Agenda #: 5.7
Meeting Date: November 21, 2023
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Daniel Fox, City Manager
TITLE: MAINTENANCE SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH HELIX
ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING, INC. FOR THE CANYON LOOP TRAIL
HABITAT MITIGATION MONITORING PROGRAM RESTORATION
SERVICES THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2030.
STRATEGIC
GOAL: Safe, Sustainable & Healthy Community
RECOMMENDATION:
A. Approve and authorize the City Manager to sign the Maintenance Services Agreement with HELIX Environmental Planning, Inc.; and
B. Appropriate $32,666 from the General Fund to the Canyon Loop Trail CIP Project.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The total not-to-exceed amount of the five-year Agreement is $232,680, including a 20% ($38,780) contingency over the term of the Agreement. After completion of the Canyon Loop Trail design and construction phases, the current project balance is $200,014 which includes funding in the amount of $21,111 from the Park Development Fund and $178,903 from the General Fund (the General Fund savings are partly a result of shifting eligible expenses related to the management of water runoff to the Measure W “Safe Clean Water” Fund). It is recommended that an additional $32,666 be appropriated from the General Fund to this CIP Project to cover the contract cost plus contingency over the five-year agreement. The amended available project budget will be $232,680.
BACKGROUND:
The Canyon Loop Multi-Use Trail is identified in the Trails Master Plan as opportunity to improve and enhance the Diamond Bar trails system. The Canyon Loop Multi-Use Trail is about 1.29-miles long and starts at the top of the stairs connecting westerly with the existing northerly Canyon Loop Trail to close the loop at the easterly end. The majority
of renovations to this trail were concluded in February of 2023 to improve drainage to minimize erosion of the trail, enhance use of the trail where the gradients are particularly steep, re-grade cross slopes, and improve pathways at the steps. Other amenities include development of rest areas with benches, new climbing steps with adjacent cobblestones swales, and water diverting improvements where necessary.
These trail improvements reward hikers with a great 360-degree view of the surrounding open space area from the top. Rest area shade shelters were installed in September of 2023 to complete the construction phase.
In coordination with the project’s Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration, a Habitat Mitigation Monitoring Program (HMMP) plan was completed in June of 2023 to describe both the voluntary restoration and the compensatory mitigation for permanent impacts to coast prickly pear scrub (CPPS) and California sagebrush-black sage scrub (CSBSS) associated with the project. A summary of the HMMP and general locations of restoration work is included in Attachment 2. The City is responsible to restore and improve disturbed areas with a native plant palette while removing invasive species. All improvements will occur within the Summitridge Trail system and should provide increased habitat structure and foraging area for the native habitat, such as Coastal California Gnatcatcher and Cactus Wren. In addition, nesting bird clearance surveys are required with this project to protect the sensitive natural habitat. The five-year HMMP includes methods to be used for habitat specific restoration and enhancement and has been reviewed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Therefore, the City’s contractor would be responsible for the completion of all required clearing and grubbing, planting, irrigating, monitoring, maintenance, and nesting bird clearance surveys, unless otherwise noted to the responsibility of the City or Project Ecologist (Michael Baker International) for the duration of the project.
ANALYSIS:
The City provided a Request for Proposals (RFP) on September 19, 2023 to 352 potential vendors and included the HMMP for reference. After a mandatory on-site meeting on October 3, 2023, three qualified contractors provided a written proposal by the deadline of October 17, 2023 including:
Endemic Environmental Services $130,340
HELIX Environmental Planning $193,900
SWCA Environmental Consultants $313,825
City staff and the Project Manager/Ecologist team from Michael Baker International reviewed all proposals and conducted interviews with Endemic Environmental Services and HELIX Environmental Planning on October 26, 2023. The proposals were reviewed with a specific focus on the contractor’s project team, experiences/references, project understanding, and fee proposal. Based on the overall project approach, in-house resources, proactive cost analysis, and previous success with similar projects, HELIX Environmental Planning (HELIX) was the unanimous recommendation.
HELIX displayed a thorough understanding of the project, incorporating project goals, key challenges, and their previous experience to develop a clear and detailed project approach. HELIX recognized the costs associated with the project and accounted for all the primary components of the RFP, including a robust budget for bird surveys which incorporated both pre-construction bird surveys, and nesting bird surveys during the maintenance period.
HELIX provided several alternative tasks aimed at improving species establishment and maintenance, and identifying upfront tasks where potential additional work might be needed. These alternative tasks demonstrated HELIX’s critical thought process, and their ability to draw from project experience to make suggestions for successful project implementation.
HELIX demonstrated robust resources and experienced project team, including over 50 support staff in the area, a nearby yard, an in-house native plant nursery, and key experience in cactus salvage and propagation.
Based on the complexity of this five-year project and sensitive natural resources found in this habitat, both City staff and consultants believe HELIX is well qualified and demonstrated a keen awareness to challenges and opportunities to enhance this open space. A five-year Maintenance Services Agreement is included in Attachment 1.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
The City Council previously adopted an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) for the Canyon Loop Trail Project. As required by the adopted mitigation measures, a Habitat Mitigation Monitoring Program (HMMP) plan was prepared in June 2023 and subsequently reviewed and approved by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Implementation of the HMMP is within the scope of the adopted IS/MND.
Therefore, no further environmental review is required.
LEGAL REVIEW:
The City Attorney has reviewed and approved the Agreement as to form.
PREPARED BY:
REVIEWED BY:
Attachments:
1. 5.7.a Maintenance Services Agreement; HELIX
2. 5.7.b Canyon Loop Trail Restoration Location Map