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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 01082002 - C99 e TO: Board of Supervisors FROM: Maurice M. Shiu, Floud Control&Water Conservation District Chief Engineer DATE: January S, 2002 SUBJECT: Authorize the chair of the Board of Supervisors and the Chief Engineer of the Flood Control District to sign a fetter of support to the San Francisco Foundation for a grant application to provide fuming for a restoration study and implementation plan for a'122 acre parcel on Waterfront Road at the Walnut Creep Channel. SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION 1. Recommended Action: AUTHORIZE the chair of the Board of Supervisors and the Chief Engineer of the Flood Control District to sign a letter of support to the San Francisco Foundation for a grant application to provide funding for a restoration study and implementation plan for a 122 acre parcel on Waterfront Road at the Walnut Creek Channel. Continued on Attachment: X SIGNATURE': ECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE PROVE OTHER SIGNATUR S : ACTION OF'BO APPROVED AS RECOMMENDEDOTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS UNANIMOUS(ABSENT ��:� . ) I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTAIN: action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown. MMS RMA.Ic G!1GrpData\Admin\Miteh\bo12001\Praxis Property BO 1-8-03 doe ATTESTED:+�+ } Orig.Div; Public Works(Admin Svcs)... AT i rteS 1 ED Contact. Mitch Avalon(31 3 22.0) JOHN'SWEETEN,-:Clerk otdie'B ard'.of Supervisors c: 7 Kop6ik,Commamty Dcvlcopmcnt T Batt,Muir Heritage Land Trust and County Administrator N Wminger,EBRPD DF Eckerson,Flood Goutro€ K Laws,Real Property t Byi Deputy SUBJECT': Authorize the chair of the Board of Supervisors and the Chief Engineer of the Flood Control District to sign a letter of support to the San Francisco Foundation for a grant application to provide funding for a restoration study and implementation plan for a''122 acre parcel on Waterfront Road at the Walnut Creek Channel. DATE: January 8, 2002' PACE 2 IL Financiallmpa t: None to the General Fund. Receiving the grant would require a match from the Flood Control District from project funds for the Walnut Creek Channel project. IIL Reasons for Recommendations and Back2rvund: On May 1 2001 the Board of Supervisors approved and executed an Agreement to Purchase Tax Defaulted Property for a parcel of land located on Waterfront Road in the Martinez area. The property, commonly known as the Praxis property,had been tax defaulted for some time.The acquisition of the Praxis property is a partnership between the Flood Control District,the East Bay Regional Park District and the Muir Heritage Land Trust. Subsequent to the approval of the Agreement to Purchase Tax Defaulted Property, the Tax Collector provided a public notice that the Flood Control District intended to acquire the property pursuant to provisions of Chapter 8 of the Revenue and Taxation Code. The public notice gave the public and the property owners until August 15,2001 to pay the back taxes.On August 15,2001 no payments to redeem the property had been received by the Tax Collectors Office. At that time the Flood Control District commenced its due diligence before taking title to the property. The Flood Control District hired a consultant to perforin an environmental assessment of the property to determine if there were any hazardous materials on the property and to determine if the property could be restored for profect mitigation purposes. The Muir Heritage Land Trust had secured a grant of$017,000'from the Trust for Public Lands to pay for the property acquisition. The sale of the property is anticipated to be completed by February'2002. The consultants report indicates that there are no hazardous materials on the site and the property can be restored. The Flood'Control District is,planning a project:on the Walnut Creek Channel which is adjacent to this property. When constructing'improvements to the Walnut Creek Channel the Flood Control District will need to mitigate for the project impacts. The Flood Control District anticipates restoring this property as its mitigation for the Walnut Creek Channel project.The Flood Control District intends to restore the property to a tidal wetland'. They first step to accomplish that will be the preparation of a restoration plan. The Muir Heritage Land Trust will be applying for a,grant to the San Francisco Foundation for$60,000 to fund the preparation of a restoration plan. The Flood Control District is committed to provide a full match if we are successful in obtaining the grant. Restoring the property will be a benefit for the Flood Control'District, the Muir Heritage Land Trust,the East Bay Regional Park'District and the public. The Muir Heritage Land Trust is taking the lead to apply for this grant and requests letters of support from the County and the Flood Control District. Staff is recommending support for this proj ect and to authorize execution of letters to the San Francisco Foundation in support of the application. ContraCosta'County Maurice M.'Shiu i 1 ex officio Chief Engineer FLOOD CONTROL * 255 Glacier Drive,Martinez,CA 94553-4825 & Water Conservation District Telephone:(925) 313-2000 *' # FAX (925) 313-2333 January=8, 2002 Jane Rogers, Program Executive San Francisco Foundation 225 Bush St., 5'h Floor San Francisco, CA 94194 Dear Ms. Rogers On behalf of the Contra Costa County Flood Control District,'I am writing in support of the Muir Heritage Land Trust's grant request for$60,000 from the San Francisco Foundation's Bay Fund. This grant will fund a restoration plan for the Pacheco Marsh,;a 122 acre historic'wetland at the mouth of the Walnut Creek channel, along the Carquinez Strait. The Muir Heritage Land Trust has been working to acquire the Marsh in partnership with East Bay Regional Park District and Contra Costa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District through a tax sale,, procedure. The sale will be completed in February, 2002. The County Flood Control District will provide a full $60,000 match for the grant requested from the San Francisco Bay Fund. In order to restore the Pacheco Marsh property to a tidal wetland,a comprehensive restoration plan is needed. This plan will not only benefit the County FIood Control District, the agency that will undertake the restoration, but it will benefit the Land Trust and Park District'as well. Wetland restoration is a science, but it is also an educational opportunity. The work that is being proposed to restore the Pacheco Marsh can be translated for students of environmental education, The entire,process of restoration, from the plan to the finished product can be presented to schoolchildren of all ages as a process of restoring nature that::might;,be costly,but effective. The intended outcome of the restoration according to the proposed plan will be a''viable tidal wetland with improved habitat for the wildlife and botanical species'already found on the property. At the same time,restoring Pacheco Marsh will include widening the Walnut Creek flood control channel, alleviating the flooding to the south. The restored tidal wetland will help to filter pollutant'runoff from the Walnut Creek channel as well as the Carquinez Strait. Restoration of the marsh is certainly preferable to the accumulation of any non-paint source pollution that would result from development of the Pacheco Marsh property. The acquisition, restoration, and interpretation of Pacheco Marsh is a collaborative effort between the Muir Heritage Land Trust, East Bay Regional Park District and Contra Costa County Flood Control District. Funding for the acquisition carne from the Trust for Public Land. Page t of 2 San Francisco Foundation December 20, 2001 Page 2 The restoration of Pacheco Marsh meets all four priorities of the SanFrancisco Bay Fund Initiative. It is locally based along the proposed 4,000 acre Carquinez Strait wetland corridor within.the San Francisco Bay Estuary. Restoration as an alternative to development will greatly reduce any non paint source pollution, improving the water quality of the runoff into the Carquinez Strait. The restored marsh will also act as a filter for water as it flows through the mouth of the Walnut Creek channel. Funding the restoration plan is the first step in the restoration process. I urge you to support the Muir Heritage Land Trust's grant request. Sincerely, lVlaurice M. Shiu Chief Engineer MMS:] G:\GipData\Adinin\MitGh\2001\12-01\SF Foundation Itr 2,doc Page 2 of 2 "the Board cif S pervisors Contra JohnClerk at the BttheStarA oard and County Administration Buildi€tgCoun€y Administrator 651 Pine Street,,Room 106 [/"1 osta (925)335-1900 Martinez,California 94553-1293 County Jun John Giola, i stDistrict Gayle B.Uilketrta,2nd District •` f °� Donna Gerber,3rd District Mark DeSaulnier,4th District - Federal D.Glover,5th District January 8, 2002 Janie Rogers, Program Executive San Francisco Foundation 225 Bush.St.,5th Floor San Francisco,CA 94194 Dear Ms. Rogers, On behalf of the County of Contra Costa, I am writing in support of the Muir Heritage Land' Trust's grant request for$64,000 from the San Francisca Foundation's Bay Fund. This grant will fund a restoration plan for the Pacheco Marsh, a 122 acre historic wetland at the mouth of the Walnut Creek channel, along the Carquinez Strait. The Muir Heritage Land Trust has been working to acquire the Marsh in partnership with East Bay Regional Park District and Contra Costa County Flood Control'and Water Conservation District through a tax sale procedure. The sale will be completed in February,2002. The County Flood'-..Control District will provide a full $60,000 match for the grant requested from the San Francisco Bay Fund. In order to restore the Pacheco Marsh property to a tidal wetland, a comprehensive restoration plan is needed. This pian will not only benefit the County Flood Control District, the agency that will undertake the restoration., but it will benefit the Land Trust and Park District as well. Wetland restoration is a science,but it is also an educational'opportunity. The work that is being proposed'to restore the Pacheco Marsh can be translated for students of environmental education. The entire process of restoration, from the plan to the finished product can be presented to schoolchildren of all ages as a process of restoring nature that might be costly, but effective. The intended outcome of the restoration according to the proposed plan will be a viable tidal wetland with improved habitat for the wildlife and botanical species already found on the property. At the saetime, restoring Pacheco Marsh will include widening the Walnut Creek flood control channel,alleviating the flooding to the south. The restored tidal wetland will help to filter pollutant runoff from the Walnut Creek channel as well as the Carquinez Strait. Restoration of the marsh is certainly preferable to the accumulation of any non-paint source pollution that would result from development of the Pacheco Marsh property. Page 1 of 2 San Francisca Foundation December 20, 2001 Page 2 The acquisition,restoration,and interpretation of Pacheco Marsh is a collaborative effort between the Muir Heritage Land Trust, East Bay Regional Park District and Contra Costa County Flood Control District. Funding for the acquisition came from the Trust for Public Land. The restoration'of Pacheco Marsh meets all four priorities of the San Francisco Bay Fund Initiative It is locally'based'along the proposed'4,000 acre Carquinez Strait wetland corridor within the San Francisca Bay Estuary. Restoration as an alternative to development will greatly reduce any nor point source'pollution, improving the water quality of the runoff into the Carquinez Strait.The restored marsh will also act as a filter for water as it flows through the mouth of the Walnut Creek channel. Funding the restoration plan is the first step in the restoration process. I urge you to support the Muir Heritage Land Trust's grant request. Sincerely, Supervisor John Gioia District '1 JGaz G:\GrpData\AdmiTt\Mitch12,001\12-01\SF"'Foundation ltr.doc Page 2 of 2