HomeMy WebLinkAbout052124 SUPPLEMENTAL CORRESPONDENCE - IN OPPOSITION through 11AM on 052124Town Council - Regular Meeting
Tuesday, May 21, 2024
SUPPLEMENTAL CORRESPONDENCE
RECEIVED (4PM 5/20/24 - 11AM 5/21/24)
IN OPPOSITION OF ITEM
8.1 Consider adoption of Resolution No. 29-2024, adopting a Mitigated Negative
Declaration of Environmental Significance, and approving the addition of Six New
Pickleball Courts with Associated Seating at Osage Station Park (H. Perezalonso)
From: Kolisa Larue <kolisalarue@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 21, 2024 8:56 AM
To: Marie Sunseri <MSunseri@danville.ca.gov>
Subject: Missing emails of opposition from tonight's posted agenda
Good Morning, Marie,
I have left you a message and am also writing to inquire as to why there are so few posted letters of opposition on
the link for tonight's meeting on the posted agenda.
My letter was acknowledged as received by Newell Arnerich (below) yet is not appearing. I am copying it below to
ensure that you have it. Several of our neighbors have mentioned that they have also written in and none of their
letters are appearing. We are concerned as to the reason for this discrepancy and would appreciate an explanation as
well as to have them added.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Kolisa Larue
Dear Mayor Stepper and Danville Town Council Members,
Below are three excerpts from an Agenda Report written from the Walnut Creek PROS
Commission to the Town Council, dated Sept 2022. I believe these could be instructive as you
consider the future of Osage Park:
"Since eight outdoor courts were established (at Rudgear), pickleball has
grown exponentially and the subsequent impact on the neighborhood and the ability of
the courts to satisfy the demand for pickleball play is unsustainable."
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DANVILLE TOWN COUNCIL
SUPPLEMENTAL CORRESPONDENCE - in opposition
MAY 21, 2024
"Neighbors on and around Dapplegray Lane have been acutely impacted by
the unintended consequences of pickleball's popularity."
"After construction of new pickleball courts is complete, staff plans to
repurpose the Rudgear Park courts for tennis or an alternate use."
As far as I can imagine, there is no good reason to believe that the impact of adding up to 8
pickleball courts in Osage Park would be any Tess disastrous than in Walnut Creek. In fact, I
believe it would be worse for these reasons:
• Homes are Closer. Sound experts recommend 500 feet minimum distance from homes
due to the impulsive, repetitive and intrusive nature of pickleball noise which may also
have negative health impacts.
• Greater Pedestrian Safety Risk. Osage Park is in a traffic -sensitive area where
child/car accidents have occured. Already, there is high car volume, excessive
vehicle speed, ignored stop signs, and an unusually high number of pedestrians
on foot, bike and scooter due to the immediate proximity of two schools with
hundreds of students under the age of 13. Eight pickleball courts in play during a
12 -hour day could generate more than 700* ADDED car trips to the residential
streets leading to the courts where pedestrian traffic is most concentrated.
• Parking is Insufficient. The existing park community relies on the parking spaces for
use by Little League families, Mustang Soccer, T -Ball, Little Kickers, dog walkers,
tennis players, kiddie park users, martial arts classes, etc. Parking overflow onto
Orange Blossom Way is particularly dangerous due to the narrowness of the street
and the bend near the parking lot which limits visibility. Overflow parking at Charlotte
Wood Middle School is questionably safe or appropriate for use by pb players,
especially when school is in session. As seen in Walnut Creek, free Pickleball
courts attract large numbers of players from a wide geographic area. Games are
short and play is rotational. Courts can easily have 10 people per court playing
and waiting. Therefore, there must be parking sufficient for at least 4, and up to
10, people per court, per hour. That would be 80 dedicated spots per hour if
pickleball was the only attraction, which it is not.
The Osage Community is a magnet for young families in search of a family-
oriented, safe neighborhood in which to raise their children. This population is our future
and they are particularly OPPOSED to adding pickleball courts to Osage Park. Let their
voice hold weight as we look to the future viability of Danville as a desirable place to live
and raise a family. A pickleball hub has NO PLACE in a residential school zone!
I urge you to reject the proposal to construct, or add otherwise, any pickleball courts in Osage
Park. Please make full use of the CEQUA and EIR processes to determine if and where
pickleball may be successful in any alternate location.
2
DANVILLE TOWN COUNCIL
SUPPLEMENTAL CORRESPONDENCE - in opposition
MAY 21, 2024
Thank you for your ongoing service to the Town of Danville.
Sincerely and respectfully,
Kolisa Larue
*4 players x 8 cts = 32/hr x 12/hr day = 384 cars/players x 2 (round trip) = 748 potential trips.
Proof of receipt:
Hi Kolisa,
I sincerely appreciate your thoughtful email and the points you've
raised. Your input is invaluable, and I assure you that I will carefully
consider all perspectives when we address this appeal item tomorrow
night. Your commitment to our community and your willingness to
engage in the process are truly commendable, and I'm grateful for your
active participation.
Very helpful information. Thank you once again for sharing your
thoughts and concerns.
Best regards,
Newell Arnerich Danville Council
From: Evan Hendry <evanhendry@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 21, 2024 9:48 AM
To: msuneri@danville.ca.gov; Marie Sunseri <MSunseri@danville.ca.gov>
Subject: Fwd: Evan Hendry - Respectfully Opposed to Pickleball at Osage Station Park
Dear Honored Members of the Town Council,
My name is Evan Hendry and my family of three young boys and my wife live at the corner of Brookside Drive and
Orange Blossom Way near the north gate entrance to Osage Station Park.
First of all, I wanted to say thank you for your help and service to this town. Without your care and thoughtfulness
to the betterment of this community, Danville would not be the place we all love it to be. So, thank you from the
bottom of my heart.
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DANVILLE TOWN COUNCIL
SUPPLEMENTAL CORRESPONDENCE - in opposition
MAY 21, 2024
I understand and 100% condone the town exploring and implementing healthy activities for its citizens, like
pickleball. I agree that pickleball is an activity that brings healthy exercise opportunities to a wide range of ages and
demographics. I just believe that because of the sensitive external factors of noise that come with pickleball and the
current proximity to homes, that placing more pickleball courts near homes at Osage Station Park is NOT the correct
solution. From my minimal research on the topic, towns and cities across the nation are reconsidering existing sites
for pickleball and are rethinking their noise ordinances because of this controversial sport.
I watched a great Youtube video that explores the subjective and objective factors of pickleball noise from varying
experts in the field. Please see the link attached below. The video is almost an hour and I know your time is precious
but if you would please take the 5 minutes to listen to David Wright's (2) comments on the matter at 27m30s and
40m30s, I think you would find it very interesting.
I do appreciate that most of the Parks and Recreation Commissioners had a very hard decision to make and explored
this topic without bias, but I believe this discussion and approval process for Osage Station Park for more pickleball
courts was done in haste and without the correct considerations of location and sound mitigation. I kindly request
that the Town Council make a recommendation to consider alternate locations for these courts. An example that was
proposed during the due diligence phase of the Park and Recreation Commission's search for locations was
Sycamore Park. Please, please consider other locations for pickleball and please take into your hearts the enjoyment
of life for all our citizens including the surrounding homes of people that also love this town. Thank you for your
time.
Sincerely,
Evan Hendry
https://m.youtube.com/watch?si=x0n J3J F Eg JHEgT&v=m4U6rOP72aUhttps%3A%2Fyoutu.be%2Fm4U6rQP72a
U&feature=youtu.be
From: Anthony Romanelli <anthony.romanelli@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 21, 2024 9:46 AM
To: Marie Sunseri <MSunseri@danville.ca.gov>; Henry Perezalonso <HPerezalonso@danville.ca.gov>;
Rob Ewing <REwing@danville.ca.gov>; Newell Arnerich <NArnerich@danville.ca.gov>; Robert Storer
<RStorer@danville.ca.gov>; Renee Morgan <RMorgan@danville.ca.gov>; David Fong
<dfong@danville.ca.gov>; Karen Stepper <KStepper@danville.ca.gov>
Cc: Laurinda Ochoa <ochoalaurinda@gmail.com>; Stuart Flashman <stu@stuflash.com>
Subject: Action Requested: Issue with e-mail posting this evening
Marie & all - as discussed with Marie this morning it has come to our attention that the dozens of emails that were
sent by our coalition and those opposed to the project have not been posted to the web site. The process as I
understand it from Marie is for correspondences to be sent directly to her, and the public notice makes no mention of
this.
I am very concerned about the optics of so many of the supporter e-mails being posted to the site and only two
emails from the opposition being posted (somehow they got the "memo" that emails need to be sent to Marie).
I suggest Town Council more methodically forward the emails they've received or have Marie access their email
account this morning (with their consent/supervision of course as appropriate) to capture all the emails that were
shared so that they can be posted.
Much appreciated.
Anthony
4
DANVILLE TOWN COUNCIL
SUPPLEMENTAL CORRESPONDENCE - in opposition
MAY 21, 2024
From: Newell Arnerich <narnerich@danville.ca.gov>
To: Mark Seller <markseller@yahoo.com>
Cc: Joe Calabrigo <jcalabrigo@danville.ca.gov>; Rob Ewing <rewing@danville.ca.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at 05:50:58 AM PDT
Subject: Re: Osage Pickelball Venue Expansion - Both the Mitigated Negative Declaration and the
Project Approval Need to be Rejected
Hi Mark & Mary,
I sincerely appreciate your thoughtful email and the points you've
raised. Your input is invaluable, and I assure you that I will carefully
consider all perspectives when we address this appeal item tonight. Your
commitment to our community and your willingness to engage in the
process are truly commendable, and I'm grateful for your active
participation.
Very helpful information. Thank you once again for sharing your
thoughts and concerns.
Best regards,
Newell Arnerich 1 Danville Council
On May 20, 2024, at 4:54 PM, Mark Seller <markseller(c�yahoo.com> wrote:
Dear Danville Town Council
- Over 2,000 concerned citizens signed the petition to stop the expansion of pickleball at Osage (lots of reason that
are passionately held).
- Over 100 IMPACTED Danville residents have posted lawn signs in strong and steadfast opposition to the
pickleball expansion at Osage (lot of reasons: noise, traffic, child safety and negative financial impact). Need to fix
the current noise pickleball problem now at Osage, not go build a bigger, more complex and costly problem at
Osage!
- The evidence presented by the Town's consultants indicating the project, as mitigated, would have no significant
impacts does not support approving the project under a Mitigated Negative Declaration. Follow the CEQA law!
- If (as seems highly likely) adequate mitigation cannot be fully assured as REQUIRED under CEQA, an
Environmental Impact Report (EIR) should be prepared, circulated, and certified before
giving further consideration to approving the project.
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DANVILLE TOWN COUNCIL
SUPPLEMENTAL CORRESPONDENCE - in opposition
MAY 21, 2024
- The EIR must include consideration of both qualitative mitigation measures and results and project alternatives
(including the option
of spreading the pickleball courts over multiple sites).
- There are several and significant problems with Rincon's analysis and its results. These are pointed out in the
expert witness statements by Dr. R. Lance Willis, a nationally recognized "expert witness" in pickleball matters and
a PhD. in acoustics that has been retained by our legal team. Dr, Willis has also provided earlier letters to the Town
pointing up deficiencies in the Town's acoustic consultant's analyses. Dr. Willis has acted as a Pickleball expert
witness in two depositions in several states and is prepared to do the same here as needed.
Respectfully Submitted by Danville Residents - Mark and Mary Seller
From: Anthony Romanelli <anthony.romanelli@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, May 9, 2024 at 12:37 PM
Subject: Follow-up to my comments on Tuesday re: Osage pickleball
To: <kstepper@danville.ca.gov>, <rmorgan@danville.ca.gov>, Newell Arnerich <narnerich@danville.ca.gov>,
David Fong <dfong@danville.ca.gov>, <rstorer@danville.ca.gov>
Cc: Henry Perezalonso <hperezalonso@danville.ca.gov>, Rob Ewing <REwing@danville.ca.gov>
Hello Town Council - thank you for allowing me the time during For Good of the Town at
this past Tuesday's Council meeting. Below is a recap (and expansion) of the three
points I shared in the meeting. My apologies for the lengthy e-mail and I thank you
in advance for reading through.
Also, here is a video that several of our neighbors watched and found tremendously
helpful in capturing the challenges with noise ordinances and pickleball. It is lengthy (47
minutes), but perhaps you can listen to it on a relaxing long walk or drive in advance of
our May 21 discussion. In summary, there are excellent points made about
distance from homes being the best mitigation and that municipalities need to lean more
heavily on their existing general noise ordinances about sounds that are an
"annoyance" to neighbors.
Recap of my three points from Tuesday:
1. Please reach out to your counterparts in Walnut Creek to learn from their experience with the
eight courts Rudgear Park.
o I highly encourage you to speak directly with the City Council in Walnut Creek to ask
them about their pickleball journey. In the event you need their contact information, the
Mayor and City Council can together be reached by emailing mayor@walnut-
creek.org https://www.walnutcreekca.gov/government/meet-your-government/city-council
o Here are some quotes that came from past Walnut Creek City Council meetings on pickleball at
Rudgear:
• "Our neighborhood has been ruined. There's no peace. " — WC neighbor
• "Nobody anticipated how exponentially this situation would grow. It's just too
much. " — WC neighbor
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DANVILLE TOWN COUNCIL
SUPPLEMENTAL CORRESPONDENCE - in opposition
MAY 21, 2024
• "I walk that neighborhood frequently and I'm always amazed at the sound level and how
far it travels." - WC Town Council Member
• "Pickleball is louder than tennis. There have been more consequences than we
anticipated. "— WC City Manager
o Further, forwarded below is an email from Shiva Sundaram that was sent to the Danville
Parks & Rec Commission. He is a Walnut Creek resident who has been highly impacted
by the Rudgear Courts.
2. The Town Staff's current recommendation to Town Council does not match what the Commission
approved in December.
• I want to be sure it is clear that the Commission approved a 5-2 vote on 12/13/24 for a "negative
declaration" under CEQA, which would state there are no significant environmental impacts. Our
neighbors appealed this decision at a cost of $300, which led to the 5/21 meeting being scheduled with the
Town Council.
• However, the notice our neighbors all received earlier this month is that the Town Staff is now
recommending a "mitigated negative declaration" which states that there are significant environmental
impacts that can successfully be mitigated. As we will discuss at greater length, we certainly agree with the
new finding that there will be significant environmental impacts (a good step forward), but we do not agree
that the impacts will be addressed by the proposed mitigations.
• The appeal notice is not transparent in sharing the extent of the Commission's discussion and approval,
and only notes the Commission "continued its discussions" in December. We find this to be misleading.
Further, it is disheartening that the burden was on our neighbors to appeal the Commission's decision when
the Town Staff are now seemingly acknowledging the error with their change of course. Can Town Staff
make whatever recommendation it pleases to Town Council, regardless of what the Commission has
approved?
• I mention the above for a couple of reasons:
o This is one of several process issues that have taken place since the start of this project in July
2022. This continues to erode trust between our neighbors and the Town, and that this process has
not taken place in good faith -- nor that the evaluation to identify Osage as a location has been
objective. Some more context:
• You will recall that Town Staff originally tried to circumvent the CEQA process
altogether in saying the project was exempt from the process as an "expansion", and until
recently has not acknowledged the significant environmental impacts.
• The 2022 site assessment conducted by Town Staff,while perhaps having good intentions
(though questionably was designed to back into Osage as the solution) was inadequate
and served as a faulty foundation upon which they and Commissioners have continued to
make decisions. As an example, you'll likely recall that viable options like Sycamore
were dismissed due to distance from restrooms.... and more broadly that the report lacked
substance and objective evaluation criteria.
• Even one of your most seasoned and respected Commissioners commented on two
separate occasions in public meetings regarding the cursory nature of the Town's site
assessment report and how the Osage decision was rushed and lacked community
engagement.
7
DANVILLE TOWN COUNCIL
SUPPLEMENTAL CORRESPONDENCE - in opposition
MAY 21, 2024
o Our neighborhood coalition is working quickly to review this new recommendation and
mitigations with our attorney and sound consultant, and we apologize that this will result in you
receiving their expert opinion letters only a few days in advance of the 5/21 Town Council
meeting.
3. An Environmental Impact Report "EIR" and/or a non -park solution will likely be needed.
• It is unfortunate that two years have passed and we do not seem to be in a good place in having objectively
evaluated the right options and alternatives for pickleball in Danville.
• I often value the adage of "going slow to go fast", and I worry that the haste in which this project was
initially brought forward seems to be slowing it down considerably. This has come at the expense of our
local neighborhoods' time and resources (it frankly feels like our neighbors have been doing the Town's
job), and also the great frustration of the pickleball community. A proper EIR process way earlier on in the
process would have given this project the attention it deserves.
• If the Town cannot identify a suitable solution for pickleball that is away from homes and schools and does
not come at the expense of its residents, perhaps it should begin to think "out of the box", taking this out of
the hands of Parks & Rec and consider commercial/other solutions. There are many trends emerging with
old malls, retail locations and other commercial/industrial sites being converted to pickleball.
Thank you.
Anthony Romanelli
Forwarded message
From: Shiva Sundaram <shivak.sundaram@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Dec 13, 2023 at 1:45 PM
Subject: Please don't build Osage Pickleball Courts
To: <hperezalonso@danville.ca.gov>, <afalcon@danville.ca.gov>, <abrown@danville.ca.gov>,
<jmesic@danville.ca.gov>, <rdiamond@danville.ca.gov>, <kdonovan@danville.ca.gov>,
<jjoyce@danville.ca.gov>, <jlindsey@danville.ca.gov>, <cneary@danville.ca.gov>, <cmascali@danville.ca.gov>,
<narnerich@danville.ca.gov>, <rstorer@danville.ca.gov>, <kstepper@danville.ca.gov>, <dfong@danville.ca.gov>,
<rmorgan@danville. ca. gov>
My name is Shiva Sundaram and I live in the Walnut Creek Rudgear Park area. I live 70 feet from the
Rudgear Pickleball Courts. There are also several homes within 50 feet of these courts. As someone who
has experienced the wrath of pickleball first hand, I am writing to you to strongly urge you to NOT build
the new pickleball courts at Osage.
Between 2016 and 2018, the city of Walnut Creek (in conjunction with the Walnut Creek Pickleball Club)
took a unilateral decision to convert 2 tennis courts into 8 pickleball courts. They did not notify the
neighbors, did not do any CEQA Analysis, nor did they study the impact of sound or traffic in this area.
For the past 5 1/2 years the pickleball community has devastated and destroyed this quiet neighborhood.
Several of the residents impacted by these courts have had their lives change for the worse.
Here are some of the serious issues we face everyday
• 10 —13 hours a day of pickleball every day all year long
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DANVILLE TOWN COUNCIL
SUPPLEMENTAL CORRESPONDENCE - in opposition
MAY 21, 2024
• Excessive noise from the hard paddles and hard balls
• Excessive noise from players shouting and screaming after every single shot
• Traffic and Parking issues — surface roads near the parks have become parking lots
• Players block driveways and garbage cans
• Residents are not able to keep their windows open and let in fresh air
• Residents cannot enjoy their own yards to have a simple cup of coffee
• After hour partying of drinking
• Impact to the wildlife and birds
In Osage you have the additional problem of being next to a school which means, school classrooms
won't be able to keep their windows open. The kids will be hearing the constant pock -pock all day long.
We, the residents of the Rudgear Park neighborhood, have been fighting the city and the pickleball club
to relocate these courts. The city understands the issue and agrees that these courts pose a problem. A
pickleball task force was created in Dec 2022 made up of PROS Commissioners, tennis players, pickleball
players and residents to find a location which would serve everyone and ensure that no neighborhood is
impacted. We have even done sound studies by Bob Unetich's company at Stewart Avenue Tennis
Courts (Rudgear Park other side) WITH Sound Barriers where homes have been 150 feet away. Even
with Sound barriers the sound could be heard beyond 450 feet.
This is a national crisis with pickleball and it poses an existential threat to our society. Just google
"pickleball complaints" and you will see pages and pages of issues. Even USA Pickleball, the governing
body has admitted that noise is an issue and are working to reduce the noise. Knowing that there is a
serious issue with Pickleball, I am shocked that the City of Danville is continuing on this war path to build
courts within 110 feet of homes. If you don't live next to the pickleball courts and noise, you will never
be able to understand the life issues we residents face on an everyday basis. People's lives will change
for the worse. You will knowingly be destroying a community which will never know peace again.
Would you be OK with this sort of noise in your neighborhood? Would you be OK if your surface roads
are converted into parking lots? Would you be OK to live forever not being able to even open your
windows? The better question is, do you live in the neighborhood and live 100 feet away from these
courts?
Don't make the same mistake Walnut Creek did. Please listen to the residents who are going to live with
this problem everyday. I would ask you to put together a task force just like Walnut creek and find the
right location to build —> 500 feet away from homes. Places like Sycamore Park offer space far away
from homes. OR build the pickleball courts indoors. That will contain the noise.
I have attached some noise clips of what we listen to everyday. Would you live next to this noise?
Please reach out to me if you have any questions.
Thanks
-shiva
9
DANVILLE TOWN COUNCIL
SUPPLEMENTAL CORRESPONDENCE — in opposition
MAY 21, 2024
From: Newell Arnerich <narnerich a,danville.ca.gov>
Date: May 17, 2024 at 5:45:18 PM PDT
To: mandinewton1216@gmail.com
Cc: Matt Newton <mattnewton1976@a,gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Osage Pickleball courts
Hi Mandi and Matt,
I sincerely appreciate your thoughtful email and the points you've raised. Your input is invaluable, and I
assure you that I will carefully consider all perspectives when we address this appeal item later this month.
Your commitment to our community and your willingness to engage in the process are truly commendable,
and I'm grateful for your active participation.
Thank you once again for sharing your thoughts and concerns. I hope you feel better soon.
Best regards,
Newell Arnerich l Danville Council
On May 16, 2024, at 7:27 PM, Mandi Newton <mandinewton1216@gmail.com> wrote:
Good evening town council,
I hope this email finds you well and thriving!
For me this last week that wasn't the case. I caught covid from a business trip. It's times like
these that I loathe the pickleball courts behind my house more than ever. As I try to rest and
recover from an illness, I am awakened by the impulsive sound of the paddle to ball. The sound
starts before our scheduled wake times as people don't respect the allotted posted times. The
noise continues all day long and into the night, with no reprieve. It is truly maddening!
My mother-in-law was hospitalized back in November and again this April. She has been recovering
with us at our home. As her strength has been increasing, she has been sitting outside to get fresh
air and listen to our fountain and the birds. She told me today that she likens the pickleball noise to
a form of torture. How once you hear a dripping faucet you can't unhear it and it truly drives you
insane. I couldn't agree more. As family, friends and healthcare providers stop by, they all comment
on the noise. Our homes are supposed to be our sanctuary. A place to recharge and recover and to
simply "just be" without an outside noise hindrance.
The Danville Noise Ordinance mentions "annoyance" twice.
4-2.1 Findings and Declaration of Intent. The Town Council finds that at certain levels
noises are detrimental to the health and welfare of the citizenry and should be regulated in
the public interest. It is the policy of the Town that the peace, health, safety and welfare
of the citizens of Danville require protection from excessive, unnecessary, annoying and
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DANVILLE TOWN COUNCIL
SUPPLEMENTAL CORRESPONDENCE — in opposition
MAY 21, 2024
unreasonable noises from any and all controllable noise sources.
4-2.3 General Noise Regulations. (a) It is unlawful for a person to willfully make a
loud, unnecessary or unusual noise which disturbs the peace or quiet of a neighborhood
or which causes discomfort or annoyance to a reasonable person of normal sensitiveness
residing in the area.
Me and my neighbors can 100% attest to the fact that the two pickleball courts go against the
town's ordinance. The two courts themselves are incredibly annoying. We would like them removed!
I can't even imagine adding up to six more. The sounds of pickleball are not a natural or reasonable
noise. They can be compared to the sounds of a shotgun or a hammer hitting a nail. Please check out
the trailer to this move: The Quietest Year! It definitely hits home.
The Quietest Year: Official Trailer
https://youtu.be/_ZKtrN2Zp48?si=BB6Op jEfMYiGIkLN
Please help me and my neighbors to live in peace and enjoy our homes once again!
Thanks,
Mandi
MAN DINEWTON
Mobile Number: 415-225-9898
Email: mandinewton1216@gmail.com
From:Olivier Larue
Tuesday, November 8, 2022
801 Orange Blossom Way
Danville, California 94526
To: Town of Danville Elected and Appointed Officials.
Good evening.
Thank you for the opportunity to speak.
I want to address Osage park PB.
How many people whose houses back up to Osage have come forward strongly in favor of
building 6-8 new PB courts? Do you have 1700 signatures from Osage residents who want the
PB courts?
On the other hand, how many people whose house is not close to Osage have come forward in
favor of building 6-8 new PB courts? The answer is, "many," and this is because those people
don't care about negatively affecting the quality of life of others. They don't care about the
families having poured their life savings into buying a house where they can raise their children
safely and live in the tranquility of the Osage community. Is this good citizenship?
Even my neighbors who love the game of PB and play frequently are against this project. This is
because numerous PB courts will increase traffic -related safety risks, and the noise will strongly
11
DANVILLE TOWN COUNCIL
SUPPLEMENTAL CORRESPONDENCE - in opposition
MAY 21, 2024
negatively affect the quality of life of people living near Osage. Osage families do not want to
see their quality of life diminish because a few people want to play a game.
When people say they want to preserve the park's tranquility, they are saying that the activities in
the park should not infringe on other people's peace. Walkers, kid's sports, frizbee players, and
occasional weekend games don't disturb other people's peace. They come and go. But PB does
and will disturb because of the unnatural, persistent noise it generates every day, all day long.
Because I live at the corner of Brookside and Orange Blossom, I can report that I see cars
passing the stop sign every week without slowing down. I estimated that I spend less than 20
minutes on average near the corner of my house every week to have a chance to notice it. Yet, I
see 3 to 5 cars flying through the stop sign every week. They are not bad people. Often, they
come to Osage and are unfamiliar with the environment. They are distracted and miss the stop
sign. I know this because every time I can, I get on my bike, chase them down, and let them
know they ran a stop sign. Aside from the scared look of teenagers, most apologize. Based on the
Danville Osage 4.3 packet, conservatively, about 2000 cars enter the 3 -way intersection daily.
Based on my 22 years of first-hand observation, (and over 30 years of experience in time and
motion study), if you do the simple math, it means that about 173 cars fly through the stop sign
every week. That is 25 a day or about 2 per hour during daylight. Adding the PB courts would
bring many more people from outside the area, raising the incidence of stop sign violations and
further increasing the risk by nearly 25%. It is safe to assume this is equally a problem at the El
Capitan and Orange Blossom intersection, if not worse, as it is more heavily traveled.
Osage is a neighborhood of intelligent and well-educated people, and I want to point out that if
you had thought through the risk the same way you have thought through where to put the PB
courts, you very likely have surprises coming this way. Look at Berkely and WC and so many
other towns having massive battles. This is not a threat, but rather a warning and plea to examine
an objective categorization of risks and benefits. Why put a PB complex that attracts mostly
senior citizens in the heart of a thriving family neighboorhood? It shouldn't be in our
neighborhood, nor should it be in yours. The only successful PB venue is one located away from
homes.
Osage at peak hours is already dangerous enough. In the last couple of years, several
documented incidents have already happened. Making the situation worse for a game of PB is
morally irresponsible. How many of you on this panel have children or grandchildren? Don't you
think your quality of life would be diminished if one of your children was permanently crippled
or, God forbid, worse?
So I must ask: Were you elected and appointed to make things worse or better for your
constituents in Danville?
You say many people want the PB court. I say, who are you working for? San Ramon, Dublin,
Alamo, or even further away residents, special interest groups, or your constituents?
Put the PB where it makes sense, not just where you want it. Clearly, a PB complex at Osage
doesn't make good sense.
The harm that adding PB courts will do to nearly 1700 people who have now signed the petition
to protect their quality of life (from the risk of getting a loved one hurt, to not being able to work
or conduct other essential activities from home - not elective activities, but essential ones - with
the tranquility they deserve outweighs the elective (meaning non-essential) entertainment of
those who want all the benefits for themselves and none of the risks because they don't live near
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DANVILLE TOWN COUNCIL
SUPPLEMENTAL CORRESPONDENCE - in opposition
MAY 21, 2024
Osage. This attitude is simply selfish and immoral and we can do better. A solution that solves
for both is out there. We must find it.
Best Regards,
Olivier Larue
Olarue@ydatum.com
925-984-9537
From: Laurinda Ochoa <ochoalaurinda@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 21, 2024 10:57 AM
To: David Fong <dfong@danville.ca.gov>; Karen Stepper <KStepper@danville.ca.gov>; Marie Sunseri
<MSunseri@danville.ca.gov>; Newell Arnerich <NArnerich@danville.ca.gov>; Renee Morgan
<RMorgan@danville.ca.gov>; Robert Storer <RStorer@danville.ca.gov>
Cc: Anthony Romanelli <anthony.romanelli@gmail.com>
Subject: Osage PickleBall Complex
We and our neighbors are strongly opposed to the building of a pickleball complex of eight courts with (stadium?)
seating in Osage Park.
This proposed project violates the Town's noise and traffic ordinances and risks subjecting the Town to years of
litigation.
We urge the Town to follow follow the law; grant the appeal; and conduct an EIR that looks at alternative sites
where 8 pickleball courts with seating can be sited without destroying the ability of neighbors to enjoy their homes
and neighborhood park.
The evidence presented by the Lance Willis is clear:
- the noise from the proposed pickleball courts violates Danville ordinances, and
- the proposed mitigation measures will NOT reduce the noise as predicted by the Town's consultant.
In addition, the Town's traffic studies are flawed (one being conducted while the two adjacent schools were not in
regular session). The use of tennis court traffic data is not appropriate and does not not accurately capture the
significantly increased traffic that will result from pickleball play at 8 courts with seating.
The Town Council should grant the POP CEQA Appeal because, based on the credible expert written testimony of
Dr. Lance Willis and a review of the traffic study flaws, the Town can not find - with certainty - that the pickleball
expansion project at Osage Park will not have any significant impacts on the environment.
Let's save time and money and do a thorough review of the known environmental impacts of pickleball and study
the options for locating a pickleball venue at an appropriate site, removed from schools and residences.
Laurinda Ochoa
13