Massive 144-Acre Development to Reshape Downtown San Ramon

San Ramon’s City Council has rejected an appeal to halt a major mixed-use development called Orchards, clearing the way for Sunset Development to proceed with transforming Chevron’s former 144-acre Bishop Ranch campus into a new downtown for the East Bay city.

The unanimous vote marks a pivotal endorsement for the project, which aims to reshape central San Ramon over the next two decades, San Jose Mercury News reported. The plan includes 2,600 homes, 125,000 square feet of retail, a 2.5-acre park and a perimeter greenway linking to the Iron Horse Trail.

Sunset acquired the Chevron site in 2022 for $174.5 million. The residential mix will feature affordable housing, and the retail component is designed to differ from the nearby City Center Bishop Ranch, with a focus on resident-serving ground-floor shops and restaurants similar to San Jose’s Santana Row.

During a special hearing, Sunset Development Senior Vice President Stephanie Miller described Orchards as “the next chapter in the evolution of Bishop Ranch” and
“an infill mixed-use development that transforms a private campus.”

However, local resident Brian Swanson filed an appeal, arguing that the city failed to properly follow the California Environmental Quality Act and had not fully analyzed traffic impacts.

“Yes, it’s housing. But the analysis is incomplete,” Swanson said.

Mayor Mark Armstrong disagreed, stating that the city had followed the appropriate legal process. The council’s 5-0 vote to reject the appeal allows the project to move forward without delay.

Sunset Development President Alex Mehran Jr. emphasized that Orchards is part of a broader mosaic of redevelopment across Bishop Ranch, noting that each new project contributes to a shifting “vibe” and evolving urban texture.

“This is an exciting place that changes day by day,” he said.

Mehran is the third generation of his family to lead Sunset, which has a history of development in San Ramon.

Orchards will be built in phases over a 20-year timeline.

– Joel Russell