Update: Brentwood residents stood up against sprawl development by voting no on Measure L. We’re proud to celebrate this victory with local partners—a win for the East Bay’s natural and agricultural lands as well as for climate-smart development in our cities.
Critical open space land was at risk of being lost to sprawl development just outside the city of Brentwood in eastern Contra Costa County.
Developer Blackhawk Nunn Partners attempted to sidestepped the community planning process, drafting a 193-page ballot measure that would undermine the city’s long-standing environmental protections and approve new development rules to allow the company to build thousands of housing units on protected lands.
Blackhawk Nunn’s Measure L breaks the city’s voter-approved Urban Limit Line that provides a clear boundary beyond which major development isn’t allowed. It would have re-written the city’s General Plan to approve a major subdivision with 2,400 housing units on 800 acres of rolling hills just west of town.
Measure L had serious repercussions for Brentwood’s quality of life and environment, including:
- Paving over rich agricultural land and critical habitat for wildlife
- Straining limited local drinking water supplies
- Exacerbating the city’s infamous traffic congestion
- Increasing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions
This was the third time that sprawl developers tried to convince Brentwood voters to allow development on open space lands outside the city’s boundaries since 2005. Each time, the voters rejected these cynical ploys and stood up for growing smartly—within city boundaries and not on precious open space land. Enough is enough.
We are thrilled that voters said no to this destructive development by voting NO on Measure L!
Questions about Brentwood’s Measure L? Contact us today!
Photo: Yong Thye via Flickr
