Coastal Conservancy Public Meeting in Newport Beach – February 15

Meeting Notice

Updated 2/5/2024 1:49 PM, address correction.

Douglas Bosco (Public Member), Chair
Marce Gutiérrez-Graudiņš (Public Member), Vice Chair
Joy Sterling (Public Member)
Jeremiah Hallisey (Public Member)
Wade Crowfoot, Secretary for Natural Resources; Bryan Cash and Jenn Eckerle (Designated)
Caryl Hart, Coastal Commission Chair; Madeline Cavalieri (Designated)
Keely Bosler, Director, Department of Finance; Gayle Miller (Designated)

Senate Representatives
Benjamin Allen (District 26)
Josh Becker (District 13)
John Laird (District 17)

Assembly Representatives
Gregg Hart (District 37)
Christopher Ward (District 78)
Tina McKinnor (District 61)

Amy Hutzel, Executive Officer
Amy Roach, General Counsel

AGENDA

Agenda Updated 2/9/2024, Item 3F exhibit 3 has been posted and Item 8 exhibit 3 has been posted.

Agenda Updated 2/14/2024. Addendums to Items B, 7, 8, 9 and 12 have been added.

Hybrid Meeting
DATE: February 15, 2024
TIME: 9:30 A.M
LOCATION: Civic Community Room
100 Civic Center Dr., Newport Beach, CA 92660

*Live Spanish interpretation is provided during our Board Meetings on the Zoom teleconference.

*Se proporciona interpretación en español en vivo durante nuestras reuniones de la Junta en la teleconferencia de Zoom.

This meeting will be conducted in a hybrid virtual/in-person format. Members of the public can choose to watch the webcast of the meeting or participate in the meeting via Zoom, by telephone, or in person at the location listed above.
Members of the public may watch an online webcast of the meeting or join the meeting by internet with Zoom or by telephone with the following steps:

Webcast (Watch Only): To watch the meeting and not provide verbal comments, please view the webcast at this site: https://cal-span.org.  If you do not wish to provide verbal comments, we strongly recommend watching the webcast as this will free up space on the webinar for those who are providing verbal comments. If you intend to make verbal comments, please do not view the webcast, and then switch over to the Zoom webinar or phone to comment, as the webcast will have a time delay and you may miss the opportunity to comment.

Zoom (To Make Comments): In addition to in-person participation, remote participation is available to members of the public via Zoom webinar. To participate via Zoom, you must register for the Zoom Webinar at this link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_V_ISwvpFTzS0vs87rMz9_Q

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Telephone (To Make Comments): Members of the public can offer verbal comments on agenda items by calling in via telephone. Zoom registration is required. Register for the Zoom Webinar at the link above and you will receive an email with a phone number to dial in by telephone. When the agenda item you want to speak on is being presented, press *9 to “raise your hand” and indicate your interest in making a comment. You will be called upon (using your phone number to identify you) and will be unmuted at the appropriate time.

More information on how to participate and comment verbally on an agenda item or during open public comment can be found here.

1. ROLL CALL

2. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES of the Conservancy’s November 30, 2023 public meeting.

3. CONSENT ITEMS
A. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $646,100 to the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains to augment a previously authorized Conservancy grant of $1,629,550 for planning for the Topanga Lagoon Restoration Project at Topanga State Park and Topanga Beach in Los Angeles County.

B. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $1,300,000 to the Smith River Alliance, of which $500,000 is to conduct pre-acquisition planning activities and minor clean-up actions for beach, dune, wetland, upland, and forested parcels within and in the vicinity of the Pacific Shores Subdivision, adjacent to the Lake Earl Wildlife Area in Del Norte County, and $800,000 is to acquire those same parcels.

• Addendum: Additional Project Letter added to Staff Recommendation 2/14/24 at 2:43 pm

C. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $120,000 to East Bay Regional Park District to prepare designs and environmental review documents for park improvements on an approximately three-acre upland area located between Powell Street and San Francisco Bay, east of Emeryville Fire Station No. 34, within McLaughlin Eastshore State Park, in the City of Emeryville, Alameda County.

D. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $2,500,000 to the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County to acquire a conservation easement over the 27,512-acre Camatta Ranch in eastern San Luis Obispo County to protect water quality and water supply, natural resources, wildlife habitat, scenic open space, and agriculture including cattle grazing compatible with such uses.

E. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $470,900 to Gold Ridge Resource Conservation District to construct upgrades to the potable water treatment facility and its water source for the Alliance Redwood Conference Grounds and the communities of Camp Meeker and Occidental and to reduce surface water diversions and increase dry season flows for salmonids in Dutch Bill Creek in Sonoma County, and the adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

F. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $2,807,000 to the City of Santa Ana to enhance and restore the 2.66-acre Santiago Park Main Street entrance by constructing site amenities such as lighting, Santiago Creek viewing decks, and landscape improvements, and separating the pedestrian walkway and bike trails to allow for safe recreation.

• Addendum: Project Letters added to Staff report on 2/9/2024 1:12PM.

G. Consideration and possible authorization up to $473,500 to the City of Sand City to prepare trail alignment and restoration plans, designs, permit applications, and environmental documentation for a 0.7-mile segment of the Coastal Trail in Sand City, County of Monterey.

H. Consideration and possible authorization to (1) enter into a Memorandum of Agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for cost sharing the incremental cost of placing dredged sediment from the Petaluma River at Cullinan Ranch; and (2) disburse up to $313,000 to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the non-federal share of the incremental cost of placing dredged sediment from the Petaluma River at Cullinan Ranch within the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Solano and Napa Counties.

I. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $1,660,000 to the Redwood Coast Land Conservancy to prepare designs, environmental compliance documents, and permit applications for establishing 2.6 miles of new public access trails and related public access amenities, including 0.75 miles of the California Coastal Trail, and restoring 4 acres of upland habitat for the Mill Bend Preserve at the mouth of the Gualala River in Mendocino and Sonoma counties.

J. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $1,500,000 to the Yurok Tribe to construct 0.68 miles of the California Coastal Trail and replace culverts on Libby Creek, a tributary to Prairie Creek, as part of the Redwood National and State Park Visitor Center and Restoration Project, at the former 125-acre Orick Mill A site in Humboldt County.

K. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $41,000 to the Mendocino Land Trust to operate and maintain public access improvements at Moat Creek Beach and along the Moat Creek segment of the California Coastal Trail in Mendocino County.

L. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $315,150 to the Wildlands Conservancy to prepare a public access plan, preliminary designs, and environmental review for lower cost overnight accommodations and a new section of the California Coastal Trail on the Seawood Cape Preserve in Humboldt County.

M. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $400,000 to the Noyo Center for Marine Science for their Marine Ecosystem Resiliency Project, consisting of 1) conducting studies and preparing conceptual designs for sea level rise adaptation of their Marine Field Station building, dock, and associated infrastructure, 2) preparing 60% designs for retrofitting the Field Station building and replacing its dock, 3) preparing environmental review documents and permit applications for the dock replacement, and 4) implementing aquaculture programs to restore the nearshore kelp forest ecosystem at their Marine Field Station located at Noyo Harbor in Fort Bragg, Mendocino County.

N. Consideration and possible authorization to spend up to $2,963,050 of funds appropriated to the Conservancy for the Great Redwood Trail for engineering and environmental services, planning and design, public outreach, organizational development, advancement of the railbanking process, technical support, interim staffing support for the Great Redwood Trail Agency, and other costs and services as may be required for the advancement of the trail in Mendocino, Trinity, and Humboldt Counties.

O. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $4,600,000 to the County of Ventura to augment a previously authorized Conservancy grant of $358,000 for pre-construction activities associated with the Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration Project by adding additional tasks to support and inform environmental compliance and programmatic design planning, and to conduct community engagement in Ventura County.

P. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $3,200,000 to the County of Ventura to (1) augment a previously authorized Conservancy grant of $379,350 to conduct planning and to develop design criteria, preliminary design plans, and alternatives refinement for improvements to the Robles Diversion and Fish Passage Facility, and (2) conduct additional studies and modeling, develop 10% design plans for two alternatives, and provide funding directly to the Casitas Municipal Water District to work on this project, in Ventura County.

Q. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $3,377,389 to the Coastside Land Trust to construct priority components of Phase 2 of the Wavecrest Coastal Access Project, which are: at least 1 mile of Coastal Trail, a trailhead with a parking lot and restroom, and a beach stairway at the Wavecrest property in Half Moon Bay, San Mateo County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

R. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $600,000 to Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission for the North Coast Rail Trail – Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail Segment 5 project, consisting of construction of 7.5 miles of dedicated bicycle and pedestrian trail and associated amenities between Wilder Ranch State Park and Davenport on the north coast of Santa Cruz County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

S. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $100,000 to Public Media Group of Southern California to develop multimedia content documenting the Coastal Stories Grant Program, produce and host a webpage, and conduct outreach to reach a broad audience.

4. EXECUTIVE OFFICER REPORT
A. Recognition of North Coast Regional Manager Karyn Gear upon her Retirement
B. Potential Changes to 2024 Conservancy Board Meeting Locations and Schedule

SOUTH COAST
5. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $6,800,000 to the County of San Bernardino to prepare final designs, acquire rights-of-way, and construct a 3.9-mile segment of the Santa Ana River Trail in San Bernardino County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

6. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $850,000 dollars to the Los Peñasquitos Lagoon Foundation to develop feasible strategies, concepts, and preliminary engineering designs of nature-based solutions to build resiliency to sea level rise and coastal hazards for a 0.6-mile section of Torrey Pines State Beach, including the Torrey Pines South Beach Parking Lot, and the adjacent public parking along Highway 101 in San Diego County.

7. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $30,000,000 to the Southwest Wetlands Interpretive Association to implement the Tijuana Estuary Tidal Restoration Program II, Phase I, consisting of restoring 85 acres of wetlands and associated habitats and enhancing public access at the Tijuana River estuary in San Diego County.

• Addendum: Additional Project Letter added 2/14/2024 at 12:17 pm

8. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse: 1) an amount not to exceed $1,270,551 to augment a contract for preliminary design, including preparation of more detailed designs, engineering, and permitting for the Ormond Beach Restoration and Public Access Project (OBRAP), and 2) a grant of an amount not to exceed $35,000,000 to The Nature Conservancy to complete permitting and implement the first phase of the OBPRAP, which consists of restoration and public access improvements on approximately 280 acres at the eastern side of Ormond Beach and management of the wetlands.

• Addendum: Exhibit 3: Ormond Beach Restoration and Public Access Plan was added to the Staff Recommendation on 2/8/2024 at 4:56 PM.
• Addendum: Additional Project Letter added to Staff Recommendation on 2/14/2024 at 9:42 am

9. Consideration and possible authorization to approve a land swap involving the transfer of a five-acre parcel owned by Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority to Los Cerritos Wetlands, LLC in exchange for a 150-acre parcel for purposes of natural resource and wetland protection and restoration, open space, and public access that is compatible with those purposes, in the City of Long Beach, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

• Addendum: Declaration of Deed Restrictions added to Staff Recommendation on 2/14/2024 at 9:37 am
• Addendum: Tribal Letters added to Staff Recommendation on 2/14/2024 at 9:39 am
• Addendum: Additional Projects Letters added to Staff Recommendation on 2/14/2024 at 9:40 am

NORTH COAST
10. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $800,000 to the Mattole Restoration Council for the acquisition of the approximately 83-acre North Fork Mattole property on the North Fork of the Mattole River in Humboldt County, and preparation of baseline conditions and environmental assessment reports for the property. The property will be acquired for habitat conservation and restoration, California Native American tribal and public access and recreation, open space, and potentially a public-serving facility that will facilitate climate resilience, access to, and enjoyment of the natural resources of the property.

11. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $1,368,606, a portion of which was granted to the Coastal Conservancy by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to the Humboldt County Resource Conservation District to implement the Wadulh Lagoon Restoration Project, consisting of restoring 62.1 acres of coastal wetland and riparian habitat by lowering and removing dikes and excavating channels in Wadulh Lagoon on the Mad River Slough on Humboldt Bay in Humboldt County.

12. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $1,090,000 to the City of Eureka in Humboldt County to prepare the City of Eureka Coastal Access and Resilience Plan to protect and enhance existing and future use of the Eureka waterfront for ecological, recreational, and commercial purposes, and to prepare conceptual designs and environmental review for four sea level rise adaptation projects identified in the Plan.

• Addendum: Additional Project Letter added to Staff Recommendation on 2/14/24 at 2:36 pm

13. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $1,500,000 to the Smith River Alliance Inc. to implement cultural resource protections and construct 1.25 miles of the California Coastal Trail, new restrooms, interpretive signage, and other improvements to the main trailhead parking area at Point Saint George in Del Norte County.

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
14. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $1,230,000 to John Muir Land Trust to acquire the approximately 100-acre Kenneth Gerlack Preserve Property in Contra Costa County for the protection, restoration, and enhancement of natural and scenic resources and wildlife corridors; and, to the extent compatible with the aforementioned purposes: public access, including a segment of the Bay Area Ridge Trail, and California Native American tribal cultural uses.

15. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $5,500,000 to San Francisco Recreation and Park Department to implement the India Basin Waterfront Park Phase 3: Shoreline Park Redevelopment project, consisting of the redevelopment of the India Basin Shoreline Park into a mixed-use community park with improved public access and recreation amenities, enhanced habitat, and climate resiliency in the City and County of San Francisco, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

16. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $1,241,200 to Sonoma Land Trust to plan for ecological restoration of 337 acres of baylands and alluvial fan in the Tolay Creek Baylands in Sonoma County by conducting community engagement, preparing preliminary designs and environmental compliance documents, and developing a permitting strategy.

17. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $600,000 to Sonoma County Regional Parks to acquire approximately 20 acres of non-active railway corridor to complete acquisition of ownership of lands needed to enable future construction of the Sonoma Schellville Trail, Sonoma County.

18. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $1,143,500 to the Solano Resource Conservation District to restore 19 acres of upland habitat and install a half-acre demonstration garden, 670-foot long trail, outdoor education area, two kiosks, and interpretive signs at Lake Solano Park in Solano County; and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

19. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $5,000,000 dollars to Valley Water for the restoration of 40 acres of mudflat and shallow water habitat in Pond A4 to benefit shorebirds, enhance recreation, and facilitate future tidal wetland restoration along the shoreline of San Francisco Bay in Santa Clara County.

CENTRAL COAST
20. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $5,000,000 for consultant services including resource assessments, planning, public outreach, and other services as may be required related to planning for the conservation of the 12,000-acre Diablo Canyon Lands.

21. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $16,000,000, including $10,000,000 in grant funds from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, to the Monterey Peninsula Regional Park District to implement the Rancho Cañada Floodplain Restoration Project, a multi-benefit floodplain restoration project along approximately 1-mile of the lower Carmel River in Monterey County.

22. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $6,893,700 to the City of Santa Cruz to construct improvements in the East Parking Lot and wave crash zone areas of the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf in the City of Santa Cruz and to further the planning for future improvements for increased resiliency to the effects of climate change and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

23. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $8,000,000 to the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County to acquire the 247-acre Beach Ranch property at the Pajaro River Estuary in Santa Cruz County for nature-based sea level rise adaptation, natural resource protection and restoration, compatible agricultural use, California Native American tribal access, and public access.

24. CONSERVANCY MEMBER COMMENTS

25. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS

Please note: If a closed session is needed, the Conservancy will reconvene in person and on the webcast and zoom webinar to make any reports required by Section 11125.2 of the Government Code.

26. CLOSED SESSION

A. To confer regarding Pappas, et al. v. State Coastal Conservancy, et al., Santa Barbara County Superior Court, Case No. 1417388. Session will be closed to the public pursuant to Government Code Section 11126(e)(2)(A).
B. To confer regarding Grassroots Coalition, et al. v. California State Coastal Conservancy, et al., Los Angeles County Superior Court, Case No. 21STCP02237. Session will be closed to the public pursuant to Government Code Section 11126(e)(2)(A).
C. To confer regarding Ballona Wetlands Land Trust v. California Department of Fish and Wildlife, et al. (Environmental Science Associates, Real Party in Interest), Los Angeles County Superior Court, Case No. 22STCP03307. Session will be closed to the public pursuant to Government Code Section 11126(e)(2)(A).
D. To confer regarding City of Trinidad v. Tsurai Ancestral Society, et al., Humboldt County Superior Court Case No. DR180684. Session will be closed to the public pursuant to Government Code Section 11126(e)(2)(A).

27. ADJOURNMENT

CONSERVANCY TOUR INFORMATION

On Wednesday, February 14, the Conservancy will tour the site listed below, as close as possible to the identified time, which might be affected by traffic. Members of the public are welcome to join the tour but must provide their own transportation. The tour will conclude at 4:30pm.

3:00pm – Meet at Crystal Cove Cottages – 35 Crystal Cove, Newport Beach, CA 92657

Note: Agenda items may be taken out of sequence at the discretion of the Conservancy. At any time during the meeting, but prior to the adjournment of the open session of the meeting, the Conservancy may recess or adjourn to closed session to consider personnel matters, prices and terms of real estate transactions, and possible and pending litigation. Session will be closed to the public pursuant to attorney-client privilege and statutory authorization under Government Code Sections 11126(a), (c) (7), and (e).
Any person who has a disability and requires reasonable accommodation to participate in this public meeting should contact Taylor Samuelson no later than five days prior to meeting.
Questions about the meeting or agenda can be directed to Taylor Samuelson at
(510) 286-4182 or Taylor.Samuelson@scc.ca.gov or at the Conservancy:
1515 Clay Street, 10th Floor
Oakland, CA 94612