Union City Flatlands Development Initiative, Measure KK (November 2014)

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A Union City Flatlands Development Initiative, Measure KK ballot question was on the November 4, 2014 election ballot for voters in Union City in Alameda County, California. It was defeated.

Measure KK would have implemented the citizen-initiated Flatlands Development Initiative, which was designed to authorize the amendment of Hillside Area Plan adopted by Union City in 1996 and the development of 63 acres of land at 34400 Mission Blvd. The plot of land in question was located within the boundaries of the 6,100 acre Hillside Area.

Election results

Measure KK
Result		Votes	Percentage
d No		8,277	65.85%
Yes		4,293	34.15%

Election results via: Alameda County Elections Office

Text of measure

Ballot question

The question on the ballot:

“

Shall an ordinance be adopted that amends Union City’s General Plan and Hillside Area Plan to permit development of 63 acres of land owned by the Masons of California, located to the Northeast of Mission Boulevard, subject to all required entitlement processes and environmental review, and move the Hillside Area Plan boundary to accommodate new senior housing and health care facilities, low-density single family residences, retail space, parks, open space, trails and a community garden?

”

Title

The official title of the initiative:

“

“The Union City Flatlands Development Initiative” An Initiative Ordinance Amending the City of Union City’s (“City”) General Plan and Hillside Area Plan to Allow for Limited Development of 63 Acres of Land Owned by the Masons of California, Located to the Northeast of Mission Boulevard, Known as the Flatlands; to Move the Boundary of the Hillside Area Plan to Accommodate New Senior Housing and Health Care Facilities for the Masonic Community, New Low-Density Single Family Residences, Neighborhood Serving Retail Space, New Public Parks, Open Space, Trails and a Community Garden.

”

Impartial analysis

The following impartial analysis of Measure KK was provided by the office of the city attorney:

“	THE UNION CITY FLATLANDS DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE. In 1989, Union City’s general plan was amended pursuant to Measure B, a voter initiative which preserves the natural appearance of the rugged Eastern foothills. Measure B restricted new development on the hillside. As required by Measure B, the City adopted the Hillside Area Plan in July 1995. The Hillside Area Plan includes all property within the City limits lying Northeast of Mission Boulevard and comprises approximately 6,100 acres of land. Currently, the area encompassed by the Hillside Area Plan includes “Flatlands” located generally to the Northeast of Mission Boulevard in Union City. Although it contains no hillside lands, the Flatlands are zoned agriculture and retain agricultural land use designations. Under current law, neither the Flatlands nor the hillside area could be developed without voter approval. The proponent has obtained the signatures of the requisite number of voters by petition and qualified this initiative for the November 4, 2014 election. The purpose of the proposed initiative is to amend the City’s General Plan and Hillside Area Plan to allow for the development of 63 acres of Flatlands privately owned by the Masons of California, which operate the existing Masonic Homes. This initiative will move the existing boundary of the Hillside Area Plan to allow for the development of affordable senior housing, including assisted living facilities and a health care facility, which could include memory care services for the treatment and care of individuals suffering from Alzheimer’s and dementia. This initiative will also allow for the development of new low-density single family homes and a neighborhood serving retail space. Additionally, the initiative seeks to create new public recreation spaces, including public parkland, trails and a community garden. If this initiative is approved by the voters, any proposed new development will be subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act and will require public review and City approval through the normal entitlement process. A “Yes” vote for this initiative will permit the Masons of California to develop 63 acres of Flatlands. A “No” vote will preserve the current prohibition against development of the Flatlands. Additional information, including the full text of the ballot initiative is available at the City of Union City, 34009 Alvarado-Niles Rd., Union City, CA 94587, or by contacting Renee Elliott, City Clerk, at (510)675-5348. Additional information is also available online at the City of Union City’s website: http://www.unioncity.org/departments/city-manager-s-office/city-clerk/elections/election- (dead link) 2014/the-union-city-flatlands-development-initiative	”
—Benjamin T. Reyes II, Union City Attorney

Support

Supporters

The following individual signed the official arguments in favor of Measure KK:

• Manuel Fernandez, former Union City Vice Mayor and Councilmember
• Gertrude Q. Gregorio, former New Haven School Board Member
• Gary Charland, Executive Vice President Masonic Homes
• Joseph Pritchard, Residential Care for the Elderly Healthcare Manager
• Vincent Decierdo, Union City Parks and Recreation Alternate Commissioner

Arguments in favor

The following was submitted as the official arguments in favor of Measure KK:

“	Please join us in voting Yes on Measure KK. For over 100 years the Masonic Home in Union City has provided outstanding healthcare and housing for seniors. They employ over 300 local residents - nurses, technicians, healthcare workers, housekeepers and maintenance personnel. Yet the need for more senior housing and services is far outpacing current facilities in the Bay Area. 20% of us will be over 65 in the next 15 years. To help meet this need in Union City, the Masonic Home wants to provide new programs and facilities for seniors on the flatlands they own along Mission Boulevard. These would include a state-of-the-art memory care facility, senior housing, long-term care services, and limited single family residences. Measure KK is needed to allow the Masonic Home to bring forward this plan. 20 years ago, these 63 acres of flatland were included in the Hillside Area Plan boundary to protect our hills from development – even though none of the 63 acres is in the hills. Measure KK simply moves the Hillside Plan boundary to the “toe of the hills” so the flatlands can be put to beneficial use. Yes on Measure KK will: Allow the Masonic Home to bring forward plans for the senior healthcare facilities and low density housing; Reaffirm strong protections against hillside development; Provide land for new parks, trails and open space; Increase job opportunities for local residents at new senior facilities; Subject any building plans to thorough and transparent city evaluation, environmental review and entitlement processes; Create neighborhood retail stores and prohibit “big box” stores. Measure KK was placed on the ballot by over 5000 Union City residents. A small group of opponents will make wildly exaggerated claims against it. Please review the truth and facts at www.UnionCityFlatlands.org Please join us in voting Yes on Measure KK.	”
—Manuel Fernandez, Gertrude Q. Gregorio, Gary Charland, Joseph Pritchard and Vincent Decierdo

Opposition

Opponents

The following individuals signed the official arguments against Measure KK:

• Richard “Dick” Oliver, Member Save Our Hills Committee and former Union City Mayor
• Elizabeth Ames, Chairperson Save Our Hills Committee
• Robert “Bob” Garfinkle, former Union City Councilmember
• Jaime Patino, Chairperson Human Relations Commission
• Michelle Parnala Matthews, New Haven Unified School District Board Trustee

Arguments against

The following was submitted as the official arguments in opposition to Measure KK:

“	This measure is ambiguous and deceptive at best. We don’t know what the proponents’ plans are, except that they want to remove the flatlands from the protections in the Hillside Area Plan adopted by 65% of the voters in 1996 (Measure II) and 55% of the voters in 1989 (Measure B). They make a big deal about a park, but plan to only grant an easement (not ownership) to somebody to 63 undefined acres back in the hills for this park. We don’t know exactly where this land is or who will pay to install expensive facilities to make it useable for the public. The City Council has stated that we don’t have the money for such a project, especially on land Union City will not own. The proponents just want to build lots of houses on the flatland. How will they preserve our precious views of the hills when they build fifty-foot high buildings and view-blocking tall walls along Mission Blvd? We don’t know. How many houses? How much will this questionable measure cost the taxpayers for City services (police, fire, etc.)? How much traffic will be added to Mission Blvd? How will they safely build their proposed senior memory care hospital/facilities on land laced with traces of the Hayward Fault? We don’t know. We support senior housing, but believe they could safely build these facilities out-of-sight on land behind the Masonic Home. Where will this community garden be? Don't know. The Mason plan to "replant" trees, promote hillside conservation, and wildlife protection. We don't know why these are in the measure, except as a ruse to trick you to vote yes. What we do know is that you should once again Save Our Hills and open space for the third time by voting NO.	”
—Richard “Dick” Oliver, Elizabeth Ames, Robert “Bob” Garfinkle, Jaime Patino and Michelle Parnala Matthews

Path to the ballot

See also: Laws governing local ballot measures in California

This measure was put on the ballot through an initiative petition.

See also

• Local zoning, land use and development on the ballot
• Alameda County, California ballot measures
• November 4, 2014 ballot measures in California

External links

Suggest a link

• Alameda County Elections Office website