Gallinas Creek: The Main Story

Yet Another Shekou Airport Crash!

No one hurt in crash-landing at San Rafael Airport Jim Staats Posted: 09/14/2009 09:38:08 AM PDT
Occupants of a small plane that crash-landed at the San Rafael Airport Sunday night walked away unharmed, but officials closed the airport for several hours to clean up a small fuel spill. The 1959 Cessna 310 ended up halfway on the runway at about 7:50 p.m. Sunday after coming down without landing gear at the Smith Ranch Road airport, Marinwood fire Capt. John Bagala reported. "It was dark and rainy and they came in and pretty much did a belly landing," said Bagala, noting the plane slid about 200 feet before coming to a stop. Bagala said the unidentified occupants were able to walk away without injury. Airport manager Bob Herbst said Monday it wasn't clear whether the incident was caused by pilot error or a landing gear malfunction. It was yet to be determined if an investigation was necessary, he said. "This wasn't considered a crash," Herbst said, noting the pilot was a tenant of the private air field. "This was a controlled landing with the gear up." Members of the Marinwood and San Rafael fire departments responded to the incident. Fuel leaking from the plane shut down the airport for several hours Sunday night, Bagala said. Contact Jim Staats via e-mail at jstaats@marinij.com

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Gallinas Creek Defense Council Comments

Comment Letter
Exhibit 1 City Council Minutes
Exhibit 2 News Pointer
Exhibit 3 Roumiguier
Exhibit 4 Levee Failure
Exhibit 5 FEMA 93
Exhibit 6 Sea Level Rise
Exhibit 7 Global Warming

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Some of our friends comment letters
Avocet Research
Marin Audubon
BayKeeper
Kamman Hydrology

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DEIR on Airport Development Here

See our video page for clapper rail videos
The San Rafael Airport Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) has been released for a minimum 60 day public review period, beginning March 11th and ending May 12th. During this period, the public is encouraged to review the DEIR and submit any written comments to the City of San Rafael. Oral comments will also be accepted by the Planning Commission during a public hearing scheduled for May 12th at 7pm in the Council Chambers, 1400 Fifth Ave, San Rafael. Send comments to

Kraig Tambornini, Senior Planner
City of San Rafael, Community Development
1400 Fifth Ave, 3rd Floor
San Rafael, Ca 94901

" Mitigation is a more business friendly alternative to strict environmental laws because it allows development to occur where environmental laws might prohibit development."-wikipedia

Nearly a third of US bird species are in trouble. See the full report at
State of the Birds.Federal Report

The State of Coastal Birds
Of 173 bird species that use coastal habitats at
any time of year, 53 are species of conservation
concern and 14 are federally listed as endangered
or threatened. Fourteen of twenty-seven shorebird
species that primarily use coastal habitats have
declined.
Based on 50 species that winter exclusively in
coastal habitats, the indicator shows a steady
increase over the past 40 years, to roughly 20%
above the 1968 baseline. Large increases in Common
Eider, Northern Gannet, Laughing, Heermann’s,
and Western gulls, contribute to this
overall trend. Sea ducks, such as King Eider and
White-winged Scoter, as well as wintering shorebirds
such as Wandering Tattler and Purple and
Rock sandpipers, have shown steep declines.

Development
Nearly half of the U.S. population lives and works
in coastal areas, with resident populations expected
to increase by 25 million people by 2015. More
than 180 million people visit the shore for recreation
every year. These recreational uses often
conflict with the needs of birds and other wildlife.
Conversion of marsh to open water from dredging,
water control, boat traffic, and a changing
climate have caused 93% of the coastal habitat loss
that occurred from 1998 to 2004.

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JOE SHEKOU SLAPP suits Gallinas Creek activists! See our point of view and evidence of a disturbing coziness between a San Rafael City official and the developers in this PDF file Video of the protest that was held on Monday night May 15 can be viewed here Developer Joe Shekou is attempting to build a giant soccer complex on land he owns on the north fork of Gallinas Creek.

Gallinas Creek is located in north Marin County, California
It is slightly north of China Camp State Park. Environmentalists and nearby residents are expressing concern over the implications that such a massive complex will mean for the community and wildlife. The wetlands of Gallinas Creek are home to the endangered clapper rail and salt marsh harvest mouse. The proposed 2.5 acre sports complex sits in the middle of this habitat and is in the pathway of a variety of local and migratory birds, river otters and a wide range of nature enthusiasts. Shekou has a track record of antipathy towards environmental concerns in this area [see: article by Shekou ] The increased traffic, huge paved parking lot, along with the need to build a large new bridge over the sensitive creek are more than the area can endure. At a recent San Rafael Design Review Board meeting, soccer complex proponents attempted to portray their stadium as vital for our kids. They imported a sizable contingent of soccer moms and coaches to lobby the city on their behalf. The Shekou airport location was presented as the only site available. We believe that there is a better place for this.

 

Clapper Rail Video: Jan.1, 2008

Join Big Year to Save Endangered Species in the Bay Area

What is the Airport pumping into Gallinas Creek?

Jan.04, 2008 4:00pm. Gallinas Creek activists spotted the pump at the eastern tip of the San Rafael Airport discharging great quantities of runoff into Gallinas Creek.
The Army Corps of Engineers is being alerted,
and asked to test for water quality. Activists had just filmed a California clapper rail feeding at the pump station a few days earlier.
(see above video post for documentation)

Click To Play

 

Briscoe Letter

Attorneys for Joe Shekou's San Rafael Airport have sent a letter to the Marin County Planning Commission warning of "hazardous wildlife safety impacts" should the airport be included in the proposed baylands corridor. Links to letter here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recent AirPort Crashes

Yet another Bay Area airplane crash story from the April 24, 2007 SF Chronicle

 

Larry Paul, Nov 8 2005 Design Review Board Meeting

A San Rafael Planning Commissioner as the lead designer for the airport soccer complex?

San Rafael Planning Commissioner, Larry Paul,
made no mention of the fact that he sits on this important San
Rafael City board while he made his presentation of architectual
plans for the Shekou airport soccer complex, at the Nov. 8th
2005 Design Review Board Meeting. 85Mb Quicktime video here.
(Larry Paul presentation, from Design Review Board
Meeting: 19 minutes into this 30 min video)



Bob Herbst, airport developer and San Rafael Planner, Larry Paul