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Greenbelt Alliance In the News

July/August 2005

Greenbelt Alliance Says No to Sprawl, Yes to Good Development

Subheading

One answer could be to fight all new development, and you might expect that from an environmental organization. But Greenbelt Alliance takes a different approach. Greenbelt Alliance, a Bay Area land conservation and urban planning nonprofit organization, is known not only for protecting the greenbelt by stopping sprawl developments on the region's outskirts, but also for actively promoting good development in the region's cities.

Greenbelt Alliance supports high-quality infill development that makes efficient use of land. We advocate for building affordable homes to reduce development pressure on the greenbelt. We also support transit-oriented development so people can walk or take transit instead of getting in the car for every errand.

Our Compact Development Team is responsible for endorsing good infill development. The committee of volunteers includes architects, planners, housing advocates, and other interested citizens, who meet monthly to review and vote on projects.

The endorsement process begins when developers submit projects to the team. A few team members research the project, then present what they've learned to the rest of the group. The team discusses each project and votes to endorse it if it satisfies the following criteria:

1. Good Location—The project must be within an existing urban area, and not within the regional greenbelt or any other important natural resource area.
2. Reduction of Automobile Dependency—The project must be within 1/2 mile of a major transit service or job center, or within 1/4 mile of an historic town center that could provide a future location for transit service.
3. Minimum Density—The project should have an overall density of at least 20 units per net acre. Projects of lower density may be eligible for endorsement if they are significantly higher than the average local density.
4. Affordability—Housing and mixed-use proposals must make an effort to address affordable housing needs of moderate- to low-income households and/or very-low-income households as identified in the jurisdiction's Housing Element. This includes making a fixed percentage of the units affordable to these households or contributing land or other resources dedicated to such affordable housing.
5. Pedestrian-Friendly Design—The proposal should be planned to integrate with existing street patterns, walkways and bicycle paths, and to provide easy connection to services and public transportation. The project should be pedestrian-oriented and strengthen a sense of community identity. Innovative parking design is encouraged, such as using shared off-site parking, reducing surface parking, or reducing visual impacts using location and/or screening.
6. Size—The project should have at least 20 units, although smaller projects may be considered depending on our review capacity.
7. Community Input—Projects for which the developer has made a good-faith effort to address neighborhood concerns will more easily receive a favorable review.

Endorsed projects receive a letter of support from Greenbelt Alliance, and volunteers often speak at public hearings on the projects' behalf. This outside voice of support can help make the difference in whether a project is approved. Excellent projects are sometimes opposed by neighbors who are resistant to change in their communities. An endorsement by Greenbelt Alliance helps to balance any opposition and encourage a city council or planning commission to approve the project. And it's appreciated: "Thanks to the efforts of Greenbelt Alliance. . . we were able to relish another small victory on behalf of the thousands of individuals and families in Silicon Valley who need affordable housing," said Fran Wagstaff, Executive Director of the Mid-Peninsula Housing Coalition.

The Compact Development Team considers residential, commercial, and mixed-use projects, as well as specific plans that include housing or mixed-use developments. Greenbelt Alliance is currently drafting a new set of guidelines specifically for neighborhood-scale projects and plans. These guidelines address additional issues that arise with larger developments, such as displacement, community services, parks and open space, parking, and historic preservation.

Since its inception, the Compact Development Team has endorsed 130 projects and plans for 57,300 new homes, including 12,300 affordable homes. A few of its more recent endorsements include:

• In November, the Rincon Hill Plan, a proposal that will bring high-density housing and commercial space within walking distance of downtown San Francisco. This plan enhances the pedestrian environment through building design, open space, and street improvements. It also reduces automobile dependency by introducing parking maximums, instead of the standard minimums, and encouraging bicycle parking and car-sharing. The Rincon Hill Plan will soon go before the Board of Supervisors for a vote.
  
  
• In December, Villa Montgomery, a 66-unit development located near downtown Redwood City. The homes in this exemplary project, unanimously approved by the City later that month, will all be affordable to very-low-income households. The developers are seeking LEED (green building) certification and discounted transit passes for residents.
  
  
• In May, the Hitachi Campus plan in San Jose. The innovative plan, approved by the City Council in June, will consolidate Hitachi's low-density industrial campus onto half of its original space, rezoning the remaining land for residential, retail, and open space. Adjacent to a Caltrain station and a light rail station, the development will include 2,930 homes, 20% of which will be affordable. The plan also calls for a public park and pedestrian- and bike-accessible pathways to the Caltrain station.

What will be the team's next endorsement? Find out when you join the team: Greenbelt Alliance's Compact Development Team is recruiting! Planning experts are invited to join, particularly professionals who have experience in long-range planning. "I enjoy being a part of the Compact Development Team: I learn a lot when we discuss the projects and I feel like I'm making a real difference in how the Bay Area grows," said new volunteer Jessica Aloft.

To find out more about the team's work, visit www.greenbelt.org/whatwedo/prog_cdt_index.html . To join, please contact Julie Cummins at jcummins@greenbelt.org. Also, the Compact Development Team is always looking for projects to review; information about how to submit a project is on our website, www.greenbelt.org.

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