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Greenbelt Alliance In the News

June 7, 2004

Hayward housing project to go forward

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The Hayward 1900, which is developing Blue Rock, announced that it has agreed to purchase an adjoining 120 acres of land for open space, to add to the 1,200 acres already dedicated for parks and protection of the Alameda whipsnake and red-legged frog. The developer also agreed to establish a $1.5 million fund to buy more land for conservation possibly near Union City.

The agreement to end litigation was reached during mediation under the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that began June 1 with the Hayward Area Planning Association, the Center for Biological Diversity and the Greenbelt Alliance.

"It's the best solution, all things considered," said Sherman Lewis, a member of the Hayward Area Planning Association, who has been fighting the devleopment since 1978. "The school was not a critical issue in our thinking. Our problem was the best we could accomplish with litigation would be a a year or two of delay. Rather than delay the inevitable, we tried to get money to buy land."

The agreement marks the end of more than two decades of conflicts over the land known as Walpert Ridge. Originally, developers proposed to build 2,400 homes in 1980 across 1,600 acres. By 1989, the number approved by the City Council had been reduced to 1,250 homes. Residents, however, believed it was still too big and mounted a referendum that killed the project.

When Steve Miller joined Hayward 1900, the company developing Blue Rock, in 1991, he put together a committee to discover what residents would approve in the hills. A 614-home country club development that Miller described as a mini-Blackhawk was created, but it did not please everyone and the project has been in the courts ever since.

A decision earlier this year by federal judge Susan Illston giving the project a green light was stymied when opponents persuaded the 9th Circuit to issue an injunction to stop construction pending a decision on whether the development threatened endangered species.

During mediation, a biologist testified that a trap and release program that caught 600 snakes netted only one whipsnake.

"The snake biologist concluded that the golf course area does not function as an activity center for the whipsnake population," Miller said in a statement. "Still, we've agreed to a substantial additional environmental investment in conservation land to ensure the new school gets built and so that the project can go ahead without further costly delay."

Grading on the project will begin this week, thus ensuring the $8.5 million in state bond money will help pay the cost of building an elementary school at the site.

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