Will Newark turn Baylands into golf course?

To conservationists, Newark's 560 acres of ponds, seasonal wetlands, and transitional upland habitat facing San Francisco Bay are a rare treasure. These lands support tremendous variety and numbers of shorebirds, waterfowl, and mammals, including such endangered species as the salt-marsh harvest mouse and the endangered California clapper rail. The burrowing owl, a species of special concern, has been observed here. One of the Bay's few harbor-seal haul-outs is on the slough. Especially rare is the site's undeveloped transitional upland habitat. These precious lands are of such ecological value that they were designated as suitable for acquisition in the congressionally approved 1990 boundary expansion for the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay Wildlife Refuge.

The city of Newark, however, seems to be on a track to allowing - not just allowing, but actually encouraging - development of these sensitive lands. In 2006 the City Council adopted a Memorandum of Understanding with a development partnership indicating that the Council will consider changing the land-use designation of a separate 77-acre infill parcel from industrial to residential if the development partnership will build a championship-style golf course that it will turn over to the city. Not only would the development partnership build residential development on the 77-acre infill parcel, but it would also build executive "move-up" housing adjacent to the golf course on the 560-acre site. This new form of "currency", the exchange of land-use designations for purported public or quasi-public amenities, is being played out across the region to support unsustainable development in unsuitable landscapes.

Amazingly all this development would be on lands ranging from sea level to at most 13 feet above. Even today the site is subject to flooding, and as global warming brings rising sea levels, it is likely to be fully inundated by the Bay. These lands lack FEMA-certified levees, and none are proposed in the specific plan. The developers hope to truck in fill from all around the Bay to raise the housing sites to 11-1/2 feet above sea level, but even at this elevation, in the long-term this development sounds like a target for a FEMA bailout.

In an era of increasing water demands, where will the water come from to maintain a golf course in a highly saline environment? Some golf courses limit their water demand by using tertiary-treated waste water for their landscaping, but there is no such water source anywhere close to the site. Will Newark taxpayers buy potable water to make the grass grow green? It seems that this development concept is unsustainable both economically and ecologically.

Some time this fall Newark will release a Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for public review. (The site has for years been called Areas 3 and 4, but we have heard that the EIR will give them a new name.)

WhatYouCanDo

When the EIR is released, it will be important to send in critical comments urging the city to reject this ill-conceived project. To work with the Sierra Club on this issue and to be notified when it is time to speak up, contact Chapter conservation organizer or call (510) 848-0800, ext. 306

She will be able to let you know about the Sierra Club's analysis of the document.

To be placed on the mailing list for the EIR on the specific plan for Areas 3 and 4 (or whatever their new name may be), contact Terrence Grindall at the city of Newark at (510) 790-7208 or by email to terrence.grindall -at- newark.org

To learn more about the proposal, visit the Friends of Coyote Hills web site