Watchdog: During drought and police shortage, why is Antioch Council approving new homes?
By Barbara Zivica
The City of Antioch is mandated to cut water usage by 28% due to the current drought in California. Why then is the Council approving so many new housing projects instead of temporarily halting residential development based on lack of water to service new homes and an inadequately staffed Police Department? It’s been done before.
Remember Measure K (November 2005) which asked voters to approve Antioch’s own urban limit line? Antioch already had a “Residential Development Allocation” ordinance which limited the number of housing units allocated to not more than 600 units per year with certain exceptions e.g. existing exemptions to remain in place and, also exempt from the allocation limit, dwelling units constructed in the immediate vicinity of mass transit stations. Measure K, which passed by 59.70%, prohibited the Council from approving any new allocations in 2006 and 2007, and reduced the number of allocations from 3,000 to 2,000 which could be approved until 2010.
To see what I’m talking about in regard to new development just take a look at the latest City Manager’s weekly report (CityMgr072315) which lists the following housing projects: Almondridge East Subdivision 8880 – a 81 single family home development by KB Homes, DeNova Homes Mixed Use project (8 acres multi-family and 2.2 acres single family residential, Laurel Ranch, a 186 unit housing development by Richland Communities, Nelson Ranch Unit 1 – a 102 unit housing development by Standard Pacific Housing, Oakley Knolls Subdivision – a 31 lot development by Discovery Homes, and Park Ridge Phase 1 – a 123 housing development by Davidon Homes. Note also that two homeowner associations (Contra Loma Estates and Golden Bow Estates) have applied for a permit to privatize their interior roads and install security gates and fencing at the entrances to their subdivision.
The Council is ignoring the water shortage, the understaffed Police Department, the fact that Highway 4 is still being widened, eBART to Antioch has yet to be completed and we currently don’t have ferry service. What Antioch needs now is a temporary moratorium on new residential development, a new mayor and a less acquiescent Council.
the attachments to this post:
CityMgr072315
CityMgr072315
We watch as this council burns the city. What more can we expect? More of the same. There are a lot of new foreclosures in this city right now. Drive out Wildhorse to the end and on the left hand side it is a mess. There are new ones off Gentry Town also.
Maybe Antioch doesn’t have any other way to make money except to sell affordable housing, which is Antioch’s claim to fame. The Marina is at low income levels and Parks don’t make any money for the city, they are a luxury item. Grocery stores and drug stores are mostly tax free commodities, since food and drugs are non taxable. So most likely the city has to make money however it can and that would be selling houses. Brentwood makes money from its farming industry, Livermore from its wine industry, etc. I don’t understand why city officials are elected by majority vote and then the time of their tenure is spent with public bashing of them? Where were the bashers when it was time to get out the vote? A difference of opinion or disagreeing is fine, but bashing?, Antioch citizens should be better than that. Use your big words!
Ms Sweatt: For a good many years we have tried to get Antioch to resume our yearly community fundraiser the Jamboree. It was the equivalent of a corn fest, almond festival or sea food festival. We were met by the city saying we could not afford the liability. All other cities can but we cannot. Where are the bashers during election cycles? We are out being a part of as many campaigns for good candidates as we can. Unfortunately the uneducated elect candidates in Antioch because there are more voters in that category.
As a resident for most of my 75 years and an active part of my community I have earned the right to voice my opinion.
Antioch has the opportunity to make a lot of money. They do not actively collect the money that is due them and have not for at least 8 years and as many as 50. I know the facts. Perhaps you should become more active in your community too.
The issue of police brutality in South Africa has once again reared its head, after four people were killed following a protest over water shortages. It happened earlier this week at a township in one of South Africa’s drought-hit regions.