Staff Report.Grant Application Recreational Trails Program
PREPARED BY: Ying Smith
Transportation and Mobility Manager
Reviewed by: Town Manager, Assistant Town Manager, Town Attorney, and Parks and Public Works
Director
110 E. Main Street Los Gatos, CA 95030 ● (408) 354-6832
www.losgatosca.gov
TOWN OF LOS GATOS
COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: 4/5/2022 ITEM NO: 6
DATE: March 29, 2022
TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: Laurel Prevetti, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Adopt A Resolution Authorizing an Application to the California Department
of Parks and Recreation’s Recreational Trails Program for the Los Gatos Creek
Trailhead Connector Project
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the Town Council adopt a resolution authorizing an application to the
California Department of Parks and Recreation’s Recreational Trails Program for the Los Gatos
Creek Trailhead Connector project.
BACKGROUND:
At the March 1, 2022 meeting, the Town Council approved a funding plan for the Los Gatos
Creek Trailhead Connector project, the individual actions in the three grant programs, and
associated financial commitments.
Since the March 1 Town Council meeting, staff has made progress in pursuing the three grant
funding opportunities identified. Table 1 illustrates the proposed funding plan and includes
updated grant amounts. The status updates are explained further in this report.
Table 1 – Proposed Funding Plan and Updates
Source Low Estimate High Estimate
OBAG 2 $3,351,000 $3,351,000
TFCA $555,921 $1,190,000
Valley Water $840,000 $1,120,000
Total Grant $ $4,746,921 $5,661,000
Construction Cost $5,800,000 $5,800,000
Town Funds Needed $1,053,079 $139,000
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BACKGROUND (continued):
One Bay Area Grant (OBAG): The recommendation to reprogram $3,351,000 in OBAG funds
has been approved by the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) committees and it
is scheduled to be considered by the VTA Board at its April 7 meeting on the consent agenda.
Transportation Fund for Clean Air (TFCA): Staff submitted an application on March 11
requesting $1,190,000 in grant funds. Unlike the experience in the past five to six years, this
year’s program is oversubscribed. VTA staff’s initial analysis indicates that the project is eligible
to receive $555,921 in the set-aside category, while it will need to compete against other
projects for the remaining amount.
Valley Water Access to Trails & Open Space Grants: Staff submitted an application on March 4
requesting $1,400,000. The application is under evaluation and a decision is expected in May.
Valley Water staff indicated that if the project is awarded, the grant amount would be lower
than $1,400,000. Staff doesn’t have a reliable prediction of the award.
DISCUSSION:
The award of $3,351,000 in OBAG is the key in completing the proposed funding plan.
However, there are a few risks in this funding plan as both the TFCA and Valley Water grant
applications are under evaluation and face competition. In the lower estimate scenario in Table
1, the Town would need $1,053,079 in local dollars to complete the funding plan compared to
the March 1 funding plan estimate of $928,687. The Council allocated $1M toward this
purpose.
Town staff continues to explore other grant funding opportunities as they occur. The
Recreational Trails Program (RTP) provides funds annually for recreational trails and trail-
related projects. The RTP is administered at the state level by the California Department of
Parks and Recreation and the Department of Transportation. A call-for-projects was released
late last year, with a total amount of $4,680,000 available, covering Federal Fiscal Years 2021,
2022, and 2023.
Staff believes the Los Gatos Creek Trailhead Connector project will be eligible for the RTP.
However, the grant program requires National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review by the
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), which would result in a delay in construction and
make the project miss the project delivery deadlines required in the OBAG grant. Department
of Parks and Recreation staff indicated that there may be a chance to fast-track the FHWA
review because the Town has completed NEPA studies in 2021. After consulting with
Department of Parks and Recreation, Town staff concluded that the Town has a reasonable
PAGE 3 OF 3 SUBJECT: Grant Application to the Recreational Trails Program for the Los Gatos Creek Trailhead Connector project DATE: March 29, 2022
DISCUSSION (continued):
chance to compete in the RTP, despite the risk of its schedule not aligning with the OBAG
delivery schedule.
CONCLUSION:
Staff is proposing submitting a grant application to the California Department of Parks and
Recreation’s Recreational Trails Program for the Los Gatos Creek Trailhead Connector project.
The applications are due on April 7 with award recommendations anticipated in mid- to late
summer.
COORDINATION:
This report was coordinated with the California Department of Parks and Recreation staff.
FISCAL IMPACT:
If the Town’s application is awarded, the Town would receive additional grant funds to support
the funding plan. Staff will present a recommendation for budget appropriation for the Town
Council’s consideration at that time. With the anticipated OBAG and TFCA grants, the Town will
be able to meet the match requirement of the RTP.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT:
The funding action is not a project defined under CEQA, and no further action is required. This
project has completed environmental studies and CEQA clearance is expected in April 2022.
Attachment:
1. Resolution approving the application for grant funds from the Recreational Trails Program