SR-02-10-2015-3C.Mm City Council Report
City of
Santa Mollie -d
City Council Meeting: February 10, 2015
Agenda Item:
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Karen Ginsberg, Director, Community and Cultural Services
Subject: Application for a Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt the attached resolution authorizing the application for grant funds in
an amount ranging from the minimum request of $300,000 to the maximum
request of $600,000 from the State of California Department of Parks and
Recreation for renovation of the approximately 1.0 acre open grass area in
the northeast quadrant of Reed Park.
2. Authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents to apply for
the grant and accept the grant, if awarded.
Executive Summary
The State of California Department of Parks and Recreation administers the Land
and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) competitive grant program, which is
designed to support public agencies with the acquisition and development of
outdoor recreation space. The attached resolution would authorize an application
for the 2015 LWCF funding round. The grant award would be used to supplement
funding that was approved by Council with the FY 2014 -16 Capital Improvement
Program budget for renovation of the northeast quadrant of Reed Park.
Discussion
The Land and Water Conservation Fund is a federal grant program administered
by the National Parks Service that was established to support and assist states
with the acquisition and development of recreation open space. California receives
an annual allocation of LWCF funds which are administered by the State's
Department of Parks and Recreation. Projects are evaluated based upon type
(acquisition and development/renovation), community need, population density
and underserved populations within a two mile radius, the applicant's public input
1
process, project readiness, and applicant capacity. The grant requires the property
be maintained and operated for outdoor public recreational purposes in perpetuity,
a use which Council previously approved when grant funds were received from the
County of Los Angeles Regional Park and Open Space District in 1993, per
Resolution No. 8650 (CCS).
Staff is recommending that grant funds, if awarded, be used towards the
renovation of the northeast quadrant of Reed Park, an underutilized acre of open
space that currently consists of grass and trees. Council adopted funding for this
project in the amount of $89,623 for FY 2014 -15 and approved a FY 2015 -16
budget of $721,961, for a total of $811,584 in the FY 2014 -16 Capital
Improvement Program budget. This project is currently in the initial design and
community outreach stage, with construction estimated to commence in January
2016.
LWCF grant funds can reimburse up to 50% of a project's total cost, including pre -
award project planning costs. The City is applying for a maximum award of
$600,000 and a minimum award of $300,000. The Department of Parks and
Recreation will determine the actual amount awarded within these parameters. It is
expected that grant awardees will be announced in July 2015 and, pursuant to the
grant guidelines, funds must be expended within three years of receiving the
award.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
There is no immediate financial impact or budget action necessary as a result of
the recommended action. The total amount of grant funds requested from the
State of California Department of Parks and Recreation is a minimum of $300,000
and a maximum of $600,000. If awarded, the grant requires a 100% percent local
match, for which funds are available in the FY 2014 -15 and FY 2015 -16 Capital
Improvement Program budgets in account 0019058.589000, contingent on
RAI
Council adoption of the second year of the biennial CIP budget for FY 2015 -16. If
the grant is awarded, revenue budgets would be established and expenditure
budgets would be appropriated in division 501 for FY 2015 -16 in the amount of the
grant award.
Prepared by: Melissa Spagnuolo, Senior Administrative Analyst
11 1.. .
Karen Gin sbe
Director, Com unity CAPral Services
Attachment: Resolution
101
�� E�'
Elaine Polachek
Interim City Manager
Reference:
Resolution No. 10863
(CCS)