PREPARED BY: AMANDA BOOTH DATE OF MEETING: 09/21/20
SUBJECT:
TITLE
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO TO RATIFY THE CITY OF SAN PABLO’S GRANT APPLICATION FOR $1.56 MILLION IN FUNDS FROM THE CALIFORNIA STATE WATER RESOURCES CONTROL BOARD PROPOSITION 1 FUNDING
Label
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Adopt Resolution
Body
Compliance statements
FY 2019-21 Council Priority Workplan Compliance Statement
Enhance Community Resilience - 202. Develop Long-Term Environmental Stewardship Goals is an adopted policy item contained in the FY 2019-21 Adopted City Council Priority Workplan, last amended September 8, 2020.
CEQA Compliance Statement
Pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15061 (b)(3), the adoption of the subject resolution authorizing Public Works to submit a grant application is exempt from CEQA requirements. Under Guidelines section 15378, “project” does not include the creation of government funding mechanisms or other government fiscal activities, which do not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment. The project for which this grant would help fund (the Sutter Avenue Green Street Project) may require further CEQA review, which will be completed as part of the proposed project.
BACKGROUND
California voters passed the Water Quality, Supply, and Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2014 (Prop 1) on November 4, 2014. Prop 1 provided $200 million for matching grants to public agencies, nonprofit organizations, public utilities, state and federally recognized Indian tribes, and mutual water companies for multi-benefit storm water management projects (Water Code section 79747). The City of San Pablo’s proposed submission for this funding is the “Sutter Avenue Green Street Project” that would reduce localized urban flooding, calm traffic, encourage active modes of transportation, improve water quality, increase infiltration, sequester carbon and provide urban greening. The main two components of the project would re-direct a stormdrain pipe on Rumrill Boulevard and install various Low Impact Design (LID) elements on Sutter Avenue.
The LID on Sutter Avenue would be designed as chicanes and bulb-outs that have bioswales that will treat stormwater and encourage infiltration. The chicanes and bulb-outs will also slow traffic and improve neighborhood walkability.
Redirecting the storm drain pipe at the intersection of Rumrill Boulevard and Sutter Avenue will divert stormwater from the undersized storm drain main line on Rumrill Boulevard to an area with sufficient capacity, thereby improving drainage in the Sutter Avenue and on Rumrill Boulevard areas.
Staff is requesting that the City Council ratify the grant application submittal which applied for $1.56 million in Proposition 1 funding from the California State Water Resources Control Board for the Storm Water Grant Program on June 30, 2020.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact at this time as this item is to ratify the grant application submittal.
The total project cost for the Sutter Avenue Green Street Project with the Rumrill Boulevard mainline stormdrain pipe upgrade is $4,632,000. The proposed grant funding of $1.56 million is part of the Sutter Avenue Green Street Project. City staff have applied to other grant sources to fund the Rumrill mainline upgrade aspect of the project. There is a reduced match requirement for disadvantaged communities (DAC) of 10% of the project cost. The City will exceed this requirement through $410,000 of city money plus $81,000 of federal EPA funds for the Sutter Avenue Green Street Project. If a Prop 1 Grant is awarded, staff will return to City Council to accept, appropriate and request any matching funds.