The fate of Treasure Island Music Festival and other events slated at West Oakland’s Middle Harbor Shoreline Park is up in the air after the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) sent a cease-and-desist order to the Port of Oakland, according to the BCDC’s enforcement committee.
The 40-acre park with views of the San Francisco skyline has become a popular destination for large-scale gatherings in recent years. It’s part of the Port of Oakland, and is overseen by the BCDC. Environmental watchdog groups say that festivals at the park, some of which attract tens of thousands of attendees, have noticeably harmed its terrain.
“Even a month after [Treasure Island Music Festival], you could still see the damage that was done to the park’s landscape and sprinkler system,” Save the Bay Executive Director David Lewis told the San Francisco Chronicle.
Furthermore, the Port of Oakland violated its agreement to obtain permission from the BCDC before closing the park for paid events, often turning in its plans late or neglecting to submit them altogether. Advocates say that these closures to the general public deprive local residents of access to one of the neighborhood’s few parks.
“BCDC staff has communicated the issue over the years with the Port,” read the BCDC’s enforcement committee meeting minutes from July 11. “Nevertheless, these special events continue to occur without BCDC approval.”
