Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Michael P. Callagy, County Manager
Connie Juarez-Diroll, Legislative Officer
Subject: Application for Grant Funding from the California Office of Emergency Services’ Hazard Mitigation Grant Program for the San Mateo County Event Center.
RECOMMENDATION:
title
Adopt a resolution authorizing:
A) The Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of the San Mateo County Event Center on the San Francisco Peninsula (“Event Center”), or designee(s), to submit an application for $900,000 in grant funding from the Office of Emergency Services’ (“Cal OES”) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (“HMGP”) to install emergency preparedness measures at the Event Center; and
B) The President of the Board of Supervisors to execute Cal OES’ Designation of Subrecipient’s Agent Resolution Form.
body
BACKGROUND:
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”), through its HMGP, provides grant funding for eligible mitigation measures that reduce the effects of future natural disasters. In California, these funds are administered by the Cal OES HMGP Unit. Eligible applicants include state agencies, local governments, special districts, and some private non-profit agencies, including the Event Center.
As a result of the CZU Lightning Complex fires that burned in Northern California starting in August 2020, and the declaration of a California Statewide Emergency on August 18, 2020, the County is prioritized for grant funding through the HMGP. Eligible projects for funding include shovel ready projects, whole community risk-reduction projects, and all hazard type projects.
The Event Center sits at the crossroads of Highways 101 and 92, allowing it to serve the entire County and all of the major population centers in the Bay Area. The Event Center’s 48-acre campus includes several structures to shelter individuals during emergencies, as well as open areas for trailer hook ups and staging areas for emergency response vehicles and first responders.
In accordance with HMGP guidelines, the Event Center submitted a Notice of Interest (“NOI”) to Cal OES seeking permission to apply for grant funding. Upon review of the NOI, Cal OES invited the Event Center to submit an application for grant funding to install emergency preparedness measures at the Event Center. As a subrecipient, the Event Center requires the County’s approval to submit its application, which is due March 5, 2021.
DISCUSSION
The proposed project includes the purchase of three generators and associated electrical upgrades at the Event Center to accommodate emergency preparedness for the County and neighboring communities in the Bay Area region (“Project”). The Project is necessary to meet the needs of the community in the wake of anticipated public safety power shutoffs (PSPS), electrical outages, pandemic response, wildfires, and other potential emergency events.
The three generators will be located in Expo Hall, the Central Mall substation, and Cypress Hall. The electrical upgrades will consist of:
• Installation of an additional 450Kw generator and automatic transfer switch (“ATS”) in Expo Hall to support all HVAC activity;
• Installation of an engineered containment foundation for the generator in Expo Hall and underground work to connect generators to remote ATS, including re-engineering the existing main distribution switchgear to accommodate the new ATS;
• Installation a new 500Kw generator and ATS in the Central Mall substation, as well as upgrades to the existing switchgear to accommodate capacity upgrades to other structures onsite, including Sequoia Hall and the Event Pavilion;
• An engineering evaluation of primary (12Kv) supply to the upgraded transformer and switch gear in the Central Mall substation; and
• Upgrades to the existing switchgear in Cypress Hall and the surrounding buildings to support all uploads in the buildings and HVAC activity.
Costs for the Project will total $1,200,000, with a Federal Request Share of $900,000 (75%), and a Non-Federal Cost Share (match) of $300,000 (25%) which will be covered entirely through Event Center funding.
County Counsel has reviewed and approved the resolution as to form.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There will be no net fiscal impact to the County associated with this item, as the Event Center is covering the Non-Federal Cost Share.