On Monday, the Pittsburg City Council will meet to vote on the renewing and continuing the local emergency from the recent storms.
According to the agenda:
A series of atmospheric river systems began on December 27, 2022, and continued into 2023. The extreme weather conditions caused flooding at numerous locations, road closures because of the accumulation of rainwater, and damage to roadways. The storms also compromised one 20-foot-high retaining wall and downed four 30-foot trees. On January 11, 2023, the Director of Emergency Services, who is the City Manager as designated in Pittsburg Municipal Code Section 2.44.050(A), proclaimed a local emergency. State and local law require the City Council to ratify a proclamation within seven days for it to remain in effect. City Council did so on January 17, 2023.
The California Emergency Services Act authorizes local public entities to proclaim an emergency under specified circumstances including storms. State law authorizes a local emergency to be proclaimed by a designated official. As required by state law and the Pittsburg Municipal Code, a proclamation expires at the end of seven days unless ratified by City Council. The City Council ratified the proclamation on January 17, 2023
State law at California Government Code Section 8630(c) requires the governing body to review the need for continuing the local emergency at least once every 60 days until the governing body terminates the emergency. The attached resolution finds that the conditions of extreme peril continue to warrant and necessitate the proclamation of the existence of a local emergency throughout the City.
Staff intends to seek reimbursement of costs incurred to respond to the local emergency from the federal government. The storms created conditions posing risks to persons and property within Pittsburg.
In mid-January, when Contra Costa County declared its local emergency, damages were estimated at roughly $27 million , but as assessments were made and after further investigation occurred, the damages increased to $43.9 million and could still increase higher. Across the county, several areas were hit with flooding, road damage, sinkholes, eroded creek banks, mudslides, toppled trees, and power issues.
According to county data, the Contra Costa Water District sustained the most in damages at $7.1 million. The City of Pittsburg had an estimated $9.5 million in damages while the City of Martinez had $5.9 million. Meanwhile, the City of Antioch an estimated $4.4 million in damages with the Town of Danville at $2.3 million.
Here is a breakdown across Contra Costa County of the estimated damages–the numbers are expected to further increase as further assessments are made (data from Feb 4)
| Antioch | $4,408,926.00 |
| Bradford Island – RD 2059 | $4,300,000.00 |
| Cal State East Bay | $125,000.00 |
| Clayton | $380,500.00 |
| Concord | $60,000.00 |
| Contra Costa Department of Public Works | $2,805,000.00 |
| Contra Costa Fire Protection District | $118,210.00 |
| Contra Costa Health Services | $62,000.00 |
| Contra Costa Water District | $7,120,600.00 |
| Danville | $2,318,000.00 |
| Diablo Community Services District | $700,000.00 |
| East Bay Municipal Utility District | $192,140.52 |
| Lafayette | $923,530.57 |
| Martinez | $5,902,000.00 |
| Moraga | $174,500.00 |
| Orinda | $1,502,500.00 |
| Pinole | $125,000.00 |
| Pittsburg | $9,551,890.30 |
| Pleasant Hill | $181,067.00 |
| Richmond | $893,776.00 |
| San Pablo | $30,150.00 |
| San Ramon | $ 946,660.00 |
| Walnut Creek | $1,125,000.00 |
| Total | $43,946,450.39 |
Pittsburg City Council Meeting
65 Civic Avenue, Pittsburg
Special Meeting – 7:00 pm
Full Agenda – click here
