Coastal Conservancy Awards Over $48 Million for Coastal Access, Restoration, and Climate Resilience

Grants approved at Sept 5 meeting include funding for wildfire resilience, community-based wetland restoration, land acquisitions, and coastal access programming.

Fortuna, CA – The Board of the California State Coastal Conservancy approved grant funding for 22 projects, totaling over $48 million, to protect, restore, and improve public access along the state’s coast and coastal watersheds.

The projects approved at this week’s meeting include:

• $1,238,120 to Tamien Nation, a California Native American Tribe with ancestral homelands in the Santa Clara Valley, to equip a native fire crew to steward tribal territory, and implement prescribed fire and fuel reduction work at Henry W. Coe State Park in Santa Clara County.
• $6,600,000 to the San Diego Unified Port District for the construction of Harbor Park, a 25-acre park with a beach, boat launch, and other recreational amenities to expand, improve the resilience of, and replace amenities of Bayside Park on the Chula Vista Bayfront.
• A total of $994,197 to 13 nonprofit organizations and 1 Tribe for projects that facilitate and enhance the public’s opportunities to explore the California coast through the Conservancy’s Explore the Coast program. The programs will engage an estimated 6,100 people from across California, including 5,500 low-income Californians, 5,700 people of color, 1,000 youth who are homeless or in foster care, approximately 650 people for whom English is not their first language, and at least 1,900 people with physical, cognitive, and/or emotional disabilities.

“Coastal Conservancy funding is being put to work to protect and restore the California coast, and to make it more accessible and climate resilient.  The projects funded at this meeting, from wildfire resilience to wetland restoration to lower cost coastal accommodation, will help to address the many challenges that face our iconic coastline. We are proud of our nonprofit, tribal, and public agency partners and excited to see these projects being implemented.” said Amy Hutzel, Executive Officer of the State Coastal Conservancy.

The awarded projects are as follows:

Contra Costa County

• East Bay Regional Park District was awarded $700,000 to the to undertake theKeller Beach Access Improvements Project, consisting of constructing public access improvements and amenities at the Keller Beach portion of Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline.

Del Norte

• The City of Crescent City was awarded $835,000 to undertake the Lighthouse Cove Lower Cost Accommodations Projectwhich consists of adding up to three lower cost units which will accommodate up to 20 people and renovating the existing restrooms at the City of Crescent City’s Lighthouse Cove RV Park.

Humboldt County

• Save the Redwoods League was awarded $3,370,000 to construct public access improvements and visitor amenities for the ‘O Rew Redwoods Gateway and Restoration Project(formerly the Redwood National and State Park Visitor Center and Restoration Project), at the former Orick Mill A site.
• Community Initiatives was awarded $207,600 to undertake the Alderpoint Great Redwood Trail Planning Project, Phase 1, consisting of tribal and community engagement, resource studies and surveys, trash removal, vegetation management, and conceptual designs for tribal/local interpretive features along a 4.5-mile segment of the trail and potential trailhead.

Marin County

• Marin County Flood Control and Water Conservation District was awarded $2,213,270 to implement the Lower College of Marin Corte Madera Creek Habitat Restoration Project, which consists of partial removal of a section of concrete channel; restoration of 1.44 acres of tidal wetland, transition zone, and upland habitats; and enhancement of public access, in and along lower Corte Madera Creek in the unincorporated area of Kentfield.

Mendocino County

• The Noyo Center for Marine Science was awarded $498,000 to construct an approximately 1,500 square feet multi-purpose work facilityfor large-scale marine mammal exhibition displays, community education, and storage, and for use as a future marine research and blue economy projects workspace, located in Fort Bragg.
• The Noyo Harbor District was awarded $750,000 to the to undertake the Noyo Harbor Marina Redevelopment Planning Project which consists of conducting community engagement and a planning study; and preparing 60% designs, permit applications, and CEQA documents for the redevelopment of Noyo Harbor Marina.

• Save the Redwoods League was awarded $8,500,000 to repay private loans used to acquire the 3,187-acre DeVilbiss Ranch to facilitate transfer of ownership of the 4,566-acre Lost Coast Redwoods propertyin northern Mendocino County to the United States Bureau of Land Management.

Monterey County

• The California Marine Sanctuary Foundation was awarded $79,120 to augment the Conservancy grant authorized on June 1, 2023 for the Castroville To The Coast Acquisition And Planning project which provided funding to the to conduct pre-acquisition activities to acquire a conservation easement over 24 acres of agricultural land along Tembladero Slough, between Castroville and Salinas River State Beach.

San Diego County

• The San Diego Unified Port District was awarded $6,600,000 to undertake the San Diego Harbor Park Project, Phase 1A, consisting of the construction of Harbor Park, a 25-acre park with a beach, boat launch, and many other recreational amenities, to expand and replace Bayside Park on the Chula Vista Bayfront.
• The Maritime Museum Association of San Diego was awarded $3,457,000 to replace two mooring dolphins and augment an existing Conservancy grant to prepare design and engineering, environmental compliance documents, and permit applications for the Maritime Museum of San Diego entry building.

San Francisco Bay Area

• $1,500,000 was awarded for operation of the Bay Restoration Regulatory Integration Team (“BRRIT”)for a second period of five years. The BRRIT consists of an interagency team of dedicated staff working together to coordinate agency processing of permit applications to make the permit process more efficient.

Santa Clara County

• Tamien Nation was awarded $1,238,120 to undertake phase two of theTamien Nation Cultural Fire Stewardship Program, continuing to build capacity and equip a native fire crew to steward tribal territory, and implement prescribed fire and fuel reduction work at Henry W. Coe State Park.
• The Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency was awarded $1,500,000 to the to acquire approximately 1,218 acres of the 3,654-acreRichmond Ranch for the protection, restoration, and enhancement of open space, wildlife corridors, natural resources, viewsheds, and grazing lands; and for public access and California Native American tribal cultural uses.
• Ducks Unlimited, Inc. was awarded $8,000,000 to construct the South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Project Reaches 1-3 ecotonein Ponds A12 and A13 to restore tidal marsh and upland transition zone habitat adjacent to a flood risk management levee and public access trails in Alviso.

Santa Cruz County

• The County of Santa Cruz was awarded $865,000 to prepare technical and feasibility studies, plans, designs, environmental review documents, community and tribal engagement, and permit applications for a new cabin campground and associated amenities at Greyhound Rock County Park.

Solano County

• The County of Humboldt was awarded $20,000 to add Solano County to the existing projectof developing critical data layers for wildfire resilience planning concerning north coast counties of California.

Sonoma County

• The Endangered Habitats Conservancy was awarded $499,510 to prepare plans, 65% designs and permit application materials for the Russian River Floodplain Restoration Project, consisting of the habitat restoration of 358 acres of floodplain near the town of Windsor.

COMMUNITY WETLAND RESTORATION GRANT PROGRAM

Los Angeles County

• Friends of the Los Angeles River (FoLAR) was awarded $171,484 to restore or enhance 3 to 5 acres of natural habitats at the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve; research, select, and initiate restoration at 1-2 sites, totaling approximately 3 acres, along the Lower LA River corridor; and implement 2 river clean-up days at 6 to 11 sites per year along the Middle and Lower LA River.

• Trout Unlimited was awarded $150,000 to provide bi-lingual coastal wetland and upland pollinator habitat education and mentorship in local schools in Paramount and hands-on, community-led, restoration implementation events to plant drought tolerant native pollinator plants on 6 acres within Ralph C. Dills Park in Paramount.

Orange County

• The Newport Bay Conservancy was awarded $97,300 to restore 1.7 acres of degraded coastal sage scrub and wetland habitats in the Upper Newport Bay Ecological Preserve.

WILDFIRE RESILIENCE PROGRAM

Alameda and Contra Costa Counties

• East Bay Regional Park District was awarded $2,075,000 to conduct vegetation treatments to reduce fuels across an estimated 130 acres in Tilden Regional Park, Anthony Chabot Regional Park and Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline, develop an approximately 34-acre shaded fuel break along the southern border of Lake Chabot Regional Park, and purchase vegetation management equipment.

Marin County

• The Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy was awarded $4,000,000 to: (1) implement forest health and wildfire resiliency activities in Tomales Bay State Park, a priority project in the Marin Regional Forest Health Strategy; (2) implement wildfire resilience activities in Marin City; and (3) engage the FIRE Foundry workforce development program in either or both project components.

EXPLORE THE COAST PROGRAM

$994,197 to 13 nonprofit organizations and 1 Tribe for 14 projects that facilitate and enhance the public’s opportunities to explore the California coast.

• Black Surf Santa Cruz was awarded $66,700 to provide 660 individuals from historically excluded groups in the Central Coast and San Francisco Bay regions with transformative surfing experiences aimed at fostering belonging, mental well-being, and equitable access to ocean activities.
• DiverSeaFy was awarded $43,200 to provide 90 teenage graduates of SCUBA training from underserved communities in Southern California with the opportunity to explore the underwater ecosystem.
• Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians was awarded $100,000 to reconnect 250 tribal citizens from the Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians with their coastal heritage through immersive Family Camps, fostering environmental and cultural awareness while promoting indigenous food sovereignty practices.
• Greater Farallones Association was awarded $38,000 to provide 175 low-income students from Sonoma and Mendocino counties with the LiMPETS program, fostering scientific understanding of coastal ecosystems through immersive field trips and classroom sessions within the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary.
• Green Cities Fund (fiscal sponsor for Queer Surf) was awarded $100,000 to provide 535 participants from LGBTQ+ communities throughout California with surf meetups and camping trips along the coast to cultivate in-depth connections to the natural environment.
• Insight Garden Program was awarded $100,000 to provide 300 formerly incarcerated individuals and some of their family members from multiple regions of the state with enjoyable and healing day trips and camping trips along the coast.
• LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired was awarded to provide 120 blind or low vision youth and young adults from the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern California with accessible coastal recreational activities to gain knowledge about the environment and develop essential life skills and self-confidence.
• Martin Park Inc DBA Martin Park was awarded $27,200 to provide 35-50 youth (grades 3rd-12th) and 8-10 accompanying parents or guardians from Fresno with day trips to the Central Coast to explore the beach, relax, and develop connections with peers and their families.
• MeWater Foundation was awarded $52,740 to bring 1,940 San Francisco underserved youth to Bay Area beaches to gain lifelong knowledge and build confidence and connection to coastal environments through surfing, mindfulness practices, and marine ecosystem education.
• Orange County Adult Achievement Center DBA My Day Counts was awarded $23,257 to provide 47 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities who have limited mobility or are non-ambulatory with enjoyable and adaptive coastal exploration activities.
• Paddle for Peace was awarded $68,100 to provide up to 520 underserved youth from Southeast San Diego’s inner city with a mix of water recreational activities and hands-on environmental education experiences designed to provide a fun and healing environment, empower them with scientific knowledge, and foster long-lasting connections to the coast.
• Project Avary was awarded $75,000 to provide 1,190 youths of incarcerated parents with coastal hiking, camping, and adventuring trips designed to foster long-term healing and relationship with the coast.
• Semillas Sociedad Civil (fiscal sponsor for Anawakalmekak International University Preparatory of North America) was awarded $100,000 to provide 40- 45 high school students from East Los Angeles, who identify as Indigenous Migrant, with trips to Catalina Island to deepen their understanding of environmental stewardship and connect them to their ancestral coastlands.
• Social Good Fund (fiscal sponsor for Salted Roots)was awarded $100,000 to provide 595 youth and adults, primarily girls, women, and gender expansive people of color, with surfing lessons and mentorship through their Community Soul Surfer Program to develop leadership skills and build confidence.

Coastal Conservancy Public Meeting in Fortuna – September 5

Meeting Notice

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)

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 was updated 8/30/24 3:41 PM. An addendum has been added to Item 17.

AGENDA

Hybrid Meeting

DATE: September 05, 2024

TIME: 10:00 A.M

LOCATION: River Lodge Conference Center

1800 Riverwalk Drive, Fortuna, CA 95540

*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. To maximize public safety while maintaining transparency, 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. People attending in person will be required to adhere to the site’s health guidelines, which could include wearing masks, health screening, and social distancing.

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_dn3mNL39QUG0pI-PDgdj_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 June 06, 2024, public meeting.

3. CONSENT ITEMS

A. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse $499,510 to Endangered Habitats Conservancy to prepare plans, 65% designs and permit application materials for the Russian River Floodplain Restoration Project, consisting of the habitat restoration of 358 acres of floodplain near the town of Windsor, Sonoma County.

B.  and possible authorization to amend the Conservancy’s previously authorized grant to the Northwest California Resource Conservation and Development Council to change the project from the McKinney Creek Fish Passage Project, which involved removal of a fish passage barrier on McKinney Creek near Hamburg, Siskiyou County, to the Little Grass Valley Creek Fish Passage Project, which will remove a fish passage barrier on Little Grass Valley Creek near Lewiston, Trinity County.

C. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $79,120 to augment the Conservancy grant authorized on June 1, 2023, which provided funding to the California Marine Sanctuary Foundation to conduct pre-acquisition activities, coordinate with landowners and key stakeholders, acquire a conservation easement over 24 acres of agricultural land, and prepare conceptual designs for floodplain restoration and coastal access along Tembladero Slough, between Castroville and Salinas River State Beach in Monterey County.

D. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $1,238,120 to Tamien Nation to undertake phase two of the Tamien Nation Cultural Fire Stewardship Program, continuing to build capacity and equip a native fire crew to steward tribal territory, and implement prescribed fire and fuel reduction work at Henry W. Coe State Park in Santa Clara County.

E. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $8,000,000 to Ducks Unlimited, Inc. to construct the South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Project Reaches 1-3 ecotone in Ponds A12 and A13 to restore tidal marsh and upland transition zone habitat adjacent to a flood risk management levee and public access trails in Alviso, Santa Clara County.

F. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $498,000 to the Noyo Center for Marine Science to construct an approximately 1,500 square feet multi-purpose work facility for large-scale marine mammal exhibition displays, community education, and storage, and for use as a future marine research and blue economy projects workspace, located in Fort Bragg, Mendocino County.

G. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $1,500,000 for operation of the Bay Restoration Regulatory Integration Team (“BRRIT”) for a second period of five years, of which one million ($1,000,000) replaces the previously anticipated but now rejected grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that was authorized for disbursement on June 6, 2024.

H. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $3,370,000, comprising $2,870,000 in funds received by the Conservancy from the Wildlife Conservation Board and $500,000 of Conservancy funds, to Save the Redwoods League to augment the Conservancy grant authorized on March 24, 2022 of $794,000, and expansion of the project scope, to construct public access improvements and visitor amenities for the ‘O Rew Redwoods Gateway and Restoration Project (formerly the Redwood National and State Park Visitor Center and Restoration Project), at the former Orick Mill A site in Humboldt County.

I. Consideration and authorization to disburse up to $20,000 to the County of Humboldt to add Solano County to the existing project of developing critical data layers for wildfire resilience planning concerning north coast counties of California.

J. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $207,600 to Community Initiatives to undertake the Alderpoint Great Redwood Trail Planning Project, Phase 1, consisting of tribal and community engagement, resource studies and surveys, trash removal, vegetation management, and conceptual designs for tribal/local interpretive features along a 4.5-mile segment of the trail and potential trailhead area in unincorporated Humboldt County.

4. EXECUTIVE OFFICER REPORT

A. Annual Financial Report

B. Conservancy Meeting Schedule for 2025

C. Recognition of Deputy Executive Officer Mary Small upon her Retirement

NORTH COAST

5. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $8,500,000 to Save the Redwoods League to repay private loans used to acquire the 3,187-acre DeVilbiss Ranch to facilitate transfer of ownership of the 4,566-acre Lost Coast Redwoods property in northern Mendocino County to the United States Bureau of Land Management for the purposes of natural resource and water quality protection, restoration, and enhancement, open space preservation, California Native American tribal cultural resources protection, wildfire resilience and restoration forestry, and public access compatible with cultural and natural resource protection.

6. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $750,000 to the Noyo Harbor District to undertake the Noyo Harbor Marina Redevelopment Planning Project which consists of conducting community engagement and a planning study; and preparing 60% designs, permit applications, and CEQA documents for the redevelopment of Noyo Harbor Marina in Mendocino County.

7. Consideration and potential authorization to disburse up to $835,000 to the City of Crescent City to undertake the Lighthouse Cove Lower Cost Accommodations Project which consists of adding up to three lower cost units which will accommodate up to 20 people and renovating the existing restrooms at the City of Crescent City’s Lighthouse Cove RV Park in Del Norte County.

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

8. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $1,500,000 to the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency to acquire approximately 1,218 acres of the 3,654-acre Richmond Ranch for the protection, restoration, and enhancement of open space, wildlife corridors, natural resources, viewsheds, and grazing lands; and for public access and California Native American tribal cultural uses, in Santa Clara County.

9. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $700,000 to the East Bay Regional Park District to undertake the Keller Beach Access Improvements Project, consisting of constructing public access improvements and amenities at the Keller Beach portion of Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline, Contra Costa County; and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

10. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $2,213,270, including $555,000 of grant funds from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, to Marin County Flood Control and Water Conservation District to implement the Lower College of Marin Corte Madera Creek Habitat Restoration Project, which consists of partial removal of a section of concrete channel; restoration of 1.44 acres of tidal wetland, transition zone, and upland habitats; and enhancement of public access, in and along lower Corte Madera Creek in the unincorporated area of Kentfield in Marin County; and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

CENTRAL COAST

11. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $865,000 to the County of Santa Cruz to prepare technical and feasibility studies, plans, designs, environmental review documents, community and tribal engagement, and permit applications for a new cabin campground and associated amenities at Greyhound Rock County Park in Santa Cruz County. [Lexi Caruthers]

SOUTH COAST

12. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $6,600,000 to the San Diego Unified Port District to undertake the San Diego Harbor Park Project, Phase 1A, consisting of the construction of Harbor Park, a 25-acre park with a beach, boat launch, and many other recreational amenities, to expand and replace Bayside Park on the Chula Vista Bayfront in San Diego County; and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

13. Consideration and authorization to disburse up to $3,457,000 to the Maritime Museum Association of San Diego to replace two mooring dolphins and augment an existing Conservancy grant to prepare design and engineering, environmental compliance documents, and permit applications for the Maritime Museum of San Diego entry building in San Diego County.

14. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $418,784 to 3 non-profit organizations for three community-based wetland and stream restoration projects on approximately 14 acres in Los Angeles and Orange Counties.

WILDFIRE RESILIENCE PROGRAM

15. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $2,075,000 to East Bay Regional Park District to conduct vegetation treatments to reduce fuels across an estimated 130 acres in Tilden Regional Park, Anthony Chabot Regional Park and Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline, develop an approximately 34-acre shaded fuel break along the southern border of Lake Chabot Regional Park, and purchase vegetation management equipment; and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

16. Consideration and authorization to disburse up to $4,000,000 to Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy to: (1) implement forest health and wildfire resiliency activities in Tomales Bay State Park, a priority project in the Marin Regional Forest Health Strategy; (2) implement wildfire resilience activities in Marin City; and (3) engage the FIRE Foundry workforce development program in either or both project components; and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

STATEWIDE

17. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $994,197 to 13 nonprofit organizations and 1 Tribe for 14 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 Del Norte County south to San Diego County.

• Addendum: Explore the Coast Program

 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.

18. CONSERVANCY MEMBER COMMENTS

19. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS

Addendum: Public Comments

Addendum: Public Comments

20. 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 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).

C. 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).

21. ADJOURNMENT

CONSERVANCY TOUR INFORMATION:

On Wednesday, September 4, 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 4:30 PM.

2:30 PM – Meet at the ‘O Rew Redwoods Gateway and Restoration Project

545 Bald Hills Road, Orick, CA

Latitude: 41.305949 | Longitude: -124.042691

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

Job Posting: South Coast Deputy Program Manager

• Directly supervise up to three Project Development Analysts,
• Work closely with the Regional Manager to make decisions about staff workloads, training needs, and budget decisions,
• Take a leading role in training new staff,
• Provide direction and guidance to staff regarding ongoing assignments and daily work activities,
• Review Conservancy Board staff recommendations,
• Ensure Conservancy processes are understood, and deadlines are met,
• Approve grant project scopes, budgets, and invoices,
• Approve travel requests, travel expense claims, and all other forms as needed,
• Conduct annual performance appraisals and completes probationary reports,
• Assist Regional Manager with program direction and funding decisions,
• Participate in Conservancy Management Team,
• As assigned, take the lead on ensuring agency-wide or program-specific policies and initiatives are met within the workgroup. Represent the Conservancy and South Coast in public settings, meetings, and with other agencies and organizations,
• Directly manage complex projects in the South Coast region to protect, restore, or enhance coastal and watershed resources; to facilitate public access and education related to these resources; or to further any other purposes consistent with the Conservancy’s enabling legislation, and
• May act in the absence of the Regional Manager in other supervisory duties.

You will find additional information about the job in the Duty Statement.

More information and applications materials can be found on the CalCareers page here.

Final filing date August 13, 2024.

Steps to apply:

1. If you’re new to the state application process, please visit 3 Steps to a State Job to learn more about the process.
2. Create a CalCareers Account
3. Visit the job announcement at:
   • JC-442353  – South Coast Deputy Program Manager
     
4. Review the Duty Statement (download).
5. On the Job Control Listing, click Apply Now to launch the CA STD 678, which is the State of California’s official State Application for job vacancies.
6. If any, answer questions/prompts on the CA STD 678 and upload all required documents before submitting the application:
   1. State Application STD 678 – make sure to fill out all sections (resume will not be reviewed/considered)
   2. If you’re new to the state application process, please visit 3 Steps to a State Job to learn more about the process.
   3. A Statement of Qualifications (SOQ)
7. Verify that the CA STD 678 and other required documents have been “Submitted” in your CalCareer account.
8. Individuals who are new to state service must have list eligibility in order to gain employment with any state agency. To obtain eligibility for the Staff Service Analyst (SSA) position please see the “Special Requirements and Additional Information” sections to take the exam/obtain eligibility.

Other resources for applying for a job with the State:

Department of General Services: How to Apply for a State Job

CalPERS: How to Apply for a State Job

CalCareers: Help

State of CA Civil Service Pay Scale

Job Posting: Deputy Executive Officer C. E. A.

Press Release: State, Regional Agencies Join Forces to Prepare Bay Area for Sea Level Rise, Increased Flooding

Memorandum Marks Commitment to Coordinated Efforts

SAN FRANCISCO, July 22, 2024… Seven regional and state public agencies have executed a new memorandum of understanding committing each agency to a joint work program to address increased threats of flooding and sea level rise in the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area region.

The agencies participating in the agreement signed last Friday include the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG); the Bay Area Air Quality Management District; the California State Coastal Conservancy; Caltrans District 4; the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC); the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board; and the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC). The partners’ amplified coordination will be guided by the inter-agency Bay Area Regional Collaborative (BARC). The memorandum is intended to align the partners’ efforts, expertise and core functions to deliver priority, multi-benefit projects to reduce flooding risks in vulnerable communities along the San Francisco Bay shoreline.

“The scale of the Bay Area’s need for projects to adequately adapt to the threats of flooding and sea level rise is vastly greater than the resources available,” explained BARC Chair Jesse Arreguin, who also serves as mayor of Berkeley and as vice president of the ABAG Executive Board. “By working together with a shared purpose, the Bay Area will be in a better position to compete with other metro areas for the limited dollars that are available.”

Through coordinating their respective roles and authorities, the partner agencies aim to:

• Speed implementation of adaptation projects to better prepare communities, businesses, infrastructure, and the environment for the expected impact of flooding and sea level rise.
• Increase the Bay Area’s ability to compete for state and federal grants.
• Help cities, counties and special districts plan and fund climate adaptation projects.
• Build consensus on project priorities through a strategic, data-driven and equitable approach that incorporates local sea level rise adaptation plans.
• Support multi-jurisdiction partnerships to advance multi-benefit projects at scale.
• Create a cooperative environment in which various agencies and municipalities support each other’s goals and support each other’s climate adaptation projects.

“We need unprecedented coordination to prioritize flood risk management projects in the places that need them most,” said ABAG Executive Board President and Napa County Supervisor Belia Ramos. “We must accelerate our pace and plan at a scale commensurate with the threat. This MOU is an important step in documenting how the seven agencies will coordinate in support of the cities, counties, special districts, community-based organizations, and private interests that all have critical roles to play in implementing effective projects.”

“There is a funding gap of at least $110B in green, grey and hybrid solutions to adapt the Bay Area to mid-century sea level rise projections,” noted BCDC Chair Zack Wasserman. “This MOU establishes a structure and process to support coordinated planning, project prioritization, and project delivery to reduce inter-agency and inter-jurisdiction competition for funding.”

California State Coastal Conservancy Executive Officer Amy Hutzel noted that, “Some of the Bay Area region’s most flood-prone areas include under-served communities that lack the resources to plan and build specific flood risk management projects on their own. I’m excited to work with my partner agencies in this coordinated effort to ensure vulnerable communities can implement adaptation projects that make them safer and more resilient to the growing threats of sea level rise, while preserving and enhancing the Bay’s natural resources.”

BARC was created by the state Legislature in 2004 to foster the coordination of the Bay Area’s regional agencies on issues of regional significance. More information may be found on the BARC website.

San Francisco Bay Area Water Trail Implementation Meeting #42 – June 21, 2024, 10am – 12pm

AGENDA
June 21 , 2024
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
VIRTUAL  MEETING

Zoom Meeting Information:

Please join us on Zoom at this link:
https://scc-ca-gov.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEtcumrqTMrHdeYKO2888Cqs7e8id82p4VD 

Desired Outcomes of Meeting:

• Attendees are informed of Water Trail-related activities, progress, and accomplishments
• Attendees are informed about a new water access audio tour from guest speaker
• Attendees are informed of upcoming signage update effort and provide feedback

Zoom Instructions:

Please register in advance for this meeting at the Zoom link above. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting, including call-in information.

Agenda items may be taken out of sequence at the discretion of the Project Management Team; times are approximate.

Questions regarding this meeting may be addressed to Shalini Kannan, Coastal Conservancy Project Manager, at (510) 286-4167, or shalini.kannan@scc.ca.gov.

Coastal Conservancy Awards Grants for Climate Resilience, Public Access, and Habitat Restoration

6/7/2024 – Yesterday, the Board of the State Coastal Conservancy authorized grants for climate resilience, public coastal access, and habitat restoration along the California coast and San Francisco Bay.

The grants awarded were:

NORTH COAST

1. A grant of up to $100,000 to the Yurok Tribe to undertake the Prairie Creek at Elk Meadow Cabins Habitat Enhancement Project, consisting of removing invasive plants and installing large wood features in an approximately 3,000-foot reach of lower Prairie Creek in Humboldt County.
2. A grant of up to $130,000 to the County of Del Norte to augment the Conservancy’s previously authorized grant of $96,000 to assess the feasibility of expanding camping opportunities and to develop a park improvement plan for Clifford Kamph Memorial Park, the northern gateway to the California Coastal Trail, in Del Norte County; and authorization to expand the project scope to include preparation of designs, engineering, and environmental analysis of improvements identified in the park improvement plan.
3. A grant of up to $500,000 to the Town of Fairfax to acquire the approximately 100-acre Wall Property in Marin County for the protection, restoration, and enhancement of natural resources, wildlife habitat, open space, California Native American tribal cultural resources, and compatible public access.
4. A grant of up to $650,000 to the Elk Valley Rancheria to prepare the South Beach Sea Level Rise and Connectivity Feasibility Study, which will develop and evaluate alternatives for how best to prevent future flooding of a vulnerable section of Highway 101 adjacent to Crescent City, while improving public access to South Beach and protecting the Crescent City Marsh in Del Norte County.
5. A grant of up to $999,335, of which $792,575 are funds received from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, to the Tomales Bay Watershed Council Foundation to implement the Chicken Ranch Beach Wetland Enhancement Project, consisting of restoring approximately one acre of tidal wetlands to enhance water quality and improve wildlife habitat at Chicken Ranch Beach on Tomales Bay, near Inverness, Marin County.

 CENTRAL COAST

6. A grant of up to $160,000 to the Santa Cruz Hostel Society to augment the Conservancy funding previously authorized on September 22, 2022 to plan and implement renovations to the Santa Cruz Hostel in the City of Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County.
7. A grant of up to $278,300 to The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County to undertake the San Luis Obispo Land Conservancy Wildfire Resilience Project, consisting of purchasing equipment for annual wildfire fuel reduction and road maintenance work within three preserves in San Luis Obispo County.
8. A grant of up to $800,000 to the City of Marina to prepare plans, environmental review documents, and permit applications for improvements to a California Coastal Trail trailhead and coastal access point at Fort Ord Dunes State Park, Monterey County.

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

9. A grant of up to $3,400,000 of grant funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and up to $1,000,000 of grant funds from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for operation of the Bay Restoration Regulatory Integration Team for a second five-year period.  The funds may be disbursed to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, and San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board.

SOUTH COAST

10. A grant of up to $1,643,344 to the City of Oceanside to undertake the Loma Alta Slough Wetland Enhancement Project, consisting of the enhancement of 5.8 acres of coastal wetlands in the City of Oceanside in San Diego County; and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

The Board also approved a Sea Level Rise Memorandum of Understanding for San Francisco Bay.

Coastal Conservancy Public Meeting in Sacramento – June 6

Meeting Notice

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)

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

Agenda update 6/4/2024. Item 3E Exhibit 3, additional letters of support were added.

Hybrid Meeting

DATE: June 06, 2024

TIME: 10:00 A.M

LOCATION:   California Natural Resource Agency, Room 2-302 A-B

715 P Street., Sacramento CA 95814

*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. To maximize public safety while maintaining transparency, 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. People attending in person will be required to adhere to the site’s health guidelines, which could include wearing masks, health screening, and social distancing.

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_0YlrtptjQaOGcXinw8VbFg

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

Vote on Remote Participation (as needed)

2. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES of the Conservancy’s April 18, 2024 public meeting.

3. CONSENT ITEMS

A. Consideration and potential to disburse up to $160,000 to the Santa Cruz Hostel Society to augment the Conservancy funding previously authorized on September 22, 2022 to plan and implement renovations to the Santa Cruz Hostel in the City of Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County.

B. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $278,300 to The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County to undertake the San Luis Obispo Land Conservancy Wildfire Resilience Project, consisting of purchasing equipment for annual wildfire fuel reduction and road maintenance work within three preserves in San Luis Obispo County.

C. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $100,000 to the Yurok Tribe to undertake the Prairie Creek at Elk Meadow Cabins Habitat Enhancement Project, consisting of removing invasive plants and installing large wood features in an approximately 3,000-foot reach of lower Prairie Creek in Humboldt County.

D. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $130,000 to the County of Del Norte to augment the Conservancy’s previously authorized grant of $96,000 to assess the feasibility of expanding camping opportunities and to develop a park improvement plan for Clifford Kamph Memorial Park, the northern gateway to the California Coastal Trail, in Del Norte County; and authorization to expand the project scope to include preparation of designs, engineering, and environmental analysis of improvements identified in the park improvement plan.

E. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $500,000 to the Town of Fairfax to acquire the approximately 100-acre Wall Property in Marin County for the protection, restoration, and enhancement of natural resources, wildlife habitat, open space, California Native American tribal cultural resources, and compatible public access.

• Addendum: Letters of Support

4. EXECUTIVE OFFICER REPORT

A. Progress Report on Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion work at the Conservancy

B. Presentations on Sea Level Rise in California

C. Sea Level Rise Memorandum of Understanding for San Francisco Bay

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

5. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $3,400,000 of grant funds from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and up to $1,000,000 of grant funds from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for operation of the Bay Restoration Regulatory Integration Team for a second five-year period.  The funds may be disbursed to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Marine Fisheries Service, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission, and San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board.

SOUTH COAST

6. Consideration and authorization to disburse up to $1,643,344 to the City of Oceanside to undertake the Loma Alta Slough Wetland Enhancement Project, consisting of the enhancement of 5.8 acres of coastal wetlands in the City of Oceanside in San Diego County; and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

CENTRAL COAST

7. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $800,000 to the City of Marina to prepare plans, environmental review documents, and permit applications for improvements to a California Coastal Trail trailhead and coastal access point at Fort Ord Dunes State Park, Monterey County.

NORTH COAST

8. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $650,000 to the Elk Valley Rancheria to prepare the South Beach Sea Level Rise and Connectivity Feasibility Study, which will develop and evaluate alternatives for how best to prevent future flooding of a vulnerable section of Highway 101 adjacent to Crescent City, while improving public access to South Beach and protecting the Crescent City Marsh in Del Norte County

9. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $999,335, of which $792,575 are funds received from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, to the Tomales Bay Watershed Council Foundation to implement the Chicken Ranch Beach Wetland Enhancement Project, consisting of restoring approximately one acre of tidal wetlands to enhance water quality and improve wildlife habitat at Chicken Ranch Beach on Tomales Bay, near Inverness, Marin 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.

10. CONSERVANCY MEMBER COMMENTS

11. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON NON-AGENDA ITEMS

12. 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 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).

C. 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).

13. ADJOURNMENT

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

Press Release: Coastal Conservancy Awards over $40 million for coastal access, restoration, and climate resilience

Oakland, CA (4/18/2024) – Today, the Board of the State Coastal Conservancy approved grants totaling over $40 million for coastal access, restoration, and climate resilience.

Among the grants awarded today are:

• A grant of up to $6,000,000 to Humboldt County Resource Conservation District to undertake the North Coast Wildfire Resilience Planning and Implementation Grant Program, which will provide grants to public entities and nonprofit organizations for planning, community outreach, environmental review, permitting, and implementation of projects that will increase wildfire resilience
• A grant of up to $3,000,000 to the East Bay Regional Park District to undertake the Tidewater Day Use Area Expansion Project to expand the Tidewater Day Use Area of Martin Luther King, Jr. Regional Shoreline in Oakland, Alameda County.
• A grant of up to $6,000,000 to the Big Sur Land Trust to undertake the Carr Lake Restoration and Park Construction Project Phase 2, which will restore 66 acres of wetland and upland habitat and construction of public access improvements at Carr Lake in Salinas, Monterey County.

The full list of grants can be found below.

Humboldt County

1. A grant of up to $24,000 to augment an existing grant to Friends of the Dunesto continue interim management of the 356-acre Samoa Dunes and Wetlands Complex on the North Spit of Humboldt Bay in Humboldt County.
2. A grant of up to $6,000,000 to Humboldt County Resource Conservation District to undertake the North Coast Wildfire Resilience Planning and Implementation Grant Program, which will provide grants to public entities and nonprofit organizations for planning, community outreach, environmental review, permitting, and implementation of projects that will increase wildfire resilience through improved management of natural lands and open space, increased collaboration among land managers, and capacity building in northern California’s coastal and coastal watershed counties.

Del Norte, Siskiyou, Modoc, Humboldt, Trinity, Mendocino, Lake, Napa, Sonoma, San Benito, Monterey, and San Luis Obispo Counties

3. A grant of up to $1,089,749 to the County of Humboldt and the Coastal San Luis Resource Conservation Districtfor two mapping projects that will develop critical data layers for north and central coast wildfire resilience planning.

Mendocino County

4. A grant of up to $1,811,600 to The Nature Conservancy to undertake the South Fork Ten Mile River Habitat Enhancement Project, consisting of restoration and enhancement of instream and floodplain salmonid habitat at four sites totaling four acres along the South Fork Ten Mile River in Mendocino County.

Marin County

5. A grant of up to $2,500,000 to Point Reyes Bird Observatory to augment the Conservancy grant of $2,150,000 to provide an additional two years of stewarding approximately 177 acres of restored wetlands through engaging the local community to maintain and enhance the wetlands and implementing minor property improvements by repairing and maintaining public access amenities in the Novato Baylandsin Marin County.

Sonoma County

6. A grant of up to $435,000 to the Friends of the Petaluma River to conduct preliminary planning, including community engagement, baseline assessments and feasibility studies, and draft conceptual design for a segment of the proposed urban greenway known as the Petaluma River Greenwayin the City of Petaluma, Sonoma County.

San Francisco Bay Area

7. A grant of up to $311,900 to Point Reyes Bird Observatory to undertake the San Francisco Bay State of theBirds Dynamic Report Project, which consists of developing a website that provides updated analyses of bird species populations that serve as indicators of San Francisco Bay habitat quality.

Alameda County

8. A grant of up to $3,000,000 to the East Bay Regional Park District to undertake the Tidewater Day Use Area Expansion Project, consisting of constructing public access amenities and park features on eight acres of former industrial land to expand the Tidewater Day Use Area of Martin Luther King, Jr. Regional Shoreline in Oakland, Alameda County.

Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties

9. A grant of 1) up to $2,200,000 to Ducks Unlimited to restore tidal marsh and enhance managed ponds; 2) up to $410,000 to the California Wildlife Foundation to implement monitoring and project outreach; 3) up to $150,000 to the Aquatic Science Center to manage the lead scientist and website; and 4) up to $240,000 for executive project management as part of Phase 2 of the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Projectin Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties.

Santa Clara County

10. A grant of up to $1,683,000 to the California Rangeland Trust to acquire a conservation easement over approximately 1,402-acres of Stonier Ranchfor the protection of open space, wildlife corridors, viewsheds, natural resources, and grazing lands, in Santa Clara County.
11. Funding to support implementation of the South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Projectin the community of Alviso, City of San José, Santa Clara County by: 1) disbursing up to $2,571,700 to San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory for revegetation and three years of maintenance on 17 acres of the Reaches 1-3 levee; and 2) disbursing up to $7,428,300 to Santa Clara Valley Water District for Reaches 4-5 levee construction.

Santa Cruz County

12. A grant of up to $650,000 to the County of Santa Cruz to undertake the Santa Cruz Coastal Lagoons & East Cliff Drive Resiliency Studyconsisting of a technical feasibility study of nature-based adaptation strategies to increase resilience to sea level rise for the three coastal lagoons (Schwan Lagoon, Corcoran Lagoon, and Moran Lagoon) along East Cliff Drive in central Santa Cruz County.

Monterey County

13. A grant of up to $6,000,000 to the Big Sur Land Trust to undertake the Carr Lake Restoration and Park Construction Project Phase 2, consisting of restoration of 66 acres of wetland and upland habitat and construction of public access improvements at Carr Lake in Monterey County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

Santa Barbara County

14. A grant of up to $425,000 to augment the Conservancy funding previously authorized on May 5, 2022 and September 14, 2023, for the purpose of contracting for services to prepare environmental review documents, a cultural and tribal resource survey, and a property appraisal for the Hollister Ranch Coastal Access Program, in Santa Barbara County.
15. A grant of up to $1,620,000 to the City of Carpinteria to undertake the Carpinteria Living Shoreline Planning project, consisting of community engagement and preparation of plans, designs, technical analyses, and environmental review documents for a living shoreline solution along Carpinteria City Beach to mitigate the impacts of sea level rise and climate change-driven coastal hazards in Carpinteria, Santa Barbara County.
16. A grant of up to $1,200,000 to the County of Santa Barbara Flood Control District to develop the Santa Barbara County Sediment Management Program for southern Santa Barbara County, which consists of a program for redirecting ongoing sediment management to support beach-enhancement, living shoreline, and other sea level rise adaptation projects; including conducting community and tribal engagement and technical and feasibility studies to inform the Program; and preparing environmental review documents and permit applications for the Program, in southern Santa Barbara County.
17. A grant of up to $950,000 to Resilient Cities Catalyst to prepare the Goleta Slough Area Coastal Resilience Adaptation Plan, consisting of a plan for priority nature-based sea level rise adaptation projects for the Goleta Slough area to enhance ecological and community coastal resilience in Santa Barbara County, including conducting community engagement, capacity building, and technical studies to inform the Plan.

Santa Ana County

18. A grant of up to $150,000 to TreePeople and the Inland Empire Waterkeeper for each of their Explore the River 2024 projectsthat facilitate and enhance the public’s opportunities to explore the Santa Ana River.

Coastal Conservancy Public Meeting in Oakland – April 18

Meeting Notice

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)
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

Agenda updated 4/5/2024 8:50 AM, Item 15 has been postponed.
Hybrid Meeting
DATE: April 18, 2024
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. To maximize public safety while maintaining transparency, 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. People attending in person will be required to adhere to the site’s health guidelines, which could include wearing masks, health screening, and social distancing.
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_gV2ml0DqTFKpSxBxtFDKtQ

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 February 15, 2024 public meeting.

3. CONSENT ITEMS

A. Consideration and potential authorization to disburse up to $2,500,000 to Point Reyes Bird Observatory to augment the Conservancy grant of $2,150,000 to provide an additional two years of stewarding approximately 177 acres of restored wetlands through engaging the local community to maintain and enhance the wetlands and implementing minor property improvements by repairing and maintaining public access amenities in the Novato Baylands in Marin County.

B. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $425,000 to augment the Conservancy funding previously authorized on May 5, 2022 and September 14, 2023, for the purpose of contracting for services to prepare environmental review documents, a cultural and tribal resource survey, and a property appraisal for the Hollister Ranch Coastal Access Program, in Santa Barbara County.

C. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $150,000 to TreePeople and the Inland Empire Waterkeeper for each of their Explore the River 2024 projects that facilitate and enhance the public’s opportunities to explore the Santa Ana River.

D. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $24,000 to augment an existing grant to Friends of the Dunes to continue interim management of the 356-acre Samoa Dunes and Wetlands Complex on the North Spit of Humboldt Bay in Humboldt County.

E. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $435,000 to the Friends of the Petaluma River to conduct preliminary planning, including community engagement, baseline assessments and feasibility studies, and draft conceptual design for a segment of the proposed urban greenway known as the Petaluma River Greenway in the City of Petaluma, Sonoma County.

F. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $311,900 to Point Reyes Bird Observatory to undertake the San Francisco Bay State of the Birds Dynamic Report Project, which consists of developing a website that provides updated analyses of bird species populations that serve as indicators of San Francisco Bay habitat quality.

4. EXECUTIVE OFFICER REPORT

A. Tribute to Julia Elkin, former Project Manager at the Coastal Conservancy

B. Strategic Plan Progress Report

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA

5. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $3,000,000 to the East Bay Regional Park District to undertake the Tidewater Day Use Area Expansion Project, consisting of constructing public access amenities and park features on eight acres of former industrial land to expand the Tidewater Day Use Area of Martin Luther King, Jr. Regional Shoreline in Oakland, Alameda County.

6. Consideration and possible authorization to support implementation of the South San Francisco Bay Shoreline Project in the community of Alviso, City of San José, Santa Clara County by: 1) disbursing up to $2,571,700 to San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory for revegetation and three years of maintenance on 17 acres of the Reaches 1-3 levee; and 2) disbursing up to $7,428,300 to Santa Clara Valley Water District for Reaches 4-5 levee construction.

7. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse 1) up to $2,200,000 to Ducks Unlimited to restore tidal marsh and enhance managed ponds; 2) up to $410,000 to the California Wildlife Foundation to implement monitoring and project outreach; 3) up to $150,000 to the Aquatic Science Center to manage the lead scientist and website; and 4) up to $240,000 for executive project management as part of Phase 2 of the South Bay Salt Pond Restoration Project in Alameda, San Mateo, and Santa Clara Counties.

8. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $1,683,000 to the California Rangeland Trust to acquire a conservation easement over approximately 1,402-acres of Stonier Ranch for the protection of open space, wildlife corridors, viewsheds, natural resources, and grazing lands, in Santa Clara County.

CENTRAL COAST

9. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $6,000,000 to the Big Sur Land Trust to undertake the Carr Lake Restoration and Park Construction Project Phase 2, consisting of restoration of 66 acres of wetland and upland habitat and construction of public access improvements at Carr Lake in Monterey County, and adoption of findings under the California Environmental Quality Act.

10. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $650,000 to the County of Santa Cruz to undertake the Santa Cruz Coastal Lagoons & East Cliff Drive Resiliency Study consisting of a technical feasibility study of nature-based adaptation strategies to increase resilience to sea level rise for the three coastal lagoons (Schwan Lagoon, Corcoran Lagoon, and Moran Lagoon) along East Cliff Drive in central Santa Cruz County.

11. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $1,620,000 to the City of Carpinteria to undertake the Carpinteria Living Shoreline Planning project, consisting of community engagement and preparation of plans, designs, technical analyses, and environmental review documents for a living shoreline solution along Carpinteria City Beach to mitigate the impacts of sea level rise and climate change-driven coastal hazards in Carpinteria, Santa Barbara County.

12. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $1,200,000 to the County of Santa Barbara Flood Control District to develop the Santa Barbara County Sediment Management Program for southern Santa Barbara County, which consists of a program for redirecting ongoing sediment management to support beach-enhancement, living shoreline, and other sea level rise adaptation projects; including conducting community and tribal engagement and technical and feasibility studies to inform the Program; and preparing environmental review documents and permit applications for the Program, in southern Santa Barbara County.

13. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $950,000 to Resilient Cities Catalyst to prepare the Goleta Slough Area Coastal Resilience Adaptation Plan, consisting of a plan for priority nature-based sea level rise adaptation projects for the Goleta Slough area to enhance ecological and community coastal resilience in Santa Barbara County, including conducting community engagement, capacity building, and technical studies to inform the Plan.

NORTH COAST

14. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $1,811,600 to The Nature Conservancy to undertake the South Fork Ten Mile River Habitat Enhancement Project, consisting of restoration and enhancement of instream and floodplain salmonid habitat at four sites totaling four acres along the South Fork Ten Mile River in Mendocino County.

WILDFIRE RESILENCE

15. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $1,970,000 to Sonoma County Regional Parks to initiate a Tribal Workforce Fellowship Program, which includes classroom and hands-on training of three cohorts of participants to conduct on-the-ground wildfire resilience activities on tribal and regional park lands in Sonoma County. [POSTPONED]

16. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $6,000,000 to Humboldt County Resource Conservation District to undertake the North Coast Wildfire Resilience Planning and Implementation Grant Program, which will provide grants to public entities and nonprofit organizations for planning, community outreach, environmental review, permitting, and implementation of projects that will increase wildfire resilience through improved management of natural lands and open space, increased collaboration among land managers, and capacity building in northern California’s coastal and coastal watershed counties.

17. Consideration and possible authorization to disburse up to $1,089,749 to the County of Humboldt and the Coastal San Luis Resource Conservation District for two mapping projects that will develop critical data layers for north and central coast wildfire resilience planning.

18. CONSERVANCY MEMBER COMMENTS

19. 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.

20. 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).

21. ADJOURNMENT

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