Group fighting to save threatened wildlife
Activists have sued the city and filed appeal to try to stop an approved housing project
LIVERMORE » A group of local activists that sued Livermore in efforts to save t hreat ened w ildlife, including salamanders and burrowing owls, has filed an appeal after a judge’s recent ruling.
The Save the Hill Group filed an appeal after an A lameda Count y Superior Court judge ruled in favor of the city, allowing the development of the Garaventa Hills residential project to proceed in north Livermore. The group had filed the lawsuit against the city and Lafferty Communities developer in May 2019 to try to block the housing project.
The 31.7- acre housing site, known as the Garaventa Hills property, is east of North Vasco Road and the Garaventa Wetlands Preserve, north of Garaventa Ranch Road a nd A lt a mont Creek Drive, and west of Laughlin Road.
Lafferty Communities wants to build 38 houses and six “duets,” or duplexlike units. The council approved the project in April 2019 following an eightyear city review.
But Save the Hill Group argued that the property is home to endangered species, including the vernal pool fairy shrimp,
California tiger salamander, burrowing owls and the Livermore tarplant. They alleged that an environmental impact report on the project violates the California Environmental Quality Act by failing to adequately address the potential loss of endangered or threatened species found at the site if the development were allowed.
The environmental impact report said the potential loss of salamanders and other threatened species and plants could be offset by creating new habitats for them at other locations.
The group also contends that the city failed to adequately consider whether Garaventa Hills could be purchased and preserved for conservation.
“I am so grateful that the community has really stepped up to help — way beyond what I ever imagined. We’re in a great position to win this for the residents of Livermore, and we’ll keep going as long as it takes!” said Bianca Covarelli of Save the Hill Group in a statement.
She said the judge’s ruling against the group was “baff ling” and feels strongly that the appellate court will agree the city failed to consider preserving the hill as open space. In a 2019 interview, she said there were potentially millions of dollars available to pay for the site.
She referred specifically to the Dougherty Valley settlement fund stemming from a lawsuit filed by Citizens for Balanced Growth in 1999 against the Zone 7 Water Agency, the Dublin San Ramon Services District and developers.
The Save the Hill Group doesn’t expect a decision on the appeal until at least 2022. The group has started a GoFundMe to help fund their appeal efforts. Per the environmental report, no earth-moving activities can be performed on the property f rom Oc tober through July, when the protected and endangered species are most active, according to the Save the Hill Group.
Lafferty’s original proposal, filed in 2011, called for 76 residential units but eventually was downsized to 44. Through the years, the council has delayed approval several times, sending the project back to the Planning Commission for further modifications.
The Livermore city attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.