Area Overview

The Hillcrest eBART Station Priority Development Area (PDA) consists of 375 acres within Antioch’s Urban Limit Line, located strategically at the juncture of Highway 4 and Highway 160. In anticipation of the introduction of eBART service, the City identified this area as a new “Focus Policy Area” in its 2003 General Plan, which calls for high-density residential, commercial, and mixed-use development at the site of the future station. The specific location, size, and character of the station and developments within the study area will be determined as the planning process moves forward.

The site of the PDA consists of former agricultural uses and vacant or low-use lots in close proximity to major Eastern Contra Costa County transportation corridors. Presently, the area is surrounded by low-density suburban development that will benefit from the mixed uses and transit soon to serve the area. East Antioch Creek, which flows through the site, will be preserved and enhanced through the development of pedestrian and bicycle paths, integrating this natural resource with its neighboring uses.

Currently, the area is served by Tri Delta Transit, which operates buses out of the Hillcrest Park-and-Ride facility to connect riders to destinations throughout Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley, Pittsburg, and Bay Point. A primary focus of the service is to link commuters to the Pittsburg/Bay Point BART station. The proposed Hillcrest eBART station will be served by diesel multiple unit trains that will run on standard gauge rail tracks from the proposed Railroad Avenue eBART Station in Pittsburg.  The eBART link is anticipated to be complete by 2014.

Area Vision

The City of Antioch envisions the Hillcrest Station Area as a high-quality development, complete with housing, jobs, retail, recreation, and transit. It is planned to have a mix of uses and amenities that will make it a signature area of Antioch. It will be a place that is easily accessible by BART, with many jobs and residential units within walking distance of the station.

The City plans to capitalize on the opportunities associated with a new transit connection by building a transit village with an assortment of high-density housing options, a business district with high-density office space to generate jobs, and a mix of retail uses to attract employers and residents to the area. The expansion of commercial and office space in this PDA will mitigate the jobs and housing imbalance in Eastern Contra Costa County with 10,000 jobs estimated to be added by the year 2035. This number reflects the City’s intent to tap into the employment potential of an area which has, in the past, experienced rapid residential growth without matching increases in job numbers.

Demand for housing in Eastern Contra Costa County remains strong, and the higher-density residential development planned for this underutilized central area will allow the City to accommodate projected population growth without encroaching on open space, agricultural land, or other cherished natural habitats that surround Antioch’s rural setting. The City plans to add 500 to 1,000 housing units to the area, with an appropriate mix of densities, retail, and business park uses. The preservation of East Antioch Creek will provide an excellent opportunity for the City to incorporate this scenic resource into park space for residents and workers to recreate.

Recently, the City of Antioch received a Metropolitan Transportation Commission/Association of Bay Area Governments Station Area Planning Grant of $120,000 to facilitate and build upon its current Hillcrest eBART Ridership Development Plan planning efforts, which addresses land use, parking demand, affordable housing, and pedestrian-friendly design standards for the Priority Development Area.  The Station Area Planning Grant will fund a community involment strategy, a market demand analysis, an eBART station access and connectivity plan, an infrastructure development and financing plan, an accessibility and visitability plan, and an implementation plan.

The Hillcrest eBART Station Priority Development Area is strategically located along major transportation routes in Eastern Contra Costa County. The future eBART connection will provide a key transit alternative, to mitigate the long commute times that have been exacerbated by recent population growth in the area. The addition of employment opportunities in the station area will offer new and existing residents the opportunity to work closer to home. A pedestrian-oriented streetscape with restaurants, shops, and entertainment will create a desirable place for people to live and visit and generate the eBART ridership necessary to support public investment in the system. The PDA will incorporate the vital attributes of a complete community, creating a residential mixed-use pattern of development that can be effectively served by transit, advantageously located in the center of Antioch.

Community Involvement

One of the first crucial steps in the development of the Hillcrest eBART PDA is to enhance roadway accessibility to the area by extending current roads and providing new connections. Connectivity improvements will allow for the transportation mode split necessary in ensuring the success of the eBART station, the transit-oriented development (TOD), and the future retail and employment uses. To meet this objective and achieve a consensus among the community, the City of Antioch created a Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) comprised of representatives of the City, Contra Costa County, Caltrans, BART, CCTA, the City of Oakley, and local stakeholders. The TAC guided a comprehensive circulation and access study of the area, conducted by the transportation consulting firms of Fehr and Peers and the Mark Thomas Company. The completed study was presented to City Council in July of 2005, providing decision-makers with a number of circulation improvements, taking into consideration environmental and biological constraints, community concerns, and representative’s interests. Ongoing community participation will help guide the planning process, with community meetings, workshops, and public hearings.