Opponents of the Bay Plan Gather At 6p.m. Thursday To Voice Their Anger

It's called Plan Bay Area, and the idea seems pretty good on paper: get the various agencies, counties, and cities in the Bay Area working together for a coordinated effort to reduce pollution by building homes near mass transit hubs.

But in Lamorinda, the idea is not going over well with many residents. They feel that unelected government bodies are dictating what kind of housing can be built in their small, exclusive communities.

• In Lafayette, Terraces of Lafayette, a 315-unit apartment complex proposed for a hillside on Deer Hill Road, is now undergoing environmental review, and the project itself will almost certainly find its way to a courtroom for final resolution;
• In Moraga, there is an uproar over a specific plan calling for an additional 630 units to be built downtown;
• In Orinda, the city council's plan to rezone a 3 acre site for a 64-unit very low income complex has caused a major stir between those who support the idea of affordable housing, and those who say it will bring crime, congestion, and lower property values to town.