Lyons staff to seek $45,000 state 'fast-track' grant to support local housing action plan

Town staff told the Board of Trustees they will pursue a $45,000 Proposition 123 fast-track grant to support the town’s housing action planning and accessory dwelling unit (ADU) work.

Administrator Victoria Simson said the grant requires a 25% local match and recommended retaining policy control in-house while using consultants only for targeted data collection and public engagement. "I think staff might work through kind of the budget process for the rollovers to see if there's anything left in there," Simson said while outlining the scope.

Trustees said they support using consultants to support staff rather than having consultants lead policy. Multiple trustees said past consultant work had produced errors or results the board had to correct and urged caution; the majority indicated support for applying for the grant to fund more localized planning work.

Staff noted timing concerns: award and availability of state funds may not align immediately with town planning timelines, and the town would likely begin substantive work closer to the state grant timeline. Trustees asked staff to refine funding match options and to return with a recommended approach during the budget process.

The board did not take a formal vote at this meeting but expressed informal consensus to pursue the grant with staff oversight if a suitable match funding strategy is found.