Grant Agmt 10271_PD_Competitive_Airport Conversion-Santa Monica Revised_5.19.26

LOS ANGELES COUNTY REGIONAL PARK AND OPEN SPACE DISTRICT (RPOSD) Safe, Clean Neighborhood Parks, Open Space, Beaches, Rivers Protection, and Water Conservation Measure (Measure A), approved by voters on November 8, 2016

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Grant Number: 10271
Project Name: Santa Monica Airport Conversion Planning & Design Grant Amount: $499,149.00
Project Summary: Planning and design of a new 20-acre park at the Santa Monica Airport site, from schematic design through 50% construction documents. Work includes cost estimates, technical specifications, and community engagement.

Agreement Term: 2 Years from Agreement Execution (_______________ – _______________)

PARTIES TO AGREEMENT
RPOSD: GRANTEE:

Los Angeles County City of Santa Monica
Regional Park and Open Space District 1685 Main Street - Mail Stop 15 1000 South Fremont Avenue, Unit #40 Santa Monica, CA 90401 Building A-9 East, Ground Floor
Alhambra, CA 91803

RECITALS
The Grantee (“Grantee”) and the Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District (“RPOSD”) do hereby enter into this Grant Agreement (“Agreement”), and under the terms and conditions of this Agreement.

1. Whereas Grantee agrees to complete the project as summarized in the Project Summary and as set forth in its entirety in Exhibit 1 (hereinafter referred to as “Project”) and,

2. Whereas RPOSD, acting through the Director of the County of Los Angeles Regional Park and Open Space District, or her designee, and pursuant to Measure A, agrees to fund the Project not to exceed the awarded grant amount.

Now, therefore, it is hereby agreed as follows:

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CONDITIONS
The Grants Administration Manual (GAM), and any subsequent changes or additions thereto, and the Measure A Resolution are hereby incorporated in this Agreement as though set forth in full. In the event of any conflict between the terms of this Agreement and the GAM or the Measure A Resolution, the Measure A Resolution shall control, followed by the GAM, followed by this Agreement.

Article 1: Grant Scope
The Grantee shall provide all necessary and qualified personnel, equipment, material, and facilities to complete the Project in its entirety.

Grantee shall carry out the Project in accordance with the approved scope, as it may be amended in accordance with the terms of this Agreement.

Article 2: Term of Agreement
This Agreement shall take effect when executed by an authorized representative of both parties (“Effective Date”), and shall terminate on __________, unless terminated sooner based on the provisions set forth in this Agreement (“Term”).

Project costs must be incurred within the Term to be eligible for reimbursement.

Article 3: Maximum Grant Award
The Maximum Grant Award for the Project is $499,149.00.

Grant funds will be disbursed on a reimbursement basis, and in accordance with the Project Budget in RPOSD’s grants management system (“GMS”).

1. Grantee will use the grant funding solely for the purposes described in this Agreement and in accordance with Grantee’s funded application detailed in GMS.

2. Grantee will return to RPOSD, or RPOSD shall retain, any funds not expended or committed for the purposes of the Grant within the Project Timeline.

3. Grantee understands that the Grant is not a gift and agrees that RPOSD is granting funds for Grantee to complete the Project.

4. Construction costs are ineligible under the terms of this Agreement.

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5. Grant funds may not be used to fund any project expense for which funding has already been secured from Proposition A, Measure A, or other sources.

6. Grantee may only request reimbursement for project expenses that are distinct and separate from any elements funded by other sources.

Article 4: Cap on Indirect Costs
The total accumulated indirect costs amount shall not exceed twelve percent (12%) of the maximum grant award.

Article 5: Expenditure of Funds and Allocation of Funds Between Budget Items The Grantee shall expend funds consistent with the approved grant budget. Any revisions to the budget that contemplates shifting funds from approved Project Budget line items into a different category, must be identified in a revised budget submitted by Grantee within RPOSD’s GMS and approved in advance by RPOSD. RPOSD has sole discretion to determine whether to approve a Project Budget revision.

RPOSD may withhold payment for items which exceed the amount allocated in the Project Budget which have not received the prior approval required above. Any approved increase in the funding for any budgeted item shall mean a decrease in the funding for one or more other budgeted items.

Article 6: Project Costs and Reimbursements
RPOSD shall reimburse funds for costs incurred, up to 90% of the grant amount, upon the Grantee’s satisfactory progress of the Project. Reimbursements shall be initiated upon submission of an electronic claim form, which shall be submitted no more frequently than monthly.

RPOSD shall disburse the final ten percent held in retention, upon the Grantee’s satisfactory completion of the Project, submission of required documentation and upon RPOSD’s acceptance of the Project as complete. Project costs must be incurred within the Project Timeline to be eligible for reimbursement.

The Grantee shall request reimbursements by submitting a claim to RPOSD through the electronic grants management system and address all forms and requirements of the claim process, in accordance with the procedure set forth in the GAM as amended.

RPOSD shall reimburse the Grantee for eligible costs incurred within the Project Timeline, up to the total grant amount. The Grantee shall submit payment requests through RPOSD's GMS.

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Article 7: Advancing Funds
The Grantee may request a limited advance of grant funds pursuant to the requirements and processes set forth in the GAM.

Article 8: Project Completion
The Grantee shall complete the Project by the termination date of this Agreement. No later than one year from completion of the Project, or one year from expiration of the term of this Agreement, whichever is first, Grantee shall complete the process as set forth in the GAM.

Article 9: Early Termination, Suspension, and Failure to Perform After commencement of the Project, but before completion, RPOSD may terminate or suspend this Agreement, in whole or in part, for cause by providing the Grantee with (30) thirty-day notice in writing. Grantee shall immediately stop work under the Agreement and take all reasonable measures to prevent further costs to RPOSD. Any notice suspending work under this Agreement shall remain in effect until further written notice from RPOSD authorizes work to resume, if provided.

Before the Project is complete, the Grantee may terminate this Agreement for any reason by providing RPOSD with thirty (30) day notice in writing and repayment to RPOSD of all amounts disbursed by RPOSD under this Agreement.

The parties expressly agree to waive, release and relinquish the recovery of any consequential damages that may arise out of the termination or suspension of this Agreement under this section.

Grantee shall include in any Agreement with any contractor retained for work under this Agreement a provision that entitles Grantee to suspend or terminate the agreement with the contractor for any reason on written notice and on the same terms and conditions specified in this section.

Article 10: Severability
If any provision of this Agreement is found or deemed by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable, it shall be considered severable from the remainder of the agreement and shall not cause the remainder to be invalid or unenforceable.

In such event, the parties shall reform this Agreement to replace such stricken provision with a valid and enforceable provision which comes as close as possible to expressing the intention of the stricken provision.

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Article 11: Copyright and Work Products
Grantee has the right to Copyright protect original works developed under this Grant. All such copyrighted works will be in the name of the Grantee. Grantee grants to RPOSD an irrevocable and royalty-free right and license to use, reproduce, prepare derivative works, distribute copies, and perform and display publicly any copyrighted material developed and/or delivered under this Agreement.

Article 12: Indemnification and Hold Harmless
Grantee shall indemnify, defend and hold RPOSD, its officers, and employees harmless from and against any and all liability to any third party for or from loss, damage or injury to persons or property in any manner arising out of, or incident to, the performance of this Agreement or the planning, arranging, implementing, sponsoring or conducting of the Project or any other operation, maintenance or activity by the Grantee. Grantee agrees to defend and indemnify RPOSD from all costs and expenses, including attorney’s fees, in any action or liability arising under this Agreement or the planning, arranging, implementing, sponsoring or conducting of the Project or any other operation, maintenance or activity by the Grantee in furtherance of the Project.

RPOSD shall have no liability for any debts, liabilities, deficits or cost overruns of the Grantee.

Grantee and RPOSD agree that the liability of RPOSD hereunder shall be limited to the payment of the funds pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Agreement. Any contracts entered into, or other obligations or liabilities incurred by, the Grantee in connection with the Project or otherwise relating to this Agreement shall be the sole responsibility of the Grantee, and RPOSD shall have no obligation or liability whatsoever thereunder or with respect thereto.

The obligations in this “Indemnification and Hold Harmless” section shall survive termination of this Agreement.

Article 13: Amendments
As provided herein, no amendment of any of the terms or conditions of the Agreement will be effective unless provided in writing and signed by all parties. It is the responsibility of the Grantee to ensure that any person who signs an amendment on its behalf is duly authorized to do so. No oral understanding or agreement not incorporated in this agreement shall be binding on any of the parties. Requests for amendments must be submitted through GMS no later than six (6) months before the termination of the Agreement. Due to the competitive nature of this funding program, RPOSD, in its sole discretion, shall determine whether to grant an amendment but is under no obligation to approve any such request.

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Article 14: Compliance with Laws and Regulations
Grantee shall at all times comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws, statutes, rules, regulations and ordinances. This Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of California, and the parties agree that the enforcement of the Agreement, and the resolution of any disputes arising out of or related to the subject matter of the Agreement, shall be resolved in a court of competent jurisdiction. Grantee agrees and consents to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of the State of California for all purposes regarding this Agreement and further agrees and consents that venue of any action brought hereunder will be exclusively in the County of Los Angeles.

Article 15: Notices
All notices permitted or required to be given under this Agreement shall be in writing and shall be deemed given: (i) if entered and/or uploaded to RPOSD’s electronic GMS; (ii) if delivered by courier, on receipt by the intended recipient or on the date of delivery (as confirmed by, if delivered by courier, the records of such courier); (iii) if mailed, on the date of delivery as shown by the return receipt; (iv) if by email, on the date officially recorded as delivered, according to return receipt or other record of delivery. Notices shall be addressed to the RPOSD Grants Officer assigned to this grant in the grants management system. A copy of all written notices shall also be sent to [email protected].

Article 16: Audits, Accounting, Records
Grantee agrees to maintain satisfactory financial accounts, documents and records for the Project and to make them available to RPOSD for auditing at reasonable times. Grantee also agrees to retain such financial accounts, documents and records for five (5) years after closeout or termination of the Agreement, whichever is later.

Grantee agrees to maintain, and make available for RPOSD inspection, accurate records of all its costs, reimbursements and receipts with respect to its activities under this Agreement.

Grantee agrees to use an accounting system that complies with generally accepted accounting principles.

At any time during the term of this Agreement or at any time within 5 years after the expiration or prior termination of this Agreement, authorized representatives of RPOSD may conduct an audit of Grantee for the purpose of verifying appropriateness and validity of expenditures that Grantee has submitted to RPOSD for reimbursement under the terms of this Agreement.

Grantee, within thirty (30) days of notification that an audit has resulted in the exception of expenditures, may dispute the audit findings in writing to RPOSD and provide RPOSD with

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records and/or documentation to support the expenditure claims. RPOSD shall review this documentation and make a final determination as to the validity of the expenditures.

If Grantee has received all grant monies prior to the audit, or if remaining grant monies are insufficient, and if said audit reveals expenditures that cannot be verified or that were paid in violation of the terms of this Agreement, the Measure or the GAM, Grantee shall pay RPOSD an amount equal to these expenditures within sixty (60) days after receiving written notification of the expenditures disallowed and the reason for the disallowance.

Article 17: Computer Software
The Grantee certifies that it has instituted and will employ systems and controls appropriate to ensure that, in the performance of this agreement, RPOSD funds will not be used for the acquisition, operation or maintenance of computer software in violation of copyright laws.

Article 18: Public Access and Nondiscrimination
During the performance of this agreement, the Grantee shall not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, religious belief, national origin, marital status, physical or mental handicap, medical condition, or place of residence.

All work funded under this Agreement must advance a project that, upon future development, will be open and accessible to the general public without discrimination on any basis identified above. The Grantee shall not use grant funds to plan, design, or otherwise advance a project, or any component thereof, that is intended or reasonably expected to:
a) restrict public access through unreasonable gating, membership requirements, residency preferences, discriminatory fee structures, or other exclusionary conditions;
b) limit access or use in a manner that differentiates between residents and nonresidents of any jurisdiction, including but not limited to preferential registration, pricing, or scheduling;
c) serve a primarily private, commercial, or non-public purpose; or d) result in a facility, improvement, or open space that would not satisfy the public access requirements of Measure A, the GAM, or RPOSD's deed restriction requirements applicable to future development grants. If RPOSD determines at any time during the term of this Agreement that the work is advancing a project inconsistent with these requirements, RPOSD may suspend reimbursements, require corrective action, or terminate this Agreement in accordance with Article 10.

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The Grantee shall promptly notify RPOSD in writing of any change in Project circumstances that may affect compliance with this section. Nothing in this section limits the ability of the Grantee or a future project operator to establish reasonable rules governing hours of operation, reservation systems open to all members of the public, or use restrictions necessary for resource protection, public safety, or facility management, provided such rules are applied on a nondiscriminatory basis consistent with the terms of Measure A and the GAM.

Article 19: Independent Capacity
The Grantee, and the agents and employees of the Grantee, in the performance of this agreement, shall act in an independent capacity and not as officers or employees or agents of RPOSD.

Article 20: Assignment
This agreement is not assignable by the Grantee in whole or in part.

Article 21: Good Standing
A Grantee is in Good Standing when the Grantee is in compliance with all requirements stated in the Grant Agreement, GAM, policies, and procedures of RPOSD for both Proposition A and Measure A. Good Standing is required of Grantees for payment requests to be processed and to receive or apply for any grant funds from RPOSD.

Article 22: Community Engagement
The Grantee must conduct community outreach and engagement that meets the minimum requirements, as defined in the GAM, with the intent to ensure that communities throughout Los Angeles County are aware of and can help determine spending priorities for their projects and to facilitate a transparent process by which agencies report use of Measure A funds.

For specific details and requirements, refer to the GAM, as amended.

Article 23: Funding Acknowledgment
Grantee is required to acknowledge RPOSD’s financial assistance for the Project consistent with the conditions set forth in the GAM, which may include, without limitation: (1) printed and electronic materials, (2) social media, and (3) project announcements. Failure to comply with RPOSD’s funding acknowledgment requirements may delay eligible reimbursements and result in a loss of Good Standing.

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Article 24: Grant Status Updates
Grantee shall submit Grant Status Update Reports to RPOSD through grants management system by the due date(s) identified by RPOSD. Failure to submit a Grant Status Update by the due date may result in delayed claim reimbursement and potentially loss of Good Standing.

Article 25: Future Development Obligations
Grantee acknowledges that the planning and design work funded under this Agreement is intended to advance a project toward future development aligned with Measure A’s requirements of perpetuity, deed restriction, and public access requirements.

For specific details and requirements, refer to the GAM, as amended.

Article 26: Material Findings Disclosure
Grantee shall notify RPOSD in writing within ten (10) business days of discovery of any significant development that may: (a) substantially change the proposed or approved scope; (b) affect the Project’s timeline or milestones; or (c) raise concerns about the Project’s feasibility or timely implementation. Notifications must include a summary of the issue, potential impacts, and any mitigation steps being considered. RPOSD will work collaboratively with Grantee to adjust and respond to evolving project needs, if RPOSD deems it possible. However, failure to disclose material changes may affect reimbursement eligibility, Good Standing, and future funding access, consistent with RPOSD policies and the GAM, as amended.

Article 27: Authorization Warranty
Grantee represents and warrants that the person executing this Agreement on behalf of Grantee is an authorized agent who has actual authority to bind Grantee to each term, condition, and obligation of this Agreement and that all requirements of the Grantee have been fulfilled to provide such actual authority.

Article 28: Conflict of Interest
No RPOSD employee whose position with RPOSD enables such employee to influence the award of this Agreement, and no spouse or economic dependent of such employee, shall be employed in any capacity by Grantee or have any other direct or indirect financial interest in this Agreement. No officer or employee of Grantee who may financially benefit from the performance of work hereunder shall in any way participate in RPOSD’s approval, or ongoing evaluation, of such work, or in any way attempt to unlawfully influence RPOSD’s approval or ongoing evaluation of such work. Grantee shall comply with all conflict of interest laws, ordinances, and regulations now in effect, or hereafter to be enacted, during the term of this

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Agreement. Failure to comply with the provisions of this section shall be a material breach of this Agreement.

Article 29: Waiver
No waiver by RPOSD of any breach of any provision of this Agreement shall constitute a waiver of any other breach or of such provision. Failure of RPOSD to enforce at any time, or from time to time, any provision of this Agreement shall not be construed as a waiver thereof. The rights and remedies set forth in this Agreement shall not be exclusive and are in addition to any other rights and remedies provided by law or under this Agreement.

Article 30: Breach
Grantee agrees that compliance with the terms of this Agreement will have significant benefits to Los Angeles County and its constituents. In the event that Grantee breaches any of the terms, covenants, representations, or conditions of this Agreement, RPOSD may elect to enforce any and all remedies available at law or in equity, including without limitation: (a) prior to reimbursement of funds, withdrawal of the approved grant award; (b) after payment (partial or full), seek specific performance of Grantee’s obligations under this Agreement or receive reimbursement of grant funds. If RPOSD brings an action to enforce the terms of this Agreement, Grantee shall be responsible to pay RPOSD’s attorney’s fees and costs, including expert witness costs, if RPOSD prevails in said action. The foregoing remedies are cumulative and may be exercised independently or in combination.

Article 31: Counterparts
This Agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, which shall, in the aggregate, be signed by all the Parties; each counterpart shall be deemed an original instrument against any party who has signed it. In the event of any disparity between the counterparts produced, the recorded counterpart shall be controlling.

Article 32: Electronic Signature
The Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce (ESIGN) Act is a federal law passed in 2000. The Grantee and RPOSD agree that this Grant Agreement may be electronically signed.

The parties agree that the electronic signatures appearing on this agreement are the same as handwritten signatures for the purposes of validity, enforceability, and admissibility. If Grantee elects to opt-out of signing the grant agreement electronically, the Grantee must inform RPOSD prior to grant agreement execution.

Article 33: Timeliness
Time is of the essence in this Agreement.

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IN WITNESS THEREOF, Grantee and RPOSD have caused this Agreement to be executed by their duly authorized representatives as of the latter day, month and year written below.

GRANTEE: CITY OF SANTA MONICA
By: ________________________________
Signature of Authorized Representative
Name: ______________________________
Print Name
Title: _______________________________
Date: _______________________________

LOS ANGELES COUNTY
REGIONAL PARK AND OPEN SPACE DISTRICT:

By:________________________________
Director / Administrator
Date:______________________________
Grant No. 10271
Application
11903 - 2025 Planning and Design - Final Application
12005 - Santa Monica Airport Conversion Planning and Design Measure A
Status: Submitted
Submitted
Date: 10/27/2025
8:58 AM
Submitted
By:

Tony
Michael
Lopez
Grants Officer Assigned:

Applicant Information
Primary Contact:

Feel free to edit your profile any time your information changes. Create your own personal alerts using My Alerts.

Salutation Mr. Tony Michael Lopez
Salutation First Name Middle Name Last Name
Title Senior Park Planner
What is your role in
managing grants
with RPOSD?
(primary contact,
authorized or
designated signer,
accounting manager,
etc.)
Primary contact
Department Name* Public Works
Organization Information
Agency/Organization
Name*
City of Santa Monica - Santa Monica 182 SMON
Study Area
Number M&S Code
Agency/Organization Type
What is your
Agency/Organization
Type?*
Public Agency
Agency/Organization Contact Information
Agency/Organization
Website santamonica.gov
Agency/Organization
Phone*
310-458-2205
Ext.

Physical Address
All paper-based grant-related correspondence will be mailed to this address, unless a different address is provided below.

Agency/Organization
Physical Address* 1685 Main St.

Mail Stop 15
* Santa Monica California 90401
City State/Province Postal Code/Zip
Is this the same as
the Mailing
Address?*
Yes
Mailing Address
Skip this if Mailing Address is the same above.

Mailing Address
California
City State/Province Postal Code/Zip
Agency/Organization Financial Information
Tax ID* 956000790
List the
ROLES/TITLES of
the individuals
identified as
Authorized and
Designated signers
per your agency's
adopted resolution
or proof of
jurisdiction
support.*
City Manager or designee.

Grants Officer Assigned
Grants Officer Martha Lopez
Supervisorial District(s)
Old SD 3
New SD 3
Good Standing
Status Issues, if any:

RPOSD VIEW ONLY
Good Standing
Status Comments
Project Description
Grant Project Title* Santa Monica Airport Conversion Project The title clearly identifies the proposed project. It is recommended that the title be less than 12 words.

What specific
planning and design
activities will be
funded by this
grant?
Conceptual or schematic design, Design development or construction documents, Community engagement related to design
Check all that apply
What category is
this application
for?
Regional Recreation, Multi-use Trails & Accessibility
Category 4 - This
program supports
regional scale
recreation projects
that improve access
to nature, increase
countywide
connectivity, and
serve broad
populations. A
regional-scale
project is one that
serves , connects,
or benefits a broad
cross-jurisdictional
area-typically
extending beyond a
single
neighborhood,
community, or cityand is accessible to
a countywide or
multi-community
population.

Yes
Describe the scope
of work funded by
Measure A.

The City of Santa Monica is closing the Santa Monica Airport at midnight on December 31, 2028, as authorized by the Consent Decree/Settlement Agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which was entered as a Consent Decree in U.S. District Court, and resolved by City Council Resolution No. 11026. This closure will enable the city to repurpose the 192-acre site, originally purchased with a park bond, into a parkfocused project. The Santa Monica Airport Conversion Project (SMAC Project), located in the southeast corner of Santa Monica bordering neighborhoods of the City of LA, presents the largest opportunity for increasing parkland within the region of Santa Monica in its 150-year history.

The SMAC Project concludes early Spring 2026, and this grant will focus on planning and designing a maximum 20 acres of the 192 acres, positioning the city to apply for development funding, in the next competitive cycle in 2028 and awarded in 2029, for the first transformative park project within the airport lands. The scope includes the following. -Deliverable:Multi-modal, accessible trails for walking and jogging, dual-lane bicycling trails, outdoor fitness equipment, plantings, and interpretive signage. -Design and documentation: Validate concept of approximately 20-acres through community engagement; Schematic design; Design Development; Construction Documentation.
-Objectives: Design and document the first public open space to return land once closed for Airport function, increasing multiple jurisdiction access to recreation by connecting the site to high and very high need areas of LA, making this a marquee location to address Santa Monica and LA need to increase open space and environmental benefits; Further refine community outreach data; Increase the urban forest by 5% per Santa Monica's Urban Forest Master Plan; Incorporate increased biodiversity and habitat, transforming an 80% impervious site.

The following project goals help ensure a vibrant transition from airport to open space. -Accountability: A city that transparently acts in the best interest of the community it serves.
-Equity: A city that provides all community members with access to resources and opportunities, and where differences in life outcomes cannot be predicted by race, class, gender, disability, or other identities.
-Inclusion: A city where diversity of backgrounds, talents, and capabilities are welcomed and leveraged for learning and informing better business decisions. -Resilience: A city that builds sustainable capacities to withstand and recover from adversity.
-Stewardship: A city that thoughtfully plans for the long-term and effectively manages resources.
-Safety: A city that promotes and invests in the safety of all community members. -Innovation: A city that seeks out and implements cutting edge, efficient, and effective new solutions to address challenges.
4500-character limit
Click here for the 2025 Competitive Grant Programs Budget and Timeline Provide a clear
budget and timeline
outlining the
specific scope of
work funded by
Measure A. Identify
all funding sources
(secured or
proposed), and
distinguish between
Measure A and nonMeasure A
elements. For each
deliverable, specify
whether it is a hard
or soft cost.

Applicants are
encouraged to be as
detailed as possible
to demonstrate
project readiness
and strong project
management.

Measure A 2025 Competitive Grant - Planning and Design_CoSM Budget and Timeline.xlsx
Download, complete, and attach the included template. 50MB file size limit Environmental Information
What is the CEQA
status of the work
funded by this
grant?
To be completed with this grant
Provide
justification
The SMAC Project is currently in Phase 3B - Defining the Future of Place: The Preferred Scenario. This phase will create a preferred full vision scenario for the 192-acres site, establishing prioritization of shovel-ready design projects that can be implemented incrementally with CEQA completed.
750-character limit
Site Control
Please note that the applicant must provide proof in supporting documents section below. The applicant must provide written consent or other documentation to develop project. Examples of documentation include, but are not limited to, lease agreement, Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or other documentation from the landowner agreeing to the proposed project.

Describe site
control for the
proposed project.

Property Owner
Proof of site
control
2025 Measure A Competitive Grant - Planning and Design_CoSM Site Control.pdf Upload Required. 50MB file size limit
Explain how longterm public access
will be secured.

The current airport property was the subject of numerous conveyances acquired by the City over a period of decades. There are multiple deeds that cover the airport. Attached are the two main deeds that cover most of the airport and a table summary of the other deeds. Also enclosed is the consent decree that is currently enforced by the federal district court and the last title report that was done on the airport in 2001. Also attached is the consent decree which is currently enforced by the federal district court. The document represents that the city is the owner of the airport with an unencumbered fee title interest as of January 1, 2029.
2250-character limit
Evaluation Criteria
Are there known
site constraints (e.g.
contamination,
topography)? Are
there known site
constraints that
may affect project
implementation
(e.g., contamination,
permitting,
topography)?
Yes
Yes – Describe
constraints and
your mitigation
plan
Being that the site was an airport for almost 100 years, the city has completed phase 1 site assessment and is currently underway investigating a phase 2 assessment of potential site contamination across the 192 acres. This proactive study will help define the day-one site location.
4500-character limit
Describe how
funding the
proposed work will
make the project
more competitive
for Measure A
development funds
or other capital
funding in the
future?
On September 9, 2025, Santa Monica City Council adopted a Resolution declaring, "as a result of the City's current financial condition, uncertain revenues, and increasing costs and liabilities, the City is experiencing fiscal distress and has directed the City Manager to take all necessary steps to address, alleviate, and mitigate this fiscal distress." (refer to attached Resolution in Verification of Jurisdiction Support upload).

Funding the proposed work will be the first opportunity to realize the full vision of the SMAC Project, establishing a shovel-ready design that will help signify the return of green space to land that is currently eighty percent impervious. This grant opportunity will make the project more competitive as it would demonstrate local and regional alignment on goals to increase access to recreational and environmental benefits for the community.

This transformative project will address needs identified by the County 2016 and 2022 assessments and Santa Monica's 2025 Community Recreation and Arts Needs Assessment, which prioritized open green space and recreational interventions to advance level of service goals. The city's 2025 Parks and Recreation Vision Plan (PRVP) identified monitoring the SMAC project and its ability to address city and regional park need. Additionally, the PRVP's vision of City as Habitat reaffirms the city's Sustainable Rights Ordinance and commitment in striving to prevent harm to the natural environment and human health.

Studying the City of LA's 2035 Mobility Plan, Community Plans, and Sepulveda Transit Corridor diagrams alongside Santa Monica's Pedestrian and Bicycle Action Plans, this grant application presents a proactive opportunity to prioritize pedestrian and mobility enhancements to the Westside's mobility network, serving as an essential connection[s] for people across western Los Angeles County, helping them bridge neighborhoods and access vital resources in a region that is ever-growing and increasingly interconnected.

This grant application proposes walking, running, and bicycle trails within the Santa Monica Airport, establishing new pedestrian connections to adjacent study areas 85, 105, and 129 which are below the county average of 1/2-mile walking distance to parks.

The project manager is currently coordinating with key staff on right sizing the project scope in consideration of ongoing maintenance, securing the program within the economic tolerance of existing operating allocations, demonstrating a commitment to fiscal responsibility.

The SMAC project received many Letters of Interest from stakeholders proposing recreational amenities at a variety of scales, some being very small or proposing reuse of existing structures, to others requesting twenty or more acres for active recreation.

Establishing a shovel-ready design with Measure A funding will facilitate comprehensive alignment on how future capital partners will contribute to increasing recreation. With the airport closing at midnight, December 31, 2028, this funding will allow the development to begin in 2029, positioning the city to take the initial step towards securing day-one recreational activations in a meaningful way, transitioning the site from an active airport into a clean, safe, and fun recreational destination for Santa Monica and the region in perpetuity
4500-character limit
What community
engagement has
occurred for this
project to date?
Describe methods,
number and type of
participants, and
how prior input has
informed the
project.

The SMAC project is multi-generational, and the scope of this project hopes to kickstart the full vision through the incremental implementation of recreational uses, day-one, within an approximate 20-acres portion of the 192 acres. Studying the opportunity of the full 192 acres since May 2024, the SMAC Project has conducted:
-87 public meetings (in the form of community events and presentations to City Council, city boards, commissions, task forces, advisory committees, and 7 neighborhood organizations).
-10 pop-ups at community events.
-5 online surveys with over 12,000 responses.
-3 online virtual education sessions with over 6,500 views on topics such as site analysis and project guiding principles.
-20 Community Conversations offering micro-grant opportunities to members of the community; and,
-1 Project website with over 42,000 views, offering a dashboard for comments and hub for project information.

The outreach process helped confirm the project's five Guiding Principles (adopted by City Council on January 28, 2025), which will guide the grant process. -Start with Nature: The project design should consider the impact of any future intervention on the natural environment, and the Airport land's ability to regenerate species and build community resiliency against climate change. -Inspire Wonder: The project should connect individuals in powerful and far-reaching ways uniting people of all backgrounds and ages in meaning, happiness, and heightened energy.
-Balance Economics: The project should achieve economic equilibrium by balancing revenue with construction, operations, maintenance, and programming costs. -Amplify Versatility: The project should be vibrant in the everyday and the big day, working for the Santa Monica community for large events and unprogrammed day-to-day activities with active and passive amenities.
-Celebrate Place: The future project should embrace the layers of the site's history, and share the stories of the place and region, from pre-colonial to the history of aviation on the site.

During outreach, the project team heard 147 different active, passive, arts and culture, and community uses and worked with the community on prioritizing those uses down to a top 50 (in Phase 2). Of the top 50 preferred uses, 38% were passive recreation uses and 25% were active. This grant opportunity will focus on walking, running, and bicycle trails which were highly-ranked uses from public outreach.

For additional information on the public engagement process please visit www.smacproject.com/resources
4500-character limit
Community
Outreach Upload:

Prior support
documents may be
submitted
2025 Measure A Competitive Grant - Planning and Design_CoSM Outreach.pdf 50MB file size limit
What community
engagement will
occur as part of this
grant?
Building upon strategies that have proven successful with the SMAC Project, the grant outreach process will:
-Focus on increasing the participation of youth, ages 24-years and younger. -Engage underrepresented demographics, city and regional zip codes through a handson charrette process with the community; and, -Refine preferred recreational uses into a detailed project program for the interim site through online surveys.

The project found great success in collaborating with a local high school senior, establishing a direct correlation with the increase in project awareness with the 24-yearold and younger demographic. Community Conversations increased underrepresented demographic groups, acknowledging the opportunity to empower the community through recognizable leadership. Working with neighborhood organizations helped the community invest in establishing a unified narrative for the full vision. Understanding this grant will serve the region, the city is enthusiastic to engage neighboring zip codes in this process, inspiring a comprehensive vision for low-cost, high-impact, day-one integration of recreational uses that support long-term program flexibility.

In studying the feasibility of all 192 acres to date, the city heard comments that, though quite informative, the surveys were a bit complex. Listening to that feedback, this grant will engage the community immediately, upon award, to communicate the vision of the grant, align goals and objectives, and workshop a user-friendly engagement strategy that responds uniquely to the project scope. The team has found success in establishing a project website to create a hub for information and conduct feedback, nurturing the community's enthusiasm for collaborative communication. 4500-character limit
Are you partnering
with any
community-based
Yes
organizations
(CBOs) or
stakeholder
groups?
(Name and describe
role(s))
As this project expands recreational opportunity, the grant will collaborate with the following groups to ensure opportunities for continued community engagement and advancement of citywide initiatives.
-Recreation and Parks Commission: Advises staff on recreation and the use of public open space.
-Commission on Sustainability, Environmental Justice, and the Environment: Advises city staff and leadership on determining and setting environmental policy and decisions, in accordance with the guiding principles, goals, and objectives of the Sustainable City Program.
-Disabilities Commission: Helps improve the quality of life for people with disabilities in Santa Monica by prioritizing issues of concern and advising staff. -Planning Commission: Seeks to balance the many needs and priorities within the community in accordance with the city's General Plan and Specific Plans. -Arts Commission: Ensures a regular and ongoing assessment of arts programs in the city, develops arts programs of innovative form, recognizes and encourages the arts as a service of local government.
-Urban Forest Task Force: Advises city staff on the implementation and effectiveness of the Santa Monica Urban Forest Master Plan.
-Santa Monica Neighborhood Groups: Represents the 7 neighborhoods of Santa Monica, communicating the needs of the community to city staff. -City of Los Angeles Planning Department: Maintains dialogue on the City of LA's updates to the Community Plans of Mar Vista, Palms, Del Rey, Venice, West LA, and Brentwood as two edges of the project touch these cities.
-California State Parks: Maintains dialogue on matters related to program and regional need.
-Great Park Coalition: Advocates for local and regional park need, providing increased project transparency.
4500-character limit
Who will manage
this project?
Provide names,
roles, and relevant
experience of key
staff or
consultants.

Tony Lopez, Santa Monica's Senior Park Planner, will manage the project. Prior to being welcomed to the City of Santa Monica in April 2024, Tony has 18 years of experience in the field of Landscape Architecture as a landscape designer, designing parks and open spaces; managing local, regional, and international projects; and coordinating the construction of parks and open spaces. As the Senior Park Planner, Tony has:
-Managed the final phase of the Parks Condition Assessment, a network-wide assessment of park maintenance to determine improvement work plans for the next 20 years.
-Worked with the Recreation and Arts Department to implement the 2025 Community Recreation and Arts Needs Assessment to quantify Santa Monica's acreage and programming level of service.
-Managed the update to the City's Parks and Recreation Vision Plan, a document that establishes actionable recommendations for acquisition, expansion, improvements, and funding opportunities for the city's park network over the next 20 years. -Manages the Development Impact Fee and its reporting.
-Manages the Park Improvement Program fund and coordinates projects that address deferred maintenance of park amenities and components; and, -Manages the Measure A grant allocations, including Grant 10159 (Douglas Park Playground Reconstruction Project).

These experiences demonstrate Tony's ability to establish clear scopes of work, manage consultant contracts, review deliverables against milestones, and align budgets with available resources. Tony will also be supported by Amelia Feichtner, City Architect, and Amber Richane, Principal Design and Planning Manager for the SMAC Project. Their roles include ensuring project alignment with the long-term vision for the airport site, reviewing technical deliverables for quality control, and maintaining consistency with city design standards.

Tony works internally within the Architecture Services Division of the Department of Public Works (the department within the city that designs, constructs, and maintains parks). As this project will add to the park network, Tony will be coordinating with Matthew Wells, the Public Landscape Manager, and his team. Understanding the integration of recreational uses will increase recreational program opportunities, Tony coordinates regularly with Micah Akerson, Community Recreation Manager for the Recreation and Arts Department. 4500-character limit
Describe your
project delivery
approach.

If awarded, the grant and project will be managed by a highly experienced team within the City of Santa Monica's Department of Public Works, led by Tony Lopez, Senior Park Planner. Together, this team brings proven expertise in delivering complex, grant-funded planning projects on time and within budget.

Applying for this grant, from the onset, requires staff to provide the Finance department with an Internal Request to Apply for Grant Funding so that they may understand the project scope and fiscal impacts throughout the grant timeline and post completion.

Additionally, department heads review this document to ensure necessary staffing is available to execute the grant, if awarded.

Aligning with Chapter 2.24 of the city's Municipal Code, a public procurement process is implemented to ensure equitable opportunity for potential bidders. Consultant proposals are required to demonstrate understanding of the project through scope descriptions, provide relevant project experience, draft of a refined project schedule, propose a cost per scope item, and may provide references. Proposals are reviewed by staff who would be engaged in the project and interviews when a shortlist of consultants are scheduled.

Once a recommendation of an award is put forth, the project manager will recommend that award at a City Council meeting. Once the award is approved, the contract routing process can begin (6-8 weeks). As routing is near completion, the initial kickoff meeting will be scheduled to review key project objectives, obtain and review necessary project background information, schedule a site visit, discuss communication protocols, and align project schedule.

A schedule of weekly project meetings, requiring the consultant provides an agenda for review by the project manager to ensure relevant city staff is available, if required. Meeting notes will follow, identifying action items for the project team. As a recreation project, milestones will be established within tasks timelines to provide updates to relevant boards and commissions, providing additional opportunities for the community to engage. Milestone deliverables will be reviewed by city staff for comment prior to formal delivery and presentation to City Council.

Managing the budget requires the project manager to track work completed as a percentage of the overall fee and scope monthly to ensure responsible review of deliverables against invoices. The project manager reviews and approves the invoices, the invoices are backchecked by the division's Senior Administrative Analyst and are processed through the Finance Department. The project manager assigned to this project has experience in setting up direct deposit with The Regional Parks and Open Space District for claim reimbursement as well as tracking, approving, and paying invoices. 4500-character limit
Describe your past
experience
delivering similar
planning or
technical projects
funded by public
grants.

This leadership team has successfully managed multiple grant-funded planning and capital projects, balancing scope, schedule, and budget while engaging community stakeholders and oversight bodies. With this proven track record, the city is wellpositioned to deliver the grant scope efficiently and effectively, laying the groundwork for future development funding.

In 2014, The City of Santa Monica administered a $3.1 million Department of Housing and Urban Development Housing-Related Parks Program grant to help fund Ishihara Park (at the time known as Buffer Park), a 2.4-acres park within the Pico Neighborhood along a transit corridor, designed to integrate small garden rooms for visitors to experience landscape and program elements focused on play, picnicking, contemplation, gathering, exercise, and gardening. Completed in 2017, Ishihara Park includes stormwater retention planters, fitness equipment stations, picnic areas, playground, small citrus orchard, public art, informal walking loop, and community garden.

The City of Santa Monica successfully administered a state grant to upgrade the playground at Marine Park. The $1.2 million project was completed in July 2022 and partially funded with a $234,435 grant from Prop 68 the California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection, and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2018. The playground's inclusive design offers ample space and a barrier-free environment for children of all abilities and their families to interact and play together. This inclusive, universally accessible playground features separate play structures for children 2-5 years old and 5- 12 years old, improved pedestrian access, rubber safety surfacing, a sand play area, shade structures, fencing, and seating.

In 2023, The City of Santa Monica began administering Measure A annual allocation grant funding for the Douglas Park Playground Reconstruction project. The $1,443,700 project will replace the existing playground at Douglas Park with new universally accessible play equipment, shade sails, safety surface, seating, and planted areas. This project continues the success of Marine Park Playground upgrades within integration of inclusive play equipment. The project has completed community outreach requirements and received plan check approval in July 2025. Construction will begin in early October 2025 and will be completed early Spring 2026.
4500-character limit
Is the project site
located in a High or
Very High Need
Study Area?
Provide address
and APN, if
possible.

No
If not, will the
project
meaningfully benefit
High/Very High
Need residents?
Explain, include
partnerships,
visitation patterns,
outreach
strategies).

Per the 2016 LA Countywide Assessment, Santa Monica (Study Area #182) is classified as moderate park need. The project will meaningfully benefit High/Very High need residents as three of the four adjacent study areas are High/Very High need (refer to attached PNA Map Viewer snapshot included in Verification of Jurisdiction Support upload).
-City of LA - Palms, Mar Vista, Del Rey (Study Area #105): 0.5 acres/1,000 (Very High) -City of LA - Venice (Study Area #106): 0.9 acres/1,000 (Very High) -City of LA - West LA (Study Area #85): 1.0 acres/1,000 (High) -City of LA - Brentwood, Pacific Palisades (Study Area #129): 6.5 acres/1,000 (Moderate) The SMAC Project has been engaged in conversations with these jurisdictions, and these cities have consistently participated in all forms of outreach. Additionally, per the PNA+, this area of the region receives the second highest score with regard to environmental burden.
4500-character limit
Location* APN Numbers (refer to Site Control supporting documentation as well):
4272-026-902,
4272-025-901,
4272-015-900,
4272-016-903,
4272-027-901,
4272-028-902, and
4272-031-908
500-character limit. APN preferred, if not APN address or intersection can be entered.

Check the
applicable
indicators based on
PNA+ Map Viewer
for either Regional
Recreation Need for
Rural Recreation
Need:

None
Verification of
Jurisdiction
Support
2025 Measure A Competitive Grant - Planning and Design_CoSM Letters of Support and Supporting Graphics.pdf
Do you have the authority to apply? 50MB file size limit Reporting Requirements
Supervisorial District
Study Area

BUDGET AND TIMELINE TEMPLATE
Project Name:

Santa Monica Airport
Conversion
Applicant Name: City of Santa Monica
Competitive Program: Planning and Design - Category 4

DELIVERABLE COST TYPE TIMELINE

MEASURE A

COMPETITIVE
City of Santa
Monica
N/A N/A N/A Total
Proposed Secured [TYPE] [TYPE] [TYPE]
Project Initiation & Concept Validation
- see Tab 2 and 3 Soft Cost 1 month $8,778.00 $8,778.00 Schematic Design - see Tab 2 and 3 Soft Cost 2.5 months $108,927.00 $108,927.00 Design Development - see Tab 2 and
3 Soft Cost 3 months $120,897.00 $120,897.00
Construction Documentation - see
Tab 2 and 3 Soft Cost 5 months $260,547.00 $260,547.00
Plan Check and permitting - see Tab 2
and 3 Soft Cost 2 months $72,618.00 $72,618.00
CEQA - see Tab 2 and 3 Soft Cost 1 month $37,758.00 $37,758.00 Closeout - see Tab 2 and 3 Soft Cost 3 months $19,950.00 $19,950.00 $-
$-
$-
$-
$-
$-
$-
$-
$-
$-
$-
$-
$-
$-
PROJECT GRAND TOTAL $499,149.00 $130,326.00 $- $- $- $629,475.00 Soft Cost % 100% 100%
Hard Cost % 0% 0%

Santa Monica City CouncilJune 9, 2026

Santa Monica City Council
June 9, 2026