Martinez Fair and Responsible Growth Coalition Blog

On October 14, 2009, the Martinez Fair And Responsible Growth Coalition filed suit against the City of Martinez , Resources for Community Development (RCD), and the Earl D. and Joanne Dunivan Trust over the Berrellesa Palms project at 310 Berrellesa Street .

We took this action after careful and deliberate consideration.

Our action alleges that the City approval is not in compliance with the Downtown Specific Plan and other city planning policies, and that the City failed to comply with the CEQA process in determining, investigating and mitigating the environmental impacts of the project.

We believe it is not RESPONSIBLE to take the Downtown Specific Plan, now just three years old, and developed at a public cost of approximately $800,000, and essentially throw it out the window.  This project does not comply with that plan in many critical ways.  It is too high and too dense, has too little green space, destroys view corridors, impacts parking and covers too much of the lot surface.   It will act as the benchmark from which all other projects will start, setting the tone for all future development of the Downtown and throughout Martinez .

It is not FAIR to place this massive development that is too high and too dense in a neighborhood of historic small single-family homes, several of which are approximately 100 years old.  The size will dwarf surrounding structures and undermine the historic nature of the area.  The entire city, including the existing residents of this neighborhood, deserve to have their neighborhoods maintained and enhanced, not overpowered.

This suit is the only action left open to the public to keep this project from overwhelming the neighborhood and becoming the precedent for all future development in our downtown, making our Downtown Specific Plan fundamentally irrelevant.

This action is in no way about senior or low income housing.  It is our belief that the project is a good project if it can be scaled to the neighborhood and comply with the density, height, green space and other requirements of the Downtown Specific Plan and General Plan, although there are possible alternate sites throughout Martinez that may better suit this large a project and may more completely serve the needs of our seniors.

We support growth in our town that meets the goals of our Downtown Specific Plan to “…preserve and enhance Downtown’s historic small-town character…” and protect the unique character and quality of life of our neighborhoods.  Our community has for years actively supported adding approximately 400 housing units to the 1000 that exist Downtown now, housing that meets these goals.  We believe that growth that protects our unique historic, small town character and our friendly, safe neighborhoods is important for both current and future generations.

This is our last opportunity to save our town from overdevelopment and the problems and issues it brings. We ask for your support and donations in this critical effort.  All donors are being kept anonymous.

Tim Platt

Spokesperson

Martinez Fair and Responsible Growth Coalition

10/16/09