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The Record Sunday,November 2,2003 S3 <br /> Local <br /> ' annel o erational <br /> Controversial Westside ch p <br /> g theNoland <br /> one out there is happy <br /> Slammed by farmers, $22M Tracy project designed overneto nt ]prevent wfloodin coin-as quite a bit of with it," Alegre said. "It was a <br /> The city used its powers of cern raised about the location matter of stop us if you can.We <br /> By Andy Samuelson tried to negotiate it,and we may <br /> 'Tracy Bureau Chief "The city was receptive and lis' eminent domain to condemn of the terminal basin and the cant a ,concessions.a w <br /> 2.5 acres of property along the pipeline route by the people have gotten few <br /> But you t fight City Hall. <br /> TRACY — As far as capital- tened. While no one is wild about drainage route,because owners who live in the vicinity of the Y � n' <br /> improvement projects go, the having something like that in refused to sell the land. areas;' Pinhey said. "It resulted He added. "We're like their <br /> maze of pipes, ditches and in a community task force that garbage dump' <br /> holding ponds that snakes their back yard, it doesn't strike Also, construction on Byronworked with city staff to come County Supervisor Leroy <br /> through the western half of theeRoad dragged on longer than up with a design that addressed Ornellas, who was also on the <br /> city worit inspire the masses mas being that intrusive." expected as workers cleaned up those issues and satisfied the Naglee-Burke water board <br /> with its aesthetic charm. — Leroy Ornellas, a decades-old oil spill under needs of the city at the same when the city introduced the <br /> lan <br /> The project, known as the S.J.county supervisor thenant comp companynes nownce used bknown as time."Yet some residents still aren't ccalled for thebasinrtthe otnal be built <br /> Westside Channel Outfall Sys- ChevronTexaco Corp. raffic on part of his dairy farm on <br /> tem, istit an eye-grabber like under Byron Road and the com- the west side of the city." p' happy' Lammers Road. <br /> P p pletion of a 50-acre water- The Westside channel will was disrupted for five months Leonard Alegre, who lives on <br /> the 28-acres sports complex that as workers dug up the ground <br /> opened last year on 11th Street detention pond on Middle Road carry water from the western and inserted massive pipes a 2-acre ranch on Lammers After the <br /> criticized that idea, <br /> or the future City Hall that will north of Interstate 205, the half of the city through a series Road near the retention basin, he said,the city agreed to move <br /> be finished in 2005. In fact, under the street. said man of his concerns still the basin. <br /> Westside outfall drainage sys- of pipes and drainage facilities Y <br /> some consider parts of the pro- tem became operational last to a storm basin north of the But farmers and ranchers exist. "The city was receptive and <br /> ject to be a visual monstrosity. month, completing a five-year West Valley Mall. From the may have posed the biggest He said his neighbors are listened," Ornellas said. "While <br /> But the $22 million drainage process of public outreach, basin, the stormwater will be obstacle to the project. worried about water overflow- no one is wild about having <br /> system,paid for with developer negotiations and finally con- discharged into the Old River. Many opposed locating the ing the basin and spilling onto something like that in their <br /> Pinney said earlier this year storm basin near their land, their farms. backyard,it doesnt strike me as <br /> fees, will prevent stormwater struction. being that intrusive." <br /> from flooding city streets dur- "What it means is a much that completing the ambitious fearing it would be an eyesore Alegre, a member of the <br /> ing the rainy season and keep higher degree of flood protec- project is one of the highlights and devalue their property. Naglee-Burke Irrigation Dis- m To reach Tracy Bureau Chief Andy <br /> puddles from forming on pri- tion from stormwater;' PinheY of his career in Tracy. The city held extensive meet- trict and a former dairy farmer, Samuelson,phone <br /> vate property, Public Works said. "Before the outfall was <br /> Director Nick Pinney said. completed, there was no outlet But the project hit the typical Ings with ing to in the late over. <br /> said residents also feel the asa 833-11e1 or asamuels@recordnet.com <br /> the laying of pipes for the stormwater collected on snags associated with a massive attempting to win them over. detention basin will lower asamueis@recordnet.com <br />