A project by Laura Melahn, Candidate for Menlo Park District 4 City Council
Stormwater
Funded FY27–31

SAFER Bay Implementation

Project CPR008 · Public Works

Also identified in the budget as “Safer Bay” (project code CPR008).

Cost & funding
Five-year planned cost
$1,520,000
Where the money comes from
  • Capital Project Funds$1,520,000
Specifically
  • General Capital Improvements Fund$1,520,000

    General Fund money that has been transferred over for capital projects. Once here, it is used for capital work — not General Fund operating expenses.

    What is this fund?

Source: FY 2026–27 CIP, Fund 501 appropriation.

Funding pathway
Developer contributionMechanism in place

Largely funded through SAFER Bay program and state/federal coastal resilience funding; $50M secured.

See developer projects
Category
Capital Improvement Plan
Department
Public Works
Planned revenue, FY 2027–31
$2,259,474
Spent FY 2023–25
$721,682
Budgeted FY 2026
$1,600,000
Estimated lifetime cost
$67,808,000
Budget labels for this project

Sources: City of Menlo Park OpenGov CIP detail, project code CPR008; resident-facing name shown here is “SAFER Bay Implementation”. The OpenGov summary label is “Safer Bay”. Budget worksheet labeled “SAFER Bay Implementation”.

Fully funded
No remaining gap
Estimated lifetime cost $67,808,000
Estimated lifetime cost
$67,808,000
Secured (awarded, received, allocated)
$50,000,000 + undisclosed
Committed, not yet executed
$17,808,000
Pending application
$0
Anticipated (not yet applied for)
$0
Funding gap (not yet covered)
$0
Show source

The lifetime cost estimate is $67,808,000, from FEMA award notification combined with executed MOU local match commitments (May 1, 2023). Source: https://www.menlopark.gov/files/sharedassets/public/v/1/agendas-and-minutes/city-council/2025-meetings/20250225/k3-20250225-cc-safer-bay-design.pdf. The funding gap is the estimated lifetime cost minus all funding that has not been lost, added up from the funding sources listed below. Year-by-year figures come from the City's adopted five-year capital plan.

Who is paying

Funding sources

Each source carries its own status and citation. Expand a row to see the conditions, dates, and source document. “Ongoing” sources are recurring formula funds; sources still being pursued show no dollar amount.

FEMA BRIC GrantAwarded
$50,000,000
FEMA (via Cal OES) (federal) · design and construction

Conditions: Federal match against $17.808M committed local match. Reimbursement quarterly. Phase 1 eligible for up to $3,759,474.

City was notified of award May 2023; FEMA funding will be reimbursed quarterly after Phase 1 deliverables approved.

Awarded May 1, 2023
Source document
PG&E local match contributionCommitted
$10,000,000
Pacific Gas & Electric (private) · design and construction

Conditions: Committed via MOU dated Jan 25, 2022.

PG&E's Ravenswood Substation is critical infrastructure within protection area.

Awarded January 25, 2022
Source document
Meta local match contributionCommitted
$7,808,000
Meta Platforms, Inc. (private) · design and construction

Conditions: Committed via MOU. Initial $2M paid; additional $1.561M anticipated spring 2025.

Meta's Bayfront Expressway operations are within protection area.

Awarded January 25, 2022
Source document
General Capital FundAllocated
City of Menlo Park (Fund 501) (city) · design

Conditions: Per FY 2024-25 CIP plan: ~$4.3M in Project CIP budget for Phase 1 work.

City discretionary funding for Phase 1 design and consultant agreements.

Spending

Spending by year

Past years are recorded actuals from the City's general ledger. FY 2026 is the adopted current-year budget. FY 2027 through FY 2031 is what the five-year Capital Improvement Plan proposes to spend.

FY 23$530
FY 24$13,016
FY 25$708,135
FY 26$1,600,000
FY 27$1,520,000
Spent Current year (adopted) Planned
Where the money went, line by line
YearFundCategoryAmount
FY 23Capital Project FundsSalaries and Wages$369
FY 23Capital Project FundsFringe Benefits$161
FY 24Capital Project FundsServices$13,016
FY 25Capital Project FundsServices$701,152
FY 25Capital Project FundsSalaries and Wages$5,965
FY 25Capital Project FundsFringe Benefits$694
FY 25Capital Project FundsOperating Expenses$324
FY 26Special Revenue FundsFixed Assets & Capital Outlay$1,600,000
Show source

Past years are summed from gl_transactions for this project. FY 2026 is the adopted current-year budget for the project. FY 2027 through FY 2031 is what the City's adopted five-year CIP proposes to spend, taken from cip_projects.

How decisions were made

Council actions

  1. authorize

    Council authorized Schaaf & Wheeler design agreement up to $5,329,675 for SAFER Bay Phase 1

    Details

    Authorized City Manager to execute professional services agreement with Schaaf & Wheeler for SAFER Bay design: $4,784,963 base + $544,712 optional tasks = $5,329,675. Phase 1 total project budget $6,729,175 ($5.33M agreement + $799,500 supplemental + $600,000 City services).

    Staff recommendation: Authorize the design services agreement up to $5,329,675

  2. receive

    City notified of $50M FEMA BRIC grant award for SAFER Bay

    Details

    May 2023: City was notified that its grant application had been approved and that $50M had been set aside for the engineering, design and construction of the SAFER Bay Project. FEMA funding will be reimbursed quarterly.

  3. authorize

    Council authorized acceptance of FEMA BRIC grant (if awarded) + MOU with SFCJPA, PG&E, Meta

    Details

    Authorized acceptance of grant funds (if awarded) and execution of MOU with SFCJPA, PG&E, and Meta. MOU outlines partner roles, responsibilities, funding commitments ($10M PG&E + $7.808M Meta), and collaboration.

    Staff recommendation: Authorize grant acceptance and MOU

  4. direct

    Council study session on SAFER Bay FEMA BRIC grant

    Details

    Council study session to provide direction regarding the FEMA BRIC grant program for SAFER Bay.

  5. authorize

    City submitted FEMA BRIC grant application for SAFER Bay (with SFCJPA, PG&E, Meta partners)

    Details

    December 2020 application to Cal OES for the 2020 FEMA BRIC grant program. Joint application by City, SFCJPA, PG&E, and Meta. $50M federal max requested against $17.808M committed local match.