A
Austin family sells land
Charles Austin and his family agreed in March to offer 30 acres of grazing land to be dedicated for public use in expanding the approved Alviso Adobe Park. The offer was bundled with a plan to build eight homes on a portion of the property west of Foothill Road and adjacent to Jorgensen Lane. The park will include the adobe and a replica of the Meadowlark Dairy barn and an interpretive center for children.B
Blue Ribbon Committee begins work
A Blue Ribbon Committee was organized by the City Council to determine the best route for a bypass road to Callippe Preserve Golf Course to keep golfers off Alisal Street. A decision is expected early next year.C
Crime
Police arrested 13 men and women from around the Bay Area on charges of prostitution or facilitating acts of prostitution after the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office of Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement (SAFE) and the Pleasanton Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit conducted an Internet sting operation. Then earlier this month several people were arrested for methamphetamine offenses and endangering children in a home on Second Street.City inherits a cemetery
The city inherited the Pleasanton Memorial Gardens Cemetery in the fall for $1 from the International Order of Odd Fellows and made preliminary plans to preserve it with minimum maintenance.Church boom
A large number of churches embarked or made plans for new construction in the city as congregations continue to grow.Callippe Golf Course
The city owned and maintained Callippe Preserve Golf Course, which opened in November 2005, celebrated its first year in business this past November, with accolades to boot. The $35 million course was in GolfWeek magazine’s list of America’s Best Courses and ranked ninth on Golf Digest’s list of Best New Courses, which publishes in January.D
Doors close on Hope Hospice in Pleasanton
Hope Hospice Shoppe, located at Main and West Angela streets, closed its doors in July when funds and helping hands were hard to come by. For 18 years, the shop sold various used goods–including clothing, books and knick-knacks–as a way to raise funds for Hope Hospice, an organization that provides end-of-life care and grief support for families. The closing made way for Studio 7’s expansion to become the largest art gallery in the Bay Area.E
Election
Elections this year were costly for candidates and troubling for voters who were bombarded with mailings and phone calls that some thought were inflammatory. Voters chose incumbent Mayor Jennifer Hosterman over challenger Councilman Steve Brozosky by a 188-vote margin, re-elected Councilman Jerry Thorne and elected high school teacher Cheryl Cook-Kallio to the City Council. Pleasanton Democrat and businessman Jerry McNerney defeated seven-term Republican Congressman Richard Pombo in a hotly-contested race in the 11th District. Incumbents Guy Houston (R-15th) and Alberto Torrico (D-20th) were re-elected to the State Assembly with newcomer Mary Hayashi, a Democrat, winning in the 20th District. Former Assemblywoman Ellen Corbett, also a Democrat, easily won elected to the 10th State Senate District.Measure P passed with 87 percent to approve conceptual plans for eventually developing the 318-acres of public lands known as the Bernal property into a smaller but similar Golden Gate Park.
E-mails cause a stir at City Hall
E-mails sent by Mayor Jennifer Hosterman on city-owned equipment apparently violated a state regulation that prohibits the use of government services and equipment for election purposes. Hers did, as disclosed by a member of her opponent Councilman Steve BrozoskyÃs campaign team, and the Alameda County StateÃs AttorneyÃs office is investigating.F
Flu is widespread
In early January, ValleyCare’s urgent care unit was swamped with patients complaining of flu symptoms. Alameda County then led the Bay Area in the number of confirmed cases of the flu.G
Global vs. Local
In a contentious election year, Mayor Jennifer Hosterman, who was recently elected to another two years, took a lot of heat for her support of discussing worldly topics such as global warming on a local scale.H
Home Depot shopping center approved
A shopping center that will include a Home Depot, Longs Drugs 24-hour drive-thru for prescriptions and other small retail shops southeast of Stanley Boulevard and Bernal Avenue, won the Planning Commission’s approval Dec. 13. Residents who spoke against the project said it would exacerbate an already bad traffic problem.I
Iron Horse Trail to get missing link
City officials gathered in March to break ground on the first segment of the Iron Horse Trail in Pleasanton. The mile-long link will stretch from Santa Rita Road to the intersection of Valley Avenue and Busch Road.J
John Madden entered into Hall of Fame
It was a year of Madden madness as hometown hero John Madden was inducted into the pro football hall of fame in August. After a successful stint as head coach of the Oakland Raiders in 1967, he channeled his passion of the game into the announcer’s booth and is regularly seen on TV’s Sunday Night Football.K
Kolln Hardware being restored
The historic landmark that is Kolln Hardware on Main Street began a $2 million restoration this past summer that will restore the 19th century building to its original Old West elegance. The building consists of three structures, including what was once a hardware store dating back to the 1870s.Kottinger Creek
A $1.2 million restoration of Kottinger Creek to turn it into a meandering creek and ecology park was underway as the year came to a close, with completion scheduled for early 2007.L
Lawsuit looms on affordable housing
A lawsuit filed by affordable housing advocates against the city of Pleasanton was dropped on the city’s doorstep Oct. 17. Representatives from San Francisco-based Urban Habitat claim the city isn’t providing enough affordable housing and seek to lift the city’s housing cap of 29,000 units which it is fast approaching. The city asked a Supreme Court judge to dismiss the lawsuit in November claiming the suit exceeds the statute of limitations and that the plaintiffs don’t have standing to file it. The case will be heard Jan. 8.M
Money a factor in Pleasanton
The average Pleasanton household has an income of $101,000 a year, according to statistics revealed by the U.S. Census Bureau Aug. 29. It is the highest among medium-sized cities across the country. Some cited a highly-educated workforce, low crime rate, excellent school system and central location in the Bay Area as some of the reasons the city attracts such high-income earners.N
Niethammer boy killed in bicycle accident
In an incident that saddened the entire community, nine-year-old Vintage Hills fourth-grader Shawn Niethammer was struck and killed by a car while riding his bicycle out of a friend’s driveway Oct. 6. Vintage Hills Elementary, where he attended school and other members of the community took efforts to raise money for his family and perform goodwill in his honor.O
Oak Grove
Developers submitted preliminary plans for a 51-custom home and open space project called Oak Grove atop Kottinger Ranch.P
P.F. Chang’s, The Cheesecake Factory come to Stoneridge
A new Cheesecake Factory restaurant at Stoneridge Shopping Center was opened to the public Nov. 2 as part of a mall expansion that also included the opening of P.F. Chang’s China Bistro Dec. 18. The center, owned by The Mills Corporation, also plans to construct a new Nordstrom and possibly a movie theater, although the corporation, which is enduring financial woes, is being mysteriously quiet about those plans.Q
Quorums
Quorums are what the Pleasanton Planning Commission lacked at two major meetings this fall, causing delays in advertised public hearings on expansions at St. Elizabeth Seton and Trinity Lutheran churches. Several commissioners said they advised the cityÃs planning staff they would miss those meetings, but apparently word didnÃt reach the several hundred in the public that crowded City Council chambers in vain to speak on the proposals.R
Real estate slows a little
Real estate sales slowed during the year, but prices kept rising, with the average price of a Pleasanton home hitting $1.4 million in mid-year.Road extension controversy continues
Stoneridge Drive continued as a focus of ongoing debate in 2006 with a citizensà group holding public meetings and arguing in its Web site, www.stoppleasantongridlock.com that the four-lane roadway should be extended east to El Charro Road and Livermore. Property owners in the Mohr-Martin neighborhood where the long-planned arterial street is now barricaded, object to the extension in belief the completed roadway would become a major cut-through street for I-580 to I-680 traffic. Four members of the City Council also oppose the extension although formal public hearings on the proposal have yet to be heard.S
Staples Ranch
In April, the City Council agreed unanimously to sign an agreement with Alameda County to purchase and annex the 124-acre Staples Ranch site at Interstate 580 and El Charro Road. Plans call for an auto mall, senior care facility, retail businesses and offices and a public park or sports fields. In October, the council agreed to consider a proposal for a San Jose Sharks public ice rink on the site. If it’s approved by the Parks and Recreation and Planning commissions, the final plan would be considered again by the council as early as next year.Schools Construction of Neal Elementary is still on cue as of March, but dates and details have yet to be finalized. Alisal, Hearst, Valley View and Vintage Hills elementaries were chosen as California Distinguished Schools. Also receiving honors in 2006 were Amador Valley and Foothill with the No Child Left Behind (NCLB)-Blue Ribbon awards. Just in time for classes to begin, the district added eight new counselors with help state-budgeted money, making significant ground with the Excellence Committee’s priority recommendations list. Continuing the trend of academic excellence, each school in the district went beyond the state’s API target of 800, with seven schools scoring over 900.School Board
Opposing teachers, students and parents were heard loud and clear as trustees nixed the senior project plan in February. Trustee Gloria Fredette’s resignation in April led to Jim Ott’s appointment in May after a unanimous vote by the trustees. Nearing the end of their terms, Ott and trustee Pat Kernan easily won back their seats in August when no one else applied to run. Fearing community misconceptions, the board decided to “push the pause button” on the parcel tax idea. Earlier this month, board President Steve Pulido was appointed to a county judgeship and the hunt for a replacement began.Sports
Hometown sports fans had a lot to brag about this year, especially fans of blue and gold. Foothill football powered through EBAL and NCS teams only to be stopped by De La Salle in the final round. De Le Salle proved beatable in golf, as Foothill boy’s golf team clinched first in NCS. Foothill girl’s volleyball’s impeccable season ended with their only loss in a state championship game. Also making their way to state was Foothill girl’s tennis, who beat out Monte Vista for the NCS title. Amador Valley boy’s baseball beat Foothill and advanced to NCS, but lost to Irvington in the first round. For youth sports, Pleasanton athletes still excel in soccer, swimming, softball and gymnastics, to name a few.T
Transportation station gets under way
An $80 million BART station to be located in the median off Interstate 580 between Golden Gate Road in Dublin and Stoneridge Mall Road in Pleasanton broke ground Sept. 29. It will be the second station in Pleasanton and is slated to be opened in 2009. The project also includes the construction of apartments, a hotel, offices and retail shops–with most development scheduled on the Dublin side.U
Unveiling of Hacienda Business Park plans
Plans were unveiled envisioning affordable townhomes and apartments, retail shops and offices connected by tree-lined streets and additional transit opportunities at the Hacienda Business Park.V
Vineyard roundabouts taken out
Cement roundabouts installed on Vineyard Avenue near Ruby Hill were uprooted in July and August. The $600,000 project was approved by the City Council after studies showed increased accident rates, but the removal was opposed by many residents who felt the roundabouts prevented drivers from speeding.Veterans Memorial Hall undergoes renovation
In August, the city kicked off its restoration efforts on the historic Veterans Memorial Hall along Main Street with the removal of the structure’s cornerstone. VFWs and American Legion groups have relocated in the interim to the Regalia House. The work is expected to be completed in August 2007.W
We the People goes far
Amador Valley High School’s civics team won second place in the prestigious “We the People…” national civics competition May 1 in Washington, D.C. The high school team endured intense questioning by judges, including several state Supreme Court judges. It was the seventh time the Amador Valley team has represented the state of California.Ruby Hill winery
Plans for a multi-million-dollar winery and event center were approved by the City Council in December at the corner of Isabel Road and Vineyard Avenue. The new Gateway to Pleasanton will be adjacent to Ruby Hill and larger than the Mitchell Katz Winery and Palm Event Center nearby.Waterpark delayed
Plans to build a $6 million waterpark named California Splash got waterlogged in 2006 and a timeline for construction on the expansion and rebuild to the current waterslides on Stanley Boulevard is undetermined. Many residents have protested the plans saying it would bring too much traffic and noise.X
X-rated dancing at Foothill High?
In early January, the talk around the halls of Foothill High School centered on what had become national news–freak dancing. Behavior at a high school dance held just a couple weeks earlier sent shockwaves to parents and news of Pleasanton teens’ dancing was broadcast on the television news across the nation. The so-called dirty dancing was curbed by Principal Kevin Johnson, who banned it anywhere on campus.Y
Youth baseball fans get lighted fields
Youth baseball enthusiasts won their bid for the start of lighted fields on the Bernal property. Construction on this first phase of a multi-million-dollar project, which will eventually include up to 10 baseball, soccer and youth football fields, is scheduled to start this summer.Z
Zoning prevalent at City Hall
Zoning issues topped the list of workshops held during the year as the Planning Commission and City Council worked to update the 1996 General Plan, a process expected to be completed by mid-2007.
