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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Statement 1986/08/05 Item 13 COUNCIL AGENDA STATEMENT Item 13 Meeting Date 8/5/86 ITEM TITLE: RESOLUTION Authorizing submittal of grant application to the California Environmental Protection Program for partial funding of Nature/Interpretive Center exhibits SUBMITTED BY: Community Development Director (4/5ths Vote: Yes NoXX REVIEWED BY: City Manager The California Environmental Protection Program grant application, attached as Exhibit A, requests $170,500 in matching funds from the 1986-87 State Environmental License Plate funds for construction of the interior exhibits for the Nature/Interpretive Center. A fact sheet describing the Environmental License Plate Program is attached as Exhibit B. RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council authorize staff to submit the attached Environmental Protection Program grant application. BOARDS/COMMISSIONS RECOMMENDATION: The Bayfront Conservancy Trust recommended submittal of an ELP grant application at their first meeting. DISCUSSION: Based on an initial estimate of costs for interior exhibit construction, $200,000 was set aside in the 1986-87 Redevelopment Agency budget. The most recent construction cost estimate, based on schematic designs prepared by Rhodes/Dahl under contract to the Nature/Interpretive Center architect Winn & Cutri , is $341,000. If the funds requested in the application are granted, the City will be able to implement the entire schematic design for the interior of the Nature/Interpretive Center for less than the $200,000 budget allocation. In addition, other funding sources for the interior exhibits as well as the furniture and fixtures may be pursued by the Bayfront Conservancy Trust. Augmentation of the Agency's interior exhibit design contract with Winn & Cutri would, however, be required to allow preparation of working drawings for this expanded scope of work. As soon as the cost for the expanded scope of work is negotiated, an Agenda Statement will be prepared for Redevelopment Agency action. FISCAL IMPACT: If the grant application is approved $170,500 in State funds will be available for the Nature Center interior exhibits. RP/sc the City Council o f� Chula Vista, California Dated / JJ jj Form A-113 (Rev. 11/79) CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PROGRAM APPLICATION (NON-STATE) EXHIBIT A FISCAL YEAR 86-87 PROJECT TITLE Chula Vista Nature/Interpretive Center Interior Educational Exhibits APPLICANT NAME City of Chula Vista MAILING ADDRESS 276 Fourth Avenue Chula Vista, San Diego _ 92010 City County Zip Code AMOUNT REQUESTED $ 170,500 PROJECT DURATION BEGINNING DATE 8/86 COMPLETION DATE 1/87 SUMMARY OF PROJECT (Attach complete proposal including a clear statement of the problem or opportunity and indicating the anticipated results, the specific objectives of the project, a detailed description of the methods planned to achieve each objective, and a dear statement of the benefit to the environment. ) The City of Chula Vista is seeking $170,500 in matching funds from the State's Environ- mental License Plate Fund for the construction of educational exhibits for the interior of the Bayfront Nature/Interpretive Center. The Bayfront Conservancy Trust, a public nonprofit corporation formed to implement the habitat preservation and enhancement objectives provided in the Chula Vista Bayfront Local Coastal Program, will be charged with management of the Nature/Interpretive Center (see the attached rendering of the Nature/Interpretive Center) . The Bayfront Conservancy Trust, in cooperation with Chula Vista schools, other educational institutions, non-profit organizations, and community groups, will design and implement public environmental education goals through interpretive programs. The schematic interior exhibit designs include interpretive materials such as marine wildlife stations, wetland vegetation and micro-organisms, intertidal demonstrations., avain displays , audio and visual displays, insect terraria, biological mobiles, and related graphics. CONTACT PERSON Telephone: (619 ) 691-5047 Paul Desrochers 276 Fourth Avenue Name Address Community Development Director Chula Vista 92010 Title City Zip Code Attachment ul CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PROGRAM BUDGET FISCAL YEAR 86-87 AMOUNT $ 170,500 PROJECT TITLE - Chula Vista Nature/Interpretive Center Interior Educational Exhibits CONTACT PERSON and telephone) Mr. Pau l Desrochers, Community Development Director City of Chula Vista . 276 Fourth Avenue Chula Vista, CA 92010 EXPENDITURE DETAIL (attach additional pages as necessary) SALARIES AND WAGES - Not applicable CLASSIFICATION SALARY RANGE AMOUNT $ -$ $ TOTAL SALARIES AND WAGES $ '0- CAPITAL EXPENDITURES Acquisition $ -O- . Design -0- Construction 170,500 TOTAL CAPITAL EXPENDITURES $ 170,500 OPERATING EXPENSES AND EQUIPMENT $ _0_ Materials and Supplies -0- Printing - - Communications -0- Travel -0- Facilities Operation -0- Data Processing Consultant and Professional Services (Identify) -0- -0- Equipment (Identify) -0- Other $ -0- TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES AND EQUIPMENT TOTAL EXPENDITURES $ 170,500 SOURCE OF FUNDS (Identify by item and dollar amount and source all funds to be used for this project. ) ay The design for the Nature/Interpretive Center interior exhibits is curretly being to prepay for the City of Chula Vista by an exhibit design consultant. The City proposes an additional $170,500 in funding to match the amount requested from the environmental license plate program for a total interior exhibits construction budget of $341 ,000. Attachment 42 CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION PROGRAM PROPOSAL SUMMARY • FISCAL YEAR 86-87 • PROJECT TITLE AMOUNT $ 170,500 Chula Vista Nature/Interpretive Center Interior Educational Exhibits . PROJECT DESCRIPTION (Purpose of Program) For approved projects this description will appear in the Governor's printed budget. The Chula Vista Nature/Interpretive Center will be a living non-profit museum which will provide a rewarding educational experience of Southern California marshes in general and specifically Sweetwater Marsh for the general public with a special emphasis on school children. The interpretive theme of the exhibits will be "what you see in here lives out there". Emphasis will be placed on the variety of plants, animals and birds that live in the Southern California coastal marsh. The primary focus for the exhibits and the methodology of exhibition will be "who lives in the marsh?" and "where do they live?". Other messages, relating to ecological relationships and diverse microclimates will play a supportive role. Exhibits will be organized by ecological zones, so the visitor will walk through a marsh transect from the mud of a tidal channel up through terrestrial habitats. The attached figure shows the schematic exhibit plan. BENEFIT STATEMENT (Benefits to be realized by the citizens of the State of California) For approved projects this statement will be submitted to the Governor. The benefits of the Chula Vista Nature/Interpretive Center include: 1. Public Education: Through a series of programs and activities, the Nature Center will introduce the elementary and secondary school children and the adult public to an environment unique to Southern California. 2. Marsh Preservation: By developing a high degree of visibility through the Nature Center's activities , displays, programs, and hands-on accessibility public support will be generated for the preservation and enhancement of wetlands. 3. Support for ' Research: Southern California academic and scientific communities will be able to use the Nature Center as a base for studying and sharing knowledge about wetlands and associated ecologies. The facility is expected to provide an environmental education experience for approximately 150,000 school children and 25,000 members of the general public annually. Attachment #3 / ' EXHIBIT ENVIRONMENTAL LICENSE PLATE PROGRAM FACT SHEET Program Description When a person registers a vehicle in California, the owner has the option of purchasing a "regular" or "personalized" license plate. The personalized plates are custom made to display the message requested by the owner. The message consists of letters, numerals (or combinations) to spell out a particular name or message. If the owner chooses the personalized plate, an additional $35 is paid for the initial plate and an additional $20 is paid to reregister the vehicle each year. The revenues from these special purchases are deposited in the Environmental License Plate (ELP) Fund and are used for projects which help preserve and/or protect California ' s environment. This program was established in August of 1970 when then Governor Ronald Reagan signed a bill introduced by Senator Milton Marks (R-San Francisco) . \ o Personal environmental license plates issued from 1970 to December 1985: 1, 737 , 910. AUTHORITY Authority for this program is contained in Public Resources Code Section 21190, Division 13 . 5. Revenues The Department of Motor Vehicles is reimbursed for its services in administering the ELP program according to the following application processing cost schedule: Applicant Cost DMV Costs Balance to ELP Fund $35 original $17 . 70 $17 . 30 $20 renewal 1. 23 18 . 77 $20 interchange 9 . 93 10 . 07 $30 duplicates 18 . 03 11. 97 The amount of revenues available for projects vary from year to year depending on how many license plates are sold or renewed. $14 , 942 , 000 was available in 1982-83 , $22 , 660, 000 in 1983-84 , and approximately $22 , 700, 000 in 1984-85 . EXPENDITURES Expenditures made from the Environmental License Plate Fund are authorized by the Legislature. The Fund is a Special Fund in the Governor' s budget. Recommendations on which projects to fund are made by the Secretary for Resources to the Department of Finance. When the Department of Finance approves the recommendations, they become the Administration' s (or Governor' s) recommendations to the Legislature. Each year the legislative budget committees (Assembly Ways and Means, Senate Budget and Fiscal Review) analyze the Governor' s budget and make recommendations to the full Assembly and Senate. Final decisions and appropriations are made by the Assembly and Senate in the form of the annual budget bill which is presented to the Governor for signature at the end of June. Following the authority in the Public Resources Code, revenues in the Environmental License Plate Fund may be spent for projects which help to preserve and/or protect the environment and have one or more of the following purposes: o the control and abatement of air pollution, including all phases of research into the sources, dynamics, and effects of environmental pollutants. o the acquisition, preservation, restoration, or any combination thereof, of natural areas or ecological reserves. o environmental education, including formal school programs and informal public education programs. The State Department of Education may administer moneys appropriated for these programs, but shall distribute not less than 90 percent of moneys appropriated for the purposes of this subdivision to fund environmental education programs of school districts, other local schools, state agencies other than the State Department of Education, and community organizations. Not more than 10 percent of the moneys appropriated for environmental education may be used for State Department of Education programs or defraying administrative costs. o protection of nongame species and threatened and • endangered plants and animals. o protection, enhancement, and restoration of fish and wildlife habitat and related water quality, including review of the potential impact of development activities and land use changes on that habitat. o the purchase, on an opportunity basis, of real property consisting of sensitive natural areas for the state park system and for local and regional parks. o reduction or minimization of the effects of soil erosion and the discharge of sediment into the waters of the Lake Tahoe region, including the restoration of disturbed wetlands and stream environment zones, through projects by the California Tahoe Conservancy and grants to local public agencies, state agencies, federal agencies, and nonprofit organizations. The Environmental License Plate funds are available for programs proposed by any state agency, board, or commission, any city or county, the University of California, or any private research organization. EXAMPLES 1. Endangered Species Habitat Acquisition. The Wildlife Conservation Board acquires and preserves valuable wildlife habitat for ecological preserves. The objective is to provide at least minimal support for the area ' s native wildlife. ($3 , 000, 000) 2 . California Condor Reintroduction Program. The Greater Los Angeles Zoo Association and the San Diego Zoological Society will accelerate the reproductive potential of wild condors by removing their first eggs which will cause additional eggs to be laid and the hatching and rearing of chicks in captivity -- all in preparation for returning fledglings to the wild beginning in Spring 1985. The condor eggs will be brought to the Los Angeles and San Diego Zoos by the Condor Research Center. ($270, 000) 3 . Natural Diversity Data Base. The Department of Fish and Game and the Nature Conservancy will complete the data base which provides information upon which the Significant Natural Areas Program would fulfill its mission of identifying and protecting significant natural areas in the State. Acquisition of wildlife habitat as ecological reserves by the Department of Fish and Game is one of the principal means available to protect significant natural areas. ($258 , 000) 4 . Department of Education. Funds are provided through a Mini-grant program available to schools, governmental agencies, museums, and non-profit educational associations statewide. Grant applications are made directly to the Department of Education. ($600, 000) 5. Bighorn Sheep Project. The Department of Fish and Game will increase efforts in managing the State' s bighorn sheep population through disease control, relocation of the animals to suitable habitat and aerial surveying of herd populations. ($260, 000)