Title
Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager to Execute All Necessary Documents with the San Francisco Estuary Partnership (SFEP) to Accept $300,000 and with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) to Accept $540,000 in Grant Funding to Complete the Long-term Adaptation Plan; and an Agreement with Greenbelt Alliance for $254,000 as Community Partners to Lead the Stakeholder Engagement Process for City-led Adaptation Projects.
These actions are statutorily exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15061(b)(3), the general rule that CEQA only applies to actions that have the potential to cause a significant impact on the environment, 15308 (actions by regulatory agencies for protection of the environment) and 15183 (projects consistent with a community plan, general plan or zoning). (Public Works 31041520)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jennifer Ott, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Alameda (City), on behalf of the San Leandro Bay-Oakland Alameda Estuary Adaptation Working Group (Working Group), is pursuing a sub-regional approach to adaptation in partnership with key stakeholders such as the Port of Oakland, the City of Oakland, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and community-based organizations (Community Partners) to address sea level rise as an issue encompassing a larger area than the City of Alameda (City). A sub-regional approach will help achieve expedited and consensus-driven sub-regional solutions that are more competitive for grant funding for the next project phases of environmental clearance, permitting, design and construction.
The purpose of this agenda item is two-fold:
• To request that City Council authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents with the San Francisco Estuary Partnership (SFEP) to accept $300,000 and with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) to accept $540,000 in grant funding to complete the Long-term Adaptation Plan for a total of $840,000; and
• To request that City Council authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with Greenbelt Alliance for $254,000 as one of two Community Partner teams to lead the stakeholder engagement process for three City-led adaptation projects in partnership with the Working Group including the Long-term Adaptation Plan, Oakland-Alameda Estuary Adaptation Project and Bay Farm Island Adaptation Project. The recommended Community Partner teams are Greenbelt Alliance and Community Action for a Sustainable Alameda (CASA) for $69,410. The CASA contract does not require City Council approval as it is below the City Manager’s approval authority of $75,000.
The sub-regional adaptation webpage is www.alamedaca.gov/AdaptationWorkingGroup <http://www.alamedaca.gov/AdaptationWorkingGroup>.
BACKGROUND
Sea Level Rise Hazards: The rate of sea level rise is dependent on global carbon dioxide emissions and other factors so while the exact timeframe and rise of the San Francisco Bay is uncertain, the City is following guidance from the State of California to plan for approximately 3.5 feet above today's high tide to estimate future sea level rise. More long-term scenarios also will be considered consistent with adaptation best practices. California’s latest Climate Change Assessment for the San Francisco Bay Area Region Report states that “Even with high levels of emissions reductions, research now suggests that at least 2 meters [6.6 feet] of sea level rise is inevitable over the next several centuries due to the lag of sea level rise in response to increasing global temperature.” (Page 7)
With 3.5 feet of sea level rise, the northern shoreline at the foot of Mariner Square Drive is likely to overtop on a daily basis as well as sections of the Oakland shoreline, especially by Lake Merritt. For Bay Farm Island, there are several points of entry along the northern waterfront area 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. For the City of Oakland, these adaptation projects will allow Oakland to prepare a sea level rise strategy for the downtown area as part of a regional strategy to address rising water levels in the San Francisco Bay, and to coordinate with the Oakland’s broader climate adaptation efforts.
Sub-regional Approach: The City is pursuing a sub-regional approach to adaptation in partnership with the Working Group. The Working Group is a coalition of shoreline communities, agencies and stakeholders working to coordinate flood and adaptation projects so as to protect and restore water and air quality, habitat, recreation and community resilience and vitality within the San Leandro operational landscape unit (OLU), as defined by the San Francisco Estuary Institute (SFEI) San Francisco Bay Shoreline Adaptation Atlas. The San Leandro OLU is one of 30 OLUs in the Bay Area, and it stretches from the Bay Bridge touchdown to Oyster Bay in San Leandro. Working Group members include jurisdictions, agencies, Indigenous tribes, and community-based organizations that have an interest in this shoreline, as well as regional and state collaborators and under-resourced communities vulnerable to climate change. The San Leandro OLU also includes critical regional infrastructure such as the Oakland International Airport, Oakland Coliseum, State Routes 61 and 260, Capital Corridor, I-880 freeway, Coast Guard Island, industrial and commercial development, and residential neighborhoods. A sub-regional approach will help achieve expedited and consensus-driven sub-regional solutions that have a greater chance to be grant funded for the next project phases of environmental clearance, permitting, design and construction.
Working Group Objectives: The Working Group has established the below overarching preliminary objectives for adaptation projects within the San Leandro OLU. Additional objectives also may be identified through the visioning process of this effort. Working Group Objectives include the following:
• Prepare for near-term flooding as well as long-term groundwater and sea level rise;
• Identify opportunities for habitat protection and restoration, nature-based solutions and green infrastructure;
• Consider place-based sediment management strategies;
• Improve recreational access to the shoreline and air quality in impacted areas;
• Protect residents and vulnerable communities living on or near the shoreline so enhancements to the shoreline benefit those communities and do not contribute to gentrification and displacement pressures;
• Contribute to economic opportunities for local businesses and community members and improve those communities that are impacted by climate change, lack of infrastructure and disinvestment;
• Advocate for training and skill development to support underserved communities and work through institutional barriers to hiring local residents and small local minority-owned businesses; and
• Serve as an model for successful sub-regional adaptation work and advance the Working Group’s collective agendas.
City Council Actions: These three adaptation projects are the result of a multi-year collaborative effort directed by City Council as shown below:
• In 2008, City Council adopted the Storm Drain Master Plan, which identifies stormwater infrastructure at risk due to sea level rise and storm drains in need of capacity upgrades;
• In September 2019, City Council adopted the Climate Action and Resiliency Plan (CARP), which lists Bay Farm Island and the Oakland-Alameda Estuary as high-priority project areas for adaptation;
• In June 2020, City Council approved the mid-cycle capital budget, which included the Bay Farm Island Adaptation Project for $350,000 from the General Fund;
• In November 2020, City Council accepted the report: “City of Alameda, The Response of the Shallow Groundwater Layer and Contaminants to Sea Level Rise”, which states that the areas at risk of future flooding increase by up to 25 percent when considering emergent groundwater;
• In June 2021, City Council adopted the two-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) for Fiscal Years 2021-2023, which included the Oakland-Alameda Estuary Adaptation Project for $200,000 from Measure BB and the Bay Farm Island Adaptation Project for $100,000 from Local Stormwater Fees;
• In May 2022, City Council approved the mid-cycle capital budget, which included the Bay Farm Island Adaptation Project local grant match for $500,000 from the General Fund;
• In June 2022, City Council adopted the Climate Adaptation and Hazard Mitigation Plan, which called out the need for a sub-regional Long-term Adaptation Plan;
• In June 2022, City Council adopted a resolution accepting Caltrans state funding for the Oakland-Alameda Estuary Adaptation Project totaling $425,000 in grant monies and $75,000 in local match monies; and
• In December 2022, City Council adopted a resolution accepting the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant funding for the Bay Farm Island Adaptation Project totaling $1.5 million in grant monies and $500,000 in local match monies.
As shown above, City Council accepted the Caltrans and FEMA grant monies for the Oakland-Alameda Estuary Adaptation Project and the Bay Farm Island Adaptation Project, respectively. The purpose of this agenda item is to also accept the grant monies for the Long-term Adaptation Plan, from SFEP for $300,000 and NFWF for $540,000, totaling $840,000. As part of this agenda item, City staff also is requesting Council approval of an agreement with Greenbelt Alliance as a Community Partner to lead the stakeholder input process for the three City-led adaptation projects described below.
DISCUSSION
Working Group Projects: The City, on behalf of the Working Group, is leading three adaptation projects with different funding sources. These projects will be developed in coordination with one another and with the Project Partners who include the Working Group, Community Partners, SFEI as the Scientific Advisor (as further described below) and a Consultant to be identified through an upcoming Request for Proposals process and City Council approval. Project Partners will review draft materials, participate in meetings, and work together to conduct outreach and engagement activities. The following projects are expected to take up to three years to complete using an inclusive and equitable planning process:
Long-term Adaptation Plan (EPA federal funding through SFEP and NFWF): Develop a Long-term Adaptation Plan, which includes a review of existing vulnerability assessments, a final vision and a prioritization framework. The goal is to protect shoreline communities throughout the San Leandro OLU from expected sea level and groundwater rise and liquefaction, enhance transportation and recreation corridors and bay access, reduce flood exposure, create or restore marsh, upland and transitional habitat with nature-based solutions, and improve air quality. The Plan will detail key steps and actions to take as the shoreline changes, identifying trigger points and costs for each of the outlined pathways. The planning process will use a decision-making process to ensure all stakeholder voices are heard. Webpage: www.alamedaca.gov/AdaptationLongTermPlan <http://www.alamedaca.gov/AdaptationLongTermPlan>
Oakland-Alameda Estuary Adaptation Project (Caltrans state funding): Develop a design concept equivalent to ten percent design in coordination with the Project Partners to protect both the downtown Oakland/Jack London Square shoreline and Alameda’s northern shoreline near Marina Village from expected sea level rise and to reduce the impacts of flooding. The goal is to ensure long-term use of a multi-modal transportation system, including the Posey/Webster Tubes, the San Francisco Bay Trail and the adjacent diverse communities and disadvantaged populations in west Alameda and Oakland. Webpage: www.alamedaca.gov/AdaptationEstuary <http://www.alamedaca.gov/AdaptationEstuary>
Bay Farm Island Adaptation Project (FEMA federal funding): This project is a long-term plan with a short-term project for the northern waterfront area. The long-term plan is to develop a long-term groundwater and sea level rise adaptation strategy and a design concept equivalent to ten percent design for Bay Farm Island. This design will implement nature-based solutions and green infrastructure, address liquefaction risk and provide co-benefits for wildlife habitat and sequestering carbon while also enhancing shoreline access and recreation, including replacing/relocating the wooden bicycle/pedestrian bridge. The short-term priority project is focused on the northern waterfront area and builds on the initial concept work to develop detailed design drawings and advance the FEMA Environmental Historic Preservation (EHP) review and permitting process. Webpage: www.alamedaca.gov/AdaptationBayFarmIsland <http://www.alamedaca.gov/AdaptationBayFarmIsland>
These three adaptation projects will be developed in coordination with other Working Group projects such as the Caltrans’ Doolittle Drive/State Route 61 Sea Level Rise Adaptation Project (Caltrans State-Sponsored/Non-SHOPP Project Initiation Document), the Port of Oakland’s Adaptation Vulnerability Assessment and Plan, the City of Oakland’s Estuary Park Renovation and Expansion Project, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s Bay Trail Gap Closure Project, the City’s De-Pave Park Master Plan, the BCDC’s Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan, and other adaptation efforts by the Working Group.
Grants for the Long-term Adaptation Plan: As part of this agenda item, City staff is requesting that City Council authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents with SFEP and NFWF to develop the Long-term Adaptation Plan for a total of $840,000 (Exhibits 1 and 2). No local match monies are required. The grant descriptions are as follows:
• SFEP Grant: For the Long-term Adaptation Plan, the SFEP grant covers project and regional agency coordination, governance structure analysis and community engagement for $300,000, and expires on March 30, 2025. On April 14, 2023, the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) Administrative Committee approved the SFEP grant for the City to take the lead in developing the Long-term Adaptation Plan for the San Leandro OLU. ABAG is the recipient of United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) grant funds and the City is a subrecipient of these funds, which requires that the project complies with federal requirements such as Disadvantaged Business Enterprise good faith efforts, consultant fee caps, debarment and suspension exclusions, and competitive processes without conflicts of interest.
• NFWF Grant: The NFWF grant from the National Coastal Resilience Fund 2022 covers the above tasks mentioned in the SFEP grant as well as the draft and final Long-term Adaptation Plan for $540,000, and expires on June 1, 2026. This program is primarily funded by, and coordinated with, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and so is considered a federal grant. The City of Alameda is a subrecipient, and will need to comply with federal requirements as stated above for the SFEP grant.
Community Partner Request for Proposal (RFP) Process: On behalf of the Working Group, City staff is looking to onboard Community Partners for the three adaptation projects to help select the Technical Consultant, to collaborate with the Project Partners, and to conduct community engagement so as to facilitate an inclusive and equitable planning process. City staff issued an Adaptation Community Partner RFP on February 27, 2023. After a submittal period of 31 days, the City received four timely submitted proposals on March 30, 2023 from Greenbelt Alliance, CASA, DOER Marine Operations and Wild Oyster Project. The Selection Committee reviewed the proposals and chose the two Community Partner teams that best meet the needs of the three adaptation projects: Greenbelt Alliance for $254,000 and CASA for $69,410 (Exhibit 3). The CASA contract does not require City Council approval since it is below $75,000, and the City Manager has authority to approve it. The Selection Committee consisted of six individuals representing the City of Alameda (two staff), City of Oakland, East Bay Regional Park District, Caltrans and the Port of Oakland.
Scientific Advisor Process: As scientific advisors for the Bay and on the basis of previous work to support the Working Group, City staff included SFEI as the Scientific Advisor for the Long-term Adaptation Plan in the SFEP grant application for $35,000. SFEI is a non-profit organization, and is one of California’s premier aquatic and ecosystem science institutes. The SFEI mission is to provide scientific support and tools for decision-making and communication through collaborative efforts. SFEI was foundational in creating the San Francisco Bay Shoreline Adaptation Atlas, which identified the OLU framework that the Working Group adopted as its organizational frame. In 2022, SFEI also developed the San Leandro OLU Adaptation Pathways report, which identified concepts for the San Leandro Bay that show how adaptation strategies can be woven together for short- and long-term project phasing. If City Council approves the SFEP grant funds, the City Manager has authority to approve the SFEI contract for $35,000 to allow SFEI to be the Scientific Advisor for the Long-term Adaptation Plan.
Next Steps - Technical Consultant RFP: Through a competitive RFP process and City Council approval, a consultant will be identified to coordinate these three adaptation projects and meet the Working Group objectives previously described. The Selection Committee of the Working Group, which also includes Community Partner representatives, will choose a Consultant that has experience working with diverse stakeholders and community members to develop short- and long-term adaptation plans and projects. The project kick-off is expected in the fall 2023 after City Council approval of the Consultant team agreement, which is anticipated in September 2023.
ALTERNATIVES
• Authorize acceptance of grant funding and execution of contract agreements;
• Authorize acceptance of grant funding and execution of contract agreements with revisions determined necessary by the City Council; and
• Not approve the grants and contract agreements, and direct staff to proceed with a different approach.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The three adaptation projects total $3,690,000 with grant funds contributing $2,765,000, or 72 percent, and local match monies funding the remaining $925,000, or 28 percent (Table 1). The maximum Consultant Team budget is $2,667,000, or 72 percent of the total project budgets. The remaining project monies will be for the Community Partners at $323,500, or nine (9) percent, Scientific Advisor at $35,000, or one (1) percent, and City staff at $344,500 or nine (9) percent of the total project budgets. The budget also includes a contingency of $320,000, or nine (9) percent.
City Council already appropriated the local funds for the Bay Farm Island Adaptation Project as part of the mid-cycle budget for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022-23, and appropriated the $75,000 in local funds for the Oakland-Alameda Estuary Adaptation Project as part of the mid-year update for FY 2022-23. City Council also accepted the grants for the Oakland-Alameda Estuary Adaptation Project and the Bay Farm Island Adaptation Project, and is being requested to accept the SFEP and NFWF grants as part of this agenda item for the Long-term Adaptation Plan.
Table 1: Adaptation Project Funding
|
Sources |
Amount |
|
FEMA Grant |
$1,500,000 |
|
General Fund Local Match |
$850,000 |
|
Caltrans Grant |
$425,000 |
|
Measure BB Local Match |
$75,000 |
|
SFEP Grant |
$300,000 |
|
NFWF Grant |
$540,000 |
|
Subtotal Grant Sources |
$2,765,000 |
|
Subtotal Local Sources |
$925,000 |
|
Total Sources |
$3,690,000 |
|
Uses |
|
|
Long-Term Adaptation Plan |
|
|
Consultant Team |
$599,500 |
|
City Staff |
$20,500 |
|
Community Partners |
$185,000 |
|
Scientific Advisor |
$35,000 |
|
Bay Farm Island Adaptation Project |
|
|
Consultant Team |
$1,676,000 |
|
City Staff |
$324,000 |
|
Community Partners |
$30,000 |
|
Oakland-Alameda Estuary Adaptation Project |
|
|
Consultant Team |
$391,500 |
|
Community Partners |
$108,500 |
|
Subtotal Consultant Team |
$2,667,000 |
|
Subtotal City Staff |
$344,500 |
|
Subtotal Community Partners |
$323,500 |
|
Subtotal Scientific Advisor |
$35,000 |
|
Contingency |
$320,000 |
|
Total Uses |
$3,690,000 |
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action is consistent with the Alameda Municipal Code, and the City's General Plan as follows:
Land Use (LU-30) - Waterfront Design
i. Climate Adaptation. Ensure all public investments are designed to accommodate the 50-year sea level rise
Conservation and Climate Action (CC-3) - Coordinated Regional and Local Planning State and Regional Funding
c. Advocate for and support state and regional efforts to provide funding for greenhouse gas reduction, transportation improvements, affordable housing, and climate change adaptation at the local level.
d. Sustainable Communities Strategy. Maintain consistency between the City’s General Plan, Climate Adaptation and Hazard Mitigation Plan, and Municipal Code and the regional Sustainable Communities Strategy.
(CC-4) Net Zero Greenhouse Gas Emissions
b. Alameda Climate Action and Resiliency Plan Annual Review and Funding Priorities. Implement and update as necessary Alameda’s Climate Action and Resiliency Plan (CARP) to reduce GHG emissions to 50 percent below 2005 levels by 2030 and achieve net zero GHG emissions as soon as possible. Implement adaptation strategies to address sea level and ground water rise, storm surges, inland stormwater system flooding, drought, extreme heat, and unhealthy wildfire smoke.
(CC-15) Neighborhood Resilience Coordination
b. Flooding. Include tailored planning and support for communities testing various flooding adaptation strategies.
(CC-20) Land Development
b. Mitigation. Require new development to incorporate design features to mitigate 50 years of the Ocean Protection Council’s Medium-High Risk Aversion, high emissions scenario of sea level rise in addition to a 100 year storm in the initial design and funding mechanisms to pay for later adaptation improvements to address future sea level and groundwater increases above that level. Projects that include new seawalls where none currently exist shall evaluate the off-site impact of the new walls on adjacent and nearby communities.
(CC-21) Sea Level Rise Plans
Develop neighborhood shoreline sea level rise protection and funding plans to 50 years of the Ocean Protection Council’s Medium-High Risk Aversion, high emissions scenario of sea level rise in addition to a 100-year storm in the initial design and funding mechanisms to pay for later adaptation improvements to address future sea level and groundwater increases above that level.
Mobility Element (ME-23) Resilient Transportation Infrastructure
a. Adaptation Strategies. Implement improvements to protect critical transportation facilities threatened by sea level rise or rising groundwater.
b. Nature Based Design. Require the use of bioswales, rain gardens, trees, coastal habitat restoration, and pervious materials as an integral part of an adaptation solution to enhance water quality, ecosystem health and the visual appearance of the facility, and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the urban heat island effect and the flooding impacts on the stormwater system and the San Francisco Bay.
Hazard and Safety Element (HS-16) Regional Partnerships
Actively participate in regional discussions on drought, groundwater and sea level rise mitigation, infrastructure improvements, and adaptation strategies.
Action:
a. 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.
(HS-17) Public Infrastructure Priorities
Identify public transportation, open space, and stormwater and wastewater facilities, shoreline assets, and other public assets vulnerable to sea level and groundwater rise and flooding hazards, and prioritize projects for adaptation funding.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
These actions are statutorily exempt from environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061(b)(3), the general rule that CEQA only applies to actions that have the potential to cause a significant impact on the environment. As a separate and independent basis, these actions are also exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15308 (actions by regulatory agencies for protection of the environment) and 15183 (projects consistent with a community plan, general plan or zoning). None of the exceptions in CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2 apply.
CLIMATE IMPACT
The project will improve the resiliency to the impacts of climate change.
RECOMMENDATION
Authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents with the SFEP to accept $300,000 and with the NFWF to accept $540,000 in grant funding to complete the long-term adaptation plan; and
Authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with Greenbelt Alliance for $254,000 as community partners to lead the stakeholder engagement process for City-led adaptation projects.
Respectfully submitted,
Andrew Thomas, Director of Planning, Building and Transportation
By,
Danielle Mieler, Sustainability and Resilience Manager
Gail Payne, Project Manager
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Margaret L. O'Brien, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. SFEP Funding Agreement
2. NFWF Funding Agreement
3. Greenbelt Alliance Agreement
4. Adaptation Presentation
cc: Erin Smith, Public Works Director