The Oliva and Szabo show includes several attempts by the City Manager (Nelson Oliva) to paint the AndersonPacific plan in negative light. AndersonPacific has since responded to all of the potentially false claims.

Note: These are notes taken by a resident of Hercules during a meeting with a representative of AndersonPacific.

1. AP has accepted the offer by the city for loan to rehabilitate the historic clubhouse at Railroad and Main. Mr. Oliva acts as if they ignored this offer.
2. The City currently has the geotechnical studies analyzing the soil conditions relevant to the the City’s proposed transit station design and location. If necessary, AP can verify the documents the City has. Approved entitlements currently exist on four blocks located on the landside of Bayfront Boulevard. To reach the next level of planning, all that is required is a supplementary environmental document called a Mitigated Negative Declaration. Of the two blocks that AP controls, preliminary plans have been submitted to the City, however were rejected because of the uncertainty of where the Transit Station will be located.
3. If the City intends on building a rail platform, Refugio Creek will need to be straightened out and a new culvert will be installed for its realignment. When the creek is straightened out, the land where AP is proposing to place their Transit Station will be available.
4. AP had been meeting with the City every week until suddenly the City announced their intention to relocate the Transit Station to the opposite side of Refugio Creek. This was a big surprise to AP. They expressed their concerns to the City regarding this location and explained why it doesn’t work with their master plan.
5. The parking requirements Mr Oliva claims are lacking in the AP project is misleading. AP places parking in several lots near the waterfront, which is in line with Governmental Transit Parking Guidelines and the New Urbanism philosophy, rather than in a “big box” parking garage as described in the Szabo plan. AP has committed to provide all the required transit parking.
6. AP Phasing plan is amendable, unlike the picture Oliva paints. In fact they approached the City about building a temporary parking lot to accommodate the parking demand while they start developing the rest of the project. Finally, the location and construction of all the public parking for the transit in AP’s plan was directed by Mr. Oliva.
7. AP has plans for the Point, however the Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC) has not modified the existing restrictive covenant on the land that only allows commercial and industrial uses. Additional modifications will be required to the General Plan to allow any park to exist on the Point. Planning the Point will require the involvement of several additional regulatory agencies that are not currently involved in the Creek restoration, contrary to the City’s claims.
8. Pedestrian access should occur at the center of the railroad platform, according to Union Pacific. The Szabo train station plan is located at the end of the train station platform which requires a exceptionally long pedestrian ramp to meet the UP requirement.
9. AP places certain buildings on the other side of the creek to take advantage of treated (surcharged) soil.. Szabo’s plan has not analyzed the soil conditions, wrongly claiming they don’t have the soils reports.
10. The city’s sudden departure and drastic design changes to AP’s proposed masterplan has caused AP to stop the planning and environmental work on the site. AP will continue working on the project once the design and location of the Transit Station fits within the Central Hercules Plan Guidelines.
11. The sewage pump station CAN be located in the basement of the AP Transit Station. Alternatively, the City can move the pump station. AP has no problems with this.
12. The Multi-Modal Transit Station building that AP is proposing is an architecturally distinct building located in the center of the waterfront commercial district. Its placement acts as an anchor, attracting commuters and residents to the local shops, restaurants and cafes. In contrast, the Szabo plan moves the Transit Station away from the commercial district, thereby isolating it from the waterfront retail and effectively isolating commuters from spending money there. This isolation could cause the waterfront commercial district to fail.
13. Community space is available in the AP plan, and does not require building a separate center/parking garage to accommodate this type of space. Although Szabo’s plan was designed to accommodate a what they say is a better space for different types of meetings, the AP plan currently has these types of spaces. Changing an existing plan to accommodate space already provided for seems to be a foolish idea.

These are things to think about while the Oliva and Szabo show continue their run through Hercules. The good news is that a few of the upcoming presentations will include AndersonPacific, and the developer may be able to respond to any false accusations that Oliva makes on the spot.