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"The ReWild Coalition met on March 24, to discuss concerns about the proposed FY 2026 funding allocation of the Mission Bay Park Improvement Fund in regard to compliance with Charter Section 55.2 priorities.  The MBPIF was created to restore wetlands, wildlife habitat, and other environmental concerns.  Voters established these priorities in 2009 and again in 2016.  The Charter provides a legally binding hierarchy of funding priorities.  Environmental projects, such as wetland expansion, water quality improvement, protection of eel grass beds, shoreline restoration and habitat preservation are all listed as priority levels B through D.  Priority A, safety dredging, has already been funded and completed.  The Mission Bay Park Committee’s budget concerns prompted them to propose funding for projects in the lowest priority in the City Charter.  These projects include $12 million in FY 2026 for comfort stations, parking lots and turf and irrigation for Robb Field.  The ReWild  Coalition is opposed to this misuse of funds and is asking the City Council to insure that $5 million of the MBPIF be put towards:

1).  Getting the DeAnza Natural Plan approved by the Coastal Commission.
2).  Acting on the 10 year MBPIP actions that the City is sharing through the Mission Bay Park Commission.
3).  Creating a grant application match account to spend next year, to aid the City in a $10 million match for a grant application to realize wetland restoration in the northeast corner of Mission Bay.

The plan is to convince the City to not approve the MBPIF as is.  They are requesting immediate funding to align with voter established priorities these include funding the DeAnza Natural General Development Plan starting in 2026.  The environmental projects would deliver multiple benefits, including improved water quality, enhanced shoreline resilience, carbon sequestration capabilities, more public access and alignment with the City CAP plan.