Earth Team Video: City Will Soon Choose a Plan for Point Molate
Check out this video to learn more (10 minutes). Video made by Earth Team, a Richmond youth organization.
To act:
- Let city officials know what you think: contact list
- Post your opinion on this blog (click "comments" below).
posted by Save Point Molate @ 12:57 PM
6 Comments
6 Comments:
Although someone ought to be ashamed, I suspect that no one will, for this very biased and one-sided video.
This is very reminiscent of what used to come out of the propaganda mills of the USSR, Nazi Germany and the Republican Party--especially the use of children as announcers to give the impression of truth and innocence.
Was any effort made to seek answers from people that might know what's going on at Point Molate as far as the recent history or the proposed development plans? Since I'm one of the established experts on the site and I wasn't contacted (even though my name and contact info are posted all over the place), I suspect not. Could this be because the truth might not sit well with the agenda of the organization behind this video?
Space prevents me from going into the details about what's planned, what can be done and some of the rationale behind these actions. Email me at dongosney@comcast.com if you want to know more.
Don,
I'll put it to the fact that your post was done on April Fools day.
You should be ashamed of immediately using the ".....-nazi-red-herring" labeling regarding the video. And your additional inclusion of the Republican Party to describe the makers (and I guess we other participants in the film) made me shake my head and wonder where you might be coming from.
You may recall that I was one of the first folks who volunteered for the Point Molate Reuse Committee, how many years ago???
After 3 years of basic foot-dragging and stonewalling I finally dropped off the committe because my time was better spent in other venues.
I'm no child as you see in the video. And lest you forget I try to speak straight forwardly about the town I've called home since 1959.
You speak of the "agenda" of the organization behind the video perhaps not being altoghether "truthful". You cast a pretty wide net there my friend and should be concerned about whom you might pull up in that net, in case you embarass yourself.
I'll take you up on your offer to email you for details about the recent deliberations and the proposed development plans. And I promise not to throw slings and arrows at you while engaging in any discussion. Deal, or no deal?
I can be reached at gramps94804@yahoo.com. No flame wars please.
Watching this video gives me a "rush" in the sense of imagining what CAN be accomplished here.
But hotels, a mall...the sickness of a CASINO? What city needs a casino LESS than Richmond, CA? Why not think along the lines of a "lodge", cabins, Retreat Center for GREEN loving groups and corporate meetings? And how perfect a spot for campgrounds right in our backyard, accommodations for camps, both private and public. Year around beach volleyball, sailing/kayak, rowing lessons...picnicking, sports both beach, hiking, biking and other? YES!
A couple of really "hot" restaurants would serve the East bay where there are very few waterfront restaurants with the view of the Point.
And how natural and nurishing it would be to place a marine/ wildlife center that can be used to bring the city of Richmond to the forefront where education involves the sciences - the sustainable, accessible, enriching sciences that this jewel of a coast offers to the city!
Thanks to ALL the folks who have spent their hours pursuing this
end. And for the visual so that I and many can view what could be if we could only shake ourselves out of the commercial "best use" myth.
S. Huston
Former Board President, Richmond Art Center.
Watching this video gives me a "rush" in the sense of imagining what CAN be accomplished here.
But hotels, a mall...the sickness of a CASINO? What city needs a casino LESS than Richmond, CA? Why not think along the lines of a "lodge", cabins, Retreat Center for GREEN loving groups and corporate meetings? And how perfect a spot for campgrounds right in our backyard, accommodations for camps, both private and public. Year around beach volleyball, sailing/kayak, rowing lessons...picnicking, sports both beach, hiking, biking and other? YES!
A couple of really "hot" restaurants would serve the East bay where there are very few waterfront restaurants with the view of the Point.
And how natural and nurishing it would be to place a marine/ wildlife center that can be used to bring the city of Richmond to the forefront where education involves the sciences - the sustainable, accessible, enriching sciences that this jewel of a coast offers to the city!
Thanks to ALL the folks who have spent their hours pursuing this
end. And for the visual so that I and many can view what could be if we could only shake ourselves out of the commercial "best use" myth.
S. Huston
Former Board President, Richmond Art Center.
With development of Pt. Molate still being debated, I think of my upbringing near a national park. The ongoing exposure to wild flowers, trees, forested areas and animals was crucial to my practical and spiritual growth, from childhood through adulthood -- and it continues today.
Pt. Molate offers us the same kind of riches, and additional opportunities for accessible, healthy, recreational and educational activities; sustainable businesses; and the chance, not only to watch nature's evolution, but to be part of it, as well.
Dense development of Pt. Molate will deprive our children and grandchildren (and ourselves) of the unfolding of one of the most significant and precious contributions to their lives. Let's not abdicate this opportunity. It warrants one more mention: let's think accessible, healthy, green, recreational, educational, sustainable.
I agree the video had an agenda. But who doesn't? It's ok to have an agenda and an opinion because it stimulates the open exchange of ideas.
Details and facts are important to have when forming opinions.
Doing anything at Point Molate is extraordinarily expensive and complicated due to the nature of the site, its former uses, and the conditions under which the property came to be an asset of the City of Richmond. Few single-purpose uses are possible at Point Molate, due to the strings that were attached to the property when it was gifted by the Navy; the contamination matters; the high cost of protecting and maintaining the historic district; the $50 Million dollar cost of the land; and the high infrastructure costs.
The Navy deeded the clean portions of the property to the City of Richmond in 2003. The portions of Point Molate that remain contaminated are still with the Navy. Sadly, some of the contaminated property includes portions of the Beach Park. For that reason, plus the fact that Richmond sorely lacks funds for parks, are two good reasons the Park remains closed today.
The video clearly expresses the desire to have public parks and recreation at Point Molate. We are pleased to note that the proposed mixed use development at Point Molate will contain roughly 190-200 acres of parks and open space, fully improved funded and maintained by the Guidiville Band of Pomo Indians. We will also build and fund the Bay Trail along the full length of the shoreline. No trail will go under a hotel as the video portrayed. We will also clean up all of the contamination on the property in about 2 years. If left to the Navy, those contaminated areas may not be cleaned up for another 20-30 years, keeping the open space off-limits to the public during that time.
The Tribe's long range goal for the hillside open space is to transform the ecology, back to its natural state to the greatest extent possible, eliminate the invasive species and, repair disturbed water drainages etc. There are Pomo medicine plants on the site to. We are highly aware of the ecology and plan to protect it and preserve it much more vigorously than I think any other group would or could. We will also build a roundhouse for dance and worship and tribal dance grounds for intertribal gatherings (as it used to be), along with a Tribal government/park office.
Let’s face it. The Navy left a big mess. We hope the community will work with us in improving the natural ecology with our own resources and share it with the public who love and respect Point Molate as we do. As we repair the environment, the hillsides will still remain public open space for hiking and observing nature.
During every step in this long federal process our Tribal leaders have listened to community feedback and attempted to design a balance between preserving and improving the public open space, historic preservation, tribal interests, tribal cultural facilities, Tribal housing, public transportation facilities, and a mix of economic development that can pay the extraordinary cost of it all. This balance has us redeveloping only areas previously disturbed, (about 89 acres of the roughly 300 acres above the waterline, and restoring and protecting & preserving the Winehaven Historic District.
The development that we do complete at Point Molate, will be a shining example of the greenest building materials, techniques and practices, working and blending with the natural aspects of the site as much as possible. It is our goal to be one of the greenest projects overall in the United States. It’s a long standing cultural value that just makes sense to us.
Remember, our last reservation was wrongfully terminated by the federal government close to 60 years ago. Point Molate will be our new home; - a place to live, work and worship. A place we will also share with the public due to the great natural and historic resources there. We intend to care for it and protect it. Our interest in repairing, protecting and preserving those resources are greater than anyone's. Moreover, we have contractually committed some of our future income from the economic activities, to demonstrate to everyone that we are serious.
Tribal people were an integral part of the Bay area ecosystem for 8-10,000 years before non-native settlement began. Greed and bloodshed drove California native people to the brink of extinction soon after California became a state. Native people are a natural resource that belong and are part of environment, including the Bay area. When Indian people did control these lands, they managed them and the environment in a very sustainable way. There was no other choice back then. The public should not fear the idea of native people as stewards of Point Molate. They should fear if we are not.
We invite you to visit our project website www.pointmolateresort.com and see some our proposed plans. Our EIS/EIR (a joint State and Federal environmental impact statement/report) will be released to the public by the City and the Federal government soon. They have cut no corner in analyzing the alternatives that balance all of the constraints and challenges for the reuse of the site. I invite you to review the roughly 5,000 page EIS/R to see how we have attempted to respect the Base Reuse Plan, respect and enhance the environment, preserve and improve open space, preserve and protect the historic buildings, bring educational & recreational opportunities back to the region, restore our wrongfully terminated land base, create an economic engine for the region that will pay the enormous costs of these public spaces, and create job opportunities for our people and the east bay simultaneously.
We have listened to the input of many community groups, park professionals, community leaders and attempted to strike a synergistic balance for the use of this special place. We hope you will agree.
Guidiville Band of Pomo Indians
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home