Agenda

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C. 79

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	John Kopchik, Director, Conservation & Development Department
Date:	February 26, 2019

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Northern Waterfront Economic Development Initiative Strategic Action Plan Implementation

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 02/26/2019

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

ABSENT:

Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor

Contact:

Amalia Cunningham, 925-674-7869

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: February 26, 2019
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

APPROVE new funding allocation of $142,500 for projects to implement the approved Northern Waterfront Economic Development Initiative Strategic Action Plan, using the remaining funds already authorized for the Initiative.

FISCAL IMPACT:

There is no new impact on the General Fund. This reallocates existing funding to better identify the types of projects, such as a marketing campaign and event, waterfront access improvements, and predevelopment costs to explore creating a bioscience incubator, that will be undertaken in 2019-2020.

BACKGROUND:

In 2017, the Northern Waterfront Economic Development Initiative identified three work areas: outreach, data developments & analytics, and the Strategic Action Plan (SAP), and the Board approved $500,000 for them. In addition to the consultant work on the Conceptual Framework for Human Capital and SAP completed in the past two years, the short-line rail study grant match has also been appropriated. This leaves about $237,000 from the original $500,000. The SAP was approved by the Board in January 2019.

BACKGROUND: (CONT'D)

Other "data developments and analytics" projects originally slated to use those funds dating from 2015-17, such as an industrial parcel database, have become lower priorities of the NWEDI partnership. Staff's

recommendation is to reallocate funding to the projects slated to get underway this year. The current projects include a joint marketing campaign, predevelopment costs to explore using County-owned property in Hercules for bioscience, a Northern Waterfront forum in May (costs will include refreshments for attendees, stage and equipment rental, and videography by CCTV, among other items) and Crockett community waterfront access planning. This latter item is an evolution of the State Lands line item that was included in the 2017 list of projects; while the State Lands Commission has not been supportive of a wholesale assignment of waterfront leases to the County, there may be a possibility to assume responsibility for small discrete areas with community support. The Port Street area of Crockett is a candidate.

Staff also hopes to create a promotional video for the Northern Waterfront, estimated at $10,000, as part of the marketing line item below. Marketing has emerged as a priority of the working group, since the Northern Waterfront brand is gaining traction in the Bay Area and State, and needs professional marketing to go to the next level.

The projects listed below, with the exception of the event, will stretch into 2020 or beyond and, at this point, the cost estimates are preliminary. Staff expects new projects will emerge as implementation and collaboration take root, and accordingly have not programmed all the remaining funds yet. A Memorandum of Understanding is under negotiation with partner cities, and additional priorities may come out of that process when it is finalized later this year. Subject to Board approval, approximately $94,500 remains for Northern Waterfront implementation activities in the future.

2019-2020 Northern Waterfront Economic Development Initiative Implementation

Northern Waterfront project funding approved by Board in 2017	$500,000
Committed to consultant contracts or grant match	$263,000

Hercules site exploration for bioscience	$50,000
May forum	$12,500
State Lands/Crockett waterfront access	$10,000
Collaborative marketing and promotional video	$70,000
Subtotal of 2019-20 implementation projects	$142,500

Remaining Northern Waterfront funding for future projects:	$94,500

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

If the Board does not approve this recommendation, it will be difficult to move forward on implementation on the approved Northern Waterfront Strategic Action Plan using old project descriptions and outdated cost estimates.