DATE: April 1, 2024
TO: Mayor and Members of the City Council
VIA: Stefan Chatwin, City Manager
Marlene Subhashini, Assistant City Manager
FROM: Sofia Mangalam, Community Development Director
Derek Schweigart, Parks and Recreation Director
DEPARTMENT: Community Development
Parks and Recreation
SUBJECT: BUDGET APPRORIATION OF $58,328 FROM THE CITY CIP FUND BALANCE (FUND 301) FOR BUILDING AND FIRE PLAN
CHECK SERVICES FOR THE RECREATION CENTER REBUILD
PROJECT (CIP 301-678) AND CONTRACT AMENDMENT NO. 1
TO THE EXISTING AGREEMENT WITH WEST COAST CODE
CONSULTANTS, INC. (WC3) FOR PROFESSIONAL ON-CALL
CONSULTANT SERVICES
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the City Council approve the attached resolution (Attachment 1) approving: (1) budget appropriation of $58,328 from the City Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) Fund Balance (Fund 301) to the Recreation Center Rebuild Project (“Recreation Center”) (CIP 301-678) for building and plan check services; (2) Contract Amendment No. 1 to the existing agreement with WC3 in the amount of $49,900 for building plan check services for the Recreation Center Rebuild Project (CIP 310-678), and find the request exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guideline Section 15061(b)(3).
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City’s Recreation Center is nearly 50 years old and necessary investment in infrastructure improvements are required to meet current structural, seismic, and programmatic needs; as well as emergency shelter readiness. CIP 301-678 involves
the design and construction of a new Recreation Center.
At the City Council regular meeting on November 21, 2022, the City Council awarded an agreement with Group 4 Architecture, Research + Planning, Inc. (“Group 4”) for professional design, bidding, and construction support services for the Project. Since then, the design team has been working on the design and construction plan set. The construction drawings need to be reviewed and approved for building and fire code compliance. At the time, plan check services were not included in the Project budget as City expected to manage this work in-house. However, due to the complex nature of the project and staffing challenges, using a consultant with expertise in reviewing recreation centers or similar projects for building code compliance will result in a successful outcome for the project. In addition, the fire plan check services are provided by San Mateo Consolidated Fire District (SMCFD) and need to be added to the project budget.
On July 17, 2023, the City Council approved Master Services Agreements with 4LEAF, Inc. and WC3 for professional on-call consultant services in amounts not to exceed $75,000 each for building inspection and permit support services and without limitation for certain plan check fees that will be payable directly by the applicant.
The Recreation Center is a City project and staff is recommending budget appropriation of $58,328 from the City CIP Fund Balance (Fund 301) to the CIP 301-678 to pay for building and fire plan check services. In addition, staff is recommending amending contract agreement with WC3 for plan check services for the Recreation Center in the amount of $49,900. With the execution of the contract amendment, WC3 will review the plan set for building permit for code compliance.
BACKGROUND
On September 18, 2023, staff and Group 4 and presented to the City Council a full schematic design for the new Recreation Center. Following which, Group 4 has been working on construction drawings for building permit approval. All the drawings need to be reviewed and approved for building and fire code compliance. A plan check involves experts reviewing building plans, designs, and related documents to ensure they meet safety codes, regulations, and other requirements. This step is essential to ensure the proposed project is safe and compliant before construction begins.
For building plan check services, staff solicited proposals from five (5) consultants for plan check services for the Rec Center rebuild project. Staff received proposals from WC3, 4Leaf, Shums Coda Associates, CSG consultants and Bureau Veritas and evaluated the proposals. After evaluating the proposals, WC3 was selected for their experience in reviewing recreation centers in the Bay Area, including Menlo Park, Millbrae, and San Bruno.
As mentioned earlier, there is an existing contract with WC3 for building services in the amount not to exceed $75,000 and staff is requesting Contract Amendment No. 1 to the existing agreement with WC3 in the amount of $49,900 for plan check services for the Recreation Center Rebuild project.
In addition, staff also reached out to SMCFD for an estimate for plan check services for fire code compliance. SMCFD provided an estimate of $8,428 for fire plan check services.
Staff is requesting budget appropriation of $58,328 from the Fund 301 to the CIP 301- 678 for plan check services for building and fire code compliance.
California Environmental Quality Act
CEQA General Rule Exemption
FISCAL IMPACT
The cost of plan check services to be included in Contract Amendment No. 1 with WC3 is in the amount of $49,900 and $8,428 for fire plan check services. Staff is requesting an appropriation of $58,328 from City CIP Fund Balance (Fund 301) to the Recreation Center Rebuild Project (CIP 301-678).
CITY COUNCIL VISION, MISSION, AND VALUE/PRIORITY AREA
Facilities and Infrastructure
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 – Resolution
Attachment 2 - Contract Amendment No. 1 to Agreement
Attachment 3 - 2023 Agreement with WC3