Unincorporated Town,
Contra Costa County
© McCormack's Guides
Zip Code: 94514
Tiny town,
population 916, in East Contra
Costa, that one day may go big time. Buchanan, county’s main airport in
Concord, is cramped for space and Byron airport was expanded to take the
overflow. www.mccormacks.com
County has
purchased 1,300 acres at the airport and pumped about $20 million into land
purchases, improvements and construction of runway.
Byron used
to be famous for its hot springs and a grand resort, long gone to ruin. The
town was also known for its saloons. But one burned down and two others were
damaged in 2002 by a man driving a backhoe. In 2005, another fire burned down
three more buildings. Residents seem resigned to town being taken over one day
by development.
Click for regional or detailed map
Byron
schools also serve Discovery Bay, which is still adding homes. School rankings
have risen dramatically in the last 10 years. No revolution here although the
district may be doing an excellent job. The demographics are changing, more
middle and upper-middle class. At high school, kids travel to Liberty in
Brentwood (see Brentwood). See Schools.
More kids
mean more schools. Since 2001, the district has opened a middle school and an
elementary school. Voters in 2002 and 2004 rejected renovation bonds but the
district kept after them and in 2006 a bond was won. Most of the money will be
used to overhaul the middle school.
Improvements are being made to Highway
4. Vasco Road, to west of town, has been widened and shaped into good road for
commuters, except for a short stretch on the south when it narrows to two
lanes. Vasco takes you down to Livermore and Interstate 580. www.mccormacks.com
Still,
much planning and installing of infrastructure has to be done before Byron
takes off into large-scale development. In 2006, the town was fined by the
state for failing to change the way it stores and transports treated sewage.
Byron's
location puts it within commuting distance of Stockton, Livermore and
Pleasanton. Since 1950, developers steadily have been filling in the towns
close to the Bay. Now, short of land, they are looking at Byron.
Under
discussion is a plan to route passenger trains on the rail line, which passes
through Byron, over to the BART station in Pittsburg. If this happens, Byron
might take off.
For the
present, a small town with a few stores, coffee shop, churches, antique stores,
surrounded by miles of flat lands and gently rolling hills. Large reservoir
opened in 1998 west of Byron. Fishing and boating allowed. Sky diving popular
in area.
