July 8, 2021
By Pam Stello, Point Molate Alliance Co-Chair
The East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) Board of Directors will discuss land acquisition in closed session this Friday, July 9th, at 3:00 pm. We must remind them how critical it is for them to act NOW or Point Molate will be lost. Urge the Board to take whatever steps necessary to acquire Point Molate. There are talking points below.
Public comments may be submitted one of three ways:
- Via email to Sabrina Pinell at spinell@ebparks.org. The email must contain in the subject line “Public comments – agenda item closed session.” It is preferred that written comments are submitted by Thursday, July 8, 3:00 p.m.
- Via voicemail at (510) 544-2651. The caller must start the message by stating “Public comments – agenda item closed session” followed by your name and place of residence, followed by your comments. It is preferred that voicemail comments are submitted by Thursday, July 8, at 3:00 p.m.
- Live via Zoom. If you would like to make a live public comment during the meeting this option is available through the virtual meeting platform: https://zoom.us/j/93443814875. It is preferred that those requesting to speak during the meeting contact Sabrina Pinell via email or voicemail at spinell@ebparks.org or (510) 544- 2651 by 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 8th, to provide your name and subject of the public comment or item to be addressed.
Meeting agenda: https://www.ebparks.org/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=34406
Some talking points:
- Ohlone Land - This is Ohlone land with many sacred sites that must be protected and are threatened by the proposed development plan.
- Environmental Justice - This is public land that is being taken from the Richmond public, a community that is 80% non-white, under-parked and underserved and deserves to have a great regional park.
- Environmentally unique - Point Molate is the last undeveloped headland along the entire east bay. It is home to native plant communities/habitats over 95% destroyed on the California coast and some not found elsewhere in the East Bay, and home to over 120 acres off the best and most productive eelgrass meadow in SF Bay and likely the state of California. The eelgrass is a keystone species, essential habitat to many species of invertebrates and fish, including Taylor’s sea hare, Pacific herring, juvenile Dungeness crabs, bat rays, and leopard sharks, an important food source for shore- and migratory birds and nursery for the SF Bay commercial fisheries. The meadows help prevent erosion and combat climate change. Point Molate’s eelgrass is genetically distinct, highly adaptable for restoration and part of several long-term scientific studies. The meadows are threatened by the proposed development plan.
- Point Molate is facing being lost forever - It is slated for a sprawl development for a wealthy housing enclave and will be lost as a public regional park and local public space if we do not act now.
- Point Molate can be part of the solution to the Climate crisis, or it can become part of the problem. It offers the opportunity to protect permanently rare and unique habitats and for the eelgrass to migrate upland with sea rise.
- Richmond is under-parked and underserved and needs Point Molate regional park as a refuge and a place for much needed sports fields and outdoor recreation and education opportunities for our youth and families.
Ask the Board to please give Point Molate the highest priority for the EBRPD acquisition list to save this magnificent place.
If enough of us write, it can make a difference!
By Pam Stello with Courtney Cummings, Andres Soto and David Helvarg for Point Molate Alliance.