ITEM:

CONSENT CALENDAR

 

6.

CONSIDER LAWN REMOVAL REBATE REQUEST FROM MONTEREY PENINSULA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR MARTIN LUTHER KING JR SCHOOL

 

Meeting Date:

February 22, 2017

Budgeted:  Yes

 

 

From:

David J. Stoldt,

Program/

4-2-4-C

 

General Manager

Line Item No.:

 

Prepared By:

Stephanie Kister

Cost Estimate:

$19,969

 

General Counsel Review:  N/A

Committee Recommendation: The Water Demand Committee reviewed this item on January 24, 2017 and recommended approval.  The Administrative Committee reviewed this item on February 15, 2017 and recommended approval.

CEQA Compliance:  No CEQA Required

 

SUMMARY:  Monterey Peninsula Unified School District (MPUSD) has enacted a District Wide Master Water Conservation Plan which includes the removal of large quantities of irrigated turf area across the District.  In 2015-2016, MPUSD is implementing a 5th grade Eco-Ambassador program in partnership with Return of the Natives, Pacific Grove Museum and the Monterey Art Council. The goals of the program include educating the students about water conservation, create a native plant garden, and installing active rainwater catchment.

 

The Eco-Ambassador program is tied to the lawn conversion project. The designs for the new gardens were inspired by the professional landscape designs created for Ord Terrace Elementary who received a grant from MPWMD in 2014. MPUSD’s goal is to reduce ornamental turf by 65% and to retrofit every field with water efficient irrigation systems by 2021. In 2015, MPWMD approved lawn removal rebates for two Cal-Am schools totaling $56,642.  Now, MPUSD is requesting a $19,969 rebate for Martin Luther King Jr. School (which is served by the Seaside Municipal Water System) in Seaside. The estimated savings is more than 4 million gallons/year or 12 Acre-Feet.

 

 

District Rule 141, Water Conservation Rebates, allows a Lawn removal Rebate at a Public facility to exceed the square-footage limitation of 2,500 square-feet subject to Board approval.  The total requested for one Seaside Muni school is $19,969 (see Exhibit 6-A). This amount is non-reimbursable and would be funded by the non-Cal-Am Rebate Fund in the current budget.  That fund has approximately $40,000 available and given that the fiscal year is nearly half over, it is highly unlikely that funding this request would result in denial of rebates this fiscal year.

 

RECOMMENDATION:  The Committee recommends that the Board approve the request and that the Lawn removal rebate be granted for the MPUSD project.

 

EXHIBIT

6-A      MPUSD Proposal

 

 

U:\staff\Boardpacket\2017\20170222\ConsentCalendar\06\Item-6.docx