Alameda Point

Response to The Island of Alameda Blog Entry

August 4th, 2009

Regarding Michele Ellson’s The Island of Alameda story, “On Point: The Case of the Disappearing Park,” posted on July 31, we believe it is important to note some key points that should provide a better understanding about this topic:

* Parks in the Northwest Territories remain possible in the SunCal plan; in fact, the proposed specific plan in the initiative zones the Northwest Territories as AAP-PT (Public Trust) and all open space/conservation uses are permitted by right, including neighborhood/community parks, active recreation, courts and playing fields, and botanical/demonstration gardens.

* The Alameda Point plan provides 145 acres of parklands and open space in the PDC area alone. The initiative has also built in the flexibility to create more parks in the Northwest Territories should this area be found suitable for such uses.

* It is too early at this stage to plan specific uses in the Northwest Territories because there are still many unanswered issues about the land, including what is in the Navy’s former landfill and other matters such as soil stability, flooding and the State-controlled Tidelands Trust. This area requires more analysis and testing before detailed planning can be done.

* The Request for Qualifications issued by the City in 2006 did not require the selected developer to construct an 11-acre park in the Northwest Territories.

* Regarding the comments about text strikeouts: within the initiative and the proposed plans for Alameda Point, it was necessary to amend several references to previous plans in City land-use documents because these plans no longer apply. In such amendments, it is common to strike out text that is no longer current.

* Previous plans were developed several years ago by other parties and never became a reality because they were not feasible. This was long before SunCal was chosen as master developer. Our current plans for Alameda Point were shaped through two years of city and community input in over 20 public meetings

Our proposed plans are contained in the initiative documents and can be reviewed at http://alamedapointcommunity.com/new-neighborhood/. Ultimately, it will be up to the voters of Alameda to decide the future of Alameda Point. We have created what we believe is a viable, sustainable plan for Alameda and we are confident it will succeed where previous plans have failed.

Sincerely,

Joe Aguirre

Public Affairs

SunCal Companies