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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11/17/1998, C1 - SUPPORT FOR GRANT APPLICATION AND ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION FOR BISHOP PEAK TRAIL CONSTRUCTION 1 council j acEnoa Report c CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO FROM: Ken Hampian,Assistant City Administrative Officer Prepared By: Neil Havlik, Natural Resources Manager SUBJECT: SUPPORT FOR GRANT APPLICATION AND ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION FOR BISHOP PEAK TRAIL CONSTRUCTION CAO RECOMMENDATION 1. Adopt a resolution supporting an application by the County of San Luis Obispo for grant monies in amount of$25,000 from the Recreational Trails Program (RTP), administered by the California Department of Parks and Recreation to complete the funding of the Bishop peak Trail construction. 2. By motion, allocate $10,000 from the General Fund Unappropriated Reserve, as grant matching funds. DISCUSSION Background 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 that 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. Ray Bunnell,then the property owner. Since that time, the City has negotiated a purchase of the top and other portions of Bishop Peak from Mr. Bunnell. This created an opportunity to provide a realignment to the proposed Bishop Peak trail. This realignment reduced the environmental impacts of the trail and confined it to the general area of the existing unofficial trails. In addition, it incorporate a greater degree of restoration of the unofficial trails which ascend the Peak from the south into the project. Status of Trail Work City staff have been working on the trail with County staff, Sierra Club volunteers, and workers from the California Conservation Corps and the California Department of Forestry. The City has taken the lead on constructing the lower portions of the trail, which is primarily on the Ferrini Ranch Open Space. That trail starts at Patricia Street and now runs to the rock quarry on the Peak. The construction was accomplished primarily with volunteer labor from the Sierra Club Council Agenda Report—Support for Grant Application and Additional Appropriation for Bishop Peak Trail Construction Page 2 and Fire Crews at the California Men's Colony. In addition to the trail to the Peak, a loop trail on the Bunnell property was added. The Gnesa Open Space comprises most of the property above the 800 ft. level, and is under county jurisdiction. Since the majority of the trail from the rock quarry to the Peak is on the Gnesa property, the County has taken responsibility for the trail construction. The County has contracted with California Conservation Corps to do the actual construction. They are currently "roughing in"the trail. When completed,the trail will be easy and attractive to walk. Need for Grant Funds and Added Matching Funds While reasonable progress has been made on the trail, it was immediately clear that the project budget was seriously underestimated. The original trail work was estimated to cost approximately$10,000,matched by local"in-kind" contributions (no cash). This cost apparently did not include extensive rock work to stabilize the trail, or trail signage. The County is also now being required to re-vegetate approximately 1.4 acres of the Peak, which is best described as containing "bootleg trails" now used by hikers. The County was also required to pay for a new property line survey. As a result, the current cost estimate for the project is now$60,000. Although the City and County jointly manage the trail, County staff have agreed to take the lead on applying for newly available grant monies from the Recreational Trails Program (RTP). They have appropriated $15,000 in additional County funds to the project and asked the City to contribute $10,000. These monies would be matched by $25,000 from the RTP. The deadline for submittal of applications is December 1, 1998. Staff is recommending support for the grant applications and the added matching request. The Bishop Peak Trail will be a valuable community resource for years to come. In addition to providing access to the Peak, it will enhance the environment in the trail's vicinity by restricting access to this specific trail. The rock work on this trail requires construction expertise. The local CCC crew has this expertise. The trail,when completed,will be a centerpiece of the City's Open Space Program. CONCURRENCES The Parks and Recreation Department, which manages the City's trail program, supports the effort to obtain additional funds for this project. This support 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. FISCAL IMPACT To date, approximately $4,000 has been spent on the City portion of the trail. The majority of this funding has been allocated to trail signage and is not considered part of trail construction Council Agenda Report—Support for Grant Application and Additional Appropriation for Bishop Peak Trail Construction Page 3 cost. These expenses were anticipated and are included in the City's 1997-99 Financial Plan. The City's added $10,000 contribution will provide a portion of the matching funds to the grant. This contribution will need to be made from the General Fund Unappropriated Reserve, and will not be advanced prior to confirming the County's cash match. After the recommended appropriation, the General Fund Reserve will continue to exceed the City's 20%policy level. ALTERNATIVE The City can choose not to advance the needed grant funds. The alterative is not recommended. The partnership between the City and county relative to Bishop Peak area open space management and trail development is an excellent example of inter-governmental cooperation to the benefit of the public. A lack of support for the grant by not contributing toward the matching funds would be inconsistent with this partnership and would stall the completion of the trail. ATTACHMENTS 1. Resolution 2. Recreational Trails Program Summary C!- 3 RESOLUTION NO. .. RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO IN SUPPORT OF APPLICATION BY THE COUNTY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO FOR GRANT SUPPORT FROM THE RECREATIONAL TRAILS PROGRAM FOR THE PROJECT KNOWN AS BISHOP PEAK TRAIL IMPROVEMENTS WHEREAS, the Federal Recreational Trails Program (formerly the National Recreational Trails Fund Act Program) provides funds to the State of California for grants to state, local, and nonprofit organizations to acquire, develop and/or maintain 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,the City of San Luis Obispo and County of San Luis Obispo are cooperating in the development of a trail to the top of Bishop Peak, and have entered into an agreement to memorialize that agreement. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of San Luis Obispo hereby states its support for application to the California Department of Parks and Recreation for the Recreational Trails Program for the project known as Bishop Peak Trail Improvements by the County of San Luis Obispo; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council has allocated $10,000 to the project, payable upon placement of$15,000 in cash by the County of San Luis Obispo into a separate fund dedicated to the project,to assist in providing matching local funds Moved by , seconded by , and adopted this day of by the following vote: FOR: AGAINST: ABSTAIN: ABSENT: The foregoing resolution was adopted this day of , 1998. Allen K. Settle, Mayor ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM: Lee Price, City Clerk . J rge n, Vty Attorney 0- 1� Recreational Trails Program Grants:Home&News http://cal-parks.ca.gov/GRANTS/gmtsindex.htm � - Recreational Trails Program ATTACHMENT 2 Trails Program Home Application Deadline The links below The next application deadline for grants from the Recreational will take you to the Trails Program (RTP) is December 1, 1998. Recreational Trails Program procedural California's allocation for this grant cycle will be guide and application approximately $4.2 million. materials. About $2.9 million will be available for INTRODUCTION non-motorized trails projects and IMPORTANT POINTS $1.3 million for motorized trails projects. APPLICATION PROCEDURES • The annual application deadline for the next four years will PROJECT ADMINISTRATION be the first business day in October. PROJECT COMPLETION The Recreational Trails Program (formerly the National AUDIT Recreational Trails Fund Act Program), is funded under the Transportation Equity Act for the 21 st Century (TEA-21). The APPENDICES � RTP is a matching program that provides up to 80% of the project costs. Cities, counties, districts, state agencies, and You will need the Adobe nonprofit organizations with management responsibilities over Acrobat Reader to view the public lands are eligible to apply. appendices riles. The URL htttpJ/www.adobe.com will The California Department of Parks and Recreation's Planning take you to the Adobe and Local Services Section administers the non-motorized website and the FTP site to projects and its Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division download the Reader. administers the motorized projects. If you wish to receive a procedural guide, with program Overview of California information and application materials, contact either office by State Parks Planning and writing or calling the California Department of Parks and Local Services Section Recreation, P.O. Box 942896, Sacramento, California 94296-0001. Non-motorized Projects Contact: Planning and Local Section TEL (916) 653-7423 FAX (916) 653-6511. Motorized Projects Contact: Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Division TEL (916) 324-1573 FAX (916) 324-1610. NOTE.There is one procedural guide that may be ort 1' J 11/5/99 z:aa PM tecreational Trails Program Grants:Home&News http://cal-parks.ca.gov/GRANTS/grantsindex.htm used to apply for non-motorized or motorized projects. 2 of 2 0- 6 11/5/98 2:44 PM