West County Times

Letters to the Editor
September 2009

September 30, 2009

The sights, sounds and fragrances of our shoreline and wildlife need to be protected. We need to preserve it for ourselves and for our children — in perpetuity. Once it's gone, it's gone forever.

The traffic congestion at the intersection of Central Avenue and Rydin Road is already very frustrating. Further intrusion will permanently destroy our wildlife and views, and pollute our air.

I enjoy Kohl's. I especially need to shop without going on the freeway (to Hilltop Mall or elsewhere). Instead of bringing more blight to Richmond, Kohl's could perform community service, as well as exhibit commercial savvy, by redeeming some Richmond property that has previously been blighted. For example, Macdonald Avenue, say around 10th or 8th streets.

There is now sufficient residential development in the area. Residents would be grateful for a Kohl's in the neighborhood. Kohl's also would pick up business from Kaiser users.

The development of Macdonald 80 is immensely popular and profitable, I suspect.

In any event, please do not despoil our precious shoreline.

Joan Bartulovich, El Cerrito

 

September 28, 2009

As a Richmond resident, I hope the city of Richmond will support shoreline access and keep the current designations for all shoreline parcels. Our shorelines are one of our greatest assets. I urge the city to protect all of our shoreline and especially North Richmond, South Richmond and San Pablo Peninsula.

David Moore, Richmond

 

September 17, 2009

Richmond's proposal to rezone Point Isabel for commercial development and housing circumvents the community's desires, while benefiting Kohl's.

Kohl's leased property at Point Isabel more than two years ago. Then it announced plans to open a 99,011-square-foot department store.

That land is zoned light industrial, minimizing the impact on adjacent critical wildlife habitat.

Kohl's needed Richmond to spot-zone for commercial development. That required a hearing and the public was against it. We want to preserve the shoreline, with the lightest possible industrial footprint.

In February, Kohl's dropped out, citing "the general state of the economy." (Meanwhile, it took over 31 Mervyns and this month opens six Bay Area stores.)

Five months later, Richmond issued a draft general plan rezoning most of Point Isabel as regional commercial mixed use. With this, Kohl's and others could build with no public hearing. Housing — with its light, noise, and trash — would be a wildlife disaster.

Costco was grandfathered in on the site of a co-op warehouse. The USPS facility — vigorously opposed — was only OK'd with the lease of the park to East Bay Regional Park District as mitigation.

Nothing will mitigate for intensive development at Point Isabel. Enough is enough.

Mary Barnsdale, El Cerrito

 

Find more Letters to the Editor at: http://www.contracostatimes.com/letters