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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 05082007 - D.3 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS s L' Contra FROM: SUPERVISOR SUSAN A. BONILLA o �; Costa DATE: May 8, 2007 `� oSTA C U�- County SUBJECT: Accept Report on Concord Naval Weapons Station Re-Use Process p 3 SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION I recommend the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors accept a report from the City of Concord which provides information on the Base Realignment and Closure process currently underway for the Concord Naval Weapons Station. FISCAL IMPACT None. BACKGROUND In spring 2006, the City Council launched a multi-year, three-part process to plan for the civilian reuse of the Concord Naval Weapons Station. The weapons station was opened by the Navy in 1942 as an annex to the Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo. The 12,800-acre site, which includes an inland area and a tidal area, was an active ammunition storage and shipping port for Information could be used to increase educational and recreational opportunities for children. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: ❑ YES SIGNATUIR�-� 011_ ❑ RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR ❑ RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE ❑APPROVE ❑ OTHER SIGNATURE(S): ACTION OF BOARD ON_ OIS/'Ct�of) /O APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER ❑ VOTE OF SUPERVISORS: I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AND �C UNANIMOUS(ABSENT ) ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF AYES: NOES: SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. ABSENT: ABSTAIN: ATTESTED: (slate) OS1O$lC) Contact: JOHN CULLEN,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR cc: By: Deputy Page 2 the Department of the Navy until 1999 when the Pentagon mothballed the inland area. The port, located in the tidal area, continued to operate under the command of the Army. The inland area was approved for closure in November 2005 through the Department of Defense's Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process. The inland area lies entirely within the Concord city limits and occupies 5,200 acres (approximately 8 square miles) and makes up nearly one quarter of the City's total 31 square mile area. The Concord City Council was selected by the Department of Defense as the Local Reuse Authority (LRA), the sole point of contact for planning of the site. The LRA will ensure that land use plans reflect the interests of the local community. The Navy will retain ownership of the property while the LRA prepares the Reuse Plan with input from the community. CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION Lack of information could potentially impact Contra Costa County's infrastructure and finances. CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT ADDENDUM to D.3 May 8, 2007 On this day,the Board of Supervisors considered accepting a report from the City of Concord on the base realignment and closure process currently underway at the Concord Naval Weapons Station. Supervisor Bonilla introduced Mayor Mark Peterson, City of Concord. The Honorable Mr. Peterson said that the approximately 5,000 acre Weapons Station property is within the city limits of Concord, but that he recognizes its regional significance and plans to work with the Mayors Conference and City Managers, and to provide regular updates to the Board of Supervisors. He said public outreach efforts have returned some key points in response to the question"What do you want to see there," and said the public wants something that is world-class, something that will put Concord on the map, something that is fiscally sustainable, and something that will enhance the quality of life. He further noted that a 21-member Citizens Advisory Committee was created to help address the issues. He said the City wants to work collectively with all invested parties, and noted that the Sheriff and the Concord Police Chief also want projects on the site. Michael Wright, Project Director,presented the Board with a PowerPoint update that included a site map. He said the entire Concord Naval Weapons Station is actually 12,000 acres, but that 7,000 acres have been transferred directly to the U.S. Army for the support of military activities. He then discussed recent working groups who were given the opportunity to provide input on the future use of Concord's 5,000 acres, and said that the working groups all overwhelmingly supported preserving the ridgelines. He also cited support for keeping the eastern boundary at the City of Pittsburg as open space, and said the community feels strongly about preserving, enhancing, and restoring Mt. Diablo Creek and supports green areas within the city that would provide access to the open areas. He said the working groups supported implementing transit connections in the area around the North Concord BART station, a balance of housing and jobs, and an emphasis on the provision of affordable housing,particularly for the senior population. He said the community wants development that is not just sustainable but that is green, with area walkability. Mr. Wright added that the public outreach process will continue with an effort on June 16, 2007, and also added that two large ads, "Notices of Interest,"were placed in the San Francisco Chronicle and the Contra Costa Times to solicit responses for proposed public benefit projects. He said interested parties have until September 26, 2007 to respond to the Notice, and said proposed public benefit projects will be considered as part of the overall plan. He told the Board that several Technical Advisory Groups with areawide representation have been formed just to focus on transportation issues, and said that several more would likely be formed to focus on the issues of habitat and wildlife sensitivity. Regarding deadlines, Mr. Wright said the Reuse Plan/Certified Environmental Impact Report(EIR)has to be completed and submitted to the Department of Housing and Urban May 8, 2007 Item D.3 Page 2 of 3 Development(HUD) in June 2008. He said that the Navy has given a timeframe for the Environment Impact Statement to be completed in June 2009 which, if met, could begin to see the transfer of land happening in the Summer or Fall of 2009. Supervisor Bonilla asked if the public could find information about this on the web. Mr. Wright responded that there is information on the City of Concord's website, including the input from the public workshops. He said information is also available at the Concord Library. He said the public can either submit comments through the City of Concord's website or can attend the Community Advisory Committee meetings, which are public and are an opportunity for the public to provide input. Supervisor Glover said this is an ideal location for meeting some of the regions's needs such as affordable housing, response to homelessness, and manufacturing and industrial training. He said it could also fill a need for a community sports facility and venues for other sporting events. Supervisor Gioia asked if other sites that have undergone similar large-scale property transfers have been evaluated as part of the process. Mr. Wright responded that they have looked into several sites, but said that not all lessons learned are as transferable as they would have liked them to be. Mayor Peterson said that Concord has been complemented by the Department of Defense on its outreach process, which they were told seems to be more inclusive and comprehensive than others. Supervisor Gioia noted that Redding, California has become a premier commercially- operated soccer and little league tournament center, and said studies have shown that it brings in more revenue than major sports facilities. Supervisor Uilkema asked to confirm that Concord needs to develop a plan determining how the 5,028 acres will be used and that the whole thing has to be approved by HUD. Mr. Wright responded that HUD will not be looking at things like sports fields, but rather at housing and affordable housing. Supervisor Piepho said there are serious transportation concerns for East and Far East County, and said those communities want to make sure this project will not create another constriction on Highway 4. Supervisor Bonilla said the County is a partner in this with the City of Concord, and noted that all things being considered, such as a library, training,jobs, and transportation will all have region-wide impacts. She said this is an opportunity to provide a tremendous local benefit and quality of life enhancements, as well as giving the area nationwide significance. May 8, 2007 Item D.3 Page 3 of 3 By a unanimous vote with Supervisor Glover absent, the Board of Supervisors took the following action: ACCEPTED the report from the City of Concord on the base realignment and closure process currently underway at the Concord Naval Weapons Station.