CITY OF HALLANDALE BEACH
MEMORANDUM
DATE: April 8, 2008
TO: D. Mike Good, City Manager
FROM: Franklin Hileman, Manager of Intergovernmental Relations
SUBJECT: Resolutions Approving the Submission of two Grant Applications for a Florida Communities Trust Florida Forever Grant for the Acquisitions of Land Adjacent to Bluesten Park Located at 500 - 600 Old Federal Highway and 601 Old Federal Highway CAD 016/07
Purpose:
Approve a Resolution of the City of Hallandale Beach authorizing the City Manager to submit two applications to the Florida Communities Trust for a grant from the Florida Forever Program to reimburse funding for the purchase of land at 500, 600 and 601 Federal Highway to expand the City’s park facilities.
Background:
The Florida Communities Trust has created the Florida Forever Program which is a grant program to assist local governments in funding for the acquisition of land for Parks, Open Space and Greenways. The Florida Forever Program created by the Florida Communities Trust currently has a grant cycle with an anticipated Sixty-Six Million Dollars in available grant funding for the acquisition of land for parks, open space and greenways. The available funding for any one project is 10% of total available funding and would have made available $6.6 Million Dollars per project. Staff was contacted by the Florida Communities Trust staff and advised that due to the budget constraints in Tallahassee, total grant funding will likely be reduced. Staff has been asked by the Florida Communities Trust staff to adjust any application in accordance with the proposed budget that is negotiated during the budget conference committee process. Currently the Senate has an adopted budget that fully funds the Program at $66 Million Dollars. At the time of this report the House has a proposed budget that includes no funding for the Program. Once the House budget has been adopted, which is likely before the Commission Meeting, the total funding will be negotiated by the House and Senate in the Budget Conference Committee.
The Florida Communities Trust staff expects a final budget to include funding for the Program, but at a much lower level. Staff had anticipated submitting an application for each of the two parcels for the maximum available amount, but now must adapt an application to the actual budget levels available for the Program. Grant funds can only be applied to acquisition costs. Although no match is required, the grant criteria provides substantial points toward the final score based upon the percentage of match. The City anticipates providing a 60% match, which results in the maximum number of points available.
On March 7, 2007, the City Commission authorized the City Manager to negotiate the purchase of land at 500, 600 and 601 Federal Highway, adjacent to Bluesten Park. The purchases have been completed and the City is eligible to submit a grant application for both the 500/600 Old Federal Highway and 601 Federal Highway. Each of these properties is eligible for grant funds because they are divided by Old Federal Highway and therefore are not considered “contiguous” as defined by the Program criteria. Purchases of multiple, separate, but “contiguous” parcels are only eligible for a single grant. All legal and other requirements for acquisition of this property have been followed.
Discussion:
The Florida Communities Trust staff prepares a written evaluation report for each application containing preliminary scores. Project are evaluated not only for their recreation and resource protection potential, but also on how well they further specific portions of a local government’s comprehensive plan. The program encourages the community to combine issues such as flooding, urban revitalization, and water quality improvements with establishing urban open space, protecting natural communities and providing recreational facilities. The Florida Communities Trust Governing Board ranks and selects the projects at a public meeting. Staff submitted an application last year and appeared before the Board to present the project and received a very positive response based upon the City’s current level of urban development and the planned development for the future.
The Florida Communities Trust encourages the creation, expansion and preservation of parks and open space within urban centers. These properties when joined with the existing Bluesten Park will be in close proximity to the City’s current parks, Library, City Hall as well as other recreational facilities. All of these facilities will ultimately be in walking distance of the planned town center at the Village of Gulfstream and City Hall. The town center will include a transit “Super stop” which will be serviced by Broward County and Miami-Dade Transit. Additionally, the City’s minibus routes will also service this area.. This combination fits very well within the criteria that the Florida Community Trust considers in evaluating grant applications.
Recommendation:
The City Commission approve the City of Hallandale Beach Resolutions authorizing the City Manager to submit two applications for a Florida Communities Trust Florida Forever Program Grant at levels Staff determines to be appropriate based upon the Budget Conference Committee results to reimburse the City for the acquisition of property for the expansion of Bluesten Park.
Reviewed:
________________________ _______________
D. Mike Good, City Manager Date
_____Approved __________Denied ________Hold for Discussion