Dumbarton Development Moves Forward

Citing numerous benefits to the Newark community, the city's planning commissioners Tuesday voted to recommend the City Council approve a report and specific plan for a west Newark development.

With six votes to approve, the commissioners are recommending that council members certify the project’s Final Environmental Impact Report and “adopt GP-11-26, a General Plan Amendment” for the project, known as the Dumbarton Transit Oriented Development (TOD).

Commissioner Karen Bridges was absent from the meeting.

The move means the council will consider whether to certify the environmental report and approve the Dumbarton TOD Specific Plan at its next meeting, which is scheduled for Sept. 8. A public hearing on the matter is also planned for that date.

The plan calls for the development of approximately 205 acres of land starting east of Willow Street and spanning west toward Hickory Street between Central and Thornton avenues.

Under the plan, the land will have multiple uses, including up to 2,500 residential units on 150 acres of the land.

About 14 acres would be designated for retail and commercial businesses; 16 acres would be allocated for parks and open space; 22.95 acres would be for miscellaneous use; and about 6 acres would be dedicated for a future transit station.

That train station, which would be located on the corner of Willow Street and Enterprise Drive, would be a built by a different entity than the developers overseeing the Dumbarton TOD.

TruMark Companies and Integral Communities are the developers of the parcel. Both companies have the proposed community listed on their websites.

Only two members of the community spoke during the public hearing, asking whether studies have been conducted on how the new neighborhood would impact surrounding residential areas and expressing concerns over traffic and costs.

Resident Rick Bensco said that while he advocates for growth, the project is designed for an urban area rather than for a suburban town because of its density and lack of open space.

The 16 acres allocated for parks also includes a part of the Bay Trail that runs along the edge of town.

Community Development Director Terrence Grindall agreed that the specific plan calls for a denser residential area than most of Newark but emphasized that similar dense areas are located between Stevenson Boulevard and Joaquin Murrieta, such as NewPark Village.

“It is not New York City dropped into Newark,” Grindall said.

He added that the development would bring retail — particularly a mid-sized grocery store — that is not currently available on that side of town. About 195,000 square feet is designated for retail use. Newark’s grocery store takes up approximately 45,000 square feet, city officials said.

Grindall said if the specific plan is approved by the city council next month, construction would not automatically follow — but the council's consent would allow the project to happen.

Developers would have to present final plans to the commission and city council and further public input would be sought before any construction begins, he said. He added the plan is not a final design but rather acts as conceptual framework for what is allowed in the area.

City officials have been developing the specific plan for the development since 2008, Grindall said. Part of the land lies within the city’s redevelopment zone.

The area once housed industrial companies. Residents have criticized the project, raising questions about pollution and traffic congestion. Click to read more questions raised by Newark residents in previous meetings.

City officials said property owners of the land would be responsible for contamination clean-up and that, at this time, studies show that traffic won’t be severely impacted, despite a projected population increase of more than 8,000.

The cost of developing the land would “not be borne by the taxpayers of Newark,” Grindall said.

But as part of the project, the developers are required to create a plan for paying construction costs of a projected railroad overpass on Central Avenue to alleviate traffic congestion, Grindall said. That overpass would be a public project that could impact taxpayers, he said.

Still, commissioners said the project would bring value to Newark’s housing market.

Commissioner Janet Drews said the Dumbarton TOD could attract new people into Newark and could benefit individuals from the baby boomer generation who are looking to downsize.

Commissioners William Fitts and Marla Blowers noted that the development could result in an increase in the number of school-aged children who could bring revenue and, in turn, more jobs to Newark Unified School District.

Planning Commission Chair Glen Kramer said many similar communities – which he described as successful – can be found off Grimmer Boulevard in Fremont.

“[Dumbarton TOD] would be great benefit to Newark and provide housing to people who travel across the Dumbarton corridor,” Kramer said.

To read the project’s Final Environmental Impact Report, click here. To read the project’s Specific Plan, click here.