PREPARED BY: SANDRA CASTANEDA DATE OF MEETING: 06/02/2025
SUBJECT:
TITLE
CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO NOMINATING CERTAIN PROPERTIES, INCLUDING WILDCAT CREEK-UNIVERSITY AVENUE, WANLASS PARK, DAVIS PARK, MCNEIL PARK, SAN PABLO DAM ROAD-HILLCREST HILLSIDE CITY-OWNED PARCELS, AND EL PORTAL CREEKSIDE COUNTY PROPERTY, AS PRIORITY CONSERVATION AREAS (PCAS) IN SAN PABLO AND AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION TO THE ASSOCIATION OF BAY AREA GOVERNMENTS (ABAG)
CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
Label
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Adopt Resolution
Body
Compliance statements
FY 2023-2025 Council Priority Workplan Compliance Statements:
Enhancing Community Resilience is a major policy goal contained in the FY 2025-27 City Council Priority Workplan.
CEQA Compliance Statement
This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
BACKGROUND
Priority Conservation Areas (PCAs) are locations nominated by cities, counties, and park/open space districts and designated by the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) for natural habitat and resource protection. The designated PCA locations support the Bay Area’s regional conservation, resilience, and sustainability objectives. First introduced in 2007, the PCA program was updated in 2024 to ensure improved alignment with regional planning and funding opportunities. PCAs are characterized as one or more types:
• Natural Lands
• Agricultural & Working Lands
• Urban Greening
• Recreation
• Climate Adaptation (must overlap with one other PCA type)
The PCA designation encourages the preservation or enhancement of areas with high conservation values or needs. The PCA nomination process is locally driven, allowing jurisdictions to identify and propose areas of regional significance based on local priorities and community input. Jurisdictions that nominate PCAs gain access to the PCA Grant Program, which provides funding for acquisition, restoration, and public access improvements. Collaboration with community stakeholders, including non-governmental organizations and local residents, is strongly encouraged during the nomination process.
PCAs are voluntary designations, and as such, do not take precedence over local control. Under California Government Code Section 65080(b)(2)(K), as the sustainable communities’ strategy (as set forth in the regional Plan Bay Area), PCA designations do not supersede the City’s land use authority.
PROPOSED PRIORITY CONSERVATION AREAS
San Pablo staff have reviewed the PCA criteria and on-line mapping tool provided by ABAG/Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) to identify six (6) potential PCA designations. These consist of a number of the City’s parks as well as open space areas along our creeks and in our undeveloped hillside areas. A listing and discussion of these PCAs follows. A map showing the PCAs is attached (Attachment 2).
1- Proposed PCA Name: Wildcat Creek-University Avenue
Location: University Avenue, east of 23rd Street, adjacent to Wildcat Creek.
Type(s): Urban Greening, Recreation and Climate Adaptation
Area (acres): Approx. 0.43 acres
2- Proposed PCA Name: Wanlass Park
Location: 2999 21st Street
Type(s): Urban Greening, Recreation and Climate Adaptation
Area (acres): Approx. 4.6 acres
3- Proposed PCA Name: Davis Park
Location: 1667 Folsom Avenue
Type(s): Urban Greening, Recreation and Climate Adaptation
Area (acres): Approx. 11.6 acres
4- Proposed PCA Name: McNeil Park
Location: Northeast of San Pablo, west of San Pablo Avenue between Rivers Street and Miner Avenue.
Type(s): Urban Greening and Climate Adaptation
Area (acres): Approx. 3 acres
5- Proposed PCA Name: SPD-Hillcrest Hillside City Owned Parcels
Location: Area between east of San Pablo Dam Rd, northwest of Morrow Dr and north of Hillcrest Rd.
Type(s): Urban Greening, Recreation and Climate Adaptation
Area (acres): Approx. 18.5 acres
6- Proposed PCA Name: El Portal Creekside County Property
Location: Adjacent to San Pablo Creek between Fordham Street and Rollingwood Drive
Type(s): Recreation and Climate Adaptation
Area (acres): Approx. 1.25 acres
Justification and Eligibility
The justification and eligibility criteria for each of the six PCA nominations are as follows.
1. The Wildcat Creek-University Avenue PCA meets the following PCA criteria:
• Regional Significance: Wildcat Creek is one of three principal creeks running through San Pablo. Regionally the creek extends 13.4 miles and flows through Wildcat Canyon situated between the Berkeley Hills and the San Pablo Ridge, emptying into San Pablo Bay. It is a goal for the City of San Pablo to develop selected areas along Wildcat Creek into green trails.
• Alignment with PCA Types: This PCA aligns with the Urban Greening, Recreation and Climate Adaptation types as it is an opportunity site for enhancing stormwater infrastructure, developing and enhancing a creek trail to provide outdoor recreation, providing Regional Trail Network connectivity, and enhancing habitat migration.
• Conservation and Community Goals: San Pablo’s creeks are significant to the community and it is a goal to continue to enhance and protect the creeks. Additionally, the community will benefit from additional open space and recreation assets.
2. The Wanlass Park PCA meets the following PCA criteria:
• Regional Significance: Wanlass park is one of four existing community parks in San Pablo and the third largest park in San Pablo, comprising 4.6 acres in size. It contains a community garden, a community room, playground and lawn areas.
• Alignment with PCA Types: This PCA aligns with the Urban Greening, Recreation and Climate Adaptation types as it is an opportunity site for expanding tree coverage, expanding green stormwater infrastructure and enhancing an existing community park.
• Conservation and Community Goals: Wanlass park is a highly valued asset for the San Pablo as the City lacks open and green space in general. The goal is to preserve this existing park but there is also an opportunity to enhance and expand it.
3. The Davis Park PCA meets the following PCA criteria:
• Regional Significance: Davis Park is one of four existing community parks in San Pablo and the largest park in San Pablo, comprising 11.6 acres in size. It is a popular destination for residents and contains a community garden, multipurpose community room, play and sports areas, and lawn areas.
• Alignment with PCA Types: This PCA aligns with the Urban Greening, Recreation and Climate Adaptation types as it is an opportunity site for expanding tree coverage, expanding green stormwater infrastructure and enhancing an existing community park and recreation destination.
• Conservation and Community Goals: Davis Park is a highly valued asset for San Pablo as the City lacks open and green space in general. The goal is to preserve this existing park but there is also an opportunity to enhance and expand it.
4. The McNeil Park PCA meets the following PCA criteria:
• Regional Significance: This PCA project area is an upcoming community park project that is currently under design. The site is a vacant 4.8-acre parcel that was formerly the location of vacant school buildings that have since been demolished. The proposed McNiel Park will include numerous resident-selected amenities, including a playground with all-abilities equipment, an adult-sized soccer field, basketball court, small stage/amphitheater, senior-rated exercise stations, a fitness trail, bathrooms, and a picnic area.
• Alignment with PCA Types: This PCA aligns with the Urban Greening and Climate Adaptation types as it is an opportunity site for enhancing stormwater infrastructure since the park is adjacent to a creek, expand tree cover in urban areas with limited shade and vegetation, and enhance an existing open space area.
• Conservation and Community Goals: To transform an underutilized space to a desirable park in a neighborhood near schools, residents, daycare and jobs. The PCA designation would align with the Urban Greening and Climate Adaptation goals of increasing tree canopy area and improving air quality as well as reducing urban heating.
5. The SPD-Hillcrest Hillside City-Owned Parcels PCA meets the following PCA criteria:
• Regional Significance: This area is located off San Pablo Dam Road and Hillcrest Road and is a hillside area prone to landslides. The PCA area is comprised of City owned parcels and a portion of the El Sobrante Shopping Plaza property. Given the geographical constraints, this area is a focus for preservation and enhancement.
• Alignment with PCA Types: This PCA aligns with the Urban Greening, Recreation and Climate Adaptation types as it is an opportunity site for enhancing stormwater infrastructure, enhancing habitat migration, maintaining tree canopy and managing fire risk to reduce the intensity and spread potential for future wildfires.
• Conservation and Community Goals: San Pablo’s focus for this PCA is conservation and enhancement by preventing landslides and wildfires to protect surrounding developments such as the El Sobrante shopping plaza and nearby residential areas.
6. The El Portal Creekside County Property PCA meets the following PCA criteria:
• Regional Significance: El Portal Creekside County Property is a Creekside property adjacent to San Pablo Creek. Development is not likely on this property but preserving and enhancing Creekside properties is a major goal for the City.
• Alignment with PCA Types: This PCA aligns with the Urban Greening Climate Adaptation types as it is an opportunity site for enhancing stormwater infrastructure, developing and enhancing a creek trail to provide Regional Trail Network connectivity and enhancing habitat migration.
• Conservation and Community Goals: San Pablo’s creeks are significant to the community, and it is a goal to continue to enhance and protect the creeks. Additionally, the community will benefit from additional open space and recreation assets.
Mapping and Boundary Details
The proposed PCAs satisfy the MTC/ABAG eligibility map requirements which ensure consistency in PCA nominations across the region. The proposed PCA boundaries have been carefully mapped to meet eligibility and avoid overlapping with ineligible areas. Attachment B includes a detailed map highlighting key features.
Community Support
This nomination reflects the priorities outlined in the City of San Pablo General Plan 2030 adopted in April 2011. That process included input from local stakeholders and community organizations.
City Council Standing Committee Review
On May 29, 2025, the Economic Development, Housing and Project Management (EDHPM) Standing Committee, consisting of Mayor Cruz and Councilmember Ponce, were presented the proposed six (6) PCA properties and program overview of the MTC/ABAG requirements, and recommended its formal consideration and approval to the City Council.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommend adopting the attached Resolution authorizing staff to submit the nominations for the designations of the six properties outlined above, as a Priority Conservation Area (PCA) to the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG).
FISCAL IMPACT
There are no anticipated fiscal or budgetary impacts resulting from the PCA nomination request. Designation of these areas allows the City to apply for funding opportunities in the future to help advance the maintenance and improvement of these areas as conservation, sustainability, and recreation resources. Preparation of future grant applications would require staff resources.
Attachments
Att. 1. Resolution 2025-###
Att. 2. Newly Nominated PCAs Boundary Map