SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Approve the post-closeout Brownfield Revolving Loan Fund Sub-Grant Program Application and Application Approval Sheet in substantially the form as presented in Appendices A and B of RLF Final Expenditures and Closeout Plan for EPA Cooperative Agreement No. BF-98487299; and delegate authority to Director of Economic Development and Housing Department to award sub-grants. (consent)
Body
SUMMARY:
To support redevelopment initiatives and provide direct economic benefit to the city’s sensitive populations and areas suffering from environmental justice issues, the city will utilize sub-grants to eligible non-profit, quasi-governmental, units of local government, community redevelopment agencies (CRAs), and qualified community development entities utilizing Restricted Program Income received/to be received from repayment of loans made from EPA Brownfield Pilot Grant BF-98487299.
Under the program, use of funds will be limited to brownfield activities including: Phase I and II Environmental Site Assessments; planning activities for the assessment, cleanup and re-use of brownfield sites; cleanup/remediation activities of eligible properties; entering a property into the State Brownfields program; outreach and distribution of materials and programmatic costs to manage and oversee the work being performed; and programmatic support including required EPA reporting, ACREs database maintenance, meeting preparation and attendance, and final closeout documentation.
In consideration of sub-grant awards, an Application (Appendix A) will require the following elements:
• Details about the Applicant including contact information, organization type, and management of the applicant.
• The property for which the grant monies are to be spent.
• The type and nature of environmental problems that exist or the type of investigation which is to be completed with the grant.
• Description of the improvements to be done on the property or a project description plus:
§ Number jobs and/or businesses to be created,
§ If housing the percentage of affordable housing units to be created, and
§ Economic impact.
• Type of funding requested such as Phase I assessment, Phase 2 investigation, cleanup and/or remediation.
• Project schedule.
An Application Approval Sheet (Appendix B) will used by city staff for evaluation of Phase I and II Assessments and by city staff and the Brownfield Advisory Board to evaluate appropriateness of remediation requests and to determine sub-grant award. Checklist elements include:
• Confirmation of conformance with the program requirements.
• Documentation of eligibility
• Evaluation of intended outcomes and benefits to city and community
Director of Economic Development and Housing Department will have the authority to award sub-grants to approved applicants by written agreement up to $50,000. Sub-grants over $50,000 and up to $100,000 will require approval of the City Manager, and Sub-grants over $100,000 will require approval of City Council.
Background
In accordance with the Closeout Agreement, dated April 18, 2012, between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the City of Clearwater, the city submitted, and the EPA approved, the RLF Final Expenditures & Closeout Plan for EPA Cooperative Agreement No. BL-98487299.
The City currently has $470,911 available in Restricted Program Income from the repayment of a loan for the cleanup of the site formerly known as Clearwater Automotive Property. Upon CRA Board and Council approval, the outstanding CRA loan for $325,440 will be repaid less 30% discount for a total repayment of $227,808, upon sale of the property or within five (5) years of receipt of Site Rehabilitation Cleanup Order, or at the discretion of the CRA, whichever comes first. Total funds for this Program will be $698,719.
APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT:
Funds area available in special program 181-99802, Brownfield Revolving Loan.
USE OF RESERVE FUNDS:
N/A