Politics & Government

Orindans and Moragans Meet to Save "Don Joaquin's Adobe"

A fledgling organization met Monday night to find a way to preserve land around Contra Costa County's oldest standing landmark.

Supporters hoping to preserve a semblance of the original footprint occupied by the time-worn and threatened Joaquin Moraga adobe gathered Monday to plan how best to preserve the namesake site.

Kent Long, President of "Friends of the Joaquin Moraga Adobe," kicked off Monday's meeting at a Moraga firehouse with announcement of his initial meeting with Orinda City Manager Janet Keeter. Although it bears the name of Moraga, the 1840's Adobe is actually in Orinda - and Long says the group eventually hopes to work with Keeter while enjoining all of Lamorinda in an effort to save it.

A barn on the property has already been razed and the friends want to make sure the county and state historic landmark is protected from future development.

Find out what's happening in Lamorindawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"The overall goal is to preserve the adobe and surrounding area so it can have public access, historic displays, for educational purposes," Long said, "it's the oldest building in Contra Costa County."

"Friends" had hoped to preserve five acres of land surrounding the Adobe dedicated to the site, acreage supporters say would preserve some of the sight-lines Don Joaquin and his family would have seen from their veranda before the Gold Rush.  Owner/developer Michael Olson has so far offered only a single acre to the project - a number Long and attendees of last night's meeting agreed was an "insignificant amount."

Find out what's happening in Lamorindawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Last night, the group came to terms on a counter proposal, in order to keep the view and overall essence of the landmark.

Long said he will be meeting with the developers this Friday to offer the compromise in hopes that more of the land will be preserved.

Friends of the Joaquin Moraga Adobe will hold their next meeting August 16.


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