January 18, 2024
Brad Raulston, Town Manager
Town of Yountville
6550 Yount Street
Yountville, CA 94599
Subject: On-Call Planning Support
Dear Brad:
PlaceWorks understands that the Town of Yountville (Town) is seeking the support of a consulting firm who can assist, as-needed, with general planning-related development and land use project review, environmental determinations, conformance with Federal, State and local regulations, particularly the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and general compliance with City Standards, Ordinances, and Regulations.
We are well suited to assist you and your staff on an as-needed basis. We are honored to serve as an extension of staff in a number of communities and in diverse agencies. We are very experienced in municipal development review assistance, including staff report preparation and exhibits, developer/City facilitation, site planning, urban design, and presentations to commissions and City councils.
Our Approach
Our role is to serve as an extension of staff for the Town. This means that we represent the Town at the counter, on the phone, and at every meeting. As staff, our planners are assigned a project from the application intake and follow through with all aspects of the project. This includes public noticing, keeping the applicant apprised of the status, and keeping others in the Town informed of the status of our work. Even if other planners, subconsultants, or departments take over the “lead” on a project, the assigned planner will keep informed and offer support to ensure that the process is followed, and the Town represented. We refer to this as “project ownership,” and it is an integral part of what we do.
The foundation of our approach is communication. We use regular conference calls and face time to check in and report on progress. We also participate in scheduled staff calls or meetings, provide training for our staff and that of our clients, and attend commission and council meetings to learn January 18, 2024 | Page 2
the expectations of the Town and to improve our services. Our job is to ensure that Town staff never wonders about a project status but knows what is happening because our planners keep them informed.
In our role as staff, we make recommendations based on what is best for the Town and the applicant, even if this results in less scope or work for PlaceWorks. We will recommend an efficient and less-expensive way to accomplish the same result and discuss the options with the Town. Once a task order is approved, PlaceWorks will provide weekly progress reports and monthly billings by project number and tasks in a format suitable to the Town.
Our Project Management Techniques
MEETINGS
Planners assigned to projects may attend meetings as directed to present their item(s) or to support other planners as needed. Since the meeting schedules are known well in advance, we will ensure full coverage at meetings as needed by the Town.
QUALITY ASSURANCE PLAN
PlaceWorks consistently produces high-quality work products and recognizes the role that this quality plays in securing repeat business. Elements of our quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) program are described herein.
PERSONNEL AND RESPONSIBILITIES
For most projects, associate-level staff members compile and sort data, perform routine field activities, and prepare initial drafts of documents. This is cost-effective for the client and provides necessary training and experience for our staff. To ensure the success of this approach, however, our project managers stay involved with the project and carefully review work products, including administrative drafts, before they are transmitted for Town review. Documents also undergo review by one of the company’s principals as part of PlaceWorks’ commitment to quality. Even in this day and age of sophisticated computer spell- and grammar-checking, we firmly believe that there is no substitute for a thorough “hands-on” review.
PREPARATION OF DOCUMENTS
PlaceWorks understands the importance of complete, reader-friendly, technically accurate work products. Before finalization, documents are submitted to the firm’s word processing and editing team, which is responsible for putting the document into a standard or custom format (depending on the project) and performing a series of systematic checks on the document (e.g., spell-check, headers/footers, table of contents). The document is then sent to a technical editor, who reviews January 18, 2024 | Page 3
it for consistency, readability, grammar, and graphics or typographical errors. After these issues have been corrected, the document is reviewed by another senior project manager or one of the firm’s principals.
SCHEDULE CONTROL
Communication is the best means of ensuring that projects remain on task and budget. Each project has similar milestones that must be met, such as project completeness letter, technical analysis, CEQA, conditions of approval, staff report, and presentation materials. PlaceWorks schedules regular conference calls and meetings to allow rapid and frequent checks on progress.
Although technology can expedite communication, regularly scheduled in-person meetings are valuable to foster solution building and information exchange. Typically, we schedule in-person meetings around other required meetings to reduce cost.
If the schedule starts to slip, we first try and determine the reason. If it is a PlaceWorks staff resources issue, we can bring more staff into the project to meet the requirement. If the issue is outside of our control, finding that out early can help us recommend solutions to getting things back on track. Ultimately, it comes back to communication and making sure the Director is aware of the schedule and our commitment.
PlaceWorks managers regularly meet and apprise each other of project status, milestones, budgets, and schedule. For each project, our Principal-in-Charge and Project Manager will be equally informed.
BUDGET AND FUNDING REQUIREMENTS
PlaceWorks prepares monthly invoices detailed to billing codes and based on task orders, work authorizations, and funding sources. Each new project will have an assigned number and a series of labor codes based on milestones or tasks. PlaceWorks will keep the Director apprised of the work progress and budget.
January 18, 2024 | Page 4
Our Staff
Name | Title
Education
Licenses/Certifications Experience
PlaceWorks
MARK TEAGUE AICP
Managing Principal,
Environmental Services
• BA, Political Science,
Stanislaus State
University, Turlock
In over 30 years of public- and private-sector
experience, Mark has worked throughout
California and is considered an innovative
problem solver. His projects include planned
communities, shopping center EIRs, general
plan and zoning code updates, impact fees,
and projects highly scrutinized by the public.
Because of his experience Mark is often
able to offer a unique approach to meet the
needs of a project. His experience as a
planning director and ability to see the
whole of the project, ensures that every
environmental document meets the need of
the client. He has served as on-call extension
of staff for numerous cities throughout
California, including Wildomar and Eastvale.
JENNIFER GASTELUM
Principal
• BS, City and Regional
Planning, Cal Poly San
Luis Obispo
Jennifer has over 20 years of experience
specializing in various housing programs and
public outreach for municipalities across
California, Nevada, and Washington. As a
recognized leader in the field, she has
managed updates to over 100 housing
elements since 2008. Her experience also
includes preparing HUD consolidated plans,
action plans, analyses of impediments to fair
housing choice, housing condition surveys,
and housing market studies. Jennifer has
significant experience overseeing grant
management of State and federal programs,
such as the Community Development Block
Grant (CDBG) program, CalHOME, and
HOME. She is also experienced in federal
labor standard compliance review and
monitoring.
January 18, 2024 | Page 5
Name | Title
Education
Licenses/Certifications Experience
ROB MAZUR
Associate Principal,
Director of GIS
• BA, Geography,
Edinboro University
• GIS Professional
Rob has extensive experience creating maps
and datasets for a range of planning
projects. He specializes in all facets of
geodatabase development, data
management, web GIS, and spatial and
tabular analyses for improved decisionmaking, information retrieval, and cartography. Rob excels at quantitative and
spatial analysis, including buildout
calculations, walkability, community health
modeling, cartography, and land use
scenario modeling. He works directly with
clients and staff to develop effective,
efficient, and informative GIS processes.
CYNTHIA WALSH
Senior Associate
• BA, Urban Studies and
Planning, San Francisco
State University
• Section 3 HUD Training
• Davis-Bacon Labor
“Prevailing Wage Law”
Course
Cynthia has over a decade of experience
working on long-range planning documents,
specializing in policy writing for housing
element updates, housing element annual
reports, zoning codes, general plans,
analyses of impediments to fair housing
choice documents, consolidated plans, and
action plans. She is experienced with State
and federal grant programs, and she is an
expert in federal (Davis-Bacon) and state
labor standards compliance. Cynthia has
prepared over 30 housing elements over the
past three housing element cycles for cities
and counties throughout California.
LANCE PARK
Senior Associate, Air
Quality/Energy/GHG/
• MA, International
Environmental Policy,
Middlebury Institute of
International Studies
• BA, International
Relations, California
State University, Chico
Lance has nearly six years of experience as
an air quality analyst preparing CEQA
analyses for individual land use
development projects and long-range
planning documents. With PlaceWorks, he
functions as a leading expert in air quality,
greenhouse gas emissions, health risk, and
energy CEQA analyses; trains air quality
technical staff; attends and directs client
kick-off calls and attorney consultation;
attends public hearings; and offers strategic
insight into different CEQA document types
January 18, 2024 | Page 6
Name | Title
Education
Licenses/Certifications Experience
and streamlining opportunities with project
clients and lead agencies. Lance is also 40-
hour HAZWOPER certified and has several
years’ experience conducting Phase I and
Phase II Site Assessments and SWPPP
Construction Site Monitoring.
PATRICK HINDMARSH
Senior Associate
• BA, Environmental
Studies, California State
University, Hayward
Patrick is a senior environmental planner
with over 24 years of planning and
environmental experience for public- and
private-sector clients. In his roles as project
manager, technical reviewer, and technical
analyst, he has worked on hundreds of
environmental documents for a diverse
range of project types of differing size,
geography, density, and complexity
including commercial and mixed-use
developments; public educational facilities;
hospitals; infill and suburban housing and
commercial developments; and specific
plans, master plans, and general plan
updates/amendments.
MILES BARKER
Associate
• MS, City and Regional
Planning, California
Polytechnic University,
San Luis Obispo
• BS, Environmental
Management and
Protection, California
Polytechnic State
University, San Luis
Obispo
Miles possesses a comprehensive
understanding of the environmental analysis
and CEQA process. He has managed several
CEQA analyses including the Butte County
General Plan Update EIR, Yuba City General
Plan Update EIR, Redding General Plan
Update EIR, Won Meditation- Retreat Center
Project Initial Study, Grand Avenue
Improvement Project Initial Study, and the
Glen Paul School Modernization Project
Initial Study. Additionally, Miles has
prepared various initial studies and
addendums for housing element updates
across the state.
January 18, 2024 | Page 7
Name | Title
Education
Licenses/Certifications Experience
MARISSA DUENAS
Project Planner
• BS, Recreation, Parks,
and Tourism
Administration, San
Francisco State
University
Marissa has a passion for culturally relevant
projects, research, organizing, and writing.
She supports the Design Team at
PlaceWorks through various projects
involving tribal engagement, park planning,
and education/interpretation programs with
the California Department of Parks and
Recreation’s (CDPR) Cultural Resources
Division. She’s researched, analyzed, and
written reports summarizing an inventory of
interpretive exhibits, programs, and
materials for CDPR.
JESSICA MENDOZA
Project Planner
• BS, Environmental
Science and
Management,
University of California,
Davis
Jessica holds passions for environmental
justice projects, public outreach, urban
planning, and policy research. She supports
the Environmental Planning Team at
PlaceWorks to bring about a variety of
environmental projects throughout the
state. Currently, Jessica is working on CEQA
analysis for housing elements for Contra
Costa County and the City of Benicia, as well
as an Environmental Impact Report for Butte
County.
RAUL TOVAR GONZALEZ
Project Planner
• BS, Sustainable
Environmental Design,
University of California,
Davis
Raul is a motivated planner who aims to
promote the development of healthy,
livable, and sustainable communities.
Through his work, he hopes to support the
goals and visions of the communities in
which he works. At PlaceWorks, Raul enjoys
working on a variety of comprehensive
planning and transportation planning
projects - in both the public and private
sectors. He is highly resourceful and brings
versatile skill sets to his projects, including
strong research, project management,
analytic, and graphics skills.
January 18, 2024 | Page 8
Our Qualifications
On-Call Planning and Environmental Staff Services for the City of Wildomar. PlaceWorks serves as staff to the City of Wildomar’s planning department at all levels - from intake through senior staff.
We provide information to staff and the public on planning issues that involve interpretation of city ordinances, architectural review of projects, preparation of CEQA documents, and management of other consultants. As an extension of staff, we work in the city office with the city’s team to provide information to residents. We also prepare staff reports and presentations for the planning commission, city council, and other city committees. This role also includes preparing CEQA documents, such as EIRs and Initial Studies, assisting with grant applications and reports, and any other planning-related duties requested.
Mark Teague serves in the role of planning manager, assisting the director in all planning functions.
Mark provides oversight of contract planning staff, reviews staff reports, makes presentations, and represents the city in meetings throughout Riverside County. Mark also peer reviews and manages EIRs prepared by other firms, provides technical assistance in the review of reports, and assists other departments in preparation of environmental documentation.
Staff Services for the City of Eastvale. Mark Teague has provided senior-level environmental planning assistance to the City of Eastvale through peer review of work provided by others, working with applicants to establish the appropriate level of environmental review, and ensuring that the CEQA process is properly followed. Mark also helps to train and provide QA/QC for the environmental work prepared by other contract planners. Mark is currently the project manager for the City’s first comprehensive General Plan update.
On-Call Planning Services for the City of Stockton. PlaceWorks provides the City of Stockton Community Development Department with a wide range of services. With the departure of the then-director of the department in late 2019, PlaceWorks Principal Charlie Knox was called upon to oversee department operations and assist City staff on site two days per week. Mr. Knox performed these duties both in-person and remotely until the San Joaquin County COVID-19 stay home order went into effect in March 2020, at which time Mr. Knox continued to provide directorlevel services remotely until a new director came on board in May 2020. Simultaneously, PlaceWorks staff provided assistance with the finalization of the City’s 2020 Municipal Services Review, approved by the San Joaquin County Local Agency Formation Commission in August 2020.
With the 2020 renewal of the on-call contract, PlaceWorks staff is expected to be called upon to assist the City with projects ranging from design review to CEQA documentation to mapping services.
On-Call Planning Services, Terra Vi EIR, and Comprehensive Zoning Code Update for Tuolumne County. In 2013, Tuolumne County began a General Plan Update. After a stall in the Update process, in 2018 Tuolumne County hired PlaceWorks to assist with policy revisions to the Draft General Plan and to provide strategic guidance and support with General Plan-related outreach.
PlaceWorks’ policy work focused on adjusting Community Plan policies to eliminate redundancies January 18, 2024 | Page 9
and clarify policy intent. PlaceWorks also helped to guide the County’s outreach efforts by preparing an outreach strategy, providing website content, writing outreach letters, responding to comments on the Draft General Plan, assisting with staff report development, outlining presentations, and preparing PowerPoint presentations. The General Plan was adopted in 2018, and since then, PlaceWorks has continued to assist the County on other projects, including preparation of an EIR for a Terra Vi, an eco-resort project near Yosemite National Park, and a comprehensive Zoning Code Update, both of which are currently underway.
Fee Schedule
PlaceWorks’ standard fee schedule by staff level is provided in Table 1. Costs will be billed on a time-and-materials basis commensurate with the tasks the Town requires. Per the Town’s suggestion, this contract shall include a $40,000 not-to-exceed amount per year.
Table 1. PlaceWorks – 2024 Standard Fee Schedule
STAFF LEVEL HOURLY BILL RATE
Principal $210-$335
Associate Principal $195-$275
Senior Associate II $170-$260
Senior Associate I $160-$220
Associate II $135-$190
Associate I $125-$175
Project Planner $105-$165
Planner $90-$145
Graphics Specialist $90-$155
Administrator $145-$235
Clerical/Word Processing/Technical Editor $45-$155
Intern $80-$115
Subconsultants are billed at cost plus 10%.
Mileage reimbursement rate is the standard IRS-approved rate.
Possible Yearly Increase of 5% on bill rates.
January 18, 2024 | Page 10
Acknowledgement
As Principal, I am authorized to bind PlaceWorks and the project team to the contents of this proposal. We look forward to supporting your staff on future projects.
If you have any questions regarding the contents of this proposal, please feel free to contact me.
Respectfully submitted,
PlaceWorks
Mark Teague, AICP
Managing Principal, Environmental Services