To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Sonoma County Regional Parks
Staff Name and Phone Number: Minona Heaviland, 707-565-2024
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Second
Title:
Title
Agreement with Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit to Fund Riparian Enhancements at Crane Creek Regional Park
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Adopt a Resolution authorizing Sonoma County Regional Parks to enter into an agreement with Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) to fund riparian enhancements at Crane Creek Regional Park as mitigation for impacts from the construction of SMART’s multi-use trail, authorizing the Director to execute all documents necessary to carry out and administer the riparian enhancement monitoring and maintenance, and making findings as a responsible agency pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act.
B) Adopt a Resolution approving amendments to the Regional Parks Department Allocation List reflecting the addition of 1.0 full time equivalent (FTE) Parks and Grounds Maintenance Worker II to implement the work included in this and other similar agreements.
end
Executive Summary:
This agreement for up to $439,843 over a 6-year term between Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) and Sonoma County Regional Parks (Regional Parks) will fulfill SMART’s permit requirement for multi-use pathway construction and will assist Regional Parks with riparian restoration that will include erosion management and planting of native trees and shrubs along riparian areas in Crane Creek Regional Park. The project benefits include habitat enhancement, carbon sequestration, improved water quality, and beautification of public land. The project will also facilitate the construction of a multi-use path to benefit regional bicycle and pedestrian recreational and transit opportunities.
Discussion:
SMART plans to implement a section of pathway between Golf Course Drive in Rohnert Park and Bellevue Avenue in Santa Rosa and another between West Steel Lane and Airport Boulevard in Santa Rosa. Environmental impacts will occur as part of the planned pathway construction. Both the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the California Regional Water Quality Control Board have conditioned the pathway construction project with riparian mitigation requirements. In partnership with Sonoma County Regional Parks, SMART has identified riparian enhancement opportunities at Crane Creek Regional Park to fulfill riparian mitigation requirements. Crane Creek Regional Park in Petaluma is owned and operated by the County and is in the same watershed as the pathway projects.
Implementation of riparian enhancements in Crane Creek Regional Park (Project) would satisfy both permit requirements of SMART and would make desirable site improvements at Crane Creek Regional Park. SMART, through the attached Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), proposes to reimburse the County for its effort for riparian maintenance, monitoring, and reporting, up to $439,843 over the 6-year term of this agreement. SMART, through the attached MOU, would pay all costs associated with the design, permitting, and construction of the Project.
The proposed resolution authorizing execution of the MOU makes responsible agency findings pursuant to CEQA, as required by CEQA Guidelines section 15096. The project is environmentally beneficial, and no mitigation is required for any part of the project the County is proposing to carry out. However, the County is also required to make findings about the significant impacts of the broader project as a responsible agency relying on SMART’s environmental review. The proposed resolution makes the required findings.
SMART has completed California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review and designed and constructed a passenger rail service, stations, and accompanying multi use path along an approximately 45-mile existing rail corridor which will eventually be extended to 70-miles from Cloverdale in Sonoma County, California, to Larkspur, Marin County, California (the “SMART Rail and Pathway Project”). See Final Environmental Impact Report, Sonoma-Marin Rail Project SCH#2002112003 <https://scta.ca.gov/pdf/smart/final/final_eir.pdf>, Aspen Environmental Group for Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit, 2006.
This newest MOU with SMART is now one of three contracts funding restoration services at Regional Parks. In 2018, Regional Parks entered into a 9-year, $402,500 agreement with CalTrans to fund riparian enhancements near the Laguna de Santa Rosa Trail. In 2023, Regional Parks entered into an 11-year, $320,988.20 agreement with SMART to fund riparian enhancements at Helen Putnam Regional Park. Combined with this proposed 6-year, $439,843 agreement, Regional Parks has secured the needed funding to add the requested 1.0 full time equivalent (FTE) Parks and Grounds Maintenance Worker II through FY28-29.
Strategic Plan:
This item directly supports the County’s Five-year Strategic Plan and is aligned with the following pillar, goal, and objective.
Pillar: Climate Action and Resiliency
Goal: Goal 5: Maximize opportunities for mitigation of climate change and adaptation through land conservation work and land use policies
Objective: Objective 2: Develop policies to maximize carbon sequestration and minimize loss of natural carbon sinks including old growth forests, the Laguna de Santa Rosa, and rangelands. Encourage agricultural and open space land management to maximize sequestration.
This project includes tree and shrub planting in riparian areas that will contribute to carbon sequestration at Crane Creek Regional Park.
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
On May 8, 2018, Regional Parks entered into a 9-year, $402,500 agreement with CalTrans to fund riparian enhancements near the Laguna de Santa Rosa Trail.
On October 17, 2023, Regional Parks entered into an 11-year, $320,988.20 agreement with SMART to fund riparian enhancements at Helen Putnam Regional Park.
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY24-25 Adopted |
FY25-26 Projected |
FY26-27 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$32,434 |
$132,355 |
$138,972 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
$32,434 |
$132,355 |
$138,972 |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
|
|
|
State/Federal |
|
|
|
|
Fees/Other |
$32,434 |
$132,355 |
$138,972 |
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
General Fund Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
$32,434 |
$132,355 |
$138,972 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
Existing appropriations will fund a 1.0 FTE Parks and Grounds Maintenance Worker II position for the final quarter of fiscal year 24/25. Funding from this new MOU with SMART, along with available funding from two previous agreements (see Prior Board Actions), will be used to finance the position through FY 28-29. Regional Parks anticipates future similar mitigation agreements, grant, and other Regional Park revenue sources to fund the position beyond FY 28-29.
Funds from this agreement will be added as part of the FY25/26 budget process.
|
Staffing Impacts: |
|
|
|
|
Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
|
Parks and Grounds Maintenance Worker II |
$5,612.61 - $6,821.40 |
1.0 |
0.0 |
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
The requested staffing will be used to implement mitigation work as part of these MOUs with SMART.
Attachments:
Resolution
Personnel Resolution
Memorandum of Understanding
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None