Myth vs. Fact: Setting the Record Straight

Myth: The Mowry Village site is a wetland.

Fact: The site is a polluted auto wrecking yard – not a wetland! This has been confirmed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – the federal government agency responsible for determining wetlands status – and no endangered species are present. The land operates as an auto wrecking yard covered by pavement and compacted soil for the last 50 years. The project will remove existing pollution under strict oversight, turning a contaminated site into a clean, safe neighborhood.

Myth: Mowry Village is at risk from sea-level rise or flooding.

Fact: The site exceeds all state and local flood protection standards. Newark’s 2025 Sea Level Rise Study (Arup, 2026) found it is not vulnerable under any scenario. The project sits two feet above State guidance and at the same elevation as the Union Sanitary District’s new $500 million facility - both built to the highest resiliency standards.

Myth: The site could instead become a community park.

Fact: Remediation of the property is estimated at $10 million and the purchase price for the auto wrecking yard is in the tens of millions. Mowry Village fully funds the cleanup and delivers a new Magical Bridge park, homes, and infrastructure consistent with Newark’s 2013 General Plan, which designates this land for low-density housing.

Myth: The project is unsafe because of existing pollution.

Fact: The site will be fully cleaned up to support residential use with oversight provided by Alameda County Water District and the State of California Water Board.

Myth: Mowry Village will be isolated from the rest of Newark.

Fact: The site is walking distance from the Silliman Center. Planned improvements will widen lanes, enhance the railroad crossing, and add sidewalks, bike lanes, and landscaped medians - making the area safer and better connected.

Myth: Mowry Village sits on valuable uplands that should be preserved.

Fact: The Mowry Village site is not natural uplands - it’s a polluted auto wrecking yard that has operated for decades and continues to leach contaminants including petroleum, lead, arsenic, and benzene into the soil and groundwater. The project will clean up this pollution under regulatory oversight, turning a blighted property into a safe, all-electric neighborhood that benefits Newark’s environment and community.

Myth: I saw a petition saying we should oppose Mowry Village in order to save the wetlands.

Fact: The petition’s claims are not accurate. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has confirmed the future Mowry Village site is not a wetland - it is a paved auto wrecking yard that must be cleaned up to prevent further contamination. Cleaning it up will require nearly $10 million in private investment, making the project an environmental improvement, not a threat.

Myth: The site should become a public park instead of housing.

Fact: Newark’s General Plan designates this land for low-density residential use. Transforming it into a park is not feasible as the cleanup and land purchase would cost tens of millions of dollars with no public funding source available. Without redevelopment, the property would remain a contaminated wrecking yard for years. Mowry Village will fully fund the cleanup, add a Magical Bridge all-abilities park, and deliver affordable and market-rate housing consistent with Newark’s long-term vision for this area.

Myth: The site is not prepared for an emergency because of the single access road across the railroad tracks.

Fact: The Alameda County Fire Marshal has confirmed the project meets all Emergency Vehicle Access (EVA) requirements. A second lane will improve traffic flow, and a secondary EVA route will link to Stevenson Boulevard through the future Sanctuary West project. A third EVA route has been secured via the adjacent Cargill property.