Agenda packet — Oakley City Council, January 11, 2022 (part 1 of 2)

AGENDA

REGULAR JOINT MEETING OF THE OAKLEY CITY COUNCIL/OAKLEY CITY

COUNCIL ACTING AS THE SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE OAKLEY

REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY/ OAKLEY PUBLIC FINANCING AUTHORITY Tuesday, January 11, 2022
6:30 PM
Oakley City Council Chambers located at 3231 Main Street, Oakley, California 94561 Per the Health Officer of the County of Contra Costa, ORDER NO. HO-COVID19-51 dated August 2, 2021, mandates the wearing of face coverings in indoor public setting by all persons.

We highly recommend all visitors do a self-administered temperature check before entering the Council Chambers. A touchless temperature kiosk is located in the City Hall Administrative Lobby for visitor use.

MISSION STATEMENT: The City of Oakley exists to build and enhance a quality community and to serve the public in a friendly, efficient, responsive manner.

VISION STATEMENT: The City of Oakley will be recognized as a model of civic participation and a vibrant Delta community where families live, work, play, shop and visit.

Agendas are posted in Oakley at Oakley City Hall-3231 Main Street, outside the gym at Delta Vista Middle School-4901 Frank Hengel Way and outside the Library at Freedom High School-1050 Neroly Road; agendas are also posted on the City’s Internet Website www.ci.oakley.ca.us.

A complete packet of information containing staff reports and exhibits related to each item is available for public review prior to an Oakley City Council and/or City Council Acting as the Successor Agency to the Oakley Redevelopment Agency/Oakley Public Financing Authority meeting at Oakley City Hall, 3231 Main Street, Oakley, CA 94561. Any writings or documents provided to a majority of the Oakley City Council, Oakley City Council Acting as the Successor Agency to the Oakley Redevelopment Agency or Oakley Public Financing Authority regarding any item on this agenda will be made available for public inspection, during regular business hours, at the front counter in the Main Lobby of the Oakley City Hall located at 3231 Main Street, Oakley, CA 94561.

Agendas may be picked up at the Oakley City Hall located at 3231 Main Street, Oakley, CA 94561 for no charge. To request information regarding placement on the City’s agenda e-mail distribution list, please contact us at (925) 625-7000.

We provide social media options to stay connected to City Hall through Facebook, Twitter, Next Door and 1 Instagram. Other opportunities to connect with City Hall include Engage In Oakley, Oakley OnDemand on the city's website; and by emailing [email protected]. Constant Contacts. Please contact us at (925) 625-7000 for additional information or at www.oakleyinfo.com.

If you have a physically challenging condition and require special accommodations, please call the City Clerk’s office at (925) 625-7013.

Please keep cell phones/electronic devices turned off during the meeting. Please be advised that City Council meetings are video recorded and attendees may appear on video.

Members of the public may address the Council on items of interest that are within the City’s jurisdiction.

Public comment on items not listed on the agenda will be heard under the Public Comments section of the agenda. In compliance with State law, the Council may not take action on an item that is not specifically listed on the agenda. If you would like to speak on any agenda item, please fill out a blue speaker card available in the lobby and submit it to the City Clerk prior to the agenda item being called. The Mayor will call you by name to the podium to hear your comments and you have up to 3 minutes to speak.

1.OPENING MATTERS
Oakley City Council/Oakley City Council Acting as the Successor Agency to the Oakley Redevelopment Agency/Oakley Public Financing Authority

1.1 Call to Order and Roll Call of the Oakley City Council/Oakley City Council Acting as the Successor Agency to the Oakley Redevelopment Agency/Oakley Public Financing Authority

1.2 Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag

1.3 Proclamation Recognizing January 23-29, 2022 as School Choice Week Proclamation

1.4 Proclamation Recognizing January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month (Claudia Gonzalez, Contra Costa Alliance to End Abuse)
Proclamation

2.PUBLIC COMMENTS
At this time, the public is permitted to address the Oakley City Council/Oakley City Council Acting as the Successor Agency to the Oakley Redevelopment Agency/Oakley Public Financing Authority on non-agendized items. PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE LIMITED TO THREE (3) MINUTES. In accordance with State Law, however, no action or discussion may take place on any item not appearing on the posted agenda.
2 3.CONSENT CALENDAR
Consent Calendar items are typically non-controversial in nature and are considered for approval by the Oakley City Council/ Oakley City Council Acting as the Successor Agency to the Oakley Redevelopment Agency/Oakley Public Financing Authority with one single action. Members of the audience, Staff or the Oakley City Council/ Oakley City Council Acting as the Successor Agency to the Oakley Redevelopment Agency/Oakley Public Financing Authority who would like an item removed from the Consent Calendar for purposes of public input may request the Mayor remove the item. Members of the public should submit any Speaker Cards related to the Consent Calendar in advance of the Consent Calendar being considered.

3.1 Fiscal Year (FY) 2021/22 Second Quarter Report on the Capital Improvement Program (Kevin Rohani, P.E., Public Works Director/City Engineer) Staff Report

3.2 Accept Report Out of Closed Session Memo (Derek Cole, City Attorney) Memo

4.PUBLIC HEARINGS

4.1 City of Oakley Focused General Plan Update (GPA 01-20) – Adoption of a Negative Declaration and an amendment to the City of Oakley General Plan to bring it into compliance with state requirements related to environmental justice, mobility, and climate change and adaptation. (Ken Strelo, Planning Manager)
Suggested Action: Staff Recommendation: 1) Receive the Staff Report, 2) Receive Questions from the City Council, 3) Open the Public Hearing, 4) Receive Public Testimony, 5) Close the Public Hearing, 6) Deliberate, 7) Summarize the Deliberation 8) Adopt the Resolution
Staff Report

1. Notice of Public Hearing

2. Responses to Comments on the Draft Focused General Plan Update and Notice of Intent to Adopt negative Declaration and Initial Study

3. City of Oakley General Plan with Amendments from the Focused General Plan Update and Tracked Changes from Responses to Comments

4. Proposed Resolution (adopts a CEQA Negative Declaration and approves the City of Oakley Focused General Plan Update)

5.REGULAR CALENDAR

5.1 Adopt a Resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a contract with Strategy Driver, INC. to prepare a new Strategic Plan (Joshua McMurray, City Manager)
Staff Report

1. Strategy Driver, INC. Proposal
3 2. Draft Resolution

6.REPORTS

6.1 CITY MANAGER
(a) City Manager

6.2 OAKLEY CITY COUNCIL/OAKLEY CITY COUNCIL ACTING AS THE

SUCCESSOR AGENCY TO THE OAKLEY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY
(a) Reports from Council Liaisons to Regional Committees, Commissions and Boards AND Oakley City Council/Oakley City Council Acting as the Successor Agency to the Oakley Redevelopment Agency
(b) Requests for Future Agendas

7.WORK SESSIONS

7.1 Live Oak Ave. and Main St. Preliminary General Plan Amendment (PA 07-21) – Work Session to discuss the merits of a potential project to amend the General Plan Land Use Designation of an approximately 7.84-acre site from Commercial (CO) and Light Industrial (LI) to Multi-Family Residential, Low Density (ML)(Ken Strelo, Planning Manager)
Staff Report

1. Vicinity Map

2. Notice of Work Session

3. City of Oakley General Plan Land Use Map

4. Existing and Conceptual General Plan Land Use Designations Illustration

5. Applicant's Cover Letter Addressed to City Council

6. Applicant's Conceptual Site Plan

7.2 Work Session – City Council Vision for Oakley (Joshua McMurray, City Manager)
Staff Report

1. City Manager Heat Table

8.CLOSED SESSION

9.ADJOURN
4 A Proclamation Recognizing
January 23-29, 2022 as
School Choice Week
WHEREAS, all children should have access to the highest-quality education possible; and WHEREAS, all should recognize the important role that an effective education plays in preparing all students to be successful adults; and
WHEREAS, quality education is critically important to the economic vitality of any community; and WHEREAS, our great county is home to high quality public and nonpublic schools from which parents can choose for their children, in addition to families who educate their children in the home; and
WHEREAS, educational variety not only helps to diversify our economy, but also enhances the vibrancy of our communities; and
WHEREAS, there are many high-quality teaching professionals in all types of school settings who are committed to educating our children; and
WHEREAS, School Choice Week is celebrated across the country by millions of students, parents, educators, schools and organizations to raise awareness of educational options.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Randy Pope, Mayor of the City of Oakley, do hereby recognize January 23-29, 2022 as SCHOOL CHOICE WEEK, and I call this observance to the attention of all of our citizens.

Dated: January 11, 2022
___________________
Randy Pope, Mayor
5 P R O C L A M A T I O N
declaring January 2022 as
“Human Trafficking Awareness Month in Oakley”
WHEREAS, human trafficking is a form of abuse in which force, fraud or coercion is used to control victims for the purpose of commercial sexual or labor exploitation; that occurs in every industry and affects individuals of all genders, ages and of all backgrounds; and
WHEREAS, human trafficking is a lucrative industry and the fastest growing criminal industry in the world; and WHEREAS, the crime of human trafficking violates an individual's privacy, dignity, security and humanity due to the systematic use of physical, emotional, sexual, psychological and economic exploitation, control and/or abuse; and WHEREAS, the impact of human trafficking is wide-ranging, directly affecting foreign nationals as well as US citizens, and society as a whole; victims experience trauma, violence, manipulation, fraud and coercion at the hands of their traffickers. It is often the most vulnerable members of our communities who are affected by human trafficking; and WHEREAS, the County's Alliance to End Abuse acknowledges that fighting exploitation and human trafficking is a shared community responsibility and it is necessary to build collaboration by linking with local, regional and federal agencies; and WHEREAS, aggressively identifying and prosecuting the buyers and sellers of trafficking victims is an effective strategy to end the commission of human trafficking; and
WHEREAS, the City of Oakley desires to raise awareness so residents will become more aware, informed and will take action to end human trafficking.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Randy Pope the Mayor of Oakley, join with the members of the Oakley City Council in proclaiming January 2022 as: “Human Trafficking Awareness Month in Oakley.” January 11, 2022
Randy Pope, Mayor
6 STAFF REPORT
Approved and Forwarded to the City Council
DATE: January 11, 2022
TO: Joshua McMurray, City Manager
FROM: Kevin Rohani, P.E. Public Works Director/City Engineer SUBJECT: Fiscal Year (FY) 2021/22 Second Quarter Report on the Capital Improvement Program
Background and Analysis
This report summarizes the status of the various projects in the City of Oakley Capital Improvement Program (CIP) at the end of the Second Quarter for FY 2021/22.

The City's CIP is a multi-year forecast of capital needs that include new construction projects and planned improvements of existing facilities. The CIP establishes structure by identifying, prioritizing, approving, and the funding of capital improvement projects.

Since the demand for capital projects typically exceeds the amount of available funds, projects are prioritized based on the City Council’s strategic goals.

The following highlights some of the more high profile projects and their progress in the Second Quarter of FY 2021/22 (October-December 2021):

1. Oakley Regional Community Park Project
Project # 176
Schedule: Grant funding is in process
Budget: $3,547,859 Local Fund, Grant Amount to be determined in future Funding Source: State Grant, Community Park Fund, and Park Impact Fee This project transforms a 55-acre site at the end of Sellers Avenue that was given to the City as part of the development agreements with the Emerson and Gilbert Ranch development projects. This site had a number of older structures related to a dairy farm that has been closed for decades. The first phase of this project was to demolish the old and abandoned structures, which were a safety concern, and to clean up the site. This task was accomplished in the summer of 2019. In March of 2021, the City applied for a State Proposition 68 grant to 7 fund the first phase of this project and waiting to hear from the State if the City was awarded the grant for this project. The construction of the Oakley Regional Park will span several years as funding is secured through a combination of Grants and local funds.

2. Police Department Parking Lot Expansion Project
Project # 253
Schedule: Construction is underway
Budget: $900,000
Funding Source: General Capital Fund
The existing Police Department parking lot does not have adequate space for all of the vehicles and equipment that are used by Police Department staff. This problem has necessitated the utilization of off-site locations for parking and equipment storage. This approach is neither efficient nor safe. The scope of work includes the grading and paving of a new parking lot that will connect the existing Police Department parking lot to West Ruby Street. The new parking lot will have landscaping and lights similar to the rest of the parking lots at the Civic Center, and will complement the parking facilities that are currently in use.

This new parking lot will provide Police Officers direct access to West Ruby Street and other major streets in Oakley without having to navigate the busy parking lot that is used by Black Bear Diner Restaurant customers. This will be a significant safety improvement. The construction of the project is currently underway and it is anticipated that the construction work will be completed by spring 2022.

3. Downtown Gateway Plaza Roadway and Parking Lot Project Project # 205
Schedule: Design is underway
Budget: $813,613 for Design & $700,000 for Construction Funding Source: Main Street Fund
The Downtown Gateway Plaza Roadway and Parking Lot Project will complement a new San Joaquin Joint Power Authorities train platform station located north of Main Street in the general area between 2nd Street and O’Hara Avenue. The San Joaquin Joint Power Authorities has secured the grant funding for the design and construction of the new platform station and will operate the train platform station after its construction. This train platform station is strategically located in downtown, adjacent to the Main Street Gateway Plaza and its associated parking lot. The roadway improvements and parking lot are designed and will be constructed by the City. The new parking lot is anticipated to provide over 300 parking spaces, and is a big part of the future for Downtown Oakley. It is anticipated that the respective design efforts by the San Joaquin 8 Joint Power Authorities and the City will continue into 2022 followed by the construction of the project starting in 2023.

4. FY 2021/22 Curb, Gutter and Sidewalk Reconstruction Project Project # 257
Schedule: Construction is underway
Budget: $115,059
Funding Source: General Capital Projects
This project will repair and replace damaged concrete curb, gutter and sidewalk in the community as part of the 50-50 cost sharing program between the City and property owners. This project has been successfully implemented for the past few years, and will continue into FY 2021/22. This project has helped to provide safe pedestrian facilities and reduce liability and claims for trip and fall accidents. The construction of this project is underway and anticipated to be completed by April 2022.

5. East Cypress Road Widening (Knightsen Avenue to Jersey Island Road) Project
Project # 247
Schedule: Design is underway
Budget: $6,280,000
Funding Source: Traffic Impact Fee Fund
The growth and development of new subdivision projects along the East Cypress Road corridor has necessitated various infrastructure improvements to accommodate the increased traffic volumes on this road. This project will widen and improve East Cypress Road to east of Knightsen Avenue to Jersey Island Road. The improvements will include curb and gutter, sidewalks and a median island. The widening will stop short of the Contra Costa Canal where the developer to the east of the canal will be responsible to continue the widening and improvement of East Cypress Road. The design of this project is currently underway and construction is anticipated to start in the fall of 2022.

6. Downtown Parking Lot Construction Project
Project # 215
Schedule: Construction is underway
Budget: $3,979,000
Funding Source: Main Street Fund, General Capital Fund
9 This project, in continuing the implementation of the Strategic Goals of the City Council to improve and enhance Downtown Oakley; will construct a new parking lot and associated street infrastructure on the north side of Main Street and the Norcross Lane intersection. This new parking lot will be located behind the Entrepreneur Center and the new Oakley Mercantile Building and will serve the greater downtown merchants and their customers. The construction of the project is currently underway, and it is anticipated that the construction work will be completed by spring 2022.

7. Oakley Civic Center Emergency Generator Project
Project # 228
Schedule: Construction is underway
Budget: $197,500
Funding Source: General Capital Fund
The Civic Center facility is the center of government in Oakley which handles all critical functions for the community residents, including Police services. The current facility does not have a standby emergency generator to address the frequent PG&E power outages that take place in this region. This project will install an emergency generator which will provide electricity to the entire Civic Center facility in times of power emergencies. The new generator has been delivered and installed and the City is currently working with PG&E to coordinate the power transfer to the new generator prior to the start-up operations. Once this PG&E task has been completed, the generator will be on standby and ready to supply electricity during future power outages. It is anticipated that the construction work will be completed by spring 2022.

8. Holly Creek Restroom Construction Project
Project # 248
Schedule: Construction is underway
Budget: $350,000
Funding Source: Park Impact Fee Fund
This project will construct a permanent restroom facility at Holly Creek Park.

The demand for City of Oakley recreational fields continues to grow, particularly for organized sports such as Baseball and Soccer leagues. The field at Holly Creek Park is one of the favorite and much desired fields in Oakley for leagues to play their sporting activities. This park does not have any restroom facilities which necessitates the placement of portable toilets at this park. This approach has created many operational and sanitary issues and is not a sustainable solution to address the need for a public restroom facility. This project will construct a permanent restroom facility at this park, similar to the restroom facility that was recently constructed at the Koda Dog Park. The construction of 10 the project is currently underway and it is anticipated that the construction work will be completed by the spring of 2022.

9. Downtown Storm Drain (Area 29) Improvement Project
Project # 252
Schedule: Design is underway
Budget: $100,000 for Design
Funding Source: Storm Water Fund
Many years ago the Contra Costa County Flood Control District had established drainage zones throughout the County for storm drain detention and treatment.

These zones included large detention basins (i.e. Freedom Basin, Teakwood Basin, Del Antico Basin, etc.) and a network of underground pipe systems to convey the storm water runoff from the City's streets to these basins. All parts of the storm drain system in this zone have been constructed with the exception of the section of pipe from the north side of Main Street, just east of Miguel Drive to the edge of the railroad tracks. This project will secure the storm drain easement, as well as design and construct this section of storm drain pipe, which will complete all of the improvements in this zone. The design of this project is currently underway and the construction is anticipated to start by early 2023.

10. FY 2021/22 Street Repair and Resurfacing Project
Project # 258
Schedule: Design is underway
Budget: $3,741,000
Funding Source: Street Maintenance & Rehabilitation Fund, Measure J Fund, Gas Tax Fund
This project will repair the base and surface failures, as well as resurface the City’s streets as a part of a comprehensive program to maintain the roadways for the community. Street repair and resurfacing is critical in keeping the quality of the City’s street infrastructure in good condition and prevent costly reconstruction due to the lack of proper rehabilitation and maintenance. This project will address a number of neighborhoods which need Sierra-Crete base remediation in addition to repair and resurfacing. The design of this project is currently underway and the construction is anticipated to start by the fall of 2022.
11 11. Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) System installation for Cypress Grove and Emerson Ranch Pump Stations Project Project # 266
Schedule: Design is underway
Budget: $60,000
Funding Source: Community Facility Fund
This project will install modern hardware and software at Emerson Ranch and Cypress Grove Pump Stations to be compatible with the SCADA system that is currently working for the Gilbert Ranch Pump station. The new SCADA system is designed to collect field information, transfer it to a central computer facility at the Public Works Department, and thereby allowing staff to monitor and control an entire system from City Hall. The design of this project is currently underway and construction is anticipated to start by the spring of 2022.

Fiscal Impact
Each project listed in this report has a budgeted source of funds which have been approved by the City Council. These sources include Grants, Gas Tax, Measure J Sales Tax, Traffic Impact Fees, General Fund, Main Street Fund, and other Special Use funds. There is no fiscal impact associated with this CIP Update, this report is solely for informational purposes.

Staff Recommendation
The Oakley City Council should provide comments and input to staff on the CIP report for the Second Quarter of FY 2021/22.
12 Date: December 15, 2021
To: Mayor and Members of City Council
From: Derek P. Cole, City Attorney
Cc: Joshua McMurray, City Manager
Subject: Closed Session Report-Out Memo
FOR CONSIDERATION AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF JANUARY 11, 2022 Background and Analysis
The City Council considered the following closed session item during its meeting held December 14, 2021:

CITY ATTORNEY PERFORMANCE EVALUATION
Pursuant to Government Code Section 54957
Direction was provided to staff. There was no reportable action.

Fiscal Impact
None.

Recommendation
Receive and file this report.

Attachments
None.

MEMORANDUM
Office of the City Attorney
13 STAFF REPORT
Approved and Forwarded to the City Council
DATE: January 11, 2022
TO: Joshua McMurray, City Manager
FROM: Kenneth W. Strelo, Planning Manager
SUBJECT: City of Oakley Focused General Plan Update (GPA 01-20) – Adoption of a Negative Declaration and an amendment to the City of Oakley General Plan to bring it into compliance with state requirements related to environmental justice, mobility, and climate change and adaptation.

Summary and Recommendation
The project is the adoption and implementation of the Focused General Plan Update, an amendment to the City of Oakley General Plan. The purpose of the Focused General Plan Update is to update the General Plan to bring it into compliance with State requirements related to environmental justice, mobility, and climate change and adaptation. The Focused General Plan Update also updates the setting information as well as minor revisions to the goals, policies, and programs in the Land Use, Circulation, Growth Management, Economic Development, Open Space and Conservation, Parks and Recreation, Community Health and Safety, and Noise to be consistent with current conditions, to remove policies and programs that have been implemented or are no longer applicable, and to update policies and programs where appropriate to reflect current City practices, clarify the City’s approach to achieving the vision and goals of the General Plan, and to be consistent with existing conditions.

Staff recommends the City Council adopt the proposed resolution approving the City of Oakley Focused General Plan Update.

Background and Project Description
The City of Oakley 2020 General Plan was adopted on December 16, 2002 by the Oakley City Council. The 2020 General Plan includes nine elements: Land Use, Circulation, Growth Management, Economic Development, Open Space and Conservation, Parks and Recreation, Health and Safety, Noise, and Housing. Since the 2002 adoption of the 2020 General Plan, the City has amended the General Plan from time to time, including changes to the Land Use Map and updates to individual General Plan elements to meet requirements of State law.

In March 2019, the City began the Focused General Plan Update to address the requirements of State law related to environmental justice (SB 1000), mobility (SB 743), and 14 Subject: City of Oakley Focused General Plan Update (GPA 01-20) Date: January 11, 2022

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climate change and adaptation (SB 379). In June 2019, the City began an outreach program to engage community members in the Focused General Plan Update and to ensure that the Focused General Plan Update would continue to address the vision and priorities of the community. The project team held two community-wide Visioning Workshops, with the first focused on addressing vision, values, and focus areas and the second workshop focused on addressing mobility issues, and gathered information via an online community survey. The outreach effort gave City residents, members of the business community, property owners, and stakeholders an opportunity to provide input. More detailed background of the public outreach is included in “Chapter 1. Introduction” of the Draft City of Oakley General Plan considered for adoption.

Summary of Changes to Each Element
As a result of bringing the General Plan into compliance with state regulations, there are amendments to the Land Use, Circulation, Growth Management, Economic Development, Open Space and Conservation, Parks and Recreation, Community Health and Safety, and Noise elements. Below is a summary of changes to each listed element.

Land Use Element:
 Update current existing setting information, such as developed parcels.  Update residential land use designation names (no changes to underlying densities).  Update to goals and associated policies and programs for additional policy guidance and to maintain the community’s character.

Circulation Element:
 Update setting information related to key transportation concepts and applicable transportation plans.
 Update to figures representing bicycle and pedestrian system as well as typical road sections.
 Update to goals and associated policies and programs.

Growth Management Element:
 Update to setting to reflect current service provider information.

Economic Development Element:
 Update to setting to reflect current conditions, describe the City’s economic accomplishments, and summarize remaining capacity for jobs and economic growth.
 Update to address environmental justice through promoting the economic wellbeing of workers and improved economic opportunities 15 Subject: City of Oakley Focused General Plan Update (GPA 01-20) Date: January 11, 2022

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Open Space and Conservation Element:
 Update setting to reflect current conditions.
 Update policies to reduce potential agricultural land use conflicts, encourage local agricultural activities, address energy and greenhouse gas emissions, further promote conservation of open space, reduce conflicts with habitat and natural resources, and reflect requirements of State law related to cultural and tribal cultural resources.

Parks and Recreation Element:
 Update setting to reflect current conditions and updated Parks and Recreation Master Plan.
 Update policies to reflect existing City practices and plans and to add a new policy, and programs to address environmental justice through ensuring equitable distribution of, and access to, parks and recreation facilities.

Community Health and Safety Element:
 Update setting to reflect current conditions, describe the City’s economic accomplishments, address disadvantaged communities, and address potential impacts related to climate adaptation.
 Update goals, policies, and programs to ensure potential impacts related to geologic, seismic, flooding, and other environmental hazards are adequately identified and addressed for future projects and development and to ensure essential facilities are sited and designed to reduce impacts.

Summary of Changes to Noise Element:
 Update formatting to be consistent with other updated elements.

Changes to the Overall General Plan
In updating the specific elements, the General Plan has also been amended from an aesthetic point of view. Tables and figures have been updated both in content and design, and the cover images have been swapped out. If the City Council desires, the images on the cover can be changed prior to finalization of the adopted document with direction to Staff.

Environmental Review
This project was analyzed in an Initial Study pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) Guidelines, to which a Negative Declaration was made available to the public and all requesting parties, and posted with the Contra Costa County Clerk and Governor’s Office of Planning and Research for at least 30-days (Notice of Intent to Adopt a Negative 16 Subject: City of Oakley Focused General Plan Update (GPA 01-20) Date: January 11, 2022

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Declaration and Initial Study (“NOI/ND and IS”) was posted for a period of 40 days from August 11, 2021 to September 20, 2021) prior to the date of this hearing. The Planning Division found the project described above will not have a significant effect on the environment.

Comments were received specifically on the Notice of Intent to Adopt a Negative Declaration and Initial Study from Diablo Water District and Sierra Club. CEQA Guidelines to not require lead agencies to provide a response to comments received on Initial Studies related to Negative Declarations or Mitigated Negative Declaration, but the comments should be taken into consideration when making any document approval decisions. For this project, the City’s consultant, DeNovo Planning, produced responses to all of the comments received on the NOI/ND and IS in order to address questions that may arise from the comments, and further explain the CEQA analysis. The responses are part of a “Responses to Comments” document that also includes comments received on the Draft Focused General Plan Update document (discussed in the Analysis section of this Staff Report). Staff has found that no new significant environmental impacts or issues, beyond those already covered in the CEQA analysis, were raised during the comment period.

Analysis
As stated in the project summary and description, this Focused General Plan Update is a result of needing to bring the General Plan into compliance with State regulations related to environmental justice, mobility, and climate change and adaptation. Early on in the process, Staff was given direction to review and update all applicable elements of the General Plan, rather than adding one new element. This has proven to provide more internal consistency in that all applicable elements could be update in the same manner and reviewed for internal consistency. This update serves to further strengthen the General Plan and align it with State goals related to the areas of the update.

Public Comments and Responses to Comments
The public review process for the Focused General Plan Update solicited comments from outside agencies, special interest groups, the general public, and all interested parties. In addition to the CEQA-related comments received from Diablo Water District and Sierra Club, comments on the Draft Focused General Plan Update document were received from six other entities (Ironhouse Sanitary District; Greenbelt Alliance with Contra Costa County Climate Leaders, Sierra Club, and The Delta Dems, Et. al.; Liz Elias; Ben Weise; Pamela Winter; and Chris Lauritzen and Margaret Lauritzen). Staff and DeNovo reviewed the comments and DeNovo created a Responses to Comments document that addressed and responded to all comments received regardless whether they were CEQA- or draft document- related. The public review process proved helpful in that DeNovo and Staff were able to accommodate several comments received on the Draft Focused General Plan Update document and integrate them into the revised document presented to the City Council for adoption. The Responses to Comments document annotates each comment and provides a corresponding response to that comment. It also summarizes how, if 17 Subject: City of Oakley Focused General Plan Update (GPA 01-20) Date: January 11, 2022

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applicable, a comment was integrated into the Focused General Plan Update, whether through modification or addition of a goal, policy, or program, or in the narrative text or a table/figure. For comments not resulting in any changes to the document, DeNovo either stated that no change is necessary, or that the comment is noted for decision-maker consideration. The Responses to Comments document is provided as an attachment to this Staff Report.

GIS Updates to Figures
The consultant is currently working with City Staff to incorporate the most up to date GIS files into the General Plan; however, those changes will not be finalized until after publication of this agenda and project packet. The final General Plan will include all relevant GIS updates, such as new development (i.e. lots, streets, etc.) Findings
Proposed findings to support the City of Oakley Focused General Plan Update (GPA 01-20) are included in the attached resolution.

Recommendation
Staff recommends the City Council adopt the proposed resolution approving the City of Oakley Focused General Plan Update (GPA 01-20).

Attachments

1. Notice of Public Hearing

2. Responses to Comments on the Draft Focused General Plan Update and Notice of Intent to Adopt negative Declaration and Initial Study

3. City of Oakley General Plan with Amendments from the Focused General Plan Update and Tracked Changes from Responses to Comments

4. Proposed Resolution (adopts a CEQA Negative Declaration and approves the City of Oakley Focused General Plan Update)
City of Oakley General Plan Update Website
For non-tracked changes/clean version of the City of Oakley General Plan proposed for approval, please visit the City of Oakley General Plan Update website, which is available at the following direct link: https://www.ci.oakley.ca.us/general-plan-update/ and find the linked document under “Documents.”
This website includes a summary of the update, the Draft City of Oakley General Plan, documents related to the environmental analysis, comments received from outside agencies and interested parties, and information related to prior public meetings, workshops, and background on the project.
18 City of Oakley
3231 Main Street
Oakley, CA 94561
www.oakleyinfo.com

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on January 11, 2022 at 6:30 p.m., or as soon thereafter as the matter may be heard, the City Council of the City of Oakley will hold a Public Hearing at the Council Chambers located at 3231 Main Street, Oakley, CA 94561 for the purposes of considering the item as described below:

Project Name: City of Oakley Focused General Plan Update (GPA 01-20).

Project Location: Citywide. Oakley CA 94561.

Applicant: City of Oakley, 3231 Main Street, Oakley, CA 94561.

Request: This is a public hearing on a request to amend the City of Oakley General Plan. The project is the adoption and implementation of the Focused General Plan Update, an amendment to the City of Oakley General Plan. The purpose of the Focused General Plan Update is to update the General Plan to bring it into compliance with State requirements related to environmental justice, mobility, and climate change and adaptation. The Focused General Plan Update also updates the setting information as well as minor revisions to the goals, policies, and programs in the Land Use, Circulation, Growth Management, Economic Development, Open Space and Conservation, Parks and Recreation, Community Health and Safety, and Noise to be consistent with current conditions, to remove policies and programs that have been implemented or are no longer applicable, and to update policies and programs where appropriate to reflect current City practices, clarify the City’s approach to achieving the vision and goals of the General Plan, and to be consistent with existing conditions.

How to Review: The Staff Report and its attachments will be available for public review, on or before January 6, 2022 online at www.ci.oakley.ca.us/agendas-minutes-videos-archive/ by navigating to the January 11, 2022 agenda and clicking the project title link. Interested persons are invited to submit written comments prior to 5:00 P.M. the day of the hearing to Ken Strelo, Principal Planner [email protected].

NOTICE IS ALSO GIVEN pursuant to Government Code Section 65009(b) that, if this matter is subsequently challenged in Court by you or others, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else has raised at a Public Hearing described in this notice or in written correspondence delivered to the City of Oakley City Clerk at, or prior to, the Public Hearing. 19 RESPONSE TO COMMENTS

CITY OF OAKLEY FOCUSED GENERAL PLAN UPDATE
DECEMBER 2021
Prepared for:

City of Oakley
3231 Main Street
Oakley, CA 94561
Prepared by:

De Novo Planning Group
1020 Suncast Lane, Suite 106
El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
De Novo Planning Group
A Land Use Planning, Design, and Environmental Firm
20 21

RESPONSES TO COMMENTS
Focused General Plan Update 1

INTRODUCTION
This document was prepared to provide a response to comments received on the Draft Focused General Plan Update (FGPU) and the environmental documentation, a Notice of Intent to Adopt a Negative Declaration (NOIND) and Initial Study, prepared for the FGPU project.

No new significant environmental impacts or issues, beyond those already covered in the Initial Study for the FGPU, were raised during the comment period. Responsesto commentsreceived during the comment period do not involve any new significant impacts or add “significant new information” that would require recirculation of the Negative Declaration/Initial Study pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15073.5.

CEQA Guidelines Section 15073.5(a) states that:

A lead agency is required to recirculate a negative declaration when the document must be substantially revised after public notice of its availability has previously been given pursuant to Section 15072, but prior to its adoption.

As defined by CEQA Guidelines Section 15073.5(b), a substantial revision means:
(1) A new, avoidable significant effect is identified and mitigation measures or project revisions must be added in order to reduce the effect to insignificance, or (2) The lead agency determinesthat the proposed mitigation measures or project revisions will not reduce potential effects to less than significance and new measures or revisions must be required.

LIST OF COMMENTERS
Table 2.0‐1 lists the comments on the FGPU and NOIND/Initial Study that were submitted to the City of Oakley during the 40‐day public review period for the FGPU and NOIND/Initial Study. The assigned comment letter or number, letter date, letter author, and affiliation, if presented in the comment letter or if representing a public agency, are also listed. Letters received are coded with letters (A, B, etc.).

TABLE 2.0‐1 LIST OF COMMENTERS ON DRAFT EIR

RESPONSE
LETTER

INDIVIDUAL OR SIGNATORY AFFILIATION DATE
A Dan Muelrath Diablo Water District 9/20/21
B Tyson Zimmerman Ironhouse Sanitary District 9/17/21
C Zoe Siegel et al. Greenbelt Alliance et al. 9/20/21
D Paul Seger Sierra Club 9/20/21
E C.E. Elias - 9/20/21
F Ben Weise - 9/24/21
G Pamela Winter - 9/20/21
H Chris Lauritzen and Margaret
Lauritzen Business Owners/Lauritzen Yacht Harbor 9/20/21 22 RESPONSES TO COMMENTS
2 Focused General Plan Update

REQUIREMENTS FOR RESPONDING TO COMMENTS ON A NEGATIVE

DECLARATION
CEQA Guidelines Section 15074(b) requires that Oakley, as the lead agency, consider the proposed negative declaration together with any comments received during the public review process. This document demonstrates the City’s consideration of comments on the NOIND/Initial Study and the Draft FGPU. It is noted that many of the comments focused on the Draft FGPU and did not address environmental issues and that responses to those comments are provided to ensure transparency in the consideration of all comments.

Responses to comments that address environmental issues specifically identify that the comment addressed the CEQA documentation for the project, the NOIND, or the Initial Study. These comments must be considered pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15074(b).

SUBSTANTIAL EVIDENCE
CEQA Guidelines Section 15073.5(d) states:

If during the negative declaration processthere issubstantial evidence in light of the whole record, before the lead agency that the project, as revised, may have a significant effect on the environment which cannot be mitigated or avoided, the lead agency shall prepare a draft EIR and certify a final EIR prior to approving the project. It shall circulate the draft EIR for consultation and review pursuant to Sections 15086 and 15087, and advise reviewers in writing that a proposed negative declaration had previously been circulated for the project.

Several of the comments received indicated that an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) should be prepared for the project, indicating that the traffic, potential exposure to hazards, potential exposure to flooding, and cumulative impacts associated with water, sewer, and stormwater associated with sea level rise required examination in an EIR. In its review of the comments and the environmental documentation prepared for the project, the City has found no substantial evidence that the FGPU has the potential to have a significant effect on the environment. Refer to Responses to Comments A‐2, A‐6, A‐7, A‐8, A‐15, A‐16, C‐2, D‐1, D‐6 through D‐18, and E‐3.

RESPONSES TO COMMENT LETTERS
Written comments received during the public review process, a 40‐day public review period from August 11 to September 20, 2021, are reproduced on the following pages, along with responses to those comments. To assist in referencing comments and responses, the following coding system is used:
 Each letter is referred to by letter (i.e., Letter A), the comments within each letter are labeled sequentially (e.g., A‐1, A‐2, etc.) and each response addresses the individual comments by label (e.g., A‐1, A‐2, etc.).
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Focused General Plan Update 3
A‐1
A‐2
A‐3
Letter A
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4 Focused General Plan Update
A‐3 (cont.)
A‐4
A‐5
A‐8
A‐9
A‐10
A‐11
A‐12
A‐13
A‐14
A‐15
A‐16
A‐6
A‐7
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Focused General Plan Update 5
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6 Focused General Plan Update
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Focused General Plan Update 7
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Focused General Plan Update 15
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Focused General Plan Update 19
Delta Diablo Water District (Letter A)
Response to Comment A‐1: Delta Diablo Water District (DWD) commented on the environmental documentation prepared for the FGPU and the contents of the FGPU. DWD provided attachments including Resolution Number 2021‐02, a resolution of the DWD Board of Directors adopting environmentally proactive actions, Resolution Number 2021‐03, a resolution of the Board of Directors of DWD adopting groundwater sustainability and protection measures, Resolution Number 2021‐04, a resolution of the DWD Board of Directors encouraging the use and integration of recycled water as a future water supply, and DWD Regulation No. 10, Groundwater Sustainability and Protection. DWD recommended that these documents be cited in the FGPU; these documents guide the actions of DWD and the FGPU discusses DWD’s role related to water supply and groundwater sustainability. These resolutions are noted for decision‐maker consideration. DWD’s specific comment on the environmental documentation is addressed under Response to Comment A‐2.

Response to Comment A‐2: DWD recommended that an EIR evaluate the application of environmental justice and climate change and adaptation requirements and cumulative impact to water, sewer, stormwater.

The environmental justice and climate change and adaptation policies and programs established by the FGPU provide for additional environmental protections beyond those established under the adopted General Plan.

The FGPU does not result in any changes to areas identified for urbanization on the land use map, would not result in any increases in intensification of land uses that would result in increases to demand projected for water, sewer, and stormwater service. The commenter does not identify any components of the FGPU that have the potential to have a significant impact on the environment and does not identify provide any comments specific to the analysis presented in the Initial Study. No revisions to the Initial Study and findings are necessary.

Response to Comment A‐3: The commenter indicated the newly‐elected City Council members and newly appointed Interim City Manager should be able to guide the FGPU. This comment is noted. The FGPU will be provided to the elected City Council for review and consideration.

Response to Comment A‐4: The commenter recommends use of 2020 Census data. The FGPU was prepared using the Department of Finance 2020 E‐5 Population and Housing Estimates for Cities, Counties, and the State, released in May 2020. The White Papers, prepared in 2019, were prepared using the most recent U.S.

Census American Community Survey data available at the time the data was accessed. The most recent Department of Finance E‐5 data, which was published in May 2021, remains benchmarked to the 2010 Census (see https://www.dof.ca.gov/Forecasting/Demographics/Estimates/e‐5/, accessed October 26, 2021). While redistricting data has been released, City‐level data, such as household size, composition of housing stock, and other demographic data, from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 census survey is not yet available. It is anticipated this data will be released at the City level in 2022 (https://www.census.gov/programs‐ surveys/popest/about/schedule.html, accessed October 8, 2021). No changes are necessary to the U.S. Census or Department of Finance data used for the project.

Response to Comment A‐5: The commenter indicates that that two major components, Environmental Justice and Climate Change and Adaptation, are glossed over and refer to a White Paper which should be updated to reflect 2021 data and be incorporated into the Plan. The FGPU was initiated to ensure that the General Plan provides direction for addressing environmental justice and climate adaptation. The White Papers were prepared to provide a detailed analysis of each topic and to inform development of FGPU goals, policies, and programs. The findings of each White Paper are summarized in the FGPU and the reader is referred to the White Papers for more detailed explanation. The White Papers were prepared in 2019, presented to the City Council for discussion in 2019 and 2020, and remain applicable. No update to the White Papers is proposed for the FGPU.
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20 Focused General Plan Update
Response to Comment A‐6: The commenter indicates that stormwater runoff in East Cypress is retained onsite and that no analysis is performed to address effects on groundwater flow, which effect Marsh Creek and Delta flows. This is from the current General Plan (see pp.). The FGPU does not propose any changes to stormwater management for East Cypress. It is noted that groundwater recharge is discussed in the Open Space and Conservation Element. Program 8.2.9 in the Community Health and Safety Element encourages use of water detention facilities for use as groundwater recharge facilities.

Response to Comment A‐7: The commenter indicates that no substantive mitigation/protection programs are discussed in the Land Use Element for 100‐year flood events. Flood hazards, including those associated with the 100‐year floodplain, are addressed in the Community Health and Safety Element, including Goal 8.2 and associated policies and programs.

Response to Comment A‐8: The commenter recommends discussion of plans to analyze and mitigate development impacts to groundwater quality. Groundwater is addressed in the Open Space and Conservation Element, including discussion of groundwater recharge potential, the Growth Management Element, which has been revised to include additional information related to groundwater management and quality, and the Community Health and Safety Element, which has been revised to include additional measures to address groundwater quality. While the FGPU would not increase the intensity or footprint of urban development and is not expected to result in impacts to groundwater quality, the FGPU addresses water quality associated with development. The FGPU has been revised to include additional information related to groundwater quality in the Growth Management Element and the Community Health and Safety Element and to include new and revised measures to reduce the potential for future development to affect groundwater quality consistent with regional, state, and federal requirements. The FGPU includes revisions to Policies 4.9.3, 4.10.2, revisions to Programs 8.5.B, and new programs 4.10.H, 4.10.I, and 8.5.I to further address groundwater quality.

Response to Comment A‐9: The commenter notes a typographical error for current DWD maximum daily demand. This has been corrected under the Water Services discussion of the Growth Management Element.

Response to Comment A‐10: The commenter indicates that the Growth Management Element should state the DWD will be the retail recycled water agency when recycled water projects are implemented. This comment is noted for decision‐maker consideration.

Response to Comment A‐11: The commenter recommends that the climate change White Paper be fully incorporated into the General Plan. The Climate Adaption White Paper, published October 2019, was published separately from the General Plan due to the level of detail included in the white paper. The FGPU includes a summary of findings from the White Paper and the policy recommendations of the White Paper have informed the FGPU revisions to the General Plan.

Response to Comment A‐12: The commenter encourages the city to set net zero carbon goal for city‐ controlled facilities as the DWD has done. This comment is noted for decision‐maker consideration.

Response to Comment A‐13: The commenter states that no policy or program is identified to implement energy and water efficiency in excess of Title 24 and indicates the City shall work with the DWD to determine water efficiency requirements in excess of Title 24. Program 6.2.A requires that development proposals be reviewed for air quality, toxic and hazardous emissions, and climate change impacts and use mitigation measures, including but not limited to use of energy‐efficient and water‐conserving systems in excess of Title 24 requirements, to reduce significant and potentially significant impacts.

Response to Comment A‐14: The commenter recommends the City include a program to update Water Efficient Landscape Ordinance to prohibit developer installed turf in new developments. This recommendation is noted for decision‐maker consideration. 41 RESPONSES TO COMMENTS
Focused General Plan Update 21
Response to Comment A‐15: The commenter indicates that the FGPU talks about the 100‐ and 500‐year floodplain but does not account for sea level rise plus floods and indicates more specifics are needed on mitigation programs. Under the Sea Level Rise discussion on page 8‐19 of the Community Health and Safety Element, it is noted that the sea level rise scenarios address the rise during a 100‐year storm event under scenarios ranging from a 12‐inch to 83‐inch rise. Figure 8‐6, which illustrates sea level rise under 12‐inch, 24‐ inch, 36‐inch, and 83‐inch rise scenarios identifies that the depth of flooding shown is during a 100‐year storm event for each scenario. Policy 8.5.3 addresses developing flood control and prevention measures to address rising waters and Program 8.5.5 requires measures to be addressed to ensure essential facilities and infrastructure significantly affected by sea level rise are accessible and undamaged during flood events.

Program 8.5.E ensures that development and redevelopment substantially affected by sea levels or expanded 100‐year flood areas address the potential for flooding. Program 8.5.G requires the City to maintain improvements and facilities designed to protect against flooding and sea level rise. In order to further ensure that 100‐year flood events are considered when addressing sea level rise, Policy 8.5.1 is revised to require preparing for and adapting to sea level rise, including 100‐year flood events. Program 8.5.6 is revised to ensure that 100‐year flood events are addressed when prioritizing improvements and actions that protect vulnerable populations, essential facilities, and vital infrastructure from flooding due to sea level rise. Program

8.5.D requires new development projects in areas projected to be inundated by sea level rise, including 100‐ year flood events, to identify projected sea level rise in relation to proposed residences, buildings, and important infrastructure and to be designed to address sea level rise.

Response to Comment A‐16: The commenter indicates that the former DuPont site is only quickly addressed and that the FGPU needs to investigate the risks of sea level rise causing groundwater elevation increases and potential lifting and shifting of pollutants. The FGPU does not provide detailed assessment of individual sites; the FGPU does not entitle development nor identify any individual development projects for approval. Specific effects associated with individual development projects, such as a proposal at the DuPont site, are addressed when a development application is submitted. The FGPU is revised to ensure potential hazards addressed by the commenter are addressed programmatically in the context of a General Plan. Program 8.5.B is revised to ensure that updates to the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan address potential exposure to hazardous materials associated with sea level rise and potential changes to groundwater levels. Program 8.5.D is revised to ensure that development projects address the effect of hazards associated with sea level rise.

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22 Focused General Plan Update
B‐1
B‐2
B‐3
Letter B
43 RESPONSES TO COMMENTS
Focused General Plan Update 23

B‐3 (cont.)
B‐4
44 RESPONSES TO COMMENTS
24 Focused General Plan Update
Ironhouse Sanitary District (Letter B)
Response to Comment B‐1: Ironhouse Sanitary District (ISD) submitted a letter providing a general comment related to demographic data and specific comments on the Growth Management Element of the FGPU. No comments were made on the environmental documentation.

Response to Comment B‐2: The commenter recommends use of 2020 Census data. The FGPU was prepared using the Department of Finance 2020 E‐5 Population and Housing Estimates for Cities, Counties, and the State, released in May 2020. The White Papers, prepared in 2019, were prepared using the most recent U.S.

Response to Comment B‐3: The commentor recommends several changes to reflect ISD’s recycled water treatment capabilities and data related to treatment capacity and influent rates. These changes are made to the Growth Management Element under the Wastewater Services heading.

Response to Comment B‐4: The commentor recommends changes to the Growth Management Element, specifically Goal 4.9, Policies 4.9.1, 4.9.3, and 4.9.4, and Programs 4.9.D and 4.9.E. Goal 4.9, Policies 4.9.1 and

4.9.3, and Programs 4.9.D and 4.9.E have been revised as recommended. Policy 4.9.4 has been retained, but revised to reference that water conservation will reduce the demand for sewer treatment and collection associated with future growth, rather than just reducing the need for sewer system improvements.

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Focused General Plan Update 25
C‐1
C‐3
C‐4
C‐2
C‐3
Letter C
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26 Focused General Plan Update
C‐5
C‐6
C‐8
C‐9
C‐7
C‐10
C‐12
C‐13
C‐11
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Focused General Plan Update 27
C‐14
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C‐15
C‐16
C‐19
C‐17
C‐18
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Focused General Plan Update 29
C‐20
C‐21
C‐22
C‐23
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C‐23 (con’t)
C‐24
C‐25
C‐26
C‐27
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C‐28
C‐29
C‐30
C‐29
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32 Focused General Plan Update
C‐31
C‐32
C‐33
53 RESPONSES TO COMMENTS
Focused General Plan Update 33

C‐33 (cont.)
C‐34
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34 Focused General Plan Update
Greenbelt Alliance, Contra Costa County Climate Leaders, Sierra Club, The Delta Dems, Et al. (Letter C)
Response to Comment C‐1: The Greenbelt Alliance Et al. (Greenbelt Alliance) commented on the environmental documentation prepared for the FGPU, community outreach efforts, and the contents of the FGPU, including an attachment with recommended changes to FGPU goals, policies, and programs. The comments are addressed in the following responses, with Response to Comments C‐2 and C‐3 addressing specific comments related to the environmental documentation.

Response to Comment C‐2: The commenter indicates that the addition of environmental justice and climate change requirements EIR evaluate the application of environmental justice and climate change and adaptation requirements and cumulative impacts to water, sewer, stormwater, etc. need to be taken into account via an EIR rather than the proposed negative declaration. The commentor indicates their belief that a negative declaration is not sufficient for the substantial changes being made. The commenter also indicates that performing the EIR will allow the City to lead by example with robust and interactive participation. See Response to Comment A‐2 related to the environmental justice and climate change and adaptation requirements and cumulative impacts to water, sewer, stormwater. See Response to Comment C‐3 related to opportunities for community input and participation.

The commenter also indicates that with a RHNA (regional housing needs allocation) of 1,058, this new growth will likely require a rezoning program in order for HCD (the State Housing and Community Development Department) to certify it which would likely require another update to the General Plan and EIR. This comment is noted. The FGPU focuses on revisions to the General Plan to address requirements of State law related to environmental justice, circulation, and climate adaptation. Housing Element requirements, including the RHNA, will be addressed in a separate update to the Housing Element following adoption of the RHNA and based on the State’s adoption schedule for Housing Elements.

Response to Comment C‐3: The commenter indicates that the FGPU states that “Oakley General Plan was developed with extensive community input and reflects the community’s vision for Oakley.” and concludes that the City’s definition of extensive includes two workshops and a survey, indicating this is unacceptable.

The commenter indicates that more outreach is needed to the community about the General Plan and more time to review the General Plan and EIR. The commenter refers to their engagement letter to the City Council, sent in September 2021.

The General Plan reflects community engagement that occurred during the development of the General Plan, from roughly 2000 through 2002, and community engagement for the FGPU. During development of the General Plan, 26 public meetings were held, including public workshops, City Council/Planning Commission working sessions, Planning Commission hearings, and City Council hearings, from 2000 through 2002 to form the vision for the General Plan, identify issues to be addressed and goals, policies, and programs, consider land use map alternatives, and develop the Oakley General Plan. During development of the General Plan from 2000 through 2002, community input was used to develop the Land Use Map and Land Use Designation.

The FGPU included two Visioning Workshops in 2019, a community survey, a series of four study sessions with the City Council in 2019 and 2020, a 40‐day period for public review of the FGPU and Initial Study in 2021, and a public hearing for adoption in early 2022. Given the focused nature of the FGPU, the City considers the workshops, survey, study sessions, public review period, and public hearing to have provided the community with extensive opportunities for input. It is noted that the FGPU continues to implement the broad vision and goals of the General Plan as adopted in 2002 and does not include significant modifications to land use designations or the Land Use Map, does not change locations identified for urbanization, and would not increase the density or intensity of land uses.
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Focused General Plan Update 35
Accuracy of Data in Draft FGPU
Response to Comment C‐4‐: The commenter recommends use of 2020 Census data. See Response to Comment A‐4.

Climate Adaptation and Emergency Planning in Draft FGPU Response to Comment C‐5: The commenter recommends that in order to prioritize climate change, that the sea level rise and climate impact sections are brought up highway, which appears to mean identified earlier in the document, and fully integrating them into other elements. Goal 6.2 and associated policies and actions of the Open Space and Conservation Element addresses reductions in greenhouse gas emissions related to climate resiliency. Goal 8.5 of the Community Health and Safety Element addresses reducing risks through climate adaptation strategies. While no changes are proposed to the organization of the Draft FGPU, this comment is noted for the decision‐makers’ consideration. The commenter also indicates that carbon sequestration is not mentioned and that carbon sequestration can be a critical greenhouse gas reduction tool and blue carbon sequestration could be an effective way to utilize shoreline and marshes. Policy 6.2.9 has been revised to include carbon sequestration as a potential approach to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Policy 8.5.2 has been revised to address the role of the coastal ecosystem in providing for carbon sequestration.

Response to Comment C‐6: The commenter recommends a discussion of plans to analyze and mitigate development impacts to groundwater quality. See Response to Comment A‐8.

Response to Comment C‐7: The commenter indicates that the General Plan mentions the 100‐year and 500‐year floodplain, but does not account for sea level rise plus floods and groundwater flooding, noting that more details are required on mitigation programs. See Response to Comment A‐15.

Response to Comment C‐8: The commenter indicates that disaster planning conducted on a countywide scale, as stated in the General Plan, is not a reasonable disaster plan and that Oakley needs to have a more substantial disaster plan, including resilience hubs that can be deployed in the event of identified disaster types. The FGPU addresses the requirements associated with safety and hazards identified in State law, including protection from any unreasonable risks associated with the effects of seismic hazards, including surface rupture, ground shaking, ground failure, tsunami, seiche, and dam failure; geologic hazards including slope instability leading to mudslides and landslides; subsidence; liquefaction; flooding; and wildland and urban fires. As part of the FGPU effort, the FGPU provides more detailed maps that the current General Plan in order to better identify the location and extent of potential hazards.

The Countywide disaster‐planning efforts includes the Contra Costa County Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) prepared in 2018 which identifies risks associated with various types of hazards and disasters at the regional and local scale, identifying the potential for critical facilities and infrastructure and the population and/or buildings in Oakley to be affected under a range of hazards‐related scenarios, including dam failure, earthquake, 10‐year/100‐ year/500‐year flood, landslide, and wildfire. The Community Health and Safety Element has been revised to include additional information related to the LHMP, including information specific to Oakley, on page 8‐12 and to ensure Oakley participates in future updates to the LHMP (see Programs 8.4.G and 8.4.H). In addition to regional planning efforts, the City of Oakley has an Emergency Operations Plan (EOP) that addresses the City’s emergency operations procedures in the event of natural hazards, such as earthquakes, floods, levee breaks, wildland fires, and extreme weather, and technological/man‐made hazards, including hazardous materials release, major vehicle accident, train accident, airplane crash, civil disturbance, and terrorism. The Community Health and Safety Element has been revised to include additional information related to the EOP on pages 8‐13 and 8‐14 and to ensure that future updates to the EOP address hazards associated with climate change and adaptation (see Programs 8.4.H and 8.4.I).

Response to Comment C‐9: The commenter indicates that consistent sea level rise numbers be used and that the City build beyond the FEMA minimum, indicating this is a long‐term visioning document and sea level rise numbers 56 RESPONSES TO COMMENTS
36 Focused General Plan Update
will only increase. The commenter is referred to Goal 8.5 and associated policies and programs, which exceed FEMA requirements by ensuring that development addresses projected sea level rise, including projected 100‐year flood events. These projected scenarios exceed the current 100‐year floodplain, which must be addressed under FEMA requirements.

Response to Comment C‐10: The commenter indicates that climate change and environmental justice need to be front and center and that they should be stated in the community vision statement on page 1‐5 and be a principle foundation on page 1‐6. The community vision statement reflects the community input received when the General Plan was originally developed in the early 2000s and the Community Vision Principles were prepared to reflect the input from the community provided as part of the additional community visioning conducted for the FGPU in 2019. This comment is noted for the decision‐makers consideration.

Response to Comment C‐11: The commenter indicates that a Climate Action and Resiliency Plan must be implemented, including a baseline greenhouse gas emissions inventory. The commenter is referred to program

6.2.B which has been revised to require a Climate Action Plan to be adopted and implemented by 2025 and to Program 6.2.C which requires the Oakley Community‐Wide and Local Government Operations GHG Emissions Inventory to be updated by 2025 and regularly thereafter.

Response to Comment C‐12: The commenter indicates there need to be more focused policies on protecting valuable open space from sprawl and creating buffers for wildfire and open space protection from climate impact, indicating the need for more wildlife corridors, opportunities for carbon sequestration, and preservation of valuable natural and working lands. It is noted that the FGPU focuses on addressing climate adaptation, environmental justice, and updating the General Plan to remove outdated or incorrect information and does not include a re‐envisioning of the land use map nor changes to the location or extent of land planned for urbanization or protection. However, Goal 6.3 and associated policies and programs provide for preservation of important ecological and biological resources, including open space, preservation of contiguous portions of important wildlife habitats, and preservation and expansion of natural features, including stream corridors, wetlands, sensitive habitats, and open space. Program 6.3.G has been revised to address opportunities to create contiguous open space corridors. Policy 8.5.2 and 8.5.F have been revised to include protection and enhancement of open space and natural areas related to restoration and capacity building projects to address sea level rise and provide for carbon sequestration. See also Response to Comment C‐5 related to carbon sequestration.

Response to Comment C‐13: The commenter indicates that accountability for the goals and priorities laid out in the General Plan and annual reporting of the City’s General Plan implementation needs to occur, and visuals should be provided associated with greenhouse gas reduction goals. The commenter provides an example of how specific timelines can be added to implementation programs. Goal 1 and associated policies and programs have been added to the Introduction and Implementation Element of the General Plan to address timing, reporting, and transparency related to General Plan implementation. Goal 1 and associated policies and programs and been added to the Introduction and Implementation Chapter of the General Plan to ensure that General Plan implementation is monitored with annual progress reports made available to the public and decision‐makers. This comment, including the recommendations regarding greenhouse reduction reporting and recommendation for a dashboard on the City’s website to provide an overview of General Plan progress, is noted for the decision‐makers consideration.

Response to Comment C‐14: The commenter refers to Attachment A regarding more detailed policy changes and suggestions and provides closing remarks. The recommendations in Attachment A are addressed in Responses to Comments C‐15 through C‐34.

Response to Comment C‐15: The commenter indicates that the General Plan needs to set goals that are not just incremental, but ambitious and transformative, in order for Oakley to adapt and thrive in the climate crisis. The commenter indicates that in addition to the comments from their original 2020 letter specific policy 57 RESPONSES TO COMMENTS
Focused General Plan Update 37
recommendations are made based on this draft [of the FGPU]. The commenter’s 2020 recommendations were reviewed when preparing the Draft FGPU. The additional recommendations made based on the Draft FGPU are addressed in Responses to Comments C‐16 through C‐33 below.

Response to Comment C‐16: The commenter recommends that Policy 2.1.1 be revised to specify “flood and liquefaction safe” land related to maintaining an adequate supply of land to support housing, employment, and other needs of the community. Recognizing that flood, liquefaction, and other hazards are addressed on a project‐ by‐project basis as well as through siting land uses, the Community Health and Safety Element provides policies to ensure that the community, including future development of housing, employment, educational, and other uses is protected from flooding (see Goals 8.2 and 8.5 and implementing policies and programs) and liquefaction (see Goal 8.1 and implementing policies and programs).

Response to Comment C‐17: The commenter recommends that the City include a policy to integrate urban greening into planned and future city infrastructure projects, including road improvements, parks, and private development. Policy 2.8.C is added to the Land Use Element to ensure that landscaping, including trees and landscaped areas, is integrated into planned and future city infrastructure projects and into private development projects.

Response to Comment C‐18: The commenter recommends that “flood risk” be added to the identified issues of concern that residences should be located away from. Recognizing that flood, liquefaction, and other hazards are addressed on a project‐by‐project basis as well as through siting land uses, the Community Health and Safety Element provides policies to ensure that the community, including housing, is protected from flooding (see Goals

8.2 and 8.5 and implementing policies and programs).

Response to Comment C‐19: The commenter recommends that a policy be added to prepare current and future developments for climate impacts, as well as a list of implementing actions to review development standards to address flooding from sea level rise and significant storm events, to provide real estate disclosures related to sea level rise, to implement green infrastructure in future developments, and to implement improvements to move or protect critical public assets threatened by sea‐level rise or rising groundwater. Policy 8.5.D has been revised to provide more detail regarding approaches to address sea level rise effects on new development. Policy 8.5.E has been added to update the City’s development standards to address the effect of sea level rise if a scenario for sea level rise is established by the State, BCDC, FEMA, or similar agency for planning and development purposes. Policy

8.5.5 addresses ensuring essential facilities and infrastructure in areas anticipated to be affected by sea level rise remain accessible and undamaged. No changes were made related to real estate disclosures.

Response to Comment C‐20: The commenter recommends that an implementation program that ensures the desired industrial development does not put adjacent communities at greater health risk be provided in relation to Program 2.4.B has been revised to require industrial development projects to be reviewed for adverse impacts to adjacent communities and to require that adverse impacts be reduced or mitigated. Program 8.7.A provides additional protection for disadvantaged communities by requiring all development proposals, planning project, and infrastructure projects be reviewed to ensure that potential adverse impacts to disadvantaged communities are identified and reduced and that measures to improve quality of life are included in projects.

Response to Comment C‐21: The commenter asks, in relation to Policy 2.6.9, how risk will be determined acceptable. Policy 26.9 is revised to provide explanation of how risk will be acceptable (e.g., the project is located outside of the 100‐year flood zone or includes measures to ensure that development would be accessible during flood events and that structures are designed to be outside of the 100‐year flood area or to withstand flood events). It is noted that the Goal 8.2 and associated policies and actions provide additional detail regarding the approach to addressing flood hazards
Response to Comment C‐22: The commenter recommends implementation actions for Goal 2.9, Project Design/Design Excellence, including that City departments develop their own policies and procedures for capital 58 RESPONSES TO COMMENTS
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projects to assess carbon sequestration opportunities, prioritize biodiversity and green infrastructure, and maximize local native plants; adopt a comprehensive and multi‐department strategy to integrate greening into new city project planning and development; and to support the implementation of forest management practices.

The suggestions are noted for decision‐maker consideration. It is noted that the City does not have significant forested areas or areas associated with high or very high fire hazard severity zones.

Response to Comment C‐23: The commenter recommends, in relation to Goal 2.10, that a policy be added to assess carbon sequestration opportunities, prioritize biodiversity and green infrastructure, and maximize local native plants and that implementing actions be added to support the implementation of forest management practices, pilot appropriate carbon sequestration techniques as part of ongoing ecological restoration of degraded habitats, and requiring new development to manage stormwater runoff through implementation and maintenance of green infrastructure. Policy 2.10.B has been added to incorporate natural features and native plants to support biodiversity and carbon sequestration when designing and maintaining corridors, pathways, streetscapes, and edges. Goal 6.3 and associated policies and programs encourage the preservation of the important ecological and biological resources and include revisions to Policies 6.3.1 and 6.3.2 to support biodiversity, carbon sequestration, and use of native plants. Program 4.10.I has been added to review and update the Stormwater Management and Discharge Control Ordinance to reflect the most recent federal and State standards, including best management practices related to use of low impact development and green infrastructure techniques. It is noted that the City does not have significant forested areas or areas associated with high or very high fire hazard severity zones.

Response to Comment C‐24: The commenter recommends that Policy 3.6.2 be revised to include sea level rise planning and regional habitat connectivity as multi‐jurisdictional issues to be addressed. Policy 3.6.2 is intended to address issues related to circulation. Program 6.3.D has been revised to include regional habitat connectivity as an issue to be addressed in participation with regional, state, and federal agencies and Program 8.5.G monitors regional, state, and federal efforts related to adapting to climate change in order to identify opportunities for participation.

Response to Comment C‐25: The commenter recommends that Goal 4.1 be revised to reduce or prohibit development in the most hazardous areas and suggests implementing actions to require new development to plan for and protect against 42‐inch 100‐year storm events plus an additional 36 inches of sea‐level rise and to restrict or limit construction of new development in hazardous areas. The Growth Management Element is an optional element that has been prepared to specifically address the Contra Costa Transportation Authority Growth Management Program. The Community Health and Safety Element addresses hazards, including seismic hazards, liquefaction, flooding (including flooding associated with sea level rise), landslide, and wildfire. This comment is noted for decision‐maker consideration.

Response to Comment C‐26: The commenter recommends that the City incorporate resilience hubs (community institutions that educate residents about preparedness and impacts of climate change) into community facilities to prepare communities for impending climate disruption. Policy 8.4.1 addresses public education related to local and regional disaster and emergency response planning and has been revised to include collaboration and sharing of resources with community institutions and Program 8.4.E has been revised to include climate preparedness in relation to encouraging schools, neighborhood associations, and other interested groups in educating the public about first aid and disaster preparedness.

Response to Comment C‐27: The commenter recommends, in relation to Goal 4.4, that an implementing action be included to design new development to minimize fire hazards and that densities, land uses, and site plans should reflect the level of wildfire risk and evacuation capacity at a given location. Oakley is not located within a very high fire hazard severity zone. Program 4.4.E ensures that fire safety and control features are included in building and development plans. This comment is noted for decision‐maker consideration. 59 RESPONSES TO COMMENTS
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Response to Comment C‐28: The commenter recommends prioritizing increasing greenbelts as strategic locations for wildfire defense and identifies implementing actions. Oakley is not located within a very high or high fire hazard severity zone. This comment is noted for decision‐maker consideration.

Response to Comment C‐29: The commenter asks, in relation to Policy 4.10.3, how the City will recognize the unique flooding constraints on the areas north and east of the Contra Costa Canal and what recognize means.

Recognize means that the City acknowledges the existence of flooding issues in this area. This policy is from the adopted General Plan. The City has worked cooperatively with Contra Costa Water District and their partner agencies on their ongoing undergrounding projects to protect the Contra Costa Canal and adjacent lands from potential flooding. Policy 4.10.3 is revised to clarify that the City will work cooperatively with Contra Costa Water District to address potential issues associated with the Contra Costa Canal, including flooding, water quality, and drainage.

Response to Comment C‐30: The commenter suggest a policy to proactively pursue nature‐based and science‐ based planning and implementation adaption and mitigation strategies for seal level rise, groundwater rise, and land subsidence and suggests implementing actions to encourage green (nature‐based) shoreline protection measures to combat seal level rise and to consider and prepare for the impacts of rising groundwater levels, including developing a model of groundwater levels across the City and modeling the impact of sea level rise and drought on groundwater. The City’s approach to addressing climate adaptation, including sea level rise, is addressed under Goal 8.5 and associated policies and programs. Policy 8.5.1 has been revised to reference State and regional modeling efforts as well as science‐based data in preparing for and adapting to anticipated seal level rise and fluctuations and changes in weather conditions and Policy 8.5.2 includes nature‐based approaches in adapting to sea level rise. Policy 8.5.I will encourage Diablo Water District, as the local Sustainable Groundwater Agency, to monitor groundwater levels, identify potential effects on groundwater quality due to sea level rise and drought, and to provide this information to the City and for the next update to the Contra Costa County Local Hazard Mitigation Plan.

Response to Comment C‐31: The commenter recommends, in relation to Goal 6.6., that the City include actions to require sustainable landscaping practices and a rating system and to reduce barriers to encourage Williamson Act use in high hazard areas. These suggestions are noted for decision‐maker consideration.

Response to Comment C‐32: The commenter recommends, in relation to Goal 8.2, that the City require new development to plan for and protect against 42‐inch 100‐year storm events plus an additional 36 inches of sea level rise, develop an inventory of the City’s drainage system and assess for potential wetland revision, advance watershed management projects that reduce and/or store runoff during rainfall events, and require project proponents to explore the potential for nature‐based adaptation measures before considering hardened structures.

Response to Comment C‐33: The commenter recommends that the City support ongoing studies and monitoring of groundwater rise and subsidence, including completion of a geologic and/or hydrographic study that describes, and includes recommendations to address, how subsidence and liquefaction issues interact with sea level rise.

Program 8.5.I is added to encourage Diablo Water District, as the local Sustainable Groundwater Agency to monitor groundwater levels, identify potential effects to groundwater levels, water quality, subsidence, and liquefaction, due to sea level rise and drought, and recommendations to address the effects of changing groundwater levels and provide this information to the City and for the next update to the Contra Costa County Local Hazard Mitigation Plan.

Response to Comment C‐34: The commenter recommends the City adopt a goal to advance jurisdiction‐wide collaboration to continually refine nature‐based climate solutions that sequester carbon, restore ecosystems, mitigate flooding, and conserve biodiversity, and provides supporting policies and programs, including efforts to assess carbon sequestration, best practices for improving or maintaining carbon sequestration, and completing a 60 RESPONSES TO COMMENTS
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watershed carbon case study and quantifying the value of carbon storage provided by protecting this natural area.

While the Draft FGPU does not use the same language identified by the commenter, it includes a goal to minimize risks to life, property, the economy, and the environment through climate adaptation strategies that enhance and promote Oakley’s community resiliency. The Draft FGPU has been revised to recognize the role of the ecosystem, consider State and regional modeling efforts, and science‐based data in preparing for and adapting to climate change, to provide for and encourage carbon sequestration, and support biodiversity. These suggestions, particularly related to developing methods to assess carbon sequestration, developing best practices related to carbon sequestration, and completing a watershed carbon case study, are noted for decision‐maker consideration. 61 RESPONSES TO COMMENTS
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D‐1
D‐2
D‐3
D‐4
D‐5
D‐6
Letter D
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D‐6 (con’t)
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D‐7
D‐8
D‐9
D‐10
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D‐11
D‐12
D‐13
D‐14
D‐15
D‐16
D‐17
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D‐17 (con’t)
D‐18
D‐19
D‐20
D‐21
D‐22
D‐23
D‐24
D‐25
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D‐25 (con’t)
D‐26
D‐27
D‐28
D‐36
D‐37
D‐29
D‐31
D‐34
D‐35
D‐33
D‐32
D‐30
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D‐38
D‐39
D‐42
D‐43
D‐47
D‐40
D‐41
D‐44
D‐45
D‐46
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Sierra Club (Letter D)
Response to Comment D‐1: The commenter, Sierra Club, provides introductory comments. The commenter indicates their letter addresses flaws and inadequacies associated with the Intent to Adopt a Negative Declaration and Initial Study and further indicates their belief the project requires an Environmental Impact Report. Specific comments related to the environmental analysis are addressed below in Responses to Comments D‐2 through D‐

17. Response to Comment D‐2: The commenter states they feel 40 days is inadequate to investigate the background data and requests an extension of time to review and comment on the FGPU. The background materials prepared for the FGPU were presented to the City Council at study sessions in 2019 and 2020 and have been available on the City’s website for review by the public following the initial publication and review of each item by the City Council.

The California Environmental Quality Act requires a minimum of 30 days for the public review period for a proposed negative declaration or mitigated negative declaration (CEQA Guidelines Section 15073(b)). A specific time period is not established for public review of amendments to the General Plan. The City provided the Notice of Intent to Adopt a Negative Declaration (NOIND), Initial Study, and the Draft FGPU for a 40‐day public review period, from August 11, 2021 through September 20, 2021, which exceeds the minimum required 30‐day public review period for the NOI. This comment is noted for decision‐maker consideration.

Response to Comment D‐3: The commenter recommends that the General Plan Update be rescoped to include broad and detailed discussion around all elements/city projects within the General Plan, revised, and recirculated for public review. It is noted that the commenter refers to a 2040 General Plan. The FGPU is not a 2040 General Plan, but rather is a focused update to the Oakley General Plan. The FGPU project had a narrow scope of work that focused on updating the General Plan to address requirements of State law related to climate adaptation, environmental justice, and multi‐modal transportation and was not intended to be a comprehensive update to the City’s General Plan. This comment is noted for decision‐maker consideration.

Response to Comment D‐4: The commenter notes that BCDC (San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission) is referenced on multiple occasions, considered an authority on a number of subjects by the City, and is not/was not included in the City’s outside agencies and interested parties notification list inviting BCDC comment or recommendation. This comment is noted. BCDC is not a responsible or trustee agency for this project under the California Environmental Quality Act and was not included as no permits or approvals from BCDC are necessary. However, BCDC will be included in the notification list for future notices related to this project.

Response to Comment D‐5: The commenter asks why all residents were not notified by mailer and questions how where notification was provided. CEQA Guidelines Section 15072(b) requires the City, as lead agency, to mail the NOI to the last known name and address of all organizations and individuals who have previously requested such notice in writing and shall also give notice of the NOI by at least one of the following procedures to allow the public the review period provided under Section 15105:
(1) Publication at least one time by the lead agency in a newspaper of general circulation in the area affected by the proposed project. If more than one area is affected, the notice shall be published in the newspaper of largest circulation from among the newspapers of general circulation in those areas. (2) Posting of notice by the lead agency on and off site in the area where the project is to be located. (3) Direct mailing to the owners and occupants of property contiguous to the project. Owners of such property shall be identified as shown on the latest equalized assessment roll.

The City posted the NOI on the City website and at Oakley City Hall, outside the gym at Delta Vista Middle School, and outside the library at Freedom High School.

Response to Comment D‐6: The commenter indicates that with the introduction of new traffic from Antioch to the Laurel Road, there will be significant impacts to the City, including nearby gas stations, car washes, and access to 69 RESPONSES TO COMMENTS
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Brentwood and indicates that adding the housing included in the East Cypress Specific Plan introduce further and massive impacts to traffic, noise, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by increased vehicle miles travelled (VMT) are not adequately addressed by the Initial Study and require a full environmental review. The Laurel Road extension was planned in the adopted Oakley 2020 General Plan. Laurel Road has been improved and extended beyond the City limits. The Laurel Road interchange became operational in February 2008 when the SR 4 Bypass opened. The FGPU project does not modify or change plans for Laurel Road. The East Cypress Corridor Specific Plan project was adopted in 2006; the FGPU does not modify or change the approved East Cypress Corridor Specific Plan project. Environmental effects associated with Laurel Road and the East Cypress Corridor Specific Plan are associated with previously approved projects and are not affected by the FGPU. No changes to the Initial Study are required to address this comment.

Response to Comment D‐7: The commenter states that the FGPU policies that address GHG emissions are vague, generic, and lacking in specific detail and provide no clear commitment by the City to specific actions. The FGPU includes policies and programs that are mandatory and are required to be applied to all projects and actions of the City and the FGPU also includes policies and programs that serve as guidance or are permissive, recognizing that the FGPU is a long‐term document, that agencies and organizations are involved that are outside of the City’s jurisdiction, and that the City may require discretion in determining the appropriate action for future projects, given that the General Plan is a long‐range planning document and specific details regarding future projects, future actions, and actions of outside agencies are either not available or under the City’s control at the time of the FGPU preparation. This comment does not address the Initial Study, including the analysis of potential environmental impacts and the determinations of significance for environmental impacts. The commenter provides additional detail in subsequent comments and those specific instances are addressed in the subsequent Responses to Comments.

Response to Comment D‐8: The commenter states that under existing conditions the residential VMT per capita is

26.76 and above significance thresholds, indicating that this should trigger a finding of potential significance. The threshold of significance is based on a 15% reduction to the City’s existing residential and employment VMT rates (26.76 x 85% = 22.75 residential VMT). As the threshold is based on a reduction in existing VMT, the threshold is, by definition, less than existing conditions. The potential significance of the project’s impact is based on whether the project has the potential to exceed the threshold. It is noted that the FGPU project does not involve significant changes to the City’s land use map and focuses on developing additional policies and actions to address climate adaptation, environmental justice, and mobility. However, with the shift from evaluating transportation impacts based on VMT rather than level of service, the Initial Study includes an assessment of existing VMT and VMT with development of uses allowed under the General Plan. No revisions to the Initial Study are warranted due to the threshold of significance and existing VMT levels.

The commenter also states that the Initial Study asserts that the reduction in VMT will occur due to modifications associated with the FGPU such as new development at higher intensities and expanding traffic access. The commenter states that higher densities do not necessarily reduce VMT per capita and new transit systems are not in place. The commenter states that an EIR is required to analyze differences in several buildout plans and transportation plans. The evaluation of VMT provided in Table 4 of the Initial Study identifies existing residential and employment VMT per capita. The cumulative plus project conditions includes development associated with buildout of the FGPU but does not include any reductions for increases in density, proximity to transit, or other measures included in the FGPU. The VMT analysis is based solely on the land use designations and associated growth. While FGPU policies and programs referenced under Response b) in Section XVII, Transportation, on page 90 of the Initial Study would serve to further reduce VMT, no reductions were taken for these policies and programs in the VMT modeling. Therefore, these policies and programs would provide for additional improvement beyond that shown in Table 4. No revisions to the Initial Study are warranted as no reductions to the modeling were made based on anticipated improvements to VMT associated with implementation of the policies and programs described on page 90 of the Initial Study.
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Response to Comment D‐9: The commenter references language in the Initial Study related to removing the use of Level of Service (LOS) standards and using VMT, based on the CEQA Guidelines. The commenter notes that the OPR Technical Advisory on Evaluating Transportation Impacts recommends VMT thresholds be set at 15% below the baseline VMT per capita or VMT per employee, reflected by proposed edits requiring projects to demonstrate GHG reduction greater than 15% and distinctions between CEQA‐mandated VMT reduction and locally discretionary motor vehicle LOS standards. The comment recommends that language in Program 3.1b be deleted, however, the commenter’s edit in red appears to add language rather than delete language. As discussed in the Initial Study, the project would reduce VMT in comparison to existing conditions and would result in less than significant impacts based on the criteria recommended by the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research Technical Advisory on Evaluating Transportation Impacts in CEQA. Programs 3.1.A and 3.1.B require projects to demonstrate that traffic levels of service and multi‐modal performance standards will be maintained; these programs are not intended to address VMT pursuant to CEQA. For clarification, Programs 3.1.A and 3.1.B are combined. Program 3.1.E is added to the FGPU to require development, infrastructure, and other discretionary projects to be reviewed for VMT impacts, consistent with the requirements of CEQA and further requires that projects consider reasonable and feasible project modifications, such as increase density or diversification of uses, and other measures to reduce vehicle trips and trip length.

Response to Comment D‐10: The commenter recommends that the City establish level of traffic stress (LTS) 2 for bicycle travel under Policies 3.1.4 and 3.1.10 in order to ensure the General Plan is compliant with the CEQA Guidelines for VMT reduction. As discussed under Response to Comment D‐8, the VMT analysis for the FGPU did not assume any reductions in travel associated with the existing or proposed FGPU policies or programs, but based the analysis on the buildout of the land use map. Buildout of the land use map, including the revisions associated with the FGPU, would not result in VMT that exceeds the thresholds as discussed in Section XCII, Transportation, under Response b) in the Initial Study. Therefore, it is not necessary to demonstrate additional reductions to VMT.

The recommendation to use LTS‐2 for bicycle travel is noted for decision‐maker consideration.

Response to Comment D‐11: The commenter recommends that Program 3.1.A specify VMT reduction greater than 15% as a performance standard to be demonstrated prior to project approval. As described under Response to Comment D‐9, Program 3.1.A is not intended to address VMT requirements pursuant to CEQA. As discussed under Response to Comment D‐9, Program 3.1.E has been added to the FGPU to ensure that VMT impacts are addressed pursuant to CEQA.

Response to Comment D‐12: The commenter recommends that Program 3.1.B be revised to specify VMT reductions greater than 15% as a standard for projects and to specify that mitigation measures should be applied to projects that would create significant VMT impacts. As described under Response to Comment D‐9, Program

3.1.B is not intended to address VMT requirements pursuant to CEQA. As discussed under Response to Comment D‐9, Programs 31.A and 3.1.B have been consolidated and Program 3.1.E has been added to the FGPU to ensure that VMT impacts are addressed pursuant to CEQA.

Response to Comment D‐13: The commenter recommends that the City revise Policy 3.1.C to monitor VMT reductions on an annual basis community‐wide and expand bi‐annual monitoring to include bicycle LTS. As previously discussed, the Initial Study did not base analysis of VMT reductions on any additional reductions associated with implementation of FGPU policies and programs. Therefore, this policy and revisions thereto are not necessary to ensure that the FGPU results in a less than significant impact associated with transportation, including VMT. Program 3.7.D, which addresses the City’s participation in regional land use and transportation planning efforts, is revised to include efforts to monitoring jurisdiction‐level VMT and the performance of bicycle and pedestrian facilities on a regular basis.

Response to Comment D‐14: The commenter recommends that Program 3.1.D be revised to specify “CEQA‐ mandated VMT reduction and locally discretional motor vehicle” LOS in related to circulation improvements to mitigate effects of growth and maintain LOS standards. Program 3.1.D is revised to include VMT reductions of at 71 RESPONSES TO COMMENTS
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least 15% but does not include the recommended language to distinguish the motor vehicle LOS as locally discretionary as that language is not necessary and may result in confusion as to whether the LOS standard is intended to be discretionary on a project‐by‐project basis.

Response to Comment D‐15: The commenter recommends that Program 3.1.H be revised to mandate, rather than encourage, the identified actions for mitigation of VMT impacts. As previously discussed, the Initial Study did not base analysis of VMT reductions on any additional reductions associated with implementation of FGPU policies and programs. Therefore, this policy and revisions thereto are not necessary to ensure that the FGPU results in a less than significant impact associated with transportation, including VMT. This recommendation is noted for decision‐ maker consideration.

Response to Comment D‐16: The commenter references language in the Initial Study related to areas of the City subject to flooding, noting studying specific details as each project comes forward is not sufficient to guarantee the safety of the entire area that is quite large. The commenter indicates that a program EIR or full EIR is needed and that evaluating each project separately could potentially fail to identify and measure significant cumulative impacts. The FGPU is not a comprehensive update to the General Plan, but rather is a focused update to address climate adaptation, environmental justice, and multi‐modal circulation as described in the Initial Study. The FGPU does not involve significant changes to the land use map and, as previously described, focuses on establishing policies and programs to address climate adaptation, environmental justice, and multi‐modal circulation. As described in the Initial Study, the FGPU does not change the location of areas designated for urbanization and development and does not increase the densities or intensities of allowed land uses. Therefore, the FGPU does not result in or increase the potential for uses to be exposed to flooding. The FGPU does establish new and revised policies and programs to provide for additional protection from flooding, including the new and revised policies discussed on pages 69 through 72 of the Initial Study, in relation to hydrology, flooding, and drainage patterns. No changes to the Initial Study are necessary.

Response to Comment D‐17: The commenter asks how the rezoning from Business Park to Light Industrial increases emissions, GHG, pollutants, and the potential for hazardous materials. The commenter indicates that the zoning change could increase hazards and that evaluating each land use and project separately after the zoning change could potentially fail to identify and measure significant cumulative impacts caused by the rezoning from Business Park to Light Industrial. The commenter indicates that Hazards and Hazardous Materials has not been adequately addressed, indicating this is a reason for a program or full EIR. The adopted General Plan allows for light industrial uses in the range of uses allowed under the Business Park designation (see pages 2‐16 and 2‐17).

Neither the Business Park designation nor the Light Industrial designation accommodate heavy industrial uses. The Light Industrial designation that would be applied by the FGPU reduces the range of allowed uses under the Business Park designation to focus on Light Industrial uses and would reduce the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) from 2.0 to a less intensive 0.67. As both designations allow for Light Industrial uses, the FGPU does not involve any changes that would result in hazards, pollutants, or other adverse impacts that are not accommodated under the adopted General Plan. The Transportation analysis provided in Section XVII addresses potential VMT impacts associated with the changes in anticipated employment that would occur with narrowing the designation from Business Professional to Light Industrial. No revisions to the Initial Study are necessary.

The commenter also indicates that health risks from oil drilling close to residential neighborhoods has not been addressed. The FGPU does not include any land use changes that would result in placing residential neighborhoods in proximity to oil drilling. No revisions to the Initial Study are necessary.

Response to Comment D‐18: The commenter recommends modifications to the Environmental Justice White Paper. These comments are noted. The Environmental Justice White Paper was developed to provide background information related to environmental justice, including information related to disadvantaged communities, and to identify the proposed approach to addressing environmental justice in the FGPU for City Council discussion at a 72 RESPONSES TO COMMENTS
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study session for the FGPU. The commenter is referred to the Community Health and Safety Element for the goals, policies, and programs proposed to address environmental justice through the FGPU.

Additional Policy Comments
The following comments were made under a heading Additional Policy Comments and provide recommendations for modifications to policies but do not include any discussion of the adequacy of the FGPU or the Initial Study associated with the recommendations.

Response to Comment D‐19: The commenter recommends deleting language in Policy 3.2.4 that would remove the exception to providing sidewalks in areas with very low pedestrian volumes. This comment is noted for decision‐maker consideration.

Response to Comment D‐20: The commenter recommends revising Program 3.2.B to require bicycle‐only lanes, use green striping and pole barriers to preclude drivers from using bike lanes. This comment is noted for decision‐ maker consideration.

Response to Comment D‐21: The commenter recommends modifying Policy 3.3.1 to identify design amenities such as bus stops with a roof and enclosed on three sides. This comment is noted for decision‐maker consideration.

Response to Comment D‐22: The commenter recommends modifying Policy 3.3.3 to change the language to “Require transit providers…” rather than “Encourage transit providers…”. The City does not have jurisdiction to direct transit providers to improve transit routes, frequency, and level of service.

Response to Comment D‐23: The commenter recommends that Policy 3.3.5 be revised to require bus only lanes and bike only lanes in commercial areas, near schools, parks, libraries, and public services and to use stripped pole barriers to preclude drivers from using bike lanes. This comment is noted for decision‐maker consideration.

Response to Comment D‐24: The commenter recommends revising Policy 3.5.2 to include consideration of including the use of speed bumps where appropriate. Rather than revise Policy 3.5.2, which provides broader guidance, Policy 3.5.3 is revised to identify use of traffic‐calming measures where appropriate in the approach to maintain roadway facilities to maximize safety.

Response to Comment D‐25: The commenter recommends that Program 3.5.G be revised to include “consider speed bumps and other traffic‐calming measures in areas with high accident rates.” While specific identification of speed bumps is not included, Programs 3.5.B and 3.5.G are revised to include traffic calming measures in areas with high accident rates.

Response to Comment D‐26: The commenter recommends that Policy 6.2.2 be revised to modify paragraph (a), incorrectly labeled as paragraph (L) in the Initial Study, as follows: “Identifying baseline air pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions within city limits and city sphere of influence. Identify air pollutants near oil drilling.” And to modify paragraph (c), incorrectly labeled as paragraph (M) in the Initial Study, as follows: “Require energy efficiency measures in City operations and facilities and use of low carbon or clean fuels for city vehicle fleets.

Require clean fuels or roof solar panels for all existing and new city buses.” The commenter also asks whether Oakley has an emission reporting station, indicating if not, to ask for one in this policy. Policy 6.2.2 is revised to include the language related to identifying pollutants and GHG emissions within City limits and the Sphere of Influence and air pollutants near intensive industrial and energy uses (rather than specifying oil drilling) to the extent data is available, and to request an emission reporting station. Policy 6.2.2 is also revised to change “Encourage” to “Require” in paragraph (c) but not to require clean fuels or roof solar panels for all existing and new city buses as the City does not operate the regional transit system. It is noted that this policy already addresses use of low‐carbon or clean fuels in City vehicle fleets. 73 RESPONSES TO COMMENTS
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Response to Comment D‐27: The commenter recommends Policy 6.2.4 be revised to add “Incentivize roof top solar panels on city facilities and require rooftop solar panels on all new commercial and industrial buildings.” This comment is noted for decision‐maker consideration.

Response to Comment D‐28: The commenter recommends Program 6.2.A revise the following paragraphs:
 Add “Require identified polluters to reduce emissions/pollutants (landfill, industrial companies, oil drilling, etc.)”;
 change “Incorporation of” to “Increase” in relation to public transit stops;  (f) Add “Require and incentivize” to the beginning of the phrase;  Add “; incentivize solar panels on built environments”; and  Add new paragraph (k) “Reduce the use of small diesel engines citywide, especially landscaping equipment.

Program 6.2.A is revised to require projects that exceed BAAQMD, State, or Federal emissions levels to reduce emissions of pollutants, to add “Include” in relation to public transit stops, and to add “Require” in relation to employer trip reduction programs and clarify that employer trip reductions programs are required for development projects with 50 or more employees, and to include renewable energy in addition to energy‐efficient and water‐conservation related to methods to exceed Title 24 requirements. This program is directed at the review of new development projects, not general City measures and thus reducing citywide use of small diesel engines is not appropriate to apply to individual development projects.

Response to Comment D‐29: The commenter recommends that Policy 8.4.2 be revised to ensure that new critical facilities are not placed in known flood zones. Policy 8.4.2 ensures that critical facilities are located in areas that minimize exposure to potential natural hazards and requires that critical facilities are designed and equipped to remain operational in the event of a disaster. The Draft FGPU does not propose any locations for new critical facilities. The comment is noted for decision‐maker consideration.

Response to Comment D‐30: The commenter recommends that Policy 8.4.3 be revised to incentivize, rather than encourage, participation in Community Emergency Response Team training. This comment is noted for decision‐ maker consideration.

Response to Comment D‐31: The commenter recommends that Policy 8.4. be revised to enlist volunteers to register residents, rather than encourage residents to register, with the City and County emergency notification systems. This comment is noted for decision‐maker consideration.

Response to Comment D‐32: The commenter recommends Policy 8.4.6 be revised to provide written materials in Spanish and English in the event of a disaster and use symbols as deemed appropriate. Policy 8.4.6 is revised to include, when appropriate, providing written materials in English and Spanish and/or using symbology.

Response to Comment D‐33: The commenter recommends Program 8.3.C be revised to inform neighborhoods near oil drilling of the impacts of oil drilling on health and to prohibit new residential development in areas with known hazardous materials. The Draft FGPU does not propose or include any changes that would result in new or modified oil drilling activities nor place residential uses in proximity to known hazardous materials. This comment is noted for decision‐maker consideration.

Response to Comment D‐34: The commenter recommends that Program 8.5.F be revised to require flood insurance for all developments in flood zones and flood prone areas. The Draft FGPU does not change any locations for development in relation to flood zones and flood hazard areas. This comment is noted for decision‐ maker consideration.

Response to Comment D‐35: The commenter recommends Policy 4.8.11 be revised to specify that industrial areas, airport (PFAs), and areas near oil drilling will be included in coordination with DWD. Policy 4.8.11 addresses all 74 RESPONSES TO COMMENTS
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land uses and activities that could result in contamination of groundwater supplies and is not limited to specific uses.

Response to Comment D‐36: The commenter recommends Policy 8.2.2 be revised to specify that flood safety plans will be updated at least every five years or sooner if needed. Policy 8.2.2 is revised to ensure that flood safety plans are reviewed at least every five years or sooner if needed and updated as necessary to ensure flood protection.

Response to Comment D‐37: The commenter recommends that Policy 8.2.2 be revised to require development to acquire adequate flood insurance to cover potential damage or losses. The Draft FGPU does not change any locations for development in relation to flood zones and flood hazard areas. This comment is noted for decision‐ maker consideration.

Response to Comment D‐38: In relation to Policy 8.2.3 and its requirement that project applicants demonstrate that the project would not result in increases in peak flow runoff to adjacent lands or drainage facilities, the commenter asks how close Oakley is to capacity now during winter months. The Draft FGPU does not include any changes that would result in increased development footprints or increases in drainage. The capacity of the City’s stormwater system varies by location. The City of Oakley and Contra Costa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District review development proposals to address flood control. Where there is a capacity issue, development is required to ensure potential issues are addressed.

Response to Comment D‐39: The commenter recommends that Policy 8.5.3 be revised to require the City to develop flood control and prevention measures to protect the City from climate change within the next five years or sooner. While Policy 8.5.3 provides direction to City decision‐makers and is intended to provide for on‐going development of flood control and prevention measures to address sea level rise, the FGPU programs indicate timing (where appropriate) and specific actions the City will take. Programs 8.5.A and 8.5.B have been revised to specify that updates to the City’s Emergency Operations Plan and the Contra Costa County Local Hazard Mitigation Plan address effects of climate change.

Response to Comment D‐40: The commenter recommends that Program 8.5.4 be revised to remove “To the extent feasible,” in relation to locating essential facilities and vital infrastructure outside of areas anticipated to be significantly affected by sea level rise. The Draft FGPU does not change any locations for future urbanization and potential development. This comment is noted for decision‐maker consideration.

Response to Comment D‐41: The commenter recommends that Program 8.5.5 be revised to develop measures within the next five years or sooner to address essential facilities and infrastructure located in areas anticipated to be significantly affected by sea level rise. Program 8.5.5 is revised to ensure that such measures are developed and implemented at least 20 years prior to the projected sea level rise.

Response to Comment D‐42: The commenter recommends that Policy 2.6.7 be revised to site new park and recreation facilities where they will serve underserved areas including the mobile home park area first. Recognizing that new park facilities may be sited in conjunction with new development and not be located in an area that will serve underserved mobile home parks, Policy 2.6.7 is revised to include increasing park access for underserved areas including areas with higher density residential uses and mobile home parks, where appropriate, as an additional issue for consideration when siting new park and recreation facilities.

Response to Comment D‐43: The commenter recommends that Policy 7.1.1 be revised to add that parks should be built in each new residential area. Policy 7.1.1 establishes the ratio of parkland needed to serve Oakley and does not address siting factors. Policy 7.1.2 (see 6th bullet point) ensures that the City of Oakley Parks, Trails, and Recreation Master Plan is updated as needed to ensure that the City develops new neighborhood and community parks in new residential neighborhoods as growth occurs. 75 RESPONSES TO COMMENTS
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Response to Comment D‐44: The commenter recommends that Policy 7.1.2 be revised to require wheelchair‐ accessible trails and paths for the disabled in new and existing parks and to include playground equipment for disabled children in all new parks. Policy 7.1.2, 4th bullet point is revised to clarify that accessible parks and recreation facilities, amenities, and programs are provided in new and existing parks and clarifies that disabled residents include those with a physical disability that requires wheelchair accessibility.

Response to Comment D‐45: The commenter recommends that the top two bullet points on page 89 of the Initial Study should be deleted, noting that the lead agency should not be able to revise estimates based on professional judgement. The commenter is referred to CEQA Guidelines Section 15064.3(b)(4) which states:
“Methodology. A lead agency has discretion to choose the most appropriate methodology to evaluate a project’s vehicle miles traveled, including whether to express the change in absolute terms, per capita, per household or in any other measure. A lead agency may use models to estimate a project’s vehicle miles traveled, and may revise those estimates to reflect professional judgment based on substantial evidence. Any assumptions used to estimate vehicle miles traveled and any revisions to model outputs should be documented and explained in the environmental document prepared for the project. The standard of adequacy in Section 15151 shall apply to the analysis described in this section.” The CEQA Guidelines explicitly provide for lead agencies to use professional judgement based on substantial evidence. No changes to the Initial Study are necessary.

Response to Comment D‐46: The commenter recommends that Policy 6.2.6 be revised to require all buses to use clean fuels or roof solar panels in place of gasoline or diesel fuels. See Response to Comment D‐28.

Response to Comment D‐47: The commenter recommends that Program 6.2.A, paragraph (B) be revised to require public transit stops within walking distance with a minimum of a three sided enclosure and a roof, paragraph (C) be revised to include bike‐only lanes with green stripping for lanes and poles placed in street to prevent drivers from using lanes, and paragraph (F) be revised to require employer trip reduction programs. f.

These recommendations were made previously; see Responses to Comments D‐26 and D‐28.

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E‐1
E‐2
E‐3
Letter E
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E‐3 (con’t)
E‐4
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Liz Elias (Letter E)
Response to Comment E‐1: The commenter states they are protesting the extreme rush to pass the draft General Plan without due consideration or input from the public and indicates that to try and classify a couple of surveys with low response rates as extensive public input is highly disingenuous. The commenter states there has been virtually no effort whatsoever to engage the public in this process. The commenter states their opinion of the process and opinion of the new council majority. This comment does not address the adequacy of the environmental documentation. The commenter is referred to Response C‐3, which discusses City’s outreach for the General Plan and the outreach for the FGPU, which includes two Visioning Workshops in 2019, a community survey, a series of four study sessions with the City Council in 2019 and 2020, a 40‐day period for public review of the FGPU and Initial Study in 2021, and a public hearing for adoption in early 2022.

Response to Comment E‐2: The commenter provides comments related to votes on the East Cypress/Hotchkiss Tract proposal and their opinion related to the potential for homes associated with the proposal to flood, asking who will pay for the flooding once the developer is gone. The commenter also states that the area filters the drinking water and should never be built on. This comment addresses a separate project and does not address the FGPU. The FGPU does not include any approvals or modifications associated with the East Cypress Specific Plan and related projects. This comment is noted for decision‐maker consideration.

Response to Comment E‐3: The commenter indicates that a negative declaration is not a reasonable, ethical, or honest opinion, noting the issues raised under Comment E‐2 cannot be mitigated. The commenter states that things have changed drastically since reports were done at the time of the prior General Plan and that a new EIR must be done for each and every project within the new plan. The FGPU is not a new General Plan, but rather revises the General Plan to include policies and programs related to climate adaptation and environmental justice. The FGPU does not identify any changes to areas anticipated for urbanization, does not include significant changes to the land use map, and would not increase or intensify development potential. The Initial Study identifies the potential of the FGPU to result in significant impacts on the environment, including the potential to result in flooding or changes in drainage patterns (see Initial Study, Section X, Hydrology and Water Quality). The FGPU does not have the potential to result in a significant impact on the environment as discussed in the Initial Study. No changes to the NOIND or Initial Study are necessary to address this comment.

Response to Comment E‐4: The commenter indicates that trying to rush the project through is a blatant attempt to circumvent both the legally required public input and CEQA mandates and demands a fair and honest public hearing, indicating their expectations. The FGPU process began in 2019 and, as discussed under Response to Comment E‐1, included two public workshops, four City Council study sessions (each open to the public with opportunities for the public to comment on the presented information) and a 40‐day public review period for the Draft FGPU and NOIND/Initial Study. The public review period for the NOIND/Initial Study exceeded the 30‐day public review period required under CEQA Guidelines Section 15073(b). Prior to a decision on the FGPU, the City Council will review public input received during the public review of the Draft FGPU and NOIND/Initial Study, will conduct a public hearing providing the community an additional opportunity for comment, and will consider public input.

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F‐1
F‐2
F‐3
Letter F
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Ben Weise (Letter F)
Response to Comment F‐1: The commenter provides introductory comments, thanking City staff for working to update the General Plan and indicates they have comments related to some of the maps.

Response to Comment F‐2: The commenter states that Figure 6‐2, Vegetation Types, is not current and indicates that Dutch Slough Tidal Marsh Restoration area is dryland/irrigated crops/cropland. The commenter indicates this may be impacted Table 6‐1, Agricultural Lands in the Planning Area, totals and that Table 6‐1 does not reflect that there are active irrigated pasture lands within the City limits. The Draft FGPU did not include a parcel‐level survey of existing conditions, but rather updated existing condition information based on existing data.

Specifically, Table 6‐1 and Figure 6‐2 are based on the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protections CALFIRE Fire and Resource Assessment Program (FRAP) data as accessed on December 8, 2020; this data is prepared in cooperation with California Department of Fish and Wildlife VegCamp program and extensive use of USDA Forest Service Region 5 Remote Sensing Laboratory data, to provide the "best available" land cover data available for California into a single comprehensive statewide data set. The FRAP data has not been updated since the figure was prepared in December 2020 and Figure 6‐2 has been reviewed to ensure consistency with the most recent available FRAP data. The FRAP data does not capture some of the recent development in Oakley, including development northwest of East Cypress Road on both the east and west side of Sellers Avenue and development south of Main Street and east of Live Oak Avenue. These revisions have been manually made to Figure 6‐1.

However, the vineyard noted by the commenter in the Dutch Slough area is correct and is an approximately 14‐ acre vineyard that was retained as part of the Dutch Slough Tidal Marsh Restoration project. A note has been added to Figure 6‐2 indicating that while it is based on best available data developed by CalFIRE and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to identify vegetation types, changes have occurred since the data was prepared and that a site‐specific review of individual parcels must be undertaken to identify current vegetation conditions prior to making any decisions related to vegetative conditions. Table 6‐1 is updated to correspond to the specific agricultural categories (Orchard, Cropland, Dryland Crops, Irrigated Crops, and Vineyard) in Figure 6‐2 and to identify the source of the data.

Response to Comment F‐3: The commenter indicates their belief that the intentions and goals with the land are good, but that they have been formed on inadequate and old data that does not reflect what is happening on the ground and recommends use of best available data or updating the data to reflect what is happening currently as best as possible. Figure 6‐2 is revised to identify additional areas urbanized since the FRAP data was developed and to include a note that the figure is based on best available data and should be reviewed at the site‐ specific level prior to making any decisions based on the information included therein.

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G‐1
G‐2
Letter G
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Pamela Winter (Letter G)
Response to Comment G‐1: The commenter identifies concerns with traffic noise and associated public health and safety, noting they have brought this up many times. The commenter lives off Laurel Road and knew it would expand to four lanes, but anticipated there would be no trucks allowed. The commenter indicates that in November 2014 the City Council voted to change Laurel Road to a truck route, that the change exceeded the decibels in the 2002 Oakley General Plan, Chapter 9, and that this has not been addressed. The commenter asks what the plans are to correct this.

The FGPU does not include any changes to designated truck routes and the Draft FGPU did not include any changes to the Noise Element. The FGPU is revised to include Program 9.1.B to ensure that the City reviews development, roadway, and other infrastructure projects for potential to exceed noise standards and requires mitigation where projects would exceed standards.
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H‐1
H‐2
H‐3
Letter H
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H‐3 (con’t)
H‐4
H‐5
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H‐5 (con’t)
H‐6
H‐7
H‐8
H‐9
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Chris Lauritzen and Margaret Lauritzen (Letter H)
Response to Comment H‐1: The commenter provides introductory comments, indicating they own the Lauritzen Yacht Harbor, which has been a family‐owned and operated marina for over 60 years and that their comments are intended to strengthen and improve the FGPU in relation to the Oakley waterfront. The commenter’s specific concerns and comments are addressed in the following responses to comments.

Response to Comment H‐2: The commenter indicates that the Delta Stewardship Council adopted the Delta Plan in 2013 and notes that the City of Oakley is within the legal boundaries of the Sacramento‐San Joaquin Delta, identifies applicable zones, and recommends that the City consult with the Delta Stewardship Council and comply with the procedures for covered actions and the certification of consistency with the Delta Plan. The Open Space and Conservation Element is updated to include information related to the Delta Plan and to include Goal 6.8 and policies and programs to support Delta protection.

Response to Comment H‐3: The commenter indicates that the FGPU did not carry over all of the language from the current General Plan regarding waterfront recreation, including language for Community Waterfront Vision and Waterfront Opportunities, which they recommend be restored in the FGPU and provide recommended language. The commenter indicates that the marinas are an important resource for the Delta and there has been a significant loss of marinas in the past 20 years, noting it would be difficult to build a new marina due to the plethora of regulations and agencies involved. The deletion of the Community Waterfront Vision statement was an oversight and is restored to the Parks & Recreation Element on page 7‐17, with the deletion of the specific reference to Rio Vista and Suisun City as examples of communities with thriving waterfronts. The Waterfront Opportunities text was largely retained, with revisions to reflect current conditions including the Dutch Slough Tidal Restoration project and the adjacent community park, under the Waterfront Recreation heading on page 7‐

17. The Waterfront Opportunities heading has been added to this discussion, along with some of the recommended revisions to highlight waterfront opportunities.

Response to Comment H‐4: The commenter indicates that the Land Use Matrix on page 2‐19 shows the Commercial Recreation zone is only compatible with the Commercial Recreation land use designation, noting that the Lauritzen Yacht Harbor and Driftwood Marina are consistent with the matrix but the Big Break Marina is zoned Commercial Recreation but is designated Commercial by the General Plan. The FGPU does not include any changes to the land use designations or the zoning for this area. Table 2‐4, General Plan/Zoning Compatibility Matrix, is updated to include the Commercial Recreation zone as consistent with the Commercial land use designation as this is reflective of the current application of the zone and designation.

Response to Comment H‐5: The commenter indicates Goal 7.4, Special Purpose Facilities, has only five policies while the current General Plan has 12 policies. The commenter notes that Policy 7.4.12 is omitted, which promotes the development or preservation of public or private marinas and specifies a range of uses and amenities. The commenter recommends that it be added back in and provides suggested language. The policy was omitted as the Parks & Recreation Master Plan, adopted in 2007, incorporated many of the policies and programs from the General Plan. The FGPU includes language to support continued implementation of the Parks & Recreation Master Plan, which includes a goal and policy for Development or preservation of a private or public marina with boat launching and berthing facilities, fuel dock and waste pumpout station, restrooms and showers, laundry facilities, bait/tackle/food store, day use, overnight camping and RV parking areas, fishing pier, and restaurant for the Big Break and Dutch Slough Shoreline. Policies 7.4.6, 7.4.7, and 7.4.8 are added to the FGPU to reflect the intent of the adopted General Plan for shoreline recreation facilities and Program 7.4.D is added to ensure that the Parks and Recreation Master Plan continues to support a range of special purpose facilities, including facilities that provide waterfront recreation opportunities. It is noted that the commenter’s language adds dry storage, new and used boat sales, haul and engine repair facilities, hotel, and offices to the uses listed for private and public marinas.

The FGPU is not intended to expand the range of uses in the Commercial Recreation area or increase or intensify uses, so these recommendations are not included but are noted for the decision‐makers consideration. 90 RESPONSES TO COMMENTS
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Response to Comment H‐6: The commenter indicates that the FGPU identifies regional trails in the Parks and Recreation Element and indicates that the proposed EBRPD trail is the Great California Delta Trail that has been promoted to state‐level significance and provides information related to the trail. The commenter recommends that the proposed segment of this trail be identified as The Great California Delta Trail in the FGPU. Figure 7‐3 is revised to identify the Great California Delta Trail segment.

Response to Comment H‐7: The commenter indicates that the proposed Class 2 bike lane shown on Figure 3‐8 through the Contra Costa Logistics Center was recently eliminated. Figure 3‐8 is revised to remove the referenced segment of the Class 2 bike lane.

Response to Comment H‐8: The commenter indicates that the Regional Transportation Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy is an important document to consider as part of the FGPU, noting that Delta Plan “Covered Actions” do not include plans, programs, or projects within the Delta’s Secondary Zone that a metropolitan planning agency has determined are consistent with a Sustainable Communities Strategy. The FGPU maintains the land use pattern of the existing General Plan, as amended separately from the FGPU, with the exception of an adjustment to refine a designation in a single area. The FGPU has been prepared to continue to the growth and development pattern for Oakley that was reflected in the adopted General Plan and the adopted Regional Transportation Plan and Sustainable Communities Strategy. The FGPU provides additional programs promoting sustainable growth, including measures to encourage reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, including vehicle trip reductions, support sustainable growth that is reflective of the City’s natural resources and ecosystem, and reduce exposure to potential hazards.

Response to Comment H‐9: The commenter provides closing remarks. 91 Prepared for the
City of Oakley by
Focused General Plan Update
Adoption Draft - December 2021

GENERAL PLAN
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Table of Contents i
Table of Contents
Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................................................. i

1. Introduction.................................................................................................................................................... 1-1

2. Land Use .......................................................................................................................................................... 2-1

3. Circulation ....................................................................................................................................................... 3-1

4. Growth Management ................................................................................................................................. 4-1

5. Economic Development ............................................................................................................................ 5-1

6. Open Space and Conservation ............................................................................................................... 6-1

7. Parks .................................................................................................................................................................. 7-1

8. Community Health and Safety ................................................................................................................ 8-1

9. Noise ................................................................................................................................................................. 9-1

10. Housing (under separate cover)
Table of Tables
Table 1-1: Relationship between General Plan Elements and State Requirements ........................... 1-3 Table 2-1: General Plan Designations and Acreages ..................................................................................... 2-8 Table 2-2: Build-out Potential ................................................................................................................................ 2-9 Table 2-3: Land Use Designations ..................................................................................................................... 2-13 Table 2-4: General Plan/Zoning Compatibility Matrix ................................................................................ 2-19 Table 3-1: Journey to Work Mode Shares for Oakley Residents ............................................................... 3-7 Table 3-2: Daily Motor Vehicle Travel Volumes ............................................................................................... 3-8 Table 4-1: Local Public Schools .............................................................................................................................. 4-7 Table 5-1: Economic Composition of Oakley (By Primary Employer)...................................................... 5-3 Table 5–2: Median Annual Household Income and Income Distribution - Oakley Subregion ..... 5-4 Table 6-1: Agricultural Lands in the Planning Area ........................................................................................ 6-5 Table 9-1: Typical A-Weighted Maximum Sound Levels of Common Noise Sources ...................... 9-2 Table 9-2: Predicted Existing Traffic Noise Levels........................................................................................... 9-3 Table 9-3: Predicting Preferred Alternative Build Out Traffic Noise Levels ........................................... 9-4 94 Table of Contents ii
Table 9-4: Approximate Distances to the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad Noise Contours .......................................................................................................................................................... 9-6 Table 9-5: Sources of Fixed Noise......................................................................................................................... 9-7 Table 9-6: Community Noise Measurement Results March 2001 ............................................................ 9-8 Table 9-7: Noise Level Performance Standards for New Projects Affected By or Including NonTransportation Noise Sources ............................................................................................................................. 9-13 Table 9-8: Requirements for an Acoustical Analysis ................................................................................... 9-14 Table 9-9: Maximum Allowable Noise Exposure Transportation Noise Sources ............................. 9-14 Table of Charts
Chart 2-1: Land Use Distribution ........................................................................................................................... 2-4 Table of Figures
Figure 2-1: General Plan Area ................................................................................................................................. 2-5 Figure 2-2: Land Use Map ..................................................................................................................................... 2-11 Figure 2-3: Special Planning Areas Map .......................................................................................................... 2-23 Figure 2-4:: City Gateway – Elevation .............................................................................................................. 2-31 Figure 2-5: City Gateway – Plan View ............................................................................................................... 2-33 Figure 2-6: Neighborhood/Project Gateway – Elevations ........................................................................ 2-35 Figure 2-7: Neighborhood/Project Gateway – Landscape Only ............................................................. 2-37 Figure 2-8: Neighborhood/Project Gateway – Architectural Sign/Markers ....................................... 2-39 Figure 2-9: Oakley-Brentwood Buffer............................................................................................................... 2-41 Figure 3-1: Regional Transportation Context ................................................................................................... 3-9 Figure 3-2: Existing Daily Traffic Volumes & Level of Service ................................................................. 3-11 Figure 3-3: Motor Vehicle Collision Locations .............................................................................................. 3-13 Figure 3-4: Bicycle & Pedestrian Collision Locations .................................................................................. 3-15 Figure 3-5: Transit Routes ..................................................................................................................................... 3-21 Figure 3-6: Truck Routes ....................................................................................................................................... 3-23 Figure 3-7: Circulation Plan .................................................................................................................................. 3-27 Figure 3-8: Bikeway Network Plan ..................................................................................................................... 3-29 Figure 3-9: Typical Road Section – Local Street ........................................................................................... 3-33 95 Table of Contents iii
Figure 3-10: Typical Road Section – Collector Street ................................................................................. 3-35 Figure 3-11: Typical Road Section – Residential and Commercial Arterial ........................................ 3-37 Figure 3-12: Typical Road Section – Community Arterial Street ............................................................ 3-39 Figure 3-13: Typical Road Plan – Downtown Arterial Street .................................................................... 3-41 Figure 3-12: Typical Road Section – Mixed Use Arterial Street .............................................................. 3-43 Figure 4-1: Public Facilities and Services Locations .................................................................................... 4-19 Figure 6-1: General Biological Sensitivity ........................................................................................................... 6-9 Figure 6-2: Vegetation Types ............................................................................................................................... 6-11 Figure 6-3: Waterbodies ........................................................................................................................................ 6-15 Figure 7-1: Existing and Proposed Parks ............................................................................................................ 7-5 Figure 7-2: Neighborhood & Community Park Site Service Areas .......................................................... 7-7 Figure 7-3: Existing and Proposed Trails ......................................................................................................... 7-15 Figure 8-1: Faults and Seismic Stability .............................................................................................................. 8-5 Figure 8-2: Liquefaction Potential ......................................................................................................................... 8-7 Figure 8-3: Flood Hazard Areas ............................................................................................................................. 8-9 Figure 8-4: Dam Inundation Areas .................................................................................................................... 8-11 Figure 8-5: Hazardous Areas ................................................................................................................................ 8-15 Figure 8-6: Sea Level Rise ..................................................................................................................................... 8-19 Figure 8-7: Disadvantaged Communities ........................................................................................................ 8-23 Figure 9-1: Land Compatibility for Community Noise Environments .................................................. 9-15 96 Table of Contents iv
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Overview
In 2019, the City of Oakley began the process of updating its General Plan, a long-term policy document which identifies the community’s vision for the future and provides a framework to guide decisions on growth, development, and conservation of open space and resources in a manner consistent with the quality of life desire by residents and businesses. The updated General Plan was adopted in (Month) (Year).

Over time, the City’s population and the physical environment in which its residents live and work changes. In order for the General Plan to be a useful document, it must be monitored and periodically revised to respond to and reflect changing conditions and needs.

As such, a general plan should be updated periodically to reflect current conditions and emerging trends in order to respond to changes as they occur.

On November 3, 1998, the community formally voted for the incorporation of the City of Oakley. On July 1, 1999 the City of Oakley was officially incorporated. The primary reasons for CHAPTER 1:

INTRODUCTION

CONTENTS
 Overview
 Scope and
Content of the
General Plan
 Public
Participation
 Community
Vision Statement
and Principles
 Applying the
General Plan
 Annual Reporting
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incorporation were to control the quality and pace of development, and to improve law enforcement services in Oakley. Since incorporation, the City now provides or directs a majority of municipal services, has improved law enforcement services, has become proactive in land use planning and economic development, and has provided the opportunity for civic engagement at a more local level.

This is the first substantial update to the City’s General Plan since 2000, when the City's first General Plan was adopted following the City's incorporation. This General Plan provides the framework for long-term decision making in Oakley for the next 20 years.

The Oakley General Plan (General Plan) identifies the community’s vision for the future and provides a framework that will guide decisions on growth, development, and conservation of open space and resources in a manner that is consistent with the quality of life desired by the City's residents and businesses. The General Plan supersedes and replaces the City’s 2000 General Plan.

As a focused update, the General Plan carries forward many of the key components of the 2000 General Plan, including much of its goal, policy, and program framework and land use diagram.

Significant updates include addressing current local conditions, community priorities, and two additional topics that are newly required by State law: climate adaptation and environmental justice, and the inclusion of additional policies and programs for existing topics that reflect the community’s current priorities and contemporary best planning practices.

Scope and Content of the General Plan
Within California, all counties and incorporated cities are required by law to adopt a General Plan.

State law is quite specific on the topics that must be addressed within the General Plan. The chapters, or Elements, of the Plan must address various State-mandated topics, but the organization of the Elements is at the discretion of each jurisdiction. Additionally, the State recognizes that each jurisdiction may face unique issues and authorizes the adoption of optional Elements that address issues of local concern.

Requirement for Internal Consistency
The General Plan must fully integrate its separate parts and relate them to each other without conflict. Internal consistency applies as much to figures and tables as to the General Plan text. It also applies to data, analysis, and policies. All adopted portions of the General Plan, whether required by state law or not, have equal legal weight. No Element may supersede another.

Organization of this General Plan
This Oakley General Plan addresses the State-mandated requirements through the following Elements:
 Land Use Element
 Circulation Element
 Growth Management Element
 Economic Development Element
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 Open Space & Conservation Element
 Parks & Recreation Element
 Community Health & Safety Element
 Noise Element
 Housing Element
The organization of material within each Element is at the discretion of the local jurisdiction. Each Element of this General Plan is generally organized as follows: an Introduction that describes the Element’s content and mandatory components; a Setting section that describes the existing conditions, regulatory framework, and agencies responsible for overseeing the element’s topic(s); and a Goals, Policies, and Programs.
 Goal: A goal in the General Plan is the broadest statement of community values. It is a generalized ideal which provides a sense of direction for action. They are overall statements of desired future conditions.
 Policy: A policy is a statement which further refines a goal. It is intended guide decisionmakers, but not the decision itself.
 Program: A program is a course of action that the City must take to implement a goal and one or more of the goal’s policies.

Policies and programs must be clear and simply articulated to be useful. They may range in commitment of resources, importance, and expected results. Therefore, it is important for readers to understand the distinctions between various levels of policy and implementation action.

The General Plan also contains a land use diagram, which serves as a general guide to the distribution of land uses throughout the City. The General Plan addresses all of the elements required by State law. The table below identified the elements included in the General Plan and the corresponding requirement in State law.

Table 1‐1: Relationship Between General Plan Elements and State Requirements Oakley General Plan
Elements
Land UseCirculationConservationOpen SpaceNoiseSafetyEnvironmentalJusticeClimatePlanningHousingOptionalTopics Land Use
Circulation
Growth Management
Economic Development
Open Space & Conservation
Parks & Recreation
Community Health & Safety
Housing
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This Plan is intended to be concise and easily understood. While substantial technical data was collected to support this planning effort, the majority of the data is contained within separate reports and is not reproduced herein. Technical reports on cultural and historic resources, biological resources, environmental justice, climate change, mobility, and public facilities such as water service, wastewater treatment and drainage have been prepared to support this General Plan and are available through the City for readers seeking more detailed information.

Planning Horizon and Planning Area
General Plans are required to establish a planning horizon and a Planning Area. The planning horizon, or the date through which this Plan is intended to guide Oakley, is 2040. However, it is typical for developing cities to update their General Plans every ten years as development occurs and conditions change. The Planning Area for this General Plan is the incorporated City limits, plus two areas beyond the City limits referred to as proposed expansion areas: The Sphere of influence (SOI), located east of the City and the Cypress Corridor Expansion Area, located south of the City east of Sellars Avenue. The incorporated City limits include approximately 9,248 acres, while the proposed expansion areas include approximately 484 acres.

Public Participation
The Oakley General Plan was developed with extensive opportunities for community input and reflects the community’s vision for Oakley. A summary of the community outreach and public participation process is provided below.
2020 General Plan Outreach
The City held a series of community workshops to guide the planning of Oakley and development of the 2020 General Plan. Among the issues discussed were the type and scale of new development, opinions of community character and expectations of the City. The workshop results included the following priorities:
 A “downtown theme” or Community Focal Point is needed to help develop a sense of place for Oakley.
 Maintain and enhance important, landmark or historic buildings.  Seek a better jobs housing balance and encourage more jobs.  Encourage larger lots and more “upscale” residential development.  Maintain the rural character of the City.
 Encourage redevelopment of industrial and commercial sites.  There is a need for more open space, trails, parks, and recreation facilities.  Encourage commercial/retail development that provides typical urban amenities for the residents of Oakley.
 Ensure that open space and natural landscapes remain a major component of lands near the Delta.
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 Focus on recreational development of the Delta to provide a center for tourism and a base for recreational activity
 Preserve scenic resources and view corridors within Oakley.

These themes continue to guide the Oakley General Plan, as amended, and reflect the goals, policies, programs, and land uses developed for the General Plan.

Focused General Plan Update (2019‐2022)
In 2019, the City undertook a focused update to the General Plan to address environmental justice, climate adaptation, and mobility and to revise background information, the goals, policies, and programs, and the Land Use Map to reflect current conditions. The focused update did not result in significant changes to vision for the City and continued to implement the adopted Land Use Map, with changes limited to revisions to reflect General Plan Amendments that had been approved and a modification to two parcels to refine designation. The Focused General Plan Update was informed by community input, which was invited through a series of visioning workshops, an online survey, and opportunities to comment at four City Council Workshops.

Visioning Workshops and Online Survey
The City hosted two General Plan Update Visioning Workshops and conducted a community survey in June 2019, addressing Vision, Values, and Focus Areas in the first workshop and Mobility in the second workshop. The Visioning Workshops and Community Survey providinged an opportunity for the public to share their thoughts on what they value about the communityOakley and what issues to prioritize through the Focused General Plan Update. The input provided through the Visioning Workshops and Community Survey is detailed in the Visioning White Paper published in August 2019.

Visioning Workshops
Each Workshop workshop included a brief overview of the General Plan, including why it's important and why the City is updating its the General Plan, some background information on the evening's workshop topic, and a series of facilitated activities to solicit input on key topics or ideas.  Workshop 1 – Community Vision, Values, and Focus Areas  Workshop 2 – Mobility and Environmental Justice
Community Survey
In June 2019, an online Community Survey was made available to encourage input on the General Plan Update from community members that may not attend City meetings.

The Visioning Workshops and Community Survey provided an opportunity for the public to share their thoughts on what they value about the community and what issues to prioritize through the General Plan Update.

City Council Work Sessions
In late 2019 through early 2020, the City Council held a series of work sessions to review the information received through the Visioning effort, to consider current conditions, data, and 102
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approaches to address environmental justice and climate adaptation, and to review the General Plan’s approach to addressing multi-modal circulation. The public was invited to attend and comment at each work session and public comments were considered in the preparation of the Focused General Plan Update.
 May 14, 2019 – Council Kick-Off
 September 10, 2019 – Visioning
 October 22, 2019 – Environmental Justice and Climate Adaptation  January 14, 2020 – Mobility
Public Review
The Draft Focused General Plan Update was provided for public comment on August 11, 2021.

The City reviewed and considered all comments.

Public Outreach
For all public workshops and meetings for the Focused General Plan Update, the City of Oakley conducted extensive outreach, using a wide variety of methods and tools, to inform and encourage the community to participate in the General Plan Update process. The following is a list of methods and tools used to inform the public of meetings, workshops, and the status of the General Plan Update work efforts.
 General Plan Website: The City maintains a website (www. https://www.ci.oakley.ca.us/general-plan-update/) devoted to informing the public about, and encouraging participation in, the General Plan Update process. The website includes all public notices, all workshop materials, presentations given to the City Council, background materials, and draft policy documents.
 E-mail distribution list: This list was developed and maintained over time, and included agencies, organizations, stakeholders, and individuals.  Social Media: The City regularly posted meeting notices and project updates to its social media platforms, including NextDoor and Facebook.
 Flyers: Flyers were posted at City Hall and at key locations throughout the community advertising the Visioning Workshops and online survey.

Community Vision Statement and Principles
Community Vision Statement
The City of Oakley envisions itself as a place for those seeking a semi-rural setting, small town character, and the recreation opportunities provided on the Delta. While residential opportunity abounds, the City also seeks to encourage more high-quality industrial and commercial development to create a balanced community. The downtown is in need of rehabilitation before it can be considered the true heart of the community and this effort is already underway. To maintain its small-town feel, the City will seek to develop neighborhoods with unique identities. 103
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By creating a sense of place and an association with a particular area in the community, each neighborhood can begin to take ownership and pride in its area. Any development that can link trails, open space or other amenities into the plan will be reviewed more favorably than the “typical” subdivision or apartment complex. While affordable housing is important to the City and the region, the City also wants to provide an opportunity for large-lot development.

Water is a key element within the City, as a recreational amenity, irrigation for agriculture or the City’s proximity to the Bay Area. The region’s hot summers, abundance of excellent fishing and recreational boating opportunities further strengthen the community’s identification with the Delta. From aquatic features in landscaping to traditional harbor town structures, with careful design and attention to detail, even those developments well removed from the Delta may further enhance the community’s relationship to the Delta.

Similar to Oakley’s connection to the Delta, agriculture is a fundamental component of the community’s character. Historically, agriculture has been the primary economic activity in and around Oakley. At this time, the community is transitioning to a more urban setting and largescale agriculture is becoming a less prevalent use throughout Oakley. However, the agricultural heritage of Oakley remains strong and is evident in the numerous remaining orchards and vineyards in town, as well as the strong equestrian interest of Oakley residents. As new development occurs, the City will seek to protect the varied remaining agricultural activities of Oakley and to maintain the cultural connection to the community’s agricultural heritage through design standards, development project reviews, construction of community entry monuments and the design of public facilities serving Oakley residents.

Community Vision Principles
Based on the input received from the community and City Council direction, Community Vision Principles were prepared to serve as a foundation for the General Plan Update.  Community Character: Residents value Oakley’s small-town feel, family-oriented community, parks, schools, and its agricultural heritage. Oakley’s distinctive and growing downtown area, the Delta and waterfront, and the rural and open space feel of the area are key assets that contribute to Oakley’s character.
 Mobility: Cars have traditionally been, and will continue to be a vital part of Oakley’s transportation network. Addressing traffic continue to be a priority. However, as the City continues to grow, additional emphasis needs to be placed on alternative ways of getting around, including walking, bicycling, and public transit. Increasing the safety and functionality of the entire circulation system is a high priority for the City.  Economy: Provide more high-quality, well-paying local jobs, focusing on office, commercial, technology, and industrial sectors, to continue to improve the City’s economic/employment base.
 Shopping and Services: Encourage more shopping, particularly grocery and communityserving stores, restaurants, and social venues that provide entertainment and familyoriented recreation opportunities, grocery stores, was identified by community members. 104
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 Parks, Recreation, and Entertainment: Support healthy and active lifestyle options through the provision of additional parks and continued improvements to existing parks, access to the waterfront, family-friendly events, and recreation and activity programs for all ages.  Community Services and Resources: Ensure community safety through responsive police and fire service and the management of homelessness, and provide additional community-oriented facilities and services, including a local library, improvements to schools, and family- and youth-oriented activities.
 Growth: Plan services and infrastructure to keep pace with growth, particularly housing, and ensure that new development reflects the desired character of the community and respects the rural, open space, and agricultural nature of the area.

Applying the General Plan
The General Plan is intended for use by a broad range of persons, including City decision-makers, City staff, developers, and community members, to serve the following purposes:
 To identify Oakley’s land use, growth, transportation, environmental, economic, and social goals and policies as they relate to land use, conservation, development, and provision of community services and facilities.
 To enable the City Council and the Planning Commission to establish long-range conservation and growth goals and policies.
 To provide a basis for judging whether specific private development proposals and public projects are in harmony with these goals and policies.
 To inform citizens, developers, decision makers, and other jurisdictions of the policies that will guide development and conservation within the Oakley.

The General Plan applies to lands in the incorporated area of the City, to the extent allowed by Federal and State law. Under State law, many actions, such as development projects, specific plans, master plans, community plans, zoning, subdivisions, public agency projects, and other decisions must be consistent with the General Plan. State law requires that the City's ordinances regulating land use be consistent with the General Plan. The Zoning Ordinance, individual project proposals, and other related plans and ordinances must be consistent with the goals and policies in the General Plan.

Interpreting the General Plan
In reading the General Plan, one should infer that the goals, policies, and programs are limited to the extent that it is financially feasible and appropriate for the City to carry them out and to the extent legally permitted by Federal and State law. For example, policies and measures which indicate that the City will “provide,” “support,” “ensure,” or otherwise require or carry them out do not indicate an irreversible commitment of City funds or staff resources to those activities, but rather, that the City will support them when the City deems that it is financially feasible and appropriate to do so. In some cases, the City will carry out various policies and programs by requiring development, infrastructure, and other projects to be consistent with the policies and programs of the General Plan. In other cases, the City may include General Plan items in the Capital 105
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Improvement Program, annual budget, or other implementation mechanisms, as the City deems appropriate.

Amending the General Plan
The General Plan is not static, but rather is a dynamic and multi-faceted document that defines and addresses the changing needs of the City. It is based on an on-going assessment and understanding of existing and projected community needs. The City’s decision-makers have broad discretion in interpreting the General Plan and its purposes, and are allowed to weigh and balance the various goals and policies when applying them. Recognizing the need for the General Plan to remain current and reflective of local issues and policies, State law allows the City to periodically amend the General Plan to ensure that it is consistent with the conditions, values, expectations, and needs of its residents, businesses, and other stakeholders. The General Plan may be amended in accordance with State law. While specific findings may be applied on a project-by-project basis, at a minimum the following standard findings shall be made for each proposed General Plan amendment:

1. The amendment is deemed to be in the public interest;

2. The amendment is consistent and/or compatible with the rest of the General Plan;

3. The potential impacts of the amendment have been assessed and have been determined not to be detrimental to the public health, safety, or welfare; and

4. The amendment has been processed in accordance with the applicable provisions of the California Government Code, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and the City’s Municipal Code. City-initiated amendments, as well as amendments requested by other public agencies, are subject to the same basic process described above to ensure consistency and compatibility with the General Plan. This includes appropriate environmental review, public notice, and public hearings, leading to an official action by the City Council.

Timing
Mandatory elements of the General Plan may be amended up to four times in each calendar year.

The City Council or any citizen may initiate consideration of a General Plan Amendment. It is left to the discretion of the local jurisdiction to establish an amendment schedule to be published one year in advance. State law further requires that the Housing Element be reviewed and updated at least once every eight years.

Exemptions
The State Legislature has recognized that occasions arise which require the local jurisdiction to have some flexibility in amending the General Plan. As set forth in the California Government Code, the following are exempt from the General Plan amendment schedule:
 Amendments to optional elements.
 Amendments requested and necessary for affordable housing (Section 65358(c)). 106
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 Any amendment necessary to comply with a court decision in a case involving the legal adequacy of the general plan (Section 65358(d)(1)).
 Amendments to bring a general plan into compliance with an airport land use plan (Section 65302.3).

Annual Reporting
Given the long-term nature of the General Plan, it is critical to periodically evaluate its effectiveness and to document the implementation status of the various policies and actions that it contains. State law provides direction on how cities and counties can maintain the General Plan as a useful policy guide. State law also requires the City to annually report "the status of the plan and progress in its implementation" (California Government Code Section 65400(b)) to the City Council. The Implementation Element identifies each measure to be carried out by the General Plan, the timing of the measure, and the responsible City department for addressing implementation.
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Introduction
This element describes the pattern and character of land development within the City of Oakley and the proposed
expansion area and provides direction for the future
development envisioned for the City. Also included in this element are descriptions of geographic areas that are anticipated to be developed over the term of this General Plan and Goals and Policies to guide the City’s decision makers in their review of development proposals. This element also defines land use categories and provides supporting detail for the use depicted upon the Oakley General Plan Land Use Diagram.

The Land Use Element is viewed as the core of the General Plan and is frequently the most referred to element. The General Plan Land Use Diagram designates land uses for all lands within the City and visually depicts the community’s intended physical form and areas for growth. The Land Use Diagram is supported by text CHAPTER 2:

LAND USE

CONTENTS
 Introduction
 Land Use Setting
 Land Use
Designations and
Map
 Special Planning
Areas
 Community
Character
 Goals, Policies,
and Programs
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in this element that describes the community’s
expectations for building intensity, and population
density. The framework of Goals and Policies will guide the City’s decision making throughout the term of the
General Plan.

Consistency with State Law
California Government Code Section 65302(a) requires
that a land use element be included in a General Plan,
and more specifically mandates that the element
address the following:
"...the proposed general distribution and general location and extent of the uses of the land for housing, business, industry, open space, including agriculture, natural
resources, recreation, and enjoyment of scenic beauty,
education, public buildings and grounds, solid and liquid waste disposal facilities, and other categories of public and private uses of land…The land use element shall
include a statement of the standards of population
density and building intensity recommended for the
various districts and other territory covered by the plan... "
Relationship to Other Elements of the
General Plan
The General Plan is required to maintain consistency
between individual elements. Because of the nature of
topics addressed in the Land Use Element, all other
elements of the General Plan overlap land use issues
and topics to varying degrees.

The Circulation Element addresses the transportation
network that allows people, vehicles, and goods to
move freely from one land use area to another. The
Growth Management Element considers physical
facilities that provide drainage, domestic water, and
wastewater treatment services within the City. The
Economic Development Element establishes a
framework for promoting employment and economic
development in the City. The Open Space and
Conservation Element addresses a variety of issues,

TOPICS ADDRESSED BY

THE LAND USE

ELEMENT
This element has been
prepared in conformance with
all mandatory requirements of
State law. Specific topics
addressed include:
 Planning Boundaries
 Land Use Setting and
Planning Area
 Population and
Employment Projections
 Community Issues and
Trends
 Special Land Use
Considerations
 Land Use Diagram
 General Plan Land Use
Designations
 Land Use Intensity
Standards
 General Plan Holding
Capacity
 Land Use and Zoning
Compatibility
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including biological, cultural and historic resources, as well as air quality and agricultural activities.

The Parks and Recreation Element focuses on active and passive recreational opportunities and identifies the locations of existing and potential park sites. The Community Health and Safety Element considers issues of flooding, ground shaking, and other possible hazards; environmental justice; and climate adaptation. The Noise Element addresses conflicts between noise generating and noise sensitive land uses. The Housing Element addresses the availability, type, methods of purchasing, and condition of housing in the City.

Planning Area and Land Use Setting
Oakley is located in eastern Contra Costa County, which is one of the counties in the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. Oakley’s westernmost boundary is located at the intersection of Highway 4 and 160, which provide access to San Francisco, San Jose, Sacramento, and the Central Valley.

Oakley is a delta community along with the cities of Pittsburg, Antioch, Brentwood, and the unincorporated areas of Bay Point, Bethel Island, Byron and Knightsen. The San Joaquin River/Delta borders Oakley to the north, with unincorporated County territory to the east, the City of Brentwood and the unincorporated community of Knightsen to the south and the City of Antioch to the west.

In 1998, the Contra Costa County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) approved Oakley’s incorporation and Oakley officially became a City on July 1, 1999. Oakley is approximately 116.2 square miles (10,870 acres) in size and had a population of 32,761 in 20182020, based upon the California Department of Finance estimates. The current City boundaries are Highway 4, Neroly Road, Sellers Avenue, Laurel Road, Knightsen Avenue, Cypress Road, the Contra Costa Canal, and the Delta Shoreline. The City’s Sphere of Influence boundary (SOI) includes two additional areas totaling approximately 484 acres for future possible expansion:
 A 410-acre area directly east of easternmost portion of the City boundary.  The 74-acre Cypress Corridor Expansion area, located just beyond the City boundary in the vicinity of Cypress Road and Sellers Avenue.

The combined land within the City limits, the SOI, and the expansion area constitutes the 17.0 square mile General Plan Planning Area (Planning Area). The City limits, SOI, and Planning Area boundary are shown in Figure 2-1.

Description of Existing Land Uses
The land in Oakley is very flat with a gradual slope to the north toward the Delta. The undeveloped portions of Oakley are mostly utilized as agricultural lands for vineyards, orchards, and cattle grazing. The developed portion of Oakley is predominately residential. Chart 2-1: Land Use Distribution illustrates the ratio of land uses, as identified on the General Plan Land Use Diagram. 110
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Chart 2‐1: Land Use Distribution
Developed and Undeveloped Lands
The Planning Area’s parcels currently comprises approximately 9,807 733 acres. Approximately 5,671 599 acres, or 58 percent of the Planning Area’s parcels, is dedicated to existing uses or developed. The remaining 4,1336 acres are undeveloped, underdeveloped, or in the process of being developed. The majority of the Planning Area is occupied by the City of Oakley. The City’s parcels currently contain roughly 9,248 acres. Of that total, approximately 5,204 207 acres, or 56 percent of the City’s total area, are dedicated to existing land uses. The remaining 4,044 042 acres are undeveloped, underdeveloped, or in the process of being developed. The SOI’s parcels occupy an additional approximate 485 acres of the Planning Area. Approximately 393 acres, or 81 percent, of the SOI is developed. The remaining 91 acres are undeveloped, underdeveloped, or in the process of being developed. Table 2-1: General Plan Land Use Designations and Acreages provides a breakdown by land use category of developed and undeveloped land within Oakley. 111
UP RR
Jersey Island Rd
Delta Rd
Empire Ave
Neroly Rd
Sellers Ave
Rose Ave
Brown Rd
E Cypress Rd
UV160
MainSt
Main St
Tule Ln
Main St
Laurel Rd
W Cypress Rd
Vintage Pkwy
UV4
L vi eOakAve
E Cypress Rd
Oakley Rd
W alnut MeadowsDr
O'HaraAve
Gateway Rd
Malicoat Ave
TaylorRd
Neroly Rd
Knightsen Ave
Bethel Island Rd
Sandmound Blvd

AT & SF RR
Carpenter Rd
Brownstone Rd
Wilbur Ave
Wild Horse Rd

L E G E N D
Oakley City Limit
Oakley Sphere of Influence
Oakley Planning Area
Country Costa County Urban Limit Line
Neighboring City
Unincorporated Area
Sources: Contra Costa County; USGS National Map. Map date: December 8, 2020 Taylor Slough
Dutch Slough
Big Br e a k
San J o a qu in Ri v e r
Delta Cove
Contra Costa Canal
Contra Costa Canal
Marsh
Creek
Marsh
Creek
Summer
Lake
General Plan Area
Figure 2-1:
0 ½ 1
Miles
Z

B R E N T W O O D

A N T I O C H

U N I C O R P O R A T E D

C O N T R A C O S T A C O U N T Y

U N I C O R P O R A T E D

C O N T R A C O S T A C O U N T Y
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Maximum Growth Under the General Plan
The General Plan establishes general uses and densities of land with the City. From the Land Use Diagram, and the undeveloped acreages as presented in Table 2-1, it is possible to estimate the maximum number of new homes and population that could result from the General Plan within the City and within the Planning Area.

The maximum build-out potential described herein assumes all undeveloped lands within the Planning Area would be developed at maximum allowed intensities. No date for completion has been established, but it is anticipated residential build out will not occur by year 2040, and that non-residential build out will occur more slowly than residential build-out.

The City’s maximum residential build-out potential under the General Plan was determined by:
 Calculating the maximum estimated number of future residential dwelling units that can be developed on vacant and underutilized parcels, based on the General Plan land use designation applied to each affected parcel, or were slated to be constructed as part of development projects that were ongoing at the time of the General Plan Update;  Multiplying the total number of estimated future residential dwelling units by the average persons per household in 2020 (3.43 persons per household as estimated by the California Department of Finance E-5 Report), based upon each parcel’s potential capacity for singleand multi-family residential development;  Adding the total number of estimated future residential dwelling units to the City’s existing 10,224 dwelling units in 2020, as estimated by the California Department of Finance E-5 Report; and
 Adding the total number of estimated future residents to the City’s 2020 population of 32,761 persons, as estimated by the California Department of Finance E-5 Report.

The City’s maximum non-residential build-out potential under the General Plan was determined by:
 Calculating the maximum estimated building area of future non-residential development on vacant and underutilized parcels, based on the General Plan land use designation applied to each affected parcel, or for development projects that were ongoing at the time of the General Plan Update, by land use category; and
 Multiplying the total building area for each land use category by the category’s building area per employee factor.

As shown in Table 2-2: Build-out Potential, the General Plan, at build-out, can accommodate:
 67,919 residents and 21,193 units throughout the Planning Area, including an additional 27,599 additional residents and 8,047 units in the Planning Area, an additional 27,252 residents and 7,946 units within the City limits and an additional 347 residents and 101 units within the Expansion Area; and
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Oakley General Plan Land Use Element 2-8
 An additional 18,643 employees throughout the Planning Area, including an additional 17,072 employees within the City limits and an additional 1,570 employees in the Expansion Area.

Table 2‐1: General Plan Land Use Designations and Acreages City Sphere of Influence/Expansion Area Planning Area Total General Plan Land Use Designation Total Acreage Developed Acreage Underdeveloped Acreage1 Total Acreage Developed Acreage Underdeveloped Acreage1 Total Acreage Developed Acreage Underdeveloped Acreage1 Agriculture 10.0 9.96 10.0 9.96 0 0 38.6 38.64 38.6 38.64 0 0 48.6 48.06 48.6 48.60 ‐ 0Agriculture Limited 132.1 132.12 128.4 128.38 3.7 3.74 234.6 234.59 234.6 234.59 0 0 366.7 530.42 363.0 526.68 3.7 3.74Rural Residential 493.9 501.17 285.8 285.80 208.1 215.37 ‐ 0 ‐ 0 0 0 493.9 501.17 285.8 285.8 208.1 215.37Residential Very Low 456.8 450.00 168.1 168.15 288.7 281.85 11.1 11.05 11.1 11.05 0 0 467.9 461.05 179.2 179.2 288.7 281.85Residential Low 648.7 658.04 287.0 286.96 361.7 371.09 27.2 27.23 4.4 4.36 22.9 22.86 675.9 685.27 291.3 291.32 384.6 393.95Residential Low/Medium 1,658.6 1,659.63 1,243.3 1,243.34 415.3 416.29 76.2 76.16 55.2 55.22 20.9 20.94 1,734.8 1735.79 1,298.6 1298.56 436.2 437.23Residential Medium 171.7 125.86 103.5 103.55 68.2 22.31 18.8 18.83 18.8 18.83 0 0 190.6 144.69 122.4 122.38 68.2 22.31Residential High 50.6 54.02 8.4 8.40 42.2 45.62 ‐ 0 0 0 0 0 50.6 54.02 8.4 8.4 42.2 45.62Residential Mobile Home 14.1 14.10 14.1 14.10 00 4.0 3.98 4.0 3.98 0 0 18.1 18.08 18.1 18.08 ‐ 0Commercial 477.4 500.23 158.6 151.62 318.9 348.60 43.4 43.44 7.8 7.83 35.6 35.61 520.9 543.67 166.4 159.45 354.5 384.21Commercial Downtown 80.9 80.93 41.8 41.79 39.1 39.14 ‐ 0 ‐ 0 0 0 80.9 80.93 41.8 41.79 39.1 39.14Commercial Recreation 38.1 38.05 38.1 38.05 00 12.8 12.77 6.8 6.79 6.0 5.98 50.8 50.82 44.8 44.84 6.0 5.98Business Park 1.3 26.90 1.3 1.25 ‐ 25.64 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.3 26.9 1.3 1.25 ‐ 25.64Light Industrial 384.8 371.69 73.0 73.05 311.8 298.65 0 0 0 0 0 0 384.8 371.69 73.0 73.05 311.8 298.65Utility Energy 4.6 44.91 4.6 4.57 ‐ 40.34 0 0 0 0 0 0 4.6 44.91 4.6 4.57 ‐ 40.34Public and Semi-Public 701.8 705.42 614.0 617.56 87.9 87.86 10.6 10.61 10.1 10.11 0.5 0.49 712.4 716.03 624.1 627.67 88.4 88.35Delta Recreation 1,515.5 1,466.96 1,394.8 1,394.77 120.7 72.18 00 0 0 0 0 1,515.5 1466.96 1,394.8 1394.77 120.7 72.18Parks and Recreation 126.7 127.53 120.5 121.27 6.3 6.26 5.2 5.20 0 0 5.2 5.20 131.9 132.73 120.5 121.27 11.5 11.46Specific Plan 2,028.6 2,028.59 267.3 267.27 1,761.3 1,761.33 00 0 0 0 0 2,028.6 2028.59 267.3 267.27 1,761.3 1761.33No Designation (Includes Right-of-Way) 252.3 252.31 244.5 244.53 7.8 7.78 2.1 2.05 1.4 1.43 0.6 0.62 254.4 254.36 246.0 245.96 8.4 8.4Total Designated Land Uses 9,248.4 9,248.42 5,206.9 5,204.37 4,041.5 4,044.05 484.6 484.55 392.9 392.83 91.7 91.7 9,733.0 9,807.05 5,599.8 5,671.28 4,133.2 4,135.77 Source: De Novo Planning Group, 202020211. Includes underdeveloped parcels and parcels that are in the process of being developed. 115
Oakley General Plan Land Use Element 2-9
Table 2‐2: Build‐out Potential
Area City SOI Planning Area Acres DUʹs1 Pop. 2 Employees Acres DUʹs1 Pop. 2 Employees Acres DUʹs Pop. Employees Undeveloped and Underutilized Sites
Agriculture 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0Agricultural Limited 3.7 4 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 3.7 4 1 3 0Rural Residential 208.1 215 108 370 108 0 0 0 0 208.1 215 108 370 108Residential Very Low 288.7 282 636 2,181 15 0 0 0 0 288.7 282 636 2,181 15Residential Low 361.7 369 886 3,039 189 22.9 20 35 120 0 384.6 389 921 3,158 189Residential Low/Medium 415.3 417 1,303 4,469 73 20.9 20 69 237 0 436.2 437 1,372 4,706 73Residential Medium 68.2 22 153 525 0 0 0 0 0 68.2 22 153 525 0Residential High 42.2 42 221 757 0 0 0 0 0 42.2 42 221 757 0Commercial 318.9 347 553 1,897 10,067 35.6 36 -2 -7 1,348 354.5 382 551 1,890 11,415Commercial Downtown 39.1 39 -7 -24 2,146 0 0 0 0 39.1 39 -7 -243 2,146Commercial Recreation 0 0 0 0 6.0 6 0 0 152 6.0 6 0 0 152Business Park 026 0 0 1320 0 0 0 0 026 0 0 1320Light Industrial 311.8 304 8 27 3,706356 0 0 0 0 311.8 304 8 27 3,706356Utility Energy 0 40 0 0 2180 0 0 0 0 040 0 0 0218Public and Semi-Public 87.9 15 0 0 128 0.5 0 0 0 10 88.4 15 0 0 138Delta Recreation 120.7 75 0 0 460 0 0 0 0 120.7 75 0 0 460Parks and Recreation 6.3 6 0 0 73 5.2 5 -1 -3 60 11.5 11 -1 -3 133Specific Plan 1,761.3
1,761 4,084 14,008 107 0 0 0 0
1,761.3
1,761 4,084 14,008 107
Subtotal
4,033.7
3,964 7,946 27,252 17,072 91.1 87 101 347 1,570
4,124.8
4,051 8,047 27,599 18,643
Existing Development (City)
City of Oakley - - - - - - - - - 13,1463 42,4614 5,157 Total - - - - - - - - - 21,193 67,919 23,800 Source: De Novo Planning Group, 202020211. Dwellings based on maximum units per gross acre and development projects that were ongoing at the time of the General Plan Update.2. Population based on 3.43 persons per unit, 2020 California Department of Finance E-5 Report. It is noted that the 2019 American Community Survey identifies an average household size of 3.50 persons and a vacancy rate of 2.6% which yields

3.41 persons per housing unit (occupied and unoccupied).

3. Existing units based upon 2020 California Department of Finance E-5 Report.

4. Existing population based upon 2020 California Department of Finance E-5 Report.

5. Public and Semi-Public Facilities, Delta Recreation, and Parks and Recreation may have minor levels of employment generating uses. 116
Oakley General Plan | Land Use Element
Characterizing Land Use
The land use designations specify the allowed range of development density for residential uses and intensity for non-residential uses. Zoning, specific plans, and individual development projects must be consistent with the applicable designation’s density and intensity requirement. Both terms are described below.
 Density refers to the intensity of residential uses in terms of a range, from a minimum to a maximum, of dwelling units per gross acre. Various building configurations representing different densities are shown below. Floor Area Ratio.
 Floor area ratio, referred to as FAR, is used to express the building intensity for nonresidential uses, such as commercial, industrial, community facilities, and the nonresidential component of mixed use projects. FAR refers to the ratio of the total floor area of a building or buildings on a site, excluding parking structures and outdoor storage areas, to the lot area of the site.

Land Use Designations
This section describes land use designations that apply with the General Plan Area. By defining the characteristics of residential, commercial, and industrial, and public/semi-public uses, this portion of the Element provides direction for the various types of development that can occur in Oakley. The designations are intended to preserve Oakley’s rural, small-town character as the community grows and comes to include the greater diversity of uses associated with urbanization/suburbanization. The section also includes development standards for the designations.

The application of the land use designations within the General Plan Area are illustrated on Figure 2-2: Land Use Diagram. Due to the scale of the map, the location of road alignments and parcel/land use designation boundaries are approximate. This generalized depiction of the Planning Area will require some flexibility when interpreting the plan. Minor adjustments to road alignments and boundaries may be necessary when individual applications for development are submitted. The Land Use Diagram, in conjunction with this element’s plan goals and policies, govern future development in the community.
117
UP RR
Jersey Island Rd
Delta Rd
Empire Ave
Neroly Rd
Sellers Ave
Rose Ave
Brown Rd
E Cypress Rd
UV160
MainSt
Main St
Tule Ln
Main St
Laurel Rd
W Cypress Rd
Vintage Pkwy
UV4
L vi eOakAve
E Cypress Rd
Oakley Rd
W alnut MeadowsDr
O'HaraAve
Gateway Rd
Malicoat Ave
TaylorRd
Neroly Rd
Knightsen Ave
Bethel Island Rd
SandmounBdlvd

AT & SF RR
Carpenter Rd
Brownstone Rd
Wilbur Ave
Wild Horse Rd

L E G E N D
Oakley City Limit
Oakley Sphere of Influence
Oakley Planning Area
Country Costa County Urban Limit Line
Agriculture
Agricultural Limited
Rural Residential
Residential Very Low
Residential Low
Residential Low/Medium
Residential Medium
Residential High
Residential Mobile Home
Commercial
Commercial Downtown
Commercial Recreation
Business Park
Light Industrial
Utility Energy
Public and Semi-Public
Delta Recreation
Parks and Recreation
SP-4
Sources: City of Oakley; Contra Costa County; USGS National Map.

Map date: December 8, 2020. Revised December 7, 2021.

Taylor Slough
Dutch Slough
Big Br e a k
San J o a qu in Ri v e r
Delta Cove
Contra Costa Canal
Contra Costa Canal
Marsh
Creek
Marsh
Creek
Summer
Lake
Land Use Diagram
Figure 2-2:
0 ½ 1
Miles
Z
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2-12 Oakley General Plan Land Use Element
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Oakley General Plan Land Use Element 2-13
Table 2‐2: Land Use Designations
Residential Uses
Agriculture Limited (AL)
The Agriculture Limited (AL) designation provides for light agriculture including vineyards, orchards, and row crops, animal husbandry and very lowdensity residential uses - reflections of the historic and continuing agrarian practices. Primary land uses may include single-family residences, secondary residential units, and limited agriculture and animal husbandry, subject to developmental and operational standards. Equestrian and livestock uses are permitted. The designation supports the community’s historic and contemporary agrarian development pattern.

0.1 to 1.0 dwelling
units per acre
Rural Residential (RR)
The Rural Residential (RR) designation provides for large-lot residential development, which maintains the rural character. These lots typify an estate lot, but are not associated with commercial agriculture or animal husbandry, with the exception of limited numbers of horses or livestock. Primary land uses include detached single-family homes and accessory structures, which are consistent with the rural or estate lifestyle. Public and semi-public uses and similar and compatible uses are also allowed. Unlike the AL designation, commercial agricultural practices are generally not allowed within this designation.

0.2 to 1.0 dwelling
units per acre
Residential Very Low (RV)
The Residential Very Low (RV) designation provides for traditional, large-lot single-family residential development, which maintains the low density typical of a large-lot suburban development. Primary land uses include detached single-family homes and accessory structures. Public and semi-public uses and similar and compatible uses are also allowed.

0.8 to 2.3 dwelling
units per acre
Residential Low (RL)
The Residential Low (RL) designation provides for moderate density, singlefamily residential development. These neighborhoods will more closely resemble a typical suburban development with spacious yards and little resemblance to a rural neighborhood. Primary permitted land uses include detached single-family homes and accessory structures. Public and semipublic uses and similar and compatible uses are also allowed.

2.3 to 3.8 dwelling
units per acre
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2-14 Oakley General Plan Land Use Element
Residential Uses (Continued)
Residential Low/Medium (RLM)
The Residential Low/Medium (RLM) designation provides for moderately dense single-family residential development that is consistent with suburban uses. This designation will allow for a higher density suburban neighborhood with smaller lots that are commonly seen in traditional urban and suburban neighborhoods. Primary land uses include detached single-family homes and accessory structures. Public and semi-public uses and similar and compatible uses are also allowed.

3.8 to 5.5 dwelling
units per acre
Residential Medium (RM)
The Residential Medium (RM) designation provides for more affordable, small lot development and to increase the availability of rental or entry-level housing. Primary land uses include single-family dwellings, attached singlefamily residences (such as duplexes and duets), multiple-family residences (such as condominiums, town houses, apartments), and accessory structures normally auxiliary to the primary uses. Public and semi-public uses and similar and compatible uses are also allowed.

5.5 to 9.6 dwelling
units per acre
Residential High (RH)
The Residential High (RH) designation provides for affordable and rental residential units, and to maximize urban residential space. This designation allows for a typical apartment-style building or a condominium complex.

Appropriate primary land uses include attached single-family residences (such as duplexes and duets), multiple-family residences (such as condominiums, town houses, apartments, and mobile home parks), and accessory structures normally auxiliary to the primary uses. Public and semi-public uses and similar and compatible uses are also allowed.

9.6 to 16.7 dwelling
units per acre
Residential Mobile Home (RMH)
The Residential Mobile Home (RMH) designation provides for mobile home parks as a form of affordable and accessible housing. Primary land uses include single-family residential dwellings within a mobile home park setting and auxiliary uses and facilities to serve residents of the park.

5.5 to 9.6 dwelling
units per acre
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Oakley General Plan Land Use Element 2-15
Commercial Uses
Commercial (CO)
The Commercial (CO) designation provides for neighborhood, community, and regional-serving retail and service uses; limited office uses; restaurants; service stations; highway-oriented and visitor-serving commercial and lodging; autoserving and heavy commercial uses; public and semi-public uses; public gathering facilities, and similar and compatible uses. Because the designation encompasses a broad range of uses, the allowed uses and development form on a particular site will depend upon the zoning and the characteristics of surrounding land uses. Uses that are incompatible with residential uses due to noise, vibration, or other characteristics are not permitted in locations that may impact existing or future residential development.

0.1 to 1.0 FAR
40% maximum lot
cover
35-foot maximum
building height
Commercial Downtown (CD)
The Commercial Downtown (CD) designation provides for the mixture of retail and service commercial, entertainment, office, and/or multiple-family residential uses that are intended to preserve and enhance the historic and pedestrian-scale character of the Downtown. Preferred residential uses include condominiums and townhomes and high-quality second and third floor apartment and condominium uses. Multi-family residential uses are required to be permanent dwellings with each unit having separate restrooms, kitchens, and thermostats. The designation also provides for public/semi-public uses, parks and urban open spaces, and similar and compatible uses.

0.1 to 1.0 FAR
40% maximum lot
cover
35-foot maximum
building height
Commercial Recreation (CR)
The Commercial Recreation (CR) designation allows for a broad range of commercial activities that cater to the recreational user. These uses may include marinas and boat facilities, outdoor equipment rental shops, yacht clubs, driving ranges and golf courses, restaurants, and similar and compatible uses.

0.1 to 1.0 FAR
40% maximum lot
cover
50-foot maximum
building height
Business Park (BP)
The Business Park (BP) designation provides for professional and administrative offices; medical and dental clinics; laboratories; financial institutions; light industrial uses that are compatible with other employment uses; limited, supporting retail and service uses; public/semi-public uses and similar and compatible uses. The designation supports a development pattern characterized by multi-building employment campuses that integrate parks and other open spaces, include consolidate parking facilities, and feature consistent architectural themes.

0.5 to 2.0 FAR
50% maximum lot
cover
50-foot maximum
building height
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2-16 Oakley General Plan Land Use Element
Industrial Uses
Light Industrial (LI)
The Light Industrial (LI) designation provides for limited fabrication, manufacturing, processing, packaging and assembling uses; wholesale, distribution, warehousing and storage uses; vehicle and machinery repair; research and development; industrial parks; public/semi-public uses and similar and compatible uses. Heavy industrial uses the emit significant amounts of smoke, noise, light and/or pollutants are not allowed. Uses that are incompatible with residential uses due to noise, vibration, or other characteristics are not permitted in locations that may impact existing or future residential development. Wherever possible, uses should be combined in development projects that incorporate various uses to minimize travel and transport for goods and services related to and required to support the industrial use.

0.25 to 0.67 FAR
50% maximum lot
cover
50-foot maximum
building height
Utility Energy (UE)
The Utility Energy (UE) designation provides for clean energy-producing power plants and similar and compatible uses. The designation requires projects to incorporate an attractive design and landscape buffers, and produce no significant adverse effects, including excess noise, dust, and glare on surrounding land uses.

0.2 to 0.4 FAR
30% maximum lot
cover
100-foot maximum
building height
Public Uses
Public and Semi‐Public Facilities (PS)
The Public and Semi-Public Facilities (PS) designation provides for government owned facilities, public and private schools, institutions, civic uses, assembly uses, and public utilities, quasi-public uses such as hospitals and churches and supporting retail and service uses. The designation includes properties owned by public agencies such as libraries, fire stations, public transportation corridors, and schools, as well as privately owned transportation and utility corridors such as railroads, and power transmission lines. In specific locations, such as downtown Oakley, mixed use projects may be determined consistent with this designation. Public and Semi-Public facilities should be located in a manner that best serves the community’s interests, allows for adequate access by bus, bicycle, or foot to minimize trip generation and provides for access by all residents, where appropriate.

0.25 to 0.67 FAR

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Oakley General Plan Land Use Element 2-17
Open Space/Recreation Uses
Agriculture (AG)
The Agriculture (AG) designation provides for commercial agricultural uses (such as such as vineyards, orchards and row crops), commercial animal husbandry uses, single family homes directly related to the agricultural use of the property, limited industrial uses directly related to the agricultural use of the property and similar and compatible uses. Due to the range of uses allowed by the designation, consideration must be given to the potential for use conflicts when urban development is proposed adjacent to Agriculturedesignated parcels.

0.1 to 0.4 dwelling
units per acre

2.5 to 20-acre
parcel size
Delta Recreation (DR)
The Delta Recreation (DR) designation provides for the conservation and appropriate use of the lowlands of the San Joaquin Delta located along the community’s northern edge. Due to the proximity of the Delta, these lands have substantial recreational value and offer important opportunities for public access to the Oakley waterfront, including parklands and trails offering public access. Agriculture and wildlife habitat are also considered appropriate uses of these areas. Additional uses that may, at the City’s discretion, be allowed within this designation include but are not limited to marinas, shooting ranges, duck and other hunting clubs, campgrounds, golf courses and other outdoor recreation complexes. The designation also accommodates wildlife habitat for species that resides or migrate through the delta.

0.05 maximum FAR
Parks and Recreation (PR)
The Parks and Recreation (PR) designation provides for neighborhood, community and regional parks, greenways, golf courses, and other outdoor recreational facilities within urban development. Specific uses include public recreation sites, including ball fields, tot lots and play apparatus, adult softball and soccer playing fields, swimming pools, community center buildings, meeting facilities, libraries, art centers, after school care facilities, art in public places, facilities for night-time recreation, trails benches, interpretive markers, picnic areas, barbecue facilities, landscaping, irrigation, City wells, trees and natural habitat areas.

0.05 to 0.5 FAR
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2-18 Oakley General Plan Land Use Element
Land Use Designations and Zoning Compatibility
One of the most familiar methods of implementing General Plan land use policy and designations is through the Zoning Ordinance. Although separate from the General Plan, it is essential that the zoning districts be utilized to implement General Plan land use designations that are consistent with the intent of each General Plan designation. The following Table 2‐4 General Plan/Zoning Compatibility Matrix identifies each Land Use designation in the left column and each zoning district along the top row. Zoning districts considered compatible with a General Plan designation are marked with either a solid square for those zoning districts compatible with the General Plan and a hollow square for those zoning districts that could be compatible with the General Plan. Those that could be compatible are discretionary and would depend on the circumstances of a specific proposed use. Because of the specific nature of zoning regulations, more than one zoning district may be compatible with a single land use designation. 125
2-19
Table 2‐4: General Plan/Zoning Compatibility Matrix
Zoning District Land Use Designation A AL RR RV RL RLM RM RH MO CO CD CR BP LI UE PS DR PR Limited Agricultural (AL) Single-Family Residential (R-40) 1   1 1 1Single-Family Residential (R-20)  1 1Single-Family Residential (R-15)   1 1Single-Family Residential (R-12)  Single-Family Residential (R-10)   1 1Single-Family Residential (R-7)   1 1Single-Family Residential (R-6)    1 1Mobile Home (MH)  1 1Multi-Family Residential (M-17)  1 1Multi-Family Residential (M-12)  1 1Multi-Family Residential (M-9)  1 1Affordable Housing Overlay (AHO)  Commercial Downtown (CD)    1 1Retail Business (RB)   1 1General Commercial (C)    1 1 1Business Park High (BPH)   1 1Business Park Low (BPL)   1 1Commercial Recreation – Aquatic (CR-A)  Commercial Recreation – Non-Aquatic (CR-NA)  
Light Industrial (LI)  1 1Utility Energy (UE)  1 1Public and Semi-Public (P) 1 1Agriculture Preservation (A-4)  1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Delta Recreation (DR)   Parks and Recreation (PR)  1 Planned Unit Development (P-1) 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1  = Consistent with General Plan 1. Consistent only under certain circumstances, depending upon the specific use that is proposed. 126
2-20 Oakley General Plan Land Use Element
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127
Oakley General Plan Land Use Element 2-21
Specific Plans, Special Planning Areas, and Expansion Area In addition to the land use designations described above, the City also recognizes there are distinct geographic areas within and surrounding the City that merit special consideration. As illustrated in Figure 2-3, the following Specific Plans, Special Planning Areas, and Expansion Area are established to identify the opportunities and constraints unique to these areas and to provide further direction regarding the City’s expectations for development in these areas.

Cypress Corridor Planning Area
Description
The Cypress Corridor Special Planning Area encompasses approximately 2,371 acres of land located both north and south of Cypress Road. This Area in entirely within the City limits and is bounded by the San Joaquin Delta on the north, Marsh Creek on the west, the BNSF Railroad on the southwest, Sellers Avenue and East Cypress Road on the southeast, and Jersey Island Road on the east.

The Cypress Corridor Area has been the subject of various development proposals and includes the Delta Vista Middle School and Ironhouse Elementary School located along the north side of East Cypress Road west of Frank Hengel Way and several residential subdivisions.

The Cypress Corridor Area includes approximately 1,257 acres located to the north of the Contra Costa Canal. This portion of the Area, generally referred to as the North Canal Lands within this General Plan, is not proposed for urban development and is anticipated to remain as open space.

The California Department of Water Resources is currently in the process of transforming 1,187 acres of the area into a tidal marsh through the Dutch Slough Tidal Restoration Project. Once completed, the project will provide habitat for salmon and other native fish and wildlife, preserve Native American heritage sites, protect one of the last remaining vineyards growing in a Delta sand dune, and include the 55-acre Dutch Slough Community Park.

Constraints
Development constraints within this Area are significant. While East Cypress Road and Sellers Avenue provide circulation access, Sellers Avenue will require expansion to accommodate future traffic. While wastewater collection facilities are adequate for existing and approved development, trunk lines and pump stations will need to continue to be upgraded and/or added to provide greater capacity as future development occurs. Domestic water facilities also must be upgraded to provide greater capacity as additional development occurs. While water and wastewater facilities have been implemented to serve Delta Vista Middle School and development in the past two decades, further facility upgrades will be required to serve buildout of this Area. While the banks of the Contra Costa Canal provide some protection against Delta flooding, these levees were not designed for flood control purposes, are not certified by the Army Corps of Engineers, and, therefore, their integrity is in question. The primary purpose of the Contra Costa Canal is for conveyance of drinking water supply for the customers of the Contra Costa Water District. 128
2-22 Oakley General Plan Land Use Element
Additionally, under 100-year flood conditions, it is anticipated that Marsh Creek would back-up, resulting in localized flooding in the northwestern portion of this Area. Provision of adequate flood protection will likely require a combination of improvements of Marsh Creek banks and levees, as well as a pump facility to discharge water toward the Delta. Further, given the limitations of Marsh Creek’s capacity, future development within the Cypress Corridor Planning Area will not be allowed to convey storm runoff into Marsh Creek.

This Area includes areas susceptible to liquefaction that might be unstable under certain conditions during and after an earthquake. This constraint can be adequately addressed through proper structural design. Within the eastern portion of this Area are four natural gas wells that must be properly abandoned prior to urban development.

As noted above, the North Canal Lands portion of this Area is not proposed for development under this General Plan.

Development Vision
The Cypress Corridor Area is envisioned as a primarily residential area with supporting commercial and public uses. The Emerson Ranch area plans for a node of commercial at the intersection of East Cypress Road and Sellers Avenue, with multi-family and/or medium and high density single family surrounding. Beyond the intersection to the northwest, a single family residential development, Emerson Ranch, is in the process of being constructed. Cypress Road is proposed as a four-lane divided arterial and will include substantial landscaping and multi-use trails along the road frontage.

Because substantial future development areas are located to the east of this Area, facilities installed along East Cypress Road must be properly sized to support development in both the Cypress Corridor Area and the Cypress Corridor Expansion Area. Such facilities include, but are not limited to, roads, water service, and wastewater collection facilities.

An additional issue of concern is maintaining compatibility with neighboring Knightsen, a semirural unincorporated community located south and east of Oakley. The Land Use Diagram identifies lower density residential uses adjacent to the boundary of the County designated Urban Limit Line that provide a transition to the more rural adjacent lands. Additionally, as projects are proposed in the southeast portion of this Area, the City will consider local issues of land use compatibility.

East Cypress Corridor Specific Plan
The East Cypress Corridor Specific Plan occupies the easternmost portion of the Planning Area.

Annexed by the City in 2006, the Specific Plan area is bound by Dutch Slough to the north, Sandmound Slough to the east, the Contra Costa Canal to the south and southwest, and Jersey Island Road to the west, and encompasses approximately 2,546 acres. The Specific Plan envisions the development of five mixed density residential neighborhoods around a central commercial center.
129
UP RR

CYPRESS CORRIDOR

SPECIAL PLANNING AREA
Jersey Island Rd
Delta Rd
Empire Ave
Neroly Rd
Sellers Ave
Rose Ave
Brown Rd
E Cypress Rd
UV160
MainSt
Main St
Tule Ln
Laurel Rd
W Cypress Rd
Vintage Pkwy
UV4
L vi eOakAve
E Cypress Rd
Oakley Rd
W alnut MeadowsDr
O'HaraAve
Gateway Rd
Malicoat Ave
TaylorRd
Neroly Rd
Knightsen Ave
Bethel Island Rd
SandmounBdlvd

AT & SF RR
Carpenter Rd
Brownstone Rd
Wilbur Ave
Wild Horse Rd

RIVER OAKS

CROSSING

SPECIFIC PLAN

DOWNTOWN

SPECIFIC

PLAN EAST CYPRESS CORRIDOR

SPECIFIC PLAN

NORTHWEST OAKLEY

SPECIAL PLANNING AREA

SOUTH OAKLEY

SPECIAL PLANNING AREA

L E G E N D
Oakley City Limit
Oakley Sphere of Influence
Oakley Planning Area
Country Costa County Urban Limit Line
Specific Plan Area
Special Planning Area
Cypress Corridor Expansion Area
Sources: City of Oakley; Contra Costa County; USGS National Map. Map date: December 8, 2020 Taylor Slough
Dutch Slough
Big Br e a k
San J o a qu in Ri v e r
Delta Cove
Contra Costa Canal
Contra Costa Canal
Marsh
Creek
Marsh
Creek
Summer
Lake
Special Planning Areas, Specific Plans,
and Expansion Area
Figure 2-3:
0 ½ 1
Miles
Z
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2-24 Oakley General Plan Land Use Element
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131
Oakley General Plan Land Use Element 2-25
The Specific Plan also preserves wetlands and dunes in the Specific Plan area’s northwestern area and agricultural uses, including as a buffer between the new neighborhoods and Dutch Slough.

Each neighborhood includes a lake and a network of open spaces. The Specific Plan also includes a new levee system that surrounds the planned neighborhoods and commercial center. As of 2020, one of the neighborhoods has been constructed.

Cypress Corridor Expansion Area
The Cypress Corridor Expansion Area encompasses a 74-acre future growth area bound by the City boundary to the north, Knightsen Avenue to the east, Wildhorse Road to the south, and Sellers Avenue to the west. The area is currently occupied by and designated for residential and agricultural uses.

South Oakley Planning Area
Description
The South Oakley Special Planning Area encompasses approximately 1,912 acres of land located generally south of Laurel Road, east of Neroly Road, west of Sellers Avenue, and north of Delta/Neroly Road. This Area has been in the process of urbanizing, but still retains substantial agricultural lands, including orchards and vineyards. Among the most significant uses in this Area is Freedom High School, located on Neroly Road west of O’Hara Avenue.

The South Oakley Area establishes the boundary between Oakley and the two adjacent jurisdictions: the City of Brentwood, which occupies a majority of the border, and Contra Costa County. The Brentwood General Plan proposes a combination of primarily residential uses immediately south of Oakley and designates an industrial development in the area south of Delta Road and east of existing Main Street/Brentwood Boulevard. The Contra Costa County proposes the continuation of agricultural uses for the remainder of the area immediately south of the City.

Constraints
Constraints within the South Oakley Area are generally limited. Water, wastewater and drainage facilities planned by the respective service districts have anticipated the development of this area.

While minor areas of 100-year flood inundation are designated, it is anticipated that planned flood control facilities will be capable of providing adequate flood protection.

The largest constraints within this Area relate to land use compatibility. Specifically, the mix of urban, rural and agricultural uses can result in land use incompatibilities. While it is anticipated that such incompatibilities will be resolved at General Plan build-out and as development projects address appropriate transitions and buffers between potentially conflicting uses, during the intervening development process the City must consider methods for minimizing land use conflicts. Such conflicts relate to the potential for rural agricultural uses to impact urban residential uses, as well as the potential for urban uses to impact rural and agricultural uses through trespass and nuisance complaints.
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2-26 Oakley General Plan Land Use Element
Development Vision
The South Oakley Area is envisioned as a predominantly residential area that incorporates nodes of commercial uses at major community entry points and intersections. The mix of typical urban residential development with the less intensive low density and very low density single family and agricultural limited designations is intended to maintain the diverse mix of uses and rural community setting that has drawn residents to Oakley. As noted above, addressing both temporary and long-term conflicts between various land use types is a key concern within this Area.

The southern boundary of this Area is also the common boundary between Oakley and Brentwood/unincorporated Contra Costa County. As such, Oakley will seek to establish an open space buffer to delineate the City limit and to create a sense of entry for residents and visitors entering Oakley.

The design of this community buffer is described in detail within the Community Character section of this Element.

Northwest Oakley Special Planning Area
Description
The Northwest Oakley Special Planning Area encompasses approximately 972 acres of land located generally north of existing Oakley Road and generally bounded by Big Break Road to the east, Highway 160 to the west and the Delta along the north. This Area has historically been dominated by the former DuPont facility to the north and other uses of industrial character along Main Street. The DuPont facility is in the process of being transformed into the Contra Costa Logistics Center (CCLC), a light industrial, warehouse, distribution, e-commerce fulfillment, and light manufacturing development. The BNSF Railroad bisects this Area. The Big Break Marina and the Lauritzen Yacht Harbor, and the Driftwood Marina are located along the Delta within this Area.

Constraints
The most substantial constraint within this Area is the need for remediation of soil and groundwater contamination upon the DuPont property. This process is well underway and as of 2020, portions of the DuPont property have been determined ready for development.

Remediation is anticipated to be completed in 2021. A secondary constraint for this site is the need for revitalization of uses adjacent to Main Street. Finally, the Davis Fault, an inferred fault, passes about 2 miles west of this Area, through the City of Antioch, and structures and facilities within this Area must be properly designed to minimize potential damage associated with seismic activity.

Various facility extensions will be required to support full development of this Area, including substantial improvements of water service, wastewater collection, and gas and electrical facilities, as well as undergrounding of some existing overhead utilities. Circulation improvements will include upgrading local road and signalizing the Live Oak/Main Street intersection. Substantial 133
Oakley General Plan Land Use Element 2-27
expansion of existing Main Street will be required to support the anticipated expansion of employment generating uses.

Development Vision
The City envisions this Area as the primary employment center within Oakley. The existing uses along Main Street are designated for commercial uses. Land north of the BNSF Railroad is designated as Business Park, Utility Energy and Light Industrial. The Light Industrial designation applies to a majority of the area. In addition to the CCLC, the designation is intended to accommodate a wide variety of light manufacturing and warehousing and distribution uses, providing the City with the flexibility to accommodate a broader array of employment uses than the Business Park designation. Where the Business Park designation is applied, it is anticipated to accommodate a campus character, providing attractive architecture within a landscaped setting.

This General Plan allows for up to 30 acres of the Business Park designation to be developed at a high density involving multi-story office buildings and related facilities.

While the Utility Energy and Light Industrial designations will be somewhat less urban and employment intensive than the Business Park, the City will ensure that all uses in this Area are attractive and contribute to an overall well designed employment district. Light Industrial uses will be required to maintain development standards that will contribute to the success of the areas designated as Business Park.

The northern portion of the Area is dominated by the Delta and associated wetland areas. These lands are designated either Delta Recreation or Commercial Recreation and it is anticipated that access to the Delta and passive recreational uses will be provided. The proximity to the Delta is considered a further opportunity to enhance the overall quality of this Area, including the intensive urban development of the Business Park designation. As such, all development located north of the BNSF Railroad must consider the Delta context through site design and architecture, strengthen the relationship between built and nature environments, and provide significant public access to the waterfront through such remedies as trail and riparian easements and land dedication to the City where appropriate.

River Oaks Crossing Specific Plan
Considered a subarea within the Northwest Oakley Special Planning Area, the River Oaks Crossing Specific Plan occupies an approximately 76-acre site bounded by the BNSF Railroad line to the north and northeast, Main Street to the south, and Bridgehead Road to the west. The Specific Plan envisions the development of a commercial center, including three major retails and several secondary retailers. The Specific Plan was adopted in 2008, and as of 2020 has not yet been implemented.
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Downtown Specific Plan
Description
Adopted in 2010, the Downtown Specific Plan encompasses the area south of the BNSF Railroad line along the Main Street, Acme Street, Ruby Street, Star Street, and Home Street corridors between the Contra Costa Canal to the east and Gardenia Avenue to the west. This area is the historic core of Oakley and contains a mix of commercial and residential uses. A significant project affecting this area is the realignment of existing Main Street.

Constraints
Major new development within the Mixed-Use Area will be limited by existing uses. Existing facilities serve this area; however, these facilities are generally undersized and aging, and may present a constraint to development. Small areas within this Area are subject to 100-year flood inundation, but it is anticipated these conditions will be resolved either through improvements associated with future development or by flood control projects administered by the City.

Development Vision
The City supports an intensification of both commercial and residential uses within the Specific Plan area. Projects that combine residential and commercial uses have the advantage of presenting street level shopping and services, while increasing the general activity in the downtown through upstairs residences. At this time, the downtown area lacks a cohesive center.

This is due, in part, to the varied architecture of the Area and the lack of a central focal point to serve as a center of activity.

Community Character
Street Patterns
The physical scale and alignment of roadways contribute to the character of a community by dictating the direction and levels of traffic, determining views and emphasizing the connectivity of various communities. In the past, Oakley was developed along the Highway 4/Main Street Corridor with a traditional grid system. More recent developments have utilized cul-de-sacs and more remote roadway patterns. The relative advantages and disadvantages of these varying styles of street patterns are contentious and specific to each community.

Oakley should, where feasible, pursue the extension of the historic grid pattern of roadways for new infill developments. This would be more consistent with the historic pattern of development in Oakley and would likely encourage pedestrian and bicycle traffic. At the same time, grid patterns may increase levels of traffic in residential neighborhoods, as streets are less differentiated and the role of collector streets are less than in cul-de-sac development.

By pursuing future cul-de-sac patterns of roadways, the City may experience a greater separation of community through the physical isolation of neighborhoods. While cul-de-sacs diminish traffic 135
Oakley General Plan Land Use Element 2-29
levels in residential communities, they may discourage pedestrian and bicycle travel unless provisions are made for pedestrian and bicycle access. Cul-de-sacs may be appropriate where physical limitations prohibit the creation of a through street, though excessive use of cul-de-sacs may take away from the qualities of community within the City.

Medians, Street Trees, Roadway Widths
In addition to the pattern of roadways, the amenities that a street provides are important to the pursuit of community character. Roundabouts, medians, street trees, and narrower street widths serve to slow traffic and provide a safer pedestrian environment. Usable bicycle lanes, of sufficient width, encourage a safe alternative to automotive travel. Street trees provide a physical separation between the roadway and the sidewalk and should be utilized where feasible. This physical separation improves the pedestrian experience and increases safety on the sidewalk. Planted medians allow for increased traffic flow where left turns are not permitted, or where turnouts are provided. By providing additional amenities to the roadways, the physical appearance and usability of the streets will be greatly improved.

Typically, roadway sections identifying frontage improvements, road widths and landscaping for local, collector, and arterial streets are provided within the Circulation Element of this General Plan.

Neighborhood Facilities
Providing neighborhood-scaled commercial centers, schools, parks, and other facilities will improve the livability of neighborhoods and increase the sense of community. By reducing the dependency on regional shopping centers and distributing small commercial centers in neighborhoods throughout the City, the residents of Oakley will have greater and more convenient access to goods and services, often without needing to utilize automobiles for transportation.

Gateway Signs
Defining entries to the City and to major residential and commercial developments enhance the sense of place within Oakley, provides visual interest, emphasize distinctions between neighborhoods and commercial districts, and create a visual cohesion throughout the City.

Community Gateways
Community Gateways Signs are intended for entry points to the City along major roadways to clearly identify Oakley’s boundaries. Two types of Community Gateways are recommended: a low planter sign or a taller gateway sign panel (see Figure 2-4). The monument types may be used individually, or in combination to frame a gateway intersection; i.e., the taller sign panel could be located on the right-facing and more-visible street corner, with the planter located at the 136
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left/opposite corner. Gateway Signs have modern proportions but are themed to reflect Oakley’s rural/agricultural heritage, incorporating vines, lattice, and the City logo.

Neighborhood/Project Gateways
Neighborhood and Project Gateways are intended for entrances to new residential/subdivision areas and to major commercial development projects. Typically, this would be at the primary entrance drive along a City arterial or collector. Two general approaches are recommended:
architectural sign/markers combined with landscape design or landscape design-only entry.

Architectural markers are recommended for major neighborhood entrances. Landscape designonly is recommended for secondary entrances. Specific concepts are depicted in Figures 2-5 through 2-8.

Architectural markers are located within the curbside planting strip, and contain a panel for a neighborhood sign. A smaller pier/pilaster with the same architectural form flanks the sidewalk and provides a terminus to adjacent screen/sound walls. If fronting streets do not have sound walls only the sign/markers would be installed. Materials and detailing for markers, signs and walls should reflect the characteristic style and materials of homes in the neighborhood; i.e., clapboard homes with clapboard markers, brick with brick, cement plaster with cement plaster, etc. A small median island containing flowering trees and groundcover is recommended at the entrance. Rows of the same species of flowering tree are located in curbside planting strips on either side of the street. Highly visible and/or textured crosswalks are recommended.

Landscape-only gateways incorporate a small median island, highly-visible/textured crosswalks, and flanking flowering trees. The median island contains a “signature” luminaire, ideally the same style/model used within the neighborhood or project.

Community Buffer
The City shares its southern boundary with Brentwood. As of 2020, Brentwood had constructed residential development to the east of Empire Avenue adjacent to Oakley. This development includes a buffer with landscaping and a trail, but does not provide a substantial separation between the two cities.

In order to maintain a sense of identity, the City will seek to establish an additional buffer zone along the City’s southern boundary as new development occurs along the Neroly Road/Delta Road alignment. Figure 2.9 depicts the proposed configuration of Neroly Road/Delta Road and provides a landscaped greenbelt measuring 60 feet in width. This diagram is conceptual in nature and the City will work with future developers to refine the specific dimensions and amenities within this community buffer.
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City of Oakley
General Plan 2020
Figure 2-4
City Gateway -Elevation
Source: Bottomley Associates, August 2002
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City of Oakley
General Plan 2020
Figure 2-5
City Gateway - Plan View
Source: Bottomley Associates, August 2002
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City of Oakley
General Plan 2020
Figure 2-6
Neighborhood/Project Gateway-Elevations
Source: Bottomley Associates, August 2002
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City of Oakley
General Plan 2020
Figure 2-7
Neighborhood/Project Gateway Landscape Only
Source: Bottomley Associates, August 2002
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City of Oakley
General Plan 2020
Figure 2-8
Neighborhood/Project Gateway Architectural Sign/Markers Source: Bottomley Associates, August 2002
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City of Oakley
General Plan 2020
Figure 2-9
Oakley/Brentwood Buffer
Source: Bottomley Associates, August 2002
Residential
Internally Oriented Residential
Street Trees
Equestrian/Jogging Trail
Median
Neighborhood Path
Large Deciduous Treesfor Shade in InformalArrangement
BikeLane
Bus Stop and Shelter
Bike/PedestrianPath
City of Brentwood
City Of Oakley
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Oakley General Plan Land Use Element 2-43
Goals, Policies, and Programs
GOAL 2.1 GENERAL LAND USE
Guide development in a manner that creates a balanced and desirable community, maintains and enhances the character and best qualities of the community, and ensures that Oakley remains an economically viable city.

Policies

2.1.1. Maintain an adequate supply of land to support projected housing, employment, service, retail, recreational, educational, and institutional needs for the community.

2.1.2. Require new development to be consistent with and generally support Oakley’s smalltown character. Key elements include scale of buildings, landscaped open areas within projects, and safe and accessible multi-use trails.

2.1.3. Preserve open space areas, of varying scales and uses, both within development projects and at the City’s boundary.

2.1.4. Discourage development that results in land use incompatibility. Specifically, require buffers between uses where appropriate and discourage locating sensitive uses (residential) adjacent to existing potentially objectionable uses or locating potentially objectionable uses adjacent to sensitive uses. Examples of buffering techniques including, but are not limited to, landscaping, setbacks, screening and, where necessary, construction of sound walls.

2.1.5. Promote land use compatibility through use restrictions, development standards, environmental review, and design considerations.

2.1.6. Promote the placement of the most intensive non-residential development (Commercial, Business Park, and Light Industrial) in the Northwest Oakley Planning Area as defined in Figure 2-3.

2.1.7. Maintain a separation between the City of Oakley and the City of Brentwood in order to retain an individual character of Oakley.

2.1.8. When considering large scale development projects, consider authorizing a Specific Plan (SP) or Planned Unit Development (PUD) approach that allows flexibility within a project area. Under this approach, the distribution of land uses may vary from the land uses as designated on the Land Use Diagram. The SP/PUD approach shall not allow either an overall greater development density than allowed under the Land Use Diagram, or a combination of uses that undermines the overall intent of the project area as established under the General Plan policies and Land Use Diagram.

2.1.9. Ensure consistency between the Land Use Map and implementing plans, ordinances, and regulations.
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2.1.10. Assign the land use designations throughout the City and to parcels within the Planning Area, as included in this element and shown in the Land Use Map (Figure 2-3).

Implementation Programs

2.1.A. Assign the land use designations throughout the City and to parcels within the Planning Area, as included in this element and shown in the Land Use Map (Figure 2-3).

2.1.B. As part of the annual report on the implementation of the General Plan to the Planning Commission and City Council, provide an evaluation of the year's development trends, current land supply, and the ability of infrastructure and public services to meet future needs.

2.1.C. Regularly review and revise, as necessary, the Zoning Ordinance to accomplish the following purposes:

2.1.D. Ensure consistency with the General Plan in terms of zoning districts and development standards;

2.1.E. Ensure adequate buffers and transitions are required between intensive uses, such as industrial and agricultural uses, and sensitive receptors, including residential uses and schools; and

2.1.F. Ensure that land use requirements meet actual demand and needs over time as technology, social expectations, and business practices change.

2.1.G. Continue to review development applications and regulatory documents to ensure consistency and compliance with the General Plan.

GOAL 2.2 RESIDENTIAL
Create new residential developments and preserve existing neighborhoods to reflect the high quality of life in Oakley.

Policies

2.2.1. Provide for the development of a variety of housing types at a range of prices to meet the needs of all segments of the City’s population, including individuals and families who qualify for affordable housing assistance in accordance with the Housing Element.

2.2.2. Recognize Oakley’s predominantly single-family residential character and distinctive qualities in planning and development decisions.

2.2.3. Preserve the limited areas planned for multi-family residential development and discourage General Plan amendments and rezoning of such areas for other uses.

2.2.4. Promote the transition from higher densities in the City’s center to lower densities in peripheral areas. Where high density residential development is directly adjacent to low density residential or agricultural uses, buffers should be provided. 151
Oakley General Plan Land Use Element 2-45

2.2.5. Encourage higher density residential development at locations within convenient walking distance of Downtown, employment areas, services, schools, retail, transit stops, near community destinations, and/or near major streets with high access to transit and nonvehicle transportation modes.

2.2.6. Encourage residential development to occur in a balanced and efficient pattern that reduces sprawl, preserves open space, and creates convenient connections to other land uses.

2.2.7. Encourage new neighborhoods to include a variety of housing types and a mix and distribution of land uses, including schools, parks, shopping, restaurants, and services, that reduce auto trips and support walking, biking, and transit use.

2.2.8. Require the establishment of lighting and landscaping districts and/or community facility districts, as appropriate, for new residential developments.

2.2.9. Protect existing residential areas from intrusion of incompatible land uses and disruptive traffic to the extent reasonably possible.

2.2.10. Locate residences away from areas of excessive noise, smoke, dust, odor, and lighting, and ensure that adequate provisions, including buffers or transitional uses, are made to ensure the health and well-being of existing and future residents.

2.2.11. Encourage property maintenance and the revitalization of economically disadvantaged and poorly maintained neighborhoods.

2.2.12. Encourage the naming of subdivisions and streets to reflect the community’s geography and history, and its relationship to the Delta.

2.2.13. Discourage non-gated development that relies upon private streets.

Implementation Programs

2.2.A. Through the development review and permit process, screen development proposals for land use compatibility, including compatibility with existing development or neighborhoods.

2.2.B. Use density transitions and buffers in order to protect the integrity of existing land use patterns and minimize the impacts on existing uses and residents. Development projects shall be designed to:
 Locate lower residential densities adjacent to open space, areas of agricultural use, and existing lower density residential areas; and
 Locate higher residential densities in proximity to services, transit, and/or employment activity centers;

2.2.C. Where new residential uses are proposed adjacent existing industrial uses, the residential development shall incorporate a buffer, such as a roadway, landscaped open space, parking area, detention basin, or similar feature, to separate the residential uses from industrial uses. 152
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2.2.D. Where new industrial uses are proposed adjacent existing residential uses, the industrial development shall incorporate a buffer, such as a roadway, landscaped open space, parking area, detention basin, or similar feature, to separate the residential uses from industrial uses.

2.2.E. Implement the policies and actions in the Housing Element in order to enhance opportunities to provide affordable housing within the community and to accommodate a range of household types, special need populations, and income levels

2.2.F. Explore and encourage creative approaches to providing affordable housing, including market rate housing affordable to moderate income households, within the community. Such approaches may include public/private partnerships, land trusts, housing cooperatives, cohousing, and/or inclusionary housing.

2.2.G. Develop and adopt standards for multiple family housing development consistent with the General Plan, the Oakley Municipal Code, state requirements, and current best practice design solutions.

2.2.H. When reviewing development proposals along the City’s southern boundary (Neroly Road and Delta Road) require a buffer generally consistent with Figure 2-9: Oakley/Brentwood Buffer.

2.2.I. Require proposed development to demonstrate compliance with policies, programs and standards for public services and facilities, as noted within the Circulation Element and the Growth Management Element, prior to project approval.

GOAL 2.3 COMMERCIAL
Support the retention and expansion of existing commercial establishments, and to encourage new, high‐quality commercial development in the city.

Policies

2.3.1. Encourage businesses that support and contribute to an economically vital and diverse Oakley community.

2.3.2. Promote renewal and retention of businesses and commercial districts within Oakley.

2.3.3. Promote and maintain inviting and attractive neighborhood, community, and regionalserving commercial centers in prominent, easily accessible locations.

2.3.4. Neighborhood-serving centers should be centrally located within and well-integrated into the adjacent neighborhood(s), compatible with the surrounding uses, consistent with the area’s theme, and accessible to pedestrians and bicycles.

2.3.5. Community-serving centers should be located along arterial streets, similar major roadways and at the intersection of such roadways.

2.3.6. Regional-serving centers should be located in close proximity to freeway interchanges. 153
Oakley General Plan Land Use Element 2-47

2.3.7. Promote the location of highway commercial uses, such as gas stations, convenience stores, and restaurants, to take advantage of, and to provide necessary services for, visitors.

2.3.8. When reviewing development applications for commercial uses in residential neighborhoods, consider whether the proposed development will detract from the neighborhood’s theme and identity.

2.3.9. Encourage the reuse of vacant and/or underutilized commercial buildings for more economically productive purposes, including new businesses, housing, and mixed-use development.

2.3.10. Encourage the rehabilitation and revitalization of existing shopping centers where a dominant retail use is still likely to be viable. At locations with obsolete retail space and limited opportunity for future viable retail uses, encourage conversion to mixed use and other non-retail uses.

Implementation Programs

2.3.A. Periodically review the General Plan and Zoning Ordinance to ensure adequate commercial land is designated/zoned and land use designations, zoning districts, and development standards are appropriate to attract desired commercial development.

2.3.B. Periodically review the Downtown Specific Plan and update as necessary to maintain consistency with the General Plan, the City’s Municipal Code, and current best practice design solutions.

2.3.C. Monitor revenues relative to new growth to ensure that projected cumulative revenue of all land uses in the City is sufficient to support public service costs. The resulting fiscal trends will be incorporated into the annual General Plan implementation report as outlined in 2.1.A.

GOAL 2.4 INDUSTRIAL
Promote economic growth within Oakley to ensure employment opportunities and goods and services are available within the community.

Policies

2.4.1. Encourage the development and intensification of employment centers, including high quality, professional office campuses, business parks, and industrial parks, along with related mixed-use development and open spaces. The centers shall be located in areas fully served by public facilities and services, located along major arterials with easy freeway access and with access from public transit, and accessible to bicyclists and pedestrians.

2.4.2. Ensure there is adequate land available to accommodate desired industrial development.

This includes light industrial and utility energy uses in appropriate locations, and excludes heavy industrial uses.
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2.4.3. Ensure that employment-generating development is compatible with adjacent land uses, particularly residential uses and sensitive receptors, based upon the location and scale of buildings, lighting, noise, and smell. When development is incompatible, require adequate buffers and/or architectural consideration to protect residential areas, developed or undeveloped, from intrusion of nonresidential activities that may degrade the quality of life in such residential areas.

2.4.4. Encourage the development of “clean” industries, such as research and development, technology manufacturing, green manufacturing, and similar uses, that limit environmental impacts and health risks commonly associated with industrial uses.

Implementation Programs

2.4.A. Review and revise the Zoning Code as appropriate to accommodate research, technology, and similar emerging uses as permitted and to accommodate a mix of complementary uses in all zones.

2.4.B. Develop and adopt performance standards for the development and operation of industrial uses. The performance standards will address noise, odor, visual and similar impacts and will provide a standard under which industrial uses in the City must operate. Until such performance standards are adopted, ensure that industrial development does not put adjacent communities at greater risk through reviewing development projects for adverse impacts to adjacent communities and requiring development projects to reduce or mitigate adverse impacts to the extent feasible.

2.4.C. Require proposed major industrial development to provide the City with an engineering report of the anticipated potable water and wastewater demand. Additional review will be required for proposed industrial uses with a high potable water and wastewater demand.

2.4.D. Ensure that applications for new development contain sufficient information for staff to analyze its contribution to the City’s jobs-to-housing ratio.

GOAL 2.5 PUBLIC AND SEMI‐PUBLIC USES
Provide adequate land for development of public and quasi‐public uses, including parks, schools, and community facilities, to support existing and new development and the community’s needs.

Policies

2.5.1. Designate adequate land, appropriately located for City, County, school district, and other public facilities, and ensure that adequate sites for necessary community facilities are included and addressed in new residential communities, subdivisions, specific plans, and master plans.

2.5.2. Designate adequate land, appropriately located for quasi-public uses such as hospitals, churches, private school facilities, and utility uses.
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2.5.3. In determining appropriate locations for public and quasi-public uses, consider, among other things, proximity to major streets, the cost to develop access to public facilities, and the safety of pedestrians and motorists.

2.5.4. Manage development to ensure that adequate public facilities and services, as defined in the Parks & Recreation and Health & Safety Elements, are planned for and provided.

2.5.5. To the extent feasible, encourage school districts to locate school sites within easy walking distance of a large percentage of the student population and in areas where there are existing or planned safe routes to school (complete sidewalk/bike lane access from the residential neighborhoods within the enrollment boundary).

2.5.6. Encourage community-oriented recreation and commercial uses, such as lifestyle commercial centers and/or assembly uses, on public/quasi-public lands, that provide a public benefit, such as a significant community gathering area and focal point with high quality amenities and pedestrian and bicycle connectivity.

Implementation Programs

2.5.A. Maintain a sufficient supply of land in the Public/Semi-Public designation to meet anticipated needs.

2.5.B. Collaborate and coordinate with the local school districts to assist in the identification of suitable future school sites, and provide assistance through land use and zoning actions to aid the school districts in the procurement and entitlement of future school sites.

GOAL 2.6 OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION
Maintain a high quality natural environment and recreational opportunities in and around Oakley.

Policies

2.6.1. Promote the provision of both public and private open space within Oakley to provide visual and scenic contrast with the built-environment, encourage continued agricultural uses, and to increase passive recreational opportunities for residents.

2.6.2. Protect those environmental features that make Oakley an attractive and desirable place to live, work, play, and visit.

2.6.3. Preserve, enhance, and/or restore significant open space and/or existing natural habitat areas for ecological, educational, scenic, and recreational values.

2.6.4. Create new wildlife habitat areas in appropriate locations, which may serve multiple purposes of natural resource preservation and passive recreation, as feasible.

2.6.5. Require development projects to provide adequate and appropriately located land, easements, or other accommodation for recreational uses, including neighborhood parks, 156
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existing and planned trails, and connections to existing or planned trails and other recreational resources as set forth in the Open Space and Conservation Element.

2.6.6. Require all public recreational areas and facilities to be accessible by a publicly maintained road.

2.6.7. Site new park and recreation facilities where they will be accessible by the City’s pedestrian and bicycle network, and in close proximity to medium and higher density residential uses, and increase park access for underserved areas including areas with higher density residential uses and mobile home parks where appropriate.

2.6.8. Provide public access to the Delta and the waterfront wherever appropriate and feasible.

Typically, such access should be unobstructed to the public by foot or bicycle, and where appropriate by horse, automobile and/or boat.

2.6.9. Prohibit development on lands designated by FEMA as flood-prone until a risk assessment and other technical studies have been prepared and have shown that the risk is acceptable (e.g., the project is located outside of the 100-year flood zone or includes measures to ensure that development would be accessible during flood events and that structures are designed to be outside of the 100-year flood area or to withstand flood events).

2.6.10. Continue to allow dock and marina projects may, if determined appropriate by the City, within Delta Recreation areas based upon the following criteria:
a) Proposed locations should be along waterways having an adequate channel width as defined by the State Harbors and Navigation Code.
b) Adequate public vehicular access and parking must be provided. c) Off-site improvements, such as required access roads, must be capable of supporting the proposed development and subsequent use.
d) Adequate on-site sewage disposal must be provided.
e) Adequate access for emergency response vehicles must be available. f) Such uses should minimize the conflict with adjacent agricultural uses or natural resources.
g) Adequate potable water must be provided, as appropriate, for all recreational uses. h) Encourage public access to the delta and shoreline in conjunction with new dock and marina projects. Such access may be achieved upon the subject property or through cooperative efforts with adjacent property owners.

Implementation Programs

2.6.A. Preserve, enhance, and restore selected existing natural habitat areas.

2.6.B. Create new wildlife habitat areas in appropriate locations, which serve multiple purposes. 157
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2.6.C. Continue to pursue opportunities, including grants to purchase rights of way, easements or other instruments to provide public access to the Delta and the waterfront, parkland, open space, waterfront or waterways.

2.6.D. Through the development review process, ensure that development projects provide increased public access to the Delta and the waterfront. Consider the appropriate type of access (pedestrian, equestrian, vehicular, etc.) and require developer improvements to support such access.

GOAL 2.7 HISTORIC RESOURCES
Encourage the protection of historic, landmark, or other structures significant to the community or to individual neighborhoods.

Policies

2.7.1. Review all development proposals involving historic buildings to ensure that modifications are consistent with the overall historic architecture and authenticity of the building.

2.7.2. Continue to support reuse and rehabilitation efforts for significant structures in the community.

2.7.3. Review infill development for consistency with architectural character in the surrounding neighborhood.

2.7.4. Consider reducing or waiving some development requirements to encourage the reuse of existing older structures.

2.7.5. In historic areas, promote land uses that are consistent with the historic nature of the area.

Implementation Programs

2.7.A. Develop a process of review for all development applications involving the modification of historically significant structures.

2.7.B. Support and facilitate grant applications for inventorying, renovating, and restoring significant commercial and residential structures throughout the City.

2.7.C. Periodically update the City’s inventory of historic resources.

GOAL 2.8 COMMUNITY CHARACTER
Encourage projects exhibiting design excellence, while preserving Oakley’s small town and agrarian character.

Policies

2.8.1. Require development to reflect Oakley’s small town-feel and agrarian heritage. 158
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2.8.2. Require development projects to preserve desirable characteristics and unique features of the site and consider the scale and character of adjacent uses.

2.8.3. Continue to place substantial emphasis on the aesthetic improvement of the downtown area. This includes the following concepts and considerations:
a) Pedestrian-oriented design that features pedestrian-scape development, sufficiently wide sidewalks to support pedestrian circulation and café seating, compact block lengths and highly visible street crossings, and pedestrian amenities; b) Street trees to shade the sidewalks and to provide a physical separation between the street and the pedestrian sidewalks;
c) Off-street parking consistent with the Downtown Specific Plan; and d) New construction designed at a scale and character that is consistent with the historic resources of downtown.

2.8.4. Ensure that all commercial and other non-residential development is compatible with adjacent land uses, particularly residential uses, based upon the location and scale of buildings, lighting, and in conformance with the noise standards of the Community Health and Safety Element. When development is incompatible, require commercial uses to provide adequate buffers and/or architectural features to protect residential areas, developed or undeveloped, from intrusion of nonresidential activities that may degrade the quality of life in such residential areas.

2.8.5. Commercial development should be designed to:
a) Provide opportunities for interaction between patrons and pedestrians. Examples include storefront display windows, sidewalk cafes and exterior seating, and pedestrian-scale signage; and
b) Be clustered so as to provide a destination for shoppers and to limit vehicular trips.

2.8.6. Residential neighborhoods and adjoining land uses should be connected by streets and multiuse trails, as appropriate. Fragmentation of neighborhoods is strongly discouraged.

2.8.7. New development should continue the existing adjacent neighborhood concepts, including street pattern, street trees, setbacks, and scale, as appropriate. Gradual transition of uses and development patterns shall be strongly encouraged.

2.8.8. Recognize, enhance, and preserve, where possible, natural features and ecosystems, open space, and agricultural areas, and protect cultural and historic resources.

2.8.9. Maintain and enhance access and views to and from the San Joaquin River Delta.

2.8.10. Emphasize landscaping as a fundamental design component that enhances the character and quality of the project and its immediate vicinity, retaining mature landscaping when appropriate, to reinforce a sense of the natural environment and to maintain an established appearance.

2.8.11. Support art installations in public and private development projects that support Oakley’s image.
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2.8.12. Require property owners to maintain structures and landscaping to high standards of design, health, and safety.

2.8.13. Ensure that all public structures and landscaping are adequately maintained.

2.8.14. Minimize the visual impacts of public and private communication, service, and utility facilities by requiring the provider to incorporate sensitive site design techniques, including, but not limited to the placement of facilities in less conspicuous locations, the undergrounding of facilities wherever possible, and the screening of facilities.

2.8.15. Conflicting levels of public improvements adjacent to neighboring developments and land uses should be mitigated through fee programs and construction and dedication of facilities and land, as appropriate.

2.8.16. Discourage the uses of gates and fences at the frontage of commercial properties, unless required for legitimate safety or security reasons.

Implementation Programs

2.8.A. Continue to review development regulations and modify as appropriate to evaluate and promote projects exhibiting superior design features.

2.8.B. Continue to pursue grants and other public and private sources of funding to implement the revitalization of the downtown area.

2.8.B.2.8.C. Ensure landscaping, including trees and landscaped green areas, is integrated into planned and future city infrastructure projects, including road improvements and parks, and into private development.

2.8.C.2.8.D. Consider implementing local improvement programs, such as street tree planting, annual clean-up days, sidewalk installation and repair, and similar local activities, to enhance the visual quality of Oakley.

GOAL 2.9 PROJECT DESIGN/DESIGN EXCELLENCE
Ensure project designs reinforce a sense of place and display design excellence.

Policies

2.9.1. Use design review to encourage creative, high-quality, innovative, and distinctive architectural and site designs that helps create unique, vibrant places and reinforce Oakley’s’ small town-feel and agrarian heritage.

2.9.2. Continue to develop and implement design guidelines for residential, non-residential and infrastructure development, both in the private and public realms, that provide design and site planning approaches, landscaping, site grading and similar architectural and site planning criteria that will add design excellence, visual quality, and interest to the community.
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2.9.3. Require multi-phase projects to submit a detailed conceptual site plan that illustrates how the entire site will be developed.

2.9.4. Minimize the footprint of parking areas, encourage shared and alternative parking arrangements, and allow parking reductions when warranted by parking demand.

2.9.5. Promote crime prevention through site and building designs that facilitate surveillance of communities by putting “eyes on the street.” Design sites and buildings to promote visual and physical access to parks and open space areas. Support safe, accessible, and well-used public open spaces by orienting active use areas and building facades towards them.

2.9.6. Minimize the visual impact of wireless telecommunication facilities by designing them as an integral architectural feature of a site or structure.

2.9.7. Encourage projects to incorporate sustainable design and energy-efficient concepts, including but not limited to natural heating and/or cooling, sun and wind exposure and orientation, and other solar energy opportunities.

2.9.8. Encourage architectural elements that contribute to a building’s character, aid in climate control, and enhance pedestrian scale. The elements include, but are not limited to canopies, roof overhangs, projections or recessions of stories, balconies, reveals, and awnings.

2.9.9. Encourage the expansion of the City’s urban forest canopy, comprising street trees and trees located on private property and in open spaces. Emphasize the importance of placing trees in locations with significant hardscaping, such as parking areas.

Implementation Programs

2.9.A. Continue to review projects utilizing the Oakley Municipal Code Section 9.1.1604 (Design Review) standards and procedures.

2.9.B. Periodically review the Residential Design Guidelines and Commercial and Industrial Design Guidelines and update to maintain consistency with the General Plan, the City’s Municipal Code, and current best practice design solutions.

2.9.C. Develop and adopt design guidelines and performance standards for the development and operation of mobile home parks consistent with the General Plan, the City’s Municipal Code, and current best practice design solutions.

2.9.D. As part of the development review process, encourage projects to incorporate sustainable elements, such as passive solar design, energy-efficient features, water conservation measures, street trees, electric vehicle charging stations, and low impact development features to the extent feasible.
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GOAL 2.10 CORRIDORS, PATHWAYS, STREETSCAPES, AND
EDGES
Enhance the corridors, pathways, and edges that form physical boundaries and provide transitions and connections throughout the community.

Policies

2.10.1. Support a complete streets approach to designing new streets and retrofitting existing streets by encourage streets to provide stimulating settings; improve walkability, bicycling, and transit integration; strengthen connectivity; and enhance community identity through improvements to the public right-of-way such as sidewalks, street trees, parkways, curbs, street lighting, and street furniture.

2.10.2. Design private streets to appear and function like public streets. Include street trees and sidewalks, and connect the sidewalks to those located within the adjacent public right-ofways. Promote security at the building face rather than at the street.

2.10.3. Consider the street type in the development review process to ensure that the design of the site, buildings, and public way respond to the transportation mode priorities for the area.

2.10.4. Consider the relationship between street design, use of the public right-of-way, and the form and uses of adjoining development.

2.10.5. Promote consistent development patterns along streets, particularly in how buildings relate to the street, to promote a sense of visual order, and to provide attractive streetscapes.

2.10.6. Require major arterial streets to include a common landscape theme that includes primary street trees, groundcover, sidewalks, bus shelters where required, and lighting.

2.10.7. Require the planting of street trees throughout the City to define and enhance the character of the street and the adjacent development.

2.10.8. Apply special paving at major intersections and crosswalks along enhanced corridors to create a visual focal point and slow traffic speeds.

2.10.9. Require the pedestrian and bicycle system within a neighborhood, district, center, or project to provide efficient access to neighborhood and/or district centers and other key locations, and to connect with other pedestrian and bikeways in adjacent neighborhoods, and ultimately, to the citywide pedestrian and bikeway trail system.

2.10.10. Consider converting underutilized right-of-way to linear parks, safe bike and pedestrian circulation areas, or other uses.

Implementation Programs

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2.10.A. Increase neighborhood connectivity in new development by providing access across natural barriers (e.g., creeks) and man-made barriers (e.g., freeways) to the greatest extent feasible.

2.10.A.2.10.B. When designing and maintaining corridors, pathways, streetscapes, and edges, incorporate natural features and native plants to support biodiversity and carbon sequestration.

GOAL 2.11 GATEWAYS, SIGNAGE, AND MONUMENTATION
Establish a sense of entry at Oakley’s boundaries, to enhance individual identity of Oakley’s neighborhoods and to establish unified design themes throughout the City.

Policies

2.11.1. Support strong and identifiable city boundaries that provide a sense of arrival into the City and its districts to reinforce Oakley’s high quality, small town, agrarian image.

2.11.2. Identify entries to Oakley, residential neighborhoods, commercial districts, and arrival at significant landmarks with monuments, other gateway/identification signage, and/or other special features. Install City identification signs including distinctive landscaping and lighting or other markers at community gateways to signify entry. Anchor gateway intersections with landmark buildings that incorporate distinctive architectural character.

Orient landmark buildings to face and frame the corners of intersections.

2.11.3. Continue to develop wayfinding systems at local (neighborhoods and districts) and citywide levels.

2.11.4. Pursue the construction of community entry monuments at key locations, including but not limited to: Main Street immediately east of Highway 160; Neroly Road and Empire Avenue; Main Street and Delta Road; and Cypress Avenue.

2.11.5. Require project monument signage that clearly identifies the location and entry to major residential and commercial development projects at intersections with arterial streets and at other locations where deemed appropriate. Signage shall be generally consistent with Figures 2-6 through 2-8.

Implementation Programs

2.11.A. Establish City gateway features at intersections where gateway features can be established, including, but not limited to Main Street immediately east of Highway 160; Neroly Road and Empire Avenue; Main Street and Delta Road; Highway 4 and Laurel Road; and Cypress Avenue.

2.11.B. As a minimum, require dedication of land at community entries sufficient to provide monumentation consistent with Figures 2-4 and 2-5.
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Oakley General Plan Land Use Element 2-57

2.11.C. Work with Caltrans to include gateway features in the future design of the designated arterial street and highway interchanges.

2.11.D. Dependent upon the size of the individual development project, require developer participation in the construction of community entry monumentation or monumentation at the entry to a specific development project.

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Introduction
Oakley’s history and development have been closely tied to its circulation system. The Circulation Element provides an overview of existing and planned transportation programs and policies within Oakley for all major modes, including motor vehicles, pedestrians, public transit, and bicycles. An introductory section provides a context for the Circulation Element, followed by a setting section that summarizes current mobility conditions. The circulation plan describes the planned mobility network at buildout of this General Plan, followed by a section on Goals, Policies, and Implementation Programs.

Overview
The Circulation Element outlines Oakley’s plan for the provision of convenient and efficient travel by all travel modes within the community and between Oakley and the region. Key circulation issues for Oakley include:

CHAPTER 3:

CIRCULATION

CONTENTS
 Introduction
 Setting
 Circulation Plan
 Goals, Policies,
and Programs
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 Prioritization and construction of complete streets that improve circulation and access for all modes of travel;
 Establishment of performance standards for the circulation system, including vehicle miles traveled (VMT) reduction goals and performance standards, a minimum Level of Service (LOS) standard for motor vehicle traffic, and appropriate performance measures for other modes of travel that maximize mobility for the community;  Reducing the rate of VMT associated with residential development in Oakley to support statewide goals aimed at reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions;  Agreement on street design standards that are consistent with complete street principles and will foster optimal living environments;
 Allowing for context-sensitive streetscape elements on major public streets;  Provision of measures necessary to enhance pedestrian and bicycle safety and mobility;  Ensuring that the street network meets minimum emergency access standards;  Support for increased public transit use;
 Encourage increased bicycle usage;
 Enforcement of traffic laws; and
 Assurance of adequate funding for necessary mobility improvements.

These issues are addressed in the Circulation Element sections that follow. 167
Oakley General Plan Circulation Element 3-3
Consistency with State Law
Minimum Requirements
The circulation element is one of the seven mandated general plan elements identified in the State planning and zoning law. Section 65302(b) of the California Government Code specifies that each general plan must include “a circulation element consisting of the general location and extent of existing and proposed major thoroughfares, transportation routes, terminals, and other local public utilities and facilities, all correlated with the land use element of the plan.” The Oakley Circulation Element meets these requirements.

California Government Code Section 65401 specifies public works projects must be in conformity with the General Plan. In practice, this will require that the City, during adoption of the Five-Year Capital Improvement Program (CIP), make findings that the proposed City of Oakley Five-Year CIP is in conformance with the General Plan, including the Circulation Element.

Relationship to Other General Plan Elements
According to state planning law, the Circulation Element must be consistent with the other General Plan elements, which are all interrelated to a degree. Certain goals and policies of one element may address issues that are primary subjects of other elements. This integration of issues throughout the General Plan creates a strong basis for the implementation of plans and programs and achievement of community goals. The Circulation Element is most directly related to the Land Use, Growth Management, and Economic Development Element.

Complete Streets
The term “Complete Streets”
refers to a balanced,
multimodal transportation
network that meets the
needs of all users of streets,
including bicyclists, children,
persons with disabilities,
motorists, movers of
commercial goods, pedestrians, public transportation, and seniors. A “Complete Street” is one that provides safe and convenient travel in a manner that is suitable to the local context.

The Circulation Element is consistent with the California Complete Streets Act (AB 1358) adopted in 2008, which requires that cities and other public agencies incorporate “Complete Street” policies when updating their General Plan Circulation Element. Complete Streets make travel safe for all users, including bicyclists, pedestrians, motorists, transit vehicles, and people of all ages and abilities. Each and every street does not need to provide dedicated space to all users, but the network must accommodate the needs of all users.

Cities seeking funding through the MTC’s One Bay Area Grant (OBAG) Program are expected to show compliance with Complete Streets policies. MTC via OBAG is a potentially major source for transportation funding. Meeting eligibility requirements allows cities to apply for Local Street and 168
3-4 Oakley General Plan Circulation Element
roads preservation, safe routes to schools, pedestrians and bicycle improvements, and transportation for livable community funds (Metropolitan Transportation Commission, 2019).  Provision of safe mobility for all users, including motorists, bicyclists, pedestrians and transit riders, contributes to the Caltrans’s vision: "improving mobility across California".

The successful long-term implementation of this policy is intended to result in more options for people to go from one place to another, less traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions, more walkable communities (with healthier, more active people), and fewer barriers for older adults, children, and people with disabilities.  Economically, complete streets can help revitalize communities, and they can give families the option to lower transportation costs by using transit, walking or bicycling rather than driving to reach their destinations. Caltrans is actively engaged in implementing its complete streets policy in all planning, programming, design, construction, operations, and maintenance activities and products on the State Highway System (Caltrans, 2014).

Vehicle Miles Traveled
The Circulation Element contains policies and performance measures consistent with Senate Bill (SB) 743 that was passed by the California Legislature in 2013 and led to changes to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) regarding the analysis of transportation impacts. Transportation impacts under CEQA are no longer based on level of service (LOS), which focused on motor vehicle delay. The new CEQA standards require that transportation impacts associated with development be assessed based on the effects on VMT.

Traffic impact criteria and transportation performance standards in most cities have typically focused on motor vehicle LOS as the primary criterion. LOS is an analysis methodology that assesses the performance of roadways based on average motor vehicle delay at intersections. The use of motor vehicle delay to analyze traffic impacts for CEQA purposes was originally based on the assumption that reducing delay to automobiles would thus reduce the pollution caused by idling gasoline engines at intersections. However, the longtime emphasis on reducing automobile delay when evaluating environmental impacts under CEQA had the effect of often resulting in wide intersections with high levels of traffic capacity that ultimately serve as barriers to walking and bicycling, conflict with quality of life and urban design goals. The use of LOS ultimately came to be viewed as contributing to increased rates of motor vehicle travel throughout the state, which ultimately produces higher levels of air pollution due to the total volume of motor vehicle travel, when expressed on a VMT basis.

While LOS is no longer relevant for CEQA purposes: LOS-based performance goals remain relevant to non-CEQA planning purposes and as a tool for the City to ensure its roadway system meets the expectations of the community.

Context Sensitive Street Design
Caltrans promotes “Context Sensitive Solutions” as an approach to plan, design, construct, maintain, and operate its transportation system. These solutions use innovative and inclusive approaches that integrate and balance community, aesthetic, historic, and environmental values with transportation safety, maintenance, and performance goals. Context sensitive solutions also 169
Oakley General Plan Circulation Element 3-5
meet transportation goals in harmony with community goals and natural environments. They require careful, imaginative, and early planning, and continuous community involvement (Caltrans, 2001).

Consistency with Regional and Countywide Programs
Plan Bay Area 2040
The current Regional Transportation Plan and Sustainable Community Strategy (RTP/SCS) named Plan Bay Area 2040 was jointly produced and adopted by MTC and the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) on July 26, 2017. Plan Bay Area 2040 builds on earlier work to develop an efficient transportation network, provide more housing choices, and grow the region in a financially and environmentally responsible way. Plan Bay Area 2040 is a roadmap to help Bay Area cities and counties preserve the character of its diverse communities while adapting to the challenges of future population growth. The next update to the RTP/SCS, Plan Bay Area 2050, is underway with a draft plan released in May 2021 that outlines how the Bay Area can meet its transportation needs through 2050 (Metropolitan Transportation Commission, 2021).

Contra Costa County Congestion Management Program
As a participant in the Contra Costa County Growth Management Program and Congestion Management Program, Oakley must take certain circulation-related actions as conditions for ongoing compliance with the Growth Management Program. These actions are discussed in subsequent sections of the Circulation Element and Growth Management Element.

The Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) is the designated congestion management agency for Contra Costa County. CCTA adopted the most recent Countywide Transportation Plan (CTP) in 2017. The CTP provides the overall direction for achieving and maintaining a balanced and functional transportation system within Contra Costa County while strengthening links between land use decisions and transportation. It outlines the Contra Costa Transportation Authority’s vision for Contra Costa and establishes goals, strategies, projects, and actions for achieving that vision. The CTP identifies a Vision, Goals, and Strategies; a review of issues facing the countywide transportation system; an overview of the cooperative planning process in Contra Costa; and an implementation plan for meeting the transportation goals. CCTA most recently updated the Countywide Bicycle Plan (CBBP) in 2009. The CCTA also works to plan, fund, and implement transit programs that serve communities and residents within the region. CCTA maintains several tools to support its transportation planning and growth management activities.

CCTA also makes these tools available to local jurisdictions and agencies to support their planning efforts. These include:
 The Countywide Travel Demand Model – providing traffic forecasts through the year 2040.  Technical Procedures – to assist local staff and consultants in conducting transportation impact studies developing Action Plans for Routes of Regional Significance, and assessing level of service on Basic Routes
 Comprehensive Transportation Project List (CTPL) – a comprehensive database of current and proposed transportation projects
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3-6 Oakley General Plan Circulation Element
 Land Use Information System (LUIS) – a database of local demographic information available at the Traffic Analysis Zones (TAZ) level
 System Monitoring – reports on how the transportation system is operating, including the monitoring of Multi-Modal Transportation Service Objective (MTSO) and the Congestion Management Program (CMP) network
Setting
The Setting section of the Circulation Element describes existing conditions of the City’s transportation system. This information provides the background for the goals, policies, and implementation programs that reflect the community’s vision for the future of Oakley. The transportation system moves people and goods from one place to another, and, in doing so, it affects each community’s character, natural and built environment, and economic development patterns. Additionally, the community’s development pattern helps shape the transportation system.

Travel Patterns
Much of Oakley has a suburban spatial structure characterized by relatively low densities and a prevalence of automobile travel compared to other travel modes, as is common in newer suburban areas throughout the United States. Oakley continues to attract people who work or live across the Bay Area for the suburban lifestyle and affordable housing prices. Similarly, businesses are locating in the region to capitalize on land availability and the growing workforce population.

Work trips typically represent about one-fourth of daily household trips on weekdays (TJKM, 2021). Table 3-1 shows journey to work mode shares for Oakley residents in 1990, 2000 and 2013- 171
Oakley General Plan Circulation Element 3-7

17. The proportion of Oakley residents who drive alone has remained quite constant over the past 10 years, at just over 77 percent of work trips. Carpooling remains the second most popular commute mode, although it has declined somewhat relative to walking and other modes (including residents who work out of their homes).

Table 3‐1: Journey to Work Mode Shares for Oakley Residents Transportation Mode 1990 2000 2013‐17
Drive Alone 78% 78% 76%
Carpool 19% 15% 13%
Public Transit 2% 2% 3%
Walk 1% 1% 1%
Other (including Bicycling and Work at Home) 1% 4% 7%
Source: 1990 and 2000 Census Data, and U.S. Census Bureau 2013-2017 American Community Survey.

The Oakley roadway system can be described as a hierarchy of streets, ranging from freeways to local streets. Freeways are limited access, multi-lane facilities that accommodate regional travel.

Access is limited to ramps that are grade-separated from the mainline, and direct access to adjacent properties is not permitted. Arterials carry traffic from the freeway to the surrounding street system, and carry traffic through the community and between Oakley and neighboring jurisdictions. Arterial streets provide limited access to adjacent land uses, with median islands and consolidation of driveways restricting the number of access points. Collectors carry traffic from arterials to local streets, and generally provide extensive access to adjacent development. Local streets have the primary purpose of providing direct access to fronting land uses, and are typically characterized by no more than two travel lanes and parking on one or both sides of the street.

The remainder of the Oakley street system consists of local streets and two-lane rural roads.

The principal arterials in Oakley are Laurel Road, which connects with the State Route 4 (SR4) freeway, and Main Street which connects with Brentwood to the south and State Route 160 to the west. East of Empire Avenue, Cypress Road is an east/west arterial that provides access to neighborhoods south of downtown Oakley and east of Main Street. Empire Avenue is a major north/south divided arterial from Main Street to West Cypress Road, and carries traffic from Brentwood and many of Oakley’s subdivisions to Main Street. Table 3-2 shows existing daily traffic volumes on key streets.

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3-8 Oakley General Plan Circulation Element
Table 3‐2: Daily Motor Vehicle Traffic Volumes
Roadway Lanes
(2020)
2019 Daily
Volume
Cypress Road, West of Main Street 2 5,700
Cypress Road, East of Main Street 4 17,800
Cypress Road, East of Sellers Ave 2 8,500
Empire Avenue, South of Cypress Road 4 14,900
Empire Avenue, South of Laurel Road 2 13,100
Laurel Road, East of O’Hara Avenue 4 13,200
Laurel Road, West of Empire Avenue 6 24,200
Live Oak Avenue, South of Main Street 2 2,800
Main Street, West of Live Oak Avenue 4 23,400
Main Street, West of Empire Avenue 4 21,200
Main Street, East of Empire Avenue 4 17,900
Main Street, West of Vintage Parkway 4 18,200
Main Street, East of Rose Avenue 2 12,800
Main Street, South of Cypress Road 2 15,600
Main Street, South of Laurel Road 2 13,900
Neroly Road, South of Main Street 2 5,100
Neroly Road, East of Empire Avenue 4 5,700
Oakley Road, West of Empire Avenue 2 3,800
O’Hara Avenue, North of Cypress Road 2 to 4 5,000
O’Hara Avenue, South of Cypress Road 4 8,400
Sellers Avenue, South of Cypress Road 2 3,500
Source: TJKM, 2021
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Oakley General Plan Circulation Element 3-9
Figure 3‐1: Regional Transportation Context
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BETHEL ISLAND
Summer
Lake
Figure 3-2: Existing Daily Traffic
Volumes & Traffic Level of Service (LOS)
City of Oakley
0 ½ 1
Miles
Z
June 16, 2021 Produced by TJKM Transportation Consultants Note: The ADT volumes were collected from various source including Citywide Model Update, Traffic Counts and FHWA database for 2016-2019. 176
3-12 Oakley General Plan Circulation Element
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Figure 3-3: Motor Vehicle Collisions
City of Oakley
0 ½ 1
Miles
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June 16, 2021 Produced by TJKM Transportation Consultants _
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3-14 Oakley General Plan Circulation Element
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City of Oakley
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June 16, 2021 Produced by TJKM Transportation Consultants _
_
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Oakley General Plan Circulation Element 3-17
Bicycle System
One of the underlying goals of “complete streets” is that all modes of travel, including bicycles, should be adequately accommodated on most city streets, not just streets that are designated as bikeways. Therefore, the provision of travel accommodations may occur throughout the city’s transportation network. Designated bikeways are routes where an additional level of bicycle accommodation is to be provided. There are four classifications of designated bikeway facilities in California, as defined by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans):
 Multi-Use Paths (Class I Bikeways). A path physically separated from motor vehicle traffic by an open space or barrier, and either: within a highway right-of-way or within an independent right-of-way used by bicyclists, pedestrians, joggers, skater, and other nonmotorized travelers. Because the availability of uninterrupted rights-of-way is limited, this type of facility may be difficult to locate and more expensive to build relative to other types of bicycle and pedestrian facilities, but less expensive compared to building new roadways.
 Bicycle Lanes (Class II Bikeways). A
portion of a roadway that has been set
aside by striping and pavement markings
for the preferential or exclusive use of
bicyclists. Bicycle lanes are intended to
promote an orderly flow of bicycle and
vehicle traffic. This type of facility is
established by using the appropriate
striping, legends, and signs.
 Bicycle Routes (Class III Bikeways). Class
III bicycle routes are facilities where bicyclists
share travel lanes with motor vehicle traffic. Bike routes must be of benefit to the bicyclist and offer a higher degree of service than adjacent streets. They provide for specific bicycle demand and may be used to connect discontinuous segments of bicycle lane streets. They are often located on local residential streets.
o Bicycle Boulevard. In addition, many cities have installed an enhanced type of Class III Bicycle Route, referred to as a “Bicycle Boulevard.” Bicycle Boulevards are generally installed on relatively low-volume streets and often include elements to facilitate bicycle travel, such as reorienting stop signs to reduce delays to cyclists, and/or discouraging use by motorists making through trips, such as through inclusion of traffic calming measures.
 Separated Bikeway (Class IV Bikeways). A Class IV Bikeway is for the exclusive use of bicycles and includes a separation between the bikeway and adjacent vehicle traffic. The physical separation may include flexible posts, grade separation, inflexible physical barriers or on-street parking. Separated bikeways generally operate in the same direction as Example of a Class II Bikeway
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3-18 Oakley General Plan Circulation Element
vehicle traffic on the same side of the roadway. However, two-way separation bikeways can also be used, usually in lower speed environments.

In recent years, the City expanded bikeways to connect several parts of Oakley. Roughly 29 miles of bikeways have been installed, including nearly 15 miles of on-street bicycle lanes and 12.4 miles of multi-use paths. In addition, over 25 miles of additional bikeways are currently planned or proposed. Major streets such as Main Street, Laurel Road, Carpenter Road, Neroly Road, and Cypress Road have bike lanes but there are gaps in the bike network.

Walking Paths
Most streets in Oakley provide sidewalk coverage, accessible curb ramps, and crosswalks, including pedestrian signals at signalized intersections. Enhanced crosswalks and/or bulbouts have been provided at specific crosswalks to reduce crossing distances. Sidewalks are provided in most of Oakley’s single-family residential neighborhoods, in multi-family residential developments, and commercial developments.

Sidewalks and a variety of pedestrian amenities are particularly well-provided in downtown Oakley, including decorative paving and crosswalk treatments, curb extensions, benches, and street trees. The City Design Guidelines suggests provision of 6’ sidewalk on arterial and collector streets and 5’ sidewalk on local streets (City of Oakley, 2005).

While the pedestrian network is generally well
developed in Oakley, there are some locations
where gaps or barriers limit pedestrian circulation,
including lengthy crossings of busy streets and/or
discontinuous street patterns in newer
developments.

Bicycle and pedestrian collision locations for the
five-year period from 2013 to 2017 are shown on
Figure 3-4.

Example of a barrier to pedestrian circulation.
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Oakley General Plan Circulation Element 3-19
Public Transportation
Two primary types of public transit serve Oakley: school transportation services and Tri-Delta Transit. Approximately 13 percent of the 2,200 students at Freedom High School arrive by school bus. Roughly 19 percent of Oakley elementary and middle school students (total of 4,400 students) arrive by school bus on five routes. Six special education buses are also provided.

Tri-Delta Transit, which provides public
transit to Oakley, was formed in 1976 as
a Joint Powers Agency (JPA) consisting of
the cities of Antioch, Brentwood,
Pittsburg and the county of Contra Costa.

Oakley incorporated as a city and joined
in 1999. Fixed route services within the
City are shown in Figure 3-5. Tri Delta
Transit buses are accessible and many
individuals with disabilities can use the
fixed route bus service. However, if an
individual is unable to use fixed route
transportation, he/she may be eligible
for ADA Paratransit transportation. Tri Delta Transit’s Paratransit provides door-to-door public transportation service, for people who are unable to independently use the transit system due to a disability. Tri Delta Transit Paratransit service is also extended to individuals who are 65 years of age or older (Tri-Delta Transit, 2019). Paratransit operators are required by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 to service areas within three-quarters of a mile of their respective, public fixed-route service.

Oakley currently lies just outside the
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) service
area. The recent extension of eBART
services to the Antioch Station provides
regional public transit access along
with Tri-Delta Transit, with potential
future extensions to Oakley and
Brentwood. A planned Amtrak station
in Oakley is anticipated to be complete by 2022 and will enhance regional connections via Amtrak’s San Joaquin trains that operate between Oakland and Bakersfield. 184
3-20 Oakley General Plan Circulation Element
Rail, Aviation, and Trucks
Rail
The Burlington Northern/Santa Fe (BNSF) Railroad maintains an active freight line through Oakley, part of a route that connects Contra Costa County with Stockton and other destinations to the south and east. Freight service is handled by approximately 28 daily trains; an additional 8 to 10 trains are operated by Amtrak in passenger service, with the closest station located in Antioch.

There are no grade-separated rail crossings in Oakley. Commuter rail service is not provided within Oakley.

The Downtown Oakley Priority Development Area (PDA) Preferred plan proposes a new train platform that would be located north of Main Street between 2nd Street and O’Hara Avenue. A planned Oakley Station will soon serve the Amtrak San Joaquin route which connects with Oakland to the west, Bakersfield in the south and Sacramento to the north (Amtrak, 2019). The Amtrak rail line further connects to the ACE Rail line at Stockton and may be used as alternative route to reach Fremont and San Jose (Altamont Corridor Express, 2019). Currently, the closest Amtrak station is located about 6 miles west in Antioch.

Aviation
The nearest major airports are Oakland International Airport and Sacramento Metropolitan Airport. Byron Airport, a general aviation airport, is located to the south of Oakley and operates as a charter and private aviation facility.

Trucks
Truck traffic represents a relatively small percentage of traffic on most Oakley streets. Main Street, East Cypress Road and Bethel Island Road are the only designated truck route within the community. Current and future truck routes are shown in Figure 3-6.

Transportation Demand Management
Transportation Demand Management programs, commonly referred to by the acronym TDM, are intended to reduce the number of solo occupant vehicles through strategies such as carpools, vanpools, employer shuttles, staggered work hours, and telecommuting. Oakley TDM programs include the existing TRANSPLAN/ TRANSPAC TDM Program, the School Pool Program, and the Countywide Carpool and Countywide Transit Incentive Programs.

In addition to efforts within East County, TDM programs throughout Contra Costa County are coordinated through the Contra Costa Commute Alternative Network. This program offers the Countywide Vanpool Program, the Countywide Guaranteed Ride Home Program, Employer-Based Trip Reduction Efforts, the Contra Costa Clean Fuel Vehicle Project, bicycle transportation for commuting, and the Transportation Information Kiosk Project. 185
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3-22 Oakley General Plan Circulation Element
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3-24 Oakley General Plan Circulation Element
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Oakley General Plan Circulation Element 3-25
Circulation Plan
Build-out of the Oakley General Plan will result in an estimated population of 68,000 and employment of approximately 23,000, which represents a substantial amount of growth when compared to existing conditions. Other communities in eastern Contra Costa County are also expecting to experience substantial growth in the future. This growth in population and employment will cause significant increases in travel in and around the City, and additional transportation facilities will be needed to accommodate the increased demand of new development. The following sections describe how the components of the City’s circulation system are expected to change over time, to support the development that is envisioned in this General Plan.

STREETS
The future circulation system in Oakley is designed to provide a citywide network of complete streets that accommodate forecasts of travel demand based on the land use projections contained in the Land Use Element, while continuing to achieve the Complete Streets, Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) and Level of Service standard presented in this Element.

Figure 3-7 Circulation Diagram, presents the proposed circulation system for Oakley, showing the street classification and size needed to accommodate the growth in travel demand. It must be noted that the alignment of future roadways as presented on the Circulation Diagram is schematic; precise alignments will be subject to further study prior to development. Key features of the planned Oakley mobility network include:
 Provision of a citywide network of complete streets that accommodates all users;  Completion of a citywide bikeway network that encourages cycling to destinations throughout Oakley;
 Extension of Laurel Road to the east with a railroad overcrossing to provide an alternative to Cypress Avenue for crossing the railroad tracks;
 Expansion of Main Street to major arterial standards (4 lanes with median) from SR 160 to the southern City limit (except that the section of Main Street in downtown Oakley will remain 2 lanes with on-street diagonal parking);
 Construction of the Downtown Northerly Alignment Bypass, a bypass of existing Main Street via a northerly alignment, from Second Street to Vintage Parkway, in order to accommodate traffic flow around downtown Oakley while still maintaining adequate access to the pedestrian-oriented retail areas of downtown; and,  Construction of a connection between Cypress Road and Laurel Road, east of Main Street, to allow for direct travel between the Cypress Road corridor and the SR 4 Freeway. A potential alignment of this connector would follow Sellers Avenue between Cypress Road and Laurel Road.
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3-26 Oakley General Plan Circulation Element
Road Classifications
Local Streets
Local streets provide direct access to abutting properties by all modes of travel. Local streets are two-lane streets with sidewalks on both sides designed for trips within neighborhoods, and to connect to collectors and arterial streets. Local streets provide low-speed access to neighborhood land uses, and usually carry less than 2,000 vehicles per day. Bicycle facilities on local streets generally consist of shared travel lanes between motorists and bicyclists.

Collector Streets
Collector streets are two-lane streets with sidewalks on both sides used to travel between neighborhoods, usually for relatively short trips within neighborhoods or between local streets and the arterial street system. Collector streets have relatively low speed limits, and sometimes may have restricted motor vehicle access to neighboring land uses. Bicycle lanes should be provided wherever feasible on collector street segments.

Arterial Streets
Arterials provide the principal network for citywide travel by all modes of travel, including walking, bicycling, motor vehicle and transit, and provide regional connections. Arterial streets accommodate relatively high traffic volumes and provide the major circulation between activity centers, freeways, and other arterials. Pedestrian travel should be accommodated with wide sidewalks on both sides, enhanced crosswalks, and direct pedestrian access to adjacent commercial uses. Access to local land uses by motor vehicles is restricted along arterial streets, to preserve their capacity to serve higher volumes and longer-distance travel. 191
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3-28 Oakley General Plan Circulation Element
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3-30 Oakley General Plan Circulation Element
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Oakley General Plan Circulation Element 3-31
Minor arterials can have two or four motor vehicle lanes, and typically do not have a median or other divider. Major arterials are typically divided streets with four or more motor vehicle lanes.

Bicycle lanes should be provided in each direction on arterial streets, with buffer treatments where feasible.

Typically, once traffic exceeds 35,000 average daily vehicle trips an increase in capacity from four to six lanes is recommended. Laurel Road, west of Empire Avenue near the SR-4 freeway, currently provides six lanes and is forecasted to carry over 35,000 vehicles at buildout. All other streets in Oakley are anticipated to carry less than 35,000 vehicles at buildout.

Bicycle and Pedestrian Circulation
Bicycles are a promising mode of transportation in eastern Contra Costa County, because of the relatively flat terrain and generally favorable climate. Development of a comprehensive bikeway system within Oakley would provide incentives for the use of bicycles as a regular mode of transportation, which is a goal of this General Plan. Another goal of the General Plan is to support pedestrian activity by providing pedestrian facilities within existing and new development areas, and to eliminate physical barriers that prevent pedestrians from walking between destinations.

To further the objectives of providing a well-designed and convenient bicycle and pedestrian circulation system, a Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan will be developed, including design standards for bicycle and pedestrian facilities, evaluation of current bicycle promotion programs, analysis of bicycle and pedestrian accidents, and a capital improvement program to ensure adequate maintenance of bicycle and pedestrian facilities. The City will also maintain an inventory of bicycle and pedestrian facilities, which will allow identification of gaps in the bicycle/pedestrian system and will contribute to the development of the Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan.

The citywide Bikeway Network Plan is shown on Figure 3-8.

Transit
Future transit needs in Oakley include internal circulation and commute services. The City should continue to coordinate with Tri-Delta Transit to improve service within Oakley, and between Oakley and other East County destinations (such as the Antioch BART station). Improvements to longer-distance commute routes could include service between Oakley and major employment centers outside East County, such as the Tri-Valley area and Santa Clara County. The City should work with regional transit agencies to coordinate this type of service, and should identify locations for additional park-and-ride facilities that could contribute to the success of commute-oriented transit services.

The City should continue to actively participate in studies and planning efforts related to the extension of BART service to Oakley and Brentwood. The policies in the General Plan support the use and expansion of transit services in Oakley, both for mobility purposes and to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT). Some policies call for the City to work with Tri-Delta Transit and major developers to ensure that new roads and development projects include appropriate facilities for transit service, such as bus stops and shelters. Others encourage land use patterns that minimize vehicle trips and support transit usage.
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3-32 Oakley General Plan Circulation Element
Illustrative Street Sections
The City of Oakley recognizes the significance of roadway design and street frontage improvements in creating an attractive and desirable community. In order to establish guidelines for appropriate street design, this General Plan provides a series of typical street sections. These sections are intended to depict the character and general components of roadways that Oakley considers appropriate for various levels of traffic and are not considered rigid standards.

A following series of typical roadway sections (Figures 3-9 through 3-14) address three classifications of roadways: local streets, collector streets, and arterial streets. Each set of plans describes the recommended lane configuration, bicycle lanes, on-street parking, sidewalks, placement and general type of street trees and landscaping for medians and street frontages.

In all cases, the ultimate design of each individual street should be sensitive to the surrounding land uses and the needs of the neighborhoods through which it passes.

The road sections illustrated in Figures 3-9 through 3-14 represent varied design strategies that the City may determine appropriate based upon the circulation requirements within the vicinity of roads that are to be either expanded or newly constructed. 197
Figure 3‐9: Typical Road Section – Local Street
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3-34 Oakley General Plan Circulation Element
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Oakley General Plan Circulation Element 3-35
Figure 3‐10: Typical Road Section – Collector Street
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3-36 Oakley General Plan Circulation Element
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Oakley General Plan Circulation Element 3-37
Figure 3‐11: Typical Road Plan – Residential and Commercial Arterial 202
3-38 Oakley General Plan Circulation Element
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Oakley General Plan Circulation Element 3-39
Figure 3‐12: Typical Road Section – Community Arterial Street 204
3-40 Oakley General Plan Circulation Element
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Oakley General Plan Circulation Element 3-41
Figure 3‐13: Typical Road Plan – Downtown Arterial Street 206
3-42 Oakley General Plan Circulation Element
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Oakley General Plan Circulation Element 3-43
Figure 3‐14: Typical Road Section – Mixed Use Arterial Street 208
3-44 Oakley General Plan Circulation Element
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Oakley General Plan Circulation Element 3-45
Mobility Goals, Policies, and Programs
The following are the Goals, Policies, and Implementation Programs for each transportation mode and circulation topic area addressed within the General Plan Circulation Element. Additional supporting information is provided in the Setting and Circulation Plan sections of this element.

The goals, which are overall statements of the community’s desires, are broad statements of purpose and direction. The policies serve as guides for working with local and regional agencies on Oakley circulation issues. Implementation programs identify specific actions to achieve particular goals and policies.

GOAL 3.1 COMPLETE STREETS
Provide an efficient and balanced transportation system that meets the needs of all users.

Policies

3.1.1. Provide a citywide network of complete streets that meet the needs of all users, including bicyclists, children, persons with disabilities, motorists, movers of commercial goods, pedestrians, public transportation and seniors.

3.1.2. Design streets in a manner consistent with the design recommendations described in the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) Complete Street Guide.

3.1.3. Evaluate transportation performance with performance measures that emphasize the efficient movement of people and reduce rates of vehicle miles traveled (VMT).

3.1.4. Strive to maintain Level of Service D for motor vehicle traffic as the minimum acceptable service standard for intersections during peak periods (except those facilities identified as Routes of Regional Significance, or where pedestrian travel is prioritized).

3.1.5. For those facilities identified as Routes of Regional Significance, maintain the minimum acceptable service standards as adopted by the Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA). Incorporate universal design techniques to accommodate pedestrians of all ages and abilities. Ensure compliance with the ADA.

3.1.6. Keep transportation facilities in optimal condition.

3.1.7. Consistent with the California Vehicle Code, direct trucks to appropriate truck routes.

3.1.8. Encourage a multi-modal circulation system that supports non-automobile travel.

Incorporate universal design techniques to accommodate pedestrians of all ages and abilities. Ensure compliance with the ADA.

3.1.9. Address future roadway needs through both new road construction and management of existing and planned roadway capacity.
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3-46 Oakley General Plan Circulation Element

3.1.10. Create and maintain fee and other programs adequate to assure sufficient financing and land to maintain and achieve prescribed Levels of Service.

3.1.11. Mitigate conflicts between new roadway improvements and existing rural roadways when the identified conflicts threaten public health, safety, and welfare.

Implementation Programs

3.1.A. Prior to approval of all projects, demonstrate that traffic levels of service and multi-modal performance standards will be maintained, or that a funding mechanism and timeline has been established which will provide the infrastructure to meet the standards. Ensure that developers fund traffic impact studies that identify on-site and off-site effects and mitigations, and that they contribute appropriate funding for on-site and off-site improvements.

3.1.B. If it cannot be demonstrated prior to project approval that levels of service will be met per Program 3.1.A, the City may consider the development but defer its approval until the standards can be met or assured. In the event that a signalized intersection exceeds the applicable level of service standard, the City may approve projects if the City can establish appropriate mitigation measures, or determine that the intersection or portion of roadway is subject to a finding of special circumstances, or is a route of regional significance.

Mitigation measures specified in the action plans shall be applied to all projects that would create significant impactsexceed applicable standards on such regional routes, as defined by the AuthorityCCTA in consultation with local agencies and as permitted by law.

3.1.C.3.1.B. Monitor intersection Levels of Service on a biannual basis at key reporting intersections.

3.1.C. Implement circulation improvements required to mitigate the effects of growth and to maintain the Level of Service standard. Prioritize mobility improvement projects based on multi-modal travel volume, traffic safety, pedestrian and bicyclist safety, availability of funding, impact on VMT, and other measures of need as appropriate.

3.1.D. Prior to approval of all projects, demonstrate that traffic levels of service and multi-modal performance standards will be maintained, or that a funding mechanism and timeline has been established which will provide the infrastructure to meet the standards. Ensure that developers fund traffic impact studies that identify on-site and off-site effects and mitigations, and that they contribute appropriate funding for on-site and off-site improvements.

3.1.E. Prior to approval of development, infrastructure, and other discretionary projects, review the project for potential VMT impacts pursuant to State law, including the State CEQA Guidelines. Projects that would have a potentially significant VMT impact shall consider reasonable and feasible project modifications, such as increased density or diversification of uses, and other measures to reduce vehicle trips and trip length during the environmental review process to reduce VMT impacts.

3.1.D.3.1.F. Maintain a pavement management program, and identify and prioritize projects in the City’s Capital Improvement Program to maintain the quality and integrity of the City’s 211
Oakley General Plan Circulation Element 3-47
roadway system. Street maintenance should include regular cleaning and upkeep of bicycle routes to remove debris and alleviate poor pavement conditions that discourage bicycle riding.

3.1.E.3.1.G. Install and maintain truck route signing and marking to direct truck traffic onto designated truck routes.

3.1.F.3.1.H. During the planning and development review processes for new development and new roadways, incorporate provisions for bicycle, pedestrian, and public transit modes, where appropriate.

3.1.G.3.1.I. Encourage and promote car pools, vanpools, alternative work hours, employee shuttles, and other incentives to reduce single-occupant vehicle trips. 212
3-48 Oakley General Plan Circulation Element
GOAL 3.2 BICYCLES AND PEDESTRIANS
Increase the rate of walking and bicycling.

Policies

3.2.1. Provide maximum opportunities for bicycle and pedestrian circulation on existing and new roadway facilities.

3.2.2. Enhance opportunities for bicycle and pedestrian activity in new public and private development projects.

3.2.3. Continue to improve and expand bicycle and pedestrian facilities to ensure a safe and convenient a bicycle and pedestrian system that provides connections throughout Oakley and with neighboring areas, and is accessible to all users, including residents, recreational, and commuter users.

3.2.4. Design roadway facilities to accommodate bicycle and pedestrian traffic. Include Class I, II, III, or IV bicycle facilities as appropriate. Through the Design Review process, provide sidewalks on all roads, except in cases where very low pedestrian volumes and/or safety considerations preclude sidewalks. Reduce pedestrian crossing distances and pedestrian wait time to the extent feasible.

3.2.5. Promote the provision of bike lockers and bike racks at park and ride lots within the City.

Implementation Programs

3.2.A. During the site plan review process, encourage new development to incorporate design features that support bicycling and walking, particularly in those areas that could provide access to and between major destinations. This could include: bicycle racks, lockers, showers, and other support facilities; continuous sidewalks; an internal pedestrian circulation plan; walkways for pedestrians and bicyclist between cul-de-sacs; and at least one major entrance adjacent to a sidewalk, wherever possible.

3.2.B. Develop a comprehensive Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan, including design standards for bicycle and pedestrian facilities, evaluation of current bicycle promotion programs, analysis of bicycle and pedestrian accidents, and a capital improvement program to ensure adequate maintenance of bicycle and pedestrian facilities and that new and expanded bicycle and pedestrian facilities are equitably distributed across, and accessible to, all segments of the community. Develop a strategic approach to pursuing state and federal funding for bicycle and pedestrian improvement projects, working closely with neighboring jurisdictions.

3.2.C. Coordinate with the Antioch Unified School District, Liberty Union High School District, and Oakley Union Elementary School District to create well-designed Routes to Schools, maps for bicyclists and pedestrians, and to provide adequate facilities to park bicycles.

3.2.D. Actively participate in the adoption and implementation of the Contra Costa Countywide Bicycle Plan.
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GOAL 3.3 PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
Provide adequate, convenient, and affordable public transportation.

Policies

3.3.1. Design new roadways and facilities to accommodate public transit. Support right-of-way design and amenities consistent with local transit goals to make it easier to get to transit services and improve transit as a viable alternative to driving.

3.3.2. Ensure that new public and private development supports public transit.

3.3.3. Encourage transit providers to improve transit routes, frequency, and level of service to help reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and adequately serve the mobility needs of Oakley residents, including those dependent on public transit.

3.3.4. Support extension of BART service to Oakley.

3.3.5. Provide measures to reduce delay to transit vehicles on transit corridors, such as queuejump lanes and/or bus signal prioritization, where feasible.

Implementation Programs

3.3.A. When reviewing development proposals, coordinate with Tri-Delta Transit on appropriate standards for bus bays, bus turnouts, bus shelters, and other public transit amenities in new roadway design.

3.3.B. Coordinate with the Antioch Unified School District, Liberty Union High School District, and Oakley Union Elementary School District to promote access and roadway designs that support school bus requirements.

3.3.C. During the development review process, require provisions in site plans for public transit vehicle stops and turning maneuvers, where appropriate.

3.3.D. Pursue opportunities to provide additional funding for public transit service within Oakley, and between Oakley and surrounding communities.

3.3.E. Participate in the development of the Tri-Delta Transit Short Range Transit Plan to ensure that adequate fixed route transit service is provided within Oakley, and between Oakley and surrounding communities, and that the public transit system provides convenient transfers between transit services and other modes of travel.

3.3.F. Explore potential locations for Park-and-Ride facilities within Oakley.

3.3.G. Coordinate with the Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) and the Contra Costa Transportation Authority regarding potential opportunities for BART or light rail service to Oakley.
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GOAL 3.4 NEIGHBORHOOD TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT
Minimize the intrusion of through traffic on residential streets.

Policies

3.4.1. Direct non-local motor vehicle traffic onto collector streets and arterials.

3.4.2. Maintain traffic speeds and volumes on neighborhood streets consistent with residential land uses.

3.4.3. Provide adequate capacity on collector and arterial streets to accommodate travel at appropriate speeds within the City.

Implementation Programs

3.4.A. During the development review process, design neighborhood street systems to discourage motor vehicle “cut-through” traffic on residential streets.

3.4.B. Design residential streets to balance vehicular movement and safety with slower speeds.

Such measures should also be designed to avoid creating hazards for bicyclists.

3.4.C. Identify and eliminate potential future “short-cut” routes. Ensure that there is sufficient vehicular capacity on collector streets and arterials to facilitate travel between neighborhoods and other areas. During the development review process, coordinate access from neighborhoods to collectors and arterials to minimize motor vehicle “cut-through” traffic.

3.4.D. Develop traffic management guidelines for the City as a tool for consistent responses to neighborhood concerns about traffic speed and volume issues.

GOAL 3.5 TRAFFIC SAFETY
Monitor, improve, and enhance traffic safety to eliminate traffic fatalities and reduce the rate of injury collisions.

Policies

3.5.1. Provide consistent, comprehensive traffic safety law enforcement throughout Oakley.

3.5.2. Design a roadway system that maximizes safety for all users and results in safe speeds on city streets.

3.5.3. Maintain roadway facilities to maximize safety, including use of traffic-calming measures where appropriate.

3.5.4. Incorporate mountable medians, shoulders to bypass queued vehicles, emergency signal preemption, and other features to improve emergency response times as appropriate and feasible on new roadways and on existing roadways.
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Implementation Programs

3.5.A. Allocate adequate resources for traffic enforcement activities.

3.5.B. As part of the Capital Improvement Program, identify and prioritize projects that enhance and improve vehicular, bicycle, and pedestrian safety, including traffic-calming measures in areas with high accident rates.

3.5.C. Ensure that new roadways are designed to minimize conflicts due to driveway access and parking.

3.5.D. Ensure that adequate funding is available to maintain roadway marking, signs, and striping in optimal condition.

3.5.E. Enhance safety at railroad grade crossings, including coordination with Contra Costa Water District, Diablo Water District, East Bay Regional Park District and Ironhouse Sanitary District in the construction at no cost to the City of a new controlled, at-grade crossing on the BNSF tracks by the northward extension of Rose Avenue.

3.5.F. Coordinate with local fire protection and law enforcement agencies on emergency response routes and plans.

3.5.G. Consider adoption of a Vision Zero Action Plan (or strategy) that prioritizes a systems-based approach to preventing traffic fatalities, focusing on the built environment, systems, including traffic-calming measures in areas with high accident rates, and policies that influence behavior as well as messaging that emphasizes that these traffic losses are preventable.

GOAL 3.6 REGIONAL COORDINATION
Participate in regional transportation and land use planning to promote and protect the interests and objectives of Oakley residents and workers.

Policies

3.6.1. Ensure that Oakley is represented in all East County regional and sub-regional forums.

3.6.2. Work with other agencies to address multi-jurisdictional issues affecting Oakley.

3.6.3. Ensure that transportation facilities that serve Oakley and neighboring communities are planned for consistency at City boundaries.

3.6.4. Ensure that Oakley obtains its fair share of regional improvements that are funded from impact fees collected within Oakley.

3.6.5. Encourage implementation of Contra Costa County’s East Contra Costa Bikeway Plan.

Implementation Programs

3.6.A. Attend and participate in regularly scheduled TRANSPLAN meetings. 216
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3.6.B. Provide written comments on environmental documents, plans, and programs prepared by neighboring agencies.

3.6.C. Secure representation on the Contra Costa Transportation Authority Board when appropriate.

3.6.D. Actively participate in all activities related to the East Contra Costa Regional Fee and Financing Authority and the East County Transportation Improvement Authority.

3.6.E. Coordinate with CCTA, Caltrans, and other transportation agencies to ensure that Oakley’s transportation planning objectives are included during the roadway planning and design process.

3.6.F. To maintain compliance with the Contra Costa Transportation Authority Growth Management Program, implement all actions assigned to Oakley in the East County Action Plan.

3.6.G. Participate in sub-regional efforts towards transportation demand management, consistent with the East County Action Plan.

3.6.H. Work with TRANSPLAN to maintain compliance with the requirements of Measure J, specifically participating in the ongoing regional transportation process with other jurisdictions and agencies, the Regional Transportation Planning Committees, and CCTA.

GOAL 3.7 LAND USE COORDINATION
Coordinate land use and transportation planning to maximize use of limited transportation resources and reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT).

Policies

3.7.1. Ensure that Oakley is represented in all East County regional and sub-regional forums.

3.7.2. To the extent feasible, protect existing and future land uses from the noise, visual, and other impacts of major roadway construction projects.

3.7.3. Ensure that the density and mixture of future land uses (both public and private) encourage transit usage, walking and bicycling.

3.7.4. Provide sufficient parking, while considering the effect of parking supply on the use of alternate modes.

3.7.5. Mitigate development impacts and ensure that new development pays its own way.

3.7.6. New development should not result in inconsistent street frontage improvements along streets adjacent to and serving the project.

3.7.7. Mitigate potential circulation conflicts between new roadways and existing rural roadways adjacent to new development.

3.7.8. Encourage site planning that promotes all modes of transportation, and that minimizes vehicular trips between different land uses.
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3.7.9. Pursue a mix of both new housing and additional jobs in Oakley, as part of the overall strategy to balance jobs and housing in East County.

3.7.10. Support the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s Safe Routes to Schools program.

3.7.11. Support and pursue Safe Routes to Schools projects to enhance pedestrian safety within Oakley.

3.7.12. Support development that helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and vehicle miles traveled (VMT). Strive to reduce the rate of VMT per Resident in Oakley by at least 15 percent compared to year 2020. Strive to ensure the rate of VMT per Employee in Oakley remains lower than the countywide average.

Implementation Programs

3.7.A. Work with public and private agencies to minimize the effect of major roadway construction projects on nearby land uses.

3.7.B. During the development review process, size streets and intersections to accommodate planned land uses consistent with the Level of Service standard, to the extent feasible.

Consider the effects of pedestrian-, bicycle-, and transit-oriented land uses when determining appropriate infrastructure size and configuration.

3.7.C. Maintain compliance with the Contra Costa Transportation Authority Growth Management Program by reviewing Oakley General Plan Amendments for consistency with the East County Action Plan Final 2000 Update, or future Action Plan updates as adopted.

3.7.D. Participate in regional land use and transportation planning efforts, including updates to the CCTA VMT and traffic model and efforts to monitor jurisdiction-level VMT and the performance of bicycle and pedestrian facilities on a regular basis, by sharing information about existing and future development in Oakley with interested agencies and jurisdictions to create a balanced, safe, and efficient transportation system and to manage the impacts of growth.

3.7.E. Develop parking requirements that are consistent with the goals for increased use of alternative transportation modes, and that acknowledge opportunities for shared parking.

During the development review process, ensure that development plans are consistent with the parking requirements in the Oakley zoning code.

3.7.F. Collect development impact and other fees and require any necessary roadway improvements and property dedications to ensure that each development project contributes its fair share toward necessary transportation improvement projects.

3.7.G. Develop streetscape design standards that recognize the role of streets not only as vehicle routes but also as part of an extensive system of public spaces where people live, neighbors meet, and businesses operate.

3.7.H. Review site plans and area plans to encourage mixed uses, thereby decreasing the number of vehicle trips required between uses. Promote land use patterns that maximize trip-linking opportunities. Locate mixed uses within walking or bicycling distance, and ensure that there are not physical barriers to walking and bicycling.
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Introduction
The Growth Management Element of the Oakley General Plan addresses a broad range of community issues, with an emphasis on ensuring that public facilities and services are maintained as the City of Oakley grows. As such, this element satisfies the obligations established under Contra Costa County’s 2004 Growth Management Program (referred to as Measure J).

Measure J (2004) is a 25-year extension of the previous Measure C Contra Costa Transportation Improvement and Growth
management Program approved by the voters in 1998.

In addition to the public facilities and services identified within this Growth Management Element, Chapter 3: Circulation
Element, establishes goals, policies, and programs for traffic services, and roadway improvements, bicycle and pedestrian movement, and Transportation Demand Management (TDM)
programs. Chapter 10: Housing Element, includes an expanded list of policies and programs that describe the City’s efforts to foster access to safe, quality housing for people of all income levels.

CONTENTS
 Introduction
 Setting
 Goals, Policies, and
Programs
CHAPTER 4:

GROWTH MANAGEMENT
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Measure J
In November 2004, the voters of Contra Costa
County approved Measure J, thereby approving both
Transportation Improvement and Growth
Management Programs and authorizing a 0.5% sales
tax to fund associated improvement projects. In
order to receive local street maintenance and
improvement funds under Measure J, the County and
each city in the county is required to develop a
Growth Management Element as part of their
General Plan. The overall intent of the Measure J
program is:
 To establish a long-range program matching the
demand for multi-model transportation facilities
to serve new development with plans, capital
improvement programs, and development
impact mitigation programs; and,
 To ensure that growth takes place in a manner
that will ensure protection of health, safety and
welfare of both existing and future residents of
Contra Costa County; and,
 The Urban Limit Line is intended to promote
compact urban development patterns and
restrict the extension of infrastructure into areas
where urban development is not planned.

In order to receive funding under Measure J, each
land use agency within Contra Costa County must
adopt and implement a Growth Management Element that substantially complies with the Contra Costa County Transportation Authority Model Growth Management Element. The City of Oakley has satisfied the Measure J requirement through the adoption of the Oakley 2020 General Plan, and Growth Management Element in December of 2002. The previous requirements of Measure C to receive funding required each land use agency within Contra Costa County to establish policies and standards for traffic levels of service (LOS) and set performance standards for fire, police, parks, sanitary facilities, water, and flood control to generally ensure that adopted standards for public facilities are maintained as the community grows. Although Measure J does not require these policies and standards, they remain adopted.

Growth Management within Oakley
While this element satisfies obligations established under Measure J, the Oakley community has clearly established its commitment to managing new development in a manner that not TOPICS
This Growth Management
Element has been prepared to
meet the requirements of
Contra Costa County
Transportation Authority’s
adopted programs to guide
growth consistent with the
requirements of Measure J. This
element addresses the
following:
 Growth Control
 Facilities Financing
 Community Buildings and
Services
 Fire Protection and
Emergency Services
 Law Enforcement
 Schools
 Solid Waste, Recycling, and
Hazardous Materials
 Water Service
 Wastewater Service
 Drainage
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only ensures adequate public facilities, but also protects the quality of life enjoyed by residents.

As such, substantial treatment of growth management issues is provided in various other elements of this General Plan.
 The Land Use Element and Map establish where different land uses may occur, ensuring compatibility between adjacent uses: requiring the location of more intense uses within proximity to each other; limiting urban sprawl; and protecting natural resources.  The Circulation Element and Map establish where future improvements to the circulation network will occur, ensuring that the City’s roadways can accommodate the increased traffic volumes that accompany growth. The element also identifies improvements to the City’s transit system and pedestrian and bike facilities, providing sufficient mobility options for all users.
 The Parks and Recreation Element provides parameters for improving existing and dedicating future parks and recreation facilities, ensuring that growth areas are sufficiently served by parkland and recreational opportunities.  The Open Space and Conservation Element provides parameters for protecting biological and cultural resources and protecting open spaces, ensuring that growth does not affect these sensitive resources and areas.
 The Economic Development Element identifies the community’s priorities for attracting additional employment-generating uses to locate in the City, ensuring balanced growth.

Consistency with State Law
Authorization for Growth Management Element
California Government Code Section 65302 does not require a Growth Management Element to be included in a General Plan. However, Section 65303 states the following:
"The general plan may include any other elements or address any other subjects which, in the judgment of the legislative body, relate to the physical development of the City." This element has been prepared in conformance with all mandatory requirements of State law and also satisfies the planning obligations established under Contra Costa County’s Measure J.

Relationship to Other Elements of the General Plan
This Growth Management Element is closely related to the Land Use and Circulation Elements.

This Growth Management Element is intended to incorporate the requirements set forth in Measure J-2004. It is also related to the Health and Safety Element, the Housing Element, and the Open Space and Conservation Element.

Consistency with the Health and Safety Element is achieved through goals and polices which afford protection related to police and fire service, threats from flooding, avoidance of health hazards associated with inadequate provisions of potable water and sanitary sewer facilities, and the management of hazardous materials. Consistency with the Housing Element is 222
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achieved through the provision of infrastructure supporting housing. Consistency with the Open Space and Conservation Element is guaranteed through the policies related to prohibiting the premature extension of infrastructure and public services.

Urban Limit Line
As part of the 1996 Contra Costa County General Plan, the County delineated an Urban Limit Line (ULL) to identify areas appropriate for urban expansion. The Measure J (2004) Transportation Expenditure Plan included a Growth Management Plan (GMP) which contained an urban limit line component mandating that local jurisdictions adopt and continuously comply with a voter approved ULL. Measure L (2006) the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisor ULL was passed by a majority of voters in Contra Costa at the November 7, 2006 election. The Measure L ULL was also approved by a majority of voters in the City at the November 7, 2006 election. The City adopted the Measure L ULL by resolution on September 9, 2008. The adoption of the Measure L ULL specifically complies with the purposes of Measure J as follows:
 Ensure the preservation and protection of identified non-urban land, including agricultural, open space, parkland, and other areas, by establishing a line beyond which urban development is prohibited; and
 Link land use decisions with the transportation investments in Measure J by channeling future growth to locations more suitable for urban development; and  Ensure that land use policies within the voter Approved Urban Limit Line effectively promote appropriate development that accommodates the area’s projected housing and job needs in the future.

Housing Options
Consistent with the requirements of Measure J and state Law, Chapter 10: Housing Element, of this General Plan establishes a range of goals, policies and programs that outline the City’s efforts to support balanced housing development in the City. Measure J expands upon the program requirements identified in the Prior Measure C, and requires ongoing reporting to CCTA of the City’s progress in implementing the goals and objectives listed in the Housing Element.

California Government Code Sec. 65400(b) requires the preparation of the annual report summarizing the City’s progress implementing the Housing Element of the General Plan, and the biennial submission of copies of the report to the Contra Costa Transportation Authority as part of the Authority’s Growth Management Plan Compliance Checklist.

Measure J requires that the annual report on the implementation of the Housing element of the General Plan be submitted to CCTA every other year. The report must include the specified housing reporting period and must be submitted to CCTA in one of the following formats:
 The number of housing units approved, constructed or occupied in the City since the beginning of the reporting period, compared to the average number of units needed annually to meet the fair share regional housing need;
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 A description of how the City’s adopted land use, housing, and regulatory plans and programs have provided sufficient opportunities for and removed undue constraints to the achievement of the City’s fair share regional housing need; or  A description of how the plans and policies of the General Plan and the land use regulations of the Zoning Ordinance facilitate the improvement and development of the City’s fair share regional housing need.

Setting
Financing Improvements
The issue of financing capital improvements and funding ongoing public services relates to other elements within the General Plan. The Land Use Element map defines the extent of urban growth and development. The designation of urban land uses will create a proportional need for additional facilities and services.

These additional facilities and services can be funded by a multitude of means, including Capital Improvement Program funds, State and federal funds, developer contributions and fees, etc.

As the City develops, it will be critical that urban development provides appropriate financial contributions and that the City actively pursues alternative funding sources.

City Government and Governmental Services
The City government includes seven departments/offices: City Administration, City Clerk, Community Development, Economic Development, Finance, Human Resources, and Police. The departments are generally located in the Downtown area. The City Administrative Office includes the City Manager’s Office and the Parks and Recreation Division. The Community Development Department includes the Building, Code Enforcement, Engineering/Public Works, and Planning Divisions.

County Offices
Contra Costa County offices are located in the City of Martinez and offer services to the City of Oakley including County Assessor, County Clerk/Recorder, and Treasurer/Tax Collector.

Courts
Superior Courts of California in Contra Costa County are located in Martinez, Richmond, Pittsburg, and Walnut Creek. There are seven State, County, and Municipal Courts in Contra Costa County, two are Justice courts and five are Municipal courts. There are also four small claims courts in the County, which are located in Concord, Pittsburg, Richmond, and Walnut Creek. There are no courts in the City of Oakley.

Libraries
The Oakley Branch library is located in Freedom High School at 1050 Neroly Road. The Oakley Branch Library is open Tuesday through Saturday and offers the following programs: toddler time, picture book time, pajama story time, book buddy, and other special programs. Other libraries in close proximity to Oakley are the Antioch Library and the Brentwood Branch Library. 224
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Fire Protection and Emergency Services
The East County Fire Protection District is located in the eastern portion of Contra Costa County and serves a population of approximately 82,000 residents. The East County Fire Protection District covers all of Oakley and the area to the east of Oakley north of Delta Road, west of Byron Highway, and south of the San Joaquin River channel, as well as other areas in the East County previously served by the East Diablo and Bethel Island Fire Protection Districts.

Oakley is served by Station 53, located at 530 O’Hara Avenue. The District currently has two additional stations serving areas outside Oakley. Fire Station 55 has been constructed and is currently not staffed.

The East County Fire Protection District provides service to structural, wildland, vehicle, and miscellaneous exterior fires; vehicle accidents involving disentanglement and extrication; medical emergencies and hazardous materials incidents.

The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District provides dispatching services for the East County Fire Protection District. Formed through an agreement, this computerized center provides dispatching for fire, rescue, and medical emergencies. The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District also conducts inspections of buildings and properties to ensure fire safety; reviews new construction plans for fire code compliance; fire arson investigation; develops and delivers fire safety and burn prevention programs to school children, senior citizens, community groups, businesses, and industry.

Law Enforcement
Oakley Police Department
The City of Oakley Police Department provides law enforcement and dispatch services. In 2017- 18, the City transitioned from contracting with the County Sheriff’s Office for police services to having its own in-house police department. As of 2020, the City of Oakley has 33 sworn fulltime equivalent (FTE) law enforcement positions, approximately 0.77 FTE sworn personnel per 1,000 population.

The Police Department responds to calls for service, investigate crime, arrests criminal suspects, seek prosecution for criminal acts, and engage in crime prevention strategies with other community stakeholders. Uniformed officers provide proactive patrol operations and actively pursue those involved in illegal activity. Detectives investigate crimes against persons and property, cases involving missing persons, and work closely with neighboring jurisdictions to track the criminal element. Community programs target youth in our schools to encourage responsible behavior and community involvement. The Police Department conducts traffic collision investigations, identifies potential roadway hazards, and works with other City departments to find reasonable traffic calming solutions to alleviate traffic concerns.

Mutual Aid Agreement
The City of Oakley participates with the Mutual Aid Agreement. This program provides for the sharing of resources to respond to significant public safety events. 225
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Public Schools
The City of Oakley is served by the Oakley Union School District, which has seven elementary schools and two middle schools, Liberty Union High School District with one school in Oakley, and Antioch Unified School District, which has three schools with enrollment boundaries in Oakley. Each district regularly updates its development impact fees, facilities needs analyses, and student generation rates. As Oakley grows, additional school capacity will be needed to accommodate new students. Public schools serving Oakley are summarized in Table 4-1.

Table 4‐1: Local Public Schools
School Grade level 2019/20 Enrollment
Oakley Union Elementary School District
Almond Grove Elementary
5000 Amaryllis Street, Oakley K-5 541
Delta Vista Middle
4701 Frank Hengel Way, Oakley 6-8 903
Gehringer Elementary
4951 Main Street, Oakley K-5 757
Iron House Elementary
4801 Frank Hengel Way, Oakley K-5 504
Laurel Elementary
1141 Laurel Road, Oakley K-5 447
O’Hara Park Middle
1100 O’Hara Avenue, Oakley 6-8 789
Oakley Elementary
501 Norcross Lane, Oakley K-5 390
Summer Lake Elementary K-5 346
Vintage Park Elementary
1000 Vintage Parkway, Oakley K-5 512
Antioch Unified School District
Orchard Park K-8 School
5150 Live Oak Avenue, Oakley K-8 760
Deer Valley High School
4700 Lone Tree Way, Antioch 9-12 1,886
Dozier-Libbey Medical High School
4900 Sand Creek Road, Antioch 9-12 717
Liberty Union High School District
Freedom High
1050 Neroly Road, Oakley 9-12 2,545
Source: California Department of Education DataQuest, accessed September 2020; Antioch Unified School District Boundary Maps (https://www.antiochschools.net/Page/9237 accessed September 2020; Liberty Union High School District Boundary Maps
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Solid Waste/Recycling and Hazardous Materials Services
Solid Waste/Recycling
Solid waste services are provided to the City of Oakley through a franchise agreement with Mt.

Diablo Resource Recovery, which also serves the cities of Antioch, Brentwood, Concord, and Pittsburg, through the Mt. Diablo Resource Recovery Park. Contra Costa Waste Service, located at 1300 Loveridge Road in Pittsburg, is dedicated to recovery and recycling of as many items as possible.

Mt. Diablo Recycling, a 90,000-square foot facility located in Pittsburg, is 100% dedicated to recycling. As part of the franchise agreement, there is no charge for solid waste services to Cityowned facilities.

Mt. Diablo Resource Recovery reported approximately 19,273 tons of waste disposed per capita for fiscal year 2017.

Increases in the Oakley service area would necessitate adding additional personnel and equipment. Funding for the addition of equipment and drivers would be collected from the increased customer base. Streets in new development areas must be designed to accommodate waste collection vehicles to allow collection of solid waste and recyclables.

Hazardous Materials
The California Integrated Waste Management Board provides facilities throughout Contra Costa County for proper disposal of hazardous materials.

Although not located in Oakley, there are many collection centers in communities nearby that accept used motor oil. There are five collection centers in Antioch and two in Brentwood, as well as numerous other locations within the County.

The Delta Household Hazardous Waste Collection Facility is located in Antioch at 2500 Pittsburg-Antioch Highway and is part of the Delta Diablo Sanitation District. The facility collects many household hazardous items, including used oil, filters, antifreeze, paint, thinners, batteries, lamps, solvents, household cleaners, aerosols, pesticides, and more.

Water Services
The Diablo Water District (DWD) provides water service to Oakley and surrounding areas within its Diablo Water District Sphere of Influence, which includes the Cypress Corridor, Hotchkiss Tract, Veale Tract, and Knightsen, as well as the City of Oakley. Additionally, DWD is the Groundwater Sustainability Agency within its SOI and is responsible for the management and protection of groundwater resources and interconnected ecosystems. The City and its SOI expansion areas are entirely within the DWD boundary.

The DWD 2020 Facilities Plan and 2020 Urban Water Management Plan identify the sources of DWD’s water supply, existing and projected water use, and the storage, treatment, and distribution system needed to serve its customers. DWD’s primary raw water supply for its distribution system is surface water from the United States Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) Central Valley Project (CVP) purchased from Contra Costa Water District (CCWD), 227
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DWD’s wholesale supplier. The surface water is treated at the Randall-Bold Water Treatment Plant (WTP) in Oakley, which was designed for an initial capacity of 40 million gallons per day (mgd) with the capability to expand to 80 mgd. Approximately 30 percent of the WTP capacity is allocated to DWD, with the remaining capacity allocated to CCWD.

DWD’s current capacity of 15 mgd from the WTP provides an average day supply of 7.5 mgd.

DWD is entitled to increase its share of the capacity from 15 mgd to up to 30 mgd.

DWD supplements it surface supply with its groundwater supply system, which currently includes two wells with a combined pumping capacity of approximately 4.0 mgd. DWD anticipates two additional 1.5 mgd wells will be developed and additional well water treatment options will be explored to achieve stated pumping capacity.

DWD’s 2020 Facilities Plan indicates that DWD currently serves about 42,000 residents and anticipates serving a 2040 population estimated at about 64,000 persons. In 2019, DWD’s average day demand was 4.9 mgd and the maximum day demand was 10.0 mgd. At buildout, an average day demand of 12.55 mgd and a maximum day demand of 25.1 mgd are forecast.

Water storage, treatment, and distribution facilities will need to be extended under buildout conditions, which is anticipated by the DWD 2020 Facilities Plan.

Groundwater use and quality is managed through a variety of mechanisms, including the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act and the federal Clean Water Act, and the state Porter-Cologne Act. DWD’s groundwater is from the East Contra Costa Subbasin, which is managed under the East Contra Costa Subbasin Groundwater Sustainability Plan (ECCS GSP).

DWD is the Groundwater Sustainability Agency (GSA) that is charged with the implementation of the ECCS GSP for the Oakley area. The ECCS GSP addresses historical and projected water supply, establishes a water budget for historical, current, and projected conditions, establishes sustainable management criteria to address water use and quality, and includes actions and implementation measures.

Wastewater Services
Ironhouse Sanitary District (ISD) resulted from the governmental reorganization of the former Contra Costa County Sanitation District No. 15 and the Oakley-Bethel Island Wastewater Management Authority into the Oakley Sanitary District, renamed the Ironhouse Sanitary District, which was completed on January 31, 1992.

ISD serves the City of Oakley, unincorporated Bethel Island, and other unincorporated areas.

IDS’s boundaries encompass approximately 37 square miles with mixed land uses, including urban and agricultural areas.

ISD’s infrastructure includes gravity and pressure pipelines, pumping stations, the Ironhouse Water Recycling Facilitystewater Treatment Plant (IWRFWTP) and lands on the mainland and Jersey Island that are used for effluent disposal. The IWRFWTP is located on 285 acres adjacent to the south side of Big Break and the San Joaquin River; ISD also owns approximately 3,500 acres on Jersey Island. The IWRFWTP has a current treatment capacity of 4.37 mgd dry weather flow and 8.6 mgd maximum wet weather flow pursuant to California Regional Water Quality 228
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Control Board Central Valley Region Order R5-2018-0090, adopted on December 7, 2018. The IWRFWTP’s average influent rate from 2015 through 2017 was 2.4 mgd.

Significant development has and is expected to occur within ISD’s boundaries, consistent with the City’s General Plan. ISD will continue to be responsible for providing adequate infrastructure for collection, conveyance, treatment, and disposalrecycling. This will require that the District implement phased improvements to its infrastructure, including its treatment and disposal recycling facilities, pump stations, force mains, and other pipelines.

Drainage Facilities and Water Quality
The City of Oakley Public Works and Engineering Department provides and maintains the City’s stormwater drainage system and addresses local drainage corridors, while regional corridors and regional drainage basins are managed by the Contra Costa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District (CFCWCD). To control stormwater runoff, detention basins are used throughout Oakley. These basins can be dual use facilities (both storage and recreation).

The City maintains approximately 110 miles of closed storm drain lines and multiple detention basins. The City slopes gradually to the Delta with the highest points nearest the southern boundaries. Regional waters flow through Oakley using the Marsh Creek corridor and other Delta outfalls.

In the Bay Area, the San Francisco Regional Water Quality Control Board (Water Board) regulates the discharge of stormwater runoff from the municipal separate storm sewer systems (MS4) draining into San Francisco Bay through a Municipal Regional Permit (MRP). The current MRP, Order No. R2-2015-0049 adopted in November 2015, covers Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, as well as the cities of Fairfield, Suisun and Vallejo. In Contra Costa County, the Contra Costa Clean Water Program (CWP) coordinates compliance and collaborates on programmatic components of the MRP. The CWP is comprised of Contra Costa County, its 19 incorporated cities and towns, and the County Flood Control and Water Conservation District. Working with the member jurisdictions, the CWP provides services designed to protect water quality by keeping trash and other pollutants from entering drainage systems that ultimately make their way into local creeks, reservoirs, lakes, and the Bay, and the groundwater aquifer.

Potential migration of contaminants within or to the groundwater aquifer are also regulated by DWD within its boundaries and sphere of influence, in its capacity as a Groundwater Sustainability Agency.

The City’s flood control and stormwater drainage planning will address growth in the City and future annexations to the City. Areas within the flood zone and other flood hazard areas will require discharges to the Bay which are not addressed in current drainage plans. Future developers can be required to fund the planning process or part of the development mitigation.
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Goals, Policies, and Programs
The following are specific goals, policies, and programs categorized into the following ten subsections: Growth Control, Facilities Financing, Community Buildings and Services, Fire Protection and Emergency Services, Law Enforcement, Schools, Solid Waste, Water Service, Wastewater Service, and Drainage.

GOAL 4.1 GROWTH CONTROL
Provide for the levels of growth and development depicted in the Land Use Element, while preserving and extending the quality of life through the provision of public facilities and ensuring traffic levels of service necessary to protect the public health, safety, and welfare.

Policies

4.1.1. Prior to approval of all projects, demonstrate that traffic levels of service and performance standards outlined in the Circulation Element will be maintained, or that a funding mechanism and timeline has been established which will provide the infrastructure to meet the standards.

4.1.2. If it cannot be demonstrated prior to project approval that levels of service will be met per Policy 4.1.1, the City may consider the development but defer its approval until the standards can be met or assured. In the event that a signalized intersection exceeds the applicable level of service standard, the City may approve projects if the City can establish appropriate mitigation measures, or determine that the intersection or portion of roadway is subject to a finding of special circumstances, or is a route of regional significance, consistent with those findings and/or action plans adopted by the Contra Costa Transportation Authority pursuant to Measure J-2004. Mitigation measures specified in the action plans shall be applied to all projects which would create significant impacts on such regional routes, as defined by the Authority in consultation with local agencies and as permitted by law.

4.1.3. Analyze conformity with the growth management standards for all development projects, such as subdivision maps or land use permits.

4.1.4. Require from all new development, including major modifications to existing development, the construction of all necessary on- or off-site infrastructure and public services needed to serve the project in accordance with City standards.

4.1.5. Direct growth toward areas with existing infrastructure.

4.1.6. The City shall retain the flexibility to determine the most cost effective and efficient manner to provide all public services.
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GOAL 4.2 FACILITIES FINANCING
Ensure responsive and sufficient funding mechanisms for the future development and improvement of public facilities that serve the City of Oakley.

Policies

4.2.1. Permit development only when financing mechanisms are in place or committed which assure that adopted performance standards for public facilities will be met.

4.2.2. Ensure that all future development projects provide public infrastructure and public services that fully serve the needs of the project and address any impacts created by such projects.

4.2.3. Ensure that new development does not adversely affect public facilities or services.

4.2.4. Ensure that future development projects are included in special districts (i.e., lighting, landscaping, etc.), when applicable.

4.2.5. Require new development to pay its fair share of the cost of all existing public facilities and services it utilizes, as appropriate, based upon the demand for these facilities and services that can be attributed to new development.

4.2.6. Require new development to pay all costs of upgrading existing public facilities, constructing new facilities or expanding services that are needed to serve new development.

4.2.7. Financial impacts of new development on public facilities and services should generally be determined during the project review process and may be based on the analysis contemplated under the growth management program (Land Use Element) or otherwise. As part of the project approval, specific findings shall be adopted which relate to the demand for public facilities and services and how the demand affects the service standards included in the growth management program.

4.2.8. Review and update a Capital Improvement Program, which forecasts and prioritizes specific improvements to public facilities that will be built in the City.

4.2.9. Establish a comprehensive financing plan, which seeks to assure that needed public facilities and services are adequately financed, for all development projects within the City. Such financing plans shall be tailored to the scale and complexity of the project.

4.2.10. Recover all costs for administrative and technical services provided in the development review process through the use of fees and charges.

4.2.11. Apply for State, Federal, and regional funding sources, which have been set aside to finance infrastructure costs.

4.2.12. If the City requires developments to install off-site facilities in excess of their fair-share, the City shall consider funding mechanisms to reimburse the developer for the excess costs of such off-site improvements.
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4.2.13. New development should not result in inconsistent street frontage improvements along streets adjacent to and serving the project.

Programs

4.2.A. Review the Transportation Area of Benefit Fee Ordinance to assure consistency with AB1600. Future ordinance amendments should assure that new developments fund a fair share of transportation improvements, which are required to serve new development.

4.2.B. Regularly update the Capital Improvement Program to fund the capital improvements planned for construction over a five-year period, including cost estimates, the phasing of specific improvements and associated costs, and methods with which specific improvements will be financed.

4.2.C. Comment to the sponsoring agency, such as Contra Costa County, adjacent cities, or special districts, on any proposed capital improvements to be located in, or directly adjacent to, Oakley that are found to be inconsistent with the City’s General Plan.

4.2.D. Amend the development review and plan preparation process to include consideration of project impacts upon public facilities and services, and proposed financing methods.

Where negative fiscal impacts are indicated, include specific mitigation measures as conditions of project approval, or carefully consider the appropriateness of approval, consistent with the standards established in this Growth Management Element.

4.2.E. Require new development to contribute to adjacent off-site road improvements to avoid irregular and inconsistent frontage improvements. Establish fair share reimbursement agreements where appropriate.

4.2.F. During the development review and approval process, the City may require developments to install off-site facilities in excess of their fair-share. Under such circumstances the City should establish a funding mechanism to reimburse the developer for the excess amount, from future developments that benefit from such improvements. Reimbursements should not be made from the City’s General Fund.

GOAL 4.3 COMMUNITY BUILDINGS AND SERVICES
Assure that high quality civic and community facilities are provided to meet the broad range of needs of Oakley residents.

Policies

4.3.1. Evaluate the need for public assembly and meeting space. The availability of public space shall be assured through coordinated actions of existing service providers.

4.3.2. Seek a balance between social, cultural, and recreational needs of the community when developing new general-purpose public facilities.

4.3.3. Encourage the development of facilities and services to serve the needs of the youth, the elderly, and other special needs groups within the community. 232
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4.3.4. Ensure that high quality library services are maintained for the residents of Oakley.

4.3.5. Encourage the development of quality childcare and pre-school facilities in appropriate locations, especially in conjunction with park and private common areas, schools, and church facilities.

4.3.6. Encourage or develop a coordinated telecommunications system which enhances the availability of information to the Community.

Programs

4.3.A. Utilize Section 65402 of the Government Code to determine if public land acquisitions, sale, or building of new structures are in conformity with the General Plan.

4.3.B. Pursue a full range of methods to finance needed public facilities.

4.3.C. Include places of worship and religious buildings and child-care facilities as conditionally allowable uses in all residential districts in the Zoning Ordinance, subject to provisions of vehicular access and effective buffering from noise, traffic, and other impacts.

4.3.D. Continue to collect a childcare fee from residential development projects and qualifying commercial projects.

GOAL 4.4 FIRE PROTECTION AND EMERGENCY SERVICES
Promote a high level of emergency preparedness to protect public health and safety in the event of a natural or human‐caused disaster.

Policies

4.4.1. Promote and encourage the high service level of fire protection services within Oakley.

4.4.2. Require that new development pay its fair share of costs for new fire protection facilities and services.

4.4.3. Identify needed upgrades to fire facilities and equipment during project environmental review and planning activities.

4.4.4. Incorporate analysis of optimum fire and emergency service access into circulation system design to maximize the effectiveness of existing and proposed fire protection facilities.

4.4.5. Require special fire protection measures in high-risk uses (i.e., mid-rise buildings, and those developments where hazardous materials are used and/or stored) as conditions of approval.

4.4.6. Require the provision of fire fighting equipment access to open space areas in accordance with the Fire Protection Code and to all future development in accordance with Fire Access Standards.
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Programs

4.4.A. Fire stations and facilities shall be considered consistent with all land use designations in the General Plan and all zoning districts. The architectural design and landscaping of new fire stations shall be complementary with surrounding land uses.

4.4.B. Participate in discussions regarding fire district annexations, consolidations, and other service management programs.

4.4.C. Request the Fire District to update its five-year plan to maintain consistency with the Oakley General Plan.

4.4.D. Afford fire protection agencies the opportunity to review development projects and submit conditions of approval for consideration to determine whether: 1) there is adequate water supply for fire fighting; 2) road widths, road grades, and turnaround radii are adequate for emergency equipment; and 3) structures are built to the standards of the Uniform Building Code, the Uniform Fire Code, other State regulations, and local ordinances regarding the use of fire-retardant materials and detection, warning, and extinguishment devices.

4.4.E. The Community Development Department shall submit building and development plans for all new construction, including remodeling, to the fire agency to assure that fire safety and control features are included that meet the adopted codes and ordinances of that agency.

4.4.F. Continue to levy fire facility fees for new development in accordance with five-year plan.

4.4.G. Consider establishment of benefit assessment districts or other funding mechanisms for fire protection purposes.

GOAL 4.5 LAW ENFORCEMENT
Provide a high standard of police protection services for all citizens and properties throughout Oakley.

Policies

4.5.1. Police patrol beats shall be configured to assure minimum response times and efficient use of resources.

4.5.2. Incorporate police protection standards and requirements into the land use planning process.

4.5.3. Encourage public participation in crime prevention activities.

4.5.4. The City shall strive to provide sufficient personnel and capital facilities to ensure adequate police protection and appropriate response times.

4.5.5. Require that the Community Development Department refer, as appropriate, development proposals to the Police Department for review and comments. 234
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4.5.6. Support citizen participation within programs such as Neighborhood Watch and Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving (COPPS).

4.5.7. Set fees to ensure that each dwelling unit, business, and vacant parcel pays a fair share of the cost of police services.

Programs

4.5.A. The City shall participate in community outreach and informational programs to promote Neighborhood Watch and Community Oriented Policing and Problem Solving (COPPS).

4.5.B. Consider the use of community service officers to provide law enforcement outreach programs to schools and other institutions.

4.5.C. Consider and recommend, as determined appropriate, guidelines for defensible space design of buildings and major subdivision projects. Such guidelines would address the review of development projects to assure that crime-inviting features are reduced or eliminated.

4.5.D. Seek additional State and Federal funding to augment Oakley law enforcement services.

GOAL 4.6 PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Assure the provision of adequate primary and secondary schools in optimal locations to serve planned growth.

Policies

4.6.1. Work cooperatively with local school districts to promote traffic safety and efficient circulation in the vicinity of school sites.

4.6.2. To the extent possible, new residential development, General Plan Amendments, or Rezoning shall be required to adequately mitigate impacts on primary and secondary school facilities. Exceptions to this requirement may be made if the Planning Agency determines that there are overriding considerations (i.e., provision of low or moderate cost housing) associated with the project.

4.6.3. Encourage the efficient multi-purpose uses of school facilities.

4.6.4. Encourage school districts to seek and receive their fair share of state and/or federal funds for school facilities.

4.6.5. Support the development of quality schools, to the extent possible, by coordinating development review with local school districts including such activities as designating school sites, obtaining dedications of school sites. Consider supporting appropriate local fees, special taxes, and bond issues intended for school construction. 235
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4.6.6. Ensure that school facility impact fees are collected and work with developers and school districts to establish mitigation measures to ensure the availability of adequate school facilities.

4.6.7. School site donation by developers may be encouraged through the use of density transfer or other appropriate land use alternatives.

4.6.8. Work with the school districts to consider alternative funding programs for school facility construction and provision of educational programs.

4.6.9. The hearing body reviewing residential projects shall consider the availability of educational facilities and impact on school capacities.

4.6.10. To the extent possible, school facilities should be sited in conjunction with and adjacent to local parks and trails.

4.6.11. Adequate provision of schools shall be assisted by coordinating review of new development with school districts and other service providers through the project review process, the environmental review process, and through joint planning with local school districts.

4.6.12. Ensure that adequate land is available for acquisition of school sites within one mile of Proposed School Locations as identified on Figure 4-1: Public Facilities and Services.

4.6.13. Promote and encourage options to allow students within Oakley that reside west of Empire Avenue to attend schools located within the City of Oakley.

Programs

4.6.A. Lobby for State financing of new schools within the City.

4.6.B. Work with the interested school districts to ensure that new development contributes, to the extent allowable under State law, its fair and full share of the cost of additional facilities when necessary.

4.6.C. Prepare an education facilities plan, in consultation with the school districts, by year 2005 recommending locations for future school facilities.

4.6.D. During the review of General Plan Amendments, Rezones, Tentative Maps and Specific Plans within one mile of the Proposed School Sites shown in Figure 4-1, the City shall analyze the potential for reserving real property for the appropriate Proposed School Site. Specific sites for schools in undeveloped portions of the Oakley Planning Area, such as the Cypress Corridor Area and the Cypress Corridor Expansion Area, should be identified by the appropriate school district and designated Public/Semi Public in the General Plan by amendment prior to development of 50 percent of the land within a one-mile radius of each designated Proposed School Site.

4.6.E. Amend the General Plan to designate future school site properties to Public/Semi Public once local school districts acquire properties for future school sites. 236
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4.6.F. All Specific Plan applicants must consult with affected school districts to address Proposed Schools. Specific Plans shall designate specific properties for school facilities locations.

4.6.G. All predominantly residential development proposals involving more than 200 acres of land must analyze the need for and designate as appropriate school facility sites based upon identified Proposed School Sites. The City must determine that appropriate consultation has occurred between the developer and the affected school district(s) and that adequate provisions have been made to accommodate designated Proposed Schools.

GOAL 4.7 SOLID WASTE, RECYCLING, AND HAZARDOUS

MATERIALS
Promote and seek to assure the provision of safe, efficient, and cost‐effective removal of waste from residences, businesses, and industry.

Policies

4.7.1. Promote the reduction of the amount of waste disposed of in landfills by: 1) reducing the amount of solid waste generated (waste reduction); 2) reusing as much of the solid waste as possible (recycling); 3) utilizing the energy and nutrient value of the solid waste (waste to energy and composting); and 4) properly disposing of the remaining solid waste (landfill disposal).

4.7.2. Support the diversion of as much waste as feasible from landfills through recovery and recycling.

4.7.3. Encourage the development of waste transfer, processing, and disposal facilities which satisfy the highest established environmental standards and regulations.

4.7.4. Minimize the potential impacts of waste collection, transportation, processing, and disposal facilities upon residential land uses.

4.7.5. Consider solid waste disposal capacity in land use planning and permitting activities, along with other utility requirements, such as water and sewer service.

4.7.6. Encourage solid waste resource recovery (including recycling, composting, and waste to energy) so as to extend the life of sanitary landfills, reduce the environmental impact of solid waste disposal, and to make use of a valuable resource, provided that specific resource recovery programs are economically and environmentally desirable.

4.7.7. If new waste disposal facilities are proposed within Oakley, then such facilities should be designed, developed, and operated in a manner that is compatible with surrounding land uses and minimizes potential impacts to existing and future residents.

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4.7.8. Solid waste disposal sites shall be designed and operated to provide useful sites after completion of disposal operations. Re-use of sites for outdoor recreation and open space, where feasible, shall be encouraged.

4.7.9. Avoid solid waste hauling on collectors and local streets through residential areas.

4.7.10. The handling and storage of hazardous materials shall be identified and monitored by the local fire agencies.

Programs

4.7.A. Encourage and promote school and community programs that promote recycling.

4.7.B. Ensure that solid waste activities in Oakley are carried out in accordance with the Contra Costa County Solid Waste Management Plan and are coordinated with other jurisdictions.

4.7.C. Prepare recycling and composting plans to show how the City intends to help meet the goals in the Contra Costa County Solid Waste Management Plan.

4.7.D. Ensure the health and safety of the public by inspecting solid waste facilities and equipment on a regular basis.

4.7.E. Review, and amend if necessary, the Zoning Ordinance and other code sections to ensure that waste disposal facilities are regulated to preclude all nuisance and unsightly conditions.

4.7.F. Review and amend existing ordinances and procedures to ensure that the review and approval of development applications is carried out in accordance with the applicable goals, policies, and implementation measures in the Contra Costa County Solid Waste Management Plan.

GOAL 4.8 WATER SERVICES
Assure the provision of potable water availability in quantities sufficient to serve existing and future residents.

Policies

4.8.1. Coordinate future development with all water agencies to ensure facilities are available for proper water supply.

4.8.2. Encourage the development of locally controlled supplies to meet the growth needs of the City.

4.8.3. Encourage the conservation of water resources throughout the City.

4.8.4. Ensure that new development pays the costs related to the need for increased water system capacity.

4.8.5. Ensure that water service systems be required to meet regulatory standards for water delivery, water storage, and emergency water supplies.
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4.8.6. Encourage water service agencies to establish service boundaries and to develop supplies and facilities to meet future water needs based on the growth policies contained in the General Plan.

4.8.7. Encourage urban development within the existing water district Spheres of Influence adopted by the Local Agency Formation Commission; expansion into new areas within the Urban Limit Line beyond the Spheres should be restricted to those areas where urban development can meet all growth management standards included in this General Plan.

4.8.8. Discourage the development of rural residences or other uses that will be served by well water or an underground domestic water supply, if a high nitrate or arsenic concentration that exceeds the maximum contaminant level for drinking water is found following County Health Services Department testing.

4.8.9. Encourage rural residences currently served by well water or an underground domestic water supply, to connect to municipal water service when it becomes available. Upon connection to municipal water service, any water well(s) may be maintained for irrigation purposes only.

4.8.10. Identify and develop opportunities, in cooperation with water service agencies, for use of non-potable water, including ground water, recycled water, and untreated surface water.

4.8.11. Coordinate with the DWD Groundwater Sustainability Agency to identify, monitor, and address land uses and activities that could result in contamination of groundwater supplies to minimize the risk of such contamination.

4.8.12. Reduce the need for water system improvements by encouraging new development to incorporate water conservation measures to decrease peak water use.

4.8.13. Encourage the use of recycled water as a supplement to existing water supplies.

4.8.14. All proposals for development, including requests for building permits, within 1,000 feet of the Contra Costa Canal property line shall be referred to Contra Costa Water District for comment to ascertain the District’s standards for the proposed development project.

Programs

4.8.A. At the project approval stage, the City shall require new development to demonstrate that adequate water quantity and quality can be provided. The City shall determine whether 1) capacity exists within the water system if a development project is built within a set period of time, or 2) capacity will be provided by a funded program or other mechanism. This finding will be based on information furnished or made available to the City from consultations with the appropriate water agency, the applicant, or other sources.

4.8.B. Encourage water service agencies to meet all regulatory standards for water quality prior to approval of any new connections to that agency. 241
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4.8.C. Cooperate with DWD Groundwater Sustainability Agency and other regulatory agencies to control point and non-point water pollution sources to protect adopted beneficial uses of water and groundwater.

4.8.D. Encourage water serving agencies to prepare written drought contingency plans and hold public hearings on these plans. These plans should identify the size of needed drought capacity reserves. In requests for capacity verification for new development, the City shall require that the serving agency exclude these reserves from its operating capacities for the purpose of the verification.

GOAL 4.9 WASTEWATER SERVICES
Assure the provision of sewer collection, treatment and disposal recycling facilities that are adequate to meet the current and projected needs of existing and future residents.

Policies

4.9.1. Coordinate future development with the Ironhouse Sanitary District to ensure facilities are available for proper wastewater disposalmanagement.

4.9.2. Wastewater treatment should preserve, and to the extent feasible, enhance water quality and the natural environment.

4.9.3. Encourage beneficial water reuse to improve regional groundwater qualitys of treated wastewater, including marsh enhancement and agricultural irrigation. Such wastewater reclamation concepts shall be incorporated into resource management programs and land use planning.

4.9.4. Reduce the need for wastewater collection and treatment associated with future growthsewer system improvements by requiring new development to incorporate water conservation measures, which reduce flows into the sanitary sewer system.

Programs

4.9.A. Require new development to pay its fair share of the cost of on- and off-site infrastructure. This shall include installation of necessary public facilities, payment of impact fees, and participation in a Capital Improvement Program.

4.9.B. Encourage sewer service agencies to establish service boundaries and develop treatment facilities to meet the future service needs based on the growth policies contained in the City of Oakley General Plan.

4.9.C. Discourage development of rural residences served by septic tank and leach fields.

4.9.D. At the project approval stage, require new development to demonstrate that wastewater treatment capacity can be provided. The City shall obtain assurance that 1) capacity exists within the wastewater treatment system if a development project is built within a set period of time, or 2) capacity will be provided by a funded program or other 242
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mechanism. This finding will be based on information furnished or made available to the City from consultations with the Ironhouse Sanitarytion District, the applicant, or other sources.

4.9.E. Identify and develop opportunities, in cooperation with Ironhouse Sanitarytion District and water service agencies, for using reclaimed wastewater.

GOAL 4.10 DRAINAGE FACILITIES AND WATER QUALITY
Protect persons and property from the damaging impacts of flooding.

Policies

4.10.1. Work cooperatively with Contra Costa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District (CFCWCD) to ensure and enhance flood protection in the City of Oakley.

4.10.2. Pursue and achieve compliance with all regional, State, and Federal regulations related to flood control, drainage, and water quality, including groundwater quality.

4.10.3. Continue to work cooperatively with Contra Costa Water District to address potential issues associated with theRecognize the unique flooding constraints of the areas north and east of the Contra Costa Canal and adjacent lands, including flooding, water quality, and drainage.

4.10.4. Pursue responsible and adequate financing for implementation of the Drainage Plan.

4.10.5. Improve and expand the functionality of Marsh Creek as a major drainage corridor.

4.10.6. Develop new drainage facilities and/or improvements to existing facilities to provide additional recreational or environmental benefit, where possible.

4.10.7. Land use planning and zoning should be the primary means for flood management in preference to structural improvements, where possible.

4.10.8. Detention basins should be designed for multiple uses such as parks and playing fields when not used for holding water, where possible.

4.10.9. Detention basin design shall ensure that water entering the basin outflows completely within a specified time, thus minimizing standing water or long-term saturation within the basin.

4.10.10. In conjunction with Contra Costa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District (CFCWCD), Reclamation District 799, and other entities as appropriate, continue to implement a Drainage Master Plan in the East Cypress Corridor Specific Plan Area and develop and implement a Drainage Master Plan for the Cypress Corridor Special Planning Area.

4.10.11. Develop open bypass channels, detention basins, and all drainage facility rights of way as an asset to the development or adjacent neighborhood, e.g. as a secondary recreation use.
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4.10.12. In conjunction with CFCWCD and, in relation to groundwater quality issues, with DWD, develop flood control plans and identify discharge points for unincorporated areas annexed by the City of Oakley. Ensure that flood control implementation and maintenance are performed.

4.10.12. Programs

4.10.A. Implement and update, as necessary, the applicable Drainage Plans for formed drainage areas within the City of Oakley.

4.10.B. Actively participate in the Joint Municipal National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program with the City of Antioch, City of Brentwood and East Contra Costa County.

4.10.C. Pursue improvement of existing levees within the City and, as appropriate, compliance and certification from the United States Army Corps of Engineers.

4.10.D. Adopt and update, as necessary, development fees for drainage improvements for all new development in the City.

4.10.E. Pursue funding from public agencies and other grant sources to plan, design, and implement flood control improvements.

4.10.F. Require, upon development, the dedication of property or drainage easement adjacent to Marsh Creek to be used to increase width and capacity of the stream corridor.

4.10.G. Coordinate a study of Marsh Creek to determine appropriate strategies for improving, expanding, and managing the stream corridor to enhance aesthetic, biological and recreational qualities, as well as providing drainage and flood control.

4.10.H. Review development projects and drainage infrastructure to ensure that projects are designed to protect and enhance groundwater quality consistent with regional, state, and federal requirements.

4.10.I. Review and update the Stormwater Management and Discharge Control Ordinance (Title 6 Chapter 11) of the Municipal Code, to reflect the most recent federal and State standards relating to stormwater management, including incorporating best management practices related to use of low impact development and green infrastructure techniques.

4.10.H.4.10.J. For areas of proposed development that are not within an existing formed drainage area, require that Drainage Master Plans be prepared that include: detailed hydrologic modeling that considers land use, existing facilities, soil, and topographic data; descriptions of proposed flood control facilities; compliance with waste discharge requirements; cost estimates and construction schedule; and identification of which agency is responsible for facility design and construction, Clean Water Program compliance, and facility maintenance.
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Introduction
The City of Oakley, by inclusion of this optional Economic Development Element in the General Plan, acknowledges the importance economic development, including jobs creation, enhancement of the City’s economic base through the ongoing implementation of a clear economic strategy, and effective utilization of the City’s finances, public services and facilities as they relate to economic development. This Element is further intended to serve as a guide for City officials, staff, citizens, and businesses interested in economic development issues and opportunities within Oakley.

Setting
The City of Oakley’s employment condition is relatively modest in relation to its population. As of 2020 the city includes approximately 4,187 jobs1
and a population of approximately 32,7612. Historic
development patterns help to explain the difficulty Oakley has faced 1 Oakley Demographics. (November 25, 2020). Retrieved from http://www.opportunityoakley.com/demographics.html. 2 E-5 Population and Housing Estimates for Cities, Counties, and the State, 2011-2020 with 2010 Census Benchmark. (November 25, 2020). Retrieved from http://dof.ca.gov/Forecasting/Demographics/Estimates/E-5/.

CHAPTER 5:

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

CONTENTS
 Introduction
 Setting
 Economic
Opportunities
and Constraints
 Goals, Policies,
and Programs
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in creating additional jobs to help keep pace with population growth in recent years. However, the City has successfully planned for industrial and commercial growth opportunities in the City, with large areas of land available for development, and has created an economic developmentfriendly entitlement process. Since incorporation, the City has worked to address barriers to economic growth.

Oakley, along with Antioch, is situated at the eastern edge of the County in a corridor that has typically been associated with heavy industrial operations along the waterfront and small bedroom and small communities. The 550-acre DuPont Company “Antioch Facility” (between Bridgehead Road and Big Break Road, north of Highway 4) was once ideally situated for its intended industrial operations due to modest residential development in the area, availability of land, rail, highway, and deep-water port access. These competitive siting advantages remained until housing development began to occur in the region in the 1970s and 1980s. The DuPont property now provides excellent opportunities for light industrial, distribution, warehousing, and commercial development. With completion of the State Route 4 bypass and the Amtrak Train Platform in Downtown, Oakley’s connectivity to regional destinations, is no longer a significant impediment for businesses and commuters.

A second major issue which had historically impacted Oakley’s economic development activities is its image and identity. At the time of the City’s incorporation, there were no major businesses beyond the DuPont facility that served a market beyond eastern Contra Costa County. Most business attraction efforts in the County have focused on the I-680 corridor or, in recent years, business development of neighborhood or regional shopping centers in Antioch, Brentwood, and Pittsburg. In effect, Oakley remained as a fringe city with respect to economic development visibility. While Oakley was once seen simply as a quiet residential community with unsightly industrial operations, Oakley has transformed its downtown into a focal civic and community destination that will continue to develop and grow through implementation of the Downtown Specific Plan, has created a broader economic base with attraction of new medical, light industrial, and other businesses, and has provided an extensive range of residential uses, ranging from larger executive housing lots to attainable multi-family developments and senior communities.

Finally, a third factor was the lack of competitive land supply compared to other lands in the Highway 4 corridor and in other parts of Contra Costa County. Cities such as Antioch and Concord have significant amounts of land available for commercial use at prices comparable to those found in Oakley, while having actual or at least perceived competitive locational advantages. Through implementation of its General Plan and subsequent specific plans, Oakley has designated approximately 800 acres of vacant and underdeveloped land for commercial, industrial, and business uses and anticipates an additional 17,037 employees within the existing City limits.

Current Economic Conditions
Oakley’s economy reflects the historic conditions which have helped create it. As shown in Table 5-1, nearly three-quarters of Oakley’s jobs are in retail and personal services which meet the needs of local residents. Other major employment sectors occur in construction (related in large part to continued residential development) and finance, insurance, and real estate. Positions in heavy industry and agriculture/food have shown declines in recent decades in the subregion. 247
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Table 5 – 1: Economic Composition of Oakley (By Primary Employers) Employment Sector # of Jobs % of Total Jobs
Services 2,035 48.6
Retail Trade 1,014 24.22
Construction 276 6.6
Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate 210 5.0
Source: De Novo Planning Group, 2020
Oakley’s land supply represents challenges to a long-term, sustained economic development effort. As noted above, the DuPont facility provides sound economic development opportunities.

At the time of the General Plan’s update, a 143-acre portion of the site was in the process of being developed into a light industrial, warehousing, distribution, e-commerce fulfillment, and light manufacturing complex. The remainder of the site could accommodate similar uses but will require additional infrastructure improvements to achieve the full use potential of this site.

Additionally, the 175-acre Light Industrial-designated site, located in the western portion of the city north of Oakley Road, along with the area around Laurel Road and Neroly Road, the Downtown Specific Plan area, and elsewhere along the Main Street corridor, carry economic development potential.

Land supply issues go beyond the extent of available, undeveloped acreage; they also include assessment of underutilized properties, properties which may be appropriate for redevelopment and/or revitalization, and removal of impediments to economic development (such as local land use processes and policies, provision of infrastructure and key public services, and compatibility with surrounding land uses).

Oakley’s resident labor force may serve as a positive issue with respect to future economic development efforts. Many businesses seek skilled or knowledgeable labor as a factor in business location or expansion. As more and more workers seek affordable housing opportunities in the Bay Area, locales such as Oakley continue to see increased market interest in residential development. Businesses, in turn, are seeking opportunities to locate closer to worker housing to reduce worker time lost in long commutes, especially when combined with available land at competitive costs for their business needs.

Oakley’s labor force can be considered relatively high skilled and educated in comparison to the sub-region, with a third of Oakley’s residents having an associate, bachelor, or graduate degree.

As shown in Table 5-2, Oakley also has a high median household income in the eastern Contra Cosa County subregion. Oakley’s labor force is considered a strong, positive factor for businesses interested in this area of the County. However, it is noted that, as a whole, eastern Contra Costa’s education levels are less than the central parts of Contra Costa County, which is a disadvantage for certain industries.
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Table 5 – 2: Median Annual Household Income and Income Distribution for the Oakley Subregion
Household Income Category
Contra
Costa
County
Oakley Antioch Brentwood Pittsburg
Median Household Income $103,598 $93,824 $71,422 $103,771 $70,770 Less than $50,000 33.0% 22.2% 32.3% 22.7% 30.6%
$50,000 to $99,999 26.0% 26.8% 30.2% 22.5% 32.4%
$100,000 and above 51.0% 51.0% 37.5% 54.8% 37.0%
Source: De Novo Planning Group, 2020
Projected Economic Conditions
Many of the factors that have influenced Oakley’s economic position in the past may not be as significant in how they influence the City’s economic development future. Locational dynamics of how businesses grow and the market demands for businesses evolve over time. Several other factors will positively influence Oakley’s ability to pursue economic development. As heavy industrial job growth continues to decline in the subregion in the coming years, other business categories are projected to grow. Oakley’s skilled labor force stands to capture some of that market demand. Through implementation of the goals and policies of the General Plan, Oakley also will be poised to provide a positive climate for business development and improved community image.

Regional Economic Trends and Markets
Oakley is recognized as being within a larger sub-regional market, one that overlaps several cities.

As part of the Highway 4 corridor, Oakley interacts with markets in the Cities of Brentwood to the south, and Antioch and Pittsburg to the west. Also influencing economic markets are the areas in and around the Cities of Martinez, Concord, Pleasant Hill, and Walnut Creek along the I-680 corridor further to the west. Thirdly, regional markets are influenced to a lesser degree by the City of Tracy and other areas in San Joaquin County to the east.

Any economic development actions within Oakley are determined, in part, by their context within these regional settings. An economic development action can include a decision by a business looking to establish or expand operations or, at the other extreme, a simple decision by a consumer on where to purchase a meal or convenience goods. Perhaps most important in arriving at Oakley’s strategic economic development plan is recognition of its role, along with competitive advantages and disadvantages, in the Highway 4 corridor.

The Main Street corridor represents Oakley’s immediate market area and includes the sub-markets with which it competes most directly for jobs and businesses. The more regional Highway 4 corridor can be further differentiated, generally and qualitatively, by classification of the Cities of Pittsburg and Antioch, which have a long tradition of heavy industrial operations and, compared to Oakley, a less affluent population base. Oakley and Brentwood, by comparison, have undergone transformation in recent years from agricultural, service-based communities to increasingly desirable residential communities.
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Employment along the Highway 4 corridor grew significantly during the past several decades, with most of this growth coming in the “non-basic” categories (those which tend to serve local rather than regional needs, such as retail and consumer services). These jobs tend to generate economic activity on the basis of dollars circulating in the sub-region.

The Highway 4 bypass has resulted in a shift in commercial development, including retail, restaurants, and services, as well as other industries to locations that are adjacent to or closer to the Highway 4 corridor, to the detriment of Oakley and the City’s Main Street corridor. Again, the City of Oakley has captured only a small percentage of the jobs in the Highway 4 corridor compared to Oakley’s overall percentage of population in this subregion, illustrative of greater market interest in construction of residences than in establishment of new businesses. Economic development strategies can assist Oakley in achieving a better jobs-to-housing balance while establishing the City as a subregional business development force.

Job growth has led to increased demand for commercial real estate in the Highway 4 corridor.

Office market conditions continue to reflect residential growth patterns, with new jobs created in the real estate, computer processing/data services, management and financial service fields. Most of the demand is projected to be for smaller office lease spaces in the 2,000 to 5,000 square foot range. Light industrial and manufacturing job growth has remained moderate in the region, with continued growth projected in the subregion as opportunities for light industrial development along the I-680 corridor becomes limited in future years. Light manufacturing employers will likely seek lease spaces or buildings in the 5,000 to 10,000 square foot range. Businesses requiring larger sites or buildings, such as for warehousing and distribution facilities, have experienced growth in the region in recent years.

Related City Initiatives
In recent years, the City has prioritized economic development by preparing an Economic Development Work Plan, instituting Economic and Entrepreneur Development Programs, and opening the Oakley Entrepreneur Center. The plan programs, and center relate directly to and help implement the Economic Development Element and are implemented by the City’s Economic Development Director.

Economic Development Work Plan
Originally prepared in 2014, the Economic Development Work Plan (EDWP) was most recently updated in 2016. The plan provides goals and implementation elements to help advance the City’s economic development efforts. Specifically, the plan focuses on attracting new businesses to locate and invest in the community, updating the City marketing program, providing tools and resources to help existing businesses grow and succeed, and strengthening Downtown and the Main Street corridor’s aesthetics and small town character.

Economic Development Program
The Economic Development Program encourages new opportunities for growth and development in Oakley consistent with maintaining the community’s small-town character. The program assists businesses with site selection, permitting, and incubation/growth. 250
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Entrepreneur Development Program and Oakley Entrepreneur Center The Entrepreneur Development Program was instituted to strengthen the city’s small business and entrepreneur community and encouraging their growth and expansion. The program sponsors small business workshops and events. The center supports the incubation of small businesses by providing offices, conference rooms, and co-working spaces, and hosting Entrepreneur Development Program and similar events.

Economic Opportunities and Constraints
The Economic Development Element is intended to help the City further expand its base of economic development opportunities and reduce the extent of sales tax revenue lost to other communities, while also increasing the number of jobs for Oakley residents and increasing the range of services for local residents.

Economic Development Constraints and Opportunities
The City of Oakley, as discussed above, has a number of operational constraints that affect its economic development potential. Some of these constraints are beyond the ability of the City to control, such as the geographic setting of Oakley within Contra Costa County and other regional markets. However, many of the constraints can be modified through economic development programs and policies to reduce their negative impact upon the local economy. The following section summarizes some of these key economic development constraints and opportunities.

Economic Development Constraints
 Geographical location of Oakley relative to employment centers and central Contra Costa County
 Perception of Oakley as a predominantly residential community working to overcome sometimes negative stereotypes of community image
 Competitive pricing of land for expanding or new commercial, professional office or light industrial development compared to some areas within the Highway 4 subregion and central Contra Costa County
 Lack of adequate infrastructure at or leading to key properties designated for economic development
 Lack of direct freeway exposure to Highway 4 corridor  Lack of control of local utility districts who can create development disadvantages due to higher development fees than neighboring communities
Economic Development Opportunities
 Availability of land at the former DuPont site and the Light Industrial-designated site along Oakley Road for research and development, business park, light industrial, warehousing, distribution, retail commercial, and related uses
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 Availability of land for redevelopment throughout the City, particularly for properties in the Downtown Specific Plan area and elsewhere along much of the Main Street corridor  Continued refinement of City policies and programs to proactively support of economic development
 Cultivating ongoing market interest in Oakley as a desirable residential community, competitively priced compared to the Highway 4 corridor  Presence of a skilled labor force to attract new businesses  Ability to positively change Oakley’s image through establishment and implementation of property maintenance codes and regulations
 Ability to establish a diverse, on-going economic development team to implement longterm City economic development goals.

Factors to be Considered
The success of economic development within Oakley will be influenced by many factors. Some factors, such as the national economy, will be beyond the City’s ability to influence. However, many factors are within the City’s ability to influence, including the following:
 Public Facilities
 City Budget (Revenues and Costs)
 Costs of Public Services
 Economic Strategic Plan
 Employment (by sector)
 Investments
 Business Climate (including such factors as City permit processing, development standards, fees and tax incentives)
 Commercial/Retail Development
 Office Development
 Industrial Development
 Residential Development
 Diversity of Economic Base/Targeted Land Uses
 Business Attraction Strategies/City Economic Identity  Infrastructure
 Area or Parcel-Specific Economic Development Strategies (i.e., DuPont site; other business park sites; Highway 4 corridor; downtown)
 Revitalization Strategies
 Labor Force Training
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Goals, Policies, and Programs
The following goals, policies, and programs are intended to work in concert with other elements of the Oakley General Plan and serve as the foundation for an overall economic development strategy for the City.

GOAL 5.1 BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION
Retain existing businesses and expand Oakley’s economic base.

Policies

5.1.1. Encourage local businesses to remain in Oakley and support expansion of local businesses.

5.1.2. Promote economic development within Oakley through implementation of and regular updates to the Economic Development Work Plan (EDWP). Involve community members and business leaders in this effort.

5.1.3. Actively recruit businesses and industries that are compatible with the General Plan’s land use and the EDWP’s goals and implementation elements.

5.1.4. Utilize Oakley’s skilled labor force as an economic development and business attraction tool.

5.1.5. Prepare an update to the City of Oakley Strategic Economic Assessment and implement its recommendations, including but not limited to, identifying specific locations in Oakley for targeted economic development activities.

Programs

5.1.A. Update the EDWP to Include targets for economic development in five-year increments and reflect current market conditions and business development opportunities and the community’s needs and desires.

5.1.6. Identify the top ten local businesses (both in terms of employment base and tax revenues provided to the City). City representatives should meet with these business managers to discuss business needs and opportunities.

5.1.B. Identify and promote specific business development incentives that the City might offer, based on the availability of General Fund balances, including but not limited to financial assistance with infrastructure improvements, development fees, land acquisition, project design enhancement, façade improvements and costs of leasing land and/or buildings.

5.1.C. Identify development standards that the City would consider modifying to attract highly desirable businesses, including but not limited to, on-site parking, building setbacks, building height, and lot coverage.

5.1.D. Consider establishing a business retention program that annually inventories existing industries and businesses, identifies businesses that may be at risk of closure or relocation 253
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outside of the community, includes periodic meetings with existing companies in the identified growth industries to identify service needs and assess the City’s ability to address those needs, and actively seeks to retain existing businesses that are at risk of leaving the City.

5.1.E. Consider provisions for very unique circumstances where the City Council may consider adjustments to impact fees, based on the availability of General Fund balances, where it can be demonstrated that the development project will be provided with all necessary services and infrastructure improvements.

5.1.F. Provide financial incentives for development projects to offset costs of establishing, expanding or enhancing local businesses.

5.1.G. Through the EDWP’s implementation, continue to explore means to assist local businesses in expanding operations, based on the availability of General Fund balances. This may include, but is not limited to, pursuit of financial assistance grants, identification, and removal of local impediments to business growth, and assigning key City staff positions to serve in liaison positions with local business operators.

5.1.H. Encourage job training for skilled labor through employer sponsored training or continuing educational programs.

5.1.I. Continue to recognize the importance of making an adequate supply of land available for economic development. Specific properties and targeted land uses include:
a) DuPont Property, north of Highway 4 between Bridgehead Road and Big Break Road:

Economic development land uses designated within this area include Business Park, Commercial and Light Industrial. Anticipated uses include professional and medical offices, research and development, hotel/motel, general commercial, service retail and light industrial activities. Where feasible, development of the DuPont property may be pursued through a comprehensive business park master plan or Planned Unit Development zone. Infrastructure improvements are required to fully utilize this property. b) Commercial land South of Highway 4: These lands are targeted for commercial uses that would benefit from exposure to vehicular traffic upon Highway 4/Main Street. Potential uses include, but are not limited to, retail commercial, service commercial and professional offices. Where feasible, this area would be developed through a comprehensive development plan or Planned Unit Development zone. Infrastructure improvements are required to fully utilize this property and some existing light industrial and industrial uses will require relocation.
c) Downtown and Main Street Realignment Properties: The Downtown Specific Plan will guide development activities within downtown. Properties in the downtown area and along Highway 4/Main Street are envisioned for on-going economic development purposes, including specialty retail and commercial uses. Underutilized properties are recognized as providing substantial opportunity for redevelopment and intensification of commercial operations where appropriate site development standards are met and when the new or expanded uses can be shown to be compatible with adjoining residential uses.

Streetscape improvements can be used to help achieve a unique and desired character 254
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for downtown development, perhaps with financial assistance. Development efforts in the downtown should individually and collectively reinforce the image of the downtown as a destination location for residents and visitors to the City.

GOAL 5.2 DIVERSE AND BALANCED ECONOMY
Establish a diverse and balanced Oakley economy.

Policies

5.2.1. Attract and retain a variety of economic sectors that capitalize on Oakley’s competitive advantages and strengths, in order to promote a diversity of businesses, significant sales tax generation, and provide residents with skilled, high-paying employment opportunities.

5.2.2. Strive to add a balanced mix of commercial, office and light industrial businesses to the City to ensure a variety of employment and business opportunities.

5.2.3. Prioritize the development of employment-generating uses on sites with vacant buildings or on underutilized commercial, office, and industrial-designated parcels.

5.2.4. Maintain and implement Zoning Code provisions that accommodate and facilitate homebased and locally-owned businesses throughout the city.

5.2.5. Encourage regional partnerships between the City, other cities in the region, and various industry organizations in order to pursue regional economic development opportunities and improve relations with private industry.

Programs

5.2.A. Continue to periodically review the General Plan to ensure that there is an adequate supply of land designated for economic development, with flexibility in the Business Park, Commercial and Industrial land use designations to allow a wide range of targeted businesses. This program is intended to avoid or minimize delays associated with amendments to the General Plan when new businesses seek development sites within Oakley.

5.2.B. Continue to consider adjustments to the development application process and permitting requirements, and where appropriate shall streamline the review steps to facilitate attraction of targeted business operations.

5.2.C. Recruit businesses and land uses that are consistent with long-term economic development goals, including employment generation and businesses which have the potential to generate increases to the City’s tax base. Uses that meet the intent of this include, but are not limited to, the following:
a) Retail commercial
b) Restaurants
c) Professional and medical offices
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d) Specialty commercial operations, including those fitting within the desired character of the Downtown and along Main Street
e) Specialty stores intended to attract customers from the entire sub- region f) Commercial operations providing services to the residential community g) Light Industrial uses that generate minimal impacts on the community, surrounding uses, and the environment.
h) Business and technology parks
i) Warehousing and/or distribution facilities
j) Small-scale and entrepreneurial businesses consistent with the above.

5.2.D. Work with the business and development community to attract private investment to priority development sites, utilizing incentives such as land write-downs, site preparation, low interest loans, and public improvements.

GOAL 5.3 REDUCE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CONSTRAINTS
Remove or reduce constraints to economic development.

Policies

5.3.1. Strengthen the reputation of City government as service-oriented and business-friendly.

5.3.2. Maintain efficient processing of applications and permits related to economic development, and ensure that no unnecessary obstacles are created.

5.3.3. Ensuring necessary infrastructure improvements are provided to support new or expanding businesses.

5.3.4. Improve the city’s appearance to support attracting new businesses to Oakley.

Programs

5.3.A. Periodically review the Zoning Ordinance to ensure that there are no unnecessary impediments to improvements of existing businesses, establishment of home-based and start-up businesses, or development of co-working spaces and small business incubators.

5.3.B. Evaluate the City’s business license procedure to streamline or minimize the process for businesses, including revised applications and instructions if applicable.

5.3.C. Work proactively with existing businesses interested in expanding existing businesses and new businesses to install necessary infrastructure improvements. City actions may include:
a) Sharing of engineering studies and plans on water supply and treatment capacities, wastewater collection, conveyance and treatment capacities, storm water drainage and roadway improvements.
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b) Working jointly with developers where City Capital Improvement Plans call for extension or upgrades to City infrastructure.
c) Pursuing financing incentives, including possible tax credits, deferred fee payment programs, reimbursement of costs for infrastructure improvements and amortization of infrastructure fees, to assist developers with providing necessary infrastructure improvements.
d) Allowing for phased extension or upgrades to infrastructure in conjunction with approved phasing plans for site development.

5.3.D. Prepare and adopt a Community Preservation and City Beautification Ordinance.

5.3.E. Continue to update the Zoning Ordinance and other sections of the Oakley Municipal Code in order to establish clear property maintenance standards, applicable to residential, commercial, office and industrial properties. The standards should focus on maintenance of appearance of all properties in Oakley. Further, disallow keeping of nonpermitted junk yards on all properties, require screening of all outdoor storage of materials and equipment from public streets and establish restrictions on the allowed height of outdoor storage.

5.3.F. Identify blighted properties and structures in Oakley requiring beautification efforts. Seek property owner involvement with the City in improving the appearance of such properties.

The City may pursue grants and other funding mechanisms (outside of use of General Funds) to help improve the appearance of these properties.

5.3.G. Minimize infrastructure fees charged to economic development projects by applying local, regional, state, and federal funding where appropriate.

GOAL 5.4 BUSINESS INVESTMENT
Encourage local financial participation in the community as a means of facilitating economic development.

Policy

5.4.1. Work with local financial institutions to encourage investment in Oakley’s economic development future.

Programs

5.4.A. Develop a program to increase the amount of private lending and investment in Oakley, particularly in the downtown and along the Main Street corridor, by banks and other financial institutions, public- private financing partnerships, and small business assistance.

5.4.B. Actively support the use of Assessment Districts and other financing tools to support economic development where it can be demonstrated that the financing mechanism does not create an adverse financial impact to the City or City residents. 257
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GOAL 5.5 WORKFORCE WELL‐BEING
Promote economic well‐being and protect the interest of working residents to allow for upward mobility and positive development.

Policies

5.5.1. Support local employees and ensure that the business community prioritizes employee well-being through programs and strategies focused on mental and physical health.

5.5.2. Advocate for businesses to engage positively with the community by hiring locally and participating in local programs and events.

5.5.3. Support and bolster locally-owned businesses to promote equal opportunity and a diversified economic community.

5.5.4. Encourage environmentally-friendly practices by local businesses, especially for those businesses associated with heavy pollution and environmental degradation.

5.5.5. Support businesses and promote forward mobility for local residents by identifying available resources for skills training and career development..

Programs

5.5.A. Actively show support for federal and state policies that are aimed at improving job quality, increasing the minimum wage, and providing paid sick days.

5.5.B. Develop a program to educate local businesses on ways to support their employees that includes best practices and encouraged strategies for employee wellness.

5.5.C. Assess the feasibility and consider the development of a Green Business Strategic Plan to support environmentally friendly business development in Oakley.

5.5.D. Regularly publicize information related to career development and training services and continuing education services available through local public and private educational institutions.

5.5.E. Consider establishing a Living Wage Ordinance that requires local businesses and City contractors to meet requirements that are focused on employee well-being.

5.5.F. Regularly perform Workforce Development Studies to assess key characteristics of the local workforce and ascertain gaps in outcomes.
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Introduction
Valuable resources in the City of Oakley include agricultural resources, air quality, biological resources, historic and cultural resources, open space resources, and scenic resources. The Open Space and Conservation Element focuses on the protection and enhancement of such resources to ensure a high-quality living environment for years to come.

The Open Space and Conservation Element expresses community goals to protect environmental resources, open space, and scenic resources. Specifically, resources addressed in this element include:
 Agricultural resources, including quantity and quality of agricultural lands within the Planning Area.
 Air quality in terms of local and regional compliance with air pollutant standards;

CONTENTS
 Introduction
 Setting
 Goals, Policies,
and Programs
CHAPTER 6:

OPEN SPACE &

CONSERVATION
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 Biological resources, including significant habitat areas and special status plant and animal species;
 Water resources, including streams, wetlands, and riparian habitat;  Cultural resources in terms of known and potential archaeological and paleontological resources;
 Historic resources that are nationally designated, recognized by the State of California, or locally significant;
 Open space resources, including natural and improved open space areas that are physical, functional, and visual; and
 Scenic resources as predominant physical characteristics of the community.

Consistency with State Law
The Open Space and Conservation Element meets the state requirements for Open Space and Conservation Elements as defined in Sections 65301, 65302(d), 65302(e), and 65560 of the Government Code, respectively. According to these requirements, the Open Space Element must contain goals and policies to manage open space areas, including undeveloped lands and outdoor recreation areas. Specifically, the Open Space Element must address several open space categories such as those used for the preservation of natural resources and managed production of resources, as well as open space maintained for public health and safety reasons. Open Space for outdoor recreation is addressed within the Parks and Recreation Element. The Conservation Element must contain goals and policies to protect and maintain natural resources such as water, soils, wildlife and minerals, and prevent wasteful resource exploitation, degradation and destruction.

In adopting the requirement that all jurisdictions must prepare an Open Space Element, the Legislature found that the preservation of open space land is necessary not only for the maintenance of the economy of the State, but also for the continued availability of land for the production of food and fiber, for the enjoyment of scenic beauty, for recreation, and for the use of natural resources. The legislature further found that discouraging premature and unnecessary conversion of open space land to urban uses is in the public interest because it discourages noncontiguous development patterns that tend to increase the costs of community services to community residents. Finally, the legislature found that the anticipated increase in the population of the State demands that cities, counties, and the State make plans at the earliest possible date for the preservation of valuable open space land and take positive action to carry out such plans by the adoption and strict administration of laws, ordinances, rules and regulations.

While air quality is not a state-mandated element, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) requires air quality to be addressed in General Plans. The purpose of the air quality inclusion is to reduce pollutant levels through stationary source, mobile source, transportation and land use control, and energy conservation measures. 261
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Relationship to Other General Plan Elements
According to state planning law, the Open Space and Conservation Element must be consistent with the other General Plan elements. While all of the elements are interdependent, they are also interrelated to a degree. Certain goals and policies of one element may also address issues that are primary subjects of other elements. This integration of issues throughout the General Plan creates a strong basis for the implementation of plans and programs and achievement of community goals. The Open Space and Conservation Element is most directly related to the Land Use, Circulation, Community Health and Safety, and Parks and Recreation Elements.

Setting
The Setting section of the Open Space and Conservation Element describes existing conditions of the City’s valuable natural resources, including agricultural resources, air quality, biological resources, cultural and historic resources, open space resources, and scenic resources. This information provides the background for development of goals, policies, and implementation programs that reflect the community’s vision for the future of Oakley.

Agricultural Resources
Oakley has historically been an agricultural community with a wide variety of agricultural crops.

The City recognizes the many inherent benefits of maintaining agricultural land uses in the community. Agriculture contributes to the rural character of the community, maintains land as primarily open space, and reduces further degradation of the natural environment. Within Oakley, agricultural uses include various equestrian and livestock enterprises, as well as more typical practices such as row crops, vineyards and orchards.

Contra Costa County Agricultural History
Agriculture has been a predominant industry in Contra Costa County for decades. Agricultural lands and corresponding production have decreased due to urbanization since 1940. Both rangelands and field crops have been reduced by more than half since that time. Converted lands occurred mostly on the outskirts of incorporated cities, such as Walnut Creek and Concord.

However, new tree crops were planted on irrigated lands in the East County (including the City of Oakley, the SOI, and other unincorporated areas to the east and south of the Plan Area). While fruit, vegetable, and nut crops have all decreased over the years, increases in agricultural productivity have offset the loss of agricultural acreage.

Vegetable and seed crops have the highest gross production value (2018 Crop Report) of crop types in the County, followed by livestock and livestock products, fruit and nut crops, field crops, and, finally, nursery products. In the eastern portion of the County, which includes the Plan Area, vegetable row crop farms (tomato, asparagus, sweet corn, squash, and beans) produce significant annual sales, as do wine grapes. The East County has the largest concentration of small and medium-sized orchards, with apricot, apple, and walnut crops. 262
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Agriculture in Oakley
Oakley is on very flat land that gently slopes north to the Delta. There are no significant hillsides or ridges. Oakley is comprised primarily of lowland soil associations, with some tidal flat-deltamarsh lowland along the northern boundary of the City. The lowland soil associations are slowly to very slowly permeable, highly expansive and corrosive with slight erosion hazards. The tidal flat-delta-marsh lowland soils are highly expansive, very highly corrosive and moderately to slowly permeable. Most of Oakley is composed of Class II Delhi sand, described by the U.S. Soil Conservation Service as “excessively drained soils” where runoff is slow or very slow. Delhi sand is used to grow irrigated almonds, vineyards and other fruit crops, and some walnuts.

Agricultural lands in the City of Oakley are accommodated in three General Plan land use designations:

Agriculture. This designation provides locations for continued commercial agriculture or similar land uses. Limited residential uses are allowed in this designation.

Agricultural Limited. This designation provides locations for agricultural and very low density residential uses. In an effort to preserve the agricultural and rural character of the community, the City allows keeping of horses within several of the City’s land use classifications and allows commercial equestrian facilities within the Agriculture Limited designation. As described in the Land Use Element, appropriate uses in the Agricultural Limited land use designation include modified agricultural practices that minimize impacts on adjacent land uses, along with equestrian and livestock uses, subject to limits.

Delta Recreation. This designation encompasses the lowlands of the San Joaquin Delta at the City’s northern edge, most of which is located within the 100-year flood plain. Appropriate land uses in this designation include agriculture, low intensity recreation, and wildlife habitat.

The City encourages the preservation of prime agricultural lands and lands with viable agricultural production. Prime agricultural lands are lands with prime soil classifications (Class I or II) as determined in the Soil Conservation Service Land Use Capability Classifications. While the City of Oakley does not contain any lands with Class I or II soil classifications, the Sphere of Influence (SOI) and outside the Urban Limit Line (ULL) to the east of the City does contain prime agricultural lands, most of which are under active cultivation of intensive row crops.

Table 6-1: Agricultural Lands in the Planning Area lists the amount row crops and the other two categories of agricultural uses, orchards and vineyards, by acreage and percentage of area, present in the Planning Area.
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Table 6‐1: Agricultural Lands in the Planning Area
Agricultural Land Type Acreage Percentage of Area
City Limits
Orchards 244.2 2.25%
Vineyards 573.6 5.28%
Row Crops 3,018.6 27.77%
Total 3,836.4 35.29%
Expansion Area
Orchards 4.2 0.04%
Vineyards 9.5 0.09%
Row Crops 162.4 1.49%
Total 176.1 1.62%
Planning Area Total 4,012.50 36.91%
Agricultural Land Type City Planning Area TOTAL
Acres Percent Acres Percent Acres Percent
Cropland 937.2 28.0% 53.4 34.3% 990.6 28.3%
Deciduous Orchard 209.1 6.2% 3.8 2.5% 212.9 6.1%
Dryland Grain Crops 44.9 1.3% 2.4 1.5% 47.3 1.3%
Evergreen Orchard 1.8 0.1% 0.2 0.1% 2.0 0.1%
Irrigated Grain Crops 8.7 0.3% 1.1 0.7% 9.8 0.3%
Irrigated Hayfield 1,646.1 49.1% 85.8 55.2% 1,732.0 49.4% Irrigated Row and Field Crops 0.2 0.0% 0.0 0.0% 0.2 0.0% Vineyard 502.6 15.0% 8.7 5.6% 511.2 14.6%
Total 3,350.6 100% 155.4 100% 3,506.1 100%
Source: CalFire Fire and Resource Assessment Program FVEG_15; De Novo Planning Group, 20210 Air Quality and Greenhouse Gases
Oakley is located at the eastern boundary of the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area Air Basin, which is regulated by the BAAQMD. The BAAQMD is currently designated as a non-attainment air basin for the exceeding air quality standards for ozone. Improvement to air quality is a regional issue and the City’s cooperation among all agencies in the district is necessary to achieve desired improvements. The City can participate and contribute its share in those efforts by proper planning for land use and transportation consistent with the most recent Air Quality Management Plan.

Oakley is located on the south side of the San Joaquin River delta, east of the Carquinez Straits.

Its location between the greater Bay Area and the Central Valley has great influence on the climate and air quality of the area.

Oakley has a relatively low potential for air pollution given the persistent and strong winds typical of the area. The predominant westerly winds dilute pollutants and transport them away from the 264
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area, so that emissions released in the project area have more influence on air quality in the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys than they do locally. However, air quality in Oakley is degraded by its location downwind of the metropolitan Bay Area. There are, however, several major stationary sources in upwind cities that can influence local air quality and the project's location downwind of the greater Bay Area also means that pollutants from other areas are transported to the area.

Air pollutants regulated by the BAAQMD include:
 Particulate matter (PM)
 Organic compounds
 Nitrogen oxides
 Sulfur dioxide/oxides
 Carbon monoxide
 Hydrogen sulfide
 Photochemical smog
 Acid deposition
Of these pollutants, the Bay Area has historically experienced problems with ozone, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, and toxic air contaminants (TACs), due either to the strength of the emission or the climate of the region. The Bay Area was initially classified as a federal nonattainment area (standards are not attained) for carbon monoxide and ozone. Ambient levels of carbon monoxide have been steadily declining in the Bay Area since the 1970's, and in 1998 the entire Bay Area was re-designated as an attainment area for this pollutant.

Ozone levels also have been declining since the 1970's, but in a less consistent manner. Based on monitoring data from 1990 to 1992 the Bay Area was re-designated as a federal attainment area for ozone in 1995. However, violations of the ozone standard in 1995 and 1996 led the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency to re-designate the Bay Area back to non-attainment status, requiring preparation of an updated air quality plan.

Contra Costa County’s attainment status is nonattainment for the State ambient air quality standards for ozone, PM 2.5, and PM 10 and for the federal ambient air quality standards for ozone and PM 2.5 and is either attainment or unclassified for all other federal and State ambient air quality standards.

While there are no air quality standards for toxic air contaminants (TACs), impacts are evaluated by calculating the health risks associated with a given exposure. Diesel exhaust has been found to be the most dangerous and ubiquitous TAC in the Bay Area. The state of California has begun a program of identifying and reducing risks associated with particulate matter emissions from diesel-fueled vehicles. Particular attention should be paid to projects that might result in sensitive receptors being exposed to high levels of diesel exhaust. In Oakley, this includes high volume traffic on Highway 4 and other major arterial roadways with high levels of diesel traffic. 265
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Participation in the state’s plan and compliance with these standards will help reduce this regional impact.

Sensitive Receptors
The BAAQMD defines sensitive receptors as facilities or land uses that include members of the population that are particularly sensitive to the effects of air pollutants, such children, the elderly, and people with illnesses. These land uses include residential areas, schools, retirement homes, convalescent homes, hospitals, and medical clinics. The major sensitive receptors in Oakley are schools and residences.

Pollution Sources
The BAAQMD maintains inventories of stationary sources of both criteria pollutants and TACs.

BAAQMD regulates pollutant emissions from a variety of sources in Oakley, including gas stations, marinas, dry cleaners, automotive repair facilities, water and wastewater facilities, energy stations and substations, and oil/natural gas production facilities.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Air pollution from human activities significantly contributes to the increased release of various gases in the Earth’s atmosphere, referred to as greenhouse gases (GHGs), that are changing Earth’s surface temperature, referred to as climate change. To understand the sources and level of GHGs in Oakley and plan for their reduction, the City prepared the following documents:

Climate Adaptation White Paper
The Climate Adaptation White Paper, prepared in October 2019 for the General Plan Update, provides an overview of the existing and future impacts of climate change on people and the built environment. The White Paper includes an overview of the regulatory framework, including federal, state, regional, and local regulations and planning efforts, an assessment climate change impacts on the Oakley, and a discussion of how to address the community’s priorities and concerns on climate change, including reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to forecasted climate conditions and effects.
2010 Community‐Wide & Local Government Operations Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Update
The 2010 Community-Wide & Local Government Operations Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Update inventory, which serves as an update to the City’s original 2005 inventory, identifies the primary sources and levels of GHG emissions for municipal operations and on a Citywide basis.

The 2010 inventory breaks down community-wide baseline emissions based on five sectors:
residential, commercial/industrial, transportation, waste, and wastewater. The 2010 inventory further addresses baseline emissions associated with local government operations by seven sectors: buildings and facilities, public lighting, water delivery, vehicle fleet, employee commute, employee business travel, and government solid waste. The inventory indicates that the City’s GHG emissions increased by approximately twelve percent from 2005 to 2010. The two largest sources were transportation and residential uses. Transportation-related emissions fell by approximately fourteen percent during the period, while residential-related emissions rose by 266
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approximately twelve percent, but fell by approximately seven percent on a per household basis.

Municipal operations also experienced an approximate nineteen percent reduction during the period.

Strategic Energy Plan
The Strategic Energy Plan, completed in 2015, provides goals, programs, and projects, to assist the City with meeting its vision for reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

The primary purpose of the Plan is to help Oakley become a more energy-efficient economy and to move toward a more sustainable future. To meet these challenges, the City agreed to participate as a “Pilot City” in the East Bay Energy Watch (EBEW) Strategic Energy Planning Program. EBEW is the Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) Local Government Partnership in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, providing cities in both counties with energy efficiency program and technical assistance services, as well as incentives and rebates for implementing energy savings projects. The Plan outlines a comprehensive and actionable approach for the City to meet its “Energy Vision” and energy-use reduction goals while reflecting the City’s unique culture, values, and constraints.

Natural Resources
The City’s Planning Area supports a range of ecological and hydrological functions, supporting a diverse assemblage of plant and wildlife species throughout several habitat types. This section identifies the potential biological values and potential for groundwater recharge associated with the Planning Area. The potential for a particular habitat to support special-status species depends on numerous factors including microhabitat, human disturbance levels, and current site conditions. Figure 6-1: General Biological Sensitivity provides a generalized map of biological sensitivity within the Oakley Planning Area. The exhibit is not based upon detailed site-specific investigations and is intended to guide the City in determining the need for detailed biological analysis as development projects are proposed.

Oakley also includes a number of areas that directly facilitate or indirectly accommodate groundwater recharge. Groundwater recharge can occur from infiltration of precipitation and applied water (e.g., irrigation), surface water infiltration, subsurface inflows from outside the groundwater subbasin, and unintentional recharge (e.g., leaky pipes). The soils in Oakley generally have poor groundwater recharge potential, with most recharge anticipated in areas with dune sand that have moderately poor potential and limited areas of moderately good potential in the area of Marsh Creek (Groundwater Sustainability Plan East Contra Costa Subbasin, Draft Section 3, updated April 2021, p. 3-22 and Figure 3-8).

Vegetation and Wildlife
Vegetation within the plan area includes agricultural and ruderal fields, perennial and seasonal marsh, orchard, drainage/canal, and landscaped (developed) vegetation communities as shown on Figure 6-2: Vegetation Types. Elevations within the Planning Area range from sea level to approximately 120 feet above mean sea level (MSL). Common plant and wildlife species occurring, or expected to occur, within the vegetation types present in the Planning Area are listed below.

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Cypress Corridor Expansion Area
Cypress Corridor Special Planning Area
Downtown Specific Plan
East Cypress Corridor Specific Plan
Northwest Oakley Special Planning Area
River Oaks Crossing Specific Plan
South Oakley Special Planning Area
Sources: City of Oakley; Contra Costa County; USGS National Map. Map date: December 8, 2020.

Taylor Slough
Dutch Slough
Big Br e a k
San J o a qu in Ri v e r
Delta Cove
Contra Costa Canal
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Figure 6-1:
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L E G E N D
Oakley City Limit Sphere of Influence Planning Area Urban Limit Line Sources: City of Oakley; Contra Costa County; USGS
National Map; FRAP FVEG_15*.

Map date: December 8, 2020. Revised: December 7,
2021.
*Based on the most recent FVEG-15 data, revised to
reflect local knowledge. Review site-specific conditions prior to making decisions based on the information
provided herein.

Taylor Slough
Dutch Slough
Big Br e a k
San J o a qu in Ri v e r
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Contra Costa Canal
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Figure 6-2:
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Downtown Specific Plan
East Cypress Corridor Specific Plan
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River Oaks Crossing Specific Plan
South Oakley Special Planning Area
Vegetation Types
Urban
Barren
Annual Grassland
Coastal Scrub
Eucalyptus
Orchard
Cropland
Dryland Crops
Irrigated Crops
Fresh Wetland
Saline Wetland
Riverine
Other Water
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Agricultural and Ruderal Field
The western and southern portions of the plan area support several agricultural and ruderal fields.

A majority of the agricultural fields appear to be routinely plowed or disked, supporting cultivated crops. Agricultural areas allow for the rainwater infiltration that contributes to groundwater recharge. Weedy invasive vegetation typically associated with ruderal (fallow) fields was also found in this habitat throughout the plan area. Plant species observed or expected to occur in this community include wild oats (Avena sp.), yellow star thistle (Centaurea solstitialis), russian thistle (Salsola tragus), filaree (Erodium botrys), and bristly ox-tongue (Picris echioides).

Agricultural and ruderal fields provide foraging habitat and shelter opportunities for a wide variety of common wildlife species. Species expected to utilize these habitats within the Plan Area include red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), black-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus), mourning dove (Zenaida macroura), European starling (Sturnus vulgaris), western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta), house finch (Carpodacus mexicanus), house sparrow (Passer domesticus), white-crowned sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys), coyote (Canis latrans) and fox (Vulpes sp.).

Irrigated Pasture
The majority of the northeastern portion of the Plan Area consists of irrigated pasture. Irrigated pastures allow for irrigation and rainwater infiltration that contributes to groundwater recharge.

Weedy species tolerant of year-round wet conditions are associated with this habitat. The frequent irrigation of these areas has resulted in the establishment of areas of seasonal and perennial wetland conditions in several of the pastures. Common wetland vegetation observed in these areas, includes species such as cattail (Typha latifolia), bulrushes (Scirpus spp.), sedge (Carex spp.), and spikerush (Eleocharis spp.).

Irrigated fields support foraging habitat for numerous avian and small mammal species and the wetland areas interspersed throughout these habitats likely support a wide variety of wildlife.

Species observed or expected to occur within these habitats in the Plan Area include red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), red-tailed hawk, pacific chorus frog (Pseudacris regilla), bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana), great egret (Ardea alba), and great blue heron (Ardea herodias).

Marsh
Deltaic marsh, associated with the San Joaquin River, is found along the northwestern border of the Plan Area, with one area of isolated marsh occurring in close proximity to the extreme northwestern border of the plan area. This area is bounded by an existing marina to the north.

These habitats support a wide diversity of common wetland plant species and potential habitat for a number of listed and special-status plants. Plant species observed in marsh habitat in the planning area include cattails, California bulrush (Scirpus californicus), giant reed (Arundo donax), coyote brush (Baccharis pilularis), arroyo willow (Salix lasiolepis), cottonwood (Populus fremontii), reed grass (Calamagrostis sp.), and goldenbush (Isocoma sp.). Additionally, plant species such as pacific blackberry (Rubus ursinus), rabbit’s foot grass (Polypogon monspeliensis), dallis grass (Paspalum dilatatum), white sweetclover (Melilotus alba), and saltgrass (Distichlis spicata) were also identified here.
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Marsh habitats support a wide range of common and special-status wildlife species. Species diversity in these habitats, particularly in deltaic marsh habitat, is high. Species likely to utilize these habitats include song sparrow (Melospiza melodia), red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), marsh wren (Cistothorus palustris), common yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas), yellow warbler (Dendroica petechia), pacific chorus frog, great blue heron, bullfrog, and numerous waterfowl species. Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), American coot (Fulica americana), northern harrier (Circus cyaneus), and great egret were observed in these habitats in the planning area during field reconnaissance. The San Joaquin Delta is an important component of the Pacific Flyway, a major waterfowl migration route in North America.

Orchard
Several areas within the City are currently utilized for orchard production. Because the orchard habitat onsite is regularly maintained, it is relatively devoid of other vegetation. Orchards are considered low value habitat for wildlife species. Burrowing mammals and foraging avian species including California ground squirrel, black-tailed jackrabbit, American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos), red-tailed hawk, and coyote (Canis latrans) likely utilize this habitat within the Plan Area.

Waterways, Drainages, and Canals
Waterways through Oakley include the Contra Costa Canal, Marsh Creek, Dutch Slough, and East Antioch Creek as shown on Figure 6-3. The Contra Costa Canal runs east to west almost through the middle of the City. Marsh Creek runs south to north on the east side of the City and empties into the Delta. The Dutch Slough borders the northeast City boundary and the north and east boundary of the easternmost Sphere of Influence area with two fingers reaching south towards the Contra Costa Canal within Oakley. East Antioch Creek borders the southwest City boundary and empties into the Delta.

A number of drainage basins also detain stormwater and runoff for the purposes of flood control.

A number of these basins occur in new residential subdivisions on the eastern side of the City, with Holly Creek Park, on the west side of the City serving as both a stormwater detention basin and a recreation area.

Open water drainages and canals flow through the northern and southern portions of the plan area. These water features are predominantly devoid of vegetation, however, the associated banks support hydrophytic vegetation, with the exception of a portion of the Contra Costa Canal beginning at Pumping Plant No. 1 near the BNSF Railroad and extending westward through the City, which is a concrete-lined feature devoid of vegetation. Both vegetated and concrete lined channels serve as stormwater drainage, and channels with natural, permeable bottoms and banks also provide opportunities for groundwater recharge. Predominant species associated with these habitats include cattails, bulrush, smartweed (Polygonum spp.), and curly dock. Some riparian vegetation is associated with Dutch Slough, which is located in the northeastern portion of the plan area. The woodland canopy, comprised of scattered oaks (Quercus sp.), some willows (Salix spp.), and cottonwoods (Populus fremontii) is relatively sparse and the understory consists predominantly of hydrophytic plant species.

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Water Bodies
Sources:Contra Costa County; USGS National Map; ArcGIS Online World Imagery Map Service. Map date: December 8, 2020 Taylor Slough
Dutch Slough
Bi g Br eak
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Numerous resident and migratory wildlife species utilize open water canal habitats for foraging and shelter opportunities. Species expected to occur within these habitats in the Plan Area include aquatic species such as pacific chorus frog and bullfrog in addition to avian species such as great egret, great blue heron, and mallard. Additionally, raptors and numerous other resident and migratory birds utilize riparian vegetation and isolated oaks for nesting and roosting opportunities.

Landscaped/Developed
The developed regions of the Plan Area are planted with common landscape plant species such as oleander (Nerium oleander), Italian cypress (Cupressus sempervirens), and sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua). The landscaped/developed areas constitute marginal habitat for common resident and migratory wildlife species. Species found in, or expected to occupy these areas include American crow, rock dove (Columba livia), mourning dove, California ground squirrel, and Brewer’s blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus). Landscaped areas and developed areas, particularly very-low density residential areas, allow for the rainwater infiltration that contributes to groundwater recharge.

Special Status Species
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service species list for the City’s representative USGS quadrangle, there are numerous special status plant and animal species known or expected to occur in the Plan Area. Those plant and animal species most likely to occur in the Plan Area are listed below.

Special Status Plants
Special-status plant species including Delta mudwort, Mason’s lilaeopsis, rose mallow, and Suisun marsh aster have the highest potential to occur within the plan area. In general, habitat for these species includes the marsh habitat along the northern border of plan area. Other species that have a low or unlikely potential to occur in the Plan Area include big tarplant, Diablo helianthella, heartscale, showy madia, and soft bird’s beak. Habitats supporting conditions suitable for these plant species should be considered sensitive.

Special‐Status Wildlife
Invertebrates. One invertebrate species, curved-foot hygrotus diving beetle has the highest potential to occur within the Plan Area. Habitat for this species in the area includes the sloughs.

One record is listed in the CNDDB from the plan area. Other species that have a low potential to occur in the Plan Area include vernal pool fairy shrimp, vernal pool tadpole shrimp, and longhorn fairy shrimp. These species could occur in the potential seasonal wetlands in the Plan Area.

Amphibians and Reptiles. California red-legged frog, San Joaquin coachwhip, Giant garter snake, California horned lizard, silvery legless lizard, and Northwestern pond turtle have the highest potential to occur in the Plan Area. Generally, these species occur in aquatic habitats (the marshes and sloughs in the plan area), with the exception of the horned and legless lizards, which may occur in association with sandy soils in the Plan Area. Other species that have a low potential to occur in the plan area include California tiger salamander, western spadefoot toad, and Alameda whipsnake.
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Fish. A number of anadromous fishes and other aquatic species have a high potential to occur within the Plan Area. Habitat for these species in the area include the sloughs connected to the Delta waterways. Projects having the potential to affect the water quality of these water features could affect this species.

Mammals. Special-status mammal species include San Joaquin kit fox, San Joaquin pocket mouse, and several species of bats have the highest potential to occur in the Plan Area. Generally, the pocket mouse and kit fox could occur in the open upland habitats in the Plan Area, with the exception of bats, which are likely to frequent the upland areas closer to water. Other species that have a low potential to occur in the Plan Area include San Joaquin Valley woodrat, salt marsh harvest mouse, and Suisun ornate shrew.

Birds. Special-status avian species including California black rail, Suisun song sparrow, tricolored blackbird, species of herons, ibis, and egrets, mountain plover, Greater sandhill crane, Swainson’s hawk, western burrowing owl, and other raptors including ferruginous hawk and Cooper’s hawk have the highest potential to occur in the Plan Area. These species could potentially occur in undeveloped portions of the Plan Area. The nests of raptors as well as the nests of migratory bird species are protected under the MBTA. Active raptor nests are also afforded additional protection in the CFG Code 3503.5.

Sensitive Habitats
Sensitive habitats include those that are of special concern to resource agencies or those that are protected under CEQA, Section 1600 of the California Fish and Game Code, or Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.

Irrigated Pasture
As discussed, irrigated pasture occurs in the northeastern portion of the Plan Area. Because these fields appear to support extensive areas of seasonal wetland vegetation, several areas within these fields may be considered wetlands. As such, these areas would be protected as wetlands as well as potential habitat for special-status species. A formal wetland delineation would be needed to determine the actual extent of wetlands.

Marsh/Sloughs
Marsh habitats are found in association with Delta frontage property along the northern edge of the Plan Area. Because of the diversity of native plant and wildlife species as well as the high potential for special-status species occurrences, these areas are considered sensitive habitats. In addition, the sloughs and canals within the Plan Area likely support special-status species, accommodate flood water and groundwater recharge, and also may function as wildlife corridors, which are important for the movement of migratory wildlife populations. Corridors provide foraging opportunities and shelter during migration. The California Fish and Game Code Section 1600 protects riparian vegetation associated with rivers and drainage ways. The riparian vegetation associated with Dutch Slough is likely considered a sensitive habitat.

These water features have not been delineated and additional jurisdictional wetlands or Waters of the U.S. may occur within the Plan Area. Consequently, a wetland delineation must be 277
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conducted and verified by the Corps prior to the development of any project proposed within the Plan Area.

Delta Plan
The Delta Stewardship Council was created to advance the state’s coequal goals for the Delta - providing a more reliable water supply for California and protecting, restoring, and enhancing the Delta ecosystem, both achieved in a manner that protects and enhances the unique characteristics of the Delta as an evolving place. The Delta Plan, adopted in 2013 and last amended in 2019, is the long-term sustainable management plan for the Delta to ensure coordinated action at the federal, state, and local levels. The Delta Plan contains a set of regulatory policies with which State and local agencies are required to comply with as well as non-binding recommendations. The Delta Reform Act specifically established a certification process for compliance with the Delta Plan.

This means that State and local agencies that propose to carry out, approve, or fund a qualifying action in whole or in part in the Delta, called a “covered action,” must certify that this action is consistent with the Delta Plan and must file a certificate of consistency with the Council that includes detailed findings. Areas Subject to the Delta Plan are included within the Delta’s Primary and Secondary zones. Figure RC-2 shown lands within the Manteca Planning Area that are subject to the Delta Plan.

Cultural Resources
There have been few archeological or paleontological finds in the City of Oakley. However, given the rich history of the Plan Area and region, the City will continue to require site evaluation prior to development of undeveloped areas, as well as required procedures if artifacts are unearthed during construction as discussed in the Goals, Policies, and Programs section.

History and Settlement of Oakley
The first settlers in the west delta were the Bay Miwoks, who occupied the region between 1100 and 1770 A.D. The Bay Miwok people, usually called the Julpunes or Pulpunes by European explorers, were organized into “tribelets”—political units that included several fairly permanent villages and a set of seasonal campsites arrayed across a well-defined territory.

Spanish incursions into the Oakley area began in the 1770s. The first to enter what are now the City limits was the De Anza expedition of 1775-76. However, after a failed attempt to find a route through the tule swamps to the Sierra, the De Anza expedition returned to Monterey. Subsequent expeditions by the Spanish did not result in colonization. Europeans settled in the Delta in the 1800s, but were killed by malaria and smallpox.

American settler John Marsh successfully farmed the land in the 1830s, bringing other American immigrants to the region. By 1862, the population of the Oakley region was large enough to support a school. A store on the Dutch Slough brought vessels into the canal for commerce. In the 1860s, farmers created swampland districts through reclamation of delta lands for new farming opportunities. Construction of the railroad along the City’s southern boundary in 1879 introduced a shipping alternative for farmers.
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The town of Oakley was founded in 1897, when the transcontinental railroad arrived and agriculture shifted from grains to orchard crops. Growth was slow in the early 1900s, with expanding agricultural industry and local services. Civic institutions and activities expanded after WWI, followed by the depression. Floods and levee breaks altered the land area, resulting in the expansion of agriculture and tourism for recreation in the 1930s. Opportunities and inexpensive land brought about a population boom in the 1970s. New rooftops attracted industrial and commercial uses to the community. The population quadrupled in the 1980s to 16,000 persons.

Discontent with the way the county government was handling growth in Oakley led to the founding of an official advisory council in 1983 and eventual incorporation in 1999.

The Portuguese in the area began observing the Holy Ghost Festival (which involves a parade, a feast and a religious service) in 1926 and built the Flor Do Oakley Hall in 1928. Oakley pioneers John Augusto and Joseph Augusta were both instrumental in the promotion of this annual event.

John Augusto moved to Oakley in 1900 and purchased the first business lot in town. His blacksmith shop quickly became a favorite gathering place for early settlers. Unfortunately, the shop was lost in the Oakley Fire of 1924, which also burnt most of downtown, including the Oakley Hotel. Joseph Augusta, John's brother, moved to Oakley in 1913 and was a lumberyard manager.

He is credited with fighting the County for much needed improvements in Oakley, like curbs and gutters, and he also was instrumental in the formation of the Oakley Sanitary District.

Prehistoric Resources
Archeologists have found few prehistoric sites in the Oakley area. One substantial shell mound was discovered early in the twentieth century near what is now the east edge of town. The Northwest Information Center of the California Historical Resources Information System keeps track of archeological investigations undertaken in Oakley. Around three-dozen such projects have been completed in the past 25 years, yielding only four prehistoric sites in the City. However, the information center believes there is a high possibility that other prehistoric sites remain within the City.

Historic Resources
While some historic structures and land uses date back to the late 1800s, most of the City’s historic resources date from the period of Oakley’s growth and development, roughly from 1901 to 1955.

While there are no officially designated historic structures in Oakley, there are numerous buildings, primarily in the old town area, eligible for such designation or listing. The City intends to evaluate such resources and establish preservation policies and practices for qualified historic resources.

By far the largest number of historic resources date from the period of Oakley’s growth and development, roughly from 1901 to 1955. The largest concentration of potential historic resources from this period is in “old town.” This area contains commercial, institutional, and residential buildings. It extends across the original town plat and O’Hara’s 1909 addition, from Main Street to south of Home Street between Norcross Lane and Fifth Street. The area today contains more than 200 buildings, most of which were constructed before 1955. Old town, however, covers only about two percent of the land area in the City. Its buildings do not reflect the history of the surrounding area, which was primarily agricultural until after World War II. There are approximately 100 farm buildings within the City limits. Additionally, there are as many as 200 279
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more buildings, constructed between 1945 and 1955, remaining in the City, most of which are residential structures concentrated in the Sand Hill area.

In 1999, the federal government designated the route of the De Anza expedition as a National Historic Trail. The California Department of Transportation has begun a program to place signs along the autoroute of the trail, which is State Highway 4 through the City of Oakley. Nothing of the actual trail continues to exist in the City.

Downtown Oakley
Thirty-three buildings along Main Street show the commercial development of Oakley. Five of the buildings in the center of the zone are architecturally significant. All five buildings were constructed or remodeled from 1925 to the early 1930s and have not been substantially altered since. Large display windows and lack of setback signal a time when most customers were pedestrians. The most prominent building in the group is the Oakley Hotel, which has four storefronts facing Main Street. The hotel is the most carefully designed structure on the street and the only one with two stories. Across Main Street is a trio of adjacent masonry structures with false fronts that typify small-scale commercial construction across California during the period.

The west part of the old commercial district is less cohesive and more oriented toward automobile traffic. Several of the buildings there are nevertheless more than 50 years old. Most notable is a collection of seven small dwellings opposite O’Hara Street that once formed an auto court. Four units, designed in the Tudor Revival Style, date from around 1930, while the former manager’s building, originally a house, appears to have been constructed around 1910. The rest of the court appears to have been put up after World War II.

Missing from old town are many of the buildings that defined Oakley as a shipping point on the Sante Front elevation Railroad. The depot, which once was located beyond the end of Fourth Street, has disappeared, as have the Miller Cumming packinghouse and the Sesnon warehouse.

Two other packing house buildings, constructed around 1915, remain north of the tracks from Sixth Street to Rose Avenue, although they have been somewhat altered. The old almond growers’ warehouse on Fifth Street has been more substantially changed. The lumber shed across the street also remains.

South of Main are three buildings that represent institutions important in the early development of Oakley. The Crossroads Community Church at 132 O’Hara Avenue, which was constructed for a Methodist congregation in 1908. With its 30-foot tower, the church is one of the town’s most striking buildings. A block to the south at 210 O’Hara is the old Oakley Grammar School (later the county building). Although not highly ornamented, its wide facade, arched openings, and engaged Corinthian columns make the structure one of the City’s most impressive public buildings. The oldest is the Oakley Women’s Club building, located a block to the east at 204 Second Street. Constructed around 1905 as a church but looking more like a Craftsman bungalow, the building served as a clubhouse from 1916 to 1999. Although the institutional buildings are within a block of each other, they do not form a cohesive district.

The residential section of old town lies south of Acme Street. The houses vary considerably in age, with a few constructed before 1910 and a few after 1960. In the area east of O’Hara Avenue the houses are usually quite small, often containing (at least by outward appearances) only two 280
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bedrooms and one bath. Most homes in this area defy architectural classification. However, in the 1920s, many California Bungalow style homes were constructed in Oakley. Few residential units were constructed during the 15 years (1930-45) that marked the Great Depression and World War II. After that time, residential design had a horizontal emphasis with very little ornamentation.

The oldest buildings in the area, dating from 1905 to 1910, furnish clear links to the earliest days of Oakley. Among the most impressive is the two-story house, the former Walker House at 514 O’Hara, which has a classical portico with a pediment gable and four columns. More impressive because of their detailing and corner locations are two other residences developed around 1910.

Both border Second Street—one at the southwest corner of Ruby, the other at the northwest corner of Star. Their bay windows and half-width front porches are particularly noteworthy.

Outlying Areas
By the early 1930s the number of farm structures within the present City limits might well have reached 500. Due to the small-scale nature of most of local agriculture in the twentieth century, the buildings were generally small and simple. Few farmsteads, containing a house, auxiliary buildings, and surrounding open land, remain today. Exceptions are the Emerson and former Burroughs dairies in the northeast corner of the City. Individual farm buildings, not always houses, are more common. Several trends have diminished the number of farm structures: the abandonment of ranching, the replacement of old houses with newer ones, and the conversion of land from farming to residential tracts.

Other reminders remain of the era between the world wars. Those associated with the Contra Costa Canal (canal and pumping plants) are especially important. The opening of the state highway led to residential construction on the outskirts of town along the road. Then, after WWII, the subdivision of land for residential development was popular throughout the region. By far the largest concentration of new construction occurred at “Sand Hill,” about a mile south of old town on State Route 4 at or near the site of a depression-era migrant labor camp. Building took place along six intersecting streets, each of which came to a dead end. By 1954 over 130 houses and a few other structures had gone up. Most of the buildings remain today.

Historic Preservation Issues
Oakley’s historic resources are generally in need of official recognition. Additionally, different groups of potentially significant old buildings raise different preservation issues. The downtown commercial strip suffers from the underutilization of some buildings and the scarcely interrupted flow of traffic along Main Street. Some of the houses in the nearby residential area need maintenance, while others are losing architectural details as they undergo renovation. Original windows, in particular, are vulnerable to inappropriate replacements. Insensitive rehabilitation may also become more prevalent in Sand Hill if the effects of economic good times begin the make an appearance there. Consideration of old ranch buildings, of critical importance because of Oakley’s agricultural heritage, forms part of a larger question of continued suburban development.
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Open Spaces Resources
Open space is an important community amenity. Oakley’s open space resources include public and private open space and recreation facilities, lands, waterways, habitat areas, and agricultural lands. In addition to providing opportunities for recreation and leisure, open space and parkland enhance aesthetics and community character.

Designated Open Space
Open space lands in the City of Oakley are included in several General Plan land use designations as listed below. For more detailed information regarding these land use designations, refer to the Land Use Element and corresponding land use map.
 Agriculture. This land use designation is primarily intended for agricultural uses, but allows limited residential uses.
 Agriculture Limited. This designation includes agriculture and low-density (rural) residential land use.
 Delta Recreation. This land use designation encompasses the lowlands of the San Joaquin Delta at the City’s northwestern edge, most of which is located within the 100-year flood plain.
 Parks and Recreation. This designation includes publicly owned city, county, and regional parks facilities, as well as publicly or privately owned golf courses.  Waterways. Waterways through Oakley include the Contra Costa Canal, Marsh Creek, and the Dutch Slough.

San Joaquin Delta
The predominant physical feature in Oakley is the San Joaquin Delta. This waterway serves as an open space area, sensitive plant and wildlife habitat, and recreational opportunity for the City.

Dutch Slough
The Dutch Slough area is a contiguous block of land that includes agricultural lands, ruderal lands and Delta frontage, providing riparian habitat, foraging and shelter opportunities for several resident and migratory wildlife species. For purposes of this General Plan, the term Dutch Slough refers not only to the Slough, but also the surrounding lands that are situated north of the Contra Costa Canal.

Private property owners have made an application to CALFED to establish a substantial wetland restoration area within the Dutch Slough area. Based upon this application and presentations by the property owner’s representative, the City has removed the urban land use designations from lands located north of the Contra Costa Canal within the Dutch Slough area. This land has been designated as Delta Recreation by the City, a designation that will ensure the preservation of open space within the area, while providing the opportunity for enhancement of biological resources and development of passive recreational activities.
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Open Space and Conservation Plan Implementation Efforts In order to preserve and enhance the City’s open space resources, the City will continue to implement existing tree preservation ordinances, implement the Parks and Recreation Master Plan, expand recreation, trails, and access to the Delta, and establish restoration programs for areas such as Dutch Slough. The City will also support the joint-venture use of open space areas to reduce City maintenance costs, and participate/cooperate with other jurisdictions in the region to enhance regional open space resources.

Scenic Resources
Scenic resources in Oakley include predominant natural landscape features such as the Delta, Dutch Slough, Marsh Creek, agricultural and other open space lands, as well as the views of Mount Diablo to the west. The City wants to protect and preserve these valuable scenic resources.

Individual Scenic Resource Topic Areas
The City’s predominantly flat landscape is rich in scenic resources. Oakley’s scenic resources include the waterways of the Delta, Dutch Slough, Marsh Creek, and Contra Costa Canal, habitat areas, and open space land. Other scenic resources include the view of Mount Diablo west of the City.

Views of the Delta are only visible from the waterfront marinas and a public space located in a residential zone. Mt. Diablo can be seen from almost anywhere in the City, but mostly from those streets running east and west. The rural small town character is evident throughout the City, both in the historic downtown area along Main St. and in the agricultural areas to the south. For scenic areas that are planned for some amount of development, the application review process shall consider the feasibility of preserving or protecting the scenic qualities of the site.

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Goals, Policies, and Programs
The following are the Goals, Policies, and Implementation Programs for each of the natural resource topic areas addressed within the General Plan. Additional supporting information for these topics is provided in the setting section of this element. The goals, which are overall statements of the community’s desires, are comprised of broad statements of purpose and direction. The policies serve as guides for working with local and regional agencies protecting and maintaining the City’s resources. Programs identify specific actions to achieve particular goals and policies.

GOAL 6.1 AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES
Allow agriculture to continue as a viable use of land that reflects the community’s origins and minimizes conflicts between agricultural and urban uses.

Policies

6.1.1. Participate in regional programs that promote the long-term preservation of agricultural lands and on-going viability of agricultural operations within the City and region.

6.1.2. Support the continuation of agricultural uses on lands designated for urban use, until urban development is imminent.

6.1.3. Provide an orderly and phased development pattern, encouraging the development of vacant lands within City boundaries prior to conversion of agricultural lands, so that farmland is not subjected to premature development pressure.

6.1.4. Support and encourage the preservation of designated Agriculture lands, without placing an undue burden on agricultural landowners.

6.1.5. Encourage agricultural landowners in the Planning Area to participate in Williamson Act contracts and other programs that provide long-term protection of agricultural lands.

6.1.6. Reduce the negative impacts resulting from urban uses and neighboring agricultural uses in close proximity.

6.1.7. Encourage the promotion and marketing of locally grown agricultural products and smallscale food production, including community gardens.

6.1.8. Encourage and support the development of new agricultural-related industries featuring alternative energy, utilization of agricultural waste, biofuels, and solar or wind farms.

6.1.9. Incorporate parks, open space, and trails between urban and agricultural uses to provide buffer and transition between uses.

Programs

6.1.A. Continue to identify and map those properties that include prime productive agricultural soils (Class I and II capability according to the U.S. Soil Conservation Service) for use in the review of development applications.
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6.1.B. Continue to implement and update as necessary a Right to Farm Ordinance, which protects ranchers and farmers within an historically agricultural district from nuisance complaints and unreasonable restrictions and regulations on farm structures or farming practices.

6.1.C. Encourage consolidated development; with appropriate land use buffers of parks, open space and trails, for proposed major subdivisions adjacent to prime agricultural lands

6.1.D. Require adequate setbacks for any non-agricultural structures adjacent to cultivated agriculture.

6.1.E. Encourage agricultural landowners to work closely with the U.S. Soil Conservation Service and local Resource Conservation Districts to reduce soil erosion and to encourage soil restoration.

6.1.F. Develop a program to support for agricultural tourism, u-pick orchards and farms, and other agricultural activities that serve as a regional draw to Manteca and enhance its agricultural heritage.

GOAL 6.2 ENERGY, AIR QUALITY, AND GREENHOUSE GAS

EMISSIONS
Maintain or improve air quality and climate resiliency through sustainable energy, transportation, land use, and local government planning and actions that reduce energy usage, air pollutants, and greenhouse gas emissions.

Policies

6.2.1. Support the principles of reducing air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions through comprehensive and sustainable land use, transportation, and energy planning and addressing opportunities to decrease emissions associated with local government operations.

6.2.2. Coordinate with the BAAQMD, the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG), and the California Air Resources Board (State Air Board), and other agencies to develop and implement regional and county plans, programs, and mitigation measures that address cross-jurisdictional and regional air quality impacts, including land use, transportation, and climate change impacts, and incorporate the relevant provisions of those plans into City planning and project review procedures. Also cooperate with BAAQMD, ABAG, and State Air Resources Board in:
a) Enforcing the provisions of the California and Federal Clean Air Acts, state and regional policies, and established standards for air quality.
b) Identifying baseline air pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions, including within the City and Sphere of Influence and in the vicinity of intensive industrial and energyproducing uses, to the extent data is available. c) Encouraging Requiring energy-efficiency measures in City operations and facilities and use of low-carbon or clean fuels for City vehicle fleets, when feasible. 285
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c)d)Locating an air quality monitoring station in Oakley.

6.2.3. Interpret and implement the General Plan to be consistent with the regional Bay Area Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP), as periodically updated.

6.2.4. Implement the Strategic Energy Plan to reduce GHG emissions, including identifying ways to reduce energy use for existing City facilities, improving energy performance for new construction and major renovations, developing fiscal and economic criteria for implementation of energy reduction plans, reducing greenhouse gas emissions through adopting a Climate Action Plan, and engaging the community to increase awareness and reduce energy use.

6.2.5. Promote a sustainable economy that encourages businesses to operate in an environmentally sound and community-friendly manner and that attracts and retains business sectors that support clean and sustainable technologies, including fuels, vehicles, equipment, goods, and services.

6.2.6. Encourage transportation modes that minimize contaminant and greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicle use.

6.2.7. Ensure location and design of development, infrastructure, and long-range planning projects to support State and local air quality and climate goals so as to conserve air quality and minimize direct and indirect emissions of air contaminants and greenhouse gases.

6.2.8. Encourage and support for infill, mixed use, and higher density development, where appropriate, in order to reduce GHG emissions associated with vehicle travel.

6.2.9. Participate, when appropriate, in local and regional efforts to identify cost-effective programs and approaches that may assist the Oakley community in reducing and offsetting greenhouse gas emissions through energy-efficiency, alternative fuels, carbon sequestration, and other mitigation approaches. Such programs may include East Bay Energy Watch Strategic Energy Planning, Bay Area Regional Energy Network (BayREN) and Energy Upgrade California.

6.2.10. Encourage air quality improvement through educational outreach programs, such as Spare the Air Day.

Programs

6.2.A. Minimize impacts of new development by reviewing development proposals for potential air quality impacts, including toxic and hazardous emissions, and climate change impacts pursuant to CEQA and the BAAQMD California Environmental Quality Act Air Quality Guidelines. Apply land use and transportation planning techniques and require adequate, appropriate, and cost-effective mitigation measures to reduce significant and potentially significant air quality, climate change, and greenhouse gas impacts. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:
a) Identifying sources of toxic air emissions and ensuring adequate and appropriate buffering (e.g., setbacks, landscaping, non-sensitive uses) between sensitive air pollution receptors and significant sources of air pollution, including toxic air contaminants; 286
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a)b) Requiring projects that exceed BAAQMD, State, or Federal emissions standards for pollutants or toxic air contaminants to reduce emissions to meet the standard(s); b)c)Includeorporation of public transit stops, where appropriate; c)d)Pedestrian and bicycle linkage to commercial centers, employment centers, schools, and parks;
d)e) Preferential parking for carpools and van pools;
e)f) Traffic flow improvements;
f)g) Require eEmployer trip reduction programs for development projects with 50 or more employees;
g)h) Use of site design, building orientation, and landscaping to provide solar access, passive cooling, and protection from wind and rain;
h)i) Use of energy-efficient, and water-conserving, and renewable energy systems in excess of Title 24 requirements;
i)j) Use of alternative or clean energy sources; and
j)k) Use of best available and economically feasible control technology for stationary sources.

6.2.B. Adopt and implement a Climate Action Plan by 2025 that complies with State greenhouse gas reduction targets.

6.2.C. Update the Oakley Community-Wide and Local Government Operations GHG Emissions Inventory by 2025 and regularly thereafter to ensure the City is reducing emissions consistent with State greenhouse gas reduction targets.

6.2.D. Consider opportunities to enhance existing water efficiency and conservation measures, as feasible, and continue to support programs that encourage recycled water use and water efficiency in order to reduce energy and GHGs associated with water use.

6.2.E. Provide education and outreach highlighting the benefits of energy conservation to the community and encourage residents and businesses to utilize available PG&E, BAAQMD, and other programs to retrofit structures and upgrade appliances and equipment to reduce emissions.

6.2.F. Explore methods to increase alternative energy production and consider establishing Citywide measurable goals for alternative energy.

6.2.G. Where appropriate, remove regulatory or procedural barriers to producing renewable energy in the City of Oakley Municipal Code.

6.2.H. Consider opportunities to reduce urban heat islands through vegetation management and cool/higher-albedo surfaces.

6.2.I. Control dust and particulate matter by implementing the BAAQMD’s fugitive dust control measures, including:
a) Restricting outdoor storage of fine particulate matter; 287
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b) Requiring liners for truck beds and covering of loads; c) Controlling construction activities and emissions from unpaved areas; and d) Paving areas used for vehicle maneuvering.

GOAL 6.3 BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES
Encourage preservation of important ecological and biological resources.

Policies

6.3.1. Encourage biodiversity through preservation of important ecological resources and biological communities as open space and natural areas.

6.3.2. Develop open space uses in an ecologically sensitive manner, incorporating opportunities for carbon sequestration and use of native plants.

6.3.3. Use land use planning to reduce the impact of urban development on important ecological and biological resources identified during application review and analysis.

6.3.4. Encourage preservation and enhancement of the natural characteristics of the San Joaquin Delta and Dutch Slough in a manner that encourages public access.

6.3.5. Encourage preservation and enhancement of Delta wetlands, significant trees, native vegetation, and wildlife populations, including special-status species.

6.3.6. Encourage preservation of contiguous portions of important wildlife habitats that would be disturbed by major development, particularly adjacent to the Delta.

6.3.7. Preserve and expand natural features, such as stream corridors, wetlands, sensitive habitats, and open space, in Oakley, restoring natural features and native vegetation where feasible.

6.3.8. Continue to support and implement the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservation Plan (County Habitat Plan).

Programs

6.3.A. Continue to require projects to comply with the requirements of the County Habitat Plan when reviewing proposed public and private land use changes.

6.3.B. Prior to development within identified sensitive habitat areas, the area shall be surveyed for special status plant and/or animal species. If any special status plant or animal species are found in areas proposed for development, the appropriate resource agencies shall be contacted and species-specific management strategies established to ensure the protection of the particular species. Development in sensitive habitat areas should be avoided or mitigated to the maximum extent possible.

6.3.C. Coordinate with State and Federal agencies during the development review process to help identify special-status species and sensitive habitats, including wetland and riparian habitat 288
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that has candidacy for restoration, conservation, and/or mitigation. Focus restoration and/or conservation efforts on areas that would maximize multiple beneficial uses for such habitat.

6.3.D. Participate with regional, state, and federal agencies and organizations to address regional habitat connectivity and to establish and preserve open space that provides habitat for locally present wildlife.

6.3.E. Investigate and implement as appropriate a tree-planting program. Consider similar existing programs such as the Sacramento Tree Foundation.

6.3.F. Continue to implement and update as needed the City’s Heritage Tree Preservation Ordinance.

6.3.G. As funding becomes available, prepare a detailed inventory of ecological resource areas, along with detailed maps showing the location of significant resources and areas planned for enhancement or preservation, including opportunities to preserve or create contiguous open space corridors. Resources should include, but not be limited to, unique natural areas, wetland areas, habitats of rare, threatened, endangered, and other uncommon and protected species.

6.3.H. Design and locate any public or private access to open space, wetland areas, and sensitive habitats to ensure that the access is compatible with long-term protection of these natural resources.

6.3.I. Continue to implement as appropriate City Zoning regulations requiring expanded setbacks, land dedications along waterways and open space areas and requiring native and droughtresistant landscaping and restricting invasive plant species to allow expansion and enhancement of waterways and open space areas.

GOAL 6.4 CULTURAL RESOURCES
Encourage preservation of cultural resources within the Plan Area.

Policy

6.4.1. Preserve areas that have identifiable and important archaeological or paleontological significance.

6.4.2. Review new development projects to conduct location-specific searches through the California Historical Resources Information System to determine whether project areas contain known archaeological resources, either prehistoric and/or historic-era, or have significant potential for such resources.

6.4.3. Ensure that human remains are treated with sensitivity and dignity, and ensure compliance with the provisions of California Health and Safety Code Section 7050.5 and California Public Resources Code Section 5097.98.

6.4.4. Consistent with State tribal consultation requirements, such as SB 18, consult with Native American tribes to identify any significant Native American tribal cultural resources that may be affected by new development and land use policy changes. 289
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Program

6.4.A. Assess development proposals for potential impacts to significant archaeological resources pursuant to Section 15064.5 of the CEQA Guidelines. Require a study conducted by a professional archaeologist for projects located near creeks or identified archaeological sites to determine if significant archaeological resources are potentially present and if the project will significantly impact the resources. If significant impacts are identified, either require the project to be modified to avoid the impacts, or require measures to mitigate the impacts.

Mitigation may involve archeological investigation or recovery.

6.4.B. Incorporate significant archaeological sites, where feasible, into open space areas.

6.4.C. Require all new development, infrastructure, and other ground-disturbing projects to comply with the following conditions in the event of an inadvertent discovery of cultural resources or human remains:

A) If construction or grading activities result in the discovery of significant historic or prehistoric archaeological artifacts or unique paleontological resources, all work within 100 feet of the discovery shall cease, the Community Development Director shall be notified, the resources shall be examined by a qualified archaeologist, paleontologist, or historian for appropriate protection and preservation measures; and work may only resume when appropriate protections are in place and have been approved by the Community Development Director; and
B) If human remains are discovered during any ground disturbing activity, work shall stop until the Community Development Director and the Contra Costa County Coroner have been contacted; if the human remains are determined to be of Native American origin, the Native American Heritage Commission and the most likely descendants have been consulted; and work may only resume when appropriate measures have been taken and approved by the Community Development Director.

6.4.D. Collaborate with interested community groups to support and promote community festivals and events.

GOAL 6.5 HISTORIC RESOURCES
Encourage preservation and enhancement of selected historic structures and features within the community.

Policies

6.5.1. Protect important historic resources and use these resources to promote a sense of place and history in Oakley.

6.5.2. Support and promote annual festivals, community events, and community art projects that celebrate Oakley’s heritage.

6.5.3. Promote the compatibility of new development located adjacent to existing structures of historic significance with the architecture and site development of the historic structure. 290
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6.5.4. Ensure that the integrity of historic structures and other structures that contribute to the City’s character are preserved to the extent feasible through the implementation of applicable design, building, and fire codes, including the State Historic Building Code, and use of flexibility in applying zoning regulations to historic sites and buildings.

6.5.5. Respect the character of the building and its setting during the remodeling and renovation of facades of historic buildings.

6.5.6. Recognize the value of Oakley’s historic resources as an economic development tool.

6.5.7. Work with property owners to preserve historic features within the community, encouraging owners of eligible historic properties to apply for State and Federal registration of these sites and to participate in tax incentive programs for historic restoration.

Programs

6.5.A. Identify funding mechanisms, including funding from the City to the extent possible, to support programs to preserve, restore, and enhance unique historic sites and buildings.

6.5.B. Assess development proposals for potential impacts to significant historic resources pursuant to Section 15064.5 of the CEQA Guidelines. For structures that potentially have historic significance, require a study conducted by a professional archaeologist or historian to determine the actual significance of the structure and potential impacts of the proposed development. Require modification of projects to avoid significant impacts or require mitigation measures. Protect historical buildings and sites to the extent possible, including modifications to Uniform Code requirements for historic structures.

6.5.C. Continue to support the East Contra Costa County Historical Society in their efforts to:
a) Archive historic information, including photographs, publications, oral histories and other materials, and
b) make the information available to the public for viewing and research.

6.5.D. Encourage the placement of monuments or plaques that recognize and celebrate historic sites, structures, and events.

GOAL 6.6 OPEN SPACE RESOURCES
Encourage preservation and enhancement of existing open space resources in and around Oakley and balance open space and urban areas to meet the social, environmental, and economic needs of the City now and for the future.

Policies

6.6.1. Conserve open space, including natural and sensitive habitats, waterways, shorelines, wetlands, sloughs, agricultural lands, scenic areas, and cultural, tribal, and historic resources, for long-term preservation, where appropriate and feasible, as well as for active and passive conservation activities, including agricultural and appropriate recreational 291
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uses. Conversion of open space to developed residential, commercial, industrial, or other similar types of uses, shall be strongly discouraged.

6.6.2. Encourage public access in multiple forms and improvements along the City’s waterways, particularly the San Joaquin Delta, Marsh Creek and Dutch Slough.

6.6.3. Establish buffers from adjoining land uses to protect the natural open space resources in the City.

6.6.4. Encourage preservation and enhancement of the watershed, natural waterways, and areas important for the maintenance of natural vegetation and wildlife populations.

6.6.5. Where feasible and desirable, major open space components shall be combined and linked to form a visual and physical system in the City.

6.6.6. Recognize urban open space as essential to maintaining a high quality of life within the City limits.

6.6.7. Encourage public and private efforts to preserve open space.

6.6.8. Require common or private open space that is not City property to be privately maintained.

6.6.9. Require development projects to maximize the potential for open space, visual experiences, and passive and active recreation.

Programs

6.6.A. Implement and update as necessary land use controls that prevent incompatible uses for parcels adjacent to existing open space resources.

6.6.B. Continue to develop a system of open space corridors to provide pedestrian and bicycle connections between schools, parks and other recreation areas, commercial uses, and employment centers.

6.6.C. Require all new development to provide linkages to existing and planned open space that would logically be connected through the project.

6.6.D. Implement a coordinated and cost-effective plan for City management and maintenance of publicly-owned open space within the City limits.

6.6.E. Pursue opportunities for additional open space land in the form of parkland dedication, and public open space easements, leaseholds, land donations/dedications, and gift annuities.

6.6.F. Participate with regional, state and federal entities and agencies to establish open space areas that include wildlife habitat and provide passive recreational opportunities.

GOAL 6.7 SCENIC RESOURCES
Seek to preserve the scenic qualities of the Delta Waterway, Marsh Creek, and views of Mount Diablo.
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Policies

6.7.1. Encourage preservation and enhancement of views of the Delta and Mount Diablo to the extent possible.

6.7.2. New development and redevelopment along the Delta, adjacent to Marsh Creek and throughout the City should take advantage of view opportunities and visual impacts to the waterway and Mount Diablo, respectively.

Programs

6.7.A. Develop guidelines, as funding becomes available, for development along scenic waterways to maintain the visual quality of these areas.

6.7.B. Review development applications for discretionary actions to determine aesthetic impacts and visual compatibility with surrounding property.

GOAL 6.8 DELTA PROTECTION
Protect the Sacramento‐San Joaquin Delta and Suisun March ecosystem.

Policies

6.8.1. Support the long-term viability of the natural Delta ecosystems and the continuation of Delta heritage through encouraging protection and restoration of the ecosystem and continuing to implement local conservation efforts that improve the Delta water supply and quality.

6.8.2. Support funding mechanisms that provide for the longer-term improvement and maintenance of Delta levees, and coordinate Delta emergency preparedness, response, and recovery with local agencies.

6.8.3. Promote protection of areas in the Delta for habitat restoration, including areas of riparian and aquatic habitat.

6.8.4. Encourage compatibility between agricultural practices and wildlife habitat.

6.8.5. Protect the water availability and quality of the Delta for beneficial uses and habitat protection.

6.8.6. Encourage and promote the expansion of floodplains and riparian habitats in waterfront, levee, and stormwater projects.

6.8.7. Recognize that climate change impacts may influence future guidance, and best available data, and continue to ensure that up-to-date information is consulted when reviewing projects for potential impacts to the Delta.
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Program

6.8.A. Review all projects affecting areas within the Delta, including the Delta Primary Zone and the Delta Secondary Zone, to ensure they are consistent with the criteria and policies set forth by the Delta Stewardship Council’s “Delta Plan”.

6.8.B. As applicable, provide opportunities for review of projects and comment by the Reclamation Districts, the Delta Stewardship Council, Delta Protection Commission, and SWRCB during project review.

6.8.C. Review all projects located within or adjacent to priority habitat restoration areas, and consult the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to ensure that any impacts do not have a significant effect on the opportunity to restore habitat as described in the Delta Plan.

6.8.D. Review and regulate new development to ensure consistency with Federal and State flood and floodway requirements, including Delta Plan policies as applicable. 294
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Introduction
Park facilities and the opportunity for varied forms of recreation are a key component to the quality of life within Oakley. This Parks and Recreation Element provides the policy level foundation for providing these important facilities and programs within the community. A subsequently adopted Parks and Recreation Master Plan provides detailed and specific standards for achieving the park and recreation vision established in this element.

As noted, parks and recreation is a fundamental component of creating a desirable community. Within Oakley, recreational opportunities range from traditional active recreation, such as organized softball and soccer, to strictly passive recreation of nature observation and bird watching. Between these two extremes falls a range of activities enjoyed by many residents, including play and picnics within parks, walking, bicycle and equestrian trails throughout the community, and boating and fishing activities upon the Delta.

The equitable provision of recreational opportunities at all levels is recognized as a key goal of the City of Oakley. Such programs will CHAPTER 7:

PARKS & RECREATION

CONTENTS
 Introduction
 Setting
 Goals, Policies,
and Programs
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be pursued through various strategies and supported by funding sources ranging from developer dedications, local, state and federal grants, and, to some extent, by revenues generated by the City and its residents.

Consistency with State and Federal Law
Minimum Requirements of the Parks and Recreation Element The Quimby Act under Government Code §66477 provides for the establishment of local ordinances requiring the dedication of parkland, fees in lieu of, or a combination of both to be used only for the purpose of acquiring land for park purposes. The Act provides for the conditioning of new development at the tentative map stage to dedicate unimproved parkland at the minimum standard of 3 acres per 1,000 residents to a maximum of 5 acres per 1,000 residents.

The parkland and/or in lieu fees are to be used for new or existing neighborhood or community parks or recreational facilities to serve the subdivision.

The General Plan proposes 6 acres per 1,000 residents of which 2 acres/1,000 is provided for neighborhood parks, 3 acres/1,000 is provided for community parks, and 1 acre/1,000 is provided for open space and special recreation areas.

State law requires cities and counties to prepare and carryout open-space plans that will, in conjunction with state and regional plans, accomplish “long-range preservation and conservation of open-space land within its jurisdiction.”
Specifically, the law provides for the preservation of open-space lands for a variety of uses, including outdoor recreation. The intent of the law is to protect the public interest in open-space land, and to recognize it as a limited and valuable resource that must be conserved wherever possible. The law further demands that local open-space plans contain specific action programs that the legislative body intends to implement.

Furthermore, the General Plan Guidelines require that assessments of open-space elements be addressed in the plan to include the following: areas of outstanding scenic beauty; historic and cultural resources; public and private parks; points of public access to lakes, rivers and streams; scenic highway corridors; recreational trails. Bicycle and pedestrian routes and facilities must also be assessed. The General Plan Guidelines also require the identification of objectives and policies to reduce the unique or compounded health risks in disadvantaged communities by lack of physical activity.

Relationship to other elements of the General Plan
The general plan is required to maintain consistency between individual elements. In the case of the park and Recreation Element, internal consistency must be maintained with the Land Use Element (designation of lands for park uses), the Circulation Element (consistency on nonvehicular circulation), the Open Space and Conservation Element (passive recreation in nature areas), and the Community Health and Safety Element (broader environmental justice topics). 297
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ADA Compliance
The Parks and Recreation Element addresses facilities that are typically subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Due to the public nature of park and recreation facilities, it is particularly critical that the City include accommodations that avoid barriers to access for persons with limited mobility.

Setting
History of Parks Planning in Oakley
Parks planning for Oakley was initiated in 1988 when the Contra Costa Board of Supervisors adopted the first Oakley Parks Master Plan. The 1988 plan established goals and priorities for parks in the Oakley community.

In 1999, the newly incorporated City of Oakley became responsible for the provision of local parks.

At that time, the City initiated an update of the Parks Master Plan, renaming the document the “Parks and Recreation Master Plan.” The document’s content, and especially its policy direction, has provided the foundation for this Parks and Recreation Element. The document was most recently updated in 2020 and is now referred to as the “Parks, Trails, and Recreation Master Plan 2020” (Master Plan).

Parks, Trails, and Recreation Master Plan 2020
The Parks, Trails, and Recreation Master Plan dovetails with the City’s General Plan, providing the detailed implementation programs needed to expand local public recreational opportunities.

The Master Plan serves as the basis for this Parks and Recreation Element. While this Element provides the overall policy statement for Oakley’s park and recreation facilities, the Master Plan provides priorities for the City’s parks and recreation facilities and programs, recommendations for the day-to-day tasks associated with implementing the Master Plan, and standards for planning and designing future parks and recreation facilities.

Parks and Recreation Facilities
Park Facilities
Figure 7-1: Parks and Recreation Master Plan identifies existing and future parks sites throughout the community. Figure 7-2: Neighborhood & Community Park Site Service shows the location of the City’s neighborhood and community parks and depicts the appropriate service area for each park site.

There are two basic park types in Oakley: neighborhood and community parks. Neighborhood parks generally abut residential areas and have amenities such as play areas, picnic areas, gathering areas, and open turf. These parks have turf areas suitable for informal play, practices, 298
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and scrimmages, but not formal games. Community parks are designed to serve the needs of several neighborhoods up to the whole community. These parks are intended to host organized, formal recreation leagues and tournaments to meet adult recreation opportunities that would require larger fields and therefore larger sites. The community parks sit on arterials, and if they abut residential areas, those uses common to neighborhood parks would be used as buffers.

Within the category of community parks are two sub-categories. One category is a dual-use community park, which combines drainage and recreational facilities. A second category is a community gathering area for special family events and festivals.

The parks described below are developed and operational as a City neighborhood parks and City community parks.

Neighborhood Parks
 Briarwood Park: This 2-acre neighborhood park is located at 101 Michelangelo Drive. The park includes a turf area, a playground, a half basketball court, barbeque grills, picnic tables, water fountain, and a bicycle rack.
 Catamaran Park: This 0.59-acre neighborhood park is located at Manresa Shore Lane. The park includes a turf area, a playground, benches, and a covered picnic area.  Claremont Bay Park: This 10,789 square foot neighborhood mini-park is located at Bayside Way. The park includes a parking lot with 5 regular space and 1 handicap space, a concrete entry way with concrete benches, and a small grass play area.  Daffodil Park: This 1.79-acre neighborhood park is located at 590 Daffodil Drive. The park includes a grass area, a playground, picnic tables, and a half basketball court.  Dewey Park: This 0.27-acre neighborhood park is located at 215 2nd Street, adjacent to the Senior Center. The park includes a grass area, landscaping, a picnic table, a bench, and a horseshoe pit.
 Duarte Ranch Park: This 1.89-acre neighborhood park is located at Sapphire Parkway. The park includes a turf area, a playground, benches, and a covered picnic area.  Enrico Cinquini Park: Future neighborhood park.
 Harvest Park: This 1,000 square foot neighborhood pocket park is located on Harvest Circle. The park includes picnic tables and a landscape planting and turf area.  Heather Park: This 6,968 square foot neighborhood mini-park is located at the corner of Canterbury Lane and Claremont Lane. The park includes a concrete path with wood benches and picnic table, a small grass area, a play structure in sand play area, and a drinking fountain.
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Sources: City of Oakley; Contra Costa County; USGS National Map. Map date: December 8, 2020. Revised July 8, 2021.

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 Heartwood Park: This 1.5-acre neighborhood park is located at 240 Heartwood Drive. The park includes play equipment, picnic tables and benches, landscape planting and a turf area.
 Lakewood Park: This 0.58 acre mini-park is located at 1882 Lakewood Drive. The park includes a small grass area, a playground, tables and benches, a barbeque, and a bicycle rack.
 Lakeside Park: This 1.65-acre neighborhood park is located along East Summer Lake Drive, along the southeastern shore of Summer Lake. The park includes a grassy area and landscaping, play apparatus, picnic tables, a shaded group dining area, and benches.  Leeward Park: need park details This 0.59-acre neighborhood park is located at Summer Lake Drive. The park includes a turf area, benches, and picnic tables.  Live Oak Ranch Park: This 0.67-acre neighborhood park is located at the terminus of Solitude Drive, adjacent to the intersection of Shady Oak Drive and Main Street. The park includes a turf area, landscaping, and benches.
 Main Street Park: This 17,685 square foot passive park site is located at the corner of Main Street and Gardenia Avenue. The park includes meandering walks, benches, litter receptacles, and turf with landscape plantings.
 Manresa Park: This 0.26 acre mini-park is located at 1088 Clear Lake Drive. The park includes a grass area, benches, and tables.
 Marsh Creek Glenn Park: This 2.4-acre neighborhood park site is located along the south side of Hill Avenue within the Marsh Creek Glenn subdivision. The park includes picnic tables, benches, connections to the Marsh Creek Trail, play apparatus, and landscape features.
 Novarina Park: This 2.18-acre neighborhood park is located at 100 Brown Road. The park includes a lawn area, playground with dinosaur dig feature, and picnic tables.  Nutmeg Park: This park facility is located just south of Laurel Elementary School at Nutmeg Drive. The facility includes ballfields and basketball courts.  Oak Grove Park: This 0.8-acre neighborhood park is located at the end of Oak Glen Drive in the Oak Grove subdivision. The park includes picnic tables, a play apparatus area, a turf area, and mature oak trees and landscape plantings.
 Riata Park: This is a 1.5-acre min-park located at 607 Saddlebrook Way. The park includes play equipment, benches, tree shaded area with picnic tables, and landscaped planting and a turf area.
 Rose/Carpenter Park: Future neighborhood park.
 Simoni Ranch Open Space: This 1-acre park is located at 20 Simoni Ranch Drive. The park includes picnic tables and an open turf area.
 Stonecreek Basin Park: Future neighborhood park.
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 Sycamore Park: This neighborhood park is located at 1799 Park Place, near Sycamore Drive.

The park includes a grass area with landscaping, picnic tables, and benches.  Teton Park: Future neighborhood park.

Community Parks
 Creekside Park: This 3-acre community park is located at 3900 Creekside Way. The park includes a turf area, playground structure, restrooms, tables, barbeque grills community garden, skate park, a water feature, and a walking trail.  Civic Center Park: This 2.22-acre community park is located at the intersection of Main Street and Norcross Lane, adjacent to the Civic Center. The park includes turf areas and landscaping, an amphitheater, picnic tables, and a veterans memorial.  Crockett Park: This 4.66-acre City-owned neighborhood park is located between Empire Avenue and Richard Way. The park includes a tree-shaded group picnic area with tables and barbeque grills, restrooms, individual picnic tables on pads with barbeque grills, allabilities play area with a play structure and swing and a separate sand box area, basketball and tennis courts, an undulating concrete path system with litter receptacles, security lighting, drinking fountains, an irrigation system with a well, and landscape plantings.  Cypress Grove Park: This 6-acre community park is located at 4001 Frank Hengel Way. The park includes a turf area, a playground, a water feature, tables, ball fields, barbeque grills, water fountain.
 Delaney Park: This 9.23-acre neighborhood park is located at Delaney Parkway. The park includes a turf area, a half basketball court, a storm water pond, viewing decks, playground, bocce ball courts, benches, and covered picnic areas.
 Emerson Ranch Park: This 13.36-acre joint-use community park is located along Shearwater Way. The park includes a ballfield, turf areas with landscaping, picnic tables and barbeque grills, a covered group dining area, basketball court, and a storm water pond.
 Holly Creek Park: This 3.0-acre neighborhood park is located within the Cypress Grove Subdivision at 4762 Hagar Court. The park includes a turf area, playground with a shade structure, tables, barbeque grills, shade area, bicycle and walking trail, and a 4 acre basin.  Koda Dog Park: This 2.30-acre neighborhood park is located at Oxford Drive within the Nunn Wilson Family Park. The park includes a play area for large dogs, play area for small dogs, agility training area, benches, a parking lot, and a covered picnic area.  Laurel Ballfields Park: This 13.63-acre joint community park/flood control basin is located on the north side of Laurel Road.. The park includes a basketball court, a perimeter path system for access and jogging, 3 youth ball fields, overlay soccer fields and open turf, a picnic area, water fountain, an irrigation system and well, and landscape plantings.  Magnolia Park: This 5-acre neighborhood park is located at 5301 Daffodil Drive. The park includes a playground, a skate feature, picnic tables, and a little league practice field. 305
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 Nunn- Wilson Family Park: This 6-acre community park is located at 100 Oxford Drive. The park includes play structures, adult fitness area, water feature, lawn area, picnic tables, barbeque grills, restrooms, and a basketball 1/2 court.  Shady Oak Community Park: This 5-acre community park is located at 247 Cedar Glenn Drive. The park includes a playground, tables with checkers and chess boards, a water feature, bocce court, a baseball field, basketball, and a water fountain.  Summer Lake Park: This 17-acre community park is located at 4020 Summer Lake Drive, within the Sumer Lakes development. The park includes playgrounds, picnic tables, basketball, baseball fields, a soccer field, a tennis court, restrooms, gazebo and picnic area, and barbeque grills.
 Recreation Center: This facility includes a community park, multi-use ball field, exercise equipment, parking lot, restrooms, and recreation buildings.

Regional Park
 Oakley Community Regional Park: Future regional park.

Regional Park Resources
School Districts
The City of Oakley has joint use agreements with local school districts for shared use of facilities at various school sites. While these joint use agreements change from time to time, the joint use approach provides Oakley residents with access to additional park and recreation facilities.

East Bay Regional Park District
The EBRPD is responsible for preserving and managing the shoreline and trails. The EBRPD can work on unique preservation and education opportunities, environmental sciences, and partnering to improve access to the wetlands areas and educate on natural resource protection.

The following park resources, owned and operated by the East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD) are located within Oakley or the nearby region.
 Antioch/Oakley Regional Shoreline Park: The Antioch/Oakley Regional Shoreline Park is a

7.5-acre day use park at the end of Bridgehead Road in the City of Oakley.  Big Break Regional Shoreline: The Big Break Regional Shoreline is approximately 1,700 acres. Much of the property is under water or tidal marshlands, with some uplands along the southerly edge. Big Break Regional Shoreline offers picnic and meadow areas, a small shaded amphitheater, boat and kayak launch facilities, and a fishing pier.

The Delta Discovery Area and Visitor Center includes indoor and outdoor natural history exhibits and is staffed by naturalists.
 California’s Delta Master Recreation Plan identifies Big Break as an area of scenic beauty and unique resource warranting preservation and management in the public interest. 306
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 Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve: The Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve, nearly 3,700 acres, and Contra Loma Regional Park, approximately 772 acres, are both located in the hills south of the cities of Antioch and Pittsburg.  Round Valley Regional Preserve: The Round Valley Regional Preserve, about 2,070 acres and the Morgan Territory Regional Preserve, about 4,147 acres, are both located south of Brentwood in the Mt. Diablo foothills and northwest of the Contra Costa Water Districts Los Vaqueros Watershed.

City of Brentwood
The City of Brentwood’s park facilities are available for public use. As of April 2000, Oakley and Brentwood currently have joint youth recreation leagues over 41-56 acres of parkland. (Hansen Associates Management & Technology Consulting, June 24, 1999). It is anticipated that there will be continued joint use of these recreation facilities.

State and Other Agencies Agencies
A variety of state and regional agencies provide parks and recreation facilities throughout the Delta, Eastern Contra Costa County and, therefore, Oakley. Those agencies primarily concerned with recreation include Contra Costa County, the State Department of Parks and Recreation, the Department of Fish and Game, the State Resources Agency, and the Delta Protection Commission, amongst others.
 Frank’s Tract State Park: The closest state-operated recreation area is Frank’s Tract State Park, located northeast of Bethel Island, covering 3,310 acres, and consisting mainly of open water surrounded by perimeter levee remnants. The park is maintained for wateroriented recreational activities, but currently lacks both park and public boat- launching facilities. Private marinas and launch facilities on Bethel Island, Big Break, adjacent sloughs, and public boat ramps in Antioch and Pittsburg provide water access to the Tract.  Brannon Island State Recreation Area: Brannon Island State Recreation Area, about eight miles north of the Antioch Bridge on Highway 160, is a Delta recreation park with a swimming beach, boat launch, and campground. Across the highway from the park is the Windy Cove windsurfing access, which provides facilities for windsurfers and fishermen.  Mt. Diablo State Park: Mt. Diablo State Park, a 20,000-acre state park surrounding Mt.

Diablo, offers some of the county’s finest recreational attractions and provides camping and picnic facilities as well as over 150 miles of scenic hiking trails. Vehicular access is from the west side cities of Walnut Creek and Danville.  Contra Costa County/TRANSPLAN: On- and off-street bikeways exist, and there is an East Bay Bike Coalition working on the east county bikeway plan. Cal Trans has a competitive grant program that can help adopt the needed bikeway plan.  CALFED Wetland Restoration: The City has entered into Memorandums of Understanding in support of a proposed wetland restoration project to be located north of the Contra Costa Canal in the Cypress Corridor Special Planning Area. This partnership offers the 307
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potential for trail improvements, dedication of a regional park site, and enhancement of public access to the Delta, in addition to promoting restoration of wildlife values within Oakley.

Trails
Trails and trail connections are a very important element of Oakley’s parks and recreation infrastructure. People use trails for many reasons, but probably the most common are:
 Transportation (walking, jogging or biking as a substitute for the car).  Exercise (walking jogging, riding or biking as forms of physical fitness).  Connection to nature and adventure (pedestrian, equestrian & non-motorized users linking to regional parks and preserves).
 Leisure (out for a stroll and leisurely bike or horse ride).

Unlike its neighboring cities, Oakley has a distinct equestrian heritage as can be seen in community affiliations such as the East County Horsemen’s Organization (ECHO). In light of Oakley’s equestrian heritage, the development of trails beholds implications to larger issues of planning, management, economic & recreation opportunities, and public safety constraints.

Trails in Oakley must take into account a variety of users and reflect safe resolution of potential conflict between users, animals, and vehicles. In addition, trails need to be as “accessible” as possible, considering terrain and topography. “Accessible” trails and paths provide for all users extending benefit to older adults and children, families with strollers and people with disabilities.

The City and its surrounding area provide a hub for a network of important multi-use regional trails which will provide shoreline access at Big Break and the Marsh Creek Channel and connect to proposed Regional parks at Morgan Territory and Round Valley and to Mt. Diablo State Park.

The Delta de Anza Trail will connect the Delta with other regional trails in central and western Contra Costa County.

While the regional system provides primarily recreational trails, the local trail system will provide interconnections within the local community and linkages to the regional trail system. The bicycle lanes will serve as a functional adjunct to the local traffic circulation system. Figure 7-3: Trails Master Plan, depicts a system of trails, generally providing for multiple types of uses, that extends through the City. The City will pursue construction of this system of trails in conjunction with local advocacy groups, neighboring communities, and regional and state entities.

EBMUD Aqueduct
This right-of-way is approximately 11 miles in length and 100 feet wide running from the Delta to the area of Black Diamond and Contra Loma Regional Parks. Although most of the aqueduct is 308
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underground, the most eastern portion nearest the Delta is above ground. The aqueduct rightof-way traverses land which is currently primarily in agricultural use. A hiking and riding trail would be feasible; however, there may be some conflict with neighboring owners. This trail may ultimately be a part of Mokelume Coast to Crest trail extending from the Sierra to San Francisco Bay.

Marsh Creek
The Marsh Creek Regional Trail is a 7-mile paved north-south trail between Oakley and Brentwood (with southerly extensions of 7 more miles proposed). This trail meanders along the Marsh Creek flood control channel and connects to the Marsh Creek to Big Break access trail. Some areas are improved channels and others remain natural. The Contra Costa Flood Control District has plans for major improvements along this drainage where subdivisions are occurring. The trail intersects the Delta de Anza Trail and the EBMUD right-of-way.

Delta de Anza Trail (along Contra Costa Canal)
Development of portions of the Delta de Anza Trail in the City has been completed. The Park District has also completed construction of a 2- mile segment from Cypress Road to Neroly Road in Oakley. The canal itself extends from Lone Tree Way (existing Regional Trail) in Antioch to Rock Slough in Oakley. The Park District has a planned project to extend the trail approx. 8 miles.

Big Break to Antioch Pier
This 5-mile trail would run along the shoreline at Big Break from Marsh Creek Road to Big Break Road, then move inland near the Santa Fe railroad tracks south of the DuPont property, and then north along the road to Antioch Pier.

EBRPD should be receiving a dedication, as a condition of approval, of approximately 90 acres from the Hofmann Company at Big Break, which will provide about 1 mile of upland frontage for the trail. The required acquisition west of Big Break Road is expected to be difficult.

Current and Proposed Regional Trails
Railroad Rights‐of‐Way
Two railroad rights-of-way pass through major portions of Eastern Contra Costa County. The Santa Fe right-of-way runs approximately 11 miles from the Big Break area in a southeasterly direction through Knightsen to the EBMUD aqueduct then follows the aqueduct out through the Delta. The Southern Pacific right-of-way bisects the county diagonally running approximately 15 miles from near Antioch, along the westerly edge of Oakley and through Brentwood, Byron, and just southwest of Clifton Court Forebay. Additional rights-of-way that might be utilized for future trail use have been developments occurring along the north side of the railroad corridor in the Big Break area.
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! ! ! ! Existing EBPRD Multi-Use Trail
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Sources: City of Oakley; Contra Costa County; USGS National Map.

Map date: December 8, 2020. Revised July 8, 2021; December 7, 2021.

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Potential Local Trails
A Class I local multi-use trail is planned for the Oakley area and shown in Figure T-1. It begins at the trail access to the Delta De Anza trail at the north end of Brown Rd, then runs south on the east side of Brown Rd., and along the south side of Carpenter Rd from its westerly intersection with Neroly Rd., to Hwy. 4. It should then transition to the south side of hill Avenue and continue east to connect to the Marsh Creek regional multi-use trail system.

The City of Oakley and its surrounding areas have the potential to provide a hub for a network of important multi-use trails that could provide shoreline access and connect to proposed regional parks. While these regional trail systems provide primarily recreational trails, the local trail system could provide interconnections within the local community and linkages to the regional system.

Oakley’s strong equestrian heritage becomes part of a larger consideration of issues related to City planning, management, and public opportunities & constraints in the process of planning for the development of trails.

Waterfront Recreation
Community Waterfront Vision
The development of a waterfront community along the shoreline in Oakley would give unique opportunities for people to enjoy commercial, recreation and residential mixed uses in the City.

Many cities currently have successful and thriving waterfront communities, which could serve as reference models if Oakley had such future development opportunities.

Waterfront Opportunities
The Delta region provides a variety of recreational opportunities including fishing, hunting, boating, camping, picnics, and viewing nature. Oakley’s waterfront opportunities currently include marinas, and the EBRPD Big Break Shoreline, and the Antioch-Oakley Regional Shoreline. To date, Tthere are threewo privately owned marinas within the City limits – Big Break, and Lauaritzen Yacht Harbor, and Driftwood Marina. which is located at the foot of the Antioch Bridge. Waterfront uses can serve as community and regional destinations through a mix of compatible uses, including restaurants, retail, recreation, and other uses. Waterfront commercial, recreational, and public facilities allow the public to come to the shoreline, enjoy views of the Delta, and support local businesses in a unique and scenic environment.

Recently the Big Break Marina facility was purchased by a private investor who indicated that the facility would be improved and made available to the public for fishing and boating access as a private for-profit facility.

In 2000, the City of Oakley became concerned about the potential for loss or reduction of recreational and commercial/recreational opportunities in the Big Break area. Due to these concerns the City of Oakley incorporated the site into the City’s redevelopment boundaries, thus providing a means for orderly planning and development of the marina area. 312
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The City has partnered with the California Department of Water Resources and other public and private entities to provide a 55-acre community park adjacent the Dutch Slough Tidal Restoration Project and has identified additional waterfront opportunities at Dutch Slough at the terminus of Jersey Island Road. The Dutch Slough Tidal Restoration Project include a 1,187-acre preserve area, biking and walking trails, shoreline and fishing access, and interpretive signage.

As previously discussed, The the Big Break Regional Shoreline provides waterfront access as well as an educational and interpretive facility, the Delta Discover Area and Visitor Center.

At a minimum, any shoreline development should incorporate the Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) standards for public access to the Bay Edge. The BCDC was created in 1965 to protect and manage coastal resources on a large and complex scale. In addition to the BCDC, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Suisun Marsh Preservation Act, and the Federal Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA), provide important policies and regulations that relate to regional resource management.

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Goals, Policies and Programs
Through implementation of the Parks, Trails, Recreation Master Plan and this Parks and Recreation Element, the community has expressed the following general goals for its parks, open space, and trail system.

GOAL 7.1 GENERAL PARKS AND RECREATION
Develop and maintain a system of parks, recreational facilities, and open space areas to meet the needs of the City of Oakley.

Policies

7.1.1. Develop and maintain a park system that provides 6 acres of parkland per 1,000 residents, consistent with the City of Oakley Parks, Trails, and Recreation Master Plan, including a minimum of 3 acres of community parks, 2 acres of neighborhood parks, and 1 acre of open space, special recreation areas, and greenbelts per thousand population.

7.1.2. Update the City of Oakley Parks, Trails, and Recreation Master Plan as needed to ensure that the City:
 Distributes public parks in Oakley to provide adequate community-wide facilities while emphasizing neighborhood recreation within walking distance of most residents, recognizing that different kinds of public parks and recreation facilities are required to serve a range of needs and that greenways and trails also constitute important ways in which residents use open space.
 Offers a wide variety of indoor and outdoor recreational facilities and opportunities in proximity to all residents of the City, enabling residents to participate in activities that will enhance the quality of life in the community.  Provides an equitable distribution of park and recreation facilities, prioritizing locations in neighborhoods that are underserved, neglected, or disadvantaged.  Ensures adequate accessible parks and recreation facilities, amenities, and programs are provided in new and existing parks for use by seniors, disabled residents, including residents with a physical disability that requires wheelchair accessibility, and disadvantaged residents that at parks and public spaces.  Provides appropriate parks and recreation facilities, amenities, and programs oriented toward youth and families at parks and public spaces. Maintain and improve existing parks and develop new neighborhood and community parks in new residential neighborhoods as growth occurs.
 Maintains and improves existing parks and develops new neighborhood and community parks in new residential neighborhoods as growth occurs. 314
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7.1.3. Provide recreation services that enhance the quality of life and meet the changing needs of residents.

7.1.4. Design, develop and administer facilities and recreation services to avoid duplicating commercial and private facilities and services. The City will encourage private agencies to support or provide facilities needed to satisfy unmet needs.

7.1.5. Consider multiple uses for open space land (i.e. land use buffer zones and green-ways for trails and linear parks, flood control basins for basin and park joint use, and school sites for neighborhood/community park joint use).

7.1.6. Pursue a variety of financing mechanisms for the acquisition, development, long-term operations and maintenance of the parks, trails, and recreation system.

7.1.7. Continue to update all park and recreation facilities to meet ADA standards.

7.1.8. Continue to update all City and school district playgrounds for conformance to U.S.

Consumer Product Safety Commission guidelines.

7.1.9. Continue to prioritize maintenance of park and recreation facilities.

7.1.10. Require all development to dedicate parkland and/or pay in lieu, as well as pay impact fees sufficient to meet the added demand for parkland facilities.

Programs

7.1.A. Continue to review all plans for development of parks, whether prepared by EBRPD, private developers, or other parties to ensure that park development is consistent with the goals and criteria of this Element and the Parks, Trails, and Recreation Master Plan.

7.1.B. Apply the following requirements to development projects and planning projects to achieve a ratio of 6 acres of park per 1,000 residents projected to reside in Oakley when the Parks and Recreation Master Plan is developed:
a) Provide 3 acres of community parks, 2 acres of neighborhood parks, and 1 acre of open space, special recreation areas, and greenbelts per thousand population. b) Require all development to satisfy its obligation to provide a fair share of parkland and related improvements as required by state and local law. c) Recreation components of school sites, privately owned and maintained recreation and greenbelt aeras, such as mini-parks, neighborhood greens, or recreation centers, may be considered as contributing to park obligations on a case-by-case basis depending on the location, type of facility, and level of public access.. When calculating park demands and needs, consider and include a percentage of the East Bay Regional Parks that are located within Oakley’s sphere of influence as contributing to park obligations on the basis that the City contributes toward the costs for acquisition and maintenance of EBPRD facilities.

That percentage will reflect the percentage of East Contra Cost County that Oakley residents constitute.
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d) Require the dedication and full improvement of required parkland by the property owner and/or developer (applicant) as a condition of the development project approvals including, without limitation, development agreements.
e) Require the payment of applicable park impact fees in the amounts and at the time set forth in City’s Park Impact Fee structure.
f) Assign the lead role in acquiring and improving parks that are provided to meet a development project’s park requirement to the developer applicant, as is typically done with the construction of other project-related improvements such as streets, sidewalks, storm drainage, water distribution and sewer collection facilities.

7.1.C. The City may prefer to develop some portions of the required park acquisition and improvements on property that is not part of the subdivision. This would generally occur when the project is not large enough to dedicate and improve a meaningful amount of park land, or when the City plans to meet part of the 6 acres per 1,000 residents requirement through community-wide facilities that are not to be located within the development project.

When fees are paid in lieu of park site dedication and improvement, they will be:
a) Determined, assessed, and collected in a manner consistent with State law and the City’s currently adopted Parkland Deduction Ordinance (Quimby Act) and restricted solely for parkland acquisition and improvement.
b) Used for parkland and improvements that directly serve the subdivision project area unless a finding is made that the area is already served by existing neighborhood facilities. Fees may then be used for acquisition and development of community-wide facilities.
c) Used as a credit against, but may not eliminate, the obligation to pay Park Impact Fees.

7.1.D. Implement and regularly update the City’s development and design standards for new parks.

7.1.E. When park dedication and improvements are to be made by the developer (applicant), continue to establish phasing in the subdivision’s development agreement between the City and applicant or the conditions of approval for the project. While this will be clarified on a case-by-case basis, phasing should generally be as follows:
a) Dedicate land at Final Map.
b) Complete all improvements by the time two-thirds of the units are available for occupancy.
c) Assume all maintenance costs for completed park projects for a minimum period of six months and until the Landscape and Lighting Assessment District zone specific for the subdivision is funded.

7.1.F. Address the following issues on a case-by-case basis as part of a development project’s approval process:
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a) Amount of park to be dedicated and improved within the development project versus amount that will be met through the payment of in-lieu fees to meet the City’s overall park goal of 6 acres per 1,000 residents.
b) Location, size, and type of park facility to be developed. c) Value of park land and improvements that will not be developed by the project, the resulting amount of fees, and the payment schedule for fees to be paid. d) Timing of park improvements and subsequent acceptance by the City. e) Distribution of any in-lieu fees between neighborhood versus community parks and facilities and the need to redress any deficit in the availability of neighborhood parks in the vicinity of the development project.
f) The payment of Park Impact Fees at the time of building permit approval, subject to any credits for the dedication, per the Quimby Act, of parkland or the payment of fees in-lieu thereof.

7.1.G. Continue to identify, acquire, and improve infill park sites in areas not included in park service radii.

7.1.H. Annually review and adjust, as appropriate, the Landscaping and Lighting assessment, the Park Land Dedication In-Lieu fees, and the Park Impact Fees to ensure that they remain consistent with the actual cost of acquiring, developing, and maintaining recreational parkland.

7.1.I. Consider establishment of a formal advisory group for parks and recreation that would provide recommendations to the City Council on park issues.

7.1.J. Coordinate planning among individual properties and other public agencies to ensure reservation of park sites with easy access for neighborhood residents. This should include provisions for an interconnecting system of trails and pathways throughout the community.

7.1.K. Coordinate planning and development efforts with local school districts and the county flood control district. Participate with them, whenever feasible, in the construction, maintenance, and operation of joint use facilities.

7.1.L. Inspect all existing playgrounds as required by Title 24 of the CA State Code for public facilities, and Title 22 for conformance to U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) guidelines for potential safety hazards.

7.1.M. Maintain working relationships and partnerships with other public agencies, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector to maximize collaboration on the development of park and recreation resources.

7.1.N. Explore the feasibility of reclaimed water as a source of landscape irrigation within parks.

7.1.O. Update all recreation facilities to meet ADA and CPSC requirements as soon as possible.

7.1.P. Continue to implement and update as necessary the Master Plan’s Action Plan to ensure that the City’s park and recreation facilities are refurbished and maintained. 317
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7.1.Q. Implement a broad public outreach program, utilizing the City website, various newsletters, and additional technological mediums to keep the public informed about available recreation facilities and community-wide programs.

GOAL 7.2 COMMUNITY PARKS, PLAYFIELDS, AND RECREATION

CENTERS
Provide a vital system of community parks, playfields, and recreation facilities to serve the residents of Oakley.

Policies

7.2.1. Utilize Policy 7.1.1 and the Parks, Trails, and Recreation Master Plan’s development standards for community parks.

7.2.2. Develop existing community park sites, playfields, and recreation centers, and endeavor to provide parks that are accessible to all Oakley residents and that parks, playfields, and recreation centers equitably serve in under-served or disadvantaged neighborhoods.

7.2.3. Provide community parks of sufficient size to meet the active and passive needs of the community at proposed build-out. Community parks will host organized, formal recreation activities such as sports leagues and tournaments.

7.2.4. Seek to provide multi-use community centers to meet the indoor recreational needs of all segments of the community.

7.2.5. Seek to establish special purpose parks or portions of community parks for: off-leash dog areas; equestrian center, trailer staging area and paths; roller blade and skate park; community gardens; and other special purpose facilities as may be determined by the community. If a community park abuts residential areas, those uses common to neighborhood parks would be used as buffers.

7.2.6. Programs

7.2.A. Meet the demand for athletic playfields by the following actions:
 Develop facilities on land owned by or dedicated to the City.  Develop facilities on land to be acquired by the City.  Assist in the development of facilities on land owned by partnering entities – flood control, schools, and the County.
 Assist in the development of facilities on privately owned land.  Partner with the Oakley Union Elementary School District, the Liberty Union High School District, and other joint-use partners to provide athletic playfields and gymnasiums, with the City to assist in funding development when appropriate. The 318
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City will help provide funding for renovation and maintenance of existing fields to ensure they are in safe playable condition.

7.2.B. Review planned parks, trails, recreation, and publicly accessible open space to ensure that facilities are designed to meet multi-generational needs, including adequate space to address the specific needs of the senior, youth, and disabled populations.

GOAL 7.3 NEIGHBORHOOD PARKS
Provide a network of neighborhood parks to adequately service the various neighborhoods within the City of Oakley.

Policies

7.3.1. Utilize and update as necessary the Master Plan’s development standards for neighborhood parks.

7.3.2. Develop existing neighborhood park sites and endeavor to provide parks in under-served neighborhoods.

7.3.3. Focus on development of parks, not leftover residual space. Parks should not be used as buffers for surrounding developments nor used to separate buildings from the street.

Views from surrounding streets should be considered in location of the park site and individual park features.

7.3.4. Front at least 50% of a park’s frontage onto a public street. For perimeters not bound by a street, woodlands, creeks, agricultural uses or other significant open space features are desired over backyard fences. Where backyard fences are unavoidable, they should be screened through the use of trees and shrubs. Surrounding buildings should have windows and entries onto the park.

7.3.5. Design neighborhood parks to conserve natural features including creeks, heritage trees, and significant habitats. However, parkland dedicated for active recreation should not have biological and/or ecological restrictions on land usage.

Programs

7.3.A. Plan neighborhood parks as subdivision and development occur. When consistent with the Parks, Trails, and Recreation Master Plan, required land should be identified, dedicated, and improved for recreational use.

7.3.B. Collect Park Dedication In-Lieu fees for subdivision of parcels where dedication of land would not be desirable or consistent with the provisions of the Parks, Trails, and Recreation Master Plan. Park Impact fees should be collected for all residential subdivisions subject to the fee. 319
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GOAL 7.4 SPECIAL PURPOSE FACILITIES
Provide a system of creek corridors and special purpose facilities to serve the residents of Oakley.

Policies

7.4.1. Meet Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) standards for waterfront access and shoreline development.

7.4.2. Support and encourage boat access and marinas. Consider additional marina facilities if proposed and appropriate.

7.4.3. Restrict or prohibit public access to certain open space and shoreline areas as needed for preservation purposes.

7.4.4. Designate special purpose facilities as receiver sites for public and private mitigation projects subject to approval by the City Council.

7.4.5. Public park uses adjacent to the Delta should meet the following criteria:

A) Related primarily to water activities
B) Compatible with surrounding residential and commercial activities C) Available for year round use and enjoyment
D) Provision for barrier-free public access and use for active and passive recreational and social enjoyment
E) Balance between retention of natural resources and the creation of hard urban features

7.4.6. Minimize impact of future development in the shoreline area on the environmental health of natural systems.

7.4.7. Protect the visual accessibility of waterways by avoiding future development that creates visual barriers adjacent to or along the water’s edge.

7.4.8. Promote the development or preservation of private and public marinas with boat launching and berthing facilities, fuel dock and waste pump-out station, restrooms and showers, laundry facilities, bait/tackle/food store, day use, overnight camping and RV parking areas, fishing pier, restaurant, and other compatible uses.

Programs

7.4.A. Continue to pursue public and private partnerships needed to acquire necessary land and provide public and private commercial recreation areas at Dutch Slough, along the shoreline, and proximate to open space.

7.4.B. Investigate the financial ramifications of public and privately owned launch ramps and fishing piers, including costs of acquisition and development, operations, and ongoing refurbishment, including the possible needs for channel dredging. 320
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7.4.C. Partner with EBRPD and other stakeholders to plan and complete a comprehensive shoreline trail system with connections to downtown Oakley.

7.4.C.7.4.D. Ensure that updates to the Parks and Recreation Master Plan continue to support a range of special purpose facilities, including facilities that provide waterfront recreation opportunities and public and private access to the shoreline.

GOAL 7.5 TRAILS
Establish and maintain a comprehensive system of local and regional trails linking open space, neighborhood parks, community parks and recreation centers, libraries and schools, public transportation nodes, governmental buildings and commercial uses throughout Oakley to provide for pedestrian, equestrian and bicycle circulation.

Policies

7.5.1. Construct trails to provide transportation, exercise, and connection to nature and leisure opportunities for Oakley residents.

7.5.2. Construct short feeder trails to connect proposed developments to the regional trail system.

7.5.3. Provide easements of not less than 20 feet in width to connect new neighborhoods to such amenities as parks, neighborhoods, and commercial centers.

7.5.4. Provide public greenbelt corridors along major arterial streets.

7.5.5. Provide easements along stream corridors of not less than 100 feet in length and 20 feet in width.

7.5.6. Construct trails, whenever possible, for multiple uses (i.e., pedestrian, bicycle and equestrian).

7.5.7. Whenever possible, separate the activities (i.e., pedestrian, bicycle and equestrian) of multi-use trails, by providing easements on each side of major arterials, to provide safe resolution of potential conflicts between users, animals, and vehicles.

7.5.8. Construct trails, whenever possible, to be accessible to persons with disabilities.

7.5.9. Construct trails to provide for proper grading, drainage and erosion control.

Programs

7.5.A. Encourage and coordinate efforts with the EBRPD, EBMUD, CCWD and the Contra Costa County Flood and Water Conservation District for the implementation of:
a) Diablo-to-Delta regional trail along the Marsh Creek channel b) EBMUD Aqueduct right-of-way
c) Big Break to Antioch Pier regional trail along the shoreline 321
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d) Delta de Anza Trail regional trail along the Contra Costa Canal e) Railroad trails along the Santa Fe and the Southern Pacific Right-of-Ways f) Big Break Regional Shoreline
g) Staging areas and access points
GOAL 7.6 DETENTION BASIN PARKS
Establish multi‐use recreational and drainage detention basin facilities where feasible and appropriate.

Policies

7.6.1. Construct basins that are of adequate size for standard playing fields.

7.6.2. Provide adequate access (pedestrians, bicycle and equestrian) to detention basin park sites to encourage diverse uses.

7.6.3. Place detention basin parks within close proximity to complementary uses such as residential development, schools, natural areas, and public resource facilities.

7.6.4. Use fencing and gates to maintain safety and restrict access to unsafe areas such as pump stations.

7.6.5. Grade basin side slopes to less than 5:1 to allow for mowing and maintenance.

7.6.6. Grade basin bottom to a maximum cross-slope of 2% to allow for positive drainage.

7.6.7. Encourage use of low flow piping to speed drainage from detention basins in order to minimize water accumulation and ground saturation within basins.

7.6.8. Place new basins adjacent to schools and parks for dual usage.

GOAL 7.7 FUTURE PARKS PLANNING
Continue to refine, update, and expand the City’s Parks, Trails, and Recreation Master Plan to reflect the goals of the community.

Policies

7.7.1. Involve community residents, including children and seniors, in the planning of park and recreation projects.

7.7.2. Develop and adopt specific standards for park and recreation facilities within Oakley.

7.7.3. Maintain and regularly update the Parks, Trails, and Recreation Master Plan as described by Policy 7.1.2 to ensure facilities are adequate and appropriate as Oakley grows and as community needs change.
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7.7.4. Update parks inventory on a regular and scheduled basis to reflect additions and changes.

7.7.5. Review and update fee schedule for capital improvements annually to meet City standards.

Programs

7.7.A. Continue to determine the types of park facilities desired to accommodate the full range of active and passive recreation facilities and land required to accommodate the facilities.

7.7.B. Continue to define areas where new parks should be sited to meet existing deficits.

Incorporate the defined areas into the General Plan to provide a basis for reserving property for future recreation needs. Such measures are needed to meet the standards of both parkland distribution and acreage.

7.7.C. Continue to provide a community forum for Master Plan refinement by outlining proposals for location, size, timing, acquisition, capital improvements, and financing of parkland and recreation needs as additional information becomes available.

7.7.D. Continue to maintain and regularly update an inventory of parkland and facilities in Oakley.

7.7.E. Guide future decisions regarding financing mechanisms using the following principles:
a) Equitably distribute costs based on benefit received. Costs for new infrastructure and public amenities should be borne by developers, property owners, and where appropriate, by the public.
b) Consider sources of both capital and on-going maintenance revenue as a part of any financing strategy to ensure that all improvements can be maintained without placing an undue burden on either adjacent property owners or the City of Oakley. c) Structure development fees and assessments so that they distribute costs equitably among various land uses, and do not serve as a disincentive to uses desired by the City. d) Continue a diversified program of funding for park acquisition and maintenance and recreation programming. Incorporate a variety of funding mechanisms including but not limited to: Park Facilities Impact Funds, Park Land Dedication/In-Lieu Fees, Landscape and Park Assessment Districts, grants, federal funding, cooperative agreements with the school districts and flood control districts, creation of local trusts, Mello-Roos Community Facilities District, corporate sponsorship and bonds.

7.7.F. Continue to implement the park facilities impact fee that is collected at time of building permit issuance.
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Introduction
This Element addresses issues related to geologic and seismic hazards, flooding, hazardous materials, public protection and disaster planning, fire hazards, climate adaptation, and environmental justice. The Community Health and Safety Element incorporates two related, required General Plan topics: safety and environmental justice.

Consistency with State Law
California Government Code Section 65302(g) requires that a Safety element be included in a General Plan and that the element address a range of safety concerns, including risks related to seismicity, ground failure, flooding, and fires. Section 65302(h) establishes requirements related to environmental justice. This element has been prepared in conformance with all mandatory requirements of state law related to safety and environmental justice. Specific topics addressed include:
8 CHAPTER 8:

COMMUNITY HEALTH
& SAFETY

CONTENTS
 Introduction
 Setting
 Seismic and
Flood Hazards,
Hazardous
Waste, Disaster
Planning, and
Climate
Adaptation
Goals, Policies,
and Programs
 Community
Health Goals,
Policies, and
Programs
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 Geologic formations and soil types
 Seismic hazards, including surface faulting, seismic shaking, ground failure, and liquefaction
 Flood hazard areas, including the 100-year and 500-year floodplains identified by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), dam failure inundation areas mapped by the California Emergency Management Agency (CalEMA), and “Awareness” and 200- year floodplain locations mapped by the California Department of Water Resources (DWR); and flood hazards, including stormwater and tidal inundation, tsunami and seiches, subsidence, and canal, dam and levee failure
 Wildland, peat soil, and urban fire hazards
 Risk of upset, including propane, at Randall Bold Water Treatment Plant and along railroad tracks
 Miscellaneous hazards, including agricultural spraying, hazardous cargo, and disaster planning
 Climate adaptation strategies consistent with the Contra Costa County Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
 Environmental justice, including unique and compound health risks in disadvantaged communities, civic engagement in the decision-making process, and programs to address the needs of disadvantaged communities
The Community Health and Safety Element is expected to affect land use policies and hence is coordinated with the Land Use Element. Community Health and Safety considerations may affect the Open Space and Conservation and Public Services and Facilities Elements, and may present additional justification for lowering density in conjunction with land use decisions, based partly on seismic and flood risk. The Community Health and Safety Element is also related to the Housing and Circulation Elements in that it discusses hazards that may affect decision-making in these issue areas.

Setting
This section provides background information and the current condition for the City of Oakley and the proposed Expansion Area. Topics discussed below include Seismic Hazards, Flood Hazards, Fire Hazards, Hazardous Materials and Waste, and Public Protection and Disaster Planning.

Seismic Hazards
Every resident and developer in Oakley assume seismic risk because the City is within the San Francisco Bay Area, an area of high seismicity. The San Francisco Bay Area has been impacted by more than 10 severe earthquakes throughout historic time. The major effects of earthquakes are ground shaking and ground failure. Severe earthquakes are characteristically accompanied by surface faulting and less commonly by tsunamis and seiches. Flooding may also be triggered by dam or levee failure resulting from an earthquake, or by seismically induced settlement or 325
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subsidence. All of these geologic effects are capable of causing property damages and risks to life and safety of persons.

Oakley has been subjected to numerous seismic events, originating both on faults within Contra Costa County and in other locations in the region. The City is underlain by one fault that is inferred active on the basis of scattered small magnitude earthquakes near the trace of the fault. This inferred active fault is the Brentwood Fault. Other inferred active faults just west of Oakley are the Davis and Antioch Faults. These fault locations can be seen in Figure 8-1, Faults and Seismic Stability.

Ground Shaking
Areas of the County would react differently to ground shaking, depending on the type of soil or bedrock underneath a structure. The possible damage caused by ground shaking is categorized as low to moderate to high damage susceptibility. The Oakley area is dominated by marine and non-marine sedimentary rock of the Pleistocene-Holocene epochs. These younger alluvium and modern sediments of the San Francisco Bay Estuary and Delta lowlands are susceptible to moderate to high damage during ground-shaking events. See Figure 8-1:

Faults and Seismic Stability for the locations of the above geologic units and their descriptions.

Liquefaction
Liquefaction is a specialized form of ground failure caused by earthquake ground motion. It is a “quicksand” condition occurring in water-saturated, unconsolidated, relatively clay-free sands and silts caused by ground motion forcing apart soil particles and forcing them into quicksandlike liquid suspension. In the process, normally firm, but wet, ground materials take on the characteristics of liquid. Catastrophic ground failures may result from liquefaction that pose a major threat to the safety of structures.

The Planning Area is mostly in an area of generally high liquefaction potential, with a small portion in an area of generally moderate to low liquefaction potential. Generally high liquefaction means that substantial ground shaking has a high potential to trigger liquefaction in the soils. Generally low liquefaction potential means that in the event of substantial ground shaking, the soils have a very low to almost no potential to liquefy. See Figure 8-2: Liquefaction Potential for areas of liquefaction potential in the Planning Area.

Flood Hazards
Substantial areas within the City are subject to flooding, especially areas along the coast and northeast of the Contra Costa Canal. According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Marsh Creek, the majority of the City’s shoreline areas, and the entire East Cypress Corridor Specific Plan SOI Area are within the 100-year floodplain (i.e., an area subject to flooding in a storm that is likely to occur once every 100 years). Figure 8-3: Flood Hazard Areas, shows the locations within the Planning Area of Flood Hazard Areas, as identified by Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) maps.

The most serious flood hazard existing in the Planning Area is related to the system of levees that protect adjacent low-lying areas. Levee failure often occurs in areas where levees rest on 326
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soft mud, silt, or peat. Peat soils exist along the shorelines in the central and northeast portions of the Planning Area (see Figure 8-4 Hazardous Area Locations). Flooding problems have been exacerbated by boat movement on the waterways, which creates waves that accelerate the natural process of levee erosion.

Existing Flood Conditions
Floodplain management generally refers to the 100-year floodplain, but may also include other areas with flood risk, such as 200-year or 500-year floodplains, or areas that are at risk of flooding from levee failure.

Floodplain management is concerned with both potential structural damage within the floodplain and floodway, as well as changes to the configuration of the floodplain brought about by flood protection measures or construction activities. The 100-year floodplain delineates the inundation area from a flood having a one percent chance of occurring in any given year. Similarly, the 200-year and 500-year floodplains delineate, respectively, the areas with a 0.5 percent and 0.2 percent change of flooding in any given year. A floodway, a smaller area within the floodplain, is comprised of a river or stream plus the area within immediate proximity of a river or stream that is capable of conveying the 100-year flood with no more than a 1-foot rise in water.

There are numerous 100-year flood hazard areas throughout the Planning Area. The majority exists along the shorelines of the Delta, within the Cypress Lakes area, and along Marsh Creek, with pockets of flood areas scattered throughout the City (see Figure 8-3). Figure 8-3 shows the Oakley land uses and essential facilities that are located within the 100-year and 500-year floodplains.

While much of Oakley is outside the 100-year floodplain, there are issues of localized flooding within the City and in the East Cypress Corridor Specific Plan area. These conditions result from the undulating topography of the City that is generally level with isolated drainage basins and the proximity to the Delta. The solution for providing drainage and flood control to such areas is discussed further in the drainage section of the Growth Management Element. There are additional areas within the Oakley that fall within the 500-year floodplain, as well as “Awareness Floodplain” areas established by DWR. For which similar drainage and flood control strategies may be appropriate. It is noted that there are no areas of the City or Planning Area within the 200-year floodplain based on California Department of Water Resources Best Available Maps, 2020.

Dam Inundation
All dams pose the potential risk of failure, most likely from seismically-induced ground shaking or another seismic event, which threatens the area below the dam with inundation of water spilling from the dam. Since 1972, the State has required inundation maps for most dams, showing those areas within the potential dam failure inundation zone. As illustrated in Figure 8-4: Dam Inundation Areas, the north/northeastern portion of Oakley is subject to potential dam inundation by the New Melones Lake, Folsom Lake, or San Luis Reservoir. The inundation map shows the area likely to flood should the dam(s) fail. 327
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Main St
City Hall
Fire Station
Empire Ave
Rose Ave
Neroly Rd
Delta Rd
Tule Ln
Knightsen Ave
E Cypress Rd
Gateway Rd
Laurel Rd
Sellers Ave
Bethel Island Rd
Laurel Rd
Wilbur Ave
Brownstone Rd
Sandmound Blvd
E Cypress Rd
Jersey Island Rd
Carpenter Rd
Neroly Rd
Oakley Rd
Police
Fire Station
Medical
Facility
Sources: City of Oakley; Contra Costa County; USGS National Map; USGS Faults database; Geologic Map of California. Map date: December 8, 2020 Taylor Slough
Dutch Slough
Big Br e a k
San J o a quin Ri v e r
Delta Cove
Contra Costa Canal
Contra Costa Canal
Marsh
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Marsh
Creek
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Faults and Seismic Stability
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Q
Quaternary Fault
Marine sedimentary rocks (Eocene) - Shale, sandstone, conglomerate, minor limestone; Marine sedimentary rocks (Miocene) - Sandstone, shale, siltstone, conglomerate, and breccia; Marine and nonmarine sedimentary rocks (Pleistocene-Holocene) - Alluvium, lake, playa, and Nonmarine sedimentary rocks (Pleistocene-Holocene) - Pliocene and/or Pleistocene sandstone, Marine and nonmarine sedimentary rocks (Pleistocene) - Older alluvium, lake, playa, Marine and nonmarine sedimentary rocks (Pleistocene-Holocene) - Extensive marine and mostly well consolidated. (more stable)
moderately to well consolidated. (more stable)
terrace deposits; unconsolidated and semi-consolidated. (least stable) shale, and gravel deposits; mostly loosely consolidated. (less stable) and terrace deposits. (less stable)
nonmarine sand deposits, generally near the coast or desert playas. (least stable) Q
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QOa
Qs
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Oakley City CouncilJanuary 11, 2022

Oakley City Council
January 11, 2022