HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-11-13 City Council (22)City of Palo Alto
City Manager’s Re
TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: COMMUNITY SERVICES
DATE:NOVEMBER 13, 2000 CMR: 403:00
SUBJECT:ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY
MANAGER TO FILE A GRANT APPLICATION WITH THE
CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSION WHALE TAIL
PROGRAM TO IMPROVE EXHIBITS AT THE LUCIE EVANS
BAYLANDS NATURE INTERPRETIVE CENTER (BAYLANDS)
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that Council approve the attached resolution to:
1. Authorize the submittal of a grant application for $30,000 to the California State
Coastal Commission for improvements to the Baylands Interpretive Center.
2. Authorize the City Manager or his designee to execute the application, certifications,~
standard grant agreement, and any amendments on behalf of the City.
BACKGROUND
The California Coastal Commission is a state regulatory and planning agency that
operates under the 1976 Coastal Act to manage the conservation and development of
coastal resources in California. The Commission’s Public Education Program works to
increase public knowledge of coastal and marine resources and to engage the public in
coastal protection and restoration activities.
The Coastal Commission started the Whale Tail Grant Program in 1998 using funds from
the sale of Whale Tail license plates. These grants fund a broad range of marine and
coastal education projects. On September 12, 2000, the Commission authorized their
staff to allocate $172,000 in funding to all competitive applications for the Whale Tail
Grant Program.
DISCUSSION
Many of the current exhibits at the Baylands Interpretive Center were installed in the
1970s. The exhibits of mounted birds and insect specimens are passive and non-
interactive, and the exhibit text is solely in English, even though 28 percent of the
Baylands’ visitors are Spanish-speaking.
CMR:403:00 Page 1 of 3
Open Space naturalists are working with contracted exhibit designers to develop plans for
stimulating exhibit components that will engage a broad range of visitors. The main goal
of the exhibit is to show through education, exploration and orientation, the importance
of conserving and preserving the unique Palo Alto Baylands and marsh environments.
The intent is to teach guests of all ages what is happening "behind the scenes" by using
interactive exhibits as teaching tools. Exhibits with. microscopic viewing of microbial
life forms, information on places to bike and hike, bird watching, tidal effects, and
interpretive panels featuring text in bothSpanish and English will promote environmental
awareness.
RESOURCE IMPACT
Staff estimates that the cost of the project will be $65,000, of which $35,000 will be
funded through funds available in the 2000-01 budget and $30,000 will be funded by the
Coastal Commission grant on a reimbursement basis, if the City applies for and secures
these grant funds, staff will return to Council with a Budget Amendment Ordinance to
acknowledge the grant funds and appropriate $30,000 in expenses to be reimbursed by
the grant.
POLICY IMPLICATIONS
The recommended actions in this report are consistent with Comprehensive Plan Natural
Environment Program Four which calls on the City to seek additional funding from state
and federal programs to finance open space acquisition and development.
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.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A:
Attachment B:
Resolution authorizing the
Coastal Commission funds.
Application Summary
filing of application for Califomia
PREPARED BY: Greg Betts, Superintendent, Open Space and Sciences
CMR:403:00 Page 2 of 3
DEPARTMENT HEAD:
PAUL THILTGEN
Director, Community Services
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
AUDREY SFA~OUR ’
Assistant to the City Manager
CMR:403:00 Page 3 of 3
Attachment A
RESOLUTION NO.
RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PALO
ALTO AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER OR HIS
DESIGNEE TO SUBMIT TO THE CALIFORNIA COASTAL
COMMISSION A GRANT APPLICATION FOR FUNDS WHICH
THE CITY INTENDS TO EXPEND ON EDUCATIONAL
EXHIBITS AT THE LUCY EVANS BAYLANDS NATURE
INTERPRETIVE CENTER
WHEREAS, the State of California Coastal Commission
provides Whale Tail grant funds to governmental agencies
throughout the State for the purpose of environmental education,
and
WHEREAS, the California Coastal Commission accepts,
annually, grant applications for projects that provide public
education about environmental protection and conservation of
coastal resources and habitat; and that encourage the general
public to value and take responsibility for the health of the
State’s marine and coastal resources, and
WHEREAS, the City of Palo Alto wishes to submit a
grant application that will result in the reimbursement to the
City for funds that are expended in connection with proposed
improvements to the marsh land educational exhibits of the Lucy
Evan Baylands Nature Interpretive Center;
follows:
NOW, THEREFORE, the City of Palo Alto does RESOLVE as
SECTION I. The Council hereby authorizes the City
Manager or his designee, the Superintendent of Open Space &
Sciences, to file a grant application on behalf of the City of
Palo Alto with the State of California Coastal Commission in
order that the City may be reimbursed for funds ($30,000) which
the City intends to expend on proposed improvements to the Lucy
Evans Baylands Nature Interpretive Center.
SECTION 2. The Council hereby authorizes the City
Manager or his designee, the Superintendent of Open space &
Sciences, as the person responsible for the administration of
the grant application.
001026 syn 0071938
Attachment A
SECTION 3. The Council finds that the adoption of this
resolution which authorizes the submittal of a grant
application, does not constitute a project under the California
Environmental quality Act.
INTRODUCED AND, PASSED:
AYES:
NOES:
ABSENT:
ABSTENTIONS:
ATTEST:APPROVED:
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
Senior Asst. City Attorney
Mayor
City Manager
Director of Community
Services
Director of Administrative
Services
001026 syn 0071938
2
Attachment B
Coastal Conservancy Grant Request: for the creation of an educational display at
the Lucy Evans Baylands Nature Interpretive Center
.Requestin.q A.qency: City of Palo Alto Open Space & Sciences, 1451 Middlefield Road,
Palo Alto, CA 94301.
The City of Palo Alto is seeking $30,000 for the design, development and fabrication of
educational interpretive exhibits and displays for the Lucy Evans Baylands Nature
Interpretive Center. Many of the existing displays at the Center were created in the
1970’s and are showing their age. The current displays are non-interactive and
passively show various species of birds and insects. Our intent is to create an inviting
visitor center that allows guests of all ages and from all areas, to orient themselves to
the Baylands around them and discover the importance of coastal protection.
Uniqueness of the Palo Alto marshes: The City-owned tidal marshes extend from Bay
Road in East Palo Alto to the edge of the Cargill Salt Ponds in Mountain View. This
1,800-acre tract of unspoiled and undeveloped marshland is one of the few natural
marshlands remaining around the San Francisco Bay. The marshes are home to
hundreds of species of migrating birds, and the nesting grounds of the endangered
California Clapper Rail and Black Rail. The endangered Salt Harvest Mouse also nests
in the Palo Alto Baylands.
Interactive exhibits will feature microscopic viewing of microbial life forms that serve as
the basis of the marsh food chain; displays that teach how birds nest and forage in the
Baylands, and provide information about their unique physical adaptations to the marsh
environment. Visitors will be able to orient themselves to the facilities of the Baylands
Nature Preserve: places to hike and bike, areas for great bird watching, the best places
to learn about tide effects, and the locations of trail-side interpretive panels. Many of
the exhibits will feature text in both Spanish and English to promote environmental
awareness. The object and main message of the exhibit is to teach the importance of
conserving and preserving the Palo Alto Baylands and marsh environments through
education, exploration, and orientation.
The main message is supported by four sub-messages and are illustrated by the exhibit
components:
¯Preserving wild places such as the marshlands is important,
[]Open space supports life in many ways,
[]There’s a lot happening at the Baylands, you just need to know how to find it, and
[]"1 can make a difference."
Tar.qet audience: The Center receives over 22,000 visitors each year, from San
Francisco to San Jose and from Oakland to Milpitas. Visitor attendance varies from 300-
1,000 on weekends alone. In addition, 4,000 grade school children visit each year to
participate in marshland exploration field trips. Attendance breaks down as follows:
Page 1 of 2
Attachment B
. ¯ Families
-Spanish speaking visitors
[]Retired
[]Individual adults
[]Adults with small children
[]School Groups (K-college)
35%
33% weekdays, 50% weekends
15%
18% all ages and nationalities
25-30%
12%
This exhibit is being created to stimulate visitors of all ages and educational
backgrounds. Since there is a large Hispanic population in nearby East Palo Alto, panel
text will be in both Spanish and English. Families with children between the ages of 5
and 12 will also be a primary target audience. Since the Nature Center is used
extensively for field trips and outreach science classes, the exhibits will be used to
illustrate tide effects and natural processes of the food chain.
The Palo Alto Baylands enjoys an international reputation for outstanding bird watching.
Exhibit components will be designed to orient those interested in bird watching with the
habitat of various species of year-ar0und and migrating birds.
Bud.qet: The estimated cost for the design, development and fabrication of the exhibits
is $56,350. A gift of $3,000.00 has been received from Roche Bioscience for the
project. The City of Palo Alto has $20,000 budgeted for the new exhibit.
Timeline:
¯Phase I Planning: from January 2000 - April 2000 (completed)
¯Phase II Development & Design: from 4/00 - 12/00 includes storyline
development, design development, research, writing exhibit text, formative
evaluation, and project management
¯Phase III ProductionlFabricationllnstallation: from 12/00-2/01 includes
installation and on-site construction
¯Phase IV Exhibit Opening: Saturday, May 26, 2001.
,Phase V Evaluation & Remedial Design (Optional)
Page 2 of 2