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Thanks in part to the efforts of Dave Fielder. The East Bay Regional Park District has awarded a construction contract for improvements to the rigging area, path and breakwater that will increase the ease of using the site. Construction is expected to start in mid-September and be conclude by October, 2018.  
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 Photo by Kevin Kan. Unfortunately, ferry riders liked the new pavement just as well as windsurfers and kayakers, and got there earlier. Windsurfers arrived to find the parking lot full on numerous occasions. SFBA has worked with the City, who has met with the two ferry operators and instructed them to have their customers park elsewhere, and things have improved. Long term parking designations are in the works for next year.
Did you suffer last week without the Crissy Cam? So did we, and it reminded us that it is time for an upgrade to the old technology! The San Francisco Board Sailing Association (SFBA), along with generous sponsors, has supported the Crissy Field Web Cam at East Beach for over twenty years. Maintenance and housing of the camera has been the result of a positive partnership with the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy. This camera is a valuable tool to sailors, law enforcement, the Coast Guard, and other federal agencies, in addition to daily water users who check it many times a day! The time has come for a complete upgrade of hardware and software. This will result in a huge increase in performance, usability, and reliability. The SFBA has identified a reliable vendor who has been approved by the Parks Conservancy to assist with the new install. The $4120 cost for this upgrade will include the camera itself, updated software, and installation costs: $2500: New camera -- the Axis Q6055 (HD 1080p and 32Xs zoom) PTZ camera $1500: Software and installation costs $ 120: fundraiser expense We have set up a gofundme campaign here: https://www.gofundme.com/crissy-webcam-upgrade please visit and donate. Thank you for your support! San Francisco Board Sailing Association P.S. – Join the SFBA!!!! How often do YOU check the Crissy Webcam?! The Crissy Webcam is brought to you by the San Francisco Boardsailing Association (SFBA), a volunteer, non-profit organization dedicated to boardsailing access and safety. Now would be a great time to join or renew your SFBA membership! http://www.sfba.org/membership.html  SFBA and other SME are working to prepare a letter to California State Lands Commission to provide feedback on conceptual designs and plans for 410 Airport Blvd. our goal is to ensure kite-boarding is considered and accommodated for. We have a deadline of July 23rd and will keep the community posted.  On July 6th, 2018 we were happy to welcome Supervisor David Pine and his respected team: Michael Barber and Samuel Hosmer, and also with them Jennifer Liu of Foster City Park Planning.
Our respected Site Stewards - Mandi Browning, Robert Tillman and Tony Parsons were there to greet the team and show the sport. Mr Ben Botkin our trusted ally in ABAG ran the meeting very efficiently and ensured all aspects are discussed. The results, in the words of Micheal Barber: "Thank you for the excellent presentation and tour of the kite surfing site last Friday. I was already very excited by the potential of the site based on my first visit in March. That enthusiasm is now shared by Supervisor Pine, along with Hilary and Marcus, from the San Mateo County Office of Sustainability. At this point in time, we will need to strategist internally and discuss in more detail with Jennifer and other staff in the city of Foster City. As we discussed during the tour, we will need to identify who would be the lead agency for this project going forward. This will take a few weeks. We will circle back with you as soon as we have more information to share with you." The SFBA has been working with Metropolitan Transportation Commission, and its consultancy firm, ICF, to ensure that Kiteboarding is accommodated for and considered in the EIR regarding the Toll Plaza area.
The Final EIR was released by MTC in early July 2018 and can be found on the MTC web site: https://mtc.ca.gov/our-work/plans-projects/recreation-open-space/gateway-park We would like to point you to several additions and changes that we were able to achieve in the FEIR and Responses to Comments
Construction may start in August. The beach area should partially re-open by the end of this year. The new parking lot and “open area” will remain a construction zone for the Bay Trail work which will continue into fall of 2019. The beach, new restrooms and overlook will all be accessible during this period."   SFBA would like to thank everyone who submitted letters to Peter Lee, Assistant Director, Bay Area Toll Authority, regarding our kiting community’s usage of Royce’s Beach and our need to protect and enhance access there.
As you may recall, the The Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) has issued a draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for Gateway Park, which includes Royce Beach, called Radio Beach in the report (known to us BoardSailors as "Royces Beach" or "Toll Plaza"). While parts of the EIR call for allowing existing uses—"Radio Beach would remain accessible to the public as under current conditions.”, the EIR designates the site for passive recreation. We cannot imagine any form of recreation more active than kiteboarding. Further, the EIR calls for fencing of the area to the east of the beach, and identifies a need for only five (5) parking spaces. Because these proposed infrastructure changes would make it very difficult to use Royce Beach for kiteboarding, SFBA is working with Toll Authority representatives to amend their plan. As the Environmental Review and planning process progresses, SFBA will keep the Boardsailing community updated! SFBA Board would like to thank the many people who took the time to submit information about various kiteboarding and windsurfing sites to be used for the Bay Water Trail program. There have been 14 submissions so far and these will be used as we work with ABAG to augment the water trail with our favorite spots
The San Francisco Bay Area Water Trail is a growing network of boat launching and landing sites, or “trailheads,” around the San Francisco Bay. The Water Trail’s network of sites encourages awareness of facilities, programs, rental concessions, and other information to help non-motorized small boaters and boardsailers have safe enjoyable days on the Bay. The Water Trail Project Management Team has representation from four state and regional agencies with mandates to act in the public interest for the entire San Francisco Bay Area: State Coastal Conservancy (Lead Agency); Bay Conservation and Development Commission; Association of Bay Area Governments / Metropolitan Transportation Commission; and, California State Parks, Division of Boating and Waterways. See more at http://sfbaywatertrail.org/ The SFBA had been working with other user groups on getting this California Senate Bill amended to exclude wording that would have swept up non-powered sailing into criminal law concerning powered watercraft.
Proposed Senate bill has now been amended to exclude non powered watercraft. Here is the amended legislation for California Senate Bill 1247 dated April 2, 2018 https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB1247 This legislation will close some loop holes that only really applies to the Sheriffs jurisdiction on inland lakes regarding water skiing, wake Boarding behind power boats. And Jet Skies. |
AuthorsSFBA Board Archives
June 2019
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