BOARD AGENDA MEMORANDUM
SUBJECT:
Title
Funding Agreement for up to $8 million under the Safe, Clean Water and Natural Flood Protection Program - Partnerships for the Conservation of Habitat Lands Project D7 with the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency.
End
RECOMMENDATION:
Recommendation
Approve a Funding Agreement with the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency for up to $8 million under the Safe, Clean Water and Natural Flood Protection Program - Partnerships for the Conservation of Habitat Lands Project D7.
Body
SUMMARY:
This memo proposes a partnership agreement with the Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency (Agency) under the Safe Clean Water Program (Program) -- Project D7, to fulfill the benefits specified by the Program. On July 11, 2017, the Board directed the CEO to negotiate a Project D7 partnership agreement with the Agency to support land acquisition. The Agreement (Attachment 1) incorporates, as its Exhibit B, the Criteria for Allocation of Partnership Funding to the Agency for the Conservation of Habitat Lands to specify how D7 benefits are met through the Valley Habitat Plan (Habitat Plan) implementation.
In November 2012, the voters approved the countywide Safe, Clean Water Program, a 15-year special parcel tax. The Program identified five priorities; the Priority D goal is to Restore Wildlife Habitat and Provide Open Space. Included is Project D7 -- Partnerships for Conservation of Habitat Lands intended to provide up to $8 million to acquire habitat land to preserve local ecosystems and implement the Habitat Plan.
The Habitat Plan specifies the conditions for a fifty-year incidental take permit for endangered species. This gives the 'co-permittees' - the District, Santa Clara County and the cities of San Jos?, Gilroy and Morgan Hill - long-term regulatory coverage for public and private projects. The Habitat Plan sets fees to compensate for impacts to 19 species. The fees are used by the Agency to acquire preserve areas which are managed...
Click here for full text