Sailors Speak Up About Alameda Marina
Some four dozen Alamedans took to their bikes on Sunday for a tour of separate proposed developments along the island’s North Waterfront designed to add housing, commercial space and public waterways access. The tour organized by Bike/Walk Alameda showed mock-ups of gleaming buildings and vibrant parks on vacant land at three locations.
In addition to the new housing, there’s lots for water lovers to like, including waterfront restaurants, access points for kayaks and stand-up paddle boards, and dreams of water taxis crossing to Oakland’s Jack London Square. A new marina at Encinal Basin — east of Encinal Yacht Club and west of Fortman Marina — would offer slips for 160 boats, with a target range of 45 feet and up. Asked about access for smaller boats, the developer said the designs reflect public comments.
Conspicuously missing from the tour was Alameda Marina, whose housing developers are having to contend with a pesky mix of commercial and dry storage tenants who are unhappy with both long-term plans to reduce space for maritime use and the current upkeep of the property. At the June 8 Alameda City Council meeting, more than a dozen sailors spoke up during public comment time, many focusing on the hardship it’s causing for racers who have few other options for dry storage.
Karl Robrock has lived in Alameda for 13 years, but now treks up to Point Richmond to sail his Moore 24 SNAFU. “When Alameda Marina closed its main hoist they essentially decimated our racing scene,” Robrock reported to the Alameda City Council in June, adding that eliminating space and services for boats such as his will hurt the island’s sailing community. “The future of Alameda’s yacht clubs relies on the energy of small boats and the racing, less so than the cruising boats and social gatherings. Alameda Marina is critical infrastructure to our sailing community.”
The developer’s latest plans for the Alameda Marina dry storage space drops dry storage facilities from the existing 720 spaces down to 60. Speakers at the meeting voiced concerns that the space wasn’t adequate for the boats over 20 feet in length and that the hoist location was inappropriate for launch access.
Tonight, Alameda’s Planning Committee will be discussing the latest plans for the Alameda Marina site. Time at the beginning of the meeting is available for three-minute public comments. Documents can be viewed at the City of Alameda website.