Supporters of Measure F — an effort to preserve the 297-acre Alhambra Highlands area of Martinez — have garnered enough signatures to get the measure in front of the city’s voters on the June primary ballot.
“It’s the largest, last, most prominent, most beautiful, open space in Martinez,” said Jamie Fox, the principal officer of the Save Alhambra Hills Open Space group behind the effort.
The City Council approved a developer’s plan to build homes on 109 hillside lots on 72 acres of the site more than a decade ago.
A movement to preserve the area picked up steam amid construction delays. Texas-based developer Richfield Investment Group agreed to delay developing the property, located about a mile south of John Muir’s historic home and state Highway 4 and north of the Briones wilderness.
Fox said he found evidence Muir owned a parcel at the site’s northern end during the 1890s.
“It’s the most beautiful, tallest ridgeline,” Fox said. “Which one do you think he would choose?”
A series of agreements between the city and Richfield ensued, and third parties such as the John Muir Land Trust and the East Bay Regional Park District became involved. If the city acquires the site, either entity would likely be candidates to manage the property.
The city offered Richfield $9.25 million for the land in August 2019, the amount at which it had it appraised the previous year, subject to a tax measure submitted to voters. In May 2021, Richfield countered with an offer of $19.25 million and said that amount is non-negotiable.
So preservation supporters went to work, getting more than 11,000 signatures from Martinez residents on a petition to get the measure before voters June 7.
According to the city’s website, the ballot measure will say: “Shall the measure of the City of Martinez to levy a dedicated special tax to prevent development and acquire, create and maintain 297 acres of permanent public parkland and wildlife habitat known as the Alhambra Highlands, at a maximum rate of $79 annually for single-family parcels and at specified maximum rates for other parcel types, for 30 years, providing approximately $1.2 million annually, with exemptions for low-income persons, be adopted?”
A two-thirds majority of “yes” votes would be required for passage. City council members have said they support preserving the land and unanimously voted to survey residents.
Fox said there’s no organized opposition to the measure, but the limited city survey of about 300 residents showed 56 percent of respondents favoring the measure, with at least 10 percent undecided.
“We have nine weeks of work ahead of us,” Fox said.
For more information on the June 7 primary election, go to www.cocovote.us.
4 comments
I hope Alhambra Highlands Open Space wins and that the open space stays open.
Then we all win.
What do we win exactly except another special parcel tax? And even worse, a tax to prevent development? That’s no better than blackmail. Only Contra Costans would be stupid enough to vote for that.
I’ve lived in that area for 42 years and there is NOTHING special about that space. Yeah, it’s pretty to look at as you drive on Alhambra Ave. You can barely see it from Reliez Valley Road. And on the other side of Reliez Valley Road you have miles upon miles of protected open space almost to highway 80.
I think most of all people are opposed to the kind of homes that will be built there: high-end homes. I don’t care if they are high end or middle class. We can’t continue to complain about a lack of housing and oppose every single development that comes down the pike.
At one time, all of Contra Costa was open space, but people needed homes so it was developed.
I was here when Elderwood was developed up to Morello and Chilpancingo and the area off Paso Nogal west of DVC. Also, the new homes SW of Pleasant Hill Rd and Grayson. The latter was a pretty open field with low hills. It sucked to see it go but a decade later I forgot it even existed. And the new homes did not spoil anything of value.
This new development will be the same. And I sure as hell am not pay an additional tax to prevent development.
I’m a no
Hell No! Not another dime for ongoing taxes on the most incredibly beautiful hill in Martinez. Obviously, the taxes won’t come close to covering the so called real costs. We are surrounded by an abundance of protected watershed which I take advantage regularly. All we need is another ugly, bovine, poop stained fire road for roving geriatric hikers!
Reminds me the long feud to prevent developing that ugly ass golf course with nimby seniors leading the fight.
So, a giant hell no of common sense from the surly one!!!
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