For Water Subcommittee Meeting October 23, 2024
TO: Honorable Water Subcommittee Members
APPROVAL: John Rossi, Interim Utilities Director
FROM: Toyasha Sebbag, Assistant to the City Manager
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Staff requests that the Water Subcommittee provide feedback on the California Growing Water Smart Grant Update for the Conceptual Landscape Design of Plant Median Palette. (ACTION)
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Water Subcommittee provide feedback on the California Growing Water Smart Grant Update for the Conceptual Landscape Design of Plant Median Palette.
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BACKGROUND
On November 17, 2023, staff was notified of the approval of a $10,000 grant by the Sonoran Institute for a project aimed at developing a MWELO Guideline Handbook for public and city utilization. However, following ongoing discussions within the Rialto Growing Water Smart Workgroup, an internal staff work group composed of staff from the City’s Administration, Public Works, Community Development, and Parks, Recreation & Community Services Departments, a more tailored project was developed to better serve the interests of the city and its residents. Specifically, the grant funds were allocated toward hiring a landscape architect consultant to help formulate plant palette alternatives. The project requires input from key stakeholders such as the Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem, Council Members, and the community to inform decisions regarding landscape median plant selections.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION
To gather community feedback on the Draft Landscape Designs, staff attended community events and posted the survey on social media and the city website from September 21 through October 7, 2024. Residents ranked three landscape designs in order of preference, from 1 (Most Preferred) to 3 (Least Preferred). Additionally, residents were asked to provide a word or adjective to describe why they chose their preferred design. Survey results are summarized in ATTACHMENT 1.
The results from the survey were used to develop median design concepts.
Drafted landscape designs will be presented by the city’s landscape architect consultant, BMLA of Corona, CA during the meeting for the Water Subcommittee to provide feedback (ATTACHMENT 2).
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
This request is not a “Project” as defined by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Pursuant to Section 15378(a), a “Project” means the whole of an action, which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. According to Section 15378(b), a Project does not include: (5) Organizational or administrative activities of governments that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.
GENERAL PLAN CONSISTENCY
This action is consistent with Guiding Principle 3 in the General Plan:
Our City government will lead by example, and will operate in an open, transparent, and responsive manner that meets the needs of the citizens and is a good place to do business.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney’s Office has reviewed the staff report.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Operating Budget Impact: No impact. Grant funds cover the cost of the landscape architect and the development of median design concepts.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact: No impact.