From: Sunol Community News
Save Our Sunol Column
September 1998
By: Pat Stillman

Save Our Sunol had two meetings during the summer months. In June we held an information meeting with updates on several issues affecting Sunol. We discussed the Renaissance Faire, the restoration of the Water Temple and the status of the draft Environmental Impact Report from the San Francisco County Planning Department.

Bob Frillman reported that the Renaissance Faire will not be coming here. They are apparently leaving the Novato site. Much credit is due to Bob and Cindy Frillman, Nancy Davis and  to the group from Castlewood and other Foothill Road communities for their diligence,  persistence and monetary contributions.

The Restoration for the Temple is moving forward.  Project Manager, Lena Ch’en conducted a tour to meet with her staff of consultants. Cindy Frillman, Rosemary Chang and Jim O’Loughlin attended and have very positive impressions of the project and the work currently  being done at the Oakland Museum warehouse.

The San Francisco Planning Department has sent packets of Notification of Preparation on the Watershed Lands.   It specifically deals with the land surrounding the Water Temple. Portions of “Alternative S” are incorporated in “Option B”.  Call me if you did not receive a packet  and would like one ( 925-862 2263). The draft EIR will be available for public hearings in early 1999. No quarry leases can be issued until the final EIR has been reviewed and adopted by the SF Public Utilities Commission.

We were pleased to have Bob Trimingham as the  guest speaker at our July meeting. His slide presentation and lecture on early  Sunol settlers, especially his family ancestors, was enthusiastically received by a packed crowd in the School Cafeteria. We thank Diane Tiessen and Doris Cretan who provided the delicious refreshments.

The Safe Water Committee, which opposes the reverse osmosis process that would inject treated sewer water into the Valley ground water basin by  Zone 7,  recently  had a lengthy,  productive discussion with the Zone 7 Directors.

The committee has also requested a meeting with the Pleasanton City  Council.  Mayor Tarver is scheduling a special forum for September 8 at 7 p. m.  to address this issue. All Zone 7 rate payers are urged to attend.

We are planning our next  meeting for early September with Dennis Normandy, Lena Ch’en, Tim Dayonot and Ann Moeller Caen, the new president of the SF Public Utilities Commission. The date is uncertain until the end of August because of  vacations. We will certainly publicize the time and place with phone calls,  the Town Bulletin Board and in the Around Sunol column in the Valley Times.

Finally,  I am very happy to report that our Web page has been considerably revised and updated. We thank Gary Chambers and Derek Johnson for all of their work. Derek has included his remarkable, enhanced photograph of the  area surrounding the Water Temple that has been proposed  for the quarry site.

There is also the lovely picture of the Water Temple taken by Nancy Davis and  made  into a commemorative poster by Jim O’Loughlin and Logan High School students. We also thank Jerome Engelberts and Graham Barnes for designing and originating the Web page two years ago. We  invite every one to check it out!