Northern Waterfront Updates
Since the September 2019 meeting of the Northern Waterfront Ad Hoc Committee, recent economic development activity to implement the Northern Waterfront Strategic Action Plan (SAP) has included:
-
The working group for East Contra Costa branding came to a preliminary understanding about the scope for the first phase, and issued a Request for Qualifications through the City of Brentwood. Once the consultant responses are received and reviewed, there will be a board order with the final recommendation for consultant and the County's share of the cost. Phase One will identify the brand and develop the marketing plan around it, and future years' cost will be for implementing it through advertising, etc. Participating in this collaborative effort leverages the County's contribution into a much bigger impact, and is an important partnership for promoting the regional assets identified in the SAP.
-
The short-line rail feasibility study on Wilbur Avenue in Antioch, unincorporated Contra Costa County, and Oakley is almost complete. Regardless of what the final recommendation will be, simply undertaking the work to identify goods movement needs and opportunities on the Wilbur Avenue corridor has opened a dialogue with major property owners and both cities, and shown the County's commitment to create more jobs in the region.
-
The County received trademark approval for two key phrases: Northern Waterfront Economic Development Initiative and Capital of the Northern California Mega-Region. In addition to informing the East Contra Costa branding effort noted above, both slogans, particularly Capital of the Northern California Mega-Region, will translate into a higher regional profile for the County and the Northern Waterfront.
-
The County received word from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission-Association of Bay Area Governments that it approved two Priority Production Areas (PPAs) in the Northern Waterfront, Pacheco and Bay Point. Staff will be cooperating with the regional agency to track and support industrial/jobs-oriented developments in the PPAs during the initial pilot program rolling out this year.
-
The County hosted the State Lands Commission in Martinez on October 24, 2019, which was a major convenience for our partners and residents who have business with the agency, and highlighted the resources along Contra Costa's shoreline. The State staff presented an update on the Crockett waterfront property which has traditionally been a main public access point to the Bay along the Northern Waterfront.
-
Economic development staff from the County and East Contra Costa cities presented opportunities in their regions at the EC2 Brokers' Breakfast in Pittsburg on October 7, and continue to collaborate with EC2 to plan more targeted events in 2020.
Current Budget and Proposed Budget
Northern Waterfront Initiative activities are funded by a General Fund allocation of $500,000 dating from 2017-2018. Projects to date have been developing the SAP and Conceptual Framework for Human Development, the County's share of the short-line rail feasibility study, and the May 2019 Northern Waterfront forum, which have left an estimated balance of $325,500, as shown on Attachment A.
Looking ahead to the 2020-21 budget process and work plan, staff is recommending a slate of projects to implement the SAP; some of the projects were previously identified in the pipeline in a February 2019 report to the Board of Supervisors, and some of them are new for next fiscal year.
The previously identified projects anticipated to continue in 2020-21 are developing a jobs-oriented use at the County-owned property in the Hercules business park, Crockett waterfront access, and the first phase of the East Contra Costa branding effort. The estimated costs for these projects haven't changed from February 2019, totaling $130,000 for "old" projects.
The new projects slated for next year's work plan are the advertising costs of the second phase of the East Contra Costa branding effort, business retention outreach focused on businesses that are good candidates to transition to employee ownership, a resident workforce characteristics analysis following release of Census 2020 data, and business attraction/entrepreneurship growth focused on incubator support for one of the five target industries, permit improvements, or incentives research. The new projects have an estimated cost of $270,000.
The full slate of 2020-21 projects is estimated to cost $400,000. An estimated $326,000 remains unallocated from the 2017-18 funding from the Board of Supervisors. This is a greater remaining amount than was anticipated in the February 2019 report, due to cost savings from the consultant work and the forum, and receiving the Federal grant for the short-line rail work. After using the remaining funds, this will result in a need for an additional $75,000 to augment the Northern Waterfront fund. The proposed 2020-21 Budget is Attachment B.
Leveraging Limited County Funds
It is not the intent to spend only the County's limited funds on implementing the Northern Waterfront Strategic Action Plan. The short-line rail feasibility study is an example of the County leveraging grant funds to complete a Northern Waterfront project, since the study cost is $75,000 but the County successfully applied for a $37,500 Federal matching grant. Another example is the East Contra Costa branding effort, which from its inception has been a joint project among the four cities and the County, through the Department of Conservation and Development and the Airports Division of the Department of Public Works. All agencies are expected to financially contribute to the cost of the branding project.
The 2020-21 proposed Northern Waterfront budget anticipates grant or partner funding of at least $25,000 to help fund or augment some of the proposed projects, of which the workforce study is a prime target since many other agencies would benefit from it as a business attraction tool. Staff monitors outside funding opportunities and pursues the most appropriate on an ongoing basis.
Milestones
It is important to identify milestones moving forward in the work plan to make sure the County and partners are on track for meeting the goals of growing employment and entrepreneur opportunities in the Northern Waterfront. If the budget and work plan are approved as submitted, proposed targets for the Committee's consideration include:
By the end of calendar year 2020:
-
Agreement with City of Hercules regarding County-owned property
-
100 business outreach contacts made regarding employee ownership interest
-
Phase One of branding underway
-
Additional economic development staff person on board
By the end of fiscal year 2020-21:
-
Agreement with State Lands Commission protecting public access to the Crockett waterfront
-
Workforce characteristics analysis under contract
-
Phase One branding complete; Phase Two underway
-
Business attraction project underway
|