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Home My WebLink About2009-07-06; Agricultural Conversion Mitigation Fee Committee Ad Hoc; ; Status of Projects Awarded with Agricultural Conversion Mitigation FundingJuly 6, 2009 Agenda Item #3 Page 1 CITY OF CARLSBAD AGRICULTURAL CONVERSION MITIGATION FEE AD HOC CITIZENS’ ADVISORY COMMITTEE Subject: Status of Projects Awarded with Agricultural Conversion Mitigation Funding Meeting Date: July 6, 2009 At the November 17, 2008 Agricultural Conversion Mitigation Fee Ad Hoc Citizen’s Advisory Committee (Committee) meeting, the Committee directed staff to return with continual status updates on awarded grant projects. Since the last status update provided at the June 1, 2009 Committee meeting, staff has made one disbursement from the fund for awarded grant (AGP) 06-16 (La Posada de Guadalupe Farm Worker Housing), which is discussed below in greater detail. Staff notes that of the thirteen (13) projects awarded with grant funding: Four (4) projects have received full disbursement of funding; Eight (8) projects have received partial disbursement of funding; and, One (1) project has yet to receive disbursement of funding. Exhibit 3-1 (attached) provides an updated summary of the fund balance and status of projects awarded with agricultural mitigation funding. After the June 1st Committee meeting, staff received a status update for AGP 06-10 (Carlsbad Beach Nourishment), which is attached as Exhibit 3-2. At the January 6, 2009 Committee meeting, the Committee received a status update from Catholic Charities regarding implementation of AGP 06-16 (La Posada de Guadalupe Farm Worker Housing). The applicant’s representative, Sister RayMonda DuVall, indicated that Catholic Charities has been unable to secure operational funding, without which the project may not be viable. Sister DuVall requested that the grant funds for the La Posada project ($2,000,000) remain available for the project until Catholic Charities is able to secure operational funding. Note: operational costs do not qualify for funding from the Agricultural Conversion Mitigation Fee Fund; the funds awarded to the La Posada project are limited to fund the construction of the project. After hearing and considering the information related to the La Posada project, the Committee agreed that the grant funds awarded for the project should remain available, provided that: Catholic Charities returns to the Committee within six months (by July 2009) with a status update on the La Posada project; and Page 2 The La Posada project shall be viable within one year (by January 2010), or the Committee may recommend to the City Council that the funding for the La Posada project be reprogrammed and made available to support other projects. Catholic Charities is expected to present their six month update on the status of the La Posada project at the Committee’s July 6, 2009 meeting. However, staff notes that in the past six months, Catholic Charities has received funding to support the La Posada project, as follows: On April 14, 2009, the Catholic Charities was awarded funding from the City’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. CDBG funding awarded includes: o $7,500 awarded to support operation of the existing homeless facility, o $205,000 awarded to support replacement of the building with a condition that matching funds of one dollar in private funding and/or Agricultural Conversion Mitigation Fee funds be used for every two dollars of CDBG funds provided by the City. In June 2009, the City executed a funding agreement (Exhibit 3-3) with Catholic Charities for a portion ($108,500) of AGP 06-16. Of the $108,500, $54,400 has been disbursed to complete design work for the La Posada project. The funding agreement is consistent with the Committee’s 2008 recommendation to the City Council to encumber $2,000,000 for the La Posada project, but only fund $108,500 for design work. Funding of the remaining grant balance is subject to Committee and City Council review and approval. In a phone conversation with staff on June 29, 2009, Sister Duvall indicated that Catholic Charities’ has secured commitments from a private foundation for support of the project. Sister DuVall also emphasized that the typical funding portfolio for the financing of operations at the existing La Posada Shelter consists of a combination of sources including foundations, private donations, and publically available funds. Respectfully Submitted, PLANNING DEPARTMENT Exhibits: 3-1. Encumbrance/Disbursement Breakdown 3-2. Update on AGP 06-10 (Carlsbad Beach Nourishment) 3-3. Catholic Charities Funding Agreement Exhibit 3-1 REVISED: 6/29/09 CITY COUNCIL APPROVED AGRICULTURAL CONVERSION MITIGATION FEE PROGRAM: Breakdown of Encumbrance and Disbursement Totals for Approved Projects PROJECT NUMBER ELIGIBILITY CATEGORY PROPOSAL NAME PROPOSAL DESCRIPTION APPLICANT FUNDING APPROVED FUNDING DISBURSED ENCUMBERED FUNDING AVAILABLE PROJECT STATUS AGP 06-02 D Audubon Nature Center Interior improvements to Nature Center classroom Buena Vista Audubon Society $15,000 $15,000 $0.00 Full funding disbursed. Project implemented/ complete. AGP 06-03 D BLF Nature Center Improvements Nature Center replacement and improvements Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation $180,732 $88,000 $92,732 Partial funding disbursed. Lease negotiations underway. AGP 06-04 C & D Buena Vista Lagoon Boardwalk Engineering design and environmental studies for a boardwalk Buena Vista Lagoon Foundation $164,000 $68,000 $96,000 Partial funding disbursed. Project design in progress. AGP 06-05 B Cymbidium Project Greenhouse, shade structure, and related infrastructure for orchid production CB Ranch Enterprises $316,500 $310,500 $6,000 Partial funding disbursed. Project implementation underway/near completion. AGP 06-06 B Multi-Use Barn Barn for off-season equipment storage and seasonal displays and presentations CB Ranch Enterprises $233,000 $233,000 $0.00 Full funding disbursed. Project implemented/ complete. AGP 06-07 B Permeable Paving Project Permanent semi- permeable road surface for Flower Fields circulation CB Ranch Enterprises $297,000 $297,000 $0.00 Full funding disbursed. Project implemented/ complete. AGP 06-08 B Drainage Improvements Project Permanent drainage system to reduce erosion and soil loss CB Ranch Enterprises $230,000 $230,000 $0.00 Full funding disbursed. Project complete/implemented. AGP 06-09 B Soil Amendment Project 5-year program of soil amendment to improve soil structure and long-term productivity of Flower Fields CB Ranch Enterprises $159,000 $69,000 $90,000* Partial funding disbursed. Years 1 and 2 of composting applications implemented/ complete. *Remaining balance REVISED: 7/1/09 PROJECT NUMBER ELIGIBILITY CATEGORY PROPOSAL NAME PROPOSAL DESCRIPTION APPLICANT FUNDING APPROVED FUNDING DISBURSED ENCUMBERED FUNDING AVAILABLE PROJECT STATUS recommended for reprogramming to AGP 09-01 (Carlsbad Flower Fields Enhanced Access). AGP 06-10 C Carlsbad Beach Nourishment Nourishment of two stretches of beaches in north and south central Carlsbad City of Carlsbad Beach Preservation Committee $1,500,000 $74,500 $1,425,500 Partial funding disbursed. Planning activities underway. AGP 06-12 A Batiquitos Lagoon Monitoring/ Management Plan Monitor and develop management plan for lagoon Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation $780,5891 $23,995 $756,594 Partial funding disbursed. Bathymetric and Tidal Assessment Study Complete. AGP 06-13 C Agua Hedionda Lagoon Trails Maintenance and construction of trails around Agua Hedionda Lagoon Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation $305,750 $0.00 $305,750 No funding disbursed. AGP 06-15 D Discovery Center Improvements Interior and exterior improvements to existing Discovery Center Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation $386,000 $68,500 $317,500 Partial funding disbursed. Interior improvements. AGP 06-16 B La Posada de Guadalupe Farmworker Housing Construction of farm worker/homeless housing at Casa de Guadalupe Catholic Charities $2,000,0002 $54,400 $1,945,600 Partial funding disbursed. Conceptual design and feasibility study underway TOTAL $6,567,571 $1,531,895 $5,035,676 1 Entire request encumbered, but approved only portion ($74,995) at present to allow for data collecting and reporting and maintenance. 2 Entire request encumbered, but approved only portion ($108,500) at present to allow for design work.