STAFF REPORT
Meeting Date:
November 18, 2025
CONSENT
14 SUBJECT: AWARD OF TASK ORDERS FOR THE PRELIMINARY DESIGNS OF DIVER’S COVE BEACH ACCESS IMPROVEMENTS AND FISHERMAN’S COVE BEACH
ACCESS IMPROVEMENTS AND DETERMINE THAT THE PROPOSED ACTION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A “PROJECT” UNDER THE CALIFORNIA
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT
RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Council:
1. Authorize the City Manager to award a task order to BKF Engineers in the amount of $129,950, for preliminary design of the Diver’s Cove Beach Access Improvements Project, and approve projectrelated expenses and change orders for additional design-related services that may be required in an amount not-to-exceed $10,000;
2. Authorize the City Manager to award a task order to BKF Engineers in the amount of $129,860, for preliminary design of the Fisherman’s Cove Beach Access Improvements Project, and approve project-related expenses and change orders for additional design-related services that may be required in an amount not-to-exceed $10,000; and
3. Find that the actions consist of government activities, which do not result in a direct or indirect physical change in environment and therefore does not constitute a “Project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act.
SUMMARY OF THE MATTER
This report recommends awarding task orders to BKF Engineers (BKF) in the amounts of $129,950 and $129,860 for the preliminary engineering designs of the Diver’s Cove and Fisherman’s Cove Beach Accesses Improvements projects. The preliminary design and entitlement services include topographical surveys, geotechnical investigations and reporting, preliminary construction documents, CEQA compliance such as an initial study and mitigated negative declaration, coastal development permits, and Laguna Beach design reviews. Future final design scope of work will be determined and finalized once the preliminary design and entitlement process is complete. Final design is required for both projects to prepare construction drawings, specifications, and an engineer’s estimate of probable cost for construction, which is scheduled to begin in Fiscal Year 2027-28.
Preliminary design engineering costs for Diver’s Cove Beach Access Improvements are estimated at $129,950, which is within the approved budget of $150,000. Preliminary design engineering costs for Fisherman’s Cove Beach Access Improvements are estimated at $129,860, which is also within the approved budget of $250,000. Both preliminary engineering designs will take approximately one year to complete.
DISCUSSION
AWARD OF TASK ORDERS FOR THE PRELIMINARY DESIGNS OF DIVER’S COVE BEACH ACCESS IMPROVEMENTS AND FISHERMAN’S COVE BEACH ACCESS IMPROVEMENTS November 18, 2025
Diver’s Cove beach access consists of a concrete walkway that starts at the top of the bluff on the Western end of Heisler Park and terminates at the beach. The concrete stairways exhibit spalling and surface cracking that create uneven footfalls along the stairway. The proposed project will repair and reconstruct the stairways and improve the handrailing.
The Fisherman’s Cove beach access is comprised of stairs and walkways made of concrete and asphalt sections. The concrete stairways demonstrate minor spalling and surface cracking. The asphalt walkways are weathered and show significant cracking. The beach access is adjacent to a slope paved with concrete to channel storm water runoff along the accessway. Handrails exist only along the concrete staircases and not the asphalt walkways. The proposed project will repair and reconstruct the walkways and improve the handrailing and site drainage.
Staff solicited proposals from BKF, Hunsaker & Associates, and Kabbara Engineering who are all on the City’s On-Call Consultant list. Because of the vetting process done by the City to create and place vendors on the on-call consultant list, the City has relied upon this On-Call Consultant List to award task orders to vendors with demonstrated quality and price for the various services. Hunsaker & Associates declined to submit a proposal citing a lack of expertise in coastal engineering. Proposals were received from BKF and Kabbara who are both familiar with coastal engineering and beach access projects.
After reviewing the proposals received, staff determined BKF was the highest rated firm due to the cost competitiveness, firm resources, and experience with similar projects. BKF’s proposed design team has worked on the design of beach accesses within the Three Arch Bay Community Service District and the City of San Clemente’s Montalvo Canyon Beach Access. Due to BKF’s staff’s familiarity with City beach access projects, staff recommend that City Council award the task orders to BKF Engineers to provide preliminary design engineering for the two beach access improvement projects. Preliminary design and entitlements will take approximately one year to complete. Final design service needs will be determined and finalized once the preliminary design and entitlement process is complete and design review approval and coastal development permits are obtained.
Therefore, it is recommended that the preliminary design task orders be awarded to BKF (On-Call Consultant Contract No. 23-66) for both the Diver’s Cove and Fisherman’s Cove Beach Access Improvement projects. Although BKF is on the City’s approved On-Call Consultants list, task orders exceeding $75,000 must be approved by the City Council. In addition to the task order amounts, it is recommended to authorize the City Manager to approve change orders for additional design-related services that may be required in amounts not-to-exceed $10,000 for Diver’s Cove and $10,000 for Fisherman’s Cove Beach Access Improvements projects.
FINANCIAL ANALYSIS
Funding for the design phase of both beach access improvement projects is included in the current budget.
No additional appropriation is required at this time.
Project Estimated Cost Approved
Diver’s Cove $129,950 $150,000
AWARD OF TASK ORDERS FOR THE PRELIMINARY DESIGNS OF DIVER’S COVE BEACH ACCESS IMPROVEMENTS AND FISHERMAN’S COVE BEACH ACCESS IMPROVEMENTS November 18, 2025
Fisherman’s Cove $129,860 $250,000
AWARD OF TASK ORDERS FOR THE PRELIMINARY DESIGNS OF DIVER’S COVE BEACH ACCESS IMPROVEMENTS AND FISHERMAN’S COVE BEACH ACCESS IMPROVEMENTS November 18, 2025
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS
The recommended actions consist of organizational or administrative activities of the City that will not result in a direct or indirect physical change in the environment and therefore does not constitute a “Project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) (Public Resources Code Section 21065; 14 CCR Section 15378(b)(5)). The award of task orders for preliminary design services for certain improvements along Diver’s Cove Beach Access and Fisherman’s Cove Beach Access are for design services only and any future actual improvements will be subject to independent environmental review under CEQA at the time entitlements for those improvements are applied for. Further, the recommended actions consist of the creation of government funding mechanisms or other government fiscal activities, which do not involve any commitment to any specific projects which may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment and therefore does not constitute a “Project” within the meaning of CEQA. (Public Resources Code Section 21065; 14 CCR Section 15378(b)(4)). Approving the funding for design services only, which may or may not result in an application for improvements that will be subject to independent environmental review in the future is a fiscal activity that does not involve any commitment to any specific projects.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Location Map (Pg. 4)
2. BKF Engineers Proposal for Diver’s Cove (Pgs. 5-13)
3. BKF Engineers Proposal for Fisherman’s Cove (Pgs. 14-22) Submitted By: Mark McAvoy Approved: .David A Kiff
Mark McAvoy, Director of Public
Works & Utilities
Dave Kiff, City Manager
Report Prepared By: Coordinated With:
Christian Sanford, Project Manager
Alpha Santos-Guinto, Project Manager
Pierre Sawaya, Capital Program Manager
Thomas Perez, City Engineer