Antioch Council adopts environmental groups’ Sand Creek initiative on 3-1 vote

Map of the area included in the environmental groups’ initiative showing projects already approved and The Ranch and Zeka Ranch projects they were working to stop.

Publisher’s Note: This article was published in the September 2018 issue of the Herald but, was not posted on this website, until now. Apologies for the oversight.

By Allen Payton

After sending to staff to study for 30 days and return with a report on the “Let Antioch Voters Decide: The Sand Creek Area Protection Initiative”, the Antioch City Council on a 3-1 vote chose instead to adopt the initiative. Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock voted no, preferring to send it to the ballot, and Councilman Tony Tiscareno was out of town on vacation. The initiative was backed by Save Mount Diablo, and other environmental groups in the county. (See related article)

The council had already adopted the West Sand Creek Initiative backed by landowner and developer Richland Communities on July 24. Conflicting language between it and what is in the environmental groups’ initiative will have to be worked out, later by council. Both restrict growth in the Sand Creek Area west of Deer Valley Road.

The staff report said the environmental groups’ initiative limited the total number of housing units to 2,100 in the entire Sand Creek Area. Since the past and current councils had already approved more than 2,300 homes, then no more homes could be built, including the proposed 301-unit, gated senior home community east of Deer Valley Road, known as The Olive Groves on the Albers Ranch property. However, both Seth Adams of Save Mount Diablo and the attorney for Richland said that the intent of each initiative was to only affect property on the west side of Deer Valley Road.

Both initiatives directly impact the proposed Zeka Ranch project (see related article), west of Richland’s The Ranch project, on the west side of Empire Mine Road, as well as three other properties directly south of Richland property. Each of the owners of those properties can either appeal to the city council for a finding of “takings” of their property and still be allowed to build some homes on their property. They can also sue the city within 90 days of the July 24th adoption of Richland’s initiative or possibly pursue their own initiatives to obtain voter approvals.

 


One Comment to “Antioch Council adopts environmental groups’ Sand Creek initiative on 3-1 vote”

  1. Terry Ramus says:

    Note that the map above is very poor in that it does not show the Sand Creek Rd from existing Dallas Ranch Rd to Brentwood, nor the extension of Hillcrest Ave, nor the extension of Heidorn Ranch Rd?? However, for some reason it does show the closed Empire Mine Rd (no cars!). Go figure? I would think that the average citizen would be interested in the designed traffic flow for the area. Also, at some point, Laurel Ave will also extend to Hwy4. This eventually makes for three Hwy 4 interchanges on the East side of Antioch (Laurel, LT way, Sand Creek Rd) and also for more effective connections with Brentwood and Oakley areas.

Leave a Reply