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SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL
MEETING DATE: July 6, 2011 AGENDA ITEM:
DEPARTMENT: City Manager’s Office CITY MANAGER: Dave Anderson
PREPARED BY: Crystal Morrow DIRECTOR: Dave Anderson
Administrative Analyst II
SUBJECT: Authorization to Submit Funding Proposal to the State Community Development
Block Grant Program for 2008 Disaster Recovery Initiative Funding
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Open public hearing; listen to public testimony; close public hearing; and adopt resolution
authorizing submittal of an application for funding and the execution of a grant agreement and any
amendments thereto from the 2008 Disaster Recovery Initiative (DRI) allocation of the State CDBG
Program.
BACKGROUND:
At the June 15, 2011 City Council meeting, staff was authorized to prepare a funding proposal
for the 2008 DRI Program. This program was developed in response to the presidentially
declared 2008 California wildfires. Local governments in the counties impacted by the 2008
wildfires can apply for DRI funds for housing rehabilitation, public facilities, public
improvements, public services, or hazard mitigation planning activities. Those not directly
impacted by the wildfires, including Saratoga, can only apply for DRI funds for hazard mitigation
planning activities. Saratoga is eligible to apply for up to $250,000 in DRI funds.
Suggested hazard mitigation planning activities include creating or updating local hazard
mitigation plans or General Plan Safety Elements. Because the City’s local hazard mitigation
plan has just been updated, staff recommended applying for DRI funds to update the Safety
Element. The last update was made in 1987.
The Safety Element update is expected to cost approximately $171,500. Grantees are allowed to
use up to two percent (2%) of the total grant amount for reasonable general administrative
expenses. Consequently, staff is proposing to apply for $175,000 in DRI funds.
If DRI funds are received, a request for proposals would be issued for knowledgeable consultants
to:
- Develop and or update maps pertaining to earthquakes, flooding, fire hazards, and geological
hazards;
- Incorporate the most up-to-date maps;
- Reference the City’s updated Emergency Preparedness Plan;
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- Incorporate as an annex the recently completed update to the federally mandated plan for
disaster mitigation planning;
- Undertake any environmental study requirements pertinent to the update; and
- Any related work that would technically update the Safety Element.
The DRI Program does not require matching funds and funding is awarded using a non-
competitive over-the-counter application process. Funds are awarded on a first-come-first-serve
basis.
FISCAL IMPACTS:
If DRI funding is awarded, some staff time will be required in order to perform general
administrative functions, such as grant management, coordination, evaluation and reporting.
Grantees are allowed to use up to two percent (2%) of the total grant amount for reasonable
general administrative expenses.
CONSEQUENCES OF NOT FOLLOWING THE RECOMMENDED ACTIONS:
The City will not submit an application for DRI funding to update the City’s Safety Element.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
N/A
FOLLOW UP ACTION(S):
Submit DRI funding proposal and execute grant agreement if DRI funds are allocated to the City.
ADVERTISING, NOTICING AND PUBLIC CONTACT:
Pursuant to Government Code 54954.2, this item was properly posted as a City Council agenda
item and was included in the packet made available on the City’s web site in advance of the
meeting. A copy of the agenda packet is also made available at the Saratoga Branch Library each
Monday in advance of the Council meeting.
A public notice for this item was also included in the Saratoga News on June 21, 2011.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A: Resolution authorizing submittal of an application for funding and the execution
of a grant agreement and any amendments thereto from the 2008 DRI allocation of
the State CDBG Program