Local connection to 'Today' show segment

   POINT RICHMOND - A NBC-TV Today show segment anchored by Maria Shriver this morning on Super-Agers (as in preventing aging, not making it happen faster) had a local tie-in to the Body Wisdom Studio on Washington Avenue in the Point business district.
    Katy Bowman, author of the newly published book, Dynamic Aging: Simple Exercises for Whole-Body Mobility, was featured in the video, explaining her ideas about ways for people to keep fit and alert, not matter what age they might be.
 
    Body Wisdom's proprietor, Nancy Allen Burns, is a close associate of Bowman's and teaches something called Restorative Exercise, a Bowman program.
    Burns also conducts a training program for people interested in teaching restorative exercise along with a variety of other health-related classes at the studio.
    In mid-April, Burns will offer a three-hour workshop on dynamic aging.
    For more information check the Body Wisdom website.

'Angled' parking options for The Point outlined Wednesday at PRNC meeting

  POINT RICHMOND - Options for improving parking in the Point Richmond Business District were presented Wednesday night by two City of Richmond staff members.
    Denee Evans and Patrick Phelan outlined three specific ideas, all of which included making Park Place a one-way street - heading from West Richmond Avenue to Washington Avenue.
   The options all suggested changing the parallel parking on both sides of Park Place to having a mix of angled and parallel parking spaces.
    "We have a number of transportation demand challenges ahead," Evans said. "Parking, traffic congestion, enforcement and the impact of pending housing and commercial developments."
 
   The housing impacts Evans was referring to include the already approved Terminal One and Shea Homes projects and the proposed 270-unit condo & townhouses proposed by New West Development Corporation of Las Vegas to be built on Seacliff Drive.
    The first option presented would have angled parking on the east side of Park Place with parallel parking on the west. But under this option, these spots would require drivers to back into the angled parking spaces in front of the businesses.
    "It's trickier backing in. But it's easier to see bicyclists when pulling out," Phelan said.
    The second option had the angled parking on the east side also, but motorists would drive straight in.
    In the third option, the angled parking would be on the west side, with normal parallel parking on the east.
 
   Evans and Phelan also presented a design to improve pedestrian safety on the corner of Railroad and West Richmond Avenues by "squaring up" the intersection.
   The idea of expanding sidewalk areas in front of businesses out into the street to allow for construction of temporary "parklets" was also presented and discussed briefly.

Parking tops PRNC Wednesday agenda

   POINT RICHMOND - A discussion of parking and traffic issues in Point Richmond - with a presentation by Denee Evans of the City of Richmond Transportation-Parking Services - is expected to highlight Wednesday's meeting of the Point Richmond Neighborhood Council.
    The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Point Richmond Community Center and is open to the public.
    Evans made a short presentation to the PRNC in late February about possibilities for a neighborhood parking permit system to help with parking issues.
    Her report - and the question and answer period - was was cut short because of time constraints.
    Her presentation Wednesday is scheduled to begin shortly after 8 p.m.
 
    In addition to parking and traffic matters, the PRNC is also expected to hear a report on the Point Richmond Business Association (made by Daniel Butt), a report on the Arts of Point Richmond (presented by Altha Humphrey), a report on the Masquers Playhouse (by Kathie Kiehn) and an update on the Plunge West Collaborative Projects presented by Maryn Hurlburt.
    The PRNC will also be welcoming the owners of the newly opened Brezo at Baltic Square, Heather Mervine and Hector Hernandez.

    Here is the full agenda for Wednesday's PRNC meeting:

'An evening of wine and words' at Kaleidoscope Coffee Tuesday, April 4

   POINT RICHMOND - The Point Richmond Writers Group is hosting a literary mixer called An evening of wine and words Tuesday, April 4 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Kaleidoscope Coffee, 109 Park Place.
    The event is free and open to the public.
    The Writers Group - the same organization that has a display of published works in the Point
Richmond Post Office window on Washington Street - is putting on the event to create an opportunity for people to meet local authors of fiction, non-fiction, poets, playwrights and journalists all of who live in and around The Point.
    The Writers Group is part of Arts of Point Richmond.
    
   It's also a chance for other writers living in the area to meet members of the Point Richmond group.
    Several short presentations by Writers Group members will be part of the evening.
    Wine, beer, coffee, tea, other beverages - and food - will be on sale.
    Books published by members of the group will also be available to purchase.
 
   For more information about the event, please contact Michael J. Fitzgerald or Sylvia Fox at this email: Point Richmond Writers Group.

Point Richmond Post Office display

PBS's Elizabeth Farnsworth to speak at Kaleidoscope Coffee Friday evening

   POINT RICHMOND - Elizabeth Farnsworth, former substitute anchor for PBS's NewsHour with Jim Lehrer will be reading from her new memoir Friday night at Kaleidoscope Coffee in Point Richmond.
    Farnsworth's new book is titled A Train Through Time: A Life, Real and Imagined.
   The event - sponsored by the Café Society - starts at 7 p.m.
   Ms. Farnsworth will be introduced by Charles Haas, author of The Enthusiast.
   In addition to her work as a broadcast anchor with PBS, Farnsworth has been a filmmaker and foreign correspondent.
   Attendance at the event is free. Beer, wine, tea and coffee - as well as food - will be available for purchase.

Temple Hillel Bagel Brunch next Sunday will feature a talk on volunteering in Israel

   RICHMOND - A bagel brunch open to the community - featuring a talk by David A. Brown - will be held next Sunday (March 26) from 10:15 a.m. until noon at the Temple Beth Hillel near Hilltop.

    In 2015 Brown fulfilled a long-held desire to contribute to the well-being of the people of Israel. He got his wish by connecting with volunteers on a "Sar-El" mission. Sar-El is a non-profit organization open to non-Israeli citizens who wish to participate in national service.

    Brown lived in Israel in barracks on Israeli Defense Force bases. He performed non-combat duties such as packing food and medical supplies, repairing machinery and helping to maintain the bases.

    His talk will center on his experiences - and the satisfaction he says that came from the work.

    A $5 donation is suggested for attendees.

Parking, building heights and rezoning top concerns about Bottoms Quarry project

   POINT RICHMOND - The vehicle traffic that would be generated by the proposed Bottoms Quarry project off Seacliff Drive dominated an hour and a half discussion Wednesday night at a special meeting of the Point Richmond Neighborhood Council.
    An audience of 30 PRNC members and other concerned residents peppered representatives of New West Development Corporation of Las Vegas with questions about how much traffic would be generated and alternatives to having ingress and egress for the 270-unit project off Seacliff Drive.
    Similar concerns were raised at an earlier PRNC meeting, prompting the special session.
 
     New West's Terry Manley declined to speculate on exactly how many daily vehicle trips would be generated by the project, indicating that a traffic study would be part of the environmental impact report preparation and would provide that number.

Residents view project plans before the meeting

    But he said his firm multiplies the number of units times 1.75 to determine the number of vehicles at any housing project. Using that rubric, Bottoms Quarry would have about 472 vehicles at the development.
    Several residents said the traffic generated - when added to nearly 3,000 projected vehicle trips estimated per day from the yet-to-be-constructed Shea Homes project and the Terminal One project - would add greatly to the traffic woes already experienced on Canal Boulevard and downtown, particularly when trains are being shuttled.

    The impact on the already existing problems with parking in the Point Richmond business district were also raised, as were the cumulative impacts on city water supplies and sewer capacity.
    Ken Ryan of the architecture and planning company KTGY Group said his firm is still working on various scenarios for the six acres proposed for development. New West owns 18.4 acres and said Wednesday it will be keep the balance of the property as open space and has no plans for further development at the site.

Ken Ryan, architect with KTGY

    That open space is largely steep hillside, Ryan said, which is why the proposal shows the condominium complex building having a height of 68 to 70 feet.
    The steep hill ensures that no views would be blocked, provided the city approves the exception to Richmond's 35-foot height limitation.
 
    The entire site is currently zoned for parks and recreation.
    But New West's Manley said that his company has had conversations with East Bay Regional Parks and the City of Richmond, both of which indicated no interest in developing the project as parks.
    Manley also said city officials indicated that Richmond would look favorably on a rezoning to allow a housing project.
    "The city said 'yes' it could be changed," Manley said.
    New West also unveiled the idea of having a Bay Trail "staging area" at the corner of Canal and Seacliff, where there would be parking for vehicles and bicycles, picnic tables and restrooms.

Story by Michael J. Fitzgerald