Vision for the Albany Shoreline

By Leo Panian

Protecting our unique resource for the future

I have supported and participated in Albany's efforts to establish a community based, informed plan for the future of our waterfront. Our policy decisions regarding the waterfront require broad participation and a basis in sound facts and informed opinions. It's my expectation the visioning process will provide the community with enough understanding of the challenges and opportunities, the costs and the trade offs, for good collective decision making.

I did not support the Magna/Caruso vision for redeveloping Golden Gate Fields. It was out-of-scale and out-of-touch with the needs of the community. It would have negatively impacted local retailers on our main commercial corridors. The project seemed oblivious to natural environment and included no serious consideration to ecological design suiting its location.