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October 8, 2004
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Specific Plan not specific enough TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
With only about 3.5 acres of downtown land left to build on, what goes on that land and what it looks like is of huge importance to Clayton. If Councilman Pete Laurence has his way, any future buildings in downtown will not only have to reflect Clayton’s “Old West” theme, but they will have to be two stories tall. The Town Center Specific Plan (TCSP) adopted in 1990 reflects the city’s preference for sales tax generating retail business in buildings that preserve the downtown’s “Old West” feel. But, Laurence says, the plan doesn’t go far enough. In a Sept. 15 memo to the City Council, Laurence asks that the city “require (all) remaining construction to be two stories…” in an effort to double the space available for commercial development. Mayor Julie Pierce, who was a member of the committee that drafted the TCSP, thinks the existing plan is fine. “I don’t think the guidelines are soft at all,” she said. “Size and scale are already addressed very clearly in the plan. “Besides,” she continued, “how do we dictate to someone who has private property rights? Don’t we have to trust the property owners to do due diligence and do what is economically feasible?” The only new commercial construction that might be affected is is an 8,500-squarefoot building proposed for the vacant lot behind Clayton Community Church. The developers have made the
See Plan, page 19
KICKING
Photos by Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer
OFF THE FESTIVITIES
at the first annual Oktoberfest, Mayor Julie Pierce taps the keg while Vice Mayor Gregg Manning fills his glass.
Oktoberfest rolls out the barrels JILL BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
Clayton celebrated in true Oktoberfest fashion last weekend as Main Street was transformed into a German Volkfest with all the trimmings. Sponsored by the Clayton Business and Community Association, the festival brought residents, families and friends together to enjoy imported German beer, great food and scrumptious desserts. Lines were forming in the early hours of the festival waiting to taste the mouthwatering bratwurst, beerwurst and hofbrau offerings.
And what’s a German festival without the toe tapping sounds of an oompah band? Festivalgoers were not disappointed. The Internationals played a variety of marches, waltzes, polkas and lively renditions of famous beer drinking songs. Two hours into the festival and the band tent was packed with music and dance lovers. They raised their beer mugs, swayed to the music and sang along with the talented foursome. The Internationals are the only nonGerman band that has been invited to play in the world famous Munich Oktoberfest. Those that came to shop,
shopped till they dropped with more than 30 vendors selling jewelry, arts and crafts, books and holiday gift ideas. Even the kids got into the Oktoberfest spirit with a pumpkin patch and kinderland. Mayor Julie Pierce helped kick off the event with the traditional tap of the first keg of beer. She was led onto the dance floor by a rousing rendition of “Roll Out the Barrel,” with the crowd singing their hearts out. “Do we know how to throw a party or what,” said CBCA
See Oktoberfest, page 17
THE INTERNATIONALS provided the polka music and yodeling for the two day event. Above, Bob Maggiore on accordion and Steve McGinnis on bass. Not pictured are Porter Goltz and Jan Meere.
Security cams needed at CVHS
Tamara Steiner/Clayton Pioneer CVHS PRINCIPAL JOHN NEARY
JILL BEDECARRÉ Clayton Pioneer
The new Clayton Valley High School state-of-the-art football field is ready to go. The CVHS Eagles’ first home game of the season will kick off on the new turf this Friday, October 8. And to add to the
excitement, it’s homecoming weekend at the high school and fans are expected to fill the stadium. By the end of the month the new track will be open. And for the first time in a number of years, CVHS will host track and field meets at home. The multimillion dollar athletic facility raises the bar on high school sports venues.
But there’s a dark cloud in every silver lining. Vandalism is rampant at Clayton Valley High School and poses a disturbing threat to the improvements on and off the new field. According to Pat Middendorf, CVHS girls athletic director, everyone is tired of the destruction. “We want our school back and we want it now.” The snack shack was burned, goal posts have been cut down, windows have been broken in the press box, track equipment has been damaged, the senior tree is besieged by vandals, walls on campus bear bicycle tire marks, and just about every Monday custodians have to remove graffiti from buildings. Principal John Neary says the vandalism has become more aggressive in the past two years. Along with all the other prob-
lem areas, skateboarding on campus after hours has caused a lot of destruction. “It’s a burr under my saddle,” Neary says. There’s a lot at stake here. Besides the new field and turf, Clayton Valley has added 14 new classrooms, computer labs, computers in the classrooms and office, and new landscaping. “We’re in a great place,” Neary said, referring to the condition of the campus, and he’d like to keep it that way. There’s been discussion for some time about purchasing security cameras for the school and “the new multi-million athletic field has motivated us to go ahead with the project,” says Neary. He explains that current technology in video cameras is very sophisticated and if vandals attempt to destroy anything on campus, they are easily identified on tape. Cameras would
be turned on at night to monitor the activity of trespassers when the custodians leave, and turned off when staff arrives in the morning. It would take about 12 to 14 cameras to cover the cam-
“We want our school back and we want it now.” Pat Middendorf, CVHS girls athletic director pus and estimated cost for the security system is about $40,000. According to Middendorf, the school district has no money for the project. The CVHS
Parent Faculty Club is planning to donate $15,000 from their dues fund. And they’ve joined together with the Athletic Boosters, who are contributing about $6,000, to ask the Clayton Business and Community Association to help with the funding for the security system. CBCA contributed funds for goals, benches and a new scoreboard at the new stadium. In a recent letter sent to the membership, CBCA President Ed Hartley noted “protecting the investment is just as important as making the investment.” He said that the CBCA board has recommended that its association donate up to $20,000 for the purchase and installation of the cameras. If CBCA votes in favor of the proposed sum, explains Hartley, it would be one of the largest donation in the association’s 20-year history.