Mar 13, 2024 Legislative Committee

[00:00:07]

THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT ON TODAY, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 13TH, BEGINNING TODAY AT 10:30.

WOULD YOU TAKE ROLL CALL?

[Roll Call]

HERE. DIRECTOR ECHOLS.

PRESENT. CHAIR WAESPI.

HERE. PARK DISTRICT STAFF COORDINATORS IN THIS MEETING INCLUDE DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER, DR.

ANA ALVAREZ.

PRESENT AND CHIEF OF GOVERNMENT LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS, ERICH PFUEHLER IS SITTING HERE.

HERE. TODAY'S MEETING IS BEING HELD PURSUANT TO THE BROWN ACT.

STAFF IS PROVIDING LIVE AUDIO AND VIDEO STREAMING.

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WISHING TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMENT MAY DO SO BY SUBMITTING AN EMAIL, LEAVING A VOICEMAIL, OR JOINING LIVE VIA ZOOM WITH THE LINK PROVIDED IN THE AGENDA LOCATED ON THE DISTRICT'S WEBSITE.

IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MEETING PROCEDURES, WE WILL BEGIN.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

SO OUR AGENDA STARTS WITH THE APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES OF THE DECEMBER 15TH AND THE JANUARY 10TH MEETING, AND FOR TODAY'S MEETING, I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A POINT OF PRIVILEGE.

[Approval of Minutes - December 15, 2023 & January 10, 2024]

THE JANUARY 10TH IS NOT IN OUR PACKET TODAY, SO WE'LL APPROVE JANUARY 10TH IN AT OUR NEXT MEETING.

SO DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE DECEMBER 15TH, 2023 MINUTES? OKAY.

I WASN'T ON THE COMMITTEE, SO I'LL LET YOU DO IT.

SO MOVED. WE HAVE A MOTION, AND IF YOU WEREN'T ON THE COMMITTEE, I'LL SECOND.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES OF THE DECEMBER 15TH MEETING, SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. OPPOSED OR ABSTAINED? YOUR CHOICE. ABSTAIN. OKAY, WE HAVE ONE ABSTENTION AND WE'LL MOVE NOW TO PUBLIC COMMENTS.

NO PUBLIC COMMENTS.

ALL RIGHT THEN INTO OUR ACTION ITEMS.

[Action Items]

EXISTING TRAILS FOR NATURE ACCESS.

WELCOME, LISA. THANK YOU.

GOOD AFTERNOON OR GOOD MORNING.

EXCUSE ME, LISA BALDINGER, LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY MANAGEMENT ANALYST AND I'LL BE INTRODUCING THIS ITEM AND COORDINATING WITH DISTRICT COUNCIL JASON ROSENBERG ON THE UPDATE. SO AB 2091 IS BEING AUTHORED BY ASSEMBLYMEMBER TIM GRAYSON OF THE PARK DISTRICT'S DELEGATION, AND IT'S BEING TITLED THE EXISTING TRAILS FOR NATURE ACCESS BILL.

THIS IS A BILL THAT WAS INITIATED BY EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT IN REFLECTION OF SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE HAD THROUGH THE CEQA PROCESS FOR LAND ACQUIRED FOR PARK AND OPEN SPACE PURPOSES, AND SO OUR ASK TODAY IS TO TAKE A FORMAL SPONSORSHIP POSITION.

NOW THAT WE HAVE A BILL NUMBER AND TITLE, IT IS EXPECTED TO GO BEFORE THE NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE ON MARCH 19TH, AND SO TESTIMONY WILL BE PROVIDED TO GIVE GREATER CONTEXT TO THE BILL, BUT FOR SOME BACKGROUND, I'LL TURN IT TO JASON.

THANK YOU, LISA.

JASON ROSENBERG, ASSISTANT GENERAL COUNSEL.

YEAH, THIS LEGISLATION EFFORT WAS REALLY IT'S REALLY A TEAM EFFORT BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS, ASD SPECIFICALLY THE PLANNING DIVISION AND LEGAL.

THROUGH MY WORK WITH THE PLANNING DIVISION, WE IDENTIFIED A NEED TO ADDRESS SOME SHORTFALL IN BEING ABLE TO GET PUBLIC ACCESS QUICKER ON CERTAIN PROJECTS WHERE WE ARE, WE OWN THE LAND ITS EXISTING TRAILS, ROADS AND DISTURBED AREAS, AND THE GOAL IS JUST TO GET THAT AREA OPEN QUICKER AND IN WORKING WITH PLANNING, OFTENTIMES WE HAVE AN INTERESTING DISCUSSION THAT IS LIKE WE'RE NOT TOUCHING THE DIRT, WE'RE NOT DOING ANY CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.

WHY DOES THIS NEED A FULL EIR? BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE LAW IS STRUCTURED, WE RECOGNIZE THAT, YOU KNOW, AS A PARK DISTRICT , THERE'S NOT ALWAYS A PERFECT FIT FOR THE WAY THE CURRENT LAW IS STRUCTURED, AND WE WORK TO GET THIS BILL IN PLACE, AND THIS WAS, YOU KNOW, ONCE LEGAL AND PLANNING IDENTIFIED THE NEED, THE LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS REALLY JUMPED IN AND STARTED TO ADVOCATE, AND WE GOT GRAYSON TO SPONSOR THIS.

I KNOW THE BOARD IS FAMILIAR WITH THIS BILL, AS YOU'VE BEEN BRIEFED ON THIS BEFORE, BUT WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO HAVE IT AT THIS LEVEL WHERE WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVEN'T INTRODUCED WE'RE READY TO GO TO COMMITTEE ON TESTIMONY AND GETTING THE BOARD'S OFFICIAL SPONSOR POSITION.

SUPPORT OF THAT WILL BE HELPFUL AS WE MOVE FORWARD, AND YEAH, WE'RE OFF TO THE RACES.

WE'RE GOING TO START TO HAVE COMMITTEE TESTIMONY SOON.

IF YOU HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ABOUT IT, LISA OR I ARE HAPPY TO ANSWER THOSE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, BUT THAT'S KIND OF THE BACKGROUND AND HOW IT KIND OF CAME TO BE WHERE WE ARE TODAY. THANK YOU.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS ON THIS?

[00:05:02]

I'M VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS PROPOSED LEGISLATION, AND REALLY I'M EXCITED THAT WE'RE AT THIS POINT, AND SO THANKS TO THE STAFF FOR GETTING US HERE AND AS WELL AS ASSEMBLYMEMBER GRAYSON FOR BEING WILLING TO SPONSOR IT.

VERY. I THINK THIS IS WE'RE IN GOOD SHAPE.

IT'S GOOD LEGISLATION.

THANK YOU. OH, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY, I DO HAVE ONE QUESTION.

SO SINCE WE'RE SPONSORING THIS, IF IT WERE TO GET AMENDED OR CHANGED IN A WAY THAT WE DIDN'T LIKE, CAN WE PULL OUR SPONSORSHIP? THAT MIGHT BE AWKWARD, BUT.

EXCUSE ME. SO THE PROCESS FOR AMENDMENTS WOULD THAT THEY WOULD BE SHARED WITH EAST BAY PARKS IN THE PROCESS FOR OUR PROPOSAL, AND SO IF IT ENDED UP BEING THAT AMENDMENTS WERE MADE THAT WE NO LONGER FELT COMFORTABLE WITH, IT'S LIKELY THAT THE AUTHOR WOULDN'T CONTINUE TO MOVE THE BILL FORWARD, BUT RATHER WE WOULD EXPLORE WHAT'S POSSIBLE FOR A FUTURE PROPOSAL.

PERFECT. OKAY.

THANK YOU.

COLIN, ANYTHING? NO, WE DID GET TO DISCUSS THIS WITH ASSEMBLMEMBER GRAYSON WHEN WE WERE ALL UP IN SACRAMENTO AND SOME OF THE OTHER LEGISLATORS, SO WE GOT TO FILL THAT ADVOCACY ROLE THAT WE GET TO FILL WHEN WE GO TO SACRAMENTO.

THIS REINFORCES TO ME THE BENEFITS OF US DOING THAT AS WELL AS WITH OUR TRIP TO DC.

SO APPRECIATE IT, AND GLAD TO SEE IT GOING FORWARD.

YEAH. I ECHO YOUR STATEMENTS, COLIN.

IT LOOKS LIKE WE ADVOCATED, ASSEMBLYMEMBER GRAYSON TOOK IT, AND HE'S MOVING IT, AND IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT.

MY ONLY QUESTION WOULD BE OR DO WE SEND ANYONE TO THESE TO PROVIDE TESTIMONY? I MEAN, ARE YOU GOING TO GO UP THERE OR IS ERICH GOING TO GO UP THERE OR.

YEAH. SO A GROUP OF US WILL BE UP FOR THE TESTIMONY ON MARCH 19TH TO SUPPORT AND ENGAGE.

WE WILL HAVE A VARIETY OF INDIVIDUALS, INCLUDING OUR CONSULTANTS AS WELL AS STAFF GIVING TESTIMONY.

IT HAS BEEN DOUBLE REFERRED AT THIS POINT.

SO IT'S GOING BEFORE NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE BEFORE GOING TO THE COMMITTEE ON WATER, PARKS AND WILDLIFE, AND SO WE'RE HOPING TO GET SOME DIFFERENT VOICES PROVIDING TESTIMONY TO SHARE DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES ON THE ISSUE, BUT TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION SUCCINCTLY, YES, EAST BAY PARKS WILL PARTICIPATE AND SUPPORT THE TESTIMONY.

EXCELLENT, AND IS IT OUR JOB OR DO YOU OR IS IT SOMEBODY ELSE'S JOB OR ASSEMBLYMEMBER GRAYSON'S STAFF'S JOB TO SEEK SUPPORT? I KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S I NOTICED THAT YOU GUYS WERE AT THE CARPD LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING, WHICH I THINK IS WONDERFUL.

I MEAN, I'M NOT GOING TO GET TOO EFFUSIVE HERE, BUT CARPD WOULD LOVE TO FOLLOW YOUR PATTERN OF EVERY THE WAY YOU DO BUSINESS, AND I'VE SUGGESTED THAT THEY FOLLOW YOU AND GET GET YOU CLOSE TO THEM, AND I LIKE THE BACK AND FORTH.

SO IF WE SOUGHT A LETTER FROM C-A-R-P-D, THE CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF RECREATION AND PARK DISTRICT HAS PROVIDED A LETTER OF SUPPORT.

SAVE MOUNT DIABLO MIDPENINSULA OPEN SPACE AUTHORITY, AS WELL AS A HANDFUL OF OTHERS, HAVE BEEN PROVIDING SUPPORT, AND LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANT FLORA CHONTOSH HAS BEEN COLLECTING THOSE. GREAT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I LOVE THAT COLLABORATION.

I JUST REMEMBERED SOMETHING TO ASK IF I MAY.

PLEASE. WE WERE TOLD, I RECALL, BY AT LEAST ONE LEGISLATOR OTHER THAN GRAYSON, THAT THERE WOULD BE OPPOSITION TO THIS, THAT THEY PROJECTED THAT THERE ARE INTEREST GROUPS WHO ARE VERY MUCH CHAMPIONS OF SEQUA THAT WOULD VIEW ANY DILUTION OF CEQA IMPACTS AS SOMETHING THEY WOULD OPPOSE.

ARE WE ANTICIPATING THAT AND IS IT SOMETHING WE AS AN ORGANIZATION CAN TAKE ON TO TRY TO PREEMPT OR DEAL WITH THOSE GROUPS BECAUSE WE TEND TO HAVE GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEM? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. SO WE ARE ACTING PROACTIVELY TO COMMUNICATE WITH AUDUBON AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS WHO HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN SEEING THE ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATION AND PROTECTION CONTINUE.

WE DO AS WELL, AND SO WE'RE WORKING IN CONVERSATION TO ENSURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND OUR INTENT, AND THAT WE MAKE AMENDMENTS THAT HELP TO SUPPORT CLARITY OF THE LANGUAGE FOR ANY CONCERNS THAT THEY HAVE.

OKAY, GOOD. THEN YOU'RE ON IT, AND IF WE CAN HELP WITH ANY OF THOSE GROUPS, THEY'RE ALWAYS ASKING US FOR THINGS, RIGHT? THANK YOU. OKAY.

THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM.

SO WOULD ANYONE LIKE MOVING THIS TO THE FULL BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO AUTHORIZE OUR SPONSORSHIP? I'D BE HAPPY TO MOVE THE MOTION.

SECOND. MOTION BY MEMBER ECHOLS.

SECONDED BY MEMBER COFFEY.

IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION OR HEARING? ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? SEEING NO PUBLIC COMMENTS.

SEEING NONE. ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. OPPOSED? HEARING NONE. MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH, AND GOOD LUCK.

WE'LL MOVE NOW TO THE STATE SLATE OF LEGISLATION THAT WE LOOK FOR SUPPORT FOR AND RECOMMEND SUPPORT FOR.

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A SUPPORT POSITION GIVES OPPORTUNITY FOR PARK DISTRICT STAFF AND LEADERSHIP TO ENGAGE ON THESE DIFFERENT BILLS THROUGH LETTERS OF SUPPORT, CONVERSATIONS WITH AUTHORS, OFFICE AND OTHER AND OTHER ACTIONS.

SO I WILL WALK US THROUGH OUR PROPOSAL TODAY.

SO STARTING WITH AB 437.

THIS BILL IS ESTABLISHING A STATE LEVEL CHIEF EQUITY OFFICER.

THIS WOULD BE A NEW POSITION IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, WHICH WOULD PROVIDE GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT AND FRAMEWORKS FOR BEST PRACTICES ACROSS STATE AGENCIES, INCLUDING THOSE THAT ARE CLOSE PARTNERS OF THE PARK DISTRICT, SUCH AS THE CALIFORNIA NATURAL RESOURCES AGENCY AND ALL DEPARTMENTS WITHIN, AND WE SEE THIS JOB OR, EXCUSE ME, THIS BILL ALIGNING WITH THE LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY GOALS AROUND GREEN JOBS AND CREATING OPPORTUNITIES.

CONTINUING. AB 637 IS THE ZERO EMISSIONS VEHICLE RENTAL PROGRAM.

THIS IS A BILL IN RESPONSE TO STATE DIRECTION.

CURRENTLY, THE PARK DISTRICT IS NOT BEING DIRECTED AS OTHER AGENCIES ARE, BUT IT'S LIKELY THAT WE WILL IN TIME TO HAVE A ZERO EMISSION VEHICLE FLEET, AND SO WHAT THIS BILL IS GIVING IS OPPORTUNITY FOR PUBLIC AGENCIES TO RENT DIFFERENT FORMS OF VEHICLES UNDER THAT REGULATION TO ALLOW FOR TRYING OF VEHICLE TYPES, AND SO FOR AN AGENCY LIKE EAST BAY PARKS, WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF JOBS THAT ARE SUPPORTED BY TRUCKS AND OTHER VEHICLES, HAVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRIAL VEHICLES WAS OF INTEREST TO OUR MAINTENANCE STAFF, AND SO WE'RE RECOMMENDING A SUPPORT POSITION ON THIS LEGISLATION IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR CLIMATE FRIENDLY TRANSPORTATION GOAL.

AB 1798 IS THE STORMWATER RUNOFF FOR THE PROTECTION OF SALMON AND STEELHEAD TROUT BILL, AND THIS BILL DEVELOPS A REVIEW PROCESS FOR THE TOXIC SUBSTANCES THAT ARE ENTERING SURFACE WATERS.

AS OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS FAMILIAR WITH, OUR LANDS ARE WHERE THE NATIVE RAINBOW TROUT WERE NATIVE ORIGINALLY FROM, AND SO THIS IS OF INTEREST TO US AS WE CONTINUE TO STUDY AND PROTECT THESE SPECIES.

THIS PILOT PROJECT WOULD EXPLORE BIORETENTION AND BIOFILTRATION OPPORTUNITIES TO PREVENT CONTAMINATION OF SURFACE WATER, ULTIMATELY BENEFITING THE OVERALL WATERSHED, ECOSYSTEM AND HABITAT IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR ECOSYSTEM STEWARDSHIP GOAL.

CONTINUING AB 1889 IS THE WILDLIFE CONNECTIVITY ELEMENTS IN GENERAL PLANS, AND THIS LEGISLATION IS LOOKING AT TOWARDS CITIES AND COUNTIES TO INCLUDE WILDLIFE CONNECTIVITY ELEMENTS IN THEIR GENERAL PLAN PROPOSAL.

AS WE ARE AN AGENCY WHICH SPANS TWO COUNTIES AND 33 CITIES, THE PARK DISTRICT SEES OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT THESE GENERAL PLANS IN LOOKING AT HABITAT AND BIODIVERSITY GOALS IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR OWN, AND SO WE RECOMMEND A SUPPORT POSITION ON THIS BILL IN ALIGNMENT WITH ECOSYSTEM STEWARDSHIP.

AB 2124 IS THE OUTDOOR SWIM LESSONS LEGISLATION, AND THIS LEGISLATION ESTABLISHES A PROGRAM TO INCREASE ACCESS TO OUTDOOR SWIMMING LESSONS FOR UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS. THE PARK DISTRICT HAS OUR OWN PUBLIC SAFETY LIFEGUARD SERVICES DEPARTMENT, WHICH PROVIDES A VARIETY OF SWIM LESSONS ACROSS THE REGION, INCLUDING AN OUTDOOR LOCATIONS, AND SO THIS ALIGNS WITH WORK WE'RE ALREADY DOING AND WOULD FURTHER SUPPORT IT THROUGH STATE LEGISLATION, AND SO WE RECOMMEND A SUPPORT POSITION IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH GOAL.

YES, THAT DID CHANGE. OKAY.

AB 2285 IS THE 30 BY 30 URBAN NATURE BASED INVESTMENTS BILL, AND THIS BILL IS LOOKING AT THE GOALS OF 30 BY 30, WHICH ARE STRONGLY FOCUSED ON CONSERVATION OF OPEN SPACE AND RESTORATION ACROSS THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AND SEEKING TO BRING THOSE GOALS WITHIN URBAN DENSE AREAS AND SUPPORT INVESTMENTS INTO URBAN GREENING AND GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE WHERE OUR COMMUNITIES ARE, TO FURTHER SPAN HOW 30 BY 30 IS RECOGNIZED, SEEN AND IMPLEMENTED ACROSS THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AND SO AS AN URBAN PARK DISTRICT, WE SEE BENEFITS AND OPPORTUNITIES OF THIS LEGISLATION TO EXPAND FUNDING INVESTMENTS AND ALSO BRING VISIBILITY TO THE 30 BY 30 PROGRAM IN URBAN COMMUNITIES.

AB 2330 IS THE STREAMLINING OF ROUTINE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT LEGISLATION, WHICH PROPOSES A REVISED REVIEW TIMELINE FOR VEGETATION MANAGEMENT OF ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES.

ESSENTIALLY WHAT THIS DOES IS IT ELEVATES THE REVIEW OF ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES THROUGH A STREAMLINED APPROACH TO EXPEDITE WILDFIRE MITIGATION EFFORTS, AND WE SEE THIS LEGISLATION IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR WILDFIRE RESILIENCE GOAL OF PROTECTING THE HABITAT WELL, ENSURING TO PROTECT AGAINST THE THREAT OF

[00:15:02]

AB 2440 IS THE ADVANCING 30 BY 30 STATE INVESTMENTS, WHICH REQUIRES REPORTING ON THE STATE FUNDING INVESTED INTO THE 30 BY 30 PROGRAM.

SO, AS OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS IS AWARE, 30 BY 30 DOES NOT HAVE A SPECIFIC UNIQUE GRANT PROGRAM, BUT RATHER IT SPANS MULTIPLE GRANT PROGRAMS ACROSS DIFFERENT STATE AGENCIES, AND SO THIS LEGISLATION WOULD HELP TO BRING TOGETHER AND QUANTIFY THE 30 BY 30 INVESTMENTS AT THE STATE LEVEL.

IT WOULD ALSO HELP AGENCIES LIKE THE PARK DISTRICT IDENTIFY WHICH PROGRAMS ARE INVESTING IN ALIGNMENT WITH 30 BY 30, SO THERE'S POTENTIAL TO EXPLORE NEW OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH THE REPORT. AB 2509 IS THE INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT LEGISLATION, WHICH REQUIRES THE INVASIVE SPECIES COUNCIL OF CALIFORNIA TO PRIORITIZE INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT.

THE GOALS OF THE BILL ALIGN GREATLY WITH THE PARK DISTRICT'S OWN IPM PROGRAM, AND SO WE SEE OPPORTUNITIES OF SHARING BEST PRACTICES ACROSS THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR ECOSYSTEM STEWARDSHIP GOAL.

AB 2682.

THIS IS THE SANTA CLARA VALLEY OPEN SPACE AUTHORITY'S LEGISLATION.

THESE ARE PARTNERS OF EAST BAY PARKS, AND WHAT THEY ARE PROPOSING IS AN AMENDMENT TO THEIR SECTION OF THE PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE.

SO EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT IS UNDER THE PUBLIC RESOURCE CODE 5500, ALONG WITH MID-PENINSULA AND SOME OTHERS, INDEPENDENT AND REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT AGENCIES.

SANTA CLARA VALLEY OPEN SPACE AUTHORITY IS UNDER THEIR OWN CODE SECTION, AND SO WHAT THEY'RE PROPOSING ARE SOME AMENDMENTS TO STREAMLINE OPERATIONS OF SANTA CLARA VALLEY OPEN SPACE AUTHORITY'S ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES IN ALIGNMENT, REALLY WITH THE PUBLIC RESOURCE CODE 5500 SECTION AND SO SEEING THEIR EFFORTS TO FURTHER ADVANCE THEIR GOALS IN PARTNERSHIP, WE'RE RECOMMENDING SUPPORT.

AB 26, EXCUSE ME 2869 IS THE TRAIL ACCESS PROJECT LEGISLATION, WHICH REQUIRES THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO MITIGATE IMPACTS ON TRAIL INFRASTRUCTURE WHEN DOING PROJECTS, AND SO IF A DOT PROJECT IMPACTED, SAY, THE IRON HORSE TRAIL, THE DEPARTMENT WOULD THEN BE REQUIRED TO MITIGATE THAT IMPACT THROUGH A NEW TRAIL ALIGNMENT.

THAT'S NOT PROPOSED, BUT THAT'S AN EXAMPLE, AND REALLY WHAT THIS AIMS TO ESTABLISH IS JUST ENSURING CONSISTENT TRAIL ACCESS AND LACK OF DISRUPTION, AND SO INTEGRATING TRAILS WITHIN THEIR PROGRAM IN ALL WAYS, AND WE SEE THIS AS AN ALIGNMENT WITH THE CLIMATE FRIENDLY TRANSPORTATION GOAL OF THE PARK DISTRICT.

THIS IS MORE LEGISLATION THAN USUAL BECAUSE BILLS WERE JUST INTRODUCED SINCE OUR LAST COMMITTEE.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.

ACA 16 IS AN EXCITING PIECE OF LEGISLATION.

IT'S A PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE CALIFORNIA STATE CONSTITUTION, WHICH WOULD DECLARE THE RIGHT OF CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS TO CLEAN AIR, WATER AND A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT.

THIS WOULD REALLY CODIFY THE WORK OF EAST BAY PARK DISTRICT WITHIN THE CONSTITUTION AND ALIGN US WITH THE STATE'S PURPOSE, AND SO IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR COMMUNITY HEALTH GOAL, WE RECOMMEND SUPPORT.

MOVING ON TO SENATE BILLS, SB 925 IS A BILL BY SENATOR WIENER WHICH PROPOSES A REVENUE MEASURE FOR TRANSPORTATION RELATED INVESTMENTS IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA. THIS MEASURE HAS STRONG POTENTIAL TO INCLUDE ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENTS, AND SO A SUPPORT POSITION WOULD ALLOW FOR STAFF TO ENGAGE ON THE COMMITMENT LIST DEVELOPMENT AND ENSURE THAT THOSE PUBLIC ACCESS COMPONENTS ARE PROACTIVELY INTEGRATED INTO THE PROPOSAL.

SB 1029 IS THE ADVANCE PAYMENTS FOR REGIONAL FOREST AND FIRE CAPACITY PROGRAM GRANTS.

THE REGIONAL FOREST AND FIRE CAPACITY PROGRAM IS ADMINISTERED THROUGH THE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION.

IT IS A PROGRAM THAT THE PARK DISTRICT HAS QUALIFIED FOR IN THE PAST, AND IT'S A PROGRAM THAT SUPPORTS PARTNERSHIPS, AND SO THESE ADVANCE PAYMENTS COULD SUPPORT FOR EXPANDED OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN EAST BAY PARKS AND OTHER AGENCIES WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM ADVANCE PAYMENTS WHEN CONDUCTING A PROJECT WITH US IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR WILDFIRE RESILIENCE GOALS.

SB 1159 BY SENATOR DODD, WHO'S A MEMBER OF OUR DELEGATION, IS THE EXPEDITING ROADSIDE WILDFIRE RISK REDUCTION LEGISLATION, AND WHAT THIS BILL IS LOOKING AT IS TO ALLOW FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF CEQA EXEMPTIONS FOR ROADSIDE MITIGATION PROJECTS, INCLUDING ROADS GOING THROUGH OUR PARK LANDS, AND SO THIS WOULD ALLOW FOR EXPEDITED WILDFIRE RISK REDUCTION IN THOSE AREAS IN ALIGNMENT WITH OUR WILDFIRE RESILIENCE GOAL.

SB 1402 IS THE ACTIVATING 30 BY 30 GOALS IN STATE STRATEGIC PLAN.

SO WE'RE REALLY SEEING A LOT OF PROPOSED CODIFYING OF THE 30 BY 30 INITIATIVE IN LEGISLATION THIS YEAR.

THIS BILL WOULD REQUIRE STATE AGENCIES TO CONSIDER 30 BY 30 GOALS WHEN THEY'RE ADOPTING, REVISING, ESTABLISHING OR UPDATING ANY POLICY PLANS OR REGULATIONS, AND

[00:20:05]

I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE, AND WE ARE REQUESTING A SUPPORT POSITION.

ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? GO AHEAD, COLIN. DO YOU OR WE HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON WHAT THE CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISION DECLARING THE RIGHT TO CLEAN AIR, WATER AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT WOULD ACTUALLY DO.

YOU KNOW YOU CAN KIND OF GET THE GIST OF IT AS ALL OF A SUDDEN.

THE MARTINEZ REFINERY STOPPED SPEWING.

STUFF THAT'S BEEN SPEWING OF LATE.

WHAT IS CONSTITUTIONAL MEANT TO DO? IS IT PROVIDING SOME KIND OF NEW VEHICLE FOR LITIGATION? WHAT'S EVERYONE'S TAKE ON THAT? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THIS CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT WOULD CREATE THE FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE ACTIONS.

IT ITSELF IS NOT AN ACTION OR A UNIQUE OR SPECIFIC DIRECTION, BUT IT'S STATING THE GOALS OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, AND THEN THAT COMMITMENT CAN BE BUILT OFF OF IN FUTURE LEGISLATION, PLANS AND PROPOSALS THAT ARE TAKING UNIQUE AND SPECIFIC ACCESS TO ENSURE THE RIGHT TO THE CLEAN AIR, WATER AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT.

SO IT'S LARGELY SYMBOLIC.

LARGELY SYMBOLIC, WITH POTENTIAL TO HAVE TRACTION IN TIME.

YEAH. OKAY. I'M JUST CURIOUS WHAT THE INTENT OF THAT WAS.

THE OTHER QUESTION I HAVE FROM THE SLIDE DECK WAS THE LEGISLATION TO CREATE A PROGRAM TO INCREASE ACCESS TO OUTDOOR SWIMMING LESSONS FOR UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS.

DOES THAT CARRY ANY FUNDING WITH IT? IT'S OBVIOUSLY ON ITS FACE.

IT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING THAT WOULD FIT WELL, ESPECIALLY WITH WHAT OUR PUBLIC SAFETY FOLKS PETE DE QUINCY IS DOING IN TERMS OF PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES FOR SWIM ACTIVITY.

SWIM LESSONS. YES, SO IN TERMS OF ESTABLISHING A PROGRAM THAT WOULD BE A GRANT PROGRAM TO SUPPORT THE SWIM LESSONS ACROSS THE STATE.

OH, GREAT. SO THERE IS POTENTIAL GRANT.

THERE'S POTENTIAL FUNDING WITH THAT.

YEAH. THAT'S WONDERFUL FOR US.

THANK YOU.

DIRECTOR ECHOLS.

YEAH, I JUST HAD A QUESTION ON SB 1159.

THE DODD BILL, EXPEDITED ROADSIDE WILDFIRE REDUCTION RISK.

SO HOW WOULD THAT WORK IF YOU COULD JUST HELP ME UNDERSTAND A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THE THAT THE CALIFORNIA NATURAL RESOURCES SECRETARY COULD CONSIDER EXEMPTIONS TO CEQA FOR THIS TYPE OF WORK, BUT HOW LIKE WHAT IS IT ACTUALLY CHANGING? BECAUSE I COULD SEE I MEAN, IN PRINCIPLE THAT SOUNDS LIKE A REALLY GREAT GOAL, BUT I COULD ALSO SEE HOW IT COULD BE POTENTIALLY MISUSED.

SO IF YOU COULD JUST ELABORATE A LITTLE, THANK YOU FOR THAT, FOR THAT QUESTION.

YES, WE SEE THAT AS WELL, AND SO WITHIN THIS PROPOSAL IT'S FAIRLY DRAFT FORM.

IT IT'S STATED THE INTENT WHICH IS TO ALLOW FOR STREAMLINING OF ROADSIDE MITIGATION PROJECTS.

HOWEVER, WE DO EXPECT FOR AMENDMENTS AND UPDATES TO REFINE AND PUT SOME STRUCTURE ON WHO QUALIFIES AND WHAT THE PROCESS WOULD BE.

I WOULD IMAGINE IT WOULD BE SIMILAR TO THE STATUTORY EXEMPTION FOR RESTORATION, PERMITTING THE CERT PROGRAM THAT THE PARK DISTRICT PARTICIPATES IN, WHERE FOR THE EXEMPTION TO BE GRANTED, A PROPOSAL IS PROVIDED TO THE DIRECTOR OF FISH AND WILDLIFE, WHICH IS A FASTER PROCESS THAN GOING THROUGH THE ENTIRE SEQUA PROCESS, BUT IT IS STILL A PROCESS WITH SOME OVERSIGHT.

THANK YOU. OH, SHOOT, I'M NOT GOING TO GET THIS CORRECT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

I GUESS THE ONLY QUESTION I WOULD HAVE OR THE COMMENT I WOULD HAVE, I LOVE AB 637.

I MEAN, WE CONTINUE TO HEAR THAT IN THE PARK DISTRICT.

OH, WE CAN'T GO TO ELECTRIC VEHICLES OR ALTERNATIVE VEHICLES BASED ON WE'RE AFRAID IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK, BUT THIS GIVES YOU A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO TRY IT OUT, AND IF IT AND I'LL BET IT WORKS, BUT ANYWAY, I WAS HOPING TO DO SOME RESEARCH BECAUSE I'M GOING TO BE EMBARRASSED HERE.

THE CARPD LEGISLATION, WHICH WE'RE REALLY PUSHING IS FOR COMMITTEES AND OTHER PEOPLE OTHER THAN US TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE OR NOT CONTINUE, BUT ONCE AGAIN ATTEND MEETINGS REMOTELY AND I FORGOT THE NUMBER AND I WAS GOING TO LOOK IT UP, AND IF YOU TELL ME I BELIEVE IT'S 817, THIS GROUP HAS SUPPORTED THAT TWO MONTHS AGO.

I'M GOING TO BE REALLY EMBARRASSED. HAVE WE DONE THAT YET OR.

WELL, NOW I DON'T WANT TO TELL YOU THAT, BUT THE RESPONSE IS THAT THIS IS THE SECOND YEAR OF A TWO YEAR LEGISLATIVE SESSION, AND THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT BOARD OF

[00:25:02]

I MUST HAVE BEEN ABSENT THAT MEETING, BUT THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I'M GLAD WE'RE DOING THAT.

ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON ANYTHING OR STAFF.

ANY BOARD MEMBERS, THEN IN WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT THESE PIECES OF LEGISLATION AND SEND THEM FURTHER TO THE BOARD.

DO I HAVE A MOTION TO DO THAT? SO MOVED.

MOVED BY MEMBER ECHOLS.

SECONDED BY MEMBER COFFEY.

THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.

ALL IN FAVOR, PLEASE SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE.

OPPOSED? HEARING NONE.

MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

THANK YOU. LISA. THANK YOU LISA.

OH. PARDON ME. YOU NEED AN INTRODUCTION, DON'T YOU? WE'RE NOW GOING TO MOVE TO FEDERAL LEGISLATION.

ERICH. ERICH PFUEHLER.

JUST WANTED TO THANK LISA FOR THAT PRESENTATION.

IT WAS A LITTLE LONG BECAUSE WE THE WINDOW FOR INTRODUCING BILLS WAS BETWEEN OUR LAST MEETING IN JANUARY AND NOW.

SO A LOT HAS COME.

COME THROUGH.

I THINK WE MENTIONED THE STATUTORY EXEMPTION FOR RESTORATION PROJECTS.

THE EXTENSION OF THAT IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT IT WHEN WE WENT TO SACRAMENTO, BUT THAT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO BE INCLUDED IN A TRAILER BILL.

SO THAT'S BASICALLY A DONE DEAL, AND THEN JUST WANTED TO RESPOND TO YOUR LAST QUESTION, DENNIS.

WE ARE SENDING A LETTER.

DIRECTOR CHAIR WAESPI, WE ARE SENDING A LETTER TO.

I BELIEVE IT WAS THE SENATE CHAIR, LOCAL GOVERNMENT CHAIR THAT WAS REQUESTED BY CARPET ON THE ON 817.

SO THAT'S WORKING ITS WAY THROUGH THE SIGNATURE PROCESS HERE.

GREAT. THANK YOU, AND THEN I'D LIKE TO PRESENT THE FEDERAL LEGISLATION FOR SUPPORT.

FIRST BILL IS ONE THAT WE'VE SEEN BEFORE.

IT'S THE COMPLETE STREETS ACT.

IT DEFINES COMPLETE STREETS AS ACCESSIBLE, SAFE TRANSPORTATION FOR MULTIPLE MODES OF TRAVEL.

IT WOULD ASK FOR STATES TO SPEND A PORTION OF THEIR FEDERAL HIGHWAY MONEY ON DEVELOPING COMPLETE STREET POLICIES, AND ALSO IMPLEMENTING THE PROJECTS FOR THE PARK DISTRICT THAT WOULD PRESENT OPPORTUNITIES TO PARTNER WITH OUR STATE.

I MEAN, I'M SORRY, OUR CITY AND OUR COUNTY GOVERNMENTS ON COMPLETING SOME OF THE GAPS IN OUR PAVED TRAIL NETWORK, AND IT IS CONSISTENT WITH OUR CLIMATE FRIENDLY TRANSPORTATION GOAL.

THIS ONE IS ONE THAT I WAS ACTUALLY EXCITED TO SEE, BECAUSE I THINK IT'S THE FIRST TIME I'VE SEEN SUCH A SUCH LEGISLATION, BUT IT WOULD ESSENTIALLY CREATE A GRANT PROGRAM FOR AN E-BIKE SHARE RENTAL SHARE DISTRIBUTION IN DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES, ENABLING EFFECTIVE TRANSPORTATION FOR NOT JUST FOR COMMUTING AND FOR SCHOOLS AND SHOPPING AND GETTING TO WORK, BUT ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR E-BIKES TO BE A WAY FOR PEOPLE WHO DO NOT HAVE THE PROPER TRANSPORTATION TO GET TO OUR PARKS.

COULD OFFER AN OPPORTUNITY FOR TRANSPORTATION TO REGIONAL PARKS FROM THEIR COMMUNITIES, AND IT ALSO ALIGNS WITH OUR CLIMATE FRIENDLY TRANSPORTATION.

ADVOCACY GOAL.

HR 6773 WOULD ACTUALLY CHANGE THE NAME OF THE ELK RIVER TRAIL AND THE HEADWATERS FOREST RESERVE TO THE DIANNE FEINSTEIN MEMORIAL TRAIL, AND AS YOU CAN READ THAT SENATOR FEINSTEIN WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THE NEGOTIATION OF THE SALE OF THE PROPERTY FROM PACIFIC LUMBER TO THE US AND THEN THUS CREATING A NATIONAL FOREST PRESERVE.

THE SENATOR WAS ALSO VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THE PARK DISTRICT'S EFFORTS ON WILDFIRE RESILIENCE AND SEA LEVEL RISE PREPAREDNESS, AS WELL AS A KEY SUPPORTER OF THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY RESTORATION PROGRAM, WHICH WE ARE NOW RECEIVING GRANT FUNDING FROM.

HR 6841 IS REALLY KIND OF A MODIFICATION OF THE COASTAL RESILIENCE AND PROTECTION RESTORATION ACT. IT WOULD IT WOULD CALL OUT PROJECTS THAT BUILD RESILIENCE TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND SEA LEVEL RISE, AND SO IT WOULD BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS AREAS NEAR DON EDWARDS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE.

[00:30:07]

SO IT WOULD PROVIDE A POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITY FOR THE EAST BAY, AND IT IS ALSO SUPPORTIVE OF OUR SEA LEVEL RISE PREPAREDNESS ADVOCACY GOAL, AND I HAD TO WRITE THIS DOWN, SO I'LL READ IT.

THE PREPARE ACT IS PREPAREDNESS AND RISK MANAGEMENT FOR EXTREME WEATHER PATTERNS.

ASSURING RESILIENCE AND EFFECTIVENESS, AND SO THERE'S THERE ARE SOMEWHAT REGULAR AMENDMENTS TO THE NATIONAL, NOAA OCEANIC ADMINISTRATION FOR WEATHER ANALYSIS, AND THIS WOULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO REALLY TAKE A LOOK AT THE EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS THAT WE'RE HAVING AND REALLY MAKE SOME PROACTIVE EFFORTS TO PREPARE FOR THOSE OCCURRENCES. WE ARE SEEING THE IMPACTS TO OUR PARKS, AND THE PUBLIC IS ACTUALLY STARTING TO NOTICE AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE IS A NEED TO ADDRESS THESE EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS AND ALSO TO PROVIDE FUNDING FOR MAINTENANCE AND RESTORATION, AND THIS ALSO ALIGNS WITH OUR SEA LEVEL RISE PREPAREDNESS ADVOCACY GOAL.

ONE ANOTHER BILL THAT WE'VE SEEN EVERY YEAR SINCE PROBABLY 2008, 2009.

IT FINALLY WAS ENACTED IN 2019 TO PROVIDE EVERY FOURTH GRADER IN THEIR FAMILY ACCESS TO FEDERAL LANDS FOR VISITATION. THE PROGRAM WAS WAS AUTHORIZED FROM 2019 TO 2026, SO IT DOES EXPIRE.

IF NO ACTION IS TAKEN, THIS LEGISLATION WOULD PERMANENTLY AUTHORIZE THE PROGRAM AND ALSO EXPANDS EXPANDS IT TO INCLUDE FIFTH GRADERS AND AGAIN ALIGNS WITH A LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY OF COMMUNITY HEALTH, AND THOSE ARE THE BILLS FOR FEDERAL LEGISLATION.

AT THIS POINT, WE'D LIKE TO ASK FOR SUPPORT, BUT I'M HAPPY TO ALSO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.

ANY BOARD MEMBER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? NO, THEY LOOK REALLY GOOD TO ME.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.

SOMETHING THAT'S NOT ON THIS LIST, BUT I GUESS IN A PASSING REFERENCE FROM PROBABLY NATIONAL REC AND PARK ASSOCIATION'S WEEKLY NEWSLETTERS, THERE WAS A REFERENCE TO SOME TYPE OF RENEWED ASSAULT ON THE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION FUND, AND I WONDERED IF YOU KNEW WHETHER THAT WAS TRULY A THREAT TO THE FUND, AND WOULD IT BECOME PART OF OUR ADVOCACY? OR MAYBE IF PETER WERE HERE, I'M SURE HE WOULD BE ON TOP OF IT, BUT WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT IT? YEAH. IT'S AMONG OTHER THINGS THAT ARE ON PROPOSED FOR CUTS IN THE HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS PROCESS THAT ALSO INCLUDES THE LAND WATER CONSERVATION FUND.

AT THIS POINT, THOSE EFFORTS HAVE BEEN PREVENTED DUE TO THE DEAL THAT PRESIDENT OBAMA I MEAN, I'M SORRY PRESIDENT BIDEN REACHED WITH CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP LAST YEAR TO ADHERE TO SET LEVELS OF FUNDING.

SO AT THIS POINT THE FIRST SIX APPROPRIATIONS BILLS THAT WERE SIGNED INTO LAW ON SATURDAY ADHERED TO THAT COMMITMENT, AND IT IS ANTICIPATED THE NEXT SIX, WHICH I DO BELIEVE INCLUDES INTERIOR MAY SHOULD ALSO ADHERE TO THAT AGREEMENT, BUT WE ARE TRACKING AND PETER IS IS PROVIDING REPORTS ON A REGULAR BASIS TO US ON IT.

THAT'S GREAT. WE DO BENEFIT FROM THAT FUNDING AND ALWAYS WANT IT TO BE FULLY FUNDED AS INTENDED BY EXISTING LAW.

SO THANK YOU.

YEAH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

I HAVE NO QUESTIONS.

SO WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECOMMEND TO THE FULL BOARD SUPPORT OF THESE SEVEN BILLS.

DO I HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT? I'LL MOVE. I'LL MOVE APPROVAL AND RECOMMENDATION TO THE FULL BOARD.

WE HAVE A MOTION MADE. DIRECTOR COFFEY SECOND AND A SECOND BY MEMBER ECHOLS.

ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? HEARING NONE.

ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.

AYE. OPPOSED? HEARING NONE.

MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH.

THANK YOU. YOUR PRESENTATION.

WE'LL MOVE NOW TO THE UPDATE ON LOCAL ACTIONS TAKEN BY OTHER JURISDICTIONS.

[Informational Items]

MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE CHAIR, WAESPI BRIAN HOLT CHIEF OF PLANNING, TRAILS AND GIS.

FORGOT WHO I WAS THERE FOR A SECOND.

[00:35:01]

WE HAVE A PRESENTATION FOR YOU.

LET ME MAKE SURE I CAN OPEN IT UP HERE.

SORRY. JUST A SECOND.

VERY GOOD. ALL RIGHT.

OKAY. OUR PRESENTATION TODAY, WE DIDN'T NECESSARILY HAVE USUALLY WE GENERALLY COME BEFORE THE COMMITTEE HERE SHARING SORT OF CURRENT ACTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE BY THE LOCAL LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THAT WE WORK WITH, THE 35 SOME CITIES, SPECIAL DISTRICTS AND THE TWO COUNTY AREA.

THE LAST TIME WE WERE HERE, I THINK WE RECEIVED FROM DIRECTOR COFFEY A REQUEST TO GET A BIT OF A UPDATE OR OVERVIEW OF THE CONTRA COSTA COUNTY GENERAL PLAN.

SO THAT SORT OF PROMPTED US TO THINK, WELL, WE SHOULD WE CAN DISCUSS SORT OF REGIONAL PLANNING IN GENERAL AS WE DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE ANY PRESSING ITEMS TO UPDATE YOU ON.

SO I KNOW THE COMMITTEE IS ALL VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS INFORMATION.

SO THIS IS THIS MAY BE A LITTLE BIT REDUNDANT HERE, BUT IT DOES ALSO RELATE TO, I THINK, SOME OF THE WORK THAT WE'RE MOVING INTO, INTO THE DISTRICT PLAN.

I THINK ONE THING THAT I'VE RECOGNIZED OVER MY 19 YEARS HERE AT THE PARK DISTRICT IS THE PARK DISTRICT IS REALLY A REGIONAL LAND USE PLAN, A REGIONAL LAND USE AGENCY.

I MEAN, WE REALLY YOU KNOW, BY WAY OF OUR ACQUISITION AND BY OUR TRAIL PLANNING WE'RE ACTIVELY DOING TRANSPORTATION PLANNING, AND WE'RE ACTIVELY ESTABLISHING THE BORDERS OF THE CITY, SO MUCH LIKE SOME OF THE OTHER REGIONAL AGENCIES THAT WE WORK WITH.

WE'RE VERY MUCH A REGIONAL PLANNING AGENCY, AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M HOPING WILL BE CONTINUE TO BE FRONT AND CENTER AS WE MOVE THE DISTRICT PLAN FORWARD.

WE CERTAINLY DO A LOT MORE THAN JUST PROVIDE PARKS AND PROTECT OPEN SPACE.

WE'RE REALLY CRITICAL TO THE LAND USE FOOTPRINT IN THE EAST BAY.

SO I WAS GOING TO GO JUST OVER A GENERAL HISTORY OF LAND USE ERAS, AND I GUESS JUST A LITTLE BIT OF AN ACKNOWLEDGMENT HERE.

IS THAT AS I KIND OF STARTING HERE IN THE 1900S LOOKING AT SORT OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF URBAN AREAS IN THE EAST BAY, YOU KNOW, I FAILED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU KNOW, THE THIS LAND WAS USED BY THE OHLONE PEOPLE FOR MILLENNIA.

SO THAT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A, YOU KNOW, PRE-CONTACT HISTORY.

THERE WAS THERE WAS A LONG HISTORY OF HUMAN OCCUPATION OF THIS LAND BY THE OHLONE PEOPLE LATER BY FARMERS AND GRAZERS AND OTHERS, BUT IT'S REALLY IN THE EARLY 1900S THAT WE START TO SEE A LOT OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF URBAN AREAS HERE, AND THIS IS A VERY GROSS GENERALIZATION OF LAND USE ERAS IN THE EAST BAY, BUT I THINK IT GENERALLY ENCAPSULATES SOME OF IT IN THAT SO FROM THE 1900S TO 1950S IS WHEN WE START TO SEE A LOT OF COMMUNITIES IN THE EAST BAY SPRING UP, AND THEN FROM THE 1950S TO THE 1980S, THAT'S WHEN WE START TO SEE A LOT OF OUR MAJOR TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPED. SO THE FREEWAY SYSTEM THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT WE SEE THE BART SYSTEM REALLY TYING AND CONNECTING A LOT OF THOSE COMMUNITIES TOGETHER, AND REALLY MAKING THE EAST BAY SORT OF ONE CONNECTED REGION, AND THEN AS WE MOVE INTO THE 1980S THROUGH THE 2000, THAT'S WHEN WE START TO SEE A LOT OF THE SUBURBAN SPRAWL THAT MANY OF US ARE FAMILIAR WITH, THAT REALLY KIND OF CAME TO DEFINE A LOT OF THE PARK DISTRICT'S ACQUISITION UNDER MEASURE AA AND MEASURE WW WAS REALLY AN EFFORT TO COMBAT A LOT OF THAT SPRAWL OR IN RESPONSE TO THAT SPRAWL.

SO I CERTAINLY HEARD A NUMBER OF TIMES FROM OUR FORMER GENERAL MANAGER, BOB DOYLE, AND FROM OTHERS, YOU KNOW, JUST THIS SORT OF IDEA THAT WE'RE REALLY KIND OF KIND OF IN A RACE AGAINST DEVELOPMENT AND TO PROTECT THE BEST PLACES IN THE EAST BAY, AS WE SAW WHERE THERE'S COMMUNITIES LIKE ANTIOCH, PITTSBURG AND EAST CONTRA COSTA COUNTY OR PITTSBURG OR PLEASANTON AND LIVERMORE OR OTHER AREAS IN ALAMEDA COUNTY.

REALLY A LOT OF SUBURBAN SPRAWL GOING THROUGH THE 2000, AND PART OF THE INTENT OF THE PRESENTATION TODAY IS TO REALLY EMPHASIZE THAT IN ADDITION TO SOME OF THE PARK DISTRICT'S ACQUISITION ACTIVITIES, THERE'S A WHOLE NUMBER OF OTHER THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED SINCE THE 2000 THAT HAVE REALLY THAT HAVE REALLY BEEN IN RESPONSE TO THAT SPRAWL AND SOMEWHAT PUT IT INTO CHECK.

SO THAT MOVES US INTO WHAT I WOULD SAY IS SOMEWHAT OUR CURRENT ERA, AND THIS LARGELY APPLYING TO THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF ALAMEDA AND CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, WHERE WE SEE

[00:40:02]

KIND OF DISCUSS A LITTLE BIT OF THE DETAILS THERE.

SO AGAIN, VERY GROSS GENERALIZATION OF SOME OF THE LAND USE AREAS THAT WE'VE SEEN IN THE EAST BAY, BUT THAT SORT OF BRINGS US TO TODAY.

SO PART OF THE AGAIN, PART OF THE INTENT OF WHY I'M BRINGING THIS PRESENTATION FORWARD.

DIRECTOR COFFEY HAD MENTIONED CONTRA COSTA COUNTY HAS BEEN UNDERGOING A GENERAL PLAN U PDATE.

GENERALLY THE CITIES AND COUNTIES ARE ON A 10 TO 20 YEAR CYCLE IN TERMS OF THEIR GENERAL PLAN UPDATES. SOME GET MUCH OLDER INTO 30 YEARS AND PLUS CONTRA COSTA COUNTIES GENERAL PLAN.

I DON'T RECALL WHEN IT WAS LAST UPDATED, BUT BUT THIS CURRENT GENERAL PLAN UPDATE HAS BEEN ONGOING FOR FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS NOW OR SO, AND PARK DISTRICT STAFF'S BEEN VERY INVOLVED THROUGHOUT COUNTY STAFF OFTEN REACHES OUT TO US AND INCORPORATES OUR PLANNING INFORMATION, WHETHER THAT'S INFORMATION ABOUT OUR PARKS OR OUR MASTER PLAN INFORMATION AND THAT SORT OF THING.

SO THE COUNTY GENERAL PLAN REALLY PERTAINS TO THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY.

SO THESE ARE AREAS THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY LIMITS AND REALLY ACCOUNTS FOR THE PRIMARY AREAS WHERE WE DO MOST OF OUR ACQUISITIONS AND PROBABLY MOST OF OUR PROJECTS. IT'S RARE FOR US TO REALLY MAKE A BIG LAND ACQUISITION WITH OUTSIDE OF THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS.

USUALLY WHEN WE ARE DOING SOMETHING WITHIN THE CITIES AND WITHIN THE CITY INCORPORATED AREAS, IT'S MUCH MORE FOCUSED ON FACILITY DEVELOPMENT AND A MORE SPECIFIC PROJECT, AND OFTENTIMES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LOCAL MUNICIPALITY.

SO THE BIG YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THAT ERA OF SPRAWL IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS DURING PAST GENERAL PLAN UPDATES, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A VERY BIG FOCUS OF OURS, AND OUR REVIEW IS REALLY SORT OF SEEING WHERE THE COUNTY IS LOOKING TO EXPAND DEVELOP AND CERTAINLY WE'VE SEEN SOME VERY LARGE RESIDENTIAL AND OTHER DEVELOPMENTS IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA.

DOUGHERTY VALLEY IS A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE.

BLACKHAWK AND SOME OF THOSE DEVELOPMENTS THAT HAVE OCCURRED AND OCCURRED IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS OF THE COUNTY.

SO BUT REALLY SINCE THE LAST GENERAL PLAN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY HAS REALLY GOTTEN OUT OF THE DEVELOPMENT BUSINESS.

THERE HAS BEEN MUCH FEWER PROPOSALS FOR DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS.

AGAIN, MOST OF THAT LAND USE THAT IS PROPOSED NOWADAYS IS MORE AGRICULTURAL RELATED, AND THEN OF COURSE, WE SEE VARIOUS ENERGY PROJECTS, SOLAR, WIND OTHER THINGS.

IN THE PAST, THERE WAS A HISTORY OF LANDFILL DEVELOPMENTS.

WE DON'T NECESSARILY SEE THAT AS MUCH, AND SO IN TERMS OF RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, LIKE ALL COMMUNITIES IN THE BAY AREA AND THE STATE REALLY HAVE TO COMPLY WITH THE STATE REGIONAL HOUSING NEEDS ALLOCATIONS, AND SO, SO PART OF THAT PROCESS IS JUST REALLY IDENTIFYING THE NUMBER OF AVAILABLE PARCELS WITHIN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA THAT COULD BE AVAILABLE FOR HOUSING.

SO AGAIN, IN THE PAST, WHERE WE MAY HAVE SEEN LARGE AREAS OF UNDEVELOPED PROPERTIES AREAS THAT, YOU KNOW, WE MIGHT BE CONCERNED ABOUT WOULD BE, SAY, AREAS IN THE TASSAJARA VALLEY OR PERHAPS SOME OF THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS AROUND BRENTWOOD OR BYRON, BUT WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY, AGAIN, SEEING A LOT OF THOSE LARGE RESIDENTIAL PROPOSALS IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS, AND YOU CAN SEE ON THE TABLE ON THE SIDE WHERE THEY'VE IDENTIFIED THE NUMBER OF PARCELS WITHIN THE UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITIES AND THE POTENTIAL UNITS THERE.

SO YOU REALLY SEE THESE ARE REALLY PRETTY SPECIFIC SITES IN ESTABLISHED UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITIES TO PROVIDE AND TO MEET THAT RESIDENTIAL DEMAND.

SO THERE'S A TOTAL OF ABOUT 8495 RESIDENTIAL UNITS PROPOSED THROUGHOUT THE UNINCORPORATED COUNTY AREA, AND MANY OF THOSE IN, SAY, NORTH RICHMOND OR SARANAP IN UNINCORPORATED WALNUT CREEK.

SO REALLY IN AREAS THAT PERHAPS WE WOULD THINK OF AS PART OF THE UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITY, BUT BUT STILL IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA.

ANY QUESTIONS OR GOOD TO GO?

[00:45:02]

I'VE NEVER HEARD OF SARANAP BEFORE.

IT MIGHT BE A BISCUIT, BUT IT'S ALSO AN UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITY IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY.

SO THE MAJOR, THE MAJOR LAND USE RESTRICTION IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY IS REALLY THE URBAN LIMIT LINE AND REALLY A SIMPLE CONCEPT IN THAT A LINE WAS DRAWN AROUND THE COMMUNITIES THAT BASICALLY SAID, YOU KNOW, WITHIN THIS LINE, URBAN DEVELOPMENT IS IS OKAY, AND OUTSIDE OF THIS LINE, IT'S RESTRICTED FOR AGRICULTURE, OPEN SPACE, WETLANDS AND PARKS.

SO THAT WAS WAS ADOPTED ORIGINALLY IN 1990 AND UPDATED IN 2006.

THE LAND PRESERVATION PLAN ORDINANCE PROTECTS 65% OF THE COUNTY FOR AGRICULTURE, OPEN SPACE, WETLANDS AND PARKS.

35% IS URBAN LAND USES.

SO, AGAIN, THIS SORT OF SETS THE STAGE FOR A LOT OF OUR ACQUISITION IN THAT UNINCORPORATED AREA, BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY THE INTENT OF UNINCORPORATED LANDS IS TO BE PROTECTED FOR OPEN SPACE.

SO THAT'S WHERE THE MAJORITY OF OUR ACQUISITIONS HAPPEN OUT THERE, AND AGAIN, IT'S VERY RARE THAT WE ACQUIRE A BIG UNDEVELOPED PARCEL OUTSIDE OR WITHIN THE URBAN LIMIT LINE.

I THINK ONE OF THE FEW LOCATIONS THAT WE'VE DONE THAT IS THE RODDY RANCH GOLF COURSE, WHICH WAS ACTUALLY LOCATED WITHIN THE ANTIOCH URBAN LIMIT LINE, AND THAT'S SINCE BEEN PULLED BACK SOME TO, TO RECOGNIZE THAT PROPERTY HAS BEEN PROTECTED FOR OPEN SPACE.

SUBSEQUENTLY MEASURE J WAS APPROVED.

THAT WAS THE TRANSPORTATION MEASURE THAT WAS APPROVED IN 2004, AND IT BASICALLY SAID TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A VOTER APPROVED URBAN LIMIT LINE, YOU CAN'T ACCESS TRANSPORTATION FUNDING.

SO IT WAS REALLY KIND OF THE CARROT AND STICK APPROACH TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, SAYING YOU NEED TO HAVE YOUR OWN LOCAL GROWTH CONTROLS IF YOU WANT TO ACCESS REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION FUNDING TO FUND YOUR PROJECTS, AND THAT'S BEEN REALLY EFFECTIVE.

I CAN'T THINK OF ANY COMMUNITY THAT HAS SORT OF GONE AGAINST THAT, AND OF COURSE, THERE'S OBVIOUSLY AN INCENTIVE FOR THE COMMUNITIES TO GET THEIR MEASURE J FUNDING.

SO SO THAT'S WORKED.

WELL. THE URBAN LIMIT LINE IS UP FOR REVIEW IN 2026.

I KNOW THAT'S A BIG CONVERSATION IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY RIGHT NOW, AND AMONGST A NUMBER OF OUR STAKEHOLDERS IS WHAT CHANGES MIGHT BE ENVISIONED FOR THAT URBAN LIMIT LINE.

I CAN THINK OF A COUPLE SPECIFIC LOCATIONS WHERE THERE MIGHT BE SOME CHANGES, BUT BUT I DON'T NECESSARILY ANTICIPATE A LARGE WHOLESALE CHANGE THAT WILL REALLY IMPACT THE PARK DISTRICT.

AGAIN, MAYBE SOME SPECIFIC CHANGES.

SO AGAIN, THIS SORT OF SHOWS THAT URBAN LIMIT LINE IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY.

SO OUR PARKS AREN'T OVERLAID ON HERE, BUT BUT YOU CAN ENVISION MUCH OF THAT BROWN AREA INCLUDES MUCH OF OUR PARKLANDS.

SO AGAIN, THAT'S WHERE THE FOCUS OF OUR ACQUISITION ACTIVITIES OCCUR.

SO ALAMEDA COUNTY VERY SIMILAR.

THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY DOING A COMPREHENSIVE GENERAL PLAN UPDATE, BUT THEY ARE UPDATING THEIR HOUSING ELEMENT.

SO AGAIN, EVERY COMMUNITY HAS TO HAVE AN UPDATED HOUSING ELEMENT.

HOUSING ELEMENTS, UNLIKE OTHER PARTS OF THE GENERAL PLAN, ARE MANDATED TO BE UPDATED ON A REGULAR CYCLE.

I THINK IT'S EVERY TEN YEARS OR SO, AND SO AGAIN ALAMEDA COUNTY HAS BEEN GOING THROUGH A PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING THEIR AVAILABLE HOUSING SITES THROUGHOUT THE UNINCORPORATED AREA AND SIMILAR TO CONTRA COSTA COUNTY ALAMEDA COUNTY IS ALSO LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, VERY SPECIFIC LOCATIONS IN COMMUNITIES LIKE CHERRYLAND, ASHLAND, CASTRO VALLEY, UNINCORPORATED FAIRVIEW.

SO THOSE AREAS OF THE UNINCORPORATED COUNTY THAT ALREADY HAS URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE AND SO NOT NECESSARILY WHAT WE WOULD GENERALLY REFER TO AS, LIKE GREENFIELD DEVELOPMENT.

THERE'S NOT A LOT OF THOSE SPRAWL HOUSING PROPOSALS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THE ALAMEDA COUNTY HOUSING ELEMENT, AND PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE ALAMEDA COUNTY HAS THEIR OWN GROWTH CONTROL MEASURE, MEASURE D, AND THE URBAN GROWTH BOUNDARY IN ALAMEDA COUNTY.

SO VERY SIMILAR TO THE URBAN LIMIT LINE IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY.

MEASURE G, MEASURE D ESTABLISHED AN URBAN GROWTH BOUNDARY FOR FOR EASTERN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY OR EASTERN ALAMEDA COUNTY, WHICH IS WHERE THE MAJORITY OF UNDEVELOPED LAND IS, AND THAT SORT OF, AGAIN, SETS STANDARDS THAT PRIMARILY THE LAND USES IN THAT AREA NEED TO BE AGRICULTURE, OPEN SPACE, PROTECTED WATERSHEDS AND WILDLIFE HABITAT, SO REQUIRES VOTER APPROVAL FOR ANY CHANGES, AND WE'VE SEEN THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THIS AS OF 2014, AS MANY OF YOU MIGHT RECALL, THERE WAS A VOTER INITIATIVE TO THERE WAS A LARGE DEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL IN THE UNINCORPORATED LANDS BETWEEN DUBLIN AND LIVERMORE IN DOOLAN CANYON AND AROUND DOOLAN CANYON, AND THERE WAS A MEASURE THAT WAS BROUGHT FORWARD THAT BASICALLY UPHELD THE URBAN

[00:50:10]

SO AGAIN, YOU CAN KIND OF SEE WHERE THAT LINE IS THERE, AND AGAIN, MUCH OF THE MUCH OF THE AREA OVER ON THE, THE WESTERN SIDE OF ALAMEDA COUNTY IS LARGELY ALREADY DEVELOPED.

THERE IS ALWAYS THE ANOMALY OF HAYWARD, WHICH ACTUALLY EXTENDS OVER THE HILLS AND OVER TO PALOMARES ROAD, BUT AGAIN, MUCH OF THAT IS PROTECTED LAND WE HAVEN'T SEEN PROPOSALS IN THAT AREA, AND OF COURSE, EACH OF THE CITIES HAVE ALSO THEIR OWN.

FREMONT HAS THEIR HILLSIDE PROTECTION ORDINANCES, AND THERE'S A WHOLE SLEW OF ADDITIONAL ORDINANCES THAT PROTECT MUCH OF THE LAND THAT WE'RE EITHER GENERALLY AROUND OUR PARKS OR THAT WE'RE INTERESTED IN.

SO JUST SOME OF THE OTHER SOME OF THE OTHER MEASURES THAT HAVE BEEN PUT IN PLACE OVER THE PAST TWO DECADES THAT, AGAIN, KIND OF CONTROL, THAT SPRAWL AND AGAIN, SORT OF INFLUENCE OUR ACQUISITION IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS, AND SO SB 375, THIS REALLY TRIED TO TIE TOGETHER THE STATE'S HOUSING GOALS WITH WITH THE LOCAL LAND USE PLANNING AND GREENHOUSE REDUCTION TARGETS.

SO THIS ACTUALLY PROVIDED INCENTIVES FOR TRANSIT PRIORITY PROJECTS.

SO, AGAIN, TRYING TO TIE LOCAL LAND USE TO TRANSPORTATION FUNDING.

SO EACH COMMUNITY NEEDED TO HAVE SOME LEVEL OF A SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY STRATEGY TO AGAIN ACCESS THOSE STATE TRANSPORTATION FUNDS.

SO THE IDEA BEING THAT PUBLIC DOLLARS WEREN'T NECESSARILY BEING SPENT TO EXPAND TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE THAT FUELED SPRAWL DEVELOPMENT PLAN. BAY AREA WHICH HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A WHILE NOW.

IT'S GOING ON FOR AN UPDATE RIGHT NOW.

THIS IMPLEMENTS STATE SENATE STATE BILL 375 FOR THE BAY AREA.

SO THIS IS AGAIN, IT'S A REGIONAL PLAN THAT REALLY LOOKS AT WHERE YOUR PRIORITY CONSERVATION AREAS ARE AND YOUR PRIORITY DEVELOPMENT AREAS, AND REALLY TRIES TO FOCUS HOUSING AND JOBS WITHIN THOSE PRIORITY DEVELOPMENT AREAS AND FURTHER PROTECTS THOSE URBAN GROWTH BOUNDARIES.

SO IT'S SORT OF A BELT AND SUSPENDER APPROACH IN THAT REAFFIRMING URBAN GROWTH BOUNDARIES AND ANOTHER LAYER OF POLICY THAT PROTECTS THOSE UNDEVELOPED LANDS, AND AGAIN, BY PROTECTING THE UNDEVELOPED LANDS THAT KEEPS THEM SOMEWHAT AVAILABLE FOR US FOR ACQUISITION IN THE FUTURE.

BECAUSE OF COURSE, IF LAND GETS ZONED OR DESIGNATED FOR DEVELOPMENT, THAT JUST RAISES THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY.

SO BEING DESIGNATED FOR AS OPEN SPACE AND AGRICULTURAL LANDS, IT REALLY KIND OF KEEPS IT AVAILABLE FOR ACQUISITION FOR US.

SO PLAN BAY AREA, LIKE I SAY, IS GOING THROUGH AN UPDATE RIGHT NOW.

I SERVE ON THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR THAT.

WE MEET REGULARLY.

THEY HAVE BEEN IDENTIFYING PRIORITY CONSERVATION AREAS, I THINK ON THE DRAFT PRIORITY CONSERVATION AREAS HAVE JUST RECENTLY BEEN RELEASED, AND SO WE'RE VERY ENGAGED THROUGHOUT THAT PROCESS, AND MY STAFF HAS BEEN PARTICIPATING AS WELL.

OF COURSE. CALIFORNIA, 30 BY 30.

I KNOW THE COMMITTEE.

THE BOARD HAS HEARD A LOT.

ABOUT 30 BY 30, AND DIRECTOR OR DR.

ALVAREZ HAS HAS BEEN A LEADER IN THIS INITIATIVE TO PROTECT 30% OF THE STATE LANDS AND COASTAL WATERS BY 2030, AND REALLY BUILDING IN RESILIENCE AND CLIMATE SMART LAND MANAGEMENT.

SO AGAIN, IT'S ANOTHER LAYER THAT RELATES TO THE LOCAL MEASURES, THE STATE INITIATIVES TO PROTECT BIODIVERSITY, COMBAT CLIMATE CHANGE AND TO PROTECT AND INCREASE ACCESS TO NATURE, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY NEAR TO THE PARK DISTRICT'S INTERESTS.

SO THE TYPES OF PROJECTS THAT WE ARE SEEING IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS, AND I KNOW THE BOARD IS FAMILIAR WITH SOME OF THESE, AND, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE THERE THERE'S LANGUAGE IN ALL OF THESE THAT DOES PERMIT SAY AGRICULTURE.

A LOT OF DIFFERENT LAND USES CAN BE PROPOSED UNDER AGRICULTURE.

SO WE DO SEE PROPOSALS FOR, SAY, CANNABIS GREENHOUSES OR OTHER TYPES OF AGRICULTURAL TYPES OF USES IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS, AND THAT'S SOMETHING WE KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR.

OF COURSE DEVELOPING CLEAN ENERGY IS A GOAL OF THE STATE AND CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT THE PARK DISTRICT SUPPORTS,

[00:55:07]

SO WE DON'T NECESSARILY SEE AS MANY OF THE WIND ENERGY PROJECTS.

MOST OF THOSE ARE SORT OF REPOWERING PROJECTS IN THE ALTAMONT AREA.

SO SORT OF EXPANDING OR RETOOLING EXISTING WIND FARMS, BUT WE DO INCREASINGLY SEE THESE UTILITY SCALE SOLAR PROJECTS, LARGE SCALE SOLAR PROJECTS, AND WE SAW ONE OF THOSE. RECENTLY IN EASTERN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY HAS BEEN PROACTIVE AND TAKEN THE STEP TO ACTUALLY DESIGNATE ACCEPTABLE SOLAR ZONES IN THEIR UNINCORPORATED AREA.

ALAMEDA COUNTY HAS NOT.

SO WE DO CONTINUE TO SEE LARGE SCALE SOLAR PROJECTS PROPOSED THROUGHOUT ALAMEDA COUNTY PARTICULARLY AROUND, SAY, BRUSHY PEAK AND SOME OF THOSE AREAS.

THE BUSINESS OF HABITAT MITIGATION AND CONSERVATION EASEMENTS IS ALIVE AND WELL IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA.

SO FOR THOSE DEVELOPERS WHO ARE DEVELOPING WITHIN THE URBAN LIMIT LINE, THEY STILL NEED TO MITIGATE FOR THEIR PROPERTIES.

OF COURSE, IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, A LOT OF THAT IN EAST CONTRA COSTA COUNTY MIGHT BE JUST BUYING INTO THE EAST CONTRA COSTA COUNTY HABITAT CONSERVATION PLAN, BUT COMMUNITIES LIKE ANTIOCH ARE NOT A PARTY TO THAT.

SO, YOU KNOW, WE DO SEE DEVELOPERS STILL ACQUIRING LAND SPECIFICALLY FOR HABITAT MITIGATION PURPOSES, SO SELLING OFF MITIGATION CREDITS OR USING IT FOR OTHER MITIGATION FOR DEVELOPMENTS THAT MIGHT BE ELSEWHERE OR PLACING CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ON PROPERTIES, AND IT'S NOT UNCOMMON FOR THOSE PROPERTIES TO THEN EVENTUALLY, ONCE THOSE MITIGATION CREDITS ARE SOLD OUT OR THE CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ARE PLACED ON THE PROPERTY FOR THAT LANDOWNER TO THEN COME TO THE PARK DISTRICT AND SAY, HEY, ARE YOU INTERESTED IN PURCHASING THIS? AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT BECAUSE PUBLIC ACCESS IS ALWAYS AN INTEREST THERE, TOO, AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE'RE SEEING BIG WATER DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, SPECIFICALLY THE LOS VAQUEROS RESERVOIR EXPANSION AND THE BETHANY PIPELINE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT THAT WOULD CONNECT THE LOS VAQUEROS RESERVOIR TO THE STATE WATER PROJECT.

SO SO WE SEE THOSE THOSE BIG WATER DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS AND THEN TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE.

SO WE'RE SEEING A COUPLE OF BIG FREEWAY PROPOSALS IN EAST CONTRA COSTA COUNTY THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.

SO THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF PROJECTS THAT WE'RE GENERALLY LOOKING AT IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS, AND I DO WANT TO MENTION WE HAVE STAFF I KNOW WE PRESENTED BEFORE ON OUR SAGE PROCESS WHERE WE'RE REVIEWING AGENDAS, AND THIS IS ALL PART OF THAT.

WHEREAS LIKE I SAY, IN THE PAST, WE MIGHT BE LOOKING FOR NEW HOUSING PROPOSALS OR THOSE SORTS OF THINGS AND WE STILL LOOK AT THAT, PARTICULARLY AROUND OUR REGIONAL TRAILS, BUT MORE ON THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS.

YOU KNOW, WE SEE THIS AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE TONYA COVARRUBIAS.

SHE REALLY LEADS A LOT OF OUR SAGE PROCESS GOES THROUGH THROUGH OUR AGENDA REVIEW, AND NEOMA LAVALLE, WHO LEADS OUR INTERAGENCY PLANNING UNIT REALLY AMAZING THE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION THAT'S IN THEIR HEADS, JUST ABOUT ALL OF THESE VARIOUS PROJECTS THAT ARE MOVING THROUGH THE COUNTY.

SO OR THROUGH BOTH COUNTIES, SO GENERALLY HAVE A PRETTY GOOD FINGER ON THE PULSE OF WHAT'S GOING ON.

SO WITH THAT'S MY REAL BRIEF AND GENERALIZED OVERVIEW OF KIND OF THE WHAT'S GOING ON WITH REGIONAL PLANNING IN ALAMEDA AND CONTRA COSTA COUNTY.

I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS, AND AS ALWAYS APPRECIATE ANY FEEDBACK ON THINGS THAT YOU ALL FEEL THAT WE SHOULD BE KEEPING AN EYE OUT FOR AS PART OF THIS PROCESS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? NO SPECIFIC COMMENTS.

THANK YOU, BRIAN. THIS WAS REALLY A WONDERFUL PRESENTATION AND I SO APPRECIATE LEARNING MORE ABOUT HOW ALL THESE DIFFERENT PLANNING EFFORTS FIT TOGETHER, BECAUSE I'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THEM IN DIFFERENT CONTEXTS, BUT THIS IS VERY HELPFUL, AND TO SEE HOW WE, YOU KNOW, WE FIT INTO THAT BIGGER WHOLE AS WELL.

SO THIS IS A GREAT PRESENTATION.

APPRECIATE YOU BEING HERE. THANK YOU, AND VERY CLEAR.

SO I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OKAY.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

COOL. BRIAN, I'VE BEEN LOOSELY FOLLOWING CONTRA COSTA'S PROCESS AS IT WORKS ON UPDATING ITS GENERAL PLAN.

I'M CURIOUS, IN TERMS OF YOUR TEAM'S OBSERVATIONS OF THE PROCESS AND THE SUBSTANCE OF CONTRA COSTA'S UPDATES.

ONE WHERE HAS THE PARK DISTRICT TO DATE, IF ANYWHERE WITHIN THE CONTRA COSTA UPDATE SUBMITTED

[01:00:05]

IT'S FAIRLY FAR ALONG IN THE PLANNING PROCESS AS I UNDERSTAND IT, BUT THERE IS STILL AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT AS OF, YOU KNOW, RECENT WEEKS FROM SOME SOME DISCUSSIONS I'VE HAD WITH CONTRA COSTA'S COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR AND SO MY QUESTION IS TWO PART WHERE HAVE WE TAKEN NOTICE OR EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN THEIR UPDATE AND WHERE MIGHT WE YET.

YEAH. THANK YOU, DIRECTOR COFFEY.

SO YOU KNOW, WHEN WE'RE KIND OF REVIEWING THOSE THOSE BIG PLANS, I MEAN, OUR FIRST STEP IS REALLY TO KIND OF TAKE THEIR MAP AND TAKE OUR MAP AND MAKE SURE THAT EVERYTHING THAT'S ON OUR MAP IS ON THEIR MAP, AND THAT'S REALLY KIND OF WHAT WE DID WITH THE CONTRA COSTA COUNTY GENERAL PLAN, YOU KNOW, ARE THEY IDENTIFYING OUR PARKS, NOT JUST OUR EXISTING PARKLANDS, BUT OUR PROPOSED OR OUR POTENTIAL PARK LANDS? ARE THEY BRINGING IN OUR TRAIL PLANS AND ARE THEY, YOU KNOW, MAKING CONSIDERATIONS FOR THOSE, AND LIKE I SAY, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY AND WE HAVE A GREAT, GREAT RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR STAFF.

THEY REACHED OUT TO US EARLY ON AND BASICALLY INCORPORATED OUR INFORMATION.

SO I WOULD SAY THEIR GENERAL PLAN IS REALLY BUILT UPON AND INCORPORATES THE PARK DISTRICT AND OUR INTERESTS, AND SO FROM AN ACTUAL ON THE GROUND LAND USE PERSPECTIVE, YOU KNOW, OUR INTERESTS ARE INCLUDED IN THERE, AND THAT HASN'T ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE.

I MEAN, WE'VE SEEN OTHER CITIES OR OTHER GENERAL PLANS WHERE THEY MIGHT, YOU KNOW, COMPLETELY IGNORE OUR PROPOSED PARK.

OR A PROPOSED TRAIL THAT'S BEEN PROPOSED.

I CAN RECALL A COUPLE INCIDENCES WITH LOCAL CITIES WHERE WE'VE HAD TO SUBMIT COMMENTS SAYING, HEY, WHAT ABOUT THIS, THIS OR THAT? THAT HASN'T BEEN THE CASE WITH CONTRA COSTA COUNTY.

SO WE HAVEN'T SUBMITTED NECESSARILY ANY OF THOSE LETTERS.

SO AND FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT POINT OF VIEW YOU KNOW, BECAUSE OUR INFORMATION IS REALLY INCLUDED IN THERE, YOU KNOW, WE AS STAFF DON'T NECESSARILY FEEL THE NEED TO WADE INTO A LOT OF THEIR SPECIFIC, YOU KNOW, HOUSING ISSUES AND SOME OF THOSE, SOME OF THOSE OTHER THINGS.

SO IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO A QUESTION OF THEIR POLICIES, AND WE HAVE THE APPROACH THAT THE COUNTY HAS TAKEN IS REALLY DONE, SOME DETAILED COMMUNITY PROFILES TO SORT OF SET UP SOME GOALS AROUND, SAY DISCOVERY BAY OR BAY POINT, THE UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITIES, AND AGAIN, THIS IS A GENERAL PLAN.

SO THE POLICY LANGUAGE IS GENERAL AND I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, BY AND LARGE, THROUGHOUT THE PLAN REALLY IDENTIFIES, YOU KNOW, WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT.

YOU KNOW, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS ARE THROUGHOUT THERE.

SO WE'VE MET WITH THEIR STAFF.

YOU KNOW, WILL, NELSON WILL EMAIL ME OFTEN AND ASK ABOUT THINGS FOR CLARIFICATION.

SO WE HAVE THAT KIND OF BACK AND FORTH.

WE HAVEN'T SUBMITTED ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS.

JUST BECAUSE FRANKLY, I DON'T NECESSARILY FEEL THAT WE'VE NEEDED TO.

YEAH. I THINK YOU MADE THE POINT THAT THEY'RE NOT.

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY ISN'T ENVISIONING ITSELF AS BEING AN OVERSEER OF MANY NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS.

THAT IS A CHANGE FROM PRIOR DECADES, WHERE WE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE PROACTIVE IN SUGGESTING WHERE THE LIMITS OF OF DEVELOPMENT ARE COMPARED TO WHERE POTENTIAL OPEN SPACE OUGHT TO BE MAINTAINED.

SO WE'RE JUST THERE'S NOT AS MUCH AS THAT GOING ON.

SO THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE TO ME.

I KNOW THEY ARE PROACTIVE IN CHECKING WITH THE PARK DISTRICT AND YOU AND YOUR TEAM ON VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THEIR WORK.

BECAUSE I'VE GOTTEN A CALL I REMEMBER ABOUT THE RODEO WATERFRONT AND GEE, WHAT, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SOME PROPOSED CHANGES TO ZONING IN THE RODEO WATERFRONT.

HOW WOULD THAT IMPACT PARK DISTRICT FUTURE PLANS FOR RODEO? I, OF COURSE, BEING THE GOOD BOARD MEMBER, UNDERSTANDING MY PLACE REFERRED THEM TO YOU, BUT I DID WE DID GET A CHANCE TO TALK ABOUT THE RODEO WATERFRONT AND THE, THE CONCEPT OF ACCESS TO SHORELINE FOR LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES.

THAT SHOULD BE ON THE TOP OF THE LIST OF CERTAIN FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES, FOR INSTANCE.

SO WE'VE BEEN I'VE BEEN ABLE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH THE FOLKS THAT ARE WORKING ON THE UPDATE.

[01:05:07]

WHICH BRINGS ME BACK TO RODEO, BUT I SAW A LARGE YELLOW SWATH THROUGH NORTH RICHMOND NORTH AND IT AND THAT COLOR CODE COMPLETELY PARALLELED THE REGIONAL TRAIL EXTENSION THAT WE ARE WORKING ON FROM POINT WILSON TO POINT PINOLE IN WARD ONE, AND THAT JUST HIT ME.

WELL, THAT'S A MAP THAT OUGHT TO BE INCLUDED IN ALL OF THAT PROJECT'S APPLICATIONS FOR GRANT FUNDING BECAUSE IT IDENTIFIES IT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING STAFF IS ALREADY ON, BUT THAT WAS JUST HOW THAT TYPE OF WORK THAT THEY, THE COUNTY IS DOING IN CONNECTION WITH THE UPDATE OF THIS GENERAL PLAN, WOULD BENEFIT US IN TERMS OF OUR PROFILES OF COMMUNITIES SURROUNDING OUR PROJECTS AND WHERE IN PARTICULAR, AS IS OFTEN THE CASE, WE ARE CREATING ACCESS ONE WAY OR THE OTHER THROUGH PARKS, TRAILS STAGING AREAS TRAILHEADS ALONG SHORELINES FOR UNDERSERVED AND RELATIVELY LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES AND SO THAT MAP I DOWNLOADED AND MADE SURE I HAD A COPY AND IT JUST MAKES ME HAPPY ABOUT WHAT MY COUNTY IS, IS DOING AND THE BREADTH AND SCOPE OF WHAT THEY FOCUS ON, AND IT VERY MUCH PARALLELS WHAT WE DO AND OUR VALUES AND MISSION.

YOU KNOW, THAT WAS A COMMENT MORE THAN A QUESTION.

THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.

GOOD OBSERVATION. THANK YOU.

YEAH. THANKS, BRIAN.

VERY INFORMATIVE.

CAN I BE LED TO BELIEVE THAT UNDER EMERGING ISSUES IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREAS, WHEN YOU HIGHLIGHTED WATER DEVELOPMENT AND TALKED ABOUT EXPANSION OF THE LOS VAQUEROS AND BETHANY, THAT LAKE DEL VALLE WASN'T, DIDN'T RISE TO THAT EMERGING OPPORTUNITIES OR.

WHAT'S THAT? THE EXPANSION OF LAKE DEL VALLE.

IT'S, YOU KNOW.

YEAH, IT'S ON OUR RADAR FOR SURE.

OKAY, BUT IT'S NOT EMERGING AS A I MEAN, WE'VE HEARD THINGS IN LIAISON COMMITTEES, BUT I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT ANY, YOU KNOW, ACTIVE PROPOSALS OR ANYTHING THAT WE'VE COME TO, YOU KNOW, LOS VAQUEROS IS CONTRA COSTA WATER DISTRICT IS, YOU KNOW, VERY MUCH DOWN THE PATHWAY OF HAVING FUNDING AND WE ARE IN ACTIVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM ABOUT, YOU KNOW, LAND AND LOCATIONS AND ALL THAT SORT OF STUFF.

HAVEN'T NECESSARILY GOT THERE WITH DEL VALLE YET, BUT I'M SURE WE WILL AT SOME POINT.

SO I MEAN, THESE THINGS, YOU KNOW, NOTHING EVER GOES AWAY AT ALL.

THAT'S TRUE. ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC? NO COMMENTS. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

WE'LL MOVE NOW TO KATY AND THE GRANTS.

OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON.

THIS IS KATY HORNBECK, GRANTS MANAGER.

A BRIEF UPDATE ON THE GRANTS THAT WE SUBMITTED APPLICATIONS FOR AND GRANTS THAT WE WERE AWARDED FOR BETWEEN DECEMBER 21ST OF LAST YEAR AND FEBRUARY 20TH OF THIS YEAR.

THE FEW THAT I'LL HIGHLIGHT IN THE APPLICATION SECTION.

SO THE FIRST ONE WE SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION TO CDFW TO THEIR WATERSHED GRANTS PROGRAM.

THIS IS FOR THE US ARMY CORPS PROJECT, THE DELTA LEVEE.

EXCUSE ME, DELTA LEVEE AND ISLANDS PLANNING PHASE OF THAT PROJECT.

[01:10:03]

SO THAT APPLICATION WAS SUBMITTED AND ACTUALLY JUST A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO FOUND OUT THAT IT WAS SELECTED FOR GRANT FUNDING.

SO WE'LL NOW PURSUE ENTERING INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE ARMY CORPS FOR THEM TO BEGIN THEIR PROJECT.

THE OTHER PROJECT THAT I WILL HIGHLIGHT IS THE NUMBER TWO, THE GRIZZLY PEAK STRATEGIC FUEL BREAK COLLABORATION PHASE TWO.

SO THE PARK DISTRICT SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION LAST YEAR TO CAL FIRE FOR 5 MILLION FOR THIS PROJECT.

THIS IS A COLLABORATIVE PROJECT WITH EAST BAY MUD, UC BERKELEY AND THE CITY OF BERKELEY.

CAL FIRE CAME BACK AND SAID, WE CAN'T FUND THE ENTIRE PROJECT AND PROPOSED A $2.8 MILLION AWARD, WHICH WE ACCEPTED, AND THAT WORK IS GOING TO WILL BE STARTING LATER THIS YEAR.

CAL FIRE ISSUED ANOTHER ROUND OF FUNDING IN THE SAME PROGRAM, AND SO WE SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION TO BASICALLY FUND THE REMAINDER OF THAT PROJECT THAT WE HAD SCALED BACK. SO THIS, IF AWARDED, WOULD GET US TO A FULLY FUNDED PROJECT WE'RE CALLING.

WE PHASED IT, BUT IT'S REALLY JUST WE REDUCED THE SCOPE IN ORDER TO MEET THAT 2.8 MILLION GRANT AWARD IN THIS 2.2 NOW ALLOWS US TO DO THE ENTIRE SCOPE AND GET FULLY FUNDED AND IN UNDER GRANTS AWARDED.

I WILL HIGHLIGHT THAT FIRST ONE, THE WILD CREEK RESTORATION AND BROOK ROAD IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT.

THIS IS A GRANT FROM THE EPA.

THE PROJECT WORK WON'T START UNTIL NEXT YEAR, BUT THIS IS A PROGRAM THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT FUND THAT WE'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN THE PAST.

WE'VE RECEIVED GRANT FUNDING FROM THIS PROGRAM FOR COYOTE, THE COYOTE HILLS PROJECT FOR THE MCCOSKER PROJECT, AND THE FAIRPOINT PIER PROJECT.

SO IT'S GOOD TO SEE ANOTHER AWARD THERE, AND THEN NUMBER TWO, THE HAYWARD MARSH IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT.

THIS IS A MEASURE AA FUNDING FROM THE RESTORATION AUTHORITY, AND THIS 600,000 IS FUNDING THE GETTING US TO FINAL DESIGN.

SO WHICH WILL ACTUALLY BE COMPLETED LATER THIS YEAR.

SO THAT IS MY REPORT.

I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THESE ITEMS OR ANYTHING ELSE GRANTS RELATED.

QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS? HERE WE GO.

NONE? COME ON.

GO AHEAD. LOOKING BACK AT THE BACKGROUND MATERIALS KATY NOT FUND A REPORT ON, BUT WERE THERE ANY PARTICULAR DISAPPOINTMENTS THAT WE'VE HEARD OF LATELY IN THIS PERIOD OR.

WELL, WELL, I DON'T DISAPPOINTMENT.

I MEAN WE SUBMITTED AN APPLICATION TO THE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD FOR THE BROOK ROAD PROJECT AND WEREN'T SELECTED FOR THAT FUNDING.

THEY DECIDED THEY HAVE A LIMITED PUBLIC ACCESS FUNDS, AND THEY DIDN'T FEEL THE RESTORATION COMPONENT OF THE PROJECT WAS SUFFICIENT OR ROBUST ENOUGH TO ACCESS THE RESTORATION FUNDING.

SO THAT WAS OBVIOUSLY JUST A DISAPPOINTMENT, BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, THEY, THEY DID AWARD OR SELECT OUR TIDEWATER GRANT APPLICATION AND OUR FUNDING THERE. THE TENTATIVE AWARD IS 2.6 MILLION.

SO, YOU KNOW HIGHS AND LOWS IN GRANTS, BUT THAT'S THE ONE, THE IMMEDIATE ONE THAT COMES TO MIND THAT WE DIDN'T GET SELECTED FOR.

WHERE WOULD YOU REPORT TO US THE SUCCESS WITH THE TIDEWATER GRANT.

THAT'LL BE IN YOUR NEXT REPORT THAT WAS JUST ISSUED, LIKE A WEEK AGO.

SOME GOOD NEWS. YES. YEAH.

ALL RIGHT. GREAT I ENJOY THAT.

ALL RIGHT. SO THERE'S ONE THAT COMES TO MIND.

THANKS. WELL, I THINK WE'RE ALWAYS INTERESTED IN, YOU KNOW, WHAT WE'RE NOT GETTING AND WHY AND AS I ALWAYS REPEAT OVER AND OVER AGAIN, WHAT RESOURCES YOU FOLKS NEED TO BE PERHAPS MORE SUCCESSFUL IF YOU CAN IDENTIFY RESOURCES THAT ARE NEEDED.

SO THAT'S WHY I ALWAYS ASK FOR THAT FEEDBACK, AND I'M HAPPY TO COME IN AT THE NEXT MEETING IN MY BACK POCKET, A FEW MORE EXAMPLES OF MAYBE NO AWARDS OR THINGS THAT ARE UPCOMING, BUT WE APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK, AND I WILL NOTE THAT IN THE LAST BUDGET CYCLE, THE BOARD DID APPROVE 100,000 TO GO INTO GRANT WRITING SERVICES, WHICH WAS AN INCREASE FROM PREVIOUS YEARS, WHICH IS DEFINITELY HELPFUL.

THAT GOES TO GRANT WRITING APPLICATIONS, OBVIOUSLY, BUT ALSO THERE ARE SOME SOME APPLICATIONS THAT REQUIRE TECHNICAL STUDIES OR A BENEFIT COST ANALYSIS, AND THAT'S ALL GOING TOWARDS THAT AS WELL.

[01:15:03]

SO IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME TO MANAGE WHAT WE HAVE AND TO MAKE SURE WE'RE SPENDING OUR MONEY AND REPORTING AND MEETING THOSE OBLIGATIONS.

SO I APPRECIATE THE SUPPORT FOR THE GRANT WRITING FUNDING AS WELL.

PERFECT EXAMPLE WHEN I'M TALKING ABOUT WHEN YOU FOLKS COME TO US, AND AGAIN, THE CALIFORNIA'S HAVING BUDGET ISSUES AT THE TIME, BUT I REMEMBER WHEN BOTH THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND THE STATE GOVERNMENT WERE MAKING MAKING A LOT OF MONEY, FRANKLY, AVAILABLE FOR PROJECTS THAT THIS ORGANIZATION UNDERTAKES ALL THE TIME, AND IT'S JUST IMPORTANT FOR YOU FOLKS TO COME TO US AND ASK FOR THOSE RESOURCES, BE THEY OUTSIDE CONSULTANTS THAT HELP WITH GRANT WRITING, BE THEY ADVOCATES IN DC OR SACRAMENTO, OR THEY BE INTERNAL STAFF THAT YOU NEED TO GROW AND JUST KEEP IT COMING.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

WELL, THANK YOU KATY, AND I ADMIRE ALL THE WORK THAT YOU AND YOUR STAFF DO TO GET THESE BIG GIANT GRANTS.

I'M WONDERING, DO YOU DO WE GET OR ARE THERE JUST IT'S TOO TRIVIAL.

THE GRANTS ARE LIKE UNDER $50,000.

I REMEMBER GETTING CALIFORNIA RECYCLING GRANTS FOR RECYCLING CONTAINERS AT LIKE $50,000, AND THEN STOP WASTE WAS ALWAYS VERY GENEROUS.

DO WE STILL GET THOSE TYPE OF GRANTS? THEY TEND TO BE GOING TO STORAGE STEWARDSHIP PROJECTS, AND THOSE OFTEN ARE SORT OF BASED ON THE CONTEXT AND RELATIONSHIPS THAT STEWARDSHIP STAFF HAS.

YOU KNOW, THEY WILL REACH OUT TO CDFW AND SAY, HEY, WE'RE WORKING ON THIS GRASSLANDS MAPPING PROJECT.

DO YOU HAVE ANY MONEY? AND SO THAT'S A LITTLE MORE INFREQUENT, BUT YES, WE DEFINITELY DO GET THINGS UNDER 50,000, AND WE ALWAYS COME TO THE BOARD REGARDLESS OF THE DOLLAR AMOUNT, TO GET AUTHORIZATION TO ACCEPT THOSE FUNDS AND ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT.

SO JUST NOT AS COMMON.

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

ANY PUBLIC COMMENT? NO. THANKS FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.

WE'LL NOW MOVE TO THE 2024-2025 FISCAL YEAR STATE BUDGET REVIEW.

HELLO, ERICH PFUEHLER, CHIEF OF GOVERNMENT AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS AND JUST WANTING TO INTRODUCE THE INDIVIDUAL THAT WILL BE PRESENTING ON THE STATE BUDGET. THEY'RE CLOSER TO IT THAN WE ARE SO APPROPRIATE TO HAVE OUR CONSULTANT ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT OR ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY CONSULTANTS REPORT ON THE CURRENT STATE OF THE BUDGET.

THE MATERIALS THAT WERE ADDED TO THE PACKET WERE SIGNIFICANTLY IN ADVANCE, AND THERE HAS BEEN SOME EVOLUTION SINCE THE MATERIALS WERE SUBMITTED. SO FOR THAT ABIGAIL, I SHOULD ALSO ADD IS THE LAND CONSERVATION, BIODIVERSITY AND CLIMATE SPECIALIST FOR EEC.

SO I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE HER, AND IF WE COULD BRING HER UP AS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE MEETING, THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

ABIGAIL, CAN YOU HEAR US? YOU'RE UNMUTED. I CAN HEAR YOU.

I'M NOT SURE IF YOU CAN SEE ME, BUT--I'M ON EEC, ERICH.

EEC.

CAN I SEE HER? OKAY. EEC.

WHAT IS EEC? THAT'S THE ADVOCACY GROUP, CORRECT? EEC IS ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY CONSULTING.

ALL RIGHT, AND WE MET WITH THOSE FOLKS.

YEAH. YOU WOULD HAVE MET ABIGAIL IN SACRAMENTO PREVIOUSLY.

ALL RIGHT. ABIGAIL, ARE YOU ABLE TO START YOUR VIDEO? I'M NOT PERMITTED TO START MY VIDEO ON ZOOM.

LOOKS LIKE I NEED PERMISSION FROM THE HOST, BUT I CAN'T HEAR YOU ALL.

GREAT. WELL, I CAN JUST GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED WITHOUT VIDEO AND THEN IF IT'S ENABLED WHILE I GO, I'LL BE SURE TO TURN IT ON. THANK YOU.

LOOKS LIKE YOU ALL CAN SEE THE PRESENTATION.

HELLO, I'M ABIGAIL SCHMIDT.

AS ERIC MENTIONED, I WORK WITH ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY CONSULTING.

SO TODAY I'M GOING TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF AN OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE STAND RIGHT NOW WITH THE STATE BUDGET.

MUCH OF THIS I'M SURE YOU'VE HEARD RUMORS ABOUT AND IT'S BEEN IN THE NEWS THAT WE'RE FACING A DEFICIT.

SO I'LL GET INTO A LITTLE MORE DETAIL ABOUT WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THE YEAR AHEAD HERE.

SO TO START THINGS OFF THIS YEAR, AS WE HEADED INTO JANUARY, WE HAD VERY STRONG INDICATIONS THAT THERE WOULD BE A SIGNIFICANT BUDGET DEFICIT FOR 2024-25.

IF YOU RECALL, BACK IN 2021, 22 AND 23, EVEN THE STATE DID EXPERIENCE SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT BUDGET

[01:20:05]

SO WE MADE SEVERAL YEAR LONG COMMITMENTS, AND NOW HEADING INTO 2024-25, ALTHOUGH I WILL NOTE THAT THE STATE IS NOT FACING A RECESSION OR ANY DIRE ECONOMIC PROBLEMS, WE DO HAVE A BUDGET THAT OVERINVESTED IN SOME AREAS WHERE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH GENERAL FUND TO SUPPORT THOSE, THOSE PROMISES.

SO THOSE ARE THE NUMBERS THAT HAVE LED US TO THIS ESTIMATED DEFICIT FOR THE YEAR AHEAD OF BETWEEN 38 AND $73 BILLION.

I KNOW THAT'S A BIG DIFFERENCE THERE.

THERE'S A LOT OF WIGGLE ROOM.

THE LEGISLATURE IS ESTIMATING THE DEFICIT TO BE ABOUT 73 BILLION, AND THE GOVERNOR'S JANUARY PROPOSAL ESTIMATED ABOUT 38 BILLION.

SO THEY'RE STILL, YOU KNOW, GOING TO BE FIGURING OUT OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS WHAT THAT FINAL NUMBER ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE, BUT RIGHT NOW THEY'RE KIND OF MEETING IN THE MIDDLE, AND THE LEGISLATURE IS DISCUSSING HOW WE'RE GOING TO, YOU KNOW, MAKE, MAKE SOME MONEY UP FOR ABOUT $50 BILLION, AND WE'LL SEE WHERE CUTS MAY NEED TO BE TO ADDRESS THAT IN THE MIDDLE NUMBER.

SO BACK IN JANUARY, WHEN THE GOVERNOR RELEASED HIS JANUARY BUDGET PROPOSAL AND ADDRESSED THE IMPENDING DEFICIT, THERE WERE ALSO A NUMBER OF PROPOSALS TO BACKFILL SOME OF THE MONEY.

WE NEED TO WE NEED TO MAKE UP FOR, INCLUDING DIPPING INTO RESERVES AND RAINY DAY FUNDS.

FUND SHIFTS, WHICH, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT WOULD BE TAKING SOME OF THE GENERAL FUND DOLLARS THAT WERE PROMISED FOR PROGRAMS IN PREVIOUS YEARS AND MAYBE USING CAP AND TRADE GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION FUND DOLLARS INSTEAD OF THAT GENERAL FUND MONEY.

THERE WERE SOME REDUCTIONS PROPOSED.

SO INSTEAD OF SHIFTING IT TO GRF, SOME PROGRAMS, UNFORTUNATELY, ARE PROPOSED TO BE CUT OR DELAYED AND DEFERRED.

SO THOSE WOULD JUST BE PUSHING OUT THE INVESTMENTS TO OUT YEARS.

SO ALL OF THIS KIND OF MOVING AROUND THE FUNDS WOULD STILL RETAIN A PRETTY HEALTHY RAINY DAY FUND IN THE STATE.

PRETTY HEALTHY RESERVES.

ALTHOUGH THERE IS DISCUSSION AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT WE WANT TO, YOU KNOW, DELAY HAVING TO DIP INTO RESERVES AS FAR AS POSSIBLE AND INSTEAD MAKE FURTHER PROGRAM CUTS.

SO THOSE ARE THE DISCUSSIONS THAT ARE HAPPENING BETWEEN THE TWO LEGISLATIVE HOUSES AND THE GOVERNOR RIGHT NOW.

TO GET INTO THE PROPOSALS AROUND CLIMATE FUNDING.

I HAVE SOME MORE SPECIFIC NUMBERS HERE, BUT BEFORE I DIVE INTO THIS, I WANT TO KIND OF TALK ABOUT WHERE WE ARE IN THE BUDGET PROCESS AND WHAT THESE NUMBERS ARE ACTUALLY PROPOSING AND HOW SERIOUS THEY ARE, HOW REAL THEY ARE.

SO RIGHT NOW, AS I MENTIONED, THE GOVERNOR CAME OUT WITH HIS JANUARY BUDGET PROPOSAL, WHICH IS JUST HIS FIRST DRAFT OF HOW HE THINKS WE SHOULD BE DRAFTING A STATE BUDGET.

WE ARE NOW IN THE SPRING PHASE LEADING UP TO TAX SEASON, WHEN WE GET MORE INFORMATION WHERE THE LEGISLATURE IS CONVENING BUDGET HEARINGS AND MAKING SURE THAT THEY HAVE A PROPOSAL TO MOVE FORWARD COME JUNE, BUT THEY'RE JUST REVIEWING AND RESPONDING TO THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSALS.

THEY WILL THEN PUT TOGETHER THEIR OWN PROPOSAL, AS THEY ALWAYS DO, AND THE NEGOTIATIONS WILL CONTINUE UNTIL JUNE 15TH, WHEN THEY HAVE TO PASS A BUDGET AND HAND IT TO THE GOVERNOR.

SO THESE ARE THE PROPOSED NUMBERS FROM THE GOVERNOR AND ARE VERY MUCH STILL UNDER DISCUSSION AND CONSIDERATION BY THE LEGISLATURE BUT TO GET INTO DETAIL, THIS INCLUDES ABOUT 89% OF THE HUGE $54 BILLION CLIMATE PACKAGE BEING PROTECTED THROUGH THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET, AND THEN ABOUT 200, I'M SORRY, 2.9 BILLION IN CUTS.

SO A LOT OF THESE CUTS ARE SPREAD OVER THINGS LIKE TRANSPORTATION AND ENERGY THAT ARE NOT NECESSARILY, YOU KNOW, AFFECTING NATURE BASED SOLUTIONS, BUT THERE ARE A FEW CUTS THAT ARE PROPOSED FOR THE AREAS OF FUNDING THAT WE'RE MOST CONCERNED WITH.

SOME OF THOSE, AND THE MOST IMPORTANT ONE, I WILL SAY WOULD BE THE PROPOSED CUT TO THE STATE COASTAL CONSERVANCY.

SO LAST YEAR, THE STATE COASTAL CONSERVANCY RECEIVED ABOUT $500 MILLION IN GENERAL FUND FUNDING.

[01:25:05]

IT WAS CHAMPIONED BY SENATOR BECKER AND SENATOR LAIRD, AND THEY DELIVERED A LOT OF SUPPORT AND MADE SURE THAT WE CAN CARRY OUT A HUGE PIPELINE OF PROJECTS AT THE COASTAL CONSERVANCY STATEWIDE.

HOWEVER, WITH THE HUGE DEFICIT THAT WE'RE FACING THIS YEAR, THE GOVERNOR DID PROPOSE TO CUT NEARLY ALL OF THAT REMAINING FUNDING THAT HAS NOT YET BEEN COMMITTED TO PROJECTS.

SO AFTER MEETING WITH THE COASTAL CONSERVANCY, IF THIS CUT WENT FORWARD, THEY WOULD BE OUT OF MONEY BY NEXT MONTH.

THEY WOULD HAVE TO PUT A PAUSE ON FUNDING A TON OF PROJECTS, AND OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE THEY'RE A REALLY STRONG PARTNER FOR THE WORK THAT YOU ALL DO.

SO A LOT OF OUR WORK RIGHT NOW IN THE LEGISLATURE IS FOCUSED ON PUSHING BACK ON THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED CUTS TO THE COASTAL CONSERVANCY.

AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S THE LARGEST POT THAT HE'S PROPOSING TO CLAW BACK.

I WILL SHARE THAT THERE IS A LOT OF INTEREST IN THE LEGISLATURE TO PROTECT THAT MONEY FROM THE CENTRAL COAST CAUCUS, FROM THE BAY AREA CAUCUS, AND FROM SENATORS BECKER AND LAIRD SPECIFICALLY, WHO GOT US THAT FUNDING IN THE FIRST PLACE.

SO THAT IS ONE WHERE WE'RE FOCUSING A LOT OF ENERGY.

I'LL ALSO NOTE THERE IS SOME PROPOSED CUTS TO THE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD.

A LOT OF THIS THAT IS PROPOSED TO BE CUT WOULD BE FOR WATERSHED RESILIENCE PROJECTS IN SOCAL AND THE SIERRA NEVADA.

SO LESS YOU KNOW, IT'S PRETTY SPECIFIC POTS OF FUNDING, BUT WITHIN THIS $70.4 MILLION, THERE'S ALSO ABOUT 15 MILLION IN GENERAL PROJECT FUNDING.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE, YOU KNOW, DISCOVERED THROUGH MEETING WITH AGENCIES IS THAT THE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD, SHOULD THESE CUTS GO THROUGH WOULD PROBABLY BE RUNNING OUT OF MONEY THIS YEAR AND WOULD THEN HAVE TO SHIFT TO VERY MUCH SMALLER GRANTS THAN THEY'VE BEEN AWARDING OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.

SO THEY WOULD BE LIMITING THEIR, THEIR GRANTS TO 1 OR $2 MILLION INSTEAD OF BEING ABLE TO FUND THESE LARGER PROJECTS.

SO THAT'S ANOTHER POT THAT WE'RE WE'RE ADVOCATING STRONGLY TO PROTECT.

I'D ALSO JUST HIGHLIGHT THERE WERE SOME CLAWBACKS PROPOSED FOR SOME OUTDOOR ACCESS GRANT PROGRAMS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION AS WELL AS SOME SMALL CUTS IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF THINGS TO WILDFIRE REDUCTION INVESTMENTS AND WILDFIRE RESILIENCE INVESTMENTS.

FOR SOME CONTEXT, I KNOW WE SEE 27.7 MILLION IN CUTS.

DEFINITELY PUSHING BACK AGAINST THAT.

HOWEVER, THAT IS PART OF A $2 BILLION PACKAGE FOR WILDFIRE.

SO I WILL HIGHLIGHT THAT.

THAT WAS ONE AREA THAT REALLY SAW PRETTY LIMITED CUTS IN THE SCHEME OF THINGS.

SO OVERALL, AT THIS POINT IN THE BUDGET PROCESS, WE DO EXPECT THE BUDGET DEFICIT TO GROW BEYOND THE GOVERNOR'S PROJECTIONS OF $38 BILLION. AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THE LEGISLATURE IS PROJECTING MUCH HIGHER AT AROUND 70 BILLION, AND EVEN JUST FROM JANUARY, TAX REVENUES WERE ABOUT $5 BILLION BELOW EXPECTED.

SO THAT WILL BE A CONCERN MOVING FORWARD.

I'LL ALSO NOTE THAT AS I AS I SAID, THE SENATE IS PROMISING TO BE A GOOD PARTNER IN PUSHING BACK AGAINST THE MOST IMPORTANT CUTS THAT WE'RE SEEING IN THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL, AND FINALLY, I WOULD BE REMISS TO NOT MENTION THE DISCUSSIONS AROUND A POTENTIAL CLIMATE RESILIENCE BOND FOR THE NOVEMBER BALLOT.

SO AS WE CONTEND WITH THE BUDGET DEFICIT AND AS WE START YOU KNOW, FINDING OUT WHAT ULTIMATELY WILL NEED TO BE CUT FROM THE GENERAL FUND, I THINK THAT IS FUEL FOR THE CONVERSATION AROUND PASSING A CLIMATE BOND IN NOVEMBER.

THAT COULD RANGE, YOU KNOW, ANYWHERE FROM SIX TO $12 BILLION THAT'S STILL BEING NEGOTIATED, AND ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE RESULTS OF THE PRIMARY ELECTIONS, IT'S LOOKING LIKE THE GOVERNOR'S MENTAL HEALTH BOND IS LIKELY TO PASS, WHICH MEANS THAT WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO START ENGAGING WITH THE GOVERNOR AND START GETTING HIS ATTENTION ON A CLIMATE BONDS FOR DISCUSSIONS FOR THE FALL.

SO THERE'S A LOT OF WORK TO BE DONE THERE, AND THIS IS A PRETTY HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE STAND RIGHT NOW, BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY MORE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.

IT'S VERY INFORMATIVE.

I'M INTERESTED IN KNOWING MORE ABOUT HOW YOU THINK THE, YOU KNOW, THE COMMITMENT TO THE CLIMATE BOND, AND OBVIOUSLY WE WANT TO WE WANT TO SEE THAT, WE WANT TO SEE THAT MOVE FORWARD, BUT IS THAT GOING TO GIVE THE GOVERNOR, SORT OF MORE ABILITY TO CUT BACK ON SOME OF THESE AREAS WHERE WE CARE SO MUCH WITH THE IDEA THAT SOME OF THAT WOULD BE FILLED IN BY THE CLIMATE BOND.

[01:30:01]

IF YOU COULD SHED SOME LIGHT ON THAT.

ERICH PFUEHLER, CHIEF OF GOVERNMENT AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS.

I'M NOT SURE. I THINK ABIGAIL IS STILL THERE, BUT JUST TO COMMENT ON THE CLIMATE BOND, BOTH LISA AND I WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO PARTICIPATE IN A TOGETHER BAY AREA ADVOCACY DAY ON MARCH 6TH, AND THE TOPIC OF FUNDING FOR THE AREAS THAT WERE HIGHLIGHTED IN ABIGAIL'S PRESENTATION WERE ALL ALL DISCUSSED WITH AN EMPHASIS ON ON COASTAL CONSERVANCY, BUT IT DOES APPEAR AS IF THE MOMENTUM FOR A CLIMATE BOND IS IS EMERGING.

IT'S STILL BEING NEGOTIATED IN TERMS OF THE LEVEL OF FUNDING THAT COULD BE REALISTICALLY MOVED FORWARD.

I THINK OUR LAST ON OUR LAST SET OF VISITS, IT WAS SOMEWHERE IN THE $7 BILLION RANGE.

SOME OF THIS WILL DEPEND ON WHAT HAPPENS WITH PROP ONE.

STILL VERY TOO CLOSE TO CALL.

SO THAT'S A $6.83 BILLION BOND, I BELIEVE, FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND SHOULD SHOULD THAT NOT PASS? THERE'S SOME CONCERNS ABOUT THE ELECTORATE INTEREST IN BOND PROPOSAL, BUT I WILL SAY THAT THE COALITION OF FOLKS THAT ARE WORKING ON THE CLIMATE BOND ARE MEETING VERY REGULARLY WITH ABIGAIL'S FIRM, AND WE'RE HAVING ADDITIONAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW TO CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR RESOURCE RELATED PROVISIONS.

GIVEN THE NATURE OF THE BOND COULD BE A BLENDING OF WATER, AGRICULTURE, CLIMATE.

THERE COULD BE SORT OF A BUCKET APPROACH TO HOW SOMETHING MIGHT ADVANCE THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE.

SO WE'RE WE'RE STAYING VERY ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THAT.

ABIGAIL, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT.

NO, I THINK I THINK YOU COVERED IT.

YEAH. NO, A LOT MORE.

HOPEFULLY AFTER WE GET THE FINAL RESULTS OF OF PROPOSITION ONE.

WHICH I BELIEVE THE SECRETARY DOESN'T CERTIFY TILL I THINK I READ APRIL 9TH.

SO IT'S STILL A WAYS OFF IN TERMS OF ACCOUNTING.

YEAH, IT'S LOOKING LIKE IT'S PULLING SLIGHTLY AHEAD NOW, BUT WE WON'T KNOW FOR SURE FOR A FEW MORE DAYS, IT LOOKS LIKE.

CAN I ASK ABIGAIL OR ERICH, IS THE ISSUE WITH PROP ONE? THAT IF IT ACTUALLY FAILS, THAT THE GOVERNOR'S ENERGIES AND FOCUS WOULD THEN BE TO PUT IT AGAIN ON THE BALLOT IN NOVEMBER, IS THAT WHY IT'S AN ISSUE? I. ABIGAIL, PLEASE SPEAK TO THAT IF YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT ANSWER, BUT I DON'T THINK THAT'S THE CONCERN.

I THINK IT'S MORE HOW THE ELECTORATE IS VIEWING THE ECONOMY.

YOU KNOW, THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA IN TERMS OF BONDING AUTHORITY AND INDEBTEDNESS AND ALSO JUST THE STATE OF THE BUDGET.

I THINK IT'S SORT OF A CANARY IN THE COAL MINE KIND OF TEST, AND YOU KNOW, DEPENDING UPON THE OUTCOME, I THINK THERE MAY BE AN APPETITE TO HOLD OFF ON MAYBE ANY BOND IN THE FALL.

IF IT LOSES, YOU KNOW, EVERY ANALYSIS I'VE READ IS THAT THE PRIMARY TURNOUT WAS FAR MORE CONSERVATIVE IN ITS IMPACT BECAUSE OF A SEVERELY LOW TURNOUT THAT WON'T REFLECT THE NOVEMBER ELECTORATE AT ALL, GIVEN THE DYNAMICS OF A TRUMP VERSUS BIDEN PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN.

SO I YOU KNOW, TO ME, I WOULD MOVE FULL BLAST ON A CLIMATE BOND REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENED IN THIS PRIMARY.

THERE'S ALL SORTS OF BIZARRE OUTCOMES IN LOCAL ELECTIONS BECAUSE OF THAT EXTRAORDINARILY LOW TURNOUT, AND I'M JUST HOPING THE POWERS THAT BE DON'T OVERLOOK THAT.

YEAH, NO, THAT'S A FAIR POINT, AND I THINK WE'RE WE'RE ACTIVELY MOVING FORWARD.

SO WELL A LOT OBVIOUSLY CAN CHANGE BETWEEN NOW AND I BELIEVE IT'S THE END OF JUNE THAT IT WOULD HAVE TO PASS TO BE PLACED ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT.

YEAH. WELL I'M GLAD.

OH GO AHEAD. WELL, I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY YEAH, IT IS THE END OF JUNE, AND PART OF THE CONCERN WE'RE HEARING FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE THAT THEY MIGHT CONSIDER PLACING IT ON THE BALLOT AGAIN IF IT DOESN'T PASS IN MARCH, BUT BECAUSE IT IS SUCH A DIFFERENT ELECTORATE, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY COULD EXPECT VERY DIFFERENT RESULTS.

[01:35:04]

I THINK THIS IS WHERE HE PUT MOST OF HIS ENERGY OVER THE LAST YEAR, AND SO, YOU KNOW, IT MAY CREATE SOME DELAYS AND ROADBLOCKS FOR PRODUCTIVE NEGOTIATIONS AROUND A CLIMATE BOND.

YEAH, CERTAINLY.

OBVIOUSLY I HOPE I HOPE BOTH THAT THE BOND THE MENTAL HEALTH BOND IS SUCCESSFUL.

I ACTUALLY HAD HEARD THAT THE OPPOSITION HAD CONCEDED DEFEAT, EVEN THOUGH IT'S STILL REALLY, AS I AGREE WITH YOU, ERICH POTENTIALLY TOO CLOSE TO CALL, BUT MAYBE THEY'RE LOOKING AT WHERE THE VOTES ARE COMING IN AND WHAT'S LEFT TO BE COUNTED AND FEEL LIKE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO WIN, WHICH WOULD BE GOOD NEWS FOR ALL OF US, AND I JUST, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS I WAS THINKING ABOUT TO ADD TO COLIN'S POINT, I'VE HEARD A LOT ALSO IN THE ANALYSIS OF THE MENTAL HEALTH BOND, THAT THERE REALLY WASN'T A ROBUST CAMPAIGN FOR IT.

IT SEEMS THAT PEOPLE WERE FAIRLY OVERCONFIDENT.

THERE WASN'T REALLY AN ORGANIZED OPPOSITION CAMPAIGN EITHER, BUT BUT PEOPLE, WHEN THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND SOMETHING TEND TO VOTE NO.

SO I MEAN, I DON'T THINK THAT'S A GOOD REPRESENTATION OF WHERE THE VOTERS ARE EITHER, BUT BUT YOU KNOW, I CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND WHY THE GOVERNOR MIGHT WANT, NOT WANT TO GO OUT THERE AND DO ANOTHER BOND, ALTHOUGH.

OH, WELL, ANYWAY, HOPEFULLY IT'LL BE A MOOT POINT.

HOPEFULLY THE MENTAL HEALTH BOND WILL WILL PASS AND WE CAN ALL GET BEHIND A ROBUST CLIMATE BOND AND MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

MY QUESTION ON THE CLIMATE BOND REALLY WAS MORE ABOUT HOW HOW THAT MIGHT IMPACT WHAT THE GOVERNOR IS LOOKING AT CUTTING IN THE, YOU KNOW, IN THE CURRENT RESOURCE PROGRAMS THAT WE CARE A LOT ABOUT, AND I DON'T KNOW, ABIGAIL, IF YOU CAN ADDRESS THAT OR ERICH.

YEAH. THERE'S ALWAYS THE CONCERN, RIGHT, THAT A BOND WOULD JUST BE A PLACE TO BACKFILL THE GENERAL FUND CUTS.

SO WE'RE DEFINITELY PUSHING FOR THAT TO NOT BE THE CASE.

BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH WE GOT A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, ENCOURAGING INVESTMENTS THROUGH THE GENERAL FUND OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, IT'S STILL, YOU KNOW, JUST THE FIRST STEP IN ALL THE WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE. THERE ARE BILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF OF GOOD CLIMATE WORK THAT WE NEED TO FUND STATEWIDE.

SO THAT'S THE MESSAGE THAT WE'RE PUSHING FOR IN OUR IN OUR DISCUSSIONS WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND WITH THE LEGISLATURE, BUT I WILL SAY ULTIMATELY, THAT MIGHT BE ONE OF THE GOVERNOR'S STRATEGIES, ESPECIALLY IN HIS JANUARY PROPOSAL.

YOU KNOW, HE'S INDICATED A SENSE THAT HE SEES A CLIMATE BOND AS A WAY TO BACKFILL SOME INVESTMENTS, BUT I'LL UNDERSCORE THAT THE PARTIES THAT ARE NEGOTIATING IN THE LEGISLATURE ARE PUSHING BACK AGAINST THAT.

THEY'D LIKE TO SEE IT, YOU KNOW, PROTECTING ENVIRONMENTAL FUNDING IN THE BUDGET AND PASSING A CLIMATE BOND IN ADDITION.

SO I THINK THE SENATE AND THE ASSEMBLY ARE GOING TO BE OUR ALLIES IN THAT YOU KNOW, IN THAT DISCUSSION WITH THE GOVERNOR FOR SURE.

YEAH. GOOD. WELL, AND ALSO, THERE'S NO GUARANTEE.

SO IF YOU CUT THINGS FROM THE BUDGET AND THEN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THE ECONOMY GOES SOUTH IN THE, IN THE FALL AND PEOPLE DON'T VOTE FOR THE CLIMATE BOND.

THAT WOULD BE A COMPLETE DISASTER, BUT BUT YEAH, HOPEFULLY THAT WON'T HAPPEN ANYWAY.

OKAY. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE INFORMATION, FOR THE PRESENTATION.

YES. THANK YOU, ABIGAIL, FOR YOUR INFORMATION.

I APPRECIATE YOUR REPORT.

ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HAVE COMMENT? HEARING NONE. THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH.

THANKS.

APOLOGIES. I'M LOOKING FOR THE, I ASSUME POWERPOINT AND HAVING TO MOVE TOWARDS THE A LOT OF THINGS.

STATE ADVOCACY REFLECTION.

CLOSE THAT.

WE NEED TO SHARE.

[01:40:08]

OKAY. ERICH PFUEHLER, CHIEF OF GOVERNMENT AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS HERE TO PRESENT WITH LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY MANAGEMENT ANALYST LISA BALDINGER PICKING UP ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH, WE'RE GOING TO SPEAK TO THE MEETINGS THAT WE WERE PARTICIPATED IN, AND WE DID SPLIT UP A FAIR BIT WHILE WE WERE UP IN SACRAMENTO.

IT DOES FEEL LIKE A LONG TIME AGO IT WAS JUST JANUARY 30TH AND 31ST, BUT WE REALLY APPRECIATE AND VALUE THE BOARD'S SUPPORT, AND THE DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER AND GENERAL MANAGER SUPPORT FOR THE CONFERENCE.

I THINK WE ALL FELT LIKE WE WERE PRETTY EFFECTIVE IN OUR CONVERSATIONS, AND WE HAVE HAD SOME FOLLOW-UPS.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE'LL REPORT ON TODAY, AND THIS FIRST SLIDE, I WOULD COMMENT THAT WE DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH A COUPLE OF INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS PRIOR TO OUR VISITS IN THE SWING SPACE.

IN THE FIRST MEETING WAS WITH MEGAN HERTEL.

SHE'S NOW THE DEPUTY SECRETARY FOR BIODIVERSITY AT THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, AND WE ARE HAVING THE GOOD FORTUNE AND OPPORTUNITY TO SEE HER AGAIN ON THE 19TH, WHEN WE ARE UP TALKING ABOUT OUR LEGISLATION AND IF YOU RECALL, IN OUR MEETING WITH HER BACK IN JANUARY, WE DISCUSSED THE IDEA OF A SITE VISIT, AND SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO EXPLORE THAT WHEN WE SEE HER AGAIN ON THE 19TH.

THE OTHER INDIVIDUAL WE MET, THERE WERE TWO OTHER INDIVIDUALS.

ONE OTHER WAS KEITH CIALINO.

HE'S A POLICY ANALYSIS FOR SPEAKER RIVAS, AND HE DID HIGHLIGHT THE DIFFERENT BOND PROPOSALS THAT WERE OUT THERE THAT COMBINED TO SOMETHING LIKE 48 BILLION AND DID INDICATE THAT THERE WOULD BE A CEILING, THAT THE STATE WOULD SET AS TO HOW MUCH BONDING AUTHORITY WOULD BE MOVING FORWARD THIS YEAR. I THINK AT THAT TIME, GENERALLY, IT WAS IN THE 25 BILLION.

WE'VE HEARD A LITTLE LESS SINCE THEN, AND HE WAS ALSO VERY MUCH INTERESTED IN SEEING MEMBERS OF THE CAUCUS WORK TOGETHER TO RESOLVE SOME OF THEIR SOME OF THE ISSUES SURROUNDING WHAT SHOULD BE IN THE BOND, AND THERE WAS DISCUSSION OF A WORKING GROUP WHICH WOULD INCLUDE EDUARDO GARCIA, THE AUTHOR OF THE CLIMATE BOND PROPOSAL, BUT AT THAT TIME, WHEN WE MET WITH HIM, THERE WAS NOT A CLEAR DIRECTION TO EITHER WORK ON THE CLIMATE BOND OR TO NOT WORK ON IT.

SUBSEQUENTLY, I'VE BEEN IN A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT MEETINGS, AND LISA HAS AS WELL WITH THE SORT OF HIS COUNTERPART WITH THE SPEAKER, SUSAN CHAN, WHO HAS INDICATED THAT SHE IS WORKING ON THE CLIMATE BOND AND IS VERY INTERESTED IN MORE DIRECTION FROM THE CAUCUS AS WELL AS WELL AS THE GOVERNOR.

THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN FAIRLY SILENT.

OUR SECOND MEETING, I MEAN, I'M SORRY, OUR THIRD MEETING THAT MORNING WAS WITH A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE NATURE CONSERVANCY WHO WAS VERY INTERESTED IN OUR CONVERSATION ABOUT LAKE HEALTH AND DREDGING OUR RECREATIONAL LAKES, AS WELL AS THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ISSUE WITH THE CALIFORNIA CONSERVATION CORPS. SHE DID INDICATE AN INTEREST IN, AND THIS IS LIZ FORSBERG.

SHE DID INDICATE AN INTEREST IN SEEING SOME OF THE ECOLOGICALLY SENSITIVE VEGETATION MANAGEMENT THAT WE'RE WORKING ON.

SO WE WILL BE EXTENDING A SITE VISIT FOR HER AS WELL.

TNC IS ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE CLIMATE BOND PROCESS, AND SO WE'LL BE SPEAKING WITH THEM AS PART OF THE COALITION THAT EAC IS HELPING TO SHEPHERD. OUR FIRST WELL, WE'RE DOING THESE NOT NECESSARILY IN ORDER OF WHERE THEY APPEARED IN THE AGENDA DURING THE DURING THE DAY AND TWO DAYS, BUT THE FIRST OFFICE WE WANTED TO DISCUSS WAS SENATOR SKINNER'S OFFICE.

SHE DID INDICATE THAT DIRECT FUNDING WAS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE THIS YEAR AND DID ASK FOR A LETTER OF THE DISTRICT'S BUDGET PRIORITIES, AND WE DID SEND SUCH A LETTER ON THE 13TH, AND IN ADDITION TO SENDING THE LETTER, WE DID INDICATE THE STRONG INTEREST IN LAKE HEALTH, PARTICULARLY LAKE TEMESCAL, AND ALSO INCLUDED IN OUR REQUESTS, OR AT LEAST WHAT WE WERE IDENTIFYING FOR HER THAT WE WERE WORKING ON.

BESIDES TEMESCAL WAS THE TIDEWATER PROJECT, THE RICHMOND BAY TRAIL PROJECT, AND OYSTER BAY FUNDING.

SENATOR SKINNER AT THAT TIME WASN'T SURE WHICH COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS SHE WOULD HAVE AT THIS POINT.

[01:45:06]

OUR NEXT MEETING, OR I SHOULD SAY, THE NEXT MEETING WE WILL DISCUSS WAS WITH STAFF FOR REBECCA BAUER-KAHAN.

AGAIN, ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS SWITCHED THEIR COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENT LAST YEAR WAS CHAIR OF PARKS, WILDLIFE AND WATER.

THIS YEAR IS NOW CHAIR OF PRIVACY AND CONSUMER PROTECTION, BUT SHE IS ON THE NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE AND OBVIOUSLY A WELL RESPECTED FORMER ENVIRONMENTAL ATTORNEY.

SO ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, WE DEFINITELY TURN TO HER OFFICE AND WE CONTINUE TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM ABOUT CEQA REFORM, AND SHE HAS INDICATED STRONG SUPPORT OF THE CALIFORNIA CONSERVATION CORPS, POSSIBLY ESTABLISHING SOME FACILITIES IN THE EAST BAY.

NEXT MEETING TO DISCUSS WAS WITH ASSEMBLYMEMBER MIA BONTA, AND I DO OWE DIRECTOR ECHOLS A BIT OF AN APOLOGY FOR STARTING THAT MEETING.

STARTED VERY EARLY, AND SO BY THE TIME SHE WAS THERE, WE ACTUALLY HAD TO GO BACK, BUT THE ASSEMBLYMEMBER WAS VERY GRACIOUS AND DID TAKE A MOMENT TO SPEAK WITH ALL OF US, AND IT WAS AN INTERESTING CONVERSATION.

SHE WE TALKED A FAIR BIT ABOUT TIDEWATER, VERY CLEAR THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE HER ON A SITE VISIT AND WE DID EXPLAIN TO HER THE ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THAT PROJECT HAS A CHALLENGE IN RECEIVING GRANT FUNDING IS THE PROXIMITY TO DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES, BUT WE INDICATED THAT THIS WAS A COMMUNITY THAT WAS REDLINED.

IT WAS HOUSING.

DIRECTOR ROSARIO SPOKE ABOUT GROWING UP IN THAT AREA AND MADE IT CLEAR TO HER THAT BECAUSE IT WAS A HISTORICALLY REDLINED COMMUNITY, THAT OPPORTUNITIES FOR OPEN SPACE ARE ARE EVEN MORE VALUED BY SOME OF THE GRANT GUIDELINES, AND OF COURSE, OUTDOORS FOR ALL, WHICH IS AN INITIATIVE BY THE RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, AND SO THAT WAS OF INTEREST TO HER, AND THEN WE HAD THE CONVERSATION WITH, WITH HER ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA CONSERVATION CORPS, AND ONE OF THE ELEMENTS THERE THAT SEEMED TO RESONATE WITH HER IS IT COULD BE A ALTERNATIVE FOR MEMBERS OF CIVICORPS , WHICH IS LOCATED IN HER DISTRICT THAT IF SOMEBODY WAS IN CIVICORPS BUT FACED HOUSING AND SECURITY, THEY COULD TRANSFER TO THE CONSERVATION CORPS AND HAVE HOUSING IN THEIR FACILITIES ONCE THEY WERE ONCE THEY'RE BUILT AND WE ARE GOING TO BE OR I WILL AT LEAST BE FOLLOWING UP WITH HER CHIEF OF STAFF ON THE 19TH WHEN WE'RE IN SACRAMENTO, ABOUT A NUMBER OF THESE ITEMS, AND WE DEFINITELY HAVE A GOOD WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH HER. SHE WAS ALSO IN THE MEETING WITH THE ASSEMBLYMEMBER.

THEN WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH EDUARDO GARCIA TO TALK ABOUT THE CLIMATE BOND, AND HE WAS VERY ENCOURAGING OF OUR ASKS, AS I'M SURE YOU RECALL AND HE'S CONTINUING TO ADVOCATE.

WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE COALITION THAT EEC PUT TOGETHER FOR AN ADVOCACY DAY.

ABOUT LET'S SEE, I THINK IT WAS FEBRUARY 20TH.

I THINK IT WAS AROUND THE 21ST OR 19TH OF FEBRUARY, OR FEBRUARY 6TH, AND DURING THAT DAY, EDUARDO GARCIA LED A PRESS CONFERENCE AT THE CAPITOL STEPS WITH ABOUT SIX OTHER MEMBERS OF THE ASSEMBLY.

THOSE OF US WHO WERE IN ATTENDANCE FOR THE ADVOCACY WORK WERE IN THE, YOU KNOW, IN THE BACKGROUND, THE POTTED PLANTS, SO TO SPEAK, AND A LOT OF ENTHUSIASM ABOUT ABOUT POSSIBLY MOVING A CLIMATE BOND FORWARD, AND THEN WE DID PARTICIPATE IN OTHER VISITS THAT DAY AND CONTINUED TO MEET WITH HIS OFFICE.

AS DOES OUR ADVOCATE DOUG HOUSTON IS CONTINUING TO WORK WITH EDUARDO'S OFFICE AND KEEPING US APPRAISED OF HOW THINGS ARE ADVANCING THERE ON A ON A WEEKLY BASIS.

ANOTHER MEETING THAT WE, I THINK WE WERE ALL IN OR MOST OF US WERE IN WAS WITH SENATOR STEVE GLAZER.

WE'RE CONTINUING SUBSEQUENT OF THAT MEETING.

WE ARE CONTINUING TO MEET WITH OUR FELLOW STAFF IN DECO TO DISCUSS WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS WITH RODDY RANCH IN CONTINUING TO REPORT BACK TO THE SENATOR'S OFFICE ON THAT PROJECT.

KNOWING THAT HE WAS VERY SUPPORTIVE OF WANTING TO BE HELPFUL, TO MOVE IT FORWARD AND THEN WE ARE WE DID OUTLINE SOME SITE VISIT OPTIONS FOR HIM TO THAT PROPERTY.

SO WE'RE WAITING FOR HIS OFFICE TO DECIDE WHAT WHAT PATHWAY THEY WOULD LIKE TO MOVE FORWARD ON, AND THEN HE DID.

[01:50:10]

SO ONCE WE FINALIZED THE LANGUAGE, WE MAY ASK ASSEMBLYMEMBER GRAYSON TO REACH OUT TO SENATOR GLAZER AS A LEAD IN THE SENATE SIDE, AND THEN THE LAST THING HE HE INDICATED HIS STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE CALIFORNIA CONSERVATION CORPS BEING LOCATED IN THE EAST BAY.

HE'S ACTUALLY SUPPORTED THAT EFFORT FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

SO A STRONG ADVOCATE IN THAT WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT SPACE.

LISA BALDINGER, LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY MANAGEMENT ANALYST, AND TO CONTINUE THE PRESENTATION ON SOME MEETINGS THAT I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SUPPORT WITH THE OFFICES OF ASSEMBLYMEMBER TIM GRAYSON, WE HAD A FAIRLY ROBUST DISCUSSION, STARTING WITH THE LEGISLATION THAT HE'S AUTHORING IN SUPPORT OF THE PARK DISTRICT AB 2091. WE THEN CONTINUED WITH A DISCUSSION ON THURGOOD MARSHALL REGIONAL PARK, HOME OF THE PORT CHICAGO 50.

HE WAS CURIOUS TO HEAR AN UPDATE ON HIS BROOK RD OR EXCUSE ME, SOUTH OF BAILEY ROAD, A $3 MILLION DIRECT FUNDING, AND ALSO WANTED TO HEAR AN UPDATE ON HOW THE PARK DISTRICT IS COORDINATING WITH THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE ON FUNDING FOR THE VISITOR CENTER.

SO WE HAVE SHARED WITH HIS OFFICE UPDATES THERE.

BY WAY OF CONTEXT, THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE IS WORKING THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

THEY HAVE CAUTIONED US THAT IT'S UP TO A TEN YEAR PROCESS, AND SO WE'RE WORKING TO MAKE SURE TO DOT ALL THE I'S AND CROSS ALL THE T'S IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THEM THERE, AND THEN LASTLY, THE ASSEMBLYMEMBER DID SHARE JUST EMPHASIZING HIS IMPORTANCE FOR SUPPORTING A PERMANENT CALIFORNIA CONSERVATION CORPS FACILITY HERE IN THE EAST BAY AND TASKED US TO WORK WITH HIS STAFF ON FINDING IF THERE IS POTENTIALLY $2 MILLION IN A CAL FIRE OR SOME OTHER BUDGET PACKAGE THAT COULD BE LEVERAGED FOR THE INITIAL PLANNING AND DESIGN, AND SO WE'VE WORKED WITH THEM TO BEGIN SEEING WHAT'S POSSIBLE AS THE BUDGET MONIES BEGIN TO SETTLE.

THE OFFICE OF ASSEMBLYMEMBER LIZ ORTEGA.

WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET WITH HER LEGISLATIVE STAFF.

THEY SHARED WITH US THAT DIRECT BUDGET MONIES WOULD LIKELY BE VERY SPARSE, IF EVEN AT ALL, THIS YEAR, AND SO THOUGH THEY CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE OYSTER BAY PUBLIC ACCESS PROJECT AND WOULD VALUE PROVIDING LETTERS OF SUPPORT, THEY'RE UNABLE TO ADVANCE A DIRECT FUNDING ASK THIS YEAR.

HOWEVER, THEY DID EXPRESS INTEREST IN HOSTING A WALK AND TALK IN AN EAST BAY PARK, AND SO, BY WAY OF UPDATE, LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANT FLORA CHONTOSH IS STARTING THE WALK AND TALK COORDINATION FOR THE SPRING, SUMMER AND FALL MONTHS THIS WEEK.

SO WE ARE STRIVING TO DO THOSE MORE PROACTIVELY, GETTING THEM ON THE CALENDAR, BUILDING EXCITEMENT AND MAKING SURE BOARD MEMBERS ARE AWARE FOR WALK AND TALKS HAPPENING IN THEIR DISTRICT. SO WE'LL PROVIDE AN UPDATE SHORTLY.

IN THE OFFICE OF ASSEMBLYMEMBER BUFFY WICKS.

WE MET WITH HER.

PLEASE EXCUSE ME, LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR, AND HE SHARED WITH US JUST SORT OF AN UPDATE ON HER INTERESTS RELATED TO LEGISLATION.

WE SPOKE ABOUT THE WILSON POINT OR RICHMOND BAY TRAIL CONNECTION PROJECT, FOR WHICH THEY PROVIDED LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR OUR REBUILDING AMERICAN INFRASTRUCTURE WITH SUSTAINABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT FEDERAL GRANT APPLICATION.

WHEN WE BROUGHT UP OUR PROPOSED SPONSOR LEGISLATION, AB 2091, THEY DID EXPRESS INTEREST IN COAUTHORING.

IT'S THE INTEREST OF THE AUTHOR'S OFFICE FOR THEIR STAFF TO FACILITATE THOSE COAUTHORING OPPORTUNITIES, AND SO WE MADE GRAYSON'S OFFICE AWARE OF THIS, AND AS IT CONTINUES TO ADVANCE, WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING OUR DELEGATION SIGN ON.

WITH ASSEMBLYMEMBER LORI WILSON, SHE WAS A JOY AS USUAL, AND REALLY EMPHASIZED HER COMMITMENT TO RESTORATION WORK AND ACCESS TO PARKS IN THE EAST BAY.

SEEING THE PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL BENEFITS OF TIME SPENT OUTSIDE.

OUR BOARD MEMBERS PROVIDED AN UPDATE ON THE RESTORATION EFFORTS THAT ARE IN EARLY DAYS, BUT HAPPENING OUT AT BIG BREAK REGIONAL SHORELINE.

WE'RE IN THE INITIAL PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT PHASE, AND WE OFFERED TO BRING HER BACK OUT TO SITE.

SHE JOINED US IN 2023 FOR A TOUR OF THE PARK, SPEAKING WITH OUR PLANNING TEAM.

WE'D LOVE TO BRING HER BACK OUT WITH OUR RESTORATION TEAM TO LEARN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT THAT PROJECT WILL BE.

SO WHEN THE TIME COMES FOR FUNDING, SHE HAS DEEP INSIGHTS.

HER STAFF ALSO EMPHASIZED THEIR COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING EAST BAY PARK PRIORITIES WITHIN THE CLIMATE BOND PACKAGE, WITH SPECIFIC ATTENTION TO THE CALIFORNIA CONSERVATION CORPS PERMANENT FACILITIES FUNDING SEEING THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EQUITABLE AND DIVERSE RECRUITMENT OF EAST BAY RESIDENTS INTO GREEN JOBS, AND THEN OUR LAST MEETING TO SPEAK TO WAS WITH THE CALIFORNIA CONSERVATION CORPS THEMSELVES.

BY WAY OF REMINDER, THEY PROVIDED A ROBUST PRESENTATION OF THEIR VARIOUS PROGRAMS, AND SOME HIGHLIGHTS WERE SHARING THAT THE CCC HAS 174 MILLION IN GENERAL FUND MONIES THAT THEY USE TO SUPPORT THEIR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS ANNUALLY.

THIS INCLUDES OPPORTUNITY FOR CREWS TO BE BROUGHT TO THE EAST BAY SHOULD THAT ADDITIONAL PERMANENT CAPITAL FUNDING BE MADE AVAILABLE.

[01:55:05]

I WOULD VALUE QUESTIONS OR ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVES.

ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR ADDITIONAL COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? GO AHEAD. YEAH.

JUST ONE QUESTION.

I KNOW THAT WHEN WE MET ON THE CLIMATE BOND AND OUR SPECIFIC ASKS ON THE CLIMATE BOND THERE WAS A REQUEST TO FOR US TO SUBMIT A LETTER AND I OUTLINING ALL OF THAT TO THE FULL DELEGATION, AND I'M NOT I DON'T KNOW IF I MISSED IT, I'M SORRY, BUT HAS THAT GONE IN YET, THAT LETTER? YEAH SO EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT HAS SUBMITTED A LETTER OF OUR FOUR KEY PRIORITY AREAS OF WILDFIRE MITIGATION SEA LEVEL RISE, PREPAREDNESS, LAKE HEALTH, AND GREEN JOBS IN THE EAST BAY, AND WHAT IS CURRENTLY IN ACTION IS THAT OUR STATE BOND ADVOCATE, HOUSTON MAGNANI AND ASSOCIATES, IS WORKING ON FACILITATING A LETTER FROM OUR DELEGATION TO THE AUTHOR'S OFFICE REITERATING THESE REQUESTS ON BEHALF OF THE DELEGATION, AND THERE IS SOME VARIATION IN TERMS OF WHICH ISSUES DELEGATION MEMBERS ARE MOST INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING. SO IN TERMS OF A COMPREHENSIVE LETTER, WE ARE EXPECTING TO SEE THE CALIFORNIA CONSERVATION CORPS INVESTMENT REALLY RISE ACROSS THE EAST BAY.

HOWEVER, THERE ARE MEMBERS OF OUR DELEGATION WHO WANT TO SUPPORT EACH OF THOSE ISSUES, AND SO EAST BAY PARKS HAS COMMUNICATED TO THE DELEGATION, AND NOW THE DELEGATION IS WORKING TO COMMUNICATE TO THE COMMITTEE AND AUTHOR'S OFFICE.

OKAY, SO IT SOUNDS LIKE IT'S TOO EARLY TO TELL FOR SURE WHAT EXACTLY THAT LETTER IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE, BUT DO WE THINK THAT THE FULL DELEGATION WILL SUPPORT OUR FULL SET OF PRIORITIES? WE DO NOT THINK THAT THE FULL DELEGATION IS GOING TO SUPPORT ALL FOUR PRIORITIES, BUT WE DO THINK THAT THE MEMBERS OF OUR DELEGATION WILL EACH SUPPORT OUR PRIORITIES RELATIVE TO THEIR OWN INTERESTS.

OKAY, SO SO IN TERMS OF AN OVERALL LETTER.

YES. BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET, RIGHT, AN OVERALL LETTER FROM OUR STATE DELEGATION ON THE CLIMATE BOND.

SO YOU THINK THEY WILL.

SO I'M JUST TRYING TO GET A SENSE OF WHAT THAT ULTIMATELY WILL.

SO OUR INITIAL ASK WAS A LETTER THAT OUTLINED ALL FOUR OF EAST BAY PARK PRIORITIES THAT EVERY MEMBER OF THE DELEGATION WOULD SIGN ON TO.

HOWEVER, WHEN OUR CONSULTANTS BEGAN GOING AROUND SACRAMENTO, THERE ARE SOME VARIATION IN TERMS OF MEMBER INTEREST.

SO NOW WHAT WE'RE EXPECTING IS THAT EACH OF OUR MEMBERS WILL LIKELY BE WRITING THEIR OWN PRIORITIES, WHICH INCLUDE THEIR OWN PRIORITIES AS WELL AS THOSE WITHIN THEIR DISTRICT, AND SO WE'RE EXPECTING TO SEE EAST BAY PARKS' PRIORITIES WITHIN EACH OF THOSE LETTERS, BUT WE DON'T EXPECT THAT ALL FOUR WILL BE HIGHLIGHTED IN EVERY LETTER OF EVERY MEMBER OF OUR DELEGATION. OKAY, I THINK I MIGHT HAVE A GOOD EXAMPLE FOR YOU, DIRECTOR ECHOLS.

WE HAD A SUBSEQUENT MEETING WITH ASSEMBLYMEMBER WILSON'S OFFICE, HER LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR, WHO WE TALKED THROUGH THE FOUR PRIORITIES ALSO INCLUDING PRESCRIBED GRAZING BECAUSE THE PRESCRIBED GRAZING FUNDING FOR INFRASTRUCTURE, FOR FENCING AND CISTERNS AND THINGS LIKE THAT IS INCLUDED IN THE AGRICULTURAL WORKERS BOND THAT LORI WILSON IS THE LEAD SPONSOR OF.

SO THEIR OFFICE WILL WHEN WHEN IT COMES TIME TO NEGOTIATE FOR BETWEEN THE THREE DIFFERENT PROPOSALS, THE WATER AND FLOOD PROTECTION CLIMATE AND THE AGRICULTURE PIECE, THEY WILL MORE THAN LIKELY BE ADVOCATING FOR THINGS LIKE PRESCRIBED GRAZING AND THE CONSERVATION CORPS, AND LESS LIKELY TO BE ADVOCATING FOR SEA LEVEL RISE, PREPAREDNESS, AND SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN OUR LIST OF FOUR MAIN OBJECTIVES.

SO THEY KNOW THAT THEY DON'T GET THAT MANY BITES AT THE APPLE WHEN THEY'RE IN NEGOTIATION, AND SO I THINK THAT'S PUTTING SOME OF OUR MEMBERS OF OUR DELEGATION IN TO SITUATIONS WHERE THEY MIGHT ONLY WANT TO TAKE ON ONE OF 1 OR 2 OF THE ISSUES THAT WE ARE SUPPORTING, BUT AS LISA STATED, ALL FOUR ISSUES ARE GOING TO HAVE SUPPORT FROM SOME COMBINATION OF OUR DELEGATION.

PARDON ME, BUT THE PRESENTATION JUST REINFORCES WHAT MY MEMORY OF THAT EXPERIENCE IN SACRAMENTO

[02:00:07]

TIM GRAYSON WENT OUT OF HIS WAY TO CHECK EVERY BOX IN WHICH HE COULD POTENTIALLY ASSIST US, BOTH IN HIS PRESENT ROLE AS AN ASSEMBLYMEMBER AND FUTURE ROLE AS A SENATOR.

THAT WAS PARTICULARLY A STANDOUT OF THAT TRIP FOR ME WAS THAT ASSEMBLYMEMBER AND ALL THE REST, AND I'M GLAD YOU FOLLOWED UP WITH ASSEMBLYMEMBER WILSON'S STAFF AND I FORGET HIS NAME.

ASSEMBLYMEMBER. WILSON'S LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR IS NAMED MARK ROSCOE, AND HE'S THE FELLOW WE MET WITH WHEN WE WERE IN HER OFFICE, AS I RECALL.

THAT'S CORRECT. HE WAS INCREDIBLY INTERESTED IN WHAT WE WERE DOING AND WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, AND I KEPT HAVING TO REMIND MYSELF THAT HIS MEMBER HAS OAKLEY AND BETHEL ISLAND IN THEIR ASSEMBLY DISTRICT AS THE ONLY OVERLAP WITH THE PARK DISTRICT, AND YET BOTH THE ASSEMBLYMEMBER AND HIS STAFF WERE EXCEPTIONALLY INTERESTED AND ENGAGING IN THE TOPICS WE WERE TALKING ABOUT.

SO WE CERTAINLY HAVE TO REMAIN ENGAGED WITH WITH THAT OFFICE, DESPITE THE FACT THAT IT'S A SMALL OVERLAP WITH WARD SEVEN. YES, ABSOLUTELY.

FOR ALL OFFICES, REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH IF THEY HAVE THE TINIEST CORNER OF AN EAST BAY PARK JURISDICTION, THEY ARE A PART OF OUR JURISDICTION.

WE WANT TO ENGAGE WITH THEM AS MUCH AS THEY'RE WILLING TO ENGAGE WITH US, AND ON THAT OFFICE IN PARTICULAR, WHEN WE WERE LEAVING, MARK EMPHASIZED TO ME THEIR INTEREST IN WORKING ON ON LEGISLATION WITH EAST BAY PARKS IN THE FUTURE AND HOW THEY SEE THE WORK THAT WE DO THROUGH THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS TO BE CRITICALLY IMPORTANT, AND SO WE'LL BE HOPING TO WORK WITH THEM AS WE CONTINUE TO PROPOSE LEGISLATION AT THE STATE LEVEL.

TERRIFIC. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

I, TOO AGREE.

I THINK THIS WAS A GREAT TEAM BUILDING EXERCISE GREAT LEARNING EXPERIENCE FOR ME AND MY COLLEAGUES.

I WANT TO COMPLIMENT YOU GUYS FOR YOUR ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS AND ESPECIALLY CALL OUT LAUREN BLANCHARD.

SHE WAS GREAT.

GETTING EVERYBODY ORGANIZED AND GETTING EVERYBODY TOGETHER.

I SHARE EVERYONE'S BELIEF IN THE VALUE OF GOING UP THERE AND DOING THAT AND MEETING IN PERSON.

YOU KNOW, BUT THE ONE THING I CAME AWAY WITH MANY THINGS, BUT THE ONE THING I CAME AWAY WITH WAS TRYING TO PITCH A CCC CAMP ON HOLLY COURT WAS THE EASIEST THING IN THE WORLD, AS YOU JUST EXPLAINED, AND EVERY EXPERIENCE I HAD, PEOPLE LOVED THAT IDEA.

WHAT COULD BE BETTER THAN THAT AND YEAH, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAD THE CCC, I THOUGHT THEY WERE GOING TO JUMP IN OUR LAPS AND BUILD IT ALL THEMSELVES.

EVERYBODY IS INTO THIS.

SO WHERE ARE WE? WE'RE 58 DAYS AWAY FROM FIRE SEASON, BY THE WAY, THE TRADITIONAL MAY 1ST OPENING OF FIRE SEASON.

WHERE ARE WE? WE SAID WE'RE GOING TO GET A STRIKE CAMP.

IS IT THERE? I KNOW IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH TO PITCH A TENT, BUT WHERE ARE WE? PROBABLY THE BEST RESPONSE IS TO BE DETERMINED, BUT WE ARE SCHEDULING A FOLLOW UP MEETING WITH THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, WHO UNFORTUNATELY, WAS NOT ABLE TO MEET WITH US WHEN WE WERE THERE IN JANUARY, AND BUT LARRY HUGHES, WHO WAS THERE, IS ALSO PART OF THE MEETING.

SO WE'RE MEETING WITH THEM AS SOON AS WE CAN GET IT ON THE CALENDAR, AND THAT WILL INCLUDE A CROSS DIVISIONAL SECTION OF LEGAL OPERATIONS AND I'LL BE PARTICIPATING AS WELL.

SO TRYING TO TRYING TO IRON OUT WHAT'S WHAT'S POSSIBLE AND WHAT'S DOABLE IN A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.

ANY CHANCE FOR THIS YEAR? I'M SORRY? ANY CHANCE THAT IT'S IN OPERATION THIS YEAR OR STARTING THIS YEAR OR.

A CHANCE, A CHANCE, THEY HAVE UNTIL I BELIEVE, JUNE, THEY'RE OPERATING ON FUNDING, THE CONSERVATION CORPS IS OPERATING ON FUNDING FROM LAST YEAR'S BUDGET, AND I BELIEVE THEY HAVE UNTIL SOMETIME IN JUNE, WHICH IS, OF COURSE, WHEN THE NEW BUDGET GETS ENACTED TO UTILIZE THOSE FUNDS.

SO WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.

THANK YOU. CAN I JUST ADD ONE THING? I MENTIONED AT A FULL BOARD MEETING DURING BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS IMMEDIATELY SUBSEQUENT TO OUR TRIP TO SACRAMENTO, BUT I WANTED TO REPEAT THAT THIS TRIP WAS EXCEPTIONALLY WELL ORGANIZED, AND I WANTED TO THANK ALL OF YOUR TEAM FOR DOING THAT.

I'VE BEEN ON MAYBE 7 OR 8 NOW, AND THIS ONE JUST WENT LIKE CLOCKWORK.

[02:05:05]

SO WE CROSSED THROUGH STREETS AND BUILDINGS AND AVOIDED DOWNPOURS.

I DON'T KNOW, I HAVE NO IDEA HOW LISA ARRANGED THAT, BUT IT SEEMED CONSISTENT THROUGHOUT THAT RAINY AFTERNOON.

SO MY COMPLIMENTS.

THANK YOU AGAIN. APPRECIATE THOSE COMMENTS, AND WE SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE LAUREN BLANCHARD'S PARTICIPATION AND SUPPORT.

SHE DID A GREAT JOB IN TERMS OF ACTUALLY SCHEDULING MOST OF THE MEETINGS.

YEAH, I JUST WANT TO ECHO THAT BECAUSE I THOUGHT LAUREN DID A WONDERFUL JOB OF ORGANIZING US AND SCHEDULING THOSE MEETINGS AND THEN ALL OF THE STAFF REALLY DID A GREAT JOB OF MAKING SURE THAT WE WERE WELL BRIEFED, AND I APPRECIATE RECEIVING THE MATERIALS IN ADVANCE, AND THEN YOU KNOW, HAVING THE TIME FOR THE MORNING BRIEFINGS, AND IT WAS REALLY WELL DONE, AND I THOUGHT IT ADDED TO US BEING ABLE TO BE OUR MOST EFFECTIVE IN THE MEETINGS, AND I, YOU KNOW, REALLY APPRECIATE THE LEGISLATORS.

MOST OF MOST OF THEM, THE MAJORITY OF THEM DID FIND TIME TO ACTUALLY MEET WITH US DIRECTLY, AND I THINK THAT'S UNUSUAL, YOU KNOW, GIVEN.

YEAH, GIVEN THE COMMENTS, I, YOU KNOW, THE SOME OF THE COMMENTS THAT THE EEC FOLKS MADE WHEN BEFORE WE MET, THEY WERE LIKE, WELL, DON'T BE SURPRISED IF THE MEMBER IS NOT THERE.

YOU KNOW, USUALLY THEY DON'T MEET YOU WITH YOU, BUT IN FACT, AS USUAL, THEY ACTUALLY DID SHOW UP FOR THE MOST PART.

SO THAT WAS VERY IT JUST SHOWS THAT THEY APPRECIATE AND LIKE THE WORK THAT WE'RE DOING AND SUPPORT IT AND WANT TO TAKE THE TIME TO ACTUALLY BE THERE IN PERSON. SO ALL OF THAT IS GOOD, AND, YOU KNOW, MY COMPLIMENTS TO THE WHOLE TEAM ON A REALLY GREAT EVENT, AND ASHLEY HAD DONE SOME WORK IN PREP FOR THAT VISIT AS WELL AS REMEMBERING WAS HOPING TO GO AND COULDN'T.

SO I KNOW WE WANTED TO THANK ASHLEY AS WELL.

COOL. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH.

DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER, DR.

ALVAREZ, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ACKNOWLEDGING STAFF'S EFFORTS, BECAUSE I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT IT'S VERY WELL RECEIVED AND VERY MEANINGFUL TO US.

OUR STAFF REALLY STRIVES TO BE ABLE TO BALANCE THE RIGHT EXPERIENCE, BOTH FOR THE ELECTED OFFICIALS IN SACRAMENTO OUR DELEGATION AND MOST IMPORTANTLY TO YOU, SO THAT WE CAN AMPLIFY OUR LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.

KUDOS, KUDOS, KUDOS, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THANK YOU FOR THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT FROM YOU.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT.

IF THERE'S NO PUBLIC COMMENT ON THIS ONE, THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH, AND WE'LL MOVE NOW TO THE UPDATE ON SITE VISITS AND MEETINGS AGAIN.

ERICH PFUEHLER, CHIEF OF GOVERNMENT AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS.

WE HAD THREE SITE VISITS TO REPORT ON DURING THE TIME SINCE WE LAST MET.

THE FIRST WAS JANUARY 12TH WITH THE CALIFORNIA COASTAL CONSERVANCY AND SAN FRANCISCO BAY RESTORATION AUTHORITY PARTICIPATING IN A SITE VISIT AT THE TIDEWATER FACILITY AND THE PROPERTY THAT WE'RE SEEKING TO DEVELOP THERE OR TO ACTUALLY TURN INTO A GREEN SPACE.

COASTAL CONSERVANCY INDICATED THAT THEY DID PREVIOUSLY FUND COMPONENTS OF THAT STAGING AREA AND THE BOATING CENTER.

SO THERE WASN'T AN INTEREST IN TERMS OF ADVANCING A GRANT PROPOSAL, AND SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THEIR OFFICE ON THAT PROJECT.

WE DID AGAIN MEET WITH THE COASTAL CONSERVANCY ON MARCH 1ST.

THIS TIME WAS AT MCLAUGHLIN EASTSHORE STATE PARK.

WE WERE ALSO JOINED BY PARKS CALIFORNIA, WHICH IS THE STATUTORILY RECOGNIZED NONPROFIT WORKING WITH THE STATE PARKS, AND WE STARTED THERE OUR VISIT WITH AN OVERVIEW OF THE BRICKYARD AND DISCUSSED SOME OF THE FUNDING THAT WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THAT, INCLUDING 5 MILLION FROM STATE SENATOR, FORMER STATE SENATOR LONI HANCOCK.

THROUGH THE BUDGET PROCESS TO STATE PARKS, WHICH REALLY WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING US DEVELOP THAT, THAT AREA AND MAKING THE CONTOURS AND THE VIEWS WORK.

INCLUDING THE RESTROOM, AND THEN WE TOOK A WALK THROUGH THE BERKELEY MEADOW, WHICH WAS ONE OF THE FIRST PROJECTS THAT WAS FUNDED FOR EASTSHORE OUT TO A PLACE WHERE WE COULD SEE THE NORTH BASIN STRIP, AND THAT'S A PENDING PROJECT THAT WE ARE GOING TO NEED FUNDING FOR, AND SO WE DID DISCUSS THAT WITH THE COASTAL CONSERVANCY, AND THERE WAS, I THINK SUPPORT FOR ADVANCING THAT, AND THEN ON MARCH 7TH DIRECTOR

[02:10:07]

NOT JUST FOR THE PARK DISTRICT, AND THEIR ROLE, CIVICORPS'S ROLE IN PROVIDING QUALITY TRAINING AND SUPPORT FOR POTENTIAL FUTURE PERMANENT JOBS WITH PARK DISTRICT AND WITH OTHER CONSERVATION RELATED ORGANIZATIONS BUT I THINK THE HIGHLIGHT OF THAT DISCUSSION REALLY WAS WHEN THE CREW CAME BACK.

THERE'S ONE CREW THAT WORKS OUT OF THERE.

I THINK IT'S ABOUT A FIVE MEMBER GROUP, BUT WHEN THEY CAME BACK, THEY SAT DOWN AND SHARED WITH US THEIR WHY THEY JOINED THE CIVICORPS AND WHAT THEY WERE GETTING OUT OF IT, AND IT WAS VERY HEARTFELT.

SERIES OF CONVERSATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS ABOUT WHERE THEY'D COME FROM AND WHY THEY WERE VALUING THE WORK, AND WHAT WAS MOST STRIKING IS THE SPIRIT OF TEAM TEAMWORK THAT REALLY SEEMED TO BE EVOLVING AMONGST THAT GROUP, AND THEY'RE SORT OF DEVELOPING A SUPPORT NETWORK AMONGST THEMSELVES.

SO VERY HEARTENING TO HEAR, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A REALLY NICE WAY TO SPEND.

I BELIEVE IT WAS A FRIDAY AFTERNOON.

SO AND THAT'S ALL THE SITE VISITS WE HAD.

THEY WILL THEY WILL START UP-TICKING AS WE GET INTO THE SPRING AND SUMMER WITH THE WALK AND TALKS AND SOME OF THE OTHER EVENTS THAT WE'LL BE DOING, INCLUDING A ELECTED OFFICE VISIT COMING UP SHORTLY.

SO WE'LL WE'LL KEEP YOU POSTED AT THE NEXT MEETING.

GREAT. THANK YOU.

ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE. WE'LL MOVE NOW TO ANNOUNCEMENTS.

[Announcements]

THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.

THANK YOU, STAFF, FOR TAKING CARE OF US, AND AMIR, THANKS FOR YOUR HELP.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.