A local group, Friends of Crown Beach, is stepping up efforts to stop a housing development on government surplus lands adjacent to Crown Memorial State Beach in Alameda.

The group hopes to place a ballot measure on the November 2014 ballot that would rezone the Neptune Point site from residential use to open space, the letter says

At issue is a short
 stretch of McKay Avenue, which provides
 access to the Crab Cove interpretive center that sits at the eastern edge of
the largest stretch of public beach on
the San Francisco Bay.

The federal General 
Services Administration (GSA) is threatening to use its eminent domain powers to assure utility services for
 the Roseville (Placer County) developer that outbid the East Bay Regional Park for the Neptune Pointe site.

State Attorney General Kamala Harris’ office recently sent a letter to the U.S. Department of Justice about GSA’s eminent domain threat to seize the street and sidewalks of McKay Avenue.

“We are extraordinarily troubled by GSA’s intent to take public land for a private developer’s benefit,” Deputy Attorney General John Devine wrote.

In a letter to their supporters, Friends of Crown Beach wrote: “Despite many emails to council members, letters to the editor, newspaper commentaries and even a recent editorial in the Chronicle, our plea to preserve Neptune Point for public use has been soundly ignored by our City Council and City Manager.

“Therefore, we believe it is paramount that Alameda voters voice their wishes in next November’s election. At present, we’re awaiting our attorney’s final language on our ballot measure. Then, after the city signs off, we’ll order the petitions and begin collecting signatures,” it said.

The group hopes a successful ballot measure would lay the groundwork for the East Bay Regional Park District to acquire the site, which is slightly less than four acres.

Friends of Crown Beach and the Alameda Citizens Task Force held a campaign kick-off meeting Wednesday, Jan. 15, at Alameda Hospital.

More information is available at http://friendsofcrownbeach.com/ and its Facebook page.

http://alameda.patch.com/groups/elections/p/friends-of-crown-beach-to-kick-off-campaign-to-place-neptune-point-zoning-on-november-ballot

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