Plan to get input on planned Richmond casino will be fair, city contends

By Katherine Tam Contra Costa Times
Posted: 08/05/2010 02:36:52 PM PDT
Updated: 08/05/2010 06:16:38 PM PDT

As Richmond opens a one-month window for the public to submit development ideas for the old Point Molate Navy Fuel Station at the waterfront, critics are crying foul.

Opponents argue the process is flawed, in part because ideas will be vetted by a developer who wants to build a casino-hotel resort there. They fear viable alternatives won't be given a fair chance.

City officials and their consultant assured residents at Wednesday's meeting that the process would be fair, saying they will evaluate ideas to see if they are feasible without comparing them to a casino and they will advocate for those that are feasible to move forward.

"(Developer) Upstream will have no veto power over any proposal," said Steve Duran, the city community economic development director.

The city is holding three workshops this summer and soliciting ideas about how to develop Point Molate, where Upstream and the Guidiville Band of Pomo Indians propose a $1.2 billion Las Vegas-style casino-hotel resort.

Design, Community & Environment, a consulting firm in Berkeley, will facilitate the workshops and evaluate the public's ideas to see if they are different from the project and five alternatives listed in the draft environmental impact report. If they are different, the consulting firm will assess if they are feasible and recommend if they should be studied in the environmental report.

The consultant's recommendations will be vetted by both city staff members and Upstream, before a report reaches the City Council in December or January, said David Early, the consulting firm's head. He said he would be "very insistent" that viable ideas reach the council.

Though the consulting firm's contract is with Upstream, he said he won't have private conversations with the developer without city staff members present.

He added his firm was selected through a process overseen by the city with input from Upstream, and the contract was ultimately signed with Upstream because it takes longer to do it with the city.

Opponents asked that the criteria for evaluating the public's ideas also include traffic, community benefits, health and environment. Early said he would review those suggestions and publish revised criteria within the week.

Submitting Ideas

·  Richmond will accept ideas about what to build at Point Molate through Sept. 15. Submissions can be e-mailed to planner Lamont Thompson at Lamont_Thompson@ci.richmond.ca.us or mailed to the city's Planning Department, 450 Civic Center Plaza -- 2nd Floor, Richmond 94804.

·  A meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Sept. 8 at 440 Civic Center Plaza, in the multipurpose room, to collect public input and written proposals. The consultant will summarize the alternatives and his evaluations at 7 p.m. Nov. 17 at 440 Civic Center Plaza, in the multipurpose room. The consultant's report is scheduled to reach the City Council in December or January.

·  The city website with the draft environmental impact report and other documents is www.ci.richmond.ca.us/pointmolate.