DATE: AUGUST 9, 2022
DEPARTMENT: COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
PUBLIC WORKS
FROM: MEGAN HUNTER, DIRECTOR
DAVID JACOBS, DIRECTOR
THROUGH: LISA BRINTON, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
ADRIANA ROBLES, CITY ENGINEER
BY: MARIA CONTRERAS, MANAGEMENT ANALYST
TITLE: ACCEPTANCE OF CLEAN CALIFORNIA LOCAL GRANT PROGRAM FOR THE ALISAL GREENING, BEAUTIFICATION AND SAFETY PROJECT RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council approve a Resolution authorizing:
the Mayor to execute a Restricted Grant Agreement and any amendments thereto with the California Department of Transportation for the City of Salinas Clean California Local Grant Program (CCLGP) Alisal Greening, Beautification, and Safety Project, hereinafter “Project”; the acceptance of CCLGP funds in the amount of $2,147,958; the establishment of a new Capital Improvement Program (CIP) appropriating $2,147,958 for the Project; budgeting the revenue of $2,147,958 in fund 5201 and transferring said revenue to the new CIP; the Mayor to execute an agreement between the City of Salinas, the Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC), and Ecology Action (EA), which defines the partnership between the City and sub-applicants TAMC and Ecology Action and the contribution of $149,955 in TAMC funds to address a portion of the required match for the CCLGP grant; budgeting the revenue of $149,955 in fund 5203 and transferring said revenue to the new CIP; and, the transfer of $156,896 from Capital Improvement Program (CIP) 9246, EDE Alisal Vibrancy Plan, to the new CIP to address a portion of the grant matching funds.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Caltrans awarded the City of Salinas a Clean California Local Grant Program for the Alisal Greening, Beautification and Safety Project in Spring of 2022. The amount of the grant award is $2,147,958 with a $306,851 local match requirement. The City is leveraging $156,896 from Capital Improvement Program 9246, EDE Alisal Vibrancy Plan, and TAMC is contributing $149,955 in matching funds, for a total project budget of $2,454,809. TAMC and Ecology Action, agencies which lead the Safe Routes to School program within the county, partnered with the City in this grant application process. The proposed improvements for the Alisal Greening, Beautification and Safety Project, the “Project”, align with AVP short-term implementation priorities such as appearance, cleanliness, safety and infrastructure. A Restricted Grant Agreement (RGA), provided as Attachment 1 to this report, is needed between the City and Caltrans before the Project’s awarded funds can be claimed.
In addition, the City, TAMC, and Ecology Action will enter into an agreement, provided as Attachment 2 to this report, defining the partnership between the three agencies, contributing $149,955 in TAMC funds towards the required local match for the grant, and enabling transfer of funds between said agencies for the implementation of the Project. The Grant funds and TAMC’s contributed funds will help the City beautify and improve public spaces within the Alisal for walking and recreation through a combination of beautification measures, art in public spaces, and outreach for removal of litter and debris as well as “Walk Smart” educational programing, development of “Walking School Bus” programming, and creation of “Senior and Community Walking Groups”.
BACKGROUND:
In November 2019, the City Council unanimously accepted the Alisal Vibrancy Plan (AVP) as a strategic planning document. The AVP is an action-oriented, comprehensive strategy for Salinas’ Alisal (East Salinas) neighborhoods. The Plan’s purpose is to communicate the collective vision, goals and desires of those who live, work, worship, and shop in the Alisal. In October 2021, staff presented the AVP Implementation Plan and Budget for the approximately $3 million dollars the City Council appropriated in the FY 2021-2022 Capital Improvement Project (CIP) Budget for immediate and short-term implementation activities. The AVP Implementation Plan, developed in collaboration with the AVP Implementation Committee, prioritizes short-term activities to improve the cleanliness, appearance, infrastructure, and parks and open space in the Alisal, and to promote economic development of the Alisal.
In the fall of 2021, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) developed the Clean California Local Grant Program (CCLGP) through which approximately $296 million in funds will go to local communities to beautify and improve local streets and roads, tribal lands, parks, pathways, and transit centers to clean and enhance public spaces. Through the combination of adding beautification measures and art in public spaces along with the removal of litter and debris, this effort will enhance communities and improve spaces for walking and recreation. The goals of the CCLGP are to:
Reduce the amount of waste and debris within public rights-of-way, pathways, parks, transit centers, and other public spaces.
Enhance, rehabilitate, restore, or install measures to beautify and improve public spaces and mitigate the urban heat island effect.
Enhance public health, cultural connection, and community placemaking by improving public spaces for walking and recreation.
Advance equity for underserved communities.
DISCUSSION:
The goals of the CCLGP align with the immediate and short-term implementation activities of the AVP Implementation Plan and City staff partnered with the Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) and Ecology Action to apply for a Clean California Local Grant Program to develop “the Alisal Greening, Beautification, and Safety Project, the “Project”, to take advantage of this emerging opportunity.
Proposed improvements for the Project include litter abatement, beautification through planting drought-tolerant vegetation and trees, installation of wayfinding signage, a gateway monument, installation of banners and murals, permeable paver installation, sidewalk art highlighting safe routes through the neighborhoods, trash and recycling receptacles, and education programming to foster a safe, clean, connected, and accessible environment. These improvements are concentrated along East Alisal Street corridor, the bustling and vibrant commercial heart of the area, with approximately 5 miles of decorated sidewalk routes connecting the corridor to seven schools, two parks, and community amenities such as the Breadbox Recreation Center and the Cesar Chavez Library. Murals, gateway monument, art sculptures, and sidewalk art are to reflect the rich culture and history of the Alisal community. The following subsections provide additional information about the Project in more detail.
Alisal Greening, Beautification and Safety Project:
Project improvements include but are not limited to:
Alisal Street (between Kings St and Skyway Blvd): Minor sidewalk repair, street tree installation, drought tolerant shrub planting, mulch installation, banner installation, wayfinding signage installation, trash-recycling cart installation (includes artwork), restoration of existing benches, relocation of planters, gateway monument at Skyway Blvd roundabout, and sidewalk art.
Safe Routes to School Sidewalk Art, Walk Smart Educational Program & Walking School Bus Program: Minor sidewalk repair, sidewalk art, plus classroom based “Walk Smart” educational programming and development of “Walking School Bus” programming at the following street segments connecting children to 7 schools, La Paz Park, Closter Community Park, Salinas Boxing Club, Bread Box Recreation Center, and Cesar Chavez Library.
Acosta Street (between Sanborn Rd and Towt St).
Del Monte Avenue (between Sanborn Rd and Towt St).
Garner Avenue (between Acosta Plaza and Williams Rd).
John Street (between Wood St and Alisal St).
Market Street (between Towt St and Midway Ave).
Sanborn Road (between Acosta St and Del Monte Ave).
Towt Street (between Alisal St and Del Monte Ave).
Williams Road (between Garner Ave and +/-100 ft north of Bardin Wy); and, Wood Street (between John St and Roosevelt St).
Salinas Boxing Club at Closter Park: New Mural and Historical Marker Installation.
Bread Box Recreation Center: Frontage Surface-Landscape Improvements; art sculpture; and shelter facility at existing bus stop.
A map of the Project area and proposed improvements is provided as Attachment 4. Steps involved in the Project include district identity development, sidewalk art outreach and procurement, artwork procurement for trash enclosures, gateway monument, art sculpture and a public facility mural, public outreach for the district identity and artwork procurement, and development of plans and specifications for procurement of construction contractor.
Safe Routes to School Sidewalk Art, Walk Smart Educational Program, Walking School Bus Program & Senior and Community Walking Groups Program:
TAMC and Ecology Action partnered with the City to lead the Safe Routes to School program within the county and will lead the Safe Routes to School sidewalk art and the “Walk Smart” educational program, including development of a “Walking School Bus” program, and a “Senior and Community Walking Groups” Program, which are proposed as part of the Project. The proposed sidewalk art consists of approximately 7 thermoplastic murals and numerous artistic markings highlighting safe routes to school, parks, and community amenities. Sidewalk murals and markings will be designed by local and youth artists, providing an important opportunity for them to take an active role in transforming their own community. The sidewalk art will be a practical tool to enhance school and community education, as well as to encourage programming to get more people walking in the community. The “Walk Smart” educational program will be classroom-based. In addition, Ecology Action’s goal is to create and run four to eight (4-8) Senior and Community Walking group events per year.
Funding:
The amount of the CCLGP Grant award is $2,147,958 and requires a twelve percent (12%) local match of $306,851. The City’s portion of the local match is $156,896 to be paid from Capital Improvement Program 9246, EDE Alisal Vibrancy Plan, and TAMC is contributing $149,955 in matching funds, for a total Project budget of $2,454,809.
Grant Amount Awarded
Local Match Requirement of 12.5%
Total Project Cost
$2,147,958
City’s Portion
CIP 9246
TAMC’s Portion
$2,454,809
$156,896
$149,955
$306,851
Agreements:
The City and Caltrans must enter into a Restricted Grant Agreement (RGA) with Caltrans, Attachment 2, before the grant funds can be claimed through the Clean California Local Grant Program (CCLGP). Through the RGA, State grant restricted funds are identified as available to the City which is responsible for implementing the scope of work authorized under the CCLGP.
In addition, in June 2022, the TAMC Board authorized execution of an agreement between the City, TAMC and Ecology Action, which defines the partnership between the City and sub-applicants TAMC and Ecology Action, contributes $149,955 in TAMC funds to address a portion of the required City local match for the grant, and enables transfer of funds between said agencies for the implementation of the Project. Refer to Attachment 3 for this agreement between the City, TAMC, and Ecology Action.
If the CCLGP grant award is accepted, and both the Restricted Grant Agreement and the Agreement Between the City, TAMC, and Ecology Action are authorized, the City, TAMC and Ecology Action will initiate implementation of the proposed Project improvements with an anticipated start of construction in the Summer of 2023 with completion in the Spring of 2024. Additionally, the Alisal Greening, Beautification, and Safety Project demonstrates a greater impact to the Alisal while addressing the some of the short-term goals of the AVP Implementation Plan as well as expressing the City’s commitment to the Alisal community. Both agreements under the Alisal Green Beautification Project shall expire on December 31, 2024.
CEQA CONSIDERATION:
Categorical Exemptions. The City of Salinas has determined that the Project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines (Section 15301-Existing Facilities, Class 1, and Section 15304-Minor Alterations to Land, Class 4) because the Project proposes improvements which will take place on public sidewalks, adjacent to businesses, residences, and on public facilities (parks and recreation centers) throughout the life of the Project. Noise created by the construction will take place during daylight hours and will be of short duration. In addition, current operations of the public facilities shall not be affected as the proposed scope of work at said facilities consists of exterior work such as frontage landscape improvements. Further, this Project does not propose tree removal nor plant removal.
Furthermore, the Project does not qualify for any of the exceptions to the categorical exemptions found at CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2 as the goals of the CCLGP are to: reduce the amount of waste and debris within public spaces; mitigate urban heat island effect in local public spaces while beautifying and improving these spaces; enhancing public health, cultural connection, and community placemaking; advancing equity for underserved communities; and, engaging and investing in communities to educate, expand litter pick up, and enhancing infrastructure. Thus, there is no significant adverse effect on the environment with this Project.
STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVE:
The acceptance of the Clean Californian Local Grant Program grant award and necessary agreements to implement the Project supports the City Council’s Goals of Infrastructure and Environmental Sustainability and Youth and Seniors. As previously noted, the goals of the CCLGP are to: reduce the amount of waste and debris within public rights-of-way, pathways, parks, transit centers, and other public spaces; enhance, rehabilitate, restore, or install measures to beautify and improve public spaces and mitigate the urban heat island effect; enhance public health, cultural connection, and community placemaking by improving public spaces for walking and recreation; and advance equity for underserved communities. And the City’s Alisal Greening, Beautification and Safety Project addresses this program’s goals, which align with the goals of the Alisal Vibrancy Plan.
DEPARTMENTAL COORDINATION:
Development of the Alisal Greening, Beautification and Safety Project is an effort by both the Community Development Department and the Public Works Department, and coordination efforts between the two departments will continue through completion of the project. The Legal Department has reviewed both Project agreements, the Restricted Grant Agreement and the Agreement between the City, TAMC, and Ecology Action, and the Finance Department will assist in the accounting of the awarded grant funds and the contribution funds established per the agreement between the City, TAMC, and Ecology Action.
FISCAL AND SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT:
There is no significant impact to the General Fund. The CCLGP grant amount is $2,147,958 and the City is responsible for a $306,851 match wherein the City is providing matching funds of $156,896 and TAMC is contributing $149,955 via an agreement between the City, TAMC and Ecology Action, for a total Project budget of $2,454,809. Staff recommends the City’s portion of the local match ($156,896) be paid from Capital Improvement Program (CIP) 9246, EDE Alisal Vibrancy Plan 5800.30.9246. A new Capital Improvement Program (CIP) appropriation for the Project will also need to be established with the transfer to the CIP Fund (5800) of $2,147,958 from the General Fund (1000)) and budgeting the reimbursement revenue from CCLGP ($2,147,958) to Fund 5203 to offset Project expenditures.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1: Resolution
Attachment 2: CCLGP Restricted Grant Agreement
Attachment 3: Agreement between the City, TAMC and Ecology Action Attachment 4: Project Map and Proposed Project Improvements Page | 3
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