The following is a letter sent by AAPR President Doug Siden to the City Council and Mayor today:
November 3, 2009
Dear Mayor Johnson and Councilmembers,
I am writing on behalf of Alamedans for Alameda Point Revitalization, a citizens group advocating for revitalizing Alameda Point.
AAPR is pleased that the citizens of Alameda will have the opportunity to vote on the proposed plan to redevelop Alameda Point, but we are deeply concerned that the proposed election date of February 2, 2010 will not give citizens the time to make a fully informed decision.
A majority of the Council has indicated support of the plan, but some have very recently expressed concern over certain aspects of the initiative. The City and SunCal are currently in negotiations over these issues. SunCal has committed to resolving these issues, as evidenced by their October 19th letter detailing comments to the initiative election report, and as recently as October 20th, the Council committed to support good faith negotiations and public disclosure of these issues and their resolutions. A February election date effectively precludes these negotiations and their disclosure, as ballot arguments would be due as early as next week.
We ask that the Council show their commitment to good faith negotiations by allowing the time necessary for further negotiations and public disclosure by scheduling a later election date.
The Naval Air Station was decommissioned in 1993 and closed in 1997. The SunCal proposal is the first viable plan that has been created after all these years. It is based on over fifteen years of community input and was developed in partnership with the City of Alameda. The plan offers amenities and economic benefits for our entire community. We should not risk derailing this opportunity by rushing into a February election that stifles further negotiation and public discourse opportunities.
In addition, a February special election requires expenditure by the City of at least a quarter of a million dollars, something we cannot afford right now and something that is not necessary. Scheduling the initiative for an existing election date such as June 2010 would save the City hundreds of thousands of dollars and give citizens the opportunity to make a fully informed decision.
Doug Siden
President, AAPR
510-523-8157
