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Exhibit “A”
General Plan Amendment – Land Use and Open Space Element PLN2025-00209
Senate Bill (SB) 1425 (Stern, 2022) added Government Code §65565.5 requiring the Open Space Element to address access to open space for all residents, climate resilience and other cobenefits of open space, and rewilding opportunities. Existing adopted citywide plans address the requirements of Government Code §65565.5.
Open Space Access
The Parks & Recreation Master Plan (2022) serves as the comprehensive “blueprint” or “big- picture guide” for how Fremont will manage, expand, and improve its parks and recreation system over the next 20 years. The parks system is currently made up of over 60 parks that are categorized by the master plan as “Neighborhood Parks,” “Community Parks” and/or “Destination/Special Use Parks.” The master plan aspires to create an equitable and connected park system across Fremont by ensuring a 10-minute walk-to-park access for all. To achieve this goal, a strategic action plan ranging from short-term plans (0-3 years) to long-term plans (beyond 5 years) includes a plan to assess gaps in park services and amenities and strives to develop parks in underserved areas. Based on a recent study, 70% of Fremont residents are afforded a 10- minute walk to a park, with an ultimate goal of 100%. See the Parks & Recreation Master Plan (2022) for more detail on Fremont’s existing parks system.
Regional parks are managed by the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD). The regional parks and trails located in Fremont managed by EBRPD are Coyote Hills Regional Park, Dumbarton Quarry Campground on the Bay, Quarry Lakes Regional Recreation Area, Ardenwood Farm, Vargas Plateau Regional Park, Mission Peak Regional Preserve, and the Alameda Creek Regional Trail. The EBRPD Master Plan (2013) includes a vision and policies to maintain and develop regional parks and trails. The EBRPD vision includes improving access to and use of regional parks by members of groups that are underrepresented, such as persons with disabilities, the economically disadvantaged and elderly park visitors. See the EBRPD Master Plan (2013) for more detail on regional park policies. EBRPD is currently working on an updated District Plan that will be completed after the adoption of these General Plan amendments..
Climate Resilience
Climate Ready Fremont (2023) set goals towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions and addressing climate-change related vulnerabilities within Fremont. In order to achieve these goals, specific actions are identified, including, but not limited to:
• Action NL-C-3.2: Protect, maintain, and enhance the city’s existing urban forest and maintain healthy tree resources within the city
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• Action NL-C-3.3: Encourage planting native, local climate adapted, and drought-tolerant tree species in new development and redevelopment, replacing trees when proposed for removal, and planting trees to shade buildings and reduce energy requirements • Action NL-C-3.6: Identify priority areas to expand urban tree and vegetation planting, prioritizing planting in low-canopy corridors as identified by Tree Plotter and in disadvantaged and climate-vulnerable neighborhoods with increased risk of heat and/or air pollution as identified by public-facing tools such as CalEnviroScreen and Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST)
The Urban Forest Management Plan (2023) identifies trees in Fremont as integral to the quality of life for all residents as well as for the city’s urban character and natural environments. The management plan is a guide to maintain, protect, and enhance Fremont’s tree canopy and the multitude of associated benefits. Trees provide significant economic, social, and ecological benefits, such as carbon sequestration, reduction of urban heat islands, energy savings, reduction of stormwater runoff, improvement of water quality, enhancement of human health and wellness, and increase the value of properties.
Rewilding
The Parks & Recreation Master Plan (2022) identifies the ecological context and connections in Fremont. The larger the park, the greater biodiversity can be found within the green space. Trails and riparian corridors serve as connections between the regional and local park system to provide for wildlife connectivity and passageways. Appendix H of the master plan includes a series of maps that show the existing corridors for wildlife habitat connectivity.
The East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) Master Plan (2013) includes regional park policies to conserve, enhance, and restore natural plant communities, biological resources, animal species and their habitats.
Fremont’s hill area is protected by adopted citizen initiatives Measure A (1981) and Measure T (2002). Because of the restrictive development requirements codified as a result of these initiatives, the Fremont hill area is largely preserved in its natural state for wildlife habitat, recreation, and natural resources. See Land Use Element Policy 2-6.2 for more information on the hill area initiatives.
A vast majority of the Fremont Baylands is also preserved as permanent open space, which much of the area is part of the San Francisco Bay (Don Edwards) National Wildlife Refuge.
Opportunities to preserve, enhance, and expand the habitat and ecological value of the Baylands would support habitat, natural resources, water management, and aesthetics. See Land Use Element Policy 2-6.3 for more information on the Baylands.
Fremont’s park system, trails and greenways, and riparian corridors provide a network for habitat to traverse throughout the city and the region. Enhancing Fremont’s tree canopy as identified in PLN2025-00209_General Plan Amendment_Exhibit “A” Page 3 of 3
the Urban Forest Management Plan (2023) and encouraging the planting of native plant species as described in Climate Ready Fremont (2023) will also be beneficial to local wildlife.
The City will continue to implement Land Use Element Goal 2-6: Open Space to preserve the hill area, maintain the Baylands as permanent open space, and restrict limit development on lands designated as open space to protect natural resources.