Project Title:
2026 Urban Limit Line Renewal
County File Number:
GP25-0001
Applicant/Owner:
County-initiated
Project Location:
Countywide
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Status:
To be determined once project description becomes stable.
Project Planner:
Will Nelson, Principal Planner
will.nelson@dcd.ccounty.us
(925) 655-2898
Staff Recommendation:
Conduct a study session and provide comments on a potential 2026 Urban Limit Line ballot measure.
I. BRIEF BACKGROUND ON URBAN LIMIT LINE
On November 6, 1990, Contra Costa County voters approved Measure C, the 65/35 Contra Costa County Land Preservation Plan (the "65/35 Plan"), which established various 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 (i.e., residential, commercial, industrial, and mixed-use) 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 boundary beyond which no urban land uses may be designated. Working together, the 65/35 Standard and ULL limit the geographic extent of urban development in 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 reviews and establishing different processes for expanding the ULL by 30 acres or fewer and more than 30 acres. Measure L is in effect through December 31, 2026.
On February 25, 2025, staff made a presentation to the Board of Supervisors on a potential 2026 ballot measure to renew the ULL. The Board directed staff to complete the tasks nece...
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