The following was released by Contra Costa County Supervisor Candace Andersen regarding concerns over Blackhawk Plaza.
Residents may have heard about lawsuits, foreclosures, and financial issues concerning Blackhawk Plaza. The County is not involved in these legal matters and does not have “legal standing” to be part of these lawsuits.
There have been numerous inquiries to our office about what might happen to Blackhawk Plaza and whether it could be redeveloped into housing. NO applications have been submitted to redevelop the shopping center or build housing at this time. It is anticipated that the pending litigation could take several years to resolve.
In an effort to provide accurate information, dispel rumors, and to respond to questions about the Plaza, we have posted Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on our website to provide clarity and context. You can view them HERE.
We will update this webpage when new information on Blackhawk Plaza becomes available.
Blackhawk Plaza FAQ’s
Residents may have heard about lawsuits, foreclosures, and financial issues concerning Blackhawk Plaza. The County is not involved in these legal matters, and does not have “legal standing” to be part of these lawsuits. However, as we become aware of any change in ownership or management, we will post the information here.
At this time the County has not received any applications to build housing or otherwise redevelop Blackhawk Plaza. If we do, we will provide updates in these FAQ’s.
Would a Residential Development be allowed at Blackhawk Plaza under the County’s General Plan and Zoning? : Contra Costa’s General Plan land use designation for Blackhawk Plaza is Mixed-Use Medium Density. This designation allows developments that are entirely commercial, entirely residential, or a mix, with a density of 30-75 residences per acre plus any additional residences allowed under State Density Bonus Law.
Zoning is subordinate to the General Plan and wherever there is an inconsistency, the General Plan prevails. Recent state legislation has also eliminated the need to rezone for residential projects under certain circumstances.
There has been no application filed with the County to re-develop Blackhawk Plaza. Without an actual development proposal, the County cannot determine whether a rezoning would be required to allow residential uses at Blackhawk Plaza. If a rezoning was required, it likely would be little more than procedural because the General Plan allows residential uses.
What environmental review would be be required if someone wanted to redevelop Blackhawk Plaza?: New state legislation streamlines, and in some cases exempts, certain residential projects from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The County cannot determine the required level of environmental review without seeing an actual development proposal.
How do Stormwater and Hydrology regulations impact the current and future conditions of Blackhawk Plaza?: Blackhawk Plaza’s water features are artificial and carry no special protections. While the site may be designed to direct some runoff into the water features initially, all site runoff is collected and conveyed to a public storm drain system that ultimately discharges to a natural watercourse. New projects must comply with current regulations and standards, including the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), Provision C. 3 clean water requirements, and County Ordinance Code requirements for stormwater runoff and water quality management. These modern regulations are far more stringent than the regulations in effect when Blackhawk Plaza was constructed.
What Wildlife Regulations would need to considered if changes were made at Blackhawk Plaza?: New projects must comply with state and federal regulations, such as the California Endangered Species Act, enacted to protect certain wildlife and their habitats. However, not all wildlife and habitats are protected.
If Blackhawk Plaza is redeveloped, how will it impact the Blackhawk Museum?: Blackhawk Plaza was developed pursuant to various County planning approvals/permits and at least one Development Agreement between the County, Blackhawk Corporation, and Behring Educational Institute, Inc (now Behring Global Education Foundation). The museum sits on its own parcel and is under separate ownership from the rest of Blackhawk Plaza.
If redevelopment takes place at Blackhawk Plaza the developer would need to work with the Behring Global Education Foundation to ensure adequate access to the Museum. Not only could the County require this to happen as part of a development agreement, but there are existing legal agreements between whomever owns Blackhawk Plaza and the Behring foundation which would also likely mandate this.
What is the current Level of Service at the intersection of Camino Tassajara/Blackhawk/Crow Canyon? Previous settlement agreements between the Town of Danville and the County required improvements and the monitoring of the intersection of Camino Tassajara/Blackhawk/Crow Canyon. According to the most recent report, provided in December 2025 to the Dougherty Valley Oversight Committee, this intersection is currently operating at a level “B” during peak morning and afternoon commutes. Find the report here.
Does a 1985 Development Agreement “deed” to the County development rights over Blackhawk Plaza?
Some residents have recently stated that there is a “Deeded Rights Barrier “(Resolution 85/259, Condition 3.b), where the County “was deeded the development rights to 8+ acres to prevent densification” and therefore has the right and obligation to not allow housing at the Blackhawk Plaza site.
The original Development Agreement for the Blackhawk Commercial Center which was recorded on June 20, 1985 encompassed 45.54 acres.
Exhibit C of the Development Agreement contains Conditions of Approval, which include item 3.b, cited by neighbors. It states: The land lying north of the fence, referred to in item e, below, consisting of 8+ acres, shall be dedicated to the Country Club Homeowners Association and development rights shall be deeded to the County of Contra Costa.
Exhibit C, item 3.e, which was referenced above states: “All plans shall be prepared pursuant to the recommendations of a security consultant and incorporate: 1) use of an 8’ high wrought iron security fence located along the full length of the north side of the northernmost parking lot and extending southward along the east property lines approximately 500 feet, 2) use of driveway gates to control vehicular access to offices on the upper pad during the hours of 9:00 pm and 5:00 am.
The 8+ acres described as being dedicated to the Homeowners Association, with the development rights deeded to the County, are not part of the Blackhawk Plaza Shopping Center or the office buildings north of it, but are behind the back parking lots and fence, and are currently an open space buffer between the commercial center and Blackhawk homes. It is not the whole 45.5 acre site which was the subject of the Development Agreement. The dedicated area is actually about 5.73 acres, or approximately 12.6% of the original Blackhawk Plaza site. It is not 80% of the site, as has been suggested. County staff believe that adjustments made to the Blackhawk Plaza site plan late in its approval process resulted in a different acreage that was updated incorrectly when the Development Agreement and Conditions of Approval were approved.
The 5.73-acre open space buffer parcel was dedicated to the Blackhawk Homeowners Association in the 1980s. Because the Blackhawk HOA owns the parcel, the HOA’s consent would be necessary to convert it from buffer to housing. County staff is looking into whether the development rights for that open space parcel were ever deeded to the County. Regardless, it is extremely unlikely that the County would ever approve housing in this open space buffer.
Supervisor Andersen represents the areas of Alamo, Blackhawk, Canyon, Danville, Diablo, Lafayette, Moraga, Orinda, Rossmoor, San Ramon, Tassajara Valley, and parts of unincorporated Walnut Creek.