Mayor H. Abram Wilson and the San Ramon City Council have already made up their minds about making San Ramon be like Concord.
Three Eight Story Office Buildings
The Mayor wants over 100 feet tall office buildings that are 8 stories in height. He and the City Council want to increase the traffic congestion in the intersections of Bolliger Canyon Rd. and Alcosta Blvd., Bollinger Canyon Road and Camino Ramon, and the on ramps and off ramps to Highway 680. He and the City Council want to give away approximately 15 to 20 acres of city property in exchange for a small 3.5 acre parcel that is too small to house the City Hall, Police Department, Library, and Transit Center. The Mayor wants to increase the traffic hazards for people crossing Bollinger Canyon Rd. at the Iron Horse Trail. The City Council thinks this is the best thing since apple pie. Their taste buds are salivating so much that they refuse to even consider what the ultimate cost of a Downtown Center is going to cost the citizens of San Ramon.
With recent traffic accidents that have happened on Bollinger Canyon Rd. even one involving a Highway Patrol Officer in the middle of the day because of traffic congestion, a Downtown Center, with a super concentration of development, with a major increase in traffic to and from this Downtown area, and a Dougherty Valley that will have four times the number of people currently living and commuting on Bollinger Canyon Road, it will only exasperate the situation.
SAN RAMON - A California Highway Patrol officer on a motorcycle was injured Saturday afternoon when the officer's motorcycle collided with a vehicle on Bollinger Canyon Road just west of the Interstate Highway 680 under crossing, according to a statement released by the CHP.
The incident occurred around 12:50 p.m. when CHP Officer G. Garcia exited I-680 going south on Bollinger Canyon Road. Garcia entered the intersection at the end of the off ramp and had almost cleared the intersection when the officer's motorcycle collided with a 2004 Honda vehicle.
This is ridiculous, for the Mayor and the City Council to be so blinded by their egos, to ignore the concerns of the citizens. What are we doing here? Why is having 8 story office buildings good for San Ramon? Why would we want to have to spend millions on new firefighting equipment, just to be able to handle 8 story office buildings? Why is this good for the City to give away land that we own, for something that puts the City into a little corner?
Places The City Into a Little Corner
The price tag for this Downtown plan is pegged at the $750 million mark, and climbing. Sunset Development has agreed to foot the $750 million price tag in exchange for what? What happens when there are cost overruns? Who pays for these? Oh, but we hear revenue sharing with the City. What happens if the rentals are not filled? Will the citizens have to foot the bill in higher taxes? If the City is an owner of commercial property, does that mean the City is going into the leasing business? This plan has not yet been fully exposed. It is wise to hold off giving a yes or no vote on any plan until all the facts are in.
But, maybe this Mayor and City Council know something the citizens do not. Who knows, maybe they have had back room dealings with Sunset about the new City Center and have not shared that information with the public. Maybe all the public input meetings are just for show, and they have already made their minds up. If this is the case, and the San Ramon City Council has already made up its mind, then we have much bigger problems in San Ramon, than lack of a downtown center.
Signed San Ramon
PS By-the-way, read the Introduction to San Ramon News.
