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Uploaded: Friday, October 26, 2007, 1:20 PM
Builder buys options on Danville orchard
Developer plans residential and commercial use off Camino Ramon near Fostoria
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by Jordan M. Doronila
Photos
 
| A developer has purchased the option rights to buy nearly half of the last walnut orchard in Danville.
Developer Sid Corrie has the option to buy seven acres on the northern side of Armand Borel's 16-acre orchard on Camino Ramon, across from Costco. He purchased for an undisclosed amount the option in June 2004, and it runs through June 2009, Corrie said. No other buyer can acquire the acres within this time frame except for Corrie.
If he decides to use his option, Corrie plans to develop the land for residential and commercial use. His company, Corrie Development Corp., is located in Dublin.
Corrie is scheduled to appear at the Danville Town Council meeting Tuesday, Nov. 6.
"He is interested in coming to the town and (giving a presentation) of how he could develop the property under the considerations of the General Plan," said Town Manager Joe Calabrigo.
Corrie also has the right of first refusal on the remainder of Borel's property. This means if Borel decides to sell his the remainder of his acres, Corrie has the right to buy it first.
Borel noted his land is in Danville, but he has a San Ramon mailing address. He said he is OK with the deals.
"I guess," he said.
Many developers have asked Borel, 78, about buying his land.
His mother owned the orchard since 1945, and his family harvested walnuts in the fall and sold them to a food distributor. The ranch had horses, and tractors in the barn are now more than 50 years old.
Still, after decades, his orchard has continued producing, despite his physical disabilities. Borel has hired someone who tends to his orchard and continues harvesting walnuts. Are you receiving Express, our free daily e-mail edition? See a sample and sign-up for Express.
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| Comments
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Posted by JAY, a resident of the Danville neighborhood, on Oct 26, 2007 at 4:55 pm The last thing Danville needs is more development. If this property cannot remain an orchard, they should turn it into a park.
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Posted by Mark, UC Extension, a resident of another community, on Oct 27, 2007 at 9:06 am Jay, an economic lesson should be learned about Contra Costa County and the "Towns" in the San Ramon Valley. Neighborhoods are taxable assets to be developed and PARKS are costs no government wishes to afford.
There is no relationship between the will of neighborhoods and these governments because "taxable assets" defines such neighborhoods. As real estate refers to our neighborhoods as "inventory," our local governments see only taxable assets.
Sadly, if you want a park, you will likely have to raise the money in your community to buy the land and develop such use privately.
Mark
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Posted by Rob, a resident of the Danville neighborhood, on Oct 28, 2007 at 7:16 pm Great, just what Danville needs, more development! I also think this land would make for a good park or it could be of those places where you pick fruit or nuts off of trees and then buy it by pound simular to farms in the North Bay and in Brentwood. It could also be made into a retail complex for Danville get some of the business that San Ramon is currently getting because of Danville lacking those businesses such as ethnic food restaurants, a hardware/home improvement store, a grocery store, an office supply store.
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Posted by Erin, a resident of the Danville neighborhood, on Oct 28, 2007 at 7:21 pm This land should be turned into a historic site honoring the Borel Family's Farm.
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Posted by Steve, a resident of the Danville neighborhood, on Oct 29, 2007 at 2:28 pm I received a notice regarding the meeting. The tentative plan has a 3 story self storage facility, a four story hotel, and misc. retail, all immediately next to single family homes to the north. All this on only half of the Borel Farm! All this traffic will have two choices, toward Crow Canyon Road or down a two lane Camino Ramon.
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Posted by Dave, a resident of the Danville neighborhood, on Nov 8, 2007 at 10:27 am Make it a park.
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Posted by Mike, a resident of the Danville neighborhood, on Nov 9, 2007 at 12:11 am Who is going to pay for the park? <insert sound of pin dropping here>
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Posted by Anonymous, a resident of another community, on Nov 12, 2007 at 1:23 pm It is a faint memory that California used to be the world's fruit bowl. And unfortunately those that want to make that orchard into a historic monument, a self-serve "you-pick-it" orchard or a park, don't have the funds to make that happen.
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