San Leandro Marina Alts Study_Final

Home

2. Alternatives Considered spend the evening at one of the Marina hotels. Pending development of landside facilities, public restrooms would be provided in the southeastern corner of the Harbor Basin. The existing boat launch, just southeast of the Harbor Basin, would remain in place. This boat launch would allow boaters access into the South Basin. Although some initial dredging would be necessary to establish this alternative, the Harbor Basin would be entirely self-sustaining with no maintenance dredging being required on an on-going, long-term basis. In the event that less fill or funding is available to create the proposed wildlife islands, a reduced amount of fill could be used to create smaller islands, with additional fill provided naturally over time through natural sedimentation. Nature Park Altemative The Nature Park Alternative would focus on establishing a diverse wetland environment at the Harbor Basin for passive recreational and outdoor learning / environmental educational opportunities and would not include a beach.4 The Nature Park would instead be a place for visitors to engage with the water and wildlife and serve as a complement to the more urbanized shoreline surroundings. As part of this alternative, all existing slips and most pilings would be removed. Similar to Alternative 2, the basin would be dominated by a series of wildlife islands, marsh areas, and other vegetative and water -related features. The entire rip -rap shoreline of the basin would be backfilled to create a natural shoreline appearance and a vegetation transition from upland to wetland habitats (see Figure 2-4). A pedestrian bridge at the entrance to the harbor, which would allow for access by kayaks and/or canoes, would create an approximately 0.75 -mile -long loop trail. The perimeter trail would be designed for multiple uses and would be constructed to Bay Trail standards. A series of interpretive points / outdoor learning stations would be set up along the perimeter pedestrian promenade, some extending over the water via a boardwalk. A Nature / Interpretive Kiosk (as well as some signage along the perimeter trail), constructed at the southern edge of the basin, would provide educational enrichment to harbor visitors. An at -water level outdoor classroom and harbor access point would be located on the north side of the kiosk. The kiosk would include a small canoe/kayak rack for use by local school groups and organizations, unless such amenities are provided as part of land - side development at the boat -launch ramp. Interpretive and vista points around the basin would also be conducive to passive recreational activities, such as bird watching and photography. Non -motorized boating, such as kayaking and canoeing, would continue to be possible from the existing boat launch, just southeast of the Harbor Basin. This boat launch would be retained in its existing place and would allow boaters access into the South Basin. Non -motorized boating would be permitted within Harbor Basin. Public restrooms would be provided along the southern edge of the Harbor Basin. 4 A beach would require support services, such as maintenance trash collection and police protection services. It is assumed that those are not feasible with this alternative. San Leandro Marina Harbor Basin 2-7 ESA / 210461 Alternatives Study March 2011