Some Residents Continue Resistance to Danville's 2030 General Plan

About 200 people showed up to the Danville Planning Commission meeting last week and most of them voiced their concerns over Danville proposed 2030 General Plan, the Contra Costa Time reported.

From the Times story:

Several speakers talked about Danville being a great and safe place to live and how adding more development and low-income housing would negatively impact traffic, safety, fire department response times, schools, property values and the quality of life.

A point of contention for many in the 2030 plan is the Association of Bay Area Government's regional housing needs allocation assigned to the town by state mandate.

By law, the town has to set aside at least 9.6 acres of for high density, affordable housing. The proposed plan identifies a number of areas around town where that could be met, most around downtown.

(Note: You can read the plan here.)

One resident, Jane Liu, was quoted by the Times as saying, "Are we turning Danville into Fremont, San Jose, Antioch, or San Francisco, Oakland?...Do you want the whole country, every town to look the same -- all the same with higher crime?"

The organization, Save Open Space Danville, told the commission that the General Plan needs to come to a public vote, because of Measure S, passed by Danville voters in 2000 to have an oversight over land use changes.

Though the plan has faced outspoken criticism, some at the meeting did say they supported the work done by the Town Council, planning commission and city staff.

The next meeting on the 2030 plan will be on Jan. 22, with the planning commission expected to give its recommendation to the Town Council at the meeting.

According to Bay City News,  there will be a Town Hall meeting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 15 hosted by Open Space Danville and others to protest the draft Danville 2030 General Plan's proposal for rezoning to high housing densitites and to protest the town's continued membership in the Association of Bay Area Goverments. The meeting will be at the Sycamore Clubhouse located at 635 Old Orchard Drive in Danville.   

Related: Residents Challenge Danville's 2030 General Plan; What Do You Think?

Let us know what you think of the 2030 General Plan? What do you think is fair solution to meeting the state mandates and keeping Danville's unique feel? Tell us in the comments section.

Bay City News contributed to this report. Copyright © 2012 by Bay City News, Inc. -- Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.

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