Throughout the region the proportion of residents 5 years and older with limited English proficiency is 8%.
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61 Figure 46: Population with Limited English Proficiency Universe: Population 5 years and over
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Data (2015-2019), Table B16005 For the data table behind this figure, please refer to the Data Packet Workbook, Table AFFH-03.
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APPENDIX B PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
AND INPUT SUMMARY
From March 15th through April 30th, 342 people participated in the City of Newark’s online community conversation about housing issues and opportunities in Newark. 300 of those responses were in English, 38 in Spanish and 4 in Chinese.
Participants were invited to answer a series of 22 questions covering housing experience and preference, environmental justice and demographic information. The survey was hosted on the SurveyMonkey platform accessible via the city’s webpage.
The survey was distributed and advertised in multilingual materials through various platforms to reach as broad of a cross section of the community as possible. It was promoted through social media, print newsletters, email lists to special populations (e.g., seniors, individuals with developmental disabilities), in-person events, and outreach to partner organizations. Our partner organizations were able to extend our reach to the Latinx community, people experiencing and escaping from domestic violence, individuals transitioning from homelessness, and families in the Newark Unified School District.
Essential insights from the survey are that quality of life, in addition to increasing housing affordability and homeownership opportunities for Newark residents, is of great importance and concern.
Approach to Analyses
The following is a summary of responses to each survey question broken down by answer choice.
Response Count signifies the number of selections made for a particular answer choice while Respondent Percent signifies the number of respondents who chose the answer choice out of the total number of survey respondents (i.e., 342 people), including the 38 Spanish responses and 4 Chinese responses.
Note: For multi-select questions, the respondent percentages may reflect more than one selection by a single individual rather than all unique responses. Additionally, please keep in mind that for these questions the response count will not sum to the number of respondents who answered the question.
APPENDIX B PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND INPUT SUMMARY B-1
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Q1. How concerned are you about the availability of affordable housing in Newark?
Answer Choices Response Count Respondent % (out of 342) Very concerned 182 53%
Somewhat concerned 76 22%
Not that concerned 44 13%
Not at all concerned 35 10%
No opinion/ not sure 4 1%
Number of Respondents 341 100%
Q2. As we look to improve housing opportunities in Newark, which of the following do you think are the three biggest issues we need to address? Answer Choices
Response Count
(multi-select)
Respondent %
(out of 342)
We need more homeownership opportunities
especially for first time homeowners 226 66%
We need more affordable rental opportunities 140 41%
We need to encourage more housing types
(apartments, accessory dwelling Units,
duplexes/triplexes)
93 27%
We need more opportunities for those that are
unhoused or in danger of being unhoused 96 28%
We need stronger protections for renters
(minimum lease terms, relocation benefits) 44 13%
We need low cost home improvement programs for
seniors and those on limited incomes 135 39%
Other (please specify) 60 18%
Number of Respondents 319 93%
APPENDIX B PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND INPUT SUMMARY B-2
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Q3. Thinking about the cost of housing from one year ago … Answer Choices
Response
Count
Respondent %
(out of 342)
It is much less expensive to find a home 8 2%
Somewhat less expensive 6 2%
About the same 22 6%
Somewhat more expensive 73 21%
Much more expensive 188 55%
Does not apply/don't know 10 3%
Number of Respondents 307 90%
Q4. Based on the definition of “affordable” housing as being housing that takes 30% or less of your income to pay for it, how would you describe your current housing situation?
Answer Choices Response Count
Respondent %
(out of 342)
I’m in a home I like at a price I can afford 136 40%
I’m in a home I like but it’s taking more than
30% of my income to be here 97 28%
I’m in a home I can afford, but it’s not a place
I like or meets my needs 54 16%
I’m in a home I can’t afford, and don’t like 28 8%
Number of Respondents 315 92%
APPENDIX B PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND INPUT SUMMARY B-3
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Q5. If you’re not happy with your current housing situation, what would make it better? (Check all that apply.)
Answer Choices
Response Count
(multi-select)
Respondent %
(out of 342)
I need a home with more space 106 31%
I would like to live in a different neighborhood 44 13% I rent, but would like to own my own home 86 25%
I need a place that is more accessible due to disabilities 14 4% I need a home with fewer housemates or roommates 24 7%
I like my home, but need to pay less 67 20%
I’m happy with my current housing situation 113 33%
Number of Respondents 299 87%
Q6. Of the following five options, which three do you think are the most urgent affordable housing needs in Newark at this time? Answer Choices
Response Count
(multi-select)
Respondent %
(out of 342)
Housing for families - larger units with more bedrooms for all families, especially multigenerational or large families 171 50% Housing for smaller households - smaller units or housing types for young adults and couples starting out, single households, students and seniors looking to downsize
148 43%
Housing for seniors - specific developments for seniors, including housing with supportive services 112 33%
Housing for people with special needs - greater accessibility and supportive services for those with disabilities 47 14%
Housing for those experiencing homelessness - transitional housing and permanent supportive housing 82 24%
Housing for low-income and underserved households – subsidized housing 119 35%
Other (please specify) 30 9%
Number of Respondents 298 87%
APPENDIX B PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND INPUT SUMMARY B-4
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Q7. Thinking about the future of your neighborhood, what gives you optimism?
The survey received more than 200 responses to this question which were categorized and summarized in part in the community engagement summary included in this Housing Element.
Q8. Do you see your neighborhood as a place of opportunity for yourself and/or your family?
Answer Choices Response
Count
Respondent %
(out of 342)
Yes 121 35%
No 60 18%
Somewhat 96 28%
Number of Respondents 277 81%
Q9. If you didn’t answer yes to the previous question, what are three of the most pressing issues that would need to change to feel like there is more opportunity? (Please select up to three)
Answer Choices
Response Count
(multi-select)
Respondent %
(out of 342)
Pollution from vehicles on neighborhood streets and freeways 55 16% Healthy food and grocery stores close to home or work 71 21% City infrastructure and facilities that support physical activity, including sidewalks, bicycle lanes, parks, and recreation centers 112 33% Air or chemical pollution from industrial businesses and activities. 52 15%
Easy to access health care facilities 35 10%
Affordable, safe, and healthy housing conditions 106 31% Educational opportunities that are academically and culturally supportive 86 25%
Number of Respondents 219 64%
APPENDIX B PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND INPUT SUMMARY B-5
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Q10. The city could do a variety of things to create more housing affordability. of the following six options, which three do you think are the most promising or worth doing? (Please choose 3)
Answer Choices
Response Count
(multi-select)
Respondent %
(out of 342)
Create incentives for building affordable housing 120 35% Reduce the cost of building all housing, but especially affordable housing through lower fees and faster approvals 113 33% Allow for a larger variety of housing through the city 93 27% Use city-owned land for affordable housing 94 27%
Use city funds to get more state, federal and private funding for affordable housing (through the city’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund)
117 34%
Enact policies such as inclusionary zoning that allow for a portion of affordable units in each development 96 28%
Number of Respondents 260 76%
Q11. What kind of housing would you like to see more of? (Check all that apply.)
Answer Choices Response Count (multi-select) Respondent % (out of 342) Backyard cottages 125 37%
Duplexes, triplexes and fourplex 86 25%
Cottage clusters 106 31%
Townhomes 104 30%
Small to mid-size multifamily 77 23%
Multifamily buildings downtown 75 22%
Number of Respondents 252 74%
APPENDIX B PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND INPUT SUMMARY B-6
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Q12. Where in Newark would you like to see more housing? (Please select all that apply)
Answer Choices
Response Count
(multi-select)
Respondent %
(out of 342)
Old Town (Thornton Ave between Cherry Street and Ash Street) 141 41% Bayside Newark (formerly known as The Dumbarton
Transit-Oriented Development, near Willow Street and Enterprise Drive)
99 29%
NewPark Place area (Newpark Mall Road and Cedar Blvd) 156 46% Other (please specify) 46 13%
Number of Respondents 248 73%
Q13. Which hazards, both natural and human, do you think are most important for Newark to address? (Please choose three)
Answer Choices
Response Count
(multi-select)
Respondent %
(out of 342)
None of the above 8 2%
Wildfires 53 15%
More frequent and intense heat waves 87 25%
Earthquakes 119 35%
Multi-year drought 179 52%
Sea-level rise and related flooding 150 44%
Hazardous materials spills 70 20%
Other (please specify) 32 9%
Number of Respondents 264 77%
APPENDIX B PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND INPUT SUMMARY B-7
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Q14. How concerned are you about the impact of sea level rise, bringing the possibility of increased flooding to the lower-lying communities of Newark?
Answer Choices
Response
Count
Respondent %
(out of 342)
Very concerned about the impact flooding will have on lower-lying communities 100 29%
Somewhat concerned about the impact flooding will have on these communities 92 27%
Not really concerned about it 50 15%
No opinion, don’t have enough information 26 8%
Number of Respondents 268 78%
Q15. Are there pollution and environmental issues you are concerned about in your neighborhood or larger community? (If so, please check all that apply.)
Answer Choices
Response Count
(multi-select)
Respondent %
(out of 342)
Issues related to car and truck traffic: Noise, air pollution 126 37% Issues connected to industry in the area: air pollution, dangerous fumes, dumping of chemicals 121 35%
Poor quality drinking water 81 24%
Trash in public spaces, vacant lots, graffiti 168 49%
Other (please specify) 29 8%
Number of Respondents 250 73%
APPENDIX B PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND INPUT SUMMARY B-8
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Q16. What is your connection to Newark? (Please select all that apply.) Answer Choices
Response Count
(multi-select)
Respondent %
(out of 342)
Live here 242 71%
Work here 51 15%
Go to school here 40 12%
Have a business here 15 4%
Have family or grew up here (but do not live here) 23 7% Interested in Newark housing issues (but do not live here) 10 3% Number of Respondents 255 75%
Q17. Currently I live…
Answer Choices Response Count Respondent % (out of 342) In a home or condo I own 168 49%
In a home or apartment I rent 72 21%
In an unstable/unhoused situation 3 1%
Prefer not to say 11 3%
Number of Respondents 254 74%
Q18. How would you describe your home?
Answer Choices Response Count Respondent % (out of 342) A single family home 196 57%
A multi-family home such as a duplex or
apartment building 53 15%
A mobile or manufactured home 1 0.3%
Other (please specify) 7 2%
Number of Respondents 250 73%
APPENDIX B PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND INPUT SUMMARY B-9
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Q19. What is your age?
Answer Choices Response Count Respondent % (out of 342) Under 19 1 0.3%
20-29 9 3%
30-49 153 45%
50-69 72 21%
70+ 18 5%
Number of Respondents 253 74%
Q20. What is your race and/or ethnicity? (Check all that apply.) Answer Choices Response Count (multi-select) Respondent % (out of 342) American Indian or Alaskan Native 8 2%
Asian or Asian American 63 18%
Black or African American 3 1%
Hispanic or Latino 82 24%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 8 2%
White or Caucasian 107 31%
Other (please specify) 10 3%
Number of Respondents 241 70%
APPENDIX B PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND INPUT SUMMARY B-10
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Q21. We would love for you to be involved in this process. If you have not attended public meetings in the past, please share what is keeping you from attending. (Please check all that apply.)
Answer Choices
Response Count
(multi-select)
Respondent %
(out of 342)
I have difficulty understanding what is being said in English 18 5% I don't have the time to attend – too busy with work and/ or family 102 30%
I need child care to attend 25 7%
I don’t feel that my opinions are heard and taken into
consideration 88 26%
The time and /or day of the week meetings are held makes it difficult for me to attend 47 14%
Other (please specify) 52 15%
Number of Respondents 200 58%
Q22. and let us know if there’s anything else you want to tell us:
The city received more than 200 comments which were categorized and used to inform policies and programs reflected in this document.
APPENDIX B PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND INPUT SUMMARY B-11
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APPENDIX C HOUSING SITES
INVENTORY
Introduction
A Housing Element must include an inventory of available land that is appropriately zoned and suitable for housing development to accommodate a jurisdiction’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) as required by State law. This inventory for the City of Newark focuses on residential sites that are currently in the development pipeline, or vacant and non-vacant sites that can be made available for housing development affordable at varying income levels. This Appendix summarizes the evaluation of potential housing sites, and the adequacy of sites to meet development capacities to accommodate the City’s regional housing needs for the 2023-2031 planning period.
California law (Government Code Sections 65583 (a)(3)) requires that the Housing Element contain an inventory of land suitable for residential development, including vacant sites and non-vacant (i.e., underutilized) sites having potential for development. State law also requires an analysis of the relationship to zoning and services to these sites as well as identifying sites throughout the community, in a manner that is consistent with its duty to affirmatively further fair housing (AFFH).
The analysis presented in this Appendix demonstrates that there is an adequate supply of suitable land to accommodate the City’s housing allocation of 1,874 units, plus a surplus of 980 units to act as a “buffer” if sites develop to non-residential or at different affordability levels than assumed in the sites inventory. This section is organized by the following topics:
● Summary of Newark’s projected housing needs by AMI level ● Capacity to Accommodate RHNA
● Sites selection process, including a description of the methodology and evaluation of site criteria, realistic unit capacity, and sites to accommodate varied income levels ● Evaluation of sites in meeting AFFH requirements
● Individual site profiles
Projected Housing Needs
A key component of any Housing Element Update is identifying adequate sites to address the jurisdiction’s Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA). The California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) determines state-wide projected housing needs and allocates new housing unit target numbers to regional councils of government (COGs). State law (California Government Code Section 65584) provides for COGs to then prepare and adopt plans APPENDIX C HOUSING SITES C-1
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that assign a “fair share” of the region’s housing needs to each city and county. The Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) is the COG that determines fair-share portions of state allocations for Newark. .
The City’s RHNA requirements for the 2023-2031 Housing Element projection period are summarized in Table C- 1 below. For the 2023-2031 Housing Element planning period, the City of Newark is required to plan to accommodate the development of at least 1,874 housing units. This includes 464 units for very low-income households, 268 units for low-income households, 318 units for moderate-income households, and 824 units for above moderate-income households.
Housing Needs for Extremely Low-Income Households
Although the RHNA does not include allocations for extremely low-income households, Housing Element Law requires that jurisdictions estimate the need for housing units affordable to extremely low-income households and plan to accommodate this need. Extremely low-income households are those with incomes less than 30% of area median income. In Alameda County, 30% of the AMI is the equivalent to an annual income of $42,850 for a family of four. Households with extremely low incomes have a variety of housing situations and needs. For example, most families and individuals receiving public assistance, such as supplemental security insurance (SSI) or disability insurance, are considered extremely low-income households. Many households with multiple wage earners – including food service workers, full-time students, teachers, farmworkers, and healthcare professionals – can also fall into lower AMI categories due to relatively stagnant wages in these industries.
HCD’s official Housing Element guidance notes that jurisdictions can use their RHNA for very low-income households (those making zero to 50 percent AMI) to calculate their projected need for extremely low-income households. HCD provides three methodologies for estimating this need: 1) allocate the percentage of very low-income need to extremely low-income households based on the ABAG region’s proportion; 2) allocate the percentage of very low-income need to extremely low -income households based on the current proportion for Newark; 3) assume that 50 percent of Newark’s very low-income RHNA is for extremely low-income households. To estimate the projected housing need for extremely low-income households, 50 percent of Newark’s 464 very low-income RHNA units are assumed to serve extremely low-income households. Based on this methodology, the City has a projected need of 232 units for extremely low-income households over the 2023-2031 Housing Element planning period. More than half of this allocation will be provided through the Cedar Creek Apartments, which is already in the development pipeline and has received $6M in funding support from the City’s Affordable Housing Impact Fee Fund.
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Capacity to Accommodate RHNA
The total realistic development capacity of all sites in the land inventory is detailed in Table C-1 below which lists all consolidated sites in the sites inventory and total residential capacity against the City’s 6th cycle RHNA. The total realistic capacity shown is 2,854 units, which exceeds the net target of 1,874 units the City is required to plan to accommodate for its RHNA, and also supplements that allocation by providing a significant buffer representing more than 100 percent of the required RHNA for all income levels; this includes a 13 percent buffer for very low-income units and 10 percent for low-income units. HCD recommends that jurisdictions provide a 15 to 30 percent buffer beyond the minimum RHNA target to comply with the “no net loss” provisions of State Housing Element Law that require the jurisdiction to maintain sufficient capacity to accommodate its RHNA for the duration of the planning period at every income level. In addition to considering the aggregate number of units that the sites can accommodate, it is necessary to consider the potential for sites to accommodate housing that is affordable to all income levels, in accordance with the RHNA allocations, as discussed in the “Evaluation of Sites to Accommodate Varied Income Levels” .
Each of the two primary project types, Pipeline Projects and Sites Zoned for Housing, are presented in Table C-1 below and described in further detail in the Sites Selection section. As shown in Table C-1, the number of units from Pipeline Projects represents 67 percent of the city’s RHNA, including 59 percent of Newark’s RHNA for very low-income (VLI) housing. Though these Pipeline units do not fulfill the RHNA allocation at every income level, this demonstrates there are sufficient sites for the City’s RHNA and provides strong evidence there is residential developer interest and economic feasibility for housing development on the types of sites, including non-vacant sites, identified in this inventory. Table C-2 lists the APNs and acreage for all sites zoned for housing.
The following map shows the distribution of sites throughout the City of Newark with an inset for the boundary of the Old Town Specific Plan. Parcels indicated in yellow are active project sites (pipeline projects) while sites indicated in red are sites zoned for housing, or locations whose zoning and land use will support new housing. The map also shows three specific plan areas: Old Town Specific Plan, Bayside Newark, and NewPark Place Specific Plan. The site numbers match data in the following tables which show unit counts and the more detailed summary sheets found later in this document.
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Figure C-1: Housing Sites for the RHNA 6th Cycle
Source: Adapted by Community Planning Collaborative, 2023 APPENDIX C HOUSING SITES C-4
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Table C-1: City of Newark Sites Inventory
Site Name
Income Level
Total Units Very Low Low Moderate AboveModerate
Planned and Proposed Projects (Also known as pipeline projects are sites 1 through 13) 1 Bridgeway / Gateway
(under construction)
0 0 0 134 134
2 FMC Willow - North (Parcel C)
(under construction)
47 23 21 64 155
3 FMC Willow - South
(under construction)
0 0 0 215 215
4 Harbor Pointe
(under construction)
0 0 0 192 192
5 Cedar Homes- 38478 Cedar Boulevard
(entitled) 0 0 0 118 118
6 Cedar Community Apts.
(complete) 124 0 0 1 125
-7 Timber St. Senior Living
(entitled) 39 39 1 0 79
8 Lepakshi Homes - Building A, 6781 Thornton
Ave.
(active application)
0 0 0 60 60
9 Lepakshi Homes - Building B, 6781 Thornton
Ave.
(active application)
8 4 3 13 28
10 SAHA Development- 6347 -6375 Thornton
Ave.
(active application)
56 0 1 0 57
11 Mulberry Residential 36952 Mulberry Street
(entitled) 0 0 0 8 8
12 Bain Ave. & Magnolia St. - 37280 Magnolia
Street
(under construction)
0 0 0 10 10
13 Waymark Homes - Cedar Blvd (entitled) 0 0 0 76 76
Subtotal Planned and Proposed 274 66 26 891 1,257
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Site Name
Income Level
Total Units Very Low Low Moderate AboveModerate
14 NewPark Mall (Phases A to D) 36 18 18 535 607
15 Grocery Outlet Shopping Center 27 26 0 0 53
16 Thornton Ave. Sites (within Old Town
Specific Plan boundary) 41 41 40 40 162
17 Cedar Blvd. and Timber St. Industrial Sites 0 0 0 61 61 18 E-Z 8 Motel 39 38 0 0 77
19 Cherry Plaza 15 15 0 0 30
20 Thornton Ave. Sites (outside of Old Town
Specific Plan boundary) 18 18 18 17 71
21 Sycamore St. Vacant Lot 25 25 24 0 74
22 Cedar Blvd. Public Storage Sites 0 0 0 41 41
23 Filbert Villas - 37243 & 37257 Filbert St.
(expired entitlement) 0 0 0 16 16
24 Filbert Ave. Sites 0 0 0 7 7
25 Mayhews Place - 36589 Newark Boulevard
(expired entitlement) 0 0 0 9 9
26 Locust St. & Railroad - 37093 Locust St.
(expired entitlement) 0 0 0 6 6
27 Fahmy Homes - 37503 & 37511 Cherry
Street (expired entitlement) 0 0 0 6 6
28 Neighborhood Infill Lots 0 0 0 17 17
Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) 48 48 48 16 160
Middle Housing Units 0 0 200 0 200
Subtotal Sites Zoned for Housing 249 229 348 771 1,597
Total Capacity 523 295 374 1,662 2,854
Newark RHNA 464 268 318 824 1,874
Surplus % 113% 110% 118% 202% 152%
Surplus Units 59 27 56 838 980
Source: City of Newark; Community Planning Collaborative, 2023.
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Table C-2: City of Newark Sites Inventory with APNs and Acreage # Name APN Acreage
GP Land
Use Zoning
Income Level
Total
Units
Very
Low Low Mod.
Above
Mod.
Planned and Proposed Projects
1 Bridgeway /
Gateway
assorted n/a LDR, MDR BTP 0 0 0 134 134
2 FMC Willow -
North
92-100-5 7.21 TS, R BTP 47 23 21 64 155
3 FMC Willow -
South
537-852-1-8 12.67 HDR, O, TS BTP 0 0 0 215 215
4 Harbor Pointe 537-852-1-3 1.71 HDR, O BTP 0 0 0 192 192 537-852-2-9 2.29
537-852-2-16 15.70
5 Cedar Homes 92A-2375-2-6 7.16 MDR RM 0 0 0 118 118
6 Cedar
Community
Apts.
901-195-38 1.36 CC CC 124 0 0 1 125
901-195-37 1.36
7 Timber St.
Senior Living
92A-2125-10-2 1.04 MDR RM 39 39 1 0 79
8 Lepakshi Homes
- Building A
92-30-17-2 0.17 CMU CMU 0 0 0 60 60
92-30-16-2 0.17
92-30-18-4 0.31
92-30-14-3 0.19
92-30-15-2 0.17
9 Lepakshi Homes
- Building B
92-31-16-2 0.17 CMU CMU 8 4 3 13 28
92-31-15 0.08
10 SAHA
DevelopmentThornton Ave.
92A-919-17-2 0.18 HDR RH 56 0 1 0 57
92A-919-16-2 0.18
92A-919-18 0.20
11 Mulberry St.
Residential
92-29-22 0.23 MDR RM
0 0 0 8 8
92-29-21 0.23
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# Name APN Acreage
GP Land
Use Zoning
Income Level
Total
Units
Very
Low Low Mod.
Above
Mod.
12 Bain Ave. &
Magnolia St.
92-61-11 0.43 MDR RM 0 0 0 10 10
92-61-12-2 0.36
92-61-12-1 0.14
13 Waymark
Homes
92A-2585-12-1 0.83 MDR RM 0 0 0 76 76
92A-2585-30-4 0.35
92A-2585-31 2.62
Subtotal Planned and
Proposed
274 66 26 891 1,257
Sites Zoned for Housing
14 NewPark Mall
(Phases A to D)
901-111-19 9.71 Mixeduse I
RC 36 18 18 535 607
901-111-24 7.89
901-111-30 0.82
901-111-21 4.34
901-111-24 1.21
901-111-22 6.24
901-111-31 3.30
901-111-26 5.64
901-111-26 1.54
901-111-20 7.42
901-111-26 0.64
901-111-29 1.03
901-111-25 14.71
15 Grocery Outlet
Shopping Center
92A-900-1-2 4.62 CMU CMU 27 26 0 0 53
16 Thornton Ave.
Sites (within Old
Town Specific
Plan boundary)
92-50-1-3 0.13 CMU CMU 41 41 41 41 162
92-29-20-2 0.34
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# Name APN Acreage
GP Land
Use Zoning
Income Level
Total
Units
Very
Low Low Mod.
Above
Mod.
92-29-16-2 0.17
92-29-15-2 0.09
92-50-2-3 0.13
92-29-19-2 0.17
92-29-18-2 0.17
92-51-5-3 0.50
92-50-3-3 0.13
92-29-14-2 0.08
92-29-17-2 0.17
92-29-13 0.16
92-51-2-3 0.27
17 Cedar Blvd. and
Timber St.
Industrial Sites
92A-2125-17 1.00 MDR RM 0 0 0 61 61
92A-2125-11-2 1.67
92A-2125-13 2.00
18 E-Z 8 Motel 92A-2585-32 2.24 HDR RH 39 38 0 0 77
19 Cherry Plaza 92-50-13 0.96 CMU CMU 15 15 0 0 30
20 Thornton Ave.
Sites (outside of
Old Town
Specific Plan
boundary)
92A-919-20-2 0.24 RHD RH 18 18 18 17 71
92A-919-11-2 0.21
92A-919-15-2 0.16
92A-919-13-2 0.19
92A-919-21-2 0.24
92A-919-12-2 0.16
92A-919-22-2 0.24
92A-919-14-2 0.21
92A-919-19-2 0.19
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# Name APN Acreage
GP Land
Use Zoning
Income Level
Total
Units
Very
Low Low Mod.
Above
Mod.
21 Sycamore St.
Vacant Lot
92-255-11 1.81 RHD RH 25 25 24 0 74
22 Cedar Blvd.
Public Storage
Sites
92A-2375-32 1.44 RMD RM 0 0 0 41 41
92A-2375-32 1.46
23 Filbert St. Villas 92-131-3 0.17 RMD RM 0 0 0 16 16
92-54-4 0.18
92-54-5 0.21
24 Filbert Ave. Sites 92-54-6 0.31 RMD RM 0 0 0 7 7
92A-623-43 0.52
92-125-10 0.43
25 Mayhews Place 92A-623-43 0.52 LMDR MDR 0 0 0 9 9
26 Locust &
Railroad
92-125-10 0.43 LMDR RS- 0 0 0 6 6
27 Fahmy Homes 92-75-5-2 0.18 MDR RM 0 0 0 6 6
92-75-4-2 0.20
28 Neighborhood
Infill Lots
92-135-23 0.19 LDR RS 0 0 0 17 17
92-127-13 0.17
92-136-15 0.14
92-24-10 0.17
92-127-20 0.43
92-125-2-2 0.42
Accessory
Dwelling Units
(ADUs)
n/a n/a 48 48 48 16 160
Middle Housing
Units
n/a n/a 0 0 200 0 200
Subtotal Sites Zoned
for Housing
249 229 348 771 1,597
Total Capacity 523 295 374 1,662 2,854
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# Name APN Acreage
GP Land
Use Zoning
Income Level
Total
Units
Very
Low Low Mod.
Above
Mod.
Newark RHNA 464 268 318 824 1,874
Surplus % 113% 110% 118% 202% 152%
Surplus Units 59 27 56 838 980
Source: City of Newark; Community Planning Collaborative, 2023.
Site Selection Process
The following is a summary of the overall sites inventory process and the methodology and assumptions that support the sites selection process. Using guidance provided by HCD, an inventory of available sites was conducted by closely examining site characteristics and other HCD-established criteria. Primarily, sites were identified by using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping software from multiple datasets to identify parcels that fit the HCD-specified criteria as adequate housing sites. Sites were further refined over a series of working sessions and through input staff, the City Council and community and development sector stakeholders through the community engagement process. The information used to generate the sites inventory database was derived from these primary resources:
1. ABAG’s Housing Element Site Selection (HESS) Tool;
2. City of Newark current and long-term planning records and planning documents;
3. County of Alameda assessor’s data.
Housing sites identified as part of the site inventory analysis were evaluated using a variety of criteria to determine their ability to meet State requirements and meet the City’s RHNA, plus a buffer. The following sections describe the screening criteria and methodology applied for the site selection process. Once all sites had been selected and verified, the realistic density assumption was informed by and calculated from precedent projects in Newark, as well as from regional data provided by ABAG through the HESS tool realistic capacity module.
Methodology/Evaluation of Possible Sites
To meet the City’s RHNA requirement, three primary project types are identified in the sites inventory, as described below. The methodology and assumptions that support these project types are summarized in the “General Site Evaluation Considerations” and “Sites for Rezoning” sections.
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Planned and Proposed/Pipeline Projects
Pipeline Projects include those that have been approved, permitted, or received a final certificate of occupancy since the beginning of the RHNA projection period (which started on June 30, 2022). Based on HCD guidance, these projects may be credited toward meeting the RHNA allocation based on the affordability and unit count of the development. The following is a description of the subcategories under Pipeline Projects:
Approved/Under Construction: These projects include those that have been approved or are under construction and will receive a final certificate of occupancy after the beginning of the RHNA projection period, making these projects eligible to be counted towards the 6th cycle RHNA.
Proposed Projects: These are projects that are seeking entitlements. Project status includes formal applications or pre-applications under review, master plans with development agreements approved or under review (only those portions realistically expected to start construction by 2031), and sites owned by 100 percent affordable housing developers with the intent to submit applications in the next year.
Permits or certificates of occupancy for these Proposed Projects are expected to be issued in the 6th cycle, making these projects eligible to be counted towards the 6th cycle RHNA as well.
Sites Zoned for Housing
Sites zoned for housing comprise the second main type of site to accommodate the City’s RHNA, including both vacant and non-vacant sites with available infrastructure and that meet a variety of criteria that make them candidates for residential development during the 6th cycle planning period. These sites are considered vacant or underutilized and are eligible for residential development as is currently allowed under the existing zoning in the General Plan or in one of the City’s adopted specific plans.
Accessory Dwelling Units and SB 9 Units
Accessory Dwelling Units are considered opportunities for residential development and are based on projected development during the planning period as is currently allowed under the existing zoning or General Plan. The sites inventory provided in Table C-1 assumes that Newark will continue to approve on the order of 15 units per year15. In addition, it is anticipated that homeowners in Newark will begin to take advantage of the opportunities to add additional housing units through the addition of new units on existing residential lots or through urban lot splits as provided in SB 9.16 16 https://www.hcd.ca.gov/docs/planning-and-community-development/SB9FactSheet.pdf 15 The affordability levels assumed by Newark in the sites inventory for ADU production is supported by research conducted for ABAG’s RHTA program and is based on a robust statewide survey of ADUs by affordability level. https://abag.ca.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2022-03/ADUs-Projections-Memo-final.pdf APPENDIX C HOUSING SITES C-12
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General Site Evaluation Considerations
This section provides a summary of the evaluation considerations made as part of the analysis and a description of each consideration. As most of the city is already built with limited vacant parcels remaining, sites in the inventory primarily include non-vacant parcels that already have access to infrastructure and meet a variety of HCD criteria that make them suitable candidates for housing redevelopment. While sites not included in the sites inventory can also be developed for housing to meet RHNA targets, those sites identified in the inventory are considered optimal and most likely to develop and contribute to housing production in the 6th cycle. The following considerations were evaluated and are described in more detail in the following sections:
● Infrastructure Availability;
● Environmental Constraints;
● Site Status and Capacity (i.e., vacant, underutilized, existing uses, and residential zoning); ● Site Size;
● Permitted Density; and
● Evaluating Sites from Prior Housing Element(s).
Infrastructure Availability
The availability of utility infrastructure to a site can be a constraint to housing development and was considered as an evaluation criterion when working to identify sites for the inventory. As a primarily developed community, the City of Newark is well-served by existing infrastructure systems, including both wet and dry utilities. As much of Newark already has available or nearby access to water and wastewater services, wet utilities are not a constraint to residential development though minor upgrades to these services (e.g., expanded sewer and water hookups to the trunk line) may be needed to develop select sites for residential uses. All sites have been screened to have available infrastructure.
Environmental Constraints
The analysis of environmental constraints included a review of all parcels identified in the inventory using different GIS-based data screens as well as ABAG’s HESS tool to determine if sites possess one or more environmental constraint, including hazard risks such as parcel shapes, flood zones or wetlands, easements, contamination, steep slopes, and other possible constraints to development feasibility. Two sites, both in the construction phase, Bridgeway/Gateway and Harbor Pointe have floodplain exposure, which was mitigated during the entitlement process. None of the sites in the inventory, either planned or proposed or zoned for housing, have irregular shapes, or are impacted by either wetlands or critical habitat.
The sites zoned for housing in the sites inventory are located in urbanized areas of the City and do not have special hazard risks or significant environmental challenges. However, some of the sites zoned for housing have current or former industrial uses which may need contamination mitigation. Additional regulatory constraints or mitigation efforts have not been an issue for the projects that have been entitled or are in the entitlement process (for example, Waymark Homes and Timber St. Senior Living) in this APPENDIX C HOUSING SITES C-13
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formerly industrial/warehouse area. For instance, the Environmental Impact Report for the Bayside Newark Specific Area Plan, an area that had considerable previous industrial contamination, outlines and addresses contamination and other environmental concerns which has led the way for significant housing construction. Where siting housing on parcels with environmental constraints may be unavoidable to accommodate the City’s housing need, risks would be addressed through building codes and other mitigation measures.
Site Status and Capacity
Sites in Newark which are zoned to accommodate housing include vacant and nonvacant sites in the zoning districts summarized in Section 4A. Residentially zoned sites, either vacant or underutilized, were considered as potential buildable residential sites and were evaluated for site adequacy and capacity.
Government Code Sections 65583(a)(3) and 65583.2 require that the inventory of suitable land look at criteria for vacant and underutilized sites as outlined below:
● Vacant sites that are zoned for multi-family development ● Vacant sites that are not zoned for multi-family development, but that allow such development ● Underutilized sites that are zoned for residential development and capable of being developed at a higher density or with greater intensity
● Sites that are not zoned for residential development, but can be redeveloped for and/or rezoned for multi-family residential development
● Sites owned or leased by the City that can be redeveloped for multi-family residential development within the housing cycle
● Sites controlled by the State, a city/county, or another public agency where there is agreement/documentation that the site can be developed within the housing cycle ● Non-vacant sites require substantial evidence to demonstrate that existing development will not preclude housing production during the planning period
A methodology to determine “underutilized” sites was necessary given that the City has shrinking supply of vacant land. Sites were removed from consideration in the underutilized methodology if sites: did not initially allow residential uses, were historic resources, were sites that support community-serving uses (parks, utilities, transportation, schools, hospitals), had structures that were recently built or modified, and were generally built out to their allowed density.
Sites owned by the City and other public agencies were also evaluated for affordable housing development, but none were identified as suitable at this time.
Site Size
Per State law, sites smaller than half an acre or larger than 10 acres are not considered adequate to accommodate lower income housing needs unless it can be demonstrated that sites of equivalent size were successfully developed during prior planning periods, or other evidence is provided that sites at this size can be developed as lower income housing.
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Large Sites – There are no individual sites in the inventory larger than 10 acres (with the exception of one parcel within the NewPark Place Specific Plan Area which is 14.7 acres).
Small Sites – The sites inventory includes parcels that are less than or slightly greater than one-half acre in size. A screening of these smaller parcels and common ownership was conducted. Where smaller parcels were immediately adjacent to other Opportunity Sites that had the same landowner, these parcels were consolidated to create larger sites, given the likelihood of these consolidated sites being developed together as a single project (the SAHA Thornton Avenue project falls in this category). A full list of these and other sites is included in the sites inventory form to be prepared for submission to HCD for review.
Permitted Density
State law (Government Code Section 65583.2(c)(3)) establishes a “default density standard” of 30 units per acre for lower income units in a metropolitan jurisdiction such as Newark. This is the minimum density that is deemed appropriate in State law to accommodate the City’s lower income RHNA. In accordance with the State’s default density standards, sites that could support a minimum of 30 units per acre were considered appropriate for very low and low income units, as well as for moderate income units. All underutilized Opportunity Sites in the inventory can accommodate at least the default density.
Evaluating Sites from Prior Housing Element(s)
To accommodate the 2023-2031 RHNA, sites from both the 4th and 5th cycle housing elements were evaluated to determine their viability for the 2023-2031 Housing Element planning period. As reflected in Programs H3.6 and H3.7 and Table 6-2, the city has identified all parcels that need to be rezoned to accommodate RHNA during the planning period. Specifically, by January 31, 2024, Newark will implement zoning text amendments to provide adequate capacity for up to 602 units. This program will provide for a minimum density of 30 DU/A for sites to accommodate lower income RHNA units. The City will incorporate a replacement housing provision for any sites with existing residential use and will permit multifamily uses without discretionary action.
Pursuant to AB 1397, Newark will also amend the Zoning Ordinance to require by-right approval of housing development that includes 20 percent of the units as housing affordable to lower-income households, on sites being used to meet the 6th Cycle RHNA that represent “reuse sites” previously identified in the 4th and 5th Cycles Housing Element. The ten sites listed in Table 6-2 will be adjusted by text amendment to accommodate the lower income RHNA as needed.
Sites for Rezoning
Government Code section 65583.2(h) sets requirements if sites are identified for rezoning to accommodate a lower income RHNA shortfall. The City’s sites inventory does not have a lower income shortfall, and therefore is not subject to those requirements.
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Realistic Capacity Evaluation
As required by Housing Element law, local governments must analyze available sites based on a determination of the realistic residential development capacity. To establish realistic capacity, precedent projects were referenced when evaluating vacant and underutilized sites, and specifically the typical densities of existing or approved residential development at similar affordability levels to confirm local development trends. The precedent projects used as references are subject to the same land use controls and site improvement standards as the sites in the inventory. Local precedent projects were supplemented by sub-regional data provided from the ABAG Hess tool regarding typical achieved densities on projects in the Newark (South Alameda County) Market Area.
For housing opportunity sites identified in the City’s multi-family residential districts (RM, RH), the realistic capacity assumption applied to total capacity was 65 percent. This assumption is lower than representative projects currently in the City’s development pipeline, but is consistent with the HESS tool which found based that based on 357 projects built in the Multi-Family Residential districts of Alameda South County (tri cities) between 2018 And 2020 that the average number of units built as a percentage of the maximum allowable units was 65 percent.
For realistic capacity analysis in commercial zones such as the CMU and RC districts, market data provided by the HESS tool identified 128 project(s) built in the Non-Residential districts of Alameda South County (tri cities) between 2018 and 2020 and demonstrates that the average number of units built as a percentage of the maximum allowable units was 130 percent. However, due to ground floor retail requirements, a softening market, and comparable pipeline projects, a more conservative feasibility multiplier of 80 percent was used instead to reflect local conditions in Newark.
Mixed-Use Areas and Sites
The precedent projects were evaluated to determine the likely density of 100 percent residential development in each of the zones that permit housing in Newark. As noted, however, a significant portion of the City’s sites are in commercial/mixed use zones which also allow commercial uses, in particular the remaining phases of the Newpark Mall Specific Plan. In general, throughout Newark and the broader market area, residential uses have been out competing retail and office uses, and the trend has been towards the conversion of existing commercial centers. The Newpark Mall Specific Plan reflects this trend in that there is a planned downsizing of the commercial retail portions of the existing center in favor of higher density residential product types. The sites inventory capacity calculations included in this Housing Element do not include an adjustment factor for the sites listed as sites zoned for housing, but the realistic capacity adjustment factor sites in the CMU zone is intentionally more conservative than the sub-regional factor of 75 percent in order to take into account the possibility that some portion of future developments on these sites may be non-residential.
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Evaluation of Sites to Accommodate Varied Income Levels One of the most important evaluation considerations of the sites selection process is to evaluate a site’s ability to accommodate households with varying income levels. To satisfy the RHNA requirement, the amount of lower, moderate, and above moderate income units is specified for each site in the inventory.
Furthermore, the unit capacity must be maintained throughout the 2023-2031 planning period.
Therefore, a buffer of at least 15 percent to 30 percent is generally recommended by HCD, and Newark’s sites inventory buffer is well beyond this recommendation. If sites listed in the inventory are redeveloped with other uses or different income levels than what is identified, the difference can be made up with the buffer sites to ensure there is “No Net Loss” of Suitability of Non-Vacant Sites.
Suitability of Non-Vacant Sites for Development
The lack of vacant land in Newark and the relatively high value of new residential development means that the City consistently sees the redevelopment of underutilized sites, a fact which is reflected most notably in the adoption and ongoing implementation of the Newpark Place Specific Plan. Developer and property interest in non-vacant commercial sites for future residential development has been strong in recent years, and the inventory included here is, by many measures, relatively conservative in terms of the number of non-vacant commercial sites included relative to market pressures.
Non-vacant opportunity sites in the inventory were screened based on the criteria previously described.
The consultant team worked closely with city staff to identify suitable properties and analyze existing uses and the conditions of buildings or lots on non-vacant sites. Property owner outreach was also conducted for the relevant sites, as well as analysis on constraints and market conditions. In each case, the analysis indicated that the opportunity sites included in this Housing Element Have a strong likelihood of developing as residential projects during the planning period.
Lower Income RHNA vis-a-vis Non Vacant Sites
State law requires additional analysis of existing uses in the sites inventory if more than 50 percent of the City’s low-income RHNA is accommodated on non-vacant sites. HCD has published guidance for how to determine this, which includes adjustments for proposed lower income projects and ADU capacity, in addition to vacant sites in the inventory. A substantial amount of the City’s lower-income units (more than 50 percent of the lower income RHNA) are within Pipeline Projects. In addition, the inventory includes affordable ADU units. In summary, less than 34 percent of Newark’s lower income RHNA is accommodated on non-vacant sites, which is below the 50 percent threshold. Therefore, no additional analysis is needed to support the site inventory’s non-vacant sites.
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Table C-3: Lower Income RHNA vis-a-vis Non Vacant Sites, 2023 Site Location
Lower Income
Units
Percent of Lower
Income RHNA
Planned and Proposed Sites 340 46.4%
Vacant Sites (Sycamore St.) 50 6.8%
ADUs 96 13.1%
Total Lower Income RHNA 732 100%
Lower Income RHNA vis-a-vis Non Vacant Sites 246 33.6%
Site Profiles
The following site profiles provide specific information about each of the opportunity sites listed in Table C-1 and displayed vis-v-vis AFFH factors in the maps provided above. The sites include both planned and proposed projects as well as sites zoned for housing that will be available to be developed during the planning period. Each profile includes a description of the site’s general plan land use designation, zoning, site size and maximum allowable density. Notes regarding realistic capacity are included as well as available links to relevant planning documents and plans. Sites 1 through 13 are in the development pipeline process (either under construction, fully entitled or active applications) and sites 14 through 28 are locations identified for housing either from previous Housing Elements or new analysis. Sites identified as zoned for housing include detailed analyses of development standards, government constraints and environmental constraints. Tables summarizing development standards and unit yield are provided for sites 15 through 19, 21, 22, 24, and 25.
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1 Bridgeway / Gateway (Bayside Newark) - under construction Zoning: Residential High Density, Residential
Medium Density
Specific Plan Designation: Medium/High
Density Residential
APNs: Consolidated sites with APNs to be listed
in the HCD electronic inventory form.
Size: 41 acres
Max Allowable Density 60 units per acre.
Realistic capacity based on approved entitlements or
developer proposal
On March 10, 2016, Newark City Council adopted Ordinance No. 492 which was a zoning amendment on property shown in Vesting Tentative Tract Map 8099 from MT-1 (High
Technology Park District) to MDR-FBC (Medium Density
Residential-Form Based Codes) and HDR-FBC (High Density Residential-Form Based Codes) as part of the Bayside Newark (formerly known as the Dunbarton TOD Specific Plan) to
develop the land as Gateway Station West.
The project, proposed by Integral Communities, calls for the phased development of 589 market-rate residential units within approximately 41 acres of the 54.5-acre project site, at an approximately density of 14.36 DU/A. A total of 321 single family detached homes and 268 attached condos are planned, along with streets, 1,473 parking spaces, sidewalks, trails, landscaping, parks, water quality treatment basins and
permanent open space. In addition, several off-site roadway, sidewalk and landscaping improvements may be constructed in conjunction with the project. The development site is located within the Dumbarton TOD Specific Plan Project area.
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APPENDIX C HOUSING SITES C-20
2 FMC Willow - North (Bayside Newark) - entitled
Zoning: Business and Technology Park
Specific Plan Designation: Transit Station,
Commercial/Retail
APN: 92-100-5
Size: 7.2 acres
Max Allowable Density: Form-based code
Realistic capacity based on approved entitlements or
developer proposal
On 9/22/22, The City of Newark approved land use
modifications proposed by Lennar Home Builder, FMC
Corporation, and Integral Communities within the FMC
Willow and Grand Park portion of the Bayside Newark
Specific Plan area. The proposed modifications would
redevelop the 22.1-acre site into a 370-unit multi-family community including 279 townhouse units, a 1.6-acre
mixed-use area with 3,600 sq. ft. of retail, club room, fitness center, and 90 affordable units (plus 1 manager unit) within a 6-story building, a 5-acre community park (Grand Park), and a 1,485 sq. ft. community building, along with approx. 1.8 acres set aside for a future transit station.
The north site, known as FMC Willow - North” would contain the 91-unit affordable housing, mixed-use building, 64
multifamily units and the future transit station parcel for a total of 155 units. The 64 market-rate units would be UA Stack (multifamily). The UA Stacks would have five floor plans ranging from 1,696 square feet to 2,015 square feet, and they would be three-stories high.
Link to approved Application (Resolution No. 11,407)
Link to FMC Willow Staff Report
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3 FMC Willow - South (Bayside Newark) - entitled
Zoning: Business and Technology Park
Specific Plan Designation: High Density
Residential, Commercial Office, Transit Station
APN: 537-852-1-8
Size: 12.6 acres
Max Allowable Density 60 units per acre.
Realistic capacity based on approved entitlements or
developer proposal
On 9/22/22, The City of Newark approved land use
modifications proposed by Lennar Home Builder, FMC
Corporation, and Integral Communities within the FMC
Willow and Grand Park portion of the Bayside Newark
Specific Plan area. The proposed modifications would
redevelop the 22.1-acre site into a 370-unit multi-family community including 279 townhouse units, a 1.6-acre
mixed-use area with 3,600 sq. ft. of retail, club room, fitness center, and 90 affordable units (plus 1 manager unit) within a 6-story building, a 5-acre community park (Grand Park), and a 1,485 sq. ft. community building, along with approx. 1.8 acres set aside for a future transit station.
The South Site of the project, known as “FMC Willow South”, (Grand Park, PA 3, and PA 4) would include a 1,485 square foot community building, 123 multifamily units, and 92
townhomes for a total of 215 units. The 123 units would be UA Split (multifamily), and 92 would be UA Towns (townhomes). The UA Stacks would have 5 floorplans ranging from 1,696 square feet to 2,015 square feet. The UA Splits would have a standard option with 4 floorplans ranging from 1,307 square feet to 2,108 square feet and a 4-story option with 4 floorplans ranging from 1,307 square feet to 2,422 square feet. The homes would be 3-5 stories high.
Link to project plans.
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4 Harbor Pointe, FMC Parcel C (Bayside Newark) - under construction Zoning: Business and Technology Park
Specific Plan Designation: High Density
Residential, Commercial/Office
APN: 537-852-2-9, 537-852-1-3, 537-852-2-16
Size: 13.6 acres
Max Allowable Density 60 units per acre.
Realistic capacity based on approved entitlements or
developer proposal
In line with the Bayside Newark Specific Plan (formerly known as the Dumbarton TOD), the City of Newark approved a title sheet and site plan submitted by Parcel C Project Owner, LLC.
The date on the filing is from 12/17/2018.
The developable area of 13.6 acres was subdivided to
accommodate 192 units over three planning areas. Planning Area 1 has a total 72 units at a density of 11.56 units to the acre, Planning Area 2 has a total of 75 units at 16.13 units per acre, and Planning 3 has a total of 45 units at 16.48 units per acre. The plan has multiple typologies which are both three and four bedroom single family units which will be sold at market rate. The project is being built in phases and multiple final maps may be filed.
Link to project plans.
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5 Cedar Homes - 38478 Cedar Boulevard - entitled
Zoning: Residential Medium Density
General Plan Designation: Medium Density
Residential
APN: 92A-2375-2-6
Size: 7.76 acres
Max Allowable Density 30 dwelling units per
acre.
Realistic capacity based on approved entitlements or
developer proposal
According to application materials, Robson Homes, LLC
proposes to construct 118 residential units composed of single family residences and two-unit attached townhomes on a 7.76-acre site located at 38288-38594 Cedar Blvd. The site would be subdivided to create 124 lots including six common and 118 residential lots. The project would include
landscaping and open space areas, a new private street, and on-site and off-site improvements. Below is a rendering of an example unit.
Link to project plans.
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6 Cedar Community Apartments - complete
Zoning: Community Commercial
General Plan Designation: Community
Commercial
APN: 901-195-37, 901-195-38
Size: 2.7 acres
Max Allowable Density 25-60 dwelling units per
acre.
Realistic capacity based on approved entitlements or
developer proposal
The Cedar Community Apartments project was selected for a Homekey grant valued at $38.2 million. This grant assisted with the acquisition and conversion of Town Place Suite into 125 apartment units that are affordable to extremely low-income households and households experiencing homelessness,
including 11 units that are reserved for military veterans. The grant also assists with the provision of resident services including education and employment services. 1 unit is at market rate for management.
The owner of the Towne Place Suites (TPS) extended-stay hotel in Newark and Allied Housing/Abode Services entered into an option agreement for the sale of the property. The hotel suites were converted into 124 supportive, affordable residential units to be known as Cedar Community Apartments. 60 units are for households who have experienced homelessness, and the other 64 are set aside for people at risk of homelessness.
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7 Timber St. Senior Living - entitled
Zoning: Residential Medium Density
General Plan Designation: Medium Density
Residential
APN: 92A-2125-10-2
Size: 1.0 acre
Max Allowable Density 30 dwelling units per
acre.
Realistic capacity based on approved entitlements or
developer proposal
Timber Street Senior, developed by Eden Housing, will provide 79 units of new affordable housing for seniors in a convenient location in Newark, CA. The project will redevelop the 1-acre site and fulfill the city’s vision of transforming the surrounding neighborhood from light industrial and warehouse space to a vibrant, walkable residential neighborhood.
The project has been granted $21.7 million in funding for its construction with the City of Newark and Alameda County (Measure A1 Affordable Housing Fund) both as financial
partners. The project’s funding is a part of Governor
Newsom’s recent commitment of more than $825 million to help expand the state’s affordable housing stock and increase capacity for additional climate-smart infill housing.
The building will include a community room with a kitchen and attached courtyard with space for planter boxes and
organized activities, a computer learning center, an exercise room, a bicycle storage room, and offices to house on-site services staff. All of the units are 1-bedrooms, so the community will support seniors living on their own as well as couples. A rendering of the project is shown below.
Link to project plans.
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8 Lepaskshi Homes - 6781 Thornton Ave. Building A (Old Town Newark Area Plan) - active application
Zoning: CommercialMixed Use
General Plan Designation: Commercial Mixed
Use
APN: 92-30-16-2, 92-30-15-2, 92-30-14-3,
92-30-18-4, 92-30-17-2
Size: 1.0 acres
Max Allowable Density 100 dwelling units per
acre (Old Town Newark Area Plan)
Realistic capacity based on approved entitlements or
developer proposal
The developer, Lepakshi Homes, has proposed a residential project at the gateway to the City’s Old Town neighborhood.
The project consists of two sites with a single building on each site. “ Building A” with 60 market rate units, 12 one-bedroom, 37 two-bedroom, 6 three-bedroom, and 5 live-work units. The proposed plan is approximately 60 units per acre for Building A.Building A’s building height is 57 feet with a clocktower at 72 feet.
As of October 2023, the application is under review. The city anticipates that the application will be complete in early 2024 with public hearings scheduled shortly thereafter.
Entitlements include a Planned Development and Design
Review.
Link to project plans.
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APPENDIX C HOUSING SITES C-27
9 Lepakshi Homes - 6781 Thornton Ave. Building B (Old Town Newark Specific Plan) - active application
Zoning: Commercial Mixed-Use
General Plan Designation: Commercial Mixed
Use
APN: 92-31-15, 92-31-16-2
Size: 0.25 acres
Max Allowable Density 100 dwelling units per
acre (Old Town Newark Specific Plan)
Realistic capacity based on approved entitlements or
developer proposal
The developer, Lepakshi Homes, has proposed a residential project at the gateway to the City’s Old Town neighborhood.
The project consists of two sites with a single building on each site. “ Building B” is across the street from Building A and would contain 15 affordable units and 13 market rate units.
The proposed plan is at 94 units per acre, and the building height is 59 feet. Below is a rendering of the project, with Building B in the foreground. The smaller “Building B” parcels are part of the same application and approval process as Building A.
As of October 2023, the application is under review. The city anticipates that the application will be complete in early 2024 with public hearings scheduled shortly thereafter.
Entitlements include Planned Development and Design
Review.
Link to project plans.
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APPENDIX C HOUSING SITES C-28
10 SAHA - 6347 -6375 Thornton Ave. - active application Zoning: Residential High Density
General Plan Designation: High Density
Residential
APN: 92A-919-18, 92A-919-17-2,
92A-919-16-2
Size: 0.54 acres
Max Allowable Density 60 dwelling units
per acre.
Realistic capacity based on developer proposal
as submitted to city in NOFA process.
According to application materials, SAHA proposes a
multi-family housing development of 57 deeply affordable homes targeted to individuals and families including 15 twobedroom apartments and 16 three-bedroom apartments, on three underutilized parcels, 6347-6375 Thornton Avenue.
The proposal calls for a single 60 foot. 5-story building on 0.54 acres at 105 DU/A (a waiver or concession is needed).
SAHA proposes to develop a five-story building using Type 5A wood-frame construction for the upper four floors over a Type 1A concrete ground floor and parking garage. The design includes numerous family-friendly common area amenities such as a computer lab, an acoustically-insulated music practice room, a bicycle repair station, building wide wireless internet service free to residents, an outdoor tot play area and wheelchair-accessible raised garden beds in a sunny spot where SAHA’s Resident Services team will expand its
successful gardening program.
To fund this transformation, SAHA requested and received $12M of seed capital from the City of Newark which will cover approximately 25% of the total development cost.
The developer will submit a formal design review, minor use permit, and a map application before the end of 2024.
Entitlements are expected in late 2024.
Link to project plans.
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11 Mulberry Residential - 36952 Mulberry Street - entitled Zoning: Residential Medium Density
General Plan Designation: Medium
Density Residential
APN: 92-29-22, 92-29-21
Size: 0.46 acres
Max Allowable Density 30 units per acre.
Realistic capacity based on approved
entitlements or developer proposal
According to application materials, Rajesh Rao, proposes to demolish the existing single-story residence and detached garage, and construct eight for-sale market-rate
condominiums with new landscaping, open space areas, a
private driveway, and guest parking on the property located at 36952 Mulberry St. The property is zoned RM-OT
(Residential Medium Density with the Old Town Overlay
District). The proposed project would merge two existing lots to create a 0.46-acre lot with 4 three-bedroom units and 4 four-bedroom units at a density of 17.4 DU/A. Below is a proposed rendering of the project.
Link to project plans.
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APPENDIX C HOUSING SITES C-30
12 Bain Ave. & Magnolia St. - 37280 Magnolia Street - under construction Zoning: Residential Medium Density
General Plan Designation: Medium Density
Residential
APN: 92-61-11, 92-61-12-1, 92-61-12-2
Size: 0.93 acres
Max Allowable Density 30 units per acre.
Realistic capacity based on approved entitlements or
developer proposal
According to application materials, Goldsilverisland Homes, LLC is proposing 10 market-rate single family homes at 37280 Magnolia Street. The applicant is also proposing a PD overlay district to allow for lower lot sizes of 3,500 square feet instead of 6,000 square feet. The density of the development is approximately 10.75 DU/A.
Link to project plans.
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APPENDIX C HOUSING SITES C-31
13 Waymark Homes - Cedar Blvd. - entitled
Zoning: Residential Medium Density
General Plan Designation: Medium Density
Residential
APN: 92A-2585-30-4, 92A-2585-12-1,
92A-2585-31
Size: 3.44 acres
Max Allowable Density 30 units per acre.
Realistic capacity based on approved entitlements or
developer proposal
The applicant, Waymark Development, proposes to demolish the existing buildings currently occupied by
commercial/industrial uses and construct 76 three-story attached townhomes within 14 buildings on a 3.44-acre site located at 38600 Cedar Blvd. The project calls for 34
three-bedroom units and 46 four-bedroom units with a total density of 22 DU/A. The project would include landscaping and open space areas, a new private street, and on-site improvements. The property is zoned RM (Residential
Medium Density District). The project requires a Design Review, Minor Use Permit for a building height up to 40 feet, and a Vesting Tentative Subdivision Map. Below is a render of an example unit.
Link to project plans.
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APPENDIX C HOUSING SITES C-32
14 NewPark Place (Phases A to D)
Zoning: Regional Commercial
Specific Designation: Mixed-Use I
APN: 901-111-19, 901-111-30, 901-111-29,
901-111-24, 901-111-22, 901-111-20,
901-111-25, 901-111-21, 901-111-26,
901-111-31
Size: 52.03 acres
Max Allowable Density 160 units per acre.
Realistic capacity based on Specific Plan
As described above in Section 4 and in other sections of this Housing Element, the NewPark Place Specific Plan will guide the redevelopment of this entire area, comprising 52.03 acres with an expected residential build-out capacity of 1,519 across 5 major phases as follows (see Phase A in top aerial, Phases B-D in bottom aerial):
Phase A: Type-III multifamily development. A total of 319 units on.3.98 acres at a density of 80 dwelling units per acre. The development includes six levels of parking.
Phase B1: Type-III multifamily development. A total of 195 units on 3.47 acres at a density of 56 dwelling units per acre.
The development includes a six level garage.
Phase B2: Type-III multifamily development with a podium. A total of 310 units on 4.30 acres at a density of 72 dwelling units per acre. The development includes a 3 -evel structure parking facility.
Phase C: Type-III multifamily development with a podium. A total of 300 units on 3.70 acres at a density of 81 dwelling units per acre. The development includes a 2 level garage and 1 sub-t.
Phase D2: Type-III multifamily development. A total of 395 units on 5.67 acres at a density of 70 dwelling units per acre.
The development includes a five level garage.
The phases are regulated by the Mixed-Use Area I standards, which include a maximum building height of 200 feet, with buildings adjacent to the streets to be a minimum of 30 feet, but preferably 60 feet. Residential density may be up to 160 units per acre, but not less than 60 dwelling units per acre.
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While the specific plan has a relatively high maximum density, it is largely unachievable for multiple reasons. First, the plan has a cap on the total number of units at 1,519. An adjustment of this number would require City Council action and a new EIR process. Second, taller developments than Type-III multifamily would require new emergency vehicle typologies, procedures, and training which the City of Newark currently does not have nor does the surrounding area. Therefore, it is not surprising that the actual densities of the proposed developments are somewhat lower than the maximum would permit.
Residential uses may be within residential only multiple story buildings and/or in buildings with a mix of uses. First floor residential is allowed in non-active frontage locations, which are outlined in the plan. Parking demand for development within areas designed Mixed-Use I must be accommodated by a combination of surface and structured parking per the Parking Sub Plan. The residential uses within each “block” must be self-parked within the boundary of the individual block. For a more detailed account of all applicable development standards, refer to the Specific Area Plan.
The NewPark Place plan has a 20 year planning arc, therefore it is expected that only 40% of the total units will be complete for the 8 year RHNA 65 Housing Element Period. As feasible, the City will continue to work with the property owner to encourage the inclusion of larger percentages of affordable units in future phases of development.
The build out capacity and affordable housing assumptions for NewPark Place provided in this sites inventory reflects City Council Resolution NO. 10,184 which went into effect on June 9, 2014 and is the guiding document which outlines that for apartment development, the affordability breakdown starting point should be 6% VLI, 3% LI, and 3% MOD in order to fully mitigate the impact of the residential development. The document gives City Council the authority to determine that an alternative distribution of affordable units will fully mitigate the impacts of the development on the need for affordable housing, based on community needs and the characteristics of the development. In the case of NewPark Phase A, Council advocated strongly for onsite affordable units instead of a mitigation fee.
As described in full in the Specific Plan, this area has adequate infrastructure to accommodate the planned residential development and there are no known environmental constraints. In addition, each separate phase of this development would comprise a land area of less than 10 acres.
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APPENDIX C HOUSING SITES C-34
Link to the project plans for Phase A.
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15 Grocery Outlet Center
Zoning: Commercial Mixed Use
General Plan Designation: Commercial Mixed
Use
APN: 92A-900-1-2
Size: 4.62 acres (1.54 acres under the assumption
that ⅓ of the site will redevelop)
Max Allowable Density 60 units per acre.
The Grocery Outlet Center site is an aging multi-tenant retail center with a large surface parking lot, which takes up approximately 40% of the site, located on the corner of Newark Boulevard and Mayhews Landing Road. The site was previously included in the 5th Cycle Housing Element. The shopping center is a collection of four different buildings, each with multiple tenants providing a range of retail and service options for the community, including a well established Grocery Store.
Realistic Capacity. Since the leases are current and tenants like Grocery Outlet are popular among residents, the
approach here is that only a third of the site will feasibly redevelop throughout the eight-year planning period.
Newark code requires ground floor retail adjacent to Newark Boulevard, so a realistic capacity of 80% was applied to this site yielding a total of 57 units as detailed below. The density is at 45 dwelling units per acre giving it 100% affordable potential. The existing establishments, a liquor store, Southeast Asian restaurant, and flower shop would be able to continue to operate on the ground floor.
Analysis of Redevelopment Potential.
-In Newark and the Tri-City Area, similar commercial centers have recently developed as mixed-use and/or 100 percent residential projects at similar densities. The redevelopment of the NewPark mall and surrounding area are an important comparable example of the residential redevelopment potential provided by this ley site.
-The redevelopment potential of this site is also supported by the relatively low improvement to land value ratio of .49, which shows that the built improvements are valued lower than the underlying land.
This indicates a strong propensity for the site to redevelop during the planning period Rezoning. Since the site was included in the 5th Cycle Housing Element, per Program H3.6 described above, this site will be subject to a zoning text amendment that will require by-right approval of any new housing development in which at least 20 percent of the units are affordable to lower-income households.
APPENDIX C HOUSING SITES C-35
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Table C-4: Grocery Outlet Center Realistic Capacity Analysis APPENDIX C HOUSING SITES C-36
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16 Thornton Ave. Sites (within Old Town Neighborhood)
Zoning: Commercial Mixed Use
General Plan Designation: Commercial Mixed
Use
APN: 92-51-2-3, 92-29-20-2, 92-29-19-2,
92-51-5-3, 92-29-18-2, 92-29-17-2, 92-29-13,
92-29-16-2, 92-29-15-2, 92-50-1-3, 92-29-14-2,
92-50-2-3, 92-50-3-3
Size: varies by parcel, total of 2.5 acres
Max Allowable Density 100 units per acre per
Old Town Specific Plan,
The Thornton Avenue area comprises a number of
underutilized parcels which are primed for residential
development during the planning period. Improvement to land value ratios for the sites range from .22 to .79 indicating a propensity to redevelop, and the Old Specific Plan also includes policies encouraging residential and mixed-use development.
The major constraints facing these parcels are the need for assemblage (most parcels are less than half an acre) and ground floor retail requirements along Thornton Ave. Because of this, a realistic capacity multiplier of 80% was used to calculate unit totals.
While many of the buildings date from earlier than 1970, The Old Town Newark Specific Plan found that there are no
historic buildings or structures in the planning area. The plan notes that 25 buildings within the planning area have “historic merit”, the City’s Historic Preservation Program allows for modification and demolition of buildings with historic merit. Several existing City regulations would help ensure that development and redevelopment activities do not cause a substantial adverse change. Therefore, the protection of cultural resources is not a significant barrier to redevelopment of these sites.
Rezoning. Since the sites were included in a previous Housing Element, per Program H3.6 described above they will be subject to a zoning text amendment that will require by-right approval of any new housing development in which at least 20 percent of the units are affordable to lower-income households.
APPENDIX C HOUSING SITES C-37
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Table C-5: Thornton Ave. Sites Realistic Capacity Analysis APPENDIX C HOUSING SITES C-38
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17 Cedar Blvd. and Timber St. Industrial Sites
Zoning: Residential Medium Density
General Plan Designation: Medium Density
Residential
APN: 92A-2125-13, 92A-2125-11-2,
92A-2125-17
Size: 4.96 acres
Max Allowable Density 22-30 units per acre.
These formerly industrial sites are underutilized properties with I/L ratios ranging from .38 to .58, indicating a
propensity to redevelop. They are in an area of rapid
change where market dynamics have tended to support
residential development in recent years.
Rezoning. Since the sites were included in a previous
Housing Element, per Program H3.6 described above they
will be subject to a zoning text amendment that will require by-right approval of any new housing development in which at least 20 percent of the units are affordable to
lower-income households.
Table C-6:Cedar Blvd. and Timber St. Industrial Sites Realistic Capacity Analysis #1 APPENDIX C HOUSING SITES C-39
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Table C-7: Cedar Blvd. and Timber St. Industrial Sites Realistic Capacity Analysis #2 Table C-8: Cedar Blvd. and Timber St. Industrial Sites Realistic Capacity Analysis #3 APPENDIX C HOUSING SITES C-40
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18 E-Z 8 Motel
Zoning: Residential High Density
General Plan Designation: High Density
Residential
APN: 92A-2585-32
Size: 2.24 acres
Max Allowable Density 60 units per acre.
This is an underutilized hotel property with an I/L ratio of .97. In the surrounding market area, similar properties have been redeveloped with residential uses, and hotel conversions like the Cedar Community Apartments described above are increasingly common. The site is also adjacent to the entitled Waymark Homes project which proposes 80 townhomes.
Given the sites high density zoning designation which
allows for densities between 25 and 60 dwelling units per acre and 100 foot height maximums, the City supports
residential redevelopment here. After accounting for max lot coverage standards and setbacks, a realistic capacity modifier of 65% was applied to the site which would yield a total of 87 units. After the adjustment, the density of the site will be almost 39 dwelling units per acre, well above the default density of 30 dwelling units per acre for 100%
affordable projects. The city strongly supports the
development of a 100% affordable housing development at this site and could pursue a similar strategy as SAHA in Old Town, which was also in an RH zone. The city will continue to work with the property owner to advocate for
residential use.
Rezoning. Since the site was included in a previous Housing Element, per Program H3.67 described above it will be subject to a zoning text amendment that will require by-right approval of any new housing development in which at least 20 percent of the units are affordable to lower-income households.
APPENDIX C HOUSING SITES C-41
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Table C-9: E-Z 8 Realistic Capacity Analysis
APPENDIX C HOUSING SITES C-42
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19 Cherry Plaza
Zoning: Commercial Mixed Use
General Plan Designation: Commercial Mixed
Use
APN: 92-50-13
Size: 0.96 acres
Max Allowable Density 100 units per acre (within
Old Town Specific Plan Area)
This underutilized property has an I/L ratio of .55 ,
indicating a propensity to redevelop. The site has an
educational use, but recent images show vacancies with a “for lease” sign. The surrounding market area has
experienced the residential redevelopment of other such sites in recent years.
The site is located within the Old Town Specific Plan Area which allows the site to have densities between 30 and 100 dwelling units per acre. The height maximum is 48 feet.
Unlike other CMU locations outlined in the Element, this site is not required to have ground floor retail because it is not fronting either Newark Ave. or Thornton Boulevard. A realistic capacity modifier of 80% was still applied, even though this could be considered conservative.
APPENDIX C HOUSING SITES C-43
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Table C-10: Cherry Plaza Realistic Capacity Analysis
APPENDIX C HOUSING SITES C-44
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20 Thornton Ave. Sites (outside of Old Town)
Zoning: Residential High Density
General Plan Designation: High Density
Residential
APN: 92A-919-22-2, 92A-919-21-2,
92A-919-20-2, 92A-919-19-2, 92A-919-15-2,
92A-919-14-2, 92A-919-13-2, 92A-919-12-2,
92A-919-11-2
Size: 1.2 acres
Max Allowable Density 60 units per acre.
As with the sites within the OldTown area, these underutilized sites also show strong potential for redevelopment with residential uses. I/L ratios range from .53 to .76. These units do not have a required mixed-use component.
Rezoning. Since the sites were included in a previous
Housing Element, per Program H3.6 described above they
will be subject to a zoning text amendment that will require by-right approval of any new housing development in which at least 20 percent of the units are affordable to
lower-income households.
APPENDIX C HOUSING SITES C-45
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21 Sycamore St. Vacant Lot
Zoning: Residential High Density
General Plan Designation: High Density
Residential
APN: 92-255-11
Size: 1.81 acres
Max Allowable Density: 60 units per acre.
This site consists of an underutilized vacant residential lot in an area with robust services and supportive infrastructure.
Zoned for high-density residential uses with a minimum
density of 25 dwelling units to the acre and a maximum
density of 60 dwelling units to the acre, this site is suitable for accommodating lower-income units. Existing development
standards would allow the development of this site at
maximum densities, consistent with comparable affordable housing developments currently in Newark’s development
pipeline.
This site will also also be subject to Program H3.7 since it is being carried over from a previous 5th Cycle Housing
Element.
Table C-11: Sycamore St. Vacant Lot Realistic Capacity Analysis APPENDIX C HOUSING SITES C-46
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22 Cedar Blvd. Public Storage Sites
Zoning: Residential Medium Density
General Plan Designation: Medium Density
Residential
APN: 92A-2375-32
Size: 2.9 acres
Max Allowable Density 22-30 units per acre.
This public storage site has an I/L ratio of .78, indicating a propensity to redevelop with another use, and residential uses are generally the highest and best use in the
surrounding neighborhood market area.
Rezoning. Since the site was included in a previous Housing Element, per Program H3.6 described above it will also be subject to a zoning text amendment that will require
by-right approval of any new housing development in which at least 20 percent of the units are affordable to
lower-income households.
Table C-12: Cedar Blvd. Public Storage Realistic Capacity Analysis APPENDIX C HOUSING SITES C-47
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APPENDIX C HOUSING SITES C-48
23 Filbert Villas - 37243 & 37257 Filbert St. - expired entitlement Zoning: Residential Medium Density
General Plan Designation: Medium
Density Residential
APN: 92-131-1-9, 92-131-2-4,
92-131-3
Size: 0.96 acres
Max Allowable Density 30 units per acre.
Realistic capacity based on approved
entitlements or developer proposal
According to application materials dated 3/23/17, SRAJ
Development Inc, proposed Filbert Villas, a 16 unit market rate residential condominium project. The project consists of 16 new three-story four-bedroom townhouses. The density of the project is approximately 16 DU/A and the units will be market-rate. While the entitlement on this project expired, the city expects to see a project with similar densities.
Link to project plans.
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24 Filbert Ave. Sites
Zoning: Residential Medium Density
General Plan Designation: Medium Density
Residential
APN: 92-54-5, 92-54-6, 92-54-4
Size: 0.7 acres
Max Allowable Density 22-30 units per acre.
These sites would support relatively lower-density residential development and the sites inventory does not assume that affordable housing would be feasible on these sites.
Table C-13: Filbert Ave. Sites Realistic Capacity Analysis APPENDIX C HOUSING SITES C-49
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APPENDIX C HOUSING SITES C-50
25 Mayhews Place - 36589 Newark Boulevard - expired entitlement Zoning: Residential Medium Density
General Plan Designation: Commercial
Mixed Use
APN: 92A-623-43
Size: 0.53 acres
Max Allowable Density 30 units per acre.
Realistic capacity based on approved
entitlements or developer proposal
According to project plans, David Langon Construction, Inc. is proposing 6 attached two-story, market-rate, single-family units on a site area of approximately 0.53 acres. The density of the proposal is 12 DU/A. Below is a rendering of the exterior facade. While the entitlement on this project expired, the city expects to see a project with similar densities.
Link to project plans.
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APPENDIX C HOUSING SITES C-51
26 Locust St. & Railroad - 37093 Locust St. - expired entitlement Zoning: Residential Low Density
General Plan Designation: Low-Medium
Density Residential
APN: 92-125-10
Size: 0.43 acres
Max Allowable Density 8.7 units per acre.
Realistic capacity based on approved
entitlements or developer proposal
According to application materials dated June 21, 2018, Cherry Properties is proposing 6 new market-rate apartments at 37093 Locust Street. The project title is The Railroad Apartments.
Link to project plans.
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APPENDIX C HOUSING SITES C-52
27 Fahmy Homes - 37503 & 37511 Cherry Street - expired entitlement Zoning: Residential Medium Density
General Plan Designation: Medium Density
Residential
APN: 92-75-5-2, 92-75-4-2
Size: 0.38 acres
Max Allowable Density 30 units per acre.
Realistic capacity based on approved entitlements or
developer proposal
According to application materials dated November 9th,
2020, Sawart S. Fahmy is proposing a four-lot residential project. The proposed subdivision calls for 4 single-family market-rate units. While the entitlement on this project expired, the city expects to see a project with similar densities.
Link to project plans.
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APPENDIX C HOUSING SITES C-53
28 Neighborhood Infill Sites
Zoning: Residential Low Density
General Plan Designation: Low-Medium
Residential, Medium Density Residential
APN: 92-135-23, 92-127-13, 92-136-15,
92-24-10, 92-127-20, 92-125-2-2
Size: 12 acres
Max Allowable Density 11-15 units per acre.
These are mixed neighborhood infill sites supporting lower density residential development.
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APPENDIX D PUBLIC COMMENT
The public comment period for the first Draft 2023-2031 Housing Element began on February 24th, 2023. As required by AB 215, the first Draft Housing Element was available for a 30-day public review period, before incorporating public comments and sending the revised first draft to HCD. Based on community feedback and to ensure that the Newark community had enough time to review and comment, the City kept the first public review draft of the Housing Element available for public comment through the 90-day State HCD review period (February 24th - March 27th, 2023). The City posted an updated draft for public review from August 7th - August 17th, 2023).
Thank you to all those who submitted public comments and attended public meetings. Based on community feedback and direction from Councilmembers, staff have prepared a response to comments to illustrate how the revised draft reflects public input received during the 142-day comment period. A total of 11 comments, comment letters, and emails were received during the comment period. No comments were received on the updated draft during or after the 10-day public review period in August 2023.
1. Carla Rodrigez
2. Taran Singh
3. Pamela Roush
4. Andrea Heckman
5. Matt Francois on behalf of Integral Communities
6. Carol Drake
7. Namit Saksena
8. Sarah Klaustermeier, Brookfield Properties
9. Victor Flores, East Bay Resilience Manager, Greenbelt Alliance, David Lewis, Executive Director Save The Bay , Maxwell Davis and the 2500 members of East Bay for Everyone
10. Neelam Noorani
11. Aundi Mevoli, BayKeepers
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Table D-1: Housing Element Draft Public Comments Received and City Response Letter
Number
Name/
Organization Date Comment City Response
1. Carina
Rodriguez
After reviewing the Draft document, my biggest
concerns are:
1) Newark's continuing to infringe on the marshes
and wetlands around our city. This is a large
environmental issue and I saw very little mention of
this in the housing plans. However, the city continues
to approve housing developments on these natural
lands. This will especially be an issue as climate
change continues to wreak havoc on us - I do not want
the city to be put in a situation where we have to use
tax dollars to help those who ignorantly purchased
homes on these wetlands and marshes. Especially
when the lands should have never been built on in the
first place.
2) I do not want the city of Newark to become a haven
for low income housing. While we should open our
city to new residents - low income housing invites low
income individuals who will not be contributing a
significant amount in taxes. Some are indeed hard
workers and have been beaten down by the systemic
failures of our city, county, state, and country, but
some have no interest in doing anything to help
themselves and will just suck up the free resources
paid for by taxpayers. Yes, we do need low income
housing to assist some in our community. However,
we should not accept a large percentage of this low
income housing and rather have it spread out
throughout the county of Alameda and the Bay Area.
3) Lastly, there are many apartments, townhouses,
1. The City of Newark is guided by the
Area 3 and 4 Specific Plan, adopted by the City
Council in 2009. This specific plan provides
land uses, development regulations,
engineering and site improvements, landscape
guidelines, and natural resource conservation
standards. In 2014, the City entered into a
Development Agreement with Newark
Partners LLC, which guides development
within certain areas of Area 3 and 4 and
establishes performance expectations and
requirements for the developers and the City.
Development within the specific plan area has
been limited to Area 3 and the residential
subdivision known as “Sanctuary Village”. In
2019, the City Council approved a residential
subdivision via a Planned Unit Development
permit consisting of 469 homes along with a
determination that the environmental effects
of the project were sufficiently analyzed and
were under the scope of the previously
adopted 2015 Recirculated Environmental
Impact Report. Subsequent to Council’s 2019
actions, the environmental determination was
challenged in court. As of 2023, no unresolved
legal matters are associated with the project.
In 2021, the project sponsor indicated to the
city that the project would be reduced in size
from 469 units to approximately 430 units. The
project sponsor is working with the city
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Letter
Number
Name/
Organization Date Comment City Response
and duplexes that are completely run down and look
absolutely awful. These can be found on Newark Blvd
across the street from Newark Community park and
Cherry towards Thornton. This housing looks abysmal
and it's sickening that landlords are allowed to rent
these apartments at top dollar while they are clearly
falling apart and have made no investment in keeping
them up to a basic, human level. Before we begin to
build more housing, we need to look at this housing
and bring them up to a livable standard for those
currently living in the city. Let's fix our home city first before we begin building more housing that may
eventually look as awful as this housing on Newark
Blvd. and Cherry.
regarding site development activities. As
Sanctuary West is a fully entitled project with
legal matters resolved, the City has identified
the project as contributing to the RHNA goal
for above-moderate housing for the 6th Cycle.
2. Newark is subject to RHNA, the process
that resulted in the assignment of 1,871 units
of housing for the 6th Cycle Housing Element.
Each Bay Area jurisdiction received their own
RHNA allocation. Compared to other Bay Area
cities, Newark's RHNA increase from the 5th
Cycle (1,048 units) to the 6th Cycle was
relatively small at approximately 75%. This is
not a requirement to build 1,874 units, but
Newark must demonstrate that the city has the
correct land use policy, programs, and
requirements to accommodate the units over
the next eight years. Since 2015, Newark has
built thousands of market-rate units, but
relatively few affordable units. The City
Council recognizes the need for housing that is
affordable and available for all members of the
community.
3. The City recognizes that some
residential buildings in our community have
been neglected by their property owners.
Although some investment to refurbish units
has occurred, more can be done. The Draft
Housing Element includes goals, policies, and
programs that address this need, starting with
the Goal and Policy H-1: Preserve + Improve
Existing Housing- “Leverage local funds to
supplement county, state and federal funding
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Letter
Number
Name/
Organization Date Comment City Response
to support the maintenance, rehabilitation and
preservation of existing rental and ownership
housing. “
2. Taran Singh Area 3 and Area 4 plan of building 469 homes an environmental disaster. The City of Newark cannot
solve the housing problem by 500 odd homes on our
wetlands. I urge the city to revert the development
plan for Area 3 and Area 4 and let them be a safe
abode for our flora and fauna. Overall, I think the City needs to get denser in areas close to the 880
corridors and provide connectivity to BART/Transit.
See Response 1, above.
3. PAMELA
ROUSH
Please do not build in Newark Area 4. That is a flood
zone and it will only get worse. Please, please
reconsider building in Area 4. Thank you.
See Response 1, above.
4. Andrea
Heckman
I'm very concerned about development in the Area 4
shoreline because of it's importance to the ecosystem
and protecting our existing development from future
flooding. It seems imprudent to build on an area which
is expected to need massive alteration and protection
from future sea level rise. Makes no sense to develop
housing where future disaster is predictable.
See Response 1, above.
5. Matt Francois We are submitting these comments on behalf of our client, Integral Communities, the proponent of the
Mowry Village project. We write to request certain
technical corrections and clarifications to the draft
Housing Element. For instance, the reference to 398
built single family units in Area 3, Sub Area B (on page 104) should instead refer to 386 units. Additionally,
the reference to the Mowry Village project (on page
105) refers to the site as being within Area 3 when it
is located within Area 4; please also correct the
Thank you for your comments and corrections.
The references to Area 3/4 and the unit count
have been corrected in the October 3 draft.
The language about retiring the Specific Plan
has been adapted to reflect that the City “may
take action to retire the plan in a manner
consistent with applicable laws and
conforming to previously adopted agreements
and approved entitlements.”
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location of the Mowry Village project in the last
paragraph of this section. Finally, also in the last
paragraph of this section, please clarify the intent
about retiring the Area 3 & 4 Specific Plan after action on the Mowry Village project as it is anticipated that
the Specific Plan would continue to be relied on to
make consistency determinations for the Mowry
Village and other projects.
6. Carol Drake Newark Area 4 is not a good choice for development.
Wetlands sequester carbon, store floodwater, and
filter nutrients and sediment from water.
Already included in the expansion boundaries of the
Don Edwards SF Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Area 4
provides an unparalleled opportunity to restore
wetlands and other wildlife habitat, while creating a
buffer against sea level rise.
Newark should focus on infill development instead.
It could utilize existing neighborhoods and major
development opportunities such as revitalizing
NewPark Mall, which could provide 1,519 housing
units, and smaller projects already planned in and
around Old Town Newark. Building in these
developed areas would help place housing near job
centers, reducing vehicle miles traveled and road
congestion.
See Response 1, above.
7. Namit
March
21st
2023
I was very happy to see that you mentioned working
with Newark Unified School District in the draft
Housing Element, Policy H2.4. Other cities in the Bay
Area have helped their school districts address the
missing housing for teaching staff and I think Newark
should also partner with NUSD to do something
Hello Namit, Thank you for your comments.
We have updated policy H2.4, with more
information from state law to support the
redevelopment of land owned by Newark
Unified School District. We agree, and the
data shows how large of a burnden
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similar. I loved the creative idea you had shared
during our chat at the after party of Mayor Hannon's
swearing in ceremony late last year. Comment 2:
After housing, the next big expense for low income
residents tends to be transportation.
While our Pedestrian & Bicycle Master Plan was
approved in Feb 2017, we haven't made massive
strides in making the overall vision in that plan come
true.
Bike lanes will not only improve accessibility to local employers: restaurants, gas stations, retail stores,
Home Depot, Amazon etc. but also upcoming city
centers such as NewPark Place and might even spark
Old Town into life. The other thing is, bike lanes will benefit residents of all income levels.
I saw that the number 1 response to Q.9 of the Public
Engagement and Input Survey with 33% respondents
was public infrastructure including bicycle lanes.
Therefore it would be great if the Housing Element
had a specific call out to pedestrian and bicycle
infrastructure vs. the single specific mention on Pg.
128.
I think exploring ways to align the relevant parts of
the Housing Element more closely with the Bicycle
Element will help us capture this once in a decade
opportunity to shape the future of housing in Newark
by the handle bars!
transportation can be financially for residents.
We also heard the desire for more pedestrian
friendly streets and bike lanes in the city for
more transportation options. The Public
Works department has plans to start
implementing portions of the bicycle master
plan, and we are happy to see that the majority
of sites are along bus routes as well. The
community development department looks
forward to working with the public works
department to coordinate these two critical
efforts.
8. Sarah
Klaustermeier
March
24th
2023
I reviewed the draft Housing Element and had one
comment specific to Phase A. The breakdown of
income levels in Table C-1 is different than what is
Thank you for your comments. The 6th Cycle
unit yield and affordability distribution has
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approved in our Affordable Housing Agreement.
[see screenshots below]
been updated in the appropriate tables to
reflect the City Council’s Resolution 10,184.
9. Victor Flores,
East Bay
Resilience
Manager,
Greenbelt
Alliance
David Lewis,
Executive
Director
Save The Bay
Maxwell Davis
and the 2500
members of
East
Bay for
Everyone
March
27th
2023
The undersigned organizations and individuals are
excited to participate in Newark’s Housing Element
process. We write to offer feedback on Newark’s
Draft Housing element for the sixth cycle.
This update is an opportunity for Newark to make
sure that high resource and racially segregated
neighborhoods take on their fair share of the City’s
housing needs, particularly for lower income
residents who are disproportionately people of color.
As your housing element notes, the majority of
Newark residents are in housing that is either
unaffordable or does not meet their needs. In
particular, the Latine community experiences high
levels of overcrowding and above average spending
on housing. The City must ensure that all, regardless
of race or income, can enjoy safe, stable, and
accessible homes located either near jobs or transit
(bus as well as BART) and on sites that are clean and
suitable for development.
We are glad to see many great policies and sites that
promote infill and active transportation. We also
appreciate Newark going above the buffer
recommendations for realistic zoning capacity.
Among the sites we’re excited about is the Newpark
project which will build medium density units on
parking lots. This project is a perfect example of infill with access to AC Transit lines to BART.
We also want to commend the city for Policy H6.7:
Hello Victor, David, and Maxwell,
We appreciate your thoughtful comments on
the Housing Element draft. In response to
community discussion through engagement we
have worked to make significant edits to many
programs to better support the uptake of
housing that is affordable to all segments of the
population, and in proximity to public
transportation and active transportation
infrastructure investments. In response to
climate and sea level rise, the Newark Safety
Element is in process and will further address
many of those questions and comments.
Program H3.5 Parking standards has been
strengthened, removing and reducing parking
requirements for multiple housing types. We
welcome your continued advocacy in this area.
Numerous programs to increase housing
access, opportunity and affordability have been
added or strengthened. Program H2.1, SB9,
H2.2, for ADU production, and H2.3 is looking
at how a community guided plan for the 4
corners area can generate more housing close
to parks, schools and a potential rail station.
Program H2.6 looks to utilize state law to
develop affordable housing for staff and
employees, and H2.8 for Missing Middle
Housing has been updated, and a new program,
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Residential Development in the FloodPlain. We
continue our opposition to the Sanctuary West
project. We are glad that the city recognizes that such developments are not in the interest of Newark
residents nor the prudent fiduciary responsibility of
the council and staff. In an era where our communities
are facing the consequences of climate change and
sea level rise, each community should be actively
assessing how it will ensure future developments and
infrastructure will be resilient to flood risk without
adversely impacting existing residents and the
environment. Building in Area 4 baylands would both
greatly increase flood risk across the city, and also
squander the opportunity to utilize these lands as a
valuable flood buffer to protect the community from
flooding and sea level rise, while also providing
improved natural wildlife habitat and increased
outdoor access opportunities for residents.
Additionally, since there is broad community
opposition from both environmental and pro-housing
organizations in the area, building here has a high
chance of community pushback which could delay the
project to outside the planning period.
We strongly recommend updating your Climate
Action Plan which is now 13 years old in order to
implement mitigation measures for water level rise
(both sea level rise and groundwater rise) and to
reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. We also
recommend adding a policy to restore wetlands in
order to maximize carbon sequestration and
protection from sea level rise.
H2.10 will increase the zoning districts where
single resident occupancy housing is permitted
in Newark.
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Program H3.5: Parking standards study can be
strengthened to commit to reducing parking
minimums. A study from UC Berkeley’s Terner Center
found, “the presence of structured parking added
nearly $36,000 per unit.” The Draft Housing Element
notes that Newark has higher parking
minimums than neighboring jurisdictions. Parking,
especially covered parking, significantly increases the cost of housing developments and uses space for cars
rather than for people. In order to combat climate
change we know that we must reduce our reliance on
cars and fossil fuels. By prioritizing land for people
rather than cars we can address the housing crisis and
GHG reduction goals. Due to this higher level of
parking and its cost, we strongly urge you to commit
to reducing the amount of required parking to no
more than 0.5 spaces per residential unit, and zero in
transit-adjacent areas.
Program H2.1: Encourage new middle-density
housing with SB 9 and SB 10. While this is a laudable
direction for the city to go to encourage housing
abundance throughout the city, it could be
strengthened with a few more objective outcomes for
the program. (1) The SB 9 ordinance should not
reduce the buildable envelope below what an
underlying single-family zone allows. (2) Missing
middle zoning should allow at least 4 units on at least 80% of single-family lots—not merely legal as density,
but practical in terms of development standards. See
the Portland Residential Infill Program for a possible
direction where buildable envelope is increased the
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more units are planned on the lot. (3) No areas should
be exempted from missing middle except based on
floodplain, fire risk, or other major public health /
ecological risks. (4) Required parking should continue
to be no more than 0.5 spaces /unit, or zero near any
bus line, as the major space requirements of off-street parking reliably kills missing middle.
As we’ve mentioned, we oppose site number 2:
Sanctuary West because of its location on baylands
that are expected to see a nearly two feet rise of
water levels in less than 50 years. We continue to
urge you to remove this from your site list.
To support our vision for Newark, Greenbelt Alliance
and other partnering organizations have crafted a
go-to guide for accelerating equitable adaptation to
the climate crisis; The Resilience Playbook. The
Playbook brings together curated strategies,
recommendations, and tools to support local decision
makers and community leaders wherever they are in
their journey.
We look forward to continuing to engage with
Newark and the community on how this vital work
can move forward in the new year.
10. Neelam
Noorani
March
26th
2023
Steven Turner,
Dear Mayor Hannon, Vice Mayor Collazo and
Newark City Councilmembers,
Thank you for putting together a robust Housing
Element draft. This is a once in a decade moment
for Newark to make pivotal progress on climate
change and fair housing by developing a
See Response 1, above.
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comprehensive housing strategy that builds
housing in existing neighborhoods,while
ensuring the long-term climate resilience of the
city by protecting protecting valuable open
space along the shoreline as wildlife habitat
while providing community resilience as a flood
buffer from sea level rise.
I am writing to you today to implore you to
remove Newark Area 4 (“Sanctuary West”) from
your housing site inventory. This is not a good
place to build housing and should not be how
Newark meets a significant portion of its housing
requirement. Newark Area 4 is almost entirely
within a flood zone, and the site is anticipated to
be almost completely inundated with just 1
meter of sea level rise. Additionally, new studies
show that development of Area 4 could cause
flooding for other shoreline communities in the
Bay Area. Developing this site will increase flood
risk to current and future residents and cause
catastrophic financial issues to the city in the
future.
As evidenced by recent rains, Newark is already
experiencing flooding and if Area 4 is developed,
flooding will only increase. Newark has the
capacity within the existing urban areas to meet
its RHNA goals without putting future and
current residents at risk.
Further, the wetlands and wetland restoration
potential of Newark Area 4 should be embraced
for the numerous important benefits they
provide. Wetlands not only protect the city from
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flooding and provide wildlife habitat, they also
clean our Bay waters, and have been
demonstrated to be one of the most powerful
tools in nature for fighting climate change, by
sequestering carbon even more efficiently than
our forests. We desperately need to protect and
restore all the San Francisco Bay wetlands we
can, and Newark has an incredible opportunity
to support this regional goal.
We strongly urge Newark to become a
climate-forward city by focusing on infill growth
in existing neighborhoods - rather than putting
housing in an undeveloped shoreline flood zone
that should be permanently protected as a
wildlife habitat and as a valuable buffer to
protect
the community from flooding and sea level rise.
11. Aundi Mevoli,
BayKeepers
March
27th
2023
I write on behalf of San Francisco Baykeeper
(“Baykeeper”) in opposition to the City of Newark’s
inclusion of the Sanctuary West Project (also
commonly known as “Area 4”) in its Draft Housing
Element. Baykeeper submits these comments on
behalf of approximately 5,000 members and
supporters who live and recreate in and around the
San Francisco Bay Area. Together, our mission is to
defend San Francisco Bay from the biggest threats
and hold polluters and government agencies
accountable to create healthy communities and help
wildlife thrive. Our team of scientists and lawyers
investigate pollution via aerial and water
See Response 1, above.
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patrols, strengthen regulations through science and
policy advocacy, and enforce environmental laws on
behalf of the public.
It is discouraging to see the city continuing to
recommend and approve housing at Area 4. Instead of
allowing this area to be used as a natural barrier to
mitigate sea level rise (SLR) and groundwater
inundation as climate impacts increase, moving
forward with development will expose more than a
thousand new residents to SLR and put hundreds of
millions of dollars of property at risk. With only about ten percent of the original wetlands remaining around
San Francisco Bay, keeping these natural bufferlands
is essential to having a resilient community and
allowing shorelines to adapt in the midst of climate
change.
In addition, importing fill and paving over Area 4
would destroy restorable diked Baylands and harm
wildlife habitats for over a dozen special-status
species. This includes the endangered Salt Marsh
Harvest Mouse, endemic to only San Francisco Bay’s
marshes which are increasingly threatened with the
prospect of development. Furthermore, fragmenting
and degrading the existing wetlands in Area 4 will also threaten pup rookeries for harbor seals.
The scientific community has recommended Area 4 as
a high priority for protection and restoration of
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wetlands and upland habitat in order to support San
Francisco Bay wildlife species and help them adjust to
rising sea levels. Congress has already authorized
lands such as Area 4 to be added to the Don Edwards
SF Bay National Wildlife Refuge. We urge you to
follow the guidance of the region’s scientific
community and prioritize protecting and restoring
this land rather than development in Area 4 as
planned in your current Draft Housing Element.
During the January 2023 King Tides, drone footage
revealed just how much surface water already
occupies the site. These images give a glimpse of what
this site will look like under one foot of SLR. Seeing as this site is projected to have two feet of SLR by 2050, it is obvious why this is not a good site to build
housing or degrade more wetland habitat.
Lastly, sustainable development comes at the
intersection of economic, social and environmental
capitols. Area 4 development only looks at the
economic benefit to build. However, if natural capitol
was also part of the equation, one would see how
many benefits this land offers: greenhouse gas
sequestration, nature based multi-benefit adaptation
solutions to SLR, open space for community members
to enjoy, and biodiversity to ensure a healthy Bay.
Staff, we implore you to remove the Sanctuary West
Project from suitable housing in the 6th cycle of
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Newark’s Housing Element. Follow the advice of the
experts and protect these wetlands to, in turn, protect your community against climate change impacts.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this
Draft Housing Element. Please reach out to Aundi
Mevoli at [email protected] with any questions.
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COMMENT LETTERS
Comment 1 Carina
Rodriguez
After reviewing the Draft document, my biggest concerns are:
1) Newark's continuing to infringe on the marshes and wetlands around our city.
This is a large environmental issue and I saw very little mention of this in the housing plans. However, the city continues to approve housing developments on these natural lands. This will especially be an issue as climate change continues to wreak havoc on us - I do not want the city to be put in a situation where we have to use tax dollars to help those who ignorantly purchased homes on these wetlands and marshes. Especially when the lands should have never been built on in the first place.
2) I do not want the city of Newark to become a haven for low income housing.
While we should open our city to new residents - low income housing invites low income individuals who will not be contributing a significant amount in taxes. Some are indeed hard workers and have been beaten down by the systemic failures of our city, county, state, and country, but some have no interest in doing anything to help themselves and will just suck up the free resources paid for by taxpayers. Yes, we do need low income housing to assist some in our community. However, we should not accept a large percentage of this low income housing and rather have it spread out throughout the county of Alameda and the Bay Area.
3) Lastly, there are many apartments, townhouses, and duplexes that are completely run down and look absolutely awful. These can be found on Newark Blvd across the street from Newark Community park and Cherry towards Thornton. This housing looks abysmal and it's sickening that landlords are allowed to rent these apartments at top dollar while they are clearly falling apart and have made no investment in keeping them up to a basic, human level.
Before we begin to build more housing, we need to look at this housing and bring them up to a livable standard for those currently living in the city. Let's fix our home city first before we begin building more housing that may eventually look as awful as this housing on Newark Blvd. and Cherry. 2 Taran Singh Area 3 and Area 4 plan of building 469 homes an environmental disaster. The City of Newark cannot solve the housing problem by 500 odd homes on our wetlands. I urge the city to revert the development plan for Area 3 and Area 4 and let them be a safe abode for our flora and fauna. Overall, I think the City needs to get denser in areas close to the 880 corridors and provide connectivity to BART/Transit.
3 PAMELA
ROUSH
Please do not build in Newark Area 4. That is a flood zone and it will only get worse. Please, please reconsider building in Area 4. Thank you. 4 Andrea
Heckman
I'm very concerned about development in the Area 4 shoreline because of it's importance to the ecosystem and protecting our existing development from future flooding. It seems imprudent to build on an area which is expected to need massive alteration and protection from future sea level rise. Makes no sense to develop housing where future disaster is predictable.
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5 Matt Francois We are submitting these comments on behalf of our client, Integral Communities, the proponent of the Mowry Village project. We write to request certain technical corrections and clarifications to the draft Housing Element. For instance, the reference to 398 built single family units in Area 3, Sub Area B (on page 104) should instead refer to 386 units. Additionally, the reference to the Mowry Village project (on page 105) refers to the site as being within Area 3 when it is located within Area 4; please also correct the location of the Mowry Village project in the last paragraph of this section. Finally, also in the last paragraph of this section, please clarify the intent about retiring the Area 3 & 4 Specific Plan after action on the Mowry Village project as it is anticipated that the Specific Plan would continue to be relied on to make consistency determinations for the Mowry Village and other projects. 6 Carol Drake Newark Area 4 is not a good choice for development.
Wetlands sequester carbon, store floodwater, and filter nutrients and sediment from water.
Already included in the expansion boundaries of the Don Edwards SF Bay National Wildlife Refuge, Area 4 provides an unparalleled opportunity to restore wetlands and other wildlife habitat, while creating a buffer against sea level rise.
Newark should focus on infill development instead.
It could utilize existing neighborhoods and major development opportunities such as revitalizing NewPark Mall, which could provide 1,519 housing units, and smaller projects already planned in and around Old Town Newark. Building in these developed areas would help place housing near job centers, reducing vehicle miles traveled and road congestion.
Comment 7:
From: Nabe Newark <nabenewark@...>
Sent: Tuesday, March 21, 2023 5:23 PM
To: Steven Turner
Cc: Art Interiano; Carmelisa Lopez; Joseph Balatbat; David Benoun; Lenka Hovorka Subject: Re: City of Newark Virtual Community Meeting - Draft Housing Element March 22 at 7:00 PM
Hi Mr. Turner, thank you for including me in the distribution.
I am unsure if I will be able to join the meeting tomorrow, therefore please find 2 comments from me a fter reading this fantastic work by the city staff:
I was very happy to see that you mentioned working with Newark Unified School District in the draft H ousing Element, Policy H2.4
I want to share some recent news articles which should help support this idea within Newark.
Affordable teacher housing development in Los Gatos 'move‐in ready' (mercurynews.com) APPENDIX D PUBLIC COMMENT D-70
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Report: Silicon Valley housing crisis linked to declining school enrollment (sanjosespotlight.com) News – Support Teacher Housing
Affordable teacher housing to be built in Palo Alto – The Talon (lahstalon.org) Other cities in the Bay Area have helped their school districts address the missing housing for teaching st aff and I think Newark should also partner with NUSD to do something similar. I loved the creative idea y ou had shared during our chat at the after party of Mayor Hannon's swearing in ceremony late last year.
After housing, the next big expense for low income residents tends to be transportation.
While our Pedestrian & Bicycle Master Plan was approved in Feb 2017, we haven't made massive strid es in making the overall vision in that plan come true.
Bike lanes will not only improve accessibility to local employers: restaurants, gas stations, retail stores, Home Depot, Amazon etc. but also upcoming city centers such as NewPark Place and might even spar k Old Town into life. The other thing is, bike lanes will benefit residents of all income levels.
I saw that the number 1 response to Q.9 of the Public Engagement and Input Survey with 33% respon dents was public infrastructure including bicycle lanes.
Therefore it would be great if the Housing Element had a specific call out to pedestrian and bicycle infra structure vs. the single specific mention on Pg. 128.
I think exploring ways to align the relevant parts of the Housing Element more closely with the Bicycle E lement will help us capture this once in a decade opportunity to shape the future of housing in Newark by the handle bars!
Regards,
Namit
P.S. From the Needs Analysis of the Bicycle Master Plan, Pg.29:
"Newark has a great deal of potential for growing its bicycle network and safely and comfortably attra cting new bicycle trips with its temperate climate, flat terrain, growing on‐street facilities, system of lo w volume streets ideal for casual cyclists, and access to trails and recreation areas.
However, bicycling today can be difficult in Newark despite the growing interest and number of bicyclists . Heavy traffic, high traffic stress bikeways, and a lack of continuous bicycle facilities on Newark’s major arterials, particularly on north & south routes, remain significant challenges for attracting new riders." On Thu, Mar 16, 2023 at 4:49 PM Steven Turner <[email protected]> wrote:
Dear City Council, Planning Commission, and Community Development Advisory Committee‐ Community Development staff and our consultants are hosting a virtual community meeting about the 2023‐2031 Draft Housing Element on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, from 7:00‐8:30 PM. You are certainl y welcome to attend and participate.
We ask participants to register for the meeting with this link: Meeting registration. After registering, y ou will receive a confirmation email about joining the meeting.
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Comment 8:
From: Klaustermeier, Sarah
<[email protected]> Sent: Friday, March 24, 2023 7:46 PM
To: Steven Turner
Cc: Klaustermeier, Sarah
Subject: RE: Newark's Draft Housing Element - NewPark Place Specific Plan Residential Units Steven,
I reviewed the draft Housing Element and had one comment specific to Phase A. The breakdown of income levels in Table C-1 is different than what is approved in our Affordable Housing Agreement.
Please see screenshots below:
Affordable Housing Agreement:
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Sarah Klaustermeier
Sr. Director, Development| Commercial
Development
From: Steven Turner <[email protected]>
Sent: Friday, March 17, 2023 1:21 PM
To: Klaustermeier, Sarah <Sarah.Klaustermeier@...>
Subject: Newark's Draft Housing Element ‐ NewPark Place Specific Plan Residential Units CAUTION: EXTERNAL MAIL! Do not click links, open attachments or reply, unless you recognize the sender’s email address and know the content is safe! If unsure use the Report Phishing Button located in the ribbon.
Hi Sarah‐ I want to let you know that the city has prepared our Draft 2023‐2031 Housing Element for p ublic review. We have a dedicated website where the documents can be reviewed, including an executi ve summary and the complete draft document: www.newarkhousingupdate.org The Draft Housing Element identifies sites through the city that has the appropriate land use and zoning that would allow residential development over the next eight years. This includes sites within our specifi c plan areas, including the sites that allow residential as permitted uses in the NewPark Place Specific Pl an. The entitled Phase A site is identified as a pipeline project site and the other sites anticipated for ho using that surrounds the mall are also identified. Here is a map that illustrates these housing sites (the p APPENDIX D PUBLIC COMMENT D-73
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arcel lines likely don’t reflect the approved vesting tentative map, but we can update this map). The nu mber of units identified for this area totals 1,519 units, consistent with the specific plan.
Development of 1,519 units is not specifically required during the 2023‐2031 period, but the appropri ate land use and requirements are in place to accommodate that development if requested.
Newark was able to identify enough sites at the right densities throughout the city to exceed our Regio nal Housing Needs Allocation. We have also projected the number of units that could be developed at various income levels for the sites. See Table C‐1 for more information.
The initial public review period runs through March 27. We will then send it to the State of Californ ia Housing and Community Development Department for their review, comments, and edits in earl y April. We expect to revise the housing element in June/July to incorporate all the necessary edits before public hearings are scheduled with the Planning Commission and City Council later in the su mmer.
Paul Peninger and his team are the city’s primary consultants who prepare the draft. Paul and I w ould be happy to discuss the housing element with you and answer questions.
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Thanks, Sarah,
‐‐Steven
Comment 9
March 27, 2023
RE: Housing Element Policy Recommendations for Climate Resilience & Fair Housing Dear Mayor Hannon, City Council, and Planning Staff, The undersigned organizations and individuals are excited to participate in Newark’s Housing Element process. We write to offer feedback on Newark’s Draft Housing element for the sixth cycle.
This update is an opportunity for Newark to make sure that high resource and racially segregated neighborhoods take on their fair share of the City’s housing needs, particularly for lower income residents who are disproportionately people of color. As your housing element notes, the majority of Newark residents are in housing that is either unaffordable or does not meet their needs. In particular, the Latine community experiences high levels of overcrowding and above average spending on housing. The City must ensure that all, regardless of race or income, can enjoy safe, stable, and accessible homes located either near jobs or transit (bus as well as BART) and on sites that are clean and suitable for development.
We are glad to see many great policies and sites that promote infill and active transportation.
We also appreciate Newark going above the buffer recommendations for realistic zoning capacity. Among the sites we’re excited about is the Newpark project which will build medium density units on parking lots. This project is a perfect example of infill with access to AC Transit lines to BART.
We also want to commend the city for Policy H6.7: Residential Development in the FloodPlain.
We continue our opposition to the Sanctuary West project. We are glad that the city recognizes that such developments are not in the interest of Newark residents nor the prudent fiduciary responsibility of the council and staff. In an era where our communities are facing the consequences of climate change and sea level rise, each community should be actively assessing how it will ensure future developments and infrastructure will be resilient to flood risk without adversely impacting existing residents and the environment. Building in Area 4 baylands APPENDIX D PUBLIC COMMENT D-75
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would both greatly increase flood risk across the city, and also squander the opportunity to utilize these lands as a valuable flood buffer to protect the community from flooding and sea level rise, while also providing improved natural wildlife habitat and increased outdoor access opportunities for residents. Additionally, since there is broad community opposition from both environmental and pro-housing organizations in the area, building here has a high chance of community pushback which could delay the project to outside the planning period.
We strongly recommend updating your Climate Action Plan which is now 13 years old in order to implement mitigation measures for water level rise (both sea level rise and groundwater rise) and to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. We also recommend adding a policy to restore wetlands in order to maximize carbon sequestration and protection from sea level rise.
Program H3.5: Parking standards study can be strengthened to commit to reducing parking minimums. A study from UC Berkeley’s Terner Center found, “the presence of structured parking added nearly $36,000 per unit.” The Draft Housing Element notes that Newark has higher parking1 minimums than neighboring jurisdictions. Parking, especially covered parking, significantly increases the cost of housing developments and uses space for cars rather than for people. In order to combat climate change we know that we must reduce our reliance on cars and fossil fuels. By prioritizing land for people rather than cars we can address the housing crisis and GHG reduction goals. Due to this higher level of parking and its cost, we strongly urge you to commit to reducing the amount of required parking to no more than 0.5 spaces per residential unit, and zero in transit-adjacent areas.
Program H2.1: Encourage new middle-density housing with SB 9 and SB 10. While this is a laudable direction for the city to go to encourage housing abundance throughout the city, it could be strengthened with a few more objective outcomes for the program. (1) The SB 9 ordinance should not reduce the buildable envelope below what an underlying single-family zone allows. (2) Missing middle zoning should allow at least 4 units on at least 80% of single-family lots—not merely legal as density, but practical in terms of development standards.
See the Portland Residential Infill Program for a possible direction where buildable envelope is increased the more units are planned on the lot. (3) No areas should be exempted from missing middle except based on floodplain, fire risk, or other major public health / ecological risks. (4) Required parking should continue to be no more than 0.5 spaces /unit, or zero near any bus line, as the major space requirements of off-street parking reliably kills missing middle.
As we’ve mentioned, we oppose site number 2: Sanctuary West because of its location on baylands that are expected to see a nearly two feet rise of water levels in less than 50 years. We continue to urge you to remove this from your site list.
To support our vision for Newark, Greenbelt Alliance and other partnering organizations have crafted a go-to guide for accelerating equitable adaptation to the climate crisis; The Resilience Playbook. The Playbook brings together curated strategies, recommendations, and tools to support local decision makers and community leaders wherever they are in their journey.
We look forward to continuing to engage with Newark and the community on how this vital work can move forward in the new year.
Sincerely,
APPENDIX D PUBLIC COMMENT D-76
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Victor Flores, East Bay Resilience Manager,
Greenbelt Alliance
David Lewis, Executive Director
Save The Bay
Maxwell Davis and the 2500 members of East
Bay for Everyone
1 https://ternercenter.berkeley.edu/research-and-policy/ab-1401-residential-parking-requirements/ Comment 10
Newark received this same comment as a form letter from numerous individuals during the public comment period.
From: Neelam Noorani <info@...>
Sent: Sunday, March 26, 2023 8:12 PM
To: Steven Turner
Subject: Remove Sanctuary West from the Newark Housing Element Steven Turner,
Dear Mayor Hannon, Vice Mayor Collazo and Newark City Councilmembers, Thank you for putting together a robust Housing Element draft. This is a once in a decade moment for Newark to make pivotal progress on climate change and fair housing by developing a comprehensive housing strategy that builds housing in existing neighborhoods, while ensuring the long-term climate resilience of the city by protecting protecting valuable open space along the shoreline as wildlife habitat while providing community resilience as a flood buffer from sea level rise.
I am writing to you today to implore you to remove Newark Area 4 (“Sanctuary West”) from your housing site inventory. This is not a good place to build housing and should not be how Newark meets a significant portion of its housing requirement. Newark Area 4 is almost entirely within a flood zone, and the site is anticipated to be almost completely inundated with just 1 meter of sea level rise. Additionally, new studies show that development of Area 4 could cause flooding for other shoreline communities in the Bay Area. Developing this site will increase flood risk to current and future residents and cause catastrophic financial issues to the city in the future.
As evidenced by recent rains, Newark is already experiencing flooding and if Area 4 is developed, flooding will only increase. Newark has the capacity within the existing urban areas to meet its RHNA goals without putting future and current residents at risk.
Further, the wetlands and wetland restoration potential of Newark Area 4 should be embraced for the numerous important benefits they provide. Wetlands not only protect the city from flooding and provide wildlife habitat, they also clean our Bay waters, and have been demonstrated to be one of the most powerful tools in nature for fighting climate change, by sequestering carbon even more efficiently than our forests. We desperately need to protect 2 APPENDIX D PUBLIC COMMENT D-77
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and restore all the San Francisco Bay wetlands we can, and Newark has an incredible opportunity to support this regional goal.
We strongly urge Newark to become a climate-forward city by focusing on infill growth in existing neighborhoods - rather than putting housing in an undeveloped shoreline flood zone that should be permanently protected as a wildlife habitat and as a valuable buffer to protect the community from flooding and sea level rise.
Thank you,
Neelam Noorani
noorani25@...
…
San Francisco, California…
Comment 11
March 27, 2023
Transmitted Via Electronic Mail via the City Clerk
Steven Turner, Community Development Director
37101 Newark Blvd.
Newark, CA 94560
Email: [email protected]
RE: Public comments by San Francisco Baykeeper on Newark’s Draft Housing Element.
Dear Mr. Turner,
I write on behalf of San Francisco Baykeeper (“Baykeeper”) in opposition to the City of Newark’s inclusion of the Sanctuary West Project (also commonly known as “Area 4”) in its Draft Housing Element. Baykeeper submits these comments on behalf of approximately 5,000 members and supporters who live and recreate in and around the San Francisco Bay Area. Together, our mission is to defend San Francisco Bay from the biggest threats and hold polluters and government agencies accountable to create healthy communities and help wildlife thrive. Our team of scientists and lawyers investigate pollution via aerial and water patrols, strengthen regulations through science and policy advocacy, and enforce environmental laws on behalf of the public.
It is discouraging to see the city continuing to recommend and approve housing at Area 4.
Instead of allowing this area to be used as a natural barrier to mitigate sea level rise (SLR) and groundwater inundation as climate impacts increase, moving forward with development will expose more than a thousand new residents to SLR and put hundreds of millions of dollars of property at risk. With only about ten percent of the original wetlands remaining around San Francisco Bay, keeping these natural bufferlands is essential to having a resilient community and APPENDIX D PUBLIC COMMENT D-78
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allowing shorelines to adapt in the midst of climate change.
In addition, importing fill and paving over Area 4 would destroy restorable diked Baylands and harm wildlife habitats for over a dozen special-status species. This includes the endangered Salt Marsh Harvest Mouse, endemic to only San Francisco Bay’s marshes which are increasingly threatened with the prospect of development. Furthermore, fragmenting and degrading the existing wetlands in Area 4 will also threaten pup rookeries for harbor seals.
The scientific community has recommended Area 4 as a high priority for protection and restoration of wetlands and upland habitat in order to support San Francisco Bay wildlife species and help them adjust to rising sea levels. Congress has already authorized lands such as Area 4 to be added to the Don Edwards SF Bay National Wildlife Refuge. We urge you to follow the guidance of the region’s scientific community and prioritize protecting and restoring this land rather than development in Area 4 as planned in your current Draft Housing Element.
During the January 2023 King Tides, drone footage revealed just how much surface water already occupies the site. These images give a glimpse of what this site will look like under one foot of SLR. Seeing as this site is projected to have two feet of SLR by 2050, it is obvious why this is not a good site to build housing or degrade more wetland habitat.
Jan. 22, 2023, King Tides at Area 4 Photo credit: Carin High Lastly, sustainable development comes at the intersection of economic, social and APPENDIX D PUBLIC COMMENT D-79
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environmental capitols. Area 4 development only looks at the economic benefit to build.
However, if natural capitol was also part of the equation, one would see how many benefits this land offers: greenhouse gas sequestration, nature based multi-benefit adaptation solutions to SLR, open space for community members to enjoy, and biodiversity to ensure a healthy Bay.
Staff, we implore you to remove the Sanctuary West Project from suitable housing in the 6th cycle of Newark’s Housing Element. Follow the advice of the experts and protect these wetlands to, in turn, protect your community against climate change impacts.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on this Draft Housing Element. Please reach out to Aundi Mevoli at aundi@... with any questions.
Sincerely,
Aundi Mevoli
Field Investigator and Policy Advocate San Francisco Baykeeper APPENDIX D PUBLIC COMMENT D-80
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction....................................................................SAF-1 Climate Change ....................................................................... SAF-2 Relationship to Other General Plan Elements .......................... SAF-2 Statutory Requirements............................................................SAF-3 Safety Element Existing Conditions Report.............................. SAF-5 Union City/Newark Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan................................................................................ SAF-5 Community Input..................................................................... SAF-5
2. Existing Conditions..........................................................SAF-6 Air Quality................................................................................ SAF-6 Drought and Water Quality.....................................................SAF-15 Extreme Weather....................................................................SAF-25 Flooding Hazards ....................................................................SAF-34 Dam Failure............................................................................ SAF-44 Fire Hazards ............................................................................SAF-50 Geologic Hazards ....................................................................SAF-53 Hazardous Materials ...............................................................SAF-63 Noise....................................................................................... SAF-71 Emergency Preparedness........................................................SAF-85
3. Goals, Policies, and Actions............................................SAF-89 Air Quality.............................................................................. SAF-89 Drought and Water Quality.....................................................SAF-93 Extreme Weather....................................................................SAF-97 Flooding Hazards ..................................................................SAF-100 Dam Failure...........................................................................SAF-105 Fire Hazards ..........................................................................SAF-109 Geologic Hazards .................................................................. SAF-111 Hazardous Materials .............................................................SAF-114 Emergency Preparedness......................................................SAF-123
4. References.................................................................. SAF-128
5. Appendices................................................................. SAF-136 Appendix A: Existing Conditions Report................................SAF-136 Exhibit C
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List of Figures
Figure SAF-1 City of Newark Particulate Matter (PM2.5) Pollution.. SAF-9 Figure SAF-2 City of Newark Diesel Particulate Matter Pollution....SAF-10 Figure SAF-3 Drought Conditions in Alameda County, 2000–2023 . SAF-17 Figure SAF-4 Groundwater Threats in Newark (Census Tract Average)....................................................................SAF-20 Figure SAF-5 Urban Heat Island Effect ...........................................SAF-27 Figure SAF-6 Urban Greening in Newark ........................................SAF-29 Figure SAF-7 FEMA Flood Zone Exposure Map...............................SAF-35 Figure SAF-8 Sea-Lƒevel Rise.........................................................SAF-39 Figure SAF-9 Dam Inundation Zones ..............................................SAF-46 Figure SAF-10 Earthquake Faults .....................................................SAF-54 Figure SAF-11 Geologic and Seismic Hazards...................................SAF-56 Figure SAF-12 Hazardous Materials Sites .........................................SAF-65 Figure SAF-13 Existing Noise Contours ............................................SAF-78 Figure SAF-14 Future (2035) Noise Contours ....................................SAF-79 Figure SAF-15 Emergency Preparedness and Resilience...................SAF-86 List of Tables
Table SAF-1 Major Air Pollutant Sources.........................................SAF-7 Table SAF-2 Newark Population Health Statistics ......................... SAF-11 Table SAF-3 U.S. Drought Monitor Classifications.........................SAF-16 Table SAF-4 Typical Noise Levels .................................................. SAF-73 Table SAF-5 Noise Compatibility Guidelines for Newark ...............SAF-75 Packet Page No. 578
9 SAF-1
SAFETY
1. INTRODUCTION
The Safety Element of the General Plan addresses potential risks to life and property resulting from naturally occurring hazards, such as earthquakes and floods, and man-made hazards, such as air pollution, noise and soil contamination. The Safety Element also addresses emergency preparedness and response. As in other elements of the General Plan, background information on these topics is presented in the first part of the chapter, and goals, policies, and actions are presented at the end.
An important function of this Element is to identify locations in Newark that may be inappropriate for certain land uses due to potential risks and hazards. This Element also identifies areas where hazards are present, but can be mitigated through special design and site planning measures. For example, Newark is located in a seismically active area.
While this does not preclude construction, it does require that buildings are designed to withstand ground shaking and other hazards associated with earthquakes. The hazards discussed in this Element help to shape Newark’s Land Use Map, and have influenced its land use, housing, open space, and transportation policies.
The specific topics covered by this Element are listed below:
Air Quality
Drought and Water Quality
Extreme Weather
Geologic and Seismic Hazards
Flood Hazards
Dam Failure
Fire Hazards
Hazardous Materials
Emergency Preparedness
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CLIMATE CHANGE
Many of the hazards impacting the City are made worse by climate change. Climate change refers to a significant and long-lasting shift in global temperatures and climate patterns due primarily to manmade greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which trap heat in the atmosphere and lead to increasing global temperatures. Global warming and the hazards that come from this phenomenon are expected to worsen over time as GHG emissions continue to increase. Expected impacts from climate change in Newark include worsening air quality, prolonged drought, extreme weather conditions, more intense flooding, and an increase in sea level rise. These threats will not affect everything and everyone equally. Some people and places are more exposed and/or more sensitive to climate impacts. As such, the increased risk of natural hazards as a result of climate change, including local vulnerabilities, are addressed within each hazard section as applicable.
RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER GENERAL PLAN ELEMENTS
To ensure that the General Plan is consistent across elements, hazards discussed in the Safety Element are related to other elements of the General Plan, including Land Use, Transportation, Housing, Economic Development, Conservation and Sustainability, and Parks, Recreation, and Open Space. Some of these relationships between other General Plan Elements and this Safety Element are summarized and illustrated below:
Policies related to areas at risk of recurring flooding, dam failure, extreme weather, and wildfire are found in the Land Use and Conservation and Sustainability Elements.
Policies associated with secondary access during an emergency are found in the Transportation Element.
Policies important to resilience planning in urban development as well as protecting critical facilities from hazardous threats are found in Land Use, Housing, and Economic Development Elements.
Policies related to maintaining recreation and open space to avoid hazards such as wildfire are found in the Parks,
Recreation, and Open Space Element. Water quality is
addressed in the Conservation and Sustainability Element. Police and fire services are covered in the Community Services and Facilities Element.
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Taken together, the policies in the General Plan minimize risks, protect the quality of life, and provide a foundation for response and recovery when disaster strikes. References to related policies are provided where appropriate within the Safety Element.
STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS
California Government Code Section 65302 (g) includes the requirements that should be addressed in a community’s General Plan Safety Element.
These requirements are organized into nine subsections [65302 (g) (1) through 65302 (g) (9)], which are summarized below:
65302 (g) (1) identifies the primary hazards/issues that should be included in the Safety Element, which include: seismically induced surface rupture, ground shaking, ground failure, slope instability leading to mudslides and landslides, tsunami, seiche, dam failure, flooding, subsidence, liquefaction, other geologic hazards, wildland and urban fires, evacuation routes, military installations, peak load water supply requirements, and minimum road widths and clearances around structures, as those items relate to identified fire and geologic hazards. 65302 (g) (2) adopted through AB 162 (2007) identifies the requirements to update floodplain mapping and information, which includes special requirements.
65302 (g) (3) adopted through SB 1241 (2012) identifies the requirements for updating wildfire mapping, information, and goals and policies to address wildfire hazards.
65302 (g) (4) adopted through SB 379 (2015) identifies the requirements for updating the safety element to address potential impacts associated with climate change and potential strategies to adapt/mitigate these hazards.
65302 (g) (5) adopted through SB 99 (2019) requires
identification of specified evacuation constraints associated with residential developments.
65302 (g) (6) adopted through SB 1035 (2018) requires the update of the safety element every time the housing element or local hazard mitigation plan is updated.
65302 (g) (7) allows for the incorporation of a flood plain management ordinance into the safety element.
65302 (g) (8) requires consultation with the California Geological Survey, California Office of Emergency Services.
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65302 (g) (9) allows cities to adopt a County Safety Element if adequate detail is provided to address city‐level concerns.
Additionally, California Government Code Section 65302.15 was adopted through Assembly Bill (AB) 747 (2019) and includes the requirement to identify evacuation routes and their capacity, safety, and viability under a range of emergency scenarios.
AB 2140
In 2006, the state adopted Assembly Bill (AB) 2140 which added provisions specifying what is to be included in a Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) and requiring a linkage between a local jurisdiction’s LHMP and the Safety Element of their General Plan. AB 2140 requires a jurisdiction to adopt the LHMP into the Safety Element of the General Plan in order to be fully eligible for disaster relief funding under the California Disaster Assistance Act. AB 2140 can be met by either including the LHMP language specific to AB 2140 as part of the Safety Element or by incorporating the LHMP by reference into the Safety Element of the General Plan.
The City of Newark has a current LHMP which includes an assessment of the City’s risk and vulnerability related to natural and other identified hazards, and a comprehensive mitigation strategy which includes actions and projects designed to mitigate or reduce the impacts of those hazards and to increase community resiliency. This LHMP has been formally adopted and incorporated by reference into the Safety Element of the General Plan via City Council Resolution No. 10,690.
To further meet the requirements of AB 2140, the City of Newark adopts and incorporates by reference the most current LHMP as part of this Safety Element to the General Plan which should be consulted when addressing known hazards to ensure the general health and safety of people within the city.
As of 2023, updates to the LHMP for the City of Newark planning area are being prepared in accordance with the Disaster Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA 2000) and follow FEMA’s 2023 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan guidance. The LHMP incorporates a process where hazards are identified and profiled, the people and facilities at risk are analyzed, and mitigation actions are developed to reduce or eliminate hazard risk. The implementation of these mitigation actions, which include both short Packet Page No. 582
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and long-term strategies, involves planning, policy changes, programs, projects, and other activities.
The City of Newark Local Hazard Mitigation Plan can be accessed here.
SAFETY ELEMENT EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT
The Safety Element Existing Conditions Report (Appendix A) provides detailed information on existing hazards, community vulnerabilities, and County capacity to respond to hazards. The information contained within the report provides the foundation for the update of the Safety Element, including the formulation of goals and policies. The reader should refer to the Existing Conditions Report in Appendix A, as well as the Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan (MJHMP) described below, for the most up-to-date and comprehensive information on hazards impacting the city.
UNION CITY/NEWARK MULTI-JURISDICTIONAL HAZARD
MITIGATION PLAN
In 2016, the cities of Union City and Newark teamed together to prepare an updated MJHMP that would best suit local needs and capabilities of the two cities and local special districts. The plan was adopted in 2017 and represents an update to each city’s component of the Association of Bay Area Governments 2010 MJHMP for the San Francisco Bay Area. The MJHMP identifies resources, information, and mitigation strategies for reducing risk from natural hazards. The risk assessments for each hazard have been summarized and incorporated into this Element to serve as important background and context for the preparation of goals, policies, and actions. Many of the MJHMP mitigation measures have also been incorporated into the goals and policies of the Safety Element.
COMMUNITY INPUT
From the outset, the intent of the Newark Safety Element Update has been to create a plan that understands and responds to community needs and desires. Many Newark community members and
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hazard topic in this Safety Element concludes with a section on community and stakeholder input, which summarizes feedback received through the survey, community workshops, and stakeholder meetings related to each topic. Input received from the public engagement activities informed the development of policies and actions in this Safety Element.
2. EXISTING CONDITIONS
AIR QUALITY
Air quality is an important contributor to
health and quality of life. Poor air quality
can harm community and personal health
as well as the environment, and cause
property damage. Poor air quality has
been linked to respiratory complications
such as asthma, pulmonary disease,
pneumonia, bronchitis, and other
infections, as well as cardiovascular issues
such as heart disease, heart failure, and
cardiac arrest.
Air quality is regulated at all levels of government. California has adopted legislation to address air quality issues that are as restrictive or more restrictive than national standards. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is responsible for developing plans to meet the federal and state standards. Air quality is also the focus of several local and regional initiatives relating to land use and transportation planning.
Newark and other surrounding jurisdictions work closely with CARB and other regional agencies to ensure healthy air quality.
Local Conditions
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), an independent executive agency tasked with environmental protection matters, there are several major air pollutants of concern found all over the United States. These major pollutants and their primary pollutant sources are listed in Table SAF-1.
According to the California Healthy Places
Index, the city of Newark has a high existing
rate of asthma cases as compared to other
cities in California (the asthma rate in the
City is higher than 84% of the census tracts in
California) (HPI, 2022). In addition, higher
incidences of asthma and cardiovascular
disease occur near the intersection of I-880
and SR 84, making these census tracts more
vulnerable to the impacts of air pollution
(EDF, 2021).
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TABLE SAF-1 MAJOR AIR POLLUTANT SOURCES
Pollutants Major Pollutant Sources
Ozone Motor vehicles, paints, coatings, and solvents
Carbon Monoxide
(CO)
Internal combustion engines, primarily gasoline-powered motor vehicles
Nitrogen Oxides Motor vehicles, petroleum-refining operations, industrial sources, aircraft, ships, and railroads
Sulfur Dioxide Fuel combustion, chemical plants, sulfur recovery plants, and metal processing
Suspended
Particulate Matter
(PM2.5 and PM10)
Dust- and fume-producing construction, industrial, and agricultural operations, combustion, atmospheric photochemical reactions, and natural activities (e.g., wind-raised dust and ocean sprays) SOURCE: California Air Resources Board (CARB, n.d.)
Newark is located in the San Francisco
Bay Area, where common pollutants of
greatest concern are ozone, diesel
particulate matter, and fine particulate
matter (BAAQMD, 2016). The areas in
the city with the highest exposure to
these pollutants are those portions of the
community located adjacent to Highway
880 and the Dumbarton Bridge. Figure
SAF-1 and Figure SAF-2 show the
relative pollution burden of PM2.5 and
diesel particulate matter in Newark.
These figures compare census tracts
within the City to identify areas that are
more burdened by particulate matter
pollution than other areas in the city.
Compared to the County as a whole Newark has relatively lower levels of pollution across the city. When looking at the city in isolation (Figure SAF-1) we see that the areas in the Northern part have more concentrated levels. In the Bay Area, a certain amount of air pollution comes from industrial sources such as refineries and power plants. As identified in the Economic Development Element, industrial land uses in Newark are concentrated in the southern and western portions of the city. But a greater percentage of harmful air emissions comes from cars and trucks, construction equipment, and other motor vehicles. In Particulate matter (PM) includes finely
divided solids or liquids such as dust, fly ash,
soot, smoke, aerosols, fumes, mists, and
condensing vapors that can be suspended in
the air for extended periods of time. Sources
of particulate matter are from both human
and natural activities. A significant portion of
PM sources is generated in agricultural
operations, industrial processes, combustion
of wood, coal and gas, construction and
demolition activities, road dust, windblown
dust, and wildfires. Days with stagnant air
have much higher particle concentrations
than days with air partially “scrubbed” by
rain or wind. Because of their small size, fine
particles outdoors can penetrate into homes
and buildings.
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the wintertime, the largest single source of air pollution, in addition to the sources previously mentioned, is residential wood burning (BAAQMD, 2016). Increased population and human activity, such as industrial activity, will worsen greenhouse gas emissions and air quality conditions.
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FIGURE SAF-1 CITY OF NEWARK PARTICULATE MATTER (PM2.5) POLLUTION Packet Page No. 587
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FIGURE SAF-2 CITY OF NEWARK DIESEL PARTICULATE MATTER POLLUTION Packet Page No. 588
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Local Vulnerabilities
Populations that are particularly vulnerable to air pollution include the elderly, children, pregnant women, unsheltered individuals, outdoor workers, individuals without healthcare, and individuals with preexisting health conditions, such as asthma, cardiovascular disease, or cancer, that may be exacerbated by poor air quality. Table SAF-2 lists the percentages of Newark residents affected by health conditions that are linked to poor air quality. These health conditions can also be linked to a variety of factors, including but not limited to genetics, diet, lack of exercise, smoking, and exposure to air pollution. Overall, these health conditions in Newark are higher than 50% of census tracts across the state of California (OEHHA, 2022).
TABLE SAF-2 NEWARK POPULATION HEALTH STATISTICS
Health Indicator
Percent of Newark
Residents
Percent of Alameda
County Residents
Asthma 2.1% 2.3%
Cancer (except Skin Cancer) 5.0% 5.3%
Coronary Heart Disease 4.2% 4.4%
SOURCE: PHASoCal, 2022; CDC, 2019; Healthy Alameda County, 2018.
Days with poor air quality can result in secondary impacts, such as missed days of work and school. Additionally, as evidenced by the wildfire season of 2020, poor air quality can lead to the need to shelter in place within homes. Although temporary, being restricted to home can reduce people’s ability to access services and social connections within their communities.
Local Initiatives
The City of Newark works closely with regional and state agencies to ensure safe and healthy air quality within the city and across the greater San Francisco Bay Area as a whole. In addition to county programs, the City of Newark, the State of California, and the federal government also have programs that help reduce poor air quality.
These are described below.
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Bay Area Air Quality Management District
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) is the primary agency that regulates air pollution control in the San Francisco Bay Area. BAAQMD conducts air quality permitting, monitoring, and enforcement of national and state emission standards. It also provides informational materials and alerts regarding air quality conditions and public health concerns. With increasing concerns of climate change, the BAAQMD prioritizes emissions reductions from mobile sources through sound land use planning practices, innovative technology, and policy development.
The agency works collaboratively with other agencies such as the Alameda County Transportation Commission and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to develop air quality improvement strategies at the regional and local levels. In addition, BAAQMD generally considers areas within 500 feet of freeways and high-volume roadways (more than 10,000 vehicles per day) to have higher potential risks. Accordingly, future housing developments and other new sensitive receptors near State Route (SR) 84 and Interstate 880 (I-880) may need to incorporate special site planning and construction features to reduce risk exposure.
BAAQMD Spare the Air Program
The Spare the Air program is a regional program that encompasses seven Bay Area counties as well as half of Solano and Sonoma Counties, including the city of Newark in Alameda County (BAAQMD, 2014). Spare the Air was created by BAAQMD to alert residents when air quality is forecast to be unhealthy during winter and summer and during wildfires, and to share information on ways to reduce air pollution. Residents who are sensitive to unhealthy air are advised to limit their time outdoors, especially in the afternoon, when temperatures are warmer and ozone levels rise. Spare the Air alerts can be sent via text, email, or through the free Spare the Air cell phone application.
Additional BAAQMD programs in the Spare the Air program include behavior change campaigns to reduce vehicle trips and long commute times, neighborhood outreach, programs providing high-efficiency air Image courtesy of BAAQMD
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filtration for those who are most vulnerable to wildfire smoke and air pollution, and educational materials to help understand air quality and air pollution.
Newark Climate Action Plan
On January 28, 2010, the City of Newark adopted the Climate Action Plan (CAP) Initial Framework. The CAP Initial Framework includes an inventory of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission producing activities in the community and specifically from municipal activity. Based on the inventory results, the CAP recommends multiple actions and timelines to reduce emissions with cost analyses where possible. These goals and actions were proposed to occur over a short-term (1-4 years), mid-term (4-8 years) or longer term (8 plus years) timeframe. Lastly, the CAP also establishes a monitoring plan to determine the effectiveness of implemented measures. The CAP is related to the Safety Element as it provides strategies and actions to reduce GHG emissions which cause air pollution in the City.
Overall, the Newark community, including city operations, businesses, residents and workers produce greenhouse gas emissions in a wide variety of ways. Some of these sources include:
General economic and domestic activity which consumes electricity and natural gas
Commuting by residents to their job within and outside of City limits, and by nonresidents commuting into the City for work Production of waste material that produces potent greenhouse gases when decomposing.
The use of electricity and natural gas to power and heat City buildings and facilities.
The use of gasoline, compressed natural gas, diesel fuel and other fossil-based fuels to power vehicles, equipment,
compressors and other machinery.
Emissions from the collection and disposal of waste from City facilities
Public lighting, such as streetlights.
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As the City looks forward towards the future, the Newark CAP is meant to be a dynamic document that will evolve, fill in and be re-evaluated on a regular basis, especially as climate science and policy continues to change.
KEY FINDINGS RELATED TO AIR QUALITY
Areas in the city with the highest exposure to air pollutants are those portions of the community located adjacent to Highway 880 and the Dumbarton Bridge.
Higher incidences of asthma and cardiovascular disease exist near the intersection of the I-880 and SR 84, making these census tracts more vulnerable to the impacts of air pollution. In addition to the harmful emissions coming from cars and trucks, residential wood burning activity in the wintertime is a significant source of air pollution.
COMMUNITY/STAKEHOLDER INPUT
The City released a community survey to elicit input on topics related to community hazards, sea-level rise, pollution, and air quality to get a better understanding of how the City can improve safety in Newark. Overall, respondents indicated the following relating to air quality and pollution in Newark: Air pollution connected to vehicular traffic and industrial activity (air pollution, dangerous fumes, and dumping of chemicals) is a significant concern for Newark residents.
Wildfire pollution was also identified as an issue of concern for Newark residents.
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DROUGHT AND WATER QUALITY
Drought occurs when a prolonged period of below-average levels of rainfall leads to a water shortage. Drought is affected by rainfall quantities and distribution, as well as temperature and snowpack levels. Warming global temperatures and decreases in snowpack can significantly worsen drought conditions, especially for regions that depend on snowpack for water supply – the State of California as a whole relies heavily on the Sierra Nevada snowpack as the primary source for water replenishment. During periods of drought, less water is available for delivery to communities, which affects drinking water as well as water for other uses (such as landscaping and irrigation, agriculture, energy, and cooling).
Water quality conditions can also change during drought due to impacts from other climate hazards, such as extreme heat, sea-level rise, high winds, and flooding. These events can exacerbate drought by adding pressure on existing supplies, polluting surface and ground waters, and reducing moisture levels in soils.
LOCAL CONDITIONS
The city of Newark receives water service from its retail water purveyor, the Alameda County Water District (ACWD), which provides water supplied from the State Water Project, the San Francisco Regional Water System, and local water supplies, including six ACWD wells that pump water from the groundwater basin.
Local and regional water resources are generally more abundant in the winter, from November to March, when the majority of the state’s annual rainfall occurs. However, climate change is expected to shift historic trends and lead to more intense climate conditions, for both cold and wet periods and dry and warm periods (Tetra Tech, 2017).
Average annual rainfall is expected to increase from approximately 16 inches to 19 inches by late-century; however, the frequency and duration of rainfall is generally expected to decrease (Cal-Adapt 2021b).
This means that future rainfall events will become more intense, as projected increases in rainfall will occur over shorter time periods.
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consecutive days without precipitation, are also expected to increase from a historic average of 123 days annually up to 135 days by latecentury (Cal-Adapt 2021c). Overall, this will result in a shorter wet season and reduced water supplies that favor drought conditions.
The U.S. Drought Monitor classifies drought conditions using a fivecategory classification system, as shown in Table SAF-3. Conditions statewide vary according to the drought classification system. Local and regional agencies issue water shortage restrictions for residences, businesses, farming, and other activities according to drought conditions.
TABLE SAF-3 U.S.DROUGHT MONITOR CLASSIFICATIONS
Category Description Impacts
D0 Abnormally Dry • Short-term dryness
• Growth of crops and pastures is slowed
D1 Moderate Drought • Impacts on crops and pastures
• Water shortages developing in reservoirs,
streams, and wells
• Voluntary water restrictions
D2 Severe Drought • Loss of crops/pastures
• Water shortages
• Water restrictions issued
D3 Extreme Drought • Major loss of crops/pastures
• Widespread water restrictions and water
shortages
D4 Exceptional Drought • Exceptional and widespread loss of crops/pastures
• Water shortages in reservoirs, streams, and
wells
• Water emergency declarations
SOURCE: USDM (2022b)
Figure SAF-3 shows drought conditions in Alameda County from 2000 to 2023. For the majority of 2023, the city was in D2 Severe Drought conditions. D2 Severe Drought conditions are when water reservoirs are low, river flow is decreased, trees and plants are stressed, and water temperatures are increased. Under these drought conditions, the fire season is extended, trees and plants are stressed, and water producers increase water efficiency methods (USDM, 2022c).
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SOURCE: USDM (2023a)
NOTES: Drought designations are D0 (Abnormally Dry); D1 (Moderate Drought); D2 (Severe Drought); D3 (Extreme Drought); and D4 (Exceptional Drought) FIGURE SAF-3 DROUGHT CONDITIONS IN ALAMEDA COUNTY, 2000–2023 Packet Page No. 595
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Water Quality
The health and quality of water resources can also affect potable water supplies. Drinking water contamination can be a byproduct of both natural and human sources. The presence of hazardous substances and pollutants in water sources can pose public health concerns, as contaminated water cannot be consumed safely and must be removed as a potable source until water quality conditions improve (Zeise, 2021).
Contaminated waters can thus increase pressure on other water sources to meet the needs for water supply.
In Newark, pollution in surface water bodies and groundwater is affected primarily by urban runoff. There are numerous regulations in place at the state level that work to monitor negative impacts to water quality from urban runoff. Urban runoff is typically caused by heavy storms and groundwater threats that carry sediments and pollution from industrial and hazardous sites into water sources. Saltwater intrusion can also contribute to water pollution. Another threat to groundwater is from hazardous materials that leak into the ground, including diesel fuels, solvents, heavy metals, and pesticides. The presence of hazardous substances and pollutants in water sources can impact potable water supplies and pose public health concerns, as contaminated water cannot be consumed safely and therefore removes this water as a potable source until water quality conditions improve (Zeise and Blumenfeld, 2021). While drinking water quality is high, Newark has high levels of lead contamination and groundwater threats (OEHHA, 2021). See the Hazardous Materials section for information on hazardous materials in Newark.
Groundwater threats are relatively high in the city of Newark and the vicinity. Figure SAF-4 shows groundwater threat sites in and near the city of Newark and shows a measure of pollution due to groundwater threats across census tracts in the city (OEHHA, 2021). There are 38 groundwater threat sites within the city, the majority of which are cleanup sites that have had unauthorized releases or discharges of pollutants that affect groundwater (SWRCB, 2021). Cleanup sites in Newark are clustered mostly near the center of the community and to the west. The city is within the top 17 percent of communities statewide that are most impacted by groundwater threats (OEHHA, 2021). The southernmost census tract of the city experiences greatest burden from groundwater threats, as shown in Figure SAF-4. Of note, the area Packet Page No. 596
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surrounding Jerry Raber Ash Street Park have the most groundwater threats. Additional areas in Newark with high groundwater threats are located along Enterprise Drive and between Thornton Avenue and Union Pacific Avenue. Several of the sites along Enterprise Drive are located in a higher-density residential neighborhood.
Secondary Hazards
Wildfires are the most significant secondary hazard caused by drought.
Prolonged precipitation and warmer temperatures create suitable, dry conditions that increase susceptibility for wildfires. In such cases, resources used for extinguishing fires have the potential to place further stress on limited water supplies and can extend drought periods. Drought conditions can also decrease soil moisture and lead to plant and crop death, impacting food resources, reducing natural benefits from evaporative cooling, and contributing to higher temperatures. Dust levels can also increase due to drought conditions and pose increased dangers to public health (Hall et al., 2018).
Employment and economic losses are also considered a secondary impact from drought. Past economic analyses of drought conditions on California’s economy have shown how prolonged drought can have cascading impacts relating to public health and job loss, such as those discussed in the following section on vulnerabilities.
LOCAL VULNERABILITIES
Drought conditions have the potential to affect numerous aspects, including water availability, water restrictions, water quality, access to recreational areas, air quality, health impacts, and economic impacts.
Populations that are most vulnerable during droughts include those that are low-income, outdoor workers, and those who are unsheltered or experiencing homelessness. These groups are at greater risk from increased costs to water and fresh produce, which can affect food security, public health, and financial stability. Individuals with existing health conditions are more susceptible to risk from secondary hazards, particularly wildfires. Drought conditions that facilitate wildfires can lead to smoke and worsening air quality. This has the potential to exacerbate asthma and other respiratory illnesses for individuals with existing conditions (SF DPH, 2014).
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SOURCE: OEHHA (2021)
FIGURE SAF-4 GROUNDWATER THREATS IN NEWARK (CENSUS TRACT AVERAGE) Packet Page No. 598
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The physical assets and infrastructure that are at risk from drought conditions include public facilities and services that rely on water to operate, such as water supply infrastructure, and parks and trees.
Industries that rely on water can experience impacts related to potential revenue and employment, in addition to widespread economic losses.
Further, as drought strains water supplies, sanctions are placed primarily on recreation, natural areas, and agriculture to help with conservation. This increases vulnerability of these systems as they generally become the first to experience water restrictions and will have to endure for longer periods of time. This affects wildlife, trees and plants, habitats, and water bodies.
The health of water bodies also becomes more significant during periods of extreme drought, as pollution and contamination of water sources can further limit the water supply. This can cause further strain on people, plants and wildlife, and the natural environment.
LOCAL INITIATIVES
Water quality standards are regulated at all levels of government. At the local level, the Alameda County Water District (ACWD) provides water to Newark, Fremont, and Union City from the following sources:
The State Water Project supplies approximately 40 percent of ACWD’s water from dams and reservoirs.
San Francisco Regional Water System provides approximately 20 percent of ACWD’s water through the Hetch Hetchy
aqueduct (ACWD, 2020).
The remaining 40 percent comes from local water sources including groundwater from the Niles Cone Groundwater Basin, surface water from the Del Valle Reservoir and desalinated brackish groundwater (ACWD,2020).
Before the ACWD distributes water to its customers, it is treated to meet all State and Federal drinking water standards (Newark, 2013).
The ACWD also manages state mandated programs to ensure that drinking water is safe from lead contamination. In order to ensure that tap water is safe to drink, the EPA and the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) prescribe regulations that limit the amount of certain contaminants in water provided by public water systems.
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Department regulations also establish limits for contaminants in bottled water that must provide the same protection for public health.
CDPH regulations are in many cases more stringent than federal ones.
In addition, the ACWD monitors and manages drought restrictions for the region through the following initiatives, among others:
The ACWD The Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP)
addresses drought impacts and outlines procedures for
potential water shortages, disruptions to water service, and other water supply and service emergencies. The WSCP
outlines steps to address water shortages, including guidance for communities and individuals to engage in voluntary
reductions in water uses, educational outreach on water conservation, and promotion of water use efficiency
opportunities for residential, commercial, business, and other customers (ACWD, 2021b).
The Water Efficiency Master Plan (WEMP) serves as a roadmap for ensuring the sustainable and long-term water supply reliability for Newark, Fremont, and Union City. The WEMP outlines recommendations for improving indoor, outdoor, and commercial water use efficiency; retrofit programs for efficient water fixtures; residential and large landscape water surveys; incentives for irrigation and landscape upgrades; and outreach for conservation and water efficient practices (ACWD 2021a). The ACWD is working to recharge the Niles Cone Groundwater Basin, which contains saltwater as a result of seawater intrusion from the early 1900s. The ACWD is improving the water quality through groundwater monitoring and reducing future risk of seawater intrusion and urban pollution (City of Newark, 2013).
This is significant, as pollution to this resource puts strain on other stressed water bodies.
The ACWD receives water from the Newark Desalination
(Desal) Facility, which uses a filtration process to treat brackish groundwater and produce potable water for delivery (ACWD, 2022). Saltwater from the Niles Cone Groundwater Basin is pumped through the Desal Facility and turned into drinking water, which helps reduce dependence on outside water
sources and increases reliability of the local water supply.
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In addition to ACWD and state initiatives, the City of Newark adopted the City of Newark Green Stormwater Infrastructure Plan (GSI Plan) in 2019. The purpose of the GSI Plan is to guide the identification, implementation, tracking, and reporting of green infrastructure projects within the city of Newark. These projects provide a number of benefits if implemented, including filtering out pollutants from stormwater, replenishing groundwater reserves, and helping to enhance air and water quality.
KEY FINDINGS
Temperatures and duration of dry spells will increase, while wet periods will bring more intense rainfall over shorter periods.
These changes facilitate future drought conditions.
In Newark, urban runoff contributes to pollution in surface water bodies and groundwater, typically caused by heavy storms that carry pollution from sediments and industrial and hazardous sites into water sources. Saltwater intrusion, and hazardous material leakage can also contribute to water pollution.
There are several cleanup sites located in the central and western portions of the city, posing additional risks to water bodies and sensitive populations.
Groundwater contamination caused by hazardous waste sites is also a significant threat in Newark. Of note, the areas surrounding Jerry Raber Ash Street Park and along Enterprise Drive and between Thornton Avenue and Union Pacific Avenue have high groundwater threats.
While drinking water quality is high, Newark has high levels of lead contamination in the existing housing stock (OEHHA, 2022).
Drought conditions create suitable conditions for wildfires, which can worsen water quality and availability and cause impacts to public health.
Groups that are most vulnerable to drought include low-income populations, homeless, and outdoor workers.
COMMUNITY/STAKEHOLDER INPUT
The City released a community survey to elicit input on topics related to community hazards, sea-level rise, pollution, and air quality to get a better understanding of how the City can improve safety in Newark.
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Overall, respondents indicated the following relating to drought and water quality in Newark:
Multi-year drought is the top hazard of concern for Newark residents, over sea-level rise, flooding, and earthquakes. There is concern regarding insufficient water availability to support Newark households as well as how overcrowding will add stress to water resources and conservation efforts. Wetlands and lake areas are in need of protection from climate change impacts.
There is concern for the health and water quality of the Lakeshore Park Lake.
There is significant concern for environmental pollution from traffic, industrial activity, and hazardous materials; however, there is lower concern toward poor-quality of drinking water in the community.
Residents commented on potential for desalination plants to address long-term droughts.
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EXTREME WEATHER
As climate change continues to increase global temperatures, it is expected to shift the frequency, duration and intensity of severe weather patterns, particularly extreme heat and precipitation. Extreme weather refers to highly unusual conditions and events that can cause devastating impacts on global systems, including humans, ecosystems, and the built environment (USDA, 2022). Extreme heat describes days where prolonged, maximum temperatures exceed historical baselines,1 while extreme heat events or heat waves refer to periods of four or more consecutive extreme heat days, often accompanied by high humidity (Cal-Adapt, 2021a).
LOCAL CONDITIONS
Weather in the Bay Area is characterized by a Mediterranean climate, with cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers. The regional topography and ocean proximity generally result in a lower daily temperature compared to other areas of the state. However, increasing greenhouse gas emissions from climate change are expected to result in an increase in average temperatures by mid-century,2 as well as more intense storms and rainfall (Ackerly et al., 2018).
Extreme Heat and Precipitati on
Extreme heat days in Newark are expected to increase from 5 days a year historically to between 16 and 27 days a year by the end of the century (Cal-Adapt, 2021a). Heat wave events may also increase, from zero a year historically up to three a year by end of century. Annual average maximum temperatures are also expected to increase, from a historic average of 68 degrees up to 76 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100 (Cal-Adapt, 2021b).
Warming temperatures and extreme heat days have the potential to increase public health emergencies for heat-related illnesses, including heat cramps, severe heat exhaustion, heat stress, and heat stroke, and can worsen existing health conditions for individuals such as asthma, heart disease, and respiratory illnesses (Cal OES, 2018). 1 Cal-Adapt uses a historical baseline of 1961 to 1990. 2 Mid-century is defined as the period between 2035 to 2064.
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Precipitation levels are also expected to shift significantly, with greater variability in average annual rainfall by the end of the century. In Newark, annual rainfall is expected to increase from 14 to 17 inches historically to between 13 to 21 inches by the end of the century (CalAdapt, 2021c).
Urban Heat Island Effect and Urban Greening
Urban communities, including Newark, will be affected more severely due to the urban heat island effect, a phenomenon where buildings, dark pavements, and urban infrastructure absorb and re-emit the sun’s heat with more intensity than the natural landscape does (EPA, 2021).
Figure SAF-5 illustrates the urban heat island effect across urban and rural communities. Cities and urban neighborhoods experience higher daytime and nighttime temperatures (orange and blue lines, respectively) relative to less urban or rural areas.
Urban greening, such as tree canopy and parks, can contribute to local temperature conditions in communities. Trees are essential to mitigating the effects of climate change, especially extreme heat, as they provide natural cooling to surrounding areas, provide shade relief, and promote health and wellness (PHASoCal, 2018). As such, urban communities with more tree canopy and green surfaces are likely to experience lower effects from the urban heat island effect.
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SOURCE: EPA (2021)
FIGURE SAF-5 URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT
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The availability of designated public spaces that serve as cooling centers can also provide relief from extreme heat and heat events. The city of Newark has three designated and publicly accessible cooling centers that serve as safe locations for individuals to get out of extreme heat temperatures, and have access to air conditioning and other resources and amenities (Alameda County, 2019). These are located at the Newark Library, Senior Center, and NewPark Shopping Mall. Access to these centers can help provide relief during extreme heat days, especially since approximately 64 percent of Newark households lack air conditioning (PHASoCal, 2018). Individuals lacking access to air conditioning and community cooling centers are more vulnerable, as these resources provide critical protection against extreme heat.
Figure SAF-6 shows the location of parks and cooling centers in the community, in addition to land with tree canopy. Approximately 5 percent of the city’s land surface has tree canopy, and most residents (81 percent) live within a half-mile of a park or open space areas (TPL, 2022). Residential neighborhoods in the southwestern portion of the city, west of Willow Street, and near the eastern boundary of the city are outside of a half-mile of both parks and open spaces.
Neighborhoods along the northwestern and eastern edges of the city have the most tree canopy compared to other areas of the city, while neighborhoods between Central and Mowry Avenue have the least.
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SOURCE: ESA, 2022.
FIGURE SAF-6 URBAN GREENING IN NEWARK
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S econdary Hazards
Warming global temperatures are projected to cause more negative health events and create suitable conditions for other harmful hazards over time. For instance, higher temperatures can contribute to increases in harmful air pollutants, exacerbating health conditions for individuals with existing health concerns, such as asthma, which affects approximately 8 percent of the population (PHASoCal, 2018). Other significant secondary hazards from extreme weather and heat include:
More frequent and intense wildfires that last longer in duration, are more intense, and contribute further to increasing
temperatures and worsening pollution.
Worsening drought conditions that affect water resources, plants and trees, biodiversity, food production, wildlife and other sectors.
Impacts to the economy and jobs, including stress on
healthcare and government operations that are critical to emergency response and are likely to experience increased pressure due to funding and staffing to address more heatrelated illnesses. Increased temperatures of outdoor areas lacking in canopy and cooling, as well as reductions in visitors due to heat conditions. Stress and loss of plants and biodiversity, affecting trails and open space amenities.
Increases in local and regional energy demand as communities seek cooling relief. This can cause increased costs for customers and can contribute to blackouts caused by energy spikes during heat waves.
Decreased use of active transportation modes, as extreme weather may create uncomfortable and unsafe conditions. Potential for missed school and work days due to heat-related illnesses that can affect income stability for vulnerable populations.
LOCAL VULNERABILITIES
Extreme weather and heat can have severe impacts to people, infrastructure, and the environment. Extreme heat is the cause of more annual deaths across the United States than other weather hazards, including floods, storms, and lightning combined (Bedsworth et al., 2018). All individuals are at risk from extreme heat impacts, which pose a significant danger to human health. Some groups and Packet Page No. 608
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individuals have greater risk and sensitivity to these impacts, including individuals with preexisting health conditions, children, elderly, outdoor workers, people experiencing homelessness, and low-income individuals, among others.
Extreme heat can also affect buildings and infrastructure due to increases in the need and use of air conditioning, cooling centers, emergency response operations, healthcare facilities, and staffing and labor. Infrastructure impacts are often related to increasing energy costs; overheating of ventilation, heating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems; and/or lack of adequate HVAC systems, insulation, and air conditioning. Extreme heat can also lead to power outages caused by added stress on the electrical grid as demand for cooling is increased.
Power outages can also result in traffic disruptions and resulting delays in emergency response. Active transportation modes, including walking paths and bikeways, may also be affected in terms of use and benefit to communities.
Extreme weather can also affect wildlife, plants and trees, and water resources. Extreme weather can make certain crops more vulnerable to diseases and pests, which can affect food supplies and availability from local to global scales.
LOCAL INITIATIVES
In 2007, the City signed the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, with the goal of reducing local pollution, and in 2010 the City completed its Climate Action Plan Initial Framework to guide sustainability initiatives and address local climate issues. The City has expanded on these efforts over the years with programs and projects that help address greenhouse gas emissions and extreme weather impacts, including the following:
The Street Tree Management Program develops and maintains a safe and healthy urban forest, which includes caring for trees, ensuring proper pruning and planting techniques, and replacing dead or dying trees. The City ensures that removed trees are replaced at the same location or somewhere else in the city, as suitable, and has an approved list of appropriate species for planting in Newark (City of Newark, 2022). This practice helps Packet Page No. 609
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to ensure trees are maintained sustainably and continue to provide natural cooling benefits to the community.
The Pavement Maintenance Program helps to extend the life of streets and pavement areas through maintenance, resurfacing, and cool pavements. Cool pavements are able to provide local cooling benefits, with slurry resurfacing and seal that fades to gray, helping to combat the urban heat island effect (City of Newark, 2010).
The 2016 Hazard Mitigation Plan for the city identifies extreme weather hazards and vulnerabilities within the community. The plan also provides recommended actions for mitigation and resiliency.
The 2019 Green Stormwater Infrastructure Plan provides a guide for green infrastructure projects within Newark. These projects help to address weather runoff that occurs from precipitation in a sustainable manner (City of Newark, 2019).
KEY FINDINGS
Average temperatures, extreme heat days, and the urban heat island effect are expected to worsen by the end of the century, creating a new “normal” of warmer climate conditions in Newark.
Warmer temperatures increase the risk for heat-related illnesses, which can be deadly.
Approximately 64 percent of Newark households lack air conditioning, which increases risk of exposure and heat-related illnesses for residents (PHASoCal, 2018).
Residential neighborhoods in the southwestern and eastern areas of the city are outside of a half-mile radius to parks and designated cooling centers. Residents in these neighborhoods may be more vulnerable to extreme heat impacts as there is lower access to cooling amenities.
There is less tree canopy near the center of the community, between Central and Mowry Ave.
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COMMUNITY/STAKEHOLDER INPUT
The City released a community survey to elicit input on topics related to community hazards, sea-level rise, pollution, and air quality to get a better understanding of how the City can improve safety in Newark.
Overall, respondents indicated the following relating to extreme weather in Newark:
There is community concern regarding more frequent and intense heat waves.
There is need for increasing trees and drought-tolerant plants and landscaping in the community.
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FLOODING HAZARDS
Flooding is a natural event, and floodplains provide many natural and beneficial functions. Nonetheless, flooding can have significant impacts on people, infrastructure, and the environment. Flooding occurs when the existing channel of a stream, river, canyon, or other water course cannot
contain excess runoff from rainfall or snowmelt, resulting in overflow onto adjacent lands. Floods are one of the most common natural hazards in the United States. They can
develop slowly over a period of days or develop quickly, with potential for disastrous effects.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
identifies hazardous flood zones, including the following floodplains:
500-year flood plain. This is the portion of land that would be covered during a flood event that has a 0.2 percent annual chance of occurring. Statistically, this means the 0.2 percent (500-year) flood has a 6 percent chance of occurring during a 30-year period of time.
100-year flood plain. This is the portion of land that would be covered during a flood event that has a 1 percent chance of being flooded in any given year. This means, statistically, the 1 percent (100-year) flood has about a 26 percent chance of occurring during a 30-year period of time.
Figure SAF-7 shows most of the northern portion of Newark is within the minimal flood hazard area. However, the southwestern and southern areas of the city are within the 100-year flood zone, and smaller areas throughout the city, including residential neighborhoods in the eastern portion of the city, are within the 500-year flood zone.
Wetlands near Newark. Courtesy of KQED Website.
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SOURCE: CEC; FEMA; Google Maps; HIFLD; OSM; UrbanFootprint; USGS; ESRI; ESA, 2021.
FIGURE SAF-7 FEMA FLOOD ZONE EXPOSURE MAP
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LOCAL CONDITIONS
Flooding in the city of Newark typically occurs during the rainy season, between November and April. Flooding may result when heavy rainfall exceeds the capacity of Newark’s storm drains and flood control channels. Water may overfill channel banks or back up from storm drain inlets, which can flood streets and surrounding properties. The risk of such flooding is highest in areas that are next to creeks, sloughs, and waterways. Flooding may also occur as a result of high tides, extreme rain, wind, sea-level rise, and dam and levee failure.
The channels that flow through the city of Newark are affected at their outlets by the variation of tidal elevations in the San Francisco Bay.
Thornton Avenue and the Southern Pacific Railroad embankments (walls or banks of earth built to prevent flooding) act as dikes to protect the city from high tides. The areas on the bay side of these dikes are subject to tidal flooding. The channels that flow under Thornton Avenue are cut off from the effects of tidal flooding by flap-gated culverts. These culverts are a major cause of flooding in the city of Newark at times of high-water elevations of the Bay.
Flooding in the city can occur due to stormwater, riverine, flashfloods, coastal (tidal) flooding, and sea-level rise.
Stormwater Flooding
Stormwater flooding is a result of local drainage issues and high groundwater levels. Heavy precipitation, especially during high-tide events and storms, may produce flooding in areas other than delineated floodplains or along recognizable channels. There is also a propensity for urban drainage flooding, where the drainage systems cannot accommodate intense precipitation and, through a combination of infiltration and surface runoff, water may accumulate and create flooding. Urbanized areas with more impervious surfaces have low capacity to absorb rainfall, which results in ponding in low-lying areas and the concentration of flood waters in unnatural channels.
Urban Drainage Flooding: This type of
flooding is caused by increased water runoff
due to urban development and drainage
systems. Drainage systems reduce the
amount of time the surface water takes to
reach surrounding streams, flooding in those
streams can occur more quickly and reach
greater depths than prior to development in
that area (FEMA 2021a).
Slough: A small marshy tract lying in a swale
or other local shallow, undrained depression;
a sluggish creek or channel in a wetland.
Waterways: Waterways are the navigable
parts of a body of water, and can be located
within a bay or open sea, can connect two or
more waterbodies, or may even form
networks within a city.
SOURCES: USGS (2013); NOAA (2022a)
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Riverine Flooding
Riverine flooding is the flooding of rivers and stream banks. The natural processes of riverine flooding add sediment and nutrients to floodplain areas. Flooding in large river systems typically results from prolonged rainfall over a wide geographic area, causing flooding in hundreds of smaller streams, which then drain into major rivers.
Flash Flooding
Flash flooding refers to rapid and extreme flows of water into normally dry areas, or rapid water rising within waterways that rise above predetermined flood levels (NWS, 2022). Flash floods generally occur from intense precipitation or dam failures. Flash floods are capable of severe damage, such as undermining buildings and bridges, scouring new channels, and causing removal of vegetation and replacement of groundcover with impermeable surfaces such as roads, driveways, and parking lots. The greatest risk from flash floods is that they occur with little to no warning. The major factors in predicting potential damage are the intensity and duration of rainfall and watershed and stream steepness.
Coastal Flooding
The city of Newark is at risk of coastal flooding from the San Francisco Bay. Coastal floods are characterized by inundation of normally dry lands by ocean waters. This flooding is often caused by a storm surge resulting from severe storms, tsunamis, or extreme high-tide events that produce shallow flooding of low-lying coastal areas. Storm surge floods typically result in coastal erosion, salinization of freshwater sources, and contamination of water supplies. These floods are also responsible for significant loss of life and damage to public and private structures and infrastructure. The graphic below shows how the tides resulting from a rise in sea level during a storm can cause a storm surge to flood coastal areas.
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Sea - Level Rise
Sea-level rise is a direct result of global warming temperatures and is responsible for subsequent melting of the Earth’s ice caps. In addition to melting ice sheets, other climate-related factors that contribute to sea-level rise include stormwater flooding, more frequent and intense precipitation, increasing river flows, groundwater fluctuations, and seismic activity. Global average sea level has risen 8–9 inches since 1880 (NOAA, 2022c). In California, climate science projects an average sea-level rise of up to 55 inches along the coast by 2100. The projection for the Bay Area is significantly higher, with a projection of up to 113 inches, almost 9.5 feet, by 2100 (Ackerly et al., 2018). Figure SAF-8 shows the sea-level rise projection for the city of Newark. The area with the most vulnerability will be in the southern portion of the city, adjacent to the San Francisco Bay.
Storm surge is the rise in seawater level caused solely by a storm (NOAA, 2022b).
Courtesy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Website.
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SOURCE: Cal-Adapt, CalFloD-3D, 2021; ESRI; ESA, 2022
FIGURE SAF-8 SEA-LƑEVEL RISE
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LOCAL VULNERABILITIES
Flooding can pose severe hazards to individuals, including injury, death, and isolation due to being cut off from essential services. Property damage from flooding can be particularly burdensome for low-income families or renters who may face challenges rebuilding or finding other housing following a flood event. Flooding also has the potential to result in mold in buildings, which can result in long-term health impacts following flooding.
Low-lying areas are at higher risk of flooding, with sea-level rise creating a risk for permanent inundation. In these areas, critical transportation routes are particularly vulnerable, including all roads, railroads, and bridges in the flow path of water. This can affect emergency services as well as critical access functions for residents and emergency responders. Other impacts of flooding include:
Roads. Severe flood events have the potential to damage or block roads and prevent access to some areas. The following major roads have segments that are at risk of flooding from a 100-year and/or 500-year flood:
o State Route 84
o Interstate 880
o Thornton Avenue
o Newark Boulevard
o Jarvis Avenue
Bridges. Flooding events can significantly impact road bridges, which can be the only ingress and egress to some
neighborhoods. There are five bridges that are in or cross over the 100-year flood zone and the 500-year flood zone. These are located on the west side of the city, mostly over creeks and on the northern boundary of the city over the Dumbarton Pier. Water and Sewer Infrastructure. Water and sewer systems can be affected by flooding. Floodwaters can back up drainage systems, causing localized flooding. Culverts, or structures that channel water, can be blocked by debris from flood events, also causing localized urban flooding. Floodwaters can get into drinking water supplies, causing contamination. Sewer systems can be backed up, causing wastewater to spill into homes, neighborhoods, rivers, and streams.
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Levees. Levees have historically been used to control flooding in bay-front portions of the city and these areas are susceptible to flooding caused by levee failure. Many are older earthen levees built under earlier flood management standards. Many of these older levees are exposed to erosion and failure due to age and construction methods. The Alameda County Flood
Control and Water Conservation District (ACFC&WCD) has
jurisdiction over levee maintenance in Newark and has been evaluating their condition for FEMA certification. The
evaluations include underground exploration, soil and stability testing, and operation and maintenance plans. Until FEMA certification is received, areas identified as flood prone are required to carry insurance through the National Flood
Insurance Program.
Wildlife and Environment. During flood events, migrating fish can wash into roads or over dikes into flooded fields, with no possibility of escape. Pollution from roads, such as oil, and hazardous materials can wash into rivers and streams. During floods, these can settle on to normally dry soils, polluting them for agricultural uses. Human development such as bridge abutments and levees, and log jams from timber harvesting, can increase streambank erosion, causing rivers and streams to migrate into non-natural courses.
LOCAL INITIATIVES
The City’s Municipal Code sets standards to minimize flood hazard risks, including anchoring and flood-proofing and a requirement that the lowest floor, including basements, is at or above the 100-year flood elevation. Development within the 100-year flood zone is limited, with requirements for building at least 1 foot above the flood elevation. The City requires non-residential development to be elevated at least 8 feet above mean high tide and 11.25 feet for residential development. In addition, the City also requires drainage studies for major development projects to ensure that such projects will not cause or worsen downstream flooding.
The City’s codes also require the use of materials and utility equipment that are resistant to flood damage. Electrical, heating, ventilation, plumbing, air conditioning, and other building systems must be designed to avoid exposure to flooding. Water and sewer systems must also be designed to minimize or eliminate the potential for infiltration Packet Page No. 619
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of floodwater. The City has adopted engineering standards and street design guidelines that further reduce the potential for flooding.
Additionally, the City has developed the Green Stormwater Infrastructure Plan to prioritize projects for flood control, using green technologies and natural methods to assist with flood control, adequate drainage, and roadway maintenance. The Green Stormwater Infrastructure Plan identifies targets for areas of impervious surface to be retrofitted with cover that facilitates drainage and reduces stormwater runoff and infiltration.
There are other agencies in the region that have established practices for reducing flood risks within and around the city of Newark. These include the following:
ACFC&WCD maintains flood control systems, with channels following through historic drainage channels that were used for irrigation for agriculture. Major drainage courses in the city include Plummer Creek, Newark Slough, and Mowry Slough.
Stormwater, which is water following a rainstorm that does not seep into the ground, flows to these drainage courses through gutters, drains, channels, and culverts. The ACFC&WCD also has jurisdiction over levee maintenance in Newark and has been evaluating levee conditions since 2007 as it works toward FEMA levee accreditation.
FEMA administers the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) to provide subsidized flood insurance to communities that comply with FEMA regulations limiting development in
floodplains. FEMA issues Flood Insurance Rate Maps for Newark and other cities throughout the Bay Area. In addition, FEMA has been working with flood control agencies across the country on a levee accreditation program. Levee systems must meet
minimum FEMA standards and must be maintained according to an officially adopted maintenance plan to achieve certification.
Removal from the flood plain requires a formal Letter of Map Revision from FEMA, and relieves the owner(s) of the mandate to have flood insurance. The Community Rating System (CRS) is also a program offered by the NFIP. It's a voluntary initiative that rewards and promotes efforts made by communities to manage floodplains better than the minimum requirements set by the NFIP. By participating in the CRS, communities can receive discounts on flood insurance premiums.
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KEY FINDINGS
The southern area of the city is within the 100-year flood zone, and smaller portions of the city that include households are within the 500-year flood zone.
Flooding puts critical infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and water and sewer infrastructure, at risk. Major roads within the 500-year flood zone include Cherry Street, Thornton Avenue, and Haley Street.
Urban development and urban drainage systems may be
insufficient to accommodate future, severe flooding.
Sea-level rise is expected to impact the southern portion of the city.
COMMUNITY/STAKEHOLDER INPUT
The City released a community survey to elicit input on topics related to community hazards, sea-level rise, pollution, and air quality to get a better understanding of how the City can improve safety in Newark.
Overall, respondents indicated the following relating to flooding in Newark:
Sea-level rise and flooding hazards are the second-highest concern for the community, following drought.
Residents are very concerned about flooding and sea-level rise impacts on low-lying communities.
Infrastructure is needed to support adequate drainage and address flooding hazards.
The city should coordinate with regional and state agencies to address sea-level rise.
Wetlands should be protected from further development as they provide flooding control.
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DAM FAILURE
A dam is an artificial barrier that has the ability to store water, wastewater, or liquid-borne materials for a number of purposes, including flood control, human water supply, irrigation, livestock water supply, energy generation, containment of mine tailings, recreation, or pollution control. Dams provide a life-sustaining resource to people in all regions of the United States.
The United States Society on Dams identifies twelve different types of dams that are commonly found in the built environment. The Union City/Newark MJHMP identifies Earthen and Hydraulic Fill dam types in Alameda County with potential failure hazards to the City of Newark.
An earthen dam is made up mostly of compacted earth material (soil) generally smaller than 3 inches in size and a hydraulic fill dam is constructed by selectively placing soil and other materials using a stream of water instead of compacting the materials.
LOCAL CONDITIONS
According to the 2021 Alameda County Local Hazard Mitigation Plan), as of 2021, there were 26 dams in Alameda County (County of Alameda 2021). Of these, there are five dams that have the potential to impact the city if a failure were to occur, including the Calaveras, Del Valle, James H. Turner, Middlefield, and Patterson Dams.
The Calaveras Dam is a hydraulic fill dam that is owned by the City and County of San Francisco and is located close to the Calaveras fault line, which is one of the most geologically active and complex faults in the San Francisco Bay Area. The dam is located approximately 10 miles southeast of the city of Newark. The original dam structure was built in 1925. The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission recently built a replacement Calaveras Dam. Construction began in 2011 to build a new 210-foot-tall earth and rock (earthen) fill dam adjacent to the existing dam. The project was completed in May 2019. The new dam is located directly adjacent to the old dam and has been built to withstand a 7.25 magnitude earthquake on the nearby Calaveras Fault.
The Del Valle dam is an earthen dam owned by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) that was constructed in 1968 to create Lake Del Valle, which serves as a reservoir and provides water Packet Page No. 622
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storage, flood control for Alameda Creek, and regulatory storage for a portion of water delivered through the South Bay Aqueduct. The dam is 235 feet in height and is the only flood control dam in the Livermore Valley. The dam typically stores 25,000 to 40,000 acre-feet of water and is located approximately 16 miles northeast of the city of Newark.
The James H. Turner Dam is an earthen dam owned by the City and County of San Francisco that is located on the San Antonio Reservoir that was built in 1964. The dam is 71 feet in height and is located approximately 8 miles northeast of the city of Newark.
The Middlefield Dam is an earthen dam that was built in 1958, is owned by the Alameda County Water District, and is located on the Middlefield Reservoir. The dam is 147 feet in height and is located approximately 2 miles east of the city of Newark.
The Patterson Dam is an earthen dam that was built in 1962, is owned by the Alameda County Water District, and is located on the Middlefield Reservoir. The dam is 100 feet in height and is located approximately 0.8 miles northwest of the city of Newark.
These dams are shown in Figure SAF-9 Dam Inundation Zones.
LOCAL VULNERABILITIES
Earthquake-induced dam failure of the Calaveras, Del Valle, James H.
Turner, Middlefield, or Patterson Dams could have serious effects on Newark. Dam failure from any of the existing reservoirs could cause flooding in Newark, with floodwaters reaching the city in as little as 90 minutes. Virtually all property in the city would be impacted. Failure of large water storage tanks in Fremont or Newark could also lead to localized flooding in Newark, although these hazards are less widespread. Dam failure inundation is the flooding of lands due to the failure or overtopping of a dam. As shown in Figure SAF-9, almost the entire city is within a dam inundation zone.
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SOURCE: DWR; USDOT; ESRI; ESA, 2021.
FIGURE SAF-9 DAM INUNDATION ZONES
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Populations that are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of flooding as a result of dam failure are those who may be less mobile and may be unable to get out of the inundation area. These populations include the elderly and the young, as well as individuals or families who may not receive adequate warning from warning systems, televisions, radios, reverse 911 systems, or cell phones. Properties closest to the dam failure inundation area would experience the largest, most destructive surge of water.
All critical infrastructure and facilities, including hospitals and schools, in the dam inundation zone are vulnerable to inundation. According to the Union City/Newark MJHMP, 127 of the city’s critical facilities and infrastructure are in the inundation areas. Transportation routes are also vulnerable to dam failure inundation and have the potential to be damaged or destroyed, creating isolation issues. This includes all roads, railroads, and bridges in the path of the dam failure inundation. Those that are most vulnerable are those that are already in poor condition and would not be able to withstand a large water surge. Utilities such as overhead power lines and cable and phone lines could also be vulnerable. Loss of these utilities could create isolation issues for the inundation areas.
LOCAL INITIATIVES
In the event of dam failure, flood control efforts within the city are managed between the Newark Public Works Department, the Alameda County Flood Control District, FEMA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), and Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC).
The Engineering Division of the Newark Public Works Department is responsible for mitigating for flooding in the city through regulating public and private developments and capital improvement projects, performing cleanouts of storm drain inlets, and undertaking a variety of public education and outreach events.
The BCDC was established in 1965 to promote responsible planning and regulation of San Francisco Bay and currently focuses on research and adaptation strategies for sea-level rise.
USACE is responsible for safety inspections of federal and non-federal dams that meet size and storage limitations specified in the National Packet Page No. 625
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Dam Safety Act. USACE inventories dams; surveys state and federal agency capabilities, practices, and regulations regarding design, construction, operation, and maintenance of dams; and developed guidelines for inspection and evaluation of dam safety.
In addition, state laws have been adopted to reduce dam failure, such as Senate Bill 92, the National Dam Safety Act, and requirements set forth by the California Division of Safety of Dams. The California Division of Safety of Dams is a division of DWR that monitors the dam safety program at the state level. When a new dam is proposed, DWR staff inspects the site. There are 26 dams located in Alameda County, and all have been inspected by the DWR and USACE. The USACE National Inventory of Dams provides the most recent inspection dates for Alameda County dams. The most recent inspection date listed in the USACE National Inventory of Dams for the Calaveras Dam was November 13, 202o; November 10, 2020, for the Del Valle Dam; January 5, 2021, for the James H. Turner Dam; and February 25, 2021, for both the Middlefield and Patterson reservoir dams. USACE has a classification system for the hazard potential of dam failure. The system is meant to classify a dam according to the potential impact a dam failure or mis-operation leading to unscheduled release would have on upstream and/or downstream areas, or at locations near the vicinity of the dam. The Patterson Dam has a USACE hazard potential classification of “significant” and the Calaveras, Del Valle, James H.
Turner, and Middlefield Dams have a USACE hazard potential classification of “high.”
KEY FINDINGS RELATED TO DAM FAILURE
The City needs to coordinate with USACE to ensure ongoing monitoring of physical dam conditions.
There is no clear educational program for residents to prepare in case of a dam failure event.
Many existing public and private critical facilities in the community are located in areas of hazard risk.
There are no preparatory actions or evacuation orders in the event of a possible dam failure event.
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COMMUNITY/STAKEHOLDER INPUT
The City released a community survey to elicit input on topics related to community hazards, sea-level rise, pollution, and air quality to get a better understanding of how the City can improve safety in Newark.
Specifically, sea-level rise and related flooding were reported within the top three choices of highest concern to community residents. However, there was no community input regarding hazards specifically related to dam failure.
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FIRE HAZARDS
Wildfire is any uncontrolled fire occurring on undeveloped land that requires firefighting efforts. Wildfires can be ignited by natural causes such as lightning and severe weather, increased fuels that are exacerbated by drought conditions, or by human-caused activity such as smoking, campfires, downed powerlines, equipment use, and arson.
Wildfire can be further exacerbated by severe weather, such as wind, extreme heat, and drought conditions.
LOCAL CONDITIONS
Newark is considered to be at low risk for wildfire. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) has mapped areas at risk of fires around the state and has determined that the majority of Newark is neither in a State Responsibility Area (SRA) High Fire Severity Area nor a Local Responsibility (LRA) High Fire Severity Area. This means that the city of Newark is not subject to CAL FIRE regulations, but is instead subject to local development and wildfire protection regulations with respect to wildfire, such as defensible space and setback requirements.
LOCAL VULNERABILITIES
The areas located to the immediate south of Newark city limits, adjacent to the San Francisco Bay and the Dumbarton Bridge, are mapped as being within a Federal Responsibility Area (FRA). As of 2022, these lands are used for salt harvesting, refining, and production activities and thus have few buildings that are vulnerable to wildfires.
LOCAL INITIATIVES
The Alameda County Fire Department (ACFD) provides all-risk emergency and non-emergency services to the unincorporated areas of Alameda County, the cities of San Leandro, Dublin, Newark, and Union City, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. There are three Alameda County Fire Stations within the Newark city limits that serve the city of Newark, including Alameda County Fire Department Stations 27, 28, and 29. In addition to fire suppression services, the Alameda County Fire Department provides residents resources for emergency preparedness.
Alameda County Fire Department
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Preventative measures in the Fire Code and Building Code reduce the risk of fire and ensure the ability to detect and respond to fires when they occur. These measures address evacuation, alarm systems, emergency response, water availability and pressure, road design, and building access.
Fire prevention and protection services in Newark are addressed in the Community Services and Facilities Element of the General Plan.
KEY FINDINGS RELATED TO WILDFIRE
Newark is considered to be at low risk for wildfire. As of 2022, there have been no recorded incidents of loss of life from wildfires in Newark.
The areas located to the immediate south of Newark city limits, adjacent to the San Francisco Bay and the Dumbarton Bridge, are mapped as being within an FRA. As of 2022, these lands are used for salt harvesting, refining, and production activities and thus have few buildings that are vulnerable to wildfires.
Newark Community Emergency Preparedness
Workshop. Courtesy of the City of Newark
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COMMUNITY/STAKEHOLDER INPUT
The City released a community survey to elicit input on topics related to natural disasters, sea-level rise, pollution, and air quality to get a better understanding of how the City can improve safety in Newark. There was no community input regarding concerns related to wildfire.
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GEOLOGIC HAZARDS
Geologic hazards are those effects associated with earthquakes. An earthquake is the shaking of the ground caused by an abrupt shift of rock along a crack in the earth or a contact zone between tectonic plates. They often occur along geologic faults. Faults are narrow zones where rock masses move in relation to one another. Earthquakes result in fault rupture, which occurs when movement on a fault deep within the earth breaks through to the surface, creating an offset in the ground as the two sides of the fault slip past each other.
Geologic risks are defined as those associated with geologic hazards, such as seismically induced surface rupture, ground shaking, ground failure, tsunamis, seiches and dam failure, and slope instability leading to mudslides, landslides, and subsidence. All of these geologic hazards are capable of causing property damage and risks to life and safety of persons.
LOCAL CONDITIONS
Newark’s geological conditions have been mapped by the US Geological Survey (USGS). There are no active earthquake faults that pass through the city of Newark. However, the city is located in the Bay Area, which, as a whole, is seismically active. Therefore, Newark is subject to the potential risks typically associated with earthquakes. The city is located 2 miles west of the Hayward Fault, 9 miles east of the San Andreas Fault, and 13 miles west of the Calaveras Fault. Of these, the Hayward Fault is of most significant threat to the city; it lies closest to Newark and has not experienced a major earthquake since 1868 (UC Berkeley, 2018). Figure SAF-10 shows regional fault zones, including the San Andreas, Calaveras, and Hayward Faults. The USGS estimates that the probability of an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7 or greater happening along these three faults within the next 30 years is 26 percent for the Calaveras Fault, 33 percent along the Hayward Fault, and 50 percent along the San Andreas Fault (USGS, 2003). Even though no known earthquake faults pass directly through Newark, an earthquake of moderate to high magnitude within the Bay Area could cause significant damage in the city.
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SOURCE: DOC CGS; ESRI; ESA, 2022
FIGURE SAF-10 EARTHQUAKE FAULTS
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LOCAL VULNERABILITIES
The entire city of Newark is primarily at risk for ground shaking, fault rupture, and liquefaction, as defined and described below (DOC, 2016).
Other earthquake hazards, including landslides, subsidence, tsunamis, and seiches are not considered a risk in Newark.
Ground Shaking
Ground shaking is a result of the energy created from an earthquake event as it moves out from the epicenter, or the point on the Earth's surface directly above the point in the Earth’s crust where the seismic activity begins. The degree of shaking is dependent on the magnitude of the event, the duration of the event, the distance to the zone of rupture, and local geologic and soil conditions. Thus, an earthquake in Newark might be felt as a sharp relatively rapid vibration, or a swaying rolling motion, or it could have no effect, or it could trigger slumping near water bodies or a loss of support capacity near structures.
Ground shaking is measured on a scale ranging from I to X (the Modified Mercalli Scale) with shaking levels ranging from imperceptible to very violent. Most of the developed portions of Newark would experience “very strong” ground shaking (level VIII) in a 6.7 Hayward Fault earthquake, but some parts of the city would experience “violent” ground shaking (level IX). Ground shaking levels are higher on the southern and western fringes of the city.
Fault Rupture
In addition to ground shaking, earthquakes also create the risk of fault rupture. Fault rupture refers to the actual ground surface tearing apart as a result of an earthquake, which typically occurs along a fault trace line. A fault trace line is the line where the ground surface meets a fault, which is also the line commonly plotted on geologic maps to represent a fault.
The risk from fault rupture is considered very low in Newark, since there are no active faults within the city. Figure SAF-11 shows there are no fault zones within the city of Newark, with the closest being the Hayward Fault.
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SOURCE: DOC CGS; ESRI; ESA, 2022
FIGURE SAF-11 GEOLOGIC AND SEISMIC HAZARDS
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According to the Union City/Newark Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan (MJHMP), the last significant earthquake event within the city of Newark or in vicinity was the 2014 Magnitude 6.0 earthquake that originated 6 miles southwest of Napa Valley. No significant earthquake events have been recorded within or in the vicinity of Newark since 2014.
Liquefaction
Liquefaction results from a loss of soil strength during earthquake vibrations. Soils that are most prone to liquefaction are loose, saturated, fine-grained sands with shallow groundwater. Liquefaction is a greater risk given Newark’s soil characteristics and underlying geology. Most of the developed portion of the city is built on alluvial fan deposits, consisting of sandy clay. Areas closer to the bay consist of flood plain deposits with sandy or silty clay.
The city of Newark could experience seismic shaking levels with the potential to cause liquefaction in areas where groundwater is generally shallower than 30 feet. Based on data provided by the California Geological Survey, the entire city is considered a liquefaction hazard zone (see Figure SAF-8). The level of risk varies from location to location, and can best be determined through site-specific geotechnical studies. Areas nearest to the bay, along sloughs, or on artificial fill are generally considered more susceptible than other areas. Based on soil conditions and underlying geology, these areas may also be prone to more severe ground shaking in a major earthquake.
Soil liquefaction can cause severe damage to property, including damaging pipes, compromising building foundations, and bucking roads and airport runways.
Landslides
Landslides are masses of rock, earth, or debris that move down a slope.
Landslides are most likely to occur in areas with a slope of greater than 25 percent (hillside areas) and along steep bluffs. Newark is comparatively flat, sloping gently from 37 feet above mean sea level (msl) in the northeastern part of the city to 5 feet below sea level in the marshes near the Bay shoreline. There are no significant hills or steep slopes. As shown in Figure SAF-11, Geologic and Seismic Hazards, there are no landslide hazard areas within the city.
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Subsidence
Subsidence refers to the gradual settling or sudden sinking of the ground due to movements below. It can also occur due to prolonged pumping of groundwater. Groundwater elevations in Newark are generally 40 to 140 feet below the surface, beneath a thick silt and clay layer. The Alameda County Water District has been recharging the aquifer for the past 50 years to improve its stability and to reduce saltwater intrusion. Subsidence is not considered a risk in Newark.
Tsunamis and Seiche
Tsunamis are sea waves generated by earthquakes that have been known to cause serious damage to coastal locations, including California. Tsunamis usually occur shortly after an earthquake and appear as a rapid rising and falling of sea level over several minutes or hours. The Pacific Ocean is approximately 20 miles west of the City.
Although the San Francisco Bay could be impacted by a Pacific Ocean tsunami, the effects would dissipate by the time they reached Newark.
A seiche is a local water wave generated by an earthquake, which would include abnormal waves on San Francisco Bay generated by seismic activity, as well as waves on lakes. Due to the distance of the Pacific Ocean to Newark; the configuration of the shoreline; depth of water offshore; and the small size of lakes and ponds in the city, tsunamis and seiche are not considered a risk in Newark.
LOCAL INITIATIVES
State and local laws have been adopted to reduce exposure to seismic hazards, such as the Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act, Seismic Hazards Mapping Act, and the California Building Code (CBC).
The Earthquake Fault Zoning Act was passed in 1972 to prevent the construction of buildings on top of active faults. Areas on either side of such faults are referred to as “Earthquake Fault Zones.” Since there are no known active faults in Newark, there are no designated Fault Zones in the city. In 1990, California adopted the Seismic Hazards Mapping Act to assess the potential for other types of earthquake hazards, including liquefaction. One of the purposes of the act was to assist local governments with land use planning by mapping high hazard areas.
The CBC also incorporates standards that reduce exposure to seismic risks. The 2019 CBC, which has been adopted as part of the Newark Packet Page No. 636
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Municipal Code, provides specific requirements for seismic safety, excavation, foundations, retaining walls, grading, and demolition.
Given the risk of liquefaction and potential for strong ground shaking, the City requires site-specific soils reports and geotechnical evaluations as part of the approval process for major developments. This includes the preparation of a liquefaction study, which was implemented through Section 15.50.026 of the Newark Municipal Code (NMC). The liquefaction report is required to be prepared by a licensed engineer and should address the potential for seismic-induced liquefaction at a construction site and, if a potential for liquefaction does exist, recommend mitigating measures. The City further requires that recommendations from such reports be incorporated into the project design. Newark has adopted additional regulations under Chapter 15.50 of the NMC for grading to reduce the potential for erosion and to ensure the stability of filled areas.
In 2011, Newark voters approved Measure G, a bond measure that allocated $63 million for school renovation, including seismic upgrades to existing Newark Unified School District facilities. The City itself periodically evaluates the seismic safety of public buildings, including City Hall, to determine the need for structural improvements to improve earthquake safety. A priority is placed on locating new facilities in areas where safety, access, and operational capacity can be ensured during and after an earthquake.
According to the Union City/Newark MJHMP, there is no current reliable way to predict the day or month that an earthquake will occur at any given location. Research is being done with warning systems that use the low-energy waves that precede major earthquakes. These potential warning systems would give approximately 40 seconds notice that a major earthquake is about to occur. The warning time is very short, but it could allow for someone to get under a desk, step away from a hazardous material, or shut down a computer system.
The City of Newark uses its radio system, the Radio 1610 AM, as well as Alameda County (AC) Alert software service to deliver important and timely information, including emergency messages and alerts, at no cost to the community. The Radio 1610 service broadcasts safety, health, and emergency messages. The AC Alert is a mass notification Packet Page No. 637
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system used by City and County agencies throughout Alameda County to rapidly disseminate emergency alerts to people who live, work in, or visit the county. AC Alert is capable of sending alerts by voice, text, and email, as well as messaging Nixle subscribers, posting to social media pages, and sending Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) wireless alerts. AC Alert is a primary source of information to the public in the event of a major disaster, such as an earthquake, flood, or fire (Alameda County, 2019). This service could be used as a warning system during an earthquake event. Seconds and minutes of advance warning can allow people and systems to take actions to protect life and property from destructive shaking. Even a few seconds of warning can enable protective actions such as:
Citizens to drop, cover, and hold on as well as turn off appliances and safely stop vehicles.
Business personnel to move to safer locations; ensure that automated systems such as elevator doors, open; production lines are shut down; and equipment is placed in a safe mode. Surgeons, dentists, and others stop delicate procedures. Emergency responders such as fire departments can open firehouse doors, and have personnel prepare and prioritize response decisions.
Power infrastructure and grid facilities can be protected from strong seismic shaking.
To encourage residents and businesses to be prepared for an earthquake or other natural or major disaster, the City provides links to the Great Shakeout webpage on the Southern California Earthquake Center) website (https://www.shakeout.org/) and a flyer on how to sign up for the AC Alert system (https://www.acgov.org/emergencysite/).
The City recommends that everyone be prepared to provide for their care and safety before and after an earthquake event through proper planning and preparedness. The City provides Community
Preparedness Resources and training information on the city website (https://www.newark.org/residents/emergency-preparedness).
The City of Newark works closely with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), Alameda County Water District (ACWD), and other utilities to support seismic upgrades to infrastructure. Caltrans completed major seismic upgrades to the Dumbarton Bridge in 2013 and regularly inspects overpasses and other facilities to ensure their safety Packet Page No. 638
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(MTC, 2013). The ACWD increased its rates in 2013 to fund a major seismic upgrade of its water mains and to replace aging pipelines in the Fremont, Newark, and Union City areas. The Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct has been upgraded to improve earthquake reliability.
KEY FINDINGS RELATED TO GEOLOGIC HAZARDS
All people, property, and environments in the city of Newark could be exposed to direct and indirect impacts, such as those listed below, from geologic and seismic events:
Ground shaking levels are higher on the southern and western fringes of the city.
Building damage: The most significant damage from
earthquakes would be to buildings, i.e., commercial and industrial buildings that are more vulnerable to structural damage as opposed to wooden-frame structures. Based on the modeling of critical facility performance performed for the MJHMP a high number of facilities in the Planning Area for the MJHMP (i.e., Newark and Union City) are expected to have complete, or extensive, damage from earthquake events.
These facilities are prime targets for structural retrofits. Transportation problems, such as roadways blocked by debris, unsafe structures, damaged routes.
Displacement of populations: Employees working in the city could be stranded if transportation problems occur during an earthquake event.
Destroyed utilities: Destroyed power and telephone lines and gas, sewer, or water mains may set off fires and/or hinder rescue efforts.
Emergency operations: Emergency services could be affected by the loss of communications and damage to transportation routes within, to, and from the disaster area to hospitals and emergency shelters.
Power outages: Power outages would create loss of
communications, which could disrupt emergency systems and operations as well as elements of the financial community like banks and insurance companies.
Liquefaction: Newark is located in a soil liquefaction zone and could experience seismic shaking levels with the potential to cause liquefaction in areas where groundwater is generally shallower than 30 feet. Building and road foundations may lose Packet Page No. 639
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load-bearing strength and sink into what was previously solid ground.
Hazardous materials: Unless properly secured, hazardous materials can be released during an earthquake event, causing significant damage to the environment and people.
The City periodically evaluates the seismic safety of public buildings, including City Hall, to determine the need for structural improvements to bolster earthquake safety. A priority is placed on locating new facilities in areas where safety, access, and operational capacity can be ensured during and after an earthquake.
Earthquakes could trigger other natural hazard events, such as dam failures, which could severely impact the city.
COMMUNITY/STAKEHOLDER INPUT
The City released a community survey to elicit input on topics related to community hazards, sea-level rise, pollution, and air quality to get a better understanding of how the City can improve safety in Newark.
Overall, respondents indicated the following relating to geologic hazards in Newark:
Safety was a primary concern to residents as they emphasized earthquakes as a significant hazard. Specifically, earthquakes were reported within the top three choices of highest concern to community residents.
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HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
A hazardous material includes substances that may pose a threat to human health or the environment when they are improperly handled, stored, transported, or disposed (Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR)). Releases, leaks, or disposal of chemical compounds within the city can lead to contamination of surface water and underlying soil and groundwater. Disturbance of a previously contaminated area through grading or excavation operations could expose the public to health hazards from physical contact with contaminated materials or hazardous vapors.
Hazardous materials are classified based on the form of hazard(s) they pose, namely flammable, combustible, poisonous, and/or radioactive.
For purposes of this section, the term “hazardous materials” refers to both hazardous substances and hazardous wastes. Hazardous substances include toxic metals, chemicals, gases, flammable and/or explosive materials, corrosive materials, infectious substances, and radioactive materials. Hazardous waste is the byproduct of various processes, including motor oil, gasoline, compressed gas tanks such as propane and oxygen, paints and solvents, household cleaners, drain openers, batteries, cleaners, and pesticides, all of which are potentially hazardous (EPA 2021).
LOCAL CONDITIONS
Newark has a sizeable number of industries where hazardous materials are used, and a rail and freeway network on which hazardous materials are frequently transported. There are several independent agencies that monitor hazard sites and hazardous materials at the state and federal level, which include the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), or the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
As of February 2018, there were 146 listed facilities and sites in or near Newark (SWRCB 2018a; SWRCB 2018b; DTSC 2018a; DTSC 2018b; and EPA 2017). Figure SAF-12 identifies the approximate locations of all these hazardous sites from the collective agency databases, including toxic release sites, permitted underground storage tanks, hazardous waste facilities, and hazardous waste cleanup sites. The figure identifies the approximate locations of cleanup sites in the city, which include sites that are being monitored by DTSC and SWRCB. Most chemical Petroleum hydrocarbons are a broad range
of chemicals that comprise oil and products
refined from oil, such as gasoline and diesel.
An underground storage tank is defined by
the EPA as a tank and any underground
piping connected to the tank that has at least
10 percent of its combined volume
underground.
SOURCE: EPA (2021b)
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cleanup locations are situated in the industrial areas along Willow Street, Central Avenue, Sycamore Street, and Cherry Street. The hazardous facilities and documented hazardous sites in the city are also identified below under their respective monitoring agency.
California Department of Toxic Substances
Control
DTSC maintains the EnviroStor Data Management System, which provides information on hazardous waste storage and disposal facilities (both permitted and in need of action) as well as any available site cleanup information. According to the DTSC, there are approximately nine hazardous waste storage facilities in the city. Of those nine facilities, eight have been closed and require no further remediation action and one site is operating under a permit. (DTSC 2018a; DTSC 2018b) California State Water Resources Control Board
The SWRCB oversees the statewide Underground Storage Tank Program, which is aimed at protecting public health and safety and the environment from releases of petroleum and other hazardous substances from underground tanks. GeoTracker is the SWRCB’s internet-accessible database system used by regional boards and local agencies to track and archive compliance data from authorized or unauthorized discharges of waste to land, or unauthorized releases of hazardous substances from underground storage tanks as well as any available site cleanup information. According to GeoTracker, there are 16 permitted underground storage tank facilities in the city (SWRCB 2018a). In addition, the SWRCB identified 96 cleanup sites (leaking underground storage tank cleanup, and cleanup program sites). Of the 96 cleanup sites, 11 sites are open and undergoing monitoring, 17 are undergoing site assessment, 9 are being remediated, 49 are closed, 4 are eligible for closure or are in the process of being closed down, 2 are inactive (closed down or cleaned up), and 4 are active (SWRCB 2018b).
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SOURCE: DTSC; EPA; SWRCB; ESRI; ESA, 2022
FIGURE SAF-12 HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SITES
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LOCAL VULNERABILITIES
Hazardous materials pose a significant long-term risk and threat to public health and safety, property and the environment. Hazardous materials also pose a risk to emergency response personnel. Many of the city’s industries produce, use, and store hazardous materials. All residential neighborhoods in the city of Newark that are located in or within the vicinity of industrial areas known to have potential hazardous material (including industrial areas along Willow Street, Central Avenue, Sycamore Street, and Cherry Street) are physically vulnerable to a hazard caused by release of hazardous materials due to their proximity to hazardous materials sites. Public safety issues involve not only the use of these materials in populated areas but also the transportation and disposal of chemicals and other hazardous substances through the city.
Critical facilities and infrastructure that may be at risk are those that are essential to the health and welfare of the population, such as schools, senior centers, residences, hospitals, and emergency operations centers. Critical infrastructure that could be at risk includes the roads and bridges that provide ingress and egress and allow emergency vehicles access to those in need, and the utilities that provide water, electricity, and communication services to the community. Also included are facilities and railroads that hold or carry significant amounts of hazardous materials with a potential to impact public health and welfare in a hazard event.
TRANSPORTATION OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
Two major freeways, Interstate 880 (Nimitz Freeway) and State Route 84 (Dumbarton Freeway), and the urban arterials carry traffic transporting hazardous materials. The locations of these routes are to be periodically revisited, as a number of them pass through areas planned for future residential development (Newark Community Development Department 2017).
Two rail lines owned by Union Pacific Railroad traverse the city of Newark and also carry hazardous materials. The Union Pacific Railroad routes 142 freight trains a week through the city and includes two subdivision lines off the main line: These transportation routes carry a variety of materials, such as methanol and/or petroleum, that could pose Packet Page No. 644
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health risks to city residents in the event of an accident. The possibility of such an occurrence may be relatively higher in Newark than in other cities given the extent of freeway and railroad traffic that passes through and the concentration of manufacturing uses in the area. The locations of these routes will need to be periodically revisited, as a number of them pass through areas planned for future residential development. Backup routes also should be identified in the event a truck route is blocked or congested, impeding access by emergency vehicles.
With respect to the freeways and railroad, the City has less control over such activities due to the interstate nature of this traffic.
Communication with state and federal regulatory agencies is critical to reduce the risk of accidents and ensure that response to transportationrelated hazardous materials incidents is immediate and effective. In the event of a hazardous materials incident in Newark, the Alameda County Fire Department (ACFD) has a Hazardous Materials Unit that would provide the initial response.
TRANSMISSION PIPELINES
Gas and hazardous liquid transmission pipelines could also be at risk.
Approximately 300,000 miles of gas transmission pipelines and 170,000 miles of hazardous liquid pipelines move their products throughout the United States every day. Transmission pipelines connect urban areas, and only occasionally traverse highly populated areas. Nearly all distribution pipelines, however, are concentrated in highly populated areas. Distribution pipelines serve homes and businesses and thus are located where people work and live. In the city of Newark, there are 131 miles of under-road pipelines.
There are also two large (20- and 30-inch) PG&E-owned and -operated high-pressure gas lines running through Newark along Central Avenue and along the northern boundary of the city. Figure SAF-12, Hazardous Materials Sites, shows the PG&E pipelines in or near the city. After a gas explosion in San Mateo County in 2010, PG&E began reviewing the safety of these lines and others. Moving forward, continued steps should be taken to ensure the long-term safety of the gas pipelines running through the city.
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LOCAL INITIATIVES
Since 1990, state law has required that hazardous waste be properly disposed of in approved hazardous waste treatment or disposal facilities. To accomplish this, treatment methods and facilities have been developed and approved to pre-treat hazardous waste before its final disposal.
The City coordinates with the Alameda County Department of Environment Health (ACDEH), who is the Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) for Newark. The ACDEH has developed a Hazardous Waste Management Plan. The ACDEH coordinates and enforces environmental protection and hazardous material management, handling, and storage programs from the local to the federal level.
These programs include the Hazardous Materials Business Plan (HMBP) Program; Hazardous Waste Generator Program; and California Accidental Release Program. Other County programs applicable to Newark include an underground storage tank program, an
aboveground storage tank program, a tiered permitting program, and a risk management program.
In addition to the ACDEH, the City works with the ACFD in requiring hazardous materials users and generators to store and handle hazardous materials in accordance with best management practices to identify safety procedures for responding to accidental spills and emergencies. Fire codes, which are enforced by the ACFD, also address the handling of hazardous materials, and the Newark Municipal Code requires Hazardous Materials Storage Permits.
The storage of petroleum products and other chemicals on sites in Newark has created the risk of soil and groundwater contamination in parts of the city. The SWRCB monitors gas stations and industrial operations that operate subsurface gasoline or diesel storage units in Newark to ensure compliance with applicable hazardous material regulations. Groundwater monitoring and soil vapor testing are conducted regularly at contaminated and potentially contaminated locations to assess the degree of pollution.
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HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE
The City encourages residents to properly dispose of household hazardous waste. The City partners with StopWaste.Org, an organization whose mission is to help Alameda County’s businesses, residents, and schools waste less, recycle properly, and use water, energy, and other resources efficiently.
The City educates residents about the safe use and storage of household hazardous waste and its rules and regulations for waste disposal.
Residents are often unaware of the potential damage these substances cause when they are disposed of in the trash, poured on the ground, or dumped down an indoor or outdoor drain. Household hazardous wastes must be safely disposed of in designated facilities. The facility closest to Newark is located just outside the city in Fremont.
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS BUSINESS PLANS
Businesses that use hazardous materials are required to prepare HMBPs for their operations. The HMBP must include a complete inventory of all materials that are handled by type, quantity, storage conditions, and routes of transport. Each HMBP assesses the potential hazards associated with the materials and the steps to be taken to minimize risks. The HMBP identifies actions to be taken in the event of a spill, identifies a responsible person for the facility, and includes any other data determined necessary to ensure public health and safety. The HMBP also addresses the methods for storing hazardous materials, including the design of storage tanks, containment facilities, and handling practices. As development occurs, each proposal will continue to be carefully evaluated to limit the potential for negative effects on adjacent uses. Businesses will continue to prepare HMBPs that indicate the protocol for minimizing risks. In addition, the City will continue to maintain distance thresholds in its zoning regulations that ensure that businesses storing hazardous materials are separated from residential uses.
KEY FINDINGS RELATED TO HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
Hazardous materials pose a risk to emergency response personnel.
All residential neighborhoods in the city that are located in or within the vicinity of industrial areas along Willow Street, Packet Page No. 647
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Central Avenue, Sycamore Street, and Cherry Street are
physically vulnerable to hazards caused by the release of hazardous materials.
Public safety issues involve the use, transportation, and disposal of chemicals and other hazardous substances through the city.
Critical facilities and infrastructure that may be at risk from a hazardous materials release or groundwater contamination include schools, senior centers, residences, hospitals, and emergency operations centers.
COMMUNITY/STAKEHOLDER INPUT
The City released a community survey to elicit input on topics related to community hazards, sea-level rise, pollution, and air quality to get a better understanding of how we can improve safety in the city of Newark. However, there was no community input regarding hazardous materials.
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NOISE
Noise is one of the seven mandated elements of a general plan in California. Because noise is considered a public safety issue, the City of Newark has merged this element with the State-mandated safety element. The noise section meets the requirements of Government Code Section 65302(f) and provides the framework for protecting Newark's residents from excessive noise.
The Noise section of the Safety Element describes the major sources of noise in the city. It includes measurements of existing noise levels along with projections of future noise levels based on expected increases in traffic and other factors. This section also establishes standards for acceptable noise levels for different land uses. The final section of the Safety Element includes the City’s goals, policies, and actions related to noise.
Newark’s location in a large metropolitan area makes it susceptible to high levels of noise. Each day, almost 200,000 cars pass along the city’s eastern boundary on Interstate 880 while 60,000 cars pass along the northern boundary along State Route 84. Freight trains and large trucks pass through the city and aircraft fly overhead. Even in relatively quiet parts of the city, residents contend with domestic noise sources such as leaf blowers, barking dogs, and construction. Maintaining a relatively quiet environment is considered an important quality of life goal in Newark’s neighborhoods.
Noise is an important factor in determining the distribution of land uses shown on the General Plan Land Use Map. Policies in the Land Use Element and in this Safety Element ensure that site planning for individual projects is responsive to local conditions, and protects public safety and well- being. For properties subject to high noise levels, this may mean that particular building orientations and buffering methods will be required, or that certain land uses may not be acceptable.
Similarly, policies in the Transportation Element work in tandem with those in this Element to ensure that projected noise levels are considered in the design of transportation improvements.
Noise
This section and the accompanying policies
in Section 3 are taken from the 2013
Environmental Hazards Element that will be
updated in the next comprehensive General
Plan Update.
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NOISE DEFINITIONS AND STANDARDS
Noise can produce undesirable effects that range from irritability to hearing loss. The extent of adverse effects depends on the intensity, duration, time, and frequency of noise. Even noise of moderate volume and short duration, such as a heavy truck passing by, can have physiological effects.
The level of noise at a given location is usually expressed in decibels (dB). Decibels are measured on a logarithmic scale. This means that 10 dB is 10 times more intense than 1 dB, 20 dB is 100 times greater than 1 dB and 30 dB is 1,000 times greater than 1 dB. A particular type of decibel scale, called the “A” scale, is used to relate decibels to human perception. The A scale filters out very high and very low frequencies.
Everyday sounds range from 30 dB, which is very quiet, to 100 dB, which is very noisy. Above 70 dB, noise can become irritating and disruptive.
When reporting noise levels, it is important to also report the distance between the source and receiver. Under typical atmospheric conditions, sound attenuates at a rate of 3 to 6 dB for each doubling of the distance. An untrained human ear typically cannot detect a difference in sound levels of less than 3 dB. It is difficult to tell the difference between 60 dB and 62 dB, but the difference between 60 dB and 65 dB is easily noticed.
Typical A-weighted sound levels for various sources of noise measured at specific distances are shown in Table SAF-4. Different rating scales have been developed to assess the severity of noise exposure, taking into consideration such factors as duration, repetition rate, background levels, and time of occurrence.
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TABLE SAF-4 TYPICAL NOISE LEVELS
Common Outdoor Activities
Noise Level
(dBA) Common Indoor Activities
110 Rock Band
Jet Flyover at 1,000 feet
100
Gas Lawn Mower at 3 feet
90 Diesel Truck at 50 feet, at 50 mph Food Blender at 3 feet 80 Garbage Disposal at 3 feet
Noisy Urban Area, Daytime
70 Vacuum Cleaner at 10 feet
Commercial Area Normal speech at 3 feet
Heavy Traffic at 300 feet 60
Large Business Office
Quiet Urban Daytime 50 Dishwasher Next Room
Quiet Urban Nighttime 40 Theater, Large Conference Room (background)
Quiet Suburban Nighttime
30 Library
Quiet Rural Nighttime Bedroom at Night, Concert Hall
(background)
20 Broadcast/Recording Studio
10 Lowest Threshold of Human Hearing 0 Lowest Threshold of Human Hearing SOURCE: Caltrans, 2009.
The term Ldn is used to express the average sound level over a 24-hour period, with a 10 dBA weighting factor applied for noise that occurs between 10 PM and 7 AM. The adjustment for night-time noise accounts for the greater human sensitivity to noise during these hours.
The use of a 24-hour measurement period accounts for the variations in the intensity of sound levels that may occur throughout the day.
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NOISE CRITERIA FOR LAND USE PLANNING
The potential for adverse psychological and physiological impacts related to noise requires that criteria be established for determining acceptable levels of noise for different land uses. Certain land uses are considered “sensitive receptors,” meaning they are more prone to the adverse effects of high noise levels than others. These include residential areas, schools, childcare centers, hospitals, churches, libraries, and nursing homes, among others. Future land use decisions should protect these uses from high levels of noise. At the same time, when land uses such as housing and schools are developed in the future, it is important that they are located and designed in a way that protects occupants from potential impacts from existing noise sources.
Table SAF-5 provides interior and exterior noise compatibility guidelines for different land uses. To avoid the potential for noiserelated problems, future development proposals should comply with these guidelines to the greatest extent feasible.
Table SAF-5 uses four terms to define the level of noise compatibility for each land use:
"Normally Acceptable" means that the specified land use is satisfactory based on the assumption that any buildings involved are of normal conventional construction, without any special noise insulation requirements.
"Conditionally Acceptable" means that new construction or development should be undertaken only after a detailed
analysis of noise reduction requirements is made and necessary noise mitigation measures are included in the design.
“Normally Unacceptable" means that new construction or development of the particular land use should be discouraged.
If new construction or development proceeds, a detailed noise analysis must be performed.
“Clearly Unacceptable” means that new construction or development should generally not be undertaken.
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TABLE SAF-5 NOISE COMPATIBILITY GUIDELINES FOR NEWARK
Land Uses
Interior
CNEL or Ldn
(dBA)
Exterior Noise Exposure,
CNEL or Ldn (dBA)
55 60 65 70 75 80
Residential-Low Density Single-Family,
Duplex, Mobile Homes 45*
Residential-Multiple Family 45*
Transient Lodging, Motels, Hotels 45*
Schools, Libraries, Churches, Hospitals,
Nursing Homes 45*
Auditoriums, Concert Halls, Amphitheaters --
Sports Arena, Outdoor Spectator Sports --
Playgrounds, Neighborhood Parks --
Golf Courses, Riding Stables, Water
Recreation, Cemeteries --
Office Buildings, Businesses, Commercial
and Professional 50
Industrial, Manufacturing, Utilities,
Agricultural --
Normally Acceptable:
Specified land use is satisfactory based upon the
assumption that any buildings involved are of normal
conventional construction, without any special noise
insulation requirements.
Normally Unacceptable:
New construction or development should generally be
discouraged. If new construction does proceed, a detailed analysis of the noise reduction requirements must be
made and needed noise insulation features included in the design.
Conditionally Acceptable:
New construction or development should be undertaken
only after a detailed analysis of the noise reduction
requirements is made and the needed noise insulation
features are included in the design. Conventional
construction, but with closed windows and fresh air supply systems or air conditioning will normally suffice.
Clearly Unacceptable:
New construction or development generally should not
be undertaken.
* Noise level requirement with closed windows, mechanical ventilation, or other means of ventilation shall be provided per Chapter 12 Section 1205 of the Building Code.
SOURCE: State of California General Plan Guidelines, 2003.
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The noise criteria for multi-family housing should also comply with the Noise Insulation Standards of the California Code of Regulations, Part 2, Title 24 (commonly referred to as “Title 24”). These standards establish minimum noise insulation levels for new hotels, motels, dormitories, long-term care facilities, apartments, and other attached or multi-family dwellings. Consistent with Title 24, when part of a development site is exposed to exterior noise levels greater than 60 dB Ldn, an acoustical analysis is required. The analysis should include measures that reduce the noise levels in interior living spaces to 45 dB Ldn or less.
NOISE EMISSION STANDARDS
In addition to the noise compatibility standards in the previous sections, State and federal agencies have established standards for motor vehicles. Section 38370 of the California Vehicle Code establishes noise emission standards that are enforced during licensing. The Newark Police Department may enforce noise violations caused by vehicles operating in excess of State standards.
Noise criteria which are designed to protect the health of employees in workplaces have been established at the federal level by the EPA and OSHA. The California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (Cal-OSHA) generally mirrors the federal standards.
GROUND VIBRATION
Ground-borne vibration can be detrimental to structures and can cause annoyance to persons within those structures. The level of vibration is influenced by a number of factors, including soil characteristics, groundwater depth, and geologic conditions. In the past, the greatest vibration-related concerns in Newark have been freight traffic along the Union Pacific Railroad, trucks along major thoroughfares, and heavy construction activity such as pile drivers, vibratory rollers, and jackhammers. Vibration levels usually dissipate rapidly with distance, so the area of concern is typically close to the source(s).
Policies in this Element ensure that vibration impacts are considered when development is proposed. Appropriate setbacks for structures are determined on a site-by-site basis during the environmental review process for any planned development along a railroad corridor.
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Additionally, the City sets limits on construction hours and activities to reduce the potential for vibration-related impacts to become a source of annoyance and/or structural damage.
THE NEWARK NOISE ENVIRONMENT
The noise environment in Newark is influenced primarily by roadway traffic, railroad operations, industrial activities, and to lesser extent, commercial and residential activities. Major noise sources include Interstate 880 and State Route 84, the Union Pacific Railroad, and major thoroughfares such as Mowry Avenue, Thornton Avenue, Stevenson Boulevard, Cherry Street, Cedar Boulevard, Central Avenue, Jarvis Avenue, and Newark Boulevard. There are also a number of stationary noise sources in the city’s industrial areas that create localized areas with high noise levels.
To identify existing noise conditions and develop a baseline for the projection of future noise conditions, noise level measurements were made at three long-term (LT) sites and ten short-term (ST) sites as part of the 2013 General Plan revision. Noise levels reported in various EIRs and prior planning documents also were considered. Using the noise measurement data, noise contour maps have been prepared to show the noise environment in the city under both existing and future traffic conditions. Figure SAF-13 shows current (2013) noise contours while Figure SAF-14 shows projected contours in 2035. The contour maps also consider existing and projected railroad noise.
The major types of noise sources within the city are profiled below.
Vehicles
Cars, motorcycles, trucks, and buses are the principal sources of vehicle noise in Newark. Vehicle noise is generated by engines, tires, and exhaust systems. The highest noise levels are associated with Interstate 880, which borders the city on the east, and State Route 84, which borders the city on the north. Both freeways are at grade, with undercrossings or overpasses at major interchanges. In addition, arterial, collector, and local streets create a significant source of ambient noise around the city.
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FIGURE SAF-13 EXISTING NOISE CONTOURS
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FIGURE SAF-14 FUTURE (2035) NOISE CONTOURS
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Figure SAF-13 shows the noise contour lines along the Newark side of the two freeways and along major arterials as of 2013. Figure SAF-14 shows projected noise levels in 2035 in the same locations. A slight in1crease in noise levels is anticipated as a result of increased traffic volumes. The General Plan EIR may be consulted for a more detailed evaluation of the data. Policies and actions later in this Element indicate the steps that should be taken to mitigate the impacts of roadway noise on existing development and future development that takes place near the freeways and along major arterials.
Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad includes two lines that bisect the city – one running north-south and another running east-west. The two lines intersect near Thornton Avenue and Sycamore Street. Newark’s railways serve freight trains and passenger trains. In 2013, there were eight Altamont Commuter Express trains and 14 Capitol Corridor trains each weekday. The number of freight trains varies from day-to-day, depending on the local and regional demand for the movement of goods.
Noise from passing trains is generated by locomotive engines, mechanical components, warning horns, crossing guard bells, and the interaction of steel wheels and rails. Federal regulations require that trains sound a warning horn ¼-mile before they approach a grade-level crossing. Some cities have established “Quiet Zones” where these regulations are suspended, but Newark has not done so.
Aircraft
Aircraft contribute to the noise environment in Newark, but they are not considered a major problem at this time. The city is located roughly 10 to 15 miles from runways at the region’s three international airports.
At these distances, the city is not within the airport land use planning areas or runway protection zones associated with these airports.
Smaller airports, including the Palo Alto and Hayward Airports, are located more than 5 miles away from the city. Low-altitude regular traffic patterns to and from the region’s airports do not occur over the city. Further, there are no heliports in Newark or in immediate proximity to the city. While intermittent aircraft or helicopters overPacket Page No. 658
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flights may produce single-event noise levels of approximately 60 to 70 dBA, aviation noise, in general, is minimal throughout the city.
STATIONARY NOISE SOURCES
Stationary noise is generated by day-to-day activities associated with industrial, commercial, residential, and public uses. These land uses may generate noise from heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, loading and delivery activities at local businesses, and the use of motorized equipment and heavy machinery. Even public uses such as schools and parks may generate noise associated with outdoor activities such as physical education programs and sporting events.
Industrial uses are generally located in the area west of Cherry Street and along both sides of Central Avenue between Cherry and Willow Streets. There are also areas of industrial activity along Cedar Boulevard near Central Avenue and along the southern perimeter of Old Town Newark along Wells Avenue and Enterprise Drive. Noise from these areas varies widely, with some businesses operating only during typical work-day hours and others operating on a 24-hour basis. The city’s heavier industrial activities, such as Pabco Gypsum and Cargill Salt, tend to be more distant from residential uses. The potential for noise conflicts may be greater where industrial uses are adjacent to homes or generate noise that is perceptible at nearby neighborhoods.
Domestic noise also has the potential to create conflicts. This includes noise associated with yard maintenance activities such as leaf blowers and lawn mowers, and noise from loud music, barking dogs, parties, and other household sources. These types of noise issues are typically controlled through administrative processes such as police complaints, rather than through land use planning.
IMPACTS OF LAND USE CHANGES ON NOISE-RELATED ISSUES
The future noise environment in Newark will be impacted not only by changes in traffic volumes, but also by changes in land use. In particular, new transit-oriented development around the future Dumbarton Rail station and residential development in Southwest Newark will result in a larger population in areas that are presently vacant. New homes may be built in areas subject to railroad noise and in areas where there is audible noise from nearby industrial activities.
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The environmental impact reports (EIRs) prepared for approved development in these areas included measures to mitigate potential noise impacts. Likewise, future EIRs will include such measures, as appropriate.
Similarly, the development of new medium-density housing along Cedar Avenue between NewPark Mall and Mowry Avenue and
potentially in the NewPark area could result in higher populations near Interstate 880. Infill development in Old Town Newark and on other housing sites will likely mean more residents living along major thoroughfares in the city. Development of the remaining vacant sites in Pacific Research Center, Stevenson Point Technology Park, and other industrial areas of the city could create new noise sources, which in turn could affect nearby residential areas.
Policies and actions in the General Plan have been developed to reduce the potential for impacts associated with these changes. As appropriate, through implementation of a new Noise Ordinance, the City will continue to require acoustical studies when development is proposed near noise sources, or when new development will generate noise that could impact nearby sensitive receptors.
When an acoustical analysis is required, it must be submitted at the same time as the application for a planning or building permit. The City requires that the analysis be prepared under the supervision of a person experienced in the field of acoustical engineering. The reports must include noise data obtained from on-site sound level measurements with appropriate variations based on the time of day and different locations on the site. Factors such as topography, the location, and characteristics of noise sources, and projected noise sources must be considered and discussed. As appropriate, acoustical reports also must include noise attenuation measures, and an analysis that demonstrates that interior noise level requirements will be achieved in a manner consistent with Title 24 and other applicable building code requirements.
CONTROLLING FUTURE NOISE EFFECTS
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combination of these three components. These measures include reducing noise at the source, providing greater distance separation (buffering) and/or barriers along the path between the noise source and the noise receiver, and modifying the receiver through sound insulation and/or other means.
NOISE SOURCE CONTROLS
One of the most effective ways to reduce noise is to control it at the source. This can be accomplished by placing enclosures around motors, requiring quieter machinery and equipment, regulating the hours during which noise is generated, and similar measures. For example, conditional use permits may specify that certain businesses activities are prohibited during night-time hours to reduce potential noise conflicts. Likewise, construction may be prohibited during certain times of the day and night. Other examples of noise source controls include federal regulations for quieter aircraft and motor vehicle mufflers, and the designation of certain streets as truck routes to direct truck traffic away from residential streets.
The Newark Municipal Code regulates industrial operations to reduce noise levels that could disturb nearby sensitive uses. The code sets strict limits on the emission of noise from industrial sites and also sets limits for the reception of noise at certain land uses adjacent to industrial districts. Noise from home occupations, animals, agriculture, alarms, and vehicles is also addressed by different sections of the Municipal Code. As noted earlier, an action in the General Plan calls for the reorganization of these various provisions into a City Noise Ordinance.
NOISE PATHWAY CONTROLS
Noise levels can be reduced by modifying the pathway that noise travels between its source and nearby receivers. Typical noise barriers include earthen berms and sound walls. Fences are sometimes used on private properties to absorb noise and increase privacy. Planting and shrubbery are less effective as roadway noise barriers, although they do provide privacy and visual screening. Another example of noise path control is to increase the separation distance between the source and receiving point.
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Sound walls have been constructed along portions of Interstate 880 to reduce noise levels in adjoining residential areas in the northeastern part of Newark. Residents have expressed interest in using taller walls to further reduce noise levels in this area. The City has also constructed back-up masonry walls along arterials where noise levels exceed residential compatibility guidelines. These walls exist along portions of Thornton Avenue, Cherry Street, Cedar Boulevard, Newark Boulevard, Mowry Avenue, and Jarvis Avenue.
NOISE RECEIVER CONTROLS
Adjusting the noise receiver is typically done through site planning, building design, and construction. Lower noise levels can be achieved by designing a development to maximize separation distance between noise sources and receptors, and taking advantage of natural barriers and topography. For example, mechanical equipment should be placed away from sleeping areas. Likewise, decks and balconies should be avoided on facades that face noisy streets. Interior rooms should be arranged so that noise-sensitive spaces such as bedrooms are placed further away from the roadway or other nearby noise sources. Within the building itself, noise levels can be reduced by increasing wall mass and thickness, using double glazed windows and solid core doors, and through interior finishes such as carpeting, drapes, and acoustical ceiling tiles.
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EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
Emergency preparation is key to the safety of a community in the event of a disaster. Newark’s location in an area prone to earthquakes, floods, and hazardous material incidents means it is essential to be prepared in the event of an emergency. Emergency preparedness infrastructure (emergency response facilities, community gathering spaces, and emergency evacuation routes) as well as a strong communication and response network aid with the City’s ability to address multiple hazards and build community resilience broadly.
CITY CAPACITY TO RESPOND TO EMERGENCIES AND BUILD RESILIENCE Newark has adopted a comprehensive emergency response plan. The Emergency Operations Plan sets forth operational procedures for responding to a variety of emergency conditions. The procedures address the needs of the entire community and identify key responsible agencies and personnel. The City has designated an Emergency Operations Center so that citywide emergencies can be dealt with effectively from a central location.
This comprehensive plan is periodically updated in response to new requirements, technology and communication protocol, and real-world experiences. Newark has also designated a Disaster Council consisting of the Mayor, City Manager, department heads, and representatives of schools and utilities, to discuss disaster preparedness. Disaster planning efforts are coordinated with the cities of Fremont, Hayward, and Union City to maximize mutual aid response.
The City of Newark and the Alameda County Fire District work collaboratively to reduce exposure to hazards, implement training programs for residents, and ensure effective response and quick recovery following an incident. There are three Alameda County Fire Stations that serve the City of Newark, which includes Alameda County Fire Department Stations 27, 28, and 29, the Newark Police Department, and three medical facilities (see Figure SAF-15.
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SOURCE: Google Maps; HIFLD; OSM; ESA, 2022.
FIGURE SAF-15 EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS AND RESILIENCE
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The City also encourages its residents and businesses to be better prepared for disasters. The ACFD offers a local Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training program for community volunteers. The training provides basic skills in firefighting, search and rescue, first aid, and emergency preparedness. Lastly, the City’s Disaster Preparedness webpage includes information related to different types of emergency preparedness workshops, such as the CERT program and the Personal Emergency Preparedness workshop hosted by the Alameda County Fire Department. The webpage also includes links and resources to other local, county, state, and federal agency emergency preparedness guides.
EVACUATION PLANNING
Emergency evacuation of residents, businesses, and particularly our vulnerable communities has become an important focus of emergency preparedness. Two recently adopted legislative bills (SB 99 & AB 747) require that cities update their Safety Elements to identify and evaluate evacuation routes. AB 747 specifically requires that safety elements be updated to identify evacuation routes and assess the capacity, safety, and viability of those routes under a range of emergency scenarios.
Senate Bill 99 similarly requires the agencies to identify residential developments in hazard areas that do not have at least two emergency evacuation routes.
The City’s emergency evacuation scenarios and constrained parcels are evaluated in Appendix B. Several maps identify residential parcels with only one access route, The maps also show the relationship between the identified parcels and Newark’s most significant hazards including earthquakes and flooding from dam inundation or sea level rise.
Appendix B also illustrates three evacuation scenarios, each focusing on the availability of roadways during flood emergencies. These scenarios assess various factors affecting evacuation, such as access to arterial roadways and highway overpasses. The analysis also recognizes the city's distinctive topographical features bordering the Bay, and industrial sites such as salt harvesting, refining, and production facilities, which further constrain the direction and quantity of viable evacuation routes.
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supply side (increasing evacuation capacity) and demand side (managing evacuation volumes). Supply-side strategies include increasing capacity through transit lanes or shoulders, managed traffic control for maximized evacuation flow, and street parking management on high-risk days. On the demand side, strategies include improved communication systems for disaster alerts, dynamic route guidance, and programs for better accounting of households needing assistance. Other suggested measures include coordination with public transit for special evacuation shuttles, neighborhood programs for advanced ride-sharing coordination, and phased evacuations.
Evacuation measures such as these should aim to reduce vehicle volumes during evacuations, encouraging households to evacuate in as few vehicles as possible.
KEY FINDINGS RELATED TO EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
Newark has a robust emergency management system in place based on a the existing Emergency Operations Plan.
The City of Newark and the Alameda County Fire District work collaboratively to reduce exposure to hazards, implement training programs for residents, and ensure effective response and quick recovery following an incident.
The City encourages residents and business to be better prepared for disasters through education and preparedness programming.
Parcels constrained by less than two access routes exist throughout the city (mapped in Appendix B).
The city’s distinctive topographical features as it borders the San Francisco Bay, and industrial facilities such as salt harvesting, refining, and other production facilities constrain the direction and quantity of viable evacuation routes. Measures to enhance the evacuation preparation and processes include increasing road capacity and monitoring of households with special evacuation needs including those without personal vehicles.
COMMUNITY/STAKEHOLDER INPUT
The City released a community survey to elicit input on topics related to natural disasters, sea-level rise, pollution, and air quality to get a better understanding of how the City can improve safety in Newark. There Packet Page No. 666
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was no community input regarding hazards related to emergency preparedness systems and related efforts in Newark.
3. GOALS, POLICIES, AND ACTIONS
The following goals, policies, and actions are organized in the order they appear in the existing conditions section 2. Policies and actions indicated with accompanying black titles mirror the presentation in the Newark 2013 General Plan. Policies and actions paired with red titles maintain similarities to those in the previous 2013 plan but have been revised to align with current conditions or mandates. Policies and actions bearing green/teal titles are entirely new or have undergone substantial modifications compared to the 2013 plan.
AIR QUALITY
GOAL SAF-1 A community with clean and healthy air.
POLICIES
Policy SAF-1.1 Cooperation Among Agencies. Continue to
cooperate with regional, state and federal
jurisdictions, including BAAQMD and CARB to
minimize exposure to air pollution.
Policy SAF-1.2 Climate Action and Adaptation Planning.
Ensure that the forthcoming Climate Action
Plan is a qualified climate action and adaptation
plan that comprehensively addresses GHG
emissions reductions, and includes strategies
and actions to not only reduce vehicular and
other emissions, but protect and mitigate the
impact of those emissions on sensitive
resources, particularly in areas most exposed to
air pollution.
Policy SAF-1.3 Sensitive Uses. Amend the zoning ordinance to include standards and restrictions that protect
sensitive uses (residential areas, parks, schools,
etc.) from pollutants originating from freeways,
truck routes, heavy industrial or other polluting
sources.
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Policy SAF-1.4 Land Use Planning. Take actions to expand infill development within job centers and
around transportation nodes. Require
multifamily developments and large
commercial projects over one acre in size to
mitigate, to the extent feasible, anticipated
emissions which exceed BAAQMD guidelines.
Policy SAF-1.5 Truck Congestion. Develop and implement
strategies to reduce traffic congestion and
pollution in collaboration with the business
community to encourage mutually beneficial
operations such as off-peak truck deliveries.
Policy SAF-1.6 Funding. Apply for alternative financing mechanisms for local air quality improvement
programs.
Policy SAF-1.7 Transportation Demand Management.
Develop and implement transportation
demand management (TDM) policies,
strategies, and incentives as a vital tool for
reducing vehicle emissions, improving air
quality and promoting active transportation.
ACTIONS
Action SAF-1.A Zoning Ordinance Amendments. Amend the zoning ordinance to create provisions that protect or restrict sensitive uses within 1,000 feet of I-880 and SR 84
rights-of-way, and near heavy industrial or other
polluting uses that could impact the health
and safety of sensitive populations. Incorporate
recommendations from the forthcoming Climate
Action Plan into the zoning ordinance. (Implements
Policy SAF-1.3 Sensitive Uses)
Action SAF-1.B Climate Action and Adaptation Plan Preparation.
Prepare, adopt, and implement a qualified Climate
Action and Adaption Plan within 3 years. (Implements
Policy SAF-1.2 Climate Action and Adaptation
Planning)
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Action SAF-1.C Transportation Demand Management (TDM)
Strategies. Update the zoning ordinance to include
TDM standards and incentives to be implemented at
the project scale. Standards may include mandating
the inclusion of bike infrastructure and pedestrian
amenities; developing parking caps and unbundling
parking; establishing narrow street standards and
traffic calming requirements; requiring higherdensity developments near transit. Incentives may include employer-based programs such as subsidized
transit passes and bike storage facilities (Implements
Policy SAF-1.4 Land Use Planning)
Action SAF-1.D Wood Burning Fireplaces. Require compliance with state and federal standards for wood-burning
fireplaces and stoves in new or remodeled homes.
(Implements Policy SAF-1.1 Cooperation Among
Agencies)
Action SAF-1.E Air Quality Studies for New Development. Use the environmental review process to require mitigation
of potential air quality impacts generated by new
development. Site-specific air quality studies should
be required for future development that includes
sensitive receptors (such as schools, hospitals,
daycare centers, or retirement homes) located within
designated air quality buffer areas along Interstate
880 and State Route 84. (Implements Policy SAF-1.1
Cooperation Among Agencies)
Action SAF-1.F Furnace Replacement and Clean Appliances. Invest in programs that help property owners replace
residential, commercial, and industrial furnaces and
gasoline powered appliances with cleaner fuel, low
emission furnaces, and clean energy appliances.
(Implements Policy SAF-1.1 Cooperation Among
Agencies )
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Action SAF-1.G Restaurant Exhaust Systems. Require new
restaurants located in mixed-use developments or
adjacent to residential developments to install
kitchen exhaust vents with filtration systems, reroute vents away from residential development, and use other accepted methods of odor control, in
accordance with local building and fire codes.
Restaurant Exhaust Systems. (Implements Policy
SAF-1.3 Sensitive Uses)
Action SAF-1.H Health Risk Assessments. Require submittal of a Health Risk Assessment (HRA) for applicants
proposing major development or redevelopment
within 1,000 feet of the I-880 or SR 84 freeways. For
projects where the incremental cancer risk exceeds
ten in one million, PM2.5 concentrations exceed 0.3
µg/m3 , or the appropriate non-cancer hazard index
exceeds 1.0, the HRA shall identify mitigation
measures capable of reducing potential risks to
acceptable levels. (Implements Policy SAF-1.4 Land
Use Planning).
HRAs shall be done in accordance with the latest State
Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment
and Bay Area Air Quality Management District
guidelines, and shall mitigate impacts to levels deemed acceptable by these agencies. The City shall modify its standard conditions of approval to implement this
action.
Action SAF-1.I Construction-Related Pollutants. Require that construction contractors implement basic control
measures consistent with BAAQMD
recommendations to limit emissions of constructionrelated criteria pollutants, including fugitive dust. (Implements Policy SAF-1.1 Cooperation Among
Agencies)
Action SAF-1.J Nuisance Odors. Evaluate the potential for proposed projects to emit nuisance odors beyond the property
line and require that property owners submit odor
management plans consistent with BAAQMD
regulations. (Implements Policy SAF-1.1 Cooperation
Among Agencies)
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Action SAF-1.K Standard Conditions of Approval. Update the City’s Standard Conditions of Approval to require measures
which reduce particulate emissions (PM10) from
construction and reduce construction-related
emissions if project-level environmental review
determines that BAAQMD thresholds for criteria
pollutants may be exceeded. (Implements Policy SAF1.1 Cooperation Among Agencies) Mitigation measures for construction impacts could
include using construction equipment rated by the EPA
as complying with current emission limits, ensuring
construction equipment is serviced and maintained to
the manufacturer’s standards, and limiting
nonessential construction equipment idling to no more
than five minutes.
DROUGHT AND WATER QUALITY
GOAL SAF-2 A community that protects and enhances the
availability, conservation, and health of water
resources for long-term needs.
POLICIES
Policy SAF-2.1 Water Pollution Reduction. Identify pollution risks and levels of contamination for the city’s
water bodies. Reduce pollutants entering and
degrading water resources, including
groundwater and surface waters in Newark, by
minimizing hazardous materials accidents,
spills, and vapor releases.
See also Safety Element policies on hazardous materials.
Policy SAF-2.2 Cleanup Sites. Cooperate with local and state agencies to address mitigation and
improvements of cleanup sites. Prioritize the
cleanup of sites that pose a risk to water bodies
and sensitive populations.
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Policy SAF-2.3 Cooperation Among Agencies to Address
Lead Risk. Work with the Alameda County
Department of Public Health to identify and
address lead risk in infrastructure and the
housing stock to ensure access to clean leadfree water for all community members.
Policy SAF-2.4 Drought Awareness. Collaborate with public agencies and community organizations to raise
awareness of long-term climate and drought
impacts and encourage emergency planning
efforts to consider drought.
Policy SAF-2.5 Water Storage. Raise awareness of on-site water storage and rainwater capture practices
for conservation and emergency drought
events, that can be used for fresh water supply,
watering of plants, and other uses. Utilize public
campaigns and starter kits for households to
engage in water storage practices, such as using
rain barrels.
Policy SAF-2.6 Water Conservation. Identify technologies and retrofits at municipal facilities for expanding
water conservation. Develop new programs to
encourage water conservation for residential,
business, and commercial sectors.
Policy SAF-2.7 Protection of Surface Water Bodies. Protect surface water bodies in the city, including lakes,
rivers, streams, creeks, and wetlands, from
development and other activities that impact
water quality.
Policy SAF-2.8 Lakeshore Park Amenity. Identify pollution risks to Lakeshore Park Lake and plan
improvements for the health and water quality
of the lake for its benefit to the community and
wildlife.
Policy SAF-2.9 Long-Term Water Supply. Invest resources in expanding water desalination projects to help
ensure long-term supply of water and build local
resiliency against long-term droughts.
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ACTIONS
Action SAF-2.A Prioritize Cleanup Sites. Identify a funding source and prioritize cleanup sites that are contributing to
pollution and degradation of water resources,
considering contamination levels and proximity to
residential neighborhoods, community amenities,
and parks and recreation. Work to address and
minimize material leakages and water quality
concerns from cleanup sites in the community.
(Implements Policy SAF-2.1 Water Pollution
Reduction; Policy SAF2.2 Cleanup Sites; Policy SAF-2.7
Protection of Surface Water Bodies; and Policy SAF2.8 Lakeshore Park Amenity) Action SAF-2.B Address Pollution in Water Bodies. Identify contaminated surface water bodies in the city, and
conduct regular evaluation of clean-up efforts.
(Implements Policy SAF-2.7 Protection of Surface
Water Bodies)
Action SAF-2.C Collaborate with the ACWD. Collaborate with the ACWD to identify prevention measures to protect
water bodies from pollution risk. (Implements Policy
SAF2.1 Water Pollution Reduction; Policy SAF-2.2
Cleanup Sites; Policy SAF-2.7 Protection of Surface
Water Bodies; and Policy SAF-2.8 Lakeshore Park
Amenity)
Action SAF-2.D Lead Risk Education. Develop and implement special training workshops and projects related to
education on lead risk and reduction. Regularly test
water supplies and publish results for public viewing.
Implement a program to replace lead pipes and
fixtures in public and private properties. (Implements
Policy SAF-2.1 Water Pollution Reduction; and Policy
SAF-2.3 Cooperation Among Agencies to Address Lead
Risk)
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Action SAF-2.E Lead Risk Mediation. Pursue funding to mediate lead pollution in the community. Implement a
program to replace lead pipes and fixtures in both
public and private properties. Offer free or subsidized home inspections for lead, particularly targeting
older homes and vulnerable communities. Provide
grants or low-interest loans for homeowners to
remediate lead issues. (Implements Policy SAF-2.1
Water Pollution Reduction; and Policy SAF-2.3
Cooperation Among Agencies to Address Lead Risk)
Action SAF-2.F Ensuring Water Availability. Coordinate with the Alameda County Water District to monitor water
availability and drought conditions and conduct
regular water supply assessments. Create and
distribute a plan for precautionary measures to
ensure water availability during drought periods.
(Implements Policy SAF-2.4 Drought Awareness;
Policy SAF-2.6 Water Conservation; and Policy SAF2.9 Long-Term Water Supply) See also Community Services and Facilities Element policies on water supply availability.
Action SAF-2.G Emergency Supplies. Collaborate with ACWD to prepare emergency drought supplies and resources
prioritizing the needs of vulnerable populations,
including low-income households, outdoor workers,
homeless individuals, and individuals with existing
health conditions who may have less capacity or
financial stability to withstand severe droughts.
(Implements Policy SAF-2.4 Drought Awareness;
Policy SAF-2.5 Water Storage; Policy SAF-2.6 Water
Conservation; and Policy SAF-2.9 Long-Term Water
Supply)
Action SAF-2.H Water Use Restrictions. Collaborate with the ACWD to disseminate water shortage information and
enforce water use restrictions, especially during
drought periods. (Implements Policy SAF-2.4 Drought
Awareness; Policy SAF-2.5 Water Storage; and Policy
SAF-2.6 Water Conservation)
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Action SAF-2.I Clean-up Events. Organize regular cleanup events for wetland and lake areas, including Lakeshore Park
Lake, with public engagement and collaboration with
residents, schools, and community organizations.
Use events as opportunities to increase local drought
awareness and best practices for conservation.
(Implements Policy SAF-2.4 Drought Awareness;
Policy SAF-2.7 Protection of Surface Water Bodies; and
Policy SAF-2.8 Lakeshore Park Amenity)
Action SAF-2.J Landscaping Guidance. Enhance the city’s existing Bay-Friendly Landscape Guidelines to exceed state
requirements for municipal landscape areas, with
stronger requirements for climate-friendly and
drought-tolerant trees and low-flow irrigation
systems. (Implements Policy SAF-2.6 Water
Conservation)
EXTREME WEATHER
GOAL SAF-3 A resilient and healthy community that adapts to changing climate conditions and mitigates the
effects of extreme weather impacts.
POLICIES
Policy SAF-3.1 Urban Heat Island Effect. Develop standards and requirements for municipal projects that
can incorporate natural cooling techniques to
reduce the urban heat island effect.
Policy SAF-3.2 Cooling Amenities. Evaluate and asses the need for additional cooling centers in the
southern and eastern areas of the community
and reduce barriers to access existing centers.
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Policy SAF-3.3 Household Cooling. Identify and educate
residents on programs and solutions for helping
households with cooling during extreme heat
periods, including new or replacement air
conditioning, and other household cooling
mechanisms where air conditioning is not
feasible, such as improved insulation, tree
canopy, urban greening, cool roofs, cool
pavements, cool paints and materials, and other
mechanisms to help reduce extreme heat
impacts for households.
Policy SAF-3.4 Parks and Open Spaces. Identify potential for expanding existing parks or creating new parks
in the community that are accessible by all
residents in under-resourced locations,
including the southwestern and eastern areas of
the community, where access to existing parks
is low.
Policy SAF-3.5 Urban Forest Management. Plan for the
sustainable growth and management of the
urban forest to help mitigate greenhouse gas
emissions and extreme heat impacts.
Policy SAF-3.6 Urban Greening. Prioritize urban greening where the tree canopy is relatively lower than
other parts of the city, including near the center
of the community between Central and Mowry
Avenue.
Policy SAF-3.7 Health and Safety. Coordinate with local health providers, schools, and community
organizations to share information and
resources regarding extreme heat and heatrelated illnesses.
Policy SAF-3.8 Heat and Active Transportation. Identify active transportation routes in need of
amenities to protect against extreme heat, and
prioritize bikeways, walkways, and trails near
schools, community centers, and commuter
routes.
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Approximately 60 percent of surfaces in
urban communities are covered by roofs or
pavements, which are typically dark
surfaces that absorb sunlight and
contribute to hotter temperatures.
Replacing these with cool roofs and cool
pavements means using more reflective
materials, such as white surface, to help
reflect sunlight, keep buildings cool, and
reduce energy costs. Cool roofs and
pavements may also incorporate
vegetation, tree canopy, and other
permeable surfaces to complement cooling
effects.
Source: Global Cool Cities Alliance, 2012.
ACTIONS
Action SAF-3.A Cool Roofs Requirements. Amend the City’s building ordinance to exceed Title 24 standards by
requiring cool roofs for all new or replacement roofs.
(Implements Policy SAF-3.1 Urban Heat Island Effect)
Action SAF-3.B Cool Pavements. Expand cool pavements as streets become in need of resurfacing, conduct this work
through the Pavement Maintenance Program.
(Implements Policy SAF-3.1 Urban Heat Island Effect;
and Policy SAF-3.8 Heat and Active Transportation)
Action SAF-3.C Cooling Center Access. Identify potential sites for new cooling centers, prioritizing areas where there is
less access to existing centers and areas with
sensitive populations, including children, lowincome, and individuals with existing health conditions. Identify municipal facilities that may
provide cooling amenities during extreme heat
events. (Implements Policy SAF-3.2 Cooling Amenities)
Action SAF-3.D Street Amenities. Add street amenities along active transportation routes, including bikeways, sidewalks,
walking paths, and trails, to protect users from
extreme heat and other climate elements. Add bus
stop shelters, tree canopy, natural landscaping,
green pavements, and other features that enhance
cooling and reduce the urban heat island effect.
(Implements Policy SAF-3.1 Urban Heat Island Effect;
and Policy SAF-3.8 Heat and Active Transportation)
Action SAF-3.E New Parks Development. Identify potential sites for new parks in the southwestern and eastern portions
of the community that are outside of a half-mile to
existing parks. (Implements Policy SAF-3.4 Parks and
Open Spaces)
Action SAF-3.F Existing Parks Access. Increase access to existing parks in close proximity (Ash Street Park, Eucalyptus
Grove Park, and Silliman Community Activity Center)
with designated bikeways and urban pathways,
signage, lighting, and landscaping that connects
underserved neighborhoods to park amenities.
(Implements Policy SAF-3.4 Parks and Open Spaces)
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Action SAF-3.G Community Resources. Identify organizations with resources and programs for households to be able to
stay safe from extreme heat impacts, including for
lower-income households and households lacking air
conditioning, and educate residents about these
resources available to them. (Implements Policy SAF3.3 Household Cooling; and Policy SAF-3.7 Health and Safety)
Action SAF-3.H Tree Inventory. Develop a citywide tree inventory and management plan to increase the urban forest,
prioritizing areas with less tree canopy as well as
climate-appropriate and water-efficient or droughttolerant species that can provide long-term benefits for cooling, air quality, and public health.
(Implements Policy SAF 3.5 Urban Forest
Management; and Policy SAF 3.6 Urban Greening)
Action SAF-3.I Climate-Friendly Trees. Develop and adopt a list of approved tree and plant species that are climateappropriate and water-efficient or drought-tolerant.
Require any new and replacement plantings to be
from the City’s approved list. (Implements Policy SAF
3.5 Urban Forest Management; and Policy SAF 3.6
Urban Greening)
FLOODING HAZARDS
GOAL SAF-4 A community with sustainable development
practices that reduce risks to life and property
associated with flooding.
POLICIES
Policy SAF-4.1 Planning to Avoid Flood Hazards. Monitor flood-prone areas in Newark and use this data
for land use, transportation, and infrastructure
capital improvement and planning purposes.
Flood-resistant construction techniques and
minimum building elevations shall be required
to reduce flood hazards.
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Policy SAF-4.2 Maintaining Drainage Patterns. Prohibit
development, grading, and land modification
activities that would adversely affect Newark’s
drainage system or create potential erosion
impacts.
Policy SAF-4.3 Residential Development in the Flood Plain.
Limit development within low-lying areas at
high risk from flooding. Require any new
residential development, including streets and
other surface improvements, to be constructed
above the 100-year flood elevation.
Policy SAF-4.4 Non-Residential Development in the Flood Plain. Limit development within low-lying areas
at high risk from flooding. Require that any new
non-residential development, including
commercial and industrial uses, be floodproofed or constructed on pads elevated above the 100-year flood elevation.
Policy SAF-4.5 Storm Drain Maintenance. Manage and
maintain the storm drainage system to avoid
flooding and reduce the negative effects of
stormwater runoff.
Policy SAF-4.6 Mitigating Downstream Flood Impacts. Create standards to ensure that the design of new
development reduces the potential for
downstream flooding, including measures for
maximizing porous pavement and on-site
drainage retention.
Policy SAF-4.7 Flood Control Improvements. Work with
ACFC&WCD on improvements to the storm
drain, flood control channel, and levee system
to ensure that these systems continue to protect
Newark neighborhoods and business districts
from flooding.
Packet Page No. 679
NEWARK GENERAL PLAN
SAFETY
SAF-102
Policy SAF-4.8 Sea-Level Rise. Evaluate the effects of rising sea level on the potential for flooding in lowlying areas, and monitor sea-level rise modeling for anticipated impacts. Consider compounding
impacts from sea-level rise, including storm
surges and extreme tides.
Policy SAF-4.9 Regional Planning for Sea-Level Rise.
Participate in regional planning and adaptation
efforts to address sea-level rise impacts to lowlying areas. Information on flood hazards related to sea-level rise should be used to
ensure that flood risk is reduced.
See also Community Services and Facilities Element policies on storm drainage.
See also Conservation and Sustainability Element policies on climate change.
Policy SAF-4.10 Wetlands Preservation. Protect wetlands and natural open space from development by
creating setback and buffer zones, and increase
awareness of natural flooding benefits provided
by wetlands.
Policy SAF-4.11 Green Infrastructure. Identify green
technologies and natural systems that can be
incorporated into planning and development
practices to address flooding hazards and
provide community co-benefits.
Policy SAF-4.12 Impervious Surfaces. Continue to identify opportunities for retrofitting impervious
surfaces and increasing natural land cover to
provide flooding mitigation and community cobenefits.
Packet Page No. 680
NEWARK GENERAL PLAN
SAFETY
SAF-103
Policy SAF-4.13 Roadway Maintenance. Identify risks to critical roadways and plan for the sustainable
management and maintenance of roadways,
prioritizing those that serve as evacuation
routes and connect to essential services,
emergency response, and critical facilities.
Coordinate with surrounding local and regional
agencies, including the County and
ACFC&WCD, on roadway maintenance for
stormwater and flooding mitigation.
ACTIONS
Action SAF-4.A Flooding Risk Studies. Require new developments to assess flooding risks and identify measures that
will reduce the risk of flooding and flooding impacts,
including downstream impacts. Limit developments
in low-lying areas within flood hazard zones.
(Implements Policy SAF-4.1 Planning to Avoid Flood
Hazards; Policy SAF-4.3 Residential Development in
the Flood Plain; Policy SAF-4.4 Non-Residential
Development in the Flood Plain; and Policy SAF-4.6
Mitigating Downstream Flood Impacts)
Action SAF-4.B Flood Insurance Rate Maps. Maintain up-to-date Flood Insurance Rate Maps for use in planning and
public works decisions. (Implements Policy SAF-4.1
Planning to Avoid Flood Hazards; SAF-4.3 Residential
Development in the Flood Plain; SAF-4.4 NonResidential Development in the Flood Plain; and Policy SAF-4.6 Mitigating Downstream Flood Impacts)
Action SAF-4.C Flood Prevention Code Provisions. Enforce municipal code provisions for construction in flood
hazard areas, and amend these provisions as needed
to conform to National Flood Insurance Program
criteria. (Implements Policy SAF-4.1 Planning to Avoid
Flood Hazards; Policy SAF-4.3 Residential
Development in the Flood Plain; and Policy SAF-4.4
Non-Residential Development in the Flood Plain)
Packet Page No. 681
NEWARK GENERAL PLAN
SAFETY
SAF-104
Action SAF-4.D Design Standards Code Enhancements. Update the City’s municipal code to add additional design
standards for mitigation of downstream flood
impacts, including green infrastructure and
impervious surface best practices. (Implements Policy
SAF-5.1 Planning to Avoid Flood Hazards; and Policy
SAF-5.6 Mitigating Downstream Flood Impacts)
Action SAF-4.E Infrastructure Improvements. Collaborate with ACFC&WCD to identify priorities for infrastructure
improvements that can be budgeted in the upcoming
CIPs to protect the community from potential
flooding. Prioritize maintenance of critical facilities and evacuation routes. (Implements Policy SAF-4.1
Planning to Avoid Flood Hazards; Policy SAF-4.5
Storm Drain Maintenance; Policy SAF-4.7 Flood
Control Improvements; Policy SAF-4.11 Green
Infrastructure; Policy SAF-4.12 Impervious Surfaces;
and Policy SAF-4.13 Roadway Maintenance)
Action SAF-4.F Review of Potential Flood Impacts. Evaluate potential impacts of new development on the flood
control system. Ensure that post-development runoff
rates do not exceed the capacity of the flood control
system using the environmental review process.
(Implements Policy SAF-4.1 Planning to Avoid Flood
Hazards; Policy SAF-4.2 Maintaining Drainage
Patterns; Policy SAF-4.3 Residential Development in
the Flood Plain; Policy SAF-4.4 Non-Residential
Development in the Flood Plain; and Policy SAF-4.6
Mitigating Downstream Flood Impacts)
Action SAF-4.G Alameda County Flood Control and Water
Conservation District Referrals. Continue to refer
projects in flood prone areas to the ACFC&WCD for
review and comment. (Implements Policy SAF-4.3
Residential Development in the Flood Plain; Policy
SAF-4.4 Non-Residential Development in the Flood
Plain; and Policy SAF-4.7 Flood Control Improvements)
Packet Page No. 682
NEWARK GENERAL PLAN
SAFETY
SAF-105
Action SAF-4.H Green Stormwater Infrastructure Implementation.
Continue to track and report the implementation of
the City’s Green Stormwater Infrastructure Plan and
take additional green measures to address flooding
hazards. (Implements Policy SAF-4.10 Green
Infrastructure; and Policy SAF-4.11 Impervious
Surfaces)
Action SAF-4.I Regional Collaboration. Continue to collaborate with the ACFC&WCD, FEMA, U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers, and other regional and state agencies to
assess risk and impacts from flooding, including
sea-level rise. (Implements Policy SAF-4.1 Planning to
Avoid Flood Hazards; Policy SAF-4.7 Flood Control
Improvements; Policy SAF-4.9 Regional Planning for
Sea-Level Rise; and Policy SAF-4.13 Roadway
Maintenance)
Action SAF-4.J Climate Action Planning for Sea-Level Rise and Flooding. In the update to the City’s Climate Action
Plan include the latest data and best practices on
flooding hazards and associated risks from climate
change. Consider mitigation and adaptation efforts
to reduce risk and impacts to the community from
flooding hazards. (Implements Policy SAF-4.1
Planning to Avoid Flood Hazards; Policy SAF-4.8 SeaLevel Rise; and Policy SAF-4.11 Green Infrastructure)
DAM FAILURE
GOAL SAF-5 A community protected from the risk of flood and dam inundation hazards with reliable drainage
infrastructure and flood-ready development
practices.
POLICIES
Policy SAF-5.1 Dam Safety. Advocate for dam safety and
maintenance at the Calaveras, Del Valle, James
H. Turner, Middlefield, and Patterson Dams and
take the precautions necessary to protect
Newark properties from related flood hazards in
the event of dam failure.
Packet Page No. 683
NEWARK GENERAL PLAN
SAFETY
SAF-106
Policy SAF-5.2 Coordinate with USACE. Ensure ongoing
monitoring of physical dam conditions in
coordination with USACE.
Policy SAF-5.3 Critical Facilities and Services. Ensure that public facilities and services in flooding and dam
inundation zones (such as police and fire
stations, and water and sewer facilities) are
designed to maximize their resilience and ability
to function during and after a flood event.
Policy SAF-5.4 New Development. Require development
projects to submit hydrologic and drainage
studies to ensure that new development in
Newark is designed to mitigate for dam
inundation and is not located within hazard
zones.
Policy SAF-5.5 Flooding Resource Education. Provide
communities within dam inundation zones to
access flood hazard mitigation and protection
resources.
Policy SAF-5.6 Dam Failure in Emergency Plans. Ensure that city emergency response plans include
contingencies for catastrophic dam failure.
ACTIONS
Action SAF-5.A Hydrologic and Drainage Studies. Require hydrologic and drainage studies for new
development, and use these studies to identify
measures and best practices that will reduce the risk
of flooding and dam inundation. (Implements Policy
SAF-5.4 New Development)
Action SAF-5.B Flood Insurance Awareness and Coverage in Dam Inundation Zones. Develop a public outreach
program that informs property owners located in the
dam inundation zones about voluntary flood
insurance and increasing participation in the National
Flood Insurance Program. (Implements Policy SAF-5.5
Flooding Resource Education)
Packet Page No. 684
NEWARK GENERAL PLAN
SAFETY
SAF-107
Action SAF-5.C Accessible Flooding Insurance Resources. Publicize the availability of flood insurance to Newark
residents and business owners. (Implements Policy
SAF-5.5 Flooding Resource Education)
Action SAF-5.D Flood Risk Disclosure for New Development.
Require developments in the flooding and other
high-risk inundation areas to disclose flood risks
and identify appropriate flood mitigation actions
for incorporation into project design. (Implements
Policy SAF-5.4 New Development; and Policy SAF-5.5
Flooding Resource Education)
Action SAF-5.E Protect Critical Facilities, Services, and Infrastructure. Identify and implement costeffective strategies to protect publicly-owned critical facilities in flooding and dam inundation zones. Costeffective measures may involve a combination of engineering solutions, natural barriers, and
community warning and education. Whenever
possible, opt for solutions that serve multiple
purposes. (Implements Policy SAF-5.1 Dam Safety;
and Policy SAF-5.3 Critical Facilities and Services)
Action SAF-5.F Flood Prevention Strategies. Asses and identify risks and prioritize facilities based on their
vulnerability and importance. Evaluate electrical
systems above potential flood levels to prevent
water damage and ensure continued operation
during floods. Enhance drainage systems to divert
water away from critical facilities. Restrict new
construction of critical facilities in flood-prone areas and considering relocating existing ones if feasible.
(Implements Policy SAF-5.1 Dam Safety; and Policy
SAF-5.3 Critical Facilities and Services)
Action SAF-5.G Dam Failure Emergency Preparedness and
Evacuation. Prepare dam failure inundation maps in
order to determine emergency operation procedures
and evacuation routes. These shall be included in all
city emergency response plans. (Implements Policy
SAF-5.1 Dam Safety; and Policy SAF-5.6 Dam Failure
in Emergency Plans)
Packet Page No. 685
NEWARK GENERAL PLAN
SAFETY
SAF-108
Action SAF-5.H Dam Zone Prevention and Protection Strategies.
Implement early warning systems that can alert
facility managers to evacuate or initiate emergency
protocols. Regularly inspect dams and their safety
features to ensure they are up to code and
functional. Ensure that critical facilities have backup power sources that are elevated and protected from
potential inundation. (Implements Policy SAF-5.1
Dam Safety; and Policy SAF-5.6 Dam Failure in
Emergency Plans)
Action SAF-5.I Development Review. Ensure development
applications comply with all relevant building and
safety codes, including those related to flooding and
dam failure. (Implements Policy SAF-5.4 New
Development)
Action SAF-5.J Code Updates. Revise construction codes and regulations to incorporate the latest information and
technology related to dam failure. (Implements Policy
SAF-5.4 New Development)
Action SAF-5.K Dam Failure Evacuation Education. Distribute updated emergency evacuation plans for dam failure
and inundation to residents. (Implements Policy SAF5.6 Dam Failure in Emergency Plans) Action SAF-5.L District Coordination. Work with the ACWD to ensure the city is provided with current information
regarding reservoir and dam safety, particularly for
the Calaveras, Del Valle, James H. Turner,
Middlefield, and Patterson Dams. (Implements Policy
SAF-5.1 Dam Safety)
Packet Page No. 686
NEWARK GENERAL PLAN
SAFETY
SAF-109
FIRE HAZARDS
GOAL SAF-6 A city where life and property are protected from urban wildfire hazards.
POLICIES
Policy SAF-6.1 Fire Hazard Reduction. Identify wildfire fuel reduction planning programs to reduce the
quantity of flammable material in Newark,
including in those areas in Newark adjacent to
the San Francisco Bay.
Policy SAF-6.2 Interagency Coordination. The City shall coordinate with ACFD and neighboring fire
agencies to plan for and coordinate future fire
prevention and suppression needs.
Policy SAF-6.3 Adequacy of Access. Require adequate access and clearance for fire equipment, fire
suppression personnel, and evacuation for new
development.
ACTIONS
Action SAF-6.A Landscape Protection. Develop a jurisdiction-wide tree inventory and long-term tree management plan
to increase tree canopy in urban areas and increase
resilience to wildfire and extreme heat-related
hazards, including an outreach initiative encouraging
Newark residents to conduct tree maintenance on
private property. (Implements Policy SAF-6.1 Fire
Hazard Reduction)
Action SAF-6.B Community Education. Launch a public awareness campaign as part of a broader emergency
preparedness event to educate residents about fireresistant landscaping and the importance of maintaining a defensible space around their homes.
This could include school programs, workshops or
online resources. (Implements Policy SAF-6.1 Fire
Hazard Reduction)
Packet Page No. 687
NEWARK GENERAL PLAN
SAFETY
SAF-110
Action SAF-6.C Climate Adaptation. Integrate fire hazard reduction measures into the city's broader climate adaptation
strategy in the next update of the Climate Action
Plan, ensuring that actions are aligned with future
climate projections and risks. (Implements Policy
SAF-6.1 Fire Hazard Reduction)
Action SAF-6.D Stormwater Management. Implement effective stormwater management systems can help reduce
flooding risks, which in turn can mitigate fire risks by maintaining moisture levels in soil and vegetation.
(Implements Policy SAF-6.1 Fire Hazard Reduction)
Action SAF-6.E Joint Training Exercises. Conduct joint training exercises with ACFD and neighboring fire agencies to
simulate various types of fire scenarios, including
urban wildfires, to assess and improve the
department's readiness and improve coordination.
(Implements Policy SAF-6.2 Interagency Coordination)
Action SAF-6.F Public Buildings and Spaces. Conduct an audit of existing public buildings and spaces to ensure they
meet fire safety standards, including standards for
fire equipment access and personnel clearance.
(Implements Policy SAF-6.2 Interagency Coordination
and Policy SAF-6.3 Adequacy of Access)
Action SAF-6.G Infrastructure Upgrades. Identify and prioritize upgrades to roads and other infrastructure to ensure
they can support the weight and size of fire
equipment. (Implements Policy SAF-6.2 Interagency
Coordination; and Policy SAF-6.3 Adequacy of Access)
See Community Services and Facilities Element policies on Fire and EMS.
Packet Page No. 688
NEWARK GENERAL PLAN
SAFETY
SAF-111
GEOLOGIC HAZARDS
GOAL SAF-7 Reduced risks to life and property associated with geologic hazards such as seismically induced
surface rupture, ground shaking, ground failure,
tsunamis, seiches, dam failure, and liquefaction.
POLICIES
Policy SAF-7.1 Earthquake Safety in New Construction.
Continue to require new development to meet
structural integrity standards which minimize
the potential for damage during earthquakes.
Policy SAF-7.2 Seismic Retrofits. Continue to encourage the retrofitting of existing structures to reduce the
potential for damage during earthquakes,
especially on southern and western fringes of
the city where ground shaking levels are higher.
Policy SAF-7.3 Earthquake Awareness. Inform Newark
residents and businesses of specific steps they
can take to reduce earthquake-related hazards.
Policy SAF-7.4 Infrastructure Resilience. Maintain standards for roads and infrastructure that consider
geologic hazards, including subsidence and
liquefaction.
Policy SAF-7.5 Evaluate Critical Facilities. Work with private property owners of critical facilities that are
prime targets for structural retrofits as
identified in the MJHMP (e.g., churches, hotels,
hospitals, other gathering facilities) to evaluate
the ability of the buildings to withstand
earthquakes and to address any deficiencies
identified to improve earthquake safety.
Packet Page No. 689
NEWARK GENERAL PLAN
SAFETY
SAF-112
Policy SAF-7.6 Evaluate Critical Public Facilities. Evaluate public facilities that are critical to health and
safety, including emergency response (e.g.,
police and fire stations, and water and sewer
facilities) for their ability to withstand
earthquakes, and prioritize addressing any
deficiencies identified to improve earthquake
safety.
Policy SAF-7.7 Require Geotechnical Investigation in HighRisk Liquefaction Zones. Require geological and geotechnical investigations in areas with
high potential for earthquake-induced
liquefaction as part of the environmental and
development review process.
ACTIONS
Action SAF-7.A Homeowner Education on Earthquake Safety.
Educate homeowners on the importance of
retrofitting their homes for earthquake safety,
particularly bolting of foundations where there are
currently no connections between the foundation
and frame. (Implements Policy SAF-7.3 Earthquake
Awareness)
Action SAF-7.B Development Review. Review all development applications to ensure their compliance with all
relevant building and safety codes, including those
related to geologic hazards. (Implements Policy SAF7.1 Earthquake Safety in New Construction) Action SAF-7.C Code Updates. Annually review, and revise as necessary, construction codes and regulations to
incorporate the latest information and technology
related to geologic hazards, such as seismically
induced surface rupture, ground shaking, ground
failure, tsunamis, seiches, dam failure, and
liquefaction. (Implements Policy SAF-7.1 Earthquake
Safety in New Construction; and Policy SAF-7.4
Infrastructure Resilience)
Packet Page No. 690
NEWARK GENERAL PLAN
SAFETY
SAF-113
Action SAF-7.D Geotechnical Studies. At the discretion of the Director of Public Works, continue to require detailed
investigations of ground shaking, liquefaction, oil
stability, and other geologic hazards as specific
development projects are proposed. Such
investigations shall be prepared by a qualified
geologist or soils engineer, with appropriate
mitigation measures identified and implemented.
(Implements Policy SAF-7.1 Earthquake Safety in New
Construction; and Policy SAF-7.7 Require Geotechnical
Investigation in High-Risk Liquefaction Zones)
Action SAF-7.E Geotechnical Staff Assistance. As needed, retain outside consulting to assist City staff in conducting
specialized evaluations of geotechnical and
structural engineering issues. (Implements Policy
SAF-7.1 Earthquake Safety in New Construction; and
Policy SAF-7.7 Require Geotechnical Investigation in
High-Risk Liquefaction Zones)
Action SAF-7.F Mandatory Seismic Upgrades. Implement a tiered system for mandatory seismic upgrades based on the
building's age, use, and location. For example, critical facilities like hospitals and emergency response
centers should be prioritized for immediate
retrofitting, regardless of renovation plans.
(Implements Policy SAF-7.5 Evaluate Critical Facilities; and Policy SAF-7.6 Evaluate Public Facilities)
Action SAF-7.G Seismic Safety at Schools. Work with Newark Unified School District to enhance the seismic safety
of all school facilities. (Implements Policy SAF-7.6
Evaluate Public Facilities)
Action SAF-7.H State-Licensed Professional for Investigations.
Conduct an investigation by a State-licensed
professional to identify the potential for liquefaction in areas within high-risk liquefaction zones.
(Implements Policy SAF-7.7 Require Geotechnical
Investigation in High-Risk Liquefaction Zones)
Packet Page No. 691
NEWARK GENERAL PLAN
SAFETY
SAF-114
Action SAF-7.I Mapping Liquefaction Areas. Prepare a map and priority listing identifying all areas subject to
liquefaction and include the locations of critical
facilities and infrastructure. This information can be
used for public education awareness, for planning
and public works projects, and for developing a
warning system. (Implements Policy SAF-7.7 Require
Geotechnical Investigation in High-Risk Liquefaction
Zones)
Action SAF-7.J Interagency Coordination. Establish a standing Interagency Coordination Committee comprising
representatives from the Public Works Department,
utility providers, and other relevant stakeholders.
This committee will meet at least annually to review
the latest geotechnical data and adjust strategies
accordingly.(Implements Policy SAF-7.4 Infrastructure
Resilience)
Action SAF-7.K Structural Retrofits. Develop a public database that tracks the seismic resilience of both public and
private critical facilities. Update this database
annually and use it to guide grant applications and
public-private partnerships aimed at funding the
most urgent retrofitting projects. (Implements Policy
SAF-7.2 Seismic Retrofits)
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
GOAL SAF-8 A community that protects residents and workers from the potential adverse effects of hazardous
materials.
POLICIES
Policy SAF-8.1 Hazardous Materials Risk Reduction. Reduce the risk of hazardous materials accidents, spills,
and vapor releases, and minimize the effects of
such incidents if they occur.
Packet Page No. 692
NEWARK GENERAL PLAN
SAFETY
SAF-115
Policy SAF-8.2 Hazardous Materials Source Reduction and Recycling. Undertake source reduction
programs, recycling programs, and household
hazardous waste reduction programs to reduce
the quantity of hazardous waste generated in
Newark and to ensure its safe disposal.
Policy SAF-8.3 Mutual Aid. Improve mutual aid cooperation and coordination with other jurisdictions to
ensure swift, effective response to hazardous
materials incidents. Ongoing training should be
provided to first responders to ensure readiness
in the event of a hazardous materials incident.
Policy SAF-8.4 Design and Construction of Hazardous
Materials Facilities. Require that all facilities in
which hazardous materials are used, handled, or
stored are designed and constructed to
minimize the possibility of environmental
contamination and off-site impacts. The City
will work with county, state, and federal
agencies to ensure that such facilities are
regularly inspected and that applicable
regulations are enforced.
Policy SAF-8.5 Hazardous Materials Information. Provide the means for Newark residents and businesses to
obtain information about hazardous materials
handling, storage, and regulations in the
community, particularly for residents who
reside in or within the vicinity of industrial areas
along Willow Street, Central Avenue, Sycamore
Street, and Cherry Street.
Policy SAF-8.6 Hazardous Materials Transport. Seek to
reduce the risk of accidents in the
transportation of hazardous materials. The City
will require compliance with all hazardous waste
transport standards established by state and
federal agencies.
Packet Page No. 693
NEWARK GENERAL PLAN
SAFETY
SAF-116
Policy SAF-8.7 Containment of Contaminated Runoff.
Regulate land uses such as auto dismantling,
waste disposal, gas stations, and industries in a
manner that minimizes the potential for
hazardous materials to enter groundwater,
surface water, or storm drains.
Policy SAF-8.8 Waste Reduction Program. Maintain a solid waste reduction and management program that
is coordinated with and consistent with the
countywide StopWaste.org program. The
program should include regularly scheduled
trash collection, compost and recycling
collection, bulk waste and e-waste collection
events, household hazardous materials disposal
provisions, education and outreach to promote
waste diversion, and other components that
minimize landfilled waste.
Policy SAF-8.9 Facility Use or Storage of Hazardous
Materials. Require that all facilities storing,
using, or otherwise involved with substantial
quantities of on-site hazardous materials near
sensitive uses comply with applicable codes and
standards to reduce the risk of hazardous
materials release due to a natural hazard.
Policy SAF-8.10 Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) Coordination. Continue to work with the
Alameda County Department of Environmental
Health (ACDOEH) to administer and enforce
state and federal hazardous materials
regulations. The ACDOEH is the CUPA for the
City of Newark and enforces requirements for
HMBPs, hazardous waste generator reporting,
and underground storage tank removal and
cleanup.
Policy SAF-8.11 New Development. Review all new
development applications to ensure their
compliance with all relevant building and safety
codes, including those related to hazardous
materials release.
Packet Page No. 694
NEWARK GENERAL PLAN
SAFETY
SAF-117
ACTIONS
Action SAF-8.A Hazardous Material Inventories and Inspections. In cooperation with the CUPA, inventory and regularly
inspect those buildings and facilities in which
hazardous materials accidents would pose a threat to
the community. Work with the owners to develop
and implement programs for reducing risks
associated with these buildings and facilities.
(Implements Policy SAF-8.1 Hazardous Materials Risk
Reduction; Policy SAF-8.4 Design and Construction of
Hazardous Materials Facilities; and Policy SAF-8.10
Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA)
Coordination)
Action SAF-8.B Zoning for Hazardous Materials. Create a zoning standard or a zoning regulation that ensures safe
distances (e.g., 1000 feet) between businesses using
or emitting hazardous materials and sensitive uses,
including but not limited to residential areas, schools, and hospitals. Consider proximity to earthquake and
liquefaction areas when establishing zoning for
hazardous materials. (Implements Policy SAF-8.4
Design and Construction of Hazardous Materials
Facilities)
Action SAF-8.C Underground Tanks. In cooperation with the CUPA, enforce State standards for the design, monitoring,
and testing of underground storage tanks.
(Implements Policy SAF-8.10 Certified Unified Program
Agency (CUPA) Coordination)
Action SAF-8.D Hazardous Materials Business Plans. Continue to require the preparation of HMBPs for uses that will
handle hazardous materials, including a complete
inventory of materials by type, quantities, conditions
of storage and transportation, an assessment of the
potential hazards associated with the materials,
steps to be taken to minimize risks, and outline
actions to be taken in the event of a spill.
(Implements Policy SAF-8.10 Certified Unified Program
Agency (CUPA) Coordination)
Packet Page No. 695
NEWARK GENERAL PLAN
SAFETY
SAF-118
Action SAF-8.E Hazardous Materials Resources. Provide links from the City's website to the websites of the county,
state, and federal agencies that regulate hazardous
materials. Distribute information about hazardous
materials to businesses and residents. (Implements
Policy SAF-8.5 Hazardous Materials Information)
Action SAF-8.F Hazardous Materials Transport Routes. Work with appropriate State and federal agencies to designate
and periodically update official routes for the
transportation of hazardous materials. (Implements
Policy SAF-8.6 Hazardous Materials Transport)
Action SAF-8.G Household Hazardous Waste Collection
Awareness. Continue to work with Alameda County
to publicize household hazardous waste collection
events and provide Newark residents with
information on safe disposal procedures for
household waste such as paint, motor oil, and
batteries. (Implements Policy SAF-8.2 Hazardous
Materials Source Reduction and Recycling; and Policy
SAF-8.5 Hazardous Materials Information)
Action SAF-8.H Community Disclosure Laws. Enforce community disclosure laws (e.g., Right to Know laws) that inform
property owners of the presence of hazardous
materials nearby. (Implements Policy SAF-8.5
Hazardous Materials Information)
Action SAF-8.I Phase I Assessments. Continue to require a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment when a property is
changed from an existing use to a more sensitive use
(for example, industrial to residential). If potential
hazardous materials issues are identified, ensure
they are investigated and that sites are cleaned to
regulatory agency standards prior to development.
(Implements Policy SAF-8.9 Facility Use or Storage of
Hazardous Materials; and Policy SAF-8.11 New
Development)
Packet Page No. 696
NEWARK GENERAL PLAN
SAFETY
SAF-119
Action SAF-8.J Hazardous Building Materials Abatement.
Incorporate hazardous building materials abatement
provisions into building permit and development
approvals. The City will continue to work with
property owners to ensure remediation of hazardous
building materials such as asbestos, lead, and
mercury. (Implements Policy SAF-8.9 Facility Use or
Storage of Hazardous Materials; and Policy SAF-8.11
New Development)
NOISE
GOAL SAF-9 Maintain the peace and quiet of Newark
neighborhoods and promote and environment
where noise does not adversely affect sensitive land
uses.
Policy SAF-9.1 Vehicle Roadway Noise. Actively coordinate with Caltrans, neighboring jurisdictions, and
other transportation providers during the
planning and design phases of proposed
roadway projects so that noise impacts are
minimized and appropriate noise mitigation
measures are provided.
Policy SAF-9.2 Truck Noise. Establish, maintain, and enforce designated truck routes within the city to
reduce noise from truck traffic near residential
areas.
Policy SAF-9.3 Public Transit Noise. Coordinate with transit service providers in the planning and design of
proposed transportation projects to incorporate
noise-reduction technologies and operations
processes both on a system-wide and vehiclespecific basis. Technologies and processes should minimize noise impacts from public
transportation systems, including existing and
future bus service(s) and the proposed
Dumbarton Rail system.
Packet Page No. 697
NEWARK GENERAL PLAN
SAFETY
SAF-120
Policy SAF-9.4 Railroad Noise. Actively coordinate with Union Pacific, Caltrans, neighboring jurisdictions, and
other transportation service providers during
the planning and design of proposed rail-related
projects so that noise impacts to the community
are minimized and appropriate mitigation
measures are provided.
Policy SAF-9.5 Aviation Noise. Actively coordinate with operators at Palo Alto Airport (PAO), Moffett
Federal Airfield (NUQ), Hayward Executive
Airport (HWD), and all local heliports so that
take-off and landing procedures are prepared
and implemented in a manner that minimizes
noise impacts to the Newark community.
Likewise, if changes to flight paths or transit
routes from Oakland, San Francisco, or San Jose
(Mineta) International Airports are proposed,
the City should actively coordinate with airfield
operators and the FAA so that future noise
impacts from aircraft over-flights are minimized
in the Newark community.
Policy SAF-9.6 Construction Noise- Regulating Construction Hours. Reduce noise associated with
construction activities by prohibiting
construction in residential neighborhoods
between the hours of 7 PM and 7 AM Monday
through Friday and at all times on Saturdays,
Sundays, and State/federal holidays.
Policy SAF-9.7 Construction Noise- Addressing Sources of Construction Noise. Reduce noise associated
with construction activities by requiring
properly maintained mufflers on construction
vehicles, requiring the placement of stationary
construction equipment as far as possible from
developed areas, and requiring temporary
acoustical barriers/ shielding to minimize
construction noise impacts at adjacent
receptors. Special attention should be paid to
noise-sensitive receptors (including residential,
hospital, school, and religious land uses).
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Policy SAF-9.8 Domestic Noise. Reduce the negative effects of domestic noise sources, such as residential
maintenance activities (e.g. leaf blowers or
automobile repair), car alarms, barking dogs,
and loud music through the establishment and
enforcement of municipal codes. The
enforcement provisions should ensure that
response(s) to resident noise complaints are
prompt and effective so as to maintain a quiet
and peaceful environment within the city.
ACTIONS
Action SAF-9.A Noise Ordinance- Limits on Noise Levels. Draft and adopt a Noise Ordinance that establishes acceptable
noise levels and standards, as well as provisions for
enforcement and penalties in the event these levels
are exceeded. The Ordinance should include a
requirement that no person shall be allowed to cause
any noise beyond his/her property line that exceeds
prescribed noise levels limits. These limits should be
consistent with and promote the implementation of
the land use compatibility standards, as shown in
Table SAF-5. (Implements Policy SAF-9.1 through
Policy SAF-9.8)
Action SAF-9.B Noise Ordinance- Limits on Hours of Operation.
Draft the Noise Ordinance (described in Action SAF6.A above) to include limits on the intensity and hours of use for selected noise sources such as
construction equipment, manufacturing equipment,
motors, delivery trucks, and parking lot vacuum
equipment. Limits on hours of operation should be
consistent with and achieve the goals of the land use
compatibility standards (as shown in Table SAF-5).
(Implements Policy SAF-9.1 through Policy SAF-9.8)
Action SAF-9.C Railroad Quiet Zones. Explore the feasibility of creating railroad “Quiet Zones" in existing and
planned residential areas along the UP right-of-way
per Federal Rail Administration rules and procedures.
(Implements Policy SAF-9.4 Railroad Noise)
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Action SAF-9.D Motor Vehicle Code Enforcement. Request that the California Highway Patrol actively enforce the
California Vehicle Code sections relating to adequate
vehicle mufflers and modified exhaust systems to
limit vehicle noise emissions. Likewise, the City of
Newark Police Department should be trained and
equipped to properly enforce all local and state
ordinances related to excessive vehicle noise
emissions. (Implements Policy SAF-9.1 Vehicle
Roadway Noise; Policy SAF-9.2 Truck Noise; and
Policy SAF-9.3 Public Transit Noise)
Action SAF-9.E Street Resurfacing to Reduce Noise. Conduct regular maintenance and resurfacing of city streets
to reduce road noise due to potholes, grade
irregularities, and uneven surfaces. Additionally,
explore the feasibility of using ‘quiet’ paving
materials or techniques to reduce road noise at the
tire-surface interface. (Implements Policy SAF-9.1
Vehicle Roadway Noise)
Action SAF-9.F Reducing Noise from City Operations. Periodically review City operations procedures and timing to
ensure that noise from refuse collection, street
sweeping, outdoor recreational programs, and other
activities has been reduced to the lowest practical
level. (Implements Policy SAF-9.8 Domestic Noise)
Action SAF-9.G Reducing Noise from City Equipment. If feasible, purchase new municipal equipment and vehicles
which comply with noise level performance
standards based upon the best available noise
reduction technologies. (Implements Policy SAF-9.8
Domestic Noise)
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Action SAF-9.H Sound Wall Improvements. Work with Caltrans to enhance and supplement the benefits of sound walls
in residential areas along I-880 and SR-84. The
coordination should be aimed at determining where
improvements to these walls may further reduce
noise impacts to nearby neighborhoods. Appropriate
cost vs. benefit assessments should be part of this
coordination and alternative funding sources should
be explored. (Implements Policy SAF-9.1 Vehicle
Roadway Noise)
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
GOAL SAF-10 Fast, efficient, and coordinated response to natural and man-made emergencies and disasters.
POLICIES
Policy SAF-10.1 Complete Circulation System. Provide for a traffic circulation system that assures the City's capacity to
deliver emergency services. This should include
measures to ensure that all areas of the city can be
accessed by emergency vehicles in the event a
grade-level railroad crossing is blocked or otherwise
inaccessible.
Policy SAF-10.2 Awareness of Preparedness Programs. Increase public awareness of City emergency preparedness
programs and resources, including the CERT
program.
Policy SAF-10.3 Hazard Awareness. Promote public awareness of hazards, along with the resources available to help
homeowners make their homes safer and be better
prepared for an emergency. Individuals and
businesses should have access to up-to-date
information that allows them to collaborate with
regional agencies and community-based
organizations to expand communications, to
improve hazard preparation and response, and to be
able to make informed decisions about potential
safety hazards and the level of risk they are willing to accept.
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Policy SAF-10.4 Standard Emergency Management System (SEMS) Plan. In cooperation with the ACFD, maintain and
regularly update emergency plans for floods,
earthquakes, fires, hazardous materials, and other
disasters. Plans should be consistent with SEMS
protocol.
Policy SAF-10.5 Interagency Coordination. Cooperate with other public agencies, nearby cities, community groups,
and private enterprise in developing comprehensive
disaster preparedness, assistance, and post-disaster
recovery plans in order to maximize mutual aid
response.
Policy SAF-10.6 Utility Resilience. Work with local gas, electric, cable, water, sewer, and other utility providers to
maintain their facilities and ensure their ability to
function (or be quickly restored) during and following
a disaster.
Policy SAF-10.7 Utilize Technology. Support the use of
communication technologies to transmit information
to other agencies and the public during emergencies,
including:
Nixle emergency alert system.
Integrated Public Alert and Warning System
(IPAWS).
Social media operated by Alameda County Fire
Department, Newark Police Department and
other public safety agencies and municipalities.
Other systems to provide outreach to residents
without telephone or Internet service.
Policy SAF-10.8 Expanding Outreach. Ensure that emergency preparedness information is available in multiple
languages, consistent with Newark’s demographics.
Policy SAF-10.9 Critical Facilities. Ensure that public facilities that are critical to health and safety (such as police and
fire stations, and water and sewer facilities) are
designed to maximize their resilience and ability to
function during and after a natural disaster.
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Policy SAF-10.10 Evacuation Planning. Using the methodology and conclusions from the Evacuation Planning analysis in
Appendix B, consider the following when
formalizing potential or imminent evacuation routes:
Increasing capacity through the use of contraflow
lanes or shoulders.
Managed traffic control, including turn
restrictions and route or ramp closures, to
maximize outflows from evacuation areas.
Faster clearing of fire-induced road closures.
Prohibiting or restricting street parking on high
hazard days.
Continually improving communication systems
and strategies that improve disaster alerts.
Instigating dynamic route guidance and
monitoring.
Phase evacuations.
Vehicle volume reduction during evacuations,
such as encouraging household to use only one
vehicle to evacuate.
Close monitoring of power issues that could
affect traffic signals and slow down evacuations.
Policy SAF-10.11 Resident Evacuation. To improve emergency preparedness, inform residents of shelter locations
and evacuation routes and procedures for storing or
taking valued items before large-scale evacuations.
Policy SAF-10.12 Residential Care and Assisted Living Facility Planning. Require all residential care and assisted
living facilities to produce an emergency action plan,
to ensure these facilities are well prepared for a
disaster and have alternative access plan and
evacuation routes to protect the vulnerable during a
disaster.
Policy SAF-10.13 Private Sector Collaboration. Encourage the involvement of the private sector in disaster
response and post-disaster recovery efforts.
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Policy SAF-10.14 First Responder Collaboration. Continue to collaborate with ACFD and Newark Police
Department to ensure effective response and quick
recovery following an incident.
Policy SAF-10.15 Natural Hazards Education Programming & Events. Establish a natural hazards public education
program and events to develop comprehensive
public outreach for emergency preparedness during
natural hazards and implementing risk reduction
strategies for Newark residents.
ACTIONS
Action SAF-10.A Capital Improvements to Improve Emergency Response. Update the City’s capital improvements
program as needed to include railroad grade
separations, traffic signal overrides, and other
improvements that will expedite emergency
response. (Implements Policy SAF-10.1 Complete
Circulation System; Policy SAF-10.3 Hazard
Awareness; and Policy SAF- 10.5 Interagency
Coordination)
Action SAF-10.B Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Updates. Continue to support and actively participate in the plan
maintenance strategy identified in the Union City –
Newark Hazard Mitigation Plan. (Implements Policy
SAF-10.1 through Policy SAF- 10.11)
Action SAF-10.C Emergency Operation Planning. Evaluate and update the City’s Emergency Operations Plan to
ensure that it is up to date with new legislation,
technology and communication protocol, and realworld conditions. (Implements Policy SAF-10.1 through Policy SAF-10.11)
Action SAF-10.D Emergency Response Training. Mandate regular emergency response training exercises for Newark
City employees. (Implements Policy SAF-10.5
Interagency Coordination)
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Action SAF-10.E Emergency Facilities. Identify specific facilities and lifelines critical to effective disaster response, and
evaluate their ability to operate efficiently after a
major disaster. Require all critical facilities to produce an emergency action plan, to ensure these facilities
are well prepared for a disaster and are accessible
during emergencies. Designate alternative facilities
for post-disaster assistance in the event that primary
facilities become unusable. Take appropriate actions
to ensure that critical services and facilities return to normal levels of operation as soon as possible after a
disaster. (Implements Policy SAF-10.9 Critical
Facilities; and Policy SAF-10.11 Residential
Evacuation)
Action SAF-10.F CERT Teams. Continue CERT training programs and expand public awareness of these programs.
(Implements Policy SAF-10.2 Awareness of
Preparedness Programs)
Action SAF-10.G Multilingual Emergency Outreach. Work with the cultural institutions serving Newark's non-Englishspeaking communities to ensure that information is communicated to all residents. Outreach programs
also should be designed to reach seniors and persons
with disabilities, including those with hearing or sight impairments. (Implements Policy SAF-10.6 Utility
Resilience)
Action SAF-10.H Comprehensive Outreach. Utilize existing platforms – including the City’s webpage, social media, regular
events, and meetings – to disseminate information
and resources for resilience against natural disasters, including poor air quality days, environmental
pollution events, wildfire, earthquakes, and flooding.
Develop materials to inform community members of
public health risks from extreme heat, particularly for sensitive populations. (Implements Policy SAF-10.2
Awareness of Preparedness Programs; Policy SAF-10.6
Utility Resilience; and Policy SAF-10.7 Utilize
Technology)
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Action SAF-10.I Natural Hazards Awareness Week. Collaborate and work with city departments and public service
providers such as the Department of Public Works
and the Alameda County Fire District to implement
hazard awareness, education, and preparation
programming such as a Natural Hazards Awareness
Week for Newark residents and businesses to learn
about natural hazards, risk, and risk reduction
strategies. (Implements Policy SAF-10.13 Private
Sector Collaboration)
See Community Services and Facilities Element policies on Fire and EMS.
4. REFERENCES
AIR QUALITY
BAAQMD (Bay Area Air Quality Management District). 2014. Spare the Air. Bay Area Air Quality Management District: A Healthy Breathing Environment for Every Bay Area Resident. August 19, 2014. https://www.baaqmd.gov/about-air-quality/spare-the-air.
BAAQMD (Bay Area Air Quality Management District). 2016. About Air Quality. Bay Area Air Quality Management District: A Healthy Breathing Environment for Every Bay Area Resident.
December 12, 2016. https://www.baaqmd.gov/about-airquality#:~:text=In%20the%20Bay%20Area%2C%20 a,equipment%2C%20and%20other%20motor%20vehicles.
Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). 2021. New study reveals large and unequal health burden from air pollution in California’s Bay Area.
March 31, 201. Retrieved from:
https://www.edf.org/media/new-study-reveals-large-andunequal-health-burden-air-pollution-californias-bay-area.
Accessed: April 28, 2022.
Healthy Places Index (HPI). 2022. Healthy Places Index 3.0. Select indicators for census tracts within the City of Newark. Retrieved from: https://www.healthyplacesindex.org/
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DROUGHT AND WATER QUALITY
Alameda County Water District (ACWD). 2021a. Water Efficiency Master Plan 2020/2021. April 2021. Retrieved form
https://www.acwd.org/DocumentCenter/View/3740/ACWDWater-Efficiency-Master-Plan_FINAL?bidId= Alameda County Water District (ACWD). 2021b. Water Shortage Contingency Plan. May 2021.
https://www.acwd.org/DocumentCenter/View/3817/Final-WaterShortage-Contingency-Plan-May-2021 Alameda County Water District (ACWD). 2022. Newark Desalination Facility. Retrieved from https://www.acwd.org/383/NewarkDesalination-Facility.
Cal-Adapt. 2021a. Annual Averages Tool. Selected indicators for the City of Newark (Precipitation). Cal-Adapt website developed by University of California at Berkeley’s Geospatial Innovation Facility under contract with the California Energy
Commission. https://cal-adapt.org/tools/annual-averages Cal-Adapt. 2021b. Local Climate Change Snapshot Tool. Selected indicators for the City of Newark (temperature, precipitation).
Cal-Adapt website developed by University of California at Berkeley’s Geospatial Innovation Facility under contract with the California Energy Commission. https://cal-adapt.org/tools/.
City of Newark. 2013. Newark California General Plan. December 12, 2013. Retrieved from
https://www.newark.org/home/showpublisheddocument/76/6365 02245500200000
Hall, Alex, Neil Berg, Katharine Reich. (University of California, Los Angeles). 2018. Los Angeles Summary Report. California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment. Publication number: SUM-CCCA4- 2018-007. Retrieved from
https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2019-
11/Reg%20Report-%20SUM-CCCA4-2018-
007%20LosAngeles_ADA.pdf.
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SAFETY
SAF-130
Newark Community Development Department. (2017). Union
City/Newark Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan (MJHMP); Volume 1—Planning-Area-Wide Elements. Retrieved from
https://www.newark.org/home/showpublisheddocument/270/636 502394114000000.
Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA). 2021.
CalEnviroScreen 4.0.
https://oehha.ca.gov/calenviroscreen/report/calenviroscreen-40 San Francisco Department of Public Health (SF DPH). 2014. San Francisco Climate & Health Profile. November 2014. Retrieved from https://sfclimatehealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/ SFDPH_ClimateHealthProfile_FinalDraft.pdf.
State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). 2021. Site Cleanup Program (SCP). November 4, 2021. Retrieved from
https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/water_issues/programs/site_cle anup_program/#:~:
text=The%20Site%20Cleanup%20Program%20(SCP,%2C%20an
d%20sediment%2C%20have%20occurred.
United States Drought Monitor (USDM). 2023a. Drought Conditions for Alameda County. 2000 – Present (weekly). September 15, 2023.
Retrieved from
https://www.drought.gov/states/california/county/alameda.
United States Drought Monitor (USDM). 2022b. What is the USDM.
April 12, 2022. Retrieved from
https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/About/WhatistheUSDM.aspx#:~:
text=The%20U.S.%20Drought%20Monitor%20is,)%20and%20e
xceptional%20(D4).
United States Drought Monitor (USDM). 2022c. Current Map for California. April 12, 2022. Retrieved from
https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonit or.aspx?CA.
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Zeise, Lauren and Jared Blumenfeld. 2021. CalEnviroScreen 4.0 Report.
Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) and California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA). October 2021. Retrieved from
https://oehha.ca.gov/media/downloads/calenviroscreen/report/ca lenviroscreen40reportf2021.pdf#page=113.
EXTREME WEATHER
Ackerly, David, Andrew Jones, Mark Stacey, Bruce Riordan. (University of California, Berkeley). 2018. San Francisco Bay Area Summary Report. California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment.
Publication number: CCCA4-SUM-2018-005. Retrieved from
https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2019-
11/Reg_Report-SUM-CCCA4-2018-
005_SanFranciscoBayArea_ADA.pdf.
Alameda County. 2019. 2019 Alameda County Extreme Heat Cooling Centers. Retrieved from
https://www.acgov.org/emergencysite/documents/CoolingCenters.pdf.
Bedsworth, Louise, Dan Cayan, Guido Franco, Leah Fisher, Sonya Ziaja. (California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, California Energy Commission, California Public Utilities Commission). 2018. Statewide Summary Report. California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment.
Publication number: SUMCCCA4-2018-013. Retrieved from
https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2019-
11/Statewide_Reports-SUM-CCCA4-2018-
013_Statewide_Summary_Report_ADA.pdf.
Cal-Adapt. 2021a. Extreme Heat Days & Warm Nights.Cal-Adapt website developed by University of California at Berkeley’s Geospatial Innovation Facility under contract with the California Energy Commission. Retrieved from https://caladapt.org/tools/extreme-heat/#lat=37.529659&lng=- 122.04024&boundary=locagrid&climvar=Temperature.
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Cal-Adapt. 2021b. Annual Averages. Cal-Adapt website developed by University of California at Berkeley’s Geospatial Innovation Facility under contract with the California Energy
Commission. Retrieved from https://cal-adapt.org/tools/annualaverages Cal-Adapt. 2021c. Local Climate Change Snapshot. Selected indicators for the City of Newark (Temperature and Precipitation). CalAdapt website developed by University of California at Berkeley’s Geospatial Innovation Facility under contract with the California Energy Commission. Retrieved from https://cal-adapt.org/tools/.
California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES). 2018. California State Hazard Mitigation Plan (SHMP). Retrieved from
https://www.caloes.ca.gov/HazardMitigationSite/Documents/002 -2018%20SHMP_FINAL_ENTIRE%20PLAN.pdf
City of Newark. 2010. City of Newark Climate Action Plan, January 2010 Initial Framework. Retrieved from
https://www.newark.org/home/showpublisheddocument/328/63 6502463456000000.
City of Newark. 2013. Newark California General Plan. December 12, 2013. Retrieved from
https://www.newark.org/home/showpublisheddocument/76/6365 02245500200000.
City of Newark. 2019. Green Stormwater Infrastructure Plan. September 12, 2019. Retrieved from
https://www.newark.org/home/showpublisheddocument/5313/63 7051024922530000.
City of Newark. 2022. Tree Maintenance. Retrieved from
https://www.newark.org/departments/publicworks/maintenance-division/tree-maintenance.
Global Cool Cities Alliance (GCCA). 2012. A Practical Guide to Cool Roofs and Cool Pavements. Retrieved from
https://coolrooftoolkit.org/wpcontent/pdfs/CoolRoofToolkit_Full.pdf.
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SAFETY
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Newark Community Development Department. (2017). Union
City/Newark Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan; Volume 1— Planning-Area-Wide Elements. Retrieved from
https://www.newark.org/home/showpublisheddocument/270/636 502394114000000.
Public Health Alliance of Southern California (PHASoCal). 2018.
Healthy Places Index (HPI). Selected indicators for Newark census tracts. Retrieved from https://map.healthyplacesindex.org/.
Trust for Public Land (TPL). 2022. ParkScore Index. Retrieved from https://www.tpl.org/city/newark-california.
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). 2022. Extreme Weather. https://www.climatehubs.usda.gov/content/extremeweather.
United States Drought Monitor (USDM). 2022a. Drought Conditions for Alameda County. 2000 – Present (weekly). June 14, 2022.
Retrieved from
https://www.drought.gov/states/california/county/alameda.
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 2021. Learn About Urban Heat Islands. September 15, 2021. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/learn-about-heat-islands.
FLOODING HAZARDS AND DAM FAILURE
Ackerly, David, Andrew Jones, Mark Stacey, Bruce Riordan. (University of California, Berkeley). 2018. San Francisco Bay Area Summary Report. California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment.
Publication number: CCCA4-SUM-2018-005. Retrieved from
https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2019-
11/Reg_Report-SUM-CCCA4-2018-
005_SanFranciscoBayArea_ADA.pdf.
City of Newark. 2013. Newark California General Plan. December 12, 2013. Retrieved from
https://www.newark.org/home/showpublisheddocument/76/6365 02245500200000.
County of Alameda. (2021). 2021 Alameda County Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, 4.2 Dam Failure, pp. 4-6 through 4-8. September 2021.
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SAFETY
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Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). (2021a). Urban Drainage and Flood-Control District. Retrieved from
https://www.fema.gov/case-study/urban-drainage-and-floodcontrol-district.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). 2022a.
What is a canal? Retrieved
https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/canal.html.
NOAA. 2022b. What is storm surge? Retrieved from
https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/stormsurge-stormtide.html.
NOAA. 2022c. Climate Change: Global Sea Level Rise. Retrieved from https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understandingclimate/climate-change-global-sea-level National Weather Service (NWS). 2022. Flood Hazard Information.
Retrieved from
https://www.weather.gov/arx/flood_awareness_week3.
Tetra Tech. 2017. Union City/Newark Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan, Volume 1—Planning-Area-Wide Elements. Retrieved from https://www.newark.org/home/showpublisheddocument/270/63650 2394114000000.
United States Geological Survey (USGS). (2013). Water Basics Glossary.
Retrieved from https://water.usgs.gov/waterbasics_glossary.html.
Newark Community Development Department. (2017). Union
City/Newark Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan; Volume 1— Planning-Area-Wide Elements. Retrieved from
https://www.newark.org/
home/showpublisheddocument/270/636502394114000000.
GEOLOGIC HAZARDS
Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC). (2013). Dumbarton Bridge Earthquake Upgrade Completed. Thursday, February 21, 2013. Retrieved from https://mtc.ca.gov/news/dumbartonbridge-earthquake-upgrade-completed.
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HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
California Department of Conservation. (2016). Interactive Web Maps, Earthquake Zones of Required Investigation. Retrieved from https://maps.conservation.ca.gov/cgs/EQZApp/.
California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC). (2018a).
Hazardous Waste Sites. Retrieved from
http://www.envirostor.dtsc.ca.gov/public/data_download
California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB). (2018a).
Permitted Underground Storage Tanks. Retrieved from
https://geotracker.waterboards.ca.gov/datadownload
DTSC. (2018b). Hazardous Cleanup Sites. Retrieved from
http://www.envirostor.dtsc.ca.gov/public/data_download
EPA. (2017). Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) Database. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/toxics-release-inventory-tri-program.
SWRCB. (2018b). Cleanup Sites. Retrieved from
https://geotracker.waterboards.ca.gov/datadownload.
U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 2021. Household Hazardous Waste and Demolition. Retrieved from
https://www.epa.gov/large-scale-residentialdemolition/household-hazardous-waste-and-demolition.
United States Geological Survey (USGS). (2003). Earthquake Probabilities in the San Francisco Bay Region: 2002-2031.
Retrieved from http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2003/of03-214/OFR-03- 214_FullText.pdf.
University of California (UC) Berkeley. (2018). California Faults.
Retrieved from http://seismo.berkeley.edu/hayward/index.html.
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
Alameda County. (2019). Emergencies, AC Alert Resources. Retrieved from https://acgov.org/emergencysite/.
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5. APPENDICES
APPENDIX A: EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT
APPENDIX B: EMERGENCY EVACUATION ASSESSMENT
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum
Prepared for May 2022
City of Newark
Image courtesy of Citizens Committee to Complete the Refuge's Derell Licht/Creative Commons Appendix A
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Draft
NEWARK, CA GENERAL PLAN
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum
Prepared for May 2022
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OUR COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY | ESA helps a variety of public and private sector clients plan and prepare for climate change and emerging regulations that limit GHG emissions. ESA is a registered assessor with the California Climate Action Registry, a Climate Leader, and founding reporter for the Climate Registry. ESA is also a corporate member of the U.S. Green Building Council and the Business Council on Climate Change (BC3). Internally, ESA has adopted a Sustainability Vision and Policy Statement and a plan to reduce waste and energy within our operations. This document was produced using recycled paper.
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City of Newark General Plan i ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 Contents
1. Introduction................................................................................................................................. 1
1.1 Statutory Requirements ...................................................................................................... 1
1.2 Relationship to Regional and Local Plans .......................................................................... 2
2. Existing Conditions.................................................................................................................... 4
2.1 Air Quality............................................................................................................................ 4
2.2 Dam Failure.......................................................................................................................10
2.3 Drought and Water Quality................................................................................................19
2.4 Extreme Weather ..............................................................................................................26
2.5 Flooding.............................................................................................................................33
2.6 Geologic and Seismic Hazards.........................................................................................41
2.7 Hazardous Materials .........................................................................................................53
2.8 Wildfire Hazards................................................................................................................63
2.9 Emergency Preparedness and Resilience........................................................................69
3. References ................................................................................................................................77 Figures
FIGURE 2.1-1 Alameda County Particulate Matter (PM2.5) Pollution ..............................................5 FIGURE 2.1-2 City of Newark Diesel Particulate Matter Pollution.....................................................6 FIGURE 2.2-1 Dam Failure Types ...................................................................................................12 FIGURE 2.3-2 Dam Inundation Zones .............................................................................................14 FIGURE 2.3-1 Drought Conditions in Alameda County, 2000–2022...............................................20 FIGURE 2.3-2 Groundwater Threats in Newark ..............................................................................22 FIGURE 2.4-1 Annual Average Maximum Temperature, Newark California...................................27 FIGURE 2.4-2 Urban Heat Island Effect ..........................................................................................27 FIGURE 2.4-3 Urban Greening in Newark.......................................................................................29 FIGURE 2.4-4 Annual Precipitation, Newark California...................................................................30 FIGURE 2.5-1 Sea Level Rise .........................................................................................................36 FIGURE 2.5-2 FEMA Flood Zone Exposure Map............................................................................38 FIGURE 2.6-1 Earthquake Faults ....................................................................................................44 FIGURE 2.6-2 Geologic and Seismic Hazards ................................................................................46 FIGURE 2.6-3 Past Earthquake Events...........................................................................................49 FIGURE 2.7-1 Hazardous Materials Sites .......................................................................................55 FIGURE 2.8-1 Newark Fire Hazard Severity Zones and Vulnerable Facilities................................67 FIGURE 2.9-1 Emergency Preparedness and Resilience...............................................................71 Tables
TABLE 2.1-1 Major Pollutant Sources .............................................................................................4 TABLE 2.2-1 Dams with Potential to impact the City of Newark ...................................................11 TABLE 2.2-2 Critical Facilities/Infrastructure in Dam Failure Inundation Areas in Newark...........15 TABLE 2.2-3 Value of Property Exposed to Dam Failure in Newark.............................................15 TABLE 2.3-1 U.S. Drought Monitor Classifications .......................................................................20 TABLE 2.6-1 Earthquake Magnitude Classes ...............................................................................41 TABLE 2.6-2 Earthquake Intensity MMI Levels .............................................................................42 TABLE 2.6-3 Earthquake Events with a Magnitude of 5.0 or Larger in Northern California .........48 TABLE 2.8-1 Wildfire Responsibility Areas Defined ......................................................................63 TABLE 2.8-2 FEMA Fire Emergencies in Alameda County ..........................................................64 TABLE 2.8-3 Newark Wildfire Population Exposure......................................................................65 Packet Page No. 719
Contents
City of Newark General Plan ii ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 Acronyms
AB Assembly Bill
ABAG Association of Bay Area Governments
ACDEH Alameda County Department of Environment Health
ACFC&WCD Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District ACFD Alameda County Fire Department
ACWD Alameda County Weather District
APSA Aboveground Petroleum Act
BAAQMD Bay Area Air Quality Management District
BC3 Business Council on Climate Change
BCDC Bay Conservation and Development Commission
BMPs best management practices
CAL FIRE California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection CalEPA California Environmental Protection Agency
CalEnviroScreen California Environmental Health Screening Tool Cal OES California Office of Emergency Services
CARB California Air Resources Board
CBC California Building Code
CBSC California Building Standards Commission
CCR California Code of Regulations
CEMA California Emergency Management Agency
CERT Community Emergency Response Training
CHAT California Heat Assessment Tool
CNAP California-Nevada Climate Applications Program
CO Carbon Monoxide
USACE U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
CPTED Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design
CS Conservation and Sustainability
CSF Community Services and Facilities
CUPA Certified Unified Program Agency
DCP California Drought Contingency Plan
DOC California Department of Conservation
DR Disaster
DSA Division of the State Architect
DTSC California Department of Toxic Substances Control
DWR Department of Water Resources
EAP Emergency Action Plan
EM Emergency
EOP Emergency Operations Plan
EPA Environmental Protection Agency
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City of Newark General Plan iii ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 ESRI Environmental Systems Research Institute
FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency
FERC Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
FIRM Flood Insurance Rate Maps
FRA Federal Responsibility Area
GHG Greenhouse Gases
GIS Geographic Information System
HHE Heat Health Events
HMBP Hazardous Materials Business Plan
HPI Healthy Places Index
IPCC International Panel on Climate Change
LHMP Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
LRA Local Responsibility Area
LUST Leaking Underground Storage Tank
MJHMP Multi-Jurisdictional Local Hazard Mitigation Plan MMI Modified Mercalli Intensity
msl mean sea level
NFIP National Flood Insurance Program
NIDIS National Integrated Drought Information System
NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NPD Newark Police Department
NRF National Response Framework
NWS National Weather Service
OEHHA Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment
OPR Office of Planning & Research
OSHA Occupational Safety and Health Administration
PEP Personal Emergency Preparedness
PG&E Pacific Gas & Electric
PHASoCal Public Health Alliance of Southern California
PM Particulate Matter
PM2.5 Particulate Matter (PM2.5) Pollution
RCRA Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
RWQCB Regional Water Quality Control Board
SB Senate Bill
SCEC Southern California Earthquake Center
SCP Site Cleanup Program
SEMS Standard Emergency Management System
SF DPH San Francisco Department of Public Health
SHMP State Hazard Mitigation Plan
SMS Short Message Service
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Contents
City of Newark General Plan iv ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 SR State Route
SRA State Responsibility Area
SWPPP Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan
SWRCB California State Water Resources Control Board
TOD Transit-Oriented Development
TRI Toxic Release Inventory
UCR Uniform Crime Reporting
URM Unreinforced Masonry
U.S. DOT United States Department of Transportation
USACE U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
USD Union Sanitary District
USDA United Stated Department of Agriculture
USDM United States Drought Monitor
USGS United States Geological Survey
USSD United States Society on Dams
UST Underground Storage Tank
WEA Wireless Alerts
WEMP Water Efficiency Master Plan
WSCP Water Shortage Contingency Plan
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City of Newark General Plan 1 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 Newark, CA General Plan, Safety Element –
Existing Conditions
1. Introduction
The purpose of the Safety Element is to reduce the risk of death, injuries, property damage, environmental damage and economic and social dislocation associated with natural and human-caused hazards. The City of Newark faces the potential for natural and human-induced emergencies and disasters. Hazards facing the City of Newark that are addressed in this Element include: air quality, dam failure, drought, extreme weather, flooding, geologic and seismic hazards, hazardous materials, and wildfire hazards. Many of these hazards are made worse by climate change. Climate change refers to a significant and long-lasting shift in global temperatures and climate patterns due primarily to manmade greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which trap heat in the atmosphere and lead to increasing global temperatures. Global warming and the hazards that come from this phenomenon are expected to worsen over time as GHG emissions continue to increase. Expected impacts from climate change include worsening air quality, prolonged drought, extreme weather conditions, more intense flooding, an increase in wildfires and sea level rise. As such, the increased risk of natural hazards as a result of climate change are addressed within each hazard section as applicable.
Lastly, emergency preparedness is discussed in this Element as well, which is key in planning for the potential occurrence of these hazards and increasing the community’s ability to adapt and withstand the impacts of hazardous events.
The Safety Element Existing Conditions Report provides detailed information on existing hazards, community vulnerabilities, and City capacity to respond to hazards. The information contained within the report provides the foundation for the update of the Safety Element including the formulation of goals and policies.
1.1 Statutory Requirements
California Government Code Section 65302 (g) includes the requirements that should be addressed in a community’s general plan safety element. These requirements are organized into nine subsections [65302 (g) (1) through 65302 (g) (9)], which are summarized below:
• 65302 (g) (1) identifies the primary hazards/issues that should be included in the safety element, which include: seismically induced surface rupture, ground shaking, ground failure, slope instability leading to mudslides and landslides, tsunami, seiche, dam failure, flooding, subsidence, liquefaction, other geologic hazards, wildland and urban fires, evacuation routes, military installations, peak load water supply requirements, and minimum road widths and clearances around structures, as those items relate to identified fire and geologic hazards.
• 65302 (g) (2) adopted through Assembly Bill (AB) 162 (2007) identifies the requirements to update floodplain mapping and information, which includes special requirements. • 65302 (g) (3) adopted through Senate Bill (SB) 1241 (2012) identifies the requirements for updating wildfire mapping, information, and goals and policies to address wildfire hazards.
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 • 65302 (g) (4) adopted through SB 379 (2015) identifies the requirements for updating the safety element to address potential impacts associated with climate change and potential strategies to adapt/mitigate these hazards.
• 65302 (g) (5) adopted through SB 99 (2019) requires identification of specified evacuation constraints associated with residential developments.
• 65302 (g) (6) adopted through SB 1035 (2018) requires the update of the safety element every time the housing element or local hazard mitigation plan is updated. • 65302 (g) (7) allows for the incorporation of a flood plain management ordinance into the safety element.
• 65302 (g) (8) requires consultation with the California Geological Survey, California Office of Emergency Services.
• 65302 (g) (9) allows cities to adopt a County Safety Element if adequate detail is provided to address city‐level concerns.
Additionally, California Government Code Section 65302.15 was adopted through AB 747 (2019) and includes the requirement to identify evacuation routes and their capacity, safety, and viability under a range of emergency scenarios.
1.2 Relationship to Regional and Local Plans
Newark General Plan
The hazards discussed in the Safety Element are related to other Elements of the General Plan, including Land Use, Transportation, Housing, Economic Development, Conservation and Sustainability, Parks, Recreation, and Open Space. For instance, policies related to areas at risk of recurring flooding, dam failure, extreme weather, and wildfire are found in the Land Use and Conservation and Sustainability Elements; policies associated with secondary access during an emergency are found in the Transportation Element; policies important to resilience planning in urban development as well as protecting critical facilities from hazardous threats are found in Land Use, Housing, and Economic Development Elements; and policies related to maintaining recreation and open space to avoid hazards such as wildfire are found in the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Element. References to related policies are provided where appropriate within the Safety Element.
Union City/Newark Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan In 2016, the Cities of Union City and Newark teamed together to prepare an updated multi-jurisdiction hazard mitigation plan that would best suit local needs and capabilities of the two cities and local special districts. The plan represents an update to each city’s component of the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) 2010 Multi-Jurisdictional Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (MJHMP) for the San Francisco Bay Area. Union City and Newark prepared annexes for the ABAG 2010 HMP that were approved and adopted in 2010. The 2016 Union City/Newark Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan fulfills the five-year plan update requirement specified in the DMA and in the 2010 ABAG HMP. The MJHNP was updated in 2016 and adopted in April 2017. It identifies resources, information, and strategies for reducing risk from natural hazards in the Union City/Newark Planning Area that comply with federal Packet Page No. 724
1. Introduction
City of Newark General Plan 3 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 requirements for hazard mitigation planning. Federal regulations require periodic updates of hazard mitigation plans. The update provided the opportunity to reevaluate recommendations, monitor the impacts of actions that have been accomplished, and determined if there was a need to change the focus of mitigation strategies. The MJHMP presents mitigation strategy and actions that work to achieve the greatest risk reduction based upon available resources. Many of these mitigation measures will be incorporated into the goals and policies of the Safety Element. The risk assessments for each hazard have been summarized and incorporated into the Existing Conditions to serve as important background and context for the preparation of goals, policies and actions.
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2. Safety Element
2.1 Air Quality
City of Newark General Plan 4 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022
2. Existing Conditions
2.1 Air Quality
Introduction
Air quality is an environmental subject that is regulated at all levels of government. Air quality is also an important contributor to health and quality of life. Poor air quality can harm community and personal health, the environment, and cause property damage. Poor air quality has been shown to directly contribute to asthma, respiratory disease, and some cancers. Due to previous hazards and subsequent legislation, air quality is closely regulated by federal and state agencies, and is the focus of several local and regional initiatives relating to land use and transportation planning.
This section of the Safety Element will describe air quality in and around Newark, and will provide maps and graphics showing the areas where the community is most vulnerable to air pollutants.
Local Conditions
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), an independent executive agency tasked with environmental protection matters, there are several major air pollutants of concern found all over the United States. These major pollutants and their primary pollutant sources are listed in Table 2.1-1.
TABLE 2.1-1 Major Pollutant Sources
Pollutants Major PollutantSources
Ozone Motor vehicles, paints, coatings, and solvents
Carbon Monoxide (CO) Internal combustion engines, primarily gasoline-powered motor vehicles Nitrogen Oxides Motor vehicles, petroleum-refining operations, industrial sources, aircraft, ships, and railroads Sulfur Dioxide Fuel combustion, chemical plants, sulfur recovery plants, and metal processing Suspended Particulate
Matter (PM2.5 and
PM10)
Dust and fume-producing construction, industrial, and agricultural operations, combustion, atmospheric photochemical reactions, and natural activities (e.g., wind-raised dust and ocean sprays)
SOURCE: Newark General Plan
Newark is located in the San Francisco Bay Area and the common pollutants of greatest concern in the Bay Area are ozone, diesel particulate matter and fine particulate matter1 (BAAQMD 2016). The areas in the City with the highest exposure to these pollutants are those portions of the community located adjacent to Highway 880 and the Dumbarton Bridge. Figures 2.1-1 and 2.1-2 show the pollution burden of PM2.5 and 1 Particulate Matter (PM) includes finely divided solids or liquids such as dust, fly ash, soot, smoke, aerosols, fumes, mists, and condensing vapors that can be suspended in the air for extended periods of time. Sources of particulate matter are from both human and natural activities. A significant portion of PM sources is generated in agricultural operations, industrial processes, combustion of wood, coal and gas, construction and demolition activities, road dust, windblown dust, and wildfires. Days with stagnant air have much higher particle concentrations than days with air partially “scrubbed” by rain or wind. Because of their small size, fine particles outdoors can penetrate into homes and buildings.
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2.1 Air Quality
City of Newark General Plan 5 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 FIGURE 2.1-1 Alameda County Particulate Matter (PM2.5) Pollution Packet Page No. 727
2. Safety Element
2.1 Air Quality
City of Newark General Plan 6 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 FIGURE 2.1-2 City of Newark Diesel Particulate Matter Pollution Packet Page No. 728
2. Safety Element
2.1 Air Quality
City of Newark General Plan 7 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 Diesel Particulate Matter in Newark. In the Bay Area, a certain amount of air pollution comes from industrial sources, such as refineries and power plants. But a greater percentage of harmful air emissions comes from cars and trucks, construction equipment, and other motor vehicles. In the wintertime, the largest single source of air pollution, in addition to the sources previously mentioned, is residential wood burning (BAAQMD 2016). Increased population and human activity, such as industrial activity, will worsen greenhouse gas emissions and air quality conditions.
Local Vulnerabilities
Populations that are particularly vulnerable to air pollution include the elderly, children, pregnant women, unsheltered individuals, individuals without healthcare, and individuals with pre-existing health conditions. that may be exacerbated by poor air quality such as asthma, cardiovascular disease, or cancer. Poor air quality has been linked to respiratory complications such as pulmonary disease, pneumonia, bronchitis, and other infections, as well as cardiovascular issues such as heart disease, heart failure, and cardiac arrest.
Days with poor air quality can result in secondary impacts, such as missed days of work and school.
Additionally, as evidenced by the wildfire season of 2020, poor air quality can lead to the need to shelter in place within homes. Although temporary, being restricted to home can reduce peoples’ ability to access services and social connections within their communities.
Capacity to Respond to Air Pollution
Bay Area Air Quality Management District
The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) is the primary agency that regulates air pollution control in the San Francisco Bay Area. BAAQMD. BAAQMD conducts air quality permitting, monitoring, and enforcement of national and state emission standards. It also provides informational materials and alerts regarding air quality conditions and public health concerns. With increasing concerns of climate change, the BAAQMD prioritizes emissions reductions from mobile sources through sound land use planning practices, innovative technology, and policy development.
The agency works collaboratively with other agencies such as the Alameda County Transportation Commission and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to develop air quality improvement strategies at the regional and local levels. In addition, BAAQMD generally considers areas within 500 feet of freeways and high-volume roadways (more than 10,000 vehicles per day) to have higher potential risks.
Accordingly, future housing developments and other new sensitive receptors near State Routes 84 and Interstate 880 may need to incorporate special site planning and construction features to reduce risk exposure.
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2. Safety Element
2.1 Air Quality
City of Newark General Plan 8 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 BAAQMD Spare the Air Program
The Spare the Air program is a regional program that encompasses seven Bay Area counties as well as half of Solano and Sonoma Counties, including the City of Newark in Alameda County (BAAQMD 2014). Spare the Air was created by BAAQMD to alert residents when air quality is forecast to be unhealthy during winter and summer and during wildfires, and to share information on ways to reduce air pollution. Residents who are sensitive to unhealthy air are advised to limit their time outdoors, especially in the afternoon, when temperatures are warmer and ozone levels rise. Spare the Air alerts can be sent via text, email, or through the free Spare the Air cell phone application.
Additional BAAQMD programs included within the Spare the Air program include behavior change campaigns to reduce vehicle trips and long commute times, neighborhood outreach, programs providing high-efficiency air filtration for those who are most vulnerable to wildfire smoke and air pollution, and educational materials to help understand air quality and air pollution.
Plans, Policies, and Regulations
In addition to the County programs, the City of Newark, the State of California, and the federal government also have programs that help reduce poor air quality.
Local Regulations
Newark General Plan: Health and Wellness Element
At the local level, the City of Newark addresses air quality through its land use planning and environmental review processes, consistent with BAAQMD guidelines and standards. In Newark, land uses such as housing, schools, convalescent homes, and hospitals are referred to as “sensitive receptors.” As such, the City has adopted specific siting and design standards for certain land uses. For example, according to Section 17.26.150, hookah lounges shall be located a minimum of five hundred feet from any other such establishment, public park, child day care facility, or school and a minimum of one hundred feet from any residential district.
Policies and programs related to air quality protection are found in the 2013 Health and Wellness Element of the Newark General Plan and include supporting implementation of regional air quality plans, reducing exposure to air pollution in new development, encouraging the use of cleaner fuels in individual, commercial, and industrial activity, and including standard conditions of approval on development projects that work to regulate negative air quality impacts from construction.
As part of these efforts, the City of Newark will continue to participate in the regional planning efforts being undertaken by BAAQMD and other regional agencies to develop and implement strategies to improve local and regional air quality for generations to come.
Image courtesy of BAAQMD
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City of Newark General Plan 9 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 State Regulations
The California Air Resources Board
California has adopted additional legislation to address air quality issues. The state standards tend to be more restrictive than the national standards and include similar requirements for attainment by the earliest practical date. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) is responsible for developing plans to meet the federal and state standards.
Federal Regulations
Federal Clean Air Act
The federal Clean Air Act of 1970 enabled the U.S. EPA to regulate levels of air pollutants around the United States.
EPA has developed standards that work to control the
release of ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, particulate matter, and lead into the environment.
Air basins that do not meet these standards are called
“nonattainment areas” and are required to develop plans and programs to demonstrate how they will attain the standards in the future. Newark does not have any nonattainment
areas.
Air Basin (CARB n.d)
A land area with generally similar
meteorological and geographic conditions
throughout. To the extent possible, air basin
boundaries are defined along political
boundary lines and include both the source
and receptor areas. California is currently
divided into 15 air basins.
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2.2 Dam Failure
City of Newark General Plan 10 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022
2.2 Dam Failure
Introduction
A dam is an artificial barrier that has the
ability to store water, wastewater, or liquidborne materials for many reasons including flood control, human water supply, irrigation,
livestock water supply, energy generation,
containment of mine tailings, recreation, or
pollution control. Dams provide a lifesustaining resource to people in all regions of the United States.
Types of Dams
Man-made dams can be classified according to the type of construction material used, the methods used in construction, the slope or cross-section of the dam, the way the dam resists the forces of the water pressure behind it, the means used for controlling seepage, and, occasionally, according to the purpose of the dam. The materials used for the construction of dams include earth, rock, tailings from mining or milling, concrete, masonry, steel, timber, miscellaneous materials (plastic or rubber), and any combination of these materials.
The United States Society on Dams (USSD) identifies twelve different types of dams that are commonly found in the built environment. The Union City/Newark Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan identifies Earthen and Hydraulic Fill dam types in Alameda County with potential failure hazards to the City of Newark. These are defined below:
• Earthen Dam: Also known as earth fill
dams, earthen dams are made up mostly
of compacted earth material generally
smaller than 3 inches in size. Del Valle
Dam, pictured right, is one example of
an earthen dam.
• Hydraulic Fill Dam: A dam
constructed by hydraulic methods.
During construction, a mixture of
excavated materials in slurry condition
is pumped and discharged at the edges
of the dam. This slurry of excavated
materials and water consists of coarse and fine materials. When it is discharged near the outer edges of the dam, the coarser materials settle first at the edges, while the finer materials move to the middle and settle there. Fine particles are deposited in the central portion to form a watertight central core. In this method, compaction is not required. Calaveras Dam, located primarily in Santa Clara County, with a small portion in Alameda County, is an example of a hydraulic fill dam (see image below).
Del Valle - Courtesy of Los Angeles Times
Del Valle Dam, located in Alameda County.
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2.2 Dam Failure
City of Newark General Plan 11 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 Local Conditions
According to the 2021 Alameda County Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP), as of 2021, there were 23 dams in Alameda County (County of Alameda 2021). Of these, there are three dams that have the potential to impact the City if a failure were to occur, including the Calaveras, Del Valle, and James H. Turner dams.
Table 2.2-1 provides details for each of these dams.
TABLE 2.2-1 Dams with Potential to impact the City of Newark Calaveras Del Valle James H. Turner
Hazard Class High High High
Water Course Calaveras Creek Arroyo Valle San Antonio Creek Owner City & County of
San Francisco
California Department
of Water Resources
City & County of
San Francisco
Year Built 1925 1968 1964
Dam Type Hydraulic Fill Earth Earth
Crest Length (feet) 775 773 255
Height (feet) 210 235 71
Storage Capacity (acre-feet) 100,000 77,100 130
Drainage area (sq. mi.) 98.4 146 1.9
Inundation Area (sq. mi.) 41.25 97.98 1.09
SOURCE: Union City/Newark Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan (2017) The Calaveras dam is located close to the Calaveras fault line, which is one of the most geologically active and complex faults in the San Francisco Bay Area (Section 2.6, Geologic and Seismic Hazards). It was built in 1925 and is 210 feet tall. The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission recently rebuilt the Calaveras Dam. Construction began in 2011 to build a new earth and rock (earthen) fill dam adjacent to the existing dam. The project was completed in May 2019. The new dam is located directly adjacent to the old dam, and has been built to withstand a 7.25 magnitude earthquake on the nearby Calaveras Fault.
The Del Valle dam was constructed in 1968 to create Lake Del Valle, which serves as a reservoir and provides water storage, flood control for Alameda Creek, and regulatory storage for a portion of water delivered through the South Bay Aqueduct. The dam is 235 feet in height and is the only flood control dam in the Livermore Valley. The dam typically stores 25,000 to 40,000 acre-feet of water (Newark Community Development Department 2017a).
The James H. Turner Dam is located on the San Antonio Reservoir and was built in 1964.
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2.2 Dam Failure
City of Newark General Plan 12 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 Dam Failure
Dam failure is an uncontrolled release of impounded water due to structural deficiencies in a dam. Dam failures in the United States typically occur in one of four ways (Association of State Dam Safety 2021):
• Overtopping of the primary dam structure, which accounts for 34 percent, or the majority, of all dam failures, can occur due to inadequate spillway design, settlement of the dam crest (top of dam), blockage of spillways, and other factors. Overtopping occurs when water pours over the crest of the dam • Foundation defects due to the dam’s
support foundation settling in an uneven
fashion. Foundation defects can occur in
mud and landslides, slope instability,
earthquakes, and foundation seepage.
These can lead to structural damage,
which can also cause dam failure. These
account for 30 percent of all dam
failures.
• Failure due to underground piping
and erosion of soils overlaying the
pipes accounts for 20 percent of all
failures. These are caused by internal erosion due to piping and seepage. Piping occurs through erosion within dam structures due to animal burrows and cracks in the dam structure. The material that is “piped” through joints or cracks, causes failure or problems with conduits and valves, which may result in dam failure. Piping constitutes 10 percent of all failures.
Figure 2.2-1 shows common dam failure types, including overtopping, foundation failure, and piping.
Source: COMET Program 2017
FIGURE 2.2-1 Dam Failure Types
Calaveras Dam – located primarily in Santa Clara County, California, with a small portion in Alameda County
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2.2 Dam Failure
City of Newark General Plan 13 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 The hazard classification for each dam is shown above in Table 2.2-1 and are identified in the National Performance of Dams Program as low, significant, and high. The three dams impacting Newark are classified as high, meaning that the risk of dam failure and subsequent downstream damage is high, and that more than six lives would be in jeopardy and excessive economic loss would occur as a direct result of dam failure.
Figure 2.2-2 shows the three dams posing a risk to Newark, and the dam inundation zones, or the areas that would experience the highest impacts from dam failure in the City. As shown in the figure, the majority of the population of Newark is in a dam failure inundation zone and exposed to the risk of a dam failure.
The most likely causes of dam failure for the three dams impacting the City of Newark are their advanced age, earthquakes, periods of excessive rainfall, and landslides.
Earthquake-induced dam failure of the Calaveras, Del Valle, or James H. Turner Dam (San Antonio) Dams would cause flooding in Newark, with floodwaters reaching the city in as little as 90 minutes. All property in the city would be impacted. All three of these dams are evaluated annually by the California Division of Safety Dams to ensure that they are safe and performing as intended (DWR 2021).
Past Events
The most recent dam failure involving Newark was in 2015, where the inflatable dam on Alameda Creek (Rubber Dam 3) failed due to vandalism, releasing nearly 50 million gallons of water from the community’s water. The water was supposed to go into the Niles Cone Groundwater Basin where residents and businesses from the Cities of Newark, Union City and Fremont could access drinking water but instead it went directly into the San Francisco Bay. Prior to 2015, only one recorded dam failure involving Newark occurred in 1918, when the Calaveras Dam failed during construction. A landslide damaged the upstream shell of the dam and destroyed the dam’s outlet tower.
Local Vulnerabilities
Populations Affected by Dam Failure
Populations that are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of flooding as a result of dam failure are those who may be less mobile and may be unable to get out of the inundation area. These populations include the elderly, the young, as well as individuals or families who may not receive adequate warning from warning systems, televisions, radios, reverse 911 systems, or cell phones. The potential for loss of life is influenced by the capacity and number of evacuation routes available to populations living in areas of potential inundation. Evacuation routes would navigate the population out of those areas in the event of an emergency.
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City of Newark General Plan 14 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 FIGURE 2.3-2 Dam Inundation Zones
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City of Newark General Plan 15 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 Development, Critical Facilities, and Infrastructure
Although dams are built to protect communities from flooding, buildings located in the dam inundation area are still at risk of floods as not all existing buildings were built to withstand flooding. Properties closest to the dam failure inundation area would experience the largest, most destructive surge of water. Low-lying areas that collect water are also vulnerable. All critical infrastructure and facilities, including hospitals and schools in the dam inundation zone are vulnerable to inundation. Transportation routes are also vulnerable to dam failure inundation and have the potential to be damaged or destroyed, creating isolation issues. This includes all roads, railroads and bridges in the path of the dam failure inundation. Those that are most vulnerable are those that are already in poor condition and would not be able to withstand a large water surge. Utilities such as overhead power lines, cable and phone lines could also be vulnerable. Loss of these utilities could create isolation issues for the inundation areas.
According to the Union City/Newark Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan, 127 of the City’s critical facilities and infrastructure are in the inundation areas, as listed in Table 2.2-2. Table 2.2-3 also includes data gathered for the City of Newark on the value of property exposed to dam failure from the Union City/Newark Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan dam hazards analysis.
TABLE 2.2-2 Critical Facilities/Infrastructure in Dam Failure Inundation Areas in Newark Critical Facilities & Infrastructure Total
Newark
Medical & Health Services 3
Emergency Services 4
Educational Facilities 19
Government 5
Utilities 13
Transportation Infrastructure 15
Hazardous Materials 65
Other Assets 3
Total 127
SOURCE: Union City/Newark Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan (2017) TABLE 2.2-3 Value of Property Exposed to Dam Failure in Newark Number of Buildings Exposed
Value Exposed
Building Contents Total
Newark 12,215 $5,837,648,120 $4,810,446,014 $10,648,094,134 SOURCE: Union City/Newark Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan (2017) Packet Page No. 737
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 Other Impacts to the Environment
Dam failure can cause severe downstream flooding depending on the magnitude of the failure. Other potential secondary hazards of dam failure include landslides around the reservoir perimeter, bank erosion on the rivers, and destruction of downstream habitat. The inundation could introduce many foreign elements into local waterways, which may impact water quality and local water supply. In addition, this could result in the destruction of habitats downstream and detrimental effects on many species of animals, and potentially endangered species.
City Capacity to Respond to Dam Failure
In the event of dam failure, flood control efforts within the City are managed between the Alameda County Flood Control District, FEMA, the USACE, and Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC). The Engineering Division of the Newark Public Works Department is responsible for carrying out the City’s stormwater quality initiatives, including stormwater control requirements for businesses and new development, enforcement of illicit discharge regulations, street sweeping, cleanouts of storm drain inlets, and a variety of public education and outreach events. As mentioned in Section 2.5, Flooding, Newark does not allow development within the 100-year flood zone that is not elevated at least 1 foot above the flood elevation. and the city also requires drainage studies for major development projects to ensure that such projects will not cause or worsen downstream flooding.
Warning Time for Dam Failures
In the event of an imminent dam failure, the County issues a warning to cities and community organizations.
These warnings include calls, alarms, email blasts, social media posts, and short message service (sms) notifications. Warning time for dam failure varies depending on the cause of the failure. In events of heavy rains, evacuations can be planned with sufficient time. In the event of a structural failure due to earthquake, it is possible that there would be no warning time.
A dam’s structural type also affects warning time. Earthen dams do not tend to fail completely or instantaneously. If a breach occurs, discharging water erodes the breach until either the reservoir water is depleted or the breach resists further erosion. Concrete gravity dams also tend to have a partial breach as one or more monolithic sections formed during dam construction are forced apart by the escaping water.
These breach times range from a few minutes to a few hours. Alameda County and the City of Newark have established protocols for emergency warning and response through adopted emergency operations plans.
Additionally, the California Department of Water Resources recommends that emergency action plans be prepared for dams and be updated and exercised regularly.
Plans, Policies, and Regulatory Environment
Poor construction, lack of maintenance and repair, and deficient operational procedures are preventable or correctable through regular inspections and subsequent maintenance by regulatory agencies as detailed below.
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 State Regulations
California Department of Water Resources, Division of Safety of Dams California’s Division of Safety of Dams, a division of the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), monitors the dam safety program at the state level. When a new dam is proposed, Division staff inspects the site. The Division reviews dam applications and building plans to ensure that the dam is designed to meet minimum requirements and that the design is appropriate for known geologic conditions.
It also inspects construction to ensure that the work is done in accordance with the approved plans. The Division also inspects completed dams on an annual basis to ensure that it is performing as intended and is not developing problems. Roughly a third of these inspections include in-depth instrumentation reviews.
The Division periodically reviews the stability of dams and their major appurtenances in light of improved design approaches and requirements, as well as new findings regarding earthquake hazards and hydrologic estimates in California (DWR 2021). This Division inspects all dams located in California, including the 23 Alameda County dams.
Senate Bill 92: Dam Safety
SB 92 was signed into law on June 27, 2017, and it provides new requirements focused on dam safety. SB 92 provides the DWR with enforcement tools, including fines and operational restrictions for failure to comply with the dam safety program. Specifically, it requires dam owners to submit inundation maps to the DWR. After they have been approved, the dam owner must then submit an emergency action plan (EAP) to California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) (2020). Cal OES will review and approve the emergency action plans, which include compliance requirements, exercises of the plan, and coordination with local public safety agencies.
National Dam Safety Act
Potential for catastrophic flooding due to dam failures led to passage of the National Dam Safety Act (Public Law 92-367). The National Dam Safety Program requires a periodic engineering analysis of the majority of dams in the country. This includes the 23 dams of Alameda County.
FEMA monitors compliance with this Act to identify and mitigate the risk of dam failure to protect lives and property of the public. The National Dam Safety Program is a partnership among the states, federal agencies, and other stakeholders that encourages individual and community responsibility for dam safety.
Under FEMA’s leadership, state assistance funds have allowed all participating states to improve their programs through increased inspections, emergency action planning, and purchases of needed equipment.
FEMA has also expanded existing and initiated new training programs. Grant assistance from FEMA provides support for improvement of dam safety programs that regulate most of the dams in the United States (FEMA 2013).
California Division of Safety of Dams
DWR’s Division of Safety of Dams monitors dam maintenance and safety at the state level through all of the following procedures (DWR 2016):
• When a new dam is proposed, Division engineers and geologists inspect the site and the subsurface.
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 • Upon submittal of an application, the Division reviews the plans and specifications prepared by the owner to ensure that the dam is designed to meet minimum requirements and that the design is appropriate for the known geologic conditions.
• After approval of the application, the Division inspects all aspects of the construction to ensure that the work accords with the approved plans and specifications. • After construction, the Division inspects each dam annually to ensure performance as intended and to identify developing problems. Roughly a third of these inspections include in-depth reviews of instrumentation.
• The Division periodically reviews stability of dams and their major appurtenances in light of improved design approaches, requirements, and new findings regarding earthquake hazards and hydrologic estimates in California.
Federal Regulations
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Dam Safety Program The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has the largest dam safety program in the United States. FERC cooperates with a large number of federal and state agencies to ensure and promote dam safety and, more recently, homeland security. Approximately 3,036 dams that are part of regulated hydroelectric projects are in the FERC program. FERC staff conducts unscheduled inspections on hydropower, also known as water power, projects to investigate potential dam safety problems.
Every five years, an independent consulting engineer, approved by the FERC, must inspect and evaluate projects with dams higher than 32.8 feet, or with a total storage capacity of more than 2,000 acre-feet. The City of Newark is near two dams, the Calaveras and Del Valle dams, that meet this threshold. FERC staff also evaluates the effects of potential and actual large floods on the safety of dams. During and following floods, FERC staff visits dams and licensed projects, determines the extent of damage, if any, and directs any necessary studies or remedial measures the licensee must undertake. The FERC publication Engineering Guidelines for the Evaluation of Hydropower Projects guides the FERC engineering staff and licensees in evaluating dam safety. The publication is frequently revised to reflect current information and methodologies.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Dam Safety Program
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is responsible for safety inspections of some federal and nonfederal dams in the United States that meet the size and storage limitations specified in the National Dam Safety Act. The USACE inspects the Calaveras and Del Valle dams. The USACE has inventoried such dams and surveyed each state and federal agency’s capabilities, practices, and regulations regarding design, construction, operation, and maintenance of the dams. The USACE develops guidelines for inspection and evaluation of dam safety.
The USACE National Inventory of Dams provides the most recent inspection dates for 26 Alameda County dams. The Calaveras Dam was and the Del Valle dam were last inspected on January 24, 2012, and November 3, 2011, respectively.
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2.3 Drought and Water Quality
Introduction
Drought is affected by rainfall quantities and distribution, as well as temperature and snowpack levels.
Drought occurs when a prolonged period of below-average levels of rainfall leads to a water shortage.
Warming global temperatures and decreases in snowpack can worsen drought conditions, especially for regions that depend on snowpack for water supply – the State of California as a whole relies heavily on the Sierra Nevada snowpack as the primary source for water replenishment. During periods of drought, less water is available for delivery to communities, which affects drinking water as well as water for other uses (such as landscaping and irrigation, agriculture, energy, and cooling). Water quality conditions can also change during drought due to impacts from other climate hazards, such as extreme heat, sea level rise, high winds, and flooding. These events can exacerbate drought by adding pressure on existing supplies, polluting surface and ground waters, and reducing moisture levels in soils.
Several indicators are used to measure drought conditions, including rainfall levels and frequency, rainfall distribution, atmospheric pressure, current water storage amounts, and expected supplies. For Newark, drought is affected by regional conditions similar to Alameda County and the larger Bay Area Region.
While the region’s water resources are generally more abundant in the winter (November to March) when the majority of the state’s annual rainfall occurs, climate change is likely to affect historic trends and lead to greater variation in expected annual rainfall (MJHMP 2017). In Newark, projections show that both colder and wetter periods, and dry and warmer periods will become more intense over time. Additionally, dry periods are expected to occur with increased frequency, duration, and intensity. Overall, this will result in a shorter wet season and reduced water supplies that favor drought conditions.
Drought has impacted almost every county in California and has caused millions of dollars in collective damages. In Alameda County, drought conditions have the potential to affect numerous aspects given impacts on water, including water restrictions, reduced water quality, restricted access to recreational areas, reduced air quality, health impacts, and economic impacts.
Local Conditions
The U.S. Drought Monitor classifies drought conditions using a five-category classification system, as shown in Table 2.3-1. Conditions statewide vary according to the drought classification system. Local and regional agencies issue water shortage restrictions for residences, businesses, farming, and other activities according to drought conditions.
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 TABLE 2.3-1 U.S. Drought Monitor Classifications
Category Description Impacts
D0 Abnormally Dry • Short-term dryness
• Growth of crops and pastures is slowed
D1 Moderate Drought • Impacts on crops and pastures
• Water shortages developing in reservoirs, streams, and wells • Voluntary water restrictions
D2 Severe Drought • Loss of crops/pastures
• Water shortages
• Water restrictions issued
D3 Extreme Drought • Major loss of crops/pastures
• Widespread water restrictions and water shortages
D4 Exceptional Drought • Exceptional and widespread loss of crops/pastures • Water shortages in reservoirs, streams, and wells
• Water emergency declarations
SOURCE: USDM (2022a)
Figure 2.3-1 shows drought conditions in Alameda County from 2000 to 2022. The County and Newark are currently in D2 Severe Drought conditions, meaning that water reservoirs are low, river flow is decreased, trees and plants are stressed, and water temperatures are increased. Under these drought conditions, some limitations are likely to be seen for water uses towards agriculture, wildlife, and recreation in order to prioritize sustainable supplies of potable water (NIDIS 2021).
SOURCE: USDM (2022b)
NOTES: Drought designations are D0 (Abnormally Dry); D1 (Moderate Drought); D2 (Severe Drought); D3 (Extreme Drought); and D4 (Exceptional Drought)
FIGURE 2.3-1 Drought Conditions in Alameda County, 2000–2022 Packet Page No. 742
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 The City of Newark is vulnerable to drought conditions due to lower levels of rainfall and dependence on outside water resources. As rainfall has high variability from year to year, there is potential for having more intense rainfall in the future. Historically, the City of Newark has experienced approximately 16 inches of average annual precipitation (from 1961 to 1990). This average is expected to increase to 17 inches by mid-century (defined as 2035 to 2064) and up to 19 inches by late-century (Cal-Adapt 2021). However, rainfall frequency and duration are generally expected to decrease. This means that future rainfall events will become more intense, as projected increases in rainfall will occur over shorter time periods. Wet years and periods of heavy rainfall do not mean drought conditions cannot occur or that existing drought conditions are clear. However, these events can help alleviate drought conditions by replenishing water supplies and removing pressure from other sources.
Higher temperatures can exacerbate conditions due to dry climate settings and extended dry spells. The term dry spells refers to the maximum number of consecutive days without precipitation (Cal-Adapt 2021).
In Newark, dry spells have historically averaged 115 days. Future conditions project dry spells to increase, averaging 130 to 136 days by mid-century and late-century, respectively.
Variable rainfall events and longer and more frequent dry spells will mean water sources, including surface water bodies and groundwater, could significantly decrease. This could reduce local water availability and may create pressure on other water sources. The City of Newark receives water service from its retail water purveyor, the Alameda County Weather District (ACWD), which provides water supplied from the State Water Project, the San Francisco Regional Water System, and local water supplies, including six City wells that pump water from the groundwater basin.
Water Pollution
In addition to climate conditions and water availability, the health and quality of water resources can also affect potable water supplies. The presence of hazardous substances and pollutants in water sources can impact potable water supplies and pose public health concerns, as contaminated water cannot be consumed safely and removes this as a potable source until water quality conditions improve (Zeise 2021).
Contaminated waters can also increase pressure on other water sources to meet the needs for water supply.
In Newark, pollution in surface water bodies and groundwater is affected primarily by urban runoff. This is typically caused by heavy storms and industrial and hazardous sites that carry pollution and sediments into water sources. Saltwater intrusion can also contribute to water pollution. The City of Newark is located within the Alameda Creek watershed and the Niles Cone Groundwater Basin, which are the main tributaries to the San Francisco Bay. The Niles Cone contains salt water due to seawater intrusion from the early 1900s, which is still being corrected today. The ACWD is working to recharge the basin and improve the water quality through groundwater monitoring and reducing future risk of seawater intrusion and urban pollution (City of Newark 2013a).
An existing threat to water resources is groundwater threats, which are pollutants to soil and groundwater from hazardous materials, including diesel fuels, solvents, heavy metals, and pesticides. Groundwater threats are high in the City of Newark and the vicinity. Figure 2.3-2 shows groundwater threats sites in and near the City of Newark and shows a measure of pollution due to groundwater threats across census tracts in the City (OEHHA 2021). There are 38 groundwater threat sites within the City of Newark, the majority of which are cleanup sites. These are sites that have had unauthorized releases or discharges of pollutants Packet Page No. 743
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 that affect groundwater, and are currently being monitored for contaminants of concern (SWRCB 2021).
Cleanup sites in Newark are clustered mostly near the center of the community and to the west. The severity of groundwater threats is also shown with darker colors indicating worse conditions for groundwater quality, relative to other tracts statewide. The City as a whole is in the 83rd percentile, meaning City is within the top 17 percent of communities statewide that are most impacted by groundwater threats. As shown in Figure 2.3-2, the southernmost census tract of the City experiences greatest burden from groundwater threats (this census tract is within the 97th percentile).
SOURCE: OEHHA (2021)
FIGURE 2.3-2 Groundwater Threats in Newark
Secondary Hazards
The most significant secondary hazard that can result from drought are wildfires. Prolonged precipitation and warmer temperatures create suitable, dry conditions that increase susceptibility for ignitions. Along with increased wildlife risk, resources used for extinguishing fires places further stress on limited water supplies and can extend drought periods. Drought conditions can also decrease soil moisture and lead to plant and crop death, impacting food resources, reducing natural benefits from evaporative cooling, and contributing to higher temperatures. Dust levels can also increase due to drought conditions and pose increased dangers to public health (Hall 2018).
Employment and economic losses are also considered a secondary impact from drought. Past economic analyses of drought conditions on California’s economy have shown how prolonged drought can have Packet Page No. 744
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 cascading impacts relating to public health and job loss, such as those discussed in the following section on vulnerabilities.
Local Vulnerabilities
Vulnerable People
Populations that are most vulnerable during droughts are low-income households and families that will be disproportionately affected from increased costs to water and fresh produce, which can affect public health and financial stability. Low-income populations may become unable to afford rising costs to healthy foods which, over a period of time, can lead to nutritional deficiencies and food insecurity as a result (SF DPH 2014). Low-income populations are also likely to experience greater financial stress and instability during drought periods due to increasing costs. Unsheltered individuals and outdoor workers are also more vulnerable, as they may experience the effects of hotter and drier periods during drought that can affect their health. During extended dry spells and increased heat events, these groups may have more limited access to clean and safe water sources and may be more vulnerable to dehydration.
Additionally, increasing drought conditions can fuel wildfires and lead to smoke and worsening air quality.
This has the potential to exacerbate asthma and other respiratory illnesses for individuals with existing conditions (SF DPH 2014).
Emergency response workers and governmental workers may also be affected, as many past drought events contributed to an increase in working hours for these employment areas as emergency drought declarations were issued.
Vulnerable Infrastructure
Physical assets and infrastructure are also at risk from drought conditions, particularly public facilities and services that rely on water to operate, such as water supply infrastructure, and parks and trees. Industries that rely on water can experience impacts related to potential revenue and employment, in addition to widespread economic losses. The low snowpack levels from the 2012-2016 drought resulted in over $2 billion in losses and approximately 21,000 jobs lost in the agricultural and recreational sectors statewide (Ackerly 2018). This is due to water restrictions that can lower or eliminate maintenance and operation of recreation industries (e.g., water parks), and reduce agricultural productions and outputs, which are both tied to jobs.
Vulnerable Environment
Natural environments and resources, including wildlife, trees and plants, habitats and waterways are sensitive to climate conditions and are at increased risk from drought conditions. As drought strains water supplies, sanctions are placed primarily on recreation, natural areas, and agriculture to help with conservation. This increases vulnerability of these systems as they generally become the first to experience water restrictions and will have to endure for longer periods of time.
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 City Capacity to Respond to Drought
Local Regulations
City of Newark General Plan
The 2013 City of Newark General Plan serves as the framework to guide development and future planning for the City. It includes specific goals and policies that pertain to hazards and safety for the community.
The General Plan elements of Transportation, Conservation and Sustainability Community Services and Facilities contain goals and policies that address drought, water conservation, and water resources. The General Plan goals and policies support protection, conservation, and sustainable use of water resources, which help build local resilience to the effects of drought.
Alameda County Water Shortage Contingency Plan
Required by the Urban Water Management Planning Act, the ACWD’s Water Shortage Contingency Plan (WSCP) (ACWD 2021a) addresses drought impacts and procedures for addressing potential water shortages, disruptions to water service, and other water supply and service emergencies. In the case of shortages, the WSCP outlines steps for the ACWD, communities and individual to take to address issues, such as voluntary reductions in water uses, educational outreach on water conservation, and promotion of water use efficiency opportunities for residential, commercial, business and other customers. During drought periods, the ACWD will identify potential impacts, degree of severity, and respond with appropriate actions that balance protection of water supplies and continued service to communities.
Alameda County Water Efficiency Master Plan
The ACWD’s 2020/2021 Water Efficiency Master Plan (WEMP) (ACWD 2021b) provides a roadmap for ensuring the sustainable and long-term water supply reliability for the communities of Newark, Fremont, and Union City. The WEMP also outlines a recommended strategy concept with measures for promoting water use efficiency and meeting conservation goals. This strategy adds to ACWD existing efforts with new measures for improving indoor, outdoor, and commercial water use efficiency. The measures that relate to drought focus on home and school retrofit programs for efficient water fixtures, residential and large landscape water surveys, incentives for irrigation and landscape upgrades, and outreach for conservation and water efficient practices. The WEMP further outlines a timeline and cost for implementation of these measures from 2020 through 2050, which if implemented can help address state water goals, increase water use efficiency services for lower income communities, and reduce overall water use across sectors of the communities. The focus of the ACWD on water use efficiency contributes to the sustainable management of water resources, which will help alleviate harmful and extended impacts during drought periods.
State Regulations
California Drought Contingency Plan
The 2010 California Drought Contingency Plan (DCP) serves to minimize drought impacts and guide responses to drought conditions across the state. Included in the DCP is a description of the drought classifications for defining drought levels, and identification of appropriate actions that can be taken in response to specific drought conditions. Refer to Table 2.3-1 for a description of the drought classifications.
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 Additionally, the DCP highlights the following strategies and actions that agencies and communities can participate in to help prepare for and address droughts:
• Drought Response Workshops and Planning
• Drought monitoring and forecasting
• Water Conservation
• 20 by 2020 Water Conservation Plan
• DWR Water Transfers Program
• Model Landscape Ordinance
• 20 Urban Water Management Plans
• Agricultural Water Management Plans
• Mobile Desalinization
California Water Plan
The 2018 California Water Plan provides a strategic roadmap for the sustainable management of water resources for current and future generations across the state. The CWP describes the current status and projected trends of water resources and uses, and provides scenarios on water demand for various sectors.
A key component of the CWP are the sustainability actions recommended to facilitate water resources management, improve water quality conditions, and meet statewide targets. While CWP actions are focused on state-lead programs and efforts, the following describes two actions that have relevant outcomes for local conditions in Newark, and they focus on building opportunities for sustainable water management that is critical during periods of drought.
Action 2.1: Improve Infrastructure and Promote Long-Term Management. The State should continue and build upon recent efforts to evaluate and maintain State-owned and State-regulated water supply infrastructure and State Plan of Flood Control infrastructure. It also should assist local agencies with the implementation of long-term solutions for infrastructure management. This would include identifying and evaluating opportunities to implement resource management strategies, such as those related to water supply reliability, flood risk reduction, aquifer replenishment and remediation, and surface and groundwater storage.
Action 6.1: Facilitate Comprehensive Water Resource Data Collection and Management. As required by AB 1755 (Dodd 2016), State agencies will publish and update State water and ecological datasets on an easily accessible federated open-water data platform. State agencies should also maintain data management best practices and work with local agencies to improve data gathering, accessibility, quality, and related decision support tools.
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022
2.4 Extreme Weather
Introduction
The increase in global temperatures as a result of climate change will lead to changes in the frequency, duration and intensity of severe weather, particularly extreme heat. Extreme weather is defined as highly unusual conditions and events that can cause devastating impacts on global systems, including humans, ecosystems, and the built environment (USDA 2022). Extreme heat describes days where prolonged, maximum temperatures exceed 1961 to 1990 historical baselines, while extreme heat events or heat waves refer to periods of five or more consecutive extreme heat days, often accompanied by high humidity (Cal-Adapt 2021).
This section of the Safety Element will describe extreme weather conditions in and around Newark, and will provide maps and graphics showing the areas where the community is most vulnerable to extreme weather.
Local Conditions
Weather in the Bay Area is characterized by a Mediterranean climate, with cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers. The regional topography and ocean proximity generally result in a lower daily temperature compared to other areas of the state. However, increasing GHG emissions from climate change are expected to result in an increase in average temperatures by mid-century (defined as 2035-2064) as well as more intense storms and rainfall (Ackerly 2018).
Extreme Heat
Historically, Newark has experienced approximately five extreme heat days per year, which is defined as days when the maximum temperatures rise above 90.8 degrees Fahrenheit in Newark (Cal-Adapt 2021).
This is expected to increase to between 8 and 21 days by mid-century and between 12 and 27 days by the end of the century (Cal-Adapt 2021). Heat wave events may also increase, from zero historically to three by end of century.
For the City of Newark, annual average maximum temperatures are expected to increase between four and seven degrees, changing from a historic average temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit up to 76 degrees by the end of the century (Cal-Adapt 2021). Figure 2.4-1 shows Annual Average Maximum Temperatures in Newark from 1960 to 2080, including historically observed temperatures and projected temperatures.
Extreme heat is expected to impact urban communities more severely due to the urban heat island effect, a phenomenon where buildings, dark pavements, and urban infrastructure absorb and re-emit the sun’s heat with more intensity than the natural landscape does (EPA 2021a). Figure 2.4-2 illustrates the urban heat island effect across urban and rural communities. Cities and urban neighborhoods experience higher daytime and nighttime temperatures (orange and blue lines, respectively) relative to less urban or rural areas.
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 SOURCE: Cal-Adapt (2021)
FIGURE 2.4-1 Annual Average Maximum Temperature, Newark California SOURCE: EPA (2021)
FIGURE 2.4-2 Urban Heat Island Effect
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 Heat health events (HHE) provide another method for
tracking extreme heat impacts that is people-focused and combines heat conditions with health vulnerabilities
(Four Twenty-Seven 2018a). This is used to better
predict risks to populations that are vulnerable to heat by considering emergency room visits and other medical
and hospital care instances attributed to heat events.
Currently Newark experiences less than one HHE per
year – this is projected to increase approximately up to three by mid-century and up to six by the end of the
century (Four Twenty-Seven 2018b). Heat health events
are different from extreme heat events or heat waves as they refer to instances of extreme heat that result in public health emergencies, such as heat-related illnesses, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke (described in the text box to the right).
Urban greening, such as tree canopy and parks, can also contribute to local temperature conditions in communities. Trees are essential to mitigating the effects of climate change, especially extreme heat, as they provide natural cooling to surrounding areas, provide shade relief, and promote health and wellness (PHASoCal 2018). As such, urban communities with more tree canopy and vegetated surfaces are likely to experience lower effects from the urban heat island effect. In Newark, approximately five percent of land surface has tree canopy, which is greater than 32 percent of other cities statewide. As shown in Figure 2.4-3, neighborhoods along the northwestern and eastern edges of the City have the most tree canopy compared to other areas of the City, while neighborhoods between Central and Mowry Avenue have the least. Additionally, the majority of Newark’s residents live within a half-mile of a park or open space areas, which contributes to greater access to these natural cooling amenities during extreme heat conditions. The availability of designated public spaces that serve as cooling centers can also provide relief from extreme heat and heat events. The City of Newark has three designated and publicly accessible cooling centers that serve as safe locations for individuals to get out of extreme heat temperatures, and have access to air conditioning and other resources and amenities (Alameda County 2019). Figure 2.4-3 also shows the location of parks and cooling centers in the community, in addition to land with tree canopy.
Heat-related illnesses include heat cramps,
severe heat exhaustion, heat stress, and heat
stroke, and can worsen existing health
conditions for individuals such as asthma, heart
disease, and respiratory illnesses.
Heat exhaustion is an imbalance of electrolytes
caused by body dehydration that can lead to
headache, dizziness, nausea, pale skin, cramps,
weakness, and profuse perspiration.
Heat stroke is a severe and life-threatening
medical emergency that results from the body’s
inability to cool down from a high temperature.
Heat stroke symptoms are similar to those of
heat exhaustion but include no perspiration,
rapid pulse, hot and dry skin, changes in mental
state, seizures, loss of consciousness, and
kidney failure. Heat stroke can lead to death if
not treated promptly.
SOURCE: Cal OES (2018)
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 SOURCE: City of Newark (2012b)
FIGURE 2.4-3 Urban Greening in Newark
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 Precipitation Levels
Precipitation levels are also expected to shift significantly, with greater variability in average annual rainfall by the end of the century. Historically, Newark has averaged 14 to 17 inches of annual rainfall. This range is expected to increase to between 11 to 21 inches (Cal-Adapt 2021). Figure 2.4-4 shows Annual Precipitation in Newark from 1960 to 2080, including historically observed levels and projected levels.
SOURCE: Cal-Adapt 2021
FIGURE 2.4-4 Annual Precipitation, Newark California
Secondary Hazards
More frequent and intense extreme heat events create favorable conditions for more wildfires which last longer in duration, are more intense, and contribute further to increasing temperatures and worsening pollution. Increased temperatures also worsen drought conditions, affecting water resources, plants and trees, biodiversity, food production, wildlife and other sectors.
Extreme heat can also impact economies and job sectors. Healthcare businesses and government facilities and operations that are critical to emergency response will likely experience increased pressure due to funding and staffing to address more heat-related illnesses. Outdoor areas without suitable canopy and cooling may see a reduction in visitors due to heat conditions, and trails and open space amenities may experience plant and biodiversity impacts. Local and regional energy demand is also likely to increase as communities seek cooling relief. This can cause increased costs for customers and can contribute to black outs by energy spikes during heat waves. Extreme heat days can also result in missed school and workdays due to heat-related illnesses and potentially affect income stability for vulnerable groups.
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 Local Vulnerabilities
Vulnerable People
All individuals are at risk from extreme heat impacts, which pose a significant danger to human health, particularly for vulnerable populations and individuals with pre-existing conditions (described in the text box to the right). Extreme heat is the cause of more annual deaths across the United States than other weather hazards, including floods, storms, and lightning combined (Bedsworth et al. 2018). In 2006, a California heat wave caused over 600 deaths and resulted in 1,200 hospitalizations and 16,000 emergency department
visits (CNAP 2015). Warming global temperatures are
projected to cause more negative health events and create suitable conditions for other harmful hazards over time. For instance, higher temperatures can contribute to increases in harmful air pollutants, exacerbating health conditions for individuals with existing health concerns such as asthma, which affects approximately eight percent of the population (PHASoCal 2018).
Vulnerable Infrastructure
Extreme heat does not typically result in significant or direct impacts to buildings, though there can be increases in the need and use of cooling centers, emergency response
operations, and healthcare facilities. More staff is needed to accommodate these increases as well. Infrastructure impacts are often related to increasing energy costs, overheating of HVAC systems, and/or lack of adequate HVAC systems, insulation, and air conditioning.
Heat-related mortalities have been found to be lower in areas that have more air conditioning (Ackerly 2018). The role of air conditioning and adequate housing and facilities are critical in protecting human health impacts from heat. In Newark, approximately 64 percent of households lack air conditioning, which increases risk of exposure and heat-related illnesses for residents (PHASoCal 2018). Individuals lacking access to air conditioning and community cooling centers are more vulnerable, as these resources provide critical protection against extreme heat.
Extreme heat can also lead to power outages caused by added stress on the electrical grid as demand for cooling is increased. This can indirectly impact health as power outages have the potential to put vulnerable populations, such as the elderly and individuals with existing health conditions, at further risk as they must go without medical devices, air conditioning, and refrigeration. Power outages can also result in traffic disruptions and resulting delays in emergency response.
Active transportation modes, including walking paths and bikeways, may also be affected in terms of use and benefit to communities. Extreme heat has the potential to make these modes of travel uncomfortable and even unsafe, which may reduce how often individuals utilize these options for their travel needs. As a While all individuals are vulnerable to the
effects of extreme heat, certain groups and
individuals are at greater risk due to unique
social, economic, and geographic conditions.
These include persons experiencing preexisting inequities and/or conditions of vulnerability, such as:
Children
Communities of color
Immigrants and refugees
Individuals with disabilities
Individuals with existing health
conditions
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender,
queer (LBTQ+) individuals Age (children
and elderly);
Linguistically-isolated individuals Active
commuting;
Low-income individuals
Older adults/seniors
Outdoor workers
People experiencing homelessness
SOURCE: Cal OES (2018)
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 result, active transportation projects and costly infrastructure can become ineffectual. This is important as currently seven percent of workers commute to work by transit, walking, or biking, and the City’s General Plan outlines goals for increasing active transportation in the future (PHASoCal 2018).
Vulnerable Environment
Wildlife, plants and trees, and natural resources are sensitive to extreme heat conditions, all of which provide benefits to people and communities. Higher temperatures also affect demand on water resources, and health and abundance of soils, minerals, and agriculture. While Newark does not have any agriculture, extreme heat can also make certain crops more vulnerable to diseases and pests, which can affect food supplies and availability from local to global scales.
City Capacity to Respond to Extreme Heat
Local Regulations
City of Newark General Plan
The City’s General Plan, adopted in 2013, directly and indirectly addresses extreme heat through a variety of goals, policies and programs across all elements. Relevant goals and policies acknowledge the role of land use choices that can exacerbate climate risks and the urban heat island effect and provide guidance for mitigation and resiliency actions to reduce risks. Several policies within the General Plan focus on the preservation and management of the City’s tree canopy and other vegetation, which can provide significant protection from extreme heat conditions in urban communities. Other policies prioritize community services and response capacity, with the goal of improving supportive actions that can address extreme heat impacts, particularly those that relate to human health.
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022
2.5 Flooding
Introduction
Flooding occurs when the existing channel of
a stream, river, canyon, or other water course
cannot contain excess runoff from rainfall or
snowmelt, resulting in overflow on to
adjacent lands. Floods are one of the most
common natural hazards in the United States.
They can develop slowly over a period of
days or develop quickly, with disastrous
effects that can be local (impacting a
neighborhood or community) or regional
(affecting entire river basins, coastlines and
multiple counties or states).
In the City of Newark, flooding may result
when heavy rainfall exceeds the capacity of
Newark’s storm drains and flood control
channels. Water may overfill channel banks
or back up from storm drain inlets, which can flood streets and surrounding properties. The risk of such flooding is highest in areas that are next to creeks, sloughs, and
waterways. Flooding may also result from the failure of levees and dams, and is also one of the long-term effects of rising sea levels due to global climate change (City of Newark 2022). Flooding may also occur due to high tides, extreme rain, and wind. Levees located in the city are
described in detail, below. See Section 2.2 for more
information on how Newark could be impacted by dam
failure.
Understanding Floods
To understand flood hazards, it is important to note that connections between a river and its floodplain are most apparent during and after major flood events. A floodplain is any land area susceptible to being inundated by floodwaters from any source. This can include coastal areas impacted by storm surge, land along a river or bayou that is flooded when that waterway rises out of its banks, or low-lying land that fills with water when it rains. When flood waters recede after a flood event, they leave behind layers of rock and mud. These layers gradually buildup to create a new floor of the floodplain.
Wetlands near Newark. Courtesy of KQED Website. KQED serves the people of Northern California with a community-supported alternative to commercial media.
Slough: A small marshy tract lying in a swale
or other local shallow, undrained depression;
a sluggish creek or channel in a wetland.
Waterways: Waterways are the navigable
parts of a body of water, and can be located
within a bay or open sea, can connect two or
more waterbodies, or may even form
networks within a city
SOURCES: USGS (2022); NOAA (2022a)
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 As defined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), areas mapped include the following floodplains:
• 500-year flood plain. This is the portion of land that would be covered during a flood event that has a
0.2 percent chance of occurring every single year. Again, this means that statistically, the 0.2 percent (500-year) flood has a 6 percent chance of occurring during a 30- year period of time. • 100-year flood plain. This is the portion of land that would be covered during a flood event that has a one percent chance of being flooded in every given year. This means statistically, the 1 percent (100- year) flood has about a 26 percent chance of occurring during a 30- year period of time.
Local Conditions
Flood hazards in Newark are carefully managed to minimize the potential for damage. Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District (ACFC&WCD) maintains flood control systems, with channels following through historic drainage channels that were used for irrigation for agriculture. Major drainage courses in the City include Plummer Creek, Newark Slough, and Mowry Slough. Stormwater, which is water following a rain storm that does not seep into the ground, flows to these drainage courses through gutters, drains, channels, and culverts.
Flooding in the City of Newark typically occurs during the rainy season, between November and April.
Four types of flooding primarily affect the City: stormwater, riverine, flashfloods, and coastal (tidal) flooding. The types of flooding that are a hazard for the City of Newark are defined below.
Stormwater Flooding. Stormwater flooding is a result of local drainage issues and high groundwater levels. Locally, heavy precipitation, especially during high-tide events and heavy rain, may produce flooding in areas other than delineated floodplains or along recognizable channels. If local conditions are mostly developed, then there is a propensity for urban drainage flooding where the drainage systems cannot accommodate intense precipitation and through a
combination of infiltration and surface runoff, water may accumulate and cause flooding. Flooding created by the
inability of urbanized areas to absorb rainfall, results in ponding in low-lying areas and the concentration of flood waters in unnatural channels. Flooding of this nature
generally occurs in areas with flat gradients and generally increases with urbanization, which increases the
accumulation of floodwaters because of impervious areas.
Riverine Flooding. Riverine flooding is the flooding of rivers and streams banks. The natural processes of riverine flooding add sediment and nutrients to floodplain areas. Flooding in large river systems typically results from prolonged rainfall over a wide geographic area, causing flooding in hundreds of smaller streams, which then drain into major rivers.
Flash Flooding. The National Weather Service defines flash flooding as follows:
“[A] rapid and extreme flow of high water into a normally dry area, or a rapid water level rise in a stream or creek above a predetermined flood level, beginning within 6 hours of the causative event (e.g., intense rainfall, dam failure). However, the actual time threshold Urban Drainage Flooding: This type of
flooding is caused by increased water runoff
due to urban development and drainage
systems. Drainage systems reduce the
amount of time the surface water takes to
reach surrounding streams, flooding in those
streams can occur more quickly and reach
greater depths than prior to development in
that area (FEMA 2021a).
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 may vary in different parts of the country. Ongoing flooding can intensify to flash flooding in cases where intense rainfall results in a rapid surge of rising floodwaters.” Flash floods are capable of tearing out trees, undermining buildings and bridges, and scouring new channels. In urban areas, flash flooding is an increasingly serious problem due to the removal of vegetation and replacement of groundcover with impermeable surfaces such as roads, driveways, and parking lots.
The greatest risk from flash floods is that they occur with little to no warning. The major factors in predicting potential damage are the intensity and duration of rainfall and watershed and stream steepness.
Coastal Flooding. The San Francisco Bay is the most likely source of coastal flooding for the City of Newark. Coastal floods are characterized by inundation of normally dry lands by ocean waters. This flooding is often caused by a storm surge resulting from severe storms, tsunamis, or extreme high tide events that produce shallow flooding of low- lying coastal areas. Storm surge floods typically result in coastal erosion, salinization of freshwater sources, and contamination of water supplies. These floods are also responsible for significant agricultural losses, loss of life and damage to public and private structures and infrastructure. The graphic below shows how the tides resulting from a rise in sea level during a storm can cause a storm surge to flood coastal areas.
Sea Level Rise. Sea level rise is the
direct result of global warming
temperatures and is responsible for
subsequent melting of the earth’s ice
caps. In addition to melting ice sheets,
other climate-related factors that
contribute to sea level rise include
stormwater flooding, more frequent
and intense precipitation, increasing
river flows, groundwater fluctuations,
and seismic activity. In the last
century, global sea level has risen
approximately 6.7 inches, on average
(Newark Community Development
Department 2017a). In California,
climate science projects an average
sea level rise of up to 55 inches along
the coast by 2100. The projection for the Bay Area is significantly higher, with a projection of up to 113 inches, almost 9.5 feet, by 2100 (Ackerly 2018). Figure 2.5-1 shows the sea level rise projection for the City of Newark. The area with the most vulnerability will be in the southern portion of the City, adjacent to the San Francisco Bay.
Storm surge: Storm surge is the rise in
seawater level caused solely by a storm
(NOAA 2022b).
Storm Surge. Courtesy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Website.
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 FIGURE 2.5-1 Sea Level Rise
Past Events
Little recorded information is available regarding previous flooding occurrences in the City of Newark.
Sources that provide historical information regarding previous occurrences and losses associated with flooding events in Alameda County and the City of Newark include FEMA, National Weather Service (NWS), and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Between 1954 and 2016, FEMA issued disaster (DR) or emergency (EM) declarations for California for 45 flood hazard-related events, classified as one or a combination of the following: winter storms, debris and mudflows, severe winter storms, severe storms, mudslides, landslides, levee break, soil erosion, fire, coastal storms, heavy rains, tropical storm, and high tides. Alameda County was included in 10 of the declarations and Newark was only identified in one event, where a series of significant winter storms impacted the area between November and December of 2012. The storms brought gusty winds, heavy rain, high surf and flooding.
During the November 30 event, 13,800 customers experienced power outages in the Bay Area. In Newark, Highway 84 was flooded between Decoto Road and Newark Boulevard and between Mission Boulevard and Main Street.
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 Local Vulnerabilities
This section describes vulnerabilities to flooding in terms of population, property, and infrastructure, and provides a graphic representation of these vulnerabilities overlayed on FEMA floodplains. Low lying roads are especially vulnerable to flood hazards and serve critical access functions for residents and emergency responders. Floodplains in the City of Newark, as determined by FEMA, are mapped in Figure 2.5-2. As shown in Figure 2.5-2, most of Newark is in a minimal flood hazard area.
People
According to the Union City/Newark MJHMP, it was estimated that the flood impact on persons and households for the displaced population is 443 within the 1 percent annual chance of flood and 3,099 within 2 percent annual chance of flood, whereas the flood impact on people requiring short-term shelter is 390 within the 1 percent annual chance of flood and 2,865 within 2 percent annual chance of flood. As identified in Figure 2.8-1, the entire population of Newark is exposed to the risk of flooding. Flooding can impact communities by resulting in injury or death, or isolating individuals or families and cutting them off from essential services. Property damage from flooding can be particularly burdensome for low-income families or renters who may face challenges rebuilding or finding other housing following a flood event. Flooding also has the potential to result in mold in buildings, which can result in long-term health impacts following flooding.
Development, Critical Facilities, and Infrastructure
Per Office of Planning & Research (OPR) Guidelines, critical facilities are “facilities that either (1) provide emergency services or (2) house or serve many people who would be injured or killed in case of disaster damage to the facility. Examples include hospitals, fire stations, police or emergency service facilities, utilities, or communications facilities. Low-lying areas are vulnerable to dam inundation, especially transportation routes. This infrastructure includes all roads, railroads, and bridges in the flow path of water.
According to the effective 2009 FEMA Flood Insurance Study for Alameda County, the channels that flow through the City of Newark are affected at their outlets by the variation of tidal elevations in the San Francisco Bay. Thornton Avenue and the Southern Pacific Railroad embankments (walls or banks of earth built to prevent flooding) act as dikes to protect the City from high tides. The areas on the bay side of these dikes are subject to tidal flooding. The channels that flow under Thornton Avenue are cut off from the effects of tidal flooding by flap-gated culverts. These culverts are a major cause of flooding in the City of Newark at times of high water elevations of the Bay.
The Union City/Newark MJHMP estimated the flood loss potential to critical facilities exposed to the flood risk. The critical facility results showed that in the case of a flood event, facilities within flood risk areas would obtain enough damages to structures that would take an approximate 480 days to restore to 100 percent of their functionality.
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 FIGURE 2.5-2 FEMA Flood Zone Exposure Map
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 Roads
Roads are typically built above the flood level, and others function as levees to prevent flooding. Still, in severe flood events these roads can be blocked or damaged, preventing access to some areas. The following major roads in the Newark pass through the 1 percent annual chance floodplain (one percent chance of being flooded in every given year) and thus are exposed to flooding:
• State Route 84
• Interstate 880
• Thornton Avenue
• Union City Boulevard
• Alvarado Niles Road
• Mission Boulevard
Bridges
Flooding events can significantly impact road bridges, which act as the only ingress and egress to some neighborhoods. There are five bridges that are in or cross over the 1 percent annual flooding chance floodplain and 0.2 percent annual flooding chance floodplain. These are located on the west side of the city, mostly over creeks and on the northern boundary of the city over the Dumbarton Pier.
Water and Sewer Infrastructure
Water and sewer systems can be affected by flooding. Floodwaters can backup drainage systems, causing localized flooding. Culverts, those structure that channel water, can be blocked by debris from flood events, also causing localized urban flooding. Floodwaters can get into drinking water supplies, causing contamination.
Sewer systems can be backed up, causing wastewater to spill into homes, neighborhoods, rivers and streams.
Levees
Levees have historically been used to control flooding in bay-front portions of the City and these areas are susceptible to flooding caused by levee failure. Many are older earthen levees built under earlier flood management standards. Many of these older levees are exposed to erosion and failure due to age and construction methods. The Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District (ACFC&WCD) has jurisdiction over levee maintenance in Newark and has been evaluating their condition for FEMA certification. The evaluations include underground exploration, soil and stability testing, and operation and maintenance plans. Until FEMA certification is received, areas identified as flood prone are required to carry insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program.
Environment
Flooding is a natural event, and floodplains provide many natural and beneficial functions. Nonetheless, flooding can impact the environment in negative ways. Migrating fish can wash into roads or over dikes into flooded fields, with no possibility of escape. Pollution from roads, such as oil, and hazardous materials can wash into rivers and streams. During floods, these can settle on to normally dry soils, polluting them for agricultural uses. Human development such as bridge abutments and levees, and log jams from timber harvesting can increase streambank erosion, causing rivers and streams to migrate into non-natural courses.
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 City Capacity to Respond to Flooding
Given the proximity of waterways and flood control channels that are subject to flood hazards in the City of Newark, there are multiple responsible agencies and policy measures that have been put in place in order to make the City more resilient to flood hazards. The City works with Alameda County Flood Control, FEMA, the Army Corps of Engineers, Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC), and other state and federal agencies to assess and mitigate flood danger.
Local Regulations
Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District (ACFC&WCD) The Alameda County Flood Control and Water Conservation District’s flood management services focus on managing and coordinating projects intended to protect local communities from inundation by maintaining and clearing tributary channels and sponsoring capital improvements. This includes maintaining flood control systems, with channels following historic sloughs and former agricultural drainage channels. The ACFC&WCD has jurisdiction over levee maintenance in Newark and has been evaluating their condition since 2007 as it works toward FEMA levee accreditation.
City of Newark Municipal Code, Chapter 15.40
The City’s Building Code and stormwater management regulations also reduce the impacts of flood hazards. Chapter 15.40 of the City’s Municipal Code sets standards to minimize flood hazard risks, including anchoring and flood-proofing and a requirement that the lowest floor, including basements, is at or above the 100-year flood elevation. Newark does not allow development within the 100-year flood zone that is not elevated at least 1 foot above the flood elevation. The City requires non-residential development to be elevated at least 8 feet above mean high tide and 11.25 feet for residential development. In addition, the City also requires drainage studies for major development projects to ensure that such projects will not cause or worsen downstream flooding.
The City’s codes also require the use of materials and utility equipment that are resistant to flood damage.
Electrical, heating, ventilation, plumbing, air conditioning, and other building systems must be designed to avoid exposure to flooding. Water and sewer systems must also be designed to minimize or eliminate the potential for infiltration of floodwater. The City has adopted engineering standards and street design guidelines that further reduce the potential for flooding.
Federal
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
FEMA administers the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) to provide subsidized flood insurance to communities that comply with FEMA regulations limiting development in floodplains. FEMA issues Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) for Newark and other cities throughout the Bay Area. In addition, FEMA has been working with flood control agencies across the country on a levee accreditation program. Levee systems must meet minimum FEMA standards and must be maintained according to an officially adopted maintenance plan to achieve certification. Removal from the flood plain requires a formal Letter of Map Revision from FEMA, and relieves the owner(s) of the mandate to have flood insurance.
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022
2.6 Geologic and Seismic Hazards
Introduction
There are no active earthquake faults that pass through the City of Newark. However, the City is located in the Bay Area, which as a whole, is seismically active. Therefore, Newark is subject to the potential risks typically associated with earthquakes. The effects of an earthquake may take many forms depending on a number of factors, including
distance from the epicenter, the characteristics of the underlying soils, the presence of groundwater, and
topography. The City of Newark is primarily at risk for ground shaking, fault rupture, and liquefaction, as defined and described in this section. Other earthquake hazards, including landslides, subsidence, tsunamis, and seiches are not considered a risk in Newark (City of Newark 2013b).
Measuring Earthquakes
Magnitude is the size of the earthquake. An earthquake has a single magnitude. The shaking that it causes has many values that vary from location to location based on how far away the epicenter is and the type of surface material. The degree of shaking is dependent on the magnitude of the event, the duration of the event, the distance to the zone of rupture, and local geologic and soil conditions. Thus, an earthquake in Newark could have no permanent effect on the ground, or it could trigger slumping near water bodies or a loss of support capacity near structures. These important differences would be a function of local soil and groundwater conditions, rather than distance from the fault. A structure’s ability to withstand the magnitude of an earthquake often depends on when and where it was built, and whether it was built to seismic codes.
Table 2.6-1 lists the seven earthquake magnitude classes, which range from micro to great. A magnitude class of great can cause tremendous damage to infrastructure, compared to a micro class, which results in minor damage to infrastructure.
TABLE 2.6-1 Earthquake Magnitude Classes
Magnitude Class Magnitude (M) Range Description
Great M>8 Tremendous damage
Major 7<=M<7.9 Widespread heavy damage
Strong 6<=M<6.9 Severe damage
Moderate 5<=M<5.9 Considerable damage
Light 4<=M<4.9 Moderate damage
Minor 3<=M<3.9 Rarely causes damage
Micro M<3 Minor damage
SOURCE: United States Geological Survey (USGS) 2019.
An earthquake is the shaking of the ground
caused by an abrupt shift of rock along a fracture
in the earth or a contact zone between tectonic
plates. They often occur along geologic faults.
Faults are narrow zones where rock masses move
in relation to one another. Earthquakes result in
fault rupture, which occurs when movement on a
fault deep within the earth breaks through to the
surface, creating an offset in the ground as the two
sides of the fault slip past each other
The epicenteris the point on the Earth's surface
vertically above the focus point in the crust where
a seismic rupture begins.
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 Whereas the magnitude of an earthquake is one value that describes the size, intensity is used to measure ground shaking due to the earthquake event. There are many intensity values for each earthquake that are distributed across the geographic area around the earthquake’s epicenter. The United States uses the Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) Scale to measure intensity. The intense shaking from an earthquake can cause damage and lead to the collapse of buildings and structures. This ground shaking is measured on a scale ranging from I to X with shaking levels ranging from not felt to very violent. Intensity is the measure of shaking at each location, which varies from place to place depending mostly on the distance from the fault rupture area. Table 2.6-2 includes the description of the levels of MMI (for intensity). The lower numbers of the intensity scale generally relate to how people feel in an earthquake. The higher numbers of the scale are based on observed structural damage.
TABLE 2.6-2 Earthquake Intensity MMI Levels
MMI Intensity Description
I Not felt, except by a very few people under especially favorable conditions.
II Felt only by a few people at rest, especially on the upper floors of buildings.
III Noticeable by people indoors, especially on the upper floors of buildings, although it is not widely recognized as an earthquake. Parked vehicles may move slightly.
IV Felt indoors by many and felt outdoors by some. May awaken sleeping people. Dishes, windows, and doors disturbed. Parked vehicles move noticeably.
V Felt by almost everyone. Sleeping people awaken, and some dishes and windows broken. Unstable objects overturned, and pendulum clocks may stop.
VI Felt by everyone. Some heavy furniture moved, and some instances of falling plaster. Damage slight, although many people may be frightened.
VII Considerable damage in poorly built or badly designed structures, slight to moderate damage in well-built ordinary structures, and negligible damage in buildings of good design and construction. Some chimneys broken.
VIII Great damage in poorly built structures, considerable damage and partial collapse of well-built ordinary structures, and slight damage in specially designed structures. Chimneys, factory stacks, columns, monuments, and walls fall. Heavy furniture overturned.
IX Well-designed structures thrown out of plumb, considerable damage in specially designed structures.
Substantial buildings suffer great damage and partial collapse. Buildings shifted off foundations.
X Some well-built wood structures destroyed. Most masonry and frame structures and foundations destroyed. Rails bent.
XI Few if any masonry structures remain standing. Bridges destroyed and rails greatly bent.
XII Total damage. Lines of sight and level are distorted. Objects thrown into the air.
SOURCE: USGS (2019).
Local Conditions
The City of Newark is located within a seismically active region. Even though no known earthquake faults pass directly through Newark, an earthquake of moderate to high magnitude within the Bay Area could cause significant damage in the City. The City is located 2 miles west of the Hayward Fault, 9 miles east of the San Andreas Fault, and 13 miles west of the Calaveras Fault. Of these, the Hayward Fault is of most Packet Page No. 764
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 significant threat to the city; it lies closest to Newark and has not experienced a major earthquake since 1868. Figure 2.6-1 shows regional fault zones including the San Andreas, Calaveras, and Hayward faults, all of which are fault zones under the Alquist-Priolo Act (California Geological Survey 1994). The Hayward Fault runs along the most urbanized edge of the San Francisco Bay and is about 74 miles long.
Calaveras Fault. The Calaveras Fault is a major branch of the San Andreas Fault in the San Francisco Bay area. It is east of the Hayward Fault and extends 76 miles from the San Andreas Fault near Hollister to Danville at its northern end. The Calaveras Fault is one of the most geologically active and complex faults in the San Francisco Bay Area. The probability of a magnitude 6.7 or greater earthquake along the Calaveras Fault within the next 30 years is 26 percent (USGS 2003).
Hayward Fault. The Hayward Fault runs along the
foot of the East Bay hills, is approximately 45 miles
long and runs parallel to the San Andreas Fault. Its
last major earthquake with an estimated magnitude
of 6.8 occurred on October 21, 1868, destroying
downtown Hayward, causing damage throughout
the area, killing 5 people and injuring 30. It was
considered the "Great Earthquake" until 1906.
Scientists have been studying the past earthquakes
on the Hayward fault. They have found that the
most recent 5 major earthquakes happened on
average every 140 years. Since it has been more
than 144 years since the last major earthquake, it is
likely that the Hayward fault will rupture and
produce a significant earthquake within the next 30
years (UC Berkeley 2022). The probability of a
magnitude 6.7 or greater earthquake along the
Hayward Fault within the next 30 years is 33
percent (USGS 2003). The City of Newark is close
to the Hayward Fault and would therefore
experience significant impacts from an earthquake along this fault.
The Hayward fault runs through the East Bay hills from
San Jose through Richmond. Courtesy of UC Berkeley
(2022).
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 FIGURE 2.6-1 Earthquake Faults
San Andreas Fault. The San Andreas fault is considered
most likely to produce a large seismic event within the next 100 years. The San Andreas fault lies approximately 9 miles west of the City. Geologic evidence suggests that a major earthquake (7.5 to 8.5 magnitude) has a 50 percent chance of occurring within the next 30 years (USGS
2003). An earthquake of this magnitude is comparable to the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and has the potential for causing considerable damage in the Northern
California region.
The San Andreas Fault. Courtesy of California
Earthquake Authority (2022).
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 Ground Shaking
Ground shaking is a result of the energy created from an earthquake event as it moves out from the epicenter. The energy moves in waves that affect various rock and soil types
differently. In some instances, ground shaking may cause unconsolidated soils to settle and result in significant damage to buildings.
As listed above in Table 2.6-2, ground shaking is measured on a scale ranging from MMI level I to X. When it comes to the potential hazards related to ground shaking, most of the developed portions of Newark would experience “very strong” ground shaking (MMI level VIII) in a 6.9 Hayward Fault
earthquake, but some parts of the city would experience “violent” ground shaking (MMI level IX). Ground shaking levels are higher on the southern and western boundaries of the city.
Fault Rupture
Fault rupture refers to the actual ground surface tearing apart as a result of an earthquake, which typically occurs along a fault trace line. The effects of surface rupture may be mitigated by placing structures at a specified distance from the known fault trace. California has enforced regulations prohibiting the placement of structures over, or in close proximity to, a known fault trace through the implementation of the AlquistPriolo Act. This Act established earthquake fault zones in California. Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zones are made up of surface traces of active faults with a potential for future surface fault rupture. These zones have been established by the State Geologist, are mapped, and indicate an active fault within the zone.
The risk from fault rupture is considered very low in Newark, since there are no active faults within the City. Liquefaction as a post-secondary hazard resulting from an earthquake event is a greater risk given Newark’s soil characteristics and underlying geology. Liquefaction results from a loss of soil strength during earthquake vibrations. Soils that are most prone to liquefaction are loose, saturated, fine-grained sands with shallow groundwater. During an earthquake, such soils may lose strength and fail, causing damage to buildings, bridges, and other structures. Figure 2.6-2 shows there are no fault zones within the City of Newark with the closest being the Hayward Fault.
Unconsolidated soil is sediment that is
loosely arranged or not formed, or whose
particles are not cemented together,
found either at the ground surface or at
depth.
Fault trace line is the line where the
ground surface meets a fault, which is
also the line commonly plotted on
geologic maps to represent a fault.
Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zones
are regulatory zones surrounding the
surface traces of active faults in
California.
SOURCE: USGS (2022)
Packet Page No. 767
2. Safety Element
2.6 Geologic and Seismic Hazards
City of Newark General Plan 46 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 SOURCE: City of Newark (2013b)
FIGURE 2.6-2 Geologic and Seismic Hazards
Landslides
Landslides are masses of rock, earth, or debris that move down a slope. Landslides move along surfaces of separation by falling, sliding, and flowing, giving rise to many characteristic features. These features range from largely unweathered and uneroded, to highly weathered and eroded, which are only recognized by topographic layouts. Landslides are characteristically abundant in areas of high seismicity, steep slope, and high rainfall, and the following factors contribute to landslides:
• Type and structure of earth materials
• Steepness of slope
• Water
• Vegetation
• Erosion
• Earthquake-generated ground shaking
Packet Page No. 768
2. Safety Element
2.6 Geologic and Seismic Hazards
City of Newark General Plan 47 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 Landslides are most likely to occur in areas with a slope greater than 25 percent (hillside areas) and along steep bluffs. Newark is comparatively flat, sloping gently from 37 feet above mean sea level (msl) in the northeastern part of the city to 5 feet below sea level in the marshes near the Bay shoreline. There are no significant hills or steep slopes. The California Geological Survey’s Seismic Hazard Mapping Program reports no landslide hazard areas within the city. Figure 2.6-2 shows landslide zones in proximity to the city (City of Newark 2013b).
Liquefaction
Liquefaction is when loosely packed, water-logged sediments lose their strength and liquefy in response to strong shaking, causing major damage during earthquakes. Soil liquefaction can cause severe damage to property, including damaging pipes, compromising building foundations, and bucking roads and airport runways. The City of Newark could experience seismic shaking levels with the potential to cause liquefaction in areas where groundwater is generally shallower than 30 feet.
The California Department of Conservation (DOC) has evaluated liquefaction susceptibility for most of the City of Newark area. The entire City is considered a liquefaction hazard zone and is identified as having a potential for liquefaction, as shown in Figure 2.6-2.
As previously mentioned, liquefaction generally occurs during significant earthquake activity, and structures located on soils such as silt or sand may experience significant damage during an earthquake due to the instability of structural foundations and the moving earth. In some cases, this ground may be subject to liquefaction, depending on the depth of the water table. Buildings and their occupants are at risk when the ground can no longer support these structures. The level of risk varies from location-to-location, and can best be determined through site-specific geotechnical studies. Areas nearest to the bay, along sloughs, or on artificial fill, are generally considered more susceptible than other areas. Based on soil conditions and underlying geology, these areas may also be prone to more severe ground shaking in a major earthquake.
Past Geologic and Seismic Events
Although there are several faults around the vicinity of the City, Newark has never been severely impacted by an earthquake. However, there have been many recorded earthquakes in Alameda and Napa County, most below a magnitude of 3. According to the Union City/Newark Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan, the most intense earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.0 or greater that have taken place in Northern California between 1986 and 2014 are listed in Table 2.6-3. The last significant seismic event in the Union City/Newark vicinity was the 2014 Magnitude 6.0 earthquake that originated 6 miles southwest of Napa.
No significant seismic events in the Union City/Newark vicinity have been recorded since these two events.
Other significant earthquakes in California include the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco, the 1971 San Fernando Earthquake, and the 1994 Northridge earthquake. Recent earthquake events with a magnitude of
5.0 or greater within a100-mile radius of the Union City/Newark vicinity are listed in Table 2.6-3 and their locations are shown in Figure 2.6-3 (Newark Community Development Department 2017a).
Packet Page No. 769
2. Safety Element
2.6 Geologic and Seismic Hazards
City of Newark General Plan 48 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 TABLE 2.6-3 Earthquake Events with a Magnitude of 5.0 or Larger in Northern California Date Magnitude Epicenter Location
8/24/2014 6.0 South Napa Earthquake
10/31/2007 5.6 San Francisco Bay Area, California
5/14/2002 5 Northern California
9/3/2000 5 Northern California
4/18/1990 5.4 Northern California
10/18/1989 5.0 Northern California
10/18/1989 7.2 Northern California
6/13/1988 5 San Francisco Bay Area, California
3/31/1986 5.6 Northern California
SOURCE: Newark Community Development Department (2017a) Local Vulnerabilities
Population and Property
All people, property, and environments in the City of Newark could be exposed to direct and indirect impacts from earthquakes. In general, the resident population is less at risk during non-work hours (if at home) as wood-frame structures, which accounts for a majority of homes, are relatively less vulnerable to major structural damage than are typical commercial and industrial buildings. Transportation problems are intensified if an earthquake occurs during work hours, as significant numbers of employees would be stranded in the City. An earthquake occurring during work hours would create major transportation problems for those displaced workers.
Facilities and Infrastructure
According to the City’s Hazard Mitigation Plan, the most significant damage from earthquakes would be to buildings. Buildings vary in susceptibility, depending on construction types and the types of soils on which they are built. Earthquakes destroy power and telephone lines; gas, sewer, or water mains; which, in turn, may set off fires and/or hinder firefighting or rescue efforts. In 1986, the State required jurisdictions in earthquake hazard areas to inventory unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings and establish programs to reduce the risks associated with these buildings. URM buildings are brick, stone, or concrete structures without steel reinforcement. Newark surveyed its buildings after this law was passed and determined there were no URMs present. However, the City does have structures that fail to meet modern structural code standards and may be susceptible to earthquake damage. As appropriate, the City may require such buildings to be upgraded when applications for building permits or use permits are filed. Other hazards associated with earthquakes include shifting of homes off their foundations. This hazard can be minimized through earthquake bracing between the house frame and foundation.
Packet Page No. 770
2. Safety Element
2.6 Geologic and Seismic Hazards
City of Newark General Plan 49 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 SOURCE: Newark Community Development Department (2017b) FIGURE 2.6-3 Past Earthquake Events
If an earthquake were to occur, extensive federal assistance could be required and could continue for an extended period. Efforts would be required to remove debris and clear roadways, demolish unsafe structures, assist in reestablishing public services and utilities, and provide continuing care and welfare for the affected population, including temporary housing for displaced persons.
Packet Page No. 771
2. Safety Element
2.6 Geologic and Seismic Hazards
City of Newark General Plan 50 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 Emergency medical care, food, and temporary shelter would be required for injured or displaced persons.
Emergency operations could be seriously hampered by the loss of communications and damage to transportation routes within, and to and from, the disaster area and by the disruption of public utilities and services. The economic impact on the City from a major earthquake would be considerable in terms of loss of employment and loss of tax base. The loss of communications through power outages could seriously disrupt the operations of banks, insurance companies, and other elements of the financial community.
Environment
Earthquakes can cause secondary hazards such as flooding from dam failure or a triggered tsunami. It depends on where the earthquake event is located. As previously mentioned, the City of Newark is located in a soil liquefaction zone. Building and road foundations lose load-bearing strength and may sink, quicksand-like, into what was previously solid ground. Unless properly secured, hazardous materials can be released, causing significant damage to the environment and people.
Additionally, fires can result from gas lines or power lines that are broken or downed during an earthquake.
It may be difficult to control a fire, particularly if the water lines feeding fire hydrants are also broken. After the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco, for example, a fire burned for three days, destroying much of the city and leaving 250,000 people homeless (Newark Community Development Department 2017a).
City Capacity to Respond to Earthquake Hazards
An earthquake can strike suddenly, without warning and can occur at any time of the year and at any time of the day or night. There is currently no reliable way to predict the day or month that an earthquake will occur at any given location. In any earthquake, the primary consideration is saving lives. Time and effort must be given to reuniting families, providing shelter to the displaced persons, and restoring basic needs and services.
Research is being done with warning systems that use the low energy waves that precede major earthquakes.
These potential warning systems would give approximately 40 seconds notice that a major earthquake is about to occur. The warning time is very short but can enable protective actions such as:
• Citizens, including school children, drop, cover, and hold on; turn off stoves; and safely stop vehicles. • Business personnel move to safe locations, automated systems ensure that elevator doors open, production lines are shut down, and sensitive equipment is placed in a safe mode. • Surgeons, dentists, and others stop delicate procedures. • Emergency responders such as fire departments can open firehouse doors, and have personnel prepare and prioritize response decisions.
• Power infrastructure and grid facilities can be protected from strong seismic shaking.
In 2011, Newark voters approved Measure G, a bond measure that allocated $63 million for school renovation, including seismic upgrades to existing Newark Unified School District facilities. The City itself periodically evaluates the seismic safety of public buildings, including City Hall, to determine the need for structural improvements to improve earthquake safety. A priority is placed on locating new facilities in areas where safety, access, and operational capacity can be ensured during and after an earthquake.
Packet Page No. 772
2. Safety Element
2.6 Geologic and Seismic Hazards
City of Newark General Plan 51 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 The City of Newark works closely with Caltrans, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), and other utilities to seismically upgrade infrastructure. Caltrans is in the process of completing a major seismic upgrade of the Dumbarton Bridge and regularly inspects overpasses and other facilities to ensure their safety. The ACWD increased its rates in 2013 to fund a major seismic upgrade of its water mains and to replace aging pipelines in the Tri-City area. As of 2022, the ACWD 2022 Main Cleaning Underway program (2022 program) is underway to upgrading their water mains. Due to drought conditions, the 2022 program has been modified to reduce water use by about 50 percent (ACWD 2022). The Hetch Hetchy Aqueduct has been upgraded to improve earthquake reliability. While these projects will not entirely eliminate the potential for damage or service disruption, they will reduce the duration and extent of outages, enhance post-disaster fire-fighting capacity, and improve public safety.
The City of Newark uses its radio system, Radio 1610 AM, as well as AC Alert software service to broadcast and deliver important and timely information, including emergency messages and alerts, at no cost to the community. The AC alert is a Mass Notification System used by City and County agencies throughout Alameda County to quickly send emergency alerts via voice, text, or email to people who live, work in, or visit the County. AC Alert also messages Nixle subscribers, posting to social media pages, and sending FEMA Wireless Alerts (WEA). AC Alert is a primary source of information to the public in the event of a major disaster, such as an earthquake, flood, or fire (Alameda County 2019). This service could be used as a warning system during an earthquake event. Seconds and minutes of advance warning can allow people and systems to take actions to protect life and property from destructive shaking.
The City recommends that everyone be prepared to provide for their care and safety before and after an earthquake event through proper planning and preparedness. The City encourages residents and businesses to be prepared for an earthquake or other natural or major disaster by providing links to the Great Shakeout webpage on the Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC) website (https://www.shakeout.org/). The City instructs how to sign up for the AC Alert system (https://www.acgov.org/emergencysite/).
Plans, Policies, and Regulatory Environment
State and local laws have been adopted to reduce exposure to seismic hazards. The Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act was passed in 1972 to prevent the construction of buildings on top of active faults. Areas on either side of such faults are referred to as “Earthquake Fault Zones.” Since there are no known active faults in Newark, there are no designated Fault Zones in the city. In 1990, California adopted the Seismic Hazards Mapping Act to assess the potential for other types of earthquake hazards, including liquefaction. One of the purposes of the Act was to assist local governments with land use planning by mapping high hazard areas. Locally, the City requires site-specific soils reports and geotechnical evaluations as part of the approval process for major developments. The City further requires that recommendations from such reports be incorporated into project design. Newark has adopted additional regulations for grading to reduce the potential for erosion and to ensure the stability of filled areas.
Packet Page No. 773
2. Safety Element
2.6 Geologic and Seismic Hazards
City of Newark General Plan 52 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 Local Regulations
Alameda County Code Section 16.16.010
Along with the Seismic and Wind Structural design standards, the Alameda County Code includes requirements for design of planned development and retrofit facilities to be built in accordance with the applicable design standards in which the development or facility is located as well as the guidelines prepared by the county public works department.
Field Act
All school buildings in the City must meet the requirements of the Field Act, which was enacted on April 10, 1933, one month after the Long Beach Earthquake where many schools were destroyed or suffered major damage. Public school construction has been governed by the Field Act since 1933 and enforced by the Division of the State Architect (DSA). In any community, public schools constructed under the Field Act after 1978 are likely to be among the safest buildings in which to experience a major earthquake.
The Field Act requires school building plans to be prepared by qualified California licensed structural engineers and architects and for these designs and plans to be checked by the DSA. It also includes hiring qualified inspectors, architects and/or structural engineers independent of the contractors to continuously inspect construction and verify full compliance with plans, observe construction, make changes to plans, and prepare reports that are subject to approval by DSA.
State Regulations
2019 California Building Standards Code (CCR, Title 24) The California Building Code (CBC) incorporates standards that reduce exposure to seismic risks. The CBC, which has been adopted as part of the Newark Municipal Code, provides specific requirements for seismic safety, excavation, foundations, retaining walls, grading, and demolition. The 2019 California Code of Regulations (CCR), or the CBC, is a compilation of building standards, including materials requirements, construction methods, and maintenance standards for earthquake protection and resiliency. The 2019 CBC standards are based on building standards that have been adopted by State agencies without change from a national model code; building standards based on a national model code that have been changed to address particular California conditions; and building standards authorized by the California legislature, not covered by the national model code. The California Building Standards Commission (CBSC) oversees the Building Standards Law and the processes utilized for the development, adoption, approval, publication, and implementation of the California Building Codes (CBSC 2019).
Seismic and Wind Structural Design Standards
The California Building Code requires that each structure be assigned a Seismic Design Category which will be used in the structural design of the structure. There are six Seismic Design Categories listed A through F with “A” having the lowest vulnerability to earthquakes and “F” having the highest vulnerability to earthquakes. Assigning a Seismic Design Category to a structure involves the anticipated force of an earthquake in the general area of the structure, the soil type which will support the structure and the type of occupancy (City of Newark 2022).
Packet Page No. 774
2. Safety Element
2.7 Hazardous Materials
City of Newark General Plan 53 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022
2.7 Hazardous Materials
Introduction
A hazardous material includes substances that may
pose a threat to human health or the environment when
they are improperly handled, stored, transported, or
disposed (Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR)). Releases, leaks, or disposal of chemical
compounds within the City can lead to contamination of
surface water and underlying soil and groundwater.
Disturbance of a previously contaminated area through
grading or excavation operations could expose the
public to health hazards from physical contact with
contaminated materials or hazardous vapors.
This section defines and describes hazardous materials
in Newark, their risk to the community and the City’s
capacity to minimize risk.
Understanding Hazardous Materials &
Regulations
Hazardous wastes are the byproducts of various processes.
Hazardous materials are classified based on the form of hazard(s) they pose, namely flammable, combustible,
poisonous, and/or radioactive. For purposes of this section, the term “hazardous materials” refers to both hazardous substances and hazardous wastes. They include toxic metals, chemicals, gases, flammable and/or explosive materials, corrosive materials, infectious substances, and radioactive materials. In addition, hazardous materials found in the City may include household hazardous waste, which includes
byproducts of motor oil, gasoline, compressed gas tanks such as propane and oxygen, paints and solvents, household cleaners, drain openers, batteries, cleaners, and pesticides, all of which are potentially hazardous (EPA 2021b).
Since 1990, State law has required that hazardous waste be properly disposed of in approved hazardous waste treatment or disposal facilities. To accomplish this, treatment methods and facilities have been developed and approved to pre-treat hazardous waste before its final disposal.
Petroleum hydrocarbons are a broad range
of chemicals that comprise oil and products
refined from oil, such as gasoline and diesel.
An underground storage tank is defined by
the EPA as a tank and any underground
piping connected to the tank that has at least
10 percent of its combined volume
underground.
SOURCE: EPA (2021b)
Image Courtesy of the City of Newark 2013 General
Plan (City of Newark 2013b).
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2. Safety Element
2.7 Hazardous Materials
City of Newark General Plan 54 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 Local Conditions
Hazardous Materials in Newark
Newark has sizeable number of industries where hazardous materials are used, and a rail and freeway network on which hazardous materials are frequently transported. There are several independent agencies that monitor hazard sites and hazardous materials at the state and federal level, which include the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), or the U.S. EPA. As of February 2018, there were 146 listed facilities and sites in or near Newark (SWRCB 2018a; SWRCB 2018b; DTSC 2018a; DTSC 2018b; and EPA 2017). Figure 2.7-1 identifies the approximate locations of all these hazardous sites from the collective agency databases, including toxic release sites, permitted underground storage tanks, hazardous waste facilities, and hazardous waste cleanup sites. The figure identifies the approximate locations of clean-up sites in the City, which include sites that are being monitored by DTSC and SWRCB. Most chemical clean-up locations are located in the industrial areas along Willow Street, Central Avenue, Sycamore Street, and Cherry Street. Cleanup sites include the Newark Police Pistol Range, which is affected by lead concentrations in shallow soils. The hazardous facilities and documented hazardous sites in the City are also identified below under their respective monitoring agency.
California Department of Toxic Substances Control
The DTSC maintains the EnviroStor Data Management System, which provides information on hazardous waste storage and disposal facilities (both permitted and in need of action) as well as any available site clean-up information. According to the DTSC, there are approximately 9 hazadous waste storage facilities in the City. Of those 9 facilities, 8 facilities have been closed and require no further remediation action and one site is operating under a permit (DTSC 2018a and DTSC 2018b).
California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB)
The State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) oversees the statewide Underground Storage Tank (UST) Program, which is aimed at protecting public health and safety and the environment from releases of petroleum and other hazardous substances from underground tanks. GeoTracker is the SWRCB’s internet-accessible database system used by regional boards and local agencies to track and archive compliance data from authorized or unauthorized discharges of waste to land, or unauthorized releases of hazardous substances from USTs as well as any available site clean-up information. According to GeoTracker, there are 16 permitted UST facilities in the City (SWRCB 2018a). In addition, the SWRCB identified 96 clean-up sites (LUST clean-up and Cleanup program sites). Of the 96 clean-up sites, 11 sites are open and undergoing monitoring, 17 are undergoing site assessment, 9 are being remeditated, 49 are closed, 4 are eligible for closure, or are in the process of being closed down, 2 are inactive (closed down or cleaned up), and 4 are active (SWRCB 2018b).
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2. Safety Element
2.7 Hazardous Materials
City of Newark General Plan 55 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 FIGURE 2.7-1 Hazardous Materials Sites
Packet Page No. 777
2. Safety Element
2.7 Hazardous Materials
City of Newark General Plan 56 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
The EPA Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) is a database that tracks the management of certain toxic chemicals, including storage and disposal, that may pose a threat to human health and the environment.
Nationwide, industrial facilities that handle hazardous materials must annually report on how much of each toxic chemical is recycled, combusted for energy recovery, treated for destruction, and disposed of or otherwise released on- and off- the industrial site. The EPA TRI lists two sites in Newark, including Safety Kleen, Inc. located at 6880 Smith Avenue and Smart Modular Technologies, located at 39870 Eureka Drive.
Safety Kleen, Inc. is a facility that either stores and disposes petroleum and Smart Modular Technologies stores and disposes of computers and eletronic products (EPA 2017).
Past Hazardous Waste Spills
The Cal OES Spill Release Archive Files contain spreadsheet files that list all spills reported to the CalOES Warning Center for a specific year. In 2016, there were 13 reportable hazardous materials releases within Newark and Union City (Newark Community Development Department 2017a). In 2021, there were four reportable hazardous materials releases in Newark. As of 2022, there has been one spill reported by the Newark Police Department of petroleum spilled into waterways on March 5, 2022 (Cal OES 2022a).
Local Vulnerabilities
Population and Property
Hazardous materials pose a significant long-term risk and threat to public health and safety, property and the environment. Hazardous materials also pose a risk to emergency response personnel. Many of the City’s industries produce, use, and store hazardous materials. As such, communities and neighborhoods near hazardous materials sites are the most vulnerable. In the City of Newark, industrial areas known to have potential hazardous material are found along Willow Street, Central Avenue, Sycamore Street, and Cherry Street and, in certain instances, are adjacent to residential neighborhoods (see Figure 2.7-1). Public safety issues involve not only the use of these materials in populated areas but also the transportation and disposal of chemicals and other hazardous substances through the City. Two major freeways, Interstate 880 (Nimitz Freeway) and State Route 84 (Dumbarton Freeway), and the urban arterials carry traffic transporting hazardous materials. The locations of these routes are to be periodically revisited, as a number of them pass through areas planned for future residential development (Newark Community Development Department 2017a).
Two rail lines owned by Union Pacific Railroad traverse the City of Newark and also carry hazardous materials. The Union Pacific Railroad routes 142 freight trains a week through the City and includes two subdivision lines off the main line: These transportation routes carry a variety of materials, such as methanol and/or petroleum, that could pose health risks to City residents in the event of an accident. The possibility of such an occurrence may be relatively higher in the Newark than other cities given the extent of freeway and railroad traffic that passes through and the concentration of manufacturing uses in the area.
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2. Safety Element
2.7 Hazardous Materials
City of Newark General Plan 57 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 Facilities and Infrastructure
All residential neighborhoods in the City of Newark that are located in or within the vicinity of industrial areas known to have potential hazardous material (including industrial areas along Willow Street, Central Avenue, Sycamore Street, and Cherry Street) are physically vulnerable to a hazard caused by release of hazardous materials due to their proximity to hazardous materials sites. Critical facilities and infrastructure that may be at risk are those that are essential to the health and welfare of the population, such as schools, senior centers, residences, hospitals and emergency operations centers. Critical infrastructure that could be at risk includes the roads and bridges that provide ingress and egress and allow emergency vehicles access to those in need, and the utilities that provide water, electricity and communication services to the community. Also included are facilities and railroads which hold or carry significant amounts of hazardous materials with a potential to impact public health and welfare in a hazard event.
Transmission Pipelines
Gas and hazardous liquid transmission pipelines could also be at risk. Approximately 300,000 miles of gas transmission pipelines and 170,000 miles of hazardous liquid pipelines move their products throughout the United States every day. Transmission pipelines connect urban areas, and only occasionally traverse highly populated areas. Nearly all distribution pipelines, however, are concentrated in highly populated areas.
Distribution pipelines serve homes and businesses and thus are located where people work and live. In the City of Newark, there are 131 miles of under-road pipelines.
There are also two large (20- and 30-inch) PG&E-owned and -operated high-pressure gas lines running through Newark along Central Avenue and along the northern boundary of the city. Figure 2.7-1 shows the PG&E pipelines in or near the City. Because of a gas explosion in San Mateo County in 2010, PG&E is reviewing the safety of these lines and others. Moving forward, continued steps should be taken to ensure the long-term safety of the gas pipelines running through the city (Newark Community Development Department 2017a).
Environment
Hazardous materials releases can occur during emergency events such as flooding, dam failure, levee failure, and earthquake events. Hazardous materials spills can be a secondary hazard of flooding if storage tanks rupture and spill into streams, rivers, or storm sewers. Dam and levee failures can cause environmental incidents due to hazardous materials releases when floodwaters infiltrate storage facilities.
Hazardous materials releases can occur during earthquakes from hazardous waste handling facilities or transportation-related incidents. Transportation corridors can be disrupted during an earthquake, leading to the release of materials to the surrounding environment. Facilities holding hazardous materials are of particular concern because of possible isolation of neighborhoods surrounding them. During an earthquake, structures storing these materials could rupture and leak into the surrounding area or an adjacent waterway, having a disastrous effect on the environment.
Additionally, the storage and use of hazardous materials by commercial and industrial occupancies increase the risk of fire and pose a threat to firefighters and the community. Certain materials have been designated by the National Fire Protection Academy as flammable and combustible, such as propane or petroleum; if a wildfire ignites a building or container with these materials, it increases the severity and damage associated with the fire.
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2. Safety Element
2.7 Hazardous Materials
City of Newark General Plan 58 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 City Capacity to Respond to Hazardous Materials
The clean-up of previously contaminated sites is a priority to the city, both to improve environmental quality and reduce the risk of future exposure. The threat of an accident or spill requires precautions and emergency response plans, which are in place in Newark through collaboration with the Alameda County Fire Department Hazardous Materials Unit and incorporation with the Alameda County emergency operations plan. All potential first responders and follow-on emergency personnel must be properly trained to the level of emergency response actions required of their individual position at the response scene.
This section identifies local, County and State programs that assist with the identification and disposal of hazardous materials and the clean-up of hazardous materials sites.
Local Programs
The City encourages residents to properly dispose of household hazardous waste. The City partners with StopWaste.Org, an organization whose mission is to help Alameda County’s businesses, residents, and schools waste less, recycle properly, and use water, energy, and other resources efficiently (StopWaste 2022). In addition, the City educates residents about the safe use and storage of household hazardous waste and its rules and regulations for waste disposal. Residents are often unaware of the potential damage these substances cause when they are disposed in the trash, poured on the ground, or dumped down an indoor or outdoor drain. Household hazardous wastes must be safely disposed in designated facilities. The facility closest to Newark is located just outside the city in Fremont.
In addition, Newark has adopted two emergency response plans; the Emergency Operations Plan and the Chemical Emergency Preparedness Supporting Plan. The City has also designated an Emergency Operations Center so that citywide emergencies can be dealt with effectively from a central location as well as a Disaster Council comprised of the Mayor, City Manager, department heads, and representatives of schools and utilities, to discuss disaster preparedness. Disaster planning efforts are also coordinated with the cities of Fremont, Hayward, and Union City to maximize mutual aid response (City of Newark 2013b).
County Programs
The City coordinates with the Alameda County Department of Environment Health (ACDEH), who is the Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) for Newark. The ACDEH has developed a Hazardous Waste Management Plan. The ACDEH coordinates and enforces environmental protection and hazardous material management, handling, and storage programs from the local to the federal level.
These programs include the Hazardous Materials Business Plan (HMBP) Program; Hazardous Waste Generator Program; and California Accidental Release Program. Other County programs applicable to Newark include an underground storage tank program, an above ground storage tank program, a tiered permitting program, and a risk management program. In addition to the ACDEH, the City works with the Alameda County Fire Department (ACFD) in requiring hazardous materials users and generators to store and handle hazardous materials in accordance with best management practices (BMPs) to identify safety procedures for responding to accidental spills and emergencies. Fire codes, which are enforced by the ACFD, also address the handling of hazardous materials, and the Newark Municipal Code requires Hazardous Materials Storage Permits. With respect to the freeways and railroad, the City has less control Packet Page No. 780
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City of Newark General Plan 59 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 over such activities due to the interstate nature of this traffic. Communication with state and federal regulatory agencies is critical to reduce the risk of accidents and ensure that response to transportationrelated hazardous materials incidents is immediate and effective. In the event of a hazmat incident in Newark, the ACFD has a Hazardous Materials Unit that would provide the initial response.
The Alameda County Water District addresses hazardous materials as they relate to the potential contamination of groundwater. The San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board (RWQCB) monitors hazardous materials issues relating to urban runoff and stormwater. Construction plans that disturb 1 acre of soil or more require that a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) be filed with the RWQCB. The SWPPP includes hazardous materials discharge regulations, sediment and erosion control measures, and detailed construction schedules. The RWQCB is also involved in clean-up oversight on some of these sites and serves as a lead agency on many cases involving chemical compound (City of Newark 2013b). The clean-up of contaminated sites will create new opportunities for development in the city.
State Programs and Agencies
At the State level, the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) and the DTSC manage lists of hazardous wastes subject to regulation. Both agencies also track the location of sites requiring hazardous material clean up to ensure safe future development. The California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) also monitors activities involving hazardous material within the State. CalEPA oversees implementation of the program and agencies involved in the program are known as the Certified Unified Program Agency, or CUPA. The Alameda County Department of Environment Health (ACDEH) is the CUPA for pollution prevention in all areas of Newark. The Department of Industrial Relations' Division of Occupational Safety and Health Administration, better known as Cal OSHA, was established under the California Code of Regulations, Title 8, to serve as an organization that oversees policies for workplace safety, including exposure to hazardous materials. The California Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) prepares hazardous materials release response plans and assists local government in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery.
Plans, Policies, and Regulatory Environment
The transport of hazardous materials is closely regulated in Newark. The City has jurisdiction over transportation on local streets, while the freeways and railroad are largely under the jurisdiction of state and federal agencies, including Caltrans. This section identifies the local, county, state, and federal agencies, plans, and programs that the City is either involved in or has local programs and plans for the regulation of hazardous materials storage, use, and disposal.
Local
Chemical Emergency Preparedness Supporting Plan
The Chemical Emergency Preparedness Supporting Plan establishes standard operating procedures for city staff when responding to a chemical spill or other hazardous materials incidents in the city.
Packet Page No. 781
2. Safety Element
2.7 Hazardous Materials
City of Newark General Plan 60 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 Hazardous Materials Business Plan
The ACDEH monitors businesses that use hazardous materials. Those business using or producing hazardous materials and waste are required to prepare a Hazardous Materials Business Plan (HMBP) for how to store, transport, and properly dispose of these materials. The HMBP must include a complete inventory of all materials that are handled by type, quantity, storage conditions, and routes of transport.
Each Plan assesses the potential hazards associated with the materials and the steps to be taken to minimize risks. The Plan identifies actions to be taken in the event of a spill, identifies a responsible person for the facility, and includes any other data determined necessary to ensure public health and safety. The HMBP also addresses the methods for storing hazardous materials, including the design of storage tanks, containment facilities, and handling practices.
City of Newark Municipal Code
The City’s Municipal Code, under the Hazardous Materials Storage Permit Chapter, establishes standards for the prevention and control of hazardous materials discharge. These standards require all applicants for a Hazardous Materials Storage Permit to provide a hazardous materials management plan, or a Hazardous Materials Business Plan (HMBP). The plan must report any and all unauthorized hazardous materials discharges and regular inspections, identify emergency procedures at hazardous materials storage sites, and describe maintenance and safe upkeep of hazardous materials facilities, and identify hazardous material clean-up responsibility.
State
California Environmental Protection Agency
The California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) and the State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) establish rules governing the use of hazardous materials and the management of hazardous waste.
CalEPA protects Californians from hazardous waste and hazardous materials by ensuring that local regulatory agencies consistently apply statewide standards when they issue permits, conduct inspections, and engage in enforcement activities. This program is known as the Unified Program, which is a consolidation of multiple environmental and emergency management programs. The CalEPA Unified Program was established by Senate Bill 1082 which requires a unified hazardous waste and hazardous materials management program. The Unified Program consolidates the requirements, permits, inspections, and enforcement activities of environmental and emergency response programs. State agencies responsible for these programs create the standards and the local government implements them.
California Department of Toxic Substance Control
Within CalEPA, the DTSC has primary regulatory responsibility of monitoring safe handling, clean-up, and disposing of hazardous materials, with delegation of enforcement to local jurisdictions that enter into agreements with the state. The DTSC manages hazardous materials and the generation, transport and disposal of hazardous waste. This authority comes from the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and the California Health and Safety Code. The RCRA has a national program database (RCRA Info), where hazardous waste information is contained regarding management and inventory about Packet Page No. 782
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 hazardous waste handlers. In general, entities that generate, transport, treat, store, and dispose of hazardous waste are required to provide information about their activities to state environmental agencies, such as regional and national EPA offices. This is governed by the RCRA, as amended by the Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments of 1984. According to the Union City/Newark Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan, there are 101 facilities in Newark identified in the RCRA Info database.
State Water Resources Control Board
The State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) and nine regional water quality control boards (RWQCBs) are responsible for making sure businesses comply with the federal Clean Water Act and the Porter‐Cologne Act of 1969. The Porter‐Cologne Act is California’s law that protects water quality. Along with the SWRCB and RWQCBs, water quality protection is the responsibility of numerous water supply and wastewater management agencies, as well as city and county governments, and requires the coordinated efforts of these various entities. Individual RWQCBs are responsible for identifying, monitoring, and cleaning up leaking underground storage tanks (LUSTs). LUSTs are an important threat to groundwater and pose a potential threat to human health, safety, and the environment. The San Francisco RWQCB’s UST clean-up unit provides technical and regulatory oversight for the investigation and clean-up of sites with leaks from USTs.
Regional Water Quality Control Board
The RWQCB develops and enforces water quality objectives and implementation plans that protect beneficial uses of the State’s waters. The City of Newark is located within the jurisdiction of the San Francisco Bay Region RWQCB, the primary regulatory agency for stormwater discharges and for sites that impact or have the potential to impact the quality of surface or groundwater.
Aboveground Petroleum Act
The Aboveground Petroleum Act (APSA), regulates facilities that have a combined aboveground petroleum storage capacity of 1,320 gallons or more. These facilities typically include large petroleum tank facilities, aboveground fuel tank stations, and vehicle repair shops with aboveground petroleum storage tanks. The Act does not regulate non-petroleum products. Facilities with total petroleum storage quantities at or above 10,000 gallons are inspected at least once every 3 years by a CUPA.
Federal
The EPA sets national standards for hazardous materials management. The EPA also controls the generation, handling, transportation, treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste. The Clean Water Act governs hazardous material discharges into bodies of water. Other federal agencies with jurisdiction over hazardous materials include the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which ensures safe working conditions, and the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT), which regulates the transportation of hazardous materials.
The EPA is the agency primarily responsible for the enforcement and implementation of federal laws and regulations pertaining to hazardous materials. The EPA works closely with other federal agencies, State and local governments, and Indian tribes to develop and enforce regulations under existing environmental laws. The EPA is responsible for researching and setting national standards for a variety of environmental Packet Page No. 783
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 programs and delegates to states and tribes responsibility for issuing permits, and monitoring and enforcing compliance. The EPA holds the TRI database as a resource for learning about toxic chemical releases and pollution prevention activities reported by industrial and federal facilities.
Prior to August 1992, the EPA was the principal agency at the federal level regulating the generation, transport, and disposal of hazardous waste, under the authority of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). As of August 1, 1992, however, the EPA authorized transfer of authority to implement the State’s hazardous waste management program to the DTSC. The EPA continues to regulate hazardous substances under CERCLA. Under CERCLA, the EPA has authority to seek the parties responsible for releases of hazardous substances and ensure their cooperation in site remediation. CERCLA also provides federal funding (the “Superfund”) for remediation.
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2.8 Wildfire Hazards
Introduction
A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire occurring on undeveloped land that requires firefighting efforts.
Wildfires can be ignited by natural causes such as lightning and severe weather, increased fuels that are exacerbated by drought conditions, or by human-caused activity such as smoking, campfires, downed powerlines, equipment use, and arson. Wildfire can be further exacerbated by severe weather, such as wind, extreme heat, and drought conditions.
This section will illustrate existing environmental conditions that influence wildfire hazards in and around Newark, will characterize wildfire hazards in the City of Newark and surrounding Alameda County, and will provide maps and graphics showing the areas where the community is most vulnerable to wildfire hazards, including critical facilities and infrastructure that will increase capacity in the event of a fire hazard.
Wildfire Protection Responsibilities in California
In California, local, state, tribal, and federal organizations all have legal and financial responsibility for wildfire protection. To address wildfire jurisdictional
responsibilities, in 1981 the California State Legislature outlined various wildfire responsibility areas and their responsible jurisdictions, described in Table 2.8-1. In Newark and surrounding communities in Alameda County,
the most prominent of these responsibilities include Federal Responsibility Areas (FRAs), State Responsibility Areas (SRAs), and Local Responsibility Area (LRAs)
TABLE 2.8-1 Wildfire Responsibility Areas Defined
Responsibility Area Definition Responsible Agencies
Federal Responsibility
Areas (FRAs)
FRAs are fire-prone wildland areas that are owned or
managed by a federal agency such as the U.S. Forest
Service, National Park Service, Bureau of Land
Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, or U.S.
Department of Defense
Fire protection for developed private
property is usually not the responsibility
of the federal land management agency;
structural protection responsibility is that
of a local government agency.
State Responsibility
Areas (SRAs)
SRAs are defined as lands that:
• Are County unincorporated areas,
• Are not federally owned,
• Have wildland vegetation cover rather than
agricultural or ornamental plants,
• Have row crops or seasonal crops, such as, or
• Have watershed, range, or forage values
SRAs are lands where the California
Department of Forestry and Fire
Protection (CAL FIRE) has legal and
financial responsibility for wildfire
protection
Local Responsibility
Areas (LRAs)
LRAs include land in cities, cultivated agriculture
lands, unincorporated urbanized areas, and lands
that do not meet the criteria for SRA or Federal
Responsibility Areas (FRAs)
LRA fire protection is typically provided by
city or county fire departments, fire
protection districts, or by CAL FIRE under
contract to local governments
Fire Hazard Severity Zones Defined
California law requires CAL FIRE to identify
areas in the State based on the severity of
fire hazard that is expected to occur there.
These areas, or “severity zones,” are based
on factors such as fuel, slope and fire
weather (CAL FIRE 2021).
There are three zones, based on increasing
fire hazard: medium, high, and very high.
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 Local Conditions
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) has mapped areas at risk of fires around the state and has determined that the majority of Newark is neither in a State High Fire Severity Area (SRA), nor a Local Very High Severity Area (LRA). This means that the City of Newark is subject to local development and wildfire protection regulations with respect to wildfire, such as defensible space and setback requirements, rather than CAL FIRE regulations. The areas located to the immediate south of Newark city limits, adjacent to the San Francisco Bay and the Dumbarton Bridge, are mapped as being within a Federal Responsibility Areas (FRA). As of 2022, these lands are used for salt harvesting, refining, and production activities and therefore have few buildings that are vulnerable to wildfires.
Past Wildfire Events
Although there are no areas within Newark city limits that are mapped within State wildfire hazard severity zones that are defined by the CAL FIRE, Alameda County and the greater San Francisco Bay Area have historically been susceptible to wildfire events. In Alameda County, there are four major factors that contribute to historic wildfire events (Diablo Fire Safe Council 2005). These factors include:
• Occurrence of Diablo winds
• Fire weather and fire behavior
• Vegetation density and diversity
• Development in the Wildland Urban Interface (WUI)
According to the 2021 Alameda County Local Hazard
Mitigation Plan, Alameda County has experienced 221 wildfires since record keeping began 70 years ago (Alameda County Draft Local Hazard Mitigation Plan 2021). Of these historical fires, two were declared by FEMA as major disaster events. These major wildfire events resulted in hundreds of acres burned, billions of dollars in damage to property, numerous injuries, and several deaths. These two events were approximately 30 miles from Newark and are listed below in Table 2.8-2.
TABLE 2.8-2 FEMA Fire Emergencies in Alameda County
FEMA Fire Name Event Date Location Description
DR-295
(Buckingham/
Norfolk Fire)
September 29,
1970
Six Northern California
Counties, including
Alameda County
37 homes destroyed, 21 homes damaged, 204 acres
burned
DR-919 (Oakland
Hills Fire)
October 20–29,
1991
Alameda County –
Oakland Hills
$1.7 billion in losses. Burned 1,520 acres, destroyed
3,354 homes and 456 apartments, injured 150 people
and took the lives of 25 people
SOURCE: FEMA (2016); Union City – Newark Multi Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan (2017) While there was no loss of life or property recorded as a result of these events, future wildfire events affect Newark residents through secondary hazard events, such as poor air quality as a result of wildfire smoke.
Diablo Winds
Diablo Winds are very dry, strong winds that
originate east of the San Francisco Bay Area
region and usually occur a few days per year
(approx. 0 to 7), often in early fall. (Diablo
FireSafe Council 2005).
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 Local Vulnerabilities
Although the City of Newark is in a mostly urban setting and is not as susceptible to wildlife hazards as other surrounding communities, the City and the greater Alameda County are still vulnerable to wildfire impacts and secondary impacts from wildfires because they are located close to communities containing development within the Wildland Urban Interface and are mapped as being within State and Local Fire Hazard Severity Zones. Fires can result in property loss and damage and can displace large communities.
Fires can result in wider community wide impacts such as evacuations, power outages, economic losses, road and school closures, losses of biodiversity and natural environment, and disruptions to recreational activities.
Fires within and near the City of Newark specifically are influenced by the following factors: ignition sources, weather, and topography. The risk of the ignition and spread of wildfire will likely increase in the future due to climate change as the result of warming temperatures, the increased severity of drought and resultant dry fuels, increased development, and the potential for severe wind events, such as the occurrence of Diablo Winds.
This section describes vulnerabilities to wildfire in terms of population, property, and infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, and utility lines, and provides a map showing these in relationship to the CalFire Wildfire Hazard Severity Zones.
Population
While there are no wildfire severity zones mapped within Newark city limits, the Union City – Newark MJHMP estimates that there are approximately 5,100 residents that reside in the WUI that is within the City’s sphere of influence but outside of Newark City limits. This accounts for approximately 3.2 percent of the population of Newark and was estimated using demographic data from the California Department of Finance.
As shown in Table 2.8-3, 2,500 people reside in areas mapped as Moderate Wildfire Hazard Severity Zones, 2,578 people reside in High Wild Severity Zones and there are no people that reside in Very High Wildfire Hazard Severity Zones. There have been no recorded incidents of loss of life from wildfires in Newark.
TABLE 2.8-3 Newark Wildfire Population Exposure
Population Count by Wildfire Hazard Severity Zone Population Exposed Very High 0 0.0%
High 2,578 3.5%
Moderate 2,500 3.4%
SOURCE: Newark Community Development Department 2017a; CAL FIRE 2021 Packet Page No. 787
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 Critical Facilities and Infrastructure
Per the State’s Office of Planning and Research Guidelines, critical facilities are facilities that either:
(1) provide emergency services; or (2) house or serve many people who would be injured or killed in case of disaster damage to the facility. Examples include hospitals, fire stations, police or emergency service facilities, utilities, or communications facilities. In the City of Newark, there are zero critical facilities within State or Local Fire Hazard Severity zones.
Further, linear infrastructure, such as roads and railroads, are normally not susceptible to fire damage.
However, fires can create conditions that can prevent roads from being used, thereby isolating residents and preventing emergency service providers from responding. Similarly, communication towers also increase capacity in the event of a wildfire. Vulnerable development and critical facilities, as described, are shown in Figure 2.8-1.
City Capacity to Respond to Wildfires
The ACFD provides all-risk emergency and non-emergency services to the unincorporated areas of Alameda County, the cities of San Leandro, Dublin, Newark, and Union City, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
This unit covers a large geographic region, providing emergency services to a population of 384,000 encompassing an area of roughly 506 square miles. Services are provided by a staff of 405 personnel working out of 28 fire stations.
There are three Alameda County Fire Stations within the Newark city limits and serve the City of Newark, including Alameda County Fire Department Stations 27, 28, and 29. In addition to fire suppression services, the Alameda County Fire Department provides residents resources for emergency preparedness.
Relevant Plans and Policies
Local Regulations
Alameda County Fire Department’s Fire & Emergency Services Strategic Business Plan 2010–2017
The Alameda County Fire Department provides fire suppression services to the City of Newark and greater unincorporated Alameda County. The Fire & Emergency Services Strategic Business Plan 2010–2017 (ACFD 2010) is a document that is intended to be regularly updated in order to provide clear internal direction, priorities, and outlines initiatives to ensure that the Department provides services with maximum efficiency and accountability. These initiatives include topics related to staffing, training, internal communications and management, marketing, finance, and sustainability. Regular evaluation and updates of this plan will help the Alameda County Fire Department provide efficient and timely service to residents across the Department’s service area, including the City of Newark.
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 FIGURE 2.8-1 Newark Fire Hazard Severity Zones and Vulnerable Facilities Packet Page No. 789
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 Law Enforcement and Crime Prevention Services
The Newark Police Department (NPD) provides police protection services to the City of Newark from its police headquarters, located at 37077 Newark Boulevard, as shown in Figure 2.9-1, below. The NPD runs two divisions and staff consists of 50 sworn officers (although 58 is full staffing), including one chief, two captains, three lieutenants, eight sergeants, and 36 officers. Additionally, NPD staff includes 28 professional staff employees. The Department's current ratio of officers to population is approximately 1.0 per thousand residents..
As previously mentioned, the NPD runs two Divisions: Field Operations and Support Services. Field Operations is the larger of the two divisions and includes patrol, detectives, southern alameda county major crimes task force detectives, school resource officer, honor guard, swat, crisis negotiations, emergency preparedness, k9, traffic, animal control, and vehicle abatement. The Support Services Division is responsible for professional standards and training, records, communications, property and evidence, internal affairs, and community engagement.
In addition, the NPD has internet resources for residents such as a “Police Crime Reports & Statistics” webpage listing website links to mapping systems, copies of filed police reports, and link to a uniform crime reporting (UCR) system. The mapping system allows users to search by date of crime or by location and lists missing persons, stolen vehicles, and public information regarding individuals arrested by the NPD.
The system also gives users the option of submitting their contact information to receive email alerts containing information regarding crimes, wanted persons, missing persons and/or stolen vehicles. The mapping system is available from the NPD website (https://npd.crimegraphics.com/2013/default.aspx) (NPD n.d.). The UCR program is a nationwide cooperative effort that includes approximately 18,000 city, university and college, county, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies that voluntarily report data on crimes. The UCR is used to assess and monitor the nature and type of crimes in the nation. The goal of the UCR is to generate information for use in law enforcement administration (NPD 2022b).
The Department also offers a free Citizen Police Academy to teach residents about day-to-day law enforcement and crime prevention operations (City of Newark 2022b). The academy has a goal to increase awareness of effective policing and to create a community partnership that improves communication by developing a better understanding of the officer and citizen role in the community.
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022
2.9 Emergency Preparedness and Resilience
Introduction
Emergency preparation is key to the
safety of a community in the event of
a disaster. Emergency situations can
arise from natural disasters such as
earthquakes, floods, and fires, or
human-caused events like terrorist
attacks, hazardous materials spills,
security incidents, or train accidents.
This section defines the levels that
hazards can occur in, and identifies
and describes the systems,
organizations, policies, and programs
that the City of Newark has in place
to respond to emergencies and ensure
the safety and wellbeing of its
residents. Emergency preparedness
infrastructure (emergency response facilities, community gathering spaces, and emergency evacuation routes) as well as a strong communication and response network aid with the City’s ability to address multiple hazards and build community resilience broadly.
Contrast Between Incidents, Emergencies, and Disasters
It is important to understand the difference between incidents, emergencies, and disasters as these terms are often used interchangeably by different organizations.
Incident
An incident is occurrence or event, either human-caused or caused by natural phenomena, that requires action by emergency response personnel to prevent or minimize loss of life or damage to property and/or natural resources. Examples of incidents include protests or demonstrations, sink holes, structural fires, or downed utility lines.
Emergency
An emergency is an incident that requires more than one City department or discipline and require substantial City resources to mitigate. Examples of emergencies include river flooding, earthquakes, or major fires.
Disaster
A disaster is a calamitous emergency event bringing great damage, loss, or destruction with long-term recovery activities. Disasters may occur with little or no advance warning (e.g., an earthquake or a flash flood), or they may develop from one or more incidents (e.g., a major brush fire). Long-term recovery issues are often associated with disasters.
Alameda County Fire Department responding to massive fire burns at a recycling center in Newark on Friday, June 8, 2016. Courtesy of abc7 Website media.
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 City Capacity to Respond to Emergencies and Build Resilience The City of Newark and the ACFD work collaboratively to reduce exposure to hazards, implement training programs for residents, and ensure effective response and quick recovery following an incident. Newark also has a designated Disaster Council comprised of the Mayor, City Manager, department heads, and representatives of schools and utilities, to discuss disaster preparedness. The City builds its resilience to crime through its participation in mutual aid agreements for disaster planning and through the urban planning design process of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED). Disaster planning efforts are coordinated with the cities of Fremont, Hayward, and Union City to maximize mutual aid response.
Alameda County Fire Department
The ACFD provides all emergency and non-emergency services to the unincorporated areas of Alameda County, the cities of Newark, San Leandro, Dublin, and Union City, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. In addition, the ACFD also includes three specialized response teams, which include the:
• Hazardous Materials Unit
• Urban Search and Rescue Unit
• Water Rescue Team Unit
This fire department covers a large geographic region, providing emergency services to a population of 384,000 over an area of roughly 506 square miles. Services are provided by a staff of 405 personnel working out of 28 fire stations.
The ACFD has allocated nine captains, nine engineers, nine firefighters, one deputy fire marshal, and one code compliance officer to the City of Newark. In addition, the city is responsible for filling positions that are shared with the ACFD, including fire chief, deputy fire chiefs, division chiefs, battalion chiefs and administrative staff. The daily minimum staffing is 3 captains, 3 engineers, and 3 firefighters. There are also at least 9 paramedics and 18 emergency medical technicians assigned to the City of Newark at any given time. This capacity is provided by the captains, engineers, and firefighters listed above.
There are three Alameda County Fire Stations that serve the City of Newark, which includes Alameda County Fire Department Stations 27, 28, and 29 (see Figure 2.9-1). In addition to fire suppression services, the Alameda County Fire Department provides residents resources for emergency preparedness. • Fire Station 27 is located at 39039 Cherry Street. Station 27 was built in 1981 and is home to a crew of three firefighters that staff one fire engine.
• Fire Station 28 is located at 7550 Thornton Avenue. Station 28 is Newark’s largest fire station that opened in 2005 and is approximately 13,500 square feet. This station is maintained by a crew of three firefighters and one Battalion Chief.
• Station 29 is located at 35775 Ruschin Drive. The Station was built in 1962 and is staffed by a crew of three firefighters and one fire engine (ACFD 2022).
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 FIGURE 2.9-1 Emergency Preparedness and Resilience
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED)
CPTED is an urban planning design process that integrates crime prevention with neighborhood design and community development. CPTED is based on the theory that the proper design and effective use of the built environment can reduce crime and the fear of crime and improve the quality of life. CPTED creates an environment where the physical characteristics, building layout, and site planning allow inhabitants to become key agents in ensuring their own security.
CPTED is based on four key strategies including natural surveillance territorial reinforcement, access control, and maintenance. These strategies are defined below:
• Natural surveillance: Make places highly visible and reduce hiding or sheltered areas for illicit activities.
• Territorial reinforcement:Clear boundaries for a sense of ownership and stewardship of common space. • Access control: Direct movement safely (along lighted pathways, etc.). • Maintenance: To convey the message that residents care about a space and are committed to its upkeep.
These strategies can be used in combination to create public spaces that discourage criminal activity such as graffiti and vandalism. The City of Newark uses the development review process to ensure that new development is designed to reflect security considerations, along with provisions for emergency vehicle access. Involvement of local police and fire personnel in development review is critical to ensure that new neighborhoods and infill development are designed with safety in mind (City of Newark 2013b).
Resilience Services and Infrastructure
Evacuation Routes
Pursuant to recent State legislation, Safety Elements must identify and analyze evacuation routes to use in the event of an emergency. Specifically, SB 99 requires the identification of certain residential developments in hazard areas that do not have at least two emergency evacuation routes, and AB 747 requires an evaluation of the capacity of the evacuation network under a variety of evacuation events.
Emergency evacuations can occur due to any number of events and are unpredictable, as are individual behaviors related to an event. Nevertheless, it is important to plan for evacuation events and identify key areas of the City where additional focus and planning are needed due to limited access and/or capacity constraints on the transportation system.
Major arterials typically serve as evacuation routes. As shown on Figure 2.9-1, Newark Boulevard and Mowry Avenue are major arterials that connect to the two existing freeways that serve the city. Interstate 880 (I-880) is one of the busiest freeways in the Bay Area and has interchanges at Thornton and Mowry Avenues and Stevenson Boulevard (City of Newark 2013b). State Route (SR) 84 has interchanges at Thornton Avenue and Newark Boulevard and connects Newark to the Peninsula via the Dumbarton Bridge. According to the MJHMP, heavy traffic on routes through the City occur at peak commute times when Interstate 880 and the Dumbarton Bridge are congested. Heavy congestion on Interstate 880 could impact the City’s ability to provide emergency services to its citizens by delaying response times or limiting routes for egress to critical healthcare facilities or ingress of equipment such as fire apparatus, police vehicles, and ambulances.
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 Hospitals
There are three medical facilities within the City of Newark: Alameda County Health System’s Newark Wellness center, Washington Hospital Clinic, and Doctors Express Newark. Larger medical facilities are located about 4 miles away in Fremont. These facilities include Kaiser Permanente Medical CenterFremont, and Washington Hospital, both of which are large, full-service hospitals with emergency and trauma care units. In Union City, roughly 10 miles away, there are additional medical facilities, including the Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center, which serves people at all income levels in Spanish and English (City of Newark 2013b).
City and County Collaboration
Alameda County acknowledges that caring for vulnerable populations such as those with access and functional needs often presents unique challenges. Often, these needs make individuals more vulnerable to harm. Protecting these populations is a high priority of Alameda County during and after an emergency or disaster. According to the County of Alameda Emergency Operations Plan, the following overarching operational priorities guide resource allocation and response strategy for Alameda County during an emergency or disaster (Alameda County 2012):
• Save Lives: The preservation of life is the top priority of emergency managers and first responders and takes precedence over all other considerations.
• Protect Health and Safety: Measures should be taken to mitigate the emergency’s impact on public health and safety.
• Protect Property: All feasible efforts must be made to protect public and private property and resources, including critical infrastructure (hospitals and emergency shelters), from damage during and after an emergency.
• Preserve the Environment: All possible efforts must be made to preserve California’s environment and protect it from damage during an emergency.
Additional City Safety Services
AC Alert/Zonhaven
AC Alert is the mass notification
system used by the City of
Newark and County agencies
throughout Alameda County to
rapidly distribute emergency
alerts to people who live, work in,
or visit Alameda County
(Alameda County 2019). Public
safety organizations in Newark,
such as the ACFD and NPD, use
the AC Alert service to deliver
important and timely information
at no cost to the community. AC AC Alert. Courtesy of the Alameda County Alert website.
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Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 Alert is capable of sending alerts by voice, text and email, as well as posting to social media pages, and sending FEMA Wireless Alerts (WEA). Residents of the city are encouraged to opt-in to the AC Alert system through the County website or the Everbridge application (https://member.everbridge.net /453003085612570/login). When residents register with AC Alert, they can provide multiple methods of contact, including cell, home & work phones, and email addresses as well as designate multiple locations in the County where they want to receive emergency alerts (Alameda County 2022).
The Zonehaven Evacuation Management Platform (EMP) is a zone-based application that makes it easy for fire, law enforcement, and the Office of Emergency Services to collaborate, build, and maintain evacuation plans, conduct scenario training, and notify agencies and the community in the event of a live emergency.
Community members are encouraged to search for their own address at Zonehaven AWARE | Find your Evacuation Zone now and sign up for notifications through AC Alert.
Emergency Operations Center
The City has designated an Emergency Operations Center so that citywide emergencies can be dealt with effectively from a central location (City of Newark 2013a).
Emergency Preparedness Resources for Newark Residents
The City also encourages its residents and businesses to be better prepared for disasters by providing education and awareness on the Disaster Preparedness webpage (https://www.newark.org/residents /disaster-preparedness-cert). The ACFD offers a local Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) program for community volunteers. The training provides basic skills in search and rescue, first aid, and emergency preparedness. Its main goal is to help residents become self-sufficient for the first 72 hours after a major disaster (City of Newark 2022).
The City recommends that everyone be prepared to provide for their care and safety before and after a hazard or emergency event through proper planning and
preparedness. The City’s Disaster Preparedness webpage
includes information related to different types of emergency preparedness workshops, such as the CERT program and the Personal Emergency Preparedness (PEP) workshop hosted
by the Alameda County Fire Department. The webpage also includes links and resources to other local, county, state, and federal agency emergency preparedness guides.
Plans, Policies, and Regulatory
Environment
State Regulations
State of California Emergency Plan
The State of California Emergency Plan provides a
consistent, statewide framework to enable state, local, tribal, and federal government, and the private sector to work
Disaster Council Accreditation: In order to
be eligible for accreditation, a Disaster
Council must provide the Cal OES with two
certified members from the following
documents:
Disaster Council Model Emergency
Ordinance
Disaster Service Workers Volunteer
Resolution
Master Mutual Aid Agreement
The Emergency Services Act establishes
statewide emergency standards in the event
of natural, manmade, or state-of-war
emergencies that put in peril the life,
property, and resources of California
citizens. The Act gives California’s governor
emergency authority.
(Cal OES 2022b)
Packet Page No. 796
2. Safety Element
2.9 Emergency Preparedness and Resilience
City of Newark General Plan 75 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 together to mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from the effects of emergencies regardless of cause, size, location, or complexity (Cal OES 2018).
As part of a comprehensive preparedness program, the Emergency Plan specifies that a community can take specific actions to enhance operational capacity to respond to and recover from an emergency. Similar to the strategies and actions that were identified in the NRF, the Emergency Plan directs the emergency management community at the regional and local levels to develop hazard-specific plans and procedures, maintain prevention programs, manage resources, establish mutual aid agreements, train personnel, and educate the public.
All local governments with a certified disaster council are required to develop Emergency Operation Plans (EOP) for their jurisdictions that meet state and federal requirements. The authority for the formation and accreditation of a disaster council was established by the California Emergency Services Act. The city incorporated a certified disaster council in 1876 that became accredited in 1948; came into a Mutual Aid Agreement in 1950; adopted a Disaster Service Workers Volunteer Resolution in 1957 that was amended in 1985; and adopted the Disaster Council Model Emergency Ordinance in 1972 (Cal OES 2012). The City of Newark has adopted the Alameda County Emergency Operations Plan as the EOP.
Local Regulations
Newark Emergency Response Plans
The City of Newark has adopted two emergency response plans, the Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) and the Chemical Emergency Preparedness Supporting Plan. The City of Newark has a mutual aid agreement with the County and has adopted the County Emergency Operations Plan. The EOP is the City’s primary plan which provides operational procedures for responding to a variety of emergency conditions, including earthquakes, flooding, tsunamis, hazardous material incidents, and civil defense. The guidelines included in this plan address the needs of the entire community and identify key responsible agencies and personnel.
The City’s second response plan is the “Chemical Emergency Preparedness Supporting Plan.” This plan establishes standard operating procedures for responding to a chemical spill or hazardous materials incidents within the City.
Federal Regulations
National Response Framework
Established by FEMA, the National Response Framework (NRF) is a guide to how the nation responds to all types of disasters and emergencies. The NRF describes specific authorities and best practices for managing incidents that range from the serious but purely local, to those that are catastrophic and national in scope. The NRF states that in order to have an effective response to a disaster or emergency, the sectors and groups involved must have collaborative support and understand each other’s response goals. These sectors and groups include individuals and communities, the private sector, nonprofit organizations, and all levels of government.
Packet Page No. 797
2. Safety Element
2.9 Emergency Preparedness and Resilience
City of Newark General Plan 76 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 According to the NRF, some of the best practices and activities that each of these groups can engage in collectively and individually to increase response capability include, but are not limited to:
• Developing plans that ensure continuity of operations. • Conducting risk assessments to prepare for incidents and coordinating damage assessments during an incident.
• Providing and directing resources and capabilities.
• Gathering lessons learned.
Packet Page No. 798
3. References
City of Newark General Plan 77 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022
3. References
Abc7. 2016. Investigation Underway into Massive Fire at Newark Recycling Center. https://abc7news.com/crews-battle-huge-fire-at-newark-recycling-center/1419553/.
ACFD (Alameda County Fire Department). 2010. Fire & Emergency Services Strategic Business Plan 2010–2017. https://fire.acgov.org/fire-assets/docs/acfd-sbp.pdf.
ACFD (Alameda County Fire Department). 2022. Stations & Facilities. https://fire.acgov.org/ AboutUs/facilities.page.
Ackerly, D., A. Jones, M. Stacey, and B. Riordan. (University of California, Berkeley). 2018. San Francisco Bay Area Summary Report: California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment. Publication No. CCCA4-SUM-2018-005. https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2019-11/Reg_ReportSUM-CCCA4-2018-005_SanFranciscoBayArea_ADA.pdf.
ACWD (Alameda County Water District). 2021a. Water Shortage Contingency Plan. May 2021. https://www.acwd.org/DocumentCenter/View/3817/Final-Water-Shortage-Contingency-Plan-May2021.
ACWD (Alameda County Water District). 2021b. Water Efficiency Master Plan 2020/2021. April 2021. https://www.acwd.org/DocumentCenter/View/3740/ACWD-Water-Efficiency-MasterPlan_FINAL?bidId=.
ACWD (Alameda County Water District). 2022. Main Cleaning Underway – Program Modified to Use 50% Less Water. https://www.acwd.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=294.
Alameda County. 2012. Alameda County Emergency Operations Plan. December. https://www.acgov.org/ready/documents/EmergencyOperationsPlan.pdf.
Alameda County. 2019. AC Alert. https://www.acgov.org/emergencysite/ documents/ACAlertSignUpFebruary19MobileApp.pdf.
Alameda County. 2022. Alert & Notification System. https://member.everbridge.net/ 453003085612570/login.
Association of State Dam Safety. 2021. Dam failures and incidents: Association of State Dam Safety.
Dam Failures and Incidents | Association of State Dam Safety. https://damsafety.org/damfailures#The%20Causes%20of%20Dam%20Failures.
BAAQMD (Bay Area Air Quality Management District). 2014. Spare the Air. Bay Area Air Quality Management District: A Healthy Breathing Environment for Every Bay Area Resident. August 19, 2014. https://www.baaqmd.gov/about-air-quality/spare-the-air.
BAAQMD (Bay Area Air Quality Management District). 2016. About Air Quality. Bay Area Air Quality Management District: A Healthy Breathing Environment for Every Bay Area Resident. December 12, 2016. https://www.baaqmd.gov/about-air-quality#:~:text=In%20the%20Bay%20Area%2C%20 a,equipment%2C%20and%20other%20motor%20vehicles.
Packet Page No. 799
3. References
City of Newark General Plan 78 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 Bedsworth, L., D. Cayan, G. Franco, L. Fisher, and S. Ziaja. (California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, California Energy Commission, California Public Utilities Commission). 2018. Statewide Summary Report. California’s Fourth Climate Change Assessment. Publication No. SUMCCCA4-2018-013.
https://www.energy.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2019-11/Statewide_Reports-SUM-CCCA4-2018- 013_Statewide_Summary_Report_ADA.pdf.
CAL FIRE (California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection). 2021. Welcome to fire hazard severity zones. https://osfm.fire.ca.gov/divisions/wildfire-planning-engineering/wildfire-preventionengineering/fire-hazard-severity-zones/#:~:text=California%20law %20requires%20CAL%20FIRE,fuel%2C%20slope%20and%20fire%20weather.&text=Many%20fact ors%20were%20included%20such,embers%2C%20terrain%2C%20and%20weather.
Cal OES (California Office of Emergency Services). 2012. Disaster Council Additional Information, Accredited Disaster Councils. https://www.caloes.ca.gov/PlanningPreparednessSite/ Documents/Accredited%20Disaster%20Councils%20List%2012-20-19.pdf.
Cal OES (California Office of Emergency Services). 2018. California State Hazard Mitigation Plan (SHMP). https://www.caloes.ca.gov/HazardMitigationSite/Documents/002- 2018%20SHMP_FINAL_ENTIRE%20PLAN.pdf.
Cal OES (California Office of Emergency Services). 2020. Dam Safety Planning Division. https://www.caloes.ca.gov/cal-oes-divisions/hazard-mitigation/dam-safety-planningdivision#:~:text=As%20part%20of%20this%20legislation,or%20sooner%20under%20certain%20con ditions.
Cal OES (California Office of Emergency Services). 2022a. Spill Release Reporting. https://w3.calema.ca.gov/operational/malhaz.nsf/f1841a103c102734882563e200760c4a?SearchView Cal OES (California Office of Emergency Services). 2022b. Disaster Council Accreditation. https://www.caloes.ca.gov/cal-oes-divisions/planning-preparedness/disaster-council-accreditation. .Cal-Adapt. 2021. Annual Averages Tool. Selected indicators for the City of Newark (Maximum Temperature and Precipitation). Cal-Adapt website developed by University of California at Berkeley’s Geospatial Innovation Facility under contract with the California Energy Commission. https://cal-adapt.org/tools/annual-averages.
California Earthquake Authority. 2022. What is the San Andreas Fault? https://www.earthquakeauthority.com/Blog/2020/San-Andreas-Fault-Line-Map.
California Geological Survey. 1994. Alquist-Priolo Earthquake Fault Zoning Act with Index to Earthquake Fault Zones1 Maps. https://www.cityofdavis.org/home/ showpublisheddocument/4411/635803248071430000.
CBSC (California Building Standards Commission). 2019. California Building Standards Commission, California Building Standards Code, California Code of Regulations, Title 24, Part 9, California Fire Code. https://www.dgs.ca.gov/bsc.
City of Newark. 2013b. Newark California General Plan. December 12, 2013. https://www.newark.org/home/showpublisheddocument/76/636502245500200000.
City of Newark. 2022a. Disaster Preparedness – CERT. https://www.newark.org/residents/disasterpreparedness-cert.
Packet Page No. 800
3. References
City of Newark General Plan 79 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 City of Newark. 2022b. About Newark Police. Retreived from About Newark Police | Newark, CA CNAP (California-Nevada Climate Applications Program). 2015. California Heat Waves. July 2015. https://www.swcasc.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/HeatWaves.pdf.
COMET Program. 2017. Dam Failure Concepts and Modeling. https://download.comet.ucar.edu/ memory-stick/hydro/damfailure/applications_int/print.php.htm.
County of Alameda. 2021. 2021 Alameda County Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, 4.2 am Failure. pp. 4-6 through 4-8. September 2021.
Diablo FireSafe Council. 2005. Draft Diablo Fire Safe Council’s Fire Action Plan for the UrbanWildland Interface of Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. http://www.diablofiresafe.org/ pdf/fap0305.pdf.
DTSC (California Department of Toxic Substances Control). 2018a. Hazardous Waste Sites. http://www.envirostor.dtsc.ca.gov/public/data_download.
DTSC (California Department of Toxic Substances Control). 2018b. Hazardous Cleanup Sites. http://www.envirostor.dtsc.ca.gov/public/data_download.
DWR (California Department of Water Resources). 2016. “Listing of Dams”. Division of Safety of Dams. http://www.water.ca.gov/damsafety/damlisting/index.cfm
DWR (California Department of Water Resources). 2021. Dams within Jurisdiction of the State of California. DWR Division of Safety of Dams September 2021. https://water.ca.gov/-/media/DWRWebsite/Web-Pages/Programs/All-Programs/Division-of-Safety-of-Dams/Files/Publications/DamsWithin-Jurisdiction-of-the-State-of-California-Listed-Alphabetically-by-County-September-2021.pdf.
EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 2017. Toxic Release Inventory (TRI) Database. https://www.epa.gov/toxics-release-inventory-tri-program.
EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 2021a. Learn About Urban Heat Islands. September 15, 2021. https://www.epa.gov/heatislands/learn-about-heat-islands.
EPA (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency). 2021b. Household Hazardous Waste and Demolition. https://www.epa.gov/large-scale-residential-demolition/household-hazardous-waste-and-demolition.
Esri (Environmental Systems Research Institute). 2022. What is GIS? https://www.esri.com/en-us/whatis-gis/overview.
FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). 2013. “The National Dam Safety Program: 25 Years of Excellence.” Accessed 2016. https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/3924 FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). 2021a. Urban Drainage and Flood-Control District. https://www.fema.gov/case-study/urban-drainage-and-flood-control-district.
FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). 2021b. FEMA Fact Sheet (How-To Guide for Floodplain Managers and Engineers). Meeting the Criteria for Accrediting Levee Systems on Flood Insurance Rate Maps. May 2021. https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_meetingcriteria-accrediting.pdf.
Four Twenty-Seven. 2018a. California Heat Assessment Tool (CHAT). Sacramento, CA: California Energy Commission. https://www.cal-heat.org/explore.
Packet Page No. 801
3. References
City of Newark General Plan 80 ESA / D202100549.00
Safety Element – Existing Conditions Memorandum May 2022 Four Twenty-Seven. 2018b. The California Heat Assessment Tool: Planning for the Health Impacts of Extreme Heat. August 2018. http://427mt.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/427-CHAT-report.pdf.
IPCC (International Panel on Climate Change). 2022. About the IPCC. https://www.ipcc.ch/about/.
MJHMP 2017.
Newark Community Development Department. 2017a. Union City/Newark Multi-Jurisdiction Hazard Mitigation Plan; Volume 1—Planning-Area-Wide Elements. https://www.newark.org/ home/showpublisheddocument/270/636502394114000000.
Newark Community Development Department. 2017b. Figure 8-2. Recent Earthquakes within 100-Mile Radius of the Planning Area.
NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration). 2022a. What is a canal? https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/canal.html.