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Home My WebLink About05/21/2002, C7 - AUTHORIZATION TO APPLY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL GRANT FUNDS FROM THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAM i council Mina 1 -02 j acEnda Rpm "C n C I T Y OF SAN L U IS O B I S P O FROM: Wendy George,Assistant City Administrative Officer% Prepared By: Neil Havlik,Natural Resources Manager SUBJECT: AUTHORIZATION TO APPLY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL GRANT FUNDS FROM THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME FOR THE PROJECT KNOWN AS THE FROOM CREEK ROAD STABILIZATION PROJECT CAO RECOMMENDATION Adopt a resolution authorizing staff to complete and submit an application for grant monies in the amount of$75,000 from the California Department of Fish and Game's Fishery Restoration Grants Program, which would be used to decommission(or"retire") and stabilize the old ranch road along Froom Creek on the DeVaul Open Space (now part of what is referred to as the `Irish Hills Ecological Area'). DISCUSSION The DeVaul Open Space is a 182 acre open space dedicated to the City of San Luis Obispo by Investec, the developers of the DeVaul North housing project. The property is noted for its scenic character and high resource value, particularly the serpentine woodland and chaparral, with its several species of rare plants, and for Froom Creek, which is a permanent stream in this area and supports a small population of rainbow trout and spawning habitat for southern steelhead. Some years ago a road was constructed alongside Froom Creek in this area. The road provides a route for cattle drives from the adjacent Froom Ranch to other pasture lands in the upper Froom Creek and Pref imo Creek watersheds. The road is occasionally graded to maintain it for this use, but such maintenance is quite damaging to the creek, as loose material may fall or be pushed into the creekbed or may get washed into the creek during rainstorms. This in tum has negative effects on water quality and on the in-stream habitat of Froom Creek,both onsite and further downstream. The California Department of Fish and Game has a grant program designed to support activities intended to enhance fishery habitat, and City staff believe that a project designed to stabilize the roadbed, revegetate it, and control erosion, is in keeping with the spirit of the grant program and would be a good candidate for funding support. The project would utilize equipment for grade changes on the road and several structures to "drop" water from the road to the creek without causing erosion, but the grant would primarily utilize hand labor such as California Conservation Corps to install check dams and other grade stabilization structures on the roadbed, and to revegetate the site. The roadway would continue to function as a hiking trail and could continue to accommodate the occasional cattle drives which have occurred there over the years. Staff believes, however, that the project would significantly reduce siltation from the road and have a strong beneficial effect on in-stream habitat on Froom Creek. An application for funding of this project was submitted to Fish and Game in 2001, however the CM Council Agenda Report-Authorization to Apply for Grant Funds Page 2 application was not successful. Subsequent conversations with Fish and Game staff revealed that the proposal was favorably received by the funding review board, however, severe cuts in the available state budget for the program during the 2001/2002 fiscal year had precluded funding of the project. Resubmission of the proposal for the 2002/2003 round of funding was recommended by Fish and Game staff. FISCAL IMPACT The grant, if successful,will provide outside funding to support a City-sponsored project benefiting the environment, thereby providing a beneficial fiscal effect. There is no match requirement; however, City staff will undertake all necessary administrative details of the project, which will provide perhaps a 10-15% match in actuality. The grant deadline is May 18, 2001, and we would not expect to hear whether or not we have been successful before the fall. If the application is successful,the project itself would most likely occur in the summer of 2002. ALTERNATIVE The Council could decide not to pursue the grant monies. This is not recommended as the project is a valuable one, benefiting the community's natural environment, and submitting the application does not commit the City in any way; if, however, we choose not to apply we will lose the opportunity entirely. Attachments 1. Resolution 2. Location Map 3. Grant Program Summary G;\havlik\councilagenda\Froorn Creek road grant app C7-2 ATTACHMENT 1 RESOLUTION NO. (2002 Series) RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO AUTHORIZING APPLICATION FOR GRANT FUNDS FROM THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME'S FISHERY RESTORATION GRANTS PROGRAM IN SUPPORT OF THE PROJECT KNOWN AS THE FROOM CREEK ROAD DECOMISSIONING PROJECT WHEREAS, the California Department of Fish and Game ("Department") has requested proposals for the California Coastal Salmon Recovery Program for fishery conservation work throughout the State of California; and WHEREAS, The City of San Luis Obispo maintains a strong interest in the potential for improvement of in-stream and riparian habitat within San Luis Obispo Creek and its tributaries; and WHEREAS, City staff have identified the decommissioning and stabilization of a mad alongside Froom Creek in the Irish Hills as a means to improve in-stream and riparian habitat of Froom Creek,which is known to contain southern steelhead spawning habitat. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of San Luis Obispo hereby: SECTION 1. Authorizes the filing of an application for grant funds from the California Fishery Restoration Grant Program for the project known as Froom Creek Road Stabilization Project;and SECTION 2. Appoints the City Administrative Officer as agent of the City 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: C7-3 ATTACHMENT 1 Resolution No. (2002 Series) Page 2 The foregoing resolution was adopted this day of 92002. Allen K. Settle,Mayor ATTEST: Lee Price, City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: 41-�D/mm)� J . Jo gensq C7-4 ATTACHMENT 2 PLAN VIEW DIAGRAM Froom Irish Hills EcologicahAreal •� N Project area i r rY V Y } P�roLct Area�� "'� Road Froom �• PropertyI 0 02 Miles I ATTACHMENT 3 California Department of Fish and Game Native Anadromous Fish and Watershed Branch Fishery Restoration Grants Program The Department of Fish and Game is soliciting proposals requesting grants to accomplish anadromous salmon and steelhead fishery restoration work. Grants are made to a variety of public and private entities. Amounts of each grant may vary from under $1,000 to $400,000 and over. The sources of these funds include: Proposition 99, Proposition 70, Timber Tax Credit Program, the Commercial Salmon Stamp Account, the Steelhead Trout Catch Report-Restoration Card funds, the Bosco-Keene Renewable Resources Investment Fund (RRIF), the Central Valley Project Improvement Act (Public Law 102- 575), and the Fisheries Restoration Account. The type of projects funded must benefit native anadromous fish species and may include: instream restoration, watershed restoration, purchase of conservation easements and cooperative fish rearing. C7-6 ATTACHMENT 3 California Department of Fish and Game Native Anadromous Fish and Watershed Branch Fishery Restoration Grants Program The Department of Fish and Game is soliciting proposals requesting grants to accomplish anadromous salmon and steelhead fishery restoration work. Grants are made to a variety of public and private entities. Amounts of each grant may vary from under $1,000 to $400,000 and over. The sources of these funds include: Proposition 99, Proposition 70, Timber Tax Credit Program, the Commercial Salmon Stamp Account, the Steelhead Trout Catch Report-Restoration Card funds, the Bosco-Keene Renewable Resources Investment Fund (RRIF), the Central Valley Project Improvement Act (Public Law 102- 575), and the Fisheries Restoration Account. The type of projects funded must benefit native anadromous fish species and may include: instream restoration, watershed restoration, purchase of conservation easements and cooperative fish rearing. C7-6