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Greenbelt Alliance In the News

October 19, 2002

Plaintiffs aim to halt Blue Rock project

Environmental groups sue Hayward, developer, request updated study

By Michelle Meyers, STAFF WRITER

OAKLAND -- A lawsuit filed Thursday alleges that the city of Hayward neglected environmental concerns when it approved the Blue Rock Country Club development last month.

Two environmental groups -- the Hayward Area Planning Association and the Greenbelt Alliance -- teamed up with the Hayward Hills Property Owners Association to sue the city, Blue Rock developer Hayward 1900 and other defendants.

The lawsuit, filed in Alameda County Superior Court, hopes to block the proposed development -- an upscale, 614-home, gated community and golf course in Walpert Ridge along the Hayward highlands.
The plaintiffs' main complaint is that the city, which completed an environmental impact study on the project in 1998, should have conducted public hearings.

But he doubted its merit, particularly because the project the council approved is smaller in scale than the version the EIR considered in 1998.

"We know that we did everything correctly," he said. "This is a nuisance lawsuit, but I don't think it will affect the project."

City Manager Jesus Armas, who also said he had not seen the court documents Friday, added that all the appropriate environmental procedures were applied to Blue Rock.

"That's why we were able to favorably recommend it to council," he said. "They are probably looking at the same set of facts but have a difference of opinion."

HAPA is involved in another lawsuit, along with the Earth-justice Legal Defense Fund and the Center for Biological Diversity, against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, challenging its assertion that the Blue Rock development will not threaten the endangered Alameda whip snake and California red-legged frog.

Meanwhile, Alameda County also is considering suing the city over the project, alleging that the plan does not earmark enough money to address traffic impacts on the unincorporated Fairview area.

Michelle Meyers covers Hayward, Cherryland and Fairview. Call her at (510) 293-2463 or e-mail mmeyers@angnewspapers.com.

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