]To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Permit Sonoma, Economic Development Board, and County Administrator’s Office
Staff Name and Phone Number: Tennis Wick 565-1925, Ethan Brown 565-7589, and Barbara Lee 565-2510
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): First
Title:
Title
Coastal Conservancy grant for Climate Adaptation Center study at the former Sonoma Developmental Center.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Adopt a resolution accepting a $250,000 grant from the Coastal Conservancy to study the potential development of a Climate Adaptation Center at the former Sonoma Developmental Center, delegating authority to the Director of Permit Sonoma to execute the final grant agreement, and finding the project exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act. (First District)
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Executive Summary:
The Coastal Conservancy has authorized a grant of $250,000 to the County of Sonoma to study feasibility and create a plan for a Climate Adaptation Center (Plan) at the former Sonoma Developmental Center. Permit Sonoma and the Economic Development Board, with support from the County Administrator’s Office Climate Action and Resiliency Division, will work together to develop a Work Program to carry out the tasks under this grant agreement. The work is expected to be completed by November 30, 2023. Upon its completion, the County will make the Plan available to the future property owner(s) to consider as part of their redevelopment plans.
The Coastal Conservancy authorized a grant of $250,000 to the County to study feasibility of a climate adaptation center plan (Plan), to be located at the former Sonoma Developmental Center. The work is expected to be completed within 12 months. Upon its completion, Permit Sonoma will make the Plan available to the future property owner(s).
Discussion:
The property known as the Sonoma Developmental Center (SDC) is owned by the State of California and encompasses approximately 945 acres, including a 180-acre previously developed campus and 765 acres of open space with Camp Via. In December 2022, the Board of Supervisors adopted the SDC Specific Plan and certified an environmental impact report to govern redevelopment following the State’s expected disposition of the property. The County has led development of an environmental review and a specific plan for the property, while State Department of General Services (DGS) is the lead for the disposition process. The Legislature mandated that redevelopment includes open space and wildlife protection, housing development, and economic sustainability. In addition to these elements, the County’s SDC Specific Plan envisions the redevelopment to produce and demonstrate practical solutions necessary for climate change adaptation.
To aid this vision for the campus, the California Conservancy has approved an award of $250,000 to the County of Sonoma to develop a plan for a potential Climate Adaptation Center at the former Sonoma Developmental Center. The Plan would outline the following elements: how the site would be governed, managed, and analyzed, the location of the Center on the site, its relationship with the other activities on the campus, and the preliminary estimates on the cost of infrastructure and improvements. The Plan would evaluate potential public and private partnerships and funding sources available for providing a concentrated physical presence and focus for climate adaptation innovation. Outreach to the private sector would determine which innovators, inventors, and investors are available to provide the economic engine of the potential center. And lastly, the Plan would develop strategies for approaching potential participants and include an appropriate mix and diversity of adaptation applications.
The Plan would be consistent with, but exist and function independently from, the SDC Specific Plan and developed in collaboration with the Economic Development Board, County Administrator’s Office, Sonoma Water, Sonoma Clean Power, Sonoma Transportation Agency, Sonoma County Regional Parks, Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District, and various climate advocacy groups. Permit Sonoma and the Economic Development Board will work together, with the County Administrator’s Office, to develop and seek approval from the Coastal Conservancy of a Work Program, which will include issuance of a Request for Proposals for a consultant to develop the Plan. Under the grant agreement, the Plan must be completed by the end of November, and it will be made available to the future property owner for use in refining future development plans.
The proposed project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to the CEQA Guidelines at California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Sections 15262, which exempts feasibility and planning studies for possible future actions from the requirement to prepare an Environmental Impact Report or negative declaration, and 15306, which exempts from CEQA basic data collection, research, and resource evaluation activities that will not disturb environmental resources. The proposed project consists of planning activities, feasibility research and analysis, and the development of recommendations for potential future action, none of which will impact any environmental resources. Through acceptance of the grant and development of the plan the County is not committing to any course of action, in particular, the County is not committed to approving or funding development of a climate adaption center or any other related development.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Prior Board Actions:
N/A
Fiscal Summary
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Expenditures |
FY 22-23 Adopted |
FY23-24 Projected |
FY 24-25 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$250,000 |
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Additional Appropriation Requested |
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Total Expenditures |
$250,000 |
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Funding Sources |
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General Fund/WA GF |
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State/Federal |
$250,000 |
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Fees/Other |
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Use of Fund Balance |
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Contingencies |
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Total Sources |
$250,000 |
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
This grant does not request local match funding and additional discretionary funding is not needed. There are sufficient revenue and expenditure appropriations in Permit Sonoma’s FY 2022-23 Budget to accommodate the activities related to this grant; any costs needed in FY 2023-24 will be included in the upcoming Annual Budget.
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
Attachment 1: Resolution
Attachment 2: Grant Agreement
Attachment 3: Coastal Conservancy Staff Report September 9, 2022
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
N/A