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Pittsburg Hillsides

Photo courtesy of Scott Hein

These hills are threatened.

In late 2010, the City of Pittsburg began fast-tracking the annexation of one of the most significant ridgelines in Contra Costa County on behalf of Seeno Developer subsidiary Discovery Builders Inc. / Faria Land Investors LLC. The annexation would pave the way for development of thousands of houses on the majestic hills that separate Pittsburg from Concord.

Greenbelt Alliance and Save Mount Diablo hired the respected land-use law firm Shute, Mihaly & Weinberger LLP to write a comment letter (pdf) to the City of Pittsburg showing how the annexation proposal would violate state laws and numerous local and regional policies.

We are now waiting for a response from the City.

Background

The City of Concord is proposing to completely preserve its side of the Los Medanos Hills as part of a new regional park on the former Concord Naval Weapons Station. Meanwhile, the City of Pittsburg and the Seeno Companies/Discovery Builders are considering grading and housing all the way to the ridge top, overlooking Concord.

In early 2008, Greenbelt Alliance and allies from Pittsburg Save Our Hills, Save Mount Diablo, ACORN, and Sierra Club worked with the City of Pittsburg to improve its proposed hillside ordinance, which would govern hillside development. The City claimed this ordinance would protect Pittsburg's hills from development. Unfortunately, instead of protecting Pittsburg's hills, this ordinance actually opened the scenic and landslide-prone hills to development.

Greenbelt Alliance and allies were making huge strides to improve the hillside ordinance until the City Council abruptly stopped working on it.

Later in 2008, the City of Pittsburg undermined the public process again by continuing to pursue developing the hillsides by going through the obscure municipal review process conducted by the Local Agency Formation Commission to bring in the hillsides into the City’s boundary.

The City of Pittsburg asked the Local Agency Formation Commission to expand water, wastewater services, and the city’s sphere of influence boundary to include the hillsides. Normally, cities hold several public hearings to change the sphere of influence, but the City of Pittsburg bypassed this step and went straight to LAFCO. In an unprecedented move, LAFCO agreed to the City of Pittsburg's request and approved the expansion.

What's at Stake

Development in this area could mar the major ridgeline between East and Central Contra Costa County, even as Concord plans for protection of its side of the ridge at the Naval Weapons Station. Houses in this area could be visible from as far away as Antioch, Walnut Creek and Martinez—and everyone would notice the thousands of daily car trips that this development would pour onto local streets and highways, including Willow Pass at Highway 4, Kirker Pass, and Bailey Road.

What You Can Do

Get involved in the effort to protect Pittsburg's hillsides!

• Email the City Council to let the City know that you oppose this attempt to develop the hills, or write to the City Council: Pittsburg City Council, 65 Civic Avenue, Pittsburg, CA 94565.


• Write a letter to the Contra Costa Times opposing this hillside development proposal. The letter should be 150 words or less. Send your letter to letters@cctimes.com.


• Contact Greenbelt Alliance’s Senior Field Representative Matt Vander Sluis at mvandersluis@greenbelt.org for more information.