Pico Rivera wins $700,000 planning grant, $450,000 property award; Army Corps selects Barnard for Whittier Narrows preconstruction

Pico Rivera officials told the City Council on July 8 that the city won a $700,000 Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning grant to help fund the mobility, circulation, land‑use and environmental justice elements of the city’s comprehensive general plan update.

Jesse Garcia, senior analyst, briefed the council on the legislative and grant developments and said the Caltrans award was among several recent successes. "This grant will fund the mobility circulation, land use, and the environmental justice elements of the city plans comprehensive general plan update," Garcia said.

The council also heard that the Rivers and Mountains Conservancy awarded the city $450,000 to acquire a small parcel on the northeast corner of Whittier Boulevard and Paramount Boulevard for future beautification and native landscaping. Javier Hernandez, a staff member who presented additional grant updates, said the acquisition process is now underway.

Hernandez also told the council the city’s congressional community project funding request for the Durfee Avenue Community Center was selected to advance in the appropriations process. "We have been selected for a $1,250,000 request through Congresswoman Linda Sanchez for the Durfee Avenue Community Center," Hernandez said, noting the funding remains tentative until the Appropriations Committee and final federal appropriations process are complete.

Separately, staff reported that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded Barnard Construction Company preconstruction services for the larger Whittier Narrows Dam project; Corps‑led preconstruction work will define the scope of later construction phases.

Labor groups urged the city to press for local‑hire and strong labor standards on large projects tied to the dam and other development. Richard Burns, a representative of the Western States Regional Council of Carpenters, spoke during public comment and urged the council to seek state‑certified apprenticeship requirements, medical benefits and retirement provisions on the Whittier Narrows work and on a proposed 95‑unit condominium/townhome project at 6540 Rosemead Boulevard.

Council members discussed limits on the city’s authority over federal projects. When asked, city staff said federal projects are subject to the Davis‑Bacon Act but that the federal process does not necessarily carry the same prevailing‑wage or local‑hire requirements cities may impose on locally funded work. Council member Laura raised a separate project on the consent calendar — a water pressurization project listed as item 16 — noting, "we had set aside 600,000 for this project. It came in at about 4 3 something, and I think we're putting 239,000 back into the enterprise fund." The council did not provide additional line‑item detail during the meeting beyond that statement.

On a procedural vote, the council approved agenda items 1 through 16 in a single motion. Mayor Pro Tem Camacho moved approval; Dr. Monica Sanchez seconded, and a roll call vote recorded five yes votes. The motion passed 5‑0.

Staff said further council action will be needed to accept some grants formally. Hernandez said the Caltrans grant will be brought back as a resolution to accept funding and begin work on the general plan update.

Why it matters: the combination of planning and acquisition grants strengthens the city’s funding for its general plan update and for small‑scale neighborhood beautification, while the Army Corps’ selection of a prime contractor signals progress on a regional flood‑control project that will have engineering and workforce implications for the area.

What’s next: staff said the Caltrans grant acceptance and formal project agreements will return to council for resolution and that the city will continue advocating for hiring and labor standards where it can influence project contracts.