REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
March 4, 2021
FROM: THOMAS ESQUEDA, City Manager
Office of the Mayor & City Manager
BY: 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 projects:
1. Adopt a finding of Categorical Exemption per staff determination, pursuant to Section 15301 and Section 15304 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines for Project #16 and Project #17
2. Approve Sub-Recipient Agreement with State Center Community College District for the Workforce Development Plan - Welding Program totaling $1,850,500
3. Approve Sub-Recipient Agreement with Fresno Metro Ministry for Project #15 Yosemite Village Community Orchard totaling $262,500
4. Approve Sub-Recipient Agreement with Fresno Metro Ministry for Project #16 St. Rest + Food to Share Hub: Urban Heat Island Mitigation totaling $62,220
5. Approve Sub-Recipient Agreement with Fresno Metro Ministry for Project #17 St. Rest + Food to Share Hub: Healthy Food Rescue and Redistribution Hub totaling $1,488,280
6. ***RESOLUTION - Adopting the 60th amendment to the Annual Appropriation Resolution (AAR) No. 2020-159 appropriating $3,663,600 for the TCC grant (Requires five affirmative votes) (Subject to Mayor’s Veto).
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that Council approve the Sub-Recipient Agreements with the State Center Community College District for the welding program; Fresno Metro Ministry for the Yosemite Village Community Orchard, St. Rest + Food to Share Hub: Urban Heat Island Mitigation and St. Rest + Food to Share Hub: Healthy Food Rescue and Redistribution Hub; adopt a finding of categorical exemption pursuant to Section 15301 and 15304 of CEQA Guidelines for Project #16 and #17 with Fresno Metro Ministry; adopt the 60th amendment to AAR No. 2020-159 appropriating $3,663,600, and authorize the City Manager to execute all related documents to the administration, modification, monitoring and closeout of each Sub-Recipient Agreement.
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 Welding Program, the Yosemite Village Community Orchard, St. Rest + Food to Share Hub: Urban Heat Island Mitigation and St. Rest + Food to Share Hub: Healthy Food Rescue and Redistribution Hub projects have met the necessary thresholds and are ready to begin implementation.
BACKGROUND
The Transform Fresno Plan was created by a participatory steering committee comprised of community stakeholders from the Chinatown, Downtown and Southwest Fresno neighborhoods. All projects were approved by this committee prior to submitting the grant application to SGC. 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. These projects were delayed due to Project Lead Organization changes and proposal approval by SGC. The projects referenced below have now been approved by SGC, have met those thresholds and are ready to begin implementation.
Workforce Development - Welding Program
The State Center Community College District (SCCCD) and V.O.I.C.E. Gladiators will partner to develop a Welding Pre-Apprenticeship Training Program and career services for 108 community members in West Fresno. Participants will receive 500 hours of classroom, lab, and soft skills training leading to certification in one of four welding areas (SMAW Plate, FCAW Plate, GTAW Plate, and GMAW Plate). The program will combine hard and soft skills development through instruction and mentorship to promote sustained employment for community members. SCCCD staff will provide project management, grant administration, and organizational capacity-building. Supporting entity V.O.I.C.E. Gladiators will conduct participant recruitment and deliver the Welding instruction. The organizations will collaborate to develop a Welding Program Advisory Council to inform the program over time and will develop employer relationships to establish employment pathways for participants. SCCCD will provide organizational capacity to V.O.I.C.E., support with adjustments to the COVID-19 pandemic, and coordinate certification options.
Project #15 - Yosemite Village Community Orchard
The project will construct a 120-tree community orchard, a bioswale, hugelkultur beds, and an outdoor educational space south of the Yosemite Village Community Garden and Farm Incubator. Establishment and management of the orchard will incorporate permaculture techniques including no mechanical, no-till, no-spray orchard management practices, as well as hugelkultur and bioswales to increase carbon sequestration and water conservation. The project aims to increase orchard management awareness, access to healthy food and learning opportunities. A shaded outdoor area with solar panels will be built to host classes and workshops and provide a space for community members to rest. Classes and workshops will be conducted through Project #12, also led by Fresno Metro Ministry.
Project #16 - St. Rest + Food to Share Hub: Urban Heat Island Mitigation
This project will plan, permit and improve the immediate site surrounding the building to house the St. Rest Food to Share Hub for Project #17 (~13,588 sq. ft. of land) with related building enhancements to achieve urban greening goals, desirable urban heat island mitigation, and site-building attractiveness, including appropriate landscapes, hardscapes, tree planting, irrigation systems, drainage, site surface and building materials, and additional associated required improvements to achieve GHG reductions.
Project #17 - St. Rest + Food to Share Hub: Health Food Rescue and Redistribution Hub
Establish the St. Rest Food to Share HUB in Southwest Fresno, resulting in an annual recovery (after the hub is rehabilitated and constructed) of over 1 million pounds of nutritious food, that would otherwise be wasted, and distribute it to families experiencing food hardship and lack the financial means to purchase healthy food. This food rescue and distribution will reduce GHG emissions by 2.2 million pounds annually. The Hub will also be utilized to teach cooking and nutrition courses to residents.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
SCCCD’s workforce development (welding program) project is a community-based training program and statutorily exempt from CEQA pursuant to Public Resource Code Section 21080.35(a).
Project #15’s community orchard was analyzed under Development Permit Application No. D-17-100 for property located at 872 West Atchison Court. The project was determined to be Categorically Exempt by the Director of the Planning and Development pursuant to Article 19 of the State CEQA Guidelines under Section 15303/Class 3 and Section 15304/Class 4. A notice of exemption was filed with the County Clerk on September 1, 2017, and was posted for 30 days with no comments or appeals received within the 30 day comment period.
Project #16 and Project #17 are exempt under Section 15301 and Section 15304 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines. Section 15301 (Class 1/Existing Facilities) of the CEQA Guidelines exempts projects consisting of the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of use beyond that existing at the time of the lead agency’s determination. Furthermore, Section 15304 (Class 4/Minor Alterations to Land) exempts projects consisting of minor public or private alterations in the condition of land, water, and/or vegetation which do not involve removal of health, mature, scenic trees except for forestry or agricultural purposes. Project #16 (Urban Heat Island Mitigation) will plan and improve the immediate site surrounding the building to house the St Rest Food to Share Hub (Project #17) which may include landscaping, tree planting, drainage, site surfaces and building materials while Project #17 will repair and rehabilitate the building to house the hub. None of the exceptions to Categorical Exemptions set forth in CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2 apply to these Projects.
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 State Center Community College District for the Workforce Development Plan - Welding Program
2. Sub-Recipient Agreement with Fresno Metro Ministry for Project #15 Yosemite Village Community Orchard
3. Sub-Recipient Agreement with Fresno Metro Ministry for Project #16 St. Rest + Food to Share Hub: Heat Island Mitigation
4. Sub-Recipient Agreement with Fresno Metro Ministry for Project #17 St. Rest + Food to Share Hub: Healthy Food Rescue and Redistribution Hub
5. RESOLUTION - 60th Amendment to the AAR No. 2020-159 appropriating $3,663,600
6. Sub-Recipient Agreement Status Summary