City Council Memorandum
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL DATE: SEPTEMBER 1, 2026 FROM: PARKS, RECREATION AND COMMUNITY
SERVICES DEPARTMENT
WARD: 2
SUBJECT: FOURTH AMENDMENT TO PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANT SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH ALTA PLANNING + DESIGN, INC. OF PORTLAND, OREGON, TO EXTEND THE AGREEMENT TERM BY ONE YEAR THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 2027, ADD TO THE SCOPE OF SERVICES, AND TO INCREASE THE COMPENSATION BY $134,172.77, FOR THE EXTENDED TERM OF THE AGREEMENT FOR A TOTAL REVISED CONTRACT AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $773,090.75 ISSUES:
Consider approving the Fourth Amendment to the Professional Consultant Services Agreement with Alta Planning + Design, Inc. of Portland, Oregon, to extend the agreement term by one year through December 31, 2027, add to the scope of services, and to increase the compensation by $134,172.77, for the extended term of the agreement for a total revised contract amount not to exceed $773,090.75.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
That the City Council:
Approve the Fourth Amendment to Professional Consultant Services Agreement with Alta Planning + Design, Inc. of Portland, Oregon, to extend the agreement term by one year through December 31, 2027, add to the scope of service, and to increase the compensation by $134,172.77, for the extended term of the agreement for a total revised contract amount not to exceed $773,090.75; and Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute the Amendment with Alta Planning + Design, Inc. including making minor and non-substantive changes.
BACKGROUND:
The Gage Canal runs through the City in a City-owned water utility corridor. The City proposes to construct Phase I of the Gage Canal Trail project within an approximately two-mile stretch of the corridor starting from Palmyrita Avenue, running southwest along the edge of the Box Springs Mountain Reserve, and then south across Spruce Street ending at the UC Riverside Campus at Blaine Street. The project will include a paved asphalt bikeway with a parallel decomposed granite surface trail, along with landscaping, irrigation, lighting, and trail support amenities.
On October 1, 2019, the City Council adopted a resolution authorizing the submission of a grant application for the California Natural Resources Agency Urban Greening Grant Program in the amount of $3,708,509, for the design and implementation of the Gage Canal Multi-Purpose Recreational Trail Phase I.
On April 1, 2020, the City of Riverside entered into a grant agreement with the State of California Natural Resources Agency for the Gage Canal Multi-Purpose Recreational Trail Phase I in the amount of $3,708,509.
On December 14, 2021, the City of Riverside entered into a consultant agreement with Alta Planning + Design for the planning and design of the Gage Canal Multi-Purpose Recreational Trail Phase I Improvements in the amount of $532,431.65.
On January 31, 2023, the City of Riverside Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department (PRCSD) was notified by the California Department of Parks and Recreation that they were being awarded $1,400,000, in Recreational Trails Program grant funding for the Gage Canal Multi-Purpose Recreational Trail Improvements project.
On March 14, 2023, the City Council authorized the rejection of all bids for Bid No. 7914 for the Gage Canal Multi-Purpose Recreational Trail Improvements project, because bids came in too high and exceeded funding availability. City Council authorized staff to rebid the project with revised bid specifications once the additional $1,400,000 grant funding from the Recreational Trails Program was available from the California Department of Parks and Recreation.
On February 26, 2024, the City Council authorized an increase in change order authority of the project design consultant, Alta Planning + Design, Inc., to 20% in the amount of $106,486.33, increasing the not to exceed total compensation amount to $638,917.98, to have the consultants complete additional environmental studies as needed by the California Department of Parks and Recreation in order to proceed with the grant agreement for the $1,400,000 Recreational Trails Program grant funding.
On April 3, 2026, the City of Riverside entered into a Recreational Trails Program grant agreement with the State of California Department of Parks and Recreation for the Gage Canal Multi-Purpose Recreational Trail Phase I in the amount of $1,400,000.
On July 14, 2026, the City Council awarded Bid 8216 to H L Hitchcock Construction Inc. of Rancho Cucamonga, CA, for the Gage Canal Multi-Purpose Recreational Trail project, in the amount of $4,304,325.
DISCUSSION:
Design Consultant Change Order Increase
The requested increase in change order authority would allow the City to utilize the existing contracted design consultant to perform additional environmental compliance services required by the California Department of Parks and Recreation for the $1,400,000 supplemental grant award. Expanding the current consultant’s scope promotes overall project efficiency by leveraging their familiarity with the project, eliminating the need to procure and onboard a separate consultant, and minimizing potential delays associated with a new competitive bidding process.
Additionally, the current consultant is uniquely qualified to complete this work, as they prepared the original grant funding documentation and are well-versed in the specific compliance requirements that must be followed. Continuing with the same consultant ensures consistency, improves the accuracy of required environmental documentation, and reduces the risk of discrepancies that could arise from introducing a new firm.
The proposed additional services, totaling $137,806, include tribal coordination assistance; pre-construction biological clearance surveys for Crotch’s Bumble Bee, Burrowing Owl, nesting birds, and bat habitat assessment and emergence surveys; Water Evaluation and Adaptation Planning (WEAP) and cultural sensitivity training; biological construction monitoring; and overall project management support.
Purchasing Overview
The original agreement based off of Request for Proposal 2032 was approved by City Council in accordance with Purchasing Resolution 24101, Section 508(c) which states, “Contracts procured through Formal procurement 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 Qualifications 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 or Request for Qualifications, except that a local Proposer may be given preference pursuant to Section 704 “Preference Policy”, where the difference in price proposal between the local Proposal and the lowest price proposal does not exceed five percent (5%) of the lowest price proposal.” This 4th amendment is pursuant to Purchasing Resolution 24101, Section 1104 “Change Orders”, which states… “Modification to a Purchase Order shall be made only by Change Order. Subject to the availability of funds, Change Orders may be utilized for purposes of…(5) modifying contract completion time or the term of a Contract. Unless otherwise specifically authorized by the Awarding Entity, Change Orders which cumulatively exceed the following will require Awarding Entity approval…(d) A Contract amendment which extends the term of the agreement beyond one year of the original expiration date…(1) adding and/or deleting quantity of items being procure. Unless otherwise specifically authorized by the Awarding Entity, Change Orders which cumulatively exceed the following will require Awarding Entity approval…(b) Any Change Order which causes the contract price to exceed the authorization in section 203 hereof, if the Contract and/or Purchase Order was not previously approved by the Awarding Entity, and (3) modifying scope of work/services being provided, where the modification is reasonably related to the original scope of work/services.” The Purchasing Manager concurs that the recommended action is compliant with Purchasing Resolution 24101.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The total fiscal impact of the actions of this report is $134,172.77, through the extended agreement term ending December 31, 2027. Sufficient funds in the amount of $134,172.77 are budgeted and available in the Gage Canal Trail Improvements Project Accounts as listed in the table below.
Table 1. Project Budget
Fund
Project
Account
Amount
Grants and Restricted Programs
Gage Canal Trail Improvements
9409220-440120
$1,400,000
9409200-440220
$2,972,667
Measure Z Capital
9409209-440301
$197,279
Total Available Budget
$4,569,946
Prepared by: Jordan Maus, Project Manager
Approved by: Pamela M. Galera, Parks, Recreation and Community Services Director Certified as to
availability of funds: Julie Nemes, Finance Director
Approved by: Kris Martinez, Assistant City Manager
Approved as to form: James Johnson, City Attorney
Attachment: Agreement
Gage Canal Multi-Purpose Recreational Trail Projecth Page 5