Submitted By: Community Development
Prepared By: Adam Atamian, Community Development Director
Subject:
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CONSIDERATION OF A RESOLUTION TO AUTHORIZE THE PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION OF AN APPLICATION FOR A COMMUNITY RESILIENCE CENTERS PROGRAM ROUND 2 PLANNING GRANT
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Summary:
The California Strategic Growth Council is accepting applications for Round 2 of the Community Resilience Centers Program. The program provides Planning Grants of between $100,000 and $500,000 to support the early development of neighborhood-scale facilities that provide resources during climate-related emergencies and offer year-round programs that strengthen community resilience.
The City is considering an application for up to $500,000 to support planning for a potential community resilience center focused on wildfire prevention, emergency preparedness, public education, community engagement, and related resilience programs. Steed Park has been identified as a preliminary location for consideration; however, the planning process may also evaluate alternative locations based on community input, site feasibility, access, environmental constraints, operational needs, and other relevant factors. The Planning Grant application is due September 4, 2026.
Discussion:
Planning Grant funds may be used for community engagement, partnership development, community needs assessments, site and feasibility studies, conceptual design, environmental and permitting analysis, operational planning, financial analysis, and other activities necessary to prepare a potential Community Resilience Center for future implementation funding.
This potential grant-funded planning effort would build upon the City’s existing wildfire-prevention and emergency-management programs. The proposed grant application is consistent with the City’s Emergency Management Strategic Plan for 2026-2031, which establishes a coordinated roadmap for strengthening preparedness, mitigation, response, recovery, community engagement, and program administration. Under Planning and Preparedness, the Strategic Plan calls for alignment of grant opportunities with the Local Hazard Mitigation Plan, which includes mitigation priorities such as wildfire risk reduction, vegetation management, defensible-space coordination, fuel reduction, infrastructure resilience, climate-adaptation initiatives, and the pursuit and management of outside grant funding. A Community Resilience Centers Planning Grant would advance these objectives by allowing the City to evaluate a facility and associated programs that could consolidate year-round community education, wildfire preparedness, volunteer engagement, interagency coordination, and emergency-support functions.
Potential elements to be evaluated include a community education and training facility, a defensible-space and fire-resilient landscaping demonstration area, volunteer and youth programs, emergency communications and resource-distribution capabilities, and facilities that could support the community and responding agencies during wildfire, extreme heat, poor air quality, power outages, and other emergencies.
The grant program requires a public-agency applicant to provide an adopted resolution authorizing the agency to apply for and accept grant funds and delegating authority to execute related grant documents if an award is received. The attached resolution would authorize staff to prepare and submit an application for up to $500,000 and authorize the City Manager, or designee, to accept an award and execute related documents. Approval of the resolution would not select or approve a project site, facility design, construction project, or future capital expenditure.
Considerations Identified by Staff:
Approval of the proposed resolution would position the City to compete for up to $500,000 in outside funding, without a required local match, to conduct community engagement, evaluate potential sites, develop partnerships, assess operational needs, and complete other planning and feasibility work. Pursuing a Planning Grant would allow the City to more fully evaluate the potential benefits, costs, constraints, and long-term responsibilities associated with a Community Resilience Center before committing City resources to a particular site, design, or construction project. The planning process could also improve the City’s competitiveness for future implementation, capital, or hazard-mitigation funding.
The grant is competitive, and authorization to apply does not guarantee an award. Preparing the application and, if awarded, administering the grant would require staff time, compliance with State reporting requirements, and coordination with community and agency partners. In addition, Planning Grant funds could not be used for construction or permanent site improvements, and the grant would not provide ongoing funding for future facility operations or maintenance. Those costs would be evaluated through the planning process and would require separate consideration by the City Council before implementation.
Balancing these considerations, staff recommends proceeding with the application because the grant would provide a substantial opportunity to complete necessary planning and due diligence without a required City match or commitment to construct a facility. Any recommendation arising from the grant-funded planning process would return to the City Council, as applicable, for consideration of the proposed site, project scope, environmental review, funding, and long-term operating obligations.
Council Options:
• Adopt Resolution No. 26-144 to authorize staff to prepare and submit an application to the California Strategic Growth Council for up to $500,000 in Community Resilience Centers Program Round 2 Planning Grant funds; and commit to comply with grant requirements if the grant is awarded.
• Modify and adopt Resolution No. 26-144.
• Take no action.
Environmental Review/Analysis:
The proposed action does not qualify as a “project” under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because authorizing the preparation and submission of a grant application is an administrative and fiscal activity that does not commit the City to a particular site, design, or physical project and has no potential to result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment. Accordingly, the action is not subject to CEQA pursuant to Sections 15378(b)(4) and 15378(b)(5) of the CEQA Guidelines. Any future facility or physical improvements resulting from the planning process would be subject to appropriate environmental review before approval.
Fiscal Impact:
No local match is required. Preparation of the application would be completed by staff within existing appropriations. If awarded, the City could receive up to $500,000 for eligible planning activities. Any future appropriation or other action required by law or City policy would be presented separately to the City Council.
Potential Action(s):
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If the City Council concurs with the information provided within this staff report, moving this item without modifications would result in adoption of Resolution No. 26-144, which would:
1. Authorize staff to prepare and submit an application to the California Strategic Growth Council for up to $500,000 in Community Resilience Centers Program Round 2 Planning Grant funds; and
2. Affirm the City’s commitment to accept the grant funding and comply with grant requirements if the grant is awarded.
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Attachment:
1. Proposed Resolution No. 26-144
Notification:
None.