Board Meeting Packet

September 7, 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, SEPTEMBER 7, 2021 at 1:00 pm

Pursuant to Governor Newsom’s Executive Order No. N-29-20, 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/VWS1jd_1LNI

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, September 6, 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, September 6, 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/98516595630 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/VWS1jd_1LNI 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, September 6,2021 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, SEPTEMBER 7, 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/VWS1jd_1LNI Treasurer - Ward 6 DENNIS WAESPI Secretary - Ward 3 Respectfully submitted, ELIZABETH ECHOLS Ward 1 SABRINA B. LANDRETH ELLEN CORBETT General Manager 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

REGULAR MEETING OF SEPTEMBER 7, 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 1:30 pm for Open CLOSED SESSION Session on Tuesday, September 7, 2021. Video Stream at: A. Conference with Labor Negotiator: Government Code Section 54957.6 https://youtu.be/VWS1jd_1LNI

1. Agency Negotiators: Sabrina B. Landreth, Ana M. Alvarez, Agenda for the meeting is 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 B. Conference with Legal Counsel: beginning of the agenda. If you wish to comment on an item 1. Anticipated Litigation - Government Code Section 54956.9: on the agenda, please send an email to [email protected] a) Initiation of litigation pursuant to Government Code section before 3:00 pm, Monday, September 6, 2021. 54956.9(c): 1 case A copy of the background 2. Existing Litigation - Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(I): materials concerning these agenda items, including any a) EBRPD vs. City of Richmond, et al. material that may have been submitted less than 72 hours Contra Costa Superior Court before the meeting, is available Case No. C19-00434 for inspection on the District’s website (www.ebparks.org).

Agendas for Board Committee Meetings are available to the public upon request. If you wish to be placed on the mailing list to receive future agendas for a specific Board Committee, please call the Clerk of the Board’s Office at (510) 544- 2020.

District facilities and meetings comply with the Americans with 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.

1:30 p.m. OPEN SESSION (Virtual)

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, September 6, 2021 at 3:00 pm. These comments will NOT be read during the meeting but made a part of the final board packet.

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/98516595630. 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/VWS1jd_1LNI 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, September 6, 2021 via email or voicemail (510) 544-2016 to provide name and the subject of the public comment or item to be addressed.

1:35 p.m. C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

a. Approval of District Check Listing for the Period of June 28, 2021 Through July 18, 2021 (Auker/Landreth) (Resolution) (No Cost) b. Approval of the Minutes for the Board Meeting of August 10, 2021 (Barial Knight) (Resolution) (No Cost) c. Resolution to Support AB 844 (Grayson D-Concord) – Green Empowerment Zone for the Northern Waterfront of Contra County (Pfuehler/Landreth) (Resolution) (No Cost) d. Resolution to Support AB 962 (Kamlager D-Los Angeles) – California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act (Pfuehler/Landreth) (Resolution) ( No Cost) ) e. Resolution to Support AB 1276 (Carrillo D-Los Angeles) – Unnecessary Food Service Ware (Pfuehler/Landreth) (Resolution) (No Cost) f. Resolution to Support AB 1454 (Bloom D-Santa Monica) – California Beverage Container and Litter Reduction Act (Pfuehler/Landreth ) (Resolution) (No Cost) g. Resolution to Support H.R. 3566 (Bourdeaux D-GA) – National and Regional Greenways Act (Pfuehler/Landreth ) (Resolution) (No Cost) )

h. Resolution to Support H.R. 4235 (Pallone D-NJ) – Living Shorelines Act (Pfuehler/Landreth ) (Resolution) (No Cost) ) i. Resolution to Support H.R. 4577 (Quigley D-IL) – Park District Community Support Grant Program (Pfuehler/Landreth) (Resolution) (No Cost) j. Resolution to Support H.R. 4878 (DeSaulnier D-CA) – National Discovery Trails Act (Pfuehler/Landreth ) (Resolution) (No Cost) k. Approval of the Special Use Agreement with the Regents of the University of California 4-H Youth Development Program: Ardenwood Historic Farm (Patterson/Margulici/O’Connor) (Resolution) (No Cost) L. Authorization to Execute a Five-Year Contract with Cornerstone OnDemand Inc. for an Automated Learning Management System (Kinner/Cook/Alvarez) (Resolution) (Budgeted Funds) m. Authorization of Communication Site Replacement and Agreement with Contra Costa County: Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline (Margulici/Holt/O’Connor) (Resolution) (Rev Authorization) n. Authorization to Grant an Underground Utility Easement to Pacific Gas and Electric Company as Part of the Tidewater Day Use Area Development Project: Martin Luther King, Jr. Regional Shoreline (Reeves/Goorjian/Kelchner) (Resolution) (No Cost) o. Authorization to Approve Grazing Tenant, SpurX Livestock LLC, to Use Exhibit E: Resource Improvement Authorization (RIA) Form, per the Grazing License Agreement, to Replace Livestock Fencing: Ohlone Wilderness Regional Preserve (Graul/Kelchner) (Resolution) ( Budgeted Funds ) p. Authorization to Purchase Microsoft Azure Managed Cloud Data Storage Services from Perficient (Tallerico/Auker) (Resolution) (Budgeted Funds) q. Authorization to Purchase Four Toro Dingo TX1000’s and Additional Attachments from Cal-Line Equipment Inc. as Additions to the Fleet (McCrystle/Kennedy/O’Connor) (Resolution) (Budgeted Funds) r. Authorization to Purchase Three Tractors and Three Mowers from John Deere Company for Equipment Replacement and as Additions to the Fleet (McCrystle/Kennedy/O’Connor) (Resolution) (Budgeted Funds) s. Authorization to Purchase Two 2022 Type VI Fire Apparatus from Boise Mobile Equipment for Equipment Replacement (McCrystle/Kennedy/O’Connor) (Resolution) (Budgeted Funds) t. Authorization to Purchase One 800-Gallon Portable Restroom Vacuum Tank Truck from West-Mark as an Upgraded Fleet Replacement (McCrystle/Kennedy/O’Connor) (Resolution) (Budgeted Funds) u. Authorization to Purchase Twelve Message Board Trailers from Myers & Sons Hi-Way Safety Inc. as Additions to the Fleet (McCrystle/Kennedy/O’Connor) (Resolution) (Budgeted Funds) v. Authorization to Purchase Four CAT Compact Track Loaders and Additional Attachments from Peterson CAT as Additions to the Fleet (McCrystle/Kennedy/O’Connor) (Resolution) (Budgeted Funds) w. Authorization to Purchase Three Toro Workman HDX Utility Vehicles from Turf Star Western as Additions to the Fleet (McCrystle/Kennedy/O’Connor) (Resolution) (Budgeted Funds)

x. Authorization to Purchase Public Safety Communications Equipment from Motorola (Gershaneck/Ciaburro) (Resolution) (Budgeted Funds) y. Authorization to Apply for Federal Grant from the Bureau of Reclamation for Park Improvements and Appropriate Funds: Contra Loma Regional Park (Caulboy/Auker) (Resolution) (Budget Change) z. Authorization to Apply for Grant Funds from the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority for Restoration Projects: District-wide (Caulboy/Auker) (Resolution) (Rev Authorization) aa. Authorization to Donate Out of Service 1999 Ford Type 6 Fire Engine to the Bell Canyon Volunteer Wildland Fire Department (Theile/Ciaburro) (Resolution) (No Cost)

2:15 p.m. 2. EXECUTIVE, LEGISLATIVE AND LEGAL DIVISION

a. East Bay Regional Park District Ward Redistricting Update (Pfuehler/Rosenberg)

2:30 p.m. 3. GENERAL MANAGER’S COMMENTS

a. No Staff Presentation

3:00 p.m. 4. BOARD AND STAFF REPORTS

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

3:15 p.m. 5. BOARD COMMITTEE REPORTS

a. Finance Committee (7/30/2021) ( Lane ) b. Natural and Cultural Resources Committee (4/07/2021) (Coffey) c. Natural and Cultural Resources Committee (6/07/2021) ( Coffey ) d. Natural and Cultural Resources Committee (2/25/2021) (Coffey) e. Operations Committee (5/25/2021) ( Co r bett ) f. Operations Committee (6/29/2021) (Corbett) g. Operations Committtee (7/27/2021) ( Corbett )

3:25 p.m. 6. ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM CLOSED SESSION

3:30 p.m. 7. BOARD COMMENTS

4:30 p.m. D. ADJOURNMENT

CONSENT CALENDAR AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

a. Approval of District Check Listing for the Period of June 28, 2021 Through July 18, 2021 (Auker/Landreth)

RECOMMENDATION

It is recommended that the Board of Directors approve the Check Listing for the period of June 28, 2021 through July 18, 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 – 09 -

September 7, 2021

APPROVAL OF DISTRICT CHECK LISTING FOR THE PERIOD OF JUNE 28, 2021 THROUGH JULY 18, 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 June 28, 2021 through July 18, 2021;

Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and adopted this 7th day of September, 2021 by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

9 AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

b. Approval of the Minutes for the Board Meeting of August 10, 2021 (Barial Knight)

10 Page Left Blank Intentionally

11 Unapproved Minutes Board Meeting of August 10, 2021

The Board Meeting, which was held August 10, 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 1:47 p.m. by President Rosario.

Staff Present: Sabrina Landreth, Carol Victor, Ana Alvarez, Debra Auker, Anthony Ciaburro, Kristina Kelchner, Steve Castile, Carol Johnson, Lisa Goorjian, Erich Pfuehler, Aileen Thiele, Sean Dougan, Michelle Strawson O’Hara, Deborah Spaulding, Lance Brede, Jeff Rasmussen, Ren Bates, Lisa Goorjian, Katy Hornbeck, Matt Graul, Robert Kennedy, Khari Helae, Allyson Cook, Toby Perry, Mary Mattingly, Jim Tallerico, Matthew James, Sarah Kennedy (PrimeGov) Guests: None.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

President Rosario asked Director Corbett to lead the Board in the Pledge of Allegiance. President Rosario recognized that yesterday was Indigenous People's Day and was recognized on the District’s website. Rosario read the statement on the website and expressed gratitude to the many native folks who have contributed to and continue to contribute their perspectives, voices, and culture to our programs.

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 Wieskamp, and seconded by Director Corbett, the Board voted unanimously to approve the agenda.

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 August 10, 2021 B. PUBLIC COMMENTS

There were 48 speakers. Several spoke on improving bicycle access, redistricting and the remaining spoke on fair wages for AFSCME employees. The public comment period ended at 3:23 pm.

President Rosario thanked the speakers for their comments. President Rosario called for a 10-minute break. The board meeting resumed at 3:46 pm.

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

By motion of Director Corbett, and seconded by Director Waespi, 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. Approval of District Check Listing for the Period of June 7, 2021 Through June 27, 2021 Resolution No. 2021 – 08 - 217 (attached)

b. Approval of the Minutes for the Board Meeting of July 20, 2021

c. Resolution Affirming the Park District’s Commitment to Being a Pollinator -Friendly Park System – Supporting Conservation of Pollinators and Providing Public Education on the Importance of Pollinators: District-wide Resolution No. 2021 – 08 - 218 (attached)

Public Comment: Taylor Rein, a student at UC Berkeley with the pollinator conservation group spoke in support of this item. Director Lane commented that she was supportive.

d. Authorization to Add 1.0 FTE Fuels Reduction Coordinator Position in the Fire Department: Public Safety Division Resolution No. 2021 – 08 - 219 (attached)

e. Authorization to Appoint Mr. Justin Barker as the Human Resources Analyst at Step F of the Management Pay Range MG00 in the Executive and Legislative Division, Human Resources Department Resolution No. 2021 – 08 - 220 (attached)

f. Authorization to Modify the Personnel Administrative Manual Extending Compensatory Time Off for Represented Employees in an Acting Management Capacity: Human Resources Department Resolution No. 2021 – 08 - 221 (attached)

g. Authorization to Approve and Adopt an Amendment to the East Bay Regional Park District Salary Schedule and Classification Plan to Add New Classifications and Implement Reclassification, Compensation and Reallocation Changes of Identified Budgeted 2021 Positions as of August 14, 2021 Resolution No. 2021 – 08 - 222 13 (attached) Unapproved Minutes Board Meeting of August 10, 2021

h. Authorization to Award Construction Contract to E.E. Gilbert Construction Inc. to Install Arched Culvert: Briones Regional Preserve Resolution No. 2021 – 08 - 223 (attached)

i. Authorization to Execute a Contract with BKF Engineers for Consulting Services and Transfer and Appropriate Funds for the Replace Sewer Project: Anthony Chabot Regional Park Resolution No. 2021 – 08 - 224 (attached)

j. Authorization to Amend a Contract with Ware Associates for Architectural Consulting Services to the Build Interpretive Pavilion Project: Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area Resolution No. 2021 – 08 - 225 (attached)

k. Authorization to Amend a Contract with LCC Engineering & Surveying, Inc. for Final Design and Environmental Permitting for the Nejedly Staging Area to Berrellesa Street Trail Segment: San Francisco Bay Trail Resolution No. 2021 – 08 - 226 (attached)

L. Authorization to Purchase Three Green Climber Slope Mowers from Green Climber of North America as Additions to the Fleet Resolution No. 2021 – 08 - 227 (attached)

m. Authorization to Accept the Final Insurance Payment on the 2021 Miller/Knox Regional Shoreline Ferry Point Partial Pier Collapse and to Execute the Final Proof of Loss Statement Resolution No. 2021 – 08 - 228 (attached)

n. Approval of 2021 Risk-based Internal Audit Work Plan, and Confirmation of the Organizational Independence, with Qualification, of the Internal Audit Function Resolution No. 2021 – 08 - 229 (attached)

2. EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE DIVISION

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

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

a. Authorize the 2021/2022 Tax Rate to be Levied by Alameda and Contra Costa Counties for the Payment of East Bay Regional Park District Measure WW General Obligation Bonds Resolution No. 2021 – 08 - 230 (attached)

Deborah Spaulding, Assistant Finance Officer, gave the presentation. Spaulding explained the 4 ways the District receives revenue from a parcel. Spaulding discussed how the debt levy is determined, how the assessed value is determined and additional information about the next issuance of WW bonds. Spaulding explained this resolution authorizes staff to proceed with the rate calculation once the required information is received from the counties, and to file the tax rate information with the counties by the deadline. AGM Auker restated that these are for capital bonds approved by the voters in 2008 that has a very detailed 14 Unapproved Minutes Board Meeting of August 10, 2021 expenditure plan. Directors Corbett and Lane thanked staff for the presentation and the importance of this issue.

3. GENERAL MANAGER’S COMMENTS

a. STAFF PRESENTATION Fire Chief Aileen Theile and Acting Assistant Fire Chief Khari Helae will provide an overview of the current challenges facing the Fire department today, including drought stress and wildfire prevention, as well as progress and plans to address these challenges.

Chief Aileen Theile, Fire Chief, co-presented with Khari Helae, Assistant Fire Chief on the challenges facing the Fire Department. Chief Theile gave a recap of the 2020 challenges and expounded on the 2021 challenges touching on tree mortality acreage increase, defensible space, and redirection of sources. Helae’s presentation detailed tree mortality. Forestors and elected officials attended site tours conducted by the District of the infected trees. Helae explained the treatment that consists of thinning and spacing of trees. The Fire Department worked with Government Affairs to obtain a Federal Grant which includes $10 million for tree mortality and $3.5 million for fire suppression equipment. State Grants (awarded): $290,600: CA Coastal Conservancy; vegetation management. Helae clarified there are additional federal and state grants pending.

Director Corbett thanked the Chief and the Assistant Fire Chief on their hard work. Director Lane asked for additional detail on how the $3.5 million will be spent. Captain’s Love and Brede explained that the helicopter can be modified to allow more gallons of water dropped. Director Waespi asked if this qualifies the District for CalFire. Brede answered not quite. Director Lane inquired about other fires the District participated in. Theile explained there was14 days at the Dixie Fire for the strike time, and an additional 14 days for the engine at the Dixie Fire. Waespi asked how many days was the park closed because of fire. Theile replied approximately 6 or 7 days. Director Wieskamp asked how tree mortality is affecting their strategy. Chief Theile said staff triage to determine what area is affected most and create a defensible space. President Rosario asked if there is a significant die-off in parks outside of the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) area. Thiele replied District staff are monitoring it.

Public Comments: Kelly Abreu discussed several topics: solar panels at Shadow Cliffs, the 24 hour shifts of doctors and firefighters, tree mortality, fire inspectors and structure of the fire commission. Amy Coulter spoke on contracts pending as it relates to tree mortality. She said this desk is in triage and we need your support to spend the money wisely. She touched on soil biology in the park which is her passion.

4. BOARD COMMITTEE REPORTS

a. Executive Committee (7/13/2021) ( Rosario ) b. Executive Committee (6/08/2021) (Rosario)

5. ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM CLOSED SESSION District Counsel Carol Victor stated were no announcements from closed session.

6. BOARD COMMENTS

Director Rosario reported on meetings attended. Director Rosario • Attended the Oakland Commission for the Aging Stakeholders meeting on 7/22; • Attended the Board Field Trip on 7/23; • Attended the John Sutter Memorial service on 7/24; • Attended an AAPI Employee Collective meeting on 7/26; 15 Unapproved Minutes Board Meeting of August 10, 2021 • Attended the Capitol Series Talks Asm. Wicks speaker on 7/27; • Attended the Executive Committee meeting on 7/29; • Attended the Alameda County Asian American Pacific Islander Group on 7/29; • Attended the Lake Merritt Business Club meeting on 7/29; • Attended the Regional Parks Foundation meeting on 7/29; • Attended the East Oakland Collective Event at MLK shoreline on 7/31; • Attended the Board Closed Session meeting on 8/2; • Attended a walk with GM 1-on-1 at Lake Temescal on 8/4; • Attended the Lafayette Moraga Trails 45th Anniversary.

Director Lane reported on meetings attended. Director Lane • Attended the Board Field Trip on 7/23; • Attended the John Sutter Memorial service on 7/24; • Attended the Black Diamond Mine naturalist program on Chupcan people on 7/29; • Attended the Finance Committee on 7/30; Lane vacationed in the gold country and hiked in Las Trampas. Lane thanked Government Affairs on the success of the $13.5 million. Lane commented on how dangerous it is for firefighters to work 24 hour shifts.

Director Waespi reported on meetings attended. Director Waespi • Attended the Board Field Trip on 7/23; • Attended the John Sutter Memorial service on 7/24; • Attended the Castro Valley Fire Prevention Group meeting with Chief Theile and GM Landreth on 7/26; • Attended the Anthony Chabot meeting with Government Affairs on 7/30; • Attended the Board Closed Session meeting on 8/2; • Attended the Ecology meeting on 8/3; • Attended the Lafayette Moraga Trail 45th Anniversary on 8/5.

Wieskamp reported on meetings attended. Director Wieskamp • Attended the Board Field Trip on 7/23; • Attended the John Sutter Memorial service on 7/24; • Attended the Operations Committee meeting on 7/27; • Attended the Board Closed Session meeting on 8/2; • Attended and was alternate for Finance Committee meeting on 7/30; Wieskamp visited and met with Wayne Gilfillan at Pleasanton Ridge commenting on the tragic search of the hiker. Two oak trees had fallen at the ridge.

Director Coffey reported on meetings attended. Director Coffey • Attended with Dir. Echols the Pt. Molate Working Group meeting on 7/22; • Attended a meeting at Supervisor Glovers office meeting on 7/22; • Attended a Cohoot trivia game at Black Diamond Mines on 7/22; • Attended the Board Field Trip on 7/23; • Attended the John Sutter Memorial service on 7/24; • Attended the PAC meeting on 7/26; • Attended with Dir. Echols and GM Landreth meeting with Supv. Goia on 7/26; • Attended the 1-on-1 meeting with GM Landreth and hiked Empire Mine Road; • Attended the Black Diamond Mine naturalist program on Chupcan people on 7/29; • Attended the Executive Committee meeting on 7/29; • Attended the Board Closed Session meeting on 8/2; • Attended the Lafayette Moraga Trail 45th Anniversary on 8/5; 16 Unapproved Minutes Board Meeting of August 10, 2021 • Attended with Dir. Echols Pt Molate working group on 8/6; • Attended pre-board meeting prep session with GM on 8/9. Coffey watched the Finance Committee meeting on YouTube. Went to the EBRPD Night at the A’s game.

Director Echols reported on meetings attended. Director Echols • Attended the Pt. Molate Working Group meeting with Dir. Coffey on 7/22; • Attended the Board Field Trip on 7/23; • Attended with Dir. Coffey and GM Landreth meeting with Supv. Goia on 7/26; • Attended the Operations Committee meeting on 7/27; • Attended and met with Rashi Kesarwan, Berkeley City Councilmember on 7/28; • Attended the Board Closed Session meeting on 8/2; • Attended a meeting with Terry Taplin, Berkeley City Councilmember on 8/3; • Attended with Dir. Echols Pt Molate working group on 8/6.

Director Corbett left the board meeting before Board Comments due to a prior commitment.

E. ADJOURNMENT

President Rosario adjourned the meeting at 5:04 pm. He thanked the employees for coming and sharing their stories and welcomed them to reach out and share their concerns.

Acknowledged Philip Kreycik who passed away in Pleasanton Ridge.

17 AGENDA REGULAR MEETINGS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

c. Resolution to Support AB 844 (Grayson D-Concord) – Green Empowerment Zone for the Northern Waterfront of Contra Costa County (Pfuehler/Landreth)

RECOMMENDATION

The Legislative Committee of the Board and General Manager recommend the Board of Directors adopt a resolution to support AB 844 (Grayson D-Concord) – Green Empowerment Zone for the Northern Waterfront of Contra Costa County.

REVENUE/COST

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

BACKGROUND

AB 844 will create a Green Empowerment Zone for the Northern Waterfront area of Contra Costa County, aimed at prioritizing access to tax incentives, grants, loan programs, workforce training programs and private investment in the clean and green energy sector. As home for five refineries, the Bay Area is the second largest oil refining center on the West Coast. Considering the Governor’s recent executive orders, and the potential for the loss of thousands of union jobs, Assembly Member Grayson is seeking to create an equitable transition to clean energy. The Zone will serve as a bridge to facilitate the transfer of resources, expertise and information between local, state and Federal partners. With the possibility of significant new investment in the green energy sector coming from the Federal government, this will put a structure in place to receive and make good use of any new resources available to Contra Costa County. The County is supporting the legislation. While the Zone does not directly provide additional resources to the District, it would benefit the County overall. It encourages the development of green energy which benefits parklands and natural habitats. It is also a priority bill for a Member of the East Bay delegation.

ALTERNATIVES

None recommended.

18 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 - 09 – September 7, 2021

RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT AB 844 (GRAYSON D-CONCORD) – GREEN EMPOWERMENT ZONE FOR THE NORTHERN WATERFRONT OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY

WHEREAS, core values of the East Bay Regional Park District are to respect the land and support resilience in creatively adapting to a changing climate; and

WHEREAS, an equitable transition to green and clean energy is of importance to the Park District as it benefits parklands and natural habitats for East Bay communities; and

WHEREAS, this step toward regional economic empowerment and vitality has received broad legislative and local support; and

WHEREAS, tax incentives, grants, loan programs, workforce training programs, private sector investment, resources, expertise and information will benefit the northern waterfront area of Contra Costa County as result of this legislation,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby support AB 844 (Grayson D-Concord) – Green Empowerment Zone for the Northern Waterfront of Contra Costa County; 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 7th day of September, 2021 by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

19 AGENDA REGULAR MEETINGS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

d. Resolution to Support AB 962 (Kamlager D-Los Angeles) – California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act (Pfuehler/Landreth)

RECOMMENDATION

The Legislative Committee of the Board and General Manager recommend the Board of Directors adopt a resolution to support AB 962 (Kamlager D-Los Angeles) – California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act.

REVENUE/COST

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

BACKGROUND

AB 962 paves the way for returnable beverage bottle systems in California. This measure allows returnable (“refillable”) glass bottles to be preserved, washed and refilled by beverage producers, rather than crushed and recycled. The measure creates jobs, reduces glass waste and encourages glass bottle use over plastic. In California, consumers drink beverages and then dispose tons of non-CRV glass beverage containers annually. These beverages include wine and distilled spirits, milk, juice, coffee and soft drinks. While these containers are technically able to be recycled, the lack of recycling markets, or producer responsibility for market development and covering the cost of recycling, has resulted in little to no recycling of these bottles.

According to the Container Recycling Institute (CRI), returnable glass bottles use approximately 93% less energy and 47-82% less water than recycling, depending on the number of reuses. Returnable bottles go through 15-20 refills on average. Efforts to reduce plastic bottle waste improve park visitor use experience and are consistent with the District’s commitment to increasing water bottle filling stations in parks.

ALTERNATIVES

None recommended.

20 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 - 09 –

September 7, 2021

RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT AB 962 (KAMLAGER D-LOS ANGELES) – CALIFORNIA BEVERAGE CONTAINER RECYCLING AND LITTER REDUCTION ACT

WHEREAS, beverage containers are unfortunately commonly discarded in East Bay parks and do not break down; and

WHEREAS, beverage container waste negatively impacting wildlife, habitat and humans; and

WHEREAS, the East Bay Regional Park District’s Sustainability Policy and Mission serve as the environmental ethic compass in all Park District activities and locations; and

WHEREAS, a recent East Bay Regional Park District community survey found the number one requested amenity in parks was additional reusable water bottle filling stations indicating a shift in societal and public trends; and

WHEREAS, returned glass bottles have a smaller environmental footprint, create less waste and support job growth in a sustainable industry.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby support AB 962 (Kamlager D-Los Angeles) – California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act; and

Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and adopted this 7th day of September, 2021 by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

21 AGENDA REGULAR MEETINGS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

e. Resolution to Support AB 1276 (Carrillo D-Los Angeles) – Unnecessary Food Service Ware (Pfuehler/Landreth)

RECOMMENDATION

The Legislative Committee of the Board and General Manager recommend the Board of Directors adopt a resolution to support AB 1276 (Carrillo D-Los Angeles) – Unnecessary Food Service Ware.

REVENUE/COST

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

BACKGROUND

This bill would ensure food and beverage accessories would be provided to customers only upon request. It would require reusable food service ware for specified on-site dining. It would significantly reduce unnecessary waste, including waste from picnicking in District parks.

Every year in the United States, an estimated 561 billion disposable food ware items are used, resulting in 4.9 million tons of waste. Unused food accessories include utensils, straws, napkins and condiment packages. The waste goes to landfills, complicates recycling, and pollutes parks, trails, streets and waterways.

The Covid-19 pandemic increased takeout and food delivery. The use of disposable food accessories has contributed to a 250-300% increase in single-use plastics and a 30% increase in waste. Currently, many food facilities and delivery services provide single-use food and beverage accessories regardless of whether they are needed. Most customers do not want them or have reusable items at home and/or in their workspaces. As a result, these accessories are usually discarded without being used. Furthermore, global health experts and U.S health officials agree there's no evidence Covid-19 can spread through food or food packaging.

Restaurants in the U.S. spend $19 billion purchasing disposable food ware items. California restaurants which have voluntarily made the transition to by request and reusable food ware save between $3,000 and $21,000 per year, while reducing waste and greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, reuse creates as many as 30 times more jobs than landfills. California’s local governments and taxpayers spend over $428 million annually in ongoing efforts to clean up and prevent litter in parks, trails, streets, storm drains and waterways.

ALTERNATIVES None recommended. 22 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 - 09 –

September 7, 2021

RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT AB 1276 (CARRILLO D-LOS ANGELES) – UNNECESSARY FOOD SERVICE WARE

WHEREAS, a comprehensive approach will be required to reduce plastic pollution and reform product packaging; and

WHEREAS, plastic pollution and waste impact East Bay Regional Park District lands and trails as seen in District-led volunteer in-park, trail and shoreline cleanups; and

WHEREAS, this legislation aligns with the recent District Park and Public Interest Community Engagement Project Survey indicating a shift of positive public interest in proper waste disposal, increased recycling and composting stations, and additional drinking water bottling filling stations as the number one requested amenity in East Bay parks and trails; and

WHEREAS, litter clean-up costs, restaurant costs and the long term environmental costs for disposable food ware items far exceed customer demand.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby support AB 1276 (Carrillo D-Los Angeles) – Unnecessary Food Service Ware; and

Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and adopted this 7th day of September, 2021 by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

23 AGENDA REGULAR MEETINGS BOARD OF DIRECTORS EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

f. Resolution to Support AB 1454 (Bloom D-Santa Monica) – California Beverage Container and Litter Reduction Act (Pfuehler/Landreth)

RECOMMENDATION

The Legislative Committee of the Board and General Manager recommend the Board of Directors adopt a resolution to support AB 1454 (Bloom D-Santa Monica) – California Beverage Container and Litter Reduction Act.

REVENUE/COST

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

BACKGROUND

AB 1454 helps keep recycling centers open and provides much-needed support for new centers to open in areas where there aren’t enough to serve consumers. The measure reestablishes an 80% or better recycling rate of all beverage containers across the state. It uses existing resources to provide targeted financial incentives to recyclers based on need.

Container recycling rates are dropping in some regions. Statewide beverage container recycling rates have fallen below 70% for the first time in 13 years, meaning many bottles and cans are ending up in landfills or as litter. Many also end up along park fence lines, roadways and trails. Data from CalRecycle demonstrates the most likely reason is because in communities and regions where rates are lowest, there aren’t enough locations or opportunities for people to return these containers for recycling. Outdated laws have led to recycling center closures. More than 1000 community-based recycling centers have closed since 2015 because of outdated statutory requirements for calculating compensation. Record low global prices for scrap materials have compounded the problem.

For 30 years, the Bottle Bill program has relied on a rigid “Convenience Zone” definition to determine where new recycling centers are located and which centers can receive supplemental recycling incentives, also known as “Handling Fees.” This definition does not currently serve the public sufficiently. CalRecycle’s 2018 Handling Fee Report and 2020 AB 54 Report to the Legislature indicate ‘unserved zones’ and ‘unserved/underserved communities’ do not always correlate. CalRecycle needs greater flexibility and authority to define and establish Convenience Zones. It also should have the ability to provide more resources to regions which need centers. Unserved and underserved areas of the state could be covered by as few as 400-600 thoughtfully located, including in rural areas, community-based recycling centers. Models include mobile recycling, Bottle Drop and Reverse Vending Machines.

24 ALTERNATIVES

None recommended.

25 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 - 09 –

September 7, 2021

RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT AB 1454 (BLOOM D-SANTA MONICA) – CALIFORNIA BEVERAGE CONTAINER AND LITTER REDUCTION ACT

WHEREAS, statewide beverage container recycling rates have fallen below 70% for the first time in 13 years, meaning many bottles and cans are ending up in landfills or as litter; and

WHEREAS, many bottles and cans also unfortunately end up along park fence lines, roadways and trails negatively impacting sensitive, natural habitat; and

WHEREAS, recyclable bottle and can pollution and waste impact East Bay Regional Park District lands and trails as seen in District-led volunteer in-park, trail and shoreline cleanups; and

WHEREAS, this legislation aligns with the recent District Park and Public Interest Community Engagement Project Survey indicating a shift in public interest for proper waste disposal, increased recycling and composting stations, and additional drinking water bottling filling stations as the number one requested amenity in East Bay parks; and

WHEREAS, AB 1454 reestablishes an 80% or better recycling rate of all beverage containers across the state; and

WHEREAS, the legislation uses existing resources to provide targeted financial incentives to recyclers based on need.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby support AB 1454 (Bloom D-Santa Monica) – California Beverage Container and Litter Reduction Act; and

Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and adopted this 7th day of September, 2021 by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

26 Page Left Blank Intentionally

27 AGENDA REGULAR MEETINGS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

g. Resolution to Support H.R. 3566 (Bourdeaux D-GA) – National and Regional Greenways Act (Pfuehler/Landreth)

RECOMMENDATION

The Legislative Committee of the Board and General Manager recommend the Board of Directors adopt a resolution to support H.R. 3566 (Bourdeaux D-GA) – National and Regional Greenways Act.

REVENUE/COST

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

BACKGROUND

The National and Regional Greenways Act would create a grant program aimed at helping pay for construction and connection of regional greenway trails. To fund the grant program, the legislation authorizes $250 million for each fiscal year 2022-2026 from the Highway Trust Fund. “A multi-county special district” is eligible to apply for and receive funds. Eligible greenway projects are an active transportation project, or group of projects designated as a regionally or nationally significant greenway path. It can be within or between a community or group of communities. The project(s) must cost $15 million or more. Staff believe the East Bay Greenway, Delta de Anza, San Francisco Bay and Iron Horse trails would all qualify.

ALTERNATIVES

None recommended.

28 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 - 09 –

September 7, 2021

RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT H.R. 3566 (BOURDEAUX D-GA) – NATIONAL AND REGIONAL GREENWAYS ACT

WHEREAS, this legislation provides grant funding to foster connected active transportation greenways including trails, sidewalks and bikeways which support community health by encouraging exercise and lessoning carbon emissions; and

WHEREAS, multicounty districts, such as the Park District, will be eligible for such funding to encourage increased regional connectivity of active transportation greenways; and

WHEREAS, this bill could fund expensive gap closures or extensions along the East Bay’s over 200 miles of active transportation trails including the East Bay Greenway, Delta de Anza, San Francisco Bay and Iron Horse trails.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby support H.R. 3566 (Bourdeaux D-GA) – National and Regional Greenways Act; and

Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and adopted this 7th day of September, 2021 by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

29 AGENDA REGULAR MEETINGS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

h. Resolution to Support H.R. 4235 (Pallone D-NJ) – Living Shorelines Act (Pfuehler/Landreth)

RECOMMENDATION

The Legislative Committee of the Board and General Manager recommend the Board of Directors adopt a resolution to support H.R. 4235 (Pallone D-NJ) – Living Shorelines Act.

REVENUE/COST

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

BACKGROUND

The Living Shorelines Act of 2021 would create two Federal grant programs through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). One program will assist states, localities and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in constructing living shorelines. The second program will provide Federal research grants to eligible entities aimed at studying living shoreline development and effectiveness in better protecting coastal communities and ecosystems from climate change.

Living shoreline infrastructure projects use natural materials and systems, including dunes, wetlands and oyster reefs, to support the natural flood resilience of healthy shoreline ecosystems. Natural infrastructure is cost-effective and adaptable to changing environmental conditions. It also enhances ecosystem functions which can improve water quality and wildlife habitat protection. Certain types of living shorelines can also support carbon mitigation. The legislation provides $50 million in Federal funds (each fiscal year 2022-2026) for living shoreline construction projects and $5 million for research grants. “A unit of a State or local government” is eligible.

ALTERNATIVES

None recommended.

30 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 - 09 –

September 7, 2021

RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT H.R. 4235 (PALLONE D-NJ) – LIVING SHORELINES ACT

WHEREAS, living shoreline infrastructure projects use natural materials and systems, including dunes, wetlands and oyster reefs, to support the natural flood resilience of healthy shoreline ecosystems; and

WHEREAS, natural infrastructure is cost-effective because of its long-term adaptability to changing environmental conditions; and

WHEREAS, these types of projects also enhance ecosystem functions which can improve water quality and wildlife habitat protection; and

WHEREAS, the District has developed innovative, adaptive restoration strategies along the Bay and Delta shorelines – including Dotson Family Marsh in Richmond, Bay Point Regional Shoreline and Crown Beach in Alameda; and

WHEREAS, these strategies not only protect against sea level rise and storm surge, they contribute directly to the local economy; and

WHEREAS, an economic analysis of 93 upcoming multi-benefit District projects, such as wetland restoration and public access projects, found one-time impact over the next five years to be $214.4 million in economic output, support 1,199 job years, provide $107.1 million in labor income and $25.4 million in tax revenue; and

WHEREAS, the analysis also found annually the completed 93 projects support an annual $23.7 million in economic output, 131 job years, $13.4 million in labor income and $3.6 million in tax revenue; and

WHEREAS, the Living Shorelines Act would further support investments in projects like those of the Park District’s, thus supporting nationwide jobs, parks and economic growth.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby support H.R. 4235 (Pallone D-NJ) – Living Shorelines Act; and

Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and adopted this 7th day of September, 2021 by the following vote:

FOR: AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT: 31 AGENDA REGULAR MEETINGS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

i. Resolution to Support H.R. 4577 (Quigley D-IL) – Park District Community Support Grant Program (Pfuehler/Landreth)

RECOMMENDATION

The Legislative Committee of the Board and General Manager recommend the Board of Directors adopt a resolution to support H.R. 4577 (Quigley D-IL) – Park District Community Support Grant Program.

REVENUE/COST

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

BACKGROUND

This bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to establish a Park District Community Support Grant Program. This program would allow the Department of Interior to provide up to $100 million aimed at park districts for a variety of projects to support community engagement, and preserve and protect historic structures. Specifically, the legislation would make park districts eligible to receive grant funds for the maintenance of land and water for parks, the operation of new or renovation of outdoor recreation facilities, and for the building operation, maintenance or refurbishment of indoor or outdoor park district facilities. Park districts around the country maintain historic and cultural sites. They also clearly provide indoor and outdoor space for children, adults and families to enjoy sports and recreational activities. H.R. 4577 could provide a much-needed funding stream for park maintenance.

ALTERNATIVES

None recommended.

32 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 - 09 –

September 7, 2021

RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT H.R. 4577 (QUIGLEY D-IL) – PARK DISTRICT COMMUNITY SUPPORT GRANT PROGRAM

WHEREAS, the Park District Community Support Grant Program recognizes the need to provide community engagement, park maintenance and historic preservation; and

WHEREAS, this legislation creates a $100 million grant program to states aimed at funding local park projects; and

WHEREAS, specifically the legislation would make park districts eligible to receive grant funds for the maintenance of land and water for parks, the operation of new or renovation of outdoor recreation facilities, and for the building operation, maintenance or refurbishment of indoor or outdoor park district facilities; and

WHEREAS, investments in parks and the community are important for jobs and economic growth as the country recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic; and

WHEREAS, an economic analysis of 93 upcoming District projects found one-time impact to be $214.4 million in economic output, 1,199 job years of employment, $107.1 million in labor income and $25.4 million in tax revenue; and

WHEREAS, the analysis also found annually the completed 93 projects annually support $23.7 million in economic output, 131 job years of employment, $13.4 million in labor income and $3.6 million in tax revenue; and

WHEREAS, the Park District Community Support Grant Program would further support investments in projects like those of the Park District’s, thus supporting nationwide jobs, parks and economic growth.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby support H.R. 4577 (Quigley D-IL) – Park District Community Support Grant Program; and

Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and adopted this 7th day of September, 2021 by the following vote:

FOR: AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT: 33 AGENDA REGULAR MEETINGS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

j. Resolution to Support H.R. 4878 (DeSaulnier D-CA) – National Discovery Trails Act (Pfuehler/Landreth)

RECOMMENDATION

The Legislative Committee of the Board and General Manager recommend the Board of Directors adopt a resolution to support H.R. 4878 (DeSaulnier D-CA) – National Discovery Trails Act.

REVENUE/COST

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

BACKGROUND

This bill will expand the National Trails System by adding the existing American Discovery Trail, the nation’s only coast-to-coast multiuse trail. The American Discovery Trail stretches 6,800 miles from Delaware to California across 15 states. In the East Bay, it runs through Antioch and Walnut Creek to the summit of Mount Diablo. Designating the American Discovery Trail as part of the National Trails System will ensure the entire trail is accessible, user-friendly and well maintained. This legislation will also create a new category of long-distance trails known as National Discovery Trails. This category of trails aims to help connect wilderness areas and national parks with rural towns and big cities in an effort to promote family-oriented recreation, physical health and economic development.

ALTERNATIVES

None recommended.

34 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 - 09 –

September 7, 2021

RESOLUTION TO SUPPORT H.R. 4878 (DESAULNIER D-CA) – NATIONAL DISCOVERY TRAILS ACT

WHEREAS, this legislation would add the American Discovery Trail to the National Trail System; and

WHEREAS, the American Discovery Trail stretches 6,800 miles from Delaware to California across 15 states; and

WHEREAS, in the East Bay, the trail runs through Antioch and Walnut Creek to the summit of Mount Diablo; and

WHEREAS, designating the American Discovery Trail as part of the National Trails System will ensure the entire trail is accessible, user-friendly and well maintained; and

WHEREAS, this legislation will also create a new category of long-distance trails known as National Discovery Trails; and

WHEREAS, this new National Discovery Trails designation has potential to create future funding opportunities for expansion and maintenance of designated trails; and

WHEREAS, the East Bay Regional Park District understands the historically significant role of national trails including the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail and the East Bay Skyline National Recreation Trail.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby support H.R. 4878 (DeSaulnier D-CA) – National Discovery Trails Act; and

Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and adopted this 7th day of September, 2021 by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

35 AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

k. Approval of the Special Use Agreement with the Regents of the University of California 4-H Youth Development Program: Ardenwood Historic Farm (Patterson/Margulici/O’Connor)

RECOMMENDATION

The General Manager and the Board Operations Committee, by unanimous vote at the July 27, 2021 meeting, recommend that the Board of Directors approve the Regents of the University of California 4-H Youth Development Program Special Use Agreement for a five-year term with an option to extend the term for a five-year period at Ardenwood Historic Farm.

REVENUE/COST

The University of California 4‑H Youth Development Program (4-H program) will not pay any fees or utilities but will continue to maintain their use areas and volunteer for other projects in the park. There will be no additional cost to the Park District for this program.

BACKGROUND

4-H programs promote hands-on, experiential learning for all youth ages 5-19. 4-H programs are delivered locally through the county University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) offices.

The 4-Hs stand for Head, Heart, Hands, and Health, which represent the values that members work on developing throughout the year. For more than 100 years, 4‑H has welcomed young people of all beliefs and backgrounds, giving kids a voice to express who they are and how they make their lives and communities better. 4-H has the ultimate goal of giving youth the skills they need to thrive and succeed throughout their lives. The focus of all 4-H programs is positive youth development through activities in science, literacy, healthy living, and citizenship.

The Alameda County UCCE has run a seasonal program at Ardenwood Historic Farm since approximately 2015 through the 4-H Bayside (Fremont) and 4-H Crane Ridge (Livermore)

36 groups. Projects regularly include raising goats and sheep, sometimes cows and pigs, and occasionally poultry.

The 4-H program enhances the public visitor experience at Ardenwood and significantly increases the number of animals available to visit. In addition, 4-H program participants contribute volunteer hours to the park, which supports the interpretive farming program. Grooming and training of the 4-H show animals is done onsite, allowing visitors to see the process, ask questions, and learn about animals. Furthermore, the 4-H program offers opportunities for youth to relate to farming by seeing peers taking care of animals.

In addition to the benefit for the public visiting Ardenwood, youth participating in the program learn important leadership and agricultural skills. The Ardenwood location is important to the Alameda County 4-H program as there are not many agricultural areas left in the Bay Area to practice this craft.

The 4-H program at Ardenwood has use of up to seven pens in the main farmyard for rearing livestock with a 10’ x 10’ sheltered work area and a two tack rooms to store feed, cleaning supplies, and equipment. The 4-H program will not pay any fees or utilities but will continue to maintain their use areas and volunteer for other projects in the park. This special use agreement will formalize the existing long-term use of the 4-H program at Ardenwood.

ALTERNATIVES

None are recommended.

37 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 - 09 -

September 7, 2021

APPROVAL OF THE SPECIAL USE AGREEMENT WITH THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA 4-H YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM: ARDENWOOD HISTORIC FARM

WHEREAS, the Alameda County University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) has run a seasonal program at Ardenwood Historic Farm since approximately 2015 through the 4-H Youth Development Program’s 4-H Bayside (Fremont) and 4-H Crane Ridge (Livermore) groups; and

WHEREAS, participation in the 4-H program offers youth important leadership and agricultural skills; and

WHERERAS, 4-H participants contribute volunteer hours in the park, including animal care, which support and enhance the interpretive farming program; and

WHEREAS, the Regents of the University of California 4-H Youth Development Program desire to continue its use and activities at Ardenwood Historic Farm; and

WHEREAS, the East Bay Regional Park District would like to formalize the 4-H Youth Development Program’s use with a Board approved Special Use Agreement; and

WHEREAS, on July 27, 2021, the Board Operations Committee reviewed the 4-H program’s use of up to seven pens in the main farmyard for rearing livestock with a sheltered work area and two tack rooms and voted unanimously to recommend favorable consideration by the Board of Directors for two five-year terms;

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 October 1, 2021 with an option to extend the term of the Agreement for one five-year period terminating on September 30, 2031 with Regents of the University of California 4-H Youth Development Program at Ardenwood Historic Farm for use up to seven pens in the main farmyard, a 10’ x 10’ sheltered work area, and two tack rooms; 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 7th day of September, 2021 by the following vote:

FOR: AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT: 38 Page Left Blank Intentionally

39 AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

L. Authorization to Execute a Five-Year Contract with Cornerstone OnDemand Inc. for an Automated Learning Management System (Cook/Alvarez)

RECOMMENDATION

The General Manager recommends that the Board of Directors authorize executing a contract with Cornerstone OnDemand for the purposes of maintaining the Summit Learning Management System and the content package, which includes regulatorily mandated preventing harassment and discrimination training throughout the term of five years.

REVENUE/COST

Funds are budgeted and available in the 2021 Human Resources annual budget. This action would authorize an annual encumbrance of these funds in the average amount of $40,620 for a total over five years of $203,090. BACKGROUND

As part of the 2020 Operating Budget, the Board of Directors approved an increase to the Human Resources’ Training budget to establish a digital learning management system (LMS), as an enhancement to the Park District’s professional development services and benefits. On October 22, 2019 and through a competitive process, the Park District contracted with Cornerstone OnDemand to integrate “Summit” LMS.

In June of 2020, Summit was launched as the first-ever LMS at the Park District, which is an important component of the revamping of Human Resources. Since the initiation of this new automated training platform, the Park District has been able to successfully transition remote- training and tracking of training requirements to a digital platform through easy to view graphical summaries or “dashboards” and robust reporting capabilities that enable supervisors and managers to monitor training compliance in real time resulting in a safer, more compliant workplace. For instance, the Human Resources’ Learning & Development Section expanded the use of Summit beyond the preventing harassment and discrimination mandatory training requirement, which has proved essential throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, as the LMS platform allowed employees to stay connected through virtual training on important safety matters ranging from COVID-19 safety protocols to wildfire smoke safety protocols. Also,

40 requests to access professional development and training benefits have gone 100% paperless and employees can track the status of their request in the approval process to ensure timely and responsive service in support of the Park District’s goal to attract and retain a diverse workforce of excellence.

Overall, Summit allows the Park District to develop and host interactive trainings and develop and disseminate just-in-time trainings swiftly and in the most efficient manner. In-person training is also enhanced by Summit since it allows for virtual and in-person collaboration; in addition to allowing employees to access the entire Training Calendar offerings by self-registering with immediate confirmation receipt or be automatically placed on a responsive waitlist. Also, the ondemand training content allows employees to take ownership of their own professional development with direct access to over 1,500 courses that currently have a 95.7% approval rating by Park District employees. Correspondingly, Supervisors can assign professional development opportunities to employees who may benefit from building on additional skills, knowledge, and abilities.

Staff seeks approval to enter into a five-year contract with Cornerstone OnDemand to ensure continuity of this critical system and learning content. The contract is the same as previous years but guarantees cost-savings over a year-to-year contract.

ALTERNATIVES

None are recommended.

41 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISSTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 – 09 –

September 7, 2021

AUTHORIZATION TO EXECUTE A FIVE-YEAR CONTRACT WITH CORNERSTONE ONDEMAND INC. FOR LEARNING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

WHEREAS, the East Bay Regional Park District has worked with Cornerstone OnDemand Inc. since 2020 to successfully implement the Park District’s first-ever automated learning management system, Summit; and

WHEREAS, the Park District wishes to continue to provide an automated digital learning platform with a wide menu of over 1,500 training courses, including regulatorily mandated training on preventing harassment and discrimination, as well as safety related training requirements using Cornerstone OnDemand’s Learning Management System; and

WHEREAS, the Board Operating Guidelines require Board authorization for any vendor contract which exceeds $50,000.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby authorizes a contract with Cornerstone OnDemand Inc. for Learning Management System and content for an average of $40,620 per year or a total of $203,090 over the next five years from funds available in the Human Resources Division annual budget; and

Moved by Director Seconded by Director and approved this 7th day of September 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, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

m. Authorization of Communication Site Replacement and Agreement with Contra Costa County: Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline (Margulici/Holt/O’Connor)

RECOMMENDATION

The General Manager and the Board Operations Committee, by unanimous vote at the July 27, 2021 meeting, recommend that the Board of Directors authorize an agreement with Contra Costa County to replace the existing communication site at Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline, as well as to lease and occupy and use Park District land for the construction, operation, maintenance, and management of a Tower and Related Equipment Structures for a maximum of 25-years from the beginning date of the first 5-year term.

REVENUE/COST

Contra Costa County (County) will pay $1,200 per year with an additional $300 per year at each 5- year term. The Park District will continue to collect rent from the existing communication site licensee, KQED of $8,113 per year, for a total revenue collected at the site of $9,313 per year.

In addition, the County will provide space on the tower and in the equipment building for the Park District’s telecommunications equipment at no charge to the Park District, which has an estimated “in-kind” value of $2,100/month. There will be no cost to the Park District for this action.

Proposed Annual Base Rent - Contra Costa County $1,200.00 Annual Existing Rent - KQED Lease $8,113.00 Annual “In-Kind” Value of No-Cost Rack Space $25,200.00 TOTAL ANNUAL VALUE $34,513.00

BACKGROUND

Currently, Contra Costa County (County) has its own telecommunications site on the roof of the 12- story County administration building at 651 Pine Street in the City of Martinez. The Pine Street administration building is at the end of its useful life and will be demolished and replaced with a 2-story building that is not high enough for this type of telecommunication site. The existing County site includes the East Bay Regional Communications System (EBRCS) public safety radio communications,

44 alongside the County’s public safety telecommunications. EBRCS is used by Park District Public Safety and other public agencies in the East Bay area.

As a replacement, the County has proposed using the existing KQED Public Radio leased site in Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline. KQED owns the tower and leases from the Park District. KQED most recently renewed their lease with the Park District in June 2019 (Resolution 2019-6-128). The KQED Public Radio tower would be demolished and reconstructed nearby with a modernized and slightly expanded site that would house the County’s public safety telecommunications, EBRCS, and KQED radio communications under a Park District sub-lease, as well as space for new low band communications for the Park District at no cost.

Replacement Site Specifications: • Replacement tower will be 50-feet tall supported by a 360 square foot ground equipment with a total lease area of 3,800 square feet. The site has been designed using the best available technology and utilizes the smallest support structure possible. • The County will furnish, at its sole cost and expense, all utilities required to operate the Premises, including, gas, electricity, telephone service, fire suppression, alarm service and all connection charges. • The County will be solely responsible for access to the site and the repair and regular maintenance of the access road. • Design of the tower and equipment shelter will minimize potential visual impacts to the ridgetop. The County has completed a visual simulation of the modified site, as compared to the current site to demonstrate there is no change in visual aesthetics from either the nearby hiking trail or from Alhambra Avenue in Martinez.

Benefits: Staff recommends approval of this proposal as it provides numerous benefits to the Park District and the general public by way of expanded emergency communication system coverage. EBRCS coverage will not only be maintained, but enhanced, resulting in fewer dead spots in the coverage area. Furthermore, the County has offered to add low band radio coverage, the communication system that Park District rangers currently use. The value of this rack space is estimated at $2,100/month, which the Park District will be able to utilize at no cost. In addition, the existing licensee, KQED, will continue as a licensee of the Park District and the entirety of its rent will go to the Park District.

Ancillary benefits to the Park District include an improved access road up to the site. The access road from Panoramic Drive up to the tower is currently partially paved, steep, and in poor condition. The proposal would improve the access road to address these concerns. The County will also improve the lower part of the road working with the property owner and the City of Martinez. This will be fully funded by the County.

Timeline/Status: The County has completed environmental review. For compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA,) the County has adopted a Class 1 Categorical Exemption (CE) for a proposed project on land leased from the Park District. The CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 states that a CE is allowed when the project “consists of the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use.” The County

45 filed Notice of Exemption (NOE) on June 8, 2021, and the 35-day statute of limitations ended on July 13, 2021.

Pending Park District approval, the County may be able to move forward with construction of the replacement tower as early as Fall 2021.

ALTERNATIVES

None recommended.

46 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 – 09 -

September 7, 2021

AUTHORIZATION OF COMMUNICATION SITE REPLACEMENT AND AGREEMENT WITH CONTRA COSTA COUNTY: CARQUINEZ STRAIT REGIONAL SHORELINE

WHEREAS, there is an existing KQED leased site in Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline for radio communications; and

WHEREAS, the Contrat Costa County has proposed using the existing KQED leased site in Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline to replace its own telecommunications site on the roof of their soon to be demolished 12-story County administration building at 651 Pine Street in the City of Martinez; and

WHEREAS, the existing KQED Public Radio tower would be demolished and reconstructed nearby with a modernized and expanded site that would house the County’s telecommunications, EBRCS, and KQED radio communications under a Park District sub-lease, as well as space for new low band communications for the Park District; and

WHEREAS, this action by the Board authorizing a communication site replacement and agreement with Contra Costa County is categorically exempt from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requirements for preparing and processing environmental documentation under Section 15301 of the State CEQA Guidelines involving the minor alteration of existing public facilities involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use; and

WHEREAS, Contra Costa County has completed environmental review as required under CEQA by filing a Notice of Exemption on June 8, 2021 and completing the 35-day statute of limitations on July 13, 2021; and

WHEREAS, on July 27, 2021, the Board Operations Committee reviewed and unanimously recommended approval of a 25-year term by the full Board; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby approves a Lease Agreement with Contra Costa County to replace and construct the communications site, in Carquinez Regional Shoreline to lease and occupy and use Park District land for the construction, operation, maintenance, and management of a Tower and Related Equipment Structure for a maximum of 25-years from the beginning date of the first 5-year term for which the Park District will receive annual rent of $1,200 and a $300 increase each five-year term with revenue coded to Account No. 101-5171-469-3782, Communication Leases; and

47 Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and adopted this 7th day of September, 2021, by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

48 Page Left Blank Intentionally

49 AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

n. Authorization to Grant an Underground Utility Easement to Pacific Gas and Electric Company as Part of the Tidewater Day Use Area Development Project: Martin Luther King, Jr. Regional Shoreline (Reeves/Goorjian/Kelchner)

RECOMMENDATION

The General Manager recommends that the Board of Directors authorize a utility easement to Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) at Martin Luther King, Jr. Regional Shoreline to allow PG&E to relocate and underground existing underground and overhead utilities as part of Phase I of the Park District’s Tidewater Day Use Area Public Access Improvement project.

REVENUE/COST

Other than staff time, there are no direct costs associated with providing approval for this utility easement.

BACKGROUND

On October 6, 2020, the East Bay Regional Park District (Park District) Board of Directors authorized Phase I of the Tidewater Day Use Area Public Access Improvement project at Martin Luther King, Jr. Regional Shoreline (Board Resolution No. 2020-10-227). As part of this project, existing underground gas and overhead electrical utility lines that cross the project site and serve the Tidewater Boating Center will be relocated and moved underground to enable the Park District to raise the elevation of the planned new day use area site. These actions will ensure resiliency from sea-level-rise anticipated from a changing climate, which is consistent with the Board of Directors’ climate change policy (Resolution No. 2018-04-081) . The utilities will be installed along the entrance road leading to the facility from Tidewater Avenue. PG&E requires an underground utility easement from the Park District before it can commence this work.

ALTERNATIVES No alternative is recommended.

50 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 – 09 -

September 7, 2021

AUTHORIZATION TO GRANT AN UNDERGROUND UTILITY EASEMENT TO PACIFIC GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY AS PART OF THE TIDEWATER DAY USE AREA DEVELOPMENT PROJECT: MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. REGIONAL SHORELINE

WHEREAS, by Resolution No. 2018-04-081, adopted April 17, 2018, the East Bay Regional Park District Board of Directors provided policy direction to build climate change resiliency and reduce environmental impact through sustainable operations and design, decisions, and management at every level of the organization; and

WHEREAS, by Resolution No. 2020-10-227, adopted October 6, 2020, the East Bay Regional Park District Board of Directors authorized the commencement of Phase I of the Tidewater Day Use Area Public Access Improvement project (Project); and

WHEREAS, as part of Phase I of the Project, the Park District will be relocating and undergrounding existing gas and electrical utility lines that currently cross the project site and serve the Tidewater Boating Center to enable the Park District to raise the elevation of the planned day use area site to be more resilient to rising Bay waters resulting from sea-level-rise; and

WHEREAS, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) requires an underground utility easement from the Park District before it can commence this work; and

WHEREAS, the Park District has previously determined that the Project, including the grant of a utility easement to PG&E, is categorically exempt from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requirements for preparing and processing environmental documentation pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines 14 CCR Sections 15304, 15183, and 15300.2;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby authorizes granting a utility easement to Pacific Gas and Electric Company for underground utility service to the Tidewater Boating Facility at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Regional Shoreline; 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 adopted this 7th day of September 2021 by the following vote:

FOR:

51 AGAINST: ABSENT: ABSTAIN:

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Proposed PG&E Easement Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline Oakland, Alameda County Feet [ 0 100 200

Lesser St

Tidewater Ave

BOAT DOCK

TIDEWATER AQUATIC CENTER Proposed PG&E Easement Approx 790 linear feet

RESTROOM

FUTURE TIDEWATER DAY USE AREA

S F B A Y T R A IL

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. REGIONAL SHORELINE O:\GIS\CMcKaskey\Projects_2021\ASD\DECO\ML_PGE\ML_PGE.mxd Date: 8/12/2021 O:\GIS\CMcKaskey\Projects_2021\ASD\DECO\ML_PGE\ML_PGE.mxdDate: Page Left Blank Intentionally

53 AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

o. Authorization to Approve Grazing Tenant, SpurX Livestock LLC, to Use Exhibit E: Resource Improvement Authorization (RIA) Form, per the Grazing License Agreement, to Replace Livestock Fencing: Ohlone Wilderness Regional Preserve (Graul/Kelchner)

RECOMMENDATION

The General Manager recommends that the Board of Directors authorize the approval for grazing tenant, SpurX Livestock LLC or rancher Russ Piazza, to use the Resource Improvement Authorization (RIA) form for a replacement fencing project in the Ohlone Wilderness Regional Preserve that is estimated to cost $70,500. This estimated project cost exceeds the General Manager’s RIA approval of $50,000. SpurX Livestock LLC is a fencing contractor, East Bay Regional Park District grazing tenant, and provides federal cost share assistance for this fence project.

REVENUE/COST

The total project cost is estimated at $70,500. Funding for the fence replacement is covered under Project Respond to 2020 Fire Damage (537600), specifically for livestock fencing destroyed in the 2020 SCU Lightning Complex fire. The grazing tenant is also receiving USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) federal cost share funds that are being applied to the total project cost which is estimated to be $140,000. Below is an itemized cost breakdown: • Replacement cost of 10,000 linear feet of perimeter barbed wire fence is $5.50 a foot for a total of $55,000. • Repair cost 5,000 linear feet of perimeter barbed wire fence is $3.10 per foot for a total of $15,500.00.

BACKGROUND

In August 2020, the Bay Area experienced an unusual lightning storm with 12,000 lightning strikes in 72 hours, setting off multiple fires within both Contra Costa and Alameda counties. 6,900 acres of public lands were burned in four regional parks: Morgan Territory Regional Preserve, Ohlone Wilderness Regional Preserve, Round Valley Regional Preserve, and Sunol Wilderness Regional Preserve. A staff team comprised of representatives from the Wildland Vegetation Work Unit in

54 the Stewardship Department has been extensively planning with the grazing tenants impacted by the fire by visiting burned site to assess fence conditions and prioritize fence repair projects. Overall staff has found that grazing tenants are committed to perform the necessary fencing improvements to sustain grazing operations in the Park District.

The magnitude of impact across these four regional preserves is not proportionately distributed; since Ohlone Wilderness Regional Preserve alone had around 6000 acres burned, damaging miles of both perimeter and internal livestock fence lines. Livestock have been removed from the fire affected areas and they cannot return to post fire recovery at these grazing units until adequate fencing is installed. SpurX Livestock LLC (Tenant) is the current licensee for Ohlone Wilderness Regional Preserve Grazing Unit 1, consisting of 2,890 acres. About half of the grazing unit burned and destroyed roughly 20,000 feet of fence.

The Tenant at Ohlone Wilderness Regional Preserve is not only a cattle rancher, but also a fence contractor. His fence company, SpurX Ranch Improvements, has been awarded and installed dozens of fence jobs for the Park District. The grazing tenant has also secured FSA funding that has reduced estimated price per foot. Typically, a fence would cost close to $10-$15 per foot to install fence in such a remote area with difficult access and terrain.

SpurX Livestock LLC has prepared a fair quote with reasonable rates for this fence project. The Tenant has access, knowledge, and cattle fence contracting experience. It would be in the best interest of the Park District to approve this RIA for the estimated total amount $70,500. If approved, the Tenant plans to have the fence project completed by the end of the 2021 year. Project description, costs, bids, and maps are attached to the Resource Improvement Authorization Form as part of the approval process.

ALTERNATIVES

The alternative is to solicit multiple bids for from fence contractors. This would require more staff time and trips up to Ohlone Wilderness to provide access to remote fencing locations throughout. The project would undoubtedly be delayed and most likely postponed until 2022.

55 Ohlone Wilderness Regional Preserve Grazing Tenant: SpurX Livestock Feet Livestock Fencing Project [ 0 500 1,000

Grazing Unit 1 Repair Livestock Fencing Pasture 36 Approx 5,000 feet

!< !< !< !< !< !< !< !< !< !< !< !<

!< !< OHLONE WILDERNESS !< REGIONAL PRESERVE

!< !< !<

Grazing Unit 1 Pasture 1 Grazing Unit 1 !< Pasture 6

!< !< !<

Grazing Unit 3 VICINITY MAP Pasture 12 Replace Livestock Fencing Approx 10,000 feet PLEASANTON RIDGE DEL VALLE

!< !<

MISSION SUNOL OHLONE PEAK O:\GIS\CMcKaskey\Projects_2021\ASD\Stewardship\Veg_Mngmnt\oh_Fencing\oh_Fencing.mxd Date: 8/25/2021

Page Left Blank Intentionally

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 – 09 –

September 7, 2021

AUTHORIZATION TO APPROVE GRAZING TENANT, SPURX LIVESTOCK LLC, TO USE EXHIBIT E: RESOURCE IMPROVEMENT AUTHORIZATION (RIA) FORM, PER THE GRAZING LICENSE AGREEMENT, TO REPLACE LIVESTOCK FENCING: OHLONE WILDERNESS REGIONAL PRESERVE

WHEREAS, the East Bay Regional Park District (Park District) grazing license agreement obligates the grazing licensee to perform resource improvements and special conservation activities; and

WHEREAS, in August 2020, the SCU Lightning Complex fire destroyed grazing infrastructure in the Ohlone Wilderness and grazing tenant, SpurX Livestock LLC, has submitted a bid for a 10,000-foot fence replacement project and 5,000 feet of fence repair in the fire effected area; and

WHEREAS, SpurX Livestock LLC is a fencing contractor, Park District grazing tenant, and providing federal cost share assistance for this fence project; and

WHEREAS, the Park District would like to use the RIA form for this fence project estimated to cost $70,500 which exceeds the General Manager’s approval of $50,000; and

WHEREAS, the Park District specifically established Project - Respond to 2020 Fire Damage (537600) for livestock fencing destroyed in the 2020 SCU Lightning Complex; and

WHEREAS, SpurX Livestock LLC has prepared a fair quote with reasonable rates for this fence project. The tenant has access, knowledge, ongoing relationships with park staff, and cattle fence contracting experience;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby authorizes SpurX Livestock LLC to use the Exhibit E: Resource Improvement Authorization Form (RIA) for this Ohlone Wilderness Regional Preserve fence project that is estimated to cost $70,500; and

56 Moved by Director , seconded by Director and approved the 7th day of September 2021, by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

57 AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

p. Authorization to Purchase Microsoft Azure Managed Cloud Data Storage Services from Perficient Inc. (Tallerico/Auker)

RECOMMENDATION

The General Manager recommends that the Board of Directors authorize the annual District- wide purchase of Microsoft Azure managed data and server cloud storage services from Perficient Inc. an information technology consulting firm.

REVENUE/COST

Funds are budgeted and available in the 2021 Information Services Subscription Account No. 101- 4150-000-6921. This action would authorize an encumbrance of these funds in the approximate amount of $84,000 which may vary based on storage usage and services each month.

BACKGROUND

Information Services utilizes Microsoft Azure storage for offsite backups of the District’s data storage. As of the first of the year, the GIS department has transitioned their ESRI mapping applications and data storage to Microsoft Azure. Public Safety has recently transitioned their citations application to Microsoft Azure for SQL and storage services.

Perficient is a 3rd party reseller of Microsoft Azure services where the District receives a discount for Azure services provided by Microsoft. Information Services is transforming on-premise storage and services to Azure as we plan for the future to minimize local storage and physical equipment required in the District data center.

Board authorization is necessary since the total purchase amount exceeds $50,000.

ALTERNATIVES

Should the Board not approve this purchase, the purchase of internal data storage and network servers would be required. This action is not recommended.

58 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 – 09 -

September 7, 2021

AUTHORIZATION TO PURCHASE MICROSOFT AZURE MANAGED CLOUD DATA STORAGE SERVICES FROM PERFICIENT INC.

WHEREAS, the East Bay Regional Park District utilizes Microsoft Azure cloud services to archive backup data for District data, ESRI GIS mapping and the Public Safety citation applications to support Park District business and activities; and

WHEREAS, Perficient Inc. is the District’s designated vendor for Microsoft Azure Managed cloud data and storage services; and

WHEREAS, staff plans to purchase Microsoft Azure Managed cloud data storage services in the current 2021 budget as part of its annual data storage usage program; and

WHEREAS, all purchases in excess of $50,000 require approval by the Board of Directors;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby authorizes the purchase of Microsoft Azure services from Perficient Inc. for the estimated cost of $84,000 to be funded from the Information Services Subscription Account No.101-4150-000-6921; and

Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and adopted this 7th day of September, 2021, by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSENT: ABSTAIN:

59 AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

q. Authorization to Purchase Four Toro Dingo TX1000’s and Additional Attachments from Cal-Line Equipment Inc. as Additions to the Fleet (McCrystle/Kennedy/O’Connor)

RECOMMENDATION

The General Manager recommends that the Board of Directors authorize the purchase of four Toro Dingo TX1000’s and additional attachments from Cal-Line Equipment Inc. of Livermore, California at a total cost of $216,997 as additions to the fleet.

REVENUE/COST

For the purpose of purchasing additional fleet equipment, funds have been allocated in the East Bay Regional Park District’s (Park District) 2021 Mid-Year Budget Readjustment: Crown Beach Account 101-5151-409-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), Dumbarton Quarry Account 101-5141- 265-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), Point Pinole Account 101-5151-496-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), Quarry Lakes Account 101-5141-242-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), and Tilden Account 101-5121-105-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000).

PROPOSED ENCUMBRANCE 101-5151-409-7505: Base Price $ 10,904.00 Delivery 350.00 Sales Tax 954.00 Proposed Encumbrance $ 12,208.00

PROPOSED ENCUMBRANCE 101-5141-265-7505: Base Price $ 53,420.00 Delivery 350.00 Sales Tax 4,674.00 Proposed Encumbrance $ 58,444.00

60 PROPOSED ENCUMBRANCE 101-5151-496-7505: Base Price $ 42,359.00 Delivery 350.00 Sales Tax 3,706.00 Proposed Encumbrance $ 46,415.00

PROPOSED ENCUMBRANCE 101-5141-242-7505: Base Price $ 47,194.00 Delivery 350.00 Sales Tax 4,129.00 Proposed Encumbrance $ 51,673.00

PROPOSED ENCUMBRANCE 101-5121-105-7505: Base Price $ 44,052.00 Delivery 350.00 Sales Tax 3,855.00 Proposed Encumbrance $ 48,257.00

TOTAL ENCUMBRANCE: Base Price $ 197,929.00 Delivery 1,750.00 Sales Tax 17,318.00 Proposed Total Encumbrance $ 216,997.00

BACKGROUND

The procurement of additional equipment is necessary to maintain developed park areas utilizing sustainable land management practices that eliminate the use of synthetic based herbicides and pesticides, which is consistent with the Board’s policy direction on the elimination of the use of glyphosate for developed park areas (Resolution 2019-07-187 ). Four new Toro Dingo TX1000’s will be acquired as additions to the fleet assigned to Dumbarton Quarry, Point Pinole, Quarry Lakes, and Tilden, as approved in the 2021 Mid-Year Budget appropriations. Additional attachments will be purchased for the Toro Dingo TX1000 currently assigned to Crown Beach.

The Toro Dingo TX1000’s units are diesel powered and will be refueled using non-petroleum based Renewable Diesel (RD-99), which is consistent with the Board’s policy direction to reduce its environmental footprint by striving to eliminate carbon pollution from the Park District’s operations, as issued on April 17, 2018 (Resolution 2018-04-081).

These Toro Dingo TX1000’s and additional attachments are available for purchase directly from Cal-Line Equipment Inc. of Livermore, California, by means of Sourcewell Contract #042815- TTC. The contract pricing is the result of a competitive bid process and open to all federal, state, and local governmental entities. Public agencies electing to use this method of equipment acquisition avoid the administrative costs of seeking formal bids.

61 ALTERNATIVES

For this purchase, staff has determined that there is no significant advantage in formally seeking other bids; therefore, none are recommended.

62 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 - 09 -

September 7, 2021

AUTHORIZATION TO PURCHASE FOUR TORO DINGO TX1000’S AND ADDITIONAL ATTACHMENTS FROM CAL-LINE EQUIPMENT INC. AS ADDITIONS TO THE FLEET

WHEREAS, by Resolution No. 2019-07-187, adopted July 16, 2019, the Park District Board of Directors provided policy direction to Phase-Out Glyphosate Use for the Maintenance of Developed Park Areas; and

WHEREAS, by Resolution No. 2018-04-081, adopted April 17, 2018, the East Bay Regional Park District Board of Directors provided policy direction to lower Greenhouse Gas emissions through environmentally sustainable operations; and

WHEREAS, the Park District has the need to purchase four Toro Dingo TX1000’s as additions to the fleet assigned to Dumbarton Quarry, Point Pinole, Quarry Lakes, and Tilden as approved in the 2021 Mid-Year Budget appropriations; and

WHEREAS, the Park District has the need to purchase additional attachments for a Toro Dingo TX1000 currently assigned to Crown Beach as approved in the 2021 Mid-Year Budget appropriations; and

WHEREAS, Cal-Line Equipment Inc. of Livermore, California is a recognized vendor offering suitable equipment based on the results of competitively bid pricing through Sourcewell Contract #042815-TTC.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby authorizes the purchase of four Toro Dingo TX1000’s and Additional Attachments for a total cost of $216,997, with said sum to be encumbered from the 2021 Budget, $12,208 from Crown Beach Account 101-5151-409-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), $58,444 from Dumbarton Quarry Account 101-5141-265-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), $46,415 from Point Pinole Account 101-5151-496-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), $51,673 from Quarry Lakes Account 101-5141-242-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), and $48,257 from Tilden Account 101-5121-105-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000); and

63 Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and adopted this 7th day of September, 2021, by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

64 Page Left Blank Intentionally

65 AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

r. Authorization to Purchase Three Tractors and Three Mowers from John Deere Company for Equipment Replacement and as Additions to the Fleet (McCrystle/Kennedy/O’Connor)

RECOMMENDATION

The General Manager recommends that the Board of Directors authorize the purchase of three tractors and three mowers from John Deere Company of Cary, North Carolina at a total cost of $359,476 for equipment replacement and as additions to the fleet.

REVENUE/COST

For the purpose of purchasing replacement and additional fleet equipment, funds have been allocated in the East Bay Regional Park District’s (Park District) 2021 Budget: Fleet Replacement Account 101-5933-000-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), Don Castro Zone of Benefit Account 222-5131-255-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), Lake Chabot Major Equipment Replacement Account 554-5141-216-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), Miller Knox Major Equipment Replacement Account 554-5151-465-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), Quarry Lakes Major Equipment Replacement Account 554-5141-242-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), Mission Peak Account 101-5161-114-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), and Pleasanton Ridge Zone of Benefit Account 223-5161-159-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000).

PROPOSED ENCUMBRANCE 101-5933-000-7505: Base Price $ 6,330.00 CA Tire Fee 7.00 Sales Tax 554.00 Proposed Encumbrance $ 6,891.00

66 PROPOSED ENCUMBRANCE 222-5131-255-7505: Base Price $ 23,538.00 Sales Tax 2,060.00 Proposed Encumbrance $ 25,598.00

PROPOSED ENCUMBRANCE 554-5140-000-7505: Base Price $ 80,786.00 CA Tire Fee 7.00 Sales Tax 7,069.00 Proposed Encumbrance $ 87,862.00

PROPOSED ENCUMBRANCE 554-5151-465-7505: Base Price $ 80,786.00 CA Tire Fee 7.00 Sales Tax 7,069.00 Proposed Encumbrance $ 87,862.00

PROPOSED ENCUMBRANCE 554-5140-000-7505: Base Price $ 59,939.00 CA Tire Fee 7.00 Sales Tax 5,245.00 Proposed Encumbrance $ 65,191.00

PROPOSED ENCUMBRANCE 101-5161-114-7505: Base Price $ 49,265.00 CA Tire Fee 7.00 Sales Tax 4,311.00 Proposed Encumbrance $ 53,583.00

PROPOSED ENCUMBRANCE 223-5161-159-7505: Base Price $ 29,868.00 CA Tire Fee 7.00 Sales Tax 2,614.00 Proposed Encumbrance $ 32,489.00

TOTAL ENCUMBRANCE: Base Price $ 330,512.00 CA Tire Fee 42.00 Sales Tax 28,922.00 Proposed Total Encumbrance $ 359,476.00

67 BACKGROUND

Two new John Deere tractors and two mowers will replace existing Park District tractors and mowers. These are being retired due to age and declining condition.

Location Eq Year Description (Current / New) # DON CASTRO 853 2009 KUBOTA F3080, 72” DECK New Mower Description JOHN DEERE 1570, 72” DECK LAKE CHABOT 766 2006 KUBOTA M8540 New Tractor Description JOHN DEERE 5090M MILLER KNOX 772 2006 KUBOTA M8540 New Tractor Description JOHN DEERE 5090M QUARRY LAKES 892 2011 JOHN DEERE 1600 WIDE AREA MOWER New Mower Description JOHN DEERE 1600 WIDE AREA MOWER

A third John Deere tractor and a third mower will be additions to the fleet assigned to Mission Peak and Pleasanton Ridge, respectively.

Location Description MISSION PEAK JOHN DEERE 4066R PLEASANTON RIDGE JOHN DEERE 1570, 72” DECK

Two of these new John Deere mowers, assigned to Don Castro and Pleasanton Ridge, are funded by their respective Zone of Benefit (ZOB) accounts.

These new John Deere tractors and mowers are diesel powered and will be refueled using non- petroleum based Renewable Diesel (RD-99).

These new John Deere tractors and mowers are available for purchase directly from John Deere Company by means of Sourcewell Contracts #110719-JDC and #031121-DAC. The contract pricing is the result of a competitive bid process and open to all federal, state, and local governmental entities. Public agencies electing to use this method of equipment acquisition avoid the administrative costs of seeking formal bids.

ALTERNATIVES

For this purchase, staff has determined that there is no significant advantage in formally seeking other bids; therefore, none are recommended.

68 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 - 09 -

September 7, 2021

AUTHORIZATION TO PURCHASE THREE TRACTORS AND THREE MOWERS FROM JOHN DEERE COMPANY FOR EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT AND AS ADDITIONS TO THE FLEET

WHEREAS, the East Bay Regional Park District (Park District) has included funding in its 2021 Operating Budget for the purchase of new equipment; and

WHEREAS, the Park District has the need to replace two tractors and two mowers which are being retired due to age and declining condition; and

WHEREAS, the Park District has the need to purchase one tractor and one mower as additions to the fleet assigned to Mission Peak and Pleasanton Ridge as approved in the 2021 Mid- Year Budget appropriations; and

WHEREAS, John Deere Company of Cary, North Carolina is a recognized vendor offering suitable equipment based on the results of competitively bid pricing through Sourcewell Contracts #110719-JDC and #031121-DAC;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby authorizes the purchase of three tractors and three mowers for a total cost of $359,476, with said sum to be encumbered from the 2021 Mid-Year Budget appropriations, $6,891 from Fleet Replacement Account 101-5933-000-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), $25,598 from Don Castro Zone of Benefit Account 222-5131-255-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), $87,862 from Lake Chabot Major Equipment Replacement Account 554-5141- 216-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), $87,862 from Miller Knox Major Equipment Replacement Account 554-5151-465-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), $65,191 from Quarry Lakes Major Equipment Replacement Account 554-5141-242-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), $53,583 from Mission Peak Account 101-5161-114-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), and $32,489 from Pleasanton Ridge Zone of Benefit Account 223-5161-159-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000); and

Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and adopted this 7th day of September, 2021, by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST:

69 ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

70 71 AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

s. Authorization to Purchase Two 2022 Type VI Fire Apparatus from Boise Mobile Equipment for Equipment Replacement (McCrystle/Kennedy/O’Connor)

RECOMMENDATION

The General Manager recommends that the Board of Directors authorize the purchase of two 2022 Type VI Fire Apparatus from Boise Mobile Equipment, of Boise, Idaho at a total cost of $486,983 for equipment replacement.

REVENUE/COST

For the purpose of purchasing replacement Fire Department fleet equipment, funds have been allocated in the East Bay Regional Park District’s (Park District) 2021 Budget, Fire Department Major Equipment Replacement Account 554-8310-000-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000) and Fire Department General Fund Account 101-8310-000-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000).

PROPOSED ENCUMBRANCE, Account 554-8310-000-7505: Base Price $ 441,379.00 Sales Tax 38,621.00 Proposed Encumbrance $ 480,000.00

PROPOSED ENCUMBRANCE, Account 101-8310-000-7505: Base Price $ 6,421.00 Sales Tax 562.00 Proposed Encumbrance $ 6,983.00

TOTAL ENCUMBRANCE: Base Price $ 447,800.00 Sales Tax 39,183.00 Total Encumbrance $ 486,983.00

72 BACKGROUND

These two new Boise Mobile Equipment 2022 Type VI Fire Apparatus will be like-for-like replacements of current Park District Fire Department Type VI Fire Apparatus, which are being retired due to age and declining condition.

Department Eq # Year Description FIRE DEPARTMENT 2818 1999 TRK, TYPE VI Ford F550 Fire Apparatus FIRE DEPARTMENT 2935 2003 TRK, TYPE VI Ford F550 Fire Apparatus

These two new 2022 Type VI Fire Apparatus are available for purchase directly from Boise Mobile Equipment by means of pricing established by the Houston-Galveston Area Council (HGAC) Buy Contract #FS12-19. The pricing is the result of a competitive bid process and open to all state and local governmental entities as well as educational institutions. Public agencies electing to use this method of equipment acquisition avoid the administrative costs of seeking formal bids.

ALTERNATIVES

For this purchase, staff has determined that there is no significant advantage in formally seeking other bids; therefore, none are recommended.

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 - 09 -

September 7, 2021

AUTHORIZATION TO PURCHASE TWO 2022 TYPE VI FIRE APPARATUS FROM BOISE MOBILE EQUIPMENT FOR EQUIPMENT REPLACEMENT

WHEREAS, the East Bay Regional Park District (Park District) has included funding in its 2021 Operating Budget for the purchase of new fleet equipment; and

WHEREAS, the Park District has the need to replace two Type VI Fire Apparatus which are being retired due to age and declining condition; and

WHEREAS, Boise Mobile Equipment of Boise, Idaho is a recognized vendor offering suitable equipment based on the results of competitive pricing through HGAC Buy Contract #FS12-19;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby authorizes the purchase of two 2022 Type VI Fire Apparatus at a total cost of $486,983, with said sum to be encumbered from the 2021 Budget, $480,000 from Fire Department Major Equipment Replacement Account 554-8310-000-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000) and $6,983 from Fire Department General Fund Account 101-8310-000-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000); and

Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and adopted this 7th day of September, 2021, by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

Page Left Blank Intentionally

75 AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

t. Authorization to Purchase One 800-Gallon Portable Restroom Vacuum Tank Truck from West-Mark as an Upgraded Fleet Replacement (McCrystle/Kennedy/ O’Connor)

RECOMMENDATION

The General Manager recommends that the Board of Directors authorize the purchase of one 800-Gallon Portable Restroom Vacuum Tank Truck from West-Mark of Ceres, California at a total cost of $151,890 as an upgraded fleet replacement.

REVENUE/COST

For the purpose of purchasing replacement fleet equipment, funds have been allocated in the East Bay Regional Park District’s (Park District) 2021 Budget: Sanitation Major Equipment Replacement Account 554-5953-000-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000) and Sanitation General Fund Account 101-5953-000-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000).

PROPOSED ENCUMBRANCE, Account 554-5953-000-7505: Base Price $ 68,966.00 Sales Tax 6,034.00 Proposed Encumbrance $ 75,000.00

PROPOSED ENCUMBRANCE, Account 101-5953-000-7505: Base Price $ 70,703.00 Sales Tax 6,187.00 Proposed Encumbrance $ 76,890.00

TOTAL ENCUMBRANCE: Base Price $ 139,669.00 Sales Tax 12,221.00 Total Encumbrance $ 151,890.00

76 BACKGROUND

This new diesel powered 800-Gallon Portable Restroom Vacuum Tank Truck will replace a smaller gasoline powered single compartment vacuum tank truck assigned to the Sanitation Work Unit under the Maintenance and Skilled Trades Department. The upgrades include additional capacity with a larger double tank configuration that allows for fresh water to be carried and a diesel engine that increases its ability to access remote locations. These upgrades will reduce travel time to the most remote locations in the Park District by reducing the number of trips required to service restrooms in those locations.

This new 800-Gallon Portable Restroom Vacuum Tank Truck is diesel powered and will be refueled using non-petroleum based Renewable Diesel (RD-99), which is consistent with the Board’s policy direction to reduce its environmental footprint by striving to eliminate carbon pollution from the Park District’s operations, as issued on April 17, 2018 (Resolution 2018-04- 081).

This 800-Gallon Portable Restroom Vacuum Tank Truck is available for purchase directly from West-Mark of Ceres, California, by means of Sourcewell Contract # 060920-CER. The contract pricing is the result of a competitive bid process and open to all federal, state and local governmental entities. Public agencies electing to use this method of equipment acquisition avoid the administrative costs of seeking formal bids.

ALTERNATIVES

For this purchase, staff has determined that there is no significant advantage in formally seeking other bids; therefore, none are recommended.

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 - 09 -

September 7, 2021

AUTHORIZATION TO PURCHASE ONE 800-GALLON PORTABLE RESTROOM VACUUM TANK TRUCK FROM WEST-MARK AS AN UPGRADED FLEET REPLACEMENT

WHEREAS, the East Bay Regional Park District (Park District) has included funding in its 2021 Operating Budget for the purchase of new equipment; and

WHEREAS, the Park District has the need to purchase one 800-Gallon Portable Restroom Vacuum Tank Truck from West-Mark as an upgraded fleet replacement assigned to Sanitation; and

WHEREAS, West-Mark of Ceres, California is a recognized vendor offering suitable equipment based on the results of competitively bid pricing through Sourcewell Contract #060920-CER.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby authorizes the purchase of one 800-Gallon Portable Restroom Vacuum Tank Truck for a total cost of $151,890, with said sum to be encumbered from the Adopted 2021 Budget, $75,000 from Sanitation Major Equipment Replacement Account 554- 5953-000-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000) and $76,890 from Sanitation General Fund Account 101-5953-000-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000); and

Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and adopted this 7th day of September, 2021, by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

Page Left Blank Intentionally

79 AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

u. Authorization to Purchase Twelve Message Board Trailers from Myers & Sons Hi-Way Safety Inc. as Additions to the Fleet (McCrystle/O’Connor)

RECOMMENDATION

The General Manager recommends that the Board of Directors authorize the purchase of twelve message board trailers from Myers & Sons Hi-Way Safety Inc. of Chino, California at a total cost of $186,234 as additions to the fleet.

REVENUE/COST

For the purpose of purchasing additional fleet equipment, funds have been allocated in the East Bay Regional Park District’s (Park District) 2021 Budget: Parklands Unit Account 101-5120-000- 5375 (Rolling Stock <$25,000), Recreation Areas Unit Account 101-5130-000-5375 (Rolling Stock <$25,000), Lakes Unit Account 101-5140-000-5375 (Rolling Stock <$25,000), Shorelines Unit Account 101-5150-000-5375 (Rolling Stock <$25,000), Interpretive Parklands Unit Account 101-5160-000-5375 (Rolling Stock <$25,000), and Delta Unit Account 101-5170-000-5375 (Rolling Stock <$25,000).

PROPOSED ENCUMBRANCE 101-5120-000-5375: Base Price $ 28,541.00 Sales Tax 2,498.00 Proposed Encumbrance $ 31,039.00

PROPOSED ENCUMBRANCE 101-5130-000-5375: Base Price $ 28,541.00 Sales Tax 2,498.00 Proposed Encumbrance $ 31,039.00

80 PROPOSED ENCUMBRANCE 101-5140-000-5375: Base Price $ 28,541.00 Sales Tax 2,498.00 Proposed Encumbrance $ 31,039.00

PROPOSED ENCUMBRANCE 101-5150-000-5375: Base Price $ 28,541.00 Sales Tax 2,498.00 Proposed Encumbrance $ 31,039.00

PROPOSED ENCUMBRANCE 101-5160-000-5375: Base Price $ 28,541.00 Sales Tax 2,498.00 Proposed Encumbrance $ 31,039.00

PROPOSED ENCUMBRANCE 101-5170-000-5375: Base Price $ 28,541.00 Sales Tax 2,498.00 Proposed Encumbrance $ 31,039.00

TOTAL ENCUMBRANCE: Base Price $ 171,246.00 Sales Tax 14,988.00 Proposed Encumbrance $ 186,234.00

BACKGROUND

These twelve message board trailers, Model 96L3, will be deployed in parks as needed to communicate with the public for wayfinding, emergency messaging, and general communications required to ramp up to normal park operations. Two will be assigned to each Park Operations Unit.

These twelve message board trailers are available for purchase directly from Myers & Sons Hi- Way Safety Inc. of Chino, California, as a Sole Source purchase in order to facilitate maintenance and match the four existing message board trailers owned and in use by the Park District.

ALTERNATIVES

For this purchase, staff has determined that there is no significant advantage in formally seeking other bids; therefore, none are recommended.

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 - 09 -

September 7, 2021

AUTHORIZATION TO PURCHASE TWELVE MESSAGE BOARD TRAILERS FROM MYERS & SONS HI-WAY SAFETY INC. AS ADDITIONS TO THE FLEET

WHEREAS, the East Bay Regional Park District (Park District) has included funding in its 2021 Operating Budget for the purchase of new equipment; and

WHEREAS, the Park District has the need to purchase twelve message board trailers as additions to the fleet assigned to the Parklands, Recreation Areas, Lakes, Shorelines, Interpretive Parklands, and Delta Units; and

WHEREAS, Myers & Sons Hi-Way Safety Inc. of Chino, California is a recognized vendor offering the equipment via Sole Source bid in order to facilitate maintenance and match the four existing message board trailers owned and in use by the Park District.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby authorizes the purchase of twelve message board trailers for a total cost of $186,234, with said sum to be encumbered from the 2021 Budget, $31,039 from Parklands Unit Account 101-5120-000-5375 (Rolling Stock <$25,000), $31,039 from Recreation Areas Unit Account 101-5130-000-5375 (Rolling Stock <$25,000), $31,039 from Lakes Unit Account 101- 5140-000-5375 (Rolling Stock <$25,000), $31,039 from Shorelines Unit Account 101-5150-000- 5375 (Rolling Stock <$25,000), $31,039 from Interpretive Parklands Unit Account 101-5160-000- 5375 (Rolling Stock <$25,000), and $31,039 from Delta Unit Account 101-5170-000-5375 (Rolling Stock <$25,000); and

Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and adopted this 7th day of September, 2021, by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

83 AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

v. Authorization to Purchase Four CAT Compact Track Loaders and Additional Attachments from Peterson CAT as Additions to the Fleet (McCrystle/Kennedy/O’Connor)

RECOMMENDATION

The General Manager recommends that the Board of Directors authorize the purchase of four CAT Compact Track Loaders and additional attachments from Peterson CAT of Pasadena, California at a total cost of $519,086 as additions to the fleet.

REVENUE/COST

For the purpose of purchasing additional fleet equipment, funds have been allocated in the East Bay Regional Park District’s 2021 Budget: Anthony Chabot Account 101-5121-175-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), Briones Account 101-5171-130-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), Carquinez Shoreline Account 101-5171-469-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), Coyote Hills Account 101- 5141-136-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), Del Valle Account 101-5141-203-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), and Tilden Account 101-5121-105-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000).

PROPOSED ENCUMBRANCE 101-5121-175-7505: Base Price $ 92,588.00 Sales Tax 8,101.00 Proposed Encumbrance $ 100,689.00

PROPOSED ENCUMBRANCE 101-5171-130-7505: Base Price $ 24,200.00 Sales Tax 2,118.00 Proposed Encumbrance $ 26,318.00

PROPOSED ENCUMBRANCE 101-5171-469-7505: Base Price $ 5,124.00 Sales Tax 449.00 Proposed Encumbrance $ 5,573.00

PROPOSED ENCUMBRANCE 101-5141-136-7505: Base Price $ 123,671.00 Sales Tax 10,821.00

84 Proposed Encumbrance $ 134,492.00

PROPOSED ENCUMBRANCE 101-5141-203-5375: Base Price $ 110,821.00 Sales Tax 9,697.00 Proposed Encumbrance $ 120,518.00

PROPOSED ENCUMBRANCE 101-5121-105-7505: Base Price $ 120,916.00 Sales Tax 10,580.00 Proposed Encumbrance $ 131,496.00

TOTAL ENCUMBRANCE: Base Price $ 477,320.00 Sales Tax 41,766.00 Proposed Total Encumbrance $ 519,086.00

BACKGROUND

Four new CAT Compact Track Loaders will be additions to the Fleet assigned to Anthony Chabot, Coyote Hills, Del Valle, and Tilden. Additional attachments will be purchased for the CAT Compact Track Loaders currently assigned to Briones and Carquinez Shoreline.

The procurement of this new equipment is necessary to maintain developed park areas utilizing sustainable land management practices that eliminate the use of synthetic based herbicides and pesticides, which is consistent with the Board’s policy direction on the elimination of the use of glyphosate for developed park areas (Resolution 2019-07-187). These CAT Compact Track Loaders are diesel powered and will be refueled using non-petroleum based Renewable Diesel (RD-99), which is consistent with the Board’s policy direction to reduce its environmental footprint by striving to eliminate carbon pollution from the Park District’s operations, as issued on April 17, 2018 (Resolution 2018-04-081). This purchase includes an extended powertrain and hydraulic system warranty for a total coverage of 60 months and 3,000 hours on each machine.

These new Compact Track Loaders are available for purchase directly from Peterson CAT by means of Sourcewell Grounds Maintenance Contract #032119-DAC. The contract pricing is the result of a competitive bid process and open to all federal, state and local governmental entities. Public agencies electing to use this method of equipment acquisition avoid the administrative costs of seeking formal bids.

ALTERNATIVES

For this purchase, staff has determined that there is no significant advantage in formally seeking other bids; therefore, none are recommended.

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 – 09 -

September 7, 2021

AUTHORIZATION TO PURCHASE FOUR CAT COMPACT TRACK LOADERS AND ADDITIONAL ATTACHMENTS FROM PETERSON CAT AS ADDITIONS TO THE FLEET

WHEREAS, the East Bay Regional Park District (Park District) has included funding in its Operating 2021 Budget for the purchase of new equipment; and

WHEREAS, the Park District has the need to purchase four CAT compact track loaders as additions to the fleet assigned to Anthony Chabot, Coyote Hills, Del Valle, and Tilden as per approved 2021 Mid-Year Budget Requests; and

WHEREAS, the Park District has the need to purchase additional attachments for CAT compact track loaders currently assigned to Briones and Carquinez Shoreline as approved in the 2021 Mid-Year Budget appropriations; and

WHEREAS, Petersen CAT of Pasadena, California is a recognized vendor offering suitable equipment based on the results of competitively bid pricing through Sourcewell Grounds Maintenance Contract #032119-DAC;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby authorizes the purchase of four CAT compact track loaders and additional attachments for a total cost of $519,086, with said sum to be encumbered from the 2021 Budget, $100,689 from Anthony Chabot Account 101-5121-175-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), $26,318 from Briones Account 101-5171-130-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), $5,573 from Carquinez Shoreline Account 101-5171-469-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), $134,492 from Coyote Hills Account 101-5141-136-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), $120,518 from Del Valle Account 101-5141-203-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), and $131,496 from Tilden Account 101- 5121-105-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000); and

Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and adopted this 7th day of September, 2021, by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

Page Left Blank Intentionally

AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

w. Authorization to Purchase Three Toro Workman HDX Utility Vehicles from Turf Star Western as Additions to the Fleet (McCrystle/Kennedy/O’Connor)

RECOMMENDATION

The General Manager recommends that the Board of Directors authorize the purchase of three Toro Workman HDX utility vehicles from Turf Star Western of Hayward, California at a total cost of $113,223 as additions to the fleet.

REVENUE/COST

For the purpose of purchasing additional fleet equipment, funds have been allocated in the East Bay Regional Park District’s (Park District) 2021 Budget: Del Valle Account 101-5141-203-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), Dumbarton Quarry Account 101-5141-265-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), and Miller Knox Account 101-5151-465-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000).

PROPOSED ENCUMBRANCE 101-5141-203-7505: Base Price $ 34,704.00 Sales Tax 3,037.00 Proposed Encumbrance $ 37,741.00

PROPOSED ENCUMBRANCE 101-5141-265-7505: Base Price $ 34,704.00 Sales Tax 3,037.00 Proposed Encumbrance $ 37,741.00

PROPOSED ENCUMBRANCE 101-5151-465-7505: Base Price $ 34,704.00 Sales Tax 3,037.00 Proposed Encumbrance $ 37,741.00

TOTAL ENCUMBRANCE:

Base Price $ 104,112.00 Sales Tax 9,111.00 Proposed Total Encumbrance $ 113,223.00

BACKGROUND

Three new Toro Workman HDX utility vehicles will be additions to the fleet assigned to Del Valle, Dumbarton Quarry, and Miller Knox.

These Toro Workman HDX utility vehicles are diesel powered and will be refueled using non- petroleum based Renewable Diesel (RD-99), which is consistent with the Board’s policy direction to reduce its environmental footprint by striving to eliminate carbon pollution from the Park District’s operations, as issued on April 17, 2018 (Resolution 2018-04-081).

These Toro Workman HDX utility vehicles are available for purchase directly from Turf Star Western of Hayward, California, by means of OMNIA Partners (formerly known as National IPA) Pricing Contract #2017025. This contract pricing is the result of a competitive bid process and open to all federal, state, and local governmental entities. Public agencies electing to use this method of equipment acquisition avoid the administrative costs of seeking formal bids.

ALTERNATIVES

For this purchase, staff has determined that there is no significant advantage in formally seeking other bids; therefore, none are recommended.

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 - 09 -

September 7, 2021

AUTHORIZATION TO PURCHASE THREE TORO WORKMAN HDX UTILITY VEHICLES FROM TURF STAR WESTERN AS ADDITIONS TO THE FLEET

WHEREAS, the East Bay Regional Park District (Park District) has included funding in its Operating 2021 Budget for the purchase of new equipment; and

WHEREAS, the Park District has the need to purchase three Toro Workman HDX utility vehicles as additions to the fleet assigned to Del Valle, Dumbarton Quarry, and Miller Knox as approved in the 2021 Mid-Year Budget appropriations; and

WHEREAS, Turf Star Western of Hayward, California is a recognized vendor offering suitable equipment based on the results of competitively bid pricing through OMNIA Partners (formerly known as National IPA) Pricing Contract #2017025.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby authorizes the purchase of three Toro Workman HDX utility vehicles for a total cost of $113,223, with said sum to be encumbered from the adjusted 2021 Budget, $37,741 from Del Valle Account 101-5141-203-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), $37,741 from Dumbarton Quarry Account 101-5141-265-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000), and $37,741 from Miller Knox Account 101-5151-465-7505 (Rolling Stock >$25,000); and

Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and adopted this 7th day of September, 2021, by the following vote:

FOR: AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

Page Left Blank Intentionally

AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

x. Authorization to Purchase Public Safety Communications Equipment from Motorola (Gershaneck/Ciaburro)

RECOMMENDATION

The General Manager recommends that the Board of Directors authorize the purchase of encryption enabled replacement radios, from Motorola for use on the East Bay Regional Communications System Authority (EBRCSA) for an additional $80,000 in 2021-2022.

REVENUE/COST

The funds to cover the costs associated with this action are included Project 536100, Replacement of EBRCSA radios

SOURCE OF FUNDS Motorola Radios Project 536100-PS Communications-Comm. Equipment < $25,000 $ 154,282

USE OF FUNDS Motorola Radio Purchase Fees $ 80,000

BACKGROUND

Since 2010, the Public Safety Division has utilized Motorola as the sole approved vendor of the EBRCSA radio system, providing equipment for the District’s radio communication system serving police and fire personnel in the field. EBRCSA is a proprietary system that requires certain types of radios to be used. Currently, Motorola is the only approved vendor from which to purchase this equipment.

The Board previously approved spending up to $210,000 annually with Motorola and EBRCSA, under Board Resolution 2019-09-224. Due to the recent Department of Justice (DOJ)

94 requirement of encryption for any transmission that includes Personally Identifiable Information (PII) or Criminal Justice Information (CJI) Public Safety radios need to be encrypted or replaced with encryption enabled radios. This additional expense was not covered in the in the 2019 Board approval as it was instituted in 2020 and will be required in 2022.

The existing service agreement with EBRSCA was approved on October 19, 2010 under Board Resolution 2010-10-269. The District’s legal counsel has reviewed the vendor and determined it to be a sole source vendor. Board Operating Guidelines require Board authorization for annual spending over $50,000 with a single vendor.

ALTERNATIVES

No alternatives are recommended.

95 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 – 09 –

September 7, 2021

AUTHORIZATION TO PURCHASE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT FROM MOTOROLA

WHEREAS, The Public Safety Division utilizes East Bay Regional Communications System Authority (EBRCSA) as a communications system for public safety personnel and vehicles; and

WHEREAS, Motorola is the only authorized vendor for communications equipment and services for the EBRCSA system; and

WHEREAS, the District’s Board Operating Guidelines require Board approval for annual spending greater than $50,000 with a single vendor; and

WHEREAS, The District’s legal counsel has reviewed both vendors and determined each to be a sole source vendor; and

WHEREAS, The Board of Directors has previously approved an agreement to utilize the equipment and services with EBCRSA with approved spending up to $210,000 annually for this purpose in Board resolution 2019-09-224; and

WHEREAS, The Police Department has funds available in Project 536100 budget for this purpose;

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby authorizes the purchase of Public Safety communications equipment from Motorola for an additional $80,000 to be expended during 2021 and through 2022; and

Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and adopted this 7th day of September 2021 by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

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97 AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

y. Authorization to Apply for Federal Grant from the Bureau of Reclamation for Park Improvements and Appropriate Funds: Contra Loma Regional Park (Caulboy/Auker)

RECOMMENDATION

The General Manager recommends that the Board of Directors authorize applying for a Federal Grant from the Bureau of Reclamation for Park Improvements and the appropriation of $50,000 in matching funds from the Major Infrastructure Renovation and Replacement Funds when the grant is approved by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for park improvements including replacement of the shop roof at Contra Loma Regional Park.

REVENUE/COST

This action proposes the appropriation of approximately $50,000 as matching funds from the Park District’s Major Infrastructure Renovation and Replacement Fund 553 and a grant application of approximately $50,000 to replace the shop roof. The grant requires a 50/50 match. Funds will be budgeted into a project fund titled Project Replace Roof Shop (542100) once the grant is awarded. This project will not increase the operational cost of the Park District.

BACKGROUND

Having operated Contra Loma Regional Park for the US Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) since 1972, the Park District has a long-standing relationship with BOR. Under the terms of our agreement, the BOR is authorized to share the cost of development or rehabilitation of recreational facilities in the park on a 50/50 basis.

The project will improve existing facilities at Contra Loma Reservoir. Improvements will include replacement of the shop building roof. BOR will complete an environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for these improvements.

ALTERNATIVES

No alternatives are recommended.

98 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021- 09 -

September 7, 2021

AUTHORIZATION TO APPLY FOR FEDERAL GRANT FROM THE BUREAU OF RECLAMATION FOR PARK IMPROVEMENTS AND APPROPRIATE FUNDS: CONTRA LOMA REGIONAL PARK

WHEREAS, the East Bay Regional Park District has operated Contra Loma Regional Park for the US Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) since 1972; and

WHEREAS, the Park District is seeking funds to improve existing facilities at Contra Loma Park including replacement of the shop building roof; and

WHEREAS, the BOR is authorized to share the cost of development on a 50/50 basis; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby authorizes the submittal of a grant application to the US Bureau of Reclamation for park improvements at Contra Loma Regional Park; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby authorizes the appropriation of $50,000 from the Major Infrastructure Renovation and Replace Fund 553 to project Replace Roof Shop (#542100) as matching funds if and when the grant is awarded; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the General Manager or Assistant General Manager of Finance and Management Services\CFO be authorized, as an agent of the District, to conduct all negotiations and execute and submit all documents, including, but not limited to, applications, contracts, receive grant funds, amendments, payment requests, and compliance with all applicable current state and federal laws and perform such acts which may be deemed necessary for the completion of the aforementioned project; 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.

Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and adopted this 7th day of September, 2021, by the following vote,

FOR:

99 AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

100

Page Left Blank Intentionally

101 AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

1. CONSENT CALENDAR

z. Authorization to Apply for Grant Funds from the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority for Restoration Projects: District-wide (Caulboy/Auker)

RECOMMENDATION

The General Manager recommends that the Board of Directors authorize application for grant funds from the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority Grant Program for restoration projects District-wide.

REVENUE/COST

This action proposes authorization to submit the following grant application: • Approximately $600,000 for McLaughlin Eastshore State Park, Berkeley North Basin project - funds for the design and planning phase • Approximately $500,000 for Big Break Regional Shoreline – funds for preliminary planning, design and CEQA process

New project accounts will be created for both the Berkeley North Basin project and Big Break Regional Shoreline to budget grant funds.

These projects will likely increase the ongoing operating costs of the Park District.

BACKGROUND

The San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority has issued its fifth call for projects to be considered for funding from Measure AA: The San Francisco Bay Clean Water, Pollution Prevention and Habitat Restoration Measure. Measure AA was approved by voters from the nine county Bay Area with a 70% majority on June 7, 2016. As a special district in Alameda and Contra Costa counties, the Park District is eligible to apply for Measure AA funds. Eligible projects must be located along the shorelines of San Francisco Bay, San Pablo Bay, Carquinez Strait, Suisun Bay, and most of the Northern Contra Costa County Shoreline. There are three eligible project types:

102 1). Habitat Projects, 2). Flood Management, as part of a habitat project, and 3). Public Access, as part of a habitat project.

The Park District has previously received the following SFBRA grant awards:

o $450,000 Encinal Beach, Alameda Point Regional Shoreline ▪ Dune restoration and shoreline stabilization ▪ Applied 2017, Awarded 2018 o $450,000 Coyote Hills Regional Park ▪ Restoration-Vegetation Management ▪ Applied 2018, Awarded 2019 o $500,000 Hayward Regional Shoreline ▪ Marsh Restoration ▪ Applied 2019, Awarded 2020 o $3,500,000 Coyote Hills Regional Park ▪ Restoration-Vegetation Management ▪ Applied 2020, Awarded 2021

For this fifth round of Restoration Authority grants, applications are due at the end of October 2021 and project award selection will be announced Spring 2022.

Staff recommends submitting applications for the following projects:

1. McLaughlin Eastshore State Park, Berkeley North Basin (Exhibit A): The Berkeley North Basin Project will progress the shoreline protection, habitat restoration, sea level rise, adaptation, and public access elements described in the McLaughlin Eastshore State Parks General Plan (2002) through the preliminary design and CEQA process. The San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority grant would provide funds for the design and planning phase of these improvements.

2. Big Break Regional Shoreline, (Exhibit B): The Big Break Project will implement preliminary planning for shoreline protection, habitat restoration, sea level rise, adaptation, and public access elements described in the Big Break Land Use Plan (2001) through the preliminary design and CEQA process. The San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority grant would provide funds for the design and planning phase of these improvements.

ALTERNATIVES

No alternatives are recommended.

103 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 – 09 -

September 7, 2021

AUTHORIZATION TO APPLY FOR GRANT FUNDS FROM THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY RESTORATION AUTHORITY FOR RESTORATION PROJECTS: DISTRICT-WIDE

WHEREAS, the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority has issued a call for projects for funding Measure AA: The San Francisco Bay Clean Water, Pollution Prevention and Habitat Restoration Measure, approved by voters in June 2016; and

WHEREAS, the East Bay Regional Park District (Park District) is seeking funding for restoration and public access projects at Berkeley North Basin and Big Break Regional Shoreline; and

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

WHEREAS, said application contains assurances and certifications that the applicant must comply with in order to enter into an agreement with the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority; and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District hereby:

1. Approves the filing of applications with the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority up; and

2. Certifies the Grantee understands the assurances and certification in the application form; and

3. Certifies that Grantee has or will have sufficient funds to operate and maintain the project; and

4. Authorizes and directs the General Manager or Assistant General Manager of Finance and Management Services/CFO, on behalf of the Park District in its name, to accept grant funds and execute and deliver such documents including, but not limited to applications, agreements, payment requests and amendments and to do such acts as may be deemed or appropriated to accomplish the intentions of this resolution; 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

104 corresponding increase in appropriation for the amount stipulated in the contract.

Moved by Director , seconded by Director , and approved this 7th day of September, 2021 by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT:

105 AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

I. CONSENT CALENDAR

aa. Authorization to Donate Out of Service 1999 Ford Type 6 Fire Engine to the Bell Canyon Volunteer Wildland Fire Department (Theile/Ciaburro)

RECOMMENDATION

The General Manager recommends that the Board of Directors authorize the donation of a Park District surplus Type 6 fire engine to the Bell Canyon Volunteer Wildland Fire Dept.

REVENUE/COST

There is no cost to the District. This fire apparatus is fully depreciated and has no salvage value to the District.

BACKGROUND

This year the Park District purchased a new Type 6 engine to replace a 1999 Ford Type 6 engine that was removed from the fleet at the end of 2019. The Bell Canyon Volunteer Wildland Fire Department, found in the unincorporated community in eastern Ventura County, has requested a donation of this surplus Type 6 engine.

The East Bay Regional Park District Fire Department would like to donate our surplus Type 6 engine to the Bell Canyon Volunteer Wildland Fire Department. As a small volunteer department, the Bell Canyon Volunteer Wildland Fire Department (BCVWFD) was formed in response to our collective experience in the Woolsey Fire, which destroyed dozens of homes in Bell Canyon and damaged many more. Most department members stayed in the canyon to fight the fire, and one even lost his home. The BCVWFD has a primary mission to protect Bell Canyon residents and property by supporting and augmenting local fire agencies. The East Bay Regional Park District Fire Department is proud to support the Bell Canyon Volunteer Wildland Fire Department in their mission to aid residents in fire prevention and suppression.

The Park District’s policy on Disposal or Transfer of Assets allows the Park District to donate assets and the Fleet Manager has signed off on the disposal per the policy.

ALTERNATIVES

None are recommended.

106 EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

RESOLUTION NO.: 2021 - 09 -

September 7, 2021

AUTHORIZATION TO DONATE OUT OF SERVICE 1999 FORD TYPE 6 FIRE ENGINE TO THE BELL CANYON VOLUNTEER WILDLAND FIRE DEPARTMENT

WHEREAS, the East Bay Regional Park District recently purchased a new Type 6 engine that is now in service: and

WHEREAS, the Park District recently received a request from the Bell Canyon Volunteer Wildland Fire Department requesting the donation of the District’s surplus 1999 Ford Type 6 fire engine to their department: and

WHEREAS, due to Bell Canyon Volunteer Wildland Fire Department’s budget constraints, they have requested the Type 6 engine be donated to its department: and

WHEREAS, Park District staff’s opinion is that the 1999 Ford Type 6 engine has little to no market value due to its age: and

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Directors of the East Bay Regional Park District approves the donation of the surplus 1999 Ford Type 6 engine to the Bell Canyon Volunteer Wildland Fire Department.

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 7th day of September, 2021 by the following vote:

FOR:

AGAINST: ABSTAIN ABSENT:

107 Executive, Legal and Legislative Division AGENDA REGULAR MEETINGS BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

2. EXECUTIVE, LEGISLATIVE AND LEGAL DIVISION

a. East Bay Regional Park District Ward Redistricting Update (Pfuehler/Rosenberg)

RECOMMENDATION

The Board of Directors will receive an informational report from staff and the Park District’s demographer consultant regarding the redistricting process, including general guidelines for considering and determining Park District Ward boundaries based on the 2020 Census results.

REVENUE/COST

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

BACKGROUND

Federal law requires all local governments that elect by district to review and redraw their district lines after each Federal Census to ensure all districts have nearly equal population. Due to Covid- 19 related delays and legal challenges, the Census Bureau’s original plan to deliver data to the states by March 31, 2021 was delayed. On August 12, 2021, the Census Bureau released official data to states. In California, the Statewide Database adjusts the results to reassign state inmates to their last known place of residency. This process takes approximately 4-6 weeks, meaning that local governments may not have official California redistricting data until October 1, 2021. Unlike cities and counties, the Park District is not legally required to use the prison-adjusted dataset. The District’s consulting demographer, however, recommends using the adjusted data.

The Board must adopt new Ward boundaries by May 11, 2022. Note that SB 594 is moving through the legislature right now, and if adopted, the deadline for the Board to adopt new Ward boundaries would be April 17, 2022. Prior to adoption of a new map, California Elections Code Section 22001 requires the Board to hold at least one public hearing aimed at discussing the proposed Ward boundaries.

Park District Government Affairs Department and the Legal Division are working in tandem on the internal process for establishing new Ward boundaries, which will be effective for the 2022 through 2030 elections. Staff issued a Request for Proposal for a redistricting consultant in late

108 2020. National Demographics Corporation (NDC), was retained as the Park District’s consultant to assist with the review of the new census data and the Ward adjustment process. NDC has served hundreds of local governments in California, Arizona, and Nevada since its founding in 1979. NDC also has significant experience with California Special Districts.

REDISTRICTING GUIDELINES

Certain Federal required criteria must be observed when re-drawing Ward boundaries, and are as follows:

• Each Ward shall contain a nearly equal population. While Federal Courts have permitted a total population deviation of 10% as presumptively Constitutional, the Park District has historically aimed for lower total deviation across Wards. The District’s deviation rate in 2010 was 5%. • A redistricting plan shall comply with the Federal Voting Rights Act. Wards shall not be drawn to discriminate or dilute the voting power of any protected class of voters “on the basis of race, color, or membership in one of the language minority groups identified in the Federal Voting Rights Act.” • A redistricting plan shall be drawn in a manner that complies with the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th amendment. Wards shall not be drawn with race as the predominant factor, as established by the U.S. Supreme Court in Shaw v. Reno (1993).

In addition to Public Resources Code Section 5534.5, the Park District has historically followed California Elections Code Section 22000(a) with respect to the following criteria:

Using the last decennial census as a basis, the divisions shall be as nearly equal in population as possible. In establishing the boundaries of the divisions, the governing board may give consideration to the following factors: (1) topography, (2) geography, (3) cohesiveness, contiguity, integrity, and compactness of territory, and (4) community of interests of the division.

In addition to compliance with these Federal and State legal requirements, the Board of Directors may provide additional guidance to the demographer on Ward boundaries prior to the drawing of draft maps. Additionally, at the mandatory public hearing, the Board may request changes or revisions to the draft maps prepared by the demographer.

TIMELINE

The Board must vote to adopt new Ward boundaries by the May 11, 2022 deadline, unless SB 954 is signed into law, then the deadline will be April 17, 2022.

The proposed timeline for redistricting is as follows:

109 Date Event(s)

August 12, 2021 Release of official 2020 Census data

End of September Expected release of official California redistricting data

October - November Demographer prepares demographic reports for current Wards

January – February Draft maps created 2022 March - April 2022 One mandatory public hearing prior to map adoption

May 11, 2022 Statutory deadline to adopt map (E-181)* • If SB 954 is signed into law, then the deadline will be April 17, 2022. November 8, 2022 First election with new map

ALTERNATIVES

None recommended.

110 GM COMMENTS AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

3. GENERAL MANAGER’S COMMENTS

STAFF PRESENTATION There will be no staff presentation.

GM COMMENTS Interpretive and Recreation Services Department North/West Region Coyote Hills: Staff hosted 1,566 Visitor Center guests, 673 program and roving participants, and maintained an active social media presence on Facebook. On July 10, the Garin Red Barn Visitor Center reopened for Saturday operations, hosting an additional 143 visitors.*

Crab Cove: Staff contacted more than 1,200 park visitors while roving weekends at Crown Beach. There was a sharp increase in Visitor Center and Aquarium attendance, with more than 3,000 visitors in July.*

Mobile Education: From June 14-19, Adventure Crew’s Oakland Naturalists held their first week- long in-person summer camp of the season for 12 participants, with activities at Crown Beach and Reinhardt Redwood Park.

Outdoor Recreation: From July 19-23, staff hosted a Park’n It Day Camp partner-week with Brothers on the Rise for 24 youth and 8 staff at Kennedy Grove Regional Recreation Area.

From July 26-30, staff hosted a Park’n It Day Camp at Ardenwood Historic Farm, and the City of Fremont provided a Patterson House tour.

Tilden Nature Area: The Environmental Education Center reopened, serving nearly 9,000 visitors.*

South/East Region Ardenwood Historic Farm: On July 2, 9, and 23, staff provided programing for 25 participants of REACH Ashland Youth Center, featuring a variety of activities including farm tours, rope making, and stories about local history.

111 Big Break Visitor Center On August 1, the Voices of the Delta Annual Photography Exhibit opened. The exhibit will be open through September 30.

Black Diamond On July 17, staff supported the National Park Service’s Port Chicago Commemoration by staffing a Thurgood Marshall Regional Park informational table; approximately 100 people were in attendance.

Community Services & Volunteers: From June 14 to August 1, work continued to bring volunteer opportunities back online using the new Park District user interface, Samaritan.

Del Valle Visitor Center: From June 14 to August 1, staff had more than 2,000 visits, 290 contacts with the S’mores pop-up table, and maintained a robust social media presence on Facebook.

Sunol: From June 16 to August 1, staff held 5 virtual programs serving 67 participants. The highly successful Virtual Nature Journaling program has now added an in-person component with 20 participants attending the July debut.

Park Operations Department Delta Unit Contra Costa Trails - Lafayette Moraga Regional Trail Contra Costa Trails staff prepared the trail for the 45th Anniversary Celebration that was held in the first week of August. Park staff installed an interpretive plaque, and the interpretive panel was unveiled during the celebration.

Interpretive Parklands Unit Black Diamond Mine: During July, staff continued to remove and replace old railroad track ties with synthetic timbers, remove old tracks, level the area, and install new tracks.

Parkland Unit Anthony Chabot: On July 30, California State Assemblymember Alex Lee visited the park to view and discuss the challenges of the health of the forest and fuels management. District Board Member Dennis Waespi, General Manager Sabrina Landreth, Fire Chief Aileen Thiele, and various park staff were in attendance.

Tilden: During July, park staff successfully located and repaired multiple water line breaks in various areas of the park and worked with the Trades and Roads & Trails departments to repair the broken lines while keeping park access open to the public. Supplemental portable water tanks and restrooms were provided to park users.

Shoreline Unit Encinal Beach: During July, Crown Beach staff replaced over 20 linear feet of degraded rail fencing along the Bay Trail and spread over 40 yards of wood chips to enhance and remediate the areas between the parking lot and trail.

112 Lakes Unit Alameda County Trails: On July 16, staff participated in the multi-agency Alameda Creek cleanup event held at the Niles staging area.

Recreation Areas Cull Canyon During July, park staff worked with the Small Trails crew to install a bridge-crossing over a seep on a small section of the Chabot to Garin Trail. This was part of an ongoing multi- phase improvement of the trail where it has been seasonally wet. The bridge was built to California State Park standards and designed to accommodate equestrian traffic.

Roberts: On July 28, Regional Parks Foundation issued a $6,000 grant for trail rehabilitation and slope erosion control on the Graham Trail.

Public Works North County Trades Unit Crab Cove A remodel and renovation of the park residence is nearing completion. The flooring was installed in mid-August with completion estimated for early September.

Central Stores: Contract work has begun on the renovation/addition of the offices with drywall, paint, and flooring; estimated completion is in two months.

Briones: Staff is working on repairs for the Alhambra Creek residence following the moveout of the most recent resident.

Tilden: Staff is working on repairs for the Environmental Education Center residence following the moveout of the previous resident.

South County Trades Unit Coyote Hills Visitor Center: Carpenter staff installed walls and doors to create a new office space for the Interpretive and Recreation Services Supervising Naturalist.

Public Safety/Fire Departments: A custom sand table was designed and constructed as a training tool for the Fire Department. This piece of equipment is used to simulate field conditions within a classroom setting.

Garin: A complete remodel/renovation of the Garin-Meincke residence has begun. Currently, interior lead and asbestos abatement and demolition are in progress.

Shadow Cliffs: Staff installed a new 3” underwater supply line for the irrigation system.

Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park: Staff installed a new pressure-assist tank in response to low pressure/volume at the orchard restrooms.

Districtwide: Plumbers have responded to multiple waterline breaks due to aging infrastructure.

113 Water Utilities Black Diamond Mine: New pumps have been installed in the wastewater pumping station.

Del Valle Amphitheater: Installation of theater lighting was recently completed.

Briones: The residence water treatment system is 90% complete; the upgrades will improve water quality, and meet regulatory compliance with the county.

Del Valle Water Treatment Plant: The new water treatment plant is 90% complete.

Round Valley: The park residence air conditioning system was replaced.

Las Trampas: The park residence flooring has been replaced.

*Note – All in-person engagements, open visitor centers, etc., adhere to all COVID-19 safety protocols.

114 BOARD COMMITTEE REPORTS AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

4. BOARD COMMITTEE REPORTS

a. Finance Committee Minutes and Recommended Actions from the Meeting of July 30, 2021 (Lane)

Attendees via video conference Board: Beverly Lane, Ayn Wieskamp, Ellen Corbett

Staff: Sabrina Landreth, Ana M. Alvarez, Debra Auker, Jim O’Connor, Anthony Ciaburro, Carol Victor, Deborah Spaulding, Michelle Strawson O’Hara, Matt Graul, Robert Kennedy, David Sumner, Kim Balingit, Mary Mattingly, Ruby Tumber, Matthew James, Tara Rosborough, Connie Swisher, Caitlin Stone

Speakers: None.

Public: Meadow D’Arcy, AFSCME 2428

Committee Chair Beverly Lane began the meeting at 12:04 PM with the introduction of Committee members. Assistant General Manager/CFO Debra Auker introduced District staff.

Agenda Item No. 1 Measure CC Status Report & Measure FF Program and 2022 Spending Plan Assistant General Manager Debra Auker introduced Assistant Finance Officer Jeff Rasmussen who presented on the item. Rasmussen gave an overview of Measure CC parcel tax that concluded in 2020 after fifteen years. In November 2018, the voters approved an extension of this funding source as Measure FF. The total project funding provided by Measure CC from 2005-2020 is $47.8 million. There is $4.8 million remaining. Handouts provided listing the Measure CC projects in progress. Committee Chair Lane asked whether the figures listed in the staff report are the remaining dollar amounts. Auker confirmed that the projects are mostly started, and the dollar amounts shown on the presentation are the remaining funds for each project. Committee member Wieskamp asked whether there are remaining funds that are not attached to a project. Rasmussen stated that all funds are allotted to projects. Committee member Corbett asked about the timeframe for removal of the side train rails at Miller Knox. Rasmussen stated that in previous years District staff has removed rails, as well as a consultant

115

did remove it for the steel. Committee Chair Lane added there are conversations about the steel at the Concord Navel Weapons Station and hopes that someone will remove the steel for re-use. Committee Chair Lane requested clarification on how Measure CC/Measure FF funds are spent inside and outside the District. Auker stated that different project tracking numbers are used for Operations and staff time to keep track of how and where the money is spent. Rasmussen provided background on Measure FF. Measure FF is the continuation of Measure CC as approved by the voters within the Community Facilities District boundary. Measure FF will generate over $3.3 million per year beginning in July 2020 for 20 years. Handouts were provided listing the areas the District has committed to in accordance with the expenditure plan along with preliminary 2022 Project Budget appropriations. Committee member Corbett asked for clarification on whether the microbubbler used in Lake Temescal is owned or rented. Stewardship Chief Matt Graul stated that the District is leasing the microbubblers with an option to purchase in the future. Committee Chair Lane stated that work on Keller Beach in Pt. Richmond is appreciated. The public uses the beach to recreate and launch kayaks as well. Rasmussen stated that the District did install a launch at Ferry Point. Committee member Wieskamp asked for additional information on burrowing owls and whether the population is stable. Graul replied at Albany there are three sets of owls burrowing. Staff has not seen breeding behavior, but the owls are overwintering. AGM of Operation Jim O’Connor added the fence surrounding the owls is regularly disturbed making it a challenge to monitor and track how many owls are in the area. RECOMMENDATION: Motioned by Director Corbett and seconded by Director Wieskamp that the Finance Committee accept the Measure CC Status Report and recommend that the Measure FF Spending Plan be included in the 2022 Proposed Budget for consideration by the Board of Directors.

Agenda Item No. 2 Proposed 2022 Funding for Major Infrastructure Renovation and Replacement (MIRR) Projects Assistant General Manager Debra Auker introduced Assistant Finance Officer Jeff Rasmussen who presented on the item. Rasmussen gave background information on the establishment of the MIRR fund. While the Park District has been successful at obtaining grant funding for new facilities, few grants will fund renovation or replacement of existing facilities. Funding for these projects came from long-term liability and setting aside funds for future needs. In preparation for the 2022 budget process, the staff reviewed District-wide infrastructure needs based on data driven analysis to determine need and priority. The following projects are proposed for funding from the Major Infrastructure Renovation and Replacement Fund 553 (MIRR) Fund in 2022. The 2022 Proposed Project Budget may include recommendations for MIRR Funds for the following appropriations of $4.1 million:

LOCATION PROJECT DESCRIPTION AMOUNT Don Castro Upgrade ADA Develop ADA parking and path of travel to facilities $600,000 Parking including swim lagoon, new accessible picnic area and restroom.

116 Del Valle Replace Culvert at Replace culvert with arched culvert or other structure $500,000 Hobie Point to improve flow. Del Valle Replace Culvert on Long term design to replace an existing 36 in x 280 ft $250,000 West Beach culvert with a new culvert of the same dimension. Garin / Dry Repair Pioneer Replace boards and possibly the railing on the bridge $200,000 Creek Creek Bridge in Dry Creek Garden. Las Trampas Repair Little Hills Replace retaining wall at the reservable tent/ dance $150,000 Retaining Wall floor. Del Valle Renovate Staff Pre-design to initiate project that will include: design, $100,000 Facilities engineering, permitting and construction of staff offices for Naturalist and Public Safety, including parking, restrooms, shower rooms, break and meeting rooms. Hayward Repair Cogswell Continue to repair damaged bridge timber piles with $280,000 Shoreline Marsh Bridges fiberglass and epoxy mortar at Hayward Shoreline. (Repairing the two bridges will take place over several years to work within the tidal and environmental constraints.) Anthony Re-Align Soaring Realign trail to safely cross in new location. District will $50,000 Chabot Hawk Trail provide striping, signage, some grading plans for improvements in ROW. District- Repair Paved Trails Pave and repair areas identified by the Pavement $2,000,000 wide Management Program for 2022. Rasmussen stated that in 2019, the Board of Directors adopted Finance Policy 6.1: Major Infrastructure Renovation and Replacement Fund (MIRR Fund). The policy includes targets for annual funding for the District-wide infrastructure program and funding recommendations. The policy also sets facility condition index (FCI) as a target of 72, with a current level of 66. The paving condition index (PCI) as a target of 80, with a current level of 80. Committee Chair Lane asked the index for the Lake Chabot restrooms. Rasmussen stated eight roofs were redone in the marine area, and therefore the FCI of the whole park improved. Rasmussen presented the MIRR proposed 2022 budget ($4.1M), and featured Del Valle service yard, Don Castro ADA improvements, Del Valle arched culvert repair, and District-wide paving projects. Committee member Wieskamp inquired how much money is needed to bring the ADA program up to speed? Auker stated the current budget of $500,000 is spent on ADA regulations. Assistant General Manager Jim O’Connor stated that all new and DECO projects include ADA accommodations. Committee member Echols agreed that the District needs to be diligent in working towards completing the list and asked how the list is coordinated with deferred maintenance. O’Connor stated the asset management evaluation is an all-structure, system by system evaluation. The strategy of the District for managing repairs is to focus on the subsystems, specifically, roof replacements. Committee member Corbett stated that it shows the District parks are well maintained. Corbett further emphasized the need for preventative maintenance. Committee Chair Lane asked for an explanation why Crocket Hills has a FCI of 24, however the park is not being addressed until 2026. Rasmussen stated that Crocket Hills Park low FCI is due to one building in bad condition. O’Connor added the priority of repairs is influenced by the volume of the park visitors. Crocket Hills is not a high-volume park therefore will be addressed later than other higher-use parks.

117 Committee Chair Lane inquired why roads get a PCI goal of 80. Rasmussen replied 80 is chosen because it is the best of the lowest tier of what is considered good condition.

RECOMMENDATION: Motioned by Director Corbett and seconded by Director Wieskamp that the Finance Committee recommend Proposed 2022 Funding for Major Infrastructure Renovation and Replacement Projects to the full Board of Directors.

Agenda Item No. 3 Open Forum for Public Comment

No public comments.

Agenda Item No. 4 Committee Comments

Committee member Wieskamp requested additional information on how the owls are doing.

Committee chair Lane asked Committee member Wieskamp if she would attend the next Board Finance Committee meeting as she would be out of town. Committee member Wieskamp responded yes.

Meeting adjourned at 1:08 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Caitlin Stone Executive Assistant, Finance

118 AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

4. BOARD COMMITTEE REPORTS

b. Operations (Tuesday, July 27, 2021) (Corbett)

Present

Board: Directors Ellen Corbett (Chair), Ayn Wieskamp, Elizabeth Echols

Staff: Jim O’Connor, Ruby Tumber, Tiffany Margulici, Robert Kennedy, Matt Norton, Eric Bowman, Renee Patterson, Ira Bletz, Andrew Green, Alan Love, Patty Gershaneck, David Kendall, Dan Cunning, Kim Thai, Lance Brede

Absent: None

Guests: Julie Ferrario, Wayne Tilley, Randy Demerse, Margaret Eychner, Karen Laws, Jessica Dillingham

Agenda Item 2: Review of Regents of the University of California 4-H Youth Development Program Special Use Agreement: Ardenwood Historical Farm Business Services Administrative Analyst Renee Patterson provided a presentation of the 4-H Special Use Agreement for Ardenwood Historic Farm that included: An overview of the agreement, location, background, and staff recommendation.

SE Interpretive & Recreation Regional Services Manager Ira Bletz commented on the benefits of having the 4-H program at the park, as it relates to members of the public and park staff.

Director Wieskamp requested to hear comment from the 4-H member present at the meeting. Bayside 4-H Leader Julie Ferrario commented on the opportunity for 4-H members within the tri-city area to have access to raise an animal and learn life skills.

Wieskamp moved to approve and recommend to the full Board the staff recommendation for a Special Use Agreement with the Regents of the University of California 4-H Youth Development Program for an initial term of five years with an option to extend the term of the Agreement for one five-year period. Echols seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

Agenda Item 3: Authorization of Communication Site Replacement and Agreement with Contra Costa County: Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline

119

Business Services Manager Tiffany Margulici provided a presentation of the Communication Site Replacement and Agreement at Carquinez Strait Regional Shoreline that included: an overview of the existing sites (County and EBPRD), replacement site, benefits, timeline, and staff recommendation.

Echols inquired if alternatives sites were considered by the County. Contra Costa County Deputy Director of Information Technology Wayne Tilley stated a couple of potential locations were considered in Martinez and Benicia. Each would require multiple towers, which ad to the complexity and potential fail over scenario. For this reason, this single point site with easy access was selected.

Corbett requested confirmation of language in the agreement that mentions exclusivity for the use of the tower by public safety, emergency services, and KQED only. Margulici confirmed.

Corbett inquired if any concerns were raised by neighbors in the area regarding the impact of the tower. Margulici replied no comments were received and the County has been in communication with the City of Martinez, as the access road to the site is on the City’s property. The City has been in support as well.

Corbett requested the total amount of income to be paid to the Park District. Margulici responded KQED pays $8,100 per year combined with the County fee, which would bring a total of $9,313 per year paid to the Park District.

Corbett suggested for staff to conduct a cost study of future licenses of towers within the Park District. O’Connor recalled in 2019 staff conducted a public agency survey regarding tower revenue and will share that data with the Committee. Corbett suggested to conduct a cost study of tower fees charged on private properties as well.

Corbett inquired who covers the cost of maintenance for the tower. Margulici replied that Contra Costa County is responsible for the fees of the tower and access road.

Corbett inquired if any geotechnical concerns have been raised. Tilley replied the survey was completed and there were no issues reported. Contra Costa County Communications Specialist Randy Demerse offered to send a copy of the report to the Committee members.

Public Safety Captain Alan Love commented on his support and benefits of the agreement.

Echols moved to approve and recommend to the full Board the staff recommendation for the authorization of an agreement with Contra Costa County to construct the site, and to lease and occupy and use Park District land for the construction, operation, maintenance, and management of a Tower and Related Equipment Structure for a maximum of 25-years from the beginning date of the first term. The County will pay $1,200 per year with an additional $300 per year at each 5-year term and there will no cost to the Park District for this agreement. Wieskamp seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

120 Agenda Item 4: Districtwide Residence Program Update – Duplex Conversion Study Business Services Manager Tiffany Margulici provided an update of the Districtwide Residence Program through a presentation that included: Review of the duplex conversion study for the Pleasanton Ridge (Tehan Canyon Road), Redwood Road (Albanese) and Sibley Pinehurst (McCosker) residences, executive summary, Ad Hoc Committee Residence Program Initiatives, replacements and additions, and cost estimates.

Wieskamp commented the site at Pleasanton Ridge is a logical choice and expressed appreciation to staff for moving forward with this study of all three sites presented.

Agenda Item 5: Districtwide Solid Waste Management Program Update Chief of Maintenance and Skilled Trades Robert Kennedy provided an update of the Districtwide Solid Waste Management Program through a presentation that included: Review of the waste reduction pilot, policy, States Zero Waste Goals and Zero Waste Strategies statistics.

Wieskamp commended Maintenance and Skilled Trades Sanitation/Recycling Coordinator Andrew Green for his success in securing funding and working in coordination with the haulers.

Wieskamp suggested utilizing the program at the next calendared Park District Safety Fair.

Echols inquired if the targets set are created by staff or by the State. Kennedy replied the targets presented are set by the State.

Corbett inquired if the presentation will be shared with the full Board. O’Connor responded the item can be brought forward to the General Manager with a suggestion to bring the item before the full Board. O’Connor recalled this is an informational update and staff will present the policy changes to the General Manager’s office, then to the full board with the final version.

Agenda Item 6: Public Comments

Kelly Abreu commented on urban agriculture, City of Fremont lease, Yelp reviews of Park District parks and visitor numbers.

Agenda Item 7: Board Comments Committee members expressed appreciation for the presentations brought by staff at today’s meeting.

Agenda Item 8: AGM Comments There were no AGM comments.

Meeting adjourned at 2:05 p.m.

Respectfully submitted: /s/ Denise Valentine Sr. Executive Assistant

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122 AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

4. BOARD COMMITTEE REPORTS

c. Operations (Tuesday, June 29, 2021) (Corbett) Present

Board: Directors Ellen Corbett (Chair), Ayn Wieskamp, Colin Coffey (alt)

Staff: Jim O’Connor, Ruby Tumber, Tiffany Margulici, Renee Patterson, Scott Possin, Dan Sykes, Robert Kennedy, Anne Kassebaum, Denise Valentine

Absent: Director Elizabeth Echols

Guests: James Ambrose, Ed Slintak

Agenda Item 2: Review of Golden State Model Railroad Museum (GSMRM) Special Use Agreement: Miller-Knox Regional Shoreline Business Services Administrative Analyst Renee Patterson provided a presentation which covered: an overview of the agreement, highlights, location, background, and the staff recommendation. Director Coffey inquired on the amount of outreach provided considering the museums location. GSMRM Board Member James Ambrose replied historically articles were featured in the Sunday newspaper which were effective. Currently social media is being utilized for outreach and the network coverage has been upgraded. Coffey offered support of the concept of the Park District via Public Affairs, assisting with outreach and promotion of the museum. Corbett suggested posting a feature story in the Park District’s Regional-In-Nature (RIN) website publication, and for signage to be posted at the park referencing the museum. Park Supervisor Scott Possin confirmed there is standard signage posted at the park and park staff assists in directing visitors to the museum. Corbett inquired what is the most important element of education to students. Ambrose commented visits by students is viewed an opportunity for students to set aside technology and engage in a hands-on activity with the trains, artwork, and modeling of trains. The vision is to provide workshops where students and their families are working on projects together. Corbett inquired if there are planned annual events that could be advertised. GSMRM Board Member Ed Slintak stated that in the past Scout Days were held. AGM of Operations Jim O’Connor mentioned another advertising option would be to utilize the existing Park District electronic signs to direct visitors to the site.

123 Coffey moved to approve and recommend to the full Board the staff recommendation of the renewal of the Special Use Agreement with Golden State Model Railroad Museum 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 can expect up to $2,000 annually with an annual increase of $50 up to $2,450 annually. Wieskamp seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

Agenda Item 3: Concession and Special Use Agreement Reopening Update Business Services Manager Tiffany Margulici provided an update of the Concession and Special Use Agreement through a presentation that included: COVID-19 impacts, goals, financial relief measures, concession maintenance fund payout, revenue and CMF reduction, Briones Archers, Redwood Canyon and Tilden Golf Courses, Point Isabel Mudpuppies and Sit & Stay Café, Del Valle Marina, Tilden Merry-Go-Round, Ardenwood Café and events, and Camp Arroyo.

Wieskamp inquired if requests have been received for wedding reservations. Margulici replied yes. A few ceremonies have been held outdoors and July is the reopening month for indoor events with a wedding scheduled for July 8. New reservations will be accepted effective July 1 for wedding to be held in the fall.

Corbett inquired if staff plans to offer more large-scale advertisement of the events once reopened. Margulici replied yes.

Agenda Item 4: Public Comments Kelly Abreu spoke on the following topics: Park Advisory Committee meeting in reference to transparency of budget reporting, funds for Mission Peak staging area, Mission Peak Lease Agreement progress and transparency, and project deadlines. Agenda Item 5: Board Comments Committee members concurred with their appreciation of the staff presentations provided for the meeting.

Agenda Item 6: AGM Comments • Working with lifeguard swimming services to reopen on July 10 at Quarry Lakes. • Lake Temescal has an E-coli outbreak and remains closed to swimming. • Lake Anza has water quality issues and will not reopen. • Tilden Golf Course RFP is in process with a staff recommendation coming before the committee in the fall. Meeting adjourned at 1:20 p.m.

Respectfully submitted: /s/ Denise Valentine Sr. Executive Assistant

124 AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

4. BOARD COMMITTEE REPORTS

d. Operations (Tuesday, May 25, 2021) (Corbett) Present

Board: Directors Ellen Corbett (Chair), Ayn Wieskamp, Elizabeth Echols

Staff: Jim O’Connor, Ruby Tumber, Tiffany Margulici, Robert Kennedy, Mike Moran, Lisa Brodtmann, Nate Luna, Neoma Lavalle, Renee Patterson, Sarah Lamborn

Absent: None

Guests: Jay Ganjei

Agenda Item 2: Review Dumbarton Quarry Camp Store Concession and Campground Caretaker Request RFP: Dumbarton Quarry Campground on the Bay, Coyote Hills Regional Park

Business Services Manager Tiffany Margulici provided an overview of the Request for Proposal process through a presentation that covered: location, background, timeline, and process, recommended concessionaire, revenue, and staff recommendation.

Director Echols inquired if consideration has been given to using compostable plateware. Outback Adventures Owner Jay Ganjei replied that at this time, there is no prepared foods sold. Durable items will be sold that can be reused.

Director Corbett commented on promoting compostable items with the Park District’s logo, as well as Park District apparel for sale. Corbett inquired if there will be a compostable receptable at the site. Park Supervisor Matt McDonell replied three stream waste is occurring at the site and bear saver cans will be located throughout the site.

Director Wieskamp suggested the Amphitheatre would provide a good opportunity to offer a program regarding compost recycling.

Wieskamp moved to approve and recommend to the full Board the staff recommendation for the selection of Outback Adventures as concessionaire of the Dumbarton Quarry Camp Store Concession and Campground Caretaker Agreement with for an initial term of four years with a possible additional seven-year term at the Park District’s sole discretion. The concession fee will be waived for the first three years, and the concession maintenance fund payment waived for the first two years. Starting in year 3, through year 10 the concessionaire will pay 6% of gross revenue

125 to the concession maintenance fund. Starting in year 4 through year 10, the concession fee will be 2%. Echols seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

Agenda Item 3: Review Delta Access Agricultura Lease Amendment: Delta Access Regional Recreation Area

Business Services Manager Tiffany Margulici provided an overview of the agreement through a presentation that covered: location, brief history, benefits, fees, lease extension and recommendation.

Corbett inquired what is being grown at the site. Margulici replied primarily alfalfa and occasionally tomatoes are grown.

District Planner Neoma Lavalle added the proposed agreement will fit in well with the Park District goals for the restoration plans.

Echols moved to approve and recommend to the full Board the staff recommendation for the Third Amendment of the Agricultural Lease Agreement with RRS Farms in the Delta Access Regional Recreation Area for three one-year terms. Wieskamp seconded. The motion passed unanimously.

Agenda Item 4: Interpretive and Recreation Update: North/West Region

NW Regional Interpretive & Recreation Services Manager Mike Moran provided an update on the programs and service initiatives through a presentation that covered: 2020-21 highlights of the region, digital programming, professional development, reopening, Regional Parks Foundation funding and provided resource tools, training and initiatives, Mobile Education programming, Outdoor Recreation, and upcoming programming.

Agenda Item 5: Shoreline Center Update: Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline

Business Services Indoor Facilities Supervisor Sarah Lamborn provided an update on the improvement projects at the MLK Shoreline Center. Items in the presentation included: Mandatory maintenance, facility usage and potential, and improvement concept.

Corbett inquired if the facility has a kitchen. Lamborn replied the center has a full commercial kitchen.

Echols commented on the current view of the shoreline offered from the facility and encouraged staff to consider keeping this as a feature for users of the facility when segmenting the space.

Corbett inquired if staff has given though to adding outdoor heating units for evening use. Lamborn replied staff had considered adding fire pits but put it on hold due to fire restrictions. O’Connor mentioned caterers oftentimes bring in heating units as part of their services.

Agenda Item 6: Public Comments There were no public comments.

Agenda Item 7: Board Comments There were no Board Comments.

126 Agenda Item 8: AGM Comments Orange Tier Reopening Plan – Staff is moving forward with the current plans. Reservations are now being taken for group camp and picnic sites, and swimming will reopen this weekend.

Meeting adjourned at 1:59 p.m.

Respectfully submitted: /s/ Denise Valentine Sr. Executive Assistant

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128 AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

4. BOARD COMMITTEE REPORTS

e. Natural and Cultural Resources Committee (6/07/21) (Coffey)

Committee Members: Colin Coffey, Beverly Lane, Dee Rosario (Alternate for Dennis Waespi)

EBRPD Staff: Kristina Kelchner, Matt Graul, Becky Tuden, Sonja Gomez, Pamela Beitz, Brenda Montano, Brian Holt, Annamarie Guerrero, Debra Auker, Tamara Fallon, Devan Reiff, Sabrina Pinell, Koka Yamamoto

A meeting of the Board Natural and Cultural Resources Committee was held on Wednesday, June 9, 2021 over Zoom (https://zoom.us/j/91854866041) and YouTube (https://youtu.be/j0Lh81kcNb4). Director Colin Coffey called the meeting to order at 12:30 p.m. PST. The following is a summary of the items discussed:

1. Present Draft Resolution to Support Conservation & Education Efforts for Pollinators (Tuden, Gomez, UC Berkeley Students)

Becky Tuden, Ecological Services Manager, and Sonja Gomez, Supervising Naturalist, gave a brief overview of the Park District’s conservation and education efforts to support pollinators. Becky Tuden acknowledged the persistence of Bee Campus USA in working with District staff to push forward this pollinator resolution. The district has already been taking action to support pollinators, but this resolution formalizes the efforts and makes it more public. The purpose of the resolution is to acknowledge the importance of pollinators, commit to enhancing pollinator-friendly habitat, and commit to education and community programs about pollinators. Threats to pollinators include non-native plants, monocultures, loss of habitat, neonictoids, and climate change. The District can help with the decline through conserving native habitats and eliminating noxious weeds, improving biodiversity in parks, educating the public, banning neonictoids, and promoting scientific and academic partnerships.

129 Tuden then talked about the various activities that the District is involved in. Vegetation Ecologist Kimberly Crispin has taken the lead in Monarch butterfly recovery, along with sourcing clean and native plants, and invertebrate research. The District is working on pollinator friendly landscaping, propagating clean pollinator plants, souring local milkweed seeds, and partnering with Xerces Society and RCDs on where to put the pollinator plants. Grazing efforts increases landscape diversity and promotes flowering forbs. Restoration efforts include enhancement of breeding habitats, analysis of overwintering groves, expansion of nectar plantings, and bee, bird, and bat houses. Sonja Gomez spoke about the efforts of the District’s Interpretive and Recreation (I&R) department in educating the public about pollinators. Events are put on, including the Butterfly and Bird festival, Wildflower festival at Sunol, and Pollinator Palooza in Big Break Regional Shoreline. I&R programs include a garden chores program at Tilden Regional Park, preschool program called “Pollinator Pals,” and a program talking about pollinators and plants called “What’s the Buzz about Bees.” Interpretive content has been published on signs and documents. This includes a sign at Crown Beach called “The Lawn is Gone,” a brochure titled “Butterfly Gardening,” and some articles in Ardenwood’s Regional in Nature publication. Finally, social media posts include at least one post a month about pollinators. UC Berkeley students Taylor Rein and Martin Beach presented information about Bee Campus USA and their efforts. They described the ongoing work they have been doing to improve habitats for pollinators and promote bee-friendly policies. This organization puts on various campus and citywide efforts to help address the alarming decline of pollinators. They have put on volunteer events, held teaching sessions at elementary and middle schools, and recruit students from schools to earn credit to participate in pollinator activities. They believe that the Resolution supports native animal populations, reduces invasive rat habitats, supports efforts to end the extinction crisis, and furthermore builds the reputation of the Park District. Peter Oboyski, the advisor to Rein and Beach and Executive Director of the Essig Museum of Entomology at UC Berkeley, also spoke in support of the resolution. The committee members commended the presented efforts to support pollinators. Director Rosario, Director Lane, and Director Coffey voted to take the resolution to the full board for approval.

2. Introduction to New Cultural Services Coordinator (Holt, Guerrero)

Brian Holt, Chief of Planning, Trails, and GIS, introduced Annamarie Leon Guerrero, the newly hired Cultural Services Coordinator. Guerrero was hired in April and replaced Beverly Ortiz who was the inaugural Cultural Services Coordinator. Guerrero provided a brief background, focusing on selected educational and career experiences in archaeology and cultural resources management prior to being hired at the Park District. Her education background includes a Bachelors from UC Berkeley, completion of Archaeological Technology Program at Cabrillo College, and Masters in Cultural Resources Management at Sonoma State University. She did two internships at the Park District and did various consulting work in data gathering and writing up environmental impact reports.

130 Guerrero discussed her workplan and highlighted a few of the projects she has started to work on. One project is the Cultural Resources Inventory, a dynamic inventory that can be used as an effective management tool to predict where unidentified resources might be, help ensure the public avoid sensitive resources, and mitigate climate change effects. The Northwest Information Center (NWIC) is the official state repository of cultural resources records and studies for Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. It is important for the district to work in partnership with NWIC in part because of the restricted and confidential information they house. Part of the CSC role is consultation with the Native American Tribal Consultation. This includes the meaningful and timely discussion on their values, including learning about culturally significant sites and landscapes. The Wildfire Hazard Reduction and Resources Management Project has emphasized biological data collection and monitoring, but they are pushing for equal emphasis on cultural considerations. Finally, Guerrero has just started working on the Habitat Conservancy Plan, though it is still in the early stages. Holt and Kelchner commented how pleased they are to have Guerrero on board and commended her efforts to take on projects head on. The Committee Members commented how pleased they are to have a new Cultural Services Coordinator and their support of this work.

3. Archives Program Update: Review of Oral History Candidates for 2021 (Montano)

As part of the Archives Program’s intention to include the Natural and Cultural Resources Committee to participate as advisors for Park District Archives collections, Brenda Montano, Archives Program Supervisor, presented a review of the list of oral history candidates for 2021. Public Affairs is about to renew their contract with UC Berkeley’s Oral History Center (OHC) at the Bancroft Library, and Brenda will be providing OHC a list of potential candidates to be interviewed by the end of this year. Future contracting will start annually in January so that there is more time available for the Oral History Center to conduct the interviews. However, even with the shorter amount of time this year, the OHC has the capacity to conduct up to 12 interviews with potential candidates. Oral history themes include: land/cultural history, advocacy/governance, and district legacy. Montano listed the 31 names of oral history candidates for 2021, including Art Anderson, Don Flanigan, Ed Ginochio, Charles Mossina, Pearl Silva, Damien Chouinard, Richard Mendoza, Russ Piazza, Tamia Marg, Mark DeSaulnier, Elihu Harris, John Lawrence, Chief of Staff for George Miller, Barbara Lee, George Miller, David Weiman, Doug McConnell, Bill Nichols, Annette Dunn, Brian Shiroyama/Martin Snapp, Clark Wallace, Jeff Wilson, Mark Taylor, Jan Southworth, Pete Alexander, Carleen Bruins, Janet Cobb, Neil Havlik, Ned MacKay, Will Travis, Randy Parent, and Larry Olsen.

131 4. Update on Tree Die Off in Regional Parks (Beitz)

Pamela Beitz, IPM Specialist, provided an update on the status of eucalyptus and recent field surveys, tree conditions, and ongoing research with the UC Berkeley Garbelotto Lab. The lab studied acacia across the Bay Area previously, and in May initiated study of eucalyptus. While definitive results as to the cause of eucalyptus decline may not be available, efforts are ongoing to understand the complex interactions of climate and fungal organisms and their respective roles on the amount and diversity of dramatic tree decline in the bay area. Drought and heat stress are primary drivers, with secondary agents including beetle attack on Monterey Pines, stem and leaf fungi on eucalyptus, stem and tip galling on coyote brush, and fungal pathogens on acacia. Some individual trees and stands may recover to varying degrees, but it is of critical importance to use Best Management Practices (BMPs) to prevent the spread of new or existing pathogens. Garbelotto Lab found dozens of fungal species but only 2 were found in all 5 sites. Those fungi have global distribution, can host jump from native to exotic species, and can have endophyte-pathogen-decomposer life history. The lab has done some inoculation studies and are awaiting results. Beitz recommends following BMPs and using the Solocator app to help map the extent of the die back, as well as notifying IPM before Acacia material is moved. Garbelotto lab also started studying the eucalyptus die back by sampling eucalyptus in Carquinez/Port Costa, Albany Hill, Tilden, and Anthony Chabot. They will not be able to identify specific species until 1-2 months later. A large amount of stem die back and foliage blights were observed in Blue Gums, however some eucalyptus recovery is now being observed. Recommendations will change with more science. The fire department has begun dead and dying pine removal from Redwood, and grants from State and Federal agencies will fund more prioritized tree and fuel removal. Information on the regional coordination with Cal Oak Mortality Task Force can be found at www.suddenoakdeath.org. There was one public comment received via email expressing concern about the die back and urging the district take an aggressive approach for fuels removal.

5. Open Forum for Public Comment (Dir. Coffey)

No email, voicemail, or Zoom comments from the public for items on the agenda.

The meeting adjourned at 2:40 p.m. PST.

Meeting Minutes taken by: Koka Yamamoto

132 AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

4. BOARD COMMITTEE REPORTS

f. Natural and Cultural Resources Committee (04/07/21) (Coffey)

Committee Members: Colin Coffey, Beverly Lane, Dennis Waespi

EBRPD Staff: Sabrina Landreth, Dr. Ana M. Alvarez, Brian Holt, Matt Graul, Pam Beitz, Brenda Montano, Anne Kassebaum, Carol Johnson, Steve Castile, Koka Yamamoto

Guests: Dave Zuckermann

A meeting of the Board Natural and Cultural Resources Committee was held on Wednesday, April 7, 2021 over Zoom (https://zoom.us/j/93100963574) and YouTube (https://youtu.be/sOlMhEXb90c). Director Colin Coffey called the meeting to order at 12:34 p.m. PST. The following is a summary of the items discussed:

2. Storytelling through Legacy Records in the District Archives (Montano)

Brenda Montano, Archives Program Supervisor, shared research illuminating the story of Austin Dunn, one of the earliest employees at the East Bay Regional Park District. Austin Dunn has a memorial plaque at the Tilden Golf Course and a trail named after him (the Dunn Trail) in Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park, both in recognition of a beloved employee and his heroism in losing his life to save a fellow worker. Montano presented what the Archives had put together so far that goes beyond this tragic story and intertwines an African American family legacy with Park District and East Bay history. She introduced Archives Volunteer and recent EBRPD retiree Dave Zuckermann, who shared his participation in the research and what the Archives volunteers helped provide for these significant District legacy stories. Montano requested input from the Natural and Cultural Resources Committee on direction for the public programming the District-wide Archives can offer for this story and many others that live in our historic records.

Director Lane suggested that the website could have a page on this and other stories with photographs and a summary with reference to the archives and author.

133 Director Waespi appreciated this presentation and commented that he worked with Larry Dunn, who also worked with the Park District.

Zuckerman agreed with Director Lane about adding these and other cultural history items to the website to be available to the public.

Chair Coffey suggested having video presentations on these topics in park visitor centers.

Director Lane commented that visitors often wonder what District parks and trails are named after, so it would be useful to provide this information on the web and social media.

Chair Coffey added his interest in learning about the naming of Feeder Trail #1.

There were 2 public comments made live on Zoom. They both commended Montano’s efforts. They recommended future collaboration with historical societies and support efforts to expand public access to these stories.

3. Integrative Pest Management (IPM) Annual Report (Beitz)

Matt Graul, Chief of Stewardship, introduced this item and informed everyone that the IPM report will be available to the public once it is finalized. Pamela Beitz, IPM Specialist, presented the 2020 Annual IPM Report, which cover the integrated practices in the District in 2020. The presentation included pesticide use trends, special projects, and prevention programs, as well as information on training changes and innovations. Glyphosate use was eliminated in public access areas in 2020. IPM trainings were transformed into an online format that can continue to be used in future years.

Director Waespi commented that the IPM program has come a long way and is proud that glyphosate reduction has come so far.

Director Lane appreciated the efforts to make this report more understandable to the public. She asked whether this tree die back is occurring in all parks or mostly in western areas.

Beitz responded that the primary driver for this die back is extended drought, with a possibility that smoke has added to that. She explained that the die back was seen throughout the district, from north to south. The eastern counties do not have the same type or extent of die back due to having different forests. Specifically, blue and valley oaks are not affected, but manzanitas are.

4. Open Forum for Public Comment (Dir. Lane)

Matt Graul, Chief of Stewardship, discussed the 2021 Work Plan for the Natural and Cultural Resources Committee. The topics that have already occurred in February and

134 April 2021 are: Review Cat Management Policy and Marsh Habitat Protection Requirements, UCB Research Projects with EBRPD Archives and Ongoing Community Partnerships, Summary and Review of 2020 IPM Program, and Update on Archives Advisory Group. He discussed future 2021 topics, which included: Update and Assessment of Tree Die Offs in Regional Parks, Review Proposal for Pollinator Protection Policy in Partnership with UCB Students, Overview of Park District Research Permit Process and Review Typical Research Projects, Update on Projects in Partnership with State Coastal Conservancy to Protect Marshes and Shoreline from Impacts due to Climate Change, Update on Save the Redwoods League Research on Redwood Forest Response to Climate Change, Summary of Post Fire Monitoring of 2020 Wildfire Impacts, and Review of Lake Management Programs to Reduce Harmful Algal Blooms. He also presented the 2021 cultural topics, which included: Introduction of Cultural Services Coordinator and overview of CSC Workplan, Update on Archives Projects, Park District properties on Historic Register(s), and Native American Tribal consultations and best practices.

Graul also confirmed that the Stewardship Seminar will be hosted virtually again, held over two half-days on Wednesday, November 3rd and Thursday, November 4th, 2021.

Director Lane suggested a presentation on the possible response to the die back of manzanitas, including potential replanting efforts. She also suggested an agenda item addressing previous Committee recommendations regarding the Archives program.

Chair Coffey recommended a committee field trip to the Archives once it is safe to do so.

5. Open Forum for Public Comment (Dir. Lane)

There was one email comment for an item not on the agenda. The comment was in regards to the Free-Roaming Cat Policy. It was provided to the Board in advance of the meeting.

There were 6 members of the community that joined the Zoom call to make a public comment on items not on the agenda. 5 of these comments were in support of renaming the Concord Hills Regional Park to Thurgood Marshall Regional Park. 1 of these comments was in regards to predator-exclusion fencing, which was recommended to be used to exclude cats in District parks.

Director Lane expressed her appreciation to those that came to comment and remind everyone of the way Black soldiers were treated in World War II. She also mentioned that the Park District and National Park Services staff have been planning for years on how to tell the various stories of this land in the visitor center, including stories of Port Chicago, agriculture, Navy, etc.

The meeting adjourned at 3:06 p.m. PST.

Meeting Minutes taken by: Koka Yamamoto

135

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136 AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

4. BOARD COMMITTEE REPORTS

g. Natural and Cultural Resources Committee (02/25/21) (Coffey)

Committee Members: Colin Coffey, Beverly Lane, Dennis Waespi

EBRPD Staff: Kristina Kelchner, Matt Graul, Brenda Montano, Anthony Ciaburro, Brian Holt, Carol Victor, Carol Johnson, Dave Mason, Ana Alvarez, Dina Robertson, Doug Bell, Tammy Lim, Jim O’Connor, Jim Tallerico, Lance Brede, Matthew James, Sunshine Townsend, Tamara Fallon, Tammy Lim, Yolande Barial-Knight, Koka Yamamoto

A meeting of the Board Natural and Cultural Resources Committee was held on Thursday, February 25, 2021 over Zoom (https://ebparks.zoom.us/j/95576717874) and YouTube (https://youtu.be/kJnOqB8569o). Director Colin Coffey called the meeting to order at 12:30 p.m. PST. The following is a summary of the items discussed:

2. UC Berkeley Cultural & Natural Resources Management Class Partnership (Montano)

In the fall of 2020, Archives Program Supervisor Brenda Montano began engagement with the Introduction to Cultural and Natural Resources Management class at UC Berkeley in their Community Partner Program in support of historical and archives-related project work for the Park District Archives. The program is run by UC Berkeley Professor Kurt Spreyer, and the project work is conducted by a volunteer team of undergraduate students – most being introduced for the first time to the world of Natural and Cultural Resources Management. For the Committee meeting presentation, Dr. Kurt Spreyer will provide an overview of the class and the program, including the program’s benefits, both for the students and the participating community organizations and agencies (which now includes the East Bay Regional Park District Archives). Brenda Montano will then present some examples of the student projects completed in the fall semester and report on the current spring 2021 projects. This will include a request for input from the Natural and Cultural Resources Committee of future opportunities to consider.

137 Dr. Spreyer described the UC Berkeley class, ESPM 50AC, titled Introduction to Cultural and Natural Resource Management. 1,300 undergraduate students take it annually and learn about historical and contemporary experiences of Black, Indigenous, European American, Asian American, and Latinx communities in relation to natural resource management in the United States. The focus is on environmental justice, and diverse speakers come in to speak. The goal is to expose students broadly to factors of identity, intersectionality, power, and how those affect natural resource use and management. This class focuses on a holistic systems-based approach with critical thinking. Students often have a personal and self-reflective experience involving civic responsibility.

In 2018 they got funding from American Cultures Engaged Scholars (ACES) program, which is about moving beyond a traditional public service model to deepen engagement through collaborative processes. They have many partner organizations including those in environmental justice, food sovereignty, water policy and education, wildlife conservation, public arts, climate justice, etc. Recently, EBRPD and its archiving program has also become a partner. Students commit 25-30 hours to a project of their choice. 7 students in Fall 2020 worked with the archive-based historical scholarship with EBRPD and 7 more are enrolled in Spring 2021. Students collaborate to co-create projects and are challenged to deliver to professional standards.

Montano shared what this partnership looked like last semester. This program introduced Archives, History, and Cultural Resource Management at a park agency to future generations. Due to the pandemic, most of this has been remote so many historic documents and photographs had to be scanned to be able to be shared with the students. The project was to fill in the gaps of historic research to expand the knowledge of resources for EBRPD Archives from other sources nationally. The students were introduced to the Bancroft Library on campus and conducted researched there. They developed storytelling to engage with public audiences and supported programming and exhibits. In the future (post-COVID-19) students will visit the archives in person, assist with digitization, database entry, research and inventory at the archives, as well as historic site inventory or re-housing assistance.

Montano did an overview of the student’s projects, which included grazing history in our parks, women and environmental activism in the 1920’s and 30’s, and military history in our parks. One student focused on the natural history of Jewel Lake in Tilden Regional Park. Another focused on the Nike Missile Site and gathered images from other repositories that were new to us, as they are not part of our archives. Other examples included the history of the Meyers family in Dry Creek Pioneer, the Los Charros in Contra Loma, the women in the “Committee of 51”. Students presented in their chosen formats, from PowerPoint, brochure, to oral history.

Montano opened it up to suggestions from the committee on what ideas they had for the direction of this program and partnership.

Director Lane commends this work and will follow up with Brenda on suggested topics.

138 Director Waespi suggests delving into the historical and pioneering employees of EBRPD. He will also follow up with Brenda with his ideas. Director Coffey suggests looking into a project of UC Berkeley’s deep roots in the Park District including its 1930’s formation or this District and its plans of what it will become.

3. Review District Policy to Protect Endangered Species at Risk of Predation by Free- Roaming Cats (Kelchner)

AGM for Acquisition, Stewardship & Development Kristina Kelchner will make a presentation on the District’s current feral cat management program and recommended updates and revisions to the program. See the attached staff report for more information.

Interim General Manager and District Counsel Carol Victor gave an introduction to this topic. The Park District has the privilege of protecting and enhancing public habitats for threatened and endangered species and with that privilege comes a responsibility to manage those spaces and to protect them from risk of predation. The issue of how free roaming cats are managed in our parklands is an important and sensitive issue, and thus the District is reviewing the policy in response to public concerns.

AGM Kelchner gave the rest of the presentation. The Park District cares deeply of its responsibility to protect wildlife and wildlands, and are legally responsible to do so. The District understands the public’s concern about removing cats in our park lands and need public cooperation to not abandon or feed feral cats in sensitive areas. Last year, in fall of 2020, 18 cats that were hunting in protected marshlands were removed at MLK Shoreline. This occurred after numerous trapping efforts had failed over the course of 4 months. While communication was initiated with the on-site cat feeder, and attempts were made to remove the cats, the staff recognizes that it is time to relook at the cat policy that was last examined in 1999. A cornerstone of that update is to collaborate closely with the municipal animal shelters. The ideal goal is to trap and rehome cats to a new home for an indoor life.

The Bay Area is a global biodiversity hotspot with many species endemic to the area. This biodiversity is threatened by human encroachment. The Park District has an obligation to protect these species native to the East Bay land and to “preserve a rich heritage of natural and cultural resources”. Protecting species at risk of extinction is in fact required by regulatory permits and is a legal obligation under Federal and State law. EBRPD has mitigation parcels, which are restored wetlands created to mitigate the impacts of airport expansion and other human impacts. EBRPD protects unique species and healthy biodiverse ecosystems.

A substantial amount of public investment has been put into habitat restoration. For example, at MLK Regional Shoreline, 678 volunteers put in 3,714 hours to do weeding, vegetation control, and manage and maintain the habitat. Further, $50,000 of grant funds were put into this restoration with a proposed additional $750,000. At Hayward Regional Shoreline (Least Tern Island), 5,750 volunteers put in 30,500 hours, and $1 million was invested into the creation and maintenance of this habitat. A map of sensitive shoreline

139 parks was shared, showing the remaining 5% of historic shoreline habitat. This remaining fragmented area provides habitat for four endangered or threatened species: the California Ridgway’s rail, western snowy plover, California least tern, and salt marsh harvest mouse. Predator management is performed in areas within certain parks where breeding or foraging habitat for these protected species occurs.

California Ridgway’s rails, formerly known as California Clapper Rails, are federally endangered and state endangered. The population at MLK shoreline is critical to species recovery. There are 3 pairs of nesting Western snowy plovers at Hayward, with 4 birds fledged. California least terns have only 2 breeding colonies left in all of Northern California. These colonies are in Hayward Regional Shoreline and Alameda Point. Salt marsh harvest mouse is endemic to the San Francisco Bay and is one of the most endangered animals in the East Bay.

The primary cause of bird deaths per year in the United States is human encroachment, and the second is cat predation. An estimate of 2.4 billion birds are predated by cats.

“Free-roaming” cats describe cats that live exclusively outdoors, including feral and wild cats with low tolerance for humans and unowned, abandoned pets friendly to humans. “Cat Colony” refers to a group of free-roaming cats.

Cat colonies can be prevented. Park District Ordinance 38 prohibits dog, cat, or other animals in wetlands and marsh. It prohibits abandoning and feeding of cats on the parks as well. Natural and Cultural Resources Committee approved the current free-roaming cat management program in 1999. This policy states that lethal removal is the last resort to protecting endangered species in the event that other methods have failed.

The revisions we propose to the policy include an emphasis on education and prevention, formal collaboration with animal services agencies, and locating and managing colonies. There will also be greater transparency and reporting. EBRPD is working with 11 animal services agencies, with a commitment to regular meetings and development of a long- term cooperative agreement. Regional Perks Foundation has shown interest in funding the education and prevention efforts. These efforts include increased signage, better garbage cans, and more fencing. Locating and tracking cats will be a part of the policy in the form of a shared spreadsheet to track colonies for better management.

Lethal control is being maintained only as a last resort after all aforementioned efforts have failed, and only where an endangered species is present that are at risk of predation from free-roaming cats. The lethal removal will not be performed by district staff, but by federal agency partners.

There will be an annual report including information on education and abandonment prevention policies, trapping efforts, and lethal control conducted, if any. Finally, there will be a formal review of this policy in 5 years.

140 Staff requests that the NCRC Committee recommend that the Board of Directors adopt the proposed Free-Roaming Cat Management Policy as an update to the District’s current program.

4. Open Forum for Public Comment (Dir. Lane)

No email, voicemail, or Zoom comments from the public for items on the agenda.

Emails were submitted to [email protected]. Emails sent in by 4:00pm on Wednesday, February 24, 2021 were summarized at this meeting. There were 328 total emails from unique commenters (individuals who emailed multiple times were only counted once, but each email was forwarded to the Board of Directors. 4 emails were in support and state that it is important to remove cats from sensitive habitat area. Of these, 2 were in support of adopting the draft policy and 2 were in support of the option of lethal removal. 238 emails were submitted that were opposed to killing cats. Many of these commenters suggested that Park District should collaborate with Oakland Animal Services, other animal services agencies, or non-profit organizations to rehome cats. Many of these commenters also suggested that the Park District should employ the strategy of trap neuter and release. A large number of these comments were submitted by individuals outside of the area that had not reviewed the staff report and recommendations. 66 emails were submitted using a form letter from Alley Cat Allies, which were opposed. 15 emails that were submitted were generally opposed but were pulled out as “Unique” as they represented more unique viewpoints or mentioned items not mentioned in the other 238 emails. There were also 44 total voice messages from unique commenters, all opposed, which were transcribed.

There were 22 members of the community that joined the Zoom live for public comment.

The meeting adjourned at approximately 3:30 p.m. PST.

Meeting Minutes taken by: Koka Yamamoto

141 BOARD AND STAFF REPORTS AGENDA REGULAR MEETING BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EAST BAY REGIONAL PARK DISTRICT

Tuesday, September 7, 2021

C. BUSINESS BEFORE THE BOARD

5. BOARD AND STAFF REPORTS

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

San Francisco Public Utilities Commission – Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement

On August 24, 2021, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) authorized the SFPUC General Manager (GM) to participate and execute the Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement for the Los Vaqueros Reservoir Expansion Project (project). The project is led by the Contra Costa Water District (CCWD) and will help improve regional water supply reliability during droughts and other emergencies in the Bay Area and will also allow the SFPUC to purchase additional water to increase dry year reliability for customers. In addition to an expansion of the reservoir, the project includes a transfer pipeline to connect to Los Vaqueros Reservoir to Bethany Reservoir. Additional members of the LV JPA include the Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, Alameda County Water District, East Bay Municipal Utilities District, Grassland Water District, Santa Clara Valley Water District, SFPUC, the San Luis and Delta-Mendota Water District, and the California Department of Water Resources (as a non-voting member). The Park District continues to coordinate with CCWD on the project. The reservoir is located between Brentwood and Livermore, Park District parklands potentially affected by, or bordering the project, include Vasco Hills, Byron Vernal Pools, Vasco Caves, Round Valley, and Morgan Territory regional preserves.

Concord City Council/Local Reuse Authority – Master Developer Selection for the former Concord Naval Weapons Station

On August 21, 2021, the Concord City Council/Local Reuse Authority selected a development team comprised of Discovery Builders, Lewis Companies, and California Capital Investment Group to begin discussions on an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement to become the Master Developer team for the portion of the former Concord Naval Weapons Station that is proposed for development. The Council previously selected Lennar Concord, LLC as the Phase 1 Master Developer in 2016, but the developer was released from their contract in March 2020. The Concord Area Plan envisions development of up to 13,000 homes, commercial centers, parks, and new neighborhoods on the approximately 2,500 acres of land adjacent to the future Thurgood Marshall Regional Park.

142 NEWSCLIPS

143

Park It: Fremont’s Dumbarton Quarry Campground open for business District’s first full-service campground near bay includes 60 sites with full RV hookups; reservations being taken By NED MACKAY | East Bay Regional Park District PUBLISHED: August 29, 2021 at 5:00 a.m. | UPDATED: August 29, 2021 at 7:38 a.m.

Jane Tyska — staff photographer

The East Bay Regional Park District’s new Dumbarton Quarry Campground in Fremont, seen from the air above, is open. Amenities at the district’s first full-service campground near the San Francisco Bay shore include 60 sites with full RV hookups, restrooms and showers, a camp store, an amphitheater, a playground and picnic areas.

In the last column I mentioned that the East Bay Regional Park District’s new Dumbarton Quarry Campground in Fremont would open soon. Well, it’s open now, with a dedication ceremony having been held.

The campground is at the site of a former rock quarry adjacent to Coyote Hills Regional Park and close to Highway 84’s Dumbarton Bridge toll plaza. Amenities include 60 sites with full RV hookups, three sites with water only, restrooms and showers, a camp store, an amphitheater, a playground and picnic areas. This is the park district’s first full-service campground near the shore of San Francisco Bay.

Trails and bicycle paths connect it to Coyote Hills and the Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge on Highway 84’s south side through a path across the top of the toll plaza structure. Access to the campground is from Paseo Padre Parkway in Fremont. Reservations can be made online at reserveamerica.com or by calling 888-327-2757 and selecting option 2. There’s also lots of good information about the campground at ebparks.org/DQC.

Upcoming holiday: Labor Day weekend is usually one of the more crowded times in the East Bay Regional Parks. This may be especially true this year, as wildfires have required closures of many other parklands and open spaces statewide. All the regional parks and trails are scheduled to be open during the holiday weekend. If you’re planning a picnic, try to arrive early to be sure of securing a table. This is especially true at regional parks with swim areas. On Labor Day itself, picnic tables are available only on a first-come, first- served. COVID-19 remains a concern. Masks are recommended for indoor venues and crowded outdoor activities.

144 Of course, fire prevention is also a priority. No smoking is allowed in the regional parks. Campfires are allowed only in established fire circles at campgrounds. If you barbecue, please use the barbecue stands. Portable barbecues are OK if set up on bare ground next to an existing picnic table, but not on lawn areas or in tall, dry grass. Dispose of coals only in the concrete receptacles designed for that purpose, not in regular trash barrels.

For up-to-date information on the status of any regional park, visit the park district’s website at ebparks.org before setting out. Once in the park, please cooperate with any instructions from rangers, police, firefighters or other district staff, especially if there is an emergency.

In the water: Speaking of swim areas above, swimming is available on weekends at the pools in Castle Rock in Walnut Creek and Roberts Regional Recreation Area on Skyline Boulevard in Oakland. Lagoons and beaches are also open at Contra Loma in Antioch, Cull Canyon in Castro Valley, Del Valle south of Livermore, Don Castro in Hayward and Quarry Lakes in Fremont.

These parklands have lifeguard service, depending on weather and attendance. You can also swim at your own risk at Crown and Encinal beaches in Alameda and in Keller Cove at Miller-Knox Regional Shoreline in Point Richmond. These three beaches have no lifeguard service. For complete information on swim hours and fees, visit ebparks.org/activities/swimming online.

Check out chickens: For a farmyard experience on Labor Day weekend, try Ardenwood Historic Farm’s “Meet the Chickens” program in Fremont from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Sept. 5. Visitors can check out the farm’s chicken coop and learn a bit about chicken behavior while feeding the birds a snack. It’s a free program, and no registration is required. The Ardenwood farm is on Ardenwood Boulevard just off Highway 84. There’s an entry fee, but parking is free. For information, call 510-544-2797.

El Sobrante hike: After Labor Day weekend, the Over-the-Hills Gang will meet for a hike from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sept. 7 at Kennedy Grove Regional Recreation Area in El Sobrante. Led by naturalist “Trail Gail” Broesder, the gang is an informal group of hikers 55 and older interested in nature study, history, fitness and fun. Wear layered clothing and sturdy shoes. Bring water, a snack, sunscreen and a mask. Kennedy Grove is on San Pablo Dam Road between El Sobrante and Orinda. The hike is free, and registration is not necessary. For information, call 510-544-2233.

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146

The family on a hike. The runner who never came home. Are their deaths tied to climate change? Matthias Gafni Aug. 28, 2021Updated: Aug. 28, 2021 5:39 a.m. A roadside sign warns visitors as they enter Death Valley National Park about extreme heat. Three hikers have died at the park this summer. National Park Service

The temperature reached 109 degrees, investigators believe, when Jonathan Gerrish and his wife Ellen Chung hiked with their 1-year-old baby and dog earlier this month along a remote Mariposa County trail.

It was as hot as 106 on July 10 when ultrarunner Philip Kreycik went for a jog in the Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park.

The thermometer hit 108 on Aug. 18 along the Golden Canyon Trail in Death Valley National Park when 60-year-old San Francisco resident Lawrence Stanback braved the heat for a hike to the Red Cathedral.

None of them survived their adventures. Investigators believe heat played or may have played a role in their deaths.

As temperatures continue to rise in California and elsewhere due to climate change, state scientists warn that there will only be more opportunities for heat-related illness or death while residents enjoy the outdoors. The dangers will only increase.

“Everyone is high risk when it’s so hot outside,” said Rupa Basu, the chief air and climate epidemiologist with California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment.

Two years ago, Basu and her team published the Climate Change Indicators Report which, among other findings, determined that the risk of death increased with warming average temperatures. The warning stressed that certain groups — such as the elderly, young children, those with pre-existing health conditions and the economically disadvantaged — were at higher risk.

147 “Those engaged in vigorous physical activity outdoors ... are also at greater risk,” the study found.

Since 1950, extreme heat days between April and October in California have increased at a rate of about one extreme heat day per year, the study found. That rate has hastened in the past 30 years. On extreme heat days, temperatures are at or above the highest two percent of historical daily highs, while on extreme heat nights, they are at or above the highest two percent of historical daily lows.

Extreme heat nights, which have increased even faster than days, can make it harder for people to cool down during hot weather, the researchers said. That can affect higher risk people including the elderly.

“Over the last 20 years, every year is hotter than the last, more or less,” Basu said. “That’s part of the reason from a health standpoint why we need to be proactive because it’s changing so quickly.”

Heat causes more reported deaths annually on average in the United States than any other weather hazard, according to the report. And that’s despite heat illness and death being “severely underreported,” Basu said.

In 2006, a heat wave in California led to at least 140 deaths between July 15 and Aug. 1, more than 1,100 hospitalizations and about 16,000 emergency room visits.

A thermometer in front of Furnace Creek Visitor Center in Death Valley National Park tells visitors the temperature. Officials say it runs a couple degrees hotter than an official thermometer. The park warns visitors about extreme heat. National Park Service

Earlier this month, Stanback died a little more than a mile from the Death Valley National Park trailhead, which has a large warning sign saying, “Stop — Extreme Heat Danger — Walking after 10 a.m. not recommended.”

Nine of Death Valley’s 10 hottest summers have been recorded in the past 15 years, said park spokeswoman Abby Wines. Typically, she said, the park has one heat-related death every year or two, but it has seen three so far this summer.

“This particular summer has been really bad,” Wines said. “But the vast majority of our heat issues are not on the highest days.”

That’s because when the thermometer hits 130 degrees, like it did earlier this summer, visitors step out of their cars and immediately jump back in.

148 What also complicates matters are California’s microclimates, Basu said. The thermometer jumped from a high of 64 degrees in Berkeley on July 10 up to 106 when Kreycik decided to go for a jog 30 miles away in Pleasanton.

A search and rescue vehicle passes a poster for missing runner Philip Kreycik in Pleasanton in July.. Noah Berger/Special to The Chronicle

Despite his experience as a distance runner, GPS data from his smartphone indicate Kreycik experienced trouble after five miles, likely due to heat exposure, an Alameda County sheriff’s office spokesman said. He was found weeks later under a tree.

Investigators are still waiting for autopsies to come back with toxicology reports for the young and fit Mariposa family to determine what killed them and their dog. But they are already suspecting an amalgam of climate change impacts could have played a role.

Authorities believe the family left for their hike during an extreme heat day with temperatures between 103 and 109 degrees in the afternoon, under smoky conditions caused by another historic wildfire season. The 2018 Ferguson Fire burned down much of the vegetation along the trail, eliminating most shade along the grueling, 8.5-mile steep loop.

Detectives also have raised concerns that the family could have come in contact with toxic bacteria in the waterways along the hike.

Ellen Chung and husband Jonathan Gerrish, along with their 1-year-old daughter and dog, were found dead on a Mariposa hiking trail.

Provided by Steve Jeffe

Such freshwater blooms have taken hold in recent years, said University of Southern California biological sciences Professor David Caron. Climate change, particularly drought and hotter water, exacerbates such toxic blooms, he said.

When heat is dangerous

Extreme heat is becoming more common with climate change, and with it the danger of heat exhaustion. Here are the facts:

149 What is heat exhaustion?

A condition resulting from your body overheating, which can result in death. In hot weather, your body cools itself by sweating. The evaporation regulates your body temperature, but it's harder for your body to regulate in hot weather during physical exertion.

Heatstroke, the most serious and life-threatening heat-illness condition, occurs when your core body temperature reaches 104 degrees.

What are symptoms of heat exhaustion?

Cool, moist skin with goose bumps in the heat, heavy sweating, faintness, dizziness, fatigue, weak and rapid pulse, low blood pressure when standing, muscle cramps and nausea.

What to do if experiencing heat exhaustion?

Stop activity and rest, move to cooler area, drink cool water or sports drinks, contact a doctor if symptoms don't improve within an hour or if you're with someone who becomes confused, agitated, loses consciousness or is unable to drink.

Ways to prevent heat illness

Drink plenty of fluids, wear loose, lightweight clothing, protect against sunburn, avoid exertion during hottest times of the day, get acclimated and be cautious if you're at increased risk

Source: Mayo Clinic

“Freshwater is a little more of the Wild West,” Caron said. “This is something that’s come onto our radar in the last five, six, seven years.”

The bacteria can create toxins that can kill humans and animals. The U.S. Forest Service placed signage at the trailheads, warning hikers, among other things, not to drink the water or eat shellfish.

In addition to more extreme conditions, there are just more people out in the heat. The public is visiting national and regional parks in record numbers as they look for outdoor recreation amid a pandemic. From 2014 to 2016, the National Park system saw 16 heat- related deaths.

Basu, whose group plans to release an updated climate report later this year, said society should be proactive ahead of the new dangers. Perhaps closing down trails when temperatures surpass certain thresholds or increasing public education, she said.

“Communities with such measures will be better able to protect against heat-related illnesses and deaths as California continues to warm,” the study found.

150

Posted on: August 27, 2021 The Mercury News THREE LAWSUITS FILED AGAINST CONTRA COSTA COUNTY FOR NEW-HOME APPROVALS IN PROTECTED OPEN SPACE Danville, California's lawsuit follows suits from environmental groups and the East Bay Municipal Utility District. Adobe Stock / Sundry Photography The city of Danville, California, has filed suit against Contra Costa County for its approval of 125 new homes in a section of protected open space in the Tassajara Valley. Danville lies directly west of the proposed 30-acre development and alleges that the county unfairly prevented the city from participating in project negotiations. The agreement between the county, the city of San Ramon and the East Bay Regional Park District couldn’t have been reached had Danville participated because existing law allows the line to be expanded only when a majority of cities affected by the boundary shift agree to it. “We were left out of the agreement because if they included us, then the board wouldn’t be able to make the finding they needed to make,” Danville City Manager Joe Calabrigo said last month after the Board of Supervisors voted 4-1 to expand the line. Danville’s lawsuit is the latest of three filed in the past week against Contra Costa County related to this development. Other suits include a collective filing by the Sierra Club, Greenbelt Alliance, and two individuals, and a separate suit from the East Bay Municipal Utility District, which alleges it doesn’t have enough water to deliver to the new homes.

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Climate Change May Turn Even Experienced Outdoorspeople Into Newbies

But on a rapidly-changing planet, experience can be deceiving. June 2021 was the hottest June in 127 years of record-keeping. It outpaced the previous peak of June 2016 by 0.9 degrees. When he disappeared in July, Kreycik, the Bay Area trail runner, was on what should have been a fairly standard trek in Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park. But GPS data from Kreycik’s smart watch, along with insight from his family and friends, suggest he simply wasn’t prepared for that day’s 106 degree high.

In theory, there are ways to manage risks as one’s underlying assumptions about environment become unreliable. Anyone can read up on basic hiking precautions online. Platforms like All Trails are designed to provide users with granular details about the demands of a hike before they go out. Emergency weather radios designed for backpacking can offer vital information about wildfires changing path or picking up speed. And if you’re new to intense outdoor activities, mentors or clubs can be a safe alternative to stepping out for the first time alone, said Alyssa Amos Clark, an ultra runner currently based in California. In every case, the key is to “challenge yourself, but also [give] yourself bail-out options,” Clark told me. For example, both Clark and Carson have a device called the Garmin inReach, which allows them to share their locations to an appointed friend or family member, send and receive text messages, and even trigger an SOS that connects users with a professional 24/7 search and rescue monitor center. It’s pricey—around $450 for the device, plus a satellite subscription—but it can be a literal lifesaver. Personal preparedness is not enough, however. People who care about nature—and staying safe in it—have to engage in broader climate action, Clark said. For her part, she has recently switched to a plant-based diet, given meat’s large environmental and emissions impact. She and many other ultra runners are racing closer to home, or paying to offset the carbon from their travels. In the modern era, the camper’s classic ethical imperative to “leave no trace” now includes emissions, too.

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Dumbarton Quarry Campground on the San Francisco Bay is the area's first new campsite in decades Andrew Chamings Aug. 26, 2021Updated: Aug. 27, 2021 12:26 p.m. Arial photo of Dumbarton Quarry before it was filled. East Bay Parks

A brand new family campground on the site of a giant gravel pit right on the waters of the San Francisco Bay is opening Friday, after decades of development.

The 60-acre Dumbarton Quarry Campground in Fremont consists of 63 family campsites, a camp store, showers, a playground, picnic sites and access to the waterfront trails in Coyote Hills Regional Park. Reservations for campsites opened this week. “The public has a Bayfront local destination perfect for urban family camping and, importantly, paid for by private funding,” said Park District Director Ayn Wieskamp in a statement. “That’s an exciting reason to celebrate.” East Bay Parks say that Dumbarton Quarry is the first urban campground developed along the San Francisco Bay, and one of the newest large campgrounds opened in California in three decades. Dumbarton Quarry Campsite. East Bay Parks

The campground, on the north side of the Dumbarton Bridge in Alameda County, was a long time coming. Once the site of a 300-foot deep, 1,400 feet wide quarry, the rocks dug there helped build early Bay Area freeways, bridges, and roads in the 1950s. Plans to fill the chasm and build a family campsite have been in the works since the 1970s. Beyond negotiations between quarry owners, the Oliver DeSilva Company, the City of Fremont and the East Bay Regional Parks District, the biggest task was filling the giant hole. The quarry took 12 years to fill using six million cubic yards of dirt from major construction projects in the Bay Area, including the Bart extension to San Jose. The top 50 feet of dirt was then compacted with a 10-ton weight suspended from a crane.

153

Dumbarton Quarry Campsite. East Bay Parks

“This project represents the best of public/private partnerships and is a win for the local economy and environment. Opening this wonderful campground may have taken 40 years but it has been worth the wait,” Wieskamp added. A dedication celebration including walking tours and a ribbon cutting is scheduled for Saturday at noon. Campsite fees range from $45 to $75. To make a reservation at Dumbarton Quarry visit the East Bay Parks site here.

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First new park and campground in decades along San Francisco Bay to open at former quarry site Dumbarton Quarry converted from gravel pit to family campsite By PAUL ROGERS | [email protected] | Bay Area News Group PUBLISHED: August 26, 2021 at 5:46 a.m. | UPDATED: August 26, 2021 at 10:40 a.m. FREMONT, CA – AUGUST 24: The East Bay Regional Park District’s new Dumbarton Quarry Campground is seen from this drone view on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021, in Fremont, Calif. The former quarry has been turned into a park for recreational vehicle and tent camping, and will have a picnic area, playground, amphitheater, restrooms and trails. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

For years, the Dumbarton Quarry was a giant hole in the ground, a 320-foot deep gravel pit that produced rock used for half a century to build up San Francisco and Oakland’s airports, freeways, bridges and other building projects.

But now the former industrial site on San Francisco Bay’s waterfront in Fremont will build something new: Family memories and a love of the outdoors.

On Friday, after 14 years of planning, negotiations and construction to fill the massive hole in the ground, the East Bay Regional Park District will open a campground replacing the former quarry with picnic areas, a playground, 200-seat amphitheater, restrooms, showers and trails.

The project on the north side of the Dumbarton Bridge in Alameda County will connect the Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge with Coyote Hills Regional Park, a popular East Bay attraction visited by more than 600,000 hikers, bicyclists and outdoor lovers last year. It is one of the only public campgrounds to be built near the bay’s shoreline in decades, a situation driven in large part by high land prices, and a reluctance of some parks districts to construct new facilities that will require hiring more staff to maintain.

In an era when even modest hotel rooms can cost hundreds of dollars a night, supporters say the project will provide working-class families affordable, overnight vacation opportunities.

“This is going to bring a whole new generation of urban families to camp,” said Bob Doyle, the former general manager of East Bay parks who negotiated the deal. “You don’t have

155 to go to Tahoe. You don’t have to go to a crowded national park. It’s going to be right in the Bay Area’s back yard.”

Dumbarton Quarry, shown here in 2005, was 320 feet deep. Closed in 2007, it was filled in with dirt and rock from multiple construction projects, including the expansion of BART to the South Bay, and converted into a campground operated by the East Bay Regional Park District. The facility opens on Friday with 63 campsites, 60 of which have hookups for RVs.

Reservations for campsites began Wednesday, at $45 for tent camping and $65 for RV camping, and can be made by going to reserveamerica.com and entering “Dumbarton Quarry Campground” or by calling (888) 327-2757 or by emailing [email protected]. The project has a long and winding history.

The quarry opened in the 1950s and soon became a heavily industrialized site, with an asphalt plant, giant steam shovels, bulldozers and other equipment. Eventually the pit was 320 feet deep and 1,400 feet across — a hard rock mine as wide as four football fields.

State and federal laws require mining companies to repair or reclaim their property when mining is finished. In 1977, Dumbarton Quarry Associates, the property’s owner, applied to the city of Fremont to extend its permit and continue operations at the quarry. The request was controversial, with some residents wanting the quarry shut down. After negotiations, city leaders agreed to extend the permit. But they required the land to be reclaimed and transferred to the park district by 1997.

When that date arrived, the company sought an extension. The park district and the city agreed to delay the transfer for 10 more years in exchange for the company designing, constructing and paying for a future park and campgrounds at the site.

The quarry shut down in 2007. Originally, the company planned to fill the pit with water and turn it into a lake with recreational boating. But the state was in a drought at the time, and a consistent water source couldn’t be found. Plans to take water from Alameda Creek

156 fell through over concerns about endangered steelhead trout, and then other issues about the water stagnating ended the lake idea.

Facing a potentially lengthy court battle, in 2012 the company, the city and the park district approved final plans for the campgrounds.

The pit was filled with 6 million cubic yards of dirt and rock — enough to fill 600,000 dump trucks. The process took 12 years.

The dirt and rock came from multiple large construction projects around the Bay Area over the past decade that needed a disposal site, including the expansion of BART to the South Bay, and the San Francisco Central Subway Muni extension, which includes two large tunnels in the city’s Chinatown area.

Crews from Dumbarton Quarry Associates compacted the top 50 feet of dirt with a 10-ton weight suspended from a crane. The company spent $15 million on the project, bringing in water lines, sewer lines, electricity, the campsites, even wifi.

“Everybody is pretty proud of it. It’s going to be a tremendous resource for the area,” said Bob McCarrick, president of Dumbarton Quarry Associates, which is part of DeSilva Gates Construction in Dublin.

A store will open in a month, with laundry, firewood sales, and even plans to rent camping gear. Over the next 10 years, plans call for more facilities to be built, including an events building that could host weddings and other occasions, along with 19 additional campsites, 28 cabins and two large group camping areas.

Ten years ago, when Jim O’Connor, the park district’s assistant general manager of operations, first began work at East Bay parks, he flew over the quarry site in a helicopter.

“My predecessor told me, that’s going to be a park,” he said. “I thought, not in my lifetime.”

But now the newly planted trees, wildflowers, and bushes are taking root. The trail linking the campground to Coyote Hills is finished, and a new chapter is unfolding.

“You’ll be able to watch the sunset over the bay and hike down to your campsite,” O’Connor said. “This is going to evolve over time. It’s going to be a really nice facility.”

FREMONT, CA – AUGUST 24: A portion of the East Bay Regional Park District’s new Dumbarton Quarry Campground, bottom right, is seen from this drone view on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021, in Fremont, Calif. The former quarry has been turned into a park for recreational vehicle and tent camping, and will have a picnic area, playground, amphitheater, restrooms and trails. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

157 FREMONT, CA – AUGUST 24: With Fremont Mayor Lily Mei nearby, Bob McCarrick, right, of Dumbarton Quarry Associates, is photographed at the East Bay Regional Park District’s Dumbarton Quarry Campground on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021, in Fremont, Calif. The former quarry has been turned into a park, for RV and tent camping along with a picnic area, playground, amphitheater, restrooms and trails. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group) Dumbarton Quarry, shown here in 2005, was 320 feet deep. Closed in 2007, it was filled in with dirt and rock from multiple construction projects, including the expansion of BART to the South Bay, and converted into a campground operated by the East Bay Regional Park District.

FREMONT, CA – AUGUST 24: Fremont Mayor Lily Mei photographs an area under construction at the Dumbarton Quarry Campground on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021, in Fremont, Calif. The former quarry has been turned into a park, for RV and tent camping along with a picnic area, playground, amphitheater, restrooms and trails. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)

158 FREMONT, CA – AUGUST 24: The East Bay Regional Park District Dumbarton Quarry Campground is photographed on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021, in Fremont, Calif. The former quarry has been turned into a park, for RV and tent camping along with a picnic area, playground, amphitheater, restrooms and trails. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)

FREMONT, CA – AUGUST 24: The East Bay Regional Park District’s new Dumbarton Quarry Campground is seen from this drone view on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021, in Fremont, Calif. The former quarry has been turned into a park for recreational vehicle and tent camping, and will have a picnic area, playground, amphitheater, restrooms and trails. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

FREMONT, CA – AUGUST 24: A worker walks past a playground at the Dumbarton Quarry Campground on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021, in Fremont, Calif. The former quarry has been turned into a park, for RV and tent camping along with a picnic area, playground, amphitheater, restrooms and trails. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)

FREMONT, CA – AUGUST 24: Campsites for recreational vehicles are photographed at the East Bay Regional Park District’s Dumbarton Quarry Campground on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021, in Fremont, Calif. The former quarry has been turned into a park, for RV and tent camping along with a picnic area, playground, amphitheater, restrooms and trails. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)

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FREMONT, CA – AUGUST 24: Dirt is unloaded at the East Bay Regional Park District’s Dumbarton Quarry Campground on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021, in Fremont, Calif. The former quarry has been turned into a park, for RV and tent camping along with a picnic area, playground, amphitheater, restrooms and trails. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)

FREMONT, CA – AUGUST 24: East Bay Regional Park District staff members Dave Mason, left, Jim O’Connor, center, and Fremont Mayor Lily Mei, right, are photographed in an RV campsite at the Dumbarton Quarry Campground on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021, in Fremont, Calif. The former quarry has been turned into a park, for RV and tent camping along with a picnic area, playground, amphitheater, restrooms and trails. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)

FREMONT, CA – AUGUST 24: A portion of the East Bay Regional Park District’s new Dumbarton Quarry Campground is seen from this drone view on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021, in Fremont, Calif. The former quarry has been turned into a park for recreational vehicle and tent camping, and will have a picnic area, playground, amphitheater, restrooms and trails. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group) FREMONT, CA – AUGUST 24: Workers finish construction of an amphitheater inside the Dumbarton Quarry Campground on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021, in Fremont, Calif. The former quarry has been turned into a park, for RV and tent camping along with a picnic area, playground, amphitheater, restrooms and trails. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)

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FREMONT, CA – AUGUST 24: East Bay Regional Park District’s new Dumbarton Quarry Campground is photographed on Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2021, in Fremont, Calif. The former quarry has been turned into a park, for RV and tent camping along with a picnic area, playground, amphitheater, restrooms and trails. (Aric Crabb/Bay Area News Group)

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Bring on the Marshmallows

August 26, 2021 Mark Kuhar Aug. 26, 2021 – Over the years, we have seen former quarry operations become many things. But an urban campground is a new one. For years, the Dumbarton Quarry in Fremont, Calif., was a giant hole in the ground, a 320-ft.-deep gravel pit that produced rock used for half a century to build up San Francisco and Oakland’s airports, freeways, bridges and other building projects. But now the former industrial site on San Francisco Bay’s waterfront will create family memories and a love of the outdoors. After 14 years of planning, negotiations and construction to fill the massive hole in the ground, the East Bay Regional Park District is about to open a campground replacing the former quarry with picnic areas, a playground, 200-seat amphitheater, restrooms, showers and trails. Read about it here.

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East Bay residents complain of pet-killing coyotes; man offers, then withdraws, $250 bounty A coyote in the East Bay hills.| Photo: Laila Weir/Hoodline By Laila Weir - Published on August 25, 2021. Early in the pandemic, heartwarming reports of wild animals reclaiming temporarily abandoned urban areas proliferated. But the truth is that sharing living space with wild animals is challenging, as numerous clashes with coyotes around the Bay Area this year have highlighted. Some of these native predators have been killing small pets, one charged toddlers in San Francisco, and one particularly aggressive coyote bit five people in the East Bay. Some residents of the East Bay hills are getting so fed up with increasingly bold coyotes going after pets that one bereaved cat owner briefly offered a $250 bounty for dead coyotes before withdrawing it when California's Department of Fish and Wildlife warned him it was illegal. Messages have been flying on neighborhood-based social-media site Nextdoor, with residents in Berkeley, Kensington, and other hillside areas reporting coyote attacks on pets, sightings of coyotes running with cats in their mouths, and encounters with aggressive coyotes that didn't back down easily. There have been stories of dead cats, people chasing away coyotes mid-attack and pets rushed to the ER. Some posts include photos of the coyotes or pets; one photo showed large amounts of cat fur scattered across the street after the cat was reportedly killed by a coyote. Increasingly outraged residents have urged action from local officials and circulated petitions, with rhetoric getting heated at times as other residents pushed back. “As a city Berkeley has clearly lost the will, no doubt in part because of the cost,” Hadley Louden of Berkeley wrote in a post quoted by Berkeleyside after he said his cat was killed by a coyote. “That’s why we are offering a $250 Reward Offered for all Dead Coyotes!” The killing of Louden's cat, and his post about a reward, were the culmination of escalating encounters that the Berkeley man and other East Bay hills residents had been posting about for some time. A representative of the Fish and Wildlife Department, which Louden had already been in touch with over the previous encounters, informed him that the offer broke state law, and Louden modified his post in response, according to the outlet. Louden told the paper that his reward had been intended as "compensation for professional trapping services performed within the law." Coyotes are naturally timid, according to experts. If the animals aren't easily scared off by people, it can be a sign they've lost their natural fear of humans. "When a coyote fails to exhibit fear of humans or acts aggressively, the animal should be reported as soon as possible to the appropriate officials," advises the Urban Coyote Research Project. Examples of aggressive behavior include agitated and unprovoked barking, raised hackles, snarling, growling, and lunging. As urban sprawl increases and coyote habitat shrinks, the animals naturally come into increasing contact with people and pets, a situation easily exacerbated when drought makes food and water harder to find. Hungry coyotes and those habituated to humans

163 may view small pets as prey, but experts say that the animals are likely first drawn to an area by other food sources, such as pet food or edible garbage left outside. Coyote attacks on people are rare — the Humane Society that more people are killed by errant golf balls or champagne corks each year than are bitten by coyotes — but certainly not unheard-of. In March, Fish and Wildlife killed a coyote in Moraga that had bitten three adults and two children over the previous months. In July, officials killed a coyote in San Francisco that had charged toddlers on a number of occasions, although it had never bitten anyone. The discussion of how best to coexist with coyotes can get divisive, with some urging more aggressive control and others arguing against trapping or killing the animals. Moraga Police Chief Jon King told KGO that dealing with the coyote there that bit five people was challenging. "There were a lot of people who thought we should be shooting every coyote that we saw even if it was trotting down a neighborhood street and there were others who didn't want us to harm a hair on one's head. So trying to strike the balance and maintain neighborhood safety was at times a difficult undertaking," King told the outlet. But all experts seem to agree on one thing: People feeding coyotes, either intentionally or unintentionally by leaving out garbage or pet food, is a major source of trouble. For example, animal control officers blamed people feeding coyotes in San Francisco for the behavior of the coyote that charged toddlers in the city. "It saddens us that this outcome was 100 percent caused by humans feeding and befriending this animal," San Francisco Animal Care and Control executive director Virginia Donohue told KTVU after the animal was euthanized. "We implore people to stop feeding wild animals." Advice from organizations ranging from Fish and Wildlife to the Humane Society encourages people to attempt to reinstill a fear of humans in coyotes by "hazing" them — yelling at them, throwing things, and generally trying to scare them off, the method employed by the so-called "bear whisperer" of Southern California to keep residents safe from bears without having to kill them. (See Hoodline's compilation of expert advice for dealing with coyote encounters.) Residents say this may not always work with some coyotes, however. Louden said coyotes stalked his pets for weeks before one finally killed his cat, describing encounters in which he attempted to haze them and scare them off by throwing rocks and yelling, only to have them initially stand their ground, snarling, or return soon afterward. Berkeleyside reports that Louden called 911, Berkeley animal services, and Fish and Wildlife, but officials said they couldn't do anything because no people had been hurt. “[The coyote] is a tremendously adaptable animal and it has absolutely no doubt learned how to move into suburban and even urban habitat,” Doug Bell, wildlife program manager for the East Bay Regional Park District, told that outlet. “Coyotes know how to co-exist. I don’t know if we know how to co-exist with them yet. But we’ll have to moving forward.”

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Runner’s puzzling death in California park could be explained by data from smartwatch BY SUMMER LIN AUGUST 25, 2021 11:31 AM

Runner Philip Kreycik could’ve had a heat stroke at Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park, the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office said. ALAMEDA COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

GPS data from a smartwatch could shed insight on the death of a runner who went missing for a month in a California park, according to authorities.

Philip Kreycik, who disappeared last month while running in Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park and whose body was identified by his family Aug. 5, could have died from a heat stroke, according to GPS data from his smartwatch, the Mercury News reported.

Kreycik could have died around 4.5 hours after starting his run and wavering off course, according to the publication.

“Some experts in this field looked at the data and explained to us that it’s very possible that he had a heat stroke-related incident,” Sgt. Ray Kelly, spokesman for the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, told the San Francisco Chronicle. “This can cause people to hallucinate and act out in irrational ways before they become unconscious.”

Kreycik went for a 6- to 8-mile run on the morning of July 10 and left his wallet and phone inside his car. He didn’t return home.

An autopsy report obtained by the Chronicle found “no signs of traumatic injuries” and suggested that Kreycik could’ve “experienced an altered mental state.”

East Bay Regional Park District Police Department Capt. Lance Brede said the body was not “readily visible from the trail” and was far from any trail, SFGate reported.

“We believe that Philip was located in a very remote area of the park,” Brede said, according to SFGate. “It is not a designated trail. He was located 250 yards off the trail, near a tree.”

Police said they were worried because temperatures reached triple digits the day Kreycik disappeared, and search teams, including scent hounds, were called to look for him, according to NBC Bay Area.

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From the Open-Publishing Newswire Concord Police Association Back Seeno - Developer With Criminal History by Pseudonymous Monday Aug 23rd, 2021 3:31 PM It is not usual for a police officers' association to openly express an opinion in a development decision. Yet, the Concord Police Association, which represents 130 police officers, openly supported Seeno/Discovery Builders - a company known for mortgage fraud, price inflation, the desecration of a Patwin burial site, and who recently tried to sue the East Bay Regional Parks in an attempt to stop the development of the the Thurgood Marshall Regional Park in the Concord hillside. The president of the Oakland Police Officers' Association also spoke in favor of Seeno. A special meeting was held on on August 21, by Concord city council sitting in their capacity as the Concord Reuse Authority. The city of Concord has been trying to find a master developer for the old Concord Naval Weapons station. Lennar was the prior choice, but was later rejected for not agreeing to hiring directly-local union workers. The meeting on the 21st was the final interview for the 3 companies who made it through the latest consideration process. Mayor Tim McGallian and all city council members were present for the meeting which spanned over 9 hours. The majority of submitted spoken and written comment from the public was against the developer Seeno/Discovery. Individuals, community groups and official non-profit organizations expressed overwhelming concern about Seeno's history, and infamous business practices. The majority of the public were in favor of the 2 other developer options: either Brookfield or City Ventures. Brookfield and City Ventures both agreed to a hyper-local union hiring agreement.

Seeno/Discovery did not offer a proposal with the same dedication to affordable housing and ecologically innovative development as the 2 other companies competing for the contract. Seeno is partnering with Phil Togami, who wanted to bring in coal via rail into the city of Oakland. Seeno/Discovery also has a history of unethical business practices and corporate crime. On the typical end of the scale, Seeno has faced home buyer complaints of construction defects and soil movement. More notable are a myriad of scandals.

Seeno/Discovery broke environmental law, damaging a red-legged frog habitat during a development project in Pittsburg, California. Having hired an environmental consultant, Albert Seeno Jr knew the frogs were present and were an endangered species. He ordered his team to fill in the frog ponds with dirt. Seeno ultimately paid $1million in damages, and had to set aside over 100 acres of land for frogs habitiat.

In Yolo County, a Patwin burial site was torn up by a subcontractor hired by Seeno.

166 Albert Seeno Jr and Albert Seeno III were previously informed there were Patwin remains on the acreage their subcontractor was working on. When the remains of over a dozen people were unearthed, proper authorities were not contacted, and an effort was made to cover up what had happened.

Seeno sued the East Bay Regional Parks District in an attempt to stop the EBRPD from creating a new regional park in the Concord hillside. The park will honor those who died in the Port Chicago explosion and the former Concord Naval Weapons station, preserve habitat for native plants and animals, and offer camp grounds. Albert Seeno III initially tried to sue the Navy to halt the land transfer from the Navy to EBRPD. After that failed, Albert Seeno III sued the EBRPD directly, claiming that the park would harm his plans to develop a second housing project on the Pittsburg side of the hill ridgeline. Seeno's lawsuit was a delay to the EBRPD, but Seeno lost his lawsuit. Seeno is still developing the housing project in Pittsburg, and has expressed intentions to limit access to the new Thurgood Mashall Park from the Pittsburg side of the hills.

Seeno/Disovery was fined $11 million in bank fraud, participating in a builder bailout scam. Albert Seeno III avoided personal prosecution, by dubiously claiming that Ayman Shahid - the manager of the Seeno/Discovery Sales division - was acting without the knowledge of Albert Seeno III himself. In a plea deal, Ayman Shahid has offered to work with the FBI to investigate Albert Seeno III.

In response, Albert Seeno III said he would kill Ayman Shahid. Seeno was arrested and charged with witness tampering. The charge was later dropped, as the FBI could not prove Seeno had intent to follow through with his words. Although, Albert Seeno III is alleged to have a history of hiring people to threaten business partners and business rivals.

Due to their history, Seeno/Discovery is barred from getting contracts in the state of Nevada. They have been shunned by the city of Walnut Creek. In the city of Concord, however, they have the support of Mayor Tim McGallian, Vice-Mayor Dominc Aliano, Councilperson Edi Birsan, and the Concord Police Officers' Association. The police are backing the developer with a criminal history of fraud, embezzlement, witness tampering, and violating both environmental and archeological laws. Over the years, various people within the Seeno/Discovery organization have been arrested, including Albert Seeno III. They have paid many millions of dollars in fines, for a range of violations. Yet, Seeno/Discovery was the developer the membership of the Concord Police have chosen to back. In addition, the president of the Oakland Police Officer's Association, a Concord resident, also expressed his support for Seeno.

The following are transcriptions of comments submitted via email to Concord city council, as read into the official record by the Concord city clerk. This is all in the public record, including the names of the police. Nothing printed below violates privacy laws or violates the "The Law Enforcement Officers' Bill of Rights". The video from which this transcription was made is available on the city of Concord website.

"Mayor and council. My name is Barry Donelan. I am a Concord resident and a police

167 officer in the city of Oakland. [Note: He is a Sergent, and is the president of the Oakland POA]. Who you select today for the master developer of the Concord Naval Weapons station matters greatly to our community. I am writing to ask you to support the discovery team including Phil Togami, who has been a wealth of talent and knowledge in Oakland. We need a local developer team, who knows this community and who can work closely with local labor, this city and those of us who live here in Concord. Thank you for taking my support in consideration when you vote. Barry Donelan."

"Mayor McGallian, Vice-Mayor Aliano, Council Members. Many of you know me. My name is Ron Bruckert, a current resident of Concord many years, and a retired police officer with the Concord police department. I have also served for many years as President of the Concord Police Officers' Association. I am emailing today to reiterate the reasons why the Concord Police Officers' Association whole-heartedly endorses the Discovery development team as the next master developer for the Concord Naval Weapons Station. Quite simply, when the Concord community has specific needs, the Discovery team will be there for all of us, and won't have to run ideas, community partnerships, or financial commitments up the corporate flag for a decision that would be based on the company's bottom line. The Discovery group and its partners not only have the experience to successfully partner with the city on a project this complicated, but they will have - as they always do - the best interest of police, fire and our Concord community in mind when making decisions of the Naval Weapons Station. Please register my support for Discovery Homes, Lewis Homes, and California Captial. We need them fighting for us. Ron Bruckert."

"Mayor McGallian, Vice-Mayor Aliano, and Council Members. My name is Joe Higby, a longtime police officer [Note: rank of Detective] with the Concord Police Department. I am emailing you today on behalf of the Concord Police Association, representing 130 officers here in Concord. We are asking for your support for the Discovery team as the next master developer of the Concord Naval Weapons Station project. ...[Sentence fragment unclear]... and I am confident that having a local developer team from Concord and East Bay is the best option for the city and our residents. Thank you taking the Concord Police Association's support for the Discovery Team into consideration for the master developer. Joe Higby."

The choosing of a master developer is not a public safety issue. There is no direct reason for the Concord police to have influenced the decision. They don't regularly participate in decisions about development. It is unusual for the city of Concord and the Bay Area in general, for a police officers' association to involve itself so directly in such matters. Not only did the Concord police get involved, but the president of the Oakland POA did as well. This is irregular, and could be the start of a trend for police to shape all manner of public policy here in Concord.

The only opposition was from Councilpersons Carlyn Obringer and Laura Hoffmeister, who both wanted Brookfield to be the master developer. It took political courage to go against the police union. According to these 2 Council persons, Brookfield had a better presentation and offered the experience needed for a large mixed-use project on former military land which needs remediation. With council majority, 3 against 2,

168 Seeno/Discovery won the exclusive negotiation agreement with Concord. Not only did Councilperson Edi Birsan support Seeno/Discovery, but he personally chastised Save Mt Diablo, the membership of Save Mt Diablo and various community members who spoke out against Seeno/Discovery. In a bit of a meandering tirade, he expressed outrage that people were speaking out against Seeno/Discovery.

The decision made on Saturday only means that at this time, no other company can negotiate with the city of Concord regarding the development of the former Naval Base while Seeno/Discovery negotiates with Concord. Seeno/Discovery has not fully completed the selection process. The public can still demand that Concord city council resend the negotiation agreement with Seeno/Discovery, and express concern that the decision was so obviously influenced by the police department as to favor the least qualified, and most corrupt of the 3 applicants.

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Bay Area Outdoors: 3 great fishing spots for Free Fishing Day or anytime By NORA HESTON TARTE, CORRESPONDENT | Columnist PUBLISHED: August 23, 2021 at 9:25 a.m. | UPDATED: August 23, 2021 at 10:49 a.m. Along the calm waters of the Delta, two men try their luck fishing from a boat at Holland Tract, Calif., on Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016. Warm temperatures lured many outside to enjoy the day. (Susan Tripp Pollard/Bay Area News Group)

Whether you’re an occasional fisherman or a total trout newbie, chances are good that you’ve at least imagined spending an idyllic afternoon casting your line off a wooden dock, chilled beer or soda in hand. Perhaps you’ve even dreamed of a weekend away, a boat at your disposal, and the happy hours spent reeling in a fresh catch to grill up for dinner.

May we suggest doing that Labor Day Weekend?

Twice a year, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife declares a hiatus from the usual license rules, a Free Fishing Day when anyone can enjoy the pastime without a license. The next one will be Sept. 4. Consider it an invitation for newbies of all ages to join the splashy fun at a lake or reservoir close to home or further afield. (Of course, you don’t have to limit yourself to just that day. You can fish anytime. A one-day fishing license is $16, an annual license is $53, and kids under age 16 are always free.) Here are a few of our favorite lakes and waterways for Bay Area families to enjoy, rod and reel in hand.

Quick trip: Lake Chabot This 315-acre, manmade lake and surrounding park straddle Oakland’s city limits and unincorporated Castro Valley. Anglers flock here for the trout fishing, although Lake Chabot has catfish, too. But the lake is re-stocked with 1,200 pounds of trout every two weeks, raising the odds of hook-and-sinker success.

There are two popular methods of fishing here. If you’re bait fishing for trout, use nightcrawlers on small hooks to lure the fish in. Catfish will respond to larger hooks baited with chicken liver or small fish like anchovies and mackerel. Another tactic that works well for trout is trolling a nightcrawler behind some flashers to catch the fish’s attention.

You’ll find the best biting action in the area between Indian Cove and Raccoon Point for trout, and Honker Bay for catfish that have made it past the summer rush.

170 New to fishing? You can rent gear for $10 per day from the Lake Chabot Marina & Café. There are rental boats available, too, including rowboats ($28 per hour) and electric motor boats ($37-$53).

Post-fishing fun: Once you’re done reeling them in, explore Lake Chabot Regional Park. Part of the East Bay Regional Parks system, the park is filled with scenic hikes on paved and dirt trails that offer views of the water. And the Oakland Zoo is a 10-minute drive away. Grab a bite: The waterside cafe is open for grab-and-go fare daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. No grill fare right now — you’ll have to try the famous Skippy Burger, peanut butter and all, at a later time. But sandwiches, wraps, salads and box lunches are all tasty possibilities. Details: The Lake Chabot Marina rental counter is open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, until 5:30 p.m. on weekends at 17936 Lake Chabot Road, Castro Valley; https://www.lakechabotrecreation.com. Find park and trail information at www.ebparks.org/parks/lake_chabot/.

Day trip: California Delta Largemouth bass, anyone? A Delta day trip is just the thing if you’re looking for something farther afield. With river frontage from San Joaquin to Sacramento counties, the Delta offers plenty of options for casting a line. You’ll want to stay near the banks and fish along the tall weeds favored by secretive bass. They like lurking under docks, too. Eye-catching spinnerbaits should be tempting enough to garner plenty of bites.

Relative ease in catching fish here makes it a good bet for those new to the sport. If you don’t have a fishing boat of your own, H20 Craft Rentals in Manteca and Delta Rental Center at Bethel Island’s Sugar Barge Resort have rentals to spare. Buckley Cove Park and Dad’s Point, both in Stockton, offer good dock fishing.

Post-fishing fun: Most of these waterways offer prime fishing, but if you’re after largemouth bass in particular, Stockton is a good destination — and it offers other things to do once you set down your rod. If you have little ones in tow, cruise into town to visit the Children’s Museum of Stockton. Or head for Banner Island Ballpark, where the Stockton Ports minor league baseball team takes on the Fresno Grizzlies Sept. 4. Expect fireworks. Grab a bite: Bob’s at the Marina offers Delta-front dining, plenty of “best of” awards and a motto that promises “almost world famous hamburgers.” How can you resist? They serve breakfast and other grub, too, but you’ll want to treat yourself to Bob’s Giant Bacon Cheeseburger. Don’t skip the fries. Details: There are several boat rental options up here. Bethel Island’s Delta Rental Center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at the Sugar Barge Resort at 1440 Sugar Barge Road. Fishing boat rentals start at $150 for four hours, http://deltaboatrental.com. Manteca’s H20 Craft is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily at 1162 Bessemer Ave. Fishing boat rentals start at $225 per day; https://www.h2ocraft.com. The Stockton Ports season runs through Sept. 19 at Banner Island Ballpark, 404 W. Fremont St.; https://www.milb.com/stockton. And Bob’s at the Marina is open from 7 a.m.

171 to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday, until 6 p.m. Friday-Sunday at 6639 Embarcadero Drive in Stockton; www.bobsatthemarina.com.

Weekend jaunt: Bodega Bay If you’d like to parlay your fishing excursion into a full weekend of fun, we can’t think of a better coastal spot than Bodega Bay for catching a variety of fish. From May to November, salmon, rockfish, lingcod, sanddabs and tuna are all available. In September, it’s all about the salmon.

Whether you’re new to fishing or just want to take some of the hard work out of it, one of the luxuries of Bodega Bay is its fishing charters. North Bay Charters offers public and private excursions where guides take you directly to spots based on the fish you’re trying to catch and what’s in season. To go it on your own, Sonoma Coast State Park offers day passes ($8 per vehicle).

If you’re fully embracing the seaside theme, pick a campsite — RV and tent camping are both available — at Sonoma Coast State Park, which offers a boat launch and a fish- cleaning station so you can grill your catch for dinner. Or go the luxurious route at Bodega Bay Lodge, which proffers breathtaking views of the Sonoma coastline. Simply step out onto your balcony to take in the ocean air and killer sunsets.

Post-fishing fun: If you’ve snuck away without the kids, opt for wine tasting at Sonoma Coast Vineyards, which offers reservation-only tastings of its cool climate wines at a perch overlooking the bay. If the kids are in tow — or you’re looking to soak up more sea breezes — take a trip out to the Bodega Head Trail. Those breezes keep things cool as you hike along the Sonoma Coast gazing at the view. Grab a bite: If you’re staying at the Bodega Bay Lodge, head for the hotel’s Drakes Sonoma Coast restaurant, where breakfast and dinner are only available to hotel guests right now. We thoroughly enjoyed the Bay Fog Clam Chowder ($11) and the fresh catch of the day, a king salmon ($36) served with wilted baby kale, cranberry beans and fennel flowers. (Not staying at the lodge? Bodega Bay brims with other tasty possibilities, including the casual, counter-service Spud Point Crab Co.) Details: Bodega Bay’s North Bay Charter trips start at $300 per person. Find details and make reservations at www.northbaycharters.com. Sonoma Coast State Park’s day use fee is $8 per car, and campsites start at $25 per night; www.parks.ca.gov. Find the Bodega Bay Lodge, where rooms start at $379, at 103 Highway One in Bodega Bay; https://bodegabaylodge.com. Spud Point Crab Co., which is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, is located at 1910 Westshore Road; www.spudpointcrabco.com. And Sonoma Coast Vineyards, open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Monday, is at 555 Highway One; www.sonomacoastvineyards.com.

If You Go California’s Free Fishing Day is offered twice a year, typically around Fourth of July and Labor Day Weekend, when Californians of all ages can fish without a license. The next one will be Sept. 4. But you can go fishing anytime with a fishing license. Learn more and order one online at https://wildlife.ca.gov/Licensing/Online-Sales.

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Park It: New East Bay campground built, celebration set for Saturday District’s first on bay shoreline, Fremont’s Dumbartion Quarry facility has 60 sites with full RV hookups By NED MACKAY | East Bay Regional Park District PUBLISHED: August 22, 2021 at 5:00 a.m. | UPDATED: August 22, 2021 at 5:11 a.m. Anda Chu — staff archives The completion of Fremont’s Dumbarton Quarry Campground on the site of a former rock quarry, seen previously filled with water above, will be celebrated in an Aug. 28 program. Due to open soon, the East Bay Regional Park District’s first campground on the San Francisco Bay shoreline has 60 sites with full RV hookups.

The completion of Fremont’s Dumbarton Quarry Campground, the East Bay Regional Park District’s first on the San Francisco Bay shoreline, will be celebrated in an Aug. 28 program.

Festivities will begin at 10 a.m. with tours and other activities led by naturalists from adjacent Coyote Hills Regional Park. The ribbon-cutting ceremony at noon will feature a performance by Newark’s Wadaiko School of Taiko drummers. After the ceremony, there’ll be an ice cream social sponsored by the Regional Parks Foundation. Tours will continue until 2 p.m. If you plan to attend, RSVP to Monique Salas at [email protected] for more information and directions. The Dumbarton Quarry Campground is on the site of a former rock quarry. It’s the culmination of many years’ work by the park district, the DeSilva Companies, Dumbarton Quarry Associates, Pacific States Environmental Contractors Inc., DeSilva Gates Construction and current and former city officials. Due to open soon, the campground is at the east end of the Dumbarton Bridge next to Highway 84. It has 60 sites with full RV hookups; three sites with water only; restrooms and showers; a camp store, amphitheater, playground and picnic areas. Trails and bike paths connect it to Coyote Hills Regional Park and the 30,000-acre Don Edwards National Wildlife Refuge. All in all, it will provide a safe and accessible camping opportunity near the bay shoreline for visitors from near and far.

173 Oakland: Fishing is an enjoyable way to spend time in the East Bay Regional Parks, and the park district stocks fish in most of its lakes to improve your chances of catching something. As an introduction to the sport, the district is offering a “Bass Basics” fishing clinic from 8 to 11 a.m. Aug. 28 at Temescal Regional Recreation Area in Oakland. Topics will include rigging, knot tying, bait and gear selection and catfish habitat and behavior. After the class there’ll be hands-on fishing time in the lake. The class is for ages 12 and older, and adult participation is required for ages 12 through 15. A California fishing license also is required for ages 16 and older. Registration is required. The class costs $25 for district residents, $29 for nonresidents. The fee for ages 12 through 15 is $21 for residents, $25 for nonresidents. For registration and information, call 888-327-2757 and select option 2.

Livermore: “Beach Break” is the theme of a naturalist-led program from 3 to 3:30 p.m. Aug. 28 at Del Valle Regional Park south of Livermore. Join in a variety of games, crafts and other activities, all with a natural history theme. It’s drop-in, no registration required. The program is free, though Del Valle has a $6 parking fee. Del Valle staff also plan a “Sunset Saunter” from 6:45 to 8 p.m. Aug. 29. Meet the naturalist at the East Ridge Trail at the top of the hill on Del Valle Road near the gate, before the entrance kiosk. Watch the sunset, and learn how sunset colors are created. This is not a guided hike, and the naturalist will remain at the trailhead. No registration is required, and there’s no parking fee. Bring a flashlight for the walk back to your car. Del Valle is at the end of Del Valle Road, off Mines Road about 9 miles south of Livermore. The visitor center is on the west side of the lake. For more information on the beach or sunset programs, call 510-544-3249.

Antioch: Moving on from the beach to bats, Antioch’s Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve has bats living in its former mining tunnels. You can learn about these fascinating and beneficial creatures during a bat-monitoring program led by naturalist Virginia Delgado at the park from 7:30 to 9:45 p.m. Aug. 28. The group will hike half a mile uphill on rocky terrain to monitor bat species as they emerge from the mines into the night sky. Participants must be age 7 or older, and parent participation is required. Flashlights, water, snacks, jacketa and sturdy shoes are advised. Due to COVID-19 protocols, masks are required, and social distancing must be maintained. The program is free, but parking costs $5. To register, which is required, call 888-327-2757 and select option 2.

Sunol: “Not So Creepy Critters” is the theme of a program from 2 to 2:30 p.m. Aug. 29 at the Sunol Visitor Center in southern Alameda County. It’s a chance to meet a live snake, toad, turtle or spider and learn a bit about the animals’ interactions with us. The program is free, but registration is required. Call 888-327-2757. Sunol Visitor Center is at the end of Geary Road off Calaveras Road about 5 miles south of Interstate 680 and the town of Sunol.

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Saturday Surprise with City Council tabbing Discovery/Seeno team for Naval Weapons project By Tamara Steiner and Jay Bedecarré 3 days ago Concord Naval Weapons Station CONCORD, CA (Aug. 22, 2021) — In a surprising 3-2 vote at a special Saturday remote meeting broadcast on local television and the internet, the Concord City Council selected a joint venture between Discovery Homes/Seeno Companies, Lewis Planned Communities and California Capital Investment Group as the master developers for the 2,300-acre Concord Naval Weapons Station mixed use community.

After more than nine hours of presentations and questioning of the three candidate representatives, and despite heavy public opposition, councilmember Edi Birsan, vice mayor Dominic Aliano, and mayor Tim McGallian opted for the locally based, family owned Seeno company over Brookfield Properties and City Ventures LLC.

Councilmembers Laura Hoffmeister and Carlyn Obringer voted for the publicly traded Brookfield Properties which assembled a development team that included Sunset Development Company, long-time developers of Bishop Ranch Business Park in San Ramon.

“Who do we have the most leverage with? Birsan said. “A multi-billion-dollar Wall Street firm [Brookfield] or a group of three companies all who have their reputations on the line and are invested in making this thing work?”

Discovery Homes was among the candidates vying for master developer in 2016 when the council selected Lennar Corp. but didn’t have a strong enough team to make the final cut, Hoffmeister noted. They were stronger this time with the addition of the Lewis Group and CCIG of Oakland, but not strong enough to sway her vote.

175 The Discovery/Seeno companies are headquartered in Concord and have been building homes in Contra Costa for over 80 years.

The Lewis Group of Companies was founded in 1955 and lists itself as one of the nation’s largest privately held real estate development companies. The Lewis Group focuses on developing mixed-use planned communities and residential subdivisions in California and Nevada, as well as building and owning rental communities, shopping centers, and office and industrial parks.

According to their website, CCIG is a Bay Area market leader in commercial real estate sales and leasing. For over 25 years their focus has been on Northern California, specifically the East Bay/Oakland. The firm has brokered commercial sales and leases valued at over $1 billion with lease transactions in excess of 2.5 million square feet.

“I’ve been to Bishop Ranch, I’ve seen it develop,” Hoffmeister said. “They’ve already gone through this experience and delivered it. Discovery has a team in place, but no performance to show.”

“It was a matter of ‘this is what I’ve done’ as opposed to ‘this is what I’m going to do.’”

Public opposition to the Discovery/Seeno group was heavy, based mainly on the company’s negative history with environmental issues. Save Mount Diablo mounted a strong campaign against the company and is currently suing the City of Pittsburg for approving the Faria project, Discovery Homes’1,650-unit project planned for the ridge between Concord and Pittsburg adjacent to East Bay Regional Park District Thurgood Marshall Park.

A lawsuit brought by Discovery Homes against the EBRPD earlier this year was settled last week, according to Birsan.

Albert D. Seeno III follows his father and grandfather as head of Discovery Homes. The company has a well-documented litigious history and environmental violations.

Birsan quizzed Seeno on his involvement and the councilman said he was satisfied that, “he wasn’t involved in the stuff that came down. The sins of the father should not be visited on the son,” Birsan said.

This was the second time the council has been through the CNWS master developer selection process. A deal with national homebuilder Lennar Corp. tanked over labor issues in March 2020 when the council refused to extend their Exclusive Negotiating Agreement. At that time, Hoffmeister and McGallian wanted to grant the extension but were overruled by Obringer, Birsan and Aliano.

The city has been firm from the beginning on requiring local labor for all construction on the project. All three candidates this time had project labor agreements with the Contra Costa

176 Building Trades Council by the time of their presentations. Local labor supported the Discovery/Seeno candidacy while stating they were the first of the three to sign a PLA.

With the selection made, the city will begin work on an Exclusive Negotiating Agreement and Term Sheet with the winning candidate, a process that is likely to take several months. “If we don’t get what we want, we take another swing at it,” Birsan said.

That will seem a short time frame if it finally gets the CNWS project headed towards turning the first shovel of dirt in the decades-old effort. Concord envisions13,000 homes (25 percent affordable housing), retail businesses, office space, tournament sports complex, schools, parks and perhaps a college campus to the Naval property that the city has yet to take ownership of.

The meeting agenda contained the Concord staff report prepared by Director of Economic Development and Base Reuse Guy Bjerke, presentations by the three candidate companies as well as correspondence submitted on the issue from the public and organizations.

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Seeno Companies poised to become Concord Naval Weapons Station’s new master developer Developer has history of litigation involving project By SHOMIK MUKHERJEE | [email protected] | PUBLISHED: August 21, 2021 at 8:52 p.m. | UPDATED: August 25, 2021 at 8:12 a.m. The Concord City Council will negotiate exclusively with the Seeno companies to develop the long-anticipated Naval Weapons Station project. (Dan Rosenstrauch/Staff Archives)

CONCORD — In a split vote, the City Council on Saturday gave a group of developers that includes the controversial Seeno Companies an exclusive shot to possibly oversee one of the most ambitious housing developments in East Bay history.

The council voted 3-2 to enter an exclusive negotiating agreement with Seeno Companies, Discovery Builders Inc., Lewis Group of Companies and California Capital Investment Group that could result in the team becoming the master developer of the Concord Naval Weapons Station.

The council chose the Discovery/Seeno group over two other development teams after all three made their pitches and dozens of residents and advocates gave their take on the competing development teams.

If it and the city agree to terms for the project’s specific plan, the Discovery/Seeno team could be charged with building 13,000 housing units and millions of square feet of office and commercial space on 2,300 acres of the former weapons site. The Navy still must remove toxic chemicals before transferring the land to the city.

The family-run Seeno Companies goes back several generations in Concord and currently is run by Albert Seeno III, who promised on Saturday that the developer’s local ties to the community will bring a much-needed continuity to a project that has seen starts and stops over the years. The last master developer left last year after a scrape with city officials over a refusal to hire only union workers. “Our team is here, our family is here, I was born and raised here, some of the first subdivisions I ever built are here from many decades ago,” Seeno told the council. “It’s something that I know we can pull together.”

The Seeno Companies’ long history of developing real estate in the East Bay has been a checkered and polarizing one, however, marked by its filing of lawsuits against local cities, agencies and environmental groups and internal scandals that previously led to a federal mortgage fraud investigation.

178 And in 2018, Seeno filed a lawsuit to halt the naval weapons station from being developed by a company that beat it and other groups to become the project’s master developer. Last year, Seeno also sued to stop the Navy from transferring some of its land to the East Bay Regional Park District. The Concord City Council discusses its choice for a new master developer of the Concord Naval Weapons Station project during a meeting on Saturday, Aug. 21, 2021. (Screenshot)

Mayor Tim McGallian, Vice Mayor Dominic Aliano and Councilman Edi Birsan voted for the Discovery/Seeno team, citing its good relationship with labor unions, local roots and relatively small size. The second- place company was multinational real estate giant Brookfield Properties.

Council members Carlyn Obringer and Laura Hoffmeister dissented, saying they favored Brookfield because of its breadth of vision and experience. The third applicant, City Ventures, received no votes from the council.

McGallian praised Discovery/Seeno for being “truly local” and committed to housing U.S. veterans in the project.

“It comes out of their pocketbooks when it’s all said and done,” McGallian said. “They build in good times, they build in bad times.”

In renewing the search for a master developer, the council also focused on who could sign a project labor agreement with the Contra Costa Trade and Labor Council, which guarantees that only local union workers would be hired for the construction work.

Negotiations between the labor council and the city’s previous master developer, Lennar Corp., fell apart after the two sides failed to agree on worker wages. Miffed that the council insisted on getting a project labor agreement done, Lennar walked away from the project last year.

Albert Seeno III of the Seeno Companies speaks during a Concord City Council meeting on Saturday, August 21, 2021. (Screenshot)

All three development teams competing for exclusive negotiating rights had signed such agreements, but the unions clearly supported the Discovery/Seeno team, which has worked closely with local labor for decades.

179 “The Discovery team made a commitment by reaching out early and making a commitment before anyone else to unions,” Kyle Swarens of Carpenters Local 152 said.

Local conservationists opposed the the team, citing its litigious past and constant run-ins with environmental groups, including Save Mount Diablo.

“They have only ever built sprawling. climate-unfriendly ventures,” Zoe Siegel of the Greenbelt Alliance said. “Their track record and lackluster presentation today made it clear they would not create a climate-smart and transit-friendly development.”

In response to questions by Councilman Birsan, who said he supports Discovery/Seeno instead of another “Wall Street company” like Lennar, Seeno said he wasn’t personally involved in his company’s past scandals, some of which involved members of his direct family.

Birsan sharply criticized Save Mount Diablo for its written comment template — sent to the city by hundreds of the organization’s members ahead of Saturday’s meeting — that referred to Discovery/Seeno as the “Seeno family” and called its business practices “unethical and illegal.”

“I found that excessively offensive and especially disappointing in the leadership that would actually put those words in an e-mail… this is America, we do not go after families,” Birsan said.

Concord City Councilman Edi Birsan speaks during a meeting on Saturday, August 21, 2021. (Screenshot)

Vice Mayor Aliano also readily gave Discovery/Seeno his vote, calling the Seeno Companies an approachable, individual-run enterprise. And he credited Seeno for seeking out a project labor agreement first. But Councilwoman Hoffmeister said who came up with a labor agreement first is irrelevant. She placed Brookfield a “notch above” Discovery/Seeno, citing the success of company partner Sunset Development in overseeing the 4,500-unit Bishop Ranch project in San Ramon.

Councilwoman Obringer also praised Brookfield for its diverse experience with large-scale projects. “A large number of Concordians work at Bishop Ranch,” Obringer said. “This is an amazing opportunity to have a team to bring that world-class vision to fruition.”

Seeno did not publicly acknowledge the team’s detractors. In a speech to the council, he promised to operate off three values: “truth, honesty and commitment.”

“We’re going to be part of and stay part of the community,” Seeno said. “I’ll make a pledge that I’m going to be involved every step of the way.”

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Park It: ‘Bird Watchers for beginners’ program offered at Black Diamond Regional Mines Preserve By NED MACKAY | East Bay Regional Park District PUBLISHED: August 19, 2021 at 6:00 a.m. | UPDATED: August 19, 2021 at 6:13 a.m. The East Bay Regional Parks are home to a great variety of birds, and watching the avians in action is lots of fun.

“Birding for Beginners” is a good way to start. Naturalist Ashley Adams will offer the introductory program from 8:30 to 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 21 at Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve in Antioch.

Meet Ashley in the uppermost parking lot at the end of Somersville Road, three and a half miles south of Highway 4.

Reservations are not necessary. Bring your own binoculars, though some loaners will be provided. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, masks are recommended and social distancing must be maintained between participants.

The program is free of charge. Black Diamond Mines has a parking fee of $5 per vehicle when the kiosk is attended. For more information, call 510-544-2750.

While you’re at Black Diamond Mines, you can visit the park’s underground Greathouse Visitor Center, take a Hazel-Atlas Mine tour through old sand mine tunnels, or experience the new coal mine exhibit, which re-creates the sights and sounds of a 19th century working coal mine, with mannequins instead of live miners.

Entry to the visitor center is free of charge and all ages are welcome. There’s a fee for the two mine tours, reservations are required, and tours are restricted to ages seven and older for safety reasons. For more information, call 888-327-2757, option 2, the phone number for all reservations.

SUNOL REGIONAL WILDERNESS EVENTS: Sunol Regional Wilderness in southern Alameda County has three interesting programs on the calendar in coming days. All participants are asked to observe park district Covid-related protocols – masks and social distancing. Masks are required indoors, and are recommended when outside and in a crowded group. All three programs are free, but advance registration is required. Animal Adaptations is the theme of a program from 2 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 21 with naturalist Kristina Parkison. She’ll talk about how animals adopt by physiology or behavior to the environment in which they live.

“Wild Wonders” is scheduled from 2 to 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 22. It’s a free, naturalist-led program of family-oriented games, activities and explorations.

181 The third program is “Outdoor Discoveries: Have to Have a Habitat,” with naturalist Betty Villalta. It’s from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Monday, August 23 at the Sunol Visitor Center.

Outdoor Discoveries is geared for ages four through eight, with parental participation, though younger siblings are welcome. It’s free, but advance registration is required and no drop-ins are allowed. Betty advises participants to dress for fun with clothes that can get mucky, and closed-toes shoes. Bring water and be wilderness ready – the park has neither cell phone service nor running water (except for Alameda Creek).

For information or to register for any of the three programs, call 510-544-3249. Or you can register online at www.ebparks.org. Sunol Regional Wilderness is at the end of Geary Road off Calaveras Road about five miles south of I-680 and the town of Sunol.

HIKING FUN FOR SENIORS: The Over-The-Hills Gang is back on the trails. It’s an informal, naturalist-led hiking group for people 55 and older interested in nature study, history, fitness and fun.

Naturalist Trail Gail Broesder will lead the gang on a hike from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 24 at Roberts Regional Recreation Area in Oakland. Roberts Recreation Area is on Skyline Boulevard about a mile up the hill from the intersection with Joaquin Miller Road.

The hike is free of charge, but registration is required. Roberts has a parking fee of $5 per vehicle. For registration and information, call 510-544-2233.

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East Bay Regional Park District, Save Mount Diablo Study Shows Fire Impact on Local Land By Tony Kukulich Aug 18, 2021 Alameda County — This week marks the first anniversary of the start of the SCU Lightning Complex, one of the state’s largest fires in recorded history. In the aftermath of that conflagration, agencies like the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) and Save Mount Diablo (SMD) are taking the opportunity to study the impact of fire on the local landscape.

A year into that effort, researchers are finding evidence of nature’s resilience throughout the study area. Trees that burned to stumps are coming back to life. Rejuvenated grasslands already hide much of the evidence of the fire, and rare wildflowers have sprung from the scorched earth.

“Our stewardship group went out right after the fire to implement some monitoring, so that we can see and track the impacts of the fire over time,” said Dina Robertson, EBRPD wildland vegetation program manager. “We’re measuring things like vegetation; water quality in livestock ponds; amphibian breeding and upland wildlife, which would include mammals, birds and snakes, things like that.”

In partnership with other agencies like the Contra Costa Water District, the EBRPD’s effort is expected to continue for three years. Observations made from this study will likely inform future environmental management policies and practices.

“The number of fires is increasing,” said Seth Adams, SMD land conservation director. “The size of the fires is increasing. The question is whether they are beneficial or whether they convert the whole landscape into a different kind of landscape — that’s what we’re paying attention to.”

The skies above the East Bay sizzled with lightning in the predawn hours of Aug. 16, 2020, while on the ground, the impacts of drought and heat left vegetation dry as tinder. Over the next three days, more than 10,000 lightning strikes were recorded in the state. Reports of fires arrived shortly thereafter.

Cal Fire’s Santa Clara Unit (SCU) took on responsibility for fighting the 20 fires that made up the SCU Lightning Complex. Cal Fire and local fire agencies spent untold hours over the next 44

183 days until the incident was declared 100% contained on Oct. 1. By that time, nearly 400,000 acres across six counties had burned. There were no reported deaths related to the fire, but 222 structures were destroyed.

“We had about 6,000 acres burn on park district lands,” Robertson said. “That was in the Ohlone Wilderness and Sunol Regional Park, and also to the north in Morgan Territory and Round Valley preserves.”

Despite the extent of the burn, the way it burned could possibly improve the ecosystem.

“Most of the fire that burned on our lands was moderate to low severity with a few places of high severity burns,” Robertson explained. “For the most part, it was not high intensity. Rather than seeing areas where things are decimated like you see in other parts of California, we still have quite a bit of live vegetation standing. We didn’t lose all our trees. We have a lot of oak woodlands in the area that burned — a lot of open rangeland. It was pretty spotty. Luckily, it burned in a way that is beneficial for the system.

A team of SMD botanists discovered a population of fire poppies in a remote location in Morgan Territory Regional Preserve, marking the first time this rare species has been observed in that area. Fire poppies are called fire followers because their seeds can lie dormant in the soil for decades until a fire spurs them to germinate.

At the same time, the EBRPD research team has already seen blue oaks, manzanitas and other plant species sprouting from their burned stumps. Though portions of plants and trees above ground may have been badly damaged or destroyed by fire and heat, the vegetation did not die.

“I feel very good about a lot of the areas that burned, especially over in Morgan Territory where it burned super-hot on the ridge,” Robertson said. “There are tons of plants up there. So much came back from seed, as well as from stumps.”

No impact to water quality has been measured thus far, a fact that can likely be attributed to the relatively dry winter following the fire. With little rain running down burned hillsides, potential pollutants remain largely in place, a situation that could change if the coming winter brings heavy rains. However, Cal Fire has taken some measures to minimize erosion in the burn area and repair infrastructure.

“We did fire suppression repair,” said Ed Orre, Cal Fire unit forester, division chief. “Cal Fire is not obligated to do that, but we more often than not try to fix the things we broke fighting the fire. We try to repair the dozer lines and hand lines, so they’re set up for the coming winter, so that we don’t exacerbate any erosion.”

Looking at the entirety of the Diablo Range, Adams noted that fire recovery has, to date, varied depending on location.

184 “Regeneration in the Diablo Range, while it’s a real mosaic, it’s very different in different places,” he said. “From relatively good regeneration on the west side — understanding the Diablo Range is 40 or 50 miles wide — the west side has a little more water, so things have come back faster. Once you cross the first line of ridges, it drops down to 50%, 30%, 10% of regeneration. It’s a very dry period.”

While controlled burns have not been a big part of fire management in Alameda County, Orre said that Cal Fire officials are looking at plans to increase the use of prescribed burning to manage fire risk in eastern Alameda and Contra Costa counties.

“The SCU Lightning Complex was a positive fire as far as the ecology goes,” Robertson said. “It was low to medium with a little bit of high intensity. It burned off a lot of thatch and woody materials underneath our woodlands. I think it was a good fire. We got lucky. I would expect that over time, these areas are going to recover. It will probably not even look burned a few years from now. In the grasslands you can barely even tell they burned.”

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Concord to select CNWS master developer By Tamara Steiner 1 week ago CONCORD, CA (Aug. 17, 2021) — This Saturday, Aug. 21, the Concord City Council sitting as the Local Reuse Authority will once again hear from developers competing to be the master developer of the Concord Naval Weapons Station Reuse Plan.

Lennar Corp. was the city’s first choice for the $5 billion, 2,300-acre redevelopment project. But the company failed to negotiate a project labor agreement with the Contra Costa Building Trades Council before their contract expired in March 2020, and the city declined to extend it. The PLA is non-negotiable where the city is concerned. It is part of the Concord First section of the Reuse Plan.

The LRA will choose between three very diverse development teams.

Three options Brookfield Development, based in New York, is a global player with more than 70 currently active mixed-use developments. Its projects include Boulevard in Dublin, a base reuse project and Pier 70 in San Francisco. It is BART’s choice to develop the 13-acre transit-oriented development around the North Concord BART station. Brookfield is currently negotiating a PLA with the Building Trades Council.

City Ventures’ experience includes two master-planned mixed-use communities in San Jose— the Orchard and Santa Teresa Transit Village and has two large affordable housing projects in progress in San Francisco.

Pittsburg builder Discovery Homes/Seeno Company in a joint venture with the Lewis Group and California Capital was the third to submit qualifications.

A prolific residential builder, Seeno has a long litigious history with local jurisdictions and environmental groups. Most recently, Seeno sued to stop East Bay Regional Parks from moving ahead with their 2500-acre park. It ironically claimed the park would have a negative environmental impact and interfere with the 600-unit residential development planned on the Pittsburg hills adjacent to the park property.

Saturday meeting The meeting Saturday promises to be long and heated. Although the Seeno joint venture has already committed to a PLA with the Building Trades Council, public opposition to the builder is strong. Attached to the agenda are more than 250 letters and emails urging the LRA not to select Seeno/Discovery Homes.

186 Brookfield’s parent company, Brookfield Asset Management is publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange. City Ventures submitted audited financial statements. The Seeno/Discovery joint venture declined to provide financial information, stating it was too early in the process.

The LRA meeting begins at 9 a.m. It will be streamed live on the city’s website at and runs live on Comcast Channel 28, Wave Channel 29, and U-verse Channel 99. To connect to the live stream on Saturday, click here.

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Published August 18th, 2021 45th Anniversary of the Lafayette- Moraga Regional Trail celebrated By Sora O'Doherty Founders celebrate the 45th anniversary of the Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail with EBRPD directors. Photo Sora O'Doherty

The East Bay Regional Park District on Aug. 5 celebrated the 45th anniversary of the Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail, one of the first rails- to-trails projects in California, and to unveil a permanent information panel at the site of the original Trail's dedication that occurred on July 4, 1976. The celebration also honored the founders of the trail, who spoke at the event. Many speakers honored the trail, including representatives of Congressman Mark DeSaulnier and Supervisor Candace Andersen, EBRPD President Dee Rosario, Don Goode from the original trails committee, and Jerry Kent, retired EBRPD Director. Following the unveiling, EBRPD sponsored an ice cream social for all in attendance, as well as trail users who happened to pass by. The 7.7-mile linear park, now an integral part of daily life in Lamorinda, was conceived by two young women many years ago. Founder Lynn Hiden told the audience that Barbara Grigg had thought of the trail idea about a decade before she became involved. Grigg was looking for a safe route to school for her child at the time. As the idea percolated, the town of Moraga and the East Bay Regional Park District became involved, and there was a grant to build bridges over the creeks crossed by the trail route. The other trail founder, Avon Wilson, attributed the success of the project to "two PTA ladies who were able to persist." Wilson had moved to Reliez Valley Road with two small children, and was horrified by the traffic along the route to the school bus stop. "With Lynn," she said, they found a way. "Lynn would have called God," she added, "if it were important to do so." Hiden did all the work on the layout of the trail, Wilson said, while she did all the cost figures. They went to the Lafayette City Council "in our short skirts and bouffant hair." One of the council members asked, "Did you write this yourself girls?" The project was the

188 result of a lot of citizen caring and support, she said. "Moving to Lafayette 50 years ago was the best thing that ever happened to me," she concluded, "and you are part of it." George Fisher, the chair of the advisory committee, worked for five years on the planning and environmental documents that needed to be prepared. Ed Chu worked on the landscaping, and Moraga Mayor Mike McCluer talked about how the trail came to be extended to Moraga. The whole idea, he noted, is a regional spine connecting to the 27.7 mile Iron Horse Trail, formerly used by trains, that runs from Pleasanton to Concord. McCluer said that his family has used the trail for over 30 years, and that it has been one of the mainstays of the community during the pandemic, providing a sense of normality and access to the health benefits of interacting with nature. Lafayette Mayor Susan Candell called the trail a lifeline through Lafayette dedicated to extending access to the city. Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan said that the trail showed that "when women step up and lead, great things happen." She added that the value of the trail is that it shows how to get people out of their cars, to reduce our carbon footprint, and provide safe routes to schools as well. She praised EBRPD as great stewards of the land. The Lafayette-Moraga trail parallels St. Mary's Road through Lafayette and Moraga. It is intended for hiking, bicycling, and equestrian use. According to the EBRPD website, the trail was once used by mule trains to carry redwood from Oakland to Sacramento. Later, when the mule trains had passed into history, the lumber was carried by steam trains, including the Oakland-Antioch and Eastern Railroad, the San Francisco-Sacramento, and the Sacramento Northern, for which the easement was historically named. The website also describes the trail: "The north end of the trail begins at a staging area at Olympic Boulevard and Pleasant Hill Road in Lafayette, south of Highway 24, and ends at East Bay Municipal Utility District's (EBMUD) Valle Vista staging area at the outskirts of Moraga, bordering San Leandro Reservoir and Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park. (A permit is required to hike in EBMUD lands; call (510) 287-0469.) The trail makes connections to a variety of schools (including Saint Mary's College), regional trails (Briones-to-Las Trampas), local parks (Moraga Commons), and commercial areas in downtown Moraga."

Domino making friends Photo Sora O'Doherty

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East Bay Parks activities, from birdwatching to mine tours By Ned MacKay 1 week ago Hazel Atlas Silica Sand Mine CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA — The East Bay Regional Parks are home to a great variety of birds, and watching the avians in action is lots of fun.

Meet Ashley in the uppermost parking lot at the end of Somersville Road, 3½ miles south of Highway 4.

The program is free of charge. Black Diamond Mines has a parking fee of $5 per vehicle when the kiosk is attended. For more information, call 510-544-2750.

Mine tour While you’re at Black Diamond Mines, you can visit the park’s underground Greathouse Visitor Center, take a Hazel-Atlas Mine tour through old sand mine tunnels, or experience the new coal mine exhibit, which re-creates the sights and sounds of a 19th century working coal mine, with mannequins instead of live miners.

Entry to the visitor center is free of charge and all ages are welcome. There’s a fee for the two mine tours, reservations are required, and tours are restricted to ages seven and older for

190 safety reasons. For more information, call 888-327-2757, option 2, the phone number for all reservations.

Wild Wonders Sunol Regional Wilderness in southern Alameda County has three interesting programs on the calendar in coming days. All participants are asked to observe park district COVID-related protocols – masks and social distancing. Masks are required indoors, and are recommended when outside and in a crowded group.

All three programs are free, but advance registration is required.

Animal Adaptations is the theme of a program from 2 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 21 with naturalist Kristina Parkison. She’ll talk about how animals adopt by physiology or behavior to the environment in which they live.

“Wild Wonders” is scheduled from 2 to 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 22. It’s a free, naturalist-led program of family-oriented games, activities and explorations.

The third program is “Outdoor Discoveries: Have to Have a Habitat,” with naturalist Betty Villalta. It’s from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Monday, August 23 at the Sunol Visitor Center.

Over-The-Hills Gang The Over-The-Hills Gang is back on the trails. It’s an informal, naturalist-led hiking group for people 55 and older interested in nature study, history, fitness and fun.

Naturalist Trail Gail Broesder will lead the gang on a hike from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 24 at Roberts Regional Recreation Area in Oakland.

Roberts Recreation Area is on Skyline Boulevard about a mile up the hill from the intersection with Joaquin Miller Road.

The hike is free of charge, but registration is required. Roberts has a parking fee of $5 per vehicle. For registration and information, call 510-544-2233.

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Contra Costa County sued over controversial open- space housing plan Sierra Club, East Bay Municipal Utility District file separate suits By SHOMIK MUKHERJEE | [email protected] | PUBLISHED: August 14, 2021 at 6:13 a.m. | UPDATED: August 17, 2021 at 12:06 p.m. Undeveloped land is seen in Contra Costa County near Danville, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016. (Kristopher Skinner/Bay Area News Group)

Contra Costa County was hit by two lawsuits Thursday, a month after the Board of Supervisors approved a boundary change to allow construction of 125 homes in protected open space near Danville. In a controversial decision on July 13, the supervisors voted 4-1 to stretch the urban limit line east of Blackhawk so developers could build the homes on 30 acres in the Tassajara Valley. In exchange, the developers promised to dedicate 700 acres of land elsewhere to be preserved as open space. County voters had set the boundary in 1990 to protect the open space beyond it and discourage urban sprawl.

One of the suits was filed by a collective of two environmental groups and a pair of Contra Costa County residents, and the other by the Easy Bay Municipal Utility District.

The district has maintained for years that it doesn’t have enough water to supply the homes, and alleges it was illegal for the county to approve the project knowing the district had no water to give.

In an interview, EBMUD spokeswoman Andrea Polk said the district has opposed the project since it was first proposed more than a decade ago.

And while a commission that oversees local agencies could one day force the district to incorporate the Tassajara Valley within its water service area, Polk said that would be a largely unprecedented move and not a smart one considering much of California is in a severe drought. “The drought we’re facing is a really good reminder to all of us that water is precious and we need to be mindful and thoughtful about how a water agency can serve its population and residents both now and into the future,” Polk said.

192 Undeveloped land is seen in Contra Costa County near Danville in 2016. The Contra Costa Board of Supervisors might soon decide whether to approve a new housing project in the Tassajara Valley. (Kristopher Skinner/Bay Area News Group)

In addition to the water district, the Sierra Club, Greenbelt Alliance and former county supervisor Donna Gerber collectively sued the county for ignoring the environmental impacts of building 125 new homes in the middle of natural open space.

They contend the supervisors improperly used a technicality to justify the urban limit line’s outward expansion.

Developers FT Land, Meach, BI Land and TH Land entered into a preservation agreement with the county, San Ramon and East Bay Regional Park District in which they guaranteed that 727 acres of land they own elsewhere will be protected open space, safe from future development.

The supervisors considered the deal a good trade-off.

“One of the things we wanted to do with the urban limit line is end sprawl development,” Supervisor Federal Glover said at last month’s hearing. “Certainly the gifting of 700-and- some-odd acres would actually serve that purpose.”

But the preservation agreement did not include Danville, which is directly west of Tassajara Valley and has staunchly opposed the development from the outset. According to the environmental groups’ lawsuit, Danville was bypassed because the urban limit line can only be moved if a “majority of cities” involved in a preservation agreement support it.

Danville City Manager Joe Calabrigo said in an interview last month the city will be determining whether to legally challenge the county’s action.

Undeveloped land is seen in Contra Costa County near Danville, Calif., on Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016. (Kristopher Skinner/Bay Area News Group) Jessica Blome, an attorney representing the Sierra Club and Greenbelt Alliance, said the preservation agreement not only is invalid but also counterproductive to conservation efforts. Compromising on 30 acres to preserve 700 acres elsewhere only serves to “gradually chip away at what we’re trying to protect,” she said.

193 “There’s this idea of a future boogeyman development,” Blome added, “but the boogeyman is here now with (this project). We should just enforce the rules now.”

An attorney in the Contra Costa County Counsel’s Office declined to comment on the two lawsuits, saying the office has not yet been served with either.

The 125-unit development proposal drew a large number of critics at last month’s supervisors meeting. Before then, more than 5,400 people signed an online petition against it. But the proposal also received support, including from conservationist group Save Mount Diablo and the East Bay Regional Park District, which praised the developers’ offer to forever dedicate 700 acres of open space.

Candace Andersen, the only dissenting supervisor, said at the time that the board did not have enough evidence to support moving the urban limit line.

“If we’re going to move the urban limit line, I really think it should be up to the voters,” Andersen said. “I feel this method that we’re using is very contrived.”

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California Drought: More Wild Animals Feeding In Backyards As Plants Dry Up In East Bay Parks By Katie Nielsen August 13, 2021 at 6:46 pm

DUBLIN (KPIX)– More hungry, wild animals are venturing into Bay Area backyards due to the drought.

Rainfall totals in the Bay Area are well below normal this year and according to the United States Drought Monitor, Alameda and Contra Costa counties are experiencing exceptional drought conditions.

Within the East Bay Regional Parks it means wetlands and ponds are drying up and a lot of the native plants and trees are dying which takes a big toll on wildlife.

“They’ll come in – this is the best restaurant in town if you’re a deer or something like that,” says Dayle Hall.

He has deer fencing up around his vegetable garden and other parts of the property. Hall has lived along the boundary of Las Trampas Regional Park for the past 10 years and sees a lot of wildlife moving through the area, but says this year there’s more than ever.

“We get a lot of deer that come down trying to find some kind of sustenance – food, water, whatever,” he says.

According to experts with East Bay Regional Parks, the drought is taking a toll.

“This is one of the worst years we’ve ever experienced. We’re seeing a lot of our ponds and streams dry up extremely early,” says Matt Graul who is the Chief of Stewardship for the EBRPD.

That means all kinds of animals are coming down into neighborhoods in greater numbers and with greater frequency looking for anything to eat or drink

“Coyotes are moving into areas where they haven’t previously moving into and this is again because they’re searching for water,” says Peter Flowers, who manages the hospital for Lindsay Wildlife In Walnut Creek.

Quite a few people in West Dublin have captured coyotes wandering the neighborhoods on home surveillance cameras, then posted their footage to social media sites like NextDoor.

Dayle says he’s also seeing more wild turkeys, skunks and raccoons.

195 “Usually you get animals coming later. I would say earlier in the evening when it’s not as dark, they’re a little bit more confident or more desperate, whichever way you want to look at it,” he says.

EBRPD officials say they already have plans to try to make their land more resistant to drought. There are plans to increase water capacity in all parks by expanding existing ponds and restoring natural streams.

“Now we’re just looking to just accelerate our efforts and what can we do, things we’ve been planning to do in a couple years, saying, how can we do that faster, How can we move these projects forward as fast as possible, because we really don’t have time to wait any longer,” says Graul.

Flowers says while the animals are stressed from the drought and might be wandering the neighborhoods on a more regular basis, it’s important not to leave out food or water for them. He says the animals will become dependent on it and will never go back into their natural habitat.

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Flooding Threat To San Leandro From Rising Sea Levels Brittany Ung 1 day ago SAN LEANDRO, CA — San Leandro might get smaller in 100 years, due to rising sea levels that threaten cities along San Francisco Bay — flooding structures, roads, and possibly cutting off access to I-880 in some areas. © Adapting to Rising Tides San Leandro areas predicted to be impacted by a 48-inch rise in sea levels, which the city says is likely by 2100.

In Alameda County, sea level is predicted to rise six inches by 2030, 11 inches by 2050 and 36 inches by 2100, relative to levels in the year 2000, climate analyst Four Twenty Seven wrote in a report on climate adjustments in San Leandro. San Leandro’s 2035 General Plan accounts for a 55-inch sea level rise by 2100.

The predicted rise in sea level doesn’t account for storms, which temporarily raise the water level further. If combined with a 50-year storm, which has a two percent chance of occurring in any given year, water levels could reach 48 inches by 2050, the report said.

The southwest area in San Leandro is most at risk from sea level rise, according to the report. Though the city’s downtown area and BART station are outside the projected affected areas, the rising sea level could affect residents west of I-880 and cut off parts of the freeway, impeding access to the city.

197 When rising sea levels are combined with surges, the water level is likely to reach 48 inches by 2100, the city report said. With a 48-inch rise in sea level, Alameda County Fire Department Station 11, the San Leandro Water Pollution Control Plant, Dayton Elementary School and three industrial facilities with hazardous materials onsite would be exposed to flooding.

A 48-inch rise would also risk flooding the city’s shoreline parks, the Union Pacific Railroad and multiple power lines, affecting recreation, commerce and the availability of electricity in San Leandro. Water would encroach on the Oyster Bay Regional Shoreline, the Estudillo Channel and the edges of Marina Park, Marina Golf Course and Tony Lema Golf Course. The marshlands would also be permanently inundated with water, reducing the city’s defense against storm surges and high tides.

One report, by the California Ocean Protection Council Science Advisory Team Working Group, makes an even more dire projection, that sea level in the Bay Area could rise up to 6.9 feet by 2100, relative to levels in the year 2000.

As sea levels rise, the risk of coastal flooding and erosion increases for all Bay Area properties, and groundwater sources could be contaminated with saltwater. If combined with major storms, higher sea levels can cause flooding that damages local structures and cuts off roads and transportation options.

With even four feet of flooding over the next 40 to 100 years, the Bay Area would either lose or need to relocate nearly 104,000 existing jobs, and 85,000 new or planned jobs would not be created, or would be created outside the region, a 2020 report from Adapting to Rising Tides predicts.

The report also says nearly 13,000 existing housing units will no longer be habitable, insurable or desirable, and that 70,000 new or planned units won’t be built, or will be built outside the Bay Area.

The report also calculated the effect of flooding on the community, finding that more than 28,000 socially vulnerable residents would become more vulnerable by having to deal with daily flooding in their homes and neighborhoods.

Read the full City of San Leandro report on Climate Hazard Assessment & Adaptation Options

View Adapting to Rising Tides Bay Shoreline Flood Explorer

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR A free park is a good deal EBRPD has operated Mission Peak Regional Preserve since 1978 at no cost to the city, but property owners nearby feel that free isn’t good enough. They want to take over control of the park, through a lease negotiation that has been stalled for more than a year. In December 2020, the city council heard from the property owners, and asked staff to report back on the negotiations. That report never arrived. Park hours were cut 30% in 2014 and the city restricted parking in 2016, leading to a big drop in park visitors. Additional parking enforcement officers were hired in 2021. Politicians fear campaign contributions from the Mission Peak neighborhood could drop if the negotiations were open and transparent. Politicians will be listening to home owners intently, at an upcoming meeting on August 10, 2021 (see below). Wealthy neighbors claim that visitor numbers have risen sky- high. In fact, the annual count dropped by 75,000 from the high in 2014. But this did not appease local residents, and the city insisted on closing the main Stanford entrance in spring 2020 using the pandemic as a pretense. This happened when all other regional and city parks remained open. Park opponents want to charge a fee to enter the park, and like to say that all other county parks charge for access. But this is false. Santa Clara County has 26 parks, but not a single one charges for access. Parks are considered a community asset, and are thus free to use. EBRPD doesn't charge fees for those who walk into their parks. Parking may come at a cost; because it requires kiosks and additional labor. Last year, members of the Vineyard Homeowners Association, one of several gated communities clustered near the Stanford entrance, claimed that they had a lot of crime. They live on gated streets with private security patrols, so it's fair to say they have the lowest crime rate in the city. Residents also like to say that the park was leased in 1978, after they had built hundreds of houses that line the edge of the park. These subdivisions were actually built a lot later, in the 1990s. The new home-owners understood that regional parks serve the entire community. Regional parks are not a private country club. Robert Doyle, former General Manager of EBRPD, put it best: “The Park District strongly disagrees with the City of Fremont’s efforts to limit access to our regional parks, especially now when the public needs them more than ever for fresh air, exercise, and stress relief. Mission Peak is a valuable regional park receiving visitors from all over this region, and it is paid for by funds generated from greater East Bay taxpayers, not only Fremont residents.” https://bit.ly/3jAXWgE We believe the city should support our regional parks, including Coyote Hills, Ardenwood, Quarry Lakes, Vargas Plateau, Alameda Creek Trail, and Mission Peak. The city should pick up the cost of parking, whether inside or outside the parks. Having EBRPD operate Mission Peak for free is an excellent deal for the residents of Fremont. The visitor community can speak out at next the city-sponsored meeting: August 10, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. In- person: Teen Center in Central Park, 39770 Paseo Padre Pkwy Online (Zoom) https://zoom.us/j/92211919302 Meeting ID: 951 5400 8217 william yragui Mission Peak Conservancy

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Park It: East Bay open spaces this month offer a ton of fun, education From learning how to fish to gathering data on bats, lots of activities planned for all ages By NED MACKAY | East Bay Regional Park District PUBLISHED: August 8, 2021 at 5:00 a.m. | UPDATED: August 9, 2021 at 12:27 p.m. Christine Thompson — staff archives Brian Iniguez, of Antioch, brings in a small striper that he caught while attending a fishing clinic on the pier at Antioch/Oakley Regional Shoreline in Oakley. Pete Alexander, whose hand is at top right, helps Iniguez haul in the fish and toss it back in the water. At Contra Loma Regional Park in Antioch, neophyte anglers can learn fishing basics during an East Bay Regional Park District program Aug. 14. There’s a full schedule of activities online and in person this August in the East Bay Regional Park District. Listed below are some of the possibilities.

Neophyte anglers will enjoy learning fishing basics during a program from 8 to 11 a.m. Aug. 14 at Contra Loma Regional Park in Antioch. Topics covered will include rigging, knot tying, bait and gear selection and catfish habitat and behavior. After that there’s hands-on fishing time in the lake. The program is for ages 12 or older, and an adult must accompany those ages 12 through 15. A state fishing license (which is available at sporting goods stores) is required for participants ages 16 or older. The program fee is $25 for those 16 and older ($29 for non-East Bay residents). Registration is required.

Down at Sunol Regional Wilderness in southern Alameda County, two nature journaling workshops are planned for Aug. 14 with naturalist Erica Stephens. The first is a live virtual broadcast from 9 to 10 a.m. on Sunol Regional Wilderness Facebook and Zoom. A Facebook account is not needed to watch on the Facebook link. However, registration is required with your email address to receive Zoom access information. Zoom is limited to the first 100 participants. The recorded program will be available to watch on Sunol Wilderness’s Facebook page afterward.

200 The second nature journaling workshop is in-person with Erica from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. the same day. You’ll need paper or a journal, watercolors or another color medium and closed-toed shoes. COVID-related protocols will be in effect. Sunol has a parking fee of $5 per vehicle. The program is free, but registration is required.

And there’s more. Sunol’s naturalist staff will preside over “Wild Wonders” from 2 to 2:30 p.m. Aug. 14. It’s a free session of games, activities and explorations geared for families and all ages. Sunol Wilderness is at the end of Geary Road off Calaveras Road about 5 miles south of Interstate 680 and the town of Sunol.

Geology is the name of the game during a self-guided hike from 2 to 3 p.m. Aug. 14 starting at Del Valle Regional Park south of Livermore. Find out how heat, pressure and time all change the nature of a rock. Meet naturalist Kristina Parkison at the visitor center on the west shore of the lake for self-guided hike instructions. The program is free, and no registration is required. After the geology hike you can take a beach break from 3 to 3:30 p.m. The naturalists will set up a lakeside exploration station near the visitor center with games, crafts and other activities.

And there’s still s’more — while supplies last, the naturalists will give away free s’more kits, in family-size bags, from 4 to 5 p.m. Aug. 14 at the Del Valle campground. For those who don’t know, s’mores are a concoction of graham crackers, chocolate and marshmallows guaranteed to give you an enormous sugar rush. It’s been a campfire treat since the Girl Scouts invented it in 1927. Del Valle Regional Park is on Del Valle Road off Mines Road about 9 miles south of Livermore. There’s a parking fee of $6 per vehicle.

For something completely different, you can become a community scientist and help gather data on the bat population at Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve in Antioch. The program starts at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 14 and is 2¼ hours long. Led by naturalist Virginia Delgado, the group will hike a half-mile uphill to monitor the bats as they emerge from the mines into the evening sky.

Meet in the parking lot at the end of Somersville Road, 3½ miles south of Highway 4. All participants must be age 7 or older, and parent supervision is required. Flashlights, water, snacks, a jacket and sturdy shoes are recommended. The program is free, but registration is required. Black Diamond Mines has a parking fee of $5 per vehicle. To register for any of the programs above that require it, call 888-327-2757, and select option 2.

From bats to bees: Aug. 15 is National Honey Bee Day. In observance, naturalist Alex Collins will lead a “Honey Bee Mine” program from 9 to 10 a.m. that day at Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area in Pleasanton. Find out about the lives of honeybees, hear a story, learn a bee dance and meet a few bees. This is a family-friendly, stroller-accessible program. It’s free, but registration is required. Shadow Cliffs has a $6 parking fee per vehicle. For information on the programs at Del Valle, Shadow Cliffs and Sunol, call 510-544-3249.

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Posted on: August 5, 2021 Dumbarton to Quarry Lakes Trail Project The City of Fremont’s Public Works Department is working on the preliminary design and environmental study of a new regional trail that would connect from the Dumbarton Bridge to Quarry Lakes Regional Recreation Area, providing a new east-west bicycling and walking facility for Transbay commuting and for recreational use. The proposed trail would extend approximately 8 miles along the Dumbarton/Decoto corridor and consist of multi-use pathways, separated bike lanes, and wide sidewalks. The trail would connect to regional open spaces, transit hubs, and other regional trails including the Bay Trail and Alameda Creek Trail. The current project phase is funded by an Alameda CTC Measure BB grant and will be completed by 2022, after which the City will pursue additional grants to design and construct the various trail segments.

The project team has developed a short animation that provides more detail on the proposed alignment and the destinations that the trail will connect to, as well as a short survey in which community members can provide comments on the trail and sign up to receive project updates. To view the animation and take the survey, please visit the project webpage.

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Future Alameda wellness and medical respite center moves forward Center planned for former federal property in the city’s West End By PETER HEGARTY | [email protected] | Bay Area News Group PUBLISHED: August 4, 2021 at 6:03 a.m. | UPDATED: August 4, 2021 at 11:41 a.m. Nate Jackson/for Bay Area News Group The Alameda Planning Board has approved the design of the future Alameda Wellness and Medical Respite Center on McKay Avenue.

ALAMEDA — Plans to build a center that will provide medical and other services for people without homes has reached a milestone now that the Planning Board has signed off on its design.

The Alameda Wellness and Medical Respite Center will be just off Central Avenue on what was once federal property on McKay Avenue, which leads into Crab Cove Visitor Center.

The Alameda Point Collaborative, a nonprofit at the former Alameda Naval Air Station, helps people who have been homeless, is behind the future center. The federal government donated the 3.65-acre site to the collaborative in September 2018.

It will cost an estimated $35 million to $40 million to build the center, with funding coming from federal and state sources dedicated to providing medical and housing services for people without housing, according to the city.

“I think this will be a great addition to Alameda,” resident Zac Bowling told the Planning Board on July 26. “I think it fits exactly with the buildings that are right there.”

Currently, two main buildings and four accessory structures are on the vacant property. The new two-story center will be about 29,810 square feet and will replace one of the main buildings. The collaborative plans to eventually replace the second main building with senior housing and use the remaining buildings for offices.

The first story of the new center will include a primary care clinic, a resource center and a kitchen. The clinic will serve respite patients, who will stay on the second story. Respite patients are those who need short-term care.

“The patients will be there to get after-care from surgery or hospitalization, or some cases, for hospice,” Doug Biggs, executive director of the collaborative, told the board.

Their stays will be temporary, Biggs said, though he did not offer a timeframe for how long someone will be allowed to stay.

The 50 respite beds will be in rooms with up to four beds each, and each room will have a restroom with a toilet and sink.

The center will not provide walk-in services. Patients must be referred or have an appointment.

203 Along with medical care, the center will assist those who are on the brink of homelessness, with the goal of helping them into a stable living situation.

The project has been contentious with some residents from the start: In April 2019 a group opposing the center gathered more than 6,000 signatures to qualify for a ballot measure. The measure called for the site’s zoning to be changed to open space instead of its current administrative professional.

Supporters of the measure said it would clear the way to expand East Bay Regional Park District’s Crab Cove Visitor Center and nearby Robert W. Crown Memorial State Beach. But critics said the effort was less about promoting open space and more about not wanting the people who will visit the center coming to the neighborhood.

Voters rejected the measure.

The park district also said it was not interested in the property, while the city said it did not have the estimated $11.5 million it would cost to acquire the site and transform it into a city park.

Building the center on the property, which once housed offices for the Department of Agriculture, the General Services Administration and Military Sealift Command, is expected to take three to five years.

During the Planning Board meeting, some residents argued the buildings should be preserved, saying they were historically significant.

“The site is historically important as one of only two (World War II-era) Maritime Officers Training Schools, and retains the last remaining structures from this important period in our world’s history,” Carmen Diaz wrote in an email to the board. “Demolition would be a permanent and tragic loss for our local and national maritime history.”

The city’s Historical Advisory Board approved the demolition of the building in May, a decision that the City Council upheld in July.

When the center is complete, it will help seniors without homes and those who struggle with what the collaborative described as “complex medical and persistent mental health conditions.”

The board voted 4-3 to approve the design, which will feature an asymmetrical roof with a roof ridge that crosses the building at a diagonal, skylights and a mostly stucco exterior, along with wood-tone siding in some places aimed at reflecting the naturalness of Crab Cove.

Board members who voted no said they wanted to hear more suggestions for tweaking the design, including ways the building can better promote environmental sustainability. There have been 17 public hearings about the wellness center.

The board’s decision is final, unless it’s appealed to the council. Board members said they think an appeal is likely, given the opposition the project has generated among some people.

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Wildfire prevention funding granted

BY DENNIS WAESPI, BOARD OF DIRECTORS East Bay Regional Park District’s wildfire fighting capabilities have just been augmented with a much-appreciated appropriation of $13.5 million from the California state budget. The appropriation was advanced by Senator Nancy Skinner of Berkeley, Senator Bob Wieckowski of Fremont, and Assemblywoman Rebecca Bauer-Kahan of Orinda. Of the total, $10 million will fund removal of dead and dying trees on district parklands. The die-off is a serious problem that has been evident especially in Anthony Chabot and Reinhardt Redwood Regional Parks in Oakland, Miller-Knox Regional Shoreline in Richmond, and Tilden Regional Park near Berkeley. The remaining $3.5 million will be used to purchase equipment that will greatly improve the district’s wildfire fighting capacity. This will include the replacement of the district’s aging helicopter. The helicopter uses a “Bambi bucket” to drop water on fires burning in otherwise inaccessible terrain, and it’s also an observation platform that provides firefighters with a fire’s location and direction of burn. The district is grateful for the support of its East Bay legislative delegation, especially Senators Skinner and Wieckowski, and Assemblywoman Bauer-Kahan. Sudden tree die-off was first noticed in the East Bay in October of 2020. It is affecting many varieties of trees throughout California, including eucalyptus, acacia, bay and pine. The estimated cost of dead and dying tree removal is $30 million, based on current standard tree removal contracts. According to Aileen Theile, the district’s fire chief, there are more than 1,500 acres of dead or dying trees within the regional parks, as a result of drought and climate change. “These state funds couldn’t come at a better time,” she said, “as we are shovel-ready.” Dead trees burn hotter and faster, and are more likely to shed embers downwind, jumping fire lines and starting dangerous new fires. Many of the park areas experiencing die-offs are old eucalyptus plantations with high tree density. This is especially true at Anthony Chabot Regional Park. The park district’s wildfire protection project continues throughout the year, not just in what is becoming an extended fire season. Projects include regular fuels reduction, professionally trained full-time and on-call wildland firefighters, and remote automated weather stations that help to monitor wildfire risks so that fire staff and resources can be deployed efficiently. The district also has mutual aid agreements with virtually every firefighting agency in the East Bay, and with CalFire. Over the past ten years, the park district has invested $20.5 million in its fuel reduction efforts to keep the East Bay hills safer from wildfire threats.

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Three companies bid for chance to develop Concord Naval Weapons site into new community By SHOMIK MUKHERJEE | [email protected] | PUBLISHED: August 3, 2021 at 5:41 p.m. | UPDATED: August 4, 2021 at 9:10 a.m. City of Concord officials are zeroing in on a new developer for the former Concord Naval Weapons Station site. (Dan Rosenstrauch/Staff Archives)

CONCORD — Three prominent developers have emerged as the latest contenders for the opportunity to transform the former Concord Naval Weapons Station site into a full-fledged community — one of the East Bay’s biggest projects ever.

As envisioned by the city, the 2,300-acre site could become the home of as many as 13,000 housing units and millions of square feet of commercial and office space in coming years.

All three proposals submitted by the developers last month and publicly released by the city on Tuesday generally reflect that vision — including the promise that a quarter of the homes will be listed at affordable prices.

So it’s the key differences among the proposals that could ultimately determine which master developer the City Council chooses at its Aug. 21 meeting.

“This is like a job interview for a partnership with the city,” Guy Bjerke, the city’s economic development director, told this news organization.

One applicant, Brookfield Development, is a multinational company that has developed thousands of housing units including Pier 70, a 28-acre waterfront community in San Francisco.

The company, which is publicly traded, provided the city with extensive details about its finances and has glowing references from past partners, according to the city’s agenda for the Aug. 21 meeting.

206 A view of ammunition bunkers is seen during a community and city employee tour of the Concord Naval Weapons Station in Concord, Calif., on Wednesday, May 23, 2018. The city and the chosen reuse developer, Lennar Concord LLC, have agreed to extend by a year the initial studies for development of the 2,300-acre area. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

Another prospective developer is Irvine- based City Ventures, which has done sizable projects around the state and Bay Area, including The Orchard, a development of 188 townhouses and 10,000 square feet of retail space in San Jose. The firm provided the city with financial statements indicating it has the bandwidth to take on the naval weapons site development.

Unlike its two competitors who say their ideas for the naval weapons site are consistent with the City Council’s stated vision, City Ventures’ proposal puts more focus on housing and less on commercial development, according to city staff.

The third contender is Seeno Company, a longtime local developer with a history of legal battles against East Bay public agencies and environmental groups, a track record so contentious that Save Mount Diablo has already organized a letter-writing campaign urging the City Council to reject its proposal.

Seeno and Discovery Builders, its partner in the naval weapons station application, sued in 2018 to prevent the U.S. Navy from transferring the weapons station property to the city, arguing that the proposed development’s massive scale would produce so much traffic congestion and air pollution that it could harm their own nearby housing and office projects.

And last year, the company also filed a lawsuit to prevent the Navy’s transfer of adjacent land to the East Bay Regional Park District, citing similar reasons.

The city has received more than 200 letters opposing Seeno’s proposal — most of them lifting the opposition text that Save Mount Diablo posted on its website — and is getting more letters every day, Bjerke said, adding he’s received only one comment in his inbox that supports choosing Seeno as master developer.

“The Seenos have a history of breaking environmental and other laws and not acting in the public’s best interest,” the form letters state. “Their business practices have been unethical and illegal.”

But at least for the moment, Seeno does appear to have one significant merit point over its competitors — an agreement to exclusively hire local union labor for construction and related work at the site. The other companies are still negotiating for similar agreements.

207 The city has made it clear that any developer interested in taking on the naval weapons station must be willing to cut a deal with local unions, known as project labor agreements.

Lennar Corp., the last master developer of the site, walked away from the project after refusing to commit to solely hiring union workers, even though it had invested years of effort into to make the project happen.

Seeno has been less forthcoming to the city about its finances than the two other developers, telling Bjerke in an email last month, “we feel that a broad, generic request for financial information (at this point) is premature and unnecessary.”

Representatives from the three developers did not to respond to requests for comment on this story.

After the council makes a choice, the city and developer must negotiate final terms for proceeding and prepare a specific plan that shows how the new community ultimately will look like. That process could take 18 to 20 months, Bjerke said.

The development will likely take years to complete.

For Councilman Councilman Edi Birsan, the sooner the better. “In two-and-a-half years, I want to see dirt moving,” he said in an email last month.

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Body found in Pleasanton park believed to be Philip Kreycik, missing Berkeley runner Coroner’s officials recover volunteer-found body likely that of Berkeley runner Philip Kreycik By GEORGE KELLY | [email protected] | Bay Area News Group PUBLISHED: August 3, 2021 at 5:17 p.m. | UPDATED: August 4, 2021 at 5:22 a.m. PLEASANTON, CA – AUGUST 03: East Bay Regional Park District police officer Jay Bustamante, right, holds the gate of a private driveway open for Pleasanton police officers near Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park in Pleasanton, Calif., on Tuesday, August 3, 2021. A citizen volunteer on Tuesday found a body that officials said may be the Philip Kreychik, the Berkeley man who went missing last month while running in the area. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

PLEASANTON — A citizen volunteer on Tuesday found a body that officials said may be the man who went missing last month while running in the area.

Detectives from Pleasanton police and the East Bay Regional Park District police departments were at the scene, about 250 feet away from a game trail under a tree in a remote northern section of Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park.

Philip Kreycik, 37, has been missing since Saturday, July 10, when he parked his car near the Moller Ranch staging area at Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park around 11 a.m., authorities said. Police urge anyone with information about where Keycik may be to contact Pleasanton police at 925-931-5100. (Courtesy of Pleasanton Police)

In remarks late Tuesday afternoon, officials struck a somber tone as they offered their condolences to family and friends of Philip Kreycik, 38, and to the community of volunteers who never gave up looking for the missing man.

“We want to offer any support we can to friends and family who have been searching and spending countless hours looking for Philip,” Pleasanton police Officer Erik Silacci said at a press conference. “We would like to thank all those agencies who helped out at this time.”

209 Silacci said an individual who set out on his own managed to find the body around 2:30 p.m., and then contacted other people who were searching nearby before reaching out to alert law enforcement.

In a statement, police said the area was within regional-park district territory, and about a quarter-mile away from Kreycik’s intended route.

An official identification and a cause-of-death determination will fall to Alameda County Sheriff’s Office coroner’s officials, but on Tuesday, Sgt. Ray Kelly appeared certain about the grim discovery.

“We’re very heartbroken today,” Kelly said. “Our team our collective group of law enforcement personnel has never wavered. From the coroner’s bureau perspective we’ll do a positive inspection, but everything leads us to believe we did find Philip up there on the ridge.

“We wanted to bring him home alive and safe, so to deliver this news today is very hard.”

Kelly said East Bay Regional Park District police will lead a follow-up investigation, with any requested assistance from the sheriff’s department crime lab. “We will treat this case with the utmost investigative integrity. At the end of the day, everybody wants answers as to why and how, and they deserve those answers.”

In response to questions from press, officials said there did not appear to be any preliminary sign of foul play.

“We believe he was located in a remote area of the park, and not a designated trail,” East Bay Regional Park District police Capt. Lance Breed said. “The body was found near a game trail, about 250 yards off that trail near a tree.”

Breed defined a game trail as a pathway trodden most commonly by wild animals like deer or raccoons, “something that beats down the grass. Philip could have thought it was a trail that he was on. It’s very easy to get disoriented out there.”

Drawing on days spent working with volunteers who combed the park in recent weeks, Kelly agreed with Breed’s assessment. “It’s about a quarter mile, 2000 feet from the end of a trail where Philip should have made a turn to go back to the trail. We roughly estimate based on terrain there that you could continue on straight and not realize you had gone off the trail. The environment out there, it plays tricks on your eyes, with multiple layers of foliage and vegetation.”

Pleasanton police thanked multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Alameda, Contra Costa, Placer, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara and Sonoma counties’ sheriff’s offices, the East Bay Regional Park District and Livermore police departments, the Alameda County and Livermore-Pleasanton fire departments, the California Explorer Search and Rescue and California Rescue Dog Association, Bay Area Mountain Rescue and Community Emergency Response Team members.

210 Anyone who may have seen Kreycik on July 10 may call Pleasanton police at 925-931- 5107.

PLEASANTON, CA – AUGUST 03: A sign is seen at the Moller Ranch Staging Area at Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park in Pleasanton, Calif., on Tuesday, August 3, 2021. A citizen volunteer on Tuesday found a body that officials said may be the Phiip Kreychik, the Berkeley man who went missing last month while running in the area. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

PLEASANTON, CA – AUGUST 03: Pleasanton police officer Chris Jones and East Bay Regional Park District police officer Jay Bustamante, from right, wait by a private driveway on Blessing Drive near Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park in Pleasanton, Calif., on Tuesday, August 3, 2021. A citizen volunteer on Tuesday found a body that officials said may be the Phiip Kreychik, the Berkeley man who went missing last month while running in the area. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

PLEASANTON, CA – AUGUST 03: Police tape is seen by a private driveway on Blessing Drive near Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park in Pleasanton, Calif., on Tuesday, August 3, 2021. A citizen volunteer on Tuesday found a body that officials said may be the Phiip Kreychik, the Berkeley man who went missing last month while running in the area. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

PLEASANTON, CA – AUGUST 03: A trail heads west from the Moller Ranch Staging Area at the Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park in Pleasanton, Calif., on Tuesday, August 3, 2021. A citizen volunteer on Tuesday found a body that officials said may be the Phiip Kreychik, the Berkeley man who went missing last month while running in the area. He was last seen at the staging area on July 10 as he head out on the trail. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)

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