'Watershed Moment;' Martinez To Build Dozens of Homes, New Park on Former Golf Course

MARTINEZ (BCN) -- After years of legal and political volleying, the Martinez City Council finally signed off on a developer's plan to build 65 homes on the former Pine Meadow Golf Course.

The golf course closed in April 2015 and almost immediately became a hot potato of competing interests.

DeNova Homes initially wanted to build 98 homes, a proposal opposed by community members wanting the 26.9 acre-property to remain open space. The site was the subject of two competing ballot proposals and lawsuits flew. Earlier this year, questions over drainage reports and whether the city was using that as an excuse to erect more barriers against development prompted a fresh lawsuit.

Competing sides finally came together Tuesday night, when the council unanimously approved a new version of a final agreement for the development, officially known as "Traditions at the Meadow." Councilmember Mark Ross called it a "watershed moment."

"Decades of pondering the use on this property -- it's a legacy in how to eventually, if thornily, come to an agreement on how to use property in an urban setting in the future," Ross said.

Concord-based DeNova will subdivide 71 lots, with six going toward a new park for the city -- its first in 20 years, Ross pointed out.

The city will design the 8.22-acre park, with DeNova contributing $1 million toward its completion. About $150,000 of that amount would be in work, the rest in improvements identified by the city.