CITY OF PACIFICA
COUNCIL AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT
5/22/2023
1 SUBJECT:
Consultant Services Agreement for Environmental Review Services Between the City of Pacifica and Consulting Firm Dyett & Bhatia Urban and Regional Planners RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Move to adopt the attached Resolution to approve the Agreement for Consultant Services between the City of Pacifica and Dyett & Bhatia Urban and Regional Planners with a total not to exceed amount of $218,203, and to authorize the City Manager to execute the Agreement.
STAFF CONTACT:
Christian Murdock, AICP, Planning Director
(650) 738-7341
[email protected]
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION:
The process to update the Housing Element of the General Plan is underway. On May 10, 2023, Planning Department staff transmitted a draft Housing Element to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD). State law provides HCD 90 days to review and comment on an initial draft Housing Element submission. During the course of HCD’s review, staff is undertaking other Housing Element work to facilitate timely adoption and implementation of programs anticipated to be part of the Housing Element when it is eventually adopted. A key program in the Housing Element will be rezoning to accommodate the Regional Housing Needs Analysis (RHNA). The rezoning program must be accomplished by January 31, 2024.
Staff has determined that preparation of an environmental impact report (EIR) is appropriate to comply with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and evaluate potential environmental impacts from the rezoning program. After a public solicitation, staff has selected a proposal submitted by Dyett & Bhatia Urban and Regional Planners (Attachment 2). Dyett & Bhatia’s proposal indicated the lowest cost and shortest timeline of the proposals submitted. It was also the consultant that prepared the EIR for the General Plan Update which will ensure familiarity with the City’s existing land use regulations and environmental context, enhancing efficiencies in the EIR preparation.
The Agreement for Consultant Services (“Agreement”) would provide a cost ceiling of $218,203 (Attachment 3). This amount consists of the $198,366 proposal from Dyett & Bhatia and a 10% contingency. The term of the Agreement is proposed to end on June 30, 2024, although Dyett & Bhatia has estimated approximately 14 weeks to prepare an administrative draft EIR.
The proposed Agreement addresses environmental review to comply with CEQA for the future rezoning program that will be part of the draft Housing Element when adopted. Due to the compressed timeline for completion of the rezoning program (January 31, 2024), taking initial Pacifica City Council 2
May 22, 2023
steps including execution of the Agreement is necessary at this time. Note that a separate review of potential environmental impacts from adoption of the Housing Element (excluding any programs that involve future implementation, such as the rezoning program) is currently in progress and is necessary to comply with CEQA prior to adoption of the Housing Element.
The EIR that will be prepared pursuant to the Agreement is required prior to implementation of one of the draft Housing Element’s most significant programs.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION:
Do not authorize the Agreement. An action not to authorize the Agreement could jeopardize the City’s ability to complete the rezoning program to accommodate the RHNA by the statutory deadline of January 31, 2024.
RELATION TO CITY COUNCIL GOALS AND WORK PLAN:
The Housing Element Update is associated with the following Council-adopted Work Plan initiative:
● Item 10: Prepare an update to the Housing Element of the General Plan.
Additionally, adoption of an updated Housing Element is required by state law.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The cost of this Agreement will be funded in part by approximately $60,000 in unused balances in Planning Department purchase orders from Fiscal Year (FY) 2022-23. The remainder will be funded from other remaining balances in the General Fund identified during end of year budget close-out.
ORIGINATED BY:
Planning Department
ATTACHMENT LIST:
Resolution for Contract Amendment (DOCX)
Dyett & Bhatia Proposal (PDF)
Consultant Services Agreement - Dyett & Bhatia (PDF)