REPORT TO THE CITY COUNCIL
November 14, 2019
FROM: MIGUEL ANGEL ARIAS, Council Vice President
LUIS CHAVEZ, Councilmember for District 5
LEE BRAND, Mayor
City Council Offices
SUBJECT
Title
Actions pertaining to the South Industrial Priority Area (SIPA):
1. Approve a First Amendment to the Consultant Services Agreement with Ascent Environmental, Inc., regarding land use, planning, and environmental services for the South Industrial Priority Area (SIPA). (Council District 3)
2. ***RESOLUTION - In support of community engagement in the South Industrial Priority Area Specific Plan (Subject to Mayor’s veto)
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends approval.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City proposes to add community engagement and planning charrettes to its contract with Ascent Environmental increasing the contract from $500,000 to $645,000.
BACKGROUND
The City and Ascent entered into an Agreement, dated November 29, 2018, for professional Environmental Consulting services for the South Industrial Priority Area (SIPA) Specific Plan Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The SIPA Specific Plan is a compilation of policies from land use planning for the past forty years. The purpose of the EIR is to assess the cumulative impact of complete build-out of these land uses and policies and to propose appropriate mitigation measures.
Prior to issuing a Notice of Preparation, the City conducted public outreach to those within the SIPA planning area. Since that time, the City has determined that additional outreach should be conducted including a broader conversation regarding planning goals, policies, and land use. The City proposes to obtain input from residents who live within and near the SIPA and other key stakeholders through a series of community meetings and planning charrettes.
The purpose of the contract amendment is to add additional scope which increases the budget by $145,000 and extends the term to accommodate the revisions.
ENVIRONMENTAL FINDINGS
Approval of this contract is not a project for the purposes of CEQA Guidelines section 15378. The proposed agreement is for preparation of an EIR consistent with the requirements of CEQA Guidelines 15080 et. seq. However, preparation of an EIR is not in and of itself a commitment to a project that will cause either a direct physical change to the environment or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change to the environment. Therefore, this approval does not require an environmental assessment.
LOCAL PREFERENCE
Local preference was not implemented because this item is an amendment to an existing contract.
FISCAL IMPACT
The additional $145,000 required by this item is a part of the $250,0000 approved by Council as motion 20 during the FY 2020 budget hearings. It is anticipated that a resolution appropriating these funds from excess General Fund carryover will be brought before Council in December 2019.
Attachment: Ascent Agreement
Resolution
Fresno General Plan Figure 1M-1