PREPARED BY: ITZEL GOMEZ DATE OF MEETING: 03/03/2025
SUBJECT:
TITLE
CONSIDER ADOPTING RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO (1) AUTHORIZING SUBMISSION OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO’S GRANT APPLICATION TO THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE (NPS) OUTDOOR RECREATION LEGACY PARTNERSHIP (ORLP) GRANT PROGRAM FOR THE MCNEIL PARK PROJECT (0501), AND (2) AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE THE GRANT APPLICATION AND TO TAKE OTHER NECESSARY ACTIONS TO RECEIVE SUCH GRANT FUNDING
CEQA: The McNeil park project (previously called the SPARC project) has been determined to be categorically exempt pursuant to Section 15304 of the State CEQA Guidelines. Section 15304 exempts from environmental review “minor public or private alterations in the condition of land, water, and/or vegetation which do not involve removal of healthy, mature, scenic trees except for forestry and agricultural purposes.” The Project would involve alteration of the site from an empty lot with demolition debris to a park, including grading, new landscaping, and minor trenching and backfilling where the surface is restored. The Project would not remove any mature trees; the trees within and adjacent to the Project site would be preserved in place.
Label
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Adopt Resolution
Body
Compliance statements
FY 2023-2025 Council Priority Workplan Compliance Statements:
Build a Healthy Community: Develop Public Facilities for Active Living (Parks, Open Space,…,Trails,…,Etc.)-(109) is a major policy goal contained in the FY 2023-25 City Council Priority Workplan, effective May 1, 2023.
BACKGROUND
The Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) Program is a federal National Park Service (NPS) grant program. ORLP involves two competitive layers. First the California Department of Parks and Recreation's Office of Grants and Local Services (OGALS) competitively reviews applications. Second, OGALS forwards selected applications to NPS to compete in the nationwide competition. ORLP was established in 2014 and is funded through the Land and Water Conservation Fund. ORLP focuses on communities with little to no access to publicly available, close-by, outdoor recreation opportunities in urban areas. ORLP funds the acquisition and/or development of new parks, or substantial renovations to parks in economically disadvantaged communities.
City staff have held multiple public meetings, developed an online survey and attended multiple community events to gain input from the community regarding the desired features for McNeil Park. From this outreach, staff is proposing a grant application that funds the following features at a park at 2600 Moraga Road:
• a soccer field;
• a playground area;
• a fitness equipment station;
• a basketball court; and
• basic park amenities such as restrooms, picnic tables, shade structures, lighting and more.
The City of San Pablo’s proposed application submission for this funding is for construction of McNeil Park at 2600 Moraga Road. The City has already secured $7.79M in grant funding to fund the McNeil Project. The funding sources include:
• $4.79M from the Urban Greening Grant Program from California Natural Resources Agency
• $3.0M from Legislatively Specified Grant Program from State of California Department of Parks and Recreation
Based on the 65% plans and cost estimate, City staff are estimating an approximate $3.0M funding gap for the McNeil Park Project. Staff are requesting approval to apply for up to $3.5 million in ORLP grant funding from the National Park Service to close this funding gap.
Grant applications are due by March 11, 2025. It is anticipated that projects will be selected in September 2025.
FISCAL IMPACT
Staff seeks City Council authorization to apply for an Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership grant from the California State Park. This item does not have a fiscal impact beyond the approximate 40 hours of staff time to create the grant application.
However, if awarded and a match is deemed required City staff will return to Council to appropriate funds and identify match amounts and sources.
In addition, once the park is complete this is estimated to increase the City’s annual maintenance costs by $160,000, which consists of 1.0 FTE and supplies and materials.
ATTACHMENTS:
Att A - Resolution