TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager to accept award and execute all necessary documents with the California Department of Conservation relating to a $929,000 grant awarded to the Department of Development Services for professional planning services to prepare a new development code for the Southeast Area Development and Improvement Plan planning area (SEADIP);
Authorize City Manager to execute a contract with The Planning Center/DC&E for an amount not to exceed $1,376,638 to prepare the new development code for SEADIP and the accompanying Environmental Impact Report;
Increase appropriations in the General Grants Fund (SR 120) in the Department of Development Services (DV) by $929,000; and
Increase appropriations in the Development Services Fund (SR 137) in the Department of Development Services (DV) by $447,638. (District 3)
DISCUSSION
The Strategic Growth Council of the California Department of Conservation has awarded the City of Long Beach a grant under its Sustainable Communities Planning Grant and Incentive Program. This grant program is intended to assist local governments meet the challenges of adopting land use plans and integrating strategies to transform communities and create long-term prosperity. The grant will be used to offset the majority of the costs to prepare a comprehensive land use update to the Southeast Area Development and Improvement Plan area (SEADIP), a 1,500 acre portion of east Long Beach centered on the 2nd Street and Pacific Coast Highway intersection (Exhibit A - SEADIP Map). The grant will also pay for the subsequent update to the City's Local Coastal Program (LCP).
In order to proceed with acceptance of this grant, the City is required to select a consultant and negotiate a scope of services consistent with the grant requirements. As such, staff released a comprehensive Request for Proposals (RFP) in January 2013. The RFP was posted on the City's Purchasing website, and all responses were required to address specific requirements of the City's procurement process. The bidding period concluded in March 2013 and resulted in the submission of ten responses from interested consultants. In response to a specific request, a list of the ten firms is attached (Exhibit B - List of Proposers). Staff reviewed the responses for compliance with the terms of the RFP. Three responses were deemed non-responsive; all seven remaining responses were deemed valid and included in the short list for additional review and in-person interviews.
Interviews were held over a two-week period in April 2013. Each consultant team was required to make a 15-minute presentation including an overview of their written proposal and their proposed approach to the project, participate in a question and answer session and provide closing statements. Several questions were focused on stakeholder knowledge, historical perspective and outreach strategies, along with previous experience writing code language and preparing updates to LCPs for other jurisdictions. Designed to gauge time management skills, interviews were limited to sixty minutes in length. Consultants determined which subconsultants, if any, they wished to include in the interview process, and who among their team would answer questions posed. Consultant teams were not provided the questions in advance of the interviews. The interview process provided an opportunity to observe how the consultant and the subconsultants spontaneously interacted. Based on the totality of information provided in both their response and the oral interviews, the review panel unanimously ranked The Planning Center/DC&E as the top consultant team.
As land use and environmental planning specialists, The Planning Center/DC&E has assembled a team to assist staff in a comprehensive community outreach effort and to prepare planning and land use updates for SEADIP. Specifically, the project will require preparation of a Specific Plan for revisions to SEADIP and an amendment to the City's LCP. The Planning Center/DC&E was superior in their ability to manage both their internal team members and in keeping the interview panel on track. They demonstrated excellent time management skills, a thorough knowledge of stakeholder dynamics, an imaginative community outreach process and a comprehensive understanding of the overall program, including direct experience writing code amendments and preparing updates to LCPs. Their team members' personality and temperament appear to complement the arena within which they would be functioning. For these reasons and more, staff recommends The Planning Center/DC&E for the award of this contract.
The overall project approach will require them to refine and implement the perspectives of a wide range of stakeholder groups that include property owners, businesses, residents, and interested parties. It is expected that the revisions to SEADIP and the LCP will: require significant engagement with the community about environmental, land use, mobility, and economic strategies; refine and implement the community's vision; identify expectations and locations for infill development; identify proactive strategies to preserve wetlands resources; and reduce vehicle miles traveled and greenhouse gases.
On May 14, 2013, staff requested authorization to execute the contracts with the California Department of Conservation and The Planning Center/DC&E, and to accept these planning services. During that meeting, the City Council expressed a desire for The Planning Center/DC& E to augment their team with a local component or advisor that could bring historical perspective and familiarity with the Long Beach community, and assist in navigating politically sensitive discussions. To allow the Planning Center/DC& E sufficient time to respond to that request, the City Council voted to continue the item for approximately four weeks. The Planning Center/DC & E has identified that local component to augment their team, and staff is again requesting City Council authorization to move forward with the execution of the contracts.
It is expected that the work program will kick off within 60 days of execution of all necessary documents. In addition to the scope of work satisfying grant requirements, the contract also includes up to $299,132 to pay for the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR), and approximately $148,506 for additional tasks, including: a biological survey for the Belding's Savannah sparrow; optional community outreach strategies and additional community workshops; additional contingency to achieve a 10 percent contingency for the entire project; and a local advisor. The consultant has identified a dedicated project manager to provide hands-on management throughout the entire process to ensure timely completion of the planning effort.
This matter was reviewed by Assistant City Attorney Michael Mais on June 3, 2013 and by Budget Management Officer Victoria Bell on June 4, 2013.
SUSTAINABLITY
The project will involve the adoption of sustainable development policies and programs to encourage compact development, facilitate alternative modes of transportation, and promote wetlands preservation.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on June 18, 2013, to accept the grant and commence the project.
FISCAL IMPACT
The proposed contract amount of $1,376,638 will be funded by a grant award of $929,000 from the Strategic Growth Council, and City funds of up to $447,638 from the Development Services Fund (SR 137). The City funds will pay for the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR), additional outreach services and a contingency, if necessary. An appropriation of $929,000 for the grant award is requested in the General Grants Fund (SR 120) in the Department of Development Services (DV) for the grant. An appropriation of $447,638 is also requested in the Development Services Fund (SR 137) in the Department of Development Services (DV) for the additional services not covered by the grant.
The Plan will facilitate investment in commercial properties and preservation of natural resources in the SEADIP planning area, which will have a positive impact on local jobs. However, the planning study and EIR will not directly create any local jobs.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
AMY J. BODEK, AICP
DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
APPROVED:
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER