The Livermore Planning Commission is set to determine at Tuesday’s regular meeting whether the sale of an approximately 4.53-acre city-owned property to East Bay Regional Park District for recreational use abides by the city’s General Plan.
Located at 5658 Doolan Road, outside of city limits and the north Livermore urban growth boundary, the property is part of an approximately 137-acre city-owned parcel, according to a staff report prepared by Livermore associate planner Jennifer Ackerman.
EBRPD intends to use the land as a staging area for public access into the Doolan Canyon Regional Preserve, located approximately half mile north of the property at the northern end of Doolan Road.
Meanwhile, the city will retain the remaining, approximately 133-acre portion of the site for open space and habitat protection.
“The disposition would advance the shared goals and mutual interests of the city and EBRPD,” according to the staff report.
Previously, the city purchased the land for $1,800,000 using transfer development funds ($800,000) and an Altamont Open Space Committee grant ($1,000,000).
The committee awarded the grant in part because of the property’s use as a future staging area for the Doolan Canyon Regional Preserve, the staff report states.
“The preserve will provide future recreational opportunities, habitat protection and open space preservation,” according to the staff report.
On July 10, 2023, city council authorized staff to negotiate the sale of a portion of the property to EBRPD.
More recently on Oct. 6, the Alameda County Planning Department confirmed that the transaction conforms to the county’s general plan.
At Tuesday’s meeting, the planning commission is set to make a consistency determination with the general plan open space and conservation element goals as part of the consent calendar — composed of items typically considered routine and acted upon with a single vote.
The planning commission is scheduled to meet beginning at 7 p.m. (Oct. 21). The full agenda is available here.
*In other business
Also on the consent calendar, revisions to the planning commission rules of procedure will be on the table.
Revisions are proposed regarding the meeting attendance policy and the process to address open forum/public comments on future planning commission agendas, according to a staff report prepared by Livermore senior planner Ashley Vera.
The changes are being proposed as city staff are reviewing the rules of procedure for advisory bodies and recommending various revisions for consistency with the newly adopted city council values, norms and principles of governance as well as the city council rules of procedure.
Commissioners will vote on recommending the city council to approve the revised planning commission rules of procedure.
