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The Creekside Memorial Cemetery project is set to return to the San Ramon City Council during its regular meeting Tuesday night (Dec. 9).
The council previously held a public workshop to discuss the plans for the new cemetery in June, during which more than a dozen citizens spoke in opposition of the project proposed for unincorporated Tassajara Valley.
The proposal from developer Sid Corrie calls for the cemetery project to include four outdoor mausoleums, one indoor mausoleum, an administrative office and chapel building, storage building, corporation yard and space for over 100,000 burial plots.
Some concerns that were expressed by San Ramon residents included the impact on the environment and lack of water sources to sustain a large cemetery, the habitats of wild animals that live on the land and the potentially negative impact on the air quality during and after construction.
As proposed, Creekside Memorial Cemetery would be located at 7000 Camino Tassajara and occupy 58.7 acres of an approximately 222-acre space in unincorporated Contra Costa County east of the San Ramon city limits.
The cemetery site is within San Ramon’s “sphere of influence,” but falls under the county’s jurisdiction.
City Councilman Phil O’Loane has previously expressed opposition to the project, and in August, he helped organize and lead a protest hike through the Tassajara Ridge trail to the proposed cemetery site.
“Tearing down open space to give dead people a view makes absolutely no sense to me; this never struck me as a particularly good idea,” O’Loane said during the council’s public workshop in June.
The council will review and discuss the project proposal to provide direction for city staff to communicate to the county, as the final decision lies in the hands of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors.
The council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Ridgeview Room of the Dougherty Valley Community Center located at 17011 Bollinger Canyon Road.
In other business, the council will receive a presentation by the city’s transportation division manager, Lisa Bobadilla, recognizing Patty Hoyt of the TRAFFIX citizens advisory committee.
For the record I am in favor of the Creekside Memorial Cemetery Project.
Just my opinion, Julia Pardini from Alamo
Must be a slow time for San Ramon, that they have nothing more pressing or important to focus on.
Thank God Measure W was defeated.
For the record I am dead against the Creekside Memorial Cemetery Project. Ofcourse I live a mile way from the site in san ramon and not in Alamo which is 15 miles away 🙁
Very easy to be in favor of this big cemetery project if you live miles away (Julia), or if you live out of state (Bob P). This big proposed cemetery has big negative impacts for the living, the people that live nearby, and the S.R. council, which is frequently unconcerned with residents concerns, has an ethical responsibility to value and positively respond to the concerns of San Ramon residents, instead of being solely beholden and responsive to Bishop Ranch/Sunset Development, and other developers.
I’m a 26+ year resident of San Ramon and would welcome a cemetery. Someone should inform Councilman O’Loane that cemeteries are not for the dead…they are for the living.
For Phil, this is clearly an easy way to get his name in the paper,possibly for a run for County Supervisor in the future. This is one of those ‘no lose’ freebie’s that politicians love, no matter how the issue is settled Phil looks good in the eyes of those against the cemetery. If the County approves the use, Phil just acts very indignant and promises that if he was on the Board this would never have happened, and if the project is denied it was because of the visibility and concern that Phil showed.
Bottom line, this is a County project, the most San Ramon can do is send a letter of opposition to the Board. Of course, I would encourage those with strong views on this project to attend the numerous public hearings in Martinez on the matter. Yelling and screaming at a San Ramon Council meeting has little or no effect on what goes on in Martinez.
I am in favor of the cemetery and agree with the comment that the cemetery is for the loved ones who remain and wish to remember their loved ones.
Have you ever had to look for a place that is peaceful to bury your loved one? If not, you had better realize there are very few cemeteries near San Ramon. I believe the San Ramon Council has more pressing issues than taking action which they have no control
About 250-300 people showed up for the council meeting on this. Not one speaker was supportive of this project.
LT Resident, I sure hope these same people show up at the County meetings, where an actual decision can/will/should be made.
Bob P:
At least now the City is sending a letter to the County which it did not do all these years – even though they knew that was the right thing to do.
Well Candace can do it now too to stop this as she is on the board already.
Corrections:
LT Resident – There were about 500 who showed up. When Councilman Harry Sachs asked the question if there any supporters there was one supporter there, but that person choose to ‘ABSTAIN’ and did not show up. One in 500.