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Home My WebLink AboutAGENDA REPORT 2022 0202 CCSA REG ITEM 10BCITY OF MOORPARK,  CALIFORNIA City Council Meeting of February 2, 2022 ACTION Approved Staff Recommendation, Including Adoption of Resolution No. 2022- 4070. (Roll Call Vote: Unanimous). BY B. Garza. B.Consider a Reimbursement Agreement and Donation to the Moorpark Watershed, Parks, Recreation and Conservation Authority (MWPRCA) and Resolution Amending Fiscal Year (FY) 2021/22 Budget by Allocating $217,000 from the General Fund for Fire Buffer and Oak Woodland Restoration Project. Staff Recommendation: 1) Approve Loan Agreement with MWPRCA in the amount of $195,000, and authorize the City Manager to sign the Agreement, subject to final language approval of the City Manager; and 2) Adopt Resolution No. 2022-4070 authorizing the use of City funding as match for the Fire Resiliency Funding and amending the FY 2021/22 budget to fund the advance payment and match funding. (ROLL CALL VOTE REQUIRED) (Staff: Jessica Sandifer, Community Services Manager) Item: 10.B. MOORPARK CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT TO: Honorable City Council FROM: Jessica Sandifer, Community Services Manager DATE: 02/02/2022 Regular Meeting SUBJECT: Consider a Reimbursement Agreement and Donation to the Moorpark Watershed, Parks, Recreation and Conservation Authority (MWPRCA) and Resolution Amending Fiscal Year (FY) 2021/22 Budget by Allocating $217,000 from the General Fund for Fire Buffer and Oak Woodland Restoration Project BACKGROUND In 2011, the City purchased an 80-acre parcel in the Tierra Rejada Valley to preserve it as open space (80 Acres). The location of the property is outside Moorpark city limits. In 2016, the City Council approved a Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) with the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy (SMMC) creating the Moorpark Watershed, Parks, Recreation, and Conservation Authority (MWPRCA). The JPA was created so that the City could purchase and transfer open space parcels to the MWPRCA for care and management, as well as the potential for additional opportunities for grants for recreation and trails in the open space areas. In 2017, the parcel was transferred to the MWPRCA. Currently, $6,900 funding for property maintenance on the 80 Acres is provided by the City via a pass-thru to the MWPRCA budget. Other than that funding, there is no other funding available to implement restoration projects or open the property for public use. Staff has been exploring various grant opportunities for the 80 Acres. As part of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021/22 budget, the State of California allocated $536 million to a statewide Wildfire Prevention Early Budget Action Funding Plan to help improve California’s resilience to wildfires. Of this funding, the SMMC was allocated $12 million to be used on Fire Resiliency Projects within the Santa Monica Mountains and Rim of the Valley Corridor Zone. In November 2021, the SMMC approached the MWPRCA requesting whether the MWPRCA had a project that would qualify for this Fire Resiliency Funding. DISCUSSION The City’s FY 2021/22 Operating and Capital Improvement Budget includes a list of Future and Potential Projects related to the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department. Future action Item No. 6 in the Landscape Maintenance Districts and Item: 10.B. 322 Honorable City Council 02/02/2022 Regular Meeting Page 2 General Landscaping category includes the following: • Landscape excess right-of-way on southeast corner of Tierra Rejada Road and Moorpark Road and install standard curb and gutter. Remove pepper trees on the south side of Tierra Rejada Road and install native trees. Although this project is not currently an active Capital Improvement Project, staff recommended the project to SMMC primarily due to the potential of future fire risk. The Fire Buffer and Oak Woodland Restoration Project will remove all the California Pepper Trees (Schinus molle) on the south side of Tierra Rejada Road, directly adjacent to the City’s boundary at the north end of the 80-acre property and replace them with Coast Live Oak trees (Quercus agrifolia). California Pepper Trees are not native to California as their name suggests. The Statewide Integrated Past Management Program administered by the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources identifies Schinus molle as an ‘Invasive Weed’ with the potential for significant economic and ecological damage in natural areas. Additionally, the Ventura County Fire District (VCFD) identifies Schinus molle in Guideline 410 (prohibited plant list) as a flammable and invasive plant species and is prohibited within defensible spaces and fuel modification zones. VCFD also recognizes the benefit of various large tree species that may slow or stop the spread of wildfire, particularly the tree species Quercus agrifolia. Fire resiliency funding will provide for the removal of approximately eighty (80) Schinus molle that will be replaced with one hundred (100) Quercus agrifolia, including the installation of a temporary drip irrigation system which will be needed in order to establish the new trees. The project will provide a fire buffer and increase natural habitat on the 80-acre open space property owned by the MWPRCA. SMMC requires a minimum of 10% match funding in order to receive Fire Resiliency Funding. The MWPRCA requested $217,000 for the project, of which $22,000 was to be match funding. The terms of the funding provide that the MWPRCA is reimbursed when funds are spent. As previously mentioned, the MWPRCA does not currently have resources with which it can pay the $217,000 project cost. Staff is requesting that the City approve a $195,000 loan from the General Fund (1000) to the MWPRCA. The loan will be non-interest bearing. The MWPRCA will repay the loan when it receives the funding reimbursement. In addition, an appropriation of $22,000 from the General Fund (1000) to MWPRCA is also requested to provide the required match funding for the project. Since the City of Moorpark is in a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone and the project provides a public benefit to Moorpark, staff feels the donation of the match funding is appropriate. Staff has prepared a reimbursement agreement for the MWPRCA for the $195,000 in funding and the attached resolution authorizes the $22,000 donation to the MWPRCA. 323 Honorable City Council 02/02/2022 Regular Meeting Page 3 FISCAL IMPACT Funds have not been allocated for this purpose in the FY 2021/22 budget. Staff is requesting an allocation of $217,000 from the General Fund (1000) to fund the loan and donation. COUNCIL GOAL COMPLIANCE This action does not support a current strategic directive. STAFF RECOMMENDATION (ROLL CALL VOTE REQUIRED) 1. Approve Loan Agreement with MWPRCA in the amount of $195,000, and authorize the City Manager to sign the Agreement, subject to final language approval of the City Manager; and 2.Adopt Resolution No. 2022-____, authorizing the use of City funding as match for the Fire Resiliency Funding and amending the FY 2021/22 budget to fund the advance payment and match funding. Attachment 1: Reimbursement Agreement Attachment 2: Draft Resolution No. 2022-____ 324 REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT THIS REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT is entered into this ______ day of _________, __________, by and between the City of Moorpark ("City") and the Moorpark Watershed, Parks, Recreation and Conservation Authority (“Authority”). RECITALS WHEREAS, the Authority is a Joint Powers Authority authorized pursuant to the provisions of Title 1, Division 7, Chapter 5, Article 1 (Section 6500 et seq.) of the Government Code that was created for the purpose of acquiring, developing, maintaining, managing, and conserving additional park and open space lands, which may include lands for watershed protection and restoration purposes; and WHEREAS, in support of its mission, the Authority is developing a project to provide a fire buffer along the north property line of the Authority owned 80-Acre parcel (“80 Acres”) in the Tierra Rejada Valley; and WHEREAS, the Authority has applied for and obtained an allocation of Fire Resiliency Funding from the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, which funding shall be used to remove 80 Schinus molle and plant 100 Quercus agrifolia and supplemental irrigation equipment; and WHEREAS, the Authority can only use the funding as authorized in the Standard Agreement (“Funding Agreement”); and WHEREAS, the Authority has need for temporary financial assistance from the City of Moorpark in order to perform under the Funding Agreement, which the Authority would repay to the City with funding reimbursement payments. COVENANTS NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY AND AUTHORITY AGREE AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Amount and Use of Funds. The City, from its Endowment Fund, will advance to the Authority the amount of one hundred ninety-five thousand dollars ($195,000). Authority agrees to use such funding only for those purposes set forth in the Grant Agreement. The advance shall bear no interest. SECTION 2. Repayment of Funds. The Authority will repay the advance, in full on or before June 30, 2026, which is the end of the funding term, unless the term is extended or this Agreement is extended by amendment. ATTACHMENT 1 325 SECTION 3. Obligation Constitutes Indebtedness. This Reimbursement Agreement shall constitute an obligation and debt of the Authority to use all available reimbursement funds to repay the City. Such indebtedness shall be subordinate to any and all other Authority indebtedness incurred by the Authority. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above. MOORPARK WATERSHED, PARKS CITY OF MOORPARK RECREATION AND CONSERVATION AUTHORITY _______________________________ _________________________ Don Robinson, Chair Troy Brown, City Manager ATTEST: ATTEST: ________________________________ _________________________ Authority Secretary Ky Spangler, City Clerk 326 RESOLUTION NO. 2022-___ A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MOORPARK, CALIFORNIA, AMENDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2021/22 BUDGET TO ALLOCATE $217,000 FROM THE GENERAL FUND (1000) TO ADVANCE $195,000 TO THE MOORPARK WATERSHED, PARKS, RECREATION AND CONSERVATION AUTHORITY (MWPRCA) FOR FIRE BUFFER AND OAK WOODLAND RESTORATION PROJECT ON 80 ACRES AND AUTHORIZING A MATCH DONATION OF $22,000 WHEREAS, the City Council adopted the Operating and Capital Improvement Budget for Fiscal Year 2021/22 on June 16, 2021; and WHEREAS, the MWPRCA is a joint-powers agency between the City of Moorpark and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy (SMMC); and WHEREAS, the MWPRCA was granted an allocation of Fire Resiliency Funding from the SMMC for the Fire Buffer and Oak Woodland Restoration project; and WHEREAS, the MWPRCA does not have sufficient funding to advance the funds for the work; and WHEREAS, a staff report has been presented to City Council requesting approval of a reimbursement agreement and advance to the MWPRCA in the amount of $195,000, which would be reimbursed with the Fire Resiliency funds; and requesting approval of a $22,000 donation to the MWPRCA for required match funding; and WHEREAS, a budget amendment in the amount of $217,000 from the General Fund (1000) is needed to fund the advance and donation; and WHEREAS, Exhibit “A” hereof describes said budget amendment and its resultant impact to the budget line items. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MOORPARK DOES HEREBY RESOLVE AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. A budget amendment in the amount of $217,000 from the General Fund (1000), as more particularly described in Exhibit A, is hereby approved. ATTACHMENT 2 327 Resolution No. 2022-____ Page 2 SECTION 2. The City Clerk shall certify to the adoption of this resolution and shall cause a certified resolution to be filed in the book of original resolutions. PASSED AND ADOPTED this 2nd day of February, 2022. ________________________________ Janice S. Parvin, Mayor ATTEST: ___________________________________ Ky Spangler City Clerk Attachment: Exhibit A – Budget Amendment 328 Resolution No. 2022-____ Page 3 FUND BALANCE ALLOCATION: Fund-Account Number Amount 1000-000-00000-33990 217,000.00$ Total 217,000.00$ EXPENDITURE APPROPRIATION: Account Number Current Budget Revision Amended Budget 1000-173-00000-56990 -$ 22,000.00$ 22,000.00$ 1000-173-00000-59030 -$ 195,000.00$ 195,000.00$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ -$ Total -$ 217,000.00$ 217,000.00$ Fund Title GENERAL FUND EXHIBIT A BUDGET AMENDMENT FOR GENERAL FUND (1000) ADVANCE AND DONATION TO MWPRCA FIRE BUFFER AND OAK WOODLAND RESTORATION PROJECT FY 2021/22 329