October 9, 2018 – Project Status Update
Link to Implementation Schedule Bar Chart

Property Transfer

• The City is working with the Navy and other local recipients to reach First Transfer of property over the next 12 months.  The Park District expects to receive about 2,300 of their 2,600 acres by the end of this year.  The Navy hopes to reach first transfer for the County and City – all 75 acres for the County and 1,200 acres of the City’s 2,300 acres – by the summer of 2019.

• The City is preparing property lines and legal parcel descriptions for the entire Base and preparing a Transition Plan with all local recipients to ensure access, security and utility needs are coordinated during the transfer and development phases of the project.

• The City is working with the Lennar/FivePoint team on the project’s financial model so that we can re-engage and complete our negotiations with the Navy regarding the payment terms for City’s Economic Development Conveyance parcels.

Finding of Suitability to Lease (FOSL)

• The Navy is completing a Finding of Suitability to Lease or FOSL with the idea that after First Transfers are achieved in 2019 – negotiations regarding leasing the remainder of the Base to local recipients will take place.  Reaching agreement on lease terms would remove the Navy from the day-to-day management of the Base – but not impact their continued obligation to clean up contaminated parcels prior to transfer.

• The Council will be holding a study session on Tuesday, October 30 to hear from the Navy and representatives from the regulatory agencies about the clean up on our Base, and how our clean up compares with the clean-up and concerns being raised at the Hunters’ Point project.

Disposition and Development Agreement

• The Disposition and Development Agreement is tied to the accepted Term Sheet and the mitigations to be determined during discussions about the Specific Plan and Environmental Impact Report.  The DDA will be one of the documents the Council considers together with the SP and EIR at the end of 2019.  The DDA framework is being assembled by the City and Lennar/FivePoint teams – with negotiation sessions starting in early 2019.

• The Lennar/FivePoint team has, so far, held three meetings with representatives of the Contra Costa Building and Construction Trades Council to negotiate issues associated with Project Labor Agreements.  Another meeting is expected in the next month.

• The City and Lennar/FivePoint team has held several discussions with the Community Coalition for a Sustainable Concord this year to understand the additional issues the Coalition would like to see included in the DDA.

Specific Plan/CEQA Review

• Based on Council direction on August 22, Lennar/FivePoint is now writing the Specific Plan.  The Community Advisory Committee is on hiatus until the draft public Specific Plan is ready for their review and consideration – now likely in spring 2019.  Staff will be bringing a resolution extending the terms of CAC members from December 2018 to December 2019 for your consideration at your meeting on November 13.

• Council also asked staff to hold additional meetings for the North Concord neighborhoods.  A meeting was held last Thursday evening (October 4) for residents living within 500 feet of the North Concord BART Station or Coast Guard property.  A meeting for the larger neighborhood is planned for next Tuesday evening, October 16 at the senior center beginning at 6 p.m.

• The CEQA or environmental review will be getting underway in November – with the publication of a Notice of Preparation and a public scoping session, likely, in December.  The draft public Environmental Impact Report will likely be ready for review and comment in the summer of 2019.

• This means the draft Specific Plan and draft EIR are unlikely to enter into our formal consideration process before the fall of 2019 and will not reach the City Council until the end of 2019 or early 2020.

• Therefore, the timeframes for work and public review of the Specific Plan and EIR are now longer than we imagined last May when the Council extended Lennar/FivePoints negotiating agreement to July 2019.  Staff will be bringing a second extension of the negotiating agreement to the Council for your consideration at your meeting on November 13.

Resource Permitting

• The City’s efforts to secure site-wide resource permits – ie. Wetlands, endangered species protection, and creek restoration is on track with the goal of obtaining the necessary permits ahead of planned infrastructure work.

Campus District Visioning

• Earlier this year the Council retained a planning consultant and formed a Blue Ribbon Committee to evaluate opportunities and options for the development of the Campus District.  The BRC held its first meeting in September and will meet on monthly basis through April 2019 to consider a series of topics that should result in a report establishing a community vision for the Campus District.

Tournament Sports Park Conceptual Planning

• Staff has also begun the conceptual planning discussion for the Tournament Sports Park.  A request for proposals to assist with planning was issued last summer and staff will be bringing forward a recommended firm and contract to the Council for your consideration at your meeting on November 13.  The planning process itself will likely start in January and result in a report of recommendations for Council consideration in the April/May 2019 timeframe.

Horizontal Infrastructure – 2022/2023

The amount design work, coordination, and additional permitting may delay horizontal infrastructure work to 2022 or beyond.

Vertical Construction – Start 2023

The timing of vertical construction is largely dependent on successful infrastructure installation, but is not expected before 2023.