The Wendt Ranch Geologic Hazard Abatement District (GHAD) encompasses the Wendt Ranch, Alamo Creek, and Monterosso developments in Contra Costa County, California. These developments are located to the south of Camino Tassajara near Blackhawk Drive and are bordered to the west by residential properties accessed from Lawrence Road and to the south and east by undeveloped permanent open space land.
The Wendt Ranch GHAD was formed in 2002 and the Alamo Creek and Monterosso (Intervening Properties) developments were annexed into the Wendt Ranch GHAD in 2005. The Board of Directors for the Wendt Ranch GHAD are the members of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors.
The Wendt Ranch GHAD is responsible for prevention, mitigation, abatement, and control of geologic hazards within the GHAD boundaries including mitigating or abating landslides and erosion hazards that could directly affect properties within the GHAD boundaries. In addition, the Wendt Ranch GHAD has significant responsibilities for managing water quality facilities, including creek monitoring, management, and creek bank stability. The Wendt Ranch GHAD is the also owner of the selected open space areas and basins within the Wendt Ranch, Alamo Creek, and Monterosso developments. As land owner for selected parcels, the GHAD assumes responsibility for vegetation management for fire suppression.
Much of the open space area within the Wendt Ranch GHAD is covered by a perpetual conservation easement (CE). The CE was established to maintain and enhance habitat values within the open space areas. Public use of the open land within the CE is generally restricted to designated trail areas to allow for the protection of habitat values.
As listed in the Plan of Control, the guidance document for the Wendt Ranch GHAD, site improvements for which the Wendt Ranch GHAD provides monitoring and maintenance is provided below.
• Wendt Ranch detention basin
• Water quality detention basin
• Maintenance roads associated with the detention basin
• Bioretention basins
• Concrete-lined drainage ditches in open space area
• Debris benches
• Subdrains
• Storm drain inlets, outfalls and pipelines within the open space area
• Restored and unaltered creek channels including grade control structures
• Open space maintenance including trails
• Settlement instruments
• Developer constructed retaining walls
• Slopes
The Wendt Ranch GHAD is financed through the collection of supplemental tax assessments from homeowners within the GHAD. Revenue is typically split between an ongoing operations/maintenance fund and the accumulation of a reserve for less frequent major repair items. The 2005 Engineer’s Report serves as the basis for the annual operating budget. Each year, an annual budget is considered and adopted by the Wendt Ranch GHAD Board of Directors.