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Creeks Committee details $900,000 West Reach grant and restoration plans for Lee Creekside Park
Summary
Lafayette’s Creeks, Environmental and Ecological Stewardship (CREECS) Committee reported ongoing restoration at Lee Creekside Park, a donated $900,000 grant for the West Reach project, and partnerships with Lamorinda Sunrise Rotary and regional grant programs to fund a larger Zone 3 bank repair that will likely require paid contractors.
Lafayette — Members of Lafayette’s Creeks Committee briefed the City Council Sept. 8 on the committee’s year of work, describing volunteer‑led invasive‑plant removal at Lee Creekside Park, partnerships with Lamorinda Sunrise Rotary, and a $900,000 grant set aside for a West Reach downtown creeks project.
The committee said volunteer events and Rotary support have accelerated restoration work at Lee Creekside Park; volunteers and Rotary members helped remove invasive species and install signage. Committee members said they expect to plant native riparian species in coming months and to continue coordination with East Bay Regional Park District and the city’s public works staff.
Bank repair and funding needs: Committee members described a distinct restoration need for “Zone 3,” a roughly 100‑linear‑foot, steep, downstream bank at Lee Creekside Park that is unsafe for volunteer crews. The committee plans bioengineering repairs (vegetation, logs and live‑splay techniques) to replace an older failed retaining structure, and said the work will require contractor funds and plant costs. Committee leadership said they aim to cover costs through Rotary support, grants (California Urban Streams Partnership/CUSP and other state funding), and in‑kind city maintenance support rather than asking the city for direct funding.
West Reach project: Will Elder, CREECS chair, said the committee has a conceptual design for the West Reach — a pathway, bioretention features to capture runoff from Mount Diablo Boulevard and a widened trail alignment — that matches approximately the $900,000 grant the committee received. The design will remove some on‑street parking along Mount Diablo Boulevard and add a bike path adjacent to bioretention; the committee said the next step is to hire a design firm to complete plans and ready the project for construction, with an optimistic construction start in 2027.
Park district coordination and bridge repairs: Committee members said the East Bay Regional Park District performed a temporary repair to a collapsed bank and that there remains uncertainty about the timing and scope of a replacement bridge at the downtown gazebo; staff said the project was under consideration for next year’s budget but no definitive timeline exists.
Partnerships and grants: The committee reported collaboration with the LaMirinda Sunrise Rotary (which provided volunteers and a $10,000 district grant and other contributions), the California Urban Streams Partnership (CUSP) and the county resource conservation district. The committee’s outreach and permit‑monitoring work also prompted minor revisions to Lafayette’s tree protection ordinance, committee members said.
Public comment and council response: Paul Bettelheim of LaMirinda Sunrise Rotary praised the committee and outlined club fundraising and volunteer commitments, including $10,000 from the Rotary district plus other club and outside funds the club has allocated to support work at Lee Creekside Park.
Ending: Council members thanked the committee for sustained volunteer engagement and urged staff to continue coordinating with the parks district to resolve the bridge and bank repairs.
