REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Award of Contract to Ascent Environmental for Consultant Services Associated with Environmental, Economic, and Engineering Review of the Lawrence Station Area Plan Housing Study (F19-089)
Report
REPORT IN BRIEF
Approval is requested to award a contract to Ascent Environmental of Sacramento, in an amount not to exceed $280,925 for consultant services associated with environmental, economic, and engineering review of the Lawrence Station Area Plan Housing Study. Approval is also requested for a 10% contingency in the amount of $28,093.
EXISTING POLICY
Pursuant to Section 2.08.040 of the Sunnyvale Municipal Code, City Council approval is required for the procurement of goods and services exceeding $100,000 in any one transaction. Consistent with the provision of Municipal Code Section 2.08.070(b)(1), contracts for the procurement of professional or specialized services may be exempted from the competitive proposal process.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15378(a) of the CEQA Guidelines as it has no potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
The City Council adopted the Lawrence Station Area Plan (LSAP) and certified the associated Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on December 6, 2016 (RTC No. 16-1108). At the hearing, the Council directed staff to come back with options to increase the allowable number of housing units in the LSAP area.
Following the adoption of the LSAP, the City Council allocated $200,000 from the General Fund to the LSAP Housing Study and Sense of Place Plan (Project No. 833700, Budget Supplement #10) as part of the FY 2017/18 Adopted Budget (RTC No. 17-0193). Additional funding from the General Fund ($427,000) was included in the FY 2018/19 Budget to fund estimated consultant costs for the housing and sense of place studies (RTC No. 18-0063).
Staff presented the various Housing Study options to the Council on June 26, 2018 (RTC No. 18-0505). The Council selected the preferred Housing Study option which would study allowing an additional 2,839 housing units within the plan area and expand the areas where housing is allowed. On August 14, 2018, the Council authorized a study to include three properties owned by Intuitive Surgical, Inc. into the LSAP boundaries, and directed staff to include these amendments in the LSAP Housing Study (RTC No. 18-0631).
Staff is recommending award of a contract for environmental, economic, and engineering review services associated with studying the effects of potential housing increases and expanding the LSAP boundary to Ascent Environmental under a competitive bidding exemption. Ascent has knowledge of existing conditions in the area, and will assign the project manager who previously worked with the City on the original LSAP Environmental Impact Report (EIR) to lead the project.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding is allocated in Project 833700 - Lawrence Station Area Plan - Housing and Sense of Place.
Funding Source
The project is funded in the General Fund.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City's official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall, at the Sunnyvale Senior Center, Community Center and Department of Public Safety; and by making the agenda and report available at the Sunnyvale Public Library, the Office of the City Clerk and on the City's website.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
1) Award a contract to Ascent Environmental for consultant services in an amount not to exceed $280,925, in substantially the same form as Attachment 1 to the report and authorize the City Manager to execute the contract when all necessary conditions have been met; and 2) approve a 10% project contingency in the amount of $28,093.
Staff
Prepared by: Gregory S. Card, Purchasing Officer
Reviewed by: Timothy J. Kirby, Director of Finance
Reviewed by: Trudi Ryan, Director of Community Development
Reviewed by: Teri Silva, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Kent Steffens, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Draft Consultant Services Agreement