AgdaPkt 2006-03-27 - Laserfiche WebLink

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6-1E D... "'e 1 ~ REPORT To the Honorable Mayor and City Council And the Redevelopment Agency Board From the City Manager and the Executive Director March 27, 2006 Subject Consultant Agreements for the Downtown Precise Plan EIR Recommendations 1) Rescind letter agreement dated February 17, 2006 with Wagstaff and Associates for preliminary work on the Downtown Precise Plan Environmental Impact Report ("EIR") not to exceed $60,000.00. 2) Approve an agreement with Wagstaff and Associates for the complete scope of work to prepare the Downtown Precise Plan EIR not to exceed $248,380. 3) Approve an agreement with Nolte Associates, Inc to prepare the Utility and Services System Section of the Downtown Precise Plan EIR not to exceed $124, 452. Background As required by the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the City will prepare an Environmental Impact Report (ErR) for the Downtown Precise Plan. On February 27, City Council authorized Wagstaff and Associates to begin work on the Downtown Precise Plan EIR up to a cost of $60,000.00 with the understanding that staff would submit the actual contract to the City Council for full authorization at its meeting on March 27. Staff now requests Council to rescind the existing letter agreement for $60,000.00 so it may review and approve the contract for the full scope of work. The City originally requested proposals from five EIR firms, but only two firms responded with proposals. Of the two, Wagstaff and Associates was the lowest at $248,3801. Planning staff has worked closely with this firm in the past and finds that the consultant does quality work. Please see Attachment 1, Exhibit A for a description of the work services for this project. The City will also have to hire an engineering consultant who will write the EIR's section on public utilities, and will specifically recommend needed infrastructure improvements to support growth in the Downtown. This study will need to be very thorough and thus requires significant engineering analysis. Three engineering consultants submitted proposals, and the City selected Nolte Associates because the firm has a broad range of utility experience, worked with the City's Engineering and Construction Department in the past, and was considered the most qualified of the three applicants. The EIR is a very important component of the Downtown Precise Plan. The Plan cannot be adopted until the EIR is certified, and having a completed EIR will save time and money for developers in the long run. As downtown projects are proposed, developers will not have to do any additional environmental work, or at the most prepare a minor supplemental analysis. Thus 1 Includes a contingency fund of 15% 1:\2006 STAFF REPORTS, AGREEMENTS\03-2006\Agreements for Precise Plan ErR 1