[00:00:02]
[Roll Call]
WE'RE BEGINNING TODAY AT 10:42.DEBORAH, WOULD YOU CALL THE ROLL, PLEASE? DIRECTOR COFFEY.
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 THE ZOOM WITH A LINK PROVIDED IN THE AGENDA LOCATED ON THE DISTRICT WEBSITE.
IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MEETING PROCEDURES, WE WILL BEGIN.
[Approval of Minutes]
NOVEMBER 13TH.WE CAN EITHER DO IT INDIVIDUALLY OR WHENEVER ANYBODY WANTS TO MOVE.
TOGETHER? THE MEETINGS, WE'VE ALL REVIEWED THEM, AND THEY'RE OKAY.
AND WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HAVE ANY COMMENTS? OKAY, GREAT.
THEN ALL IN FAVOR SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
AYE. OPPOSED? HEARING NONE. THE MINUTES PASS UNANIMOUSLY.
[Public Comments on Items Not on the Agenda]
WE'LL MOVE NOW TO PUBLIC COMMENTS.DO WE HAVE ANY? MADAM CLERK, DO WE HAVE ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC? YES. KELLY ABREU.
THE YESTERDAY THERE WAS A MEETING IN SAN LORENZO ABOUT A PROPOSED GOVERNMENT FEE WHERE A FLOOD CONTROL THE ALAMEDA COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT WILL RAISE PROPERTY TAXES TO PAY FOR A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS IN HAYWARD AND SAN LORENZO AND CASTRO VALLEY.
WELL, THIS PRESENTATION THEY TALKED ABOUT YOU KNOW, HOW THEY WILL ONLY THEY'LL BE DOING SOME ENVIRONMENTAL MITIGATION TO MITIGATE FOR SOME OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE THAT THEY MIGHT BE CAUSING AS A RESULT OF ALL THIS REPAIRS AND IMPROVEMENTS.
BUT THEY THE IT WAS NOT THEIR TOP GOAL.
IT WAS NOT ONE OF THEIR TOP YOU KNOW, ONE OF THEIR MAIN OBJECTIVES OF ALL OF THIS BECAUSE AND OF COURSE, THIS OTHER AGENCIES ALL OVER THE STATE WHEN THEY'RE DOING FLOOD CONTROL PROJECTS, THEY DO HAVE ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES AS ONE OF THEIR TOP PRIORITIES.
NOW, IN AN EFFORT TO DEFLECT QUESTIONS ABOUT POLITICAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP THE ALAMEDA COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS AGENCY REPRESENTATIVES YESTERDAY EVENING SOUGHT TO HIDE BEHIND A SMOKESCREEN OF HASPA PARTICIPATION.
THEY WERE ASKED, ARE YOU A MEMBER OF HASPA? AND THEY SAID, OH, YEAH, WE PARTICIPATE WITH THEM.
WE'RE YOU KNOW, COORDINATING WITH THEM ALL THE TIME.
WELL, NO IF YOU LOOK AT THE INTERNET, IT SAYS, NO, THEY'RE NOT.
THIS WAS THEY WERE THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT WAS TRYING TO EVADE DIRECT ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SHORELINE ISSUES BY FALSELY ASSOCIATING THEMSELVES WITH THE SHORELINE PLANNING AGENCY, EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE AGENCIES.
SO I ASKED THEM YESTERDAY, WHY DON'T YOU JOIN? WHY DON'T YOU GO? AND IF YOU WANT TO BE YOU KNOW, IF YOU NEED ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP THAT BADLY TO WANT TO BE PART OF HASPA, THEN GO BE A PART OF HASPA.
[00:05:02]
STEWARDSHIP DONE.KELLY. MAY I ASK A CLARIFYING QUESTION? IS THAT OKAY? JUST POLICY [INAUDIBLE] DEVAN IS THE FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT, I KNOW THEY'RE NOT TRUSTEES, BUT ARE THEY A MEMBER OF THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF HASPA? GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING.
CHAIR WAESPI, YOUR QUESTION ABOUT ALAMEDA COUNTY FLOOD CONTROL DISTRICT? NO, THEY ARE NOT A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF HASPA.
THEIR STAFF HAVE PARTICIPATED AS MEMBERS OF THE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE PERIODICALLY.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE INFORMATION AND THAT CLARIFICATION.
IF THERE ARE NO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WANTING TO SPEAK.
ARE THERE ANY MEMBERS WANTING TO SPEAK? SEEING NONE, WE'LL MOVE TO THE ACTION ITEMS.
[Action Items]
TODAY, WE HAVE A RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO ENTER INTO A CONTRACT FOR SERVICES WITH KOUNTOUPES, DENHAM, CARR AND REID IN THE AMOUNT OF $156,000 FOR GENERAL FEDERAL ADVOCACY CONSULTING SERVICES.ERICH PFUEHLER DIVISION LEAD FOR GOVERNMENT AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS.
BRINGING THIS ITEM BEFORE YOU TODAY AFTER AN RFP PROCESS THAT BROUGHT FORWARD THREE PROPOSALS OF THE THREE KDCR WAS THE ONE THAT WE WERE MOST FAMILIAR WITH.
WE HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THEM ON A PILOT SINCE MAY.
THEY'VE BEEN VERY HELPFUL WITH THE NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT AND SECURING SOME LANGUAGE REFERENCING THE CLEANUP OF THE OAKLAND ARMY BASE FOR JUDGE JOHN SUTTER REGIONAL SHORELINE. THEY HAVE PROVIDED ASSISTANCE WITH THE NAVY IN PURSUIT OF HISTORIC FUNDING FOR THE PORT CHICAGO 50 OUT AT THURGOOD MARSHALL REGIONAL PARK.
WE'RE ADVANCING SPECIAL DISTRICTS LEGISLATION, AND THAT LEGISLATION THIS BODY HAS TAKEN A POSITION ON REQUIRES THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET TO DEVELOP GUIDELINES IN EACH FEDERAL AGENCY THAT WOULD ENSURE SPECIAL DISTRICTS ELIGIBLE FOR GRANT PROGRAMS, FEDERAL GRANT PROGRAMS. WE DO PLAN TO WORK IN THE FUTURE ON ENGAGEMENT WITH THE VA WITH REGARD TO ALAMEDA POINT, POTENTIALLY WITH THE ARMY CORPS REGARDING SOME OF OUR SHORELINE ISSUES.
CERTAINLY WILDFIRE LEGISLATION AND WITH OUR NEW SENATOR, SENATOR SCHIFF.
AND THEN POTENTIALLY ALSO WITH FEMA AND ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FOR THE D.C.
SO OF THE THREE THAT WE RECEIVED KDCR WAS THE STRONGEST AND THEY HAVE A PRETTY THOROUGH BIPARTISAN TEAM THAT WE THINK CAN BE OF ASSISTANCE TO US FOR 2025.
THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? YEAH. ERICH, WE'VE HAD A LONG, LONG RELATIONSHIP WITH THE FIRM ASSOCIATED WITH PETER UMHOEFER GOING BACK TO DAVID WYMAN.
AND TO MAKE THE CHANGE I NEED.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH OF THIS YOU WANT TO DO IN PUBLIC OR PRIVATE, BUT I NEED TO KNOW THE GIST OF WHAT PROMPTED US TO DO AN RFP. AND WHY THAT FIRM DIDN'T APPLY IS WHAT I'VE HEARD FROM MY COLLEAGUE.
PETER'S BEEN VERY A VERY VALUABLE ASSET FOR THE PARK DISTRICT.
HE DECLINED TO SUBMIT AN RFP THIS YEAR.
WE DID GO BACK TO HIM TO ENSURE THAT WAS REALLY HIS INTENT, AND HE MADE IT FAIRLY CLEAR THAT HE IS MOVING ON TO OTHER THINGS AND WAS NOT PLANNING TO APPLY.
IF WE HAVE A SPECIAL PROJECT THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO HAVE ASSISTANCE WITH, BUT I THINK HE MAY BE MOVING AWAY FROM GENERAL ASSISTANCE CONTRACTING AS AN ADVOCATE TO MORE SPECIFIC NICHE PROJECTS, WHICH DOES ALIGN WITH HIS EXPERTISE, QUITE FRANKLY.
[00:10:01]
OKAY, THEN, A LITTLE MORE BACKGROUND.THREE FIRMS RESPONDED TO THE RFP.
DID THE RFP SEEK GENERAL ADVOCACY ACROSS THE WHOLE PANOPLY OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ISSUES THAT WE HAVE AND FUNDING THAT WE SEEK? OR IS IT WAS THIS MORE SPECIALIZED TOWARD THE ADMINISTRATION SIDE OR THE CONGRESSIONAL SIDE? HOW DID WE.
WELL, IT WAS ISSUED PRIOR TO THE ELECTION.
ALL RIGHT. A COUPLE FEW MORE QUESTIONS.
THE OTHER FIRMS, CAN WE GET THEIR NAMES.
WE MAY HAVE TO CALL ON LISA TO SUPPORT? I KNOW ONE WAS NOT PARTICULARLY WE INTERVIEWED EVERYBODY, BUT THERE WAS ONE THAT WAS A LITTLE LESS FLESHED OUT.
ALL RIGHT. WITH THE FIRM THAT YOU SELECTED, IS THERE A LEAD ADVOCATE AMONG THEM THAT LIKE PETER WILL BE OUR CHIEF LIAISON AND CONTACT AND ADVISOR.
YEAH, ACTUALLY, THE PRINCIPAL, LISA KOUNTOUPES, SHE IS A FORMER STAFFER FOR THE NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE IN THE HOUSE, AND ALSO SERVED IN THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION AS THE LIAISON BETWEEN THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE HOUSE LEADERSHIP.
AND SHE'S BEEN AT THIS SHE'S HAD HER FIRM, I THINK, FOR ABOUT TEN YEARS NOW.
IT'S SOMEWHERE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD, 10 TO 15 YEARS.
OKAY. AMONG REFERENCE CHECKS, DID WE CHECK WITH MEMBERS OF OUR CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION OR THEIR STAFFS? YEAH, MOST.
ACTUALLY PROACTIVELY ENGAGED US TO HAVE CONTACT WITH THE NEW REPRESENTATIVE, REPLACING BARBARA LEE.
AND WE CHECKED WITH DESAULNIER AND GARAMENDI.
WELL, WE ALREADY HAD A CONVERSATION WITH GARAMENDI'S OFFICE WITH HER FIRM AND YEAH, BOTH.
OKAY. WELL, I THINK COLIN VERY THOROUGHLY COVERED MOST OF THE QUESTIONS I HAD.
I'D BE JUST INTERESTED TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE FIRM BEYOND WHAT'S IN THE MEMO.
LIKE WHAT? YOU KNOW, WHAT DO YOU SEE IN TERMS OF THEIR, STRENGTHS AND HOW THEY WILL BETTER POSITION US IN WASHINGTON? I MEAN, WE ARE WE'VE DONE PRETTY WELL SO FAR IN WASHINGTON, AND THERE'S OF COURSE ALWAYS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT, BUT I'D JUST LIKE TO HAVE SORT OF A, YOU KNOW, A FULLER, MORE ROBUST UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THEY BRING TO THE TABLE.
THEY HAVE, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, A BIPARTISAN TEAM FAIRLY WELL RESPECTED FORMER CAPITOL HILL AND ADMINISTRATION STAFFERS FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE.
AND THEN THEY HAVE A SUPPORTING TEAM.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, DAVE WYMAN AND PETER WERE LITERALLY ONE PERSON SHOPS.
THIS IS A FIRM WITH A FULL SUITE OF SERVICES THAT CAN SUPPORT.
NOT ONLY OUR LEGISLATIVE GOALS, BUT ALSO, AS I MENTIONED, OUR CONFERENCES AND IN WASHINGTON AND ANY ADDITIONAL SUPPORT WE NEED THEY'VE BEEN VERY GOOD AT PROVIDING REPORTS ON A WEEKLY, OR ACTUALLY ALMOST A DAILY BASIS OF WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING IN COMMITTEES IN DC.
AND SO IT'S A LITTLE AS WE GROW, HAVING A LITTLE BROADER REPRESENTATION IS ALSO, I THINK, BENEFICIAL TO THE OVERALL EFFORTS FROM THE AGENCY.
[00:15:05]
MANAGED? YEAH, IT'S A FIXED MONTHLY RETAINER.AND WE DO FIND WE HAVE FOUND THAT THAT'S A MORE EFFICIENT WAY FOR WHAT THE TYPE OF SERVICES THAT WE NEED RATHER THAN BILLABLE HOURS THAT SOMETIMES AREN'T ALWAYS USED IN THE WAY THAT IS THE MOST EFFICIENT FOR THE PARK DISTRICT.
SO DO YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE US THE OTHER TWO APPLICANTS? I'LL INVITE LISA TO COME UP AND MENTION THE OTHER TWO.
GOOD MORNING OR YES GOOD MORNING.
SO AGAIN CARPI AND CLAY AND FEROX STRATEGIES.
THAT SECOND ONE. COULD YOU SPELL IT OUT FOR ME? F E R O X AND STRATEGIES.
AND SO I'M SORRY THAT PETER'S LEAVING FOR ONE THING, BUT IF YOU DECIDED NOT TO DO IT I'M GLAD YOU'VE DONE THE RESEARCH AND LOOKING AT THESE FOLKS.
I'M INTERESTED YOU AN YOUR PRESENTATION HAVE MENTIONED BIPARTISAN WORK.
AND IN THIS IN OUR DOCUMENT BEFORE US, THE FOUR PARAGRAPHS THAT ARE DESCRIBING THE BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS SOMEBODY HAS MENTIONED BY THE BIPARTISAN TEAM THAT THEY HAVE AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO WORK IN A BIPARTISAN WAY, WHICH OBVIOUSLY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO.
CAN YOU IS THERE ANY WAY YOU CAN DESCRIBE HOW THEY PLAN TO DO IT, OR HOW ARE THEY SOLD THAT TO YOU? WHAT WILL THEY DO? IS THERE SUCH A THING, IN OTHER WORDS? [LAUGHTER] WELL, WELL NOT 100% SURE I'M UNDERSTANDING THE QUESTION, BUT WE DID HAVE INTRODUCTORY CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM.
THEY'RE VERY INTENTIONAL ABOUT NOT ONLY BIPARTISAN, BUT MULTIGENERATIONAL.
SO THEY DO HAVE AT DIFFERENT LEVELS FORMER STAFFERS, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, FROM BOTH THE HOUSE AND SENATE, FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE AISLE AND THEN ALSO FROM BOTH ADMINISTRATION, MOST RECENT ADMINISTRATIONS.
PLUS, WE'VE HAD A VERY COMFORTABLE AND POSITIVE WORKING EXPERIENCE FOR THE LAST SEVEN MONTHS.
WELL THAT'S GREAT, THANK YOU. NO, YOU ANSWERED IT.
I WAS WONDERING HOW THAT WOULD LOOK.
AND YOU HAD MENTIONED THAT LISA OR PARDON ME.
YEAH. LISA WAS HAD WORKED IN THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION.
SO I WONDER WHAT THEY WERE SELLING IT.
OKAY. AND THEN SO THIS REMIND ME THE STATE ADVOCACY OUR STATE ADVOCATE IS THEIR CONTRACT UP SOMETIME THIS YEAR? WAS IT A ONE YEAR CONTRACT WE HAD WITH THEM OR WE.
THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. AND MAYBE I'M GOING TO GO BACK TO A QUESTION DIRECTOR COFFEY ASKED EARLIER.
SO WE HAVE BEEN GOING THROUGH THE RFP PROCESS WITH OUR ADVOCATES PRETTY REGULARLY.
PETER HAS RESPONDED TO OR E2 STRATEGIES, HAS RESPONDED TO PREVIOUS RFPS.
SO WE WILL NOT BE GOING FOR A STATE ADVOCATE RFP THIS YEAR.
OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
HE'S BEEN REALLY A TREMENDOUS ADVOCATE FOR US AND HAVE REALLY ENJOYED WORKING WITH HIM.
[00:20:05]
IT'S UP TO YOU.I MEAN, IT HAS TO GO TO THE FULL BOARD.
I'M SORRY. ANY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HAVE ANY COMMENTS? NO PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE'RE KIND OF CHATTING ABOUT HOW PREPARED WE ARE TO GO FORWARD WITH THIS.
THIS IS AN ISSUE OF A HIGH LEVEL IMPORTANCE TO GOVERNANCE, IN OTHER WORDS, TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
IT'S ONE OF THE FEW AREAS UNDER OUR GOVERNING OPERATING GUIDELINES IN WHICH THE BOARD HAS AN ACTIVE ROLE IN ENGAGING, IN THIS CASE, A CONSULTANT.
ANSWER ME THIS IS MY HESITATION.
AND IT'S TRUE OF SACRAMENTO AS WELL.
FROM EXPERIENCE AND OBSERVATION, I'M BEGINNING TO THINK THAT THE ART OF ADVOCACY, EITHER IN SACRAMENTO OR IN DC, IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE SPECIALIZED.
I'M CONCERNED IN SACRAMENTO AND IN DC THAT THERE ARE THOSE ADVOCATES AND FIRMS THERE THAT SPECIALIZE IN THE ADMINISTRATION, EITHER IN DC OR SACRAMENTO, MAYBE THE MILITARY MAYBE THE SENATE, MAYBE THE HOUSE.
SO I'M CONCERNED ABOUT OUR LANDING ON ONE FULL SERVICE FIRM IN AN ERA WHERE THERE MAY BE FIRMS THAT ARE BETTER AT THE ADMINISTRATION, ESPECIALLY THIS NEW ONE OVER TIME, THEN A GENERALIST.
AND I SUPPOSE I'M WILLING TO GO AHEAD AND APPROVE THIS AND SEND IT OFF TO THE FULL BOARD.
BUT I WANT TO TALK TO DAVID WYMAN AND EVEN PETER A BIT ABOUT THAT TOPIC OF WHETHER WE AS AN ORGANIZATION SHOULD BE SEEKING MULTIPLE EXPERTISE WHEN IT COMES TO ADVOCACY.
I'M A BROKEN RECORD WHEN IT COMES TO DO WE HAVE ENOUGH OF OUR RESOURCES DEVOTED TO ALL THE FUNDING OUT THERE THAT BECOMES LESS OF A FEDERAL ISSUE NOW WITH THIS NEW ADMINISTRATION? FRANKLY, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THE BIPARTISAN INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING.
IF THE CURRENT PROGRAM SURVIVES, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ANY NEW ONES.
SO THAT ASPECT OF FEDERAL ADVOCACY IS SUPER IMPORTANT TO US.
SO I'M AGAIN WONDERING WHETHER THERE'S SOME EXPERTISE THERE.
SO IF MY COLLEAGUES ARE COMFORTABLE WITH APPROVING THIS AND MOVING IT TO THE FULL BOARD, I'M FINE WITH THAT.
WE DID WE SEEM TO HAVE BEEN DOING THAT IN SACRAMENTO, BUT IT SEEMS LIKE WE HAD A SPECIALTY FIRM, THE LAW FIRM NOSSAMAN, ENGAGED ON ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES, WHICH SEEM TO BE THEIR EXPERTISE, BUT THAT SEEMED TO BE FOR A PERIOD OF MONTHS BEFORE THEN WE SWITCHED TO THIS MORE GENERALIST FIRM IN SACRAMENTO. SO I HAVE THESE CONCERNS AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO PURSUE THEM.
BUT I JUST WANTED TO JUST LAY THAT OUT THERE.
SO I'M NOT DOING SOMETHING BEHIND PEOPLE'S BACK IN TERMS OF CHECKING, OUT WHETHER THIS IS AT LEAST THE BEST COMBINATION OF EXPERTISE THAT WE CAN ENGAGE.
SO THAT'S MY TAKE ON ALL OF THIS.
[00:25:03]
WELL, JUST CURIOUS WHEN THIS GOES TO THE BOARD IS WILL IT BE ON? I GUESS IT COULD BE EITHER WAY ON CONSENT OR IN OPEN SESSION.I'M JUST WONDERING IF COLIN STILL HAS QUESTIONS OR IF THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE THOSE RESOLVED.
I WOULD ASSUME IT WOULD BE ON CONSENT.
MOST OF OUR ITEMS ARE, BUT THERE'S WE HAVE THE OPTION TO PULL IT AND DISCUSS IT BECAUSE IT IS.
SO I WOULD JUST LET'S ASSUME IT'S GOING TO BE ON CONSENT.
SO I IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT IS THE CASE WITH THIS FIRM.
SO I AM COMFORTABLE WITH THAT.
BUT IT MAYBE IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR THE FULL BOARD TO JUST TO JUST SAY A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THEIR SPECIFIC EXPERTISE AND ALSO YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEIR STAFFING TO, YOU KNOW, ADDRESS ANY CONCERNS ALONG THOSE LINES.
OKAY. SO WE ALL TOUCHED ON THAT AND MY COLLEAGUES TOUCHED ON CONSENT.
I WOULD PREFER THIS NOT BE ON CONSENT BECAUSE WE'RE OBVIOUSLY GOING TO DISCUSS IT.
SO I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE RECOMMENDATION.
AND WITH THE CAVEAT THAT IT ALSO BE ON THE REGULAR AGENDA WHEN IT GETS TO THE FULL BOARD.
SORRY. DIRECTOR COFFEY, IF YOU HAVE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TOO, WE CAN ALWAYS HAVE A CONVERSATION BEFORE IT GOES TO THE BOARD TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS THOSE QUESTIONS.
AND THEN WE COULD ALWAYS FIGURE OUT THEN WHETHER IT GOES ON CONSENT OR POLICY.
YOU KNOW, I'M JUST AND WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE WHEN THE NEW THE PROPOSED REVISIONS TO OUR OPERATING GUIDELINES, WHICH ARE GOVERNING BYLAWS, ESSENTIALLY COME TO THE BOARD, I THINK ALSO AT THE NEXT MEETING.
I'M WE USE CONSENT WAY TOO MUCH.
AND WHEN WE KNOW THAT THERE IS GOING TO BE DISCUSSION ON AN ISSUE AND POSSIBLE CONTROVERSY, I THINK THIS IS A LITTLE CONTROVERSIAL FRANKLY. IT SHOULDN'T BE ON CONSENT, AND THAT SHOULD BE FAIRLY ROUTINE MATTER FOR THE REGULAR AGENDA, WHICH IS WHY I ATTACHED THAT TO MY MOTION. THIS SHOULD BE ON THE REGULAR AGENDA.
IF YOU FOLKS DISAGREE, THEN I DON'T GET A SECOND.
WELL, I ACTUALLY LIKE MAX'S PROPOSAL BECAUSE THAT WAY IF YOU STILL HAVE QUESTIONS, IT WILL GO ON THE OPEN SESSION, BUT THE DEFAULT WILL BE THE CONSENT, WHICH TO ME MAKES SENSE BECAUSE I KNOWING WHAT'S GOING TO BE ON THE AGENDA, AT LEAST WHAT I'M SEEING, YOU KNOW, WHO KNOWS IT COULD CHANGE.
BUT I THINK WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A LONG MEETING.
YOU WOULD KNOW WHAT OUR AGENDA IS COMING UP.
WELL, I DON'T KNOW WITH 100% CERTAINTY, BUT I KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, THAT THE GUIDELINES WILL PROBABLY HAVE A LOT OF DISCUSSION UNLESS SABRINA SUCCESSFULLY NAVIGATES TO ANSWER EVERYBODY'S QUESTIONS BEFOREHAND.
SO I'M THINKING THAT'S GOING TO TAKE A LONG TIME.
AND THERE WILL PROBABLY BE SOME OTHER ITEMS TOO, THAT WE'RE GOING TO WANT TO HAVE TIME FOR.
SO. SO ANYWAY, I MEAN, I'M NOT SAYING THAT IT CAN'T GO ON THE OPEN SESSION.
OBVIOUSLY IT CAN, ESPECIALLY IF YOU WANT TO PULL IT OR IF YOU HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS WITH MAX AHEAD OF TIME AND THEN FIND THAT YOUR QUESTIONS ARE NOT ANSWERED AND YOU FEEL IT SHOULD BE ON THE OPEN, WE CAN PUT IT ON THE OPEN. OPEN.
OKAY. WE'RE SPENDING A LOT OF TIME ON A LITTLE NUANCE, A NUANCE HERE.
SO IT'S NOT GOING TO BE ON CONSENT.
I WAS PREPARED TO SECOND THAT.
WELL, MY MOTION WOULD BE THAT WE DON'T TAKE A STAND RIGHT? RIGHT NOW. WE DON'T USUALLY TAKE A STAND ABOUT WE DON'T USUALLY DECIDE WHETHER IT'S GOING TO BE ON THE CONSENT OR ON THE OPEN SESSION WHEN WE'RE PASSING THINGS.
SO I THINK WE SHOULD JUST STICK WITH THAT AND THEN WORK IT OUT IN WHATEVER WAY WE NEED TO.
WE NEED TO SPEND MORE TIME, BECAUSE OUR OPERATING GUIDELINES SAY WHEN THAT THAT PROVISION IN OUR OPERATING GUIDELINES SENDS, WHEN A COMMITTEE APPROVES A RECOMMENDATION FOR FULL BOARD CONSIDERATION, THAT COMMITTEE CAN CHOOSE NOT TO HAVE IT ON CONSENT.
I'M JUST SAYING IN THIS. OKAY.
[00:30:01]
SO MY MOTION WOULD BE TO, JUST TO STAY SILENT ON ON WHERE IT'S GOING TO GO ON THE.I GET IT I DON'T HAVE I NEED YOUR SECOND OR IF YOU DON'T, THEN.
AND THE IDEA THAT WE HAVE TOO MUCH GOING, OKAY, WE CAN MOVE THAT TO ANOTHER MEETING.
OKAY. SO WE'LL BE 2 TO 1 ON THAT.
THAT'S FINE. BUT PARDON ME A QUESTION.
SO WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION.
YES. WHEN IS PETER'S CONTRACT UP? I MEAN IS THERE URGENCY TO THIS OR ARE WE GOING TO BE WITHOUT.
YEAH DECEMBER 31ST? OKAY. AND THEN JUST BEFORE WE END, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY THOSE FOLKS WORK IN WASHINGTON, DC.
BUT I'D LIKE TO SEE THESE FOLKS.
I MEAN, THEORETICALLY, ARE WE STILL GOING TO D.C.
IN MAY? AND THEORETICALLY, I HOPE THERE IS GOOD A HOST, AS PETER WAS AS WELL AS A GREAT ADVOCATE.
I'M HOPING THAT THEY WOULD SHED SOME LIGHT ON WHAT THEY PERCEIVE THEIR JOB TO BE WITH US.
SO WE DO ANTICIPATE THEM HAVING MORE RESOURCES TO SUPPORT THAT TYPE OF A CONFERENCE.
WELL, SO WE HAVE A AND THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.
NO ONE IN THE ZOOM ROOM WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS.
OKAY. WE HAVE A MOTION BY DIRECTOR COFFEY TO MOVE THIS TO THE FULL BOARD THEIR DECEMBER 17TH THE MEETING, BUT HAVE IT ON THE OPEN SESSION FOR DISCUSSION. SECONDED BY MYSELF.
THERE'S NO FURTHER DISCUSSION.
ALL IN FAVOR OF THIS MOTION SIGNIFY BY SAYING AYE.
I MEAN NO. [LAUGHTER] ALL RIGHT.
AND WE'LL MOVE NOW TO THE INFORMATIONAL ITEMS.
[Informational Items]
OUR FIRST ITEM IS AN INFORMATIONAL UPDATE ON THE LOCAL ACTIONS TAKEN BY OTHER JURISDICTIONS.WELCOME, DEVAN. GOOD MORNING AGAIN, DEVAN REIFF, PRINCIPAL PLANNER HERE WITH THE PARK DISTRICT.
AND I JUST WANT TO THANK STAFF FOR BRINGING THIS PRESENTATION TO US AND BRINGING WILL TO US.
THIS IS VERY, VERY MUCH APPRECIATED.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, DEVAN, FOR THE INTRODUCTION AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME TODAY.
SO I WILL GO THROUGH THIS PRESENTATION.
AS I WAS MENTIONING TO TANYA AND DEVAN, I'M CONDENSING SIX YEARS AND 500 PAGES INTO A POWERPOINT THAT DOESN'T PUT EVERYONE TO SLEEP IS A BIT DIFFICULT. SO I'M GOING TO TRY AND HIT THE HIGHLIGHTS AND THEN I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.
SOME OF YOU MAY HAVE SEEN IT AS ENVISION CONTRA COSTA 2040.
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DIRECTED OUR DEPARTMENT TO SPEARHEAD THIS EFFORT BACK IN DECEMBER OF 2017, AND AT THE TIME, WE THOUGHT IT WOULD BE ADOPTED MAYBE IN 2020, AND IT WOULD GIVE US A 20 YEAR GENERAL PLAN.
AND AS OUR THREE YEAR PROJECT BECAME A FOUR YEAR, THEN FIVE, THEN SIX YEAR PROJECT, WE JUST STARTED CALLING IT ENVISION CONTRA COSTA AND WE TOOK THE DATE OFF, AND NOW WE HAVE A 2045 GENERAL PLAN.
SO AS I MENTIONED, IT'S THE UPDATE TO THESE THREE DOCUMENTS, ALL COVERED BY AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT, THE GENERAL PLAN AND CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN, WHICH WE CALL THE CAAP, WAS ADOPTED BY THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON NOVEMBER 5TH OF THIS YEAR,
[00:35:09]
AND WE ARE IN THE MIDST OF WORKING ON THE ZONING CODE UPDATE.SO THE COUNTY GENERAL PLAN THAT WAS JUST REPLACED WAS ADOPTED IN JANUARY OF 1991.
THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN WAS IN DECEMBER OF 2015, AND OUR ZONING CODE WAS ADOPTED IN 1947, WHEN HARRY TRUMAN WAS IN OFFICE, AND HAS NEVER BEEN COMPREHENSIVELY UPDATED.
SO WE ARE NOW HAVE TURNED ALL OF OUR ATTENTION TO THE ZONING CODE UPDATE.
ALL RIGHT, SO WHAT IS THE GENERAL PLAN? EVERYONE'S HEARD OF ZONING, BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVEN'T HEARD OF A GENERAL PLAN.
AND SO IT'S ACTUALLY THE HIGHER LAND USE PLANNING DOCUMENT.
PEOPLE REFER TO IT AS THE CONSTITUTION FOR LAND USE, THE BLUEPRINT FOR LAND USE.
EVERY CITY AND COUNTY IN THE STATE IS REQUIRED TO HAVE ONE.
IT SUPERSEDES ALL THE OTHER PLANNING DOCUMENTS, SUCH AS YOUR GENERAL PLAN.
I'M SORRY, YOUR ZONING CODE, YOUR SPECIFIC PLANS, DESIGN GUIDELINES, ALL THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
AND SO THE GENERAL PLAN, YOU KNOW, IS A TECHNICAL DOCUMENT, BUT IT ALSO ESTABLISHES THE VISION.
SO IT HAS TO ADDRESS WHAT'S GOING ON IN A COMMUNITY OR A JURISDICTION TODAY, BUT ALSO IT ENSHRINES THE VISION THAT PEOPLE HAVE FOR THEIR COMMUNITY GOING FORWARD. USUALLY, YOU KNOW, BETWEEN 10 AND OR 15 TO 20 YEARS, I'D SAY.
AND IT PROVIDES THAT THAT DIRECTION TO DECISION MAKERS, YOUR PLANNING COMMISSION, ZONING ADMINISTRATOR, BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OR CITY COUNCIL, AND ALSO TO STAFF AS WE'RE MAKING ALL OF OUR DECISIONS ON ON USE PERMITS AND DEVELOPMENT PLANS, SUBDIVISIONS, REZONINGS, ETC.
EVERYTHING HAS TO BE CONSISTENT WITH THE ADOPTED GENERAL PLAN.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? SO IT AFFECTS MANY ASPECTS OF OUR LIVES.
THE GENERAL PLAN LAND USE MAP, WHICH I'LL GET TO IN A MINUTE, YOU KNOW, DESIGNATES LAND FOR ALL THE DIFFERENT SORTS OF USES, RESIDENTIAL OR COMMERCIAL OR INDUSTRIAL, AT DIFFERENT DENSITIES AND INTENSITIES.
IT INCLUDES INFORMATION ON COMMUNITY CHARACTER.
SO THE APPEARANCE OF NEIGHBORHOODS, THE APPEARANCE OF YOUR YOUR BUSINESS AREAS, YOUR DOWNTOWNS.
THERE'S A SAFETY ELEMENT THAT TALKS ABOUT RISKS.
ALL THE NATURAL AND HUMAN CAUSED RISKS SUCH AS EARTHQUAKE, EXTREME HEAT, FIRE, TSUNAMI, WHICH WE JUST DEALT WITH LAST WEEK.
ALL OF THIS IS IN YOUR GENERAL PLAN AND OF COURSE, RESOURCE CONSERVATION AS WELL.
WHEN THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS DIRECTED US TO UPDATE THE GENERAL PLAN, THEY SAID, WEAVE THESE FOUR THEMES THROUGHOUT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, COMMUNITY HEALTH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY.
ONE OF THESE FOUR IS REQUIRED BY LAW.
STATUTE CALLED SB 1000 WAS PASSED SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
THAT SAID, ALL GENERAL PLANS HAVE TO HAVE TO ADDRESS ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
AND THIS IS A TOPIC THAT THAT DESERVES AN ENTIRE PRESENTATION OF ITS OWN.
BUT IN THE PLANNING REALM, REALLY WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IS THE FACT THAT PLANNING DOESN'T HAVE THE GREATEST HISTORY IN THIS COUNTRY, ESPECIALLY FOR THE LAST HUNDRED YEARS. IT'S BEEN USED IN MANY CASES AS A TOOL OF SEGREGATION.
YOU KNOW, THERE'S REDLINING, THINGS THAT ARE DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY LINKED.
SO THERE ARE ZONING ORDINANCES THAT SEGREGATED COMMUNITIES.
YOU HAVE THE PRACTICES OF REDLINING, DISCRIMINATORY LENDING PRACTICES, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS.
THE DEED TO OUR OWN HOUSE IN PLEASANT HILL ACTUALLY SAYS THAT THE PROPERTY CAN ONLY BE OWNED BY PEOPLE OF THE CAUCASIAN RACE, AND SOMETIMES THIS SORT OF THING FOUND ITS WAY IN. I MEAN, THAT'S OUR DEED, BUT IT FOUND ITS WAY INTO ACTUAL GOVERNMENT DOCUMENTS AS WELL, UNTIL ALL OF THAT BECAME ILLEGAL.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IT'S STILL IN THERE IN THESE DOCUMENTS, THE REMNANTS OF THIS.
SO ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE IS ABOUT REVERSING THAT TO BE SUCCINCT.
WE'RE STARTING TO BUILD ALL THIS INFRASTRUCTURE.
WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GOING TO BUILD AN INTERSTATE FREEWAY OR A NEW WATER TREATMENT PLANT.
IS IT GOING TO GO THROUGH A MINORITY NEIGHBORHOOD OR NOT?
[00:40:01]
AND I THINK WE KNOW HOW THAT ALL HOW THAT TURNED OUT IN MOST CASES.THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT JURISDICTIONS HAVE PROVIDED HAS NOT BEEN EQUITABLE IN MANY CASES.
SO, YOU KNOW, THESE LINKS TO PLANNING ARE EMBODIED IN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE.
AND THE STATE HAS DIRECTED ALL JURISDICTIONS TO WORK ON REVERSING THAT.
SPECIFICALLY, THE STATE HAS CREATED A TOOL CALLED CALENVIROSCREEN.
AND IT PROVIDES SCORES FOR EVERY CENSUS TRACT IN CALIFORNIA.
AND IF A CENSUS TRACT HITS THIS THRESHOLD OF 75 ON A SCALE OF 100, AND IT'S THEIR ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS, SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS 22 I THINK THAT THAT EACH CENSUS TRACT IS RANKED ON.
IF YOU HIT A SCORE OF 75 OUT OF 100, THAT'S BAD.
AND SO YOU ARE WHAT IS CALLED A, QUOTE, DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY.
WE WE CALL THESE IMPACTED COMMUNITIES.
WE LIKE THAT NAME A LITTLE BIT BETTER.
AND IT WAS SUGGESTED BY ACTUALLY A MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC.
AND IN UNINCORPORATED CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, I THINK WE HAVE SEVEN OF THEM, AND THEY TEND TO BE ALONG THE WATERFRONT IN THE SHADOW OF LEGACY ENVIRONMENTAL OR I MEAN, INDUSTRIAL USES NEXT TO BUCHANAN AIRPORT, KIND OF IN THE TRIANGLE THERE, FOR EXAMPLE, BETWEEN 680 HIGHWAY FOUR AND 242 AND THEN NEXT TO THE AIRPORT ITSELF, ALSO ACROSS THE HIGHWAY FROM A SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT.
SO THESE ARE THE COMMUNITIES THAT THE STATE IS REQUIRING US TO GO TO ANOTHER LEVEL OF PLANNING ON AND ALSO TOO, TO WORK ON, AS I SAY, REVERSING THESE HISTORIC DISCREPANCIES, ESPECIALLY IN SERVICE PROVISION OF SERVICES AND PROGRAMS. YOU KNOW IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO BE EQUAL.
SO THAT MEANS MORE RESOURCES GOING TOWARD THESE COMMUNITIES.
AND SO THAT IS SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSED IN THE GENERAL PLAN.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ALSO PRETTY SELF-EXPLANATORY.
IN FACT, THREE OF THESE FOUR WERE NOT TOUCHED ON MUCH, REALLY.
ONLY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WAS AND IT WAS VERY LITTLE.
SO HERE ARE THE ELEMENTS OF THE GENERAL PLAN.
SO STATE LAW REQUIRES THE GENERAL PLAN TO HAVE SEVERAL MANDATORY ELEMENTS.
YOU CAN CALL THEM WHATEVER YOU WANT.
YOU CAN ARRANGE THEM HOWEVER YOU WANT.
BUT THE REQUIRED CONTENT HAS TO BE THERE.
IN OUR GENERAL PLAN WE HAVE NOW THE STRONGER COMMUNITIES, LAND USE, TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING, CONSERVATION, OPEN SPACE AND WORKING LANDS, PUBLIC FACILITIES AND SERVICES, HEALTH AND SAFETY AND GROWTH MANAGEMENT ELEMENTS.
THE BOARD SAID, DON'T CREATE ANY NEW ELEMENTS.
WE WANT YOU TO WEAVE THESE THEMES THROUGHOUT BECAUSE THEY ARE AFFECTED DIFFERENTLY.
AND WHAT I MEAN IS, YOU KNOW, TAKE SOMETHING LIKE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
WELL, THERE IS A LAND USE ASPECT TO IT AND THERE'S A TRANSPORTATION ASPECT TO IT.
AND SO IT'S NOT THEY DON'T LIVE, SO TO SPEAK, IN ANY ONE ELEMENT.
SO ALL THE STATE REQUIRED ELEMENTS ARE HERE.
STRONGER COMMUNITIES IS AN OPTIONAL ONE, SO TO SPEAK.
THE OTHER OPTIONAL ONES ARE PUBLIC FACILITIES AND SERVICES ACTUALLY NOT REQUIRED.
AND THEY REQUIRE US TO HAVE THIS ELEMENT.
SO THOSE ARE THE ELEMENTS OF THE NEW COUNTY GENERAL PLAN.
AND OF COURSE CONSERVATION, OPEN SPACE AND WORKING LANDS IS IMPORTANT TO YOUR AGENCY.
AND WE WILL GET INTO THAT MORE IN A MINUTE.
THE NEW GENERAL PLAN, YOU KNOW, FORMATTED FOR EASE OF USE.
IT WAS KIND OF DIFFICULT TO USE.
THIS ONE, WE ORGANIZED IT A LOT BETTER.
IT'S KIND OF MORE COMPARTMENTALIZED, WHICH ALLOWS US TO UPDATE SECTIONS OF IT.
THE OLD ONE, YOU KNOW, THE LAND USE ELEMENT HAD OVER 200 POLICIES.
[LAUGHTER] AND SO IT ALSO CAUSED US TO KIND OF NOT WANT TO DO THAT AS MUCH.
[00:45:03]
SO HERE IS THE PART OF THE GENERAL PLAN THAT IF ANYONE HAS EVER DEALT WITH THE GENERAL PLAN, IT'S PROBABLY THIS MAP AND IT'S THE LAND USE MAP.SO HERE'S THE LAND USE MAP FOR UNINCORPORATED CONTRA COSTA COUNTY.
AND I FORGOT TO MENTION THIS ONLY APPLIES IN UNINCORPORATED, CONTRA COSTA COUNTY.
YOU SEE THE CITIES ARE GRAYED OUT HERE.
THEY'RE ALL REQUIRED TO HAVE THEIR OWN GENERAL PLAN.
THEY DO HAVE THEIR OWN GENERAL PLAN.
OUR PLANNING JURISDICTION IS ONLY IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA OF THE COUNTY.
BUT THAT, OF COURSE, STILL MAKES US THE LARGEST PLANNING JURISDICTION BY AREA AND BY POPULATION.
ABOUT 175,000 PEOPLE LIVE IN THE UNINCORPORATED AREA.
THE LARGEST CITY IS CONCORD, WITH 125,000 OR SO PEOPLE.
SO WE'RE BY FAR THE LARGEST JURISDICTION.
AND SO ALL THE COLORS HERE MEAN DIFFERENT THINGS IN THE LEGEND THERE.
AND THEN YOU HAVE THE GREENS AND SOME MORE BROWNS AND THOSE ARE AGRICULTURE, GENERAL AGRICULTURE.
WE HAVE THE AGRICULTURAL CORE, AS WE CALL IT, OUT BETWEEN BRENTWOOD AND DISCOVERY BAY.
THE KIND OF LIME GREEN, THE BRIGHTER GREEN IS RESOURCE CONSERVATION.
WELL, FOR US, WE USED IT MORE LIKE FOR CONSERVATION PURPOSES.
IT WAS REALLY WHERE PEOPLE SHOULDN'T GO.
MAYBE IT'S SENSITIVE HABITAT OR A LANDSLIDE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
SO WE CHANGED THE NAME TO RESOURCE CONSERVATION TO MAKE IT MORE OBVIOUS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
SO PEOPLE DIDN'T THINK, OH, OPEN SPACE, THAT'S A PLACE WHERE I SHOULD GO.
IT'S ACTUALLY A PLACE WHERE YOU PROBABLY SHOULDN'T IN A LOT OF CASES.
THAT'S THE PARKS AND RECREATION DESIGNATION.
AND YOU SEE ON THIS MAP HOW PROMINENT THAT DESIGNATION IS.
SO MUCH LAND IN UNINCORPORATED CONTRA COSTA COUNTY IS PARKLAND OWNED BY VARIOUS AGENCIES.
AND THEN THE URBAN LIMIT LINE.
I'M GOING TO TOGGLE BACK AND FORTH.
YOU SEE, THAT KIND OF CLOSELY MATCHES THE MAP OF THE UNINCORPORATED AREA.
THE URBAN LIMIT LINE IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY PREVENTS URBAN LAND USE DESIGNATIONS.
AND THE URBAN LIMIT LINE WILL ACTUALLY BE GOING BACK ON THE BALLOT IN 2026.
THE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN.
SO THIS IS THE COUNTY'S PLAN TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.
IT COMPLEMENTS THE GENERAL PLAN.
NOT ONLY REDUCING GHGS, BUT ALSO IMPROVING CLIMATE RESILIENCE, PROMOTING EQUITY.
AND AND LEADERSHIP IS SOMETHING THAT THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC.
GETTING OUT IN FRONT AND SHOWING OTHER, YOU KNOW, JURISDICTIONS.
AND SO NOT EVERY CITY HAS A CLIMATE ACTION PLAN THOUGH I KNOW AT LEAST A COUPLE NOW.
I MEAN, SOME OF COURSE IN OUR COUNTY DO HAVE THEM ALL OVER THE STATE THAT HAVE THEM.
AND I KNOW SOME OTHERS THAT ARE STARTING TO WORK ON THEM.
MEETS THE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION REDUCTION TARGETS FOR 2030 AND 2045.
AND AS I SAID, IT IMPLEMENTS SOME PARTS OF THE GENERAL PLAN.
IT ALSO IS A MITIGATION MEASURE FOR OUR GENERAL PLAN.
ALL THAT NEEDED TO BE MITIGATED.
AND SO THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN HELPS TO MITIGATE THE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS FROM ALL OF THAT.
AND HERE ARE THE CAAP STRATEGIES SIMILAR TO THE GENERAL PLAN ELEMENTS.
THE FOUR THEMES WOVEN THROUGHOUT.
CLEAN AND EFFICIENT BUILT ENVIRONMENT, NO WASTE CONTRA COSTA, REDUCING WATER, THE CLEAN TRANSPORTATION NETWORK, CLIMATE EQUITY, LEADERSHIP, IMPLEMENTATION AND RESILIENT COMMUNITIES ARE THE VARIOUS STRATEGY AREAS IN THE CAAP.
AND I ALREADY KIND OF TOUCHED ON THIS.
THE GENERAL PLAN IS THE POLICY DOCUMENT.
THE CAAP IS MORE OF AN IMPLEMENTATION DOCUMENT HELPS MITIGATE THE IMPACTS OF FUTURE DEVELOPMENT.
THE LAND AND THE TWO, THESE WERE WRITTEN TOGETHER.
I WAS THE PROJECT MANAGER FOR ALL OF IT.
AND THE GENERAL PLAN AS KIND OF A SUB PART OF THAT.
[00:50:03]
MY COLLEAGUE JODY LONDON, WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE CAAP, WE SHARE AN OFFICE WALL.SO WE WERE CONSTANTLY TALKING THESE DOCUMENTS TALK TO EACH OTHER.
SOME OF THE EXACT SAME LANGUAGE APPEARS IN BOTH.
SO THEY'RE VERY COMPLEMENTARY.
SO THE GENERAL PLAN POLICY HIGHLIGHTS AND THESE ARE RELEVANT TO YOUR WORK.
JUST AND EQUITABLE PROVISION OF GOVERNMENT SERVICES.
STRENGTHENING THE URBAN LIMIT LINE.
SO THE URBAN LIMIT LINE IS A BALLOT MEASURE.
THE GENERAL PLAN COULDN'T MOVE IT.
THE GENERAL PLAN COULDN'T DO ANYTHING TO CHANGE IT.
BUT THE GENERAL PLAN COULD INCLUDE POLICY LANGUAGE TO SUPPORT IT.
AND SO THE GENERAL PLAN DOES SUPPORT THE URBAN LIMIT LINE, GREATER PROTECTIONS FOR SPECIES AND HABITATS, WATER RESOURCES, CULTURAL RESOURCES, SCENIC RESOURCES AND AGRICULTURE. ENHANCE COORDINATION BETWEEN US AND YOU AND HABITAT CONSERVANCY AND CONSERVATION GROUPS.
NOT THAT THERE ISN'T COORDINATION.
SUPPORT FOR ACQUISITION AND PERMANENT PROTECTION OF OPEN SPACE AREAS.
YOU KNOW, WHENEVER THE PARK DISTRICT DOES WANT TO ACQUIRE OPEN SPACE, THE LAW REQUIRES A REFERRAL TO BE SENT TO US TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S CONSISTENT WITH OUR LAND USE PLAN, WITH THE GENERAL PLAN. SO THERE'S ADDITIONAL POLICY LANGUAGE SUPPORTING THAT, AND THEN SUPPORT FOR ONGOING DEVELOPMENT OF PARKS AND TRAILS.
WE'LL GET INTO ANOTHER ELEMENT WHERE IT DOES TOO.
HERE, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'RE ABLE TO TO READ THESE, BUT THESE ARE THE SUBSECTIONS OF THIS ELEMENT.
I'M NOT GOING TO READ EVERY SINGLE ONE, BUT AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES, ECOLOGICAL RESOURCES, HISTORIC RESOURCES, SCENIC RESOURCES, ALL THESE THINGS ARE ADDRESSED IN THE CONSERVATION ELEMENT. AND I WANTED TO SHOW SOME OF THE MAPS THAT WE HAVE IN HERE.
THIS ONE IS OF PRIORITY CONSERVATION AREAS IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY.
THAT'S A PROGRAM THROUGH ABAG/MTC WATERSHEDS IN THE COUNTY.
TRIBAL HOMELANDS AND LANGUAGE AREAS.
THIS IS ACTUALLY A MAP THAT WE TOOK FROM EAST BAY REGIONAL PARKS.
WE REALIZED AT ONE POINT THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE A GRAPHIC IN OUR SECTION ABOUT NATIVE AMERICANS AND TRIBAL RESOURCES, AND WE REALLY DIDN'T WANT TO PUT IN SOME SORT OF.
I MEAN, FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM, GENERIC, YOU KNOW, GRAPHIC, RIGHT? AND SO WE SAID, WHAT CAN WE PUT IN THAT IS THAT IS RELEVANT TO NATIVE AMERICANS IN OUR AREA.
AND WE CAME ACROSS THE WORK THAT THE PARK DISTRICT HAD DONE.
AND WE ADAPTED THAT MAP FOR THE GENERAL PLAN.
AND ALL OF THIS HAS SUPPORTING POLICY LANGUAGE.
IS THAT REALLY THE MEAT OF THE GENERAL PLAN, IT'S A POLICY DOCUMENT.
SO YOU HAVE GOALS, THE THINGS THAT THE COUNTY IS TRYING TO ACHIEVE, THE POLICIES, WHICH ARE KIND OF THE RULES THAT WE LIVE BY, THAT GUIDE OUR DECISION MAKING, AND THEN ACTIONS AND THE ACTIONS ARE THE TO DO LIST TO IMPLEMENT THE GENERAL PLAN.
YOU KNOW, AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACTION IS TO ADOPT AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY.
THE PUBLIC FACILITIES AND SERVICES ELEMENT IS THE OTHER ONE THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE WORK OF THE PARK DISTRICT OR THE COUNTY AS IT RELATES TO THE PARK DISTRICT, SPECIFICALLY THE PARKS AND RECREATION SECTION OF THIS ELEMENT.
AND I WANTED TO SHOW YOU THIS MAP OF ALL THE PARK LAND IN THE COUNTY.
SO WE'VE JUST ORGANIZED IT INTO FEDERAL, STATE, REGIONAL, AND LOCAL PARKS.
YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEM, OF COURSE, LOCAL PARKS ARE YOU CAN'T SEE AT THIS SCALE.
I MEAN, THIS WOULD BE YOUR TYPICAL LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD PARK, FOR EXAMPLE.
SO WE WILL BE AMENDING THIS MAP SOON TO ADD A PROPERTY UP THERE.
THE TRAILS NETWORK IN THE COUNTY, REGIONAL TRAILS, PROPOSED REGIONAL TRAILS AND OTHER TRAILS ALSO SHOWING THE PARK AND LAND BANK NETWORK HERE TO SHOW HOW THEY RELATE TO EACH OTHER. THE TRAIL NETWORK AND THE PARK NETWORK.
THIS IS WALKABILITY FROM PARKS.
SO WE WERE MAPPING HOW MUCH ACCESS DO PEOPLE ACTUALLY HAVE TO PARK LAND.
[00:55:05]
AND SO FOR MORE URBAN AREAS, WE MAPPED IT AS WHAT'S WITHIN A TEN MINUTE WALK.AND THEN FOR SUBURBAN AREAS, WHICH IS THE NEXT ONE, IT WAS A FIVE MINUTE DRIVE.
AND THESE TWO MAPS TOGETHER KIND OF SHOW PARK ACCESSIBILITY FOR PEOPLE.
AND THIS AGAIN RELATES BACK TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE TOPIC.
HOW MUCH CAN WE HELP TO TRY AND IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY FOR PEOPLE WHO MAY NOT, WHO MAY NOT HAVE IT? QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU.
SO YOU HAVE WALKABILITY STUDY AREA AND DRIVABILITY STUDY AREA.
I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT THE STUDY AREA PART OF THAT IS.
RIGHT. BUT WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DRIVABILITY AND OR STUDY AREA AND DRIVABLE IN FIVE MINUTES? YEAH. SO ON THIS MAP FOR EXAMPLE THE AREAS THAT ARE THE LIGHTER SHADE.
OH, OKAY. BUT THE PART THAT'S DRIVABLE IS THE DARKER COLOR.
AND SO OUTREACH SINCE 2019, WE STARTED THE OUTREACH IN FEBRUARY OF 2019 AND OVER 170 MEETINGS.
SO THIS MIGHT BE NUMBER 180 ALL THESE VARIOUS COUNTY BODIES THAT ARE LISTED HERE.
YOU KNOW, WE REALLY WENT TO EVERYONE, MOST OF THESE, IF NOT ALL OF THEM MULTIPLE TIMES TO WORK ON THE POLICY LANGUAGE OVER 100 COMMUNITY MEETINGS, WORKSHOPS AND OPEN HOUSES ACROSS THE COUNTY WORKSHOPS SPECIFIC TO THE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN, NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBAL CONSULTATIONS, STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS ON THE FOUR THEMES NUMEROUS WEBINARS AND ONLINE SURVEYS AND JUST YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO SAY EXERCISES, BUT THINGS WE PUT UP ON THE WEBSITE TO HELP PEOPLE GET ENGAGED, INCLUDING PHOTO SUBMITTAL.
A LOT OF THE PHOTOS IN THE GENERAL PLAN WERE SUBMITTED BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.
E-BLASTS. I COULD GO ON AND ON ABOUT THIS.
NEWSLETTERS REACHING OVER 20,000 SUBSCRIBERS IN THE COUNTY.
WE MADE USE OF ALL THE COUNTY SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS, SO THERE WAS QUITE A BIT OF OUTREACH OVER ALL THESE YEARS TO TRY AND MAKE SURE WE HEARD FROM AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE COULD. AND I THINK IT WAS REFLECTED IN THE FACT THAT PRETTY MUCH NO ONE SHOWED UP AT THE ADOPTION HEARINGS.
YOU KNOW, IT WAS IT WENT VERY, VERY SMOOTHLY.
SO THIS ACTUALLY MIGHT BE A LITTLE OUTDATED NOW, BUT ON THE WEBSITE ENVISIONCONTRACOSTA2040.ORG/DOCUMENTS ALL OF THE DOCUMENTS ARE THERE, INCLUDING THE NEW GENERAL PLAN AND CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN.
ALL THE BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS HAVE BEEN ARCHIVED THERE.
AND WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR WILL? I DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, SO I WILL DEFER TO TO COLIN.
BUT I DO WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION.
VERY THOROUGH AND REALLY EXCITING WORK, AND I LOVE HOW YOU HAVE REALLY THOUGHTFULLY TIED THESE DIFFERENT PLANS AND DOCUMENTS TOGETHER BECAUSE AND UPDATED ALL OF THEM AS WELL.
WELL, ONE OF THE MAPS THAT ACCOMPANIED THE PROCESS THROUGHOUT YOUR LONG PROCESS WAS A MAP OF IMPACTED COMMUNITIES THAT SHADED THOSE IN, AND I'M NOT FINDING IT HERE.
DID I MISS IT? OH, IT'S JUST NOT HERE.
YEAH, I DIDN'T INCLUDE IT IN YOUR PACKET, BUT, OR IN THIS PRESENTATION.
BUT THERE IS THAT MAP IN THE GENERAL PLAN OF THE IMPACTED COMMUNITIES.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE IT'S NORTH RICHMOND, THE MONTALVIN MANOR, TARA HILLS, BAYVIEW AREA, CROCKETT, RODEO, MOUNTAIN VIEW AND VINE HILL, AND UNINCORPORATED MARTINEZ, PACHECO AND BAY POINT.
[01:00:09]
YEAH. AND THE REASON I RAISE IT AS MUCH OF THAT IS WITHIN MY WARD SEVEN OF NORTHERN CONTRA COSTA, ESPECIALLY RODEO AND CROCKETT.AND I WAS FOLLOWING THIS PROCESS THAT YOU LED RATHER CAREFULLY, ESPECIALLY AS IT IMPACTED THOSE COMMUNITIES IN MY WARD.
I'VE AND JUST MORE TO COME IS ONE, I JUST AS AS DIRECTOR ECHOLS SAID, VERY MUCH APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU DID, THE COUNTY DID, THE CONSTANT CONNECTION WITH THE PARK DISTRICT AND OUR PLANNERS.
AND I TAKE THE POLICY GUIDANCE IN HERE AND WHAT YOU PRESENTED TO US AS GUIDANCE TO THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT.
WE ARE, IN A SENSE, THE COUNTY PARK DEPARTMENT.
WE UNDERTAKE THAT ROLE UNIQUELY FOR CONTRA COSTA AND ALAMEDA COUNTIES, UNIQUELY NOT JUST IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, BUT NATIONALLY, THAT THESE TWO COUNTIES THAT MAKE UP THE EAST BAY AND CLOSE TO 3 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE RELIED ON AN INDEPENDENT, VERY LARGE REGIONAL GOVERNMENT FOR PRESERVATION OF OPEN SPACE HABITAT AND THE PROVISION OF PARKS AND ACCESS TO PARKS AND TRAILS FOR RECREATIONAL USES.
AND TO ME, IT VERY MUCH FITS WITHIN THE CONTEXT AND SUPPORT.
IT'S KIND OF A MUTUAL SUPPORT THAT THE COUNTY IS GIVING US, PARTICULARLY IN THOSE AREAS OF YOUR SLIDES, FOR INSTANCE, THAT HIGHLIGHT THE COUNTY'S PRIORITIZATION OF THE PRESERVATION OF OPEN SPACE AND HABITAT.
SO THOSE ARE POLICIES ADOPTED IN THE COUNTY'S GENERAL PLAN THAT I WILL PAY ATTENTION TO AS WE PROCEED NOW WITH OUR SECOND CENTURY PLAN, WHICH HOPEFULLY WON'T TAKE FOUR YEARS [LAUGHTER] AS AS IT ENDED UP.
AND WE'RE COVERING TWO COUNTIES.
ANYWAY, I WANTED TO JUST ARTICULATE THAT.
TO ME THE POLICIES ADOPTED WITHIN THE CONTRA COSTA GENERAL PLAN AT LEAST GIVES GUIDANCE TO US AS WELL AS WE PURSUE OUR NEW MASTER PLAN, AS WE CALL IT, THE SECOND CENTURY PLAN IN CONTRA COSTA COUNTY.
AND LOOK TO SUPPORT FOR THE COUNTY FOR OUR ENDEAVORS ALONG THE ACQUISITION OF FURTHER OPEN SPACE, ESPECIALLY IN EASTERN CONTRA COSTA, WHERE YOUR MAPS VERY MUCH HIGHLIGHT AREAS WHERE WE THERE IS A NEED FOR FURTHER ACQUISITION AND EXPANSION AND CONSERVATION OF OPEN SPACE.
SO THAT CORRESPONDS AT LEAST TO MY HOPEFUL PRIORITIZATION THAT WE ENGAGE IN, IN OUR MASTER PLAN.
AND I HAVE TRIED TO VERY MUCH FOLLOW WHAT THE RCD WAS DOING WITH ITS OWN RODEO AND CROCKETT SPECIFIC PLANNING.
AND I'VE CHATTED WITH MAUREEN TOMS, I THINK, WHO'S RETIRED IN THE PROCESS OF RETIRING SOON, SOON AND ALL OF US HAVE TAKEN WALKS ALONG THE RODEO AND CROCKETT WATERFRONTS BECAUSE, AS YOU REALLY WELL KNOW, AND AS I'M WORKING WITH THIS ORGANIZATION SO THAT WE ARE ACUTELY AWARE OF IT, THOSE ARE NEGLECTED WATERFRONTS, THOSE ARE NEGLECTED SHORELINES IN RODEO AND CROCKETT, AND THERE IS AMPLE ROOM FOR THOSE IMPACTED COMMUNITIES, FOR THE CREATION
[01:05:02]
OF GREATER ACCESS FOR THOSE COMMUNITIES TO SHORELINE.ONE OF THE SPECIFIC ASPECTS OF THE GENERAL PLAN UPDATE TO ME WAS, DID IT MAKE ROOM FOR GREENWAYS ALONG THOSE SHORELINES? THE BAY TRAIL IS GOING TO BE EXTENDED BY CONTRA COSTA COUNTY FROM OUR PARK AND RODEO ALL THE WAY UP TO THE BRIDGE IN CROCKETT, AND I'D LIKE TO SEE A GREATER ATTENTION TO THE ENTIRE SHORELINE OF RODEO AND ULTIMATELY WITH CROCKETT, WITH THAT SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT I SEE AS BAY TRAIL AS WHEN WE CREATE BAY TRAIL.
IT'S NOT JUST A, YOU KNOW, TEN FOOT WIDE PATH.
IT'S A LOT OF ATTENTION TO THE CREATION OF GREENWAY ALL AROUND IT.
AND SO I'M HOPING TO PURSUE WITH CONTRA COSTA COUNTY CONSISTENT WITH THIS PLAN.
PROJECTS, PROGRAMS THAT WILL ENHANCE THE WATERFRONTS OF RODEO AND CROCKETT.
AND ON A PERSONAL NOTE, WE HAVE A BRAND NEW SUPERVISOR REPRESENTING RODEO AND CROCKETT, WHO IS VERY EAGER TO DO THE SAME AND GET ENGAGED WITH US ON THOSE WATERFRONTS.
SO THAT'S MY PAROCHIAL TAKE ON ON THIS AND SORRY FOR BEING VERY SPECIFIC IN MY INTEREST, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING I'VE FOLLOWED FOR SEVERAL YEARS, IS THOSE TWO COMMUNITIES AND AND HOW THIS PLAN IN TOTAL WILL SUPPORT IMPROVEMENTS, ENHANCEMENTS FOR THOSE IMPACTED COMMUNITIES IN MY WARD.
IF I MAY JUST ADD ON TO THAT, THERE IS SPECIFIC POLICY LANGUAGE ABOUT REGIONAL TRAILS AND IT NAMES THE BAY TRAIL AND CERTAIN OTHER REALLY MAJOR TRAILS THAT GO THROUGH CONTRA COSTA COUNTY.
AND THEY'RE NOT SPECIFIC PLANS BY THE DEFINITION OF WHAT A SPECIFIC PLAN IS, BUT THEY ARE PLANS FOR THE VARIOUS UNINCORPORATED COMMUNITIES, AND THEY'RE IN THE STRONGER COMMUNITIES ELEMENT.
AND SO THEY INCLUDE BACKGROUND DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION, PICTURES GUIDING PRINCIPLES, AS WE CALL THEM, FOR THOSE COMMUNITIES, ALSO COMMUNITY SPECIFIC POLICY, LANGUAGE AND ACTIONS.
AND FOR THOSE TWO COMMUNITIES, THERE IS SPECIFIC LANGUAGE ABOUT ENHANCED ACCESS TO THE WATERFRONT.
WILL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE, WILL.
AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION ON THIS INCREDIBLE DOCUMENT.
THIS IS WHAT WE DO AND I'M PLEASED BY ALL THE MAPS AND EVERYTHING.
AND THE MAPS ARE INCREDIBLE AND VERY INSIGHTFUL, AND I HOPE WE CAN CONTINUE TO COLLABORATE ON THIS AND WISH YOU THE BEST OF LUCK ON THIS PROJECT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. SO IS THERE ARE THERE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? NO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
ALL RIGHT. IN THAT CASE, IF THERE'S NO OTHER COMMENTS, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
GOOD AFTERNOON. KATY HORNBECK, GRANTS MANAGER WITHIN FINANCE MANAGEMENT SERVICES, GIVING A GRANTS REPORT COVERING THE PERIOD OF OCTOBER 18TH THROUGH NOVEMBER 19TH.
THESE ARE THE APPLICATIONS AND GRANTS THAT WERE AWARDED IN THAT TIME PERIOD.
IT'S A SHORT LIST IN THIS MONTH.
WE SUBMITTED ONE APPLICATION TO THE CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION'S WHALE TAIL PROGRAM.
THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT THE INTERPRETIVE AND RECREATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT WANTS TO OFFER OUT AT THE CRAB COVE VISITOR CENTER. IT WOULD BE A NEW PROGRAM FOR THEM PARTNERING WITH A FEW DIFFERENT AGENCIES.
[01:10:04]
AND THEN FOR GRANTS AWARDED.SO THE CITY OF OAKLAND REACHED OUT TO US BECAUSE THEY WERE GOING TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO NOAA'S A PROGRAM THAT GRANT PROGRAM THAT NOAA OFFERS TO THE MAIN INTENT OF THE PROGRAM IS TO REMOVE LARGE SUNKEN VESSELS.
AND SO BUT THE PROGRAM REQUIRES DIFFERENT PARTNERSHIPS.
IT CAN ONLY REALLY BE ACCESSED BY A CONTRACTOR.
SO ALL THAT TO SAY, THEY INCLUDED THAT IN THEIR APPLICATION.
AND SO THEY'LL BE PASSING THROUGH THOSE GRANT FUNDS TO US TO COMPLETE THIS WORK AT SOME POINT.
SO IT'LL BE A FEW MONTHS BEFORE WE GET INTO AGREEMENT WITH THEM.
BUT THAT IS A PASS THROUGH GRANT FUND AGREEMENT.
BUT I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON GRANTS.
HE'S THE ADMINISTRATIVE ANALYST 2 IN THE GRANTS DEPARTMENT.
SO THE DEPARTMENT WILL BE IN GOOD HANDS WITH HIM WHILE I'M OUT.
AND JUST WANTED TO GIVE A QUICK HELLO AND THANK YOU TO HIM FOR STEERING THE SHIP, I GUESS SO.
YES. AND THAT IS ALL ON MY END.
ALL RIGHT. ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? KATY. THAT WAS BRIEF AND THANKS.
THANKS, KATY. CONGRATULATIONS.
HAVE A GREAT LEAVE AND WELCOME DAVID.
LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU.
WE'LL MOVE NOW TO THE INFORMATIONAL UPDATE ON THE 2025 SACRAMENTO ADVOCACY CONFERENCE.
ERICH PFUEHLER DIVISION LEAD FOR GOVERNMENT AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS, WANTED TO GIVE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF OUR PROPOSED STATE ADVOCACY CONFERENCE FOR 2025. WE WILL BE BRINGING THIS BACK WITH A LITTLE MORE DETAIL AS WE SCHEDULE MEETINGS IN OUR JANUARY MEETING, BUT WANTED TO GIVE YOU THE INITIAL RECOMMENDED STRATEGY IN TERMS OF OUR OVERALL ISSUES AT THE STATE LEVEL.
I JUST WANT TO NOTE ON THIS VERY FIRST SLIDE, THE DATE 28TH AND 29TH WERE GOING TO BE PRIMARILY FOCUSING ON THE 28TH, AS THERE IS A UNIFIED WINE AND GRAPE SYMPOSIUM IN SACRAMENTO FROM THE 28TH TO THE 30TH.
SO THE ACCOMMODATIONS AND SPACE FOR US TO DO OUR WORK IS GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT IMPACTED OR IS GOING TO BE QUITE A BIT IMPACTED BY THAT SYMPOSIUM.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MEET FOR ELECTEDS TO MEET.
AND WE APPRECIATE THE BOARD'S PARTICIPATION IN THIS ENDEAVOR.
SO FOR 2025 AND THERE MAY BE SOME CARRYOVER TO 2026, BUT WE PROPOSED THREE WIDE OR OVERARCHING ISSUES FOR DISCUSSION WITH ALL OF OUR DELEGATION.
THE FIRST POINT IS FOR MODERNIZATION OF OUR PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE 5500.
SOME OF OUR CODE IS FROM THE 1930S.
SO WE WANT TO GO REVISIT SOME OF THAT AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S MODERNIZED AND KEEPING UP WITH CURRENT CONDITIONS AND REFLECTING ELEMENTS LIKE EQUITABLE ACCESS AND EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS DUE TO A CHANGING CLIMATE.
THE SECOND PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON.
THE SECOND IS A SUPPORT FOR THE EAST BAY HILLS DESIGNATION.
THIS LEGISLATION CAME ABOUT AS AN IDEA BASED ON OUR EXPERIENCE WITH PROPOSITION FOUR.
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WE WERE ABLE TO DISCERN IN PROPOSITION FOUR THAT SOME AREAS OF THE STATE DID GET SPECIFIC ALLOCATIONS, AND THOSE ALLOCATIONS WERE EMBEDDED IN THE FACT THAT THE AREAS THAT RECEIVE THEM WERE CONSIDERED AREAS OF STATEWIDE SIGNIFICANCE UNDER PREVIOUS LEGISLATION.SO WE ARE WORKING TO DESIGNATE AND LISA WILL BE SPEAKING A LITTLE MORE ABOUT THAT LATER.
BUT SEEKING TO DESIGNATE THE EAST BAY HILLS AS AN AREA OF STATEWIDE SIGNIFICANCE, INCLUDING LAKE TEMESCAL, AS ONE OF THE PARKS THAT WOULD BE INCLUDED IN THAT SUITE OF PARKS.
AND THEN OUR LAST OVERALL ITEM IS SUPPORT FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF PROPOSITION FOUR.
IN CHAPTER TWO, THERE'S A COMPONENT UNDER WATERSHED HEALTH THAT ALLOCATES 605 MILLION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES TO SUPPORT PROGRAMS THAT IMPROVE WATERSHEDS AND WATER HEALTH.
WE DO BELIEVE THAT SOME OF OUR WATER BODIES, AND FRANKLY, SOME OF THE EAST BAY HILLS COULD BENEFIT FROM THAT FUNDING IN PARTICULARLY LOOKING FOR A PLAN FOR LAKE TEMESCAL WITHIN THAT ALLOCATION.
CHAPTER THREE INCLUDES FUNDING FOR WILDFIRE RESILIENCE, AND THERE'S A SPECIFIC ALLOCATION OF 115 MILLION TO CAL FIRE FOR RESILIENCY PROGRAMS, WHICH IS A AREA OF FUNDING WHERE WE HAVE RECEIVED AN INITIAL GRANT FOR OUR GRIZZLY PEAK COLLABORATIVE WITH EAST BAY MUD, UC BERKELEY, AND THE CITY OF BERKELEY.
WE DO NEED ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THAT PROJECT IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA IN PROPOSITION FOUR.
IN CHAPTER THREE WOULD PROVIDE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR THAT TYPE OF A PROGRAM.
AND THEN IN CHAPTER FOUR, THERE'S A SPECIFIC ALLOCATION TO THE COASTAL CONSERVANCY.
I BELIEVE THE OVERALL ALLOCATION IS OVER 400 MILLION.
AND OF THAT 400 MILLION, 85 MILLION ARE DESIGNATED TO GO TO BAY AREA PROGRAMS. SO WE BELIEVE THAT 85 MILLION CAN BE USED FOR NOT ONLY COASTAL RESILIENCE PROJECTS, BUT ALSO BAY AREA PROGRAM EQUITABLE ACCESS EFFORTS.
AND SO WITH THAT ON PROP FOUR, WE WILL HAVE IN EACH MEETING A SPECIFIC EXAMPLE IN EACH MEMBER'S DISTRICT THAT THIS FUNDING COULD APPLY TO.
SO EXAMPLE OF THAT DIRECTOR WAESPI WILL YOU'LL APPRECIATE FOR THE CAL FIRE WILDFIRE RESILIENCE.
SO TO GO THROUGH THE SPECIFIC AGENDAS FOR EACH MEMBER, I'LL START WITH THE SENATE.
AND LISA WILL CARRY US THROUGH WITH THE ASSEMBLY MEMBERS.
A NEW ACTUALLY, ALL OF OUR SENATORS ARE NEW.
A NEW WELL, EXCEPT FOR SENATOR WAHAB.
I BELIEVE HE WAS MAYOR FOR A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME, SOMEWHERE AROUND 20 YEARS.
IS TAKING THE OR, YOU KNOW, ONE ELECTION TO THE SEAT THAT WAS HELD BY CHRISTOPHER.
I'M SORRY, BY SENATOR BILL DODD.
SO THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT INTEREST IN WILDFIRE MANAGEMENT IN THAT WARD.
BUT FOR OUR OVERLAP WITH THAT SENATE DISTRICT, IT'S REALLY MOSTLY BIG BREAK REGIONAL SHORELINE.
I BELIEVE SOME OF THE DELTA ACCESS AREAS WOULD ALSO BE IN HIS SENATE DISTRICT, BUT WE WANTED TO FOCUS ON BIG BREAK BECAUSE I BELIEVE YOU ALL SAW IT IN OUR LAST BOARD MEETING, A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE ADAPTATION STRATEGY FOR THOSE VISITOR USE FACILITIES THERE.
CHAPTER TWO IS THE WATERSHED HEALTH CHAPTER.
AND CHAPTER FOUR IS THE COASTAL CONSERVANCY FUNDING.
AND WE'LL HAVE FLUSHED OUT TALKING POINTS FOR YOU ALL FOR THESE MEETINGS ON EACH OF THESE PROJECTS.
FOR THE OFFICE OF SENATOR JERRY MCNERNEY.
THIS IS A NEW SENATE DISTRICT TO THE EAST BAY.
IT'S [INAUDIBLE] PAIRING PARTS OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY WITH THE TRI-VALLEY.
SO HE WILL BE BACK REPRESENTING AREAS OF LIVERMORE, DUBLIN, PLEASANTON AND ONE AREA IN PARTICULAR THAT WE CAN FOCUS ON WITH HIS OFFICE IS LAKE DEL VALLE.
[01:20:08]
WATER FROM FLOODING DOWN ALAMEDA CREEK.BUT WE DO HAVE NOTICED SIGNIFICANT SEDIMENTATION IN THAT LAKE AND DO BELIEVE CHAPTER TWO, THE WATERSHED HEALTH FUNDING COULD BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR IMPROVEMENTS AT LAKE DEL VALLE.
SENATOR JESSE ARREGUIN IS OUR NEW SENATOR, SORT OF FOR THE BERKELEY AREA THAT WAS REPRESENTED BY SENATOR NANCY SKINNER. LAKE TEMESCAL IS IN THAT SENATE DISTRICT, SO WE DO INTEND TO SPEAK WITH HIM ABOUT THAT PROJECT AND PARTICULARLY FUNDING IN CHAPTER TWO THAT COULD GO TO DEVELOPING A PLAN FOR HOW WE DO PROCEED WITH DREDGING AND SPOIL REMOVAL FROM THE LAKE. AS YOU ALL KNOW, IT'S GONE FROM ABOUT 80 85FT DEEP TO ABOUT 16 TO 14FT DEEP OVER THE YEARS AND IS IN NEED OF A SUPPORT.
AND THAT IS IN OAKLAND AND NOT IN THE CITY OF BERKELEY, WHICH WAS WHERE THE SENATOR WAS MAYOR.
SO IT'LL BE A NEW WELL, MAY NOT BE A NEW PROJECT TO HIM, BECAUSE LAKE TEMESCAL IS SUCH A HISTORICAL AND BELOVED PARK, BUT IT WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO DISCUSS WITH HIM. SENATOR TIM GRAYSON, MOVING INTO THE AREA THAT WAS REPRESENTED BY SENATOR STEVE GLAZER.
BUT IT DOES HAVE AND WE SHOULD HAVE PROBABLY PUT A MAP IN THIS POWERPOINT.
BUT IT DOES HAVE A, I GUESS, LIKE A FOOT THAT GOES ALL THE WAY OUT TO THE BAY THROUGH CASTRO VALLEY AND SAN LEANDRO, WHICH INCLUDES ANTHONY CHABOT AS PART OF THE NEW SENATE DISTRICT.
SO AS MENTIONED EARLIER, WE DID WANT TO SPEAK TO HIM ABOUT THAT AS IT WOULD BE A NEW AREA FOR HIM.
AND WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO NEED SUPPORT FOR OUR TREE REMOVAL.
AND THEN LASTLY, SENATOR WAHAB, WHEN WE'VE HAD OUR FIRST SERIES OF MEETINGS WITH HER, EXPRESSED STRONG INTEREST IN BEING SUPPORTIVE OF WORK AT THE HAYWARD MARSH HAYWARD SHORELINE. SO THE MARSH RESTORATION PROJECT AND PUBLIC ACCESS PROJECT IS ONE THAT WE HAVE TALKED TO HER OFFICE ABOUT IN THE PAST, AND WE DO BELIEVE THAT SOME RESOURCES THROUGH EITHER CHAPTER TWO OR CHAPTER FOUR OF PROPOSITION FOUR COULD HELP IN ASSISTING IN THE OVERALL WORK THAT WE'RE DOING AT HAYWARD SHORELINE.
AND WITH THAT, I WILL TRANSITION TO LISA.
ON THE SCREEN TODAY WE HAVE CHAPTERS TWO AND FOUR REFERENCED.
BUT WHEN WE BRING BACK THIS PRESENTATION WE'LL REALLY HIGHLIGHT THOSE SPECIFIC FUNDING CATEGORIES.
SO WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE WATER AND WATERSHED FUNDING, THESE ARE NEWER CATEGORIES FOR THE PARK DISTRICT GRANT PROGRAMS FOR WATERSHED RESILIENCE THAT WE'D REALLY LIKE TO TAP INTO.
AND WE'RE GOING TO BE WORKING WITH THE AGENCIES AND ACTING GRANT MANAGER DAVID CAULBOY TO BETTER UNDERSTANDING HOW TO MAKE OURSELVES COMPETITIVE FOR THOSE PROGRAMS. FOR THE OTHER TWO CHAPTERS THAT WE'RE REFERENCING TODAY, CAL FIRE AND FIRE RESILIENCE, THAT'S A PROGRAM THAT WE'VE HISTORICALLY BEEN COMPETITIVE WITH, AND WE'D LIKE TO CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CAL FIRE.
BUT IT HELPS TO FUND UPLAND PROJECTS THAT WE'VE HISTORICALLY DONE VERY WELL WITH.
IN TERMS OF THE BIG BREAK PROJECT, ERICH TOUCHED ON IT NICELY.
AND SO WHAT I'LL SHARE IS THAT WE ARE IN INITIAL CONVERSATIONS WITH ASSEMBLY MEMBER LORI WILSON'S OFFICE ON AUTHORING OUR PROPOSED LEGISLATION TO MODERNIZE THE PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE 5500 SECTION.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH LEGAL COUNSEL ON A VARIETY OF AMENDMENTS, INCLUDING UPDATING THE PRONOUNS WITHIN THE LEGISLATION, AS WELL AS ADMINISTRATIVE LIMIT TO CONNECT US WITH COUNTY GOVERNMENT CODE AND SOME OTHER CHANGES THAT WE WILL BRING BACK TO THE BOARD IN A BIT MORE DETAIL AT OUR NEXT PRESENTATION WITH ASSEMBLY MEMBER BUFFY WICKS OFFICE. AGAIN, ERICH TOUCHED NICELY ON THE LAKE TEMESCAL PROJECT.
THE EAST BAY HILLS LEGISLATION IS LOOKING AT A DESIGNATION THAT STARTS AT WILDCAT CANYON AND GOES ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE SOUTHERN PORTION OF LAKE CHABOT, AND INCLUDES THE PARKS ON EAST AND WEST OF THAT REGION.
THIS WOULD BE A NEW APPROACH FOR THE PARK DISTRICT IN THE STATE DESIGNATION OF OUR AREA.
IT WOULDN'T CHANGE HOW WE OPERATE AND MANAGE OUR PARKS, BUT IT WOULD BE RECOGNITION BY THE STATE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS AREA TO RECREATION HISTORY, AS WELL AS THE WATERSHED AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS.
[01:25:07]
OPEN SPACE AUTHORITY, WHICH THEY HAD COYOTE VALLEY STATE DESIGNATED AS IT MAKES US MORE COMPETITIVE FOR FUTURE GRANT PROGRAMS TO DRIVE FUNDING TO THAT REGION.SO THE INITIAL LEGISLATION IS OF NO COST IN A RECOGNITION.
AND THEN GOING FORWARD, IT COULD HELP US ADVOCATE FOR FUNDING IF WE'RE SUCCESSFUL AND WE FEEL GOOD ABOUT THIS PROCESS WE CAN LOOK AT OTHER REGIONS OF THE PARK DISTRICT TO DO A SIMILAR BILL ON.
WOULD THERE BE I MEAN, WOULD THIS ALSO BE A PLACE TO FOCUS ON WILDFIRE PREVENTION BECAUSE THAT WHOLE, YOU KNOW, THAT WHOLE HILL LINE FROM ONE TO THE OTHER? YES. OKAY.
AND THEN IN THE FUTURE WE WOULD LOOK FOR MONEY THAT COULD BE APPLIED TO THAT DESIGNATION.
IS THAT THE STRATEGY? THAT IS ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.
AND I WILL SHARE WILDFIRE AND EXTREME WEATHER RESPONSE ARE INCLUDED IN THE LANGUAGE.
SO THANK YOU FOR HIGHLIGHTING THAT.
AND ACTUALLY, CAN I ASK ANOTHER QUESTION WHILE SHE.
OF COURSE. YEAH. IT'S JUST EASIER THAN WAITING ALL DAY WAITING TILL THE END.
SO ON THE WATERSHED HEALTH CHAPTER TWO, I'M WONDERING WHETHER THIS WOULD ALSO BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR LAKE ANZA, BECAUSE WE STILL HAVE NOT WE HAVE NOT FIGURED OUT A LONG TERM FIX FOR LAKE ANZA.
YOU DON'T GET MUCH BETTER THAN THAT, I THINK.
BUT MAYBE I'M BIASED, BUT BUT YEAH.
ANYWAY, SO I, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THINKING IS GOING ON IN THE BACKGROUND AND STRATEGIZING, BUT CERTAINLY FROM MY PERSPECTIVE THIS SEEMS LIKE A REALLY GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR LAKE ANZA AS WELL AS LAKE TEMESCAL.
AND THAT WOULD BE OF INTEREST TO I MEAN, CERTAINLY TO WELL, CERTAINLY TO SENATOR ARREGUIN ALSO PROBABLY TO. YEAH. AND TO MEMBER WICKS AS WELL.
SO ANYWAY, THE ANSWER, THE SHORT ANSWER IS YES.
BUT WE THINK OUR LAKE PROJECTS WOULD BE A GOOD FIT.
AND SO LAKE ANZA, LAKE TEMESCAL, LAKE DEL VALLE, THEY'RE ALL ONES THAT WE'RE THINKING OVER.
AND AS WE LEARN MORE ABOUT THE COMPETITIVE PROJECT, WE'LL WANT TO MOVE FORWARD OUR BEST FOOT.
AND THE HOPE IS THAT IN TIME, WE CAN CONTINUE TO APPLY TO WATERSHED HEALTH PROJECTS AND WATER RESOURCE FUNDING FOR OUR LAKES, BECAUSE LAKE ANZA AND TEMESCAL, AS WELL AS OTHERS ALL DO NEED SOME ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT.
RIGHT? SO IN TERMS OF THE IMPLEMENTING LEGISLATION TO IMPLEMENT THE BOND.
SO CAN YOU SHARE SOME INSIGHTS INTO WHAT YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN TERMS OF ARE WE LOOKING FOR? ARE WE JUST LOOKING FOR PROGRAMS THAT COULD POTENTIALLY APPLY OR SO WE'RE NOT LOOKING FOR A SPECIAL EARMARKED MONEY OR I MEAN, I'M JUST CURIOUS, LIKE WHAT ARE WE ACTUALLY DOING TO HELP SHAPE THE IMPLEMENTATION? I KNOW OUR CONSULTANTS ARE BUSY DOING IT, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE TO THE EXTENT THAT IT MAKES SENSE TO SHARE IN THIS FORUM.
YEAH, AND THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
WE WERE HOPING FOR SOME DIRECT FUNDING THROUGH THE BOND, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE WEREN'T SUCCESSFUL.
SO NOW WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS IS WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT COMPETITIVE FUNDING PROGRAMS ARE RECEIVING, ALLOCATIONS THAT FIT THE WORK OF THE PARK DISTRICT AND WITHIN THOSE CATEGORIES AND THOSE SECTIONS.
SO THE CHAPTERS WE REFERENCED HERE TODAY WERE ADVOCATING TO HAVE THOSE SPECIFIC ALLOCATIONS INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET TO BE EARLY RECEIVERS OF THE BOND FUNDING, SO WE CAN COMPETE SOONER THAN LATER FOR THE MONEY.
I'M HAPPY TO TAKE MORE QUESTIONS.
I ALMOST FORGOT THAT I WAS MID PRESENTATION IS OFFICE OF ASSEMBLY MEMBER ANAMARIE AVILA FARIAS AND WITH THIS OFFICE WILL BE INTRODUCING OUR SOUTH OF BAILEY ROAD PUBLIC ACCESS PROJECT. THIS IS A GREAT PROJECT THAT WOULD HELP TO OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AT THEIR LEISURE.
THURGOOD MARSHALL REGIONAL PARK, HOME OF THE PORT CHICAGO 50.
AND IT DOES NEED SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING.
SO WE WANT TO INTRODUCE HER TO THE PROJECT AS WELL AS GAIN HER SUPPORT ON FUTURE GRANT APPLICATIONS OR PERHAPS DIRECT FUNDING WITH THE OFFICE OF ASSEMBLY MEMBER REBECCA BAUER-KAHAN. WE ARE ALSO SHARING WITH HER THE EAST BAY HILLS LEGISLATION.
[01:30:02]
FOLLOWING OUR CONVERSATIONS WITH ASSEMBLY MEMBER WICKS AND WITH ASSEMBLY MEMBER BAUER-KAHAN, WE HOPE TO HIGHLIGHT LAKE HEALTH AND WATER LEVELS AT DEL VALLE AND THOSE TWO COMPETITIVE FUNDING SOURCES WITHIN THE CHAPTER TWO SECTION ON WATERSHED HEALTH.CAN WE DISCUSS A LITTLE BIT OF THAT WHEN WE'RE TALKING WITH THESE FOLKS? YEAH, I THINK MAYBE WE'LL PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER AND SHAPE UP SOME TALKING POINTS.
I THINK THE HOPE WOULD ALSO BE IN COMPLEMENT TO THOSE DESIRES TO RAISE PERHAPS WE COULD DREDGE AND WE COULD CREATE MORE SPACE FOR THE WATER LEVELS BY DREDGING THE LAKE THROUGH THE WATERSHED HEALTH COMPONENT.
RIGHT. BUT I MEAN, YOU KNOW, THESE ARE FAIRLY NEW MEMBERS.
I THINK JUST REMINDING THEM OF THAT.
WITH THIS PROJECT, THERE'S MANY WAYS TO HIGHLIGHT THE WORK THAT'S HAPPENING OUT AT TIDEWATER, AND SPECIFICALLY WOULD BE INTERESTED TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE COMPONENTS.
IT'S A SHORELINE PARK IN A HISTORICALLY REDLINED COMMUNITY, AND SO IT DOES REQUIRE SOME ADDITIONAL PUBLIC INVESTMENTS AND QUITE A BIT OF WORK TO RE-ENHANCE THE GREEN SPACE THERE. SO HIGHLIGHTING THIS PROJECT TO HER, IT HAS RECEIVED QUITE A BIT OF FUNDING, BUT THERE CAN ALWAYS BE A LITTLE BIT MORE TO TAKE IT OVER THE EDGE.
AND THEN WITH THE OFFICES OF ASSEMBLYMEMBER LIZ ORTEGA, THE BOARD MAY REMEMBER WE'VE BEEN SPEAKING WITH HER ABOUT THE OYSTER BAY RESTORATION AND PUBLIC ACCESS PROJECT FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS. SHE JOINED US ON SITE AT OYSTER BAY DURING THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE FILL, AND SHE IS INTERESTED IN CONTINUING TO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT.
AND SO WITH THAT, THAT CONCLUDES OUR OVERVIEW PRESENTATION.
WE'LL BE DOING THE SAME FORMAT AS LAST YEAR, THE BOOKLET FORMAT WITH SPEAKING POINTS ON EACH ITEM.
AND SO WE'LL HAVE THAT FOR YOU READY IN JANUARY FOR A DEEPER DISCUSSION.
AND WE'RE HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
COLIN ANYTHING? SURE. THIS IS COMING UP FAST.
JANUARY. DIDN'T IT USED TO BE IN FEBRUARY? NO. LAST YEAR I BELIEVE IT WAS JANUARY 31ST AND FEBRUARY 1ST.
SO TECHNICALLY, YES, BUT I DON'T KNOW.
OKAY, WE GO THROUGH THIS, THE EXERCISE I'M ABOUT TO GO THROUGH EVERY YEAR.
AND IT NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED BY A NUMBER OF BOARD MEMBERS, EITHER MY COLLEAGUES HERE OR AT THE FULL BOARD LEVEL.
AND THAT IS THE DEGREE TO WHICH THE PRIORITIES THAT ARE PRESENTED TO THESE LEGISLATORS REFLECT OUR PRIORITIES IN OUR WARDS VERSUS STRATEGIC PLANNING PRIORITIES VERSUS I GUESS THAT BRINGS US AROUND TO YOUR LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES.
SO THEY'RE NOT ALWAYS THE SAME SET OF PRIORITIES.
AND I USED TO HAVE TO GRAB THESE LISTS, AND WE DID AS A BOARD WITH THE FEDERAL PRIORITIZATIONS THAT WE TOOK WITH US WHEN WE MET WITH THE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION.
[01:35:10]
WHAT I'VE LEARNED OVER TIME IS THAT YOU FOLKS, MEANING GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS, ARE MUCH BETTER THAN WE AT UNDERSTANDING WHAT PRIORITIES WILL ACTUALLY PLAY.WELL, TO USE A LOOSE TERM, PLAY WELL OR BE MORE SUCCESSFUL IS PROBABLY THE BETTER TERM WITH THE LEGISLATURE OR CONGRESS THAN NECESSARILY ARE MORE SPECIFIC WARD GENERATED PRIORITIZATION WHERE WE SEEK ASSISTANCE FROM OUR LEGISLATORS FOR DISTRICT PRIORITIES WRIT LARGE, WARD PRIORITIES WRIT LARGE.
AND THAT MEANS THAT IN RELYING ON YOU FOLKS, WE NEED TO DO THAT.
I'VE LEARNED TO DO THAT BECAUSE THE LIST YOU COME UP WITH FOR SPECIFIC DISCUSSIONS ARE THOSE THAT YOU THINK ARE CAPABLE OF ACTUALLY GETTING ENACTED WITHIN LEGISLATION AND WOULD BE RECEPTIVE TO BE SUCCESSFULLY RECEIVED BY THE INDIVIDUAL LEGISLATORS.
NOW, HAVING SAID THAT, UNDERSTANDING OUR RELIANCE ON GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS TO COME UP WITH THESE PRIORITIES AND WHY WE DO THAT AND WHY WE SHOULD DO THAT, I NONETHELESS CONTINUALLY FIND MYSELF GOING OFF SCRIPT WITH THE LIST YOU FOLKS BRING TO US WHEN WE'RE ACTUALLY SITTING FACE TO FACE WITH LEGISLATORS. WHEN I MEET WITH MY LEGISLATORS THAT REPRESENT WEST CONTRA COSTA I ALWAYS AND IN THE FUTURE, WILL AND DIRECTOR ECHOLS TOUCHED ON IT WITH SOME OF HER PRIORITIES, INCLUDING LAKE ANZA. I WILL TOUCH ON THE NEED.
POINT WILSON TO POINT PINOLE BAY TRAIL.
AND THEY CAN REALLY, REALLY HELP US WITH THE PANOPLY OF VARIOUS SACRAMENTO FUNDING SOURCES FOR THAT PARTICULAR STRETCH OF BAY TRAIL, WHICH, BY THE WAY, IS ON THE CONTRA COSTA GENERAL PLAN AS JUST PRESENTED TO US OF ENCOMPASSING AN IMPACTED COMMUNITY IN NORTH RICHMOND.
AND I'M ROUTINELY GOING OFF SCRIPT WITH PEOPLE LIKE ASSEMBLY MEMBER BUFFY WICKS AND NOW SENATOR ERIC WE NEED THEIR HELP FOR THAT PARTICULAR STRETCH OF BAY TRAIL, AND GETTING ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION MIGHT NOT HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH PROP FOUR.
THERE MAY BE FUNDING IN PROP FOUR FOR THAT.
IT DOES ENCOMPASS ACCESS TO SHORELINE FOR LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES, FOR INSTANCE.
BUT ALL ASIDE, WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT.
AND MY WAY OF DEALING WITH THAT IS BASICALLY TALKING TO EACH OF YOU ABOUT WHERE I WANT TO GO OFF SCRIPT, AND AM I BEING YOUR SCRIPT AND AM I BEING OFF BASE? IS IT SOMETHING I SHOULDN'T DO? SO I SEEK YOUR ADVICE ON MY OWN PRIORITIES WITH SPECIFIC LEGISLATORS THAT MAY BE PAROCHIAL, MAY BE WARD SPECIFIC.
AND HOW MUCH DOES THAT CREATE A PROBLEM FOR WHAT WE'RE REALLY FOCUSING ON.
SO I DO RESPECT AND UNDERSTAND AND ACCEPT THE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT YOU BRING TO US AS BEING VIABLE, BOTH WITH THOSE LEGISLATORS AND WITH THE LEGISLATURE AT LARGE, AND THE STATE BUDGET, FOR INSTANCE.
SO THAT THAT I ALL APPRECIATE.
BUT I JUST I'M TEEING THAT UP BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO CONTINUALLY BE AN ISSUE BOTH IN SACRAMENTO AND DC WITH I KNOW YOU KNOW, LAKE ANZA FOR DIRECTOR ECHOLS ISN'T ON THE LIST, BUT SHE'S PROBABLY GOING TO PURSUE IT.
THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENTS, DIRECTOR COFFEY.
AND THEN DAY OF THINGS MAY CHANGE.
LEGISLATORS MAY BRING UP THEIR OWN PASSIONS AND WILL BE RESPONSIVE TO THOSE AS WELL.
[01:40:01]
SO LOOKING FORWARD TO A GOOD VISIT AND APPRECIATE THE COMMENTS.THAT'S A CAVEAT THAT LISA JUST TOUCHED ON, AND THAT IS I HATE TO TALK ABOUT OURSELVES, BUT OCCASIONALLY WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD FEELING OF WHERE THESE LEGISLATORS WANT TO PRIORITIZE, ESPECIALLY THE BRAND NEW ONES.
OUR NEW SENATOR IN WEST CONTRA COSTA MAY WANT TO HEAR FROM US.
OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE NORTH RICHMOND.
OPPORTUNITIES TO SERVE RODEO CROCKETT, SINCE IT'S BRAND NEW TO THE MAYOR.
DIRECTOR, DO YOU MIND IF I JUST ADD I THINK THAT'S A GREAT POINT.
AND I THINK THIS TEAM DOES A REALLY GOOD JOB OF LOOKING AT THE DISTRICT STRATEGIC PRIORITIES, THE PRIORITIES THAT COME OUT OF THE STUDY SESSIONS WITH YOUR BOARD. AND ALSO WHERE THE AREAS OF FUNDING ARE AND, YOU KNOW, CHALLENGES ARE AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
AND THEN THINKING ABOUT WHAT ARE SOME OF THE KEY ISSUES THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.
AND SOMETIMES, I MEAN, I THINK LIKE THE EAST BAY HILLS LIKE DESIGNATION, RIGHT? THAT'S LIKE PLAYING CHESS FIVE STEPS AHEAD.
RIGHT? BECAUSE WHAT THAT'S THINKING IS THE NEXT TIME THERE'S A BOND OR SOME KIND OF OPPORTUNITY FOR FUNDING, THEN WE'RE SET UP TO BE MORE COMPETITIVE DOWN THE ROAD.
RIGHT. BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN ALL THOSE OTHER PROJECTS AND PRIORITIES AREN'T SUPER IMPORTANT.
AND YOU ALL BEING ABLE TO TELL THE STORY OF THE COMMUNITIES THAT YOU SERVE IS SUPER VALUABLE.
AND WHEN MEETING WITH LEGISLATORS.
AND JUST WANT TO APPRECIATE THE THOUGHTFULNESS OF THIS GROUP.
YES. ACTUALLY, I JUST WANT TO JUMP INTO IF I CAN.
SO IT SEEMS TO ME WITH $85 MILLION OF BAY AREA SHORELINE PROJECTS THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING, YOU KNOW, MORE HOLISTICALLY ABOUT WHAT WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH ALONG THE SHORELINE.
I KNOW THERE WERE A FEW SHORELINE PROJECTS THAT PARTICULARLY BIG BREAK IN PARTICULAR, THAT YOU NOTED BUT, YOU KNOW, SINCE THERE ISN'T MONEY DESIGNATED YET, I MEAN, WE'RE NOT ASKING FOR EARMARKS.
SO IT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE SHOULD BE TAKING A BROADER APPROACH AND INVOLVING ALL OF OUR DELEGATION TO REALLY PUSH FOR MONEY SOMEWHERE IN OUR SHORELINE PARKS, BECAUSE I THINK ALMOST EVERY SINGLE ONE OF OUR SHORELINE PARKS COULD USE MONEY.
SO, SO I, YOU KNOW, I'D JUST BE INTERESTED IN EXPLORING, YOU KNOW, JUST THE STRATEGY BEHIND, BEHIND SOME OF THIS BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE REALLY WE'RE EMPHASIZING THE WATERSHED HEALTH REALLY HEAVILY BUT NOT SO MUCH THE SHORELINE PIECE.
SO? SO THE COASTAL RESILIENCE MONEY IS STATEWIDE.
SO THERE IT WILL BE FAIRLY COMPETITIVE AS THERE'S A LOT OF NEED STATEWIDE.
THERE WAS A SPECIFIC 85 MILLION DESIGNATION FOR PROJECTS THAT ARE CONSIDERED AS PART OF EITHER THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY RESTORATIONS AUTHORITY'S PROJECT PORTFOLIO, WHICH WOULD ALL INCLUDE HABITAT RESTORATION PROJECTS OR PROGRAMS THAT COULD BE AUTHORIZED BY THE BAY PROGRAM OF THE COASTAL CONSERVANCY AND THE BAY PROGRAM FUNDING IS THE MOST FLEXIBLE AND ADAPTABLE FOR ANY UPLAND WORK OR WATERSHED WORK THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO DO.
BUT THERE'S NO DOUBT THAT THE NEED FOR COASTAL RESILIENCE GOES WELL BEYOND 85 MILLION.
IT WAS JUST WHAT WAS ABLE TO BE DESIGNATED AS PART OF THE BAY PROGRAM OR BAY RESTORATION AREA PROGRAM WITHIN THE COASTAL CONSERVANCY'S OVERALL STATEWIDE MISSION.
BUT I GUESS WHAT I'M NOT CLEAR ON IS SO WHAT IS THIS SO WHAT IS THE STRATEGY THEN IN HIGHLIGHTING CERTAIN PROJECTS AND NOT OTHERS? WHEN I THINK THE MEMBERS WOULD BE INTERESTED IN OPPORTUNITIES IN ALL OF THESE AREAS, LIKE IN THE WATERSHED HEALTH IN THE COASTAL CONSERVANCY, I MEAN, YES.
SO 85 MILLION FOR BAY AREA PROJECTS IS NOT GOING TO GO FAR.
BUT BUT WE SHOULD I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, WOULDN'T WE WANT TO MAKE A BROADER ASK THEN THE TWO PROJECTS THAT ARE MENTIONED IN THE SLIDES.
SO THE HOPE IS TO TO MAKE THE BROADER ASK.
[01:45:03]
I MEAN, THE IDEA IS TO RELEASE THE FUNDING IN THESE THREE SPECIFIC CATEGORIES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.AND WHAT THE SPECIFIC PROJECT IN EACH ASSEMBLY MEMBER OR SENATE DISTRICT IS SOMETHING TO IDENTIFY THAT OVERALL ASK WITH THAT WOULD CONNECT TO THEIR COMMUNITY.
WE'RE NOT EXCLUSIVELY JUST SAYING WE JUST WANT MONEY FOR X PROJECT.
WE WANT MONEY TO BE RELEASED INTO THAT PROGRAM SO THAT WE CAN COMPETE FOR WHATEVER IT WOULD FUND, REGARDLESS OF WHICH ASSEMBLY MEMBERS, DISTRICT OR WHICH STATE SENATE DISTRICT IT'S THE PROJECT COULD BE IN.
BUT WE WANTED TO ALSO HAVE AN EXAMPLE FOR EACH MEMBER OF OUR DELEGATION THAT SPOKE TO THEIR SPECIFIC CONSTITUENCY, AS THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT COULD BE FUNDED IF THIS MONEY GETS RELEASED, AND THEN WE HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY TO APPLY TO MORE THAN ONE PROJECT PER PER CHAPTER THAT WE'RE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE'RE ADVOCATING FOR.
IF I MAY, DIRECTOR ECHOLS, I THINK WHAT I'M HEARING FROM YOU IS THAT YOU WOULD BE INTERESTED IN STAFF IDENTIFYING ONE PROJECT PER CATEGORY FOR EACH MEMBER SO THAT WITHIN AN ASSEMBLY MEMBERS OFFICE, WE HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF A WILDFIRE MITIGATION PROJECT, A SEA LEVEL RISE PREPAREDNESS, SEA LEVEL RISE PREPAREDNESS PROJECT, AND A LAKE HEALTH PROJECT.
IS THAT. WELL, I MEAN, IT DEPENDS.
IT JUST DEPENDS ON THE DISTRICT.
BUT I WAS THINKING SPECIFICALLY WITH RESPECT TO SENATOR ARREGUIN AND ASSEMBLY MEMBER WICKS THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SHORELINE PROJECTS IN THAT AREA, SO IT SEEMS LIKE WHY WOULDN'T WE MENTION THEM? AND THEN AGAIN, I'M JUST WONDERING, YOU KNOW, I SAID EARLIER, LAKE ANZA, BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO I THINK I MEAN, THAT'S NOT TO TAKE ANYTHING AWAY FROM TEMESCAL BECAUSE TEMESCAL NEEDS HELP AND LAKE ANZA NEEDS HELP.
I MEAN, FRANKLY, I THINK BOTH OF THEM HAVE POSSIBLY STRONGER CONNECTIONS TO LAKE ANZA THAN TEMESCAL.
SO WHY WOULDN'T YOU MENTION BOTH? I GUESS IF THE MONEY ISN'T EARMARKED, WHY WOULDN'T YOU MENTION, YOU KNOW, BOTH THESE ARE PROJECTS IN YOUR DISTRICT.
THESE ARE TWO LAKES THAT NEED HELP, YOU KNOW, SO ON.
AND THAT'S WHY WE BROUGHT THIS BEFORE YOU ALL TODAY IS IS FOR THIS FEEDBACK.
THE STRATEGY IS TYING AN EXAMPLE PROJECT OF DELIVERY TO THE FUNDING CATEGORIES.
THE ASK IS TO MOVE THE FUNDING CATEGORIES FORWARD.
GOOD. THANK YOU I LOOK FORWARD TO THIS.
I AM TRIGGERED BY THESE FOLKS.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TALKED TO SENATOR.
SO IT'S A REAL CHALLENGE ALSO.
BUT, YOU KNOW, STUFF WE CAN THINK ABOUT ALONG THE WAY AND BRAINSTORM.
RIGHT. YOU KNOW, ONCE MY QUESTION AS ALWAYS, IF YOU PLEASE, CAN KEEP US UPDATED ON WHO IS GOING TO ATTEND AND OR WHO WILL BE IN ATTENDANCE OF THE MEETING AND WHETHER WE GET A MEMBER OR STAFF THAT'S I FIND TO BE IMPORTANT.
THANK YOU. ANY COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC ON THIS? NO PUBLIC COMMENT.
HEARING NONE. WE'LL MOVE ON TO INFORMATIONAL UPDATE ON THE FEDERAL BUDGET AND LEGISLATION.
GOOD LUCK. ERICH PFUEHLER DIVISION LEAD FOR GOVERNMENT AND LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS.
JUST A BRIEF UPDATE ABOUT FEDERAL BUDGET AND A COUPLE OF BILLS THAT WE WERE TRACKING OR ARE TRACKING, BUT BY THE TIME WE WOULD BE ABLE TO TAKE ANY ADDITIONAL ACTION ON IT WILL BE INTO A NEW CONGRESS, BUT DID WANT TO JUST FLAG THAT IN TERMS OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, THE CURRENT CONTINUING RESOLUTION, MEANING FUNDING OF ALL THE DEPARTMENTS AT THE SAME LEVEL AS THEY WERE PREVIOUSLY, EXPIRES DECEMBER 20TH.
THERE ARE NEGOTIATIONS UNDERWAY TO NOW EXTEND THAT UNTIL MARCH IN 2025.
AND THE STICKY POINT RIGHT NOW IS THE LEVEL OF A DISASTER ASSISTANCE AND HOW MUCH TO INCLUDE THERE.
[01:50:04]
UNTIL 2025, WHEN THE NEW CONGRESS WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REESTABLISH A MORE LONG TERM FUNDING AGREEMENT.AS PART OF THAT, OUR PROJECTS, WHICH DO INCLUDE THE TRAIL THAT YOU REFERENCED, DIRECTOR COFFEY THE REQUEST FROM REPRESENTATIVE GARAMENDI, AND THEN ALSO SOME FUNDING FOR TIDEWATER THAT WAS SUPPORTED BY REPRESENTATIVE BARBARA LEE AND SENATOR BUTLER.
THOSE ARE STILL IN THIS PROCESS.
SO THEY WON'T BE PART OF A CONTINUING RESOLUTION AGREEMENT.
TWO OTHER ITEMS THAT WE WANTED TO JUST NOTE IS THERE IS LEGISLATION THAT WE HAVE SUPPORTED THAT ACTUALLY CALIFORNIA SPECIAL DISTRICTS ASSOCIATION HAS SUPPORTED THAT WOULD REQUIRE, AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER IN COMMENTS, THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET TO HAVE EVERY AGENCY OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT LOOK AT THEIR GUIDELINES AND ENSURE ELIGIBILITY FOR SPECIAL DISTRICTS IN EVERY GRANT PROGRAM THROUGHOUT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
BUT WE JUST LEARNED ON MONDAY THAT IT HAS BEEN ADDED TO THE SENATE CALENDAR.
AND WE DO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS A LIKELIHOOD OF A VOTE ON THAT LEGISLATION AS EARLY AS NEXT WEEK.
THE OTHER PIECE OF LEGISLATION WE WANTED TO JUST FLAG IS THERE WAS SOME GRASSLAND LATE, LATE IN THE SESSION, SOME LEGISLATION SURROUNDING GRASSLANDS WAS INTRODUCED.
IT DOES INCLUDE A GRANT PROGRAM THAT WE WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR SO THIS WOULD BE FOR SOME OF OUR GRAZING AREAS IN TERMS OF POND RESTORATION POTENTIALLY, AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE THAT OUR GRAZERS DO USE.
SINCE IT WAS INTRODUCED SO LATE IN THE YEAR, UNLIKELY THAT IT WILL BE CONSIDERED THIS YEAR, BUT IT IS SOMETHING THAT WE WILL KEEP AN EYE ON FOR 2025. AND IT DOES APPEAR TO HAVE BIPARTISAN SUPPORT.
AND THOSE ARE OUR TWO BILLS THAT WE WANTED TO FLAG FOR YOU.
SO JUST A BRIEF FEDERAL UPDATE AT THIS TIME.
THANK YOU. ANY QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? NO.
LOOK FORWARD TO IT. THANK YOU ERICH.
WE'LL MOVE NOW TO THE UPDATED EVENTS AND SITE VISITS.
MEMBERS GOOD AFTERNOON, FLORA CHONTOSH, YOUR LEGISLATIVE ASSISTANT, AND I WILL JUST CLOSE THIS OUT WITH A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF EVENTS AND SITE VISITS SINCE LAST TIME WE MET.
THE PAC MEMBERS ATTENDED, AS WELL AS STAFF FROM EAST BAY MUD AND UC BERKELEY TO DISCUSS WILDFIRE MITIGATION AND FUNDING. TWO DAYS LATER, STAFF WENT TO SACRAMENTO FOR MEETINGS TO DISCUSS FUNDING PROPOSITION FOR IMPLEMENTING AND PERMITTING WITH DIFFERENT PARTNERS WHO WERE SACRAMENTO BASED.
THERE WERE MEETINGS WITH ASSEMBLY MEMBER MIA BONTA'S OFFICE AND STAFF IN LORI WILSON'S OFFICE WITH THE CALIFORNIA NATURAL RESOURCES AGENCY, CAL FIRE AND TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND.
AND THEN MOST RECENTLY, JUST TWO DAYS AGO, WE CELEBRATED THE CLOSING OF OUR 90TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR WITH A VERY FESTIVE CELEBRATION IN ANTIOCH.
IT WAS AN EXCITING EVENING TO BE TOGETHER AND TO CLOSE OUT THIS YEAR.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ONGOING SUPPORT AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE.
QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? NONE. NO.
JUST THANKS, EVERYBODY FOR YOUR HARD WORK.
AND AND I GUESS THIS IS OUR LAST MEETING OF THE YEAR.
SO FOR THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE.
YEAH I WOULD ECHO THAT. THANK YOU.
AND THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME I MET WITH THE CITY OF BERKELEY WHO EMBRACED THAT FUEL BREAK AND EMBRACE OUR WORK THAT WAS DONE THERE AND EAST BAY MUD. I THINK THOSE KIND OF MEETINGS ARE INVALUABLE.
[01:55:02]
AND, AND ON MONDAY NIGHT, THE 90TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION WAS REALLY, REALLY GREAT.I REALLY, REALLY ENJOYED THAT.
AND THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU GUYS DID ON THAT.
AND I'LL ECHO DIRECTOR ECHOLS, THANK YOU ALL FOR A GREAT YEAR.
I LOOK FORWARD TO ANOTHER ONE NEXT YEAR.
IF WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME COMMITTEE.
AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE.
THANK YOU. ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS? NO PUBLIC COMMENTS.
WE ARE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.