Morro Bay City Council
June 10, 2025

CITY OF MORRO BAY
City Council Regular Meeting Agenda

Tuesday, June 10, 2025, 5:30 p.m.

Veterans Memorial Hall
209 Surf St., Morro Bay, CA
Public Participation
Public participation is offered in the following ways:
• Community members may attend the meeting in person at the Morro Bay Veterans Hall.

Alternatively, members of the public may watch the meeting and speak during general Public Comment or on a specific agenda item by logging into the Zoom webinar using the information provided below. Please use the "raise hand" feature to indicate your desire to provide public comment.
•
Zoom webinar link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82722747698?pwd=aWZpTzcwTHlRTk9xaTlmWVNWRWFU QT09
•
• Password: 135692
Or Telephone Attendee: 1 (408) 638-0968 or 1 (669) 900-6833 or 1 (346) 248-7799; Webinar ID: 827 2274 7698; Password: 135692: Press *9 to raise hand for public comment.
•
• Meetings are also broadcast on cable Channel 20 and streamed on the City's website.

Community Members are encouraged to submit agenda correspondence via email to the City Council at [email protected] prior to the meeting. Agenda correspondence received by 10:00 a.m. on the meeting day will be posted on the City website. •
Pages

1. ESTABLISH QUORUM AND CALL TO ORDER

2. MOMENT OF SILENCE

3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

4. REPORTS

4.a Closed Session Report

4.b Mayor and Councilmembers' Reports, Announcements and Presentations

4.c City Manager Reports, Announcements and Presentations

4.d Subcommittee Reports - Verbal Update of Current Subcommittee Activities

1. Water Reclamation Facility & Morro Bay / Cayucos Sanitary District JPA

2. Morro Bay Power Plant (Vistra)

3. Offshore Wind Energy

4. Morro Elementary School

5. RECOGNITION AND PRESENTATIONS
None

6. PUBLIC COMMENT
Members of the audience wishing to address the Council on City business matters not on the agenda may do so at this time. For those desiring to speak on items on the agenda, but unable to stay for the item, may also address the Council at this time.

Public comment is an opportunity for members of the public to provide input to the governing body. To increase the effectiveness of the Public Comment Period, the City respectfully requests the following guidelines and expectations be followed:
•
Those desiring to speak are asked to complete a speaker slip, which are located at the entrance, and submit it to the City Clerk. However, speaker slips are not required to provide public comment. •
When recognized by the Mayor, please come forward to the podium to speak. Though not required, it is helpful if you state your name, city of residence and whether you represent a business or group. Unless otherwise established by the Mayor, comments are to be limited to three minutes.
•
All remarks should be addressed to Council, as a whole, and not to any individual member thereof.
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The Council respectfully requests that you refrain from making slanderous, profane or personal remarks against any elected official, commission and/or staff.
•
Please refrain from public displays or outbursts such as unsolicited applause, comments or cheering.
•
Any disruptive activities that substantially interfere with the ability of the City Council to carry out its meeting will not be permitted and offenders will be requested to leave the meeting.
•
Your participation in City Council meetings is welcome and your courtesy will be appreciated.
•
The Council in turn agrees to abide by its best practices of civility and civil discourse according to Resolution No. 07-19.
•

7. CONSENT AGENDA
Unless an item is pulled for separate action by the City Council, the following actions are approved without discussion. The public will also be provided an opportunity to comment on consent agenda items.

Recommended Action
Approve Consent Agenda items 7.a through 7.e as submitted.

7.a Approval of Minutes
(City Clerk)
Recommended Action
Approve as submitted.

1. May 13, 2025 - Regular Council Meeting 6

2. May 27, 2025 - Special Closed Session Meeting 17

3. May 28, 2025 - Special Meeting 18

7.b Proclamation
(City Clerk)
Recommended Action
Approve as submitted.

1. Proclamation declaring the second Saturday of June 2025 as "Juneteenth Day"
20 7.c Ordinance No. 671 amending Morro Bay Municipal Code Chapter

14.08.080 to adopt the California State Fire Marshal Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map for Morro Bay
21 (Fire Department)
Recommended Action
Adopt Ordinance No.671, “An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Morro Bay, California, Repealing and Replacing Chapter 14.08.080 of Title 14 (“Buildings and Construction”) of the Morro Bay Municipal Code relating to Fire Hazard Severity Zones” with adoption of the California State Fire Marshal Fire Hazard Severity Zone map for the City of Morro Bay as required by senate Bill 63 and Government Code 51178.5.

7.d Award of Consultant Contract to Placeworks, Inc. to prepare an update to the City's Waterfront Master Plan and an Addendum to the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for Plan Morro Bay
29 (Community Development Department)
Recommended Action
Authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with Placeworks, Inc. in the amount of $714,275 to prepare an update to the City’s Waterfront Master Plan and an Addendum to the Environmental Impact

Report (EIR) for Plan Morro Bay.

7.e Approve Lease Amendment for Morro Bay Oyster Company 78 (Harbor Department)
Recommended Action
Adopt Resolution No. 31-25 approving Amendment #1 to the lease agreement for Morro Bay Oyster Company located at 1287
Embarcadero.

8. PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS

8.a Public Hearing to Report on Delinquent Solid Waste Collection Accounts and Adopt Resolution No. 32-25 Authorizing San Luis Obispo County Auditor to assess Amounts Due to Delinquent Solid Waste Collection accounts as Tax Liens Against the Properties
84 (Public Works Department)
Recommended Action
Conduct a public hearing to receive the report on delinquent solid waste collection fees, hear any objections or protests to the report, authorize the addition of the City’s 2% administration fee to the delinquent fees, and adopt Resolution No. 32-25 authorizing the San Luis Obispo County Tax Auditor to assess amounts due on delinquent solid waste collection accounts as tax liens against the properties. Pursuant to California Health and Safety Code Section 5473, this Resolution should be adopted by a two-thirds vote of the members of the City Council.

9. BUSINESS ITEMS

9.a Community Risk Assessment and Standards of Cover for the Morro Bay Fire Department
92 (Fire Department)
Recommended Action
Receive and file.

9.b Bonita Street Fire Station Development 195
(Fire Department)
Recommended Action
Affirm that it is intent of the City Council to redevelop and staff the Bonita Street Fire Station as City funding and departmental staffing becomes available; and consider three design options;

1. Direct the Fire Chief to complete architectural drawings sufficient to create a “shovel ready” project and appropriate a total of $93,190 including the $38,466 of Fire Department Development Impact Fees to fund the remainder needed to complete these documents; and

2.

Authorize the Fire Chief to seek funding sources for
construction of a new 2-story living quarters (Option B) at the Bonita Street Station (Construction cost estimate $2,325,682) and

3. Include this project in the City’s Capital Improvement Project list.

4. 9.c Consideration of State Water Transfer Policy Update 316 (Public Works Department)
Recommended Action
Review the San Luis Obispo Flood Control and Water Conservation District (District) on the District’s Draft Proposed State Water Transfer Policy Update and:

Direct the Public Works Director to send a letter of support to the District Board as agenda correspondence; and

1. Provide any feedback on the draft policy to staff to include in the letter of support.

2. 10. COUNCIL DECLARATION OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS

11. ADJOURNMENT
The next Regular Meeting will be held on June 24, 2025.

This agenda is subject to amendment up to 72 hours prior to the date and time set for the meeting. Please refer to the agenda posted at City Hall, 595 Harbor Street, Morro Bay, CA 93442 for any revisions or call the Clerk's office at (805) 772-6205 for further information.

Materials related to an item on this agenda submitted to the City Council after distribution of the agenda packet are available for public inspection upon request by calling the City Clerk's office at (805) 772-6205.

In compliance with the Americans Disability Act, if you need special assistance to participate in a City meeting, please contact the Clerk's office 24 hours prior to the meeting to insure reasonable arrangements can be made to provide accessibility to the meeting.

1 MINUTES - MORRO BAY CITY COUNCIL

REGULAR MEETING
May 13, 2025, 5:30 p.m.

Veterans Memorial Hall
209 Surf St., Morro Bay, CA
Members Present: Mayor Carla Wixom
Council Member Cyndee Edwards
Council Member Jeff Eckles
Council Member Zara Landrum
Council Member Bill Luffee
Staff Present: City Manager Yvonne Kimball
Interim City Attorney Robert Schultz
City Clerk Dana Swanson
Finance Director Emily Conrad
Public Works Director Greg Kwolek
Community Development Director Airlin Singewald
Police Chief Amy Watkins
Fire Chief Dan McCrain
Harbor Vitality Director Chris Munson
_____________________________________________________________________

1. ESTABLISH QUORUM AND CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Wixom called the meeting to order at 5:45 p.m. with all members present.

The Mayor announced due to the large number of speakers, general public comment would be limited to two minutes per person and a total of 45 minutes.

At that point in time, she would close general public comment until the end of the meeting.

2. MOMENT OF SILENCE

3. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

4. REPORTS

4.a Closed Session Report
https://youtu.be/XsgPfx4MKw0?si=e2Wf6FWLUbnIHwXh&t=138
City Attorney Schultz announced that with regard to property negotiations for 1287 Embarcadero, 781 Market Ave., and 695 Harbor Street, no action was taken that required preporting under the Brown Act. With regard to

2 property negotiations with San Luis Coastal Unified School District for Morro Elementary, the Council authorized staff to continue to negotiate with the District for purchase of the property and to send a formal written notice to the District pursuant to Government Code section 54223. With regard to Public Employee Employment of a City Attorney, no action was taken that required reporting under the Brown Act.

4.b Mayor and Councilmembers' Reports, Announcements and Presentations
https://youtu.be/XsgPfx4MKw0?si=7O66gPET5m4Qi0Ig&t=184

4.c City Manager Reports, Announcements and Presentations https://youtu.be/XsgPfx4MKw0?si=GHXnQ1luehO1yqzh&t=1151

4.d Subcommittee Reports - Verbal Update of Current Subcommittee Activities
https://youtu.be/XsgPfx4MKw0?si=66PzUVGj-eZuWBeX&t=2008 a. Water Reclamation Facility & Morro Bay / Cayucos Sanitary District JPA
b. Morro Bay Power Plant (Vistra)
c. Offshore Wind Energy
d. Morro Elementary School

5. RECOGNITION AND PRESENTATIONS
https://youtu.be/XsgPfx4MKw0?si=lU1G59A-Tqcx3JOd&t=2038

5.a National Safe Boating Week Proclamation
Presented to Harbor Patrol Supervisor Becka Kelly and Harbor Patrol Officer Charlie Howland.

5.b Emergency Medical Services Week Proclamation
Presented to Fire Chief McCrain and Morro Bay Fire Department personnel.

5.c Public Works Week Proclamation
Presented to Public Works Director Kwolek.

6. PUBLIC COMMENT
https://youtu.be/XsgPfx4MKw0?si=IYIRAwEaQ2wtOj39&t=2616 Mayor reminded the public two minutes were being allowed for tonight's public comment, for a total of 45 minutes. Any other speakers would be continued to the end of the meeting.

3  Chuck Stoll, Morro Bay resident and President of the Morro Bay Lions' Club, appreciated the City's support for Monday Night dinners, announced the May 17th Chamber of Commerce Annual Awards Gala, and the Lost at Sea Memorial to be held on Memorial Day in Cayucos.
 Tim Cowan, Morro Bay resident and business owner, respectfully requested the Council renew the Economic Development contract with the Chamber of Commerce.
 Jane Heath, Morro Bay resident and business owner, urged the Council to reconsider their vote and direct staff to resume work to complete the environmental work for the proposed roundabout.
 Felipe Gonzalez, Foster Care Recruiter for the San Luis Obispo County Department of Social Services, appreciated the Council recognizing the month of May as Foster Care Month and shared the importance of identifying more foster families in San Luis Obispo County.  Jon Nowaczyk, Lets Get Tuned Yoga Studio, provided a business update.  Kiernan Cottle, Morro Bay, offered comments.
 Shoosh Crotzer, Morro Bay, was disheartened to hear the roundabout project was recently stopped and asked the Council to reconsider its vote and move forward with the project.
 Ray Riordan, Morro Bay, former Chair and member of the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and current Board Member for the Chamber Foundation, requested the City's continued support.  Linda Winters, Morro Bay, reported on Monday Night Dinners and shared her appreciation for City staff.
 Carol Swain, Morro Bay, spoke in support of the roundabout project as an opportunity to modernize and beautify that entrance to the city.  Anthony Mitchell, Ecogreen Solutions, shared opportunities to help the City update infrastructure and lower its electricity costs and carbon footprint.
 Colby Crotzer, Morro Bay, requested the Council reconsider its position and continue with the roundabout project.
 Courtney Shepler, Morro Bay, asked the Council to reconsider its April 22nd vote and allow the environmental work on the roundabout project to proceed.
 Sabin Gray, Morro Bay, opposed the City's updated flag policy.

4  Andrea Leuker, Board Member of REACT Alliance, urged residents to stay engaged and keep track of what's happening with offshore wind and efforts to industrialize our coastline.
 Walter Heath, Morro Bay, hoped the Council would vote to reconsider its April 22nd action and move forward with environmental work on the roundabout.
 Ashley Goldlist, Morro Bay, urged the Council to reconsider the vote on the roundabout and complete the environmental study.
 Judy Setting, Morro Bay, opposed the roundabout based on safety concerns and potential project costs.
 Mandy Davis, President of REACT Alliance, announced a "Save our Coast" event on July 26th at Tidelands Park.
 Nick Heisdorf and Michael Hollier, Caltrans, announced an informational public open house regarding the proposed Toro Creek Southbound Bridge Replacement Project to be held Thursday, May 22nd, in the Veterans Hall from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.
 Peggy Rogers, Morro Bay business owner, spoke in support of the proposed contract with the Chamber of Commerce.
 Nicole Dorfman, Morro Bay, commented on the proposed economic development contract with the Chamber of Commerce.
 Dawn Beattie, Morro Bay, added her support for the Main Street/Hwy 1/Hwy 41 roundabout project.
 An unnamed person expressed her love and appreciation for all types of people, along with her desire to have only the American flag flown in the City to encompass and represent everyone.
 Michael Wambolt, Visit Morro Bay Executive Director, thanked Chief Watkins, Becka Kelly, Cal Poly and Morro Bay in Bloom volunteers for their support during the Kite Festival. Regarding Item 9a, he offered his support for approval of the Chamber economic development contract.  Nic De Angelis, Morro Bay, supported the Council decision to pause the roundabout project.

End of public comment.

7. CONSENT AGENDA
Unless an item is pulled for separate action by the City Council, the following actions are approved without discussion. The public will also be provided an opportunity to comment on consent agenda items.

Mayor Wixom opened public comment for items on the Consent Agenda.

5 https://youtu.be/XsgPfx4MKw0?si=sOON0rU7LPgVqR-N&t=5872  Tim Crowley, Morro Bay, commented on Item 7.f., suggesting a unanimous vote be required to change policy.
 Jenn Fields, San Luis Obispo, spoke against a flagpole policy that would prevent commemorative flags from being flown.
 Dawn Beattie, Morro Bay, supported approval of the Item 7.i. and hoped dredging of the stormwater retention pond would be included as a capital project in future engineering reports.
 Walter Heath, Morro Bay, supported display of the Pride Flag at City facilities
 Kristen Kent, Los Osos, urged the Council to continue flying the Pride Flag as a message to residents and visitors all people are welcome in Morro Bay.
 Willow Kawamoto, Morro Bay, stated concerns about policy changes being made at the Federal level and urged City support for the LBGTQ+ community.
 Aimee Brantle, Morro Bay, urged the City to continue flying the Pride Flag as a symbol of safety, solidary and welcome to the LGBTQ+ community.  Piper Fedrow, Morro Bay, voiced opposition to Item 7.f.  Sky Steel, Central Coast resident, opposed item 7.f. , noting it's more vital than ever to stand with the diversity of our community.  Sam Jane, Morro Bay, requested the City allow the Pride Flag to continue to fly at City Hall during the month of June.
 Imayano, Central Coast resident and member of Abolitionist Action Central Coast, supported allowing commorative flags to be flown at city facilities.
 An unnamed Arroyo Grande resident urged the City to continue flying the Pride Flag as a symbol of support for those who may not have support at home.
 John Nowell, Morro Bay, urged the City to be compassionate and unified community by flying the Pride Flag.
 An unnamed San Luis Obispo resident requested each Council Member explain the reason they supported this item.
 Judy Setting, Morro Bay, recognized this was a difficult time and expressed Morro Bay is an accepting community and values its residents and visitors.

6  Angie Kaspazak shared she had reached out to the City to request a Pride Month proclamation and was disheartened to see the Flagpole Policy on the Consent Agenda.
 An unnamed San Luis Obispo resident shared the importance of continuing to uplift and defend our queer community.
 Mandy Davis, Morro Bay, supported the continued flying of the Pride Flag.  Nic De Angelis, Morro Bay, supported the unbiased approach of the proposed flag policy.
 Linnea Valdivia, GALA Program Manager, spoke in opposition to item 7.f.

End of public comment.

Council Member Eckles pulled Item 7.f. from Consent.

Motion by Council Member Landrum
Seconded by Council Member Luffee
Approve the Consent Agenda, less Item 7.f.

Ayes (5): Mayor Wixom, Council Member Edwards, Council Member Eckles, Council Member Landrum, and Council Member Luffee
CARRIED (5 to 0)

7.a Approval of Minutes
Approve as submitted.
a. April 22, 2025 - Regular Council Meeting
b. April 22, 2025 - Special Closed Session Meeting
c. April 25, 2025 - Special Closed Session Meeting

7.b Approval of Proclamations
a. Proclamation declaring the week of May 18 - 24, 2025 as "Emergency Medical Services Week"
b. Proclamation declaring National Public Works Week as May 18 - 24, 2025 as "People, Purpose, Presence"
c. Proclamation declaring May 17 - 23, 2025 as National Safe Boating Week
d. Proclamation acknowledging "National Police Week" and declaring May 15, 2025 as "National Peace Officers Memorial Day"
e. Proclamation proclaiming May as "National Foster Care Month"

7 7.c Adoption of Ordinance No. 669 Repealing and Replacing Title 7 (Animals) of the Morro Bay Municipal Code
Adopt Ordinance No. 669 entitled, “An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Morro Bay, California, repealing and replacing Title 7 (Animals) of the Morro Bay Municipal Code to adopt and incorporate by reference San Luis Obispo County Code Title 9 (Animals) and to retain certain city requirements regarding animals, and finding the action not subject to CEQA.”

7.d Third Quarter Investment Report (period ending March 31, 2025) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-25
Receive the attached Third Quarter Investment Report (period ending March 31, 2025) for FY 2024-25.

7.e Adopt Resolution No. 22-25 and Limited Duration Interim City Attorney Employment Agreement for Retired Annuitant
Adopt Resolution No. 22-25 appointing Robert Schultz to the position of Interim City Attorney and authorize the Mayor to execute the Limited Duration Interim City Attorney Employment Agreement for Retired Annuitant.

7.f Adoption of Resolution No. 23-25 Reestablishing the City's Flagpole Policy
https://youtu.be/XsgPfx4MKw0?si=BTsvFITuzoh4FgWd&t=8157 Council Member Eckles acknowledged community outreach on this item and reemphasized this was not about any specific commemorative flag but rather a symbol of unity to fly only the United States, California and Morro Bay flags on the City's flagpoles. He acknowledged the timing appeared suspect and proposed the revised policy take effect July 1, 2025, allowing the Pride Flag to be flown at City Hall during the month of June 2025.

Motion by Council Member Eckles
Seconded by Council Member Luffee
Adopt Resolution No. 23-25 reestablishing the City’s Flagpole Policy to be effective July 1, 21025.

Ayes (5): Mayor Wixom, Council Member Edwards, Council Member Eckles, Council Member Landrum, and Council Member Luffee CARRIED (5 to 0)

8 7.g Adopt Resolution No. 24-25 Authorizing a Blanket Waiver of Slip Qualifications during Fishery Closures
Adopt Resolution No. 24-25, authorizing a blanket waiver of slip qualifications for fishery closures.

7.h Approve Lease Amendment for Morro Bay Marina Moorings Adopt Resolution No. 25-25 approving Amendment #1 to the lease agreement for Mooring Zone A1-4 located at 699 Embarcadero.

7.i Adoption of Resolution No. 26-25 Approving the Engineer's Report and Declaring the Intent to Levy the Annual Assessment for the Cloisters Landscaping and Lighting Maintenance Assessment District (LLMAD)
Adopt Resolution No. 26-25 declaring the intent to levy the annual assessment for the maintenance of the Cloisters Park and Open Space for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025/26 and approving the Engineer’s Report.

7.j Adoption of Resolution No. 27-25 Approving the Engineer's Report and Declaring the Intent to Levy the Annual Assessment for the North Point Natural Area Landscaping and Lighting Maintenance Assessment District
Adopt Resolution No. 27-25 approving the Engineer’s Report and declaring the intent to levy the annual assessment for maintenance of the North Point Natural Area for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025/2026.

8. PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS
None
The Council took a brief recess at 8:02 p.m. and reconvened at 8:17 p.m. with all members present.

9. BUSINESS ITEMS

9.a Review and provide direction regarding the Economic Development Contract proposal by the Morro Bay Chamber of Commerce for Fiscal Year (FY) 25-26 and FY 26-27
https://youtu.be/XsgPfx4MKw0?si=_eLleMUoMiDo-YOQ&t=8909 City Manager Kimball presented the staff report and Morro Bay Chamber of Commerce CEO, Dina Lundquist, presented the Chamber's proposed Scope of Work.

Mayor Wixom opened public comment for Item 9.a.
https://youtu.be/XsgPfx4MKw0?si=Lt_85l0G4ZOHECOb&t=10338

9  Jane Heath, Morro Bay resident and business owner, urged the City to approve the proposed contract and retain this important relationship with the Chamber.
 Walter Heath, Morro Bay, supported renewal of the proposed contract.
 Betty Winholtz, Morro Bay, was supportive of having the Chamber provide a Visitors Center but, aside from that, questioned how the City benefits from the Chamber.
 Mandy Davis, Morro Bay business owner and President of REACT Alliance, spoke in support of renewing a contract with the Chamber but cautioned economic develoment efforts should represent the community's interests.
 Josh Cross, CEO of Atascadero Chamber of Commerce,
encouraged the Council to continue seeing this relationship not as a contract but as a strategic alliance.
 Judy Setting, Morro Bay, expressed concern about potential favoritism and suggested a narrowed scope that is project specific.  Susan Stewart, Morro Bay business owner and member of the Chamber's Governmental Affairs Committee, confirmed the contract was paid for by SB 1090 funds for revitalization of local communities, and noted the Chamber supports investigating anything that might affect the business community, but does not advocate for any particular project.
 Cherise Hansson, Morro Bay resident, business owner and Chair of the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, commented on the benefits of City staff and the Chamber CEO work syngertically to support the entire communty.
 Linda Winters, Morro Bay, spoke in full support of the Chamber and all businesses in Morro Bay.

End of public comment.

Council Members Luffee and Edwards were supportive of a one year $50,000 contract contingent on a couple of scoping issues and defined success metrics. Council Member Landrum was concerned about potential conflicts of interest, questioned the proposed scope of work and wanted to see more results. Mayor Wixom was concerned about the limited SB 1090 funds remaining and expressed interest in bringing economic development back in-house.

Council Member Eckles sought consensus and received majority support for a one-year contract for a reduced scope of work including $20,000 for Start Up to Sustainability and $5,000 for the Downtown District Initiative.

10 Mayor sought consensus to go past 9:30 p.m. to finish the last item.

Motion by Council Member Eckles
Seconded by Council Member Landrum
City of Morro Bay enter into contract with the Morro Bay Chamber of Commerce in the amount of $25,000 for the function of Chamber defined services of Business Vitality Initiative: Startup to Sustainability and the Downtown District Initiative.

Ayes (4): Mayor Wixom, Council Member Eckles, Council Member Landrum, and Council Member Luffee
Noes (1): Council Member Edwards
CARRIED (4 to 1)

9.b Selection of Veterans Hall Audio Visual Upgrade Design Alternative https://youtu.be/XsgPfx4MKw0?si=SARQigfdrcnfeJzC&t=13359 City Manager Kimball introduced the item and turned to Public Works Director Kwolek to present the report and respond to Council inquiries.

Mayor Wixom opened public comment for Item 9.b.
https://youtu.be/XsgPfx4MKw0?si=OC41q0TmUIssgyLR&t=14599  Jim Curnutt, Morro Bay, urged the City to update the A/V system and provide closed captioning.
 Bob Lloyd, AGP Video, commented in support of Alternative #2, noting a modern system can be expanded to accommodate more cameras for larger joint meetings or stakeholders events.  Nic De Angelis, Morro Bay, opined the report was incomplete as it didn't address the potential return on investment.
 Betty Winholtz, Morro Bay, preferred Alternative #1 with at least one operator and dynamic cameras at all meetings. She restated her request for an overhead projector.

End of public comment.

Motion by Council Member Luffee
Seconded by Council Member Landrum
Approve Veterans Hall Semi-Automatic Audio/Visual Design Alternative 2.

Ayes (5): Mayor Wixom, Council Member Edwards, Council Member Eckles, Council Member Landrum, and Council Member Luffee

11 CARRIED (5 to 0)

10. COUNCIL DECLARATION OF FUTURE AGENDA ITEMS
https://youtu.be/XsgPfx4MKw0?si=JSZ_RoEvLJkDc_2R&t=15280 Council Member Luffee was interested in forming a promotional coordination committee and will meet with City Manager Kimball to discuss further.

Council Member Landrum asked that City Council Members be issued Cityowned cell phones for ease of compliance with the Public Records Act.

Council Member Eckles requested and received support to reconsider the April 22nd decision to stop the environmental work on the roundabout project. City Attorney Schultz explained that requires a formal motion for reconsideration by a member who voted in the majority, second by any member, and majority support to bring the item back at the next meeting.

Motion by Council Member Eckles
Seconded by Mayor Wixom
Moved to reconsider the motion on stopping funding of the environmental work that we took at the last meeting.

Ayes (4): Mayor Wixom, Council Member Edwards, Council Member Eckles, and Council Member Luffee
Noes (1): Council Member Landrum
CARRIED (4 to 1)

11. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 10:08 p.m.
.
/s/ Dana Swanson, City Clerk

1 MINUTES - MORRO BAY CITY COUNCIL

CLOSED SESSION MEETING
May 27, 2025, 4:30 p.m.

City Hall Conference Room
595 Harbor Street, Morro Bay, CA
Members Present: Mayor Carla Wixom
Council Member Cyndee Edwards
Council Member Jeff Eckles
Council Member Zara Landrum
Council Member Bill Luffee
Staff Present: Interim City Attorney Robert Schultz
_____________________________________________________________________

1. ESTABLISH QUORUM AND CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Wixom called the meeting to order at 4:30 p.m. with all members present.

2. SUMMARY OF CLOSED SESSION ITEMS

3. CLOSED SESSION PUBLIC COMMENT
Mayor Wixom opened public comment; seeing none, the public comment period was closed.

4. THE COUNCIL WILL CONVENE IN CLOSED SESSION

4.a PUBLIC EMPLOYEE EMPLOYMENT
City Attorney pursuant to Government Code Section 54957

5. RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION
The City Council reconvened in Open Session. The Council did not take any reportable action in accordance with the Brown Act.

6. ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 5:14 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,
/s/ Dana Swanson, City Clerk

1 MINUTES - MORRO BAY CITY COUNCIL

SPECIAL MEETING OF CITY COUNCIL
May 28, 2025, 3:00 p.m.

Veterans Memorial Hall
209 Surf St., Morro Bay, CA
Members Present: Mayor Carla Wixom
Council Member Cyndee Edwards
Council Member Jeff Eckles
Council Member Zara Landrum
Council Member Bill Luffee
Staff Present: City Manager Yvonne Kimball
Interim City Attorney Robert Schultz
City Clerk Dana Swanson
Finance Director Emily Conrad
Public Works Director Greg Kwolek
Community Development Director Airlin Singewald
Police Chief Amy Watkins
Fire Chief Dan McCrain
Harbor Vitality Director Chris Munson
Accounting Manager Melissa Atchison
_____________________________________________________________________

1. ESTABLISH QUORUM AND CALL TO ORDER
Mayor Wixom called the meeting to order at 3:03 p.m. with all members present.

2. PUBLIC COMMENT FOR ITEMS ON THE AGENDA
https://youtu.be/f4CmPq64F1E?si=dZyirUmCsef-Csix&t=36
 Jamie Irons, Morro Bay, requested annual funding for striping, particularly at intersections in the downtown and high traffic areas, to improve pedestrian safety.
 Homer Alexander, Morro Bay, requested the City identify funding for Main Street/Highway 1 safety improvements and suggested the $1.2M coming back to the Measure Q/E fund be applied to capital projects, instead of the unassigned General Fund balance.
 Nic De Angelis, Morro Bay, called for more detailed information and highlighted the need to identify new revenue opportunities.

2 End of public comment.

3. SPECIAL MEETING AGENDA ITEM(S)

3.a BUDGET STUDY SESSION - REVIEW OF FISCAL YEAR 2025-26

DRAFT PROPOSED BUDGET
https://youtu.be/f4CmPq64F1E?si=z0D1diW9e_qZswab&t=537
City Manager Kimball and Finance Director Conrad presented the report and responded to Council inquiries.

Following questions and individual comments, there was concurrence to designate $1 Million in Measure E funding for paving. With regard to pedestrian safety enhancements at Main Street/Highway 41, staff was directed to pursue interim ideas using grant funding for the roundabout project.

No formal action was taken by the City Council. The proposed FY 2025- 26 Operating and Capital Budget will be presented for adoption at the June 24th Regular Meeting.

4. ADJOURN
The meeting adjourned at 5:29 p.m.
/s/ Dana Swanson, Clerk

A PROCLAMATION OF THE CITY COUNCIL

OF THE CITY OF MORRO BAY

PROCLAIMING THE SECOND SATURDAY
IN JUNE 2025 AS “JUNETEENTH DAY” IN

THE CITY OF MORRO BAY

CITY COUNCIL
City of Morro Bay, California
WHEREAS, Juneteenth has become the harbinger of the ending of the Institution of Slavery in the Great Nation; and
WHEREAS, Juneteenth embodies the indomitable human spirit of the past, in the present, and all time; and
WHEREAS, the celebration of Juneteenth gives us all the opportunity to rededicate ourselves to the true American spirit; and
WHEREAS, we are citizens that wish to secure the Blessings of Freedom, Justice, and Equality for all in this great Country of ours; and
WHEREAS, the collaboration of community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, and local businesses are committed to being part of the solution and guidance in continuing the importance of strength through unity.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AND ORDERED that the City Council of the City of Morro Bay, is proclaiming the second Saturday in June 2025 as “Juneteenth Day” and recommends all citizens of the City of Morro Bay to join in recognizing the importance of this day.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have
hereunto set my hand and caused
the seal of the City of Morro Bay to
be affixed this 10
th day of June, 2025

CARLA WIXOM, MAYOR
City of Morro Bay, California

Prepared By: ___DM_______ Dept Review: ________
City Manager Review: __YK______ City Attorney Review: __RWS_______ Staff Report
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council DATE: May 16, 2025 FROM: Daniel McCrain, Fire Chief
SUBJECT: Ordinance No. 671 amending Morro Bay Municipal Code Chapter 14.08.080 to adopt the California State Fire Marshal Fire Hazard Severity Zone Map for Morro Bay

RECOMMENDED ACTION
Adopt Ordinance No.671, “An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Morro Bay, California, Repealing and Replacing Chapter 14.08.080 of Title 14 (“Buildings and Construction”) of the Morro Bay Municipal Code relating to Fire Hazard Severity Zones” with adoption of the California State Fire Marshal Fire Hazard Severity Zone map for the City of Morro Bay as required by senate Bill 63 and Government Code 51178.5.

ALTERNATIVES
None are recommended.

FISCAL IMPACT
No fiscal impact identified.

BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
At the May 27, 2025 Regular Meeting, Council was presented a report and proposed Ordinance No. 671 entitled, “An Ordinance of the City Council of the City of Morro Bay, California, Repealing and Replacing Chapter 14.08.080 of Title 14 (“Buildings and Construction”) of the Morro Bay Municipal Code relating to Fire Hazard Severity Zones” and adoption of the California State Fire Marshal Fire Hazard Severity Zone map for the City of Morro Bay as required by Senate Bill 63 and Government Code 51178.5.

A link to the May 27th staff report, attachments and presentation can be found here.

CONCLUSION
The Fire Department is recommending a municipal code ordinance update of Chapter 14.08.080 of the Morro Bay Municipal Code to adopt the proposed Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps in compliance with Senate Bill 63 (Stern, 2021).

ATTACHMENTS

1. Ordinance No. 671 amending MBMC Chapter 14.08.080 relating to Fire Hazard Severity AGENDA NO: 7.c
MEETING DATE: June 10, 2025

Zones

2. Proposed PDF map of LRA FHSZ Map for the City of Morro Bay.

ORDINANCE NO. 671

AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL

OF THE CITY OF MORRO BAY, CALIFORNIA
REPEALING AND REPLACING CHAPTER 14.08.080 OF TITLE 14 (“BUILDINGS AND CONSTRUCTION”) OF THE MORRO BAY MUNICIPAL CODE RELATING TO

FIRE HAZARD SEVERITY ZONES

T H E C I T Y C O U N C I L
City of Morro Bay, California
WHEREAS, the City of Morro Bay (“City”) is an incorporated city within the State of California; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that the prevention of wildland fires is a matter of both local and statewide concern; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that wildfires are extremely costly to property owners, residents, and local and state agencies; and that wildfires pose a serious threat to the preservation of the public peace, health, and safety; and
WHEREAS, the City Council finds that, because fire does not honor municipal boundaries, it is necessary that cities, counties, and state agencies cooperate on fire prevention measures in order to preserve the public peace, health, and safety; and WHEREAS, The California State Fire Marshal updated Fire Hazard Severity Zone maps for local Responsibility Areas; and
WHEREAS, Local Responsibility Areas (LRA) are incorporated cities, urban regions, agriculture lands, and portions of the desert where the local government is responsible for wildfire protection; and
WHEREAS, the City of Morro Bay meets the definition of a Local Responsibility Area having Moderate, High or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones within city limits; and WHEREAS, the State Fire Marshal has released updated Fire Hazard Severity Zone Maps, including a map for the City of Morro Bay, as of March 10, 2025.

WHEREAS, California Government Code Section 51179 and California Fire Code Section 4904.3.1 require a local agency to designate, by ordinance, Moderate, High, and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones within its jurisdiction within 120 days of receiving recommendations from the State Fire Marshal pursuant to Government Code Section 51178; and WHEREAS, The City of Morro Bay hereby designates the Fire Hazard Severity Zones as recommended by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection pursuant to Government Code Section 51178, and Government Code 51179

NOW THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF MORRO BAY CALIFORNIA, DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS:

SECTION 1. The recitals set forth above are true and correct and are hereby adopted as findings in support of this Ordinance as if fully set forth herein.

SECTION 2. The City of Morro Bay hereby designates the Fire Hazard Severity Zones as recommended by the Office of the State Fire Marshal pursuant to Government Code Section 51178, dated March 10, 2025, as the Fire Hazard Severity Zones for the City of Morro Bay.

SECTION 3. Severability. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this Ordinance is for any reason held invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, such a decision shall not affect the validity of the remaining portions of this Ordinance. The City Council declares that it would have passed this Ordinance and each section, subsection, sentence, clause, or phrase thereof, irrespective of the fact that one or more sections, subsections, sentences, clauses, or phrases, be declared invalid.

SECTION 4. All ordinances and parts of ordinances in conflict with those sections amended or added herein are hereby repealed.

SECTION 5. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall not become effective and in full force and effect until 12:01 a.m. on the thirty-first day after its final passage. However, within fifteen (15) days after adoption by the City Council, the Ordinance shall be published once, together with the names of the Council Members voting thereon, in a newspaper of general circulation within the City.

SECTION 6. Chapter 14.08.080 of Title 14 of the Morro Bay Municipal Code is repealed and replaced to read in its entirety as follows:

14.08.080 Fire Hazard Severity Zones
A. Purpose and Intent. The purpose of this chapter is to provide authority for the identification of local fire hazard severity zones and provide authority for enforcement of state and local codes in these zones. The intent of this chapter is to reduce the potential for fire losses by providing minimum requirements for the protection of properties constructed in very high hazard severity zones and other wildland/urban interface areas designated by the fire chief and supported by substantial evidence.

B. Designation—Recommendation. The Fire Chief is hereby authorized to designate Moderate, High Very, and High Fire Hazard Severity Zones within one hundred twenty days of receiving recommendations from the California State Fire Marshal.

C. Designation—Not Identified. The Fire Chief may designate areas not identified as Moderate, High, or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones by the California State Fire Marshal following a finding supported by substantial evidence in the record that the requirements for designation as Moderate, High, or Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones are necessary for effective fire protection within the area(s).

D. Supported by Substantial Evidence in the Record. "Supported by substantial evidence in the record" shall require the city council to hold a public hearing and make findings there is competent substantial evidence in the record to support the Fire Chief's designation as fire hazard areas.

E. Enforcement. The building official and or Fire Marshal shall enforce the provisions of Chapter 7A of the California Building Code and Chapter 49 of the California Fire Code in all High and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones and other areas designated by the Fire Chief and supported by substantial evidence in the record.

F. Permits. All submittals for subdivision, entitlement, or building permits shall demonstrate that the proposed project allows for compliance with the provisions of Government Code Section 51182 and Public Resource Code Section 4291, except where otherwise allowed by law, to the satisfaction of the fire chief and the building official.

G. Defensible Space. Per Government Code 51182 properties located within a Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone are subject to a 100-foot defensible space requirement where applicable.

H. Maps. The adopted Local Responsibility Area Fire Hazard Severity Zone map for the City of Morro Bay will be kept on file with the City Clerk and available on the city website.

I. Parcels with two or more Zone designations. If a parcel is designated to have two or more Fire Hazard Severity Zones the requirements of the more restrictive zone shall apply. ///
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J. DEFINITIONS. The following words and phrases, when used in this Chapter, shall have the meaning ascribed to them by this section unless it is apparent from the context that another meaning is intended.
(a) “Fire Hazard Severity Zones” means mapped area as defined by the Office of State Fire Marshal that designates zones (based on factors such as fuel, slope, fire behavior, ember cast) with varying degrees of fire hazard (i.e., moderate, high, and very high).

INTRODUCED at a regular meeting of the City Council of Morro Bay, held on the 27th day of May 2025 by motion of Councilmember Eckles and seconded by Councilmember Luffee.

PASSED AND ADOPTED on the 10th day of June 2025, by the following vote:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSENT:

ABSTAIN:

RECUSE:

____________________________
CARLA WIXOM, Mayor
ATTEST:
______________________________
DANA SWANSON, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_____________________________________
ROBERT W. SCHULTZ, City Attorney

STATE OF CALIFORNIA )

COUNTY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO )

CITY OF MORRO BAY )
I, Dana Swanson, CITY CLERK FOR THE CITY OF MORRO BAY, HEREBY CERTIFY the foregoing Ordinance Number 671 was duly adopted by the City Council of the City Council of the City Morro Bay at a regular meeting of said Council on the _____ day of _________ 2025 and that it was so adopted on by the following vote:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSENT:

ABSTAIN:

RECUSE:

IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the official seal of the City of Morro Bay, California, this ______ day of _______________, 2025.

DANA SWANSON, City Clerk

City and County boundaries as of 10/22/24 (CA Board of Equalization) CAL FIRE State Responsibility Areas (SRA25_1)
CAL FIRE Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZSRA23_3, FHSZLRA_25_1) Data Sources:

Daniel Berlant, State Fire Marshal, CA Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Joe Tyler, Director/Fire Chief, CA Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Wade Crowfoot, Secretary for Natural Resources, CA Natural Resources Agency The State of California and the Department of Forestry and Fire Gavin Newsom, Governor, State of California Protection make no representations or warranties regarding the accuracy of data or maps. Neither the State nor the Department shall be liable under any circumstances for any direct, special, incidental, or consequential damages with respect to any claim by any user or third party on account of, or arising from, the use of data or maps. and other relevant factors including areas where winds
have been identified by the Office of the State Fire Marshal as a major cause of wildfire spread.
statewide criteria and based on the severity of fire hazard that is expected to prevail in those areas. Moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones shall be based on fuel loading, slope, fire weather, Government Code section 51178 requires the State Fire
Marshal to identify areas in the state as moderate, high, and very high fire hazard severity zones based on consistent Unzoned LRA
Incorporated City
Projection: NAD 83 California Teale Albers
Scale: 1:37,000 at 11" x 17"
Km 0 1 2 3
Mi 0 1
Very High High Moderate
Very High High Moderate
Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ) in Local Responsibility Area (LRA), as Identified by the State Fire Marshal
Morro Bay
1 41

UNINCORPORATED

SAN LUIS
OBISPO CO.

UNINCORPORATED

SAN LUIS
OBISPO CO.

S
A
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I
S
O
B
I
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March 10, 2025
As Identified by the
State Fire Marshal
Local Responsibility Area
Fire Hazard Severity Zones
CITY OF MORRO BAY – SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY
Fire Hazard Severity Zones in State Responsibility
Area (SRA), Effective April 1, 2024

AGENDA NO: 7.d
MEETING DATE: June 10, 2025
Prepared By: ___AS_______ Dept Review: ________
City Manager Review: __YK______ City Attorney Review: __RWS_______ Staff Report
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council DATE: June 6, 2025 FROM: Airlin Singewald, Community Development Director
SUBJECT: Award of Consultant Contract to Placeworks, Inc. to prepare an update to the City’s Waterfront Master Plan and an Addendum to the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for Plan Morro Bay

RECOMMENDED ACTION
Authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with Placeworks, Inc. in the amount of $714,275 to prepare an update to the City’s Waterfront Master Plan and an Addendum to the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for Plan Morro Bay.

ALTERNATIVES
Review the report and provide direction to staff for revisions, amendments or alterations to the agreement and continue item to a future meeting.

FISCAL IMPACT
The proposed consultant contract will be funded by the City’s $750,000 California Coastal Commission grant to update the City’s Waterfront Master Plan. The City executed this grant agreement (LCP-24-04) with the Coastal Commission on January 16, 2025.

The Draft FY 25-26 City Budget includes $375,000 in anticipated grant revenue and professional services expenditures for the Waterfront Master Plan Update. The balance of the contract amount ($339,275) would be budgeted in FY 26-27.

Staff reserved $35,725 (equivalent to 5 percent of the Placeworks contract amount) for unanticipated project expenditures. This amount could be used to pay for temporary staff (e.g., an intern) or additional consultant support during the planning process.

BACKGROUND
Plan Morro Bay calls for the City to update the 1996 Waterfront Master Plan and prepare a sea level rise adaptation plan. To fund this work effort, the California Coastal Commission awarded the City a $750,000 local planning assistance grant.

Existing and Proposed Boundary of the Waterfront Master Plan The existing Waterfront Master Plan includes the area from Tidelands Park to Morro Rock. Per City Council direction, the Waterfront Master Plan boundary will be extended north to include the Vistra property and the following City-owned parcels: Morro Dunes RV park, former wastewater treatment plant, former concrete plant, Market Plaza, and boat storage area. The draft boundary update is depicted in the figure below, with a bold red line around the new areas. The existing boundary is outlined in black.

Consultant Selection
After receiving a grant agreement in January 2025, City staff published a Request for Proposals (RFP) to prepare the Waterfront Master Plan Update (WMP Update) on February 6, 2025.

The City received 10 proposals by the March 21, 2025 RFP deadline. One of the proposals was disqualified since the City did not receive a hard copy by the deadline.

The consultant selection committee for the WMP Update consisted of three Waterfront Master Plan Advisory Committee (WMPAC) members (Stephen Peck, Mary Witkowski, and Cherise Hansson), the Public Works Director (Greg Kwolek), Harbor Vitality Director (Chris Munson), City Planner (Susana Toner), and Community Development Director (Airlin Singewald).

The selection committee reviewed, rated, and ranked nine proposals, and interviewed the top four consultant teams. The interviews narrowed the field to three consultants. After the first round of interviews, the City Planner and Community Development Director held “meet and greet” interviews with the project managers from the top three firms and started negotiations with Placeworks, Inc., resulting in the attached final scope of work, schedule, and budget.

The Placeworks team includes the following sub-consultants: Central Coast Transportation Consulting (Transportation), GHD (Engineering), Merkel & Associates (Biological Services), and HR&A Advisors (Real Estate and Economic Development). Placeworks was one of the only firms that included a local office (in San Luis Obispo). They also have significant local experience as their team prepared Plan Morro Bay, including the existing sea level rise analysis, and the City’s 2017 Downtown Waterfront Strategic Plan. Placeworks’ project manager, Amy Sinsheimer, has over 20 years of local planning experience. As the former project manager on Plan Morro Bay, Amy Sinsheimer worked closely with the General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC), the model for the WMPAC.

The WMPAC will hold its first meeting on June 5, 2025. The purpose of the first WMPAC meeting is to receive an introductory report on the WMP Update and to review Placeworks’ scope of work, schedule, and budget. This staff report was submitted prior to the June 5, 2025 WMPAC meeting.

Staff will inform the Council on or before the June 10 Council meeting of any substantive WMPAC comments regarding the proposed contract with Placeworks.

Project Schedule
The project schedule is shown in the table below. The consultant contract assumes 18 WMPAC meetings to be held monthly between now and November 2026. Community and stakeholder outreach, including five public workshops, would occur throughout the planning process. After the WMP Update is adopted by City Council, it will be sent to the Coastal Commission for an LCP amendment.

Milestone / Deliverable Date
Contract Approval June 10, 2025
Project Kickoff Meeting and Tour June 2025
Background Report, SLR Analysis, and Market Study November 2025 Planning Commission Meeting – Background and Vision February 2026 Design Guidelines and Street End Public Plaza Design March 2026 Public Review Draft WMP Update June 2026
Planning Commission Hearing – Draft WMP Update July 2026 City Council Hearings October – November 2026
Coastal Commission Hearing June 2027

Community Engagement
The City’s RFP strongly encouraged consultants to place significant emphasis on community engagement during the WMP Update process. The RFP stated: “All aspects of Consultant’s scope of work should maximize public engagement and transparency.” City staff and our consultant will hold at least five public workshops on the Waterfront Master Plan Update. The WMP Update workshops will be held at the following key points:
 During the initial background gathering phase of the project  During visioning phase
 During evaluation of alternative land use and circulation concepts  During the review period of the Public Draft WMP
The consultant will also conduct stakeholder focus groups, individual interviews, and a communitywide survey.

Environmental Determination
The City’s adoption of the WMP Update will require an environmental determination under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Placeworks’ scope of work and budget includes preparation of an Addendum to Plan Morro Bay as the required CEQA determination for the WMP Update. Effectively, the Addendum will document that the WMP Update is consistent with the environmental analysis and conclusions of the EIR for Plan Morro Bay.

CONCLUSION
After a detailed evaluation of nine consultant proposals by a panel of WMPAC members and City staff, the Community Development Department is recommending the attached consultant contract with Placeworks for preparation of the grant-funded WMP Update and EIR Addendum.

ATTACHMENTS

1. Agreement for Services Between City of Morro Bay and Placeworks, Inc. to prepare an update to the City’s Waterfront Master Plan and an Addendum to the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for Plan Morro Bay.

2. WMPAC Meeting #1 (June 5, 2025 Staff Report)

01181.0001/813182.1 D-1

AGREEMENT FOR SERVICES

BETWEEN CITY OF MORRO BAY AND
PLACEWORKS, INC.

THIS AGREEMENT FOR SERVICES (“Agreement”) is made and entered into this 10 day of June, 2025 by and between CITY OF MORRO BAY, a California municipal corporation (“City”) and PlaceWorks, Inc., a California Corporation (“Consultant”). City and Consultant may be referred to individually as “Party” or collectively as “Parties.” In consideration of the mutual promises and covenants made by the Parties and contained herein and other consideration, the value and adequacy of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties agree as follows:

ARTICLE 1. SERVICES OF CONSULTANT

1.1 Scope of Services. In compliance with all terms and conditions of this Agreement, Consultant shall provide those services specified in the “Scope of Services” attached hereto as Exhibit A and incorporated herein by this reference, which may be referred to herein as the “services” or “work” hereunder. As a material inducement to City entering into this Agreement, Consultant represents and warrants: a) all services set forth in the Scope of Services will be performed in a competent and satisfactory manner; b) all materials used for services will be both of good quality as well as fit for the purpose intended; and, c) Consultant shall follow the highest professional standards and practices in performing the services required hereunder.

1.2 Consultant’s Proposal. The Scope of Services shall include the scope of services or work included in Consultant’s proposal or bid, which shall be incorporated herein by this reference as though fully set forth herein. In the event of any inconsistency between the terms of such proposal or bid, and this Agreement, the terms of this Agreement shall govern. No other terms and conditions from Consultant’s proposal or bid, other than description of scope of services or work, shall apply to this Agreement, unless specifically agreed to by City in writing.

1.3 Compliance with Law. All services rendered hereunder shall be provided in accordance with all ordinances, resolutions, statutes, rules and regulations of City and any federal, State or local governmental agency having jurisdiction in effect at the time services are rendered. City, and its officers, employees and agents, shall not be liable at law or in equity for failure of Consultant to comply with this Section.

1.4 Licenses, Permits, Fees and Assessments. Consultant shall obtain at its sole cost and expense such licenses, permits and approvals as may be required by law for the performance of the services required by this Agreement. Consultant shall have the sole obligation to pay for any fees, assessments and taxes, plus applicable penalties and interest, which may be imposed by law and arise from or are necessary for Consultant’s performance of the services required by this Agreement, and shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless City against any such fees, assessments, taxes, penalties or interest levied, assessed or imposed against City hereunder.

1.5 Additional Services and Compensation. City shall have the right at any time during the performance of the services, without invalidating this Agreement, to order extra work beyond that specified in the Scope of Services or make changes to the work by altering, adding to or deducting from said work. No such extra work may be undertaken unless a written order,

01181.0001/813182.1 D-2
consistent with both Section 9.4 as well as Morro Bay Municipal Code (“MBMC”) section

3.08.060 (and as amended), is first given by City to Consultant, incorporating therein any adjustment in the Contract Sum for the actual costs of the extra work and/or the time to perform this Agreement, which said adjustments are subject to the written approval of Consultant. It is expressly understood by Consultant that the provisions of this Section shall not apply to services specifically set forth in the Scope of Services or reasonably contemplated therein. Consultant hereby acknowledges that it accepts the risk that the services to be provided pursuant to the Scope of Services may be more costly or time consuming than Consultant anticipates and that Consultant shall not be entitled to additional compensation therefor. City may in its sole and absolute discretion have similar work done by other consultants.

1.6 Familiarity with Work. By executing this Agreement, Consultant represents and warrants Consultant: a) has thoroughly investigated and considered services to be performed, b) has carefully considered how services should be performed, and c) fully understands the facilities, difficulties and restrictions attending performance of services under this Agreement.

1.7 Software and Computer Services. If the Scope of Services includes the provision and/or installation of any software, computer system, or other computer technology, Consultant represents and warrants that it is familiar with and/or has inspected City’s current infrastructure, equipment, computer system and software and that the software, computer system, or other computer technology provided and/or installed by Consultant under this Agreement is compatible, and shall be fully functional, with such infrastructure, equipment, computer system and software of City. Consultant acknowledges that City is relying on this representation by Consultant as a material consideration in entering into this Agreement.

1.8 Prevailing Wages. If services include any “public work” or “maintenance work,” as those terms are defined in California Labor Code section 1720 et seq. and California Code of Regulations, Title 8, section 16000 et seq., and if the total compensation is $1,000 or more, Consultant shall pay prevailing wages for such work and comply with the requirements in California Labor Code section 1770 et seq. and 1810 et seq., and all other applicable laws.

1.9 Special Requirements. Additional terms and conditions of this Agreement, if any, which are made a part hereof are set forth in the “Special Requirements” attached hereto as Exhibit B and incorporated herein by this reference. In the event of a conflict between the provisions of Exhibit B and any other provisions of this Agreement, the provisions of Exhibit B shall govern.

ARTICLE 2. COMPENSATION AND METHOD OF PAYMENT

2.1 Contract Sum. Subject to any limitations set forth in this Agreement, City agrees to pay Consultant the amounts specified in the “Schedule of Compensation” attached hereto as Exhibit C and incorporated herein by this reference. The total compensation, including reimbursement for actual expenses, shall not exceed Seven Hundred Fourteen Thousand Two Hundred Seventy-Five Dollars ($714,275.00) (“Contract Sum”), unless additional compensation is approved pursuant to Section 1.5. Compensation may include reimbursement, for actual and necessary expenditures, if both specified in the Schedule of Compensation, as well as approved by City in advance. The Contract Sum shall include the attendance of Consultant at all project meetings reasonably deemed necessary by City. Consultant agrees that if Consultant becomes

01181.0001/813182.1 D-3
aware of any facts, circumstances, techniques, or events that may or will materially increase or decrease the cost of the work or services, Consultant shall promptly notify the Contract Officer of said fact, circumstance, technique or event and the estimated increased or decreased cost related thereto.

2.2 Invoices. Unless some other method of payment is specified in Exhibit C, Schedule of Compensation, in any month in which Consultant wishes to receive payment, no later than the first business day of such month, Consultant shall submit to City, in a form approved by City’s Finance Director, an invoice for services rendered prior to the date of the invoice. By submitting an invoice for payment under this Agreement, Consultant is certifying compliance with all provisions of this Agreement. Except as provided in Sections 7.3, 7.4 and 7.5, City shall pay Consultant for all expenses stated thereon which are approved by City pursuant to this Agreement generally within thirty (30) days, and City will use its best efforts to make payment no later than forty-five (45) days, from the submission of an invoice in an approved form. In the event any charges or expenses are disputed by City, the original invoice shall be returned by City to Consultant for correction and resubmission. Review and payment by City for any invoice provided by Consultant shall not constitute a waiver of any rights or remedies provided herein or any applicable law. Each invoice is to include (unless otherwise specified by City): 1) line items for all personnel describing the work performed, the number of hours worked, and the hourly rate; 2) line items for all materials and equipment properly charged to the Services; 3) line items for all other approved reimbursable expenses claimed, with supporting documentation; and 4) line items for all approved subcontractor labor, supplies, equipment, materials, and travel properly charged to the Services.

ARTICLE 3. PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE

3.1 Time of Essence. Time is of the essence in the performance of this Agreement.

3.2 Term. Unless earlier terminated in accordance with Article 7 of this Agreement, this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect until completion of the services, which shall be no later than November 30, 2026.

3.3 Schedule of Performance. Consultant shall commence the services pursuant to this Agreement upon receipt of a written notice to proceed and shall perform all services within the time period(s) established in the “Schedule of Performance” attached hereto as Exhibit D and incorporated herein by this reference.

3.4 Force Majeure. The time period(s) specified in the Schedule of Performance for performance of the services rendered pursuant to this Agreement shall be extended because of any delays due to unforeseeable causes beyond the control and without the fault or negligence of Consultant, including, but not restricted to, acts of God or of the public enemy, unusually severe weather, fires, earthquakes, floods, epidemics, quarantine restrictions, riots, strikes, freight embargoes, wars, litigation, and/or acts of any governmental agency, including City, if Consultant shall within ten (10) days of the commencement of such delay notify City in writing of the causes of the delay. City shall ascertain the facts and the extent of delay, and extend the time for performing the services for the period of the enforced delay when and if in the judgment of City such delay is justified. City’s determination shall be final and conclusive upon the Parties to this

01181.0001/813182.1 D-4
Agreement. In no event shall Consultant be entitled to recover damages against City for any delay in the performance of this Agreement, however caused, Consultant’s sole remedy being extension of this Agreement pursuant to this Section.

ARTICLE 4. COORDINATION OF WORK

4.1 Representative of Consultant. The representative of Consultant is Amy Sinsheimer, Senior Associate II, who is authorized to act on Consultant’s behalf with respect to the work or services specified herein and to make all decisions in connection therewith. It is expressly understood that the experience, knowledge, capability and reputation of the representative was a substantial inducement for City to enter into this Agreement. Therefore, the representative shall be responsible during the term of this Agreement for directing all activities of Consultant and devoting sufficient time to personally supervise the services hereunder. For purposes of this Agreement, the representative may not be replaced nor may their responsibilities be substantially reduced by Consultant without the express written approval of City.

4.2 Contract Officer for City. The Contract Officer for City is Airlin Singewald, Community Development Director (or such person as may be designated by the City Manager).

The Contract Officer shall be the primary person on behalf of City responsible for the administration of the Agreement. It shall be Consultant’s responsibility to assure that the Contract Officer is kept informed of both the progress of the performance of the services as well as any decisions which must be made by City.

4.3 Approvals from City. City approvals or actions, pursuant to the authority of this Agreement, are to be made (unless otherwise specified) either by the City Manager or by their delegate as provided for in writing.

4.4 Independent Contractor. Neither City, nor any of its officers, employees or agents, shall have any control over the manner or means by which Consultant, or its officers, employees, agents or subcontractors, perform the services required herein, except as otherwise set forth herein. Consultant shall perform all services required herein as an independent contractor of City and shall remain under only such obligations as are consistent with that role. Consultant shall not at any time or in any manner represent that it, or any of its officers, employees, agents or subcontractors, are officers, employees or agents of City. City shall not in any way or for any purpose become or be deemed to be a partner of Consultant in its business or otherwise or a joint venturer or a member of any joint enterprise with Consultant. Consultant shall not incur or have the power to incur any debt, obligation or liability whatever against City, or bind City in any manner. Consultant represents and warrants that the personnel used to provide services to City pursuant to this Agreement shall at all times be under Consultant’s exclusive control and direction.

No City employee benefits shall be available to Consultant, its officers, employees, agents or subcontractors, in connection with the performance of this Agreement. City shall not be liable for compensation or indemnification to Consultant, its officers, employees, agents or subcontractors, for injury or sickness arising out of performing services hereunder. In the event that Consultant or any officer, employee, agent, or subcontractor of Consultant providing services under this Agreement claims or is determined by a federal or state agency, a court of competent jurisdiction, or the California Public Employees’ Retirement System, to be classified as other than an independent contractor for City, then Consultant shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless City

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for the payment of any and all assessed fines, penalties, judgments, employee and/or employer contributions, and any other damages and costs assessed to City as a consequence of, or in any way attributable to, the assertion that Consultant, or any officer, employee, agent, or subcontractor Consultant used to provide services under this Agreement, is/are employees of City.

4.5 Subcontracting or Assignment. The experience, knowledge, capability and reputation of Consultant, its principals and employees were a substantial inducement for City to enter into this Agreement. Therefore, without express written approval of City, Consultant shall not contract with any other entity to perform in whole or in part services required hereunder without express written approval of City, and neither this Agreement nor any interest herein may be transferred or assigned. No approved transfer shall release Consultant, or any surety or insured of Consultant, of any liability hereunder without express written consent of City.

ARTICLE 5. INSURANCE AND INDEMNIFICATION

5.1 Insurance Coverages. Prior to commencement of any services under this Agreement, and without limiting Consultant’s indemnification obligation to City, Consultant shall procure and maintain, at its sole cost and expense, in a form and content satisfactory to City, for the duration of the Agreement, primary policies of insurance of the type and amounts below, issued by an insurance company currently authorized by the Insurance Commissioner to transact business of insurance or is on the List of Approved Surplus Line Insurers in the State of California, with an assigned policyholders’ Rating of A- (or higher) and Financial Size Category Class VII (or larger) in accordance with the latest edition of Best’s Key Rating Guide, unless otherwise approved by City, which shall cover all elected and appointed officers, employees and agents of City. City reserves the right at any time during the term of the Agreement to change the amounts and types of insurance required by giving Consultant ninety (90) days advance written notice of such change.

If such change results in substantial additional cost to Consultant, City and Consultant may renegotiate Consultant’s compensation.
(a) Commercial General Liability Insurance. A policy of commercial general liability insurance, with coverage at least as broad as Insurance Services Office (“ISO”) form CG 00 01, written on a per occurrence basis for bodily injury, personal injury and property damage. Defense costs must be paid in addition to limits. Coverage for an additional insured shall not be limited to its vicarious liability. The policy must include contractual liability that has not been amended. Any endorsement restricting standard ISO “insured contract” language will not be accepted. Limits shall be no less than $1,000,000 per occurrence for all covered losses and no less than $2,000,000 general aggregate.
(b) Worker’s Compensation Insurance. A policy of worker’s compensation insurance in such amount as will fully comply with the laws of the State of California and which shall indemnify, insure and provide legal defense for Consultant against any loss, claim or damage arising from any injuries or occupational diseases occurring to any worker employed by or any persons retained by Consultant in the course of carrying out the work or services contemplated in this Agreement.
(c) Automobile Liability. A policy of comprehensive automobile liability insurance, at least as broad as ISO form CA 00 01, written on a per occurrence basis covering

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bodily injury and property damage in an amount not less than $1,000,000 combined single limit for each accident. Said policy shall include coverage for owned, non-owned, leased, hired cars and any automobile.
(d) Professional Liability. Professional liability insurance appropriate to Consultant’s profession. This coverage may be written on a “claims made” basis and must include coverage for contractual liability. Any policy inception date, continuity date, or retroactive date must be before the effective date of this Agreement. The professional liability insurance required by this Agreement must be endorsed to be applicable to claims based upon, arising out of, or related to services performed under this Agreement. The insurance must be maintained for at least five (5) consecutive years following the completion of Consultant’s services or the termination of this Agreement. During this additional 5-year period, Consultant shall annually and upon request of City submit written evidence of this continuous coverage. Limits shall be no less than $1,000,000 per claim and no less than $1,000,000 general aggregate. (e) Cyber Liability. Cyber liability insurance appropriate to Consultant’s profession and the services hereunder, written on a per occurrence basis, with limits not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence/loss, and $2,000,000 in the aggregate. Coverage shall be sufficiently broad to respond to the duties and obligations undertaken by Consultant pursuant to this Agreement and shall include, but not be limited to, claims involving: infringement of intellectual property; copyright; trademark; invasion of privacy violations; data breach; electronic information theft, loss, damage, destruction, alteration or misuse; release of private information; extortion; and, network security. The policy shall provide coverage for breach response costs, regulatory fines and penalties, and credit monitoring expenses, with limits sufficient to respond to these obligations.
(f) Excess Liability Insurance. Excess liability insurance may be used to satisfy the obligations herein. If excess liability insurance is used then the policy shall meet all the requirements herein and be at least as broad as the primary coverages set forth herein. Such policy shall: 1) include a drop down feature requiring the policy to respond if primary insurance that would otherwise have applied proves to be uncollectible in whole or in part for any reason; 2) be payable on behalf of wording as opposed to reimbursement; 3) have concurrency of effective dates with primary policies; 4) “follow form” to the underlying primary policies; and, 5) provide insureds, under primary policies required herein, shall be insureds under the excess liability policy. (g) Subcontractors. In the event Consultant subcontracts any portion of the work in compliance with Section 4.5 of this Agreement, Consultant shall either: 1) include each subcontractor as insureds under its policies of insurance required herein; or, 2) Consultant shall furnish to City all documentation, required in Article 5 for Consultant, for each subcontractor. All coverages for subcontractors shall include all of the requirements stated herein.

5.2 General Insurance Requirements.
(a) Proof of Insurance, Enforcement and Notice. No work or services under this Agreement shall commence until both Consultant has provided City with insurance certificates, endorsement forms and appropriate insurance binders evidencing the above insurance coverages, as well as said documentation is approved by City. City reserves the right to inspect

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complete, certified copies of, and endorsements to, all required insurance policies, at any time.

Any failure to comply with the reporting or other provisions of the policies including breaches or warranties shall not affect coverage provided to City. In the event any insurance policy required under this Agreement is cancelled or amended (and the insurance policy is not replaced pursuant to subsection (b) below), or does not comply with Article 5, then: 1) City has the right but not the duty to obtain insurance required herein and any premium paid by City will be promptly reimbursed by Consultant or City will withhold amounts sufficient to pay premium from Consultant payments; or, 2) City, notwithstanding any other provisions of this Agreement, may immediately terminate this Agreement. Consultant shall give City prompt and timely notice of claims made or suits instituted that arise out of or result from Consultant’s performance under this Agreement, and that involve or may involve coverage under any of the required insurance policies. (b) Cancellation/Amendment. All of herein required policies of insurance shall provide the insurance may not be amended or cancelled by insurer or any Party hereto without providing thirty (30) calendar days prior written notice (with exception of ten (10) calendar days prior written notice for nonpayment) to City. In the event any of said policies of insurance are amended or cancelled, Consultant shall, five (5) business days prior to the cancellation date, submit new evidence of insurance in conformance with this Agreement to City. (c) Additional Insureds. The commercial general liability policy provided for in Section 5.1(a) and the automobile liability policy provided for in Section 5.1(c) both shall name City and its elected and appointed officers, employees and agents (“City Parties”) as additional insureds and such coverage shall contain no special limitations on the scope of protection afforded to City and City Parties. A severability of interests provision must apply for all additional insureds ensuring that Consultant’s insurance shall apply separately to each insured against whom claim is made or suit is brought, except with respect to the limits of the insurer’s liability, and policies of insurance shall not contain any cross-liability exclusions. (d) Primary, Subrogation, Contribution and Coverage. All of the above policies of insurance shall be primary insurance. The insurers for above policies, Consultant and any subcontractors are all deemed hereof to waive all rights of subrogation and contribution they may have against City or City Parties, and their respective insurers, and all insurance policies required herein shall be endorsed to waive such rights. Any insurance maintained by City or City Parties will apply in excess of, and not contribute with, Consultant’s insurance. If Consultant maintains broader coverage and/or higher limits than the minimum amounts provided herein, City requires and shall be entitled to the broader coverage and/or higher limits maintained by Consultant. Any available insurance proceeds in excess of the specified minimum limits of insurance and coverage shall be available to City and City Parties. None of the coverages required herein will be in compliance with this Agreement if they include any limiting endorsement of any kind that has not been first submitted to City and approved of in writing. Requirements of specific coverage features or limits contained herein are not intended as a limitation on coverage, limits or other requirements, or a waiver of any coverage normally provided by any insurance. Specific reference to a given coverage feature is for purposes of clarification only as it pertains to a given issue and is not intended by any Party or insured to be all inclusive, or to the exclusion of other coverage, or a waiver of any type.
(e) Limitations, Self- Insured Retention and Deductibles. Consultant agrees

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that requirements of Article 5 shall not be construed as limiting in any way the extent to which Consultant may be held responsible for the payment of damages to any persons or property resulting from Consultant’s activities or the activities of any person or persons for which Consultant is otherwise responsible nor shall it limit Consultant’s indemnification liabilities as provided in Section 5.3. All insurance policies must specify that where the primary insured does not satisfy any self-insured retention, any additional insured may satisfy the self-insured retention.

Any deductibles or self-insured retentions must be declared to and approved by City. At City’s option, either the insurer shall reduce or eliminate such deductibles or self-insured retentions as respects City and City Parties, or Consultant shall procure a bond guaranteeing payment of losses and related investigations, claim administration, attorney’s fees, defense expenses and claims.

5.3 Indemnification.
(a) General Obligations. Consultant agrees, to the full extent permitted by law, to indemnify, defend and hold harmless City and its elected and appointed officers, employees and agents (each an “Indemnitee” and collectively, “Indemnitees”) against, and will hold and save them and each of them harmless from, whether actual or threatened, any and all actions, either judicial, administrative, arbitration or regulatory claims, damages to persons or property, losses, costs, penalties, obligations, errors, omissions or liabilities (herein “Claims or Liabilities”) that may be asserted or claimed by any person, firm or entity arising out of or in connection with the negligent performance of the work, operations or activities provided herein of Consultant, its officers, employees, agents, subcontractors, or invitees, or any individual or entity for which Consultant is legally liable (each an “Indemnitor” and collectively, “Indemnitors”), or arising from Indemnitors’ reckless or willful misconduct, or arising from Indemnitors’ negligent performance of or failure to perform any term, provision, covenant or condition of this Agreement, and in connection therewith: 1) Consultant will defend any action or actions filed or threatened in connection with any such Claims or Liabilities, or at option of Indemnitee(s) will reimburse and pay for all costs and expenses, including legal costs and attorneys’ fees, incurred by Indemnitee(s) in connection therewith; and, 2) Consultant will promptly pay any judgment rendered against Indemnitee(s) for any such Claims or Liabilities, and will save and hold Indemnitee(s) harmless therefrom.
(b) Further Provisions. The indemnity obligation herein shall be binding on successors, assigns and heirs of Consultant and shall survive termination of this Agreement.

Consultant shall incorporate similar indemnity agreements as provided herein with its subcontractors, and if Consultant fails to do so Consultant shall be fully responsible to indemnify City hereunder therefor. Failure of City and/or City Parties (collectively “City” for solely this Section 5.3(b)) to monitor compliance with any of the indemnification provisions herein shall not be a waiver hereof. The indemnification provisions herein do not apply to claims or liabilities occurring as a result of City’s sole negligence or willful misconduct, but, to the fullest extent permitted by law, shall apply to claims and liabilities resulting in part from City’s negligence, except that design professionals’ indemnity hereunder shall be limited to claims and liabilities arising out of the negligence, recklessness or willful misconduct of the design professional. The indemnification provided herein includes Claims or Liabilities arising from any negligent or wrongful act, error or omission, or reckless or willful misconduct of Indemnitors in the performance of professional services hereunder. Payment of invoices by City is not a condition precedent to enforcement of the indemnity obligation herein. In the event of any dispute between

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Consultant and City, as to whether liability arises from the sole negligence or willful misconduct of City, Consultant will be obligated to pay for City’s defense until such time as a final judgment has been entered adjudicating City as solely negligent or responsible for willful misconduct.

Consultant will not be entitled in the absence of such a determination to any reimbursement of defense costs including but not limited to attorney’s fees, expert fees and costs of litigation. (c) Professional Liability. When the law establishes a professional standard of care for Consultant’s services, to the fullest extent permitted by law, Consultant shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless Indemnitees against, and will hold and save them and each of them harmless from, whether actual or threatened, any and all Claims and Liabilities, consistent with all obligations provided for in this Section 5.3, to the extent same are caused in whole or in part by any negligent or wrongful act, error or omission, or reckless or willful misconduct of Indemnitors in the performance of professional services under this Agreement.

ARTICLE 6. RECORDS, REPORTS AND RELEASE OF INFORMATION

6.1 Records. Consultant shall keep, and require subcontractors to keep, such ledgers, books of accounts, invoices, vouchers, canceled checks, reports, studies or other documents relating to the disbursements charged to City and services performed hereunder (“books and records”) as shall be necessary to perform the services required by this Agreement and enable City to evaluate the performance of such services. Any and all such books and records shall be maintained in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, shall be complete and detailed, and shall be readily accessible. City shall have full and free access to such books and records at all times during normal business hours of City, including the right to inspect, copy, audit and make records and transcripts. Such books and records shall be maintained for a period of three (3) years following completion of the services hereunder. City shall have access to such books and records in the event any audit is required. Consultant shall fully cooperate with City in providing access to any and all Consultant records and documents if a public records request is made and disclosure is required by law including but not limited to the California Public Records Act.

6.2 Ownership of Documents. All drawings, specifications, maps, designs, photographs, studies, surveys, data, notes, computer files, reports, records, documents and other materials (“documents and materials”) prepared by Consultant, its officers, employees, agents and subcontractors in the performance of this Agreement shall be the property of City and shall be delivered to City upon request of City and/or upon the termination of this Agreement, and Consultant shall have no claim for further employment or additional compensation as a result of the exercise by City of its full rights of ownership, use, reuse, or assignment of the documents and materials hereunder. Consultant may retain copies of such documents and materials for its own use. Consultant shall have the right to use the concepts embodied therein. All subcontractors shall provide for assignment to City of any documents and materials prepared by them, and in the event Consultant fails to secure such assignment, Consultant shall indemnify City for all damages resulting therefrom. Moreover, with respect to any Consultant documents and materials that may qualify as “works made for hire” as defined in 17 U.S.C. § 101, such documents and materials are hereby deemed “works made for hire” for City.

6.3 Confidentiality and Release of Information. All information gained or work product produced by Consultant in its performance of this Agreement shall be considered

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confidential, unless such information is in the public domain or already known to Consultant.

Consultant shall not release or disclose any such information or work product to persons or entities other than City without prior written authorization from City. Consultant, its officers, employees, agents or subcontractors, shall not, without prior written authorization from City or unless requested by the City Attorney, voluntarily provide documents, declarations, letters of support, testimony at depositions, response to interrogatories or other information concerning the work performed under this Agreement. Response to a subpoena or court order shall not be considered “voluntary” provided Consultant immediately gives City notice of such court order or subpoena.

If Consultant, or any officer, employee, agent or subcontractor of Consultant, provides any information or work product in violation of this Agreement, then City shall have the right to reimbursement and indemnity from Consultant for any damages, costs and fees, including attorney’s fees, caused by or incurred as a result of Consultant’s conduct. As concerning, regarding or related to, in any way, this Agreement and the work performed thereunder: a) Consultant shall immediately notify City should Consultant, its officers, employees, agents or subcontractors be served with any summons, complaint, subpoena, notice of deposition, request for documents, interrogatories, request for admissions or other discovery request, court order or subpoena from any party; b) City retains the right, but has no obligation, to represent Consultant or be present at any deposition, hearing or similar proceeding; and, c) Consultant agrees to cooperate fully with City and to provide City with the opportunity to review any response to discovery requests provided by Consultant, however, this right to review any such response does not imply or mean the right by City to control, direct, or rewrite said response.

ARTICLE 7. ENFORCEMENT OF AGREEMENT AND TERMINATION

7.1 California Law. This Agreement shall be interpreted, construed and governed both as to validity and to performance of the Parties in accordance with the laws of the State of California. Legal actions concerning any dispute, claim or matter arising out of or in relation to this Agreement shall be instituted in the Superior Court of the County of San Luis Obispo, State of California, or any other appropriate court in such county, and Consultant agrees to submit to the personal jurisdiction of such court in the event of such action. In the event of litigation in a U.S.

District Court, venue shall lie exclusively in the Central District of California, in the County of San Luis Obispo, State of California.

7.2 Suspension, or Termination, Prior to Expiration of Term. This Section shall govern any termination of this Agreement except as specifically provided in Section 7.4 for termination for cause. City reserves the right to terminate or suspend this Agreement, or any portion hereof, at any time, for any reason, with or without cause, upon ten (10) days’ notice to Consultant, except that where termination or suspension is due to the fault of Consultant, the period of notice may be such shorter time as determined by City. Upon receipt of any notice of termination or suspension, Consultant shall immediately cease all services hereunder, unless the notice provides otherwise, or except such as specifically approved by City. Upon submittal of an invoice consistent with Section 2.2, Consultant shall be entitled to compensation for all services rendered prior to the effective date of the notice of termination or suspension and for any services authorized by City thereafter in accordance with the Schedule of Compensation, or such as may be approved

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by City, except as provided in Section 7.5. In event of termination, or suspension, without cause pursuant to this Section, there is no need to provide opportunity to cure pursuant to Section 7.3.

7.3 Default of Consultant and Opportunity to Cure. In the event that Consultant is in default under the terms of this Agreement, City shall not have any obligation or duty to continue compensating Consultant for any work performed after the date of default. Instead, City may give notice to Consultant of the default and the reasons for the default. The notice shall include the timeframe in which Consultant may cure the default. This timeframe is presumptively ten (10) days, but may be extended, or reduced, if circumstances warrant, as determined by City. During the period of time that Consultant is in default, City shall hold all invoices and shall, when the default is cured, proceed with payment on the invoices, without liability for interest. In the alternative, City may, in its sole discretion, elect to pay some or all of the outstanding invoices during the period of default. If Consultant does not cure the default by conclusion of noticed timeframe, City may immediately both terminate this Agreement with notice to Consultant as well as pursue the remedy in Section 7.4, without prejudice to any other remedy to which City may be entitled at law, in equity or under this Agreement. Any failure on the part of City to give notice of Consultant’s default shall not be deemed to result in a waiver of City’s legal rights or any rights arising out of any provision of this Agreement.

7.4 Termination for Default of Consultant. If termination is due to the failure of Consultant to fulfill its obligations under this Agreement, City may, after compliance with the provisions of Section 7.3, take over the work and prosecute the same to completion by contract or otherwise, and Consultant shall be liable to the extent that the total cost for completion of the services required hereunder exceeds the compensation herein stipulated (provided that City shall use reasonable efforts to mitigate such damages), and City may withhold any payments to Consultant for the purpose of set-off or partial payment of the amounts owed City therefor.

7.5 Retention of Funds. Consultant hereby authorizes City to deduct from any amount payable to Consultant (whether or not arising out of this Agreement) (i) any amounts the payment of which may be in dispute hereunder or which are necessary to compensate City for any losses, costs, liabilities, or damages suffered by City, and (ii) all amounts for which City may be liable to third parties, by reason of Consultant’s acts or omissions in performing or failing to perform Consultant’s obligation under this Agreement. In the event that any claim is made by a third party, the amount or validity of which is disputed by Consultant, or any indebtedness shall exist which shall appear to be the basis for a claim of lien, City may withhold from any payment due, without liability for interest because of such withholding, an amount sufficient to cover such claim. The failure of City to exercise such right to deduct or to withhold shall not, however, affect the obligations of Consultant to insure, indemnify, and protect City as elsewhere provided herein.

7.6 Waiver. Waiver by any Party to this Agreement of any term, condition, or covenant of this Agreement shall not constitute a waiver of any other term, condition, or covenant. Waiver by any Party of any breach of the provisions of this Agreement shall not constitute a waiver of any other provision or a waiver of any subsequent breach or violation of any provision of this Agreement. Acceptance by City of any work or services by Consultant shall not constitute a waiver of any of the provisions of this Agreement. No delay or omission in the exercise of any right or remedy by a non-defaulting Party on any default shall impair such right or remedy or be construed as a waiver. Any waiver by either Party of any default must be in writing and shall not be a waiver

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of any other default concerning the same or any other provision of this Agreement. Consultant acknowledges and agrees that any actual or alleged failure on the part of City to inform Consultant of non-compliance with any requirement of this Agreement imposes no additional obligations on City nor does it waive any rights hereunder. Payment to Consultant for work performed pursuant to this Agreement shall not be deemed to waive any defects in work performed by Consultant.

7.7 Rights and Remedies are Cumulative. Except with respect to rights and remedies expressly declared to be exclusive in this Agreement, the rights and remedies of the Parties are cumulative and the exercise by either Party of one or more of such rights or remedies shall not preclude the exercise by it, at the same or different times, of any other rights or remedies for the same default or any other default by the other Party.

7.8 Legal Action. In addition to any other rights or remedies, either Party may take legal action, in law or in equity, to cure, correct or remedy any default, to recover damages for any default, to compel specific performance of this Agreement, to obtain declaratory or injunctive relief, or to obtain any other remedy consistent with the purposes of this Agreement.

Notwithstanding any contrary provision herein, Consultant shall file a statutory claim pursuant to Government Code sections 905 et seq. and 910 et seq., in order to pursue a legal action under this Agreement.

7.9 Attorneys’ Fees. If either Party to this Agreement is required to initiate or defend or made a party to any action or proceeding in any way connected with this Agreement, the prevailing party in such action or proceeding, in addition to any other relief which may be granted, whether legal or equitable, shall be entitled to reasonable attorneys’ fees. Attorneys’ fees shall include attorneys’ fees on any appeal, and a Party entitled to attorneys’ fees shall be entitled to all other reasonable costs for investigating such action, consultants’ fees, taking depositions and discovery and all other necessary costs the court allows which are incurred in such litigation. Such fees and costs shall be enforceable whether or not such action is prosecuted to judgment.

ARTICLE 8. INDIVIDUAL LIABILITY, CONFLICTS AND NON-DISCRIMINATION

8.1 Non-liability of City Officers and Employees. No officer or employee of City shall be personally liable to Consultant, or any successor in interest, in the event of any default or breach by City or for any amount which may become due to Consultant or to its successor, or for breach of any obligation of the terms of this Agreement.

8.2 Conflict of Interest. Consultant covenants that neither it, nor any officer or principal of its firm, has or shall acquire any interest, directly or indirectly, which would conflict in any manner with the interests of City or which would in any way hinder Consultant’s performance of services under this Agreement. Consultant further covenants that in the performance of this Agreement, no person having any such interest shall be employed by it as an officer, employee, agent or subcontractor without the express written consent of City. Consultant agrees to at all times avoid conflicts of interest or the appearance of any conflicts of interest with the interests of City in the performance of this Agreement. City, in its sole discretion, shall determine the existence of a conflict of interest and may terminate this Agreement in the event such a conflict of interest exists upon sending Consultant written notice describing the conflict.

No officer or employee of City shall have any financial interest, direct or indirect, in this

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Agreement nor shall any such officer or employee participate in any decision relating to this Agreement which affects their financial interest or the financial interest of any corporation, partnership or association in which they are, directly or indirectly, interested, in violation of any State statute or regulation. Consultant warrants that it has not paid or given and will not pay or give any third party any money or other consideration for obtaining this Agreement.

8.3 Covenant Against Discrimination. Consultant covenants that, by and for itself, its heirs, executors, assigns, and all persons claiming under or through them, that there shall be no discrimination against or segregation of, any person or group of persons on account of race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, ancestry or other protected class in the performance of this Agreement. Consultant shall take affirmative action to insure that applicants are employed and that employees are treated during employment without regard to their race, color, creed, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, ancestry or other protected class.

ARTICLE 9. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

9.1 Notices. Any notice or other communication either Party desires or is required to give to the other Party or any other person in regards to this Agreement must be in writing and may be given either by (i) personal service, (ii) delivery by a reputable document delivery service, such as but not limited to, Federal Express, which provides a receipt showing date and time of delivery, or (iii) mailing in the United States Mail, certified mail, postage prepaid, return receipt requested, in the case of City addressed to City Clerk at City of Morro Bay, 595 Harbor Street, Morro Bay, CA 93442, and in the case of Consultant, to the person(s) at the address designated on the execution page of this Agreement. Either Party may change its address by notifying the other Party of the change of address in writing. Notice shall be deemed communicated at the time personally delivered or in seventy-two (72) hours from the time of mailing if mailed as provided in this Section.

9.2 Interpretation. The terms of this Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the meaning of the language used and shall not be construed for or against either Party by reason of the authorship of this Agreement, headings used, or any other rule of construction which might otherwise apply.

9.3 Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, and such counterparts shall constitute one and the same instrument.

9.4 Integration; Amendment. This Agreement including the attachments hereto is the entire, complete and exclusive expression of the understanding of the Parties as to the Agreement.

It is understood that there are no oral agreements between the Parties hereto affecting this Agreement, and this Agreement supersedes and cancels any and all prior and contemporaneous negotiations, arrangements, agreements and understandings, if any, between the Parties, concerning this Agreement, and none shall be used to interpret this Agreement. No amendment to or modification of this Agreement shall be valid unless made in writing and approved by Consultant and (consistent with, as amended, Chapter 3.08 of the MBMC) by City.

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9.5 Severability. Should a portion of this Agreement be declared invalid or unenforceable by a judgment or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceability shall not affect any of the remaining portions of this Agreement which are hereby declared as severable and shall be interpreted to carry out the intent of the Parties unless the invalid provision is so material that its invalidity deprives either Party of the basic benefit of their bargain or renders this Agreement meaningless.

9.6 No Undue Influence. Consultant declares and warrants that no undue influence or pressure was used against or in concert with any officer or employee of City in connection with the award, terms or implementation of this Agreement, including any method of coercion, confidential financial arrangement, or financial inducement. No officer or employee of City has or will receive compensation, directly or indirectly, from Consultant, or from any officer, employee or agent of Consultant, in connection with the award of this Agreement or any work to be conducted as a result of this Agreement. Violation of this Section shall be a material breach of this Agreement entitling City to remedies in Section 7.4 and any and all remedies at law or equity.

9.7 Corporate Authority. The persons executing this Agreement on behalf of the Parties hereto warrant that (i) such Party is duly organized and existing, (ii) they are duly authorized to execute and deliver this Agreement on behalf of said Party, (iii) by so executing this Agreement, such Party is formally bound to the provisions of this Agreement, and (iv) entering into this Agreement does not violate any provision of any other agreement to which said Party is bound. This Agreement shall be binding upon the heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns of the Parties.
[SIGNATURES ON FOLLOWING PAGE]

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the Parties hereto have executed this Agreement on the date and year first-above written.

CITY:

CITY OF MORRO BAY, a California municipal
corporation

Yvonne Kimball
City Manager
ATTEST:

Dana Swanson, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:

Robert Schultz, Interim City Attorney
CONSULTANT:

Placeworks, Inc., a California Corporation
By:

Keith McCann
Secretary
By:

Brian Judd
Chief Executive Officer
3 Macarthur Place, Suite 1100
Santa Ana, CA 92707
Two corporate officer signatures required when Consultant is a corporation, with one signature required from each of the following groups: 1) Chairperson of the Board, President or any Vice President; and 2) Secretary, any Assistant Secretary, Chief Financial Officer or any Assistant Treasurer. (Cal. Corp. Code § 313.)

APPROPRIATE ATTESTATIONS SHALL BE INCLUDED AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY THE BYLAWS,

ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION, OR OTHER RULES OR REGULATIONS APPLICABLE TO CONSULTANT’S BUSINESS ENTITY.

01181.0001/813182.1 A-1

EXHIBIT A

SCOPE OF SERVICES
I. Consultant will perform services described in Consultant’s Proposal attached hereto.

II. All work product is subject to review and acceptance by City, and must be revised by Consultant without additional charge to City until found satisfactory and accepted by City.

01181.0001/813182.1 B-1

EXHIBIT B

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
(Superseding Agreement Boilerplate)

01181.0001/813182.1 C-1

EXHIBIT C

SCHEDULE OF COMPENSATION
I. Consultant will be compensated for Services provided under this Agreement in accordance with description in Consultant’s Proposal attached hereto.

II. City will compensate Consultant for the Services performed upon submission of a valid invoice, as described in Section 2.2.

III. The total compensation for the Services shall not exceed the Contract Sum, as provided in Section 2.1 of this Agreement.

01181.0001/813182.1 D-1

EXHIBIT D

SCHEDULE OF PERFORMANCE
I. Consultant shall perform all services and deliver all work products timely in accordance with the schedule described in Consultant’s Proposal attached hereto.

This chapter describes the scope of services to be completed by the PlaceWorks team for the Morro Bay WMP. To facilitate your review of this proposal, we have prepared a concise scope that emphasizes key components of our approach to this project.

We are flexible regarding the proposed scope of work and will work with you to prepare a more detailed scope when we enter into a contract. We also recognize that it may be necessary to alter the scope as the project progresses and would be happy to work with you to ensure the successful completion of the project.

Deliverables in this scope of work will include conveyance of files to the City in appropriate formats, including Word, PDF, Excel, AutoCAD, GIS or other file formats.

A summary of the work program is presented in Table 1.

Table 1 Work Program Summary

The PlaceWorks team (at least two PlaceWorks staff members), including HR&A, will meet with City staff to initiate the project at an in-person kick-off meeting and tour of the WMP area to introduce and establish working relationships among
participating staff. We will review the scope and schedule as well as project goals, roles, communication protocols, data needs, concerns/issues, and the status of current and planned efforts that are relevant to the project. This meeting will establish project management procedures, including invoicing terms and communication protocols, and data collection
approach. In advance of this meeting, the PlaceWorks team will prepare a data request document and detailed work program, including a schedule/timeline for the completion of each task, for review by the project team at the meeting. After the kick-off meeting, PlaceWorks will refine the project scope of work and schedule as needed to reflect desired project goals.

PlaceWorks will conduct ongoing project management, including internal coordination, review of project budget, and preparation of monthly invoices and progress reports. PlaceWorks will also participate in phone calls with the City’s Project Manager (upon the initiation of either party) on an as-needed basis to address any issues that arise. Our project management team includes Alan Loomis, Principal, as Principal-in-Charge; Amy Sinsheimer, Senior Associate, as Project Manager; and Chad So, Associate, as Assistant Project Manager. Amy will serve as the day-to-day contact for overall project management and will oversee coordination of the regular project meetings, budget, and schedule.

The PlaceWorks project management team (at least two PlaceWorks staff members at each meeting) will participate in bi-weekly virtual status update meetings with City staff to ensure that the project remains on task and budget. Additional PlaceWorks staff will attend meetings as needed. It is assumed that the bi-weekly status meetings will be conducted virtually (e.g., Zoom, Teams, phone) and will average one hour each.

PlaceWorks will prepare and share a meeting agenda prior to each meeting. This scope of work assumes 30 one-hour virtual calls.

Deliverables:
» Preparation for and attendance at kickoff meeting (assumes up to 3 staff members from PlaceWorks and members of the subconsultant team)
» Detailed work program (schedule and timeline)
» Detailed budget tracking document
» Monthly invoices
» Agendas for kickoff meeting and for bi-weekly check-in calls

Community involvement will be a key component of the WMP update. We will work with City staff to develop a public engagement approach that will be appropriate for the Morro Bay community and mindful of engagement done to date on other recent projects in and around the city. PlaceWorks will conduct all outreach and engagement work with an eye toward maximal engagement of the very broad spectrum of existing and potential stakeholders for Morro Bay, including environmental groups, the business community, including leaseholders, Embarcadero employees, boaters, commercial fisherman, residents, recreational users, and visitors/tourism organizations.

At the outset of the project, PlaceWorks will
develop a Public Engagement Plan providing a
detailed overview of all public, stakeholder, and
decision-maker outreach and engagement that will
be included in the project. The process of preparing
the Public Engagement Plan will help the project
team to fine-tune the public involvement approach.

For example: What outcomes would indicate that it
was a successful process? The number of
participants reached? Exposure on multiple
platforms? Higher participation numbers on
existing City platforms? Or connecting with hardto-reach stakeholders? The Public Engagement Plan will outline specific tasks and responsibilities for City staff and the PlaceWorks team, the purpose of the tasks in relation to the project, a schedule of community engagement, and due dates and deliverables associated with each task.

PlaceWorks will work with City staff to identify community engagement strategies and messaging in the Public Engagement Plan that will maximize the amount and diversity of input, focusing on reaching underserved groups in Morro Bay, while appropriately setting and managing the expectations of the public (residents, property owners, stakeholders, etc.).

Preliminary recommendations for engagement efforts include the following:
» Four stakeholder focus group meetings and six stakeholder one-on-one interviews » Up to 16 monthly WMPAC meetings
» Up to five in-person public workshops
» Four meetings with the Planning Commission and City Council » Design and administration of an online survey
» Creation of project branding and materials

Each of these components is described in more detail in the following subtasks and may be refined or revised following the kick-off meeting.

PlaceWorks will work with City staff to identify appropriate stakeholders based on the interest groups and organizations mentioned under the Task 2 introduction above, such as
Embarcadero leaseholders, Visit Morro Bay, National Estuary Program, Morro Bay Commercial Fishermen’s Organization, hoteliers, and others, to participate in the WMP update process.

We propose up to four small focus group meetings with invited participants to discuss existing constraints and potential opportunities in addition to up to six one-on-one interviews.

PlaceWorks will facilitate the stakeholder meetings and will provide support through the preparation of emailed invitation language, meeting agendas, and discussion questions for City review. It is anticipated that the focus groups will be conducted in person with the remaining stakeholder meetings held virtually. At least two PlaceWorks staff members will attend the in-person focus groups. At least one PlaceWorks staff member will attend the virtual interviews. We assume that the City will be responsible for inviting stakeholders to the meetings. A summary of focus group and stakeholder input will be included in the WMP Background Report (see Task 4.1).

PlaceWorks understands that the Waterfront Master
Plan Advisory Committee (WMPAC) will serve as the
steering committee for the update project, bringing
expertise on issues citywide due to their representative membership from other City committees as well as
representation from the environmental community and
Embarcadero leaseholders. The WMPAC will serve as a
“sounding board” related to different issues and
implementation efforts in the WMP update. This scope
assumes up to 16 monthly in-person meetings with the
WMPAC, open to the public, with attendance by at
least one PlaceWorks team staff member (including
teaming firm staff members when appropriate). This scope of work anticipates attendance at one WMPAC meeting by our transportation partner firm and one WMPAC meeting attended by our economic analysts.

In-person community workshops are expected by the public for most large-scale planning efforts.

PlaceWorks has experience designing and conducting large, in-person meetings that are meaningful and productive for both the agencies we work for and the community. If designed properly, such meetings can gather input and generate buy-in from a broad range of community members and enable City and

consultant staff to more efficiently and personally connect with and engage a large number of individual residents and stakeholders.

Four key aspects of creating successful community workshops are:
identifying the right time in the project to conduct such meetings, building awareness and excitement with key stakeholders, providing activities of real substance to which the community can respond, and engaging participants in the ways that are most approachable and convenient for them.

The PlaceWorks team will facilitate up to five in-person community workshops during the WMP process. Workshops will be held at key points of the planning process to introduce the project and receive community feedback. It is anticipated that workshops will be held at the following key points:
» During the initial background gathering phase of the project (during Task 4.1, Background Report)
» During the visioning phase (during Task 4.2, Vision)
» During evaluation of alternatives (during Task 4.3, Administrative Draft WMP) » During the review period of the Public Draft WMP (following Task 4.4, Public Draft WMP) For each community meeting, PlaceWorks will prepare draft and final materials, including a meeting agenda, sign-in sheet, presentation, open house boards and/or workshop activity (such as map exercises or polling), comment cards, and handouts as needed. The activity for each workshop will be customized to the input we are trying to receive from the public.

PlaceWorks will also develop outreach materials,
including, but not limited to, postcards or mailers, flyers suitable for posting, e-blasts to City subscribers, and social media postings. We assume up to three
PlaceWorks team staff, for each community meeting
with additional staffing and interpretation (if needed) provided by City staff. This scope of work anticipates
attendance at one public workshop by our economic
analyst teaming partner, one public workshop by our
transportation teaming partner, and one public
workshop by our coastal engineer teaming partners.

The PlaceWorks team will attend up to four meetings with the Planning Commission and City Council during the WMP update. It is anticipated that one Planning Commission and one City Council meeting will occur earlier in the project either during development of the draft WMP or after the Public Draft WMP is available for review. It is anticipated that one Planning Commission and one City Council meeting will occur at the time of WMP approval, at the end of the project timeline. For each Commission or Council meeting, the PlaceWorks team will provide City staff information for the staff report and prepare a draft and final PowerPoint presentation. This scope of work assumes attendance by at least one PlaceWorks team member at each of the four meetings.

PlaceWorks will create and administer one online survey to gauge broad public opinion regarding the WMP update process. We can use approaches that are more visually appealing and engaging for the user and can include visual preference surveys or priority rankings. These surveys can be conducted via the City website, in which case they would provide a venue for additional broad public involvement and can be provided in hard copy for those that do not have access to a laptop or the internet.

Surveys can also be conducted as statistically valid Opinion Polls that are administered via telephone or text to a random sample of City residents to provide a more accurate picture of public opinion regarding issues relevant to the project in Morro Bay. Should the City choose this route, a refinement to this scope and budget would be needed. In either case, PlaceWorks will work with City staff to formulate survey questions and will then administer the survey(s) and report results.

To create project recognition that will elevate awareness of the WMP update effort and associated projectrelated technical studies, PlaceWorks will develop a project logo and color palette (style guide) to create a cohesive theme for the project. This will create a recognizable identity that takes design cues from the unique characteristics of Morro Bay and builds on key themes the City wants to promote. Compelling and understandable collateral materials remain a primary means of distributing project information. In today’s media-savvy environment, these materials must be able to translate technical information for the layperson as well as motivate further participation.

Content will be designed, formatted, and customized for a range of available print and digital distribution platforms and services. As noted, we hope to establish a brand with an iconic image on all project materials. We have identified an estimated number of hours to prepare materials in the budget; we will work with staff to determine what tools will be used the most. We will design materials in such a way that they can be shared with the general public, businesses and organizations, schools, government buildings, community-based organizations, etc.

Deliverables:
» Draft and Final Public Engagement Plan (Word and PDF) (Task 2.1) » Deliverables for Subtasks 2.2 through 2.5 are detailed under the bullet for each subtask above. » Administrative draft and final online survey (1-survey) (Task 2.6) » Project Branding and Collateral (Task 2.7)
o Project logo/branding (three maximum, digital files)
o Style guide (fonts, color palette)
o Final logo artwork: Digital file
HR&A will conduct a comprehensive market scan to assess the economic viability of key waterfront uses in Morro Bay. Our analysis will evaluate visitor-serving commercial, commercial fishing, lodging and hospitality, recreation, parking, and visitorserving destinations, such as museums and attractions.

As part of this task, HR&A will conduct a demographic and real estate market analysis, leveraging public and private data sources, including CoStar, ESRI, the American Community Survey, and local datasets, to assess the existing supply and pipeline of relevant uses.
» Demographic Analysis: To better understand resident and worker trends and shifts in Morro Bay, HR&A will analyze key demographic indicators such as population growth, income, race and ethnicity, education level, age, and more. We will also briefly examine the types of workers and jobs around the waterfront and downtown to evaluate opportunities for future waterfront uses that serve workers throughout the workday. We will use this analysis to start framing a narrative around who is living and experiencing the Morro Bay waterfront today and how future waterfront uses should align with the preferences of user groups in the area. » Market Scan: Following the demographic analysis, HR&A will analyze the performance of specific uses in the defined market area to identify potential uses that may be successful on the waterfront.

HR&A will specifically analyze the market performance for market-based uses, such as visitorserving commercial uses and lodging and hospitality in the defined Project Area, to evaluate potential demand for these uses. This will include:
o Real estate market data, including current and historic market trends by use, including total square footage, occupied and vacant square footage, asking rents, effective rents, recent deliveries, and absorption;
o Hotel performance data on current and historic performance, such as occupancy, average daily rate (ADR), and revenue per available room (RevPAR), using short-term rental (STR) data;
o Changes in vacancy rates and rents;
o Pipeline data about upcoming developments in the local market;

o Information about local and regional tourism and visitation (likely to be provided by the City or other third party).

HR&A will also identify a few key stakeholders to
interview during Task 2.2 to inform the market
opportunities and challenges, such as local brokers,
economic development organizations and public
officials.

For other marine and community serving uses, such as
commercial fishing, recreational uses, parking and
visitor destinations, we will rely on regional and national trends and benchmarking other comparable
waterfronts to evaluate potential demand for these
uses. This approach will help estimate future demand for waterfront uses at Morro Bay by understanding how similar waterfront destinations are evolving and aligning projections with broader industry shifts.
o For commercial fishing, HR&A will benchmark comparable working waterfronts to evaluate infrastructure needs, economic viability, and industry trends. o Recreational uses will be examined through precedent research and case studies to assess best practices for public recreation that enhance waterfront access and support economic activity.
o For parking, HR&A will collaborate with CCTC to provide benchmarking data that informs demand projections.
o Lastly, for visitor-serving destinations such as museums and other attractions, we will conduct a market scan to assess the supportable scale and scope, recognizing that many of these uses may be speculative and influenced by external funding sources and policy decisions. HR&A will analyze existing visitation patterns by using a proprietary data source based on anonymized cell phone data. Using this data, we will be able to analyze visitation patterns to ground-floor businesses – as a proxy for foot traffic, including by weekday vs. weekend.

Using this baseline demographic, market, and benchmark data, HR&A will summarize potential demand opportunities for the waterfront and how future uses should serve existing and future residents, workers, and visitors. HR&A will compile our findings into a Demand Analysis Briefing Book, detailing market
opportunities, economic drivers, and potential development trajectories for each use. This document will serve as a concise summary of market trends, demand projections, and
benchmarked insights to guide waterfront land use strategies.

CCTC will compile recent traffic count and parking demand data from other studies. We will coordinate collection of seven-day roadway segment counts at six locations. We will review the current WMP, Downtown Waterfront Strategic Plan, Plan Morro Bay, Local Road Safety Plan, Parking Management Plan, and other relevant documents as a part of this task. Existing transportation conditions will be summarized for incorporation into the background report.

The PlaceWorks team will build on Plan Morro Bay and other previous work to create a plan and design for converting parking at the ocean end of seven streets that intersect with the Embarcadero to public plazas.

These streets will include:
» Dunes Street
» Harbor Street
» Morro Bay Boulevard
» Front Street
» Pacific Street
» Marina Street
» Driftwood Street
PlaceWorks will develop a conceptual plan for the
seven street-end plazas as a sequence of open
spaces along the Embarcadero, considering the
specific views and uses that each site offers, to
identify unique design themes for each of the
plazas. These themes might range from passive
spaces designed to offer a park-like respite to active
use plazas characterized by outdoor games or
playground areas to celebratory plazas designed
with stages for bands, festivals or Christmas tree
lightings. More tangible design themes may also be considered, where each plaza might be characterized by a different piece of public art or a different palette of colors and plant materials. PlaceWorks will also explore elements that will unify all the plazas, such as consistent furnishings, lighting, and other infrastructure that will simplify ongoing maintenance and reduce costs of implementation. We will integrate these design themes into the overall Waterfront Design Guidelines to provide guidance for landscape architects who may be hired in the future to implement specific street-end plazas.

The PlaceWorks team will update the design guidelines portion of the WMP to be included in the Administrative Draft WMP (see Task 4.3). The work will involve reviewing and updating the existing 1996 WMP design guidelines for the existing planning areas in addition to drafting them for the new planning areas to be added to the WMP. The updates will also take into the consideration the design guidelines and standards included in the Downtown Waterfront Strategic Plan, completed much more recently in 2018.

The City’s residential Design Guidelines and standards included in the zoning regulations will also be taken into consideration as applicable. Key updates will be informed by the evaluation of the four existing WMP planning areas, including the assessment of plan implementation in those areas, updated current conditions, as well as opportunities and constraints. Community and City staff input and the Draft Vision (see Task 4.2) will be key as well to the updates to the design guidelines.

The Design Guidelines will focus on the public realm of the Morro Bay waterfront—the design and organization of public buildings and public spaces, such as transit, wayfinding, parks, plazas, streets, sidewalks, beaches, piers, and the face of private buildings that front onto such public spaces as well as for the lease site properties. The Design Guidelines will support the other portions of the updated WMP by guiding specific design activities by landscape architects, architects, planners, and other professions. These activities may include park design, streetscape design, wayfinding graphics, and zoning codes affecting the form and appearance of private development. The design guidelines will be supported with 3D vignette illustrations to communicate the before/after translation of the guidelines. Additionally, to the extent necessary, any recommended public improvements, such as new infrastructure, wayfinding signs, parklets, mini-parks, or other “placemaking” elements will be identified and described in illustrations.

Deliverables:
» Administrative Draft and Final Demand Analysis Briefing Book (Draft analysis to be delivered by month three and the final analysis delivered by month four) » Administrative Draft and Final Circulation Background Conditions Report » Updated Design Guidelines (included in Administrative Draft WMP – Task 4.3) Although we have personal and professional knowledge about Morro Bay and have already gathered numerous planning documents as part of our background information and data gathering for the proposal, we still need to coordinate with the City to gather and review additional information. This involves collecting a comprehensive set of information about Morro Bay from existing planning documents and technical studies, including studies prepared by the City and other entities to inform the planning process.

PlaceWorks will review the pertinent documents to ensure that the WMP incorporates existing plans, reflects the
most current data available, and prevents duplication of work. PlaceWorks will streamline the initial document
gathering and retrieval process and minimize the need to collect and analyze additional information. However, as relevant documents are identified, retrieved, and
reviewed, references may emerge to other documents
(local and regional) over the duration of the project. This task allows for the initial review and follow-up
coordination with City staff when necessary to obtain
relevant information.

The PlaceWorks team will review the diversity of planning, policy, and regulatory documents and studies that have relevance for developing the WMP update, including those cited in the City’s Request for Proposals (RFP) and others identified through consultation with City staff. We will evaluate their implications for informing the plan’s content.

This review, along with input during community outreach, will inform the WMP Background Report.

Specifically, a summary of focus group and stakeholder input will be included in the Background Report (see Task 2.2). We will identify current WMP proposals for each planning area and improvements that remain relevant and should carry into the next WMP, versus ones that have been accomplished or are no longer relevant. The team will also identify the aspects of the existing plan that have been successful and those that should be built on.

PlaceWorks will further engage with the community
through creation of a draft Vision Statement for the WMP based on review of existing conditions for the Background Report and via input received during Task 2, Outreach and Meetings. The draft Vision Statement will first be reviewed by City staff. This will be a good opportunity for the
WMPAC to provide input. The draft Vision Statement will be included in the Administrative Draft WMP (see Task

4.3).

The PlaceWorks team will prepare the Administrative Draft WMP to implement all relevant Plan Morro Bay policies and implementation actions, by reflecting pertinent background information describing the historic development of the waterfront and existing and anticipated future uses and circulation, incorporating the Plan elements developed in Task 3, and responding to the draft Vision Statement and other input received from the
community. The results of the sea level rise and ESHA work under Task 5 will be integrated into the Administrative Draft WMP. The WMP will be visually designed to create public interest and excitement, incorporating photographs,
illustrations, and other media. It will be formatted for public access on the City’s website and for printed reproduction. The draft will also include a financially feasible implementation plan for actions and improvements called for in the WMP.

Specific analyses that will be developed under this task and reflected in the Administrative Draft WMP include:
» Updated land use and circulation plan for the WMP area that will include conceptual land use and circulation plan for the following areas:
o At the decommissioned Vistra powerplant property and the environs o At and around the former wastewater treatment plant property o From Little Morro Creek to Atascadero Road
o At and around the City's "Market Plaza" property
o The commercial and commercial fishing area between Beach Street and Coleman Park o Between Coleman Park and Morro Rock
» Circulation and Parking
o Circulation and parking plans that safely and efficiently accommodate circulation needs of the preferred development program. CCTC will develop traffic projections for redevelopment sites using industry-standard trip generation rates and will conduct focused traffic studies to inform improvement needs. The traffic forecasts will be used to size potential roadway connections across Morro Creek to Atascadero Road and connecting the Embarcadero to Main Street. CCTC will identify, at a conceptual level, intersection improvements needed at the Atascadero Road/State Route 1 and Main Street/State Route 1 interchanges to accommodate redevelopment of the WWTP and powerplant. One-way alternatives along the Embarcadero will be explored, including the Front Street/Embarcadero one-way couplet described in the current WMP. o Pedestrian and bicycle improvements will be incorporated into the Circulation Plan to ensure multi-modal access and connectivity for all users. These will include the implementation of measures identified in the City’s Local Road Safety Plan as well as crossing enhancements connecting parking areas with coastal access opportunities. o Parking demand estimates will be developed to identify parking needs as well as displaced demand resulting from repurposed street-end parking lots along the Embarcadero. Parking policies will be identified to efficiently manage parking demand, accommodate employee

parking demand, and ensure coastal access for visitors and residents. Policies will include consideration of measures recommended in the City’s Parking Management Plan, including increased enforcement and paid parking along the Embarcadero and Rock parking lots. o The circulation plans will address the
interaction between passenger vehicles
and other uses, such as vessel haul-out
equipment, trailered boats, and support
activities associated with other harbor
activities. Technical analysis will be
summarized in a circulation technical
report suitable for inclusion as an
appendix to the WMP.
» Revenue-Producing Uses: HR&A will also identify
and evaluate potential revenue-generating uses
that align with the City’s economic development
goals and community priorities. Using market analysis, benchmarking, and existing opportunities and constraints, we will qualitatively assess the feasibility of commercial, hospitality, and cultural uses on the waterfront that can potentially be a revenue-generating opportunity for the City. This may include boutique hotels, waterfront rental shops, event spaces and more. » Redevelopment Opportunity Framework: HR&A will work with PlaceWorks to develop a comprehensive inventory of the City’s existing waterfront properties to assess potential redevelopment opportunities. We will build a framework that at a high-level evaluates the redevelopment potential and opportunity for the approximately 35 lease sites within the waterfront planning areas and identify opportunities for developing potential public benefit and revenue-producing uses. For each site, we will evaluate criteria, such as:
o Site size and configuration
o Existing use and lease information
o Location and connectivity to the waterfront
o Parking access
o Foot traffic to the area
Through this process, we will offer preliminary recommendations on prioritizing key sites for redevelopment or development that advance the City’s vision for a vibrant and sustainable waterfront. Our qualitative recommendations will also include potential timelines for site activation, helping to prioritize implementation efforts and guide decision-making for the future of Morro Bay’s waterfront.

Deliverables:
» Inventory of revenue-producing uses, Redevelopment Opportunity Framework

The PlaceWorks team will address City staff comments on the Administrative Draft WMP and reply to any questions. We will incorporate comments and revisions from staff’s review of the Administrative Draft, as directed. Using one set of consolidated comments from City staff, the PlaceWorks team will then prepare and submit a Public Draft Housing WMP for release for public review.

Following the public review period, the PlaceWorks team will work with City staff to determine edits to make in response to comments received to the WMP. The PlaceWorks team will then prepare and submit a Public Hearing Draft WMP to present at public hearings.

The PlaceWorks team will prepare the Final WMP based on input received at the Planning Commission and City Council at their hearings.

PlaceWorks will prepare an addendum to the Plan Morro Bay EIR, herein referred to as the “General Plan EIR,” to evaluate the WMP update. This proposed approach to prepare an addendum to the certified General Plan EIR is based on the presumption that the proposed WMP update will be within the scope of and consistent with the land uses adopted as part of Plan Morro Bay and would therefore not create any new or worsened impacts than those identified in the General Plan EIR. PlaceWorks recommends an addendum, rather than a tiered mitigated negative declaration, because an addendum is a more legally defensible CEQA document.
» Initiate CEQA Process. PlaceWorks will participate in a virtual meeting with City staff to kick off the CEQA phase of the project. The meeting focus will be to familiarize the CEQA team with the contents of the WMP update, and to discuss next steps and timelines for preparing the Addendum. » Project Description. Following the kick-off meeting, PlaceWorks will prepare a draft project description of the proposed WMP update. PlaceWorks will provide a revised project description based on City comments on the draft project description as part of the Administrative Draft Addendum described below.
» Administrative Draft Addendum. PlaceWorks will prepare an Addendum to the certified General Plan EIR. The Addendum will include qualitative discussions for each of the CEQA-required topical areas, referencing the conclusions in the General Plan EIR, wherever possible, for the conclusions in the Addendum. A contract modification would be required for any new modeling or major quantitative analysis. PlaceWorks will submit the Administrative Draft Addendum electronically (in Word) for City review and comment.

» Screencheck Draft Addendum. Using one set of consolidated comments from City staff on the Administrative Draft Addendum, PlaceWorks will prepare a Screencheck Draft Addendum. » Final Addendum. Using one set of consolidated comments from the City on the Screencheck Draft Addendum, PlaceWorks will prepare the Final Addendum. This task assumes that comments received on the Screencheck Draft Addendum will be minimal and require minor textual edits or revision. This scope of work also assumes that the Final Addendum will be posted online for public review but that a response to comments process will not be required. Therefore, this scope of work does not include any responses to comments that the City may receive on the Addendum.

However, we are available to prepare responses to comments and Addendum revisions, if requested, for an additional cost.
» Status Meetings. Over the course of the project, PlaceWorks' CEQA staff will participate in up to four virtual meetings with City staff. This scope of work assumes one-hour meeting durations.

Following the approval of the Addendum and within five days of approval of the WMP update, PlaceWorks will prepare a Notice of Determination (NOD) for submittal to the County Clerk.

PlaceWorks will submit the NOD to the Governor’s Office of Land Use and Climate Innovation’s State Clearinghouse. City staff will submit the NOD to the County Clerk and pay all applicable filing fees at the time of posting. The budget does not include payment of any filing fees.

Deliverables:
» Administrative and Final Drafts of Background Report (Word and PDF) » Administrative Draft Vision Statement for City staff review. Final Vision Statement will be included in the Administrative Draft WMP (PDF)
» Administrative Draft WMP (Word and PDF)
» Public Draft WMP (Word and PDF)
» Hearing Draft WMP (Word and PDF)
» Final WMP (Word and PDF)
» Addendum to Plan Morro Bay EIR deliverables
o Draft staff reports, resolutions, ordinances, and PowerPoint presentations for up to one Planning Commission and one City Council meeting
o Draft notices for the public and for government agencies as needed o Draft Project Description (Word)
o Administrative Draft Addendum (Word)
o Screencheck Draft Addendum (Word and PDF)
o Final Addendum (PDF)
o Notice of Determination (PDF)

The Sea Level Rise Technical Memorandum will serve as a bridging document between the Plan Morro Bay studies and the WMP, providing a foundation for the Sea Level Rise
Adaptation and Feasibility Report by identifying focus areas and key questions that need to be addressed.

GHD will conduct a comprehensive review of the ESHA
Analysis: 2050 Sea Level Rise Scenario (Rincon, August 2018) and Sea Level Rise Adaptation Strategy Report (Moffatt & Nichol, January 2018), synthesizing key findings, methodologies, and adaptation strategies. This review will be augmented with an assessment of the latest guidance from the Ocean Protection Council (OPC) and other state agencies to ensure alignment with current best practices.

Through close coordination with City staff and Coastal Commission staff, the memorandum will outline critical vulnerabilities, highlight regulatory and planning considerations, and set the stage for adaptation strategy development. It will also identify areas where technical updates are needed and define key uncertainties that should be addressed in the forthcoming Sea Level Rise Adaptation and Feasibility Report.

The draft memorandum will be submitted for Coastal Commission review, with a final version incorporating feedback to ensure its relevance as a guiding document for subsequent adaptation planning efforts.

GHD will develop an updated Sea Level Rise Adaptation and Feasibility Report that builds on previous studies, integrates the latest sea level rise projections, and establishes a framework for adaptation actions based on identified triggers that account for progressive uncertainty over longer time horizons.

GHD will leverage our expertise in coastal adaptation and resilience planning to develop a comprehensive Sea Level Rise Adaptation and Feasibility Report that identifies specific, actionable projects to transition coastal resilience strategies from planning to implementation. By integrating updated sea level rise projections with site-specific considerations along the Morro Bay waterfront, we will assess vulnerabilities and develop adaptation pathways that address key risks over short-, mid-, and long-term planning horizons.

A critical component of this approach will be identifying thresholds or triggers at which vulnerabilities become
significant, allowing the City to implement adaptation measures proactively and efficiently. This will inform the development of a timeline to relocate underdeck utilities (including water and wastewater infrastructure), decks, piers, and other immobile bayside lateral accessways to heights above the sea level rise inundation zone.

Our approach to “Adaptation through Implementation” emphasizes the need to move beyond theoretical planning and into tangible, on-the-ground improvements that enhance both resilience and community benefits. There are numerous opportunities along the Morro Bay waterfront to leverage coastal resilience strategies that not only protect infrastructure but also improve the recreational experience and promote ecosystem resilience. By identifying specific projects—such as raising critical infrastructure, enhancing bayside accessways, or integrating nature-based solutions—GHD will provide a roadmap for the City to secure funding and initiate early adaptation actions. Furthermore, we will outline potential funding sources, including grants and state/federal programs, to support implementation efforts.

GHD will work closely with City staff, Coastal Commission staff, and other relevant agencies to refine adaptation strategies and ensure alignment with regulatory and planning objectives. A draft report will be developed for review.

GHD will address City staff, Coastal Commission, and stakeholder comments on the Draft Sea Level Rise Adaptation and Feasibility Report and reply to any questions. We will incorporate comments and revisions from the review of the Draft, as directed. Using one set of consolidated comments from City staff, the PlaceWorks Team will then prepare and submit a Final Sea Level Rise Adaptation and Feasibility Report.

The Final Report will incorporate feedback received to ensure a practical and actionable framework for sea level rise adaptation in Morro Bay.

Deliverables:
» Draft Technical Memorandum for Coastal Commission staff review then Final Technical Memorandum incorporating Coastal Commission staff comments » Draft Sea Level Rise Adaptation and Feasibility Report » Final Sea Level Rise Adaptation and Feasibility Report

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PlaceWorks’ proposed schedule for completion of the WMP update is shown in Figure 2. As shown in the schedule, we anticipate that the project can be completed by November 2026. We believe this schedule is in keeping with your needs, but we are happy to revise this schedule if necessary.

PlaceWorks has a strong track record in meeting project schedules and coordinating closely with its clients.

Over years of managing similar projects, we have developed a variety of tools to keep projects on schedule and ensure that staff are well informed at all times:
▪ We maintain an up-to-date schedule throughout the project, to ensure that all team members are aware of upcoming meetings and product due dates.
▪ We stay in close, regular contact with staff and our subconsultants and document important decisions about the project in writing, which ensures that all team members understand decisions. ▪ We schedule project due dates for staff and subconsultants with adequate time for editing and formatting into finished reports.
▪ We limit subconsultants’ payments to specific milestones, so as to ensure that progress on the project is commensurate with billings.

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As shown in Table 3, the estimated cost to complete the scope of work described in this proposal is $714,275.

PlaceWorks recommends planning for a 5 to 10 percent contingency fund to cover any unforeseen out-ofscope work that might be necessary for the project.

We are flexible regarding project costs and hope that you will not eliminate us from consideration based on cost alone.

PlaceWorks’ standard fee schedule is included in Table 2. The billing rates for each team member are included in Table 3.

PlaceWorks bills for its work on a time-and-materials basis with monthly invoices.

This scope of work and cost estimate assumes that:
▪ Our cost estimate includes the meetings shown in the Work Scope (Section C of this proposal). ▪ All products will be submitted to City of Morro Bay in electronic format, except for printed copies that are specifically identified in the Work Scope. This is an allowance only, based on the numbers of products and copies shown in the Work Scope. If this allowance is exceeded, additional printing costs will be billed at PlaceWorks actual cost.
▪ Morro Bay staff will be responsible for meeting logistics, including schedule coordination, document production, printing notices, mailing costs, room reservations, room set-up and take-down, and refreshments.

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Prepared By: ___CM Dept Review: __ lt _
City Manager Review: _YK_______ City Attorney Review: _RWS_____ Staff Report
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council DATE: June 4, 2025 FROM: Chris Munson, Harbor Director
Lori Thompson, Harbor Business Manager
SUBJECT: Approve Lease Amendment for Morro Bay Oyster Company

RECOMMENDED ACTION
Adopt Resolution No. 31-25 approving Amendment #1 to the lease agreement for Morro Bay Oyster Company located at 1287 Embarcadero.

ALTERNATIVES
The City Council can elect to not approve the lease amendment

FISCAL IMPACT
The tenant currently pays 8% of the assessed land & water value in lease rent. The amendment would increase the amount to 9%. In addition, the tenant will pay $25,000 of the required cost share of the HarborWalk up front to the City.

BACKGROUND
Morro Bay Oyster Company (MBOC) acquired the lease in January 2015. At the end of 2015, MBOC proposed a redevelopment plan for the building and wharf to increase site utilization and City revenues. The City Council reviewed and approved the proposal in April 2016, directing staff to proceed. The current 30-year lease was approved on July 12, 2016, and will expire on June 30, 2046.

As part of this lease agreement, the tenant was to complete the following improvements:

1. Convert the front office/storage space to seafood/aquaculture retail, including upgrading of electrical, flooring and windows and ADA compliance and begin seafood/aquaculture retail sales.

2. Bring the downstairs restroom into ADA compliance.

3. Convert the current workshop area to aquaculture use and retail sales, and to include an aquaculture educational aspect with school and other tours of the facility and MBOC’S oyster farm

4. Repair an estimated five deteriorated pilings under the wharf with epoxy encapsulation and/or steel sleeves.

Except for Item #4, the deadline for completing these improvements has expired. The tenant is seeking an extension on the outstanding items, which he intends to move forward with now.

AGENDA NO: 7.e
MEETING DATE: June 10, 2025

DISCUSSION
According to the owner, MBOC’s operation was severely impacted by COVID-19 shutdowns and the 2023 storms which killed off 95% of their oyster farm. Those impacts caused required improvements outlined in the lease agreement to be delayed.

MBOC would like to move forward with their improvements. They will start with focusing on the front of their building to create a retail space, upgrade the restroom to be ADA compliant, and other ADA improvements. They intend to submit plans by the end of July and begin construction within 6 months of receiving approval and complete improvements within 1 year of commencement of construction.

They still plan on repairing the piles by the July 1, 2026 deadline.

Staff recommends the following which is documented in amendment #1:
 Extend all redevelopment deadlines as requested by the owner and requiring a performance bond for their completion
 Increase rent to 9% of assessed value
 Accept $5,000 payment toward Harborwalk and continue payments at $1,000 a month until it is paid in full.

CONCLUSION
Because MBOC’s lease site is in Measure D, it severely limits what businesses can operate in that area. MBOC is one of the most compliant businesses with the intent of Measure D. The proposed improvements will greatly improve the lease site and visitor experience.

Staff recommends adoption of Resolution No. 31-25 approving Amendment #1 to the lease agreement for Morro Bay Oyster Co located at 1287 Embarcadero ATTACHMENTS (to be published by 4:00 p.m. on June 6, 2025)

1. Resolution No. 31-25 Approving Amendment #1 to the Lease Agreement for Morro Bay Oyster Co

2. Amendment #1 to Lease Agreement for Morro Bay Oyster Co located at 1287 Embarcadero

RESOLUTION NO. 31-25

RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL

OF THE CITY OF MORRO BAY, CALIFORNIA
APPROVING AMENDMENT #1 TO THE LEASE AGREEMENT FOR

MORRO BAY OYSTER COMPANY
LOCATED AT 1287 EMBARCADERO,

BETWEEN THE CITY OF MORRO BAY AND MORRO BAY OYSTER COMPANY

T H E C I T Y C O U N C I L
City of Morro Bay, California
WHEREAS, the City of Morro Bay is the lessor of certain properties on the Morro Bay Waterfront described as City Tidelands leases and properties; and WHEREAS, Morro Bay Oyster Company is the current master leaseholder of Lease Site 144/144W, 1287 Embarcadero; and
WHEREAS, this Amendment #1 is to that certain Lease, which was signed on behalf of the Parties and is effective as of July 12, 2016, (the "Master Lease"); WHEREAS, the Parties agree to amend the term of the Master Lease as follows:

1. Tenant to pay $25,000 to the City for construction of Harborwalk, with an initial payment of $5,000 and continued payments at $1,000 per month until paid in full.

2. Extension of all redevelopment deadlines as described

3. Tenant to obtain performance bond for the completion of improvements

4. Rent increased from 8% to 9% of assessed value
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Morro Bay, California, as follows:

1. The attached Amendment #1 to the Master Lease Agreement for Morro Bay Oyster Company is hereby approved.

2. The Mayor is hereby authorized to execute said Master Lease Agreement Amendment.

PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Morro Bay at a regular meeting thereof held on the 10
th day of June 2025 on the following vote:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSENT:

ABSTAIN:

RECUSE:
______________________________
Carla Wixom, Mayor
ATTEST:
_____________________________
Dana Swanson, City Clerk

1 of 2
AMENDMENT #1 TO THE LEASE AGREEMENT FOR
MORRO BAY OYSTER COMPANY, LLC, LEASE SITE 144/144W,
LOCATED AT 1287 EMBARCADERO
This Amendment ("this Amendment #1") is deemed to have been made and entered into as of 10th day of June 2025, by and among the City of Morro Bay, a municipal corporation of the State of California, whereinafter called "City," and Morro Bay Oyster Company, LLC hereinafter called "Tenant." (Collectively, City and Tenant are sometimes referred to herein as the "Parties.") WHEREAS, this Amendment #1 is to that certain Lease, which was signed on behalf of the Parties and is effective as of July 1, 2016, (the "Master Lease"); WHEREAS, the Parties agree to amend the terms of the Master Lease agreement, WHEREAS, the Parties agree to amend the Master Lease to increase minimum rent, extend construction deadlines and collect monthly payments for the Harborwalk; and NOW THEREFORE, Tenant and City agree, as follows: Tenant and City shall provide for the amendment of Lease as follows:

1. SECTION 2.03 CALCULATION OF NEW ANNUAL MINIMUM RENT: is hereby amended to read as the following:
(4) The new Annual Minimum Rent for the five-year period commencing on each Appraisal Adjustment Date shall be the greater amount of seventy-five percent (75%) of the average of the total yearly Rent payable during the previous five-year period (as set out in subparagraph 2.03 (3), above) or eight nine percent 8% 9% of the fair market value of the Premises (as established in subparagraph 2.03 (1), above.) The new Annual Minimum Rent shall be divided by two to determine the semiannual payments and shall be paid by TENANT to CITY on the first of each January and July thereafter. This new Annual Minimum Rent shall be adjusted each following year in proportion to any increase in the Consumer Price Index as set out in Section 2.02 of this Lease. The base index shall be adjusted upon each Calculation of new Annual Minimum Rent as set out in this section so that the Base index for CPI adjustment shall be the Consumer Price Index for January 1 of the year of the calculation of new Annual Minimum Rent.

2. SECTION 13.02 COMPLETION OF IMPROVEMENTS: is hereby amended to read as the following:

The Tenant must complete improvements to the Premises, to include the following at a minimum, and with a hard construction costs of no less than estimation of $202,000.00: Hard construction costs shall only include direct expenses incurred during the physical construction of a building, such as materials, labor, and equipment only:

1. Convert the front office/storage space to seafood/aquaculture retail, including upgrading of electrical, flooring and windows, and ADA compliance and begin seafood/aquaculture retail sales. Completion of this element shall occur no later than January 1, 2019.

2. Bring the downstairs restroom into ADA compliance. Completion of this element shall occur no later than January 1, 2019.

3. Convert the current workshop area to aquaculture use and retail sales, and to include an aquaculture educational aspect with school and other tours of the facility and TENANT’S oyster farm. Completion of this element shall occur no later than July 1, 2023.

2 of 2
Tenant must submit plans for the above improvements by the end of July 30, 2025 and begin construction within 6 months after receiving the required permits. Completion of improvements are required within 1 year of commencement of construction. In no event shall the above improvements not be completed by July 30, 2027.

4. Repair an estimated five deteriorated pilings under the wharf with epoxy encapsulation and/or steel sleeves. TENANT shall contract with a qualified marine engineer to conduct an inspection, evaluation and report on the condition of the pilings no later than December 31, 2016. If necessary, then one or more extensions to this deadline may be granted, for good cause, by the Harbor Director at his sole discretion but in no case later than July 1, 2017.

The engineer’s report shall stipulate recommendations on when and how the pilings should be repaired. Completion of this element shall occur as deemed necessary by the engineer’s report, but in no case later than July 1, 2026. Completion shall mean when a qualified marine engineer has given final inspection approval of completion of all recommended repairs.

Except for element 4., above, for purposes of this Section 13.02, completion for each of the elements of improvement shall mean when each is entitled to issuance of a certificate of occupancy or final inspection approval, as applicable, from City.

In addition, it is recognized and documented TENANT has recently completed significant wharf structural repairs including pile caps, brackets, joists, decking and seawall, and building improvements including roofing, tank room flooring, painting and siding at an approximate cost of $97,000.00
If TENANT fails to meet any of the deadlines set forth above, for each day the Tenant is late, the Tenant shall pay a penalty to the City of $1,000 per day. If the Tenant fails to complete all improvements by July 30, 2027, then the parties agree that the lease shall be terminated and the Tenant shall immediately surrender the premises to the City

3. SECTION 13.03 OPTION TO EXTEND: second paragraph is hereby amended to read as the following:

This option must be requested in writing prior to July 1, 202722, and implemented by an amendment to this Lease approved by the City Council. Prior to amending this Lease to extend the term, TENANT shall submit for and receive all required permits to complete the Waterside Improvements. Any amendment to extend the term of this Lease shall include deadlines for completion of Waterside Improvements within a proscribed timeframe and the specific number of years this Lease will be extended.Before amending this Lease to extend the term, Tenant shall have completed all improvements.

4. SECTION 13.04 REQUIREMENT TO COST-SHARE THE CITY’S HARBORWALK PROJECT: second paragraph (A) is hereby amended to read as the following:
(A) If CITY constructs the HarborWalk project, thenThe TENANT shall beis responsible for the portion of CITY’S costs for the that project constructedHarborWalk project on or near the Premises, not to exceed $25,000. Any costs in excess of $25,000 for that project shall be borne solely by CITY. CITY may construct that project at any time at the sole discretion of CITY. If CITY completes that project on the Premises, as determined by CITY, then TENANT shall reimburse CITY on the next following January 1 after completion of that project by five annual payments each due on January 1 of $5,000 each. By reason of example, if CITY completes the HarborWalk project on the Premises on November 1, 2016 then TENANT shall make payments under this

3 of 2
clause of $5,000 on January 1, 2017, $5,000 on January 1 2018, etc. The TENANT will pay the CITY $25,000 for construction of the Harborwalk, with an initial payment of $5,000, and thereafter, $1,000 monthly payments until the total is paid off. The funding will be held in a Harborwalk fund for when the CITY constructs the Harborwalk. TENANT shall be solely responsible for any other sidewalk or entry work TENANT desires to complete on TENANT’S premises in excess of the HarborWalk. Failure by TENANT to make any of the payments in this section shall result in immediate termination of the Lease and surrender of the Premises.

5. SECTION 13.06 REQUIREMENT TO PROVIDE A PERFORMANCE BOND FOR IMPROVEMENTS: is hereby added to the master lease agreement in its entirety:

TENANT shall provide a performance bond for the guarantee of completion of improvements required in Section 13.02 of the master lease agreement. Said performance bond should be in the amount of $300,000 and provided to the CITY within 60 days of the date of this amendment.

Failure by TENANT to obtain a Performance Bond shall result in immediate termination of this Lease and surrender of the Premises.

6. Except as expressly stated herein, all provisions of the Master Lease shall remain in full force and effect.

7. The effective date of this Amendment # 1 shall be deemed to be the date first noted above.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Amendment #1 as of the date written above.

CITY OF MORRO BAY Morro Bay Oyster Company, LLC

By: ______________________ By:

Carla Wixom, Mayor Tenant
APPROVED AS TO FORM:

Rob Schultz, Interim City Attorney
ATTEST:
_____________________________
Dana Swanson, City Clerk

Prepared By: J Burlingame Dept Review: GK ______
City Manager Review: _YK________ City Attorney Review: ___RWS____ Staff Report
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council DATE: May 28, 2025 FROM: Janeen Burlingame, Management Analyst
SUBJECT: Public Hearing to Report on Delinquent Solid Waste Collection Accounts and Adopt Resolution No. 32-25 Authorizing San Luis Obispo County Auditor to Assess Amounts Due on Delinquent Solid Waste Collection Accounts as Tax Liens Against the Properties

RECOMMENDED ACTION
Conduct a public hearing to receive the report on delinquent solid waste collection fees, hear any objections or protests to the report, authorize the addition of the City’s 2% administration fee to the delinquent fees, and adopt Resolution No. 32-25 authorizing the San Luis Obispo County Tax Auditor to assess amounts due on delinquent solid waste collection accounts as tax liens against the properties. Pursuant to California Health and Safety Code Section 5473, this Resolution should be adopted by a two-thirds vote of the members of the City Council.

FISCAL IMPACT
The City will receive the 10% franchise fee per the Garbage, Recycling, & Green Waste Agreement on all liens paid in addition to a 2% administrative fee for costs associated with the processing of the liens with the San Luis Obispo County Auditor. Revenue to be received by the City (just for the collection of delinquent accounts, administrative fee thereon, and attendant franchise fee revenue remittable from the hauler on such delinquencies) will be $109.63.

BACKGROUND
Per the Garbage, Recycling, & Green Waste Agreement, between the City and Waste Connections (operating as Morro Bay Garbage Service), the City Council establishes solid waste collection fees and Morro Bay Garbage Service (MBGS) bills for and collects these fees from residential and commercial customers.

Morro Bay Municipal Code (MBMC) Sections 8.16.170 and 8.16.375 establish all places and premises in the City in or on which solid waste is created, accumulated, or produced must use the solid waste collection and disposal service provided by the City's franchisee, MBGS.

MBMC Section 8.16.170 also states, for the purposes of establishing responsibility for the payment of fees and charges, the person who has applied for water service within the City is responsible for paying for the solid waste service. In addition, the owner of the property that is furnished solid waste service, if different from that water customer, is jointly responsible for the payment of all solid waste rates, charges, and fees, including penalties. Any unpaid obligations shall run with the land and lead to delinquency for the property involved.

AGENDA NO: 8.a.

MEETING DATE: June 10, 2025

2 MBMC Section 8.16.385 addresses delinquent solid waste accounts held by the City’s franchisee, and defines the methodology related to collecting those debts including the preparation of a list of property owners whose accounts are more than 120 days past due, sending a certified letter to the property owner requesting payment within 45 calendar days, and presenting to the City a list of property owners that have failed to make the requested payment by the due date.

Government Code §38790.1 states any city collecting garbage fees or charges may collect delinquent fees or charges in the manner provided in Government Code §25831. Additionally, Health and Safety Code §5473 states a two-thirds majority vote of the City Council would be needed to have delinquent charges collected on the tax roll. These code sections detail other procedural requirements, including at least once a year the preparation of, and filing with the City, a report on delinquent fees describing each real property parcel receiving solid waste collection services and the charges for each parcel; the City fixing a time, date, and place for hearing the report and any objections or protests to said report; and mailing a notice of the hearing to property owners listed on the report 10 days prior to the date of the hearing.

After conducting the public hearing to receive the report on delinquent solid waste collection fees and any objections or protests of the property owners liable for the delinquent solid waste fees, the City Council is then requested to confirm the delinquent fees presented in the report, authorize adding to those delinquent fees the City’s 2% administration fee, and authorize the San Luis Obispo County Auditor to assess those amounts due on the delinquent accounts with the City’s administration fee as liens against the property.

Should the City Council authorize the County Auditor to assess the delinquent solid waste and City administration fees as tax liens against the properties, staff will prepare a Direct Charge/Special Assessment packet and submit those charges to the Auditor for the upcoming 2025-26 tax roll year.

As part of this packet preparation, staff will confirm with MBGS whether any of the delinquent fees were paid in between the time the City was provided the final lien list from MBGS and this public hearing. Any property that has paid its delinquent fees during that time will be removed from the list of properties with delinquent charges in the Direct Charge/Special Assessment packet. The County Auditor will collect the assessed lien amounts added to the tax roll and remit them to the City after taxes are paid to the Auditor.

DISCUSSION
MBGS has taken the actions prescribed within the MBMC Section 8.16.385 to collect delinquent solid waste collection accounts and on May 15, 2025 submitted to the City a list of delinquent solid waste collection accounts that did not pay by the due date after being properly noticed so that City staff could report these delinquent fees to the City Council and request authorization of the San Luis Obispo County Auditor to assess such amounts due as tax liens against the properties.

The properties listed in the report submitted to the City were Assessor Parcel Numbers (APN):

Parcel Number Total
066-201-027 $ 276.42
066-081-015 $ 290.06
066-152-003 $ 279.30
066-094-017 $ 144.74
066-084-037 $ 99.30
065-061-024 $ 100.22

3 Per the Government Code and Health and Safety Code, on May 29, 2025, staff sent letters by certified mail notifying the property owners for the APNs listed above of the City Council public hearing date, time, and location, to receive the report of delinquent solid waste fees as well as any objections or protests to said report. On June 2, 2025, City staff confirmed with MBGS that the delinquent fee owed for APN 006-201-027 had been paid and could be removed from the final lien list, and that all other properties on the final list submitted to the City remained unpaid.

The amounts reported to the City do not include the 2% administration fee assessed by the City for costs associated with the processing of the liens with the San Luis Obispo County Auditor. With the addition of the administration fee, the total fees staff recommends the City Council authorize the San Luis Obispo County Auditor to assess as tax liens against the properties below is as follows:

CONCLUSION
MBGS has gone through the process outlined in the MBMC and submitted the final list of property owners that failed to make the requested payment by the due date. In addition, City staff has gone through the process outlined in the Government Code by setting a hearing date to report to the City Council on delinquent solid waste fees, presenting to Council this report on delinquent fees, and notifying the affected property owners of the date, time, and location of the public hearing not less than 10 days prior to the hearing date.

Staff recommends the City Council conduct a public hearing to receive the report on delinquent solid waste collection fees, hear any objections or protests to the report, authorize the addition of the City’s 2% administration fee to the delinquent fees, and adopt Resolution No. XX-25 authorizing the San Luis Obispo County Auditor to assess amounts due on delinquent solid waste collection accounts as tax liens against the properties.

ATTACHMENTS

1. Resolution No. 32-25

2. Lien List Report from MBGS
Parcel Number Total Amount
066-081-015 $ 295.86
066-152-003 $ 284.90
066-094-017 $ 147.64
066-084-037 $ 101.30
065-061-024 $ 102.22

RESOLUTION NO. 32-25

RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL

OF THE CITY OF MORRO BAY, CALIFORNIA

AUTHORIZING THE SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY AUDITOR

TO ASSESS AMOUNTS DUE ON DELINQUENT

SOLID WASTE COLLECTION AND DISPOSAL ACCOUNTS AS

TAX LIENS AGAINST THE PROPERTIES
PURSUANT TO GOVERNMENT CODE SECTIONS 38790.1 AND 25828

T H E C I T Y C O U N C I L
City of Morro Bay, California
WHEREAS, Government Code section 38790.1 states “any city collecting garbage fees or charges may collect delinquent fees or charges in the manner provided in Section 25831 for counties;” and
WHEREAS, Government Code section 25831 states that at least once a year, a report shall be prepared of delinquent fees, and the City shall fix a time, date, and place for hearing the report and any objections or protests to the report; and WHEREAS, the City send by certified mail notice of the hearing to the landowners listed on the report not less than 10 days prior to the date of the hearing; and WHEREAS, at the hearing, the Council shall hear any objections or protests of landowners liable to be assessed for delinquent fees and may make revisions or corrections to the report as it deems just; and
WHEREAS, Sections 8.16.170 and 8.16.375 of the Morro Bay Municipal Code (MBMC) establish all places and premises in the City in or on which solid waste is created, accumulated or produced must use the solid waste collection and disposal service provided by the City's franchisee and the franchisee is responsible for collecting fees for the service; and WHEREAS, Subsections 8.16.170 C. and D. of the MBMC states, for the purposes of establishing responsibility for the payment of fees and charges, the customer, who has applied for water service within the City and the owner of the property, which is furnished solid waste service, if different from that customer, shall jointly be responsible for the payment of all rates, charges and fees including penalties and unpaid obligations shall run with the land and shall lead to delinquency for the property involved; and
WHEREAS, Section 8.16.385 of the MBMC further provides a method by which the franchisee may take actions to collect fees from the owners of properties involved in delinquent solid waste collection and disposal accounts which includes requesting the City to file a tax lien; and
WHEREAS, the franchisee, Morro Bay Garbage Service, has taken the actions required within the MBMC to collect fees from delinquent accounts as certified by franchisee and incorporated herein, and has provided the required list of debtors whose account is still delinquent; and
WHEREAS, City staff has taken actions required within the Government Code and Health and Safety Code sections 5470 et seq. to prepare a report on delinquent solid waste fees, set a hearing date for the City Council to hear the report and any objections or protests to said report,

and sent by certified mail notice of the hearing to the landowners listed on the report not less than 10 days prior to the date of the hearing.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Morro Bay, pursuant to Government Code Sections 38790.1 and 25831, Government Code Sections 5470 et seq., and MBMC Section 8.16.385:

1. After conducting the public hearing to hear the report of delinquent solid waste collection fees and any objections or protests of landowners liable on the report on delinquent solid waste fees, the delinquent fees as reported below are confirmed:

2. The San Luis Obispo County Auditor is hereby authorized to assess the amounts due on delinquent accounts, as established and certified by the franchisee Morro Bay Garbage Service as liens against the properties listed below with the additional 2% City administration fee added:

PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Morro Bay at a regular meeting thereof held on the 10
th day of June 2025 by the following vote:

AYES:

NOES:

ABSENT:

ABSTAIN:

RECUSED:
_________________________
CARLA WIXOM, Mayor
ATTEST:
___________________________
DANA SWANSON, City Clerk
Parcel Number Total Amount
066-081-015 $ 295.86
066-152-003 $ 284.90
066-094-017 $ 147.64
066-084-037 $ 101.30
065-061-024 $ 102.22

1 Janeen Burlingame
From: Amber Castro <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, May 15, 2025 7:52 AM
To: Janeen Burlingame
Subject: Final List
Attachments: MB-Tax Lien File-05-15-2025.xls
CAUTION: This is an external email. Please take care when clicking links or opening attachments.

Good morning Janeen,
Attached is the final list for the customers that are still delinquent. Are we able to still take payments here in our oƯice?
Thank you,
Amber C.

Collections Administrator
San Luis Garbage
South County Sanitary
Mission Country Disposal
Morro Bay Garbage
Coastal Rolloff
4388 Old Santa Fe Rd
Office: 805-783-4495
Fax: 805-543-0620
Go mobile and never forget your collection day again! Download our mobile app for your Android device or iPhone.

Click the icon below:

Attachment 2

2

Cust No. Customer Name Parcel No. Service Address Bill Name Bill Address Bill City 120d Fin Charg Total 10105356 SPAULDING, JASON 066-201-027 992 PECHO ST RICHARDS, JEFFREY & ULRIKE1742 MARTINGALE AVE LOS OSOS, CA 93402-3012 186.42 90.00 276.42 10150316 MALONEY, SHAWN 066-081-015 995 ALLESANDRO ST FORT, RONALD 995 ALLESANDRO ST MORRO BAY, CA 93442-2301 235.06 55.00 290.06 10094792 ROSE, CHARLES 066-152-003 561 ESTERO AVE ROSE, CHARLES 561 ESTERO AVE MORRO BAY, CA 93442-2343 224.30 55.00 279.30 10022997 ZIMMERMAN, CECIL 066-094-017 678 BELLA VISTA DR ZIMMERMAN, CECIL 1501 PONDEROSA AVE BAKERSFIELD, CA 93306 79.74 65.00 144.74 10055429 DOMENGHINI, BETTY 066-084-037 929 PACIFIC ST DOMENGHINI, DALE 927 PACIFIC ST MORRO BAY, CA 93442-2326 69.30 30.00 99.30 4015566 FRANCISCO, MIGUEL 065-061-024 480 NASSAU ST FRANCISCO, ANTONIO 480 NASSAU ST MORRO BAY, CA 93442-1327 75.22 25.00 100.22 870.04 320.00 1,190.04

Prepared By: _DM_________ Dept Review: ________
City Manager Review: YK___ City Attorney Review: RWS___ Staff Report
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council DATE: June5, 2025
FROM: Daniel McCrain, Fire Chief
SUBJECT: Community Risk Assessment and Standards of Cover for the Morro Bay Fire Department

RECOMMENDED ACTION
Receive and file.

ALTERNATIVES
Provide alternate direction to staff.

FISCAL IMPACT
Varies depending on action items implemented.

BACKGROUND
This item was one of the 2023- 2025 City council goals and short-term actions. In November of 2023 the City of Morro Bay released a Request For Proposals (RFP) for qualified consultants to conduct a Community Risk Assessment and Standards of Cover evaluation for the Morro Bay Fire Department and Police Department. Matrix Consulting was the firm selected to complete this project. We received the draft report on February 11, 2025. The consultant split the Fire Department portion into a standalone report and will provide a supplemental document outlining the Morro Bay Police Department due to delays in data collection beyond the control of City staff. The purpose of this document is to review the City’s delivery of emergency services to ensure needs are being met and outline areas for improvement based on industry guidelines, standards and regulations. This project focuses on emergency services system delivery including response capabilities, response time analysis, resource locations, available resources, personnel capacity, staffing and workforce.

DISCUSSION
The report includes a comprehensive assessment of the current staffing and capabilities of the Morro Bay Fire Department. This includes the number of personnel, positions filled, agency organization, daily staffing levels, station locations, equipment, and automatic/mutual aid available to the City.

A community risk assessment (CRA) is a systematic process to identify, analyze, and evaluate a community's risks. It is a critical step in risk reduction and management, aiming to understand the potential hazards (natural or manufactured), vulnerabilities of the community (such as socioAGENDA NO: 9.a MEETING DATE: June 10, 2025

economic conditions, public infrastructure, and environmental factors), and the capacities or resources available to mitigate and respond to these risks. The main objectives of a community risk assessment include Identifying hazards, analyzing vulnerabilities, evaluating capacities and resources, a risk analysis, developing strategies to mitigate risks, and implementation and monitoring of risk reduction strategies. The natural hazards referenced were identified in the City’s local hazard mitigation plan and include hazards such as wildfire, flood, tsunami, earthquake and severe weather.

This report also identified demographic vulnerabilities such as people with disabilities, elderly, language barriers, and populations lacking adequate housing or health insurance. All of these factors are useful in determining the resource needs and probabilities of incident types within a community and provides metrics to evaluate emergency service capabilities.

To develop recommendations for the Standards of Cover Report the consultant reviewed the current staffing and response model including mutual and automatic aid resources. They conducted a critical task analysis for a residential structure fire as well as other common fire department incident types to determine an Effective Response Force (ERF), or the number of personnel required to adequately address the required tasks on each incident. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standard 1710 establishes a minimum ERF of 16 personnel to a single-family residential structure fire and an ERF of 17 personnel if an aerial apparatus (ladder truck) is utilized. A critical task analysis was performed for other incident types including technical rescues, hazardous materials incidents, medical responses, wildland urban interface fires, and other incident types to determine an ERF for each general incident type. This report identifies the ERF needed for incidents Morro Bay Fire responds to varied between 5 personnel for a low-risk medical aid up to 28 personnel for an apartment building fire.

The Morro Bay Fire Department has 4 personnel daily and increases staffing to 5 daily during the summer when the Seasonal Firefighter program is active. CAL FIRE can provide an additional 3 response personnel for automatic aid during fire season and 2 personnel during the winter. Additional personnel can be provided through mutual aid support with a greater than 10-minute travel time to the City. Due to the distance from mutual aid partners, assembling an ERF that meets NFPA 1710 standards can exceed 40 minutes with the current staffing levels.

To determine the most effective distribution of fire department resources the consultants looked at current station locations and staffing models and evaluated utilizing a second fire station that is currently not staffed. The City was divided into North and South planning zones to evaluate response times throughout the City with the dividing line at Highway 41. Based on this dividing line North Morro Bay accounts for approximately 30% of all calls for service with responding resources coming from South Morro Bay at the Harbor Street station. This geographical difference results in incidents in North Morro Bay exceeding 6 minutes of driving time from the Harbor Street station. The NFPA 1710 standard is 4 minutes or less travel time 90% of the time. The report identified that with the Bonita Street Fire Station staffed the entire MBFD response area would be within a 4-minute travel time greatly improving service to the northern half of the City. Staffing a second location in North Morro Bay also provides for continuity of service in the event of natural disasters and other incidents that prevent travel between the north and south portions of town.

For historical context, in November of 2003 the Morro Bay City Council commissioned an Ad-HOC Committee to evaluate emergency services. The recommendations of that committee included moving to a daily staffing of 4 full time Firefighters with an optimal level of 6 daily as funding allowed.

These recommendations were based on industry standards in place at this time. Another

recommendation of this working group was to staff a second fire station in North Morro Bay to address a critical need for improved services to the residents in the Northern portion of the City. This recommendation was supported by a response time analysis and Standards of Cover survey known as the “Flame Study”, a Fire Department community survey, and an AD-HOC Committee 5-year strategic plan. Some key decisions resulted from the efforts of this AD-HOC committee, the first was this information was utilized to assist in the passage of Measure Q. This measure was a ½ cent sales tax initiative to boost funding for emergency services within the City. Measure Q passed by a vote of the community in 2006. The second was the City Council approved a motion to “inform the Emergency Services Committee and staff that preferences are for two fire stations (north and south) with minimum funding of four full-time personnel on each shift augmented with Reserve Firefighters; and direct staff to bring back information on implementing a second fire station by July 12, 2004.” This motion carried unanimously a (5-0) vote. The third point was at the July 26, 2004, City Council meeting, Councilmember Peirce moved that “it is the intent of the City Council to re-open and staff Fire Station 54, and direct staff to seek funding expeditiously.” The motion carried unanimously. (5- 0). As a result of this council action funding was secured and the apparatus bay at the Bonita Street station was rebuilt. Due to the economic downturn in 2008 financial constraints impacted this goal, construction of the living quarters was unable to proceed and progress to staff a second fire station was halted. During this time period the Fire Department responded to approximately 1,500 calls for service annually with 34% occurring in North Morro Bay. Department staffing were 9 full time Firefighters plus the Fire Chief for a daily staffing of 3, the department relied heavily on a pool of up to 20 part-time, Reserve Firefighters to augment staffing.

This new Standards of Cover report reinforces and expands upon the recommendations made in the 2003 “Flame Study” and subsequent Ad-hoc committee recommendations that led to the passing of the Measure Q sales tax for public safety. In the 20 years since this original Standards of cover was concluded, the City has seen a dramatic increase in tourism, large public events such as the Ironman Triathlon, and a significant increase in traffic congestion that can result in hours long delays along the embarcadero during holidays and public events. In an effort to reduce the effects of these challenges, the Morro Bay Fire Department has increased daily staffing to 4 full-time firefighters as recommended in the Flame Report. The department operates a two-engine response model to support simultaneous incidents, and has built a new apparatus bay at the Bonita Street Fire Station.

These fire department changes highlight the goal of documents such as a Standards of Cover report, to guide departmental growth that is aligned with community needs, regulations, and industry’s best practices. These reports are useful to inform City leadership in deficiencies, liabilities, and areas for improvement for long range financial planning. It is understood that few departments have the means to meet every recommendation or industry best practices, but these should be goals to strive for as budget and resources allow.

RECOMMENDATIONS AND ACTIONS TAKEN
The recommendations of the consultant are below in bold. The actions the department has taken to address these recommendations follow each recommendation. • Establish a community standard delineating the services provided, response protocols, and benchmark objectives for the City's fire protection system.  Response protocols and benchmark objectives are established in Lexipol policy manual, SLO EMSA Protocols, and standard performance evolutions. • Formally establish a baseline performance objective turnout time of 1 minute and 30 seconds for all emergency calls 90% of the time.

 Departmental policy was adopted on 9/10/2024. 1 minute or less 90% of the time for EMS incidents and 1minute 20 seconds or less for non-EMS incidents. Policy 306.3 • Work with the communications center to ensure adequate procedures and processes for capturing the time stamps.
 Upgraded mobile data computers to allow for electronic capture of timestamps improving accuracy. We have identified discrepancies in data collection and are working with the dispatch center to address.
• Install timers in the stations at the apparatus doors to indicate the elapsed time from dispatch.
 Evaluating cost of upgrading the existing station alerting system, this would be included with new system.
• Post the turnout time performance monthly by shift to allow crews to see their performance.
 We review response times during monthly officers’ meetings. • Create a reporting mechanism for excessive turnout times to allow for evaluation of the cause of turnout time delays.
 We utilize the daily log and email from crew members to notify administration of unusual response situations.
• The City of Morro Bay should establish a 5-minute travel time benchmark performance objective for 90% of the emergency calls for service.  Meeting this standard requires the second fire station to be staffed due to the distance from primary station.
• Upgrade Station 54 to ensure it can safely accommodate an on-duty crew.  Conceptual drawings and cost estimates have been completed. Options and feasibility are being evaluated.
• Establish an on-duty crew at Station 54 to improve travel time in the City's northern section.
 Requires the addition of 2 full-time positions to fully staff a second station. If second station was operational we could staff it with current staffing levels initially to improve service.
• Increase the minimum staffing of the Morro Bay apparatus from two personnel to three personnel to improve firefighter safety and the effective response force.  Increasing the staffing level to 3 on each apparatus is a daily staffing of 6 personnel.

The current staffing level is 4 personnel daily. The current department goal is the addition of 2 FTE, this would give a level of 5 personnel daily and increase to 6 daily during the summer when seasonal Firefighters are utilized. Staffing of 6 full-time employees daily is a long-range goal. To fully meet the NFPA standard on apparatus staffing levels we would need to have 8 people on duty daily effectively doubling our workforce. A workforce of this size is not possible with the City’s finances but does provide a metric to strive for.
• Establish a performance objective of an effective response force of 10 personnel and a 12-minute travel time.
 Mutual aid from Station 11 in Cayucos adds 3 personnel, to meet this standard would require a minimum staffing of 6 FTE plus a Chief Officer. This is not currently possible with the General Fund budget unless alternate funding is identified. Meeting NFPA 1710 standards of having 17 firefighters on scene of a single-family fire within 8 minutes would require a daily staffing of 13 personnel due to the distance from mutual

aid partners. This is the gold standard that departments strive for but very few are able to achieve this due to the personnel costs. NFPA 1710 states a minimum of 4 personnel on each engine but many agencies’ staff with 3 due to budget restrictions.

CONCLUSION
It is important to emphasize that the findings of this report do not mean the Fire Department is inadequate or unable to meet the needs of the community. The Fire Department delivers a high level of service to the citizens of Morro Bay. The goal of an evaluation like this is to provide a benchmark and outline opportunities to enhance or alter service delivery in response to changing conditions within a city. This report should be considered a roadmap to guide department growth as finances allow. This document should be considered a living document that will change over time, as other factors influence the City and the emergency service system. The goal of this document is to inform City leadership of the primary risks a community is faced with and evaluate the response capabilities against industry standards and best practices. This report can help identify areas for improvement and assist in long range planning for focused departmental growth with the goal of ensuring the fire department is effectively deployed to meet the individual needs of the community. The Fire Department has taken many steps to address the recommendations in this report. We have made changes even prior to the completion of this report that address many of the identified items. Based on nationally recognized best practices, the challenges identified for the City and the fire department related to the emergency response system include the following:
• Improvement in turnout time and travel time.
• The development of an effective response force.
• Renovation and staffing of the Bonita Street Station. • Establishing benchmark performance objectives for the response to emergency calls for service.

Making these improvements needs to be a planned approach to enhancing service levels, improving firefighter safety and easing the City's financial burden by implementing these goals incrementally as City funding allows.

ATTACHMENT(S)

1. MBFD Final Report 2-11-2025

2. Staff presentation

Community Risk Assessment and Standards of Cover
For the Fire Department

MORRO BAY, CALIFORNIA
February 11, 2025

Table of Contents
Introduction and Executive Summary 1
Scope of Work 1
Approaches Utilized in the Study 1
Executive Summary 2
Strategic Improvement Opportunities 2
Morro Bay Fire Department Organization 4
Background 4
Organization 6
Emergency Operations 9
Training and Education 15
Fire Prevention 15
Financial Resources 17
Community Risk Assessment 19
Risk Factors and Categories 20
Natural Hazard Assessment 25
Transportation Hazards 34
Supplemental Risk Factors 36
Physical Environment Hazard Assessment 45
Community Growth and Development 46

Critical Task Analysis 48
Emergency Services Delivery 52
Planning and Assessment Zones 55
Evaluation of Deployment and Performance 58
Response Time Criteria 58
Call Processing 62
Turnout Time 63
Distribution of Resources 64
Concentration of Resources 65
System Reliability 67
Total Response Time 67
Deployment Improvement Opportunities 69
Community Standards 69
Turnout Time 71
Distribution of Resources 73
Concentration of Resources 74
Performance Objectives 78
Emergency Medical Services 78
Fire Suppression Services 79
Facility Assessment 81

Index of Tables 82

Standard of Cover Morro Bay Fire Department Morro Bay, CA Matrix Consulting Group 1
Introduction and Executive Summary
The City of Morro Bay retained the Matrix Consulting Group to facilitate a Community Risk Assessment and Standards of Cover for the Morro Bay Fire Department (MBFD). This document includes the project team’s research and analysis of the MBFD and community, which includes risk assessment, staffing, response capabilities, and deployment analysis.

Scope of Work
The scope of this study included assessing the current fire protection system operations, response capabilities, staffing, and other resources necessary for delivering services to the city. A review of services and the delivery of those services should be performed periodically to ensure our needs are being met. This project focused on the emergency services system delivery that included:
• Response capabilities.
• Response time analysis.
• Resource locations.
• Available resources to serve the city.
• Staffing and workforce.

The approaches used in this study were comprehensive, as described below.

Approaches Utilized in the Study
The project team undertook an assessment to understand and evaluate the city's service level issues. The principal approaches utilized by the project team in this study included, but were not limited to, the following:
• Internal Interviews – Project team members interviewed numerous city executives, managers, and supervisors individually.
• Data Collection – the project team collected a wide variety of external and internal data documenting the structure, operations, and organization, including:
- MBFD staffing and scheduling.
- Documentation reflecting operations management.
- Numerous output data points reflecting services provided. - Various other performance information and indicators.

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• This data was summarized in a ‘descriptive profile’ of the MBFD, which was reviewed and modified by fire department staff to ensure we had a factual foundation for the study. This approach ensured that the project team understood the MBFD appropriately.

Data was collected over the past several months and presented in interim deliverables.

The project team reviewed facts, findings, and conclusions through these interim deliverables with the MBFD throughout this process.

Executive Summary
The Morro Bay Fire Department provides fire services to the city, with resources deployed from two fire stations covering an area of about 10 square miles and an estimated population of 10,800 residents. The city's recreational areas, including the Morro Bay State Park, also increase the population.

Among the challenges for the city and the fire department are the limited access points into the city, with Highway 1 and State Route 41 being the two primary routes. This limits access to the city should additional resources be needed to deliver emergency services.

Based on nationally recognized best practices, there are challenges for the city and the fire department related to the emergency response system that includes the following:
• Improvement in turnout time and travel time.
• The development of an effective response force.
• Renovation and staffing of Station 54.
• Establishing benchmark performance objectives for the response to emergency calls for service.

Making these improvements needs to be a planned approach to enhancing service levels, improving firefighter safety, and easing the city's financial burden.

Strategic Improvement Opportunities
This document should be considered a living document that will change over time, as other factors influence the city and the emergency service system.

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Strategic Initiatives
• Establish a community standard delineating the services provided, response protocols, and benchmark objectives for the city's fire protection system. • Formally establish a baseline performance objective turnout time of 1 minute and 30 seconds for all emergency calls 90% of the time. • Work with the communications center to ensure adequate procedures and processes for capturing the time stamps.
• Install timers in the stations at the apparatus doors to indicate the elapsed time from dispatch.
• Post the turnout time performance monthly by shift to allow crews to see their performance.
• Create a reporting mechanism for excessive turnout times to allow for evaluation of the cause of turnout time delays.
• The City of Morro Bay should establish a 5-minute travel time benchmark performance objective for 90% of the emergency calls for service. • Upgrade Station 54 to ensure it can safely accommodate an on-duty crew. • Establish an on-duty crew at Station 54 to improve travel time in the city's northern section.
• Increase the minimum staffing of the Morro Bay apparatus from two personnel to three personnel to improve firefighter safety and the effective response force. • Establish a performance objective of an effective response force of 10 personnel and a 12-minute travel time.

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Morro Bay Fire Department Organization
This chapter provides an overview of the Morro Bay Fire Department's general characteristics, organization, and operations.

Background
The Morro Bay Fire Department (MBFD) is located in the coastal area of San Luis Obispo County, California. Morro Bay is a small city known for its natural beauty and harbor along the central coast. The service area encompasses approximately 10.3 square miles, with a population that fluctuates depending on tourism. However, it is estimated to have around 10,000 residents, with a population density of 2,024.71 per square mile. This population density varies, however, with denser residential areas near the bay and harbor, while other parts of the service area include open spaces and natural landscapes. The department plays a crucial role in ensuring the safety of both residents and visitors in this scenic and dynamic coastal community.

The Morro Bay Fire Department has evolved from its early days of volunteer firefighting to a professional organization equipped with modern technology and equipment. Founded to meet the growing needs of the Morro Bay community in California, it has integrated with broader emergency services, emphasizing community involvement and fire prevention education. Over its history, the department has responded to significant incidents, adapted to modern challenges like climate-related risks, and continues to serve as a vital component of public safety in the region.

Demographic Profile
The following table illustrates the demographic profile of the District and the changes that have occurred since 2010.

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Table 1: Morro Bay Demographics
US Census Bureau 2010 2015 2022
Estimated Population 10,234 10,471 10,766
Median Age 54.1 49.2 52.1
Children Under age 5 3.3% 4.9% 3.1%
Children Ages 5 to 19 years 9.8% 11.4% 14.0%
Persons Age 20 to 59 years 46.5% 52.0% 45.4%
Persons Aged 60 and Over 40.5% 30.9% 37.5%
Families in Poverty 5.9% 7.7% 6.8%
Civilian Labor Force Unemployed 3.7% 6.9% 9.2%
Median Household Income $53,585 $51,338 $88,547
Employment Sectors:

Education, Health Care, Soc. Svc. 21.9% 27.2% 17.7%
Retail Trade 12.4% 11.2% 17.6%
Professional, Scientific, Mgmt. 8.1% 11.7% 12.7%
Finance, Insurance, Real Estate 5.1% 4.0% 5.8%
Entertainment, Recreation, Food 17.2% 16.2% 11.2%
Construction 6.2% 4.9% 9.4%
Manufacturing 6.0% 4.6% 4.9%
Transportation, Warehousing, Util. 4.7% 5.1% 3.0%
Public Administration 8.6% 3.3% 8.4%
Other Services 4.6% 5.1% 3.8%
Wholesale 0.7% 1.9% 2.6%
Information 2.7% 3.7% 1.0%
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing 1.6% 1.2% 1.9%
Since 2010, the City has grown by about 5.2%, adding about 500 more people. The average age has decreased from 54 in 2010 to 52 in 2022. The average household income has increased by about 65% in the last twelve years, and the number of families living in poverty has risen by about 1%.

The following map provides a view of population density by census blocks.

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The map illustrates that the highest population density is gathered in the downtown area.

The second most dense portion of Morro Bay is located off Highway 1 to the extreme north of the City. The third area is located near Station 53 to the south.

Organization
The Morro Bay Fire Department employs a Fire Chief, thirteen (13) career fire suppression personnel, an administrative technician, a Fire Marshal, and up to four (4) seasonal firefighters. The MBFD is tasked with emergency planning, response, command, and mitigation of various incidents. The following table illustrates the department's staffing levels.

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Table 2: Authorized and Current Staffing Levels
Unit / Position Curr Auth
Office of the Fire Chief
Fire Chief 1 1
Administrative Technician 1 1
Fire Marshal/Deputy Chief 1 1
Total Office of the Fire Chief 3 3
Fire Suppression Operations
Captain/Paramedic 3 3
Fire Engineer 8 8
Fire Fighter 2 2
Seasonal Fire Fighter/Reserve 3.2 3.2
Total Fire Suppression Operations 16.2 16.2
Fire Department Total 19.2 19.2
The MBFD operates three divisions, which work a 48-hour on and 96-hour off rotation.

The Deputy Chief, the Fire Marshal, oversees these divisions. A Captain/Paramedic is the officer in charge of each shift, which ranges from having four (4) to three (3) firefighter personnel on duty.

Mission Statement
To enhance the quality of life for the citizens and visitors of Morro Bay by providing exceptional emergency and allied services.

The organizational charts that follow illustrate the current Morro Bay Fire Department.

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Morro Bay Fire Department Organization Chart
Part Time Staffing
(FTE) Seasonal Fire
Fighters/Reserves
(3.2)
Fire Chief
Captain/Paramedic
Fire Engineer (3)
Fire Fighter (1)
Captain/Paramedic
Fire Engineer (3)
Captain/Paramedic
Fire Engineer (2)
Fire Fighter (1)
Admin Tech Fire Marshal /
Deputy Chief

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Emergency Operations
Emergency operations are provided by MBFD stations using a minimum of four (4) personnel each day. Services are provided from the following physical locations.

Physical Resources
The following map illustrates the locations of each physical facility used by the MBFD.

The following tables outline the apparatus and staffing for each station.

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Fire Station 53
715 Harbor Street
Description
of Use
Administrative and operational, contains a secondary Emergency Operations Center (EOC)
Apparatus
Space One (1) back-in bay and two (2) drive-thru bays
Assigned
Apparatus
Unit ID Year Description Type Minimum
Staffing
5391 2019 Pierce Arrow XT Type 1 Engine 2
5392 2008 Pierce Arrow Type 1 Engine 2
Fire Station 54
460 Bonita Street
Description
of Use Non-staffed facility serving the Del Mark Park area Apparatus
Space Two (2) garage-style bay doors
Assigned
Apparatus
Unit ID Year Description Type Minimum
Staffing
5341 2014 Pierce 75' Aerial CrossStaffed

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Historical Workload and Performance
Morro Bay Fire Department responds to emergency and non-emergency calls for service.

The following table illustrates the MBFD's calls for service organized by type of incident for 2021 – 2023.

Table 3: 2021 – 2023 Calls for Service
2021 2022 2023 Total Pct.

Auto Accidents 42 42 51 135 2.3%
Medical Calls 1,339 1,526 1,648 4,513 75.5%
Total Medical and Auto Accidents 1,381 1,568 1,699 4,648 77.7% Fire Alarm - False 74 83 96 253 4.2%
Other Type Fire 5 3 2 10 0.2%
Structure Fire 4 2 2 8 0.1%
Overpressure/Rupture/Explosion 17 17 7 41 0.7%
Vegetation/Brush/Debris Fires 6 2 4 12 0.2%
Vehicle Fire 106 107 111 324 5.4%
All Fire Calls 1 1 2 0.0%
Rescue Calls - Extrication 0 1 1 2 0.0%
Rescue Calls - Cliff 1 1 1 3 0.1%
Rescue Calls - Surf 5 2 3 10 0.2%
Rescue Calls - Swift Water 0 0 2 2 0.0%
All Rescue Calls 0 0.3%
Hazardous Material 3 1 1 5 0.1%
Hazardous Conditions 78 74 102 254 4.2%
Service Calls 232 211 288 731 12.2%
Non-Coded Calls 0 0 0 0 0.0%
Other Types of Calls 313 286 391 990 16.6%
Total Calls for Service 1,806 1,965 2,208 5,979
Medical calls represent about 76% of the call volume, with auto accidents accounting for an additional 2.3%. Other calls, including service calls and hazardous condition calls, account for about 17% of the calls for service.

The following table displays the total number of calls for service managed by MBFD by each hour and day of the week for the past three years. Both emergency and nonemergency calls for service are included to provide an overall view of the call demand on the emergency services system.

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Table 4: 2021 - 2023 Calls for Service by Hour and Weekday Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Total
12 am 28 23 12 20 21 17 23 144
1 am 20 14 14 27 16 19 21 131
2 am 21 15 13 16 11 8 19 103
3 am 23 15 11 13 13 15 17 107
4 am 13 10 17 12 15 15 16 98
5 am 13 10 16 17 24 20 16 116
6 am 22 22 23 13 22 14 22 138
7 am 31 31 32 34 26 19 33 206
8 am 24 50 34 37 41 50 29 265
9 am 39 55 56 42 37 56 49 334
10 am 49 47 45 56 54 53 41 345
11 am 49 59 45 65 48 59 50 375
12 pm 52 56 49 42 56 56 52 363
1 pm 47 41 59 51 38 56 59 351
2 pm 50 57 64 62 65 59 57 414
3 pm 49 52 53 51 51 51 33 340
4 pm 42 44 54 59 50 51 34 334
5 pm 37 46 41 39 50 55 51 319
6 pm 34 46 48 52 39 55 60 334
7 pm 39 39 37 43 40 45 56 299
8 pm 42 38 39 36 29 50 32 266
9 pm 45 30 24 33 26 53 39 250
10 pm 26 22 26 20 27 32 32 185
11 pm 24 17 28 23 18 20 32 162
Total 819 839 840 863 817 928 873 5,979
The call volume is heaviest during the middle of the day, from mid-morning to early evening, with a spike in calls around 2 pm every day of the workweek, relatively even in the number of calls. Calls for service varied by time of day and day of week. The busiest hour of the day is 2 pm, with the slowest hour being 4 am.

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The following chart further illustrates the calls for service by hour of the day.

Calls for Service by Hour 2021 - 2023
The above chart highlights that the busiest hour of the day is 2 pm and the slowest hour is 4 am.
0 50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
12 am
3 am
6 am
9 am
12 pm
3 pm
6 pm
9 pm

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The following map illustrates the call demand using GIS technology to outline where most of the calls for service occurred.

As illustrated, the higher volume of calls occurs clustered around Station 54, near the central part of the City, and a few blocks south of Station 53.

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Training and Education
The Morro Bay Fire Department maintains a training schedule for all employees. The training is broken down to indicate whether it is mandated for Suppression, Administration, or the Chief.

There are thirty-five (35) initial trainings for all Suppression Employees, eleven (11) of which must be renewed annually. An additional six (6) trainings require renewals every two years. Administration and the Chief follow a similar schedule, with ten (10) trainings being required for the Administration and twenty-three (23) for the Chief. Multiple trainings are offered monthly and quarterly.

Fire Prevention
The Morro Bay Fire Department offers various fire prevention services that aim to enhance and uphold fire and life safety within the community. These activities ensure that businesses, structures, open spaces, and construction projects adhere to the established fire codes, standards, and ordinances.

Fire Prevention
The Morro Bay Fire Department's Fire Prevention program conducts the following activities:
• Construction and fire suppression system plan checks
• On-site construction and suppression system installation inspections • Management of the weed abatement program
• Business fire safety inspections
• Issuance of identified California Fire Code permits
• Special event safety inspections
• Fire Code enforcement
Public Education
Several educational opportunities and community services are available through the MBFD. These public educational opportunities include the following:
• Blood Pressure Check
• Fire Station Tours

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• R-U OK Senior Program
• Smoke Detector Program
• Open houses
• Complaints/Reports
• Firefighters in Safety Education (FISE) Program

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Financial Resources
The City of Morro Bay operates a budget from July 1 to June 30. Budgets are prepared on the same basis of accounting used for financial reporting: governmental fund types (General, Special Revenue, and Debt Service) are budgeted according to the modified accrual basis of accounting; propriety funds (Intergovernmental Service Funds) and fiduciary funds are budgeted under the accrual basis of accounting.1 Revenues
The Morro Bay Fire Department receives 77.7% of its funding through the City's General Fund. In contrast, the remaining 24% of the revenue is obtained from Measures Q & E to "maintain public safety services.”2 The following table summarizes the Morro Bay Fire Department revenues for FY 2022 – FY 2024.

Line Item FY2022 Actual FY2023 Amended FY 2024
Proposed Budget
Intergovernmental Revenue $4,707 $12,360 $12,360
Licenses and Permits $300 $1,545 $1,545
Revenue from Current Services $802,219 $571,635 $672,816 Other Revenues $6,693 $600 $600
Total Revenues $813,919 $586,140 $687,321
The current services references in the above table include $106,044, which is comprised of fees collected from the local Emergency Medical Services (EMS) transport provider to support having MBFD personnel trained to the level of a paramedic to support the local EMS system.
1 City of Morro Bay FY 2023 – 24 Adopted Operating and Capital Budget 2 City of Morro Bay FY 2023 – 24 Adopted Operating and Capital Budget

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Expenditures
The following table illustrates the operating budget for FY 2022 – FY 2024.

Line Item FY2022 Actual FY2023 Amended FY 2024
Proposed Budget
General Fund Expenditures
Personnel Services $2,380,596 $2,247,539 $2,512,456
Supplies $184,351 $162,286 $159,049
Other Expense $5,000 $113,641 $116,500
Services $194,155 $217,874 $213,540
Measure Q&E
Personnel Services $716,741 $849,328 $952,439
Debt Service $82,888 $0 $0
General Fund Expenditures $3,563,731 $3,590,668 $3,953,984 In FY 2023, salaries and benefits comprised approximately 64% of the operating expenditures.

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Community Risk Assessment
A community risk assessment (CRA) is a systematic process to identify, analyze, and evaluate a community's risks. It is a critical step in risk reduction and management, aiming to understand the potential hazards (natural or manufactured), vulnerabilities of the community (such as socio-economic conditions, public infrastructure, and environmental factors), and the capacities or resources available to mitigate and respond to these risks. The main objectives of a community risk assessment include:
• Identifying Hazards: Determining the types of hazards (e.g., floods, earthquakes, droughts, industrial accidents) that can potentially impact the community. • Analyzing Vulnerabilities: Understanding the factors that make the community susceptible to damage or harm from these hazards. These factors include examining population density, building structures, economic conditions, and environmental degradation.
• Evaluating Capacities and Resources: Identifying the strengths, resources, and capabilities that the community possesses to prevent, prepare for, respond to, and recover from disaster situations. These include local knowledge, infrastructure, social networks, and emergency services.
• Risk Analysis: Combining information on hazards, vulnerabilities, and capacities to assess the overall risk level to the community. These involve estimating the likelihood of different hazardous events and their potential impacts on the community.
• Developing Strategies: Based on the assessment, strategies, and plans are designed to reduce vulnerabilities, enhance capacities, and mitigate risks. These may involve community-based planning, infrastructure improvements, policy changes, and education and awareness programs.
• Implementation and Monitoring: Implement risk reduction strategies and continuously monitor and update risk assessment to reflect changing conditions or new information.

Community risk assessment is crucial for risk reduction and management. It will assist with prioritizing resources, improving preparedness, and building resilience in the community.

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Risk Factors and Categories
Risk is the possibility of loss, injury, or other unwelcome adverse circumstances or events. As a community, we try to reduce the effects of undesirable events through mitigation efforts before an emergency and using services such as police departments, public works, and fire departments to mitigate the incident once it occurs. Assessing a community's fire and non-fire risks provides the foundation to develop mitigation strategies and the resources needed should that incident happen. Components used in the risk assessment are further defined in the following sections.

Identification
The first step in assessing community risks is to look at the emergency services' responses, such as emergency medical calls and fires. Further identification of the types of emergency medical calls and fires will allow a more defined risk assessment. In addition to the kinds of response by the emergency services, natural and manufactured hazards also impact a community. These events range from earthquakes and floods to hazardous material incidents and acts of terrorism. These events may be less frequent than an emergency medical call, but they can have a lasting impact on the community.

Risk Evaluation
Risk assessment models typically used for a community risk assessment use a two-axis probability and consequences model to evaluate a designated risk. A three-axis risk categorization is a framework used to assess and classify risks based on three key dimensions or axes. Each axis represents a specific aspect or characteristic of risk, allowing for a more comprehensive understanding and analysis of potential threats. Here are three common examples of risk categorization axes:
• Probability Axis: The probability axis assesses the likelihood of an event occurring.

It typically ranges from low to high or can be represented numerically from 1 to 5 or 1 to 10. A low probability suggests that the risk event is improbable, while a high likelihood indicates a greater chance of occurrence.
• Consequence Axis: This axis evaluates an event's potential consequences or impacts. It considers the severity, magnitude, or extent of harm or damage resulting from the event. The impact axis can also be represented on a scale, such as low to high or 1 to 5, reflecting the level of damage or disruption caused by the risk.
• Emergency Services Axis: The emergency services axis focuses on the extent to which effective response capabilities or mitigation strategies are in place to

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manage the risk. It helps determine the level of preparedness and the ability to respond to and mitigate the identified hazards.

Combining these three axes allows the fire department to assess and categorize risks based on their likelihood, impact, and response capabilities. This categorization enables a more nuanced understanding of risks and facilitates prioritization and allocation of resources for risk management efforts.

Probability
Probability is the likelihood of an unwanted event occurring within a given period. Events that occur weekly are highly probable, while those that occur annually are less likely. The following matrix provides a method to score the probability of an event occurring. While there are various methods to quantify the probability, the following table was adapted from the Community Risk Assessment guide developed as a part of the Vision 20/20 project.
3 Table 5: Probability
Probability
Score Descriptor Description
2 Unlikely • Events may only occur in exceptional circumstances. • Greater time than annually.
4 Possible • It might occur at some time – annually.
• There are no recent recorded incidents.
6 Probable • Likely to or may occur/recur – quarterly.
• Strong anecdotal evidence it will occur.
8 Highly
Probable
• Likely to or may occur/recur – weekly.
• High level of recorded incidents or strong anecdotal evidence. 10 Frequent • It occurs at least daily or multiple times each day.

Consequence
Consequence measures a disparate outcome defined by loss of life, property, or historic values. There may also be additional economic considerations, such as loss of jobs and tax revenue. The following matrix provides a method to score the consequences to the community that an event may create.
3 Community Risk Assessment https://strategicfire.org/

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Table 6: Consequence
Consequence
Score Descriptor Description
2 Insignificant
• 1 or 2 people affected, minor injuries/property damage • A small number are displaced, and little outside support is needed. • No environmental concerns.
4 Minor
• A small number (<10) of injuries but no fatalities.
• Minor medical treatment is required.
• Some displacement is possible (less than 24 hours) with minimal support needed.
• No lasting environmental effects.
6 Moderate
• Limited number of people affected (11 – 50).
• Some hospitalizations but no fatalities.
• Dozens may be displaced for up to 24 hours and need outside support.
• Some environmental impacts with short-term effects.
8 Significant
• More than 25 people are affected.
• Multiple serious injuries and hospitalizations with possible multiple fatalities.
• Large numbers are displaced, and there is a definite need for outside resources.
• Significant environmental impact with long-term effects. 10 Catastrophic
• Large numbers of people (>100) are affected with multiple hospitalizations and fatalities.
• Widespread, long-term displacement with a definite need for outside resources.
• Damage to infrastructure and loss of critical services. • Significant long-term environmental impact, and the community needs long-term support.

Impact on Emergency Services
The risk assessment model being utilized is a three-axis model that allows a deeper look at how a community is affected by hazards. Morro Bay Fire Department is accountable for fire response, medical response, rescue response, wildfire response, and hazardous materials response. This third axis of the risk assessment scores the impact on the Morro Bay Fire Department to provide the services needed to the community during specific hazards.

The following matrix illustrates the impact score. The score is based on the percentage of on-duty staffing assigned to a call. For example, a moderate impact will utilize 40% to 59% of the on-duty resources.

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Table 7: Impact on the Morro Bay Fire Department
Impact Score Descriptor Description
2 Minimal <20% of Resources Committed
4 Minor 20% to 39% Resources Committed
6 Moderate 40% to 59% of Resources Committed
8 Significant 60% to 79% of Resources Committed
10 Catastrophic > 80% of Resources Committed
The scale in the previous table also highlights the resources left in the emergency response system. For example, if 40% of the on-duty resources are committed to the incident, 60% of the remaining resources are available for the next call. That would mean three (3) personnel are available for MBFD's next call.

Risk Assessment Methodology
Considering the three-axis model, Heron's Formula calculates a risk score. The formula uses the scores from probability(P), consequence(C), and impact(I) to create the overall quantitative score.

Risk = !("#)!%(#&)!%(&")!
'
Using the score derived from the previous calculation provides a mechanism to rank the various risks faced by the community and the MBFD. The following table highlights the level of risk based on the score.

Score Overall Level of Risk
0 – 24.99 Low
25 – 49.99 Moderate
50 – 74.99 High

74.99 – 100 Severe
The three-axis scores can be plotted on a graph to show each risk level, as shown in the following graph.

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The call illustrated is scored as four (possible) for the probability, two (insignificant) for consequence, and four (minor) for the impact on service delivery. This graph provides an excellent visual representation of the risk and the effect on the fire department. 0 2
4 6
8 10
Probability
Impact Consequence

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Natural Hazard Assessment
San Luis Obispo County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan 2019 Update - Annex D: the City of Morro Bay included Morro Bay in its planning and development process.

This plan is a good source of natural hazard identification, probability, and vulnerability of the various hazards that may impact the residents and businesses of Morro Bay. The following table from the San Luis Obispo County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan illustrates the probability rating for each hazard identified.

Table 8: Natural Hazard Probability
Hazard Probability
Rating
Coastal Storm/Erosion/ Sea
Level Rise High
Earthquake Moderate
Extreme Heat Low
Flood Very High
Hail Moderate
Hazardous Materials Moderate
Hazardous Trees Very High
High Wind High
Landslides Moderate
Lightning Very High
Tsunami and Seiche Moderate
Wildfire Very High
Those shown as a high probability are likely to occur once per year, while those shown as very low have a chance of occurring once in ten years.

Atmospheric Hazards
This category's hazards are high wind, lightning, extreme heat, flood, and coastal storms.

These are typically widespread events, meaning they will affect large areas of Morro Bay.

Using the scores from the previous section and data in the San Luis Obispo County MultiJurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan, the following charts provide a risk assessment score for the identified hazards.

Table 9: Atmospheric Hazards Assessment
Event Extreme Heat Lightening High Wind Coastal Storm Dense Fog Risk Score

P C I P C I P C I P C I P C I
6 4 2 10 2 2 8 6 6 6 8 8 8 8 8
Calculated Score 19.8 20.2 54.3 66 78.4

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The probability for most of these events is high as many occur annually and are typically widespread across the community. The fire department response will vary depending on the damage but will likely be more for search and rescue operations.

Hydrologic Hazards
The primary hazard in these types of events is flooding. The following map illustrates the flood zones in Morro Bay.
0 2
4 6
8 10
P
I C
Extreme Heat
0 2
4 6
8 10
P
I C
Lightning
0 2
4 6
8 10
P
I C
High Wind
0 2
4 6
8 10
P
I C
Coastal Storm
0 2
4 6
8 10
P
I C
Dense Fog

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4 Typically, flooding in these areas results from large-scale weather systems generating large amounts of rain over a prolonged period. Areas along the Pacific Coast and the inland coast of Morro Bay have a higher probability. Morro Bay has identified areas of potential repetitive losses due to flooding.

Using the scores from the previous section and data contained in the SLOHMP, the following figure provides a risk assessment score for the flooding hazard. 4 San Luis Obispo County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan, 2019

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Flooding Risk
Based on past occurrences, the probability of a flood event is likely within a year, with consequences reaching the Bayshore, surface streets, and flood zones. The risk score for this type of event is 91.9.

Geologic Hazards
This category's hazards are earthquakes, liquefaction, landslides, and debris flow. These are typically widespread events, meaning they will affect large areas of Morro Bay. Using the scores from the previous section and data in the San Luis Obispo County MultiJurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan, the following table provides a risk assessment score for the identified hazards.

Table 10: Geologic Hazards Assessment
Event Landslide/
Debris Flow Earthquake Liquefaction
Risk Score

P C I P C I P C I
8 4 2 4 8 10 2 10 10
Calculated Score 25.9 67.2 73.5
Earthquake
Earthquakes frequently occur along the California coast, including Morro Bay. The risk assessment considers a significant quake but not a catastrophic event like a Cascadia Zone Subduction. The risk score reflects a Loma Prieta-type event for the area. 0 2
4 6
8 10
P
I C
Flooding

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Earthquake Risk
Liquefaction
Liquefaction is when saturated, unconsolidated sediments lose their strength and stiffness in response to applied stress, often caused by an earthquake or other rapid loading, resulting in the sediments behaving like a liquid. This phenomenon can cause significant damage to structures and infrastructure as the ground loses its ability to support them.

Morro Bay is at risk for a liquefaction event, especially in a large, shallow earthquake. The longer an earthquake shakes, the more potential for liquefaction to occur. The following map illustrates the liquefaction zones for Morro Bay.
0 2
4 6
8 10
P
I C
Earthquake

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5 As seen, the entire downtown area of Morro Bay is at high risk for soil liquefaction, as are parts of Highway 1, which functions as the primary ingress and egress for Morro Bay.

Using the scores from the previous section and data contained in the SLOHMP, the following chart provides a risk assessment score for the liquefaction hazard. 5 San Luis Obispo County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan, 2019

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Liquefaction Risk
Landslide and Debris Flow
Morro Bay has a history of landslides. Landslides are observable throughout the Highway 1 corridor, stretching from San Luis Obispo through the community of Morro Bay and up to San Simeon. Significant slope movements occurred in 1983 and 1995 due to very wet winters, particularly affecting the North Morro Bay area, north of Highway 41 and east of Highway 1. These slides caused the destruction of homes, extensive damage to additional properties, and harm to pipelines, driveways, and roadways. Various studies have identified unstable, landslide-prone slopes primarily located east of Highway 1 and north of Highway 41 in the Morro Bay area. A major landslide along the main transportation routes serving Morro Bay poses a significant threat to its tourism-dependent economy.

The following map illustrates areas vulnerable to landslide and debris flow. 0 2
4 6
8 10
P
I C
Liquefaction

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6 Wildland Fires
As the population grows and expands towards the forested and grassy areas, an interface between the urban setting and the wildlands is established. This expansion can create a significant hazard to life and property due to wildland fires. Wildland fires are not limited to those western states with large, forested areas. Large grass and brush fires across the Midwest can be as destructive as those in the western United States.

The California Office of the Fire Marshal reported in 2023 that the City of Morro Bay does not have State Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ) within city limits. However, the City is bordered by State Responsibility Areas (SRA) with a High FHSZ in the area East of Nutmeg between HWY 41 and Elena Street and North of Highway 1 near Teresa Drive. There is a very high FHSZ South of Morro Bay along South Bay Boulevard and Quintana Road. The 6 San Luis Obispo County Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan, 2019

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following map from the FirstStreet7 website also has Morro Bay in a moderate hazard rating for the next thirty years.

Drought conditions and high winds are primary drivers of wildland fires and the spread of these fires into urban areas.
7 https://firststreet.org/city/morro-bay-ca/649362_fsid/fire

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Transportation Hazards
Within Morro Bay, several hazards are related to the transportation of people, freight, and other commodities. Highway 1 is a major highway from Washington State to the Mexican border, traversing Morro Bay along a north-south route in the western section of San Luis Obispo County. Atascadero Road, which becomes Morro Road and later becomes the E.G.

Lewis Highway, is an east-west corridor spanning from Highway 1 to Highway 101. The following map illustrates the traffic counts at various points along these routes in Morro Bay.

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The previous illustration displays the average daily northbound traffic on Highway 1 through Morro Bay, with higher counts near South Bay Boulevard and Main Street intersections. The following map offers a view of southbound traffic patterns.

Southbound traffic is heavier at the intersections of Old US Route 466 and Morro Bay Boulevard. Northbound traffic is higher at Highway 1, South Bay Boulevard, and Main Street intersections. This discrepancy is unclear, but it may be due to commuting preferences.

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Supplemental Risk Factors
This section provides an overview and analysis of factors that can and will impact the delivery of services and the recovery of the community from emergency events.

Demographic Vulnerabilities
Aging Population
Like many other demographic groups, senior citizens may be vulnerable to physical, emotional, and financial challenges. It's important to note that vulnerability can vary significantly among individuals, and not all seniors will experience the same issues. Some common vulnerabilities for senior citizens include:
• Physical Health Issues
• Isolation and Loneliness
• Financial Vulnerability
• Elder Abuse
• Healthcare Access and Quality
• Housing Insecurity
• Nutrition and Health
• Technology and Digital Literacy
• Emergency Preparedness
• Legal and End-of-Life Issues
In the Morro Bay area, the senior citizen population is decreasing. According to the US Census Bureau, residents over 60 were 40% of the population in 2010. In 2022, senior residents decreased to approximately 38% of the population. The following map illustrates the distribution of senior citizens in Morro Bay.

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As illustrated in the previous map, most of the population 65 years and older reside in the southern portion of Morro Bay due to the multiple senior living facilities. A smaller enclave exists within the northern portion of the city limits. Station 53 is located within an area of higher population density.

Population with Disabilities
Another population group that will likely require additional assistance is those with disabilities. Those within this population group may need further medical services due to their disability, or they may be unable to self-evacuate from their home or other building during an emergency. The following chart illustrates the percentage of the population with disabilities compared to San Luis Obispo County and California.

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Populations with Disabilities
To further highlight the issue of disabilities, the following chart illustrates the types of disabilities in Morro Bay.

Type of Disability
Ambulatory difficulty is the largest group, with cognitive and independent living issues close behind.

Language Barriers
As more individuals and families come to the United States from other countries, the language barrier is also increasing. MBFD personnel may encounter an individual or 0% 5% 10% 15% 20%
Morro Bay
SLOC
California
Hearing, 26.6%
Vision, 19.2%
Cognitive ,
Ambulatory, 46.2% 35.8%
Self-Care ,

17.4%
Independent Living, 32.8%

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family needing another type of communication. These encounters could be on calls for service, public education events, or evacuation notices. The following chart highlights the percentage of people over five years of age who may have a language barrier based on the language spoken at home.

Table 11: Language Barriers
In Morro Bay, approximately 11% of the population speaks a language other than English at home, similar to San Luis Obispo County, but under the average for the rest of California.

Health Care Insurance
The lack of health care insurance can impact the community and MBFD. Those with insurance can typically access healthcare services and will have a reduced financial burden. Insured individuals are less likely to use emergency rooms for non-emergency care and other emergency services. Lack of health insurance may affect lower-income populations at a higher rate since they cannot pay for medical visits. 97%
7% 2% 1% 0%
89%
9%
1% 1% 0%
75%
16%
3% 5% 1%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
120%
Speak only
Engish
Spanish Other IndoEuropean
Languages
Asian and Pacific
Island
Languages
Other Languages
Morro Bay SLOC California

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Table 12: Health Insurance
In California, approximately 6% of the population is without healthcare insurance, somewhat higher than Morro Bay, with about 2% uninsured.

Housing
The US Census Bureau estimated approximately 6,086 housing units in Morro Bay. Of the occupied housing units, about 71% are single-family residences, and the remaining are multi-family, with 2% in buildings with 20 or more units. Mobile homes make up 6% of the residences. Approximately 83% of these units were constructed before 2000.

Housing Stock
Insured Uninsured
Morro Bay 98% 2%
SLO County 94% 6%
California 94% 6%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
120%
17% 16% 35% 32%
2020 or later 2000 to 2019 1980 to 1999
1960 to 1979 Pre-1960

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The fire risk is more significant in older buildings with outdated building codes, which may have a building construction, type of materials, or wiring that increases the risk and spread of fire. Research from the National Fire Protection Association has also noted rental property as a factor in fatal and unsafe human behavior fires. In Morro Bay, about 42% of the housing units are renter-occupied.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports that from 2011 to 2015, fire departments responded to an average of 30,200 structure fires per year in vacant properties. According to the report, fires in vacant buildings are more likely to have been intentionally set and spread beyond the building than in other structures. The following map illustrates the vacant buildings by census tract, based on estimates from the US Census Bureau for 2022.

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The higher vacancy rate is in areas northwest and south of Station 53. To the north and west of Station 53 is the Embarcadero, some residential neighborhoods, and commercial properties. The large vacant area to the northwest abuts the Morro Strand State Beach Park. It is possible that many of the vacant homes are being used as short-term rentals during select seasons of the year.

Social Vulnerability
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) created the Social Vulnerability Index (SVI) to assist public health and emergency response organizations to identify and map the areas of a community that will most likely need support before, during, and after a hazardous event. The SVI is determined by examining socioeconomics, housing composition, and residents with disabilities. The following chart from the CDC illustrates the United States (US.) Census Bureau data was used to calculate the areas' SVI.

As noted, 15 social factors are grouped into four themes to create a vulnerability index.

Each element receives a ranking that is combined into the overall theme. It is possible to have an area that has a lower ranking in terms of housing but has a higher ranking due to the age of the residents and the type of household, such as single-parent households.

The intent is not to identify impoverished areas of a community but to identify areas that may require additional assistance following an emergency.

This tool helps public health officials and local planners prepare communities for emergencies such as extreme weather, floods, disease outbreaks, or chemical exposure by using information relevant to the social and spatial context.

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The tool can be used to:
• Allocate emergency preparedness funding by community need. • Estimate the amount and type of needed supplies such as food, water, medicine, and bedding.
• Decide how many emergency personnel are required to assist people. • Identify areas in need of emergency shelters.
• Create a plan to evacuate people, accounting for individuals with unique needs, such as those without access to transportation, those with limited mobility or medical requirements, or those with communication barriers such as language access.
• Identify communities needing continued support to recover following an emergency or natural disaster.

The following map illustrates the SVI score by census blocks for Morro Bay.

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The highest SVI scores are to the south of MBFD's Station 53. The SVI places the majority of Morro Bay in the low-medium range of social vulnerability. The darker areas do not indicate that these areas are deprived; instead, it suggests that they will probably need additional assistance in an emergency or other significant incident. As previously noted, a large portion of the population over 65 resides within the southern portion of Morro Bay.

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Physical Environment Hazard Assessment
Physical hazards are buildings or structures in the developed area that may pose a unique problem for the MFD. These buildings or structures are also called target hazards. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) describes target hazards as any facilities that belong to either the public or private sector and that offer essential goods and services to the public, are needed to maintain the well-being and standard of living in the community or have a critical role in public safety, emergency response, and/or disaster recovery functions.

Each of these physical hazards presents a significant risk in varying ways, including terrorism/mass casualty incidents, loss of a business, loss of a cultural asset, or the loss of dwelling units. The following table illustrates the type and number of target hazards in Morro Bay.

Table 13: Morro Bay Target Hazards
Physical Hazard Type Total Physical
Hazards
Pct of the
Total
Assembly 8 6.6%
Assisted Living, Nursing Homes, Hospitals, Extended Care Facilities 3 2.5% Business 56 45.9%
Critical Infrastructure 4 3.3%
Day Care Facilities 4 3.3%
Educational 2 1.6%
Hotel/Motel 19 15.6%
Industrial 7 5.7%
Mid and High Rise 1 0.8%
Storage 12 9.8%
Unprotected Large Buildings 6 4.9%
Total 122
The largest segment of the physical hazards is places of business and mercantile-type businesses. As expected in Morro Bay, many hotels, storage facilities, restaurants, and shops are present with an emphasis on tourism.

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Community Growth and Development
This section provides an overview of the anticipated growth within Morro Bay and the projection of the demand for services.

Population Changes
In 2020, the California Department of Finance published population growth projections for each county to 2060. The projection noted San Luis Obispo County would have an average 0.5% population increase each year from 2022 through 2037 when a downturn in the population begins to trend. The projected population of SLOC for 2020 was 282,639; however, according to the US Census Bureau, the population for SLOC in 2020 was 281,884.

Extrapolating similar projections for the county, the population would be projected to increase from 207,958 in 2020 to 253,119 in 2050. The following chart illustrates the population growth based on projections by the California Department of Finance and data from the US Census Bureau.

As illustrated, no significant difference exists between the Department of Finance and that extrapolated from the US Census Bureau.

Emergency Services Demand Projection
As the population in an area continues to grow and new buildings are constructed, the demand for services will also increase. These services take many forms for local government, including public works, parks, law enforcement, and fire and emergency 272,000
274,000
276,000
278,000
280,000
282,000
284,000
286,000
288,000
290,000
292,000
2020 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050
Population Projections
San Luis Obispo County
Census Cal DoF 2 per. Mov. Avg. (Cal DoF)

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medical services. For the Morro Bay Fire Department, the calls for service have increased by an average of 11.2% each year from 2021 to 2023. Population growth has risen approximately 0.5% annually for the past ten years. The following chart illustrates the projected calls for service through 2050.

Calls for Service Projection
The calls are shown based on population growth and historical call volume. The average call volume over the past three years is 0.18 calls per person. Based on the population growth, the calls for service in 2050 are projected to be 2,242. Using the historical calls for service as a base, in 2050, the number of calls will be 2,526. The average between the two methods is 2,384 in 2050.
0 500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
2022 2025 2030 2035 2040 2045 2050
Calls Based Population Based Average

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Critical Task Analysis
Several tasks must co-occur to combat diverse types of fires adequately. The absence of adequate personnel to perform these tasks requires each task to be prioritized and completed chronologically. These fire ground tasks include command, scene safety, search and rescue, water supply, fire suppression, pump operations, ventilation, backup, and rapid intervention.

An initial full alarm assignment should be able to provide personnel, an effective response force (ERF), to accomplish the following tasks:
• Establish incident command outside of the hazard area. This will allow coordination and direction of the incoming emergency response personnel and apparatus. A minimum of one person should be dedicated to this task. • Establish an uninterrupted water supply of at least 400 gallons per minute for 30 minutes. Once established, the pump operator can maintain the supply line to ensure an uninterrupted water supply. At least one person is assigned to this task who can then assume a support role.
• Establish an effective water flow rate of 300 gallons per minute. This will be supplied to at least two hand lines, each operating at a minimum flow of 100 gallons per minute. Each hand line must have two individuals assigned, with one hand line as the suppression line and the other as a backup line. • One support person will be provided to manage the hydrant hookup, utility control, and forcible entry and assist in deploying fire hose lines. • Establish a search and rescue team. Each team will consist of a minimum of two personnel.
• Establish a ventilation team. Each team will consist of a minimum of two personnel. • If an aerial ladder is used in the operations, one individual can function as an aerial operator.
• Establish an initial rapid intervention team (RIT). Each RIT team shall have at least two properly trained and equipped personnel.
• A total effective response force with a minimum of 16 (17 if an aerial ladder is in operation)
Critical tasks will vary depending on the size and nature of the incident. The previous list from NFPA 1710 and templates provided in the "Community Risk Assessment: Standards of Cover" manual from CPSE provided the basis for the following tables to illustrate the

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minimum required personnel to mitigate the initial emergency response requirements by occupancy risk:

Table 14: Critical Tasks for the Effective and Efficient Control of Structural Fires Critical Task
Special Risk High Risk Moderate Risk Low Risk
High-Rise
(above 75 ft access)
Apartment
Building
(3 story)
Single Family
Residential (2,000
ft2)
Attack Line 4 6 4 2
Search and Rescue 4 4 2 0
Ventilation 4 4 2 0
Backup Line 0 2 2 2
Rapid Intervention 4 4 2 0
Pump Operator 1 2 1 1
Water Supply/Support 1 1 1 1
Command 1 1 1 1
Safety Officer 1 1 1 1
Command Aid 1 1 0 0
Attack Line - Above Fire 2 0 0 0
Operations Chief 1 0 0 0
Logistics 2 0 0 0
Elevator Operations 1 0 0 0
Staging Officer 1 0 0 0
Rehabilitation 2 2 0 0
Medical Operations 4 0 0 0
Division Supervisors 4 0 0 0
High-rise Evacuation 4 0 0 0
Stairwell Support 0 0 0 0
Total Personnel 42 28 16 8
Adding to the critical tasks and staffing issues is the OSHA 1910.134(g)(4) requirement of two in – two out. These regulations state that if entry into an IDLH atmosphere is necessary, two firefighters must enter together and remain in contact with each other. In addition, two firefighters must be outside the IDLH atmosphere for potential rescue if needed. The two in – two out rule is mandatory unless life is in jeopardy.

The concept of an ERF carries through to other response types by the fire department.

The tables below outline the critical tasks for an ERF for those response types.

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Table 15: Critical Tasks for Hazardous Materials
Critical Task High Risk Low Risk
Command/Safety 2 1
Liaison 1 1
Decontamination 4 4
Research Support 2 1
Team Leader, Entry Team, Backup Team 6 6
Total Personnel 15 13
Table 16: Critical Tasks for Initial Wildland Urban Interface Fires Critical Task No Hydrants With Hydrants
Command/Safety 1 1
Pump Operations 1 1
Attack Line 2 2
Structure Protection 3 2
Water Supply 1 0
Tender Operator 2 0
Exposure Lines 2 0
Total Personnel 12 6
Table 17: Critical Tasks for Technical Rescue Operations Critical Task Swift Water High/Low
Angle
Confined
Space
Command/Safety 1 1 2
Rescue Team 3 2 2
Backup Team 2 2 2
Patient Care 2 2 2
Rope Tender 2 0 0
Upstream Spotter 2 0 0
Downstream Safety 2 0 0
Rigger 0 1 1
Attendant 0 1 1
Ground Support 0 4 4
Edge Person 0 1 0
Shoring 0 0 0
Total Personnel 14 14 14
The previous tables demonstrate the personnel requirements for handling simple incidents involving hazardous materials, wildland-urban interface fires, and technical search and rescue operations, while acknowledging the complexity of these incidents will demand different staffing requirements. Each of the technical rescue incidents will

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require similar numbers of personnel or more depending on the complexity of the incident. Further, many positions require personnel to be certified in that particular discipline.

As with fire, hazardous materials, and technical search and rescue incidents, an ERF is needed to effectively and efficiently deliver EMS. A task analysis for emergency medical calls analyzes three types of calls or patient conditions. These three types of calls usually require the most effort from the response team. Other calls or patient types can generally be handled with two or three personnel. Many times, especially in trauma calls, there are multiple patients. The following table outlines the tasks for assisting these critical patients and the number of responders it may require for a successful outcome. It is important to note that the same personnel accomplish some tasks, so the total is not a simple addition to the positions stated.

Table 18: Critical Tasks for Effective Patient Care
Critical Task Cardiac Arrest Stroke Multi-System
Trauma
Patient Assessment 2 per patient 2 per patient 2 per patient Airway Management/Intubation 2 per patient 2 per patient 2 per patient Cardiac Defibrillation 1 N/A N/A
CPR 1 N/A N/A
EKG Monitoring 1 1 1
IV/Pharmacology 1 1 1
Splint/Bandage/Immobilization N/A N/A 1
Patient Lifting/Packaging 2 – 4 2 – 4 2 – 4
Medical Information Collection 1 1 1
Total per Patient 6 - 8 5 - 7 6 - 8

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Emergency Services Delivery
As noted, the fire department is responsible for responding to and mitigating unwanted fires, emergency medical calls, hazardous materials, and wildfires; each incident presents different hazards and requires different responses to mitigate the incident. The following sections highlight these responses regarding risk and the impact on the community and the fire department.

The following table summarizes the risk scores used in the following sections.

Table 19: Risk Score Summary
Score Probability Consequence Impact
2 Daily Minimal Consequence to
Life/Property <20% of Resources Committed
4 Daily Impaired Life or Property 20% to 39% Resources Committed 6 Monthly Single Life or Property Loss 40% to 59% of Resources Committed
8 Annual or
Greater 2 Lives or Multiple Property Loss 60% to 79% of Resources Committed 10 Annual or
Greater > 3 Lives or Major Property Loss > 80% of Resources Committed The following two sections focus on emergency medical and fire suppression calls for service, the most frequent type of calls for the fire department. Understanding the difference between the response assignment for the fire department and the critical task analysis is essential.

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Emergency Medical Responses
Emergency Medical Risk
Risk Level Low Moderate High Severe
Risk Score Range 0 - 24.99 25 - 49.99 50 - 74.99 75 - 100 Event: Chest Pain Cardiac Arrest Extrication Multi-Casualty Risk Score

P C I P C I P C I P C I
10 2 2 8 6 2 8 4 10 4 10 10
Total Risk Score 20.2 36.8 67.2 81.2
Effect on Staffing
On-Duty Staffing: 4 4 4 4
Response Assignment 2 4 4 4
On-Duty Staff Remaining 2 0 0 0
Critical Task Analysis 3 6 15 20
The Morro Bay Fire Department does not operate any medic units for emergency medical services (EMS). The staffing for medic units responding to Morro Bay is unknown and cannot be reflected in the previous chart. The staffing solely reflects the impact upon the fire department when responding to a medical call.
0 2
4 6
8 10
P
I C
Low Risk
0 2
4 6
8 10
P
I C
Moderate Risk
0 2
4 6
8 10
P
I C
High Risk
0 2
4 6
8 10
P
I C
Severe Risk

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Fire Suppression Responses
Fire Suppression
Risk Level Low Moderate High Severe
Risk Score Range 0 - 24.99 25 - 49.99 50 - 74.99 75 - 100 Event: Vehicle Fire Vegetation
Fire/Red Flag Structure Fire Wildfire
Risk Score

P C I P C I P C I P C I
6 2 2 6 2 8 8 6 10 2 10 10
Total Risk Score 12.3 28.1 66.0 73.5
Effect on Staffing
On-Duty Staffing: 4 4 4 4
Response Assignment 2 4 4 4
On-Duty Staff Remaining 2 (7) 0 (5) 0 (5) 0 (5)
Critical Task Analysis 8 16 22 51
CalFire provides an additional five (5) suppression personnel during Wildfire Season. This impacts the effect on staffing and response.
0 2
4 6
8 10
P
I C
Low Risk
0 2
4 6
8 10
P
I C
Moderate Risk
0 2
4 6
8 10
P
I C
High Risk
0 2
4 6
8 10
P
I C
Extreme Risk

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Planning and Assessment Zones
Using planning zones allows the fire department to document various categories and classes of risk. These areas will also be used in the response analysis using baseline and benchmark performance objectives to determine incident response distribution and resource allocations. The following map illustrates that the fire department has two planning zones.

The City of Morro Bay was bisected into a north-south configuration with the E.G. Lewis Highway as the demarcation line to examine planning zones. The planning zones allow for an understanding of where responses are required in relation to the one fully staffed station.

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The following table provides an overview of the planning zones associated with the City of Morro Bay.

Table 20: Planning Zones Overview
Planning
Zone Pct of Population Pct of Total Calls for Service
North Zone 52.2% 29.5%
South Zone 47.8% 70.3%
Planning Zone 1 has the most significant percentage of the population, while Planning Zone 2 has the higher rate of calls for service. All the senior residential living facilities in Morro Bay are located within Planning Zone 2; the Embarcadero and business sectors are also in this Zone. Planning Zone 2 currently houses the staffed fire station, whereas the non-staff station is in Zone 1.

Based on the definitions in the NFPA 1710 document, the following designations are used to identify the service areas of the City of Morro Bay. • Urban – Population density of over 1,000 per square mile. • Suburban – Population density between 500 and 1,000 per square mile. • Rural – Population density of less than 500 per square mile.

Using these definitions, the Morro Bay Fire Department can tailor services to the different planning zones in Morro Bay and assist with planning future needs of the emergency services delivery system.

Table 21: Planning Zone Demographics
Planning Zone Population Density Demographic
North Zone 5,760 Urban
South Zone 855 Suburban
A significant part of the South Zone is in Morro Bay State Park. The park includes a golf course, hiking trails, and a campground. While the zone is considered a suburban demographic, it should be treated as an urban demographic; the residential and business area is confined to a smaller section.

The following illustrations highlight significant points for each of the planning zones.

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North Zone Key Facts
Population: 5,720
Housing Units: 3,130
Square Miles: 2.69
Density: 2,141
Calls for Service
Pct of Total
2021 521 29.3%
2022 592 30.1%
2023 648 29.3%
This Zone contains the northern
section of Morro Bay, with the E.G.

Lewis Highway as the demarcation
point. Station 52 is located within this
Zone.

South Zone Key Facts
Population: 5,278
Housing Units: 3,073
Square Miles: 6.17
Density: 855
Calls for Service
Pct of Total
2021 1,269 70.7%
2022 1,367 69.6%
2023 1,558 70.6%
This Zone extends south from the E.G.

Lewis Highway and includes the
downtown area. This is the typical
response area for Station 53. Most
Senior Living Facilities are located
within this Zone.

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Evaluation of Deployment and Performance
This chapter compares and evaluates the current deployment and performance of the fire department.

Response Time Criteria
The expression of response time has changed. In years past, the measurement was expressed as an average of time. This represents how the emergency services system or department performs 50% of the time and is not a true reflection of how a fire department performs most of the time. With the research conducted in developing performance standards and practices, fractal time has become the best practice for measuring and presenting response time components. Fractal response time measures how often (as a percentage of calls) a department can perform within each response time component.

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) use the 90th percentile as the standard to meet benchmark and baseline criteria. The definitions for baseline and benchmark performance are as follows:
• Benchmark performance is the agency's target performance level and should show what the agency is striving to perform based on community risk and expectations. • Baseline performance is what the agency can perform and is based on the performance of call processing, turnout time, and travel time over the previous four years.

Response time to an emergency or call for service has been broken down into measurable and non-measurable segments. The response time continuum begins when the state of normalcy changes to a recognizable emergency. The following chart outlines the cascade of events that occur once an emergency starts or is recognized. The highlighted points represent hard data or that which is quantitative versus soft data or that which is subjective and unknown.

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Response Time Continuum
State of Normalcy
Discovery of Emergency
Reaction to Emergency
Total
Response
Time
Call Received by PSAP
Call Processing
Response Units Notified
Turnout Time
Units Responding
Travel Time
Units Arriving
Mitigation Begins
Mitigation Completed
State of Normalcy Returns
The highlighted points in the previous chart represent three segments that can be evaluated: call processing, turnout time, and travel time. Each of these components represents a different point in the response time continuum, and through their measurement and evaluation, areas for improvement can be identified. Below are the definitions for the three components:
• Call Processing is defined as beginning when the call taker answers the call and ends with the dispatching of appropriate emergency services. • Turnout Time is defined as beginning when the emergency service receives the dispatch notification and ends when personnel are on the apparatus responding (wheels rolling) to the call.
• Travel Time is defined as beginning when the apparatus and personnel begin the response (wheels rolling) and ends once on location of the emergency (wheels stopped).

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The NFPA 1710 provides reference points for communities to follow regarding fire service responses. These include the following (all are taken from section 4.1.2.1 of NFPA 1710):
• “One minute four seconds (64 seconds) for the processing of an incoming emergency phone call, including the completion of the dispatching of fire response units.”
• “One minute twenty seconds (80 seconds) for turnout time for fire and special operations incidents.” This is also called reflex time, reaction time, “out-thechute” time, etc. This is the time that elapses between dispatch and when the units are actively responding.
• “One minute (60 seconds) for turnout time for emergency medical incidents.” This is also called reflex time, reaction time, “out-the-chute” time, etc. This is the time that elapses between dispatch and when the units are actively responding to an emergency medical incident.
• “Four minutes (240 seconds) or less for the arrival of the first arriving engine company at a fire suppression incident.”
• “Four minutes (240 seconds) or less for the arrival of a unit with first responder or higher-level capability at an emergency medical incident.” • “Eight minutes (480 seconds) or less for the deployment of a full first-alarm assignment at a fire suppression incident.”
• In section 4.1.2.4, NFPA 1710 states: “The fire department shall establish a performance objective of not less than 90 percent for the achievement of each response time objective specified in 4.1.2.1.”
Three models provide guidance to measure the performance of the emergency services system:
• NFPA 1710: Objective for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Career Fire Departments. This document (NFPA 1710) was published in 2001 and updated in 2020.
• The Insurance Services Office (ISO) provides basic information regarding distances between fire stations. However, this "objective" does little to recognize the unique nature of every community's road network, population, calls for service, call density, etc.
• The American Heart Association (AHA) provides information on the response to cardiac events, the preferred methods of treatment, and the timing of the delivery of medical care and treatment.

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Performance standards should be based on benchmark performance (the target level of performance for the agency) and baseline performance (what the agency can currently perform). Baseline performance is generally based on three to five years of data.

It is critical to note that Appendix A contained in the NFPA 1710 document provides additional information and background as it pertains to service delivery objectives for the jurisdiction as follows:
"There can be incidents or areas where the response criteria are affected by circumstances such as response personnel who are not on duty, unstaffed fire station facilities, natural barriers, traffic congestion, insufficient water supply, and density of population or property. The reduced level of service should be documented in the written organizational statement by the percentage of incidents and geographical areas for which the total response time criteria are achieved.

Additional service delivery performance objectives should be established by the AHJ for occupancies other than those identified within the standard for benchmark single-family dwellings. Factors to be considered include specific response areas (i.e., suburban, rural, and wilderness) and occupancy hazards." This passage acknowledges the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ); in this case, the City of Morro Bay is responsible for determining the level of service to be provided by the fire department. Considerations for the level of service include, but are not limited to, the fire department's response, travel time, staffing, emergency calls versus non-emergency calls, roadways, financial resources, and those calls involving different occupancies. The service levels provided to the City should be written and documented so the City's residents know and understand the expectations of the emergency services system.

Response Time Data
Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) data for 2021, 2022, and 2023 was evaluated. The data has coding problems, transcription errors, and equipment failures. The project team used the following mechanism to address these issues.

Only qualified data is used to calculate response time and any related components. To be considered, the data must meet the following criteria:
• The incident must have been unique.
• The incident must have involved at least one Fire Department unit being dispatched to the call.
• Calls missing data are not used in the computations for call processing, turnout time, travel time, or call duration.

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• Any calls with usually long times or times sorted incorrectly (arrived before dispatch time) were removed.
• Any calls with identical timestamps, such as the dispatch time and enroute that are identical.
• Non-emergency responses are removed; only emergency responses are included.

After filtering the data using the methodology outlined above, the remaining incidents represent the response time for calls for service handled by the Fire Department.

Call Processing
Performance Standards
The San Luis Obispo Sheriff's Department Dispatch Center handles most of the firerelated calls for Morro Bay, and CAL FIRE also provides some dispatching services.

The NFPA 1221 Standard for the Installation, Maintenance, and Use of Emergency Services Communications Systems establishes the call processing benchmarks outlined in the following table.

Table 22: NFPA 1221 Performance Objective
Component Target Performance
Calls Answered
Within 15 seconds 90%
Within 20 seconds 95%
Call Processing Within 60 seconds 90%
Call Processing for:

These types of calls are exempt from
the call processing time illustrated
above.
* Language Translation
* TTY/TDD Device Services
* Hazardous Materials
* Technical Rescue
* Text Message
* Calls Received during a Disaster
* Unable to Determine location
ISO uses the 60-second call processing time as a benchmark performance objective outlined in NFPA 1221 for their requirements.

System Performance
The following table summarizes the performance of the San Luis Obispo Sheriff's Department Dispatch Center.

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Table 23: Call Processing Performance
All Emergency Calls –
90th Percentile Times
2021-
2023 2021 2022 2023 NFPA 1710
Call Processing Pick-up to Dispatch 0:58 0:56 0:54 1:03 1:00 In 2023, the alarm handling (call processing) time is three (3) seconds longer than the NFPA 1710 performance benchmark.

Turnout Time
Performance Standards
Turnout time is a measurable time segment that begins when the emergency service unit receives the call and is on the apparatus responding (wheels rolling). The following table compares the three models for benchmark performance objectives.

Table 24: Turnout Time – Benchmark Performance Objectives Call Type NFPA 1710 ISO
Emergency Medical Calls 60 seconds or less
90% of the time No Requirement
Fire or Special
Operations Calls
80 seconds or less
90% of the time No Requirement
System Performance
The following table illustrates the performance of the Morro Bay Fire Department units related to turnout time for emergency calls.

Table 25: Turnout Time Performance
All Emergency Calls – 90th
Percentile Times
2021 -
2023 2021 2022 2023 NFPA 1710
Turnout Time 1st Unit Medical Calls 2:42 2:39 2:41 2:44 1:00 Fire Calls 2:33 2:32 2:37 2:30 1:20
All times shown are the 90th percentile for each of the three years. The turnout times for medical calls for the three years is 1 minute and 42 seconds over the benchmark performance objective. For fire-related calls, the turnout time is 1 minute and 13 seconds over the benchmark performance objective outlined in NFPA 1710.

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Distribution of Resources
Distribution is the measure of getting initial resources to an emergency to begin mitigation efforts. This is measured in various ways, including percentage of square miles, percentage of road miles, and travel time. The Insurance Services Office (ISO) has used road miles for many years, advocating one and a half miles for an engine company and two and a half miles for a ladder company. With the advent of GIS technology and improved computer-aided dispatch (CAD) systems, the use of actual travel time is another more accurate measure for the distribution of resources.

Performance Standards
Travel time is a measurable time segment that begins when the apparatus and personnel begin the response (wheels rolling) and ends once at the emergency location (wheels stopped). It is the most appropriate measurement available for the distribution of resources with a proven record of success.

Table 26: First Arriving Unit – Benchmark Performance Objectives Demand
Zone Demographics NFPA 1710 ISO
Urban
More significant
than 1,000 per sq.
mile
4 minutes or less
90% of the time

1.5 road miles in
the built-upon
area
Suburban 500 - 1,000 per
sq. mile
4 minutes or less
90% of the time

1.5 road miles in
the built-upon
area
Rural Area Less than 500 per
sq. mile
4 minutes or less
90% of the time

1.5 road miles in
the built-upon
area
Remote
Area
Travel Distance
greater than /
equal to 8 miles
4 minutes or less
90% of the time

1.5 road miles in
the built-upon
area
System Performance
Morro Bay fits the urban demographic with a population density of 1,245.7 per square mile. The following table illustrates the travel time for the urban demographic compared to the recommended benchmark performance objectives as represented by National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) Standard 1710.

Table 27: Travel Time Performance
All Emergency Calls –
90th Percentile Times
2021 -
2023 2021 2022 2023 NFPA 1710
Travel Time 1st Unit – Distribution 6:20 6:12 6:24 6:20 4:00

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For the three years, the travel time performance is 6 minutes and 20 seconds, 2 minutes and 20 seconds over the NFPA 1710 benchmark.

The following map illustrates a four (4) minute travel time within the City of Morro Bay.

As illustrated, most of the city is within a 4-minute travel time using both stations.

However, Station 53 is the only station staffed to respond to calls for service.

Concentration of Resources
The concentration of resources is generally described as the ability of the fire department to get the appropriate number of personnel and resources to the scene of an emergency

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within a prescribed time to mitigate the incident effectively. The effective response force is based on the critical tasks outlined in the previous chapter and depends on the incident type.

Performance Standards
The concentration component has two segments: travel time and the personnel for the first alarm assignment. The following table summarizes the differing viewpoints on the travel time for the arrival of an effective response force.

Table 28: First Alarm Assignment – Benchmark Performance Objectives Demand Zone Demographics NFPA 1710 ISO
Urban Greater than 1,000
per sq. mile
8 minutes or less
90% of the time
No time or
mileage
requirement
Suburban 500 - 1,000 per
sq. mile
8 minutes or less
90% of the time
No time or
mileage
requirement
Rural Area Less than 500 per
sq. mile
8 minutes or less
90% of the time
No time or
mileage
requirement
Remote Area
Travel Distance
greater than /
equal to 8 miles
8 minutes or less
90% of the time
No time or
mileage
requirement
NFPA 1710 does not address any demographics regarding travel time in response to structure fires.

The following table summarizes NFPA and ISO standards for the number of personnel arriving for a first alarm assignment for a single-family dwelling.

Table 29: First Alarm Assignment - Recommended Personnel Demand Zone Demographics NFPA 1710 ISO
Urban Greater than 1,000 per sq.
mile 16 personnel No specific requirement
Suburban 500 - 1,000 per sq. mile 16 personnel No specific requirement
Rural Less than 500 per sq. mile 16 personnel No specific requirement
Remote Travel Distance greater
than / equal to 8 miles 16 personnel No specific requirement

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As illustrated, ISO does not specify the number of personnel expected or anticipated to arrive and instead provides points for the personnel, meaning the more on-duty personnel there are, the more points are added to the overall evaluation. NFPA 1710 bases the personnel requirements on creating an effective response force using critical tasking.

System Performance
MBFD has responded to eight (8) structure fire calls over the past three years. This represents less than 1% of the total call volume for the three years and is statistically insignificant in measuring response time accurately. However, of those eight calls, one call met the 16 personnel threshold with a travel time for the last arriving unit of 1 hour, and two calls met a 12 personnel threshold with travel times of for the last arriving unit of 23 minutes and 46 minutes. With the current staffing model and the availability of mutual aid, establishing an effective response force of 16 personnel is challenging for the Department.

System Reliability
Other contributing factors, such as concurrent calls for service and unit utilization, can influence the distribution and concentration of resources. The CAD data had no time stamp for when a unit cleared the scene. This time stamp determines the amount of time a unit is committed to a call and if a concurrent call was dispatched while the unit is committed. Without this time stamp, these factors cannot be assessed and analyzed.

Total Response Time
While travel time is essential and allows for evaluating station locations, the total response is equally important as that is what the customer witnesses. The customer does not necessarily understand the different agencies involved or what the Fire Department must do to provide service; they do understand that when they call for assistance, they expect help to arrive promptly. The following table illustrates the performance of the fire protection system for the past three years.

Table 30: Total Response Time Performance - Distribution All Emergency Calls – 90th
Percentile Times
2021 -
2023 2021 2022 2023 NFPA 1710
Total Response
Time
1st Unit –
Distribution 8:45 8:32 8:56 8:47 6:00
All times shown are the 90th percentile for each of the three years. The performance objective time shown to the far right represents the benchmark performance response

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time following the NFPA Standard. The total response time for the three years examined exceeds the benchmark performance objective by 2 minutes and 45 seconds.

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Deployment Improvement Opportunities
In the previous chapter, several gaps in service levels were illustrated, presenting opportunities to improve the deployment of services. This chapter provides recommendations intended to enhance the deployment of resources in the emergency services system within the operational area.

Community Standards
As noted previously, three nationally recognized models are used to provide guidance to design and improve a fire protection system in our communities. Each model is based on different aspects of a community, from population density, the type of fire department, and the road miles in the area.
• NFPA 1710: Objective for the Organization and Deployment of Fire Suppression Operations, Emergency Medical Operations, and Special Operations to the Public by Career Fire Departments. This document (NFPA 1710) was published in 2001 and updated in 2020.
• The Insurance Services Office (ISO) provides basic information regarding distances between fire stations. However, this "objective" does little to recognize the unique nature of every community's road network, population, calls for service, call density, etc.
• The American Heart Association (AHA) provides information on the response to cardiac events, the preferred methods of treatment, and the timing of the delivery of medical care and treatment.

It is critical to note that Appendix A Section A.4.1.2, contained in the NFPA 1710 document, provides additional information and background as it pertains to service delivery objectives for the jurisdiction as follows:
"There can be incidents or areas where the response criteria are affected by circumstances such as response personnel who are not on duty, unstaffed fire station facilities, natural barriers, traffic congestion, insufficient water supply, and density of population or property. The reduced level of service should be documented in the written organizational statement by the percentage of incidents and geographical areas for which the total response time criteria are achieved.

Additional service delivery performance objectives should be established by the AHJ for occupancies other than those identified within the standard for benchmark

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single-family dwellings. Factors to be considered include specific response areas (i.e., suburban, rural, and wilderness) and occupancy hazards." This passage acknowledges the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ); in this case, the City of Morro Bay is responsible for determining the level of service to be provided by the fire department. Considerations for the level of service include, but are not limited to, the fire department's response, travel time, staffing, emergency calls versus non-emergency calls, roadways, financial resources, and those calls involving different occupancies. The service levels provided for the city should be written and documented so the City's residents know and understand the expectations of the emergency services system.

Performance standards should be based on benchmark performance (the target level of performance for the agency) and baseline performance (what the agency can currently perform). Baseline performance is generally based on three to five years of data.

Recommendations for benchmark performance objectives are contained in the following sections.

Using past guidance from the Center for Public Safety Excellence (CPSE) Fire and Emergency Service Self-Assessment Manual (FESSAM) 2006 edition, the following table illustrates best practices and acceptable travel time for the various demographic models.

Table 31: CPSE Travel Time Guidance
Urban: Population density of over 1,000 per square mile 1st Unit 2nd Unit 1st Alarm Balance Performance
Best Practice 4 minutes 8 minutes 8 minutes 90%
Acceptable 5 minutes/12
seconds
10 minutes 24
seconds
10 minutes/24
seconds 90%
Suburban: Population density between 500 and 1,000 per square mile Best Practice 5 minutes 8 minutes 10 minutes 90%
Acceptable 6 minutes/30
seconds
10 minutes/24
seconds 13 minutes 90%
Rural: Population density of less than 500 per square mile Best Practice 10 minutes 14 minutes 14 minutes 90%
Acceptable 13 minutes 18 minutes/12
seconds
18 minutes/12
seconds 90%
With NFPA 1710 and 1720 lacking specificity for the various demographics and responses of multiple units, this table provides additional support for performance objectives. Adopting community standards will guide the city and the fire department in meeting future needs. It will also inform and educate the residents and the public about their emergency services and their expectations of the delivery of these services.