Hayward Area Shoreline Planning Agency
The Hayward Area Shoreline Planning Agency (HASPA), established in 1970, is a joint powers agency consisting of representatives from the City of Hayward, East Bay Regional Park District (EBRPD), and Hayward Area Recreation and Park District (HARD).
The primary purpose of HASPA, with the support of the Hayward Area Shoreline Citizens Advisory Committee (HASCAC), is to coordinate agency planning activities and adopt and carry out policies for the improvement of the Hayward Shoreline for future generations. Through the efforts of HASPA and its member agencies, over 3,150 acres have been purchased for public ownership, preserved, restored, or are in the process of being returned to wetlands, marshes, and protected uplands.
HASPA Board Members and supporting staff at the San Francisco Bay Trail during a king tide event on January 2, 2018
The City of Hayward is home to the Hayward Regional Shoreline, which is a low-lying shoreline that is particularly vulnerable to sea level rise. Sea level rise is climate change-induced phenomenon that will inevitably cause flooding and harm to the various recreational, transportation, and ecological assets currently along the Shoreline. While the Shoreline’s eight marshes provide some level of natural flood protection for these assets, including the entrance to the SR 92 and the San Francisco Bay Trail, continually rising sea levels and stronger storm events are already overtaking these barriers two to three times a year. If no adaptation actions are taken, many of the tidal marshes and managed wetlands will be inundated by 2050 and the Bay Trail will be increasingly inaccessible to its thousands of visitors.
To prepare for the rising tides, HASPA has already conducted two vulnerability assessments for the Shoreline and is currently working on a long-range Shoreline Master Plan that will outline adaptation measures to prepare for and mitigate against sea level rise. Measures being considered range from natural solutions, such as wetland restoration, to man-made improvements, like levees and sea walls.
Meetings:
HASPA meets quarterly (see 2022 Meeting Schedule below); however, locations and meeting times may vary, so be sure to check here for upcoming meeting information.
Currently Serving on the Board of Trustees:
City of Hayward: Councilmember Elisa Márquez
East Bay Regional Park District: Dennis Waespi
Hayward Area Recreation and Park District: Rick Hatcher
Questions about meeting times or topics?
Contact East Bay Regional Parks District at haspa@ebparks.org.
