Title
HEARING - Consider recommendations regarding the allocation of 2020 and 2021 Coastal Resource Enhancement Fund (CREF) Grants, as follows: (EST. TIME: 1 HR. 30 MIN.)
a) Receive and file staff’s recommendations for the 2020 and 2021 CREF awards;
b) Approve the 2020 and 2021 CREF budgeting of funds as proposed on pages 7 through 9, including Table 9, of the staff report, along with stipulations outlined in the Staff Recommendation sections for each proposal;
c) 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;
d) Transfer the Santa Barbara County Trails Council 2018 CREF award ($20,000.00) to the Community Services Department for planning costs of the Jalama Coastal Trail;
e) Extend the Guadalupe Dunes Center 2019 CREF award ($35,430.00) to May 11, 2023 to allow time to complete requirements prior to entering a grant agreement with the County;
f) Defer $118,212.00 of 2021 acquisition monies to the Fund Deferral Program and retain the $419,588.00 that is currently in the Fund Deferral Program, allowing for a total $537,800.00 to accrue for future coastal acquisition proposals; and
g) Determine that budgeting CREF funds for the recommended projects does not constitute a “Project” within the meaning of CEQA, pursuant to Sections 15378(b)(5) and 15378(b)(4) of the CEQA Guidelines, because it is an administrative activity of the government and creation of government funding mechanisms or other government fiscal activities, which does 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