West Contra Costa County Group

Executive Committee meetings

Wednesday, September 27, 7:30 pm, Northminster Presbyterian Church (Makemie Hall), 545 Ashbury Street, El Cerrito.

Executive Committee meetings are open to all. Come to learn about the Group's conservation issues and administration, or to volunteer your time and talents. For information contact Norman La Force, (510) 526-4362.

Besides monthly ExComm meetings to which you are invited, we plan to have three or four general meetings each year. Can you suggest topics or potential presenters? Let us know at (510) 528-2913 or: http://sanfranciscobay.sierraclub.org/westcc

Happenings in West Contra Costa

Richmond is studying the idea of a major container port in the marshes around the mouth of Wildcat Creek. We hope to discourage this destructive idea (see page 19). Richmond is also updating its General Plan, which will determine how and where the city develops in the future. It is critical that environmental voices be heard.

The open, slide-prone hillside adjoining El Cerrito's Hillside Natural Area is threatened by development. Neighbors working to oppose development have formed the El Cerrito Hillside Organization (ECHO). Its web site is: www.echopenspace.org

The Sierra Club opposes development here and is working with ECHO. Developer Aaron Vitale has an option to buy the property, and ECHO is trying to discourage him from doing so.

In August Richmond's Planning Commission held hearings and study sessions on the proposed Forest Green residential development just west of Clark Road in El Sobrante. The Group opposes the project, which would clear oak woodland and place homes on slide-prone slopes.

Though the Regional Park District is pursuing eminent domain to protect most of Breuner Marsh, it does not plan to buy a portion of that land which contains unique upland habitat. In addition, other areas along Richmond's northern shoreline are still up for grabs. We continue to work with the North Richmond Shoreline Open Space Alliance to protect this shoreline from destructive development.

The Group continues to follow developments at the Zeneca site on Richmond's southern shoreline as well as the adjacent University of California Field Station. Information on the extent and danger of industrial toxics there continues to emerge.

For more information, or to help the West County Group's efforts on any of these issues, contact or call (510)848-0800, ext. 312