SR-5-A (24)
~frtlrJt4F=7l(t/l/ (~
Ct1h traaf#7Ws- eRNL..)
SA
FEB - 2 1999
TRANS JBC CP:RN'Jw:f \trans\admrn\council\wpfiles\mpelrlng
Council Meeting: January 26, 1999 Santa Monica, California
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM City Staff
SUBJECT" Recommendation to Approve In Concept the Transportation Department
FacIlity ExpanSion Master Plan, Authorize the City Managerto Negotiate and
Execute a Contract With Terry A Hayes ASSOCiates to Conduct an
Environmental Impact Report, and with RNUlnterplan, Inc for DeSign of the
LNG/CNG Natural Gas Fueling FacIlity; and Authorize the City Manager to
Approve Relocation Expenses for SOCial Service AgenCies that are Tenants
at 612 Colorado
INTRODUCTION
This report recommends that the counCil approve In concept the Transportation Facility
ExpanSion Plan, authOrize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a contract with Terry
A. Hayes ASSOCiates to conduct the EnVironmental Impact Report and RNUlnterplan, Inc
for the deSign of a natural gas fueling facIlity, and authOrize relocation expenses for SOCial
service agencies that are current tenants at 612 Colorado
BACKGROUND
The Transportation Department IS expanding ItS services to alleViate overcrowding of
buses and Improve transit services Within the Santa Monica Big Blue Bus service area
As the Department Implements the Transportation Service Improvement Plan the bus fleet
Will grow from 160 to 200 buses The Increased size of the bus fleet and workforce
SA
FEB - 2 1999
_ .:a. _
reqUIre additional work space, maintenance repair facIlities, and parking To meet the
City's clean air objective, a new LNG/CNG (natural gas) fueling facIlity must be bUilt by
midyear 2000 as LNG/CNG fueled buses and service vehicles will be ordered this year
Additionally the transportation administration bUIlding, constructed In 1984 and damaged
In the Northridge earthquake, must be upgraded to meet City earthquake codes
On November 12, 1996, the City entered Into a consulting agreement With RNL Ilnterplan,
a Callfornla corporation, to evaluate the Transportation Department's facility expansion
and upgrade needs over the next ten years and prepare a FacIlity Expansion Master Plan
that supports the planned growth In services
DISCUSSION
The Facility Master Plan IS the result of an intensive two-year evaluation process. The
process Involved the identificatIon of operational problems WIth eXIsting facilItIes, servIce
expansion plans, alternative fuel obJectives, earthquake code upgrades, and maintenance
needs
The completed FaCIlity Expansion Master Plan documents the space needs study, vanous
alternatives that were developed and cost mformatlon. The recommended alternative
(Scheme I Master Plan) meets the Department's projected space needs, proVides the new
and Improved faCilities withm the shortest time frame and preserves the homeless shelter
operations. The projected cost for thiS alternative IS $22 - $25 million
2
Scheme I reorganizes and reconfigures the Big Blue Bus site, including the demolition of
the eXisting maintenance bUilding, fuel Island, bus washer and the adjacent 612 Colorado
bUilding It locates the new maintenance bUilding in the northeast corner of the site In an
"L" shaped configuration along the north and east property lines at the corner of Seventh
Street and Colorado Avenue This configuration makes the largest portion of the site
available for unobstructed bus circulation and parking A total of 204 buses (Including 10
articulated buses and 10 smaller shuttle buses) could be parked along with 31 support
vehicles Access to the site would remain as It currently eXists from Sixth Street and from
a relocated access pOInt on Seventh Street The project Will Incorporate green bUilding
technologies and Sustainable City GUidelines. The plan Will be Implemented In four
phases
Phase 1
A new two lane fuellng/servlcelrnspectlon structure and a bus wash bUilding Will be
constructed near the southwest edge of the site The new faCIlity Will service eXisting
buses and alternative fueled LNG buses that Will be purchased thiS year A secondary
CNG fueling locatlon for other City departments, public agencies, or commercial CNG
powered vehicles will be located Just outSide the Big Blue Bus yard, accessible from
OlympiC Boulevard near Fifth Street The new bus wash equIpment Will contain a state-of-
the-art water reclamation system to minimize water use dUring bus washing operations
3
Phase 2
The Administration BUilding Will be remodeled and reconfigured to meet current
earthquake codes as well as the functional and organizational needs of the Transportation
Department Staff Will be temporanly relocated Into the 612 Colorado bUilding while this
phase IS under construction Approximately 8,000 square feet of additional office space
for transportation related use Will be added within the existing administration building foot
pnnt Energy efficIent features will be incorporated in the renovation. To facilitate this
phase of the project, City sponsored SOCial service agencies now located at 612 Colorado
Will receive relocation assistance so that their operations are not disrupted
Phase 3
The 612 Colorado bUilding, which was purchased In Apnl, 1985 for future Transportation
Department expansion needs Will be demolished. A 70,000 square foot energy efficient
maintenance bUilding Will occupy that space, extending south on Seventh Street The first
floor of the maintenance bUilding, faCing the bus yard and approximately 55,000 square
feet, Includes bus repair work bays Employee locker rooms, a break room, maintenance
offices, and storeroom space Will be located on a mezzanine level
Along Colorado Avenue, the maintenance building will be two stones. A Transit Store Will
be located on the first floor at the Sixth Street corner The second floor Will prOVide a
maintenance training center, employee fitness center, and pOSSibly limited space for lease
to other City functions or non-profit organizations
4
Phase 4
Upon Completion of Phase 3. the eXisting maintenance facIlity Will be demolished and an
elevated parking deck Will be bUilt in that section of the bus yard with bus parking on the
first level The second level would accommodate parking for 156 automobiles The parking
deck Will be accessible from the eXlstmg Sixth Street site entrance
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT (EIR)
On May 27, 1998, a Request for Proposal (RFP) to prepare the necessary EIR for the
Master Plan was sent to SIX consultmg firms Two proposals were received, one from Ultra
Systems Envlronmentallnc, Irvine and one from Terry Hayes Associates, Culver City
Staff from the Departments of Transportation, Englneenng, and Planning and Community
Development interviewed the two firms on June 23, 1998. Terry Hayes Associates was
selected for related experience and a good understanding of the project Issues
NATURAL GAS FUELING FACILITY
A Request for Proposals (RFP) dated June 18, 1998 was sent to seven firms Responses
were submitted by five firms A review committee from the Transportation Department and
the Engmeenng DiviSion interviewed four firms on August 5, 1998 The initial top ranked
firm was Bath Englneenng Corporation After conducting preliminary negotiations and as
a result of the high cost of services proposed by Bath Engineering CorporatIon, the review
committee Initiated negotiations With the next highest ranked firm, RNLllnterplan Inc
5
RNLllnterplan I nc.'s proposal conforms wIth the reqUirements ofthls project and their cost
of services IS reasonable PrevIous work demonstrates their ability and expertise In heavy
duty transit fueling station deSign Projects recently completed Include the Long Beach
TranSit FaCIlities, the FoothIll Pomona Operations and Maintenance FaCIlity, the City of
Sierra Vista Governmental Maintenance Center, and the City of Santa Monica Big Blue
Bus FaCIlity ExpanSion Master Plan. All references provided were contacted and checked
out satlsfactonly.
BUDGETARY/FINANCIAL IMPACT
The required funds for the EIR, relocation, deSign and construction phases have been
previously budgeted, approved and are currently available in account #41-750-657-20099.
8900-99104 To date, $22,000,000 has been budgeted for the construction of the faCIlity.
Additional funding Will be budgeted in subsequent years If needed.
RECOMMENDATION
City staff recommends that the City CounCil
1. Approve In concept the Transportation Department's Draft FaCIlity ExpanSion
Master Plan, recommended Scheme I
2 AuthOrize the City Manager to negotiate and enter Into a consulting
agreement for an amount not to exceed $65,000 with Terry A Hayes
ASSOCiates to prepare an EnVironmental Impact Report on the Transportation
6
Draft FacIlity Expansion Master Plan
3. Authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a professional services
contract with RNUlnterplan, Inc In an amount not to exceed $420,000 for
the design of the Santa MOnica Big Blue Bus Natural Gas Fueling Facility;
and authOrize the City Engineer to issue change orders as needed to
complete necessary addItional work Within a total project budget authOrity of
$480,000.
4. AuthOrize the City Manager to approve relocation assistance expenses for
SOCial service agencies that are located at 612 Colorado
Prepared by: John Catoe, Director of Transportation
Craig PerkinS, Director EnVironmental & Public Works
Management Department
Roy Neva, Manager, Transportation FaCIlity Maintenance
& Vehicle Engineering
Anthony Antlch, City Engineer
Dave Britton, Senior CIVil Engineer
Attachments: EXisting and Recommended Site Plans (excerpted from Facility
ExpanSion Master Plan)
II FaCIlity ExpanSion Master Plan
7
""--
-.
~ ........- ......-.~......-...-..--_......~ - -......_~ ~~----