Supervisors appropriate CDBG funding, set March 11 hearing to purchase new park land

On consecutive days the San Diego County Board of Supervisors took actions for the acquisition of park land in Fallbrook.

The supervisors voted 5-0 Tuesday, Feb. 11, to amend the 2019-2020 Community Development Block Grant plan to reallocate $1,900,000 of CDBG funding including up to $1,200,000 to purchase the Fallbrook land for a park site. A 5-0 vote Feb. 12 appropriated $1,172,000 of that money into the capital outlay fund for the Fallbrook park project and set a hearing date of March 11 to approve the purchase of 6.8 acres from Barr Ranch, LLC.

“I’m very happy,” Supervisor Jim Desmond said.

Community Development Block Grant projects are intended to revitalize lower-income communities. The Barr Ranch property on the south side of Fallbrook Street between Morro Road and Golden Road is within a Neighborhood Revitalization Area, so the project qualifies for CDBG funding. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development provides CDBG allocations to local jurisdictions, which must submit an annual plan for the expenditure of that money. If the county does not believe that the money will be spent by the HUD deadline the money may be reallocated, and the board of supervisors can also reallocate funds from a completed project with CDBG money remaining.

The board of supervisors approved the 2019-2020 CDBG plan in April 2019. The supervisors allocated $681,680 for Phase III of the Don Dussault Park improvements, a sidewalk project in Lincoln Acres, and disabled access improvements for Ramona Town Hall. An additional $2,333,640 was earmarked for eight regional projects including housing projects and the revitalization committees throughout the county, and the CDBG allocations also included $667,000 for planning and administration.

Unspent funds allowed for the reallocation of the $1,900,000, so no previously funded projects were affected. An amendment to the CDBG plan requires a public notice, a public hearing and a 30-day public comment period. The Feb. 11 board of supervisors hearing was also the conclusion of the public comment period which began Jan. 10. The reallocation will also provide $500,000 for the county to expand Lincoln Acres Park by approximately half an acre and $200,000 for the county’s Department of Public Works to take over a failing drinking water system which serves approximately 300 Boulevard residents.

Although the Feb. 12 action only appropriated $1,172,000 of the $1,200,000 reallocated to the project the previous day, the total estimated cost of the acquisition is $1,202,000. That amount includes $30,000 of initial stewardship and other one-time land protection costs, which likely will not take place during fiscal year 2019-2020.

Barr Ranch LLC, owns approximately 7.8 acres at the site and will retain an approximate one-acre portion of land which includes an existing house in the southwest corner. The remaining 6.8 acres, which are on two separate legal parcels, have an appraised value of $1,100,000. Barr Ranch LLC, has agreed to sell the 6.8 acres for that appraised amount, and that purchase price will be the case if the March 11 hearing results in the approval of the sale. The county's costs will also include $3,000 for closing and title expenses and $69,000 of staff time needed for the transaction.

The county estimates that annual operations and maintenance costs for a 6.8-acre park are between $90,000 and $125,000. The actual costs will be based on the type of improvements to be constructed, which will be determined after a design is selected.

The county’s general plan has a standard of at least 10 acres of local park land per 1,000 residents. Fallbrook currently has approximately 1 acre of local park land per 1,000 residents. Community Park adjacent to the Fallbrook Community Center, Don Dussault Park off Alturas Road near the intersection of Aviation Road and Clemmens Lane Park are classified as local parks. None of the local parks have ball fields; the Fallbrook Sports Park is on county-owned land but is leased to the nonprofit Fallbrook Sports Association. The Barr Ranch site is flat and the size of the park area could allow for the development of ball fields, sports courts, trails and playgrounds.

The county’s Department of Environmental Health reviewed a Transaction Screen Questionnaire and conducted database searches on the property, and DEH determined Dec. 19 that no further inquiry would be necessary but that the structures be surveyed for lead and asbestos after the property is acquired.

The acquisition of the land itself would be declared categorically exempt from California Environmental Quality Act review although the actual development may need CEQA review, which could include a Negative Declaration, and if CDBG funding is used for the amenities the Federal funding would also make the project subject to National Environmental Protection Act review which could include a finding of no significant impact.

The review will also include community meetings to determine the specific amenities Fallbrook residents prefer.

“Once we acquire the property, parks and rec is going to be holding meetings in the community,” Desmond said.

Joe Naiman can be reached by email at [email protected].