December 16, 2022   https://1000friendsphb.org/  

1000 Friends Protecting Historic Benicia, 501c3, is leading the campaign to Defend the Arsenal. We will continue to update you on Change.org while the new website is being completed.

Please visit https://1000friendsphb.org// to see the progress.

Donate to our campaign - send check to:

1000 Friends Protecting Historic Benicia

PO Box 193,  Bencicia, CA  94510

 

December 7, 2022 Update:

 

"1,000 Friends PHB" files lawsuit to block Arsenal development. 

http://beniciaindependent.com/local-non-profit-sues-city.../

 

October 1, 2022 Status Update:

The City of Benicia has received a letter dated September 30, 2022, from our attorney to challenge the City’s decision to deny a hearing for the appeal of the two SB35 projects approved on August 26, 2022, in the National-Registered Historic District, the Benicia Arsenal. From Doug Carsten’s letter: “The City denied the appeals based on a faulty interpretation of Civil Code Section 21151”. This is the first of a number of errors the City made during the review and approval process of the projects we will expose.

We appreciate your interest and support to DEFEND THE ARSENAL! Stand by for updates.

What Is At Stake?  

1,412 citizens have signed the petition protesting the August 26, 2022 approval of 15 massive condo buildings covering 8 acres of Lower Arsenal open space. The Jefferson Ridge landscape will be erased. The surviving Arsenal's 19th-century buildings will be dwarfed. 121 units of high-density housing on this site is a reckless decision based on historic preservation, environmental hazards, and compatibility and continuity of a mixed-use zoned district.

The 2nd project on Park Road is two-three stories looming over the 19th-century Victorian style, Jefferson Street "Officer's Row". No reasonable person would consider a 19-unit, high-density, utilitarian-as-designed project appropriate for this site. 

Every professional we have consulted - city planner, architect, historian, - is stunned by the decision. Thirty years of land-use studies costing the City at least $500,000 are forgotten. Decades of work by the Benicia Historic Preservation Commission, including a January 2021 update, is cherry-picked for “objective standards” required for project approval. 

Citizens are flabbergasted when they realize what is proposed: "This is crazy, how did this happen? "Isn't a National-registered district protected?" "Are we appealing to the state and federal officials?" 

Environmental hazards from the refinery, port, and industrial sites, less than ½ mile away, remain unmitigated.  Zoning and land use conflicts are being rationalized away by the City on the narrowest of support.

Our Assemblymen, Tom Grayson, wrote legislation stipulating that the Benicia Arsenal is exempt from streamlined development.  Unfortunately, the bill is still in committee at this date.

Who Are We? 

BAD - Jefferson Street Officer’s Row neighbors; “Benicia Arsenal Defense”. BAPTF - Benicia Arsenal Park Task Force (aka “Historicals”) 25-year fight to preserve the historic landscape and buildings of the Arsenal District.

Individual citizens within BAD/BAPTF contributed $7,500 to date to retain experts in the law.  We ask for your donation to offset ongoing legal costs. 

I am a resident in the Arsenal District helping coordinate the fund/friend-raising activity.  Please support the campaign - DEFEND THE ARSENAL!