Albany Bulb

Off Leash Albany Bulb vs the Sierra Club
Posted by Chris Neddersen

As an animal lover, I completely support a club that wants to protect animal habitats. That’s why I’m confused. Some of my dog’s favorite habitats are the off-leash parks around San Francisco Bay. Now I hear that the Sierra Club wants to change her access to some of these parks….

That’s where the Albany Bulb comes in. We hear there’s a movement afoot to forbid off-leash access to the Albany Bulb. I don’t know what the details are, but we were emailed a message that the park’s off-leash status was in peril. Seems that the Sierra Club has some issues, but dogs and human companions have needs too. I want to be even-handed about this, so if you want to get information about both sides of the off-leash issue…

Read the Full Article at AlbanyPatch.com

Mary Barnsdale from the Facebook Group, Dogs of the Albany Bulb writes about Thursday Feb. 17  meeting with about the Albany Beach with EBRPD

Good dog-community representation last night at the EBRPD community workshop regarding “improvements” to the Albany Beach. (I’m guessing a dozen of us?) This was supposed to be the second of a series of workshops — but it sounded like there actually won’t be more, so it was great to get the “dogs on the beach” message into the official record.
EBRPD now has to consider the feedback and work with their consultants on a recommendation that they’ll take to their board. Some of the many options include doing nothing, installing real toilets and running water, improving the dunes, making the beach accessible by people with mobility challenges, dumping sand offshore to “nourish the beach,” building a boardwalk on the beach, etc. There is no planning for dogs in any of the three scenarios. We’ll see what they come back with — but mostly likely the “final” plan won’t officially include dogs either. Money will likely come from the COSCO Busan settlement funds (and a small amount from the last EBRPD special assessment tax).

The EBRPD board meeting at which they’ll decide on a recommendation will be public, btw. We’ll let you know when it is after we find out.

We may need you to send letters and emails to the EBRPD board. More on that later.

Albany Patch , By Emilie Raguso writes ,

Photo Credit Emilie Raguso

The The Feb. 17 workshop, the second such meeting for the public, was held in the park district’s boardroom at 2950 Peralta Oaks Ct. in Oakland. Chris Barton, a senior planner for the district, opened the event by outlining three progressively elaborate possibilities for beach development.

Estimated costs range from about $1 million—for basic shoreline stabilization, improved beach access for the disabled, and some dune and wetland enhancements—to more than $7 million.

The bells-and-whistles plan offered more shoreline stabilization options, including sand placement to help the area weather erosion; a pocket beach near the Bulb; a second access point for the disabled; a boardwalk; and a second picnic area.

District staff members said none of the three options is set in stone, and that pieces of each could be mixed and matched depending on public interest, money available and ultimate land use goals.

Read the full story at AlbanyPatch.com

Discussion of EBRPD’s plans for Albany beach (sand dune restoration, etc.). Dogs are not part of the plan.

Thursday, February 17 · 7:00pm – 10:00pm
Location EBRPD headquarters, boardroom
2950 Peralta Oak Court Oakland, CA

EBRPD: http://www.ebparks.org/planning#albany
The Eastshore State park General Plan (2002) identifies potential restoration and public access improvements for the Albany Beach area. These concepts include restoration and protection of Albany Beach and dune habitats, expansion of dune areas behind the beach, enhancement of water access to San Francisco Bay, closing of a key gap in the San Francisco Bay trail, shoreline stabilization, public access improvements and other park facilities such as picnic areas, interpretive signage and restrooms. A study is currently underway to evaluate the feasibility of implementing these improvements.

9 REASONS WHY THE BULB SHOULD BE LEFT AS IT IS:

1. It would be prohibitively expensive to mitigate numerous hazards at the BULB in transforming a former garbage dump into an officially sanctioned public recreation area. These hazards include: jagged pieces of concrete, broken glass, sharp protruding metal debris, assorted toxic chemicals and heavy metals. The beach is strewn with hazardous metal protrusions and submerged hazards.

2. The State has a 28-billion dollar budget deficit. Transforming the BULB into an officially sanctioned recreation area would require tens of millions of dollars to upgrade roads, street lighting, pathways, signage, sanitary facilities and parking. The BULB would have to be closed to public for years to come in order to effect these changes.

3. As it now stands, Mother Nature in her own time and her own way is reclaiming this small piece of real estate – mitigating years of abuse by humankind, healing the toxic sores and soothing over heavy-metal wounds. Wildlife is returning to the waters around the BULB and to the skies above. Humankind with our political compromises and back office dealings have clearly demonstrated an inability to conceive of and carry out long term plans to the benefit of posterity and to all life with whom we share this planet. We have proven ourselves to be but short-sited, selfish little creatures.
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