Voters to Decide on Development Measure in Dublin, Union City

Important development measures face voters in two Alameda County cities in the Nov. 4 election.

In Dublin, Measure T would allow for the city to annex Doolan Canyon, a 1,650-acre valley, beyond its current urban limit line and allow it to approve future development in the area.

In Union City, Measure KK would amend the city’s general plan to permit the building of senior housing and other uses on 63 acres of currently protected land northeast of Mission Boulevard owned by the Masons of California. Until recently, Dublin has been one of the Bay Area’s most developer-friendly cities, but in June the City Council voted unanimously to exclude Doolan Canyon from the city’s urban growth limit, leaving it as unincorporated agricultural open space.

However, former Dublin Mayor Janet Lockhart and others gathered enough signatures to place on the ballot Measure T, which would overturn the council’s decision and direct the city to annex the canyon and pursue development plans, keeping 60 percent of the canyon as open space and protecting the creek and ridgetops.

Supporters, who also include former Vice Mayor Claudia McCormick, say the issue isn’t whether to build homes in Doolan Canyon, but instead is to allow residents the choice of whether to develop the canyon in the future. They say if Dublin decides to leave Doolan Canyon alone, that wouldn’t stop Livermore, an adjacent city, from annexing the canyon and permitting development there. Proponents say Measure T “creates no urban sprawl,” grants no development rights and is only about allowing Dublin residents to decide what happens on the city’s eastern border. But opponents, which include the entire City Council, the Sierra Club and other environmental groups, allege in their ballot statement that the measure is “a developer-sponsored initiative designed to confuse voters” and nullify the council’s vote in June.

They say, “There is only one reason to expand the urban limit line: to allow new sprawl development.” Measure T opponents say, “Thousands more houses mean thousands more cars will jam our already-congested roads and freeways and thousands of new residents will significantly strain police and fire protection services.” They say, “More development in Dublin will overcrowd schools, stretch our limited water supply and lose precious open space.”

In Union City, Measure KK would allow the building of senior housing and health care facilities, low-density single-family residences, retail space, parks, open space, trails and a community garden on a property that is adjacent to Mission Boulevard between Whipple Road and O’Connell Lane. The roadside land is below the Masonic Home’s 166-year-old care center, where hundreds of senior citizens live.

Measure KK supporters, who include Alameda County Supervisor Richard Valle and former Union City Mayor Mark Green, say they strongly support protecting the city’s hills and wouldn’t support anything that threatened them or hill views. They say Measure KK simply permits the development of flat area that’s owned by the Masons.

“Moving the boundary permits the Masons to bring forward plans for senior health facilities and jobs, including memory and dementia care, skilled nursing, short-term rehabilitation and adult day care programs,” the supporters said in a ballot argument in favor of the measure. Measure KK is opposed by Save Our Hills, a Tri-City area group that says the property should be spared from development because it is part of 6,100 acres protected by the city’s hillside area plan and Measure II, which both were approved about 20 years ago.

Opponents, including former Mayor Richard Oliver and former City Councilman Robert Garfinkle, say in a ballot argument, “This measure is ambiguous and deceptive at best.” They say, “We don’t know exactly where this land is or who will pay to install expensive facilities to make it useable for the public.” Opponents say, “We support senior housing, but believe they could safety build these facilities out-of-sight on land behind the Masonic home.”

—By Bay City News

Photo via Shutterstock

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