ORDINANCE approving and authorizing submission of a Grant Application to NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION (NOAA) for its Riparian Restoration Initiative Grant (“the Grant”) for Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience on behalf of the City of Houston Parks and Recreation Department; declaring the City’s eligibility for such Grant; authorizing the Director of the Houston Parks and Recreation Department (the “Director”) to act as the City’s representative in the application process, with the authority to accept and expend such Grant Funds, as awarded, and to apply for, extend the budget period for, and accept all subsequent awards, if any, pertaining to the Grant DISTRICTS A - PECK; B - JACKSON; C - KAMIN; D - EVANS-SHABAZZ; E - MARTIN; F - THOMAS; H - CISNEROS; I - GALLEGOS and J - POLLARD

The Houston Parks and Recreation Department (HPARD) requests Council approval authorizing the submission of a transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience grant application under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NOAA requires a grant application authorizing the HPARD Director or designee to act as the city’s representative in the application process, with the authority to accept and expend such grant funds, as awarded, and to apply for and accept all subsequent awards, if any, pertaining to the grant. The anticipated project period is 08/01/2023 through 07/30/2028. The total grant application request is for $4,977,826.49 and there is no required match.

If awarded, NOAA will fund The Riparian Restoration Initiative will restore riparian habitat within the 9 major watersheds located in the City of Houston and will implement an innovative design approach to support resilience efforts of the city in the large-scale urban riparian restoration of all parks adjacent to waterways. The riparian restoration projects will be focused on installing forested buffers that have been removed as a result of urban development and bayou channelization as Houston became the fourth largest city in the country. The restoration projects will help to strengthen the capacity of the riparian zones, capture rainwater through infiltration, and trap and filter pollutants as runoff from adjacent urban development. The canopy increase created through the project supports the sequestration of carbon and provides significant shade to reduce the urban heat island effect and lower temperatures of the adjacent aquatic ecosystem, while enhancing biodiversity and community well-being. The Houston Parks and Recreation Department is proposing to restore riparian areas within 55 parks adjacent to Houston’s waterways, with an installation of 150,000 trees across over 2,000 acres of land.  

HPARD also requests City Council to authorize the Director or his designee to act as the city’s representative in this application process with the authority to extend the budget period, and to authorize the Mayor to execute all related contracts, agreements, and documents with the approval of the City Attorney in connection with the grant not to exceed five years.  

Fiscal Note:  No Fiscal Note required on grant items

Director's Signature:

____________________________________

Kenneth Allen, Director

Houston Parks and Recreation Department

Martha Escalante

Phone:832-395-7117

Email: Martha.Escalante@houstontx.gov