CITY OF POMONA
COUNCIL REPORT
September 12, 2022
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: James Makshanoff, City Manager
Submitted by: Rene Guerrero, Public Works Director
SUBJECT: AMENDMENT OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2022-23 OPERATING BUDGET BY APPROPRIATING $203,767 OF LOS ANGELES REGIONAL PARK AND OPEN SPACE DISTRICT GRANT FUNDS TO TREE PLANTING PROJECTS IN THE NORTHSIDE AND SOUTHSIDE STUDY AREAS RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council adopt the following resolution:
RESOLUTION NO. 2022-156 - A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF POMONA, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2022-23 OPERATING BUDGET BY APPROPRIATING $203,767 OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY REGIONAL PARK AND OPEN SPACE DISTRICT GRANT FUNDS TO TREE PLANTING PROJECTS IN THE NORTHSIDE AND SOUTHSIDE STUDY AREAS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: Approval of the Resolution No. 2022-156 (Attachment No. 1) will appropriate $203,767 of the remaining Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District (LACRPOSD) funding, awarded in 2016 through Proposition A, for the completion of the Northside and Southside Study Area Tree Planting Projects.
FISCAL IMPACT: Approval of the Resolution will amend the FY 2022-23 Operating Budget by appropriating $119,691 in LACRPOSD funding to the “Northside Study Area Tree Planting Project,” Fund 215-2506-XXXXX-58672 and $84,076 to the “Southside Study Area Tree Planting Project,” Fund 215-2506-XXXXX-58763. This will appropriate the remaining balance of the Northside and Southside Study Area Tree Planting grants not appropriated during the FY 2022-23 budgeting process.
PREVIOUS RELATED ACTIONS: On August 1, 2016, the City Council approved a resolution authorizing the submittal of two grant applications to LACRPOSD for the FY 2016-17 Competitive Excess Funds Tree Planting Grant Program for a maximum grant award of up to $200,000 per application. On May 1, 2017, the City Council adopted two resolutions accepting and receiving the two LACRPOSD grants for a total of $400,000, with $200,000 being awarded to the "Northside Study Area Tree Planting Project" and $200,000 being awarded to the “Southside Study Area Tree Planting Project." This action also authorized the City Manager to execute all agreements and documents related to the Tree Planting Grant Programs, including agreements with the California Conservation Corps - Pomona Center (CCC) and the San Gabriel Valley Conservation Corps (SGVCC). On January 6, 2020, the City Council approved a resolution amending the FY 2019- 20 Operating Budget and appropriating $307,000 of Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District grant funds to the same tree planting projects - $153,500 to the "Northside Study Area Tree Planting Project" and $153,500 to the "Southside Study Area Tree Planting Project". Approval of the action resulted in an additional appropriation of the remaining balance of the grant not included during the FY 2019-20 budget process.
DISCUSSION: In August 2016, staff submitted two grant applications to LACRPOSD for the FY 2016-17 Competitive Excess Funds Tree Planting Grant Program based on the Study Areas defined in the Los Angeles Countywide Comprehensive Needs Assessment - the Northside Study Area (Districts 1, 4, and 6), and the Southside Study Area (Districts 2, 3, and 5). In 2017, the City received notification that each grant application was approved for $200,000. The grants provided funding for tree planting and required maintenance, with expenditures allowed throughout the grant period, originally ending December 31, 2021. The grant funds could be used to purchase and plant trees predominantly in locations where trees were removed due to age and/or disease, such as parks, parkways, street medians, and sidewalks. The City’s goal was to plant at least 490 trees distributed evenly among the Council Districts. At the conclusion of the grant, the City would take over the responsibility of maintaining the trees. Further, the grant required that the City collaborate with local agencies that work with at-risk youth, specifically the CCC and the SGVCC.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and wildfires, among other issues, the City was unable to move forward with this project during the originally planned dates, especially since the CCC and SGVCC were called to assist with wildfires across the State. Fortunately, the City received extensions from LACRPOSD to implement this project; the new deadline is December 31, 2022.
As wildfires and the pandemic settled, the City was able to move forward with the project during FY 2021-22. The City entered into contracts with both the CCC and SGVCC to plant and maintain trees in the Northside Study Area and Southside Study Area, respectively. As of June 30, 2022, a total of 510 trees were planted between the two study areas (see Attachment No. 2 for locations), exceeding the number of trees required by the grant. Staff anticipated expending all funding during FY 2021-22; however, tree planting began later than anticipated due to the CCC and SGVCC working on wildfire efforts. Consequently, not all funding has been expended, and the FY 2022-23 Operating Budget needs to be adjusted accordingly to provide funding for ongoing watering and maintenance through December 31, 2022.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment No. 1 – Resolution No. 2022-156
Attachment No. 2 – Map of Tree Locations
Prepared by:
Maritza Sosa-Nieves, Senior Management Analyst
A Resolution Appropriating $211,321 of Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space Grant Funds