TO: PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE

FROM: JULIE BUEREN, CHAIR

SUBJECT: PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE

DATE: JULY 22, 2019

LOCATION: *** Please note: This is an offsite meeting ***

Martin Luther King, Jr. Shoreline Center 7250 Doolittle Drive Oakland, CA 94621

TIME: 6:00 p.m. BARBECUE DINNER

REGULAR MEETING

7:00 p.m. 1. Approval of Minutes – May 20, 2019, June 24, 2019 2. Introductions 3. Board Member Comments – Board Member Dennis Waespi 4. Foundation Update 5. Public Comments 7:15 p.m. 6. Presentations: (R) a. Coyote Hills LUPA – Chris Barton, Environmental Programs Manager (I) b. Measure CC – Jeff Rasmussen, Assistant Finance Officer 8:45 p.m. 7. PAC Member Comments 8. Report from the Chair – Julie Bueren 9. Board Committee Reports 10. Old Business 11. New Business 12. Adjournment

No August Meeting Next Meeting: September 23

ATTACHMENTS EXHIBITS 1. Coyote Hills LUPA Memo 1. Coyote Hills LUPA Executive Summary 2. Measure CC Memo 2. Measure CC 2020 Status Report 3. Status of Recommendations 4. 2019 Work Plan Calendar 5. Articles & Correspondence

(A) Action (I) Information (R) Recommendation

Page Left Blank Intentionally

Unapproved Meeting Minutes PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE May 20, 2019

ATTENDING: Best, Bueren, Burke, Corkin, Deschambault, Godfrey, Ho, Sanwong, Skaredoff, Tsutsui ABSENT: Andrade, Brubaker, Dieter, Gregory, Lacy, Nason, Obringer, Rickard, Robinson, Williams, Yee STAFF ATTENDING: O’Connor, Pfuehler, Kassebaum, Brede, Phulps, Rizzotti, Hornbeck, Baldinger, Ciaburro, Clay GUESTS: PUBLIC: William Yragui, Kelly Abreu, Priscilla Browne

The meeting began at 7:05 p.m.

1. Approval of the May 20, 2019 Minutes: The May minutes will be approved at the July 22, 2019 meeting.

2. Introductions: PAC Chair Bueren asked PAC members, staff and the public to introduce themselves.

3. Board Member Comments: None.

4. Foundation Update: Legislative Assistant Lisa Baldinger announced on May 30 there will be a What’s Brewing in the Parks? event at Lake Chabot. The Foundation is bringing a proposed Capital Campaign before the Board of Directors for approval in June.

5. Public Comments: Kelly Abreu commented about parking tickets being issued at the Mission Peak parking lot. Abreu remarked on the missing signage for drinking water at Ohlone College.

William Yragui spoke about inclusivity and diversity in the parks. He distributed a document from the Sierra Club called Area of Change.

Priscilla Browne reported on a flock of domestic ducks abandoned and stranded at Lake Temescal late last Fall. Browne would like to work with the District to reintroduce ducks into an animal sanctuary.

6. Presentations: (I) a. Park and Public Interest Community Engagement Project – Erich Pfuehler, Government Affairs Manager; Lisa Baldinger, Legislative Assistant Erich Pfuehler, Government Affairs Manager presented a PowerPoint about the Park and Public Interest Community Engagement Project. He explained Government Affairs has launched a community outreach program to gather data from the broader community. The District wants to solicit information tied to the work being done at each park. The survey is also consistent with Land Use Plans for each park and the Master Plan. Lisa

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Baldinger, Legislative Assistant commented she researched each park to determine which improvements are needed.

Pfuehler stated the State Legislature is considering several bills regarding open space, climate and resource protection. Pfuehler commented legislators and staff are asking for more and more data. This makes it a very good time to take information gleaned by the survey to Sacramento and D.C. Plans are to discuss issues of interest with the electeds so they can learn their constituents’ concerns.

Baldinger talked about various ways the survey will be used to engage the public: Facebook, E News, Instagram and in-park signage. The survey will encompass both counties and all parks currently open to the public. Baldinger explained based on demographics from research done by Public Affairs, the electronic survey will be offered in English, Spanish, Korean and Chinese. It will also be shared at public libraries. In-park tablet surveys will be coordinated to assist with less tech savvy park users.

Some survey questions include: if people are aware of the parks; what is the value of the Park District; why and what parks users are visiting; what amenities and features they currently use in the parks; preferred park activities; location of visitor centers; future park activities desired; reasons for visiting; obstacles to park visit; are they noticing the effects of climate change; and preferred form of communication. These conversations will take place through paid social media posting to drive traffic to the survey, stakeholder e-mails, in-park surveys with ambassadors and interns, event engagement, signage in parks, and stickers and bookmarks in partnership with interpretive programs. The survey goes live June through August 2019 and is located at: http://eastbayparksurvey.com/

Baldinger stated the Regional Parks Foundation is a strong supporter of this project, and as an incentive, have offered to give one free month of membership to anyone who completes the survey and submits their e-mail at the conclusion of the survey.

PAC member Sanwong asked if the survey is being done in-house. Baldinger replied Government Affairs is working with a messaging/communications consulting firm. PAC member Godfrey asked if the survey will list options. Baldinger said it isn’t open-ended, although each question has an open-ended option. Suggestions will be provided within the realm of the Master Plan. PAC member Burke asked if the District will approach their partners, such as the San Francisco Bay Trail project and Bay Area Open Space Council, to provide a link to the survey on their websites. Baldinger replied yes. PAC member Ho suggested cities and counties might be willing to put a link on their website. Bueren recommended county libraries, county supervisors and city official offices. PAC member Best suggested city councils usually put out newsletters and would be willing to add the survey.

PAC member Skaredoff said the District should be mindful about the sampling to ensure it is representative of a reasonable cross-section of the community. Pfuehler explained it’s not a traditional poll, but a way to gather a wide sampling of data. If the budget allows, a scientific report will be done to compliment the data.

Recommendation: This was an informational item only.

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(I) b. Youth Employment and Engagement – Anne Kassebaum, Chief of Interpretive and Recreation Services Anne Kassebaum, Chief of Interpretive and Recreation Services provided a brief outline about the Youth Strategic Plan 2013, an informal assessment done by Dr. Nina Roberts and Dr. Mary Fortune of San Francisco State University. The plan was provided to the District in 2013. The plan covers how the District is, and can be more, engaged with youth. This plan is used District-wide by staff and many of the recommendations have been implemented. Kassebaum explained Jaimee Rizzotti, Outreach Coordinator works closely with interpretive and recreation staff to implement youth engagement programs.

Rizzotti stated one of the recommendations from the Youth Engagement Study was the Youth Job Fair. The District has hosted such a fair twice a year for the last five years. Rizzotti stated when youth register for the job fair their zip codes are gathered to determine from what cities they have come. Staff use the data to determine geographic gaps in attendees. This helps determine where future job fairs will be held and provides the opportunity for more youth to attend. PAC member Tsutsui asked if students self- select to attend or are there organized school trips planned for youth to attend. Rizzotti replied some organizations bus them to the event, but mainly parents inform other parents about the job fairs.

Rizzotti talked about the various programs offered by Interpretive and Recreation staff. Environmental Education one-time programs served up to 2,400 classes in 2019. Adventure Crew is a longitudinal youth engagement program for youth 11 to 13-years old, under-represented, low-income, urban youth in the Richmond/San Pablo area. This program fosters youth leadership, increases environmental literacy, teaches outdoor skills, promotes a sense of connection and stewardship, and improves health and wellness.

Two Mobile Visitor Centers bring the parks to people. The Mobile Fish Exhibit serves hundreds of people at a time. There is a Fish Friends Program serving elementary schools. Rizzotti commented the Regional Parks Foundation supports youth-focused programs, such as: Girls, Inc. a program focused on middle school girls; Fish Friends; Backpacks to Parks; Job Fair; Ash St. Day Camp and Campfire; Family Camping at Ardenwood; Explore Your Watershed; Fishing Derbies; Teen Eco Action; etc.

Rizzotti stated the Recreation Partnership hosts one-off boating, biking and fishing programs. They also do deep engagement partnership programs through the Park’n It Day Camp and the C2C Teen program. Teen Eco Action is a week-long program in partnership with community organizations where teens participate in service and engagement projects. Teens receive a stipend at the end of the program.

Rizzotti described Parks Express as a subsidized transportation program where eligible schools and organizations can obtain a bus for $120 dollars and the District will cover the rest. In 2018, Parks Express provided 438 busses.

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Rizzotti reported Lifeguard Services do amazing work to engage and employ youth. They visit schools, host swim practice workshops and a 9-day academy with 48 lifeguards some of whom get jobs with the District.

Workforce Development is a three-tier partnership program. District staff work with the Workforce Development Boards, which are the funding source. One program called Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) serves youth 16 to 24 years old that are out of school, low-income, basic skills deficient or English language learners, placed in the juvenile or adult justice system, homeless, runaways, in or aged out of foster care, pregnant or parenting and have disabilities. There is also an in-school youth, 14 to 21 years old, program with similar barriers.

Godfrey observed the outreach numbers to classes by naturalists are impressive. He asked, within the District, how many naturalists are there to do outreach. Rizzotti answered there are about 40 naturalists, interns and many docents that help to lead these programs. Godfrey inquired about the youth of the homeless population and whether outreach is done for them. Jim O’Connor, Assistant General Manager Operations explained the District partners with established community outreach efforts which have existing relationships with the youth participants. Ho expressed her appreciation for staff’s impressive work.

Recommendation: This was an informational item only.

(R) c. Special Use Agreement for the Portuguese Water Dog Club – Katy Hornbeck, Acting Business Services Manager Katy Hornbeck, Acting Business Services Manager, provided an overview about the Portuguese Water Dog Club proposed agreement. Hornbeck began with an explanation about a Special Use Agreement and how it must meet District objectives for appropriate public benefit and priority. Hornbeck explained the approval process for such an agreement. The proposal comes to Business Services and is circulated to appropriate staff for review. Once finalized by staff, it is routed to the General Manager for review and approval. The second phase is to obtain public and Board approval. Should the Park Advisory Committee approve the proposed agreement, it will then go to the full Board for approval. The Portuguese Water Dog Club of Northern California agreement is for a five-year term, with a mutual consent option for a second five-year term.

The non-profit Portuguese Water Dog Club of Northern California was founded in 1992. Training takes place at Shadow Cliffs Regional Park from May to September. They do not train on weekends or holidays. Training includes a series of water work exercises to encourage obedience, tracking, agility and performance of in-water trials. It is very controlled group. Only one to two dogs are in the water performing training exercises at any given time. The dogs are otherwise crated when not in training. O’Connor explained the Portuguese Water Dog was bred to perform water rescues.

Tsutsui asked who reviews the license when it is up for renewal in five years. O’Connor stated this is a brand-new use agreement. If it is renewed for an additional five years, it will be handled at the staff level.

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PAC member Deschambault asked what determines how, why and who receives a special use agreement. She asked for clarification on the types of special use agreements issued. Staff explained for this particular request, since it is both outside of Ordinance 38 policy and normal general use, it needs an exemption from Ordinance 38. A permit is required for the club to conduct their activities.

Public Comment Kelly Abreu provided a history about the people who brought the Portuguese Water Dog to Portugal.

Recommendation: Motion made by PAC member Burke to recommend the Board of Directors approve a five-year Special Use Agreement with the option of a second five-year extension with the Portuguese Water Dog Club Chapter of Northern California. Seconded by PAC member Best. The recommendation was approved unanimously.

(I) d. Nighttime Bicycle Access to Transportation Trails – David Phulps, Patrol Watch Commander Lance Brede, Captain, Public Safety Operations Division introduced David Phulps, Patrol Watch Commander. Phulps reported the pilot program has been in place since February of 2018. The purpose of the program is to provide bicycle commuters an opportunity to utilize specified trails near public transportation routes outside of established curfew hours. Currently, there is a modification to the Ordinance that allows special permit holders access two hours beyond the 10 PM curfew and allows entry onto the trail one hour prior to the 5 AM trail “opening” time. Brede commented the District trail system is extremely safe. The curfew hours directly correlate with when BART and bus service begins and ends.

Phulps outlined the 2019 Safety requirements that must be followed prior to issuance of the permit: 1) photo ID will be required; 2) applicant must provide most preferred routes and hours commuting, this information will be used for safety considerations for after-hours use in case of a missing person report; 3) the permit expires three years after issuance and must be in the bicyclist’s possession when using approved trails after hours; 4) staff will strongly recommend during the application process that a helmet is worn, the bicycle has a forward facing white light and a rear flashing red light.

Phulps explained the electronic bike pilot program will continue and includes five additional trails: Big Break Trail, Contra Costa Canal Trail, March Creek Trail, Lafayette/Moraga Trail and the George Miller Regional Trail. The after hours permit pilot coincides with this e- bike extension.

Best asked if lights are still required. Phulps answered yes bicyclists must adhere to California code. PAC member Corkin asked if they are only permitted after hours in the park to commute or can they be recreation cyclists. Phulps replied it is for commuting, but if they go through the permit process and stay on the preferred routes, they will be allowed.

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Tsutsui asked if there are commuters currently using the trails after hours without permits. Phulps replied yes. Brede said it is a small percentage, but staff would rather have the permit program be open so they can commute legally. Sanwong commented there are bicyclists that don’t speak English fluently and are commuting from work at night. There may be a language factor to consider. Brede replied there is. If someone who does not speak English is verified as commuting, they will likely not be issued a citation.

Godfrey asked what triggered the 2017 rules. Brede replied there has been an established curfew in place for many years. It is for safety. Brede said staffing is cut back at hours of less park usage, so there is less of a police presence. Bueren stated trails should be open for transportation and not have to be permitted.

Corkin asked if this has been adopted and approved or it is still a pilot program. O’Connor said a change in Ordinance 38 would have to be done to make this program official. Ho commented it is prudent of staff to approach this carefully and monitor any complaints from neighbors adjacent to the trails. Ho asked if there are any plans to put surveillance cameras on any of the trails. Phulps replied there are surveillance cameras concentrated in the park areas, but the regional trail system is too expansive for camera surveillance. O’Connor added if there is a spike in crime, then cameras are put in place for targeted enforcement for a period of time.

Recommendation: This was an informational item only.

7. PAC Member Comments Tsutsui commented he enjoyed the Special Park District Forum. He was struck by how impressed conference attendees were with the District and the great work done by staff.

Skaredoff stated he enjoyed the Special Park District Forum. He learned from the different park districts who attended the forum.

8. Report from Chair – Bueren thanked staff that helped with the Special Park District Forum. She commented that Interpretive staff were awesome, and the event was well received.

9. Board Committee Reports – None.

10. Old Business – None.

11. New Business – None.

12. Adjournment – The meeting was adjourned at 9:08 p.m.

Summary of Actions: 1. The PAC recommended the five-year Special Use Agreement and option for a second five-year term with the Portuguese Water Dog Club Chapter of Northern California, as presented by staff, move forward to the full Board.

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Unapproved Meeting Minutes PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE June 24, 2019

ATTENDING: Andrade, Brubaker, Corkin, Deschambault, Dieter, Godfrey, Ho, Nason, Obringer, Rickard, Robinson, Skaredoff, Williams ABSENT: Best, Bueren, Burke, Tsutsui, Yee, Gregory, Lacy, Sanwong STAFF ATTENDING: O’Connor, Pfuehler, Auker, Strawson-O’Hara, Lavalle, Thai, Clay, Johnson GUESTS: Board Member Ellen Corbett PUBLIC: Ollie Olson

The meeting began at 7:05 p.m.

1. Approval of the Aril 22, 2019 Minutes: The April 22, 2019 minutes were approved. The motion to approve was moved by PAC member Deschambault. PAC member Nason seconded approval of the minutes.

2. Introductions: PAC Vice Chair Rickard asked PAC members, staff and the public to introduce themselves.

3. Board Member Comments: Director Ellen Corbett discussed current events in the District. She thanked staff for their work. She noted there was a large coordinated effort by all divisions to organize and host the Special Park District Forum. Corbett mentioned the District is celebrating the 85th Anniversary and will host several special events. Corbett commented the Volunteer Recognition Dinner was a great success and very well attended. Corbett touched on the funding received from Measure AA, the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority, for the restoration of the dunes at Encinal Beach in Alameda. Corbett invited the PAC members to attend the Concerts at the Cove events. Corbett announced July 13 is the dedication date for the conveyance of Concord Hills. She encouraged PAC members to attend.

4. Foundation Update: Carol Johnson, AGM Public Affairs reported the Foundation received a $2 million donation to assist in some work along the Oakland shoreline. The Foundation will be working with the District to make sure the money is well spent in the next couple of years.

Johnson reported the East Contra Costa Habitat Conservancy (ECCHC) has funded over $60 million to assist the District in purchasing at least 15,000 acres in East Contra Costa County. The ECCHC board was looking for a nonprofit organization to assume the responsibility of their endowment. In thirty years, ECCHC will no longer be in existence. The endowment will fund the purchase of properties in perpetuity. The endowment is expected to reach about $80 million. The Regional Parks Foundation was accepted as the recipient organization to manage these endowment funds.

5. Public Comments: None.

6. Presentations: (I) a. East Contra Costa County Delta Atlas – Neoma Lavalle, Acting Principal Planner, Kim Thai, Senior Planner

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Neoma Lavalle, Acting Principal Planner explained the East Contra Costa County Delta Atlas is a collaborative effort within the Planning and GIS Department. Its main objective is to provide a comprehensive understanding of existing conditions, potential opportunities and constraints within the East Contra Costa County area of the Delta. Staff intends to use the East Contra Costa County Delta Atlas as an informational tool to guide District decision making. It considers recreation and open space preservation opportunities in accordance with the District’s mission to preserve a rich heritage of natural and cultural resources, provide open space, parks, trails, safe and healthful recreation, and environmental education. The Atlas is also a regional planning document for the future. Data on recreation and development projects and priorities was gathered as part of a collaborative stakeholder process with internal District staff and external partner agency staff. The Atlas provides information and projections on sea-level rise, demographics and development projects in the Delta.

Lavalle reported an external stakeholder meeting was held. Representatives from the local cities, jurisdictions and state agencies attended to discuss work being done in this area. Lavalle thanked staff for their help producing the Atlas.

PAC member Andrade asked if the District is in contact with other planning agencies north and east of the Delta. Lavalle replied there was a lot of participation from the cities of Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley, Pittsburg, Contra Costa County, California State Parks, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Delta Stewardship Council, Department of Water Resources, ECCHC, State Coastal Conservancy and UC Davis.

PAC member Obringer asked if Save Mt. Diablo is a partner. She also asked if the ongoing discussion by cities about the urban limit line and development factored into this report. Lavalle replied staff did not specifically reach out to Save Mt. Diablo. She will provide them the document. Lavalle continued this is meant to be a living document and will be updated.

Deschambault asked if this was the first time the document was created. Lavalle replied yes. Deschambault asked if Adapting to Rising Tides (ART) and San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) were involved. Lavalle replied they did look at the data about adapting to rising tides. BCDC’s jurisdiction stops a little to the west of the project area.

PAC member Robinson said it is great to see the results of the stakeholder meetings last year. BCDC and ART are holding an East Contra Costa County stakeholder meeting in July. It would be a great place to share this document. Robinson mentioned there is no public swimming access to the Delta in East Contra Costa County.

Recommendation: This was an informational item only.

(R) b. Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) – Debra Auker, AGM/CFO Finance and Management Services Debra Auker, AGM/CFO Finance and Management Services, provided a PowerPoint presentation about the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR). Auker stated the District received a Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting. Auker stated one of the reasons the District has a AAA rating is because the District has strong fiscal policies.

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Auker explained the District is in sound financial condition. The complete reconciliation of the 2018 fiscal year demonstrates the continuing effectiveness of the District’s sustainable financial approach. It reflects the strong support of the Board of Directors toward financial transparency and long-term planning. The CAFR records the continuing commitment of public funds to providing services through expenditures. Expenditures include land acquisition, development projects, employee wages and benefits, debt service on bonds, and all required and recommended governmental activities necessary to operate the District. These year-end financial results will be used as the basis for making recommendations to the Board of Directors for future budgets.

The District’s net position totaled $784.6 million, which increased by $12.9 million in 2018 primarily due to property tax revenue being greater than budgeted. There were also some savings due to unpaid salaries and benefits from staff vacancies. Auker explained the key operating account for the District is the General Fund. Most of the District’s revenues and expenditures are recorded in the General Fund. The District’s major revenue source is general property tax. The District also does a great job securing grant funds. Federal grants were $3.6 million. The District also receives millions in state and foundation grants. Another area of growth is interest revenue. 60% of the expenditures are for staff providing services in the parks. In this calendar year, the District was authorized to increase staffing by 15.8 full-time equivalents. As revenue grows, new parks are opened, land is acquired and staging areas added, so staffing must keep up. Auker stated OPEB, or the Retiree Medical Liability, has a $21.9 million liability. It covers over 1,136 retired District employees. Auker explained the total 2018 Pension and OPEB liabilities are $148.8 million. The Board asked for additional money to be set aside in an irrevocable trust to prefund pensions. $5.4 million has been accumulated in the trust. It will be used to stabilize rates. PAC member Skaredoff asked what a pension safety plan is. Auker replied the District’s sworn police officers have a separate pension formula apart from other public safety employees.

PAC member Williams asked about $5 million in the pension trust fund against $150 million in liabilities, plus a 70% funded rate. He wondered if there is another source of committed money for OPEB and pension liability. Auker replied PERS pensions are a separate trust put into CalPERS. They hold the money, not the District. The District pays the minimum annual required contributions. Based on the District’s actuarial information, CalPERS determines the amount the District needs to pay each year to adequately fund long term employee pensions. PERS has assets in the District’s name that offset the liabilities. The District is at 70% full funded.

Andrade asked if new retirees will still get medical benefits. Auker replied there are still medical benefits for employees once they vest. Benefits are based on different categories for new employees. PAC member Corkin asked if the original OPEB trust is separate from the miscellaneous pension trust. Auker answered the District has a trust for the OPEB. It is another section of CalPERS. A special trust is holding these funds for retiree medical benefits.

PAC member Godfrey commented he attended a Board of Directors meeting for CalPERS in Sacramento. Some questions were about CalPERS making socially responsible investments. If they are investing in fossil fuels, how sustainable will that investment be in 15 to 20 years. Godfrey asked if the District has thoughts about how the money is invested. He wondered what is sustainably strong over a long period of time. Auker replied PERS has been working very hard for the last ten years to change their policies to be more sustainable. There are more retirees than there are active employees which is causing PERS to have some cash flow problems. PERS will have to change some their policies. PERS is trying to make sure the funds will be able to provide what is 3

promised. The District is exploring Environmental Social Governance investing (ESG), as are other California agencies.

Recommendation: Motion made by PAC member Godfrey. PAC member Skaredoff seconded the motion to approve the CAFR. The recommendation passed unanimously.

(R) c. 2020 Measure CC Budget and Spending Plan – Debra Auker, AGM/CFO Finance and Management Services Debra Auker, AGM/CFO Finance and Management Services, explained the special excise parcel tax was approved by voters in Alameda and Contra Costa counties within the Measure CC boundaries in 2004. In November 2018, the voters approved an extension of this funding source as Measure FF. The current Measure CC tax receipts provide a consistent $3.2 million per year in ongoing funding to projects and operations in the Measure CC area through the year 2020. This is the sunset date voters approved in 2004. The fiscal year of 2019/2020 is the last year for the tax levy. There is no deadline on spending the money.

The CC zone includes the District’s older parks. Measure CC provides capital and maintenance money for the parks in the zone. Auker explained 83 projects were included in the ballot materials for Measure CC. Of that, 46 have been completed and the remaining 37 projects are on track. Total Measure CC expenditures is $36,421,524 million and there is $9,184,300 remaining. Most of the time the CC money is just a small fraction of the total spent on a project.

Auker reported Measure CC provides operational funding to pay for staffing and expenses associated with the operation of parks. Sample projects include year-round operations of the Crab Cove Visitor Center, vegetation management at Anthony Chabot and monitoring for the Dotson Family Marsh. Approximately $886,505 is proposed as an appropriation for the preliminary 2020 expenditure plan.

Nason inquired about programing for citizens who live in the flatlands. There are parks, but no accessible programing for low income citizens within the Measure CC area south of Pinole. Auker replied a lot of stakeholder outreach was done for these specific funding allocations. Specific language about what Measure CC funding can be used for was included in the ballot. Auker continued Measure FF and CC aren’t really recreation services focused. They are primarily for capital, maintaining safety, maintenance and resource management.

Corbett commented the District is currently undergoing a huge community outreach survey. The District is actively trying to find as many people possible to respond to the survey. The District will use the data for programing based on people’s interests, concerns and needs. Erich Pfuehler, Government Affairs Manager asked the PAC to reach out to their communities to weigh in by taking the survey. Rickard stated if PAC members know groups who might be interested in the survey, he encourages them to participate. There are bookmarks available to distribute.

Williams asked if the District must zero out funding when Measure CC sunsets once Measure FF begins or can the District carry funding over. Auker replied they are treated as two separate funding sources. The District is committed to tracking every dollar of Measure CC funding. Measure CC includes a process for the Board of Directors to alter the expenditure plan if a project can’t be done. Change requires a vote of the Board.

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PAC member Ho asked for clarification about the recommendation before the committee. Auker explained staff put together a recommended 2020 budget for spending Measure CC about $1.2 million in funding. Auker stated staff are asking the PAC to say this looks in line with what the voters approved. Staff would the like the PAC to move forward a recommendation to the Board concurring this spending plan reflects the will of the voters. Ho stated the PAC was given the number, but not the breakdown of the total. Ho said it is hard to agree to a spending plan with limited documentation. Auker replied she would be happy to go over the details if Ho has questions. Ho asked if it goes before the Board of Directors before the next PAC meeting. Auker replied yes.

Nason made a motion to approve the staff recommendation, but to include a message encouraging the Board to consider how these funds can be of greater benefit to low income communities in the west central part of the CC zone from the southern portion of Richmond down to Emeryville. PAC member Dieter suggested the motion not state a location, but just that it is for low income.

Rickard restated the motion is the spending plan will be forwarded to the Board with a message that the PAC would like consideration be given to low income areas within the CC zone. Godfrey seconded the motion. Ho stated she will abstain because she feels she doesn’t have enough detail about the Measure CC budget and 2020 spending plan.

Corbett asked if the PAC needs to approve prior to the Board meeting. Auker replied this could come back to the PAC again. The item that’s going before the Board at the next meeting is to authorize the levy. There is a deadline to transmit the levy fee to the counties. Staff have not, however, begun the 2020 budget process, so there is time to bring additional information to the PAC about the spending plan. Auker restated the official language approved by the voters is for maintenance and capital. Staff can look at low income areas, but it is going to be for maintenance. Corbett shared the Board routinely discusses how to best make District resources available to low income communities. The Board is constantly interested in finding out ways to ensure more access to District programs. The Foundation raises a lot of money to provide transportation to many District parks. Transportation is often a barrier, because unfortunately, public transit is not always as good as the District would like it to be. Corbett stated the PAC’s comments are reflected in many of the Board’s conversations. It is something very important to the Board. It’s not only programs needed, but transportation.

Corkin stated she walked precincts for the original Measure CC parcel tax and for the Measure FF extension. Corkin commented she is extremely grateful the District has committed to put many resources into vegetation management. It is important work that benefits us all. Ho made an amendment to the motion to recommend establishing the levy fee with the counties, but that the spending plan come back to the PAC with additional detail. Nason accepted the amendment and clarified the comment to benefit low income communities remain in the recommendation. Ho requested, in the future, the PAC should be provided more information, so she doesn’t feel like she is being asked to rubberstamp something.

Jim O’Connor, AGM Operations offered to come back to the PAC with a presentation about programming in the area discussed.

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Robinson asked the motion to be read again. Ho stated the motion is to recommend to the Board approval of the overall Measure CC 2020 Budget and Spending Plan, with a request that attention be paid to providing access to low income communities within the CC zone, and that additional details of the Spending Plan be provided to the Park Advisory Committee at the next meeting.

Williams asked if the presentation comes back to the committee, will it be informational for the PAC to understand. He wondered if the PAC have the authority to weigh in on specific projects. Ho stated the motion she made was to recommend the overall 2020 spending plan, because it adds up to the total number for the fee to be provided to the counties. Ho continued she still believes the divvying up of the numbers between the different projects is to be reviewed by the PAC. Pfuehler interjected, to be clear, these are voter approved projects and expenditures. They are locked in. The Measure is almost out of funding, so the scope of what can be modified by the Board is pretty limited with minimal flexibility. It would take a Board action to actually change spending allocations. Auker said staff could provide details to provide more clarity. Comments made by the PAC would be forwarded to the Board as staff put together the 2020 budget. The PAC’s role is advisory to the Board of Directors. Comments on the spending plan would be advisory to the Board of Directors and staff would clearly communicate them as they put the budget together.

Recommendation: Motion made by PAC member Nason. PAC member Godfrey seconded the motion to recommend to the Board of Directors approval of the overall Measure CC 2020 Budget and Spending Plan, with a request that attention be paid to providing access to low income communities within the Measure CC area, and that additional detail for the 2020 Spending Plan be provided to the Park Advisory Committee at the next meeting.

The recommendation passed unanimously. Deschambault and Ho abstained.

(I) d. 2019 Measure WW Update - Debra Auker, AGM/CFO Finance and Management Services Debra Auker, AGM/CFO Finance and Management Services, provided an update about Measure WW the District’s voter-approved 2008 General Obligation Bond Measure. The measure includes an annual status review of the program by the PAC. Auker stated the 2019 status report is based on information provided to the Directors during the annual Board Workshops.

Auker explained the Measure WW authorization of $500 million was a continuance of the District’s 1988 Measure AA. Of the $500 million, $125 million was for local grants to other agencies within the District’s jurisdiction, leaving $375 million for District capital purposes. Of the $375 million, 75% is allocated for acquisition and 25% is allocated for development. The District issued several series of bonds in 2009, 2013 and 2017.

Measure WW includes a 7% or $26.25 million reserve. The balance is currently $20.8 million. Measure WW reserves were utilized for the first time during 2015 following Board approved appropriations: • $1.5 million for the Point Pinole Atlas Road Bridge project (2015) • $857,540 for the restoration of Dotson Family Marsh at Point Pinole (2015) • $1,600,333 for the San Francisco Bay Trail Pinole Shores to Bay Front Park project (2016) 6

• $200,000 for bond related administrative fees (2016) • $1 million for San Francisco Bay Trail connection behind Golden Gate Fields (2018)

Staff has received guidance from the Board for the future use of Measure WW reserves, but no consensus has been reached on establishing a formal policy. Staff will return to the Board to discuss specific proposals and alternatives before more formal appropriations of WW reserves are made.

Andrade inquired about accounting for inflation. Does the District want to spend funding earlier on projects as bond funds retain less worth less over time? Auker replied the District tries to get projects completed. There are a lot of challenges, such as environmental regulations, before a project can be completed. Andrade asked when Measure WW ends. Auker replied there is no end date. It is when the bond money is spent. Pfuehler replied it is projected to end in twenty years. Ho asked about the restore Dotson Marsh project. She asked why it is listed in several different places. She wondered if it needs to satisfy different criteria. Auker replied some of the large projects utilize multiple allocation areas.

Recommendation: This was an informational item only.

PAC Member Comments Dieter recommended some changes to how the packet is posted online. Dieter suggested it would be easier to follow if there was a link for each item on the agenda to the corresponding attachments. Searching through a full PDF document is time consuming. Auker replied it is in the works to upgrade software and provide direct links in online meeting packets.

Godfrey reported he worked with an Eagle Scout over the last three months on a project near Lake Chabot in the Redwood Canyon Golf Course. They replicated work done on the east coast by the author of the book Honeybee Democracy. Godfrey explained they tested feral bees to see if they get the same diseases and problems as the beekeepers are seeing in their hives. They found there was essentially no verroa mite on the feral bees. Godfrey thanked the District for the opportunity to do this work.

Obringer explained that she got involved with Concord politics because of the redevelopment of the former Concord Naval Weapons Station. She shared she met with Director Lane and they discussed forming an advisory committee between the City of Concord and the District for coordination moving forward. She stated her community is excited about the park being developed.

Skaredoff announced an employee of his conservation district will be joining the District as the Rangeland Manager. He announced two conservation district board members will retire.

Deschambault announced Contra Costa County has recently begun the process of updating their general plan of the unincorporated areas.

Andrade visited Big Break Regional Shoreline at the Delta. He commented that it is a model for the rest of the Delta. He also went for a nice hike at Lake Chabot during the Summer Solstice.

7

Robinson went on the Board Field trip to Bay Point. It was good to see the trails and opportunities available. The Contra Costa Watershed Symposium announced they have a keynote speaker for the conference. The conference speaker will be Obi Koffman author of the California Field Atlas. Robinson stated she went to Sandy Beach Solano County Park in Rio Vista at the Delta. She commented the District is doing much better job than Solano county in controlling invasive species.

7. Report from Chair – None.

8. Board Committee Reports – None.

9. Old Business – None.

10. New Business – None.

11. Adjournment – The meeting was adjourned at 9:07 p.m.

Summary of Actions: 1. The PAC approved the April 22, 2019 minutes. 2. The PAC approved the Comprehensive Annual Financial Report. 3. The PAC approved the overall Measure CC 2020 Budget and Spending Plan, with a request that attention be paid to providing access to low income communities within the Measure CC area, and that additional detail for the 2020 Spending Plan be provided to the Park Advisory Committee at the next meeting.

8 [Type text] ITEM 1

PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE Meeting of July 22, 2019

TO: Parks Advisory Committee

STAFF REPORT PREPARED BY: Chris Barton, Environmental Programs Manager

SUBJECT: Coyote Hills Regional Park Land Use Plan Amendment

Chris Barton, Environmental Programs Manager, will make a presentation on this agenda item.

RECOMMENDATION Board of Director adoption of the Land Use Plan Amendment for Coyote Hills Regional Park.

BACKGROUND

Coyote Hills Regional Park is located in southern Alameda County in the City of Fremont along the San Francisco Bay Shoreline. In 2014 the East Bay Regional Park District (Park District), through the Regional Parks Foundation, received its largest ever land donation at Patterson Ranch securing Coyote Hills Regional Park from the threat of urban development and expanded the park by approximately 25 percent. The donation, valued at more than $14 Million, was the result of more than 25 years of negotiations between General Manager Robert E. Doyle and the Patterson family. The Friends of Coyote Hills, Citizens’ Committee to Complete the Refuge, and other local stakeholders were actively involved in opposing multiple residential development proposals at the Patterson Ranch.

This Land Use Plan Amendment (LUPA) will advance the Coyote Hills Restoration and Public Access Project, which will preserve and enhance urban agriculture, develop public access facilities including parking, restrooms, wildlife viewing platforms and up to 5 miles of trail while preserving and restoring more than 230 acres of habitat. The LUPA presents the results of resource inventories, site evaluations, and analysis of potential climate change effects on site resources. Additionally, the LUPA provides recommendations for restoration, protection, and management of site resources as well as recommendations for improvements to existing facilities and new public access features within the Plan Area.

Development of the LUPA benefited from a robust public outreach program over the past two years. Outreach meetings included two public workshops, a user survey, Native American consultation, CEQA scoping, as well as four public presentations before the Park District Board Executive Committee, and full Board of Directors. In addition to the public meetings and workshops, updated project information has been posted regularly to the Park District Project website (https://www.ebparks.org/about/planning/default.htm#patterson)

Land Use Plan Amendment: The LUPA divides the Plan Area into five geographic areas that have differing site conditions. Each of these units is designated as a Natural Unit, an Agricultural Unit, or a Recreation Unit, with land uses specific to each unit. The LUPA contains recommendations for resource management actions, facility improvements, as well as restoration and enhancement activities within each unit that are contained in the Park Development Plan. LUPA Plan Summary Land Use Planning Unit Acres Description Designation Natural Patterson Slough 126 Mixed riparian forest, oak savanna, hiking and multi-use trails, and wildlife observation platforms. Western 29 Enhanced and expanded seasonal wetlands, Wetlands mixed riparian forest, multi-use trail, and wildlife observation platform. Southern 99 Flood control & wetlands creation, multi-use Wetlands trails, and wildlife observation platforms. Agricultural Historic 45 Agricultural, carbon farming, farm stand with Patterson Ranch parking, park entry sign, restore and landscape Farm informal gravel lot. Recreational Ranch Road 7 Park Staging Area (parking lot, restrooms), Recreation wildlife observation platform, picnic area, park entry kiosk, bus parking and drop-off. Total Acreage 306

Most of the Plan Area is designated as Natural Use (254 acres). The Natural Use designation encompasses three of the Planning Units: Patterson Slough, Western Wetlands, and Southern Wetlands. Implementation actions within the three Natural Use Planning Units could consist of habitat restoration and enhancement, flood control and wetlands mitigation, and public access facilities (trails and wildlife viewing platforms). The Agricultural Use designation includes the Historic Patterson Ranch Farm Unit, which could continue to be used for agricultural purposes. Implementation actions within the Recreational Use designation include visitor-serving facilities such as trails, kiosk, parking, restrooms, utilities and improvements to the Park entry and Patterson Ranch Road/Paseo Padre intersection. The Park Development Plan describes proposed LUPA implementation. This includes new facilities such as a new entry kiosk, parking area, restroom and picnic facilities, entry area native landscaping, signage, over 4 miles of new hiking and multi-use trails, wildlife observation platforms, and approximately 150 acres of habitat protection, restoration and enhancement. Trail connections would be provided to the San Francisco Bay Trail as well as a connection to the City’s proposed Dumbarton Bridge to Quarry Lakes and other regional trails. A flood management and habitat enhancement project covering about 100 acres in the southern part of the Plan Area would be constructed by Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District. Proposed habitat restoration and enhancement types would include willow thicket and mixed riparian forest along and adjacent to Patterson Slough north of Patterson Ranch Road, as well as oak savanna, seasonal wetlands, and enhanced grasslands. The Project would protect existing views of the Coyote Hills along Paseo Padre Parkway, continue urban agriculture, and preserve, protect and interpret the site’s natural resources, Native American culture and historic Parks Advisory Committee Staff Report Page | 2

resources. Urban agriculture and agricultural-related activities, such as a farm stand, would be located on approximately 45 acres of land on the south side of Patterson Ranch Road.

CEQA (California Environmental Quality Act)

Park District Staff has reviewed and analyzed the potential environmental effects of the LUPA and associated development plans in accordance with CEQA. CEQA notices, including an electronic copy of the Draft Environmental Impact Report and response to comments were provided to PAC members via e-mail throughout the CEQA review process. CEQA related documents are available for review on the Park District Project website at https://www.ebparks.org/about/planning/default.htm#patterson

As discussed in Chapter 4 of the Draft EIR, with the exception of removing the labor contractor’s building from sensitive biological and cultural resources onsite, the project will not result in any significant unavoidable impacts. Potential significant impacts to air quality, biological resources, cultural and tribal resources, geology and soils, hazardous materials, hydrology and water quality, noise, transportation and traffic, and utilities and service systems identified in the EIR can be reduced to less than significant with implementation of the mitigation measures.

ATTACHMENTS

1. Coyote Hills Regional Park LUPA Executive Summary

Parks Advisory Committee Staff Report Page | 3

Page Left Blank Intentionally

EXHIBIT 1

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1.1 OVERVIEW In 2014 the East Bay Regional Park District (Park District), through the Regional Parks Foundation, received its largest ever land donation at Patterson Ranch securing Coyote Hills Regional Park from the threat of urban development and expanded the park by approximately 25 percent. The donation, valued at more than $14 Million, was the result of more than 25 years of negotiations between General Manager Robert E. Doyle and the Patterson family. The Friends of Coyote Hills, Citizens’ Committee to Complete the Refuge, and other local stakeholders were actively involved in opposing multiple residential development proposals at the Patterson Ranch. This Land Use Plan Amendment (LUPA) will advance the Coyote Hills Restoration and Public Access Project, which will preserve and enhance urban agriculture, develop public access facilities including parking, restrooms, wildlife viewing platforms and up to 5 miles of trail while preserving and restoring more than 230 acres of habitat.

1.1 LUPA PURPOSE AND CONTENTS Shoreline parks have a critical role in providing ecosystem and community services, and in defining, improving and maintaining the Bay Area’s quality of life1. Although southern Alameda County has over seventeen miles of shoreline, public access to San Francisco Bay is limited to three locations with minimal outdoor recreation opportunities and facilities, including many that may be inundated by sea- level rise. Given a population in southern Alameda County that is projected to increase by over 30% by 2040, as well as more jobs, housing growth and sea level rise, demand for access to shoreline open space is dramatically increasing. This LUPA and Park Development Plan recognizes this challenge and serves as a guide for balancing current and future outdoor recreation demand with preservation and restoration of habitat for future generations. This Land Use Plan Amendment (LUPA) incorporates additional park land uses and management actions into Coyote Hills Regional Park. The purpose of the LUPA, including Land Use Unit Designations and the Park Development Plan, is to detail the planning and management efforts that are needed to restore and enhance existing ecological habitats, provide opportunities for continued agricultural use, and for development of recreation and public access amenities within the Plan Area. Upon adoption by the Park District Board of Directors, this Plan Amendment with its Land Use Designations, Planning Concepts, and management recommendations will be appended to the Park District’s 2005 Coyote Hills Land Use Plan. The LUPA presents the results of resource inventories, site evaluations, and analysis of potential climate change effects on site resources. Additionally, the LUPA provides recommendations for restoration, protection, and management of site resources as well as recommendations for improvements to

1 Adapting to Rising Tides, http://www.adaptingtorisingtides.org/project/art-subregional-project/

Coyote Hills Restoration and Public Access Project Land Use Plan Amendment Page | 1 existing facilities and new public access features within the Plan Area. These recommendations for improvements benefited from a robust public outreach program during the planning process.

1.2 LUPA PROJECT AREA The 306-acre Coyote Hills Restoration and Public Access Plan Area (Plan Area) is located in the northwest corner of the City of Fremont, east of the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay Wildlife Refuge, and north of State Highway Route 84 (Figure 1-1, Regional Location Map). The Plan Area is bordered on the west side by the existing Coyote Hills Regional Park and to the east by Ardenwood Boulevard and Paseo Padre Parkway. On the north, the site is bordered by Crandall Creek, just south of the Alameda Creek Flood Control Channel. To the south, a levee separates the Plan Area from un-developed private lands. The site is bisected by Patterson Ranch Road, east of the entry kiosk to the existing park located about one-half mile west of Paseo Padre Parkway. Patterson Slough, with its diverse riparian corridor, meanders through the Plan Area north of Patterson Ranch Road. South of Patterson Ranch Road, Ardenwood Creek (Zone 5- Line P) crosses the site. Line P and the lands south of the creek are managed by Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District (ACFCWCD), and will be restored by ACFCWCD for habitat enhancement and flood risk management.

1.3 OVERVIEW OF RECOMMENDATIONS The LUPA divides the Plan Area into five geographic areas that have differing site conditions. Each of these units is designated as a Natural Unit, an Agricultural Unit, or a Recreation Unit, with land uses specific to each unit. The LUPA contains recommendations for resource management actions, facility improvements, as well as restoration and enhancement activities within each unit that are contained in the Park Development Plan. Recommendations for use and management within the Plan Area include: . Fully integrate the Plan Area with the existing Coyote Hills Regional Park, including recreation, trails, resource management and interpretive activities. . Protect, restore, and enhance mixed riparian forest and oak savanna natural communities, including riparian expansion along Patterson Slough. . Create new seasonal and perennial wetlands and enhance existing wetlands. . Improve the Park entry, including installing park entry signage, restoring the gravel lot with landscaping along the Paseo Padre Parkway frontage, and relocating the entry Kiosk. . Coordinate traffic safety improvements at the intersection of Paseo Padre Road and Patterson Ranch Road with the City of Fremont.

Coyote Hills Restoration and Public Access Project Land Use Plan Amendment Page | 2 Project Area

0 1.25 2.5 5 Miles

FIGURE 1-1 REGIONAL LOCATION MAP 2M Associates LandscapeArchitecture Planning• Horticulture COYOTE HILLS LAND USE PLAN AMENDMENT DATE: 2-19-19 . Construct a new parking and staging area, including a picnic area, restroom, drinking fountain, bicycle and bus parking. . Construct new public access facilities, including new hiking and mixed-use trails with wildlife viewing platforms, interpretive exhibits and site furnishings. . Connect Plan Area trails to Dumbarton Quarry by the Bay Campground, Alameda Creek Trail, and San Francisco Bay Trail. . Design mixed-use trails to provide mosquito/vector control access to wetlands and provide emergency vehicle and maintenance access. . Manage and protect cultural resources, including providing compatible recreational and interpretive opportunities. Provide for public safety, cultural and biological resource preservation through the timely removal of the deteriorated Contractors residence. This building has become an attractive nuisance and fire and public safety hazard, and encroaches into sensitive cultural and biological resource areas. . Preserve the existing “Milk House” building and possibly adapt and re-use it. Dismantle the “Contractors Residence” located on sensitive habitat and a sensitive cultural resources site. . Continue farming by a contract organic farm operator. . Coordinate implementation of the Southern Wetlands Natural Unit with ACFCWCD, including installation of trails, wildlife overlooks, fences and gates, and a bridge over Ardenwood Creek/Line P. . Upgrade utilities to the Visitor Center, extend utilities to the new staging area and farm yard area. . Advance opportunities to implement the Park District’s Climate Smart Initiative.

1.4 ONGOING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

1.4.1 EXISTING HABITAT MANAGEMENT The Plan Area contains a variety of plant communities and land cover types including: urban or altered lands, fallow and cultivated farm fields, disturbed and weedy grassland areas, degraded seasonal wetlands, and mixed riparian forest along Patterson Slough. All of these have been substantially altered over time by human activities, especially by historic farming and flood control facilities construction as well as by internal road and trail development and adjacent residential development. The biological value of the Plan Area has also been affected by the introduction of non-native wildlife and weedy and aggressive invasive plant species. Most of the Project Area is in a “Land Bank” status. Ongoing land management actions have focused on vegetation management to control weeds, reduce fire fuels, and to improve the general appearance of the site. The remainder of the site is either leased for farming, or under the direction of ACFCWCD to be managed for flood protection and habitat enhancement.

Coyote Hills Restoration and Public Access Project Land Use Plan Amendment Page | 3 1.4.2 OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE Staff from the Park District’s Operations and Public Safety Departments serve as the primary presence within the Plan Area on a day-to day basis, and manage the site as well as the existing Coyote Hills Regional Park. Developed facilities within the Plan Area include a small parking area and hiking trails that connect to Coyote Hills Regional Park, the Alameda Creek Regional Trail, and San Francisco Bay Trail.

1.4.3 INTERPRETIVE AND RECREATION SERVICES Currently there are no interpretive facilities within the Plan Area. When the proposed LUPA facilities are constructed, interpretive programs could be provided by the Park District’s Interpretive Parkland Unit that currently operates out of the existing Coyote Hills Regional Park Visitor Center.

1.4.4 PUBLIC SAFETY – POLICE AND FIRE SERVICES

1.4.4.1 Police Services The Park District provides police protection services to the Plan Area out of its Public Safety Headquarters at Lake Chabot Regional Park in Castro Valley. District police vehicles and helicopters patrol the Plan Area daily.

1.4.4.2 Fire Services The Park District provides fire prevention, suppression and fire safety/rescue in coordination with the City of Fremont Fire Department and the Alameda County Fire Department through a Mutual Response Agreement. This service includes the Plan Area.

1.5 PROJECT CONSIDERATIONS Site history, existing conditions and planning considerations that form the basis for the LUPA and Park Development Plan are summarized in this section.

1.5.1 TOPOGRAPHY, SOILS, AND HYDROLOGY The LUPA area is gently sloping to the west, towards the existing Coyote Hills and San Francisco Bay. Soil and hydrologic conditions vary over the area with moderately saline-alkali soils occurring in the southern portion of the Plan Area, and slightly saline soils throughout some of the remainder of the site. Most of the area has a relatively high groundwater table that varies seasonally (and with the total amount of rainfall received each year) from as shallow as two feet below ground surface to as much as five or six feet below ground surface. The Plan Area consists of a poorly drained topographic basin or bowl separated from San Francisco Bay by the Coyote Hills and a short dike or levee. There are two prominent drainage features within the Plan Area: Patterson Slough

Coyote Hills Restoration and Public Access Project Land Use Plan Amendment Page | 4 and Line P/Ardenwood Creek. Patterson Slough is a natural channel that receives most of its flow from shallow intercepted groundwater. Line P/Ardenwood Creek is a flood control channel that was recently restored in the Plan Area, and drains a mostly urban watershed to the east. The two drainage features flow northwest through the Coyote Hills Regional Park and discharge through the Alameda Creek Flood Control Channel south levee via a series of tidal gates. Drainage is imperfect within the site and portions of the Plan Area have depressions that feature ponded water following heavy rain events.

1.5.2 HABITAT AND SPECIAL STATUS SPECIES The Plan Area has been intensively farmed for more than 150 years, with farming activities generally discontinued in the early 2000’s, except at an approximately 40 acre area south of Patterson Ranch Road and immediately west of Paseo Padre Parkway where soil and hydrologic conditions remain favorable. Most of the formerly farmed lands have since become ruderal or weedy fallow fields that are mowed and grazed for weed control and fire fuels management. Patterson Slough is the most prominent high value habitat feature within the Plan Area. It is a relic of a historic meandering creek system that is principally fed by intercepted groundwater and is lined by a mixed riparian forest plant community containing Willows, Coast live oak, Western sycamores, Cottonwoods, and Box elders. It is a remnant of one of the largest historic willow sausals (willow marshes) of the eastern San Francisco Bay. The Plan Area and vicinity supports a large population of migratory birds that are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) as well as several special status raptors, such as the Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius) and White Tailed Kite (Elanus leucurus), making it a popular bird watching destination in the region. Salt marsh harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys raviventris) and California black rail (Laterallus jamaicensis coturniculus) are not present within the Plan Area, but occur in pickleweed-dominated seasonal wetlands west of the site within the existing Coyote Hills Regional Park.

1.5.3 PLANNING FOR CLIMATE CHANGE The Project Area is physically separated from the rise and fall of Bay tidal waters by the Coyote Hills and a short levee or dike running between the north end of the Hills and the Alameda Creek Flood Control Channel. Therefore, the Plan Area is not directly affected by the tidal effects of sea level rise. The LUPA goals address climate change and climate change resiliency by anticipating changes to shallow zone groundwater levels and groundwater salinity, as well as expected changes to rainfall and temperature. Climate adaptation is a key component of the restoration and enhancement plan concepts and proposed design improvements. The Plan Area presents opportunities to advance the Park District’s Climate Smart Initiative. This could include active measures to reduce the Park’s carbon footprint by fostering carbon neutral transportation

Coyote Hills Restoration and Public Access Project Land Use Plan Amendment Page | 5 facilities including bicycle and pedestrian facilities and bus service to the park. Agricultural facilities onsite could feature farming practices that trap atmospheric carbon via low-till farming, compost application, use of organic mulch, and crop rotation. The habitat restoration and enhancement component of the Park Development Plan also includes carbon trapping features such as extensive native tree and shrub planting, and expanding riparian forest and wetland habitats.

1.5.4 FIRE HAZARDS The Plan Area consists primarily of weedy grasslands with moderate fire hazard potential. Grassland and oak savanna enhancement, as well as vegetation management using a prescriptive mowing program, selective grazing, and controlled burns can be used to control and reduce wildfire hazard.

1.5.5 PUBLIC ACCESS AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES The Plan Area is currently in a land bank stratus with one approximately 60 car informal gravel parking lot located along the frontage of Paseo Padre Parkway. This parking lot currently functions as an informal trailhead feeding into the popular Tuibun trail running parallel with Patterson Ranch Road from Paseo Padre Parkway to the Visitor Center, and the San Francisco Bay Trail running parallel to Paseo Padre Parkway and connecting to the Alameda Creek Regional Trail to the North. The LUPA Park Development Plan identifies opportunities to make trail connections to existing trails within Coyote Hills Regional Park and the Dumbarton Quarry by the Bay Campground, as well as to the San Francisco Bay Trail along Paseo Padre Parkway and Ardenwood Boulevard. Trails within the Plan Area will include minimally improved hiking trails as well as fully accessible multi-use trails that accommodate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Multi-use trails would be for hiking and bicycling and wide enough to allow park maintenance and public safety vehicles and serve as Emergency Vehicle Maintenance Access (EVMA) routes. Approximately 4 miles of multi-use trails, and approximately 0.5 miles of hiking only trails would be constructed if the LUPA is fully implemented. Other recreational facilities are described in more detail in the Park Development Plan in section 1.6.2 below.

1.5.6 TRAFFIC SAFETY Since Coyote Hills first opened nearly 50 years ago, the City of Fremont has redesigned Paseo Padre Road to a high-speed parkway with an un-signalized intersection at the park entry. Vehicle speeds and higher traffic volume from build-out of the City over the past 50 years have made it challenging to safely access the park. Growth in the City, especially office uses across Paseo Padre Parkway from the park, has made this intersection crossing a thoroughfare for bicyclists and pedestrians accessing the park. Expanding the park boundary to Paseo Padre Parkway presents an opportunity for the Park District to work with the City of Fremont to address intersection safety. The Park District’s traffic engineer has analyzed safety at this intersection and recommends a number of improvements that would improve safety for pedestrians, bicycles and vehicles. These

Coyote Hills Restoration and Public Access Project Land Use Plan Amendment Page | 6 recommendations include installing an activated flashing crosswalk warning beacon upgradeable to a full traffic signal in the future. The LUPA recommends coordinating the implementation of these intersection improvements with the City of Fremont and for the Park District to contribute to the fair share cost of these improvements based on the incremental increase in traffic from the build-out of the LUPA Park Development plan.

1.5.7 INTERAGENCY COORDINATION The Park District will coordinate utility improvements, flood control improvements, public access and recreation facilities, including parking areas, trails, and new pedestrian and bicycle bridges, and resource protection and enhancement actions with the following agencies: . City of Fremont . Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District . Alameda County Water District . Union Sanitary District . Pacific Gas & Electric Company and other utility providers . Fremont Unified School District, . The San Francisco Bay Trail . Representatives of the Ohlone people

1.6 LUPA ACTIONS

1.6.1 LAND-USE PLANNING DESIGNATIONS The Plan Area has been separated into three land use designations: Natural Use, Recreational Use, and Agricultural Use. These are subdivided into five Planning Units to reflect the variety of soil and hydrologic conditions, plant and wildlife habitat, as well as current use at the site, as shown in Figure 1- 2, Land Use Plan Amendment, and summarized in Table 1-1.

Coyote Hills Restoration and Public Access Project Land Use Plan Amendment Page | 7 FUTURE PLANNED SCHOOL

Patterson FUTURE PLANNED Slough CITY PARK Natural Unit HARVEST PICNIC AREA Ranch Road EXPANSION AREA Recreation PARK ENTRANCE Unit INTERSECTION AND TRANSIT BOUNDARY P IMPROVEMENTS ENTRY KIOSK P FARM YARD PARKING Historic Patterson FARM YARD P Ranch Farm and Farm Yard Agricultural Unit Western Wetlands Natural Unit NOTE: WORK WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF NATIVE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT CULTURAL RESOURCES DURING FINAL PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION. COYOTE HILLS LEGEND REGIONAL PARK Southern Wetlands Auto Entrance Natural Unit P Parking (including bus and bicycle parking Picnic Area; Restroom

New Multi-Use Trail (no horses)

New Foot Trail PRIVATE / Potential Observation Platform UNDEVELOPED Natural Unit Recreation Units

Agriculture Unit Existing Wetlands Existing Trails

Public Vehicle Road Future Lake Unit (Dumbarton Quarry)

FIGURE 1-2 LAND USE UNITS AND FACILITIES MAP AMENDMENT

0 500 1000 2000 FEET COYOTE HILLS LAND USE PLAN AMENDMENT Z DATE: 2-19-19 EXISTING WILLOWS TRAIL (SEASONAL ACCESS)

EXISTING SAN FRANCISCO BAY PICNIC AREA TRAIL

FIGURE 1-3 PARK DEVELOPMENT PLAN LEGEND (see text for more information) PROJECT BOUNDARY

EXISTING SHARED USE TRAIL

SHARED USE BICYCLE AND HIKING TRAIL

HIKING ONLY TRAIL

OBSERVATION PLATFORM / INTERPRETIVE POINT ALAMEDA COUNTY WETLANDS FLOOD CONTROL AND WATER CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE DISTRICT

OAK SAVANNA

MIXED RIPARIAN FOREST

ENHANCED SEASONAL WETLANDS

0 250' 500' SCALE NORTH This drawing is conceptual and for planning and permit processing purposes only. Program information, scale, location of areas, and other information shown are subject NOTE: WORK WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF NATIVE INDIGENOUS to field evaluation and modification. PEOPLES TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT CULTURAL RESOURCES DURING FINAL PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION. DATE: 2-25-19

2M Associates Landscape Architecture Environmental Planning • Horticulture Box 7036 UESTA Berkeley, California 95466 COYOTE HILLS LAND USE PLAN AMENDMENT P.O. Box 70356 1220 Brickyard Cove Road Point Richmond, CA 94807 [Type text] Item 2

PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE Meeting of July 22, 2019

TO: Parks Advisory Committee STAFF REPORT Jeff Rasmussen, Assistant Finance Officer, Debra Auker, CFO/AGM and PREPARED BY: Matthew James, Administrative Analyst II of Finance and Management Services

SUBJECT: 2020 Measure CC Budget and Spending Plan

ATTACHMENTS: • Exhibit 1: Measure CC 2020 Use of Funds-Budget

At the Park Advisory Committee (PAC) held on June 24, 2019, the PAC recommended approval of the initiation of tax collection but requested the Use of Funds-Budget come back to the PAC for additional review of the budget details and asked the Board to consider allocating funds to the low income areas in the Zone.

On July 2, 2019, the Board of Directors approved the initiation of tax collection and the Use of Funds-Budget. The Board was provided the attached revised 2020 Measure CC Use of Funds- Budget. Staff will review the budget details with the PAC.

Page Left Blank Intentionally

Exhibit 2 Measure CC 2020 Use of Funds-Budget for Park Advisory Committee, July 2019

Park & Original CC Expediture 2020 Project Request Project Description Accomplishments Trail Budget to Date Budget Status Justification Line Number CC Line Number Alameda Operate Triangle Park if received from the Naval Air 1 71 Completed per Project Description $525,000 $525,000 - Completed - Point Station Redevelopment Project Anthony Chabot Connect Chabot Stable to nearby municipal sewer to 2 41 Completed. Vault restrooms installed for toilets. $124,320 $124,320 - Completed - Regional eliminate pump outs Park Anthony Replace 4 Bort Meadows chemical toilets with vault Completed per Project Description. Remaining funds to Chabot 3 51 disabled accessible toilets to reduce maintenance pay for of a portion of an additional restroom planned $50,000 $50,000 - Completed - Regional costs, improve customer convenience for 2017. Park Anthony Replace 10 chem toilets (exclude Bort Meadows Chabot 4 66 toilets in another project) with vault toilets to Installed vault units at Hawk Ridge and staging area. $150,000 $148,599 - Completed - Regional reduce pumping cost, improve visitor convenience Park Claremont Canyon Implement four-year research project for Alameda 5 20 Completed per Project Description $120,000 $120,000 - Completed - Regional Whipsnake habitat enhancement. (Tilden) Preserve Kennedy In Progress. Renovation of Hitch Post group picnic area Grove Renovate family and group picnic tables, barbecues 6 43 complete. Renovation of Whistle Stop group picnic $62,160 $62,134 - Completed - Recreation and drinking fountains. area planned for 2018. Area

Martin Completed. Replaced launch ramp. Will need additional Luther King Retrofit Boat launch ramp at Doolittle for disabled 7 22 improvements during Doolittle project to make it fully $44,400 $44,400 - Completed - Jr. Regional access accessible. Shoreline

Undertake a study to seek information on the Martin permitting, environmental compliance and design Luther King Completed per Project Description. Need permitting 8 53 options for construction of the trail around the west $450,000 $450,000 - Completed - Jr. Regional and funds for construction. shore of San Leandro Bay along Doolittle Drive. Shoreline Operate if constructed. Miller/Knox Renovate family and group picnic tables (79), 9 Regional 23 Completed. 60 Tables Replaced $50,000 $49,719 - Completed - barbecues and drinking fountains. Shoreline Board Modified Project Description Repair ramps and renovate restrooms at Railroad Miller/Knox Renovate restrooms at Railroad Museum and install Museum and Park Office to improve ADA access to 10 Regional 38 $150,000 $149,836 - Completed - lift for disabled access to main museum floor. building. Access to railroad museum complete. Shoreline Remaining funds will be used for park office improvements planned for 2018. Miller/Knox Implement a pavement management program for all 11 Regional 45 Completed per Project Description $39,960 $39,960 - Completed - park roads, paved trails and parking lots. Shoreline Miller/Knox Add four more flush restrooms in main park area to 12 Regional 75 Completed per Project Description $256,453 $246,973 - Completed - eliminate long lines. Shoreline Point Isabel 13 Regional 10 Convert 3 chemical toilets to vault toilets Completed per Project Description $100,000 $97,138 - Completed - Shoreline Point Isabel Implement preventative maintenance program for 14 Regional 25 Completed per Project Description $39,960 $39,960 - Completed - shoreline path and both parking lots Shoreline

Point Pinole 15 Regional RF1 Atlas Road Bridge and Public Access Completed per Project Description $1,106,245 $1,106,245 - Completed - Shoreline

Point Pinole Replace old playground structure with new, safer 16 Regional 56 Completed in 2017. $140,000 $138,842 - Completed - ADA structure Shoreline

Redwood 17 Regional 2 Renovate Piedmont Stables Residence Completed per Project Description $50,000 $50,000 - Completed - Park Redwood 18 Regional 3 Paint Piedmont Stables Completed per Project Description $33,300 $33,300 - Completed - Park Redwood Solve problem of at-surface waterline - Stream Trail Completed. Replaced section of waterline crossing the 19 Regional 68 between Tres Sendas & the main line vault at Old $26,640 $26,646 - Completed - creek. Park Fern Hut.

Page 1 of 6 7/18/2019 Measure CC 2020 Use of Funds-Budget for Park Advisory Committee, July 2019

Park & Original CC Expediture 2020 Project Request Project Description Accomplishments Trail Budget to Date Budget Status Justification Line Number CC Line Number

Richmond Wetlands -- Habitat enhancement and Richmond Completed per Project Description. Part of Dotson 20 69 shoreline restoration of wetlands in the vicinity of $974,000 $974,000 - Completed - Wetlands Family Marsh. Point Pinole and other shoreline areas.

Robert Board Modified Project Description Crown Repave McKay Street & Replace Water Line and 21 12 Repave McKay Street $700,000 $700,000 - Completed - Memorial demolition of federal buildings. Demolition completed State Beach in 2018. Robert Crown Replace 94 deteriorating wood tables with tables that 22 13 Replace 50 tables and 10 BBQ's in 2018. $100,000 $99,041 - Completed - Memorial can withstand the salty environment State Beach Robert Hazardous, non-native eucalyptus, broom, and pine in Sibley the Sibley Triangle have been completely removed in Complete removal of non-native eucalyptus suckers, 23 Volcanic 58 some areas and partially removed in others. Funding $259,245 $261,730 - Completed - pine seedlings, and broom in the Sibley Triangle Regional from Measure CC for this project has been entirely Preserve spent. Roberts Regional Implement preventative maintenance program on all 24 27 Completed per Project Description $63,936 $63,936 - Completed - Recreation paved trails and parking areas Area Roberts Regional Renovate family and group picnic tables, barbecues, 25 28 Completed per Project Description $33,300 $33,300 - Completed - Recreation and drinking fountains Area Roberts Regional Repair and overlay pavement on internal paths and 26 29 Completed per Project Description $46,886 $46,886 - Completed - Recreation service trails Area Roberts Regional Renovate ballfield-upgrade irrigation and correct 27 48 Completed per Project Description $31,080 $31,080 - Completed - Recreation drainage Area Temescal Add 2 new picnic sites at the North end to add 28 Recreation 30 Completed per Project Description $35,000 $34,989 - Completed - group picnics from overloaded south end Area Temescal 29 Recreation 60 Sealcoat All Parking Lots Completed per Project Description $12,787 $12,787 - Completed - Area

Tilden 30 32 Finish exhibits and lighting at the EEC Completed per Project Description $70,000 $65,917 - Completed - Nature Area

Tilden 31 33 Retrofit to make Disabled Accessible Exhibits in EEC Completed per Project Description $30,000 $30,009 - Completed - Nature Area

Tilden 32 34 Upgrade electrical service at the Little Farm Completed per Project Description $55,674 $55,674 - Completed - Nature Area

Tilden Install automatic fire sprinkler system to protect 33 Regional 4 Completed per Project Description $66,600 $66,600 - Completed - historic merry-go-round Park Tilden 34 Regional 14 Construct Merry-Go-Round weather-tight enclosure. Completed per Project Description $200,000 $200,000 - Completed - Park Tilden 35 Regional 15 Roof two barn buildings. Completed per Project Description $16,650 $16,650 - Completed - Park Tilden 36 Regional 16 Sewer for EEC Completed per Project Description $575,000 $594,428 - Completed - Park Tilden Assess and remove hazardous trees, promote native 37 Regional 17 Completed per Project Description $200,000 $199,028 - Completed - tree regeneration Park Tilden Install disabled accessible ramp to Pony Ride 38 Regional 31 Completed per Project Description $5,550 $5,550 - Completed - Restroom and Picnic area Park Tilden 39 Regional 70 Replace 14 chemical toilets with vault toilets Completed in 2018. $199,800 $174,833 - Completed - Park

Page 2 of 6 7/18/2019 Measure CC 2020 Use of Funds-Budget for Park Advisory Committee, July 2019

Park & Original CC Expediture 2020 Project Request Project Description Accomplishments Trail Budget to Date Budget Status Justification Line Number CC Line Number Tilden Renovate the Brooks and Buckeye LUP/EIR picnic 40 Regional 74 Completed in 2018. $40,000 $40,000 - Completed - area rehabilitation plan Park Wildcat Canyon 41 18 Install emergency phone at Staging Area Completed per Project Description $11,660 $10,791 - Completed - Regional Park Wildcat Canyon Install 3 flush toilets, install lift station to connect to Completed per Project Description. Remaining funds to 42 49 $500,000 $500,000 - Completed - Regional replaced sewer line be used for installation of additional restrooms. Park Wildcat Canyon 43 50 Implementation of watershed sediment study In Progress per Project Description $488,400 $488,400 - Completed - Regional Park Wildcat Canyon Extend waterline to Staging Area for drinking 44 65 Completed in 2018. $16,660 $16,660 - Completed - Regional fountain and fire hydrant Park Wildcat Clark-Boas Access -- Restore trailhead area, improve Canyon 45 77 access from El Sobrante and Richmond and add Completed in 2017. $100,000 $100,000 - Completed - Regional restroom to Alvarado Staging Area. Park Wildcat Canyon 46 78 Gravel 2.5 miles of trail for all season use. Completed in 2018. $135,000 $134,959 - Completed - Regional Park

Annual cost for Administrati 47 79 Consulting Firm to Prepare Engineering Report In Progress. Prepare Engineering Report. $0 $75,817 $10,000 In Progress engineering report ve Fees preparation.

Albany Beach Public 48 RF4 Build Golden Gate Trail. Under Construction. $1,090,055 $571,400 - In Progress - Access & Restoration

Claremont Repair landslide, if feasible, for access to future trail Funding request Project description modified. Funds to be used to Canyon system with North to South and East to West will pay for police 49 52 repair landslide on Gelston Residence entrance road. $418,060 $126,796 $18,746 In Progress Regional connections in a route that is compatible with staffing; request is FEMA involvement has complicated project. Preserve protection of rare species. Maintain until stable. remaining budget.

Eastshore Engineer the Bay Trail Extension around Golden Design completed per Project Description. Project is 50 7 $100,000 $74,564 - In Progress - State Park Gate Fields under construction. Kennedy In Progress. Repair of many pathways complete. Grove Repair and repave pathways within the recreation 51 44 Additional repairs to be completed for Whistle Stop $39,960 $39,960 - In Progress - Recreation area. picnic area and playground. Area

Funds for public Martin Move funding: Transfer funds to Line #37 MLK Jr. - access Luther King Fence the boundary of the Oakland Sports Field to Tidewater Phase III (Flexi-Van) project because "Fence 52 36 $23,320 $7,722 $15,598 In Progress improvements; Jr. Regional control cars. the boundary of the Oakland Sports Field to control request is Shoreline cars" was completed using other funds. remaining budget.

Undertake Phase II and III public access Martin improvements and operate the Tidewater use area in Funds for public Luther King 53 37 concert with the Oakland Strokes Boathouse. In progress, per Project Description. $5,696,120 $5,079,497 $188,485 In Progress access Jr. Regional Includes parking, staging, picnic, meadow, trail and improvements. Shoreline access components.

Martin Funds needed for Damon Slough/San Leandro Bay marsh cleanup, Luther King Spartina control; 54 21 Clapper Rail habitat enhancement, and spartina In Progress. Spartina control ongoing. $70,000 $34,869 $9,472 In Progress Jr. Regional request is control. Shoreline remaining budget.

Martin Luther King In Progress. 60% plans complete. Need permitting and 55 RF3 Bay Trail, Doolittle Drive $1,500,000 $734,084 - In Progress - Jr. Regional funds for construction. Shoreline

Page 3 of 6 7/18/2019 Measure CC 2020 Use of Funds-Budget for Park Advisory Committee, July 2019

Park & Original CC Expediture 2020 Project Request Project Description Accomplishments Trail Budget to Date Budget Status Justification Line Number CC Line Number Board Modified Project Description Examine alternatives to keep the park's lagoon Examine alternatives to keep the park's lagoon healthy Miller/Knox healthy and provide public access to water. and provide public access to water. Coordinate project 56 Regional 62 Coordinate project with over all park renovation to $372,960 $147,289 - In Progress - with over all park renovation completed in the fall of Shoreline be completed in the fall of 2015 and conditions set in 2015 and conditions set in the Land Use Plan currently the Land Use Plan currently under development. under development. Remove tracks, fencing and regrade railroad right of Miller/Knox way to provide public access from park to the bay Funding request Need right of way from railroad to complete trail. 57 Regional 63 and to Keller Beach. Implement a major renovation $2,179,000 $1,271,383 $12,420 In Progress will pay for park Major renovation of meadow areas complete. Shoreline of meadow areas-verticut, top-dress, seed, and ranger staffing. extend irrigation. Bay Trail -- Extend and operate the Bay Trail north In Progress. Plans underway. Will need permitting and 58 Point Molate 67 $500,000 $500,000 - In Progress - to Point Molate and Point San Pablo additional funding for construction.

Board Modified Project Description Richmond Shoreline Restoration -- Removal of Richmond Shoreline Restoration -- Removal of industrial debris, cleanup and enhancement of shoreline Funds will be used industrial debris, cleanup and enhancement of habitat and improvement of shoreline protection to 59 Point Molate 76 $1,350,000 $597,444 $27,320 In Progress for shoreline shoreline habitat north of Miller Knox Regional prevent pollution into the Bay at shoreline parks in restoration. Shoreline to Point San Pablo. Richmond from Point Isabel Regional Shoreline in the south to Point Pinole Regional Shoreline in the north. Remaining funds to be used for Point Molate Bay Trail.

Connection to Atlas Road Bridge complete. Point Pinole Construction along former Marway Steel by developer. 60 Regional 54 Extend and operate the Bay Trail at Point Pinole. $726,500 $626,500 - In Progress - $100,000 remains to study remaining section to Zone Shoreline boundary.

Point Pinole Restore 100 acres of grasslands and sensitive plant In Progress. Use funds for UC Berkeley studies and 61 Regional 46 $193,740 $168,754 - In Progress - species habitat Fire Department Overtime for resource burns. Shoreline

Point Pinole Enhance wetland areas for black rail habitat (i.e. In Progress. Delayed during Dotson Family Marsh 62 Regional 55 $201,930 $179,909 - In Progress - remove iceplant) Project. Dave Riensche resumed project in 2018. Shoreline

Point Pinole In Progress. Location study compete. Need concept 63 Regional RF2 Point Pinole Visitor Center $1,000,000 $111,462 - In Progress - design. Additional funds needed for construction. Shoreline

Board Modified Project Description Regrade/re-route old fire roads to eliminate soil Regrade/re-route and improve Stream Trail to protect Redwood erosion and continuing winter damage. Protect and creek, eliminate soil erosion and continuing winter 64 Regional 57 $542,400 $117,989 - In Progress - interpret redwood trees at Roberts Regional damage. Project complicated by FEMA disaster. Modify Park Recreation Area. project again to include preservation and interpretation of redwood trees. Robert Sibley Project description modified . Original project 65 Volcanic 47 Implement a Pallid Manzanita Management Plan. infeasible due to bull frogs. Board to modified project $46,620 $1,587 - In Progress - Regional for Pallid Manzanita management. Preserve

Was originally the Caspian Tern Nesting Area Tilden Restore habitat, remove debris and silt between dam Enhancement project at Brook's Island, however, initial 66 42 $418,400 $418,400 - In Progress - Nature Area and bridge and rebuild silt damn. scoping indicated that funding was inadequate. Funding moved and combined with CC project line 64.

Tilden Remove Debris and Silt Between Dam and Bridge, Study complete. Will need additional funding to 67 64 $132,090 $132,090 - In Progress - Nature Area and Rebuild Silt Dam complete pond and dam restoration work.

Wildcat Bay Trail - New trail segment around West County Funding request Canyon Wastewater facility connecting Wildcat Creek Trail Project completed in 2017. CC funding operation of will pay for police 68 61 $885,550 $692,253 $8,972 In Progress Regional to San Pablo Creek and Point Pinole to the Richmond project area. staffing; request is Park Parkway. Approximately 1 mile. remaining budget.

Board Modified Project Description Fund continued operation of Crab Cove Visitor Center Operate two miles of Bay Trail at Alameda Point Funding request Alameda at Crown Beach and existing Bay Trail along Triangle 69 72 when completed as part of the base conversion $473,900 $351,409 $38,360 Operational will pay for police Point Park at Alameda Point and operate two miles of process staffing. additional Bay Trail if completed as part of the base conversion process Alameda Point.

Page 4 of 6 7/18/2019 Measure CC 2020 Use of Funds-Budget for Park Advisory Committee, July 2019

Park & Original CC Expediture 2020 Project Request Project Description Accomplishments Trail Budget to Date Budget Status Justification Line Number CC Line Number

Manage vegetation for fuels reduction in coordination Anthony with the protection and enhancement of wildlife Fuel loading in eucalyptus and brushlands near Chabot and habitat in fuel break areas to provide defensible space residences and along strategic evacuation routes has 70 Lake Chabot 5 near structures and meet the Hills Emergency Forum been reduced, including the Grass Valley area. Crews $1,475,000 $1,320,832 - Operational - Regional 8' flame length standard. Manage exotic plant species and contractors will continue to sustain lower levels of Parks and promote fire resistant natives to reduce the risk fire hazard by reducing brush and eucalyptus regrowth. of wildfires.

Heavy concentrations of wildland fuels have been treated by thinning of the eucalyptus stands in critical Anthony areas such as the Anthony Chabot Family Campground. Chabot Thin trees /or remove excessive fuels within 250 71 35 Crews and contractors will continue to sustain lower $1,063,650 $1,013,453 - Operational - Vegetation acres of eucalyptus groves- following EB Hills CEQA. levels of fire hazard by reducing accumulations of Management eucalyptus bark and by preventing eucalyptus from regenerating on treated areas.

Manage vegetation for fuels reduction in coordination Claremont Critical fire hazard areas near homes have been treated with the protection and enhancement of wildlife Canyon and by removal of eucalyptus trees and heavy brush, habitat in fuel break areas to provide defensible space Sibley including areas near Stonewall, Panoramic Ridge, and 72 6 near structures and meet the Hills Emergency Forum $1,175,000 $883,818 - Operational - Volcanic along Claremont Avenue. Crews and contractors will 8' flame length standard. Manage exotic plant species Regional continue to sustain lower levels of fire hazard by and promote fire resistant natives to reduce the risk Preserves reducing brush and eucalyptus regrowth. of wildfires.

Retain consultant(s) to work with staff and the Hills East Bay Emergency Forum to prepare the required Funding request Hills Fire environmental documents necessary to comply with will pay for 73 Hazard 1 the Natural Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) In Progress per Project Description $1,175,000 $966,945 $70,385 Operational stewardship Reduction and the California Environmental Quality Act staffing. Plan EIR (CEQA) to complete the Fire Hazard Reduction Plan for the East Bay Hills. Initial operation of landbank properties, police, fire response, resource protection, trail patrol, trash pickup, and maintenance. Includes operation Funding request following completion of resource restorations and will pay for park Eastshore careful debris removal. NO constructed facilities 74 8 Operational $6,007,500 $5,411,310 $225,670 Operational ranger staffing; State Park except trail circulation. Negotiate joint operating and request is funding agreement with State Parks to cover remaining budget. operating costs. The projects will require the use of $50,000 in annual revenue from concessions, interest and trust fund principal.

Support operations of the Zoo, a recreational facility Oakland 75 9 that operates open space contiguous to Anthony Operational $1,500,000 $1,400,000 $100,000 Operational Funds for Zoo. Zoo Chabot Regional Park Giant Marsh Restoration -- cleanup, monitoring and Point Pinole Funding request management of the marsh at the south end of Point In Progress per Project Description. Part of Dotson 76 Regional 73 $775,000 $695,869 $43,900 Operational will pay for park Pinole. Provide matching funds for future grant Family Marsh. Shoreline ranger staffing. opportunities.

Point Pinole Funds to be used Continue park-wide eucalyptus grove thinning and 77 Regional 24 Operational $559,860 $356,362 $71,230 Operational for fuels sprout control program Shoreline management.

Manage vegetation for fuels reduction in coordination Redwood with the protection and enhancement of wildlife High use trail corridors with heavy stands of Regional habitat in fuel break areas to provide defensible space overmatured pine, such as East Ridge Trail, have been Funds to be used 78 Park, Leona 39 near structures and meet the Hills Emergency Forum treated by removal of hazardous vegetation. Crews will $1,082,600 $693,856 $57,955 Operational for fuels Regional 8' flame length standard. Manage exotic plant species continue to sustain lower levels of fire hazard by management. Open Space and promote fire resistant natives to reduce the risk reducing brush and eucalyptus regrowth. of wildfires.

Robert Funding request Open and operate Crab Cove Visitor Center for Crown will pay for 79 11 added 3 months each year to provide year-round Operational $1,458,000 $1,579,106 $132,170 Operational Memorial interpretive service State Beach staffing.

Page 5 of 6 7/18/2019 Measure CC 2020 Use of Funds-Budget for Park Advisory Committee, July 2019

Park & Original CC Expediture 2020 Project Request Project Description Accomplishments Trail Budget to Date Budget Status Justification Line Number CC Line Number

Board Modified Project Description Having completed construction of a small staging area Robert Open and operate the land banked former Stone and installation of interpretive panels at Fish Ranch Sibley Funding request Property. Install interpretive panels, construct a Road and trail links to existing Sibley trails; to match 80 Volcanic 59 $600,000 $584,225 $37,250 Operational will pay for park small staging area at Fish Ranch Road and trail links to State Parks grant, continue trail improvements, Regional ranger staffing. existing Sibley trails. installation of interpretive panel and trail brushing Preserve throughout Sibley, into Huckleberry. Open and operate the land banked former Stone Property.

Robert Hazardous fuels on Sibley Island and near Sibley Staging Sibley Remove redgum and freeze damaged eucalyptus have been treated by removing brush and eucalyptus on 81 Volcanic 26 along the western boundary South of the Staging steep slopes. Crews and contractors will continue to $131,680 - - Operational - Regional Area sustain lower levels of fire hazard by reducing brush Preserve and eucalyptus regrowth

Manage vegetation for fuels reduction in coordination Areas with large accumulation of hazardous fuels have with the protection and enhancement of wildlife been treated by removing eucalyptus, acacia, brush, and Wildcat habitat in fuel break areas to provide defensible space other dense vegetation. Treated areas include Alvarado Funds to be used Canyon 82 40 near structures and meet the Hills Emergency Forum and the western edge of Wildcat Canyon near homes $1,622,580 $638,687 $28,487 Operational for fuels Regional 8' flame length standard. Manage exotic plant species and schools. Crews and contractors will continue to management. Park and promote fire resistant natives to reduce the risk sustain lower levels of fire hazard by reducing brush of wildfires. and eucalyptus regrowth.

Manage vegetation for fuels reduction in coordination Dense stands of eucalyptus on strategic ridgetop fuel with the protection and enhancement of wildlife breaks and evacuation routes have been thinned to Wildcat habitat in fuel break areas to provide defensible space reduce ladder fuels and the potential for crown fire. Funds to be used Canyon 83 19 near structures and meet the Hills Emergency Forum Treated areas include Nimitz Way and Wildcat Canyon $1,660,000 $1,472,671 $81,098 Operational for fuels Regional 8' flame length standard. Manage exotic plant species Road corridors. Crews and contractors will continue to management. Park and promote fire resistant natives to reduce the risk sustain lower levels of fire hazard by reducing brush of wildfires. and eucalyptus regrowth.

84 85 Totals $46,732,141 $37,538,632 $1,177,518

Page 6 of 6 7/18/2019 Attachment 3

PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE 2019 Status of Recommendations

The following is a record of items, which have come from the PAC during the year beginning January 1, 2019.

1. The PAC recommended the Bridge Yard concessionaire agreement move forward to the Board of Directors, but did not make a recommendation for a specific concessionaire.

(January 28, 2019)

STATUS: The Board selected Oakland Venue Management as the preferred concessionaire to operate the Bridge Yard Building.

(Resolution No.: 2019-04-075)

2. The PAC recommended the Miller Knox Regional Shoreline Plan as presented by staff move forward to the full Board. (February 25, 2019)

STATUS: The Board voted to approve the Miller Knox Regional Shoreline Plan.

(Resolution No.: 2019-03-056)

3. The PAC recommended the Special Use Agreement for the Portuguese Water Dog Club move forward to the Board of Directors. (May 20, 2019)

STATUS: The Board voted to approve the Special Use Agreement for the Portuguese Water Dog Club (Resolution No.: 2019-06-126)

4. The PAC recommended to the Board of Directors approval of the proposed Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) (June 24, 2019)

STATUS: Pending.

5. The PAC recommended to the Board of Directors approval of the overall Measure CC 2020 Budget and Spending Plan, with a request that attention be paid to providing access to low income communities within the Measure CC area. (June 24, 2019)

STATUS: Pending.

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Attachment 4

PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE 2019 WORK PLAN

JAN 28 FEB 25 MAR 25 APR 22 MAY 20 JUN 24 JULY 22 SEP 23 OCT 28 NOV 25 DEC 9

Director Director Director Director Director Director Director Director Director Director Rosario Lane Coffey Waespi Corbett Waespi Wieskamp Coffey Rosario

Grazing Review Year in Review Capital Projects Grants update and Park and Public CAFR (R) – Coyote Hills Trails Update Goals 2018 2019 Holiday and Grassland (I) – Doyle Update (I) – Prop. 68 Interest Auker LUPA (R) – (I) – Dougan (R) – Buren, Proposed Dinner – 201 9 Management (I) – Goorjian Implementation (I) Community Barton Pfuehler Budget (R) – Alameda Defreese Community – Margulici Engagement Measure CC Trail Design Auker County th

Relations Plan 85 Anniversary – Project(I) – and WW review Measure CC (I) and Districtwide PARK ADVISORY COMMITTEE COMMITTEE ADVISORY PARK Infrastructure (I) – Koh, Foundation 50th Crime Prevention Pfuehler/ (R) – Rasmussen Maintenance Survey results Review Trail Study report (I) – Johnson Anniversary (I) – Security in Baldinger – Rasmussen (I) – O’Connor, (I) – Pfuehler/ Safety Patrol Barrington, Johnson/ Parkling Lots, Trail Dougan Baldinger programs (I) – Rasmussen Miller-Knox Schirmer Heads, etc. (I) – Youth East Contra Gilfillan LUPA (R) – Love Employment and Costa County South Las Review Work Plan (R) – Hamlat, Reiff Legislative Engagement (I) Delta Atlas (I) – Trampas Volunteer Parkland Buren, Pfuehler Priorities (I) – Integrated Pest – O’Connor Lavalle, Thai LUPA (R) – Program (I) – Dedications Pfuehler, Management in Lavalle Kassebaum/ (R) – Reeves Review Bridge Baldinger the Parks overview Nighttime Bletz Yard RFP (R) - (I) – Kelchner Bicycle Access Measure FF Concord Hills Waluch to Programming Mountain LUP (R) – Holt Transportation (I) – Pfuehler, Bikes and Trails (I) – Brede Baldinger Other Black Jurisdictions Diamond Review of Dog Use report (I) – Mines LUPA Special Use Policy report Dougan (R) – Holt WORK PLAN Agreement for (I) – O’Connor, the Portuguese Johnson, Love Water Dog Club (R) Hornbeck

Exec. Comm. Finance BBQ Meeting – Exec. Comm. Finance Subcommittee Subcommittee MLK Shoreline Subcommittee Subcommittee Work Plan (R) – CAFR (R) - Goals 2017 2017 Budget Pfuehler, Bueren Auker (R) – Pfuehler. (R) - Auker Bueren

Revised 7.18.2019

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Attachment 5

ARTICLES & CORRESPONDENCE

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East Bay Regional Parks trail to temporarily close for bridge repairs Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail closure begins July 15 and project will take a month to complete. By Jon Kawamoto | [email protected] | Bay Area News Group PUBLISHED: July 8, 2019 at 11:16 am | UPDATED: July 8, 2019 at 11:32 am The Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail will be closed beginning July 15 for about a month for bridge replacement and safety improvements, according to the East Bay Regional Park District. (East Bay Regional Park District)

The Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail will temporarily close July 15 for about a month so the Glenside Bridge can be replaced and other safety improvements made, according to the East Bay Regional Park District.

The affected area is south of the Glenside Bridge approximately 200 feet to Glenside Drive and north of the bridge approximately 350 feet, park district spokesman Dave Mason said in a press release.

“The existing bridge is aging and deteriorating,” Mason said. “Bridge replacement is necessary for the health and safety of the community.”

The 1976 wood-beam bridge will be replaced by a lighter and stronger corrosion- resistant steel bridge that’s two feet wider.

The project is being done in the summer because the rest of the year students use the trail to get to and from school, Mason said.

“The park district is making every effort to complete the project before the start of school on August 13,” Mason said.

The Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail covers 7.65 miles and is part of the East Bay Regional Park District’s trail system. The park district manages more than 200 miles of trails in Alameda and Contra Costa counties that serve as part of the region’s green transportation network.

Black Diamond Mines Closed Until September 10 for Installation of New Coal Mining Exhibit Press Release By ECT - Jul 5, 2019 Image by EBRPD

Oakland, CA – The Hazel-Atlas Mine and Greathouse Visitor Center will be closed until September 10 while a new exhibit is installed. No mine tours will be available during the construction period. Sidney Flat Visitor Center, located at park headquarters, will be open on weekends during the summer from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The new Black Diamond Coal Mine exhibit, built into the existing Hazel-Atlas silica sand mine, will be an immersive experience taking visitors into a recreated 1870s coal mine, part of California’s largest coal mining operation. All of the original coal mines at the preserve have been closed to the public and permanently sealed for public safety. Visitors to the new exhibit will experience the sights and sounds of a working coal mine from nearly 150 years ago when immigrant miners worked deep in the earth to supply California with the energy needed to power and transform the state’s economy from rural to industrial. The new exhibit is scheduled to open to the public in the spring.

Black Diamond Mines Naturalist Eddie Willis is looking forward to the new addition to the Hazel-Atlas Mine and Greathouse Visitor Center. “We are excited to showcase this new exhibit which will allow visitors to connect more directly with the coal mining legacy of these hills in a safe and educational way,” said Willis.

To help fund the visitor center exhibit, the Regional Parks Foundation secured two grants from the Wayne and Gladys Valley Foundation and Marathon Petroleum.

With 147 million dead trees, Californians brace for fire Tom Stienstra July 5, 2019 Updated: July 7, 2019 7:04 a.m.

Aerial surveys conducted from 2010 to 2018 counted 147 million trees in the Sierra that died from drought and invasive beetles, creating a tinderbox in a large swath of the state that fire officials worry could explode into another devastating wildfire season. Photo: Craig Kohlruss / Fresno Bee 2015

Across Sierra National Forest, thousands of dead pine trees darken a backdrop of green under azure skies. Each afternoon, hot wind blows upslope out of the San Joaquin Valley. As summer takes hold, the manzanita, chemise and pines will dry, setting up tinderbox conditions in the forested corridor bridging Yosemite and Kings Canyon national parks.

This is the state of much of the Sierra, where aerial surveys from 2010 and 2018 counted 147 million trees that died from drought and invasive beetles. A key at-risk burn zone is between 4,000- and 6,000-foot elevations on the west flank of the central Sierra, where large swaths of pine trees lay dead. Other high-risk areas include the west flank of Yosemite and national forest just north of Lake Tahoe, according to a study and map analysis by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the U.S. Forest Service.

It’s a testament to the new era of wildfire danger: Even in a year with landmark rain and snow totals in California, and a benign start to fire season in June, the chance of another round of catastrophic wildfires this late summer and fall has fire experts cringing.

“It’s just a matter of time,” says Amy Head, a Cal Fire battalion chief. “When it happens, we’re looking at dry standing fuel ready to burn, and it could be pretty catastrophic.”

Last year in California, 8,527 fires burned 1.89 million acres, the highest totals since 1932, when records became verifiable, according to the National Interagency Fire Center and Cal Fire.

In June, Cal Fire recorded about 1,200 fires that burned about 10,000 acres. This comes after a winter where many weather stations in the Sierra verified precipitation totals that ranged mostly 140% to 150% of normal, with high snowpacks and delayed road and campground openings, and with May storms that pushed back the fire season.

This spring and into summer, Cal Fire, the California National Guard, PG&E and the U.S. Forest Service have been clearing trees, brush and high grass along roads and power-line corridors. In some cases, “ladder fuels” — meaning growth around the lower portions of trees — have been trimmed to help prevent potential ground fires from burning up into the canopy. The intent is to create wider, fireproof buffer zones, says Carolyn Napper, a district ranger for the Forest Service. “We are concerned what the future will bring,” Head said. “As we look further out this year, there is a lot of wildfire potential at the end of summer, and especially at the beginning of fall.”

With so many dead trees on the flank of the Sierra, the risk of catastrophic fire will be an annual event, she said.

“Things will never be the same as we knew them, and maybe not in my son’s lifetime either,” Head said. “The landscape has changed. The dead trees are a big concern for us.”

Dead trees stand at the water’s edge at Bass Lake in Madera County in 2015. Photo: Craig Kohlruss / Sacramento Bee

Humans to blame

Though lightning strikes cause thousands of small, low-heat fires each year in the Sierra, Cascade and Shasta-Siskiyou ranges, human- caused fires are responsible for 95% of the major events, Head said.

Last summer, the Mendocino Complex Fire, an event that merged with the Ranch Fire to burn 459,000 acres, the largest fire in California history, was started when a man hammered a stake to plug a wasp hole and ignited a spark in 4-foot-high dried grass, according to Cal Fire.

The 229,651-acre Carr Fire at Whiskeytown National Recreation Area started from a flat tire on an RV where the wheel rim sparked on the asphalt, which the drivers admitted and fire officials confirmed. The Delta and nearby Hirz fires, which collectively burned 100,000 acres above Shasta Lake, were listed as “human caused,” according to fire investigators.

PG&E power lines caused the Camp Fire, which killed 85 people and burned 14,000 homes in Paradise and Butte County last year. The year before, fire investigators with Cal Fire determined that a private electrical system ignited the Tubbs Fire, which killed 22 people and burned thousands of homes in Santa Rosa and Sonoma County.

The cause of a wildfire can range from obvious things, like illegal campfires, fireworks and cast- off cigarettes, to the obscure. At Mount Diablo, for instance, Cal Fire said the Morgan Fire was started when a bullet from a target shooter hit a rock to set off a spark. Those who drive four- wheel drives can start a fire if they drive off road and their exhaust pipe hits high grass, the Forest Service warns.

Stopping the blazes

When fires are first reported, Cal Fire commanders in helicopters say they can often determine the potential for them to spread with a quick flyby to assess fire fuels and landscape. In areas with high risk for infernos, mobile strike teams are sent in to stop the fires quickly, before they blaze out of control.

Canyons with upslope winds and standing fuel, such as dead trees, manzanita, chemise, pines, high grass or brushy landscapes present the highest risk. That was the formula for the Rim Fire, when an illegal fire was started at the bottom of a canyon near the confluence of the Clavey and Tuolumne Rivers, and hot upslope winds then carried it up the canyon into a pine forest. By the time the air tankers arrived the next day, the blaze was out of control.

In preparation for this year’s fire season, county sheriff’s departments are working with Cal Fire to establish escape routes for local residents and campers. Some areas with narrow roads are at risk as well. For instance, the wooded areas of South Lake Tahoe and Fairfax in Marin County, are places where a burning tree could fall across the road and block escape routes. On my travels, we now keep a chainsaw with us for just that reason.

When conditions are high risk, rangers can go beyond simple measures like banning campfires. In extreme situations, they can prohibit open flames of any kind. In the East Bay Regional Park District, fire-science experts have, at times, even closed parks short term when fire risk is exceptional.

Most fire safety is common sense, but being aware of your behavior and activity in fire-prone areas is key. When putting out campfires, for instance, most are taught to soak it, stir it, then soak it again. Yet I’ve seen campers pour water on a campfire and leave, and then I’ve stirred it and found hot embers still glowing.

Any time you have an open flame or set off a spark, you are putting the surrounding landscape at risk, Head says. “So many parts of California could be devastated by fire.”

At 30, the San Francisco Bay Trail continues to grow Michael Cabanatuan July 4, 2019 Updated: July 4, 2019 7:30 p.m. 1 of 3 Spectacular views of the bay and San Francisco will be a feature of a new segment of the Bay Trail between the Albany Bulb and the foot of Gilman Street.Photo: Michael Short / Special to The Chronicle

2 of 3 A Gordon N. Ball In. crew works on a new section of the Bay Trail along the shore of the bay adjacent to Golden Gate Fields.Photo: Michael Short / Special to The Chronicle

3 of 3 A cyclist passes by workers with contractor Gordon N. Ball who are building a new section of the Bay Trail near Golden Gate Fields.Photo: Michael Short / Special to The Chronicle

Horse racing may be between seasons at Golden Gate Fields in Albany, but there’s plenty of action just west of the grandstand on a bluff with a stunning view of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco Bay.

Bicyclists and pedestrians will have access to that view by the end of the year when it becomes the newest stretch of the San Francisco Bay Trail, a path that one day will circle and cross the bay over 500 connected miles. The trail — with 356 miles completed so far — celebrates its 30th anniversary this month.

All nine Bay Area counties and 47 cities are included in plans for the trail and all have agreed to help it encircle the bay. The purpose of the trail is to bring Bay Area residents closer to the bay while creating recreational opportunities as well as corridors for those who commute on foot or bike, said Laura Thompson, who manages the Bay Trail project for the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the Association of Bay Area Governments.

“An important part of the Bay Trail is that it’s for everyone, for people of all ages and abilities all around the bay,” she said. “It takes people through a number of environments and lets people enjoy it in their own way.” In Albany, construction crews have carved a shelf in the cliff near Fleming Point and are pouring concrete along a roughly mile-long extension that fills a gap in the Bay Trail. The new path connects a small beach near the Albany Bulb and the foot of Gilman Street in Berkeley across 4.8 acres donated by Golden Gate Fields in 2016. The $8 million project is expected to open in December.

Intrepid trail users can already close the gap, but it requires braving the Golden Gate Fields parking lots and battling traffic, rough pavement and steep grades. The experience isn’t relaxing, pleasant or family friendly.

“That will be no longer,” Thompson said. “We will have a dedicated trail for cyclists and pedestrians. There are going to be spectacular views. When you’re out there, you can see all across the bay, downtown San Francisco, Mount Tam.”

A sign marks a section of the Bay Trail. The grandstand of Golden Gate Fields horse-racing track is visible in the background.

Photo: Michael Short / Special to The Chronicle

While the Albany project is just 1/500th of the Bay Trail, it’s a good example of how the trail has been assembled over the past three decades — and the challenges it faces as it presses forward.

“It illustrates how the Bay Trail comes together piece by piece,” Thompson said.

The idea to piece together a trail around the bay was born at a lunch between then- Assemblyman Bill Lockyer, of Hayward, and the editor of the now-defunct Hayward Review in 1986. After Lockyer complained about a story critical of some legislation he authored, he floated the trail idea.

In 1987, Lockyer, backed by the entire Bay Area legislative delegation, got legislation passed creating the Bay Trail. In 1989, the official map for the 500-mile trail, which also includes paths across seven toll bridges and various spurs to nearby parks and places of interest, was completed.

The longtime East Bay lawmaker counts the Bay Trail among his greatest accomplishments.

“There’s been a lot of progress,” said Lockyer, now an attorney at an Orange County law firm. “It’s been sort of incrementally completed. Some counties have been extraordinary and there are some places that are difficult to complete. But they keep working at it and that’s good.”

The Bay Trail has taken shape in piecemeal fashion — a mile here, 6 miles there — at various locations around bay. Among the longest stretches are 25-mile trails in Santa Clara County from East Palo Alto to San Jose and in San Mateo County between Millbrae and San Carlos.

An East Bay stretch connects 17 miles though San Leandro and Hayward. Richmond — the Bay Area city with the most shoreline — has 35 miles of Bay Trail, not all contiguous. A recently completed piece in Pinole, where a curving concrete bridge swoops over wetlands and railroad tracks from a shoreline park to a nearby bluff, is among the most dramatic stretches — and was one of the most technically difficult to complete.

“It was an engineering answer to a complex landscape,” Thompson said. “It was not so easy as laying asphalt in some areas.”

Regardless of its location, the Bay Trail is popular. On weekends and sunny afternoons, many stretches are crowded with joggers, bicyclists and dog walkers. Weekdays bring fewer visitors but they enjoy the solitude — and the views.

“I use it all the time,” said Dmitrius Rodriguez, a 20-year-old Contra Costa College student and barista from San Pablo, who grew up in Hayward. “You can get a little workout in, do some people-watching and look at the bay without going far.”

Rodriguez was hiking through the Golden Gate Fields parking lot, breaking in his backpacking gear — and himself — for a summer trek in Yosemite National Park. After a test at Contra Costa College, he drove to Point Richmond, started hiking and planned to go to Emeryville.

“It’s pretty awesome,” he said as watched construction crews working on the new stretch of trail. “I’m glad they’re putting money into something like this that people like and will use.”

He’s used sections of the Bay Trail all his life, mostly in Hayward and now in the upper East Bay, but said he had no idea it covered more than 350 miles.

A worker with the Gordon N. Ball road construction company uses a tractor to grade a portion of the Bay Trail near Golden Gate Fields racetrack in Albany.

Photo: Michael Short / Special to The Chronicle

Some trail users admit they’re only familiar with the stretches close to their homes and weren’t aware the trail may someday circle the bay. But that doesn’t stop them from appreciating the path, which is generally paved and at least 8 feet wide, often with dirt or gravel paths alongside. Benches, drinking fountains and restrooms appear intermittently.

“It’s beautiful up here,” said Judith Holten-Mendez 78, a retired dance teacher from Richmond, as she walked her blind dog along the trail on grassy bluffs in Pinole. “I said to myself, ‘Why are you walking the dog in the neighborhood? Get out and see the beauty that God created.’”

Since they retired from Safeway five years ago, Rebecca Ritchie, 60, and Tony Peovich, 62, walk the trail regularly at both Point Isabel in Richmond and in Pinole.

“We love it,” she said. “We never had time to do it before. Now we’re taking advantage of it.”

It is difficult to place a price tag on the Bay Trail, Thompson said, since different segments are built by different entities and nobody kept track in the early days, “but it is in the realm of hundreds of millions of dollars,” she said. The money to build the trail comes mostly from local parks and recreation taxes, state bond measures and grants, regional transportation measures and some federal transportation funding. Developers building along the bay are often required to install part of the trail, and some property owners donate land.

Planners believe it will cost another $1.4 billion to complete the trail, but when it will be done is a tougher question to answer. With less than a third of the trail left to build, Thompson said, “You’d think we could say we’re in the homestretch. But a lot of what’s left is more difficult.”

That includes the least-developed stretch of the trail along the northern edge of the bay paralleling Highway 37. Other crucial stretches include the San Francisco shoreline near the former Hunters Point shipyard and parts of western Contra Costa County along San Pablo Bay, said Thompson and Sean Dougan, trails development program manager for the East Bay Regional Parks District, which has built 40 miles of the Bay Trail in its parks and has 47 miles to go.

Thompson said the Bay Trail should be “substantially completed” in the next decade. Planners and trail backers intend to keep the momentum.

“We have to do it sooner,” said Dougan, “because it gets more and more expensive the longer we wait.”

Wood Bridge Gives Way To Steel Replacement on Lafayette-Moraga Trail, July 15 By NEWS24-680 - Jul 3, 2019 Photo: East Bay Regional Park District Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail will be temporarily closed south of the Glenside Bridge to Glenside Drive and north of the Glenside Bridge

Lafayette, CA – The Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail will be temporarily closed – south of the Glenside Bridge approximately 200 feet to Glenside Drive and north of the Glenside Bridge approximately 350 feet – for bridge replacement and safety improvements. Construction activities will begin on July 8. The bridge will be closed beginning July 15.

The existing 1976 wood-beam bridge will be replaced by a lighter and stronger corrosion-resistant steel bridge. The new bridge will be two feet wider, resulting in improved trail capacity and safety.

“The existing bridge is aging and deteriorating,” said East Bay Regional Park District spokesperson Dave Mason. “Bridge replacement is necessary for the health and safety of the community.”

The project is being implemented in the summer to minimize the impact to the public, especially students who use the trail to get to and from school.

“The Park District is proud to provide another improvement to Lafayette residents and appreciates the community’s support and patience during the temporary closure,” said Mason. “The Park District is making every effort to complete the project before the start of school on August 13.”

The Lafayette-Moraga Regional Trail covers 7.65 miles and is part of the Park District’s Regional Trail system. The Park District manages over 200 miles of regional trails in Alameda and Contra Costa counties that serve as part of the region’s green transportation network.

Uploaded: Tue, Jul 2, 2019, 4:03 pm East Bay Regional Park District opens community survey Online questionnaire to evaluate future priorities by Elaine Yang

As the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) celebrates its 85th anniversary this year, the district seeks public input through a survey to help inform its future priorities.

The survey, open until Aug. 2, gives the public the opportunity to weigh in on both the recreational needs and the most pressing issues of the East Bay's diverse community.

"By completing this short survey, the public will help our board and staff to evaluate priorities as the Park District plans for a future with wide-ranging opportunities and challenges, such as wildfire prevention and climate change," General Manager Robert E. Doyle said in a statement.

"We also want to understand what services, programs and recreational activities residents would like to see added in their local parks, including what they think can be improved," Doyle added.

The EBRPD is the largest regional park agency in the nation with 73 parks and over 1,250 miles of trails in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.

The new survey is intended to give the public an easy opportunity to provide feedback to the EBRPD's Board of Directors and staff. Surveys can be found online or at the Alameda County Fair EBRPD exhibit located in the Agriculture Building.

"The Park District has a tradition of community outreach and transparency, with the 85th anniversary being a great opportunity to solicit residents' opinions and for residents to share what's important to them," said Dave Mason, EBRPD public information supervisor.

Take the survey here.

Community News East Bay Hills Trails Benefit Hike just around corner Walk for a cause through Martinez, Berkeley, Oakland hills Aug. 28-Sept. By Marta Yamamoto | Correspondent PUBLISHED: July 1, 2019 at 5:00 am | UPDATED: July 1, 2019 at 2:13 pm

courtesy of Par Koren Hikers walk through the Huckleberry Botanic Regional Preserve in the Oakland hills, one of several trails for hikers to walk in the upcoming Aug. 28-31 East Bay Hills Trails Benefit Hike, which will traverse Martinez, Berkeley, the Oakland hills and Castro Valley.

Imagine the fun of being on a five-day hiking trip through the East Bay Hills, with no long drive all the way to the Sierras. Hiking all day with only a daypack, then arriving at an established camp with a hot gourmet meal waiting.

Not a fantasy; the annual East Bay Hills Trails Benefit Hike and Ride takes place Aug. 28 through Sept. 1, fully supported with a choice of two hikes each day, either 10 to 12 miles or 6 to 8 miles. All meals and campsites are included, camping gear is shuttled between campsites and hikers can decide how many days to participate. Hikers and riders will be on different trails during the day but share campsites, meals and entertainment each evening.

So it’s a win-win; time to explore the East Bay hills through regional parklands and watersheds, with far-reaching views of the bay, the Sierra and Mount Diablo, and time to support the Bay Area Ridge Trail, Volunteers for Outdoor California, and other East Bay trail projects. A host of volunteers enable most of the fees to be donated to these organizations, so over the years the event has raised more than $300,000 for construction, maintenance and restoration of the Ridge Trail and other Easy Bay trails.

At present 375 miles of the Ridge Trail have been established, with 175 miles still being worked on; the hope is to add 100 miles over the next 10 years. Camping takes place in three parks: Tilden Regional Park near Berkeley, Joaquin Miller Park in the Oakland hills and Anthony Chabot Regional Park in Castro Valley. Mornings begin with a hot camp-cooked breakfast, sandwiches are provided for the trails and hearty dinners complete the day. Evenings feature programs both educational and fun and include a visit to Chabot Space & Science Center.

With expert leaders and trail guides, a total of up to 40 miles of the Ridge Trail can be hiked, from the Richmond hills to Castro Valley, with 15 more miles on nearby loops across varied terrain. Over the last two years, 35 to 45 hikers and 15 to 25 riders have participated each day. One event goal is to introduce people to new sections of the Ridge Trail and the East Bay hills in general, and this year part of the route on the first day is from Mount Wanda to Almond Ranch, a new, not-yet-opened section of the Ridge Trail. “We’re hiking through Almond Ranch in Martinez, which will connect the Ridge Trail practically from Berkeley to Solano County,” said Morris Older, a coordinator for East Bay Hills Trails Benefit. “This is also big because the East Bay Regional Park District is working on a 6-mile segment of the Ridge Trail from Garin Park to Niles Canyon Road in Fremont, so we’ll be getting close to 50 miles of continuous trail in the East Bay, which they expect to open next year.”

The John Muir Land Trust is currently fundraising for the Almond Ranch purchase, with $2.75 million raised toward the $4 million needed by this Dec. 31.

“All of the benefits of conservation intersect here. Almond Ranch protects habitat and clean water, offers close-to-home outdoor recreation, and makes critical trail connections that have been on everyone’s wish list for decades,” said Linus Eukel, the John Muir Land Trust’s executive director.

Hikers are not the only beneficiaries of adding open trail mileage; the work also creates corridors for wildlife. For example, one already exists in the East Bay over the Caldecott Tunnel, and Santa Clara County has voted funds to create another over Highway 17.

“This is something that is becoming more of a priority for open space agencies,” Older said. “I think there’s a general awareness among environmentalists of the importance of connected open spaces.”

Along with raising from $25,000 to $30,000 toward improving trails, the East Bay Hills Benefit Hike remains a unique opportunity for long distance hiking, camaraderie and for hikers and equestrians to get to know one another. Early notification of this event gives people time to sign up or volunteer to help with camp and kitchen duties, as well as to donate to the Ridge Trail Project.

Aside from fundraising, the event stands on its own as a remarkable experience. The scenery is exceptional across hills and through forests with streams as hikers travel from Tilden to Joaquin Miller on Aug. 29, Joaquin Miller to Dimond Park and back, with root beer float treats on Aug. 30, Joaquin Miller to Bort Meadow on Aug. 31 and in Anthony Chabot Park on Sept. 1.

And there’s an added advantage.

“In a lot of these places there’s no cell or Internet reception so it’s getting a break from the city, from social media and constant intrusions of the real world,” Older said. “So you have to be in the moment and appreciate the environment and the community of people you’re with.”

If You Go

What: Annual East Bay Hills Trails Benefit Hike When: Aug. 28 through Sept. 1 Info: ridgetrail.org/east-bay-hills-2, $85/day or 5 days for $400, youth hikers (under 18) can join with an adult participant for $35/day, visitors can come for dinner in camp for $15/night, participants can be picked up and dropped off at BART at beginning and end of hike and assistance can be given in shuttling cars from camp to camp. Almond Ranch: jmlt.org/almondranch

Updated: Sun, Jun 30, 2019, 6:09 pm Uploaded: Fri, Jun 28, 2019, 3:23 pm

Danville: Magee Preserve development project to be reviewed by Town Council

High public turnout expected for oft-debated project site

According to Danville’s principal planner David Crompton, the project would develop approximately 29 acres (or 7%) of the site, with the remaining 381 acres of open space permanently preserved. (image courtesy the town of Danville) by Ryan J. Degan

From left: Al Kalin of Diablo Cyclists and Seth Adams of Save Mount Diablo have endorsed the project for its environmental and recreational benefits to the area. (photo by Ryan J. Degan)

Developers, environmental conservationists and a sect of local residents are set to clash on Tuesday evening, when the Danville Town Council considers the oft-debated Magee Preserve development project located in the Diablo Road/Blackhawk Road corridor.

Proposed by Walnut Creek-based developer Davidon Homes, the project consists of building 69 single-family homes on the south side of Diablo Road and Blackhawk Road, with the main entrance to the housing complex being based adjacent to Jillian Way.

Located on a 410-acre project site, a key provision of the project comes in the form of its environmental conservation. According to Danville’s principal planner David Crompton, the project would develop approximately 29 acres -- or 7% -- of the site, with the remaining 381 acres of open space preserved by the town on a permanent basis.

Magee Preserve will also install a series of hiking and biking trails that will allow residents to experience the area’s scenic beauty and explore land that is currently closed to the public, according to Steve Abbs, vice president at Davidon Homes.

In a town staff report, Crompton wrote that if approved the project would include approximately two miles of trails dedicated to the East Bay Regional Parks District for public use.

While the project does guarantee preservation of 93% of the property’s open space -- current zoning allows the development of 94% of land according to Davidon -- a group of Danville residents are opposed the development of the property due to concerns of disrupting the local wildlife, bicycle safety, traffic concerns and the loss of any open space.

“If the council approves the project as we fully expect, we will seek a referendum public vote,” said Maryann Cella from the group Save Open Space (SOS), which opposed a previous version of the project in court, with some success.

In July 2013, the Town Council approved a nearly identical project proposed by developer SummerHill Homes that was also vehemently opposed by SOS Danville. The group eventually filed a lawsuit challenging the project’s approval, which was upheld by the First District Court of Appeal, which did find that the project did not adequately consider bicycle safety impacts.

The group has previously stated that the development should have triggered Measure S, which limits development on agricultural land and requires voter approval by ballot measure in order to move the development forward -- Contra Costa County Superior Court judge agreed with that argument in concept, but the appellate court overruled that interpretation while upholding the bike safety portion.

To address the court's findings, Crompton said the town selected the "Highway Capacity Manual 2010 Bicycle Level of Service" (BLOS) methodology to test the level of on-road bicyclist comfort level around the project area. Testing found that the effects on bicyclist comfort were “less than significant with a less than one percent change in BLOS score for both weekday and weekend conditions.”

Davidon developers have also proposed a possible plan for expanding a paved bike path that would consist of an eight foot wide off-street paved trail along Diablo Road, which according to Al Kalin of Diablo Cyclist is notoriously dangerous for cyclists due to its narrow windy roads.

“As cyclists we have looked at this and it’s a win-win for everyone not just cyclists and hikers and joggers, but I'd like to add also its a win-win for motorists which is rarely discussed,” Kalin told DanvilleSanRamon.com. “When a bike is on Diablo Road it is not just the cyclists that are in danger.”

“Diablo Road is just not a safe access. So what Magee Preserve does is provides an easement for the town to install (the bike trail). Without this project that easement or that path is not possible. That is a huge public benefit,” Abbs added. “It’s not a requirement of the project, it's a public benefit that we are offering the town.” Despite concerns from the opposition group, Magee Preserve has received a vocal backing from local environmental group Save Mount Diablo, as well as Bike East Bay, who have praised the project and its developers for their commitment to environmental and recreational benefits.

“This is a superior project in terms of an environmental standpoint and that is one of the reasons that we are here,” said Seth Adams, land conservation director at Save Mount Diablo. “Legally the developer has to mitigate for their own impacts, legally anything beyond that is icing on the cake and this development is going way beyond what’s required.”

Adams explained that the Magee Preserve has been a “missing piece” for his organization, and the land preserved will join a network of open space and trails protected by agencies in Contra Costa County.

He is also excited for the recreational opportunities saying: “You won’t believe me at first, but this property has better views that Mount Diablo to the north and Las Trampas to the west.”

“We're here from open space and recreational standpoint, but most people either look at this in terms of an overall project or not, or they look at it in terms of the effect of traffic,” Adams added.

Traffic concerns are another area of concern for SOS Danville and neighboring residents, who fear a large influx of vehicle trips along already busy roads.

According to Crompton, initial traffic studies “found that project trips added to the Diablo Road/Blackhawk Road/Mt. Diablo Scenic intersection … would constitute a significant impact based on the established thresholds of significance” during peak commuting hours.

To help alleviate these concerns, the project would also include the installation of a traffic signal along the Diablo Road/Blackhawk Road/Mt. Diablo Scenic intersection, which Crompton says will help mitigate the project’s impacts and improve traffic flow.

“We are doing our fair share and will actually make things better on Diablo than what exists today,” Abbs said.

Abbs added that if all goes well with the council, Davidon would be able to begin development next summer.

The public is invited to join in on the conversation at the Danville Town Council’s regular meeting which will be held Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. at the Town Meeting Hall, 201 Front St. Attendance is expected to be high.

After discussing the issue this week, the council is expected to consider confirming its final decision on the project during its regular meeting on July 16.

A fun way to manage wild vegetation by Nina Egert for the Tidings Thursday, June 27th 2019 Courtesy photoMedford recently passed an ordinance allowing homeowners to rent goats to help clear their land. Ashland should do the same.

In 1991, the Oakland Hills went up in flames. Shortly thereafter, the East Bay Regional Park District instituted a brilliant vegetation management program.

Small herds of goats, restricted by portable fencing, are set out to forage patches of woodland brush. The goats munch up all sorts of wild plants — blackberries, poison oak, nettles, thistles, etc. Within a matter of days, the selected spot is cleared of potential fire hazards. Once finished, the fencing is rolled up; the goats are ushered into a trailer, and the whole operation moves on to another section of the park.

A big fan of Oakland’s goats, I’ve been proposing that someone create a similar program in Ashland since I moved to the area. So, the other day, I was delighted when it was reported that the Medford city council had just approved a goat-rental ordinance. At the same time, I was disappointed that Medford had beaten Ashland to the punch.

Had Ashland’s city council ever considered the idea and nixed it? Were there stringent zoning restrictions? I spoke to several city departments before answers emerged.

The confusion begins with jurisdictional issues. Properties with an Ashland address might be located within the official city limits (and therefore subject to city regulations), or within the greater Urban Growth Boundary, or outside official city boundaries altogether. To complicate matters, the city of Ashland actually owns and cares for land that is not within city boundaries.

Ashland residents and businesses are legally required to keep vegetation on their property under control. The Ashland Parks and Recreation Department maintains much of our urban landscape. Our watershed is managed by the Ashland Fire Department, which also negotiates with some of the privately owned properties outside the city limits.

So, what does this mean for goats?

Within city boundaries, zoning regulations limit the types of small livestock that Ashland residents can keep on their property. Homeowners with sufficient land are permitted to keep two adult miniature (not full-sized) goats. Though the city has further restrictions regarding micro-livestock, a resident could easily own a pair of miniature goats which could then be rotated to forage over several neighbors’ properties — presuming these properties contain the right types of vegetation.

A recent report implied that the rent-a-goat business would be useful for lawn care. Not so. As helpful as goats can be at removing unwanted leafy plants, they are neither useful in managing open grasslands or woody, forested areas. Not to mention lawns.

Typically, goats do not eat much grass. “They are “browsers” and not “grazers,” pointed out Ashland Fire Department’s Division Chief of Forestry, Chris Chambers. “Grazers” (horses, cows, and sheep) are all more effective at grassland management. (Ashland does host a business, Land Manatee, that rotates small herds of cows and horses around rural ranch properties.)

None of the above-mentioned animals are appropriate for maintaining small urban gardens.

Goats will essentially consume any leafy plant within reach. Before setting them out to forage, the types of vegetation in that area need to be carefully considered. Strong and secure fencing has to be installed to keep goats contained, as well as away from any desired flowers and bushes.

“They are great escape artists,” Chambers cautioned.

Chambers pointed out that because goats do not distinguish between wanted and unwanted vegetation, they can foil efforts to restore native plants. If placed in an area where plants already have reached maturation, goats ingest the seeds and collect burrs on their legs. When shifted to another foraging area, they can actually spread invasive species through their droppings.

On the other hand, with well-calculated forethought, goats can be effectively used to permanently remove problematic shrubs. A friend, who has much experience raising goats, explained that by cutting back all the canes from a blackberry patch, then allowing goats to eat new shoots down to the roots, this will actually kill the plant.

While Chambers felt that goats would not be appropriate for vegetation management in some sections of Ashland’s watershed, he could think of several areas where using goats to remove brush might be fully appropriate. Parks and recreation’s Michael Black, who had not previously considered the issue, was also open to the possibility of developing a goat management program.

Readers, stay tuned for more on this topic.

In the meantime, Ashlanders can check zoning regulations to see if raising miniature goats might be a viable choice for them. (ashland.municipal.codes/LandUse/18.2.3.160)

A couple of caveats: Chris warned that goats tend to attract mountain lions, so protective dogs are necessary companions. My goat-loving friend cautioned that they require a secure shelter that both protects animals from winter cold and summer sun. Goats also need some type of structure to climb on — to keep them amused.

CITY East Bay fire agencies call for public self-defense: ‘It’s not if a fire occurs, but when’ By William Lundquist, June 27, 2019, 7 a.m. Berkeley Fire Chief David Brannigan at the Inspiration Point press conference for the Hills Emergency Forum on Wednesday, June 26, 2019. Photo: William Lundquist

After the most destructive year of wildfires on record in California, the Hills Emergency Forum held a press conference at Inspiration Point in Tilden Park on Wednesday to alert the public about the importance of fire prevention and called on East Bay residents for help. The Hills Emergency Forum is a collection of agencies responsible for the collection of fire hazard data and establishing protocols for fire prevention in the East Bay. It focuses on public education programs, multi- jurisdictional training and fuel reduction strategies.

Berkeley Fire Chief David Brannigan is optimistic that wildfire prevention efforts will be well supported in Berkeley.

“Our budget passed last night and we got several hundred thousand dollars to put towards fuel management that we haven’t had before,” Brannigan said.

The fire department plans to use the money to reduce unnecessary vegetation and clear out evacuation routes in the case of a fire.

The City Council’s budget policy committee carved out an extra $180,000 for equipment and disaster response training and $233,333 in vegetation management for the budget proposed by Mayor Jesse Arreguín on Tuesday night. That budget was passed by the Council. Arreguín also asked the city manager to consider spending $1.1 million “on an outdoor emergency warning system to be used in the event of a wildfire and when the State’s early warning system is operational, to alert of an impending earthquake.” The additional $1.1 million won’t be considered until November.

Brannigan said everyone in Berkeley, not just the residents who live in the hills, should be aware of the importance of fire safety and be educated on how to prevent property damage in the case of a fire.

“While the most hazardous areas as designated by the state and city of Berkeley are in the hills, everybody needs to be concerned and focusing attention on this,” he said. “In Berkeley, because properties are so tight and houses are so close to each other, maintaining trees and shade to keep moisture higher, hardening your home, removing vegetation that would help a fire spread, and keeping your roofs gutter clear of any dead plant matter, and knowing how to get information should a fire start and where to go and practice evacuating [are all important measures to take].”

Berkeley’s Fire Chief David Brannigan and his rig. Photo: William Lundquist

The forum was primarily concerned with addressing the public and providing ways that residents of the East Bay can do their part in wildfire prevention. Different fire departments and East Bay Regional Parks officials took turns speaking, each one addressing the importance and urgency of fire prevention and safety this summer.

“Our message is simple. We need the public’s help to reduce the threat of fire. Clearing of seasonal weeds, brush and combustible debris from your property now and then maintaining your property in a fire safe condition reduces the fire threat.” said El Cerrito and Kensington Fire Marshal Dave Gibson.

“Fire season is upon us and we need your help to keep our communities safe,” said Oakland Assistant Fire Marshall Vincent Crudele. “Fire defense is self-defense, we ask you to join our team and prepare now because it’s not a matter of if a fire occurs but when.”

While a wildfire can seem a daunting and unstoppable force, there are many ways to prevent it from reaching the point of devastation that California has repeatedly experienced over the last couple of years, the officials said.

Berkeley’s Brannigan went over some of the most important points regarding fire safety and prevention.

• Removing invasive vegetation and picking up trash in your neighborhood helps prevent fuel for fires • Not disposing of cigarettes in undesignated areas • Not setting off fireworks in undesignated areas • Making sure to fully put out campfires, bonfires, and barbeques, especially in fire- prone areas • Being careful when you pull your car over on dead brush and checking to make sure the brush hasn’t been set on fire

Science's Newest Miracle Drug I s F re e A grassroots movement of physicians are prescribing time outdoors as the best possible cure for a growing list of ailments. Can they really convince big health care that free medicine is the way of the future?

By Aaron Reuben

“How often do you all get outside?” primary-care physician Ryan Buchholz asks. It’s a Thursday afternoon in October, a warm one for Washington, D.C., where Buchholz practices. His patient, a young boy named Ariel, doesn’t answer. Maybe his mind is on the flu vaccine he just heard administered to a child in the room next door. Maybe he doesn’t understand the question—he’s only two years old, after all. Ariel clutches a blue teddy bear as his father, Fernando, answers. No a menudo. Not often.

In exam room three of the Upper Cardozo Health Center, Buchholz is performing a routine wellness exam. To Buchholz, wellness means a child is eating right, brushing their teeth, getting vaccinated—and spending time outdoors. On a desktop computer, the modern doctor’s stethoscope, he pulls up a mapping tool called Park Rx, which was created by another pediatrician at the center, Robert Zarr, founder of the public-health nonprofit Park Rx America.

Buchholz is warm and earnest, with short brown hair flecked with gray. He navigates quickly and finds some good-sized city parks near the family’s home. After he coaches Ariel’s father on the benefits of outdoor play—children who spend time outdoors tend to experience better physical and mental health—Fernando’s phone pings with a text message, which shows the locations of the parks, outlines a new nature prescription, and includes a link to notify Buchholz whenever the prescription has been filled. Five seconds later, the doctor rises to test Ariel’s lungs, brandishing an actual stethoscope.

You could have missed the nature talk if you hadn’t been paying attention. It consumed less than three minutes out of twenty. But when the Floreses left the clinic that day, they had a map and a mandate from an authority figure to go play—outside and often. There’s a movement brewing in America’s hospitals, clinics, and outpatient treatment centers. As depression and anxiety rates climb and the obesity epidemic rages on—by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s last count, one in three U.S. adults and nearly one in five children are now obese—health care providers are losing patience with traditional tools. They aren’t abandoning pills and procedures by any means, but to help their patients avoid growing heavier, sadder, or sicker, they are looking far outside their offices.

Research institutes for nature and health are opening at major medical centers, electronic health-record systems have begun to incorporate nature prescriptions just as they do pharmacological ones, and at least one major health insurer has begun offering incentives for nature prescriptions. Those prescriptions take many forms, from general encouragement to get outside at least twice a week to specific instructions for activity, location, duration, and frequency. In a world where we increasingly live our lives indoors, says Zarr, one of the movement’s pioneers, “We are starting to think about nature not just as a place to recreate, but also as a social determinant of health.” There’s no diagnostic code for nature-deficit disorder—the term coined by Richard Louv in his 2008 book Last Child in the Woods—but if there were, Zarr says, “I would use it a lot.”

Later in the day at Upper Cardozo, the mood in exam room three is a bit more tense. Another of Buchholz’s patients, an 11-year-old named Jason, explains that he wanted to skip his checkup. Jason is on the gray exam table as his mother, Roxana, sits beside him, holding her infant daughter. “I’m scared that you might get mad at me,” Jason tells Buchholz. “Because of my weight.”

Buchholz looks tired but not terribly surprised. Jason has been overweight for the past eight years. After making a plan with Buchholz to go outside more and drink fewer sugary drinks, Jason had begun to lose weight. But lately he’s been gaining it back. He’s been good about the sugar, he says, but he hasn’t been getting out as much, even though he loves to play soccer in the park near his home. Buchholz pries, gently, and the reason emerges: a bully. “He gets mad at me when I take the ball away from him,” Jason says. “I say it’s just a game. Then he starts calling me stuff, like fat.” The boy tears up. “Every time when I start running, he makes fun of my stomach,” he says. “I just want to be skinny.” He seems defeated. “I hate being fat.”Buchholz puts a hand on Jason’s shoulder. “I think you are just fine,” he says. “I want you to know that.” He frowns. “Let me see if we can find another park close to where you live.” Buchholz opens the Park Rx America tool and begins to hunt.

“Have you ever been to Bancroft Elementary School?” he asks. Jason hasn’t. Buchholz scans the park details to make sure there’s a soccer field and plugs in a new prescription. “I can go once a day,” Jason offers.

Roxana swipes her phone to see Jason’s updated prescription, with maps, images of green fields, and descriptions of a number of park options. She puts the phone down and Jason picks it up. He sniffs lightly, rubs his eye, and begins scrolling.

Buchholz turns away from his computer. “In my experience, kids who try and make other kids feel bad usually have a problem, and they don’t want anyone to know about it,” he says. “So they try to make everyone else feel bad.” He’s trying to provide some comfort, but Jason isn’t listening. He’s reading his prescription.

“Oh, this is Bancroft?” Jason asks.

“Mm-hmm.”

Jason whistles. “Bancroft is nice.”

Doctors have been encouraging their patients to go outside for millennia. Hippocrates called walking “man’s best medicine.” Han dynasty physicians encouraged outdoor “frolicking exercises” to ward off aging. And until the mid-1940s, tuberculosis patients were sent to mountain retreats to take in the “magic airs.”

What’s happening now is different. It’s widespread, systematic, and, at least in aspiration, evidence based. Though boutique wilderness treatments for trauma and some behavioral disorders have existed for years, the idea that your primary-care physician, psychiatric nurse practitioner, or cardiologist might prescribe a park before a pill is quite new. Most credit the concept to a regional Australian recreation department, Parks Victoria, which began to link the outdoors and human health through initiatives with medical providers in the early 2000s. Soon after, the first mainstream, provider- based outdoor programs in the U.S. started to tackle common diseases. In 2005, in Columbus, Ohio, cardiologist David Sabgir invited his heart-disease patients for the first of what would become hundreds of group park walks. (His organization, Walk with a Doc, now has some 450 chapters in 25 countries.) In 2006, Prescription Trails—the nation’s first nature-prescription program—was founded in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with the aim of encouraging chronic-disease and other patients to hike and walk outside.

Since then “the movement has exploded,” says Betty Sun, the health-program manager at the Institute at the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, a San Francisco nonprofit that has expanded its mission to include public health, in part by coordinating knowledge sharing across nature-prescribing programs. According to Sun’s most recent survey, in July 2018, the U.S. now has 71 provider-based nature-prescription programs in 32 states, with the potential to reach hundreds of thousands of patients. The programs tend to fall into two camps: some, like Park Rx America and Tennessee’s Park Prescriptions, are widely available and center on doctor counseling supported by digital tools to help patients find nature and remind them to go out in it. Others, like California’s Santa Clara County ParkRx, are available to high-risk patients at select clinics and follow up on doctors’ orders with phone reminders, transportation support, and group outings.

For health care providers, there are two reasons to prescribe nature. The first has to do with what it may do for us. Exposure to nonthreatening natural stimuli, scientists have discovered, lowers blood pressure, reduces stress-hormone levels, promotes physical healing, bolsters immune-system function, raises self-esteem, improves mood, curtails the need for painkillers, and reduces inflammation. One leading theory is that these stimuli—the scent of plants, the sight of trees swaying in the breeze, the sounds of birds, streams, and rustling leaves—combine to activate the unconsciously controlled “rest and digest” functions of our bodies, which are regulated by our parasympathetic nervous system. These functions are suppressed when a threatening stimulus, whether a venomous snake or an aggressive work e-mail, triggers our sympathetic “fight, flight, or freeze” system. If that response stays active long enough, our immune, digestive, reproductive, and psychological health suffers. In an increasingly urbanized world, in other words, nature cues our brains to shift us from a depleting to a restoring state. “The environment of our original adaptation is all outdoors,” says Chao-ying Wu, a pediatrician in Bellingham, Washington. “It just makes sense.”

The second—and more common—reason that clinicians prescribe nature is that with the parasympathetic system happily activated, the outdoors becomes a great place to do beneficial things that we might not otherwise enjoy doing—like exercising.

Behind closed doors, some providers will also admit that prescribing time in nature makes them feel better personally. “It’s hard for us, through the fatigue and burnout, to be focusing all the time on the problem list,” says Zarr. “I sometimes need a break from the negativity.” Talking about getting outdoors, he says, is “a positive thing to do in the room.”

For Zarr, a typical park prescription starts with two questions: What do you like to do outside? And where do you like to do it? “With that,” he says, “half my prescription is done already. It gives me a baseline place and activity that they feel good about. Then it’s my job to push it up a notch in terms of frequency and dose.”

Zarr has the bookish air of a Manhattan intellectual (glasses, receding hairline) combined with the physique of a triathlete. Despite a busy clinical and travel schedule, he walks, cycles, or hikes outdoors three or four times a week. “I try to get out for my own mental health,” he says. On his desk, review articles about hypertension share space with how-to guides on Shinrin-yoku, the Japanese art of forest bathing. But nature medicine is a relatively new preoccupation for Zarr. Around 2010, “something shifted,” he says. That’s when he heard Richard Louv give the keynote speech at the American Academy of Pediatrics’ national convention, connecting the rise in childhood obesity and ADHD to kids spending more time inside. “Whenever I go to a talk or read a book,” Zarr says, “I ask myself, Is that what I see in my own clinic? And I realized that there was a lot of truth to what he was saying.” So many of Zarr’s pediatric patients and their family members were suffering from anxiety, obesity, and attention-deficit disorders. “They were on their devices constantly,” he recalls. “Their routines were horrible. I thought maybe a nature prescription would solve a lot of these seemingly unrelated problems.”

The timing was right. Inspired by news coming out of Australia, leaders from the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, the National Park Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service had just begun training clinicians and offering funding for pilot projects. In 2011, when Zarr was president of his local chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, he began to test the use of nature prescriptions at Upper Cardozo, as well as at George Washington University’s Children’s National Medical Center. In the summer of 2013, he and his colleagues launched a web-based prescription tool, DC Park Rx, connected to a database of green spaces around D.C. They took it national as Park Rx America in 2017. Providers in 16 states now use it. Erin Wentzell, a doctor of physical therapy at George Washington University who works with children with disabilities, remembers when Zarr first pitched her department the idea. “I thought, This is amazing—this is exactly what we need. For kids, being outside is so motivating,” she says. Some of her patients—for example, children with developmental disabilities who have difficulty walking—may give up quickly if they’re inside a clinic or at home. “But if there’s a really big hill and we’re going to collect leaves at the top of it,” she says, “they’ll keep going.”

Now the million-dollar question is: Do these programs work? While it’s too soon to say whether health outcomes, like depression or obesity, will shift noticeably in patients who are told to get outdoors, we have reason to be optimistic. For starters, a doctor’s recommendation can matter a good deal. Meta-analyses of multiple studies suggest that, for example, you’re almost four times more likely to attempt to lose weight if your doctor suggests it.

“Providers can motivate people to change their behavior,” says Megan McVay, a psychologist who studies weight-loss decision-making at the University of Florida. The trouble comes when the new behavior is difficult to sustain. “People’s motivation comes and goes. A prescription could get people to the park, but it may not keep them going back,” McVay says. She believes that regular programs in parks, like ranger outings or meditation classes, can help people who arrive based on a nature prescription build a habit out of a suggestion. Last May, when Zarr presented his prescription software to Georgetown University’s family-medicine department, one of the final questions from the largely receptive audience was about any evidence from randomized control trials. Zarr acknowledged that no large trials existed yet. “I promise that I am trying to get that evidence,” he told the physicians, “but let’s not wait for that.” A few months later, the National Institutes of Health declined to fund a trial that Zarr and his collaborators had proposed, though they have since resubmitted a revised version. But such studies are expensive, says Charm Lindblad, executive director of the program behind New Mexico’s Prescription Trails. “If we had money, we would have done them a long time ago.”In terms of clinical evidence, the movement is still in its infancy, says Bita Kash, director of the Center for Health and Nature at Houston Methodist Hospital in Texas, which was established last year in collaboration with the Texas A&M Science Center and former first lady Laura Bush’s program Texan by Nature. “We are where physical exercise used to be about 30 years ago, when it started to take off,” Kash says. She is confident that exposure to natural stimuli improves health. “But,” she adds, “I know I have to prove it.”

Tina Igbinakenzua was speechless. We were in a forest just outside Oakland, California, surrounded by 150-foot-tall coastal redwoods. A shaft of light illuminated the ground before her, and she was overcome with emotion. Soon enough, her natural exuberance overcame her awe. “Oh, my God,” she said. “I love this place.”

Igbinakenzua was brought to the woods by a program called SHINE (Staying Healthy in Nature Everyday), run by pediatrician Nooshin Razani at the University of California at San Francisco’s Benioff Children’s Hospital. An early adopter of prescribing nature, Razani had noticed that despite wanting to, patients in her clinic often struggled to spend time outside. “We serve extremely diverse clients,” she says, “but the common thread is poverty.” Getting out is hard, and critics of park prescriptions argue that those who could benefit most may be too busy, poor, or unwell to make it happen.

For this reason, Razani says, “we felt that it was unethical to simply tell our patients to go outdoors.” Trained as a physician in San Francisco during the AIDS crisis, she takes an activist’s approach to medicine. Convinced that her low-income patients needed nature as much as the wealthier Bay Area residents who flock to Yosemite and Muir Woods, she launched SHINE in 2014 and in 2016 founded the UCSF Center for Nature and Health, the country’s first hospital-based nature research program. One day each month, Razani and her colleagues lead an outing for around 50 children and parents in the UCSF network. When I visited last fall, she’d just received a referral for a cancer patient who had completed chemotherapy.

On the first Saturday of November, a crowd of kids and parents gathered in the lobby of the hospital’s Oakland clinic. One by one, families headed into private rooms for brief wellness checkups and counseling sessions about the health benefits of nature. Waiting parents leafed through an outdoor brochure published by the East Bay Regional Park District, which supports SHINE, while kids lined up at a child-high water fountain to fill Nalgene bottles emblazoned with the EBRPD logo. Sunlight streamed in from a glass- roofed atrium stairwell, illuminating two 16-foot paintings of redwoods.

When the checkups finished, Razani stepped up onto a chair near the front door. Her dark curly hair was down, and she looked excited. “Clap your hands if you can hear me!” she shouted as children ran to circle her. The outing had begun. “When you are here, you feel so relaxed,” Igbinakenzua told me later, after we’d disembarked from a yellow school bus into the redwood grove. “The light, the shade. It’s so beautiful.” Igbinakenzua was referred to SHINE for stress. An immigrant from Nigeria, she works as a nurse’s assistant at a local hospital. She’s up by 5 a.m. every morning, and between working full-time and raising two children single-handedly—“Oh, my God, there is so much stress,” she said, laughing. Patients are welcome to attend as many outings as they like, and this was her family’s fourth with the clinic. We had just begun a picnic of turkey or tempeh sandwiches (lunch is part of every SHINE trip), and soon her children, Alex, five, and Lisa, seven, would head off with a ranger on an ecological scavenger hunt.

By wrangling transportation, food, guides, and other families, the program seeks to eliminate any potential barriers to getting outdoors. But does it make patients healthier? Is it more effective than just telling them to go outside? In 2015, Razani undertook a randomized trial of 78 parents to find out. All were counseled on potential health benefits (“In nature, you experience less stress and anxiety,” they were told) and received family outdoor-activity prescriptions for three weekly park visits. About 65 percent were then invited on a nature outing that included transportation, food, and programming; the others were simply given a map of local parks. To Razani’s surprise, both of the groups saw similar health benefits. In fact, as she reported last year in the journal PLOS One, the two groups had largely indistinguishable results, experiencing small but statistically significant improvements in their physical activity and mental health. Many followed a dose-response curve, with higher numbers of nature outings correlating with greater improvements. “The effects were modest,” Razani says. “But so was the intervention.” Her study also found that the poorest and most stressed families failed to make it to the group nature outings, suggesting that further support may be necessary to reach those with the greatest need.

“Most people here, they don’t have rides to ever go to the park,” Igbinakenzua said. “Or they don’t know the way.” Many of the other families agreed that they would struggle to get outside if there were no guided trips. “We would never know this place existed,” one father told me.Igbinakenzua says that SHINE has helped her make new friends, grow closer to her children, and try things like boating that she never thought she’d do. But for her, the most important impact has been psychological. “I have so many things I have to think about,” she said as we began the walking portion of the trip. “But when I am here, I am very OK. When I leave, I just pray to be the same way I am now.”

Winter comes quickly to western Wyoming. In September, the mountains get their first dusting of snow while the aspens begin to color in the warmer valleys. In Jackson, the cooler weather of October marks the start of an annual conference on conservation and recreation, the SHIFT Festival (“Shaping how we invest for tomorrow”). Last year’s theme was Public Lands, Public Health, and as the elk ventured down from their high- altitude summer range, several hundred scientists, doctors, conservationists, land managers, nurses, and outdoor-recreation leaders convened to discuss the health benefits of nature.

Across several brisk days consistently described by the outdoorsy group as “bluebird,” the attendees sat through presentations by Zarr and Razani, went on walks led by cardiologist David Sabgir, and listened to testimonials from guides and park rangers. They debated how to achieve greater scale within the movement, find consistent funding, and generate hard evidence of health benefits. Over the course of the talks, mild tension formed between those who were coming to nature via medicine and those who came to medicine via nature. Conservationists worried that calls for more research would delay action; doctors grumbled about the need for precision. At one point, John Whyte, the energetic chief medical officer for WebMD, admonished the participants to improve their social-media habits. “Don’t use the term forest bathing,” he pleaded. “That’s going to turn people off.”

As became clear during the debates, the movement still faces a number of hurdles. Chief among them are who should pay to keep existing programs open and where to find money to start new ones. So far, efforts have been developed and funded largely by partnerships between environmental nonprofits, local parks agencies, and public-health departments or individual medical institutions. Money for software, brochures, prescription pads, park surveys, and group outings tends to come from grants or charitable giving. Programs ebb and flow with the whims of their funders and the enthusiasm of their champions. That may change. Intrigued by nature as a potential low-cost intervention, health insurers have begun dipping their toes into the waters. Kaiser Permanente, the nation’s largest not-for-profit integrated health care system, began funding the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy’s work around 2012. Since then, says Betty Sun, its support has been instrumental to the movement. And in April 2018, the North Carolina licensee of Blue Cross Blue Shield, the country’s oldest health- insurance association, began offering modest incentives to clinics for participating in the regional nature program Track Rx.

For likely the first time anywhere, providers willing to write park prescriptions could potentially receive higher reimbursement rates. Since then, requests from clinics to participate have swelled, with nearly 125 clinics—potentially 500 providers—enrolled. “I’m honestly having trouble keeping up with demand,” Jason Urroz, the director of Kids in Parks, which runs Track Rx, told me shortly after the insurance initiative’s launch last year.

One obstacle holding other insurers back is tracking. Unless you physically escort your patient to a park, how do you know if a prescription is filled, or at what dose and frequency? Most programs don’t yet track compliance as closely as researchers would like. Clinics that use Park Rx America can monitor adherence only if their patients click the link provided in the prescription, ideally only after they’d visited a park. Track Rx patients must register their hikes through an online portal. The SHINE program has no system for tracking park visits outside of its group trips.Many at SHIFT voiced confidence that the designers and managers behind these programs would soon innovate their way out of these problems. Tennessee State Parks, for example, plans to refine its phone app to passively record prescription fulfillment via location tracking. Greg Wiley, the app’s developer, hopes it will also monitor how long you’re out and how vigorously you move. “This technology already exists,” he says. “It’s just a matter of adapting it.”

In a show of faith from the outdoor industry, shortly after the festival REI announced the donation of $1 million to help launch a Nature for Health research initiative at the University of Washington. (To date, REI has also granted Nooshin Razani $200,000 for her work.) “We are trying to catalyze the movement,” says Marc Berejka, REI’s director of government and community affairs. The research initiative ultimately aims to inform health care practice, says Nature for Health director Josh Lawler, an ecologist at the University of Washington. “We’ll know it worked if people end up happier and healthier.”

Great advances in public health don’t always come from the shelves of pharmacies. Historically, a large number have arrived through collective efforts for change—to channel waste away from cities, screen food for contamination, or remove deadly toxins from the water supply, to name just a few. It’s a paradox of modern life that some of the most promising innovations in health care seem to be the outcome of collective action involving not just health care providers, but also journalists, insurers, park agencies, and conservationists, to reconnect us with things we’ve recently discarded. Maybe we need food that wasn’t developed in a lab. Maybe we need to talk face to face. Maybe we need time outside. Treating nature as medicine can’t overcome the forces conspiring to make us chronically unwell. It won’t clean our air or make our cities more walkable. But in the gentle insistence that we need to spend some portion of our days in natural spaces to feel normal, it could motivate us to welcome nature back into our lives and give more attention to those who lack the means of doing so.

In the meantime, as the movement grows, patients are finding themselves venturing outside for the first time and discovering that it suits them. This was Rick Bulcroft’s experience. For most of his adult life, Bulcroft sat. A 65-year-old sociologist at Western Washington University, Bulcroft sat for work and he sat for leisure. (“A lot of TV watching,” he says.) Then, during his annual checkup two years ago, Bulcroft’s primary- care physician, Greg Anderson, a former Navy doctor, warned him that his cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure were too high, putting him at risk for diabetes, heart disease, and premature death. Reluctantly, Bulcroft had already started blood-pressure medication. Now Anderson added a prediabetes intervention program that encouraged calorie counting and regular exercise—outdoors if possible.

Anderson believed that the active ingredients in nature—the sights, the sounds, the smells—would do as much for Bulcroft as the calorie counting. Bulcroft had tried to get in shape in the past, largely by logging hours at the gym. But this time—wandering quiet trails in the woods, smelling fresh cedar in the morning—something clicked. “With the park it didn’t feel like exercising anymore,” Bulcroft says. “I was just being outside.”

Six months later, Bulcroft had lost 60 pounds. His blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar were normal. He was so healthy, in fact, that Anderson told him he could probably go off the blood-pressure med. “I feel great now,” Bulcroft says. “The only problem is that I’ve had to buy new clothes.” Last year, Anderson wrote 165 nature prescriptions. “There’s no downside,” he says. “The worst thing that can happen is they don’t go. If they do go, then 100 percent of the time they feel better and they’re glad they went.” “We don’t see a lot of ads for parks on TV,” Anderson tells his patients. “But if you put the power of nature in a pill, it would be a billion-dollar drug.”

This article originally appeared in print and online with the rubric “Nature Rx” and the headline “Ask Your Doctor If Nature Is Right for You.” Both terms were originally developed by writer/director Justin Bogardus and Dream Tree Film as a part of a viral comedy series on the power of reconnecting with nature at nature-rx.org. Outside has hosted some of these award-winning films on its website since 2015.