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Tassajara Valley: 'New Farm' threatens rural character

A natural gem in Contra Costa County, the Tassajara Valley provides important habitat for rare and endangered wildlife as well as valuable agricultural lands and recreational and aesthetic open space. Yet for all its rural charm, it's the site of a storied, 30-year battle.

Powerful developers are pushing Contra Costa County officials to approve a 187-unit housing development in the Tassajara Valley called “New Farm,” a cleverly marketed subdivision plan that is not a farm. Developer consultant Tom Koch and landowner Samir Kawar are leading the charge for the development.

The area targeted for the “New Farm” development lies between Danville and San Ramon, and the proposal attempts to skirt the County’s requirement to protect areas outside the urban limit line from urban uses. If the project is approved, it would break the line, opening the door to further development in the Tassajara Valley and set a dangerous precedent.

In May 2011, a chorus of organizations and individuals submitted comments on the scope of the yet-to-be-written Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the “Koch-Kawar New Farm Project.”

Many commenters focused on how the project would violate numerous local and state policies, including the existing voter-approved County Urban Limit Line. Others called on County officials to carefully study a litany of negative impacts from the project, from traffic and air pollution to loss of drinking water supplies and fertile agricultural land.

Read the Scoping Comments that Greenbelt Alliance (PDF) submitted about the Environmental Impact Report for the proposed New Farm development.

Illegal Development

A legal review by Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger LLP (phase one released July 2010 and phase two released August 2011) shows that the proposed 187-unit “New Farm” project in the Tassajara Valley near San Ramon would, if approved, violate numerous local laws and policies.

Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger LLP is one of the most respected land-use law firms in California. Read more about the firm's findings in this 2-page legal summary (PDF).

Read the phase-one letter and the phase-two letter from Shute, Milhaly & Weinberger LLP (big PDFs). Download the five attachments cited in the phase-two letter: 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.

Measure W

In July of 2010, the San Ramon City Council placed Measure W on the November ballot. The measure would have expanded the city’s Urban Growth Boundary to allow development in the beautiful Tassajara Valley and the hills west of Highway 680. Greenbelt Alliance, along with a coalition of residents and other allies, worked tirelessly to defeat Measure W and keep these sensitive lands protected.

Fortunately, on November 2, 2010, San Ramon voters agreed with Greenbelt Alliance and soundly rejected Measure W. With 100% of precincts reporting, San Ramon voted down Measure W by an astonishing 72% to 28%.

Check out the No on Measure W 60-second campaign video:

An urban growth boundary is one of the best tools for stopping sprawl and protecting the open space and farmlands that surround our cities. If Measure W passed, it would have been the first time a growth boundary was expanded for major development in the East Bay, setting a dangerous precedent. Keeping the boundary in place will help San Ramon residents make good on their desire to protect their remaining sensitive lands.