From: Sunol Community News
Save Our Sunol Column
February 1999
By: Pat Stillman

During the peak of the NFLs playoffs, I happened to hear a favorite quote of ’49er coach Steve Mariucci. He didn’t know the original source but it is one that struck a chord with me . . . “The road to success is always under construction.” This is certainly true with two of the major local concerns we have been working on.

At our December meeting, SF PUC Commissioner, Dennis Normandy, and a number of PUC staff members including architect Lena Chien, temple restoration project manager and her assistant, Charles Duncan gave a presentation and update on the progress of the restoration. A great deal of work and attention to detail have been given to this project. A model of the steel rods to be inserted in each column to ensure seismic safety as well as schematics, graphs and photographs were displayed and discussed.
The restoration is scheduled for completion by the end of 1999. A draft EIR for all of the water resource lands is due in February for review. We thank Diane Tiessen and Nancy Davis for providing delicious refreshments for the meeting.

An editorial in the Valley Times reported that the Renaissance Faire is moving to Antioch where it is being enthusiastically received. It has taken several years, hard work and money to fight off the plans to relocate the theme park in Sunol. We especially appreciate the enormous effort and commitment from Bob and Cindy Frillman, Nancy Davis and other property owners in Castlewood and Foothill Road for their help in stopping this huge commercial venture from coming here.

Also in December, the Alameda County Planning Commission came to Sunol at the invitation of Supervisor Haggerty’s appointed Sunol Advisory Group to discuss the County Agricultural Enhancement proposal that would permit landowners with 100 acres or more to divide their property into 20-acre parcels. The plan would allow one housing unit on two acres and a commitment to keep the remaining 18 acres in intensive farming, in perpetuity.

More study has been requested by the local advisory group, environmentalists and Sunol residents because of uncertainties such as availability of water, increased traffic and needed input from the San Francisco Water District that owns and controls thousands of acres in our valley.

Another area of concern is the recent revelation of storage of spent nuclear rods at General Electric on Vallecitos Road. Apparently there have been a number of shipments in the past and more are planned for the future. Details are shrouded in secrecy but it should be a major concern to all of us since the plant is located on an earthquake fault not far from Sunol Glen School and our homes.

SOS member and author, Dr. Gray Brechin was recently on KRON TV’s mini series on the history of San Francisco. Gray’s latest book, “Farewell Oh Promised Land” deals with the erosion of open space and farmlands and is planned for public distribution in February. We are planning a reception and book signing event for him in March

Because so many of our members are rehearsing for the upcoming melodrama on Tuesdays and Thursdays, our next scheduled meeting is planned for Monday, February 15 in the Sunol Glen School cafeteria at 7:30 pm. In the meantime, check out our updated web site www.sunol.org.  Thanks to Gary Chambers and Derek Johnson!