STAFF REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
DATE: Regular Meeting of February 24, 2026
TO: Mayor and Members of the City Council
VIA: Dante Hall, City Manager
SUBMITTED BY: Glenn Dombeck, Public Works Director/City Engineer Christopher Roke, Parks and Recreation Director
SUBJECT: Contract Amendment No. 2 to the Professional Services Agreement with Gates & Associates, Inc. for Final Design of Beechnut Park Improvement Project RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Adopt a Resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute an Amendment No. 2 to the City’s November 6, 2023 Professional Services Agreement with Gates & Associates, Inc. to provide Design Services for the Beechnut Park Improvement Project, Increasing the Cost by $84,534 to a Total Cost of $136,329.
BACKGROUND:
The City is in the process of finalizing construction documents for a park improvement project to improve the use and accessibility of Beechnut Park. The park is designated for use by local neighborhood families and can accommodate up to 54 children and ten adults. Existing playground facilities are not accessible in accordance with ADA standards. Existing trees are in poor condition, with branches exhibiting signs of limbing, and the landscape area is presently vacant and devoid of plantings.
Beechnut Park is located on a 6-acre parcel bounded by Refugio Valley Road, Beechnut Drive, and Coronado Street. It is accessed from Coronado Street by a concrete pathway and from a parking lot off Beechnut Drive. The parking lot has been unused for many years and is believed to have been constructed to access the model homes and sales office when the surrounding neighborhood was developed. Existing amenities in the park area are sparse and include a concrete walkway, sand playground with 2 swings, several benches, a trash can, and streetlight, all of which are worn out and in need of replacement.
The City entered into a contract with Gates & Associates (Gates), who are on the City’s pre-approved vendor list, in November 2023 to complete the conceptual design of the park. The contract was later amended to facilitate additional meetings and develop additional concepts for park uses. As part of this initial design phase, a PG&E easement for overhead transmission lines that run over the site was revised and approved by the California Public Utilities Commission in August 2025 to allow for the installation of new structures, including play equipment. Community input, solicited from an on-line survey with 172 participants and a May 2024 pop-up event, centered on the Play Area with Design Option 3 shown below as the clear favorite.
The design concept consists of demolition of the existing swing set, playground surfacing and trees surrounding the playground and construction of new playground equipment and surfacing, a new picnic table and benches and landscaping. The new play area will be suitable for children aged 5 to 12, will include an ADA accessible ramp, and includes a cyclone based climber and swing set. The Beechnut playground construction work will be included in a construction contract that will occur later in fiscal year (FY) 2026-27 addressing renovation of the playground equipment and surfacing at Beechnut Park.
ANALYSIS:
Additional funding, via a second amendment to the November 2023 Professional Services Agreement with Gates, is needed to finalize the playground and park design. This includes development of landscaping plans, playground layouts, civil drawings and irrigation drawings and details. The additional services also include costs for assistance during the bidding phase and construction administration. The contract also reimburses the designer for modifications to the irrigation system, miscellaneous site plan adjustments, and bid assistance and construction administration for the Refugio and Foxboro Park Improvement Project.
The project is categorically exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301, Existing Facilities, which consists of the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Funding for the design work addressed by this contract amendment is available in the Adopted FY 25-26 Budget. The construction cost for the park improvements (excluding design costs, contingency, and construction management) is estimated at $346,000. Sufficient funding is currently available for these improvements and will be verified prior to award of the construction contract.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1 - Resolution
Attachment 2 - Amendment No. 2 to the November 6, 2023 Professional Services Agreement with Gates & Associates, Inc.