City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: July 8, 2025
Agenda Item: 4.H
1 of 3
To: Mayor and City Council
From: Rick Valte, Public Works Director, Public Works, Public Landscape Subject: Approval to Ratify Issuance of Purchase Order to Jilk Heavy Construction, Inc. for the Pier Pile Emergency Repair
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Adopt a finding of categorical exemptions pursuant to Section 15301 and Section 15269 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines.
2. Ratify the Procurement Manager’s issuance of a purchase order with Jilk Heavy Construction, Inc. to repair pile 18M underneath the Santa Monica Pier for the Public Works Department. The emergency purchase was made as an exception to the competitive bidding process pursuant to Section 2.24.250(i) and is for a total amount not to exceed $60,000.
Summary
The City of Santa Monica’s Public Landscape Division of the Public Works Department maintains the Santa Monica Pier, which is a national historical landmark and an iconic destination with a long history of public support and interest. It houses many private businesses, public attractions, and City offices and facilities. The pier is supported by piles throughout the entirety of the structure. These wood columns are crucial to the structural integrity of the pier. Pile 18M is located at the undercrossing between the bike path and the pedestrian walkway, immediately below the on-site parking deck. It is exposed not only to the standard environmental factors that exist around the pier, but also to wear and tear from the bike and foot traffic that traverses the undercrossing daily. The pier is regularly maintained and inspected by a dedicated Pier Maintenance crew, who discovered that pile 18M had severely deteriorated, was no longer 2 of 3
structurally sound, and needed to be repaired immediately. As such, staff procured emergency repair services and issued a purchase order to Jilk Heavy Construction, Inc. per Santa Monica Municipal Code (SMMC) 2.24.240.
Discussion
The Santa Monica Pier’s pile 18M is integral to the structural support of the parking lot and has experienced rapid deterioration at its base, which required immediate repair. A contract for this type of repair does not currently exist. Therefore, staff attempted to obtain authorization through an informal bid process. However, the only quote received exceeded the quick quote informal bid threshold. Due to the urgent nature of addressing this item, staff determined that action could not wait for a formal bid, and the Procurement Manager authorized the use of the Emergency Purchase authority on May 21, 2025.
Exception to Competitive Bidding
Staff awarded a purchase order to Jilk Heavy Construction, Inc. to repair pile 18M underneath the Santa Monica Pier as an exception to competitive bidding per Municipal Code 2.24.250(i). The structural integrity of the Pier is critical to public safety and requires this repair as an emergency purchase.
i. A solicitation is made under the emergency procedures set forth in Section
2.24.240(d)(3). If pile 18M remained in the state of deterioration, the structural integrity of the Santa Monica Pier, specifically the parking lot area, would be at risk of collapse, which would threaten public safety of visitors to the Santa Monica Pier and beach, and would damage both private and public property.
Environmental Review
The emergency repair of pile 18M under the Santa Monica Pier is categorically exempt pursuant to Section 15301 (Existing Facilities) and Section 15269 (Emergency Projects) of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines. Section 15301 (Class 1 – Existing Facilities) exempts projects that consists of the operation, repair, maintenance, permitting, leasing, licensing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures, facilities, mechanical equipment, or topographical features, involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use. Section 15269(b) exempts 3 of 3
emergency repairs to publicly or privately owned service facilities necessary to maintain service essential to the public health, safety or welfare. Emergency repairs include those that require a reasonable amount of planning to address an anticipated emergency. The purchase order would provide for emergency repair of the existing pile to ensure public safety and therefore is categorically exempt from CEQA review under CEQA Guidelines Section 15301 and Section 15269.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
The purchase order to Jilk Heavy Construction, Inc. for the emergency repair of pile 18M underneath the Santa Monica Pier was issued from the current budget in the Pier Fund.
Purchase Order
FY 2024-25
Request Amount Department Account # Total Contract Amount $60,000 53500001.529160 $60,000
Total $60,000
Prepared By: Leah Cornelius, Senior Administrative Analyst Approved Forwarded to Council
Attachments:
A. Oaks Form
B. Levine Form