DATE:
May 28, 2024
CATEGORY:
Consent
DEPT.:
Community Development
TITLE: Downtown Precise Plan Comprehensive
Update, Project 20-66—Professional
Services Agreement
RECOMMENDATION
1. Authorize the City Manager or designee to execute a professional services agreement with Raimi + Associates, Inc. (California Business Entity No. 2895030), to prepare a Downtown Precise Plan Comprehensive Update and to perform associated California Environmental Quality Act work in an amount not to exceed $2.0 million.
2. Transfer and appropriate $ 2,582,000 from the Land Use Document Fee Reserve in the Development Services Fund to the Downtown Precise Plan Update, Project 20 -66, and transfer $ 1,750,000 from Project 20-66 back to the Construction/Conveyance Tax Fund, resulting in a total budget of $2,582,000 for the Downtown Precise Plan Update, Project 20-66. (Five votes required)
BACKGROUND
In 2019, the City Council endorsed a two -phased approach to updating the Downtown Precise Plan (DTPP) and added Phase 1 to the Council Fiscal Year 2020 -22 Work Plan. The DTPP Update Phase 1 focused on limited topics related to Precise Plan Subareas A, G, and H regarding design guidelines and minimal ground -floor land use changes. Phase 1 updates were adopted in December 2022. At the adoption hearing, the City Council discussed reviewing land use, design, and parking standards in the entire DTPP area as part of Phase 2 updates in the future.
The DTPP Comprehensive Update (Phase 2) is included in the City Council’s Fiscal Years 2023-2 5 Work Plan a s a Priority B project under the “Intentional Development and Housing Options” Strategic Priority. This priority focuses on themes such as increasing the quantity and diversity of housing options and planning for neighborhoods with nearby transit, jobs, and amenities that balance density with livable, green, mixed -use development. A comprehensive update to the Downtown P(19) Precise Plan is an integral part of the City’s ongoing focus on downtown-related issues.
Downtown Precise Plan Comprehensive Update, Project 20-66— Professional Services Agreement
May 28, 2024
On November 7, 2023, the City Council held a Study Session ( see Attachment 1—Study Session Memorandum) to pr ovide direction on the scope of work for the preparation of the DTPP Comprehensive Update. Council also directed staff to confine the study area to the current Precise Plan boundary (refer to Attachment 2—DTPP Boundary), endorsed the comprehensive outreach approach proposed by staff, and supported the incorporation of benchmarks and comparisons with strategies employed by other cities.
ANALYSIS
In late November 2023, staff issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for both the DTPP Comprehensive Update project and the Moffett Boulevard Precise Plan project. Four proposals were received for each project from the same consultants, including proposals from Raimi + Associates, Moore Iacofano Goltsman, Ascent, and Opticos Design, Inc.
In January, staff interviewed the four firms. Following the evaluation of each firm’s interview, work products, and reference checks, the interview panel recommended Raimi + Associates to lead the Downtown Precise Plan project and associated California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) work based on findings that the team:
• Brings a deep understanding of local issues and development context in Mountain View from experience gathered by working on recent Mountain View Precise Plans, such as East Whisman Precise Plan, North Bayshore Precise Plan, and El Camino Real Precise Plan;
• Has proven experience working on comprehensive planning efforts in the region, including area plans for Sunnyvale, Redwood City, Walnut Creek, and Watsonville;
• Includes a strong team of subconsultants who have established credibility within the Mountain View community through previous engagements; and
• Has submitted a robust and extensive project proposal , including a variety of outreach tools.
As the primary consultant, Raimi + Associates will assume responsibility for project management, spearhead public outreach efforts, and drive planning and policy development initiatives. They will be supported by a seasoned team of subconsultants possessing specialized expertise in the following areas:
• Community-Strong Strategies will provide inclusive multilingual engagement and equitable economic development guidance;
• Van Meter Williams Pollack (VMWP) will provide urban design expertise;
Downtown Precise Plan Comprehensive Update, Project 20-66— Professional Services Agreement
May 28, 2024
• Page & Turnbull , who is working on the City’s current Historic Preservation Ordinance Update project, will conduct the historic resource studies;
• Seifel Consulting, Inc., and Greensfelder Real Estate Strategy will serve as economic analysis subconsultant and retail strategy lead, respectively;
• David J. Powers will serve as the CEQA lead;
• Hexagon Transportation Consultants will lead the transportation components of the project; and
• Gehl, who is working on the City’s Castro Pedestrian Mall project, will develop public-realm design and placemaking strategies.
A different consultant was selected for the Moffett Boulevard Precise Plan project.1 This was to ensure that teams would have capacity to carry out and focus on both projects at once and to support separate work products that can focus on the individual areas. However, some of the subconsultants are working on both Precise Plan projects, providing efficiency in technical analysis. In addition, staff will ensure any necessary coordination between the two projects.
Scope of Work
The DTPP C omprehensive Update P roject will update the vision for downtown and amend standards, processes, and guidelines within the existing Precise Plan document. This project will focus on fostering a vibrant and sustainable development environment in downtown, aligning it with the evolving needs and preferences of the community and ensuring that it remains an attractive and functional core of the City for years to come.
The recommended scope of work include s the following broad work components, which are further detailed in Attachment 3. The EPC and City Council will review and will provide direction on the Precise Plan deliverables at key milestones in the process.
• A Comprehensive Public Outreach Plan —Downtown businesses , property owner s, residents, and other s takeholders will be involved throughout the process via multiple participation methods, including stakeholder meetings, community workshops, online surveys, pop-up workshops, an interactive project website with online mapping tools, and meetings with boards, commissio ns, committees, and the City Council. To ensure comprehensive input from the community, meeting interpretation and translated materials will be provided in multiple languages , such as Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese , and other
1 The recommended consultant agreement for the Moffett Boulevard Precise Plan was approved by the City Council at the April 23, 2024 meeting.
Downtown Precise Plan Comprehensive Update, Project 20-66— Professional Services Agreement
May 28, 2024
languages as necessary. As an initial step, the project team will develop a detailed internal community engagement plan for the project.
• Existing Conditions Report —This report will reference existing City policy and regulatory documents, including the Mountain View 2030 General Plan, Sixth Cycle 2023 -2031 Housing Element, and Zoning Ordinance; traffic and circulation studies, transportation demand management (TDM) regulations , and parking regulations; related projects, including the Castro Street Grade Separation and Access Project ; analyses of land use, streetscape, open space, public realm, and tree canopy; multi -modal transportation options, market and economic conditions, existing precedents on building types, and opportunity sites survey; infrastructure system conditions ; and historic downtown character and architecture.
• Plan Alternatives —The alternatives will be developed to address the opportunities and policy assumptions from the existing conditions report and public input. Plan alternatives will be developed regarding urban design, land use and intensity, building design and streetscape design; pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicle improvements; and/or other Precise Plan options consistent with policy direction and market analysis. Alternatives will be presented to the Environmental Planning Commission (EPC) and City Council for selection of a preferred alternative.
• Preferred Plan Alternative Development —This alternative will build on prior alternatives analyses, public input, and Council direction to provide an illustrative land use plan for new and existing development footprints, along with transportation, circulation, parking, streetscape design, and placemaking strategies.
• Technical Studies and Plan Strategies —These will analyze the preferred alternative in detail for topics, such as TDM/parking, multi-modal transportation analysis (including traffic congestion), Retail/Food and Beverage/Small Business Strategy, infrastructure, development feasibility and public benefits analysis, and implementation and financing strategies.
• Environmental Impact Report—An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) will be prepared for the Precise Plan pursuant to the CEQA. The EIR will analyze the preferred alternative for key issues, such as vehicle miles traveled (VMT), air quality, noise, historic resources, public services and recreation, and utilities.
• Draft Precise Plan —The draft Precise Plan updates will incorporate prior work plan components and public input. It will include policies, development standards, guidelines, and updates to land use administrative procedures. It will also include designs for public improvements, such as streetscapes, transit/bicycle/pedestrian networks, and open Downtown Precise Plan Comprehensive Update, Project 20-66— Professional Services Agreement
May 28, 2024
spaces. As currently scoped, the project does not include any nexus studies or development impact fees, but the plan will identify potential fees and policies to support that analysis.
• Precise Plan Adoption —The EPC and City Council will provide final action on the Precise Plan.
Consultant Cost
The total cost of the recommended agreement is $2 .0 million, which includes $1,738,622 for basic services and a contingency of $261,378 for potential unforeseen services. Staff considers the cost to be reasonable and comparable to similar projects for the scope of work involved.
Timeline
Development of this Precise Plan is expected to take approximately 24 to 30 months with final approval in late 2026. The commencement of the DTPP Update project is expected to align with the Moffett Boulevard Precise Plan project, potentially yielding cost efficiencies in data collection and the preparation of essential work products required for both endeavors. However, given the complexity of downtown issues, it is anticipated that the DTPP Update will have a longer timeline.
Engagement with City Boards and Commissions
The EPC will be the recommending body for the Precise Plan. During the alternatives development and technical studies/strategy report phases, the EPC may also play a role in studying and refining key policy issues , if directed by Council. The EPC will also provide specific recommendations on the Precise Plan framework, Precise Plan, and EIR.
Other City b oards, c ommissions, and committees, such as t he Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee, the Downtown Committee, and/or the Council Transportation Committee, may also review some project deliverables related to their purview. These details will be further refined during the process.
FISCAL IMPACT
The estimated cost for developing the DTPP Comprehensive Update (Phase 2) is $ 2,237,000 (Table 1). This includes the recommended consultant agreement for a total not- to-exceed amount of $ 2.0 million, additional project -related costs of $100,000, and the City’s Capital Improvement Program administrative overhead cost of $137,000. The Phase 1 work completed in 2022 had a cost of approximately $345,000, bringing the total overall cost for the DTPP Update to approximately $2,582,000.
Downtown Precise Plan Comprehensive Update, Project 20-66— Professional Services Agreement
May 28, 2024
Table 1: Downtown Precise Plan Update and EIR Preparation Total Cost
Consultant Services Cost
Precise Plan Update Phase 1
(approximate amount expended)
$345,000
Precise Plan Update Phase 2—Comprehensive Update
Consultant Basic Services $1,738,622
Consultant Contingency $261,378
Total Consultant Cost $2,000,000
Additional Project-Related Costs $100,000
Administrative Overhead $137,000
Total Phase 2 Cost $2,237,000
Total Overall Cost $2,582,000
Downtown Precise Plan Update, Project 20-66 (Project 20-66), was funded with $1,750,000 from the Construction/Conveyance Tax Fund in June 2019. It should have been funded by the Land Use Document Fee Reserve in the Development Services Fund. The Land Use Document Fee is charged to building permits and was adopted by the City Council in 2015 to pay for the costs to update land use regulatory documents such as the General Plan, Precise Plans, and Zoning Ordinance. The Construction/Conveyance Tax Fund is intended for implementation of capital projects.
Staff recommends that Council appropriate $2,582,000 from the Land Use Document Fee Reserve in the Development Services Fund to Project 20-66 for the costs of both Phases 1 and 2 of the DTPP Update and return the $1,750,000 previously appropriated to Project 20-66 back to the Construction/Conveyance Tax Fund. Staff will recommend allocating the $1,750,000 in Construction/Conveyance Tax Fund to a capital project as part of the Fiscal Year 2024-25 Capital Improvement Program to be adopted on June 25, 2024. The current Land Use Document Fee Reserve balance is $9.9 million, which exceeds the recommended appropriation of $2,582,000.
Therefore, there is sufficient funding available in the Land Use Document Fee Reserve.
CONCLUSION
Staff recommends the City Council authorize the City Manager or designee to execute a professional services agreement with Raimi + Associates in a total not -to-exceed amount of $2.0 million based on the scope of work. This firm is recommended because they have demonstrated their solid experience and expertise in preparation of precise plans in other surrounding Bay Area communities, have extensive community outreach capabilities, and have Downtown Precise Plan Comprehensive Update, Project 20-66— Professional Services Agreement
May 28, 2024
experience in the environmental review required in conjunction with the Precise Plan.
Development of this Precise Plan is expected to take approximately 24 to 30 months and includes extensive community outreach and publicly noticed meetings.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Do not approve the recommended scope of work and consultant and direct staff to issue a new RFP.
2. Modify the proposed scope of work and direct staff to renegotiate the contract value if needed to reflect the modified scope of work.
3. Provide other direction.
PUBLIC NOTICING
The Council agenda is advertised on Channel 26, and the agenda and this Council report appear on the City’s website. All interested stakeholders were notified of this meeting, including the nearby neighborhood association (Old Mountain View Neighborhood A ssociation). Meeting information was also posted on the City’s project website:
https://mountainview.gov/
dtppcomprehensiveupdate.
Prepared by:
Diana Pancholi
Acting Advanced Planning Manager
Reviewed by:
Amber Blizinski
Assistant Community Development Director
Approved by:
Dawn S. Cameron
Acting Assistant City Manager/
Community Development Director
Audrey Seymour Ramberg
Assistant City Manager
DP/1/CAM
807-05-28-24CR
203853
Attachments: 1. City Council Study Session Memorandum dated November 7, 2023
2. Downtown Precise Plan Boundary
3. Raimi + Associates—Scope of Work and Timeline