Access road can wait, court rules Access road can wait, court rules (August 05, 2005)

Renewed construction OK’d for new city golf course
Jeb Bing

A state appellate court has upheld a decision by Superior Court Judge Bonnie Sabraw that allowed Pleasanton to finish construction and open its new municipal golf course this year without first building a special access road for golfers to use.

The Alisal Improvement Club, a homeowners’ association representing residents in the unincorporated part of Happy Valley, filed the court action two years ago. The organization sought an injunction to stop work on the $50 million Callippe Preserve course and trails until a bypass road was built, as the city agreed to install as part of its 1999 Happy Valley Specific Plan. While setting aside money to make the initial payment on the bypass road, the city has said the road needs to be financed as part of a development agreement when home construction is authorized in the area.

The Alisal club wanted the road built before the course opened to keep golfers off Alisal Street, the only thoroughfare that extends through Happy Valley, connecting Sycamore Road to Happy Valley Road.

City Attorney Michael Roush said the city intends to abide by its agreement to build the road, but has not set a deadline for doing it. Greenbriar Homes is seeking approval to build up to 75 homes along Alisal and could be asked to include an auxiliary road through its development for golfers to use to reach the course.

“Right now, the specific plan designates the bypass road as going through the hills above Alisal,” Roush said. “If the city wants to change that routing to the lower level, it would need to amend the specific plan, which the City Council could do after public hearings.”

Work has continue on the golf course as the Alisal litigation continued, with the course scheduled to open by Thanksgiving.

E-mail a friend a link to this story.