Land Use

Point Molate

Diverse coalition helps build future for historic Navy base on San Francisco Bay.

Richmond, CA

KEY PLAYERS

Local elected officials

Environmental groups

Trails advocates

Organized labor

Social justice leaders

Neighborhood councils

CHALLENGE

Point Molate is a historic former Navy base located on San Francisco Bay within the City of Richmond. The site supported the famous Doolittle Raid in World War II and was home to the nation’s largest winery during Prohibition. When Richmond established a plan for the future of the base, SunCal was selected to bring the vision to life, transforming it into an open space preserve, a waterfront park and a wide range of homes built for Richmond families. Previous attempts to develop Point Molate created overwhelming public opposition, so SunCal understood they would face challenges to their plan. Little did they know, a worldwide pandemic was about to make project approval even more difficult to obtain.

GOAL

Secure approval from Richmond City Council for collaborative development plan.

SOLUTION

Given a very tight timeline, 25 years of organized opposition to overcome and an uncertain local political climate, SunCal retained Southwest Strategies to develop, launch and manage a comprehensive political, community and media outreach program. Southwest Strategies achieved quick traction, leveraging our decades of experience moving controversial projects through the land use and entitlement process. The project team was able to unite and organize stakeholders from a diverse group of multicultural, business and labor organizations, securing briefings with dozens of elected officials and community leaders who stood by SunCal and supported the project throughout the approval process. Then COVID hit. With in-person meetings, open houses and facilitated discussions out the door, we developed an all-digital plan to create and communicate with project advocates. We also developed tools to help supporters navigate the new virtual city council hearing processes. Just 12 months after being selected by the City of Richmond, SunCal received approval for the Point Molate vision from the Richmond City Council.