City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: AUGUST 16, 2022 FROM: PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT WARDS: 1 & 2
SUBJECT: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENTS MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FOR THE TRANSFORMATIVE CLIMATE COMMUNITIES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROJECT ISSUE:
The issue for City Council consideration is approval of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Southern California Association of Governments to provide housing-supportive technical and planning assistance adjacent to the Transformative Climate Communities grant area within the Arts & Innovation District “Triangle”.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Approve the Southern California Association of Governments Memorandum of Understanding for the Transformative Climate Communities Riverside Technical Assistance Project; and Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute the agreement, including making minor and non-substantive changes.
BACKGROUND:
The Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) is a Joint Powers Agency and federally designated Metropolitan Planning Organization. SCAG, on behalf of its member agencies, applied for funding from the California Department of Housing and Community Development through their Regional Early Action Planning (REAP) Grant Program and was awarded $47,471,023. SCAG has chosen to use a portion of this funding to support Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) funded jurisdictions in planning efforts that will accelerate housing production related to a TCC project area. SCAG determined the City of Riverside to be a strong candidate site for TCC-related planning and approached staff to develop a scope of services at no cost to the City.
DISCUSSION:
The City, in cooperation with the Southern California Association of Governments, is proposing to utilize available Regional Early Action Planning grant funds, up to $250,000, to develop a housing supportive infrastructure plan for the “Triangle” portion of the Arts and Innovation District (Figure 1). The Triangle is immediately adjacent to the Transformative Climate Communities project area which includes the Eastside neighborhood. The primary project area was deemed eligible by SCAG because of its proximity to the recently awarded TCC grant. The project would assess connectivity between and potential improvements within both the Triangle (which falls entirely within Ward 1) and the broader TCC grant award area (which falls within Ward 2).
WARD 2: TCC GRANT AREAWARD 2: TCC GRANT AREAWARD 1: THE TRIANGLEWARD 1: THE TRIANGLE WARD 2: TCC GRANT AREA
WARD 2: TCC GRANT AREA
WARD 1: THE TRIANGLE
WARD 1: THE TRIANGLE
Figure 1: Project Area with Arts & Innovation District Overlay Zone Designations The planning effort would include both community engagement and technical work. The selected consultant will prepare and map infrastructure recommendations for the public right-of-way, examining roadways, active transportation amenities (bikeways and trails), park land, the urban forest, parkways, plazas and civic spaces, curb space management, public transportation routing and regional transit connections, smart parking, connected and autonomous vehicles, electric vehicle charging etc. Recommendations will account for environmental justice concerns, especially in relation to parks, trails, and open spaces. Recommendations will include funding strategies for improvements and maintenance and upkeep of the improvements independent from City General Funds.
A key component of the project will be to assess City-owned properties that may be sold to support the State’s housing goals.
Further, the selected consultant will be tasked with preparing infrastructure & budgetary recommendations to facilitate the execution and delivery of core City Services including: solid waste services, parking services, recreation, emergency services, library etc. including an assessment of a potential maintenance or the formation of a community facilities district.
The effort will be entirely funded through SCAG’s available grant funds, and the consultant services will be directly procured by SCAG with no local match requirement. As such, no appropriation of City funds is required to accept and proceed forward with the grant opportunity. The City would provide project management assistance once the consultant is retained and will share responsibility for the completion of the planning efforts funded by SCAG.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This item contributes to Strategic Priority 6 - Infrastructure, Mobility, and Connectivity and the following goals:
Goal 6.2 – Maintain, protect, and improve assets and infrastructure within the City’s built environment to ensure and enhance reliability, resiliency, sustainability, and facilitate connectivity.
Goal 6.3 – Identify and pursue new and unique funding opportunities to develop, operate, maintain, and renew infrastructure and programs that meet the community’s needs.
This project aligns with each of the five Cross-Cutting Threads:
Community Trust – The selected consultant will be required to implement a community engagement effort alongside development of the infrastructure plan.
Equity – This project falls within a federally recognized disadvantaged community which is impacted by some of the highest pollutant burden levels statewide. Planning for enhanced infrastructure and community amenities will help to address the disparities impacting this community.
Fiscal Responsibility – The Project will use SCAG’s REAP grant funds and does not require City matching funds.
Innovation – This project is supportive of the City’s Arts & Innovation District “Triangle” – Innovation Districts leverage the proximity of private sector, municipal and academic facilities & personnel to fuel collaboration.
Sustainability & Resiliency – Plans for the Triangle will be developed with an environmental justice perspective in mind and will include infrastructure recommendations targeted to enhance the resilience of the Triangle area.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The fiscal impact associated with this report is up to $250,000. SCAG may provide up to $250,000 to develop a housing supportive infrastructure plan. Upon grant award, item will be brought back to Council for approval and appropriation.
Prepared by: Gilbert Hernandez, Public Works Director
Certified as to
availability of funds: Edward Enriquez, Interim Assistant City Manager/Chief Financial Officer/City Treasurer Approved by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager
Approved as to form: Phaedra A. Norton, City Attorney
Attachment: Memorandum of Understanding with SCAG
SCAG Memorandum of Understanding – TCC Riverside Technical Project ● Page 3