HomeMy WebLinkAboutROMANELLI, ANTHONY 090622
Marie Sunseri
From:Anthony Romanelli <anthony.romanelli@gmail.com>
Sent:Tuesday, September 6, 2022 10:33 AM
To:Marie Sunseri
Subject:public comments for tonight's City Council meeting
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Dear Marie,
I'd like to submit the following comments for tonight's 9/6/22 City Council Meeting as part of "FOR THE GOOD OF THE
TOWN" agenda item:
I heard through a neighbor that there are plans to install twelve pickleball courts in Osage Park. I appreciate pickleball is
a fast-growing support and there is a lot of energy in our community to create more access. While I am supportive of the
concept of adding some courts, I am interested in understanding the reasoning behind adding as many as twelve courts,
and what studies have been and will be conducted to understand the impact of the project on the surrounding
community and Charlotte Wood Middle School.
Have there or will there be studies conducted on parking, traffic and noise? In all studies, I recommend including the
number of players who could simultaneously play on all courts and also the additional volume associated with pick-up
games that already draws in large crowds to the existing two pickleball courts. When evaluating noise, I would not only
include the volume the pickleballs make when hitting the paddles (which is suprisingly loud), but also the associated
crowds and music that goes along with the sport.
One mitigation that should be considered is adding speed bumps on Brookside and Orange Blossom Way (the streets
feeding into Osage parking lots). I live on Orange Blossom Way which is already a speedway during school hours and
has spillover parking from Osage Park on the weekends. School traffic is particularly fast with individuals speeding in
both directions for drop-off and pick-up at both Charlotte Wood Middle School and John Baldwin Elementary School. I
have a front-row seat to this every morning and afternoon and I'm genuinely concerned for the safety of my children
and all children in the neighborhood. We are already in need of measures to reduce speeds on the streets feeding into
Osage and adding a new sports venue would only amplify the problem.
I recommend more closely studying the impact of adding the courts and reconsider moving forward with fewer
additional courts (e.g., closer to four instead of twelve). In the example of adding four courts, the City could easily
construct one additional width of tennis courts in the grass area without significant impact to the park and neighboring
school. I would also put tight guardrails in place that do not allow for play into the evening (i.e., exclude lighting from
the project).
The Council should remember that Osage Park is already heavily impacted with Charlotte Wood Middle School on-site
and limited parking, and does not lend itself to becoming Danville's next sports complex, drawing in populations from
across Danville and neighboring Alamo, Walnut Creek and San Ramon. While you will hear a lot of enthusiasm for this
project, please closely evaluate how many of these individuals are in the immediate community bordering the park and
are familiar with the associated speeding/traffic, parking and noise impacts.
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Finally, what are the obligations of the City to report the proposed plans to surrounding neighbors and to
meaningfully solicit their input? There has been no communication to date, other than what is included in City Council
meetings, which is insufficient. Most of my neighbors (me included) only found out about this project very recently
second-hand from another neighbor. Posting signs at the existing Osage tennis and pickleball courts would also be an
easy form of communication and give this project the input and attention it requires.
I would like to see the City take the responsible steps forward in conducting the appropriate studies noted above and
evaluate reducing the size of the project, in addition to considering other mitigations.
Thank you.
Anthony Romanelli
Danville Resident
805 Orange Blossom Way
(718) 308-1805
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