Contact Information for PHAN

Pleasant Hill Alliance of Neighborhoods, Inc., is an all volunteer nonprofit public benefit corporation that supports community initiatives in Pleasant Hill.  Please join your neighbors in building the community of Pleasant Hill.  We encourage those who are interested in advocating for better neighborhoods to contact PHAN.

Contact:
Pleasant Hill Alliance of Neighborhoods
25A Crescent Drive #245
Pleasant Hill, California, 94523

Web: http://www.pleasanthillneighborhoods.org/
Email: pleasanthillneighborhoods@gmail.com

Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PHNeighborhoods

Help with the Stop CarMax Referendum Petition:
Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stopphcarmax
Email: alternatives2carmax@gmail.com
Blog: https://stopcarmax.blogspot.com

PHAN Issues Media Statement

Pleasant Hill Alliance of Neighborhoods

Press Release

Pleasant Hill Citizens Launch Voter Petition 
to Challenge CarMax Project Approval
 Neighbors Call for Housing at DVC Plaza

Contact: Cathy Teegardin: pleasanthillneighborhoods@gmail.com

August 23, 2017: Concerned Pleasant Hill residents have launched a petition to challenge the City’s ordinance approving the controversial CarMax project at DVC Plaza. They also want the City to know that the community supports new housing and neighborhood retail at the former Kmart site.

“We call on the City and the property owner to work with us to develop housing and neighborhood retail at DVC Plaza. Because that site is surrounded by residential neighborhoods, schools, and a creek, we believe it is not appropriate for a wholesale used car auction operation like CarMax,” said Cathy Teegardin, a Pleasant Hill resident and President of Pleasant Hill Alliance of Neighborhoods (PHAN).

“We are not NIMBYs. We are YIMBYs. We want housing at DVC Plaza. ” Teegardin said.

Dorothy Englund, another Pleasant Hill resident, agrees: “The CarMax project is not aligned with the community’s vision for DVC Plaza or the City’s General Plan. We want to work with the City, developers, and community stakeholders to develop better options for the property, with a priority on housing,” Englund said.

DVC Plaza is a Priority Development Area for meeting regional housing needs, but the City’s approval of the CarMax project eliminates the opportunity to build hundreds of new housing units on the 9+ acre site.

Ignoring widespread opposition from the community, the City Council on August 7, 2017, approved the ordinance allowing the CarMax project to move forward. The City’s action also sparked a grassroots movement to put the ordinance on the ballot.

“An overwhelming majority of people who attended the City hearings or submitted public comments opposed the CarMax project at this site, but the City approved it unanimously—that’s not right,” said Teegardin. “If the City Council is confident that the CarMax project is the best option for the community, then they should put it to a vote of the citizens,” Teegardin said.

Specific concerns expressed by neighbors included: increased traffic and safety issues with multiple auto-haulers daily; increased noise pollution starting at 7:30 am 7 days a week; degradation of neighborhood quality and infrastructure; impacts on the adjacent creek; inconsistency with General Plan; and failure to address the City’s or the region’s housing needs.

Pleasant Hill Alliance of Neighborhoods, Inc., is an all volunteer nonprofit public benefit corporation that supports community initiatives in Pleasant Hill.

Photos available on request.

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Pizza and Petitions Party

Stop CarMax

Pizza and Petitions Party

SATURDAY, 8/26/17, 12 PM - 2 PM
MOUNTAIN MIKE'S PIZZA

Join your Neighbors for Pizza and an Update on the

STOP CARMAX PETITION DRIVE

There are Better Alternatives for DVC Plaza
Let the Voters Decide!

WHO: Pleasant Hill Voters and Friends
WHAT: Referendum Petition Challenging the City's Ordinance Approving the CarMax Project
WHERE: Mountain Mike's Pizza (30 Golf Club Rd)
WHEN: SATURDAY, 8/26/17, 12 PM - 2 PM

Registered Pleasant Hill Voters Can Sign the Referendum Petition

Signatures Must Be In Person (Not Online)

WHY:

• Give Pleasant Hill Voters the opportunity to vote on the conroversial ordinace allowing CarMax to operate wholesale commercial auto auctions near residences and schools.
• Support more neighborhood-friendly alternatives such as housing and neighborhood-serving retail.

Please stop by to enjoy pizza, sign the referendum petition and support better alternatives for DVC Plaza!

We need help at the signature gathering events and to walk the neighborhoods.  To help collect signatures and/or contribute to the effort in some other way, stop by or contact the effort below:

Contact:
Pleasant Hill Alliance of Neighborhoods
25A Crescent Drive #245
Pleasant Hill, California, 94523

Web: http://www.pleasanthillneighborhoods.org/
Email: pleasanthillneighborhoods@gmail.com

Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PHNeighborhoods

Help with the Stop CarMax Referendum Petition:
Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stopphcarmax
Email: alternatives2carmax@gmail.com
Blog: https://stopcarmax.blogspot.com

Educate Yourself on the CarMax Issue and Follow the Issue on Facebook

At the link below are agenda, meeting minutes, public documents, and public comments as archived by the City of Pleasant Hill including correspondence and letters from those opposed to the proposed Pleasant Hill CarMax facility.  We thank the many volunteers and experts who have tirelessly researched the technical side of the CarMax facility and appreciate their comments. 

Link to Documents: https://stopcarmax.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_10.html

In addition, you can follow the referendum petition against the Pleasant Hill CarMax on facebook.  Follow the link below or login to facebook and search for "Stop CarMax".

Link to Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/stopphcarmax/

Referendum Petition Signature Gathering Going On Now!

Stop CarMax

Referendum Petition Drive

Download the flyer in pdf version.

Put the CarMax Ordinance on the Ballot

Let the Citizens Decide

There are Better Alternatives for DVC Plaza

WHO: Pleasant Hill Voters
WHAT: Referendum Petition Challenging the City's Ordinance Approving the CarMax Project
WHERE: Mountain Mike's Pizza (30 Golf Club Rd)
WHEN: EVERY DAY 6PM - 8PM Until Labor Day

Registered Pleasant Hill Voters Can Sign the Referendum Petition

Signatures Must Be In Person (Not Online)

WHY:

• Give Pleasant Hill Voters the opportunity to vote on the conroversial ordinace allowing CarMax to operate wholesale commercial auto auctions near residences and schools.
• Support more neighborhood-friendly alternatives such as housing and neighborhood-serving retail.

Please stop by to sign the referendum petition and support better alternatives for DVC Plaza!

We need help at the signature gathering events and to walk the neighborhoods.  To help collect signatures and/or contribute to the effort in some other way, stop by or contact the effort at:

Contact:
Pleasant Hill Alliance of Neighborhoods
25A Crescent Drive #245
Pleasant Hill, California, 94523

Web: http://www.pleasanthillneighborhoods.org/
Email: pleasanthillneighborhoods@gmail.com

Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PHNeighborhoods

Help with the Stop CarMax Referendum Petition:
Connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stopphcarmax
Email: alternatives2carmax@gmail.com
Blog: https://stopcarmax.blogspot.com

Build Neighborhoods, Not Corporate Pet Projects

We, the Citizens of Pleasant Hill, want the Pleasant Hill City Council to listen to its electorate and follow the City's own General Plan.  We want a vibrant mix of housing and retail to build on the charm of a City of not more than 35,000 residents.  Let's build more neighborhoods and expand our communities rather than build big corporate projects like CarMax.  We can do better.  If the City Council won't do it, we the voters will.  Download a flyer in pdf version here.  Please feel free to print, email, distribute, or post to your neighborhood or favorite social media platform.

PH City Council Wants More Commercial, Turns Down More Housing

As reported in the East Bay Times, http://www.eastbaytimes.com/2017/08/15/after-in-n-out-drama-pleasant-hill-property-remains-vacant/, The Pleasant Hill Planning Commision and The Pleasant Hill City Council have effectively killed the proposal to put in housing in favor of more commercial projects in the Pleasant Hill Oak Park Blvd area.  As noted in previous posts, the Pleasant Hill City Council is laying the groundwork for big commercial projects to be located all over Pleasant Hill.  We, the Citizens of Pleasant Hill, want more neighborhoods and more mixed use retail/housing, not more big corporate commercial projects.  Help us Stop the CarMax to force the City Council to return to the original plans as described in the City's General Plan.  A win with the CarMax project will further embolden the Council to ignore the concerns of the electorate in favor of big corporate interests. 

How to Help with the Voter Referendum Petition Against the CarMax

Are you concerned that our elected Pleasant Hill City Council no longer listens to the voters who put them into office?  Are you concerned that the CarMax Project was approved unanimously against overwhelming community opposition?  Are you concerned that the City Council plans to transform a small, charming town like Pleasant Hill into a dense Corporate jungle with projects all over the City?  Want to get involved with the campaign to repeal the CarMax Project or put it to a vote of the City's electorate, but are not sure how?  Well, read on.

1. Sign the referendum petition.  If you are a registered voter, sign the referendum petition at one of the signature gathering events or from one of our friendly neighborhood volunteers who will be going door to door to gather signatures.

Not able to come to one of the signature gathering events or a signature gatherer missed you at home?  No problem.  Just email us at alternatives2carmax@gmail.com and one of our volunteers will contact you to get your signature on the petition.

Not registered to vote?  No problem.  Register to vote online.  It only takes a few minutes.  Go to the State of California Online Voter Registration >> click here

2. Become a signature gatherer.  If you are registered to vote in the State of California and are at least 18 years of age, you can help us gather signatures.  Please contact us at alternatives2carmax@gmail.com and we'll give you all the information you need.  On average, volunteer signature gatherers get 50-100 signatures, but you can get more or less depending on how much time you are able to volunteer.

3. Volunteer to support the cause.  Even if you are not a signature gatherer, there is a lot of logistics that goes into a referendum petition drive.  We are looking for people to help with graphic design, marketing, fund raising, social media, and administrative support.  Contact us at alternatives2carmax@gmail.com if you are interested in helping.

4. Donate to the petition effort.  Although we are grateful for the many volunteers who are donating their time in valuable sweat equity, running a referendum petition drive does take some funds.  If you are interested in donating any amount, big or small, we would greatly appreciate it.  We will be adding an online donation form soon, but for now, please email us at alternatives2carmax@gmail.com with your pledge and one of our friendly volunteers will contact you.

Neighbohood Meeting to Plan Petition Drive

This is your last chance to preserve the character of Pleasant Hill by joining your neighbors in planning a referendum petition to repeal the City Council's approval of a CarMax facility.  Other, more community-centric development options exist for DVC Plaza, but without this petition, the CarMax WILL BE BUILT.  We need your help now!  Email alternatives2carmax@gmail.com for more information.  Download a meeting flyer in pdf version here.  Please feel free to print, email, distribute or post to your neighborhood or favorite social media platform.

Build Neighborhoods : Stop CarMax

In adopting Ordinance 916 that essentially approves the CarMax Project, the Pleasant Hill City Council have continued a string of decisions to veer further away from City Goals that they set for themselves.  As posted on the Pleasant Hill City Council's own Website:

City Goal #3: A City that is Attractive, Well Planned and Maintains a Small Town Atmosphere
City Goal #4: A City that Provides a High Quality of Life for its Residents

The Pleasant Hill City Council have not made the compelling argument on how a CarMax contributes to either of those goals.  Instead of balancing SMART development that is congruent with the character of Pleasant Hill, the City Council has decided to cater to corporate interests with the most money.  The Residents recognize that development will occur with growth of the Bay Area in general, but we want the City Council to plan for and develop projects (such as mixed use housing/retail) that are consistent with the City's own General Plan. 

Unfortunately, the CarMax approval follows a number of decisions that put corporate interests over neighborhood interests, and it will certainly not be the last decision.  The Pleasant Hill City Council has already prepared to make similar decisions that will affect neighborhoods all over Pleasant Hill.  We need to stop them now.  Help us Build Our Neighborhoods and Stop CarMax!  Download a flyer in pdf version here.  Please feel free to print, email, distribute, or post to your neighborhood or favorite social media platform.

Referendum Petition Drive Started to Stop CarMax

Recently, Ordinance No. 916 was formally adopted by the Pleasant Hill City Council by unanimous vote on August 7, 2017, thus approving the proposed Pleasant Hill CarMax facility despite overwhelming opposition to the project by the Residents of Pleasant Hill. 

** Despite the adoption of the Ordinance, the Residents of Pleasant Hill have one final chance to STOP the CARMAX! **

As Citizens, we have the right to gather at least 2100 signatures from registered voters to challenge the City Council vote through the Referendum Process.

It is recognized that everyone believes that DVC Plaza should be developed in some way and it is also understood that diffferent residents representing different groups have different reasons for opposing the CarMax and have different ideas on what can go into the DVC Plaza in its place, but before the step of reimagining a better, more community-centric solution for DVC Plaza can occur, the referendum petition needs to be successfully submitted and certified to stop the CarMax process from occurring any further.

** Without the Referendum Petition, the Ordinance as adopted by the City Council, will go into effect and the CarMax will be built! ** 

We are calling on all Residents of Pleasant Hill to support the effort to Stop CarMax by signing the referendum petition.  If the CarMax is not stopped now, even if you don't live near the proposed facility, your neighborhood will be next.  The Pleasant Hill City Council have decided to ignore the concerns of its electorate and over the last several years, have approved a string of Big Box, Corporate and High Density projects over the objection of many neighborhoods.  Just because the CarMax proposal mainly affects the Northern part of Pleasant Hill, do not think that your neighborhood will be spared from the City Council.  Another win with the CarMax will further embolden the City Council to continue their plans to bring in big development all over the City.

The North and East sections of Pleasant Hill have been recent recipients of the City Council's paternalism, but the South, West, and Central sections of Pleasant Hill are next with large development plans in the works.  As summarized by the Mayor and several Council Members at recent Council meetings, "We are doing what's best for you, so we are surprised that you don't want this" and then voting to approve projects nonetheless.  (Watch Council Member Tim Flaherty acknowledge the tremendous opposition to the CarMax at a Council Hearing and then go on to dismiss the concerns as "juvenile" > YouTube Clip)

As Residents, we all want development, but we want SMART development, not haphazard development that caters to corporate interests and tramples on the charm of a small town like Pleasant Hill.  We are a City of only 35,000 residents.  Help us stop CarMax to remind the City Council that they represent us, the Citizens, and not the corporate interests with the biggest pockets.  If we don't stop the City Council now, prepare for other projects like CarMax to appear all over town.