ANTIOCH — An environmental preservation group is hosting a community meeting this month to discuss a proposed housing project in southeast Antioch.

Save Mt. Diablo will hold the forum at 7 p.m. Feb. 23 at Prewett Community Park, 4703 Lone Tree Way.

Attendees will learn about the development that’s planned for the city and how the planning process works. They also will become acquainted with Save Mt. Diablo and several other organizations participating in the forum — Greenbelt Alliance, Sierra Club and California Native Plant Society — as well as learn how they can effectively convey their thoughts on building projects to the decision makers.

The meeting will focus on a development plan known as “The Ranch,” which would bring 1,188 to 1,307 homes to a large swath of open space south of Lone Tree Way.

The project is within the Sand Creek Focus Area, 2,712 acres that ultimately could accommodate 4,000 more residences.

Opposed to urban sprawl, Save Mt. Diablo contends that such development not only will undermine property values, harm wildlife and watersheds, but create more traffic congestion and an additional burden on already stretched-thin police and fire services.

For more information, contact Juan Pablo Galván at 925-947-3535 or jpgalvan@savemountdiablo.org