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Home My WebLink About2013/01/15 Item 06y'1~ CITY COUNCIL /~ AGENDA STATEMENT ~~ ,,,~~~ \~tfj CITY OF ~`CHUTAVISiA JANUARY 15, 2013, Item (~ ITEM TITLE: RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA APPROVING SUBMITTAL OF A GRANT APPLICATION TO SANDAG TO IMPLEMENT A MULTI- YEAR COASTAL CACTUS WREN HABITAT RESTORATION PROGRAM WITHIN THE CHULA VISTA OTAY RANCH PRESERVE MANAGEMENT AREA SUBMITTED BY: ASSISTANT CITY MANAG R /DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIItECTOR .~ U Fw G • F~ REVIEWED BY: CITY MANAGER ~(/~L~a,.- ~~ 395 4/STHS VOTE: YES ~ NO ~X SUMMARY On November 1, 2012, the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) issued a request for proposals (RFP) for grant funding under the TransNet Environmental Mitigation Program (EMP) to support environmental land management projects. The City is preparing a grant proposal to fund athree-year land management program to restore and enhance degraded Coastal cactus wren habitat within the City's Otay Ranch Preserve Management Area (Otay Ranch Preserve), particularly within Salt Creek Canyon. Grant proposals are due to SANDAG by January 29, 2013. This action would authorize the City Manager to submit an application for grant funding under the SANDAG TransNet EMP. ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW The Development Services Director has reviewed the proposed activity for compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and has determined that the activity is not a "Project" as defined under Section 15378 of the State CEQA Guidelines, because the activity consists of an administrative action involving the submittal of a grant application which will not result in a direct or indirect adverse physical impact to the environment. Therefore, pursuant to Section 15060(c)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines the activity is not subject to CEQA. Thus, no environmental review is necessary. 6-1 JANUARY 15, 2013, Item Page 2 of 4 RECOMMENDATION Council adopt the resolution. DISCUSSION SANDAG TransNet EMP Grant Funding In November 2004, the voters of San Diego County approved the TransNet Extension Ordinance 04-01 and Expenditure Plan, including an EMP. The EMP is a funding allocation category for the costs to mitigate habitat impacts for regional transportation projects. The EMP is a unique component of the TransNet Extension in that it goes beyond traditional mitigation for transportation projects by including a funding allocation for habitat acquisition, management, and monitoring activities as needed to help implement regional habitat conservation plans. The City has had great success in previous SANDAG TransNet EMP grant cycles having secured a cumulative total of approximately $820,000 in TransNet EMP funding. With the grant funds awarded, the City has been able to fund three different habitat restoration/enhancement projects located throughout the City's Multiple Species Conservation Program (MSCP) Subarea Plan Preserve. These projects include: Grant Type Title/Location Grant Description Amount Re uested Amount Awarded Coastal Cactus Five-year program to SANDAG Wren Habitat restore/enhance degraded habitat for $378,048 $378,048 TransNet EMP Restoration/Rice the Coastal cactus Canyon wren Otay tarplant and Three-yeaz program to restore/enhance SANDAG San Diego thornmint Habitat degraded areas 605 $323 $268,428 TransNet EMP Restoration/Rice supporting the Otay , tarplant and San Diego Canyon thommint Coastal Cactus Three-yeaz program SANDAG Wren Habitat to restore/enhance degraded habitat for $182,282 $182,282 TransNet EMP Restoration/Salt the Coastal cactus Creek Canyon wren Totals $1,255,814 $828,758 6-2 JANUARY 15, 2013, Item Page 3 of 4 In September 2012, the SANDAG Board of Directors approved land management and monitoring activities and a budget of $2 million for projects promoting invasive species control and restoration, specific management for at risk species, and general activities such as habitat maintenance, access management, and the coordination of volunteers. 2012 SANDAG RFP and Chula Vista's Proposal In November 2012, SANDAG issued an RFP to entities wishing to apply for a portion of TransNet funds for the use of environmental land management projects. The City is preparing a grant proposal that would restore and enhance approximately 10 acres of degraded Coastal cactus wren habitat within the City's Otay Ranch Preserve, particularly within Salt Creek Canyon. A summary of the City's anticipated grant proposal and not-to exceed funding amounts are provided below: Restoring and Enhancing Degraded Coastal Cactus Wren Habitat within Salt Creek Canyon, Otay Ranch Preserve The proposed project would consist of aspecies-specific land management program focused on restoring and enhancing degraded habitat for the Coastal cactus wren, a Chula Vista MSCP Covered Species. This proposal would address the immediate needs of this species in the Otay Ranch Preserve, specifically within Salt Creek Canyon where loss and degradation of existing wren habitat has occurred due to historical cattle grazing, increase of invasive plant species, unauthorized off-road vehicle use, drought and vegetation succession processes. Activities to be included in the City's proposal will include invasives species control with follow-up herbicide treatments, propagation of coast cholla and coast prickly pear cuttings, propagation of Mexican elderberry and focused cactus wren monitoring. The grant amount needed to implement the City's proposal is estimated at $200,000 and would provide up to 3-years of funding. SANDAG's Processing Schedule and Eligibility Requirements SANDAG's processing schedule includes of the following key dates: • January 29, 2013: Grant Applications are due to SANDAG • February 2013: A SANDAG evaluation committee will review applications and recommend proposals to the EMP Working Group for consideration. • March 2013: the EMP Working Group will recommend a list of prioritized projects to the Regional Planning and Transportation Committee for funding, subject to approval by SANDAG Boazd of Directors • June 2013: Approval by SANDAG Board of Directors 6-3 JANUARY 16, 2013, Item Page 4 of 4 If the City's proposal is selected for the EMP Working Group's consideration, the City will be required to provide a resolution acknowledging SANDAG's eligibility requirements. Specifically, the City shall provide SANDAG with a resoluton that authorizes the City Manager to: 1) accept the grant funds, if awarded; 2) commit to providing matching funds, if applicable; and 3) execute SANDAG's standard grant agreement. This resolution must be provided to SANDAG at least two weeks prior to the recommendation by the Regional Planning Committee, which is currently scheduled in Mazch 2013. Applicants that do not provide the required resolution to SANDAG by March 2013 may not be eligible for grant funding. Tonight's action would authorize the City Manager to submit an application for grant funding under the TransNet EMP. If the City's grant proposal is selected for further consideration by SANDAG, City staff will return to Council with a resolution acknowledging SANDAG's eligibility requirements. DECISION MAKER CONFLICT Staff has reviewed the property holdings of the City Councilmembers and has found no property holdings within 500 feet of the boundaries of the property which is the subject of this action. Staff is not independently aware, nor has staff been informed by any City Councilmember, of any other fact that may constitute a basis for a decision maker conflict of interest in this matter. CURRENT YEAR FISCAL IMPACT There is no current yeaz fiscal impact. ONGOING FISCAL IMPACT The estimated $200,000 in grant funds would be sufficient to cover the City's costs to administer the grant and the costs for a biological consultant to perform the necessazy on- site habitat restoration activities. If the grant funds aze awarded, Staff will select a qualified biological consultant to implement this project in accordance with the City's formal competitive bid procedures set forth in Chula Vista Municipal Code (CVMC) 2.56.070. Payment for City administrative costs and for invoices received from the biological consultant will be paid directly from grant funds provided by SANDAG. Therefore, no appropriation of funds from the General Fund is required. At this time, implementation of the program is anticipated to begin in August 2014. Therefore, if the grant funds aze awarded, appropriation of funds will be added to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2014-15 CIP Program. The City is not obligated to continue to implement restoration and enhancement once the grant funds have been expended. Prepared by: Glen Laube, Associate Planner, Advanced Planning J IPlanninglGLaubeIMSCPIGRANTsISANDAG Tnetll2-13_Sa1t CreekL4113_2013 EMP_Sa[tCreekdoc 6-4 RESOLUTION NO. 2013- RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA APPROVING SUBMITTAL OF A GRANT APPLICATION TO SANDAG TO IMPLEMENT A MULTI- YEAR COASTAL CACTUS WREN HABITAT RESTORATION PROGRAM WITHIN THE CHULA VISTA OTAY RANCH PRESERVE MANAGEMENT AREA WHEREAS, the TransNet Extension Ordinance contains provisions for the creation of an Environmental Mitigation Program (EMP), which began being funded by the Extension Ordinance on April 1, 2008; and WHEREAS, the TransNet EMP allocates funding for land management and monitoring activities including habitat acquisition, habitat management, and biological resource monitoring activities to help implement regional habitat conservation planning efforts; and WHEREAS, in September 2012 SANDAG Board of Directors allocated $2 million of TransNet EMP funding for land management projects that promote invasive species control and restoration, specific management for at risk species, and general activities such as habitat maintenance, access management, and the coordination of volunteers; and WHEREAS, in November 2012 SANDAG issued a request for proposals from entities wishing to apply for a portion of the EMP funds for use on environmental land management projects meeting certain criteria; and WHEREAS, City staff is preparing a grant proposal to SANDAG requesting an estimated $200,000 to fund amulti-year Coastal cactus wren habitat restoration program within the Otay Ranch Preserve Management Area (Otay Ranch Preserve); and WHEREAS, the Coastal cactus wren is a Covered Species under the City's Multiple Species Conservation Program (MSCP) Subarea Plan; and WHEREAS, loss and degradation of Coastal cactus wren habitat within the Otay Ranch Preserve is occurring due to historical cattle grazing, weed invasion, drought, and vegetation succession; and WHEREAS, the proposed restoration and enhancement program would be developed to ensure the prolongation of the Coastal cactus wren through active management of suitable Cactus wren habitat; and WHEREAS, the grant proposal would be developed consistent with the City's adopted MSCP Subarea Plan to ensure that Covered Species are adequately protected; and 6-5 Resolution No. Page 2 WHEREAS, if the City grant proposal is selected for further consideration by SANDAG, staff shall return to City Council with a Resolution authorizing the City Manager to: 1) accept the grant funds, if awarded; 2) commit to providing matching funds, if applicable; and 3) execute SANDAG's standard grant agreement. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Chula Vista does hereby authorize the City Manager to submit a grant application to SANDAG to fund a three-year land management program to restore and enhance degraded Coastal cactus wren habitat within the Otay Ranch Preserve, particularly within Salt Creek Canyon. Presented by Gary Halbert, P.E., AICP Assistant City Manager / Development Services Director Approved as to form by Glen in ~~City Attorney 6-6