Szabo Flier

— by Jeffrey Wisniewski — 11 February 2008 — Comments Off

You may have received the following flier (download it here)…

CRITICAL INFORMATION FOR ALL HERCULEANS

City officials with a secret agenda are hijacking the Hercules Waterfront Development Plan

The Promise: In 2000, city officials and the citizens of Hercules convened a charette that resulted in the creation of the Central Waterfront Historic District, now part of the City’s Master Plan. This is an expression of the desires of YOU, the citizens of Hercules, for a walkable, “New Urban” town on the Waterfront, to feature both residential and commercial development around a train station and ferry terminal. What a wonderful idea!

The Update: Eight long years later, except for the construction of several residential communities, NOTHING HAS HAPPENED (other than the purchase of Parcel “C” by Wal-Mart, which should not have happened … but that’s another story).

The Proposal: The owner of the undeveloped land on the Waterfront, Anderson Pacific, has submitted a New Urban Development Plan for city approval. This plan provides for ample Waterfront parking, an architecturally stunning train station, a ferry terminal, a park, and a continuous Bay Trail along the Waterfront, and has received glowing praise when presented to the Planning Commission. This plan captures the essence of the New Urbanism we all enthusiastically approved back in 2000. But the City is refusing to approve the Plan!

What’s the Problem? City officials are conspiring to abandon the New Urban plans we all agreed to in 2000. Without any public discussion, they want to turn the Waterfront into an “Intermodal Transit Hub.” In other words, a huge Park-N-Ride to serve out-of-town commuters! Under this, the notorious “Szabo Plan,” an ugly eyesore of a Big Box parking structure for over 400 cars (!) would be built RIGHT ON THE WATERFRONT, complete with a four-lane highway. This would (1) destroy the walkable bayside village and scenic views that should be preserved for all citizens of Hercules, (2) cause the removal of the Bay Trail along the shoreline, (3) delay for many more years the rest of a project that is already overdue, (4) result in additional costs that will be born by YOU, the taxpayer, all this so out-of-town commuters can get convenient parking!

WHY? When asked, city officials pretend that there is no Szabo Plan, or that they have never seen it. This is because they know it is political dynamite. And yes, despite their denials, they have seen it. IN FACT, THEY ARE TRYING TO OBTAIN FEDERAL FUNDING FOR THIS SECRET PLAN WITHOUT EVER PRESENTING IT TO THE PUBLIC. At the City Council meeting of Tuesday, February 12, 2008, they will vote on a resolution to authorize seeking federal grant money for the Szabo Plan, but not the New Urban Plan we authorized in 2000! The item will be on the “Consent Calendar,” which means there will be no public discussion unless citizens show up and demand it. They are careful not to call this the Szabo Plan, but that is exactly what it is.

A Convention Center on the Waterfront? A central piece of the Szabo Plan is the building of a Convention Center on the Waterfront. But there are no studies to support the economic viability of the scheme. Where will convention goers sleep? Eat? It is a pipe dream, doomed to be a white elephant, but it is one influential councilmember’s “price” for approving the Waterfront project. THIS IS NOT WHAT THE CHARETTE PROCESS ENVISIONED FOR THE WATERFRONT PLANS. This is an purely personal extravagance on the part of city officials that would require taxpayer subsidies for years to come.

STOP THE SECRET PLAN TO DESTROY THE WATERFRONT. The plans for a walkable Bayside Village that Herculeans endorsed at the 2000 Charette should not be abandoned for a massive Park-N-Ride and Convention Center on the Waterfront! Hercules has ONE CHANCE to do this right – tell your elected officials NOT to sell out to big development interests and to STICK WITH THE PLAN WE ALL ENDORSED!!

SAY “NO” TO SECRET POLITICAL AGENDAS

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

  1. Know the issues. See: www.waterfrontwatch.org for more information. Compare for yourself the Big Box Plan at www.waterfrontwatch.org/szabo with the Anderson Pacific Plan at www.herculesbayfront.com.
  2. Join www.waterfrontwatch.org for latest updates and take a minute to fill out the Transit Center Survey!
  3. Attend the Multi-modal Transit Center Community Meetings and voice your displeasure. Download a schedule of these meetings at www.ci.hercules.ca.us/New/Transit_Center_Meetings.pdf.
  4. Attend the council meeting February 12 at 7 p.m. and let the Council know what you think of the Szabo Big Box parking plan. If you cannot attend, please watch it on television (Channel 28), so you can see for yourself what is going on. Council agendas are at www.ci.Hercules.ca.us/New/Agendas/index.htm.
  5. Email or call and let them know that the Citizens of Hercules are AGAINST turning the Waterfront into a huge Park-N-Ride. Address your emails to Doreen Mathews, City Clerk, who will forward them to the Mayor and Council: doreen.mathews@ci.hercules.ca.us
  6. Keep an eye on City Officials. THEY think they know what is best for YOU. Do they?

-CONTACTS-

-:- -:- -:-

This Notice distributed by “The Hercules Waterfront Watch.”