Agenda Item: 8
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
CONSENT CALENDAR
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
DATE: October 24, 2023
SUBJECT: BUILDING PLAN REVIEW, BUILDING INSPECTION, AND
PERMIT-RELATED PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
DEPARTMENT: Community Development
PRESENTER: John Caprarelli
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council:
1. Authorize an expenditure authority increase to the City's on-call Building & Safety consulting firms: JAS Pacific, Scott Fazekas & Associates, Interwest Consulting Group, and TRB and Associates, in the amount of $500,000, resulting in a total on-call expenditure authority amount of $1,000,000 for Fiscal Year 2023-24.
2. Authorize the City Manager or designee to execute all documents, subject to City Attorney approval.
BACKGROUND
The City of Santa Clarita (City) uses contractual services on an as-needed basis to assist staff with building plan review, inspection, and permit-related professional services for new buildings during periods of high construction activity. Contractual support for building plan review and building inspection helps supplement staff’s efforts to reduce plan check turnaround time and manage the inspection workload as demand fluctuates. Contractual services help maintain appropriate staffing and customer service levels.
On March 16, 2023, the City Council authorized spending in an amount not to exceed $500,000 for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-2024 with the following consulting firms: JAS Pacific, Scott Fazekas & Associates, Interwest Consulting Group, and TRB and Associates for contractual building plan review, building inspection, and permit-related professional services.
In order to keep pace with the high volume of construction activity and maintain the City's premier level of customer service, an additional $500,000 in expenditure authority is needed. The
increased expenditure authority will allow the City to continue contracting through the duration of FY 2023-24 with qualified building inspectors and plan reviewers who are well-suited to handle the surplus demand. Expenditures totaling $159,206 were incurred under these agreements during the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2023-24. Building permit activity is expected to increase significantly in December, with the expiration of the prior Building Codes, and remain at a higher level for the remainder of the Fiscal Year. At this rate, expenditures will exceed the current spending authority.
The primary permit increased activity generators for FY 2023-24 include large projects, such as Sand Canyon Plaza, the Tesoro tracts, and the completion of Needham Ranch.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
Other action as determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
Upon approval of the recommended actions, spending authority would increase by $500,000 for Fiscal Year 2023-24 and expenditures would be paid from Building & Safety Contractual Services Expenditure Account 1003800-516101 (General Fund).