Union City City Council
May 13, 2025

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Union City does hereby approve the 2025 State and Federal Legislative Platform for the City of Union City as outlined in Exhibit A to this Resolution.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council does hereby authorize the Mayor or City Manager to sign position letters on behalf of the City of Union City as deemed appropriate and when consistent with the policy positions identified in Exhibit A to this Resolution.

PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Union City at a regular meeting held on this 13th day of May 2025 by the following vote:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSENT:

ABSTAIN:

APPROVED:

GARY SINGH
Mayor
ATTESTED: APPROVED AS TO FORM:

THAI NAM N. PHAM
City Clerk
KRISTOPHER J. KOKOTAYLO
City Attorney
City Council/RSA Agenda 367 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
State Capitol Office • 925 L Street, Suite 1404 • Sacramento, California 95814 • Phone (916) 447-4086 • Fax (916) 444-2063 Federal Office • 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE, Suite 360 • Washington, DC • Phone (202) 546-8696 • Fax (202) 546-4555 Northern California Office • 300 Frank Ogawa Plaza, Suite 204 • Oakland, California 94612 • Phone (510) 835-9050 • Fax (510) 835-9030 Southern California Office • 1601 Dove Road• Newport Beach, California 92660 • Phone (949) 399-9050 • Fax (949) 476-8215

M E M O R A N D U M
To: Honorable Gary Singh, Mayor
Honorable Council Members, City of Union City
Joan Malloy, City Manager
Jennifer Phan, Deputy City Manager
From: Townsend Public Affairs, Inc.

Christopher Townsend, President
Niccolo De Luca, Vice President
Alex Gibbs, Grants Manager
Kerri West, Senior Associate
Joseph Melo, Federal Senior Associate
Date: May 13, 2025
Subject: 2025 State and Federal Legislative Platform
Townsend Public Affairs, Inc. (TPA), alongside City staff, has prepared a draft 2025 State and Federal Legislative Platform for the City of Union City for discussion and adoption by the full City Council. The 2025 legislative platform will reflect the priorities of the City Council and includes advocating for legislation, regulations, and funding that is consistent with the City’s adopted goals, particularly those established and stated in the FY 2024-2025 City Council Strategic Plan.

Once adopted, this document will be shared with key stakeholders in the State Legislature, Governor’s Administration, Members of Congress, and Federal Administration.

Proposed Legislative Priorities for 2025
The State Legislature will maintain its focus on its recent priorities including Climate Resiliency, Homelessness and Behavioral Health, Housing and Greater Access, Public Safety, and Transportation and Infrastructure. In addition, the Governor, his Administration, and the State Legislature is focused on stopping and pushing back on the various proposals coming from President Trump.

In 2025, the Trump administration and Congress are prioritizing tax cuts, deregulation, and spending reductions, though republican lawmakers have not yet agreed on specifics and legislative approach.

Key focuses include border security, military funding, energy production, and strict immigration policies, such as large-scale deportations. The administration is also advancing efforts aimed to shrink the federal workforce and restructuring agencies.

Federal and State Legislative Monitoring and Potential Action The following legislative priorities are being recommended for monitoring, analysis, and potential action.

The City may choose to take a position on a piece of legislation, continue to monitor without a position, or determine if any further response is required.

City Council/RSA Agenda 368 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Union City 2025 Legislative Platform Page 2 of 4
TPA will maintain a constantly updated matrix of state legislation and may also present strategic recommendations and provide rolling updates. TPA will monitor legislative activity in the following areas.

Fiscal Sustainability
Policy Priorities:
1) Support legislative efforts that will require regional collaboration when receiving direct allocation of homeless funds.
2) Advocate for legislative proposals that bring revenue ballot measures to address critical facilities and infrastructure needs.
3) Preserve and protect impact fees as a critical tool for providing necessary community infrastructure and services.

Funding Priorities:
1) Advocate for funding for projects typically paid for through the City General Fund, to help alleviate pressures on the General Fund.
2) Seek funding for community and recreation projects including parks, camps, and other facilities and services.
3) Seek funding for other projects with deferred maintenance that are part of the City’s Capital Improvement Plan.

Community Development/Housing and Social Services
Policy Priorities:
1) Advocate for legislation that makes it easier for jurisdictions to access financing for housing and related infrastructure needs.
2) Monitor and engage in legislation that reduces local land use control. 3) Support legislative efforts that increase services such as mental health, substance abuse, treatment beds and other services for people living in encampments and in unsheltered settings. 4) Support legislative efforts to enhance public transportation and transit services.

Funding Priorities:
1) Seek funding for innovative programs to prevent displacement and address hazardous housing conditions.
2) Enhance funding opportunities for existing state programs to help support bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure in connection to housing.
3) Support for seismic retrofits.
4) Seek funding for homeless services (e.g., the wrap around services necessary for transitional and permanent housing), permanent supportive housing, non-congregate shelters and emergency shelters, as well as operating costs.
5) Support funding efforts relating to mental health treatment, substance abuse treatment, and other related services.
6) Seek funding for the build-out of the greater Station District Area through the construction of Quarry Lakes Parkway.
7) Seek funding to clean approximately 16 acres of the Waste Containment Area (WCA) located in City’s only transit-oriented development (TOD) area to build much needed housing. 8) Seek funding for new parks.
9) Seek funding for Capital Improvements such as a new City Hall, new Police Station, and other community buildings.

City Council/RSA Agenda 369 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Union City 2025 Legislative Platform Page 3 of 4
Economic Development
Policy Priorities:
1) Support legislation aimed at fostering economic growth and vitality through the development and redevelopment of underutilized industrial and commercial buildings and sites. 2) Monitor and engage, where appropriate, in cannabis tax related legislation. 3) Engage in legislation relating to Online Sales Tax Distribution Formula reform. 4) Support legislative and other efforts for programs that create pathways to high-wage jobs including workforce development.
5) Support efforts that foster the growth and retention of small businesses.

Funding Priorities:
1) Advocate for funding to assist the City, in coordination with developers, create vibrant commercial properties that bring jobs and economic growth.

Public Safety
Policy Priorities:
1) Support the implementation of Proposition 36.
2) Support legislative efforts to address vehicular speeding and pedestrian and bicycle safety. 3) Support disaster preparedness, training, response, equipment (back-up generators, communication equipment, etc.), infrastructure (including new or upgraded City facilities) and resilience efforts.
4) Support efforts to reduce and prevent crimes against persons and property by using data, technology, and resources for purpose driving proactive policing. 5) Support efforts to increase neighborhood patrol resources to allow non-sworn and sworn employees more discretionary time to engage and build relationships with the community. 6) Support efforts for a “Service from the Heart” culture in the police department where care, compassion, and empathy is the foundation for all contacts with the community.

Funding Priorities:
1) Seek funding for public safety equipment such as license plate readers and other security measures. 2) Seek funding for youth violence prevention programs. 3) Seek funding to reduce organized retail theft in the City. 4) Seek funding for staffing and equipment for the City’s Police Force. 5) Seek funding to increase non-sworn positions to improve discretionary time for sworn positions. 6) Seek funding sources for the establishment of a City Dispatch Center, should Union City no longer continue contracting with neighbors for those services. 7) Seek funding for training on implementing Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) strategies to deter crime and promote public safety. 8) Seek funding for new fire equipment.

City Council/RSA Agenda 370 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Union City 2025 Legislative Platform Page 4 of 4
Environmental Sustainability and Infrastructure
Policy Priorities:
1) Measures that support regional planning for climate change and adaptation strategies. 2) Increasing resiliency of public infrastructure from threats of climate change. 3) Increasing the ability for local agencies to access affordable broadband services to better serve their residents.
4) Monitor and engage on legislation related to collection services franchise agreements and organics regulations/waste diversion compliance.

Funding Priorities:
1) Seek funding for park improvements/maintenance efforts. 2) Seek funding for climate change planning and staffing to support sustainability efforts. 3) Seek funding for Zero Waste efforts.
4) Seek funding for more EV charging stations at both public and private facilities. 5) Seek funding for bicycle and pedestrian safety improvements. 6) Seek funding for pedestrian rail crossings, both at grade and grade separated safety projects. 7) Seek funding for the conversion of the UC Transit fleet to zero emissions. 8) Seek funding to convert (approximately 4,000) street light fixtures to LED to conserve energy, improve lighting levels and improve safety.
9) Seek funding for energy efficiency improvement projects at City facilities (i.e., windows, HVAC, etc.) One Time State and Federal Funding Priorities for “Member Request” Consideration As we have seen at both the Federal and State level, new initiatives and various funding opportunities have taken form over the last few years. This also includes both legislative provisions that direct approved funds to be spent on specific projects, sometimes referred to as “Member Requests” or “Congressionally Directed Spending.”
As it relates to state and federal “Member Requests” / “Congressionally Directed Spending,” our recommended strategy is for the adopted Legislative Platform to include a handful of funding buckets that capture various project themes. This provides the City with the highest amount of flexibility as it is important to not only reflect the priorities of the state and federal lawmakers who sponsor these requests, but also to ensure that the City’s projects fit the eligibility requirements of the various state and federal funding pots.

Process for Reporting/Next Steps
In addition to weekly legislative updates and other communications we send to the City Team, TPA suggests verbal reports to the City Council when the State Legislature is on recess. For example, we may report out in April while they are on Spring Recess and in November or December when Session has concluded.

Due to the ever-changing nature of legislation in Sacramento and Washington, TPA can also provide monthly updates which can be shared with the City Council.

City Council/RSA Agenda 371 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Item 7.1: 2025 State and Federal
Legislative Platform
May 13, 2025 City Council Regular Meeting
City Council/RSA Agenda 372 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
2 Item 7.1:
2025 State and Federal Legislative Platform
Background
• September 12, 2023 – First year agreement with Townsend Public Affairs, Inc. (TPA) via Resolution No. 6200-23
• November 26, 2024 – Second year agreement with TPA via Resolution No. 6394-24
Legislative
Advocacy
Grant
Funding
City Council/RSA Agenda 373 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
3 Item 7.1:
2025 State and Federal Legislative Platform
Purpose of a Legislative Platform
Outlines City’s policy and funding priorities
Consists of broad statements to aid in monitoring, analyzing, and responding to legislative issues of importance
Allows City to move swiftly and engage in a timely manner Summarizes policy items that can easily be conveyed to legislators, policymakers, and general public
City Council/RSA Agenda 374 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
4 Item 7.1:
2025 State and Federal Legislative Platform
Updated Legislative Platform
Five Categories:
• Fiscal Sustainability
• Community Development/Housing
and Social Services
• Economic Development
• Public Safety
• Environmental Sustainability and
Infrastructure
State and Federal
Legislative Platform
City
Council
Input
City Staff
Input
City
Council
Strategic
Plan
City Council/RSA Agenda 375 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
5 Item 7.1:
2025 State and Federal Legislative Platform
Legislative Advocacy Process
• TPA (in conjunction with City staff) will:
→ Review and evaluate legislation
→ Make recommendations on advocacy efforts or positions → Prepare position letters consistent with legislative platform → Engage State and Federal representatives as appropriate • For matters consistent with legislative platform:

City Staff Sends
Draft Position
Letters to City
Council
Councilmembers
Respond Directly to
City Staff Within 48
Hours
Mayor or City
Manager Authorized
to Sign on City’s
Behalf
TPA to Submit and
Provide Testimony
on City’s Behalf
City Council/RSA Agenda 376 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
6 Item 7.1:
2025 State and Federal Legislative Platform
Legislative Advocacy Process (cont.)
• If any Councilmember indicates a conflicting position or suggests substantive changes, letter will not be submitted and item will be brought before the entire City Council for discussion.
• If any matters arise that are not addressed in the legislative platform, item will be brought before the entire City Council for consideration.
• City Council may amend the legislative platform at any given time.

City Council/RSA Agenda 377 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
7 Recommendation
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution approving the 2025 State and Federal Legislative Platform for the City of Union City, authorizing the Mayor or City Manager to sign position letters on behalf of the City.

Item 7.1:
2025 State and Federal Legislative Platform
City Council/RSA Agenda 378 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
WWW.TOWNSENDPA.COM
SACRAMENTO • WASHINGTON, DC
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA • NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Update on Efforts
May 13, 2025
City Council/RSA Agenda 379 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Slide 9
Overview of Efforts
Grant Writing Services
State Advocacy Services
Federal Advocacy Services
City Council/RSA Agenda 380 Tuesday, May 13, 2025 City of Union City Presentation Slide 10
Partnered on five applications
Awarded Grants: $389,103
Pending Awards: $174,147
Grants
City Council/RSA Agenda 381 Tuesday, May 13, 2025 City of Union City Presentation Slide 11
State Efforts
Weekly Updates
Bill Positions
State Budget Requests
City Council/RSA Agenda 382 Tuesday, May 13, 2025 City of Union City Presentation Slide 12
Federal Efforts
FY 26 Project Description Requested
Amount
Status
Enhanced
Street
Lighting to
Increase
Public Safety
Project
The Enhanced Street Lighting to Increase
Public Safety Project in Union City is a cost
effective and safe way to address public
safety without hiring more staff. There are
approximately 4,300 streetlights in Union
City within the roadway and local streets.
$3,000,000 Submitted to
Senator Padilla,
Senator Schiff,
and Rep.

Swalwell
Fire
Equipment
Enhancement
The City of Union City, in partnership with
Alameda County Fire, need to purchase a
new fire engine as its current one is 11
years past its useful life.
$2,496,713 Submitted to
Senator Padilla
and Senator
Schiff
City Council/RSA Agenda 383 Tuesday, May 13, 2025 City of Union City Presentation Slide 13
Key State Issues for 2025
Housing Cap and Trade
Reauthorization
RHNA Reform
Property Insurance
Availability and
Affordability
Brown Act
Modernization
Proposition 36
Implementation
City Council/RSA Agenda 384 Tuesday, May 13, 2025 City of Union City Presentation Slide 14
119th Congress:

Leadership and
Administration
Changes
FY 2026
Appropriations
Process
Federal Earmarks:

Community Project
Funding
Key Federal Issues for 2025
City Council/RSA Agenda 385 Tuesday, May 13, 2025 City of Union City Presentation Slide 15
California Advocacy | Federal Advocacy | Grant Writing
www.TownsendPA.com | (949) 399-9050
Townsend Public Affairs, Inc.

California Advocacy,
Featuring:

Niccolo De Luca
Vice President
[email protected]
Kerri West
Senior Associate
[email protected]
Federal Advocacy,
Featuring:

Ben Goldeen
Fed. Advocacy Director
[email protected]
Joseph Melo
Senior Associate
[email protected]
Grant Writing,
Featuring:

Alex Gibbs
Grants Director
[email protected]
Barbarah Torres
Senior Associate
[email protected]
City Council/RSA Agenda 386 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
cc: Board of Directors
General Manager

SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA RAPID TRANSIT DISTRICT
2150 Webster Street, P.O. Box 12688
Oakland, CA 94604-2688
(510) 464-6000
May 13, 2025
The Honorable Gary Singh
Mayor, City of Union City
34009 Alvarado-Niles Road
Union City, CA 94587
Dear Mayor Singh,
On behalf of the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART), I urge you to consider adding support for transit funding legislation to the city’s 2025/2026 State and Federal Legislative Agenda. Maintaining BART and other regional transit connections is integral to making Union City a desirable destination to live and work.

The majority of the BART Board of Directors supports Senate Bill (SB) 63, the Connect Bay Area Act, authored by Senator Arreguín and Senator Wiener, which would authorize the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to place a regional sales tax measure on the November 2026 ballot to sustain transit agency operations. I urge Union City to consider support for SB 63 as part of your Legislative Agenda. While I abstained from supporting SB 63 as written, as your BART Director representing District 6, I am cautiously optimistic that the bill will be amended to include a tax on corporations or on higher incomes.

BART is one of the most cost-efficient transit operators in the country but has lost significant revenue due to the Bay Area’s slow return to in-office work. BART faces ongoing deficits of $350-$400 million beginning in Fiscal Year 2027. Without additional funding, BART will be forced to make drastic cuts to transit service, with impacts felt by riders and non-transit users.

Efforts are well underway at BART to improve safety, service, and cleanliness for our riders.

Next-generation fare gates have been installed at 30 stations and BART Police have stepped up visible safety efforts by doubling the number of patrols on our trains and in our stations.

Crime decreased by 17% in 2024 and BART customer satisfaction is at a 10-year high.

While ridership was up 6.5% in the first three months of 2025, additional funding is needed to maintain these important services.

Thank you for your support of a regional approach to addressing the funding challenges facing Bay Area transit agencies. I hope the authors of SB 63 amend the bill so that a tax on corporations or on higher incomes is possible.

Sincerely,
Liz Ames
Director, District 6
2025
Mark Foley

PRESIDENT
Melissa Hernandez

VICE PRESIDENT
Robert Powers

GENERAL MANAGER

DIRECTORS
Matthew Rinn
1ST DISTRICT
Mark Foley
2ND DISTRICT
Barnali Ghosh
3RD DISTRICT
Robert Raburn, Ph.D.
4TH DISTRICT
Melissa Hernandez
5TH DISTRICT
Elizabeth Ames
6TH DISTRICT
Victor Flores
7TH DISTRICT
Janice Li
8TH DISTRICT
Edward Wright
9TH DISTRICT
www.bart.gov
City Council/RSA Agenda 387 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Agenda Item
DATE: 5/13/2025
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITYCOUNCIL
FROM: KRISTOPHER J. KOKOTAYLO, CITYATTORNEY
SUBJECT: RESOLUTION AMENDING THE POLICYGOVERNING EXPENSES FOR THE CITYCOUNCIL

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Earlier this year, the City Council, requested that the Legislation and Policy Committee (the “Committee”) review Union City’s (the “City”) Policy Governing Expenses of the City Council (the “Policy”) with particular review related to the $2,000 cap on the redistribution of relinquished travel funds, use of per diem reimbursements, the relevance of the cash advance provision, and the flexibility Councilmembers have in selecting IT equipment.

The Committee reviewed the Policy at its meeting onApril 28, 2025 and directed staff to prepare revisions to the Policy for Council consideration as follows: 1) remove the $2,000 cap on redistribution; 2) eliminate the provided examples for per diem reimbursements but make no substantive revision to the Policy in this regard; 3) remove the cash advance provision; 4) increase the days for submitting for an expense reimbursement from 30 to 45 days; and 5) add clarifying language regarding access to IT equipment.

The CityAttorney’s Office has prepared an amendment to the Policy pursuant to direction provided by the Committee. The CityAttorney’s Office and City staff recommend that the City Council consider the proposed amendment to the Policy and, if the City Council agrees with the Committee’s recommendations, adopt a resolution amending the Policy.

STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT
This agenda item is not identified in the City Council Strategic Plan nor is it directly correlated to a specific priority or goal.

BACKGROUND
The City Council last updated the Policy on November 28, 2023. Under the Policy, the Council sets the annual travel and training budget as part of the City’s budget process. This is currently set at $30,000 ($10,000 for the Mayor, $5,000 for each Council Member).

Under the Policy, Council Members can voluntarily elect to relinquish their unused travel and training budget to be distributed to other Council Members that can utilize the funds. There is a $2,000 limit on the amount that can be reallocated. Additionally, the Policy includes the following language regarding meal expenses:

Meal expenses and associated gratuities will be reimbursed up to the regular federal M&IE per diem rate established for Oakland, California, in effect at the time the meal expenses are incurred. The regular federal M&IE per diem rate for Oakland at the time of the adoption of this policy allocated by meal is as follows:

1. Breakfast: $16

2. Lunch: $17

3. Dinner: $28

4. Incidental Expenses: $5

5. Total: 66
City Council/RSA Agenda 388 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
The City will not pay for alcohol/personal bar expenses or for meal expenses for third parties.

Finally, the Policy provides that expenses must be submitted within 30 days of incurring the expense, allows for cash advances and provides that the IT Manager will select equipment to be made available to the Council for City purposes.

DISCUSSION
As indicated above, the City Council referred the Policy to the Committee for consideration. The Committee recommends revisions to the Policy.

First, the Committee recommends eliminating the $2,000 cap on redistribution of unused training and travel budget funds. This would have no direct impact on the budget, as the funds are already included in the budget and, if unused, would simply return to the general fund. The proposed revision to Section III.a of the Policy would be with strikethrough as follows:

Councilmembers shall not incur more expenses per year than budgeted. These amounts will be established in a set amount per Councilmember during the biennial budget process. Annually, at the first regular City Council meeting in May, any Councilmember that does not intend to expend their budgeted travel funds during the remainder of the fiscal year may voluntarily elect to relinquish those funds.

The decision to relinquish funds is final and irrevocable. Relinquished funds will be evenly distributed to Councilmembers that have elected to not relinquish their funds for the remainder of the fiscal year. The relinquished funds will continue to be evenly distributed until outstanding expenses have been reimbursed for each Councilmember that has elected to not relinquish their funds and shall continue to be distributed until there are no outstanding expenses left or until the relinquished funds have been completely exhausted. In no event will the redistributed amount be greater than an additional amount of $2,000 per Councilmember. City Councilmembers are not eligible to receive additional budget except through the process outlined in this subsection.

Second, the Committee recommended removing the example of the current federal M&IE per diem rate as the example is unnecessary given that the rates are regularly changing. The proposed revision to Section IV.c of the Policy would be with strikethrough as follows:

Meal expenses and associated gratuities will be reimbursed up to the regular federal M&IE per diem rate established for Oakland, California, in effect at the time the meal expenses are incurred. The regular federal M&IE per diem rate for Oakland at the time of the adoption of this policy allocated by meal is as follows:

1. Breakfast: $16

2. Lunch: $17

3. Dinner: $28

4. Incidental Expenses: $5

5. Total: 66
The City will not pay for alcohol/personal bar expenses or for meal expenses for third parties.

Third and fourth, the Committee recommended that the City Council remove Section V. which allows for cash advances and that the City Council increase the days for Council Members to submit for expenses from 30 days to 45 days. Fifth, the Committee recommended a slight revision to Section VII.c to change IT Manager to IT Director and to clarify that the City’s IT Director will provide the City Council with options for selecting equipment, consistent with current practice.

If the City Council adopts the Resolution, the amendments to the Policy would take effect immediately.

FISCAL IMPACT
There is no direct fiscal impact of adopting the proposed Resolution.

RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council consider the Committee’s recommendations, provide any input or proposed revisions and adopt the Resolution amending the Policy Governing Expenses for the City Council.

Prepared by:

Kristopher J. Kokotaylo, CityAttorney
Submitted by:

City Council/RSA Agenda 389 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Kristopher J. Kokotaylo, CityAttorney
ATTACHMENTS:

Description Type
Draft Resolution Resolution
ExhibitA - Union City Policy Governing Expenses Exhibit PowerPoint Presentation Attachment
City Council/RSA Agenda 390 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
RESOLUTION NO. 2025-XXX

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF UNION CITY

AMENDING THE POLICY GOVERNING EXPENSES FOR THE CITY

COUNCIL
WHEREAS, the City of Union City takes its stewardship over the use of its limited public resources seriously; and
WHEREAS, public resources should only be used when there is a substantial benefit to the City; and
WHEREAS, such benefits include participation in regional, state and national organizations whose activities affect the City, as well as attendance at conferences and events related to the City and its residents; and
WHEREAS, Councilmembers sometimes participate, in their official capacity, as a representative of the City at events benefitting civic, cultural, charitable and educational organizations that serve or benefit City residents; and WHEREAS, Councilmembers’ attendance at these types of events provides a substantial benefit to the City; and
WHEREAS, the City Council previously adopted a policy to provide standards on the use and expenditure of City resources in accordance with the requirements of Government Code sections 53232.2 and 53233.3; and
WHEREAS, in 2025, the City Council referred consideration of the City Council travel and expense budget to the Legislation & Policy Committee; and WHEREAS, the Legislation & Policy Committee considered the City Council travel and expense budget and now recommends an amendment to the Policy Governing Expenses of the City Council.

NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City Council of the City of Union City hereby approves an amendment to the Policy Governing Expenses of the City Council attached hereto as Exhibit A, with revisions reflected in strikethrough and underline for reference, in accordance with Government Code sections 53232.2 and 53233.3.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the policy contained in Exhibit A shall supersede and control over any previously adopted policy regarding the same matters.

City Council/RSA Agenda 391 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Resolution No. 2025-XXX
Amending the Policy Governing Expenses for the City Council

PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Union City at a regular meeting held on the 13th day of May 2025 by the following vote:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSENT:

ABSTAIN:

APPROVED:

GARY SINGH
Mayor
ATTESTED: APPROVED AS TO FORM:

THAI NAM N. PHAM
City Clerk
KRISTOPHER J. KOKOTAYLO
City Attorney
Attachments:

1. Exhibit A – Amended Policy Governing Expenses of the City Council City Council/RSA Agenda 392 Tuesday, May 13, 2025

CITY COUNCIL POLICY
Subject: Policy Governing Expenses of the City Council
Adopted: May 13, 2025
I. PURPOSE
a. City Councilmembers must incur miscellaneous expenses in fulfilling the responsibilities of an elected official. This policy establishes the guidelines and standards regarding miscellaneous expenditures incurred by members of the City Council for all travel, education, training, communications, and all out-of-pocket expenses. b. Out-of-pocket expenses incurred by a Councilmember in the performance of their official duties as a representative of the City are eligible for reimbursement as provided in this policy. The guidelines established in this policy are to ensure that travel expenses serve a public purpose and benefit to the City.

II. AUTHORIZED EXPENSES.
a. City funds, equipment, supplies including letterhead, titles, and staff time must only be used for authorized City business. Expenses incurred in connection with the following types of activities generally constitute authorized expenses, as long as the other requirements of this policy are met:

1. Communicating with representatives of regional, state and national government on City adopted policy positions;

2. Attending educational seminars designed to improve officials' skill and information levels;

3. Participating in regional, state and national organizations whose activities affect the City's interests; and

4. Attending City events.

All other expenditures require prior approval by the City Council. In addition, expenses for international travel requires prior City Council approval. b. State law prohibits personal use of public resources. Examples of personal expenses that the City will not reimburse include, but are not limited to:

1. The personal portion of any trip;

2. Political or charitable contributions or events;

3. Family expenses, including partner's expenses when accompanying official on agencyrelated business, as well as children- or pet-related expenses;

4. Entertainment expenses, including theater, movies (either in-room or at the theater), sporting events (including gym, massage and/or golf related expenses), or other cultural events;
City Council/RSA Agenda 393 Tuesday, May 13, 2025

5. Non-mileage personal automobile expenses, including repairs, traffic citations, insurance or gasoline; and

6. Personal losses incurred while on City business.

Expenses for which City Councilmembers receive reimbursement from another agency are not reimbursable under this Policy. Any questions regarding the propriety of a particular type of expense should be resolved by the City Manager before the expense is incurred.

III. BUDGET.
a. Councilmembers shall not incur more expenses per year than budgeted. These amounts will be established in a set amount per Councilmember during the biennial budget process.

Annually, at the first regular City Council meeting in February, any Councilmember that does not intend to expend their budgeted travel funds during the remainder of the fiscal year may voluntarily elect to relinquish those funds. The decision to relinquish funds is final and irrevocable. Relinquished funds will be evenly distributed to Councilmembers that have elected to not relinquish their funds for the remainder of the fiscal year. The relinquished funds will continue to be evenly distributed until outstanding expenses have been reimbursed for each Councilmember that has elected to not relinquish their funds and shall continue to be distributed until there are no outstanding expenses left or until the relinquished funds have been completely exhausted. In no event will the redistributed amount be greater than an additional amount of $2,000 per Councilmember. City Councilmembers are not eligible to receive additional budget except through the process outlined in this subsection. b. Councilmembers who incur expenses greater than the maximum permitted by this policy shall be responsible for the excess expenses.

IV. COST CONTROL.

To conserve City resources and keep expenses within community standards for public officials, expenditures should adhere to the following guidelines. In the event that expenses are incurred which exceed these guidelines, the cost borne or reimbursed by the City will be limited to the costs that fall within the guidelines.
a. Transportation. The most economical mode and class of transportation reasonably consistent with scheduling needs and cargo space requirements must be used, using the most direct and time-efficient route. Government and group rates must be used when available.

1. Airfare. Airfares that are equal or less than those available through the Enhanced Local Government Airfare Program offered through the League of California Cities (www.cacities.org/travel) and the State of California are presumed to be the most economical and reasonable for purposes of reimbursement under this policy. Receipts are required for payment or reimbursement of airfare.

2. Automobile. Automobile mileage is reimbursed at the Internal Revenue Service rate in effect at the time of travel. The reimbursement rate is designed to compensate the driver City Council/RSA Agenda 394 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
for gasoline, insurance, maintenance, and other expenses associated with operating the vehicle. This amount does not include bridge and road tolls, which are also reimbursable.

3. Car Rental. Car rental rates that are equal or less than those available through the State of California's website (http://www.catravelsmart.com/default.htm) shall be considered the most economical and reasonable for purposes of reimbursement under this policy.

Receipts are required for payment or reimbursement of car rental expenses.

4. Taxis/Shuttles. Taxis, shuttles, or rideshare trips (such as Lyft/Uber) fares may be reimbursed, including a 15 percent gratuity per fare, when the cost of such fares is equal or less than the cost of car rentals, gasoline and parking combined, or when such transportation is necessary for time-efficiency.
b. Lodging. Lodging expenses will be reimbursed or paid for when travel on official City business reasonably requires an overnight stay. Receipts are required for payment or reimbursement of lodging expenses.

1. Conferences/Meetings. If such lodging is in connection with a conference, lodging expenses must not exceed the group rate published by the conference sponsor for the meeting in question if such rates are available at the time of booking. If the group rate is not available, see next section.

2. Other Lodging. Travelers must request government rates, when available. A listing of hotels offering government rates in different areas is available at http://www.catravelsmart.com/lodguideframes.htm. Lodging rates that are equal or less than government rates are presumed to be reasonable and hence reimbursable for purposes of this policy.

If lodging rates exceed the government rate for the area, actual lodging costs may be reimbursed conditioned upon performance of a good faith effort evidenced by documentation (e.g., internet search or phone calls) that demonstrate an attempt to find median-priced lodging.
c. Meals. Meal expenses and associated gratuities will be reimbursed up to the regular federal M&IE per diem rate established for Oakland, California, in effect at the time the meal expenses are incurred. The regular federal M&IE per diem rate for Oakland at the time of the adoption of this policy allocated by meal is as follows:

1. Breakfast: $16

2. Lunch: $17

3. Dinner: $28

4. Incidental Expenses: $5

5. Total: 66
The City will not pay for alcohol/personal bar expenses or for meal expenses for third parties.

City Council/RSA Agenda 395 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
d. Airport Parking. Long-term parking must be used for travel exceeding 24 hours. Receipts are required for payment or reimbursement of parking expenses.

V. CASH ADVANCES.RESERVED.
a. From time to time, it may be necessary for an official to request a cash advance to cover anticipated expenses while traveling or doing business on the City's behalf. Such request for an advance should be submitted to the City Manager ten (10) days prior to the need for the advance with the following information:

1. The purpose of the expenditure(s);

2. The benefits of such expenditure to the residents of the City;

3. The anticipated amount of the expenditure(s) (for example, hotel rates, meal costs, and transportation expenses); and

5. The dates of the expenditure(s).
b. Any unused advance must be returned to the City within seven (7) days of the official's return, along with a City expense report and receipts documenting how the advance was used in compliance with this expense policy.
c. In the event the City Manager is uncertain as to whether a request complies with this policy, such individual must seek resolution from the City Council.

VI. EXPENSE REPORT CONTENT AND SUBMISSION DEADLINE.

All cash advance expenditures expense reimbursement requests must be submitted on an expense report form provided by the City. Councilmembers must submit their expense reports within 45 30 days of an expense being incurred, accompanied by receipts documenting each expense.

Inability to provide such documentation in a timely fashion will result in the expense being borne by the official. Expenses for which no receipt is provided shall not be eligible for reimbursement.

At the request of the City Manager, a Councilmember shall submit additional information explaining how the incurred expense complied with this policy.

VII. ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
a. Computers. Councilmembers are required to have certain types of office equipment to discharge their functions and communicate with staff. Accordingly, Councilmembers will be provided with a laptop, tablet, or similar device to assist with carrying out their duties.

Councilmembers will also be provided with reasonable IT support to ensure the security and functionality of the device.
b. Cell Phone. As a representative of the City, the Mayor communicates frequently with constituents, community groups and other regional leaders. To facilitate this communication on behalf of the City, the Mayor shall be provided a cellular telephone. c. Requirements. The City’s IT Manager Director will provide the City Council with technology options for selection and use be responsible for selecting the equipment to be City Council/RSA Agenda 396 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
provided to Councilmembers pursuant to this section. Any electronic equipment provided to a Councilmember shall be used exclusively for City business reasonable necessary to discharge the duties of office and shall be immediately returned to the City upon the Councilmembers leaving office
VIII. AUDITS OF EXPENSE REPORTS.

All expenses are subject to verification that they comply with this policy.

IX. REPORTS TO CITY COUNCIL.

At the following City Council meeting, each official shall briefly report orally or in writing on meetings attended at Council expense. If multiple officials attended, a joint report may be made.

X. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS.

City Councilmembers should keep in mind that some expenditures may be subject to reporting under the Political Reform Act and other laws. All agency expenditures are public records subject to disclosure under the Public Records Act.

XI. VIOLATION OF THIS POLICY.

Use of public resources or falsifying expense reports in violation of this policy may result in any or all of the following: (a) loss of reimbursement privileges; (b) a demand for restitution to the City; (c) the City's reporting the expenses as income to the elected official to state and federal tax authorities; (d) civil penalties of up to $1,000 per day and three times the value of the resources used; and (e) prosecution for misuse of public resources.

City Council/RSA Agenda 397 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Item 7.2

RESOLUTION AMENDING THE POLICY

GOVERNING EXPENSES FOR THE CITY

COUNCIL
City Council/RSA Agenda 398 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
2 Background
Referral to Legislation and Policy Committee Meeting
• Earlier this year, the City Council, requested that the Legislation and Policy Committee review Union City’s Policy Governing Expenses of the City Council. Areas identified for review included:
➢ $2,000 cap on the redistribution of relinquished travel funds ➢ Use of per diem reimbursements
➢ Cash advance provision
➢ IT equipment selection
City Council/RSA Agenda 399 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
3 Background
Legislation and Policy Committee Review
• Committee reviewed the Policy on April 28, 2025 and recommended the following:
➢ Remove the $2,000 cap on redistribution
➢ Eliminate the provided examples for per diem reimbursements ➢ Remove the cash advance provision
➢ Increase the days for submitting for reimbursement from 30 to 45 days ➢ Add clarifying language regarding access to IT equipment City Council/RSA Agenda 400 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
4 Removal of $2k Redistribution Limit
• Councilmembers shall not incur more expenses per year than budgeted. These amounts will be established in a set amount per Councilmember during the biennial budget process. Annually, at the first regular City Council meeting in May, any Councilmember that does not intend to expend their budgeted travel funds during the remainder of the fiscal year may voluntarily elect to relinquish those funds. The decision to relinquish funds is final and irrevocable. Relinquished funds will be evenly distributed to Councilmembers that have elected to not relinquish their funds for the remainder of the fiscal year. The relinquished funds will continue to be evenly distributed until outstanding expenses have been reimbursed for each Councilmember that has elected to not relinquish their funds and shall continue to be distributed until there are no outstanding expenses left or until the relinquished funds have been completely exhausted. In no event will the redistributed amount be greater than an additional amount of $2,000 per Councilmember. City Councilmembers are not eligible to receive additional budget except through the process outlined in this subsection.

City Council/RSA Agenda 401 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
5 Per Diem, Cash Advance, Timeline, and Equipment
• Per Diem: Removed example of current per diem rates under • Cash Advance: Removed option for cash advance
• Timeline for Submittal of Expenses: Increased days required for submittal after expenses incurred from 30 to 45
• Equipment Selection: Modified policy to change reference from IT Manager to IT Director and clarify that the IT Director will provide the City Council with technology options for selection
City Council/RSA Agenda 402 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
6 Recommendation
Adopt a Resolution Amending the Policy Governing Expenses for the City Council City Council/RSA Agenda 403 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Agenda Item
DATE: 5/13/2025
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITYCOUNCIL
FROM: JOAN MALLOY, CITYMANAGER
SUBJECT: ADOPT A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A CONSULTING SERVICES AGREEMENT, IN A FORM APPROVED BY THE CITY ATTORNEY, WITH ASCENT ENVIRONMENTAL, INC. IN THE NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF $394,202, FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE CITY’S CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE; AND ADOPT A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE FORMATION OF AN AD HOC COMMITTEE FOR THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the attached Resolution (Attachment 1), authorizing the City Manager to enter into a Consulting Services Agreement with Ascent Environmental, Inc. for the comprehensive update to the City’s Climate Action Plan. This update is necessary to comply with new regulatory requirements, establish greenhouse gas reduction targets and adaptation strategies, align with evolving best practices, and account for emerging climate issues. The consultant was selected through a competitive bid process based on qualifications, experience, and project approach. Exhibit A (attached) details the proposed scope of work, project budget, and anticipated schedule for the CAP Update process.

In addition, staff recommends that the City Council adopt the attached Resolution (Attachment 2) authorizing the formation of an Ad Hoc Committee for the Climate Action Plan Update. Staff has offered a suggested structure and composition for the Ad Hoc Committee, which will play a vital role in guiding the development and implementation of the updated CAP.

STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT
This agenda item is in alignment with the following:

Goal D, Strategy 8. Update the Climate Action Plan and also include regional goals in the plan. (Council Priority)

BACKGROUND
A Climate Action Plan (“CAP”) is a strategic framework, developed by a public agency, that identifies specific strategies and actions to promote environmental stewardship and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Typically, CAPs are informed by local GHG inventories and are designed to prioritize measures that offer the greatest emissions reduction potential in a cost-effective manner. By identifying targeted activities and implementation pathways, CAPs support informed decision-making and help jurisdictions meet local, regional, and state climate goals.

In California, CAPs are a key tool for aligning local planning efforts with state climate goals and regulatory requirements. Of particular importance are Senate Bill (SB) 32 and Executive Order (EO) B-30-15, which set goals to reduce statewide GHG emissions to 40-percent below 1990 levels by 2030 and to reach carbon neutrality by 2045, respectively. Local climate action planning is further mandated by SB 379, which amended Government Code § 65302(g) to require local agencies to integrate climate adaptation and resiliency strategies into the General Plan Safety Element.

Existing CAP
City Council/RSA Agenda 404 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Union City’s CAP was originally adopted in 2010 and envisioned a sustainable, low-carbon future for Union City characterized by transitoriented development, active transportation, increased use of renewable energy, climate-resilient public spaces, and responsible water use. To achieve this, the 2010 CAP set a GHG reduction target of 20-percent below 2005 levels by 2020, and assuming full implementation of the CAP’s proposed measures, projected GHG emissions to be approximately 23-percent below 2005 levels by 2020. In 2015, a GHG inventory was completed, which showed an approximate 16-percent reduction in GHG emissions between 2005 and 2015. Due to staffing limitations, a GHG emissions inventory was not completed in 2020.

DISCUSSION
Planning Division staff prepared a Request for Proposals (RFP) to hire a qualified consultant to lead the City’s CAP update and related environmental documentation. The RFP was published on the City’s RFP, Bids, and Notices webpage on December 16, 2024. The RFP was also advertised via email to firms that have experience preparing CAPs or climate-planning related efforts. After a 46-day solicitation period ending on January 30, 2025, the City received proposals from nine firms.

Following a thorough review of all submitted proposals, Planning staff identified the top five consultant teams for interviews. Based on a careful evaluation of the proposals, interview performances, and reference checks, Planning staff determined that Ascent is the most qualified firm to serve as the City’s consultant for the CAP update. Ascent offers a comprehensive suite of climate action and resilience planning services, directly addressing all requirements delineated in the City’s RFP. Notably, these services are provided entirely in-house, ensuring seamless integration, direct access to their specialized expertise, and the maintenance of the highest quality standards without reliance on subconsultants.

Ascent possesses a strong and relevant track record in the development of climate action and adaptation plans for a diverse range of local and regional entities across California, including cities, counties, special districts, tribes, and metropolitan planning organizations. Furthermore, Ascent is uniquely positioned to support this critical update for the City given its direct experience assisting, or current engagement with, neighboring communities such as Fremont, Newark, and Hayward. This combination of relevant expertise, regional familiarity, and a streamlined in-house delivery model positions Ascent as the best choice for the City’s CAP update.

Scope of Work & Budget
Generally, Ascent will support the CAP Update through the major tasks listed below.

1. Project Orientation and Management. This task involves kickoff meetings, project management protocols, and regular status meetings to ensure clear communication and coordination.

2. CEQA Documentation. This task involves preparation of a California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) compliance technical memorandum and an Environmental Checklist with an addendum to the General Plan EIR, ensuring that the updated CAP aligns with environmental review standards.

3. Climate Action Plan Update. This task involves development of a comprehensive CAP Update, including, but not limited to, literature review and policy audit, vulnerability assessment; GHG inventory; carbon sequestration analysis for natural and working lands; and GHG forecasts and reduction targets.

4. Community and Stakeholder Engagement. This task involves community outreach through a dedicated engagement plan, technical advisory group (TAG) meetings, community workshops, a community survey, and coordination with the City Council and other key stakeholders.

5. Draft and Final Plan Preparation. This task involves delivering administrative drafts, a public review draft, technical responses to public comments, and a final CAP Update document suitable for City adoption and public dissemination.

The cost for the core scope of work amounts to $394,202, which encompasses all consultant fees, reimbursements, and a 10-percent contingency. The estimated project duration to complete all outlined deliverables is approximately 20 months.

Optional Tasks
Ascent’s proposal includes several optional tasks, specifically Tasks 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, 4.10, and 6, that are independent from the core scope of work.

Generally, these optional tasks are designed to expand community engagement and technical analysis to ensure the CAP Update meets emerging state mandates and strengthens resilience planning. Due to budgetary constraints, staff does not recommend funding the optional tasks at this time.

Additional Community and Stake Holder Engagement
As part of the core scope, the community and stakeholder engagement framework is expected to yield meaningful input and broad representation. Should additional engagement needs arise during the course of the project or should the City Council determine that more robust community involvement is warranted, staff can return with a proposed amendment to the Consultant Services Agreement to include the optional community and stakeholder tasks as described in Exhibit A, or other efforts, consistent with Council direction.

City Council/RSA Agenda 405 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Sea Level Rise Assessment and Adaptation
Passed in October 2023, Senate Bill (SB) 272 requires local governments under the jurisdiction of the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) to develop a sea-level rise adaptation and action plan by 2034. As required by SB 272, BCDC adopted the Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan (RSAP) for the San Francisco Bay on December 5, 2024. The RSAP is intended to guide the creation of coordinated, locally-planned sea-level rise adaptation actions that work together to meet regional goals.

The SB 1 Sea Level Rise Adaptation Planning Grant Program, administered by the California Ocean Protection Council (OPC), offers funding to local governments for developing sea-level rise adaptation plans and projects. As part of Optional Task 6.2, SB 1 Grant Funding, Ascent would assist the City in applying for funding for a future sea-level rise adaptation and action plan. The program, which provides funding via the two tracks outlined below, is funded through California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that utilizes proceeds from the state’s Cap-andTrade Program. As of December 2024, approximately $19.97 million is expected to be available in 2025 for SB 1 projects.

Track 1: Sea-Level Rise Adaptation Planning
Funding ranges from $200,000 to $1,500,000.

The maximum project timeline is two years. Extensions may be considered based on project scope and complexity.

Proposals are part of a non-competitive process and accepted on a rolling basis, however, all applications for funding awards are considered and approved by OPC on a quarterly basis.

Track 2: Sea-Level Rise Implementation Projects
Funding ranges from $1,500,000 to $10,000,000.

The maximum project timeline is three years.

Proposals are part of a non-competitive process and anticipated to be accepted in mid-2025.

While staff does not recommend funding the full Sea-Level Rise Assessment and Adaptation Plan (Task 6) at this time, due to its cost of $382,580, the City Council should consider allocating funds in future budget cycles to pursue SB 1 grant funding. The City does not have an immediate need to initiate this planning effort; however, the long-term availability of the SB 1 funds may be uncertain. Therefore, proactively allocating resources in the near future would position the City to meet state requirements in the years to come while leveraging external funding.

Ad Hoc Committee on ClimateAction
A key component of the CAP Update process is the establishment of an ad hoc committee tasked with advising on the CAP development at key milestones in the process. An ad hoc committee is a temporary committee that is formed to address a specific topic or set of tasks. The committee will automatically disband at the conclusion of the CAP Update. At its Regular Meeting on February 11, 2025, the City Council voted 4-1 to “agendize consideration of anAd Hoc Committee on Climate Action to receive updates from staff and consultants and provide input on the Climate Action Plan update, aligning with the forthcoming presentation on the topic.” As part of the last CAP process, the City Council approved the creation of the Climate Protection Task Force, a 16-member committee formed to “...represent the diverse interests of Union City throughout the [CAP] process, and to provide comments on the draft CAP” (City Council Resolution 4063-10). Members included representatives from the City Council, Planning Commission, Union Sanitary District Board, New Haven Unified School District, Chamber of Commerce, citizen representatives and City staff from the City Manager’s Office, the Planning Division, and the Public Works Department. Over the course of 10 months, the Task Force held five meetings to discuss key sectors and identify potential measures suitable for Union City.

For the CAP Update, staff suggests forming a more streamlined Ad Hoc Committee, comprising:

Up to two City Council members;
Up to two Planning Commissioners; and
Up to five community members.

The proposed smaller size of the Ad Hoc Committee is intended to facilitate more efficient deliberations and timely input, while still ensuring the inclusion of diverse perspectives. Staff defers to the City Council for the final determination regarding the committee’s size and composition. To maintain transparency and accountability in this process, staff recommends that the Mayor appoint, and the City Council formally affirm, the nominated committee members. A general outline of the anticipated appointment process is provided below for the City Council’s consideration.

1. Public Outreach and Recruitment. Staff will advertise the opportunity widely through the City’s website, social media, and community networks, inviting interested individuals to apply.

2. Application Review. Staff will review the applications and develop a shortlist of recommended candidates based on qualifications, experience, and ability to represent a range of community interests for consideration by the Mayor. The Planning Commission will recommend up to two Commissioners to serve on the Ad Hoc Committee.

3. Final Appointments. The recommended candidate list, along with the Planning Commission recommendation, will be presented to the Mayor for selection of committee members. The Mayor’s appointments will be presented to the City Council for formal affirmation at a public meeting. The City Council appointments will also be made at that meeting.

City Council/RSA Agenda 406 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
In addition to the Ad Hoc Committee, a Technical Advisory Group (TAG), comprising staff from the Economic and Community Development Department and the Public Works Department, will be established to provide subject matter expertise at key milestones. Furthermore, external agencies, such as the Union Sanitary District, Ava Community Energy, and the Alameda County Water District, will be invited to provide input to ensure the update reflects regional priorities and promotes cross-agency coordination.

FISCAL IMPACT
There is no impact to the General Fund. The Council allocated $400,000 in the FY2023/2024 and FY2024/2025 budget to cover the cost of the $394,202 CAP Update. The funds are included in the Current Planning – Professional/Consulting Account (11041004-54110). These funds will also cover the activities of the Ad Hoc Committee.

RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the attached:

1. Resolution authorizing the City Manager to enter into a Consulting Services Agreement, in a form approved by the City Attorney, with Ascent, in the not to exceed amount of $394,202, for preparation of the City’s CAP Update, in accordance with the attached scope of work (Exhibit A).

2. Resolution authorizing the formation of anAd Hoc Committee for the Climate Action Plan Update.

Prepared by:

Mayank Patel, Senior Planner
Submitted by:

Carmela Campbell, Economic and Community Development Director ATTACHMENTS:

Description Type
Draft Resolution - Consultant ServicesAgreement Resolution ExhibitA - Scope of Work Exhibit
Draft Resolution -Ad Hoc Committee Resolution
PowerPoint Presentation Attachment
City Council/RSA Agenda 407 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
RESOLUTION NO. 2025-XXX

RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF UNION CITY

AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A CONSULTING

SERVICES AGREEMENT, IN A FORM APPROVED BY THE CITY
ATTORNEY, WITH ASCENT ENVIRONMENTAL, INC. IN A NOT TO
EXCEED AMOUNT OF $394,202 FOR THE PREPARATION OF THE
CITY’S CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE
WHEREAS, the State of California has established ambitious goals for the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to mitigate the impacts of climate change; and
WHEREAS, the City of Union City (City) is committed to addressing climate change and reducing its contribution to GHG emissions in alignment with state goals and local priorities; and
WHEREAS, the City adopted its Climate Action Plan (CAP) in 2010 and set a GHG reduction target of 20 percent below 2005 levels by 2020; and WHEREAS, the City recognizes the need to update its CAP to respond to state mandates, implement best practices, and identify local strategies that are actionable and cost-effective in addressing climate change; and
WHEREAS, the City Council’s Strategic Plan identifies Goal D, Strategy 8, which calls for the CAP Update as a Council priority; and
WHEREAS, the City released a request for proposals to assist the City in developing a comprehensive update to its CAP; and
WHEREAS, based on evaluation of the proposals, interview performances, and reference checks, Ascent Environmental, Inc. was identified as the most qualified firm to assist the City on the CAP Update; and
WHEREAS, the scope of work for the CAP Update is labeled Exhibit A, attached hereto and made a part hereof; and
WHEREAS, the total cost of the Consultant Services Agreement (CSA) is $394,202. The City Council allocated $400,000 in the FY 2023/2024 and FY 2024/2025 budget to cover the cost of the CAP Update. The funds are included in the Current Planning – Professional/Consulting Account (11041004-54110).

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Union City hereby authorizes the City Manager to enter into a CSA, in a form approved by the City Attorney, with Ascent Environmental, Inc., in a not to exceed amount of $394,202, for the preparation of the City’s CAP Update.

City Council/RSA Agenda 408 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Resolution No. 2025-XXX
Consulting Services Agreement with Ascent: Climate Action Plan Update

PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Union City at a regular meeting held on May 13, 2025, by the following vote:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSENT:

ABSTAIN:

APPROVED:

GARY SINGH
Mayor
ATTESTED: APPROVED AS TO FORM:

THAI NAM N. PHAM
City Clerk
KRISTOPHER J. KOKOTAYLO
City Attorney
Attachments:

1. Exhibit A – Ascent Environmental, Inc. Climate Action Plan Update Scope of Work City Council/RSA Agenda 409 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
SECTION 6 // SCOPE OF SERVICES, COST PROPOSAL, AND SCHEDULE CITY OF UNION CITY // CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE PAGE 36 6 / SCOPE OF SERVICES, COST

PROPOSAL, AND SCHEDULE

SCOPE OF SERVICES
This section describes the Ascent team’s approach and methodology for conducting the activities and tasks outlined in the RFP. Drawing from our experience working with cities of a similar size and scale, we have made recommendations for scope refinements to clarify and align tasks. Within each task, we have also indicated City responsibilities, as appropriate.

TASK 1. Project Orientation and Management
Task 1.1. Kickoff Meeting and Project Initiation
A kickoff meeting is key to setting a strong foundation for project success. Ascent’s project management team will hold a kickoff meeting with City staff to review the scope of work, refine project goals and objectives, develop a project timeline and milestone schedule, and identify existing documents, data, policies, and initiatives relevant to the CAP Update. We also recommend using this meeting to confirm key stakeholder groups, identify specific dates for near-term community workshops, and establish the timing of other future activities. Prior to the kickoff meeting, Ascent will conduct a preliminary review of the relevant documents to establish a firm understanding of the project background. This review will include the City’s 2010 CAP and other relevant programs, plans, and policies identified under Task 3.1.

The meeting will also serve to establish the project management procedures, including invoicing terms and communication protocols that are intended to keep all parties appropriately involved and informed. In addition, we propose using this meeting as a time to identify data the Ascent team will collect to prepare the community and municipal operations GHG inventory (see Task 3). We will prepare a meeting agenda and summary meeting notes to document the main takeaways and action items.

Task 1.2. Ongoing Project Management
We understand that communication is fundamental to successfully accomplishing this work effort. We envision our working relationship with the City as highly collaborative. The Ascent project management team will set up regular virtual meetings to discuss project status and ensure coordination with City staff. The purpose of these meetings will be to discuss items such as deliverables, upcoming tasks or milestones, project schedule, and next steps and to identify and discuss any critical path items such as outstanding data needs or schedule constraints. Ascent will maintain an updated project schedule that includes dates for deliverables submitted by Ascent, review periods for City staff, community outreach events, and public meetings. If desired by the City, we will set up a SharePoint folder for sharing documents and deliverables between the Ascent team and City staff. Also under this task, we will submit brief written status reports summarizing project activities, along with our monthly invoices, to the City’s Project Manager.

Task 1 Deliverables
 Draft and final milestone schedule (electronic)
 Kickoff meeting agenda and meeting summary (electronic)  Data and additional information request (electronic)
 Schedule and attend up to 30 project status meetings, 30 minutes each (virtual)

EXHIBIT A
City Council/RSA Agenda 410 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
SECTION 6 // SCOPE OF SERVICES, COST PROPOSAL, AND SCHEDULE CITY OF UNION CITY // CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE PAGE 37  Agendas and action item summaries (electronic)
 Monthly invoices and progress reports (electronic)
 Project schedule, maintained throughout the project (electronic) City Responsibilities
 Participate in kickoff meeting (virtual)
 List of internal and external stakeholders (electronic)  One set of consolidated, nonconflicting comments on the draft milestone schedule in strikethrough/ underline (electronic)
 Participate in project status meetings (virtual)
TASK 2. CEQA Documentation
Task 2.1. CEQA Compliance Technical Memorandum
Ascent will prepare a technical memorandum advising the City on defensible CEQA compliance strategies for the CAP Update. The compliance strategies put forth in the memo will consider the following factors:
 Opportunities to exempt the CAP Update from CEQA review  The reasonably foreseeable environmental effects resulting from the climate action, adaptation, and resilience strategies of the CAP Update
 Perceived or actual controversy surrounding, or opposition to, the CAP Update  Whether the City intends for its CAP Update to meet the requirements of a CEQA-qualified plan for the reduction of GHG emissions outlined in CEQA Guidelines Section 15183.5 The memorandum will also address how the CEQA compliance approach for the CAP Update can streamline potential CEQA compliance for implementation actions identified in the updated CAP. In addition, the memorandum will provide relative, high-level estimates of the costs and timelines of the different CEQA compliance strategies. Because of the potentially sensitive nature of the memorandum’s contents, Ascent will coordinate with the City before submission to determine the most appropriate delivery method.

The memo will focus on compliance with the law, the State CEQA Guidelines, relevant developments in the California courts’ interpretation and application of CEQA, and the City’s local procedures.

Ascent will submit a draft technical memorandum for City staff review and a final technical memorandum based on comments received from the City. The memorandum will be prepared as soon as the draft climate action, adaptation, and resilience strategies start taking shape so that there is ample time for the City to make decisions about the CEQA compliance strategy and have the CEQA document prepared without impacting the overall project schedule. We have included a scope and cost associated with preparing an addendum to the General Plan EIR, but other approaches, such as a within-the-scope finding (similar to the approach taken for the 2021 Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan) or exemptions, could be considered.

Task 2.2. Environmental Checklist and Addendum
Task 2.2.1. Administrative Draft Environmental Checklist Ascent will prepare an Environmental Checklist with explanations documenting all environmental topic areas, any changes in circumstances or project-related changes, and whether such changes were adequately covered in the 2040 General Plan EIR. Our approach will use State CEQA Guidelines Section 15162 to determine whether the project would result in new or more severe significant impacts beyond what was identified in the General Plan EIR. The Environmental Checklist will include substantial evidence to support evaluating individual environmental issue areas.

City Council/RSA Agenda 411 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
SECTION 6 // SCOPE OF SERVICES, COST PROPOSAL, AND SCHEDULE CITY OF UNION CITY // CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE PAGE 38 Introduction
An introduction to the checklist will be prepared that summarizes the project history; describes how the project relates to the 2040 General Plan, the environmental process associated with approving the project, organization of the checklist review, and other documents used in preparation for the review; and identifies responsible and trustee agencies (if necessary).

Project Description
Ascent will prepare a detailed project description for use as the basis for the review in the Environmental Checklist. The project description will include regional and local settings; objectives of the project; project characteristics, including discretionary actions required by the City; important project features; and a list of approvals for which the document will be used.

Analysis of Consistency with the 2040 General Plan EIR
The environmental analysis will use an Environmental Checklist to organize the discussion. The checklist will include the full range of environmental topics addressed in the 2040 General Plan EIR. It will assess the following points for each topic:
 Does the CAP Update involve new significant impacts or substantially more severe impacts?  Are there new circumstances involving new significant impacts or substantially more severe impacts?  Is there any significant new information requiring new analysis or verification?  Are only technical changes or additions needed to make the prior environmental documents sufficient for the proposed project?
 Do mitigation measures from the prior environmental documents resolve significant impacts? The checklist will address all environmental topic areas and summarize the 2040 General Plan EIR impact analysis and mitigation measures that apply to each topic area. Limited air quality, greenhouse gas, noise, and transportation technical analyses will be conducted. No new traffic modeling is assumed in this scope of work.

Other Sections and Assembly of the Administrative Draft Environmental Checklist As appropriate and relevant, the checklist will include sections such as “Report Preparers,” “Persons Consulted,” and “Bibliography.” For all new citations, not already in the administrative record, Ascent will make electronic copies (i.e., PDF) of the cited material for delivery to the City. The administrative draft Environmental Checklist will be assembled, reviewed for quality assurance, and submitted to the City for review and comment.

Task 2.2.2. Screencheck Draft Environmental Checklist
After receipt of one set of nonconflicting comments on the administrative draft Environmental Checklist from the City, Ascent will revise the administrative draft to prepare a screencheck checklist. We will coordinate with City staff about the determination of the appropriate environmental document recognizing the conclusions of the review (addendum, mitigated negative declaration, or EIR). Based on one set of nonconflicting comments on the screencheck Environmental Checklist, Ascent will revise and prepare a final checklist.

Task 2.2.3. Addendum
If it is determined through the checklist review process that the CAP Update would not result in new or substantially more severe significant environmental impacts resulting from the project or circumstances, or from new information of substantial importance (as defined in State CEQA Guidelines Section 15162[a][3]), Ascent will prepare the addendum document that will be attached to the final Environmental Checklist. CEQA does not require public review of an addendum; therefore, preparing public notices is not included in this scope of work. (This scope of work assumes that an addendum will be prepared; if a different document is City Council/RSA Agenda 412 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
SECTION 6 // SCOPE OF SERVICES, COST PROPOSAL, AND SCHEDULE CITY OF UNION CITY // CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE PAGE 39 determined necessary for CEQA compliance, Ascent will coordinate with the City regarding changes to the scope and budget.)
Task 2 Deliverables
 Draft and final CEQA compliance technical memorandum (electronic)  Administrative draft Environmental Checklist (electronic)  Screencheck draft Environmental Checklist (electronic)  Final Environmental Checklist (electronic)
 Addendum (electronic)
City Responsibilities
 One consolidated, nonconflicting set of comments on the draft CEQA compliance technical memorandum in strikethrough/underline (electronic)
 One consolidated, nonconflicting set of comments on the administrative draft Environmental Checklist in strikethrough/underline (electronic)
 One consolidated, nonconflicting set of comments on the screencheck draft Environmental Checklist in strikethrough/underline (electronic)
TASK 3. Climate Action Plan Update
Task 3.1. Literature Review and Policy Audit
A preliminary task to the development of the CAP Update will be to research relevant climate science, state and regional policies, best practices in climate adaptation and mitigation, and best practices and methodologies from other cities that have adopted CAPs in California that are similar in population, land area size, land uses, and municipal operations.

Our team has extensive experience working on climate action and adaptation plans across California, including cities of similar size and scale to Union City. In addition, Ascent prepared the City’s Housing Element and Safety Element updates. As such, we can hit the ground running on this task and provide added efficiencies to the City. Our approach for this task would leverage our existing knowledge of climate action planning frameworks, quantification methodologies, and best practices.

To create an effective and implementable CAP Update, it is crucial to understand and leverage the policies and programs already in place. For this, Ascent will review the 2010 CAP, identifying its strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement (Task 3.7.1), as well as the following documents and compile a policy audit to support the development of GHG reduction and climate adaptation strategies. The policy audit will be an appendix to the CAP Update. The audit will focus on identifying existing goals, policies, and actions in City documents that have relevance to the CAP Update. The audit is not meant to generate an exhaustive list of City actions, only to identify those that are current and relevant. It is anticipated that the GHG emissions reduction and adaptation strategy development process in Task 3.7 will update and build upon this list.  2010 Climate Action Plan
 2040 General Plan
 2021 Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan
Update
 2024 Tri-City Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
 Parks and Recreation Master Plan Update
(forthcoming)
 2023–2031 Housing Element Update
 Safety Element Update
 Municipal Code
 Union City Boulevard Bike Lanes Project
 Station District Specific Plan
 Hillside Specific Plan
City Council/RSA Agenda 413 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
SECTION 6 // SCOPE OF SERVICES, COST PROPOSAL, AND SCHEDULE CITY OF UNION CITY // CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE PAGE 40 Task 3.2. Vulnerability Assessment
Ascent will prepare a comprehensive climate change vulnerability assessment (VA) that will serve as an appendix to the CAP Update, with the most relevant and
pertinent findings incorporated into the body of the CAP Update document. The VA will holistically assess the city’s vulnerability to climate change, building on existing local and regional adaptation resources where appropriate, such as the City’s Housing Element and Safety Element, which Ascent prepared, as well as the Tri-City Local Hazard
Mitigation Plan. The VA will be developed in accordance with Phase 2 (i.e., “Assess Vulnerability”) of the four-phase adaptation planning process (shown on the right), as
identified in and recommended by the California Adaptation Planning Guide (APG). In addition, the assessment will be informed by engagement with the City, the technical advisory group, and community members, as described in Task 4. Following APG guidance, the VA will include the following analyses:
 Exposure. The purpose of this analysis is to understand existing hazards (e.g., extreme heat, wildfire, flooding, sea-level rise, drought) in the community and how they may change over time. This scope of work proposes an assessment of climate exposure during the following periods (where appropriate data are available): historical baseline (1961–1990), mid-century (2035–2064), and end-century (2070–2099).

Ascent can work with City staff to identify whether other time periods are preferred. To understand and confirm climate hazards, assess historical conditions, and map and model future projections, we will review local and regional resources and pull data from tools like Cal-Adapt.  Sensitivities and Potential Impacts. This analysis will involve compiling a list of population groups and community assets sensitive to localized climate change effects and then determining how climate change impacts may affect them. To complete the analysis, Ascent will extract existing information from local and regional resources and, in addition, will leverage other well-recognized tools, such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Risk Index tool, San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission’s (BCDC’s) Community Vulnerability map, and California Healthy Places Index. This approach, using a suite of tools and resources, coupled with input from community members and local data the City may provide, will ensure the VA presents a comprehensive understanding of the sensitivities and potential impacts of climate change on the city, notably the disproportional impacts that climate change may have on vulnerable populations (e.g., older adults, children, low-income, people with disabilities).  Adaptive Capacity. This analysis aims to evaluate Union City’s current ability to cope with the impacts of climate change. The ability to adapt will be determined through two methods. First, we will review existing plans, policies, and programs relevant to climate, hazards, emergency operations, or public safety (completed as part of Task 3.1). Second, Ascent will engage with the City, the technical advisory group, and community members about current efforts that support adaptive capacity.  Vulnerability Scoring. In accordance with APG guidance, a systematic, qualitative scoring method will be used to rank priority climate vulnerabilities. Vulnerability scores are based on several factors, including how severe projected climate exposures will be, how vulnerable at-risk population groups and assets are to anticipated climate effects, and whether sufficient adaptive capacity exists to manage the potential impact.

Ascent will prepare a draft version of the VA to be submitted to the City for review. A final VA incorporating City comments and feedback will be prepared upon City review. The final VA will inform the adaptation and resilience strategies that are ultimately developed for the CAP Update.

Note that while sea-level rise vulnerability will be addressed in the VA, a comprehensive approach to sealevel rise will be included in the CAP Update if the City adds a separate sea-level rise adaptation and action City Council/RSA Agenda 414 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
SECTION 6 // SCOPE OF SERVICES, COST PROPOSAL, AND SCHEDULE CITY OF UNION CITY // CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE PAGE 41 chapter, as described under optional Task 6. Coordination between Task 3.2 and Task 6.1 will be critical to avoid duplication of efforts. Ascent and the City should discuss the approach and timing of completion of Task 3.2, particularly if completion of the VA is confirmed to be a critical input to the City’s SB 1 Sea-Level Rise Adaptation Planning Grant application (see Task 6.2 for further details).

Task 3.3. GHG Inventory
Ascent will develop GHG emissions inventories using ICLEI’s ClearPath 2.0 platform, for both community emissions and the City’s municipal operations, anticipated to be for the year 2023, or the most recently available data. These inventories will serve as the baseline for the CAP Update and include the following emissions sectors: residential and nonresidential building energy, on-road transportation, off-road vehicles and equipment, water, wastewater, and solid waste. Ascent will provide a list of data needs to conduct the updated baseline inventory. We assume the City will serve a responsible role in gathering the necessary permissions to access activity data from energy and utility providers, including electricity, natural gas, water, and solid waste. The municipal operations GHG emissions inventory update will account for GHG emissions resulting from building and facility energy usage, streetlight and traffic signal energy usage, employee commutes, the municipal fleet, water usage, wastewater, and solid waste.

Ascent will present the findings of the GHG inventories (community and municipal operations) in a draft report for City review. Upon receipt of one set of consolidated comments, we will prepare a final report, including complete data appendices. We recommend that future citywide GHG emissions inventories be completed using ICLEI’s ClearPath 2.0 platform for ease and consistency between inventory years. Because the City is already an ICLEI member, the City can provide login credentials for Ascent to upload activity data, emissions factors, and other relevant information into the ClearPath 2.0 platform.

Task 3.4. Natural and Working Lands Carbon Sequestration Analysis Ascent understands that nearly 60 percent of Union City is designated as parks, open space, and agriculture, including the wetland ecosystems and hillside open space. Ascent will use Bay Area Greenprint to pinpoint where the City can achieve climate change mitigation by continuing to capture and store carbon in vegetation and soil and avoiding the release of carbon into the atmosphere by converting the land to other uses. Estimates of carbon held aboveground and belowground will be presented as part of the CAP Update.

We will use the additional mapping layers in Greenprint to understand where climate hazards (e.g., wildfire risk) and ecological characteristics may pose challenges to the existing carbon stock. Based on the analysis, Ascent will craft strategies for enhancing and maintaining carbon stock in Union City (Task 3.7). The performance indicators of these strategies (i.e., the number of acres of land that would be treated) will be informed by the California Natural Resources Agency’s Nature-Based Solutions Climate Targets, released in April 2024, in consultation with local stakeholders.

We will prepare a report that includes the findings from Greenprint and an analysis of sequestration opportunities for City review. Upon receipt of one consolidated set of comments, Ascent will finalize the report, which will be appended to the CAP Update.

City Council/RSA Agenda 415 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
SECTION 6 // SCOPE OF SERVICES, COST PROPOSAL, AND SCHEDULE CITY OF UNION CITY // CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE PAGE 42 Task 3.5. GHG Forecasts and Reduction Targets
Task 3.5.1. GHG Forecasts
Ascent will prepare a business-as-usual (BAU) forecast for community and municipal operations emissions using ClearPath 2.0. The BAU forecast will be conservative in that it will not account for regulatory changes enacted in the future but will account for anticipated population and employment growth in Union City to illustrate how emissions would grow if no action were taken.

Following the calculation of BAU forecasts, we will calculate adjusted forecasts, which will include adopted and other reasonably foreseeable legislative and regulatory changes at the federal and state levels, including SB 100 and SB 1020 (carbon-free electricity), the Advanced Clean Cars Program, California Code of Regulations Title 24, Part 6 (the California Building Energy Code), and the Small Off-Road Engines regulation.

Ascent will calculate the impact that these regulations will have on 2030, 2040, and 2045 emissions levels (and an interim year if desired by the City) and will produce a forecast that will provide a well-supported estimation of future emissions growth to support the development of a qualified CAP Update under CEQA, should the City intend to pursue that path. These adjustments will be made in ClearPath 2.0 as “transition elements.” Transition elements are part of the updated ClearPath 2.0 platform and represent emissionsshifting scenarios like switching from gas-powered vehicles to electric vehicles based on state requirements.

Task 3.5.2. GHG Reduction Targets
Under SB 32 and AB 1279, the state aims to reduce statewide emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030 and 85 percent below 1990 levels by 2045 and to achieve carbon neutrality no later than 2045. CARB’s 2022 Scoping Plan for Achieving Carbon Neutrality lays out a path to achieving the targets for AB 1279, which includes achieving deeper GHG reductions by 2030 than contemplated by SB 32. Ascent will identify and recommend GHG emissions reduction targets consistent with guidance issued by CARB for local plan-level analysis. Ascent works closely with CARB on environmental documentation for its regulations. In this capacity, we are intimately familiar with the data underlying CARB’s inventory and targets. Ascent can work with the City to determine and confirm the most robust, applicable approach to a GHG reduction target that aligns with the state’s targets.

Ascent will establish 2030, 2040, and 2045 targets for the City that align with Union City’s fair share of the state’s targets. We will present the information in the GHG forecasts and targets report for the City’s review and prepare a final version incorporating City comments.

City Council/RSA Agenda 416 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
SECTION 6 // SCOPE OF SERVICES, COST PROPOSAL, AND SCHEDULE CITY OF UNION CITY // CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE PAGE 43 Task 3.6. Guiding Principles and Co-Benefits
Ascent will develop a list of guiding principles
and co-benefits that will be used to consider
the GHG reduction and climate adaptation
strategies for the CAP Update. Guiding
principles should align with existing City
documents as well as with regional climate
efforts and public outreach efforts. The cobenefits may include improved energy security, improved public health, improved
air quality, and local green jobs, among
others (see graphic to the right). Ascent will
work with City staff to refine the guiding
principles and co-benefits and tailor the list according to the community’s needs.

Task 3.7. Climate Action, Adaptation, and Resilience Strategies Task 3.7.1. Evaluate 2010 CAP Strategies
Ascent will evaluate the GHG emission reduction strategies included in the 2010 CAP. We will collaborate with City staff to determine the current level of implementation and effectiveness for each strategy. Any strategy that has not been fully implemented but is still considered feasible will be carried forward into the CAP Update. Ascent will discuss modifications needed to use existing strategies in the update. This effort may include gathering necessary activity data and participation rates that have been tracked since the adoption of the 2010 CAP.

Task 3.7.2. Identify Additional Strategies
We will identify new GHG reduction, adaptation, and resilience strategies and actions that will take the form of policies and programs for inclusion in the CAP Update. Ascent will leverage the extensive community input collected during Task 4 while developing strategies. Strategies will be developed for the community and municipal operations and will include the following resource areas: land use, transportation, buildings and energy, water conservation, waste reduction, green infrastructure, community engagement, and climate adaptation. As part of this task, we will develop a preliminary list of strategies and actions in Microsoft Excel.

Ascent will work with the City during the review of the preliminary draft strategies and actions to gather necessary activity data and develop participation rates and other parameters that will be required for further analysis.

Task 3.7.3. Strategy Analysis
After confirmation of the strategies and actions for inclusion in the CAP Update, Ascent will begin analyzing the GHG reduction potential, cost-benefit, implementation cost, and timing for implementation. Using ClearPath 2.0, we will build out the strategies in the platform as “interventions.” Interventions are used in the updated ClearPath 2.0 to represent policies, programs, and projects that demonstrate how GHG emissions would be reduced. Besides emissions reduction potential, each intervention will include a cost-benefit analysis, performance indicators, funding options, co-benefits, equity considerations, and other important considerations to the City and community members. Once interventions are built into the platform, various charts and tables can be exported from ClearPath 2.0 for use in City reports and websites. The platform is designed to be interactive and can be used to support engagement activities described in Task 4. A screenshot of the new ClearPath 2.0 platform is shown on the next page.

City Council/RSA Agenda 417 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
SECTION 6 // SCOPE OF SERVICES, COST PROPOSAL, AND SCHEDULE CITY OF UNION CITY // CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE PAGE 44 Economic Analysis
In our price proposal, we have included the economic and cost-benefit analysis add-on module for ClearPath

2.0 to allow for seamless integration and the ability to demonstrate various investment scenarios. City staff, decision-makers, and community members will be able to interact with the various scenarios and inputs and learn more about each intervention and its costs, benefits, and returns on investment. Implementation cost parameters, which may include City staff costs, program operational costs, and general order-of-magnitude capital costs, will also be incorporated into this module.

Dashboard
We have also included in our price proposal an advanced dashboard add-on for ClearPath 2.0 that provides the ability for this to be public-facing. The dashboard will support communicating implementation progress.

Progress made on the performance indicators can be updated in ClearPath 2.0 and will automatically be reflected in the dashboard. We recommend the advanced dashboard rather than the essential version (which is included in ClearPath 2.0), as the advanced dashboard allows for additional transparency and customization to showcase the CAP Update graphically rich and interactively. The advanced dashboard will allow the CAP Update to be a living plan where information on the inventory, forecasts, strategies, guiding principles, and strategies can be easily found.

User Guide
ICLEI’s ClearPath 2.0 platform includes a “Knowledge Base” with guides to support inventory updates as well as trainings and demonstrations to use other features of the tool, such as forecasts, planning scenarios, and monitoring. Because the GHG inventory and forecasts will be prepared using ClearPath 2.0, we recommend that the City rely on the ClearPath-specific guides available to reduce potential costs associated with this task.

Deliverables
 Policy audit (electronic)
 Draft and final climate change vulnerability assessment (electronic)  Data request to conduct the community and municipal operations inventory and forecasts (electronic)  Draft and final GHG inventory report (electronic)
City Council/RSA Agenda 418 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
SECTION 6 // SCOPE OF SERVICES, COST PROPOSAL, AND SCHEDULE CITY OF UNION CITY // CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE PAGE 45  Draft and final natural and working lands carbon sequestration analysis (electronic)  Draft and final forecasts and targets report (electronic)  Draft and final list of guiding principles and co-benefits (electronic)  Data request of participation rates and performance targets of 2010 CAP strategies (electronic)  Preliminary list of sector-specific GHG reduction and climate adaptation strategies in Microsoft Excel (electronic)
 ClearPath 2.0 interventions analysis and platform buildout (including cost-benefit analysis and advanced dashboard) (electronic)
City Responsibilities
 Provision of electronic copies of all relevant City documents to Ascent (electronic)  One consolidated, nonconflicting set of comments on the draft climate change vulnerability assessment in strikethrough/underline (electronic)
 Completion of the data request (electronic)
 ClearPath login credentials for Ascent team members (electronic)  One consolidated, nonconflicting set of comments on draft GHG inventory report in strikethrough/ underline (electronic)
 One consolidated, nonconflicting set of comments on the draft natural and working lands carbon sequestration analysis deliverables in strikethrough/underline (electronic)  One consolidated, nonconflicting set of comments on draft forecasts and targets report in strikethrough/ underline (electronic)
 Suggestions of guiding principles and co-benefits as appropriate for the City  One consolidated, nonconflicting set of comments on the list of guiding principles and co-benefits in strikethrough/underline (electronic)
 Responses to data request of participation rates and performance targets (electronic)  One consolidated, nonconflicting set of comments on the preliminary list of sector-specific GHG reduction and climate adaptation strategies in strikethrough/underline (electronic) TASK 4. Community and Stakeholder Engagement
Ascent approaches CAP development in a highly collaborative way, allowing us to blend our expertise in climate mitigation and adaptation planning with the community’s goals, needs, and knowledge. We can provide the City with community engagement support to facilitate meaningful dialogue with the community regarding the goals and strategies of the CAP Update and support businesses, community organizations, and residents to take action to help achieve the near- and long-term goals included in the CAP Update.

Task 4.1. Community Engagement Plan
Working with the City, Ascent will create a comprehensive and innovative community engagement plan that leverages our experience and is customized to Union City. The plan will include:
 a summary of the City’s community outreach goals and objectives, including metrics for measuring engagement success;
 a list of specific activities to reach, educate, and engage the community throughout the CAP Update process;
 project branding (e.g., project logo, fonts, and color scheme);  a detailed schedule, format, and resources for all engagement activities through shared live resources;  a list of internal stakeholders and their roles in CAP Update development, including the creation of a technical advisory group with City departments and partner agencies (e.g., Economic and Community City Council/RSA Agenda 419 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
SECTION 6 // SCOPE OF SERVICES, COST PROPOSAL, AND SCHEDULE CITY OF UNION CITY // CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE PAGE 46 Development Department and the to-be-formed Climate Protection Task Force, UC Transit, Public Works Department, Alameda County Fire Department);
 a list of external stakeholders and their roles in CAP Update development (e.g., residents, local businesses, Chamber of Commerce, New Haven Unified School District, and external agencies such as PG&E, Union Sanitary District, StopWaste, and Ava Community Energy);  a list of social media outlets to reach specific audiences (e.g., Facebook, NextDoor, Instagram) and virtual platforms for outreach (e.g., Zoom, Mural, Slido) in addition to traditional survey tools;  confirmation of coordination, facilitation, and communication preferences; and  a clear breakdown of the City’s and Ascent’s roles and responsibilities for implementing and executing all outreach activities.

This process will be built on the City’s past and current outreach efforts and communication methods. Ascent will begin by conducting background research to inform key elements of the CAP Update. We will develop an informal inventory of the City’s and partner agencies’ existing communication tools to identify the most effective methods for informing and engaging target communities and identifying existing forums for seeking public input. We will revise the community engagement plan based on feedback from the City.

To ensure engagement is effective, it is important to establish metrics for evaluating individual community outreach events and the overall CAP Update engagement processes. Working with City staff, we will prepare a set of metrics to measure success (e.g., accessibility, reach, diversity, and impact). To ensure inclusive and fair decision-making during the CAP Update development process, it is important to measure equity and diversity and consider the unique needs of community groups, especially those that are hard to reach.

Intentional efforts should be made to engage individuals who face participation barriers by creating equitable, inclusive, culturally sensitive, and multilingual spaces. We will ask the question: Do participants reflect the diversity of age groups, ethnicities, incomes, geographies, and unique needs of Union City? The following are examples of indicators that could be used for the community engagement plan. We will work with the City to prepare a complete set of indicators that meet the City’s project objectives.  Community Diversity. What are participant demographics as they relate to the population’s demographics where activities took place?
 Empowerment. Has the CAP Update engagement process involved underrepresented stakeholders?  Diversity of Input. Are opinions and perspectives reflective of the diverse community, or are they more monolithic?
 Equity. Was additional effort made to include underrepresented populations throughout the CAP Update engagement and individual events?
 Ownership. Do underrepresented communities and advocates feel a sense of ownership in the CAP Update?
Task 4.2. Technical Advisory Group
Ascent will collaborate with City departments and partner agencies in up to four virtual technical advisory group (TAG) meetings to provide feedback on how operational procedures can influence the city’s GHG emissions, identify potential reduction areas, and understand how climate change will impact City operations and assets and inform adaptation strategies. The timing of these meetings will be set to occur in advance of project milestone deliverables to ensure feedback is incorporated. TAG participants will be confirmed by the City but are anticipated to include representatives from the following departments and agencies: the Economic and Community Development Department and the to-be-formed Climate Protection Task Force, UC Transit, the Public Works Department, and the Alameda County Fire Department.

City Council/RSA Agenda 420 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
SECTION 6 // SCOPE OF SERVICES, COST PROPOSAL, AND SCHEDULE CITY OF UNION CITY // CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE PAGE 47 The TAG will meet to help guide the development of key project deliverables, including the vulnerability assessment, GHG analyses, and climate adaptation and resilience strategies to be included in the CAP Update. Members of the TAG will also have an opportunity to participate in the broader community engagement process by attending and contributing to community workshops and events.

Task 4.3. Community Workshops
Ascent will collaborate with City staff to prepare for and facilitate two virtual community workshops to give community members, stakeholders, and decision-makers a forum to learn about and share input on the CAP Update at key milestones in the process, as outlined in the community engagement plan. It is anticipated that live polling, small group activities, and other interactive tools will be used. Community workshops will be advertised digitally on the City’s website, on social media platforms, via email list services, and through physical mailers and newspaper advertisements to reach as many residents and special groups as possible.

All materials will be available in English, Spanish, Mandarin, Tagalog, and Hindi. We will have live interpretations of these languages at each workshop.

Online community workshops will be recorded and summarized, and the content will be shared via the City’s website or Social Pinpoint (included in optional Task 4.7). Printing costs associated with mailers and fees associated with newspaper advertisements are not included in Ascent’s budget.

Task 4.4. Community Survey
Ascent will collaborate with the City to develop a draft survey instrument and/or feedback form that captures demographic information and relevant topics to inform the CAP Update. Ascent and City staff will create the content for the feedback form, which will be concise and accessible on a computer or mobile device. The final community survey will be shared via the City’s website or Social Pinpoint (included in optional Task 4.7), on social media platforms, via email list services, and through physical mailers and newspaper advertisements to reach as many residents and special groups as possible. The survey will be available in English, Spanish, Mandarin, Tagalog, and Hindi. Feedback received on the survey will be used to inform community priorities prior to beginning climate action, adaptation, and resilience strategy development.

Task 4.5. Community Engagement Summary
Ascent will synthesize key themes from the community workshops, pop-up events (if optional Task 4.8 is selected), survey, and online engagement opportunities (if optional Task 4.7 is selected) and prepare a written summary of community input for the City’s review and incorporation into the CAP Update. A stand-alone summary, including workshop/presentation materials, will be included as an appendix to the CAP Update.

Task 4.6. City Council and Commission Meetings
Ascent will support City staff by attending up to four hybrid/virtual public hearings/meetings, including one Climate Protection Task Force meeting, one Planning Commission meeting, and two City Council hearings.

We will support City staff in developing presentations and staff reports. One of the City Council meetings will focus on a summary of community engagement for the CAP Update and how these insights have been considered in the plan development process. At least two members of the Ascent team will be available to support the four public hearings/meetings. A budget augmentation may be warranted if additional public meetings or hearings are required.

Task 4.7. Online Engagement Platform (optional)
If the City desires, Ascent will use Social Pinpoint, a web-based application, to collect, organize, and track feedback received throughout the engagement process. Social Pinpoint will serve as a project website and dashboard that evolves with the project, offering a solution to share information and collect input in various ways.

City Council/RSA Agenda 421 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
SECTION 6 // SCOPE OF SERVICES, COST PROPOSAL, AND SCHEDULE CITY OF UNION CITY // CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE PAGE 48 In coordination with the City, we
will create an online vision board
in Social Pinpoint that offers an
additional way to engage and
allows community members to
share the elements of a
sustainable future that are most
important to them. For example,
we can invite community
members to review each project
goal and add their ideal
outcomes for the CAP Update.

The intention is to offer a simple
way for community members to
engage.

As part of the workshops
conducted under Task 4.3,
materials provided to community
members will include QR codes
and website links to access the
Social Pinpoint platform, where
the survey (Task 4.4), polls,
discussion boards (including the
visioning board), and project
information will be easily accessible and available in multiple languages using Google Translate services. We will direct community members to use the Social Pinpoint site because of its analytical capabilities, tracking of individual input, and provision of synthesized reports to inform the development of the CAP Update.

Social Pinpoint includes various
tools that could be used in
workshops, pop-up events, or as
stand-alone activities. For
example, the social map feature
allows community members to
provide location-based feedback
on areas of the city that are
vulnerable to climate impacts (see
screenshot example to the left).

Feedback from these features can
be included as part of the CAP
Update. City staff and Ascent will
have login credentials to upload
documents, build out pages of the
website, and collect and analyze
feedback.

Task 4.8. Pop-Up Events (optional)
If the City desires, Ascent will support the City by facilitating up to four pop-up events at well-attended events in Union City. Pop-up events could include hosting a booth at farmers’ markets, fairs, festivals, or other City Council/RSA Agenda 422 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
SECTION 6 // SCOPE OF SERVICES, COST PROPOSAL, AND SCHEDULE CITY OF UNION CITY // CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE PAGE 49 important local events. These events will be held at times and locations convenient for all demographics, and materials will be accessible to all attendees and translated into Spanish, Mandarin, Tagalog, and Hindi. The objectives of the pop-up events will be to share information about the CAP Update and gather input through interactive tools.

Task 4.9. Public Review Community Workshop and Online Forum (optional) If the City desires, Ascent will collaborate with City staff to prepare for and facilitate one virtual community workshop to give community members, stakeholders, and decision-makers a forum to learn about and share input on the public draft CAP Update. It is anticipated that live polling, small group activities, and other interactive tools will be used. The community workshop will be advertised digitally on the City’s website, on social media platforms, via email list services, and through physical mailers and newspaper advertisements to reach as many residents and special groups as possible. All materials will be available in English, Spanish, Mandarin, Tagalog, and Hindi. We will have live interpretations of these languages at each workshop.

The online community workshop will be recorded and summarized, and the content will be shared via the City’s website or Social Pinpoint (included in optional Task 4.7) for additional feedback. Printing costs associated with mailers and fees associated with newspaper advertisements are not included in Ascent’s budget.

Task 4.10. Community-Based Organization Focus Group Meetings (optional) If the City desires, Ascent will collaborate with the City to prepare and conduct up to three focus group meetings with community-based organizations (CBOs), including up to two in-person sessions and one virtual session. Focus groups will include a diverse range of organizations such as environmental groups, social justice and equity organizations, neighborhood associations, groups that serve ethnic or cultural communities, and other important organizations to ensure representation of Union City’s diverse communities. Specific CBOs to engage may include Filipino Advocates for Justice, Union City Family Center, Centro de Servicios, Tri-CED Community Recycling, and the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights.

The purpose of the focus groups is to regularly engage CBOs in identifying additional funding opportunities for implementation, ensuring equitable outcomes that prioritize underserved and disadvantaged communities, and promoting peer-to-peer learning. CBOs participating in focus groups can also serve as liaisons with their broader networks, enabling a two-way flow of information. This approach enables the efficient communication of important project updates and information to the communities CBOs serve, while also creating a channel to gather valuable feedback and insights from traditionally underrepresented groups.

The focus group meeting format is intended to be interactive and flexible, tailored to accommodate the diverse perspectives of participating CBOs. The specific structure may vary depending on project needs and may include listening sessions on CAP topics, guided discussions to gather in-depth feedback, or interactive activities designed to engage participants.

By fostering ongoing relationships with these organizations, we aim to create a collaborative environment where local expertise informs the CAP Update development process. This approach will help ensure that the final CAP Update reflects the needs and aspirations of all Union City residents.

Deliverables
 Draft and final community outreach plan (electronic)
 Lead and facilitate virtual technical advisory group meetings (up to four total), including agendas, materials, and meeting summaries (electronic)
 Lead and facilitate virtual community workshops (up to two total), including agendas, materials, and meeting summaries (electronic)
 Draft and final community survey (electronic)
 Community engagement summary (electronic)
City Council/RSA Agenda 423 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
SECTION 6 // SCOPE OF SERVICES, COST PROPOSAL, AND SCHEDULE CITY OF UNION CITY // CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE PAGE 50  Lead and facilitate community engagement summary presentation to City decision-makers  Two-year subscription to Social Pinpoint platform (if optional Task 4.7 is selected)  Website buildout and maintenance (electronic) (if optional Task 4.7 is selected)  Facilitate with City staff at up to four pop-up events or well-attended events in Union City to share information and gather input (if optional Task 4.8 is selected)  Lead and facilitate up to one public review virtual community workshop, including agenda, materials, and meeting summary (electronic) (if optional Task 4.9 is selected)  Lead and facilitate three CBO focus group meetings, including agendas, materials, and meeting summaries (if optional Task 4.10 is selected)
City Responsibilities
 One consolidated, nonconflicting set of comments on the draft community outreach plan in strikethrough/ underline (electronic)
 Participate in virtual technical advisory group meetings (up to four total)  Participate in virtual community workshops (up to two total)  One consolidated, nonconflicting set of comments on the draft community survey in strikethrough/ underline (electronic)
 Participate in community engagement summary presentation to City decision-makers  Participate in up to four pop-up events or well-attended events in Union City to share information and gather input (if optional Task 4.8 is selected)
 Participate in one public review virtual community workshop (if optional Task 4.9 is selected)  Participate in up to three CBO focus group meetings (if optional Task 4.10 is selected) TASK 5. Draft and Final Plan
Task 5.1. Outline of the CAP Update
Prior to initiating the preparation of the draft documents, we will prepare one template outline of the CAP Update for City review, identifying the organizational framework and locations where key topics will be addressed. Ascent will work with the City to understand expectations to tailor the outline and confirm tone and format, the balance between the information presented in the outline, and the overall design of the document. Should the City opt for a CEQA-qualified GHG reduction plan, the CAP Update will need to include all relevant information consistent with Section 15183.5 of the State CEQA Guidelines, and Ascent will make recommendations on critical content to be included in the body of the CAP Update to achieve that while making the document concise, accessible, and engaging.

Task 5.2. Administrative Drafts
Ascent will prepare two administrative drafts for the City’s review addressing any feedback on the outline.

The first administrative draft of the CAP Update will be tailored to the City’s preferred format and emphasize providing information visually using maps, graphics, tables, and matrices, in Word. Explanatory text will read clearly and concisely. The information incorporated into the CAP Update will include content for public meetings, such as presentation slide decks and information for staff reports. The revised administrative draft version will include the final graphic design, using InDesign. Following receipt of City comments, Ascent will prepare the public review draft CAP Update for publication.

Task 5.2.1. Implementation Plan
Ascent will develop a detailed implementation plan for the strategies and actions identified as near-term and high-priority in the implementation chapter of the CAP Update. The implementation plan will detail the specific steps required to implement the GHG reduction, climate adaptation, and resilience strategies. It will City Council/RSA Agenda 424 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
SECTION 6 // SCOPE OF SERVICES, COST PROPOSAL, AND SCHEDULE CITY OF UNION CITY // CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE PAGE 51 also serve as a guidance and reference document for City staff. The implementation plan will expand upon the interventions included under the strategy analysis of Task 3.7 and will include:
 results of the economic analysis;
 potential funding sources, funding mechanisms, and other resources available to implement the action and build staff capacity;
 estimated timeline for full implementation of the action;  identified City department(s) responsible for implementation, staffing needs, and potential partners to increase capacity for ongoing implementation (e.g., regional agencies, community organizations);  implementation mechanism(s) (e.g., ordinance, new program), including parts of existing City practices to effectively and efficiently implement the action; and
 performance indicators for each action to allow for monitoring and progress reporting.

Task 5.3. Public Review
Ascent will prepare the public draft CAP Update based on comments received on the second administrative draft. The public draft of the CAP Update will be shared on the City’s website, on social media platforms, and via email list services, physical mailers, and newspaper advertisements to reach as many residents and special groups as possible. If optional Task 4.7 is selected, Ascent will make the plan available on the project website.

If optional Task 4.9 is selected, we will collaborate with City staff to prepare for and facilitate one virtual community workshop to give community members, stakeholders, and decision-makers a forum to learn about and share input on the public draft CAP Update. In addition, the advanced dashboard that was built under Task 3.7 will be made publicly available to allow community members, stakeholders, and decisionmakers to interact with the plan in a more engaging way.

Task 5.4. Final Plan
Following public review, the Ascent team will work with City staff and the TAG to review comments received and identify any potential changes needed to the public review draft CAP Update. We will provide up to 60 hours of technical support in preparing responses to comments on the CAP Update. The City will direct Ascent to the appropriate revisions to the CAP Update in response to public comments. We will submit an administrative final CAP Update to the City for review and comment.

Based on comments on the administrative final CAP Update and upon final direction from City staff, Ascent will prepare the final CAP Update for the Planning Commission and City Council for consideration for adoption and posting on the City’s website. The final CAP Update documents will be provided as PDFs.

Deliverables
 Outline of the CAP Update (electronic)
 Administrative draft CAP Update in Microsoft Word (electronic)  Revised administrative draft CAP Update in PDF (electronic)  Public review draft CAP Update in PDF (electronic)
 Technical responses to public comments (electronic)
 Final CAP Update in PDF (electronic)
City Responsibilities
 One consolidated, nonconflicting set of comments on the draft outline of the CAP Update in strikethrough/underline (electronic)
 One consolidated, nonconflicting set of comments on the administrative draft CAP Update in strikethrough/underline (electronic)
City Council/RSA Agenda 425 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
SECTION 6 // SCOPE OF SERVICES, COST PROPOSAL, AND SCHEDULE CITY OF UNION CITY // CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE PAGE 52  One consolidated, nonconflicting set of comments on the revised administrative draft CAP Update in strikethrough/underline (electronic)
 One consolidated, nonconflicting set of comments on the public review draft CAP Update in strikethrough/underline (electronic)
 Support and guidance in technical responses to public comments (electronic) TASK 6. Sea-Level Rise Assessment and Adaptation (optional) The City has an opportunity to leverage the CAP Update effort to develop and adopt a more detailed and comprehensive Sea-Level Rise Assessment and Adaptation chapter that complies with SB 272 and BCDC requirements for Subregional Shoreline Adaptation Plans.

SB 272 requires all cities and counties under BCDC’s jurisdiction in the San Francisco Bay Area to develop and adopt Subregional Shoreline Adaptation Plans by 2034. These subregional plans must be consistent with BCDC’s guidelines and standards identified in the Regional Shoreline Adaptation Plan (RSAP), adopted in December 2024. BCDC has the authority to review and approve these subregional plans, and local governments that receive BCDC approval of their plans will be prioritized for state funding to support implementation. The RSAP provides some degree of flexibility for local compliance while also establishing detailed guidelines and minimum standards that must be achieved in a subregional plan.

Ascent’s proposed approach and work plan for this optional task under Task 6.1 is aligned and consistent with the guidelines and standards identified by BCDC in the RSAP. Our goal is to provide the City with an SB 272 compliance pathway while also leveraging tasks in the CAP Update to avoid redundant planning processes and reduce costs overall where feasible. As described under Task 6.2, we will also support the City in applying for and securing SB 1 Sea-Level Rise Adaptation Planning Grant funding for the effort based on the detailed scope of work and budget developed for Task 6.1. This scope of work does not include anticipated CEQA compliance documentation associated with Task 6, but that documentation can be provided if requested by the City.

Task 6.1. Sea-Level Rise Adaptation and Action Chapter (optional) The RSAP identifies seven core plan elements that must be included in all subregional shoreline adaptation plans. The subtasks identified below are aligned with these core elements and describe process-focused activities that will take place as part of carrying out the scope of work, along with specific subregional plan components consistent with the submittal checklists identified in the RSAP for each required element.

Ascent will prepare a sea-level rise assessment and adaptation chapter of the CAP Update that includes sections corresponding to each of the seven elements, and each draft element will be made available for review and comment by City staff. Given logical steps and interdependencies between plan elements, we may complete some chapter elements in a sequential fashion. However, some elements may be completed concurrently with others. Ascent will prepare multiple drafts of the chapter, including:
 an administrative draft for internal review by City staff;  a second administrative draft that reflects revisions and responses to City comments;  a public review draft that will be circulated for a public review and comment period;  an administrative final draft that reflects revisions and responses to public comments as directed by the City;
City Council/RSA Agenda 426 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
SECTION 6 // SCOPE OF SERVICES, COST PROPOSAL, AND SCHEDULE CITY OF UNION CITY // CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE PAGE 53  a final draft that is ready for public hearings with the Planning Commission and City Council; and  a final version that reflects any changes directed by the City Council, which will be forwarded to BCDC for formal review and approval.

Ascent assumes the City will prepare one set of consolidated and nonconflicting comments on all deliverables submitted for City staff review and comment.

Element A: Planning Process
The RSAP includes a broad “Planning Process” element that is intended to provide a meaningful and robust planning process that engages a mix of government departments, community members, and local interested and affected parties, while also setting the basic parameters for the planning process, such as establishing the type of subregional plan to be prepared, and the geographic extent of the plan area. Ascent will prepare a section of the chapter that summarizes outcomes from items A1 through A4, consistent with the RSAP, as described below.

A1. Identify Planning Partners. Ascent will work with the City to identify and list all partners, including jurisdictions, the TAG, and affected parties. Initial discussions should start during the overall CAP Update project kickoff meeting and related activities. This effort should include a comprehensive understanding of who is included on the TAG and steps to ensure equitable representation, affected and interested parties in the planning area to inform outreach and engagement efforts, and tribal consultation needs. Ascent will also work with the City to clarify the definition of the “plan type” (i.e., single- or multi-jurisdictional). These steps will also be consistent with the “Equity Assessment Standard” (see further discussion under item A4 below). A summary of all this information will be useful in setting up the subregional planning process for success, and it must be included in the plan as specified in the RSAP.

Ascent recommends meeting with the TAG on a quarterly or as-needed basis to align with the major phases of work and to provide general guidance and feedback, as well as technical review and comments on deliverables. Ascent will work with the City to facilitate up to four TAG meetings and summarize input (in addition to the four TAG meetings included in the base scope for the CAP Update).

A2. Planning Area Map. Ascent will prepare a map of the City’s planning area for the subregional plan that conforms to the technical requirements specified under section A2 in the RSAP. The planning area map will determine the extent of the area to be covered in the City’s subregional plan. Ascent’s GIS team will use any mapped data provided by BCDC, supplemented by City data if needed.

A3. Multi-Jurisdictional Coordination. Ascent will coordinate with the City to define and describe the City’s multi-jurisdictional coordination process. As noted in the RSAP, multi-jurisdictional coordination is required for all subregional plans, even for single-jurisdiction plans. Partners from other jurisdictions should be included in the TAG described above in A1. We recommend engaging these partners as early as possible to confirm their interest, availability, and commitment to participate in the process.

BCDC also allows for the development of multi-jurisdictional plans to satisfy SB 272 requirements, as noted in the RSAP. Ascent’s team is experienced with multi-jurisdictional and collaborative climate planning efforts at the subregional or regional level. Should the City decide to pursue a multijurisdictional approach in developing a Subregional Shoreline Adaptation Plan, we would be happy to discuss adjustments to our scope of work and budget for this optional task and facilitate discussions with the City and potential jurisdictional partners.

A4. Equitable Engagement. Ascent has designed a comprehensive and equitable engagement strategy, as described under Task 4 in our scope of work. If the City decides to include optional Task 6 in the City Council/RSA Agenda 427 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
SECTION 6 // SCOPE OF SERVICES, COST PROPOSAL, AND SCHEDULE CITY OF UNION CITY // CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE PAGE 54 CAP Update contract scope of work, Ascent will coordinate closely with City staff to align the CAP Update community outreach and engagement activities with the City’s needs for the sea-level rise chapter wherever possible. We will also work closely with the City to ensure that engagement efforts focused on sea-level rise meet all BCDC requirements.

The RSAP’s Equity Assessment Standard requirements for all elements will be addressed, including Element A. Key Equity Assessment Standards that apply to Element A include:
• Ensuring diverse perspectives on the project planning team and TAG. Ascent will work with the City to deliver this standard in the identification and engagement of planning partners under A1. • Enabling engagement and participation by multilingual communities. Ascent’s budget includes language services to support the translation of public-facing materials and interpretation during public meetings or workshops, as needed.
• Ensuring equity in engagement, focusing on vulnerable and marginalized communities. Ascent’s approach includes identifying affected communities and tribes (as described in A1) and then tailoring outreach methods and approaches to ensure the needs of vulnerable and marginalized communities in Union City are accounted for when designing specific events or activities. As part of Ascent’s work on the CAP Update scope of work under Task 3.2, we identify and map vulnerable communities, including socially vulnerable populations using BCDC’s Community Vulnerability Map; Environmental Justice communities using the latest version of CalEnviroScreen; and tribes in the planning area, including federally recognized and nonfederally recognized tribes. We will map locations and include descriptions of vulnerable communities; this information will also be included in the CAP Update or referenced in the sealevel rise adaptation chapter as appropriate. Ascent will prepare up to 10 GIS-based maps under subtask A4. Additional activities related to mapping community health and well-being are described further under subtask B3.
• Community and tribal partnership. Ascent will work with the City to identify appropriate community-based organizations, community groups, and tribes, including appropriate partnership agreements.

Ascent will carry out specific outreach and engagement activities that align with key steps in the subregional planning process defined in the RSAP, including identifying populations, assets, sectors, services and land uses; identifying community assets and priority areas in the vulnerability assessment; creating the local vision and goals that align with the One Bay Vision; identifying adaptation strategy alternatives; and evaluating adaptation alternatives.

Additional outreach and engagement activities will be required to ensure consistency with the RSAP and Equity Assessment Standard. These activities are generally summarized below. • Ascent will include any additional outreach and engagement activities required to support the sea-level rise chapter into the community engagement plan (Task 4.1), clearly identifying what activities are additional for the sea-level rise chapter versus what activities will cover the entire CAP Update, including the separate chapter. The additional activities described below are outlined for budgeting purposes and can be modified to meet the City’s expectations. • Ascent assumes up to two community workshops will be needed, in addition to those described under Task 4.3, to ensure that vulnerable communities are engaged and have direct input into the specific planning steps and chapter elements, consistent with the RSAP’s Equity Assessment Standard requirements for engagement. We assume all workshops will be held in person, with City Council/RSA Agenda 428 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
SECTION 6 // SCOPE OF SERVICES, COST PROPOSAL, AND SCHEDULE CITY OF UNION CITY // CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE PAGE 55 interactive exercises, small group discussions, and formats that are tailored to the individual needs of specific neighborhoods or population subgroups in defined vulnerable communities. • Ascent assumes up to two pop-events will be needed, in addition to the optional pop-up events identified under Task 4.8, to facilitate additional outreach and engagement on sea-level rise. • We will also leverage use of other optional engagement tasks, as described under Tasks 4.7 and

4.9, if these optional tasks are selected by the City, to provide robust and equitable engagement for the sea-level rise chapter.

In addition to the specific activities and deliverables identified under items A1 through A4, Ascent will assist the City with all required noticing, BCDC consultation meetings, and public hearings and approval processes required by the City and BCDC. We will assist the City with satisfying all procedural requirements for formal BCDC review and approval, as outlined in Section 3.5 of the RSAP. Specific activities include the following:
• Preliminary BCDC consultation and noticing. Prior to initiating preparation of a subregional plan, state law requires that a local government electronically submit to BCDC a notice of intent to prepare a subregional plan. Section 3.5.1 of the RSAP specifies the contents and requirements of the notice and supporting documentation. Ascent will assist the City with preparing the notice and associated documentation for the City’s electronical submittal to BCDC. Within 30 days of receiving the notice, BCDC’s Executive Director will confirm receipt and contact the City to schedule a preliminary consultation meeting. Ascent will support City staff in preparing for and attending one preliminary consultation meeting, and we will assist the City in providing any adjustments or clarifications to ensure the process and scope of work identified under this optional task meet BCDC’s expectations. The goal will be to identify any issues or concerns BCDC may have, clarify BCDC’s involvement during the planning process, and confirm what the City should expect for formal BCDC review and approval once the chapter is completed.

Ascent will also assist the City with preparing the required public notice and any associated documentation that notifies the public of the City’s intent to initiate the preparation of a subregional plan.
• Additional BCDC consultation meetings. As specified in Section 3.5.1 of the RSAP, the City will be required to attend at least two consultation meetings to prepare the subregional plan and ensure that the process and proposed plan elements align with the RSAP Guidelines and Standards.

Consultations may be used to assess existing work plans or alternative data, conduct an initial review of plan elements prior to final submittal, or other local staff-driven requests. Ascent will attend up to two meetings with BCDC to support City staff, including any preparation of materials or presentations, and will document meeting notes and action items following the meetings. If additional consultation meetings with BCDC are requested by BCDC or City staff, Ascent and the City will discuss the request and potential scope and cost versus available budget resources. • City and BCDC approvals. As specified in Section 3.5.1 of the RSAP, a local agency must only submit a subregional plan for review and approval by BCDC after it has formally adopted the subregional plan upon resolution adopted after one public meeting, for which a 30-day public notice has been given. Ascent will assist the City with preparing a formal local notice of intent to adopt the subregional plan. We will also attend and support City staff in up to two public hearings, assuming one hearing with the Planning Commission and one with the City Council. Ascent will prepare presentations or materials required for the hearings.

Following the City’s adoption of the subregional plan, Ascent will assist City staff in preparing all requests and documentation required for submitting the subregional plan to BCDC for formal review and approval. We assume that the City’s final and locally adopted subregional plan submitted to City Council/RSA Agenda 429 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
SECTION 6 // SCOPE OF SERVICES, COST PROPOSAL, AND SCHEDULE CITY OF UNION CITY // CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE PAGE 56 BCDC for formal review will be sufficient and require minimal edits or clarifications. However, if substantial revision to the plan or substantial new information is required following formal review by BCDC staff prior to a formal BCDC hearing, Ascent and the City will coordinate to assess the nature of any requests for clarification or revisions and determine whether such changes or information can be accommodated, or if additional budget would be required. Ascent will attend up to one public hearing with BCDC to support City staff, including the preparation of presentations or materials.

Element B: Existing Conditions
Ascent will prepare an Existing Conditions section of the chapter that summarizes existing conditions and addresses all topics identified in the RSAP Guidelines and Standards. Specific components are outlined below.

B1. Review and Summarize Existing Documents. Ascent will gather, review, and summarize existing plans, studies, and other relevant information on coastal flooding hazards. This step will be coordinated to align with Task 3.1 (Literature Review and Policy Audit) in the base scope of work. Key documents include the City’s 2040 General Plan (including the Housing Element and Safety Elements, which were prepared by Ascent); other adopted land use plans such as community plans, specific plans, or area plans that include areas in or near areas subject to coastal flooding; hazard and emergency plans (e.g., 2024 Tri-City Local Hazard Mitigation Plan); and any other relevant local or regional plans related to climate change, such as the City’s 2010 CAP. We will also be sure to note any existing regulatory codes or processes related to sea-level rise, flooding, and connected topics, such as building codes, zoning, permitting requirements, or special areas such as overlay, hazard, or flood management zones. In addition, we will review locally adopted plans, such as the City’s 2021 Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan, that address specific types of infrastructure to ensure relevant information is identified and contextualized on how flood hazards are addressed relative to specific infrastructure or systems.

B2. Map and Describe Physical and Ecological Characteristics. Ascent will map and describe physical and ecological characteristics in the planning area that conform to the specifications under Section B2 in the RSAP, including Physical Conditions, Coastal and Nearshore Hydrological Conditions, Ecosystem Health and Resilience Conditions, Historical Conditions, and Planned Future Changes.

B3. Map and Describe Existing Populations, Assets, Sectors, Services, and Land Uses. Ascent will map and describe all existing conditions categories specified under Element B in the RSAP: Community Health and Well-Being; Development, Housing, and Land Use; Critical Infrastructure and Services; Public Access and Recreation; Transportation and Transit; Shoreline Contamination; and Collaborative Governance, Flood Management, and Funding.

Ascent will ensure that all Minimum Categories and Assets specified in the RSAP across all B1, B2, and B3 topics will be incorporated into the analysis. We will also ensure that applicable Equity Assessment Standards are addressed in Element B activities and deliverables, as specified in the RSAP, to identify existing conditions affecting vulnerable communities. We will work with the City to thread appropriate questions or discussion topics into outreach and engagement activities to solicit information or feedback from participants and ensure community feedback is captured and considered in the analysis.

Ascent will use data provided by BCDC as a primary source for mapping/GIS data, which can be supplemented by City data or other local, regional, state, or federal sources if needed. We may combine maps that show more than one condition and/or can be displayed in categories other than those listed under Element B in the RSAP, where appropriate, as specified in the RSAP and in consultation with the City and BCDC. For budgeting purposes, Ascent assumes we will prepare up to 40 GIS-based maps for Element B.

We will also coordinate with the City and BCDC to determine whether this subtask can rely on existing published sources for some topics, such as an existing conditions report prepared for the 2040 General Plan, and provide references to such sources if applicable.

City Council/RSA Agenda 430 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
SECTION 6 // SCOPE OF SERVICES, COST PROPOSAL, AND SCHEDULE CITY OF UNION CITY // CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE PAGE 57 Element C: Vulnerability Assessment
The RSAP indicates that other previously prepared vulnerability assessments should be submitted or considered in the approach to Element C for a subregional plan. Ascent previously prepared a VA for the City’s Safety Element update. As noted under Task 3.2 in the base scope of work in this proposal, we will prepare a comprehensive update to the VA to address all climate-related hazards and associated risks and impacts to Union City, including indirect effects from sea-level rise. We assume that additional components of a sea-level-rise-focused vulnerability assessment will provide more detail on both the direct and indirect effects of sea-level rise, per the RSAP Guidelines and Standards, that go beyond the base scope of Task 3.2.

Ascent will coordinate with the City on how the additional subtasks under Element C would be treated relative to the Task 3.2 scope. Furthermore, the timeline for completing this element may need to be accelerated to support the City’s SB 1 Sea Level Rise Adaptation Planning Grant application (see Task 6.2 for additional information).

C1. Exposure Analysis. Ascent will map and describe the exposure of people, assets, ecosystems, and services to coastal flood hazards across minimum sea-level rise scenarios. This task includes mapping and exposure of all Minimum Categories and Assets to the required Coastal Flood Hazards and SeaLevel Rise Scenarios Standard, at a minimum, per the specifications in the RSAP. The exposure summary may be described and reported at an asset category level, rather than at an individual assetby-asset or facility basis. We will also assess shoreline flood risk conditions, as well as the potential cost of damages from inaction, which should be higher-level order-of-magnitude estimates and may use a range of quantitative, qualitative, and non-financial metrics, per the RSAP Guidelines.

C2. Conduct VA for Priority Areas and Summarize Vulnerability to Current and Future Hazards. Ascent will first map and describe “priority areas” within the planning area, using criteria such as those specified in the RSAP under C2 (i.e., exposure to 2050 sea-level rise scenario identified under C1, applicable Strategic Regional Priorities in the RSAP), vulnerable communities identified under A4 and B3, Baylands habitat identified under B2, and locally identified significant high-priority populations, assets, and services, as applicable. Next, we will describe the vulnerability of the assets, populations, and services in priority areas, using an assessment of the sensitivity and adaptive capacity of assets, population, and services, and the consequences of exposure. Similar to C1, the vulnerabilities may be described at an asset category level. Summaries of exposure and vulnerability, along with the timing of exposure to inform when critical action may be needed over time (including potential phasing), will be provided for the required Coastal Flood Hazards and Sea Level Rise Scenarios Standard.

Ascent will ensure that all Minimum Categories and Assets specified in the RSAP across all steps and topics under Element C are incorporated into our analysis. We will also ensure that applicable Equity Assessment Standards are addressed in Element C activities and deliverables, as specified in the RSAP, to ensure local values and priorities are included in the exposure and vulnerability assessments that will inform adaptation strategy development.

Ascent will use data provided by BCDC as a primary source for mapping/GIS data, which can be supplemented by City data or other local, regional, state, or federal sources if needed. We may combine maps that show more than one condition and/or can be displayed in categories other than those listed under Element B in the RSAP, where appropriate, as specified by BCDC in the RSAP and in consultation with BCDC. For budgeting purposes, Ascent assumes we will prepare up to 40 GIS-based maps for Element C. We will also coordinate with the City and BCDC to determine whether this subtask can rely on existing published sources for some topics, such as the existing conditions report previously prepared for the 2040 General Plan, and provide references to such sources if applicable.

City Council/RSA Agenda 431 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
SECTION 6 // SCOPE OF SERVICES, COST PROPOSAL, AND SCHEDULE CITY OF UNION CITY // CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE PAGE 58 Element D: Adaptation Strategies and Pathways
Ascent will prepare an Adaptation Strategies and Pathways section of the chapter that incorporates and summarizes the results of the following subtasks specified in the RSAP. This section aims to develop and identify the physical and non-physical adaptation strategies that are responsive to vulnerabilities, prioritize nature and nature-based strategies where possible, and reduce flood risk while advancing local benefits and the One Bay Vision.

D1. Vision and Goals. Ascent will work with City staff to develop a local vision and goals for the planning area that incorporates and localizes the One Bay Vision. The vision and goals will consider existing conditions from Element B and vulnerability assessment outcomes and priority areas from Element C. Ascent will also coordinate with the City and partners to ensure that community input is included in the development of the vision and goals.

D2. Develop Adaptation Strategy Alternatives. Ascent will develop adaptation strategy alternatives for the sea-level rise scenarios identified in the RSAP (i.e., 2050 and 2100 Intermediate). We will map and describe at least two alternatives containing adaptation strategies responsible for identified vulnerabilities under Subtask C2, along with conceptual designs of strategies and descriptions that contribute to flood risk reduction. We will include a narrative description of adaptation strategy efficacy and/or options for potential strategy adjustments for the long term (year 2100 High), as identified in the Coastal Flood Hazards and Sea-Level Rise Scenarios Standard, at a minimum. Ascent will ensure that this subtask considers and meets all Adaptation Strategy Standards specified in the RSAP.

D3. Evaluate Adaptation Alternatives. Ascent will develop evaluation criteria reflective of the local vision and the One Bay Vision and any other known tradeoffs and challenges identified by affected parties and communities. Evaluation criteria will consider physical and economic feasibility, examine capital and long-term maintenance and operational costs, and support outcomes of the Adaptation Strategy Standards. The evaluation criteria will include a scoring system or other means of evaluating strategies against each other. Once the evaluation criteria are confirmed with the City, Ascent will perform an analysis using the evaluation criteria and recommend strategies that meet the criteria.

D4. Provide Conceptual Plans and Descriptions of Selected Strategies. Based on the evaluation results completed under item D3, Ascent will provide conceptual plans and descriptions of selected adaptation strategies and pathways that include physical and non-physical strategies. Selected strategies will be mapped and described based on the 2050 sea-level rise scenario. Options and a schematic phasing diagram for longer-term adaptation strategies and pathways for the 2100 intermediate sea-level rise scenario will also be developed based on the results of D2, as specified in the RSAP. Adaptation pathways will build on the timing and phasing details from the vulnerability assessment (C2). All conceptual plans, strategies, and options will meet Adaptation Strategy Standards. Ascent will work with the City’s Public Works Department Engineering division to evaluate and confirm these strategies.

Ascent will prepare up to 10 conceptual plans and/or maps for Element D. We will also ensure that applicable Equity Assessment Standards are addressed in Element D activities and deliverables, as specified in the RSAP, to ensure that local values and priorities are identified through outreach and engagement activities identified under Element A, and then reflected in the local vision, goals, and adaptation strategy development, evaluation, and selection process.

Element E: Land Use and Policy Plan
Ascent will prepare a Land Use and Policy Plan section of the chapter that identifies proposed land use and policy changes necessary to implement adaptation strategies over time. As noted in the RSAP, this section would not supersede the City’s 2040 General Plan or other adopted local plans or zoning, but it could City Council/RSA Agenda 432 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
SECTION 6 // SCOPE OF SERVICES, COST PROPOSAL, AND SCHEDULE CITY OF UNION CITY // CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE PAGE 59 include recommended changes that would be carried out later by the City. The RSAP indicates that any subregional plan does not on its own carry land use authority.

E1. Describe Proposed Land Use and Policy Changes. Ascent will describe and map any proposed land use changes necessary to achieve the selected adaptation strategies and pathways defined under Element D. We will also identify proposed citywide or site-specific policies or programs that support or supplement those strategies and pathways, as specified in the RSAP.

E2. Describe Other Policy and Programmatic Changes. Ascent will outline the planning, policy, and programmatic processes necessary to update or change land use plans and/or adopt new policies to integrate adaptation strategies into plans and policies with local authority to achieve the changes described under E1, as specified in the RSAP.

Ascent will prepare up to four maps or diagrams for Element E. We will also ensure that applicable Equity Assessment Standards are addressed in Element E activities and deliverables, as specified in the RSAP, to ensure that effects on vulnerable communities are addressed, and consider how land use changes or benefits can avoid displacement of socially vulnerable communities. Resource displacement and community benefits will also be addressed as part of these standards.

Element F: Implementation Plan and Funding Strategy
Ascent will prepare an Implementation Plan and Funding Strategy section of the chapter that details how the City will implement the adaptation strategies in Elements D and E, including specific steps, phasing, lead agencies/departments, funding strategies, and a timeline for updating the plan elements.

F1. Implementation Plan. Ascent will prepare an implementation plan that clarifies the required steps and responsibilities, including a plan implementation lead, a detailed implementation plan, and ongoing coordination details, as specified in the RSAP.

F2. Funding Strategy. Ascent will prepare a funding strategy identifying potential costs and funding sources to implement adaptation strategies and pathways. This strategy will include high-level cost estimates that include capital costs, additional planning, design, construction, permitting, and ongoing maintenance. Funding and financing mechanisms can include grants, bonds, or other emerging financing tools (e.g., climate resilience district) and specific actions required to secure funding sources.

F3. Monitoring Program. Ascent will prepare a monitoring program that describes how adaptation strategies and triggers will be assessed to ensure adaptation pathways can be effectively implemented. Per the RSAP, the monitoring program should include a monitoring lead (if different from leads identified under F1) that is linked to key triggers, thresholds, and/or decision points for pathways identified under Element D. The monitoring program will also identify ways to measure and communicate progress in a public and transparent way, and/or identify and track key metrics of success, potentially tied to evaluation criteria identified under Element D.

F4. Plan Update Timeline and Strategy. Ascent will identify a timeline for plan updates that includes when interim status reports and comprehensive plan updates will occur, which will consider RSAP guidance for time periods and processes. We will work with the City to consider and align these update timelines and processes with other local general plan updates, local hazard mitigation plan updates, or other plan updates, based on guidance in the RSAP and the State’s Plan Alignment Guide for Coastal Resilience. This subsection will also identify known gaps in capacity that will need to be filled to ensure effective plan implementation and maintenance, along with potential funding sources to support ongoing administration, monitoring, coordination, and implementation of the subregional plan.

City Council/RSA Agenda 433 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
SECTION 6 // SCOPE OF SERVICES, COST PROPOSAL, AND SCHEDULE CITY OF UNION CITY // CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE PAGE 60 Ascent will also ensure that applicable Equity Assessment Standards are addressed in Element F activities and deliverables, as specified in the RSAP, such that funding prioritization efforts create economic opportunities and benefit vulnerable communities. We will work with the City to explore the potential for a community benefits agreement to support vulnerable communities.

Element G: Project List
Ascent will prepare a Project List section of the chapter that identifies which adaptation projects should be considered for funding prioritization and for inclusion in region-wide databases.

G1. Priority Project List. Ascent will provide a list for adaptation strategies that have identified projects ready for design, or for projects previously identified that may already be in design, in accordance with the project data and database specifications in the RSAP.

Ascent will ensure that the applicable Equity Assessment Standards are addressed in Element G activities and deliverables, as specified in the RSAP, by describing which priority projects provide flood risk reduction and/or benefits to vulnerable communities.

Deliverables
 Administrative draft chapter for internal review by City staff (electronic)  Second administrative draft chapter that reflects revisions and responses to City comments (electronic)  Public review draft that will be circulated for a public review and comment period (electronic)  Administrative final draft that reflects revisions and responses to public comments as directed by the City (electronic)
 Final draft, ready for public hearings with the Planning Commission and City Council (electronic)  Final adopted version that reflects any changes directed by the City Council upon adoption, which will be forwarded to BCDC for formal review and approval (electronic)  Lead and facilitate virtual technical advisory group meetings (up to four total), including agendas, materials, and meeting summaries (electronic) (note: these additional meetings are not included in the base scope of work under Task 4.2)
 Lead and facilitate community workshops (up to two total), including agendas, materials, and meeting summaries
 Facilitate with City staff at up to two pop-up events to share information and gather input (note: these additional meetings are not included in the base scope of work under optional Task 4.8)  Attend one preliminary consultation meeting with BCDC and prepare associated notices  Attend up to two consultation meetings with BCDC
 Attend up to two public hearings with the City’s Planning Commission and City Council  Attend one public hearing with the BCDC
City Responsibilities
 One consolidated, nonconflicting set of comments on the administrative draft chapter in strikethrough/ underline (electronic)
 One consolidated, nonconflicting set of comments on the second administrative draft chapter in strikethrough/underline (electronic)
 One consolidated, nonconflicting set of comments on the administrative final draft chapter in strikethrough/underline (electronic)
 Participate in up to four additional meetings with the TAG (note: these additional are not included in the base scope of work under Task 4.2)
 Participate in community workshops (up to two total)
 Participate in up to four pop-up events
City Council/RSA Agenda 434 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
SECTION 6 // SCOPE OF SERVICES, COST PROPOSAL, AND SCHEDULE CITY OF UNION CITY // CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE PAGE 61  Attend one preliminary consultation meeting with BCDC and prepare associated notices  Attend up to two consultation meetings with BCDC
 Attend up to two public hearings with the City’s Planning Commission and City Council  Attend one public hearing with BCDC
Task 6.2. SB 1 Grant Funding (optional)
Ascent will assist the City in applying for and securing SB 1 Sea-Level Rise Adaptation Planning Grant funding for the sea-level rise adaptation and action plan. As of December 2024, approximately $19.97 million is expected to be available in 2025 for SB 1 projects, and the Ocean Protection Council (OPC) aims to provide funding for coast communities to develop sea-level rise adaptation plans and projects in San Francisco Bay.

The SB 1 grant program receives applications on a rolling basis. However, all applications for funding awards are considered and approved by OPC on a quarterly basis. The program contains two funding tracks: one for the pre-planning and planning phases (Track One) and one for the project phase (Track Two). We will work with City staff to review the specific grant application requirements under Track One, including the program solicitation, proposal template with instructions, and sea-level rise adaptation criteria document, to determine the best approach to the application.

Ascent’s proposed approach and scope of work for optional Task 6.1 appear to meet all of OPC’s minimum sea-level rise adaptation criteria, given that the approach and scope are aligned with the RSAP and meets most of the requirements for a “Single-Jurisdiction San Francisco Bay Subregional Shoreline Adaptation Plan.” However, the criteria specify that “a complete vulnerability assessment…must be done for the location before a proposal can be submitted for a San Francisco Bay Shoreline Adaptation Plan for the same location.” Thus, Ascent will be prepared to accelerate the timeline for completing the required vulnerability assessment as part of Element C in the proposed scope of work under Task 6.1 to meet this criterion.

We will prepare up to three drafts of grant application materials and revise them following one set of consolidated and nonconflicting comments from City staff. Ascent will pull relevant information from our detailed optional scope of work and associated budget under Task 6.1 and identify and document other information needed to meet the minimum requirements. We will tailor the application to achieve the highest rankings possible on the scoring criteria to maximize the City’s chances of receiving a funding award. Ascent assumes City staff will complete and submit all final grant application materials to OPC, based on finalized grant application materials, unless otherwise specified by City staff.

Deliverables
 Up to three drafts of grant application materials prepared by Ascent (preliminary, revised, final) City Responsibilities
 One consolidated, nonconflicting set of comments on the draft grant materials in strikethrough/underline (electronic)
 Submit grant application to OPC electronically, including all finalized materials City Council/RSA Agenda 435 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
SECTION 6 // SCOPE OF SERVICES, COST PROPOSAL, AND SCHEDULE CITY OF UNION CITY // CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE PAGE 62

COST PROPOSAL
The proposed price for the Union City CAP Update is presented in the attached spreadsheet. To promote clarity, the following assumptions explain the basis of the proposed price. The price is estimated based on a good-faith, current understanding of the project’s needs. If selected, Ascent is interested in discussing the City’s needs and revising the scope of work and price, as warranted, to meet expectations.

1. Proposed Price Validity. The price proposed to carry out the scope of work is valid for 120 days from the date of submittal, after which it may be subject to revision.

2. Time and Materials. Work is authorized on a time-and-materials basis and will be billed monthly.

Monthly invoices will be submitted based on the percentage of progress toward completion occurring in each billing period.

3. Compliance with CEQA. The price assumes that environmental services are offered in compliance with CEQA. Work related to National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) compliance, Section 404, or other permit processes is not included. This work can be provided with a contract amendment.

4. Schedule. The price is based on the proposed schedule. If the schedule is protracted significantly (more than 60 days) for reasons beyond Ascent’s control, a budget amendment may apply to the remaining work. Ascent will consult with the City about a course of action.

5. Completion of Work. The scope of work is complete upon the acceptance by City staff of the final deliverable.

6. Price and Staff Allocation to Tasks. The proposed price has been allocated to tasks. Work has been assigned to the identified staff or labor category. Ascent may reallocate budget or staff among tasks, as needed, so long as the total contract price is not exceeded.

7. Meetings. The number of proposed meetings is specified. If they are exceeded, a budget augmentation would be warranted.

8. Billing Rates. Costs were determined based on the proposed scope of work and Ascent’s 2025 billing rates. Any budget augmentations or contract amendments in subsequent years will be calculated using updated billing rates, unless precluded by contract terms

9. Changes to the Project or Measures. If the descriptions of the project or measures are changed after they have been approved for use by City, a budget amendment will be warranted to the extent completed work needs to be revised or redone.

10. Scope of Analysis. The price is based on the proposed scope of analysis. If new technical issues, alternatives, actions, field surveys, modeling, or analysis is identified after contract execution, a budget amendment would be warranted.

11. Adequacy of Provided Materials. Materials provided by others are assumed to be complete and adequate for use in the analysis. If supplemental or revised analysis, studies, data, or fieldwork is needed to render such materials adequate, a budget amendment would be warranted.

12. Translation and Interpretation Services. The scope of work includes translation or interpretation services for community engagement activities. If additional translation and/or interpretation services are needed beyond what is described in the scope of work, a budget amendment would be warranted.

13. Tribal Consultation. Whether a tribe or tribes will request consultation under AB 52 (Statutes of 2014) is unknown. Therefore, the scope and budget do not include performance of this consultation.

Consultation assistance can be added, if needed, with a scope and budget amendment.

14. Preliminary Draft Review Cycles and Reviewers. Review cycles and reviewers of preliminary drafts are specified in the scope of work. Responses to additional reviewers, review cycles, or versions of preliminary drafts can be provided with a budget augmentation.

City Council/RSA Agenda 436 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
SECTION 6 // SCOPE OF SERVICES, COST PROPOSAL, AND SCHEDULE CITY OF UNION CITY // CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE PAGE 63

15. Consolidated Comments. The City will provide Ascent with one consolidated set of reconciled, nonconflicting comments on preliminary drafts.

16. Responses to Public Comments. After public review of the draft CAP Update, Ascent will prepare a list of commenters; compile, organize, review, and evaluate comments; and coordinate with the City to develop response strategies. Up to 60 labor hours are budgeted for preparing responses to comments received on the draft CAP Update. If the number or complexity of comments requires a greater level of effort, Ascent and the City will coordinate about a course of action and budget augmentation, if needed.

17. References Cited. Ascent will maintain electronic copies of cited references and provide electronic files during public review. Ascent will submit electronic copies of all references to the City for archiving upon completion of the scope of work.

18. Reproduction Costs. The number of copies, document length, and extent of color graphics are not yet known, so the reproduction cost for paper copies is not included. Ascent will advise the City of the costs to produce the documents after they are known. The cost will be passed through as charged to Ascent without additional administrative fee.

19. Litigation Support. Ascent is available to assist in the City’s response to a lawsuit, subject to a contract amendment. Except for electronic files of cited references, assembly of an administrative record or project record is not included but can be provided with a budget augmentation.

City Council/RSA Agenda 437 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Walters Kornfeld Moss Hom Steponick Qian de Kok Kataoka Montes Payne Parker Zajac Khan Luna Alling Smith Principal in
Charge
Project
Director
Project
Manager
Technical
GHG Lead
Climate
Adaptation
Analyst
Climate
Adaptation
Analyst
Adaptation
Advisor
Climate
Action Analyst
Outreach
Specialist
Policy
Advisor
CEQA
Prinicipal
CEQA Project
Manager
Environmental
Planner
GIS
Specialist Graphics Publishing
hourly rate: $375 $230 $200 $200 $150 $175 $290 $145 $165 $285 $290 $225 $180 $140 $135 $130 Task 1: PROJECT MANAGEMENT Price Hours

1.1 Kickoff Meeting and Project Initiation $ 14 1 4 8 1 3,185

1.2 Ongoing Project Management $ 102 4 30 60 4 4 21,800 Subtotal, Task 1 $ 116 5 34 68 4 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 24,985 Task 2: CEQA DOCUMENTATION Price Hours

2.1 CEQA Compliance Technical Memorandum $ 16.5 0.5 2 2 4 8 4,008

2.2 Environmental Checklist and Addendum $ 98.5 0.5 2 2 6 16 60 4 8 18,788 Subtotal, Task 2 $ 115 1 4 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 24 60 4 0 8 22,795 Task 3: CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE Price Hours

3.1 Literature Review and Policy Audit $ 82 2 6 12 24 24 12 2 13,380

3.2 Vulnerability Assessment $ 196 2 6 12 120 40 4 8 4 32,330

3.3 GHG Inventory $ 93 1 2 6 24 60 15,535

3.4 Natural and Working Lands Carbon Sequestration
Analysis $ 89 1 6 12 24 40 4 2 15,575

3.5 GHG Forecasts and Reduction Targets $ 41 1 2 6 12 20 7,335

3.6 Guiding Principles and Co-Benefits $ 20 2 6 6 6 3,430

3.7 Climate Action, Adaptation, and Resilience Strategies $ 344 2 16 40 60 100 20 100 4 2 58,830 Subtotal, Task 3 $ 865 7 36 88 132 250 60 4 250 12 4 0 0 0 12 0 10 146,415 Task 4: COMMUNITY & STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT Price Hours

4.1 Community Engagement Plan $ 61 1 2 6 40 2 8 2 10,545

4.2 Technical Advisory Group (up to 4 meetings) $ 68 2 8 24 4 30 12,940

4.3 Community Workshops (up to 2 workshops) $ 102 2 8 24 8 8 8 40 4 18,290

4.4 Community Survey $ 28 2 6 20 4,960

4.5 Community Engagement Summary $ 23 1 4 16 2 3,930

4.6 City Council and Commission Meetings (up to 4
meetings) $ 48 4 12 20 12 10,240
Subtotal, Task 4 $ 330 9 33 84 0 12 8 0 8 158 2 0 0 0 0 12 4 60,905 Task 5: DRAFT AND FINAL PLAN Price Hours

5.1 Outline of the CAP Update $ 30 2 4 4 8 4 8 4,600

5.2 Administrative Drafts $ 346 2 12 40 8 100 12 100 40 8 24 55,510

5.3 Public Review $ 41 1 4 12 10 10 4 7,165

5.4 Final Plan $ 66 2 6 12 4 20 20 2 11,490
Subtotal, Task 5 $ 483 5 24 68 12 134 12 0 138 40 0 0 0 0 0 12 38 78,765 LABOR SUBTOTAL $ 1,909 27 131 312 148 400 80 5 396 210 6 10 24 60 16 24 60 333,865 $ 30,130 10,125 $ 62,400 $ 29,600 $ 60,000 $ 14,000 $ 1,450 $ 57,420 $ 34,650 $ 1,710 $ 2,900 $ 5,400 $ 10,800 $ 2,240 $ 3,240 $ 7,800 $

REIMBURSABLE EXPENSES
Mileage/Parking/Travel $ 1,000
ClimateView Add-On Modules $ 13,500
Translation and Interpretation Services $ 10,000
CONTINGENCY (10%)

TOTAL PRICE
The following tasks are presented as optional services and are contingent upon authorization of the client.

Task 4: COMMUNITY & STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT Price Hours

4.7 Online Engagement Platform (Social Pinpoint) $ 55 1 2 8 40 4 9,575

4.8 Pop-Up Events (up to 4 events) $ 68 4 20 40 4 10,940

4.9 Public Review Community Workshop and Online Forum
(1 event) $ 47 1 4 8 4 4 4 20 2 8,345

4.1 Community-Based Organization Focus Group Meetings $ 99 6 30 60 3 17,685 Subtotal, Optional Task 4 $ 269 2 12 50 0 24 4 0 4 160 0 0 0 0 0 13 0 46,545 Task 6: SEA LEVEL RISE ASSESSMENT AND ADAPTATION Price Hours

6.1 Sea-Level Rise Adaptation and Action Chapter
Element A: Planning Process (includes all public
outreach/engagement, Equity Assessment Standards,
BCDC consultation mtgs and noticing, TAG meetings,
public hearings, etc.)
$ 538 2 24 80 80 40 60 80 150 6 8 8 97,980
Element B: Existing Conditions $ 391 1 4 40 150 80 16 80 4 16 64,255 Element C: Sea-Level Rise Vulnerability Assessment $ 311 1 4 40 100 50 16 80 4 16 51,505 Element D: Adaptation Strategies and Pathways $ 503 1 4 60 250 100 16 60 4 8 82,915 Element E: Land Use and Policy Plan $ 125 1 4 40 40 4 12 12 4 8 23,135 Element F: Implementation Plan and Funding Strategy $ 209 1 4 20 100 60 8 8 4 4 36,455 Element G: Projects List $ 38.5 0.5 4 12 16 4 2 7,328

6.2 SB 1 Grant Funding $ 98.5 0.5 4 24 60 8 2 19,008
Subtotal, Optional Task 6 $ 2,214 8 52 316 0 736 390 132 80 150 20 0 0 0 240 28 62 382,580 LABOR SUBTOTAL (Optional Tasks) $ 2,483 10 64 366 0 760 394 132 84 310 20 0 0 0 240 41 62 429,125 $ 14,720 3,750 $ 73,200 $ - $ 114,000 $ 68,950 $ 38,280 $ 12,180 $ 51,150 $ 5,700 $ - $ - $ - $ 33,600 $ 5,535 $ 8,060 $ REIMBURSABLE EXPENSES (Optional Tasks)
Printing $ 1,000
Social Pinpoint (2-year subscription) $ 4,000
Mileage/Parking/Travel $ 6,000
Postage $ 100
Translation and Interpretation Services $ 5,000

OPTIONAL TASKS TOTAL PRICE
$ 16,100
$ 445,225
Project No: 20250001.00
$ 24,500
$ 394,202

PRICE PROPOSAL
Union City Climate Action Plan Update
1/30/2025

OPTIONAL TASKS
$ 35,837 ASSUMPTIONS Assumptions that explain the basis of the proposed price are enclosed and are an integral part of this proposed scope for work for services.

City Council/RSA Agenda 438 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
SECTION 6 // SCOPE OF SERVICES, COST PROPOSAL, AND SCHEDULE CITY OF UNION CITY // CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE PAGE 65

SCHEDULE
The Ascent team can begin work immediately. We will strive to exceed the City’s expectations by serving as a true extension of staff. Our management style is proactive, and we look for opportunities to streamline the planning process, where feasible.

The Ascent team will manage the project so that the schedule established at the beginning is maintained to the degree it is under our control. The following is our proposed schedule for the Union City CAP Update.

Based on our experience, we are fully capable of meeting this schedule. If any element of the schedule below does not meet the City’s expectations, we would appreciate the opportunity to discuss with you how we can modify it to meet the City’s needs.

The schedule for the requested scope of work is up to 20 months. The timeline reflects that some tasks and deliverables should begin prior to the completion of previous tasks.

Work
Product/Milestone
Mar-25
Apr-25
May-25
Jun-25
Jul-25
Aug-25
Sept-25
Oct-25
Nov-25Dec-25
Jan-26
Feb-26Mar-26
Apr-26
May-26
Jun-26
Jul-26
Aug-26
Sept-26
Oct-26
Receive Notice to
Proceed
Task 1.1: Kickoff Meeting
& Project Initiation
Task 1.2: Ongoing Project
Management
Task 2.1: CEQA
Compliance Tech Memo
Task 2.2: Addendum
Task 3.1: Literature
Review & Policy Audit
Task 3.2: Vulnerability
Assessment
Task 3.3: GHG Inventory
Task 3.4: NWL Carbon
Sequestration Analysis
Task 3.5: GHG Forecasts
& Reduction Targets
Task 3.6: Guiding
Principles & Co-Benefits
Task 3.7: Strategies
Task 4.1: Community
Engagement Plan
Task 4.2: Technical
Advisory Group
City Council/RSA Agenda 439 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
SECTION 6 // SCOPE OF SERVICES, COST PROPOSAL, AND SCHEDULE CITY OF UNION CITY // CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE PAGE 66 Work
Product/Milestone
Mar-25
Apr-25
May-25
Jun-25
Jul-25
Aug-25
Sept-25
Oct-25
Nov-25Dec-25
Jan-26
Feb-26Mar-26
Apr-26
May-26
Jun-26
Jul-26
Aug-26
Sept-26
Oct-26
Task 4.3: Community
Workshops
Task 4.4: Community
Survey
Task 4.5: Community
Engagement Summary
Task 4.6: City Council and
Commission Meetings
Task 4.7: Online
Engagement Platform
(optional)
Task 4.8: Pop-Up Events
(optional)
Task 4.9: Public Review
Community Workshop
(optional)
Task 4.10: CBO Focus
Group (optional)
Task 5.1: CAP Outline
Task 5.2: Administrative
Drafts
Task 5.3: Public Review
Task 5.4: Final Plan
Task 6: Sea-Level Rise
Assessment and
Adaptation Chapter
(optional)
City Council/RSA Agenda 440 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
RESOLUTION NO. 2025-XXX

RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF UNION CITY

AUTHORIZING THE FORMATION OF AN AD HOC COMMITTEE FOR

THE CLIMATE ACTION PLAN UPDATE
WHEREAS, the State of California, through legislation such as Assembly Bill 32, Executive Order B-30-15, Senate Bill 32, and Executive Order N-79-20, has established ambitious goals for the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to mitigate the impacts of climate change; and
WHEREAS, the City of Union City (City) is committed to addressing climate change and reducing its contribution to GHG emissions in alignment with state goals and local priorities; and
WHEREAS, the City adopted its Climate Action Plan (CAP) in 2010 and set a GHG reduction target of 20 percent below 2005 levels by 2020; and WHEREAS, the City recognizes the need to update its CAP to respond to state mandates, implement best practices, and identify local strategies that are actionable and cost-effective in addressing climate change; and
WHEREAS, the City Council’s Strategic Plan identifies Goal D, Strategy 8, which calls for the CAP Update as a Council priority; and
WHEREAS, a collaborative and inclusive process that engages residents, businesses, community organizations, and other stakeholders is crucial for the successful development and adoption of a CAP that reflects the unique needs and priorities of Union City; and
WHEREAS, at its Regular Meeting on February 11, 2025, the City Council voted 4-1 to agendize consideration of an Ad Hoc Committee for the CAP Update; and WHEREAS, the role of the Ad Hoc Committee will be to provide feedback on the CAP Update at various milestones in the update process.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Union City hereby authorizes the formation of an Ad Hoc Committee for the Climate Action Plan Update, organized as follows:
 Up to two City Council members;
 Up to two Planning Commissioners; and
 Up to five community members.

BE IT FURHTER RESOLVED the process for recruitment of the Ad Hoc Committee members is as follows:

1. Public Outreach and Recruitment. Staff will advertise the opportunity widely through the City’s website, social media, and community networks, inviting interested individuals to apply.

City Council/RSA Agenda 441 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
Resolution No. 2025-XXX
Ad Hoc Committee for the Climate Action Plan Update

2. Application Review. Staff will review the applications and develop a shortlist of recommended candidates based on qualifications, experience, and ability to represent a range of community interests for consideration by the Mayor. The Planning Commission will recommend up to two Commissioners to serve on the Ad Hoc Committee.

3. Final Appointments. The recommended candidate list, along with the Planning Commission recommendation, will be presented to the Mayor for selection of committee members. The Mayor’s appointments will be presented to the City Council for formal affirmation at a public meeting. The City Council appointments will also be made at that meeting; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED once the CAP Update concludes, the Ad Hoc Committee will dissolve.

PASSED, APPROVED, AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Union City at a regular meeting held on May 13, 2025, by the following vote:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSENT:

ABSTAIN:

APPROVED:

GARY SINGH
Mayor
ATTESTED: APPROVED AS TO FORM:

THAI NAM N. PHAM
City Clerk
KRISTOPHER J. KOKOTAYLO
City Attorney
City Council/RSA Agenda 442 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
1 / X
Item 7.3
Consulting Services Agreement
with Ascent Environmental, Inc. for the City’s
Climate Action Plan Update
City Council/RSA Agenda 443 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
2 Request
•Authorize an agreement with a
consultant to lead the Climate Action
Plan Update
•Authorize the formation of an Ad Hoc
Committee to advise and support the
CAP development process
City Council/RSA Agenda 444 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
3 Why Update the CAP?

1. Council Priority
Strategic Plan - Goal D, Strategy 8:

Update the Climate Action Plan and also
include regional goals in the plan.

2. Comply with State Law
New regulatory requirements such as:

Senate Bill 32 and Executive Order N-72-20
City Council/RSA Agenda 445 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
4 Consultant Selection
December 2024 RFP Released
January 2025 Deadline to Submit Proposals
February 2025 Review of Proposals
March 2025 Interviews
April 2025 Reference Checks
May 2025 Consulting Services Agreement
City Council/RSA Agenda 446 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
5 Project Management $24,985
CEQA Documentation $22,795
CAP Update $146,415
Community & Stakeholder Engagement $60,905
Draft & Final Plan $78,765
Total Cost $394,202*
* Includes reimbursable costs and a 10-percent contingency Scope of Work – Core Tasks
City Council/RSA Agenda 447 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
6 Additional Community & Stakeholder
Engagement $46,545
Sea Level Rise Assessment &
Adaptation $382,580
Total Cost $445,225*
* Includes reimbursable costs
Scope of Work – Optional Tasks
City Council/RSA Agenda 448 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
7 Ad Hoc Committee
Structure
• Up to two Councilmembers
• Up to two Planning Commissioners
• Up to five Community Members
Selection Process
• Staff provides recommendation for
consideration by the Mayor, appointments
made by the Mayor, with Council affirmation
City Council/RSA Agenda 449 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
8 Fiscal Impact
• No impact to the General Fund
• $400,000 allocated for the CAP Update
in prior budget cycle
City Council/RSA Agenda 450 Tuesday, May 13, 2025
9 Staff recommends that the City Council adopt:
• A Resolution authorizing the City Manager to enter
into a Consulting Services Agreement, in a form
approved by the City Attorney, with Ascent, in the not
to exceed amount of $394,202, for preparation of the
City’s CAP Update, in accordance with Exhibit A; and
• A Resolution authorizing the formation of an Ad Hoc
Committee for the CAP Update
Recommendation
City Council/RSA Agenda 451 Tuesday, May 13, 2025