REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Consider Friends of Stevens Creek Trail Funding Request in Support of a Local Match for a Grant Application to the Santa Clara Valley Water District to Conduct Planning Studies to Improve Steelhead Trout Passage on Stevens Creek; Determine the amount of Funding, and Approve Budget Modification No. 26 to Appropriate up to $9,800
Report
BACKGROUND
The Friends of Stevens Creek Trail has requested in its letter of February 8, 2016 that the City of Sunnyvale “become a partner in the project and provide $1,500 to $9,800 towards the $19,140 needed as the 25% local share of the $76,237 total cost” of the proposed “Stevens Creek Fish Passage Improvement Project” (See Attachment 1). This item is being presented for Council consideration at the request of Councilmember Martin-Milius and was briefly mentioned at the February 9, 2016 City Council meeting.
The Cities of Cupertino and Mountain View have placed a similar request on their agendas for March 1, 2016 and the Friends of Stevens Creek Trail have also requested support from the Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space District. At the time of drafting this report, the funding levels recommended by staff in those cities, if any, are not known. City staff will explore funding levels and report to the City Council verbally if there is anything to share or inform the City Council’s deliberations on this request. City staff did not want to delay Council consideration of this request until the March 15 City Council meeting because the grant application is due on March 18 and local matches should be established prior to the submittal of the grant application.
EXISTING POLICY
General Plan, Chapter 7, Environmental Management, Goal EM-8 Protection of creeks and Bay: Assure the reasonable protection of beneficial uses of creeks and San Francisco Bay, established in the regional board’s basin plan, and protect environmentally sensitive areas.
Council Policy, 1.1.7, Environmental Quality Regulations: The City Council adopts by reference the State Guidelines for the implementation of CEQA to insure adequate review of the impact on the environment of projects to be undertaken or approved by the City of Sunnyvale, so as to maximize the preservation and enhancement of the environment.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action being considered is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15306 as the funding is to support the conducting of a feasibility study related to a possible project. The City will conduct environmental review under CEQA prior to the approval of any project.
DISCUSSION
As part of the Fisheries and Aquatic Habitat Collaborative Effort (FAHCE) Settlement Agreement, the Santa Clara Valley Water District Stevens Creek was identified as a priority for the steelhead population restoration. That agreement and the Stevens Creek Limiting Factors Analysis identified barriers to migration of fish as a major factor limiting the sustainability of steelhead trout in Stevens Creek. The Stevens Creek Steelhead Passage Improvement Project will conduct planning to identify feasible measures to remediate the fish migration impediments in both the lower and upper reaches of Stevens Creek. The planning study will be conducted beginning in August 2016 and be completed by March 2017.
The proposed project would evaluate alternatives to fish passage at 5 locations along the length of Stevens Creek between San Francisco Bay and the Stevens Creek Reservoir. The project would retain consultants with experience in fish passage and channel design to conduct the studies specified in the scope of work. Results of the study would be provided to the Santa Clara Valley Water District to assist them in their decision making for future construction projects on Stevens Creek.
The request is for the City to become a partner in the project and provide funding of between $1,500 and $9,800 towards the $19,140 needed as the 25% local share of the $76,237 total cost.
FISCAL IMPACT
Should Council action be to assist with funding, staff recommends that it be funded from the City Council’s Service-Level Set Aside fund. The FY 2015/16 Budget originally included $100,000 for Councils use at its discretion for unanticipated expenditures of this nature. The Service-Level Set Aside has a current balance of $25,000. Alternatively, Council could appropriate funding directly from the Budget Stabilization Fund. This would be a one-time cost - amount to be determined by the City Council - of up to $9,800. The request states that the City will not be solicited for funding for the construction portions of the project as they expect the construction to be funded under the District’s FAHCE Settlement Agreement. Budget Modification No. 26 has been prepared to appropriate up to $9,800 from the Council Service Level Set Aside to a new project to fund the matching amount.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall, at the Sunnyvale Senior Center, Community Center and Department of Public Safety; and by making the agenda and report available at the Sunnyvale Public Library, the Office of the City Clerk and on the City's website.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Support the request by the Friends of Stevens Creek Trail, determine the funding amount, and approve Budget Modification No. 26 to appropriate up to $9,800.
2. Other action as directed by Council.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Staff makes no recommendation.
Staff
Prepared by: Yvette Blackford, Senior Management Analyst
Reviewed by: Timothy J. Kirby, Acting Director, Department of Finance
Reviewed by: Walter C. Rossmann, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Deanna J. Santana, City Manager
ATTACHMENT
1. Friends of Stevens Creek Trail letter to Council, February 8, 2016