Title
Staff Report for Resolutions Supporting Priority Conservation Area Designations for the San Leandro Creek and the San Francisco Bay Area Water Trail
Staffreport
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
A Priority Conservation Area (PCA) designation from the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) allows important natural resources, regional recreation areas, agricultural areas, urban greenways, and riparian corridors to be eligible for future regional funding. Two areas in the City should be nominated as PCAs: the San Leandro Creek, including a 200-foot buffer, and the San Francisco Bay Area Water Trail. Both of these projects provide natural landscaping, urban greening and regional recreation opportunities. Staff recommends approval of the resolutions that support designating the San Leandro Creek and the San Francisco Bay Area Water Trail as Priority Conservation Areas.
BACKGROUND
Priority Conservation Areas
The Priority Conservation Area program was initiated in 2007 by ABAG to identify Bay Area open spaces that:
a) Provide regionally significant agricultural, natural resource, scenic, recreational, and/or ecological values and ecosystem functions;
b) Are in urgent need of protection due to pressure from urban development or other factors; and
c) Supported by local consensus.
The PCAs were established at the same time as the locally nominated Priority Development Areas (PDAs). Together, the PDAs and PCAs have informed and will continue to inform the development of Plan Bay Area and implementation initiatives such as the One Bay Area Grant.
There are currently 101 PCAs throughout the Bay Area. Most of the PCAs were nominated by local jurisdictions, park districts, or open space districts. A handful were nominated by non-profit organizations such as land trusts. The majority of the PCAs are natural resource or regional recreation areas, with a smaller number of agricultural areas and urban greenways and riparian corridors. A PCA desig...
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