HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 02122002 - C32 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ,V�.. , �:•.
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FROM: DENNIS M. BARRY, AICP a
Costst
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR County
DATE: February 12, 2002
SUBJECT: SUPPORT THE EFFORTS BY THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND TO SECURE
FUNDING TO ACQUIRE THE COWELL RANCH SITE
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATIONS
1. SUPPORT the on-going efforts by The Trust For Public Land to secure funding from
various sources for the acquisition of approximately 4,000 acres of the Cowell
Ranch site in eastern Contra Costa County.
2. AUTHORIZE the Chair to submit a letter on behalf of the Board of Supervisors to
the Executive Director, State of California Wildlife Conservation Board, in support of
a pending grant application submitted by The Trust For Public Land for$3 million
toward the acquisition of the Cowell Ranch site.
3. DIRECT the Community Development Director to forward the Chair's letter in
support of The Trust For Public Land grant request for the Cowell Ranch site
acquisition funding to Contra Costa's legislative delegation (State and Federal)and
to the relevant State/Federal Agencies.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATURE
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR _ RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD CO ITTEE
,APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATURE(S): r �" __1
ACTION OF'BOA N February<°y i2, 2sJ02 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER_
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND
X UNANIMOUS(ABSENT Nene ) CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AND
AYES: NOES: ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN
Contact: P. Roche,CDD-AP(925)535-1242 ATTESTED February 12, 2002
cc: State Senator Tom Todaksan,7-SenateDistrict JOHN SWEETEN, CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
Assemblyman Joe CanciarNue,tt" Assembly District SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMININISTRATOR
Assemblywoman Lynn C.Leach,15"Assembly District �►
Congressman George Miller,7"Coyessional District
Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher,10 Congressional District
Director,CA Dept.of Parks and Recreation
Director,CA Dept.of Fish and Game BY , EPUTY
Tim Wirth,The Trust For Public Land
FEBRUARY 12,2002
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
SUPPORT EFFORTS TO SECURE FUNDING TO ACQUIRE THE COWELL RANCH SITE
PAGE 2
FISCAL IMPACT
None.
BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS
In September 2000, when the Board of Supervisors approved modifications to the
boundary of the Urban Limit Line, the Board supported and approved a boundary change
affecting the Cowell Ranch property immediately south of the City of Brentwood. This
action placed approximately 4000 acres of the Cowell Ranch site outside the Urban Limit
Line while retaining approximately 400 acres of the Cowell Ranch site inside the Urban
Limit Line.
As part of this boundary modification, Board members at that time had urged that a land
trust become involved in the permanent acquisition of the Cowell Ranch area that was
placed outside the Urban Limit Line and expressed their interest in supporting efforts to
secure funding for permanent acquisition.
Following the Board's action in September 2000,the Cowell Foundation entered into sales
option agreement with The Trust For Public Land (TPL) to sell some 4000 acres of the
Cowell Ranch site to the land trust to permanently protect the acreage as open space and
wildlife habitat by placing it in public ownership.
To date, TPL has received commitments of $7 million from several sources toward the
acquisition of the site. TPL has a pending $3 million grant request before the State of
California Wildlife Conservation Board to be used for the site acquisition, and if approved,
this grant would provide a substantial boost in their efforts at raising funds for the Cowell
Ranch site acquisition. The County has been informed that TPL's grant request will be
considered by the State of California Wildlife Conservation Board at a key meeting on
February 27, 2002 (See Exhibit"A":January 22, 2002 letter from Executive Director, State
of California Wildlife Conservation Board). The State of California Wildlife Conservation
Board was created by the state legislature to administer a capital outlay program for wildlife
conservation and related recreation, and it is responsible for allocation of funds for the
purchase of land and waters suitable for protection and restoration of wildlife habitat or
recreation purposes. TPL is asking for the County's support in securing approval of this key
grant.
The Department recommends the Board adopt a general position in support of TPL's
efforts to secure funding to acquire the Cowell Ranch site thereby permanently preserving
this land area for open space and wildlife purposes under public ownership, and authorize
the Chair, Board of Supervisors,to sign the attached letter(Exhibit"B")in support of TPL's
pending grant request before the State of California Wildlife Conservation Board, and
forward this letter of support to the County state/federal legislative delegation and other
relevant state/federal agencies. These actions would be substantially consistent with the
Board of Supervisors views expressed in the September 2000 actions approving boundary
modifications to the Urban Limit Line in the vicinity of the Cowell Ranch site.
EXHIBIT "A"
STATE Fa
F
'DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME RECEIV
WILDLIFE CONSERVATION 64XR t
1807 13TH STREET, SUITE 103 JAN `4 2002
SACRAMENTO,CALIFORNIA 95814 J
WWW.DFG.CA.GOV A 0'`
O3. CLERK BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
(916) 445-8448 CONTRA COSTA CO.
FAX (9 16)323-02807I4 I`-,,
January 22, 2002 ygtru�g
Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors
651 Pine Street, 11th Floor
Martinez, CA 94553
y
Dea.*Ladies and Gentlemen:
Briones Valley(Cowell Ranch)
Centra Costa County
The Department of Fish and Game (DFG), through the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB), is
involved in a land acquisition program that is focused on the long-range protection and enhancement of
habitat for fish and wildlife. Possible sites for acquisition are identified by the DFG in response to
public interest, legislative mandate and Departmental goals.
This letter is to advise you that the WCB will consider a grant to the Trust for Public Land to help fund
the acquisition of 3,650 t acres of wildlife habitat located in Contra Costa County and identified as
Assessor's Parcel Nos, 007-070-003, 004 & 007, 007-080-001 &002, 007-090-005 &007, 007-100-
011, 007-110-009, 007-120-007, 012, 013 ,& 017, 007-150-008, 009, 012, 013 &015, 007-160-013,
017 & 018 and 010-050-005. This proposal is presently scheduled for the February 27, 2002 meeting.
If you have any questions about this proposal or wish more information, please feel free to contact
Mr. Dave Means, our staff person assigned to this project, at(916) 323-8983.
Sincerely,
Al Wright
Executive Director
Enclosure
cc: Robert Floerke, Regional Manager
Central Coast Region
Department of Fish and Game
P.O. Box 47
Yountville, CA 94599
EXHIBIT "B"
The. Beard of Supervisors Centra John Sweeten
Clerk of the Board
and
County Administration BuildingCounty Administrator
551 Fine Street, Room 105 Costa (925)335-1900
Martinez,California 94553-1293 Cowl_J
John Glola, 1st District (,fj
Gayle B.Ullkema,2nd District ., ..
Donna Gerber,3rd District
Mark DeSaulnlar,4th District
Federal D.Glover,5th District -
February 12, 2002
Mr. Al Wright,Executive Director
State of California
Wildlife Conservation Board
1807 13th Street, Suite 103
Sacramento, CA 945814µ7117
Re: Briones Valley(Cowell Ranch), Grant Agreement Number WC 1107 DM
Dear Mr.Wright:
On behalf of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, I want to express our
enthusiastic support for The Trust For Public Land (TPL) efforts to acquire and protect
the Cowell Ranch property as open space and wildlife habitat, and to urge approval of the
proposed $3 million grant to TPL for site acquisition that is scheduled for the February
27, 2002 meeting the State of California Wildlife Conservation Board.
The Cowell Ranch property is approximately 4,200 acres located in eastern Contra Costa
County, immediately adjacent to the City of Brentwood, which is one of the fastest
growing cities in California. The property supports any array of threatened and
endangered species including the San Joaquin kit fox, vernal pool fairy shrimp, red-
legged frog, and California tiger salamander.
In the early 1990's there was a proposal for a large-scale urban development (new town)
on the Cowell Ranch property, which included 5,226 residential units with 122 acres of
commercial/industrial uses. There was significant public opposition to this development
proposal due to its potential impacts on the environment and loss of land with natural and
scenic resource value, and the project proponents ultimately withdrew the development
application. In September 2000, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors approved
a change to the County's Urban Limit Line in our General Plan placing all of the Cowell
Ranch property acreage that is the subject of TPL's grant request outside the Urban Limit
Line. This action will preclude any further consideration of urban development on the
property at least through the year 2010.
Ltr.to Mr.Al Wright,Executive Director,State of California Wildlife Conservation Board
February 12,2002
Page 2
Ultimately, however, public ownership of the property will ensure that Cowell Ranch's
significant natural and scenic resources will be forever protected. Public ownership of the
property could fill a critical gap in existing and nearby park and open space areas, and it
would offer an opportunity to add to an existing 80,000 acre wildlife corridor stretching
from the floor of the Central Valley rising up the foothills of the Diablo Range to the
peak of Mount Diablo.
The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors strongly urges the State of California
Wildlife Conservation Board to approve The Trust For Public Land pending grant request
for the Cowell Ranch property (Briones Valley).
Thank you in advance for your consideration of our views on this matter.
Sincerely,
John Gioia, Chairman
Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors
CC: Tim Wirth,The Trust For Public Land(Western Region)
Contra Costa County's State Legislative]delegation
r
John Sweeten
The Berard of Supervisors Contra Clerk otthe Board
and
County Administration BuildingCounty Administrator
OStc`
651 line Street,Room 106 Costa (925)335-1900
Martinez,California 94553-1293 Count.
John Gioia, 1st District r JV
Gayle B.Ullkema,2nd District - '
Donna Gerber,3rd District
(Mark DeSaulnler,4th District
Federal D.Glover,5th District
sr
February 12, 2002
Mr. Al Wright,Executive Director
State of California
Wildlife Conservation Board
1807 13'h Street, Suite 103
Sacramento, CA 945814-7117
Re: Briones Valley(Cowell Ranch), Grant Agreement Number WC 1107 DM
Dear Mr. Wright:
On behalf of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, I want to express our
enthusiastic support for The Trust For Public Land (TPL) efforts to acquire and protect
the Cowell Ranch property as open space and wildlife habitat, and to urge approval of the
proposed $3 million grant to TPL for site acquisition that is scheduled for the February
27, 2002 meeting the State of California Wildlife Conservation Board.
The Cowell Ranch property is approximately 4,200 acres located in eastern Contra Costa
County, immediately adjacent to the City of Brentwood, which is one of the fastest
growing cities in California. The property supports any array of threatened and
endangered species including the San Joaquin kit fox, vernal pool fairy shrimp, red-
legged frog, and California tiger salamander.
In the early 1990's there was a proposal for a large-scale urban development (new town)
on the Cowell Ranch property, which included 5,225 residential units with 122 acres of
comrnercial/industiW'uses. There was significant public opposition to this development
proposal due to its potential impacts on the environment and loss of land with natural and
scenic resource value, and the project proponents ultimately withdrew the development
application. In September 2000, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors approved
a change to the County's Urban Limit Line in our General Plan placing all of the Cowell
Ranch property acreage that is the subject of TPL's grant request outside the Urban Limit
Line. This action will preclude any further consideration of urban development on the
property at least through the year 2010.
Ltr.to Mr.Al Wright,Executive Director,State of California wildlife Conservation Board
February 12,2002
Page 2
Ultimately, however, public ownership of the property will ensure that Cowell Ranch's
significant natural and scenic resources will be forever protected. Public ownership of the
property could fill a critical gap in existing and nearby park and open space areas, and it
would offer an opportunity to add to an existing 80,0100 acre wildlife corridor stretching
from the floor of the Central Valley rising up the foothills of the Diablo Range to the
peak of Mount Diablo.
The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors strongly urges the State of California
Wildlife Conservation Board to approve The Trust For Public Land's pending grant
request for the Cowell Ranch property (Briones Valley).
Thank you in advance for your consideration of our views on this matter.
Sincerely,
John Gioia,Chairman
Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors
CC. Tim Wirth,The Trust For Public Land(Western Region)
Contra Costa County's State Legislative Delegation