Advisory Board: Economic Development Committee
Subject: Staff Update on Economic Development
Presenter: Alyson Greenlee, Economic Development Manager
Contact: 925-655-2783
Information:
Since the last meeting of the Northern Waterfront Ad Hoc Committee on August 7, 2024, the Board of Supervisors established the Economic Development Committee as a standing committee of the Board of Supervisors, to supersede the Board of Supervisors Ad-Hoc Committee on the Northern Waterfront Economic Development Initiative, to continue to lead implementation of the Northern Waterfront Economic Development Initiative and refer detailed oversight of the Initiative, as well as the other economic development activities of the County, to the Economic Development Committee.
Referral History and Update:
Since the August 7, 2024 meeting of the Northern Waterfront Ad Hoc Committee, various elements of the Initiative had proceeded to help advance projects under the Northern Waterfront umbrella. Recent and proposed economic development activity to implement the Northern Waterfront Strategic Action Plan, as well as other economic development activities of the County, includes:
• Economic development staff from the County participated in the Delta Heritage Forum on November 15, 2024, for the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta National Heritage Area, along with the staff from the District 3, Contra Costa County office.
• Participated in the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory’s “From Innovation to Manufacturing: California’s Battery Ecosystem,” Summit on September 18-19, 2024, where Supervisor Diane Burgis spoke to federal and state representatives on the opportunities for manufacturing along the Northern Waterfront.
• Applied as the lead applicant to the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) FY2023 Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance (PWEAA) Funding Opportunity on October 28, 2024 for a $1.2 million grant for a project called “Just Transition to Battery Manufacturing Along the Northern Waterfront of Contra County,” with project co-applicants Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Workforce Development Board of Contra Costa County and many other partners. If funded, the grant would be used to conduct a pre-development strategy for a next-generation battery manufacturing tech innovation hub along the Northern Waterfront. Staff are working with an assigned EDA Project Officer and anticipate the next step will be investment review in January 2025.
• Participated in the California Land Recycling Conference on September 16-19, 2024 to develop partnerships to pursue a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) coalition community-wide assessment grant to inventory and assess brownfield sites.
• Convened the virtual Countywide Economic Development Quarterly Meeting with the economic development staff from the 19 cities on August 28, 2024. It featured presentations from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Center for Creative Land Recycling on resources for revitalizing brownfields, and countywide partners updates.
• Applied as the coalition lead to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) FY2025 Brownfields Assessments Coalition Grants Funding Opportunity on November 14, 2024 for a $1.2 million grant for a project called “Contra Costa Brownfields Coalition,” with four non-lead members City of Antioch, City of Martinez, City of Pinole, and Sustainable Contra Costa, and many other partners. If funded, the grant would be used to assess sites throughout Contra Costa County for environmental contamination concerns and potential future cleanup. Staff anticipate the next steps will be in spring 2025.
• Continued to conduct direct assistance to businesses including start-up, expansion, retention, and attraction efforts, and referrals of assistance to businesses and organizations seeking to locate or expand in the unincorporated areas.
• Attended California Forward’s California Economic Summit, in Sacramento, CA from October 8-10, 2024. Participated in tracks focused on a resilient energy transition, the creative economy, and connected with state and regional leaders on the economic agenda.
• Kicked off the Northern Waterfront Priority Production Areas (PPAs) Technical Assistance Project on October 10, 2024 with MTC-ABAG and the Cities of Antioch, Concord, Pittsburg, and Oakley, and Technical Assistance Provider Placeworks. Staff are meeting with Placeworks every other week and anticipate that the next step is the development of an interactive web map that will act as an online resource with various search functions with an inventory of the Priority Production Areas sites that is stored on a web application.
• Convened the in-person Contra Costa County Economic Development Forum on November 20, 2024 from 9am -1pm at the Pleasant Hill Community Center with the economic development staff from the 19 cities, chambers and resource providers, and legislative staff. It featured welcomes from District 4 Supervisor Ken Carlson and the Mayor of Pleasant Hill, and presentations from Contra Costa Transportation Authority, TeamCalifornia, California Association of Local Economic Development, East Bay Economic Development Alliance, California Office of the Small Business Advocate, East Bay Small Business Development Center, Contra Costa Green Business Program, Contra Costa Environmental Health. Also recorded, it is anticipated that the next step will be to have the forum broadcast on CCTV and posted on the Economic development webpage.
• Participated in the Contra Costa County Arts and Culture Landscape Funder Briefing on November 12, 2024 for the importance of integrating arts into economic development planning.
• Participated in California Association for Local Economic Development (CALED)’s Advanced Institute for Local Economic Development on August 8-18, 2024, and Introduction to Economic Development (“Keys”) Course on October 21-24, 2024 at Fresno State to get trained on introductory and advanced methods of economic development.
• Participated in the California Association for Local Economic Development (CALED) Finance and Real Estate Summit from October 30-31 in Inglewood to get training on incremental tax financing including Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts (EIFDs).
• Participated in an Economic Development Policy Roundtable focused on navigating Enhanced Infrastructure Financing Districts (EIFDs) and other incremental tax financing with Christopher Cabaldon for California State Senate District 3.
• Staff will continue to navigate the County’s experience navigating the Enhanced Infrastructure Financing District (EIFD) policy.
Economic development activities are funded by a General Fund allocation of $500,000 dating from 2017-2018. As of October 31, 2024, there is a current balance of $245,673 for Economic Development.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
RECEIVE updates from staff and/or PROVIDE direction to staff regarding Economic Development work program.