This City Council is incredible. They are all about a money grab. They are in bed with Realtors who paid for their elections. We need to dump the members who voted for this and get new ones in. Let's get council members who are willing to fix our dead downtown and slow our growth to a level that is maneagable.
Elections are coming dump Narum and don't elec t anyone who agrees and are in bed with Real Estate.

The only way to get elected to local office in California is to be in bed with unions and developers. Every member of the city council is. Until voters wise up and don't vote for the guy or gal who lies best on their campaign literature and spends the most money for name recognition, we're in for more of the same.

Where can we sign that petition? If the City can't provide basic necessities (water) why should new growth be permitted. Fix the problems for the current residents (adding water storage would be a good thought) then add new residents. I'm tired of the homeowner being penalized! Pleasanton is becoming less and less homeowner friendly. Seriously thinking about moving!

I was happy to sign and mail in this petition. The city council is giving away parts of Pleasanton to their moneyed development interests and the city will never be the same again. They have absolutely no concern for the existing residents of this city, nor do they care about the long term impacts of the damage they plan to inflict of our community.
And where, exactly, is the mercer sports park community anyway? Is the name change a settled issue? Another example of the city gov ramming through items that serve their interests without regard to the voting/taxpaying members of this community.

What about the high-density phone booth used by Bowen to convene with his fellow PVSG members?

Nice first sentence, Jeb! Good one!

Our schools are packed as is. Traffic is a nightmare in that area already. I really don't know what they were thinking building more high density housing. No increase infrastructure = no more buiding and adding to the existing problem. I wish I would have seen the petition I would have signed in for sure.

John, I found the petition on my doorstep about a week ago, otherwise, I would have never known about this organized effort to stop this incessant over-building.
If you go to the website for the organization (www.pleasantonvotersforsmartgrowth.org) and click on the 'Join Our Supporters' menu item, you can add your voice to the effort.

well well well...and how are babies made? hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...?

the real problem is folks believing that they have a right to breed breed breed and everybody else is responsible for educating and putting up with their lovable little creatures...NOT!

it's one thing to love babies and another to assume that everybody else loves your offspring equally...tee hee

of course children already born have a right to a high quality American education...but from what i've been reading, American schools are not all that!

duh...

why not just tell the truth and admit that the real concern about building building building is about maintaining property values...BUSTED!

if folks continue to breed breed breed how can you reasonably expect to maintain high property values...NOT!

tee hee hee...tee hee hee...

i rest my case...just like on Perry Mason

Yes, this is a very good start...Let your voices be heard. Yes we the people can change the current negative situations in any community.

People, you only need to get 51% of the good common sense folks in your community to stand with you and you can change anything...

City council people are weak, greedy and spineless. And they will go with the flow...We the people can change anything we wish to change. It just takes a little bit of our time. When the masses say NO the weak politicians will go with the flow..

Thank you for Listening, Julia Pardini from Alamo

P.S. Good Work and keep up the fight Mr. George Bowem...You will win because you are right.

A good example of the council weakness is the comment by your Mayor Jerry Thorne, in the last paragraph...read it...this is what they all do... My hands are tired, we are only doing what the State makes us do. It's all BS

"why not just tell the truth and admit that the real concern about building building building is about maintaining property values...BUSTED!"

its not about property values...its about responsible growth...

spending within our means and growing within our means...responsibility..

cholo, apparently the people you keep referring to as breeders must not be privy to taxpayer largesse through Planned Parenthood....but, how can that be, since they target young women and minorities to up their quotas. I think you're just the right person to help get the word out to your compatriots. Go forth and cease multiplying!

What is your current property value?

How will your current property value be impacted by high density housing? Details please.

How many people of color does it take - Latinos, African American and Asians - does it take for your property to DECREASE? hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...?
B U S T E D!

Perry Mason
Deceased Star of Stage 'n Screen

When the city decides to get out of ABAG, we can start doing what the city needs instead of what a bunch of unelected bureaucrats with no real power dictate to us. Too much high density housing is a symptom: the real problem is ABAG and their plans to tell everyone where to live and how to live.

cholo, how racist of you to presume that property values only go down when 'people of color' (isn't white a color?) are subsidized into our city. Why would you make that statement, unless you really believe it's true. Has that been your experience as a resident of Livermore or slumlord in S.F.?

Petitions will not do anything unless it leads to a voter initiative. These politicians will always yield to those who help finance their campaigns.

Politicians convince themselves that they are doing a good job and they must stay in office. They will give out freebies to those who give them campaign financing and justify it that it is needed to finance a campaign so they can stay in office. That is why you see so much corruption in the political offices at all levels. Until we can find a way to have elections not cost an arm and a leg for the candidates, we need to limit their power with initiatives. Perhaps only allow them to approve development within a clear-defined criteria (number of units, no drought, etc.) and only allow increase in public employee salaries/benefits by a vote of the people? Seems to be a bit extreme but we keep giving our elected officials a chance to clean things up and they keep failing. Our representative democracy does not seem to function because of the high cost of elections.

How can I sign the petition, when I moved here a few years back I came here for a better quality of life, smaller town and a community where I felt safe. Pretty soon we will be like San Jose! Why do we have to keep building! You want to fine me for using too much water but yet you want to build more and more, there goes our water. The city council is terrible, we need to get people in there who cares about our city.

Affordable housing for our children who grew up in Pleasanton and attended our high schools. I know families like ours with roots in Pleasanton where not every one starts out making north of $100,000 or more a year to even pretend to buy a home and raise a family here. - - Rather than high density housing I would prefer to see smaller starter family homes built with some preference given to long time Pleasanton residents trying to move from renting into home ownership. Affordable housing for those who like and want to live in Pleasanton with roots in their front yards, and not just neglect.

Ahh, as Old Guy in more then just name I remember times gone by when our city officials reflected the wishes of the many. They also utilized a special form of reason and sensitivity to responsible growth and quality of life in our beautiful city. I want to support the current contingent however I find little of those old ways in our city leadership. In that regard I offer a hearty HOORAY for those citizens who continue to cling to those OLD but extremely meaningful and people oriented processes involved in responsible city growth!! A closing message to those current council members would be WAKE UP people. If you relish your current role then read these many comments very carefully. The people of Pleasanton are searching for and ready for someone to take up this flag.

"...we are only doing what the State makes us do. It's all BS"

It is not BS. Have you all forgotten that the city of Pleasanton is under court order to build moderate and low-income housing? The city spent millions of dollars to avoid the housing mandate, and lost. No petition is going to change that court ruling.

Suck it up, people. Higher density housing is coming, whether you sign a petition or not. Use your influence when public hearings are held to solicit public comments during the planning and approval process.

Obama's ILLEGAL ALIENS can't be far behind, can they? And just who in the hell is this libtard organization, Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA), who dictates to cities who has to live in their town? This is America, or used to be, where you lived where you could afford to live. What about the wants of Pleasanton's residents? Having 1000's of Section 8 trash move into our town does NO GOOD for the residents who already live here. Crime goes up, real estate prices go down. There's no free lunch in the laws of physics.

Gosh, I think the city should build me a low cost mansion further up the hill from I currently reside.

@Bob: "Affordable housing for our children who grew up in Pleasanton and attended our high schools. I know families like ours with roots in Pleasanton where not every one starts out making north of $100,000 or more a year to even pretend to buy a home and raise a family here. - - Rather than high density housing I would prefer to see smaller starter family homes..."

I can go along with that. The parents of a classmate of my child in elementary school fit into that category. She is a ballet instructor and he is a musician. Great people and they are raising a great daughter. They are good members of the Pleasanton community. But will they ever be able to afford a house here? Our houses are bought up by people with high-paying jobs - Silicon Valley tech types, consultants, etc.. Doesn't make for a very interesting community when virtually all your neighbors are working in tech.

As Marie Antoinette once said, "let them eat cake"! However, there is no water to wash it down.

(Post removed by Pleasanton Weekly Online staff as irrelevant to this thread.)

Dublin seems to be doing fine with a lot more high density housing and growth than Pleasanton. Their schools are doing much better, with smaller classes and rapidly increasing test scores. Maybe we should pay attention. It is the young, ambitious, professionals who are moving into Dublin who are increasing quality of life there. Many are also newer immigrants, and they bring new cultural diversity as well. We should welcome growth here too.

California is being (further) destroyed by libtards. The city of Houston, TX has issued more single family detached home construction permits in 2014 than the entire state of California. The utopian idiots who run this state want us all to live in commi style block housing. This is exactly what's being constructed in our town under the guise of "high density housing."

Petition the voters to vote the mayor and council members out in November!!

john/a neighbor, not everyone can afford to live in Blackhawk, although many would like to. Your suggestions that any income level deserves a house in Pleasanton is a ridiculous extension of the entitlement mentality prevalent in today's society. No one owes you or your kids anything.
Surely, you and some other posters telling us to 'suck it up' can understand that it's not realistic to think that everyone, regardless as to their income, should be able to live where ever they want. You guys are so noble and generous with other people's money, quality of life, etc. Get a grip, your vision of utopia involves bringing everyone down.

Are you kidding me about wanting our city to be more like Dublin? I'm pretty sure most people pay more for the same thing you could get in Dublin for less because of the non stop building including all the high density housing that has created traffic gridlock no matter the time or day. I hate that even in the weekends when we leave town that 580 is jammed up compliments of Dublin's build, build, build philosophy.

I absolutely support this cause and I thank PW for informing residents. We should build no more than required and scrap four story buildings. I love the idea of making these available to current Pleasanton residents that can't afford to buy first. Great idea.

Does anyone know why we are being forced into becoming South Dublin with Dublinesque type structures when I don't hear the same about San Ramon or danville?

Oh yeah, what's up with the council and downtown? We never go there anymore because there's nothing there.

For all the proponents of more building. I bet many would change tunes, if the high density buildings and or stores ere built in the Pleasanton hills.

"Thorne reminded the group that the 70 acres rezoned for high density units met the state and court requirements imposed at the time"

And why wasn't the mayor the first one to question why that 70 acres was actually higher than what was really required (resulting in the surplus of 1245 units)?

The question for the mayor is why did he vote to continue planning for an additional 1700 units in East Pleasanton, even though it has since been found that we already have a surplus of 1245 units per RHNA all the way up to year 2022. So we have an outside agency telling us we are already over our limit, and the current council is still looking to approve building (current plan states to start in 2016) additional units. And do not accept the answer it is to pay for extending el charro - any positive effect of extending El Charro will be greatly out-weighed by requiring 1300-1700 additional housing units to help pay for it.

I guess by then we will be at 50% mandatory water reduction. But that's ok, the builders (and associated organizations that will profit from this building) will have taken their money and moved on.

And to respond to John: yes Dublin is not a 'bad' place to live, but the truth is Pleasanton Property values are higher. Once you make Pleasanton more like Dublin(again a nice city to live in), the property values in Pleasanton will drop some. Is everyone out there really prepared to lose 100k to 200k on their equity in their house? Notice that the council has not presented any concrete plans on how they are going to protect current residents.

When we first moved to CA, we wished we could live in Pleasanton. However, it was too expensive for us. I should have kicked, screamed, and demanded someone provide me a home there. But instead we lived in Fremont for 9 years, built equity until we could afford Pleasantion. Novel concept isn't it? Others should give it a try

Only one response above nailed it on the head; get out of ABAG. What ABAG was meant to be when it was formed +/- 50 years ago and what it has become is two different agencies.

ABAG has been hijacked by and become a progressive tool of implementing all forms of the progressive agenda. It's purpose now is to dictate how we all should live, with no personal freedoms and liberties, but how they believe we should. Their strategic plan is based on the progressive movement of equality for all, whether you worked 12 hours a day to better your way of life, or haven't worked a day in your life and lived off of 'free' government handouts. ABAG believes everyone should be able to live where they want.

ABAG's ultimate goal is one centralized government for all the Bay Area Counties that participate in it. Just read their updated progressive 2008 Strategic Plan. It covers everything from the type of communities they want us to live in, to 'global climate change' initiatives and programs. All for the better good of us all...

The only way out is to tell our city leaders we don't want to belong to ABAG anymore. Not belonging to ABAG frees us from the mandates of the RHNA housing mandates. Of course, we know that will not happen. Too many PC and progressive city leaders, in addition to monetary blackmail imposed by ABAG, RHNA, MTC, BAAQMD, our state government and all the other county and state agencies.

I find it downright scary, how in the course of maybe 50 years, we, as free citizens have allowed our local, county and state governments to create agencies which dictate almost all aspects of our lives, and yet we have no vote on who actually runs those agencies or have a say on the mandates and fees they impose on us.

@ Tom F : "California is being (further) destroyed by libtards. The city of Houston, TX has issued more single family detached home construction permits in 2014 than the entire state of California...."

This is what I don't get: If you and similar-minded people hate "libtards" so much, what the heck are you doing here in the California SF Bay Area? Move to Texas! I'm the opposite of you and I would hate to live in a conservative community like in many parts of Texas. And if by chance I did find myself living in such a place, I wouldn't be wasting my time going to internet forums complaining about how bad Texas and conservatives are - I would be too busy trying to find a way to get the heck out of there and back to the Bay Area.

Oy, such anger, such vitriol, such fear and loathing, racism, entitlement, and, more than anything, selfishness.

High density housing is not a bad idea for parts of Pleasanton. It does not force anyone to live in this housing, but provides a choice for people who want to live here. The Bay Area and its suburbs cannot continue to grow in sprawling low-density development forever. There simply isn't enough room. Either find a way to keep the population from growing, or find a way to house the inevitable growth in more dense, more energy efficient communities. If we don't permit some of this kind of development, the cost of housing in Pleasanton and elsewhere will simply skyrocket. The city of San Francisco is suffering from high costs of housing because it has failed to build enough to support the influx of population.

There's growth for the sake of growth. Then there is smart planned growth. Sticking our heads in the sand, expecting Pleasanton to stay in some imaginary state of perfection if we just don't permit any growth at all, that's not a solution.

I'm certainly not happy with Pleasanton's patterns of development, but I recognize it is inevitable and necessary. We just need to pursue development in a smart, thoughtful way.

@damon Why do I live here? Because I'm a 3rd generation native SF Bay Area and it breaks my heart watching what the liberal Nazi's are doing to my state and my freedoms by ramming down their progressive agenda unwanted down our throats. (Comment partially removed by Pleasanton Weekly Online staff)

Wow - again I am amazed at all the negativity and clueless accusations and statements spouted by Money Grab, William Tell, Right, Concerned, John, etc. Pleasanton is and has been and always will be SLOW GROWTH. I drive around here all the time and don't get what the big concern here is over traffic, etc. You live at the intersection of 580 and 680, with a major business park whose revenue helps pay for all your goodies, in the best job market in the USA. It's a big city, country folks. Your home is worth way more than you paid for it (although you're not paying your fair share of property taxes like all those newer homeowners) and you'll probably think you are a genius when you sell and move away.

Quit your whining and be glad that the city and it's council members have done a good job navigating all of the issues they have to deal with. Unless you have a big picture understanding of the issues your comments make you look like an ignorant bumpkin.

" I'm pretty sure most people pay more for the same thing you could get in Dublin"

What? Your information is out of date. I've been looking at new houses in Dublin in the $800,000 range for a while, and you'd better be ready to camp out and/or overbid if you want to stand a chance of getting a house there. Sure, it will be easy to sell my Pleasanton house, but buying in Dublin is hard.

"including all the high density housing that has created traffic gridlock no matter the time or day. "

I drive in Dublin all the time. Traffic isn't particularly bad. Are you comparing to something like 40 years ago? Those days are long gone.

"Your suggestions that any income level deserves a house in Pleasanton"

I made no such suggestions. That new housing isn't for "any income level". In fact most of it is for medium to high income housing. I have no problem with more high income housing in Pleasanton. What we have enough of is senior citizen housing. We're good on that and probably don't need anymore in the short term.

It seems like a lot of people opposing growth in Pleasanton are older people who want to stop change and keep Pleasanton looking like it did in 1964. Times have changed. It is time to move on.

Damon, based on the previous posts against the uncontrolled building of high density hovels, you are clearly not the majority here and are in no place to tell people to relocate because they don't agree with your utopian view. You'd be singing your tune out of the other side of your mouth, if these monstrosities were being built near you in 'foothill knolls'.

@Tom F : "Why do I live here? Because I'm a 3rd generation native SF Bay Area and it breaks my heart watching what the liberal Nazi's are doing to my state..."

Hey, if I felt the way you do, I wouldn't stick around. What's the point? Seriously. Lot's of people like living in Texas. You might, too.

@liberalism : "Damon, based on the previous posts against the uncontrolled building of high density hovels, you are clearly not the majority here and are in no place to tell people to relocate because they don't agree with your utopian view."

Yeah, well "hovel" is your own term for it. BTW, I lived in a moderately high-density "hovel" in Pleasanton before we saved up enough money to buy a house. So be nice to the "hovelers". Some of them may be your next-door neighbors some day.

As for Tom, I'm not telling him to do anything. I'm just suggesting that if there's something that he doesn't like in his life that he should try to change it rather than just complaining about it all the time. And, yes, I do follow my own advice on this.

@damon I've been to Texas many times. No desire to live there. In fact, I've been to 40 US states and have lived and worked in some 45 countries on 5 continents. Only people who have travelled more than I have might be a seasoned field journalist. My point is, my views are shaped by vast real world experience and not listening to Rachel Maddow on CNN. Jamming hoards into commi block housing will drag down the quality of for everyone in P-town.

There will be HIGH DENSITY HOUSE IN PLUTONIA BECAUSE IT IS SUPPORTED BY EVERY POSSIBLE REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE IN 2016: (Comment partially removed by Pleasanton Weekly Online staff)

(Post makes no sense and has been removed by Pleasanton Weekly Online staff.)

@Tom F: "My point is, my views are shaped by vast real world experience and not listening to Rachel Maddow on CNN. Jamming hoards into commi block housing will drag down the quality of for everyone in P-town."

Actually, I'm not happy with the idea of too much high-density housing in Pleasanton, either. So although I don't agree with the way you expressed your views, I agree that too much high density housing is not good for the quality of life here.

BTW, I think that the inflammatory way that many conservatives express their ideas turns off many independents like myself who might otherwise be drawn to vote along more conservative lines. I think that your party really needs to tone down that stuff down and do a better job of reaching out to people in a respectful and reasonable way rather than vilifying people all the time and using crude and demeaning rhetoric. I can't tell you how many times I've voted against a Republican candidate rather than for a Democratic candidate. That includes the last two Presidential elections.

"Get a grip, your vision of utopia involves bringing everyone down."

@Liberalism is a disease: You could not be more wrong about my position. The point of my previous post is that this petition effort is futile and will go absolutely no where. A petition, no matter how well meaning, will not change the fact Pleasanton is under a court order to build more middle and low-income housing. I am resigned to this fact.

It is time to accept the mandated higher density housing for all income levels as a fact of life here in Pleasanton, and work within the system to effect positive outcomes, not against them.

It's truly astonishing that no mention has been made of the Growth Management Ordinance in this thread full of vitriole and hyperbole. Further proof that you people have no idea what you're talking about.

@damon "So although I don't agree with the way you expressed your views, I agree that too much high density housing is not good for the quality of life here."

Listen Slick, this is the Internet where thoughts and views fly off people's keyboards. This isn't a cocktail party. So don't get all butthurt because of the way I express myself. I don't do touchy-feely. Not here or in real life. Not how the world works. Straight up tell it like it is.

That said, I give 1000's annually to charities to help those less fortunate than I. So, don't paint me as some hatemonger because I don't want my town/country to gentrify into some third world shizerhole.

(Post makes no sense and has been removed by Pleasanton Weekly Online staff.)

Ah, William Tell, the City Council is not in bed with Unions and City Employees but perhaps the Chamber of Commerce. Follow the money. You might check to see where Equity Enterprises fits into the mix, if anywhere.......Council will support these projects because they support development because the Chamber tells them to. Big Fight looming. Bring back Ben Tarver Days. Good Luck Mr. BOWEN, this Ouncil is bent on making this town look like Fremont. We are starting to look like everyother town. The only way to chsnge is vote the incumbant Msyor and his Campaign Mom out.

" ... is bent on making this town look like Fremont. "

Not like Fremont, like Dublin. Didn't you look at Bowen's website? He's afraid of the "Dublinization" of Pleasanton. What's with that? Dublin looks nice to me? The schools have smaller class sizes and higher test scores.

(Post removed by Pleasanton Weekly Online staff as irrelevant to this thread.)

(Post removed by Pleasanton Weekly Online staff as irrelevant to this thread.)

@john:

I've been a local and high profile realtor in this area for two decades. I assure you that your belief that Dublin home prices are the same as Pleasanton is false. People are forced to camp out for new housing in Dublin because they can't afford to buy in more desirable cities like Pleasanton, San Ramon and Danville. Many times when I first meet clients moving here from the south bay or the peninsula they mention Pleasanton as their first choice until they find they can't afford what they want here and so settle, yes settle, for Dublin and then Livermore.

It IS a home value issue. And for those that think the realtor community is in favor of this high density building, think again. These will be RENTALS not sales and the existence of the ugly high rise buildings will make selling neighboring homes far more difficult. I had two clients near the extension of Stoneridge sell about a year before it was finalized to avoid it. They moved to the other side of town to be as far away from Dublin and the traffic all the building in Dublin has created.

Diversity is a good thing, but only when it's all inclusive which is now not the case in parts of the tri-valley. Those that have been raised in this area and want to raise their children here are being pushed out because they aren't welcome members of their neighborhoods by the so called diversity.

@tom f.

Thanking you for saying what so many of us feel. So many families that have been here for multiple generations have left because what this area has turned in to. It's downright hurtful when someone who is newer to the area tells families like ours that we should move because our views differ from theirs. My father graduated from Amador and he us in his sixties and they moved away about five years ago when what they loved about the area changed so dramatically. In fact, my entire family is from this area and I am the one single member of the family that hasn't moved away. I refuse to be pushed out, but my young adult children hate it here. It makes my heart ache that they didn't experience what I did when I myself was raised here and also have a diploma from the 80's from Amador.

So tragic and it appears it's just going to get worse.

@realtor Thank you. Some reality you laid down. I grew up in Fremont in the 60's and early to mid 70's before going off to serve my country in the USN. Fremont then was a great place to grow up in. (I went to high school with the Amador football coach) I bought my first home in SJ in the 80's because that's where I could afford. The idea of "high density housing" and being subsidized to live in a more affluent community was a foreign concept to me. I grew up learning that hard work was the ticket to success, not expecting a government handout.

I moved here in 1994. What a relief after living in San Jose for 7 years. I felt like I was "back home" in a sense living again in a community very much like the one I grew up in. The changes here over the last 7 or 8 years have been dramatic and only seem to be accelerating. High density housing will further grease the skids to this unwanted change. In 1994, Pleasanton was 94% white. Today it's 67% and dropping like a brick in a swimming pool. "Small town America" is dying here.

You, as a realtor here are on borrowed time. The "new" Pleasanton resident will only seek people in your profession of their kind. I'm sure you are already experiencing this. Good luck.

Tom F: you only get a C- in "Code."

Your first paragraph was very good -- no mention of the despicable stereotypes that you intend, but know better than to say aloud. We all knew what you meant, too, but if we responded as such, you could yelp like a scalded dog and pull out the race card accusation in mock dismay that anyone could accuse you of such a thing.

You flunked paragraph 2, however -- just couldn't resist that bigotry sneaking out and stinking up the place like an SDB in church. 94-->67% white: that's really the crux of your concern. It's the invasion of the brown people that's just ruining this former citadel of racial purity.

I daresay you're not alone among the opponents of these housing plan. Oink.

Folks, didn't Pleasanton lose a lawsuit to at that time Attorney General Brown that said our housing cap was illegal. They only way to comply with it was to allow these kinds of high density projects? Don't be angry at the City Council if that is the case. They are just doing what is mandated by then Attorney General and now Governor Brown.

African Americans in Pleasanton? less than 2%

African Americans in Dublin? approx. 10%

When a local demagogue frets about Pleasanton becoming more like Dublin, I think most reasonable people know exactly what he's getting at.

When numerous posters post in support of the demagogue's race-coded warnings, it tells us a good deal about the efforts of many to keep Pleasanton lily white.

We need to dump the Mayor and all City Council Members who vote for this additional high density housing that is no longer required by the Fed or State. It is a plain money grab by the Mayor and Council. They are taking kickbacks and lack integrity. Dump them.

@rhee lee I get an "A" in my second paragraph. High density housing will bring in higher concentrations of
"brown" people as you put it and will kill Pleasanton as we know it.

The court has mandated. This. So it makes it tough to stop. Whats really disturbing is all the posts that mention racism. I see it as culteral differences. Im proud of my culture does that make me a racist? If i disagree with the culture of the middle east does that make. Me racist. Women can not drive. Do you aupport. That culture? If so does that not make u sexist? America has a culture. Too iand i am proud of it. When other play the race card whaen all good americans see their culture. Destroyed i think we have an obligation to speak out. Aa americans. Reapect is a two way street in my opinion most other cultures dont have respect. For mine. Oh and back topic will the government please provide me a safer car. I cant afford. My wife wants to live in a big house in san francisco. Should the government provide that or shoukd i work harder and earn it. Thats american culture

You are way off base. I do not think Pleasanton people care about the color of people skin or what church they attend - that is not it.

We don't want high density - high rise buildings with thousands of more people. It does not matter if they are white or not.

We are talking about a huge surge of new residents in a short period of time. Our schools are over crowded, we don't have enough resources like water, traffic is unreasonable, crowding everywhere, crime and more. THAT is my concern.

As an example, the traffic engineer estimates 10 car trips per day per house. 1500 houses => 15,000 car trips through First Street, Main Street, Hopyard, Santa Rita, Valley and Black Ave. That is not Planned Progress.

As much as it pains me when I see home costing a fortune. The people who are being raciest show quit complain about the race issue. You got to realize the country is become more diverse and soon all of Pleasanton will be mix. Since the Elites are more diverse after every generation.

As for the price issues I seen homes that cost a lot less and looks even better. What we do need is a new schools to lower the traffic. Maybe im just trowing this idea out there.

I don't know I only lived in Pleasanton for four years in a small apartment that cost over $2,000. And I have lived in many cites. Im just giving an opinion

What is either a plain flamethrower, simple idiot, or totally ignorant. Neither council or mayor are taking money. The biggest problem is the big hand of ABAG and state intruding into our city affairs, which is very Un-American. NO outside forces should have a voice in our city. Each city should be free to be what it wants.
My biggest concern within our city is the amount or stack housing approved in the Valley & Stanley area, when they have NOT solved the current Valley Ave traffic from Stanley to Santa Rita. Busch will be a gridlocked nightmare. Very wrong. Cowards in the past allowed dead-ins and road-blocks that have painted the Eastside into a suicidal corner. Powers-that-be must detangle and solve those past mistakes that 'caused' the mess. Allowing a Busch connection from El Charro to Santa Rita/Valley is wrong.

Guess what Pleasanton? The TEA Party tried to warn you. Tried to tell you that MTC & ABAG were marching to the orders of the Democrats in Sacramento who approved SB 375, AB 32, etc. All in the name of solving global warming, er global cooling, err, climate disruption.

Whatever it is this week, the politicians have the solution. Pack & stack housing along the freeway to dublinize every community.

You didn't want to listen. You didn't pay attention. Now you're up in arms.

Give it up. It's over. You elected the Democrats to Sacramento. You elected the mayor and Council (remember David Miller) that put the stamp of approval on the plans.

You put the pieces in place Pleasanton. No use crying about it now. We tried to warn you.

How about a high density drinking establishment to replace the beloved Past Time Bar.

TomF, you are High Density, personified.

Not building high density housing is a form of GENTRIFICATION:

Web Link

yup...keeping out certain forms of undesirable differentness is a way of maintaining higher property values while pretending to play house in an unreal world. How can the world be a better place without undesirable differentness?

Miss Lee, you want me. I can tell.

Yeah, we don't want affordable housing in Pleasanton. Why would I want my grandchildren to be able to live in the same town that they grew up in? And why would I want the right-out-of-college employees that work in my company to live 5 minutes from work? Better that they fight traffic from Hayward or Castro Valley or Livermore before they get to work and be expected to put in a full day of coding. Yeah, we definitely want to keep this sort of riffraff out of our precious town.

You're right, T -- I DO want you ... to STFU before embarrassing yourself and this community any further.

And that's MISTER Rhee Lee to you, bub.

Bioman, unless you were born yesterday, you must realize that homes are not a right just because you and your relative can fog a mirror.
It's expensive to live here. The reason for that is that previously growth was limited, and the quality of life was good. You want to change that equation so that inventory is artificially increased (through subsidies, govt interference, etc.) and so the result will be detrimental to our quality of life and will lower our current home values. If you are a renter in Pleasanton, you most likely don't care and choose to drive a stick into the eye of all current homeowners. If you're a homeowner and choose to commit financial suicide, you're welcome to do that, but don't commit jihad while the rest of us are near you.
If you have so much money that none of this matters to you, then buy homes for your brood from your fortune and don't expect us to support your offspring.

Rhee, another angry liberal. I laughed at your condescending attempt to scold Tom for beliefs that every culture espouses: to live together in a community with like minded people sharing the same culture.
Look at Fremont for another local example (notwithstanding all the Chinatowns and hood in S.F. and Oakland). Fremont was mainly a farming town for decades, but with the influx of tech workers on visas from India and other low wage countries, they have purchased blocks of properties in broad section so towns and driven out the previous residents. The white residents are isolated and excluded from the neighborhoods. School children are deprived the ability to play school sports, since these cultures focus solely on academics only, eliminating extra-curricular activities and the socialization that goes with them.
So, stop the self righteous bleating and come to the realization that the American culture is being sold down the river by our govt (local and national) to appease bleeding hearts that think diversity will bring utopia and not create the division that exists when each culture chooses to segregate themselves. You naive idealists always think you know better than everyone else and try to marginalize all who don't support your attempt to change what isn't broken.

(Post removed because it was irrelevant)

Cholo, I'd wish the same for Livermore, but it's already too late. Witness the issues with the Mexican gangs on the east side of town. Enjoy your barrio.

(Post removed because it was irrelevant)

libbie: people's preference for similarity may be the place they start, but it's not where they have to end-up. The appropriate term is not on the political spectrum -- it's just called "growing up."

Further, racism is blatantly unAmerican. You may consider yourself a patriot, but if you're a racist -- and you are -- you're nothing but an adolescent troll with an underdeveloped ethical approach to the world.

We taxpayers wasted our investment in your education; you've squandered that inheritance. You might consider spending more time listening and learning, than bloviating and flaunting your inadequacies.

Disease states that every culture espouses the following: "to live together in a community with like minded people sharing the same culture." Well, that wins this week's award for dumbest comment. It also expresses perfectly the personal fear and self-loathing of an uneducated racist. Once again we have the sick one projecting his sickness upon others. Liberalism is a Disease? That's like a lunatic yelling from behind the bars of his asylum that all the people walking on the sidewalk below are insane. It's tedious that this poor, sick, pathetic, gutter-snipe racist has to be exposed for what he is, day after day, despite his weak attempt to disguise his illness by using so many different names.

Sorry, Tea P, David Miller brought along all too many other horrors with him. Doubt he'll make it any time soon. Have to walk softly and fill his bag with local accomplishments for quite some time.
What? is still clueless.

Francoise,

He takes his "disease" name from a book by a local talk radio host. "Disease" obviously feels threatened by many of the educated professionals who have moved into the area in recent decades. Maybe if he'd payed better attention in class or worked harder on his homework, things could have been different for him.

Realtor, you said:

"Those that have been raised in this area and want to raise their children here are being pushed out because they aren't welcome members of their neighborhoods by the so called diversity. "

That is the most ridiculous thing I've heard in a long time. Who is being "pushed out". How are they being "pushed out"? Maybe it is time to retire? You aren't thinking clearly.

I'm wondering if this whole "coalition" is some sort racist thing? I'll send him an email.

So, we have a coalition of bleeding hearts, posting vitriol from a safe distance from the planned slums of Pleasanton. Aren't you the chosen ones; appointed to correct years of wrong doing by the people that built this city under the assumption that it needs to by changed by you lunatic leftists. All unregistered trolls from 'another neighborhood'. Keep your social engineering in Berserkely and quit meddling in other people's lives.

Your flatulent, flailing act is old and tired; you are boring and your insults have no sting -- we've had a sufficient sampling of their source.

Give it a rest, fella.

Whee, very nice substantive comeback, right from the Alinsky troll handbook. Congrats, your training is complete. You can now take off the training wheels and run for elected office in this state. Make sure you campaign on the coast because the rest of the state can see through your vacuous facade.
Adios, mf.

For all the bigotry laced arguments and want of those whiter, simpler days of yore, demographic change is going to steamroll the lot of you.

Waste less time venting here and more time getting to know your new neighbors. You might find your new neighbors aren't the liberal Nazis you thought they were.

In caricaturizing the liberal Nazi minority, you only caricaturize yourself. In doing so, you lose, not gain influence. And so you feel powerless and angry, and further marginalize your views on forums like these.

It's a bad cycle. Doesn't matter to me, though. It'll get steamrolled anyways.

Pleasanton already has plenty of racial diversity. I should know because I go sit outside all of the elementary schools in my car when school gets out and count the white kids. I usually don't have to take off my shoes to continue counting. Unfortunately for the libs, it's the kind of "diversity" they don't like - the smart, hard-working Chinese, Korean and East Indian. They're "people of color" too, aren't they?

I'm Mexican American and I vehemently support tom and lib disease comments. Bigoted? Racist? Perhaps a bit here and there, like all of us. You think you're exempt from bigotry because you claim a bleeding heart? I'm not buying it. You're human like the rest of us. It's been this way since the beginning of time. Read the bible and other ancient history.
Groups who move here now are told they don't have to take any part in assimilating, as they did in the past. To assimilate to American culture provides rich diversity. To be told you can create your own little Afghanistan or India and don't even think of assimilating. Hold right to all you stand for. Even if it's unamerican! Even if it's sharia! Is utterly ignorant and stupid. It has already changed America and it will change Pleasanton further as little countries continue to move in. Immigration with the idea of assimilating to American culture should be the way. Isn't that why they came? Don't they like American freedoms? You can keep your culture too but you really need to add American patriotism.

WT: the fact that you feel compelled to count the white kids says it all. How sad for you. For the record, the people I don't like are those whose hearts are dark.

Chicana: one of the ultimate American freedoms is the freedom to be yourself. The American experience, done well, is not a gooey, indistinct melting pot, but a salad of many flavors. Of course, You are free to hide your heritage for no good reason, as well, but why?

Concerning the possibility of kickbacks, What? is clueless wrote:

"Neither council or mayor are taking money."


Can you prove it?

Proving the existence of kickbacks can be done. Proving the absence of them is invariably rather more difficult.

ooops i forgot to say that downtown chicana is a Supersize and silly willy chimichanga!...tee hee hee...tee hee hee...teeeeeeeee teeeeeeee teeeeeeewwwwweeeepy!

BUSTED!

chicana is like saying being chicana doesn't matter...he erases her identity...a chicano/chicana would argue tooth 'n nail about the significance of the handle...the poster is saying it doesn't even matter...duh...

description: chicana is white male poster who is always angry, depressed,and nasty to what he perceives as undesirable differentness...

i rest my case...

ps it's simply not the cadence used by chicanas

tiki tike lo lo cho cho chicana!

(Removed because it was irrelevant)

Seems like several posters enjoy playing the race card But lets examine the situation. Why has pleasanton been such a disarable place to live and why do alot of people want to move here. Yes Pleasanton was predominatly white, and very desiarable. HMMMMM maybe their is a corralation here. That is not a racial statement but a cultural one. The fact is if nonwhite people dont like white people and think its always racism. why do you keep moving to places that are predominatly white. Not everything is race. Cultures are different. I dont like curry does that make me a racist? If i dont celebrate cinco de mayo does that make me a racist? If you want me to have respect for you culture have respect for mine. See racism is a two way street. Any race can be racist as the above comments clearly prove. If i dont want my quality of life diminished does that make me a racist? You know in a deck of cards thier are two race cards, they are the jokers and he who plays them is the fool. Quit offending my culture with your race pimping. Its not about race its about quality of life. maybe the white culture has it figuered out thats why predominatly white communities are so desirable. The racist always seem to play the race card instead of discussing why this "lily white" Town is so desirable. Why dont people flock to the more "diverse towns Like stockton or richmond or oakland or i can go on and on. Their is a reason why they flock here and not their. If you beleive pleasanton is/was a predominatley white than you should thank us for building such a desirable town and instead of racially attacking. Maybe inquire "how did you do it". Let me tell you the first thing is take off your race googles. I dont care about your race but quit trying to shove down my throat the worst of your culture. I find it funny that the people who hate white people always move to where white people are. Oakland, San Jose, Fremont and now Pleasanton. Why? Why? Why? Becouse you like what us dirty stinking racist white people have built here or you wouldnt want to live here. A simple thank you would do fine but your racist comments and insults to my culture is why I dont want you around here it has nothing to do with your race it has to do with quality of life (removed) This comment is directed at the race card playing losers. To quote the great philosopher Rodney King " Can't we all just get along" Not if you call me a racist becouse I disagree with you. Grow up!

Hey, Pleasanton Was Nice, it's not about liking or not liking dominant or subordinate cultures. It's a matter of people respecting other people's cultures -- something you with your scrambled egg thoughts seem incapable of doing. Once again, despite your use of multiple names, your 'grammar' betrays your identity.

When you are incapable of competently putting words/meanings together into a coherent grammatical sentence, it is inevitable that your actual ideas manifest no coherence, no logic. I say this despite the loathsome nature of your scrambled thoughts, though of course the immorality of your views, predictable and inevitable as they are, are direct byproducts of your inability to construct a coherent idea and defend it.

Don't worry, PWN40.

Nobody will call you a racist because of any disagreement. All they have to do is read your racist rant.

"And to respond to John: yes Dublin is not a 'bad' place to live, but the truth is Pleasanton Property values are higher. Once you make Pleasanton more like Dublin(again a nice city to live in), the property values in Pleasanton will drop some."

Doesn't seem to be true anymore, at least in East Dublin. It was true three or four years ago. If there is a premium now, it is shrinking fast. I was trying to buy in Dublin recently, and people were bidding the same or even higher than equivalent houses in Pleasanton.

(Removed because it was irrelevant)

can we all get along?

Franciose I never used the word dominant or subordinate. Those are your words and my point was you have no respect for my culture (others cultures) Rhea you are clearly the racist here. You dont have any respect for other peoples culture or opinion That was the point of my comments.
Thank you for verifying my point. Coherant enough for you. Why Don't you simply answer the question why is pleasanton so desirable? Coherent enough for you. All you two ever do is ad hominem attacks. So try to stay focused. Why is pleasanoton so desirable and how did it get thay way? Is that simple enough for you to understand. Franciose you either dont know what you are talking about or a bold face lier I only post under this name get your facts straight. Nice try at trying to change the subject. Hey guys time for you to get a new deck of cards Coherent enough for you? So forget the name calling and the racial attacks and see if you can focus long enough to answer the question. Why is pleasnton so desirable and how did it get the way?

(Removed because it was irrelevant)

rhea in your last post you just called me a racist while saying no one would call me as racist. Are you that ignorant or do you think the rest of us are.
your post says it all. COHERENT ENOUGH FOR YOU

PWN40: I could name a hundred ways that Pleasanton is pleasant, but none of them involve racial homogeneity, xenophobia or anonymous racists popping-off on a website. They are just not on my list.

In fact, quite the opposite. Vanilla by itself is boring. You'll like this -- it needs some chocolate, or caramel, or some fruits and nuts, or maybe some mochi to keep it interesting.

BTW, when the message is racist, it is not an ad hominem attack to challenge its content. Nobody is disputing the argument based on its maker (e.g., "he's a libtard so his argument is crap" (where have I seen anything like That?). The challenge is to the argument as being wrong, unethical, despicable and contrary to the better angels of America, itself. Your anonymous self, sir, is not why your argument is all those things -- it's because the argument stinks up Pleasanton.

me thinks franciose posts under seveal names as he has claimed at least two people he disagrees with do. I cant help but thinking of the quote from mamets oleanna. "We interpret the behaviors of others through the screen which we create" Same for you rhea "Nobody will call you a racist because of any disagreement. All they have to do is read your racist rant" You should at least be man enough to say it straight instead of the roundabout weazly way you did. So what have we learned today. ill refraing from giving you my true opinion of the both of you I am sure you could not comprehend it anyway. Have you answered the question yet about "lily white" Pleasanton

rhea then why are u popping off and calling me a racist. Again its about quality of life but posters like you always make it about race.
So I will try again. Why is Pleasanton so nice and how did it get that way.
Try to stay on topic.

A humdred ways how about you start with just one. Or better yet answer the second part. How did it get that way. Now try to stay focused

You know, PWN40, you're right -- it's all because it's made-up of high-culture white people, like you for instance.

Thank the good lord that there's now a coalition of several like-minded white folks working to keep it that way!

i can think of one that involves racial homogenuity. melting pot We can all be Americans and be proud of our commen american culture. I suspect that would be hard in Pleasanton becouse of the race card. Time to get a new deck yours is getting old. So if you only like vanilla, in your world your racist.
So much for tolerance of other peoples beliefs. BTW that is your opinion that the messege is racist. its not its cultural. their is a difference but you are free to see the world through any screen you want. As i said makes me think of mamet

rhea i didnt ask you to tell me Im right. I asked you why is it that pleasanton was nice and how did it get that way. Now if you want to discuss the race or culteral aspect we can do that becouse I definately think that has some bearing on the question but please tell me how you think pleasanton got the way it is. Highly desirable. You can leave out the sarcasim. unless that is all you got

Being called a racist has completely lost impact because it is used so much. Kind if like being called a hippie or gay or liberal or conservative. Rhee try to express yourself more clearly or stay off this blog.

Thank you billie we seem to all agree pleasanton is a very nice place to live. I think we would all agree we would like to keep it that way. ad hominem attacts and race baiting does nothing to reach those ends its devisive and ugly. We see it in our current adminstraton and its destructive. If we can truly answer how pleasanton got this way and how we can keep it that way, thats the discusion we should be having. So I will try again. How did Pleasanton become such a desirable community and how can we duplicate it across the nation. That was my point Coherent enough for you or do you just want to play the race game. Maybe you should post under the name Al Sharpton. Yes Rhea I am white and very proud of my culture. I beleive there are other cultures that have alot to offer too. If you understand how a melting pot works you would understand that. everyting goes into the pot and we skim the bad parts off the top and keep the good parts. You dont mix the good with the bad and eat it all. If you do it that way dont invite me to dinner

Is this your website, Billie? Otherwise, why would you presume to hand-out orders? It's funny, in the circles I run in, being called a racist is just about the worst insult imaginable.

Cloaking one's racism in "culture" just means you understand the need to speak in code. I use the 'duck test:' if it walks, swims, flies and quacks like a duck -- then it's a duck. Quack on, PWN.

racist and culture are two differnt words with different meanings. Like the immigrants and illegal immigrants. But their you go agian Rhee playing the race card. I think you make it loud and clear who the racist is on here. Sorry you cant have an itelligent discusion. You know they have counseling to help you get the chip off you shoulder. really code words really. Hey wherever you got your mind reading degree from go get your money back they ripped you off. Rhee if you keep calling me a racist expect a lawsuit

rhee last chance Why is pleasanton so desirable and how did it get that way?
try to stay on topic, or forever show your ignorance

and quit insulting ducks or i will call peta

"Thank you billie we seem to all agree pleasanton is a very nice place to live."

Pleasanton isn't bad. I would prefer Palo Alto or Los Altos, by my work moved out this way 12 years ago, and Pleasanton was a good bit cheaper too. At the time, Pleasanton school's API scores were high for the area, as were San Ramon's, and the schools weren't bad. Since then San Ramon's and especially Dublin's schools have improved, while Pleasanton's have stagnated or declined.

As far as racism goes, scroll up and read what "Tom F" was saying. He was judging people based on the color of their skin. That kind of defines racism. Then someone claiming to be "Chicana" comes out and defends racism (using that very word). There is no excuse for racism. It is ugly and wrong, it exists here in Pleasanton, and thankfully it is being exposed and "driven out".

Posted by Tom F, a resident of Castlewood
on Jul 16, 2014 at 10:20 am

"ILLEGAL ALIENS can't be far behind"...

Like the quote, Tom F. Is that from Massasoit, Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse or Cochise?