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CITY OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA
REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM
Report: Professional Services Agreement (PSA) with Architectural Resources Group to Prepare the East-West Glendale Historic Context and Survey, North Glendale Historic Context Update and Survey, and Survey for the Proposed Cleveland Knoll Historic District.
1. Motion authorizing the City Manager or his designee to execute a Professional Services Agreement with Architectural Resources Group for preparation of the East- West Glendale historic context and survey, the North Glendale historic context update and survey, and surveys for the proposed Cleveland Knoll historic district for a not-to-exceed amount of $323,470.
2. Resolution of appropriation in the amount of $48,470 for the East-West and North Glendale historic contexts and surveys, along with the Cleveland Knoll historic district survey.
COUNCIL ACTION
Item Type: Consent Calendar
Approved for September 17, 2024 calendar
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The completion of historic contexts and surveys for East-West and North Glendale will further the City’s historic preservation goals as laid out in the Historic Preservation Element of the General Plan. This work will augment the 2019 South Glendale Historic Resource Survey and 2014 South Glendale Historic Context to create the first citywide overview of historic resources. Staff recommends that City Council authorize a contract with Architectural Resources Group, working as a team with subconsultant Historic Resources Group, to prepare historic contexts and surveys for East-West Glendale and North Glendale. As research and field survey is required for this work, there are efficiencies in authorizing additional services from the consultant to concurrently produce the historic district survey for the proposed Cleveland Knoll historic district for which an application is pending before the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) on October 17, 2024.
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RECOMMENDATION
City Council authorize a Professional Services Agreement with Architectural Resources Group for preparation of the East-West Glendale Historic Context and Survey the North Glendale Historic Context Update and Survey and approve a Resolution of Appropriation for the East-West and North Glendale contexts and surveys, along with the historic district survey for the proposed Cleveland Knoll historic district.
ANALYSIS
Background
Policy Objective 2-2 of the Glendale Historic Preservation Element (1977/1997) establishes a goal to “survey all potential historic resources in Glendale.” The 2019 South Glendale Historic Resource Survey was a step toward fulfilling that goal. Prior to that time, a number of small-scale surveys had been made, mostly focused on South Glendale, but no comprehensive overview of any larger areas had occurred. The proposed East-West Historic Context and Historic Resource Survey and North Glendale Historic Context Update and Historic Resource Survey will, if implemented, fulfill this longstanding goal and provide Glendale with information about it potential historic resources throughout the entire city.
Historic resource contexts and surveys are important tools for guiding the development of cities. They provide information about potentially historic properties that can help direct future development and let property owners, decision makers, staff, community groups, and the general public know in advance when a site may, or may not, have potential environmental review constraints. Historic contexts study the history and development patterns of an area and identify specific contexts and themes that provide a framework for understanding how what we see on the ground today came to pass.
The document then focuses on the property types associated with each context/theme and identifies what features and levels of integrity are necessary for a property to be considered historic. A historic survey then looks closely at every property within a specified area and assesses each against the framework developed in the context – this is how individual properties are determined to be either historic or not historic under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). These surveys also identify potential historic districts, which may ultimately be nominated for district status by local residents.
The South Glendale Historic Context was prepared in 2014 as part of the South Glendale Community Plan. It was followed by the South Glendale Historic Resource Survey, which was completed in 2019. These documents assessed the entire portion of the city south of the 134 Freeway and have been invaluable in CDD’s work in this area.
In FY 22-23, Council appropriated $275,000 for CDD to retain a consultant to prepare a context and survey focused on the east and west portions of the area between the freeway and the Glendale portion of the Crescenta Valley. This project funding has carried over to FY 24-25. In March 2024, staff issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) to historic preservation consulting firms based in Southern California. In the hope that a survey of the entire city, including the North Glendale area in the Crescenta Valley, 3{{section.number}}h
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could be completed, the RFP asked for two bids: 1) to prepare a historic context and historic resources survey for the east and west areas; and 2) to update the 2011 North Glendale Historic Context and conduct a historic resource survey for North Glendale.
Historic Contexts and Surveys
The RFP was issued to sixteen qualified consulting firms on March 20, 2024. Two proposals were received by the April 29, 2024 closing date: Architectural Resources Group (ARG), with Historic Resources Group (HRG) as sub-consultant, and Environmental Science Associates (ESA). The proposals were reviewed by three CDD staff members with historic preservation experience and each proposal was rated in terms of bid price, schedule, content, firm experience, staffing, and references. ARG received 36 out of 42 points, and ESA received 26.5.
The price and schedule for the two firm’s proposals for the combined East-West and North Glendale contexts/surveys are as follow:
Both Surveys East-West only North only
ARG $281,170
17 months
$156,700
9 months
$124,470
8 months
ESA $219,999
11 months
$149,999
6 months
$70,000
5 months
Staff selected the ARG/HRG team as the preferred bidder because of its greater experience and expertise in conducting surveys as compared to ESA. Both ARG and HRG have experience working on projects for the City of Glendale that is directly applicable to the proposed work. ARG most recently completed the historic district surveys for the South Cumberland Heights and Casa Verdugo Historic Districts in 2021 and is currently involved with the museum and accessibility project at Rockhaven. HRG prepared both the 2014 historic context and 2019 historic resource survey for South Glendale. Both firms were leads in SurveyLA, the largest historic resource survey ever conducted in the United States, and they have successfully worked as a team to prepare contexts and surveys for other municipalities in Southern California.
The ESA proposal did not indicate the firm had any experience with large-scale historic resource surveys, though it has completed some contexts and site-specific surveys.
Staff also had concerns about aspects of ESA’s proposed methodology, staffing, and schedule. The ESA bid includes using contract labor, along with its professional staff, to be trained by the firm in how to survey properties, whereas the ARG/HRG proposal utilizes existing staff who have strong previous survey experience, including in Glendale. A large-scale survey is quite complex and has many moving parts. Working with a less experienced firm like ESA may possibly reduce the quality of the final product. One of the key reasons that HRG’s presence will be valuable is because the firm developed the survey methodology for the South Glendale survey. Working with the same firm, which has retained many of the same staff, will help ensure consistency between the previous survey and the proposed survey.
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CDD staff believes that despite the $60,000 cost difference and somewhat longer timeline, the ARG/HRG team will deliver a superior product that will retain the same qualities as the South Glendale context and survey. If the East-West and North Glendale surveys are completed, the City will have a high-quality, complete survey of all of its properties, which City Council has indicated to be one of its historic preservation goals over the years.
Grant Funding
In June 2024, CDD staff filed an application for a 2024/25 Certified Local Government (CLG) Grant with the State Office of Historic Preservation (SHPO). Glendale has been a CLG member since 1988 and therefore qualifies to receive CLG grants, which consist of federal funds passed through to qualified municipalities by the state.
On September 10, 2024, staff was pleased to receive confirmation that Glendale’s request for the maximum grant amount of $40,000 was approved. Staff will return for Council’s approval for the execution of the grant and appropriation of grant funding once the agreement is available. The grant is intended for the East-West Historic Context and Survey. Staff intends to apply for a 2025/26 CLG grant to offset costs for the North Glendale Historic Context Update and Survey if project timing aligns with the next grant cycle, as is expected.
Cleveland Knoll Historic District Survey
Historic district surveys are different than historic resource surveys. Their focus is on determining the overall character of a specific area and identifying the properties that contribute to that character and those that do not. District surveys also assess a proposed district against a set of thresholds and criteria established in the Glendale Municipal Code. The City has begun processing a new district applications for Cleveland Knoll, a neighborhood to the south of Cumberland Heights would include 238 properties.
HPC is scheduled to review the Cleveland Knoll nomination at its October 17, 2024 hearing. Under the new district designation streamlining process, the next step will be for staff to issue an RFP for a consultant to prepare a historic district survey. If HPC finds that the area appears to meet the thresholds and criteria for district designation at its October hearing, and does not require a petition through which area property owners would request a survey, staff requests that City Council authorize retaining ARG for the Cleveland Knoll survey.
Because the Cleveland Knoll neighborhood is in the East-West Glendale study area, staff asked ARG to provide a supplemental bid for conducting the survey to take advantage of the efficiencies of having researchers and field surveyors already looking, in part, at the area. ARG proposes to produce the Cleveland Knoll survey for $42,300.
This fee works out to about $178 per property for the 238 houses within the proposed boundary.
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STAKEHOLDERS/OUTREACH
Historic Contexts and Surveys
Separate community outreach meetings conducted by city staff and the consultants will be held for each of the projects included in the contract:
•East-West Glendale Historic Context
•East-West Glendale Survey
•North Glendale Historic Context Update
•North Glendale Historic Survey
Additional information gathering will be conducted through an interactive webpage that will allow community members to share information about places that are meaningful to them and that may also be historically important. This information will be shared with the consultant for further research and analysis, and it will also be publicly available.
These outreach efforts will be promoted with the assistance of the City Manager’s communications team and CDD outreach staff. Staff will conduct outreach to reach as broad a spectrum of the community as possible, with notices about meetings and the website shared with business, neighborhood, religious, cultural, and community groups.
Staff members will also be available to meet with individuals and groups.
Proposed Historic District
Outreach for proposed historic districts is built into the Glendale Municipal Code. The first required community forum and HPC hearing for the proposed Cleveland Knoll historic district is scheduled for October 17, 2024. Notices of this and all subsequent meetings will be mailed to owners and residents of properties in each proposed district and within a 500-foot radius of the boundary. There will also a community forum and HPC hearing held after the draft survey documents are submitted to the City.
FISCAL IMPACT
The East-West and North surveys will cost $281,170. The Cleveland Knoll district survey will cost $42,300. The combined project will cost $323,470. $275,000 of this amount was appropriated in FY 22-23 and has carried over to the FY 24-25 budget, funding a large majority of this work. Staff is requesting an appropriation of $48,470 from the City’s fund balance to fund the remainder of the contract. The appropriation request is outlined below:
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ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW (CEQA/NEPA)
The project is exempt from CEQA as a Class 8 “Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment” exemption pursuant to Section 15308 of the State CEQA Guidelines because historic contexts and surveys provide information and guidance that will help protect the city’s historic built environment.
CAMPAIGN DISCLOSURE
The names and business addresses of the members of the board of directors, the chairperson, CEO, COO, CFO, Subcontractors and any person or entity with more than 10% interest in the company proposed for contract in this Agenda Item Report are attached in Exhibit #1, in accordance with the City Campaign Finance Ordinance No. 5744.
ALTERNATIVES
Alternative 1: Authorize a Professional Services Agreement with Architectural Resources Group for preparation of the East-West Glendale historic context and survey, the North Glendale Historic Context Update and Survey and Adopt a Resolution of Appropriation for $48,470.
Alternative 2: Any other alternative not proposed by staff.
ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
Submitted by:
Bradley Calvert, Director of Community Development
Prepared by:
Jay Platt, Principal Planner
Approved by:
Roubik R. Golanian, P.E., City Manager
Existing Appropriation
Amount Account String Funding Source
$275,000 43110-1010-CDD-2502-P8017 General Fund
Requesting Appropriation
Amount From (Account
String)
To (Account String) Funding Source
$48,470 25300-1010-000 43110-1010-CDD-
2502-P0000
Undesignated
Fund Balance
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EXHIBITS/ATTACHMENTS
Exhibit 1: Campaign Disclosure Form
Exhibit 2: ARG Proposal for E/W/N Surveys
Exhibit 3: ARG Revised E/W Proposal Including Cleveland Knoll Survey Exhibit 4: RFP
Exhibit 5: Study Area Maps
Exhibit 6: Cleveland Knoll historic district application