Our Focus

We are not anti-development, but advocates for responsible development of the Mangini/Delu site.  Building 210 homes on 25.9 acres (up to 21 per acre) instead of 100 (4 per acre) will have a huge impact on traffic, noise, schools, and the surrounding neighborhoods. We would like to have input into the type of development that goes on this site.

The city is under pressure to add housing. As reasonable people who understand that Californians need housing, we want thoughtful and proper city planning, which places higher density developments closer to mass transit, employment, and shopping.

In 2018 the city hired a planning consultant, Mintier Harnish, to update their 20yr General Plan and develop an 8yr Housing Element plan to comply with the state mandate to construct 1803 new housing units.  The City held over two dozen public meetings to review these plans and collect public input.

We formed our group in mid-2021 with the goal of protecting the Mangini/Delu site and advocating for responsible development in the city.  During development of the 20yr General Plan, with input and support of residents, we

• limited the total number of units to 210 and the upper density of development on the Mangini/Delu 
• successfully excluded the Winslow Center, and
• got commitment to do a master plan for the site detailing impacts to traffic, parking, noise, architectural character & building height, and creek preservation.

Additionally, we

• got the city to agree that given the planning work left to be done, the Mangini/Delu site should not be included in the 8yr Housing Element and
• got EIR recognition that the state’s housing target would have “significant and unavoidable impacts” to traffic, noise, and green-house gases.

The City approved the 20yr General Plan and EIR in December 2022 and submitted the 8yr Housing Element plan to the state for approval.  The state found that the city’s plan was overly reliant on redevelopment of non-vacant sites and required the city to exclude the JCPenney and Contra Costa Blvd/Gregory Lane redevelopment sites and instead include vacant sites at Paso Nogal and Morello Terrace despite vocal local opposition.

Having made revisions mandated by the state, the city’s Housing Element was approved in November 2023 after the third submittal.

The families that own Mangini and Delu properties are very likely to sell to a developer at some time in the future. The developer will then hire a planning team to master plan the 26-acre site.  A separate site-specific EIR will have to be prepared.  The same impact concerns that we will raise in the GP process with the General Plan must also be addressed at the site-specific level -- traffic, noise, safety, schools, protection of the Grayson Creek corridor across the entire site, greenhouse gases, utilities, etc.  Traffic will be a huge issue.  210 homes could put 400 additional cars on the road with the intersection of Pleasant Hill Road and Taylor Blvd being the most congested and accident-prone in the City. 

A key component of the EIR will be the analysis of a “reasonable range of alternatives” as required by CA environmental law.  As required by CEQA, we will demand the city explore a range of densities, building heights, site/circulation configurations and open space protection. The site-specific EIR will have to wind thru the same process as the General Plan EIR with multiple opportunities for public input.