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Alameda Station's Future Decided - Maybe

Plans for redeveloping the Alameda Naval Air Station are on their way to Washington, but several potentially divisive questions remain unanswered. On January 31, the Alameda Reuse and Redevelopment Authority approved the Community Reuse Plan for the base, which closes next year. The plan creates a half dozen "neighborhoods," each with a different blend of housing, light industry/ research and civic uses. Overall, the site will accommodate 6600 residents and provide over 17,000 jobs.

Now it's the feds' turn. The Navy will spend a year preparing environmental documents, and other agencies will also give their input before the Defense Department adds its final stamp of approval.

There are still two outstanding conflicts, however. U.S. Fish & Wildlife wants 595 acres for a wildlife refuge, plus an additional buffer zone, to protect the colony of endangered California least terns that uses the base airfield as a nesting site. But the Reuse Authority, mindful of Alameda's economic needs, only designated 390 acres for the purpose.

Environmentalists believe 390 acres won't be enough land to keep predators from decimating the colony. Talks aimed at reaching a compromise have been delayed by recent federal government shutdowns. Failure to reach agreement could "stop the entire process," says one local official.

So could a conflict between the Reuse Authority and the S.F. Bay Commission. The authority wants to develop 220 acres along the northwestern shoreline as an international commerce center. But Bay Commission staff want to retain a "port priority" designation for the land, reserving it for up to 20 years to accommodate future shipping needs. Though the Commission's Will Travis urged the Authority to remain flexible, its members voted to oppose the designation.

Ultimately, the reuse plan must be consistent with the Commission's coastal management plan. Unless the Commission overrules the staff recommendation, or another solution is found, the feds could be blocked from turning the land over to the Authority. "I think this does put us in a bit of a bind," says the Authority's Kay Miller.

Contact: (510) 263-2870

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