YOUR HOMETOWN WEEKLY NEWSPAPER
Vol. 19, No. 41
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Sexual assault suit settled by BUSD
Perfect pomegranates
The Brentwood Union School District (BUSD) has settled a lawsuit brought by the parents of a child who was sexually assaulted by another student during the 2013-2014 school year at Adams Middle School. The BUSD will pay $2 million to the plaintiff in compensation and legal fees, and the plaintiffs will dismiss their lawsuit against the district and individual employees. The money will be paid through a risk pool for the BUSD. This case stems from the 2014 arrest and subsequent conviction of a 14-year-old student. Investigators determined the boy had pressured a female student to send nude or partially nude photos of herself via text message and then used the photos to
Teen Bands Rock N’ Roll Photo by Tony Kukulich
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t’s autumn at Smith Family Farm in Brentwood, but aside from the pumpkins, tomatoes and dried corn, the little-praised pomegranate is taking center stage. When searching for a ripe pomegranate between October and February, look for a red to reddish-brown outer rind and fruit that is heavy for its size. The fruit, when stored in the refrigerator, will last three to four weeks unopened.
City council suspends parking fees Staff Writer
The Brentwood City Council recently suspended a fee and requirement for downtown development, hopeful that the halt will spur increased growth in the area. The fees on all new development, established in 2003, mandated that developers create a certain number of parking spaces, according to square footage and other factors, or pay a fee that has grown to $3,748 for each space not created. “Over the years, concerns have been expressed by property owners and potential developers about parking regulations in the Downtown Specific Plan,” said Erik Nolthenius, planning manager, who noted the suspension applies only to nonresidential development. “Many of the properties in the downtown, especially the vacant ones, are simply not able to provide the full number of parking spaces onsite, either by the nature of their size or their configuration. The only option at that point for
“ Many of the properties in the downtown, especially the vacant ones, are simply not able to provide the full number of parking spaces on site.
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Erik Nolthenius planning manager developers is to pay the in-lieu fee.” In-lieu fees totaling about $21,000 were collected in 2004 and 2005 on the only two projects developed since the fee was implemented: the Valverde building on First Street and a Victorian house on Brentwood Boulevard. Since then, however, development has gone quiet, possibly due to the fee. Explaining the need for the suspension, city officials used the example of a new
5,000-square-foot building, which would be required to add 20 on-site parking spaces. If developers were unable to supply those spaces, they would be required to pay $3,748 for each space, for a total of about $75,000. “There are some pieces of property that there is just absolutely no way for a developer or property owner to comply with the parking; it’s impossible,” said Vice Mayor Joel Bryant. The possibility of the fee’s suspension, first posed to the council earlier this year, may already be paying dividends for the city. Downtown property owner Manny Vierra, who voiced opposition to the fee earlier this year, has announced he hopes to build a 6,000-square-foot building for future tenant use near Brentwood Cleaners and McCauley Plaza on First Street, followed by the construction of a two-story restaurant with rooftop dining at 200 Oak St. – across from Cap’s Oak Street Bar and Grill – on land that once housed a gas
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The Press’ Auto Guide
If it has wheels or floats, then it’s in the pages of this week’s special edition. Page 1B
see BUSD page 30A
by Kyle Szymanski
October 13, 2017
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see Fees page 30A
Coverage Plans www.thepress.net/news/webextras
Medicare open enrollment is underway. Find out if you need to reassess your plan.
RPM Records to host teen bands organized through Police Activities League. Page 4A
Game, Set And Match
Girls’ tennis team at Heritage High looking to win seventh league title. Page 21A Calendar............................. 31A Classifieds.......................... 26A Cop Logs............................. 29A Entertainment.................. 11A Food..................................... 10A Milestones......................... 17A Opinion............................... 20A Pets...................................... 18A Sports.................................. 21A
Rate Increase
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U.S. Postal rates, including stamps, are likely to see an increase in 2018.