The disastrous plan for the Marina Point Housing Development is on the BCDC Design Review Board Agenda tonight. Please consider calling in, information below:

This Design Review Board meeting will be conducted in a hybrid format in accordance with Gov. Code 11123.5. To maximize public safety while maintaining transparency and public access, members of the public can choose to participate either virtually via Zoom, by phone, or in person at the location listed below. Physical attendance at the site listed below requires that all individuals adhere to the site’s health guidelines including, if required, wearing masks, health screening, and social distancing.

Primary physical location
Metro Center
375 Beale Street, Yerba Buena Room
San Francisco, 415-352-3600

If you have issues joining the meeting using the link, please enter the Meeting ID and Password listed below into the ZOOM app to join the meeting.
Join the meeting via ZOOM
https://bcdc-ca-gov.zoom.us/j/83361375618?pwd=RKN0bFlExeJDzMunsDWd5af2lV5YbX.1
See information on public participation

Teleconference numbers
1 (866) 590-5055
(816) 423 4282
Conference Code 374334

Meeting ID
833 6137 5618 
Passcode
641630
If you call in by telephone:
Press *6 to unmute or mute yourself
Press *9 to raise your hand or lower your hand to speak

The City of Richmond totally abdicated its responsibilities by failing to file a timely project review letter resulting in a project deemed consistent with the City’s land use regulations under the Housing Accountability Act, despite being completely inconsistent with the City General Plan and Shoreline Overlay District zoning regulations. From the BCDC staff report:

"As the Design Review Board considers the Project, we want to ensure that the Board is also aware of a few key facts. First, the Project’s land use application with the City was deemed complete under the Permit Streamlining Act on July 12, 2023. Second, the Project was deemed consistent with the City’s land use regulations under the Housing Accountability Act on August 11, 2023. In addition, the Project has been analyzed under the California Environmental Quality Act pursuant to a detailed report prepared by FirstCarbon Solutions that provides substantial evidence confirming that the Project is eligible for CEQA’s Class 32 infill exemption and that it is also eligible for streamlining under sections 15168 and 15183.”

Following are excerpts from Lee Huo’s excellent, comprehensive comments representing the Bay Trail Team at MTC/ABAG, which are pertinent to National Park Service interests.:

“3. Opportunities for Synergy with Rosie the Riveter: A fair number of Bay Trail users in the area are Rosie the Riveter visitors. We ask the DRB and development team to consider public access improvements that would complement or support the programs and activities at Rosie the Riveter including creating a gathering or resting space adjacent to the Rosie the Visitor Center where visitors may congregate to rest, learn, wait for ranger led talks, and/or picnic. There currently are few seating or resting areas in front of the Visitor Center. There are also opportunities to create additional Rosie the Riveter interpretation materials or even a Rosie the Riveter themed playground since there are few playgrounds in this area.”

 “6. Improve Connections to the Bay Trail: The Richmond Wellness Trail is planned to run along Marina Way South and is a main connector trail to the Bay Trail from the heart of downtown Richmond. We request that the DRB and development team consider the need to meet the intent of the Richmond Wellness Trail by providing bicycle and pedestrian facilities that are safe, useable, and low-stress for bicyclists and pedestrians as part of the Marina Point Project. These facilities could include an off-street, multi- use path or sidewalk improvements along with a Class IV bikeway. The Marina Point Project currently appears to propose only adding sharrows along Marina Way South which would not meet the goal of providing bicycling and walking facilities for all ages and abilities."'

Following are the comments I submitted to BCDC:

• Related to the Site History and Existing Conditions, there was no mention that approximately 10 feet of fill was placed on the site many years ago to pre-load it for future development. The intent was to compress the underlying Bay mud and then remove the fill prior to construction so that the weight of new construction would not result in site subsidence. This has nothing to do with design but should be cited.
• My biggest objection is that the design proposes essentially a suburban development on what the General Plan and Zoning anticipate as a major Activity Center. This site was supposed to be dense transit-oriented development supporting the multi-million investment that CCTA made in the Richmond Ferry Terminal. Instead, it is a low density, 20 DU/Acre project that belongs somewhere else.
• The site design is really horrible. Despite being located on a world-class waterfront site, most of the homes have no water view and simply look across the steer at other homes that could be anywhere.
• The Plans show the row of bay side houses located partly within 100’ of mean high tide line. Doesn't this conflict with section F. Allowable Structures of the City’s Shoreline Overlay District ordinance stating "No non-water-related structures are permitted outright within the 100-foot tidal buffer”?
• The architecture is also horrible. What a waste of an incomparable site.