I N T R O D U C I N G T H E D R A F T

Danville 2030 General Plan

A Message to the Community

Over the past two years, the Town has conducted over 20

public meetings to prepare an update to the Town’s General

Plan. The draft 2030 General Plan (the draft Plan) is now availa-

ble for additional community input. The draft Plan carries forward

the vision set forth in 1987, as part of Danville’s first General Plan

- preserving and reinforcing our unique small town character,

preserving the history and scenic beauty, and protecting the

quality of life for our residents.

Since incorporation, the Town has worked diligently and pro-

actively to uphold this vision … adopting specific plans, develop-

ment standards, design guidelines and review processes (all with

substantial community input) that have enhanced a physical envi-

ronment that is second to none.

Residential Character

Danville is known as a residential community. Historically,

residential growth has largely been planned in the form of single

family neighborhoods on undeveloped land. With little undevel-

oped land remaining, future residential growth is envisioned to

take the form of infill projects that are located in and around

downtown. As of 2012, single family residences continue to rep-

resent well over 90% of the housing stock in Town. This pattern

is expected to carry forward into the future, reinforced through the

goals and policies contained in the draft Plan.

Open Space Preservation

Open space preservation has always been a focus of every

Danville General Plan. The Town has led the way in the preser-

vation of open space, ridgelines, and the scenic areas which

serve as the visual hallmarks of our community. Through careful

planning, 40 percent of the Town’s land area is now categorized

as permanent open space, parks and recreational facilities, or

agricultural.

Maintaining this high standard is one reason why the Town

sponsored, and the voters approved, Measure S in 2000. Meas-

ure S mandates that changes to the land use designation on any

of these three categories require a vote of the people. The draft

Plan incorporates these requirements, and makes no changes to

Measure S.

Regional Impacts and Local Control

Danville’s first General Plan recognized that our challenge

was to accommodate “responsible growth while enhancing our

small town flavor.” The policies set forth in that plan coupled,

with high development standards, have allowed the Town to care-

fully plan for growth that has occurred within the community.

However, today, much of the growth and change that impacts

Danville occurs around and outside of the Town boundaries -

beyond our direct control.

In addition, a growing challenge is the impact of State and

regional agencies’ involvement at the local level … either through

the adoption of new laws or by encumbering funds necessary to

provide services. The policies in the draft Plan would continue

the Town’s proactive efforts to protect Danville’s interests, advo-

cate on behalf of our residents, and influence regional decisions

that affect Danville.

The goals and challenges described above (in addition many

others) are detailed in the draft Plan. We invite your review

and encourage your input it by telephone, email, or at one of

the upcoming public meetings.

Sincerely,

Joseph A. Calabrigo, Town Manager

All cities and towns in California are required by state law to

prepare a General Plan to manage their physical develop-

ment over a 15 to 20 year period.

The previous General Plans for Danville are an important part

of why the Town looks and feels the way it does today. These

Plans have helped Danville to be one of the most attractive

communities in the Bay Area.

The Danville 2030 General Plan (the Plan) seeks to preserve

the fundamental qualities that make Danville an exceptional

place today … expressing the community’s visions and goals

through four basic principles: (1) preserve the small town

character by reinforcing and preserving the present aesthet-

ics and scale; (2) protect the quality of life within the commu-

nity; (3) couple orderly and appropriate growth with high qual-

ity public facilities and services; and (4) protecting the physi-

cal setting through preserving critical open space areas.

Although it is primarily a factual update, the Plan addresses

challenges that have emerged since the late 1990s, when the

last Plan was updated. It seeks to retain the desired small

town character, in light of continued growth and change oc-

curring within the Tri-Valley, Contra Costa County and the

greater Bay Area.

Limited additional growth planned within the Town’s bounda-

ries is expected to occur through infill development on sites

that are located closer to downtown, shopping, and transpor-

tation. The draft 2030 General Plan addresses sustainability

practices for the first time, and includes: an updated Growth

Management Element, new economic development policies

to create a business-friendly community, and a focus on mo-

bility to accommodate more transportation modes.

GENERAL PLAN OVERVIEW

danville at a glance

The Town of Danville encompasses approximately 11,600

acres (18.1 square miles), and is characterized by suburban

and rural residential neighborhoods. Commercial develop-

ment is located primarily in the downtown area.

The pie chart at right illustrates the three largest land use

categories in Danville. About 40 percent of the Town con-

sists of open space, parks, and agricultural lands. Another

41 percent consists of single family homes. Approximately

12 percent consists of streets and public rights of way.

The Plan would not alter the proportionate percentages of

land use categories shown at right.

housing opportunity sites

The State of California requires all cities and counties to designate land for housing to accom-

modate all segments of the community. The State assigns the responsibility for determining

each community’s “fair share” of housing to the regional Councils of Government (COG) in

California. The COG for the San Francisco Bay Area is the Association of Bay Area Govern-

ments (ABAG), with 100 cities and 9 counties in its region. ABAG has undertaken the hous-

ing assignment process, called the Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA), for the past

20 years. Through membership in ABAG, the Town has a voice and a right to object to ap-

peal its assignment. Cities that are not ABAG members cannot opt out of their housing allo-

cation, but instead, receive their assignment directly from the State.

Through the General Plan, the Town is responsible for designating sites that may be used for

future housing construction. The Town is not responsible for building houses. That process

is market driven and initiated by property owners. Property owners retain all of their rights

and are not required to change the current use of their property. All proposed development is

subject to the Town’s high planning standards, including a thorough design review process.

Currently, the Town is required to designate at least 9.6 acres (7.6 acres as Multifamily resi-

dential at a density of 25-35 units per acre and 2 acres at 20-25 units per acre) to meet its fair

share housing allocation. A total of 14 different sites are included for potential consideration

in achieving this aggregate acreage. Not all sites that have been reviewed are expected be

designated for housing. Danville is home to several examples of housing hat has been built to

these densities while adhering to the desired community character and scale.

The table at left illustrates estimated population

growth through 2030, under two scenarios: the

current 2010 General Plan (defined as “Year

2030 without GP Update”) and the draft 2030

General Plan (defined as “Year 2030 with GP

Update”). Under these scenarios, which assume

full build out of all residentially designated lands

within the Town, the actual population growth is

expected to be less than the estimates shown.

For comparison purposes, the table illustrates the

Town’s actual population growth between 2000

and 2012.

DESIGNATING LAND FOR A VARIETY OF HOUSING TYPES

Highlights of the Danville 2030 General Plan

“The Danville 2030 General Plan seeks to preserve

the fundamental qualit ies that make Danville an ex-

ceptional place today.”

Sycamore Place Apartments (27 du/acre) provides high demand housing for “very low” and “low” income seniors.

The Preserves at the Iron Horse Trail: For sale townhomes (22 du/acre)

downtown

The Plan proposes to designate Downtown Danville as a “Priority Development Ar-

ea” (PDA). The net acreage of the PDA represents less than 3 percent of Danville’s

land area. The purpose of designating a PDA is to focus new development closer to

downtown, existing services and transportation corridors - rather than locating it in

single family neighborhoods or on the edges of town.

In and of itself, the PDA designation does not increase the amount or intensity of

development that could occur in the future. Rather, the PDA designation would al-

low the Town to be more competitive in receiving federal, state and local funds for

road maintenance and improvements. Funding for transportation is extremely com-

petitive, and Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) is consciously directing

its funds to those communities with designated PDAs. Without a PDA designation,

Danville will likely be unable to compete for a significant portion of these funds.

FOCUSING GROWTH NEAR EXISTING SERVICES

The Danville 2030 General Plan (the “Plan”) was developed through a cooperative effort among citizens, the

Town Council, its Commissions, Town staff and consultants, and representatives from other public agencies.

The draft Plan is the product of input provided over 25 public meetings that began in 2010. At least three Plan-

ning Commission meetings are scheduled to take public input on the draft Plan from December 2012 through

CONTACT US

Kevin Gailey, Chief of Planning 925.314.3302 | kgailey@danville.ca.gov 510 La Gonda way, Danville CA 94526

www.danville.ca.gov/planning/general plan & zoning

SUBSCRIBE: www.danville.ca.gov/eNews_Updates

PROTECTING DANVILLE’S MAJOR RIDGELINES & SCENIC HILLSIDES

Measure S

In 2000, the Town sponsored and the voters approved Measure S, which

mandates that changes to Danville General Plan Land Use Map for all prop-

erties designated as “Parks and Recreation,” “General Open Space,” and

“Agricultural” require approval by Danville voters. The full text of Measure

S, without any change, is incorporated into the Plan by reference.

Lands designated as “Parks and Recreation” and “General Open Space”

have no residential development potential. Therefore, of the three catego-

ries of lands subject to Measure S, the only remaining category with limited

development potential are privately held properties currently designated as

“Agricultural.” The maximum development potential of the two remaining

Agricultural parcels town-wide is 60 units (illustrated at right).

public process COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION

March 2013. An extensive public outreach was undertaken including news-

paper notices, newsletter articles, and two direct

mailings of post cards to every mailing address

in Danville. To receive up to date meeting notices,

everyone is strongly encouraged to sign up for

eNews Updates (danville.ca.gov/

eNews_Updates).