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Home My WebLink About04 - Upper Buck Gully Reserve Area Trail ImprovementsCITY OF NEWPORT BEACH CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT Agenda Item No. (October 12, 2010) TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL FROM: Recreation & Senior Services Department Laura Detweiler, Director 949 - 644 -3157, Idetweiler(a�newportbeachca.gov SUBJECT: RESOLUTION FOR APPLICATION OF HABITAT CONSERVATION GRANT FUND PROGRAM FOR UPPER BUCK GULLY RESERVE AREA TRAIL IMPROVEMENTS ISSUE: Staff is requesting the City Council adopt Resolution 2010 -_ for application of grant funds from the Habitat Conservation Fund Program for Upper Buck Gully Reserve Area trail improvements. RECOMMENDATION: To adopt Resolution 2010- _ for application of grant funds from the Habitat Conservation Fund Program for Upper Buck Gully Reserve Area trail improvements. DISCUSSION: Background In 1990 the people of the State of California enacted the California Wildlife Protection Act, which provides funds to the State of California for grants to local agencies to acquire, enhance, restore or develop facilities for public recreation and fish and wildlife habitat protection purposes. This year, two million dollars is available to local agencies for the acquisition of wildlife corridors and urban trails, nature interpretation program, and other programs which bring urban residents into park and wildlife areas. The award of grant funds requires a local 50 percent match. This program seems well suited to assist the City in improving an informal trail that runs in Upper Buck Gully from 5th Avenue /Poppy Avenue, up the canyon to San Joaquin Hill Road near Newport Ridge Road. Hikers need to scramble across Buck Creek at four points along the trail. The proposed trail improvement in Upper Buck Gully is within the Natural Community Conservation Planning and Habitat Conservation Plan (NCCP /HCP). As a signatory to the NCCP /HCP, the City has certain obligations to ensure appropriate management of the canyon and has prepared the Resource and Recreation Management Plan to guide the City's management actions. The proposed trail improvements are listed in the approved management plan. RESOLUTION FOR APPLICATION OF HABITAT CONSERVATION GRANT FUND PROGRAM FOR UPPER BUCK GULLY RESERVE AREA TRAIL IMPROVEMENTS Page 2 Application for Grant Funding The City of Newport Beach wishes to apply for these funds which require a matching contribution commitment. The intended use for these funds is to construct four bridges along Buck Creek in the Upper Buck Bully Reserve Area as well as an entry gate and informational signs (Attachments B & C). The 5 -foot wide bridges will provide hikers safe passage across Buck Creek and protect the Creek from trampling. The bridges will be pre- fabricated and set in place by helicopter. Each bridge will have a support abutment at each end. Each support will be located outside the 100 -year flood plain and have a footprint of about ten square feet. No filling or dredging of wetlands will occur and no endangered or threatened species will be impacted on this project. A representative of the NCCP /HCP will be on hand during the installations to provide guidance. Total project costs are estimated at $180,000 requiring a City matching contribution for half of these funds in the amount of $90,000. The application process requires a resolution approved by the City Council which is reviewed by the California State Department of Parks and Recreation which has been delegated the responsibility for administration of the Habitat Conservation Fund Program. FISCAL IMPACT: Matching funds in the amount of $90,000 will be required and appropriated through the General Fund Unappropriated Balance. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT: In light of the non - intrusive nature of this project, the project is unlikely to have a significant effect on the environment. City staff will be coordinating with representatives of the NCCP /HCP to ensure compliance with environmental requirements. It is expected that a negative declaration will be prepared per Chapter 2.6, Division 21080 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). PUBLIC NOTICE: This agenda item has been noticed according to the Ralph M. Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the public meeting at which the City Council considers the item). Submitted by: a Detweiler, Recreation & Senior Services Director Attachment: A - Resolution 2010- 6 — Buck Gully Trail Map C — Project Specifications ATTACHMENT A Resolution No: 2010- A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWPORT BEACH APPROVING THE APPLICATION FOR GRANT FUNDS FROM THE HABITAT CONSERVATION FUND PROGRAM WHEREAS, the people of the State of California have enacted the California Wildlife Protection Act of 1990, which provides funds to the State of California for grants to local agencies to acquire, enhance, restore or develop facilities for public recreation and fish and wildlife habitat protection purposes; and WHEREAS, the State Department of Parks and Recreation has been delegated the responsibility for the administration of the HCF Program, setting up necessary procedures governing project application underthe HCF Program; and WHEREAS, said procedures established by the State Department of Parks and Recreation require the applicant to certify by resolution the approval of application(s) before submission of said application(s) to the State, and WHEREAS, the applicant will enter into a contract with the State of California to complete the project(s); NOW, THEREFORE, the City Council of the City of Newport Beach resolves as follows: 1 Approves the filing of an application for the Habitat Conservation Fund Program; and 2 Certifies that said applicant has or will have available, prior to commencement of any work on the project included in this application, the required match and sufficient funds to complete the project; and 3 Certifies that the applicant has or will have sufficient funds to operate and maintain the project(s), and 4 Certifies that the applicant has reviewed, understands, and agrees to the provisions contained in the contract shown in the grant administration guide; and 5 Delegates the authority to the Recreation & Senior Services Director to conduct all negotiations, execute and submit all documents, including, but not limited to applications, agreements, amendments, payment requests and so on, which may be necessary for the completion of the project. 6 Agrees to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws, ordinances, rules, regulations and guidelines. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon its adoption by the City Council, and the City Clerk shall certify the vote adopting the resolution. ADOPTED this day of , 2010. Keith Curry Mayor ATTEST: Leilani Brown City Clerk ATTACHMENT B ��BUCk GUI %6GGnGrry ✓� R rOITIWK� PrupadW Trail Map —BpvIr 0.0.3mW Imm RIUpGTTSO"k . 6pn —` WX01 Tr@d 2 27M Bfikni --- NMGSitl k V".,ka S Gela Rrrtl2d ird111:66m11169km 8 h,, CaWla EdMn P6dddd R", D U D E K L39U Re FGCI o Buck Gully Reserve - Resource &Recreation Management Plan T 0 700 IAN Proposed Trails Map NPB Draft Signs /Gates /Bridges RECREATION ENTRY (SATE FOUR BRIDGES ppen Deily 7:00 em to Sunset Pluanu Slay un dea1B^alud lralle ugly Vlor ciN iMIB�uE�� eT T� 4 �v:ar.,... rw F O U R B R I D G E S 1 rg B O B C A T 1 U44 Ire] ATTACHMENT C