De Novo Planning Group
A Land Use Planning, Design, and Environmental Firm
DE NOVO PLANNING GROUP
180 E MAIN STREET, SUITE 108 |TUSTIN, CA 92780
atropiano @denovoplanning.com | ( 714) 453- 7711
December 13, 2023
Vilia Zemaitaitis
Deputy Director of Long Range Planning, City of Glendale 613 E. Broadway, Glendale, CA 91206
Via email: [email protected]
SUBJECT: Proposal to Prepare an Environmental Justice Element for the City of Glendale
PROJECT UNDERSTANDING
On behalf of De Novo Planning Group, thank you for the opportunity to submit this proposal to prepare a new Environmental Justice Element for the City of Glendale . We look forward to coordinating this assignment with our ongoing work to prepare the City’s updated Housing, Land Use , and Circulation Elements and associated environmental review for the Focused General Plan Update.
SCOPE OF WORK
We have prepared the following work plan based on our understanding of the project.
PROJECT 6 ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT
In compliance with SB 1000 (including new guidance recently provided by the California Attorney General), given that the City will be amending two (or more) elements of its General Plan, De Novo Planning Group will assist the City with preparing goals, policies, and objectives to address environmental justice concerns in Glendale and the unique needs of disadvantaged communities. This will take the form of a stand-alone Environmental Justice Element.
Preparation of this Element includes identifying policies to reduce the unique or compounded health risks in environmental justice communities, prioritizing programs that address the needs of these communities, and promoting community engagement in decision-making processes.
TASK 6.1 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Focused and meaningful community engagement is an important part of the public planning process. The key components of our community engagement program are described below.
ADVERTISEMENTS /EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS
We propose sharing project information on the City’s existing General Plan Update webpage. De Novo has administrative privileges to add content to the website and we are the original authors/designers of the content.
We also recommend posting project milestones on existing social media platforms. We will prepare materials to invite key community stakeholders to participate in the process.
Environmental Justice Element
2 De Novo will prepare graphics and text for posting information about workshops and meetings, as well as availability of draft documents, to existing City accounts and platforms. We assume that City staff will post the material online and print and deliver hardcopies as necessary (for example, if mailed letters on the City’s letterhead need to be sent to select stakeholders). We will also prepare a project factsheet for posting online and to have available for future in-person activities. Project advertisements and the project factsheet will be prepared in English, Spanish, Korean, Tagalog, and Armenian.
ONLINE SURVEY
To gather broad input on the topic of environmental justice (which will help craft the scope of the new Element), De Novo will prepare and post an online survey to collect public input. This effort will allow for community members to share insights on the seven mandatory environmental justice topics (see Task 6.2) as well as general input related to disadvantaged communities in Glendale.
The online survey will be conducted in English, Spanish, Korean , Tagalog, and Armenian . A stand-alone summary report of the online survey will be prepared and included as an Appendix to the Environmental Justice Element Background Report.
COMMUNITY OPEN HOUSE S (2)/POP-UP EVENTS (4)
At the beginning of the work program, we will prepare for and facilitate an open house specifically dedicated to the topics of environmental justice in Glendale. This could include confirming the identification of specific DACs within the community, activi ties focused on the seven mandatory environmental justice topics, or other ideas of local interest. Upon completion of the Public Review Draft Environmental Justice Element, we will host another open house with stations for residents to visit to learn more about the policy documents. Comments on the Public Review Draft Element which will be summarized and shared with the Planning Commission and City Council during their deliberations.
De Novo will also prepare for and attend up to four pop -up events coordinated with ongoing City activities and programs. The material for pop-up events will be prepared in such a way that Staff could facilitate additional events as needed.
FOCUS GROUP/STAKEHOLDER GROUP MEETING S (4)
Assembling a focus group/stakeholder group specifically related to environmental justice will allow the project team and the City to engage in more specific discussions than could occur at public workshops and open houses. Our team will plan and facilitate the focus group meetings , which can take place in- person or digitally, to discuss key environmental justice and community health and wellness issues facing Glendale. The meeting is expected to include regional agencies and nonprofit representatives, representatives from the City, school district, and other local and regional stakeholders.
Deliverables:
• Content for website and online engagement; project factsheet; preparation and facilitation for two (2) Community Open House; one online survey; public engagement summary report for Planning Commission and City Council consideration; four (4) focus group meeting on environmental justice
Environmental Justice Element
3 TASK 6.2 ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE BACKGROUND REPORT
De Novo will conduct a comprehensive analysis regarding environmental pollution exposure in Glendale using CalEnviroScreen 4.0 and other available resources. We will research the social, economic, and pollution data sets.
We will review other environmental and health databases and resources to identify indicators measuring citywide inclusivity and equity, as well as underlying socio -economic variables including home purchasing power, unemployment rate, educational attainment, and poverty levels. The information will be consolidated into a Background Report which will be used, in concert with public input, to develop the scope of the Environmental Justice Element.
Deliverables:
• Administrative Draft and Final Environmental Justice Element Background Report TASK 6.3 SCOPE OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT
SB 1000 went into effect in 2018, requiring local governments to identify environmental justice communities (called "disadvantaged communities") in their jurisdictions and address environmental justice in their general plans. This law has several purposes, including to facilitate transparency and public engagement in local governments' planning and decision-making processes, reduce harmful pollutants and the associated health risks in environmental justice communities, and promote equitable access to health -inducing benefits, such as healthy food options, housing, public facilities, and recreation.
In September 2023, the California Attorney General published guidance to help local governments comply with SB 1000. The documents discuss the historical background of environmental justice, including the legacy of discriminatory land use policies that led to pollution inequities that persist today. A key goal of SB 1000 is to reduce disproportionate pollution burdens, including the unequal impacts of climate change.
SB 1000 requires jurisdictions to first identify “ disadvantaged communities ” (or DACs) ; using the findings of CalEnviroScreen 4.0 as a starting point, significant areas of Glendale are considered DACs , particularly the neighborhoods along the City’s transportation corridors and in south Glendale. For these areas (at a minimum), the City must be responsible for addressing a minimum of seven EJ-related issues:
• Pollution exposure (including air quality)
• Public facilities
• Food access
• Safe and sanitary homes
• Physical activity
• Community engagement
• Prioritization of improvements and programs addressing the needs of DACs In this task, De Novo Planning Group will work with Staff to determine the scope of the Environmental Justice Element for Glendale.
Deliverables:
• Environmental Justice Element outline
Environmental Justice Element
4 TASK 6.4 ADMINISTRATIVE DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT De Novo will prepare an Administrative Draft Environmental Justice Element, consistent with current guidance provided by the California Attorney General, for Staff review and comment. We assume that De Novo will receive one consolidated set of Staff comments on the Administrative Draft Element.
Deliverables:
• Administrative Draft Environmental Justice Element
TASK 6.5 SCREENCHECK DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT De Novo will prepare a Screencheck Draft Environmental Justice Element, consistent with current guidance provided by the California Attorney General, for Staff review and comment. We assume that De Novo will receive one consolidated set of Staff comments on the Screencheck Draft Element.
Deliverables:
• Screencheck Draft Environmental Justice Element
TASK 6.6 PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT De Novo will prepare a Public Review Draft Environmental Justice Element, consistent with current guidance provided by the California Attorney General, for public review and comment. Public comments received on the Public Review Draft Element will be provided to the Planning Commission and City Council for their consideration on this item. De Novo will prepare a response to comments received for inclusion in the Staff Report.
Deliverables:
• Public Review Draft Environmental Justice Element
TASK 6.7 FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT
De Novo will prepare a final Environmental Justice Element which incorporates all City Council direction and feedback for final inclusion in the City's General Plan.
Deliverables:
• Final (Adopted) Environmental Justice Element (5 hard copies) TASK 6.8 EXPANDED ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
The Focused General Plan Environmental Impact Report (EIR) Project Description will be expanded to include analysis of implementation of the Environmental Justice Element.
Deliverables:
• Potential Environmental Impact considered as part of Focused General Plan EIR
Environmental Justice Element
5 TASK 6.9 STUDY SESSION AND PUBLIC HEARINGS
De Novo’s Principal and/or Principal Planner will facilitate up to four (4) study sessions and/or public hearings related to the Environmental Justice Element.
Deliverables:
• Four study sessions and/or public hearings, including all meeting materials, large -format exhibits, presentation materials, and summary reports; attendance by Co-Project Managers
COST ESTIMATE
PROPOSAL TERMS
We truly appreciate being considered for this project. We are confident that our experience, record of success, local knowledge, and Principal-level attention to the project will prove to be extremely valuable to the City. We have the ability and are ready to take on the assignment. Amanda Tropiano is the Principal contact and is authorized to sign agreements and bind De Novo Planning Group in our proposal. Ms. Tropiano can be reached at ( 714) 453-7711 or [email protected].
Amanda Tropiano
Principal
hours $150 hours $115 hours $100 hours $85 hours Fee
Fee
Task 6.1: Community Engagement 80 $12,000 100 $11,500 120 $12,000 150 $12,750 450 $48,250 $48,250 Task 6.2: Environmental Justice Background Report 12 $1,800 16 $1,840 60 $6,000 100 $8,500 188 $18,140 $18,140 Task 6.3: Scope of Environmental Justice Element 10 $1,500 8 $920 36 $3,600 24 $2,040 78 $8,060 $8,060 Task 6.4: Administrative Draft Element 24 $3,600 32 $3,680 40 $4,000 60 $5,100 156 $16,380 $16,380 Task 6.5: Screencheck Draft Element 12 $1,800 24 $2,760 32 $3,200 40 $3,400 108 $11,160 $11,160 Task 6.6: Public Review Draft Element 18 $2,700 16 $1,840 20 $2,000 36 $3,060 90 $9,600 $9,600 Task 6.7: Final Environmental Justice Element 6 $900 12 $1,380 24 $2,400 10 $850 52 $5,530 $5,530 Task 6.8: Expanded Environmental Analysis 20 $3,000 60 $6,900 40 $4,000 40 $3,400 160 $17,300 $17,300 Task 6.9: Study Sessions/Public Hearings 40 $6,000 36 $4,140 40 $4,000 12 $1,020 128 $15,160 $15,160 PROJECT 6 SUBTOTAL 222 33,300$ 304 34,960$ 412 41,200$ 472 40,120$ 1410 149,580$ $149,580 OVERALL PROJECT CONTINGENCY $50,000
$199,580
Associate Planner
TASK/ACTIVITY
Principal Senior Planner
TOTAL FEE (NOT TO EXCEED FEE)
ACTIVITYAssistant Planner
TOTALS
De Novo Subtotal
TOTALS