TO:Andrew P. Powers, City Manager
FROM:Nader Heydari, Public Works Director
DATE:August 26, 2025
SUBJECT: Westlake Boulevard Landscape Improvements (CI 5652) RECOMMENDATION:
1. Approve Professional Services Agreement with D&D Engineering, Inc. (North Hollywood, CA) for engineering design and bid support services for the Westlake Boulevard Landscape Improvements Project (CI 5652), in a not-to-exceed amount of $498,355, plus extra services of $50,000, with a term ending June 30, 2026.
2. Authorize expenditure in the amount of $553,355 ($498,355 Agreement, plus extra services of $50,000, and $5,000 City Furnished Materials and Supplies) from A/C #142-5310-632-8300 (Westlake Boulevard Landscape Improvements, CI 5652).
3. Find that this action is not a project as defined under the California Environmental Quality Act.
LEVINE ACT ITEM: Yes
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
No Additional Funding Requested. $3,470,000 is included in the Adopted FY 2025-26 Landscape Assessment District Fund Capital Budget and $480,000 in carryover budget for a total available budget of $3,950,000 for CI 5652. The total estimated cost for the project is $3,853,533.
BACKGROUND:
In 2017, the City adopted the Forestry Master Plan (FMP), which included comprehensive street tree and understory planting palettes focused on water conservation, sustainability, and community input. In 2019, the City constructed five demonstration sites to provide visual examples of the new plant palettes identified in the FMP and closely monitored and resolved the plants’ maintenance
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and establishment challenges in anticipation of citywide landscape improvement projects.
The proposed project will retrofit approximately 151,000 square feet of landscaping in the center medians along Westlake Boulevard between Thousand Oaks Boulevard and Allyson Street (Attachment #1), including the median island on Valley Springs at Westlake Boulevard. The landscape design will incorporate the recommendations outlined in the FMP.
DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS:
The medians within the project limits currently contain mostly dead and dying ornamental turf, along with non-climate adaptive trees that will be removed as part of this project. Upon completion of an arborist report as part of the project design work, staff will return to City Council with clear identification of the number and type of trees to be removed along with proposed quantities and species of trees to be planted as part of the project. The project will also include new high-efficiency irrigation systems and California-friendly, drought-resistant plant materials and trees.
The services of a professional engineering firm with experience in roadway and landscape engineering are required to develop the plans and specifications for this project. In accordance with Government Code section 4526 and Thousand Oaks Municipal Code section 3-10.401, staff solicited a Request for Proposals/Qualifications (RFP/Q) for the Westlake Boulevard Landscape Improvements Project (CI 5652). 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 for more than satisfactory performance of the services solicited. The award of a Professional Services Agreement is based upon a variety of factors that demonstrate the best value to the City for the solicited scope of 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 May 23, 2025, a formal RFP/Q was publicly advertised in the Thousand Oaks Acorn newspaper and on the City’s e-procurement website for the required professional consulting services on the Westlake Boulevard Landscape Improvements Project for design and bid support (Phase I), and construction engineering support (Phase II).
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On July 2, 2025, the City received five proposals as follows:
Name Location
1. D&D Engineering, Inc. North Hollywood, CA
2. KPFF, Inc. Los Angeles, CA
3. Origins Engineering Co. Westlake Village, CA
4. Pacific Coast Civil, Inc. Thousand Oaks, CA
5. Stantec Consulting Services, Inc. Santa Barbara, CA
A team of four City staff from the Public Works Department evaluated the proposals based on the following criteria:
1. Project understanding and approach;
2. Quality, clarity, responsiveness, and conformance with the RFP/Q;
3. Key personnel experience with similar projects;
4. Experience with this type of project;
5. Creativity and innovation; and
6. Reasonableness of schedule and estimated level of effort dedicated to completing each task.
After careful review and consideration of the five proposals received, D&D Engineering, Inc. (D&D) was determined to best meet the evaluation criteria for this project. A detailed scope of work and consulting fees have been negotiated and finalized with D&D. Staff recommend City Council approve the Professional Services Agreement with D&D (Attachment #2) for the design and bid support services (Phase I). Upon successful completion of Phase I, staff will return to City Council for authorization to advertise the project for construction bids, and subsequently, authorization to award the construction contract and amend D&D’s agreement to provide professional services for construction engineering support services (Phase II).
PRELIMINARY PROJECT COST SUMMARY (Fund 142)
Design & Engineering (this action) $ 498,355 Design Extra Services (this action) $ 50,000 City Furnished (this action) $ 5,000
Construction Support Services (future action) $ 200,000 Construction Estimate (future action) $ 3,100,000
Total Costs $3,853,355
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Total project cost will be provided by the Landscape Assessment District Fund Capital Budget, as included in the Adopted FY 2025-26 Capital Improvement Program.
ANTICIPATED PROJECT TIMELINE
Design Summer - Winter 2025
Bid process and Award Winter 2025
Construction Spring – Fall 2026
Community Outreach: Staff will develop and implement a public outreach plan for the project, with a particular focus on the homeowner associations adjacent to the project as well as the general public. A dedicated project website has been created at https://toaks.gov/wlblvdlandscape, where updated project information and public outreach will continue to be provided throughout the design and construction phases of the project. Various communications tools and strategies, including community meetings (if needed), press releases, website updates, and social media posts will be utilized to inform the public and receive feedback.
This project meets City Council’s Top Ten Priorities #8, “Environmental Sustainability”, and #9, “Public Works Infrastructure Investments”.
CIP PROJECT PRIORITY (as outlined in FY 2025-26 and FY 2026-27 CIP Program Budget)
Priority Two – Necessary, but not essential, and there could be consequences if deferred.
LEVINE ACT (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 (aggregated) from a party, their agent/representative, or a financially-interested Westlake Boulevard Landscape Improvements (CI 5652)
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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.
COUNCIL GOAL COMPLIANCE:
Meets the following City Council goals:
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.
F. Provide and enhance essential infrastructure to ensure that the goals and policies of the Thousand Oaks General Plan are carried out and the City retains its role and reputation as a leader in protecting the environment and preserving limited natural resources.
PREPARED BY: Elaine Camia, Associate Engineer
Attachments:
Attachment #1 – Vicinity and Location Maps
Attachment #2 – Professional Services Agreement with D&D DPW: 850-20\ev\Council\2025\082625\CI5652\ Westlake Blvd Landscape Improvements staff report.docx