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Smart Voter
Contra Costa County, CA November 8, 2011 Election
Measure I
Urban Limit Line
City of Pittsburg

Majority Approval Required

Pass: 4361 / 79.12% Yes votes ...... 1151 / 20.88% No votes

See Also: Index of all Measures

Results as of Nov 14 4:56pm, 100.0% of Precincts Reporting (14/14)
Information shown below: Impartial Analysis | Arguments | Full Text

To protect certain vacant land from development in the City of Antioch, shall an ordinance be adopted amending the City of Pittsburg's General Plan, amending the previously approved Urban Limit Line to include approximately 193.60 acres in City's southeast area; prezoning land within the amended Urban Limit Line to single family residential, high density residential and general industrial; and allowing for over three dwelling units an acre in residential development south of Buchanan Road?

Impartial Analysis from the City Attorney
(Si desea recibir esta información en español, por favor llame al (925) 335-7800.)

State Law requires the City to have a General Plan, including a Land Use Element that sets standards for development in the City. The General Plan reflects the 2005 voter approved "Urban Limit Line," which includes area within the City limit and certain unincorporated areas of Contra Costa County. This measure, if adopted, changes the Urban Limit Line by including additional property, amends the City of Pittsburg General Plan policies, and prezones the land newly included in the Urban Limit Line. The measure revises several diagrams in the City's General Plan to reflect the amendments to the Urban Limit Line and prezoning of the Southeast Border Area.

The measure amends the City of Pittsburg voter approved Urban Limit Line to include approximately 193.60 acres of land located near the southeast area of the City, and referred to in the initiative as the "Southeast Border Area." The measure prezones the land newly included in the Southeast Border Area to Single Family Residential, High Density Residential and General Industrial zoning districts. The measure also eliminates the City's current general plan policy that new development south of Buchanan Road is limited to a maximum density of three (3) dwelling units an acre.

The measure adds language to the General Plan, describing that "the undeveloped Southeast Border Area has historically been considered part of Pittsburg and is the logical extension of the Highlands Ranch development" and changes the General Plan policies to state that "the Southeast Border Area can be served by extending City services to the property." Finally, the measure revises the Policies to identify that providing services to the vacant land "will help protect the vacant land from being developed in the City of Antioch." Developers would be responsible for paying for the infrastructure necessary to serve the property at the time of development.

The changes to the Urban Limit Line will remain in effect unless changed by the voters at a subsequent election. The amendments to the General Plan and prezoning remain in effect until changed by a subsequent vote of the voters at a City election or by a majority vote of the City Council. If any portion of the measure is declared invalid or unconstitutional, all remaining portions of the initiative shall be considered valid and remain in full force and effect.

Effect if the Measure Passes

If the measure passes, the City's Urban Limit Line will be expanded, and the City's General Plan will be amended to reflect the new policies contained in this Measure. The 193.60 acre area covered by this Measure may eventually be annexed into the City of Pittsburg and developed according to City policies.

Effect if the Measure Does Not Pass

If the measure does not pass, the City's General Plan and Urban Limit Line remain the same, and the current policies remain applicable to development inside the Urban Limit Line, as well as outside the existing Urban Limit Line, subject to applicable state law.

The above statement is an impartial analysis of Measure I. If you desire a copy of the complete Full Text of the Measure, please call the City Clerk's office at (925) 252-4850, and a copy will be mailed to you at no cost. You may also view the complete Full Text of Measure I at http://www.ci.pittsburg.ca.us.

 
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Arguments For Measure I Arguments Against Measure I
Measure I does an important thing; it amends our urban limit line to enhance citizen control of vacant land surrounding Pittsburg. This makes sure Pittsburg gets the financial benefits of any future development, not Antioch. We ask for your YES vote.

Currently, this piece of unincorporated land between the Pittsburg/Antioch border could become part of Antioch instead of our city. This property belongs to Pittsburg. Without voting Yes, Pittsburg residents living in these border neighborhoods will have no say in terms of what can be developed on this adjacent property. More importantly, the short term and long term financial benefits resulting from development of this property would go to Antioch, not Pittsburg. We're fighting to make sure that doesn't happen.

Without Measure I, this vacant piece of land could be turned into a light industrial area, lowering the property values of Pittsburg homes next to this property, while adding additional truck traffic to Buchanan Road, which we don't want, or need. The bordering Pittsburg neighborhoods would suffer and Antioch would reap huge financial tax revenue gains, not Pittsburg.

Measure I broadens our city's tax base, which will help our local leaders close shortfalls in our own city budget, and fund additional police and paramedic services.

Things are moving in the right direction in Pittsburg. Our citizens know it and so do our neighbors. We've significantly reduced crime. The latest 2010 crime statistics have Pittsburg in line with Walnut Creek and much lower than Concord, and Antioch. Our city is a very safe and desirable place to live.

The passage of Measure I ensures Pittsburg residents get the final say regarding what gets built on this property, making sure revenue generated from this property stays in town. Either Pittsburg gets the benefits, or Antioch will. Please vote Yes on Measure I.

Mary Erbez Former Mayor

Marisa Belleci Pittsburg Small Business Owner

David J. Fogleman Planning Commissioner

Nancy L. Parent Councilmember

Jim "Junior" Camitz 79 year Pittsburg resident

None filed.

Full Text of Measure I
AN INITIATIVE ADOPTING AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE CITY OF PITTSBURG GENERAL PLAN, URBAN LIMIT LINE AND PREZONING LANDS WITHIN THE AMENDED URBAN LIMIT LINE

The proposed initiative is a citizen sponsored initiative affecting future development in the City of Pittsburg. The initiative, if enacted, amends the voter approved Urban Limit Line adopted in 2005 as part of Measure P, amends the City of Pittsburg General Plan and prezones certain area within the land newly included in the Urban Limit Line. If adopted, the initiative would be effective upon voter approval. The Urban Limit Line would remain in rffect until amended by subsequent voter approval, and the General Plan amendments and prezoning would remain in effect until a subsequent vote of the voters or a majority vote of the City Council.

The initiative amends the City of Pittsburg voter approved Urban Limit Line, approved by the voters in 2005, to include approximately 193.60 acres of land located near the southeast area of the City, and referred to in the initiative as the "Southeast Border Area."

The initiative revises several diagrams in the City's General Plan to reflect the amendments to the Urban Limit Line and prezoning of the Southeast Border Area.

The initiative would also change the General Plan policies to state: "the undeveloped Southeast Border Area has historically been considered part of Pittsburg and is the logical extension of the Highlands Ranch development." Additionally, the initiative changes the General Plan policies to state that "the Southeast Border Area can be served by extending City services to the property." Finally, the initiative changes the General Plan Policies to identify that providing services to the vacant nd "will help protect the vacant land from being developed in the City of Antioch."

The initiative prezones the Southeast Border Area to Single Family Residential (RS-4), High Density Residential (RH) and General Industrial (IG) zoning districts. The initiative eliminates the policy that new residential development south of Buchanan Road is limited to a maximum density of three (3) dwelling units an acre.

The proposed changes to the Urban Limit Line would remain in effect unless changed by the voters at a subsequent election. The amendments to the General Plan and prezoning remain in effect until changed by a subsequent vote of the voters at a City election or by a majority vote of the City Council. If any portion of the initiative is declared invalid or unconstitutional, all remaining portions of the initiative shall be considered valid and remain in full force and effect.


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