Agenda Item
City Council
Item #: 3.4. 4/25/2023 File #: 22-0713
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THRU: Tom Kisela, City Manager
FROM: Leslie Hardy, Community Services Director
1. SUBJECT
Appropriation of $174,564 in Municipal Water District of Orange County Turf Replacement Rebate.
2. SUMMARY
The City Council approved a maintenance project in 2022 to replace the turf in the medians in the Santiago Hills Landscape Maintenance District with California Friendly plants as part of the Municipal Water District of Orange County’sturf replacement program. The Water District approved the project, and the City received a rebate of $3 per square foot of turf replaced, for a total of $174,564 to be appropriated as revenue into the Santiago Hills Landscape Maintenance fund (291).
3. RECOMMENDED ACTION
1. Accept into the City’s revenue budget $174,564 in Turf Replacement Rebate funds from Municipal Water District of Orange County into revenue account 291.7024.48210.20529 Santiago Hills Landscape Maintenance - Expense Reimbursements.
2. Authorize the appropriation of $174,564 into expenditure account 291.7024.51431.20529 Santiago Hills Landscape Maintenance - Landscape Maintenance - City Property.
4. FISCAL IMPACT
The revenue received funds the requested appropriation.
5. STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
Goal 3: Enhance and promote quality of life in the community. b: Deliver high quality and safe recreational, social, environmental, educational and cultural services.
e: Develop and strengthen collaborative partnerships to enhance and promote quality of life programs, projects, and services.
6. DISCUSSION AND BACKGROUND
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Item #: 3.4. 4/25/2023 File #: 22-0713
Background
Landscaping in the common areas in the Santiago Hills Landscape Maintenance Assessment District (District) is managed and maintained by the City and paid for by the property owners within the District through two annual assessments on each property, Landscape Maintenance District No. 86-2 (LMD 86-2) and Landscape Maintenance District No. 15-1 (LMD 15-1). The City utilizes contract services to maintain landscape for the District, including the landscaped medians throughout.
As part of State water restrictions enacted in 2022, the use of potable water for irrigation of turf on street medians was prohibited. Although adjustments were made to the irrigation systems in order to provide sufficient water to median trees for their health and safety, the turf was no longer viable under the then current water regulations.
Discussion
The Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC) offered a rebate of $1- $4 per square foot for turf replacement with California Friendly plants for qualified applicants. The medians in the District were eligible for this rebate which include the medians on Chapman Ave. between Newport Blvd. and Jamboree Rd., on Newport Blvd. between Chapman Ave. and Santiago Canyon Rd., on Santiago Canyon Rd. between Newport Blvd. and Jamboree Rd., and the small median on White Oak Ridge near Newport Blvd.
In July 2022, the City Council took the following actions:
· Approved a maintenance project to replace the existing turf in the medians with Myoporum Parvifolium, the low growing ground cover which has been installed on other medians throughout the District.
· Authorized staff to submit this project for the rebate program. · Halted the existing Capital Improvement Project (CIP 20255) to renovate the corners at White Oak Ridge and Newport Blvd. and re-appropriated the funds for this project to the turf replacement maintenance project.
The total cost of the project was $238,850. After completing the project, MWDOC notified the City that it qualified for a rebate of $3 per square foot of turf replaced for a total of $174,564. Therefore, the net cost of the project is $64,286. Staff will allow the District’sfund (291) to accumulate enough fund balance to continue Capital Improvement Project (CIP 20255).
At this time, staff is requesting that a total of $174,564 be accepted and appropriated to offset the turf replacement costs.
7. ATTACHMENTS
· None
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