RESOLUTION NO. 2024-_
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF
THE CITY OF MERCED, CALIFORNIA,
APPROVING A GRANT APPLICATION WITH
THE CENTRAL VALLEY COMMUNITY
FOUNDATION (CVCF) FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF A PARKS, RECREATION &
OPEN SPACE MASTER PLAN
WHEREAS, the City of Merced ("City") seeks to plan, facilitate, promote, maintain, and develop activities and facilities that enhance the quality of life in Merced through Parks and Community Services;
WHEREAS, Park, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plans establish a long term vision for parks and recreation by assessing current and future recreational needs, align future capital improvements with community interests, building community ownership and support, and plan for projects and programs that are financially sustainable;
WHEREAS, the Central Valley Community Foundation ("CVCF") seeks to fund proposals that navigate complex systems and identify new ways to connect communities and capital for a just, healthy, and thriving community; WHEREAS, said initiatives and proposals to the CVCF require a resolution certifying the approval of application(s) by the Applicant's governing board before submission of said application(s); and,
WHEREAS, the City, if selected, will enter into an agreement with CVCF to develop a parks, recreation, and open space master plan.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MERCED
DOES HEREBY RESOLVE, DETERMINE, FIND, AND ORDER AS
FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. That the submittal of an application to CVCF is authorized and approved.
X:ILSR Projects|2024\2024 - Pending LSRsILSR 14440 Resolution for Grant Application to CVCF for PROS Master Plan.docx 1 SECTION 2. That the City certifies that it supports the use of the developed Parks, Recreation & Open Space Master Plan in guiding future development, operation, and maintenance of city parks, recreation and open space.
SECTION 3. That the City certifies that City or title holder will have enough funds to operate and maintain the project consistent with the grant proposal or will secure the resources to do so.
SECTION 4. That the City certifies that it will comply with all provisions of Section 1771.5 of the California Labor Code.
SECTION 5. That if applicable, the City certifies that the project will comply with any laws and regulations including, but not limited to, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), legal requirements for building codes, health and safety codes, and disabled access laws, and that prior to commencement of construction all applicable permits will have been obtained.
SECTION 6. That the City Council authorizes the City Manager, or designee, as agent to conduct all negotiations, execute and submit all documents including, but not limited to, applications, agreements, amendments, payment requests and so on, which may be necessary for the completion of the aforementioned project(s).
PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Merced at a regular meeting held on the _day of 2024, by the following vote:
AYES: Council Members:
NOES: Council Members:
ABSENT: Council Members:
ABSTAIN: Council Members:
X:ILSR Projects\2024\2024 - Pending LSRsILSR 14440\Resolution for Grant Application to CVCF for PROS Master Plan.docx 2 APPROVED:
MATTHEW SERRATTO, MAYOR
Mayor
ATTEST:
D. SCOTT MCBRIDE, CITY CLERK
BY:
Assistant/Deputy City Clerk
(SEAL)
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
CRAIG J. CORNWELL, CITY ATTORNEY
Cani Conwell 3/5/24
City Attorney Date
X:\LSR Projects\2024\2024 - Pending LSRs\LSR 14440\Resolution for Grant Application to CVCF for PROS Master Plan.docx 3 Central Valley
Opportunity Func
4 Central Vailey Communitv Foundation Fund
Funding Application
Name of Organization: City of Merced Parks & Community Services Parks, Recreation, & Open Space (PROS) Master Plan, PROS Plan dashboard, Name of Project/Proposal: Capital Improvement Project (CIP) match Signature of Director/CEO: Date: 2.1.24
By signing and submitting this request for funding, the requesting organization acknowledges that the Central Valley Opportunity Fund (CVOF) and Central Valley Community Foundation (CVCF) have not previously made any promise to provide the funding requested herein and that the requesting organization has not relied to its detriment upon any statement by CVOF/CVCF or its representatives to obtain the funding requested herein.
The requesting organization further acknowledges that any approval of its grant proposal will be communicated only by an authorized representative of CVOF/CVCF, and funding is contingent upon execution of, a written grant agreement between the requesting organization and philanthropic partner of Central Valley Opportunity Fund, the Central Valley Community Foundation.
Legal Name of Organization: City of Merced
DBA (if applicable):
Mailing Address: 678 W 18th Street, Merced CA 95341
Physical Address (if different):
Phone: (209) 388-7000
EIN: Organization Fiscal Year End Date: June 30th
Organization Website: https://www.cityofmerced.org/
Authorized Signer Name & Title: Scott McBride, City Manager Authorized Signer Phone &
Email: (209) - 564-0613, [email protected]
Key Contact Name & Title: Christopher Jensen, Director of Merced Parks & Community Services Key Contact Email & Phone: (209) 564-0150, [email protected] Project Name: Parks Recreation Open Space Master Plan
Funding will cover the cost of a consultant to develop a new, city-wide Project description: parks, recreation, and open space master plan Amount of Request: $150,000 Project Start & End Dates: Spring 2024- Summer 2025 Is the organization a 501(c)(3)? No • Yes X No, list organization type: Government Central Valley
Opportunity Fund
Is the organization a fiscal agent/sponsor? No Yes, list Name of Fiscal Sponsor/Agent:
1. Background
Include a basic description of the organization. Include information on partner organizations if the project is a collaboration. PLEASE NOTE: If this application is for a grant renewal, Central Valley Opportunity Fund will have some familiarity with organizations seeking renewal of support. Therefore, organizations are strongly encouraged to keep this description brief.
Parks and Community Services provides residents and visitors quality experiences and spaces that aim to increase their health, wellbeing, and quality of life. This is done through variety of means including direct services, partnerships, and planning for open spaces that offer self-directed recreation. Our target audience includes members of our community and visitors that may not have the resources to seek programs, venues, or experiences in the private sector. Parks & Community Services offers low-cost, structured, and evaluated programs that provide healthy youth, family, and senior engagement. We also create spaces that encourage exploration, a sense of wonder, social inclusion, and connection, celebrating our history and culture along the way. We provide a variety of recreational or communal event centers & facilities such as sport complex', community centers, and performance stages. Lastly, we manage a local municipal zoo that is home to a variety of species including reptile, fowl, mammals, and amphibian. Merced Applegate Zoo highlights the variety of ecosystems found within Merced and surrounding areas and provides an up close and personal experience for visitors to learn about our region of the world. Parks & Community Services is primarily funded by the City of Merced general fund, grants, and donations of funding and/or labor.
The annual budget for Parks & Community Services is 2.5 million annually. The policies budget that informs and support park development, community services, and the development of open space or recreational infrastructure are developed by City Council, City Administration, and Parks & Community Service staff and should be informed by a parks, recreation and open space master plan.
The current master plan is outdated and no longer represents the current context or planned growth of the community, creating a disconnect between vision, need, and actual services and projects.
2. Grant Purpose
Briefly summarize the purpose and the continued need for the project, the requested amount and any changes you plan to make to the project as a result of lessons learned from initial implementation. Please also include any requested terms if necessary, such as multiple years or matching requirements. Detailed financial information can be completed in the attached Budget Proposal.
The purpose of this grant is to afford the City of Merced Parks & Community Services the opportunity to lead the development of a Parks, Recreation & Open Space (PROS) Master Plan that links to the City's General Plan and serves as a roadmap to current operations & maintenance as well as future development. Master plans formalize community input, assess agency capacity, and Central Valley
Opportunity Fund
streamline partnerships between various departments and stakeholders that are asked to recreate, maintain, and secure parks for community use. Most importantly, Master plans address financial sustainability and call for specific measures to shore up gaps that may exist. A revised Parks, Recreation & Open Space Master Plan will guide City Council direction, city wide development, and both public and private investment to ensure that Merced is meeting its recreational mission of enhancing the quality of life in Merced through equitable & sustainable means.
3. Project Performance Measures
Briefly discuss anticipated challenges, potential changes in timeline (particularly for multi-year requests), or any additional notes related to performance measures below.
Spring 2024- In order to confirm the City's commitment to the Parks, Recreation & Open Space Master Planning process and implementation, the Merced City Council will need to adopt a Resolution, accepting use of Central Valley Opportunity Fund grants.
Summer 2024- Funding will allow for the acquisition of a consultant who specializes in Park, Recreation & Open Space Master Planning. The City of Merced does not maintain contracts with consultants that develop master plans and will need to go out for Request For Proposals (RFP) to acquire the services necessary to conduct the planning process. The City plans to cast a wide net in its search for potential vendors. The City has reviewed several other City Master Plan bids, ranging from $130,000 up to $225,000. As a result, the City is requesting a grant of $150,000 to retain the services of a qualified consultant. The search will focus on consultants who understand the park planning process and have extensive experience facilitating a balanced planning process that not only includes the City's vision but is also mindful of sustainability in our small yet growing community of Merced.
Fall 2024- Consultant works with Parks & Rec. to develop planning task force and create timeline Winter 2024- Implementation of plan begins with collection of data Spring 2025- Analysis of data with community stakeholder groups Summer 2025- Environmental review of draft plan & amendments made Fall 2025- Plan Adoption by City Council
Central Valley
Opportunity Fund
4. Sustainability
Include information on additional sources of funding for this project beyond Central Valley Opportunity Fund. In addition, briefly describe any requests being considered and/or in the process of approval that will support the continued implementation of this project.
Parks, Recreation & Open Space Master Plans have built in components of sustainability in various ways noted below:
1. They assess current and future recreation needs of the community. Decision-makers can prioritize resource allocation for rehabilitation projects as well as for new programs, facilities and services in a manner that is fiscally responsible, environmentally sound and publicly supported
2. They establish a long-range vision. When fit with an implementation strategy, action plan and recommendations for a given planning period, system-wide plans help ensure effective access to and use of existing facilities and program resources.
3. They help prioritize and budget for capital improvement plans. As demographics change and populations grow, so should park systems. Municipalities can make a strong impact through aligning priorities and investments across their park systems.
4. Master plans provide strategies to fill gaps and reduce redundancies within park systems.
When preparing a system plan, analyzing the equitable access to parks, their distribution and bike/pedestrian connectivity is essential to understanding existing gaps and overlaps.
5. The master planning process builds community support. Not only do public engagements generate funding support, but they also provide valuable perspectives from the broader community to ensure the system meets diverse needs, improves transparency and builds trust.
6. Plans promote new ideas and partnerships. These collaborative efforts help communities build and deepen new and existing partnerships and alliances.
7. They establish a strong foundation, which is good for grant applications. These applications require documentation and a balanced, responsible action plan to meet those needs. Many grant applications require an approved comprehensive plan, usually developed through a public engagement process.
8. Master plans encourage new opportunities for future development. System plans may recommend communities set aside open space and preserve land to accommodate projected population and spatial growth of the area.
9. They align Capital Improvement Project investments with community needs. In a proactive analysis, current and projected recreational trends are the general basis for investing in new programs and facilities, as well as the rehabilitation of existing park amenities.
Central Valley
Opportunity Fund
10. Master plans and the planning process educate the public. These plans provide insight on the physical and mental health benefits that parks, trails and natural open spaces provide residents. Whether walking on a trail, gathering with loved ones, connecting with nature, playing sports or using play equipment, data indicates that recreation improves health, social interaction and community pride.
All of these aspects of the master planning process lend themselves to the sustainability of the efforts but they do require human capital investment. The City's resolution will serve as a binding commitment to seeing the plan to fruition and the stakeholders generated through the process will ensure the plan is implemented for years to come.
5. Organization Leadership and Project Management
List the head of the organization, project leads (if different than the head of the organization) and key project staff and give 2-4 sentence bios for each person. PLEASE NOTE: Any changes in leadership of the organization and project leads that have occurred since the beginning of the initial grant period should be clearly noted. Additionally, provide a link to the organization's board of directors list or attach the list to this application.
Name and Title Bio
Scott McBride, City Manager Scott McBride was recently selected by Merced City Council to lead the City as the City Manager. Prior to his selection, Mr.
McBride served Merced as the Director of Development Services, overseeing housing, engineering, and planning. Mr. McBride has secured more than $72 million in funding for affordable housing projects in his time over Development Services. He has worked with the City Council to adopt policies that encourage
affordability by design and infill development, completed pro- housing zoning code updates, and has implemented pre-
application processes for 10 major annexations. Most recently, overseeing the annexation of UC Merced into the City.
Christopher Jensen, Director of Christopher Jensen has over 20 years' experience in strategic Parks & Community Services planning and program development in the areas of recreation, social services, and behavioral health. He was selected to direct Parks & Community Services for the City of Merced 2 years ago. te is currently championing several capital improvement projects including the development of Community Park 42, the development of Aletha June Playground at General Vang Pao Park and the renovation of Merced Applegate Zoo.
Centrai Valley
Opportunity Fund
Board of Directors - Link or List
Link to Merced City Council:
https://www.cityofmerced.org/departments/city-council
6. Project Budget
Complete the attached proposal budget spreadsheet. Customize all expense categories as appropriate for the project. Additional financial information may be required during the course of the proposal review.
7. Other attachments
CENTRAL
VALLEY
COMMUNITY
FOUNDATION
CENTRAL VALLEY OPPORTUNITY FUND
Budget Template for City of Merced- Parks, Recreation & Open Space Master Plan Please submit in Excel format
Expense Categories Total Budget CVOF Request
1. Direct Expenses
i. Partner Expenses
Consultants
Yri Consultant #1- PROS Master Planning $ 150,000.00
Consultants Subtotal 150,000.00
Subgrant Subtotal 150,000.00
III. Overhead
EXPENSE TOTAL $ 150,000.00
Income Categories Total
Request from Central Valley Opportunity Fund $ 150,000.00 Public Agencies- City of Merced Parks & Community Services $ 2,500,000.00