1. Richmond General Plan - Speak Up for Open Space!
The current draft of the General Plan may not protect the Richmond shoreline! Voice your support for open space and make recommendations to be included in the draft plan.
The newly-released draft of the Richmond General Plan leaves the future of many shoreline sites unclear. Without your help, developers may buy the land and sabotage these natural treasures.
Support:
- Open space, parks and recreation along our shorelines for cleaner air and better public health.
- Public access to the Richmond shoreline for all its residents.
- Low intensity zoning on any shoreline properties with commercial designations.
Point out problems with the Draft Plan and make recommendations:
- No land use designations have been given to key shoreline parcels—so what do they plan to do?
- What is meant by 'planned area district' which is the label given to above parcels?
- Suggest that either the current zoning is left in place or a moratorium be put on those parcels until a specific plan is conducted.
Emphasize your desire to protect the following shorelines:
North Richmond Shoreline: Retain the current open space, recreation and park designations for the North Richmond Shoreline between Wildcat Creek and Point Pinole west of the Richmond Parkway and refrain from up-zoning to higher land uses. Protect Wildcat and San Pablo Creek Marshes and their adjacent upland transition zones as open space.
South Richmond: The Zeneca, UC Field Station should be preserved as open space until an appropriate clean up is done. Hoffman Marsh should retain its current land use designation as Preservation/Resource Areas-Salt Marshes and Mudflats. Land west of Hoffman Marsh should retain its current land use designation and not changed to a Regional Commercial District (higher intensity uses). The Pt. Isabel Regional Shoreline Park and the adjacent peninsula should be preserved for Parkland and Recreational Use.
Point San Pablo Peninsula: This area should be protected as a preservation and recreational area to the maximum extent possible. Implement the San Pablo Peninsula Open Space Study, including designating Point San Pablo former site of Terminal 4 as Recreation lands for a regional shoreline park and completing the planned Bay Trail route.
Contact Mayor Gayle McLaughlin and your Richmond City Council asking them to support a General Plan that protects open space and park.
Richmond City Council
440 Civic Center Plaza
Richmond, Ca 94804
AND, if you could please copy me too, it would be most helpful: pjones@eastshorepark.org
The Draft General Plan can be downloaded from the website. A hard copy of the Plan is available for review at the Planning and Building Services Department at the Civic Center. You can also request a $5.00 CD of the draft Plan by contacting the Department.
For more info: www.cityofrichmondgeneralplan.org
Save Shoreline
Letter to the Editor
By Zeva B. Longley, Richmond
October 15, 2009
In planning for the future, I urge the Richmond general plan to include protecting the shoreline for the sake of the planet and for the general health of the folks who live in and around Richmond.
I was lucky to grow up in a small beach town in Orange County. I am grateful my mother and other residents fought to keep the beaches and much of the land near it for the public. If they hadn't, it would have been be a disaster.
Such a disaster could happen to Richmond unless city planners realize the value of the shore and protect it.
original article at: http://www.contracostatimes.com/letters/ci_13560530?nclick_check=1
For More Letters to the Editor: Contra Costa Times
2. Albany Bay Trail
It is time to complete Albany's Bay Trail!
- Albany’s shoreline is the only gap in the Bay Trail from Emeryville to Richmond’s Marina Bay
- Detailed plans have already been drawn up by the East Bay Regional Park District
- Golden Gate Fields has promised to work with the Park to complete the trail
Please write to East Bay Regional Park District, Golden Gate Fields and the Albany City Council asking them to follow through with their plans and complete our Bay Trail!
Bob Doyle Assistant General Manager - Land Division
East Bay Regional Park District
2950 Peralta Oaks Ct.
Oakland, CA 94605
Peter Tunney
Golden Gate Fields
1100 Eastshore Highway
Berkeley, CA 94710
Albany City Council
1000 San Pablo Ave.
Albany, CA 94706