TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Philippe Eskandar, City Manager
BY: Amber Shah, Parks & Public Works Director/City Engineer DATE: July 25, 2025
SUBJECT: FIND THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT
(CDBG) FUNDED FY 2024-25 ADA SIDEWALK CURB RAMP
PROJECT EXEMPT UNDER THE CALIFORNIA
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT (CEQA), APPROVE THE
PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS AVAILABLE AT THE OFFICE
OF THE CITY CLERK AND AT THE DIAS, AWARD A
CONSTRUCTION AGREEMENT TO CT&T CONCRETE
PAVING IN THE LOW BASE BID AMOUNT OF $159,379.19,
AND REJECT ALL OTHER BIDS; AND AUTHORIZE THE
PARKS AND PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR/CITY ENGINEER
TO APPROVE CONTINGENCIES IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO
EXCEED $15,938
STRATEGIC PLAN CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS
Efficient, Responsive, and Effective City Services
Fiscally Responsible and Transparent City Government
Well Maintained Infrastructure
BACKGROUND
The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) is a program that supports community development activities to build stronger and more resilient communities. CDBG’s primary objectives are to fund projects or programs that benefit low and moderate income individuals as well as aid in preventing neighborhood deterioration. Public improvements to infrastructure such as streets, sidewalks, curbs and gutters, etc. are also eligible provided that they Gretchen Shepherd Romey, Mayor
Tony Chou, Vice Mayor
Hunter Chang, Council Member
John Chou, Council Member
Calvin Lo, Council Member
provide assistance to those with special needs, including making the improvements accessible to persons with disabilities.
Each funding cycle, HUD provides funds to the Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA), who in turn provides funds to municipalities for eligible projects. Over the past few years, the City has worked with LACDA to identify eligible projects for CDBG funding. While a small portion of CDBG funding (approximately $10,000) is utilized by the Community Services Department for Senior Outreach Programs, the City has $349,541 in funds available for an eligible project that were required to be spent prior to the funds’ expiration on June 30, 2025, but have since been extended until June 30, 2026.
Staff have identified an eligible project to utilize the CDBG funds. The City has numerous sidewalk curb ramps that are in poor condition and/or currently out of compliance with current Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility standards. As such, the City has identified a project to construct nineteen (19) ADA-compliant curb ramps to provide accessible paths of travel for pedestrians with disabilities.
The identified curb ramps are predominately located along Huntington Drive and near Huntington Middle School, which incurs frequent pedestrian traffic.
LACDA has approved the use of CDBG funds for this specific project. At its November 13, 2024, meeting, the City Council awarded a Professional Services Agreement to Nichols Consulting Engineers (NCE) in the amount of $47,195, for the design of the project, leaving approximately $300,000 of remaining CDBG funds available for the construction phase of the project.
NCE completed the project design in May, and the City issued a Notice Inviting Bids for the project on May 21, 2025. On June 13, 2025, the City received a total of nine (9) bids for the work, with the apparent lowest responsive bidder being CT&T Concrete Paving, Inc.
DISCUSSION
Upon completion of the Project Plans and Specifications, which are on file in the office of the City Clerk and present on the dais, the Public Works Department advertised the project for construction bids via the City’s online procurement platform. On June 13, 2025, a total of nine (9) bids were received for the CDBG ADA Sidewalk Curb Ramp Project, as follows:
Bidder Base Bid
Addison-Miller Inc. $659,500
CJ Concrete Construction Inc. $243,000
CT&T Concrete Paving Inc. $159,379.19
Dash Construction Inc. $287,399
FS Contractors Inc. $253,750
Gentry General Engineering Inc. $237,140
Pavement Rehab Company $199,780
Toro Enterprises Inc. $319,695
TVR Construction Engineering $192,750
Engineer’s Estimate $226,800
A summary tabulation of each bidder’s complete bid schedule is also attached to this report. Pursuant to the Plans and Specifications, the lowest responsive, responsible bidder will be determined by the sum of the base bid only. The apparent low bidder, CT&T Concrete Paving Inc., provided the lowest responsive and responsible base bid, provided satisfactory references, is registered with the State Department of Industrial Relations, and is able to comply with the various federal requirements associated with CDBG-funded projects.
CT&T Concrete Paving has experience with numerous municipal projects, including multiple CDBG-funded sidewalk projects such as this one. As such, staff recommends award of a Construction Agreement for the CDBG funded ADA Sidewalk Curb Ramp Project to CT&T Concrete Paving Company, Inc., in the low base bid amount of $159,379.19, plus a 10% contract contingency of $15,938.00. The requested contingency will cover costs due to unforeseen site conditions and change orders for additional work requested by the City. The total amount for the construction plus the construction contingency is $175,317.19. Once work has commenced, the project is scheduled to take twenty-five (25) working days to complete.
CEQA REVIEW
Pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), this project is categorically exempt under Sections 15301(c) (Existing Facilities) and 15302 (Replacement or Reconstruction) because the sidewalk ramps comprising the project are existing facilities that will be located on the same site and within the current boundaries of the existing ramps, and will have the same purpose and capacity as the original ramps. Staff will prepare a Notice of Exemption for the project should it be approved.
FISCAL IMPACT & PROCUREMENT REVIEW
The FY 2024-25 Capital Improvement Program budget includes $349,541 in CDBG funds for the totality of the project, including both the design and construction phases of the work. A FY 2025-26 budget adjustment is needed to Account #204-48-4600-9272 in the amount of $302,346 to carry over the budget.
Staff estimates the project’s overall cost, combining the design/construction support, construction cost, and project contingency will be $222,512.19. Staff also plans to procure professional services to administer the federal labor compliance requirements of the construction contract in an amount not to exceed $10,000, increasing the total estimated project cost to $232,512.19.
See below for breakdown.
Item Cost
Construction Contract (CT&T Paving) $159,379.19
Construction Contingency (10%) $15,938.00
Labor Compliance (TBD) $10,000.00
Design Contract (NCE) $47,195.00
Total Project Cost $232,512.19
Sufficient funds are available in the project account to complete all work associated with the project.
The Finance Director has reviewed the staff report for compliance with San Marino City Code §02.06.05.B.5.
LEGAL REVIEW
The City Attorney's office has reviewed and approved as to form.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council 1) find the project categorically exempt under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15301(c) and 15302 of Title 14, Chapter 3 of the California Code of Regulations (Class 1, Existing Facilities exemption), 2) approve the Plans and Specifications available at the office of the City Clerk and at the dais, 3) award a Construction Agreement to CT&T Concrete Paving Company, and 4) authorize the Parks and Public Works Director/City Engineer to approve contract change orders and other contingencies in an amount not to exceed $15,938. If the Council concurs with staff’s recommendation, an appropriate motion would be:
“I move to 1) find the ADA Sidewalk Curb Ramp Project exempt from review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15301(c) and 15302 of Title 14, Chapter 3 of the California Code of Regulations (Class 1, Existing Facilities exemption), 2) approve the Plans and Specifications available at the office of the City Clerk and at the dais, 3) award a Construction Agreement to CT&T Concrete Paving Company, Inc. for the CDBG-funded ADA Sidewalk Curb Ramp Project No. 24/25-9272A in the amount of $159,379.19, reject all other bids, and authorize the City Manager to execute the Agreement, 5) authorize the Parks and Public Works Director/City Engineer to approve contract change orders in an amount not to exceed $15,938, and 6) Approve the FY 2025-26 budget adjustment needed.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Bid Tabulation
2. Proposal from CT&T Concrete Paving
3. Draft Construction Agreement
4. Project Plans