A startling new concept of land development for a "new city" for 2,280 homes in Capell Valley was outlined Monday night for the county planning commission and the board of supervisors.The five million dollar project on the former Munson Bros. Ranch south of Moskowite Corners will be known as Circle Oaks and be developed by Herbert H. Kertz of Crescent Park Realty Co., Palo Alto. Legal and engineering aides detailed plans for the first unit of the subdivision containing 237 homes on 175 acres of land.
Circular Lots
The subdivision proposes circular lots with the land between designated as “the common green” or a common recreation area for all homeowners in the area. The common green will include park areas, hiking and riding trails and open areas for resort-type activities.
The circular lots would be two sizes – lots 140 feet in diameter with 15,000 square feet of land and lots 90 feet in diameter with 6,000 square feet of land. The lots would be roughly one acre and one-third acre in size.
The plan envisions that one-third of the land will be assigned to the circular lots and two-thirds of the land would be devoted to the common greens.
According to the development plan, homeowners would acquire deeds to the circular property on which they could place housing to the best advantage of view and terrain, and would jointly own the common recreation area.
The common green would be under the control and supervision of an incorporated improvement association of property owners and a maintenance district would be formed to maintain the area.
Multiple problems were raised by the supervisors, county officials and palnning [sic] commission members.
County Assessor William Johnson and County Auditor Robert Benning were most concerned about the tax responsibility for the common green. Johnson pointed out that if taxes on the common area became delinquent, the property would revert to the state and would have no re-sale value because it would be in unusable strips and odd shapes.
They also raised the question of delinquent assessments for maintenance of the common green, a problem they contemplated as “gigantic” in maintaining responsibility by all property owners.
Assessment?
Circle Oaks spokesmen said the county could take over responsibility for the recreation area and maintain it by assessment, but county officials indicated they were wary of a plan placing the burden of maintaining driveways, utilities and park area on the local government.
The common area would also include an airport, golf course and country club.
Dr. Sterling Cook, director of the Napa County Health Department, was the most vehement opponent of the new subdivision. He said the track had no water supply and no plan for disposal of sewage. “Why do you have to seriously consider a subdivision when there are no plans for water for 2,280 homes and sewage disposal for 2,280 homes?“ Cook asked.
Eugene Miller, soil engineer, contended percolation tests proved septic tanks and leaching fields would be feasible for the area and that ground water could be developed from springs and wells plus a reservoir to catch run-off from rainfall.
In answer to Dr. Cook’s question, Miller said six percolation tests had been made for the first 238 lots on the first 175-acre unit.
Each to Qualify
John W. Cone, director of urban planning for Riches Research Inc., employed by Crescent Park Realty Co., said no buildings would be constructed until each site qualified under state and county requirements for water and sanitation.
County Counsel Daniel K. York referred to the common greens as a “no man’s land” that would be fraught with problems of tax delinquency. He and Supervisor Howard Dickenson proposed the land be divided up into private ownership with the circles as a building site giving easements to remainder of the lot owners for common purposes.
Cone said this would defeat the purpose of the common green based on the psychological difference in common ownership.
Because of the hilly terrain of the country, he said, the circulat lots take best advantage of available home sites.
York said, “We formerly believed every subdivision should have recreational lots for playgrounds. They are all uniform now in that they are grown up in weeds. You’ll leave the county in an exposed position in which to cope with land outside the circles. They go tax delinquent and are sold to the state for taxes. Then there’s no re-sale value.”
The problem was not resolved.
Kertz told the county officials that he had already taken 50 deposits for homes and that “everyone” understood his responsibility for the common green and was more than willing to undertake to support and maintain the area.
Open Space
Cone explained the common green as a park-like open space in the centre of a neighborhood or smaller group of houses and apartments. Its lawns, tree-shaded walks, gardens and play areas are available to all surrounding residents for common use and enjoyment.
He said the idea was over 80 years old and has a forerunner in the New England village green. He cited as examples of contemporary developments the use of the concept at Radburn, N. J., Greenbelt, Md., and Baldwin Hills in Los Angeles. He said Baldwin Hills Village proved highly successful on 80 acres and Greenwood Common in Berkeley provides 12 lots around a pleasant common green within a two and one-half acre parcel.
He said the concept is endorsed and under study by such groups as the Santa Clara Planning Department, American Society of Planning Officials, and has been used in principle in the Golden Gate Development in San Francisco.
The supervisors reached no conclusion and made no recommendation to the planning commission, which will consider the tentative map of the subdivision at its meeting Aug. 7.
Cone said the Circle Oaks principals would be glad to schedule further meetings to discuss the necessary public improvements of county water, streets and other improvements through assessment districts.
In order to permit the circular lots they request the planning commission to waive certain zoning ordinances regarding lot sizes, frontage and depth requirements.
Astrid Edington, ‘New Concept for Land is Unfolded’, Napa Valley Register 1 August 1961 pp. 1-2
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