Mayor Wants To Change The Golf Courses Again

San Ramon Mayor H. Abram Wilson, Now Agrees That Commercial Recreation Zoning Was Not The Best Zoning For The Golf Courses

Video clip courtesy of TV30 "Mayors Report"

San Ramon Mayor now agrees that CR, Commercial Recreation zoning allows too many loop holes for developers to take advantage of, "and anything can go on Commercial Recreation." This, after City Council said that Commercial Recreation was the way to go with the golf course rezoning. City Council passed the golf courses unanimously from Parks to Commercial Recreation the month before.

Hundreds of people spoke out against Commercial Recreation rezoning of the golf courses over the past six months. The Mayor and City Council said they listen to the people, though they pushed through the rezoning unanimously to CR.

Good work Mr. Mayor. What took so long for it to sink in? Mr. Mayor, are you going to change your mind again next month? Are the rest of the City Council members agreeing with you on this proposed change? Can we really believe you, that you and the rest of the City Council will follow through with this proposed change to Golf Course zoning, especially after you said, "those people didn't know what they were talking about."

Golf Course Initiative Filed With City

San Ramon Royal Vista Golf Course

Canyon Lakes Country Club

San Ramon, CA

Residents File to Keep Golf Courses Open Spaces

San Ramon, CA, residents have filed an initiative with the City of San Ramon to keep their golf courses zoned as open spaces and save them from redevelopment. The citizens feel they are victims of unfair "bait and switch" rezoning tactics.

San Ramon, CA (PRWEB) July 29, 2006 -- San Ramon residents filed an initiative with the City of San Ramon to save their two public golf courses as open spaces. The older course, San Ramon Golf Course, had been zoned Park for 44 years before being rezoned on Tuesday to Commercial Recreation.

Golf course neighbors became concerned when they discovered that city officials had redefined the CR zone. The residents have begun calling it the "bait and switch" zone because it has no semblance to the CR zone found in San Ramon's voter-approved General Plan 2020 where it reads, "Golf courses, sports and fitness clubs, horse stables and amusement parks." In the new ordinance, the "switched" CR zone allows, amongst many other "permitable" uses, a cogeneration power plant, halfway houses for felons, and scrap and dismantling yards. Golf course neighbors say they have been targeted by the city as a "dumping ground" for whatever more recently developed areas don't want in their neighborhoods.

To add insult to injury, the zoning switch was made without neighbors' representation. They received no notification during a multi-year, "behind-closed-doors" redefinition of CR. Incredibly, the current city council seems to have no regrets that the rezoning occurred in such a furtive manner. Although many procedural irregularities have been brought to their attention, Council members, ignoring formal protests from hundreds of citizens, voted unanimously for the rezoning.

Meanwhile, Council members have been emphatically assuring citizens that "The golf courses are golf courses now and will remain golf courses for the foreseeable future, regardless of their zoning." Citizens fear that there are external pressures lurking much closer to the surface than Council members are willing to admit, like: land-use laws allowing owners to develop to the "highest and best use" that zoning permits, Eminent Domain, and state and federal mandates. Residents fear that these exogenous factors will surface and allow the City to justify changing its facile position of "keeping the golf courses as golf courses" to one of "redevelopment, full-speed ahead." Residents say, "Rezoning is like throwing raw meat to the developers. Immense profits will motivate many of them to rapidly move in for the kill."

For additional information on the content of this release visit: www.sanramontalk.blogspot.com.

About "Save Our Golf Courses as Open Spaces" Campaign:
San Ramon's residents have started a citizens' Initiative to keep the golf courses zoned Park and reserve any future rezoning to a majority of the voters. The campaign is interested in finding groups or individuals who are waging similar battles against local governments that are "in-filling" traditional open spaces like golf courses by taking property using furtive rezoning tactics and Eminent Domain.

Contact us at:
Ray Howard, Spokesman
Save Our Golf Courses as Open Spaces Campaign
925-895-5524

This press release was found on PRWeb and was written by another group of concerned San Ramon Residents, who want to protect the San Ramon Golf Course and Canyon Lakes Golf Course from Commercial Development in San Ramon.

Three Strikes Mr. Perkins

Fight Tyranny Day
July 4, 230 Yrs Later

An Open Letter to San Ramon's Councilman Scott Perkins,

I'm responding to your letter in Sunday's, June 18, Tri-Valley Herald, Mr. Perkins, where you attacked a golf course rezoning critic's anonymity. There can be many valid reasons for remaining anonymous. You used the Declaration of Independence as your standard of courage. The irony is that its most influential signer was renown for his many pen names, which he used to great effect. That signer, of course, was the great tyranny fighter Benjamin Franklin, a.k.a. Silence Dogood amongst many other names.

Mr. Perkins, you're trying to change the subject on a very important matter by calling us names and besmirching our characters. The issue is still the City's blind use of legalized stealing and its power to do it. I speak of Eminent Domain and Rezoning without Representation. It's about us "named citizens" losing businesses that we've owned for decades. It's about hundreds of us "named citizens", showing our faces at public hearings, giving our formal appeals, and then being totally ignored on the issue of the City's furtive golf courses rezonings. It's about the City's "bait and switch" zoning tactics. It's about a wrongheaded and misapplied planning rationalization called "intensification" that intends to stuff more people inside the City's self-imposed Urban Growth Boundary while, ironically, reducing open space exactly where needed most, that is, where "named citizens" live.

Intensification as it's now being applied in San Ramon will surely make immense profits for lurking developers and more tax dollars for City Hall; conversely, it will also erode quality-of-life in San Ramon as traffic congestion, overcrowding in schools, air pollution, and crime rates soar. Overcrowding by any other name is still overcrowding!

Thus, as you know, Mr. Perkins, it's not really about "courage". Your letter is about "spinning" the truth and changing the subject. You want to shift the debate away from an out-of-control City Council, City Finance Committee, and Redevelopment Agency whose members are conspicuously all the very same few people. You don't want it to be about the City's recent appointment to the powerful Planning Commission of an outspoken advocate of "in-filling" who, from his writings, will rabidly vote for all future Eminent Domain condemnations and open space rezonings.

So Mr. Perkins, you've gotten our attention, no matter what our names and faces. You can call me Joe or Jane Citizen, if you want. Whatever you call me, I'm still asking myself, "What's really behind all this?" The answer, I've painstakingly discovered as I dig deeper (read the in-depth facts we've found on www.sanramontalk.blogspot.com), is quite alarming.

Take rezoning of San Ramon Golf Course (SRGC), for example. It's been zoned and protected as a Park for forty-four years. At this moment, it's in the final throes of being rezoned to Commercial-Recreation (CR), a very broad and furtively-developed zoning designation.

Over the past six months, my SRGC neighbors have been asking simple questions of City Officials, first at Planning Commission hearings and then at City Council hearings: "Who officially did the rezoning?", "Why?", and "How?". Unfortunately, we've not received any straight answers. Instead, the City Council has used its "Bully Pulpit" to harangue us citizens for being paranoid ...or fear mongers ...or rabble rousers ...or (shudder) cowards. They've fed us irrelevant pabulum and mislead us with (using the same words you used against us, Mr. Perkins) "half-truths, distortions, innuendos, and lies". Here's some of the misinformation that we residents have endured, not just once, but as recurring themes:

Strike one! "Rezoning is mandated by Calif Law". WRONG! City Officials say "the City's Zoning Ordinance and General Plan must be consistent with each other, thus, the rezoning. It's Calif Law." This has not been true since City Officials made San Ramon a Charter City, ironically, to avoid California Law, in 1997.

Strike two! "Golf Course Acreage counts against Parkland Quotas". WRONG AGAIN! The City says, "Future developments won't provide land for new parks if golf courses remain parks because their acreage overwhelms the City's Parkland Quotas." Not true. The City's general plan says golf courses will not count toward parkland quotas.

Strike three! "Parks need to be City owned". WRONG FOR A THIRD TIME! The City's general plan defines a park as either "public or private".

That's THREE STRIKES, Mr. Perkins!

On this July 4th "Fight Tyranny Day"
YOU! deserve to be VOTED OUT!

There is more bad news for those of us who would like to preserve San Ramon's open spaces for residents and not outside developers. The owner of San Ramon Golf Course is closely tied to a major land developer in Hawaii. The company developed Wailea, Maui, and also develops in California. The reader should "google" and s/he will find the SRGC owner to be a client of one of the largest land-use law firms in Hawaii. Thus, once the City's rezoning is a fait accompli, there's probably legally no way to stop them from redeveloping SRGC to its "highest and best use". CR zoning permits, amongst many other "best uses", halfway houses for felons and wrecking yards!

The writing's on the wall, Mr. Perkins, and it's not about courage. It's about legalized greed and city tyranny. The City should stop the rezoning now! The City Council has until July 25th to change its mind on the CR rezoning.

Just in case it doesn't, the people have filed a ballot initiative to take back zoning of the golf courses for themselves. The measure should qualify for the November 2007 election when a majority of Council members, including you Mr. Perkins, will come up for re-election.

It's time to get fresh faces and ideas on the City Council. All current members have been playing musical chairs at City Hall for at least a decade. They've forgotten how to talk and deal straight with us, San Ramon's citizens. It's past time for us to find out what's really happening. We need at least one straight-shooter at City Hall.

Jane Citizen
Member of the STOP! Alliance
NoGolfDevelopers@aol.com

State Mandated Requirements for the City of San Ramon

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."

1 Transitional Housing Two year Housing for Troubled Teens; Alcohol and Drug Rehabilitation; Temporary Housing for Convicted Cons Released from Prison.

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.)

Golf Courses Changed To Commercial Recreation - OH Really!

San Ramon Golf Course Results/Facts Regarding:

How was the San Ramon Golf Course and the Canyon Lakes Golf Course Changed to Commercial Recreation in the General Plan in 1995 without the Knowledge or Notification to Surrounding Homeowners?

* Requested from City Clerk 3/14/06: Resolution No.95-114 approving GPA 95-003 to update the General Plan, (dated October 24, 1995); All City documents used to change the golf courses from Park to Commercial Recreation;

* NO discussion at all, in either the Planning Commission and/or the City Council (Minutes of their Meetings) to change the golf courses from (P) Park to CR (Commercial Recreation) in 1995;

* Resolution NO. 20-95: "Planning Commission Recommending the City Council Adopt the Negative Declaration for Update of General Plan” (Attachment 1) – Left blank. No Vote taken. No signature by Phil Wong (Never Officially Passed, Approved, or Adopted in '95);

* Resolution NO. 21-95: "Planning Commission Recommending the City Council Approve General Plan Amendment No. 95-003 to Update General Plan" (Attachment 2) – Left blank. No Vote taken. No signature by Phil Wong (Never Passed, Approved, Adopted in 95;

Requested from City Clerk 4/21/06: A list of who the City Notified for the change of the golf courses from Parks to Commercial Recreation? And, a copy of 1/8 page Ad for Notification in the paper?

On the address list of who was notified by the City of the Public Hearings for the General Plan Update in 1995, it shows various governmental agencies from Richmond to Martinez and, NOT A SINGLE resident of San Ramon was notified or homeowner surrounding the golf course properties was notified.

Illegal Action By San Ramon City Staff

This is illegal action by our City Staff. Under the law, they are required to follow legal notification guidelines under Government Code 65091. In addition, there is NO copy of the 1/8 page AD that was supposed to be placed in the paper; No discussion in any of the Minutes of the Meetings; Incomplete Resolutions that were left blank, not voted on and approved, along with the signature line left blank (missing signature by Phil Wong). This was all accomplished fraudulently by the City, and passed through under the Radar and, was virtually INVISIBLE to the citizens of San Ramon. The City failed to legally notify the citizens of San Ramon and, the surrounding property owners of these changes for our golf courses in the General Plan Update in 95. See the proof in these City documents!

Map Insert For the General Plan Update in 1995:

The Golf Courses were changed on the map. They were taken out of the Parks designation (which falls under Community Facilities and Open Space) and, put into the Commercial Recreation designation (under OFFICE, COMMERCIAL, AND INDUSTRIAL), without any knowledge or discussion in the Planning Commission and City Council Minutes; No notification to surrounding homeowners of these Public Hearings; Missing signatures and NO vote taken on two of the above-mentioned Resolutions approving this General Plan Update in 1995, that changed our golf courses to a Commercial Recreation designation. As a result, this was done if ERROR and, we REQUEST our City Officials make this right and, CORRECT THESE ERRORS!

Our golf courses DO NOT belong in an Office, Commercial and Industrial land use designation? Who proposed this? And, why? No one has owned up to this, and we demand an explanation from our City Officials.

* Does our City have the Authority to push this through WITHOUT the knowledge or notification of our Citizens? NO

* Is this Fraudulent Action by our City Officials? YES.

New land use ENTITLEMENTS will be GIVEN to the GOLF COURSE OWNERS by our CITY OFFICIALS when they VOTE this through on May 23, 2006.

STOP San Ramon City Council NOW!

The 1995 update to the General Plan (processed illegally) placed San Ramon Golf Club and Canyon Lakes Golf Club within a Commercial Recreation land use category by mistake. This was done in error and, without any knowledge or notification by our City Officials to the residents of San Ramon. This needs to be corrected before May 23, 2006 (the next City Council Meeting) at 7 p.m. at the Alcosta Community Center. Email our City Officials IMMEDIATELY.

San Ramon City Council

Mayor H. Abram Wilson
Vice Mayor Carol J. Rowley
Councilmember David E. Hudson
Councilmember Jim Livingstone
Councilmember Scott Perkins

San Ramon City Council
Email Addresses - Phone Numbers

This appears to be more than a simple error by a Consulting Firm. Who directed the Consulting Firm to make this change? We request an explanation and, a correction to change our golf courses back to a Parks designation. And, to address the number of errors that have been made.

This Commercial Recreation land use designation (for the San Ramon golf courses) was carried forward when the General Plan was updated in 1995, and ultimately approved by voters in 2002. At the March 5, 2002 Election, (a very low turnout of voters approved the General Plan 2020 (under Measure P at this off-year election). Results as follows:

Out of 55,000 residents, 5,722 voted, Yes 1,686 voted, No

Only 7,408 voters showed up to vote at this Off-Year Election of the 55,000 residents of San Ramon in 2002. This is NOT a fair representation of the City vote. When our City Officials say the General Plan 2020 was approved by 77% of the vote. Be aware that this means only 77% of who showed up to VOTE! Having it held during an Off-Year Election was VERY detrimental in getting a fair, or higher voter turnout. It is usually anticipated to have a low turnout during an off-year election.

The Mayor has stated, "the reason we need to change the golf courses from Parks to Commercial Recreation is to keep it consistent with the General Plan 2020, and, because Commercial Recreation was recommended for the golf courses by a group of San Ramon Citizens who made up the General Plan Review Committee." This is not true.

The Commercial Recreation land use designation WAS NOT recommended by the citizens who made up the General Plan Review Committee. In fact, some of those folks indicate that it "was never even discussed for the golf courses." And, the minutes of those meetings were pulled by the Planning Commission for review and, confirmed that no mention of the golf courses changing to Commercial Recreation was shown.

What is the REAL reason our San Ramon City Officials keep insisting the San Ramon Golf Course and the Canyon Lakes Golf Course must change to Commercial Recreation?

Why has the San Ramon Bridges Golf Course not been included in this rezoning proposal? City staff has indicated the Bridges golf course is part of the Dougherty Valley Specific Plan and, does not allow for this at this time, even though it is located within the City of San Ramon, and is no longer under the jurisdiction of the County.

HOLD OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR ACTIONS! THEY NEED TO PROVIDE THE BURDEN OF PROOF TO THE CITIZENS OF SAN RAMON.

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