From: Steve Leikin
Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2004 10:12 PM
To: 'dbrooks@oaklandnet.com'
Cc: 'nnadel@oaklandnet.com'; 'cityochang@aol.com'; 'dwan@oaklandnet.com'; 'lreid@oaklandnet.com'; 'jquan@oaklandnet.com'; 'jbrunner@oaklandnet.com'; 'idelafuente@oaklandnet.com'; 'officeofthemayor@oaklandnet.com'

Subject: Please protect Chimes Creek

Steve Leikin
3829 Delmont Ave.
Oakland, CA 94605

December 15, 2004

Councilmember Desley Brooks
Office of the City Council
City Hall
1 Frank Ogawa Plaza
Oakland, CA 94612

Ms. Brooks,

I am a homeowner along Chimes Creek in the Millsmont neighborhood of District 6. I am very concerned with the impact on the creek of the DeSilva development in the Leona Quarry.

Over the past few months water quality, bank stability, as well as the value of my property are being threatened by the inadequate measures taken by the project developer to deal with increased runoff and creek degradation. I have been following the city’s handling of this matter and find the city’s unwillingness to deal effectively with DeSilva bewildering. As far as I am concerned, the development is welcome. However, it must be done in a way that will not degrade the creek, pollute the water or increase already badly eroded creek banks.

The development so far has regularly increased both the velocity of water flow and the presence of particulate matter during even light rains, resulting in ongoing erosion. Most recently sewer pipes were torn asunder by a falling bank and tree, the direct result of this erosion. The broken pipe spewed raw sewage directly into Chimes Creek.

My understanding is that final approval of the development plans is still pending. Please be sure that our interests as a city will not be sacrificed to a “development at all costs” attitude. Make sure that the detention pond system now installed at the quarry site is replaced with adequate measures to deal with the flow of Chimes creek on site as well as the increased runoff that will result from the paving over of the quarry. We, your constituents, depend on your skills as a councilmember to protect us. Please do so.

Sincerely,

Steve Leikin


Cc:
Nancy Nadel
Henry Chang
Danny Wan
Larry Reid
Jean Quan
Jane Brunner
Ignacio De La Fuente
Jerry Brown