REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: SCOTT L. MOZIER, PE, Director
Public Works Department
BY: Randall W. Morrison, PE, Assistant Director
Public Works Department, Engineering Division
MARY C. CHURCH, Grants Administrator
Public Works Department, Administration Division
SUBJECT
Title
RESOLUTION - Authorizing Submission of Grant Applications to the California Department of Transportation for the Clean California Local Grant Program; and Authorizing the Execution of Grant Application and Grant Agreement Documents by the Public Works Director or Designee (Council Districts 3 & 7)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt a resolution authorizing the submission of grant applications to the Clean California Local Grant Program; and authorize the execution of all grant application and grant agreement documents by the Public Works Director or designee.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Staff is requesting authorization to submit a grant application in the amount of $5,000,000 to the Clean California Local Grant Program, for the proposed Downtown Fresno Neighborhood Beautification and Community Cleanup Project. The proposed project is located in the Anthony, Webster and Hidalgo neighborhoods and would consist of large murals on columns and abutment slopes at four freeway interchanges, reconstruction of a decomposed granite walking path and mural installation at the Romain Community Center, improved LED lighting fixtures under the freeway bridges, beautification of the Belmont Avenue corridor through median island trees, landscaping and street trees, as well as community-based clean up events. The proposed project is well-aligned with Beautify Fresno, one of the Mayor’s top priorities with a mission to inspire everyone to take pride in their community, and to take action to make our City a clean and beautiful place to live.
The Clean California Local Grant Program was created to beautify and clean up local streets and roads, tribal lands, parks, pathways, transit centers, and other public spaces. The program is part of the nearly $1.1 billion Clean California initiative that aims to assist the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) with addressing the continuous trash generation that overwhelms California’s public spaces. In December 2021, Caltrans initiated the Clean California Local Grant Program Call for Projects to solicit projects for this one-time grant program. Projects for this competitive application process are due to Caltrans by February 1, 2022.
BACKGROUND
The Clean California Local Grant Program is a two-year program which will award funds to invigorate and brighten local communities across the state. The Call for Projects is administered and awarded through Caltrans. The Clean California Local Grant Program was created by Assembly Bill 149 (Sec. 16) and codified under Streets and Highway Code §91.41 et al. The goals of the program are:
§ Reduce the amount of waste and debris within public rights-of-way and other public spaces.
§ Enhance, rehabilitate, or install measures to beautify and improve public spaces and mitigate the urban heat island effect.
§ Enhance public health, cultural connections, and community placemaking by improving spaces for walking and recreation.
§ Advance equity for underserved communities.
Eligible applicants must be a local or regional public agency, transit agency, or federally recognized tribal government. Projects must meet the goals of the program and may include community litter abatement and beautification projects and/or community litter abatement events or educational programs.
There is a total of $296 million of funding available for the 2021 Call for Projects. This one-time competitive grant program requires a strict project deliverability timeline. All projects must be open to the public with funds fully expended by June 30, 2024. No less than 50 percent of the available funding will be awarded to projects that benefit an underserved community. Grant scoring is weighted in favor of projects that demonstrate enhancement and beautification of a public space, provide enhanced greening, and abate litter and debris. Additionally, projects should engage the public to demonstrate that proposals reflect community priorities and are consistent with local plans.
City staff has carefully screened potential projects to present the most competitive package as dictated by the grant criteria. By combining the non-infrastructure elements of the Beautify Fresno initiative, such as cleanup events and anti-litter campaigns, with infrastructure improvements to remediate and prevent future litter accumulation, projects will maximize their potential population reach and meet grant objectives. The proposed Downtown Fresno Neighborhood Beautification and Community Cleanup Project is located in the Anthony, Webster and Hidalgo neighborhoods. The project includes reconstruction and beautification of the median islands along the Belmont Avenue corridor from Abby Street to Millbrook Avenue, irrigation system improvements, and tree planting along the median and sidewalks. The Belmont Avenue improvements would also be consistent with the vision of the Downtown Neighborhoods Community Plan as previously adopted by the Council. Murals would also be painted along State Route 180 abutment slopes and columns at Blackstone Avenue, Abby Street, Fresno Street and First Street and on the Romain Park recreation building to encourage community placemaking and decrease graffiti.
Beautify Fresno would conduct a number of volunteer-based neighborhood cleanup events in the Anthony, Webster and Hidalgo Elementary School neighborhoods. The project would provide funds for an anti-litter campaign which would include a social media campaign, digital billboards, and bus wraps. Building on the success of the year-round clean-up events from the past year, Beautify Fresno volunteers on this project would help reach the Mayor’s Million Pound Challenge milestone in 2022. Volunteers would not be required or expected to handle any hazardous materials. The grant proposal would include funding for contracted litter pickup services along the Abby, Blackstone, First and Belmont corridors within the project limits.
Applications are due on February 1, 2022. Projects selected for funding will receive a project award notification from Caltrans on March 1, 2022. Grant recipients must be able to enter into an agreement with Caltrans by May 2022.
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved the resolution as to form.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
A resolution applying for grant funding is not a project for the purposes of the California
Environmental Quality Act.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference is not applicable as 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. The local match requirement for this grant program is determined by the severity of disadvantage in the community surrounding the project location. The project sites are located within a Senate Bill 535 disadvantaged community per the California Environmental Protection Agency; therefore, no matching funds are required. Should the grant be awarded, Clean California Local Grant funds will be incorporated into the City of Fresno annual budget for the fiscal year(s) in which they will be available for reimbursement.
Attachments:
Resolution
Project List
Vicinity Map