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Board advances 2026 urban limit line renewal, directs CEQA review and limited boundary edits; public comments focus on Tassajara and Byron areas
Summary
Staff presented a countywide map package and a recommended 25-year renewal of the county's voter-approved urban limit line; the board asked staff to proceed with CEQA review and to incorporate a small set of map adjustments while continuing outreach to cities and MACs.
The Board of Supervisors on June 24 directed staff to proceed with the environmental review and public-notice steps necessary to place a renewal of Contra Costa County's voter-approved urban limit line (ULL) on a 2026 ballot. Staff asked for direction on several draft measures and a modest set of map adjustments; the board approved staff's recommended path and asked for continued outreach.
Background: The county's urban limit line (Measure L, renewed from an earlier Measure C) restricts where new urban land-use designations can be applied. Staff proposed a 25-year renewal that would keep the county's 65/35 (non-urban/urban) standard intact, update the review cycle to align with housing-element reviews, preserve the county's finding requirements and the 4/5 vote threshold for small expansions, and permit a narrowly circumscribed exception to allow board-authorized expansion near Byron Airport for aeronautics-related economic development (subject to findings).
Map changes and outreach: Staff presented a set of proposed map adjustments totaling modest net contractions and small expansions (the largest single change discussed was a clarification in Tassajara Valley tied to existing easements and buffers). Staff also reported city and MAC outreach: the county held meetings with 13 Municipal Advisory Councils, the Planning Commission and multiple city staff teams and received 21 written comments; city staff in Brentwood expressed concerns about perceived effects on city growth areas and the county clarified its proposal would not alter city ULLs.
Board direction: The board directed DCD to proceed with CEQA review on the draft measure and return with the refined materials; staff will continue city and MAC outreach and return with a focused analysis where there were specific requests to move the line. The board emphasized that the county's ULL does not change a city's voter-approved ULL and noted the general plan contains ample capacity for the county's projected growth inside the existing line.
Public comments: Dozens of speakers addressed the board. Several property owners asked for inclusion in the line (e.g., Marsh Creek Road/Moita property near Clayton and a parcel near Byron Hot Springs); environmental and land-conservation groups urged the board to limit expansions and to protect constrained lands; youth and housing advocates and several supervisors emphasized continued emphasis on infill and housing inside the line.
Next steps: Staff will return with the CEQA document and a refined set of proposed map edits and findings for board consideration. The board set no immediate changes to city lines and did not authorize any final ULL expansion without additional findings and voter approval where required.
