An area developer’s Eleventh-hour try to derail Costco’s plans to construct in Brentwood fell on deaf ears Tuesday, with the Metropolis Council unanimously upholding the Planning Fee’s earlier approvals for the undertaking.
Although the fee on June 20 gave the inexperienced mild for the proposed new retailer south of Lone Tree Plaza and east of Heidorn Ranch Highway, West Coast Dwelling Builders, an Albert D. Seeno III firm, filed an enchantment on June 28. Attorneys for the Harmony developer argued that the environmental paperwork the town used for the undertaking had been outdated and requested the council to rethink.
However slightly greater than an hour earlier than the council assembly was to start, attorneys for the builder dumped a 159-page doc with extra arguments in opposition to the Brentwood Costco undertaking, which metropolis employees mentioned they didn’t have time to totally evaluate earlier than the assembly.
Town’s authorized counsel mentioned that receiving the paperwork at such a late hour made it not possible for workers to research the data and suggested the merchandise be continued to Aug. 8, so it could possibly be digested correctly.
“I’ll say that as as irritating as that is – I’m positive to a number of the neighborhood and the general public which have resoundingly responded with their ideas on this potential movement – however I actually need to ensure as we transfer ahead that each one of Council and all the neighborhood is apprised of all the data,” Mayor Joel Bryant mentioned.
Bryant moved to proceed the merchandise, however the movement died for lack of a second as council members had been keen to listen to the enchantment as had been dozens of residents, many who had come out to point out their assist of it.
The Contra Costa Local weather Motion Coalition had additionally tried to file an enchantment in late June, however because it was already within the enchantment course of, it was denied, employees famous.
The large-box big plans to assemble a 154,852-square-foot warehouse simply south of Lone Tree Plaza Drive and east of Heidorn Ranch Highway close to the Antioch border. Its car parking zone can have room for 864 autos and its gasoline station can have 16 fueling dispensers, every with double hoses.
Additionally deliberate are 5 automobile accesses, with the principle entrance on the current intersection at Lone Tree Plaza Drive and Cañada Valley Highway. The Costco developer can be working with the town of Antioch to enhance Heidorn Ranch Highway and Lone Tree Means, Jennifer Hagen, senior planner for the town, mentioned.
West Coast Dwelling Builders, in the meantime, plans to erect lots of of properties simply south of the Costco web site and west of Freeway 4. Dubbed Bridle Gate, the now 266-home plan, which required a rezone, has been met with opposition over time and is at present beneath evaluate.
Attorneys for the house builder mentioned in a letter that the Costco undertaking is “not in keeping with the event requirements” of the brand new model and it’ll have site-significant results not beforehand reviewed.
Ellis Raskin, lawyer for Hanson Bridgett LLP, representing West Coast Builders, mentioned the explanation the enchantment needs to be continued was that key paperwork had been lacking from the general public file, together with appendices of a visitors memo and a closing model of environmental web site assessments.
“We have now to have the ability to come right down to Metropolis Corridor to have the ability to evaluate them,” he mentioned through zoom. “We had been by no means given entry to them.”
Later within the practically three-hour dialogue, employees made copies of all of the data for councilmembers and the general public.
Raskin additionally questioned the environmental opinions carried out earlier for the precise plan, which he mentioned was initially envisioned as a transit village.
“We wish the town to guarantee that a undertaking is consequential and of this magnitude on this a part of the town is correctly studied and evaluated,” he mentioned.
Senior planner Hagen, nevertheless, informed the council that the employees continues to consider that the undertaking is in keeping with the final plan, particular plan and code necessities and that “all related impacts had been adequately evaluated.”
Carrie Holliday, Costco actual property growth director, mentioned the warehouse big had chosen to find in Brentwood as a result of the closest shops – in Antioch and Tracy – had been “closely impacted.”
Practically 50% of Brentwood residents are Costco members, she mentioned, including that finding there’ll imply they gained’t must journey as far. One other profit are the 200 to 250 jobs the shop will carry, she added.
Throughout public feedback, many of the audio system supported Costco, touting the advantages of buying native, bringing tax {dollars} to the town and saving on gasoline that may have been spent buying farther afield.
“The merchandise right here is to determine whether or not or not Seeno can enchantment and that’s it,” Danny Dohrmann mentioned. “We’re not speaking about constructing Costco, not speaking about whether or not or not they need to have photo voltaic panels, no matter, it’s merely to find out if Seeno can overturn the choice you guys have already made. It’s that straightforward.”
Dohrmann mentioned the builder’s last-minute open-comment letter shouldn’t maintain a lot weight and “has the identical legitimacy” of residents’ feedback.
“In case you enable an open remark to power a postponement, then everyone will have the ability to do the very same factor.”
Andrew Becker of Antioch, nevertheless, was not supportive of the undertaking, saying it is perhaps handy for residents however hardly paid a residing wage.
“Sure, for the comfort of Brentwood residents, it’s nice that you just store at Costco, and Costco has different alternatives in different zones of Brentwood, however this zone was supposed for transit,” he mentioned.
Mayor Bryant, nevertheless, mentioned the realm was at all times supposed to incorporate some industrial retail and is at present zoned for such use.
Councilmember Jovita Mendoza additionally supported the undertaking, saying the town had already reviewed all the visitors calls for for industrial, combined use and transit stations within the space.
Councilmember Pa’Tanisha Pierson additionally supported the Costco and was irritated by the builder’s last-minute submission of a giant doc.
“It takes no consideration for the general public and takes no consideration for this council,” she mentioned. “And I completely understand this as a tactic to delay a course of for which individuals have had a considerable period of time to go forward and reply.”
The council later unanimously agreed on a 5-to-0 vote to disclaim the enchantment and uphold the fee’s earlier approvals for the undertaking.
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