El Sobrante, CA 94803

Site Updated August 16, 2008

Just say NO to West County School District, AC Transit,and E.Bay Regional Park parcel taxes!! WCCUSD NEWS

>>>DAM ROAD REPAVING BETWEEN EL PORTAL & TRI LANE - PRESS RELEASE<<<

Like to see El Sobrante stay unincorporated? or become a separate city?

LBAM SPRAYING CALLED OFF IN URBAN AREAS>>>

>>>Welcome to SaveElSobrante Citizen's Action Group<<<

Why Save El Sobrante??? From annexation by Richmond, rezoning, redevelopment & eminent domain!!

"Private property and freedom are inseparable" - George Washington

FAST FACT: Less than 1% of developable land in the US is developed!!

Taking Liberty: How Private Property is being Abolished in America

Light Brown Apple Month (LBAM) spraying...it's worse than you thought...Listen to this interview

The guvmint's plan for us....

Think Globally - Act Locally - What is SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT??

Experts see Collapse of US Economy - but our corrupt guvmint keeps seizing private homes and

building 'affordable housing' AKA 'smart growth'!

Redevelopment: The Unknown Government download pdf

NOW ESMAC P&Z SUBCOMMITTEE WANTS TO REZONE ALL OF EL SOBRANTE!!

Another member wants to annex El Sobrante to Richmond!!

El Sobrante MAC Proposed "Policies for El Sobrante Area"

Anti-eminent domain sign stirs up St. Louis!

The Best-Laid Plans of Govt. Planners Usually Screw Up Your Life

El Sobrante Redevelopment End Run - Rezoning via Genl. Plan change

The Anti-communitarian League fights the deceptive takeover of our communities!!

West County property owners wake up, reject Measure G!!!

AGENDA 21: A GUIDE FOR PUBLIC OFFICIALS

Freedom21 Santa Cruz interview with Tom DeWeese of American Policy Center on the "World Environment Conference in San Francisco and Tony Blair's Sustainable Housing Plan - How the elite want us to live in the future!!

The Joys of Living in Unincorporated Areas - W. County Times - 11/28/06

Redevelopment horror stories: Manteca - San Diego

THEIR PLANS FOR OUR FUTURE

Parade Magazine article on Eminent Domain - Aug. 6, 2006

Listen to El Sobrante MAC meetings!! Minutes and agenda of El Sobrante MAC meetings!!

Official El Sobrante Municipal Advisory Council Website

JOKELAND: MAYOR DELLUMS-NO $$ BECAUSE OF REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS!!

Special El Sobrante MAC meeting on General Plan (rezoning of Dam Rd. and Appian Way) AUDIO and it's impact on the community, Aug. 29, 7PM - download flyer - tell a friend!! See County map of parcels to be rezoned!! Download agenda of Aug. 29, 2006 special ESMAC meeting here NOTE: the country wants to recommend the placement of a "P1 Planned Unit District" within the rezoning area: what is a P1 district? see severe land use restrictions within such a district

Did you know that El Sobrante is within Richmond's "sphere of influence" ????

El Sobrante MAC/County wants building moratorium in Genl. Plan rezoning area to facilitate County rezoning!!

City of Brea devalues private land to 'save open space'

Smart Growth Not That Smart - Times' 8/18/06

Another way (beside Eminent Domain) that your property can be taken

Another way to make you a property tax payer with little or no rights on your own property!!

Slideshow: How gov't. mandated land use planning drives up home prices

Washington, DC: Redevelopment Hurts Poor

WHY SHOULD YOU BE CONCERNED ABOUT PROPERTY RIGHTS?

WARNING!!! A Massive Redevelopment Plan and General Plan (zoning) change is in the works for El Sobrante!

Board Ordinance: Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) members- only by appointment!!

Contra Costa Board of Supervisor's meetings - agenda and audio

Bayview-Hunter's Pt. residents pass petition to stop redevelopment in Nov. election!! Evil SF gov't. rejects valid citizen's petition!!

Richmond Fire Department confusion and ensuing death of children: Tom Butt eforum

WHAT IS A SPECIAL DISTRICT?

Chammie the horse sez':

Save El Sobrante!! Redevelopment?? Neigh!

What happened in the 1970s to make Bay Area housing so unaffordable? In a nutshell: land-use planning!!

Seminar on 'Urban Planning'

Special Report: The High Price of Land Use Planning

Sunday Times' 4/30/06 articles on ED initiatives

Sunday Times' 4/30/06 - 'Private Property v. Public Use

Sustainable Development Benefits the Elite!!

Pot Club opens in El Sob!!

Measuring the Success of Transit Oriented Development (TOD)

How private property is being abolished in America

Freedom 21 Santa Cruz

How Smart Growth Makes Housing Unaffordable REPORT

The Great Global Warming Scam

Earth Day or Earth Worship??????????

Upcoming Eminent Domain Ballot Initiatives for California

FAST FACT: Less than 1% of developable land in the US is developed!!

El Sobrante/Richmond crime crisis!!!

Oregon's Supreme Court upholds Prop. 37 protection for private property

County Budget Mess

Good news....

Fire protection in El Sobrante? Think again...Tom Butt Eforum: They Fiddle While El Sobrante Burns

Richmond Fire Department confusion and ensuing death of children: Tom Butt eforum

POLICE PROTECTION...what happened to El Sobrante's resident deputy? Before any new development can be approved in unincorporated Contra Costa Co. the developer must vote YES to approve a parcel tax for P6 police services special district - yet these same areas usually have no resident deputy protection unless another parcel tax is passed - see PROPOSED mail ballot on Board of Supervisors Jan. 17 AGENDA - item SD.2 - the Rodeo MAC will also consider "future funding" for the resident deputy program - Audio of proceedings - Times article on Rodeo Police Protection - Letter to the Times' from Rodeo resident regarding resident deputy

Whassup with the Downtown El Sobrante/Appian Way Redevelopment Plan? For the latest info

San Pablo Dam Rd. and Castro Ranch Rd. AC Transit bus stop grant application info

Community Policing - What's the real story??

El Sobrante General Plan (zoning) to be changed along San Pablo Dam Rd. "business corridor" and Appian Way to make way for redevelopment and "smart growth" high density "affordable" housing; (hastily written) NOTES from 3/16/05 meeting with Patrick Roche of Contra Costa Community Development Dept. on General Plan change

Did you know that redevelopment plans can be incorporated into General Plans? This may happen when the updated El Sobrante General Plan is submitted - see County document given out at May 20, 2003 Project Area Committe (PAC) meeting

Sprawl GOOD - dense urban development BAD!! ChicagoSunTimes Dec. 27,05 article

Latest info on El Sobrante redevelopment meetings and $150+K money outlay for "facilitators" See NOTICE on this tightly controlled process called a "CHARETTE" - WARNING: "facilitator" and "experts" will be part of this!!!!!

"Smart growth"/redevelopment around the State

Interview with Susette Kelo of the infamous Supreme Court KELO eminent domain decision

Bush's view of the US Constitution!

A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste - USE IT!!!!!!!!!

New Report Confirms Smart Growth Raises Housing Prices!!

America: A Land of Renters?? See latest article by Henry Lamb

RICHMOND WATCH!!

Article on disintegration of Richmond in 12/4/03 W. Co. Times

Links to Shaping Our Future - Contra Costa County's land grab and regional government attempt

AHNOLD is a big 'smart growth' advocate!! See article from 11/16 Sunday Times

E. BAY EXPRESS ARTICLE: JOHN GIOIA, WAL-MART, SAFEWAY AND THE UNIONS

Senator Tom Torlakson COMMENTS on redevelopment at 8/18/03 El Cerrito City Council meeting

Del Norte Place AKA "pink palace" FOR SALE - commentary from local citizen

LETTER from former El Sobrante resident recently graduated in URBAN PLANNING!!

PAC member protests anti-redevelopment viewpoint in ES Chamber news bulletin

Project Area Meetings are cancelled indefinitely!!

Upcoming meetings will be "facilitated" community meetings - time, place UNKNOWN -SEPT. UPDATE: we have reports that small neighborhood meetings are being held - let us know if you have attended one or have any info!! LATEST INFO

Contra Costa Community Development Dept. websites with documents pertaining to the Downtown El Sobrante/Appian Corridor Redevelopment Plan

California Redevelopment Law - section on Project Area Committees

Reports from past Project Area Committee ("PAC") meetings and other public redevelopment meetings on the so-called Downtown/Appian Way El Sobrante Redevelopment Plan

 

See Grand Jury investigation of County Redevelopment Agency!! See report

The Redevelopment Agency can seize your property without your consent!

The redevelopment area runs roughly from El Portal to Appian Way along San Pablo Dam Road, and up Appian Way all the way to Valley View including the triangle. If you own property on these two strips, your property could be subject to seizure using the eminent domain powers of the Redevelopment Agency.

 

Redevelopment advocates will tell you that it will help the community, especially minorities, the elderly, and the poor. In fact, redevelopment hurts the most vulnerable members of our society. The only ones who benefit are development interests with little or no stake in El Sobrante.

A Study by the prestigious National Center for Public Policy Research concluded that "smart growth" and other redevelopment activities hurt the underclass at disproportionately high rates.

If the proposed type of redevelopment had been adopted nationally ten years ago:

1) 260,000 minority homeowners would not own their own homes today;

2) one million homeowners of all races would not own their own homes today;

3) the average home price would have increased by $10,000 in 2002 dollars;

4) the average cost of renting a home or apartment would have increased six percent.

The End of El Sobrante as we know it!

Are you ready for SuperStores and strip malls on San Pablo Dam Road and Appian Way? Read Redevelopment, the Unknown Government, an online book which describes and documents what redevelopment really is all about.

What You can do to Save El Sobrante

Can Redevelopment be stopped? Yes, by concerned citizens like you and your neighbors.

 

Read Chapter 10 of "Redevelopment, the Unknown Government".

 

Come to the El Sobrante Municipal Advisory Council ("MAC") meetings held on the 2nd Wednesday of the month at 7AM behind the El Sobrante Library in the meeting room and the El Sobrante Planning and Zoning ("P&Z") meetings on the 2nd Thursday of each month at the same location.

LET YOUR NEIGHBORS know what is happening.

Call the Contra Costa Redevelopment Agency at 925-335-1275 and request copies of all information on the "Downtown El Sobrante Redevelopment project."

Call the Contra Costa Community Development Dept. at 925-335-1290 and request the info packet entitled "Downtown El Sobrante Transportation and Land Use Plan". This shows in detail the plans for the San Pablo Dan Rd. corridor including pathways into the neighborhood behind the Library from Dam Rd. and another major road above Taco Bell.

Redevelopment plans HAVE been stopped in communities where the citizens get involved, go to community meetings and let their public officials know they are against redevelopment.

The community of Oak Grove, Oregon (a suburb of the "smart growth"/redevelopment model city of Portland) managed to save their little community, one very similar to El Sobrante, by coming out in big numbers, carrying signs and letting their public officials they were AGAINST redevelopment.

OTHER REDEVELOPMENT PROJECTS AROUND THE COUNTY:

***Proposed EL CERRITO DEL NORTE 7/30/03 workshop in tiny room barely big enough to hold 20 people - PHOTOS here plus READ commentary from local activist

***Citizens of the City of Martinez are also fighting the proposed formation of a redevelopment agency there - click HERE to see their website. See 7/23/03 letter published in the W. County Times from Martinez City councilman, Tim Platt, urging a probe on Redevelopment!

The Pleasant Hill BART station area is an example of "redevelopment" gone badly awry!! Letter from irate nearby resident and PHOTOS showing the induced "blight" in the area

Dateline: April 28, 2003 - There they go again! - the Contra Costa Redevelopment Agency is entering another community (Montalvin Manor) and TAKING OVER!!. Link Here

Redevelopment is a problem in other areas, too...>>>

Press release on "bogus blight" finding from Castle Coalition's Institute for Justice in Norwood, OH

Cities across the country have been using eminent domain to force people off their land, so that private developers can build more expensive homes and offices that will pay more in property taxes than the buildings they're replacing...Transcript of 9/28/03 "60 Minutes" TV program on eminent domain abuse

Redevelopment Nightmare in American Canyon, Napa County, CA.

What happened with Redevelopment in Reno, Nevada is a sad and all too common example of redevelopment gone awry.

Redevelopment Horror Stories from across the nation and the heroic efforts of citizens to fight government abuses.

Links with more information on Redevelopment and how it can affect you, your family, and your community:

Website for San Jose anti-redevelopment abuse group

The Smart Growth Fraud, 7/15/03 by Dr. Michael Coffman

Randall O'Toole's The Thoreau Institute

Press coverage of Randal O'Toole's 9/10/03 talk on the "smart growth" assault on our property and automobiles

Regional Planning doesn't work

Stop Government Abuses of Eminent Domain

Castle Coalition: Citizens Fighting Eminent Domain Abuse

Threatened homeowners ask: What is blight?The answer depends on where you live and who wants to build there.

Redevelopment Abuse - articles and documents relating to redevelopment, documenting its successes, problems and consequences.

Redevelopment, the Unknown Government, an online book which describes and documents what redevelopment really is all about. Redevelopment robs from the poor and gives to the rich, all in the name of "progress".

Redevelopment corrupts the democratic process - the community gets little effective voice in the redevelopment process, but guess who foots the bill?

Understanding Plannerspeak - Common buzz-words and phrases used by redevelopment advocates.

Why Metropolitan Planning Doesn't Work - Redevelopment advocates claim that redevelopment improves city life throughout an urban area. Portland, Oregon had quite a different experience.

Government Theft, Top Ten Abuses of Eminent Domain The ten most egregious abuses of eminent domain for private purposes from 1998 to 2002. These horror stories show how government can seize private property to hand over to development interests. Will El Sobrante make the next Hit Parade?

Cities Often Misapply Eminent-Domain Rule - A Wall Street Journal article on how property is taken from small businesses to give to larger competitors by local governments.

The Community Character Act - Of course, Congress is involved, and, as usual, guess who gets screwed (the little guy).

Study Says Minorities and Poor Harmed by Anti-Sprawl Policies (Press Release) - Who benefits from Redevelopment? Big development interests, not the community, and certainly not the poor or minorities. Full Study available here

Smart Growth isn't all that smart, in fact it is better termed "Self-serving, hope the public is Stupid, Growth".

The San Mateo County Times in an Editorial objects to the strong-arm tactics of the local government in Redwood City, which is destroying small businesses to build a multiplex cinema. They are graciously allowing the former owners to rent space in the new complex (at more than double their current payments).

 

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