To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Regional parks
Staff Name and Phone Number: Elizabeth Tyree, 707-565-2041; Hattie Brown, 707-565-2041
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): First
Title:
Title
Larson Park Renovation and Sonoma Valley Fire Resiliency Specified Grant
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Adopt a Resolution authorizing the Director of Regional Parks to apply for Specified Grant Funds from the State Budget Act of 2023 in the amount of $1,250,000 for Larson Park Renovation and Sonoma Valley Fire Resiliency, and to execute all documents necessary to carry out and administer the grants.
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Executive Summary:
A total of $1,250,000 in State Parks funding has been specified for Sonoma County Regional Parks for two types of projects in Sonoma Valley. Larson Park, located in the Sonoma Springs community, is slated to receive $1 million to contribute toward significant renovation scheduled to begin this summer. The Sonoma Valley Wildlands Collaborative is to receive $250,000 for critical fire resiliency work identified in the Sonoma Valley.
Discussion:
This $1,250,000 Local Assistance Specified Grant originated from a line item in State Assembly Bill Number 102, an act to amend the State of California Budget Act of 2023, designating $1 million for Larson Park Renovation and $250,000 for Sonoma Valley Fire Resiliency. As a note of clarity related to the Bill text, both of these intended projects were listed in the original text but the description was conflated in the final chaptered text as, “$1,250,000 for Sonoma County Regional Parks for the Larson Park Renovation project.”
State Parks requires a resolution authorizing application for this grant specified for Larson Park Renovation and Sonoma Valley Fire Resiliency projects. This resolution also designates the Director of Regional Parks to execute all documents that may be necessary to carry out and administer the grant. The following provides background for these projects.
Larson Park Renovation
Larson Park is nestled in the vibrant Springs neighborhood north of Sonoma. Improvements contemplated using this grant funding were already reviewed for CEQA purposes during this Board’s approval of the Larson Park Master Plan Update in May 2021.
The park has extensive deferred maintenance and needs facility upgrades and renovations. Given the extent of improvements needed, Regional Parks updated the Master Plan for the park. Through the process of meeting with neighbors and stakeholders, it became clear that rather than a wholesale re-design of the park, the community is satisfied with the current uses, and desires to maintain them, while upgrading and renovating the facility and park amenities throughout. The resulting design includes upgrading the existing park facilities, expanding picnic and play areas, and improving the overall safety and user experience. The only new uses include four dedicated pickle ball courts to be developed in place of one tennis court, leaving three tennis courts instead of four, a new permanent restroom building, and a new picnic area. On May 11, 2021, the Board approved the Larson Park Master Plan Update and authorized filing a Notice of Exemption pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act. This notice was posted May 14 through June 16, 2021.
Regional Parks has been seeking Larson Park construction funding since 2019, but not being a new park, it was not prioritized for funding. This Specified Grant is the first State Parks funding received for Larson Park improvements. Construction documents are being finalized, and the project will go out to bid soon. The total estimated construction cost is $4 million. This State Parks $1 million grant funding will contribute to constructing these improvements. Additional funding includes $2 million from District 1 Community Infrastructure funds, $140,000 from Sonoma County Regional Parks Foundation, $60,000 from County Service Area 41, and $800,000 from Parks for All Measure M Category 2 funding.
Construction is anticipated to begin this year with completion late 2024 or spring 2025. Following construction, ongoing park operations costs are not anticipated to increase, and maintenance costs are expected to decrease. Regional Parks will continue to manage this park facility.
Sonoma Valley Fire Resiliency
The Sonoma Valley Wildlands Collaborative (Collaborative) consists of a group of six conservation organizations and land management agencies, including the County of Sonoma (Regional Parks), Sonoma County Ag + Open Space, Audubon Canyon Ranch, the State Department of Parks and Recreation, Sonoma Land Trust, and Sonoma Mountain Preservation Foundation. Formed in response to the 2017 wildfires, Collaborative members recognized the need to manage land in partnership and across boundaries to achieve greater landscape resilience and community protection from wildfire. Together, the Collaborative manages over 18,000 acres of park and preserve lands in the Sonoma Valley region including lands that have been recently and repeatedly impacted by extreme wildfire. The Collaborative aims to maintain and improve ecosystem health, increase resilience to wildfires and climate change, and reduce future impacts of wildfire to communities in the Sonoma Valley.
The Collaborative works closely with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) to develop and implement a long-term strategy on a landscape scale. Through this approach, the Collaborative has successfully secured multiple grant awards utilizing funds from California Climate Investments, a statewide program that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment - particularly in disadvantaged communities.
This $250,000 for Sonoma Valley Fire Resiliency work included in the Specified Grant will be used for continued vegetation management in the Sonoma Valley to create healthier and more fire-resistant ecosystems. Vegetation management projects will include fuel reduction, perimeter fuel reduction, roadside fuel breaks, defensible space, and fuel break maintenance as well as forest management planning in ecosystems that have experienced repeated severe wildfire. Projects within the Sonoma Valley Wildfire Resiliency include:
1. $100,000 to Regional Parks for forest management planning and vegetation management implementation.
2. $150,000 to the Sonoma Land Trust on behalf of the Collaborative for vegetation management implementation.
Work is anticipated to begin this year with completion anticipated by late 2025.
California Environmental Quality Act: Compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act for land management activities carried out with funding for Sonoma Valley Fire Resiliency will be determined on a project-by-project basis. Receipt of the funds is not a commitment to any specific project.
Next Steps
The first step toward approval of this Specified Grant is submitting a resolution approving applications for specified grant funds to State Parks. This resolution also designates the Director of Regional Parks to execute all documents that may be necessary to carry out and administer grant funds.
Upon receipt of the approved resolution, State Parks will issue the grant contract and Regional Parks will prepare the required forms to file with State Parks for project applications. Regional Parks will administer the two (2) Sonoma Valley Fire Resiliency projects and the Larson Park Renovation project as three (3) separate projects. Reimbursement will be requested after the projects are approved by State Parks and the work completed. The performance period for this Specified Grant started July 1, 2023, and work is to be completed by December 31, 2026.
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 1: Continue to invest in wildfire preparedness and resiliency strategies
Objective: Objective 3: Leverage grant funding to support sustainable vegetation management program.
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
September 12, 2023, accepted the County of Sonoma Capital Project Plan 2023-2028, including subject Larson Park Improvements project.
April 19, 2022, by Resolution 22-0160, Regional Parks received and distributed wildfire prevention funding to Sonoma Valley Wildlands Collaborative.
May 11, 2021, by Resolution No. 21-0194 approved Larson Park Master Plan Update and authorized filing a NOE pursuant to CEQA.
March 23, 2021, by Resolution No. 21-0117 approved application for Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Grant Funds, round four.
August 6, 2019, by resolution No. 19-0317 approved application for Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Grant Funds, round three.
Fiscal Summary
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
This $1,250,000 in funding from State Parks is included in the FY 23-24 Larson Park Renovation capital project budget.
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
None
Attachments:
Resolution
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None