Despite seeing the fire devastation that can happen when a place has only one road in and out, the City of Richmond wants to build a minimum of 670-1,100 housing units at Point Molate, creating a massive development next to a major oil refinery with only a narrow road in and out.
Building a housing development at Point Molate is a dangerous plan. Point Molate is an undeveloped wildland. Its single road in and out leads to a freeway that is often backed up at the Point Molate entrance and exit under ordinary conditions. Evacuation from Point Molate would be almost impossible in the event of a wildfire or an explosion at the adjacent oil refinery, making this area extremely dangerous for a housing development. It goes against rational land use planning.
The housing development is also financially impractical. The development advocates want to put the city at risk to back infrastructure improvements to the tune of $100 million to $130 million before any building can even occur. The housing development would destroy the continuity between the amazing intact watershed at Point Molate and one of the healthiest and largest eel grass beds that are so necessary to protect the waters of the Bay. The housing development would also foreclose on the opportunity for a world-class park with a vibrant ecosystem.
Climate change, severe drought, and changes in weather patterns are what Governor Jerry Brown calls "the new abnormal" — our current reality. The devastating fires in Butte county and in Southern California and their horrendous toll are a sobering reminder of the need to plan for this new reality.
The Community Plan for Point Molate
Point Molate can and should be designed as a public and environmental resource with regional and statewide draw — a resource for the entire Richmond community and beyond. Housing needs can best be met by moving the planned housing downtown, where the infrastructure, public transportation, and services already exist, rather than building in an inaccessible, high-fire-risk area.
Having a park at Point Molate greatly reduces the risks and the numbers of people for any emergency evacuation and allows the intact watershed to continue to serve the Bay and the eel grass fisheries. The Sierra club is part of the Point Molate Alliance: an umbrella group of Richmond residents, organizations, and environmental groups working to create a community shared destination and resource. We developed The Community Plan to show what can be done at Point Molate.
The Community Plan:
- Restores Winehaven Village as a sustainable vibrant commercial, educational, and historic destination that can provide jobs for Richmond residents, and needed revenue for the city;
- Respects the environment, preserves the shoreline and the South Valley and the Bluffs as a magnificent public park providing community recreational opportunities;
- Moves housing downtown, where it is needed and where essential public transportation, infrastructure, and services exist; and
- Plans Point Molate with broad equity principles and significant community controls.
We can have this for Point Molate.
Renering of the Community Plan for Point Molate by Steve Price.