Agenda Item No. 11
CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council DATE: August 26, 2024 FROM: Matthew Bronson, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Erin Wiggin, Capital Improvement Project Manager Megan Martin, Community Development Director
SUBJECT: 2023 Community Development Block Grant $3.3 Million Award for Phases 1 and 2 of the Ramona Garden Park Rehabilitation Project
RECOMMENDATION
Receive information on the award of a Department of Housing and Community Development 2023 Community Development Block Grant of $3.3 million for Phases 1 and 2 of the Ramona Garden Park Rehabilitation Project and related timing and community giving opportunity for the project.
BACKGROUND
On February 13, 2024, the Council conducted a public hearing to review the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the 2023 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Funds and approved an Over-the-Counter (OTC) application for $3.3 million in funding for the Ramona Garden Park Rehabilitation Project, Phases 1 and 2 (CIP 1259). Subsequently, on March 21, 2024, the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) recommended the City’s application for approval, and on May 24, 2024, confirmation of conditional approval was received.
The City has been working with HCD since then on further details of this grant award and anticipates receiving the final contract and agreement within the next couple of months which will allow the City to begin expending funds on the project.
Ramona Garden Park Rehabilitation Project
Ramona Garden Park (“Park”) is a multi-use park, bounded by North 9th and North 10th Streets on the west and east, and Ramona Avenue and Brighton Avenue on the south and north, respectively. The Park is the focal point for activities in Grover Beach and the South County, in general. Many public and private functions are held at the park such as the Stone Soup Music Festival and Street Fair and the City’s Summer Concert Series.
After an extensive community outreach effort beginning in 2019, the Council adopted the Ramona Garden Park Master Plan (“Master Plan”) in November 2020, which provides a vision or “road map” for the City to guide future park improvements over a multi-year period along with implementation and construction of these improvements. These improvements have long been envisioned at Ramona Park including a playground facility. The Master Plan has been further refined with a consultant-led effort on the design and construction phasing of this project (see Attachment 1). The Master Plan is divided into four phases, to assist in identifying and obtaining funding as shown in the Phasing Plan in Attachment 2. Phase 1 of the project encompasses the playground and restroom while Phase 2 features the amphitheater and bandshell with renderings of these elements shown in Attachments 3-5.
Staff Report: 2023 CDBG Grant Award for Ramona Park Project Phases 1 and 2 Page 2 August 26, 2024
The City’s adopted five-year Capital Improvement Program (CIP) does not currently allocate funding for the park improvements given other General Fund priorities. However, Public Works staff identified a significant opportunity to secure funding through HCD and the CDBG program to accelerate the implementation of Phases 1 and 2. The CDBG award will cover nearly 90% of the total $3.7 million project cost leaving a gap of approximately $400,000 to fully fund construction.
The next section of this report highlights a community giving effort to help cover this cost and enable community members to support this project.
Upon receiving the final contract agreement from HCD, staff will present an addendum to the CIP outlining the funding and construction timeline for the park. The OTC grant process requires the City to initiate a bid within 90 days of issuing the agreement, with construction anticipated to start in Spring 2025 and last for 6-9 months. During this time, the park will not be usable for activities including the Summer Concert Series. Staff is developing a 2025 summer event plan to share with the Parks, Recreation, and Beautification Commission in October and the Council in November.
The Ramona Garden Park Rehabilitation Project represents a pivotal step forward in enriching the Grover Beach community and enhancing its regional appeal and brings transformative benefits to the community, residents, and visitors. The improvements will create an inviting, functional, and inclusive environment for a multitude of users. Revitalization of the park will support a wide range of community events and activities which fosters a strong sense of connection and engagement among residents. Upgraded park facilities will provide residents with improved recreational opportunities, and this phased approach ensures a fiscally responsible development process, allowing thoughtful improvements that align with the City’s long-term vision for the park.
Community Giving
Lastly, staff is proposing a community giving effort that would allow the public to help support this project to improve Grover Beach’s “Central Park.” Community giving efforts are common for park and open space projects where the public can use and enjoy the facilities and there are tangible items for naming opportunities. While this effort has not been fully developed yet by staff, potential elements identified include pavers inscribed with donor names installed in the walkways around the playground, benches, tables, and bike racks with naming plaques, and the special event bandshell which would be a significant naming opportunity. Staff would look to work with a local nonprofit to coordinate this effort as a nonprofit can more easily facilitate donation opportunities.
This community giving effort would start later this calendar year as the project construction bidding gets underway.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City has secured a $3.3 million award through the CDBG program for the Ramona Garden Park Rehabilitation Project Phases 1 and 2 with a total projected cost of $3.7 million. Upon receipt of the grant funding, the project will have an estimated funding shortfall of $400,000. The proposed community giving effort described above is intended to help close this gap with General Fund reserves proposed to be used initially to ensure necessary funding upfront for the project to begin.
PUBLIC NOTIFICATION
The agenda was posted in accordance with the Brown Act.
Staff Report: 2023 CDBG Grant Award for Ramona Park Project Phases 1 and 2 Page 3 August 26, 2024
Attachments
1. Ramona Garden Park Master Plan Diagram
2. Ramona Garden Park Rehabilitation Project Phasing Plan
3. Playground Rendering
4. Bandshell Rendering
5. Restroom Rendering
Attachment 2 Attachment 1
Playground
Amphitheater Park Entry
Pickleball or
Adult Fitness
Attachment 2
Attachment 3
Attachment 4
PROJECT REF#: 11558-5/17/2024-1
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ROMANA
GARDEN PARK
FLOOR PLAN
SCALE: NOT TO SCALE
THIS CONCEPTUAL/ PRELIMINARY DESIGN AND THE 3D
RENDERING IS AN ARTISTIC INTERPRETATION OF THE DESIGN.
IT IS NOT MEANT TO BE AN EXACT RENDITION OF THE FINISH
PRODUCT. SOME ITEMS MAY NOT BE STANDARD AND/OR
SUBJECT TO CHANGE DURING PROJECT DEVELOPMENT
Attachment 5