Dredge ponds out, wetlands in
Vallejo City Council approves deal ending controversial project

By Chris G. Denina, Times-Herald staff writer
Wednesday, January 25, 2006

Vallejo Times Herald Wildlife and wetlands, not dredge ponds and dump trucks, will be what Mare Island homeowners see when look past their backyards.

To a 20-second standing ovation, the Vallejo City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a settlement requiring one developer to abandon its plans to reopen Mare Island's dredge ponds and another to give the city and local groups $2.7 million.

The council's action ends a months-long controversy in which some residents protested the city's reuse plans, drawn up before the base closed in 1996. But it also may spark another controversy years from now when the base is fully converted to civilian use, since the deal may hurt the city's chances of reaping a share of the development profits.

Still, city officials and residents said they were glad to settle the matter.

"I think the real winners are the residents of Mare Island and the surrounding neighborhoods," Councilmember Hermie Sunga told the audience in the packed council chambers.

More than a dozen residents spoke out about the project Tuesday. May said they were relieved the city, Weston and Lennar's settlement would leave the ponds closed.

"I think the whole island was ready to fight this issue," said Al Vidal, who lives on Kirland Avenue near a dredge pond. "I just hope you use this energy and make Mare Island a source of pride for the city of Vallejo."

Under the deal, housing developer Lennar Mare Island LLC will pay dredge pond developer Weston Solutions Inc. an undisclosed sum.

Lennar also will pay the city $2 million in cash, then set aside $250,000 in trust for a Mare Island museum group and $250,000 for the city's parks district. Lennar also will give $200,000 or in-kind services to the school district.

All the money would get poured back into Mare Island.

Had the project gone forward, the city stood to take in as much as $7 million in the first decade of operation.

By accepting the deal, the city is reducing its risk in waiting for the dredge pond project to net the city money, said Community Development Director Craig Whittom said.

But it also may create an issue in the future, he said.

Under the pact, Lennar won't say publicly how much it's paying Weston, but will add that figure toward its list of expenses in redeveloping the former military base, Whittom said.

Once Lennar completes the renewal project, the city may be entitled to a cut of the profits, as long as Lennar's profits equal

25 percent or more of its project costs, Whittom said. If Lennar fails to reach that figure, it won't split the rest of the profits with the city, he said.

Lennar's payment to Weston could push Lennar's project cost so high the city won't qualify to share in the profits, Whittom said.

"I definitely have a reservation about this one section," Councilmember Stephanie Gomes said.

But, she added, she supported the settlement for reasons including the residents fighting the project.

"The message is clear," Gomes said.

Before Gomes joined the council, she helped succesfully fight a proposed Mare Island energy plant. In 2003, that council agreed to designate the site as a regional park.

Myrna Hames, co-chair of the Mare Island Restoration Advisory Group, said the city should use some of its settlement money to pay for developing the park.

"I think that's a great idea," Councilmember Tom Bartee said.

Last summer, homebuyers began moving into new neighborhoods, only to see a fence go up around the dredge ponds, cutting into their views of the open spaces.

Some said they weren't adequately informed about the dredge pond project, while Lennar said homebuyers signed disclosures saying they were told about the ponds.

They raised concerns over such issues as their health from living near the ponds and noise from trucks hauling in dredged materials.

"We just didn't need it," said Wendell Quigley, whose Tisdale Avenue house overlooks a pond. "Vallejo is not a dumping ground."

- E-mail Chris G. Denina at cdenina@thnewsnet.com or call 553-6835.