City Council Staff Report Page 1 of 3 December 16, 2025 Staff Report
Agenda Item No. 4.6
DATE: December 16, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Joan Malloy, City Manager
SUBJECT: Adopt a Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Enter into a Consulting Services Agreement with Helix Environmental Planning, Inc., for Environmental Review of a Proposed Drive-Through Restaurant located at 31900 Dyer Street
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Staff is requesting that the City Council adopt the attached Resolution (Attachment 1), authorizing the City Manager to enter into a consulting services agreement (CSA) with Helix Environmental Planning, Inc. to conduct formal environmental evaluation in conformance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) for a drive-through restaurant (i.e., Raising Cane’s), located at 31900 Dyer Street, in the not to exceed amount of $136,570. See Exhibit A (attached) for details of the proposed scope of services, schedule, and cost.
STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT
This agenda item does not have alignment with the Strategic Plan.
BACKGROUND
The City has received a Formal Planning Application to consider a General Plan Amendment, Zoning Map Amendment, Use Permit, and Site Development Review Permit to demolish an existing ±6,833 square-foot restaurant building (TGI Fridays) and construct a new, ±3,018 square-foot fast-food restaurant (Raising Cane’s) with drivethrough services at 31900 Dyer Street (APN 463-0060-037-00). The project also comprises demolition of existing site infrastructure, as required, and new site improvements, including two drive-through lanes, detached drive-through canopies, uncovered patio seating, and a new waste enclosure. The proposed improvements constitute a “project,” as defined under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines § 15378, and trigger formal environmental evaluation.
In accordance with the CEQA Guidelines, the City must prepare appropriate environmental documentation to evaluate the project’s potential environmental impacts and determine the proper level of environmental clearance. The proposed scope of Agenda Item No. 4.6
City Council Staff Report Page 2 of 3 December 16, 2025 services (Exhibit A), prepared by Helix Environmental Planning, Inc. (Helix), anticipates preparation of the necessary CEQA studies and documentation to support the City’s discretionary decision-making.
DISCUSSION
Helix is a qualified environmental consulting firm with extensive experience preparing CEQA documentation for a wide range of project types, including residential, commercial, mixed-use, and industrial developments. Importantly, Helix is uniquely positioned for this assignment given its recent preparation of the Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration for the Chevron Fuel Station and Power Market Convenience Store project (SCH #2024080958), located at Union Landing—the same commercial center as the proposed project. Building on its prior environmental work and its familiarity with the community’s land-use framework, Helix is well-positioned to prepare an efficient and defensible environmental document.
Helix’s scope of work includes preparation of the required CEQA documentation, supporting environmental technical studies, staff consultation, and attendance at public meetings as needed. Helix estimates the environmental review process will take approximately six months, depending on the availability of applicant-provided technical information and the complexity of issues identified during analysis. The timeline may be adjusted if additional information or specialized evaluations are required.
City staff will oversee the consultant’s work, ensure adherence to CEQA standards, and coordinate with the applicant to provide necessary project information in a timely manner.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no impact on the General Fund. The project applicant will fully fund all consultant costs. Consistent with the City’s Master Fee Schedule, the applicant will also be responsible for remitting the required 64-percent overhead charge, approximately $87,405, associated with the administration of the contract and oversight of the preparation of the environmental document.
Agenda Item No. 4.6
City Council Staff Report Page 2 of 3 December 16, 2025 Agenda Item No. 4.6
City Council Staff Report Page 3 of 3 December 16, 2025
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council adopt the attached Resolution, authorizing the City Manager to enter into a CSA, in a form approved by the City Attorney, with Helix Environmental Planning, Inc., for environmental review of a proposed drive-through restaurant, located at 31900 Dyer Street, not to exceed the amount of $136,570, and in accordance with Exhibit A.
Prepared by: Mayank Patel, Senior Planner
Submitted by: Carmela Campbell, Economic and Community Development Director Attachments
1. Draft Resolution
2. Exhibit A – Helix Environmental Planning Letter Proposal to Provide Environmental Consulting Services