Tiburon approves changes to bayside land purchase
The Richardson Bay Sanitary District has lowered the price and size of a waterfront property it is selling to Tiburon.
The deal involves four decommissioned water recycling ponds at 500 Tiburon Blvd. between Blackie's Pasture and McKegney Green. The sanitation district asked to modify the sale agreement to preserve its access to utility buildings that are not being sold.
The initial price was $600,000 for 38,000 square feet of the property. The new offer is 32,820 square feet at $573,704.05.
The Town Council voted unanimously to approve the change at its meeting on Dec. 7.
The town is in the midst of implementing a closure plan and study on the property. It plans to revert the property to recreational space and is seeking a consultant to develop a master plan for the area.
“This is a culmination of a very important effort by the council to complete a missing puzzle piece in our open space,” said Councilmember Jon Welner.
“I can only apologize, it's taken so many years,” he said. “But I think we're close.”
Councilmember Holli Thier said the closure of the ponds and the expansion of open space would benefit future generations.
“I don't think anything is going to go wrong, I'll be the eternal optimist,” she said. “We don't often get that opportunity to do something that is just fantastic and great.”
The town entered into a contract for $79,000 with EKI Environment & Water Inc. in Daly City in February to prepare a closure plan and conduct soil and groundwater sampling.
EKI will provide a draft closure plan for review by the Town Council in January, a staff report said. Over the next months the plan will be reviewed by agencies including the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board. Sampling and analy
sis is expected to last until May and the closure will be official around summer.
The closure plan will indicate the additional costs required to remediate and fill the ponds. The agreement includes a termination clause for the town should the cost be considered too great.
The cost of the closure plan remains unknown, though the city has made an estimate of $150,000 to $200,000 to grade and fill the ponds.
The council has earmarked $800,000 of American Rescue Plan funds for the project.
The ponds and the surrounding industrial site were once used as a wastewater treatment plant. The plant was decommissioned by the Richardson Bay Sanitary District in 1983, according to the sale agreement. The plant is not included in the sale.
The council directed staff to work with the Parks, Open Space and Trails Commission to develop a request for proposals for a consulting firm that will develop a master plan for the Richardson Bay Lineal Park area at Blackie's Pasture.
The town has heard presentations to establish sand volleyball courts at the site, among other ideas.