A proposal to build 12,000 homes on vacant land near San Francisco Bay is running into opposition from the Santa Clara Valley Water District and the Alameda County Water District. Both water districts have stated that they are opposed to providing water to the development through a water transfer process that involves farms as far away as Bakersfield.
From MercuryNews.com – Article by Paul Rogers
An Arizona company’s plan to build the largest housing development on the shores of San Francisco Bay since the birth of Foster City more than 50 years ago is hitting a potentially significant new hurdle: lack of water.
DMB Associates of Scottsdale, Ariz., has proposed to build 12,000 homes in Redwood City east of Highway 101 on vacant lands once used by Cargill Salt.
On Tuesday, however, leaders at two prominent Silicon Valley water districts said they are opposed to helping the project acquire water through a complex transfer involving farming interests near Bakersfield.
“I’m not going to support something like that,” said Don Gage, chairman of the Santa Clara Valley Water District’s board. “It entangles you in a situation where you don’t want to be. It doesn’t do any good for the water district to be put in that position.”
Similarly, Walt Wadlow, general manager of the Alameda County Water District, said his agency isn’t interested in partnering with DMB to shift the Bakersfield water through its system to Redwood City.
