Open space on Albany Waterfront

By Patricia Jones, Albany
Thursday, May 20, 2010

The Albany community has come together for open space and recreation for the Albany Waterfront, envisioning only nominal “green” development for its shoreline.

On April 19, the Albany City Council unanimously voted to accept the Voices to Vision Report and to treat it as a living planning document that reflects Albany residents’ waterfront vision.

Mayor Joanne Wile joined the council in praising the public participants and Fern Tiger & Associates for their hard work and dedication to producing an open, inclusive, comprehensive process and result.

Albany began this intensive two-year process to develop a community vision for the waterfront at the urging of environmentalists, including Citizens for East Shore Parks, the Sierra Club, Golden Gate Audubon Society, Citizens for the Albany Shoreline, and other community leaders.

According to Tiger, Albany residents overwhelmingly want to maximize open space (at least 75 percent), while still maintaining the revenue that the city and school district now see from the operations of the racetrack, with minimal development (less than 26 percent).

One of the best things about this process is that community members found they have more in common than differences about the waterfront.

Congratulations to all who participated in creating a vision to protect Albany’s shoreline for future generations.

originally published at: http://www.contracostatimes.com/el-cerrito/ci_15126170