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Residents split over Moraga Canyon plan; critics cite park protections, landslide and CEQA concerns
Summary
Public commenters at the council meeting voiced two broad views: support for meeting the city's housing obligations and concern about site safety, traffic and the use of Blair Park/open-space for housing. Several speakers requested updated traffic studies, firmer protections for parks and clear fiscal plans for infrastructure.
Public comment at the Oct. 6 council meeting was lengthy and sharply divided.
Opponents raised objections focused chiefly on Blair Park and the southern Moraga Canyon land: they argued the park is historically protected and should not be considered a housing site, questioned whether the housing-element EIR analysis and traffic counts (collected in 2023) remain valid, and warned of evacuation bottlenecks in wildfire scenarios.
Supporters thanked staff and consultants and said the city needs to take tangible steps to build deed-restricted affordable housing and to meet RHNA obligations. Several affordable-housing professionals who spoke urged flexibility in design standards and clear RFP language to attract developers. Speakers on both sides recommended additional project-specific technical work when a developer submits plans.
Representative public statements included concerns that Blair Park was a donated park with restrictions (commenters asked staff to verify dedication and parkland disposition law) and requests that the city either remove specific park parcels from the plan or provide clearer legal justification if the city intends to proceed with housing there.
