Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Jim Eggemeyer, Director, Office of Sustainability
Subject: Resolution authorizing the acceptance of CalTrans Adaptation Planning Grant
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing the County of San Mateo to accept a $649,500 grant from the California Department of Transportation and to enter a grant agreement to fund the project “Climate Vulnerability and Mainstreaming Resilience Planning in San Mateo County.”
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BACKGROUND:
Extreme heat, greater risk of wildfires, sea-level rise, changing precipitation patterns, severe storm events, and degraded air quality are some of the climate change concerns identified for Bay Area communities, including San Mateo County. Climate change is expected to affect the people, property, economy, infrastructure, and ecosystems of San Mateo County in a variety of ways. Vulnerable transportation-related assets include essential regional transportation networks and infrastructure such as Bay Area Rapid Transit, CalTrain, SamTrans, Highway 101, and State Routes 1 and 84, as well as local and regional trails, bikeways, bridges, ports, and airports. The cities of East Palo Alto, South San Francisco, Daly City, Brisbane, Pacifica, San Mateo, and Half Moon Bay, and the unincorporated areas of Pescadero, La Honda Area, and North Fair Oaks have high risk exposure and are likely to be disproportionately imperiled by transportation-related climate impacts.
This CalTrans grant award will enable the County to assess countywide climate change impacts and identify vulnerable transportation infrastructure and populations.
DISCUSSION:
The County has already taken a leadership role in climate change adaptation, working with a broad coalition of governments across jurisdictional boundaries to address sea level rise and create proactive solutions for communities through the Draft Sea Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment (SLR VA) released in April 2017. The grant will advance the goals of the County Office of Sustainability’s Climate Change and Adaptation program by expanding its adaptation planning efforts to address, evaluate, and prepare for other climate change impacts, in addition to sea level rise. The analysis, data, and tools generated through this project will also assist the County and cities in San Mateo County in meeting the requirements of Senate Bill (SB) 379 to address and incorporate climate change adaptation and resilience in local General Plans.
The project will assess countywide climate change impacts, assist the County and cities in San Mateo County in further defining vulnerable transportation infrastructure, critical assets and communities, and will develop adaptation strategies to prepare for climate change impacts. Key products and milestones will include the following:
1. County-wide climate analysis;
2. Mapping of impacts to transportation assets and infrastructure;
3. County-wide climate resilience framework;
4. Toolkits to incorporate adaptation measures into transportation-related plans, projects, and policies; and
5. Resilience vision and adaptation plans for priority and transit-dependent communities.
This Project will build upon the successes of the SLR VA collaborative process, continuing existing regional collaboration models to provide regional as well as community-specific tools to anticipate and prepare for climate change impacts. The County will reconvene countywide and regional stakeholders engaged through the SLR VA process and invite in new partners in the form of a countywide Advisory Committee and Climate Change Resilience Collaborative. This approach will enable collaboration and partnership with diverse stakeholders including local jurisdictions and agencies, businesses, non-governmental and community based organizations; provide oversight and buy-in from key stakeholders; and build stakeholder capacity for implementing key elements of the Project.
County Counsel has reviewed and approved the resolution as to form.
Adoption of this resolution and acceptance of this grant from the California Department of Transportation contributes to the County's Shared Vision 2025 of being a Collaborative Community by convening countywide stakeholders to develop solutions to climate change impacts.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There will be no net County cost.