Administrative
Report
H.15., File # 23-6911 Meeting Date: 10/3/2023
To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: GREG KAPOVICH, WATERFRONT & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR TITLE
APPROVE A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) FOR THE SOLICITATION OF ENGINEERING
SERVICES FIRMS TO DESIGN A NEW PUBLIC BOAT LAUNCH AT MOLE D
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On October 18, 2022, the City Council approved a new vision for the Waterfront called “The Public Amenities Plan,” which is focused on significant reinvestment in the amenities offered to residents and visitors of the waterfront including a new public boat launch on Mole D. As approved in the Public Amenities Plan, the proposed new boat launch will consider the launch ramp, vehicle-trailer parking stalls, launch queuing areas, turn-around circle, public restrooms, striped pedestrian crossings, and a boat wash down area.
Staff, in consultation with the Harbor Commission, prepared a Request for Proposals (RFP) to solicit engineering firms to design the new public boat launch facility. Specific comments from the Harbor Commission, including a design option to retain the existing boat hoist at Basin III, have been incorporated in the RFP. Staff is now seeking City Council approval to distribute the RFP to qualified firms. Following receipt of the proposals, the responses will be evaluated and a firm will be recommended to City Council for contract approval.
BACKGROUND
The City Council has made revitalization of the Redondo Beach waterfront a strategic priority for many years. The Council adopted an Asset Management Plan for the Waterfront in 2007, a Harbor Enterprise Business Plan in 2010, and the Public Amenities Plan in 2022. Key to the revitalization effort is the need to upgrade or replace many of the public amenities within the Waterfront. These public amenities serve as the framework within which other revitalization activities occur.
The area for the new public boat launch, as anticipated by the Public Amenities Plan, is located on Mole D, just south of the Seaside Lagoon, and north of the Redondo Beach Pier. It contains a standalone 10,000 square-foot, vacant, one-story building at 207 N. Harbor Drive (formerly Sambas by the Sea restaurant). The Public Amenities Plan determined the building to be in good condition but noted that the new public boat launch facility is anticipated to require a tear-down of the building to accommodate the necessary boat launch, parking, and queuing space for vehicular and boat traffic.
In 2010, local voters adopted the Redondo Beach Local Coastal Program (LCP) for the King HarborPage 1 of 4 H.15., File # 23-6911 Meeting Date: 10/3/2023
In 2010, local voters adopted the Redondo Beach Local Coastal Program (LCP) for the King HarborPier area through an initiative measure known as Measure G. Among other things, Measure G instituted a 400,000 square foot additional development cap for the Harbor area and included a requirement that a public boat launch be constructed in the Harbor prior to any future development.
To date, no boat launch has been constructed.
Subsequently, in response to public concern over significant redevelopment of the Harbor area in 2015, a group of local residents drafted a local voter initiative known as the King Harbor Coastal Access, Revitalization, and Enhancement Act-or Measure C, for short. Measure C is meant to preserve and expand public access to King Harbor and ensure safe enjoyment of coastal-dependent, water-oriented, recreational uses is maintained.
The passage of Measure C applied a framework for the Public Boat Launch that included the following requirements:
· A minimum of two lanes
· A minimum of 30 double-length boat trailer/vehicle parking stalls per launch lane · Designs for the launch, parking, and vehicular access routes shall conform to the design guidelines of the California Division of Boating and Waterways, as well as the American Association of Highway and Transportation Officials
· Shall not result in any net loss of boat slips
· Shall not interfere with or adversely impact public access to or public use of other coastaldependent recreational uses · Shall be at a safe distance from any human powered watercraft launch points and swimming areas
· Shall be designed to accommodate safe launch and recovery in harbor surge conditions · Shall not be sited in any location where waves topping the outer breakwater may create safety hazards in launching or recovery, or damage risk to vessels, vehicles, or trailers · Shall have directional signage indicating that the launch is open for public use Measure C imposed an interim development cap of 10,000 square feet of additional development until a boat launch is constructed and operational in the harbor. The City’s intent is to construct a new boat launch and remove the interim development cap.
The City is now ready to request consulting services to design the new public boat launch facility.
The design will include performing the following studies:
1. Parking study to ensure the boat launch and surrounding uses have an adequate parking supply.
2. Traffic circulation study to ensure the boat launch and associated queuing/turn-around areas do not cause on-site or off-site circulation issues.
3. Boat launch demand study to determine the appropriate number of launch lanes to serve the region.
Upon completion of the necessary studies, the consultant will coordinate community input and Harbor Commission input. Overall design considerations will also be based on cost estimates for construction and operation, Measure C requirements, sea level rise impacts, municipal code development standards, and guidelines of the California Division of Boating and Waterways, as well as the American Association of Highway and Transportation Officials.
H.15., File # 23-6911 Meeting Date: 10/3/2023
In addition to the necessary studies, consultant services will also include obtaining the necessary entitlements/coastal development permits from the City of Redondo Beach, environmental analysis, procurement of building permits, assistance with construction contractor selection, and construction oversight.
The City Council has appropriated $400,000 of Harbor Tidelands Funds to cover the costs associated with the required technical studies, public outreach, design, and entitlement approvals. Staff has been working with representatives of the State of California Department of Parks and Recreation, Division of Boating and Waterways regarding grant opportunities. Staff expects the Division of Boating and Waterways to award the City with a grant to cover the costs associated with obtaining building permits and construction, which is estimated at just under $10,000,000. The Division of Boat and Waterways will not accept an official grant application from the City until the entitlement process is underway. As such, the draft RFP includes consulting services to include technical input and assistance with the Grant application process.
The RFP sets forth a timeline of approximately one year from contract execution to conduct the necessary studies, perform public outreach, design the boat launch, and obtain the necessary entitlements from the Harbor Commission. The timeline then anticipates one year for Coastal Commission review and two years to select a construction contractor, obtain City engineering and building permits, and complete construction.
On September 11, 2023, the Harbor Commission reviewed the draft RFP. One particular comment from the Harbor Commission that has been incorporated into the draft RFP includes a requirement that the contractor provide an option in the proposal to retain the existing boat hoist at Basin III. The Harbor Commission recognized value in providing more than one option to launch a vessel, particularly a boat hoist which could prove an easier launch alternative over reversing a truck with trailer into the water. That said, the Harbor Commission recognized that the traffic circulation study would need to incorporate such an option to ensure traffic patterns of each facility could be accommodated. Furthermore, ongoing costs associated with maintaining the boat hoist should be further explored before a decision is rendered. Staff has revised the draft RFP to reflect Harbor Commission input.
The Harbor Commission and Staff recommend that the City Council approve the draft RFP and direct staff to distribute the RFP to qualified consultants. Responses to the RFP will be evaluated by a selection committee and a recommendation will be provided to the City Council for contract approval.
COORDINATION
The Waterfront and Economic Development Department Coordinated the preparation of the draft RFP with the Public Works Department and the Harbor Commission.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City Council has appropriated $400,000 of Harbor Tidelands Funds for the recommended boat launch design. This funding allotment will cover the initial technical studies, environmental analysis, and entitlement work. Staff anticipates additional funding from the Division of Boating and Waterways to cover the costs of the facility’s final design, construction plans and specifications, permitting, and construction.
H.15., File # 23-6911 Meeting Date: 10/3/2023
APPROVED BY:
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
· Draft Request for Proposals