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THE CITY OF <br />�' 11 +il MQ='1 "' CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT <br />PLEASANTON- <br />May <br />17, 2022 <br />Operations Services <br />TITLE: ADOPT RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING OPERATIONS SERVICES <br />DEPARTMENT (OSD) TO APPLY FOR BUREAU OF RECLAMATION <br />GRANT FUNDS FOR THE CITY'S LAWN CONVERSION REBATE <br />PROGRAM <br />SUMMARY <br />In February 2022, City Council approved an update to the City's existing lawn <br />conversion rebate program to include required best landscaping practices within the <br />implementation of lawn conversion projects conducted by water customers, thereby <br />aligning the rebate program with multiple City directives and regulatory requirements. In <br />addition, the approval included increasing the rebate amount offered to water customers <br />to further incentivize water customer participation in lawn conversion projects. Staff has <br />modified the rebate program to include the approved elements discussed. The lawn <br />conversion rebate has been renamed to the Eco -Friendly Lawn Conversion Rebate <br />Program (EFLC Rebate). <br />Recently, the Bureau of Reclamation (BOR) announced the WaterSMART Small -Scale <br />Water Efficiency Projects (WaterSMART SSWEP) funding opportunity to support <br />projects that help secure long-term water supplies. Lawn conversion rebate programs <br />are considered an eligible project under the funding opportunity, which requires a fifty <br />percent (50%) cost share. In an effort to increase the amount of available budget over <br />FY 2022/23, staff seeks the approval to apply for this funding opportunity for a matching <br />$45,000 in funding to expand EFLC Rebate Program efforts, which includes the <br />potential to double the square footage of converted landscaping over the fiscal year. <br />RECOMMENDATION <br />Staff recommends that City Council adopt the attached resolution (Attachment 1) <br />authorizing the Operations Services Department (OSD) to apply for the WaterSMART <br />SSWEP grant through BOR to potentially expand the amount of area rebated through <br />the EFLC Rebate Program. <br />FINANCIAL STATEMENT <br />Through the BOR grant application, the City would be requesting a total of $45,000, <br />divided between $40,000 toward rebates and $5,000 toward outreach expenses to <br />market the EFLC Rebate. If awarded, this grant would be provided in the form of <br />reimbursements, with the City responsible for a fifty percent (50%) cost share towards <br />the project. Through the mid-term FY 2022/23 budget process, staff has requested the <br />funding necessary for the Water Conservation Program within the Water Enterprise <br />