Residents tell Alameda County committee Public Works is taking private property on East Llewellyn Boulevard; county schedules May 28 community meeting

Members of the public told the committee that a county Public Works sidewalk and street project on East Llewellyn Boulevard has encroached on private property and caused safety and drainage problems.

Kathy Rodriguez, who identified herself as an advocate and activist, told supervisors that “East Llewellyn Boulevard is being unlawfully seized by the Department of Public Works” and said she and neighbors have title maps, plats and other documents showing private frontage beyond the public right-of-way. Rodriguez said the county asked property owners to sign permission forms and that she has asked Public Works for supporting legal documents without success.

Another resident, who the Chair identified for the record as Bojan, said he had signed permission for work but then revoked it and complained the county raised the sidewalk and roadway on the other side of a block, creating a step and pooling in front of driveways. “They build a perfect flat … But after I revoked my permission, they start to build the East side … and they raised the height purposely,” he said, describing what he called resulting ponds and unsafe pedestrian conditions.

Chair Tam said the topic will receive a fuller hearing at a community meeting: “Wednesday, May 28 at 6 p.m. at the San Lorenzo Library, the issues about the Llewellyn Boulevard sidewalk issue will be part of the agenda,” she said, and encouraged attendance. The chair also noted that non-agendized public comment items normally do not receive immediate staff responses at the committee meeting.

The committee did not take a formal action on the comments but scheduled the community meeting for more in-depth discussion.