Three Fallbrook projects likely for CDBG funding

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors held a public hearing on the recommended 2005-06 annual funding plan for Community Development Block Grant, HOME Investment Partnerships, Emergency Shelter Grant, and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS programs and has designated three Fallbrook projects for CDBG funding.

The Brandon Road sidewalk project would receive $200,000, the Live Oak Park pavilion is slated to receive $110,000, and the design of the Old Stage Road sidewalk project is expected to include $50,000 of CDBG funding. The March 22 hearing also saw the recommendation of $54,315 for radio equipment for the Rainbow Volunteer Fire Department and $5,000 for the regional Building Blocks for Better Neighborhoods program which currently includes a section of Vine Street.

Approval of the recommended plan includes a 30-day public review and comment period, and the plan will return to the board May 10 for final approval before submittal to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, which provides the funding for the programs. The funds are expected to be available in July 2005.

The Brandon Road sidewalks project would construct sidewalks on the east side of North Brandon Road from East Mission Road to Alvarado Road. The 2002-03 CDBG funding included $251,941 for the design and the first phase of construction on four Fallbrook sidewalk projects, and the 2004-05 funding included $100,000 for the design of the Brandon Road sidewalks. That design phase is expected to be complete in April 2005. The $200,000 of CDBG funds will be supplemented with $300,000 of gas tax funds, providing for $500,000 to construct the sidewalks. The sidewalk construction is expected to be complete in June 2006.

The Live Oak Park pavilion will replace an existing pavilion at the park, and the CDBG funds will allow for both the design and construction of the new pavilion. The park itself is not located within the Fallbrook Neighborhood Revitalization Area, but since it serves residents of Downtown Fallbrook and the surrounding area and is the closest park with group facilities for many lower-income residents, it provides a benefit to low-income residents and is eligible for CDBG funding. The replacement pavilion is expected to be completed by February 2006.

The 2004-05 CDBG funding provided $40,000 for the preliminary engineering work of the design of sidewalks on one side of Old Stage Road between Clemmens Lane and Aviation Road. That preliminary engineering work is expected to be complete in April, and the 2005-06 CDBG funding will cover part of the cost for the design phase. Old Stage Road is used by children attending Maie Ellis School as well as students who use the bus to attend La Paloma School, and completion of the sidewalk segment will provide connectivity for pedestrians between existing sidewalks and schools, neighborhood services, and public transportation. CDBG funding for Fiscal Year 2002-03 provided for sidewalks on Old Stage Road between Fallbrook Street and Aviation Road, and the new segment will connect to those sidewalks. The 2005-06 CDBG funding will be augmented with $50,000 of gas tax funds (the supervisors have not yet approved the appropriation of those funds, so the budgeting must receive future Board of Supervisors approval) to fund the estimated $100,000 design cost. The design work is expected to be complete in June 2006.

The county has committed $200,000 in Community Development Block Grants each year for needs of the fire service, and the county’s Task Force on Fire Protection and Emergency Medical Services makes recommendations for that funding after applications are reviewed by a task force subcommittee. On February 18 the task force issued its recommendations and included $54,315 for emergency communications equipment for the Rainbow Volunteer Fire Department.

In 1986 the Fallbrook Fire Protection District consolidated with County Service Area 7, which had provided fire protection service to Rainbow. Rainbow maintained its volunteer fire department, which has a separate budget from the North County Fire Protection District. Since that merger the Rainbow Volunteer Fire Department has been dispatched by the NCFPD using a VHF radio system. The North County Fire Protection District is in the process of converting to a regional dispatch program involving several other fire districts and city fire departments in North County. The NCFPD will be closing its communications center and the Rainbow department will be dispatched by the North County Joint Powers Authority, which uses the 800 megahertz radio system. All of the Rainbow units will need to be equipped with 800 MHz radios, which will need to be coded to be used exclusively by the Rainbow Volunteer Fire Department. The $54,315 of CDBG funds will be supplemented with $24,885 of NCFPD funding to provide the total estimated cost of $79,200.

The county’s Department of Housing and Community Development initiated its “Building Blocks for Better Neighborhoods” program in March 2000. The program is designed to upgrade and improve deteriorating residential neighborhoods in unincorporated communities and identifies specific blocks in those neighborhoods which could benefit from focused assistance, community involvement, and funding of critical needs. Rehabilitation efforts include new roofing, painting, landscaping, and cleanup of debris, and the program addresses public facilities such as street, lighting, sidewalk, and drainage system deficiencies. Three blocks have been selected for the program so far: North Bonita Street and Kenwood Drive in Spring Valley and Vine Street in Fallbrook. Building Block activities on the selected blocks are underway, and the $5,000 of CDBG funds along with unspent 2004-05 funding will fund HCD staff costs for the administration of the program. The HCD staff time will allow for coordination and administration of the program which also includes other relevant county departments.

Eleven Fallbrook proposals were relegated to alternative status: a $250,000 request to remodel the interior of the Fallbrook Community Center, a $200,000 application to design a proposed 19,500 square foot community health clinic which would be owned and operated by Community Health Systems, a $95,000 proposal to construct modular shade structures at the playground of Fallbrook Community Park, $75,000 to design sidewalks and minor drainage improvements on the south side of Alvarado Street between the Fallbrook Family Health Center (617 East Alvarado Street) and South Brandon Road, $50,000 apiece for sidewalk design on Ammunition Road from Alturas Road to Camp Pendleton and for sidewalk design on one side of Clemmens Lane between Old Stage Road and Mission Road, $45,000 for preliminary engineering to install sidewalks on the south side of Alvarado Street from Potter Street to one-half mile west of Mercedes Road, and $40,000 apiece for preliminary engineering for sidewalks on the south side of Alvarado Street between Vine Street and South Brandon Road, one side of Aviation Road from Main Avenue to Mission Road, the south side of Elder Street from Main Avenue to Fallbrook Hospital, and one side of Elder Street from Mission Road to Main Avenue.

An application for sidewalks on Fallbrook Street between Magarian Road and Stage Coach Lane was deemed ineligible as it did not meet Federal low and moderate income concentration guidelines.