Urban Greening for Sustainable Communities Grant Program – Draft Guidelines

1. Urban Greening for Sustainable Communities Grant Program – Draft Guidelines

2. Urban Greening for Sustainable Communities Grant Program IntroductionsTechnical Advisory CommitteeBarbara Evoy, Water Resources Control Board Cathy Creswell, Housing & Community Dev John Melvin, CalFire, Urban Forestry Program Larry Rillera, Energy Commission Marilee Mortenson, Transportation Rick Kreutzer, Public Health Sedrick Mitchell, State Parks Simon Eching, Water Resources Anna Marie Young, SGC Luree Stetson, SGC Marian Ashe, SGC Natural Resources AgencyBryan Cash, Polly Escovedo, Dana Brazelton, Penny Harding, Laurie Heller, Linda Smith

3. Strategic Growth Council Objectives • The Council is tasked with coordinating the activities of state agencies to: • Improve air and water quality • Protect natural resources and agricultural lands • Increase availability of affordable housing • Improve infrastructure systems • Promote public health • Assist state and local entities in the planning of sustainable communities and meeting AB 32 goals

4. Bond Act • Proposition 84 - Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood • Control, River and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2006 Implementing Statute SB 732 (Steinberg) Chapter 13, Statutes of 2008 • Specifies requirements and discretionary actions for the urban greening program • Established the Strategic Growth Council, which includes Agency Secretaries from - • Natural Resources • Environmental Protection • Business, Transportation and Housing • Health and Human Services • Director, Governor’s Office of Planning and Research AND • One member of the public

5. Urban Greening and Sustainable Communities Grant Program Program Overview How much?Who is eligible?What is eligible?Selection Process

6. How Much? Proposition 84 Includes $90 million for Urban Greening $63.05 million – Urban Greening Program $19.3 million – CalFIRE Urban Forestry Program $ 4.5 million – Program Delivery Costs $ 3.15 million – Statewide and Bond Issuance Costs

7. How Much? Proposed Funding Parameters • Two funding cycles • Maximum project award of $1.0 million • Maximum planning award of $250,000 • No minimum for either program • Up to $2.0 million to be dedicated to small projects in disadvantaged communities ($75,000 and under) • Up to 25% of total allocation may be awarded for urban greening master plans.

8. Who is eligible? • Projects • Cities • Counties • Nonprofits • Planning • Cities • Counties • Nonprofits • Council of governments • Countywide authority or • Metropolitan planning organization

9. What is Eligible? Projects Must be accomplished by: • Using natural systems, or systems that mimic natural systems, or b)Creating, enhancing, or expanding community green spaces, and Provide multiple benefits including, but not limited to • a decrease in air and water pollution, or • a reduction in the consumption of natural resources and energy, or • an increase in the reliability of local water supplies, or • an increased adaptability to climate change Statutory Requirements

10. Projects, continued Be consistent with the State’s planning policies pursuant to Section 65041.1 of the Government Code to – promote infill development and invest in existing communities protect, preserve and enhance environmental, agricultural and recreation resources, and encourage location and resource efficient new development Reduce, on as permanent a basis that is feasible, greenhouse gas emissions consistent with the California Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006), and any applicable regional plan. What is Eligible? Statutory Requirements

11. What is Eligible? Statutory Requirements Projects, continued • Comply with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), Division 13 (commencing with Section 21000). • Be acquired from a willing seller (acquisitions only), and • Comply with Labor Code Section 1771.8 regarding the labor compliance program and prevailing wages.

12. What is Eligible? AdditionalRequirements • Projects must also: • Be located in an urban area or immediately adjacent to an urban area. • Provide for public access where feasible

13. What is eligible? Statutory Requirements • Plans must: • Serve as the master document guiding and • coordinating urban greening projects within • or adjacent to an urban area • 2. Be consistent with the jurisdiction’s • general plan or regional plan, • where one exists

14. Applications for planning grants must – Demonstrate the need for the urban greening plan Demonstrate how the community will be involved Demonstrate how custodial agencies and existing resources will be integrated in the development of the urban greening plan Demonstrate how the urban greening plan will promote public health and the development of a healthy community AdditionalRequirements What is eligible?

15. Project Examples This following are EXAMPLES of project types that contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and provide multiple benefits - • Tree canopy • Urban forestry • Local parks and open space • Greening of existing public lands and structures, including schools • Multi-objective stormwater projects, including construction of permeable surfaces and collection basins and barriers • Urban streams, including restoration • Community, demonstration or outdoor education gardens and orchards • Urban heat island mitigation and energy conservation efforts through landscaping and green roof projects • Non-motorized urban trails that provide safe routes for both recreation and travel between residences, workplaces, commercial centers and schools • LIST NOT INTENDED TO BE ALL-INCLUSIVE

16. Project Statutory Priorities – Additional points will be given to projects that meet one or more of the following: Uses interagency cooperation and integration (i.e., collaboration), or Uses existing public lands and facilitates use of public resources and investments including schools, or Is proposed by an economically or severally economically disadvantaged community Priority Consideration

17. Project Additional Priorities Improves Public Health Demonstrates Innovation and/or Creativity Proposed by Communities More Vulnerable to Climate Change or Addresses an Environmental Justice Issue Priority Consideration

18. Priority Consideration • Planning Application Additional • Consideration • Plans proposed by or serving a • community that can demonstrate that • it is more vulnerable to climate change • Plans proposed by or serving a • Disadvantaged Community or • Severely Disadvantaged Community.

19. Competitive Five Step Process – Initial review by administrative staff for completeness and initial pass/fail eligibility In-depth review by review committee for eligibility and competitiveness Site visit selection Final evaluation and recommendation for funding to SGC SGC awards funding Timeline for awards contingent upon legislative appropriation of funds and future bond sales. Selection Process

20. Now to December 10 Comments reviewed and considered for inclusion in the proposed final guidelines December 10 – Feb 9 Additional comments accepted December 2009 Comments posted on-line Early January 2010 Proposed final guidelines posted February 9, 2010 Adoption of the proposed guidelines Mid to late February Solicitation for grant proposals March - September Technical Workshops Application Review and Site visits Funding recommendations to SGC Final funding decisions by SGC SUMMARYNext Steps