My family has been involved in the Alameda Marina property for more than 30 years, beginning as the owners and operators of Svendsen’s Boat Works, Inc., and continuing as shareholders in Pacific Shops, Inc. (PSI), the current property owners proposing a mixed-use redevelopment of the property.
I grew up in Alameda and continue to be a resident and homeowner. As a result of my family’s history and legacy on the Island, my business interest in the Marina, and ties to the community, I am engaged with the proposed project and the impact it would have on our community.
Traffic continues to drive conversation on the Island
I would like to say thank you to Casey Sparks for his rebuttal (“Infrastructure Needs Update,” July 6) to Eugenie Thompson (“City Needs a Moratorium on New Development,” May 4). Indeed the city does not need a moratorium on traffic.
Alameda is part of an economically vibrant region that benefits us all. But that very strength creates challenges for our residents, including a high cost of housing that makes it difficult for AUSD to hire new teachers and forces many who work in the Bay Area to commute long distances, contributing to freeway congestion and air pollution. Which is why the state of California mandates that its cities help address the severe housing shortage.
Most of us were taught the importance of honesty when we were growing up. Some of us were punished by our parents for not telling the truth. The parable about George Washington confessing to chopping down the cherry tree says it all, that honesty is essential regardless of the consequences.
Eugenie Thomson wrote an opinion piece recently, (“City Needs a Moratorium on New Development,” May 4) and I’d like to respond. She stated that city officials are cooking the books with their transportation demand management (TDM) studies and analyses of the impact proposed Northern Waterfront developments will have on traffic.
