When the now lame duck City Council majority directed a study of alternative uses for Point Molate, it was called a “Sham Hearing on Pt Molate Casino Alternatives” by the Richmond Progressive Alliance (Richmond Progressive Alliance News letter Sept. 17, 2010), and a “rigged process” by Michael Beer (Richmond Confidential, August 5, 2010). The City advertised the process as:
The public is invited to participate in a series of workshops to discuss proposed land use alternatives for the Point Molate site. A feasibility analysis of the proposed alternatives will be included in a report to be submitted to the City Council sometime in December 2010. The City of Richmond Planning and Building Services Department will facilitate three public meetings along with the consulting firm Design, Community & Environment.

Well, it turned out that its detractors were right on target.

The consultant, Berkeley firm Design, Community & Environment (DCE), headed by President David Early and Architect Darrell Caraway were paid by Upstream and pandered to their client loyally, coming up with a fatally flawed report that rivaled the EIR in the worst garbage competition category. The “W” word comes to mind, but I will restrain myself and not utter it.

So what did they come up with”? The only economically feasible use for Point Molate (other than a casino) would be a giant marijuana farm, using the landmark historic buildings as grow houses for weed to supply the local dispensaries.

I could also hardly believe it when I saw the note in the draft : “It was not assumed that historic Building 6 would need to be preserved since most of the DEIS/R alternatives fail to preserve this building.” If for no other reason, This completely undermined the whatever validity the report and its authors might have. I thought the purpose of the study was to look at alternatives, not to parrot the EIR/EIS, which is already fatally deficient.

If you want to read the entire execrable report, click on resulting report and its associated appendices: Appendix A, Appendix B, Appendix C, Appendix D, Appendix E.