The Concord City Council on Tuesday rebooted the process of finding a master developer for the former Concord Naval Weapons Station, agreeing on contents of a request for qualifications to send to potential partners.
The fate of 5,046 acres on the city’s northeast side has been one of Concord’s biggest issues since the U.S. Navy abandoned the area in 1999. The Navy officially designated it as surplus and made Concord the local reuse authority for the site, of which 2,300 acres are targeted for 13,000 units of housing and millions of square feet of commercial space.
The site will also be home to a 2,540-acre East Bay Regional Park, tentatively known as Concord Hills Regional Park.
A large portion of Tuesday’s meeting was devoted to making sure there’s language in the request making clear to developers that campaign donations to local elected officials are a non-starter. Former Mayor Tim Grayson recused himself from voting on a master developer in 2016, after a developer candidate accused another of improper lobbying.
An independent investigation confirmed Grayson’s state assembly campaign took money from Lennar Five Point, the company eventually named master developer before it pulled out in 2020. It also concluded the donation went through a proxy and Grayson was likely unaware of the connection.
It was also suggested Grayson discussed the selection process with former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown — a registered lobbyist connected with a firm that did business with Lennar — but the investigator determined it was plausible Grayson only conferred with Brown for his political expertise during his assembly run.
“I have a lot of confidence in our colleagues, that everything would be above board going through this process,” said Vice Mayor Domenic Aliano. “At that time, it was a different council, when we went through the past selection process, and we have new individuals on the city council today.”
Council member Carlyn Obringer said she wanted to emphasize the project isn’t just about housing; it’s also about creating local jobs.
“It’s really important; I think the purpose of the RFQ is for this document to make crystal clear what the council expectations are, so that everybody knows, whenever they apply, what we’re looking for,” Obringer said. “We don’t want to have confusion and delays later.”
The council also added language to the document affirming applicants will have experience with emerging technologies and sustainability, acknowledging the time necessary for such a massive project.
Concord selected Lennar Five Point as master developer in 2016. The company pulled out of the project in March 2020 when its initial exclusive negotiating agreement expired and its negotiations with local labor unions failed.
This time, the city has designed an expedited process to allow for the selection of a new master developer by August.
“The quicker process should allow the LRA and chosen master developer to restart the specific plan and environmental impact report in early 2022, leading to land use entitlements, a disposition and development agreement, and an economic development agreement with the U.S. Navy in 2023,” a report for Tuesday’s meeting said.
The report also outlined a new project timeline, aiming to have the request for proposals out by April 16. The city’s deadline for answers in writing would be May 14. The council would select developers to interview by Aug. 3, with the interviews taking place by Aug. 24 (which may include actual selection of a master developer). The city would like to have initial negotiations done by Aug. 31 and have an agreement with its choice by Sept. 23.
39 comments
I will say this again.
Why not leave the property alone and let a future generation decide what to do with the property?
Pushing things through ASAP just = GREED.
That’s what they did. Now the future generation wants to develop it.
Fool me once, fool me twice… here we go folks!
👍🏻
The faster they build it the faster my property value will rise. N680 and N242 along with HYW4 will become a parking lot! Oakley, Anitoch and Pittsburg traffic will become even more of a crawl. Their commute will really become even more of a nightmare.
A nightmare THEY chose by living there, but now foist on all of us by using every single local street to cut through. They are the worst driviers. And, no. This will likely decrease your property vaue. It s a grave mistake to develop this area, but they will do it anyways.
A 2540 acre redwood grove would be a great park. Better than anything else they could put in there.
I second that motion. They could call it Also Muir Woods.
They should turn it all into East Bay Regional Park Open space.
It could be the next Briones.
WE DO NOT NEED MORE HOUSES
Leave it alone, or make it into a big park for all but the homeless to use.
Oh boy! Are they gonna put in any new reservoirs? So glad we’re moving out of here. Sad but way to crowded and expensive here now.
13,000 units of housing. If each home has two cars that will be an additional 26,000 more cars added to the already congested roadways. With the influx of illegals and their large families, can Concord handle the population explosion of possibly 80,000 people or more?
Dawg, It is not unreasonable to think that every household will need to have at least 2 cars, but the last time around the council was allowing space for less than 1 car per household, along with very limited street parking. They seem to be operating with the pipedream that the people who inhabit the 13,000 units won’t need cars to get around in the Bay Area.
Plus the previous mixed-housing street plans and architects’ drawings indicated that driveways would not even be long enough to pull a car all the way in past the sidewalk….. much less a pickup truck!
Expecting people to bicycle, pay for something like Uber, or run errands all over town by walking or transferring from bus to bus is ludicrous. There are increased personal safety issues involved with any of those options. And a person simply cannot bring enough food and supplies home using those options. In at least one of the “plans”, the roads themselves were not wide enough for a delivery truck, construction, moving van, emergency response (including fire) truck, etc., to have enough road width to let them go between residents’ vehicles parked on the curb.
Silva – I think it was actually 1.4 cars. Always wanted to know what a .4 of a car looked like. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA All I know the parking scheme was really ridiculous.
Looks like the proper amount of silver has finally crossed the appropriate palms.
The only winners are the members of the sitting City Council and their deep-pocket political “contributors” (developers).
All I know is this better not involve Seeno in any way!! He’s a complete farce and how many times can one developer be charged with crimes. We will all know our city has turned into Pittsburg if that family is involved. Low quality homes and they destroy everything in their path.
ConcordDad – Are you a betting man because the odds are on Seeno being the developer. He has to develop that area as he is legally barred from developing in Nevada.
FYI – Lennar has moved on as they are developing more luxury housing at the Silver Oak gold course in Carson City and the same at the golf course in Dayton. They are also extending a development in south Carson City. It all works for them as there are no “low income” or “affordable” housing restrictions. And I’m hearing people from CA are paying cash for these homes. Why pay 1,something million for a home when you can get it for $700,000-$800,000
Hopefully they’ll construct apartments for the income disadvantaged, people of color, and our illegal alien population that grows by the 1000s everyday. Racial and income equity will make Concord a more diverse and provide a showcase for the rest of Contra Costa County.
https://bit.ly/3dO8hmJ
There was an accidental release of radioactive material from Concord Naval Weapons Station in the 1950s. The cloud drifted South East over the area. We were told to stay inside for several days until it settled. Have the cleanup crews found where the radioactive material is buried, yet?
Gittyup
Nobody raised in central or east county between 1955 – 1980 would ever buy a dwelling built on the toxic dump known as the CNWS. That land is massive birth defects and cancers waiting to happen
@Chris, a nice thought. That area is a toxic waste land. Nobody should build on that property.
Just say ‘no’ to Seeno!
I agree, NO SeeNO
Seeno evil?
Could a developer have indicated interest and and that is why this is starting again? Could that developer have promised to pay all work at union wages which is the reason the previous plan broke down?
Could that developer be Seeno? Jus’ wondering.
Please just leave that area alone! Leave it for our wildlife. We don’t need to build on every inch of space. I promise you. We’re always up in smoke and barely any water. NO MORE BUILDING!
So it’s a matter of greed versus quality of life & conservation…..
Gee, I wonder which will win?
It wants to be open space.
Any housing developer of that property should be required by Concord, Pittsburg, and Contra Costa County to pay for grading and addition of more lanes (including safety shoulders) and completely resurfacing Bailey Road BEFORE ground is broken for the first new home (apartment…. whatever).
And I mean 4 lanes all the way through to Clayton Road!
That expensive mile-long stretch of landscaped walkway on Bailey Road is hardly EVER being used because hikers are so vulnerable along there. Bushes conceal anyone wanting to hide and jump out at a walker. Plus if a vehicle stops and criminally-intent thugs jump out, there is no way to run to a house or store entrance to get help.
No way to four lanes. That’ll encourage even more trash to come in from Pittsburg and Antioch!
I think if the city does not move on the project it will be put out for bid as happened with the coast guard units. Then the developer with the highest bid will build whatever the want, within reason.
Does this ‘groundwork’ include arrows pointing to where the paper bags full of unmarked bills are supposed to be stashed?
Bring back the Elk!
I agree! Make it a State Park, a tribute to California’s heritage.
Bring back tule elk & antelope…. make it a native wildlife area with some black bears (in large outdoor habitat enclosures like the Oakland Zoo has).
Build a Rancho, a Mission & a Miwok village to replicate 17th-19th century California. Schools could have cool field trips there.
For the tourist types, put up a little coal mine town with a saloon & stage coaches at the far end of the park (I’ll tend bar).
Or just build 20,000 houses we don’t have enough water , electricity or roads to support.
Neat idea. Also, let’s also rename Concord “Stage Coach,” and I like the sound of “Gun Point” for Bay Point. Let’s also honor the people who settled here and ran cattle ranches saving the land for future generations … our generation. Let’s do some of the same for the generations to come after us. We could have our very own BARTable Frontier Village/Knott’s Berry Farm tourist destination. And, lets not forget to set aside a portion of the land for producing wineries destinations with vineyards and tasting rooms. Make money for the area greater than the property taxes housing would provide.
Bring back the Tule Elk.
Yeah! Tule Elk…. Frontier Village….. I can see it all now…..
https://tinyurl.com/anr3n7y7
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