ZEKA RANCH PROJECT HISTORY – OVER 30 YEARS OF WORKING & WAITING

3 Votes by the People in 1990, 2005, & 2006 Establish Urban Limit Line, Allow Homes in the Sand Creek Area. This 4th Vote Attempts to Devalue the Land – Unfair & Illegal!

• INTRODUCTION: Zeka Ranch is a thoughtfully prepared, new home community, in the City of Antioch that fulfills the City’s vision for the Sand Creek Area on housing, nestled within the unique, existing natural features of the site. The mix of densities, housing types, their location within the master plan and interaction with the site’s natural topography makes Zeka Ranch an exceptional master planned community, which could be the preferred location of executive type housing that the City lacks and has continuously expressed interest in developing
• PROPERTY HISTORY AND EXISTING CONDITIONS: The Zeka Ranch site, formerly known as the Higgins Ranch, comprises approximately six hundred thirty-nine plus (639+) acres situated in the westerly limits of the former Sand Creek Focus area. The site is bordered by the East Bay Regional Park District, Black Diamond Mine Regional Preserve to the west, Roddy Ranch to the South, Empire Mine Road and Richland Communities proposed Ranch project to the east and public open space to the north. The 639+ acres are subdivided into five independent parcels held by five separate entities.
• The proposed plan creates an opportunity to implement product diversification that caters to executives and other demography looking for higher end housing, in a setting that is distinct from anywhere else in Antioch. The community will be a synergy of planning, architecture, landscape and engineering. The use of narrower and slower streets, Low Impact Development (LID) Techniques, native and drought tolerant landscape elements, ability to integrate smart technologies and sustainable measures in the homes, integration of trails and open spaces with the surrounding regional open spaces would make this a destination for higher end housing that the City has coveted for so long
• The proposed land uses of the Zeka Ranch project are in compliance with the existing City of Antioch General Plan. As envisioned in the General Plan, Zeka Ranch is a mix of two housing types – Hillside Estate Housing and Executive Housing.
• HISTORY – 1980’s City of Antioch grants General Plan allocation of up to 2 homes per acre on 640 acres at Higgins Ranch.
• 1989 City of Antioch began planning for homes in the Sand Creek area, which would be referred to as Future Urban Area 1 (FUA1). Zeka begins process of purchasing the Higgins property.
• 1990 Contra Costa VOTERS APPROVE Urban Limit Line cutting off 65% of land in the county from subdivision development and allowing new homes to be built on 35% of the land. The Sand Creek area and Zeka Ranch are INSIDE County’s Urban Limit Line.
• 1990 Zeka was approached by an adjacent property owner to participate in the City’s planning effort, for the area. Since then, Zeka paid 25% of the costs for the City studies and plans for the FUA1 area, even though later Zeka significantly reduced the number of units on their property. The City’s initial plans for FUA-1/Sand Creek area include over 8,900 homes, plus 700 homes at Roddy Ranch, for over 9,600 homes.
• 2000 Zeka purchases land for a huge amount of money from Higgins family and begins process for approval of upscale, high-end home project. Initial plans included 1,100 homes, but in the interim, they reduced to 740 homes. The East Bay Regional Park District threatened to sue City of Antioch if they allow Zeka development on much of their acreage. Instead of fighting it, Zeka Group voluntarily reduces plans to 338 homes on 196 acres, leaving 440+ as future open spaces.
• 2003 Antioch City Council approves General Plan, formally allocates 2 homes per acre on Zeka’s land, allowing only 4,000 homes total in Sand Creek Focus Area.
• 2005 After County Supervisors moved in the Urban Limit Line to cut out the Roddy Ranch, the people of Antioch voted overwhelmingly to approve Measure K, move the line back out and establish Antioch’s own Urban Limit Line. Sand Creek area and Zeka Ranch are INSIDE City’s Urban Limit Line.
• 2006 County voters, once again approve County’s Urban Limit Line. Sand Creek area and Zeka Ranch are inside the Urban Limit Line!
• 2017 Save Mount Diablo representative suggests Zeka sell the Zeka Ranch property to other developer in Antioch for open space use, which would have drastically downgraded and devalued Zeka Ranch property, involuntarily.
• 2017 Zeka Group ready to submit plans. City staff says hold off. City wants to wait until neighboring developer’s The Ranch project is approved. The Ranch project finally approved on 5-0 vote of Antioch City Council on July 28, 2018. Yet the City Council rejected Zeka Ranch PDP Application submittal after its adoption of Let Antioch Voters Decide (LAVD) initiative a month later.
• 2018 Out-of-town environmentalists launch initiative effort to downzone Zeka Ranch property to just 1 home per 80 acres to only 8 homes on 639+ acres! Antioch voters are misled by them saying they could stop 8,000 homes. That wasn’t true!
• According to Save Mt. Diablo’s representative, their initiative ONLY AFFECTS LAND WEST OF DEER VALLEY ROAD. By then the City had already approved 1,200 homes at east of Deer Valley Road, 301 homes are planned in a gated, senior community south of Kaiser, and 121 homes are planned around Kaiser. Plus, 221 more homes are now being processed by the City. So, the most the initiative could stop is about 900 homes, not 8,000! The environmentalists KNEW IT.
• A few years ago Save Mt. Diablo suggested Zeka Ranch sell their land to other developers for open space. Zeka respectfully declined the offer.
• 2018, instead of letting the voters decide – like the title of the initiative – the environmentalists asked and got the five council members to decide and adopted the LAVD initiative and rejected Zeka Ranch project application! That forced the landowners to sue both the City and environmentalists in court – Zeka and Oak Hill Park Property won, not once, but twice!
• 2019 Judge rules City Council has to place LAVD initiative on Nov. 2020 ballot.
• 2019 October, in response to California’s housing crisis, Governor Newsom signs SB330 into law which says effective January 1, 2020 development applications for residential property cannot be downzoned either by city council action or by initiative. So, the Let Antioch Voters Decide initiative, if passed, should be of no effect for voters at the ballot under the SB330 law.
• However, the environmentalists want to still win and have voters to pass Measure T. They hope it will force the future city councils to vote NO on the projects, only to forcing more lawsuits costing the City, taxpayers and landowners more money. Zeka wants respectfully to tell the out-of-town environmentalists and their local supporters: NO!
• Today, after 30 years of waiting and planning, Highway 4 has been widened to Antioch, Highway 4 Bypass/extension built to Balfour Road in Brentwood, and the BART extension to Antioch is completed. (Major roads in Antioch, plus the Highway 4 widening and extension were designed for 12,000 homes in the Sand Creek area and Roddy Ranch)
• Zeka Ranch has duly resubmitted PDP application to Antioch Planning Department for proposed development of 338 home lots under the Law of SB330 and the application plans currently being reviewed.
• Zeka Ranch community project will be working in nature, for improvements and beautification of nature. It represents less than 8.5% of total 4,000 home allocations within Sand Creek Area and will provide about 70% of open space within its lands in proactive mitigation.
• NOW is the time for the Voters of Antioch to VOTE NO on Measure T. We wish to work with the new City Council for approval of Zeka Ranch plans, so, NICE, UPSCALE HOMES, on VIEW LOTS, surround by hundreds of acres of OPEN SPACES can be built, like those in Blackhawk, the San Ramon Valley, Walnut Creek and Brentwood. They will attract executives and business owner investors to Antioch who will bring new companies to the area, creating the LOCAL, QUALITY JOBS for Antioch residents.
• All the new homes will pay their own way, with more police and fire protection, and road impact fees to help complete Antioch’s long-planned roadways and the Highway bypass/extension widening to Marsh Creek Road and beyond.
• CONCLUSION: Zeka Ranch will be a diverse, well designed, well amenitized and secure master planned community that will provide high-end housing within the City boundary and inside both the 3-times voter approved County and City Urban Limit Lines, which the City of Antioch envisions for this location. The Zeka Ranch team looks forward to working with City Staff, other agencies, the Planning Commission, City Council, residents, and many stakeholder groups as we create a legacy community within the City of Antioch.

For more information visit the No on Measure T page on this website at http://antiochherald.com/no-on-measure-t/.

On Friday night, Sept. 24 the Antioch Chamber of Commerce held its Gala Dinner, this year virtually, and honored the city’s most outstanding residents and organizations with their annual awards. About 65 people watched from their homes on their computers or phones to celebrate this year’s honorees, while eating a take-out dinner from one of the Antioch restaurants they had to choose from.

“We are honored to be part of a community that has so many involved members,” said Antioch Mayor Sean Wright, the Chief Operating Officer of the Chamber, who served as Master of Ceremonies for the event. “Most often this is done without thought to recognition. The Antioch Chamber of Commerce believes it is important to honor those that help create our dynamic city. The nominees for most awards come from our membership and the community. The extremely difficult job of selection is made by a committee for all but the Chairman’s Award. Often many wonderful citizens and companies seem to be overlooked: but in reality, we simply do not receive a nomination.”

The honorees included Citizen of the Year for Most Impact Wanda Hom, Citizen of the Year for Lifetime Achievement, the late Ralph Garrow who passed away, earlier this year; Small Business of the Year the Rick Fuller Real Estate Team; Large Business of the Year  Travis Credit Union; Youth of the Year, Antioch High School Senior Chris Garcia; Veteran of the Year, U.S. Army, Vietnam Veteran, Past Galt VFW Commander, and current Antioch VFW Post 6435 Commander, Denny Hollison; and Non-Profit of the Year, Fellowship Church and Co-Ambassadors of the Year Jose Solorio and Tom McNell. Garrow was presented with his plaque and other recognitions at his home, earlier this year prior to his passing. (See related article) The awards were announced earlier this year in anticipation of the annual Gala which was scheduled for April, prior to the COVID-19 shelter in place order. (See related article) Each of the other categories will be featured in separate articles on this website, throughout this week.

Citizen of the Year Award

This award has a history dating back to 1947. The Citizen of the Year is now divided into Most Impact for the previous year and Lifetime Achievement, a person who has contributed to the community this year but also someone who has a history of working in the community for the betterment of everyone.

Citizen of the Year – Most Impact Wanda Hom

What does a citizen of the year look like?  What are the values and impacts of a good citizen?  Let me answer those questions by introducing our 2020 Chamber of Commerce Antioch Citizen of the Year, Wanda Hom.

Wanda has lived in Antioch for 31 years with her husband Marty while raising two children, Allison and Kevin who graduated from Deer Valley High School.

Immediately, Wanda began impacting the Antioch community by volunteering and getting involved in the community.  She spent immeasurable time at our Antioch schools volunteering to inspire and prepare young people to succeed and reach their potential.  She was also the face of Junior Achievement fostering our students to be work-ready, become entrepreneurs, and become financially literate.

Fourteen years ago, she helped create an educational foundation for Deer Valley High School and it has since become her passion.  Over these years, the foundation has raised $200,000 that has provided many programs and materials for the high school.  She has also coordinated the Every 15 Minutes Program for 15 years.  This program has reached over 8,000 high school students at a crucial age showing them that decisions and consequences are an everyday reality. We read about unfortunate accidents every day, and this is the strongest tool we have to prevent them.

Wanda follows and respects the rules of our community, she takes care of our environment, she volunteers in community organizations, she is respectful, she helps people in need, she is a good person!  Our 2019 Citizen of the Year – Most Impact is Wanda Hom.

Hom is the Accounting Activities Specialist for Deer Valley High School and works with the student clubs and athletics to manage all the funds they bring in.

“Oh, man, I don’t believe it,” she said with a laugh, when reached for comment when the awards were first announced, earlier this year. “I’m very honored and don’t feel deserving. There are so many others in Antioch who are more deserving. But, I’m happy to highlight Deer Valley High School and all of the things we do, here.”

Asked about her activities in 2019, Hom responded, “it would be our educational foundation and its support for the school and the Every 15 Minutes driving safety program.”

“The Deer Valley Educational Advancement Foundation, which was started by the parents, has been around about 14 years, supporting the school,” she explained. “This year they’ll be raising funds for the choir to pay for risers with backs on them for safety. We’re always a place for homeless and foster students providing them with supplies and materials, such as backpacks.”

Citizen of the Year – Lifetime Achievement – Ralph Garrow Jr

Ralph grew up in Antioch and graduated from Antioch High School in 1970 as Valedictorian and Drum Major of the Panther Marching Band. He then graduated from Stanford University and studied theatre production at the Yale School of Drama, after which he entered the family business as a homebuilder for 20 years and then transitioned to selling and managing real estate as a REALTOR® up to the present day as President of Ralph Garrow Real Estate.

Along the way, Ralph consulted on the creation of the theatre space in the Antioch Community Center downtown, served as 2009 Chairman of the Antioch Chamber of Commerce where he spearheaded the Vision 2020 program, was 2011 President of the Delta Association of REALTORS® and was recognized as the Delta REALTOR of the Year for 2009. He is the current president of Rotary Club of the Delta (Antioch) and is a state appointed director of the California Association of REALTORS. A personal high point was finishing the Honolulu Marathon in 2004. Ralph is a diehard Oakland Athletics and Stanford football fan so attending as many games as possible is his hobby.

Always finding time to volunteer for community service, Ralph coached his sons in CYO Basketball and Little League Baseball. He also served on the boards of the Delta Memorial Hospital Foundation, Antioch Little League (3 years as President), Hapgood Theatre, Building Industry Association, Berkeley Repertory Theatre and the Magic Theatre. He served on the Hillside and Measure “C” Subcommittees for the City of Antioch.

Ralph lives in Antioch with Laurie, his wife of 36 years, and they raised two sons, Ian and Alex. Ralph and Laurie enjoy driving a route in Antioch together for Meals on Wheels. They travel often and continue to get involved in community activities and support local organizations as much as they can.

Our 2019 Citizen of the Year – Lifetime Achievement is the late Ralph Garrow.

“I’m honored but I don’t necessarily believe I deserve it. I care a lot about Antioch, so, maybe my life has reflected that,” Garrow said, when reached for comment earlier this year.

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

By Allen Payton, Editor & Publisher

Easy decisions in both races. The only candidates with the knowledge and experience to bring true reform to improve the education for Antioch students are George Young in Area 1 and Dr. Clyde Lewis in Area 3.

Area 1

While I applaud current Board President Diane Gibson-Gray’s leadership this year in handling the controversies, protests and dissent on the board, three things prevent me from supporting her. One is the lack of progress in test scores among Black and Hispanic students during her 12 years on the board; second was her bypassing three times of two African American, female board vice presidents for board president, one of whom because Gibson-Gray said she didn’t think was ready which was rather condescending; (See related articles here, here and here) and third, because Gibson-Gray opposed all three charter schools, including Rocketship which has proven to far outshine the other schools in the Antioch district.

The new board majority needs to consider what they’re doing at that school which is helping the students advance as many as four grade levels in just one year and adopt their practices in all AUSD schools.

Antonio Hernandez is nice, young man and offers a different perspective having graduated from Antioch’s Dozier-Libbey Medical High School. But this year he’s sided with the protesters and those opposing the long-desired and -awaited School Resource Officers for the six middle and high school campuses in the district. In an Op-Ed he wrote, “Cops are a band-aid solution to under-resourced schools, and a very poor one at that.” In addition, on Hernandez’s campaign website it reads “Children Need Counselors, Not Cops” even though the first plank of his platform reads “We deserve safe schools.” Actually, and unfortunately, these days both are needed on our local campuses and there are already 14 Mental Health Clinicians and 31 School Guidance Counselors employed in the district.

Plus, Hernandez is one of the “East Contra Costa Progressive Wave” and “Our Revolution Contra Costa” candidates which includes Lamar Thorpe who is running for mayor, council candidates Monica Wilson, Tamisha Walker and Nichole Gardner, and controversial Antioch School Board Trustee Ellie Householder who is running for city clerk. They are all wanting to turn our city and school district into something more like Berkeley. That type of thinking doesn’t fit our community.

Young will bring to the position his knowledge and experience from serving on the board of Rocketship Delta Prep. He’s committed to improving the education for the students and their safety on the campus. His military experience is an added bonus, providing the order and discipline a leader needs, and Young will be a good example for all students in the district.

Area 3

Crystal Sawyer-White spent way too much of her four years pursuing her own educational advancement as a board member than the students’. She’s a nice lady and voted right on charter schools, but one term is enough.

Kenny Turnage has served our community well for years and was honored for it as Antioch’s 2015 Citizen of the Year for Most Impact. But Lewis is better suited and prepared to serve on the school board representing Area 3.

Lewis is also the most educated candidate, not only in this election, but in any Antioch School Board election that I can remember. He not only has a master’s in Educational Administration and Supervision and a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Administration, Lewis has been an instructor and works as a consultant in education.

He’s also served the community both on the Antioch Police Crime Prevention Commission and most recently as President of the Kiwanis Club of the Delta-Antioch. Lewis is the right person for the job at the right time. I just wish he had won two years ago.

For real change and giving our children a better shot at an improved, quality education, please cast your vote for George Young in Area 1 and Dr. Clyde Lewis in Area 3 for the Antioch School Board.

Gabriel Makinano was raised in Antioch and has spent the last 16 years living in and seeing firsthand the changes and struggles those changes have brought to our community and residents. He has a heart of   integrity and will work to bring the changes to Antioch that are needed to ensure all residents are valued and safe.

He is a father, husband, friend, and is known in the community for being an image of change. As a formerly incarcerated individual, he has mentored youth, men, and women leaving incarceration.

First Priority: Public Safety. To create a safe city, he will work hard with community leaders, law enforcement, and all residents.

Gabriel has worked closely with schools, families, local leaders, churches, and law enforcement to create long-term solutions to gang-related crimes in Antioch. He has worked on the frontlines of the ceasefire movement, unifying community and law enforcement to promote a safer environment for Antioch families.

Gabriel is committed to creating a sustainable plan to combat homelessness, affordable housing, and an environment where businesses can thrive. Antioch residents deserve real solutions to the issues. Antioch deserves a mayor that will represent all peoples of our beautiful city. For vision with action, vote Gabe Makinano.

See his Vision 2020 for Antioch at VoteGMakinano.com.

By Ala Rahman

What does 1940’s Germany have in common with 2020 China? A religious holocaust.

When learning about the reign of Adolf Hitler, many people are automatically outraged and question, “How could the word let this happen? Why didn’t anyone stop it?”.

There is a holocaust happening in China with Uyghur Muslims right now and there is practically no media coverage.

No one is talking about how Muslims are put into ethnic cleansing camps called “re-education camps” that are very similar to the concentration camps of the 1940s. They are forced to drink alcohol, eat pork, forced sterilization, electrocuted, women are being forced to marry non-Muslims, families are being split apart, they have to sing songs about the Communist party, children are being brainwashed, slave labor is happening. These people are being forced to denounce their religion, are being tortured to become atheists all because someone decided that people have to be punished for something they believe in. Why should anyone get to decide how someone else should live?

In fact, the world is so ignorant about what’s happening in China, the popular live action of the movie Mulan was filmed in Xinjiang where Uyghur Muslims are being held in the “re-education campus”. A movie for entertainment purposes was more important to the world than a humanitarian crisis. Many world-renowned companies such as Nike, Gap, Adidas, Calvin Klein, and an astonishing more have been encouraging this genocide through forced labor of the Uyghurs. It’s more important to the United States to get profit than to help people who are constantly being beaten for living their life as they please.

People were appalled that the German holocaust was happening without anyone noticing. Well, a genocide it’s happening again, right under our noses. What will you do about it?

Ala Rahman is a student at Los Medanos College.

By Antioch Police

While you were sleeping. Thursday night Oct. 16, 2020 at about 11:00 pm, Officer Ibanez spotted an Audi reported stolen from San Francisco driving on Highway 4 in our city. He called for backup and our friends at the @Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office showed up to help. A traffic stop was attempted on Highway 4 near 242 in Concord. The driver failed to stop and led us on a short pursuit, which abruptly ended when he popped a tire near the exit to 680. The occupants fled from our infamous bracelet fittings into an open field, but were eventually captured and fitted nonetheless.

Inside the vehicle, officers found three firearms, including an AR-pistol, which the occupants were not allowed to possess due to prior convictions. One occupant was already on probation out of San Francisco for robbery and firearms violations.

Since they had already covered most of the distance to the County Jail in Martinez (before their tire popped), we provided courtesy transportation for those last few miles. Both were booked on charges of possession of a stolen vehicle, illegal firearm possession, and probation violation. Our hope was they could also tell others why driving a stolen vehicle through Antioch is not a good idea.

Special thanks to the fine deputies at the Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office for helping us with this incident!

Folks, we are seeing double-digit firearm recoveries over the last few days. Stay-tuned for an update on our efforts to keep Antioch safe.

#antiochpdca    CONTRA COSTA SHERIFF-OFFICIAL PAGE

 

 

Lamar A. Thorpe

Position seeking: Mayor of Antioch

Current & past public offices held & years: Antioch Council Member 2016-2020, Eastern Contra Costa County Transit Authority 2017-2020; and Antioch Economic Development Commissioner 2013-2016.

Current paying job: Executive Director, Los Medanos Community Healthcare District & Campaign Manager, Steve Glazer for State Senate

Top Issues: Increasing public safety, reducing homelessness and blight, responsible police reform, expanding before, after school programs, and building a vibrant, family-friendly downtown similar to Concord’s Todos Santos Plaza.

Top Accomplishments:

1. Fought to protect the community’s quality of life by leading the fight to double the size of the code enforcement team, invest an additional $2 million in recreational and youth programs, and develop resources to reducing homeless encampments.
2. Fought for fiscal responsibility, co-authoring the proposal that eliminated Antioch’s $12 million structural deficit, and advancing proposal that reduces Antioch unfunded liabilities and saving taxpayers over $25 million.
3. Fought to keep Antioch safe by authorizing the hiring of 121 police officers, while advancing responsible police reform.

www.lamarthorpe.com, Facebook: lamar.a.thorpe 925-978-4663