Agenda Item #13.2
For Council Meeting of: June 17, 2025
CITY OF SANTA ROSA
CITY COUNCIL
TO: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
FROM: DAN HENNESSEY, DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS
TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT
SUBJECT: HEARN COMMUNITY HUB PHASE 1 – DESIGN BUILD CONTRACT COST AMENDMENT ACTION AND BUDGET AMENDMENT AGENDA ACTION: MOTION
RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended by the Transportation and Public Works Department that the Council, by motion, approve an additional contingency of $2,396,375 for the Hearn Community Hub Phase 1 Project, Contract Number C02412, with best value Design-Build entity, Swinerton Incorporated of Sacramento, California, resulting in a total approved contingency of $4,396,375 and a total authorized contract amount of $35,396,375.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This motion will increase the contingency available for Transportation and Public Works to enter into change orders on Hearn Community Hub Phase 1 Project, Contract Number C02412 (“Contract”). Council previously awarded the Contract to the existing best value Design-Build entity, Swinerton Incorporated (Swinerton) of Sacramento, California, in the amount of $31,000,000 and approved a contingency of $2,000,000. This motion will increase the approved contingency by $2,396,375, yielding a total approved contingency of $4,396,375 and an authorized contract amount of $35,396,375. The increase in the Stipulated Sum would be for use on the project for Additive Enhancements, Voluntary Enhancements and Additive Alternates, including but not limited to the multi-use path and an increase of 2,160 square feet to the library building. Staff identified existing appropriations totaling $396,838 that could be used to augment funding for this project.
The Project furthers Council Goals #3 to ensure a healthy and safe community for all, and #5 to build and maintain a sustainable infrastructure.
BACKGROUND
As awarded, the Hearn Community Hub Phase 1 included a 10,315 square foot library facility. Sonoma County Library had additional programmatic needs, with dedicated staff areas, teen and adult areas, a maker/creation lab, adequate storage, and a sound booth originally either insufficiently sized or omitted altogether. These elements were desirable to support the Sonoma County Library’s service goals, including flexible programming, community engagement, and access to technology and resources for all age groups. Sonoma County Library pursued additional funding to support the larger library, which has since been approved.
In addition, a 12-foot-wide multi-use path was identified as part of the City’s original site planning. Located along the eastern edge of the property, the path is intended to connect Hearn Avenue with future and existing developments to the south and the SMART path and Hearn Avenue interchange to the east, promoting safe pedestrian and bicycle access throughout the area. Although this multi-use path was not part of Swinerton’s base scope of work, it was included as an Additive Alternate in the event the City chooses to incorporate it into the final project scope.
As part of efforts to identify additional funding sources, the project management team, in coordination with the City’s Chief Financial Officer, conducted a review of available JL Keys associated with the project. Through this analysis, it was determined that $396,838 in remaining funds from the acquisition of properties located at 976, 980, and 1004 Hearn Avenue, originally authorized by Council on January 12, 2022, could be reallocated to support the Hearn Community Hub Project budget.
PRIOR CITY COUNCIL REVIEW
On July 13, and December 7 and 21 of 2021, in closed session, Council gave direction to staff on price and terms to negotiate the purchase of 976, 980 and 1004 Hearn Avenue.
On January 11, 2022, via City Council Resolution No. RES-2022-010, the Council approved the acquisition of 976 Hearn Avenue, APN 043-191-020; 980 Hearn Avenue, APN 043-191-019; and 1004 Hearn Avenue, APN 043-191-020.
On February 15, 2022, Council by Resolution No. RES-2022-029 approved the spending plan for American Rescue Plan Act funds by increasing appropriations for various programs as defined in Exhibit A and Exhibit B of the Staff Report dated February 15, 2022.
On June 21, 2022, Council by Resolution No. RES-2022-029 approved and authorized the City Manager or designee to negotiate and execute a Professional Services Agreement with RossDrulisCusenbery Architecture, Inc., a Sonoma, California firm, for the completion of the Hearn Community Hub – Needs Assessment and Collaboration Project, via Resolution No. RES-2022-123.
On July 12, 2022, Council by Resolution No. RES-2022-150 increased appropriations by $10,000,000, using PG&E settlement funds assigned in the General Fund reserves, for the Roseland Library project.
On January 10, 2023, Council by Resolution No. RES-2023-003, 1) approved the use of the Design-Build procurement method as in the best interest of the City; 2) authorized issuance of a Design-Build Request for Proposals for Hearn Community Hub; and 3) approved a Professional Services Agreement with Group 4 Architecture Research + Planning, Inc. of South San Francisco, California, to provide preliminary architectural/engineering design and Design-Build bridging documents.
On February 28, 2023, Council by Resolution No. RES-2022-041 authorized the City Manager to negotiate and execute an agreement with Kitchell/CEM, Inc. using the City’s Standard Professional Services Agreement, in a not to exceed amount of $5,812,022 for technical advisory, project management, construction management and inspection services for the Hearn Community Hub, subject to approval as to form by the City Attorney.
On July 11, 2023, Council by Resolution No. RES-2023-116, 1) accepted a grant award from the California State Library Targeted State Grants for construction of the new permanent library within the Hearn Community Hub in the amount of $5,000,000; 2) authorized the Assistant City Manager, or designee, to execute all related documents required for receiving such funds; and 3) authorized the City Manager to increase appropriations to account number 17662 by the amount of the grant award.
On October 22, 2024, Council by Resolution No. RES-2025-169:
Found pursuant to California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15168 and 15162 that the Hearn Community Hub Project is within the scope of the previously certified 2016 Program Environmental Impact Report for the Roseland Area/Sebastopol Road and Roseland Area Annexation Projects Specific Plan and that no further environmental review is required as documented in the CEQA checklist prepared for the Hearn Community Hub Project; Awarded Design-Build Contract No. C02412, Hearn Community Hub Phase 1, in the amount of $31,000,000 to the best value Design-Build entity, Swinerton Incorporated of Sacramento, California, approved a 6.4% contingency in the amount of $2,000,000 for a total contract amount of $33,000,000, and authorized the City Manager or designee to negotiate and execute the Design-Build Contract with Swinerton Incorporated and any amendments thereto and any related agreements pertaining to Additive Enhancements, Voluntary Enhancements and Additive Alternates; Amended the Fiscal Year 2024-25 budget to increase appropriations in the amount of $3,000,000, from the Public Safety and Prevention fire fund reserves; and Approved the Agreement for Development and Construction of a Regional Library Branch in Southwest Santa Rosa with the Sonoma County Library and authorize the City Manager to execute such agreement and to negotiate, appropriate and execute all related agreements, documents and any amendments thereto with the Sonoma County Library required to receive any additional funding from the Sonoma County Library, including increasing appropriations for revenue, transfers and expenditures.
ANALYSIS
As part of the initial effort to meet the stipulated sum of $33,000,000 while still allowing for the possibility of achieving the full project vision, the Design-Build team proposed Additive Alternates to be considered once in contract with the Design-Build Entity. In Swinterton’s proposal, an increase to the library’s square footage was priced at $1,224 per square foot and the multi-use path was a lump sum price at $96,375.
As part of the project’s continued development, Kitchell conducted a detailed review of the proposed Additive Alternates. This included a market analysis of comparable public library projects to assess the reasonableness of the cost proposal submitted by the Design-Builder. Kitchell concluded that the proposed rate of $1,224/SF for the additional library space was fair and consistent with prevailing market conditions.
Through collaborative discussions between Kitchell and the Design-Builder, a mutually accepted pricing structure was developed for the library expansion. The team identified cost-saving opportunities that would allow for an increase of 2,160 SF to the library’s footprint at a total cost of $2,300,000. This represents a $343,840 reduction from the original Additive Alternate price and results in a more favorable value of $1,065/SF. This revised pricing enabled the Sonoma County Library to successfully secure approval from the Library Commission for an additional $4,000,000 to not only provide the needed funding for the original design of $1,700,000 but included the allocation of the necessary funds to support the expanded building program. With this additional space, the library’s total size will increase to 12,475 SF.
The expanded design will allow the Library to significantly enhance its operational capacity and community service offerings. The additional space will support larger and more functional staff areas, improved teen and adult program spaces, a more robust maker and creation lab with increased storage, and the addition of a sound booth, an element originally identified as a key programmatic need. These improvements will allow the Library to better meet its goals related to flexible programming, community engagement, and equitable access to resources for all users.
In addition to the building expansion, Kitchell also reviewed the Additive Alternate associated with construction of the proposed multi-use path. The path, designed as a 12-foot-wide pedestrian and bicycle corridor along the eastern boundary of the site, is intended to connect Hearn Avenue with future developments to the south. The proposed cost of $96,375 or approximately $11/SF was found to align with both preliminary project estimates and current market values. The multiuse path was determined as supportive to the City’s priorities of multimodal transportation networks and the location was confirmed by the Director of Transportation and Public Works.
The location of the path is driven by the potential future connectivity to the Colgan Creek trail, and it is located outside of the driveway areas to avoid bicycle and pedestrian interactions with the paths of travel for motorized vehicles.
It was recommended by the City Attorney that this amendment be brought back to Council due to the increase in the authorized contract amount beyond the $33,000,000 Council previously approved.
Estimated project schedule milestones:
Notice to Proceed for Design Services: Early 2025 – Completed Notice to Proceed for Construction Services: Fall 2025
Fire Station design complete/permits obtained: Fall 2025 Fire Station construction begins: Fall 2025
Project complete: Spring 2027
UPDATED PROJECT FUNDING ANALYSIS
The total cost for the project is estimated to be $50,728,596 which consists of land acquisition, site development, and construction of a fire station and library. The site additionally allows space for a future community center should funding become available.
To date, the City has received funding from multiple sources including the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), PG&E settlement funds, as well as various state grants. In addition, the City will use funds received by the Sonoma County Library ($9,500,000), and fund balance from the PSAP-Fire, formally Measure O, ($3,000,000).
The table below lists the total estimated cost for the project.
Estimated Project Costs:
Task
Budget
Property Acquisition
$ 4,862,293
Demolition
$ 141,768
Pre-design tasks (Criteria design, CEQA, RFQ/RFP, Municipal and building permit fees, project management, construction management and inspection services) (Estimated) $ 8,219,094
Design-Build contract including contingency
$ 35,396,375
Project soft costs (City staff, environmental/utility applications, public outreach, stipends, City inspections) (Estimated) $ 2,109,066
Total Project Budget
$ 50,728,596
Funding Plan
The funding plan for this Project totals $50,759,131 as follows:
Funding Source
JL Key
Amount
Note
ARPA
#17660
$ 10,000,000
ARPA- Site
#17677
$ 2,000,000
PG&E Settlement Funds
#17662
$ 10,000,000
CA.State Library- Targeted State Grant
#17662
$ 5,000,000
McGuire Funds-Fire Station-CalOES
#5094
$ 5,000,000
CFF,SWADIF, General Fund
#5094
$ 4,862,293
Existing Appropriations
#5094
$ 396,838
5094 - existing appropriations
Levine Funds-Fire Station-CalOES
#5094
$ 1,000,000
Library-California State Library Grant
#17662
$ 1,000,000
Library COOP Funding Agreement
Library Foundation Funds/Graton Rancheria
#17662
$ 4,500,000
Library COOP Funding Agreement
Sonoma County Library
#17662
$ 4,000,000
Library COOP Funding Agreement
Measure O- Fire Station
#5094
$ 3,000,000
Total Funding
$ 50,759,131
FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of this item does not result in any additional request of funding; available funds in the amount of $396,838 have been identified in JL Key 05094 – Relocation of Fire Station 8.
On April 2, 2025, the Library Commission approved an additional $2,300,000 and this Commission approval revised the total of Sonoma County Library funding anticipated to $4,000,000. A breakdown of the Sonoma County Library funding to date:
Commission Approval Date
Funding Source (per category in the Cooperative Agreement) Amount approved
April 2, 2025
Sonoma County Library Funds
$4,000,000
Not Required per Sonoma County Library
Foundation Funds + Graton Rancheria
$4,500,000
Not Required per Sonoma County Library
California State Library Grant
$1,000,000
The funding allocation to the City was set forth in the executed Cooperative Agreement between the City and the Sonoma County Library. The Cooperative Agreement between the City and the Sonoma County Library does not require amendment as this action is within the not to exceed amount set forth in the contract.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
This action is within the scope identified within the 2024 CEQA Checklist, based on the 2016 Program EIR, approved on October 22, 2024. The Notice of Determination was filed with the Sonoma County Clerk and the State Clearinghouse on October 24, 2024. These changes have no additional environmental impact.
Section 15162 of the CEQA Guidelines states that no subsequent environmental review is required unless proposed project changes result in: new significant environmental effects or a substantial increase in previously identified effects, or a substantial change to project circumstances resulting in new environmental effects or a substantial increase in previously identified effect, or new information of substantial importance shows that the project would result in substantial impacts not previously analyzed, or a substantial increase in previously identified effect, or that necessitates reevaluation of mitigation measures. There are no changes to the project or to the circumstances surrounding the project site or new information demonstrating new or unanalyzed impacts. For these reasons no additional CEQA review is required.
BOARD/COMMISSION/COMMITTEE REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Not applicable.
NOTIFICATION
Not applicable.
ATTACHMENTS
None.
PRESENTERS
Brian Anastasio, Consultant Project Manager - Kitchell CEM Cesar Escobar, Senior Project Engineer – Kitchell CEM
Lisa Welsh, Supervising Engineer
HEARN COMMUNITY HUB PHASE 1 – DESIGN BUILD CONTRACT COST AMENDMENT ACTION AND BUDGET AMENDMENT PAGE 2 OF 3