City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends the City Council adopt a resolution approving the application for
the Whale Tail Competitive Grant Program.
BACKGROUND:
The Whale Tail Grants Program distributes funds from sales of the Whale Tail
License Plate. The grants supports programs that teach California’s children and
the general public to value and take action to improve the health of the state’s
marine and coastal environment. This grants program focuses on reaching
communities that are currently poorly served in terms of marine and coastal
education.
For this grant cycle a total of $459,500 will be distributed. Applicants may request
any amount up to $50,000 and 25-50% of the funding will be allocated in small
grants under $10,000. Staff is recommending $40,000.00 be requested to
implement an educational program for the community.
Deadline for Applications must be postmarked by November 15, 2006.
Whale Tail staff will review all proposals and make recommendations to the
Coastal Commission, which will vote at its February 2007 meeting.
DISCUSSION:
Staff proposes to establish an Adopt A Creek Program for Ballona Creek, an
eight-mile long urban creek which drains the Ballona Creek Watershed, a 130
square mile section of urban and suburban Los Angeles County. The watershed
Meeting Date: 11/13/2006 Item Number: A-7
AGENDA ITEM: Adoption of a Resolution Authorizing the Application for a Whale
Tail Competitive Grant Program.
Contact Person/Dept.: Catherine A.
Vargas
Phone Number: (310) 253 6411
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [_] Action Item: [x] Attachments: []
Public Notification: Master Notification List (11/08/2006)
Department Approval:
Charles D. Herbertson (11/02/2006)
City Manager Approval:
Jerry B. Fulwood (11/08/2006)
City Controller Approval:
Marlee Chang (11/07/2006)City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
drains the Los Angeles basin from the Santa Monica Mountains on the north, the
Harbor Freeway (110) on the east, and the Baldwin Hills on the south. Ballona
Creek passes through Culver City over a total length of 4 miles. The creek
empties out into the Pacific Ocean between Marina del Rey and Playa del Rey.
While the creek follows its original and natural course through the City, the
riverbed was replaced by a concrete channel in the 1920s and it remains a
concrete lined storm drain channel until it reaches the last two miles before the
coast. At that point, the creek’s concrete bottom ends, though its banks continue
to be lined with boulders as it runs its last mile or so to the sea.
During the dry weather the creek flows with urban runoff; the water level and
speed increases dramatically during storms. That runoff contains all sorts of
pollutants from air, yards, businesses, schools, street trash, animal waste, oil and
grease, pesticides and fertilizers, and industrial chemicals. Oftentimes, large
items, such as shopping carts, computer monitors, and mattresses which have
been dumped in the creek are present. Graffiti is another component that is
commonplace in the creek bed along the walls and walkways.
It is these substantial urban impacts to the creek that the City’s Adopt A Creek
program hopes to address. Adopt A Creek will enable local residents,
businesses and community groups to adopt and commit to keeping the creek, as
well as the ocean waters it flows into, clean. It will also be an avenue to allow our
community to understand the importance of our creek to the overall coastal
environment while creating an educational process for future generations.
In addition to providing an educational program for our city, this program would
assist in the ongoing removal of debris collected in the creek. Currently
Sanitation operations refuse fees cover the cost of the annual La Ballona Creek
Cleanup Event at a cost of approximately $8,000. Additional clean up efforts
which include partnering with volunteer groups would be a worthwhile venture.
Project details
Through the Adopt A Creek Program, the City of Culver City, Department of
Public Works will provide an opportunity for individuals, neighborhood groups,
civic organizations, and businesses to play an active and on-going role in
cleaning, greening, and maintaining Ballona Creek.
Adopt A Creek participants would adopt an approved area of the creek and make
a commitment to regularly clean and beautify that area of Ballona Creek.
Beautifying activities can include:City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
regularly picking up trash
weed removal (as appropriate and approved by the City)
studying and reporting on water quality and habitat
removing graffiti
The City will provide adopters with site assessment, tools, garbage bags, gloves,
and other supplies for trash pickup. A sign recognizing the adopting individual(s)
or group will be posted. The City will also arrange for a maintenance crew to pick
up the collected debris after the cleanup event.
Program Requirements and Group Participation
The requirements for adoption are as follows:
The interested group identifies the section of Ballona Creek (in Culver
City) that they wish to adopt.
Group completes and submits an Adopt A Creek application to the City
of Culver City Public Works Department to adopt a portion of Ballona
Creek for a one year period.
The City will approve a permit for the adopting group, which is good for
one year period. At the time the permit is issued, the City will install an
Adopt A Creek sign to recognize the group.
Contact the City at least 10 days prior to scheduled creek cleanup.
Hold a minimum of two cleanup days per year for adopted creek area.
10 days notice to the City must be given in order to ensure that there
no maintenance or other activities scheduled in the section of Ballona
Creek on the selected day.
Community Education
In addition to the cleanup activities related to the Adopt A Creek program, the
City of Culver City will provide an educational presentation to each community,
school or business group that signs up for the program. The goal of the
educational component of the Adopt A Creek program is to help residents
understand the importance of Ballona Creek, its historic role in the regional
environment, how the creek has been changed over the years from a natural
environment to a part of the LA area storm drain system, and the impact the
creek has on local coastal receiving waters. The educational outreach goal is to
encourage local residents to see the creek as more than a concrete-lined storm
drain, but rather as a key environmental component of the LA area, and to be
advocates for its upkeep and maintenance. These presentations will be made by City of Culver City, California
City Council Agenda Item Report
“Creek Guides”, local residents and schools who have been involved in Ballona
Creek cleanup, restoration, and improvement activities for many years.
Grant Budget
The budget request associated with the proposed project is primarily for supplies.
Additionally about 32% of the requested funds will be used for staff time
associated with the implementation of the Adopt A Creek program, initial
maintenance staff support for the first year’s clean up events, and providing
“Creek Guides” for the initial educational outreach to groups adopting portions of
Ballona Creek.
Grant will be used for the following types of expenses:
Cleanup supplies (plastic bags, gloves, dust masks, etc.)
Safety supplies (traffic vests, etc.)
Adopt A Creek signs
Cleanup loaner tools (rakes, shovels, etc.)
City staff hours (initial program implementation, maintenance staff time
at cleanups during the first year)
Creek Guide educational presentations to new adoptive groups
Clean up event survey forms
Grant funds will not be available in advance of expenditures. Expenses will be
reimbursed once per month upon submission of an invoice by the grantee.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
No matching funds required.
ATTACHMENTS:
Resolution authorizing the grant application.
MOTION:
That the City Council:
Adopt the resolution authorizing the application for the Whale Tails Competitive
Grants program.
MEETING DATE: 11/13/06
AGENDA ITEM:
Consideration of Adoption of a Resolution Authorizing the
Application for a Whale Tail Competitive Grant Program.
ATTACHMENTS|109| ResolutionRESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
CULVER CITY, CALIFORNIA, APPROVING THE
APPLICATION FOR A WHALE TAIL COMPETITIVE
GRANTS PROGRAM.
WHEREAS, the California Coastal Commission have enacted the Whale Tail
Competitive Grants Program which provides funds from sales of the Whale Tail License
Plate. The grants support programs that teach California's children and the general public
to value and take action to improve the health of the state's marine and coastal resources.
This grants program focuses on reaching communities that are currently poorly served in
terms of marine and coastal education; and
WHEREAS, The California Coastal Commission is a state regulatory and planning
agency that operates under the 1976 Coastal Act to manage the conservation and
development of coastal resources in California; and
WHEREAS The Commission's Public Education Program works to increase public
knowledge of coastal and marine resources and to engage the public in coastal protection
and restoration activities and has been delegated the responsibility for the administration of
the program within the state, setting up necessary procedures governing application under
the program; and
WHEREAS, said procedures established by the California Coastal Commission
require the applicant to certify by resolution the approval of the application before
submission of said application to the state; and
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28CHRISTOPHER ARMENTA,
City Clerk
WHEREAS, it is beneficial for the City Culver City to file an application; to receive
funding to promote the Adopt A Creek program.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Culver
City, DOES HEREBY RESOLVE as follows:
1. Approves the filing of an application for the California Coastal
Commission Whale Tail Competitive Grants program under the Coastal Commissions'
Public Education Program for state grant assistance for the project specified above; and
2. Authorizes the submittal of an application on behalf of the City of
Culver City to the California Coastal Commission Whale Tail Competitive Grant for Fiscal
Year 2006/2007; and
3. Appoints the Chief Administrative Officer and/or his or her designee as
agent of the City of Culver City to conduct all negotiations, execute and submit all
documents including, but not limited to application, agreements, amendments, payment
requests and so on, which may be necessary for the completion of the aforementioned
project; and
4. That the City of Culver City will serve as the grant administrator.
APPROVED and ADOPTED this day of , 2006.
Gary Silbiger, MAYOR
City of Culver City, California
ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM:
CAROL A. SCHWAB,
City Attorney
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