Fail: 7,663 / 28.0% Yes votes ...... 19,678 / 72.0% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Meaning of Voting Yes/No

A YES vote on this measure means:

A "yes" vote approves of the amendments to the General Plan, including the Urban Growth Boundary, to authorize the Livermore Trails project.

A NO vote on this measure means:

A "no" vote disapproves of the amendments and keeps the present General Plan, including the Urban Growth Boundary, intact.

The 2002 North Livermore Urban Growth Boundary Initiative ("NLUGBI") established an urban growth boundary ("UGB") as part of the General Plan. The NLUGBI connects in North Livermore to the South Livermore UGB. The City's UGB outlines permitted development around the entire City. Generally, urban uses are allowed inside the UGB, while outside it, only large agricultural, open space, recreational or similar uses are allowed.

The NLUGBI generally regulates land uses for much of the undeveloped property in North Livermore if the City ever annexes it into the City's boundaries. These include a minimum parcel size of 100 acres, or 40 acres for parcels used for cultivated agriculture meeting certain criteria. The NLUGBI further permits the following uses: one single-family residence per parcel; agricultural uses; limited commercial uses; and institutional, non-profit, governmental, and utility uses needed to serve the area. Only a vote of the people of Livermore can amend the NLUGBI. The proposed initiative would move the City's North Livermore UGB and amend the General Plan. It would establish regulations for residential and other urban development of a 1400-acre site in North Livermore. The Initiative would:

• amend the UGB to move it northward in the area generally between North Livermore Avenue and Springtown;
• allow construction of 2,450 new residential units on 450 acres within the newly amended UGB, 10% of which will be affordable to low-income households and 5% of which will be affordable to moderate income households;
• allow construction of public amenities on 200 acres within the newly amended UGB;
• require dedication of approximately 750 acres for establishment and preservation of an open space and trails network;
• establish an environmental preserve for an endangered plant known as Bird's Beak;
• require dedication of sites for a high school and an elementary school with an adjacent neighborhood park;
• require dedication of approximately 130 acres and construction of a sports park.

The initiative would require adoption and implementation of a Specific Plan.

A "yes" vote approves of the amendments to the General Plan, including the Urban Growth Boundary, to authorize the Livermore Trails project. A "no" vote disapproves of the amendments and keeps the present General Plan, including the Urban Growth Boundary, intact.

s/JOHN POMIDOR
City Attorney

City of Livermore Ballot Measure Information

League Pros & Cons

• Livermore-Amador Valley League of Women Voters Pros & Cons

East Bay Express

• Napa Envy: Sprawl Foes of sprawl in Livermore want wineries to save the day. - October 9, 2005

Websites of Supporters and Opponents

• Pardee Homes: Supporters
• Friends of Livermore: Opponents

A YES vote on Measure D is a vote for a balanced plan with guaranteed community benefits.

A YES vote on Measure D sets firm requirements for this scaled-back plan. It's only 1/5th the size of any previous proposal for this area.

Measure D is a binding contract--which Livermore Trails must fulfill for Livermore residents.

Livermore Trails will benefit us all by:

• permanently protecting more than half the land--750 acres--as natural open space;
• building a 130-acre Sports Park at no cost to taxpayers;
• donating land for environmental preserves and trails for public use;
• providing sites for a needed third high school and an elementary school and $27 million for school construction;
• donating an additional $5 million for Livermore schools;
• investing $35 million in traffic improvements;
• contributing to Livermore arts groups, agricultural education and $250,000 for the new community center;
• providing land and construction funding for a fire/police station to improve emergency response throughout Livermore;
• generating needed dollars for city services, schools and parks;
• using solar energy, recycled materials and environmental features.

Livermore Trails offers real benefits for Livermore residents. Opponents offer no solutions for school overcrowding, more park space, lack of homes for families or solutions to traffic congestion.

Livermore Trails offers local control and local benefits that taxpayers don't have have to pay for!

Join with thousands of Livermore residents to vote YES on Measure D.
s/JIM OTT
Livermore Chamber of Commerce Chairman
s/SHEILA COOPER
Livermore High School Principal, Retired
s/BILL GEYER
Livermore Downtown Business Owner
s/KATE RUNYON
Livermore Schools Supporter
s/STEVEN DELLEDERA
Livermore Area Recreation Park District
Ad Hoc Sports Park Committee Member

Pardee would make hundreds of millions of dollars from this immense tract development.

But Livermore residents would suffer from more traffic congestion and air pollution; financial losses to city, schools and parks; and the breakdown of the urban growth boundary that now protects the character of our city and its surrounding natural beauty.

Pardee is trying to buy our votes by spending millions on advertising to mislead us about the nature if its project, and by holding out inducements, meager compared to the harm its development would cause.

• Pardee's development would not at all cover the traffic impact costs of the project's 38,000 daily car trips. Furthermore, no amount of compensation could eliminate the congestion and air pollution that these trips generate.
• Our growth boundary, breached by this measure, protects 15,000 acres of open space in North Livermore. Pardee offers 750 acres.
• Pardee's development itself would require a third high school, incurring high operating costs.
• Pardee's sports park is neither the last, nor the best proposal that the park district will receive. Its $154,000 annual operating deficit makes it unaffordable.
• City funded studies show Pardee's development would drain the city treasury of $6 million over 10 years. Afterwards, the deficit would rise.

Protect Livermore. Vote No on Measure D.
s/TOM REITTER
Vice Mayor
s/JOHN P. MARCHAND
Water Quality Chemist; Director, Zone 7 Water Agency
s/MARGARET J. TRACY
President, Preserve Area Ridgelands Committee
s/DAVID NICKERSON
Granada Little League Junior Player Agent Board Member
s/MAYNARD C. MICHEL
Orchids Orinda Owner

Severe Traffic Congestion, generating 38,000 car trips daily, further clogging streets, intersections and freeways.

Worse Air Quality. Exhaust from these 38,000 trips would aggravate air pollution, and threaten federal transportation funds.
Big Losses for City, Parks, Schools. Based on city studies, the net loss to the city's treasury would be $6,000,000 over 10 years, and would grow. The park district would lose $154,000 in the 10th year alone, and the schools $97,000.
We cannot afford these deficits. Recently, the city cut staff positions; the park district laid off employees and let sports fields turn yellow; the school district closed two schools. Pardee's subdivision would necessitate a third high school, costly to operate. Residents would be left holding the bag for all these losses.
Sewage Hazards. Pardee proposes building a sewage plant separate from the city system. This private plant could produce noxious odors and pollute groundwater.
Uncontrolled Growth. Within Measure D's expanded boundary, growth would be unrestrained. Without voter approval, three council members could authorize a large number of houses for landowners who hold 325 additional acres within the boundary. One of these landowners, a developer, has already expressed interest in building houses on his 104-acre parcel. (Measure D specifies a minimum number of units, no maximum.)
If Pardee breaches the growth boundary, the vision of preserving agriculture and natural open space around Livermore will be lost. Pardee will pave the way for urbanization of these areas.

Pardee's huge, sprawling subdivision would destroy the character and environment of Livermore.
Vote No on D.
s/MARSHALL KAMENA
Mayor of the City of Livermore
s/MAJORIE R. LEIDER
Councilmember, City of Livermore
s/ROBERT R. BALTZER
Chairman, Friends of Livermore
s/PEGGY J. BERGER
Teacher, Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District

Here are the real facts from City studies, the Initiative and other reports:

Traffic Will Be Mitigated. Livermore Trails funds over $35 million for local traffic improvements that will mitigate traffic impacts. Shuttle services will further reduce auto trips.
Fiscal Win for City, Parks and Schools. Reasonable scenarios in City studies and other reports show Livermore Trails will generate millions in surpluses for the City, schools and local parks.
Limits Future Growth. Measure D limits Livermore Trails to 2450 homes (250 each year over a 10 year period). Any additional development outside the UGB requires voter approval.

We can manage future growth and use it to improve our community. The no-solutions opposition has twisted the facts about this balanced plan that brings real benefits to Livermore.

Livermore Trails fits the growth rate projected in our General Plan. It gives us affordable housing for families and many community amenities. Without it, we still get housing but in industrial areas without schools, parks or other benefits.

Vote Yes on Measure D.
s/LORRAINE DIETRICH
Livermore City Councilmember
s/BILL MORRISON
Board Member, Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District
s/JOHN SHIRLEY
Former Livermore Mayor
s/T.J. GILMARTIN
Livermore Lab Scientist, Retired
s/LINDA JEFFERY SAILORS
Member, Livermore Art Association