Brentwood planning commission denies plan to build 272 homes
The Brentwood Planning Commission on Tuesday denied a controversial housing development project that has unsuccessfully made the rounds through the approval process since the early 2000s.
However, the Brindle Gate project by Albert Seeno-owned West Coast Home Builders and Discovery Builders is not necessarily dead in the water.
Should Seeno appeal the Tuesday decision, Bridle Gate could come before the Brentwood City Council, which could ignore the Planning Commission's recommendation and approve the application.
The most current version of the project proposes to develop 272 homes on 135 acres in west Brentwood bounded by Old Sand Creek Road to the north, state Highway 4 to the east, the Brentwood Hills residential development to the south, and the edge of the Brentwood Planning Area and Antioch's city limits to the west.
This particular project has drawn the ire of residents over the years for its previous lack of any designated affordable housing, plans to build a school that later disappeared, potential environmental and traffic impacts, and Seeno's lawsuit against the city for previous project denials, among other reasons.
The latest version of the application included 27 affordable units, along with suggestions for addressing potential traffic issues.
Still, the commissioners this week unanimously agreed that the Bridle Gate project is inconsistent with the city's general plan, which calls to protect Brentwood's ridgelines and discourage cut-through traffic.
"We do a great job of designing for future residents, and we have to do a great job designing for current residents," said Vice Chair David Sparling, who acknowledged many residents are worried about the Brentwood hills turning into a speedway in the proposed development area.
Bridle Gate's history has spanned the last two decades and entailed multiple versions of the project.
The City Council first approved a modified land-use designation and rezoning request for the Bridle Gate project in 2006. But the Tentative Subdivision Map was never finalized and then expired, along with the associated development agreement.
In 2020, the applicant submitted an application, which was denied. Bridle Gate returned again in 2021 with the newest—and current—application. The Planning Commission was set to decide on it in September 2023 but continued the item, which didn't resurface until this week.
Prior to the Planning Commission's decision, Doug Chen, corporate engineer with West Coast Home Builders, spoke on behalf of the applicant, alleging that the project was consistent with the general plan. He said the maximum density would have allowed for 408 units, instead of the 272 proposed.
"So we have gone to the path that we want to have good-sized lots," Chen said. "We think this will give us a good, solid project, decent-sized lots, good-sized homes and still providing for affordable units that meet the city's affordable housing requirements."
The public then weighed in with concerns about increased traffic near an area already congested with cars from Heritage High and Adams Middle schools, small parks proposed for the development, environmental impacts, and an increase of homes in a fire-risk area.
Speaker Dirk Ziegler—also a former Brentwood Planning Commissioner and licensed insurance broker—noted there was not enough defensible space for the future homeowners to secure insurance.
"We are witnessing firsthand rate increases between 20 and 40 percent, and non-renewals of many of the largest insurance companies right here in Brentwood, including areas like Shadow Lakes, Deer Ridge and Trilogy," Ziegler said. "The west side of Brentwood is now considered a high fire area. Prospective homeowners will face significant challenges in obtaining new insurance."