REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
July 25, 2019
FROM: WILMA QUAN, City Manager
Office of the Mayor & City Manager
BY: LAURA MERRILL, Deputy City Manager
Office of the Mayor & City Manager
COURTNEY ESPINOZA, Program Implementation Manager
Office of the Mayor & City Manager
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to the 2017 Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) Grant and Transform Fresno Plan project regarding the Chinatown Urban Greening Project:
1. Adopt a finding that the project is categorically exempt from CEQA pursuant to the Class 1, Class 2, and Class 4 Categorical Exemptions set forth in CEQA Guidelines Section 15301, 15302, and 15304(b).
2. Approve a Sub-Recipient Agreement with the City of Fresno Department of Public Works for Chinatown Urban Greening Project totaling $7,943,598; and
3. ***RESOLUTION - 2nd amendment to the Annual Appropriation Resolution (AAR) No. 2019-133 appropriating $331,500 from the TCC Grant (Requires 5 affirmative votes) (Subject to Mayor’s veto).
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that Council approve a Sub-Recipient Agreement with the City of Fresno Department of Public Works for projects 1 and 6 regarding the Chinatown Urban Greening Project; authorize the City Manager to execute all related documents to the administration, modification, monitoring and closeout of the Sub-Recipient Agreements for Projects 1 and 6; and adopt the 2nd amendment to the Annual Appropriation Resolution (AAR) No. 2019-133 appropriating $331,500.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On February 28, 2019, the City Council unanimously voted to approve a Master Grant Agreement (MGA) with the Strategic Growth Council (SGC) for the TCC grant award with the understanding that the Sub-Recipient Agreements between the City and Partners who will be receiving funds to implement components of the Transform Fresno Plan would be brought forward for subsequent Council consideration as they meet the required SGC readiness thresholds and receive a notice to proceed from SGC. The following projects have met the necessary thresholds and are ready to begin implementation.
• Project 1 Chinatown Housing Sustainable Transportation Improvements
• Project 6 Chinatown Urban Greening
BACKGROUND
The Transform Fresno Plan was created by a participatory steering committee comprised of community stakeholders from the Chinatown, Downtown and Southwest Fresno neighborhoods. On February 28, 2019, the City Council unanimously approved the MGA which binds the City and SGC with the understanding that Sub-Recipient Agreements between the City and Partners who will be receiving funds to implement components of the Transform Fresno Plan would be brought forward for subsequent Council consideration as they meet the required SGC readiness thresholds and receive a notice to proceed from SGC. The projects referenced below have met those thresholds and are ready to begin implementation:
Project 1 Chinatown Housing Sustainable Transportation Improvements (STI)
The proposed Chinatown project will be a high density, 4-story mixed-use development with 4,695 square feet of ground floor retail space and 56 affordable workforce housing units. This project provides affordable housing, encourages use of mass transit and pedestrian walkways, and provides new retail space to stimulate economic development. There are three Sustainable Transportation Improvements (STI) planned. STI #1 will improve active transportation access to a transit stop in Chinatown located on F and Tulare Streets through the installation of 14 LED streetlights on F Street. Lighting will be installed from Fresno to Ventura Street. STI #2 will increase the urban tree canopy and provide more green space in Chinatown. This will be accomplished through planting 26 trees on F Street from Fresno to Mariposa Streets. One parklet will also be installed within these limits. STI #3 will reconstruct China Alley between Kern and Inyo into a permeable green alley and install strand lighting to increase visibility. The City of Fresno will provide the long-term operations and maintenance of the improvements. Project 1 has not incurred any changes in budget or scope as originally shown in the MGA. In cooperation with the Fresno Housing Authority, the City of Fresno will be leading the above Sustainable Transportation Improvements for Project 1. STIs are a requirement for this Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities (AHSC) project. These STIs will provide adequate lighting to increase safety, environmental improvements and esthetically pleasing landscape to the area surrounding this building.
Project 6 Chinatown Urban Greening
The project will install improvements to paved pedestrian facilities in Chinatown, improving active transportation and connections to the adjacent planned High Speed Rail Station. Lighting and greening improvements will also be installed. The proposed improvements are located on: F from Mariposa to Ventura, Kern from G Street to E Street and Mariposa from E Street to G Street. Street trees will be placed approximately every 30’ on F Street, Kern Street and Mariposa. A portion of a green alley will also be funded by this project from Tulare to Kern and Inyo to Ventura. The remaining segment from Kern to Inyo is incorporated into Project #1. This project achieves several goals of the TCC Program including: reducing greenhouse gas emissions through carbon sequestration, installing facilities that encourage active travel, and increasing the urban tree canopy. The City of Fresno Department of Public Works will provide long-term operations and maintenance of the pedestrian and greening improvements. Project 6 has not incurred any changes in budget or scope as originally shown in the MGA.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
Project 1 is statutorily exempt from CEQA pursuant to Article 18, Statutory Exemptions, Section 15268 of the State CEQA Guidelines [Public Resources Code 21080(b)(1)], ministerial projects are exempt from the requirements of CEQA. Per Article 49, Planning Authorities, Section 15-4907, Summary of Primary Planning Permits and Actions, of the Fresno Municipal Code (FMC), development of one-single family home, duplex, or qualifying Downtown housing which complies with all provisions of the Fresno Development Code requires a Zone Clearance, which is considered a ministerial permit in the City of Fresno. Article 51, Zone Clearance, Section 15-5102(D), Downtown Housing, of the FMC establishes criteria for qualifying Downtown housing which shall require a Zone Clearance. This project met all criterion to qualify as Downtown housing.
Project 6 falls within the Categorical Exemption set forth in CEQA Guidelines, Section 15301/Class 1, 15302/Class 2, and 15304(B)/Class 4, which exempts the repair, maintenance, or minor alteration of existing facilities that involve negligible or no expansion of an existing use. These exemptions apply because this project involves installation of paved pedestrian facilities, reconstructed sidewalks, pedestrian scale decorative street lighting, new street tree wells, street tree planting, new curb ramps, and street improvements. The purpose of the project is to provide public improvements to Downtown Fresno’s historic Chinatown. Furthermore, staff has determined that none of the exceptions to Categorical Exemptions set forth in the CEQA Guidelines, Section 15300.2 apply to this project.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not considered based upon conditions of state funding.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no impact to the General Fund. Funding for Transform Fresno Plan projects will be distributed on a reimbursement basis.
Attachments:
1. Sub-recipient Agreement with City of Fresno Department of Public Works for Project 1 and 6
2. RESOLUTION - 2nd amendment to the AAR No. 2019-133 appropriating $133,500
3. Sub-Recipient Agreement Status Summary