City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: MARCH 4, 2025 FROM: PARKS, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY WARD: 1
SERVICES DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NO. 2387 - SUPPLEMENTAL APPROPRIATION AND INTERFUND TRANSFER; PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANT SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH MOORE IACOFANO GOLTSMAN, INC., DBA MIG, INC. OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, FOR THE FAIRMOUNT PARK MASTER PLAN, IN THE AMOUNT OF $282,000; AND AUTHORIZE 10% CHANGE ORDER AUTHORITY UP TO $28,200 FOR A TWO-YEAR TERM ISSUES:
Authorize a supplemental appropriation and interfund transfer of $310,200; Approve the Professional Consultant Services Agreement for Request for Proposal No. 2387 with Moore Iacofano Goltsman, Inc., dba MIG, Inc. of Berkeley, California, for the Fairmount Park Master Plan, in the amount of $282,000; and authorize 10% change order authority up to $28,200, for a two-year term.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
With at least five affirmative votes, authorize the Chief Financial Officer, or designee, to record all necessary supplemental appropriations and interfund transfers in the amount of $310,200 from General Fund reserves (representing savings generated from American Rescue Plan Act funding for public safety services) to the Capital Outlay Fund, Fairmount Park Master Plan project; Approve the Professional Consultant Services Agreement for Request for Proposal No. 2387 with Moore Iacofano Goltsman, Inc., dba MIG, Inc., of Berkeley, California, for the Fairmount Park Master Plan in the amount of $282,000, for a two-year term; Authorize 10% change order authority in an amount up to $28,200 for project changes including, but not limited to, unforeseen conditions or necessary design changes, for a total contract amount not to exceed $310,200; and Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute the Professional Consultant Services Agreement, including making minor and non-substantive changes.
BACKGROUND:
On November 9, 2021, the City Council approved the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding Expenditure Category Plan for the first allocation in the amount of $36,767,594 following the Interim Final Rule guidelines. Additionally, the City Council directed staff to return with an itemized list for Parks infrastructure needs during the second allocation of funding for consideration. The Final Rule was issued on January 6, 2022, and became effective on April 1, 2022.
On February 7, 2023, the City Council approved the ARPA expenditure plan for the second allocation of grant funds in the amount of $36,767,594 and reallocated $1,600,000 from the first plan to the Park Maintenance Project funding. These approvals allocated $10 million for Parks Deferred Maintenance Projects. The approval of the ARPA funding allows the City to make an initial investment towards addressing the City’s deteriorating park infrastructure priority needs, including renovations of parking lots, the replacement of HVAC systems, flooring replacements and playground renovations equitably throughout all wards.
On June 21, 2023, the Parks and Recreation Commission received an update on the ARPA funding received and the planned projects.
On May 15, 2024, the Cultural Heritage Board provided input on the preparation of the Fairmount Park Master Plan project.
On August 20, 2024, City Council approved the reallocation of funds from various ARPA projects of the American Rescue Plan Act Expenditure Plan to the Revenue Replacement projects in the amount of $1,550,000 including project 2.13 - Parks Master Plans ($400,000).
On December 10, 2024, the City Council received an update on the ARPA expenditure plan and accepted staff’s recommendations to safeguard unexpended funds, both obligated and unobligated. Council approved the allocation of all unexpended funds to Revenue Replacement – Provision of Government Services, supported by qualifying public safety expenditures, to allow the City to safely meet the obligation deadline for all unobligated funds, and report all ARPA funding as fully expended well in advance of the expenditure deadline. Leveraging public safety expenditures as qualifying costs, the savings generated by the ARPA coverage of those qualifying costs can be utilized for the obligated funds’ previously approved purpose. Unobligated funds of were transferred into the General Fund as an unappropriated revenue source pending the first quarter analysis of the City’s financial performance for fiscal year (FY) 2024/25.
The Citywide Park Improvement Program included unobligated funds of approximately $4.5 million which were reallocated to the Revenue Replacement – Provision of Government Services program and transferred to the General Fund as unappropriated revenue. The Fairmount Park Master Plan Project described in this report comprises a portion of those unobligated and unappropriated funds.
DISCUSSION:
Fairmount Park is approximately 280 acres in size, situated near the Santa Ana River, south of State Route 60, and west of Market Street. Fairmount Park is the largest park in Riverside. First dedicated in 1898, it is also the second oldest park in the City. The park is already a treasured resource for the community but can serve the community even better by providing relevant and improved recreation opportunities, and by resolving issues with vehicular/pedestrian circulation, hydrology/flooding, and other similar issues. The park is historically, and, in some areas, environmentally significant, and proposed changes must be carefully planned.
In the early 1900s, the Olmsted Brothers, sons of the nationally recognized landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, were commissioned by Mayor S.C. Evans Jr., the City Council, and the Parks Board to develop a plan for Fairmount Park. The plan was to include but not limited to modification to the existing lake, new roadways, trees, and a swimming pool. The Olmsted plan was submitted to the city in June 1911. The entirety of the Olmsted plan was not completed at that time but was reintroduced in 1923 with the expansion of Lake Evans. Fairmount Park was designated as City Landmark #69 on December 18, 1985. The Landmark Resolution specifies that the designation includes all publicly visible elements of the park, including, but not limited to, the configuration of the lakeshores, the Fairmount Park Bandshell, the Fairmount Park Golf Course, the grounds of the Riverside Lawn Bowling Club, the Fairmount Park Rose Garden, the Food Machinery Corporation "Water Buffalo", Union Pacific Engine No. 6051, and the three Mission Revival restroom buildings.
The Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department (PRCSD) issued RFP No. 2387 for preparation of the Fairmount Park Master Plan. The goal of the Park Master Plan is to chart a path to enhance the park to increase activity while preserving the historic integrity of the park. The final product will be a cultural landscape masterplan and report that will follow historic research standards. The Master Plan will include a conceptual plan of the entire 280 acres and a focused plan of the park historic core.
The scope of work for the consultant includes:
Evaluate the existing conditions including a detailed site survey.
Consider current deferred maintenance efforts.
Evaluate the original 1911 Olmsted Brothers Plan.
Evaluate past studies and evaluations of the park.
Conduct an analysis of the changes that have occurred over time.
Convene a stakeholder group comprised of approximately a dozen interested community members well versed in the history of the park.
Conduct a community input process including surveys of park patrons.
Acknowledge the hydrologic function of the park.
Consider current amenities including, but not limited to the lakes, rose garden, band shell, armory, golf course, boat house, Izaak Walton building, tennis courts, lawn bowling center, playgrounds, and open spaces.
Evaluate vacant land and underutilized land within the park.
Consider potential uses and renovation of auxiliary buildings throughout the park.
Propose synergies with adjacent uses and properties including the church property on the southwest side of the park.
Articulate and recommend improved circulation of the park for motor vehicles (including parking), pedestrian, bicycle, and skateboard.
Based on input from the stakeholders and community, prepare several opportunities for the enhancement of the park.
Prepare a final master plan of the park based on stakeholder and community input.
Provide cost estimates for all the individual opportunities.
Once the Fairmount Park Master Plan is completed, the City will be in a stronger position to apply for grant funding to make future improvements to the park. It is the goal of PRCSD to list this resource on the National Register, at a later time.
On August 13, 2024, the Purchasing Division posted Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 2387 for the Fairmount Park Master Plan project on the City’s website. The project received attention from 126 prospective bidders, 59 of those being listed as potential Prime bidders. In response to the RFP, the City received 5 proposals on September 13, 2024. After review by the Purchasing Division, all the proposals were deemed to be responsive. A selection committee comprised of staff from the Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department and the city’s Historic Preservation expert from the Planning Division of the Community and Economic Development Department. The committee evaluated the proposals and interviewed the firms. MIG received the highest rating in the overall evaluation.
Proposers
Location
Ranking
MIG
Berkeley, CA
1 C2 Collaborative
San Clemente, CA
2 Olin Partnership, Ltd.
Los Angeles, CA
3 Studio-MLA (MLA Green, Inc.)
Los Angeles, CA
4 PBK
Rancho Cucamonga, CA
5 Purchasing Resolution No. 24101, section 508 (c) states that “Contracts shall be awarded by the Awarding Entity to the Lowest Responsive and Responsible Bidder, except that: (c) Contracts procured through Formal Procurement for Services or Professional Services where a Request for Proposals or Request for Qualification was used to solicit bids, shall be awarded by the Awarding Entity in accordance with the evaluation criteria set forth in the Request for Proposals… except that a local Proposer may be given preference pursuant to Section 704.” The Purchasing Manager concurs that the recommendation is in compliance with Purchasing Resolution No. 24101, section 508 (c).
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT:
This item contributes to the Envision Riverside 2025 City Council Strategic Priority 1 – Arts, Culture and Recreation, Goal 1.3, to 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, 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.
This item aligns with the following Cross-Cutting Threads:
Community Trust: Standard City public procurement methods were utilized to solicit proposals from local firms. Fair and unbiased evaluations were conducted by City Staff members to make the final determination in accordance with adopted Purchasing Resolution No. 23914. The Park Master Plan process will include robust community outreach to ensure that the community is a partner in Fairmount Park’s future.
Equity: Community outreach will include multiple opportunities and modes for reaching people. Outreach tools, platforms and advertising will be in English and Spanish to engage a broad spectrum of Riverside’s diverse population. Outreach and engagement efforts will be advertised using social media posts, e-blasts, newspaper ads, a press release, postcards/flyers, and signs posted at the park.
Fiscal Responsibility: The project is funded with savings generated by savings generated from ARPA funding for public safety services, thereby providing great value to City residents. Competitive pricing was a substantial evaluation factor used in the formal procurement process undertaken.
Innovation: The Park Master Plan will be responding to the community’s changing recreational, social, and health and wellness needs as reflected in feedback collected during outreach.
Sustainability and Resiliency: These services will contribute to developing new and enhancing existing City facilities and amenities, which encourages and provides access to healthy recreation opportunities while improving the overall quality of life for all City of Riverside residents.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total fiscal impact of the action is $310,200, which includes the contract award of $282,000 and a 10% contingency in the amount of $28,200 as shown below in Table 1. With Council approval of a supplemental appropriation from General Fund reserves, representing savings generated from ARPA funding for public safety services, sufficient funding will be available for this agreement as shown in Table 2 below.
Table 1. Project Costs:
Contract Award
$282,000
Contingency (10%)
$28,200
TOTAL
$310,200
Table 2. Project Funding:
Fund
Project
Account
Amount
City Funds
Fairmount Park Master Plan
9929300203-44030100
$310,200
Prepared by: Alisa Sramala, Principal Park Project Manager Approved by: Pamela M. Galera, Parks, Recreation and Community Services Director Certified as to availability
of funds: Kristie Thomas, Finance Director/Assistant Chief Financial Officer Approved by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager
Approved as to form: Jack Liu, Interim City Attorney
Attachments:
Professional Consultant Services Agreement
RFP Award Recommendation
Presentation
Fairmount Park Master Plan - MIG ● Page 2