APPENDIX J - APPLICATION FORM - IF INVITED TO APPLY, complete and submit Application Form (will be posted on the SCG and Agency websites) ONLINE. Do NOT submit copies of Application Forms that were not submitted electronically – unless specifically told to do so by the Agency. APPLICANT (Agency and address - including zip)
Grant Am ount Requested:
$
Estim ated Date of Com pletion
City of Richmond
Estim ated Total Project Cost:
Check all that apply:
Parks and Landscaping Division
Non-Profit
3021 Leona Ave.
City
Richmond, CA 94804
x
(including State Grant, other funds and In-Kind donations) County
County
Nearest City to Project
Contra Costa
JPA Special District Applying for targeted Disadvantaged communities Grant
x
Project Nam e
Richmond
Project Address
23rd - 47th Streets, at Ohio Street Richmond, CA 94804
Nearest Cross Street
Greening the Last Mile of the Richmond Greenway
$1,343,933.00 October 2016 $ $1,428,933.00
Carlson Avenue
Senate District No.
Assem bly District No.
9
15
Applicant's Representative Authorized in Resolution Name:
Bill Lindsay
Phone:
510-620-6512
City Manager
Title: Email Address:
bill_lindsay@ci.richmond.ca.us
Person w ith Day to Day Responsibility for Project (if different from Authorized Representative) Name:
Chris Chamberlain
Phone:
510-231-3073
Parks and Landscaping Superintendent
Title:
Email Address:
Brief Description of Project (Summarize major activities to be funded by this Grant)
Tree planting and vegetation for the 1.2 mile eastern section of the Richmond Greenway, creation of six urban pocket parks at key community access points where eastern section of the Greenway
Latitude
37° 55’ 52.32” N
Western entrance to site Coordinates Represent:_____________________ (See next page for instructions and choices)
STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS - check all that apply to your project Uses Natural Systems or Uses Systems that Mimic Natural Systems Creates, Enhances or Expands Community Green Spaces
Provides the Follow ing Multiple Benefits
x x x x
Decreases Air and Water Pollution Reduces the Consumption of Natural Resources and Energy Increases the Reliability of Local Water Supplies Increases Adaptability to Climate Change List Other Multiple Benefits not identified above:
Public health benefits, increased safety, improved public access, links urban green spaces, supports infill, creates wildlife habitat, provides local jobs. URBAN GREENING PRIORITIES
x x x x x
Longitude
122° 20’ 42.13” W
topozone.com Coordinates Determined Using:_______________
meets neighborhood streets.
x x
chris_chamberlain@ci.richmond.ca.us
Uses Interagency Cooperation and Integration Uses Existing Public Lands and Facilitates Use of Public Resources and Investments, including Schools Is Proposed by an Economically Disadvantaged Community
Project Data: Please enter the quanitity (to nearest 0.1 unit) on all the follow ing measures that apply to your Project
0 0 4.0 1.0 0.5 0.3 2.0 .94 1.2 N/A 100 N/A
Acres of Habitat to be Acquired Acres of Green/Open Space to be Acquired Acres Green Space to be Restored/Enhanced/Managed Acres of Habitat to be Created/Enhanced/Restored Acres of Invasive Species to be Eradicated/Treated Acres of Wetland to be Created/Preserved Acre Feet of Stormw ater to be Captured Acres of Park and/or Community Garden to be Created or Enhanced Miles of Recreation Trail to be Created/Enhanced Metric Watt Hours (MWH) Usage to be Reduced Trees to be planted Miligrams per Liter (Mg/L) of Pollutant Reduced Other:
Improves Public Health
Other:
Is Innovative or Unique
Other:
Is Proposed by a Community Vulnerable to Climate Change I certify that the information contained in this project application, including required attachments, is complete and accurate.
10/28/13
Signature: Applicant's Authorized Representative as show n in Resolution Print Name and Title:
Date
Bill Lindsay, City Manager
i
Greening the Last Mile of the Richmond Greenway - SGC URBAN GREENING GRANT APPLICATION
PART 1: PROJECT SUMMARY STATEMENT AND COST SUMMARY
PROJECT SUMMARY STATEMENT Purpose/Objectives: The Richmond Greenway is a three-mile former railroad corridor running through central Richmond. While the City has received funds to restore much of the Greenway’s western section and for the Ohlone Greenway Gap Closure, the 1.2 mile Eastern Section of the Greenway, which links the two projects, is significantly under-treed and in dire need of greening. This project will plant acres of trees and vegetation on the eastern section, adding new canopy that reduces the heat island effect, improves air, water and soil quality, increases community green space and safety and promotes physical activity and non-vehicular circulation for the residents of some of California’s most disadvantaged neighborhoods. Public Access: The project will improve critical public access points to the Richmond Greenway, creating a series of community green spaces adjacent to the Greenway. The largest area, at Carlson Ave. and 23rd St., will become the Greenway’s eastern gateway, establishing Carlson Meadow and converting a concrete drainage channel into a bioswale. At the other locations onsite where the Greenway meets surrounding city streets, the project will develop urban pocket parks with drought tolerant vegetation, seating and lighting, expanding the urban forest out from the Greenway into the city.
PROJECT COST SUMMARY Project Categories
Non Construction Costs (Planning, Design & Management, Permits) Demolition/Site Preparation Planting & Irrigation Utilities Site Amenities Paving Contingency TOTAL
Requested Grant Funds
250,000 48,540 599,350 282,160 78,000 5,000 80,883 1,343,933
Other Funding Sources 25,000 60,000
85,000
Total Cost
275,000 48,540 659,350 282,160 78,000 5,000 80,883 1,428,933
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Greening the Last Mile of the Richmond Greenway - SGC URBAN GREENING GRANT APPLICATION
PART 2: PROJECT QUESTIONS 1. Please describe your proposed project in detail and explain how it meets the criteria of 1) using natural systems, or systems that mimic natural systems, OR 2) creating, enhancing, or expanding community green spaces. The Richmond Greenway is a three-mile former railroad corridor running through the heart of central Richmond. Divided at 23rd Street, the western end of the Greenway connects to the San Francisco Bay Trail while the eastern end connects to the Ohlone Greenway in neighboring El Cerrito. In recent years, the City received funds to build a community park on the Greenway’s western section and for the connection to the Ohlone Greenway. While these two projects are significant, there are additional greening opportunities along the Richmond Greenway, including the greening of the eastern segment, from 23rd St. to the Ohlone Greenway. This keystone section of the Greenway currently features a 10’ wide bike path and is in dire need of greening and amenities to complete its transformation into a valuable environmental, circulation and recreational asset for the City. This project will add extensive vegetation along the critical eastern segment of the Greenway to build a forested link to the new community park and Ohlone Greenway, creating a long green spine through central Richmond. The project site runs between Ohio Ave. and the BART rail tracks on the north and south and from 23rd St. to 47th St on the east and west. This 1.2-mile section averages 40 feet wide, approx. 5.8 acres in total. Along the Greenway itself the community envisions greening with trees, drought tolerant shrubs and amenities such as benches, signage and garbage receptacles that would support increased community use. The project would focus most of the improvements at several critical access points, creating a series of “Community Green Nodes”. The largest area, at Carlson Ave. and 23rd St., (approx. .49 acres), will become the Greenway’s eastern gateway, creating the Carlson Meadow and converting a concrete drainage channel into a bioswale. The site will include a green-roofed kiosk with interpretive signage, new fencing, boulders, as well as soil amendments and irrigation for 10-12 drought-resistant trees and plants. At the other key nodes, where the Greenway meets surrounding city streets, at 33rd, 39th, 45th and 47th, the project will develop urban pocket parks with amended soils for drought tolerant vegetation and trees, seating and lighting. In addition to tree planting and new vegetation, at 42nd Street the project will construct a second bioswale and educational kiosk. Together these sites will significantly improve access to the Greenway and begin to expand the urban forest from the Greenway out into the surrounding neighborhoods. The Greening of the Last Mile of the Richmond Greenway will greatly increase the canopy cover within the city, provide new green spaces for the surrounding disadvantaged neighborhoods and improve recreational opportunities for local residents. Transforming the Greenway from railway corridor to a green corridor is the central project for the City’s Greening strategies, aiding Richmond’s transition from a community in need to one focused on the environmental, economic, social and physical health of all its residents.
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Greening the Last Mile of the Richmond Greenway - SGC URBAN GREENING GRANT APPLICATION
2. How was the project site selected and/or prioritized? The critical eastern segment of the Richmond Greenway was selected for this application because it represents an obvious gap between two already funded Greenway projects, the Ohlone Trail Gap Closure, funded by the SGC, and Unity Park, funded by the California Department of Parks and Recreation. In addition, this section of the Greenway and surrounding neighborhoods are significantly under-treed. This observable lack of tree canopy was confirmed by the City’s just-completed treeinventory, conducted as part of the development of the City’s Urban Greening Plan and funded by the SGC. In contrast to the western section of the Greenway, the eastern segment has received significantly less attention from the City and its greening partners. The eastern section of the Greenway has also been the subject of community complaint because much of this section is above-grade, allowing visibility by potential vandals into adjacent back yards. Improvements to this section of the Greenway will create a green amenity in an area that was once perceived as a threat. Together, this project, Unity Park, and the Ohlone Greenway Gap Closure will renovate the majority of the three-mile Greenway and will contribute significantly to both the natural and human environment and lay the foundation for future community engagement and Greenway development. 3. Identify one or more benefits: a) Decrease in air and water pollution New plantings of trees and shrubs at the site will result in reductions in gaseous pollutants and particulate contamination from nearby Interstates 80 and 580, the Chevron refinery, the Port of Richmond and industrial activities near the site. Some of the major air pollutants absorbed by trees and other plants include carbon dioxide (CO2); sulfur dioxide (SO2), 21% of which comes from refining and the combustion of petroleum products; ozone (O3); and nitrogen oxides (NOx), created by automobile and industrial emissions, and particulates emitted from burning fuel. Air pollution reductions were determined from the Air Resource Board protocols for carbon storage and sequestration values for trees and the USDA Northern California Coast Community Tree Guide. The project will decrease water pollution by transforming areas formerly covered in impermeable materials (concrete and heavily compacted soil) into several acres of new vegetation. The project’s trees and plants will absorb street runoff that would otherwise flow into the storm drain system. Their roots and leaf litter will decompact soil, a common problem in Richmond’s urban environment, making it better able to absorb water. In addition, improved soils combined with the project’s two biowsales and will filter out pollutants. The project will also minimize chemical fertilizers, reducing nitrogen runoff into local waterways and the San Francisco Bay. These reductions were determined by US EPA Stormwater Management Best Practices and Green Infrastructure Program and the USDA Northern California Coast Community Tree Guide.
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Greening the Last Mile of the Richmond Greenway - SGC URBAN GREENING GRANT APPLICATION
b) Reduction in the consumption of natural resources and energy 1 & 2. Energy saving measures in the project include the planting of shade trees along the eastern segment and at the Community Green Nodes, helping to reduce the urban heat island effect within central Richmond. Shade trees will slow the deterioration of the Greenway’s asphalt pathway and that of adjacent streets. In addition, the project will construct a demonstration kiosk at Carlson Meadow that will incorporate a green roof. This project will utilize natural elements such as tree stump and boulder seating, as well as educational and directional signage and benches constructed from recycled materials. The project will also promote the preservation of both local and distant natural areas by demonstrating the water holding capacity and significance of mountain meadows with the Carlson Meadow. New light fixtures will also use efficient LED lighting, reducing electrical consumption onsite. Energy savings was determined by the USDA Forest Service’s Tree Carbon Calculator as well as the USDA Northern California Coast Community Tree Guide. 3. Water consumption will be reduced by planting native and drought-tolerant species, developing hydrozones to reduce irrigation and utilizing drip irrigation where feasible. Mulching will be used extensively to prevent erosion and to minimize evaporation both in planted and non-planted areas. These techniques were identified in the Bay Friendly Landscaping Principles and Practices. c) Increase in the reliability of local water supplies: While potable water in Richmond comes from the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the project will promote conservation of Sierra water as well as local water supplies. The project will utilize primarily native tree and shrub species that are well adapted to the soil and rainfall conditions in Richmond. This will limit the need for summer irrigation and eliminate the risk of planting non-native trees that draw up excessive amounts of water from the soil. Helped by amended soils and the removal of paved areas, the project’s planted areas will, especially at the Carlson Meadow, bioswales and Community Green Nodes, slow runoff from neighboring streets, retain the water on the site, and treat it as it reabsorbs back into the soil. The elements that would increase local water supplies were identified in the US EPA Stormwater Management Best Practices and Green Infrastructure Program. d) Increased adaptability to climate change: The project will increase adaptability to climate change primarily through the extensive planting of trees and other vegetation along the Greenway and in the Community Green Nodes. These tree plantings will sequester carbon and shade the pavement of the Greenway bike path and adjacent residences, helping to reduce the urban heat island effect. All new pathways will use light-colored, high albedo materials. A green roof on the kiosk at Carlson Meadow will demonstrate another method of cooling urban structures in the face of global warming. In particular, the Community Green Node
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Greening the Last Mile of the Richmond Greenway - SGC URBAN GREENING GRANT APPLICATION
plantings are the starting point for future street tree plantings that will expand outward into the city, greatly increasing the urban forest and canopy coverage in Richmond. e) Other Benefits: Planting vegetation and providing amenities on the Greenway and Community Green Nodes will provide many additional benefits, including the promotion of non-vehicular modes of transportation, both locally and regionally, as well as creating Safe Routes to School to LaVonya DeJean Middle School, directly adjacent to the project site, and to several elementary schools within walking distance from the Greenway. The project will reduce crime by turning the current isolated bike path into an attractive green corridor that will encourage people to walk and bike to nearby community resources via the Greenway. The project also serves an area of high-density population with increased access to recreational opportunities and new neighborhood green spaces. Due to its unique length and strategic location, the Greenway provides significant wildlife habitat opportunities. The project is also intended as a demonstration of the water cycle that will provide environmental education opportunities for school-age children as well as adults, and opportunities for increased community cohesion through community greening projects. Public health benefits are detailed on p.10. 4. Describe how the project is consistent with the State’s planning policies (Section 65041.1 of the Government Code) specific to the following statewide priorities:
promote infill development and invest in existing communities protect, preserve and enhance environmental, agricultural and recreation resources encourage location and resource efficient new development
As a former railway corridor, the Richmond Greenway is itself an urban greyfield infill project targeted for restoration as a method for reinvesting in Central Richmond. The City of Richmond has also strategically planned new residential infill development on sites adjacent to the Greenway with the goal of bringing more residents to this center city location. One example is Miraflores, a planned infill residential, medium density development located south of the Richmond Greenway, between South 45th Street and Interstate-80. The creation of a new infill neighborhood just north of the Greenway between 37th & 42nd Streets is a major recommendation of the City’s Livable Corridors zoning code update, now under public review. These projects will create a new population of Greenway users, and conversely, a newly planted Greenway, with attractive entry points and amenities, will be an attraction for new as well as current residents. 5. Describe how the project is consistent with any applicable regional plan. The restoration of the eastern section of the Richmond Greenway has been planned for several years. Transforming the Greenway from railway corridor to a green corridor is
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Greening the Last Mile of the Richmond Greenway - SGC URBAN GREENING GRANT APPLICATION
the central project for the City’s greening strategies and is highlighted in the City’s Parks Master Plan, Bicycle Master Plan, and Pedestrian Plan as an important east-west nonvehicular commuter and recreational trail. In addition, the Greenway is incorporated in the West County regional transportation plan by the West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee and mapped as part of the San Francisco Bay Trail network.
6. Describe how your project will help meet California’s greenhouse gas(GHG) emission reduction targets:
reduce GHG emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, and reduce GHG emissions to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050
According to many studies, global warming is caused by increases in atmospheric gases, especially carbon dioxide (CO2). Trees use CO2 when they photosynthesis to create carbohydrates, sequestering atmospheric CO2 and releasing oxygen as a byproduct. One tree can absorb 48 pounds of CO2 yearly and sequester one ton of CO2 by the time it is 40 years old. Planting trees is therefore one of most costeffective ways of removing CO2 from the atmosphere. This project will plant hundreds of trees and shrubs, thus sequestering a large amount of CO2 and reducing this greenhouse gas in Richmond. Since transportation accounts for 28% of GHG emissions in the United States, the project will also help to reduce CO2 emissions by encouraging non-vehicular modes of travel and composting rather than burning vegetation. In addition, the project will reduce Methane (CH4) emissions by planting the right plants in the right location, reducing the need to send greenwaste to the landfill. It will reduce Nitrogen Dioxide (N20) by utilizing organic landscape maintenance techniques and minimizing chemical fertilizers on site, many of which are made from fossil fuels. As detailed in the Benefits section on page 3, the project will also reduce electrical consumption, use recycled materials and reduce water consumption, all of which will help to lower green house gas emissions in California. 7. How did you determine the impacts of your project on GHG emissions? The energy savings was determined by the USDA Forest Service’s Tree Carbon Calculator. 8. Are there available green space or vegetation (tree) assessments available in your community? If yes, please describe. The City is currently developing an urban greening master plan that is funded by a SGC Urban Greening Planning Grant. As part of that project, the City is completing an inventory of city-owned trees. In addition, as part of our General Plan’s Community Health & Wellness Element, a tree canopy study was completed that showed most urban areas in Richmond have low tree coverage. Only 9.14% of the urban areas in Richmond have good tree canopy coverage. In comparison, San Francisco has 12% tree coverage, which includes natural and urban areas.
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Greening the Last Mile of the Richmond Greenway - SGC URBAN GREENING GRANT APPLICATION
URBAN GREENING PRIORITIES Interagency Cooperation and Integration/Collaboration 1. Describe partnerships with other entities, including state entities, local land use and public health authorities, and their corresponding roles in the project. Because the Greenway is a City Park, the City of Richmond is the local land use authority for the proposed project. Concerned about disproportionately high rates of obesity-related diseases in adjacent neighborhoods, the county’s public health department is an active partner in encouraging the development of the Greenway as a place for healthy active living, and in acquiring more park space for the City. At the state level, project partner Groundwork Richmond is funded by CalFire to plant trees on the eastern section of the Greenway and in neighborhoods surrounding the Greenway along the western section. Please also see a description of project partnerships below. 2. What steps have been taken to foster interagency relationships and blend jurisdictional responsibilities? The Richmond Greenway has been the focus of planning by the City, non-profit groups, and community members for a decade. Several meetings, two tours of the Greenway, and site visits by technical experts took place to coordinate the development of this Urban Greening proposal. This included representatives from the City of Richmond Parks and Landscaping, Planning and Engineering Departments, as well as representatives of partner agencies described below. Both the City and project partner Groundwork Richmond have had initial discussions with BART representatives about the timeline for earthquake retrofitting and BART’s razor-wire fence along this section of the Greenway, and potential future land acquisition adjacent to City property at the 42nd Street site. 3. Describe community involvement and support for the project such as watershed groups, local businesses, urban forestry organizations, landowners, general public, local governments, environmental groups, technical experts, neighborhood associations, etc. This project application has been developed through a partnership between the City of Richmond and local community non-profits that are already working on the Richmond Greenway, including Groundwork Richmond, Pogo Park, and The Watershed Project. This proposal is the result of many collaborative meetings between all of the abovementioned organizations. Friends of the Richmond Greenway, the organizing body for community-agency involvement on the Greenway, discussed this application and supports the development of the eastern section as a vital component of related efforts taking place on the western section. In addition, the proposal has the full support of the neighborhood councils located adjacent to the site as well as the Richmond City Council (please see Letters of Support). While the City will have the overall project responsibility, it will work in cooperation with
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Greening the Last Mile of the Richmond Greenway - SGC URBAN GREENING GRANT APPLICATION
local non-profit organizations in the planning, construction and maintenance of the project. Each organization has specific expertise that the City will utilize for appropriate tasks throughout the development of the project. The City and these organizations have developed effective communication methods and complementary program planning that allow for City and community resources to be efficiently utilized in ways that most benefit the residents of Richmond. Certified arborists and landscape architects have also reviewed this proposal and its planting palette. 4. How will the project increase community interaction and cooperation? Until now, the Greenway has been a barrier to community interaction, separating one neighborhood from another as effectively as a major highway. The greening of the eastern section of the Richmond Greenway and the creation of its associated Community Green Nodes are an essential step in the community’s process for rejoining neighborhoods that have been separated for decades. The community design and construction process envisioned for the project will actively work on drawing residents from opposite sides of the Greenway to come together to work on the final design, planting events, and long-term stewardship and maintenance. By improving the eastern section, this project will reconnect the two halves of the city and help to reconnect Richmond to the rest of the Bay Area.
USE OF EXISTING PUBLIC LANDS AND FACILITATING USE OF PUBLIC RESOURCES AND INVESTMENTS 1. Is this project an acquisition? If yes, was consideration first given to the use of existing public lands? Describe the rationale for the acquisition. The project is not an acquisition, though it may leverage future land acquisition. 2. What other private and/or non-profit financial resources have been obtained for this project? This project leverages existing resources provided by Groundwork Richmond through their CalFire grant. Please see the Other Sources of Funds section for details about non-financial contributions. An Economically Disadvantaged Community proposes project 1. Identify where the project will be located in relationship to the economically disadvantaged community. If it is not located within the community, specify where it will be located, how far away it is, and the availability of public transportation to the project site. This project is located directly the middle of several economically disadvantaged communities. The adjacent neighborhoods, Park Plaza, Pullman and Richmore Village/Metro Square, have some of the highest rates of unemployment and poverty in the state. In addition, the project site connects to several severely disadvantaged neighborhoods along the western section of the Greenway, including The Iron Triangle, Santa Fe, and Coronado neighborhoods. Due to its length and role as the connector for
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Greening the Last Mile of the Richmond Greenway - SGC URBAN GREENING GRANT APPLICATION
the rest of the Richmond Greenway, this project has the potential to benefit literally tens of thousands of Richmond’s most underserved residents in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods. 2. Identify whether and how the project will expand acreage and/or access to green space in the economically disadvantaged community. The project will both expand acreage and access to green space for economically disadvantaged communities. The design converts land currently derelict into approximately four (4) acres of new green space. The project will focus on greening and improving key community access points onto the Greenway from the surrounding neighborhoods by creating six Community Green Nodes at locations where local streets meet the Greenway on the south side. These nodes will not only improve access to the rest of Greenway but will function as urban pocket parks for the adjacent neighborhoods. In addition, it is expected that the development of these portals will open the door for future removal of chain link fence at several other intersections where local streets meet the Greenway. 3. Discuss how the economically disadvantaged community has been and will continue to be engaged and participatory in the development and implementation of the project. The development of the Richmond Greenway into a transformative green space has been the subject of community efforts for decades. In fact, the vision and design for the Greenway has come from the local community itself - with the City acting as a key partner and facilitator. Meetings have already taken place with the neighborhood councils, schools, churches and local residents to discuss the vision for the Community Green Nodes. To complete the project, additional community involvement activities will take place in these neighborhoods to determine specifically how local residents would like the greening of the eastern section of the Greenway and its associated nodes to be designed. This will take the form of interactive community design charettes, surveys and community meetings. Additional planning for the project will take place with the assistance of Friends of the Richmond Greenway, a coalition of local non-profits dedicated to improving the entire Greenway. Residents will also participate in the building of the project, with construction work completed, as much as feasible, by local residents. Members of the community will also be able to participate in planting events and ongoing stewardship and maintenance programs. PROGRAM OBJECTIVES: one or more Improves Public/Community Health 1. Using the list below, indicate which of the following apply to the project and explain how the selected benefits will be achieved: • Improved mental health (e.g., social networking, overall well being) √ • Increased physical activity (effects on obesity, diabetes, heart disease, etc.) √ • Decreased pollen and other allergens (i.e., allergy or asthma contributors) √
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Greening the Last Mile of the Richmond Greenway - SGC URBAN GREENING GRANT APPLICATION
• Reduced risk of skin cancers√ • Increased access to locally grown/sustainable food sources • Increased access to nature√ • Other co-benefits to public health (examples include reducing urban heat island effects, increasing safe active transportation - e.g., pedestrian walking/bicycling -, hiring/training local disadvantaged youth, and project serves an area of high density population) √ The project improves mental health by providing multiple safe places for people to gather and socialize as well as opportunities for community involvement through volunteer greening projects and community cultural events at the Community Green Nodes. It provides a significant increase in opportunities for physical activity and increases safe active transportation by improving access to the Greenway’s bike/walking path as well as by adding amenities throughout the project site such as benches, trash receptacles and lighting that support recreation. The planting palette will not use plant species that frequently cause allergies, such as birches and the Bottle Brush Tree. The project will also use mulch to prevent weeds that are allergens, such as Ragweed, from growing. Grass plantings will be limited to the Carlson Meadow. The project will reduce skin cancers by planting trees that shade a large portion of the onemile site. The project will increase access to nature by generally improving access to and adding plantings on the Greenway and at the Community Green Nodes that will include native plant species, be aesthetically pleasing with seasonal flower and leave color and will attract appropriate insect and avian species for butterfly and bird watching. In addition, the project will train and employ disadvantaged youth from the surrounding neighborhoods to help plan, design, build, plant and maintain the site. The entire site will serve a densely populated area of Central Richmond that suffers from an overall lack of contact with natural spaces. 2. Identify specific efforts or strategies to ensure that low income, economically disadvantaged communities and/or neighborhoods will realize these health benefits. The most important strategies to ensure that local residents from Richmond’s disadvantaged neighborhoods will receive the above health benefits are site safety and long-term maintenance. The City knows from experience that if the Greenway is not perceived as safe, and is not well-maintained, it will not be used, and therefore will not reap the potential health benefits. With this in mind, the City is developing a multistrategy, comprehensive Greenway Public Safety Plan in cooperation with the Chief of Police and gang prevention organizations. This plan is currently under development and its recommendations will be incorporated into the planning, design and implementation of the Greenway’s eastern section. Long-term site maintenance is also essential to ensure that residents regularly visit the Greenway’s eastern section. This will be addressed through the City’s Adopt-A-Spot program that will allows local organizations to partner with the City to develop, support and maintain the Greenway and the Community Green Nodes at a high level. All of the community partners specified in this grant are Greenway “adopters” and have experience working with the City to fund and implement Greenway improvements.
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Greening the Last Mile of the Richmond Greenway - SGC URBAN GREENING GRANT APPLICATION
Innovative and/or Creative 1. Describe how the project is innovative and creative. The restoration of the Richmond Greenway has required creative thinking about how to divide the three-mile site into individual projects so that each section stands alone, with its own goals, design and character, yet still functions as a part of the whole. This has required innovations in planning, funding, community involvement strategies and implementation practices. Project implementation will fully engage community residents and organizations, deemphasizing professional consultants, to plan, design and construct the project. The project will be implemented using paid and volunteer hours, providing both local employment and increased civic involvement for local residents. As is true with the Unity Park project, deep and thorough community engagement and hands-on opportunities to shape the Greenway improvements will garner unprecedented support and personal involvement from local residents, ensuring that the site is woven back into the social fabric of the community. 2. Discuss how this project required an approach that is “out of the box” (paradigm shift). Public projects are usually built based on the “Design/Bid/Build” system in which a municipality contracts with consultants to conduct public meetings, design the site, present options to the public and then construct one of the options using static construction techniques. The resulting projects have had little true input from the community and often are quickly vandalized or remain unused. History has repeatedly shown that “Design/Bid/Build” does not work in Richmond’s inner city neighborhoods. The City has had to develop a new innovative model that requires in-depth public involvement throughout the entire process, from the initial planning design phases through construction and into the long-term management of our sites. This model requires solid partnerships between the City and local non-profit organizations, with the City overseeing organizations working collaboratively, and doing different but complementary work. By involving the public in a significant way and creating meaningful partnerships, Richmond has learned to create public projects in which the community voices and actualizes its own priorities, rather than those of a consultant. The result is projects that are used as they were intended to be, with measurable community benefits. In addition, this approach will help residents develop marketable skills to last a lifetime, and along with Unity Park, be part of developing a local employment ladder focused on improving and sustaining the outdoor environment. This is the method that will be used to plan, design and build the eastern segment of the Richmond Greenway. 3. Describe how this project might be used as a model or easily transfer to other communities and/or organizations or explain the unique conditions in the community that make this project a good fit (e.g., LEED certification, Catalyst Project designation). The Community Design/Build approach to public projects can easily be replicated in other cities and The California Endowment is funding a project to document this
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Greening the Last Mile of the Richmond Greenway - SGC URBAN GREENING GRANT APPLICATION
approach. In addition, the project’s emphasis on urban greening as a catalyst for neighborhood redevelopment and using the greening of public spaces as an incentive to improve recreational facilities and food security are also replicable elsewhere. The key to the above approaches is strong partnerships between cities and local organizations and a willingness to try innovative programs on challenging sites. 4. Identify any unique design parameters, performance measures, or potential outcomes planned for your project. The eastern section of the Richmond Greenway will be designed for overlapping, multilayered uses. New amenities will support commuting as well as recreation via biking and walking. Traditional greening will be intertwined with innovative educational elements such as Carlson Meadow and bioswales that will demonstrate where our water will be coming from in the future as well as improving local water supplies. Planting of trees and other will increases canopy coverage at the same time that it creates community gathering spaces, increasing safety and improving community cohesion. Communities More Vulnerable To Climate Change 1. Is the project proposed in an area that is especially vulnerable to climate change, including the impacts from sea level rise? Please explain. The project is at 55-65 feet above sea level and is not vulnerable to sea level rise. 2. What effects of climate change are likely to impact the community (e.g., physical, ecological, economic)? Are plants and animals in the area considered more sensitive to climate change impacts than other areas of the state? As a dense urban area, central Richmond already experiences the direct impact of the heat island effect, with higher average temperatures and lower average canopy coverage than nearby communities. The likely impact of climate change on local residents is increased temperatures, drought and flooding, which could cause additional losses of vegetation. This could make the area less attractive to potential new residents and businesses, reducing the City’s sources of revenue. Increasing the urban forest by planting trees is a relatively easy way to begin mitigating the effects of climate change that Richmond is already feeling. 3. Does the project include elements that respond directly to the negative impacts of climate change? How do the project elements mitigate the climate change effect through the project design? Since the principle element of the project is revegetation of the site, the placement of trees and other plants is critical. Project trees will be located in such a way as to shade as much of the Greenway bike path and adjacent structures as possible, without blocking important views or obstructing the nearby BART tracks. Amenities such as benches will also be located in the shade as much as possible so that their component parts do not become overheated and degraded by excessive exposure to the sun. The
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Greening the Last Mile of the Richmond Greenway - SGC URBAN GREENING GRANT APPLICATION
project also takes into consideration the flow of water onto the site from the surrounding neighborhoods. By improving the soil and constructing two bioswales, the project aims to collect, retain and treat rainfall that may be more intense or frequent as a result of global warming. 4. Does the project include elements that can themselves be impacted by climate change? Are the project elements specifically chosen to be adaptable to climate change including sea level rise (such as appropriate tree/plant selection)? Please explain. The plant species for this project were reviewed arborists and landscape architects for their appropriateness for the site location, whether they were native species and whether they could successfully adapt during their lifetime to increases in temperature and changes in water and particulate matter or pollution. Soil samples have been taken at multiple locations on the site to determine the best plants for that particular location. Projects that Address Environmental Justice Issues 1. Describe how the project addresses or reaches out to communities with less canopy coverage than surrounding communities. Richmond is home to some of the most disadvantaged neighborhoods in California, many located adjacent to the Greenway’s eastern section. The residents in these neighborhoods suffer from high rates of unemployment, poverty, obesity, and other challenges. As indicated by the City’s recent tree inventory, these disadvantaged neighborhoods also suffer from a lack of vegetation compared to other neighborhoods within Richmond and surrounding cities. Greening of the Greenway’s eastern segment will address this disparity through tree planting and at the Community Green Nodes adjacent to the Greenway. Tree plantings at the Community Green Nodes are intended to complement other local street tree planting initiatives, such as Groundwork Richmond’s 10,000 trees project, with the goal of increasing the urban forest and canopy coverage in the Richmond neighborhoods that need it the most. 2. Does the project address or reach out to communities with more air and/or water pollution than surrounding communities? Residents in Richmond have endured decades of environmental pollution from the nearby interstate freeways, railways, and industrial activities and as a result suffer from high levels of asthma and other respiratory diseases. The project’s greening activities will assist with reducing local air particulate levels from industrial activities in the neighborhoods and help to filter pollutants from water running off local streets. 3. Will the project offer a community greater access to parks, green spaces, and/or trails that has had lesser access to these amenities in the past? The greening of the Greenway’s eastern segment will offer the community greater access to parks and green spaces by adding essential amenities that support biking,
13
Greening the Last Mile of the Richmond Greenway - SGC URBAN GREENING GRANT APPLICATION
jogging, walking and other forms of recreation. It will also improve safety and increase access to the Greenway by improving key entrances where the Greenway meets city streets. These access points, at Carlson Ave., 33rd, 39th, 42nd, 45th and 47th Streets, will be renovated into small community pocket parks, increasing the acreage of green space in Richmond. By improving these entrances, the project will improve access to other parts of the Greenway that feature public parks and cultural spaces, as well as to the San Francisco Bay Trail and El Cerrito’s Ohlone Greenway. 3. How does the project contribute to fairness and equity in the community? The greening of the eastern section of the Richmond Greenway is essential to fairness and equity in Richmond. Other segments of the Greenway have already been funded and are scheduled for restoration. If this project does not go forward, it would severely limit residents’ from the adjacent neighborhoods access to the Greenway and its many benefits. It would also decrease the effectiveness of the other Greenway projects to deliver their potential environmental, recreational and cultural opportunities to residents from other high-needs neighborhoods in Richmond.
PROJECT READINESS 1. Identify and describe the steps to be taken immediately following the grant award. While there is strong community support for the greening of the eastern segment of the Richmond Greenway, funding has thus far been limited to planning and construction of the pathway and adjacent pathway lighting only. Anticipated next steps include additional community engagement activities to refine final planting materials, site plan, and amenities, which will include coordination among the project’s non-profit and agency stakeholders. The preparation of final plans, specifications, and estimates would then be completed, followed by purchasing necessary materials and construction. Longterm maintenance of the site will take place through partnerships between the City’s parks and landscaping division and local non-profit organizations.
2. Have performance measure standards been established to quantify the success of the project? If yes, what measures are in place? If not, what steps are being taken to develop standards prior to the completion of the project? Because the Greenway is such a key element in the greening of Richmond and the overall health its residents, the City will be partnering with Jason Corburn, Director of the Center for Global Healthy Cities at UC Berkeley’s Department of City and Regional Planning, to develop a study evaluating the effect of the Greenway on the environmental and public health of the community. This study, not funded by this grant, will be able to quantify the effects of the restoration of the eastern section of the Greenway from the point of view of environmental justice and public health.
14
Greening the Last Mile of the Richmond Greenway - SGC URBAN GREENING GRANT APPLICATION
3. Provide the status of the following: • Preliminary design plans including plant palettes: Since the project emphasizes community participation, the design, planting palette and budget are currently at the concept stage. The City will work with the community to take the project through design development and develop the final design and planting plan with resident’s input. The preliminary planting palette submitted with this application reflects the intention of the project and will be revised as the project moves toward completion. • CEQA compliance: In 2004, when the Richmond Greenway’s bike path was constructed, the entire site was evaluated and an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration was prepared. In 2012, an addendum was written for the section of the Greenway that will become Unity Park, confirming that the analyses and conclusions from the 2004 document remained valid. The City will prepare an additional addendum for the eastern section of the Greenway and we expect that the result will be the same. • Permits: A grading permit will be required from the City of Richmond. This permit would be issued as part of the construction process after the grant is awarded. • Commitments from project partners including land access, easements, encumbrances, and operations and maintenance agreements: N/A • For Acquisition projects: detailed appraisal and/or comparable sales data; preliminary title report; negotiations with a willing seller: N/A 4. What other factors may affect the project’s timeline and completion (e.g., other sources of funds, toxic substances, utilities, opposition to the project, etc.)? How will these factors be addressed? There are no obstacles to the implementation of the project. 5. List all other sources of funding and amounts already committed to the project and expected timing of funds. There are no additional funds committed to the project. However, considerable volunteer time and in-kind donations will be utilized to implement the project. Please see the Other Source of Funds sections of the application for further details. ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY 1. What is your organization’s experience in completing this type or similar project? Is the expertise needed for this project readily available within your organization? If not, how do you plan to acquire it? With urban greening as one of the City’s primary strategies for addressing health and environmental inequities within the community, the City has intentionally built its staffing capacity and partnerships with local non-profits to implement urban greening projects. The City of Richmond is currently working on several greening projects throughout the City and its staff has extensive experience in the planning, design, construction and
15
Greening the Last Mile of the Richmond Greenway - SGC URBAN GREENING GRANT APPLICATION
maintenance of park, pathway, revegetation and hydrology projects. In addition, we are working closely with community based partner agencies to develop the Community Design/Build model and the mechanisms through which community residents and agencies can benefit directly/financially from City improvement projects. 2. Explain how you plan to keep the community informed and involved in the project. The City of Richmond views community involvement at every stage as essential to the project. The community will be kept informed through community meetings, onsite community events, neighborhood design charettes, email and text message information campaigns as well as community build projects and tree and garden planting activities. 3. Who will perform long-term maintenance? Describe their experience in maintaining this type of project. How will ongoing maintenance be funded beyond the grant timeline (as applicable)? Long-term maintenance of the site will be completed in partnership with the City’s parks and landscaping division as well as local non-profits utilizing the City’s Adopt-A-Spot program. Both the City and local non-profits have extensive experience with maintaining large-scale landscapes and in organizing volunteer programs to complement the City’s activities. In addition, the eastern section of the Greenway will be a source for community service hours for local school projects and appropriate referrals from the criminal justice system. 4. Please describe how your proposed project will be sustained. Who or what institutions will take responsibility for plantings? The City of Richmond will be responsible for plantings, conducting regular Greenway maintenance as it currently does. In addition, under the City’s supervision, the local nonprofit Groundwork Richmond (GWR) will plant and maintain many of the projects trees and vegetation through their youth Green Team and community volunteer days. GWR will develop a long-term maintenance plan with the City to ensure that plantings will thrive throughout their expected life. 5. How will the project be protected from vandalism and deterioration? In Richmond we have found that the best way to reduce vandalism and project deterioration is by actively involving residents, where feasible, in the design and construction of our projects. Their direct involvement promotes a sense of ownership and it significantly reduces vandalism. Deterioration will be kept in check through regular maintenance by the City in conjunction with volunteer programs from local nonprofits. 6. If the project goes over budget, explain your contingency plans to cover the excess costs? The City has extensive experience implementing and managing greening projects and does not anticipate budget overages. In the event the project does go over budget, the City may opt to utilize in-house staff and equipment to perform the work, as opposed to contract work, to reduce costs. Depending on the nature of the cost overrun, the City may contribute additional funding in an effort to complete the project. This will depend on the exact conditions of the overages and will require evaluation by the project partners.
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Greening the Last Mile of the Richmond Greenway - SGC URBAN GREENING GRANT APPLICATION
PART 3: SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS The following documents are contained in this section:
•
Site Plan
•
Plant Palette
•
Cost Estimate
•
Other Sources of Funds
•
Land Acquisitions Form – N/A
•
Accessor’s Parcel Maps
•
Project Photographs
•
Project Timeline
•
Property Data Sheet
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Site Control/Land Tenure – N/A
•
Operations & Maintenance – N/A
•
Permit/Approval Status
•
Willing Seller Letter– N/A
•
Authorizing Resolution – in draft form
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Eligibility for Non-Profit Applicants – N/A
•
Disadvantaged Community
•
Collaboration – Letters of Support
•
Environmental Compliance (1 copy provided)
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Density (1 copy provided)
•
Sea Level Rise – N/A
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1
2 Nicholl Park
Contra Costa County Courts
Target
3
45th Street
ul
42nd Street
Bo
39th Street
on rls Ca
33rd Street
23rd Street
Ohio Avenue
6
5
4
0
2 Ohio Avenue
Richmond Medical Center
I-8
1
Lavonnya de Jean Middle School
Mira Flores (Planned Senior Housing)
3
d ar ev
4 King Elementary School
5
John F. Kennedy Park
Overall Project Key Plan lso
Ohlone Greenway & Baxter Creek Gateway Park
Bl
vd
Greening the Last Mile Urban Greening Project Site
Sa
0
nF ran
n
I-8
cis
co B
ay Tra il
Ca r
6
Ohlone Greenway Gap Closure Baxter Creek Restoration
Unity Park
Carlson @ 23rd Street • Connection point to western section of the Richmond Greenway across 23rd Street • Planned bioswale, meadow 33rd Street • Location of the only north-south access point to the Richmond Greenway at the bridge over the BART tracks • Greenway access point for Lavonnya De Jean Middle School • Planned access improvements with planting, trees, signage and potential location of linear orchard 39th Street Planned neighborhood access improvements with planting, trees, signage 42nd Street Location of planned plaza with access improvements, planting, trees, signage and stormwater management 45th Street Access point to planned Mira Flores Senior Housing Development
47th Street Connection point to Ohlone Greenway and Baxter Creek Gateway Park Proposed Improvement Zones Greening Projects Under Development Richmond Greenway Bike Path
Richmond Greenway Project Areas Proposed and Under Development
1
4
BART
SO RL
CA N
Lighting, Benches, and Trash Receptacles Along Path
VD BL BAR
Bioswale to Convey Existing Drainage
T
Drought Tolerant Groundcover and Shade Trees Along Path
Entry Plaza with Seating Existing Bike Path Drought Tolerant Groundcover and Shade Trees Along Path
‘Retention Meadow’ Existing Bike Path
42ND STREET
Entry Plaza with Kisosk and Granite Bench Seating
Lighting, Benches, and Trash Receptacles Along Path Educational Kiosk
Greening the Last Mile of the Richmond Greenway | Conceptual Site Plan 18
Preliminary Plant Palette - Greening the Last Mile of the Richmond Greenway Grasses/Groundcovers Genus Species Arctostaphylos 'Emerald Carpet' Carex divulsa griseus var. horizontalis Ceanothus 'Yankee Point' Danthonia californica Dietes iridioides
Common name Emerald Carpet Arctostaphylos Berkeley Sedge
Stock size
Yankee Point Ceanothus California Oat Grass Fortnight Lily
1 gal. D-16 1 gal.
1 gal. D-16
Diplacus Festuca
aurantiacus californica
Sticky Monkeyflower California Fescue
1 gal. D-16
Iris Juncus Muhlenbergia
Douglasiana patens capilaris
Pacific Coast Iris Gray Rush Muhly Grass
1 gal. D-16 1 gal.
Shrubs Genus Achillea
Species millefolium
Common name Yarrow Howard McMinn Arctostaphylos Coyote Brush Dark Star Ceanothus Western Redbud Pride of Madeira Silverberry Escallonia Coast Silk Tassel Grevillia 'Jade Pearl' Toyon Pitcher Sage Pacific Wax Myrtle Scarlet Bugler Royal Beard Tongue Pittosporum tenuifolium Rose Coffeberry Sugar Bush Lemonade Berry
Stock size 1 gal.
Arctostaphylos Baccharis Ceanothus Cercis Echium Elaeagnus Escallionia Garrya Grevillia Heteromeles Lepichinia Myrica Penstemon Penstemon Pittosporum Rosa Rhamnus Rhus Rhus Ribes Salvia Salvia Salvia Sambucus Symphoricarpos Westrigia Zauschneria
Howard McMinn' pilularis Dark Star' occidentalis candicans pungens rubra elliptica lavandulacea arbutifolia fragrans californica centranthifolius spectabilis tenuifolium californica californica ovata integrifolia sanguinium 'Claremont' apiana clevelandii greggii mexicana albus fruticosa californica
Red Flowering Current White Sage Cleveland Sage Autumn Sage Blue Elderberry Snowberry Coast Rosemary California Fuschia
1 gal. 1 gal. 1 gal. 1 gal. 1 gal. 1 gal. 1 gal. 1 gal. 5 gal. 1 gal. 1 gal. 1 gal. 1 gal. 1 gal. 1 gal. 1 gal. 1 gal. 1 gal. 1 gal. 1 gal. 1 gal. 1 gal. 5 gal. 1 gal. 1 gal. 1 gal.
19
Trees Genus Acer Acer Acer Alnus Cinnamomum Cornus Ginkgo Lyonothamnus Pistacia Pittosporum Platanus Prunus Quercus Quercus Quercus Salix Zelkova
Species Common name buergerianum Trident Maple campestre Hedge Maple negundo Boxelder rhombifolia White Alder camphora Camphor Dogwood sericea biloba Autumn Gold' Ginkgo floribundus asplenifolius Catalina Ironwood chinensis Chinese Pistache undulatum Victorian Box racemosa California Sycamore cerasifera ‘Krauter Vesuvius Purple-leaf Flowering Plum agrifolia Coast Live Oak shumardii Shumard Oak suber Cork Oak Red Willow laevigata serrata Zelkova
Stock size 15 gal 15 gal 15 gal 15 gal 15 gal 5 gal. 15 gal 15 gal 15 gal 15 gal 15 gal 15 gal 15 gal 15 gal 15 gal TB4 15 gal
20
BUDGET -‐ Greening Last Mile Non Construction Costs Planning, Design & Management Permits/CEQA TOTAL Demolition & Site Preparation Clearing, grubbing, and grading Demolition TOTAL Planting & Irrigation Planting and trees Mulch Irrigation Soil amendment TOTAL Utilities Electrical connection Water lines Water connection/meter Lighting TOTAL Site Amenities Benches Dog waste stations Drinking fountains Bike Racks Interpretive signage Trash cans TOTAL Paving Decomposed granite TOTAL Sub-‐Total Contingency (6%) TOTAL
Cost
SF/LF/CY
QTY
$50,000.00
TOTAL
SCG Grant
$225,000 $50,000 $275,000
$200,000 $50,000 $250,000
$0.50 $3.00
85,080 2,000
$42,540 $6,000 $48,540
$42,540 $6,000 $48,540
$4.00 $50.00 $3.50 $75.00
85,080 200 85,080 150
$340,320 $10,000 $297,780 $11,250 $659,350
$280,320 $10,000 $297,780 $11,250 $599,350
$5,000 $182,160 $75,000 $20,000 $282,160
$5,000 $182,160 $75,000 $20,000 $282,160
$36,000 $3,000 $2,400 $3,600 $15,000 $18,000 $78,000
$36,000 $3,000 $2,400 $3,600 $15,000 $18,000 $78,000
$5,000 $5,000
$5,000 $5,000
$1,348,050
$1,263,050
$80,883
$80,883
$1,428,933
$1,343,933
$5,000.00 $30.00 $75,000.00 $4,000.00
6,072
$3,000.00 $750.00 $1,200.00 $600.00 $15,000.00 $1,800.00
$5.00
1 1 5
12 4 2 6 1 10
$1,000
TOTAL
Groundwork Richmond
The Watershed Pogo Park Project $5,000
$20,000
$60,000
$5,000
$20,000
$60,000
$5,000
$20,000
$60,000
21
Greening the Last Mile of the Richmond Greenway - SGC URBAN GREENING GRANT APPLICATION
OTHER SOURCES OF FUNDS Other funding in the form of In-Kind services, volunteer efforts, donated labor and materials, technical expertise will be supplied by the project partner organizations, detailed below and in the project budget.
Group The Watershed Project Groundwork Richmond Pogo Park TOTAL
Amount  $5,000.00 $60,000.00 $20,000.00 $85,000.00
2
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
SITE PHOTOGRAPHS
Carlson Ave. and 23rd Street, location of the eastern gateway to the Richmond Greenway, looking east. This will be the site of the Carlson Meadow, a bioswale, an educational kiosk, and signage as well as extensive greening. View of the northern portion of the Carlson Ave. and 23rd Street site and the concrete drainage structure that will be converted into a bioswale. All BART renovations wil be complete before project initiation.
30
SITE PHOTOGRAPHS
View of 42nd Street site, from the Richmond Greenway, looking south. This is one of the six nodes adjacent to the Greenway that will receive extensive greening as part of the project.
View of the site for 42nd Street Community Greening Node, from the Greenway looking west.
31
SITE PHOTOGRAPHS
View of the eastern section of the Greenway, looking east. Tree planting will take place primarily on the the south side of the existing pathway. Any trees planted on the north side will be carefully located and selected to prevent interference with the BART tracks. Other lower vegetation, such as shrubs, will be planted on the north side of the existing pathway.
32
Greening the Last Mile of the Richmond Greenway - SGC URBAN GREENING GRANT APPLICATION
PROJECT TIMELINE: Upon notification of the award, the project schedule would proceed as follows: • • • • • • •
Grant administration: 1 month CEQA and permitting: 4 months Design development (including community involvement): 6 Months Construction Documents: 6 Months Permitting: 2 Months Construction Bidding and Contract Execution: 4 Months Construction (including community build): 4 Months
33
34
Greening the Last Mile of the Richmond Greenway - SGC URBAN GREENING GRANT APPLICATION
PERMIT/APPROVAL STATUS: No State or Federal Agency approvals are required for the Greening of the Eastern Section of the Richmond Greenway. A city grading permit will be initiated upon funding award.
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RESOLUTION NO: __________________ RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND APPROVING THE APPLICATION FOR GRANT FUNDS FOR THE URBAN GREENING GRANT PROGRAM UNDER THE SAFE DRINKING WATER, WATER QUALITY AND SUPPLY, FLOOD CONTROL, RIVER AND COASTAL PROTECTION BOND ACT OF 2006 (PROPOSITION 84) WHEREAS, the Legislature and Governor of the State of California have provided funds for the program shown above; and WHEREAS, the Strategic Growth Council has been delegated the responsibility for the administration of this grant program, establishing necessary procedures; and WHEREAS, said procedures established by the Strategic Growth Council require a resolution certifying the approval of application(s) by the Applicants governing board before submission of said application(s) to the State; and WHEREAS, the applicant, if selected, will enter into an agreement with the State of California to carry out the Project. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council hereby: 1.
Approves the filing of an application for the Greening the Last Mile and the Booker T. Anderson Green Parking Lot and Riparian Zone Protection.
2.
Certifies that applicant understands the assurances and certification in the application, and
3.
Certifies that applicant or title holder will have sufficient funds to operate and maintain the project consistent with the land tenure requirements; or will secure the resources to do so, and
4.
Certifies that it will comply with the provisions of Section 1771.5 of the State Labor Code regarding payment of prevailing wages on Projects awarded Proposition 84 Funds, and
5.
If applicable, certifies that the project will comply with any laws and regulations including, but not limited to, legal requirements for building codes, health and safety codes, disabled access laws, environmental laws and, that prior to commencement of construction, all applicable permits will have been obtained, and
6.
Certifies that applicant will work towards the Governor’s State Planning Priorities intended to promote equity, strengthen economy, protect the environment, and promote health and safety as included in Government Code Section 65041.1, and
36
7.
Appoints the City Manager, or designee, as agent to conduct all negotiations, execute and submit all documents including, but not limited to applications, agreements, payment requests and so on, which may be necessary for the completion of the aforementioned project(s). ------------------------
I hereby certify that the foregoing resolution was duly passed, approved and adopted by the City Council of the City of Richmond, California, at a regular meeting of said City Council held on the day of 2013, by the following roll call vote:
AYES:
NOES: ABSTENTIONS: ABSENT: CLERK OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND Approved:
Mayor
Approved as to form:
City Attorney
37
This is your Community FactFinder report for the project you have defined. Please refer to your Project ID in any future communications about this project. Project ID:
27178
Date created:
March 29, 2013
County:
Contra Costa
City:
Richmond
Coordinates:
37.931404, -122.336926
Total Population:
7,839
Median Household Income:
$47,243
Number of people below poverty line:
1,345
Park acreage:
27.48
Park acres per 1,000 population:
3.51
Project Site
All numbers above have been calculated based on a ½ mile radius from the point location of your project. Demographics are figured by averaging population numbers over selected census block groups and using the percent of the block group within the project circle to determine the actual counts. Parks and park acres are based on best available source information but may not always contain exact boundaries or all parks in specific locations. Parks acreage does not include major lakes or ocean. Users can send update information to: parkupdates@parks.ca.gov Data Sources: Demographics - Claritas Pop-Facts, block group level (2010) Parks - Calif. Protected Areas Database v. 1.6 (Feb. 2011)
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40
John Gioia (say “Joy-a”) District One Board of Supervisors
Contra Costa County
11780 San Pablo Avenue, Suite D El Cerrito, CA 94530 Phone: (510) 231-8686 Fax: (510) 374-3429
October 24, 2013 Letter of Support and Commitment: “Greening the Last Mile of the Richmond Greenway” I am writing to offer my strong support of The City of Richmond's application to the California Strategic Growth Council for an Urban Green Project grant. This Project is part of a larger effort to transform the Richmond Greenway, and would provide a critical connection between planned and funded portions of the Greenway that are undergoing renovations. This multi-‐use trail runs through the Iron Triangle of Richmond, which is a neighborhood impacted by crime, urban blight, environmental degradation, and economic problems. As an elected County Supervisor for West Contra Costa County, a Board Member of the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and the California Air Resources Board, and a Richmond resident and parent, I strongly believe the transformation of the Richmond Greenway to a park will be a positive and valuable asset to the community. By enhancing public access to natural outdoor spaces, recreating native habitat, and by connecting neighborhoods via a non-‐motorized walking and biking path full of life and vitality, the Project is working to make Richmond a more sustainable, livable city. Thank you for considering this important request for funding from The City of Richmond. Should you have questions about my support, please contact my office at (510) 231-‐8686. Sincerely, John Gioia Supervisor, District One Contra Costa County
Email: John_Gioia@bos.cccounty.us ● Website: www.cocobos.org/gioia EAST RICHMOND HEIGHTS ◊ EL CERRITO ◊ EL SOBRANTE ◊ KENSINGTON ◊ MONTALVIN MANOR NORTH RICHMOND ◊ PINOLE ◊ RICHMOND ◊ ROLLINGWOOD ◊ SAN PABLO ◊ TARA HILLS
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October 10, 2013 Letter of Support and Commitment: Richmond Greenway Project I am writing to express my strong support for City of Richmond’s application to the Urban Greening Projects Grant Program for the Greening the Last Mile of the Richmond Greenway. I represent a local community group called Pogo Park. We are a grassroots nonprofit organization based in Richmond that works to transform lives by transforming public spaces. Nowhere are these efforts more necessary than in inner-‐city Richmond, where one-‐third of local residents live below the poverty line. The central core of our city is extremely park-‐poor, with less than two-‐thirds of the recommended park-‐space per resident. These neighborhoods are desperate for a functional and vibrant green space. In partnership with residents, local schools, other community groups and other governmental agencies, the City of Richmond has developed a proposal that can significantly enhance and expand a one-‐mile abandoned right-‐of-‐way on the eastern side of the Greenway into a safe, green, and clean community green space. Pogo Park has worked closely with the City and all the local partners in developing this proposal, and is fully committed to its implementation. The proposed Greening of the Last Mile of the Richmond Greenway is vital to the health and sustainability of the neighborhoods that surround it – neighborhoods that are severely underserved and devastated by poverty, crime, and blight. Pogo Park is grateful to the Strategic Growth Council and the California Natural Resources Agency for their consideration of this grant application. If there are any questions about the Project or the community’s involvement in its development, please contact me at 510-‐215-‐5500 or toody@pogopark.org. Sincerely,
Toody Maher Executive Director
45
2604 Roosevelt Avenue
•
Richmond, CA 94804 -1623
pogopark.org
TEL: 510-215-5500
•
FAX: 510-215-5600
.."%
sâ‚Ź
Groundwork
Riclimondi
S1
0-847-5031
www.groundworkrichmond.org
October 1CI,2013
Letter of Support and Commitment: Richmond Greenway Project Formed in 2010, Groundwork Richmond is the twentieth "localtrust" affiliate of Groundwork USA. Our mission is to bring about the sustained regeneration, improvement and management of the physical environment by developing community-based partnerships that empower people, businesses and organizations to promote environmental, economic and socialwell-being. Since our formation we have worked collaboratively with partners including the City of Richmond, The Watershed Project, Richmond Trees, Pogo Park and Friends of the Richmond Greenway as well as our local neighborhood councils in engaging the local residents in projects that enhance the greenway including implementation of projects such as cleaning, mulching and planting. One of our main objectives is to engage local residents and youth in these activities that help promote healthy lifestyles in addition to improving the environment.
As a key partner in the greening of the Richmond Greenway, recovering this onetime railroad spur that cuts through the heart of Richmond's 33.7 square miles and recovering this brownfield promises to make the City of Richmond greener, healthier, prettier and more fun. We collaborate with the City of Richmond and local residents to design ways to reclaim this vacant and derelict land for conservation, recreation, and economic development, restoring blighted landscapes with healthy environments. We are fully committed to participating in the planning, design and implementation of the proposed project, convinced that the greening of the last mile of the Richmond Greenway will enhance and expand our community green spaces and help to revitalize the community. We ask that the Strategic Growth Council support this effort.
Sincerely,
Qil&,*
Sarah Calderon, Executive Director
21CI
Washington Street, Sulte B, Richmond, CA S48CI1
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Park Plaza Neighborhood Council P.O. Box 1"544 El, Cerrito, CA 94530
October 16,2OL3
Re: Letter of Support: Richmond Greenway Project Dear Committee: The Park Plaza Neighborhood Council strongly supports The City of Richmond's application for fundin g Greening the Last Mile, a project on the Richmond Greenway. With our neighborhood council, local neighborhood residents, and
nonprofit partners we are proud to be a partner in completing work along the last mile of the greenway corridor.
Our council has been involved with various organizations including Grounwork Richmond and the Watershed Project to discuss improvements at the 42nd Street portal access to the greenway. We have already participated in several
workdays including a community clean-up, installation of a mural and various greening projects at this important access to the greenway. We are very pleased to be a partner in the development of the last mile and agree to continue to support this project by participating in the development, design, community engagement and implementation of this project.
The western end of the Richmond Greenway is beginning to take shape and with the State of California's investment in the western end of the greenway, we are pleased to see the transformation that has taken place. A similar investment
in the eastern end of the greenway will help transform and connect the two sections of the greenway and provide access to more green spaces, safe spaces for families and a viable walking and bicycle trail that completely traverses and connects the various neighborhoods including the Pullman neighborhood'
Our neighborhood council and partners are aligned with the Strategic Growth Council's goals and priorities in addressing air and water quality, promoting public health and protecting natural resources. The Park Plaza Neighborhood Council is grateful to the Strategic Growth Council's support of our efforts to make Richmond a more vital, sustainable place to live. We thank you for your consideration of this exciting collaboration which is sure to leverage your current investment in our communitY.
Best Regards,
Madalyn Law President, Park Plaza Neighborhood Council
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