That the City Council APPROVE AND ADOPT RESOLUTION NO. 2024-__ ENTITLED: A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LA HABRA APPROVING APPLICATION(S) FOR SPECIFIED GRANT FUNDS FROM THE BUDGET ACT OF 2023, SEC. 19.561. (b) (75) $2,000,000 FOR THE CITY OF LA HABRA FOR THE VISTA GRANDE PARK DEVELOPMENT PROJECT.

In 2022, the City of La Habra was awarded a $3 million grant through the Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Grant Program (Prop 68) for the approximately $14 million Vista Grande Park Improvement Project. The State Department of Parks and Recreation (CA Parks) was delegated the responsibility for the administration of Prop 68. As part of the State's FY 23/24 budget process, City staff worked with state legislative representatives to request additional funding for the Vista Grande Park project. This effort resulted in the inclusion of an additional $2 million of specified grant funds for the City's Vista Grande Park project in the State's adopted FY 23/24 budget. If City Council authorizes staff to apply for these funds, the additional grant will provide the City with a total of $5 million in State funding for the approximately $14 million Vista Grande Park project budget.

The Vista Grande Park project will improve the former Vista Grande Landfill site into a fully developed park with a number of recreational amenities. The current design, which was previously approved by the City Council, offers a wide variety of recreational elements including a walking path, a dog park, a sensory playground, a drought tolerant demonstration garden, a gazebo, an art wall, a food truck circle, an amphitheater and a new restroom facility. The park will also include several active lifestyle elements, such as a volleyball court, a pickleball court, a half basketball/futsal court, and open grass fields for general recreational use. 

Staff recommends that City Council approve and adopt the attached resolution which authorizes the submission of an application by the City to receive the specified grant from the State of California 2023/24 Budget Act. If the resolution is adopted by City Council, staff will submit the application to the CA Parks for review and approval, after which CA Parks will issue a draft grant funding agreement to the City for review and signature. Once the agreement is fully executed and approved by the State, the City anticipates receiving the approved grant funds later this calendar year.

At this time, the total estimated cost to fully develop the Vista Grande Park project is approximately $14 million. If approved by City Council and awarded by the State, this grant will provide $2 million in specified funding from the State of California towards this project cost, which will be added to the previously secured $3 million from Prop. 68 State grant funding for this project.