Questions remain, but dry dock plan wins Vallejo OK

Questions remain, but dry dock plan wins Vallejo OK
By Jessica A. York
Posted: 11/05/2009

Will Vallejo workers be hired first? Will the city be hit with new air, water, soil and noise pollution? How will re-opening a Mare Island shipyard affect future island development?

These and other concerns about a proposed Mare Island ship and marine company were spread thinly amid a mostly supportive and near-capacity crowd at Vallejo City Hall Monday night.

After nearly four hours, the Planning Commission unanimously approved the project, proposed by California Dry Dock Solutions.

Monday's approval was the final city approval needed for the company, which intends to seek contracts to scrap Suisun Bay decommissioned naval ships inside two of Mare Island's mammoth dry docks.

The operation, still seeking regulatory agency permits and a site lease, could employ up to 120 people and begin as early as summer 2010.

The public spoke about Mare Island's military history and suitability for the dry docks, job creation and new city revenue, and ancillary benefit to Vallejo businesses. Even some Mare Island residents spoke in support of the venture.

Planning commissioners, along with residents, questioned the California Dry Dock Solutions executives on their ability to compete with other national ship recycling companies and project details.

Commissioner Bruce Gourley led Mare Island developer Tom Sheaff, of Lennar Mare Island, to agree that little other long-term development is fitting for the property surrounding the dry docks.

"I don't believe that there are any viable uses that can come in that are not heavy marine-related," Sheaff said.

Commissioner Landis Graden responded to concerns that the company may not prioritize the hiring of Vallejo residents. "We're trusting them with asbestos, PCBs. I think we can trust their word that they're going to hire local," Graden said.

While one speaker described the marine project as a "perfect storm of opportunity" for Vallejo, others felt developer Lennar Mare Island, which owns the dry docks, had unfairly pushed another project aside.

The nonprofit Historic Ships Memorial at Pacific Square organization has been grappling for years for funding to bring the USS Iowa, moored with the other mothballed ships -- to a permanent Vallejo home as a museum. Merylin Wong, president and director of the group, pleaded with commissioners to specify alternative locations on Mare Island for the Iowa, if not at the dry dock area.

More information on California Dry Dock Solutions is available online at www.californiadrydock.com.

Contact staff writer Jessica A. York at jyork@timesheraldonline.com or (707) 553-6834.