From: Chiye Azuma
Subject: More Runoff and Sewer overspills
Date: Wed, 23 Feb 2005 01:26:28
To: fssweiss@oaklandnet.com
Cc: Raul Godinez <rgodinez@oaklandnet.com>,  Allen Law <atlaw@oaklandnet.com>,  Jun Osalbo <fosalbo@oaklandnet.com>,  Friendsof2Creeks@yahoogroups.com, David W Lau <dwlau@oaklandnet.com>,  Julie Gantenbein <gantenbein@n-h-i.org>, lcestes@oaklandnet.com,  dbrooks@oaklandnet.com, cityochang@aol.com, jquan@oaklandnet.com,  lreid@oaklandnet.com, wmadison@oaklandnet.com,  Ralph Kanz <rkanz@earthlink.net>, Nathan G.Alley <nalley@n-h-i.org>,  officeofthemayor@oaklandnet.com, wguidici@oaklandnet.com,  Gus Amirzehni <gamirzehni@oaklandnet.com>, rgward@oaklandnet.com,  mjneary@oaklandnet.com, jbrunner@oaklandnet.com,  Nancy Nadel <nnadel@oaklandnet.com>,  Mark Brest van Kempen <mbvk@sbcglobal.net>,  klichten@waterboards.ca.gov, idelafuente@oaklandnet.com


Mr Sweiss,

I appreciate your taking time to respond to my inquiries.  I understand  that you are back from your leave, so I hope that you will not mind  that we continue to communicate.

As you suggested, I talked with Marcel today for clarification on your statement:  "Currently all surface runoff from the Leona site drains to the new detention pond."
You may be interested to find out that the new detention pond captures ONLY the runoff from the lower bowl area (per Mr Uzegbu), and not "all surface runoff from the Leona site" as you have stated.  This, in fact, is consistent with the plans that staff has recommended for final map approval, so I am surprised that your site staff (or are you relying on what the developer is telling you?) is providing you with erroneous information.
I am also wondering if you are aware that Mr Uzegbu is responsible for recently approving a temporary measure that diverts a major part of the site runoff, as well as the stormwater runoff from Ridgemont, to bypass the new detention pond. All this runoff instead dumps directly into the 39" pipe that leads to the city storm drains, and thence into Chimes Creek. There is no filtration, and there is no control. We saw the consequences of this decision this weekend, as the creek rose and roared through our backyards.  Yesterday, your site inspector, Mr Osalbo, checked in at the site in the morning, but there was not one person, nobody, from DeSilva onsite while the rain was pouring down in the afternoon.  Where is the monitoring that is required by the Regional Water Quality Control Board?  Was there an exemption for President's Day?

Our neighbor at the bottom of Oakdale who was not invited to the recent sewer meeting reported that raw sewage lifted up the manhole lid and gushed out onto his backyard "for hours."  Can you imagine the stench?  You may recall that Mr Amirzehni, the project engineer for the sewer repair, assured us at the meeting that the problem was taken care of because the line was recently flushed out and large rocks were found to be clogging the pipe. Apparently, that was not the fix and we still have a problem.  The 8" sewer main at Hillmont was also disengaged, AGAIN.  All along the creek, we have lost property - and this is way beyond a "natural process," as Mr. Neary would have you believe.  Clearly, something needs to be done BEFORE next spring.  We cannot go through another rainy season under these conditions.

I respectfully disagree with you that we should "cooperate" with Mr Uzegbu so that he can "save time so he can focus on the many other important issues related to this project."  I am hoping that you did not mean to say that our interests are secondary to the "other important issues related to this project."  As foolish as it seems, we continue to appeal to your integrity and good professional judgement because we are hoping that you, as our trusted City staff, have our interests in mind as well.

As we have stated over and over again, we are not trying to stop this project.  We have no issue with the Settlement.  All we are asking for is for this project to proceed as promised in the Settlement, and as conditioned in the extensive environmental and mitigation requirements.   We have placed a great deal of trust in you, and as a start, it would mean a great deal to us if you, Mr. Sweiss, would reconcile your seemingly reckless statements with what is actually happening at this project and with our properties.

Chiye Azuma