TO:Andrew P. Powers, City Manager
FROM:Kelvin Parker, Community Development Director
DATE:March 25, 2025
SUBJECT: Environmental Review Consultant Services for Downtown Thousand Oaks Project (CI 5540)
RECOMMENDATION:
1. Approve a professional services agreement with CSG Consultants, Inc. (CSG) of Thousand Oaks, CA, for the preparation of an environmental impact report document in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for the Downtown Thousand Oaks Project (CI 5540), for a term ending March 31, 2027, for $302,400 and additional services of $45,360 for a total not-to-exceed amount of $347,760.
2. Authorize expenditure in the amount of $347,760 from A/C #001-3570-612- 8300 (CI 5540, Improvements Other than Buildings).
3. Approve budget appropriation in an amount not to exceed $347,760 from A/C #001-0000-311-1000 (General Fund – Fund Balance) to A/C #001-3570-612-8300 (CI 5540, General Fund – Improvements Other than Buildings).
4. Authorize City Manager and City Attorney to make minor clarifying and conforming changes to the Professional Services Agreement, if needed, before the execution of the agreement.
5. Find that the approval of a professional services agreement is not a project under CEQA Guideline Section 15378(b)(5) (CCR, Title 14, Chapter 3, Article 20).
LEVINE ACT ITEM: Yes
Environmental Review Services for Downtown Thousand Oaks Project (CI 5540) March 25, 2025
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FINANCIAL IMPACT:
$347,760 Increase to Adopted FY 2024-25 General Fund Capital Budget. A $347,760 increase to the Adopted FY 2024-25 General Fund Capital Budget is requested for CI 5540 Downtown Thousand Oaks Project.
BACKGROUND:
The Downtown Core Master Plan (DCMP) established a vision for the downtown core and identified the initiatives the City should pursue to create an active, pedestrian-friendly area. Since the adoption of the DCMP, advancing the creation of a Downtown Thousand Oaks has consistently been one of City Council’s Top 10 Priorities. Upon adoption of the DCMP, City Council established an Ad Hoc Committee to review draft concepts and provide guidance on plan development.
On May 7, 2024, staff and the Ad Hoc Committee presented the findings of the analysis along with updated visuals of the conceptual site plan to the full City Council. In summary, the conceptual site design was generally shown to be feasible, notwithstanding certain structural limitations of the existing City Hall building. At that same meeting, City Council authorized staff to issue a request for proposals for Preliminary, Design, Entitlement, and Environmental services, with the objective of advancing the project from a concept to a defined project in preparation for entitlement hearings.
At the December 3, 2024, City Council meeting, City Council approved a professional services agreement with RRM Design Group, Inc. of San Luis Obispo, CA, for architectural/engineering design and entitlement services, a professional services agreement with HR&A Advisors, Inc. of Los Angeles, CA, for financial and public-private partnership advisory services, and authorized legal fees in the Legal Consultation Agreement (Contract No. 13571-2024) with Best, Best & Krieger of Los Angeles, CA, for CI 5540 Downtown Thousand Oaks Project.
Since that date, the above-mentioned consultant teams have held a project kick- off intensive, Downtown Project design, held five focused public design workshops, met several times with the City Council Ad Hoc Committee, and worked closely with City staff to advance the Downtown Project from a concept presented to City Council in May 2024.
The anticipated entitlement package submittal date for the project is approximately June 2025.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS:
In accordance with Government Code section 4526 and Thousand Oaks Municipal Environmental Review Services for Downtown Thousand Oaks Project (CI 5540) March 25, 2025
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Code section 3-10.401, staff solicited an RFP/Q for a consultant to prepare an environmental impact report (EIR) document in compliance with CEQA for the Downtown Thousand Oaks Project. Unlike the low bid requirements of the Public Contract Code, contracts for professional, management, general, or special services should only be awarded to firms or persons who have demonstrated an adequate level of experience, competence, training, credentials, resources, staffing, and other professional qualifications necessary to accomplish the services solicited. The award of an RFP/Q is based upon a variety of factors that demonstrate the best value to the City for the solicited scope of work or service.
The cost of the service may be considered as one of those factors; however, the lowest cost is not the sole factor in deciding who will be awarded the contract.
On February 14, 2025, the City advertised the RFP/Q in the Thousand Oaks Acorn newspaper and on the City’s procurement website and sent the RFP/Q to environmental consultants that had registered with the City. Proposals were required to be submitted no later than March 6, 2025. Of the 2,332 contacts who were notified of the RFP/Q’s release via email, 49 downloaded the request. Five proposals were submitted by the deadline from the following firms:
Firm Name Primary Location
EcoTierra Consulting, Inc 5776-D Lindero Canyon Road, 414, Westlake Village, CA 91362
Environmental Science
Associates (ESA)
2829 Townsgate Road, Suite 100, Thousand
Oaks, CA 91361
SWCA Environmental
Consultants
320 N Halstead St, Suite 120, Pasadena, CA
91107
CSG Consultants, Inc. 3707 W Garden Grove Blvd STE 100, Orange, CA 92868
Meridian Consultants, LLC 860 Hampshire Rd #P, Thousand Oaks, CA 91361
Community Development Department staff selected CSG based on their experience, competence, approach, training, credentials, professional qualifications, resources, staffing availability, proposal value, and timelines. CSG was determined to be the most appropriate firm for the work required given the quality of their proposal, thoughtful approach, and experience preparing EIRs for projects similar to the downtown project. The CSG scope of work includes the preparation of a Program EIR in compliance with CEQA to analyze the proposed project’s reasonable and foreseeable impacts on environmental factors as defined by CEQA.
CSG will serve as the prime consultant in partnership with the following sub- consultants:
· Michael Baker International – to prepare the Air Quality Evaluation, Environmental Review Services for Downtown Thousand Oaks Project (CI 5540) March 25, 2025
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Biological Resources Assessment, Energy Analysis, Greenhouse Gas Emissions Analysis, and Noise and Vibration Analysis;
· EPD Solutions – to prepare the Wildfire Evacuation Study; and · CRM Tech – to prepare the Cultural Resources Analysis and conduct the required Tribal Consultation.
CSG has prepared a Scope of Work, which has been reviewed and accepted by both the City and the applicant team. CSG’s proposed costs are $302,400 to complete the scope of work for the environmental review as well as additional services in the amount of $45,360 to address any further issues that may arise during the preparation of the environmental impact report and public comment or public hearings. The Agreement for Professional Services with CSG (Attachment #1) is in a total not-to-exceed amount of $347,760.
Staff recommends approving the subject professional services agreement with CSG at this time in order to onboard the consultant, determine project management and communication protocols, and commence project research, including the development of pertinent technical studies prior to formal project submittal.
Top Ten Council Priorities FY 2024-25
The recommended City Council action and staff efforts meet City Council’s Top Ten Priorities #4, “Campus Master Plan – In conjunction with the ad-hoc committee and consulting team, continue intensive community engagement on the Campus Master Plan project. Begin work on the design of the project. Engage with neighboring property owners to encourage investment and participation in alignment with the overall vision.”
LEVINE ACT ITEM (California Government Code § 84308):
This item is subject to the Levine Act. City Councilmembers who have received a campaign contribution of more than $500 (aggregated) within the preceding 12 months from a party or their agent/representative, or a financially-interested participant involved in this proceeding may do either of the following: (1) disclose the contribution on the record and recuse themselves from this proceeding; or if applicable (2) return the portion of the contribution that exceeds $500 within 30 days from the time the official knew or should have known about the contribution, and participate in the proceeding.
All parties and their agents/representatives must disclose on the record of this proceeding any aggregated contribution of more than $500 made to any Councilmember within the preceding 12 months. Councilmembers are prohibited from accepting, soliciting, or directing a campaign contribution of more than $500 Environmental Review Services for Downtown Thousand Oaks Project (CI 5540) March 25, 2025
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(aggregated) from a party, their agent/representative, or a financially-interested participant during a proceeding and for 12 months following the date a final decision is made. In addition, a party, their agent/representative, or a financially interested participant is prohibited from contributing more than $500 (aggregated) to a Councilmember during a proceeding and for 12 months following the date a final decision is made.
CIP PROJECT PRIORITY (as outlined in FY 2023-24 and FY 2024-25 CIP Program Budget)
Priority One – Addresses Health & Safety, legal and regulatory requirements, or a top City Council Priority.
COUNCIL GOAL COMPLIANCE:
Meets the following City Council goals:
A. Create a more equitable, accessible, safe, welcoming, and inclusive government and community regardless of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, physical or mental ability, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, age, language, education, and/or socio-economic status.
C. Operate City government in a fiscally and managerially responsible and prudent manner to ensure that the City of Thousand Oaks remains one of California's most desirable places to live, work, visit, recreate, and raise a family.
I. Maintain a strong local employment base geared toward retaining high quality businesses; Sustain a healthy business community; and, Diversify the local economy, with a specific emphasis on small businesses and high technology/biomedical jobs.
J. Implement high quality revitalization projects within Thousand Oaks Boulevard and Newbury Road Areas; Develop a pedestrian-oriented, viable, and self- sustaining "Downtown;” and, continue to support production of long-term affordable housing.
PREPARED BY: Justine Kendall, Senior Planner
Attachments:
Attachment #1 – Agreement with CSG Consultants, Inc
cdd:410-30\JK\ H:\COMMON\Administration & Special Projects\Contracts-POs-Task Orders\Contracts et al\CSG - Downtown TO Plan\Staff Report