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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 5.1 PriorityConsrvtionAreasABAG CITY CLERK File # D[1]~~-[!]~ AGENDA STATEMENT CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: November 20,2007 SUBJECT: Correspondence from ABAG regarding Priority Conservation Areas Report by Diane Iowart, Parks & Community Services Director ATTACHMENTS: 1. Correspondence from ABAG RECOMMENDATION:/') f\ /Direct Staff to notify ABAG of the City's support for the nomination (1t,. \lAAY FINANCIAL STATEMENT: None DESCRIPTION: Correspondence has been received from the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) informing the City that an area within the City of Dublin has been nominated as a Priority Conservation Area (PCA) for the FOCUS regional planning program (Attachment 1). The nomination was not made by the City but was made by the East Bay Regional Park District for its Regional Trails System Gaps project. Areas within the City of Dublin that are included as part of the nomination are trail connections along the Tassajara Creek Trail, the Alamo Canal Trail and the Calaveras Ridge Trail which is part of the Dublin Hills Open Space. FOCUS, short for Focusing Our Vision, is a regional incentive-based development and conservation strategy for the Bay Area. FOCUS is led by ABAG and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), with the support of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAA WMD) and the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC). As part of FOCUS, jurisdictions, open space agencies, land trusts, and other land/resource groups nominated areas to be designated as Priority Conservation Areas for the region. The purpose of designating PCAs through the FOCUS Program is to accelerate protection over the near-term of key natural lands in the San Francisco Bay Area through negotiated purchases or easements with willing sellers. FOCUS staff will perform an initial assessment on the areas and create draft recommendations for the PCA Review Team. Once local jurisdictions and the Review Team have provided comments upon the ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- COPY TO: ABAG/EBRPD Page 1 of2 ITEM NO. s: I G:\COUNCIL\Agenda Statements\2007\11-20 peA-doc nominated PCAs, FOCUS staff will finalize recommendations which will be presented to the ABAG Executive Board for adoption in early 2008. ABAG is seeking comments from the City of Dublin regarding the nominated area. As all three of the trails are identified as future trails/bikeways in the City's Bikeways Master Plan and the Trails Plan included in the Parks and Recreation Master Plan, Staff recommends City support ofthe nomination. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the City Council direct Staff to notify ABAG of the City's support for the nomination. Page 2 of2 '<Vi ~ ASSOCIATION OF BAY AREA GOVERNMENTS ," ~', "I Hcprf",entinq City and c.ounty C;ovemnll'[I!\ of the San hiJllCII( 0 l3ay Art'" c November 1, 2007 Jeri Ram Community Development Director City of Dublin 100 Civic Plaza Dublin, CA 94568 '7'- ;, -, ~ '! '.' ~ "'.' \ IV n IOlll \ l ,: ~'~ " t . . ~~ ~-,.. -" Dear leri, I would like to inform you that an area within the City of Dublin has been nominated as a Priority Conservation Area (PCA) for the FOCUS regional planning program. The 'putpose'ofthis letter is to inform you of the PCA designation process and provide your jurisdiction with an opportunity to comment on the nomination. Local government support is the keystone of a successful regional planning program. As you are aware, FOCUS, short for Focusing Our Vision, is a regional incentive~based development and conservation strategy for the Bay Area. FOCUS is led by the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), with the support of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) and the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC). As part of FOCUS, jurisdictions, open space agencies, land trusts, and other land/resource groups nominated areas to be designated as Priority Conservation Areas for the region. The purpose of designating peAs through the FOCUS Program is to accelerate protection over the near-tetm of key natural lands in the San Francisco Bay Area through negotiated purchases or easements with willing se]]ers. Regional designation promotes conservation by: . Coordinating conservation efforts within a regional framework of near-term priorities . Providing a strong platform on which to leverage public and private resources for the Bay Area · Building upon prior and existing land protection efforts and investments · Providing opportunities for forging new partnerships One example of how these near-term conservation opportunities will help inform the spending of conservation dollars in the San Francisco Bay Area is the distribution of Proposition 84 funds. The State Coastal Conservancy's San Francisco Bay Area Program wi]] be spendin:g $108 million from Proposition 84 over the next 4-5 years. FOCUS peAs will inform the Conservancy, other public agencies, and private organizations of near-term (1-5 year) land conservation opportunities (acquisition or conservation easement) in the region. The PCA nomination deadline was August 17,2007. In the City of Dublin, the following area was nominated: Area Description Nominating Group Regional Trails System Gaps * See attached map East Bay Regional Park District * The East flay Regional Parks District peA nominations are still being refined and these areas may not be part of their final application. They are incb~dedfor full disclosure and jurisdictions will be notified once final nominations are determined by Park District staff Mailing Address f'.O. Box 2050 Oakland, California 94604.20)0 (510) 464-7900 Fax (510) 4M-7985 Location Joseph P Bort Melro(enCH 101 rl\]hth Street Oakland, California 94607-4756 info@abagCagov-=u.PM if S., I q''I>7 ATrACI-IMENT 1 CJ. of (; Page 2 PCA nominations in Dublin November I, 20Q7 '! "'I .. , ft.~~ommerided peA; must'de)l1onstrate three criteria: regional significance, level of consensus (including political,w.iU and cemmunity support), and urgency for protection, FOCUS staff will perform an initial assessment on the areas and create draft recommendations to be discussed in December by the PCA Review Team. The Review Team will encompass geographic representation of land conservation professionals and representatives from regional economic development and housing interests. Once local jurisdictions and the Review Team have provided comments upon the nominated PCAs, staff will finalize recommendations. The final recommendations will be presented to the ABAG Executive Board for adoption in early 2008. In order to properly inform our recommendations, staff welcomes comments from your jurisdiction regarding the nominated area, particularly as they relate to the nomination criteria for level of consensus. For instance, in the case of a local jurisdiction, consensus for protection ofland in a nominated peA would be demonstrated if designation of this area as a PCA would support the local government's adopted general plan. Staffhas thus far made the following determination on the consensus criteria for the nominated area in your jurisdiction: Area Consensus Regional Trails System Gaps Need more information If your jurisdiction does not agree with this initial assessment, please submit comments by November 19,2007 explaining why. No peA will he recommendedfor peA designation to ABAG 's Executive Board ij'ajurisdiction opposes the nomination. The staff contact for the FOCUS Program in Alameda County is Gillian Adams, ABAG Regional Planner. Please do not hesitate to contact her (510-464-7911 or GillianA@abag.ca.gov) with questions or for more information. Thank you very much, ./ .' [.. -/., <j,. " ., l . t Kenneth Kirkey Planning Director Association of Bay Area Governments 101 81h St Oakland, CA 94607 Cc: Richard C. Ambrose, City Manager Fawn Holman, City Clerk Copies of the relevant nominations were mailed to the addressee. 31C; FOCUS PROGRAM: Priority Conservation Area Designation Nomination Form Enter information in the spaces provided. E-mail this completed nomination form and attachments' requested as part of this form to FOCUS(Wabag.ca.govby August 17, 2007. If e-mailing is not possible, a hard copy of materials can be mailed to Jackie Guzman, Association of Bay Area Governments, P.O. Box 2050, Oakland, CA 94604-2050. PART 1: AREA INFORMATION Area Name East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) Master Plan 19 Re ional Parks and Trails Alameda and Contra Costa Counties Total Acrea e Various Attach a map showing the proposed area boundaries and location. Include other relevant information, such as topography or an aerial photograph, to show the context for protection of this area. PART 3: AREA CRITERIA Provide a description of how the area meets each of the following criteria by addressing the points for each. Limit responses for each criterion to one page, which can be typed within this document or provided as separate attachments. A. Level of Consensus . 'The East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) Master Plan 1997 defines the vision of a comprehensive system of interrelated regional parks and trails throughout Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. The Master Plan 1997 provides policies for resource conservation, management, interpretation, public access, and recreation. It guides the stewardship and development of parks and trails to carefully balance the need to protect and conserve resources and the recreational use of parklands for all to enjoy now and in the future. The Master Plan 1997 was prepared with extensive public review and participation. The EBRPD Board of Directors formally adopted the Master Plan 1997 in December 1996. A full copy of the Master Plan 1997 is attached. Also attached is a separate copy of the Master Plan map annotated with possible updates of potential regional parklands. · In conjunction with the Master Plan 1997, Measure AA Regional Open Space, Wildlife, Shoreline & Park Bond (Measure AA Regional Park Bond) is a general obligation bond that provides funding for open space acquisition, parkland and trail development, and other projects to protect sensitive habitats throughout Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. EBRPD voters throughout Alameda and Contra Costa Counties overwhelming approved Measure AA in November 1988. A copy of the Measure AA Regional Park Bond summary descriptions and map is attached. . The Master Plan 1997 set a number of priorities for implementation, including acquisition of areas for potential regional parklands and trails. These potential regional parklands and trails are interrelated components of the Master Plan 1997. Measure AA also set forth priorities for acquisition of regional parklands and trails. To facilitate discussion of Priority Conservation Areas, separate attachments (Attachment 1 through Attachment 18) are included for individual regional parkland areas and regional trails system gaps that need to be protected and acquired within the near term future. H 1G FOCUS PROGRAM: Priority Conservation Area Designation Nomination Form Attachment 7 - Chain of Lakes Area Attachment 8 - Bethany Reservoir Area Attachment 9 - Cedar Mountain Area Attachment 10 - Duarte Canyon Area Attachment 11 - Potential Oakland Gateway Area Attachment 12 - Potential Pinole Watershed Area Attachment 13 - Potential Concord Naval Weapons Station Area Attachment 14 - Potential Deer Valley Area Attachment 15 - Potential Byron Area Attachment 16 - Potential Doolan Area Attachment 17 - Potential Tesla Area Attachment 18 - Regional Trails System Gaps fn co CD ... c( c o .;:; CO ~ CD fn C o o ~ 'i: o 'i: Q. "'C S - CO ~ C W ,- ~ I 5~0 fI) a. tU ~ .!!l. 'n; ~ tU c .2 0) (l) a:: fI) ~ .... tU a.. >- tU CD ~~~- .~""''''''''lolo'.:....... ~""'''ll~~'''lo.....