Community Open House to be held on draft Hayward Downtown Specific Plan and Environmental Impact Report

HAYWARD, Calif., Jan. 9, 2019—The City of Hayward Development Services Department is holding a Community Open House from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Jan. 12, at City Hall to present and gather feedback from residents, businesses and other interested parties on a new Draft Downtown Specific Plan and associated Draft Environmental Impact Report.

The final version of the Downtown Specific Plan will serve as a blueprint for future development, creation of new residential, retail, dining, entertainment and cultural opportunities, transportation improvements and other enhancements to the 320-acre downtown area.

The Plan would amend the city General Plan and zoning to establish a planning framework to facilitate future development of new housing and retail; foster linkages to other neighborhoods and destinations throughout the city; and enhance the overall character and accessibility of Downtown Hayward.  The maximum potential buildout under the draft Plan would consist of up to 3,427 new residential units and 1.9 million square feet of new non-residential development.

The final Downtown Specific Plan Environmental Impact Report is intended to be a comprehensive assessment of the effects that development and future growth of downtown as provided for in the Plan may have on the natural and man-made environment, including air-quality, traffic and cultural resources.  The Draft Environmental Impact Report has identified less-than-significant effects in the following categories: aesthetics, biological resources, cultural and tribal cultural resources, geology and soils, hazards and hazardous materials, hydrology and water quality, land use and planning, population and housing, public services, and parks and recreation.  It has identified potential significant effects that are significant and unavoidable in the following categories: air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, noise, transportation and circulation, and utilities and services systems. 

The Community Open House will take place from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Jan. 12, in the City Council chambers and first floor rotunda of City Hall, 777 B Street, Hayward, CA, 94541.  A 45-day public comment period on the adequacy of the draft Environmental Impact Report ends Feb. 20.

More information related to the Open House and the Downtown Specific Plan and draft Specific Plan and Environmental Impact Report documents are available on the Downtown Specific Plan Project page of the City of Hayward website.

Additional questions and comments on the Draft Downtown Specific Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Report should be directed to project planner Damon Golubics by telephone at (510) 583-4210, by email at damon.golubics@hayward-ca.gov or by mail to Damon Golubics, Senior Planner, Development Services Department, 777 B Street, Hayward, CA, 94541.