While they are at it, I would hope that the council and staff also address the parking issues at San Ramon Valley High. There will be turmoil when the school year starts.

I would strongly oppose a 3.5 - 4 story parking structure on Rose and Linda Mesa. It should no taller than the building on the corner of E. Linda Mesa and Hartz.

I would love to know what mitigation was required for the Danville Hotel developers to accommodate parking for all of the 37,500 sq ft of retail space and for the 16 residential units. Looking at the demographics, it seems like there should be plans to accommodate two parking spaces for most of the units, let alone retail parking. At one time, I thought there was going to be underground parking which seemed ideal.
One more thought, it seems The Town of Danville should have required a LARGE amount of money for parking mitigation since if I have read correctly, there will only be 16 spaces for residential occupants.

It seems to me the developers of the Danville Hotel have been able the Hotel property the way they build most all of their projects around town. Buildings right up to the sidewalk little to no set back or open area and very, very little parking.
I'm sure the buildings this developer has build are of good quality but quality of living is also important. We need a lot more parking downtown and some setbacks after all this is a "town" not a city.

Hmmmm....wonder how long before the parking meters go up along Hartz and in the Tower parking lot..

First order of business should actually be to "unwind" the terrible decision to expand the Tower Parking Lot into the Railroad Ave street that eliminated street parking, nice bike lanes, and sidewalk there. To lose the width of that street was a crime that never should have happened.
Return that street (Railroad) to its original width (losing the extra parking spots) and redesign that parking lot from scratch.
That lot is where a two-story parking structure should be built to accommodate the lack of parking in the city center and at the Senior Center, etc.. Nice and central to the whole town.

And stop throwing in Electric Auto Refill Stations, etc..

And get rid of those "sidewalk incursions into the street" that put pedestrians one step away from immediate collision with a car and make street parking more difficult. Those are someone's bad idea.

Does it sound like I don't like much of what had been done with the downtown streets in the last 5 - 10 years and with taxpayer's money? Yeah, that's right! Pretty much all of the street changes have SUCKED! And the worst street of all (along with the worst intersection of all) is E. Prospect Ave (after the redesign of the Vet Building).

Thanks for years of money going down the wrong drain!

Perhaps they should have had this meeting before approving and building these structures. New buildings make us look more and more like Walnut Creek. Who is approving all of these things.

In Danville's continued attempt to be like a mini Walnut Creek, I fear it's only a matter of time before they put in parking meters and charge way too much like Walnut Creek does. I could easily see them putting meters in the Tower lot, and then 'resident' stickers for the neighborhoods as people will start parking on the streets and walking farther.

Call me an old fart or whatever, but I really do hate all this "progress" and how busy the area has become. The small town feel of the whole tri-valley is gone forever and I for one, don't really think its a better quality of life. Maybe it's time to leave CA.

I agree with @Resident, Danville is becoming Walnut Creek and WC has become Oakland. Our town leaders keep approving development which brings more people and more crowding. Time to drop "town" and change to the City of Danville. It's a race to the bottom.

We also need to allow parking for the employees of all the businesses. If you work in the clock tower you are not allowed to park there and have to buy an expensive permit to park far away. My kids, Lifetime Danville residents, work there and this is ridiculous as is losing our old time feel. Has no one been to old town San Diego? A financially thriving place that kept history in the forefront. I miss that about Danville!

The parking structure is absurd, as will be the unintended consequences. Crime is seriously on the increase in Danville, and a structure like this will only serve to increase crime similar to what happens in other multi-story parking structures. I don't see where the town leaders have a realistic vision of what their decisions mean for the long term. Take the increased housing on the east side of town. It was my understanding that there would be no significant impact. Well...head out that way from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm, and during a similar time frame in the morning. The quality of life out here has taken a nose dive.

The article concludes with the proposed additional retail in the Iron Horse Plaza, accompanied by a presumably multilevel parking structure. The town council, Calabrigo', and others are out of their minds apparently. Danville residents do not want their quality of life destroyed by rampant development downtown. The developers must realize that "NO" is actually an answer. Slowing the destruction of our lovely town block by block will be the number one topic for my voting choice in the next local election.

To Gina, Jeremy, and Dolores:

Perhaps this is too simple-minded a question to ask, but have the three of you ever considered printing our comments & dropping them on the city planners, Chainsaw Joe, or the council members for a response?

I'm not saying the regular posters are absolutely representative of public opinion, but I am certain a majority of westside Danville residents didn't move here only to see our downtown be homogenized & robbed of it's character block by block. Stupid decisions are stacked upon more and more foolish ideas. Plans that in most cases seem to benefit only developers.

How about it? Do any of them care at all? I know this isn't the London Times, but would you be willing to approach any of them for a comment? And yes, before you get on about public planning meetings, we're all well aware of them.

DanPhil,

by what measure is crime "seriously on the increase in Danville"?

I agree a 4 story garage is out of scale with the current downtown. But, if I read the article correctly, grading the space for ground parking is about $2m, and 4 stories is about $8m, so the garage at least isn't costing much more per space than just the ground level lot.

Unfortunately, we are slaves to our cars, and it is very hard for downtown businesses to survive economically with limited parking. This is what led to the downtown declines of the 60s and 70s and the rise of the Malls with acres of free parking. The only way Walnut Creek has thrived has been the addition of the many downtown garages over the last 20 years.

Maybe the clock tower lot should be taken to three levels, one underground.

dbrower: I am fairly new to the area, been here for 15 years now. In this short time period I have seen a significant increase in miscellaneous crimes such as home robberies, thefts of boxes and dry cleaning left on front doors, miscellaneous calls for community policing because of suspicious activity, drug/alcohol related matters, etc. I'm certainly not suggesting that we have big city crimes, but the bad guys are venturing further into our town from the usual on and off the freeway type of crimes. I read www.crimereports.com/ and news24-680.com, and it seems to me that the bad guys know that there is money here and they are following easy opportunities in this once "sleepy town". Perhaps "seriously on the increase" was an overstatement, but it is getting worse. Sprucing up downtown Danville and trying to improve parking may or may not cause an uptick in crime, but I personally would be reluctant to park at night in a multi-story parking structure.

This is a really bad idea. Danville has no more than 2 story buildings. Elected officials should not pursue something local residents do not support. We already have a poor outcome at Danville Hotel. If you care pls check this: Web Link

Good afternoon,

Thanks for the feedback. To provide a bit of background: for the past several years, the Town has considered options for how to further improve the public parking supply for the north end of downtown. Toward that end, the Town has acquired three properties located at the northwest corner of East Linda Mesa Avenue and Rose Street and is currently evaluating options for how to build additional public parking at this location.

Feasibility concepts being considered include everything from surface parking to a parking garage. These plans could result in the addition of anywhere from approximately 80 to 220 new parking spaces. In looking at this issue, factors that were weighed included current (and future) parking demand, downtown compatibility and construction and maintenance costs.

At their August 11, 2015 study session, the Town Council expressed a preference for pursuing construction of a surface parking lot on the site, and directed Town staff to develop more detailed information related to this option.

So, that is where things stand at the moment. At council's direction, staff is looking into the surface parking option and not a parking structure.

Hope this helps clarify the issue.

Have a great day!

Geoff Gillette
Public Information Coordinator
Town of Danville
(925) 314-3336
ggillette@danville.ca.gov

Although I have nothing against surface parking at north end of town, it doesn't directly service the need for parking in central downtown.
Build it...OK. But it doesn't accomplish that much for most people.

Therefore, I reiterate my above comment--that the Tower Parking Lot should be COMPLETELY REDONE to return the original width of Railroad Ave and to build a parking structure that services the actual needs of the downtown area.
I knew that it was another planning mistake when it was built (using taxpayer dollars)--useful, but much less than it could have been and what was needed.

Council, realize your mistake. Bite the bullet. Go back to the drawing board. And put in a real parking solution.
Stop squeezing in small tiny spots. (Let us have our cars without dents and crowding. Come on, we are an nice city!)
Stop spending so much time, money, and energy building (and giving away) electric power stations, etc. (Get the basics done right, first!)

Customer satisfaction is not as high as you think it is. We're just too busy or kind to let you know what we really think.

I do not agree with FanDanville's rather intemperate comments. Redoing Railroad and building a parking structure is not a good option. I for one enjoy having a view of the Las Trampas Ridge. We must protest our view corridors, increasingly Mount Diablo is no longer visible when you walk throughout downtown. Our unique setting in a beautiful valley is one to be preserved.
I travel extensively and there are very few towns with a setting like ours.

Dear Mr. Gillette,

Please don't confuse us with facts.

Sorry Geoff, but the "mitigation" reasons I heard for allowing the Basil Leaf parking area to become a development still don't cut it. I know it only has 20 or 25 spaces, but you have to realize what it sounds like to everyone posting here: Simultaneous hand wringing over parking inadequacies, and then no issues at all with a property owner plowing his parking to make more rent money.
I don't have to be wearing a tin foil hat to wonder if someone's palm got greased along the way.

Our officials, elected or appointed, need to stop going against the will of Danville citizens with weak excuses. Let me know how "easy build" will work out when I want to open a club with pole dancers and no parking.

Also, poster Ediz E. up above mentions something else on their page (follow the link) that's pretty scary: Faz possibly becoming a multi-story development like the hotel abortion? Does anyone else have any information about this?
People, we really need to get serious about replacing some of Danville's mis-leaders.

Oh, and Gina-
I realize you aren't collecting yachts and buying castles off your position here at out little online paper. Yet you do seem to be able to jump quickly every time Julie from Alamo goes off her med's. Or someone like me uses a naughty word like "abortion" (sorry, but with my limited vocabulary, I just cannot come up with any other adjective strong enough to describe what has risen on the hotel property). Yet despite this, with five people on the council, a city manager, a mayor, and a small cadre of bureaucrats at the La Gonda building.... we can't get a reply from any of them? See, this is exactly why they need to be replaced.

Er... that should be "Julia" from Alamo.

If they start putting parking meters in Danville, say goodbye to my shopping dollars! I almost NEVER go to Walnut Creek anymore...I will not pay $1 an hour or more to spend money in their stores, and the parking structure is too far to walk, nor will I go into a multi-level parking structure after dark. NEVER.

I wonder if the city godfathers, realize that hold area was a Indian, campsite and burial ground. I know that for sure.

Dear fellow concerned citizens:

The solution to the Town's downward trajectory is simple: elect 3 new town council members in 2016 and 2 more new ones in 2018. Who is up for running??

Derek,

I throughly agree with you about the irresponsible lack of response or input here in this local publication by any Council members as to any issue.
They should all be personally listening to and hearing the pulse of what their constituent are saying about the Town. And sometimes giving personal response.

I have NEVER, in 20 years, seen a Council person respond directly.
And the occasional input from Geoff, although welcome and appreciated, is no replacement.

It's like they don't really care and aren't really involved in the Town's discussions. They have their own agenda and are sticking to it.

Derek,

Re: Description of New Danville Hotel project.

Perhaps the word you were looking for, instead of abortion, was abhorrent or aberration. .....or not!?!

I have commented before on subjects such as this one. I was do deeply saddened by the removal of the old Redwood and Stone Pine trees from around the old Veteran's Bldg that I no longer can even sit at the Starbucks on the corner. When I moved to this Town in the late 1980's, I did so because of its charm and history. The Town Council and Planners seem to have consistently been removing our history.
If I had wanted to live in a planned community, I would have bought a house in one of the cookie cutter neighborhoods of San Ramon. If I wanted to live in a city, I would have bought a home in Walnut Creek. Both of these cities have lower property values. I paid a premium to live in this wonderful place.
I am now thinking a move to Oregon may be next, even though I was born in California, and hoped to die here!

Agreed Collins, and those sad little trees that were planted are not even remotely a substitute for the redwoods.
Though apples & oranges, I am also wondering when any official in our town will hold Caltran's feet to the fire about replanting all the trees they removed to widen 680 (between Crow & Sycamore). The ones next to the sound wall I mean. Both the drive along Camino Ramon, and the front view of the Veteran's Hall, have become immensely more barren and ugly.

FanDanville- Can I go with "All of the above"?