Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: CONSENT CALENDAR (ACTION)
To: City Council
Subject: Endorsement of the City of Cotati’s application for the Land and Water Conservation Fund Program Grant funds
Date: January 25, 2022
Written by: Ashley Wilson, Recreation Manager
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council adopt a resolution endorsing the City of Cotati’s application for the Land and Water Conservation Fund Program Grant funds.
Background
Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grants provide funding for the acquisition or development of land to create new outdoor recreation opportunities for the health and wellness of Californians. Since 1965, over one thousand parks throughout California have been created or improved with LWCF assistance. Up to $45 Million in grant requests will be selected from this year’s application cycle.
Cities, counties, special districts, joint powers authorities, and federally recognized Native American tribes are eligible for the grant to create a new park, expand an existing park, or renovate an existing park.
The maximum that can be applied for is $6 million, and there is no minimum.
Analysis/Discussion
Sunflower Park qualifies for funding under the Land and water Conservation Fun grant. Sunflower Park has the great potential to serve many community members and meets the grant criteria. Prior to submitting the grant application, City staff promoted outreach and input through social media and physical postings and flyers in surrounding neighborhoods and apartments. This is in addition to the extensive public outreach conducted for the Parks Capital Plan.
The City’s grant application requests $265,625 to fund fifty percent of the proposed concept plans for this park. Major improvements proposed in the concept plans include the addition of playground equipment, picnic areas, walking paths, additional lighting, drinking fountains, more seating, and updated landscaping. A more detailed description of the proposed project is provided in the proposed concept plans which are attached to the resolution endorsing the submittal of the application.
Financial Considerations
The fiscal impact to the City will depend on if the Land and Water Conservation Fund grant funds are awarded. If the full grant amount is awarded, the proposed project will be partially funded by grant monies or the project will be adjusted to stay within the financial limits of grant and City funding available. The City would be responsible for fifty percent of the program costs, estimated to be $265,625 for a total estimated project cost of $531,250. If awarded, half of the total cost of the project would be reimbursed to the City. If the grant is not awarded, the proposed project will be included in the CIP, and broken into phases as budget becomes available.
In the attached resolution, the referenced Grant Contract’s key term is that acceptance of the grant requires that the City keeps the park open to the public and maintained in perpetuity.
Environmental Issues
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is not a project which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, pursuant to CEQA Guideline section 15378.
If Cotati is awarded the funding, the City would prepare any additional environmental analysis needed to evaluate the project.