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CITY OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA
REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
AGENDA ITEM
Report: Dispense with Competitive Bidding for the Acquisition of Pedestrian Safety Landscape Planters to be Installed on the Brand Boulevard and Central Avenue Over- pass Bridges and in the Orange Street Alleyway.
1. Resolution dispensing with the competitive bidding required by Glendale City Charter, Article VI, Section 9, based on the single source availability of 60 concrete pedestrian safety planters in downtown Glendale from QCP Corp. and authorizing the purchase of such planters for a not-to-exceed amount of $297,008.
2.Resolution of Appropriation in the amount of $266,525 in Transportation Development Act (TDA) grant funds.
COUNCIL ACTION
Item Type: Action Item
Approved for January 28, 2025 calendar
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In collaboration with the Greater Downtown Glendale Association (GDGA), staff requests the authorize dispensing with bidding in order to acquire 60 landscape planters to provide for pedestrian safety on the bridges over the 134 Freeway on Brand Boulevard and Central Avenue between Goode and Sanchez, and within the Orange Street Alleyway between Wilson and California. The planters staff seeks to procure match existing planters on Brand Boulevard and will therefore provide a consistent downtown aesthetic that beautifies the areas. GDGA will be responsible for installing and maintaining live landscaping in the planters.
Staff is requesting the Council make the findings required to dispense with public bidding because staff already worked with Purchasing in 2023 and no vendors other than QCP Corp. could provide planters that match the existing planters GDGA already installed in the downtown area. The Glendale City Charter, Article VI, Section 9 allows for dispensing with public bidding upon recommendation of the City Manager, when the City Council determines that it is in the best interests of the City to do so and acts by resolution setting forth the reasons for such action.
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RECOMMENDATION
That the City Council approve a resolution dispensing with competitive bidding as in the best interests of the City, and approve a resolution of appropriation to fund the project.
ANALYSIS
The requested pedestrian improvements are proposed to be installed on the Brand Boulevard and Central Avenue freeway overpass, between Goode and Sanchez, and in the Orange Street Alleyway. The 60 large concrete planters will be placed on the sidewalk/alleyway to protect pedestrians from vehicle traffic. These improvements would be made in collaboration with the Greater Downtown Glendale Association who will install and maintain live plant material in the planters.
To achieve consistency in the overall downtown aesthetic, which includes landscape planters already within the downtown, the City Manager is recommending the City Council make findings authorizing dispensing with public bidding as in the best interests of the City for the following reasons: (1) QCP Corp is the only vendor able to supply planters that match the existing ones, (2) On December 13, 2022, the City Council authorized going out to bid for these planters but Purchasing received no bids that matched the exact specifications (Exhibit 2), (3) These planters will ensure a consistent streetscape aesthetic that improves the beauty and safety of the City, and (4) QCP is the only known vendor (manufacturer) who is able to provide the planters with the required specifications.
A total of 55 planters will be needed along the pedestrian bridges on Brand and Central, and 5 planters will be needed within the alleyway between Brand and Orange. These planters will be branded with the Greater Downtown Glendale Association (GDGA) logo and maintained by GDGA’s Ambassadors.
As this is a pedestrian safety improvement, funds to pay for these improvements have been requested from Metro. The Transportation Development Act (TDA) Article 3 Bicycle and Pedestrian funds are available to local agencies in Los Angeles County on a per-capita basis. Projects are reviewed and approved by Metro and funds are disseminated in advance to agencies for implementation.
STAKEHOLDERS/OUTREACH
No outreach is associated with this report.
FISCAL IMPACT
The purchase and delivery of the planters totals $297,008. The City’s current TDA project balance is $12,656. The Pedestrian Plan Implementation project within the Measure M fund has $17,827 available. Staff is requesting an appropriation of additional TDA funds in the amount of $266,525 to fund the remainder of the project. The additional TDA funds was not included in the FY 24-25 budget, however, have been requested from Metro and will be available to the City following Council approval. The 3{{section.number}}{{item.number}}
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appropriation request is outlined as follows:
Existing Appropriation
Amount Account String Funding Source
$12,656 GL: 51000-4090-CDD-0020
PL: CDD00943AG
CIP Reimbursement
Fund
$17,827 GL: 45350-2220-PWD-0020
PL: 52180
Measure M
Requesting Appropriation
Amount From (Account
String)
To (Account String) Funding Source
$254,220 GL: 34301-4090-
CDD-0020
PL: CDD00943AG
GL: 51000-4090-
CDD-0020
PL: CDD00943AG
CIP
Reimbursement
Fund
$12,305 GL: 38000-4090-
CDD-0020
PL: CDD00943AG
GL: 51000-4090-
CDD-0020
PL: CDD00943AG
CIP
Reimbursement
Fund
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW (CEQA/NEPA)
CEQA Guidelines (Cal. Code of Regs. Title 14) section 15303 (Class 3) consists of construction and location of limited numbers of new, small facilities or structures; installation of small new equipment and facilities in small structures; and the conversion of existing small structures from one use to another where only minor modifications are made in the exterior of the structure. CEQA does not apply to projects where the lead agency determines "with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment." CEQA Guidelines (14 Cal. Code Regs.) § 15061(b)(3). This action involves placing new pedestrian protective concrete planters on the existing streetscape. There is no possibility that the action of placing planters (small structures) within the existing built environment may (streetscape) have a significant effect on the environment. To the contrary, such planters will provide for pedestrian safety and city beautification which will have no foreseeable direct or indirect significant impact on the 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 TO STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Alternative 1. Do not authorize dispensing with competitive bidding, and do not appropriate funding. Not accepting either item will prohibit staff from moving forward with this project. The funding from Metro would also need to be returned as was requested for this specific project.
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ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION
Submitted by:
Bradley Calvert, Director of Community Development
Prepared by:
Tamar Sadd, Deputy Director of Community Development
Approved by:
Roubik R. Golanian, P.E., City Manager
EXHIBITS/ATTACHMENTS
Exhibit 1: Campaign Disclosure Form
Exhibit 2: Planter Specifications