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Veterans urge Brentwood planners to block proposed fire station on historic veterans parcel
Summary
Several veterans and veterans groups told the Planning Commission they believe a parcel that includes the Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building was purchased and held for veterans’ use and should not be conveyed or used for a new Con Fire station; they asked the city to delay or deny any permit tied to the site.
Dozens of veterans and local veterans’ organizations told the Brentwood Planning Commission on Jan. 21 that a downtown parcel housing the Veterans Memorial Building should remain dedicated for veteran uses and not be used for a new Consolidated Fire Protection District (Con Fire) station.
The speakers said the property was acquired with a taxpayers’ bond in 1922 and, they argued, was to be held "for a place for veterans." Dan Duran, commander of Post 202 and president of the Veterans Building Committee, said a fire station would interfere with downtown functions such as parades and farmers markets and could damage alleys and underground utilities if heavy fire apparatus are routed through them.
"It is my request, my humble request to the commission and later to the city council that at a minimum, we delay, if not deny the use of that property for this fire station," said Travis Martin, who identified himself as a veteran and community member. Martin and other speakers said they had raised the issue repeatedly with the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors and that the county had deeded the property to Con Fire.
Don Hester, a board member at the Brentwood Veterans Memorial Building and commander of the Delta Diablo detachment of the Marine Corps League, said the lot was purchased with a special tax in 1922 and should remain for veteran assembly and service. "That's not how taxpayer funds get used," Hester said. "If you tax me for something, and then you decide later on to switch what you wanna use it for, that's inappropriate."
Mike Mayakovich of the Brentwood VFW referenced specific state provisions during his remarks, saying the use of the parcel for a fire station would run afoul of restrictions tied to the original purchase funds. "There is also a section 4041 f of the political code of the state of California 1921," he said, adding that "California military and veterans code 12 66 explicitly prohibits such use of this property," and asking the city to withhold permits.
Speakers repeatedly said they were not opposed to the need for a downtown firehouse, only to the proposed location because of the parcel’s asserted veteran restrictions and the potential impacts to downtown operations and infrastructure.
Planning commissioners did not take action on the matter at the Jan. 21 meeting; the remarks were presented during the meeting’s general public comment period. Speakers said they expected to present a formal application from the county to the commission in February and asked commissioners and the City Council to deny or delay approval and to help them hold the county to the original dedication.
The commission did not provide the group with a timetable for when county or city approvals might be considered; speakers said they have also sent letters to the state attorney general and the public controller seeking review.
The matter remains a public concern; speakers said they will seek review of deeds and legal records and bring the issue back to the city when the county submits its formal application.
