ATTACHMENT 1
OneShoreline
Building Solutions for a Changing Climate
February 28, 2025
George Rodericks
ty Manager, Town of Athert
Fair Oaks Lai
Atherton, CA 94027
Dear Mr. Rodericks:
Recognizing the urgency of these challenges, you and your colleagues in all 20 San Mateo County cities and towns, along with the County itself, came together in 2019 to support State legislation establishing the first climate-focused government agency in California - the San Mateo County Flood and Sea Level Rise Resiliency District, better known as OneShoreline. Each city also committed three years of start-up operating funds. With this unified political and financial support, OneShoreline opened its doors five years ago last month.
Early on, OneShoreline envisioned a focus on building resilience to future climate conditions. However, current needs in both low-lying and hilly communities quickly caught our attention: flooding caused by today's atmospheric rivers and new development and infrastructure that lack climate resilience. All these challenges are reflected in OneShoreline's priorities and activities, ranging from planning and funding multi-jurisdictional projects to land use policy and development guidance to a countywide flood early warning system. Because the need for this work is increasing, we are obliged to also prioritize the securing of stable funding to continue operating long-term and to leverage outside funding for projects.
In 2020, 2021, and 2022, OneShoreline received operating funds from cities within the county based on population - seven cities with fewer than 20,000 residents contributed $25,000/year, nine cities with populations between 20,000- 60,000 contributed $40,000/year, and four cities with over 60,000 residents contributed $55,000/year. These city contributions totaled nearly $750,000 annually, which was matched by San Mateo County. Through operating efficiencies and acquiring additional funding - including an identical three-year commitment made by the County in late 2024 - OneShoreline is able to extend its operations by an additional six years, through December 2028.
Most of the additional funding OneShoreline has secured, which thus far totals over $30 million, and most of the potential funding from the recently passed Proposition 4 (Climate Bond"), require a local match and are allocated for planning and capital projects rather than ongoing operations. Thus, a OneShoreline Board committee is exploring approaches, including a ballot measure, for long-term reliable funding to leverage and match outside funding and sustain operations. While we evaluate these funding approaches, to ensure that OneShoreline continues to make progress and meets its obligations through the end of this decade, we request that beginning in Fiscal Year 2025-26, all cities provide three years of funding at the same level as previous commitments, which would match the recent County commitment.
Thank you for your consideration of this request.
Debbie Ruddock Desa fauth Senator
Debbie Ruddock Lisa Gauthik Len Materman
Chair, OneShoreline Board Vice Chair, OneShoreline Board CEO, OneShoreline Vice Mayor, Half Moon Bay Supervisor, San Mateo County
cc: Atherton City Council
SAN MATEO COUNTY FLOOD AND SEA LEVEL RISE RESILIENCY DISTRICT OneShoreline.org 1700 S. El Camino Real, Suite 502, San Mateo, CA 94402