the livery shopping centre

[Any of N]

Sycamore, it's good to see that you've started a separate thread on this location, like it deserves. The discussion on it was unfortunately buried deeply within various other threads. I'm going to repeat myself a bit here while hopefully expanding on a few points.

As we know the baseline proposition is that the hand-drawn map is a student's homework assignment. Both the Livery Shopping Center and Saund's area just east of I-680 are close to where the map was found near Liberta Court. If the map was indeed created as part of a homework assignment, then it would make perfect sense if it was based on nearby locations. The presumption is that the student lived in the general area of Danville where the map was found. It all fits neatly with an innocent scenario.

I'm not sure what the criteria might be that could help us distinguish between a fantasy map and a homework assignment (or any generic map-making effort). Perhaps symbols that could signify potential targets, but nothing looks sinister like that. (Something like an erased house is too ambiguous.) If you posit that the EAR-ONS didn't want to make it obvious, then we have nothing to go on.

The poster td9 tells us that islands in the middle of cul-de-sacs are rare, and that it's hard to find them outside of Stockton in California. Yet the hand-drawn map shows islands in cul-de-sacs. The EAR-ONS also committed crimes in Stockton. As a potential link to our guy that may be a start, but not a very strong one. I'm talking about links that go beyond the circumstances of how the map was found.

I still think that Remington Loop is a key distinguishing feature. It really makes the similarity pop, IMO, and makes it seem plausible that the area may have served as inspiration. Inspiration for merely a homework assignment, perhaps.

With all the posters here who do thorough research, I imagine someone has checked out nearby Monte Vista High School and asked if they taught an architectural class back in the '70's. (Assuming it was there at the time. Or maybe the middle schools should be looked at.) If not, it would be an interesting thing to try.

[sycamore]

I appreciate your thoughts Any of N, i do not profess this to be THE map but i will say the six or seven big elements fit positionaly like no other. and that is the difference. The ramp the shopping centre to the loop to the dead end road to the body of water all in the right positions. and i would think its likley an assignment of some description to draw up a subdivision or future subdivision.

[woofytreats]

Sycamore,

I appreciate your viewpoint related to this map because IMO there's just too much attribution assigned to it in the "it had to be EAR because and here's why" vein. I still go with my view that there's a 51% or greater chance that this map ( and papers ) had nothing to do with EAR but I would agree that there are some interesting elements that might tie it into being a local proposition. I don't know what to think about map experts examining the map and determining it wasn't related to a nearby location and a "fantasy" when, as Any of N said, what's the threshold for a "fantasy" versus a local student taking elements in small proportions and/or reassigning them...seems like a rabbit hole to me. Attributing a "fantasy" to the map would be tantamount to attributing it to EAR on an absolute level...what am I missing?? Even "If it was drawn by the EAR, then it was a fantasy" should probably be stated in a different way.

It seems that the juxtaposition of the map and the papers might have different grade or age levels associated with them but it might be hard to tell. Charlotte Wood Middle School which is now near where the papers were found was in a different location near downtown in 1978. It moved to it's current location in 1991. Of the two local high schools, I believe San Ramon Valley High on Danville Blvd. would be physically closer to where the papers were found than Monte Vista High. The Athenian School is a good sized private school also located in Danville. I feel safe in saying that many used these tracks ( including myself ) that didn't go to any of these schools.

The fact remains that this map and papers were given currency by Michelle McNamara and it's since been touted as something closer to the Holy Grail. For all I know, there may be a reason why this was relegated to a folder in the evidence file that's since been lost to time. Larry Crompton seems fairly ambiguous about it and he was there at the time...so IMO the atmosphere around this map and papers could be equal parts "internet amplification" and the difficult task of trying to actually determine the value and/or origin of these documents without access to all the facts. I like your approach even if the possibility exists that I might not agree with some of the conclusions.

[sycamore]

Good summation of the map woofytreats. Not sure what help it would be if the exact location was definitively found. The chances of it being earons drawings are both low and high. Well for now the writings stay in the basket of clues that's the rabbit hole.
Fantasy  map is not quite right. Free hand imagination drawing map of a work project or school project is a bit long. 
I still think the locations in the big picture line up really well, with lots of little bits that do as well, along with lots that don't.