Cotati City Council
Agenda Staff Report
Item type: CONSENT CALENDAR (ACTION)
To: City Council
Subject: PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH M GROUP
FOR CEQA REVIEW FOR COTATI VILLAGE 2 PROJECT
Date: February 13, 2024
Written by: Autumn Buss, Associate Planner
Recommendation
It is recommended that the City Council of the City of Cotati approve by resolution a professional services agreement with M Group for CEQA review of the Cotati Village 2 project, and authorize the City Manager to execute a professional services agreement and any needed amendments up to an amount not to exceed $69,500.
Background
The Cotati Village 2 project proposes 126 residential units and a 2,250-square foot commercial building at 7515 Alder Avenue. The project requires Design Review approval, a Density Bonus, and a Tree Removal Permit from the City. In addition, environmental review per the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) is required.
Analysis/Discussion
In November 2023, the Community Development Department issued a request for proposals for CEQA review for the Cotati Village 2 project. Seven consulting firms submitted proposals in response, including detailed scopes of work, budgets, and qualifications. After evaluating the proposals, staff determined that M Group is highly qualified and submitted the lowest cost proposal ($69,500) for the required CEQA review.
The City will use its standard Professional Services Agreement (PSA) for these services.
The CEQA review process will commence shortly after execution of the PSA, and is expected to conclude in May 2024. The Cotati Village 2 project is expected to be presented to the Planning Commission and to the City Council for approvals in June or July 2024.
Financial Considerations
The proposal from M Group is $69,500. The review of private development projects such as Cotati Village 2 is conducted on a cost-recovery basis, which means that all expenses incurred by the City, including CEQA review, are paid by the project applicant. Therefore, there is no financial impact to the City for this action.
Environmental Issues
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) because it is not a project which has a potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment, pursuant to CEQA Guideline section 15378.