Leona Heights Neighborhood News

by Gordon Laverty

Preserving the Leona Greenbelt is a vital issue to Leona area residents. The Greenbelt is just above Highways 580 and 13 and is defined as the oak-studded green band of trees between Carson Street (Leona Lodge is a good landmark too) and Keller Avenue. The area comprises about 140 acres. What is the issue? The issue is the potential development of all or part of the greenbelt area which local residents have for so long successfully saved as a scenic treasure. Just before construction of the Ridgemont Development at the top of the hills adjacent to Merritt College (in the mid-1960s), a land development group proposed to develop the whole greenbelt area. Then-president of the Leona Heights Improvement Association, S. J. "Bud" Blair, and I discovered the proposal and researched the topography and mining history of the area, which includes the old sulfur mine operations. Our presentation before the Planning Commission and City Council caused these bodies to stop the project and limit it to only the Ridgemont portion. The undevelopable portion became known as the Leona Greenbelt. Why was the unbuildable portion so defined? Mr. Blair's research into the mining history uncovered the facts that, from the mid 1890s to 1934, there were four mines operated in the region, among them the major operation of the Leona Mine above Leona Street near McDonnell Avenue. The mines at first were begun on a "gold find," which turned out to be fool's gold but developed into the period's valuable ore source for industrial sulfuric acid production by what became the Stauffer Chemical Company of San Francisco and Richmond. Blair's study of old records indicated that the mineshafts, tunnels, and large underground excavations included miles of tunnels and underground holes big enough to swallow a Eucyrus earthmover. The process of land development for roads and building sites, could result in significant danger to construction workers, let alone lead to the dramatic plan changes, cost overruns, and delays in such projects. Maps were presented by Blair illustrating potential problems. Proposals for the East Bay Regional Park District to take over the greenbelt were for years stalled by the acid runoff to Leona Creek and into Lake Aliso at Mills College of very low-pH surface water. For years, the Bay Region Water Pollution Control Board staff was unable to find a culpable party to clean up the mine-tailings contamination. The land just sat undeveloped. Then suddenly, in early 2003, residents discovered that a Dr. Collin Mbanugo "had picked up the greenbelt land by paying back taxes" and was looking into development. Residents were and are shocked that such events could happen in the absence of better (or any) public notice sufficient to provide time for discussion. The issue of mine-tailings pollution clean up (and its costs) may slow down any plans Dr Mbanugo has. Neighboring landowners' interest, now stirred, will certainly result in serious objection to any development of the beautiful Leona Greenbelt. Neighbors applaud the recent construction of the fence along Mountain Boulevard by the City Forces and East Bay Job Corps crews, which makes the area safer and helps reduce trash dumping.