Livermore, CA – Senator Steve Glazer, D-Orinda, and Assemblywoman Catharine Baker, R-San Ramon, urged the state Parks Department to work with local stakeholders to consider selling land currently set aside for the Tesla property expansion of the Carnegie Off-Highway Vehicle recreation area in Livermore, CA.
In a letter to Lisa Mangat, the director of the Department of Parks and Recreation, the two East Bay legislators said that the sale of the property could recoup some of the growing costs in what has been a protracted and expensive process to expand the recreation area.
“This would be an opportunity to get money back at the earliest possible date and enable the off-Highway Commission to find more suitable and affordable land for these recreational pursuits,” Glazer said.
The 3,000-acre Tesla property, purchased in 1998 for $9 million, is facing four lawsuits challenging the property’s final environmental impact report. It is not known how many potential sources there are interested in purchasing the property, but one such group that may have funds to buy and preserve east Alameda County lands such as Tesla is the Altamont Landfill Settlement Agreement Open Space Fund.
“Costs associated with the Tesla expansion will continue to grow as we wait for projects to come together and as legal expenses and delays mount,” Baker said. “We encourage the department to work with all interested parties, including off-road enthusiasts and environmental groups, to see if a consensus can be reached. Selling the property is one option that should be carefully considered.”
