Agenda Item: 6
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
CONSENT CALENDAR
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
DATE: May 23, 2023
SUBJECT: CALIFORNIA AUTOMATED PERMIT PROCESSING GRANT
PROGRAM
DEPARTMENT: Community Development
PRESENTER: John Caprarelli
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council:
1. Accept the California Automated Permit Processing Grant funds from the State of California Energy Commission.
2. Award a one-year contract to Camino Technologies in the amount of $95,000 to design and build an online, automated solar permitting platform to provide expedited solar permitting services to the City of Santa Clarita.
3. Appropriate funds in the amount of $100,000 to Building and Safety Grant (Fund 259) Contractual Services account 2593806-516101 and increase Miscellaneous Grants Revenue account 259-446101 by $100,000.
4. Approve an ongoing appropriation for software maintenance agreement with Camino Technologies to service the platform, beginning in FY 2024-25, at $20,000 per year for five years to the Technology (Fund 100) Contractual Services account 1002200-516101, contingent upon the appropriation of funds by the City Council during the annual budget process in subsequent fiscal years.
5. Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute all contracts and associated documents subject to City Attorney approval.
BACKGROUND
The City of Santa Clarita (City) has been awarded a grant in the amount of $100,000 by the State of California Energy Commission (CEC) through the California Automated Permit Processing
(CalAPP) Grant program. Senate Bill 379 (SB 379) requires most California cities and counties to implement an online, automated permitting platform that verifies code compliance and issues permits in real-time or allows a city or county to issue permits in real time for a residential solar energy system. The City shall satisfy the requirements by September 30, 2023.
Per the 2021 Senate Bill 100 Joint Agency Report, achieving 100 percent clean electricity in California requires accelerating the development of rooftop solar projects. The CalAPP funding is intended to encourage cities and counties to enhance permitting processes further and accelerate processing and turnaround time, particularly regarding plan check review.
Furthermore, the funding aims to promote the development of residential solar and solar-plus- storage systems, significantly decreasing approval times, cutting permitting costs for local governments and homeowners, and helping California meet its greenhouse gas emission reduction goals through an easier installation process.
Staff reviewed the procurement options available for the accelerated process of awarding a contract for the formation of an online, automated solar permitting platform in accordance with SB 379. Following a review of pricing received via the “piggyback” procurement approach as well as other available options outlined by the City Purchasing Policy, staff recommends contracting with Camino Technologies (Camino) for a one-year agreement in the amount of $95,000. Based on previous experience involving the creation of the City’s interactive online Permit Guide, specific to efficiently obtaining building permits, Camino is well-equipped to complete the project in the timeline required. Moreover, staff is also recommending the authorization of ongoing software maintenance agreements with Camino for the servicing of the platform in the amount of $20,000 per year, for five years.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
Other actions as determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
Upon approval of the recommended action, adequate funds will be available in expenditure account 2593806-516101 (Miscellaneous Grant Fund) to support the contracts for design and build online, automated solar platform, and an ongoing appropriation beginning in FY 2024-25 to expenditure account 1002200-516101 (General Fund) to support the annual software maintenance costs, contingent upon the appropriation of funds by the City Council during the annual budget process for such fiscal year.
ATTACHMENTS
APP-22-064 City of Santa Clarita Grant (available in the City Clerk's Reading File)