June 2: Antioch to Discuss Downtown Specific Plan

The City of Antioch is concluding their public outreach on the Downtown (Rivertown) Specific Plan with a meeting at 6:00 pm on June 2 at the Nick Rodriguez Community Center.

This will be in preparation for the City Council’s final decision on the matter at the June 23 rd City Council meeting.

According to the City Website:

As in many communities, development in Antioch slowed during the Great Recession and the City was forced to reduce in-house staffing levels. Coming out of the recession, pace of development is increasing and at the same time the development market has changed considerably. Therefore, the City desires to update the Land Use Element of the General Plan. The Zoning Ordinance will also be amended to both reflect General Plan changes and the reality of staffing reductions while becoming more business friendly by increasing permitted uses or to provide the ability to administratively approve projects via the adoption of appropriate standards.

In tandem with the General Plan and Zoning Ordinance Update, the City desires to revitalize the downtown located along the San Joaquin Delta, referred to as Rivertown. The City was awarded a Strategic Growth Council grant to prepare a Specific Plan for Rivertown. The Rivertown area is a MTC identified potential Priority Development Area (PDA).

Downtown Group Wants Park

According to the Antioch Downtown Outdoor Event Plaza:

There are three variations of plans to consider for the renovation and revitalization of Rivertown. In all three of these the publicly owned property at 2 nd and E.st, known as the Beede (or Antioch) Lumber Co. property, contain plans for medium to high density residential units.

While the overall plans contain many good ideas, including a public gathering area at an expanded Waldie Plaza, they do not allow for any public input on the Beede property.

As most of you know there has been a proposal on the table from the community group Celebrate Antioch to establish this area as a large event/gathering place; A Heritage Park that celebrates our history, and our Delta environment in the founding spot of one of California’s oldest cities.

This would be an ongoing celebration of who we were and are that provides a grand entry to Rivertown, drawing the people in an ongoing manner that are needed for revitalization, that no amount of residences on that site can do.

Please join us in voicing your opinion and concerns at the June 2nd meeting. The agenda and plan information are available for review at http://www.ci.antioch.ca.us/Community/downtown-plan/