Concord Naval Weapons station developer ready for ‘robust’ talks with residents
CONCORD, CA (Dec. 7, 2023) — As the City Council reviewed conceptual development plans for the Concord Naval Weapons Station on Nov. 14, Mayor Laura Hoffmeister emphasized the value of a “robust community engagement process” in a variety of ways.
“Electronic media, print media, in-person, remote, big groups, small groups – that’s exactly what’s going to be needed,” she told representatives from Brookfield’s BCUS Acquisitions and Keadjian Associates.
Devin Hassett of Walnut Creek-based Keadjian briefly presented his plan “to hear all the voices that want to contribute” by “meeting the community where they congregate and engaging on a personal scale.”
After showing a slide listing the numerous groups already contacted, he added: “Successful engagement will include traditional events like open houses and focused workshops, complemented by more personal venues like coffee klatches, neighborhood groups, popups at the farmers market.”
Guy Bjerke, the city’s director of Economic Development and Base Reuse, tried to steer councilmembers away from specific questions about things like grading, walking times and park locations – reminding them: “We’re doing conceptual tonight; we’re not doing numbers.”
Specific Plan and Environmental Impact report
BCUS is expected to produce a Term Sheet in early 2024, with council approval slated for Jan. 16. The developer predicts completing a Specific Plan, an Environmental Impact Report and a Disposition and Development Agreement over 24 months.
Given that the city cut ties with Concord First Partners earlier this year due to proposed density increases, Hoffmeister pressed BCUS about the economic feasibility of using the previous housing numbers.
“So far, we’re still trying to meet what’s in the Reuse Plan – not exceeding it,” Josh Roden said. “However, we haven’t finished our financial analysis. Hopefully, we can stay with that. That’s the goal.”
Current plans call for Phase 1 to include the area from Willow Pass Road down to the Port Chicago entrance and BART. Phase 2 would feature development of the campus/innovation district, which is now sited closer to the BART station.
Although Hoffmeister said that “nobody may ever ride BART again” and students “may be on Zoom,” she joined all the other councilmembers in concurring with the new location for the campus. “It’s really hard to look at something you’re not going to start vertical development for, you know, five plus years down the road,” she noted.
In response to past concerns about transparency, Councilmember Carlyn Obringer encouraged residents to track the development process at www.concordreuseproject.org.
Bev Britton
Bev Britton graduated with a degree in journalism from the University of North Dakota and moved to the Bay Area with her soon-to-be husband Jim in 1986. She was features editor at the Contra Costa Times in Walnut Creek before becoming managing editor of the Contra Costa Sun in Lafayette in 1995. She retired from newsrooms in 2001, but an ad for the Clayton Pioneer drew her back in. The family moved to Lake Wildwood in the Gold Country a few years ago - but working at the Pioneer keeps her in touch with her old neighborhoods in Concord and Clayton.