Agenda Item Wording:
title
Authorize the City Manager to sign a Grant Forfeiture Letter for the Mill Creek Beautification Project.
body
Deadline for Action: None
Submitting Department: Administration - CIP
Contact Name and Phone Number:
Diego Corvera, Civil Engineer, Diego.Corvera@visalia.city, 713-4209
Dolores Verduzco, Financial Analyst, Dolores.Verduzco@visalia.city, 713-4540
Frank Senteno, City Engineer, Frank.Senteno@visalia.city, 713-4331
Nick Mascia, Assistant City Manager, Nick.Mascia@visalia.city, (559) 713-4323
Department Recommendation:
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to sign the attached California Natural Resources Agency Grant Forfeiture letter to close out the Mill Creek Beautification Project.
Background Discussion:
Through the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA), the City Visalia was awarded $199,267.00 in grant funds as part of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund for the Mill Creek Beautification at Burke Street project. These funds were intended to landscape the area surrounding the Mill Creek Trail along future Oak Ave between Burke St & Tipton St (refer to attached Site Plan).
During staff development of the design and utility coordination for this Beautification project, the Parks and Recreation Department applied and were successfully awarded grant funding for the design and construction of an inclusive park at this same location. City Staff made the effort to incorporate the landscaping requirements outlined in the beautification Grant within the inclusive park footprint. Unfortunately, due to the limitations of the site and the required amount of landscaping per the beautification grant, this was infeasible.
City staff proceeded to correspond with CNRA staff to determine what options were available to preserve the beautification grant. Staff was advised to go through an amendment process. Through this process, City staff was instructed to submit a concept plan and cost estimate for review; identifying a new or alternative location for the landscaping with an emphasis that the grant requirements still needed to be met, explicitly the tree and shrub count. The tone of the communication from CNRA seemed optimistic of the amendment process. City staff proceeded to evaluate different locations both adjacent to the original site and beyond. The City submitted an amendment package to CNRA outlining the new location, concept layout and cost. This new location and design met the grant requirements, specifically the tree and shrub count as these were conveyed as critical parameters to meet the goals of the grant. Unfortunately, the proposed amendment upon CNRA’s final review, was denied and the grant funds now need to be returned. It was clarified at the point of final review that this kind of amendment (location change) is not commonly approved and would require circumstances outside of the jurisdiction’s control to receive approval.
Fiscal Impact:
This beautification grant was acquired to cover plan development and construction costs. City Staff time was covered under Measure R Trailways (Fund 132) as matching funds for the project. See below the project budget and overall breakdown:
|
Mill Creek Beautification- CIP0370 |
|
Project Budget |
|
|
Measure R Trailways Funds (Fund 132) |
$50,000 |
|
Greening Grant (CRNA) |
$199,267.00 |
|
Total Project Funding |
$249,267.00 |
|
Project Costs Expended to Date: |
|
|
Project Management (City Staff Time) |
$ 7,167.07 |
|
Design Services (Construction Plan Development) |
$ 10,214.85 |
|
Total Project Costs Expended to Date: |
$17,381.92 |
|
Expenditures Reimbursed by MR Trailways Funds (Fund 132) |
$ 9,086.92 |
|
Expenditures Reimbursed by the Greening Grant (CNRA) |
$ 8,295.00 |
|
Total Expenditures Reimbursed to Date: |
$17,381.92 |
Funds reimbursed by the Greening Grant will be returned to the grant agency.
The Parks Impact Fee fund (211) will reimburse the CIP expenditures that were covered by the Measure R Trail ways fund (132). The total amount of Measure R Trail way funds of $50,000.00 allocated towards this project will be available for future bike/pedestrian projects subject to Council approval.
Prior Council Action:
May 15, 2017
Authorized City Manager to execute grant agreement with California Natural Resource Agency and passed resolution 2017-32 approving the application for the grant funds for the California Climate Investments Urban Greening Program.
Alternatives:
None
Recommended Motion (and Alternative Motions if expected):
recommendation
I move to authorize the City Manager to sign a Grant Forfeiture Letter for the Mill Creek Beautification Project and forfeit the California Natural Resources Agency Greening Grant funds.
end
Environmental Assessment Status:
N/A
CEQA Review:
N/A
Attachments:
1. Grant Forfeiture Acknowledgement Letter
2. Exhibit of Original Greening Grant Project
3. Exhibit of Inclusive Park Concept
4. Original Grant Agreement