West Contra Costa Group

Group Executive Committee meetings

Wednesday, January 26, and Wednesday, February 23; - both at 7:30 pm, Northminster Presbyterian Church, 545 Ashbury, El Cerrito.

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

For 2005, besides the monthly ExComm meetings, we plan to have three or four general meetings. We need to know what kinds of programs you are interested in and would come to. What topics turn you on? What kinds of presentations and presenters do you prefer? Can you suggest topics and/or presenters? Let us know at (510) 528-2913 or visit http://sanfranciscobay.sierraclub.org/westcc.

West Contra Costa happenings

Hercules' Measure M won handily with 63.2% of the vote! This eliminates significant commercial development on the Franklin Canyon property and land adjacent to it within the city limits south of Highway 4. Chapter staffer Jonna Papaefthimiou managed the Measure M field campaign, and Chapter phone outreach staff walked precincts for the measure. The Friends of Franklin Canyon have lots of energy and will continue to make sure that the measure is properly implemented. We can now move our focus to protecting the land as a wildlife corridor and possibly as public open space.

On Nov. 9 the Richmond City Council voted to sell its Point Molate property to Jim Levine's Upstream Point Molate for its hoped-for Indian casino and resort. Many obstacles remain, however, for approval of such a project. Congress would have to act to put the land in trust as a reservation for the Guidiville Band of Pomo Indians. In addition, other groups including Chevron-Texaco are expected to challenge the sale. Groups and individuals are studying and responding to Upstream's "plan B", including 800 residential units and a hotel, announced in case the casino deal falls through.

This is part of a regional casino issue with four and possibly five large Nevada-style casinos proposed for the Richmond-San Pablo-Albany area. Presently concern is being expressed over expected traffic congestion on San Pablo Avenue and San Pablo Dam Road near Casino San Pablo, and over the effect it would have on access to adjacent Doctors Medical Center.