News

Alameda County Special Districts Association Celebrates 20th Anniversary

mnolan — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:02:33 -0700

Contact name

Shelly Lewis

News

Alameda County Special Districts Association Celebrates 20th Anniversary

The Alameda County Special Districts Association (ACSDA) will celebrate its successful 20 year history at an anniversary dinner on Thursday, March 25 at the Marriott Hotel in Pleasanton beginning at 7pm. Over 150 members, guests, and public officials are expected to attend. The guest speaker will be Bruce Kern, Executive Director, East Bay Economic Development Alliance, who will discuss the future of the East Bay economy. The dinner also includes greetings from Alice-Lai Bitker, President, Alameda County Board of Supervisors, Jennifer Hosterman, Mayor of Pleasanton, and Neil McCormick, Executive Director, California Special Districts Association. Doug Siden, ACSDA President and an elected member of the East Bay Regional Park District Board of Directors will be Master of Ceremonies.

Special Districts provide utilities, transit, water, sanitation, fire protection, healthcare, air quality management, and recreation and parks. On December 13, 1990, twelve representatives from Special Districts throughout Alameda County met at the administrative offices of the East Bay Regional Park District in Oakland. They voted to form the Alameda County Chapter of California Special Districts to act as a common voice for Special Districts throughout the County. Today, there are 22 member organizations involved in ACSDA. The Chapter won “Chapter of the Year” from the California Special Districts Association in 2009 based on membership and innovative ideas.
The two dominant issues facing ACSDA, and all California Special Districts, are potential shifting of property taxes by the State and the effect of regional government initiatives.

According to ACSDA President Doug Siden, “While ACSDA has had an impressive twenty years, there is still much to do. There are over 2,300 independent Special Districts in the state with over 10,000 elected board members representing millions of Californians. Many Districts were voted into existence by citizens who recognized a need for the services they provide. As State reform initiatives are discussed, Special Districts, including ACSDA, must have a significant role. There is no doubt the State budget process is in need of reform however, it would be a disservice to California not to ensure inclusion of Special Districts in any future plans.”

Date: March, 17, 2010

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Contact Email

slewis@ebparks.org

Law Enforcement Accreditation On-Site Assessment

mnolan — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 10:59:46 -0700

Contact name

Shelly Lewis

News

Law Enforcement Accreditation On-Site Assessment

On April 10, 2010, a team of assessors from the Commission on Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., will begin examining all aspects of the East Bay Regional Park District Police Department‘s policies and procedures, management, operations, and support services. Verification by the team that the East Bay Regional Park District Police Department meets the Commission’s high standards is part of a voluntary process to gain accreditation -- a highly prized, international recognition of public safety professional excellence.

As part of the on-site assessment, department personnel and members of the community are invited to offer comments about the Department by calling (510) 690-6517 on Monday, April 12, 2010, between the hours of 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. Employees and members of the community are also invited to share comments at a public information session on Monday, April 12, 2010, at 5:00 PM. This will be in the East Bay Regional Park District’s Trudeau Center at 11500 Skyline Blvd., Oakland, California.

Telephone comments as well as appearances at the public information session are limited to 10 minutes and must address the Department’s ability to comply with CALEA’s standards. A copy of the standards is available at the East Bay Regional Park District Police Department, 17930 Lake Chabot Rd., Castro Valley, California 94546. Residents may contact Accreditation Manager Lieutenant Wayne Morimoto at (510) 690-6501 or Accreditation Sergeant Lance Brede at (510) 690-6564 for more information.

Persons wishing to offer written comments may send them to the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement, Inc. (CALEA), 10302 Eaton Place, Suite 100, Fairfax, Virginia 22030-2201.

The CALEA assessment team is composed of law enforcement practitioners from similar, out-of-state agencies. The assessors are Chief of Police Michael Dickey from Fairfield, Ohio, Police Department and Lieutenant Thomas Wilkes from Aurora, Colorado, Police Department. Once the Commission’s assessors complete their review of the Department, they report back to the full Commission, which will then decide if the agency is granted accredited status.

Accreditation lasts three years, during which time the agency must submit annual reports attesting continued compliance with those standards under which they were initially accredited.

DATE: March 15, 2010

CONTACT PERSON(s):
Lieutenant Wayne Morimoto (510) 690-6501 Accreditation Manager
Sergeant Lance Brede (510) 690-6564 Accreditation Sergeant

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Contact Email

slewis@ebparks.org

East Bay Regional Park District Begins New Online Series Adventures with Wheelchair Hiker/Motivational Speaker, Bob Coomber

mnolan — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 10:56:22 -0700

Contact name

Shelly Lewis

News

East Bay Regional Park District Begins New Online Series Adventures with Wheelchair Hiker/Motivational Speaker, Bob Coomber

Oakland, CA – The East Bay Regional Park District has partnered with wheelchair hiker and motivational speaker Bob Coomber, aka 4WheelBob, to provide an online hiking series geared toward accessible hiking trails, titled “Adventures with 4WheelBob.” Coomber will profile flat or slightly graded trails in the East Bay Regional Park District that can accommodate wheelchairs, mobility devices, parents with strollers, young children on bikes, or anyone looking for a pleasant place to enjoy nature and the outdoors. As an added bonus, Coomber will also highlight a “challenge” hike of greater length and ability. Adventures with 4WheelBob can be found on the East Bay Regional Park District’s website under a Feature (photo) box on the right side of the webpage or by typing www.ebparks.org/bobcoomber. Additional hikes will be updated monthly on the website.

Coomber is well-known in the East Bay as an active hiker, writer, and speaker. He became disabled after a long struggle with diabetes caused severe and irreversible osteoporosis. A lifelong hiker, Bob soon began experimenting with easy outdoors excursions and has become a staple of local newspaper and television shows – that guy in a wheelchair who won’t believe in limits. He’s also been featured in national news on the CBS “Early Show”, ABC’s “World News with Charles Gibson” and the Hallmark Channel.

On August 24, 2007 Coomber became the first person in a wheelchair to summit California’s third highest peak, 14,246’ White Mountain. He is also the first in a wheelchair to summit two local favorites, Mt. Diablo and its companion, North Peak, as well as Mission Peak in Fremont.

He has been very involved with the East Bay Regional Park District serving as a volunteer ambassador and as an appointed member of the Park Advisory Committee. “A day in our Regional Parks provides a chance to get close to nature, encourage exercise and enable all who venture onto a trail to take in a thousand wonders. I hope to see a lot of people take advantage of the amazing trails and sights and sounds of each of our Regional Parks,” says Coomber.
Coomber was inducted into the California Outdoors Hall of Fame in January, 2007. He was one of only 27 Americans to receive the President’s Council on Physical Fitness Community Leadership Award in 2008. In October of 2010, Bob plans to summit Africa’s highest peak, Kilimanjaro, and be the first unassisted wheelchair to make the journey. The trip will also serve to distribute 200 wheelchairs in Arusha, Tanzania, in partnership with The Wheelchair Foundation of Danville.

Date: March 15, 2010

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Contact Email

slewis@ebparks.org

Spring Wildflower Festival | Saturday, March 27, 2010

mnolan — Mon, 8 Mar 2010 13:14:57 -0800

Contact name

Sunol Visitors Center

News

Spring Wildflower Festival
Saturday, March 27 at Sunol Regional Wilderness

Sunol Regional Wilderness will be holding its seventh annual Spring Wildflower Festival on Saturday March 27 from 11am – 4 pm. The festival will take place near the Old Green Barn Visitor Center at Sunol Regional Wilderness at the end of Geary Road off of Calaveras. Anyone with an interest in wildflowers or nature is encouraged to attend – there is something for all ages. Interpretive staff will provide easy ways to identify wildflowers and where to discover the best places and times to see different varieties.

Nature slideshows, exhibits, and hikes of various lengths and subjects will be offered throughout the day. Hikes range from kid-friendly, to ethnobotany, to a longer flower hike to Little Yosemite waterfall. Activities also include arts and crafts, face painting, games and entertainment. There are no food concessions in the park so visitors should bring a lunch and enjoy a picnic in the great outdoors.

The event is free to the public, but the usual $5 parking fee will be charged.
Call (510) 544-3240 for more information.

TO REACH THE PARK
From the Fremont area, drive north on I-680 and exit at Calaveras Road. Turn right on Calaveras and proceed four miles. Turn left on Geary Road, which leads two miles directly into the park.

From the Oakland / Berkeley area, drive east on I-580 to the junction with I-680 in Pleasanton. At the junction, go south on I-680 and exit at Calaveras Road/Highway 84 south of the town of Pleasanton. Turn left onto Calaveras Road and proceed four miles to Geary Road on the left, which leads two miles directly into the park.

Contact Email

sunolvisit@ebparks.org

Park District Says Goodbye To Beloved Former Mine Manager, John Waters

mnolan — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 13:47:45 -0800

Contact name

Shelly Lewis

News

Park District Says Goodbye To Beloved Former Mine Manager, John Waters

John Waters, generally acknowledged as the heart and soul of the unique mining history museum and related programs at Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve in Antioch, died Jan. 13 in Oakland after a long battle with cancer. He was 68.

“John was a true Renaissance man,” said Pat O’Brien, the East Bay Regional Park District general manager. “He not only managed Black Diamond Mines, he recreated the essence of the mining experience, and even saved the mines from certain closure during the early days of our attempt to have a mine park.”

“We probably wouldn’t have that park if it weren’t for him,” said Ted Radke, the park district board member who represents the area. “John became very prominent in the mining profession. He was renowned for his work on converting a hazardous site into a public benefit.” Waters created the park’s Underground Mining Museum, which preserves and displays artifacts from the region’s coal and silica mining eras within the actual sand mine tunnels.

Waters was born in Seattle, Washington. His father was an officer in the U.S. Air Force, so the family moved frequently to duty stations throughout the United States. Waters graduated from high school in Littleton, Colorado, then attended the University of Colorado, majoring in geology. Although he did not graduate, Waters later became a member of the American Institute of Mining Engineers, based on his professional accomplishments. He was also a federally certified mine safety instructor.

As a young man in search of adventure and experience, Waters traveled and worked all over the country. At one time he was a cowboy in Oregon. In his early 20s he worked at an alternative school on the East Coast for intelligent, but under-achieving youngsters, where he ran their outdoor education programs.

Waters joined the park district staff in 1968 as a ranger at Tilden Regional Park in Berkeley. Besides working at Tilden, Wildcat and Redwood regional parks, he became the first resource analyst in the district’s planning and design department. While there, he wrote a sign manual to standardize the district’s signage and graphics.

When the park district began acquiring property at Black Diamond Mines in the mid-1970s, the abandoned mines presented serious liability issues. Reassigned to Black Diamond, Waters worked on designing the parking lot, picnic areas and water systems, but his main emphasis was on making the park safe for visitors.

From 1981 to 1986, Waters was park supervisor. From then until 1995 he continued work on mine safety and the Underground Mining Museum. In 1995 he was appointed mine manager, the post he held until his retirement in 2007.

Waters’ working relationship with the federal Office of Surface Mining was invaluable to the district and public. Over the years, OSM spent an estimated $4 million to close dozens of dangerous mine openings in the park, often using techniques devised by Waters.

Although the former mining region had a history of death and injury due to unauthorized mine entry, Waters was proud that his major goal was accomplished. To date no one has ever been killed or injured in abandoned mines on property owned by the park district. The last fatalities occurred in late 1980 on land that was not at the time in district ownership.

Waters believed that his three major career accomplishments were the sign manual, the abandoned mine safety program, and the underground special use program, which allows use of the mines for scientific research and academic instruction. Personally, Waters was knowledgeable, hard working and thorough. He was also an accomplished raconteur, drawing on a mother lode of experiences at the park district and elsewhere.

Waters lived in Oakland. He is survived by two sisters: Dennise (cq) Matheson of Albany, and Kathleen Garner of Mountlake Terrace, Washington; a nephew and two nieces.

No funeral services are planned. Waters’ ashes will be scattered in Washington State’s Cascade Mountains, along with those of his favorite dog.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Regional Parks Foundation, www.regionalparksfoundation.org, to support further development of the Underground Mining Museum, or to the East Bay Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, www.eastbayspca.org.

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Contact Email

slewis@ebparks.org

Doug Siden Named President of East Bay Regional Park District Board of Directors for 2010

mnolan — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 13:53:52 -0800

Contact name

Shelly Lewis

News

Doug Siden Named President of East Bay Regional Park District Board of Directors for 2010

Oakland, CA – At the January 12, 2010 meeting, Doug Siden was appointed president of the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) Board of Directors for 2010. Director Siden was first elected in1992 to serve on the EBRPD Board of Directors and has been re-elected four times. His ward includes Alameda, San Leandro, San Lorenzo and a portion of Oakland. Parks include Crown Beach, Oyster Bay, Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline and a portion of Anthony Chabot.

Siden was Executive Director of a successful program to provide environmental education and recreational experiences to youth, children, families and adults for over 20 years until his retirement in 1999. He holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Masters Degree. He also received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the American Baptist Seminary of the West for his leadership. His community service includes being president of the Alameda County Chapter of the California Special Districts Association, past chair of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Freedom Center in Oakland, vice chair of the Waterfront Action, and chair of the Alameda Rotary Club’s Community Grants Committee. Previously he served as advisory commissioner for the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and the Point Reyes National Seashore.

In 2009, the National Recreation and Park Association honored Siden with a National Individual Citation of Merit Award for his valuable contributions to environmental education and recreational opportunities to his community. Siden was Chairman for the Measure WW Campaign, a $500 million bond extension to preserve thousands of acres of open space and expand regional parks and trails for residents of Alameda and Contra Cost counties. In November 2008, passing by over 72%, this historic bond measure extension is the largest local parks bond measure to be enacted in the country’s history.

As the newly-appointed Board president, Siden replaces Ted Radke of Martinez who remains active on the Board. Other executive officers for the 2010 East Bay Regional Park District Board of Directors include Beverly Lane of Danville as Vice President, Carol Severin of Castro Valley as Treasurer and John Sutter of Oakland as Secretary. Whitney Dotson of Richmond and Ayn Wieskamp of Livermore also serve on the Board.

Contact Email

slewis@ebparks.org

Registration Now Open | 2010 Trails-To-Fitness Trails Challenge

mnolan — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 14:30:03 -0800

Contact name

Trails Challenge

News

Register Today for East Bay Regional Park District’s
2010 Trails-To-Fitness Trails Challenge

The East Bay Regional Park District’s seventeenth annual Trails Challenge is now accepting registrations for 2010. This self-guided hiking program grew to nearly 8,000 participants in 2009, and even more are expected to sign up this year. In celebration of the Park District’s 75th Anniversary the “Challenge” will be free this year thanks to a partnership with Kaiser Permanente heath maintenance organization.

The Trails Challenge is a self-guided hiking program that gives participants an incentive to visit regional parks new to them, while promoting good health and conditioning through enjoyable outdoor exercise.

Participants who register for the Trails Challenge will receive a free t-shirt and online access to the 2010 trail booklet. The booklet includes detailed trail descriptions, including driving directions, to ten parks and 30 of the most popular trails in the Regional Parks. Each park includes three hikes ranging from easy to challenging. There are trails open to hikers, bicyclists and equestrians, and many are wheelchair accessible.

To register, you must have an e-mail address as further instructions will be e-mailed. If you signed up last year, please use your same login and password as the system will recognize your e-mail address. There is an option to have your login and/or password e-mailed to you if you forgot either.

An e-mail confirmation will provide registration instructions on how to download the guidebook and order a free, organic, Trails Challenge t-shirt (t-shirts are limited to two per household while supplies last). Please allow five to ten business days for an e-mail on how to download the booklet. T-shirts can be picked up after February 3, 2010 at one of six visitor centers for free. There is also an option to have your t-shirt mailed to you if you pay postage and handling via the Trails Challenge online store. The website information will walk you through this registration process.

New this year is a web feature linked to Google maps. Participants can get exact driving directions from their home and also view where the trails are within the parks. In a move towards “going green,” participants are encouraged to print out only portions of the booklet they need, though complete hard copies will be available for $5 each. Besides the specific trail information, the booklet contains general park district information and tips for new trail users. All information is available online at the time of registration.

To complete the actual challenge, participants are asked to hike five of the trails and send in their log after doing so. They will receive a commemorative pin mailed to them. As in past challenges, the honor system applies here. Nobody is checking to make sure participants hiked the trails.

Parks in the 2010 Trails Challenge include the following: Alameda Creek Regional Trail, Briones Regional Park, Contra Loma Regional Park and the Delta De Anza Trail, Del Valle Regional Park, Diablo Foothills and Castle Rock, Iron Horse Regional Trail, Lake Chabot Regional Park, Miller Knox Regional Shoreline Park, Mission Peak Regional Preserve, and Wildcat Canyon Regional Park.

Contact Email

trailschallenge@ebparks.org

Martin Luther King, Jr. Rally in Oakland

mnolan — Sat, 9 Jan 2010 05:18:58 -0800

Contact name

Shelly Lewis

News

Martin Luther King, Jr. Rally in Oakland

Oakland, CA – Oakland’s longest continuing celebration of the life and dream of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. will feature a multicultural rally Monday, January 18, 10:00 am until noon (doors open at 9:30 am) at the ILWU Union Hall, 99 Hegenberger Road near the Oakland Airport.

U.S. Congresswoman Barbara Lee will be present to give greetings. Speakers will include California State Senator Loni Hancock, Supervisor Alice Lai-Bitker with the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, Councilmember, Larry Reid with the Oakland City Council, Dr. J. Alfred Smith, Jr., Pastor, Allen Temple Baptist Church, Oakland, and two youth speakers from the Martin Luther King, Jr. Freedom Center. Special music will be provided by the East Oakland Senior Center Choir.

The annual Betita Coty Community Service Award will be presented to Jacquee Castain, a longtime community activist.

Presiding will be Rev. Martha Taylor of Elmhurst Presbyterian Church in Oakland and Rev. Doug Siden, Board President of the East Bay Regional Park District. This free event is open to the public, and all are welcome. Parking will be available courtesy of Francesco’s Restaurant at the corner of Hegenberger and Pardee across the street from Union Hall. Call Committee Chairman Otis Sanders at 510-798-5535 for more information.

Contact Email

slewis@ebparks.org

East Bay Regional Park District General Manager Receives East Bay Vision Award

mnolan — Sat, 9 Jan 2010 05:11:05 -0800

Contact name

Shelly Lewis

News

East Bay Regional Park District General Manager
Receives East Bay Vision Award

Oakland, CA – On January 8, 2010, the East Bay Economic Development Alliance (East Bay EDA) honored Pat O’Brien, general manager of the East Bay Regional Park District, with a 2009 East Bay Vision Award.

The East Bay EDA, a public/private partnership dedicated to establishing the East Bay as a world-recognized location to grow business and create jobs, presents Vision Awards to exceptional individuals or organizations that have greatly advanced the economic vitality and quality of life in the Bay Area. O’Brien, who has served as the Park District’s general manager for the past 21 years, was honored for his leadership and management skills. He was cited for being adept at forging relationships with various local, state, county, city and non-profit and educational agencies to expand the District, all while minimizing the financial, and maximizing the positive, impact upon taxpayers.

During O’Brien’s tenure, the East Bay Regional Park District has grown by 30 percent, doubling the size of 12 parks and increasing the number of parks from 48 to 65 plus adding 100 miles of new trails, as well as achieving and surpassing the 100,000 acre milestone.

The East Bay EDA stated that the East Bay Regional Parks are one of the defining assets of the East Bay, making this region one of the most attractive areas throughout the nation in which to live and do business. The East Bay EDA also honored the Park District for celebrating its 75th anniversary this year.

O’Brien received his award on January 8, 2010 at the East Bay EDA Annual Legislative Reception at California State University East Bay. Joe Callahan, president of Callahan Property Company also was honored with a Vision Award.

Contact Email

slewis@ebparks.org

Crown Beach Reopens | December 8, 2009

mnolan — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 15:31:22 -0800

Contact name

Shelly Lewis

News

Crown Beach Reopens | December 8, 2009
California Department of Fish and Game News Release

December 8, 2009

Contact:
Carol Singleton, Department of Fish and Game, 916-539-6124
Sam Delson, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, 916-764-0955

Final Fishing Closure Lifts for Crown Memorial State Beach

State officials have lifted the mussel and shellfish harvesting closure for Crown Memorial State Beach.

The Department of Fish and Game (DFG), in consultation with the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), lifted the last closure after testing found no ongoing significant risk of adverse health effects from the Dubai Star oil spill on San Francisco Bay. The closure was first imposed on Oct. 30, along with several others for the Alameda County shoreline, following the spill. No closures remain in place.

OEHHA advises the public to continue to avoid harvesting and consuming mussels from the shoreline on the west and south sides of Ballena Boulevard. There are elevated levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in mussels from that area that require continued monitoring. The test results suggest that mussels from the Ballena Bay area have been exposed to an additional contamination source unrelated to the spill.

“We’re pleased that testing has found no significant health risk from consuming mussels and shellfish due to the oil spill,” said OEHHA Director Dr. Joan Denton. “However, due to elevated levels of mercury and other chemicals, we recommend that anglers should include mussels and other shellfish as they follow the existing San Francisco Bay and Delta region fish consumption advisory.”

The advisory is available at http://www.oehha.ca.gov/fish/general/sfbaydelta.html. It recommends that women of childbearing age and children should not eat more than one meal of Bay fish per month. Women beyond childbearing age and men should not eat more than two meals of Bay fish per month.

OEHHA is the science arm of the California Environmental Protection Agency and works with DFG and other agencies to conduct seafood safety evaluations.

OEHAA Notice Response (Acrobat PDF, 4MB)

Contact Email

slewis@ebparks.org

Trout Coming Next Week | Fees To Rise In 2010

mnolan — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 08:36:04 -0800

Contact name

Shelly Lewis

News

Extra Large Rainbow Trout Coming Next Week
Daily Fishing Fees To Rise In 2010 at Regional Park District Lakes

The week before Christmas, the East Bay Regional Park District will be planting an additional 4,000 pounds of extra large rainbow trout at Lake Del Valle in Livermore, Quarry Lakes in Fremont, Shadow Cliffs in Pleasanton, Contra Loma in Antioch and Lake Temescal in Oakland. According to the Park District Fisheries Program Manager, Pete Alexander, this plant from the Desert Springs Trout Farm in Oregon contains a wonderful strain of rainbow trout with bright colors, pink meat and great fighting ability. The trout will range from 1.5 to 4.5 pounds each. In addition to these trout, Shadow Cliffs, Quarry Lakes and Temescal will be receiving rainbow trout from the California Dept. of Fish & Game Urban Fishing Program.

Fish planting is nothing new to the East Bay Regional Park District, which regularly stocks its fishing lakes and ponds with trout and catfish. The lakes are very popular with local anglers who enjoy fishing from boats, docks and shorelines. The district funds its fish plants through a daily fishing access permit, (required for all anglers 16 and over), which will increase from $4 to $5 beginning January 1, 2010. The last time fishing access fees increased by $1 was in 2002. Fishing access fees have generally kept pace with the cost of sportfish since the year 2000.

“One hundred percent of the fishing access fee revenue goes toward buying 1-6+ pound rainbow trout and channel catfish that are planted year round in District lakes,” state Alexander. “Unfortunately there has been a dramatic increase in the cost of the rainbow trout that we purchase for planting in our lakes. This fee increase is necessary to keep pace with the cost of fish and to provide weekly plants that our sport fishing patrons expect and enjoy.”

Prior to raising fees, the District surveyed local anglers. Over 85% agreed to a fee increase in order to keep fish plants at their present level.

The District also offers annual fishing permits, including one for seniors, which can be a cost saving for regular anglers, those that generally fish at least once a week. Those fees too will increase by approximately 25% in 2010 to account for the increase in fish plant costs.

For more information about the District’s fishery program, contact Pete Alexander at 510-544-2342.

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Contact Email

slewis@ebparks.org

Major Land Acquisition | Vasco Caves

mnolan — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:19:43 -0800

Contact name

Shelly Lewis

News

Major Land Acquisition | Vasco Caves

December 15, 2009

Park District Adds Major land acquisition to vasco caves regional preserve near BYRON

At their December 15, 2009 meeting, the East Bay Regional Park District Board of Directors
unanimously agreed to purchase 1,644 acres adjacent to Vasco Caves Regional Preserve in the Byron area of unincorporated Contra Costa County. The property, which is just north of Vasco Caves and east of Los Vaqueros Reservoir, is being acquired through a partnership with the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy (Conservancy). This acquisition is the Park District’s fourth joint project with the Conservancy, which was created to identify, preserve and restore high priority land areas with significant habitat for protected species.

The Park District is acquiring the property from owner Vaquero Farms Conservation LLC for $2,924,000, its appraised fair market value. An option-to-buy payment of $500,000 has already been made, of which the Park District and Conservancy each provided $250,000. The balance of funding will consist of another $250,000 from the District and $2,174,000 from the Conservancy.

The property includes rolling grasslands with intermittent streams and ponds. It is of particular interest to the Conservancy because of the potential for the creation, enhancement and restoration of wetlands and special status species habitat including the California tiger salamander, California red-legged frog and western burrowing owl.

The property has several conditions which will affect its future uses and management particularly wind turbines subject to wind leases. Presently, there are also more than 190 wind turbines on the property, owned by Tres Vaqueros Wind Farms and North Wind Energy. Many of these are not working, but Tres Vaqueros is in the process of obtaining permits to remove all of its older, smaller turbines and replace them with fewer, larger ones. The turbine facilities are allowed under permits granted by the county in 1984 and 1985.

The Park District will obtain no mineral rights, wind rights or turbine revenue from the deal, but Tres Vaqueros has agreed to work with the District to site the new turbines in such a way as to minimize avian deaths resulting from collisions, an issue about which Park District board members have expressed major concerns.

Because of the wind turbine operations and sensitive wildlife habitat, the new property will be kept in land bank status, closed to the public, until made safe for public access.

Vasco Acquisition Map (Acrobat PDF)

Board Packet Material for December 15, 2009 (Acrobat PDF)

Contact Email

slewis@ebparks.org

Fish Habitat Project | Volunteers Needed

mnolan — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 14:59:25 -0800

Contact name

Shelly Lewis

News

Fish Habitat Project | Volunteers Needed

The East Bay Regional Park District, Alameda County Water District, Black Bass Action Committee, Boy Scouts of America and Walton’s Pond is looking for volunteers to help with the annual Fish Habitat Enhancement Project where artificial reefs are created using unsold Christmas trees.

Thanks to the donation of over 1,000 unsold Christmas trees by Bay Area tree vendors this activity will provide needed habitat for bass, bluegill and sunfish in Quarry Lakes. For this part of the project, volunteers will attach Christmas trees to chains which will be used for fish habitat.

Volunteers should arrive at Quarry Lakes at 8AM promptly on Saturday, January 9th rain or shine. Bring short boots and warm cloths as you will get dirty. A breakfast of fruit, rolls, juice and coffee will start the event, along with an orientation on what to do. At the conclusion of the project, about noon to 1:00 PM, a hot lunch will be provided.

Meet at:

Quarry Lakes Regional Park
2100 Isherwood Way
Fremont, Ca. 94536

Call Pete Alexander, East Bay Regional Park District, for more information and to RSVP for this important event. (510) 544-2342 or palexander@ebparks.org.

Direction: From I-880, take the Decoto Road (Hwy) 84 exit east to Paseo Padre Parkway, turn right, and then left on Isherwood Way to the park entrance. From Mission Blvd in Fremont, turn south on Nursery Avenue, right (west) on Niles Blvd, left on Osprey Drive and left on Quarry Lakes Drive to the park entrance.

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Contact Email

slewis@ebparks.org

Park District to Purchase 221-acre Property in Antioch for Future Deer Valley Regional Preserve

mnolan — Fri, 4 Dec 2009 12:03:18 -0800

Contact name

Shelly Lewis

News

East Bay Regional Park District to Purchase 221-acre
Property in Antioch for Future Deer Valley Regional Preserve

At their December 1, 2009 meeting, the East Bay Regional Park District Board of Directors agreed to purchase 221 acres in Antioch known as Fox Ridge Manor. The property, which is just west of Deer Valley Road, is being acquired through a partnership with the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy (Conservancy). This acquisition is the Park District’s third joint project with the Conservancy, which was created to identify, preserve and restore high priority land areas with significant habitat for protected species.

The Park District is acquiring the property from several joint owners who had intended to build five ranchettes on a level area and donate the hillside as open space. However, the owners encountered numerous challenges and, citing an interest in preserving the property’s natural resources, decided to sell the entire property as open space for a park. Appraised at $1.960 million the owners agreed to sell the property to the East Bay Regional Park District for a total of $1.760 million, making a $200,000 donation.

Although this property is not immediately adjacent to the Park District lands, it falls within the general alignment of the Park District Master Plan’s Black Diamond to Morgan Territory Regional Trail and the future Deer Valley Regional Preserve. The property is located about 2 ½ miles south of Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve. The former Cowell Ranch, now owned by the State of California for a future park, just touches the southeast corner of the property and Roddy Ranch Conservation is a half mile to the northwest. An existing trail could serve as a connection through Cowell Ranch to the District’s Round Valley Regional Preserve.

The property includes rolling grasslands and oak covered hills, spectacular views, natural creek and wildlife habitat. The Conservancy designated the property as a high-priority habitat for a number of rare and endangered species including the California tiger salamander and Western burrowing owl. It is also believed to be within one of the primary wildlife corridors for the San Joaquin kit fox.

Purchase of this property has been anticipated for over a year. On January 13, 2009, the District and Conservancy provided the sellers with a $325,000 option payment. Primary funding for this acquisition is through the East Contra Costa County Conservancy for $1,435,000 and the remainder from the Park District’s Measure AA. Close of escrow is scheduled to occur before December 31, 2009. The Moore Foundation and Save Mt. Diablo have been active participants in this acquisition as well.

Contact Email

slewis@ebparks.org

Fishing Closures Lifted for Most of Alameda Shoreline | November 25, 2009

mnolan — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 09:09:04 -0800

Contact name

Shelly Lewis

News

Fishing Closures Lifted for Most of Alameda Shoreline
Only One Beach Remains Closed to Harvesting

State officials today lifted fishing and shellfish harvesting closures for most of Alameda County’s shoreline. The only restrictions remain at Crown Memorial State Beach, where mussel and shellfish harvesting remain closed.

The closures were imposed on Oct. 30, the same day as the Dubai Star oil spill on San Francisco Bay. The Department of Fish and Game (DFG), in consultation with the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), re-opened all but one of the closed areas after testing found no ongoing risk of adverse health effects from the oil spill.

With the exception of Crown Memorial State Beach, today’s decision reopens fishing and shellfish take on the Alameda County shoreline along San Francisco Bay from Alameda Point (at the northwest corner of Alameda Naval Air station) to the southern boundary of the Oakland airport.

Tests done following the oil spill found that mussels at Ballena Bay Marina were unfit for consumption due to another source of contamination unrelated to the Dubai Star oil spill. The public is therefore advised to avoid harvesting and consuming mussels from the bayside shoreline on the west and south sides of Ballena Boulevard until further notice. OEHHA is coordinating with other public health officials to conduct further investigations at this location.

OEHHA is the science arm of the California Environmental Protection Agency and works with DFG and other agencies to conduct seafood safety evaluations.

Contact: Kirsten Macintyre, Department of Fish and Game, 916-804-1714
Sam Delson, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, 916-764-0955

###

Contact Email

slewis@ebparks.org

Crown Beach Restoration Plan

mnolan — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:16:12 -0800

Contact name

Shelly Lewis

News

Crown Beach Restoration Plan

Contact: Diane Althoff dalthoff@ebparks.org

> Notice of Public Hearing (Acrobat PDF)

> Mitigated Negative Declaration (Acrobat PDF)

East Bay Regional Park District to Replenish Sand at Crown Beach

On November 24, 2009, the East Bay Regional Park District will release a plan for a major sand replenishment project at Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach/Alameda Beach in the City of Alameda. If approved, the project is scheduled to begin in September 2010. The nearly 2-mile long, man-made beach has faced significant sand loss over the years as projected due to ordinary erosion and through damage from severe storm events. The Park District completed a major, multi-phased beach restoration project in1988, over twenty years ago. The proposed plan includes bringing in more than 82,000 cubic yards of sand in two phases and grading it to conform to the 1988 as-built beach footprint. The proposed project also includes the shoreward extension of the existing groin structure located near the foot of Park Street that separates the beach from the Elsie Roemer Bird Sanctuary. The groin would be extended approximately 100 ft. landward using concrete sheet pile construction (similar to the existing groin) or a rock rip-rap structure. The extension of the groin will help keep additional sand out of the bird sanctuary, which will benefit the wildlife habitat.

The Park District has begun the preliminary stages of the sand replenishment plan by preparing a proposed Negative Declaration of Environmental Significance (Mitigated Negative Declaration) to comply with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The CEQA document concludes that with the implementation of avoidance and mitigation measures the project will not result in significant environmental impacts. The public can review this document and make comments during a 30-day public review period which concludes on Monday, December 28, 2009. A public hearing to consider adoption of the project is tentatively scheduled for the regular Board of Directors meeting on Tuesday, February 2, 2010.

The proposed plan includes bringing sand in by barge and then pumping it onto the beach in a mixture of sand and water via a pipeline. Sand will be dredged from a commercial mining operation in the San Francisco Bay. This method worked successfully during the beach restoration project in the 1980’s and resulted in minimal traffic impacts. Construction of this project would temporarily generate noise and affect air quality, public access to the beach, parking and traffic, but all potential impacts will be avoided or minimized. The Park District is also taking extra precautions to protect sensitive fish and wildlife and their nearby habitats by scheduling this project around nesting, breeding, spawning and migration seasons. The project will be constructed in two phases with the first phase planned to begin in fall 2010 and last up to six weeks. The second phase, which could take up to 10 weeks to complete, will either directly follow the first or will be postponed until September 2011, again depending on any anticipated effect to wildlife.

Alameda Beach was created in the 1950s when the marshes and mudflats of southern Alameda were filled in to create an area for residential and commercial buildings. An artificial beach was constructed and managed by the City of Alameda. Sand erosion was a serious issue from the start. The City of Alameda turned its management over to the Park District in 1967. At the same time, the Park District acquired the state-owned northern section that was renamed Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach in 1974 after Assemblyman Robert Crown who campaigned to have the state acquire the area for a swimming beach. The Park District struggled for years to manage wind and wave erosion of the fine-grained sand beach. A 1981 Army Corps of Engineers study performed along Alameda beach suggested that an engineered beach system using the appropriate gradation of sand would be a cost effective way of providing both erosion protection and a recreational amenity. The Park District. in partnership with the City of Alameda and the State Department of Boating and Waterways, was successful in constructing this engineered beach and sand dune system in the 1980s using a heavier-grained sand from Bay Area mining operations. This man-made beach was built with the knowledge that it would require sand replenishment over time. Twenty years later, 82,600 cubic yards of sand is needed to restore Crown Beach to its original engineered configuration so as to continue to provide shoreline erosion control, renew the swim beach experience, and enhance protection to the bird sanctuary. Crown Beach is the largest and most heavily used swimming beach in the San Francisco Bay.

Phase 1 of the project, which involves placing up to 20,600 cubic yards of sand to replace sand lost during a major storm event in December 2005, is being funded by FEMA at a cost of $860,000. The California Department of Boating and Waterways will fund Phase 2 for $1.5 million, which involves placing an additional 62,000 cubic yards of sand on Crown Beach to complete the sand replenishment. If needed, additional funding for this phase is available through the Park District’s Measure WW bond, approved by the voters in November 2008. Funds for the groin extension project have not yet been identified.

In the 1980s, erosion was so severe, just reaching the waterfront was a challenge for visitors

An innovative solution included bringing sand in by barge and then pumping it onto the beach in a mixture of sand and water

Equipment helped level the sand back to the original beach design.

After the restoration, a beautiful public beach greats the public, circa 1980s.

Contact Email

slewis@ebparks.org

Crown Beach, Alameda | Oil Spill | October 30, 2009

mnolan — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:19:29 -0800

Contact name

Shelly Lewis

News

Update as of November 26, 2009

Fishing Closures Lifted for Most of Alameda Shoreline
Only One Beach
Remains Closed to Harvesting

Contact: Kirsten Macintyre, Department of Fish and Game, 916-804-1714
Sam
Delson, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, 916-764-0955

State officials today lifted fishing and shellfish harvesting closures for
most of Alameda County’s shoreline. The only restrictions remain at Crown
Memorial State Beach, where mussel and shellfish harvesting remain closed.

The closures were imposed on Oct. 30, the same day as the Dubai Star oil
spill on San Francisco Bay. The Department of Fish and Game (DFG), in
consultation with the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA),
re-opened all but one of the closed areas after testing found no ongoing risk of
adverse health effects from the oil spill.

With the exception of Crown Memorial State Beach, today’s decision reopens
fishing and shellfish take on the Alameda County shoreline along San Francisco
Bay from Alameda Point (at the northwest corner of Alameda Naval Air station) to
the southern boundary of the Oakland airport.

Tests done following the oil spill found that mussels at Ballena Bay Marina
were unfit for consumption due to another source of contamination unrelated to
the Dubai Star oil spill. The public is therefore advised to avoid harvesting
and consuming mussels from the bayside shoreline on the west and south sides of
Ballena Boulevard until further notice. OEHHA is coordinating with other public
health officials to conduct further investigations at this location.

OEHHA is the science arm of the California Environmental Protection Agency
and works with DFG and other agencies to conduct seafood safety evaluations.

Update as of November 23, 2009

Contact: Shelly Lewis, East Bay Regional Park District Public Affairs,
510-862-9494 or slewis@ebparks.org

Monday, November 23, 2009 - 2:30 pm
From Mark Ragatz, Shoreline Parks Unit
Manager

Matt Graul and I just returned from a beach inspection of the closed section
of Crown Beach and we found very few tar balls over the 1.5 mile length of the
beach from Grand to Westline. We were accompanied on the inspection by
representatives from Fish & Game OSPR, the US Coast Guard, and the RP. We
found that the areas where there had been tar balls last week that were both
significant in number and size, are much cleaner and the risk to beachgoers of
getting oil on their feet has decreased significantly. In addition, the ponds
left at low tide no longer show any significant sheen.

The cleanup crews that visited the park on Friday and Saturday, after the
storm event, found over 9 lbs. of sand covered tar balls. The same crews found
over 25 lbs the previous weekend, and this morning we found less than ½ lb. in
the 1.5 mile stretch of beach. The cleanup crews will continue to clean the
beach as it is now in a Monitoring and Maintenance phase. Crews will be at the
park Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and then again on Saturday. We will meet
again with the SCAT and UC representatives next Monday to discuss the continuing
cleanup.

Park crews will replace the Beach Closure signs with the Tar Ball
Informational signs and will remove the yellow caution tape this afternoon.

Update as of November 18, 2009

Contact: Shelly Lewis, East Bay Regional Park District Public Affairs,
510-862-9494 or slewis@ebparks.org

Wednesday, November 18, 2009 - 1:30 pm
From Mark Ragatz, Shoreline
Parks Unit Manager

An Update the status of the beach at Crown Beach:

The closure remains the same, from the corner at the windsurf concession to
and including Elsie Roemer Wildlife Sanctuary. The fishing ban established by
Fish & Game is still in place. That ban is from the north end of Alameda
Point to the south end of Harbor Bay Isle, not including San Leandro Bay.

An inspection walk was conducted of the closed section of the beach
yesterday afternoon with representatives of Alameda County Environmental Health
Dept., Fish & Game OSPR, and the cleanup management contractor for the
Responsible Party (RP), and found substantial areas where there were still many
medium (quarter to ½ dollar size) to large (pancake size) tar patties. The
cleanup crews will continue to clean the beach this week and through the weekend
on a regular basis.

On the positive side, the quantity of oil being found had decreased
from 20 lbs. last Friday to 2.5 lbs. on Monday.
Another inspection walk
will be conducted later this week to see and reassess the beach status before
the weekend.

Update as of November 13, 2009

Friday, November, 13, 2009 - 8:30 pm

News Release - Immediate

Park District to Re-Open Portion of Crown Beach in Alameda on November 14,
2009

The East Bay Regional Park District will reopen a portion of Robert Crown
Memorial State Beach in Alameda on Saturday, November 14. The entire one mile
beach was closed on October 30 after an oil spill in the San Francisco Bay. The
portion of beach that will reopen is the northern section from Crab Cove Visitor
Center located on McKay Street to Boardsports Windsurf concession at Westline
Drive. The southern portion of the beach (almost the entire Shoreline Drive
area) from Westline to the Elsie Roemer Bird Sanctuary will remain closed for
further observation and continued clean up.

Park staff assessed the area with a SCAT (Shoreline Cleanup Assessment
Technique) team on Friday, November 13. Following the oil spill incident tar
balls have been appearing daily on the beach, however, clean-up crews have been
on site the entire time and clean-up is nearing completion. The team determined
that the northern section of the beach could be open, however advise the public
to visit with caution as tarballs may continue to appear for some months. Tar
ball advisory signs will be posted adjacent to handwashing stations which will
be placed at strategic access points to the reopened portion of the beach.

OEHHA, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, advises if you
get oil or tar on your skin, wash it off with soap and water, and be certain to
wash your hands before eating. If you get oil on your clothing, wash it in the
usual way. There is no need to use harsh detergents, solvents or other chemicals
to wash oil from skin or clothing.

Maintenance and monitoring crews will sweep this portion of the beach daily
to clean any oil that may strand. A tentative meeting to reevaluate the closed
portion of beach will occur on Wednesday, November 18 at 1:00 pm.

Oiled birds should be reported to the Oiled Wildlife Care Network at
877-823-6926.

Crown staff will reopen a portion of the beach, from Crab Cove to the
Windsurf Concession tomorrow, Saturday, 11/14. Tar ball advisory signs will be
posted adjacent to handwashing stations (provided by the RP) which will be
placed at strategic access points to the reopened portion of the beach. IC
Maintenance and Monitoring crews will sweep this portion of the beach daily to
clean any oil that may strand.

Crown Beach from the Windsurf concession to Elsie Roemer sanctuary will
remain closed as tarballs and oil is still showing up at a frequency that would
be problematic. IC Maintenance and Monitoring crews will do daily sweeps of this
portion of the beach to clean oil/tarballs as well.

A tentative meeting with SCAT to reevaluate the closed portion of Crown will
occur at Crab Cove on Wednesday, 11/18 at 1:00 pm.

Update as of November 10, 2009

> Official EBRPD
News Release

Oiled birds or wildlife: 877-823-6926

Due to an oil spill on Friday, October 30, 2009, tarballs are still appearing
on the southern section of Crown Memorial State Beach in Alameda and daily
clean-up continues. The beach is closed for the safety of the public, but most
importantly to give oiled birds and marine life a place to rest. The public is
asked to please stay off the beach. Clean-up crews are on-site and likely will
be working throughout the week or longer. The Oiled Wildlife Care Network has
several teams working to rescue oiled birds and wildlife. No public or volunteer
assistance is needed, and OWCN asks that the public refrain from entering the
area as this activity severely stresses the wildlife. Oiled wildlife should be
reported to 877-823-6926.

Shoreline cleanup activities will continue until Unified Command members
agree that local, state, and federal cleanup standards have been met. Wildlife
recovery efforts are still active with several Park District closures (see
below).

Regional Parks shorelines closed to public access:

The shoreline at Crown Memorial State Beach (park remains open)
The boat launches at Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline (park remains
open)

Regional Parks reopened on November 6, 2009

The shoreline at Middle Harbor
Encinal Beach at Alameda Point

Fishing is prohibited in the area from Alameda Point at the northwest end of
Alameda Island to the southern point of Bay Farm Isle (Oakland Airport).

Dubai Star Incident Public
Information Web site

Oiled birds or wildlife: 877-823-6926

Fishing and Oil Safety tips From OEHHA

Alameda, Calif. – The closure of the fishing and shellfish harvesting in
oil affected areas will continue until the Office of Environmental Health Hazard
Assessment (OEHHA) and Department of Fish and Game (DFG) determine it safe to
reopen.

Closure areas include the Alameda County shoreline from Alameda
Point at the northwest end of Alameda Island to the southern point of Bay Farm
Isle (Oakland Airport).

"Protecting the public's health is our top priority," said OEHHA
Director Joan Denton. "It's a good idea to avoid any fish from the spill area
until further notice."

OEHHA is the science arm of the California Environmental Protection
Agency and is working with DFG, the Department of Public Health and other
agencies to assess impacts of the oil spill on the fisheries.

OEHHA's safety guidelines call for avoiding consumption of any fish
or shellfish from the spill area until analysis of the collected samples is
completed. Visible oil or oily smell are obvious indications of contamination,
but fish and shellfish from the spill area could still pose a potential risk
even if there are no visible signs of contamination.

Fish and shellfish caught from waters outside the spill area remain
as safe to eat as before the spill, but marine life from the spill area should
be avoided until the evaluation of its safety is completed. In addition, health
officials are asking people to stay away from shore areas until cleanup efforts
are completed.

OEHHA has issued the following safety advice for beaches in the
spill area: Avoid direct contact with spilled oil, which can cause skin
irritation. Prolonged contact can cause rashes. If you get oil or tar on your
skin, wash it off with soap and water, and be certain to wash your hands before
eating.

If you get oil on your clothing, wash it in the usual way. There is
no need to use harsh detergents, solvents or other chemicals to wash oil from
skin or clothing.

Do not burn driftwood or other debris that may be contaminated with
oil. Use common sense. Do not swim in water with an oil slick and do not swallow
water from the area. Oil-contaminated water can cause choking and lead to severe
pneumonia if it gets into the lungs.

There is no risk of adverse health effects from
breathing air near spilled oil unless there is prolonged exposure to fumes.

Contact: Shelly Lewis, East Bay Regional Park District Public Affairs,
510-862-9494 or slewis@ebparks.org

Contact Email

slewis@ebparks.org

East Bay Regional Park District Lifts Restrictions at Two of Four Shoreline Areas. Crown Beach and Boat Ramps Remain Closed for

mnolan — Fri, 6 Nov 2009 16:48:15 -0800

Contact name

Shelly Lewis

News

East Bay Regional Park District Lifts Restrictions at Two of Four Shoreline Areas. Crown Beach and Boat Ramps Remain Closed for Further Observation

Oakland - On November 6, 2009, the East Bay Regional Park District opened two of four closed shoreline areas that were off limits due to the Dubai Star oil spill last week. Middle Harbor Shoreline Park in Oakland and Encinal Beach at Alameda Point in Alameda are now open. Crown Memorial State Beach in Alameda and the boat ramps at Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline Park in Oakland remain closed.

Middle Harbor and Encinal Beach were immediately closed following the spill as a precaution. However, consistently throughout the incident, little to no oil was observed at either location. The numbers of oiled or dead birds found at both locations was very low and very few have been seen. The Oiled Wildlife Care Network (OWCN) representatives at Incident Command were not recommending continued closure. Both areas are now open to the public. The California Department of Fish and Game continues to ban fishing from Alameda Point at the northwest end of Alameda Island to the southern point of Bay Farm Isle (Oakland Airport). All other areas are open to fishing.

Crown Memorial State Beach was also immediately closed following the spill. This is a popular public water recreation area. On October 31, 2009, one day after the oil spill, tarballs and oil sheen appeared on the southern portion of Crown Beach. Clean-up crews have been active but at a SCAT (Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Technique) team review this morning, tarballs continue to wash onto shore and have now been found further north along the beach. It is likely that the oil that had accumulated at the south end of the beach, near the Elsie Roemer Bird Sanctuary, has been remobilized by wind and high tide cycles that occurred yesterday. Since there is good evidence that these conditions will continue for the next several days, Park District staff will keep the beach closed until further notice. Alameda County Environmental Health concurred with this recommendation. The park, including picnic areas, paved trail and grassy lawn along with Crab Cove Visitor Center remain open, however, access to the beach and mudflats is prohibited.

Boat ramps at Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline park will also remain closed due to the boom that is currently in place. The park itself is open.

Oiled wildlife should be reported to 877-823-6926. The OWCN has several teams rescuing oiled birds and wildlife. No public or volunteer assistance is needed, and OWCN asks that the public refrain from entering the area as this activity severely stresses the wildlife.

Contact Email

slewis@ebparks.org

Chevron Donates Easement To Park District for Bay Trail

mnolan — Mon, 2 Nov 2009 15:54:00 -0800

Contact name

Shelly Lewis

News

Chevron Donates Easement To Park District for Bay Trail

Chevron is joining efforts with the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) to expand public access to Richmond’s Point San Pablo Peninsula along the San Pablo Bay. Chevron agreed to donate an easement over a portion of its property to allow EBRPD to construct, operate and maintain a public multi-use recreational trail along the shoreline.

At its upcoming November 3 board meeting, the East Park District Board of Directors will formally accept a trail easement donation from Chevron located near its refinery operations in West Contra Costa County.

The proposed easement donation by Chevron consists of two segments: a southern segment beginning at the foot of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge and running north to the former U.S. Naval Fuel Depot at Point Molate; and a northern segment, which runs north of the former depot past Point Orient to a point just south of Point San Pablo Yacht Club.

The Park District’s 1997 Master Plan identifies the San Pablo peninsula as a location for a regional park at Point Molate, and the San Francisco Bay Trail Plan shows a Bay Trail spur running along the shoreline of the San Pablo peninsula. “Chevron’s generous donation goes a long way to supporting the Park District’s interests in expanding the Bay Trail and providing more public access to the Richmond shoreline.” said Pat O’Brien, East Bay Regional Park District General Manager.

Chevron’s donation to the Park District includes a 20-foot wide easement over portions of Chevron’s refinery property. The easement follows the former Richmond Beltline Railroad/Castro Point Railway corridor, located generally along the San Pablo peninsula shoreline. Park District land acquisition staff and Chevron have been working together for several years to secure access to this important but previously unavailable parcel to extend the Bay Trail. “With Chevron’s help, the Richmond community will have more trail access and future open space parkland along the waterfront, which has long been a part of the Park District’s master plan,” said Bob Doyle, Assistant General Manager of Land Acquisition and Advanced Planning.

The 1988 Measure AA included funding for the acquisition of key parcels for a park and trail at this location. On November 6, 2007, the Board of Directors approved the Master Plan for the San Francisco Bay Trail, with a spur extending from the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge to Point San Pablo.

This segment of the San Francisco Bay Trail crosses various ownerships, including property owned by the City of Richmond and Chevron. The District and Chevron both recognize that some of the former railroad right-of-way may no longer be suitable for construction of the trail, with portions of the corridor having subsided over time. Chevron has agreed to cooperate with the District to develop a mutually acceptable realignment of the trail, as close to the original corridor alignment as physically possible, in order to provide safe use of the trail and to maximize the visual enjoyment for trail users.

“This contribution by Chevron brings us all one step closer to enjoying the recreational opportunities made possible by the Bay Trail,” said Mike Coyle, General Manager of Chevron’s Richmond Refinery. “We believe that working together with all key partners helps move the project toward completion.”

Added Coyle, “Chevron remains fully supportive of the Bay Trail, a valued Bay Area natural resource. We believe that there is reason for optimism for a timely completion of the spur trail along the beautiful waterfront from Point Richmond to Point San Pablo,” added Coyle.

“The District wishes to acknowledge Chevron’s cooperation and generosity in providing this trail easement at no cost to the public,” said General Manager O’Brien. Chevron’s donation will offer opportunities for public access to the scenic San Pablo Bay shoreline with unobstructed views of the San Pablo Bay, the Brothers Islands, Red Rock Island, the Sisters Islands and vistas of Marin County including the Tiburon peninsula, Mt. Tamalpais, China Camp State Park, Angel Island State Park and portions of the San Francisco Bay.

According to the terms of the planned agreement, the East Bay Regional Park District will be responsible for all costs associated with said recreational trail, including the cost to engineer the trail alignment, surveying and title costs, which are estimated to be $100,000.

Download > Board Materials for November 3, 2009 Meeting and Project Map (PDF)

Contact Email

slewis@ebparks.org

Point Pinole Regional Shoreline | Group Camp Dedication | Saturday, October 24, 2009 10AM

mnolan — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:10:42 -0700

Contact name

Shelly Lewis

News

Point Pinole Regional Shoreline
Group Camp Dedication
Saturday, October 24, 2009 10AM

Please join EBRPD Board Member Whitney Dotson and Regional Parks Foundation Board President Jim Potts to help celebrate the dedication of the Point Pinole Regional Shoreline Group Camp on Saturday, October 24 at 10 am.

Contact Email

slewis@ebparks.org

News

Alameda County Special Districts Association Celebrates 20th Anniversary

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Alameda County Special Districts Association Celebrates 20th Anniversary

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Law Enforcement Accreditation On-Site Assessment

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Law Enforcement Accreditation On-Site Assessment

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East Bay Regional Park District Begins New Online Series Adventures with Wheelchair Hiker/Motivational Speaker, Bob Coomber

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East Bay Regional Park District Begins New Online Series Adventures with Wheelchair Hiker/Motivational Speaker, Bob Coomber

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Spring Wildflower Festival | Saturday, March 27, 2010

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Spring Wildflower Festival Saturday, March 27 at Sunol Regional Wilderness

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Park District Says Goodbye To Beloved Former Mine Manager, John Waters

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Park District Says Goodbye To Beloved Former Mine Manager, John Waters

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Doug Siden Named President of East Bay Regional Park District Board of Directors for 2010

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Doug Siden Named President of East Bay Regional Park District Board of Directors for 2010

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Registration Now Open | 2010 Trails-To-Fitness Trails Challenge

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Register Today for East Bay Regional Park District’s 2010 Trails-To-Fitness Trails Challenge

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Martin Luther King, Jr. Rally in Oakland

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Martin Luther King, Jr. Rally in Oakland

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East Bay Regional Park District General Manager Receives East Bay Vision Award

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East Bay Regional Park District General Manager Receives East Bay Vision Award

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Crown Beach Reopens | December 8, 2009

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Trout Coming Next Week | Fees To Rise In 2010

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Extra Large Rainbow Trout Coming Next Week Daily Fishing Fees To Rise In 2010 at Regional Park District Lakes

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Major Land Acquisition | Vasco Caves

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Major Land Acquisition | Vasco Caves

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Fish Habitat Project | Volunteers Needed

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Park District to Purchase 221-acre Property in Antioch for Future Deer Valley Regional Preserve

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Fishing Closures Lifted for Most of Alameda Shoreline | November 25, 2009

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Crown Beach Restoration Plan

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Crown Beach Restoration Plan

East Bay Regional Park District to Replenish Sand at Crown Beach

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Crown Beach, Alameda | Oil Spill | October 30, 2009

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Spring Wildflower Festival
Saturday, March 27 at Sunol Regional Wilderness

Register Today for East Bay Regional Park District’s
2010 Trails-To-Fitness Trails Challenge

East Bay Regional Park District General Manager
Receives East Bay Vision Award

Extra Large Rainbow Trout Coming Next Week
Daily Fishing Fees To Rise In 2010 at Regional Park District Lakes