For City Council Meeting [June 26, 2018]
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
APPROVAL: Robb R. Steel, Interim City Administrator
FROM: Robert G. Eisenbeisz, P.E. Public Works Director/City Engineer
Title
Request City Council to Adopt Resolution No. 7367 Accepting the California SB1-Public Transportation-Adaptation Planning Grant in the amount of $350,000; and Authorize the Release of a Request for Proposals for Related Professional Consultant Services for Rialto’s Climate Adaptation Plan with Transportation Integration.
(ACTION)
Body
BACKGROUND:
In January 2018, the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), Division of Transportation Planning, initiated the process of soliciting grant applications for the Adaptation Planning Grant utilizing Road Maintenance & Rehabilitation (SB-1) Funds. On April 28, 2017, State Senate Bill 1 (SB1) established funding for the Road Maintenance & Rehabilitation Program. SB1 provides a recurring and reliable source of funds to maintain and integrate the State’s multimodal transportation system. The state allocated $20 million to local and regional agencies for adaptation plan projects. Caltrans allocated $7 million for the fiscal year (FY) 2017-18 grant cycle, another $7 million for FY2018-19, and anticipates allocating $6 million for FY2019-20.
On February 23, 2018, staff submitted a grant application for the SB1- 2018 Adaptation Planning Grant to develop the City of Rialto’s Climate Adaptation Plan with Transportation Integration. A copy of the grant application is included as Attachment 1.
ANALYSIS/DISCUSSION:
Public Works received an award letter, dated May 11, 2018, from the Caltrans Office of Regional Planning stating that Rialto received a grant award for $350,000 with a local match of $45,500, for a total amount of $395,400 toward the proposed adaptation-planning project. The award letter is included as Attachment 2.
The City will use the Climate Adaptation Planning grant to build upon the City of Rialto's Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (2012) and the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority (SBCTA) Regional Climate Adaptation Toolkit to create strategies for climate change adaptation and resilience as part of the City's General Plan, pursuant to SB 379. The Plan will conduct an asset vulnerability assessment, develop climate adaptation/resiliency goals, policies, and objectives, and develop feasible implementation measures plus strategies for the establishment of a data retention center to assist in ongoing monitoring. The Plan will also include amendments to appropriate sections of the General Plan to ensure consistency.
The anticipated schedule for an award and execution of the adaptation-planning project is as proposed below:
Conditional Award July 15, 2018
Submission of Local Resolution August 15, 2018
Fully Executed Contract October 1, 2018
Release of Request for Proposal October 15, 2018
Award of Professional Service Agreement December 2018
Adaptation Planning Start January 2019
Complete all work February 28, 2021
Final Reimbursements and Final products submission to Caltrans April 28, 2021
It will take approximately three months from grant approval by the California Transportation Commission (CTC) to process and execute the agreements with the CTC to allocate the funds. Until that time, the City cannot commence reimbursable work on the planning project. Staff will rely on the assistance of a Consultant to complete the project scope of work. The consultant procurement will follow adopted Caltrans Local Assistance procedures and City procurement policies.
The City needs a comprehensive framework for adaptation strategies addressing climate impacts related to land use decisions, and integration of transportation elements and socio-economic factors to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. This Plan will provide a clear blueprint for the City that will:
• Build on the existing Local Hazard Mitigation Plan (LHMP) updated in 2012;
• Conduct a thorough asset vulnerability assessment, using the toolkit and template under synthesis by SBCTA;
• Develop climate adaptation/resiliency goals, policies, and objectives for the City based on the vulnerability assessment;
• Develop feasible implementation measures based on these goals, policies, and objectives including the conservation and implementation of infrastructure used in adaptation projects, to be included in the safety element of the General Plan revision;
• Establish a transportation data retention center for Rialto that will accumulate information pertinent to transportation as applied to climate adaptation, public health, citywide economic vitality, land use, air quality, and the potential for greenhouse gas reductions. This data center will assist in the creation of the Climate Adaptation Plan as well as potential future development of transportation demand management strategies and serve as a monitoring tool for implementation. Gathering important information in a centralized form will improve understanding of potential solutions for citywide transportation, climate mitigation, and climate adaptation needs of Rialto.
The project scope will include the following tasks:
1. Project Management
2. Outreach and Engagement Plan - Includes development of a Stakeholder Outreach Plan (SOP). The SOP shall outline strategies that will be geared towards creating strong community involvement from developers/owners, local employers and employees, residents, and other stakeholders. Coordinate outreach to assemble a 10-to-15 member Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), which will meet on a regular basis.
3. Data Collection - Includes aggregation of data necessary to complete the Climate Adaptation Plan.
4. Vulnerability Assessment- Identifies anticipated challenges posed by climate change in the City and its Sphere of Influence. The Consultant shall work with SBCTA and WRCOG to retrieve the climate adaptation and resiliency template under development for those agencies as part of the Regional Climate Adaptation Toolkit for Transportation Infrastructure projects.
5. Plan Implementation - Provides a set of proposed adaptation and resilience goals, policies, and objectives for the protection of the communities within the City of Rialto and its Sphere of Influence. Provides cost estimates for the implementation strategies discussed in the Plan and prioritizes strategies based on City needs. Cost estimates shall be indexed using different categories such as timeframe (immediate actions, short-term projects, and long-term projects), type of projects (programs, infrastructure improvement, policy implementation, etc.), and project priorities.
6. Adoption - Includes recommendations for adoption of climate adaptation goals, policies, and objectives into the General Plan for consistency across all elements.
Staff will release a request for proposals to hire a consultant once Caltrans has issued a fully executed contract and formally notifies the City authorizing the start of work, expected by October 2018.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT:
The proposed 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:
Approval of this action complies with the following City of Rialto General Plan Goals and Policies:
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.
Approval of this action complies with the City of Rialto General Plan Goals and Policy:
Air Quality and Climate
Goal 2-35: Reduce air pollution emissions from both mobile and stationary sources in the City.
Goal 2-38: Mitigate against climate change.
Policy 2-38.1: Consult with State agencies, SCAG, and the San Bernardino Associated Governments (SANBAG) to implement AB32 and SB375 by utilizing incentives to facilitate infill and transit-oriented development.
Policy 2-38.2: Encourage development of transit-oriented and infill development, and encourage a mix of uses that foster walking and alternative transportation in Downtown and along Foothill Boulevard.
Policy 2-38.3: Provide enhanced bicycling and walking infrastructure, and support public transit, including public bus service, the Metrolink, and the potential for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT).
Policy 2-38.4: The City shall participate in the San Bernardino Regional Greenhouse Inventory and Reduction Plan.
Measure 8.1: Annual Review of General Plan, Land Use Policy Map, and Environmental Indicators:
- Annually review implementation of the General Plan and Land Use Map to identify the effect of land development, and evaluate programs and services.
- Develop a range of environmental indicators for monitoring over time as the community develops. Such indicators may include, but are not limited to, the following: ratio of parkland/population, amount of new housing created, percentage of solid waste diverted from the waste stream through recycling, etc.
- Utilize the City’s GIS system to create and track these indicators, and report annually to the City Council regarding the progress toward established objectives.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed and approved the staff report and Resolution.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Operating Budget Impact
Staff recommends an increase in estimated revenues in Grant Project Fund Account Number 203-400-7305-7536-180811-22 and appropriation of expenditures with the acceptance of the grant in Grant Project Fund Account Number 203-500-7305-2011-180811-01. The adaptation grant is in the amount of $350,000 with a required 11.47% match in the amount of $45,500 for a total project cost of $395,400. The match will be using Measure I Fund, Account Number 201-500-4310-2011-180811-04 with an appropriation of $45,500.
Capital Improvement Budget Impact
The proposed action will not affect the Capital Improvement budget. The grant is a planning grant and is not a capital improvement activity.
Licensing
The proposed action will not require any licensing.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council:
• Adopt a Resolution to Accept the California SB1- Public Transportation- Climate Adaptation Planning Grant in the amount of $350,000.
• Authorize staff to release a Request for Proposal for Rialto’s Climate Adaptation Plan with Transportation Integration.