Last week, the Blackhawk Nunn Partners project took one step forward with the release of the Notice of Preparation for the Environmental Impact Report. This means the City of Brentwood is getting ready to do an environmental review of the project–and that we have another opportunity to show our support for the urban limit line and our opposition against this ill-conceived project.

On April 25, the City of Brentwood is holding a Scoping Meeting, the legally mandated public meeting where we have the opportunity to tell them what they need to look at during the environmental review process. We need to show up en masse to show City Council exactly what we think of this project. Can you join us on April 25 at 7pm at the Brentwood Community Center to make a public comment, hold a sign, and generally make a splash? Tell us you’re coming and stay updated on Facebook. If you can’t come in person, you have until May 1 to send written comments. Written comments can be sent to:

Erik Nolthenius, Planning Manager, City of Brentwood
Community Development Department
150 City Park Way, Brentwood, CA 94513
(925) 516-5137
enolthenius@brentwood.ca.gov

You’ll have just three minutes to speak. Here are some suggested talking points:

1. This development will lead to the permanent destruction of hundreds of acres of agriculture of local importance, and undermine the commitment we’ve made as a County under measure L to maintaining urban development within the existing urban footprint.
2. The City of Brentwood has almost 6000 housing units approved or under construction, and over 1000 acres of developable land within the existing urban limit line. There is no need that justifies the detrimental environmental impacts of this project and moving the urban limit line. Building automobile dependent single family homes in a hotter climate will further increase C02 into the atmosphere, exacerbating climate change. Focusing growth inside cities where there is closer access to existing amenities is the climate smart approach.
3. This proposal will have enormous impacts on greenhouse gas emissions. Models show that we can expect up to 27,000 vehicle trips a day at build out, causing 30,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year. With 88% of Brentwood residents already leaving town every day for work, this project promises to force more people to drive hours to work each day.
4. According to the Conservation Lands Network, 64% of the land area are “Essential” or “Important” priority lands. These 800 acres make up the last buffer area between Brentwood, Antioch, and the newly acquired East Bay Regional Park District land west of Deer Valley Rd, which could compromise the integrity of the habitat provided by the park.
5. This project is out of step with Contra Costa County’s LAFCo’s Open Space and Agricultural Land Preservation Policy, and should not be approved under that policy.
6. This grassland habitat provides a free-of-charge service sequestering carbon from the air into the soil through natural processes. SPA-2 holds the equivalent of 42,000 metric tons of CO2 below ground. Developing on this land will permanently lose its ability to sequester carbon.