lead the discussion, and share her expertise on women's lives during this period of history, as well as the intersection of fiction and non-fiction that has often been used to understand these stories.

"When gold was discovered in California, dreams of adventure and instant wealth made westward movement the all-consuming passion of the nation," an announcement from the museum said.

"'Go West Young Man,' became the catch phrase of the era, but joining these young men were a hardy collection of women," officials said. "Prostitutes and preacher's wives, escaped slaves and society women, reformers, teachers, saloon keepers, cross dressers, criminals...the women of the Gold Rush helped shape the region and the nation. Yet their stories have been largely forgotten."

The free virtual program is scheduled for May 19 via Zoom. More information is available here.

Roadway safety plan feedback

The town of Danville has launched a new website aimed at soliciting community feedback to advise the development of a Local Roadway Safety Plan.

Community members can visit DanvilleSafeStreets.com to share input on how the town might improve traffic safety, via an interactive map and feedback forms. Comments are open through the end of June, with a final draft of the plan anticipated by the end of July.

"Access to Excellence" initiative

The San Ramon Valley Unified School District has launched an initiative aimed at fostering community engagement and reconnection following the past two tumultuous years of pandemic-related challenges to educators, students, and schools.

"What we realize as we have come out of this pandemic, is that we need to reconnect with our broader community," Superintendent John Malloy said. "They need to know who we are, what we are attempting to do, and have opportunities to share with us their vision for our schools and students. Access to Excellence is about celebrating what our schools mean to our community, as well as providing opportunities for members of our community to support and partner with us."

The "Access to Excellence" initiative will include social media efforts as well as posters, banners, and promotional videos to reach the broader community. More information is available [htp://www.srvusd.net/a2e here.