Definition

Measure T made several changes to hill area development regulations, including modifying the definition of the "Toe of the Hill." This definition is important because the initiative's regulations apply to properties above the  "Toe of the Hill" line.

The new definition is "a line along the base of the hills where the natural grade first becomes twenty percent (20%) or more on the western side of the Hill Area from the Fremont-Union City boundary to the Alameda-Santa Clara County boundary, and on both sides of Niles Canyon and Route 680 east of Mission Boulevard to the Fremont city limits."

Regulations

Properties above the Toe of the Hill line are subject to General Plan land use changes and rezoning, as well as development regulations set forth in Measure T. These include regulation of parcel sizes and limits on development in order to protect views.

Map

City staff is in the process of creating a map to show the proposed location of the Toe of the Hill line, which incorporates the recommendations proposed by the Toe of the Hill line peer review consultant, Spangle Associates, and reflects the definition of the Toe of the Hill line adopted by City Council on July 12, 2005.  The City Council approved the proposed Toe of the Hill line and the related General Plan Land Use map changes and rezonings on September 27, 2005.  A revised Toe of the Hill line map is available below.