On the night of January 7th 2010, I attended the home owners association meeting for the Treviana condo complex next to my Monet condo complex. This is how the evening question and answer portion went.
1- The rep. from SANDAG said that they knew two years ago when they inspected the site that the builder had removed the signs on the grass area between the complexes and planted trees for a park like area but they didn’t think it was important. When asked why they didn’t rectify this at the time, the rep said “It wasn’t important.”
I feel like This allowed the builder for this area to lure people into buying these units because it looked as if it was a permanent green area afforded to the condo owners.
2- I asked if now this week if they would go out and take out the trees and place a clear sign up designating the area as a bus lane so the people who are buying NOW and looking at the complexes NOW would not be mislead. The rep said they would do all that when the construction began.
3- The Rep from SANDAG kept stating that 17 years ago they always planned to have a transit system in this area and it was always in disclosure documents.
4- I asked if this was always the route planned from 17 years ago the rep said there were other routes looked at. Subsequent studies influenced which ones that were better suited and this was their “preferred route” meaning that it is NOT the ONLY route option that could happen.
5- Also asked was, why was the area between the Monte and Treviana not developed as the REST of the route to the 805, with large roads and walkways in front, buffering the adjacent houses? Why does it look like a small narrow park area, why was this planning allowed while EVERY WHERE else it is CLEAR where the transit route is going to be. The rep did not really answer and gave no excuses.
6- An idea people asked was why not use Magdalena, La Media, or Olympic parkway with the wide roads and no buses traveling within 10 feet of peoples residences’. They said people will not walk to a bus station there because it is more than 10 minutes. They kept saying this is their preferred route and that all other routes are not feasible so they wouldn’t continue with them. SO what they really mean is THERE IS NO OTHER OPTION AND ITS GOING THERE. All alternatives were met with how they would NEVER work so it came across as you will have to live with this one and only route.
7- The reps from SANDAG informed us the buses would be passing every 10 minutes from 5am to 10pm. When we voiced our dismay at this for the noise nuisance the rep said well we will start with longer wait times till ridership picks up so we don’t need to worry about that. This was very condescending. We who bought HOMES (not as structures but places to raise a family for how ever long we want) should what? Be moved out and have our property sold before the noise could be unbearable? I live further into the complex and with my window open I can hear the small amount of traffic on Magdalena and East Palomar. OF COURSE a large bus going up a steep approx 20 foot incline is going to be much louder. Will SANDAG offer to pay for air-conditioning units for the people right next to the bus so we wont have to hear and smell and be affected by the ozone from the transit.
4-The rep kept referencing a environmental study that is the last hurdle for them to pass then its past route planning and onto how do you make a 20 foot fence look nice 10 feet away from your window planning. The Study comes out on February 4th then there is 30 days in which there will be opportunity to review before final planning starts. Then construction would begin in 2011.
3- The rep explained from the beginning of the area between the complexes starts a a zero grade the halfway up the green area the ramp will climb sharply to go over the 125. She said we would have at least 20 foot wall. I assume it will be higher on one side because of the slope of the land there. They could add fences but why would there be a problem with kids and people getting over there. The rep basically inferred that there would be no problem with people, children, and animals because it is a bus route despite how close the “High density Houses” are to the ramp and bus route. Doesn’t the fact that it is in the MIDDLE of a dense population of families with children within 10, 20, 30 feet of this high traffic route imply a greater risk to safety.
I have the feeling that the SANDAG representatives believed we should just be happy there is a transit route and that our concern and dislike for the planned portion between our communities was pointless. When I asked her if she would TODAY, buy one of our units she didn’t answer. It took a reminder from another Treviana resident that she failed to answer my question that the rep said, “if I wanted to use public transportation then I would.” What kind of answer is that. They said that our area was “low Income” and the majority of people had only 1 car maybe 2 so this is why they had to go through our communities. Take what you will from that.
Monet & Treviana Communities 