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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/18/1997, C-4 - APPROVAL OF APPLICATIONS FOR GRANT FUNDS FOR THE CITY'S NATURAL RESOURCES PROGRAM: (1) FROM U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (2) FROM CALIFORNIA TRAILS AND GREENWAYS FOUNDATION councilM18-97 j agenda Report ,�N d_Z/ C I T Y OF SAN LU I S O B I S P O FROM: Ken Hampian,Assistant City Administrative Officer Prepared By: Neil Havlik,Natural Resources Manager 4 SUBJECT: APPROVAL OF APPLICATIONS FOR GRANT FUNDS FOR THE CITY'S NATURAL RESOURCES PROGRAM: (1) from U.S.Environmental Protection Agency (2) from California Trails and Greenways Foundation CAO RECOMMENDATION Approve submittal of grant applications: (1) from the United States Environmental Protection Agency in amount of $30,000, in conjunction with the Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County; and(2)from the California Trails and Greenways Foundation in amount of$2,000. DISCUSSION EPA Wetlands Protection Development Planning Grant The Federal Environmental Protection Agency generally distributes grant monies to communities through the States. However, this year for the fust time EPA has created within the larger program a smaller, pilot program available directly to cities and nonprofit organizations. This pilot program is designed to assist local entities to identify conservation needs for wetlands and waterways in developing areas, with the goal of preserving key resource areas and appropriate buffers to them. If successful, our grant proposal would serve to collate existing information about the San Luis Obispo Creek watershed, and merge that information into a comprehensive Watershed Protection Program document, outlining the existing plans, programs, and policies of local and State agencies regarding the San Luis Obispo Creek watershed. The study would also focus a field inventory effort on the Airport area, due to the imminent development there, to specifically identify conservation needs along Acacia Creek, the East fork of San Luis Obispo Creek and the Unocal wetlands. This would be done in support of the Specific Plan for the Airport Area. Products of the grant would include a document outlining areas of concern for protection of water quality and important natural resource areas within the San Luis Obispo Creek watershed. For the Airport Area it would include more detailed study of important riparian and wetland habitats,together with suitable buffers requiring protective measures. It would also recognize flood management needs for the waterways. For the rural areas, it would include an educational brochure describing best management practices for creek conservation. The project would utilize the Land Conservancy's extensive library, aerial photography, and strong GIS database relative to San Luis Obispo Creek to prepare the program documents, and it is for that reason that we are recommending this partnership. We are seeking a grant of$30,000 for these purposes. The program requires 25% matching funds ($7,500): these funds would come by matching a portion of the City's current contract with the Land Conservancy($3,750),with the Land Conservancy's Unocal grant ($3,750). The total project cost would therefore be$37,500;however,no new local funds would need to be obligated. C'-y-/ Council Agenda Report-Title of Report Page 2 Trails and Greenways Grant Several adopted policies of the City call for a trail or trails along portions of San Luis Obispo Creek and other waterways within and around the community, including the so-called "City to the Sea Greenway", which would be a non-motorized recreational travel corridor extending from San Luis Obispo to Avila Beach. The funds from this grant would be used to identify appropriate means to implement such a trail consistent with resource conservation and wildlife habitat protection goals within the City, concentrating on San Luis Obispo Creek from Marsh Street to Los Osos Valley Road. The product of this effort would be guidelines for the location of future restoration, enhancement, and recreational improvements along this reach of San Luis Obispo Creek. There is no required match. CONCURRENCES Staff from the Community Development, Public Works, Utilities, and Parks and Recreation Departments concur with the goals of these grant proposals. FISCAL IMPACT These grants, if successfi J, will have a beneficial fiscal effect by providing outside funding support for our consulting relationship with the Land Conservancy, and in positioning the City for further grants-in-aid for watershed and riparian conservation and management programs from State and Federal agencies. ATTACERIENTS Grant Program Summaries i �J UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGEN REGION IX 75 Hawthorne Street Pecs, , %aCy U �� San Francisco, CA 94105 DEC 2 3 19" DEC 3 0 1996 To All Interested Parties: CJty Qf S L.O. Adrhijlistr, - . Subject: Announcement of Expanded Eligibility for Environmental Protection Agency's Fiscal Year 1997 State Wetlands Protection Development Grants Enclosed for your consideration is the FY97 grant guidance for the State Wetlands Protection Development Grant Program. This year, for the first time, the Environmental Protection Agency is able to allocate a small portion of the grant funds to local groups. In FY97, EPA is establishing a new set aside of$500,000 that will be retained in EPA Headquarters to fund meritorious projects that support local efforts to better protect wetland resources. Applications must be submitted to the EPA Region IX Office which will review all applications and select proposals to be submitted.for Headquarters review and selection for funding. Entities eligible under this provision include local government agencies (city, county, regional), regional planning boards, local conservation districts, and other nonprofit organizations. For local projects, all basic requirements of the grant program must be met. Please note that grantees will be required to provide at least 25% of the total project costs. Priorities for funding under the local set aside are: wetland/watershed protection approach demonstration projects; river corridor and wetland restoration projects; and local wetland conservation planning efforts. These priority projects are described on pages 6-10 of the enclosed grant guidance. The workplan portion of the grant application should include: 1. Title; 2. Applicant (organization and individual project manager); 3. Project purpose and objectives; 4. Project Type (select one or more categories from guidance under ".priority projects" and 'other potential projects"); 5. A detailed description of project tasks. In addition, for each task clearly identify the associated milestones, deliverable/product, start and completion dates, and US EPA and applicant funds to be used; 6. A schedule including tasks and quarterly report submittals. Quarterly reports will be due within 30 days of the end of each quarter. Quarters end on March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31; 7. A breakdown of the budget with a row for each budget category (salary, materials, equipment purchase or rental, travel, etc.), and a column for each funding source (applicant and EPA) and another column for the total funds. Add additional columns of other sources are providing resources for the project. Grant application kits may be obtained by calling Angie Davis at (415) 744-1611. Questions regarding completion of the application forms, administrative or fiscal matters should be referred to Kristin Gullatt of the Grants Management Section at (415) 744-1682. Questions regarding programmatic issues (e.g., workplan) and the grant guidance should be referred to Mary Butterwick at (415) 744-1985. The original and one copy of your final application and workplan should be submitted to EPA Region IX by February 23, 1997, addressed to: CHIEF, GRANTS PROGRAM (PMD-7) POLICY AND MANAGEMENT DIVISION U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY 75 HAWTHORNE STREET SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94105 In addition, you are encouraged to obtain a copy of the Code of Federal Regulation (CFR), title 40, Part 1-51. The CFR includes Chapter 1, Subchapter B, regulations applicable to your grants or cooperative agreements. Copies of the CFR are available at your local US Government Bookstore or by calling (202) 783-3238 at the US Government Printing Office. If you have any questions regarding the State Wetlands Protection Development Grants or the grant selection process, please contact Mary Butterwick at (415) 744-1985. Sincerely, ' PDiamond Chief them California Office Enclosure California Trails & TRAILS b GREENWAYS Greenways Foundation ' �'� FOR CALIFORNIA i Announces Its 1997 California Trails Foundation Trails And Greenways Creative Grants Program "Encouraging Ingenuity In Trail And Greenway Development" Board of Dirraorr Ilse Byrnes Trails and Greenways are defined as unbroken corridors of protected public and private land President established along rivers, stream valleys, ridges, abandoned railroad lines, utility rights-of- Claude(Tony)Look Executive Director way, canals and other linear features. They link urban and rural open spaces and embrace Ron Brown recreational, cultural, historic and natural features. They provide pathways for people as well Mary Cahill as wildlife,preserve the natural functioning of our landscape systems and improve the quality Lauren Ficaro f f Seymour Greben o life or everyone. Huler Hornbeck Michael Kelley The 1997 program marks the seventh year of this modest program to spark trail and Elaine Macdonald greenway ingenuity. In 1995 fifty applications were received and twenty projects Ronald Mincer were selected for funding in 1996. Richard Nichols Richard Trudeau Program Eligibility and Criteria California Greenways Board • Eligible Applicants Keith Hay Individuals, nonprofit and other organization, and public agencies in California. Ez Lfhr10 Previous winners are ineligible unless their application is for a new project or Northern California new phase of an existing project. Richard Trudeau Executit e Director • Eligible Projects Richard Bishop Grants will be awarded only to trails and greenway related projects as defined Frank Boren Seymour Greben above and under Project Preferences. Projects are required to comply with the Huler Hornbeck public accommodation requirements of the American Disability Act if Federal Dan Johnson funds are involved, the National Rehabilitation Act. Claude(Tony)Look Pat O'Brien John Schmidt Projects Awards Anne Sands Grants range from $500 to $2,000 Douglas Wheeler Cleve Williams • Project judging Soa:hern California A distinguished panel of California citizens, many with extensive experience at Ilse Byrne: local, state and national levels in land use and design, trail, park, greenway and Lisa Crystal open space management, will judge the applicants. Chris Jarvi Ed McCombs . Application Deadline Messner John Schmidt February 15, 1997. Winners will be notified and publiclyannounced in March,' Richard Trudeau 1997 (Ek><1�hQ�t±d -tpi1�1+/1fS_/ Douglas Wheeler continued on reverse side-page 2 California Greenways Board California Trails Foundacion c/o Richard C.Tmdeau P.O.Box 183,Los Altos,CA 94023 633 Los Palos Drive 415/948-1829- FAX 415/948-1437 Lafayette,CA 94549- 510/284-5120 page 2 Creative Grants Program • Project Preferences Preferences will be given to those projects that plan or have demonstrated fresh, creative, action-oriented ideas for developing or preserving a trail and/or a greenways corridor. For example: • overcoming obstacles associated with fund raising, landowner opposition, liability, local government policies, public access • imaginative communications tools, building public support, developing partnerships • environmental education and interpretation, protecting key wildlife corridors, or rare or unique habitats • planning and improving access for persons with disabilities • involving an ethnically diverse work force in your project • addressing ecological and economic benefits of trails and greenways • integrating conservation, historic, wildlife and recreation features in a trail or greenway system Please return application forms to: California Trails and Greenways Grants Program P.O. Box 183, Los Alros, CA 94023 To assist us in publicizing the availability of these creative grants,please post, announce in your newsletter, or reproduce this announcement and the application form. This.program is been funded by thegeaerous;supportofthe ATLANTIC`RICHFIELD,BANKAMERIC..A, DAVID and LUCILE PACKARD,SAN FRANCISCO.FOUNDATION,:and the WALTER AND ELfSE:HAAS FOUNDATION The California Greenways Grant Program is a loins prolect of the California Greeawaps:Board and<che California Trails Foundation Some Previous Awards Community Youth Council for Leadership and Education:Richmond.• the Youth Council created a community garden adjacent to the abandoned right-of-way given to the City of Richmond by the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad for a cwo-mile trail which will become a major link in the city's evolving greenway system. East Bay Area Trail Council: the Council is an important force for the acquisition, development, maintenance and public use of trails in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. Their program calls for establishment of a WW Web site which will inform and educate individuals about trail programs and volunteer opportunities in the East Bay. East Palo Alto Historical and Agricultural Society: The Society has rallied key community groups in their Greenway Project with the goal of establishing a network of baylands, parks, schools and open space via a corridor of easements in East Palo Alto. City of Lancaster.• Lancaster, located in the West Mojave desert region, has experienced rapid growth, but few trails or greenways. An awareness for the preservation of the unique desert habitat began with the planning of a 90 acre preserve, an interpretive center and trail system that will connect the urban and rural neighborhoods. Lassen Land and Trails Trust: A mile long creekside trail easement has been acquired to connect a city owned greenway with Susanville Ranch Park. To provide access for the disabled, the Trust leveraged their Greenways Award to obtain other grant funding leading to the construction of a trail ramp and platform to the edge of the Susan River. Mountains Conservancy Foundation, Malibu: The Foundation seeks to preserve open space in the mountains surrounding Malibu. Their award helped produce a greenway map that portrays wildlife sightings obtained by volunteers. The reverse side of the map describes the role of open space corridors in preserving wildlife and highlights the economic values of greenways.