About the Concord
Community Reuse Project

Once in a Lifetime Opportunity

The City of Concord, CA is located in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Concord Naval Weapons Station was created by the Navy in the 1940s during World War II. The Inland Area of the base was deactivated in 1999 and declared surplus property by the Navy in 2007.

The reuse of the 5,028 acre Inland Area of the Concord Naval Weapons Station represents a significant opportunity for Concord and for the region. Through an open and transparent planning process with the community, the City intends to create a world class Reuse Plan and a world class project.

Reuse Plan Goal

The City Council’s goal is to create a balanced Reuse Plan that will improve the quality of life for residents of Concord and the region through creation of new jobs, a variety of housing types, significant open space, preservation of natural resources, active parks, pedestrian and bike trails. and community facilities. The plan must be economically feasible, environmentally sensitive and sustainable.

Reuse Plan Process

There is no current plan for the site. The City is working with the community to prepare a Reuse Plan through a multi-year process that encourages public involvement and input through workshops, surveys, focus groups and newsletters.

Concord Naval Weapons Station Profile

The 12,800-acre Concord Naval Weapons Station is divided into two separate parts, the Tidal Area and the Inland Area.

Map of the Concord Naval Weapons Station showing tidal and inland areasArmy Deep Water Port in Tidal Area

The Tidal Area of approximately 7,630 acres to the north borders Suisun Bay and includes a deep water port. This property has been transferred from the Navy to the Army along with 115 acres in the Inland Area.  The Army property is not part of the  Concord Community Reuse Project.

Inland Area Community Reuse Plan

The Inland Area was approved for closure by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission in November 2005 and surplussed by the Navy in March 2007. This area is located entirely within the Concord city limits and is the subject of the Concord Community Reuse Plan.

Size and Past Use

The Inland Area makes up approximately one quarter of the land area of the city (8 square miles of the City’s 31 square miles). The total Inland Area property to be considered in the Concord Community Reuse Plan is 5,028 acres.

The property was used as a weapons storage and maintenance facility, but was mothballed by the Navy in 1999. There are currently not munitions stored on the site.

Ownership and reuse of the property

The Department of Defense selected the Concord City Council to act as the Local Reuse Authority (LRA) for the Concord Naval Weapons Station. The City Council, acting as the LRA, will prepare the Concord Community Reuse Plan for the property.

The Navy will retain ownership of the property while Concord prepares the Reuse Plan. After the Reuse Plan has been reviewed by the Navy, the Navy will decide how the property is transferred to other owners. The City may or may not take possession of any of the property, but will determine the use of the land through its zoning authority.

Approximately 60 acres of the Inland Area on Olivera Road have been transferred to the Coast Guard. Military housing on the site will continue to be used to house Coast Guard personnel stationed in the Bay Area. This area is not part of the Concord Community Reuse Project.

diagram of the planning process showing the relationship between various working groupsThe Planning Process

In 2006, the Concord City Council, acting as the Local Reuse Authority (LRA), launched a multi-year process to prepare a Reuse Plan for the property. The city is committed to an open, transparent and inclusive planning process that involves all members of the community. Residents of Concord, business leaders and representatives from a wide range of community-based organizations play an important role in determining the future civilian reuse of the property.

Phase I (2006) – Public Outreach

In 2006, the City Council spent the year conducting a massive public outreach campaign to hear comments, suggestions and opinions about the civilian reuse of the base from a broad spectrum of residents, business owners and local and regional stakeholders.

The community responded with hundreds of comment cards, emails, and letters. Information was distributed and verbal comments were heard at a May Ideas Fair and City Council working sessions June 10, June 20, July 11 and August I. Additional information was obtained through a community-wide telephone survey, stakeholder interviews, focus groups, Council drop-in sessions, and an information booth at public events.

bulletGoals and Guiding Principles

The project’s Goals and Guiding Principles, compiled from the input received through the public outreach process, were approved by the City Council at an August 2006 meeting. This document serves as the foundation for the Reuse Plan.

bulletCitizen’s Advisory Committee

In November 2006, the City Council appointed a 21-member Citizen’s Advisory Committee (CAC) to assist in the preparation of the Reuse Plan (see Resolution No. 06-3 -.5MB PDF). The CAC meets the third Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at the Concord Senior Citizens Center, 2727 Parkside Circle. For more information on the CAC, visit the CAC agenda page on the City of Concord Web site.

In addition to the CAC, technical advisory groups of the many service providers for the area (fire, water, sewer, schools, transportation etc.), as well as representatives from regional and neighboring jurisdictions, provide technical input to the project as it progresses.

Phase II - Preparing the Reuse Plan (2007-2008)

Phase II of the project will take about 16 – 18 months and will be completed in three stages. Stage one includes site inventory, analysis and assessment by the Project Team. In stage two, alternatives development and evaluation are completed. In stage three, the Reuse Plan is completed along with a strategic framework for moving forward.

bulletHomeless Accommodation

Federal law requires that the LRA consult with local homeless service provider organizations to arrive at a mutually agreed-upon plan to balance homeless needs with other community development objectives. The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) must approve the homeless plan.  Learn more.

bulletEnvironmental Assessment

An environmental assessment of the site will affect many aspects of the Reuse Plan. Studies will be conducted to discover what contaminants are present, what clean-up methods can be employed and how much clean-up will cost. Endangered species protection measures will also be defined. A state-mandated Environment Impact Report (EIR) and the federal Environment Impact Statement (EIS) will be prepared for the Reuse Plan.

The Navy retains the liability for clean up of the contaminated portions of the Inland Area.

bulletPublic Input

As in Phase I, public input is vital to the process of preparing Reuse Plan alternatives. A series of public workshops, stakeholder interviews, focus groups, the Reuse Plan Web site and a community-wide survey assist the Project Team in gathering public comment. Assessments and contributions from the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) also contribute to the final product.

Phase III – Detailed Reuse Plan (2008)

In Phase III, the City Council will prepare, finalize and adopt the Detailed Reuse Plan and community facilities plan. Phase III includes detailed infrastructure plans, dividing the property into parcels, zoning the parcels, and an implementation strategy and related development agreements for specific land use and fiscal structures. At the completion of Phase III, the Navy may use a variety of methods to transfer ownership of the property to public and private entities in accordance with the Reuse Plan. The Navy retains the liability for the environmental clean up of the contaminated portions of the Inland Area.