Open space debated for saltworks site

By Dana Yates
Tuesday, June 5, 2007

The former Redwood City Cargill salt processing facility about the size of the Presidio being prepped for major transformation was a hot topic last night as the community expressed an interest in open space, playing fields or preservation.
Whatever that transformation of the 14,000-acre site will be has yet to be decided or even formally planned. Rather than come to the city and its residents with a development plan, property owner Redwood City Industrial Saltworks is taking the pulse of the community with a series of five public meetings. Approximately 150 people attended the third in that series last night.

The meeting focused on recreation and open space needs and there was easily as many ideas for the property as there were residents. Members of the sports community argued for additional playing fields while others claimed the majority of the property should remain open space.

The overwhelming response from residents has Industrial Saltworks trying to imagine ways to fit everyone’s needs on the property while keeping in mind that some of those needs include not developing the site at all.

The property is considered important wetlands in the San Francisco Bay. At one time it was part of a plan fostered by U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein for the federal government to purchase and restore endangered salt flats. That plan eventually dropped the Redwood City salt flats from preservation and instead will preserve some land in the South Bay for a price tag close to $100 million.

The importance of the land is not lost on residents who applauded activist and environmentalist Ralph Nobles when he reminded the crowd that the U.S. Congress once voted that the property was once important to the health of the San Francisco Bay.

The land represents “the last developable and restorable” salt flats on the Peninsula, said Holly Van Houten, executive director of the Committee for Green Foothills.

The property represents a two-mile gap in the Bay Trail, which circles the San Francisco Bay, Van Houten said.

Meanwhile, youth sports is growing in Redwood City and residents are happy to be faced with the opportunity for more playing fields. Those advocating for more athletic facilities said they could deal with some development in return for less trouble booking playing fields.

The property is the size of approximately 50 Red Morton parks.

Still there are residents who live in mobile home parks near the property who fear any development will push them out of their homes or create too much traffic.

“A lot of people live there and can’t afford to live anywhere else,” said mobile home park resident Charlene Carpentier. “All the people out there are concerned about another freeway going near where we live.”

Industrial Saltworks has conducted nearly 300 informal meetings with neighborhood associations, residents and businesses to understand the will of the community. It sent out a mail-in survey to all Redwood City residents and received a 14 percent response. It will continue meetings through the end of the year and likely present a formal application to the city sometime next year, said Vice President John Bruno.

At that point, the company will undergo the public hearings required by the city.

Dana Yates can be reached by e-mail: dana@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 106.

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