San Ramon Bishop Ranch Housing Proposal: 6 Things To Know

SAN RAMON, CA — San Ramon residents got their first chance last week to publicly offer feedback on the 404-unit housing development proposed to be built in the Bishop Ranch area.

Few speakers opted to share comments at an initial, joint meeting of the city council and planning commission Feb. 23, but a majority of comments reflected concerns about the potential downsides of the Bishop Ranch 6 housing project. A development might bring quality of life problems related to trash, crowding, parking or traffic, residents said.

Jerry Engen — senior vice president of development at Sunset Development Company, AKA Bishop Ranch — assured the public that the homes will likely generate less traffic than the 560-office building that currently sits at the property.

Approval of the development would represent a significant milestone in San Ramon's efforts to create more walkable, bike-friendly, mixed-use housing communities speckled with retail stores.

Here are six key facts you should know, straight from city staff's report on the proposal:

1. The proposed site is located at 2400 to 2440 Camino Ramon — to the west of Camino Ramon, between Norris Canyon Road and Executive Parkway.
2. Summerhill Homes seeks to build 114 townhomes, 154 attached row houses, and 136 detached courtyard homes across 31 acres.
3. Fifteen percent of units would be reserved for affordable housing at the very low-, low- and moderate-income levels. The developer would also pay a fee to meet the city's Inclusionary Housing Ordinance.
4. A two-acre park would be located at the site, open to the public.
5. The development would replace 564,000 square feet of office space built in the mid-1980s.
6. The area's zoning would have to be changed from mixed-use to mixed-use density residential.

Neither the city council nor planning commission voted on the matter at last week's meeting, which was held for educational purposes only. The matter requires at least three public hearings before the city's planning commission and city council.

— Bay City News contributed to this report