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Amid ongoing legal challenges, the redevelopment project for the Marketplace shopping center that would include 44 housing units received another vote of support from the city last week following its approval of the project in 2023.
The San Ramon Planning Commission voted at its Dec.16 meeting to approve a Vesting Tentative Map extension request for the Marketplace mixed-use development project as it continues to face pushback, currently in the state appeals court.
The project was first proposed to the city with a concept review application in 2020, with the application period extending for more than two years before it was approved in February 2023.
During that time, the neighborhood group Citizens Against Market Place Apartment Development (CAMPAD) took shape and gained momentum, preparing to celebrate its fifth anniversary as it waits for a court date in the appeal case against the project being reviewed by the state.
“This coming January will mark 5 years since we took on the city and TRC over the horrible neglect and deterioration of the center; the loss of key anchor businesses and a proposed condo project that was approved despite multiple failures to adhere to the General Plan and other zoning laws,” CAMPAD organizers wrote in a Dec. 2 update.
Critiques of the proposed project have included concerns about parking, traffic, water and other resources associated with increased housing in the area – as well as the loss of existing businesses such as Nob Hill Foods that have already left the shopping center amid alleged strife from the property owner TRC Retail.
While additional retail is planned in the neighboring Bishop Ranch neighborhood, CAMPAD organizers have pointed to businesses in City Center as an example of where Sunset Development’s priorities lie – consisting of boutiques, recreation, and fine dining opportunities – and counter to the more practical options, such as grocery stores, that everyday residents rely on.
In this month’s update, CAMPAD organizers said they were optimistic not just about the outcome of the appeal process – which seeks to overturn a 2024 ruling in favor of the city in a lawsuit initially brought forward by CAMPAD – but about the current retail landscape at the shopping center.
“Reroofing efforts are underway now in the older side of the center, where Chase Bank and the Library are located,” CAMPAD organizers wrote. “Efforts to repaint some of the buildings in that area have previously been undertaken. All positive actions. In the main area of the center several new businesses have put up ‘coming soon’ signs, including L&L Barbeque.”
They also pointed to Adaman Thai in the former Firehouse 37 site, and a new taqueria as steps in the right direction for the shopping center.
“All of these improvements give hope to a potentially vibrant return to the Marketplace and our local shopping center,” CAMPAD organizers wrote.
While the redevelopment project is billed as mixed-use, opponents have alleged the applicant is stretching that definition of the term, given that the project would consist of the demolition of much of the existing retail space to make room for the 40 single family homes and four accessory dwelling units it includes.
CAMPAD has funded the ongoing legal battle in part by becoming a registered nonprofit organization in 2023, reporting total revenue of no more than $50,000 that year and in 2024.
The organization has also gone on to scrutinize other housing projects in San Ramon, and housing policy statewide.
“A giant bonus from our long fight, has been seeing a multitude of process and procedural changes that have been implemented by the city when it comes to approving new housing projects,” CAMPAD organizers said. “Unfortunately, the state still has politicians like Scott Weiner who continue to pass laws that benefit developers and make it harder for cities to control the massive high-density housing efforts, which are gobbling up business and retail spaces within those cities.”
In contrast to the lengthy public hearings on the project as it made its way through the application process in 2022 and 2023, the public hearing last week – lasting less than 10 minutes – on the extension request garnered just one comment, from former mayor Greg Carr.
“This project has been wrong in so many ways for so long,” Carr said. “It’s the wrong place, wrong time, wrong product to put there. And what would happen if you just said no, we’re not going to extend it. Have you ever done that, because it’s just wrong? Is there any push from anybody, like the governor or somebody, saying you’ve got to do this?”
“So think about that,” he continued. “Three years, I think you should just tell them no, you didn’t get your stuff together and the clock’s up.”
Planning Commissioner Santhosh Kanjula noted that approving the extension request was recommended by city staff, and on the advice of the city attorney, to allow for the legal challenges to come to a resolution.
“I’m in agreement with that,” Kanjula said.
Commissioner Jean Kuznik made the motion to approve the resolution, which was seconded by Kanjula and approved unanimously by the commission.
As Senior Planner Cindy Yee noted following the vote, decisions by the Planning Commission are subject to appeal via the city clerk’s office within 10 days of the resolution being passed.
