EBRPD Board Takes Action to Acquire Point Molate
The East Bay Regional Park District Board (EBRPD) agreed unanimously today to sign on to the Letter of Intent (LOI), a three-party agreement between the City of Richmond, the Guidiville Rancheria of California, and EBRPD, to acquire the 80-acre Point Molate property located on the Point San Pablo Peninsula in Richmond. The city agreed to the LOI in a special meeting Friday, July 12.
The acquisition will ensure that this historic land will be preserved forever as open space and supports EBRPD’s mission of habitat preservation and providing recreation and public access for all.
“Today we are one step closer to bringing Point Molate into the Park District’s impressive portfolio,” said Park District General Manager Sabrina Landreth. “People love this place and we are proud to be part of securing it as a public open space for the community for decades to come.”
This LOI is a precursor to the Purchase and Sale Agreement which will transfer the property to EBRPD no later than January 15, 2025. The LOI includes a purchase price of $40 million, supported by an independent appraised valuation.
“I am pleased that all three parties – the City of Richmond, Guidiville Rancheria of California, and the Park District – have reached agreement on a shared vision for the future of Point Molate that will preserve this stunning bay front land for future generations to enjoy, and promote our common goal of equitable access to parks and recreation. I want to thank State Senator Nancy Skinner for her leadership in securing the $36 million in state funds that makes this acquisition possible, along with our many community partners who have long shared our vision for a regional park at Point Molate.”
Combined with the extension of the San Francisco Bay Trail already scheduled for construction along this shoreline, this historic land is now on track toward public ownership and to provide the type of open, outdoor space the community has come to expect from the Park District.
“The Tribe and the Park District share a common vision of establishing a world-class park at Point Molate,” said Guidiville Tribal Chairman Donald Duncan. “The park to be fully funded by the Tribe was the centerpiece of the Tribe’s original proposal, first accepted but then later rejected by the City of Richmond. There have been no better conservationists of land in this country than Native Americans, having lived in harmony with nature for thousands of years. Our stewardship practices are rooted in deep respect for the environment and a commitment to preserving it for future generations. A critical part of this transaction is the Park District’s commitment to advancing the Tribe’s legacy of conservation and responsible land management.”
The Park District’s 2013 Master Plan and the Bay Conservation and Development Commission’s San Francisco Bay Plan both have called for a regional park at Point Molate. It has been a long-standing vision to have a regional park for all of Richmond and Bay Area residents and to ensure the East Bay shoreline is preserved as open space for all to enjoy. Few opportunities remain to create significant parkland in the Bay Area, especially in the Richmond region.
“Point Molate has been called ‘the most beautiful part of San Francisco Bay no one’s ever heard of,’” said Richmond Councilmember Gayle McLaughlin. “We are now at the point where everyone will come to know Richmond as home to an amazing world-class park at Point Molate.”
Underscoring the support this acquisition has received over the years, State Senator Nancy Skinner championed $36 million in the 2022-23 California budget for acquisition and clean-up of Point Molate.
“This is truly a great day for the East Bay and all of California,” Senator Skinner said. “I am thrilled that Point Molate’s 80 acres will now and forever be preserved as parkland and open space. The acquisition of Point Molate, with its breathtaking views along San Francisco Bay, continues the East Bay’s decades-long mission to protect our bay shoreline. Securing Point Molate within the East Bay Regional Park District is not only an incredible environmental victory, it will also reawaken the area’s significant cultural history, which includes Native sacred sites, a historic Chinese fishing camp, a historic wine port and America’s last whaling station. I was proud to lead the state budget effort to help in the purchase of this property and thank the Guidiville Rancheria of California, the City of Richmond, and the East Bay Regional Park District for their role in securing Point Molate for all to enjoy."