;
;
Arup led the planning effort to develop a vibrant mixed-use community on the site of a former military facility - the Concord Naval Weapons Station, in Concord, CA. The site encompasses about one-third of the total area of the city and represents one of the largest opportunities for transit-oriented development in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Plan for Base Re-use was adopted by the City as part of its Comprehensive Plan in January 2012.
The City of Concord trusted Arup to lead planning activities and the environmental clearance process. Both efforts required extensive engagement with a wide range of community stakeholders and regulatory agencies at the state, local, and regional levels. Arup managed the internal team and subconsultants on this complex multidisciplinary effort and provided project management, land use planning, strategic advice, transportation planning, civil engineering design, costing, and environmental planning. A key step in the development of the reuse plan was the evaluation of seven alternative design concepts. These were analysed relative to environmental impact, economic viability, and quality of life benefits, and then presented to the Concord community.
Project Summary
5,000acre landscape
28,000peoplehoused
6,100,000ft²of commercial and community space
Concord Reuse Project Area Plan
As a result of the success of the reuse planning effort, the City of Concord hired Arup to develop the Concord Reuse Project Area Plan (CRP–Area Plan), an amendment of the Concord General Plan. The CRP–Area Plan satisfies statutory requirements for a general plan amendment and contains the vision, development standards, policies, and a climate action plan for the new community. The CRP–Area Plan was adopted by the City as part of its Comprehensive Plan in January 2012.
The plan is characterised by a balanced approach to development, which will protect the natural resources in the area. The plan features include an effective multimodal transportation system; the creation of mixed-use villages, parks, and community facilities; and provision for affordable housing. At build-out, the development will be home to 28,000 people and will accommodate up to 6,100,000ft2 of commercial and community space. In order to foster a high-quality urban environment and encourage alternatives to vehicular travel, the CRP–Area Plan introduces the concept of ‘convenience standards’ with land use classifications. These standards specify minimum levels of transit and bike infrastructure, as well as community amenities and services required in each district.
Arup developed a Climate Action Plan for the CRP–Area Plan in order to comply with California’s Global Warming Solutions Act, which requires cities to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. At the time of producing this document, there was limited guidance and few precedents in California for a Climate Action Plan for a new community of this scale. Arup assisted the City of Concord in navigating this legal uncertainty by engaging directly with regulatory agencies and developing an innovative solution that satisfied the state requirements. The resulting Climate Action Plan includes a four-part strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by applying site-wide development standards, developing sector-based policies, implementing a community outreach program and monitoring performance.
The strong relationship that Arup has established with the City of Concord has lead to continuous involvement with additional efforts, including the development of a city-wide climate action plan.
