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Alameda County Supervisor David Haubert succinctly summed up the situation facing the county and the Castlewood Property Owners Association on Tuesday when he said, “We’re in uncharted waters.”
Haubert was reacting to the homeowners’ overwhelming rejection of the county’s proposed $1.4 million special assessment to cover two prior years’ shortfalls in the water maintenance and operations fund for the community in unincorporated west Pleasanton. It would have been about a $7,000 hit per household, on top of water rates that went up 172% last year.
Haubert was speaking to a sparsely attended association meeting to update members on what has happened and what’s next after the June counting of the votes. Through a county service area, Alameda County provides water, sewer and road maintenance services that are paid on the property tax bill.
Doug Ricketts, who chairs the association’s water committee, was ready to meet and plan how to move forward. In preparation for electrical power outages, the association is still paying to rent generators that are not tied automatically into the pumping system, requiring an employee to be dispatched to plug them in and manually start the generators to fill the two large tanks located above the country club that supply domestic water and water for fire hydrants. It costs nearly $100,000 annually.
Both Ricketts and association vice president Mike Mitchell had spent their late afternoon Tuesday at a Pleasanton City Council workshop to review priorities for the city staff over the next two years. The new two-year budget cycle started July 1. Mitchell told the council and staff that the neighborhood was willing to annex into the city of Pleasanton and do so in a way that is cash-positive for the city.
Councilmembers were each given 10 dots and asked them to place them on projects at the bottom 18 on the 82-project list. Most of the higher-ranked ones are necessary. Although it remains in the deferred projects category, Mitchell was heartened to see dots from three councilmembers on the annexation consideration that was broader than just Castlewood, including the Remen tract and the Happy Valley/Alisal area.
The Proposition 218 polling on the proposed water assessment that ended in defeat in June followed a 2024 lawsuit by the association against the county that contended, among other claims, that the county failed to follow the required process.
Association board members continue to say that the current situation with the county is untenable. They need improved services from the county or to set up their own community services district (directly elected board under county auspices) or annex to Pleasanton.
Mitchell made it clear that he thought the Pleasanton annexation was the best choice and indicated the association was willing to wait for the appropriate timing with the city and work with the county to improve services and responsiveness in the meantime.
Haubert chairs the committee on planning and transportation and suggested the association reach out to his staff and get an item on the agenda. The July meeting has already passed and the county board is on recess in August, so it likely will be on the September agenda.
Mitchell said they’d already contacted Shawn Wilson, Haubert’s chief of staff, to get their item on the agenda where the Alameda County Public Works Agency will be asked to map out the future plan.
Castlewood leaders want to move a plan forward with the county now instead of waiting for a potential annexation or separate district election. They told people at the meeting that they’re still looking at years, not months, to get the long-term solution in place. Ricketts said there are immediate issues such as the generators, water hammering in pipes when the pumps start and necessary maintenance that has fallen behind.
Property owners were hit last year when supervisors approved raising their annual water charge by 172%. 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 hikes, are $180 while Dublin San Ramon Services District clients pay $169 and Fremont area users pay $168.
Editor’s note: Pleasanton Weekly contributor Tim Hunt’s family lives in the Castlewood county service area and pays these charges.
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