Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Semi Tropic Hell Spiritualists' Tract: Earth Moving Started Today*

Photo: Gary Vlahakis, April 17, 2012.  A huge bulldozer started digging into the hillside in the controversial 16-lot subdivision in the Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract today.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Last week, developer David French told City's Community Forest Advisory Committee (CFAC), they expect to be grading through November.  Get ready for at least 8 months of Semi Tropic Grading Hell.  They started bulldozing at 8AM.  The conditions for approval clearly state grading  *Haul Route includes activity between 9 AM and 4PM.  Good times ahead.
Photo: Gary Vlahakis, April 17, 2012.  Grading commenced despite the active Red Tailed Hawk nest on the corner of Allesandro & Rosebud, right across the street from the construction site.  In February, the developer told the Board of Public Works president Andrea Alarcon there would be a biologist on site through April.  The hawks use the nest through at least July.

Photos shot from Corralitas Drive.

*UPDATE 4-18-12: Correction, apparently we failed to pay careful attention to the various versions of approvals and confusing versions of the conditions for approval, despite what was discussed at the East Area Planning Commission during the appeal process.  If it doesn't get written into the decision, it doesn't count.  However there is a noise ordinance that limits construction noise in residential zones before 8AM on Saturdays, 7AM on weekdays.  My house was rumbling when they started grading at 7AM today.