SEE INSIDE Knowing how to react to a traumatic event, All the Colors, Page 5 Helping seniors cope with the pandemic, Savvy Senior, Page 6 Preparing your pets for an emergency, ARF Notes, Page B7
March 20, 2020
www.PioneerPublishers.com
County, cities limit events, declare shelter in place in face of COVID-19 pandemic
Concord declares state of emergency
tiM McGallian
CONCORD MAYOR
The coronavirus pandemic is impacting our lives in unprecedented ways. Thank you to those who have taken precautions by doing simple things like washing your hands and practicing good hygiene, refraining from shaking hands and maintaining six-feet social distancing. These habits are critically important to slowing the spread of the disease and help protect our vulnerable, highrisk populations. Please know that the city of Concord is taking steps to prepare our community and maintain essential core services to residents. The measures we
What’s Inside
Arts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B6 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B4 Directory of Advertisers . . . .7 Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3 From the Desk of . . . . . . . . .8 Pets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B7 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B1
Next issue, April 17, Deadline, Apr. 7
implement at public facilities and related to city services are to help protect our community and our employees. On March 13, Concord city manager Valerie Barone declared a local state of emergency in response to the public health crisis. The city also opened its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at the lowest activation level to provide coordination of the city’s response to the pandemic. Declaring a local state of emergency allows the city manager to adjust and reallocate city resources as needed. It also allows the city to access state and federal resources and apply for reimbursement of costs related to responding to this pandemic. The Concord City Council was expected to ratify this proclamation the week of March 16.
See McGallian, page 5
BREAKING: Just as this issue was going to press on March 16, several Bay Area counties ordered residents to shelter in place for the next three weeks effective immediately. The order affects everyone and will close all businesses except essential services. • Essential businesses allowed to operate during the recommended action include: • Health care operations • Businesses that provide food, shelter, and social services, and other necessities of life for economically disadvantaged or otherwise needy individuals • Fresh and nonperishable food retailers (including convenience stores) • Pharmacies • Child care facilities • Gas stations
• Banks • Laundry businesses and services necessary for maintaining the safety, sanitation and essential operation of a residence.
The order will apply to Contra Costa, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Marin, San Francisco and Alameda counties. Residents will still be allowed to leave the house to shop for groceries and other essential services. This is the strictest measure taken anywhere in the country against COVID-19. At press time, there were 34 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Contra Costa County and 250 in the Bay Area. For updates on the shelter in place order and COVID-19, go to the website at www.coronavirus.cchealth.org
All non-essential travel, services grind to a halt
drastic and will impact millions out activities permitted in of people in unique and chalthe Health Order lenging ways, Health Officers • Obtaining services at any Karen Mitchoff from across the region strongly healthcare facility (includCOUNTY believe that if these measures ing veterinary care but not SUPERVISOR are delayed the situation will gyms) become worse, with more seri- • Travel to obtain or deliver goods or services to On March 16, Bay Area ous illness and death. The main provisions of the households or other entiCounty Health Officers ties (Contra Costa, Alameda, San Health Order are as follows: • Travel to care for elderly, Mateo, Santa Clara, San FranAll residents should shelminors, dependents, percisco, and Marin) issued sons with disabilities, or a Mandatory Health ter at home and leave only for other vulnerable persons. Order directing people to “essential activities” or Including pets. shelter at home, except when “essential travel” which • Travel to educational instiproviding or receiving essen- include: tutions to receive materials tial services, or for essential • Performing tasks essential to their family’s health and for distance learning or travel. safety, including their pets meals and other related The order will last until services April 7, but may be extended. • Obtaining necessary services/supplies, including • Travel related to providing The Health Officers have groceries or accessing services taken these new steps to slow exempted in the order the spread of the highly conta- • Engaging in outdoor activities without coming into gious COVID-19 virus. WithAll non-essential busiclose contact with others out this restrictive action, our healthcare systems may • Performing work at an nesses shall cease operation “essential business” except to maintain “minibecome overwhelmed. (defined below) or to carry mum basic operations.” While these measures are
Essential businesses include:
• Healthcare operations • Grocery stores (including stores like Target that sell both grocery and non-grocery items) • Pharmacies and healthcare supply stores • Gas stations, auto supply and repair • Banks and financial institutions • Hardware stores, plumbers, electricians, exterminators and other services to maintain safety and sanitation and essential operations of homes and businesses • Educational institutions for purposes of facilitating distance learning • Laundromats and dry cleaners • Restaurants and prepared food facilities, but only for
See Mitchoff, page 5
City approves high density apartment project TAMARA STEINER The Pioneer
A three-building, three-story senior apartment project planned for three acres on Marsh Creek Rd. was approved by the City Council in a 3-2 vote at the March 3 meeting with Councilmembers Jeff Wan and Jim Diaz voting to reject. Julie Pierce, Tuija Catalano and CW Wolf voted to approve. Dubbed “The Olivia at Marsh Creek,” the project faced heavy opposition from residents in the Stranahan neighborhood across the street from the project for what they say is inadequate parking for the 81 units. The project first reached the Planning Commission in December where a 2-2 vote (one seat vacant) effectively denied the application. In compliance with the county’s Housing Element requirements, in 2012 the parcels were zoned multi-family, high
density for 20-units per acre. California State Density Bonus Law, however, overrides local zoning, and allows for 35 percent more units if 10 percent of the units are deed restricted for affordable housing. The law also allows for an in-fill housing exemption to CEQA and grants several waivers to local zoning including parking requirements which would have required at least two spaces per unit. Originally submitted with just 86 parking spaces for the entire project, developer Bill Jordan responded to neighbor concerns and council criticism by increasing the parking to 106 spaces in the final project, a number which neighbors say is still not enough. The lack of parking will cause overflow into the Stranahan neighborhood across the street and take up tamara Steiner/the Pioneer valuable parking in the town neighbors in the Stranahan development across from an 81-unit apartment center. building approved for downtown clayton fear inadequate parking will cause overSee Olivia, page 3 flow into their quiet subdivision..
Postal Customer ECRWSS PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID CLAYTON, CA 94517 PERMIT 190