REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: AARON A. AGUIRRE, Director
Parks, After School, Recreation, and Community Services Department
BY: SHELBY MACNAB, Assistant Director
Parks, After School, Recreation, and Community Services Department
CHANELL WEST, Senior Management Analyst
Parks, After School, Recreation, and Community Services Department
SUBJECT
Title
RESOLUTION - Authorizing the City Manager or designee to apply for a grant of up to $15 million from the National Park Service’s Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) Program to fund Phase II Development of South Peach Avenue Park located at 2155 South Peach Avenue and authorizing the City Manager or designee to sign all related documents on behalf of the City (District 5)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager or designee to apply for grant of up to $15 million from the National Park Service’s ORLP program to fund Phase II Development of South Peach Avenue Park located at 2155 South Peach Avenue and authorizing the City Manager or designee to sign all related documents on behalf of the City.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Staff are requesting authority to submit a grant application totaling up to $15 million to the ORLP grant program. Grant applications are due by March 11, 2025.
BACKGROUND
The Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) Program is a Federal National Park Service (NPS) grant program that funds the acquisition or development of new parks, or substantial renovations to parks in economically disadvantaged cities or towns of at least 25,000 people. ORLP prioritizes funding for communities with little to no access to publicly available, close-by, outdoor recreation opportunities in urban areas. Approximately $90M is available for the nationwide competition. Applications may range from $300,000 to $15 million and have a 100% matching fund requirement.
ORLP applications go through two rounds of review. In the first round of review, the California Department of Parks and Recreation's Office of Grants and Local Services (OGALS) evaluates applications. In the second round of review, OGALS forwards selected applications to NPS to compete in the nationwide competition. The National Review Committee will award the most competitive applications received nationwide and issue funding agreements for a five-year grant term expected to begin in 2027.
The PARCS Department has reviewed the scoring criteria for the grant program alongside planned capital projects that are partially funded. Based on this review, it was determined that the Phase II of the South Peach Avenue park located at 2155 south Peach Avenue would be the most competitive and could be delivered within the grant term. The scope of work for Phase II includes soccer fields, basketball courts, volleyball courts, a cricket field, a baseball diamond and other amenities.
The state level application is due on March 11, 2025. OGALS will conduct an internal review of the proposals through the month of March 2025 and notify the City of Fresno if the proposal will move forward to the national competition in May 2025. Nationwide selected applications will be reviewed by the NPS in September 2025.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
Pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378, this item is not a project for the purpose of CEQA.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference is not included because this resolution does not include a bid or award of a construction or services contract.
FISCAL IMPACT
This resolution will have no immediate impact on the General Fund. Matching funds are required. Proposed matching fund sources include Measure P Expenditure Category 2. If awarded, grant and match funding will be reflected in the future year budget appropriations.
Attachments:
Resolution
Exhibit A