REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL February 18, 2021 FROM: TJ MILLER, Director Parks, After School, Recreation, and Community Services Department BY: DIANE PRINTZ-WHITE, Senior Management Analyst Parks, After School, Recreation, and Community Services Department SUBJECT ..Title Actions pertaining to approval of Environmental Assessments for the submission of grant applications through Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program (Proposition 68). 1. Adopt Environmental Assessment No. P19-03261, dated December 11, 2020, a Mitigated Negative Declaration for the proposed park renovation project pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) at Quigley Park (Council District 1); 2. Adopt Environmental Assessment No. P19-03262, dated December 11, 2020, a Mitigated Negative Declaration for the proposed park renovation project pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) at Radio Park (Council District 7). ..Body RECOMMENDATION Staff recommends the City Council adopt the Environmental Assessment for the proposed park renovation project at Quigley Park and the Environmental Assessment for the proposed park renovation project at Radio Park. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Staff previously met with the Council offices to identify and prioritize significant park improvement projects for the purpose of applying for grant funds currently available through the Proposition 68 Grant Program. Four potential projects were identified. Staff has since been working to prepare the grant applications as well as the required California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) documentation. CEQA compliance documentation is required to be submitted to the State prior to award to demonstrate project readiness. BACKGROUND In June 2018, California voters approved Proposition 68, a general obligation bond, authorizing $4.1 billion for the creation and rehabilitation of state and local parks, natural resources protection projects, climate adaptation projects, water quality and supply projects, and flood protection projects. The release of funds occurs in cycles and with specific project specifications and criteria. The current Statewide Park Program has a total of $395,302,155 allocated for grant funding. This competitive program focuses on the creation of new parks and new recreation opportunities in underserved communities across California. The grant program funds projects at a minimum of $200,000 and a maximum of $8.5M per project with no match requirement and no limit on the number of applications submitted. In January 2018, the City Council adopted the Parks Master Plan Update (Plan). The adoption celebrates the culmination of nearly 18 months of community outreach, stakeholder engagement, staff analysis, and a comprehensive evaluation of parks and amenities. The Plan serves as the visionary guide for improving Fresno's parks, open space and recreational services. The Plan also provides recommendations and strategies, and highlights the community's priorities for improvements. The common goal identifies focusing on making substantial improvements to the City of Fresno's (City's) existing park system and seeking out alternative funding options for new park development. The current Statewide Park Program provides the opportunity to address both. Staff worked with Council Members to identify park priorities using the two main grant focuses - assuring proposed projects are located in disadvantaged communities and have deficiencies in park acreage (those with less than 3 acres per 1,000 residents). Staff analyzed the priorities to ensure the proposed projects met the overall grant guidelines as well as the construction performance criteria - being fully constructed by March 2025. Staff held additional meetings with Council Members to review the process that was utilized to select the top projects. The four projects identified for submittal are: 1. New Park Construction at Church/Orangewood (District 5) 2. Reconstruction project for Quigley Park (District 1) 3. Miscellaneous improvements and renovation of Radio Park (District 7) 4. New Park Construction at Milburn/Dakota (District 1) To ensure timeliness submittal of the applications, a copy of a Notice of Exemption or Notice of Determination is required as part of the application submission. The completion of this CEQA certification is to demonstrate project readiness to the State Office of Grants and Local Services. Notice of Exemption or Notice of Determination for the remaining two projects for new park construction will be brought before Council for approval at a later date. The City Attorney's Office has reviewed and approved as to form the Environmental Assessments for Quigley Park and Radio Park. ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS Environmental assessments were prepared for the Radio and Quigley projects in accordance with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines. Preparation of the environmental assessments necessitated thorough review of the proposed projects and relevant environmental issues and considered previously prepared environmental and technical studies pertinent to the areas, including the Fresno General Plan MEIR SCH No. 2012111015 (MEIR). The City conducted an initial study of the above-described projects, and they have been determined to be subsequent projects that are not fully within the scope of the MEIR prepared for the Fresno General Plan as provided by CEQA, as codified in the Public Resources Code (PRC) Section 21157.1(d) and the CEQA Guidelines Section 15177(c). Therefore, the Planning and Development Department recommended the adoption of Mitigated Negative Declarations for these projects. Additionally, all applicable mitigation measures identified within the Fresno General Plan MEIR have been applied to these projects, as well as project specific mitigation, to assure the projects will not cause significant adverse cumulative impacts, growth inducing impacts, and irreversible significant effects beyond those identified by the MEIR as provided by CEQA Section 15178(a). Pursuant to PRC Section 21157.6(b)(1), staff determined no substantial changes have occurred with respect to the circumstances under which the MEIR was certified and that no new information, which was not known and could not have been known at the time that the MEIR was certified as complete, has become available. Therefore, it has been determined based upon the evidence in the record that the projects will not have significant impact on the environment and that the filing of mitigated negative declarations is appropriate in accordance with the provisions of CEQA Section 21157.5(a)(2) and CEQA Guidelines Section 15178(b)(1) and (2). The CEQA noticing procedures were followed. A Notice of Intent (NOI) was published in the Fresno Bee and recorded at the Fresno County Clerk's Office on November 20, 2020 for both of these Environmental Assessments. In addition, the recorded NOI was posted to the City Clerk's webpage. Per CEQA, once the NOI is filed there is a 20-day public comment period for a proposed mitigated negative declaration. The public comment period ended December 10, 2020, and to date there have been no comments or inquiries received. LOCAL PREFERENCE Local preference is not applicable because the adoption of these declarations does not include a bid or award of a construction or service contract. FISCAL IMPACT Funding for the environmental assessments, totaling $39,532 was paid by General Fund monies appropriated in the Fiscal Year 2020 budget. The environmental assessment costs are eligible for reimbursement if the projects are selected and awarded by the granting agency. Attachments: Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration for Radio Neighborhood Park Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration for Quigley Community Park