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Council adopts $27.2 million midcycle update to capital improvement program
Summary
City council adopted mid-cycle revisions to the six-year capital improvement program, approving six new projects, shifting funding sources, and increasing appropriations by $5.6 million for FY25-26.
The Vista City Council unanimously adopted mid-cycle amendments to the capital improvement program (CIP) on June 10, approving six new projects, multiple budget-source adjustments and $27.2 million in recommended appropriations for fiscal years 2025-26.
Finance Director Mike Sylvia and Finance Manager Sarah Taylor presented the mid-cycle review, which added six new projects to the two-year budget window and recommended changes to appropriations for 15 ongoing projects. Staff said the total recommended appropriations for FY25-26 are $27.2 million, a $5.6 million increase from last year's adopted budget.
New public-facility projects include replacement of outdated station alerting systems at five of the city's six fire stations (estimated $1,150,000, proposed to be funded from Proposition L reserves) and replacement of exhaust-extraction systems at the same five stations (estimated $315,000, also from Proposition L reserves). The East Vista Way raised-median project is proposed to be grant-funded primarily by a Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) grant of $2,600,000 with a 10% local match.
Staff also recommended three new sewer projects: replacement and upsizing of about 3,900 feet of trunk sewer main along North Santa Fe (estimated $1,450,000, funded by Vista sewer fees); a phase 1 replacement of 900 feet of trunk main for the El Valle Apuento to Creek Crossing project (estimated $1,260,000, funded by Buena Sanitation District fees); and replacement of 700 feet of trunk main under Sycamore Avenue beneath State Route 78 (estimated $260,000, Buena Sanitation fees).
Other changes include a $300,000 increase to the Public Works wastewater building project (bringing it to $775,000), a $85,000 adjustment to sidewalk projects based on CDBG allocations, and a $3.6 million reduction to Encina wastewater capital projects reflecting the Encina Wastewater Authority's draft budget. Staff also proposed creating a $1.5 million general fund capital reserve for future street improvements by replacing $1.5 million of general-fund traffic-signal allocations with more restrictive traffic-impact fees and RTCIP funding.
Council Member O'Donnell moved to adopt the budget resolutions; Council Member Fox seconded. The council approved the staff recommendations unanimously.
Why it matters: The amendments fund near-term safety and infrastructure priorities including fire-station systems, sewer trunk main capacity upgrades, ADA-compliant sidewalk improvements and a grant-funded raised-median safety project on East Vista Way. The changes also reflect updated project scopes, grant awards, and adjustments in authority budgets that affect future capital planning.
