West Contra Costa County Group

Executive Committee meetings

Wednesdays, September 22 and October 20, 7:30 pm, Northminster Presbyterian Church, 545 Ashbury, El Cerrito.

Group Executive Committee meetings are open to all. Come to learn about the Group's conservation and administrative issues or to volunteer your time and talents. For information contact Group chair Rita Minjares, (510) 528-2913.

West Contra Costa events

On July 22, the Hercules City Council voted to place the Franklin Canyon initiative on the Tue., Nov. 2, ballot (see article).

GreenPark, the owner of the Franklin Canyon property and applicant for development permits, notified the city on July 21 that it is suing to recover $18 million which it has spent in the environmental-review process. The suit would also seek $38 million for a "taking" of property rights if the city does not complete processing GreenPark's application. This includes completing the required Supplemental Environmental Impact Report, for which GreenPark has withheld payment. The suit appears to have been timed to intimidate the Council from enacting the initiative on its own. (At press time we have heard that GreenPark has sold its Franklin Canyon property, but we do not know further details.)

We need volunteers for the ballot campaign. To find out about opportunities contact Jonna Papaefthimiou at (510)848-0800, ext. 312, or by

For news of the campaign, visit the Friends of Franklin Canyon web site at: www.savefranklincanyon.com