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Property owners in the Castlewood County Service Area turned in sufficient protests to stop the county’s $6,829.27 per household special assessment, the Alameda County Public Works Agency announced at the supervisors’ meeting Tuesday.
Anita Franklin, speaking for the public works department, confirmed that the protests exceeded the necessary threshold of 103 to void the proposed charge. She did not specify the total, although property owners association president Richard Hammel wrote to members last week that they’d turned in 189 signed objection letters, more than 90%.
The supplemental water surcharge is now dead, and the association and county will explore ways to improve the operations and efficiency of the area or other alternatives.
Hammel was the only public speaker Tuesday in Oakland, telling the Board of Supervisors he has owned his home for 33 years, is retired and lives on a fixed income. Hammel and his colleagues on the association board have been outspoken in their opposition to the special assessment and mounted the organized campaign to collect signed objection letters.
He said he looked forward to cooperating with the county to improve the outsourced services as well as exploring options. Those included forming a self-governing community service area with an elected board that would contract with a paid management company or seeking annexation to the city of Pleasanton. Early annexation talks with Pleasanton have gone nowhere.
Gerry Beaudin, Pleasanton’s city manager, responded to an email about status with the city, writing Tuesday, “The City Council has not yet provided direction to review or analyze annexation opportunities for the Castlewood area. I intend to include the possibility of engaging in a deeper discussion or project for Castlewood at a City Council priority-setting meeting in July. Given recent budget reductions and limited resources, this process will help determine whether additional City capacity should be dedicated to evaluating this request more fully at this time.”
Association members already swallowed a 172% water charge increase on the current year’s property taxes. The association members pay the highest water charges in the county, topping even the city of Pleasanton after its hotly debated increase.
Castlewood homeowners saw their water maintenance and operations charge soar from $1,089 to $2,958, or $338 for 330 units per year. City of Pleasanton rates, even after the hefty increases, are $180 while Dublin San Ramon Services District clients pay $169 and Fremont area users pay $168.
Given the prior increase in water charges in the current fiscal year, the Castlewood water fund likely will be solvent for the upcoming fiscal year that starts July 1. Hammel is concerned about the road charge that has not been increased in 10 years.
Tuesday’s vote result ends the supplemental charge debate that was forced when the association sued the county to contend it had not held the required Proposition 218 after its October vote approving the surcharge. A December settlement agreement between the two sides led to the vote.
Editor’s note: Pleasanton Weekly freelancer Tim Hunt lives in the Castlewood service area and pays the charges.
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