Rancho Palos Verdes City Council
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TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL

FROM: ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER

DATE: JANUARY 10, 2004

SUBJECT: GRANT APPLICATION FOR OUTDOOR HISTORY MUSEUM AT LOWER POINT VICENTE PARK

RECOMMENDATION

Adopt Resolution No. 2004- ; Approving the application for grant funds for the Urban Park Act of 2001 under the California Clean Water, Clean Air, Safe Neighborhood Parks and Coastal Protection Act of 2002 for an Outdoor History Museum at Lower Point Vicente Park.

BACKGROUND

On January 5, 2004, the Los Serenos de Point Vicente Docents and the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy approached the City Council about applying for a $500,000 state grant to fund several outdoor educational exhibits at the Lower Point Vicente park site. The Council continued the discussion of the grant application to today’s meeting and directed staff to work with the two groups to define the policy issues inherent in a joint grant application. Staff met with representatives from the two organizations on January 7 and 8, 2004. Following the January 8th meeting, the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy decided to not participate as a joint applicant in the grant request. However, the Land Conservancy indicated that it would provide a letter of support for the grant application. In addition, the Docents have retained the services of the Land Conservancy’s grant writer to assist in the completion of the grant application.

DISCUSSION

Based on the Council’s discussion on January 6, 2004, staff has identified the following policy issues that must be resolved prior to the submittal of the grant application. Each item is identified and discussed below:

  1. Should the dry farming area be included or excluded from the grant application?

    2. Some members of the Council expressed a concern that the grant proposal should not preclude the City from considering other uses on the property, particularly in the area of the site that is currently being dry farmed. Therefore, staff recommends the dry farming area be excluded from the grant application. In addition, the Conceptual Project Site Plan is being revised to cluster the outdoor exhibit areas to the north of the existing building and main parking lot. The habitat restoration areas will also be limited to the areas previously developed as part of the Point Vicente Interpretive Center and generally encompass the portions of the site located west of the driveway entrance and main parking lot. A Conceptual Project Site Plan will be distributed to the Council at the meeting.

  2. Which entity will be the lead agency and manage the grant?

    3. With the Land Conservancy’s withdrawal from the grant application, the City will act as the lead agency in applying for the grant funds. If the grant application were successful, the City would have responsibility for overall grant management, including applying for the reimbursement of the grant funds from the state.

  3. What are the rolls of the two remaining parties in implementation of the grant?

The City would:

  • Coordinate the completion of the grant application
  • Coordinate the environmental review
  • Manage the application of the grant funds
  • Coordinate and provide members for the Project Steering Committee
  • Provide the land necessary for the project

The Los Serenos de Point Vicente Docents would:

  • Assist with the completion of the grant application
  • Gather information and expertise to complete the final design of the display areas.
  • Provide volunteer hours to construct and/or install some of the improvements
  • Provide members to serve on the Project Steering Committee
  1. What local resources can be committed to match the state grant funds?

Although a match is not required for this grant, in order to improve the grant’s chances for approval, staff recommends the following matching contributions to the project be included in the application:

The City would provide the land necessary for the project. The City would also provide the staff time to manage and administer the grant and coordinate the Project Steering Committee. The Docents would gather the information and expertise in the detailed planning of the exhibits, and volunteer hours to construct the improvements, with emphasis on the Tongva Indian Village, archeological dig site and geologic exploration site.

CONCLUSION

There is an opportunity to apply for state grant funds to implement several Outdoor History Museum at Lower Point Vicente Park that would enhance the pending expansion of the Interpretive Center on the site. Staff is seeking Council authorization to file a joint grant application with the Los Serenos de Point Vicente Docents in the amount of $500,000.

FISCAL IMPACT

If awarded, the grant would provide the funds necessary to complete the Outdoor History Museum at Lower Point Vicente Park. Because the City would be committing the land as the major portion of its proportional match, the only direct cost to the City would be the staff time required to administer the grant, complete the required permits and manage the construction of the improvements on the site.

Respectfully submitted:

 

Carolynn Petru

Assistant City Manager

Reviewed,

 

Les Evans

City Manager

Attachments:

Resolution No. 2004- ;

Conceptual Project Site Plan (to be distributed at the meeting)