REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: JENNIFER CLARK, Director
Planning and Development Department
BY: DAVID DENSLEY, Projects Administrator
Planning and Development Department
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to Stantec Consulting Services Inc., a corporation based in Albany, New York, to provide professional consulting services for a historic survey of Fresno’s Chinatown:
1. Affirm the City Manager’s determination that Stantec Consulting Services Inc. is Uniquely Qualified;
2. Approve a Consultant Service Agreement between the City of Fresno and Stantec Consulting Services Inc., in an amount not to exceed $144,580 to provide professional consultant services for a historic survey of Fresno’s Chinatown through July 31, 2028; and
3. Authorize the City Manager or designee to sign the agreement on behalf of the City.
Body
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends that the City Council affirm the City Manager’s determination that Stantec Consulting Services Inc. is Uniquely Qualified to provide professional consulting services to conduct a historic district survey of Fresno’s Chinatown, approve the Consultant Services Agreement between the City of Fresno and Stantec Consulting Services Inc. in an amount not to exceed $144,580 through July 31, 2028, and authorize the City Manager or designee to execute the agreement on behalf of the City.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Planning and Development Department seeks approval to enter into a new professional services agreement with Stantec Consulting Services Inc. to complete a comprehensive historic resource survey for Fresno’s Chinatown. This work will update and expand upon the 2005-2006 Chinatown survey by address known data gaps, making necessary updates, and expanding the study boundary. It will provide the City with a professional assessment of the area’s historic context, evaluations of historic buildings evaluations, and recommendations regarding the potential for a historic district in Chinatown.
Stantec has been determined to be uniquely qualified due to its prior work in Chinatown through the City’s Brownfields Program, its familiarity with the neighborhood’s built environment and cultural history, and its demonstrated expertise in historic resource evaluation, DPR form preparation, and digital survey tools. Approval of this agreement will allow the City to initiate this work and ensure that the historic resources of Chinatown are accurately documented and evaluated.
BACKGROUND
The City of Fresno is initiating a comprehensive effort to evaluate the historic, cultural, and architectural resources within the Chinatown neighborhood. Chinatown contains some of the City’s oldest commercial buildings and long-standing cultural assets and has long been identified as having the potential for a historic district.
Previous survey efforts including the 2005-2006 Chinatown Historic District Survey identified gaps in documentation and inconsistencies in building evaluations. Additionally, since that time more buildings have reached the 50-year threshold for consideration as historic resources. The City now requires updated research, field surveys, and a complete historic context in order to accurately assess the current potential for a historic district in Chinatown.
This new agreement will allow the Planning and Development Department to undertake the detailed research and fieldwork necessary to produce a defensible historic district evaluation. The work includes updated background research, building-level documentation, historic context development, the preparation of property evaluation forms, and a Historic & Cultural Resources Survey Report. These efforts will support the City’s long-term preservation, redevelopment, and revitalization goals in Chinatown.
Stantec’s prior involvement in Chinatown through the City’s Brownfields Program has provided the firm with a deep understanding of the neighborhood’s built environment, cultural history, and development patterns. The firm’s demonstrated expertise in historic resource evaluation, digital survey tools, and DPR form preparation, combined with established relationships with property owners and community partners, positions them to complete this work efficiently and accurately.
The terms, tasks, and deliverables for this project are outlined in the provided agreement between the City of Fresno and Stantec Consulting Services Inc. Upon approval, the project is expected to take approximately four to five months following issuance of a Notice to Proceed. Completion of this work will provide the City with the information necessary to evaluate the potential for a Chinatown Historic District, and to support future planning and preservation initiatives in this historically significant neighborhood.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
As provided by Section 15378 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines, this contract does not qualify as a “project” for purposes of CEQA.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local Preference is not applicable because Stantec Consulting Services Inc. is uniquely qualified.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no impact to the General Fund as a result of this action. Funding for this agreement is available within the Planning and Development Department’s existing budget and is programmed for the next fiscal year.
Attachments:
Uniquely Qualified
Stantec Consulting Services Agreement
Levine Act Disclosure - Stantec Consulting Services Inc.