CITY OF PACIFICA
COUNCIL AGENDA SUMMARY REPORT
7/14/2025
1 SUBJECT:
Amendment to Consultant Services Agreement Between the City of Pacifica and Raney Planning & Management, Inc.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Move to adopt the attached resolution to approve an Amendment to the Agreement for Consultant Services between the City of Pacifica and Raney Planning & Management, Inc., by increasing the contract amount by $50,000 for a total contract amount of $1,025,000, extend the term to June 30, 2026, and to authorize the City Manager to execute the amendment.
STAFF CONTACT:
Elizabeth Brooks, Management Analyst II
650-738-7341
[email protected]
Samantha Updegrave, Community Development Director
650-738-7341
[email protected]
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION:
The Community Development Department (CDD) processes complex development applications, many of which are subject to environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). These projects include large residential developments and long-range planning efforts, all of which require thorough, legally defensible environmental documentation. Due to limited in-house CEQA expertise and staffing capacity, the City relies on outside consulting support to assist the City in fulfilling its CEQA obligations in a timely and comprehensive manner.
Raney Planning & Management, Inc. has served as a CEQA consultant for the City under the existing agreement since 2016 (Attachment A), providing expert environmental review services.
Their work includes preparing CEQA documents such as Initial Studies, Mitigated Negative Declarations, and Environmental Impact Reports, as well as reviewing technical studies and responding to public and agency comments. Raney is currently supporting several ongoing and upcoming high-profile projects that require substantial CEQA analysis, including both projectlevel and program-level environmental documentation.
Since the last amendment, CDD’s project workload has grown, with staff simultaneously managing multiple consultant-led planning efforts and responding to sustained development interest. Internal staff resources remain limited, making continued consultant support essential to maintaining compliance with CEQA and advancing priority projects. Due to the complexity and volume of the work, the total cost of services under the agreement is now expected to Pacifica City Council 2
July 14, 2025
exceed the existing contract amount. In most cases, CEQA costs are reimbursable through developer deposits or funded directly by applicants.
Staff recommends approval of the Eighth Amendment to the Agreement for Consultant Services with Raney Planning & Management, Inc. (Attachment B) to (1) increase the contract amount by $50,000 and (2) extend the term of the agreement through June 30, 2026. These changes will ensure continued access to the CEQA expertise necessary to support project review and environmental compliance.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION:
The City Council may choose not to approve the proposed amendment at this time. Under this alternative, staff would need to evaluate other means of completing required CEQA documentation for pending and future projects, which may result in project delays, increased staff workload, or the need to secure alternative consultant services. This option is not recommended, as Raney Planning & Management, Inc. has developed substantial familiarity with the City’s processes, project context, and environmental review needs, and provides critical support in meeting legal and regulatory obligations under CEQA.
CEQA:
The approval of the amendment to the agreement with Raney is not subject to review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Public Resources Code Section 21000, et seq. and the CEQA Guidelines (14 Cal. Code Regs. §§ 15000 et. seq.), including without limitation, Public Resources Code section 21065 and California Code of Regulations 15378 as this is not a “project” that may cause a direct, or reasonably foreseeable indirect, physical change in the environment.
RELATION TO CITY COUNCIL GOALS AND WORK PLAN:
The proposed Eighth Amendment supports City Council Strategic Goal 1: Enhance organizational and fiscal stability by providing critical expert consultant support that helps ensure CEQA requirements are met without diverting internal resources from broader departmental responsibilities and City priorities. It also advances Goal 3: Prioritize protection and development of affordable housing, by enabling timely environmental review of housingrelated applications, including those tied to Housing Element implementation. Additionally, the amendment supports Goal 4: Pursue climate change adaptation and mitigation through continued environmental review of projects consistent with the City’s adopted Climate Action and Resilience Plan (CARP).
FISCAL IMPACT:
Funding for the proposed Eighth Amendment is available in the Community Development Department’s FY 2025–26 adopted budget for consultant services. CEQA-related costs for qualifying land use development projects are typically reimbursable through developer deposits or funded by applicants. The proposed amendment would increase the contract amount by $50,000 and will support ongoing environmental review work anticipated through the extended term ending June 30, 2026.
ORIGINATED BY:
Pacifica City Council 3
July 14, 2025
Community Development Department
ATTACHMENT LIST:
Attachment A - Raney Planning & Management, Inc. Agreement for Consulting Services (PDF) Attachment B - Eighth Amendment to Raney Planning & Management, Inc. Agreement for Consultant Services (PDF)
Pacifica City Council 4
July 14, 2025
RESOLUTION NO.
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PACIFICA AUTHORIZING THE
CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONSULTANT SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH RANEY PLANNING & MANAGEMENT, INC. FOR CONTRACT AND
RELATED SERVICES
______________________________________________________________________ WHEREAS, consistent with the City of Pacifica’s Purchasing Policy (Administrative Policy No. 76), the City of Pacifica entered into an agreement with Raney Planning & Management, Inc. for consulting services under the City Manager’s purchasing authority in May 2016; and
WHEREAS, the City Council authorized amendments to the City’s agreement with Raney Planning & Management, Inc. for consulting services in November 2016, August, 2017, September 2018, November 2019, March 2020, July 2021, and June 2023; and WHEREAS, on July 14, 2025 the City Council of the City of Pacifica has considered the City Manager’s recommendation to approve an Eighth Amendment to the City’s agreement with Raney Planning & Management, Inc. for consultant services; NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Pacifica to authorize the City Manager to amend the agreement with Raney Planning & Management, Inc. for the purpose of increasing the cost ceiling amount by $50,000 with a total contract amount of $1,025,000 and to extend the term to June 30, 2026.
• • • • •
PASSED AND ADOPTED at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of Pacifica, California, held on the 14th day of July, 2025, by the following vote:
AYES, Councilmembers:
NOES, Councilmembers:
ABSENT, Councilmembers:
ABSTAIN, Councilmembers:
_________________________________
Sue Beckmeyer, Mayor
ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM:
______________________________ _________________________________ Sarah Coffey, City Clerk Michelle Kenyon, City Attorney