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May 16, 2023
ITEM TITLE
Harborside Park and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA): Approve an ARPA Spending Plan Amendment to Provide Park Improvements to Reopen Harborside Park
Report Number: 23-0116
Location: 670 Oxford Street
Department: Housing and Homeless Services
Environmental Notice: The Project qualifies for a Categorical Exemption pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act State Guidelines Section 15301 Class 1 (Existing Facilities), Section 15303 class 3 (New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures), and Section 15304 Class 4 (Minor Alterations to Land). Under National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) , the activity is exempt pursuant to Title 24, Part
58.34(a)(2)(3) & (10) of the Code of Federal Regulations.
Recommended Action
Adopt a resolution: (1) approving an eighth amendment to the American Rescue Plan Act Spending Plan, (2) approving the “Phase 1” improvements to Harborside Park, (3) authorizing the City Manager or designee to enter into all agreements or contracts necessary to implement Phase 1, and (4) reallocating $900,000 in ARPA funds. (4/5 Vote Required)
SUMMARY
On August 23, 2022 City Council Resolution No. 2022 -203 authorized the temporary closure of Harborside Park in order to allow staff time to address health and safety concerns due to illegal activities being conducted at the park. Since such time, staff have worked with the community to address both short -term concerns and identify long -term opportunities for the redevelopment of the park site. Tonight, staff is providing recommended initial improvements (“Phase 1”) to the park site in order to provide a secure reopening of Harborside Park.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The Director of Development Services has reviewed the proposed project for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the project qualifies for a Categorical Exemption pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 Class 1 (Existing Facilities), Section 15303 class 3 (New
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Construction or Conversion of Small Structures), and Section 15304 Class 4 (Minor Alterations to Land) because the proposed actions would not result in a significant effect on the environment, create a cumulative impact, damage a scenic highway, or cause a substantial adverse change in the significance of a historical resource. Thus, no further environmental review is required. Under NEPA, the activity is exempt pursuant to Title 24, Part 58.34(a)(2)(3) & (10) of the Code of Federal Regulations.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION
An update was provided to the Parks and Recreation Commission at their April 27, 2023 meeting.
DISCUSSION
Park Closure History
In late Spring 2022 the City and school district began conversations about increased safety concerns at Harborside Park due to increased illegal activities that escalated during the COVID pandemic. The City participated in two forums in June and July to address parent and community concerns.
After evaluation, it was determined that a temporary closure of Harborside Park was needed in order to implement necessary safety measures, including the installation of temporary fencing around the perimeter of the park and hiring of security guards. The temporary closure would also provide staff with time to evaluate long -term solutions with the community and make necessary repairs before reopening. The temporary closure plan was implemented on August 31, 2022 for an initial 90-day period, with options to extend at the City Manager’s discretion. The closure included a Connect Event to link unsheltered individuals impacted by the closure and willing to accept services, with resources to move them towards the goal of permanent housing.
The entire process and all updates have been available for the public on the dedicated webpage https://chulavistaca.gov/parkupdates and is summarized in Exhibit 1.
Exhibit 1: Harborside Park Closure and Outreach Process
Community Outreach
Community Survey #1
During the Fall of 2022, an outreach and engagement process was implemented using a series of in person and online strategies to connect with local community members and stakeholders, with the goal of completing a survey to determine the communities preferred short- and long-term solutions for Harborside Park. Residents within 500 feet of the park and school were notified of all outreach opportunities, as well as through school communications and local businesses. Over 300 people were engaged in the initial outreach, including 184 surveys that were collected in October 2022.
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Overall, the community has provided an overwhelming response that they would like to see a recreational facility placed at Harborside Park to maintain outdoor amenities but also provide indoor gathering spaces for community and recreational programming. The top feature s they would like to see on the future site include classrooms, a water feature, exercise opportunities and a playground, as summarized in Exhibit 2.
Exhibit 2: Community Survey #1 Long-Term Preferred Uses
Additionally, the community has emphasized that they would like long -term safety solutions implemented before the park is reopened, even on a temporary basis. This led City Management to extend the temporary closure as staff continued to work with the surrounding community.
The survey fu rther asked interest in hours of operation and which existing amenities people would use if reopened. Full results of the survey can be found on the dedicated webpage along with all press releases and records of community meetings.
Community Survey #2
The City has continued to work with the surrounding community over the past few months, including meetings with the Community Police Unit at Brentwood Mobilehome Park to address specific safety concerns for their community and continuous outreach to unsheltered individuals in the area. Staff also engaged with a landscape architect in March 2023 to take community feedback and provide conceptual plans of the park in a phased approach to address the ability to provide an initial, Phase 1, opening of the park while staff continues to work on longer-term master planning efforts and seek funding for larger future improvements.
On April 15, 2023, a second survey was released to present the conceptual designs for community consideration and garner greater detail from residents on themes and features of the future facility. Outreach of the second survey included: a mailing to residents and stakeholders in the area, promotion at South Bay Earth Day (4/15) and Day of the Child (4/22) events, social media posts, notification from the Harborside Elementary School and Chula Vista Elementary School, and other community partners.
As of May 9, over 300 responses were received to Community Survey #2 with 61% indicating that they were “somewhat likely” or “very likely” to use the park if it was opened with the proposed Phase 1 improvements on weekdays between 3 to 7 p.m. and 73% indicating that they were “somewhat likely” or “very likely” to use the park on weekends between 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. In order to maximize responses, the survey will remain open through May 15. Full survey results will be posted on the dedicated webpage (https://chulavistaca.gov/parkupdates) on May 16 and reported to Council that evening.
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Current Park Site Status
Prior to the park closure on August 31, 2022, a number of amenities had been removed or damaged due to illegal activity at the park, including:
• Gazebo removed;
• Playground equipment removed;
• Restroom facility closed; and
• Irrigation & grass areas damaged and turned off.
In addition to the removed and damaged amenities, significant safety concerns existed due to drug paraphernalia on the park site. While an extensive cleanup was conducted at the time of closure, additional clean up would be needed prior to reopening the site.
Since closure, the park site has remained relatively unchanged.
Proposed Phase 1 Improvements
The proposed Phase 1 improvements as presented in Community Survey #2 would have included reopening a portion of the park, as depicted in Exhibit 3.
Exhibit 3: Community Survey #2 Proposed Phase 1 Improvements
After full staff evaluation, it was determined that improvements should be made to reopen the entire park facility, as depicted in Exhibit 4. Improvements would include: (1) permanent fencing; (2) turf replacement and repair to the irrigation system; (3) basketball court resurfacing; (4) lighting and security camera repairs; (5) restroom facility repairs; (6) general clean-up; (7) removal of the amphitheater and landscape at the
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southern portion of the site; and (8) purchase and installation of a ranger station that would be manned during future park opening hours.
Exhibit 4: Staff Proposed Phase 1 Improvements
Phase 1 construction costs are estimated at $590,000, design services at $60,000, and other expenses at $250,000, for a project total of $900,000. Future ongoing fiscal costs would be budgeted during the annual budget process.
Funding for Phase 1 Improvements
On May 10, 2021, the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced the launch of the Coronav irus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, established by the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (“ARPA”), to provide $350 billion in emergency funding for eligible state, local, territorial, and Tribal governments. The Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds provide substantial flexibility for each jurisdiction to meet local needs—including support for households, small businesses, impacted industries, essential workers, and the communities hardest-hit by the crisis.
The City received a t otal of $57.5 million, which was appropriated by the City Council with the initial plan presented on August 24, 2021 and the fiscal year 2022 -23 adopted budget. The closure of Harborside Park was necessitated by exacerbated problems around homelessness during the pandemic. This action proposes to reallocate $900,000 in previously appropriated ARPA funds towards the Phase 1 Harborside Park improvements by amending the Spending Plan to reallocate $900,000 from the Revenue Recovery Category to the Negative Economic Impacts Category, as detailed in Table 1.
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Table 1: Eighth Amendment to the ARPA Spending Plan
Long-Term Plans & Conclusion
Staff is also seeking Council direction to proceed with the conceptual Phase 2 and 3 plans towards the ultimate goal of incorporating a community center on the site. Such a facility will require a master planning effort and the application for grant funds, with future actions being brought forward as appropriate.
With a new allocation of funding approved this evening, the Harborside Park site will be repaired with Phase 1 improvements and reopened to the community to address issues caused by the pandemic. If approved this evening it is estimated that Phase 1 improvements could be completed with a park reopening in approximately six (6) to eight (8) months.
DECISION-MAKER CONFLICT
Staff has reviewed the property holdings of the City Council members and has found no property holdings within 1,000 feet of the boundaries of the property which is the subject of this action. Consequently, this item does not present a disqualifying real property -related financial conflict of interest under California Code of Regulations Title 2, section 18702.2(a)(7) or (8), for purposes of the Political Reform Act (Cal. Gov’t Code §87100, et seq.).
Staff is not independently aware, and has not been informed by any City Council member, of any other fact that may constitute a basis for a decision-maker conflict of interest in this matter.
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CURRENT-YEAR FISCAL IMPACT
There is no current year fiscal impact to the City's General Fund as all costs associated with the Phase 1 Harborside Park improvements are covered by available American Rescue Plan Act funds. Approval of the resolution reallocates $900,000 in ARPA funds that have been previously appropriated and reduces associated Revenue Recovery budget to project CRF0019.
ONGOING FISCAL IMPACT
There is no ongoing fiscal impact to the City's General Fund as costs associated with the Phase 1 Harborside Park improvements are covered by available American Rescue Plan Act funds. Any additional operating and maintenance costs will be included in future year’s budgets.
ATTACHMENTS
None.
Staff Contact: Stacey Kurz, Director of Housing & Homeless Services