HomeMy WebLinkAbout2010/11/23 Item 10
CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA STATEMENT
~\f? CITY OF
'~CHULA VISTA
NOVEMBER 23,2010, ItemJIL
ITEM TITLE:
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF CHULA VISTA
ACCEPTING $972,000 FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
ENERGY AND AMENDING THE FEDERAL GRANTS
FUND FISCAL YEAR 2010-11 BUDGET BY
APPROPRIATING $200.000 IN GRANT FUNDS FOR THE
UNIVERSITY PARK AND RESEARCH zr~ PROJECT
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES DIRECT~SSISTANT CITY
MANAGER ~
CITY MANAGER /_
4/STHS VOTE: YES I X I NO D
SUBMITTED BY:
REVIEWED BY:
SUMMARY
The City of Chula Vista has negotiated agreements to acquire approximately 375 acres of
developable land that will be the site of the University Park and Research Center
(UPRC). The UPRC site will include higher education and research facilities, and a
regional technology park. The grant funds will be used to complete initial public and
energy infrastructure designs; formulate a set of sustainable design and development
guidelines; and create and complete technical studies and planning documents necessary
for the entitlement and development of the site.
ENVIRONMENT AL REVIEW
The Development Services Director has reviewed the proposed activity for compliance
with the Califomia 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 it will not result in a physical change in the environment therefore pursuant to
Section l5060(c)(3) of the State CEQA Guidelines the activity is not subject to CEQA.
Thus, no environmental review is required,
RECOMMENDATION
Council adopt the resolution.
BOARDS/COMMISSION RECOMMENDA nON
N/A
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NOVEMBER 23, 2010, Item~
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DISCUSSION
Since 1989 the City of Chula Vista has maintained the vision of creating an institution of
higher education within our corporate limits. Through the subsequent years there have
been on-going initiatives involving various segments of the community and civic officials
to make sure that adequate land is assembled and that land use policies are in place to
support the eventual development that has taken conceptual form as the University Park
and Research Center (UPRC).
With the approval of the Land Offer Agreements with major Otay Ranch land owners in
2008, the City has developed more certainty about the acquisition of the tinal university
properties. The acquisition of the land is the key critical path item required for the project
to progress beyond the conceptual stage. The land acquisition will now allow for the City
to better plan for the timely development of the UPRC.
When all the land is acquired, the City will own approximately 375 acres of developable
land that will be the site of the UPRC. The UPRC site will include higher education and
research facilities, and a regional technology park. The City has partnered with
universities, public agencies and private sector organizations to develop some of thc
nation's leading community-scale sustainable urban planning and building policies and
standards. The UPRC will serve as a national model of sustainable and efficient land use,
infrastructure and facilities.
In February 2009, the City's Economic Development Division submitted a Federal
Appropriations Request seeking funding for planning and intfastructure tasks related to
the UPRC project. In the spring of 2010, the City was notified by the US Department of
Energy (DOE) that it had received a grant in the amount of $972,000 for the
environmental, sustainable, energy and initial land use planning and entitlements for the
UPRC. For the past several months, City staff has been working with the DOE to finalize
the grant agreement documents. In September 2010, the City was notified that the grant
had been formally approved by the DOE.
The subject grant funds will be used to complete initial public and energy infrastructure
designs; formulate a set of sustainable design and development guidelines; and create and
complete technical studies and planning and environmental documents nccessary for the
entitlement and development of the site. The funding will allow the City to process the
necessary entitlement documents in coordination with adjacent land owners to fulfill the
vision outlined in the City's General Plan.
DECISION MAKER CONFLICT
Staff has reviewed the property holdings of the City Council and has found no property
holdings within 500 feet of the boundaries of the property which is the subject of this
action.
CURRENT YEAR FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of this resolution will result in the appropnatlOn of $50,000 to City Staff
Services IOther Expenses and $150,000 to Supplies and Services to the Federal Grants
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NOVEMBER 23, 2010, Item~
Page 3 of 3
Fun'd (fund 272), The grant funding from the US Department of Energy will completely
offset thcse costs resulting in no net fiscal impact to the City.
ONGOING FISCAL IMPACT
The City's agreement with the US Department of Energy requires the City to complete all
work by December 31, 2013, The grant funds will offset all costs during this time period
resulting in no net fiscal impact to the City.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Grant Summary
Prepared by Craig Ruiz, Principal Economic Development Specialists, Development Services Department
- Economic Development Division
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ATTACHMENT 1
PROJECT INFORMATION SHEET
(Attach extra pages as needed)
Title and Location of Proiect
Environmental, Sustainability, Energy and Initial Land Use Planning and Entitlements for
the University Park and Research Center.
Chuta Vista, California
Brief Physical Description of Proiect
The City of Chula Vista has negotiated agrcements to acquire approximately 375 acres of
developable land that will be the site of the University Park and Research Center
(UPRC). The UPRC site will include higher education and research facilities, and a
regional technology park. The City has partnered with universities, public agencies and
private sector organizations to develop some of the nation's leading community-scale
sustainable urban planning and building policies and standards. The UPRC will serve as a
national model of sustainable and efficient land use, infrastructure and facilities. The
Congressional grant funds will be used to complete initial public and energy
infrastructure designs: formulate a set of sustainable design and development guidelines;
create and complete, technical studies and planning documents necessary for the
entitlement and development of the site.
The funding for the project will not include any physical construction or development.
The project is a planning exercise, and will study the potential development of the site.
The public and energy infrastructure designs task specifically will entail seven sub-tasks
as follows. (I) - Distillation of best practices and models contained in existing
sustainable community design and development guidelines including: LEED-ND, One
Planet Communities, Ecological Footprint, Carbon Neutrality and Net Zero Energy
Development, Natural Step and USEPA's guidelines tor greenhouse gas emission
reductions through resource-efficient materials and land use managemcnt practices. (2)-
A survey of best design practices, technologies, and performance metrics derived from
the most innovative and successful green campus development projects. both nationally
and internationally. (3) Evaluation of both costs and alternative tlnancing mechanisms to
support application of best practices and technologies. (4) - Translation of best practices,
technologies and design elements derived from the preceding sub-tasks and regional
transpiration plans, into a set of sustainable development goals and measurable objectives
for the UPRC. Goals and objectives will be composed for the following focus areas:
Efficient infrastructure energy, water and material use;
On-site renewable power generation and cogeneration;
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Carbon storage and sequestration;
Urban heat island reduction;
Stormwater runoff mitigation;
Passive solar building orientation;
Water conservation and reuse;
Waste source reduction and recycling;
Biodiversity;
Social equity; and other focus areas specified
by City's planning and development officials.
(5) - Formulation of the draft guidelines containing cost-effectivc tactics to accomplish
the sustainability objectives and to promote innovative means of maximizing and
enhancing the use of existing infrastructure systems supporting adjacent development
sites. (6) - Solicit review and comment from City planning and development officials,
community stakcholders and members of the local development industry. (7) - Revise,
finalize, and publish the sustainable development guidelines for the UPRC for use by
public and private development practitioners.
The results of the energy infrastructure designs will be incorporated into the master
planning (Master Plan) documents that will be utilized to secure the necessary
entitlements for thc pojeet. The Master Plan for the UPRC will include a detailed
examination of the following issues:
Development Concept
Development Standards
Community Design
Transportation
Grading
Parks & Open Space
Public Utilities and Services
Project Implementation Requirements
Proiect Schedule & Milestones
The project will take approximately twelve months to complete. The initial public and
energy infrastructure designs will be created and completed during the initial six months,
while concurrent technical studies and master planning documents will take
approximatley one year to complete..
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COUNCIL RESOLUTION NO.
RESOLUTION OF TIlE CITY OF CHULA VISTA ACCEPTING
$972,000 FROM' THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
AND AMENDING THE FEDERAL GRANTS FUND FISCAL
'{EAR 2010-11 BUDGET BY APPROPRJATING 3200,000 IN
GRANT FUNDS FOR THE UNIVERSITY PARK AND
RESEARCH CENTER PROJECT
WHEREAS, the City ofChula Vista has long had a goal of developing a higher education
presence in the City to serve the South Bay region; and
WHEREAS, the City ofChula Vista has solidified this goal in the City's General Plan
and in accordance with the development of goals and policies for the development ofthe
University Park and Research Center; and
WHEREAS, the City has been working for several years to acquire all the land necessary
to develop the University Park and Research Center; and
WHEREAS, in 2008, the City entered into land offer agreements that provide for the
acquisition ofthe final properties necessary to create the University Park and Research Center;
and
WHEREAS, as the acquisition of the land becomes more certain, it is necessary to
complete all planning documents and related entitlements that will allow for the timely
development of the University Park and Research Center; and
WHEREAS, in February 2009, the City's Economic Development Division submitted a
Federal Appropriations Request secking funding for planning and infrastructure tasks related to
the University Park and Research Center project; and
WHEREAS, ill September 2010, the City received an award from the US Department of
Energy in the amount of $972,000 for the environmental, snstainablc, energy and initial land use
planning and entitlements for the University Park and Rcsearch Ccnter.
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Chula
Vista does hereby accept $972,000 from the US Department of Energy and appropriate $150,000
to City Staff Services/Other Expenses and $50,000 to professional services in the Federal Grants
Fund.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council ofthe City of Chula Vista does
hereby anthorize the City Manager or his designee to execute all documents necessary to obtain
and manage the grant funds. .
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Resolution No.
'Page 2 .
Presented by
Approved as to form by
Gary Halbel1, AICP, PE
Assistant City Manager/Director of
Development Services
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