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REPORT <br />To the Honorable Mayor and City Council <br />From the City Manager <br /> <br />August 24, 2015 <br /> <br />SUBJECT <br />Response to Civil Grand Jury Report: “Flooding Ahead: Planning for Sea Level Rise” <br /> <br />RECOMMENDATION <br />Approve by motion the attached letter responding to the June 4, 2015 Grand Jury <br />Report and authorize the Mayor to sign and send the letter in response to the report. <br /> <br />BACKGROUND <br />On June 4, 2015, the San Mateo County Civil Grand Jury filed a report containing <br />findings and recommendations regarding the impact of Sea Level Rise (“SLR”) on the <br />County and 20 local jurisdictions and two special agencies within the County, including <br />Redwood City. As one of the agencies affected by the Grand Jury Report, the City is <br />required to prepare a response to the recommendations, consider the response at a <br />public meeting, and submit the response by September 3, 2015. <br />The Grand Jury Report examines San Mateo County’s exposure to SLR and discusses <br />a coordinated approach to addressing not only SLR, but also existing flooding issues <br />within the County. The discussion includes having agencies within the County work <br />together to identify a single organization to undertake SLR planning, find alternative <br />sources of funding for SLR planning and related projects, amend General Plans to <br />include SLR policies, initiate public outreach on SLR, and advocate at the regional, <br />State, and federal levels. <br />The Grand Jury Report recommendations are outlined in the response letter attached to <br />this staff report. <br />ANALYSIS <br />Staff has reviewed the Grand Jury’s findings and recommendations and has prepared a <br />letter for the Mayor’s signature that responds to the Grand Jury Report. The response <br />demonstrates that the City is generally supportive of a regional approach to sea level <br />rise issues, including coordinating public outreach and advocacy, identifying a single <br />agency to undertake sea level rise planning, determining the scope of SLR-related <br />responsibilities identified for that organization, and sustainably funding the organization. <br /> <br />6.1.I. - Page 1