Bay Trail, Dog Policy Talks Pick Up at Waterfront Panel Meeting
Even with Berkeley Lab on the shelf, the conversation about the waterfront doesn't rest.
Ruby and Willy at the end of Albany Bulb
Kendra Luck, Dogumentarian
Photos (2)
Photos
Monday's special meeting of the Albany Waterfront Committee was the group's first session since last week's postponed decision by Berkeley Lab regarding its proposed second campus project.
Several committee members speculated, during the Nov. 28 session, on the reasons behind the decision and what it may mean for the future of Albany's waterfront.
Group Chairman Francesco Papalia said he thought the lab's goal was to give Albany more time to prepare.
"But of course, that's my own personal opinion,” he said.
The five-member group had invited Whitney Dotson, who represents Albany on the East Bay Regional Park District Board, to brainstorm about ways Albany and the Park District can work toward common goals, including a plan for Albany Beach set to include the Bay Trail.
This and other plans, such as the potential for incorporating the Albany Bulb into Eastshore State Park, are on hold due to the possibility that Berkeley Lab may one day have its second campus on the land that now features Golden Gate Fields racetrack.
Dotson said EBPRD is "waiting to see what happens" with Berkeley Lab, but that Measure WW funds offer a "significant amount of money" for waterfront development.
Measure WW is a bond extension, totaling $500 million, for Alameda and Contra Costa counties.
Dotson said there is $27 million dedicated to Eastshore State Park: $1.8 million of it for acquisition, $1 million for the construction of the Bay Trail and $4 million for other development.
Residents from Albany, Berkeley and El Cerrito spoke during the public comment section of the evening, sharing their views about what might become of the waterfront.
Paul Kamen of CDAWGS expressed concern that, if the Park District took over Albany Beach and the Bulb, it may be the end of the current unofficial off-leash dog policy.
Mary Barnsdale of El Cerrito echoed his concerns, stating that, from her observations, dog owners comprise 35 percent of park users.
“We need more unstructured open space, not more picnic benches,” said Barnsdale.
She was met with disagreement from Papalia, who advocated for more structured space to allow for activities and shared uses of space, whether it be for running dogs, playing children or kitesurfing adults.
Dotson seconded that sentiment: “All uses cannot be accommodated in one small area. There's enough room in the overall Park District for everyone to be satisfied.”
There did seem to be universal agreement about the necessity of the Bay Trail for Albany.
“We want the Bay Trail. There's no ifs, ands or buts that the Bay Trail has to be completed,” said Papalia.
Since many of these decisions remain dependent on the outcome of the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab decision, Papalia, along with other committee members and speakers, urged the community to get involved in the decision process and let their voice be heard.
The next opportunity will be the meeting of the Golden Gate Fields Task Force on Sunday, Dec. 4, at 6:30 p.m.
Read more about dog policy talks in Albany here.
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If there's something in this article you think should be corrected, or if something else is amiss, call editor Emilie Raguso at 510-459-8325 or email her at albany@patch.com.
In This article
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Golden Gate Fields Task Force / City Council Meeting
December 4, 2011 at 6:30 pm -
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Peggy McQuaid
9:35 am on Tuesday, November 29, 2011
One important correction, the Albany beach is part of the East Bay Regional Park District. General park rules state: "No dogs or other animals are permitted at any swimming pool, beach, wetland or marsh, or designated nature study area". While this is not being enforced at this time, it is important to remember this is the policy of the EBRPD.
lubov mazur
9:58 am on Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Francesco also said recently that dogs are not allowed with or without leashes on any "bathing beach", meaning where people go in the water. One exit north on 580 there is spacious fenced dog park on the shore with a path where bicycles are not allowed. The bike community does not complain about this restriction, but the courtesy does not extend the other way.
Taylor
10:32 am on Tuesday, November 29, 2011
With all do respect to the above postings this is NOT a beach that anyone in their right mind would use for sun bathing & picnics. EBRPD may have rules about No dogs/other animals permitted at the swimming pool, beach,wetland or marsh and natural study area" As does city of Albany has laws about camping:
8-4.4 Camping.
No person shall loiter, camp or lodge in any park, recreation, open space, waterfront or Albany Hill area. No person shall set up tents, shacks, sleeping bags or any other shelter within any park, recreation, open space, waterfront or Albany Hill area for the purpose of overnight camping. No person shall leave any tents, shacks, sleeping bags or any other shelter, structure or specialty vehicle to be used or could be used for overnight camping, including but not limited to house trailers, camp trailers, camp wagons, and any other mobile or stationary camper in any park, recreation, open space, waterfront or Albany Hill area. The restrictions contained within this section shall not apply to programs sponsored or co-sponsored by the City. (Ord. #99-02, §1; Ord. #99-07, §1)
So basically EBPR and city of ALbany are both not following their own rule that they have set up.
My problems is with the illegal squatters. They are making it very dangerous place to go to (no matter what size your dog is) . I have found needles on the beach.
There tends to be someone always yelling in a violent manner/
Taylor
11:04 am on Tuesday, November 29, 2011
By the time I get there in the morning they must be coming off whatever they are on. I no longer go in the back. As the illegal squatters are getting more and more in your face about walking through 'their home'. I wish the city would kick them out. The Bulb is not set up to run like a homeless shelter that it has become. They is no running water/ bathrooms and the the fire they set , I am sure are not legal. Just recently the Provo out break that took the life of 3 illegal squatters dogs. The illegal squatters refuse the free help from Jill from Paw fund. That could have save the dogs life. Yet, they are putting all the dogs that use the park at risk . Provo is highly contagious ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canine_parvovirus). When will the city say enough is enough? What will it take for them to clean it up and clear out the illegal squatters? I have given up hope and i am just passing through Albany, I would not call this place my home. It's a damn shame that they will not clean it up. It could be a nice place. It has lots of funky art and the beach is nice to run the dogs. Again it's not a human beach by far and if anyone disagree they need to get out of their Albany bubble and see what a real beach looks like. Until then we have this beach/bulb area that has been taken over by squatters that have rules so far outside the norm. Unfortunately it's going to take something major to get the city off their ass to do something about this. Maybe a OD/death or something.
Amber Whitson
1:50 pm on Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Oh, "Taylor", where to start... And how to NOT be offended by your highly inaccurate and hate-riddled posts...?
I'm going to try my best to stick to as few words as I can. For diplomacy's sake...
First off: I challenge you to find one single coastal cleanup effort, held anywhere, that didn't include a number of hypodermic needles, found along the shore. Don't you remember, hearing about "medical waste" being dumped in the oceans?... In, like, the 80's?...Hell, *I* pick them up, *all the time*..
Also, I don't particularly care for the yelling either. However, one of the residents, out here, is grieving the loss of her husband, youngest child, mother, and now, her puppy. All within the past 2 years! I would be pretty distraught, too, if I were her.
Which brings me to my next facts...
The 3 puppies who died, were poisoned. They did not die of Parvo. That's "Parvovirus." Provo is a park. All of the puppies who died were suffering complete renal failure, vomiting, swollen gums etc. Those are the classic signs of poisoning, according to what the Berkeley Animal Shelter vets told the owner of the first puupy who died, and Jill Posener, who *was* there. Do you even *know* Jill? Have you even *met* her? Do you have her phone number(as many of us, out here on the Bulb, do?... 'Cause, maybe you should ask her, yourself, if there was anybody out here who refused her help with their poisoned puppy's... She did all she could. And NOBODY refused ANY of her help.
Amber Whitson
1:59 pm on Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Also, "Taylor", the fires, that you question the legality of, are either used for cooking or for disposing of trash. Perhaps, if the city were willing to put some sort of trash recepticle out here, those of us who clean this place would have a better way to dispose of the remnants, of less responsible ex-residents former campsites, in a healthier way...
And, as for our, supposed, "rules so far outside the norm"... There is a group of us, out here, who have love, and respect, for this land. And our rules simple: Respect this place, and those who use it (humans and animals, alike), or GET OUT! We enforce those "rules". If you don't believe me, why don't you ask the woman who put poisoned treats out for the puppies? I'm not sure where she lives, nowadays. But I do know that it was US, and nobody else, who made her leave.
Paul O'Curry
2:11 pm on Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Why unleashed dogs need to be restricted..... they chase the birds. In the long term the best place for a dog run would be around the proposed Pierce Park. Maybe two runs ...one for small and one for large dogs.
Diana Besemer
3:04 pm on Tuesday, November 29, 2011
I too have given up walking at the Bulb. It is a garbage dump and that is all my dog focuses on. Last year she was attacked by a dog belonging to a homeless person. I have called the police about campers, broken glass, fires left unattended and yet nothing is done. I spoke with a council member about all of this and her reply was that she rides in a police car with a policeman and talks with the homeless. What good does that do??? If the city truly wants the Berkeley Lab they are going to have to clean up this mess and find permanent housing for these folks.
Jim Beller
11:15 am on Wednesday, November 30, 2011
I added an illustration to the article - Blue the Labrador addresses the commission. I've joked about Albany having a beach for the dogs but not the children, but honestly, picnic tables won't make kids want to swim there and leashed dogs can't romp in the surf or chase sticks.
Emilie Raguso
11:30 am on Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Jim, I hope you'll add this as a separate blog item so I can feature it. (Also, those who enjoy Jim's illustrations can see them on his blog here: http://albany.patch.com/users/jim-beller/blog_posts)
Caryl O'Keefe
11:24 am on Wednesday, November 30, 2011
The Dec 4 joint session agenda of GGF TaskForce and Council should include discussion of open space at Albany's waterfront. Identify who is going to pay for maintaining more open space so it is enjoyable by those willing to follow the rules. Demonstrably, neither Albany nor the park district has funds, nor political will, to enforce their own rules on 80+ Albany waterfront acres they already own. WW funds aren't for ongoing maintenance. Estimate the cost of ongoing maintenance of new open space - will taxpayers pay it? If that cost has to fall on the property owner, then add those $$ costs to the tax and other revenues Albany gets from development. Talk also about how acres for open space is the flip side of acres for revenue-generation. What are realistic tradeoffs among amount of new open space, amount of current public-and-for-most-unusable waterfront open space, and amount for revenue-generation? For example, could 5 fewer acres of open space at GGF, in exchange for 5 more acres that generate revenues, fund transformation of 5 or more acres of the 30+ Albany owns at the Bulb into something useable by most? We need realistic and thoughtful consideration of facts, ideally at the Council level as there is no substitute for well considered policy decisions.
Jill Posener
9:27 am on Thursday, January 5, 2012
I take issue with Taylor's comments about parvo virus at the Bulb among residents dogs. He wrote "Just recently the Provo (his spelling) out break that took the life of 3 illegal squatters dogs. The illegal squatters refuse the free help from Jill from Paw fund. That could have save the dogs life. Yet, they are putting all the dogs that use the park at risk . Provo is highly contagious" Taylor is flat out wrong. There was a parvo outbreak in early 2010 and the residents welcomed my help. We have not seen ONE case of parvo in a Bulb resident dog since. Recently two pups died of liver failure, but they tested negative for parvo. Liver failure could occur because of leptospirosis which could be in the water puddles down there, a result of the feces of wildlife contaminating it, or it could be some of the mushrooms there, or other toxic contaminant. Parvo it was not. I work closely with residents of the Bulb and their pets are usually vaccinated, often spayed and neutered and the resistance of one resident to let me take the sick pup to the vet was because of her fear that he would inevitably die at the vet. Given that we knew it was not parvo, I felt that her desire to home-treat the pup were understandable. I'm happy for people to talk about PAW FUND and what we do to ensure the pets of the houseless and low income community members are healthy and safe, but please - no unnecessary lies and panic mongering. Check out what we do on Facebook, or our website www.pawfund.org