Vision for Richmond General Plan

CESP looks forward to a time when all Richmond residents will have access to their entire shoreline. A rare opportunity exists now for the City to envision and plan for greatness. Richmond's 32-mile shoreline could be planned for public ownership and become one of the dazzling jewels in the Bay's necklace of shoreline parks.

In February 2011, a new General Plan and Draft Environmental Impact Report was released. The City is currently holding public hearings and taking comments. Please participate in this important process to protect Richmond's shoreline. It is essential that the Council and Planning Commission hear from the public about the environmental, economic, social, and recreational values of protecting the Richmond Shoreline! The good news is that there are many improvements in this Plan since the Draft. There is an emphasis on environmental sensitivity and respect for open space and natural resources that well befits a city with as many important environmental areas as Richmond contains. CESP applauds several changes made from earlier drafts, which have helped avoid the generation of significant impacts on important shoreline wildlife habitat. Areas of positive change include:

  • The new open space designation of the entire North Shoreline area west of the Richmond Parkway and south of Pt. Pinole Regional Park.
  • The mixed use designation for the Terminal 4 area at Point San Pablo opens the way for conversion of this former industrial site to park and open space use that will benefit Richmond citizens and the public.
  • For the Southern Gateway area, the added language to create appropriate setbacks in order to respect the natural habitats in adjacent marsh areas.
  • Continuation of the current business/light industrial in the area adjacent to Point Isabel Regional Park, which will minimize negative impacts on the adjoining park and open space/natural preserve areas.

Areas of Concern and Request for further improvements:

  • Set-back requirement designated for the Campus Bay area should also be extended to the area surrounding Point Isabel and the Hoffman Marsh.
  • Stronger recognition of sea level rise and a commitment to implementing a plan to deal with it. Specifically, the General Plan needs to reserve sufficient area to accommodate shoreline-using animal and plant species, global warming-induced sea level rise will inevitably result in the loss of crucial wildlife habitat. This is particularly true along the North Shoreline and the Hoffman Marsh.

North Richmond Shoreline. CESP is committed to preserving the waterfront as open space by preventing any further development. The North Richmond shoreline, where Rheem Creek flows into San Pablo Bay, is home to millions of migrating birds. Its 500 acres of tidal marshes and 800 acres of mudflats shelter many threatened and endangered species. Just off shore is the largest eelgrass bed in SF Bay - important feeding, escape and breeding habitat for many species of invertebrates, waterfowl, and fishes. Preserving this shoreline corridor as open space offers a unique opportunity to create a visible edge to the city with stunning long views in every direction.

Pt. San Pablo Peninsula, including Point Molate. San Pablo Peninsula separates San Francisco and San Pablo bays. Chevron is on the east and beautiful views are to the west. Pt. San Pablo was the site of the last operating whaling station in the U.S. and is a great candidate for future parkland and trails. Pt. Molate's scenic 5 miles of shoreline include a tranquil beach, open space, historic buildings, stunning views of Mt. Tam, and populations of native fish offshore and grasses on shore. CESP recommends: 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.

South Richmond Shoreline. North of Pt. Isabel Regional Park and south of Marina Bay, the Zeneca/Campus Bay site is an integral part of the South Richmond Shoreline, offering great views of SF Bay and hosting a stretch of the Bay Trail. It is also one of the most toxic sites in California. Despite the clean-up challenges, CESP envisions the shoreline of the Zeneca site becoming an extension of the adjacent Eastshore State Park. CESP recommends: 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.

You can help preserve a legacy of shoreline open space and access for all.
  • Write or call Richmond City Council (contact information on bottom of page)
  • Attend Planning Commission Study Sessions. Check City website www.cityofrichmondgeneralplan.org/ or send CESP your email address so we can alert you when they are scheduled: pjones@eastshorepark.org.
  • Share our information with your neighbors and urge them to participate in the general plan process.
  • Volunteer to call and write to residents of Richmond
  • Donate money to support our effort to save the shoreline!

Richmond City Council meets Tuesdays, 6:30 pm
Council Chambers, City Hall, 440 Civic Center Plaza (@ 27th between Barrett Ave. and MacDonald Ave.), Richmond
Televised on KCRT, Channel 28

Mayor Gayle McLaughlin, Gayle_McLaughlin@officeofthemayor.net
ph: 237-1256, fax: 237-1456, P.O. Box 5284, Richmond, CA 94805

COUNCIL MEMBERS

PLANNING COMMISSIONERS CITY STAFF

City of Richmond General Plan web sites:
http://www.cityofrichmondgeneralplan.org or http://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/index.aspx?NID=840

 

Ellen with a scope