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IT’S YOUR PAPER www.claytonpioneer.com
February 27, 2004
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Lemke to develop seminary hill Developer proposes 25 luxury homes, some zoned for horses, for beleagured seminary property in Regency Woods BY TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
On a rainy Saturday morning last week, some 50 residents gathered under a tent in the parking lot of the St. Anthony Claret Retreat House to learn about Diablo Pointe, a proposed luxury home development on the site at Regency Drive and Rialto Way, locally known as the “seminary property.” “This project is unlike anything we’ve ever built,” says Developer John Lemke of the two-year project. Diablo Pointe will cover 24 acres of hillside land and will include 25 homes on an average lot size of 13,000 square feet. Six of the lots will be 40,000 sq. ft, or larger in order to accommodate horses. The homes will sell in the $1,000,000 range. During Saturday’s presentation by Susan Larson, Planning Manager for the project, Regency Woods residents sipped hot coffee and discussed their worries over the anticipated changing nature of the neighborhood. Their concerns focused mainly on the open space and maintenance issues surrounding the project. Several of the proposed lots include areas along the
creek and hillside that have long been considered de facto open space. “It’s not the houses, we’re worried about,” said former city council member, Phil Tinsley. “It’s the open space that’s the issue. This project won’t fly if you don’t make the hillside and the creek open space.” According to Larson, Lemke Construction offered to deed these lands to either the City of Clayton or to the State Park District for public use open space. Both the city and the park district turned down the developer’s offer because of the added burden that the maintenance and policing requirements would have on public funds. In lieu of an open space dedication, the city has asked Lemke for a payment of $311,000 to be used for improvements to other existing open space already owned by the city. “I don’t want (the developers) to give the city one penny. If you give $311,000 to the city, it will just go down a rat hole,” retorted Tinsley. “It’s up to the citizens to see that Clayton Tamara Steiner / Clayton Pioneer
See Seminary, page 16
Celebrate the arts at the library BY JILL BEDECARRE Clayton Pioneer
Longtime Clayton resident Ted Holmsen is a man of many talents. He’s a retired research scientist, a bookbinder, a devot-
ed library volunteer and a woodcarver. It’s his talents with wood that the community will be privileged to experience during the Community Arts Celebration set for March 6 and 7. Holmsen is one of 20 other
THE CLARETIAN SEMINARY on the hill in Regency Woods is the site of a proposed 25-home luxury development
talented artists and entertainers participating in the arts event at the Clayton Community Library. The Arts Celebration is part of a series of events planned to celebrate the library’s birthday each year. An experienced carver for more than 20 years, Holmsen will demonstrate the art of making wood writing pens using a lathe and band saw. His interest in woodcarving dates back to his childhood when he was forced to take two shop classes in junior high because as Ted explains, “I seemed to have a behavior problem in study hall.” He managed to accomplish all of the shop’s normal classes and his teacher introduced him to work on the lathe. It wasn’t until he was married with three children and somewhat settled that he picked up his hobby and began carving once again. An accomplished scientist working in the agricultural chemical department at Dow Chemical, Ted received numerous awards for his research. Using the awards, he purchased a band saw to enhance his woodcarving hobby. After retiring early from Dow in 1988, his hobby became a business and for several years he sold his wood products at local craft fairs and at craft store on Main Street in Clayton. As time went on, Ted went back to
Photo courtesy Ted Holmsen
WOOD CARVER, TED HOLMSEN is one of 20 artisans to participate in this celebration.
See Arts, page 16
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Ballot initiative will protect local tax dollars Tired of city hall saying, “we have no money” when you call for a particular service or need? Then you need to know that the League of California Cities is spearheading a statewide ballot initiative for the November 2004 ballot that that will allow voters to determine if your local tax dollars should be used to fund state services. Called the “Taxpayers and Public Safety Protection Act,” the measure would require the state to get voter approval before
shifting any more money from cities, counties and special districts to cover the state’s own budget shortfalls. In recent years the state legislature and governor have approved laws that divert, take or delay the payment of local tax revenues to local governments—your revenue that finances public safety, public health programs, parks, libraries, street maintenance and other vital community services. This has caused pressure for higher local fees that can increase the
JULIE PIERCE
MAYOR’S CORNER cost of housing, as well as impact the quality of life by reduced or eliminated services critical to the success and enjoyment of our residential and business communities. Since 1991 more
See Mayor, page 16
Car burglaries on the rise Car burglars have been working overtime in Clayton the last two months, striking 13 times last month, and five times during the first half of February On Feb. 17, burglars targeted a car parked in the Black Diamond Trailhead parking lot. The owner had put her purse on the floor, covered it with a sweater, locked her car and gone for a hike. When she returned around 11 a.m., the driver’s side window had been smashed in and the purse was gone. According to Clayton
Police, the burglaries do not appear to be concentrated in any particular neighborhood. Incidents are reported from all areas of town and are remarkably similar. “They (the burglars) smash the driver’s side window, probably with a rock, and grab anything of value that they can see.” says Sergeant Rich Enea of the Clayton PD. Police have been unable to take fingerprints from any of the cars, and there are no suspects. One witness did report seeing an older red Camaro driving
away from the scene. Enea strongly warns all citizens to leave nothing of value in their cars at any time. “These guys will wipe the condensation off the window and look inside. If they don’t see anything, they’ll leave the car alone and move to the next one.” Be safe, says Enea, and lock everything in the trunk or take it inside. If anyone has any information on these burglaries, they are asked to contact the Clayton police department at 673-7350.
It’s time to win! Read the ads carefully. Hidden in three different ads is a tiny version of the Clayton Pioneer logo (see above). Find the clock and be the first to call or e-mail the Pioneer with the name of the ad, and win $10 cash for each clock found! E-mail clock@claytonpioneer.com, or mail, P.O. Box 1246, Clayton, CA 94517 Linda Miecykowski is the winner from the last issue.She found our clock in the Carol Van Vaerenbergh, Apronstrings and Clayton Hair Works ads