Local Positions

The principles that guide our organization...

Livermore-Amador Valley League's positions

Community College Position.  Community Education.  Education.  Juvenile Justice.  Planning and Housing Position.  Water and Sewage.  Solid Waste.  Transportation.

Community College Position

The League of Women Voters of the Livermore Amador Valley supports the philosophy, goals, and general objectives of the Chabot-Las Positas Community College District, as presented in their District Mission Statement adopted January 16, 1996. This involves continuing to provide a balanced educational program meeting local needs, with facilities in close proximity to the community. Alternative methods of financing, in addition to the property tax and bond issues, should be explored to support this concept.

Original Study 1971, revised 1975, 1982, 1997.

Community Education

Livermore and Pleasanton Adult Schools, Pleasanton Department of Parks and Community Services, Livermore Area Recreation and Park District, and Las Positas College share in the provision of community education.

A. Community education or "Lifelong Learning" includes the following:
1. School-work transition.
a. What jobs will be available in the future.
b. What education and skills training will be needed.
c. What student interests can be directed toward that job.
2. Re-training for job change.
3. Joint projects where an entity (e.g. Las Positas) provides training at a work site, and is reimbursed by an employer.
4. Advanced placement opportunities for high school students.
5. Remedial post-high school work. This should be provided by Adult Schools, not Las Positas. Adult schools already provide General Equivalency Diplomas, High School Diplomas, and Americanization classes.
6. Joint use of facilities.
7. Non-vocational courses, e.g., opera, religions of the world.

LWV LAV urges continued communication within and among agencies providing community education, so that services can be provided in the most cost-effective way. This should include information on empty classrooms, which might be usable for classes. To enhance effectiveness of training or re-training for employment, the LWV L/AV urges the provision of child care for students. To the extent that transportation to a school site may be involved, coordination with local public transit providers should be required.

Original Study 1977, revised 1993, 1997.

Education

The League of Women Voters of Livermore-Amador Valley supports a school system which is clearly structured, efficiently operated, adequately financed and staffed with competent personnel; one in which the public, the school board, the administration and staff assume individual responsibility, maintain open lines of communication and promote an atmosphere of mutual respect. To provide adequate housing of students, the district should assume prime responsibility for providing schools through planning and financing, including close cooperation with the city to prepare for anticipated needs.

Curriculum
1. Establish a system of evaluation throughout the education process.
2. Provide a variety of teaching educational opportunities, such as open space, modular scheduling, team teaching, outdoor education, field trips, etc.

Personnel:
1. Establish clear lines of responsibility and accountability for all personnel.
2. Maintain a competitive salary scale.
3. Support low student-teacher ratio.
4. Offer opportunities for career advancement.

Finance:
1. Clarify the budget and assume a realistic approach toward revenues and expenditures.
2. Review and improve procedure for clear, periodic financial reports.
3. Encourage the local school districts (Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin) to advocate to the state legislature to move toward equalization of school financing to bring all below average districts up to the state average.

Governance:
1. Formulate, review and update policies.
2. Use educational objectives in planning, evaluation, and determining priorities.
3. Have reports and other materials available for public inspection.
4. Encourage teacher and parent participation in school decisions.
5. Formulate and review long-range plans for adequate housing of students.

Consensus reached 1969, study updated 1971; statement revised 1974, 1976; updated 1982; statement revised 1991; statement revised 2006.

Juvenile Justice

The League of Women Voters of the Livermore-Amador Valley supports the protection of the rights of minors. The League supports the capable management of juvenile issues by the concerned public agencies. The League supports adequate prevention and diversion programs for juveniles in our local communities.

Objectives of this position:

A. Police Department's Standards and Procedures:

1. Adequate training for police officers to deal with juvenile issues.
2. Sufficient staff of well-trained officers to allow time for them to get in service training and to investigate cases thoroughly.
3. Offense records of minors, whether they are mixed in with adults' records or filed separately, should be recorded in a manner that facilitates the evaluation of trends in juvenile arrests and an examination of the effectiveness of police department programs.
4. Statistics should be readily accessible to the public.
5. Continuation of diversion programs such as the Minor Offense Court and Horizons, a youth outreach program (OCOP Youth Services Project #1259).
6. Encourage the local police departments to continue to use community diversion programs.

B. Community Diversion and Prevention Programs:

1. Establishment of crisis housing or temporary housing for runaways and youths in serious conflict with their families.
2. Coordination of all available programs for pre-delinquent and delinquent youths.
3. Establishment of a centralized information and referral center to provide agencies, prospective clients and existing client with accurate, up-to-date information on services available, eligibility and fees.
4. Encourage schools to be informed of services agencies in the community and to use them.
5. Programs which provide jobs for youths.
6. There should be sufficient personnel in the school district to deal effectively with the pupil welfare and attendance department which handles the following types of situations: a. Truancy b. Child neglect c. Child abuse d. Severe behavior problems in the classroom.

Original study 1976, Reworded study, 1982

Planning and Housing Position

A. PLANNING POSITION

The League of Women Voters of the Livermore-Amador Valley supports coordination of planning among the various Valley jurisdictions. Cities should practice smart growth by planning commuter and pedestrian-friendly, livable communities which utilize principles to address adequately the housing and transportation needs of the people who live and work there. General Plans, subject to regular review, should contain adequate elements to address all planning issues and should provide commercial, industrial and residential area plans.

1. Community Identity:

Valley communities should maintain their individual identities through such means as greenbelts, distinctive downtowns, innovative architecture, preservation of historical neighborhoods, etc.

2. Coordinated Planning;

Joint powers agreements should be used within the Valley for coordinated planning, as needed. Planning should have as its goal a balanced Valley, offering such benefits to all residents and workers as housing choice, diversified employment, recreational opportunities, shopping, transportation, and health care.

3. Citizen Participation:

Citizen participation should be encouraged throughout the General Plan review process, in order that Plan changes might closely reflect community wishes and needs.

4. Transportation:

New development should be compatible with current and future public transportation plans. The needs of public transportation should be accommodated along with the needs of pedestrians, bicyclists, and vehicular traffic. A coordinated and connected recreational/commuter trailway system throughout the Valley should be part of this system.

5. Urban Growth Boundaries:

Cities should plan for Urban Growth Boundaries that clearly delineate boundaries within which development will take place and beyond which agriculture will be encouraged, with an appropriate buffer zone between the two. Cities should act to protect and preserve open space and viable agriculture beyond their Urban Growth Boundaries. Cities should also act to provide and ensure adequate park land, and protect natural features, such as arroyos, within their Urban Growth Boundaries. Cities should plan for orderly development which minimizes sprawl, encourages infill, and avoids leap-frog development.

B. HOUSING POSITION

The cities of Livermore, Pleasanton and Dublin must act to ensure that a wide variety of housing choices is available to meet the changing housing needs of all the people who live and work in their jurisdictions.

1. NEW HOUSING:

Inclusionary Housing: Cities must encourage their planning staffs to promote the inclusion of affordable housing in any housing development of 15 dwellings or more. This housing may be developed either within the development or on another parcel within the city. Only when the affordable housing cannot be built by the developer shall the city accept an In Lieu fee.

Commercial and Industrial Development:

New commercial and industrial development must provide land for housing in relation to their number of employees and the pay of those employees. Whenever possible housing should be included in or in close proximity to the proposed commercial/industrial site. An In Lieu fee of equal value to the land requirement may be paid to the city for the development of affordable housing only as a last resort.

Infill Housing:

Community involvement, especially of neighbors, before finalizing an infill project is vital. Cities should consider density increases for infill parcels, since that may make their development financially feasible.

To facilitate orderly infill, cities should inventory their undeveloped land at least every five years, and more frequently if possible. Cities should include up-grading of infrastructure (e.g. water and sewers) as part of capital improvement plans. Cities should explore lowering parking, park and school requirements, where appropriate, and lowering fees to encourage infill.

Subsidiary units (Granny Flats) should be encouraged. Cities should specify standards and publicize the possibility of this type of infill.

2. EXISTING HOUSING:

Low and Moderate Cost Housing:

Cities must aggressively act to preserve the existing low and moderate cost housing available in their jurisdiction. Expiration of mortgage revenue bond projects must be monitored annually. Older Neighborhoods: Cities must promote the revitalization of older neighborhoods and the rehabilitation of older housing units in order to prevent neighborhood blight and declining property values. Community Standards: Cities must establish community standards to enforce property maintenance throughout the community.

Rental Inspection Program:

Cities must establish rental inspection programs to ensure that each rental property meets the appropriate building and safety codes.

Historic Housing:

Historic housing within each city must be registered with the city, and the owner should be encouraged to maintain the property.

3. PLANNING AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT:

Urban Growth Boundaries:

UGB's should be established by all cities to protect open space and to discourage excessive sprawl and low density housing within the boundaries.

Mixed Use Zoning:

Zoning should be flexible to encourage mixed use zoning, particularly in the downtown and along transportation corridors, and in the area around neighborhood or regional shopping centers.

Smart Growth:

Cities should practice smart growth by planning commuter and pedestrian-friendly, livable communities which utilize principles to address adequately the housing and transportation needs of the people who work there.

Periodic Review:

As part of the state mandated Housing Element Review Process, cities should periodically assess zoned, undeveloped, commercial/industrial sites to determine if the land is needed and appropriate for housing.

4. EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY:

Education:

Cities must work with developers and the business community to develop educational programs about the housing needs in the community, e.g. presentations at service organizations, neighborhood meetings and newspaper articles.

Advocacy:

Established and new businesses and their organizations should advocate for the housing needs of their employees at all levels of the government hearing process and at neighborhood meetings where appropriate.

Original Study 1979, Revised 2000, 2005.

Water and Sewage

WATER

BACKGROUND/INTRODUCTION

The Urban Water Management and Drought Shortage Contingency Plan (UWMP or Plan) has been prepared in response to the Urban Water Management Planning Act (Act), California Water Code Sections 10610 through 10650. The Act was adopted by the California Legislature as Assembly Bill 797 during the 1983-84 session and signed into law by Governor Deukmejian on January 1, 1984. The Act requires that "every urban water supplier shall prepare and adopt an Urban Water Management Plan." Urban water supplier is defined as "a supplier, either publicly or privately owned, providing water for municipal purposes either directly or indirectly to more than 3,000 customers or supplying more than 3,000 acre-feet of water annually." Under this definition, Zone 7 Water Agency and each of the four retail water supply agencies which it serves (City of Pleasanton, City of Livermore, Dublin-San Ramon Services District and California Water Service Company) are all urban water suppliers. The League of Women Voters has developed the following Water Position from which it can take action on various issues of water protection and management in the Tri-Valley.

Zone 7 is the water wholesaler, treating and delivering Delta water to the retailers. It also contracts for water deliveries to agricultural users. It is responsible for managing and protecting the valley's groundwater resources.

The retailers distribute a blend of treated surface water and groundwater to their customers. The Dublin-San Ramon Services District and the City of Livermore also reclaim waste water that is used for municipal landscape irrigation.

POSITIONS

The League of Women Voters of the Livermore-Amador Valley supports measures to protect and manage the quality and quantity of our water resources.

Water Quality

1. Support measures that: a. Set standards for water delivered to users that meet or exceed federal and state primary drinking water standards; b. Establish regular monitoring and testing programs (annually or more frequently) to insure the safety of the groundwater, and publicize test results; c. Support regular testing and monitoring of drinking water for asbestos, pesticides, viruses, pharmaceuticals, endocrine disrupters, organic contaminates and other pollutants considered to be hazardous to health, and publicize test results; d. Support a salt management plan to reduce and prevent salt build-up in the groundwater basin; e. Establish county health department standards as a minimum for septic systems with a regular inspection program to prevent contamination of groundwater and publicize reports; f. Monitor toxic chemical sites such as gas stations, dry cleaners, municipal and agricultural storage sites of herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers; and require clean-up of contamination; g. Monitor and require clean up of nitrate plumes that originate from VA hospital and agriculture run-off; h. Monitor and enforce standards that protect water resources from animal effluent at sites such as animal boarding facilities, pet kennels, places with a concentration of grazing animals; i. Set high standards, beyond tertiary treatment, for recycled waste water used for landscape irrigation and other surface applications to prevent degradation of the groundwater; j. Promote coordination and cooperation among the various regional and local water agencies (Zone 7, Alameda County, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, East Bay Municipal Utilities District, Dublin-San Ramon Service District, City of Livermore, City of Pleasanton, Cal Water) as well as agricultural users and watershed land managers, to protect and enhance water quality especially of the groundwater; k. Give priority to meeting primary drinking water standards over secondary standards if resources (water or funding) are limited or restricted.

Water Quantity

2. Support measures that: a. Insure an adequate supply of water from the State Water Project at a reasonable cost; b. Maintain the groundwater levels above historic lows so that the basin can provide an adequate supply of water during times of drought or other emergencies; c. Support the concepts of the Zone 7 Stream Management Master Plan that encourage strategies and monitoring to improve water quality and quantity as well as the riparian environment; d. Encourage Zone7 and/or Alameda County to monitor all water usage including the amount of water the gravel companies discharge in the course of mining operations; and well water used by agriculture, other businesses; e. Promote the reclamation of quarries for water storage/recharge sites to supplement the underground water basins; f. Promote coordination of municipal and agricultural growth plans to assure a sustainable supply of water is available; g. Establish a program to determine and monitor the flow of underground water; h. Promote co-operation and coordination among water agencies and agricultural users to protect quality and availability of Delta water.

Conservation

3. Support measures that: a. Establish a clear set of priorities to meet the realities of global warming (climate change); b. Promote education about water-saving actions and devices; c. Set a water rate structure that discourages waste by all users-- residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural; d. Establish the availability of a sustainable water supply as a condition of prior approval of new development-- residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural; e. Promote innovations like the Chain of Lakes (reclaimed quarries) to retain more local rainfall and prevent flooding; f. Promote water-saving devices and drought-tolerant landscaping in new development and in existing residential and commercial areas; g. Encourage water-saving practices in irrigated agriculture; h. Promote water-saving devices and drought-tolerant landscaping in public buildings and grounds; i. Develop and promote treatment methods that would allow wider use of reclaimed water including recharging the groundwater.

Fiscal Objectives

4. Support measures that: a. Require connection fees to be the main source of financing for the expansion of water treatment and distribution facilities needed to service new residential, commercial, industrial or agricultural development; b. Require wholesale, retail and agricultural rates to accurately reflect operational, maintenance costs of treatment and distribution as well as future facility improvement and replacement costs; c. Encourage energy-efficiencies by Zone 7 and the water retailers to lower operational costs; d. Protect low income water users by lifeline rates; e. Designate Zone 7's property tax as well as downstream beneficiaries to help finance flood control and stream management projects; f. Encourage partnerships with other agencies in the public and private sector, including the State and federal government, to fund water quality, water quantity, water conservation and flood control projects.

Update/revision: 2007

SEWAGE

The League supports implementation of sewer management strategies which maintain ground and surface water quality and give consideration to the effects on other environmental factors. Future sewer projects should be evaluated in terms of the effects of population growth inducement with its attendant air quality and land use problems.

Export and or disposal of treated sewer effluent should be the responsibility of LAVMA which should include all valley jurisdictions concerned with waste water management.

Objectives of this position:

A. New area requiring sewage treatment should be under the jurisdiction of incorporated cities.

B. Zone 7 and the City of Dublin should be represented on LAVMA.

C. All Treatment and disposal techniques must meet Zone 7 and RWQCB standards.

D. New sewer management facilities for the valley should meet the following criteria:
1. Strict health safeguards must be set and complied with.
2. Methods should be cost and energy efficient.
3. Do not degrade San Francisco Bay water or other receiving waters.
4. Reservoir site selection should consider scenic or recreation areas and geological hazards so as to avoid conflict.
5. Land disposal of effluent should only be used with strict health safeguards against degradation of f groundwater. Adequate standards and monitoring should be provided for as well as the ability to cease land disposal if degradation occurs.
6. A long term goal should be treatment adequate for local reuse of water.

E. Financing of Facilities
1. The League supports the financing of expansion of capacity of water and sewer treatment plants by the development requiring the expansion through connecting fees or other means.

Cost for the improvement in the quality of water or sewer treatment should be borne by all in the jurisdictions receiving the benefit.

Original Study 1975. Revised 1982

Solid Waste

The League of Women voters of the Livermore-Amador Valley supports careful solid waste management.

Objectives of this position:

A. Cooperative planning among appropriate governmental agencies for the management of solid waste. This should include the Bay Area, the county, the cities and any service districts involved in handling of solid waste.

B. Support efforts to comply with legislation which stresses waste reduction and recovery.

C. The following criteria should be considered in planning for the management of solid waste:
1. The protection of human health.
2. The avoidance of air or water pollution.
3. Wise use of land including aesthetic considerations.
4. Due concern for the recovery of valuable natural resources with consideration given to methods such as composting, recycling, household separation and incineration with energy recovery.
5. Solid waste management plans and practices should be regularly reviewed.
6. Proper handling of household hazardous waste.

Original Study 1972. Revised 1995, 2005.

Transportation

The League of Women Voters of the Livermore-Amador Valley supports a local transportation system with a long range goal of area-wide coordination.

Objectives of this position:

A. A transit system which is responsive to local needs.
B. Coordinated transportation planning.
C. Community awareness of the existing transportation modes.

The League of Women Voters of Livermore-Amador Valley supports further expansion of bike paths.

Objectives of this position:

A. Expansion to high use areas, such as Las Positas Community College.
B. Coordination of the bike paths.
C. Consideration of the safety of bike paths.
D. Encouraging periodic maintenance of bike paths and encourage funding for that maintenance.

Local Study 1990-91, Revised 2005.

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