March, 2024. The local HOA fights on: While Save Seven Hills Ranch does not have the wherewithal to further oppose Spieker Development’s inappropriate and destructive plans for the ranch, the local Heather Farms Homeowners Association, has filed an environmental lawsuit against the County(see it here: N23-0179) and lawsuits against the City regarding the approved access and the public records act (see them here: N24-0100 and N23-2065).

SUPERSIZED wins over SENSIBLE with the Walnut Creek City Council With Councilmember Kevin Wilk the only dissenting vote, on Tuesday, Dec 19, 2023 the City Council of Walnut Creek held a public meeting (agenda and public notice) and, despite years-long strong community opposition, voted to allow developer access through Walnut Creek City neighborhoods for the massive planned development for Seven Hills Ranch. This despite the evidence and Environmental Impact Report indicating that the County’s existing access road is an environmentally superior option. It should be noted that the Council took a page from the County Board of Supervisors’ playbook and showed a lack of respect for the local community’s interest and concern on this issue by scheduling this important vote during a busy holiday season, six days before Christmas. (The County BOS scheduled their vote two days after Thanksgiving weekend in 2022.)
Arrogance or ignorance on display by your representatives? You decide. (Both arrogance AND ignorance??)

The City of Walnut Creek’s Promise. The City in 1970 created a strip of land, “Lot A”, purposely to prevent Kinross Dr (north of Marchbanks) from extending to Seven Hills Ranch. The City confirmed the protective intent of “Lot A” in subsequent City General Plans. Speiker development would now like the City to sell or transfer “Lot A” to them and allow them to extend Kinross Dr. for use as a main entrance to their proposed development. This is exactly what “Lot A” was put in place to prevent - disruption to adjacent, established City neighborhoods, communities and streets (including Ygnacio Valley Rd and Marchbanks Dr) from County approved development for the Seven Hills Ranch property. Many questions surround not only the sanity but also the legality and ethics of such a transfer. The Council must decide if they will renege on the documented historical promise that Kinross Dr. never be allowed to connect to Seven Hills Ranch. (Scroll down for historical documentation links.) MAP of proposed Kinross Extension and 1’ x 50’ Lot A.

Visit the “Proposed Entrance” page of this website for greater understanding of this matter.

4,000 citizens IGNORED: Through each step of the City of Walnut Creek’s “decision making” process the public has advised the Council of the Save Seven Hills Ranch Petition Results. A petition with more than 4,000 online and in-person signatures (over 3,000 being Walnut Creek residents). The petition was sent to the County in opposition to the entire incompatible and environmentally destructive Spieker Development Project. Take a few minutes to read the petitioner’s comments. From these comments you can learn the public’s perspective and what is dear to their hearts. The public relies on their government employees and representatives to protect and truly represent those viewpoints with their actions. The public has been completely ignored and the developer allowed to run roughshod over every protective County and City ordinance put in place to preserve the integrity of Walnut Creek’s cityscape and communities.

(Note: The developer, Spieker Development, has changed the original name of the proposed development from “Diablo Glen” to “The Glen at Heather Farm”.)
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SUPERSIZED wins over SENSIBLE with the County
It is sad and regrettable that on November 29, 2022 the County Board of Supervisors chose to vote for the developer and approve 5-0 all aspects of the Spieker Development “The Glen at Heather Farm” aka “Diablo Glen” proposal for Seven Hills Ranch. (12/16 Click HERE to see numerous “Letters to the Editor” following the Board’s decision.)

This despite the day-long meeting’s comments from the public that questioned many aspects of the project and despite the fact that the County’s own Planning Commission voted 5-1 to deny approval due to the many questions surrounding the development.
The Supervisors seemed to have made up their minds prior to the meeting. They chose to turn the conversation to the idea that public opposition was only about the private school next door to the proposed project being unhappy with the disruption from the construction. There were far more substantial and valid points brought up by the public about the project but the Supervisors chose to ignore those.
The Board also chose to hold the meeting two days after a holiday weekend and limited each public comment to 90 seconds as opposed to the normal 2-3 minutes allowed per comment. Their cavalier actions and attitude showed extreme disrespect for the public that sought their assistance in reining in the extreme project proposal and bringing a sensible plan to this site. They accepted “empty” concessions from the developer which do not come close to being realistic improvements to the plan. The developer should be and probably is jumping for joy and with glee at pulling off their feat.
The Walnut Creek City Council must now decide if an entrance through their city is acceptable despite past public promises that such a cut-through would not be allowed. In addition the issue now moves into the legal arena.

Click to see the previous Public Comment links and Next Steps Timeline. THIS IS Seven Hills Ranch TODAY.

Seven Hills Ranch, which sits next to Walnut Creek’s public Heather Farm Park, is a 30-acre site of natural beauty, native wildlife and irreplaceable scenic views. A developer’s proposal will essentially eradicate this entire natural landscape. A petition signed by over 4,000 residents asked that the County Board of Supervisors DENY the developer’s request for a General Plan Amendment which will allow the destruction of this property. The Board instead did NOT deny the General Plan Amendment but gave the developer all that they asked for.
Read more here: What does Save Seven Hills Ranch want?

Contact Us to get updates or further info: SaveSevenHillsRanch@gmail.com Visit all our website pages to learn more.