REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
June 22, 2017
FROM: JENNIFER CLARK, AICP, Director
Development and Resource Management
BY: DAN ZACK, AICP, Assistant Director
Development and Resource Management
SUBJECT
Title
Approve a consultant services agreement with Raimi + Associates for an amount not to exceed $550,000 to prepare the Central Southeast Area Specific Plan. (District 5)
Body
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Approve a consultant services agreement with Raimi + Associates for an amount not to exceed $550,000 to prepare the Central Southeast Area Specific Plan.
2. Authorize the City Manager, or designee, to sign the agreement on behalf of the City of Fresno.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Department of Development and Resource Management seeks City Council approval for a professional consultant services agreement Raimi + Associates to prepare the Central Southeast Area Specific Plan.
BACKGROUND
On December 18, 2014, the City Council adopted the Fresno General Plan. Policy UF-1-e Unique Neighborhoods, calls for the promotion and protection of unique neighborhoods and mixed use areas throughout Fresno that respect and support various ethnic, cultural and historic enclaves; provide a range of housing options, including furthering affordable housing opportunities; and convey a unique character and lifestyle attractive to Fresnans. Furthermore, this policy calls for supporting such areas through more specific planning processes that directly engage community members in creative and innovative design efforts. The adoption of the General Plan set the stage for the creation of several specific plans, including the Central Southeast Area. The funding for the Central Southeast Area Specific Plan was included in the FY2016 Budget.
The Central Southeast Specific Plan requires unique skills and evaluations which will be used for this project. Current staff lacks some areas of expertise needed to prepare the plan, for example the economic, environmental, traffic and engineering areas of specialization. Staff will continue to learn from this consultant to lower future reliance on consultants. The overall budget for this specific plan is approximately 30% less than the Southwest Fresno Specific Plan, because staff will be carrying out more of the tasks in-house.
The City issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) on April 28, 2017. The goal expressed in the RFP was to develop a market approach to development in the project area and a comprehensive fiscally prudent plan for implementation. Development of the specific plan will include property owner and neighborhood involvement including interaction with residents, business and property owners, advocacy groups, community organizations outside agencies, the City Councilmember for the affected District, and the City Council as a whole. The effort will be staffed by members of the Development and Resource Management Department, with one of the outcomes identified as capacity-building of planning staff. The CSASP will establish an overall vision and identity, which maximizes the area’s potential and guides future development, focusing on integrating new development into established land uses.
On May 22, 2017, the City received two proposals, as follows: Raimi + Associates and AVRP Skyport Studios. After review and evaluation of qualifications, both firms were invited for Interviews. At the conclusion of the interview process, Raimi + Associates was determined to be the best group to prepare the Specific Plan. The firm was selected based upon the technical merits of their proposal and interviews. Raimi + Associates is a national, award winning practice of planners and urban designers who bring expertise in public outreach, urban design, and planning. Their team includes Sargent Town Planning, a consulting firm that focuses on planning, designing and implementing healthy and sustainable pedestrian- and transit-oriented districts, neighborhoods and corridors; Economic and Planning Systems, an economic development firm that provides market analysis and strategies to achieve real estate development; First Carbon Solutions, an environmental planning firm which specializes in environmental analysis and regulatory compliance and Stantec, a multi-disciplinary firm providing planning, engineering and architectural services that will lead the traffic analysis and engineering work for this project.
Raimi + Associates work will include extensive community engagement and will focus on connectivity and place making to weave together existing neighborhoods with new development, with emphasis on plan implementation and both community and staff capacity-building.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
Approval of the consultant service agreement amendment is not a “project” within the meaning of Public Resources Code Section 21803 (CEQA Guidelines § 15378) because the organizational and administrative activities as identified in the consultant agreement will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not implemented because no local firms responded to the RFP.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funding for the Central Southeast Area Specific Plan is appropriated in the FY2017 Budget through the Annual Action Plan. In the 2015-16 AAP, $50,000 was allocated and in the 2016-17 AAP, another $500,000 was allocated. These funds are carried over into the proposed 2017-18 AAP for use in the development of a Central Southeast Specific Plan.
Attachments:
A. Project Area Map
B. Scope of Work
C. Draft Schedule
D. Fee Spreadsheet
E. Consulting Services Agreement