Dec. 11, 2007 — Westwood officials do not support an alley improvement project proposed by Lassen County planners. Members of the Westwood Community Services District Board told County Supervisor Bob Pyle they did not support an alley improvement project proposed by the county community development department.

“It is just not Westwood,” said Elta Silva, board president.

She made the statement following Pyle’s short presentation on the project during the public comment period of the WCSD Monday, Dec. 3 meeting.

He told board members a grant-funded feasibility study recommended clearing alleyways of garbage including abandoned cars, establishing a permanent public right-of-way, relocating utility poles, improving drainage, replacing water mains and either paving or graveling the surfaces. The estimated cost is $8 million.

Pyle said he postponed a vote on the project at the Tuesday, Nov. 27, meeting of the board of supervisors because no one from Westwood attended the public hearing to comment on it. WCSD board members confirmed they did not know about the public hearing.

“I asked the board to put off the decision and no decision was made. Basically I told them I would not support the project, it is garbage,” said Pyle.

Randy Buchanan, WCSD general manager, stated money spent on cleaning the alleys and removing abandoned cars would be helpful. The staff at the WCSD does have legal access to the alleys to reach district water valves but often they have to push old cars out of the way.

According to the study, private property would be separated from public easements by the installation of a chain-link fence.

Director Krissy House explained that a fence would block access to the back end of garages that open onto the alley. This is a common architecture feature of homes in Westwood.

Pyle told WCSD board members that if they had any comments on the project they should attend the supervisors meeting Tuesday, Dec. 11. However, if they did not want to attend the meeting he would relay their response. He added the county would need to pay the company that completed the feasibility report but the project was dead.

According to Pyle, there is grant money available for such studies and the Department of Community Development applied and was awarded the funding.