SR-101408-1D~®
~;tYa, City Council Report
Santa blonicu
City CounciLMeeting: October 14, 2008
Agenda Item: 1'-' D
Ta' Mayor and City Council
From: Dean Kubani, Manager -Office of Sustainability and the Environment
Subject: Water-Efficiency Competitive Landscape Grant Program Modifications
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that City Council adopt changes to the Water-Efficiency Competitive
Landscape Grant Program.
Executive Summary
Modifications are recommended for the Water-Efficiency Competitive Landscape Grant
Program in order to improve program efficiency, increase participation and achieve
immediate water savings. The modifications will reduce the categories for submission,
encourage more applications, and focus on irrigation projects that can be completed in
180 days. There is no budgetary impact to the City for these changes.
Background
On January 13, 2004, Council approved modification of the Water Efficiency Revolving
Loan Fund to the Water-Efficiency Competitive Landscape Grant Program to fund
exterior water efficiency projects on private and public properties. On Rpril 27, 2004,
Council approved specific categories and ranking criteria for the newly established
Water-Efficiency Competitive Landscape Grant Program (Program). The Program is a
competitive grant process where Santa Monica. property owners compete for grant
funding of up to $20,000 to design and install water-efficient landscapes. The projects
are evaluated by City staff and ranked using various criteria. The projects with the most
points are awarded funding.
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Since 2004, approximately 90 grant applications have been submitted, and of these, 51
have been awarded funding totaling $583,035. To date, 31 of the funded projects have
been completed.
Discussion
Based on four years of program implementation, input from applicants and feedback
from various City staff who have served as evaluators, modifications are recommended
to the categories and criteria of the program in order to improve cost-effectiveness,
increase participation and achieve immediate water savings.
The recommended changes are as follows:
• The competitive element of the .grant funding process will change from a
competitive grant program to a first come, first serve grant program.
• The number of eligible categories will be reduced from one required category
(water-efficient irrigation) and three optional categories (Urban Runoff, California
Friendly Plants, Innovative Water Savings) to one required category (water-
efficient irrigation) and one optional category (water-efficient plants).
• Ranking criteria that were previously based on overall project design with points
awarded for each category will be .replaced with a menu of qualified irrigation
components and climate-appropriate plants eligible for funding.
• Funding will change to a maximum of $3,500 for water-efficient irrigation systems
and $1,500 for water-efficient plants, for a total of up to $5,000 per project
address but no more than 50% of the total project cost. All projects must be
completed within 180 days.
• Reserve $30,000 in grant funds to install a new demonstration. garden at the
existing garden\garden landscape project located at 1718 Pearl Street.
This change will achieve maximum outdoor water savings, while promoting the use of
locally adapted plants. It will also aid property owners in compliance with the Green
Building Ordinance that stipulates specific guidelines for water-efficient irrigation
systems and plants. The funding of urban runoff design elements will be excluded
because the new Rain Harvest Rebate Program offers property owners rebates from
$45-$500 to install urban run-off mitigation products, such as rain barrels, cisterns, or
downspout redirect devices. The Innovative Water Savings category has been
eliminated in order to direct funding to water-efficient irrigation systems that will produce
immediate and sustained water savings.
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Offering two distinct categories and funding amounts provides the opportunity for more
projects to meet the basic criteria and be awarded grants. In the past, only projects that
included elements from each category were awarded funding. This essentially
eliminated small projects that requested funding only for the upgrade of irrigation
systems and plant material. New construction projects or major remodels would not be
eligible. Based on the current grant program results, these types of projects take, on
average, 2-4 years to complete their landscape and irrigation installations. The
recommended changes would achieve water savings more rapidly because projects
would be completed within 3 months as compared to 2-4 years.
The proposed new demonstration garden will serve as an aesthetically pleasing model
for property owners who want to install more sustainable gardens that are in compliance
with the Green Building ordinance. This project will contrast the existing native plant and
traditional plant garden by highlighting other sustainable landscape design features,
such as a mix of turf alternatives, climate-appropriate plants, edibles, rain harvesting
features, and water-efficient irrigation systems.
The recommended changes will provide funding for an additional 56 projects, including
the third installment of garden\garden, and result in an estimated water savings of
2,800,000 gallons each year. This will support the City's Sustainable City Plan's goal to
reduce water use by 20% by 2010. It vyill also reduce the amount of urban runoff from
polluting the Santa Monica Bay.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
There is no budgetary impact associated with the action recommended in this staff
report. Funds are available in the Water Fund and Wastewater Fund capital accounts,
M310082.589000 ($294,290) and M250082.589000 ($294,290).
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Prepared by: Russell Ackerman, Water Resources Specialist
Approved:
Manager, Office of Sustainability and the
Environment
Forwarded to Council:
City Manager
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