Title
a. Receive a project report on the Carmel River Floodplain Restoration and Environmental Enhancement Project - “CRFREE”
b. Support adding the CRFREE Project to the approved FY 2015-16 Capital Projects List under Fund 404 - ‘Capital Projects’ in the amount of $65,000 where the financing source is from the FY 2015-2016 RMA Long Range Planning $1 Million allocation - Fund 001, Department 3000, Unit 8172 Appropriation RMA001;
c. Support authorizing the Auditor-Controller to amend the FY 2015-16 Captial Projects Adopted Budget, Fund 404, Appropriation Unit RMA015, to increase appropriations by $65,000, financed by an operating transfer in of $65,000 from RMA001; (4/5th vote required) and
d. Support authorizing the Auditor-Controller to transfer $65,000 for the FY 2015-16 from Planning, Fund 001, Appropriation Unit RMA001, to Capital Projects, Fund 404, Appropriation Unit RMA015, where Planning has sufficient appropriations available in the adopted budget to cover the transfer (4/5th vote required).
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
a. Receive a project report on the Carmel River Floodplain Restoration and Environmental Enhancement Project - “CRFREE”
b. Support adding the CRFREE Project to the approved FY 2015-16 Capital Projects List under Fund 404 - ‘Capital Projects’ in the amount of $65,000 where the financing source is from the FY 2015-2016 RMA Long Range Planning $1 Million allocation - Fund 001, Department 3000, Unit 8172 Appropriation RMA001;
c. Support authorizing the Auditor-Controller to amend the FY 2015-16 Captial Projects Adopted Budget, Fund 404, Appropriation Unit RMA015, to increase appropriations by $65,000, financed by an operating transfer in of $65,000 from RMA001; (4/5th vote required) and
d. Support authorizing the Auditor-Controller to transfer $65,000 for the FY 2015-16 from Planning, Fund 001, Appropriation Unit RMA001, to Capital Projects, Fund 404, Appropriation Unit RMA015, where Planning has sufficient appropriations available in the adopted budget to cover the transfer (4/5th vote required).
SUMMARY:
In 2010, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors approved an MOU that formalized the County’s role as a project partner and incorporated the CRFREE Project as part of the Capital Improvement Program (CIP) 5-Year Plan for Fiscal Year 2015-16 through Fiscal Year 2019-20, included under the ‘Future Needs of Partially and Unfunded Projects’ section. At the time the MOU was adopted, there was no plan to incur project expenses in Fiscal Year 2015-16 due to the fact that all expected work was slated to be paid for by a grant from the State Department of Water Resources (DWR).
On July 29, 2014, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors approved Professional Services Agreement (PSA) No. A-12775 with Denise Duffy & Associates, Inc. (DD&A) to provide environmental documentation, California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)/National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA), and regulatory permitting for the CRFREE Project in an amount not to exceed $256,769 for a term of July 29, 2014 through June 30, 2016. All work to be performed under this PSA is reimbursable through the existing DWR grant held by the County.
Due to unanticipated additional scope, the County and DD&A identified a need to amend PSA No. A-12775 for completion of the Project. On September 1, 2015, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors approved Amendment No. 1 to increase the PSA by $65,000 for a total amount not to exceed $321,769, and extending the term to July 29, 2017. The expanded project scope included: Additional coordination meetings with Caltrans and other key agencies to review and clarify existing 2010 CEQA document, Revision of National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) required technical studies to Caltrans formatting standards (includes Natural Environmental Study and Biological Assessment) and, preparation of a complete Water Quality Assessment Report that was not included in the original scope. Costs to complete these scope additions exceeded budget in the existing DWR grant, so the funding was appropriated under the FY 2015-16 Adopted Budget within RMA-Planning 001-3000-8172-RMA001. The FY 2015-16 Adopted Budget included $1,000,000 identified for Long Range Planning and General Plan Implementation of which $65,000 was allocated to the CRFREE Project.
In light of the action to encumber funds from the Fiscal Year 2015-16 Adopted Budget, staff is requesting that the CRFREE Project now be recognized as an approved part of the FY 2015-16 Capital Projects List under Fund 404 - ‘Capital Projects’ for the full amount of $65,000.
DISCUSSION:
See ‘Attachment 1’ - CRFREE Project Report.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Monterey County RMA is partnering with the Big Sur Land Trust, California Department of Parks and Recreation, Monterey Peninsula Water Management District, Monterey County Water Resources Agency and the Monterey Peninsula Regional Parks District.
FINANCING:
There is no additional impact to the General Fund. There are sufficient funds already appropriated under the FY 2015-16 Adopted Budget within RMA-Planning 001-3000-8172-RMA001. The FY 2015-16 Adopted Budget included $1,000,000 identified for Long Range Planning and General Plan Implementation of which included an allocation of $65,000 for the CRFREE Project. Staff time associated with this work was already included as part of the FY 2015-16 Adopted Budget for RMA Planning (001-3000-8172-RMA004) and RMA Administration (001-3000-8222-RMA013).
Prepared by: Melanie Beretti, Special Programs Manager (X5285) with input from Brandon Swanson, Management Analyst III (X5334)
Reviewed by: Nick Chiulos, Assistant County Administrative Officer
Approved by: Carl Holm, Director Resource Management Agency
Attachments:
Attachment 1: CRFEE Project Report