City Council
Staff Report
From: City Manager
Report Type: CONSENT CALENDAR
Lead Department: Community Services
Meeting Date: May 4, 2026
Report #:2602-5998
TITLE
Approval of Professional Services Contract Number C26196239 with Triple HS, INC (dba H. T.
Harvey & Associates), in an Amount Not to Exceed of $399,239 Over a 5-year Term for Annual Wetland Mitigation Monitoring, Reporting, and Improvements, and Approval of a Budget Amendment in the Capital Improvement Fund; CEQA Status - This project is part of the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program approved on February 3, 2014 as part of the Golf Course Reconfiguration EIR.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that City Council:
1. Approve and authorize the City Manager or their designee to execute Contract No.
C26196239 with Triple HS, INC (dba H. T. Harvey & Associates) to provide annual wetland mitigation monitoring, reporting, and remedial improvements for a term of five years and a total amount not to exceed $399,239, including $259,239 for basic services and $140,000 for additional services.
2. Amend the Fiscal Year 2026 Budget Appropriation for the Capital Improvement Fund (requires a two-thirds approval by the City Council) by:
a) Increasing the contract services appropriation in PG-13003 (Golf Reconfiguration & Baylands Athletic Center Improvements) by $14,869; and
b) Decreasing the contract services appropriation in OS-18000 (Foothills Nature Preserve Boronda Lake Dock Replacement) by $14,869.
BACKGROUND
The Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course was reconstructed and re-opened as the Baylands Golf Links in 2018. The course redesign impacted existing wetlands on course and required a Mitigation and Monitoring Plan (MMP) of the onsite wetlands as a condition of regulatory permitting for the construction project. The mitigation required 0.2 acres of wetlands to be
enhanced, and 4.0 acres be expanded which were completed and exceeded as part of the course’s reconstruction. The course re-design constructed a greater amount of wetland acreage than required resulting in a total of 8.48 acres of wetlands. Full compliance with regulatory requirements includes a five-year monitoring and reporting period of wetland habitat conditions, which was not completed.
Although the City has not initiated the monitoring period, progress has been made with completion of a current conditions report (2024) and wetland delineation (2025), with a goal of beginning monitoring in 2026. The wetland delineation process identified areas requiring remedial ecological restoration and a Wetland Remedial Mitigation Plan (WRMP) was implemented in Fall 2025. The WRMP augments and improves existing wetland habitat towards meeting success criteria outlined in the MMP as required in regulatory permits.
The next course of action is annual monitoring and reporting of wetland habitat conditions while furthering remedial improvements identified in the annual monitoring process.
ANALYSIS
Staff conducted a formal Request for Proposal (RFP) process to identify a qualified ecology firm well versed in wetland management, mitigation, and monitoring to carry out the annual monitoring, reporting, and provide recommendations towards meeting success criteria of the MMP. Upon issuance of the RFP, three proposals were received.
Table #1: Summary of Request for Proposal
Request for Proposals Name/Number Golf Course Wetland Mitigation Monitoring (RFP 196239)
Proposed Length of Project 5 Years
Number of Vendors Notified 3,671
# of Proposal Packages Downloaded 32
Total Days to Respond to RFP 41
Pre-Proposal Meeting No
Pre-Proposal Meeting Date N/A
# of Proposals Received 3
Proposal Price Range $55,597 - $259,239 (Five years), plus $21,281 - $140,000 for Additional Services
Public Link to Solicitation https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/palo- alto-ca/projects/214044
Following an evaluation process by Community Services and Public Works staff, H. T. Harvey & Associates was selected for the depth of their proposal, knowledge of local wetlands, ecology staff to be assigned to the project, prior record of performance with City departments, and their established relationship with a habitat restoration firm to provide additional services.
Their ecology staff has local knowledge of wetlands in the Baylands, inclusive of similar monitoring and reporting for wetlands in the area. Their proposal focused not only on performing the annual wetland monitoring and reporting but also making recommendations based on monitoring results with an emphasis towards achieving success criteria for regulatory sign off. This emphasis was reflected in their proposal’s work plan as well as with similar projects they completed for other jurisdictions.
The RFP also requested additional services to increase the likelihood of meeting project success criteria at the end of the monitoring period. This could include invasive species removal, seeding or planting native container plants, or hydrologic modifications. To achieve additional services, H.T. Harvey & Associates’ proposal included partnering with an established wetlands restoration firm and highlighted their working relationship spanning 12 years to provide similar services to multiple jurisdictions and private landowners.
Overall, the proposal from H.T. Harvey & Associates was more comprehensive than the other proposals. It showed extensive knowledge of the subject wetlands, provided a work plan aimed at meeting success criteria for regulatory sign off, and included an established partner to perform restoration work. The other proposals displayed less knowledge of the subject wetlands, work plan details, or full understanding of the efforts needed to meet success criteria.
FISCAL/RESOURCE IMPACT
Funding for this five-year contract is available in the Fiscal Year 2027-2031 CIP Budget of the Golf Reconfiguration Project (PG-13003) planned for approval by the City Council through the annual budget process. The budget in FY 2027 is anticipated to be $85,000, increasing to $105,000 by FY 2031, while the average annual contract expenditure is anticipated to be about $80,000 for the five-year $399,239 contract. This includes $140,000 for Additional Services such as implementation of additional remedial actions recommended by Consultant’s Restoration Ecologist to increase likelihood of meeting project success criteria at the end of the monitoring period. Additional Services may include invasive species removal, seeding or planting native container plants, or hydrologic modifications. Annual expenditures may fluctuate depending on results of annual monitoring and resulting recommendations for additional services towards meeting success criteria for regulatory sign off. An additional $14,869 is being reallocated from another CIP to supplement the planned budget to cover expenditures during the remainder of Fiscal Year 2026.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
Staff has maintained regular communication with the California State Water Resources Control Board on the progress and efforts of the wetlands at the golf course and will continue to do so until the project has met all requirements.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The scope of this contract is part of the Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program as part of the Golf Course Reconfiguration EIR, which was approved on February 3, 2014 in Resolution 93951.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Contract with H.T. Harvey & Associates; C26196239 APPROVED BY:
Kristen O'Kane, Community Services Director
1 City Council Resolution 9395; February 3, 2014; https://www.cityofpaloalto.org/files/assets/public/v/1/city- clerk/resolutions/reso-9395.pdf