Title
HEARING - Consider recommendations regarding the Coastal Resource Enhancement Fund (CREF) Guidelines and Allocate 2017 CREF Grants, as follows: (EST. TIME: 1 hr. 30 min.)
a) Amend the CREF Guidelines for the purposes of setting aside $1 million to comply with the Coastal Commission’s special permit condition for the Point Arguello Unit and directing staff to solicit CREF proposals every other year, while the Point Arguello Unit and Santa Ynez Unit are not operating;
b) Receive and file staff’s recommendations for the 2017 CREF awards;
c) Approve 2017 CREF budgeting of funds as proposed in Table 10 on page 8 of the staff report;
d) Direct staff to prepare the proposed contractual agreements with non-County grantees, including final grant conditions, and return with contractual agreements for Board consideration and approval, including appropriate California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) compliance;
e) Extend the 2016 CREF award ($207,475.00) to the Trust for Public Land for acquisition of the Gaviota Marine Terminal property until June 7, 2019; and
f) Determine that amending the CREF guidelines and budgeting CREF funds for the recommended projects do not constitute a “Project” within the meaning of CEQA, pursuant to Sections 15378(b)(5) and 15378(b)(4) of the CEQA Guidelines, because they are organizational or administrative activities of the government and creation of government funding mechanisms or other government fiscal activities, which do not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potentially significant impact on the environment.
COUNTY EXECUTIVE OFFICER’S RECOMMENDATION: POLICY