BROOKS SLAND AL SHOREL LAND USE-DEVELOPMENT PLAN RONMENTAL MPACT REPORT BROOKS ISLAND REGIONAL PRESERVE LAND USE-DEVELOPMENT PLAN/ ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT Adopted: September 10, 1985 Resolution No: 1985-09-273 Prepared by: East Bay Regional Park District 2950 Peralta Oaks Court Oakland, CA 94605 (510) 635-0135 TABLZ OF CONTENTS PAGE A . Purpose and Role of EBRPD ............*................. I B . Master Plan GuideEines/Purpose of This Docment ........ 2 C . Location and Descriptic~............................... 3 D . Omership and Administration ........................... 6 E. Park Names ............................................. 6 A. Parkland Acguisitiozl and Planning Hi.story.............. 9 Be Adjacent Land Use. ..................................... 18 C . Park Placning Zone ..................................... 10 D . Public Use and Demand .................................. 13 W . Parkland ClassXfication 222 Purpose .................... 21 E . Development Pr0gra.m .................................... 26 6 . Funding and Project Phasing ............................ 43 D . Plan Administration and Emplementation.. ee eee a = 45 E . Revisions to the Plan .................................. 46 NAT'UWE RESOURCES FAIXAGEMENT PLAN A . General ................................................ 43 E . Vegetation ............................................. 49 C . ...wildlife ............................................... 52 D . Water .................................................. 54 E . Soil ................................................... 54 F . Air. ................................................... 55 G . Cultural Ressurces ..................................... 55 A. Sumary................................................ 57 @ . Project Description .................................... 57 6 . BFc/Physical Environments .............................. 58 D. Sscio-Economic Environment. ............................ 69 E . iinpact Bverviex$~~....................................... 76 F . Report Preparaeion ..................................... 80 VI . APPENDICES A . References .....em..................................e...Al B. FPrlal LYDP/EIR Dist-sibutiarr LisL ...................... BI C . Public Csments acd Wespcnses en the Draft EUDP/EIR .... CP C. Gonsultar~t's Report cn Location sf Dock ................ DI PAGE 1. Vicinity Xap ..................................... 6 2. Existing Cendftions..... .em...............e......7 3. Nautical Chart ................................... 11 4A. Land Use-Development Plan .Special Fretection. Educational. Preserve & Naturzl Units .......... 31 4B . Land Use-Development Plan Staging & Recreation Units .......................................... 39 5 . Katural Rezeurces Faxagement Plan ................ 51 Aerial Photo of Victnity ......................... 77 Concept of Development Brooks Island is a special place from several standpoints. It is one of the three islands in the San Francisco Bay dedicated for . public recreational use and wildlife protection. Its unique features, particularly the native grasses, Native American sheilmounds and birdlife, would be of special interest even if found in a mainland setting. The island has great potential as a recreational and educational resource. Brooks Island is unique in additional ways, however, within the context of the Regional Park system. Brooks Island is not a "traditional" type of regional parkland. Along with its attributes are some extreme conditions which cause site development and operations to be difficult and expensive. Different standards must be applied, such as the cost/benefit ratio (for facilities construction and operations) which will be significantly higher per person and per group at Brooks Island than in any other existing regional park. Due to the difficult access, small size and policies established by this report, it is anticipated that park visitorship will be lower at Brooks Island and repeat visits will be less frequent than is typical of mainland parks. The challange of serving groups with special needs will require multiform solutions. The District is committed to working toward providing the maximum service. Due to the complex construction necessary and the high costs expected, complete development may take considerable time to accomplish. With both the unique features and the limitations in mind, one of the major goals of this Plan is to make the most of the recreational and educational potential of Brooks Island by providing a high quality of special parkland experience and by facilitating a variety of education and recreational opportunities. The emphasis of the Plan is to facilitate a unique primitive island experience without destroying the natural assets. Resource appreciation and interpretation will play significant roles in the park program and developed 6 facilities will be minimal. J Care must be taken to create a balance between public use and resource protection in order to ensure that the island resources 1 are not adversely affected by public use. Another major goal, indeed the primary goal, is to protect the valuable natural resources through sound planning, development, management and operational practices. Restrictions on development and public use will be used to ensure protection, as described below. Access is difficult and visitorship will be low, as mentioned previously. Development and operation of this island will be costly and complicated. Thus, a third goal of the Plan, is to develop, open, and operate the island on the most cost-effective basis possible. The LUDP endeavors to meet these goals with the following objectives outlined below. These are the basis of the development program which is expanded in the discussion on Land Use Zones and Access, and Parkland Visitor Capacity. (From Chpater 111. Land Use-Development Plan, B. Development Program) The KF;~C Bay Regicna.4 Park 3iseriet (refsrred $0 as ZSRPB or "Lie isis a Stete-mandated special park district opsrati~gin Alamedn and Csntra Cssta Couc.ties, Ca:iforr,ia, encompassing over 44 pa.~-2.,l.~r,dso-;e about 68,000 acres, The purpose of the EBBPD is "*a3 acquire, develop 2nd operate regfanel p~rkizn$s5.2 gerpetutty for public 7~:se asd ~30~serv.ethese lands for the purpose cf xak,,ing the autdohgr ~~nv~rspirn~;,.,"b:.x?zbPl~blefor the er-joyient and edar.catirn of =he gerieral pu$Zica' (Cslifornia Publ2.s Reso:srce Code 3,550) , The District is governed by sn elected Board of Direeeors, responsible for provfding direction to fulfill ehe District's role in ""ene co~m-unity and estet-"-'ui,an pnlf~ies objgctrives as wecgssarv to acca~iplish the Bistrict's purposes, The Dfstricg's objectives,- enurncrated belav, ape fntended. to prav5de the pPs$aic, the Boerd of Directors ar.6 Staff oZ the Dfstrict, o$i?c.r goverwsen"al agencies: and ",e prIv2t~:sector witla 2 clear statement. vhlch will be used to g~idethe Bistrict, ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~c~~~~~~;~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~$;~;$~~~~~~~$y~c~~efi~~~~-~~~~~~f~~~~~~~$;2!~~~--~-----!~-~~~'A .\ .A e* "\A k -LJ---*4% -> *.# A 7k 9: 9~ :a: $C 3: EBK-pD huAS'fZR PL.& Role Policy awd Objectives 1, To prox~ide2 di~?~rsfficd1a.d and water ~7ste:ra o: rei?;i.aaal parks, recrea%ion areas, wilderness, preserves, trails and shoreiines and parkland-related services which will ?rov2.de C-jsj-rj'eg residents with oa.i~~rtun:gcesr ,. for crea",ve use sf ~utdoorlefsure time, 2, To acquire, preczr~~eend intargret sig-'""lilr -can$ 2xaa~ples- cf the natuzal envircn~o.ent, including biolsgfc, geoaogrc, scenic and cutEi,o~rhistoris: resga~ces~!>i~j: exist wi$hill the boundaries of the C-jstrict. 3, To cooperate with ;rcer. * public age~cies52 the acquisition, presen~ationand ~anagmextof asn-?ark open spxe lands, 4, T:, emphasize balatlce of b~&rheniifronzientai conceras and regional reereation sp?ortuaitiespL within the spste~of papl<,Zapts o~eratedby the Districl, 5 To effectively conserve energ:; hy dispersed Por_atior~of parkl;mds close to the pscple "kroughout the District; by ~.easo~,.adza.rragexent of enerax.t3~ resouree.3 available to the District and by coaper.ztiofi :<ith other pnblic and ~r,,ivate ,. en",ties fr_ joint ere~rcs- consers.re d%ninishing energy reseu~ces. (Page 7) $< J. 4 A. .;F J* L. -'".'- ;- .L I1 .b -e* .1" T. sc.& .- -7" -7- t* *s,. a. -8- a* .'-&k hL"9- *ie .:A 2. -8- .L & ."? *L .r. .-* -"* -*..<' -.- + . *t*-:- . <, a\ 2% <> <% a, 4\ 4, #, * 8, << <, a. ,"& 8, * #, #,, <% '% a* * <, $ 5, ,, *.. *. <\ $: $< ~, ,, ", ., , #, >~ ;, * * >\ & & & ge ,, .. -. 1. The Land Use-Development PLs.ni8- .tL;~virsnaen~Led Impact repart (ref erred to as the ''PlanBSor "L?JQP"), is 8 part of the planning process required by the East 6ay Eegional Park Distrfct ?Caster Plan,- the major policy docunent of the Disfrict (adopted 1973, revised 1980), Quotes sf Kaster Plan policies are set off 5g asterisks (*) rhroughouz .::he report for clarif ication. Thhs dseuxen$ contains ehree nej or sections : Lznd Use-Deveiopmene Plan, FTatkirral BL~sourcesManzge~ent Plan, and Er,vPronrr,erztsl Impact Report. Other chapters of the regort serve as background natarial for the major seetfons, T-~~~i~-;--; will, following adoption of the resource ;;r:alysis, prepare a lznd use-developsent plan prior to any si-zificant0-- develop2ent or substantial public use of the sfte, The -plan will identify natural environment aress , envirs~aental protective zoxxes or any other designation wi%'r:in the parklarid classification systea which will control planning and manageaent 02 the parkland end any recreaticn or staging area within %he