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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-05-13 City CouncilCity of Palo Alto City Manager’s Report TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL 5 FROM: DATE: CITY MANAGER MAY 13, 2001 DEPARTMENT: COMMUNITY SERVICES CMR: 227:02 SUBJECT:ADOPTION OF A REVISED RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT FOR A GRANT FROM THE COASTAL COMMISSION SAN FRANCISCO BAY TRAIL PROJECT FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO TRAIL SEGMENTS ALONG THE FABER-LAUMEISTER TRACT IN THE BAYLANDS RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends that Council approve the attached revised resolution to: 1. Authorize the acceptance of a $70,000 grant for improvements to trail segments from the San Francisco Bay Trail Project, and approve the terms and conditions of the grant agreement. 2. Authorize the City Manager or his designee, as the person responsible for the administration of the grant including certifications and any amendments on behalf of the City. BACKGROUND On February 20, 2001, Council approved a resolution authorizing the submittal of a grant application, to the California Coastal Commission San Francisco Bay Trail Project (Bay Trail). The proposed project funded by this $70,000 .grant would improve a half-mile existing asphalt path betweenO"Connor Street and 300 feet beyond Runnymede Street in East Palo .Alto. The trail would be widened from three feet to eight feet. The trail improvements are intend to provide an all’weather trail that will facilitate relaxed hiking and bicycle travel. Trail construction work would be performed under contract by a qualified paving company. DISCUSSION The grant application was submitted, and on March 18, 2002, the City was informed that it has been awarded a $70,000 grant. Staff was also notified by the Bay Trail office that the wording of the resolutions adopted by the City Council does not conform with its requirements for acceptance of the grant agreement. CMR:227:02 Page lof3 The initial reso.lution was worded in part: "WHEREAS, the City of Palo Alto wishes to submit a grant application th~t will result in reimbursement to the City of funds that are ¯ expended in connection with proposed B~ty Trail improvements to the trail in and around the Palo Alto Baylands, NOW, THEREFORE, the Council of the City of Palo Alto does .hereby resolve .as follows: SECTION 1. The Council hereby authorizes the City Manager or ¯his or her designee to file a grant application on behalf of the City of Palo Alto with theSan Francisco Bay Trail Project in order that the City may be reimbursed for funds which the City intends to expend on proposed, improvements to the trails passing along the Faber Laumeister tract of the Palo Alto Baylands," According to the grant administrator at the San Francisco Bay Trail. Project, the Resolution must be amended¯ to read: "WHEREAS, the City of Palo Alto wishes to accept an offer for a $70,000 grant to be used for proposed improvements.to the trails in and around the Palo Alto¯ Baylands. - NOW, THEREFORE, the Council of the City of Palo Alto does hereby resolve as follows: SECTION 1. The Council hereby ¯approves the terms and conditions ¯of an agreement with the Association of Bay Area Governments and authorizes the City Manager or his designee to execute the agreement. SECTION 2.¯ The Council hereby designates the City Manager or his or her designee as the person responsible for the administration of the grant contract, including certifications and any amendments on behalf of the City. RESOURCE IMPACT ¯ The grant agreement requires the City to certify there are sufficient funds to operate and maintain the project. Staff has determined that this project will significantly reduce the need for periodic clearing of weeds from the face of the trail. Therefore, the proposed improvements will reduce operating and maintenance costs. The proposed trail surface is ¯ expected to last fifteen years before it will need to be resurfaced. It will be the City’s responsibility to resurface the trail at that time if it has significantly deteriorated. POLICY IMPLICATIONS The recommended actions in this report further the ¯objectives of Comprehensive Plan. Community Policy 24: reinvest in aging facilities to improve their usefulness and appearance; Land Use Policy 15: preserve and enhance the public gathering spaces within walking distance of residential neighborhoods, ensure that each residential neighborhood has such spaces; and Community Program 23: study and recommend methods of private and public .financing for improved park maintenance, rehabilitation, and construction. -CMR:227:02 Page lof3 ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW The acceptance of a grant is-not considered anaction subject to the California EnvirOnmental Quality Act (CEQA); therefore, no environmental assessment is needed at this time. Environmentalreview of the proposed project has been completed. Because this project improves an existing structure, it has been declared to be categorically exempt per Section 15302 of 1999 CEQA Guidelines (replacement or reconstructiOn.) ATTACHMENTS Attachment A: PREPARED BY: Resolution ,approving the terms and conditions of an agreement with the Association of Bay Area Governments and authorizing the City Manager or his designee to execute the agreement, including certifications and any amendments on behalf of the City. ~ " (_.,/ GKEG BETTS Superintendent, Open Space & Sciences DEPARTMENT HEAD: PAUL T. THILTGEN Director.of Community Services CITY MANAGER APPROVAL: HARRISON Assistant City Manager CMR:227:02 Page lof3 RESOLUTION NO. RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALO ALTO AMENDING RESOLUTION NO. 8036 TO AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN AGREEMENT FOR A GRANT FROM THE COASTAL COMMISSION SAN FRANCISCO BAY TRAIL PROJECT FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO TRAIL SEGMENTS ALONG THE FABER-LAUMEISTER TRACT IN THE BAYLANDS WHEREAS, the City of Palo Alto wishes to accep~ an offer for a $70,000 grant to be used for proposed improvemedts to the trails in and around the Palo Alto Baylands;and WHEREAS, the San Francisco Bay Trail Project provides grant funds to develop trail segments of the Bay Trail throughout the nine-county area; and WHEREAS, the San Francisco Bay Trail Project accepts, annually, grant applications for projects that improve public access and related facilities to and around the bay; and WHEREAS, the City of Palo Alto wishes to submit a grant application that will result in re±mbursement to the City of funds that are expended in connection with proposed Bay Trail improvements to the trails in ahd around the Palo Alto Baylands; and WHEREAS, on February 20, 2001, the Council approved Resolution No. 8036 to authorize the grant submitted; and WHEREAS, the Coastal Commission requested changes in the resolution as follow below: NOW, THEREFORE, the Council of the City of Palo Alto does hereby RESOLVE as follows: SECTION i. The Council hereby approves the terms and conditions of an agreement with the Association of Bay Area Governments and authorizes the City Manager or his designee to execute the agreement. SECTION 2. The Council hereby designates-the City Manager or his or her designee as the person responsible for the administration of the grant contract, including submitting claims for reimbursement. 020416 sm 0053021 1 SECTION 3. The Council finds that this is not a project under the California~ Environmental Quality Act and, therefore, no environmental impact assessment is necessary. INTRODUCED AND PASSED: AYES: NOES: ABSENT: ABSTENTIONS: ATTEST: City. Clerk Mayo.r APPROVED AS TO FORM:APPROVED: City Attorney City Manager Director of Community Services Director of Administrative Services 020416 sm 0053021 ATTACm~’T ~)- RESOLUTION OF Tm~ crry STAFF II.~PORT TO: " FROM: .DATE: ¯City of Palo Alto City Manag Is, Report- HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL CITY. MANAGER FEBRUARY 20, 2001 DEPARTMENT:COMMUNITY SERVICES ¯ CMR: 134:01 SUBJECT:ADOPTION OFA RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE I.CITY. MANAGER TO" FILE .AN APPLICATION FOR A SAN FRANCISCO BAY TRAIL PROGRAM GRANT FOR BAYLANDS TRA IMPROV MWNT RECOMMENDATION.. Staff recommends that cotmcil approve the attached resolution to: .. 1. Authorize the submittal of a grant application for $65,000 to the San Francisco Bay Trail Project for improvements to the Bay Trail segment between O’Connor Street and Bay Road in East Palo Alto. 2.Authorize the City Manager or his designee to execute the application, certifications, standard grant agreement, andany amendments on behalf of the City. BACKGROUND Annually in April, the San Francisco Bay Trail Project accepts grant applications for projects that will provide or improve public access to the bay shore. The mission of the .Bay Trail Project, a program of the Association of~Bay Area Governments, is to encourage government agencies and¯ nonprofit organizations to plan and construct undeveloped, segments Or. improve existing trails, of the 400-mi!e Bay Trail Plan. ¯ The California Legislatur.eo and Governor Gray Davis recentl3i approved an appropriation of $7.5 million to the State Coastal Conservancy for development ofthe Bay Trail. The money o.mes from the parks and open space bond passed byCalif0rnia voters in March 2000..The goal of this years’ grant program is to add new trail segments to the San Francisco Bay Trail, improve existing trails, add. connectors and create destination points. DISCUSSION ¯ In Palo Alto, the Bay Trail passes through the Baylands Preserve by two routes. The ftrst .route, is a paved bicycle path along East Bayshore Road, from San Antonio Road at the Mountain View border, to the bicycle bridge that leads onto O’Connor Street in East Palo Alto, ne~ the Baylands Athletic Center. The .second route, which runs closer to the shoreline, follows the flood control levee along Charleston Slough, through Byxbee Park, past the Duck Pond and Baylands Nature Center, and around the bay Side of the airport and municipal golf course, to where it connects with the bicycle bridge into East Palo CM1~:134:0!Page 1 of 3 Alto. In East Palo Alto, the trail .continues along the edge of the .City owned Faber- Laumeister tract and marsh.to the edge of the Kavenswood Open Space Preserve at Bay Road, The proposed project would improve a half-mile existing asphalt path between O’Connor. Street and Runnymede Street. The trail would be widened fxom three feet to six feet. Between Runnymede Street and Bay Road, an existing two-foot wide dirt path would be widened to six feet ~d paved: The trail improvements are intended to provide an all-. weather trail that will facilitate relaxed hiking and biking. Trail construction work would be performedunder eontractby a.qualified paving company. .If Palo Alto’s grant proposal is chosen for funding, trail construction would begin in September 2001, and be completed by .January 2003. Grant funds would not be available for reimbursement to the City until October 2001, .. RESOURCE IMPACT The cost of the-project is estimated at $65,000. Bay Trail Project funds are disbursed on a reimbursement basis. If Palo Alto is awarded a grant, staff would return with a Budget .Amendment to appropriate City funds for project expenditures which would be reimbursed by grant funds. POLICY IMPLICATIONS The recommended actions in this report are consistent with the existing Comprehensive Plan Natural Environment Policy 2: support sub-regional efforts to link existing open ¯ space areas together; and Natural Environment Program 4: seek additional sources of ¯ funding, including state and federal programs, to finance open space acquisition and development. TIMELINE " The Bay Trail Project grant applications, Submitted by all qualified jurisdictions, will be reviewed and i~rioritized by a review panel made up of Bay Trail Project staff and referred to the Coastal Conservancy Board of Directors at its June 2001 meeting. All applicants will be notified of the award selection by June 30, 2001. If funded, the. proposed projects are expected to be completed by January 2003. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW The application for a grant is not considered an action subject to the California Environmental Quality Act; therefore, no environmental assessment is needed at this time. Environmental review will be conducted prior to obligating the grant funds to this. project. ’ !CMI~: 134:01 Page 2 of 3 ATTACHMENTS AttachmentA: Attachment B: PREPARED BY: Resolution Authorizing the Filing of. Application for San.Francisco Bay Trail Funds Project Location Map ~J . d5/" GI~GORY BE’ITS Superintendent, Open Space & Sciences REVIEWED BY: PAUL THILTGEN Director of Community Services CITY MANAGER APPROVAL: Assistant to the City Manager CMR:134:01 Page 3 of 3 RESOLUTION NO. 8036 RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF. THE CITY OF PALO ALTO¯ AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO SUBMIT TO THE SAN FRANCISCO BAYTRAIL PROJECT A GRANT APPLICATION FoR FUNDS WHICH THE CITY INTENDS TO EXPEND ON TRAIL IMPROVEMENTS LOCATED ALONG THE FABERfLAUMEISTER TRACT IN THE PALO ALTO BAYLANDS WHEREAS, the san Francisco Bay Trail Project provides grant funds to develop trail " segments of¯ the Bay. Trail. throughou~.th~ nine-county area; ’and -~ WHEREAS, the San Francisco Bay Trail. Project accepts, annually, grant applications for projects that improve public access and related facilities to and around the bay, and WHEREAS~ the City of¯Palo Alto wishes to submit a grant application that will result in reimbursement to the’. City of funds that~ are-expended .in connection with proposed Bay Trail improvements to the trails in and around the PaloAlto Baylands. NOW,.. THEREFORE, t¯heOouncil of the. City of Palo Alto does hereby RESOLVE as follows: SECTION i. The Council hereby authorizes the .City Manager or his or her.designee to file a grant applicationon behalf of the City of Palo Alto with the¯ San Francisco Bay Trail Project in order that the¯ City may be reimbursed for. funds which the~ City intends to expend on proposed improvements to the trails passing along the Faber Laumeister tract of the Palo Alto Baylands. SECTION 2.. The Council ¯hereby designates the city Manager or his or her designee as the person responsible for the administration of the grant application. ~ /! // !/ !! // SECTION 3. The Council finds tha~ .the adoption of this resolution, which authorizes the submittal of a grant application, ¯does not onstitutea project under the California Environmental QDa~ity-Act. Staff¯ will perform .an environmental assessment when the proposed trail improvement project is considered. INTRODUCED AND PASSED:’ February 20, 2001 AYES: BEECHAM, BURCH, EAKINS, FAZZINO KLEINBERG, LYTLE, MOSSAR, OJAKIAN, WHEELER NOES : ABSENT: .. ABSTENTIONS ATTEST : C~ty Clef City ~ttorney APPROVED: Mayor ’~i~ector O{ Community Services , .