DAT
E: March 15, 2022
T
O: Honorable Mayor and City Council
F
ROM: Sara Somogyi, Director of Recreation and Community Services By: Ashley Marston, Management Aide
S
UBJECT: RESOLUTION 7414 APP ROVING THE APPLICATION F OR LAND AND
WATER CONSERVATION FUNDS FOR NEWCASTLE PARK RENOVATION
PROJECT
Recommendation: Adopt
SUMMARY
T
he National Park Service’s Land and Water Conservation Fund is a competitive grant program that provides matching funds to States and local governments for the acquisit ion and d evelopment of public outdoor recreation areas . To qualify for this grant funding opportunity, the City Council must certify, by resolution, the approval of an application.
To
better fund the scheduled renovation of Newcastle Park and to put the loc ation under federal protection to preserve the public’s outdoor recreational use of the site in perpetuity, it is recommended that the City Council adopt Resolution No. 7414 approving the application for Land and Water Conservation Fund Newcastle Park Improvement Project.
BACKGROUND
T
he City of Arcadia’s goals and policies for park acquisition, park development , and recreation program policies are addressed in the 2010 City of Arcadia General Plan. On August 1, 2017, the City Council approved the 2017 R ecreation and Parks Master Plan, which is a guiding policy document that provides recommendations for prioritizing future growth, development, and implementation strategies related to parks and recreation services.
T
he 2017 Recreation and Parks M aster Plan identified over $60 million in potential improvements to parks throughout the Cit y. This included $51.5 million proposed project costs on City property and an additional $9 million for projects at the Los Angeles County Arcadia Park. The k ey sources of prop osed funding for these projects included County,
Resolution 7414 Approving the Application for
LWCF Grant for Newcastle Park
March 15, 2022
State, and Federal grants, the City’s Parks Development and Capital Improvement Funds.
One high priority project in the Plan was the renovation of Newcastle Park.
DISCUSSION
The National Park Service oversees the feder al Land and Water Conservation Fund (“LWCF”) and is administered locally through the California Department of Parks and Recreation. LWCF grants provide funding for the acquisition or development of land to create new outdoor r ecreation opportunities for the health and wellness of Californians.
This grant funding opportunity is a competitive grant and requires successful grant awards to fund 100% up-front costs for project improvements. The LWCF provides 50% matching funds to local cities and counties to acquire, develop, operate, and maintain par k a nd recreation areas and facilities that provide or support public outdoor recreation. Additionally, the LWCF requires that properties awarded grant funding be committed to outdoor park and open space use in perpetuity.
The Recreation and Community Serv ices Department carefully reviewed the application requirements and identified the Newcastle Park Improvement Project as best meeting the grant criteria for consideration of funding while also keeping in line with the City’s park development goals. The Newcastle Park Im provement Project aims to beautify the park with new landscaping, as well as provide new recreation opportunities for park users by adding new children’s play equipment and pickleball courts (Exhibit “A”). The scope of work includes installation of all ne w park benches, barbeque and picnic amenities, shade structures, walkway lighting, playground equipment, exercise equipment, and pickleball courts.
The grant requires a 1:1 match up to half of the total project cost. Additionally, the City Council must certify by resolution the approval of the submittal of an application and the availability of eligible matching funds prior to submission of the a pplication to the California Department of Parks and Recreation. Applications were due in February to the California Department of Parks and Recreation and the state will ultimately recommend proposed projects to the National P ark Service. Awarded projects are expected to be announced by mid-year 2022.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
The proposed action does not constitut e a project under the Cal ifornia Env ironmental Quality Act (“CEQA”), and it can be seen with certainty that the grant application will have no i mpact o n the envir onment. As such, this matter is exempt under CEQA. Further environmental review will be considered as part of the overall construction project for the renovation of Newcastle Park.
Resolution 7414 Approving the Application for
LWCF Grant for Newcastle Park
March 15, 2022
FISCAL IMPACT
The proposed Newcastle Park Improvement Project will be included in next year’s Capital Improvement Program budget . The total project cost is $ 4,536,341.08 and the grant , if approved, would reimburse the City up to half of the total project costs , or $2,268,170.54.
There is sufficient funding in the Park Development Fund to complete the proposed project ; however, by receiving this grant, up to $2.27 million will be available to p ursue other program goals in the Recreation and Parks Master Plan.
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council determine that this action does not constitute a project and is therefore, exempt under, the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”); adopt Resolution No. 7414 approving the application for Land and Water Conservation Funds for Newcastle Park Renovation Project.
Attachments: Exhibit “A” – Newcastle Park Plans
Exhibit “B” – Resolution No. 7414
Exhibit “A”
N
ewcastle Park (Existing)
Newcastle Park (Proposed)
Exhibit "B"