December 11, 2003

Tranquil Echo Lake faces an uncertain future

By Lorraine Gabbert
Staff Writer

Echo Lake is a peaceful spot situated by Wooded Lake Drive and Leyland Park Drive. It’s a tranquil place where sunlight often dances on the water’s rippling surface and ducks can be heard adding their voices to the birdsongs ringing out from the hillside’s royal oaks. Not so peaceful, however, is the neighborhood dilemma this serene lake is causing.

Echo Lake is a peaceful, tranquil site, situated by Wooded Lake Drive and Leyland Park Drive. Sunlight dances upon the water’s rippling surface as two ducks alight, adding their voices to the birdsong that rings out from the royal oaks that dot the hillside. The lake also sits at the center of a neighborhood dilemma.

Originally created as a watering hole for cattle, the lake was purchased from Pierce Ranch by the Almaden Country Club in the 1960s as a water supply for its golf course. Over the years, residents have grown attached to Echo Lake, which is true to its name, and have enjoyed hiking, fishing, and gathering wildflowers around it. In the spring, the creek and spillway create a magnificent waterfall, which can be heard far down Leyland Park Drive. Eagles, golden hawks, deer, wild turkeys and wild pigs drink from its silvery surface, and a pair of blue herons have a nest nearby.

All of that may change as Almaden Country Club prepares to sell the lake and surrounding environs. They have entered into a contract with developer Paul Ugenti, who hopes to build four homes on the site, one being his own. However, the covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&Rs) of the local tract housing would have to be changed, requiring a majority vote from the residents of about 115 homes.

If the CC&Rs are changed and development plans proceed, the spillway and waterfall will be cemented over, a concrete dam will likely be constructed, and the lake would be reconfigured. The lake would not be open to the public as the newly locked gate and “No Trespassing” signs even now make clear. Although this has been private property for 30 years, the cyclone fence has only been in place for seven, and until recently, was open to residents.

“The country club has been really nice about letting people come down here,” recalls resident Terry Haggin, “They left the gate open so people could walk their dogs and fish. It’s the first time it’s been completely closed off.”

Local residents Virginia and Gary Throckmorton lament the addition of the cyclone fence around the lake. “Our grandkids love walking around the lake picking wild flowers and feeding the ducks,” says Virginia. Gary recalls that there were many years without a fence. “All they want to do is block it off so no one has access to it,” he observes, “so we’d say, ‘OK, you might as well build there.’”

Virginia believes that many of the local residents are opposed to the development of Echo Lake. “The residents are trying to fight it,” she asserts, “No one wants to lose the lake. People are trying to get up enough money to buy it. The residents at Silver Creek did that.” She believes the key to restoring neighborhood access to the lake is refusing to change the CC&Rs. “If we just sign this over, they can do anything they want,” she notes.

She is concerned about the lack of information she has received as to where the project currently stands. She is also alarmed at the developer’s approach. “When new people move in, the developer tries to work them with generalities and takes advantage of their not knowing what’s going on,” she comments. “He tells them everyone’s for it and to sign a ballot on the spot.” Developer Paul Ugenti sees things a little differently. “I went door to door to meet people... introduce myself, show them what I’m proposing, and ask them, if they thought it was something they could support, would they like to sign it now. I didn’t pressure anyone into doing anything,” he states, “I’ve spoken with the people who don’t have a vote on Leyland and Rimrock. I’m willing to talk to anybody.”

From the perspective of Almaden Country Club, selling the lake property is the financial key to enhancing their premiere golf course. “Our interest is in selling the lake and having it work out so that the homeowners find that satisfactory,” states board of directors member Paul O’Neil. “We plan to take the money that we make from (the sale of) the lake and build a lake on the golf course... about 150 yards long from the 17th hole to the sand trap. Having a lake on the course adds to the challenge of the hole greatly. It would be right next to the pump house, so the location would be ideal. In the summer, where it can be 100 degrees, a golf course can’t go a couple of days without water without a lot of damage, so the security of our water supply is very important. We’d also be able to do some work on some of the other holes with the money from the transaction.”

O’Neil hopes that an agreement can be reached between Ugenti and the residents, but allows for other options. “Right now we have a contract signed with Mr. Ugenti, and we have to honor that,” he says, “His part is to get the homeowners’ and city’s approval. Assuming that didn’t happen, we’d be open to any proposition that allows us to sell the property–that includes the homeowners.” O’Neil believes that a properly designed and well thought out plan to develop the area would be good for homeowners and would enhance the value of their property. “Sooner or later someone is going to make better use of that property. Mr. Ugenti is planning to build a house he’s going to live in, and million dollar homes. He’s been working with homeowners to satisfy their concerns,” he notes. “We have no argument with the homeowners. We would like them to be satisfied. Many of them are members of the club.”

Rather than seeing Echo Lake developed, resident Terry Haggin hopes that residents will raise the money to purchase it themselves, or partner with a nonprofit environmental group to buy the land and donate it as part of Quicksilver Park. He has set up a “Save Echo Lake” committee and has received pledges for more than $100,000 so far. Haggin appreciates the natural beauty of the open space around the spillway and would like it to stay that way. “On this side of the hill there are wildflowers because this is a rare serpentine rock,” he observes, “During the springtime it is covered with little serpentine flowers of blue and red and white and yellow. It’s gorgeous,” he enthuses, “And the whole hill fills with millions of poppies. People come and take pictures of their kids and the flowers.”

Haggin was concerned when he heard that the developer wanted to have the CC&Rs changed. “The neighborhood has the right to dictate how they’re going to build and where they’re going to build because of the CC&Rs,” he states. Haggin petitioned the neighbors and set up booths at the library and Safeway to attain signatures from people in favor of preserving the lake and surrounding open space as it currently exists. “We showed them the new project and they went nuts,” Haggin states, “They said, ‘We don’t want any development on the spillway or the waterfall. We can approve maybe two houses on the flat land.’”

Developer Paul Ugenti has lived in Almaden for 25 years, raised his family here, and hopes to retire beside Echo Lake. “Working with the homeowners, I know they didn’t want a lot of development,” he reflects, “They wanted to preserve the lake. I’ve had individual and group meetings trying to get feedback from them.” Ugenti has also met with many of the people who live around the lake but don’t have a vote, as their homes are not in the tract covered by the CC&Rs in question. “I’ve spent as much time with the people who don’t have a vote as do,” he says, “I want to be a neighbor. I don’t want to go in there and have a lot of problems.” He also shares their appreciation for the lake. “Why wouldn’t I want that lake to be the way it is? It’s beautiful!” he enthuses. “My main purpose is to provide an option to preserve the lake. In essence the lake would be the same size and maybe a little larger. There’s a willingness by a group of people to try and come up with a plan that gives them what they want—which is control of the lake—and also allow some development.”

Ugenti says that the country club has agreed to continue pumping water into the lake, but that the new homes would form an association and be responsible for maintaining it, if necessary. As far as neighbors walking around the lake, Ugenti notes that it is private property. He plans to construct a dock and gazebo upon it. Aware of the residents’ concern with construction time of the new homes, he notes that under ‘Special Instructions’ in the revised CC&Rs, “Owners of said lots will start construction of homes within 60 days of the first start and complete home construction within 18 months of the last home started.” A final proposal has not been submitted for a vote at this time. Ugenti believes that his development would be an improvement to the neighborhood and hopes to come to a satisfactory agreement with the neighbors. “I think it’s beneficial for the people to develop something that’s reasonable, and yet still preserves the essence of what Echo Lake is,” he comments, “And I think my proposal does that.”

Neighbor Jim Heisch feels that developing four homes by Echo Lake are two too many. “Ideally one or two homes and preserving the lake would be to everybody’s benefit, and have less impact on our quality of life,” he asserts. “The homeowners are concerned about maintaining the lake’s surface size, and the construction noise, and development time.” Heisch is also concerned with the CC&Rs. “If he has his own house built and parcels out the others, will the CC&Rs be strong enough to ensure the total construction time?” he wonders. “Currently the CC&Rs prohibit any residential construction there. He’s trying to redesign lot sizes from two to four and to amend the CC&Rs.” Heisch is reserving his judgement on the development until he sees the developer’s architectural renderings and modified plans. “We’re still waiting to see the final plans from Paul,” he notes.

Neighbor Michael Trudeau is waiting to see results from the city as to what Ugenti can and can’t do there. “He is in the process of obtaining a clearer outline,” he comments, “There are issues with the water and the dam. If he can meet the provisions, then I’m in favor of it. Preservation of the lake is mandatory and he guarantees to retain the lake.” Trudeau considers one of the existing corner lots to be an eyesore to the community and believes that developing it with one or two homes would improve it. “He has to work with the corps of engineers and satisfy the city, and improve the neighborhood so the corner lots are turned into nice residences,” Trudeau maintains.

At this time, the future of Echo Lake remains to be seen. But in the end, as Denelle Fedor, land-use legislative assistant to Vice Mayor Pat Dando says, “First and foremost, a developer needs to contact neighbors and work with them. Sometimes developers can enhance an area, and sometimes they don’t, and the best people to make this decision are the neighbors—and that needs to be respected.”