The City of San Ramon’s 2020 General Plan authorized a specific plan process to guide urban development within the Northwest portion of the City, including nearly 273 acres within the City’s Urban Growth Boundary known as the Faria Preserve. As part of this process, Loewke Planning coordinated the efforts of a team of environmental, design and engineering professionals to prepare a draft master plan and supporting studies for the project.

The master plan, which included some 800 residential units, an elementary school, a church, and a major community park, was used as the baseline document for preparation of a complete specific plan and project-level environmental impact report. The project team worked closely with City staff, the City’s environmental consultants, and other responsible agencies to prepare and present the Northwest Specific Plan for consideration by the City.

Key issues addressed in this process included analysis of Zoning Ordinance consistency, and the study of fiscal implications and capacity to extend municipal and special district services, based on annexation of the planning area which was inside the City’s Urban Growth Boundary. In addition, the design and relationship of affordable housing to the City’s current and future housing needs was a key policy issue in consideration of the plan.