Title
Adoption of Resolution Authorizing the City Manager, or Designee, to Execute All Necessary Documents with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and California Office of Emergency Services to Accept $1,500,000 in Grant Funding from the Congressional Community Program and Obligate Said Funding for the Design Phase of the Bay Farm Island Flood Protection and Coastal Resilience Project. (Public Works 31041520)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In 2018, FEMA issued updated flood maps that include much of the Bay Farm Island northern shoreline and the Veterans Court area in the 100-year flood zone. The need for improvements to the Bay Farm Island northern shoreline and Veterans Court area are also recognized in the Climate Action Resiliency Plan (CARP), the City of Alameda (City) Storm Drain Master Plan, the Climate Adaptation and Hazard Mitigation Plan, the 2021-2023 Capital Budget Update, and a 2017 recommendation from City consultant, Schaaf and Wheeler, on the City of Alameda Storm Drain Master Plan CIP update.
The City’s adaptation planning and Public Works staff have been refining the concept of this plan since 2017. At this time, City staff believe that funding, momentum, and will are finally in place to initiate development of 100% design drawings and permitting for nature-based adaptation of Veterans Court and Lagoon System 1 outfall, as well as long-term nature-based concept design for the entire Bay Farm Island shoreline.
The total project cost for this phase is estimated to be $2 million. Staff applied for and received $1.5 million in funding from the Congressional Community Program under the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act 2022 through Representative Barbara Lee’s office, with a $500,000 match from the City’s General Fund included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022-23 budget. The funding is being administered by FEMA through the Pre-Disaster Mitigation grant program. Staff is recommending that the City Council authorize the City Manager to proceed with all necessary paperwork required to accept the grant funding and begin project implementation. The grant has a performance period of September 30, 2022 to September 29, 2025.
BACKGROUND
The shoreline along Veteran’s Court is primarily a constructed seawall that does not meet FEMA floodplain management requirements. Both Veterans Court itself, and the top of the seawall at the end of it are at a lower elevation than the 100‐year Base Flood Elevation, and serve as a point of entry for potential coastal flooding on Bay Farm Island. In addition, a short stretch of perimeter berm/seawall to the west, along Bay Farm Island's northern shoreline, is also an entry point for coastal flooding at the 100‐year event. At mid-century water levels or during extreme weather events, overtopping and seawall failure will likely occur at these locations which may lead to inundation of adjacent neighborhoods and public spaces. This project will provide a vital piece of the larger effort required to address rising water levels across Bay Farm Island. Both of these projects have been identified as a high priority in the 2019 CARP.
DISCUSSION
For years, City staff have been working on the concept for adapting the Bay Farm Island shoreline to sea level rise. Recently, the City was awarded $1.5 million from the Congressional Community Project for the development of 100% design drawings and permitting for nature-based adaptation of Veterans Court and Lagoon System 1 outfall, as well as a long-term concept for the entire Bay Farm Island shoreline.
City staff envision that the final design concept will:
• Develop 100% design for the Veterans Court seawall and Lagoon System 1 outfall, which are two priority CARP projects;
• Develop a long-term adaptation strategy for the Bay Farm Island shoreline with the goal to remove Bay Farm Island from the FEMA floodplain map;
• Mitigate the impacts of sea level and groundwater rise and consider liquefaction risk;
• Maintain connectivity to/from Bay Farm Island;
• Mitigate sea level rise impacts to maintain and adapt existing public recreation space and the Bay Trail, including the wooden bicycle/pedestrian bridge;
• Implement nature-based solutions, such as submerged aquatic vegetation, horizontal levees, and living seawalls; and
• Provide co-benefits such as enhancing wildlife habitat, attenuating wave energy, accumulating sediment, reducing erosion, sequestering carbon, and buffering ocean acidification.
Public Works will manage the project design and ultimately construction, when funded. The Sustainability Manager will coordinate public input on project design that includes residents, the Community of Harbor Bay Isle Homeowners Association, and Harbor Bay Club. Additionally, stakeholders from the Bay Farm Island & Oyster Bay subarea working group of the San Leandro Bay/Oakland/Alameda Adaptation Working Group will provide input on this project to ensure coordination of other adaptation efforts happening in adjacent areas such as Oakland. Some of these stakeholders include the Port of Oakland, East Bay Regional Parks, Caltrans and others in the San Leandro Bay/Oakland/Alameda Adaptation Working Group. For example, addressing flooding vulnerability of the Oakland airport and Doolittle Drive are identified as necessary to remove Bay Farm island from the floodplain in the long-term so close project coordination is necessary.
ALTERNATIVES
The City Council may consider a range of alternatives:
• Authorize City Manager to execute any contracts and other documents necessary to secure the approved grant funding
• Deny the authorization to secure the grant
FINANCIAL IMPACT
If City Council authorizes the City Manager to approve the funding that was awarded by the Congressional Community Project through FEMA, the City will be required to contribute approximately $167,000 each year for a total of $500,000 over the three years, in Fiscal Years 2023-25. Matching funds for this project have already been appropriated by City Council in the FY 2022-23 budget.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
The Bay Farm Island Flood Protection and Coastal Resilience Project has been identified as a priority project in the CARP, City of Alameda Storm Drain Master Plan, Climate Adaptation and Hazard Mitigation Plan, 2021-2023 Capital Budget Update, and a 2017 consultant memo. This action does not affect the Alameda Municipal Code, and is consistent with the City's General Plan, specifically policies LU-30, CC-3, CC-4, CC-15, CC-20, CC-21, ME-23. HS-16, and HS-17.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action does not constitute a “project” as defined in California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378 and therefore no further CEQA analysis is required.
CLIMATE IMPACT
In addition to addressing the risk of sea level rise on Bay Farm Island, this project also has opportunities to implement planning that could create additional climate benefits. Some such benefits include creating fish and wildlife habitat, attenuating wave energy, accreting sediment, reducing erosion, providing outdoor recreation space, sequestering carbon, and buffering ocean acidification.
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager, or designee, to execute all necessary documents with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and California Office of Emergency Services to accept grant funding from the Congressional Community Program and obligate said funding for the design phase of the Bay Farm Island Flood Protection and Coastal Resilience Project.
Respectfully submitted,
Eric Smith, City Manager
By,
Danielle Mieler, Sustainability and Resilience Manager
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Margaret O’Brien, Finance Director
Exhibit:
1. Notification of Subapplication Approval
cc: Robert Vance, City Engineer