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.