Category Archives: Environment

What's Your Stance on the A's and Patterson Ranch?

By 4 commentsAthletics, Environment

Patterson Ranch and the Oakland Athletics possible move to Fremont are arguably the two biggest issues facing the Fremont City Council of late. The incumbents have nothing on their web site about either of these important issues.

On both of these issues, it’s not surprising that the incumbents don’t want to discuss these. For Patterson Ranch, they’ve both taken campaign contributions from the land owners. On the A’s, they spent a lot of money and staff time investigating the issue in secret knowing there would be significant opposition.

My opinions on these matters are made clear by the following:

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Patterson Ranch at the Planning Commission

By Development, Environment

Meeting Continues Next Thursday, September 30, 7:00 p.m., Fremont City Council Chambers

The Planning Commission met last Thursday and the Patterson Ranch project was the main item on the agenda. There were many speakers, including a number of them Ardenwood residents, that spoke passionately about their dislike of the project. My comments were basically that this is not a project that Fremont needs. It will not help our economy, it will not bring jobs, and it will hurt our schools.

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Sierra Club Endorsement Press Release

By Endorsements, Environment

Below is the Sierra Club’s Press Release announcing their endorsement of me.

Vote for Vinnie Bacon, a Club leader, for Fremont City Council

For over five years Vinnie Bacon has served on the Executive Committee of the Sierra Club’s Southern Alameda County Group, as treasurer and then for the last year-and-a-half as Group chair.

He was and is one of the main green activists in the long battle against the Patterson Ranch development next to Coyote Hills Regional Park. He was one of the first citizens in Fremont to speak out against the massive development proposed as part of the Oakland A’s ballpark village that Fremont’s City Council hoped to build next door to the Don Edwards Wildlife Refuge. Vinnie is running a clean money campaign by refusing any donations from big developers, and has challenged his opponents to do the same. Unfortunately the two incumbents have not risen to the challenge, and will continue to be heavily funded by big developers, including the Patterson family.

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Friends of Coyote Hills Endorsement Press Release

By Endorsements, Environment

The Friends of Coyote Hills issued a press release about their endorsement of myself and Kathy McDonald.

Friends of Coyote Hills Endorses Bacon and McDonald for Fremont City Council 2010

Fremont, CA, September 23, 2010 – Friends of Coyote Hills, a group of concerned citizens working since 2001 to protect open space around Coyote Hills Regional Park, has voted to endorse Kathy McDonald and Vinnie Bacon for Fremont City Council in 2010.

Vinnie Bacon and Kathy McDonald have the intelligence, background, and courage to stand up to the special interests that so often drive decisions in Fremont. Vinnie has been a leader in the fight to stop the massive development at Patterson Ranch next to Coyote Hills, and Kathy was a key player in the successful effort to stop the financially unsound stadium project.

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