Public Gets First Peek at Alhambra Highlands
Docent-led tours of the newly acquired open space kicked off on Saturday; City continues efforts to adopt new Housing Element as groups weigh in on draft plan
A group photo of the city-led hike of Alhambra Highlands
Highly anticipated public access to Alhambra Highlands began Saturday morning with the first docent-led public hike of the property that the city acquired as a result of a June 2022 ballot measure. This is the first step toward making the 300-acre property off Alhambra Avenue south of Highway 4 fully open to the public after the city completes management and maintenance plans.
I took part in the first hike, which included Mayor Brianne Zorn, City Manager Michael Chandler and council members Debbie McKillop and Satinder Malhi, along with a few dozen residents who had signed up. Four leaders led individual groups up to the picturesque ridgeline and back at varying speeds.
This is one of those posts where photos tell the story better than words, but a few quick observations:
It’s no wonder the city’s voters passed this measure, given the sweeping views, rolling hills, towering oak trees and lush green landscape that marked our hour-and-a-half hike. We also passed property once owned by John Muir.
Winter rains have created a lush green landscape.
Those taking part in the hikes should be sure to bring along water and sturdy walking shoes. Much like Mount Wanda, the first part of the hike is marked by a steep, bumpy incline before encountering flatter, smoother terrain. Jamie Fox, who helped spearhead efforts to create the open space, said he hopes that one day a connection can be created between Alhambra Highlands and Mt. Wanda, which is part of the John Muir National Historic site operated by the National Park Service. While the main trail we walked is well-trimmed, much of the surrounding area features tall grasses because of the winter rains; watch for ticks.
A steep incline marks the first part of the hike.
Much has been made of the cows that populate the Highlands and the need for hikers to try to steer clear of them as much as possible, especially if encountering mothers and their calves. The cows we encountered, including a galloping herd that appeared in a hurry to get somewhere, pretty much kept their distance. They seemed as intent on avoiding us as we were of avoiding them.
A herd of cows makes their presence known.
Residents can sign up for the free hikes at the city Recreation Department website at this link: https://secure.rec1.com/CA/City-Martinez/catalog They are offered on Saturday mornings from 9 to 10:30 a.m. or Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The trailhead is next to Bethany Baptist Church, where hikers can park. Reminder that currently the only public access to Alhambra Highlands is through docent-led tours; individuals are not allowed to hike on their own.
This post marks property in the Alhambra Highlands once owned by John Muir.
Work on Housing Element continues
The City Council and Planning Commission held their latest study session Wednesday on the laborious effort to craft and approve the city’s overdue state-mandated Housing Element. At the same time, different groups have started to pick apart the city’s nearly 300-page draft plan.
The California Housing Defense Fund, which is among a group of housing-advocacy nonprofits suing the city for its failure to adopt the Housing Element by the Jan. 31 state deadline as well as its longer-term failures to build affordable housing, sent city officials a nine-page letter pointing out “major shortcomings” in the proposed plan, while also calling it “not a bad first effort.”
In particular, CalHDF called on the city to conduct a “more thorough autopsy” on its previous Housing Element, given the fact the city failed to meet its housing targets “at any income level last cycle and produced zero units affordable at the low- and very low-income levels.” It concluded the letter by saying, “the city’s current draft housing element has many problems that will prevent it from achieving (state) compliance. But these problems can be solved.”
Meanwhile, the influential Thousand Friends of Martinez, which focuses heavily on open space issues, weighed in with its own concerns through its newsletter. Among them: “The document and what it authorizes will have a significant effect on the physical nature of our town through the housing location and densities bonuses/parking reductions/reduced design standards it allows. It will also cost the city potentially significant money to fund numerous programs the City Council can authorize.”
City Manager Michael Chandler expressed confidence that the final document will ultimately lead to better results in building housing than previous elements, noting state legislation enacted in recent years that requires cities to do more to address the statewide housing crisis.
“In a sense, the edicts, if you will, from the state have helped us to overcome some of the issues with development of any kind of a large scale,” he said, pointing to the Amáre Apartment complex going in on Arnold Drive, which includes some low-income units, as a “good first step.”
He also said the need to bring more housing to Martinez goes hand-in-hand with the city’s economic development efforts. “We’ve heard as a staff over the last year from some very influential people that know real estate, that know commercial development, that for us to attract certain types of business … to really be successful we need some more housing in some of these areas.” Chandler also said he anticipates bringing aboard a new community and economic development director sometime over the next few weeks to aid these efforts.
In response to a question from Mayor Brianne Zorn about whether property owners of the sites identified in the plan for housing can be expected to follow through with development once the plan is adopted, City Planner Michael Cass emphasized that the Housing Element is designed to specify sites where “housing could be built, not where it necessarily will be built.” He added: “The primary purpose of the the Housing Element is to identify impediments that would prevent those properties from being developed, which the 30 programs that we have included are attempting to do, as well as to provide incentives to encourage development to happen.”
He gave the example of a proposed “overlay” on Alhambra Avenue where the city aims to provide incentives to increase density; allow residential use by right; and offer more flexible development standards such as increased height or decreased setbacks, all of which would ideally motivate property owners who “may be on the fence” to pursue a housing project.
The deadline for the public to offer comment on the draft Housing Element Plan is today (April 30). Comments may be provided by emailing Cass at mcass@cityofmartinez.org
More information is available on the the city’s Housing Element webpage.
I offered my own public comments on the draft plan at Wednesday’s meeting, which can be viewed on the meeting video, and I also offered some views on the topic in this post from February.
Arrest at John Swett Elementary School
In an email to the Martinez Unified School District community, Superintendent Helen Rossi said a man was arrested by Martinez police Wednesday after being found with a concealed firearm in the parking lot at John Muir Elementary School. The suspect was reportedly near the car of an ex-girlfriend who worked at the site. “There were no threats made by the subject to the school or anyone at the school site, however, the subject’s presence was not welcome,” according to a post of Rossi’s email on the Martinez Rants and Raves Facebook group.
According to the email, police investigating the suspect developed probable cause that he had committed domestic violence in previously unreported incidents, and also confiscated two more firearms from his home. Officers also obtained an emergency protective order for the alleged victim of the suspect. Rossi said the woman “has not and will not be returning to the school site, and (the suspect) has been informed that the person will not be returning to work there.”
California has a “red flag” law, also known as an extreme risk order, that can be exercised to remove a firearm from someone suspected of being a threat to others or themselves. To learn more about how the law works, watch this video.
In case you missed it…
Despite some technical challenges, I recently completed my three-part podcast series with Mayor Brianne Zorn. All three episodes are available for download and listening on the Martinez News and Views home page or by clicking the following links. Episode One focused on the November election and how Zorn prevailed over five other candidates to become the city’s first directly elected woman mayor, as well as her thoughts on whether Martinez should continue to directly elect mayors and the possibility of ranked choice voting in future elections (as a reader pointed out, “general law” cities such as Martinez currently aren’t permitted to implement ranked choice voting). Episode Two focused on the recent incidents at the Martinez Refining Co. and efforts to improve public communications around them, as well as the future of the waterfront and marina and Alhambra Highlands. Episode Three focused on the issues of housing, the unhoused, public safety and racial equity/diversity/inclusion. If you have ideas for future podcast interviews, please let me know.
News you can use…
Know of events, programs or activities that may be of interest to the broader Martinez community? I would like to produce a roundup of such “news you can use” for a future newsletter post. They can be related to youth, adult or senior topics or any opportunities for enjoyment and enrichment that you believe your fellow residents could benefit from. Government or nonprofit-sponsored items are fine, but please no for-profit business promotions. Email me any items for consideration at craig.lazzeretti@gmail.com
Coming next…
Watch for a post in a few days about the latest developments in the Martinez Refining Co. investigation into the Thanksgiving night toxic dust release, as well as some news out of the nearby Marathon Refinery. Stay tuned for that.
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