Fernside Boulevard Housing Development (!!).

You know that big empty lot on Fernside Boulevard right off the Fruitvale Bridge?  For years, I've harbored a fantasy of the city buying it from its owner and converting it into a big, beautiful park with leafy trees that drown out the noise from bridge traffic.  

As long as I'm still dreaming, the back corner of the park would have a mini dog run for my English setter and his neighhood friends.  The park's name is "Fernside Park." No, wait. Maybe something sexier, like "Gran Paseo de Versailles."

OK, I'm finished dreaming. Time for reality: it's going to be a housing development called Mapes Ranch. That name conjurs a downscale-Harbor-Bay-with-loud-bridge-traffic kind of development. Yes, my dreams are shattered. But what else is new?

Here are the stats: 11 lots, two of which can house 6-7 townhomes. The rest are single family homes. Two units of affordable housing. Most of the lots are 4,000-5,000 square feet. Oh well. It could be worse.

You can read full the details here: http://www.cityofalamedaca.gov/City-Hall/Calendar-of-Events?id=1052&a=20120723

Holla at your boy,
Anonymous Johnson

P.S. Clifford Mapes, the owner of the lot, posted a "notice of hearing" about this project in a curiously last-minute fashion.