Supervisors appropriate $50,000 for Rainbow Park

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors appropriated $50,000 for improvements at Rainbow Park.

The supervisors’ 5-0 vote September 15 utilizes Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) money received by the county. The 2010-11 CDBG annual funding plan approved March 23 had included money for the Rainbow Park improvements, but the actual funding could not be appropriated until the money was received from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The money for Rainbow Park will be used for improvements, including additional picnic tables and barbecues, a new shade structure, a trailer pad for an on-site volunteer, and surveillance cameras.

“It’s going to add some new features that will make it a great place to go for both small and large family outings,” said Brian Albright, the director of the county’s Department of Parks and Recreation.

Rainbow Park already includes restrooms, play equipment, picnic facilities, ball fields, and tennis and basketball courts. The actual CDBG appropriation for the new amenities was $52,500, which includes $2,500 for county Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) oversight costs.

HCD is the county department which handles CDBG applications and grants, the Department of Purchasing and Contracting will be responsible for a construction contract once the design phase is complete and the county is ready to authorize the advertisement for bid and subsequent award of a contract, and the Department of Parks and Recreation will have operation and maintenance responsibility for the improvements after they are completed.

The project also involved the environmental services unit of the county’s Department of Public Works, which on May 13 found the design phase of the project exempt from National Environmental Protection Act review since it involves only engineering and design.

Since the actual project is not likely to increase the park’s size or capacity by more than 20 percent, the construction itself will likely be exempt from NEPA review and minor alterations involving no expansion of use beyond existing activity would make the construction exempt from California Environmental Quality Act review.

The estimated completion date for the design phase is November 2010. Once the design phase is complete, the Department of Parks and Recreation will request that the county supervisors authorize a construction contract. The Department of Parks and Recreation will also seek additional funding needed for the project; the most likely source of that additional funding is Park Land Dedication Ordinance fees paid by developers to fund park facilities in a development’s community.

The decline in housing demand has reduced PLDO revenue, although some developments and associated PLDO payments are still taking place. “We’re hoping that we’re able to spend some of the park land development funding and improve the parks despite the difficult economy,” Albright said.

“I look forward to being up there with the community to open up those new park amenities a few months from now,” Albright said.

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