HomeMy Public PortalAbout2021-10-26 Item 14 PresentationGRAND JURY REPORT:
"SAN MATEO COUNTY:
CALIFORNIA’S GROUND
ZERO FOR SEA LEVEL
RISE."
MILLBRAE CITY COUNCIL
10/25/2021
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BACKGROUND
•RECEIVED LETTER FROM SAN MATEO COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT ON AUGUST 17, 2021 REQUESTING THE CITY’S RESPONSE TO
THE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS PRESENTED IN THE GRAND JURY REPORT FILED ON AUGUST 11, 2021.
•THE GRAND JURY REPORT EXAMINES THE SAN MATEO COUNTY FLOOD AND SEA LEVEL RISE RESILIENCY DISTRICT'S
(ONESHORELINE) ADEQUACY IN ADDRESSING SEA LEVEL RISE CHALLENGES AND WHETHER IT HAS THE SUPPORT IT NEEDS.
•ONESHORELINE IS AN INDEPENDENT GOVERNMENT AGENCY THAT WORKS ACROSS JURISDICTIONAL BOUNDARIES TO SECURE
AND LEVERAGE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE RESOURCES FOR THE LONG-TERM RESILIENCE OF OUR REGION. THEY PLAN AND BUILD
SOLUTIONS TO THE CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS OF SEA LEVEL RISE (SLR),FLOODING, AND COASTAL EROSION, AND ENHANCE
THE ENVIRONMENT, RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, AND QUALITY OF LIFE WITHIN COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY.
•THIS GRAND JURY RECOMMENDS THAT:
1.THE COUNTY AND ITS CITIES AND TOWNS SUPPORT STEADY,RELIABLE FUNDING FOR ONESHORELINE'S BASIC
OPERATIONS;
2.ONESHORELINE CONSIDER ESTABLISHING AND ADMINISTERING A LOW INTEREST REVOLVING LOAN FUND TO ENABLE
JURISDICTIONS TO PREPARE THE INITIAL ENGINEERING AND PLANNING NECESSARY TO OBTAIN FEDERAL AND STATE
FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR SLR PROJECTS;AND
3.THE COUNTY,ITS CITIES,AND ONESHORELINE,ALONG WITH OTHER BAY AREA COUNTIES AND CITIES,LOBBY THE
FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS FOR REGULATORY CHANGES TO ENABLE SLR PROJECTS TO PROCEED MORE EASILY.2
FINDINGS
F7:COMPETING BUDGET PRIORITIES AMONG THE ENTITIES IN A SEA LEVEL RISE PROJECT MAKE THE PROJECTS DIFFICULT TO FUND AND
MANAGE, LEADING TO RISK OF DELAYS AND MISSED DEADLINES.
RESPONSE TO F7:THE CITY PARTIALLY AGREES WITH THIS FINDING. THE CITY IS NOT FAMILIAR WITH BUDGETING/FUNDING SITUATIONS OF
OTHER ENTITIES, AND THEREFORE, DECLINES TO COMMENT ON THE ABILITY OF OTHERS TO PRIORITIZE, FUND, AND MANAGE PROJECTS.
ADDITIONALLY, A FUNDING AND MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORK HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED BETWEEN THE CITY AND ONESHORELINE THAT ALLOWS
ONESHORELINE TO TAKE THE LEAD IN MANAGING PROJECTS AND IDENTIFYING FUNDING, WHICH FACILITATES IMPLEMENTATION. HOWEVER,
THE CITY DOES AGREE THAT COMPETING BUDGET PRIORITIES WITHIN THE CITY MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO IDENTIFY FUNDING IN SUPPORT OF
THESE PROJECTS. MANAGING COMPETING FUNDING NEEDS IS COMMON AND IS NOT UNIQUE TO SEA LEVEL RISE PROJECTS.
F11:DESTRUCTION OF LOW-COST HOUSING ON THE BAY AND COAST BY FLOODING AND EROSION DUE TO SEA LEVEL RISE WILL FURTHER
INCREASE INEQUITIES IN COMMUNITIES SUCH AS BELLE HAVEN (MENLO PARK), EAST PALO ALTO, REDWOOD CITY, AND PACIFICA.
RESPONSE TO F11:THE CITY PARTIALLY AGREES WITH THIS FINDING. THE CITY IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR HOUSING IN THESE JURISDICTIONS
AND IS NOT AWARE OF ALL OF THE POSSIBLE IMPLICATIONS TO LOW-COST HOUSING, BUT AGREES THAT IT SEEMS LIKELY THAT THESE AREAS
WOULD BE NEGATIVELY IMPACTED.
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FINDINGS
F12:ONESHORELINE EFFECTIVELY COLLABORATES WITH THE OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY AND OTHERS ON PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT CAMPAIGNS
TO EDUCATE INDIVIDUALS ON HOW SEA LEVEL RISE WILL AFFECT SAN MATEO COUNTY.
RESPONSE TO F12: THE CITY PARTIALLY AGREES WITH THIS FINDING. ONESHORELINE DOES GREAT WORK COLLABORATING WITH THE CITY
AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. HOWEVER, THE CITY IS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THEIR EFFORTS IN COLLABORATING WITH THE OFFICE OF
SUSTAINABILITY, AND THEREFORE IS NOT IN THE POSITION TO COMMENT ON THIS EFFORT.
F13:A LOAN PROGRAM TO PROVIDE CITIES AND TOWNS FUNDS FOR THE REQUIRED PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING NECESSARY TO OBTAIN
PARTIAL STATE OR FEDERAL FUNDING FOR SLR PROJECTS WOULD BE BENEFICIAL.
RESPONSE TO F13:THE CITY PARTIALLY AGREES WITH THIS FINDING. ADDITIONAL FUNDING WILL FACILITATE PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING, AND
ULTIMATELY, IMPLEMENTATION. HOWEVER, THE STRUCTURE OF SUCH FUNDING REQUIRES FURTHER STRATEGIZATION, INVESTIGATION, AND
ANALYSIS.
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RECOMMENDATIONS
R1.AT A PUBLIC MEETING,EACH CITY AND TOWN COUNCIL,OR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS SHOULD TAKE AT LEAST ONE CONCRETE
ACTION TOWARD ESTABLISHING A CONTINUING FUNDING SOURCE FOR ONESHORELINE,IDENTIFY THAT ACTION IN RESPONSE TO
THIS REPORT,AND POTENTIALLY ADOPT A RESOLUTION EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR A PARCEL TAX OR PROPERTY TAX BY JUNE 30,
2022.
RESPONSE TO R1:
THE RECOMMENDATION HAS BEEN PARTIALLY IMPLEMENTED.ON MARCH 26,2019,THE CITY COUNCIL ADOPTED A RESOLUTION
ENDORSING THE PROPOSAL FOR THE FORMATION OF THE SAN MATEO COUNTY FLOOD AND SEA LEVEL RISE RESILIENCY DISTRICT
(ONESHORELINE)AND AGREED TO PROVIDE $40,000 PER YEAR FOR THREE YEARS TO HELP FUND SEA LEVEL RISE ADAPTATION AND
MITIGATION EFFORTS.IT IS OUR UNDERSTANDING THE CURRENT FUNDING IS SUFFICIENT TO EXTEND ONESHORELINE’S OPERATION
FOR AN ADDITIONAL 2 YEARS.IT IS ALSO OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT THE COUNTY IS CONSIDERING A COUNTY-WIDE BALLOT
MEASURE TO PROVIDE LONG-TERM FUNDING FOR ONESHORELINE.IF SUCH A FUNDING MEASURE IS PLACED ON THE BALLOT,THE
CITY COUNCIL WILL CONSIDER A RESOLUTION ENDORSING THE MEASURE.
R2.A COORDINATED LOBBYING STRATEGY WITH PARTICIPATION BY THE COUNTY,BY SAN MATEO COUNTY CITIES AND TOWNS,BY
ONESHORELINE,AND BY OTHER INTERESTED BAY AREA CITIES AND COUNTIES FOR FEDERAL AND STATE REGULATORY SIMPLIFICATION
BY JANUARY 31,2022.
RESPONSE TO R2:THE RECOMMENDATION HAS NOT YET BEEN IMPLEMENTED.IT IS OUR UNDERSTANDING THAT ONESHORELINE
INTENDS TO CONTINUE WORKING WITH THE COUNTY ON A LOBBYING STRATEGY AND WILL TAKE THE LEAD IN COORDINATING
WITH FEDERAL AND STATE REGULATORS.WHEN NEEDED OR REQUESTED,THE CITY COUNCIL WILL CONSIDER ADOPTING A
RESOLUTION,PROVIDING OR SUPPORTING A LETTER OF ENDORSEMENT.
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RECOMMENDATIONS
R4.THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND EACH CITY AND TOWN COUNCIL,SHOULD ENSURE THAT THEIR GENERAL PLANS
REGARDING SLR PROTECTION INCLUDE TRANSPORTATION AND UTILITY INFRASTRUCTURE,SCHOOLS,PUBLIC SAFETY FACILITIES,AND
HAZARDOUS MATERIAL SITES BY MARCH 31,2022.
RESPONSE TO R4:
THE RECOMMENDATION HAS NOT YET BEEN IMPLEMENTED,BUT WILL BE IMPLEMENTED IN THE FUTURE.THE CURRENT GENERAL PLAN
UPDATE IS INCORPORATING THE MID-LEVEL SCENARIO (CONSISTENT WITH THE SAN MATEO COUNTY RESILIENCY PLAN)OF SEA LEVEL
RISE CORRESPONDING TO 3.3-FEET ABOVE THE 1%CHANCE EVENT BASE FLOOD ELEVATION.THIS PRODUCES A SEA LEVEL RISE
FLOODPLAIN ELEVATION OF 13.3-FEET NAVD 88.THE CITY AND ONESHORELINE WILL WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT THE
GENERAL PLAN TAKES INTO ACCOUNT FUTURE CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH SLR PRIOR TO COMPLETION OF THE DOCUMENT'S
UPDATE IN NOVEMBER 2022.
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RECOMMENDED ACTION
•STAFF RECOMMENDS THE CITY COUNCIL ACCEPT THE DRAFT RESPONSE TO THE GRAND JURY
REPORT: "SAN MATEO COUNTY: CALIFORNIA’S GROUND ZERO FOR SEA LEVEL RISE“
(ATTACHMENT 2) AND DIRECT STAFF TO SUBMIT THE CITY'S RESPONSE TO THE HONORABLE
AMARRA A. LEE NO LATER THAN NOVEMBER 11, 2021.
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