HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 09221992 - 1.57 TO: REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY Contra
FROM: Phil Batchelor Costa
o, -
Executive Director
County; .
DATE: September 22, 1992
SUBJECT: California Redevelopment Association
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATIONS (S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATIONS
Acknowledge receipt of the California Redevelopment Association
"Redevelopment Journal, " in which the Contra Costa County
Redevelopment Agency is the featured Agency, and the Pleasant Hill
BART Station Area is the featured project.
FISCAL IMPACT
None.
BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
The California Redevelopment Agency Association is an Association of
California Redevelopment Agencies and private firms involved in
redevelopment. The CRA publishes a monthly journal. The September
1992 journal featured Contra Costa County Redevelopment Agency and its
Pleasant Hill BART Station Redevelopment Project.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RECODATION OF GENCY COMM TEE
APPROVE OTHER
7
SIGNATURE(S) :
ACTION OF AGENCY ON �a�ntamhPr 2.2. , 193 . APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER
VOTE OF COMMISSIONERS
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A
- � UNANIMOUS (ABSENT ) TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN
AYES: NOES: ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON THE
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: MINUTES OF THE REDEVELOPMENT
AGENCY ON THE DATE SHOWN.
Contact: Jim Kennedy
646-4076 ATTESTED September 22 , 1992
cc.: Community Development PHIL BATCHELOR,
County Administrator AGENCY SECRETARY
County Counsel
Community Development
Redevelopment BY o , DEPUTY
i
OP.LL.
EL "E
AsiaRk' NUMB'
ER 138
SEPTEMBER 1992
-Project of •
Contra Costa County Redevelopment Agency's
Pleasant Hill BART Station Area
dopted in 1984, the ated with developing at the BART Station project was
Asia Pleasant Hill BART desired intensities and still explicitly designed to reduce
Station Area Redevelopment have financially feasible de- regional traffic by locating
Plan represented the initial velopment projects. new office and housing de-
effort by Contra Costa The Redevelopment velopment next to a regional
County in redevelopment. Agency used its powers of transportation hub. The
The adoption of a Redevel- eminent domain to assist in master planned community
". . . is an opment Plan was the final the assemblage of sites, and provides a balance of jobs
step in an extended planning is also using its property tax and housing. The Pleasant
emerging model process for the Pleasant Hill increments to finance ap- Hill BART Station currently
for the BART Station Area. Plan- proximately $40 million in features approximately one
ning for the Pleasant Hill road and drainage improve- million square feet of exist-
development of BART Station Area began in ments. Private developers, ing Class A office space, a
suburban 1980 with a specific focus on through development fees, 249-room Embassy Suites
employment/
locating development next to two assessment districts, two hotel, and nearly 1,000
a regional transportation hub. Mello-Roos special tax multi-family residential
housing centers A regional planning effort districts and land dedications units. At completion the
involving the County, adja- financed an additional $40 Station Area will consist of
nextto cent cities and BART, as million in infrastructure. more than 3.3 million square
transportation well ds property owners was The Pleasant Hill BART feet of office and commercial
facilities." undertaken after previous Station Area is a 140-acre development and over 1,200
efforts to intensify land uses area surrounding the Pleasant residential units (an addi-
at this transportation hub Hill Station of the Bay Area tional 900 residential units
failed to produce results. A Rapid Transit District. Built are outside the redevelop-
Specific Plan for the area in the early 1970s, the Pleas- ment project boundaries, but
was developed and adopted ant Hill Station is strategi- are contiguous to the Station
in 1983. The adopted Rede- cally located in the I-680 Area). The Pleasant Hill
velopment Plan provided a corridor, a major suburban BART Station Area is an
solution to two problems development area in the East emerging model for the de-
identified in the Specific Bay. The Pleasant Hill velopment of suburban em-
Plan process as ployment/
limiting devel- housing
opment poten- centers next
tial: to transporta-
1. The tion facilities.
inability of the ;, Planners and
private sector _ environmental
to achieve full - ;.' interests have
assemblage of advocated this
logical devel- type.of devel-
opment sites; opment for
and "`" years.
2. The Develop-
inability of the ment of the
private sector
"= _ Pleasant Hill
�;xfi�; ` .F �-
to absorb _ u*'`' A " BART'Station
100% of the Area provides
significant in- for economic
frastructure 249-Room Embassy Suites Hotel growth, new
costs associ- Pleasant Hill BART Station jobs and af-
Troject
Continued. . .
fordable housing, while also West, Taylor Woodrow of dential development site in 11 A
contributing part of the solu- California, Urban West the Station Area. Upon com-
tion to the Bay Area's trans- Communities, Oak Hill pletion of the assemblage
portation problems. The Capital Corporation, Thomas process, the Agency intends
Pleasant Hill BART Station Properties, KOAR, Inc.,
plans have been publicly ac- HOMART Development
claimed as an outstanding Company, GBW Properties, 3
example of public agency co- Desco Investment, the Bay
operation and public/private Area Rapid Transit District,
financing of infrastructure and Trammel Crow. Major
improvements. Growth tenants within the Station
management and unique ele- Area include Pacific Telesis,
ments of the plan include: Levi Strauss, Embassy
Suites, General TT410
A regional approach to ad- Electric Company,
r!�®
dressing development and Chevron, Bank of
traffic concerns; the West, Citibank, — � '•izzim "'•�
• and Fidelity Na-
Concentration of development
around existing regional trans- tional Title. -
A key determi-
portation hubs; Parkin Structure
�• The completion of nearly $40 pant for continued 9
• million in major public infra- economic viability Pleasant Hill BART Station
is accessibility.
structure improvements con- The Pleasant Hill to go through a competitive
current with or prior to devel- BART Station Area process to secure a private
opment; is without challenge developer to build 200+
The capacity to finance up to with respect to ac- units of affordable multi-
$40 million in additional in- cessibility. There- family residential housing on
frastructure improvements fore, continued fi- the development site. The
through redevelopment tax in- nancial success is Agency is also undertaking
crements; expected even in final design work in prepara-
i- Requirements for transporta- the current slow tion for the construction of a
tion demand management and economic times. major road arterial to im-
child care programs; Vacancy rates at the prove access to the Pleasant
Public/private financing of in- Pleasant Hill BART Hill BART Station Area
frastructure improvements; Station Area are from the north and east. The
Creation of a jobs/housing currently around extensive environmental and
balance; 10%. Within the design work on this $12
Public financing of affordable past year, approxi- million "Bancroft extension"
• housing projects through re- mately 300,000 is currently underway, with
development, tax increments square feet of office construction to take place in
and tax exempt bonds; and space was absorbed spring of 1984.
Permitting density only to the quickly. Additional
levels affordable by infra- new development
structure improvements. will occur as pre-
leasing commit-
ments are achieved.
Major property owners Current Redevelopment
within the Station Area in- Agency activities include the
clude Hillman Properties assemblage of the final resi-
Agency-Profile
Contra Costa County
someontra Costa County, county experienced its most also serves central and
C created in 1850, was rapid population growth dur- western Contra Costa County.
one of Californias original 27 ing, and subsequent to, World Eight of the thirty-four
counties. The County's name War II when war industries stations within the BART
was derived from the early attracted tens of thousands of system are within the county,
Spanish explorers who called workers. The initial compo- including the Pleasant Hill
it "contra costa" (opposite nents of the county's heavy BART Station.
coast) because of its location industrial base were estab-
opposite San Francisco. The lished during this time period. Contra Costa County Rede-
only major boundary change During the mid 50s and 60s, tielopment Agency
occurred in 1853 when the the county began to be In the 1980s, the Contra
area which is now Alameda attractive as a location for Costa County Board of Super-
County, was visors began to
detached. The h
recognize the
count covers a t .:; :,,:::.::..,
Y .. ;.. ..�. _ important role
total of 805 square is ; ... .. redevelopment
miles and is among : ... ..... ...... .
could play in
the fastest growing = rt
shaping the future
of the Bay Area `
of the county and
counties in terms :... <w....:. :. :.... ..
of population and °`"'" its unincorporated
' s
' communities. Th
employment. L.; 7K.-I:
-d ! ' Redevelopment
Situated in the East Agency was
.; g Y
Bay, Contra Costa ti established in
County is bounded !1 J 1983. The Board
by San Francisco of Supervisors sit
and San Pablo "" as the governing
bays and the Sac- body of the
ramento River/San Agency. The
Joaquin delta. Park Regency Apartments Agency currently
Ranges of hills Pleasant Hill BART Station oversees redevel-
effectively divide opment activities
the county into in five project
three distinct regions. The housing, particularly for areas: the Pleasant Hill BART
western portions, with its relatively affluent office Station Area, North
access to water, has a substan- workers commuting to the San Richmond, West Pittsburg,
tial industrial base centered in Francisco and Oakland urban Oakley and Rodeo.
the Richmond area; the central centers. In the late 70s and The Pleasant Hill BART
section is rapidly developing 80s and continuing into the Station Area is an unincorpo-
into a major commercial and 90s, Contra Costa County ex- rated area of approximately
financial headquarters center perienced the decentralization 125 acres. The focal point of
along the 1-680 corridor; and of employment centers that the project area is the Bay
the eastern part of the county began to occur throughout the Area Rapid Transit District
is undergoing substantial nation. (BART) Station. The
suburbanization as it transi- The County is well served Agency's principal objectives
tions from a rural, agricultural by, and its development his- are to: (1) improve land use
area to a suburban region. tory has been substantially and development; (2) improve
The county has a population influenced by major transpor- transportation and circulation
of over 800,000 people. tation facilities. Major high- of traffic; (3) promote urban
The county was initially ways include Interstate 80, design which will project a
settled in the mid 1800s. Ini- Interstate 680, Highway 24 positive image and have
tial settlement reflected its and Highway 4. The Bay regional and local identity;
agricultural character. The Area Rapid Transit District and (4) provide for a mix of
I
' Agency Profil
CO/ltllllled. . .
i
employment and residential (5) stimulate new industrial town commercial area for
land uses, including afford-
development. Oakley residents; (1�) a first
able housing. Current projects within time homebuyer program
The North Richmond the West Pittsburg area which provides silent second
Rederelollmcnt Plan was include: (1) infrastructure im- loans to qualified families;
adopted in 1987. The North provements'along Willow and (3) a street widening and
Richmond project area is a Pass Road, a major commer- improvement project along
900-acre area in west Contra cial corridor; (2) construction Highway 4, a major transpor-
Costa County. The North financing for a ten-unit tation corridor through town.
Richmond Project Area has condominium project, of The Rodeo Redcvelon-
been historically subject to which all will be priced to be meat Pro sect Arca was
seasonal flooding and has had affordable to families below adopted in 1990. The Rodeo
major accessibility problems. 120% of area median income, project area is approximately "The Agency
These historical problems and five will be priced to be 650 acres. The Rodeo Cur"r"ently
have been or are being affordable to families below community is in western
resolved. The Agency's 80% of area median income; Contra Costa County along oversees
principal objectives are to: (3) a first time homebuyer Interstate 80. The Agency's
redevelopment
(1) revitalize and expand in- program providing silent principal ncipal objectives are to:
dustrial and employment second loans to qualified (1) facilitate the revitalization activities In
related development; (2) purchasers, and (4) identify- of an existing older and five project
develop a neighborhood com- ing and marketing potential historic old commercial
mercial district and expand site assemblages of vacant or downtown; (2) fund circula- areas . . ."
community facilities; and (3) underutilized properties along tion and transportation
upgrade deteriorated housing the Willow Pass Road corn- improvements; (3) improve
and stimulate the construction dor, including property public and community
of affordable housing. acquisition/development facilities: and (4) provide for
Current projects in the activity by a nonprofit eco- the upgrade of deteriorating
North Richmond Area include nomic development corpora- housing stimulating the con-
developing a seven-unit af- tion. struction of new infill hous-
fordable for sale housing The Oaklc l Redevelop- ing.
project, realigning and ment Plan was adopted in Current projects include
reconstructing a main collec- 1989. The Oakley project is the finalization of a major wa-
tor road in the industrial approximately 960 acres and terfront development feasibil-
portion, neighborhood clean- is located in far east County. ity study completed in con-
up and abatement activities, The project area is bisected by junction with the East Bay
and assisting private develop- State Route 4. The project Regional Park District and the
ers to provide affordable area includes the historical County. Subsequent implem-
home ownership opportuni- Oakley downtown core, as entation will be completed
ties. well as a light industrial area pursuant to a Specific Plan
The West Pittsburc,, Rede- to the west. The Agency's that is to be prepared in the
velopment Plan was adopted principal objectives are to: near future. A downtown
in 1987. The West Pittsburg (1) fund transportation and improvement program, in-
project area is approximately circulation improvements, cluding design guidelines, and
1,550 acres located along particularly those related to park improvements, are also
State Route 4 in east Contra State Route 4 deficiencies; (2) underway. Negotiations with
Costa County. The Agency's upgrade inadequate public and private developers regarding
principal objectives are to: community facilities and the provision of affordable
(1) stimulate the construction infrastructure; (3) upgrade and housing units are ongoing.
of new affordable housing; (2) rehabilitate existing housing
upgrade and rehabilitate units; and (4) stimulate new
existing housing units and the light industrial and commer-
development of community cial development.
facilities; (3) provide major Current projects in the
infrastructure improvements; Oakley area include: (1) pre-
(4) expand and revitalize paring a specific plan for
commercial development; and "oldtown" Oakley, a down-