Belvedere allocates $1M in reserves for infrastructure projects

The Belvedere City Council has set aside $1.03 million in excess reserves for infrastructure projects.

The funding comes from the city’s general reserves, which had $1.38 million in surplus left over from the 2024-25 fiscal year.

The city is holding a little over $350,000 in the city’s general reserve fund. The council voted unanimously Monday to allocate the remaining surplus for critical infrastructure projects, long-term capital planning, a shoreline cleanup project and improvements to the police department.

The project receiving the most money, $830,000, is the Beach Road stabilization, which aims to fix erosion at three points along the road.

“It’s always nice to have money left over,” Councilmember Jane Cooper said. “I think we’re all really excited the Beach Road project will actually happen.”

The project was initially estimated to cost around $3.8 million, but an increase in construction costs because of tariffs raised the estimate to $4.4 million. The infusion of funds will allow the city to cover unexpected construction costs without needing further funding transfers from the general fund, according to a staff report.

Construction for the stabilization project is expected to begin in June. The project is expected to be completed by fall.

Of the remaining excess reserves, $50,000 will go toward storm drain and seawall assessments; $100,000 will go to a cleanup on Beach Road mandated by the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission; and $50,000 will be directed toward upgrades to the police department.

The mandated cleanup will address an outdated retaining wall along Beach Road that has led to debris from the eroding structure ending up in the bay. The project has to be completed in the next several months to comply with the state commission’s deadline.

Any remaining money left over from the cleanup will go to the police department improvements.

Councilmember Pat Carapiet expressed concern that the funding for the police department was insufficient.

“I’m not quite sure 100% of all the things the police department needs to have done, but the $50,000 seems a little skinny these days with the cost of things,” she said. “It would be nice that they could have a pleasant, healthy space to work in.”

Helga Cotter, the director of administrative services, said the $50,000 is just a starting point for the department’s upgrade and that staff would return to allocate more money for the project in the next budget cycle.