A 50,000 SF building on an acre site with direct access from the Zoo exhibits. The Zoo plans also to take in outside exhibiting animals from other facilities. Construction planned to begin September 2009, completed November 2010.

California Animal Exhibit

20 Acres of Exhibits of California animals native to the Bay Area. Access to patrons will be solely by gondola from the lower zoo area. Over a mile of maintenance road, mile of trails, Gondola towers to be installed by helicopter, restaurant and various night houses. Light design is being employed to mitigate whip snake habitat. Under design and entitlement processing, construction slated to commence 2012.

Knowland Park Zoo

Aliquot began working with Doctor Joel Parrott, Executive Director and Chief Veterinarian of the Oakland Zoo in 1987. The Oakland Zoo sits on 40 Acres of Knowland Park. The park is comprised of the Oakland Zoo and large acreage of remaining open space, extending from Golf Links Road and State Freeway 580, north to Skyline Blvd. atop the coastal mountain range. Since 1987 the Zoo has expanded and won many national awards for their natural site exhibit development. The Zoo was accredited by the Association of Zoo and Aquariums (AZA), ranking the Oakland Zoo in the top 27% of zoos nationwide.

In 1987, just before the expansion and improvement program began, the underfunded Zoo was under scrutiny by the Dept. of Agriculture and other affiliated animal associations. It began with Smokey, a 10,000 pound bull elephant, kept in a concrete enclosure built in 1965, barely large enough for him to lie down. Notice was given to the Zoo to improve Smokey’s confinement and other necessary improvements at the Zoo. Little to work with and disappearing funds made it difficult to envision improving animal exhibits erected in the early 1900’s, when little Zoological and animal confinement standards were in place.

With funds being threatened to be cut off by the City, due to budget constraints, and low patronage, the Zoo was near incapable to remain open. Aliquot learned of the Zoo’s threatened demise by an article in the Oakland Tribune. A call was made to Dr. Parrott and a long and exciting endeavor to save the Zoo transpired and remains today. It began with Smokey. (Smokey passed in 2001)

With little funds, Dr. Parrott and Aliquot, without a zoological architect, designed the Elephant Exhibit. Taking from research and other exhibits around the country, an innovative design, greatly challenged by budget constraints, with the need to balance the vision of the exhibit with the requirements of zoological design practice, and the opportunity of a setting within the many untouched acres, the Elephant Exhibit campaign was launched. A campaign to gather donors, by Dr. Parrott, took flight and with the Elephant Exhibit plans complete, contributions grew. The Exhibit was completed in 1989 and received several awards.

Design for the Lion Exhibit then began and with East Bay Regional Parks District’s first bond measure approved, of which 10% of the funds went to Knowland Park Zoo. An exciting plan of development in 6 phases was then launched.

After 20 plus years of working with Dr. Parrott and other consultants, Aliquot has provided civil design for many of the exhibits; a partial list is as follows:

• Elephant Exhibit
• Lion Exhibit
• Educational Complex
• African Village
• Primate Island
• Train
• Parking Lot / Entrance Gate
• Panda Exhibit
• Administration building
• South parking lot Expansion
• Chimpanzee Exhibit

Projects under design:

• Veterinarian Hospital
• 20 Acre California Animal Expansion, Phase 6

Consistently, creeks, trees and biological resources are looked upon by regulatory agencies as attributes worthy of preservation. Your idea of a creek may significantly differ from the regulatory agencies.

Is this area drainage / swale a creek?

Perhaps not, but it may be considered a wetland by the US Army Corps of Engineers (COE), The US Fish and Wildlife Service(USFWS), the California. Department of Fish and Game (DFG) and the California Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) collectively known as the Resource Agencies and will require, essentially, the same regulatory process as a creek.

So what is a creek?

Well, you may believe that a creek is:

A beautiful bubbling show of dancing water, a symphony of nature’s song, a canopy with showy bursts of green lush flanking its sides, where birds sing and our kids can play.

Who wouldn’t want a creek in their backyard? Everyone would, except experienced developers and home builders, who are familiar with the long regulatory approval process a creek or wetland creates. Integrating a creek into a development project is a long and expensive process. If processed correctly, the creek becomes an amenity to the property with minimal effect on the project; however; obtaining the required permits from the Resource Agencies, (unless begun during thesite planning), will cause a significant delay. Furthermore, neighbors and other opponents, unhappy with a project, can exaggerate the project’s impact on the creek and gain many concessions from the home builder through the public hearing process.

One Bay Area City’s definition of a creek is: “A Creek is a watercourse that is naturally occurring swale or depression or engineered channel that carries fresh or estuarine water either seasonally or year around.” This creek definition varies widely from what most people believe a creek to be. Using the cities definition, a five-inch wide erosive rut in a cow pasture that is dry 8 months out of the year could be classified as a creek. It may not be a creek; however, it may support plant species, soil attributes, and periodic moisture, indicating the presence of a wetland. A wetland can be created from an overflowing horse watering trough. Over time the trough runoff has the potential to support plant and soil conditions consistent with a wetland.

Download full pdf version

Here is the download link to the full published article in pdf format. (4.5mb)

Founded in 1980 by planner and surveyor, Vincent J. D’Alo, Aliquot continues to be guided by the founder’s disciplined values and client-centered focus.

“The success of our firm, as reflected in its growth over the last 25 years, is attributable to two important factors; responsiveness to our clients and a commitment to innovative solutions. We celebrate 25 years of engineering excellence and service with pride and appreciation. We are looking forward to providing clients with the same reliable solutions and superior value for years to come.”

And, it took more than just engineering excellence for Aliquot Associates to reach their 25th anniversary in business. It took the development of a dedicated and talented team of planners, engineers, and surveyors along with the cultivation of many years of establishing a close network of contacts and relationships.

As a result, the firm has received numerous awards for their project successes, including, most recently, the 2006 Builder’s Award and the 2006 Excellence Award.
According to one of the company’s principals, Mr. Robert Wong:

“By establishing working ties to regulatory agencies and local authorities, we have had 25 great years of success at designing, permitting, and developing residential, commercial, and municipal projects for our clients.”

In fact, when Aliquot is working on any type of project, such as residential, subdivisions, commercial, or industrial projects, there is a great deal of collaboration between disciplines serving engineering, architectural landscape and planning. According to Mr. Wong, “There is a greater level of communication amongst ourselves that allows us to do better work.”

The 100 acre drainage study, analyzed the historic drainage facilities constructed by the City of Emeryville, which drained the uplands of the City through the campus and also included the effect of tidal action of the San Francisco Bay. Many of the older buildings off the campus proper contained basements. Flood plain elevations, approaching curb level, had a potential effect on these lower elevations. Aliquot identified potential areas of flooding and made recommendations to protect the areas.

The title analysis involved over 30 parcels, including easement rights by others over the fee parcels and color of title to old abandoned railroad spurs. The work involved obtaining quitclaim deeds from adjacent owners, lot line adjustments, a 56 acre record of survey from Park St. north to Powell, and west from Hollis. to the Southern Pacific Railroad Right of Way. An ALTA survey was provided to the lender showing the boundaries of fee parcels, easements, and the effect of encroachments. After consultation with Novartis attorneys, lender attorneys, and title company underwriters, the ALTA was accepted by all parties and the loan closed. This also led to an engagement with the City of Emeryville to complete property exchanges between the City and the SPRR Co. to complete the bay inner trail.

The undertaking was all encompassing and challenged Aliquot’s experienced principals and engineers. Phasing plans, design, permit processing, and construction management was provided to successfully complete the project on target:

• Carefully planned parking lot rehabilitation, rather than reconstruction, which provided ample parking to serve existing stores and timely completion.
• Creek reconstruction, requiring Resource Agency permitting; permitting was achieved on time.
• Utility relocation and construction was phased incrementally into the construction plan to minimize loss of parking and unobstructed access lanes.
• Processing through Cal Trans for the widening and construction of frontage improvements on the state highway.
• Extensive shallow ground water throughout the construction area.
• Planning for a 350 unit condominium project for the next development phase.

Civil Engineering challenges included:

• New 65 acre retail center
• Boundary and topographic & aerial survey
• Tenants include: Wal-Mart, Staples, Costco, Michael’s Burger King, Taco Bell, Weinerschnitzel, Mancini’s Sleep World, Mattress Discounters, and Smile Care Dentistry
• Construction manager, project manager in addition to civil engineer & land surveyor
• Boring and jacking beneath Highway 205 with sewer & water
• Extension of utilities through shopping center, challenges associated with flat terrain
• Frontage improvements of arterial streets required widening, undergrounding
• Large irrigation canal realignment, involved reclamation district
• Project included a community of single family homes - tentative map, design and construction staking for ~200 units and two City parks

The project is featured in the City of Tracy website (from City of Tracy)

What is a Creek?  Why not in my back yard?

A creek is a beautiful bubbling show of flowing water, a symphony of nature’s song, a canopy curtaining showy bursts of green lush flanking its banks, where birds sing and our kids can play.  Who wouldn’t want a creek in their back yard?

Everyone would, but savvy developers or home builders know that the long regulatory nightmare to develop near a wetland is an unprecedented and extremely expensive effort. In addition to being a major challenge for permitting with the relevant environmental agencies; a creek is also cited by neighbors opposing a project or even a single home as a conduit to the ear of our local elected officials, who must approve the project for it to move forward.

What is a wetland?

Ask most any person exiting a supermarket, stopping by a table to sign up as a new member with an environmental group, or donating for an environmental cause, and they will tell you all about wetlands, and why we should protect them. They will declare the need to stop impacting migratory birds and the filling and pollution of wetlands along our shores, creeks and rivers. This is truly a noble cause, but little do these shoppers know that a wetland could be nothing but an erosive rut, 3 inches wide, in a cow pasture with an ephemeral flow, dry 8 months of the year. This wetland would require the same regulatory consideration and permitting as for a creek.

As any wetland, this small ephemeral rivulet is regulated by the US Army Corp of Engineers (COE), the Ca. Department of Fish and Game (DFG) and the California Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) and requires the same regulatory process as a creek. Altogether, these agencies are known as the RESOURCE AGENCIES and they all have a say. This, you will not hear in the parking lot of the supermarket as smiling volunteers gather up donations and the shoppers feel good, doing good.

<Show aerial photo of Scots lane with bridge in forefront>

<Piece on Aliquot’s processing, mention award>

For starters,

just for the COE to acknowledge your property is limited to just the one wetland, the creek, the process takes 6 months. A professional environmental resource consultant provides a wetland delineation map, which is submitted to the COE and they verify it, a six month process. The Resource consultant, engaged by the builder, is required to show the apparent regulatory, ephemeral, wetland (the rivulet), potentially restricting the use of the land further. Years ago, waters had to be navigable to be under the jurisdiction of the COE. For some time later, the creek was jurisdictional if it was shown as a blue line on a USGS quadrangle map. Now some 20 years later, this small rivulet of a wetland is considered a “Water of the US”, requiring full regulatory compliance.

To construct a drainage culvert beneath a creek bank to carry the rain flow from your lot involves all three of the aforementioned agencies: COE, DFG and RWQCB. In addition, a biologist must now prepare an environmental assessment, which may be reviewed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Unfortunately they do not talk to one another. If not chaperoned, the permitting process is more like a snowball being pushed along until it is heavy enough to stop.

Savvy home builders

are also aware that an infill project along a creek corridor, although it may be surrounded by existing development, is vulnerable to project killing mitigations (requirements) for protected species. Although the species may not be present, the biological assessment may find the habitat for the species on the property. The cost and time to prove the species is not there if habitat exists, is too great, especially for a small project. Even the biologist, who doesn’t believe the species is present on the site, will correctly advise the builder to “accept presence”, otherwise face longer delays in excess of 2 years for the Resource Agencies to permit the project. Most builders are not aware a single home project can be caught up in this regulatory nightmare, if it drains to the creek in its back yard.

<Show aerial of Hidden Oaks with creek in background, talk about exceptions for the project>

It’s now the City’s turn to regulate.

If Federal and state agencies weren’t enough, cities may further thicken the stew.  The Cities all have adopted their own ordinances and policies for protecting creeks. Setbacks from the creek vary, but not many are forgiving enough to allow adequate use of the land. The creek has been separated from the owner as it is considered a public resource; a resource which burdens the owner of the land to an extent which can relegate the lot nearly unbuildable. In some jurisdictions creek setbacks can be in excess of 60 feet from the creek.

<Show aerial of Post Ranch in Alamo comment on Knolls with trees.>

In summary

engage an engineering firm experienced in land planning, which is prepared to take on the challenge, who knows the strategy of avoiding the perils of this rigorous process, a firm, who will handle the permitting of a resource, sensitive, property and will minimize the impacts of environmental regulations. The difference is planning a project to mitigate environmental impacts by using the creek as a resource to the project, rather than allowing the Agencies to direct the process. This requires an intuitive understanding of the connection between regulatory processing and project site design at the starting point; one of Aliquot’s unique strengths.

As a result of the high quality work provided by Aliquot, eventually about 75% of all of the developers hired Aliquot to do the engineering preparation, design, and planning work for office buildings, apartment buildings, retail space, and residential subdivisions.

Initially, Aliquot was hired by the county to design and develop the roads for the BART and the surrounding neighborhoods. The county had a specific plan and applied for zoning changes allowing for commercial, retail, and residential development all in the same area.
Because, BART is located in an old neighborhood which had post-war housing, developers began to buy up the properties and make plans for re-development. Aliquot was then hired by many developers to do the acquisition work including plots and survey maps.

The result of quality

As a result of the high quality work provided by Aliquot, eventually about 75% of all of the developers hired Aliquot to do the engineering preparation, design, and planning work for office buildings, apartment buildings, retail space, and residential subdivisions.

In addition, the county hired Aliquot for further services including the improvement, grading, and utility plans.

The unique conclusion

So, in an unusual circumstance, Aliquot became the engineering firm for both the public and private concerns surrounding the entire Pleasant Hill BART facility.

Planners and environmental interest have advocated this type of mixed development combined with public transportation for years, and have cited the Pleasant Hill BART Station Area as a prime example of a suburban employment/housing center next to transportation facilities.