Take action for November election

Only you can stop North Livermore development

Corporation is trying to breach Urban Growth Boundary; only people power can stop it

They're at it again in North Livermore. Despite several successful efforts in the last five years to limit development in the North Livermore Valley, Pardee Homes, a subsidiary of Weyerhaeuser Corporation, is seeking voter approval for a project affecting one of the last major undeveloped areas in the valley.

Pardee has qualified an initiative for the November ballot that would expand the Urban Growth Boundary enacted less than two years ago by the City Council. The new initiative would allow for the construction of almost 2,500 new homes. Pardee is attempting to make the project attractive to voters by promising a new sports park, five miles of trails, and other amenities. In spite of these features, the project is another example of sprawl that would significantly increase traffic and bring other negative environmental impacts. Livermore is one of the last communities in Eastern Alameda County to be surrounded by open space. Many residents are concerned that if one developer is allowed to build, it will open the floodgates for development of the entire North Livermore Valley.

Pardee has spent $1.4 million on this measure. It has been bombarding the residents of Livermore with mailers and is paying people to go door-to-door to sell its development, which it has christened "Livermore Trails". It has also bought extensive television advertising time on local cable channels.

Many local people have been working on the campaign to defeat the proposed project. The Sierra Club has partnered with the Livermore-based Friends of Livermore Committee to get the word out that the initiative should be defeated. We have been organizing precinct walks, phone banks, tabling, and town-hall meetings to communicate the facts to the voters.

The local opposition efforts cannot expect to match the funding that Pardee will be putting into this campaign. It's a classic David-and-Goliath scenario. The best chance for success is to make personal contact with Livermore voters to educate them about the real impacts of this development. The Sierra Club and Friends of Livermore are hoping to talk to every registered voter in Livermore to get them to look beyond the fancy amenities designed to win their approval. This is a big job. It is possible to defeat developer money but it takes people power. We need you to step forward and assist the volunteers in Livermore who are working so hard to protect open space around their community.

This is the highest-priority Bay Area volunteer effort for this election season.

WhatYouCanDo

There will be many opportunities for you to help the campaign. On any Saturday in October, come "Walk to Keep Livermore Liveable!", from 9 am to 1 pm, meeting at 2015 Research Drive in Livermore.

To RSVP, or to learn about other times and ways to help, contact Anna Wagner at (510)848-0800, ext. 307, or anna-at-sfbaysc.org

Tammy Reus