The City of Billings is seeking grant funding for the installation of a restroom facility at the Shiloh Conservation Area site west of Shiloh Road and north of the Knife River gravel mining operations. Pedestrian and bicycle activity at the Shiloh Conservation Area is significant, with pedestrian and bicycle counts from summer 2017 of more than 200 users over a two-day period during the week. This level of usage has encouraged staff to look at providing a restroom facility. Recreational Trails Program (RTP) Grant applications for the 2019 grant cycle are due January 31, 2019.  Staff is requesting the City Council approve the submittal of this grant application. 

The RTP grant is designated for the development of recreational trails and facilities to serve those trails, and grants are available for up to $69,999 in the Standard Grant category.  The RTP grant provides reimbursement after monies have been expended for construction and requires a 20% local match.  The application will request up to $37,000.  This grant provides reimbursement after monies have been expended for the development and requires a 20% match plus an additional 5% match for claims.  The match, which will not exceed $10,000 in cash and $10,000 of in-kind donation, will be provided by the City of Billings Public Works Department. This restroom facility will be of similar design as the restroom facility located atop the Rimrocks at Swords Park.  There will be no City water/sewer connections and it will be a vault type restroom facility only.
 

City Council may:

• Approve the submittal of a Recreational Trails Program Grant for a restroom at the Shiloh Conservation Area, or;
• Disapprove the submittal of a Recreational Trails Program Grant for a restroom at the Shiloh Conservation Area. There is no disadvantage to the City in submitting this grant application. If the grant is not awarded, staff will continue to look for other options for funding a facility.

This Recreational Trails Program grant application is being written to provide funding for the installation of a restroom facility that will be ADA accessible at the Shiloh Conservation Area.  The project is estimated to have a base cost of $48,555. The application will request up to $37,000.  This grant provides reimbursement after monies have been expended for the development and requires a 20% match plus an additional 5% match for claims.  The match, which will not exceed $10,000 in cash and $10,000 of in-kind donation, will be provided by the City of Billings Public Works Department.  This grant and the local match will be the sole funding sources for this project.

Staff recommends that the City Council approve submitting a Recreational Trails Program grant to provide funding for a restroom facility at the Shiloh Conservation Area and authorize the Planning Division to submit the grant application.