In 2017, the City applied for a grant to the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority Measure AA grant for the restoration of Spinnaker Marsh and Shoreline Flood Protection measures. The project would restore tidal marsh, wetland-upland transition habitat, and adjacent upland habitats – while simultaneously reinforcing natural protections against future shoreline erosion and sea level rise. The project would restore the wetland habitat by constructing a sea-level rise adaptable setback levee with bay-side slopes. The new levee would improve water quality, create a nature-based shoreline and flood protection, and improve public access and education with a bridge across the tidal breach that allows for direct over-water observation. Finally, the project would aim to resolve long-time odor issues resulting from the seasonal drying of the marsh. We were turned down at that time due to opposition from some of the homeowners there because the new levee would impact their views.
We regrouped in the fall of 2019, including extensive outreach by the HOA, and re-applied. We received well over 100 letters in support of the effort, along with a dozen letters against from the same view affected neighbors. Unfortunately, we were turned down again. While the San Francisco Bay Restoration Authority provided positive feedback on the proposal’s water quality improvements, wildlife habitat improvements and strong linkages to key goals of the Restoration Authority and Measure AA; the Authority noted that the remaining resident opposition to the project may inhibit CEQA compliance. The Authority recommended that the City pursue a planning-based (as opposed to construction-based) project in the next round of Measure AA grant application funding, in order to identify an alternative which would receive broader community support.