Board Meeting Packet

REVISED July 20, 2021

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Board Meeting Packet

SPECIAL NOTICE REGARDING PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AT THE EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING SCHEDULED FOR TUESDAY, JULY 20, 2021 at 1:00 pm

Pursuant to Governor Newsom’s Executive Order No. N-29-20 and the Alameda County Health Officer’s Shelter in Place Orders, the East Bay Regional Park District Headquarters will not be open to the public and the Board of Directors and staff will be participating in the Board meetings via phone/video conferencing.

Members of the public can listen and view the meeting in the following way: Via the Park District’s live video stream which can be found at https://youtu.be/e87Tch3yvBk

Public comments may be submitted one of three ways:

1. Via email to Yolande Barial Knight, Clerk of the Board, at [email protected]. Email must contain in the subject line public comments – not on the agenda or public comments – agenda item #. It is preferred that these written comments be submitted by Monday, July 19, 2021 at 3:00 pm.

2. Via voicemail at (510) 544-2016. The caller must start the message by stating public comments – not on the agenda or public comments – agenda item # followed by their name and place of residence, followed by their comments. It is preferred that these voicemail comments be submitted by Monday, July 19, 2021 at 3:00 pm.

3. Live via zoom. If you would like to make a live public comment during the meeting this option is available through the virtual meeting platform: *Note: this virtual meeting platform link will let you into the https://zoom.us/j/98698918978 virtual meeting for the purpose of providing a public comment. If you do not intend to make a public comment please use the YouTube link at: https://youtu.be/e87Tch3yvBk to observe the meeting. It is preferred that those requesting to speak during the meeting contact the Clerk of the Board at [email protected] by 3:00 pm on Monday, July 19, 2021 via email or voicemail (510) 544-2016 to provide name and the subject of the public comment or item to be addressed.

Comments received during the meeting and up until the public comment period on the relevant agenda item is closed, will be provided in writing to the Board of Directors, included transcribed voicemails. All comments received by the close of the public comment period will be available after the meeting as supplemental materials and will become part of the official meeting record. If you have any questions please contact Yolande Barial Knight, Clerk of the Board, at [email protected] or (510) 544-2020.

Clerk of the Board

YOLANDE BARIAL

KNIGHT

(510) 544-2020 PH MEMO to the BOARD OF DIRECTORS (510) 569-1417 FAX EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

East Bay Regional Park District

Board of Directors DEE ROSARIO The Regular Session of the TUESDAY, JULY 20, 2021 President - Ward 2 Board Meeting is scheduled to commence via teleconference at 1:00 p.m. COLIN COFFEY Vice President - Ward 7 Park District’s live video stream can be found at: BEVERLY LANE https://youtu.be/e87Tch3yvBk Treasurer - Ward 6 DENNIS WAESPI Respectfully submitted,

Secretary - Ward 3 ELIZABETH ECHOLS SABRINA B. LANDRETH Ward 1 General Manager ELLEN CORBETT Ward 4 AYN WIESKAMP Ward 5 SABRINA B. LANDRETH General Manager

2950 Peralta Oaks Court Oakland, CA 94605-0381 (888) 327-2757 MAIN (510) 633-0460 TDD (510) 635-5502 FAX ebparks.org

AGENDA REVISED

REGULAR MEETING OF JULY 20, 2021 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT The Board of Directors of 11:00 a.m. ROLL CALL (Virtual) the East Bay Regional Park District will hold a regular PUBLIC COMMENTS meeting virtually, commencing at 11:00 a.m. for Closed Session and 1:00 pm for Open CLOSED SESSION Session on Tuesday, July 20, 2021. Video Stream at: A. Conference with Labor Negotiator: Government Code Section 54957.6 https://youtu.be/e87Tch3yvBk

Agenda for the meeting is 1. Agency Negotiators: Sabrina B. Landreth, Ana M. Alvarez, listed adjacent. Times for Allyson Cook, Eddie Kriesberg agenda items are approximate Employee Organizations: AFSCME Local 2428, only and are subject to change Police Association during the meeting. If you wish Unrepresented Employees: Managers, Confidentials and Seasonals to speak on matters not on the agenda, you may do so under Public Comments at the beginning of the agenda. If you B. Conference with Legal Counsel: wish to comment on an item on the agenda, please send an 1. Anticipated Litigation - Government Code Section 54956.9: email to [email protected] before 3:00 pm, Monday, July a) Initiation of litigation pursuant to Section 54956.9(d)(4): 19, 2021. 1 case A copy of the background 2. Existing Litigation - Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(I): materials concerning these a) Discovery Builders, Inc. et al. vs. EBRPD agenda items, including any material that may have been Contra Costa submitted less than 72 hours Superior Court Case No. N20-1115 before the meeting, is available for inspection on the District’s website (www.ebparks.org). C. Conference with Real Property Negotiator Regarding Price and/or Agendas for Board Committee Terms of Payment: Government Code Section 54956.8 Meetings are available to the public upon request. If you wish 1. Agency Negotiators: Kristina Kelchner, Michael Reeves to be placed on the mailing list to receive future agendas for a PROPERTY OWNER/ specific Board Committee, please call the Clerk of the APN/ADDRESS NEGOTIATING PARTIES PARK/TRAIL Board’s Office at (510) 544- Alameda County 2020.

060-2529-001-03 East Bay Regional Park McLaughlin Eastshore State District facilities and meetings Gilman Street, Berkeley District Park (Tom Bates Regional comply with the Americans with (Lessee: City of Berkeley) Sports Complex) Disabilities Act. If special accommodations are needed for you to participate, please contact the Clerk of the Board as soon as possible, but preferably at least three working days prior to the meeting.

1:00 p.m. OPEN SESSION (Virtual) Revised

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

A. APPROVAL OF AGENDA

B. PUBLIC COMMENTS

Public comments may be submitted one of three ways: 1. Via email to Yolande Barial Knight, Clerk of the Board, at [email protected]. Email must contain in the subject line public comments – not on the agenda or public comments – agenda item #. It is preferred that these written comments be submitted by Monday, July 19, 2021 at 3:00 pm. These comments will NOT be read during the meeting but made a part of the final board packet.

1:15 p.m. C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

a. Approval of District Check Listing for the Period of May 24, 2021 Through June 6, 2021 (Auker/Landreth) (Resolution) (No Cost) b. Approval of the Minutes for the Board Meeting of July 6, 2021 (Barial Knight) (Resolution) (No Cost) c. Resolution to Support H.R. 3423 (Meng D-NY) – Safe Drinking Water in Playgrounds and Parks (Pfuehler/Landreth) (Resolution) (No Cost) d. Resolution to Support S. 809 (Merkley D-OR) and H.R. 1983 (Panetta D-CA– Monarch, Action, Recovery and Conservation Habitat (MONARCH) Act (Pfuehler/Landreth) (Resolution) (No Cost) e. Resolution to Support S. 872 (Duckworth D-IL) and H.R. 2021 (Grijalva D- AZ) – Environmental Justice for All Act (Pfuehler/Landreth) (Resolution) (No Cost) f. Resolution to Support S. 984 (Merkley D-OR) and H.R. 2238 (Lowenthal D-CA) – Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act (Pfuehler/Landreth) (Resolution) (No Cost) g. Resolution to Support S. 1057 (Coons D-DE) and H.R. 2241 (Neguse D-CO) – Civilian Climate Corps Act (Pfuehler/Landreth) (Resolution) (No Cost)

h. Resolution to Support S. 1165 (Coons D-DE) – Cultivating Opportunity and Response to the Pandemic through Service (CORPS) Act (Pfuehler/Landreth) (Resolution) (No Cost) i. Resolution to Support S. 1461 (Booker D-NJ) – Transit to Trails Act (Pfuehler/Landreth) (Resolution) (No Cost) j. Resolution to Support S. 1906 (Feinstein D-CA) and H.R. 610 (Speier D-CA– San Francisco Bay Restoration (Pfuehler/Landreth) (Resolution) (No Cost) k. Authorization to Appoint Ms. Thuie Tran as the Senior Human Resources Analyst at Step E of the Management Pay Range MG01 in the Human Resources Department: Executive and Legislative Division (Picard/Cook/Alvarez) (Resolution) (Budgeted Funds) L. Authorization to Enter into a Funding Agreement with the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy to Accept and Receive California Wildlife Conservation Board Grant Funding for Upper Hess Creek: Thurgood Marshall Regional Park – Home of the Port Chicago 50 (Graul/Hornbeck/Kelchner) (Resolution) (Rev Authorization) m. Authorization to Renew the Special Use Agreement with Golden State Model Railroad Museum: Miller-Knox Regional Shoreline (Patterson/O’Connor) (Resolution) (Rev Authorization) n. Authorization to Apply for Grant Funds from the Locally-Operated State Park Program for Public Use Improvements: Crown Memorial State Beach (Hornbeck/Rasmussen/Auker) (Resolution) (Rev Authorization) o. Authorization to Grant a License to Chevron Environmental Management Company for Continued Groundwater Pollution Monitoring: Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline (Reeves/Kelchner) (Resolution) (Rev Authorization) p. Authorization to Award On-call Fuels Management Contracts to Arborworks, Bay Area Tree Specialists, Expert Tree Service, Mountain F Enterprises Inc., and The Professional Tree Care Company: District-wide (Theile/Ciaburro) (Resolution) (Budgeted Funds)

2:00 p.m. 2. ACQUISITION, STEWARDSHIP AND DEVELOPMENT DIVISION

a. Authorization to Award a Construction Contract to Grade Tech, Inc., and Amend a Contract with Johnson Marigot Consulting, Inc., and Transfer and Appropriate Funds, and Authorization for Direct Payments for Permits and Utilities and Associated Agreements for the Develop Tyler Staging Area Project: Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park (Goorjian/Kelchner) (Resolution) (Measure WW/Budget Change)

2:15 p.m. 3. FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES DIVISION

a. Authorization to Award Contract to Art’s Construction Company, Inc. for the Richard C. Trudeau Conference Center Solar Project and Replacing Solar Panels Project at the Peralta Oaks Administration Building (Rasmussen/Auker) (Resolution) (Budgeted Funds)

2:30 p.m. 4. GENERAL MANAGER’S COMMENTS

a. Deputy General Manager Dr. Ana M. Alvarez will provide an update on the Park District’s drought response.

2:45 p.m. 5. BOARD AND STAFF REPORTS

a. Actions Taken by Other Jurisdictions Affecting the Park District (Landreth)

3:00 p.m. 6. BOARD COMMITTEE REPORTS

a. Legislative Committee (6/18/2021) ( Wieskamp )

3:05 p.m. 7. ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM CLOSED SESSION

3:10 p.m. 8. BOARD COMMENTS

4:00 p.m. D. ADJOURNMENT

CONSENT CALENDAR AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

a. Approval of District Check Listing for the Period of May 24, 2021 Through June 6, 2021 (Auker/Landreth)

RECOMMENDATION

It is recommended that the Board of Directors approve the Check Listing for the period of May 24, 2021 through June 6, 2021.

Per Resolution No. 1992-1-40, adopted by the Board on January 21, 1992, a copy of the Check Listing has been provided to the Board Treasurer for review. A copy of the Check Listing has also been provided to the Clerk of the Board and will become a part of the Official District Records.

8 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 – 07 -

July 20, 2021

APPROVAL OF DISTRICT CHECK LISTING FOR THE PERIOD OF MAY 24, 2021 THROUGH JUNE 6, 2021

WHEREAS, District Resolution No. 1992 - 1 - 40, adopted by the Board of Directors on January 21, 1992, requires that a listing of District checks be provided to the Board Treasurer for review;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby approves the check listing for the period of May 24, 2021 through June 6, 2021;

Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and adopted this 20th day of July, 2021 by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

9 AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

b. Approval of the Minutes for the Board Meeting of July 6, 2021 (Barial Knight)

10 Page Left Blank Intentionally

11 Unapproved Minutes Board Meeting of July 6, 2021

The Board Meeting, which was held July 6, 2021, at East Bay Regional Park District, 2950 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland, CA 94605 called its Closed Session to order at 11:02 a.m. by Board President Dee Rosario.

ROLL CALL

Directors Present: Dee Rosario, President Colin Coffey, Vice President Dennis Waespi, Secretary Beverly Lane, Treasurer Ayn Wieskamp Elizabeth Echols Ellen Corbett Directors Absent: None.

The Open Session of the Board Meeting was called to order at 1:06 p.m. by President Rosario.

Staff Present: Sabrina Landreth, Carol Victor, Ana Alvarez, Debra Auker, Anthony Ciaburro, Jim O’Connor, Carol Johnson, Lisa Goorjian, Erich Pfuehler, Aileen Thiele, Michelle Strawson O’Hara, Deborah Spaulding, Lance Brede, Eric Bowman, Katy Hornbeck, Matt Graul, Rachel Lim, Robert Kennedy, Alan Love, Juliana Schirmer, Katy Hornbeck, Matthew Graul, Mary Mattingly, Jim Tallerico, Matthew James, Oliver Hinojosa (PrimeGov) Guests: Carolyn Abrams, Brandon P. Louie, Bernadette Austin and Miranda Ray - Consultants

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

President Rosario asked Director Coffey to lead the Board in the Pledge of Allegiance Director Coffey recognized the Volvon people, one of the Bay Miwok tribelets. The Volvon’s homeland consists of parkland extending east of Mount Diablo along the Marsh Creek corridor bordered by the Los Vaqueros Reservoir and Black Diamond Mines. As stewards of our Parklands, the District values the history and culture of our indigenous communities and what they teach us as we manage these lands.

President Rosario opened the meeting and stated that consistent with Governor Gavin Newsom’s Executive Order N-25-20 issued on March 12, 2020 in response to the threat of COVID-19 and the Alameda County Health Department’s Order dated March 16, 2020, the Board of Directors may utilize teleconferencing to remotely participate in meetings. Clerk of the Board announced the three ways in which the public could participate in the meeting. President Rosario asked if the Board members had any questions about the meeting process. There were none.

A. APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA

By motion of Director Waespi and seconded by Director Wieskamp the Board voted unanimously to approve the agenda. Minus Item J from HR Department.

Directors Remote: Colin Coffey, Ellen Corbett, Elizabeth Echols, Beverly Lane, Dee Rosario, Dennis Waespi, Ayn Wieskamp. Directors Against: None. Directors Absent: None.

12 Unapproved Minutes Board Meeting of July 6, 2021 B. PUBLIC COMMENTS

Joseph Sutton, Matteo Diaco, Diran Hendrickson, Cortis Cooper spoke about the need for the creation of additional mountain biking trails and for greater access to single track and existing trails that are currently off limits to mountain bikers.

Marquita Price, Director of Urban and Regional Planning of East Oakland Collective introduced herself as a stakeholder group that is working with the District to advocate for more for parks like Martin Luther King Jr. Shoreline.

Kelly Abreu commented that the City of Fremont ignored the advice of public health officers. He commented on the absence of any scientific survey data to quantify bikers, hikers and equestrians which has led to the failure of adaptive management which must be data-driven.

C. SPECIAL UPDATE

1. General Manager’s Update on the Status of the East Bay Regional Park District Emergency During the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Reoperation Plan for 2021.

By motion of Director Waespi, and seconded by Director Wieskamp, the consent calendar was unanimously approved.

Directors For: Colin Coffey, Ellen Corbett, Elizabeth Echols, Beverly Lane, Dee Rosario, Dennis Waespi, Ayn Wieskamp. Directors Against: None. Directors Abstain: None.

a. Termination of the Local East Bay Regional Park District Emergency Caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic Resolution No. 2021 – 07 - 177 (attached)

General Manager Landreth introduced District Counsel Carol Victor. Victor discussed operating in a state of emergency since March 19th 2020. The Board re-adopted the emergency declaration approximately every 60 days. Governor Newsome stated that California was safe to reopen and with common sense, protective measures in place, such as masking and vaccinations. As of June 15th, all prepared pre pandemic activities can reoccur. Director Corbett was the Board liaison on the Emergency Operation Center (EOC) which met 117 times over the last 15 months to help make decisions. Staff did COVID-19 inspections, made sure District employees had needed PPE and any resources needed were discussed during the EOC meeting. The final meeting was held on June 16th, 2021. Director Corbett acknowledged the work done by District staff and members of the EOC. Corbett commented that the Park District was a shining model of how to deal with COVID challenges in a very effective way. President Rosario talked about the 15-member task force that included management, the Board of Directors, the Police Officer's Association, and AFSCME 2428 where 150+ action items completed.

D. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

By motion of Director Corbett, and seconded by Director Lane, the consent calendar was unanimously approved minus Item J. 13 Unapproved Minutes Board Meeting of July 6, 2021 Directors For: Colin Coffey, Ellen Corbett, Elizabeth Echols, Beverly Lane, Dee Rosario, Dennis Waespi, Ayn Wieskamp. Directors Against: None. Directors Abstain: None.

a. Approval of District Check Listing for the Period of May 19, 2021 Through May 23, 2021 Resolution No. 2021 – 07 - 178 (attached)

b. Approval of the Minutes for the Board Meeting of June 15, 2021

c. Authorization to Negotiate with Various Property Owners Resolution No. 2021 – 07 - 179 (attached)

d. Resolution to Support AB 9 (Wood D-Santa Rosa) – Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program Resolution No. 2021 – 07 - 180 (attached)

e. Resolution to Support AB 642 (Friedman D-Glendale) – Omnibus Fire Prevention Bill Resolution No. 2021 – 07 - 181 (attached)

f. Resolution to Support H.R. 1066 (Neguse D-CO) – Wildfire Recovery Act Resolution No. 2021 – 07 - 182 (attached)

g. Resolution to Support SB 109 (Dodd D-Napa) – Office of Wildfire Technology Research and Development Resolution No. 2021 – 07 - 183 (attached)

h. Resolution to Support SB 332 (Dodd D-Napa) – Insurance for Prescribed Burn Supervisors Resolution No. 2021 – 07 - 184 (attached)

i. Resolution to Support SCR 52 (McGuire D-Healdsburg) – California Parks and Recreation Professionals Month Resolution No. 2021 – 07 - 185 (attached)

k. Authorization to Enter into a License Agreement with the East Bay Municipal Utility District for the Park District’s Continued Operation and Maintenance of a Park Access Road: Kennedy Grove Regional Recreation Area Resolution No. 2021 – 07 - 186 (attached)

L. Authorization to Enter into an Agreement with the Conservation Society of California to Disburse Measure FF Funds for the Oakland Zoo Resolution No. 2021 – 07 - 187 (attached)

m. Authorization to Enter into a Cooperative Funding Agreement with the City of Richmond to Construct the Point Molate Bay Trail Project: San Francisco Bay Trail Resolution No. 2021 – 07 - 188 (attached)

Bruce Beyaert, President of TRAC stated support for staff's proposal for the District to enter into a cooperative agreement with the city of Richmond. Beyaert commented it will be a popular trail and TRAC is looking forward to the ribbon cutting ceremony. 14 Unapproved Minutes Board Meeting of July 6, 2021 n. Authorization to Execute a Contract for Youth Employment Services with California Conservation Corps: District-wide Resolution No. 2021 – 07 - 189 (attached)

Director Waespi stated his support the contract and asked what is included. AGM O’Connor replied it includes additional labor to help park staff with weed abatement, vegetation management and 10 weeks of crew time. The crew would be distributed throughout the six units in Park Operations Department.

o. Authorization to Award Contract to GradeTech Inc. for Park Street Restroom Improvements and Appropriate Funds: Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach Resolution No. 2021 – 07 - 190 (attached)

p. Authorization to Transfer and Appropriate Measure WW Development Funds for the Lone Tree Point Trail Segment: San Francisco Bay Trail Resolution No. 2021 – 07 - 191 (attached)

q. Authorization to Increase Contract Amount with Degenkolb Engineers Inc.; Authorization for Direct Payments for Permits and Utilities and Associated Agreements and Appropriate and Transfer Funds for the Response to Vasco Shop Fire Project: Vasco Hills Regional Preserve Resolution No. 2021 – 07 - 192 (attached)

r. Authorization to Amend a Contract with The Watershed Nursery for Collection and Propagation of Plant Materials and Authorization for Direct Payments for Permits and Utilities and Associated Agreements for the Coyote Hills Restoration and Public Access Project: Coyote Hills Regional Park Resolution No. 2021 – 07 - 193 (attached)

s. Authorization to Accept Recreational Trail Easements and an Emergency Vehicle and Maintenance Access Easement from Four OneCorp LLC Subsidiaries and Quitclaim an Existing Floating Trail Easement Replaced by the New Easements: San Francisco Bay Trail Resolution No. 2021 – 07 - 194 (attached)

t. Authorization to Apply for Grant Funds from the Wildlife Conservation Board California Riparian Habitat Conservation Program for the Coyote Hills Restoration and Public Access Project: Coyote Hills Regional Park Resolution No. 2021 – 07 - 195 (attached)

u. Acceptance of the 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, Auditor’s Communication with Those Charged with Governance dated June 11, 2021, Single Audit Report (Uniform Guidance), and Independent Accountants’ Report on Agreed Upon Procedures Applied to 2021 Appropriations Limit Schedule Resolution No. 2021 – 07 - 196 (attached)

2. FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES DIVISION

By motion of Director Lane, and seconded by Director Wieskamp, the Board voted unanimously to approve Item 2.a.

Directors for: Colin Coffey, Elizabeth Echols, Ellen Corbett, Beverly Lane, Dee Rosario, Dennis Waespi, Ayn Wieskamp. Directors absent: None. Director recused: None. 15 Unapproved Minutes Board Meeting of July 6, 2021

Approval of Engineer's Report for Fiscal Year 2021/2022, Adopt Resolution Confirming Diagram and Assessment, Order Maintenance, Improvements and Levy Annual Assessment for Alameda County/Contra Costa County Regional Trails Landscaping and Lighting Assessment District No. 1, including ZB-1 (Five Canyons), ZB-2 (Dublin Hills), ZB-3 (Walpert Ridge), ZB-4 (San Ramon Hills), ZB-5 (Stone Valley), and ZB-6 Resolution No. 2021 – 07 - 197 (attached)

By motion of Director Lane, and seconded by Director Wieskamp, the Board voted unanimously to approve Item 2.b.

Directors for: Colin Coffey, Ellen Corbett, Elizabeth Echols, Beverly Lane, Dee Rosario, Dennis Waespi, Ayn Wieskamp. Directors absent: None. Director abstain: None.

Resolution Overruling Protest (Pursuant to the Landscaping & Lighting Act of 1972) Resolution No. 2021 – 07 - 198 (attached)

By motion of Director Lane, and seconded by Director Corbett, the Board voted unanimously to approve Item 2.c.

Directors for: Colin Coffey, Ellen Corbett, Elizabeth Echols, Beverly Lane, Dee Rosario, Dennis Waespi, Ayn Wieskamp. Directors absent: None. Director recused: None.

Deborah Spaulding, Assistant Finance Officer, presented the history and origins of this two-county LLD which was established in 1993 and gave an extensive overview of the information from the Engineer's report. Director Waespi asked when units are referred to is it in reference to improved lots or houses that are being built. Spaulding replied that each year additional parcels are added. Miranda Ray from NBS explained when there's a new development, there's usually some kind of parcel change in the county and NBC is notified. Each unit or each lot will be charged the rate per unit and begin paying. Directly Lane expressed appreciation to the former GM Pat O’Brien for beginning this process.

President Rosario declared the public hearing open. There were no comments from the public. Rosario closed the public hearing. The Board voted and approved the two resolutions.

Authorization to Amend the 2021 Budget for Mid-Year Appropriations and Transfers Resolution No. 2021 – 07 - 199 (attached)

Debra Auker, AGM of Finance and Management Services gave a detailed PowerPoint presentation. Auker explained that during this process, staff accomplished three things, an overall check in with all the divisions related to their operating budgets and revenues; ensure needs that arose since the adopted budget was approved in November and long-term liabilities and needs of the District are adressed. This includes items that have been discussed at previous Board workshops. As part of this mid-year review process, staff utilize some of the policies that have been adopted by the Board of Directors, including the general fund balance, reserve policy and the balanced budget policy.

Director Coffey asked about background materials supporting reducing pension, liabilities, stabilizing and future pension costs. Auker replied that staff did not make a recommendation for pre-funding pensions in this mid-year request. President Rosario commented on the superb, budget management Debra and her team undertakes every year. Rosario commented about not adding to the pension trust and made a 16 Unapproved Minutes Board Meeting of July 6, 2021 recommendation that staff fund $500,000 to the pension costs. There was discussion by the Board and staff. Afterwards Rosario withdrew his recommendation with the knowledge that the Board would prefer to request additional funds in next year’s budget.

Director Rosario called for a 10-minute break at 2:41 pm. The meeting resumed at 2:51 pm.

3. GENERAL MANAGER’S COMMENTS

STAFF PRESENTATION

a. Chief of Government and Legislative Affairs Erich Pfuehler and Legislative and Policy Management Analyst Lisa Baldinger will provide an update on the Strategy for Inclusive Community Engagement project. As part of the presentation, staff will be joined by the U.C. Davis Center for Regional Change to update the Board on the 2021 community listening sessions and survey.

Erich Pfuehler, Chief of Government and Legislative Affairs and Lisa Baldinger Legislative and Policy Management Analyst provided an update on the strategy for the inclusive community engagement project. Pfuehler thanked President Rosario for participating in the listening sessions for this item and Carol Johnson and Public Affairs for this project. Pfuehler was impressed with the professional approach that the Center for Regional Change has taken. Lisa Baldinger gave background and context to this project. She stated the East Bay has diverse voters and parks supporters and there is a need to ensure inclusive and equitable investments. In 2020, staff utilized this learned information on methodology to conduct a scientific follow-up survey. The District partnered with the UC Davis’ Center for Regional Change to host intentional community listening sessions and a third community survey over the last six months. Baldinger introduced Carolyn Abrams, Brandon Louie, and Bernadette Austin from the Center for Regional Change who presented on this item. Abrams stated they dove into this effort with the intention of cultivating new relationships, both with community partners, individuals and some of the target populations. Brandon Louie went over the listening session process. Three virtual listening sessions were hosted with a total of 40 - 45 participants. Louie talked about some of the key findings related to people's personal connection, sense of belonging to parks, effective programmatic partnerships with a variety of different groups, recreational opportunities, and educational resources both online and virtual programming during the pandemic.

Director Lane asked what people wanted to see the District have that they didn’t find in the park? Abrams responded that some talked about feeling unwelcome and the tension between the multi-use of the trails, and how some of the recreational activities offered didn't match what they were looking for. Director Echols thanked the consultants for the work and inquired on the low percentage of Latinos and Blacks that responded to the survey and which group responded to what questions. Abram talked about methods of data collection used and that they received more responses from white older park users. He noted the listening sessions had a more diverse population. Director Corbett thanked them for this information. Corbett commented on how she would like to make sure staff survey the various demographics of the District by age and make sure that staff are inclusive as well. Corbett asked if the 45 participants were listening sessions. She asked if these numbers were truly representative of the users of the Park District, or could they be a little swayed or skewed based on who was invited to the first listening sessions. She commented the numbers are not as inclusive as she would like to see. Abram answered the survey was conducted entirely on the District’s website, social media channels and featured in a few news outlets. Baldinger added that staff are moving in a positive direction in the methodology and inclusive approach. President Rosario asked that the demographics around the safety question be broken out, and if the survey included questions about transportation and where people lived. Abrams said the final report will include some of these cross tabulations, will look at responses based on age, race, and ethnicity and gender. No questions about transportation were asked, but they will consider it for future surveys. Director Corbett left the board meeting for another meeting. 17 Unapproved Minutes Board Meeting of July 6, 2021

4. BOARD AND STAFF REPORTS a. Actions Taken by Other Jurisdictions Affecting the Park District

Director Lane asked about Union City’s Dumbarton Quarry Lakes Parkway (Parkway) and its proximity to the Lake. Brian Holt, Chief of Planning, Trails & GIS oriented the Board to the location of the Parkway. Staff evaluated the new Parkway for the potential to impact Quarry Lakes and found that it would not impact DQ. Lane asked if it is known why they named it after Quarry Lakes. Holt didn’t know the reason other than its closeness to the quarry. Director Lane asked for a report on the fires that occurred over the weekend. Chief Theile, Fire Department, responded that the District is part of a task force for Contra Costa County and loaned out an engine. Fire Station One, Five and Ten were available, fuels crews worked and resources were provided. There were three active fires that were directly on Park District lands.

GM Landreth reported on the items in the staff report.

5. BOARD COMMITTEE REPORTS

a. Finance Committee (5/28/21) (Lane) b. Executive Committee (5/11/21) (Rosario)

6. ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM CLOSED SESSION

District Counsel Carol Victor stated there were no announcements.

7. BOARD COMMENTS

Director Rosario reported on meetings attended. Director Rosario • Attended the Board Closed Session meeting on 6/17; • Attended the Legislative Committee meeting on 6/18; • Attended a meeting with AFSCME 2428 6/18; • Attended the DEI with BCT Partners on 6/21; • Attended the lunch with PAC appointees on 6/22; • Attended the Oakland Chamber of Commerce Annual awards on 6/29; • Met with a constituent on 6/29; • Attended Alameda County AAPI electeds informal meeting on 6/30; • Attended the CCC Mayors Conference on 7/1. Rosario gave thanked Public Safety and the lifeguards Pete DeQuincy and Kylie Maxwell for responding to one of his constituents about the swimming at Roberts. Rosario attended a memorial service for Jack Pelletier, a retired Fire Department officer, on July 3rd.

Director Lane reported on meetings attended. Director Lane • Attended the CCC/EBRPD Liaison meeting on 6/17; • Attended the Board Closed Session meeting on 6/17; • Attended the Finance Committee meeting on 6/26; • Attended the Contra Costa County Mayors meeting on 7/1; • Met with GM Landreth at Castle Rock and Diablo Foothills. Lane attended an event in which Sherman Lewis celebrated his new book Ridgelands! The Closing of a Frontier. Hiked at Briones. Met and talked with Tom Leatherman, Brian Holt, Kristina Kelchner and Lisa Goorjian about Thurgood Marshall and the Visitor Center. Looking forward to the Port Chicago Memorial event on July 17th. Lane commented that once the Bay Trail section from Garin to Niles Canyon is completed, the District take the mountain bikers up on helping the District to complete it. 18 Unapproved Minutes Board Meeting of July 6, 2021

Director Waespi reported on meetings attended. Director Waespi • Hiked with Glenn Kirby former PAC member on 6/17; • Attended the Board Closed Session meeting on 6/17; • Attended the 1-on 1 with GM on 6/18; • Attended the Legislative Committee meeting on 6/18; • Visited Hayward Shoreline with Chris Barton, Matt Graul and Mark Taylor on 6/22; • Attended CARPD Conference in Monterey 6/23-6/26. • Toured parks with GM Landreth and Chief Ciaburro on 7/4. Waespi attended an event in which Sherman Lewis celebrated his new book Ridgelands! The Closing of a Frontier. CARPD awarded the district with an Innovation Award for the Digital Learning Programs from Interpretive Services Department. Waespi recommended the Board to read the Bay Nature that features Chief Aileen Theile and the Fuels Management Crew.

Director Wieskamp reported on meetings attended. Director Wieskamp • Attended the Board Closed Session meeting on 6/17; • Attended the Legislative Committee meeting on 6/18; • Attended the Finance Committee meeting on 6/26; • Attended the PAC meeting on 6/28; • Attended the Operations Committee meeting on 6/29. Wieskamp attended an event in which Sherman Lewis celebrated his new book Ridgelands! The Closing of a Frontier and did a ride-along on 4th of July with Capt. Love.

Director Coffey reported on meetings attended. Director Coffey • Attended the Board Closed Session meeting on 6/17; • Attended the Contra Costa Liaison Committee meeting on 6/17; • Attended the Juneteenth celebration hosted by NPS and EBRPD on 6/19; • Attended the Pt. Molate working group on 6/21; • Attended the Environmental Labor Group meeting on 6/22; • Attended the Green Belt Alliance web forum on 6/22; • Attended a tour hosed by Sierra Club on 6/24; • Met with members of AFSCME 2428 on 6/24; • Attended the Operations Committee meeting on 6/29; • Attended the 2nd Public Input Session on Roddy Ranch on 7/1; • Attended the Hercules July 4th event as an Ambassador. Coffey listened to the Legislative and Finance Committee meetings. Coffey held a walk and talk with a Pinole hiking group. Coffey hiked with his wife at different parks on the weekend.

Director Echols reported on meetings attended. Director Echols • Attended a meeting with staff regarding Jewel Lake on 6/16; • Attended the Board Closed Session meeting on 6/17; • Attended the CCC Liaison Committee meeting on 6/17; • Attended a meeting with a constituent regarding maintenance issues near El Sobrante on 6/21; • Attended meeting with Pt. Molate working group with Director Coffey on 6/22; • Met with Finance staff in preparation for the audit on 6/23; • Attended a meeting with a constituent regarding safety issues at Albany beach on 6/23; • Met with GM Landreth on at Tilden’s Nature area on 6/24; • Attended the Finance Committee meeting on 6/25. Echols went on vacation at the end of the month. 19 Unapproved Minutes Board Meeting of July 6, 2021 E. ADJOURNMENT

President Rosario adjourned the meeting at 4:10 pm in honor of former EBRPD employees Pat Still and Jack Pelletier.

20 Page Left Blank Intentionally

21 AGENDA REGULAR MEETINGS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

c. Resolution to Support H.R. 3423 (Meng D-NY) – Safe Drinking Water in Playgrounds and Parks (Pfuehler/Landreth)

RECOMMENDATION

The Legislative Committee of the Board and General Manager recommend the Board of Directors adopt a resolution to support H.R. 3423 (Meng D-NY) – Safe Drinking Water in Playgrounds and Parks.

REVENUE/COST

There would be no cost impact as a result of this action.

BACKGROUND

Representative Grace Ming from New York introduced this legislation to ensure drinking water fountains in playgrounds and parks are eligible for the “Reducing Lead in Drinking Water Grant Program.” Playgrounds and parks are not currently specified as eligible. The District would potentially be eligible for grants under this legislation when replacing water fountains in the parks. In recent surveys and included in Measure FF, water bottle filling stations are a priority for park visitors. This legislation could assist the District with funds to install these amenities. The District has supported this legislation in the past.

ALTERNATIVES

None recommended.

22 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 - 07 –

July 20, 2021

RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT H.R. 3423 (MENG D-NY) – SAFE DRINKING WATER IN PLAYGROUNDS AND PARKS

WHEREAS, the Reducing Lead in Drinking Water Grant Program currently seeks to limit children’s exposure to lead; and

WHEREAS, at this time, playgrounds and parks are not specified as eligible for these grants; and

WHEREAS, this legislation seeks to ensure drinking fountains in playgrounds and parks are eligible for upgrades to the limit the exposure of lead in drinking water; and

WHEREAS, Park District facilities would become eligible for water system upgrades.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby support H.R. 3423 (Meng D-NY) – Safe Drinking Water in Playgrounds and Parks; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, the General Manager is hereby authorized and directed, on behalf of the District and in its name, to execute and deliver such documents, and to do such acts as may be deemed necessary or appropriate to accomplish the intentions of this resolution.

Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and adopted this 20th day of July, 2021 by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

23 AGENDA REGULAR MEETINGS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

d. Resolution to Support S. 809 (Merkley D-OR) and H.R. 1983 (Panetta D- CA– Monarch, Action, Recovery and Conservation Habitat (MONARCH) Act (Pfuehler/Landreth)

RECOMMENDATION

The Legislative Committee of the Board and General Manager recommend the Board of Directors adopt a resolution to support S. 809 (Merkley D-OR) and H.R. 1983 (Panetta D-CA) – Monarch, Action, Recovery and Conservation Habitat (MONARCH) Act.

REVENUE/COST

There would be no cost impact as a result of this action.

BACKGROUND

The MONARCH Act would provide urgent protections for the struggling western monarch butterfly, an iconic and important butterfly whose population has dropped by 99% since the 1980s. This legislation creates the Western Monarch Butterfly Rescue Fund to provide grants for projects aimed at the conservation of western monarch butterflies. Local government agencies are eligible for the grants. It would authorize $62.5 million for projects aimed at conserving the western monarch. It would authorize an additional $62.5 million to implement the Western Monarch Butterfly Conservation Plan, which was prepared by the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies in January 2019. The $62.5 million in funding for each effort would be divided into five annual installments of $12.5 million. Senators Feinstein and Padilla, as well as Reps. Khanna and Thompson all cosponsor.

ALTERNATIVES

None recommended.

24 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 - 07 –

, July 20, 2021

R to Support S. 809 (Merkley D-OR) and H.R. 1983 (Panetta D-CA) – Monarch, Action, Recovery and Conservation Habitat (MONARCH) Act

WHEREAS, Monarch butterflies spend the winter in three primary regional parks – the East Bay Regional Park District’s Point Pinole Regional Shoreline, Coyote Hills Regional Park and Ardenwood Historic Farm; and

WHEREAS, the Park District hosts walks and conducts research on Monarch butterflies on an annual basis; and

WHEREAS, this legislation creates the Western Monarch Butterfly Rescue Fund to provide grants for projects aimed at the conservation of western monarch butterflies; and

WHEREAS, the Park District and its Monarch butterfly populations could potentially benefit from this program.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby support S. 809 (Merkley D-OR) and H.R. 1983 (Panetta D-CA) – Monarch, Action, Recovery and Conservation Habitat (MONARCH) Act; and

Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and adopted this 20th day of July, 2021 by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

25 AGENDA REGULAR MEETINGS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

e. Resolution to Support S. 872 (Duckworth D-IL) and H.R. 2021 (Grijalva D-AZ) Environmental Justice for All Act (Pfuehler/Landreth)

RECOMMENDATION

The Legislative Committee of the Board and General Manager recommend the Board of Directors adopt a resolution to support S. 872 (Duckworth D-IL) and H.R. 2021 (Grijalva D-AZ) – Environmental Justice for All Act.

REVENUE/COST

There would be no cost impact as a result of this action.

BACKGROUND

This Legislation, among other items: • Establishes “Access to Parks, Outdoor Spaces and Public Recreation Opportunities” through the “Outdoor Recreation Legacy Grant Program.” It specifically cites a “special purpose district, including park districts” as being eligible. Projects the grant program can fund include acquiring land and water for parks and other outdoor recreation purposes. Grants can fund the development of new, or renovation of existing, outdoor recreation facilities. The grants can also fund the development of projects which provide opportunities for outdoor education and public land volunteerism. The National Park Service would administer the grant program. Funding would come from oil leases, but not compete with the Land and Water Conservation Fund. • Establishes a “Transit to Trails Grant Program” for projects which develop transportation connectors for underserved communities aimed at increasing access to public land, waters, parkland or monuments. The legislation again specifically states “a special purpose district (including a park district)” as an eligible entity. The grant program is administrated by the Department of Transportation. The program is authorized at $10 million a year. • Repeals the seven-year sunset provision of the Every Kid Outdoors Public Law 116-9. The program provides free access to Federal lands and waters for all fourth-grade students and accompanying individuals. Senator Padilla, and Reps. Lee and Khanna cosponsor.

ALTERNATIVES

None recommended. 26 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 - 07 –

July 20, 2021

RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT S. 872 (DUCKWORTH D-IL) AND H.R. 2021 (GRIJALVA D-AZ) – ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FOR ALL ACT

WHEREAS, this legislation, among other items, aims at providing grant programs and initiatives to create additional access for all persons across the nation to parks, waters and monuments; and

WHEREAS, grant opportunities would include outdoor education, public land volunteerism and transportation connection for disadvantaged communities to increase access for all; and

WHEREAS, it would permanently extend the Every Kid Outdoors access program for fourth-graders to have free access to parks for themselves and accompanying individuals, providing for outdoor educational experiences and establishing new park supporters nationwide; and

WHEREAS, this legislation is in alignment with the Park District’s Vision to improve access to and use of parks by members of underrepresented groups; and

WHEREAS, the Park District is eligible for a number of the grants established by this legislation.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby support S. 872 (Duckworth D-IL) and H.R. 2021 (Grijalva D-AZ) – Environmental Justice for All Act; and

Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and adopted this 20h day of July, 2021 by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

27 AGENDA REGULAR MEETINGS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

f. Resolution to Support S. 984 (Merkley D-OR) and H.R. 2238 (Lowenthal D-CA) – Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act (Pfuehler/Landreth)

RECOMMENDATION

The Legislative Committee of the Board and General Manager recommend the Board of Directors adopt a resolution to support S. 984 (Merkley D-OR) and H.R. 2238 (Lowenthal D- CA) – Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act.

REVENUE/COST

There would be no cost impact as a result of this action.

BACKGROUND

This bill develops a no less than 10-cent nationwide container deposit system, essentially a national “bottle bill.” It places a temporary moratorium on new plastic production facilities while the health and environmental impacts of existing facilities and plastic products are investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The bill would also ban the export of plastics to developing nations lacking capability and technology to safely manage the waste. It bans numerous non-recyclable plastic items including carryout bags (and a fee for non-plastic bags), Styrofoam food service items and shipping materials, plastic utensils, single-use bottles for hotel toiletries, and non-compostable produce stickers. Plastic straws would be limited and only available upon request. It requires a 25% minimum post-consumer recycled content for plastic containers which will increase over time. It is very similar to efforts at the state level which the District supports.

ALTERNATIVES

None recommended.

28 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 - 07 –

July 20, 2021

RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT S. 984 (MERKLEY D-OR) AND H.R. 2238 (LOWENTHAL D-CA) – BREAK FREE FROM PLASTIC POLLUTION ACT

WHEREAS, this legislation develops a comprehensive framework for reducing plastic pollution and reforming product packaging; and

WHEREAS, plastic pollution has a well-recognized negative impact on natural habitats and species globally, including human health; and

WHEREAS, this legislation seeks to limit plastic used in bags, single-use containers, utensils, packaging material and straws, thus limiting environmental waste; and

WHEREAS, recent community surveys have found increased recycling and compost opportunities a strong interest by park users; and

WHEREAS, this effort is similar to the proposed state Plastic Pollution Reduction Act and the California Packaging Waste Reduction ballot initiative both of which are supported by the District; and

WHEREAS, this legislation is consistent with the District’s sustainability policy and environmental ethic.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby support S. 984 (Merkley D-OR) and H.R. 2238 (Lowenthal D-CA) – Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act; and

Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and adopted this 20th day of July, 2021 by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

29 AGENDA REGULAR MEETINGS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

g. Resolution to Support S. 1057 (Coons D-DE) and H.R. 2241 (Neguse D-CO) – Civilian Climate Corps Act (Pfuehler/Landreth)

RECOMMENDATION

The Legislative Committee of the Board and General Manager recommend the Board of Directors adopt a resolution to support S. 1057 (Coons D-DE) and H.R. 2241 (Neguse D-CO) – Civilian Climate Corps Act.

REVENUE/COST

There would be no cost impact as a result of this action.

BACKGROUND

The Civilian Climate Corps would facilitate projects to help disadvantaged communities build resilience to climate change, including efforts to conserve and restore public lands, assist natural disaster-prone communities, utilize natural climate solutions, replace vulnerable infrastructure, protect biodiversity and enhance ecological resilience. The bill would also reserve funding for Tribal and Native American communities, encourage diversity within the corps, and require a report describing the proposed number of corps members and funding needs. The Civilian Climate Corps Act builds on President Biden’s call for a climate-focused national service program using existing programs to create a Civilian Climate Corps. As part of the American Jobs Plan, the White House announced support for $10 billion to mobilize the next generation of conservation and resilience workers by establishing a Civilian Climate Corps. The legislation is endorsed by the Corps Network, Voices for National Service, Service Year Alliance, National Wildlife Federation and the National Audubon Society.

ALTERNATIVES

None recommended.

30 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 - 07 –

July 20, 2021

RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT S. 1057 (COONS D-DE) AND H.R. 2241 (NEGUSE D-CO) – CIVILIAN CLIMATE CORPS ACT

WHEREAS, this legislation is a modernized version of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) from the Depression-era which built a significant amount of infrastructure, including within the District’s original parks; and

WHEREAS, much of the District’s original infrastructure such as roads, restrooms, picnic areas and water fountains – were built by CCC crews with a net benefit of $3 million in Federal funds in the 1930’s, which translates to over $48 million today; and

WHEREAS, the CCC helps provide national employment to unemployed and underemployed citizens for the performance of public work projects aimed at completing needed maintenance and restoration of parks, trails and natural areas; and

WHEREAS, the District is a significant supporter of career opportunities for urban and rural youth providing over 400 summer jobs annually in related fields such as vegetation management, public safety and environmental education; and

WHEREAS, the Park District has numerous opportunities to partner with conservation corps within the East Bay to address the health of our communities and natural environment.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby support S. 1057 (Coons D-DE) and H.R. 2241 (Neguse D-CO) – Civilian Climate Corps Act; and

Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and adopted this 20th day of July, 2021 by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

31 AGENDA REGULAR MEETINGS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

h. Resolution to Support S. 1165 (Coons D-DE) – Cultivating Opportunity and Response to the Pandemic through Service (CORPS) Act (Pfuehler/Landreth)

RECOMMENDATION

The Legislative Committee of the Board and General Manager recommend the Board of Directors adopt a resolution to support S. 1165 (Coons D-DE) – Cultivating Opportunity and Response to the Pandemic through Service (CORPS) Act.

REVENUE/COST

There would be no cost impact as a result of this action.

BACKGROUND

The CORPS Act includes several provisions which would improve benefits for national service members. The legislation would also dramatically increase the number of available service positions. Specifically, the CORPS Act: • Authorizes $8 billion to fund national service positions during a recovery period through fiscal year 2024. These resources could also enable more robust recruitment and awareness campaigns, as well as enabling an expansion of the Volunteer Generation Fund. • Envisions corps members providing a broad range of social services to support recovery efforts consistent with the programs’ existing activities and expertise, such as: o Assisting educators in helping students overcome learning loss; o Expanding throughput at food banks and delivery services which combat nutrition insecurity; o Supporting outreach efforts to those experiencing homelessness; and o Promoting conservation, environmental resiliency and natural resource preservation. • Ensures service provides meaningful opportunity during the recovery period by increasing funding aimed at raising the minimum AmeriCorps state and national living allowance to 175% of the Federal poverty line. It also provides a total education award – used for to cover the cost of attendance or pay down student loans – twice the value of the maximum Pell grant. • Provides flexibilities for programs aimed at growing and responding quickly to dynamic local recovery needs, including:

32 o Creating a pilot program allowing state service commissions to directly place members, especially in rural and high-poverty communities, with community-based organizations which have not previously hosted AmeriCorps participants; o Permitting short-term or seasonal terms of service throughout the year; o Waiving the match requirement for AmeriCorps state and national programs, and o Temporarily broadening eligibility criteria for some Senior Corps programs. • Prioritizes funding for: o Entities serving communities disproportionately impacted by Covid-19 via culturally competent and multilingual strategies; and o Community-based organizations in rural or high-poverty areas or Tribal communities, especially where they propose to recruit participants aimed at serving in their own communities.

National service programs, such as AmeriCorps, AmeriCorps VISTA and Senior Corps provide vital support for afterschool and summer learning programs. Members often serve as instructors and mentors, or provide capacity building support behind the scenes. With social distancing regulations requiring smaller student to teacher ratios, in addition to increased cleaning and sanitation needs, the ability to engage more national service members will help afterschool and summer learning programs serve more youth in their communities.

The District has supported this bill in the past.

ALTERNATIVES

None recommended.

33 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 - 07 –

July 6, 2021

RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT S. 1165 (COONS D-DE) – CULTIVATING OPPORTUNITY AND RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC THROUGH SERVICE (CORPS) ACT

WHEREAS, California and the nation are seeing and experiencing unprecedented impacts during the Covid-19 pandemic; and

WHEREAS, California is experiencing additional negative impacts from severe wildfire conditions including loss of land and property, as well as health impacts from poor air quality; and

WHEREAS, this legislation would provide funding and employment opportunities for investing in a number important areas of need including wildfire mitigation and assistance in mitigating catastrophic burns; and

WHEREAS, such work has strong potential to benefit the District either through direct impact or by sharing best practices including for continued safe vegetation management.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby support S. 1165 (Coons D-DE) – Cultivating Opportunity and Response to the Pandemic through Service (CORPS) Act; and

Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and adopted this 20th day of July, 2021 by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

34 Page Left Blank Intentionally

35 AGENDA REGULAR MEETINGS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

i. Resolution to Support S. 1461 (Booker D-NJ) – Transit to Trails Act (Pfuehler/Landreth)

RECOMMENDATION

The Legislative Committee of the Board and General Manager recommend the Board of Directors adopt a resolution to support S. 1461 (Booker D-NJ) – Transit to Trails Act.

REVENUE/COST

There would be no cost impact as a result of this action.

BACKGROUND

The Transit to Trails Act promotes equitable access to parks, green spaces, public lands and waters. The bill establishes a grant program for entities which provide transportation connectors from critically underserved urban and rural communities to green spaces. Grants would be awarded in the range of $25,000 to $500,000 with a total of $10 million appropriated for this program in each fiscal year. The list of eligible entities specifically includes “a special purpose district, including park districts”. The bill is supported by the National Parks Conservation Association, the Conservation Lands Foundation and the Trust for Public Lands.

ALTERNATIVES

None recommended.

36 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 - 07 –

July 20, 2021

RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT S. 1461 (BOOKER D-NJ) – TRANSIT TO TRAILS ACT

WHEREAS, the Transit to Trails Act promotes equitable access to parks, green spaces, and public lands and waters; and

WHEREAS, the Park District is a steward of over 1,250 miles of trails and 200 miles of active transportation regional trails; and

WHEREAS, this bill establishes a grant program for entities which provide transportation connectors from critically underserved urban and rural communities to green spaces; and

WHEREAS, funds from this program will increase trail use and access to parklands consistent with the District’s mission.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby support S. 1461 (Booker D-NJ) – Transit to Trails Act; and

Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and adopted this 20th day of July, 2021 by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

37 AGENDA REGULAR MEETINGS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

j. Resolution to Support S. 1906 (Feinstein D-CA) and H.R. 610 (Speier D- CA– San Francisco Bay Restoration Act (Pfuehler/Landreth)

RECOMMENDATION

The Legislative Committee of the Board and General Manager recommend the Board of Directors adopt a resolution to support S. 1906 (Feinstein D-CA) and H.R. 610 (Speier D-CA) – San Francisco Bay Restoration Act.

REVENUE/COST

There would be no cost impact as a result of this action.

BACKGROUND

This bill is similar to legislation authored by Senator Dianne Feinstein and Representative Jackie Speier in previous sessions of Congress, which the District supported. The legislation would establish a grant program within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for San Francisco Bay restoration projects. The bill authorizes $25 million a year from 2022 through 2026. Special districts have historically been eligible. The District recently submitted a $2 million EPA grant to the San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund for public access and restoration at Coyote Hills. S. 1906 and H.R. 610 would codify this fund and allocate additional resources to it.

ALTERNATIVES

None recommended.

38 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 - 07 –

July 20, 2021

RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT S. 1906 (FEINSTEIN D-CA) AND H.R. 610 (SPEIER D-CA) – SAN FRANCISCO BAY RESTORATION ACT

WHEREAS, this legislation would establish a grant program within the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for San Francisco Bay restoration projects; and

WHEREAS, the grant program established would invest in the restoration, enhancement and protection of wetlands and wildlife habitats along the San Francisco Bay shoreline; and

WHEREAS, the Park District operates and manages over forty miles of Bay shoreline which would benefit from restoration and natural infrastructure as sea levels continue to rise; and

WHEREAS, the Park District would qualify for this program.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby support S. 1906 (Feinstein D-CA) and H.R. 610 (Speier D-CA) – San Francisco Bay Restoration Act; and

Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and adopted this 20th day of July, 2021 by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

39 AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

k. Authorization to Appoint Ms. Thuie Tran as the Senior Human Resources Analyst at Step E of the Management Pay Range MG01 in the Human Resources Department: Executive and Legislative Division (Picard/Cook/Alvarez)

RECOMMENDATION

The General Manager recommends that the Board of Directors appoint Ms. Thuie Tran as a Senior Human Resources Analyst at Step E of the Management Pay Range MG01 in the Human Resources Department, Executive and Legislative Division.

REVENUE/COST

The cost associated with this action is within the adopted 2021 Budget.

BACKGROUND

The Senior Human Resources Analyst position is a key position in the Human Resources Department providing support to recruitment and classification, and benefits administration. An open recruitment process was conducted to perform a search for this position, and several rounds of screening and a technical panel interview were conducted as well as final interviews which culminated in the selection of Ms. Tran.

The recommended candidate meets the knowledge and skillset criteria for the position. Thuie Tran has a degree in Human Resources Management and has been with AC Transit for 7 years, the last 5 years as a Senior HR Analyst. She also has 11 years of HR generalist experience in several private sector firms providing recruitment and benefits support. She is a trained NEOGOV system administrator which is the Park District’s recruitment platform. Ms. Tran has the combination of education and experience necessary to effectively support both benefits administration and the recruitment team in a lead role.

Ms. Tran has been offered another position which exceeds Step E of the Park District’s MG01 salary range and will also have to begin participating in employee contributions to PERS which she does not at AC Transit; as such, staff recommends this advanced step appointment, which if

40 approved, Ms. Tran has agreed to accept. This action is above the General Manager’s authority, as a starting salary step in accordance with the Personnel Administrative Manual 6.01 (B), appointment beyond Step C must be authorized by the Board of Directors. If approved, Ms. Tran’s tentative start date with the Park District will be August 4, 2021.

ALTERNATIVES

There are no alternatives recommended.

41 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 - 07 -

July 20, 2021

AUTHORIZATION TO APPOINT MS. THUIE TRAN AS THE SENIOR HUMAN RESOURCES ANALYST AT STEP E OF THE MANAGEMENT PAY RANGE MG01 IN THE HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT: EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE DIVISION

WHEREAS, the East Bay Regional Park District must recruit and retain a well-qualified workforce that reflects the diversity of the community served; and

WHEREAS, the Park District conducted an external recruitment process and determined that Thuie Tran is highly qualified for the position of Senior Human Resources Analyst; and

WHEREAS, the General Manager recommends the Board of Directors authorize the District to appoint Ms. Tran at Step E of the management salary range MG01; and

WHEREAS, the General Manager is authorized to appoint managers up to Step C and compensation beyond Step C requires Board authorization;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby authorize appointing Thuie Tran to the position of Senior Human Resources Analyst at Step E of the Management Salary Range MG01; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the General Manager is hereby authorized and directed, on behalf of the District and in its name, to execute and deliver such documents and to do such acts as may be deemed necessary or appropriate to accomplish the intentions of this resolution.

Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and approved this 20th day of July, 2021, by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

42 Page Left Blank Intentionally

43 AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

L. Authorization to Enter into a Funding Agreement with the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy to Accept and Receive California Wildlife Conservation Board Grant Funding for Upper Hess Creek: Thurgood Marshall Regional Park – Home of the Port Chicago 50 (Graul/Kelchner)

RECOMMENDATION

The General Manager recommends that the Board of Directors authorize staff to enter into a funding agreement between the Park District and the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy (Conservancy) to accept and receive California Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) grant funding for Upper Hess Creek at Thurgood Marshall Regional Park – Home of the Port Chicago 50.

REVENUE/COST

This action proposes to accept a grant award of $133,000 from WCB. Once completed, this project may increase the ongoing operational cost of the Park District. Upon receipt of an executed grant contract, the budget will be amended to include an increase in budgeted revenue and a corresponding increase in appropriation for the amount stipulated in the contract.

BACKGROUND

The Park District acquired the 420-acre Upper Hess Creek in partnership with the Conservancy in 2010, by Resolution No. 2010-12-311 to maintain open space, protect and restore endangered species habitat, extend wildlife corridors, and offer opportunities for public access and recreational trail opportunities. This grazing unit is accessed by Kirker Pass Road in Pittsburg and grazed separately from the main Thurgood Marshall Regional Park grazing unit.

In 2012, the Park District and the Conservancy entered into an agreement by Resolution No. 2011-7-160 to construct the Upper Hess Creek Restoration Project. The Project focused on restoring and creating listed species habitat. The large project was successful in establishing 2.3 acres of wetlands, 0.06 acres of breeding pond habitat, and restored 226 linear feet of creek.

44 The Park District is responsible for managing grazing activities and resource improvements and the Conservancy is responsible for the monitoring and management of the restored wetlands and ponds.

Despite these restoration efforts, livestock water and management has been an ongoing challenge for the Conservancy to meet conservation goals. To address these challenges, the Conservancy and park staff determined additional fencing, water infrastructure and other amenities were needed. The Conservancy was successful in being awarded a Local Assistance Grant (LAG) specifically for livestock infrastructure necessary for the proper management of habitats on the Upper Hess Creek property.

This action proposes to accept a grant award from WCB, which will be administered by the Conservancy to fund, in partnership with the Park District, three main tasks at the Upper Hess Creek property, between 2021 and 2022: 1) well establishment and livestock water infrastructure system installation; 2) shade structure installation and; 3) fencing replacement and repair.

In partnership, the Conservancy and Park District will solicit bids and hire contractors to complete the work proposed in the grant deliverables. A funding agreement between the Park District and the Conservancy for use of the WCB grant funds will be prepared by the staff of both agencies.

Habitat restoration and enhancement at Upper Hess Creek shall be compatible with public access and will focus on developing self-sustaining seasonal wetland and grassland habitats designed to support target special status species such as the California tiger salamander and California red- legged frog.

ALTERNATIVES

No alternatives are recommended.

45 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 – 07 -

July 20, 2021

AUTHORIZATION TO ENTER INTO A FUNDING AGREEMENT WITH THE EAST CONTRA COSTA COUNTY HABITAT CONSERVANCY TO ACCEPT AND RECEIVE CALIFORNIA WILDLIFE CONSERVATION BOARD GRANT FUNDING AT UPPER HESS CREEK: THURGOOD MARSHALL REGIONAL PARK – HOME OF THE PORT CHICAGO 50

WHEREAS, the East Bay Regional Park District is a signatory to the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservation Plan and Natural Community Conservation Plan (HCP/NCCP) and Implementation Agreement, (No. 2007-01-21), and is a land acquisition, restoration and management agent for the plan, and desires to participate in habitat restoration for Upper Hess Creek at Thurgood Marshall Regional Park – Home of the Port Chicago 50; and

WHEREAS, habitat restoration and creation are a requirement of HCP Implementing Agreement; and

WHEREAS, the East Contra Costa Habitat Conservancy (Conservancy) is the entity responsible for implementing the HCP under the Implementing Agreement; and

WHEREAS, the Park District authorized the purchase of the 420-acre Upper Hess Creek property, in partnership with the Conservancy on December 7, 2010 (No. 2010-12-311); and

WHEREAS, the Conservancy and the Park District entered into an agreement (No. 2011- 7-160) to construct the Upper Hess Creek Restoration Project that established 2.3 acres of wetlands, 0.06 acres of breeding pond habitat, and restored 226 linear feet of creek; and

WHEREAS, at the Upper Hess Creek property, the Park District is responsible for managing grazing activities and resource improvements and the Conservancy is responsible for the monitoring and management of the restored wetlands and ponds; and

WHEREAS, in 2021, the California Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) awarded a $133,000 grant to the Conservancy for “Upper Hess Creek Rangeland and Habitat Management,” and the Conservancy in partnership with the Park District will expend all WCB grant funds at the Upper Hess Creek property, in three main tasks: 1) well establishment and livestock water infrastructure system installation, 2) shade structure installation, and 3) fencing replacement and repair;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby authorizes staff to procced with implementation of the tasks of the WCB grant, in partnership with the Conservancy; and

46 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Directors hereby authorizes staff to work in partnership with the Conservancy to receive WCB grant funds for the tasks of soliciting bids and hiring contractors for the installation of wells and livestock water, fencing and shade structures, and to prepare a funding agreement between the Park District and the Conservancy, without further Board action; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Assistant General Manager of Finance and Management Services\CFO or Budget Manager is hereby authorized to amend the current year’s budget, without further Board action, upon receipt of the executed contract from the Grants Manager. The budget amendment will include an increase in budgeted revenue and a corresponding increase in appropriation for the amount stipulated in the contract; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the General Manager is hereby authorized and directed, on behalf of the Park District and in its name, to execute and deliver such documents and to do such acts as may be deemed necessary or appropriate to accomplish the intentions of this resolution.

Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and approved this 20th day of July, 2021 by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

47 Thurgood Marshall Regional Park - Home of the Port Chicago 50 Upper Hess Creek Watershed Feet [ 0 2,000 4,000

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49 AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

m. Authorization to Renew the Special Use Agreement with Golden State Model Railroad Museum: Miller-Knox Regional Shoreline (Patterson/O’Connor)

RECOMMENDATION

The General Manager and the Board Operations Committee, by unanimous vote at the June 29, 2021 meeting, recommend that the Board of Directors authorize the renewal of the Golden State Model Railroad Museum Special Use Agreement for a five-year term with an option to extend the term for a five-year period with a license for exclusive use of a portion of the Service Building in Miller-Knox Regional Shoreline in order to operate the Golden State Model Railroad Museum for the enjoyment of the general public.

REVENUE/COST

The Park District can expect an annual fee of $2,000 for the license, beginning January 1, 2022, with an annual increase of $50. Cost to the Park District is garbage pickup and maintenance of the exterior of the building.

BACKGROUND

The Golden State Model Railroad Museum (Museum), located at the Miller-Knox Regional Shoreline, is a non-profit 501(c)(3) public benefit corporation that is operated by its members. The members (Club) of the Museum organized in 1933 and convened in a Santa Fe warehouse in Oakland. In 1985, the Museum at Miller-Knox was formed to foster all aspects of model railroading in a museum setting. The Museum has highly detailed model train layouts that represent prototypical scenery in Northern and Central California. The public display has three main modeling scales, running both freight and passenger model trains typical of the steam era through modern day diesels. The Museum also offers railroad memorabilia for sale and conducts public education programs. Trains normally run every Sunday, April through December, from noon to 5pm. The Museum is also open on Saturdays from noon to 5 p.m. for viewing the displays. Other days are available by appointment to accommodate schoolchildren and other group schedules.

50 The Museum occupies about half the Miller-Knox Service Building (10,000 square feet) and shares a portion of the Service Yard. The Park District maintains the exterior of the building, the heating and air conditioning unit, and the alarm system and pays garbage pick-up. The Club pays for utilities and maintains the interior of the building.

The Museum Agreement will expire December 31, 2021. Park District staff and the Club would like to continue the Special Use Agreement, which will allow the Museum exclusive use of a portion of the Service Building in Miller-Knox Regional Shoreline to operate the Museum for the enjoyment of the general public with a five-year term with one five-year extension. The Park District will have sole discretion to terminate at any time with twelve months’ notice.

The new updated Special Use Agreement will be for an initial term of five years beginning January 1, 2022 with an option to extend the term of the Agreement for one five-year period terminating on December 31, 2032. The Park District currently receives $1,950 annually for the license and will receive $2,000, beginning January 1, 2022, with an annual increase of $50. The Park District will continue to pay expenses for garbage pickup and maintenance of the exterior of the building.

ALTERNATIVES

None are recommended.

51 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 - 07 -

July 20, 2021

AUTHORIZATION TO RENEW THE SPECIAL USE AGREEMENT WITH GOLDEN STATE MODEL RAILROAD MUSEUM: MILLER-KNOX REGIONAL SHORELINE

WHEREAS, the East Bay Regional Park District has had an agreement with the Golden State Model Railroad Museum for 36 years to operate the Golden State Model Railroad Museum for the enjoyment of the general public; and

WHEREAS, the current Special Use Agreement with the Golden State Model Railroad Museum at Miller-Knox Regional Park that will terminate on December 31, 2021; and

WHEREAS, the Golden State Model Railroad Museum, a non-profit 501(c)(3) public benefit corporation, desires to continue their activities at Miller-Knox Regional Park; and

WHEREAS, on June 29, 2021, the Board Operations Committee reviewed the proposal to renew the Agreement for two five-year terms and voted unanimously to recommend favorable consideration by the Board of Directors;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby approves a five-year Special Use Agreement beginning January 1, 2022 with an option to extend the term of the Agreement for one five-year period terminating on December 31, 2032 with the Golden State Model Railroad Museum at Miller-Knox Regional Park for exclusive use of a portion of the Service Building for which the Park District will receive $2,000, beginning January 1, 2022, with an annual increase of $50 with revenue coded to Account No. 101-5151-465-3791, Other Property Usage; and the Park District will continue to pay expenses for garbage pickup and maintenance of the exterior of the building; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the General Manager is hereby authorized and directed, on behalf of the Park District and in its name, to execute and deliver such documents and to do such acts as may be deemed necessary or appropriate to accomplish the intentions of this resolution.

Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and adopted this 20th day of July, 2021 by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

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53 AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

n. Authorization to Apply for Grant Funds from the Locally-Operated State Park Program for Public Use Improvements: Crown Memorial State Beach (Hornbeck/Rasmussen/Auker)

RECOMMENDATION

The General Manager recommends that the Board of Directors authorize an application for grant funds from the California Department of Parks and Recreation Office of Grants and Local Services Locally-Operated State Park Program (LOSP) for public use improvements at Crown Memorial State Beach.

REVENUE/COST

This action proposes approval of a grant application of approximately $800,000. Once completed, this project may increase the ongoing operational cost of the Park District. Upon receipt of an executed grant contract, the budget will be amended to include an increase in budgeted revenue and a corresponding increase in appropriation for the amount stipulated in the contract.

BACKGROUND

The LOSP is a competitive grant program funded by Prop 68. LOSP intends to fund renovation of aging infrastructure in urgent need of repair within a locally-operated unit of the California State Park system. Eligible applications must be a local public agency and have a current operating agreement for a unit of the State Park System. Crown Memorial State Beach meets the eligibility criteria of this grant program. Water and sewer utility system infrastructure, public use, and general park improvements are needed to ensure the longevity of the park and surrounding ecosystems.

ALTERNATIVES

No alternatives are recommended.

54 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 – 07 -

July 20, 2021

AUTHORIZATION TO APPLY FOR GRANT FUNDS FROM THE LOCALLY-OPERATED STATE PARK PROGRAM FOR PUBLIC USE IMPROVEMENTS: CROWN MEMORIAL STATE BEACH

WHEREAS, the State Department of Parks and Recreation has been delegated the responsibility by the Legislature of the State of California for the administration of the Locally- Operated State Park Program, setting up necessary procedures governing the application; and

WHEREAS, said procedures established by the State Department of Parks and Recreation require the Applicant to certify by resolution the approval of the application before submission of said application to the State; and

WHEREAS, successful Applicants will enter into a contract with the State of California to complete the Grant Scope project;

WHEREAS, the Park District procedures require Board Approval for all grant applications; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby approves the filing of an application for Public Use Improvements project at Crown Memorial State Beach; and

1. Certifies that said Application has or will have available, prior to commencement of any work on the project included in this application, the sufficient funds to complete the project; and

2. Certifies that if the project is awarded, the Application has or will have sufficient funds to operate and maintain the project; and

3. Certifies that the Application has reviewed, understands, and agrees to the General Provisions contained in the contract shown in the Grant Administration Guide; and

4. Delegates the authority to the General Manager or Assistant General Manager of Finance and Management Services/CFO to conduct all negotiations, sign and submit all documents, including by not limited to applications, agreements, amendments, and payment requests, which may be necessary for the completion of the Grant Scope; and

5. Agrees to comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, and guidelines.

55 6. Will consider promoting inclusion per Public Resources Code §8001(b)(8- A-G).

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Assistant General Manager of Finance and Management Services/CFO or Budget Manager is hereby authorized to amend the current year’s budget, without further Board action, upon receipt of the executed contract from the Grants Manager. The budget amendment will include an increase in budgeted revenue and a corresponding increase in appropriation for the amount stipulated in the contract.

Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and approved this 20th day of July, 2021, by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

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57 AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

o. Authorization to Grant a License to Chevron Environmental Management Company for Continued Groundwater Pollution Monitoring: Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline (Reeves/Kelchner)

RECOMMENDATION

The General Manager recommends that the Board of Directors authorize staff to enter into a five-year license agreement with Chevron Environmental Management Company (EMC) for their continued monitoring of groundwater wells located on Park District land banked property in compliance with their Regional Water Quality Control Board National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit (RWQCB Permit).

REVENUE/COST

There are no direct costs associated with this license agreement, other than staff time. Staff time will be funded by general funds previously appropriated to the 2021 Land Acquisition budget. As consideration for the long-term use of and access to Park District property, Chevron EMC will make the following payments:

1. $3,000 reimbursement for the California State Lands Commission sublease application fee which the Park District must pay in order to grant Chevron EMC access to four monitoring wells located on adjacent State lands; and 2. $3,800 for the reimbursement of staff time which will be credited as revenue to the Land Acquisition General Fund; and 3. $1,750 for a five-year license fee which will be retained in the Designated for Land Exchange capital acquisition project account (CIP 229900DLEA) to be used for future acquisitions.

BACKGROUND

In 2011, by Resolution No. 2011-12-314, the Park District Board of Directors authorized the purchase of the 148.47-acre TXI/Pacific Custom Materials, Inc. property located just south of the unincorporated community of Port Costa as an addition to Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline. As part of the funding package for purchase of the property, the California State Lands

58 Commission (SLC) generously contributed funding towards the purchase price on the condition that the Park District subsequently grant a 7.87-acre portion of the property to the SLC but continue to operate that portion under a separate lease agreement with the SLC. The property features a valley that drains directly into the strait and was once the site of the historic Port Costa Brick Company plant. The so-called “Brickyard” site remains in land bank status until it can be made safe and accessible for public enjoyment.

Bordering the Brickyard site on the north is a property owned by the Tosco Corporation, a petroleum refining company, where numerous diesel and gas tanks once covered the hillside. Though all tanks were removed long ago, Chevron EMC continues to monitor for potential groundwater contamination on properties surrounding the Tosco property, including the Park District’s Brickyard property, by collecting samples from existing ground water wells as part of a groundwater treatment system under the RWQCB Permit. The Park District has previously granted access to Chevron EMC through annually renewed encroachment permits. In 2020, the Park District modified its encroachment permit program such that access to and use of parkland for a period greater than one year is now granted through licenses or leases by the Land Acquisition Department. Staff consulted with Park Operations staff and Chevron’s groundwater monitoring program does not conflict with the use or management of the Brickyard property. Accordingly, staff proposes to grant Chevron EMC a new license agreement for continued access to and monitoring of groundwater on the Brickyard property. The proposed license grants Chevron EMC the right to access the site on a weekly basis to collect groundwater samples from five monitoring wells: one located on the TXI property and four located on the SLC property that is operated by the Park District under the aforementioned lease agreement. The SLC has agreed to permit the Park District to assign the access rights to Chevron EMC. The term of the license is five years with an option to extend the license for an additional five years, if necessary.

ALTERNATIVES

No alternative is recommended.

59 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 – 07 -

July 20, 2021

AUTHORIZATION TO GRANT A LICENSE TO CHEVRON ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT COMPANY FOR CONTINUED GROUNDWATER POLLUTION MONITORING: CARQUINEZ STRAIT REGIONAL SHORELINE

WHEREAS, in 2011, by Resolution No. 2011-12-314, the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District authorized the purchase of the 148.47-acre TXI/Pacific Custom Materials, Inc. property located just south of the unincorporated community of Port Costa, as an addition to Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline; and

WHEREAS, bordering the Brickyard site on the north is a property owned by the Tosco Corporation, a petroleum refining company, where numerous diesel and gas tanks once covered the hillside; and

WHEREAS, though all tanks were removed long ago, Chevron EMC continues to monitor for potential groundwater contamination on properties surrounding the Tosco property, including the Park District’s Brickyard property, by collecting samples from existing ground water wells as part of a groundwater treatment system under a Regional Water Quality Control Board National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit; and

WHEREAS, the Park District has previously granted access to Chevron EMC through annually renewed encroachment permits. In 2020, the Park District modified its encroachment permit program such that access to and use of parkland for a period greater than one year is now granted through licenses or leases by the Land Acquisition Department; and

WHEREAS, staff consulted with Park Operations staff and Chevron’s groundwater monitoring program does not conflict with the use or management of the Brickyard property. Accordingly, staff proposes to grant Chevron EMC a new license agreement for continued access to and monitoring of groundwater on the Brickyard property; and

WHEREAS, the proposed license agreement grants Chevron EMC the right to access the site on a weekly basis to collect groundwater samples from five monitoring wells: one located on the TXI property and four located on the SLC property that is operated by the District under the aforementioned lease agreement; and

WHEREAS, the term of the license is five years with an option to extend the license for an additional five years, if necessary; and

WHEREAS, Chevron EMC has agreed to pay the District a total of $8,550 in fees;

60 NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby authorizes a license agreement with Chevron Environmental Management Company to allow continued access to Park District property for groundwater sampling at Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline; and

Moved by Director , and seconded by Director and adopted this 20th of July 2021 by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

61 Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline !( Monitoring Well Chevron Environmental Management Company (EMC) Groundwater Monitoring License Agreement (APN: 368-090-006 & 368-090-004) Feet [ 0 100 200

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AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

p. Authorization to Award On-call Fuels Management Contracts to Arborworks, Bay Area Tree Specialists, Expert Tree Service, Mountain F Enterprises Inc., and The Professional Tree Care Company: District-wide (Theile/Ciaburro)

RECOMMENDATION

The General Manager recommends that the Board of Directors authorize the award of five separate on-call fuels management contracts to Arborworks, Bay Area Tree Specialists, Expert Tree Service, Mountain F Enterprises INC, and The Professional Tree Care Company to remove eucalyptus, pine, brush, and other hazardous wildland fuels in the East Bay Hills parklands.

REVENUE/COST

This project is funded by General Funds and grants.

SOURCE OF FUNDS Fuels Management Account (550000) $3,620,999 FEMA, CalFire and Other Grants (Various) $3,113,770 AVAILABLE $6,734,769 USE OF FUNDS Award of Contracts to Arborworks, Bay Area Tree Specialists, Expert Tree Service, Mountain F Enterprises Inc., and The Professional Tree Care Company $4,000,000 REMAINING $2,734,769

BACKGROUND

The Park District has been working with FEMA since 2005 to fund and authorize the removal of vegetation on 540-acres in the East Bay Hills. In 2018 the Park District began implementation of the FEMA funded Plan, including the thinning and removal of dry, flammable vegetation for wildfire prevention. In April 2018, the Park District met the conditions required by the environmental permits and began on the ground removal of vegetation within the FEMA areas. The continued implementation of the program has transitioned to a cross-departmental Fuels Management staff group who meet monthly to manage continuation of the EBRPD Wildfire Hazard Reduction and Resource Management Plan.

Fire Department staff prepared a formal Request for Proposal (RFP) that described the general range of Fire Department fuels management contracting needs and published the RFP on its website to attract multiple interested contractors. The Park District sought qualified, experienced contractors who could be called upon to perform various wildland fuels management and tree removal services for several project areas in the East Bay Hills parks up to a total of $4,000,000, using a task order procedure. The contracting period is one year, with the Park District retaining the option to extend any of the contractors on the list for two additional, consecutive years. A formal bid process was performed and a contractor’s mandatory on-site contractor tour was held. Seven contractors were represented at the tour on May 25, 2021; the Park District received five qualified proposals on July 2, 2021 which are being recommended for approval.

ALTERNATIVES

None are recommended.

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 - 07 -

July 20, 2021

AUTHORIZATION TO AWARD ON-CALL FUELS MANAGEMENT CONTRACTS TO ARBORWORKS, BAY AREA TREE SPECIALISTS, EXPERT TREE SERVICE, MOUNTAIN F ENTERPRISES INC., AND PROFESSIONAL TREE CARE COMPANY: DISTRICT-WIDE

WHEREAS, in 2010, the East Bay Regional Park District’s Board of Directors adopted the Wildfire Hazard Reduction and Resource Management Plan (Plan) to reduce fire hazard on Park District lands and maintain and enhance ecological values consistent with the fire hazard reduction goals; and

WHEREAS, the Park District posted a Request for Proposals (RFP) on its website to attract multiple contractors interested in performing on-call fuels management contracts on District parklands in the East Bay Hills District using a task order system; and

WHEREAS, the Park District held an on-site contractor tour on May 25, 2021, with seven contractors attending; and

WHEREAS, the Park District received five proposals from experienced, qualified contractors to remove eucalyptus, pine, brush, and other hazardous wildland fuels;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby authorizes executing on-call fuels management contracts with Arborworks, Bay Area Tree Specialists, Expert Tree Service, Mountain F Enterprises Inc., and Professional Tree Care Company for a one year term, with the option to extend each contract for two additional consecutive years; for a combined maximum amount up to $4,000,000; and

Moved by Director seconded by Director and adopted this 20th day of July 2021, by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

ACQUISITION STEWARDSHIP DEVELOPMENT AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

2. ACQUISITION, STEWARDSHIP & DEVELOPMENT DIVISION

RECOMMENDATION

The General Manager recommends the Board of Directors:

1. Authorize the award of a construction contract in the amount of $1,359,000 to Grade Tech, Inc. of Castro Valley, California, the lowest responsive responsible bidder for the Develop Tyler Staging Area at Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park.

2. Authorize an amendment in the amount of $204,950 for the licensed professionals’ contract with Johnson Marigot Consulting, LLC. (JMC) of Brisbane, California to provide new services for biomonitoring and reporting support and extend the term of the contract through December 31, 2025.

3. Authorize the transfer and appropriation of $225,000 from Measure WW Development Funds – Pleasanton Ridge Allocation Area into the Develop Tyler Staging Area Project.

4. Authorize direct payments for permits and utilities and authorization to enter associated agency agreements in an amount not to exceed $95,000 for the Develop Tyler Staging Area at Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park.

REVENUE/COST

This action will authorize a new construction contract with Grade Tech, Inc. in the amount of $1,359,000 for the construction of a new staging area at the south end of Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park and amend and increase the original contract value with JMC of $69,000 by $204,950 for a total amount of $273,950 for new services related to biomonitoring for the construction of the staging area and associated trails (Project No. 151800). This action will also authorize direct payments for permits and utilities and the associated agency agreements in an

63 amount not to exceed of $95,000 and authorize transfer and appropriating $225,000 to fund associated project costs. After this action there will be $1,031,900 remaining in the Pleasanton Ridge Development Allocation Area (WP48).

SOURCE OF FUNDS Develop Tyler Staging Area (No. 151800) $ 2,228,100 Encumbrances and Expenditures to Date (589,772) Transfer and Appropriate funds from Measure WW Development Funds – Pleasanton Ridge Allocation Area (WP48) 225,000 AVAILABLE BALANCE $ 1,863,328

USE OF FUNDS Construction Contract with Grade Tech, Inc. $ 1,359,000 Construction Contingency 203,850 Amendment with Johnson Marigot Consulting, LLC for Biomonitoring and Reporting 204,950 Utilities and Permits 95,000 REMAINING BALANCE $ 528

BACKGROUND

In July 2012, the Park District Board of Directors adopted a Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring Plan and approved the Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park Land Use Plan. The Land Use Plan calls for the development of a staging area at the south end of Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park to provide public access to the park.

The 2.6-acre Tyler Ranch Staging Area will include a compacted gravel parking lot with approximately 78 parking spaces and equestrian staging for three pick-ups with horse trailers, a picnic area, restrooms (vault toilets), cement sidewalks, landscaping, stormwater treatment areas, and ancillary utilities and infrastructure. The parking lot would be partially paved for ADA compliance.

The Park District advertised the construction contract on May 29, 2021 with bids due June 28, 2021. The project was advertised in 13 plan rooms in addition to advertising in the Daily Pacific Builder and on BPXpress. Ten bids were submitted and Grade Tech, Inc. with a bid amount of $1,359,000 was the lowest responsive bidder. The engineer’s estimate was $2,100,000. Staff has thoroughly reviewed the bid and recommends accepting it and moving forward with construction.

The basis for determination of the low bid for this project is the aggregate amount of the bidder’s base bid:

64 NAME OF BIDDER TOTAL BASE BID 1. Grade Tech, Inc. $ 1,359,000 2. Galeb Paving, Inc. $ 1,511,000 3. Goodfellow Bros. California, LLC $ 1,534,100 4. Integra Construction Services, Inc. $ 1,594,000 5. A. Teichert & Son, Inc. dba Teichert Construction $ 1,609,668 6. Granite Rock Company $ 1,652,759 7. Beals Martin and Associates, Inc. $ 1,826,813 8. E.E. Gilbert Construction, Inc. $ 1,839,016 9. R&R Pacific Construction $ 1,922,559 10. Michael Roberts Construction, Inc. $ 2,105,996 ENGINEER’S ESTIMATE $ 2,100,000

This action will also authorize an amendment to a professional service contract with Johnson Marigot Consulting, Inc. (JMC) for new services that will provide preconstruction biological surveys, construction biomonitoring, monthly and annual compliance reporting, and as-built reporting, for construction of the Tyler Staging Area and approximately six-miles of associated trails to ensure that the District meets all its environmental permit obligations.

The District originally entered into a professional service contract with JMC for $39,000 in 2018 to provide regulatory support and acquire all necessary environmental permits to construct the Tyler Staging Area in Pleasanton Ridge and approximately six miles of associated trails.

Their contract was amended twice, once in May 2020, for $10,000 and a second time, approved by the Board in October 2020, by Resolution No. 2020-10-233 for $20,000. These amendments authorized JMC to provide additional regulatory permit support to respond to agency comments on the permit applications.

As the project advances towards the construction phase, permitting and utility connection fees will require timely direct payment. Staff is requesting authorization for direct payment of these fees, estimated to not exceed $95,000 and authorization to enter into agreements with associated utility agency.

CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT A Mitigated Negative Declaration was filed in 2012 in Alameda County.

ALTERNATIVES No alternatives are recommended.

65 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 – 07 –

July 20, 2021

AUTHORIZATION TO AWARD A CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT TO GRADE TECH, INC., AND AMEND A CONTRACT WITH JOHNSON MARIGOT CONSULTING, INC., AND TRANSFER AND APPROPRIATE FUNDS, AND AUTHORIZATION FOR DIRECT PAYMENTS FOR PERMITS AND UTILITIES AND ASSOCIATED AGREEMENTS FOR THE DEVELOP TYLER STAGING AREA PROJECT: PLEASANTON RIDGE REGIONAL PARK

WHEREAS, in July 2012, the East Bay Regional Park District (Park District) Board of Directors adopted a Mitigated Negative Declaration and Mitigation Monitoring Plan and approved the Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park Land Use Plan (LUP); and

WHEREAS, the LUP calls for the development of a staging area at the south end of Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park to provide public access to the park; and

WHEREAS, the Tyler Ranch Staging Area will include a compacted gravel parking lot with approximately 78 parking spaces and equestrian staging for three pick-ups with horse trailers, a picnic area, restrooms (vault toilets), cement sidewalks, landscaping, stormwater treatment areas, and ancillary utilities and infrastructure. The parking lot would be partially paved for ADA compliance; and

WHEREAS, the Park District has developed construction documents for the Tyler Staging Area; and

WHEREAS, the Park District issued those documents for public bidding beginning on May 29, 2021 and received bids on June 28, 2021; and

WHEREAS, ten (10) bids were received by the bid deadline and Grade Tech, Inc. was the lowest responsive and responsible bidder; and

WHEREAS, in May of 2018, the Park District Board of Directors executed a professional service contract in the amount of $39,000 contract with Johnson Marigot Consulting (JMC) of Brisbane, California for regulatory permit support for the Tyler staging area; and

WHEREAS, in May of 2020, the Park District amended the contract with JMC for an additional $10,000 to continue to provide liaison support with regulatory agencies for the Project; and

66 WHEREAS, in October of 2020, the Park District amended the contract with JMC for an additional $20,000 to continue to provide additional regulatory permit support to respond to agency comments on the permit applications; and

WHEREAS, it is necessary to amend the contract for JMC to provide preconstruction biological surveys, construction biomonitoring, monthly and annual compliance reporting, and as- built reporting, for construction of the Tyler Staging Area and approximately six-miles of associated trails to ensure that the District meets all its environmental permit obligations for the project; and

WHEREAS, there will be construction permit and utility fees and associated agency agreements and that are not finalized and will require timely payment and action;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby authorizes a construction contract with Grade Tech, Inc. in the amount of $1,359,000 and a construction contingency of $203,850 to be funded out of the Develop Tyler Staging Area Project (No. 151800); and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED; that the Board of Directors hereby authorizes an amendment to the contract with Johnson Marigot Consulting to increase the original contract value of $69,000 by $204,950 for a total amount of $273,950, to provide preconstruction biological surveys, construction biomonitoring, monthly and annual compliance reporting, and as- built reporting, for construction of the Tyler Staging Area and approximately six-miles of associated trails in Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED; that the Board of Directors hereby authorizes the transfer and appropriation of $225,000 from Measure WW Development Fund – Pleasanton Ridge Allocation Area (WP48) to the Develop Tyler Ridge Staging Area Project (No. 151800) for associated project costs; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors authorizes direct payments for associated utility and permit fees and associated agreements in the amount not to exceed $95,000; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the General Manager, or her designee, is hereby authorized and directed, on behalf of the Park District and in its name, to execute and deliver such documents and to do such acts as may be deemed necessary or appropriate to accomplish the intentions of this resolution.

67 Moved by , and seconded by , and adopted this 20th day of July 2021, by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

68 Tyler Ranch Staging Area Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park East Bay Feet Regional Park District Alameda County [ 0 200 400

Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park

Tyler Ranch Staging Area

K i l k a r e B R S d

t S ve

C A d A a ro S ail t R N iles Cany Foothill Rd on Rd State Hwy 84 Niles Blvd Main St

San Antonio Reservoir (SFWD) Vicinity Map

Bishop Brushy Ranch Peak Dublin Doolan Hills Canyon

Pleasanton Garin Ridge

Del Dry Creek Valle Pioneer 4W D R Vargas oa Quarry d Lakes Mission Sunol Ohlone Peak O:\GIS\CMcKaskey\Projects_2019\ASD\DesignConstruction\BoardMaps\PR_TylerRanch\PR_TylerRanchStaging.mxd 2/20/2019Date: 69 Page Left Blank Intentionally

70 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT BUDGET CHANGE FORM

NEW APPROPRIATIONS BUDGET TRANSFERS X New Appropriations X Between Funds From New Revenues X Between Projects DECREASE BUDGET ACCOUNT AMOUNT INCREASE BUDGET ACCOUNT AMOUNT Account Name: Expense: Captial Fund- Project Management Unit-Pleasanton Ridge-Construction in Progress-Build Tyler Staging Area Project-Measure WW Pleasanton Ridge Development Allocation Area-Consultant Services

Account: 333-7140-159-7020/ 151800WP48-005 $ 225,000

TRANSFERS BETWEEN FUNDS Account Name: TRANSFER OUT: Account Name: TRANSFER IN: Capital Measure WW Project Fund Fund-Non Projects Fund-Non Departmental-District Departmental-District Wide-Transfer Out Wide-Transfer In

Account: 337-9110-000-9981 $ 225,000 Account: 333-9110-000-3981 $ 225,000 As being presented at the Board of Directors meeting on July 20, 2021 the General Manager recommends that the Board of Directors authorize the appropriation of $225,000 from Measure WW Pleasanton Ridge Development Allocation Area (WP48) to existing project 151800 increasing funding to build the Tyler staging area.

As approved at the Board of Directors Meeting on date: 7/20/2021 Board of Directors Resolution Number: 2021-07- Posted By: Posted date: Signature:

T:\BOARD MATERIAL\2021\13- July 20, 2021\S DRIVE\C-2-a ASD DECO Tyler Staging Area Award Construction Contract - BCF

71 FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

3. FINANCE AND MANAGEMENT SERVICES DIVISION

RECOMMENDATION

The General Manager recommends that the Board of Directors award a construction contract to Art’s Construction Company, Inc., of Fresno, CA to construct the Trudeau Conference Center Solar Project at Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park and Peralta Oaks Administration Building Solar Panel Replacement Project.

REVENUE/COST

This action awards a $759,000.00 construction contract to Art’s Construction Company, Inc. construct the Trudeau Conference Center Solar Project at Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park using budgeted funds in Project No. 161200, and to replace solar panels at the Peralta Oaks Administration Building using budgeted funds in Project No. 164000.

SOURCE OF FUNDS Install Emergency Generator, Trudeau - Project No. 161200 AVAILABLE $433,745 Replace Solar Panels, Peralta Oaks - Project No. 164000 AVAILABLE $550,000

USE OF FUNDS Construction contract with Art's Construction Company, Inc. (Base Bid, Add/Alt #3, #5, & #6) Funds from Install Emerg Generator, Trudeau Project No. 161200 $287,000 REMAINING (roof replacement, contingency) $146,745

Funds from Replace Solar Panels, Peralta Project No. 164000 $472,000 REMAINING (contingency) $78,000

72 BACKGROUND

The Richard C. Trudeau Conference Center on Skyline Blvd. at Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park was identified as a location for use in the event of planned or unplanned power outages resulting from high wind, high fire-danger events or public safety power shut offs. The 2021 Adopted Budget identified the need for emergency generators at Trudeau and the Peralta Oaks Administration Building as needing backup power. Originally, a diesel-powered generator was planned for the Trudeau project, however it was determined that a photovoltaic solar array coupled with a backup battery system would meet the needs of the Park District without the need to burn diesel fuel and the maintenance required of a diesel generator. The new system will allow Trudeau Conference Center to produce electricity on-site, store excess electricity for use at night, and power the facility during power outages. Staff proposes changing the project name from Install Emergency Generator, Trudeau to Install Backup Power, Trudeau. A separate project will replace the roof of the Trudeau Conference Center prior to construction of the new photovoltaic solar array.

The existing photovoltaic solar array on the roof of the Peralta Oaks Administration Building was installed in 2002. Its electricity generation capacity began to decline in 2013 and ceased to produce any electricity in 2019. This project will remove all existing equipment and install new solar panels, inverters, and related equipment. A multi-layer, protective maintenance treatment will be applied to the roof prior to construction of the new photovoltaic solar array to extend the life of the Administration Building’s roof.

In March 2018, the 1.9 megawatts solar array at Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area came online. Its 3,258 solar panels were designed to covers 22 sites District-wide and apply solar credits to any 50 meters District-wide. The Peralta Oaks Administration Building was not fully included in the calculation of needed power from the solar array at Shadow Cliffs since it already had its own solar power. The Trudeau Center is available for offset by Shadow Cliffs but it makes up only 1% and will be directed to other facilities with higher usage.

Funds for this project were appropriated in the 2021 Adopted Budget and the Mid-Year Budget Adjustments that the Board of Directors adopted on July 6, 2021.

The Notice to Bidders was published on March 26, 2021 to the District’s online plan room and posted to the Dodge Data Construction Plan Room. Five firms purchased Bid Documents and three firms submitted bids on May 20, 2021 as follows:

Total Selected: Base Bid, Add/Alt #3, Plan Holder Add/Alt #5, and Add/Alt #6 Art’s Construction Company, Inc. $759,000.00 STE Electric dba Solar Technologies $1,122,472.00 Sunworks United Inc dba Sunworks $1,231.399.00

The bid submitted by Art’s Construction Company, Inc. of Fresno, CA met the specifications and conditions for the project. A fourth bid was received and rejected by Park District Counsel. Therefore, Art’s Construction Company, Inc. of Fresno, CA is the lowest responsible bidder.

73 ALTERNATIVES

No alternatives are recommended.

74 Page Left Blank Intentionally

75 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 - 07 -

July 20, 2021

AUTHORIZATION TO AWARD CONTRACT TO ART’S CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, INC. FOR THE RICHARD C. TRUDEAU CONFERENCE CENTER SOLAR PROJECT AND REPLACING SOLAR PANELS PROJECT AT THE PERALTA OAKS ADMINISTRATION BUILDING

WHEREAS, the Richard C. Trudeau Conference Center at Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park and the Peralta Oaks Administration Building was identified as locations for use in the event of planned or unplanned power outages resulting from high wind, high fire-danger events or public safety power shut offs; and

WHEREAS, the 2021 Adopted Budget identified the need for an emergency generator at Trudeau Center as a backup power supply. The new photovoltaic solar array and battery system will allow Trudeau Center to produce electricity on-site, store excess electricity for use at night, and power the facility during power outages; and

WHEREAS, the existing photovoltaic solar array on the roof of the Peralta Oaks Administration Building was installed in 2002. Its electricity generation capacity began to decline in 2013 and ceased to produce any electricity in 2019. The project will remove all existing equipment and install new solar panels, inverters, and related equipment; and

WHEREAS, the Notice to Bidders was published on March 26, 2021 to the Park District’s online plan room and posted to the Dodge Data Construction Plan Room. Five firms purchased Bid Documents and three firms submitted bids on May 20, 2021 as follows:

WHEREAS, the bid submitted by Art’s Construction Company, Inc. of Fresno, CA met the specifications and conditions for the project; therefore, Art’s Construction Company, Inc. of Fresno, CA is the lowest responsible bidder;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District authorizes awarding a construction contract to Art’s Construction Company, Inc. of Fresno, CA in the amount of $759,000 that includes the base bid, Add/Alt #3, Add/Alt #5, and Add/Alt #6 for the project, with $287,000 from Install Emergency Generator, Trudeau Project No. 161200 and $472,000 from Replace Solar Panels, Peralta Project No. 164000;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District authorizes changing the name of Project No. 161200 from Install Emerg Generator, Trudeau to Install Backup Power, Trudeau;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the General Manager is hereby authorized and directed, on behalf of the District and in its name, to execute and deliver such documents and such acts as may be deemed necessary or appropriate to accomplish the intentions of this resolution.

Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and approved this 20th day of July, 2021, by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

77 GM COMMENTS AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

4. GENERAL MANAGER’S COMMENTS

STAFF PRESENTATION Deputy General Manager Dr. Ana M. Alvarez will provide an update on the Park District’s drought response.

GM COMMENTS Retirements April 2021 through June 2021: Michael Macdonough Park Ranger Contra Loma 7 years Ryland MacFadyen Police Sergeant Public Safety 11 years

Interpretive and Recreation Services Department Community Outreach On June 5, Mobile Education Interpretive staff partnered with the University of California San Francisco and Benioff Children's Hospital to host nature-inspired art activities at Lake Temescal for 11 families from the Stay Healthy In Nature Every Day (SHINE) program.

North/West Region Coyote Hills: From May 10 to June 13, staff led 20 virtual field trips for more than 400 students, contacted 705 guests in the visitor center and outdoors, and maintained an active social media presence on Facebook.

Crab Cove: From May 29 to 31, staff welcomed more than 600 guests to the visitor center and aquarium, and shared educational facts about sharks at a table near the entryway. Staff also conducted the Low Tide Exploration program on the mudflats for 65 participants.

Mobile Education: On May 29, staff completed a series of visits to Reinhart Redwood Regional Park distributing 375 Regional Parks Foundation-Helzel Foundation toolkits to interested families.

Outdoor Recreation: On May 22, staff took three families from the Adventure Crew Oakland Naturalists cohort to the Serpentine Prairie for Map Reading and Orienteering Skills 101.

Tilden Nature Area: From May 10 to June 13, staff led 21 virtual field trips for more than 500 students and provided registration-based farm tours during the week for 3,435 people.

78 South/East Region Ardenwood: Over 6,410 guests visited the farm and 2,065 interacted with staff at the farmyard interpretive table. Animal feedings, farm chores, and craft activities were available for all to enjoy.

Big Break: From May 10 to June 13, the center was open and hosted 384 visitors. Staff also made 698 roving contacts, conducted five virtual field trips serving 139 students, hosted two virtual public programs for 50 participants, and maintained an active social media presence on Facebook.

Black Diamond: Staff conducted a variety of virtual field trips, public programs, and maintained an active social media presence on Facebook.

Community Services & Volunteers: Individual Volunteer Programs are returning to the parks. Docents have returned to visitor centers and Invasive Plant Removal Programs and Park and Shoreline Cleanup Programs are available at Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park, Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline, Robert W. Crown Regional Shoreline, and Garin/Dry Creek Pioneer Regional Park.

Del Valle: Staff welcomed more than 100 guests to the official opening of the new Del Valle Visitor Center on May 29, 30, and 31.

Sunol: From May 10 to June 13, staff conducted multiple virtual field trips for more than 150 students and maintained an active social media presence on Facebook.

Park Operations Department Delta Unit East Contra Costa Trails: In the final weeks of May, staff completed all mowing and vegetation management projects at Bay Point Shoreline, Big Break Shoreline, Antioch/Oakley Shoreline, Big Break, Delta De Anza, and Marsh Creek Trails prior to the Contra Costa Fire and East Contra Costa County Fire mandated fire abatement deadlines.

Interpretive Parklands Unit Garin/Dry Creek: In mid-May, the park supervisor and a park ranger were recognized in a letter from the Ukraine Heritage Club and the Consulate General of Ukraine in San Francisco for helping to facilitate the planting of an olive tree on April 29 at Park Ukraine for The Greening of the World, a program to plant one million trees in 100 counties of the world. Seven visitors, including the Consul General and Vice Consul General of Ukraine attended the tree planting ceremony.

Volunteers returned to the apple orchard and Meyer’s Garden during the second week of June and worked with staff to prune trees, evaluate the condition of the orchard, clear pathways, and trim ivy in the garden.

79 Parkland Unit Botanic Garden: On May 12, volunteers began reporting to work on-site while adhering to all COVID-19 safety protocols. Tilden: In the final weeks of May, staff completed mowing and weed abatement, and replaced picnic tables that were previously removed for social distancing during the pandemic. Staff focused work in areas reopened on June 1, including South Park Drive, reservable picnic sites, and group camps.

Shoreline Unit Point Pinole: During the month of June, staff completed installation of landscape boulders at Lone Tree Staging area in Rodeo. The boulders will create a barrier between the trail and vehicle parking.

Lakes Unit Quarry Lakes: On May 14, staff planted Kiwi trees at the arbor in the Rare Fruit Grove. The trees will eventually climb the arbor creating a shaded structure covered with the fruit.

Recreation Areas During the month of May and in early June, staff began preparations for swim season and summer operations. Staff implemented a reservations system for swimming, completed vegetation management, and performed safety checks, irrigation repairs, and park maintenance.

Diablo Foothills/Castle Rock: The nesting Peregrine Falcons have given birth to four chicks. Wildlife experts from the University of Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group and Pinnacles National Park rappelled down to the nest and banded the birds to aid with future research and monitoring.

Maintenance and Skilled Trades Fleet Unit During the month of May, equipment shop staff worked closely with Human Resources in a series of remote meetings to develop a skills test for prospective Equipment Mechanics. On June 3, the test was administered to approximately 12 candidates for the current recruitment. Oral panel interviews followed on June 17 and a hiring pool was established on June 18. Two candidates were given conditional job offers.

Also in May, staff from all equipment shops participated in fleet software demonstrations.

During the months of May and June, equipment shop staff continued to perform routine maintenance and repairs on vehicles and equipment with top priority placed on fire apparatuses due to the high-risk fire season. Staff also received, and put into service, various pieces of equipment and vehicles, including a sweeper/scrubber and a specialized drop trailer to service the Judge John Sutter Regional Shoreline pier and Bridge Yard building.

Both the South County and Tilden corporation yard underground fuel tank systems were tested and inspected; both sites passed with minor issues addressed.

80 BOARD AND STAFF REPORTS AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

5. BOARD AND STAFF REPORTS

a. Actions Taken by Other Jurisdictions Affecting the Park District (Landreth)

City of Alameda City Council – Demolition Approval of Buildings at 620 Central Avenue

On July 6, 2021, the City of Alameda City Council held a public hearing to consider a Call for Review (CFR) of an Alameda Historical Advisory Board (HAB) grant of a Certificate of Approval issued May 6, 2021. The approval allows demolition of two main buildings and four accessory buildings on a 3.65-acre parcel located at 620 Central Avenue, adjacent to the former GSA property at Crown Beach near Crab Cove. The project proponent, Alameda Point Collaborative plans to facilitate the future construction of the McKay Wellness Center Project, a mixed-use institutional use that will provide various forms of medical services, assisted living and supportive care for senior and homeless individuals. The CFR claimed, among other things, that the HAB did not make the required finding for the Certificate of Approval that the buildings no longer meet criteria for preservation of Historical and Cultural Monuments. The City Council upheld the Historical Advisory Board’s decision and approved the Certificate of Approval after reviewing submitted materials, considering staff and applicant discussions, and hearing public testimony.

Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors – Tassajara Parks Residential Project

On July 13, 2021, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors held a public hearing on the Tassajara Parks Residential Project, to review the General Plan Amendment, Rezoning, Major Subdivision, Development Plan, Tree Permit, and Development Agreement elements of the proposed Tassajara Parks Residential Project. The Board certified the Environmental Impact Report; authorized staff to execute a preservation agreement between the County, the City of San Ramon, and the East Bay Regional Park District; authorized amending the General Plan to change the Urban Limit Line and Land Use to include the project’s 30-acre single-family residential and parks designations; and approved the Rezoning, Tentative Map, and Development Plan. The project will convey over 700 acres of open space to the Park District and construct a staging area increasing access to the Tassajara Creek Trail, in addition to providing additional recreation trails, easements and other improvements.

81 BOARD COMMITTEE REPORTS AGENDA REGULAR MEETINGS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, July 20, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

6. BOARD COMMITTEE REPORTS

a. Board Legislative Committee (6.18.2021) (Wieskamp)

Present

Attendees (Via Video Conference):

Board: Chair Ayn Wieskamp, Dee Rosario, Dennis Waespi

Staff: Erich Pfuehler, Lisa Baldinger, Yulie Padmore, Katy Hornbeck, Debra Fuller, Rachel Sater, Debra Auker, Jeff Rasmussen

Consultants: Doug Houston, Peter Umhofer, David Mermin, Jacklyn Juetten

Public: Members of the public were able to access the meeting via live video stream.

The June 18, 2021 Board Legislative Committee meeting was held via video conference pursuant to Governor Newsom’s Executive Order No. N-29-20.

This meeting was called to order at 12:30 PM.

Executive Assistant Yulie Padmore conducted a roll call of Board Legislative Committee members and staff.

Items to be discussed:

Directors Ayn Wieskamp, Dee Rosario, Dennis Waespi acknowledged the East Bay Regional Park District’s (District) and Federal government’s recognition of Juneteenth. The District is waving entry fees to its parks. Everyone will have the opportunity reflect about Juneteenth in District parks.

I. MAY LAKE RESEARCH PARTNERS SURVEY RESULTS Chief of Government and Legislative Affairs Erich Pfuehler and Legislative and Policy Management Analyst Lisa Baldinger presented about the findings from the voter survey conducted from May 19-24, 2021. Consultants David Mermin and Jacklyn Juetten from Lake Research Partners answered questions.

82 II. STATE LEGISLATION / OTHER MATTERS A. NEW LEGISLATION – RECOMMENDED BILLS FOR SUPPORT 1. AB 9 (Wood D-Santa Rosa) – Regional Forest and Fire Capacity Program Pfuehler said AB 9 codifies the Regional Forest and Fire Capacity (RFFC) program. The program creates new regional approaches aimed at developing strategies for wildfire risk reduction. RFFC was initiated in 2018-2019 when funding was allocated to the Department of Conservation (DoC) for regional fire protection designs and priorities. The state is now looking at how it should allocate resources regionally and prioritize activities. Baldinger explained staff met with the DoC. The RFFC program is funded through block grants from the DoC. The grants are then administered through local regional entities. The District would apply to the state Coastal Conservancy for its RFFC programs. The District was successful with a 2020 grant application. The goal of this program is to foundationally expand opportunity for wildfire mitigation.

2. AB 642 (Friedman D-Glendale) – Omnibus Fire Prevention Bill Pfuehler stated AB 642 is omnibus legislation focused on forest health. This legislation adds lightning strikes to the factors for hazard severity zones. It also classifies Diablo and other winds as fire spreaders. AB 642 adds additional resources for prescribed burns and making it easier for burn bosses to acquire insurance.

3. SB 109 (Dodd D-Napa) – Office of Wildfire Technology Research and Development Pfuehler discussed SB 109 is an effort to improve wildfire suppression through equipment and new technologies. A newly created Office of Wildfire Technology Research and Development within the California Office of Emergency Services would lead this effort.

4. SB 332 (Dodd D-Napa) – Insurance for Prescribed Burn Supervisors Pfuehler explained SB 332 would address the issue around liability insurance as a barrier to prescribed fire. By making insurance accessible to professional burn bosses, controlled burns would be more viable for the District.

5. SCR 52 (McGuire D-Healdsburg) – California Parks and Recreation Professionals Month Pfuehler spoke about SCR 52, a resolution recognizing July 2021 as California Parks and Recreation Professionals Month. State frontline professionals will be recognized for their extraordinary efforts, particularly during the pandemic.

A motion to support AB 9, AB 642, SB 109, SB 332 and SCR 52 passed unanimously.

B. OTHER STATE MATTERS 1. State Budget and Trailer Bills Advocate Doug Houston conveyed an update about the state budget and trailer bills as they effect the District. He commended the California Special Districts Association and their efforts to gain access to funds which could backfill losses resulting from Covid-19. Pfuehler added the Park District’s advocacy was very important in this effort. With the May budget revision, an additional $125 million for local grants will be made available through the Statewide Park Program for park poor communities. The District has secured funding through this program in previous grant cycles.

2. Tree and Vegetation Mortality Update Pfuehler shared General Manager Landreth and staff met with Senator Wieckowski earlier this week to impress upon him the tree mortality issue. Senator Wieckowski is keenly aware of the situation and 83 interested in helping. Additionally, staff spoke about the $3.5 million request with regard to equipment which Assembly Member Bauer-Kahan had requested. Staff discussed a request for $3 million for infrastructure to develop a Conservation Corps base in Las Trampas.

3. AB 959 (Mullin D-South San Francisco) – Nuisance Abatement Legislation Update Baldinger presented AB 959 authored by Congressmember Mullen is nuisance abatement legislation sponsored by the District in partnership with Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District. Assistant District Council Jason Rosenberg testified before the Assembly Local Government Committee. On May 28th, the bill unanimously passed the Assembly. AB 959 will now be advancing to the Senate Government and Finance Committee. Assistant District Counsel Rachel Sater will be testifying. District staff spoke with committee staff this past week. All is looking positive for the bill in terms of its continued advancement.

4. Other Matters None

III. FEDERAL LEGISLATION / OTHER MATTERS A. NEW LEGISLATION RECOMMENDED BILLS FOR SUPPORT 1. H.R. 1066 (Neguse D-CO) – Wildfire Recovery Act Pfuehler stated H.R. 1600 improves language and flexibility with regard to FEMA and one of their grant programs which allows communities to be reimbursed for catastrophic wildfire damages.

2. H.R. 3423 (Meng D-NY) – Safe Drinking Water in Playgrounds and Parks Pfuehler explained H.R. 3423 specifies playgrounds and parks are eligible for the “Reducing Lead in Drinking Water Grant Program.” The bill could be helpful for the District in terms of the water bottle filling stations and other drinking water facilities.

3. S. 809 (Merkley D-OR) and H.R. 1983 (Panetta D-CA) – Monarch, Action, Recovery and Conservation Habitat (MONARCH) Act Pfuehler informed S. 809 and H.R. 1983 provides funding through grants for monarch butterfly habitat. Grants Manager Katy Hornbeck noted the District has a current grant with the Wildlife Conservation Board for work at Point Pinole.

4. S. 872 (Duckworth D-IL) and H.R. 2021 (Grijalva D-AZ) – Environmental Justice for All Act Pfuehler said S. 872 and H.R. 2021 establish the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Grant Program funded from offshore oil leases. The funding would not compete with the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The amount of money provided to the Federal government from oil leases is around $2 billion a year. The bill also establishes the Transit to Trails Grant Program. It allocates $10 million to provide people more access via public transit to trails. The bill also repeals the sunset provision of Every Kid Outdoors. If the bill becomes law, in perpetuity, fourth graders and their families could go to parks for free.

5. S. 984 (Merkley D-OR) and H.R. 2238 (Lowenthal D-CA) – Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act Pfuehler offered S. 984 and H.R. 2238, the Break Free from Plastics Pollution Act, would provide a moratorium on new plastic production. It would limit the production of non-recyclable plastic items and require a 25% recycling requirement for new products.

6. S. 1057 (Coons D-DE) and H.R. 2241 (Neguse D-CO) – Civilian Climate Corps Act Umhofer explained the momentum of the Civilian Climate Corps Act began in 2020 and continues in 2021. 84 It was bipartisan in nature and the first bill to be introduced last year. Congress saw what was happening with the economy due to Covid-19. They realized addressing the economic circumstances through the Corps, tied with the need to build upon the success from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), would be an important endeavor. This is an effort to keep the coalition together, continue the momentum and support the stakeholders.

7. S. 1165 (Coons D-DE) – Cultivating Opportunity and Response to the Pandemic through Service (CORPS) Act Pfuehler stated the Cultivating Opportunity and Response to the Pandemic through Service (CORPS) Act is related to relief efforts, particularly for rural communities, in terms of providing jobs and supporting communities having incurred impacts due to Covid-19.

8. S. 1461 (Booker D-NJ) – Transit to Trails Act Pfuehler explained the Transit to Trails Act would be a vehicle to support the District’s active transportation network. It would provide connections to transit and improve overall access to parks. Special purpose district language was included making the District eligible.

9. S. 1906 (Feinstein D-CA) and H.R. 610 (Speier D-CA) – San Francisco Bay Restoration Act Pfuehler conveyed S. 1906 and H.R. 610 would codify the San Francisco Bay Water Quality Improvement Fund and allocate added resources. Region IX sets aside some of their budget specifically for a San Francisco Bay Restoration Program. They are not required to do so. This bill would codify the program while increasing funds.

A motion to support H.R. 1066, H.R. 3423, S. 809, H.R. 1983, S. 872, H.R. 2021, S. 984, H.R. 2238, S. 1057, H.R. 2241, S. 1165, S. 1461, S. 1906 and H.R. 610 passed unanimously.

B. OTHER FEDERAL MATTERS 1. Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Federal Transportation Grant Update Baldinger informed the District’s Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) Federal Transportation Grant application will be submitted on July 8, 2021. The following comprise the District team who put together a robust grant package: Grants Manager Katy Hornbeck, Trails Program Manager Sean Dougan, Chief of Design and Construction Lisa Goorjian, Chief Planning, Trails and GIS Brian Holt, Assistant Finance Officer Jeff Rasmussen, Senior Planner Chantal Alatorre, Executive Assistant Yulie Padmore, Pfuehler and Baldinger.

2. Federal Budget Update Umhofer outlined a high-level summary about the Federal budget and the infrastructure package.

3. Wildfire Update Pfuehler acknowledged Umhofer’s continued work around wildfire legislation by meeting with Senators and Regional Forester Randy Moore. Moore was gracious and generous with his time. After meeting with him, he immediately had his staff and Park District staff working together to understand the cause of tree mortality. Additionally, they provided technical assistance.

4. Other Matters No other matters.

V. OPEN FORUM PUBLIC COMMENT 85 No public comments.

VI. ARTICLES VII. BOARD COMMENTS Director Rosario thanked Umhofer and Houston for their advocacy and clarity. Director Waespi exclaimed happiness for the District and Federal government’s acknowledgment of Juneteenth. He expressed appreciation for the statistical data and analysis provided. He encouraged presenting the results to the whole Board. Director Waespi suggested wildfire communications pre-planning for the District which would include legislators. Director Wieskamp thanked District staff for their work in defining projects. Baldinger shared Padmore, is coordinating with elected offices to set up site tours of the tree mortality vegetation work currently underway. The goal is to proactively share an on-the-ground experience with elected offices.

This meeting adjourned at 2:32 pm

Respectfully Submitted:

Debra Fuller Executive Assistant

86 NEWSCLIPS Controversial Tassajara Parks Development Up For Discussion Danville has opposed the project but San Ramon has supported it. The Board of Supervisors will decide its fate Tuesday. Bay City News, News Partner Posted Mon, Jul 12, 2021 at 9:32 am PT Tassajara Parks would push Contra Costa's urban development area further east. (Google Maps) CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA — After more than a decade of re-imagining and battling various interests — including the Town of Danville — a developer will finally get its Tassajara Parks proposal for 125 houses east of Blackhawk before the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.

FT Land LLC's project would push the county's urban limit line farther east, occupying 30 acres north of Camino Tassajara.

Another 727 acres, on both sides of Camino Tassajara, would go to the East Bay Regional Parks District. Seven acres would go to the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District to use for a training facility.

The Danville Town Council has officially opposed the plan, as has the East Bay Municipal Utilities District (EBMUD). Danville, which is the closest incorporated municipality, has protested not being more included during the process, says its environmental impact report is inadequate and agrees with EBMUD that the project lacks an adequate water source.

On June 8, EBMUD's board of directors officially declared "the district has not planned to serve the project and does not have adequate water supplies to support the proposed annexation of the project into the district's service area."

A staff report for the project said its environmental impact report -- the adequacy of which is one of the factors the Board of Supervisors will decide Tuesday -- "analyzed water availability and identified measures that would result in a demand offset of up to 2 million gallons per day." Those measures would be off-site and "in consultation with and approved by EBMUD."

87 The off-site, accelerated conservation measures would be funded by the developer, who says they would mitigate the water demand of the 375 people anticipated to live in the development, according to the report.

It also says development can't proceed without water agreements in place. The development is also conditioned to require water limits on homeowners as enforceable provisions of the project's covenants, conditions and restrictions.

If approved, the county would receive $2.5 million for its livable communities trust and $4 million for an agricultural enhancement fund for the Tassajara Valley area. Instead of offering 15% of the units, FT Land LLC will pay the county $484,000 designated for affordable housing in Contra Costa.

The nearby City of San Ramon and the East Bay Regional Parks District have both officially endorsed the project, signing off on a preservation agreement for the project's open space. The project will also require amending the county's general plan to change the area's zoning from agricultural to residential where houses are planned, public- semi-public for the fire district's land and the remainder to parks and recreation.

The residential area will also include a community park. Lot sizes will range between 5,000 and 12,744 square feet.

The project was bigger when first proposed in 2007, under the name New Farm. The scope has since shrunk from a planned 185 homes planned on both sides of Camino Tassajara, surrounded by working orchards and vineyards. That plan drew considerable opposition from environmentalists before being changed.

The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors meets at 9 a.m. Tuesday, and the meeting can be accessed remotely at https://www.contracosta.ca.gov/.

— By Tony Hicks, Bay City News Foundation

88 Bat Death Toll Near Turbines Raises Concerns By Tony Kukulich Jul 8, 2021 Alameda County — Projects designed to improve the efficiency of wind-driven energy production in the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area (APWRA) came with an unanticipated impact — an increase in bat mortality. While scientific experts are hesitant to even speculate at this point why they’re finding more bat carcasses near the new turbines than they did with the old turbines, those involved are aiming to create a reliable and repeatable means for studying and reducing the rate of deaths. The Altamont County Wind Repowering Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and NextEra Energy Resources — the owners and operators of the Golden Hills Wind Farm — are engaged in an effort to reduce bat mortality caused by the newest generation of wind turbines. During the June 25 TAC meeting, representatives from NextEra agreed to modify its operations to reduce bat fatalities, but stopped short of agreeing to monitor the impacts of the changes. “Golden Hills proposed to make changes to the turbines’ operations during the peak fall migration season for bats, consistent with the Program Environmental Impact Review (PEIR),” said Renee Culver, senior manager of environmental services at NextEra Energy Resources, in an email to The Independent. “Golden Hills did not propose to conduct monitoring at this time, because results based upon dog search teams, compared to the PEIR threshold, would result in no useful scientific data about the efficacy of the adaptive management efforts in the fall. Dogs are many times more effective at locating bat carcasses and portions of such carcasses, and thus any results will simply not correlate to the existing PEIR threshold. “Golden Hills continues to request that the TAC work with Alameda County to develop a scientifically sound threshold based upon best-available information. While the TAC members during the meeting demanded that Golden Hills conduct monitoring this fall, the use of dog search teams is very expensive, and such costs are not warranted without a real- world threshold for comparison.”

89 Culver’s position rankled members of the committee. While TAC and NextEra are in agreement that the methods to determine original fatality rates were insufficient at best, TAC members remained firm that monitoring must take place. “NextEra has exceeded the threshold, so NextEra needs to decide what they think it’s going to take to reduce fatalities,” said Douglas Leslie, an environmental consultant and TAC member. “NextEra is in the best position to design a monitoring program that will measure the reduction in bat fatalities that occur as a result of implementing whatever measures they decide to implement.” Leslie noted that bat deaths became an issue across the U.S. when the larger, newer generation turbines were built. Doug Bell, also a TAC member and wildlife program manager with the East Bay Regional Park District, said in an email to The Independent that an estimated 3 million bats were killed by wind farms across the U.S. in 2019. That estimate, he said, is likely undercounting actual bat mortality by a significant factor. He added that a bat fatality crisis may already be in progress. While the objective of limiting bat deaths due to wind turbines may sound simple enough, the complexities can be staggering. The conditional use permit issued to NextEra for the Golden Hills repowering project required creation of an adaptive management plan (AMP) for bats. Determining if the new turbines are killing more or less bats than the first-generation turbines requires understanding how many bat fatalities were associated with those original turbines. The draft AMP states that the threshold value for bat mortality was “poorly formulated” and there is no “reliable information from the APWRA to effectively represent pre-repowering fatality rates for any bat species or bats as a group.” Bird mortality, which also continues to be a challenge for wind farm operators, has been studied more extensively. With more data available, better mortality thresholds were developed. “There’s a straightforward baseline for bird (mortality), which has historically been the issue in the Altamont – birds, not bats,” Leslie said. “There is a baseline for birds because a lot of monitoring was done at the old generation turbines ... The problem is that either the methods used to estimate the number of bats (killed) at the old generation turbines were wholly inaccurate, or, more likely, the old generation turbines didn’t kill a lot of bats, so it wasn’t considered an issue. There’s no baseline for bats like there is for birds.” Beyond establishing a threshold for bat mortality, monitoring the count of bats killed presents another layer of complexity. Bell explained that multiple factors influence the number of bat carcasses recovered by searchers. Weather, grass height, terrain, the frequency of the searches and the use of trained dogs can dramatically influence the success rate in locating bats killed by turbines. The more efficient means of locating dead bats can lead to more accurate counts and a more comprehensive understanding of a true mortality rate. But to do so creates an apples-

90 and-oranges comparison of the new monitoring techniques compared to the techniques used to formulate the original bat mortality threshold. The wind energy industry got its start in Alameda County, and specifically in the Altamont area in the late 1970s. With memories of the energy crisis earlier in the decade still fresh, there was a desire to reduce the country’s dependence on foreign oil; wind power was part of the wider strategy to achieve that goal. Cool marine winds coming off the Pacific Ocean funnel through the Altamont Pass where they meet the warmer air mass of the Central Valley. These conditions create strong, predictable winds that made the APWRA a desirable location for the generation of electrical power from wind. While energy production varies on a day-to-day and season-to- season basis, the ability to create electricity is nearly constant. The APWRA was established in 1980, and by the mid-1990s, it was the largest wind farm in the world with approximately 7,200 turbines generating power. As the technology related to energy production from wind improved, an effort to repower the wind farms in the Altamont got underway in 1998. NextEra engaged in the repowering effort. The Golden Hills Project removed 775 aging wind turbines and replaced them with 48 1.97 megawatt (MW) turbines in 2015. The project, which covers 4,500 acres, was planned to generate 85.92 MW per year. NextEra agreed to revise the draft AMP to address TAC concerns. The revised draft is expected to be reviewed at a future TAC meeting. “The Golden Hills Wind project continues to deliver renewable energy while participating in and supporting the best scientifically-sound and economically-viable ways to minimize the effects of turbines on bats,” said Bryan Garner, director of communications at NextEra. “Golden Hills values the collaborative process and will continue to take part in both Alameda County and TAC discussions around this complex issue.”

Now Open: Black Diamond Mines Coal Mine Exhibit / Reservations Required Posted on July 8, 2021 by Kevin

The long-awaited Coal Mine Experience Tour at Black Diamond Mines is now open! The new exhibit, built into the existing Hazel-Atlas silica sand mine, is an immersive experience including sights and sounds of a working coal mine from nearly 150 years ago. The Greathouse Visitor Center, located in an underground chamber excavated in the mid-1920s, and the Hazel Atlas Mine Tours, which explores a 1930’s era silica sand mine, are open as well. All tours are available by reservation only. Reserve a Tour.

Urge East Bay Regional Park District to Make Point Molate a Land Acquisition Priority July 8, 2021 By Pam Stello, Point Molate Alliance Co-Chair The East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) Board of Directors will discuss land acquisition in closed session this Friday, July 9th, at 3:00 pm. We must remind them how critical it is for them to act NOW or Point Molate will be lost. Urge the Board to take whatever steps necessary to acquire Point Molate. There are talking points below.

Public comments may be submitted one of three ways:

1. Via email to Sabrina Pinell at [email protected]. The email must contain in the subject line “Public comments – agenda item closed session.” It is preferred that written comments are submitted by Thursday, July 8, 3:00 p.m. 2. Via voicemail at (510) 544-2651. The caller must start the message by stating “Public comments – agenda item closed session” followed by your name and place of residence, followed by your comments. It is preferred that voicemail comments are submitted by Thursday, July 8, at 3:00 p.m. 3. Live via Zoom. If you would like to make a live public comment during the meeting this option is available through the virtual meeting platform: https://zoom.us/j/93443814875. It is preferred that those requesting to speak during the meeting contact Sabrina Pinell via email or voicemail at [email protected] or (510) 544- 2651 by 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 8th, to provide your name and subject of the public comment or item to be addressed.

Meeting agenda: https://www.ebparks.org/civicax/filebank/blobdload.aspx?BlobID=34406

Some talking points:

1. Ohlone Land - This is Ohlone land with many sacred sites that must be protected and are threatened by the proposed development plan. 2. Environmental Justice - This is public land that is being taken from the Richmond public, a community that is 80% non-white, under-parked and underserved and deserves to have a great regional park. 3. Environmentally unique - Point Molate is the last undeveloped headland along the entire east bay. It is home to native plant communities/habitats over 95% destroyed on the California coast and some not found elsewhere in the East Bay, and home to over 120 acres off the best and most productive eelgrass meadow in SF Bay and likely the state of California. The eelgrass is a keystone species, essential habitat

93 to many species of invertebrates and fish, including Taylor’s sea hare, Pacific herring, juvenile Dungeness crabs, bat rays, and leopard sharks, an important food source for shore- and migratory birds and nursery for the SF Bay commercial fisheries. The meadows help prevent erosion and combat climate change. Point Molate’s eelgrass is genetically distinct, highly adaptable for restoration and part of several long-term scientific studies. The meadows are threatened by the proposed development plan. 4. Point Molate is facing being lost forever - It is slated for a sprawl development for a wealthy housing enclave and will be lost as a public regional park and local public space if we do not act now. 5. Point Molate can be part of the solution to the Climate crisis, or it can become part of the problem. It offers the opportunity to protect permanently rare and unique habitats and for the eelgrass to migrate upland with sea rise. 6. Richmond is under-parked and underserved and needs Point Molate regional park as a refuge and a place for much needed sports fields and outdoor recreation and education opportunities for our youth and families.

Ask the Board to please give Point Molate the highest priority for the EBRPD acquisition list to save this magnificent place.

If enough of us write, it can make a difference!

By Pam Stello with Courtney Cummings, Andres Soto and David Helvarg for Point Molate Alliance.

Published July 7th, 2021 Exercises in Moraga train area firefighters and reduce flammable fuels By Sora O'Doherty Photos Sora O'Doherty In late June a controlled burn at the John Muir Land Trust's Painted Rock property in Moraga served the dual purpose of reducing fuels that might feed a wildfire and providing an opportunity to train firefighters from around the Bay Area. Moraga- Orinda Fire District Battalion Chief Steve Gehling was the incident commander. Moraga residents were warned that they might smell or see smoke during the exercises June 21-24. Bystanders came from as far as Walnut Creek, from where they could see the smoke. The exercises started at 10 a.m. and concluded no later than 5 p.m. each day. According to Gehling, 10 MOFD firefighters were joined by 20 firefighters from East Bay Regional Parks, three from the Berkeley Fire Department, and four each from the Oakland Fire Department, the Military Ocean Terminal Concord Federal firefighters, and Cal Fire Santa Clara Unit. The Fire District coordinated the training with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and the Fire Weather Forecasters at the National Weather Service to ensure the size and timing of the training burns would minimize smoke impacts on homes and smoke-sensitive sites in the area. As it happened, the conditions did not require rescheduling any of the training days. Signs were posted cautioning motorists and bicycles of the additional fire equipment traffic and potential for reduced visibility along Moraga Road and Rheem Boulevard. As the firefighters set fire to the hillside starting at the top of the hill and coming down toward Moraga Road, one traffic lane was closed. Moraga Police Department cars were present to monitor the situation.

Photos Sora O'Doherty

Park It: McLaughlin Eastshore a great summer place to beat the heat Location gives public access to East Bay shoreline for 8.5 miles between Bay Bridge, Richmond By NED MACKAY | East Bay Regional Park District PUBLISHED: July 4, 2021 at 5:00 a.m. | UPDATED: July 6, 2021 at 6:03 a.m.

Aric Crabb/staff archives A child runs along the sand May 2 at the Albany Beach section of McLaughlin Eastshore State Park. Operated on behalf of the state by the East Bay Regional Park District, it’s one of the area’s best places to stay cool on hot summer days.

If you’re looking for a cool place on a hot summer day, one of the best is McLaughlin Eastshore State Park, which is operated on behalf of the state by the East Bay Regional Park District.

The park is a linear combination of parkland and trails that gives public access to San Francisco Bay’s eastern shoreline for 8.5 miles between the Bay Bridge and Richmond. It is named in honor of longtime environmental activist Sylvia McLaughlin, a co-founder of Save the Bay whose decades of efforts led to preservation of the shoreline in open space. A good access point is Albany Beach at the bay end of Buchanan Street in Albany. Amenities include a parking lot (though parking can be limited on weekends), a toilet, and a sand beach where you can swim. Swim at your own risk; there’s no lifeguard service. You can also walk or bicycle out to the adjacent Albany Bulb, owned by the city of Albany. A former dumpsite, the Albany Bulb is notable for its ever-changing collection of artwork fashioned from old construction rubble and other refuse. If you go to the bulb, watch your step. Off the wide dirt roads, the paths through the brush and rocks can be hazardous underfoot.

From Albany Beach, the paved multiuse San Francisco Bay Trail leads north toward Point Isabel Regional Shoreline in Richmond. Heading south, the trail leads to Berkeley Meadow at the foot of University Avenue and on to the Emeryville Crescent State Marine Reserve just north of the Bay Bridge toll plaza. Other attractions along the way are the

96 Berkeley Yacht Harbor, Berkeley’s Cesar Chavez Park, the Emeryville Marina and Emeryville’s Shorebird Park. The Brickyard site across University Avenue from the Meadow is currently closed for site stabilization and a vegetation management project.

Acting as agent for the state, the East Bay Regional Park District used funds from the district’s 1988 Measure AA and state park bonds to acquire the Eastshore State Park property and clean up contaminated areas at a cost of more than $33 million. There are more improvements planned for the future. For more information about McLaughlin Eastshore State Park and a downloadable map, visit ebparks.org/parks/eastshore online. COVID-19 update: Generally speaking, regional park district campgrounds, picnic sites, swimming and some programs are open and available, but check online first at ebparks.org/registration for more information before you go. Remember too that regional parks can reach capacity quickly on summer weekends, especially parks with swim beaches or pools. Some parks have to stop entries as soon as 11 a.m., so arrive early and avoid disappointment. Please be patient if entrance kiosks are extra-busy. And be sure to keep an eye on your children at the swim areas. The lifeguards are well trained but always appreciate your vigilance. The district is still encouraging visitors to observe social distancing and have masks available to wear when distancing isn’t possible, such as on narrow trails and at indoor or crowded venues.

Fireworks, smoking: If you’re reading this on July 4 or even afterward, remember: Fireworks of any kind are illegal in the East Bay regional parks. Moreover, smoking, including vaping, is not allowed. Compliance is especially urgent this season, given the extreme fire danger due to months of hot, dry weather. With everyone’s cooperation, we can have a safe and fire-free summer season.

Bay Area day trips: Summertime in Contra Costa County

Photo: Laila Weir / Hoodline By Laila Weir - Published on July 02, 2021. Oakland There's plenty of summer fun to be had in Contra Costa County, which Hoodline's Bay Area Day Trips series is exploring this week. From hidden harbors and tucked-away waterfront dining to historic sites, water parks, quiet beaches, hiking, and even a little archery, there's something for everyone in the East Bay's quieter northern county.

Point Pinole Regional Shoreline Photo: Laila Weir / Hoodline

Explore Point Pinole Regional Shoreline

Point Pinole's 2,432 acres of nature are located on a spit of land largely surrounded by water, so its rugged beaches look out towards San Francisco on one side and into tranquil North Bay waters on the other. This beautiful natural area in Richmond has trails for hiking, biking, and dog-walking, plenty of picnic space, a fishing pier, an area with a play structure, and abundant bird-watching opportunities. It's large enough that you can find some solitude even on busy summer weekends, if you're willing to go a little farther from the parking lot.

Park in the Atlas Road parking lot if possible for best access. There are also restrooms located there. You'll have to pay for parking ($3) on weekends and major holidays

100 during the high season (read: now), plus a dog fee of $2 per dog. When the kiosk is closed (like on weekdays), parking is free. More information: www.ebparks.org/parks/pt_pinole/

Photo: City of San Ramon / Facebook

Splash out at one of the county's many swimming pools and water parks

Head inland for better swimming weather and some extra-exciting choices among Contra Costa's many swimming pools and parks. Some locations are still limiting capacity or requiring reservations ahead of time, so be sure to check out your planned destination ahead of your visit.

The city-run Antioch Water Park has swimming pools, water slides, space for picnicking, and a snack bar ($16 weekends/$14 weekdays). Martinez's Rankin Aquatic Center has a nice big pool, plus a shallow pool for young children with a water play structure. The San Ramon Olympic Pool & Aquatic Park is another winner, with a 50- meter pool, 25-yard pool, water play structure in a shallow pool, inflatable obstacle course, diving boards, and picnic areas ($6), and San Ramon also has another fun pool complex, as does Walnut Creek.

For an affordable, simpler swim experience, try the East Bay Regional Park District's Contra Loma chlorinated swim lagoon in Antioch, where you'll find a sandy beach, shady picnicking areas and concessions ($5 parking; $3 / $2 1-15 & 62+ / free under 1 year).

More information: www.antiochca.gov/water- park/, www.cityofmartinez.org/depts/recreation/swimming/, www.sanramon.ca.go v/our_city/departments_and_divisions/parks_community_services/aquatics, www .ebparks.org/activities/swimming/facilities.htm#contra_loma

View from the beach at Point Molate Photo: Laila Weir / Hoodline

Discover quiet beaches, a hidden harbor and a 'pirate' restaurant at Point Molate and Point San Pablo

At the foot of the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge, on its quieter northern side, sits a former navy base that offers some of the least crowded and

101 most serene bay frontage around. Point Molate Beach Park is also fairly protected, creating a microclimate which locals who aren't squeamish about a little mud or seaweed take advantage of for summertime swimming and kayaking. Drive north from the base of the bridge and wind around past the construction fences to get to the parking lot.

You'll find picnic tables and a beach right away, or take a trail off to the left to reach the quietest stretch of beach. The area is set to be developed soon, but for now it's far from manicured. Be prepared to encounter some washed-ashore tires if you head far enough along the beach, but you'll be rewarded with solitude and beautifully placid bay views that seem a world away from most of the mega-metropolis.

Or continue past the Point Molate parking lot and follow the road until it curves all the way around to reach Point San Pablo Harbor. This tucked-away gem is a revelation: a tiny harbor in a beautiful cove with a beach, Burning Man-esque statues, an itty-bitty farm with friendly livestock, and a picturesque waterfront restaurant aptly named the Black Star Pirate BBQ, which sometimes hosts live music (only open Friday, Saturday and Sunday; check ahead).

For directions to Point Molate and Point San Pablo, visit www.pspharbor.com/directions. More information: www.pspharbor.com, www.ci.richmond.ca.us/270/Point-Molate

Related: If you like Point San Pablo, check out the little hamlet of Port Costa, at the foot of the Carquinez Bridge, and its Warehouse Cafe. They serve more than 250 beers, so plan for a designated driver or a ride-share!

Archery range at Briones Photo: chasnhog/Instagram

Spend a day hiking (or try your hand at archery) at Briones Regional Park

Briones Regional Park's 6,255 acres roll through forested areas and open grasslands, providing shade for summer hiking and habitat to many animals and birds, including black-tailed deer, coyotes, squirrels, red- tailed hawks, turkey vultures, and more. In addition to beautiful trails at various levels of difficulty, there's a self-serve archery range where you can try your hand at target shooting if you can get your hands on a bow and arrows ahead of time. Park district naturalists also lead walks to explore the park's nature and history.

There are five major access points to the Briones park, of which the two most developed are the Alhambra Creek Valley Staging Area off Reliez Valley Road near

102 Martinez and the Bear Creek Road Staging Area near Orinda and Lafayette. Be aware that it can get hot: Check the weather, pack plenty of water, and don't forget sun protection.

More information: www.ebparks.org/parks/briones/

Related: For more hiking, don't miss a day exploring Wildcat Canyon and the site of the former Belgum Sanitarium.

John Muir National Historic Site | Photo: National Park Service

Tour John Muir's estate and explore historic Martinez

Charm abounds at the stately 19th century home of famed conservationist John Muir and its grounds, which include nine acres of fruit orchards, preserved at the John Muir National Historic Site. Step back in time and enjoy this historic treasure. Bonus: It's free!

Make a day out of it by hiking nearby Mount Wanda, named for Muir's daughter, then explore the Gold Rush-era downtown of historic Martinez (birthplace of the Martini and Joe DiMaggio). You'll find a number of dining options to sustain you before you head homewards. (Or cool off at the Rankin Aquatic Center, mentioned above.) You could even catch a ball game of the Martinez Sturgeon, part of an independent pro baseball league called the Pecos League.

More information: www.nps.gov/jomu/index.htm, www.cityofmartinez.org/about/history.a sp, www.martinezsturgeon.com

Related: History fans won't want to miss the Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historical Park and museum along the beautiful waterfront of the Richmond Marina. Plenty of dining and landscaped waterfront nearby.

Mount Diablo State Park Photo: CA Department of Parks & Recreation

Take in the views from Mount Diablo

103 Explore Mount Diablo State Park and enjoy the soaring views from the summit, where you can see almost 200 miles when skies are clear. Learn about the area's natural and cultural history at the Summit Visitor Center (open daily 10 a.m.-4 p.m.) and get the best look all around through the telescopes on the Observation Deck. You can also check out the vista at the Diablo Valley Overlook, where you can see the Golden Gate Bridge.

The park also offers plenty of nature to explore; as with the Briones park, plan for the weather and bring plenty of water and sun protection.

More information: www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=517

104

Restoring habitat, opening trails are key to new East Bay park Park planners will take best features of three concepts to design new park at former golf course By JUDITH PRIEVE | [email protected] | Bay Area News Group PUBLISHED: July 2, 2021 at 7:00 a.m. | UPDATED: July 6, 2021 at 2:58 p.m.

ANTIOCH, CA – MARCH 22: A drone view of the former Roddy Ranch Golf Course is seen in Antioch, Calif., on Monday, March 22, 2021. The East Bay Regional Park District is planning to open the area soon as the first part of the new Deer Valley Regional Park. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

ANTIOCH — More than five years after golfers took their last swings at the Roddy Ranch Golf Club, plans are taking shape for its new life as a regional park.

While no one knows exactly what it will look like, East Bay Regional Park District planners last week gave residents a glimpse into three concepts, all of which would restore habitat and protect endangered species and native grasslands while allowing some passive recreation such as walking, jogging, picnicking, horseback riding or biking.

The East Bay Regional Park District collaborated with the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy to buy the property three years ago. They envision the 230-acre site at the border of Antioch and Brentwood as a gateway to the future Deer Valley Regional Park, an unbroken open space area of about 3,500 acres from Balfour Road down Vasco Road to almost Interstate 580 northwest of Livermore.

“It’s incredibly biologically rich,” said Abigail Fateman, executive director of the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy. She said there’s some protected plant species there that can’t be found anywhere else in the county.

One key aspect of the future Deer Valley Regional Park is that it connects three major migration corridors— Briones, Deer and Horse valleys — that are essential for rare, threatened and endangered species in the area. The area is habitat for red-legged frogs, fairy shrimp and tiger salamanders, as well as nesting raptors and bald eagles.

“With the restoration and creation of wetlands and ponds on the (golf course) site, we expect to see these species return,” Fateman said.

105 Because the property is biologically rich and sensitive, officials are “taking baby steps with the planning,” she added.

“There is interest in seeing the (former) Roddy Ranch Golf Course opened up to the public, so we are biting this off as the first bite of a larger apple,” she said. “There’s a huge amount of interest in seeing this repurposed at a faster rate.”

The park district hired Restoration Design Group, which came up with three approaches to designing the new park. Whatever design is chosen must follow guidelines set by the Habitat Conservation and Natural Community Conservation Plan, which prioritizes biological goals over recreation in open space preserves.

Erik Stromberg, principal landscape architect for Restoration Design Group, said the organization explored ways to achieve the project’s restoration and recreation goals, including looking for potential access points for future trails connecting to the larger park.

“But I think, in reality, what will happen and what we expect is that the final preferred alternative will be a selection of different ideas that rise to the top of each of these concepts,” he said.

The first concept would create seasonal vernal ponds and pools to provide wetlands habitat for many species. To maximize the grassland, all golf course buildings would be removed and sand traps and artificial golf course grading returned to its natural state. It would include 1.3 miles of accessible trails.

The second concept, the Roddy Reuse Plan, would reuse existing golf pathways and buildings to limit costs and provide the most trails — three miles’ worth — through the park. Habitat restoration would consist of fewer vernal pools and only minor improvements to each basin and pond.

The third concept would use mostly historic water flow paths to restore some wetlands. Two multi-use trails would be designed for uphill bike travel and paired with downhill trails optimized for cyclists.

Many residents said they favored the vernal pools and wetlands but also wanted walking trails. Some, however, questioned the proposed recreation uses.

“Trails and access for the park are important, but multi-use trails for hikers, equestrians and bikers will create user conflict that cannot be resolved,” Norman La Force commented. “You cannot have all three on the same 4- to 8-foot wide trail.”

Tim Murphy said the former golf course would be good for mountain biking.

“I am an advocate of mountain biking,” he said. “This is not a wilderness area … I would like to advocate for greater mountain bike access…I think we need to adapt to reality.”

106 Others favored reserving space for a disc golf course, but park officials said any recreation must be done from one of the trails as specified by the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservation Plan/Natural Community Conservation Plan. After getting input from the public and others, planners will design a preferred option that would later undergo environmental review.

“We’ll take the good ideas from the draft alternatives, and then put that into a preferred alternative,” said Eddie Willis, project planner for the district. “And that will trigger the CEQA — California Environmental Quality Act — process, which is looking at what environmental impacts any of this project would have. And then finally, we’re hoping a final plan will be adopted later this year or the beginning of next year.”

Residents and other stakeholders can learn more about the project and submit comments at www.ebparks.org/about/planning/roddyranch/#project-materials

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RISING REALITY A look at the difficulties facing communities bracing for climate change all along San Francisco Bay.

By JOHN KING | July 2, 2021 • Part 1: Mission Creek • Part 2: Foster City • Part 3: Hayward • Part 4: Highway 37: July 16

By 2100, we may need to let rising waters cover portions of today’s shoreline, once and for all.

“You’ve got to be forward-thinking,” said Al Mendall, who served on the Hayward City Council from 2012 until December. “As a layperson, it seems obvious to me that we’re going to have to consider some form of retreat at some point. Not just in Hayward, but all around the Bay.”

Before San Francisco Bay’s shoreline was recognized as an irreplaceable resource, it was where cities put garbage dumps, highways and industrial zones. Out of sight, out of mind.

108 That’s why the west edge of Hayward north of Highway 92 includes two sewage plants and the natural gas power plant that opened in 2013. The white toll booths of the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge shimmer in the haze of automobile exhaust. Two stumpy hillocks conceal long-closed dumps.

But there also are 1,800 acres of protected marshes and tidelands, along with the Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center built in 1986. Even as new warehouses and research parks are built next to such preserves, populations of species like the snowy plover and salt water harvest mouse continue to increase.

Three pelicans rest in a channel near the Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center last month. Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle

It’s a juxtaposition that feels oddly timeless, but the placid scene can be deceptive. Already, several times each year, the combination of high tides and strong winds send sheets of water fanning across the trail from the interpretive center. Factor in the likelihood of significant sea level rise and the rare could become commonplace.

Sea level rise is fueled by higher global temperatures that trigger two forces: Warmer water expands oceans while the increased temperatures hasten the melting of glaciers on Antarctica and Greenland and add yet more water to the oceans.

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110 Variations of this forecast — inconvenience followed by upheaval — are found all along the edges of San Francisco Bay. The difference is that Hayward worked out a detailed plan for what might lie ahead.

In February, Hayward’s City Council approved a set of strategies on how to adapt the shoreline zone to what climate change might bring between now and 2070. In some areas, the city would restore marshes or relocate trails. In others, new levees would shield industrial functions that cannot be moved, like the wastewater treatment facility.

111 John Blanchard/The Chronicle | GIS data from ART Bay Shoreline Flood Explorer, Hayward Area Shoreline Planning Agency, Scape and Hayward Regional Shoreline Adaptation Master Plan

The effort was led by Scape, a New York landscape architecture firm that has been active in sea-level-rise planning since Hurricane Sandy laid waste to coastal New York and New Jersey in 2012.

Unlike some bay settings — such as San Francisco’s heavily developed Mission Creek or Foster City, where a levee already protects homes — Hayward’s shoreline area offers room to maneuver. The area studied by Scape extends 3¼ miles from Highway 92 past the city’s northern border, while extending inland as much as 2 miles, past the power plant and research buildings to modest older homes. San Francisco rises in the distance as cyclists ride through the Hayward Regional Shoreline last month. Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle

Scape’s team of designers and engineers was selected in 2018 by the Hayward Area Shoreline Planning Agency, which includes representatives from the city, the East Bay Regional Park District and the Hayward Area Recreation and Park District.

The scale of the area captured the firm’s notice. So did the scale of Hayward’s ambitions.

“Plenty of cities and agencies are beginning to study risks. Hayward is one of the few places taking the next step and trying to offer solutions,” said Gena Wirth, who led the Scape team.

The 244-page plan lays out steps that can be taken in coming decades to stay ahead of the changes that would accompany daily tides 4 feet above current levels. Another 3.3 feet were added to account for the waves that could be triggered by a once-in-a-century storm.

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115 “You want to look for how you can restore natural systems in a way that magnifies the overall benefits,” Werth said. “It’s all about establishing a vision and then breaking it down into bite- size components.”

None of this is easy — or cheap.

The combined price tag for everything in the plan tops $900 million, and there is no funding yet. But the recommendations are split into 26 projects of varying size — the idea being that pilot programs and smaller initiatives can kick off within the next few years, building momentum for larger projects in later decades.

“We have a lot of work ahead of us, definitely,” said Erik Pearson, the environmental services manager for Hayward’s Public Works department. “This is something we can use as a guide.”

The approach is applauded by scientists and officials wrestling with the challenge of a future in which the old danger — developers wanting to fill in the bay — is replaced by the need to keep the bay from reclaiming the low-lying lands at its edge.

“The level of sophistication and thoughtfulness is rare,” said Jessica Fain, the head planner of the Bay Conservation and Development Commission, a state agency created in 1967 to watch over the health of the bay. “There’s a range of solutions spelled out, and also a real dedication to pursuing them.”

This includes what potentially is the most controversial solution of all.

After it describes various natural methods to enhance and protect the shoreline, the plan devotes two pages to “managed retreat.” Or as Scape puts it, “a management strategy for retreating from vulnerable coastal areas” and “adapting to sea level rise over time.”

In one design scenario, Scape went so far as to study moving the Interpretive Center from the south end of the area, near Highway 92, to the top of one the hillocks that hide a former dump. Besides protecting the center from flooding, this option “maintains visibility of the structure and offers expansive views of the Bay.” Al Mendall, who served on Hayward’s City Council from 2012 until last year, has been an advocate for Hayward’s planning efforts along its shoreline. Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle

The final plan doesn’t include this move. But it emphasizes that if sea level rise matches current projections, the relocation of buildings and services “would likely be needed ... long-term.”

That topic rarely is discussed, except in coastal areas that routinely flood or suffer dangerous levels of erosion. But Hayward officials inserted it deliberately.

116 “It’s important to mention that the concept exists” within the larger discussion, Pearson said. “At 4 feet, it doesn’t make sense to look at retreat. But at some point after that, it may be the best approach.”

Experts familiar with bay’s potential reach welcome the willingness of Hayward and the design team to acknowledge this.

“We need to stop thinking, ‘This is going to be here forever,’” said Letitia Grenier. She leads the resilient landscapes program at the San Francisco Estuary Institute, which advised Scape on the Hayward shoreline’s environment. “That’s not the way the world works. We need to learn to live with that.”

Will Travis, who was the executive director of the bay commission when it released its first sea level projections in 2007, has a similar view.

“The hard decisions will be what not to protect,” he said. “How you prioritize where to put your (limited) resources.”

The plan went to Hayward’s City Council on Feb. 16. It passed on a 5-0 vote.

Mendall, the former council member, was excited to see the council act in unison — and with no public opposition.

“We wanted something doable, not pie- in-the-sky,” he said. “It’s a tool for the next generation to preserve and protect the shoreline.”

An aerial view of the Hayward Regional Shoreline. In addition to restored marshes, it includes wastewater storage ponds and a field of solar panels. Carlos Avila Gonzalez / The Chronicle

CREDITS REPORTING John King • [email protected] • @JohnKingSFChron EDITING Mark Lundgren • [email protected] • @MarkLundgrenSF VISUALS John Blanchard • [email protected] Carlos Avila Gonzalez • [email protected] • @CAGisMe Guy Wathen • [email protected] • @GuyWathen Alex K. Fong • [email protected] • @alexkfong Drawings animated in Mental Canvas DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT Paula Friedrich • [email protected] • @pauliebe GIS DATA BCDC (2017). Adapting To Rising Tides Bay Area Sea Level Rise Analysis & Mapping Project: SF Bay [spatial data file]. SF Bay Conservation and Development Commission

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East Bay park district looks for input on new park at former golf course Planners will discuss three concepts for planned Roddy Ranch property By JUDITH PRIEVE | [email protected] | Bay Area News Group PUBLISHED: June 30, 2021 at 1:01 p.m. | UPDATED: July 1, 2021 at 9:26 p.m. Rex Caufield, center, Park Supervisor for East Bay Regional Parks District, gives a walking tour for officials to look over the 230-acre property of the Roddy Ranch Golf Course that was just acquired by the East Bay Regional Park District in partnership with the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy, April 5, 2018, in Antioch. (Photo By Dan Rosenstrauch) ANTIOCH — Outdoor enthusiasts will get a chance to give input on three proposals to develop the former Roddy Ranch Golf Course into a park.

East Bay Regional Parks, which collaborated with the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy to buy the property three years ago, will hold a Zoom meeting Thursday to review plans for the first phase of the new regional park off Deer Valley and Balfour roads in southern Antioch.

Planners will be discussing alternatives, options, designs and uses for trails and visitor experiences at the 230-acre property. Residents meanwhile will get the chance to ask the design consultants questions on the proposals, according to Eddie Willis, park district planner.

The plan being developed will restore native grassland habitat and include paths and facilities for walking, jogging and picnicking and is part of the larger 3,500-acre future Deer Valley Regional Park. The property offers stunning views and will include several miles of trails and a staging area, according to park officials.

After analyzing the site, Restoration Design Group planners came up with three approaches to designing the new park. Whatever design is chosen, it must follow guidelines set by the Habitat Conservation and Natural Community Conservation Plan, which focuses on the biological goals over recreation in preserves such as this.

Abigail Fateman, executive director of the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy Contra Costa County, acknowledged the construction of the golf course changed the soil composition, the drainage network, and the vegetation on site.

119 “These are all elements that we are looking at as we try to plan for habitat restoration and recreation opportunities,” she said, noting there are endangered and special status species adjacent to the former golf course.

“We have documented fairy shrimp, California red legged frogs and California tiger salamanders,” Fatemena added. “With the restoration and creation wetlands and ponds on the site we expect to see these species return.”

The first concept focuses on the wetlands and creates vernal ponds and pools. To maximize the grassland, all the existing golf course buildings would be removed and sand traps and artificial golf course grading left returned to its natural state.

The second concept, the Roddy Reuse Plan, would reuse exiting golf pathways and building to limit costs, provide the most trails through the park. Habitat restoration would focus on restoring the lower water drainages with only minor improvements made to each basin and pond.

The final concept focuses on improving key habitats by concentrating water flow to fewer wetlands. Historic water flow paths would be favored in this concept to restore the historic watershed. Two multi-use trails would be designed for uphill bike travel and paired with downhill trails optimized for cyclists, according to the proposal.

With the public’s input, planners will next develop the preferred alternative and present the plans to the public at another meeting a couple of months later, according to Dave Mason, parks district spokesman.

For more information on the park project at the former Roddy Ranch golf course, or to review the district’s three concepts, go to www.ebparks.org/about/planning/roddyranch/#project-materials. To attend the Zoom meeting, which is at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, go to https://ebparks.zoom.us/j/95463406284.

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No parades? No problem. Soak up some nature this July 4th holiday By Ned MacKay 1 week ago Sunol Regional Wilderness park. (Photo by Pete Cruz) CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA — The July/August edition of Regional in Nature, East Bay Regional Park District’s bi-monthly activity guide, will show up in the July 16 issue of the Concord Clayton Pioneer. You can also find it online at the district website, ebparks.org.

Usually the Fourth of July brings lots of parades, special events, and other celebrations. However, because of COVID-related concerns, this year’s holiday is going to be more subdued.

Nevertheless, you can still celebrate in the regional parks and elsewhere. Regional in Nature has lots of good suggestions.

First of all, everyone should remember that rules prohibit fireworks of any kind, even the supposedly safe and sane variety, in the regional parks. Compliance is especially urgent this year, due to the ongoing drought and high fire danger. And smoking, including vaping, is against the rules, too.

If you do plan a picnic in a regional park, you should arrive early. Parks tend to get crowded on holiday weekends, and you can find all the picnic tables occupied.

Swimming You will likely find crowds at regional parks with swim areas. Swimming is first-come, first- served at Del Valle Regional Park south of Livermore, with no attendance restrictions until the park reaches capacity.

The swim beaches at Lake Anza near Berkeley and Lake Temescal in Oakland remain closed because of water level and water quality issues. The swim area at Quarry Lakes in Fremont has been closed, too, because of low water levels. However the district now plans to reopen it in July.

121 Other swim facilities no longer require reservations and will accept walk-ins on a first-come, first-served basis until they reach maximum swim capacity. They will honor all swim registrations made online through July.

To ensure you get a spot, you can still make optional swimming reservations for weekends and holidays at Contra Loma in Antioch, Cull Canyon in Castro Valley, Don Castro in Hayward, and Roberts Pool in Oakland. The pool at Castle Rock in Walnut Creek is now drop-in only, no reservations needed.

The reservations number is 888-327-2757, Option 2.

Other activities Other activities include berry picking at Ardenwood Historic Farm in Fremont. Registered participants will be able to pick berries at the farm 9:30 a.m. on Sundays, July 11 and 25, August 1 and 15. To register, visit ebparks.org/Ardenwood.

Independence Day was cause for elaborate observances back in the 19th century at present- day Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve in Antioch. The now-vanished towns of Somersville and Nortonville hosted parades, picnics and dances.

Those days are gone, but you can catch some of the flavor through an article and photos in Regional in Nature. There’s also a cookie recipe from a 1900 coal country cookbook.

At Coyote Hills Regional Park in Fremont, the visitor center is open for self-guided tours. The center has lots of displays and information highlighting the culture of the Ohlone Indians who inhabited a village there for millennia before the arrival of Europeans. For more information, visit the website, ebparks.org/parks/coyote_hills.

Other visitor centers are open, too. Since hours of operation are changing as we speak, it’s best to check them on the district website, ebparks.org.

Astronomy is an activity you can enjoy in your own backyard. The July/August Regional in Nature has an article with instructions on where to spot the summer triangle. It’s a shape formed by three stars: Vega, Deneb and Altair, each of which is part of its own constellation. Vega is almost directly overhead. Read the article, get a reclining chair, and enjoy the celestial show.

These are just a few suggestions. But however you spend it, have a safe, fireworks-free Fourth of July in the regional parks and other public open space.

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Pacheco Marsh Getting Major Makeover From Lower Walnut Creek Restoration Project JUNE 30, 2021 8:00 AM · 19 COMMENTS A backhoe with a V-ditch bucket cuts a five-foot deep tidal channel at the Contra Costa County Flood Control District’s Lower Walnut Creek and Pacheco Marsh restoration project in Martinez. (photo credit: Ray Saint Germain) By Tony Hicks – The difference is obvious to those willing to eat the pickleweed. In the south part of Pacheco Marsh, it’s dry and salty — the latter from when it was still subject to the tide of Suisun Bay, said Paul Detjens, a senior civil engineer from the Contra Costa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District. “This pickleweed is looking pretty crunchy,” Detjens said. “The last time this area had significant water was summer of 2017, when we came out of the last drought.” Later in the tour and much closer to the shoreline of Suisun Bay, the project manager again chewed pickleweed, this time plucked from a greener patch buffeting the tide from the earthmovers. “This is a much healthier wetlands ecosystem,” Detjens said. “This is what pickleweed is supposed to look like.” Contra Costa County isn’t spending more than $11 million on a massive wetlands project to make its weeds taste better. The Lower Walnut Creek Restoration Project, the largest public works project in county history, has been years in the making. But once the Board of Supervisors approved the $11.285 million contract with Four M Contracting Inc. in March, shovels were in the dirt only a few weeks later. With partner John Muir Land Trust, the county’s goal is restoring 200 acres of wetlands habitat in the 300-acre project between the Benicia-Martinez Bridge and the Marathon Petroleum refinery to the southeast. The Walnut Creek watershed is Contra Costa’s largest, draining more than 150 square miles from eight cities into a marsh that, over the past century, became a dumping ground for dredging and an industrial buffer to the bay. Engineers want to enhance the area’s flood-carrying capacity, while naturalists want conditions closer to those existing before humans channelized the marsh and brought industry.

123 When the project is done in 2023, it will likely become a magnet for bird lovers. “As a bird watcher, I’m ecstatic about the project,” said Alan Bade, a Pleasant Hill resident and member of the Mt. Diablo Audubon Society. “Many, many shore birds, non-migratory and migratory birds will be attracted to the new habitat.” “The kind of birds that we’ll have here, they tell me people will travel a thousand miles to come out here with their scope to see an endangered black rail or a ridgeways rail,” Detjens said. “People will travel and make this a destination.” For that purpose, much of the dirt being moved now will go into three elevated vistas, more than 20 feet high, surrounded by hiking trails, boardwalks, and bridges over the marsh’s northern reach. More than 80 species of birds have been recorded at Pacheco Marsh, said Krista Vossekuil, the director of philanthropy at the John Muir Land Trust and board member of the Mt. Diablo Audubon Society. Expect more to arrive when the project is finished. “The site provides important foraging grounds as well as refuge for migratory species including the short-eared owl, and we anticipate bird life to increase as the quality of habitat is improved over time,” Vossekuil said. “It is also home to charismatic raptors such as white-tailed kites, American kestrels, and northern harriers. I have also spotted a common bird in steep decline — the loggerhead shrike.” Detjens and a biologist stood near an excavator digging a 5-foot-deep, 10-foot-wide channel leading through the marsh. Trenches spread out like veins bringing necessary blood through a human body. Only in this case, it’ll be channel offshoots bringing necessary water to the dried-up marshland. The biologist is there, as is 7 miles of temporary orange fencing, because it’s where the endangered salt marsh harvest mouse lives. Once the marsh gets re-flooded, the mice will be fair game for the predatory birds it attracts. “This used to be fully tidal, and what that means is it’s been diked off and drained and then dredge material was pumped through here,” Detjens said. “It filled up, and what that means is that habitat has really changed and it’s not really a very functional marsh. This really has the potential to be lush and vibrant. “We’re cutting a big channel that will take the tides from out in Suisun Bay twice a day, and bring it all the way up here, in and out, like a breath.” The site is just over the hill from the Al McNabney Marsh, across Interstate Highway 680 from the Martinez Refining Company. “People want to have that experience with the water,” Detjens said. “There really isn’t a spot to do that from the Martinez Marina over to Bay Point Regional Shoreline — there’s nothing here, unless you’re trespassing.” Until the mid-19th century, there were grizzly bears and elk in the marsh and salmon and steelhead spawned in Walnut Creek. Then humans arrived, filling in wetlands and building dikes. Merchant ships sailed up Walnut Creek and other creeks feeding into Walnut Creek were diverted for humans developing Contra Costa. Refineries were built and the area was used as a dumping ground for dredging projects all over the Bay Area. The county bought 122 acres of the marsh in 2003 from a towing company that once planned a junkyard there. Marathon bought another 18 adjacent acres used for sand mining, and donated it to the land trust in 2020.

124 The project can’t undo everything humans have done. Game fish will likely not return to Walnut Creek to spawn, Detjens said. Which isn’t stopping people from hoping. “I personally have seen large chinook salmon in lower Walnut Creek that can’t get past drop structure number one,” said Bade, also a co-founder of Friends of Pleasant Hill Creeks. “While the new marsh won’t solve this issue, it will provide much better habitat for anadromous fish in the lower reach. It’s a great first step.” More fish will bring more predators. And more humans. Planners envision the Iron Horse Regional Trail, which now ends near state Highway 4, to extend another 3 miles along Walnut Creek into Waterbird Regional Preserve near Martinez. There will be another 2.4 miles of trails into the marsh, with a staging area, parking lot, bird-watching blinds and interpretive panels in the elevated areas. “This is super engineered by super scientists,” Detjens said. “It’s purposely designed to look simple and natural, but as you look at the sizes of the channels, those are all sized based on the tidal prism which you need to have water flowing in and out.” It’s also being engineered with the future in mind. Viewing spots, the access road and parking lots will be high enough to survive rising seas. “We have a better chance here than in many other locations around the bay, to design something that will keep up with sea level rise,” Detjens said. “As habitat gets more inundated over time and becomes more filled in with sediment, that habitat — the bottom is going to rise up in conjunction with the sea level rising. And what happens is a graduated slope, that habitat is going to move up very slowly, over years and decades. So the pickleweed might be here in 2022 and in 2023 it might be six inches higher.” “We’re also over-building the elevations of the trails and things to an elevation higher than we think they need to be in. Even the road coming down, (we’re) raising the existing road up 4 feet. As more tides come in, we want that road to be serviceable mid-century and into the 2100s.” As the marsh transforms, rising water will blend with more sediment, acting as a carbon filter helping restrain greenhouse gases. The flood district will add 31,000 new native plants to the area. There’s also talk of other amenities, like a kayak launch, which is still up in the air. Though the entire project is called Lower Walnut Creek Restoration, the northern reach — the section north of Waterfront Road — will be managed by the land trust and called Pacheco Marsh. The southern reach will include levee improvements. “Mother Nature is going to make it an equilibrium, but it’s our job as engineers to get as close as possible to what Mother Nature wants to do,” Detjens said. “So she doesn’t just remodel right after we build it. She can tweak it a little bit and fine tune it, but we want to do the best we can to get it as close as possible to what it was.”

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Monitor Notes for June 30, 2021

Welcome to Monitor Notes, a weekly email newsletter featuring news items, event announcements, and updates on past Bay Area Monitor articles.

Monitor Notes is produced by Bay Area Monitor transportation reporter Cecily O'Connor. Reach her at [email protected].

The Changing Treescape

The East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) recently began removing 200 dead, standing trees in Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park located in the hills east of Oakland. The affected trees, primarily eucalyptus and pine, are part of approximately 1,000 acres of "sudden tree die-off" first noticed last October, according to EBRPD. Sudden tree mortality and dieback occur in other parts of the Bay Area, too, presenting wildfire concerns. The Park District said that it’s moving quickly to eliminate the hazardous trees as part of its Wildfire Hazard Reduction and Resource Management Plan. However, it needs more state and federal resources to address the issue adequately.

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These are the most polluted beaches in the Bay Area Tessa McLean, SFGATE June 30, 2021Updated: June 30, 2021 10:03 a.m. A bicyclist rides a path at Candlestick Point State Recreation Area near the ninth most polluted beach in California. Douglas Zimmerman/SFGATE

Nothing says summer like spending time at the beach. But if digging your toes in the sand and dipping in and out of the cool water is how you like to spend these warmer days, you may want to rethink where you go.

A new report from environmental advocacy group Heal the Bay shows that some Bay Area beaches are some of the most polluted in the state.

Erckenbrack Park in Foster City in San Mateo County was the second most polluted beach in California based on the levels of harmful bacteria in the ocean, the report said. Nearby Gull Park in Foster City was the fourth most polluted, with neighboring Marlin Park in Foster City as the eighth most polluted.

While that’s not a great showing for San Mateo County, this was actually an improvement for the county, which had six beaches included in the top 10 in 2020.

San Francisco also has a polluted beach on its hands — Windsurfer Circle at Candlestick Point was the ninth most polluted beach in California.

An aerial view of the San Francisco Bay near Candlestick Point is seen on May 14, 2021. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Notably, Capitola Beach, west of the jetty, in Santa Cruz County was also in the top 10.

The 2020-2021 “Beach Bummer List” also included beaches in San Diego, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and Humboldt counties.

There was some good news, though. The report found that overall, the state’s beaches had excellent water quality in summer 2020, and three Bay Area beaches scored perfect water quality grades year-round. Crown Beach at Sunset Road in Alameda County, China Beach at Sea Cliff Avenue in San Francisco and Ocean Beach at Lincoln Way in San Francisco all achieved that perfect score.

The report notes there may have been more beaches that could have scored well, but many counties in Northern California do not sample frequently enough during the winter months to qualify.

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2021 Best of the East Bay: Fitness Commit to getting fit with these favorite gyms, studios, sports, and activities. Jun 25, 2021 BEST SPORT ON THE UPSWING Top golf courses for pros and novices alike. While gyms closed their doors and sport organizations postponed their seasons, golf courses were among the few sites able to open again shortly after COVID hit. As a result, golf—one of few socially distanced sports—has become more popular. Even though most courses were shut down for a few months in 2020, there was a 14 percent increase from the previous year in total rounds played in the United States—plus a record-breaking three million people played on a course for the first time.

In the East Bay, this golf craze was no different, as quarantine forced us to look for ways to spend more time outdoors. For newcomers interested in hopping on the bandwagon, acquire a set of clubs and head to one of the many beautiful courses in the region. In Walnut Creek, Boundary Oak and Diablo Hills are local favorites, as they are two of the top- rated public courses in all of Northern California. In Livermore Valley wine country, play at the Course at Wente Vineyards (the greens are immaculate) and Poppy Ridge (the sister course of Poppy Hills in Pebble Beach). playboundaryoak.com, diablohillsgolfcourse.com, wentevineyards .com, poppyridge golf.com.

Or check out Berkeley’s historic Tilden Park, which offers an enjoyable experience for players of all levels, plus a three-tiered driving range for practice. There are also plenty of private country club courses in the area that can’t be overlooked, such as Blackhawk, Round Hill, and Diablo—all championship courses that boast breathtaking views. tildenparkgc.com, blackhawkcc.org, rhcountryclub.com, diablocc.org.

EDITORS' PICKS BEST HIKE TO A WATERFALL Ohlone Wilderness Trail, Livermore For a heart-pumping outdoor workout, head to Del Valle Regional Park to take the 13.1- mile round-trip hike to Murietta Falls, the Bay Area’s highest waterfall. It’s a difficult trek through backcountry, but the views are well worth the effort. Start at Lichen Bark picnic area and take the Sailor Camp Trail, which then becomes the Ohlone Wilderness Trail. While the falls are accessible all year round, save the experience for the winter or spring, when the weather isn’t as hot and there is guaranteed to be water. However, if you are in it for the exercise and beautiful scenery along the way, this trip is a great choice at any time. ebparks.org.

128 2021 Best of the East Bay: Pets Check out parks, treats, products, and more that benefit the animals in your life.

EDITORS' PICKS BEST OFF-LEASH DOG HIKE Point Pinole Regional Shoreline, Richmond Of the many wonderful parks in the East Bay Regional Park District, Point Pinole Regional Shoreline stands out as a premier destination for dog owners. This massive 2,400-acre park on the shores of the San Pablo Bay features an abundance of trails that zigzag along gorgeous coastlines, through tranquil eucalyptus forests, and over rolling fields. There are paved paths for bicyclists, climbing structures for youngsters, and water sources for thirsty pups. Best of all, the park allows dogs to run off-leash, as long as they are monitored by their people at all times. There is no better feeling than watching a pup carve crazy eights into a sandy beach, then cool off with a quick dip in San Pablo Bay. ebparks.org.

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On the Front Lines in Fire Season Meet the East Bay Regional Park District Fire Department. by Jeremy Miller June 23, 2021 SPONSORED BY EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT With fire season fast approaching, Chief Aileen Theile poses briefly for a photo in the Redwood Canyon Fire Station #2 in Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park. (Photo by Cayce Clifford)

I met Aileen Theile on a warm afternoon in April, in a dirt parking lot at a trailhead in Tilden Regional Park. To the west, the metropolitan sprawl of Berkeley and Oakland ran across seemingly endless successions of hills. To the east, the land dropped away steeply and was carpeted in green grass and flowers. Farther down, in the valley below, there was smoke.

Theile, the fire chief of the East Bay Regional Park District Fire Department, stepped from her dusty SUV and glanced at her watch. “Thanks for being here on time,” she said. “I’ve only got about an hour to talk.”

She was in a hurry for good reason. Precipitation over the previous year was less than 40 percent of normal and huge swaths of California including all of the Bay Area had recently been declared by officials to be in a state of “extreme” and “exceptional” drought. Soon, the grasses would dry out and the green hillsides would turn a parched brown. Fire season was fast approaching—and there was a lot of work yet to be done.

Theile is small but of strong physique. Her dark curly hair spilled down around her shoulders. She was dressed not in the customary white shirt of an officer but in her “service blues.” A 27- year veteran of the East Bay Regional Park District, Theile has worked her way up the entirety of its professional ladder. She began her career in 1994 as a park ranger. The following year, she was hired by the EBRPD Fire Department as a firefighter. In 2018, she was promoted from captain—a position she had held for six years—to fire chief, becoming the first woman to occupy the top role in the department’s 58-year history.

Fuels management crew members mechanically thin low-hanging limbs, thick brush, and dense stands of trees in Reinhardt Redwood RP to reduce fire risk and improve habitat. (Photo by Cayce Clifford)

131 Theile looked out over the sylvan landscape punctuated by tall eucalyptus, live oak, bay laurel and Monterey pine—a small slice of her department’s vast jurisdiction, which collectively covers an area more than five times larger than the city of San Francisco. We stood at the unmistakable margin of city and open space—the so-called wildland-urban interface, or WUI (pronounced “woo-ee”), a zone inhabited today by an estimated 12 million Californians. Not far from our meeting place, multimillion-dollar homes stood amid the trees, at the edge of Tilden, in places where fire risk has become critical. “This is a naturally very fire-prone place,” she said. “But we forget that because we’ve managed it in the other direction. We’ve concentrated our efforts on putting every fire out.”

Today, the East Bay Regional Park District’s land holdings comprise roughly 130,000 acres— forests, marshes, grasslands, beaches, and a host of other landscapes—across two counties. The scale and diversity of the landscapes it manages, along with the hundreds of miles of wildland- urban interface along its boundaries, are what make the EBRPD-FD’s mission a complex one. To carry out its work, the department employs a staff of 68 firefighters, 32 of them full-time, along with 36 who are on-call.

Theile and her modest-size staff are faced with a tricky balancing act between the district’s mission, to “preserve a rich heritage of natural and cultural resources” while also intensively managing its lands using a host of techniques—from selective cutting to prescribed burning—to make them safe for visitors and more resilient to wildfires. “How do we protect the environment and protect the public from wildfires at the same time?” Theile asked. “That is the question.”

The EBRPD Fire Department was founded in 1963. At the time, the Bay Area was a very different place. Its footprint and population were a fraction of what they are today, with most residents concentrated in the flatlands along the Bay. In those early years the department’s role closely resembled that of the U.S. Forest Service, with lookouts built on peaks across the region. “We were the ‘eyes in the hills’ for the communities below,” Theile said.

Over the years, however, the cities of the East Bay filled the tidal flatlands and expanded into the rural periphery, growing into the margins of the wildland-urban interface. As these patterns of growth took hold, the region’s fire risk increased dramatically. The department’s pivotal moment came in 1991, when a massive conflagration blazed across the hillsides and neighborhoods perched above the Caldecott Tunnel. The fire began on October 19 on a small private parcel on Buckingham Boulevard, near the boundary of Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve. Firefighters mostly contained the small blaze that first day. But the next morning, heavy winds transformed the hot spots into a rapidly spreading inferno that rained embers across the hills. The Oakland Hills firestorm, or “Tunnel Fire,” was one of the worst disasters in state history, destroying almost 3,600 homes, killing 25 people, and causing an estimated $1.5 billion in damage.

The cause of the firestorm was never determined, but the impact on EBRPD and fire departments across the state was transformative. “After 1991 everything changed,” said Theile. “We began to figure out that we’re all connected, that our communities have coalesced.”

Before the conflagration, few departments in the Bay Area had equipment suited to wildland firefighting. But afterward, Theile said, even municipal departments began to bolster their

132 wildland firefighting capacity, investing in wildland training and specialized firefighting equipment. The most conspicuous shift, said Theile, was the acquisition of so-called Type 3 engines—specially designed fire trucks built to fight wildfire in rugged terrain—by departments across the Bay Area.

Captain Sweany (right) and Captain McIntyre (left) oversee ecologically responsible fuels management work in the EBRPD. (Photo by Cayce Clifford)

The Oakland Hills firestorm also fundamentally changed the way agencies interact in response to wildland fires. “In the Bay Area you have so many jurisdictions that cross over,” said Theile. She noted that large portions of the land that the EBRPD oversees are designated as state response areas, or SRAs. “When there are fires in these places, you’re going to get a lot of players,” she said. “You’ll get us. You’ll get the state. You’ll get the county, and you’ll probably get one or two municipalities.”

When fire danger is critical, even the smallest of blazes present a serious threat. Thus, explained Theile, the overlap in response areas is an intentional redundancy meant to ensure that lots of resources can be marshaled quickly. “We don’t fight wildland fires alone anymore.”

Firefighting in the 21st century means being prepared for “the worst-case scenario.” “It’s one of the key priorities of any agency in this day and age—catch fires when they are small,” said EBRPD-FD captain Patrick McIntyre, who joined us that day. “The goal is to mount a rapid and large response.” If a fire doesn’t get caught right away, he said, the situation can quickly become unmanageable: “Once a fire gets to nearby fire breaks or adjacent property lines, all bets are off.”

“Call the world,” Theile added. “You can always dial it down.”

This shift in approach is in direct response to a shift in fire behavior. Fire season across California now peaks earlier and has lengthened by two and a half months annually, according to Cal Fire. In this drier, warmer era, fires are burning longer and more intensely. Half of the 20 largest California fires on record have taken place in the past decade. Last year’s SCU Lightning Fire Complex fires—the third largest in size in California history—sprawled across 400,000 acres in six counties, including Alameda and Contra Costa. Six thousand acres of EBRPD lands burned.

As the threat of megafires has increased so, too, has the department’s operating budget—from $1.2 million in 2002 to $5.1 million in 2021. Over the same period, the department’s full-time staff grew more than fivefold, from 6 to 32. In this new era of megafires, said Theile, the best approach is to work proactively, to reduce the chances that fires will start in the first place. This

133 is accomplished through a host of techniques, from weed-chomping goat herds to mechanical thinning and prescribed burning. The department’s mandate is laid out in its Wildfire Hazard Reduction and Resource Management Plan, a comprehensive document outlining how it will mitigate fire risk while adhering to the district’s ecological priorities. “With our fuels management program, we have to carry out the park district’s mission,” Theile said. “When we look at an area that needs to be treated or thinned, we want to leave it better than we found it. We want to improve habitat rather than destroy it.”

To illustrate, McIntyre pointed to a nearby hillside, which was covered with a half dozen or so Monterey pines, each one easily 60 or 70 feet tall. These fast-growing, short-lived trees are not native to this part of California and can be highly susceptible to fire: “They have different growth characteristics here than in their native range,” he said. “These ones have limbs all the way down to the ground, which changes the fire behavior and makes them a lot more susceptible to canopy and crown fires.”

One might think the best solution would be to simply cut the pines down and eliminate the risk entirely. But McIntyre—who before joining the department studied forestry at Cal Poly and worked as the park supervisor at Wildcat Canyon Regional Park—said that is not how ecologically responsible fire management works. “You can’t just clear-cut an area,” he said, noting that even though the trees are nonnative and pose a fire risk, they also play an important ecological role, providing habitat to numerous species and increasing soil stability. “If you remove the trees, you’ll daylight different species that need the tree cover and you’ll change the dynamics of the forest.”

In this case, he said, instead it’s smarter to carefully thin vegetation to create “shaded fuel breaks,” a patchwork of carefully spaced trees and shrubs. Not only do these clearings look more “natural” to visitors, but they are far less disruptive to forest ecosystems. And by helping to prevent vegetation in the understory from drying out, they also aid in keeping fire on the ground rather than letting it spread to treetops, where it can become a fast-moving crown fire. These sorts of blazes are unpredictable and can devastate huge areas as they cast embers miles away.

Overall, McIntyre said, the department is striving to mimic a natural pattern of fire disturbance. “If a fire goes through an area, it doesn’t burn every bit of it,” he said. “It leaves small undisturbed areas.” These small “brush islands,” in turn, become important sites of local biodiversity. “The most rewarding thing is to come back later and see raptors perched in trees, in places where they had no ability to hunt before,” he said. “By managing in a smart way for fire we gain the added benefit of new wildlife habitat.”

Members of the EBRPD Fire Department’s fuels management crew. Back row from left: Salvador Munoz, Rudy Escobar, David Caron, Julius Fiscus. Front row from left: Akin Lee, Matt Waespi. (Photo by Cayce Clifford)

134 Theile checked her watch once more. Our hour was up, and she had to take her leave. But McIntyre wanted to show me some fuels reduction work he and fellow captain Mike Sweany were overseeing along South Park Drive, in the valley bottom of Tilden park.

As we drove down the winding grade, I realized this was the source of the smoke I had smelled earlier. It was not a wildfire but a thinning and controlled burn project being overseen by the EBRPD’s fuels management crew. Established in 2019, the crew is the first of its kind in the East Bay. The nine-person team’s informal moniker is “the Diablos,” derived from the hot, dry winds that blow from the east, and dry out vegetation, greatly increasing fire danger.

Piles of limbs and logs were set in the dense stand of oak and laurel. Several slash heaps had already been reduced to smoldering piles of ash. The goal was to clear the understory of flammable brush at a time when vegetation was still green and fire danger low. Here and there amid the greenery were basket-like weavings of sticks. These, McIntyre explained, were not slash but nests built by dusky-footed wood rats, an endemic and protected species in the park. “They are pretty fascinating little critters,” he said, pointing out that the mitigation work takes into consideration a wide array of animals and plants that inhabit the area. “We work around them.”

We walked into the recently thinned forest, the sunlight diffusing through a thin veil of smoke. Groups of firefighters huddled around the smoldering piles, making sure the small fires were extinguished before moving onto the next. “Before we cut this you would have needed a machete to get through here,” said McIntyre. Tending one of the burning piles was Rudy Escobar, crew leader for the Diablos. The 29-year-old moved to the Bay Area from his native Los Angeles, where he worked the lines on several large fires with Cal Fire before joining the district fuels management team last year.

By the end of the year, Escobar, McIntyre and the rest of the fuels management crew will continue to “treat” some of the roughly 3,000 acres of “high priority” lands across the East Bay parks. These landscapes represent a small but strategic slice of the district’s land holdings that were identified using a fire risk management computer program called FlamMap. “Could we use more resources to treat more land across the park district? Absolutely,” McIntyre said. “But given our budget and personnel constraints, this is the best we can do.”

“Fire season is pretty much year-round now,” Escobar said, adjusting his helmet. “We’ve got to be cautious and do the hard work earlier in the year so we can be safe later on.”

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After the Lightning Fires in the East Bay Parks Discover how oak woodland and chaparral are rebounding in Morgan Territory by Joan Hamilton June 23, 2021 SPONSORED BY EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Having evolved with fire in California, oaks are resilient to low-intensity burns. EBRPD staff will monitor this valley oak (Quercus lobata) in Morgan Territory Regional Preserve for signs of “epicormic sprouting.” (Photo by Scott Hein) Botany

A siege of lightning strikes ignited 870 fires last August. Among the sites hit were six units of the East Bay Regional Park District. At first, the park district was on its own, scoping out the danger and using a park helicopter to scoop up water from reservoirs and ponds to protect people and property.

“Almost every hour you’d see smoke someplace where you didn’t expect it,” says Mike Mathiesen, the EBRPD assistant fire chief at the time. “It was kind of like playing whack-a- mole.”

A few days later, the state’s firefighting agency, Cal Fire, joined the district to fight the rapidly merging Santa Clara Unit (SCU) Lightning Complex Fire, which by then extended from Morgan Territory and Round Valley regional preserves in the north to Henry Coe State Park in the south.

Mathiesen, a retired Cal Fire battalion chief, helped draw two “boxes,” or goals for containment. One was huge: 750,000 acres. Another, which kept the fire farther from population centers, was a little over half that size.

Ultimately firefighters succeeded in keeping the blaze within the smaller box. But it was still a

136 big box. At nearly 400,000 acres, the SCU fire rose to third on the list of the largest fires ever in California. “It was pretty eye-opening to see the whole area that I have worked in for the last 26 years completely consumed,” Mathiesen says.

He also notes that much of the SCU fire was defined as “low intensity”—it cleared out understory vegetation that hadn’t burned in decades while leaving mature and healthy trees relatively untouched. “That’s going on statewide right now, where you have got so much fuel load in your watershed that something has to right itself, whether it’s through beetle kill or megafires.”

Miner’s lettuce (Claytonia parviflora), a sign of life returning to the charred landscape of Morgan Territory Regional Preserve. (Photo by Scott Hein)

Down on the ground during the fires, EBRPD staff were working with Cal Fire to minimize the damage to park infrastructure and sensitive resources. Wildlife program manager Doug Bell served as the district’s liaison to the agency. Starting in the third week in August, he and other park staff fed Cal Fire information about where to go, places to protect, and problems to solve. It felt like being part of an army in wartime, Bell says, with firefighters and equipment operators dispatched every day to different crises around the SCU fire zone and beyond.

When the flames died down, park staff worked with Cal Fire on cleanup and repairs. A culvert under a park road had vaporized, making the road unsafe for vehicles. A bulldozer had torn through a rare serpentine grassland. Gates and fences were damaged. Park roads were rutted and dusty from weeks of heavy use. Downed trees and shrubs blocked roads. Heaps of vegetation were piled up along fuel breaks. With a team that included foresters, archaeologists, hydrologists, and soil scientists, Cal Fire’s repair process “was impressive and collaborative,” Bell says. “Their goal was to make us whole again.”

By the end of December, Cal Fire had done its best to clean up the damage its operations caused. But the chaos caused by the fire itself remained. About 6,000 acres in six parks had burned, including a few acres in Mission Peak and Pleasanton Ridge (four and 21 respectively) and larger areas at Morgan Territory (695), Round Valley (166), Sunol (498), and Ohlone (4,547).

“In some ways, we didn’t feel prepared,” says park district stewardship chief Matt Graul. Working with the district’s fire department, park officials had been trying to reduce fuels near cities by thinning eucalyptus and brush in the East Bay hills prior to the fires and had planned a prescribed burn at Point Pinole. But the district had never dealt with a fire this big.

In the aftermath, job number one was repairing fences and gates and roads, so cattle could graze and people could visit. But park officials wanted more than a safe reopening. They

137 wanted to learn from the fires. They had hunches, but no hard data, about how East Bay plants and animals would now respond. They were determined to find out—and prepare for the inevitable fires of the future.

EBRPD biologists Dina Robertson and Tammy Lin, survey the burn zone of the SCU Complex Fire in Morgan Territory Regional Preserve. (Photo by Scott Hein)

“I’m super curious to see how things are looking,” EBRPD vegetation program manager Dina Robertson says. “Someone told me they weren’t seeing a lot of regeneration.”

The eastern side of Morgan Territory Regional Preserve, a breezy outpost in the hills north of Livermore, was severely burned in places. Yet on a walk with Bay Nature in late February, Robertson points out stands of unscathed blue oaks surrounded by a cheery layer of green grass. “Some areas didn’t burn that hot,” she says. “Especially in our grasslands and oak woodlands.”

In fact, along sections of the Valley View and Manzanita trails where we walked, some grassy areas burned so lightly that even the cow pies are intact. Biologist Sue Townsend turns one over with a stick. The underside is damp and crawling with insects. “Refugia!” she declares.

Farther down the ridge, oak woodlands once underlain with shrubs reflect the first signs of an inferno. “The color of the soil tells you how hot it burned,” Robertson says, pointing to streaks of gray ash and red mineral soil where a shrub or fallen tree was completely incinerated. A small hole with ankle-high ash marks the former site of the plant’s roots. Around those ashy spots are broad areas of black soil. They look empty at first—but they are not.

Robertson points out the octopus arms of some emergent Indian (aka miner’s) lettuce. Then a lacy maidenhair fern. Then the lanky leaves of lilies and the round, pad-like leaves of shooting stars. The list of survivors lengthens as we walk: yarrow, geraniums, red maids, milkmaids. And finally, triumphantly: a fully grown warrior’s plume, with green leaves and blood-red bracts, coming up right when it usually does on this side of Mount Diablo.

Milkmaids (Cardamine californica) in bloom mere months after the SCU Lightning Complex Fire moved through about 13 percent of Morgan Territory’s acreage. (Photo by Scott Hein)

138 Chaparral areas bore the brunt of the fire. But they’re coming back, too, with chamise, toyon, and elderberry sprouting from their own root crowns. In woodland areas, once lifeless-looking oaks and buckeyes are also reviving, with root sprouts and leaves coming directly out of trunks and large branches, a response to stress known as epicormic sprouting.

The jury is still out on the park’s manzanitas, known for their exceptional size and beauty. Outside the burn, these evergreen members of the Arctostaphylos genus have curvaceous limbs slathered with smooth red bark. Inside the burn, some manzanitas were skipped by the fire and still have green leaves. Others’ leaves are a burnt orange. Others, especially in severely burned chaparral areas, are little more than a stick in the ground.

Manzanitas have two post-fire strategies. Some species can sprout from a burl at their base, others only from seeds. Robertson doesn’t see sprouts of either kind on our February tour. But it’s too soon to draw conclusions.

This spring, Robertson and others will study the park’s vegetative comeback in four kinds of habitat: sagebrush scrub, chaparral, evergreen oaks, and deciduous oaks. She’s especially eager to find “fire followers,” species that only germinate in response to cues from fire, such as heat, smoke, or char.

As we head back to our cars, she’s feeling optimistic about the prospects. “I think it looks good,” she says. “We could see some cool fire followers in here soon.”

Common stickyseed (Blennosperma nanum), a sign of initial recovery in Morgan Territory Regional Preserve. (Photo by Scott Hein)

While helping with Cal Fire’s cleanup, Doug Bell scanned the landscape for wildlife. He trusted that many animals had scurried or flown to safety. “But some of those fires burned up a canyon in the middle of the night in an hour—incinerating everything,” he says. With pockets of fire so quirky and quick, he expects some animals got caught.

On one early reconnaissance, Bell noticed a rattlesnake rattle on the ground. “There was a hole next to it. So I probed and pulled out a three-foot snake that was very much cooked,” he says. “Obviously it was trying to get into the burrow and didn’t succeed.”

Some golden eagle nests were likely lost, too. “Eagles build these gigantic nests,” Bell says. “Several in the Sunol and Ohlone wildernesses are in gray pines, which tend to be Roman candles in fires.”

On the other hand, Bell (who leads the district’s long-term study of eagles around Altamont Pass) also knows of two eagles, outfitted with radio transmitters, that flew out of the burn when the fire started and returned within days. He was not surprised. “Eagles are

139 scavengers,” he says. “So they’ll take advantage of a deer or even a cow that might have been killed by the fire. They also hunt in areas opened up by the fire, where prey are more vulnerable. You could call them fire followers, too.”

In a burned grassland, Bell was pleased to see chorus frogs and garter snakes swimming in a pond. “The pond itself looked untouched,” he says. At a similar site, he witnessed a scurry of ground squirrels. “You could see them kicking up dust and ash as they ran from burrow to burrow. It was kinda cute.”

At a bend in the road, Sue Townsend lopes up a steep hillside. Her previous work as wildlife ecologist has taken her from Antarctica to Mongolia, but her current focus is the Bay Area—especially filling in gaps of knowledge about common species such as bobcats and coyotes. “We know they’re there,” she says. “But we haven’t been systemically collecting data.”

Carrying a clipboard, hedge shears, binoculars, a pine stake, a GPS device, and a stuffed Star Wars creature (“Baby Yoda”), she’s obviously got more to do than gaze at the scenery. The park district hired her for her expertise in setting up motion-activated cameras.

Townsend makes a beeline to a camera on the hillside. Lashed to a pine stake, it’s taken 312 pictures in the past month, she says, including images of a coyote and a Steller’s jay. She quickly wipes off some dirt, swaps out the memory card, and checks the accuracy of the camera’s date and time. Then Baby Yoda (“a little smaller than a gray fox”) goes to work, posing on a log a few feet away to help Townsend adjust the camera settings. “Everything’s working,” she concludes. “It’s all good.”

Cartography by Louis Jaffe. Fire Data: Cal Fire and National Interagency Fire Center

140 Over the next three years, Townsend will repeat this process 12 times for each of 40 cameras a third of a mile apart, inside and outside the burn. New cloud-based software called Wildlife Insights will use artificial intelligence to help her sort through tens of thousands of images, identify animals, and make the data available not only to district decision-makers, but to a worldwide community of biologists.

“We used to put dead animals in museums that everybody could visit,” Townsend says. “Now we have a global network of camera-trapping projects. It’s a huge step forward.”

The park district is attaching sound-recording devices called AudioMoths to the cameras, as well as devices that record bats’ echolocation signals precisely enough to identify individual species. (These efforts will be supplemented by more traditional studies on threatened species such as Alameda whipsnakes, red-legged frogs, tiger salamanders, and western pond turtles.) The result will be a comprehensive picture of what creatures live here and how their populations respond to fire, seasons, and—if the studies can continue long enough—a changing climate.

“It’s impressive,” says Bell, who was trained at UC Berkeley in the more traditional data- collection methods pioneered by zoologist Joseph Grinnell. “This technology can capture information beyond our computational dreams.”

Warrior’s plume (Pedicularis densiflora), a sign of recovery in Morgan Territory. (Photo by Scott Hein)

By mid-2021, it was clear that last year’s frightening inferno had tested and trained park district staff. They worked with firefighters and other landowners to save lives and property. They coordinated a complicated repair and cleanup effort. They reopened parks to the public and began detailed studies of what was lost, what’s left, and (in greater detail than ever before) how park ecosystems work.

There’s still much to be done. “We need to learn how Indigenous peoples managed the land with fire as an ally,” Bell says, and meanwhile also contend with afflictions such as drought, heat waves, plant and animal diseases, and, arching over it all, climate change. “We would like to see the persistence of landscapes and their flora and fauna, so that a hundred years from now people can still be enjoying them.” With that goal in mind, park defenders will face a host of new hurdles in the years ahead.

In the short term, though, park district staff are relieved about what happened last fall. “It wasn’t a perfect fire,” Bell says. “But, ecologically, it was probably a good fire.”

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4 more spectacular Bay Area tide pools to explore By JACKIE BURRELL | [email protected] | Bay Area News Group PUBLISHED: June 22, 2021 at 9:15 a.m. | UPDATED: June 23, 2021 at 8:58 a.m.

At low tide, Fitzgerald Marine Preserve offers some of the best tide-pooling on the Northern California coast. (Visit Half Moon Bay)

Low tide reveals an entire world of intertidal-zone life, sea stars, undulating anemones and tiny, colorful nudibranchs living in the rocky pools near shore. So check the tide charts, grab shoes that can get wet or grubby and head for one of the Bay Area’s stellar tide pool spots.

Just remember that tide pool terrain is notoriously slippery. Watch your footing and never turn your back on the waves.

Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, Carmel

This spectacular stretch of coastline has been dubbed the crown jewel of the State Park system — and it’s credited with inspiring Robert Louis Stevenson’s “Treasure Island.” Long John Silver was probably more concerned with piratical pursuits than tide pools, but you’ll be smitten by the sights at Weston Beach, where hermit crabs, limpets, black turban snails and colorful seaweed live in the intertidal zones.

Prefer to visit virtually or get a peek ahead of time? Or dive — remotely — beneath the waves? Find links for the park’s new smartphone apps, visitor info and the Point Lobos Foundation’s tide pool guide at www.parks.ca.gov.

Parkgoers explore the tide pools at Point Lobos State Park. (LiPo Ching/Bay Area News Group File) Details: The reserve, which is off Highway 1 just south of Carmel, is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily; day use is $10 per car.

James V. Fitzgerald Marine Preserve, Moss Beach

142 Sea stars, anemones, limpets and sea urchins thrive in the rocky tide pools of this incredible marine preserve. This Moss Beach destination reopened to visitors last month, with volunteer naturalists on hand and downloadable guides available from the Friends of Fitzgerald Reserve website to help you identify the wonders you’re seeing. Details: Open daily at 8 a.m. at 200 Nevada Ave. in Moss Beach; http://fitzgeraldreserve.org. Check out the virtual tour at http://fitzgeraldreserve.org/video.

Point Pinos, Pacific Grove

This rugged stretch of coastline from Asilomar State Beach to Point Pinos offers tiny beaches, rocky reefs and tide pools brimming with sea stars, anemones, hermit crabs and more. Some of the most spectacular sights are on the west side of Point Pinos in an area aptly dubbed the Great Tide Pool.

The tide pools at Asilomar State Beach teem with marine life, visible only at low tide. (Randy Vazquez/ Bay Area News Group) Details: Asilomar State Beach runs along Sunset Drive to Point Pinos in Pacific Grove; www.parks.ca.gov.

Crab Cove, Alameda Alameda’s Crown Memorial State Beach has reopened its Crab Cove Visitor Center and Aquarium on weekends. Check out the exhibits, aquariums and touch pool, then head outside to the Crab Cove Marine Protected Area, where low tide reveals crabs and other colorful sea creatures in their natural habitats.

Explore the exhibits inside the Crab Cove Visitors Center, which recently reopened for limited weekend hours, then peek into the tide pools nearby. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group) Details: Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach is open daily for walk-in visitors (the McKay Parking Lot has been closed during the pandemic). The Crab Cove Visitor Center and Aquarium at 1252 McKay Ave. is open on weekends with free admission; ebparks.org.

Clarification: A photograph in this story has been replaced because an earlier photograph showed a child standing in a tide pool, while another held a sand pail and shovel nearby. Standing in a tide pool or interfering in any way with marine life is forbidden at state marine preserves and should be avoided at any beach. Please look -- don't touch.

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