City Council
259 N. Wilma Avenue
Ripon, CA 95366
MEMO
To: Honorable City Council
From: Ken Zuidervaart, Planning Director
Date: 09/08/2026
Subject: General Services Agreement - Keesey Design
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Approve and authorize the Mayor to sign the Professional Services Agreement with Keesey Design to prepare revised site development and architectural concepts for three detached singlefamily affordable housing units at 122 N. Elm Avenue in the not to exceed amount of $9,250 (funding source: City's Affordable Housing Fund).
BACKGROUND:
The City has been evaluating opportunities to utilize the underdeveloped City-owned property located at 122 N. Elm Avenue, adjacent to the Library in the Downtown District, for the development of affordable housing. The property is currently zoned R4 (Multiple Family Residential).
As part of this effort, the City previously retained Keesey Design to prepare site and architectural concepts for an attached townhouse development on the property. The intent of the project was to construct the units utilizing resources available through the City's Affordable Housing Fund and ultimately sell the completed homes as affordable units to qualified buyers.
Keesey Design completed the initial conceptual design work for the attached townhouse project, including a site layout, floor plans, and architectural elevations intended to complement the character of the surrounding neighborhood and Downtown District.
Following completion of the initial design concept, staff conducted additional due diligence regarding the design, construction, ownership, and long-term administration of an attached residential development. Through this process, several challenges associated with proceeding with an attached product were identified.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS:
Although an attached townhouse development could physically accommodate the City's affordable housing objectives for the site, staff's subsequent evaluation identified additional costs and complexities that could significantly affect the feasibility of the project.
In particular, attached residential construction presents additional architectural, engineering, construction, liability, and ownership considerations that are not generally associated with detached single-family construction. Staff has also found that fewer architectural and engineering firms are willing to undertake attached residential projects due, in part, to increased professional liability concerns. This can result in higher design and engineering costs and may ultimately increase construction costs.
An attached development would also require the establishment of a homeowners association (HOA) or similar entity to address common areas, shared building components, insurance, maintenance responsibilities, and other ongoing obligations. Because the City's objective is to sell the completed homes as affordable units to qualified buyers, the creation and long-term administration of an HOA would introduce additional costs and responsibilities for the future homeowners. There is also the potential that responsibility for establishing or administering the HOA could initially fall upon the City.
Based upon these considerations, staff believes it would be prudent to reconsider the original attached townhouse concept and evaluate a simpler detached single-family development alternative.
Staff has therefore requested a proposal from Keesey Design to develop a revised concept consisting of three detached single-family homes on the same 122 N. Elm Avenue property. The intent is to retain the general architectural character and design elements developed through the original townhouse concept while reconfiguring the project as detached homes.
The detached concept is anticipated to simplify the project's design, engineering, construction, ownership, and long-term maintenance structure while still accomplishing the City's primary objective of creating new affordable homeownership opportunities near the Downtown District.
Keesey Design has submitted a proposal in the amount of $9,250 to prepare the revised site development and architectural concept.
At this stage, staff is requesting authorization to proceed with the revised design work only.
Once the concept has been sufficiently developed, staff will be in a better position to evaluate anticipated architectural and engineering costs, construction costs, utility and site improvement costs, and other expenses associated with completing the project.
Staff will then return to the City Council with a more detailed project budget and proposed funding plan for consideration before proceeding with subsequent phases of the development.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The proposed agreement with Keesey Design is for an amount not to exceed $9,250. Funding for the design services would be provided through the City's Affordable Housing Fund, which currently has an approximate balance of $2.6 million.
The City previously authorized and expended $13,200 for Keesey Design's initial site planning and architectural design work for the attached townhouse concept. With the proposed additional authorization of $9,250, the City's total design expenditure with Keesey Design for the 122 N.
Elm Avenue property would be $22,450.
While a portion of the previous design work will need to be revised to accommodate detached single-family homes, the architectural character and certain design elements developed through the original work are intended to be carried forward into the revised concept. Staff believes the additional design expenditure is warranted given the potential cost savings and reduced complexity associated with developing detached units rather than proceeding with the original attached townhouse concept.
Approval of the agreement does not commit the City to construction of the project. Following completion of the revised design concept and development of more detailed project cost estimates, staff will return to the City Council with a proposed project budget and funding plan for consideration before proceeding with construction.
Attachments:
1. Professional Services Agreement - Keesey Design
2. Exhibit A
3. Colored Rendering