HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 11141995 - C82 Contra
To: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Costa
FROM: Supervisor Tom Torlakson County
DATE: November 14, 1995
SUBJECT: ENDORSE POSITION PAPER BY THE BAY AREA DEFENSE CONVERSION
ACTION TEAM TO IMPROVE THE BASE CONVERSION PROCESS.
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
(1) Endorse the position paper(attached) by the Bay Area Defense Conversion Action Team (BADCAT) entitled,
"Expediting Economic Development on Closing Bay Area Military Bases: A Proposal to Improve the Base Conversion
Process."
(2)Authorize the Chair to send a letter in behalf of the Board of Supervisors to our State legislative delegation and
key federal officials outlining the Board's support for the position paper. (Please reference attached list.)
(3) Direct the County Administrator's Office to send copies of the support letters to BADCAT, which is managed
by the Bay Area Economic Forum.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The Bay Area faces both the greatest number of military base closures and the most
severe economic impacts. Over 15% of the national base closures and 30% of the national civilian job losses resulting
from the closures will occur in the Bay Area. Additionally, the Navy estimates that approximately$1.05 billion will be lost to
the Bay Area from the closure of just the naval facilities.
The Bay Area Defense Conversion Team was established to produce a comprehensive regional action program which
maximizes economic leveraging, minimizes duplication, and generates greater resources in addressing other human,
community and environmental needs. BADCAT has identified a number of obstacles to the economic conversion of the
Bay Area's closing military bases. It is important that our federal officials are informed about these obstacles and that
there is a broad base of support throughout the Bay Area for improving the current base conversion process.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT:_ YES SIGNATURE.
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE(S)
ACTION OF BOARD ON November 14, 1995 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED: g OTHER:
HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND CORRECT COPY
OF AN ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF
THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
ATTESTED November 14, 1995
PHIL BAT R,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
SUP SO D COUNTY ADMI T
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS: BY
DEPUTY
X _ UNANIMOUS(ABSENT ------- )
AYES: NOES:
ABSENT: ABSTAIN*
cc: Supervisor Torlakson
County Administrator
BADCAT
BAY AREA EXPEDITING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
ECONOMIC ON: > ,
I~ 0 R U M CLOSING BAY AREA MILITARY BASES:
A of
rt pf the rAssociationencs A PROPOSAL TO IMPROVE
of 6rJy Arta Governments
and the Bay Arta Council THE BASE CONVERSION PROCESS
Bay Area Defense BACKGROUND
Conversion Action Team The Bay Area faces the greatest number of military base closures anywhere
Partners in the nation. During the past seven years base closures targeted for the
II(•I1rtLe4"--It,miuttr Bay Area comprise almost 15 percent of the national total. Additionally,
of I'tfran atxi Regional Ih•rrirq,nirni over 30 percent of the total national civilian job losses resulting from
Far)Bal c+�:: n sand Ilrinsrstn,rrr` military base closures will hit the Bay Area in the upcoming years.
Bas arra Ifni) Specifically, 29,000 of the 75,000 national civilian job losses resulting
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from militarybase closures will occur in the Ba Area. The 1995 proposed
C:ity,rrf,aklaud y osed
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Oakland Base("no%rrsi.m 14,pn1 base closures will increase the impact on the Bay Area.
Office of FA'Inamuc Dr,-4 lmornt
Can Francisco Br•drsrkgmir•nl Agrmc).
Alameda(•rant, The magnitude of these base closures coupled with the effects on former
FA'»nm„r Ifrcrkq%nr n Advisory Board base employees and their families, local communities and businesses, and
01y of Alanteda
As..iali..o of Day A,ra G-ernn,rnts the Bay Area economy requires that the base conversion process support,
Ilan Arra Council rather than inhibit, local and regional efforts to convert the appropriate
City of Vallr;n military land and facilities into productive real estate. In their present state
t.nnnaakla d.Sharrprirrntlkfonnxni most military base land and facilities have little economic value to the
tJakiarrd Sharing ifrr\'is&m
C'ily ofCrmnyvale federal government, local communities or private sector investors and
Urban Iand Insular businesses. Contamination of the bases delays title transfer long after the
Iarnixta Alpha bases have been closed. Leasing facilities during the interim and potential
Pacific(:as and Flectric Crm,pany permanent reuse are very difficult because buildings and other structures,
Ke%•er klarslnrt Asaxratrs.Inc. utilities and roads do not conform to state and local standards.
Thr 1llanin Gt•agr
SF R Fast Bay 0.alsfe"
American Iu more,[Arrhilrrls Yet the myth of income from real estate transactions continues to pervade
Can Ftat~Rv,a
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Rfitiiars•!fast the federal perspective regarding the base closure and transition process.
(«••�K•••ar•• The Department of Defense's goal to demonstrate a rapid reduction in
11a5.ArrA Fr.mrnrnr F.noro operating costs for the closing bases by requiring local agencies to accept
`f"'tiaIliming), responsibilities for infrastructure maintenance and public safety--activities
which are critical for effective base reuse--creates a budget-breaking task
for local communities.
Thr/My Arra l:ronomir
/-'aruuf fres fortnrd in 1988
to bring a regional perspertim While the President's Five-point Program and the Pryor Amendment are
to economic imuts faring the
Ray Ana. Through the Forum, intended to ease the burden on local communities seeking to acquire
leaders in government, former military base property,progress is agonizingly slow due to conflicts
husinrsa.labor and higher
rduralion join jorrrs to between these two initiatives and other federal procedures which are
done/op and remote nt
th triggered when bases are designated for closure. Additionally, the conflict
Policies that promote the y
long-term rrouomirritalily between current federal budget reduction goals and federal responsibility
of the)tap Arra.
for environmental clean-up and economic transition costs at the closing
BADCA•r military bases exacerbates the delays in reuse activities and augments the
181 Fremont St.,Suite 210 burden on local communities.
San Francisco,CA lid 105
(.115)357-:3100
FAX (•115)357-3101
BAY AREA COLLABORATION
The closing military bases present an unprecedented opportunity for the Bay Area to
address a wide array of interests that together create livable communities and sustainable
economic growth: parks, open space, and recreational facilities; meeting the needs of
low-income and homeless populations; and addressing environmental and public trust
purposes. While a comprehensive economic development program must strive to meet
all of these public and community needs,the current base closure process inhibits
successful economic conversion and deters Bay Area communities from leveraging
limited resources. This proposal focuses on improving the process of economic
conversion of the Bay Area's closing military bases.
The bases are the last large tracts of land which can be developed for specialized
commercial and industrial needs to generate new jobs and expand competitive growth
industries. The skills and experiences of the base and defense workers can benefit Bay
Area businesses and industries. To optimize these opportunities,a number of concerned
organizations and agencies established a collaborative effort called the Bay Area Defense
Conversion Action Team (BADCAT). The ultimate aim of this effort is to produce a
comprehensive regional program which maximizes economic leveraging,minimizes
duplication, and generates greater resources in also addressing other human,community
and environmental needs.
BADCAT's partners and participants have adopted a framework that emphasizes demand
within the economy as the basis for developing military base reuse plans. Through its
unique collaborative regional approach, BADCAT has developed key principles and
action steps to modify the federal base conversion and closure processes. Adoption and
implementation of these principles and action steps by the federal government will
expedite economic conversion, thereby allowing the federal government,as well as local
and regional communities,to realize the expected revenues from military base closures.
KEY PRINCIPLES TO IMPROVE THE DEFENSE CONVERSION PROCESS
This proposal suggests ways to modify the defense conversion process to be more
responsive to the communities confronted with base closures. Three key principles must
be adopted to guide and improve the base closure and economic conversion process:
1. Federal,state, and local military base closure processes must encourage
public-private partnerships to carry out the economic development of the closing
bases. This approach fosters private investment for economic conversion and provides
the strongest potential for the federal government to realize any revenues from military
base closures.
2. The defense conversion and closure process must continue to encourage
participation by the diverse stakeholders in impacted communities. The best
economic conversion plans will go nowhere unless there is widespread consensus and
significant commitment to implementation. An on-going collaborative process involving
the key stakeholders is, therefore,essential for ensuring successful'defense conversion in
the Bay Area. Support from diverse stakeholders will increase the likelihood of
successful economic conversion.
3. The defense conversion and closure process should support Bay Area
communities in working collaboratively on shared issues and complementary
projects to minimize duplication and more efficientiy use resources.
ACTION STEPS TO IMPROVE THE MILITARY BASE
CONVERSION PROCESS
Federal programs which address economic conversion of the closing bases can be
improved by strengthening the role of the local reuses authorities in base conversion
decision making and by ensuring the availability of adequate resources.To remove
obstacles from the base closure process and expedite economic conversion, the
appropriate public agencies must take the following five short-term actions:
1. Ensure and encumber sufficient funding within the federal budget to complete
environmental clean-up guided by local priorities and decisions. Presently,
each fiscal year less than 1/2 of the projected costs needed for that year's clean-up
activities is being budgeted. As a result,the clean-up process will extend well beyond the
originally estimated timeframes. Without prompt completion of the necessary level of
environmental remediation,transfer of the former bases to local agencies or private
investors will be difficult if not impossible.
The federal government's liability for the base property warrants exploration of
environmental remediation methods and technologies that could reduce overall clean-up
costs and expedite clean-up consistent with the level required by local reuse plans. The
military should partner with local communities to share decision making on clean-up and
to strengthen public oversight. Procedures should allow interested local communities to
manage the clean-up using local environmental remediation businesses and local workers.
2. Address local planning considerations and requirements in the
procedures for interim uses(licensing and leasing)and for.permanent transfer
of the closing military bases.
A. Require "Care and Custody Agreements" between the military and the local
reuse authorities,at the option of the local authority,to assure that infrastructure
maintenance and public safety are maintained by the federal government/military until
final transfer takes place. Additionally,the federal government should prohibit the
military from shedding such maintenance and public safety obligations at a rate faster
than land is found "suitable for transfer"unless the local agency is willing to take on
these responsibilities. Also,the federal government should resolve the procedures for
transferring jurisdiction(retrocession)with the local community in the initial stages of
the closure process,and assure that similar approaches to retrocession are taken across the
various branches of the military.
B. Assure participation of local reuse authorities in decisions about the upgrade
of utilities,earthquake retrofitting,asbestos removal or building demolition and
costs. Activities,such as completing clean-up and assuring the adequacy of
infrastructure, must be addressed prior to transfer. The level of clean-up should be
consistent with the local planned reuse. The terms of conveyance should reflect the
conditions of buildings,roads,utilities and other structures. The federal government
should either finance compliance with local codes including seismic retrofitting or
demolition or should adjust the price of transfer by"the cost of cure."
C. Use appraisal methods that estimate the value of real estate based on its
future economic uses adjusted for preparation costs to assure buildings,utilities,
and infrastructure meet state and local standards. To facilitate the appraisal process,
at the option of the local community,the military and the local reuse authority should
jointly select a single appraiser.
D. Involve local reuse authorities in all phases of decision making on land title
conveyance issues,such as public trust conveyances.
E. Maintain the current process for federal public benefit conveyance process
and encourage use in local planning processes to meet the education, health,
homeless, and recreational needs of local and regional communities; clarify the
eligibility and process for pubic benefit conveyance; and,consider allowing
reversion to the local reuse authority, or right of refusal,should a public benefit
conveyance fail to be completed following conveyance.
3. Maintain an adequate level of federal and public sector investment to support
economic conversion. In addition to the planning funds made available through the
Departments of Defense and Commerce,a Defense Conversion Action Grant Program
should be established and implemented to alleviate the costs of the federal mandate for
base reuse implementation that has been placed on local communities without adequate
funding. The federal government should capitalize local revolving funds through existing
programs,and establish more flexible investment funding mechanisms.
4. Establish incentives for private capital investment. A public-private
partnership framework should be made available to interested local communities and
reuse authorities. The framework for such a public-private partnership should provide
that the local community, federal government,and private sector share decision
making,risk, and return. Implementation of a public-private partnership approach to
military base conversion would encourage all parties to expedite closure,transfer,and
economic conversion of the former military bases. Additionally, other public financing
mechanisms should be developed to attract private investment.
5. Develop stronger linkages between economic conversion programs and displaced
base workers and affected communities. To ameliorate the economic downturns that
inevitably affect communities facing base closures,economic conversion must address
job training,human services and economic needs of displaced workers as well as of low-
income populations in the affected communities. Federal funding for economic
conversion activities should require that local reuse plans incorporate strategies and create
linkages to address low-income and homeless housing,human service and economic
needs.
The federal government should also consider taking a sixth longer term and more
comprehensive action:
6. Establish a commission on national military base conversion which includes
representation of involved federal and state agencies, local reuse authorities, and
local communities facing military base closures or a congressional military base
conversion committee to streamline base closure procedures to expedite economic
conversion. The federal base conversion process must be reformulated to vest decision
making authority,representation and funding in one coordinating entity. A single
purpose organization mandated to expedite economic conversion can be more effectively
partner with local communities to minimize duplication, leverage limited resources, and
realize the enormous potential of the closing military bases.
C:\worddoc\documents\rinstrat.doc
CALIFORNIA CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION
Senator Barbara Boxer Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-36)
1700 Montgomery Street, #240 635 N. First Street
San Francisco, CA 94111 San Jose, CA 95110
Senator Dianne Feinstein Representative Robert T. Matsui (D-5)
1700 Montgomery Street,#331 650 Capitol Mall#8058
San Francisco, CA 94111 Sacramento,CA 95814
Representative Bill Baker(R-10) Representative George Miller(D-7)
1801 N. California#103 367 Civic Drive#14
Walnut Creek, CA 94596 Pleasant Hill,CA 94523
Representative Ronald V. Dellums (D-9) Representative Norman Mineta(D-15)
1301 Clay Street#1000-N 1245 S. Winchester Blvd. #310
Oakland, CA 94612 San Jose, CA 95128
Representative Anna G. Eshoo (D-14) Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-8)
698 Emerson Street 450 Golden Gate Avenue
Palo Alto, CA 94301 San Francisco,CA 94102
Representative Vic Fazio (D-3) Representative Pete Stark(D-13)
722B Main Street 22320 Foothill Blvd. #500
Woodland, CA 95695 Hayward, CA 94541
Representative Tom Lantos (D-12) Representative Lynn Woolsey (D-6)
400 S. El Camino Real 1101 College Ave. #200
San Mateo, CA 94402-1708 Santa Rosa, CA 95404
KEY FEDERAL OFFICIALS
Leon Panetta William Perry
Chief of Staff Secretary, Department of Defense
White House 1000 Defense Pentagon
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Washington, DC 20301
Washington, DC 20500
Sherri Wasserman Goodman Joshua Gotbaum
Deputy Under Secretary of Defense Asst. Secretary for Economic Security
(Environmental Security) 1000 Defense Pentagon, 3E808
Office of the Under Secretary of Defense Washington, DC 20301
Washington, DC 20301-3000