The City of Hercules, California, has been

The City of Hercules, California, has been dragging its feet on adopting a master plan for the final 40 acres of a large new urban waterfront development that has been under construction in central Hercules for the past seven years (see March 2005 New Urban News). Consequently, developer AndersonPacific LLC put together a ballot initiative on how to develop the last portion, known as Hercules Bayfront. The initiative “Waterfront Now” — which includes a master plan, illustrations, and a form-based code, all prepared by Opticos Design of Berkeley — would create three distinct neighborhoods in an area that would also boast ferry service and an Amtrak station. If 10 percent of the registered voters in Hercules sign petitions, the City Council is required to include it on the ballot in November, but will also have an opportunity to adopt the initiative immediately. Many residents of the already completed Promenade and Bayside new urban neighborhoods are calling for approval.