Agenda #: 5.9
Meeting Date: November 21, 2023
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Daniel Fox, City Manager
TITLE: FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
AGREEMENT WITH MNS ENGINEERS, INC. FOR THE DESIGN OF
DIAMOND BAR COMPLETE STREET PROJECT (CIP# PW17400).
STRATEGIC
GOAL: Open, Engaged & Responsive Government
RECOMMENDATION:
A. Determine that the approval of the first amendment for the design project is not subject to environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Article 18, Section 15262; B. Appropriate $250,000 from the General Fund Reserve to the Capital Improvement Program Fund (Fund # 301) for the revised design of the Diamond Bar Boulevard Complete Street Project CIP# PW17400; and
C. Approve, and authorize the City Manager to sign, the First Amendment to the Consulting Services Agreement with MNS Engineers, Inc. in an amount of $207,560, for a total not-to-exceed contract amount of $503,426, plus a contingency amount of $41,512 to be approved by the City Manager.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The City Council approved $300,000 in funding for this Project as part of the Fiscal Year 2016-17 Capital Improvement Program, of which $295,866 has been encumbered for the original Design Agreement with MNS Engineers, Inc. An additional funding of $250,000 is recommended to be approved from the General Fund Reserve for this Project as noted below. The contingency amount of $41,512 will only be used if project circumstances warrant a contract change order.
CIP# PW17400 Budget Encumbrance/
Expenses
Balance
General Fund (already approved) $300,000 $300,000
Original Agreement with Consultant ($295,866) $4,134
General Fund (Recommended
Additional Funding)
$250,000 $254,134
First Amendment to Agreement with
Consultant
($207,560) $46,574
Contingency for First Amendment ($41,512) $5,062
Balance $5,062
BACKGROUND/ANALYSIS:
On June 20, 2017, the City Council awarded a design contract to MNS Engineers, Inc. (Consultant) to develop the Diamond Bar Boulevard Complete Streets Project (Project).
The Project is located along Diamond Bar Blvd. between Golden Springs Drive and the SR60 Freeway (Attachment 2). Key design elements of the Project incorporated Complete Streets elements that aid in enhancing pedestrian and bicycle features, Green Streets elements for stormwater treatment, and streetscape elements that will enhance the overall aesthetic treatment of the arterial corridor.
Two conceptual design alternatives were developed and presented to the public at an Open House on September 27, 2017. In a study session on October 16, 2018, the City Council reviewed both design alternatives prepared by the Consultant. Both alternatives included the design elements listed above while mostly staying within the existing parkway/sidewalk area without any significant changes to the current landscaped medians. The main difference between the two alternatives was the location of the bike lane, whether adjacent to vehicular traffic or on the same grade as pedestrian sidewalks with a bioswale buffering between the driving and bike lanes. Ultimately, the City Council selected the option with the bike lane and pedestrian sidewalks behind the parkway curbs. In early 2020 the project design was completed (Attachment 3).
City staff has been actively pursuing outside funding sources for the Project. To date, two major grants have been secured for construction, including approximately three (3) million dollars under the Measure M Multi-Year Subregional (MSP) Program in 2019, and about four (4) million dollars under California Transportation Commission’s Active Transportation Program Cycle 6 Metropolitan Planning Organization (CTC ATP Cycle 6 MPO) in 2023.
On December 17, 2019, the City Council approved Diamond Bar General Plan 2040.
The General Plan envisions the creation of a vibrant Town Center that encourages pedestrian activity and comfort within the Town Center Mixed Use Area while accommodating through traffic along Diamond Bar Boulevard. Strategies include establishing a new pedestrian-oriented main street and enhancing the pedestrian and cyclist experience with widened sidewalks, shade trees, pedestrian amenities, and buffering bike lanes.
Torti Gallas & Partners was retained in May 2022 as the City’s consultant to prepare a Specific Plan that would establish the zoning, development standards and masterplan for the Town Center area. This effort also includes design elements within the public right-of-way and streets to create a vibrant and attractive town center. Torti Gallas held various public outreach events to help create the vision for the Town Center, including public workshops at the Diamond Bar Center, and a week-long design Charrette at City Hall. This effort has resulted in an alternative design concept for Diamond Bar Blvd that includes all of the same Complete and Green Street elements that were previously approved albeit in a slightly different configuration (Attachment 4) and:
• Keeps three thru (3) lanes in each direction – same lane widths as original Complete Streets Plan.
• Narrows the median to 12’ with 2’ median noses at turning lanes • Keeps a 5’ separated bike lane and landscaped bioswale (width may vary in some locations)
• Provides for a 12’ wide sidewalk that includes street trees, street furniture and street lights (width may vary in some locations)
• Building setbacks behind the sidewalk on private property will be required for greater sidewalk area, outdoor dining and enhanced active streetscape • All improvements would be located within the existing right-of-way As part of the City’s ongoing effort to prepare a Specific Plan for the proposed Town Center, it is recommended that the previously approved Diamond Bar Complete Street plans be revised/updated to reflect the latest design being considered to create the vision and goals of the Town Center Specific Plan.
A First Amendment is proposed for the Agreement to revise the design of the Project with the latest requirements and needs. The proposed scope of work and a fee schedule for this effort are provided in Exhibit A-1 (Attachment 1).
After completion of the revised design plans, the City will update the documents of the corresponding grant funding agencies. Upon approval of the revised plans by those agencies, the City will then advertise the Project for construction bids.
The tentative schedule for the Project is as follows:
Design Revision Start: November 2023
Bid Package/Design Approval by the City Council: May 2024 Construction Bidding/Award: June 2024
Construction Commencement: July 2024
Construction Completion: June 2025
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City Council’s approval of this first amendment for these design services tasks are not subject to environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Article 18 (Statutory Exemptions), Section 15262 of the CEQA Guidelines, which exempts “feasibility or planning studies for possible future actions [that] the agency has not yet approved.”
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed and approved the amended Agreement as to form.
PREPARED BY:
REVIEWED BY:
Attachments:
1. 5.9.a First Ammendment to Agreement with MNS Engineers, Inc.
2. 5.9.b Vicinity Map
3. 5.9.c Approved Concept Complete Street Project - Oct 2018
4. 5.9.d Alternate Concept Complete Street Project