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Item 5.
 
City Council Regular
Date: 12/20/2021
Title: CDBG-CV and CDBG Allocations to Parks Projects
Presented by: Tam Rodier
Department: Planning & Community Services
Presentation: Yes

RECOMMENDATION

The Community Development (CD) Board and the City Parks, Recreation and Cemetery Board recommend the City Council allocate up to $1 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding and CDBG-Coronavirus (CDBG-CV) funding to the Parks, Recreation and Public Lands Department to install improvements to eight (8) parks located in low-income areas. The improvements are designed to prevent, prepare for, and/or respond to coronavirus and address needs identified within the 2020 Coronavirus Surveys, as parkland usage has greatly increased during the pandemic. The allocation and expenditure of funding for park projects will also assist the Division in meeting a CDBG timeliness deadline in the Spring of 2022 and CDBG-CV expenditure deadlines in 2024.
 

BACKGROUND (Consistency with Adopted Plans and Policies, if applicable)

The City’s CD Division has CDBG-CV funds to allocate to nonprofit organizations and other governmental entities that:
  • Exclusively support coronavirus and other infectious disease response.
  • Primarily benefit low-income individuals and families in Billings.
  • Avoid duplication of other local, state, or federal service or support to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse. Repayment of funding utilized for duplicative activities is required.
City and Federal procurement procedures must be followed; therefore, all references to costs within this memo and attachments are preliminary. Actual costs will be determined by following applicable procurement procedures.

LOW-INCOME AREA PARKS AND PROPOSED PROJECTS

North Park, 6th Avenue N & N 19th Street
  • An adult exercise area and equipment, North Park Center accessibility and HVAC improvements, new 4-room accessible restroom with touchless features, 12-month touchless water fountain, new shelter near playground and adult exercise area, and concrete path bulb-out to eliminate tripping hazards.
  • North Park has already achieved designation as a “Park Rx.” The “Park Rx” designation means health and/or social service providers encourage people to spend time at the park / in nature to improve their health and well-being. These improvements would strengthen its amenities and encourage additional use. Adding amenities to North Park may also relieve overcrowding at Pioneer Park.
  • Installation of a Wi-Fi hotspot, if feasible. 
Pioneer Park, 3rd Street West & Parkhill Drive
  • Zimmerman Center accessibility enhancements, restroom repair / upgrades, and Heritage Park Trail improvements.
  • Pioneer Park has also achieved designation as a “Park Rx.” It is also arguably the busiest park in the community. These improvements would strengthen its amenities, support heavy park usage, and meet current user needs.
  • Installation of a Wi-Fi hotspot, if feasible.
Comanche Park, South Plainview Street
  • A new playground, ADA accessible parking spots and a walkway to the playground.
  • What is left of the Comanche Park playground equipment is decades old and needs to be replaced. Park usage will likely increase significantly with these improvements.
  • Installation of a Wi-Fi hotspot, if feasible.
Installation of Wi-Fi hotspots at each of the following parks, if feasible:
  • South Park, 6th Avenue S and S 30th Street
  • Optimist Park, Morgan Avenue & Hallowell Lane
  • Highland Park, 2nd Avenue S & S 37th Street
  • Central Park, 8th Street West & Central Avenue
  • Arrowhead Park, Crow Lane and Sioux Lane

FUNDING COMMITMENT CONDITIONS
Construction and/or Development Agreements will be required for each park and for each funding source. The Community Development Division manages all projects and activities on a close- and shovel-ready basis. If funding allocations are approved for recommended parks projects, staff will develop a timeline for project implementation and funding will be committed incrementally.

Agreements include provisions for timely expenditures. If projects stall and/or do not move forward, CD staff may reallocate funding to another approved program or project to meet expenditure deadlines. CDBG-CV programs and projects include, but are not limited to, other park improvements, public services, public facilities, additional public hand washing stations / restrooms, etc. CDBG programs include, but are not limited to, Foreclosure Acquisition / Rehabilitation, First Time Home Buyer, Housing Rehabilitation, and AmeriCorps VISTA.


PROCEDURAL HISTORY:
  • April & September 2020: The U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) notified the City of Billings it would receive a total of $909,126 in CDBG-CV funds.
  • September / October 2020: Coronavirus Surveys released citywide.
  • December 2020: Coronavirus Response Initiative Report published and distributed.
  • March 2021: Community Development (CD) Board prioritized projects / activities for CDBG-CV funding.
  • April / May 2020: CDBG-CV online grant application process was developed and released. Applications were received from the Downtown Business Improvement District, Inc. (BID) for the installation of a downtown public hand washing station / restroom ($117,715) and The Salvation Army for a mobile meals program ($55,000).
  • June 1, 2021: CD Board recommends the City Council approve grant awards to the Downtown BID and Salvation Army. City Council approved grant awards and both projects are moving forward.
  • August to November 2021: CD Board discussed using a portion of the remaining CDBG-CV funds and regular CDBG funds to install park improvements in low-income areas to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 by implementing touchless features and other elements in park facilities. Improvements may also positively affect mental health by encouraging socially-distanced exercise / outdoor activities. Staff and CD Board representatives toured several parks prior to developing a list of eligible projects that was subsequently refined with Parks, Recreation & Public Lands (PRPL) staff input. CD Board recommends moving parks projects forward.
  • November 2, 2021: CD Board discussion and prioritization of potential parks projects using CDBG and/or CDBG-CV funds.
  • November 10, 2021: Staff presented parks projects to the Parks, Recreation & Cemetery Board. The Board voted unanimously to recommend the City Council approve parks projects.
  • December 7, 2021: CD Board finalizes parks projects recommendation to City Council.
  • December 20, 2021: City Council review / action on proposed parks projects and CDBG-CV and CDBG allocations.

STAKEHOLDERS

  • Parks projects are located in low-income areas of Billings and will primarily serve low-income community members. Planned park improvements will assist in the preparation, prevention, and response to the coronavirus.
  • Other community members and visitors will also benefit.
  • Because two of the parks have achieved the “Park Rx” designation, health and/or social service providers encourage people to spend time at the park / in nature to improve their health and well-being.

ALTERNATIVES

City Council may:
  • Approve funding for the park projects, with or without conditions. A funding allocation to support these projects would assist the City in meeting timeliness deadlines for CDBG funding expenditures;
  • Not approve funding for the projects. The Parks, Recreation and Public Lands Department would need to secure other funding / financing to complete the projects or not move the projects forward and the City may not meet CDBG funding timeliness deadlines.

FISCAL EFFECTS

The Community Development Board recommends utilizing available CDBG and CDBG-CV funding for these parks projects. The City has received significant revenue from recent home buyer / home repair loan repayments and this funding must be expended as soon as possible. Since this recommendation contemplates using only federal funds, City staff does not anticipate any negative fiscal effects.

SUMMARY

An overall review of the proposed projects reveals the projects are consistent with similar projects the City has funded in the past and is in alignment with the City’s Consolidated Plan. There is a demonstrated need for the installation of these amenities for our low-income community members, as evidenced by data collected through the City’s Coronavirus Surveys. CD and PRPL staff have extensive experience developing and managing projects and they are knowledgeable about federal program requirements so that these funding processes and projects will be a success.

Attachments