Friday, Aug. 22, 2008
Some locals upset with annexations
By Corey Pride / cpride@losbanosenterprise.com
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ReprintThree controversial annexation proposals were continued at the request of the projects' developer at this week's City Council meeting.
That did not stop members of the public from voicing strong opposition to the plans.
"I am totally against the annexation," Pioneer Road resident Frank Vierra said. "I don't think we need any more houses or any more property annexed into the city. Right now we have approximately 3,800 lots that are available to get built. We have 3,000 foreclosures. It seems like the city is always putting the cart before the horse."
The pre-annexation development agreements for the Ward Place, West Center, and Presidential Estates projects along Pioneer Road were supposed to be reviewed. The boundaries of the three annexations are Ward Road to the east, Ortigalita Road to the west, Pacheco Boulevard to the north and Pioneer Road to the south. The projects would bring in a combined 958 acres and an estimated 12,233 residents into the city.
Because of issues involving community facilities district fees and the Central California Irrigation District the developer was granted a continuance to Sept. 17.
Some members of the public would like the annexations postponed until after the election this November. Vierra questioned whether the council was trying to intentionally speed the process up so the decision will be made before a new council can be seated.
"We just got to put a stop to this," Vierra said. "The city keeps getting more and more people. More and more businesses in town seem to be going belly-up or closing the doors. When the city had 10,000 people we had a thriving community. We got 30-something thousand people, we got a bedroom community. Is there something here that doesn't make sense?"
Another issue is the West Center annexation's proposal to include land south of Pioneer Road.
Tino Gomes, whose family owns property included in the annexation, indicated a lack of attention is being paid to the human element of the annexation decisions.
"It kind of interest me that certain insects, certain animals, are protected but I'm not sure people are," Gomes said in reference to the projects' environmental impact reports.
Another issue brought up is the West Center annexation's proposal to include land south of Pioneer Road.
"We will lose our small-town atmosphere the minute we go over Pioneer," Los Baños resident Shirley Napolitano said. "People drive down Pioneer and they see the mountains , they see the farms, they see what Los Baños is. One-quarter mile on the other side of Pioneer takes all that away."
Darryl Henley, manager of the Los Baños Cemetery presented the council with an opposition letter from the cemetery district's board. The district owns 44 acres of land included in one of the annexation proposals.
The letter was backed by four Los Baños Cemetery District board members. The fifth, Mike Villalta, did not participate in voting to support the letter because of his position as a councilman.
Some residents spoke about their mistrust of the city.
Dennis Buie lives on Cardoza Road and his concern was traffic.
"We were lied to, deceived when Cardoza Road was put through. Cars have been clocked at 92 mph. You want to annex all this land and stuff, which is fine. My question to you is can you control your hired help so that what you guys decide gets done? Because it just don't happen. It does not happen," Buie said.
He said residents on Cardoza were promised speed bumps and other traffic measures and what they received was an electronic sign telling motorist how fast they are driving.
"What has happened on Cardoza Road is you have taken country life and turned it into a freeway," he said.
Enterprise staff writer Corey Pride can be reached at 388-6563 or cpride@losbanosenterprise.com