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HomeMy WebLinkAboutExplanationExplanation Staff is requesting authorization to tile a Proposition $4 Storm Water Grant Program (SWGP) application for the Kimball Park Low -Impact Development and Paradise Creek Restoration Project. The grant request is for $1,876,153 with a local match of $700,000 resulting in a total project cost of $2,576,153. The local match will be funded through the City's Capital improvement Program (CIP). Staff project management/administration will be funded in -kind. The proposed project will construct multiple bioretention areas and expand wetlands habitats in and around Kimball Park to treat a highly urbanized drainage area of approximately 77 acres. The project will also restore approximately 1,050 linear feet of Paradise Creek through Kimball Park by removing the concrete channel, widening the creek and reintroducing native riparian vegetation. The project will implement Low -impact Development (LID) to improve water quality from urban runoff and provide an opportunity for residents and guests to interact with a natural, tidally -influenced water body through the park. Educational signage will also be installed along the restored creek and expanded wetland areas within the park. The project supports the following General Plan goals and policies: 1) CIP-3 Paradise Creek Restoration: Restore Paradise Creek to its natural condition to the extent feasible and develop an adjacent pedestrian and bicycle trail where feasible (implements Policies: LU-11.3; S-2.5; OS-2.2, 2.3, 6.2, 7.4). 2) Policy LU-11.3: Incorporate creeks and other natural features into new development and redevelopment and reintroduce them where they have been lost or undergrounded, where feasible. 3) Policy S-2.5: Encourage modifications to floodways to restore creek capacity, stabilize creek banks, and restore habitat or water quality, where feasible. 4) Policy OS-2.2: Preserve the ecological integrity of creek corridors, canals, and drainage ditches that support riparian resources by working with California Department of Fish and Game to establish a plant palette that is satisfactory and providing for up to 100-foot buffers that protect against development impacts but allow for existing uses and limited future recreational uses. 5) Policy OS-2.3: Preserve and enhance wetland resources including creeks, rivers, ponds, marshes, vernal pools, and other seasonal wetlands to the extent feasible. 6) Policy 0S-62: Evaluate opportunities to improve public access to Paradise Creek and Las Palmas Creek. 7) Policy 08-7.4: Where feasible, create and implement non -motorized paths along creeks, rivers, and waterfronts, with a focus on linking to existing pathways. Council Resolution authorizing filing of the grant application and committing to the local match is encouraged to demonstrate strong support for the project. If grant funding is awarded, staff will return to Council with a recommendation to accept the grant and appropriate funds.