Revival at dry docks could bring 120 jobs

Read the Environmental Impact Report, everyone. This isn't such a good deal.

Does the EIR say Mare Island to get more toxic materials on land and in the water? If it does, say NO to dry dock work. The Navy left town and Vallejo holding the bag with the cleanup of THEIR mess. Don't let this California Dry Dock Solutions do the same thing. Might be 120 "jobs", but at what price to the community?

That's right - shoot down yet ANOTHER revenue generator! God, I swear I don't know WHAT business would EVER come to this city with the mentality which people who actually read and believe environmental impact reports spew!

It is a SHIPYARD! use it. Don't let the Democrat tree huggers ruin this one too. Remember LMG? yea I bet you do.

The CEQA finding is as follows: The proposed project will not have a significant effect on the environment.

Come on planning commission, let's get off our butts and get to work!

VHS wrote:

The CEQA finding is as follows: The proposed project will not have a significant effect on the environment.
Come on planning commission, let's get off our butts and get to work!

And look who wrote it: the developer. Of COURSE it won't have any "significant" impacts. wink-wink here's that bridge I'll sell you.

VHS wrote:

The CEQA finding is as follows: The proposed project will not have a significant effect on the environment.
Come on planning commission, let's get off our butts and get to work!

looks like another consultant took a look at it as well, made the determination under law, but i'm sure gomes/brown and their friends "know better", or "what's best for vallejo".
going to be a skirmish of the elites and the rest of us!

Anonymous wrote:

<quoted text>
And look who wrote it: the developer. Of COURSE it won't have any "significant" impacts. wink-wink here's that bridge I'll sell you.

this is simply not true. the city's environmental consultant made the determination.
am i wrong, or are you just still a moron?

Worried about a heavy industry being located across from the "waterfront development activity"? IT WAS A MAJOR SHIPYARD FOR OVER 150 YEARS! What a dumb statement. And WHAT at the waterfront is so going to be affected? Sounds like another reason to keep business out AGAIN.

Anonymous wrote:

<quoted text>
And look who wrote it: the developer. Of COURSE it won't have any "significant" impacts. wink-wink here's that bridge I'll sell you.

Mitigated Negative Declaration prepared by City of Vallejo planning division,
Reviewed by Turnstone Consulting SF,
Final EIS/EIR was approved by the city council,
MI specific plan approved by the city council,
LMI's master plan approved by the city council.

Waiting on approvals or already approved are:

Bay Area Air Quality Management District permits,
Department of Toxic and Substance Control permits,
Solano County Environmental Health permits,
Regional Water Quality Control Board permits,
US Navy Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) License,
Army Corp. of Engineers permit,
EPA clearance,
San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission clearance.

What other false information would you like to share this morning?

VHS wrote:

<quoted text>
Mitigated Negative Declaration prepared by City of Vallejo planning division,
Reviewed by Turnstone Consulting SF,
Final EIS/EIR was approved by the city council,
MI specific plan approved by the city council,
LMI's master plan approved by the city council.
Waiting on approvals or already approved are:
Bay Area Air Quality Management District permits,
Department of Toxic and Substance Control permits,
Solano County Environmental Health permits,
Regional Water Quality Control Board permits,
US Navy Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) License,
Army Corp. of Engineers permit,
EPA clearance,
San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission clearance.
What other false information would you like to share this morning?

my sense is the word "concerned" will be tossed about a lot tomorrow by people that are against this for any number of reasons.
i'm concerned too, that we will let another opportunity slip past because the kind of jobs here aren't right for "v-town"!!

There is no way any of you not in my back yard VIB destructionists will stop this project from going forward. You can continue to attempt to put a negative spin on this by deliberately lying and distorting the facts concerning it. But what you fail to realize is that you are preaching to deaf ears. Those ears are of the blue collar residents of Vallejo, many whose families worked in that ship yard. These are what Vallejo is really made up of, not a handful of people who came here with a misconception of Vallejo that they are not satified with. Next time you move somewhere do some research about the demographics of the city.
You can,t move in and try to take over by pushing aside and disregarding what is the back bone of what made Vallejo thrive and by disrespecting those who were part of it.
This is the reason there is no unity in Vallejo. Groups like VIB and people like Stephanie Gomes and Marti Brown only have a vision based upon what they do not want. Which has divided Vallejo even more.

The reopening of these dry docks isn't just an opportunity to create revenue and jobs, it is a class war between blue collar folks and white collar VIB yuppies.

The dry docks will be operated in accordance to thestandards of the United States Environmental Protection Administration. Those standards will not even come close to the maximum levels of noise, water and air pollution permitted.
If you want to know the truth concerning this then please come to the public hearing tomorrow at 7pm at the City Council Chambers.

I am the only candidate who has been openly advocating for this and have done so for over two years.

A vote for Brown and Gomes will only represent the handful of rich people who think they know qhats best for Vallejo but are only concerned with their narrow visioned idea of what is best for them.

It's time for Vallejoans to say no more to this by supporting the reuse of our rich marine industrial heritage and by not supporting Brown, Gomes and the anti labor anti everything mentality they represent.

Election day can be a new beginning or a new end for VallejoM

Please get out and vote and please come to the public hearing.

Thank you and God Bless You.

Sam Kurshan

Sam Kurshan: I do read the VIB, but don't think of myself as a VIBer (whatever that means). I never got the impression that the VIB was anti-business.

Anyway, I'm in favor of industrial development on Mare Island, not deluxe homes or golf, so the ship breaking plan makes a lot of sense to me.

I was really hoping for the LNG terminal and the power plant to go with it. Just think: we wouldn't need a UUT at all with that kind of economic development, and possibly get bargain electricity and gas in the bargain! But the NIMBY's won! Another reason for a blighted city.

[Post 13, the Combined Cycle Power Plant for Mare Island got lost in the LNG terminal proposal. There is still not adequate power, especially North of G Street, to fully grow MI commercial capacity.]
I am concerned that the restoration of Vallejo's heritage industry will be lost in arguments over ship dismantling. The CDDS proposal will establish Mare Island Shipyard for new builds, repairs and conversions also. Staff reports indicate they are also committed to establishing an apprenticeship program for shipbuilding trades (that's where I started).
Although I have been extremely critical of the City's direction post closure, staff, and Lennar in particular, it seems the paradigm has shifted with regard to the best economic model for all of Vallejo.
Staff and Lennar have done their homework here, and new rules and performance bonding requirements will not allow "another Pegasus".
The community meeting following the drydocks tour a while back assured attendees that CDDS has all the risk here. If they fail, the city and asset manager Lennar will not be on the hook to return the drydocks to pre-lease conditions. In fact, this use will provide essential maintenance to the dock components as well as restart offshore dredging for maritime commerce. This triggers Corp of Engineers legal obligation to maintain ship channels for marine commerce just like at other port operations around the nation.
The Philadelphia NSY reuse master plan cited by Rand as the model for other former naval bases to follow is evidence of the success of mixed use development. Now Philly is leveraging the ARRA grants and incentives to grow even more. 7500 jobs now, with 20,000 projected at maximum build out.
Same capacity as MI, closed about the same time, but putting the residential component at the end of the line.
http://navyyard.org/
Here's Charlestown NSY
http://www.friendscny.org/
There is no reason Mare Island cannot be like these examples. Business and investor confidence must start with this venture, in my opinion.
A new course for Vallejo must be set by the Planning Commission tomorrow.

Kurshan for City Council wrote:

handful of rich people

Hahaha! Are we talking about Vallejo? Rich people? That's funny!

That is just what vallejo needs, it would help the economy and get rid of the eye soars. but if you know vallejo, they will find some reasion not to go ahead with the plan to help improve the economy of this once great town

Yes a new one horse town, and when they pull out...
Notice two ships are going to Tex already.
We need to look to the future not the past. Well maybe we can make buggy seats.

There is good reason for people to be concerned, because in the bad old days, ship dismantling was a horrible operation. But that was then, and since then, there have been new regulatory agencies created to monitor and ensure that the old mistakes are not repeated. And there are new technologies for containing and minimizing hazardous materials.

For the proposed Mare Island projects, noise and environmental hazards are specifically addressed. The proposals look very good for controlling and preventing airborne contamination. And occupational safety has come a long way in the last 50 years. They say there will only be a day shift, so noises shouldn't disturb anyone at night. The State and Fed also have an interest, as well as many of us who walk the waterfront. The whole plan looks like a good use for the Mare Island drydocks.

All who are concerned should attend the Planning Commission meeting Monday evening, November 2, 7 PM at City Hall. That's tonight.