REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL October 10, 2019 FROM: JENNIFER CLARK, Director Planning and Development Department BY: SOPHIA PAGOULATOS, Planning Manager Planning and Development Department SUBJECT ..Title Actions pertaining to the 2019 Environmental Protection Agency Brownfields Coalition Assessment Grant: 1.***RESOLUTION - 8th amendment to the Annual Appropriation Resolution (AAR) No. 2019-133 appropriating $600,000 for the Environmental Protection Agency Brownfields Coalition Assessment Grant (Subject to Mayor's Veto) (Requires 5 affirmative votes) 2. Authorize the Planning and Development Director to accept $600,000 in total grant funding for the Brownfields Coalition Assessment grant for the TCC project area and execute all related documents applicable to the 2019 Environmental Protection Agency Brownfields Area-Wide Planning Grant ..Body RECOMMENDATION Approve a resolution adopting Annual Appropriation Resolution appropriating $600,000 for the Environmental Protection Agency Brownfields Area-Wide Planning Grant and authorize the Planning and Development Director to accept the grant funding and execute all related documents applicable to the 2019 Environmental Protection Agency Brownfields Coalition Assessment Grant. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Environmental Protection Agency has awarded a $600,000 Brownfields Coalition Assessment Grant to the City of Fresno in order to complement ongoing revitalization efforts in Downtown, Chinatown, and Southwest Fresno, specifically within the Transformative Climate Communities (TCC) project area. The TCC project area was targeted because of the number of planned investments, the economically and environmentally disadvantaged neighborhoods, and the most leverageable infrastructure, and has been the focus for multiple recent planning processes. The grant, which requires no local match, would pay for consultant services to assist in outreach and the preparation Phase I/II environmental site assessments (ESA), remediation plans, market studies, area plans, and other technical studies to support revitalization of the area. BACKGROUND The Brownfields Coalition Assessment Grant was applied for in partnership with Fresno County Department of Public Health, The Chinatown Foundation, and Saint Rest Community Economic Development Corporation. Goals for the plan include the following: 1. Assessment and identification of environmental hazards with defined strategies for cleanup on selected brownfield sites; 2. Development of a participatory reuse plan for selected brownfield sites, which includes market studies and analysis, and associated area-wide planning studies that provided documented demand for desired reuse and help secure developer interest and subsequent financing; and 3. Building coalition member's capacity to apply for and manage future EPA Brownfield grants. Key project activities include entering into a MOU with coalition members, the convening of an Advisory Committee comprised of coalition members, residents and representatives from community groups in the project area, selecting sites to be analyzed, and working with consultants and the Advisory Committee to research existing environmental, and infrastructure conditions of selected brownfields sites, complete remediation planning, market analyses, and area planning. The project area for the grant is in the 4.9-square mile (sq. mi.) TCC project area which includes the Downtown, Chinatown, and Southwest Fresno neighborhoods (see Attachment 1). The final deliverables of the grant would be up to 16 Phase 1 ESAs, up to 8 Phase II ESAs, up to 5 Remedial/Corrective Action Plans, up to 5 Reuse or Market Studies, and up to 3 Area-Wide Planning Studies. City Council approved the contract with Stantec Consulting Service Inc on December 13, 2018. The timeline for the grant extends to October of 2022. ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS This is not a "project" for purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378. LOCAL PREFERENCE Local preference was not implemented because the City is accepting a grant. FISCAL IMPACT No additional General Fund appropriations are required to accept this grant. No local match is required. City personnel costs are funded with existing FY 2019/2020 budgeted Planning & Development funds. Attachments Exhibit A - Annual Appropriations Resolution Exhibit B - Map of Project Area