To: Board of Supervisors
From: John Kopchik, Director, Conservation and Development
Report Title: Update on 2026 Urban Limit Line Ballot Measure
?Recommendation of the County Administrator ? Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
ACCEPT a report from the Conservation and Development Director on a 2026 ballot measure to renew the County's Urban Limit Line and 65/35 Land Preservation Plan Ordinance and PROVIDE direction to staff.
FISCAL IMPACT:
No fiscal impact currently. Department of Conservation and Development (DCD) staff time associated with preparing the ballot measure is covered entirely by the Land Development Fund.
BACKGROUND:
Brief History of the Urban Limit Line and 65/35 Land Preservation Plan Ordinance
On November 6, 1990, Contra Costa County voters approved Measure C, the 65/35 Contra Costa County Land Preservation Plan Ordinance (the "65/35 Plan"), which established mechanisms aimed at containing urban sprawl and protecting resources like agricultural land and scenic ridges. The most significant and impactful of these mechanisms are the 65/35 Land Preservation Standard (the "65/35 Standard") and Urban Limit Line (ULL). Pursuant to the 65/35 Standard, no more than 35 percent of the land in the county may be designated for urban uses (residential, commercial, industrial, etc.) in the General Plans of the County and 19 cities, and at least 65 percent must be designated for agriculture, open space, parks, and other non-urban uses. Meanwhile, the ULL establishes a regulatory boundary beyond which no urban land uses may be designated. Working in tandem, the 65/35 Standard and ULL limit the geographic extent of urban development across the county. Measure C was set to expire on December 31, 2010. On November 7, 2006, county voters approved Measure L, which carried forward most of the elements of Measure C while adding provisions for periodic ULL review and establishing different processes for expanding the ULL by 30 acres or fewer and mor...
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