Fremont City Council Meeting: 09/17/24 07:00 PM
3300 Capitol Avenue Div/Dept: Public Works
Fremont, CA 94538 Category: Grants
SCHEDULED
Sponsors:
COUNCIL STAFF REPORT (ID # 5255) DOC ID: 5255
Updated: 9/12/2024 7:33 AM by Dina Lewis Page 1
ACCEPTANCE OF FEDERAL FUNDING GRANTS - Approval of Actions to Accept Federal Funding Grants in the Amount of $1.35 Million and Appropriate Funds for the Central Park Community Center Project ($0.5 Million), and Auto Mall Parkway Median Improvement Project ($0.85 Million); Authorize the City Manager to Execute Grant Funding Agreements; and Make Findings of CEQA Exemption.
Contact Persons:
Name: Jeanne Suyeishi Hans Larsen
Title: Principal Civil Engineer Public Works Director
Div/Dept: Public Works Public Works
Phone: 510-494-4728 510-494-4722
E-Mail: [email protected] [email protected]
Executive Summary: The purpose of this report is to incorporate federal grant funds awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) into the City’s budget and to facilitate implementation of funded activities related to developing a new Community Center in Central Park and improving the median islands on Auto Mall Parkway.
BACKGROUND: On March 9, 2024, the U.S. Congress adopted the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (the FY2024 Act). The federal budget included “earmark” allocations to specific projects and programs identified by Federal legislators. With support from U.S. representatives Ro Khanna (California's 17th congressional district) and Eric Swalwell (California’s 15th congressional district) , budget allocations were provided to the Auto Mall Parkway Median Improvement Project and the Central Park Community Center Project for the City of Fremont.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS: The scope and funding amount for the federal budget earmarks allocated to the City of Fremont are described below.
• Central Park Community Center
The proposed Central Park Community Center project proposes to develop a new multiservice community center in Central Park, replacing the current Teen Center and Fremont Community Center and providing expanded space for indoor recreation and community programs. Having a modern multiservice center is identified as a top priority in the Parks and Recreation Master Plan approved in 2022.
The FY2024 Act appropriated $0.5 million from the Economic Development Initiative (EDI) Community Project Funding (CPF) grant to the City of Fremont for the Central Park Community Center project. The federal grant will be used to contribute to the construction costs.
• Auto Mall Parkway Median Improvement Project
Auto Mall Parkway is a four-lane arterial connecting Interstate Routes 680 and 880 and serves as a gateway to Fremont’s major industrial and retail areas, including the Tesla electric vehicle factory, Fremont Auto Mall, and the Pacific Commons Mall. The corridor provides goods movement, access to jobs, and is used by approximately 40,000 people Council Staff Report (ID # 5255) Meeting of September 17, 2024 Updated: 9/12/2024 7:33 AM by Dina Lewis Page 2
daily. This project will provide attractive landscaping to upgrade a 5.1-acre barren center median area along a major highway corridor in Silicon Valley. The proposed project will install irrigation and plant drought-tolerant shrubs and low growing trees to beautify the corridor.
The FY2024 Act appropriated $0.85 million from the EDI-CPF grant to the City of Fremont for the Auto Mall Parkway Median Improvement project. The federal grant will be used to contribute to the project design costs.
For each of the projects, the City must execute grant funding agreements with HUD.
FISCAL IMPACT: Staff recommends that the City Council appropriate $0.5 million of the EDI-CPF grant funds to the Central Park Community Center Project (PWC9087) and $0.85 million of the EDI-CPF grant funds to the Auto Mall Parkway Median Improvement Project (PWC9119) in the Federal Capital Grants Fund (Fund 522). The recommended actions will provide new funding to the City for designated projects in the amount of $1.35 million.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW: The recommended actions are exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because they are an administrative fiscal activity and not projects pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378 (administrative and funding activity not a “project” under CEQA) and Section 15061 (no possibility the activity may have significant effect on the environment).
Subsequent planning for the projects will include preparation of an environmental clearance in accordance with CEQA and NEPA guidelines. Consistent with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), regulations, funding will not be distributed to a project until appropriate NEPA review and environmental clearance is completed for that project.
ATTACHMENTS: None.
RECOMMENDATION: Approve the following actions related to the federal grant funds:
1. Accept HUD grant funds in the amount of $0.5 million and appropriate the funds to the Central Park Community Center Project – PWC9087-522.
2. Accept HUD grant funds in the amount of $0.85 million and appropriate the funds to the Auto Mall Parkway Median Improvement Project – PWC9119-522.
3. Authorize the City Manager or her designee to execute grant funding agreements and prepare any other documents required to implement said agreements with HUD for the a) Central Park Community Center in the amount of $0.5 million, and b) Auto Mall Parkway Median Improvement Project in the amount of $0.85 million.
4. Find that the actions are exempt from environmental review as a separate and independent base for CEQA compliance, under CEQA Guidelines, Section 15378 (administrative and funding activity not a “project” under CEQA) and Section 15061 (no possibility the activity may have significant effect on the environment).