AGENDA REPORT
REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
DATE: 10/16/2019
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Library and Recreation Services Department
SUBJECT:
Title
City Council consideration of Resolution No. 2019-089 approving applications for the California Department of Parks Proposition 68 Per Capita Grant Program and an appropriation of $200,000 within the Reimbursement Grants Fund 480 to fund a newly created Capital Improvement Project titled, “Prop 68 Per Capita Playground Replacements.”
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RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Recommended action
That the City Council:
1. Adopt Resolution No. 2019-089 approving applications for the California Department of Parks Proposition 68 Per Capita Grant Program.
2. Direct the Library and Recreation Services Director to negotiate and execute any and all agreements or documents necessary for the application.
3. Authorize an appropriation of $200,000 within the Reimbursement Grants Fund 480 to fund a newly created Capital Improvement Project titled “Prop 68 Per Capita Playground Replacements.”
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ANALYSIS:
Proposition 68 (Prop 68), also known as the Parks and Water Bond Act of 2018, was passed by California voters on June 5, 2018. Prop 68 authorized the sale of $4.1 billion in general obligation bonds that would fund various programs related to habitat conservation, parks and water-related projects. The Per Capita Program (Program) of Prop 68 provides for $185,000,000 in funds that are available to cities, counties and districts based on population. For jurisdictions with 200,000 people or less, a minimum of $200,000 is available. The Program provides funding for acquisition of open space, park development, and improvements to local parks. The Program encourages utilizing grant funding for rehabilitating existing infrastructure and addressing deficiencies in neighborhoods lacking access to the outdoors. The total known funds allocated to the City of Corona (City) is $200,000. The City can submit as many projects for the Program up to the total allocated funds; the Program simply requires a separate application for each project. A funding match is not required for projects serving a “severely disadvantaged community;” all other projects require a 20% project match. A severely disadvantaged community is defined by Public Resources Code §80061(c) as having a median household income less than 60% of the statewide average.
The City is currently in the process of performing an inventory and assessment of existing park facilities, however the inventory will not be completed in time to meet the application deadline of January 31, 2020. Therefore, City staff reviewed current needs at City parks to determine the best use of Program funds in conjunction with necessary Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) park improvements.
The typical life cycle for playground equipment is 25 years. The playgrounds at both Tehachapi and Creste Verde Parks are at or beyond their useful life and need to be replaced. Tehachapi Park’s playground is 25 years old, and Creste Verde’s is 23 years old. Replacement components are no longer available for either playground, which means portions will need to be removed as they become inoperable. Staff is recommending the replacement of both play systems with the use of Program funds. The estimated cost for a new playground at Tehachapi Park is $90,000 and $110,000 for the playground at Creste Verde Park, which equals the total Per Capita Program funds available to the City (i.e., $200,000). This is a total project cost of $200,000. Since neither park is located within a severely disadvantaged community, a minimum 20% match (or $40,000) is mandated by the Program. A portion of funds included in the Fiscal Year 2019-20 Budget for ADA improvements, which includes rubberized surfacing to required access points at playgrounds, will be used as the City’s match
COMMITTEE ACTION:
This item was taken to the Parks and Recreation Commission on May 8, 2019 and the Public Services Committee on June 6, 2019 as part of a presentation on Proposition 68 Grant Program. At the time of presentation to the Commission, it was recommended to potentially use the funding to re-open Griffin Park. Since that time, the City is moving forward with a plan to re-open Griffin Park through another funding source. The item was taken back to the Public Services Committee on October 2, 2019 and to the Parks and Recreation Commission on October 9, 2019. The Public Services Committee recommended to proceed with the Tehachapi and Creste Verde Park playground replacements as recommended by City staff.
STRATEGIC PLAN:
This item supports the City’s Strategic Plan Goal 1: Promote Public Safety: Protect our Residents and Businesses; Objective C: Ensure adequate funding for investments and improvement in infrastructure that support public safety. The recommended action will help achieve these goals by providing funding to replace aging playground equipment at Tehachapi and Creste Verde Parks
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of the recommended actions will result in an appropriation of $200,000 from the Reimbursement Grants Fund 480 to complete the equipment replacements. The Reimbursement Grants Fund 480 will be reimbursed from the Prop 68 grant after project completion. A portion of funds included in the Fiscal Year 2019-20 Budget for ADA improvements, which includes rubberized surfacing to required access points at playgrounds, will be used as the City’s 20% minimum match.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
This action is categorically exempt pursuant to the Class 1 Categorical Exemption under CEQA Section 15301 (Existing Facilities), the Class 3 Categorical Exemption under CEQA Section 15303 (New Construction of Small Structures), and the Class 4 Exemption under CEQA Section 15304 (Minor Alternations to Land). This action qualifies under these categorical exemptions because the Project consists of removing and replacing playground equipment at existing park sites, with any new improvements qualifying as small structures and minor alterations to existing public structures, facilities and land with negligible expansion of use. Therefore, no environmental analysis is required, and staff will file a Notice of Exemption with the County of Riverside.
PREPARED BY: TRACY MARTIN, UTILITIES PROJECT MANAGER
REVIEWED BY: DAVID MONTGOMERY-SCOTT, LIBRARY AND RECREATION SERVICES DIRECTOR
REVIEWED BY: KIM SITTON, FINANCE MANAGER III
REVIEWED BY: TOM MOODY, GENERAL MANAGER
REVIEWED BY: JAMIE RAYMOND, CHIEF DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY
REVIEWED BY: DEAN DERLETH, CITY ATTORNEY
REVIEWED BY: KERRY D. EDEN, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER/ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DIRECTOR
REVIEWED BY: MICHELE NISSEN, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER
SUBMITTED BY: MITCHELL LANSDELL, INTERIM CITY MANAGER
Attachments:
1. Resolution No. 2019-089