City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: OCTOBER 25, 2022 FROM: PARKS, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY WARDS: 1, 3, & 7
SERVICES DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: authorize SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION OF $50,000 from the REgional Park special capital improvement fund; AUTHORIZE 20% CHANGE ORDER AUTHORITY IN THE AMOUNT OF $392,736.21 NOT TO EXCEED COMPENSATION OF Two Million Three Hundred Fifty-Six Thousand Four Hundred Eighteen Dollars ($2,356,418.15); AND APPROVE AGREEMENT AMENDMENT TO INCREASE COMPENSATION AND EXTEND TERM TO JUNE 30, 2024 FOR PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANT SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH MLA GREEN, INC. DBA STUDIO-MLA OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, FOR THE RIVER-SIDE GATEWAY PARKS PROJECT SUITE – PLANNING & DESIGN FOR PARK MASTER PLANS AND CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT SERVICES FOR PARK, TRAIL, AND GREENWAY IMPROVEMENTS ISSUE:
Authorize supplemental appropriation of $50,000 from the Regional Park Special Capital Improvement Fund Balance; authorize 20% change order authority for a total compensation not to exceed total compensation of Two Million Three Hundred Fifty-Six Thousand Four Hundred Eighteen Dollars and Fifteen Cents ($2,356,418.15); and approve agreement amendment to increase compensation and extend the term to June 30, 2024, for professional consultant services agreement with MLA Green, Inc. dba Studio-MLA of Los Angeles, California, for the River-side Gateway Parks Project Suite – Planning & Design for Park Master Plans and California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Services for Park, Trail and Greenway Improvements.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
With five affirmative votes, authorize a supplemental appropriation of $50,000 in the Regional Park Special Capital Improvement Fund, Santa Ana River Coast Conservancy Project Account from fund balance of the Regional Park Special Capital Improvement Fund; Authorize 20% change order authority of $392,736.36 not to exceed total compensation amount of Two Million Three Hundred Fifty-Six Thousand Four Hundred Eighteen Dollars and Fifteen Cents ($2,356,418.15) for Professional Consultant Services Agreement with MLA Green, Inc. dba Studio-MLA of Los Angeles, California, for the River-side Gateway Parks Project Suite – Planning & Design for Park Master Plan and California Environmental Quality Act Services for Park, Trail, and Greenway Improvements; Approve Amendment No. 1 to increase compensation to not to exceed Two Million Three Hundred Fifty-Six Thousand Four Hundred Eighteen Dollars and Fifteen Cents ($2,356,418.15) and extend the contract term to June 30, 2024; and Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute the Professional Consultant Services Agreement Amendment with MLA Green, Inc. dba Studio-MLA, including making minor and non-substantive changes.
BACKGROUND:
In 2003, the Santa Ana River Task Force developed a vision and concept plan for developing a parkway along the river in Riverside. The plan recommends nature trails, a boardwalk, and a nature center with programming in the area now proposed for Camp Evans at Fairmount Park. The plan further recommends recreation improvements in the area around Tequesquite Ave and the Old Landfill, and that Martha McLean Anza Narrows Park be further improved and renovated to support the Santa Ana River Parkway concept.
In 2009, the Santa Ana River Task Force reconvened to review and update their prior recommendations based on work accomplished and other changes since 2003.
In 2014, through Senate Bill 1390, the California state legislature created the Santa Ana River Conservancy Program within the State Coastal Conservancy. The program addresses the resource and recreational goals of the Santa Ana River region, including open space, trails, wildlife habitat, agricultural land protection, water quality protection, educational use, and public access. The Conservancy has grant funding available to help agencies and non-profit organizations move forward with projects to meet these resource and recreational goals.
On May 21, 2019, the City Council adopted a resolution authorizing the submission of a grant application to the California Coastal Conservancy for a grant in the amount of $2,358,500 and appropriation of $390,000 of Regional Park Special Capital Improvement Funds to: acquire one property, and to develop park master plans and complete California Environmental Quality Act analysis and documentation for nine project sites along the Santa Ana River corridor.
On December 26, 2019, the City of Riverside entered into a grant agreement with the California Coastal Conservancy for the River-side Gateway Project Suite Design and CEQA project in the amount of $1,960,000.
On January 6, 2020, the City of Riverside entered into a grant agreement with the Coastal Conservancy for acquisition of the property at 5200 Tequesquite Ave for the River-side Gateway Project Suite in the amount of $65,000.
On August 24, 2020, the Purchasing Division posted RFP No. 2034 on the City’s website and received nine (9) responsive proposals on October 9, 2020. The top three highest rated proposals were invited to interview. Studio-MLA received the highest rating in the overall evaluation. The original fee submitted by Studio-MLA was $1,939,895.12. After discussions with Studio-MLA to clarify and negotiate the scope of work and pricing, the final fee is $1,963,681.79.
On May 11, 2021, the City Council approved a Professional Consultant Services Agreement with MLA Green, Inc. dba Studio-MLA of Los Angeles, California for the River-side Gateway Project Suite - Planning & Design for Park Master Plan and California Environmental Quality Act Services for Park, Trail and Greenway Improvements through June 30, 2023, in the amount not to exceed $1,963,681.79 with a 10% change order authorization up to $196,368.
On November 16, 2021, City Council approved an appropriation of $62,500 in additional Coastal Conservancy grant funding and approved the Purchase Agreement for the 4.08-acre property at 5200 Tequesquite Avenue.
DISCUSSION:
The project supports the Santa Ana River Task Force’s vision and concept for developing parks, trails, and open space resources along the Santa Ana River. The following park properties are included in the River-side Gateway project suite.
1. Fairmount Park - Camp Evans (undeveloped property on west end of park, adjacent to the Santa Ana River levee).
2. Loring Park.
3. Santa Ana River trailhead at Carlson Park & St. Francis Falls Water Feature Restoration.
4. Santa Ana River Greenway Trail (between Carlson Park and Tequesquite Extension South).
5. Tequesquite North Extension.
6. 5200 Tequesquite (adjacent to Ryan Bonaminio Park at the Tequesquite Arroyo) – contingent upon the City’s acquisition of the site.
7. Tequesquite South Extension.
8. Martha McLean Anza Narrows Park/Riverside Gateway; and,
9. Jurupa Avenue Trailhead (near Van Buren).
The Consultant has inventoried environmental resources, analyzed opportunities and constraints, gained input and support from the community, and developed conceptual park master plans. The Consultant is now analyzing environmental impacts and preparing the appropriate environmental documents for each site. The compensation increase is requested to pay for additional site information, studies, design and natural resource agency coordination needed beyond the original contract tasks to provide a more complete project with stronger environmental documentation. Additional CEQA work for Camp Evans, environmental and baseline reports, and community outreach are anticipated upcoming needs, however, the cost proposals have not yet been received, and therefore change order authority of 20% above the initial contract amount and additional Regional Park Special Capital Improvement funds are requested at this time to cover these upcoming anticipated costs.
Once the environmental documents are completed, the park master plans will be finalized and brought back with a prioritization plan to City Council for approval. Grant funding will then be pursued to construct the improvements at a measured pace, in a manner that is sustainable for maintenance and operations.
The Purchasing Manager concurs that the recommendations to increase the change order authorization to 20% of the original agreement amount and to extend the agreement completion time to June 30, 2024, for the Studio-MLA agreement (RFP No. 2034) complies with Purchasing Resolution No. 23812, Section 1104.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
The work contributes to Strategic Priority 1 – Arts, Culture and Recreation, which aims to provide diverse community experiences and personal enrichment opportunities for people of all ages. Strategic Priority 2 – Community Well-Being, which aims to ensure safe and inclusive neighborhoods where everyone can thrive and Strategic Priority 5 – High Performing Government, which aims to provide world class public service that is efficient, accessible, and responsive to all.
Priority 1 – Arts, Culture and Recreation:
Goal 1.3: improve parks, recreational amenities, open space, and trail development, and fulfill critical lifecycle and facility maintenance needs Goal 1.4: to prioritize safety at parks, trails, arts, cultural and recreational facilities Priority 2 – Community Well-being:
Goal 2.3: strengthen neighborhood identities and improve community health and the physical environment through amenities and programs that foster an increased sense of community and enhanced feelings of pride and belonging citywide, Priority 4 – Environmental Stewardship:
Goal 4.5: Maintain and conserve 30% of Riverside’s natural lands in green space including, but not limited to, agricultural lands and urban forests in order to protect and restore Riverside’s rich biodiversity and accelerate the natural removal of carbon, furthering our community’s climate resilience, and Priority 5 – High Performing Government:
Goal 5.3: enhance communication and collaboration with community members to improve transparency, build public trust, and encourage shared decision-making.
The project aligns with each of the five Cross-Cutting Threads as follows:
Community Trust – To build community trust and ensure that the Project reflects the public’s interests and needs. The planning process for the River-side Gateway Project Suite has relied on community engagement, including: three advisory committee meetings, three community workshops, four pop-up outreach events, presentations at community organization meetings, an online survey and interactive mapping tool, and a project website to distribute information and collect input from the community.
Equity –Multiple opportunities and modes have been used to get community input and a variety of tools and platforms have been used to advertise the opportunities to the community. These outreach and engagement efforts were advertised using social media posts, e-blasts, newspaper ads, a press release, direct mailing to residents within a 10-minute walk of the sites, signs posted at the project sites, sidewalk decals, digital reader board/billboard and a Riverside Monthly television segment.
Fiscal Responsibility – The project is being accomplished mainly with grant funds from the California Coastal Conservancy and will not require use of the City’s General Fund.
Innovation – The River-side Gateway Parks Project responds to the community’s changing recreational, social, and health and wellness needs. The project proposes to create the first nature playground, challenge course, and pump track in the City park system. The Project will integrate preservation and enhancement of natural resources and establish agricultural areas to nurture Riverside’s movement towards its agricultural roots.
Sustainability & Resiliency – The Project seeks to increase park and recreational resources to meet the needs of the present community, without compromising the needs of the future by finding solutions that help Riverside adapt to climate change and resource depletion through actions such as planting more trees, using native and low-water landscaping, implementing on-site stormwater infiltration, and supporting active transportation. The Project also seeks to protect and enhance natural resources and habitat as well as increasing agricultural opportunities which allows for more locally grown food.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total fiscal impact of this action is $392,736.21. Upon Council approval, a supplemental appropriation in the amount of $50,000 will be recorded in the Regional Park Special Capital Improvement Fund, Santa Ana River Coast Conservancy Project account number 9339910-440305, from fund balance of the Regional Park Special Capital Improvement Fund. The below tables illustrate the project budget and anticipated expenditures that the project will incur.
Project Budget
Budget
State Coastal Conservancy Grant Agreement 19-082
$127,500
State Coastal Conservancy Grant Agreement 19-077
$1,960,000
Regional Park Special Capital Improvement Fund, original $390,000
Regional Park Special Capital Improvement, additional
$50,000
Total Budget
$2,527,500
Anticipated Expenses
Amount
Current Studio-MLA purchase order encumbrance
$1,963,682
20% Studio-MLA change order
$392,736
Acquisition expenses
$136,959
Community outreach expenses
$34,123
Total Anticipated Expenses
$2,527,500
Prepared by: Pamela Galera, Parks, Recreation and Community Services Director Certified as to
availability of funds: Edward Enriquez, Interim Assistant City Manager/Chief Financial Officer/City Treasurer
Approved by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager
Approved as to form: Phaedra Norton, City Attorney
Attachments:
First Amendment to Professional Consultant Services Agreement Presentation
Agreement Amendment and Change Order Capacity Increase for Studio-MLA for River-side Gateway Project Suite ● Page 5