Antioch—No on Measure K
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Antioch—No on Measure K |
Earlier this year, the County Board of Supervisors and other cities
refused to bow to the city's pressure to expand the county-wide Urban Limit
Line. In reaction, a consortium of developers paid for an initiative on November's
ballot, Measure K, that would expand the city by 1,000 acres. Most of that land
is an area called Roddy Ranch, which is owned by the developers who sponsored
Measure K.
Unfortunately, Measure K won. Voters wanted to control growth, protect open space, and reduce traffic. Developers told them that Measure K would do that. Instead, it will do just the opposite.
Measure K's passage may also mean the development of the Sand Creek area, four square miles of rolling hills south of Antioch. The city has tried for more than a decade to build thousands of houses at Sand Creek, which it calls "Future Urban Area One," or "FUA-1," but opposition from the community over loss of open space and lack of adequate transportation infrastructure has stymied the city's efforts. As the Sand Creek area is between Roddy Ranch and Antioch, it is highly vulnerable to development in order to extend services to the Roddy Ranch development.
Click here for a map of the land affected by Measure K.
Greenbelt Alliance is reviewing the options for stopping sprawl development
around Antioch now that Measure K has passed.
What's at Stake
The passage of Measure K means the loss of up to 3,700 acres of natural areas and ranchland around Antioch. In addition, Roddy Ranch and parts of the Sand Creek area are identified in the draft Habitat Conservation Plan for Contra Costa County as highest priority for protection. That means that these lands play a key role in sustaining threatened and endangered species such as the San Joaquin kit fox, tiger salamander, and burrowing owl.
The passage of Measure K will also threaten Antioch's quality of life. People
are already moving out of Antioch because of the traffic problems. Adding thousands
of homes and eliminating thousands of acres of open space will only make these
problems worse. It will also continue the pattern of allowing the interests
of sprawl developers to prevail over those of the local community.
What You Can Do
Campaign Update
February 2006
Developers are moving fast in Antioch and Pittsburg to bring development proposals
in the wake of last November's election. The City of Antioch voted to begin
the annexation process, and will likely apply to the Local Agency Formation
Commission by summer. In Pittsburg, Seeno is moving forward with a plan for
the Faria Ranch area in the hills between Pittsburg and Concord. In response,
Greenbelt Alliance is working with regional partners to organize grassroots
opposition, especially in light of November's city council elections.
January 2006
The November election ushered in expansive developer-backed urban limit lines
in Antioch. Greenbelt Alliance is working with local and regional allies to
prepare for next steps ranging from new initiatives to CEQA challenges. The
election campaign galvanized activists in each city; Greenbelt Alliance is working
to build upon this new capacity.
December 2005 Slow-Growthers Dominate Election, CP&DR (California Planning & Development Report)
12/02/2005 Roddy Ranch battle moves to City Hall, perhaps court, East Bay Business Times
November 2005
Developers in Antioch spent $485,000 to support Measure K, to create a new Urban
Limit Line that includes the 850-acre Roddy Ranch and the 150-acre Ginochio
parcel. The campaign used deceptive messages such as "Fix Hwy 4 First,"
promising growth control and traffic relief if the measure passed. In reality,
the measure provides only $1 million for transportation improvements, and expands
the city to allow 1,100 new houses. Antioch voters approved the measure overwhelmingly,
by an 18-point margin. Meanwhile, just 2 weeks prior to the election, the Antioch
City Council approved a development agreement with Pulte Homes for 570 age-restricted
houses in the Sand Creek area, also known as Future Urban Area 1(FUA-1). Almost
no planning whatsoever was completed for the approval. Despite Greenbelt Alliance's
legal protest letter, the City Council approved the development agreement, ostensibly
to secure funding for a magnet high school.
11/10/2005 Property line votes draw debate, Tri-Valley Herald
11/09/2005 East Contra Costa voters splitting on growth, Contra Costa Times
11/09/2005 Back to Ballot for the Bay Area Growth: East Bay voters open land to thousands of homes, San Francisco Chronicle
11/04/2005 Hold the line, San Francisco Chronicle
October 2005
Developers in Antioch continue to say whatever it takes to convince voters to
vote for their pro-growth ballot measure (Measure K). Their latest tactic is
to say our opposition is funded by "out of town developers." The misinformation
is widespread, but our grassroots outreach effort is effectively countering
the outright lies of the Measure K supporters. We are reaching thousands of
voters through phoning and precinct walking. Our volunteers find that once voters
understand the real impacts of the measure, they won't hesitate to vote no.
Meanwhile, with growth management advocates and local voters focused on the
election, the Antioch City council is attempting to sneak through the approval
of senior housing in the Sand Creek area south of Antioch (also known as FUA-1).
The Council is attempting to grant a binding development agreement for 570 houses
prior to real environmental review and public debate.
10/31/2005 Spending Big at the Ballot Box to Build, Los Angeles Times
10/29/2005 Pro-growth groups outspend their opponents, Contra Costa Times
10/26/2005 Antioch council approves housing proposal, Contra Costa Times
10/24/2005 Developers asking voters to open land for housing, San Francisco Chronicle
10/19/2005 The Space Races, East Bay Express
10/13/2005 Developers devoting thousands to measures, Contra Costa Times
09/26/2005 Cities strive to cater to executives, Contra Costa Times
September 2005
In response to a deceptive measure created by developers, local activists have
taken to the streets and to the phones to protect their open space and their
quality of life. Measure K on November's ballot is cleverly designed to look
like a growth management initiative, but what it gives with one hand, it takes
away with the other. The measure includes a 2-year moratorium on new development
and a reduction of total building permits allowed each year, and it includes
gaping loopholes that would allow thousands of new units, including development
at Future Urban Area #1 (FUA-1), over 2,000 acres of undeveloped land south
of town. The initiative also expands the city by 1,000 acres, creating a new
Urban Limit Line that would supplant the county line that has been in effect
for 15 years. Most insidious, the initiative includes a development agreement
between the city and the owners of Roddy Ranch, south of FUA-1, allowing 700
units of leap-frog development to be built.
July 2005
In July, Antioch joined the list of cities with developer-sponsored Urban Growth
Boundary initiatives. Castle Companies, a development company with a part interest
in Roddy Ranch, is paying signature gatherers with the goal of placing the Roddy
Ranch Growth Initiative on Antioch's ballot in November 2005. The Initiative
would allow 700 houses at Roddy Ranch, establish a 2-year moratorium on single
family residential, and reduce the number of residential building permits the
city could allocate each year. The local citizen group, Citizens for a Better
Antioch, is working to inform residents of the true nature of the initiative,
and is preparing to launch an initiative drive of its own that would protect
Roddy Ranch and FUA-1.
06/23/2005 Developers seek shift of Antioch limit line, Contra Costa Times
June 2005
There are now 3,700 acres at stake in Antioch, as developers move forward with
a senior housing proposal in FUA-1, and land speculators at Roddy Ranch threaten
to apply for annexation. The Antioch City Council has begun examining the possibility
of placing an initiative on the ballot in November 2005 to create an Urban Growth
boundary that includes Roddy Ranch and the Ginochio property. Meanwhile, Citizens
for A Better Antioch, with support from regional environmental groups, plans
to start collecting signatures for a more restrictive Urban Growth Boundary
initiative by August 1. The initiative would prevent the city from permitting
development outside the current city limits and restrict development in FUA-1
to very low density.
05/20/2005 Coalition seeks slow growth measure, Contra Costa Times
May 2005
As expected, the Antioch City Council approved permit allocations for the 1500-unit
senior housing project at FUA-1. As in other communities, there are some local
people who support the project due largely to proposed community amenities.
However, significant community opposition to the development of FUA-1 remains,
and Citizens for a Better Antioch (CBA) will be holding a town hall meeting
on May 18th to coordinate community opposition to this new plan to develop FUA-1.
April 2005
With a proposal for 1,482 units on 1,000 acres of the Sand Creek Area (FUA-1),
the effort for piecemeal development of that 2,700 acre planning area has begun.
The proposal by Richland Development Corp. and Shea Homes meets the City Council's
requirement that any proposal in FUA-1 be age-restricted. The Council will allocate
permits to the project in mid-April, this is the first step toward project approval.
The final application is expected to come before the council in late 2005 or
early 2006.
April 14, 2005
Residents
protest senior housing proposal, Contra Costa Times
March 2005
In April, the Antioch City Council is expected to approve the residential development
allocation for a 1,400-unit senior housing project on the Richland and Cowan
parcels in Future Urban Area #1 (FUA-1). This is the first step in the permitting
process; the developer will have to complete an EIR and apply for building permits.
Greenbelt Alliance is opposing this project, as we have other development proposals
in FUA-1.
March 18, 2005
Senior
housing plan clears hurdle, Contra Costa Times
February 2005
The Antioch City Council is expected to approve the residential development
allocation for a 1,400-unit senior housing project on the Richland and Cowan
parcels in Future Urban Area #1 (FUA-1). This is the first step in the permitting
process; the developer will have to complete an EIR and apply for building permits.
Greenbelt Alliance is opposing this project, as has been the case with other
development proposals in FUA-1.
February 14, 2005
Cities see future on other side of line. Read
the Contra Costa Times article.
January 2005
A new senior housing proposal has been developed for Future Urban Area #1 (FUA-1).
The details of the proposal have not been released. Greenbelt Alliance will
continue to monitor this proposal and other development proposals in Antioch
as they arise.
November 2004
Ideas continue to be floated for different projects in the contentious Future
Urban Area #1 (FUA-1) region south of town. There is now a proposal to drill
for oil and gas in FUA-1 as well as for an unspecified number of single family
senior houses. We will continue to watchdog plans for FUA-1 and advocate for
the area's protection. The Antioch City Council has approved approximately 500
permits for residential building in Future Urban Area #2, a smaller undeveloped
area west of town. This action allows the developer to apply for approximately
100 permits per year for the next 5 years under Antioch's slow-growth measure.
The developer has not yet received a development agreement, and there are several
significant steps yet to be taken.
November 14, 2004
Developer eyes oil reserves in Antioch. Read
the Contra Costa Times article.
October 2004
Greenbelt Alliance co-sponsored a candidates' forum, which will be re-broadcast
three times on local cable channels. The forum was focused on growth and the
environment, and candidates were asked to explain their positions on FUA-1 and
expansion of the Urban Limit Line. Transcripts will be available and posted
on websites of local groups.
We are continuing to work toward the possibility of an Antioch Urban Growth Boundary, refining the policy guidelines and recruiting financial and campaign support. The initiative would be intended to be on the March 2006 ballot (ahead of the Urban Limit Line measure in November).
September 2004
When the City Council passed a resolution "killing" the Sand Creek
Plan for FUA-1, they explicitly left open the possibility of "Senior Housing".
Developer Skip Spiering has produced a proposal for up to 1500 single-family
homes on the 1000 acres owned by Cowan and Richland. The proposed development
includes a 200-acre golf course and 387 acres of open space. The developer proposes
to create a gated community with private streets and to pay significant developers
fees.
July 2004
At a June 29th budget hearing, Antioch's City Council commented that the FUA-1
plan to put 3900 homes on 2700 acres was "dead on arrival." In subsequent
media reports, several councilors indicated that the successful referendum of
a 240-unit apartment project sent a clear message that residents did not want
more housing that would impact traffic. On July 13, the Council adopted a resolution
directing staff to stop all work on the sand creek specific plan for FUA-1 for
an indefinite period, unless the City Council determined that the proposed project
would have no impact on Highway 4 or schools. This leaves the door open for
senior housing, which the council seems to support.
June 2004
The City of Antioch has again pushed back consideration of the Sand Creek Specific
Plan to July 27. The local citizens group, Citizens for a Better Antioch, has
been actively publicizing the issue and putting pressure on the City Council
to vote on the plan. The success of a referendum campaign against a proposed
apartment complex bodes well for the prospects of a referendum on the Sand Creek
Plan.
April 2004
The City of Antioch has stated that they may vote on the Sand Creek specific
plan as early as June 16th. If the plan goes ahead as currently written, it
will set the stage for 2,700 acres of open space to be paved over and replaced
with 3,900 homes. Greenbelt Alliance and the local citizens group, Citizens
for a Better Antioch, are planning a community townhall for May 12th to focus
the community's attention on the Sand Creek plan.
November 2003
The City of Antioch remains on a fast track for approval of the General Plan
Amendments and Sand Creek Specific Plan. Getting these plans in place will smooth
the way for development of Future Urban Area #1 (FUA-1), four square miles of
land to Antioch's south. The current timeline could have the General Plan approved
by as early as November 25th, and the specific plan as early as December 16th.
We are working closely with the local citizens group, Citizens for a Better
Antioch, Sierra Club, Save Mt. Diablo and local unions, to raise as much public
opposition as possible at upcoming city council meetings.
June 2003
City Councilman Jim Conley said he has seen the development plans shrink significantly
from the 5,000-plus homes originally talked about two years ago to around 4,000
to 3,800 homes and could get lower than that. More precise studies of mine locations
in the FUA-1 area are being done by the Zeka Group, owners of the Zeka-Higgins
property at the area's western border with the Black Diamond Mines Regional
Preserve. Read the Contra Costa Times
article.
January 2003
The City Council has once again delayed action on the FUA-1 issue. Because they
received more than 400 pages in comments from concerned community members, organizations
and public agencies, the City Council decided to embark on a process to allow
further public scrutiny of future development plans. Read
the Contra Costa Times article.
December 2002
The City Council Hearings have been pushed back until late January, thanks to
your comments and concerns. Keep voicing your opinion so that we can save this
precious open space and encourage smarter development in the East Bay. Also,
check back here -- we'll post information on the hearings as they occur.
November 2002
The City Council's make-up heavily influences decisions on growth and development.
Find out how different interest groups tried to influence the City Council election
process by reading these articles: Builder
PAC favors two incumbents ~ Last-minute
fliers mailed to defeat Antioch candidate ~ Developers
hit, but miss Moore
September 2002
Greenbelt Alliance has started a buzz in Antioch. Former City Council members,
activists, and concerned citizens like you have called looking for opportunities
to get involved in saving FUA1. We have received 1500 comments from residents
opposed to the project.
August 2002
The City released the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) in August.