PREPARED BY: RONALYN NONATO DATE OF MEETING: 04/05/21
SUBJECT:
TITLE
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO APPROPRIATING $400,000 FROM THE CITY GENERAL FUND DESIGNATED RESERVE (100-0000-00000) SOILS STORAGE TO THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT 0201 WILDCAT CREEK RESTORATION AND GREENWAY TRAIL PROJECT (320-3200-43600-GFD-420)
Label
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Adopt Resolution
Body
Compliance statements
Major Policy Goal: Build a Healthy Community, 109. Develop Public Facilities for Active Living (Parks, Open Space, Sidewalks, Trails, Bike Lanes, etc.) is an adopted policy item under the FY 2021-23 City Council Priority Workplan, effective March 15, 2021.
CEQA Compliance Statement
The proposed project completed CEQA review in 2013 and it was determined to be categorically exempt in accordance with Sections 15304 and 15333 of the CEQA Guidelines, on the basis that this project involves minor alterations to land and small habitat restoration. The Notice of Exemption was filed with the County on May 25, 2018.
BACKGROUND
The Wildcat Creek Restoration and Greenway Trail project is nearing completion. The project, at completion, will have restored 2,200 linear feet of Wildcat Creek and constructed a 2,100 linear foot greenway-trail with a Class I bike/pedestrian path, landscaping and pedestrian amenities between Church Lane and Vale Road. Previously that section of Wildcat Creek had banks that were near vertical, lacked floodplain access, and had a locked-in meander pattern. The creek restoration established an active channel width‐to‐depth ratio to help transport sediment effectively throughout the reach without excessive sediment deposition, developed in-stream habitat/complexity to increase the creek’s viable fish habitat, developed a floodplain bench/terrace to allow the channel to accommodate larger flow volumes, changed the slope of the right bank from 1:1 (vertical: horizontal) slope to a 3:1 slope to stabilize the creek and established new vegetation of over 2,000 native riparian trees and shrubs to further reduce bank erosion while providing terrestrial and avian habitat.
In addition to the creek restoration, increasing awareness and engagement with the bicycle and pedestrian community will help shift the public’s perception of the creek as a hot spot for illicit activities to being recognized as a viable public corridor. The path will be a crucial link in the future Wildcat Creek Regional Trail, connecting the San Francisco Bay and Wildcat Canyon Regional Park Ridge Trails.
During project construction, a number of change order directives were initiated. Notably, the 2023 Vale Road (Lifelong Urgent Care Facility) parking lot improvement was expanded to the entire parking lot instead of just a portion of it. This was done to facilitate the sale of the facility to private ownership. Another change order was authorized for the installation of surveillance cameras on the trail. During design, staff teamed up with the Police Department (PD) and their contractor to ensure that the trail light designs would be “camera ready” for future camera installations in conjunction with a separate PD project. While in construction, PD determined that they would not have funding for the camera purchase and installation under their project and asked if the Wildcat Creek Trail project could facilitate this work. Other minor and unforeseen change order work items include: extension of the outfall riprap protection, dig out and compaction of dirt “soft spots” in the trail, adjacent parcel (Salesian School) vegetation planting for safety purposes, removal and cleanup of a fallen tree during a storm, etc.
FISCAL IMPACT
To cover the construction change order costs and replenish existing project funds, staff recommends appropriating $400,000 from fund balance in the General Fund Designated Reserve previously set aside for Soils Storage for the Wildcat Creek Trail project (100-0000-00000) to the Wildcat Creek Restoration and Greenway Trail aspect of the project in the Capital Improvement Project fund (320-0201-43604-GFD-420) as shown in the table below:
|
Transaction |
Project Name |
Account Code From: Account Code To: |
Amount |
|
Appropriate |
Wildcat Creek Trail Project (WCC-TRL) |
100-0000-00000 320-0201-43604-GFD-420 |
$ 400,000 |
This appropriation will complete the funding requirements for the project which will be opening soon.