COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Department of Parks

DATE:

February 11, 2008

BOARD MEETING DATE:

February 26, 2008

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

David G. Holland, Director

SUBJECT:

Acceptance of a $38,122 Grant Award from the State of California Coastal Conservancy for the San Bruno Mountain Volunteer Trail Project

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a resolution approving the acceptance of a State of California Coastal Conservancy grant award in the amount of $38,122 for the San Bruno Mountain Volunteer Trail Project; and authorizing the Director, Department of Parks, or his designee, to execute in the name of the County of San Mateo all necessary applications, contracts, agreements, amendments and payment requests hereto for the purposes specified in the grant application.

VISION ALIGNMENT:

Commitment: Preserve and provide people access to our natural environment.

Goal: 15. Residents have nearby access to green space, such as parks and recreational opportunities.

The grant award will contribute to this goal as it will provide funding for rehabilitation of the Dairy Ravine and Eucalyptus Loop Trails at San Bruno Mountain State and County Park using volunteer support and partnerships with community-based organizations.

BACKGROUND:

San Bruno Mountain State and County Park is a large, open space island surrounded by the cities of Brisbane, South San Francisco, Colma and Daly City. Despite the surrounding urbanization, the Park’s 2,604 acres remain a unique remnant of the area’s natural history. With most of the upper slopes undeveloped, this Park is one of the largest expanses of natural landscapes on the northern San Francisco peninsula. The Park’s climate, geology, and topography provide habitat for a wide array of rare, endangered, and unique species of plants and animals. Today, the Park is carefully managed for the enhancement of wildlife habitat while providing important urban recreational opportunities.

The San Bruno Mountain State and County Park Master Plan (April 2002) and San Bruno Mountain Habitat Conservation Plan (1982) were prepared by the Department of Parks and have been adopted by the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors. Both plans support the rehabilitation of existing trails such as the Dairy Ravine and Eucalyptus Loop Trails.

The San Francisco Bay Area Conservancy Program was established in 1998 to address the natural resource and recreational goals of the nine-county Bay Area in a coordinated and comprehensive way. The San Francisco Bay Area Conservancy Program, administered by the State of California Coastal Conservancy, solicited proposals from public agencies and nonprofit organizations for “hands on,” educational community-based projects involving habitat restoration or enhancement and/or trail building or improvements/enhancements to certain existing trails. Funding comes from the California Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2006 (Proposition 84).

DISCUSSION:

The San Bruno Mountain Volunteer Trail Project contains two interconnected components:

1.

Renovation of the Eucalyptus Loop and Dairy Ravine Trails; and

2.

Development of a Volunteer Trail Leaders Program that prepares volunteers to lead similar trail rehabilitation projects in coordination with Park Rangers and community partners.

Volunteers, under Park Ranger supervision, will learn to clear brush along the perimeter of these trails, improve drainage through the use of rolling dips and other techniques, and level trail tread to facilitate visitor use. The project will also serve as a pilot for the development of a new Volunteer Trail Leaders Program to train volunteers to take the lead on similar trail projects throughout the San Mateo County Parks system.

FISCAL IMPACT:

This Coastal Conservancy grant of $38,122 will be matched by community volunteer labor valued at $42,853 and supplies valued at $4,000 from the San Mateo County Parks and Recreation Foundation. In future fiscal years, the grant will reimburse the Department of Parks for actual expenses up to the total amount of the grant award. There will be no impact on the County General Fund.

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

DATE:

BOARD MEETING DATE:

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

VOTE REQUIRED:

TO:

FROM:

SUBJECT:

RECOMMENDATION:

VISION ALIGNMENT:

Commitment: Preserve and provide people access to our natural environment.

Goal: 15. Residents have nearby access to green space, such as parks and recreational opportunities.

BACKGROUND:

DISCUSSION:

FISCAL IMPACT:



COUNTY OF SAN MATEO Inter-Departmental Correspondence
Department of Parks

DATE:			February 11, 2008
BOARD MEETING DATE:			February 26, 2008
SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:			None
VOTE REQUIRED:			Majority

TO:		Honorable Board of Supervisors
FROM:		David G. Holland, Director
SUBJECT:		Acceptance of a $38,122 Grant Award from the State of California Coastal Conservancy for the San Bruno Mountain Volunteer Trail Project

RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt a resolution approving the acceptance of a State of California Coastal Conservancy grant award in the amount of $38,122 for the San Bruno Mountain Volunteer Trail Project; and authorizing the Director, Department of Parks, or his designee, to execute in the name of the County of San Mateo all necessary applications, contracts, agreements, amendments and payment requests hereto for the purposes specified in the grant application.

VISION ALIGNMENT:
Commitment: Preserve and provide people access to our natural environment.
Goal: 15. Residents have nearby access to green space, such as parks and recreational opportunities.

The grant award will contribute to this goal as it will provide funding for rehabilitation of the Dairy Ravine and Eucalyptus Loop Trails at San Bruno Mountain State and County Park using volunteer support and partnerships with community-based organizations.

BACKGROUND:
San Bruno Mountain State and County Park is a large, open space island surrounded by the cities of Brisbane, South San Francisco, Colma and Daly City. Despite the surrounding urbanization, the Park’s 2,604 acres remain a unique remnant of the area’s natural history. With most of the upper slopes undeveloped, this Park is one of the largest expanses of natural landscapes on the northern San Francisco peninsula. The Park’s climate, geology, and topography provide habitat for a wide array of rare, endangered, and unique species of plants and animals. Today, the Park is carefully managed for the enhancement of wildlife habitat while providing important urban recreational opportunities.

The San Bruno Mountain State and County Park Master Plan (April 2002) and San Bruno Mountain Habitat Conservation Plan (1982) were prepared by the Department of Parks and have been adopted by the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors. Both plans support the rehabilitation of existing trails such as the Dairy Ravine and Eucalyptus Loop Trails.

The San Francisco Bay Area Conservancy Program was established in 1998 to address the natural resource and recreational goals of the nine-county Bay Area in a coordinated and comprehensive way. The San Francisco Bay Area Conservancy Program, administered by the State of California Coastal Conservancy, solicited proposals from public agencies and nonprofit organizations for “hands on,” educational community-based projects involving habitat restoration or enhancement and/or trail building or improvements/enhancements to certain existing trails. Funding comes from the California Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2006 (Proposition 84).

DISCUSSION:
The San Bruno Mountain Volunteer Trail Project contains two interconnected components:
1.	Renovation of the Eucalyptus Loop and Dairy Ravine Trails; and
2.	Development of a Volunteer Trail Leaders Program that prepares volunteers to lead similar trail rehabilitation projects in coordination with Park Rangers and community partners.

Volunteers, under Park Ranger supervision, will learn to clear brush along the perimeter of these trails, improve drainage through the use of rolling dips and other techniques, and level trail tread to facilitate visitor use. The project will also serve as a pilot for the development of a new Volunteer Trail Leaders Program to train volunteers to take the lead on similar trail projects throughout the San Mateo County Parks system.

FISCAL IMPACT:
This Coastal Conservancy grant of $38,122 will be matched by community volunteer labor valued at $42,853 and supplies valued at $4,000 from the San Mateo County Parks and Recreation Foundation. In future fiscal years, the grant will reimburse the Department of Parks for actual expenses up to the total amount of the grant award. There will be no impact on the County General Fund.