Resolution 15910CITY OF ALAMEDA RESOLUTION NO. 15910
APPROVING THE CITY OF ALAMEDA CLIMATE ADAPTATION AND HAZARD
MITIGATION PLAN AS THE CITY'S LOCAL HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN INCLUDING
INCORPORATION INTO THE CITY OF ALAMEDA GENERAL PLAN SAFETY ELEMENT
BY REFERENCES, AND ADOPTING A GENERAL PLAN AMENDMENT AMENDING
THE HEALTH AND SAFETY ELEMENT AND CONSERVATION AND CLIMATE ACTION
ELEMENT OF THE ALAMEDA GENERAL PLAN 2040 TO ALIGN WITH THE CLIMATE
ADAPTATION AND HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN, 2022
WHEREAS, due to Alameda's proximity to major earthquake faults, our geography as a
low-lying island community with older building stock, Alameda faces risks from a number of
climate and natural hazards that have the potential to significantly disrupt daily life and cause
damage to people and property; and
WHEREAS, earthquakes, floods and sea level rise pose the greatest risk to people and
property in Alameda; and
WHEREAS, Alameda also faces risks from tsunamis, heat, drought, wildfire related
hazards of smoky air and power outages, and dam breach inundation; and
WHEREAS, climate change is exacerbating the frequency, duration, extent, and
consequences of many of the hazards Alameda faces; and
WHEREAS, some members of the community will be more significantly impacted by
natural disasters and may have a more difficult time recovering than others due to lack of stable
housing, financial resources, and by zoning laws that have historically disproportionately placed
people of color into areas of the city more vulnerable to natural hazards.
WHEREAS, the success of the Climate Adaptation and Hazard Mitigation rests not only
on our ability to implement the strategies laid out in this plan, but also on our ability to implement
the City's Climate Action and Resiliency Plan (CARP) and reduce our greenhouse gas emissions
(GHG) by 50% below 2005 levels by 2030 and become carbon neutral soon as possible. By taking
strong actions to reduce our GHG emissions, Alameda will do our part to achieve a climate safe
path and avoid some of the most extreme climate effects we could face; and
WHEREAS, the City of Alameda seeks to be prepared for future hazards and climate
impacts by reducing the potential loss of life, property damage, and environmental degradation
from natural disasters, while accelerating equitable economic recovery from those disasters; and
WHEREAS, the City of Alameda is committed to increasing the resilience of the
infrastructure, health, housing, economy, government services education, environment, and land
use systems in the City of Alameda; and
WHEREAS, given the interconnectedness of our ecosystems and the shared watershed
of San Leandro Bay and the Oakland -Alameda Estuary, the City must work collaboratively with
key stakeholders across the region to help ensure uniform protections for all communities,
especially for under resourced communities, and speak with a unified voice to expedite collective
hazard mitigation and climate adaptation goals; and
WHEREAS, the federal Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA 2000) requires all cities
counties, and special districts to have adopted a Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) to receive
disaster mitigation funding from FEMA; and
WHEREAS, the LHMP for the City of Alameda planning area was developed in
accordance with DMA 2000 and followed FEMA's 2011 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan guidance;
and
WHEREAS, the LHMP incorporates a process where hazards are identified and profiled,
the people and facilities at risk are analyzed, and mitigation actions are developed to reduce or
eliminate hazard risk; and
WHEREAS, the implementation of these mitigation actions, which include both short and
long-term strategies, involve planning, policy changes, programs, projects, and other activities;
and
WHEREAS, the Federal Emergency Management Agency approved the City's Local
Hazard Mitigation Plan, 2022, pending City Council adoption of the plan on May 1, 2022.
WHEREAS, Government Code section 65300.5 requires the City of Alameda (City) to
maintain a General Plan that is an "integrated, internally consistent and compatible statement of
policies for the adopting agency"; and
WHEREAS, the General Plan establishes the local development and conservation policies
necessary to guide the long-term plan for the physical development of the City and protect the
general health, safety and welfare of the community and the environment; and
WHEREAS, Alameda's General Plan 2040 was adopted November 30, 2021 by the City
Council; and
WHEREAS, staff recommends revisions to policies in both the Health and Safety Element
and Conservation and Climate Action Element of the General Plan so that the strategies and
policies are aligned and consistent with the Mitigation Plan strategies; and
WHEREAS, incorporation of the recommended revisions outlined in the Addendum List
(Exhibit 1) will align the strategies in the Mitigation Plan with the proposed General Plan policies.
Staff is recommending that the General Plan be amended to reflect this alignment; and
WHEREAS, the draft General Plan amendments and the adequacy of the General Plan
EIR were considered by the City Planning Board at a duly noticed public hearing on May 9, 2022,
during which the Planning Board received and considered public testimony and written comments
before making its recommendation to the City Council.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Alameda adopts the Climate
Adaptation and Hazard Mitigation Plan, 2022 as Alameda's Local Hazard Mitigation Plan.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Climate Adaptation and
Hazard Mitigation Plan is incorporated into the City of Alameda General Plan Safety Element by
reference.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Council finds that on
November 30, 2021, by Resolution No. 15841, the City Council certified a Final Environmental
Impact Report (State Clearinghouse No. 2021030563) in compliance with the California
Environmental Quality Act, and adopted written findings, a Statement of Overriding
Considerations, and a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program for the General Plan
Amendment to update the Alameda General Plan. Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines sections 15162
and 15163, none of the circumstances necessitating further CEQA review are present. The
proposed General Plan amendments would not require major revisions to General Plan
Amendment EIR due to new significant impacts or due to a substantial increase in the severity of
the significant environmental effects. There have been no substantial changes with respect to
the circumstances under which the policies would be implemented that would require major
revisions of the General Plan Amendment EIR due to new or substantially increased significant
environmental effects. Further, there has been no discovery of new information of substantial
importance that would trigger or require major revisions to the General Plan Amendment EIR due
to new or substantially increased significant environmental effects. For these reasons, no further
environmental review with respect to the General Plan Amendment EIR is required.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Health and Safety Element
and Conservation and Climate Action Element of the Alameda General Plan 2040 be amended
to reflect the amendments shown in Exhibit 1; and
Exhibit 1:
The Conservation and Climate Action Element policies shall be amended as follows:
CC -16
Water Efficiency and Conservation. Minimize water use in existing and new construction and
landscaped areas to make Alameda more resilient to drought and generate less wastewater.
Actions:
a. Water Efficient Landscape Requirements. Maintain up-to-date water -efficient
landscaping regulations and ordinances to reduce water use in both private and public
landscapes that include healthy, drought tolerant soils, diverse native plant species, non-
invasive drought tolerant/low water use plants, and high -efficiency irrigation systems.
b. Water -Efficient Buildings. Require low -flow fixtures, such as low -flow toilets and faucets
in new construction.
c. Recycled and Reclaimed Water. Promote the production and usage of recycled and
reclaimed water (sometimes called "grey water') for potable and non -potable uses.
d. Pesticides, Herbicides, and Fertilizers. Limit the use of pesticides, herbicides, and
fertilizers throughout the city by fostering healthy soil practices, which include organic
carbon amendments (e.g. compost and mulch) on all non -turf planting areas.
e. Soil Health. Encourage soil health by promoting and educating the public about the
benefits of organic carbon soil amendments that improve water retention in local
landscapes.
f. EBMUD. Work with EBMUD to improve effectiveness of water conservation programs and
increase drought awareness.
g. City Buildings. Implement water -saving technologies at all City -owned buildings and post
visible signage to educate visitors.
CC -21
plans to 50 years of the Ocean Protection Council's Medium High Risk Aversion, high cmiscions
. .
mechanisms to pay for later adaptation improvements to address future sea level and
groundwater increases above that level. (See also Policies HS 18 and HS 22). Adaptation
Pathway Master Plan. Develop an adaptation pathway master plan that includes updated
vulnerability studies, groundwater rise studies and other data collection as needed to identify the
range of shoreline protection, groundwater management and adaptation strategies over time from
short- to Tong -term as well as land use, building and infrastructure design standards needed to
help Alameda and the entire San Leandro Bay and Oakland -Alameda Estuary area adapt to rising
sea and groundwater levels. The plan should include economic analysis and cost estimates to
facilitate the development of funding strategies and regional cooperation, (See also Policies LU -
14, CC -24, and HS -24).
CC -22
Critical Public Assets. Ensure resilience and long-term functionality of the transportation
network. Implement improvements to move or protect critical public assets threatened by
earthquakes, sea level rise or rising groundwater. (See also Policy HS -127).
Actions:
a. Stormwater System. Identify funding sources to improve the public stormwater
infrastructure and ensure it meets current needs and is prepared for the effects of sea
level rise and climate change.
b. Sewer System. Protect vulnerable wastewater systems and facilities to minimize
disruption to the systems following ground shaking and extreme weather events.
c. Electric System. Ensure electrical infrastructure is flood -proofed or elevated. Where
possible, move assets out of the hazard zone.
d. Transportation. Work with Caltrans and the Alameda County Transportation Commission
to identify funding to adapt the regional and local roadways in Alameda.
CC -23
Rising Groundwater. Prepare for the impacts of rising groundwater levels on private and public
property. (See also Policy HS -24).
Actions:
a. Infrastructure and Access. Develop plans and strategies to protect and/or relocate
critical infrastructure and maintain access to impacted property.
b. Building Codes. Prepare and adopt revised zoning and building codes to increase
resilience of new buildings against the impacts of rising groundwater.
c. Annual Review. Annually monitor groundwater levels and progress on specific strategies
to mitigate impacts.
d. Data. Collect new data, add groundwater monitoring wells, analyze additional
contaminants and potential landfill risks, update liquefaction zones and continue to refine
the quality of the groundwater model.
SPOTLIGHT: BUILDING ELECTRIFICATION BENEFITS
Fiscal Responsibility and Inevitability: Key regional and state decision -makers, including
PG&E, have indicated the desire and intention to go all -electric and eventually discontinue gas
service.
Equity: As natural gas costs rise over time, customers will switch to all -electric appliances and
homes at faster and faster rates. Coordinating and subsidizing a timely and fair transition for
lower-income and more vulnerable residents is critical.
Healthy Air: Gas appliances emit pollutants and increase risk of respiratory illness
cardiovascular disease, and other long-term illnesses. Children living in homes with gas stoves
are 40% more likely to develop asthma. According to the Rocky Mount ,-stitute, children who
Resilience and Safety: Buildings that depend on natural gas may have to wait up to 6 months
following severe earthquake events for service to return (compared to up to 1 week with electric
appliances). Removing gas infrastructure reduces the risk of fires in the event of an earthquake.
Climate: Replacing gas appliances with electric appliances will reduce methane emissions from
natural gas use, which is 86 times stronger than carbon dioxide, having significant impacts on
climate change. Electrification transitions building energy use to clean energy from a renewable
grid and supports green jobs.
The Health and Safety Element policies and Spotlights shall be amended as follows:
NEW SPOTLIGHT
Local Hazard Mitigation Plan. The Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) for the City of Alameda
was developed in accordance with the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA 2000) and followed
FEMA's 2011 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan guidance. The LHMP incorporates a process where
hazards are identified and profiled, the people and facilities at risk are analyzed, and mitigation
actions are developed to reduce or eliminate hazard risk. The implementation of these mitigation
actions, which include both short and long-term strategies, involve planning, policy changes,
programs, projects, and other activities. The LHMP is available for review at
https:/iwww.alamedaca.vv/IiazardMitigationPlan
HS -3
Emergency Coordination Mutual Aid Agroomcnts. Coordinate local emergency preparedness
efforts with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, California Office of Emergency
Services, Coast Guard, United States Maritime Administration Ready Reserve Fleet, the San
Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority, Alameda County, East Bay
Municipal Utility District, the Port of Oakland, adjacent jurisdictions, CaIWARN, the Alameda
Unified School District, the various private schools in Alameda, local hospitals, housing facilities
for seniors or individuals with disabilities, and other local and regional police, fire and public health
agencies in preparation for natural and man-made disasters, and ensure that the City's disaster
response communication technologies are compatible with other agency communication
technologies. (See also Policy CC -3).
HS -4
Public Communication. Maintain and promote community programs to train volunteers, support
vulnerable community members like seniors and individuals with disabilities, coordinate with food
banks and other local aid organizations, and assist police, fire, and civil defense personnel during
and after a major earthquake, fire, or flood. (See also Policy CC -1).
Actions:
a. Volunteers. Maintain community based emergency preparedness training programs
targeted to neighborhoods and business groups, such as Community Emergency
Response Teams and inskiding-outreach and coordination with Voluntary Organizations
Active in Disasters (VOAD) and other community based programs.
b. Education. Prepare and/or make available public education and awareness materials in
multiple languages on all aspects of emergency preparedness, including the type and
extent of hazards in the community, measures to reduce the likelihood of damage and
injury, provisions for emergency supplies, steps to take immediately after a disaster, and
the location of shelters and medical facilities.
c. Targeted Communication. Engage Alamedans using a wide range of tools, languages
and strategies to communicate about all types of threats and planning, with a special
emphasis on the most vulnerable people who are least likely to know about or be able to
adapt to various threats.
d. Resilience Hubs. Promote resilience hubs, community -serving facilities augmented to
support residents, coordinate resource distribution and services before, during, or after a
natural hazard event, and reduce carbon pollution while enhancing quality of life.
7.2 SEISMIC + GEOLOGIC HAZARDS
Figure 7.2 illustrates Alameda's susceptibility to severe liquefaction in the event of ground
shaking. Climate change may increase the risk of liquefaction. Rising sea levels will cause rising
groundwater levels in Alameda. Liquefiable soils that become saturated with groundwater are at
increased risk of liquefaction. As the risks grow, so does the need for Alameda to strengthen its
requirements to make buildings safer and more resilient to severe ground shaking and
liquefaction.
HS -9
Building and Infrastructure Standards. Maintain up-to-date building codes and encourage or
require new and existing buildings and infrastructure to be designed or retrofitted for timely
restoration of service (functional recovery) following an earthquake, with particular attention on
the effects of liquefaction on buildings and infrastructure.
HS -12
City Buildings and Infrastructure Continue to strengthen and rehabilitate city buildings and
infrastructure, including but not limited to waste water systems and pump stations, storm water
systems and pump stations, and electric system's and facilities to ensure that the City can respond
effectively to a seismic event and to provide resilience and Tong -term functionality. (See also
Policies CC -4, CC -5, CC -13, CC-14Land CC -16, and CC -22).
a. Stormwater System. Rehabilitate the existing storm system conveyances and pump
stations to increase capacity and resilience during storms. high tides, sea level rise
seismic events, and power outages, thereby decreasing the chance of flooding of nearby
streets, utilities, and buildings.
b. Sewer System. Protect vulnerable wastewater system and facilities to minimize disruption
to the systems following ground shaking and extreme weather events and consider the
impact of rising groundwater levels and increasing salinity on buried utility infrastructure.
c. Electric System. Protect vulnerable electric systems and facilities. Ensure electrical
infrastructure is flood -proofed or elevated and strengthened for earthquakes. Where
possible, move assets out of the hazard zone, including elevating utility junction boxes
and other electrical infrastructure on scaffolding.
d. Transportation. Work with Caltrans and the Alameda County Transportation Commission
to identify funding to adapt and strengthen the regional and local roadways in Alameda.
HS -13
Private Buildings. Require owners of vulnerable structures, to the extent feasible, to retrofit
existing structures to withstand earthquake ground shaking, and require retrofitting when such
structures are substantially rehabilitated or remodeled.
Actions:
a. Soft Story Program. Continue to implement and expand the City's Soft Story Program,
including mandatory requirements for substantially improving the seismic performance of
multi -family wood frame residential buildings with open ground floor parking or commercial
spaces known as soft stories.
b. Wood Framed Building Program. Continue to implement and expand the City's Wood
Framed Building Program, includingvoluntary-requirements for substantially improving the
seismic performance of one- and two-story wood frame residential buildings with
vulnerable "cripple walls"
c. Non -ductile Concrete Buildings. Identify, evaluate and retrofit non -ductile concrete
residential and nonresidential buildings that are vulnerable to collapse in earthquakes.
d. Chimneys. Encourage owners to remove or rebuild masonry or stone chimneys
vulnerable to collapse in earthquakes.
e. Incentives. Develop incentives and assistance to help property owners make their homes
and businesses more earthquake -safe. Pursue a variety of funding sources, such as
grants, low-interest loans, tax credits and zoning waivers and density bonuses, to assist
residents and businesses with seismic upgrades. Provide exemptions from City zoning
requirements, such as off-street parking and/or common open space to facilitate the
retrofitting of vulnerable privately -owned buildings.
f. Shoreline Property Management. Require owners of shoreline properties, to the extent
feasible, to inspect, maintain, and repair the perimeter slopes to withstand earthquake
ground shaking, consolidation of underlying bay mud, and wave erosion.
g•
Cool/Green Buildings. Incentivize and consider requiring the installation of cool roofs
preen roofs, and/or other energv-efficient cool building methods to mitigate heat impacts
and reduce runoff.
HS -14
Flood Insurance. Continue the City's participation in the National Flood Insurance Program and
the Community Rating System as a Class 8 community. Identify ways to increase Alameda's
Community Rating to reduce flood insurance costs.
HS -18
Preferred Adaptation Strategies. In the Adaptation Pathways Master Plan (see Policy CC -21),
develop sea level and groundwater rise adaptive strategies for different areas of the City for public
discussion and evaluation, including but not limited to: avoidance/planned retreat, enhanced
levees, setback levees to accommodate habitat transition zones, buffer zones, beaches,
expanded tidal prisms for enhanced natural scouring of channel sediments, raising and flood -
proofing structures, and/or provisions for additional flood water pumping stations, and inland
detention basins to reduce peak discharges. (See also Policies LU -14 and CC -24).
a. Funding for Priority Flooding Mitigations. Design and approve "shovel -ready"
adaptation projects at areas of location -based priority flooding identified in the Local
Hazard Mitigation Plan.
HS -20
Tsunami Preparedness Strategy. Prepare Alameda for tsunamis and prepare for a timely
evacuation with a focus of access and functional needs populations. , including Assess vertical
on access and functional nccds.
Actions:
a. Awareness. Develop a public information campaign to educate the public about tsunami
risks and evacuation procedures, with special emphasis on access and functional needs
populations and maritime communities.
b. Evacuation Emergency Annex. Include and maintain an Evacuation Emergency Annex
in the Emergency Operations Plan that includes a strategy for tsunami evacuation.
c. Signs. Place tsunami inundation zone and evacuation route signs.
d. Vertical Evacuation. Assess vertical evacuation options.
e. Drills. Conduct tsunami evacuation training and drills with schools.
f. Partner. Partner with Caltrans, Alameda County, AC Transit, the City of Oakland and Port
of Oakland to plan for tsunami evacuation.
g. Tsunami Ready. Become recognized as a Tsunami Ready community by the National
Weather Service.
HS -22
New -Development. Design For Flooding Implement programs and amend regulations to require
and incentivize flood -proofing retrofits to existing buildings in flood -prone areas, and require all
new development to design for sea level and associated groundwater rise based on the most
current regional projections. (See also Polices LU -30 and CC -20).
Actions:
a. Waterfront Setbacks. Require new development to provide adequate setbacks along
waterfront areas for the future expansion of seawalls and levees to adapt to sea level rise.
b. Data. Update maps and publish open data that display these risks clearly as soon as new
data or guidelines are created, such as a digital elevation model, sea level and
groundwater risks, or the latest risk tolerance guidance provided by the State of California.
c. Building Codes. Amend local codes to require flood -proofing techniques in defined flood
hazard zones and adjacent areas to protect them from future sea level rise. Consider
incorporating sea level rise into the flood management section of the Building Code to
encourage, incentivize, or require compliance with base floor elevation and flood -proofing
requirements to mid-century sea levels.
d. Risk Prioritization. Inventory and prioritize highest at -risk buildings, including those
serving vulnerable populations, for resiliency upgrades.
e. Assistance. Adopt fee waiver or small grant programs to help low-income households
and other vulnerable residents pay for flood retrofits.
HS -35
Contaminated Sites Cleanup. Work with county, regional, state, and federal agencies and
private property owners to ensure that the necessary steps are taken to clean up residual
hazardous wastes on any contaminated sites.
Actions:
a. New Construction. Require that all new construction, including construction on former
industrial sites, has been cleared for residential, commercial or industrial uses from the
appropriate federal, state and local agencies and acts, including the Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) Program, the
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), the California Department of Toxic
Substances Control (DTSC), the Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) and the
Alameda County Department of Environmental Health (ACDEH), which is the Certified
Unified Program Agency (CUPA) responsible for implementing state environmental
regulations related to hazardous waste and hazardous materials.
b. Groundwater Rise. Review remediation timelines for contaminated sites based on a
groundwater model with projected sea level rise impacts. Work with applicable agencies
to adjust remediation, as applicable.
I, the undersigned, hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly and regularly
adopted and passed by the Council of the City of Alameda in a regular meeting assembled on the
Itn day of June, 2022, by the following vote to wit:
AYES: Councilmembers Daysog, Herrera Spencer, Knox White, Vella and
Mayor Ezzy Ashcraft — 5.
NOES: None.
ABSENT: None.
ABSTENTIONS: None.
IN WITNESS, WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of said City
this 8th day of June, 2022.
Yibin She
City Attorney
Lara Weisiger, City Clerk
City of Alameda