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Humphrey project grading won't start until spring
Developer to study best place for bridle crossing on Stone Valley Road

by Casey Reivich

Last week the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors unanimously gave Davidon Homes the green light to build 39 high-end homes on the former Humphrey Ranch property on Stone Valley Road in Alamo.

In doing this, the county recognized that Davidon's housing development is separate from the San Ramon Valley Unified School District plans to build a 400-space parking lot and practice playing field across the street from Monte Vista High School.

The board agreed with county staff in concluding that the school district project falls under state jurisdiction and the housing development comes under the county. The supervisors' action overrules decisions to deny the project made by the board-appointed San Ramon Valley Regional Planning Commission and the citizen-run Alamo Improvement Association.

Since the meeting, no group that opposed the project has come out publicly with further plans. Larry Levit, a Monte Sereno Drive resident and a member of Neighbors for Rural Alamo Preservation, was still upset this week by the board's decision, particularly the statement made at the meeting by Supervisor Mary N. Piepho, who oversees unincorporated Alamo.

"I was shocked when she simply read a prepared statement," said Levit. "She had no intention of dong anything on our behalf."

Piepho recommended to the rest of the supervisors that as a condition of approval the developer had to study with county staff the best location for a bridle crossing on Stone Valley Road at the Las Trampas/Mount Diablo regional trail. She also advised that the developer continue to explore the feasibility of having a bridle path that would go through the housing development.

Davidon Homes, however, is only required to study the best location for the bridle crossing, said Principal Planner Patrick Roche. The bridle crossing would be user-activated with flashing warning lights. There would be two controls, one for equestrians and one for pedestrians.

Since the board's decision, Davidon Homes is moving quickly on submitting grading, water and sewer plans to the county, said Jeff Thayer of Davidon Homes. The developer hopes to have all the plans submitted by the end of the month.

While the major grading of both the housing development and the school district's 10-acre parcel will begin this spring, some grading might begin in the winter, said Thayer.

In the meantime, the school district will wait until the land is graded before it starts construction on the parking lot and playing field, said Tina Perault, a facilities planner with the school district.

The timeline for the school district project is still unclear.

"It's hard for me to predict how quickly or slowly that project is going to go," said Superintendent Robert Kessler at a recent joint meeting between the school district and the town of Danville. "We (Davidon Homes and the school district) have to coordinate. We're not in control of the timeline."

Kessler also mentioned the possibility of installing the planned traffic light at the entrance of the existing parking lot and the land for the new lot across the street before construction on the north side even begins.

The building of a traffic light is still at least months away, said Perault. Ordering the traffic light will take six to nine months.