DATE: December 10, 2019
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Steven E. White, Director
Department of Public Works and Planning
SUBJECT: Economic Development Administration Infrastructure Grant Application with City of Sanger
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Authorize Department of Public Works and Planning to coordinate with the City of Sanger and the Fresno County Economic Development Corporation to determine project feasibility for potential joint submittal of an Economic Development Administration infrastructure grant application for improvements along S. Academy Avenue from E. California Avenue to State Route 180.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended action would authorize Department of Public Works and Planning (Department) staff to work with the City of Sanger (City) and Fresno County Economic Development Corporation (EDC) to determine project feasibility for potential submittal of an Economic Development Administration (EDA) infrastructure grant application to construct improvements along S. Academy Avenue. If determined to be feasible, the Department would return to your Board for approval and authorization to submit a joint EDA grant application. This item pertains to locations in District 4.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Your Board can determine not to authorize Department staff to pursue the EDA grant in which case the City could pursue the grant independent of the County.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended action.
DISCUSSION:
On March 6, 2018, the Board authorized the Chairman to execute a letter to the Governor identifying low-income community census tracts recommended for selection as Opportunity Zones (OZ), in accordance with H.R. 1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. The OZ designation provides various tax incentives for investments in the zones and allows taxpayers to temporarily defer the recognition of capital gains that are invested in the zones. The area of the City, along S. Academy Avenue from E. California Avenue to State Route (SR) 180, is included in the designation.
On September 10, 2019, your Board received a report and presentation from the EDC on Opportunity Analysis for Districts 1, 4 and 5. The report focused on rural communities along key transportation corridors to identify specific catalyst properties that have development opportunities and outline the steps needed to make these sites “shovel-ready” for development, allowing the EDC, County, and participating cities to market to target industries. The report identified the SR 180/Academy Avenue interchange as an area with potential development opportunity. As noted previously, the subject area is located within a Federally designated OZ.
The City, County, and EDC staff have discussed the possibility of partnering on an EDA grant that would fund the extension of infrastructure from the City’s northern city limits located at California Avenue along Academy Avenue to SR 180. Approval of the recommended action would authorize staff to coordinate with the City and EDC to develop a scope of work for the extension of the required infrastructure, cost estimates and timelines for the project. If the proposal is determined to be feasible, staff would return to your Board for approval and authorization to submit the EDA grant application.
REFERNCE MATERIAL:
BAI #9, September 10, 2019
BAI #12, March 6, 2018
CAO ANALYST:
Sonia M. De La Rosa