San Ramon Golf Course and Canyon Lakes Golf Course
(Land Uses Governed by Commercial Recreation (CR) Primary Zone)
| Existing Park (P) Zone Cultural Institution Day Care, General Park/Rec Facility Utilities, Major/Minor Riding Academies Government Offices Eating/Drinking Establishments Limited Warehouse/Storage Horticulture Unlimited Accessory Uses Carnivals | Rezone to Commercial Recreation (CR) Zone Recycling Facility * Emergency Shelter * Homeless Shelter * Transitional Housing * (1) Public Safety Facility * (2) Cogeneration Facility * Wireless Telecommunications Facility * ATM Office Accessory Outdoor Retail Sales/Activities Accessory Retail/Services Movie Theater Performing Arts Theater Dance Studio Martial Arts Studio Roller Skating Facility Sports Assembly Facility Entertainment Facility Specialized Education School (3) Training School (3) Library Museum Art Gallery Golf Course Fitness/Health Facility Conference/Convention Facility Commercial Recreation Outdoor Commercial Recreation Indoor Religious Assembly | Proposed CR/Golf Course Overlay Zone Golf Course Park/Recreation Facility Accessory Retail Accessory Office |
- * State Mandated Requirements for the City of San Ramon may include: (See * above)
- * City may choose to use Eminent Domain because there is "No place left to put these."
2 Public Safety Facility With the elimination of businesses as part of the Crow Canyon Specific Plan, (proposed for 735 Low Income/High Density Affordable Housing Units); the City will need a place for all of those listed under Commercial Recreation (CR) Land Use Zone. (This is the Primary Zone and, it defines the land uses for the golf courses over the golf course Overlay). In addition, the City is currently establishing their own Police Department and, will no longer contract with the Sheriff'’s Department of the Contra Costa County in the future, and will need a larger space to house the Police Department.
3 Specialized Education School And Training School Laborer's Training Camp to be eliminated and planned for Housing on the West Side (behind Albertson's). Where will the Training Camp be moved to?
Our City of San Ramon Officials have established these increased Land Uses and are rezoning the San Ramon Golf Course and Canyon Lakes Golf Course to be the future dumping ground for all of the above CR land uses that, "have no place left to go," or the City will use Eminent Domain to meet, "State Mandated requirements."
In the event, the owner of the golf course property or the City choose to modify the golf course with a land use not allowed by the Golf Course Overlay, although, allowed by the Commercial Recreation Zone, it would require only ONE meeting with the Planning Commission and, ONE meeting with the City Council. In addition, Notification to surrounding homeowners would be at the discretion of the Zoning Administrator, Phil Wong, Director of Planning.
CC:
Abram Wilson, Mayor
Carol Rowley, Vice Mayor
Jim Livingstone, Councilmember
Dave Hudson, Councilmember
Scott Perkins, Councilmember
May 26, 2006
City Council Final Vote: June 13, 2006
(Information compiled from the March 7, 2006 Staff Report to the Planning Commission; and the May 23, 2006 City Council Staff Report.)
19 comments:
Did you know that a cogeneration
facility is a power plant? Why are
they rezoning the golf courses to
include POWER PLANTS?
Well Anonymous, let's look at these proposed land uses. The purveyors of this fine site advocate changing the zoning of the golf courses to Park, from the newly proposed zoning overlay of Golf Course (and the City recommended zoning change to Golf Course).
Let's compare these two options, I'll call the Park Zone Option the "No Brains Option". Take a look, with me if you will at the allowable uses if we change to the Park Zone.
No Brains Option
1) Orchard, vineyard
2) Mini Storage
3) Library, Museam, Gallery
4) Child Care Facility
5) Utility Facility
6) Utility Infrastructure
7) Park and Rec Facility
8) Accessory Retail
9) Office Accessory
10) .10 FAR
Now, let's look at the Golf Course Zone Option, one I'll call the "No Brainer Option".
No Brainer Option
1) Golf Course/Country Club
2) Park/Rec Facility, max 2 acres
3) Accessory Retail
4) Office - Accessory
5) .10 FAR
Which option do YOU prefer???
The owners of the golf course purchased the golf course zoned
as Park. Why change it?
The Save Our Golf Courses as Open Space Initiative aims to not only rezone our Golf Courses back to Park, it will take any future rezoning of our golf courses away from city government and give it to us, the voters.
This is the best option.
What basis do you use to determine that Parks is the best zoning for this property when the Golf Course zoning is much more restrictive?
Apart from the take it to the voters 'protection', the Parks zoning has a lot of really awful permitted uses that could become a reality if your hair brained scheme becomes law.
So, you're willing to risk having a cogeneration plant, a day care center, a water slide, or a self storage facility on Royal Vista or Canyon Lakes just to say you won and got it zoned Park?
I feel sorry for the poor people you have hoodwinked into believing your deception. Don't count on the educated voters of San Ramon to buy into your misleading, paranoid, hairbrained scheme to steal a moment of fame.
What a hypocrite! ...the above lobbyist talks about our "deception" while he's part of a BIG BUCKS conspiracy of "deception" against us. The "Rah-Rah" development boys are the real magicians and masters of deception and manipulation.
Don't be fooled by what the Rah-Rah "right-hand" is doing in the newspapers. It's a diversion. Watch what their "left-hand" is doing on July 25th when the Rah-Rah Boys finally get Commercial Recreation rezoning that they've been craving for years. For the first time in over ten years, the City's General Plan and Zoning Ordinance will legally read CR zoning for golf courses.
Give them credit. The Rah-Rah Boys have worked hard and long for it. Then ask yourself, "Why have they worked so hard if nothing is going to change?" You won't get a straight answer from the City. We've tried for six months.
So, what's it all about? I'm told, the Rah-Rah land-use lawyers will be able to drive a legal dump truck through the loophole left by this left-handed CR opportunity that will exist from July 25th until the "golf course zone" can be formally put into the General Plan.
How much legal damage can be done in a few months? We don't know... Ask the top Rah-Rah land-use lawyers about "takings".
Also, ask yourself something else... Do you think there would have been a "golf course zone" General Plan amendment offered by the City if the citizen's "hair brained scheme" Initiative weren't on the table? ...No way!
Remember, in February, hundreds of residents formally petitioned City Officials to drop the furtively defined CR rezoning. Either the Planning Commission or the City Council could have dropped it with just two votes, at no cost to the City.
We had informed the City Officials that we would happily go back to "The Shire" and drop the initiative if they dropped the rezoning. We and several hundred other citizens were completely ignored as City Officials voted unanimously to keep it.
Why does the City have such a death grip on CR rezoning? Keep reading this blog site ...... we'll let you know as the story unfolds.
Robin, Member of The STOP! Alliance
nogolfdevelopers@aol.com
Robin, are you purposely failing to disclose the fact that the Golf Courses will be zoned using an overlay?
Do you not understand what is taking place or are you using selective recall?
You guy's NEVER answer a question. All you do is go into your paranoid, delusional rap about corruption and developer's and the big conspiracy at City Hall.
I will again ignore this blog, as the majority of the people in San Ramon are doing. Enjoy talking to yourself, or one of your other paranoid cronies.
You guys deserve what you get.
I think you have something incorrect there, ignoring direct question seems to be a trait with our City officials and their staff when it comes to getting caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Thus one would be lead to believe the last comment was left by some type of City official once again trying to distract the public with nonsense. No one else has any reason to become so irate at the use of such simple logic as “Leave it alone”. There is a very simple solution to this problem, leave the Zoning of the Golf courses alone, do nothing, keep the existing zoning as it is. Leave the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) at the 0.10 designation and leave the Golf courses under the Parks zoning designation. Then the City of San Ramon would not have to do a special overlay to correct the blunder made in the current “Draft Proposed Zoning Ordinance”.
For the last 8 months, no one within the San Ramon City staff could answer the question, “Why did the zoning for the Golf course get changed”. The owners of the property did not ask for this change. The people in San Ramon did not ask for this change. The Zoning committee did not ask for this change. The million-dollar question is who ask for this change and why was this proposed? Well Mr. I am too smart for you, answer the question.
If the subject of the Golf courses was really not that important to the City counsel, then why does the City counsel not direct staff to correct the language in the “Proposed Draft Zoning Ordnance” prior to approving this document and replacing our existing zoning codes. The City counsel had no problem asking the staff to put the overlay language in to this document. They have the power ask for this change now. Will they do that, not likely. Why, because they have an alternative plan for redevelopment of this City that requires they pass the new zoning ordinances. With out the passage of this document, they are stuck and will not have the authority to move forward with their plans.
What is being asked for in not dramatic, what’s has been proposed is dramatic and deserves an explanation.
I'd like to respond specifically to the above blogger's 5 comments:
(1) "Robin, are you purposely failing to disclose the fact that the Golf Courses will be zoned using an overlay?"
...The golf courses didn't have to be rezoned to CR. It was not owner initiated. It was apparently a staff decision. It may have been illegally carried out as we couldn't find a Council vote on the initial rezoning. The "overlay" was the Planning Commission's option to go forward with the CR rezoning while ignoring hundreds of petitioners who wished to keep the zoning Park. The overlay is a hopeless bandaid that can be easily removed when the City has its first rationalization to do so.
(2) "Do you not understand what is taking place or are you using selective recall?"
...What recall (By the way, good word)? There's nothing to remember. The City isn't disclosing why it has a death grip on CR rezoning. Check out the RahRah 'bait and switch" definition of CR. Read what it says in the voter-accepted General Plan and then read its morphed, vile definition in the Zoning Ordinances (ZO). By the way, why hasn't the City linked the CR rezoning to the Eminent Domain proceedings in the Crow Canyon Specific Plan? It's clear from the ZO definition of CR that the link exits. The City needs to relocate the businesses that they close.
(3) "You guy's NEVER answer a question. All you do is go into your paranoid, delusional rap about corruption and developer's and the big conspiracy at City Hall."
...More lobbyist, name-calling diatribe. You know there is a big conspiracy and it's called "in-filling" and "intensification". The City wants more people per acre to garnish more tax revenues. They'll argue that they don't need the golf courses for relocation because the Urban Growth Boundary will be expanded into Tassajara Valley in 2010 and there will be plenty of space. Do they really believe this? They've already lost an UGB battle at the polls. Speak of never answering a question: We've asked the same questions over and over again in the last six months about CR rezoning. "Who, Why, and When?". We've received no decent answers. "It's not important. It's just happening!", were told.
(4) "I will again ignore this blog, as the majority of the people in San Ramon are doing. Enjoy talking to yourself, or one of your other paranoid cronies."
....You'd be amazed at how many people are talking with us. Ignore us at your peril!
(5)"You guys deserve what you get."
... Is this a threat from the RahRah Boys? ....or a mere lobbyist? ...or Jabba the Hat? ....or ....
Joe C.
Joe, I thought you were smarter than this!!!
1) Zoning the golf courses "Park" allows many more permitted uses with negative impacts then the proposed GC zone. In fact, there COULD be a cogeneration plant or a 3 story water slide built in peoples back yards. You're wonderful "park" zone would allow that. You know that the city is proposing a GPA so that the overlay can't be removed without following the process.
2) You know that eminent domain is not tied to a particular zoning, it is used on a case by case basis. Remove the eminent domain issue from the golf course zoning. They are really apples and oranges. Maybe you like the emotional response you get when you discuss it? Also, lose your obession with the CR zone, it doesn't even apply to the golf courses anymore.
3) Roz Rogoff got answers, and explained everything on her website. Maybe she's better then you guys.
4) Who's a lobbyist? Rah Rah boys? Jabba the hat. My reference to getting what you deserve refers to the damage you guys can do to the neighborhood if your Parks zoning goes through. At least your neighbors will know who they can complain to. Or, you can pull a gang of three and flee the area after your damage is done.
Why do you continue to compare the current (40 year) Golf Course zoning of "PARK (.10 FAR)" to your PROPOSED- PROPOSED zoning of "GOLF COURSE"?
In three days, July 25, 2006, you
will be officially rezoning our golf course to "COMMERCIAL RECREATION/GC OVERLAY (.35 FAR)"? That's the real issue here!
If our City Officials were truly serious about their "PROPOSED-PROPOSED GOLF COURSE" zoning, they would not be rezoning to the PROPOSED COMMERCIAL RECREATION/GC zoning in three days!
The City has the opportunity NOW to put the golf course rezoning to
COMMERCIAL RECREATION (.35 FAR)on hold. How can you be taken seriously about your so called led "Golf Course" zone,
while at the same time (July 25th) you are putting your stamp of approval on CR/GC (.35 FAR)?
City of San Ramon, you have lost our trust! The real issue here is the current PARK zone versus the
PROPOSED COMMERCIAL RECREATION/GC OVERLAY (.35 FAR) zone! You have the opportunity to stop this on
Tuesday, July 25th. Your stamp of approval on 7/25 puts our golf courses in danger, and tells us you are not to be taken seriously about your "PROPOSED-PROPOSED GC" zoning.
Listen Up People!!
Golf Course Overlay with a
.10 FAR...
.10 FAR
.10 FAR
Do you get it now???
Probably not.
There's two ways to get to Livermore. You can go East, or you can go West. The City's gone West, around the world, to convince us that the CR zoning is OK.
They have even redefined the Park zone to permit a cogeneration power plant. Don't listen to their facile arguments; even I am not that dumb.
Ask yourself, "Why?"
Joe C. just a dumb ol' technician
Redefined "Park" zone how? Utility infrastructure and utility facility has always been a permitted use in that zoning. Along with a lot of other things. The GC zone that is proposed in the GPA has only 4 permitted uses, none of which are as onerous as the ones in the "P" zone.
Study up, Joe!! Stop listening to the lies and drinking the kool-aid.
Response to annonymous posting 10:19AM July 23, 2006 who said
the following:
"Listen Up People!!
Golf Course Overlay with a
.10 FAR...
.10 FAR
.10 FAR
Do you get it now???
Probably not. "
__________________________________
Have you even read the proposed
zoning ordinance? Have you read
Chapter D-28 Overlay Zones? Why
do you continue with half-truths?
The Overlay Zone is governed by the
Primary Zone. The Primary Zone is
Commercial Recreation. Any land use normally allowed by the Primary
Zone may be allowed within the Overlay Zone.
I suggest you read Chapter D-28 and
read the wording VERY, VERY CLOSELY in the Overlay Zone.
OVERLAY ZONE (.10 FAR) =
governed by:
COMMERCIAL RECREATION (.35 FAR)
WRONG!!!
Where do you get your information from? The only way the underlying zoning would come into play would be if the overlay was removed!!
Either your ignorant or purposely distorting the facts. Which is it?
Your "death grip" on CR rezoning of the golf courses this July 25th is clear, Anon! Obfuscating the "Why" by name calling and trying to change the subject AGAIN and AGAIN just underscores "How important" CR rezoning is to your RahRah cause.
Poor ol' Joe has really pushed your button. He clearly has a heuristic feel for the backroom dealings at City Hall. Maybe we should all be drinking some of his "kool-aid". From your reaction, he's not far from the mark!
We keep hearing "because of voter-approved General Plan 2020". The definition of "Park" zone in GP 2020 is "Public and private recreation sites and facilities at intensities of up to 0.10 FAR."
Why wouldn't Joe, who probably voted for GP2020, think the City redefined the "Park" zone for its own purposes. How could such a serene definition in GP2020 morph into a PG&E power plant in his backyard? ..... Only in San RahRahmon!
I'm confused. I just looked at the Fall 2006 San Ramon Recreation Guide and noticed that Bridges Golf Course is a San Ramon Golf Course. If "Park" zoning is so bad, why is this new golf course in San Ramon still zoned "Park", while the old ones have been rezoned "Commercial Recreation". Please help me understand.
If "Park" zoning is so bad like Mayor Abrahms said this week on local TV, then why did they zone their new Bridges Golf Course in Dougherty Valley "Park", and feel it important to change the designation of their OLD golf courses in San Ramon to "Commercial Recreation"?
Something doesn't smell right here.
Why is the zoning of San Ramon's newest golf course, "BRIDGES" currently zoned "PARK' AT A .10 FAR building maximum, while Canyon Lakes and San Ramon Royal Vista GOLG COURSES have been REZONED for .35 FAR building capacity? I'm not that confident that an OVERLAY that they have placed ON THE OLD GOLF COURSES will protect these old golf courses FROM FUTURE DEVELOPMENT. What is going on here?
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