Miller: Concord on Right Track with Weapons Station

Congressman George Miller (D-7th District) likes what he sees when he looks at the current proposals for development at the Concord Naval Weapons Station.

"I think the City of Concord has put together a pretty good plan," Miller said during a sit-down interview with online journalists on Monday afternoon.

The U.S. Navy still owns the 12,800-acre site. It was officially closed for military use in 2005. The City of Concord has been given the authority to oversee plans to develop 5,028 acres of the site.

No specific plans have been developed yet, but there has been discussion of cluster housing, open space and clean manufacturing, as well as transit-oriented services because of the nearby BART station.

"I think the city has made some pretty good decisions that this just couldn't become heavy-density congestion," said Miller.

He said the former ammunition storage base could become "a real Central County asset."

The weapons station was one of many topics Miller discussed while talking at his Concord district office with three Patch editors and four U. C. Berkeley student journalists who write for the online information site, Richmond Confidential.

Miller also repeated his support for plans to turn Clayton Valley High School into a charter school.

He also said to help stimulate the economy.