Public Works and Transportation Committee
September 22, 2026
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Elizabeth A. Lake FROM: Liam Garland
Interim City Administrator Director, Public Works
SUBJECT: Park Restoration Services Contract DATE: August 31, 2026 City Administrator Approval Date:
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution Awarding A Contract To McGuire And Hester For Specialized Post-Storm Trail Restoration Services And Associated Public Works Construction To Repair 2023 Storm-Damaged Park And Trail Infrastructure In An Amount Not To Exceed Four Hundred Fifty-Three Thousand, Nine Hundred Seven Dollars And Ninety-Three Cents ($453,907.93); Making Findings Pursuant To Oakland Municipal Code Sections 2.04.050(I)(1), (2), And (5) And 2.04.051 Regarding Specialized Services, Competitive Bidding, And The Request For Proposals Process; And Adopting California Environmental Quality Act Findings.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Oakland (City) conducted a Request for Proposals (RFP) process for trail restoration services on trails damaged by the 2023 storms in Joaquin Miller Park, Leona Heights Park, Garber Park, and Dimond Canyon. The trails to be repaired include the Orchard Trail, Palos Colorados Trail, Cinderella Trail, and Bridgeview Trail (Project). Three bids were received, and McGuire and Hester was selected as the most qualified bidder.
This work is funded through a combination of the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) (75%) and the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) (18.75%) for Disaster Nos. 4683DR and 4699DR, and City funding (6.25%) in the total amount of $453,907.93.
The proposed contract will enable Oakland Public Works to restore storm-damaged park and trail infrastructure, reopen and improve public access to affected recreational facilities, and complete eligible disaster recovery work in accordance with FEMA program requirements.
Approval of the proposed resolution will allow the City to utilize available federal funding to repair public assets while minimizing the financial impact on local resources.
Elizabeth Lake (Sep 4, 2026 16:10:53 PDT) Sep 4, 2026
Elizabeth Lake, Interim City Administrator
Subject: Park Restoration Services Contract
Date: August 31, 2026 Page 2
Public Works and Transportation Committee
September 22, 2026
BACKGROUND / LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
In January and March 2023, a series of severe winter storms caused widespread damage throughout the City, including significant impacts to park infrastructure and trail systems. Stormrelated erosion, slope instability, washouts, and damage to drainage features affected numerous park facilities, reducing public access and creating maintenance and safety concerns.
The FEMA-approved Public Assistance funding under Disaster Declarations 4683DR and 4699DR will reimburse eligible costs associated with restoring damaged public facilities to their pre-disaster design, function, and capacity. The proposed contract will complete eligible restoration work at Joaquin Miller Park, including the Orchard Trail, Palos Colorados Trail, and Cinderella Trail, Leona Heights Park, Garber Park, and the Bridgeview Trail in Dimond Canyon.
Oakland Public Works conducted a competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) process for these restoration services. The RFP was posted on Wednesday, May 22, 2026, with a closing date of June 10, 2026. The closing date was extended to June 26, 2026, to allow for more bids. Three bids were received by June 26th and evaluated based on qualifications, experience, project approach, and cost. McGuire and Hester was determined to be the most qualified and responsive bidder.
Approval of the proposed resolution will authorize the City Administrator to execute a one-year contract with McGuire and Hester in an amount not to exceed $453,907.93 to complete FEMAeligible restoration work before applicable funding deadlines.
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
The recommended contract award represents the most effective approach for restoring stormdamaged trails while preserving the City's eligibility for FEMA reimbursement. The project will restore damaged trails, including drainage features and associated infrastructure, to their predisaster condition in accordance with FEMA Public Assistance Program requirements. Work includes excavation and removal of unstable material, reconstruction of trail surfaces, erosion control measures, drainage restoration, and site stabilization.
Timing:
Approval of this item is necessary due to time restrictions on the expenditure of the available funding as determined by FEMA. FEMA has already granted one extension, but there is no guarantee they will grant any additional extensions.
The City competitively procured the contract through an RFP under OMC Section 2.04.051 that evaluated proposers based on experience, qualifications, capacity, approach, and cost, reflecting the specialized and time-sensitive nature of the Project. Staff recommends that the City Council find that the contract involves specialized services under OMC Section 2.04.050(I)(1) and that use of the competitive RFP process under OMC Section 2.04.051 was appropriate. Because the Project also includes public works construction exceeding $50,000, staff recommends, as additional and independent bases for the action, findings under OMC Sections 2.04.050(I)(2) and (5) that a new formal advertising and bidding process would be impracticable and unavailing under the current FEMA schedule and that proceeding with the completed competitive RFP is in the City’s best interests.
Elizabeth Lake, Interim City Administrator
Subject: Park Restoration Services Contract
Date: August 31, 2026 Page 3
Public Works and Transportation Committee
September 22, 2026
Bidder Selection:
The selected contractor demonstrated the technical qualifications, experience, and capacity to complete the work in accordance with FEMA requirements, including documentation, environmental compliance, and project reporting to support federal reimbursement.
Timely award of this contract is important because FEMA has established deadlines for completion of eligible work. Delays could jeopardize reimbursement of project costs and postpone restoration of public access to damaged park facilities.
Policy Alternatives:
Alternative # 1 Forfeit the federal and state funds and not perform the trail repair work.
Pros Saves a total of $28,369.24 in City funds that will no longer be needed to cover 6.25% of the project.
Cons Loss of $425,538.69 in federal and state funding.
Indefinitely postpones restoration of storm-damaged trails.
Could increase future construction costs due to inflation or additional site deterioration.
Reason for not
recommending
Staff do not recommend this alternative because these trail repairs are critical for improving park access and safety. FEMA/CalOES funding is only available for a limited time and there is no budgeted alternative funding for these repairs should this decision be reversed later.
RELATED PLANNING EFFORTS
The Project supports the Oakland General Plan’s Open Space, Conservation, and Recreation (OSCAR) Element. Specifically, the Project supports Policy REC-4.1, Systematic Maintenance Provisions, which calls for the ongoing and systematic maintenance of parks and recreational facilities to prevent deterioration and ensure safe use. The Project advances this policy by repairing storm-damaged trails, drainage features, and associated infrastructure to restore safe public access and preserve the functionality of the City’s parks and open spaces.
FISCAL IMPACT
The proposed contract will be funded through a combination of one-time FEMA Public Assistance funding, Cal OES, and City funds in an amount not to exceed $453,907.93. A breakdown of the project funding sources is provided below in Tables 1 and 2. Table 1: Funding Sources:
Fund Description Fund No. Amount
FEMA Declarations 2063 $340,430.95
Cal OES 2146 $85,107.74
Sewer Service Fund (City funds) 3100 $28,369.24
Total $453,907.93
Please see the further breakdown by each disaster event in Tables 2.1 and 2.2 below:
Elizabeth Lake, Interim City Administrator
Subject: Park Restoration Services Contract
Date: August 31, 2026 Page 4
Public Works and Transportation Committee
September 22, 2026
Table 2.1 (FEMA Project No. 1305949, Disaster No. 4683DR):
Project Funding Source: Joaquin Miller Park, Leona Heights Park, Garber Park, Orchard Trail, Palos Colorados Trail.
Fund Org Project Program Share
2063 – FEMA
Declarations
30652 –
Landscape
Maintenance
1008391 – FEMA
4683 Joaquin Miller
IN05 –
Engineering Plan
& Design $317,007.08
2146 – California
State Emergency
Services
30652 –
Landscape
Maintenance
1008391 – FEMA
4683 Joaquin Miller
IN05 –
Engineering Plan
& Design $79,251.77
3100 – Sewer
Service Fund
30533 –
Infrastructure
Maint: Sewer
System
1000010 – DP300
Administrative
Project
IN14 – Storm
Drain
Management &
Maint $26,417.26
TOTAL $422,676.11
Table 2.2 (FEMA Project No. 1358245, Disaster No. 4699DR):
Project Funding Source: Bridgeview Trail, Cinderella Trail Fund Org Project Program Share
2063 – FEMA
Declarations
30533 –
Infrastructure
Maint: Sewer
System
1008546 – FEMA
4699 Cndrlla &
Brdgview
IN05 –
Engineering Plan
& Design
$23,423.87
2146 – California
State Emergency
Services
30533 –
Infrastructure
Maint: Sewer
System
1008546 – FEMA
4699 Cndrlla &
Brdgview
IN05 –
Engineering Plan
& Design
$5,855.97
3100 – Sewer
Service Fund
30533 –
Infrastructure
Maint: Sewer
System
1000010 – DP300
Administrative
Project
IN14 – Storm
Drain
Management &
Maint $1,951.98
TOTAL $31,231.82
For these projects, FEMA reimburses 75% of the cost of repairing storm damage. Cal OES reimburses 18.75%, and the City must fund the remaining 6.25%. The City’s portion is paid through Fund No. 3100, Sewer Service Fund, because the repairs are related to storm drainage.
The expenditures associated with this contract are one-time and are fully supported by FEMA Public Assistance funding for eligible disaster recovery work. No General Purpose Fund obligation will result from approval of this contract.
There is no minimum commitment to this contract, and funds will not be committed unless funding is identified.
Elizabeth Lake, Interim City Administrator
Subject: Park Restoration Services Contract
Date: August 31, 2026 Page 5
Public Works and Transportation Committee
September 22, 2026
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
No public outreach was deemed necessary beyond the standard City Council agenda noticing procedures because the proposed action authorizes a competitively procured construction contract to restore existing public infrastructure damaged by a federally declared disaster. The project restores facilities to their pre-disaster condition and does not establish new policy or expand park facilities beyond their existing footprint.
Restoration of these park and trail facilities is expected to benefit park users by improving safety, accessibility, and reliability of the City's recreational infrastructure.
COORDINATION
This report and accompanying legislation have been reviewed by the Office of the City Attorney and the Budget Bureau.
PAST PERFORMANCE, EVALUATION AND FOLLOW-UP McGuire and Hester has successfully performed many projects for the City, including street paving, pedestrian accessibility improvements, creek restoration, and street construction.
Performance under the proposed contract will be monitored by the Parks & Tree Division Manager through regular inspections, review of project schedules, verification of completed work, compliance with contract specifications, and review of documentation required for FEMA reimbursement. Contractor performance will also be evaluated based on adherence to project schedule, quality of work, responsiveness, safety requirements, and compliance with federal grant requirements.
RACE AND EQUITY
The proposed action authorizes a construction contract to restore existing public park and trail infrastructure damaged during the 2023 winter storms. The project restores facilities to their predisaster condition and does not create new public facilities or establish new service levels.
Staff did not conduct a formal Racial Equity Impact Analysis for this operational contract because the project consists of FEMA-funded disaster recovery work restoring existing public assets. Restoring safe access to parks and trails benefits all Oakland residents by returning recreational facilities to service and reducing barriers to accessing public open space. Oakland Public Works will continue to monitor equitable access to park facilities through its ongoing operations and maintenance programs.
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA)
The proposed project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15269 because the work consists of repair and restoration of existing public facilities Elizabeth Lake, Interim City Administrator
Subject: Park Restoration Services Contract
Date: August 31, 2026 Page 6
Public Works and Transportation Committee
September 22, 2026
damaged by the 2023 winter storms and restores the facilities to their pre-disaster condition without expanding capacity or substantially changing their use.
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Staff Recommends That The City Council Adopt A Resolution Awarding A Contract To McGuire And Hester For Specialized Post-Storm Trail Restoration Services And Associated Public Works Construction To Repair 2023 Storm-Damaged Park And Trail Infrastructure In An Amount Not To Exceed Four Hundred Fifty-Three Thousand, Nine Hundred Seven Dollars And Ninety-Three Cents ($453,907.93); Making Findings Pursuant To Oakland Municipal Code Sections
2.04.050(I)(1), (2), And (5) And 2.04.051 Regarding Specialized Services, Competitive Bidding, And The Request For Proposals Process; And Adopting California Environmental Quality Act Findings.
For questions regarding this report, please contact Kristin Hathaway, Public Works Assistant Director, at 510-238-7571.
Respectfully submitted,
Liam Garland
Director, Oakland Public Works
Reviewed by:
Kristin Hathaway, Assistant Director, OPW,
Bureau of Environment
Clinton Pugh, Parks Manager, OPW, Parks and
Tree Division
Prepared by:
Gordon Matassa, Administrative Services
Manager
OPW, Bureau of Environment