GMSP: How to put beauty back into beautification grant addressed
May 20, 2015
By Peggy Kelly
Santa Paula News
A hefty grant has been reconfigured, with the city having to come with new ideas of how to put beauty back into beautification.
Interim Public Works Director Brian Yanez updated attendees on city issues at the May 12 Good Morning Santa Paula, the Chamber of Commerce’s monthly breakfast meeting.
The city obtained the Caltrans grant initially for a transportation enhancement project of $650,000 in late 2011 and in 2012 started a design for the project to beautify the 10th Street corridor from the Highway 126 underpass to Santa Paula Street.
The original Transportation Equity Act (TEA) grant had a 7-year window: “We were moving on it but they changed the funding to an active transportation program,” with most beautification aspects not eligible for funding.
The city’s plan for the original project including the beautification aspects is 90 percent complete and now being reviewed by Caltrans.
The emphasis on the grant now is connecting the Bike Trail east and west by creating a Class 2 bike lane on 10th Street from the 126 to Santa Paula Street.
Yanez said funding was lost for such beautification aspects as the exterior landscaping of the Santa Paula Police Station, trees and ornamental lighting that was planned to 10th and East Main streets.
That whole intersection “Was going to be artwork in the middle with pavers,” with enhancements continuing up 10th Street, including highlighting a city treasure.
“We were going to light up the Moreton Bay Fig tree,” at the corner of 10th and Santa Barbara streets, to make it a welcoming beacon for visitors and a source of pride for residents. The tree was planted July 4, 1879 and one of the city’ famed murals—the work featuring local famous artists and architects—is its backdrop.
Yanez said the city is still moving forward with its original plans and will have to find other funding sources for the beautification enhancements.
“We might have to use our own money…we’ve been moving on this steadily and are looking forward to a great project. Our goal was for people coming,” through Santa Paula on their way to or from Ojai to “say, ‘where am I? What is this?’ We get a lot of traffic and tourists on that route,” to entice into exploring the city further.
Yanez said once costs are determined funding will be sought and the council asked to approve alternatives.
“We have the same amount of money we had in the original grant but we have to use it differently,” and the pedestrian and bike project will also be an improvement.
