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HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/03/1998, C3 - AUTHORIZATION OF APPLICATION FOR GRANT FUNDS FROM THE NATIONAL RECREATIONAL TRAILS PROGRAM council ° j ac En as Report CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO FROM: Ken Hampian,Assistant City Administrative Officer( Prepared by: Neil Havlik,Natural Resources Manager J0 . SUBJECT: AUTHORIZATION OF APPLICATION FOR GRANT FUNDS . FROM THE NATIONAL RECREATIONAL TRAILS PROGRAM CAO RECOMMENDATION Adopt a resolution authorizing staff to complete and submit an application for grant monies in amount of$7,500 from the National Recreational Trails Fund Act Program, administered by the California Department of Parks and Recreation. DISCUSSION In July 1996, the San Luis Obispo County Department of General Services, Parks and Open Space Division, submitted an application to the California Department of Parks and Recreation for support for development of a trail to the top of Bishop Peak. At thit time, the summit of the peak was not in public ownership,nor was there any immediate prospect of the property coming into public ownership. Therefore, the proposal called out a particular alignment for the trail which reached the westernmost portion of Bishop Peak and did not traverse lands of Mr. Bunnell. Since that time, the City has negotiated a purchase of the top and other portions of Bishop Peak from Mr. Bunnell, creating an opportunity to provide a realignment to the proposed Bishop Peak trail that would reduce the environmental impacts of the trail, reduce intrusion of the new trail into undisturbed areas,confine the new trail to the general area of the existing steep, unofficial trails, and incorporate a greater degree of restoration of the unofficial trails which ascend the peak from the south into the project. For these reasons the project will be termed the Bishop Peak Trail Enhancement Project. This application would complement funds authorized from the 1996 grant to the County of San Luis Obispo, and construction of the trail to the summit of Bishop Peak would be a cooperative project of both the City and the County,with additional support from the Santa Lucia Chapter of the Sierra Club. The project requires matching monies, which already exist by virtue of the allocations for other physical improvements authorized on the site as part of the acquisition process by action of the City Council at its December 2, 1997,meeting. The deadline for submittal of applications is March 15, 1998. CONCURRENCES The City of San Luis Obispo Parks and Recreation Department and. San Luis Obispo County Parks and Open Space Division supports the effort to obtain funds for this project. This support 4 C � Council Agenda Report-National Recreational Trails Program Grant Funds Page 2 is on the basis of the reduced environmental impacts of a realigned trail and the greater degree of restoration of the old unauthorized trails that currently ascend the peak which would be incorporated into the modified trail project. Those reduced environmental impacts are also the basis for no additional formal environmental review, as allowed under Section 15162 of the California Environmental Quality Act. FISCAL EWPACT The grant, if successful, will provide additional outside funding support for this long-planned hiking trail to the top of Bishop Peak and will allow more substantial construction techniques to address issues such as drainage,trail usage,prevention of the cutting of switchbacks, shortcutting and the like, and taking advantage of the view opportunities presented by the trail alignment. The County of San Luis Obispo is committed to a total of$20,000 for labor, materials and in- land services for the construction of the trail. The above-referenced grant monies in the amount of$7,500 would be added to this amount. ALTERNATIVES The Council could decide not to pursue the grant monies. This is not recommended since matching funds are already committed to the property. _ .. . ATTACHMENTS Resolution Grant Program Summary NOTE: The grant application document itself is still in preparation and a draft will be available for review in the Council Reading File. W'� J f RESOLUTION NO. (1998 SERIES) RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO AUTHORIZING APPLICATION FOR GRANT FUNDS FROM THE NATIONAL RECREATIONAL TRAILS FUND ACT—FISCAL YEAR 1998-99 WHEREAS, the National Recreational Trails Fund Act of 1991 provides funds to the State of California for grants to state, local, and nonprofit organizations to acquire, develop and/ormaintain motorized and non-motorized trails; and WHEREAS, the State Department of Parks and Recreation has been delegated the responsibility for the administration of the program within California, setting up necessary procedures governing project applications under the programs; and WHEREAS, said procedures established by the Department of Parks and Recreation require the applicant to certify by resolution approval of the application prior to submission of said application to the State; and WHEREAS, the applicant will enter into an agreement with the State of California to complete the project; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of San Luis Obispo hereby authorizes submittal of an application to the California Department of Parks and Recreation for the National Recreational Trails Fund Act program for the project known as Bishop Peak Trail Enhancement; and BE IT FLTTHER RESOLVED that the applicant certifies that it has or will have, prior to commencement of any work on project,sufficient funds to operate and maintain the project; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council finds, per Section 15162 of the California Environmental Quality Act, that the project will reduce and limit the environmental impacts of the original project, and therefore determines that no further environmental review is necessary, and BE IT FUTHER RESOLVED that the City Council hereby appoints the City Administrative Officer as agent to conduct all negotiations, execute and submit all documents including but not limited to applications, agreements, amendments,payment requests, and so on, which may be necessary for the completion of the aforementioned project. On motion of , seconded by , and on the following roll call vote: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: the foregoing Resolution was passed and adopted this day of 71998. L'3-3 i i I i i AUen.K Settle,Mayor ATTEST: i I j Bonnie L. Gawt City Clerk- APPROVED lerkAPPROVED AS TO FORM- G.-/6i ORM: , I G of tr Attomey I i i • j 1- I ' i i { ✓ 1 INTRODUCTION This procedural guide is developed to assist local and state agencies and non-profit organizations to apply for and administer grants from the National Recreational Trails Fund Act (NRTFA) of 1991. The program provides funds for recreational trails and trails-related projects. The guide contains information on the program as well as application materials. The Trails Program is administered at the federal level by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the state level by the California Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) . Day-to-day administration of individual projects is the responsibility of a project officer assigned to your agency. Nonmotorized projects are administered by the Local Services Section. Motorized projects are administered by the Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division. Fon nonmotorized projects, send applications and/or correspondence to: California Dept. of Parks and Recreation Local Services Section P. 0. Box 942896 Sacramento, CA 94296-0001 Telephone (916) 653-7423 FAX (916) 653-6511 For the motorized projects, send applications and/or correspondence to: California Dept. of Parks 'and Recreation Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division (Address same as above) Telephone (916) 324-1573 FAX (916) 324-1610 DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS Up to $30,000, 000 may be allocated annually, nationwide. The allocation is subject to congressional appropriation each year. Funds are allocated to states by (1) 50 percent equally among all eligible states and (2) 50 percent proportionately on non-highway recreational fuel use. For non-motorized trails, seventy percent (70%) of the funds received by California will be available on a competitive basis to cities, counties, districts, state agencies, and nonprofit 1 eYS' ti organizations with management responsibilities over public lands. At least one-half of the funds for non-motorized trails will be available only to cities, counties, districts and nonprofit organizations with management responsibilities over public lands. For motorized trails, thirty percent(30%) of the funds will be available on a competitive basis to cities, counties, districts, nonprofit organizations, and state agencies. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS Cities, counties, districts, state agencies and nonprofit organizations with management responsibilities over public lands are eligible. PERMISSIBLE USES Under the NRTFA, funds may be used for: 1. Development of urban trail linkages near homes and work places including trails to school, parks,. .and existing trails; 2. Restoration of areas damaged by usage of'recreational trails and back country terrain; 3. Development of trail-side and trail-head facilities that meet goals identified by the National Recreational Trails Advisory Committee; (The terms "trail-side and trail-head facilities" mean trail components or associated facilities which may include: drainage, crossings, stabilization, parking, signage, controls, shelters, water, sanitary, and access facilities.) ; 4 . Acquisition of easements for trails, or for trail corridors identified in the State trail plan; 5. Acquisition of fee simple title to property from a willing seller, when the acquisition cannot be accompanied by acquisition of an easement or other means; 6. Construction of new trails on state, county, municipal, or private lands, where a recreational need for such construction is shown; 7. Construction of new trails crossing Federal lands, when required by the State Comprehensive Outdoor Recreational Plan (construction must be approved by State and the Federal agencies managing those lands) ; 2 L�3'G S. Maintenance of existing recreational trails, including grooming and maintenance of trails across snow (motorized only) ; and 9. Operation of environmental protection and safety education programs relating to the use of recreational trails (motorized only) ; 10. Provision of. features which facilitate the access and use of trails by persons with disabilities. Bridges may be constructed, repaired, or replaced to provide an integral link along a trail, to provide connections between trails, and/or to improve trail crossings over railroads, roads, rivers or other watercourses, ravines, wetlands, or to prevent erosion on slopes. USES NOT PERMITTED 1. Condemnation of any kind of interest in property; 2. Construction of recreational trails on Bureau of Land Management or National Forest System lands-unless such lands; (a) have been allocated for uses other than wilderness by an approved agency resource management plan or have been released to uses other than wilderness by an Act of Congress, and (b) such construction is otherwise consistent with the management direction in such approved land and resource management plan; 3. Upgrading, expanding or otherwise facilitating motorized use or access to trails predominantly used by non-motorized trail users, and on which, as of May 1, 1991 motorized use is either prohibited or has not occurred. 4. Improvements to roads accessible by general passenger vehicles, or for provision of paths or sidewalks adjacent to such roads, unless approved by the State Recreational Trails Advisory Board. 3