Board Executive Committee Meeting Minutes
Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Board: Directors Ayn Wieskamp (Chair), John Sutter, Ted Radke

Staff: Pat O'Brien, Dave Collins, Ted Radosevich, Bob Doyle, Brian Wiese, Mike Anderson, Allen Pulido

1. Review of Current and Proposed Future Planning Activities

Brian Wiese, Chief of Planning, Stewardship and GIS, presented an overview of the 2008 Current Work Plan and Projects, stating that major park planning projects are currently being carried out by Planning staff following the Board's direction at its 2007 Capital and Trails Workshop to open certain land banked properties using Interim Land Use Plans (ILUPs) prior to the Measure AA 2008 parks bond measure. Major acquisition projects include: Vargas Plateau (completed); Dublin Hills ILUP (completed; pending Board approval); Pleasanton Ridge Land Bank ILUP (on schedule, looking at late summer or early fall completion); and Garin Land Bank ILUP. Mr. Wiese showed a map to illustrate the plans for both Garin and Pleasanton Ridge, as well as other properties that are all beginning to come together.

Pleasanton Ridge and Garin

Two ILUPs—Pleasanton Ridge and Garin—are preliminary steps to expedite the opening of existing land banked property that has no known environmental constraints and therefore does not require CEQA review. The areas have no known public or neighbor issues. The intention is to use these plans as a basis to proceed with full LUPs covering the entire park immediately following the opening of the land banked property. In the case of Pleasanton Ridge, which has no overall LUP, Mr. Wiese indicated that the intent would be to prepare one that focuses on the opening of the Garms Staging Area and Tehan Falls Trail, which have both environmental and potential neighbor issues, and which will, therefore, take longer to resolve. In the case of Garin, the LUP amendment would bring in anticipated land dedications from the Bailey Ranch and Stonebrae developments, neither of which have been received yet. There are also significant natural resource and permitting issues with developing trail access in this park, which were all discussed and noted at the meeting. Mr. Wiese noted that this plan (Garin) will be a difficult one due to the impasse with the Department of Fish and Game regarding trail use.

Other projects initiated this year include the Shadow Cliffs LUP amendment, where the California Splash facility had been partially built before the builder lost funding and had to abandon the project. Operations Division staff is looking into the situation and will report back to the Planning Department on its status. GM O'Brien noted that the space was a great opportunity for the District to expand services to the public. AGM Mike Anderson added that the process was still in the initial stages and that District staff would be ready to take a survey of public opinion in the summer.

The next opportunity that Mr. Wiese mentioned was the recreational offer from Ironhouse Sanitary District. Ironhouse has indicated a willingness to open a trail around the perimeter levee of Jersey Island, which would be a 16 mile trail, possibly with loops. They have also indicated the possibility of making the area accessible to picnicking and family camping. Because of its location, kayak launching may also be a possibility; District staff is conducting a Delta Recreation Feasibility Study.

Planning staff is also working on major CEQA documents—Mitigated Negative Declarations or Environmental Impact Reports—for the following projects: Eden Landing to Union City Trail; Wildcat Creek to San Pablo Creek Bay Trail; Serpentine Prairie Restoration Plan; and the Wildfire Hazard Reduction and Resource Management Environmental Impact Report. The Planning Department's 2008 work plan was discussed.

Future Park Openings

With regards to projecting future land use planning needs, staff has worked from the pipeline list of anticipated park openings over the next several years. Mr. Wiese listed the anticipated opening of the following parks:

2010

• Sunol-Ohlone (Wauhab Plateau)

2011

• Garin (Stonebrae, Bailey)
• Pleasanton Ridge (Garms, Tehan Falls)
• Clayton Ranch
• Coyote Hills/Dumbarton Quarry
• Delta Access/Fallman
• Sibley/Gateway—Montanera/McCosker

2012 and Beyond

• Alameda Point
• Concord Naval Weapons Station
• Las Trampas/Hanson-Gleason
• Pleasanton Ridge/Tyler Ranch

Meeting the proposed opening schedule for some of the parks listed above may not be possible, particularly those scheduled for 2011. Mr. Wiese asked the group to consider which properties are priorities for opening; due to the staff work-load, he feels that to estimate that all parks listed would be opened on time would be unrealistic. Director Radke asked AGM Doyle about the status of the trail connection from Mt. Diablo through Clayton Ranch to Black Diamond to Pittsburg. AGM Doyle and Mr. Wiese updated the current property status. A meeting between DeSilva, the City, and the District was discussed as a possibility as to when their project would be complete. Director Radke asked whether this topic would also be discussed at the next Board Workshop; AGM Mike Anderson confirmed that it would.

RECOMMENDATION: This was an informational item only. No Recommendation was necessary.

2. Participation in the East Alameda County Conservation Strategy

GM Pat O'Brien introduced the next item, which was requested by Director Wieskamp. Brad Olson, Environmental Programs Manager, presented a conservation strategy for East Alameda County. It would identify the areas and the projects that local government wants to construct and then identify the high priority areas for conservation where there are significant natural resources that should be conserved, in part as mitigation for those development projects. Similar to the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) in intent, the East Alameda County Conservation Strategy (EACCS) will provide a coordinated effort for mitigation for the cities of Livermore, Pleasanton and Dublin, along with Alameda County, Alameda County Zone 7 Water Agency, Department of Fish and Game, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, who all endorsed the plan. Unlike an HCP, the EACCS would not obtain any regulatory agency permits, but would establish an expedited permit process and approvals for project impact mitigation.

The EACCS study area consists of 271,485-acres of land within the Alameda Creek Watershed, generally east of Interstate 680, south of Contra Costa County, west of San Joaquin County and north of Santa Clara County. This study area includes Brushy Peak, Sunol Wilderness, Ohlone Wilderness, Del Valle, Shadow Cliffs, Dublin Hills, Pleasanton Ridge, and Vargas Plateau regional parks. It also includes Iron Horse, Calaveras Ridge, and Shadow Cliffs to Del Valle regional trails.

This EACCS process requires providing a list of District development and maintenance projects which require regulatory agency approval, providing $30,000 per year for a three-year period to cover the District's share of planning costs, and executing an agreement with the sponsoring agencies. The City of Livermore would make a one-time contribution of an additional $25,000 on our behalf for planning costs in the first year, because they would like the District to work with them on mitigation for El Charo and the Isabel Avenue interchange. The total amount provided over three years is $90,000.

The District would have an in-kind credit of $50,000 per year for on-going land acquisition related costs (i.e. appraisals, title reports, escrow fees). The District is already incurring these types of expenses for pending acquisitions in the EACCS area. This agreement would not obligate the District to expend any additional land acquisition funds.

Staff requested that the Board Executive Committee recommend that the Board of Directors authorize participation in the EACCS, through the expenditure of $30,000 annually for a three-year period to pay for the District's share of planning costs for development of the EACCS. In 2008, $15,000 of these funds would be provided through the Board's contingency budget and $15,000 would come from the General Manager's contingency budget. Planning costs for 2009 and 2010 would be funded through annual budget requests.

Staff also requested that the Board Executive Committee recommend that the Board of Directors authorize the General Manager to execute an agreement to participate with the EACCS sponsoring agencies.

RECOMMENDATION: Moved by Director Radke, seconded by Director Sutter. By unanimous vote, the Executive Committee recommended to both authorize participation in the EACCS by providing contingency funds as well as authorizing the General Manager to execute an agreement with the EACCS sponsoring agencies for participation in the EACCS.

3. City of Oakland Landscape & Lighting Assessment District

Ted Radosevich, District Counsel, introduced this item, which involves the City of Oakland (City) proposing increases and expansions of its existing Landscape and Lighting Assessment District (LLAD) to raise additional funds. The previous LLAD did not assess District lands, but under provision of current State law, non-parklands are being assessed.

The City established the existing LLAD in 1989 to ensure a continuous funding source for street lighting functions, cleaning and landscaping parks and facilities, grooming roadway landscaping, and planting and pruning street trees. The proposed increase is 65% over the current rate. As currently proposed, four District parcels that are considered commercial/business are being assessed, with the annual charge roughly $14,200. The District receives minimal, if any, benefits for the LLAD.

A similar though smaller increase (40%) was proposed but failed to receive property owner approval in 2006. At that time, staff was directed to attempt to negotiate an agreement whereby the City would grant back the amount of the assessment to the District to fund park-related operations at various Oakland facilities such as Martin Luther King, Jr. Shoreline or the new Tidewater Park. Staff was unable to reach agreement with the City.

Staff recognizes the budgetary needs of the City to support its street lighting, trees, and parks; yet the money the District is being assessed provides essentially no benefit to the District. Balancing these concerns, but not desiring to adversely impact the City's proposal, staff recommends the District take a neutral position on the proposed assessment and not cast its ballots.

Director Sutter disagreed and noted that it would be a mistake not to support this assessment for a variety of reasons, including the fact that the LLAD is a major source of funding for Oakland Parks – who get little or no support from the City's General Fund because it is under pressure to spend all of its money on law enforcement. He noted that the same advocates in Oakland for the land are the same advocates that the District will be looking to for support of its bond measure. Director Sutter stated that as a Park District, to say “no” to supporting a city park agency would be unwise. He noted that he did feel that there would be benefits to the District if the funds went to help Oakland Parks that are adjacent to District land (such as Joaquin Miller and Redwood). He also listed District lands that would benefit from the lighting maintenance. Director Sutter noted that public agencies may influence the success or failure of this assessment – which is what happened the last time when the measure failed due to non-support by public agencies.

RECOMMENDATION: Moved by Director Sutter, seconded by Director skamp. By unanimous vote, the Executive Committee recommended to support the issue of LLAD.

Future Agenda Items:
None

Next Meeting is May 27, 2008

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