Land Revitalization Success Stories | EPA 560-F-16-175 November 2016 Adapting to Climate Change BUILDING RESILIENCE ON SAN FRANCISCO BAY SAN FRANCISCO. CA. EPA REGION 9 The Hunters Point Naval Shipyard in Southeastern San Francisco operated from 1869 through 1974. Since the shipyard closed, the surrounding community experienced disinvestment, persistent crime and violence, high health risk, high unemployment, deteriorating structures, and a lack of safe recreational opportunities, The India Basin and surrounding community were heavily impacted. Figure 1: Draft Revitalization Plan for 900 Innes Avenue, LESSONS LEARNED Incorporating simple sustainabiiity and climate adaptation concepts to shoreline parks can significantly enhance environmental and community amenities. Starting the community stakeholder process early ensures sufficient time to consider and incorporate community input. The San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department (SFRPD) initiated a planning process to revitalize the India Basin area, including India Basin Shoreline Park. The SFRPA envisions the park becoming a multi-purpose open space that knits together the Bayview/Hunters Point and India Basin communities and the shoreline parks around India Basin. Located within the park is the 900 Innes property. It is a former industrial site with soil contamination, The property currently is used for the storage of construction equipment. SFRPD developed a conceptual cleanup approach with funds from a Community-wide Brownfields Assessment Grant. SFRPD applied for an EPA Brownfields Cleanup Grant to remove or encapsulate surface soils in compliance with California's Voluntary Cleanup Program. SFRPD requested technical assistance from EPA's Land Revitalization Team to guide the revitalization of the 900 Innes Property. The property is uniquely situated to be the gateway for the India Basin Waterfront Trail, which is part of a 13-mile Blue Greenway open space and trail system, SFRPD wants the trail redevelopment to support urban ecosystems and include innovative strategies to minimize the effects of climate change, SFRPD's goal is for the 900 Innes property to be redeveloped as a recreational area that will provide habitat restoration, preserve historic features, offer recreation, provide for effective stormwater management, and be resilient to climate change, EPA's Land Revitalization Team developed criteria to guide the design of the 900 Innes property, The design criteria include features that will provide for low-impact development features and the potential use of historical resources, promote environmental education, restore natural habitat,, improve accessibility and promote passive recreation and preserve future development opportunities. The Land Revitalization Team also suggested non-motorized connectivity of the project to the community (i.e., implementing bike and walking paths) as a means to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The Land Revitalization Team also reviewed the 900 Innes property's final draft design concepts and found them to be attentive to the property's coastline and historic elements, in addition to providing ample opportunities for environmental education. The design concepts include adequate wetland/stormwater water-quality zones and the appropriate level of natural habitat for a recreational park. The designs create opportunities for people to access the area to recreate, while discouraging people from entering sensitive habitat zones, These enhancements will promote a greater sense of community and encourage improvements to surrounding areas, Following the Land Revitalization Team's technical assistance, the SFRPD and its design team will finalize the design, develop bid documents, and obtain proposals from qualified contractors to begin various elements of the design plan. For more information, please contact Nova Blazej, EPA Region 9, at blazei.nova@epa.gov. PLANNED POST-TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES • Establish funding requirements and sources based on final design plans. • Obtain bids from qualified bidders to install key elements of the final design. • Continue to identify opportunities to enhance the sustainabiiity and climate concepts of the Blue Greenway trail system. ------- |