Title
Adopt a Resolution to authorize the Department of Public Works, Facilities, & Parks to submit a grant application for up to $7.5 million in competitive grant funding from the California Department of Parks and Recreation Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program for the San Lorenzo County Park Project (Project) in King City, California:
a. Certify that Applicant has or will have available, prior to commencement of any work on the project included in this application, the sufficient funds to complete the project;
b. Certify that if the project is awarded, the Applicant has or will have sufficient funds to operate and maintain the project;
c. Certify that Applicant has reviewed, understands, and agrees to the General Provisions contained in the contract shown in the Grant Administration Guide;
d. Delegate the authority to the Director of Public Works, Facilities, & Parks or designee to conduct all negotiations, sign and submit all documents, including, but not limited to applications, agreements, amendments, and payment requests, which may be necessary for the completion of the Grant Scope;
e. Agree to comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, and guidelines; and
f. Will consider promoting inclusion per Public Resource Code (PRC §80001(b)(8 A-G).
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt a Resolution to authorize the Department of Public Works, Facilities, & Parks to submit a grant application for up to $7.5 million in competitive grant funding from the California Department of Parks and Recreation Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program for the San Lorenzo County Park Project (Project) in King City, California:
a. Certify that Applicant has or will have available, prior to commencement of any work on the project included in this application, the sufficient funds to complete the project;
b. Certify that if the project is awarded, the Applicant has or will have sufficient funds to operate and maintain the project;
c. Certify that Applicant has reviewed, understands, and agrees to the General Provisions contained in the contract shown in the Grant Administration Guide;
d. Delegate the authority to the Director of Public Works, Facilities, & Parks or designee to conduct all negotiations, sign and submit all documents, including, but not limited to applications, agreements, amendments, and payment requests, which may be necessary for the completion of the Grant Scope;
e. Agree to comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, and guidelines; and
f. Will consider promoting inclusion per Public Resource Code (PRC §80001(b)(8 A-G).
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
On June 5, 2018, California voters passed Proposition 68 (Prop 68), the California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection, and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2018, which authorized the issuance of approximately $4 billion in bonds pursuant to the State General Obligation Bond Law to finance drought, water, parks, climate, coastal protection, and outdoor access for all programs. The California Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) Office of Grants and Local Services (OGALS) is administering Prop 68 funds for grant opportunities. The Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program (SPP) is a competitive grant program with $395 million in grant funds available to create new parks or expand or renovate existing parks in underserved communities across California (Attachment A- SPP Application Guide). OGALS is accepting grant applications for projects ranging from $200,000 to $8,500,000 (Attachment B- SPP Grant Administration Guide). The application deadline is March 12, 2021.
The San Lorenzo County Park in King City meets the eligibility requirements for SPP grant funds. In preparing the application for SPP grant funds, Public Works, Facilities, and Parks (PWFP) evaluated the needs of the San Lorenzo County Park and adjacent community to develop a proposed project scope (Scope). A series of community meetings were held to gather insight regarding the community’s vision for recreation features and safety and beautification needs for the park. Community members expressed a strong desire for a trail around the perimeter of the park for mixed use (pedestrian and bicycle), as well as development of existing informal trails on the west side of the park. These community requests have been incorporated into the Scope. Additionally, a splash pad is included in the Scope as the King City community does not have access to a public water-recreation facility. The splash pad, beyond offering cooling enjoyment on hot days, will provide multiple health benefits, including development of youth cognitive and gross motor skills, as well as encourage physical activity and social interaction. Lastly, the Monterey County Agricultural and Rural Life Museum (MCARLM) expressed a need for an outdoor classroom area to provide environmental education for visiting students. As part of the County’s ongoing partnership with MCARLM, an outdoor classroom is included in the Scope (See Attachment C- Project Conceptual Site Plan and Attachment D-Proposed Project Overview).
The grant application submittal for the San Lorenzo County Park will request up to $7.5 million for the Project Scope, Project contingency, and County Staff time allowable per the grant guidelines. Receiving SPP grant funds will allow the County to upgrade aging recreation equipment and expand recreation features at the park. The overarching goal in seeking SPP funding is to enhance visitor and community experience and safety at the park. State notification of funding awards is anticipated four to six months after the March 12, 2021 close of the application period.
The proposed Project Scope includes the following:
New Recreation Features and Additions
Splash pad, restroom building with showers, outdoor classroom (MCARLM), and perimeter recreation trail around the park.
Replacement of Existing Recreation Features and Support Amenities
Replace existing play structure, develop and surface a portion of existing recreation trails, replace BBQ pits, plant native vegetation and install interpretive signs, remove some eucalyptus trees and replant with other tree species, enhance park entrance, and add wifi within the park.
If grant funds are awarded for the proposed Project, the following criteria must be met:
1) Project must be completed by March 31, 2025 to conclude the grant cycle by June 30, 2025.
2) A 30-year deed restriction is required to be placed on the property title of project site to ensure that the Project will remain open for public use and recreation for 30 years.
3) A cash match is not required; however, an in-kind match of staff time to research and define the scope of the proposed project and to complete the application and upfront costs to fulfill California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) requirements are required of the County.
Staff requests the Board adopt a resolution authorizing PWFP to submit a grant application for up to $7.5 million in competitive grant funding for the San Lorenzo County Park Proposed Project, and authorize the PWFP Director or designee to submit an application and all necessary documents to apply for the grant funds (Attachment E-Draft Resolution). If the San Lorenzo County Park Project is selected to receive SPP grant funding, staff will return to the Board for approval to accept the grant award and approve the Project.
CEQA:
The County is not approving any project by this action and maintains all discretionary authority with respect to project approval. The adoption of this Resolution is not considered a project under CEQA.
The County must complete a CEQA analysis for the proposed Project and submit compliance documentation (compliance certificate and a copy of a Notice of Exemption or Notice of Determination filed with the County Clerk) to OGALS within three months of the application due date to demonstrate project readiness. The County intends to engage an on-call consultant to complete this task. Costs for this required CEQA documentation will be part of the County in-kind match for the grant funds.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
OGALS established the prescribed language of the Resolution that must accompany all applications for grant funds. The Office of the County Counsel reviewed and approved the Draft Resolution as to form. The Monterey County Parks Commission received reports on Prop 68 grant opportunities at its October 1, 2020 and January 14, and February 4, 2021 meetings. The Park Commission voted to support this recommendation to the Board of Supervisors on February 4, 2021.
FINANCING:
Upfront costs for staff to prepare the grant application and define the project scope are anticipated at $7,600. Sufficient funds are available to cover these costs in Fiscal Year (FY) 2020-21 RMA Adopted Budget, Fund 001, Department 8510 Parks, Appropriation Unit RMA104. PWFP is working to identify an on-call consultant to fulfill the Project’s CEQA requirements, and the cost of these services has not been determined.
If a grant award is made and the proposed Project is completed, ongoing annual costs of materials and supplies to operate and maintain the new project features are estimated at $82,000, primarily due to the splash pad. Once amenities are installed, they become park assets and are folded into ongoing park maintenance and operations. Each asset is identified along with the required associated time standards for maintenance operations as well as staff costs. Future operating and maintenance costs associated with the new features will be requested through the annual budget process. Should additional funds otherwise be required, staff will return to the Board of Supervisors, via the appropriate Commissions and Committees, to request increases in appropriations and/or contributions from the General Fund. It is likely that park visitorship will increase with new recreational features and amenities, and a corresponding increase in revenue will be realized.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
The recommended action supports the Board of Supervisors Strategic Initiatives for Health and Human Services, Infrastructure, and Public Safety by proactively seeking grant funding to enhance the County’s ability to offer expanded, safe, and accessible public recreation experience to the King City community.
Economic Development
Administration
X Health & Human Services
X Infrastructure
X Public Safety
Prepared by: Janie Bettencourt, Management Analyst II (831) 755-5184
Reviewed by: Gustavo Flores, Parks Administrative Operations Manager
Approved by: Shawne E. Ellerbee, Assistant Director of Public Works, Facilities, & Parks
Approved by: Randell Ishii, MS, PE, TE, PTOE, Director of Public Works, Facilities, & Parks
Attachments:
Attachment A-SPP Application Guide
Attachment B-SPP Grant Administration Guide
Attachment C-San Lorenzo County Park Proposed Project Conceptual Site Plan
Attachment D- San Lorenzo County Park Proposed Project Overview
Attachment E-Draft Resolution
(Attachments are on file with the Clerk of the Board)