Subj:    Chimes Creek
Date:   Monday, April 19, 2004 11:28:54 PM
From:   Cazuma1031
To:       anniekat9@earthlink.net, Cazuma1031, chromater@hotmail.com, mbvk@sbcglobal.net, nannystu@pacbell.net, sleikin@sfsu.edu, sluntz@ousd.k12.ca.us, wi.kien.tan@efi.com

Hi all,
Earlier this month, some of us noticed muddy discharge in the creek which, not surprisingly, coincided with accelerated grading activity up at the quarry.  Our local council representative, Desley Brooks, insisted this was just "normal" quarry activity and did not seem to be that concerned with the fact that the quarry was dumping its fines into the creek.  She did, however, assign a staff person, Toni Cook to follow up on this, and I have since talked to her and agreed to keep her updated on what was happening.

I have also been talking to the City's Environmental Services Department (they are the people responsible for enforcing the Creek Protection Ordinance).  I have some names and contact information for all of us to have. 

The person to call if we see more polluted water coming down the creek is:
William Madison, Environmental Services Division, City of Oakland   238-6544
His boss is:
Lesley Estes, Acting Dir of Environmental Services   238-7431

During construction, the developer is supposed to be implementing the "Creek Diversion Plan," the purpose of which - I believe - is to protect the creek while they are constructing the mega detention pond.  Lesley mentioned that her department is working with the engineers to include biological components to the detention pond outfall.  I think it would be interesting to find out what that is all about and see if we can have some input in that as well.

Marcel Uzegbu, Engineer with Public Works, City of Oakland is the overseer of this project and his number is 238-7431.
Mike Neary is the Supervising Engineer, at 238-6659.

Toni Cook with Desley Brook's office can be contacted at 777-8427, or 459-5325 (cell), or email at tcook@oaklandnet.com.

Personally, I would like to see what we can do to get the city to take responsibility for the long term health of this creek AFTER the project is built.  (afterall, Chimes Creek is covered under the City's Creek Protection Ordinance).  Long after the developer is gone, we are going to be here and we WILL be seeing a lot more water coursing through during the wet season, and a lot more pollutants that could very easily turn our creek into a stagnant cesspool, not to mention bank erosion and cross contamination with exposed sewer lines.   Nancy Sidebotham lives on the other side of the creek on Hillmont, and she has witnessed firsthand how the Ridgemont development has affected Chimes Creek. 

The following is an email that Nancy sent to Claudia Cappio (ccappio@oaklandnet.com), project planner for the Quarry project, requesting a meeting.  Please forward this information to other creekside neighbors that might be interested in this process.
Thanks,

Chiye Azuma
632-6210

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Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2004 14:11:35 -0700 (PDT)
From: nancy sidebotham <nannystu@pacbell.net>
Subject: Chimes Creek and Quarry
To: Claudia Cappio <ccappio@oaklandnet.com>

Hi Claudia,
 
Long time no talk to. Hope all is well with you.
 
The neighbors in the daylight area of Chimes Creek, (betwwen Hillmont and Delmont), of which I have 5 properties that border it, are extremely concerned about the excessive runoff/dumping of brown, dirty water that has been flowing in it the last month or so. 
 
I know that a couple of neighbors have called Environmental Services and your office about this. 
 
The run off from the Quarry and Ridgemont have been a major concern to the stability of the creek and the constant eroding of the channel.  This has gotten worse and the City and the County continue to look the other way because this is "Private Property".
 
I would like to meet with you and whomever is overseeing this project and get some quidelines set up to protect our properties.
 
All this was brought out at Planning and the Draft EIR.
 
I would hate to see another lawsuit realizing that the project is now a go.  However my concern and those of my neighbors are our properties and the neglect of the County and the City in protecting us.
 
Hope to hear from you soon.
 
Nancy