Paoli, Diana
From: John Gallo < [email protected]>
Sent: Monday, November 24, 2025 3:57 PM
To: City Clerk
Cc: Godeke, Jason; Whippy, Isaac
Subject: Recommendations regarding the lawsuit, MDA, CatEX, and LCP Amendment Attachments: Public Funds for LCP Amendment Process.xIsx; Public Funds for LCP Amendment Process - Sheet 1.pdf
Hello City Council,
In case the closed session today is about the Fort Bragg Headlands, here are my suggestions.
I agree with a dominant opinion in this town, that we need an economic injection as soon as is feasible.
This will happen after the headlands are rezoned, and the amount and duration of the injection will depend on the wisdom of the rezoning.
Hence, there is an justifiable and clear sense of urgency, and an attitude that is important to move forward with planning during the court case. (I agree that we should continue the court case, that STB is biased, and that there is still a viable path to winning the lawsuit.) Some are inclined to move this planning process forward via the MDA and CatEx processes because of their momentum and because MR is paying for many of the studies and efforts.
I think that instead we should take advantage of the wealth of public funds newly available via the $10 Billion Prop 4, and other statewide programs, to fund further progress. (The CCC LCP Amendment Grants are nearing their close and may or may not be an option. But there are at least 5 other good options, and are summarized in the attached.)
The benefits to this are many, including making the process easier to manage while also reducing the conflict of interest that may arise if an opposing party in a lawsuit is tasked with choosing and paying consultants implementing the studies (in some cases, not all).
It will also allow the city and community to get aligned on what we want so that when the Lawsuit ends one way or another we can quickly complete the LCP process, if it is not already completed.
Thank you,
John Gallo
--
John A. Gallo, Ph.D.
Life Scientist and Geographer
1 Approximate Applicabllity of Grant to the Chapter Requirements:
ICARP APP ICARP RRGP
Topic Summary CCC LCP Local OPC SB-1 SLR Planning State Coastal Conservancy (Adaptation (Regional Resilience Assistance Grants Grants Grants (incl. Climate Ready) Planning Grant Planning & Program) Implementation) SGC / DOC SALC
1. Public access Shores, aces tral access M (if tied to infill, access to housing, transit, CRC siting)
2. Recreation & visitor- Visitor facilities, lodging, trails, мл. H/M M/L M/L serving day-use
3. Water quality & Raine abands, estuaries. L/M (stormwater/green infra linked to marine resources AHSC/TCC-type projects)
@ 4. ESHA & biodiversity ESHA, wildlife, wetlands, LM (only as a co-benefit in urban dunes, riparian greening / resilience projects)
5. Agricultural Prime and coastal ag. M/L M/L L (most SGC non-SALC money is resources conversion pressures urban / community-focused) § 6. New development & Zoning, intensities, housing, H (core: AHSC/TCC/CRC all reward land use infill, cultural resources integrated land use, housing, transit, § 7. Scenic & visual Viewsheds, scenic roads. L (only indirectly via design elements resources design standards in funded projects)
€ 8. Coastal hazards & SLR, flooding, tsunamis, bluff
climate change stability i hotel munty stanting)
9. Shoreline erosion & Beaching, managed retreat,
protective devices H/M
package)
10. Energy & industrial industral use eneray. M/L
development
Upland resource lands in Caroland habitat where 11. Timberlands/ L (SC urban focus; timber mostly J
outside their scope)
SB-1 SLR program *$100M+ No single cap; Conservancy
One-time $31M
allocation order orm Size of the pot, not current appropriation for LCP total across recent routinely awards tens of millions $25M total across $250M total planned balance climate resilency grants appropriat so Sui. 53725M in 2024 meging, 51 M at a Sep rounds (APCP) over multiple RRGP Annual SALC rounds AHSC: historically $400-$600M/round:
magnitude) (Budget Act 2021) rounds typically $50-90M TCC: $100-150M/round; CRC: tens of another $10M anticipated) 2024 meeting) statewide millions; all vary by budget year i Approx funds ail Exact remaining Very large ongoing portfolio; Round 1 awards Round 1 (~$21.9M) Cument NOFA Very approximate / program- balance not publicly new Prop 4 climate bond adds complete: Round 2 awarded; majority of indicates on the available late 2025) broken out: grants still $765M to SCC for climate funding canceled due the overall $250M still order of tens of combined, but split among housing. being awarded from the resilience/SLR work - no simple to state budget cuts; to be programmed in millions available transit, and resilience capital with $31M pot "remaining" figure future rounds TBD later rounds statewide this round limited pure-planning money Rolling. CCC LCP No active round. No current solicitation.
Next application grants are now on a Rolling. SB-1 SLR applications Rolling pre-applications; SCC accepted on an ongoing basis, accepts proposals year-round, Round 2 solicitation Round 1 is closed; no Next SALC round deadline (as of Nov "Rolling" = no fixed close rolling application basis open; specific pre- Multiple, program-specific deadlines under the 2021 with approvals timed to OPC with board approvals grouped in 2024 pen cor Med:
appropriation meetings / cycles periodic meetings no current deadline Yor deadline posted 2028 (check NOF) separate No and Cy all ave