Pleasant Hill BART

Specific Plan

Permitted Uses

The land use designations for the Station Area are shown in Figure 5. The figure identifies the major utility and open space corridor that subdivides the BART parking lots from designated land uses to the west and further subdivides the BART property into a north lot area and a south lot area. The former Southern Pacific Railroad right-of-way is to be maintained as a utility and open space corridor. This corridor currently contains utility easements and the Iron Horse Trail, and is to be preserved for possible future light rail use.

General Land Use Pattern

Four general land use designations as shown in Figure 5 are provided for in the Specific Plan: Multiple Family Residential, Commercial/Office, Mixed Use, and Utility/Open Space. More detailed definitions of each of the use types specifically permitted are shown in the land use matrix, Figure 6.

The Multiple Family Residential land use designation provides for higher density, multiple family designations. The multiple family designation permits intensification of development in Subareas 3 and 4 up to the maximum density permitted for residential development in the plan. In the area along the east-west portions of Coggins, presently developed in multiple family residential units at 26 units per net acre, and Subarea 5, the plan does not permit an intensification of land use.

The Commercial/Office land use designation refers to office and retail uses that are compatible with the surrounding uses. Generally, office uses are limited to those that are characterized by a high employee to developed square foot of space ratio. This will give priority to commercial/office uses that can benefit from close proximity to the BART station, that encourage transit use, that can use existing and/or future public facilities in optimal shared arrangements (e.g., shared parking), or that benefit from the area's excellent accessibility.

The Mixed Use designation in Figure 5 provides for the integration in a single project of both residential and commercial/office & hotel uses. The specific range of permitted use types is detailed more precisely for each subarea; however, the mixed use designation represents greater flexibility in integrating diverse activities into the Station Area. In the mixed use designation, housing is specifically permitted but not required.

The Utility/Open Space designation recognizes the need to protect important natural resources and reserve rights-of-way for public utilities through the Station Area. To do this, development is precluded except for paving and landscaping, internal circulation, and/or surface parking in those places where important resources are not affected.