What Will Become of Albany Beach?

The city's  hosted a public discussion and brainstorming session Monday night on , following a presentation by East Bay Regional Park representatives and the consultants they hired to come up with a plan for the future. 

During a half-hour breakout session, attendees were invited to submit questions and comments, as representatives furiously scrawled on easels. Milling around the room to answer questions were experts and authorities of every variety: biologists, park rangers, and water quality specialists all were in attendance.

There were two easel stations, one for "Natural Restoration" topics, and the other for "Public Access," but topics on each easel seemed to overlap as members of the public crowded in to reach whichever easel they could. 

"I just came to find out what's happening with the waterfront," said Ann Whitehead, an Albany resident of 21 years. " told me about this meeting; she is the person who has inspired me to learn about what's going on.

"Where did the $600,000 go, down the drain?" she added, referring to the Voices to Vision report. 

Other residents had more specific interests, including kite surfers, kite flyers, and  members. Member  noted that, as far back as 1995, the Waterfront Committee has been telling the park what it wanted.

"But now," she said, "there is money for the Bay Trail," implying that perhaps this time action would be taken.

member Steve Granholm, whose employer LSA Associates is one of the consulting firms working on the feasibility plan, looked pleased watching the activity. 

"This is more people than we expected," he said.

Important beach issues, officials said, include limited sand supply, shoreline debris, drainage issues caused by the privately-owned  paved area behind the dunes, and non-native vegetation.  

The consultants – PWA, Vallier Design, and LSA Associates – are conducting a feasibility study about the beach, due to be completed in April. They said they will incorporate feedback from Monday's meeting and return again in February.

After a brief recap of the , two consultants, Leslie Allen and Marcia Vallier, used colorful charts and slides to describe the current issues at Eastshore State Park, which does not include the , and possibilities for improving public access.

One park official mentioned the city's study, but said the meeting was focused on beach plans only.

There are a host of environmental issues to consider relating to the area.

The steep and rocky shoreline north and south of Albany's beach make it vulnerable to rising sea levels. Without protective measures, the sandy area will become narrower and steeper.

"Heterogeneity is the key to a stable shoreline," Allen said, describing how the "abrupt" existing shoreline of construction debris invites erosion.

She described "living shorelines," which are being used successfully in various East Coast sites, and outlined ways some of these concepts could help protect Albany's beach.

The ruins of the former Fleming Pier, she added, are another consideration. On one hand, the creosote leaching from its timbers damages the water; additionally, the pier might be a navigational hazard for kayakers or other recreational users. However, the pier pilings may provide habitat for wildlife, and the structure may even be considered too historically significant to destroy.

Consultant Vallier spoke briefly about public access improvements, including boardwalks to protect sensitive habitat, improved water access for the disabled and non-motorized watercraft, and closure of the existing gap in the Bay Trail. 

She also touched on the lack of facilities, mentioning potential amenities such as restrooms, more parking, picnic areas, and signage – but at this point, she said, the planners were most interested in what facilities the community was most interested in. 

Dogs were one topic of conversation. Their destruction of native plants was noted, and having time limits for off-leash usage was suggested. Someone also suggested having special times for children (and, presumably, no dogs) at the beach. 

Some of the "specialized communities" of beach users, such as kiteboarders, kayakers, and kite flyers, expressed interest in volunteering for clean-ups, which could help address concerns about trash. Kiteboarders, whose sport requires larger expanses of flat space, said proposed rock groins might interfere with their launching.

Limited parking was listed as a concern for some, but others were more interested in how to get people to the beach without cars, improving pedestrian and bike paths.

The limited beach space itself was a concern; Leslie Allen described the crucial "2.8 acre private parcel" of paved area just behind the dunes, noting that the best thing for the beach would be to acquire it. The potential for this actually happening was unknown, but given the environmental concerns as well as the varied public uses, many agreed that in this case, a bigger beach would be a better beach.

What do you think are the most important needs of the Albany Beach? Tell us in the comments. 

The Waterfront Committee meeting will be broadcast on KALB at noon Wednesday, and at 7 p.m. Thursday. You can also view committee meetings online anytime right here.

Everybody makes mistakes ... ! If there's something in this article you think should be corrected, or if something else is amiss, give editor Emilie Raguso a ring at 510-459-8325 or shoot her an e-mail at emilier@patch.com.