Agenda Item #12.3
For Council Meeting of December 12, 2023
CITY OF SANTA ROSA
CITY COUNCIL
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: DONTÉ WATSON, DIRECTOR
RECREATION AND PARKS DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH CALLANDER ASSOCIATES LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE, INC. TO PROVIDE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AND ENGINEERING SERVICES TO PREPARE A MASTER PLAN AMENDMENT AND CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. NEIGHBORHOOD PARK AND ADJACENT PEDESTRIAN AND BIKE TRAIL AGENDA ACTION: RESOLUTION
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended by the Recreation and Parks Department that the Council, by resolution, approve a Professional Services Agreement with Callander Associates Landscape Architecture, Inc., Gold River, California, to provide landscape architectural design and engineering services to prepare a master plan amendment and construction documents for improvements to Martin Luther King Jr. Neighborhood Park and adjacent pedestrian and bike trail in an amount not to exceed $860,076.00.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The purpose of this Agreement with Callander Associates Landscape Architecture, Inc. is to provide landscape architectural design and engineering services to prepare a master plan amendment and construction documents for a significant renovation project to revitalize Martin Luther King Jr. Neighborhood Park and the adjacent bike and pedestrian trail that connects the park to Petaluma Hill Road.
BACKGROUND
Martin Luther King Jr. Park (MLK Jr. Park), one of the oldest parks in Santa Rosa, is designated as a neighborhood park and located within the South Park neighborhood, in the southeast part of the city, at 1208 Hendley Street. It is adjacent to the Sonoma County Fairgrounds and connects to Petaluma Hill Road via an existing quarter-mile pedestrian and bike path known as Newhall Trail.
MLK Jr. Park consists of basketball courts, a soccer field, a restroom building, a playground, picnic areas, lighting, and standard park amenities including paved paths, benches, and trash and recycling receptacles. A Park Master Plan was completed in 1974 and a Master Plan Amendment was completed in 2004. There are two buildings and an enclosed playground on-site that are utilized by Community Action Partnership (CapSonoma) to operate a Head Start preschool and Early Head Start programs. These buildings are not included in the scope of the Park Master Plan Amendment.
The park sees heavy use as a place of civic activity, engagement, and community pride, and as a venue for neighborhood gatherings, youth education and play, and organized sports activities. The park amenities, including the basketball courts, picnic areas, play equipment, landscaping, parking lot, paved paths, signage, and site furnishings need replacement or significant renovation to bring the park up to good condition and in compliance with current building codes related to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The City, with strong support and input from the community and partnering organizations, plans to implement an overall revitalization of the park and adjacent trail to create a safer and more enjoyable experience to better serve the current and future needs of the community.
The Agreement with Callander Associates Landscape Architecture, Inc. outlines their responsibilities to work with the community to create a master plan amendment for the park, develop a design for the park based on the approved master plan amendment, execute construction drawings, specifications, and cost estimates necessary to bid and construct the park improvements, and provide construction oversight.
Parks anticipates contracting separately for consultant services to provide environmental review of the preferred park master plan pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Both the master plan amendment and CEQA documentation will be brought, in conjunction, for City Council consideration and approval.
PRIOR CITY COUNCIL REVIEW
On August 23, 2022, the Council by Resolution No. RES-2022-185, authorized submittal of the Infill Infrastructure Grant (IIG) application to the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) for up to $22M and authorized execution of a Standard Agreement and authorized the Assistant City Manager to execute the IIG program documents.
On November 14, 2023, the City Council, by Resolution RES-2023-186, accepted and appropriated a revised award of IIG funds from HCD, approved a budget revision, and authorized the Director of Housing and Community Services to execute program and award documents. This included a transfer of $7,407,551 into the Recreation and Parks Department budget for the master plan amendment and renovation of Martin Luther King Jr. Park.
ANALYSIS
A Request for Proposals to provide landscape architectural design and engineering services to prepare a master plan amendment and construction documents for the improvements to Martin Luther King Jr. Neighborhood Park and adjacent pedestrian and bike trail was issued in August 2023. Seven (7) proposals were received and reviewed by a committee comprised of staff from the Recreation and Parks Department, Planning and Economic Development Department, and the President of the South Park Coalition, community-based organization. The firms with the three highest ranking proposals were interviewed by the committee and as a result, the review committee ranked Callander Associates highest. Staff negotiated the recommended Professional Services Agreement with a not to exceed amount of $860,076.
Callander Associates is expected to complete the required services and tasks, including final construction oversight work, to the reasonable satisfaction of the City not later than December 31, 2027.
FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of this action does not have a fiscal impact on the General Fund. Total project costs are estimated at $7,407,551. Funds for this project come from the State of California Department of Housing and Community Development’s Infill Infrastructure Grant funds for the 2022 Santa Rosa Qualified Infill Area and are available in JL Key 09785.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) under CEQA Guidelines Section 15378 because it is not a project. An environmental analysis and determination in compliance with CEQA will be prepared as part of the master planning process.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Not applicable
NOTIFICATION
Not applicable.
ATTACHMENTS
Resolution / Exhibit A – Professional Services Agreement
PRESENTER
Emily Ander, Assistant Parks Planner
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH CALLANDER ASSOCIATES LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE, INC. TO PROVIDE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AND ENGINEERING SERVICES TO PREPARE A MASTER PLAN AMENDMENT AND CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS FOR IMPROVEMENTS TO MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. NEIGHBORHOOD PARK AND ADJACENT PEDESTRIAN AND BIKE TRAIL PAGE 3 OF 3