There are only about 1000 or so houses spread all over the location east of San Ramon. Most of the land being discussed is still privately owned. One particular group, FTL and LLC, owns 770 of the total 4900 acres of land and plans to build 194 homes there. 169 of them will be single-family houses and other 24 are planned as multi-family units reserved as affordable housing. The project has been dubbed "New Farm," designed to take up 5% of the total 770 acres they have control of. A quarter of it is sought to be developed for agricultural uses and the rest will remain as open space.

Another issue lies on whether it crosses the county's urban line.  If San Ramon's petition to the Local Agency Formation Commission goes through, this will turn into a major step for the city into further developing the land for residential and commercial uses. According to a staff report that was part of the city's general plan in 2002, they wished to use Tassajara Valley to "improve the city's jobs/housing balance."

This is a controversial issue that has been bugging Danville leaders and local environmentalists for well over a year now. From a moral and ecological standpoint, how much more development in the Tri-Valley necessarily a good thing for the total well-being of its citizens?

- Joseph Natividad