Quintessential Battle Brewing Over City's Last Major Housing Project

Neighbors living near a pristine 300-acre hillside parcel of oaks, scrub and grasses along the city's southern border fear the construction of 112 homes on 76 of those acres will create havoc and bring an end to what is now a bucolic, pastoral landscape.

The property in question is in the Alhambra Hills, a scenic collection of ridges bordered by Alhambra Avenue, Reliez Valley Road and Alhambra Valley Road. The plan: Build 112 luxury homes on 76 acres. The rest is slated to be open space. At issue is the effect on the privacy and views of existing neighbors, the loss of 625 oak trees, possible flooding from new roads and emergency trails, light and air pollution, and disruption to wildlife, especially the endangered Alameda whipsnake.

A recent environmental study of the project claims that most of the concerns could be addressed with little or no negative effects on the surrounding area.

The developer, Richland Investment Corp., has proposed a one-to-one tree replacement program, and the purchase of an additional 300 acres in areas outside the city that are also home to the whipsnake. To protect neighbors' privacy, homes on the most prominent ridgelines would be single story and shielded from view by landscaping, according to the study.

Can the mitigations proposed by the city go far enough to address the concerns of the surrounding neighbors?

"That's always the question in planning," said Martinez Planning Manager Terry Blount. "The city believes the project will not cause serious impacts, with the proposed mitigations in place. But there will always be people who are not happy with what has been done."

Mayor Rob Schroder pointed out that the many of the neighbors who are objecting to the project are living in relatively new homes themselves, in develoments that were also the cause for concern not so long ago. 

But neighbors are concerned, and many expressed that concern in letters to the city.

"We live at the end of Wanda Way and know first-hand the abundance of wild life who call that parcel home," said Illene Clancy, who lives on Wanda Way. "We back to the creek and witness a thriving aquatic habitat whose future will be threatened by a project of this size. Please go and spend a bit of time at the site if you have not already done so. This is the land that John Muir tended and it needs to be respected in a very careful way which is in direct opposition with this large subdivision."

Residents of the Elderwood Glen subdivision are particularly concerned about the extension of Wildcroft Drive, which will create a major roadway for the new homes just feet from existing homes.

"The thought of losing the beauty that is the hillsides behind us sickens us all," said Brain Fitzsimmons of Valley Glen Lane. "The thought of cars coming down a 15 percent (grade) hill, with many scrolling through their phones texting friends they're running late to meet...and being just a split-second away from careening into our backyard. It's insane."

At a special meeting on the project Nov. 18, others also voiced concern.

"I'm worried about slides," said Jim Allen, an Alhambra Valley Road resident who lives below the proposed project. "And a 33-foot house is going to invade our privacy."

Charles Sutter, who also lives on Alhambra Valley Road, agreed.

"To me, a ridge full of houses is not less than significant," he said, disputing the conclusion of the study.

"People get used to a certain thing," Planning Manager Blount said. "Change can be disconcerting. In the end, though, the visual impact will be very minimal. There is quite a large, flat plateau where most of the development will occur."

The public has until 5 p.m. Dec. 6 to submit comments on the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Report, after which city staff will address the comments, and a final public hearing will be held to certify the document. After that, probably early next year, the Planning Commission will hold a hearing to either approve or deny the application.