Archive for 2010
by Eric Haggin on March 13, 2010 | 
No Comments | Topics: Opinions
What does OPPORTUNITY sound like? Will you know it when it presents it’s self? In the current phase of the Tri-Valley real estate market the sound of opportunity is an annoying “Chirp…Chirp…Chirp…”
Walk the streets, drive slow, and listen for the annoying sound of chirping smoke detectors. Bank owned homes are sitting vacant, lawns are sprouting weeds, and smoke detector batteries are running low.
Notices posted on doors are a sign of the times.
For Buyers, this has been a time to become a neighborhood expert. If you really know values, it’s becoming possible to catch some really good deals. Be careful not to fall for the idea of “it last sold for $700,000 so $500,000 must be a good deal.” Work with your Realtor to establish the proper current price but also be realistic about the future.
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by Around Dublin Team on March 12, 2010 | 9 Comments | Topics: Announcements · Things To Do
Dublin Police Services will be hosting the 2010 Citizens’ Police Academy for adults who reside or work in Dublin. The Academy’s first session will be Wednesday, March 31, 2010. Classes will be held for nine Wednesdays thereafter, from 6:30PM to 9:30PM. The Academy will culminate in a graduation on June 2, 2010. The goal of the Citizens’ Academy is to teach the public about law enforcement operations, foster kinship between the community and law enforcement, and to promote community policing by supporting and encouraging citizen involvement.
The Academy will offer instruction by experienced law enforcement staff on topics such as Crime Scene/Evidence Collection, Traffic and Radio operations, Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, Gangs and Drugs. Participants will have an opportunity to tour Santa Rita Jail, as well get a taste of officer training at the Emergency Vehicle Operations Course (EVOC). Located in Dublin, CA, Santa Rita Jail is is the fifth largest jail in the nation.
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by John M. Zukoski on March 11, 2010 | No Comments | Topics: Development
The City of Dublin hosted a Downtown Dublin environmental impact scoping meeting this past Thursday to provide a quick overview of the Specific Plan, share environmental impact considerations, and obtain community feedback. The Dublin Downtown District is generally considered to be the area bound by San Ramon Road to the west, Village Parkway to the east, I-580 to the south, and Amador Valley Boulevard to the north. The main thrust of the Downtown Dublin Specific Plan is that the area will be split into three districts: transit, Village Parkway, and retail. The primary objectives of this Specific Plan are to provide property owners with more development flexibility than what they current have and to also unify all of the other plans that cover sections of the downtown area: Dublin Downtown, Downtown Core, Dublin Village Historic, San Ramon Road, Village Parkway, and West Dublin BART.
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by Tassajara Prep on March 10, 2010 | 38 Comments | Topics: Schools
The following speech was delivered by John M. Zukoski, one of the Founders of Tassajara Prep, at the March 9, 2010, meeting of the Dublin Unified School District Board of Trustees. The Board unanimously voted to deny Tassajara Prep’s charter petition. The petition will now be submitted to the Alameda County Board of Education.
“The Founders of Tassajara Prep would like to reiterate our commitment to bringing a world-class, college preparatory high school to Dublin, CA. We know our endeavor will have a tremendous positive impact on thousands of students whose lives will be enriched by the smaller learning community at Tassajara Prep. This positive impact will be felt not only by our student population but also by students throughout the Tri-Valley. We expect everyone to benefit from the innovative, best-practice educational environment proposed in our petition. To that end, the Tri-Valley Learning Corporation is pleased to announce the addition of both Dr. Jeffrey Watkins and Dr. Douglas Treadway to our team, as we work toward our vision of academic excellence and elevated expectations.
The Founders have reviewed the findings of fact and the proposed resolution requesting the denial of Tassajara Prep. We are disappointed with the process and the quality of due diligence the District has afforded the citizens of Dublin, and, more specifically, the prospective students of both Dublin High School and Tassajara Prep. No substantive discussion regarding the merit of our petition has taken place between the District and Tassajara Prep since the petition’s submission on January 11, 2010. We are struck by the litany of inaccuracies and misrepresentations throughout the findings of fact. All of the concerns regarding our petition could have been easily addressed had the District been open to a meaningful dialogue with us. The Founders of Tassajara Prep and the Dublin Unified School District Board share similar missions. The District’s stated mission is “to support all students in becoming lifelong learners by providing them with a rigorous and relevant education that prepares them for college / university or service to our country and to succeed in today’s global economy.” We should strive to work in concert towards those goals.
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by Around Dublin Team on March 9, 2010 | No Comments | Topics: Announcements · Sustainability · Things To Do
The Around Dublin Team is happy to report that this year’s Dublin Pride Week Volunteer Day activities qualify for Disney’s “Give a Day. Get a Disney Day.” Program. Volunteer Day will be on Saturday, April 24th, from 8:00AM to 12:00 noon. The City of Dublin still needs over 300 volunteers to help out with Senior Assistance, School Beautification, and Tree Planting Projects. Disney is only accepting one million volunteers for this special offer.
Disney’s “Give a Day. Get a Disney Day.” is a program that celebrates and inspires volunteerism. Disney is working with HandsOn Network to promote amazing volunteer opportunities in local communities everywhere. As a way of thanking volunteers for their good work, Disney will give a free ticket good for one day admission to a Walt Disney World® or Disneyland® theme park.
HandsOn Network, the volunteer-focused arm of Points of Light Institute, is the largest volunteer network in the nation and includes more than 250 HandsOn Action Centers that reach more than 83% of the nation’s population. These affiliates act as community hubs—places where people can get connected, get involved, and make change happen in their communities. HandsOn Network focuses on helping people plug into volunteer opportunities in their local community, helping nonprofit organizations manage volunteer resources, and developing the leadership capacity of volunteers.
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by Tyler Moxley on March 8, 2010 | No Comments | Topics: Opinions
I normally just post the data from the previous month and do not go into too much detail about what I see personally. As a Realtor in Dublin, CA, I have noticed an amazing shift in just the last month. In the month of February, the Moxley Real Estate Team saw more homes receive multiple offers than we had in the past. I am still getting calls for a condo in Dublin Ranch Villages that went pending last week. People are still hoping there is some chance they can view it and write an offer. This rise in demand is due to the fact that inventory of high-quality homes is so low. Last week, I also had clients write offers on a home that already had 51 offers. The home was priced at $500,000. All these first-hand accounts suggest that the market is hot again, and we need more homes for sale in Dublin.
Dublin Detached Homes
The number of detached homes sold in Dublin, CA, dropped in February 2010. A total of 15 homes sold in February compared to 17 in January. The highest sale price for a Dublin detached home was $975,000 on Inspiration Circle. That home sold at $284 a square foot. The lowest sale price for a Dublin detached home was $422,000 on Mansfield Avenue. That home sold at $299 a square foot.
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by John M. Zukoski on March 7, 2010 | No Comments | Topics: Announcements · Sustainability · Things To Do
The 2010 Dublin Pride Week will start Saturday, April 24th, and run through Saturday, May 1st. Dublin Pride Week is an annual event that promotes a positive image for the City of Dublin. The goal is to demonstrate ways in which individuals or groups can act to improve the community.
“Volunteer Day” will be on Saturday April 24th from 8:00AM to 12:00 noon. Please note that volunteers are needed to help with Senior Assistance, School Beautification, and Tree Planting Projects. Volunteers will be invited to a BBQ at Shannon Park following all volunteer activities.
The City of Dublin has planned a wide variety of activities with the environment as the central theme this year. A water-wise workshop on drought tolerant gardening techniques will be held on Saturday April 24th from 2PM to 3:30PM in the Dublin Library Community Room. Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection and Compost Give-a-Way Day will be held on Saturday, May 1st. Other fun activities include the Guided Nature Walk and the Planet Dublin Poster Contest. The Guided Nature Walk will take place on Saturday, May 1st, along the Martin Canyon Creek Trail. The Planet Dublin Poster Contest is open to all the K-12 students. Winners will receive gift certificates and City Council recognition.
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by Around Dublin Team on March 5, 2010 | 1 Comment | Topics: Announcements · Profiles
As one of the oldest animal welfare organizations in the United States, the East Bay SPCA has been concerned with animal welfare for over 135 years. It has been providing shelter, health care, and adoption services for unwanted animals since 1874. The East Bay SPCA is committed to finding homes for adoptable cats and dogs, providing affordable veterinary and spay/neuter services, and educating the public on responsible pet ownership. It serves Alameda and Contra Costa Counties and operates two Adoption and Education Centers, two Spay/Neuter Surgery Centers, and a full-service Veterinary Clinic. The East Bay SPCA’s facility on Gleason Drive in Dublin, CA, houses both an Adoption Center and a Spay/Neuter Center. Many wonderful animals are currently waiting for the right home in the Dublin facility.
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by Around Dublin Team on March 4, 2010 | 9 Comments | Topics: Development
On February 10, 2010, Regent Properties unveiled the new site plan for Phase II of Sorrento at Dublin Ranch to current residents at the Sorrento Clubhouse in Dublin, CA. Commonly known as Sorrento East, the second phase of the Sorrento project is approved for 694 homes similar to the 432 homes in the first phase currently being built and sold by Toll Brothers. Regent Properties is processing an Amendment to the approvals that will reduce the overall unit count by 113 to 581 homes, increase the number of neighborhoods from five to six, and provide better parking. The parking ratio for all the detached homes in Sorrento East will be at least 3 spaces per unit. Certain elevations in select neighborhoods will even offer private driveways. Three of the six communities will feature “lifestyle yard spaces” that range in size from 200 square feet up to 730 square feet. All homes will be either two stories or three stories, but no master bedroom will be on the third floor.
Neighborhoods 6, 7, and 8 will be the three Sorrento East communities with “lifestyle yard spaces.” The 102 detached homes in Neighborhood 6 are located in the Northwestern corner of Sorrento East. Ranging from 2,275 square feet to 2,920 square feet in size, these homes will offer yard spaces from 200 square feet up to 730 square feet. Neighborhood 7 will be to the East of Neighborhood 6 and to the North of the future Kolb Elementary School. The 95 detached homes in Neighborhood 7 range from 1,695 square feet to 2,860 square feet in size, and they offer yard spaces from 300 square feet up to 500 square feet. Bisected by the pedestrian corridor that includes the bridge connecting Sorrento East and Sorrento West over Grafton Street, Neighborhood 8 will be to the South of Neighborhood 6 and to the West of the park. Neighborhood 8 will have 138 detached homes ranging from 1,610 square feet to 2,105 square feet in size. These homes will also feature yard spaces from 240 square feet up to 340 square feet.
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