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Home My WebLink About0153.092r - i ~. > • " .. ~ ... . .. February 13. 1992 'rHE HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL Palo Alto, Cali!or~ia Members of the Council: Report in Brie"( This is an informational report cn the status of the Palo Alto Harbor Improvements Project. It advises Council af anticipated permit conditions that .ill be placed on the project by the San Francisco Bay conservation and Development COml'l15Sion (BeDel. Background Council approv~d the site ar.d design application for the Palo Alto Harbor In'.provement Project on March 1S.~ 1991 (Cl-iR:181:91). The project includes a sailing station, new p~blic access, four acres of marsh restoration at the tip of the 11.2 acre H3rbor Point site and renovation of th~ Harbor Master's cottage. Funds for all w'ork have been budgeted in the Capital Im:Vrovement Program and construction is expected to start this fall, pending approval by BCne. The project also includes provision for a future second phase of marsh restoration over the remdining 7.2 acres of Harbor Point, .. hich .. ould be funded by agency gr-ar.ts or the for~ation of a marsh mitigation banJo:. Ci ty staff attended a publ ic heering of BCDC on Fe~'ruary 5, 1992. The purpose of the hearing was to obtaIn app=cval fer constructing the irr,provements and to verify compliance 'With cO:lditions of an earlier BeDe permit, ""hich ""as issrJ.ed to t!-.e City for dreJging at the former yacht harbor site (p&rmit:. 81-11). Th{)se conditions require the restoration of four acres of rr,arsh at the tip of Harbor Point and develop!'!',ent of public access on the :r:-eniaining 7.2 acres I in accordance with the adopted Bayl~nd Y.aster Plan as it existed on the date the permit was issued (August 25, 1981). Tt'le project brought before the BCuC '",as based on a revised Baylands Master Pla!l for the harbor area approved by council as part of the site and design application. The :rnaj or difference from the original master plan seen by BCDC in 1981 was a substitution of marsh for public access on the remaining 7.2 acres of Harbor Point. To compensate for this loss, ne"",' public access .:as added easterly of Harbor Point including picnic areas, paths and a sailing -1- CMR: 153: 92 d .... """.'6 !lit- :;i~~i;~/ .';",.~,~.' . .1 J. - . ...... ; . ,,,,; " '~7 ,-. \. '. - a station. Ths incorporation of ~ore marsh rest0ratiorl at Point resulted from t~e lSsB council dire~ted study, identified areas .... ithin the baylands suit.ab1e for development of ~etlands. Harbor ."rhich fl.:ture Aithough there was overall positiv€. support for the project, Commission members were concerned about the loss of 7.2 acres of public access on Ha.rbor ?oil"1.t. .... 'itho·.Jt having a firm cOr.'.mit:r.H:::nt from the City on the timing for the substituted ~3rsh restoration. At the meeting, City staff stat€d opp~sition ~o setting a deadline on the additional marsh restoration as the ccst of the ","ark wOilld exceed $l.OQO,QCO and grant funds have not y€t been identified. The Conur.ission 'wo'as also concerned ..... heth,2r the ne"", public access impreve!tlents compensated for those indicated in the 1981 rcaster plan fo~ Harbor Point. Since the 1981 ~aster plan is a c~nceptual policy document, it does not provide specific details for public access, thereby making it difficult for comparisons. In order to issue a permit, the Co::mlissioil nl\.lst deter-mine ... ·hether the public access and marsh restoration in the City's project under the revised master plan provides public benefits equal to or greater than those required under the BCDC pernit (81-11) issued for past harbor dredging. Due to the issues discussed earlier, the COI!l.lllission delayed making this determination until February 20, 1992 and directed its staff to examin8 the City's revised public access proposal and the possibility of placing a ti~e lirr:it on the completion of the 7.2 acre :marsh restoration. Based en informal conversations ~ith BeDe staff, it appears that they will zr.axe the follovir"1g reco!i1!Li€r.aation t.j ti::e COP."IF.lission. The City will be given five years tc 0btain the necessary grant funding for the restoration of the 7.2 acres of ~arsh, and an additional year to complete the construction. If grant funding is not obtained in that time, the City will be required to install the original public access improve~ents cDnte~plated in the Say lands Master Plan. staff notes that a miner change to the Environnenta1 11:1pact Assess:rnent may be necessary to acco~pl ish th is, but overa 11 the condition appears to be re3sor.able. Respectfully submitted, G~G~ A~.'~istant Dr.ctor of Public Works !J (A1_ /t .?'.b./; I I , J~EMING J:_l . ~ssistant City Ma~r V Related Reports: CMR:181:91 CMR:153:92 • -2- D.~VID G. _1I.DP1·~S Director of Public Works