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Press Release

June 9, 2010

CONTACT:
Jeremy Madsen, Executive Director, jmadsen@greenbelt.org, (415) 543-6771 x310
Matt Vander Sluis, Senior Field Representative, mvandersluis@greenbelt.org, (415) 543-6771 x322

Brentwood Voters Reject Developer Land Grab

Vital farmland saved from sprawl;
Greenbelt Alliance sees victory for Grow Smart vision

On June 8, Brentwood voters soundly rejected Measure F, the urban limit line
expansion that would have sacrificed 740 acres of valuable agricultural lands to sprawl. Brentwood voted down the measure 57 to 43%.

“This vote underscores a commitment to protect farmland and to put new growth in its proper place—within existing cities and towns,” says Jeremy Madsen, Greenbelt Alliance Executive Director. “And it sends a message to sprawl developers to respect voter-approved boundaries that protect open space.”

The Measure F defeat was a hard-earned victory. Measure F opponents were outspent 35 to 1, and Brentwood residents were inundated with glossy Yes on F campaign mailers for weeks before the election. “David won by handing out flyers and talking to neighbors while Goliath spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on a slick misinformation campaign,” says Matt Vander Sluis, Senior Field
Representative for Greenbelt Alliance. Greenbelt Alliance worked closely with Save Mount Diablo and People Opposed to Developer Measure F.

The victory in Brentwood is great news for Greenbelt Alliance’s Grow Smart Bay Area vision. To achieve a region that balances protection for farms, forests and watersheds with investment in climate-friendly and affordable cities, every acre matters. The defeat of this developer land grab saves 740 acres of key wildlife habitat, ranchland and natural beauty for the benefit of all Bay Area residents.

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For 50 years, Greenbelt Alliance has been the San Francisco Bay Area's advocate for open spaces and vibrant places, with offices in San Francisco, San Jose, Walnut Creek, San Rafael, and Santa Rosa. www.greenbelt.org