OBJECTIVES

It is proposed that EBRPD acquire and develop on behalf of the State of California those parts of the Albany waterfront known as the plateau, beach, neck, bulb, and Fleming Point for inclusion in the Eastshore State Park.

It is further proposed that the following objectives for the development of Albany's portion of the Eastshore State Park be accomplished. All are of equal importance and the order here is not intended to imply an order of priority.

Protect and enhance land and water habitats.

Promote the appreciation of the natural features and beauty of San Francisco Bay.

Provide a safe and secure environment for children and adults.

Complete Albany's segment of the Bay Trail.

Provide adequate access to the waterfront for people of all ages and physical abilities.

Provide a variety of recreational opportunities, including organized and informal amateur sports, observation of nature, hiking, bicycling, and water-related activities.

PROPOSED USES BY AREA

THE PLATEAU

The southern side of the plateau should have an area designated as playing fields for organized amateur athletic activities such as soccer, softball, and baseball. This area would be configured as needs are identified and space permits. No lighting would be provided for nighttime sports activities.

Given the strong winds that often prevail, the athletic facilities would only be useful if there are adequate windbreaks, to be created by tree plantings or other methods that do not interfere with visual or other values of the plateau. One such method might be to create berms, which could be used both for windbreaks and to provide seating for spectators along the edge of the fields.

North of the playing fields there should be areas and opportunities for a wide variety of outdoor pleasures, including spaces for impromptu ball games, designated barbecue and picnic facilities, and lots of grassy areas suitable for sunning, volleyball, throwing frisbees, reading, napping, and socializing. A small, enclosed play area, or "tot lot," reserved and designed for small children, should be included. These areas must also be protected from the wind in order to be usable.

Side-by-side pedestrian and bicycle paths should be designed around the northern edge of the plateau. Pedestrian and bicycle paths leading from these perimeter paths to other parts of the plateau may be desirable, with the appropriate number of paths and routes to be determined later. These lateral paths could also serve to organize and separate various activity areas. Secured bicycle parking areas should be provided at convenient locations throughout the plateau.

The northern edge of the plateau should have a barrier that would effectively isolate the areas of human activity from those reserved for a bird sanctuary in the upland habitat, Albany mudflats, and adjacent bay. The barrier would both protect the birds from human intrusion and protect small children from possible injury in trying to descend the cliff to the water's edge. The type of barrier, e.g., plantings, fencing, berms, may vary along the edge, depending on adjacent park activities and the need for wildlife protection. Using appropriately dense vegetation for the barrier would be preferable, if practicable.

Bird watching is an activity enjoyed by many, and observation of the varied bird life in the Albany mudflats offers both enjoyment and educational opportunities. Toward that end, there should be one or more breaks in the barrier leading to observation points along the northern edge. The observation points should be designed so that they do not provide opportunities to descend the cliff.

It would be desirable to have a small interpretive center, to be used by schools and park rangers to provide information and education on the history of the site, the geology and characteristics of the baylands and landfill areas, and other natural and important features of the setting. This information should emphasize the ecology of the area and the ongoing story of the reclamation of what was once a dumping site.

A refreshment stand selling food and drink of the type normally associated with picnic grounds and playing fields should be provided. The stand should be convenient both to users of the beach and the plateau.

Because it would be desirable to consolidate services and information under one roof, it is suggested that a single building be constructed, containing the interpretive center, restrooms, and refreshment stand, and that this building be located on the southwestern portion of the plateau.

This building should be of high quality, small in size, and designed for a low profile. In constructing this facility, consideration should be given to using materials from the landfill. The sole survivor of the street lamps that once lit the streets of Albany, now standing at the water's edge at the eastern edge of the plateau, could be restored to "stand guard" over the building. As an added convenience for users of the refreshment stand, outdoor seating should be placed nearby.

THE NECK AND THE BULB

Many residents of Albany and neighboring communities already use the neck and the bulb as a park, and first-time visitors are often surprised and charmed by the experience. In the decade since the landfill was closed, a great variety of vegetation, both native and exotic (non-native), has sprung up, covering discarded remnants of old roadways and castoff remains of demolished buildings. Small animals live in the "ruins." Wetland plants are taking hold along the shore, foretelling a growing shorebird population.

In converting this unlikely wonderland into a public park, every effort should be made to avoid disturbing the existing landforms and wildlife. By undertaking a carefully planned effort, natural processes at work can be assisted and improved upon. For instance, historic native shoreline and upland habitats might be recreated in some areas.

Non-native plants that threaten to predominate should be brought under control or eliminated. Additional varieties of trees, shrubs, and other vegetation should be introduced as appropriate. New vegetation should be selected with a view toward providing shelter and food for animals and birds, and for the ability of the plants to survive in a wild state with little or no human attention.

The levees that surround the lagoon at the western end of the bulb provide shorebird habitat. This habitat should be enhanced by severing the connections between the southern and western levees, and between the northern levee and the bulb itself, thus reducing the likelihood of disturbance by humans and land animals (see Figure 3, page 9). Also, more rock should be added to the northern levee, making it usable for birds during higher tides.

Many of the narrow, meandering trails that already exist on the bulb should be preserved for hiking and exploring.

The upper road along the neck, which often narrows to a path, should remain as a trail for pedestrians only. The lower road along the neck should become a Bay Trail Spur (see The Bay Trail, page 12).

A pedestrian path should circle the bulb. This path would begin at water's edge at the base of the bulb, taking off south from the Bay Trail Spur and proceeding westward to the tip of the bulb. It would then continue north along the lagoon and the entire western end of the bulb, turning east to connect with the existing road that leads back to what would be the Bay Trail Spur. Some grading of this road, or the construction of a switchback, would likely be necessary to allow wheelchairs to reach the elevation of the Spur.

Most of this pedestrian path could follow what is now a relatively flat, wide area at water's edge. Along the western side, however, the terrain is steep and uneven, and doesn't offer a natural route for the path. To create a fairly level grade in this area, a wooden walkway may need to be built over the lagoon using either pilings or cantilever supports. This western segment of the path should be designed to minimize impacts on water birds using the lagoon and surrounding levees.

All modifications necessary for safety and the final closure of the landfill should be done (see Landfill Closure, page 17). Exposed concrete and rebar that pose safety hazards should be removed.

THE BEACH

There is currently a drainage problem east of the dunes during periods of heavy rain. This may have to be corrected, both to allow free passage on the Bay Trail and to eliminate pollutant runoff from the parking lot into the dunes.

In designing paths from the parking lot and the plateau to the beach, care should be taken to protect the fragile dune habitat that has developed and continues to grow. Food and refreshments should be available for sale at a convenient distance from the beach, but not at the beach itself.

The remains of two piers extend out from the shoreline just before the rise to Fleming Point. The taller of these piers, the southern pier, should be reconstructed to provide a fishing and viewing platform.

FLEMING POINT

The striking view of the bay from the point should be accessible not only to walkers and bicyclists but also to those who can only reach such vantage points by automobile. Some agreement should be made with the racetrack to allow free automobile access, at least during the racetrack's off-season.

Wheelchair access to Fleming Point poses a challenge, given the steep incline, but every effort should be made to provide this access, perhaps by constructing a series of switchbacks.

Public use and/or acquisition of the horsemen's lot at the base of Fleming Point is desirable and should be pursued. The area is level, adjacent to the water, and somewhat secluded and sheltered, and could serve as a vista point or picnic area, off limits to automobiles.

THE BAY TRAIL

From the north, the Bay Trail will enter Albany at the Richmond city line and run along the edge of the bay to Buchanan Street. This section will be built by Caltrans in conjunction with the widening of Highway I-80. At Buchanan Street, it is proposed that the Trail turn west, parallel the southern edge of the plateau, turn south behind the beach, and continue over Fleming Point to connect with the Berkeley portion of the Trail. For the most part, there is sufficient space along this section of the Trail to accommodate separate bicycle and pedestrian paths.

A barrier between the Bay Trail and the Albany mudflats should be installed to prevent access to the mudflats by people and dogs using the Trail, and to minimize visual disturbance of the water birds and shorebirds. The barrier should be located along the bay side of the Trail from the freeway to the plateau.

A Bay Trail Spur, also with separate bicycle and pedestrian paths, should extend from behind the beach, follow what is now the lower road along the neck, and terminate at a viewpoint on the bulb. The Spur should also serve as the access route to the bulb for emergency and service vehicles and should be no wider than necessary for that purpose.

Benches should be provided along the Spur and at the viewpoint, possibly made from material found on site. Interpretive signs should be placed along the Spur helping visitors understand the human-made formations and the evolving natural processes being observed.

For the safety of hikers, and the protection of plant and wildlife habitats, it is important that bicycles not leave the Bay Trail Spur to use the pedestrian path or the narrow trails on the bulb. Signs should be posted reminding bicyclists to stay on the Spur. If this proves ineffective, additional measures, including making the entire bulb off limits" to bicycles, should be considered.

OVERALL PLANNING

WILDLIFE AND HABITAT PROTECTION

The Albany mudflats north of the plateau and the bay waters north of the neck and the bulb support abundant populations of water birds during fall, winter, and spring. When the mudflats are exposed at low tide, thousands of shorebirds of many species gather to feed on invertebrates in the mud. Herons and egrets often wade along the shoreline, searching for fish and other prey. Hundreds of ducks, grebes, cormorants, and other water birds feed in the open bay waters and on the mudflats when submerged at high tide. These birds often congregate in the calm waters near the landfill, which provides protection from the prevailing south winds.

All of these water birds are susceptible to disturbance by people and dogs. To minimize such disturbance, this proposal includes:

No public access along the northern shoreline of the plateau and neck.

Barriers or buffers between the Bay Trail and the mudflats, and along the northern edge of the plateau.

No boating activities in the waters north of the plateau, neck, and bulb.

Turning small peninsulas and levees into islands by excavating their connection to the mainland.

Adding rock or other material to roosts to raise them above the higher tides.

Preventing public access to the western and northern levees.

Enhancing roosting habitat on the northern levee by raising its elevation.

Designing the pedestrian path along the western end of the bulb to minimize disturbance of birds using the lagoon and levees.

Preserving the beach and dunes in a natural state.

Removing a portion of the parking lot to allow expansion of the dunes.

Preserving the neck, the bulb, and the northern edge of the plateau in essentially their existing state; the only development in these areas would be the Bay Trail Spur, a pedestrian path, and safety measures such as the removal of selected concrete and rebar.

Limiting bicycles to trails and paths designated for such use.

Requiring that dogs, if allowed on the neck and the bulb, be leashed at all times.

WATER ACTIVITIES

Non-motorized boating activities, such as kayaking and wind surfing, should be allowed along the beach, the south side of the neck, and the south and west sides of the bulb. To facilitate launching these small watercraft, a pathway to the water's edge should be constructed in an appropriate location clear of the dunes.

In order to protect bird feeding and resting areas, no boating activities should be allowed east of an imaginary line drawn from the northwest tip of the bulb to Pt. Isabel.

People now fish from the shores of the beach, neck, and bulb, and this should be allowed to continue. The proposed reconstruction of the southern pier would provide a fishing platform.

INAPPROPRIATE USES

Also inappropriate would be bicycle riding outside of designated bicycle trails and paths.

AESTHETIC POTENTIAL

DOGS

In addressing the issue, primary consideration needs to be given to protecting wildlife from attack and harassment by dogs. The relative isolation of Albany's waterfront over the last ten years has allowed a variety of wildlife to flourish. In addition to being home to small mammals, the area has become prime habitat for hundreds - and at times thousands - of shorebirds, water fowl, and land birds, both migratory and resident. Opening the area to more intense public use will inevitably intrude on this habitat. Therefore, care needs to be taken to respect the natural processes at work while giving the public the opportunity to observe them. At minimum, dogs should not be allowed off-leash on the neck and the bulb.

Other factors relating to dogs that need to be taken into account include: Urban dogs need open spaces to walk and run; many people want their dogs with them for protection when they walk in parks; dogs not under the control of their owners can cause problems for people and other dogs; many children and some adults are afraid of dogs; some owners are more responsible than others in cleaning up after their dogs; too many dogs, leashed and well-behaved or not, can infringe on the enjoyment of other park activities.

Providing adequate facilities for dogs to walk on-leash and to run free is a regional concern that EBRPD will have to address with regard to the entire Eastshore State Park. The planning process should take into account the relative value of wildlife habitat at the various shoreline areas, and the number and distribution of regional park areas allowing dogs, both along the shoreline and inland.

LANDFILL CLOSURE

Since the Albany landfill only accepted relatively inert wastes, such as concrete rubble and construction debris, and no household garbage or industrial waste, a cap may not be necessary. The city has completed a Solid Waste Assessment Test to determine whether the landfill presents any threat to bay water quality. It is hoped that, based on the results of this test, the state closure order can be modified to allow the preservation of positive aspects of the ecology at the bulb.

ACCESS TO THE PARK

As part of the Highway I-80 expansion and the reconfiguration of the Buchanan Street interchange, Caltrans will be constructing a pedestrian and bicycle path from Buchanan and Pierce streets to the west side of the railroad tracks, 1-80, and 1-580. This path should meet the Bay Trail standard of a 14-foot width wherever possible.

EBRPD should involve AC Transit early in the planning process so that the bus district has sufficient time to plan and budget for good service to the waterfront via Buchanan and Gilman streets. Besides the obvious matters of bus schedules, stops, and shelters, the bus district should be consulted on design elements such as automobile and pedestrian circulation, and parking configuration to ensure that buses will be able to move in and out of the area efficiently.

Although likely to be built within the city limits of Berkeley, a new ferry service from San Francisco to a dock at or near the foot of Gilman Street would provide another form of access via public transit to Albany's portion of the Eastshore State Park. Albany supports the development of this service and encourages the EBRPD to incorporate ferry access in its planning.

Despite these efforts, no doubt many park users will arrive by automobile. Parking should be provided at the fringe, but private automobiles should not be allowed within Albany's portion of the park itself. However, access for police, fire, and ambulance vehicles must be provided.

Given that the existing large, paved parking lot for racetrack patrons is seldom filled to capacity, some arrangement should be made to share this space with park users rather than create a separate parking area on park land. If racetrack patrons continue to pay for parking and parking for park visitors is free, some method for separating traffic flow and/or parking areas will be necessary. Alternatively, consideration should be given to charging a parking fee to park visitors as a means of raising operating funds and encouraging other modes of transportation.

Albany's portion of the state park should be closed at night, in keeping with the practice at other regional parks. Any outdoor lighting installed to help visitors exit during the early evening hours should be of low intensity and shielded to prevent glare that might disturb Albany residents in their homes.

PRIORITIES FOR CREATING THE PARK

The following groupings of priorities for developing Albany's portion of the state park represent a desirable order of events from Albany's perspective. High priority is given to those areas that will afford the greatest variety of recreational activities for the greatest number of people.

Priority Group #1:

Construct the Bay Trail.

Create the park on the plateau and the beach, with a link between the two areas.

Convert the parking lot area designated for beach and dune expansion.

Priority Group #2:

Complete landfill closure and address public safety problems on the neck and the bulb, simultaneously developing the park in these areas.

Construct the Bay Trail Spur to the bulb.

Construct the pedestrian path around the bulb, beginning with the segment along the southern edge to the western tip.

Commence vegetation management and plant enhancement on the neck and the bulb.

Priority Group #3:

Establish an interpretive center.

Reconstruct the southern pier.

Convert the horsemen's lot to park use.

CONCLUSION

Following the submission of this proposal to EBRPD, the City of Albany, through its waterfront committee, would like to develop more fully its ideas for particular aspects of Albany's portion of the park, such as interpretive facilities and programs, vegetation enhancement, and the connection between the waterfront and the Codornices, Marin, and Cerrito creeks watersheds. The city would then submit supplemental proposals to EBRPD on these features.

Although this plan includes specific reference only to Albany and EBRPD, many entities will ultimately be involved in the creation of the Eastshore State Park and particularly that portion within Albany. These include:

Bay Conservation and Development Commission
California State Lands Commission
California State Parks and Recreation
Caltrans
Catellus Development Corporation
Citizens for the Eastshore State Park
The Coastal Conservancy
Ladbroke Racing California
San Francisco Bay Trail Project (ABAG)
San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board
Cities of Berkeley, Richmond, Emeryville, and Oakland

Albany submits this plan with pride and anticipation, and sincerely hopes that its effort to build a community consensus for a park on the Albany waterfront will hasten the day when that park becomes a reality.

APPENDIX A

PLANTS OBSERVED AT THE ALBANY WATERFRONT

NATIVES

NON-NATIVES

TOTAL PLANTS OBSERVED: 87

The best representation of natives was on the beach and marshes, where natural recolonization is probably taking place. The marsh gumweed (Grindelia stricta var angustifolia), is on the California Native Plant Society List 4, a watch list for plants of limited distribution. Although locally common around San Francisco Bay, the marsh gumweed occurs only in coastal salt marshes from Marin to San Luis Obispo counties.

(underline = native)

TREES AND SHRUBS

HERBACEOUS PLANTS

GRASSES AND GRASSLIKE PLANTS

AQUATICS

Zostera marina (eel-grass)

APPENDIX B

WILDLIFE OBSERVED AT THE ALBANY WATERFRONT

The following species were reported by reliable observers at the Albany Waterfront between 1975 and 1995. This list includes birds observed in the "Albany Crescent", the portion of the bay between the Albany landfill and Central Avenue; some of these species may actually have been in Richmond, not Albany. Observations were provided by Steve Granholm, Helen Green, DurreH Kapan, Pt. Reyes Bird Observatory, and Emilie Strauss. The list is incomplete, and reports of additional observations would be appreciated (submit observations to the Albany Waterfront Committee, City Hall, 1 000 San Pablo Avenue, Albany, CA 94706).

MAMMALS

BIRDS

Red-throated loon
Pacific loon
Pied-billed grebe
Horned grebe
Western grebe
Clark's grebe
American white pelican
Brown pelican
Double-crested cormorant
Pelagic cormorant

Herons and Egrets

Great blue heron
Great egret
Snowy egret
Black-crowned night-heron

Waterfowl

Canada goose
Green-winged teal
Mallard
Northern pintail
American wigeon
Canvasback
Greater scaup
Lesser scaup
Surf scoter
White-winged scoter
Common goldeneye
Bufflehead
Red-breasted merganser

Diurnal Birds of Prey

Turkey vulture
Osprey
White-tailed kite
Northern harrier
Red-tailed hawk
American kestrel
Merlin
Peregrine falcon

Rails and Coots

American coot

Shorebirds

Black-bellied plover
Semipalmated plover
Killdeer
American black oystercatcher
American avocet
Greater yellowlegs
Lesser yellowlegs
Willet
Wandering tattler
Spotted sandpiper
Whimbrel
Long-billed curlew
Marbled godwit
Ruddy tuurstone
Black turnstone
Surfbird
Red knot
Sanderling
Western sandpiper
Least sandpiper
Dunlin
Short-billed dowitcher
Long-billed dowitcher (?)
Wilson's phalarope

Gulls and Terns

Bonaparte's gull
Heermann's gull
Mew gull
Ring-billed gull
California gull
Western gull
Glaucous-winged gull
Caspian tem
Forster's tem
Least tem

Doves

Rock dove
Mourning dove

Owls

Barn owl
Burrowing owl <>

Hummingbirds

Anna's hummingbird

Kingfishers

Belted kingfisher

Perching Birds

Black phoebe
Say's phoebe
Cliff swallow
Barn swallow
American crow
Bushtit
Ruby-crowned kinglet
Northem mockingbird
European starling
Yellow-rumped warbler
California towhee
Savannah sparrow
Fox sparrow
Song sparrow
Golden-crowned sparrow
White-crowned sparrow
Red-winged blackbird
Western meadowlark
Brewer's blackbird
Brown-headed cowbird
House finch
Pine siskin
Lesser goldfinch
American goldfinch

REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS