Title
Recommendation to Authorizing the City Manager, or Designee, to Execute All Necessary Documents to Accept $1,140,000 Grant Funding from the Ocean Protection Council for Oakland-Alameda Adaptation Planning;
Adoption of Resolution Approving the Application for and/or Execution of Grant Funds from the Ocean Protection Council Under the Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and Costal Protection Bond Act of 2006 (Proposition 84), Proposition 68, Environmental License Plate Funds, Once Through Cooling, Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, or General Funds; and
Adoption of Resolution Increasing the Fiscal Year 2025-26 Revenue and Expenditure Budgets of the Construction Improvement Fund (C71400) by $1,140,000.
This project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under CEQA Guidelines section 15262 - Feasibility and Planning Studies and CEQA Guidelines 15308 (Protection of Environment). (Planning Building and Transportation 10062032)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jennifer Ott, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
To prepare for sea level rise, the City of Alameda (City) has been working on two high-priority projects - the Estuary Adaptation Project (Estuary Project) and the Bay Farm Island Adaptation Project (BFI Project) and leading development of a Shoreline Adaptation Plan (Adaptation Plan). The purpose of this agenda item is to request City Council adoption of a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute all necessary documents with the Ocean Protection Council to Accept $1,140,000 in Grant Funding for Oakland-Alameda Adaptation Planning. This effort will result in a Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) approved Shoreline Adaptation Plan meeting the requirements of Senate Bill 272 (Laird) (SB272 (Laird)).
BACKGROUND
Led by the City, the Oakland Alameda Adaptation Committee (OAAC) has spearheaded a multi-jurisdictional sea level rise adaptation planning process that spans Alameda, portions of Oakland, the Port of Oakland (including the International Airport (OAK), and Caltrans and East Bay Regional Parks District rights-of-way).
This adaptation agenda item is a culmination of the following City Council actions:
In 2022 and 2023, City Council adopted the Climate Adaptation and Hazard Mitigation Plan, and through a series of budget, grant and contract authorizations, enabled work on the early concept phase of sea level rise planning and project development. Currently, the City is working on the following high-priority sea level rise adaptation efforts:
• Estuary Adaptation Project: www.alamedaca.gov/AdaptationEstuary <http://www.alamedaca.gov/AdaptationEstuary>
• BFI Adaptation Project: www.alamedaca.gov/AdaptationBayFarmIsland <http://www.alamedaca.gov/AdaptationBayFarmIsland>
• Shoreline Adaptation Plan: www.alamedaca.gov/AdaptationLongTermPlan <http://www.alamedaca.gov/AdaptationLongTermPlan>
In 2023, City Council approved development of the first phase of a Shoreline Adaptation Plan with federal grant funds through San Francsico Estuary Partnership (SFEP) and National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and selected the Community Partner - Greenbelt Alliance (staff report <https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6229607&GUID=FF503D29-307E-4C23-A30D-580E5521DEB6&FullText=1>) and Technical Consultants for the adaptation projects (staff report <https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6325036&GUID=D2EABAB7-873E-41C6-BCB6-ACB670C8EEE5&Options=&Search=&FullText=1>).
In 2024, Staff held two rounds of community workshops to provide input on the plan and held a City Council work session (staff report <https://alameda.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=6496770&GUID=A51D0C85-24C6-4E61-A541-2CAE19C79C65>) to update City Council and seek input on adaptation planning and projects.
In 2025, City Council adopted an update to the Climate Action and Resiliency Plan (CARP), which outlines an interagency collaborative approach to prepare for sea level rise and address priority flooding locations, such as Bay Farm Island and the Oakland-Alameda Estuary near Posey-Webster Tubes.
In September 2025, staff held the Alameda Sea Level Rise Planning Fair at REAP Climate Center to explore sea level rise concepts for the development of the Alameda Shoreline Adaptation Plan and seek community input to inform the next phase of the Shoreline Adaptation Plan.
The purpose of this agenda item is to request City Council adoption of a resolution authorizing the City Manager, or designee, to execute all necessary documents with the Ocean Protection Council to accept $1,140,000 in grant funding for Oakland-Alameda Adaptation Planning to initiate the second phase of shoreline adaptation planning and develop a Shoreline Adaptation Plan for the City that will be approved by BCDC and meet the requirements of SB 272 (Laird).
DISCUSSION
SB272 (Laird) requires coastal cities, including Alameda, to prepare a comprehensive Sea Level Rise Adaptation Plan by 2034. Completion of the plan is a prerequisite for the City to continue receiving certain state funding and regulatory approvals in the future.
The SB1-funded shoreline adaptation planning effort focuses on the shoreline area that stretches from the Bay Bridge to Oyster Bay Regional Shoreline, covering both Alameda and parts of Oakland. This project builds on work that was started with previous grant funding and will complete the steps needed for Alameda to obtain a BCDC approved Shoreline Adaptation Plan. The Shoreline Adaptation Plan will improve shoreline resilience to sea level rise by developing community-supported, priority adaptation strategies and projects. The plan will update and fill in missing data on existing conditions and vulnerability assessment, two rounds of community engagement to gather public input and support and develop adaptation strategies and pathways in priority areas in Alameda. The plan will also include recommendations for land use, policy changes, and funding options. The outcome will be a Shoreline Adaptation Plan for Alameda that reflects community input, is approved by the City Council, and is submitted to BCDC for final approval. The entire process is anticipated to take two years to complete.
Without the SB 1 grant, the City would need to either spend General Fund or seek other grants to implement the second phase of this planning effort to fulfill SB272 (Laird), which requires development of a BCDC approved Shoreline Adaptation Plan by 2034. The SB1 grant utilizes state funds, and authorization is anticipated to occur in early 2026 if City Council approves this Resolution of Support.
ALTERNATIVES
City Council may consider a range of alternatives:
• Authorize the adoption of resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute all necessary documents with the Ocean Protection Council to Accept $1,140,000 in Grant Funding for Oakland-Alameda Adaptation Planning, and authorize the adoption of budget amendment resolution.
• Authorize the recommended resolutions with revisions.
• Direct staff to pursue a different approach.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The grant provides $1,140,000 to fund the development of a Shoreline Adaptation Plan. There is no local match required for this grant. Most of the direct costs associated with the project will be for supporting subcontractors (East Bay Regional Parks District (EBRPD), Greenbelt Alliance, Community Action for a Sustainable Alameda (CASA), San Francsico Estuary Institute (SFEI), U.C. Berkeley and the CMG consultant team) that Alameda hired under the previous planning grants through a competitive process for engagement and technical consulting services. The remaining direct costs will cover City of Alameda staff time spent managing this project, conducting outreach, collaborating with OAAC members and performing technical project review. The City of Oakland has received a companion SB1 grant to fund their staff time to contribute to this planning effort. A previous City Council action amended the consultant contract to include these funds. Staff is requesting authorization to execute all grant agreements and increase both the Fiscal Year 2025-26 revenue and expenditure budgets of the Construction Improvement Fund (C71400) by $1,140,000.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
The proposed actions described in this report are consistent with CARP (2019), the Climate Adaptation and Hazard Mitigation Plan (2022), the 2040 General Plan (2022) and the Strategic Plan (2023), in particular:
General Plan Policy HS-16 Funding and Partnerships. Develop partnerships with local, regional, and state agencies to expedite adaptation projects and ensure a healthy watershed that protects and restores water quality, habitat and community vitality along San Leandro Bay and the Oakland-Alameda Estuary.
Strategic Plan Project CC6. Develop long-term adaptation plan and short-term adaptation projects.
This action is subject to the Levine Act.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This phase of the project involves planning studies for further actions, which are yet to be approved, and is thus exempt from CEQA review under CEQA Guidelines section 15262 - Feasibility and Planning Studies and CEQA Guidelines section 15308 -- Protection of Environment. Further environmental review will be conducted for the individual adaptation projects upon further development of infrastructure design work.
CLIMATE IMPACT
Successful completion of the adaptation project will improve the community’s resiliency to the impacts of climate change and sea level rise.
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager, or designee, to negotiate and execute all necessary documents to accept $1,140,000 in grant funding from the Ocean Protection Council for Oakland-Alameda Adaptation Planning, and adopt a resolution increasing the fiscal year 2025-26 Revenue and Expenditure Budgets of the Construction Improvement Fund (C71400) by $1,140,000.
Respectfully submitted,
Allen Tai, Planning, Building and Transportation Director
By,
Danielle Mieler, Sustainability and Resilience Manager
Gail Payne, Project Manager
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Ross McCarthy, Finance Director