Martinez Tribune The website of the Martinez Tribune.
The East Bay Regional Park District has acquired 82 acres at Point Molate on the Point San Pablo Peninsula in Richmond, ensuring the shoreline property will be permanently preserved. The land was purchased from the Guidiville Rancheria of California, a federally recognized Indian tribe, for $40 million.
“This is a remarkable milestone for the entire Bay Area,” said Park District General Manager Sabrina Landreth. “Thank you to our partners who have supported the goal of preserving Point Molate as public parkland and helped make the acquisition possible.”
“Acquiring the property is a huge step toward creating a new park at Point Molate,” said East Bay Regional Park District Board Director Elizabeth Echols. “This acquisition provides a rare opportunity to create a park on stunning bay front property and preserve its environmental importance and significant cultural history, including Native American sacred sites, a historic Chinese fishing village, and Winehaven, which was once known as the world’s largest winery.”
“Many thanks to our partners, elected leaders, community members, and Park District staff for working tirelessly to further our shared vision of developing a world-class park at Point Molate for current and future generations to enjoy,” Echols added.
Partnership and Funding
The Park District’s 2013 Master Plan and the Bay Conservation and Development Commission’s San Francisco Bay Plan both identified Point Molate as a desirable site for a regional park. For decades, residents and community leaders have envisioned transforming this historic shoreline into a park that preserves natural resources and expands equitable public access to the Bay.
In July 2024, the Park District, City of Richmond, and Guidiville Rancheria of California signed a letter of intent outlining a shared commitment to preserve the property. A Purchase and Sale Agreement was executed on Nov. 24, 2024, and the Park District formally completed the acquisition on Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2025.
Former state Sen. Nancy Skinner secured $36 million in the 2022-23 California budget, which was administered by the California State Coastal Conservancy as a grant to the Park District in November 2024. The remaining funding came from the Park District’s voter-approved revenue measures AA and WW.
“I am thrilled that Point Molate will now be preserved forever as public parkland and open space, and very pleased that the state funds I secured were pivotal to the Park District’s ability to purchase this beautiful land right on our San Francisco Bay and rich with historic and cultural significance,” said California Energy Commissioner and former state Sen. Nancy Skinner. “My thanks to the Guidiville Rancheria of California, the City of Richmond, and the East Bay Regional Park District for their role in protecting Point Molate for all to enjoy.”
“The acquisition of Point Molate for public access is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create parkland and shoreline access in the heart of the San Francisco Bay Area,” said California State Coastal Conservancy Executive Officer Amy Hutzel. “East Bay communities have been working toward this goal for many years and today we are taking a monumental step forward. We are very excited to work with East Bay Regional Park District to protect this amazing stretch of bay shore.”
Planning and securing funding for development of park amenities is expected to take several years and will include significant public engagement.
Point Molate Bay Trail Extension Project
On Aug. 1, 2025, the Park District, City of Richmond representatives, and community leaders celebrated the start of construction for the Point Molate Bay Trail Extension Project. Once completed, the new 2.5-mile segment will connect the City of Richmond’s Point Molate Beach Park to the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, providing access to the existing bike and pedestrian path on the bridge. The extension is a major step forward in expanding public access to Point Molate and enhancing regional connectivity along the San Francisco Bay Trail. The project is a partnership between the Park District and the City of Richmond, which owns 1.25 miles of the 2.5-mile trail extension project area. The Park District is leading design, permitting, and construction of the trail.
