Retirement Community Concerned About Staples Ranch Project Delays

At yesterday's City Council meeting, several Pleasanton seniors voiced concerns about delays to the retirement community planned within the Staples Ranch project.

The City Council was slated to discuss environmental reports for the Staples Ranch project yesterday, but had to move talks to an August 24 special meeting because the public was not informed of the discussions in time.  See story here.

Even though discussion of the reports was postponed, the City Council still heard speakers during its public comment session, which began with Stoneridge Creek Vice President Troy Bourne.

Demand is high for residence in the 45-acre upscale retirement community, according to Bourne, who said Stoneridge Creek initially attracted 1,000 seniors to put down deposits.

"Support for this community has grown," he said. "After a half-decade of studying and re-studying we're near the finish line.  We're discouraged by this latest delay but hope the council can bring resolution to the issue as soon as possible."

Many depositors have had to withdraw because they have become too ill to move to Stoneridge Creek, according to Bourne.  Each Staples Ranch delay, he said, forces more seniors to go outside of Pleasanton for other elderly care options.

Patti Baer said she has lived in Pleasanton with her husband Alvin since 1968; the two hope to stay here as Stoneridge Creek residents.

"We know many existing residents that want to stay in Pleasanton as they grow older," she said. "We need to get busy building senior housing."

Dublin resident James Kohnen also said care for seniors was important.  As another hopeful Stoneridge Creek resident, he said that he wanted the council to "keep its enthusiasm" on the issue.

Sarah Albert said she has lived in Pleasanton for 40 years and wants to see the retirement community break ground as soon as possible because her husband suffers from Parkinson's Disease.

During the City Council meeting, Mayor Jennifer Hosterman showed dismay with the delay.  After the postponement was publicly announced, Hosterman threw a stack of documents to the floor and said, "I'm so mad I can't stand it."

Hosterman said frustrations with the project go beyond hopeful residents of Stoneridge Creek.  Plans for Staples Ranch also include an auto mall, parks and commercial and retail stores.

"We have a whole bunch of people interested in relocating a business to that site that have been hanging on a number of years and they're understandably anxious," Hosterman said after the meeting.  "So it's not just a small handful that want to see something happen.  This council has got to make every effort to discuss what we need to for the project so we can vote up or down."

For more information about the project, visit the city's website here.