HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 12151998 - C153 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ,-- ;
FROM: WATER COMMITTEE `'�`.," ,"ii� �.�� C
Supervisor Joe Canciamilla, Chair
Supervisor Gayle B. Uilkema .;
DATE: December 15, 1998
SUBJECT: COUNTY-WIDE CREEK AND WATERSHED SYMPOSIUM
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND &'JUSTIFICATION
BECOMMIENDAIIONS
1) ACCEPT report from Water Agency staff on preliminary planning for a county-
wide creek and watershed symposium, likely to be held in Walnut Creek on April
7, 1999.
2) AUTHORIZE Community Development and Public Works staff to participate in
hosting the symposium,
3) AUTHORIZE CCTV to record and broadcast some or all of the symposium
proceedings, and
4) DIRECT the Community Development Director to request time at an upcoming
Mayors' Conference for a brief report on the proposed symposium, as
recommended by the Water Committee.
FISCAL IIMEACT
Minor costs likely associated with holding such a meeting are discussed below and in
an attachment. Funding sources to cover these potential costs are still being explored.
Expenditure of non-discretionary County funds, including funding recommended by the
Fish and Wildlife Committee, would require subsequent authorization from the Board.
BACKQRQUNDIREASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
The Water Committee received a report on the proposed county-wide creek
symposium at its December 7 meeting. The idea for the symposium stemmed from
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: _ YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR _ RECOMMENDATIONOF BOARD COMMITTEE
_ APPROVE _ OTHER
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SIGNATURE(S): eZ
Sdd&rASo_r Joe Canciamilla Chair Supegig2r Ga le . it gma
ACTION OF BO� ON nm r 15. 1998 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED xx OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A
XX_ UNANIMOUS {ABSENT - - - - - - TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN
AYES: NOES: ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON THE
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE
SHOWN.
Contact: John Kopchik, CDD (335-1227) ATTESTEDD;carber 15,1998
Orig: Community Development Department PHIL BATCHELOR, CLERK OF
cc: CAO, attn: Patricia Burke THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
Public Works, attn: Mitch Avalon, Donald Freitas AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
B , DEPUTY
j:ljkopc\john-oldlcreekwc.bo
COUNTY-WIDE CREEK AND WATERSHED SYMPOSIUM
December 15, 1998
Page 2
work of the Fish and Wildlife Committee ("FWC"). The FWC initiated a discussion on
improving coordination of creek restoration and planning in the spring of this year,
following its observations that creek planning varied greatly within the County
(sometimes on different reaches of the same creek), that numerous small creek
restoration groups were working hard but had only minimal communication with other
groups and relevant agencies, and that opportunities for better integrating creek
protection and public safety were being missed. To solicit suggestions for addressing
the matter, the FWC invited two representatives from the Public Works department
and two representatives from creek advocacy organizations to a meeting to share their
views. One of the means suggested for improving coordination on creeks was to hold
a workshop or symposium on the subject open to all concerned parties.
The Fish and Wildlife Committee decided to explore the feasibility of hosting such a
symposium, and convened a small planning group to discuss prospects and initiate
planning (a list of planning group participants is attached). The planning group has met
twice to date. The group generally concurred that holding such a symposium would
be constructive, and has developed some preliminary ideas for the structure and
content of the symposium. A summary of these ideas is contained in the attached
document which is entitled, "Potential Structure and Content for a Contra Costa
County CreekAA/atershed Symposium in the Winter or Spring of 1999."
Costs: Both the City of Walnut Creek and the Lindsay Wildlife Museum have offered
to provide a meeting room for the event at no charge, schedule permitting. There will
be some costs associated with the symposium, primarily relatingto postage and
preparation of meeting materials. Possible funding sources for these costs include the
Contra Costa County Clean Water Program, the Fish and Wildlife Committee (via the
Fish and Wildlife Propagation Fund), and the Contra Costa County Water Agency,
though none of these sources has been specifically committed. The Water Committee
recommends that some of the other costs mentioned in the attachment, including
lunch for symposium attendees and any travel expenses associated' with a key note
speaker not be covered with County funds. Companion events and materials, such as
the proposals for a demonstration creek restoration project and a creek inventory map
could carry higher costs. The San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board
has expressed interest in the demonstration restoration project and may contribute
some funds. Further staff and volunteer time will be required to complete planning for
the symposium. Costs are further detailed on page 3 of the attachment.
Attachment: Document summarizing potential symposium structure and
content, dated December 2, 1998.
Potential Structure and Content for a Contra Costa County
Creek/Watershed Symposium in the Winter or Spring of 1999
The outline provided below reflects comments made at the September 8 and November 2 planning group meetings, as
well as suggestions received outside of those meetings. This outline is intended only to provide a preliminary summary
ofplanning to date and to promote discussion and further refinement at the next pLanning meeting on December 8.
Potential meeting title and subtitle:
Contra Costa County Creek and Watershed Symposium: Developing Partnerships to Improve
Watershed Planning, Streamline Regulation, and Transform Our Creeks into Community
Amenities
Potential meeting locations:
1) City of Walnut Creek,Assembly Hall, 1375 Civic Drive(in Civic Park complex). Seats up
to 200 with tables/ 300 without tables. Screen and kitchen available. Walnut Creek has
offered this facility for our use at no charge any day during the week of April 5, 1999.
2) Lindsay Wildlife Museum, downstairs meeting room. Seats roughly 150 without tables. It
may be possible to use this facility at no charge during the late winter or spring of 1999,
subject to availability. Mondays are recommended as the.Museum is closed on these days
and the building is quieter.
Some potential general meeting goals:
1) Improve coordination and cooperation in creek and watershed restoration and planning.
Improve and streamline regulations and regulatory compliance.
2) Promote protection and restoration of creek ecosystems, water quality, hydrological
processes, and scenic appeal.
3) Promote creeks as community amenities and encourage creek and watershed planning to
achieve this goal while also protecting health, safety, and property.
4) Improve the level of trust among involved parties.
Some potential specific meeting objectives to achieve these goals:
1) Identify and discuss approaches to creek and watershed planning that can be jointly
supported by local government,regulatory agencies, and creek advocacy organizations.
2) Identify funding opportunities for restoration and planning projects.
3) Discuss existing creek regulations and regulatory compliance and identify opportunities for
improving regulatory effectiveness and efficiency.
4) Provide attendees with introductory, educational information on technical aspects of creek
restoration, biologically-sensitive channel design, and measures to protect public health,
safety, and property.
5) Provide evidence and inspiration to persuade attendees that creeks can become community
December 2, 1998 Paqe 1
amenities and that common ground can be reached among interested parties.
6) Provide a forum.for local government,regulatory agencies, and creek restoration groups to
hear about what others are doing and where they are doing it.
Potential companion events and materials:
1) Cooperatively-performed creek restoration demonstration project on a section of Walnut
Creek directly adjacent to the meeting room in Civic Park. The project could be a laboratory
for a latter technical workshop for agency employees and others interested in how to
integrate attractive,biologically-friendly channel designs with flood control requirements.
• The SF Regional Water Quality Control Board has expressed interest in the project and
may provide funds
• It may not be possible to have advanced the project to the construction phase by the time
of the symposium.However,drawings could conceivably be ready and the symposium
attendees could have a chance to see the channel before it is improved and to see how the
drawings relate to what is on the ground.
2) Provide symposium attendees with a cooperatively-developed map (or maps) that shows:
• major and minor County creeks and their current physical status (i.e., culverted,
channelized,natural, etc.)
• creek group areas of interest and current or future restoration projects
• local agency creek-related projects,plans, and jurisdictions
• regulatory agency jurisdictions (necessary?)
Some of the information necessary to create such a map exists already, including a creek
inventory prepared several years ago by creek groups and the County's;drainage inventory
maps. The Oakland Museum has experience preparing a similar map for Alameda County,
and could be an appropriate party for gathering remaining needed information and preparing
a map for Contra Costa County. Likewise, the CC County Clean Water Program has
committed to preparing a similar map within the next five years,so such an effort could have
multiple benefits. If it is not possible to fully develop the map by the date of the symposium,
the meeting could be used as forum for announcing its future availability and for gathering
the remaining necessary information. Development of the map and the purpose of
developing it should be well publicized to avoid suspicion,
3) A countywide creeks web page that provides updated project information, contact
information,meeting announcements, and links to useful on-line resources (include also the
map discussed in#2 above).
4) A grant writer that can be available to assist interested agencies and organizations in
preparing funding proposals for creek projects.
5) A follow-up workshop for educators and students to discuss opportunities for student
projects and for integrating creek studies with the science curriculum.
6) Use the creek meeting to develop a paper/report on the state of County creeks and watersheds
and opportunities for improvement. This report could be:
• prepared by organizers of the symposium and submitted to relevant Boards and Councils,
• developed during a break-out session at the symposium
• prepared by the Fish and7i'd'ifeCommittee'
based on its draft document onthe subject(thislstppoachisprably the most likely as the Fish and Wildlife Committee has
expressed an interest in this task and planning for the symptsium is already impacted)
December 2, 1998 Page 2
Potential target audience:
1) Local government staff and decision-makers(including pertinent special districts)
2) Creek advocacy and restoration organizations
3) Regulatory agencies and agencies that award grants
4) Private sector regulated community(developers & landowners)
5) Media
Secondary/subsequent target audience:
1) Educators
2) Students
3) General public
Potential* hosts/sponsors:
1) CCC Fish and Wildlife Committee
2) CCC Flood Control and Water Conservation District
3) CCC Water Agency
4) Friends of the Creeks
5) SF Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board
6) Urban Creeks Council
7) CCC Clean Water Program
8) Contra Costa County Creeks Council
9) Lindsay Wildlife Museum
10) City of Walnut Creek
Others? (EBRPD,EBMUD, CCWD, EPA, U.S. Army Corps, CDFG, RCD, SFEI, etc.?)
*None of the above-listed organizations has committed to being a host 1 sponsor.Many have expressed a direct interest.
Other groups to be involved,consulted,and/or invited to help plan the meeting:
1) Creek groups other than those involved to date and other general conservation organizations
2) Representatives from local government that are among the key target audience
3) Other agencies(see above)
4) Landowners, developers, and other members of the regulated community
In addition to other methods for soliciting participation, the planning group intends to send out
letters prior to release of symposium announcements inviting organizations such as those
described above to become co-sponsors of the symposium (i.e, lend their name to the flyer),
provide input on its content, and/or send one or more representatives to the event.
Rough cost estimates and possible funding sources are committed
Generate, copy and mail flyer: $750-$1500 (CCC Water Agency)
Room: n/c ` (Walnut Creek or Lindsay)
Lunch/refresh./snack: $600-$1400 (Fish & Wildlife Cmte.1CCC Clean WaterP)
Key-note speaker travel exp.: $0 to $1000 (?)
Symposium contingency $1000 (?)
Develop creek map: $5-$10K (CCC Clean Water/Fish&Wildlife Cmte./?)
Creek demonstration project: $50K-$100K (SFR WQCB, ?)
Staff&volunteer time for planning ? (in-kind contribution)
December 2, 1998 Paae 3
x The sample agenda provided below is meant as a rough outline to assist with discussion and
planning. The actual agenda would need to be mare fully thought out and better written,
Sample Agenda:
8:30 Sign-up/coffee/snack
9:00 Welcome/Introductions
9:30 Physical overview of County Creeks and Watersheds/Presentation of Creek Map
developed for meeting(and/or request for exparte input on draft map)
10:00 Slide show/presentation describing how some communities have transformed their
creeks from liabilities to amenities (+handout w/details aid contacts). Overview of
demonstration project on adjacent creek and future technics i workshop.
10:30 BREAD(w/snack)
10:45 Panel discussion: Finding common ground on creek restoration and flood control
11:30 Presentation on improving regulatory efficiency and effectiveness(handout)
11:45 Presentation on funding opportunities for creek projects(handout with contacts and
descriptions of grants and other sources)
12:00 LUNCH (provided)
12:30 Announcements of upcoming events (technical workshop, etc.), request for
completion of evaluation forms, and key note intro.
12:45 Key note speaker(should include a mixture of science, experience,&inspiration)
1:15 Key note Q&A
1:30 BREAK(w/snack)
1:45 Role of Community Groups in Creeks and Watersheds
• Overview and presentation of map showing creek group areas of interest and
projects (and/or request for exparte input on draft map)
• 30 to 60 second summary from a representative of each creek group on who they
are and what they are doing
2:15 Role of Local Governments in Creeks/Watersheds
2:30 Role of Regulatory Agencies in Creeks/Watersheds
2:45 Concluding remarks,announcement of break-out sessions, and sign-up sheets for
future involvement(technical workshop and subcommittees described below)
3:00 BREAK
3:15 Concurrent Breakout Discussion Sessions
• Discussion forum on coordination among creek groups(avoiding overlap of
interests and promoting uniform coverage; specific methods for improving
coordination)
• Formation of subcommittee to work on a creek web page
• Formation of subcommittee to work on creek education conference
• Formation of subcommittee to refine creek maps
• Formation of subcommittee to develop paper on coordinating creek planning
• Formation of subcommittee to find a grant writer or grant writing team
4:00 Adjourn
Optional additions or substitutions: Walk to site of demonstration project; case studies of local
restoration program; others
Other notes: Pursue possibility of video-taping symposium for local cable station?
December 2, 1998 Paqe 4
Planning group participants to date:
Mitch Avalon, Flood Control and Water Conservation District
Skip Bateman,Fish and Wildlife Committee
Donald Freitas,Contra Costa County Clean Water Program
Jim Hale,Fish and Wildlife Committee
Jeff Hicks,Lindsay Wildlife Museum
John Kopchik, Contra Costa County Water Agency
Joe Mariotti,Pinole Creek
Brett Morris,Fish and Wildlife Committee
Tom Mumley, SF Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board"
Marcus O'Connell, Contra Costa Creeks Council
Ed Pancoast,Urban Creeks Council
Pam Romo, Friends of the Creeks
Carole Schemmerling,Urban Creeks Council
Eric Whan, Contra Costa County Public Works Department
Tom Williams, Contra Costa County Public Works Department
December 2, 1998 Page 5