Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Michael P. Callagy, County Manager
Subject: Use of District-Discretionary Measure K Funds - Supervisorial District 1
RECOMMENDATION:
title
Measure K: Adopt a resolution authorizing a one-time grant of district-discretionary Measure K funds, not to exceed $300,000, to the San Mateo County Flood and Sea Level Rise Resiliency District (FSLRRD), also known as OneShoreline, for the development of three projects: a Planning Guidance Policy for the San Francisco Bay shoreline area; expanding the number of Stream/Creek Gauges to be installed as part of its County Flood Early Warning System; and applying for and securing a 5-year maintenance permit for flood prevention debris removal in at least three flood-prone Bayside creeks; and authorizing the County Executive, or designee, to execute the grant agreement.
body
BACKGROUND:
Measure K is the half-cent general sales tax initially approved by San Mateo County voters in November 2012 and extended in November 2016 for a total of thirty years.
On March 9, 2021, and March 23, 2021, the Board of Supervisors (Board) held study sessions on Measure K expenditures and anticipated revenue for fiscal years (FY) 2021-23. The Board-appointed Measure K sub-committee, consisting of Supervisor Pine and Supervisor Canepa, convened the study sessions to, among other things, work with staff to facilitate the Board’s development of Measure K priorities and continuing initiatives for FYs 2021-23. The Board approved $5 million in one-time loans or grants for the FY 2021-23 budget cycle, divided equally among the five supervisorial districts, for district-discretionary needs and projects. District 1 has submitted a request to use their district-discretionary Measure K funds as shown below and described in the Project Summary section of this memorandum:
|
District/Project |
Amount |
|
District 1 (Supervisor Pine) - Support San Mateo County Flood and Sea Level Rise Resiliency District (OneShoreline)’s work to • Develop a Bay Shoreline Planning Guidance Policy • Install additional stream gauges as part of its Countywide flood warning system. • Apply for and secure a 5-year maintenance permit for flood prevention debris removal in at least three flood-prone Bayside creeks |
$300,000 |
This item is consistent with the criteria for district-discretionary Measure K funds approved by the Board in December 2018.
PROJECT SUMMARY:
This is a request to authorize a grant to San Mateo County Flood and Sea Level Rise Resiliency District (OneShoreline), and resulting grant agreement, in an amount not to exceed $300,000, to support three OneShoreline projects, further explained below, which will benefit multiple communities in San Mateo County. The County Executive’s Office will administer and manage the proposed agreement.
District-discretionary Measure K funding for this organization has previously been provided as listed below:
• On June 25, 2019, the Board of Supervisors approved district-discretionary Measure K funding, in the amount of $500,000, to the San Mateo County Flood and Sea Level Rise Resiliency District for its “Enhanced Flood Control Program,” to help fund the District during its initial three-year start-up period.
The San Mateo County Flood and Sea Level Rise Resiliency District, also known as OneShoreline, was established by the State of California in 2020 to work across jurisdictional boundaries as the first independent countywide government agency to plan for, and build a resilient response to, the water-related impacts of climate change, including atmospheric rivers, coastal erosion, sea level rise, and drought. An enduring aspect of OneShoreline’s work is to promote decisions today that will make the County resilient to the conditions of tomorrow.
The Measure K grant funding will be utilized to support three OneShoreline projects, as follows:
Planning Guidance Policy
Support the development of a Planning Guidance Policy, which will serve as a standardized, evolving resource for jurisdictions along the Bay shoreline to account for climate-driven future conditions in a general plan, specific plan, and/or zoning ordinance, and the review of public and private developments.
In 2021, OneShoreline supported the City of Burlingame in the development of a sea level rise chapter for its new zoning ordinance. Since then, OneShoreline has worked with several cities in the county to address sea level rise in their general plans, specific plans, or zoning ordinances, and at the request of developers or city staff, has provided comments on design concepts or submittals from private developers with waterfront projects. The OneShoreline Planning Guidance Policy will update and incorporate OneShoreline’s prior documents and comments into a standardized template for general use by the cities and unincorporated areas in San Mateo County which are directly impacted by sea level rise from the San Francisco Bay. Development and preparation of the Planning Guidance Policy will include costs for technical consultants, outreach, and OneShoreline staff time.
The OneShoreline Planning Guidance Policy is intended to be used by cities and unincorporated areas of San Mateo County to incorporate future climate-driven conditions into land use decisions in areas impacted by sea level rise from the San Francisco Bay (approximately the areas east of the Caltrain tracks). OneShoreline will modify the policy to respond to changing conditions over time. In addition to San Mateo County’s Planning & Building Department and Office of Sustainability, staff from the following cities have been engaged in this project: Belmont, Brisbane, Burlingame, Menlo Park, Millbrae, Redwood City, San Bruno, San Carlos, San Mateo, and South San Francisco.
OneShoreline will contribute at least $20,000 of its own funds to this project.
At this time, of the total $300,000 Measure K grant, this project is anticipated to be allocated approximately $30,000.
Stream/Creek Gauges - County Flood Warning System
OneShoreline receives funding from the California Department of Water Resources to develop a countywide Flood Early Warning System and watershed-based flood emergency response networks. The system currently includes stations that monitor rainfall, stream flow, and tide levels. During recent storms, this Flood Early Warning System enabled OneShoreline to provide emergency response and public works personnel, as well as the public, with advance warning of potential flooding. Additional funding from the Measure K grant will enable OneShoreline to improve the early warning system and expand this network to three additional creeks that have experienced recent winter season flooding, by analyzing appropriate sites, installing, and maintaining at least two additional stream gauges in those areas.
At this time, of the total $300,000 Measure K grant, this project is anticipated to be allocated approximately $45,000.
5-year maintenance permit for flood prevention debris removal in flood-prone Bayside creeks
Following flooding this winter along five Bayside creeks that each cross unincorporated areas of San Mateo County and at least two cities, there is a general recognition of the need to regularly complete work to maintain creek flow capacity. OneShoreline will use Measure K grant monies to establish a five-year maintenance program for debris removal from at least three of those creeks in order to alleviate flooding. In creeks that pose a flood threat to County Parks and roads, the County has secured similar environmental permits to conduct maintenance in very specific locations protecting those County assets. OneShoreline’s proposed permits will protect all assets in unincorporated and city areas impacted by the selected creeks.
The County and the eight affected cities view the securing of permits as the greatest obstacle to conducting this work, in part because each of these creeks lies within at least two jurisdictions. OneShoreline will use grant monies to serve as the point of contact for navigating the complexities of applying for and obtaining necessary environmental regulatory permits from state and federal agencies, with the permitting application process taking place from July 1, 2023 to June 2025. OneShoreline will hire a consulting firm to secure maintenance permits from state and federal agencies, for at least three of the streams/creeks which have experienced recent winter flooding (Atherton, Belmont, Cordilleras, San Bruno, and San Mateo Creeks). Obtaining necessary permits will expedite future maintenance work and help minimize and mitigate future flooding. OneShoreline’s work will be done in conjunction with local cities and the County, and with Caltrans, which owns adjacent assets of Highway 101 and El Camino Real that contribute to the flooding problem. OneShoreline will manage the permit acquisition and reporting over the grant term. The work will be performed under clearances provided by OneShoreline’s environmental permits by the jurisdictions benefitting from the work.
Conducting routine creek maintenance activities in this fashion provides a consistent and streamlined approach to OneShoreline’s creeks' stewardship, establishes a consistent set of methods and best management practices, reduces costs, circumvents lengthy delays often encountered on discrete projects, and reduces the risk of flooding and bank failure ensuring enhanced public safety.
At this time, of the total $300,000 Measure K grant, this project is anticipated to be allocated approximately $225,000.
Total Measure K Request: Not to Exceed $300,000
The release of funds will be contingent on the execution of an agreement providing for the County’s confirmation of the expenditure of funds for the purposes stated herein. The County will disburse the funds to the following organization for the purposes described above:
San Mateo County Flood and Sea Level Rise Resiliency District
Attn: Lucy Dong, Finance Manager
1700 S. El Camino #502, San Mateo, CA 94402
info@OneShoreline.org
PERFORMANCE MEASURES:
|
Description |
Target |
|
Preparation, publication, and distribution of San Mateo County Flood and Sea Level Rise Resiliency District (OneShoreline) Planning Guidance Policy following approval of policy by its Board of Directors, by October 2023 |
Complete |
|
Installation of at least two additional stream/creek gauges (flood early warning system) by June 2025 |
Complete |
|
Application for and securing of a 5-year maintenance permit for flood prevention debris removal in at least three flood-prone Bayside creeks through June 2025 |
Complete |
The County Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved the agreement and resolution as to form.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There are sufficient Measure K funds for this specific FY 2022-23 Measure K request. These funds are budgeted in the Non-Departmental Services FY 2022-23 Adopted Budget.