Cal-Coast Development was selected to work closely with City staff, the City Council and the San Leandro community to create a multi-faceted, successful development along San Leandro's shoreline, and Exclusive Negotiating Rights Agreements with Cal Coast were approved by the City Council in October 2008 and April 2012.

San Leandro's shoreline is the aboriginal homeland of the Lisjan (Ohlone) peoples, in the territory of Huchuin. Historically, the area was well-known for the oysters it produced, until the 1906 earthquake released natural oil deposits and polluted the oyster beds. The shoreline was subsequently used as a dump in the 1920s and '30s. In the early 1960s, the city constructed the original small boat harbor, dredging the channels to provide access. The harbor was expanded in 1970-1972, with further improvements in 1984 and 1991.

Using the area as a small boat harbor has posed costly challenges over the years. Natural currents cause siltation, meaning the channel from the harbor to the Bay is constantly filling up with soil or sand. This necessitates frequent, expensive dredging efforts. Keeping the Marina operational has become a costly uphill battle against the forces of natures, with only a small number of boaters able to benefit.

The city began exploring other options for the harbor in 2005 and released a Harbor Basin Alternative Study in 2011. In 2012, the Shoreline Advisory Group was formed. From 2015-2017 the Environmental Impact Review was certified and rezoning was completed. Planning continued for the next few years as the city negotiated terms and lease agreements, held community meetings, and enacted Zoning and General Plan Amendments. You can learn more about the project's background from this presentation to City Countil (PDF).

Shoreline Citizens Advisory Committee (Shoreline CAC)

The development process includes significant input from the Community. In 2008 a Shoreline Citizens Advisory Committee (Shoreline CAC) commenced its first meeting and met at the Marina Inn on select Wednesdays at 7 pm over the course of three years. Meetings were open to the public and all community members were invited to attend and provide input. The Shoreline CAC fulfilled its mission and was disbanded in the Spring of 2011. Read more information on the background and history of the Shoreline CAC including meeting highlights and past presentations.

Shoreline Advisory Group (SAG)

Moving into the next stage of development, a Shoreline Advisory Group (SAG) was formed to continue to provide valuable community input on the Shoreline Development as it moves forward. The SAG is comprised of 21 CAC members who expressed an interest in continuing. Three new members of the community who demonstrated an expertise in design and architecture were added in November 2012. Read more information on the SAG, including highlights and presentations.

Vision

The vision for the development is a comprehensive master plan for the Shoreline area that:

• Provides complementary amenities to the citizens of the City of San Leandro
• Connects the amenities with current shoreline users
• Recognizes the development value of this desirable regional location, and how commercial development can fund public amenities and services
• Addresses logical phasing of development
• Requires little or no City investment
• Results in a Shoreline which is self-supporting