REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Consideration of Options for Implementation of an Auxiliary Restroom at the Las Palmas Park / Tennis Center
Report
BACKGROUND
Las Palmas Park is located at 850 Russet Drive. The 24-acre park is an active community park which includes tennis courts, a dog park, tot and youth play areas, a water play area, a recreation building, picnic area and a large multi-use field.
There are currently two restroom facilities on the park site. One restroom is located in the recreation building that is situated on the western boundary of the park. This restroom is available for general public use. The second restroom is located in the Tennis Center building, at the northern boundary of the park and is mainly utilized by the public using the Tennis Center.
In 2014, while City staff was working on the Dog Park Study Issue, interest was expressed in a new auxiliary restroom facility at Las Palmas Park that would be located near the Tennis Center and dog park area (Location A on Attachment 1). As a result of this request, Council approved Budget Supplement #3 - Las Palmas Park/Tennis Center Auxiliary Restroom (Attachment 2) as part of the approval of the FY 2014/15 Budget. The budget issue provided $300,000 to design and construct a new auxiliary restroom located between the Las Palmas dog park and the tennis center.
Staff has determined that the project as originally scoped cannot be constructed within the $300,000 budget and has developed three alternatives for consideration: proceed with the project and increase the budget, proceed with the project in an alternate location which requires an increase to the budget (Location B on Attachment 1), or delay of the project to add the auxiliary restroom scope to the major park renovation in FY 2023/24. Staff’s recommendation is to defer the project and add the possible inclusion of an auxiliary restroom into the comprehensive review of Las Palmas Park renovation in FY 2023/24.
The Parks and Recreation Commission considered this item at a noticed public hearing on March 9, 2016. The Commission voted 3-0 to support staff’s recommendation of Alternative 3 - Recommend to the City Council to direct staff to defer the auxiliary restroom for consideration as part of the community outreach process for the Las Palmas Park Renovation and Enhancement project in FY 2023/24 and increase the project budget during the next capital project budget cycle to reflect the additional restroom scope, (see Attachment 3).
EXISTING POLICY
General Plan, Chapter 3, Goal Land Use and Transportation- 8 - Adequate and Balanced Open Space
Provide and maintain adequate and balanced open space and recreation facilities for the benefit of maintaining a healthy community based on community needs and the ability of the City to finance, construct, maintain and operate these facilities now and in the future.
General Plan, Chapter 3, Policy Land Use and Transportation- 8.12
Utilize design and development guidelines for all park types within the City’s open space system.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Obtaining City Council direction on the project design does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(a) 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. It is anticipated that the new auxiliary restroom will be a Class 3 Categorical Exemption under CEQA Guidelines section 15303, “New Construction or Conversion of Small Structures”. The CEQA approval for the restroom project will occur with the construction award to the low bid contractor.
DISCUSSION
Staff hired Harris Design as the architect for the project with the intent to design and construct a new restroom that is central to both the Tennis Center and Dog Park area to serve those users. As part of the conceptual analysis, it was determined that the available funding was not sufficient to meet the project goals. Staff reviewed different options to manage the costs including relocating the restroom to a less central location. This staff report summarizes the findings.
Project Cost
As part of the preliminary design phase, the consultant explored the details of the project and developed a preliminary construction cost estimate which is approximately $440,000 over the existing available project budget of $300,000 with a total cost of $740,000. The cost increase is primarily due to three reasons: higher consultant design costs than originally estimated, lengthy utility connections, and difficult site access.
Consultant design costs were approximately twice as high as the originally anticipated amount, as architects in this area are very busy and turning away work. This has been a growing trend for various consultant proposals received in the last few months and reflects the strong economy.
Utility connection costs are also significantly higher than originally estimated. After reviewing the possibilities for utility connections, it was determined that the most feasible sanitary sewer connection is a connection to Mathilda Avenue, which is approximately 700 feet away from the proposed restroom.
Access to the restroom location is from Spinosa Drive, which has a walkway around the dog park. This walkway is too constrained for crane access which is required to deliver the prefabricated restroom. Therefore, the building would have to be fabricated in pieces and assembled on-site so that a smaller delivery operation can be utilized, resulting in a higher cost for the restroom building.
Additional Options
As a result of the additional costs needed to complete the project, City staff and the design consultant discussed lower cost options and have identified two additional options for consideration.
The first option is to place the restroom at an alternate location at the Tennis Center Drive parking lot area (Location B on Attachment 1). This location is approximately 150 feet further from the dog park than the original location but is accessible via an existing paved walkway. This option is less costly because utility service connections to Mathilda Avenue are within fairly close proximity (approximately 250 feet from Mathilda Avenue) and the location is accessible by a crane for the delivery of a pre-fabricated restroom. The additional cost to complete the restroom at this location is approximately $260,000 for a total cost of $560,000, which reflects the above-mentioned increase in consultant costs and current rising costs of prefabricated restroom structures.
Staff contacted the tennis center operator regarding the potential location change and the operator has concerns with restroom facilities being situated so closely to the front entrance of the tennis center. Staff shares the same concern as the restroom would be the first view of the tennis facility. If this option is selected, staff would engage in more detailed discussions with the tennis center operator to mitigate those concerns.
The second option is to defer construction of the restroom and include it as part of the major modifications that will be done under the Las Palmas Park Renovation and Enhancement project scheduled to start in Fiscal Year 2023/24 (capital project number 830380). The current scope of the project includes: athletic field replacement, recreation and maintenance building renovations, park lighting, renovation of the ornamental pond and water play features, landscaping/irrigation/pumping, park fixtures, a new basketball court and other maintenance. If this option is selected, the location of a new auxiliary restroom would become part of the public input process for the major renovation project. Formal studies to track and document restroom usage were not performed prior to development of this budget issue and staff’s recent discussions with the tennis center operator did not indicate a problem with the existing restroom situation that requires immediate resolution.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is $300,000 included in the FY 2015/16 Budget for this project. If construction of the restroom is deferred until the project to fund the major renovation of Las Palmas Park, staff would include the costs of the new auxiliary restroom into the project budget as part of the next capital project budget cycle.
If Council moves forward with constructing the restroom, then additional funding will be required. The additional funds anticipated for completing the project at the original preferred location are $440,000 and the additional funds for completing the project at the alternate location (adjacent to tennis center parking lot) are estimated to be $260,000. The final amount of necessary funding for either of these two alternatives will be determined after bid opening and a budget modification will be brought forward for Council approval with the construction contract award.
Funding for this project is provided by the Park Dedication Fund. Ongoing operating costs are funded by 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.
Commission Review
The Commissioners had questions regarding future costs for the restroom, other possible locations for the restroom and who was likely to use the restroom in the different locations. Desire for greater community involvement in the process was also discussed. There were no public comments.
Community meetings
A community meeting was held on November 10, 2015 to introduce the project and obtain public input for the proposed restroom. Notifications for the community meeting were via direct mailers within a 1,000 foot radius and an article in the City Manager’s Bi-Weekly Report. Two residents attended the meeting but one left prior to the meeting start. The other resident stayed for the entire meeting. He expressed concerns regarding noise by park patrons at the end of the parking lot on Spinosa Drive and preferred the alternative restroom location adjacent to the tennis center parking lot.
A second community meeting was held on December 1, 2015. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss two building concepts prepared by the architect. No members from the public attended the meeting. Parks and Engineering staff selected a building concept which could be brought to the Parks and Recreation Commission for review if the project proceeds at this time.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Direct staff to proceed with design of a new restroom facility at the preferred location in between the dog park and tennis center and acknowledge that a budget modification will be required at the time of the construction award to fund the increase in construction costs.
2. Direct staff to proceed with design of a new restroom facility at an alternate location adjacent to the tennis center parking lot and acknowledge that a budget modification will be required at the time of construction award to fund the increase in construction costs.
3. Direct staff to defer the auxiliary restroom for consideration as part of the community outreach process for the Las Palmas Park Renovation and Enhancement project in FY 2023/24 and increase the project budget during the next capital project budget cycle to reflect the additional restroom scope.
4. Direct staff to proceed with a different alternative.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Alternative 3: Direct staff to defer the auxiliary restroom for consideration as part of the community outreach process for the Las Palmas Park Renovation and Enhancement project in FY 2023/24 and increase the project budget during the next capital project budget cycle to reflect the additional restroom scope.
Based on the significant difference between the current cost estimates for the project and the existing budget, staff believes that it would be best to consider this restroom as part of the future, larger project. This decision would allow for further consideration on the need for the restroom and if needed, the restroom location to be considered along with future park improvements. Also, based on the extent of those future improvements, staff expects a larger community involvement than just the one individual who participated in the last two public outreach efforts. Constructing the restroom now will not only require additional money, but the location of the restroom may not be ideal when taking into consideration future improvements.
Prepared by: Jennifer Ng, Assistant City Engineer
Reviewed by: Manuel Pineda, Director of Public Works
Reviewed by: Cynthia E. Bojorquez, Director of Library and Community Services
Reviewed by: Timothy J. Kirby, Acting Director, Finance
Reviewed by: Walter C. Rossmann, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Deanna J. Santana, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Location Map
2. Budget Supplement #3 - Las Palmas Park/Tennis Center Auxiliary Restroom
3. Excerpt of Draft PRC Minutes of March 9, 2016