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Directors of the Castlewood Property Owners Association shared with members last week that it will concurrently pursue two efforts to leave the current Alameda County service area and not pursue further legal action at this time.
In a general update meeting attended by about 35 people Aug. 18, directors continued the discussion of either an independent community services district or annexation to the city of Pleasanton. The county Board of Supervisors voted at the request of the public works department to move forward with a plan to get the county out of operating the existing service area. At the board’s direction, it reached out to Pleasanton to operate water and sewer services and was told no.
Pleasanton currently has an interim city manager in place until a new permanent hire starts on the job. Castlewood directors continue to communicate with city officials to encourage moving ahead. The city, with its structural deficit, will not be interested in any annexation that isn’t cash-positive to Pleasanton.
The Local Agency Formation Commission, which must approve any plan, laid out requirements for consideration of a separate district and the association is pursuing those, particularly ones such as a survey that will be required regardless of the ultimate direction.
“We hope to avoid any further legal action and instead concentrate on the two paths forward, but we are still waiting to see how the county manages our outstanding claims and infrastructure needs in the coming months,” association vice president Mike Mitchell wrote in an email.
The association is continuing to work with the county on the program to repair and resurface the roads and establish a regular maintenance routine. It is nearing the point where the county will put the project out to bid and then homeowners will vote whether to take on the additional expense of the roads. The association team also said it is weighing the timing, the expense and how it would fit with the potential of new governance within a couple of years.
Doug Ricketts, the director working on water and sewer issues, reported the trends in water operating expenses are positive, but there are still questions about charges that they are awaiting receipts to verify.
The association sued the county over $1.4 million in charges that it believed were the result of mismanagement, but the supervisors’ action last month moved that charge into the water account with the plan to repay the “loan” with surplus revenues at no interest charge. The association disputes this finding and still is awaiting clarity from the county on exactly what is going to happen.
Progress is being made toward installing a new variable pump that should limit hammering that stresses water pipes when the pumps start and stop. There’s also planning for the mid-station pumping, but no immediate plans to replace the rented temporary generators. In the event of an emergency, the contract operator in Morgan Hill must be notified, dispatch personnel who then must plug in generators and start them.
Rickett’s presentation slide described progress as “glacial”.
Supervisor David Haubert, whose District 1 includes Castlewood, opposed both resolutions at the supervisors’ meeting. He wrote in a text, “I am deeply concerned about Alameda County’s liability if a catastrophic fire were to occur in the Castlewood area. I am calling on our Public Works team and the rest of the Alameda County staff to make the necessary repairs to aging infrastructure to keep our residents safe.”
The directors, as part of their research into independent districts, have reached out to a few that are as small or smaller than Castlewood. They plan to interview those groups as well as management companies in the dual path process.
Association president Rick Hammel shared that members could expect a survey to help the association know if homeowners had residents who may need help to evacuate in an emergency. There is only one road in and out of the hillside development with the alternative escape route behind a locked gate.
Andrew Schneider from the county also discussed the new garbage service coming to the area as required by state law. Each residence that subscribes to garbage service will receive two additional carts (blue-lidded recycling and green waste) in addition to the trash cart. Rates will be adjusted accordingly based on the agreement with Pleasanton Garbage Service. Residents must subscribe to the service or certify they are sorting and dumping their waste themselves.
The committee working on updating the bylaws and codes, covenants and restrictions has completed its first draft and will be seeking homeowner comments in focus groups with the goal of finishing its work by the end of the year. Changes will require a vote of association members.
Editor’s note: Pleasanton Weekly freelance journalist Tim Hunt’s family home is within the district boundaries and receives water and sewer services.
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