Submitted by Bill Pinkham:
Once again, the possibility of a large casino complex at Pt. Molate in Richmond is alive and kicking. A joint lawsuit filed by the Sierra Club and the Citizens for East
Shore Parks successfully stalled the project until a comprehensive DEIR was filed. Now that the DEIR has been generated, the public comment period begins. Due to greatly increased traffic, this project poses a major threat to riders along the Pt. Molate road and will significantly degrade the experience of riding the spur of the Bay Trail that will be constructed along this peninsula, never mind its effect on the plants and wildlife in this important natural corridor.
Here are the particulars of the public meetings and written comment period, as provided by TRAC, Trails for Richmond Advisory Committee, the fine organization which is largely responsible for Richmond having completed more miles of Bay Trail than any other city. I apologize for the late notice of the first meeting. I was out of town.
Bill Pinkham
Action Request:
TRAC, the Trails for Richmond Action Committee, would appreciate your support by sending an email to the City of Richmond requesting Bay Trail mitigation for the Point Molate Mixed-Use Tribal Destination Resort and Casino project. You may easily send your email by Clicking Here to visit TRAC’s web site and pressing a button which will set up the email where you may copy & paste a suggested message with your personal edits.
The central Bay Trail issue is that it currently is impossible to walk between City of Richmond residential areas and the site of the Point Molate mixed use development. Moreover, bicycling on the freeway is very dangerous. The project should provide a Bay Trail connection with the community for compliance with the General Plan and also to reduce the project’s motor vehicle traffic and emissions of air pollutants.
In addition, there should be mitigation for the aesthetic impacts caused by adding:
– a 160 feet high new Casino Hotel structure containing a casino, 800-room hotel, and 2,500-seat entertainment complex adjacent to the historic Winehaven building,
– a 275-room Point Hotel 105 feet high with associated parking near Point Molate and
– a “Retail Village” of 300,000 square feet — only slightly smaller than Corte Madera Town Center — parallel to the shoreline, etc.
all visible from the shoreline park and Bay Trail.
Background:
The DEIS/DEIR for Point Molate Mixed-Use Tribal Destination Resort and Casino was released on July 10 for public review and comment no later than September 23. Public hearings to receive comments will be held on Wednesday, August 12 and Thursday, September 17 beginning at 6 PM in the Richmond Memorial Auditorium, 403 Civic Center Plaza. Click Here for more information and to download or get a copy of the 3-inch thick document. Click Here for the July 16 & 23 Berkeley Daily Planet articles nicely summarizing the DEIS/DEIR for Point Molate. For information about the dangerous gap in the Bay Trail leading to Point Molate, Click Here.
WIth this background, please Click Here to send your email requesting Bay Trail mitigation for the proposed Point Molate project. Many thanks for your continuing support toward completing the San Francisco Bay Trail in Richmond!
I hope you will be able to attend at least one of the public meetings or submit a letter with your critique of the DEIR.