UPDATE: Measure N did not pass in the June 2016 primaries!
This June, residents in the City of Richmond will be asked to weigh in on Measure N—a developer-drafted ballot measure that would overturn the City’s plans for compact infill development along the waterfront and instead approve an inefficient, unsustainable development project. Greenbelt Alliance urges the residents of Richmond to vote NO on Measure N.
In 2012, Richmond adopted a smart general plan which calls for the area along the waterfront near Marina Bay to become a walkable neighborhood with new homes, shops, and entertainment. There are also plans for a new ferry terminal to zip residents to and from their jobs without traffic or congestion. This area is surrounded by a growing economic center that includes the Craneway Pavilion—a historic, 45,000-square-foot event center, waterfront restaurants, and the Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park.
Now, a local developer is trying to convince voters to throw out this sustainable vision and lock in approvals for his own project, called the “Richmond Riviera,” which dramatically slashes the number of new homes from 625 to 59, and turns a walkable neighborhood into auto-oriented sprawl.
Greenbelt Alliance, city staff, city councilmembers, and community groups have raised significant concerns about the developer’s project including:
- Increasing car use, traffic, and pollution
- Negative impacts on the revitalization of the waterfront
- Undermining the viability of the nearby ferry terminal, slated to open in 2018
- Negative effects on city revenue
If Measure N passes, it would set a dangerous precedent. It would overturn the city’s vision and approve the developer’s project outright—eliminating any opportunities for public input.
Richmond already has a great plan for creating a thriving and vibrant neighborhood around its new ferry terminal—don’t let Measure N derail those plans. This June, vote NO on Measure N in the City of Richmond!
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See the full Greenbelt Alliance Bay Area Voter Guide.
Photo: TJ Gehling via Flickr
