Alameda County staff outline nominations for Priority Conservation Areas; Planning Commission split leaves tight ABAG deadline

Alameda County planning staff on July 7 presented draft nominations for five Priority Conservation Areas (PCAs) the county could submit to the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), noting ABAG had extended its nomination deadline to July 25 and the PCA grant program could make the county eligible to compete for funding.

"PCAs are largely symbolic," said Ali Abers, planning staff, adding that designation "does not change the way that creeks are regulated" in the county and is not a conservation easement. Abers said PCAs identify areas eligible for ABAG PCA grant funding in support of Plan Bay Area 2050 goals for housing, transportation, the economy and the environment.

Why it matters: PCA recognition itself imposes no new land‑use restrictions but can strengthen grant applications and make projects eligible for funding. Abers said the regional PCA grant program has provided about $38 million since 2013 and ABAG anticipates a roughly $8 million call for projects this cycle; historically grant awards have ranged from roughly $150,000 up to $1–2 million depending on project type.

The five draft nominations staff plans to present to the Board are: an Environmental Justice Priority Communities Green Zone (covering urban unincorporated areas such as Ashland, Cherryland, San Lorenzo, Hayward Acres and Castro Valley); Sunol Area Creeks (about 60 miles of creeks seeking flood‑relief funding); South Bay Aqueduct Trail (a roughly 3‑mile trail segment); Regional Trail Connectors in the Working Landscape (about 30 square miles in northeastern Alameda County to close a gap between existing PCAs); and Resilient Fairview (combining fire‑severity zones and riparian corridors to target fire risk and riparian protection).

Supporters at public comment urged adoption and highlighted potential benefits. "I am in support of adopting the resilient Fairview," said Fairview resident Vanessa Rhodes, urging the Board to integrate projects for eucalyptus abatement, creek cleanup and to prioritize emergency egress and transparent outreach to property owners. Bruce King of Castro Valley, speaking for Friends of San Lorenzo, said the nominations would help secure funding and cited the need for fish‑passage mitigation on reaches of San Lorenzo Creek.

Some residents expressed distrust of regional agencies. A caller identified by the clerk as Kelly criticized ABAG and MTC and said staff presentations had downplayed controversial regional proposals; that caller said the process had eroded trust in county and regional staff. Abers responded during Q&A that, in the county's experience, PCA designation had not been used to impose new local regulations — pointing to South Livermore Valley as an example where zoning changes occurred despite an existing PCA — and that nominations commonly strengthen other grant applications.

Process and legal notes: Abers told the meeting the Planning Commission on June 16 split 3–3 and did not forward a recommendation; with ABAG's July 25 deadline staff said the county would need Board direction quickly. She also said the PCA nominations and accompanying resolutions are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because they are not a project for CEQA purposes. Abers described typical eligibility rules for grants: cities, counties, park districts, special districts and nonprofits generally are eligible; individual private landowners are not eligible to apply directly but can participate through eligible agencies or districts.

Next steps: Because the July 7 session was informational (no quorum), no formal Board vote was taken. Staff plans to bring a resolution to the Board on July 10 so the county can decide whether to submit nominations to ABAG by the July 25 deadline.