For Immediate Release
Contact: Felix Rodrigues Lima
Phone: 818.731.0649
E-Mail: farodrigues.lima@gmail.com
Alliance fights to restore your access to the Bay
San Francisco Bay Stewardship Alliance Urges BCDC
To Adopt Westpoint Harbor Settlement
Statement from Bob Wilson, SF Bay Stewardship Alliance Co-Founder“On October 26, the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) and Westpoint Harbor announced a proposed settlement that would resolve a years-long dispute. The Alliance supports the settlement and recommends approval by the BCDC’s commissioners.”
“Westpoint Harbor claimed that BCDC is abusing its enforcement authority and has improperly threatened draconian and unsupported penalties and injunctive relief. While the settlement appears to be a positive step, the fact that a private party was forced to spend millions of dollars to defend itself and a public agency devoted limited resources to a dispute that should have been avoided is troubling. This follows on millions of dollars wasted in the Buckler Island litigation, which BCDC lost at the trial court and where the court described BCDC’s enforcement tactics as ‘vindictive.’ None of this is in the public interest.”
“As the State of California continues to investigate BCDC in its audit, the Alliance urges the State Auditor to look closely at BCDC’s conduct with respect to enforcement actions. Based on information currently available in the public domain, it appears a major overhaul is needed in the leadership of the BCDC, its governance, and oversight process.”
“The Alliance continues to fight for the release of public records, which BCDC has refused to produce for months. In response to a motion filed by the Alliance, the San Francisco Superior Court recently entered an order directing BCDC to comply with certain requirements of the Public Records Act. BCDC has also produced some additional documents in response to the lawsuit, but continues to hide other records, such as e-mails and text messages.”
About San Francisco Bay Stewardship Alliance
The San Francisco Bay Stewardship Alliance are local citizens and employers who care about our Bay. We promote informed conservation and responsible development of the San Francisco Bay shoreline to benefit the community at large so that it can be enjoyed now, and in the future.
The Alliance formed in 2018 to mount a significant legal and legislative challenge against the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC), currently the subject of a state legislative audit, for going beyond the scope of its mandate.
Visit us at http://www.BayStewards.com.
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