Agenda

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C. 31

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	TRANSPORTATION, WATER & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE
Date:	February 6, 2018

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Grant Submittal to the U.S. Economic Development Administration for a Short-Line Railroad Feasibility Study in the Northern Waterfront Area

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 02/06/2018

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:

John Cunningham (925) 674-7833

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: February 6, 2018
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Conservation and Development Director, or designee, to apply for and accept grant funding in an amount not to exceed $60,000 from the United States Economic Development Administration under the Planning and Local Technical Assistance Program to study a short-line railroad in the Northern Waterfront.

FISCAL IMPACT:

In the event of a successful grant application, the County will provide matching funding not to exceed $37,500 under Other Special Departmental Expense, FY 2017-18 Budget [Northern Waterfront Economic Development Initiative], with no additional General Fund impact.

BACKGROUND:

Northern Waterfront Economic Development Initiative
The subject grant would fund an implementation step under the Northern Waterfront Economic Development Initiative. The Initiative was launched in 2013 to assess economic conditions in the Northern Waterfront and identify opportunities to revitalize it. In January

2014, the County released the Revitalizing Contra Costa's Northern Waterfront: How to be Competitive in the 21st Century Global Economy Report, which detailed the current economic conditions and opportunities and the recommended strategies to implement that would revitalize the area.

At the April 11, 2017 meeting, the Northern Waterfront Ad Hoc Subcommittee received an update from staff on the work program for the Initiative. One of the activities identified in the work program was a goods movement study to determine the feasibility of a short-line railroad in the Northern Waterfront (Exhibit A). At the May 9, 2017 Board of Supervisors meeting, the Board approved allocating $500,000 from the County General Fund to fund Northern Waterfront Economic Development Initiative activities in the work program, $75,000 of which would go towards funding the short-line railroad feasibility study.

Economic Development Administration - Planning and Local Technical Assistance Program
The United States Economic Development Administration (EDA) currently has a call for projects for its Planning and Local Technical Assistance Program (Exhibit B). This Program funds studies and plans that generate economic development and investment in areas that are experiencing economic hardship. Specifically, the Planning Program funds regional-level economic development plans and the Local Technical Assistance Program funds more localized or focused studies and plans. The Revitalizing Contra Costa's Northern Waterfront Report is consistent with the latter Program.

The total amount available is $41 million ($30 million to the Planning Program, $11 million for the Local Technical Assistance Program), and the maximum grant funding is $300,000. The local match for the grant ranges from 20% to 50%, depending on defined economic thresholds related to unemployment and per capita income. The grant is available through FY 2018/2019.

Discussion
The Transportation, Water, and Infrastructure Committee directed staff to bring this grant application (Exhibit C) to Board of Supervisors for approval.The proposal, “Feasibility of a Short-Line Railroad to in the Northern Waterfront”, would fund a short-line railroad study. The grant application, in the amount of $75,000, would be submitted under the Local Technical Assistance Program.

The local match will range from $15,000 to $37,500, as discussed above. Local match would be funded by the $75,000 earmarked for the short-line railroad study under "Other Special Departmental Expense (FY 2017-18 Budget). These funds are part of the $500,000 amount appropriated towards Northern Waterfront Economic Development Initiative activities by the Board of Supervisors at its May 9, 2017 meeting.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

If the grant submittal is not approved, the County will not be eligible for Federal Local Technical Assistance Program funds for this study and would have to identify other funds if the study is to proceed.

CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:

No impact.

CLERK'S ADDENDUM

Speaker: Janet Pygeorge, resident of Rodeo.