DATE:
June 25, 2024
CATEGORY:
Consent
DEPT.:
Public Works
TITLE: Villa-Chiquita Park, Project 21-61—
Various Actions
RECOMMENDATION
1. Transfer and appropriate $ 440,630 from the Park Land Dedication Fund to Villa-Chiquita Park, Project 21-61. (Five votes required)
2. Approve plans and specifications for Villa-Chiquita Park, Project 21-61, and authorize staff to advertise the project for bids.
3. Authorize the City Manager or designee to award a construction contract to the lowest responsive responsible bidder if the bid is within the project budget of $2,590,630.
BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
The 0.39-acre park site located on Villa Street, at the Chiquita Avenue intersection, was dedicated to the City for park use by the 1720 Villa Street development project. On January 25, 2022 ,
Council authorized a professional services agreement with SSA Landscape Architects for the design phase of the park. During the design proce ss, staff held two community meetings and brought the preferred concept to the Parks and Recreation Commission (PRC) on April 12, 2023.
On June 13, 2023 , Council approved the conceptual plan recommended by the PRC and chose the name, “Villa-Chiquita Park.” (see Figure 1).
Villa-Chiquita Park, Project 21-61—Various Actions
June 25, 2024
1. Native and Pollinator
Plantings
2. Concrete Paving
3. Concrete Stairs
4. Plaza Area
5. Turf Area
6. Picnic Tables
7. Playground Area
8. Natural Play Equipment
9. Drinking Fountain
10. Entry Plaza
11. Concrete Seat Wall
12. 48” Playground
13. Fence
14. Concrete Retaining Wall
15. Bench Seating
16. Entry Signage
17. Leasing Office
18. Specimen Tree
19. Raised Crosswalk
20. Bike Racks
21. Game Tables
Figure 1: Villa-Chiquita Park Plan
During the completion of design, a detailed construction cost estimate was prepared reflecting a construction cost over 60% higher than originally budgeted when the project was initiated in Fiscal Year 2020-21. The increased costs are largely attributed to the significant increase in year- over-year inflation experienced these past few years, as well as the site’s specific configuration and scope additions not originally planned as listed below:
• The site slopes away from the street, and to meet accessible grades and divert water away from the adjacent private property, it is necessary to import soil to fill the site and include a retaining wall;
• The clay soils of the site require installation of additional drainage facilities; and
• To accommodate the selected public art on the seat walls, a concrete back was added to these seats.
Staff reviewed the overall design with the consultant to identify if any modifications could be made to reduce costs while not affecting the intent or consistency with the approved conceptual
Villa-Chiquita Park, Project 21-61—Various Actions
June 25, 2024
design. Staff identified the surfacing and equipment for the playground area, as well as redundant seating as opportunities to reduce costs . Changes to the playground area include choosing a mix of safety surfacing using engineered wood fiber and rubber surfacing, rather than rubber surfacing for the entire area ; and choosing playground equipment products from large playground manufacturers with “off -the-shelf” equipment that retains the intent of the natural play elements, rather than using custom equipment.
Lastly, with a small park size, the seating beside the specimen tree within the plaza area (to the left of center of the park, labeled as Item Nos. 6 and 14 in Figure 1) was rather dense for such a small area, and some table seating (4 total) and benches (3 total) were removed. In addition to reducing costs, removing this seating allows for more open area proportional to the scale of the park and plaza area. The seating for the game tables and the concrete seat walls in this area was retained. The final layout of the park’s features is shown in Figure 2.
1. Native and Pollinator Plantings
2. Concrete Paving
3. Concrete Stairs
4. Plaza Area—Pavers
5. Turf Area
6. Backed Concrete Benches
7. Playground Area—Rubber
Surfacing
5. Playground Area – EWF
Surfacing
6. Natural Play Equipment
7. Drinking Fountain
8. Entry Plaza—Concrete Paving
9. Concrete Seat Wall
10. 48” Playground Fence
11. Concrete Retaining Wall
12. Entry Signage
13. Leasing Office
14. Specimen Tree
15. Raised Crosswalk
16. Bike Racks
17. Game Tables
18. Elec. Gardening Equip.
Storage
19. Site Electrical Service Meter
Figure 2: Final Site Layout
With the incorporation of these cost-saving measures, the estimated construction cost is approximately $440,000 higher than budgeted. Additional changes to further reduce costs would result in significant changes from the approved conceptual design. This park is located within the Central Park and Open Space area, which currently has a fund balance of $440,630. Since there
Villa-Chiquita Park, Project 21-61—Various Actions
June 25, 2024
is enough Park Land funding available for the remaining shortfall, staff has revised the final plans to only include the cost -saving measures described above , which minimally affect overall key features of the park and maintains the intent and elements of the approved conceptual design.
Staff recommends Council approve the plans and specifications to keep the project moving forward into construction without delay . If Council approves the recommended actions, construction is expected to begin in fall 2024 and be completed by summer 2025.
Public Art
On May 14, 2024, Council approved the recommended public art by James Dinh, which consists of colorful powder -coated aluminum stars and images from the local Mexican -American community social Club Estrella, to be attached to the backrest of the concrete seat walls in the playground area. Installation of the art is anticipated to be completed in time for the opening of the new park.
Environmental Clearance
In addition to approving the conceptual plan on June 13, 2023, Council approved a finding that the project was categorically exempt under California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15304 as a Class 4, Minor Alterations to Land. A categorical exemption has been filed with the County of Santa Clara for this project.
FISCAL IMPACT
Villa-Chiquita Park, Project 21-61, is funded with $2,150,000 from the Park Land Dedication Fund.
The estimated total project cost is as follows:
Construction (includes contingency) $1,771,000
Consultant Services 280,000
Project Management 135,000
Construction Inspection and Testing 90,000
Public Art 28,000
Permits and Miscellaneous 35,000
Project Contingency 93,630
Subtotal $2,432,630
City Administration 158,000
TOTAL PROJECT COST $2,590,630
PROJECT BUDGET $2,150,000
PROJECT SHORTFALL $440,630
Villa-Chiquita Park, Project 21-61—Various Actions
June 25, 2024
Costs continue to increase, which impacts all capital projects due to the extraordinary inflationary pressures seen in the past few years, as well as demand of construction projects in both the public and private sectors. Project cost increases in Villa- Chiquita Park, Project 21 -61, are consistent with these factors and also include increases attributable to the site’s specific configuration to address site accessibility and additional scope to accommodate the public art.
Staff recommends Council appropriate $440,630 from the Park Land Dedication Fund to Villa- Chiquita Park, P roject 21 -61. If the recommended funding adjustment is granted, the total project budget will be $2,590,630.
The project is located within the Central Park and Open Space area; therefore, it is recommended that the Park Land Dedication Funds come from park in -lieu fees paid for developments within this open space area (see Attachment 1). These fees were received within the last five years.
There is sufficient balance in the Park Land Dedication Fund's Central Park and Open Space area to fully fund the recommended transfer and appropriation of $440,630.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Do not appropriate $440,630 from the Park Land Dedication Fund to the project and reduce project scope.
2. Do not approve plans and specifications and defer the project.
3. Provide other direction.
Villa-Chiquita Park, Project 21-61—Various Actions
June 25, 2024
PUBLIC NOTICING—Agenda posting.
Prepared by:
Faryal Saiidnia
Senior Project Manager
Reviewed by:
David O. Printy
Principal Project Manager
Edward Arango
Assistant Public Works Director/
City Engineer
Approved by:
Dawn S. Cameron
Public Works Director
Audrey Seymour Ramberg
Assistant City Manager
FS-DOP-EA/4/CAM
977-06-25-24CR
204038
Attachment: 1. Park Land Dedication Fund Project Commitment
cc: CSD, PWD, APWD —Arango, PCE —Printy, PCE —Shah, SPM —Saiidnia, SMA— Goedicke, PA—Li, SAA—Wong, SMA—Doan, [email protected]
, File (21-61)