Coastal Conservancy Public Meeting in Oakland – September 18
Meeting Notice
9/12/2025 the memorandum was revised to swap locations of the February and April Meetings for item 4A.
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)
Meagan Harmon, Coastal Commission Chair; Madeline Cavalieri (Designated)
Joe Stephenshaw, Director, Department of Finance; Michele Perrault (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
Hybrid Meeting
DATE: September 18, 2025
TIME: 10:00 A.M
LOCATION: Elihu M Harris State Building Auditorium – 1st Floor
1515 Clay St., Auditorium, Oakland CA 94612
*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.
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_mdJ0CAXmRu2SM4kW1EfQiQ
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
A. Vote on Remote Participation (as needed)
2. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES of the Conservancy’s April 17, 2025
3. CONSENT ITEMS
A. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $270,000 to the Westport Village Society to undertake the DeHaven Access Improvement Construction Project, consisting of construction of public access improvements, including a parking lot, a segment of the California Coastal Trail, signage, and stairway to DeHaven Beach in Mendocino County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
B. Consideration and possible Conservancy authorization to disburse up to $80,000 to the Carmel River Steelhead Association to purchase equipment for use in annual rescues of steelhead in the Carmel River watershed in Monterey County.
C. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $240,200 to The Wildlands Conservancy to prepare plans for and implement the Estero Americano Public Access Infrastructure Improvements Project, consisting of installation of directional and interpretive signage, installation of 5 miles of trails, construction of a public restroom and kayak pull-in areas, and renovation of a dilapidated house to provide caretaker housing at the Estero Americano Coast Preserve in Bodega Bay, Sonoma County; and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
D. Consideration and possible authorization to amend the Conservancy’s grant authorized on February 15, 2024 to the Noyo Center for Marine Science for the Noyo Center Marine Field Station Resiliency Project (formerly the Marine Ecosystem Resiliency Project) to expand the scope of the project to include dock repair implementation at the Noyo Center’s Marine Field Station located at Noyo Harbor in Fort Bragg, Mendocino County.
E. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $233,000 to the Noyo Center for Marine Science to augment the Conservancy grant authorized on September 5, 2024 to construct the Noyo Center Marine LaBONEatory Project (formerly the Noyo Center Ecosystem Resilience Initiative Project) and to modify the project to expand the 1,500 square foot multi-purpose work facility to 2,400 square feet to allow for greater coastal stewardship programming, marine science education, and community engagement, and to complete designs and permitting for the expanded facility.
F. Consideration and authorization to disburse up to $1,000,000 to the Coastside Land Trust to augment the Conservancy grant authorized on February 15, 2024 to construct priority components of Phase 2 of the Wavecrest Coastal Access Project at the Wavecrest property in Half Moon Bay, San Mateo County in order to expand the grant scope to include construction of the remaining Phase 2 components.
G. Consideration and authorization to amend the Conservancy-required restrictions that limit use of the Napa Resource Conservation District’s 21-acre Huichica Creek Vineyard property to agricultural purposes so that the property can be used for habitat restoration and enhancement, natural resource protection, and potential public access. The property is located in the Huichica Creek Watershed in Napa County and was purchased for agricultural purposes with a Conservancy grant in 1991, when the property was known as Cabral Ranch.
H. Consideration and authorization to amend the Conservancy’s previously authorized project award to the City of Berkeley to modify the project by cancelling the Cesar Chavez Park perimeter trail improvements, adding pier and parking lot improvements, and adding preparation of plans for improving a San Francisco Bay Trail segment at the City of Berkeley Waterfront, in Alameda County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
4. EXECUTIVE OFFICER REPORT
A. Conservancy Meeting Schedule for 2026 – Revised 9/18/25
B. Climate Bond Update
C. 50th Anniversary Planning
SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
5. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $3,091,148 to the City and County of San Francisco Recreation and Park Department, to augment the Conservancy grant authorized on February 15, 2024 of $5,500,000, to implement the India Basin Waterfront Park Phase 3: Shoreline Park Redevelopment Project, consisting of the redevelopment of the India Basin Shoreline Park in San Francisco into a mixed-use community park with improved public access and recreational amenities, enhanced habitat, and climate resilience.
6. Consideration and possible Authorization to disburse up to $850,000 to the City of Albany to carry out the Albany–El Cerrito Wildfire Resilience Demonstration Project in Albany and El Cerrito (Alameda and Contra Costa Counties), consisting of: (1) implementing fire fuel vegetation management and ecological restoration; (2) investing in continuing partnerships for workforce development; and (3) demonstrating for public benefit useful practices for milling, native species planting, and fire hazard management; and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
7. Consideration and possible Authorization to disburse up to $400,000 to the Santa Clara County Fire Safe Council to adapt their Community Wildfire Prevention Plan into a Regional Priority Plan, to establish a Prescribed Burn Association in Santa Clara County (South Bay Prescribed Burn Association) and, through the Prescribed Burn Association conduct initial workshops, classes, and training programs that will entail a series of small, prescribed burns on Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District lands with the goal of enhancing the ability of both private and public landowners to safely use prescribed burns to reduce wildfire severity and improve landscape health in Santa Clara County.
CENTRAL COAST
8. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $1,068,300 to the City of Watsonville to prepare final designs and permit applications for the 0.5-mile second phase of the Lee Road Trail Project, which will add a 1.4-mile-long pedestrian and bicycle trail along Lee Road in Watsonville, Santa Cruz County; and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.
NORTH COAST
9. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $500,000 to the Mid Klamath Watershed Council to undertake the Upper Horse Creek Channel Restoration Project, consisting of the creation of side channels and off-channel ponds, the addition of wood structures, installation of beaver dam analogues, and the expansion of creek sinuosity to a segment of Horse Creek, in Siskiyou County.
EXPLORE THE COAST
10. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $966,316 to 13 nonprofit organizations for projects that facilitate and enhance the public’s opportunities to explore the California coast. Participants are drawn from throughout the State and will visit coastal locations from Sonoma County south to San Diego County.
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.
11. CONSERVANCY MEMBER COMMENTS
12. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS
13. 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 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).
14. ADJOURNMENT
CONSERVANCY TOUR INFORMATION:
On Wednesday, September 17, the Conservancy will tour the sites listed below, as close as possible to the identified times, 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 by 4:00 PM. Whether a site has facilities that are accessible to people with disabilities (“accessible”) is noted below.
12:00 – 12:45 PM – Point Molate Bay Trail Construction and Point Molate Acquisition
Point Molate Beach Park, Richmond, CA
(Latitude: 37.941472, Longitude -122.410333)
This site has accessible parking spaces and speaker presentations will occur in an accessible location.
12:45-1:00 PM – Transit to Terminal Four Site
2055 Stenmark Drive Richmond CA 94801 (37.96349674041224, -122.42884600000001)
1:00 – 1:30 – Terminal Four Wharf Removal and Habitat Restoration
The parking spaces and the location for speaker presentations are in a flat, graveled area.
1:30-2:30 PM – Transit to Pacheco Marsh
2501 Waterfront Rd. Martinez, CA 94533 (38.03242468677877, -122.08810226412679)
2:30 – 4:00 PM – Lower Walnut Creek Habitat Restoration/Pacheco Marsh Public Access
This site has accessible parking spaces and speaker presentations will occur in an accessible location. Presentations will be followed by an optional site tour, the start of which will be on an accessible pathway. This site has accessible restrooms.
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