Loading...
SR-072308-1JCity Council Meeting: July 23, 2008 Agenda Item: ~-'T To: Mayor and City Council From: Eileen Fogarty, Director of Planning & Community Development Subject: Amend Urban Studio's Professional Services Contract to Analyze, Design, and Prepare Cost Estimate for the Ocean Park Boulevard streetscape Improvement Project Recommended Action Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to amend the professional services agreement with Urban Studio increasing funding by an additional $29,496 to a not-to-exceed amount of $95,000 for the Ocean Park Boulevard streetscape improvement project. Executive Summary The City Council directed staff to prepare a streetscape improvement plan for Ocean Park Boulevard between Lincoln Boulevard and Nielson Way on June 12, 2007. In collaboration with a broad range of City departments, staff secured the services of Urban Studio and has been actively working with the Santa Monica community to develop a concept plan that seeks to improve. the functional and aesthetic quality of Ocean Park Boulevard. Two community workshops have been held to date. The first workshop explored a range of community issues pertaining to the Ocean Park neighborhood's character, scale, sustainability, noise and traffic. The second workshop presented three conceptual design alternatives that responded to these issues. Staff and the consultant team are currently refining two concepts, which will be presented to Council and the Planning Commission this fall. The scope of the current contract includes concept development and traffic and civil engineering analysis for a single "refined alternative." The recommended contract modification would provide needed design development, cost information and traffic and civil engineering analysis on a second alternative so the City Council could consider two feasible scenarios. The additional funding is available in account # 0027002.589000. Discussion Community and Strategic Planning Staff is pursuing a collaborative effort with the Ocean Park neighborhood to develop a concept plan for the portion of Ocean Park Boulevard .between Lincoln Boulevard and Neilson way that is responsive to the following priorities: 1. Reduce noise caused by automobiles moving along this corridor 2. Enhance landscaping and green connections through cutting-edge sustainability measures 3. CreateJimprove bike paths 4. Add pedestrian crossings where feasible 5. Increase pedestrian and vehicular safety Over the course of two workshops attended by Ocean Park residents, members of the local neighborhood and merchant groups, bicycle and pedestrian advocates, school district employees and representatives, three design alternatives emerged to respond to the abovementioned concerns. The selected design and planning consultant firm, Urban Studio," has provided community outreach, design and concept development services, and is scoped by the existing contract to develop a single "refined alternative" which will be subjected to traffic and civil engineering analysis prior to being presented to City Council and the Planning Commission this fall for review and comment. A third community meeting is also planned to present the refined design to the Ocean Park neighborhood prior to submitting the final proposal to the City Council for approval in winter. Staff and the consultant team believe two alternatives should be brought forward to the City Council for consideration and seeks City Council approval to modify the existing contract to allow for further development of design concepts, as well as traffic and civil engineering analysis of two alternatives. This would allow the community and the City Council to understand the trade-offs of each alternative as they relate to cost and implementation ability to complete the study. 2 Contractor/Consultant Selection The procurement of Urban Studio for the Ocean Park Boulevard streetscape improvement project was facilitated through a widely distributed Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to develop a list of qualified urban design, planning, architecture and community facilitation firms for specific work efforts related to the Land Use and Circulation Element and other planning needs. Nine firms responded. This is one of several contracts initiated from the list that was developed. Urban Studio was selected based on its broad experience working on streetscape and design/development projects within Santa Monica and the larger Los Angeles region, and because of its knowledge and expertise in community facilitation, particularly within in the Ocean Park neighborhood. Urban Studio's portfolio includes crosswalk studies on Main Street and other areas, round-about designs (at 26th street, particularly), and landscaped boulevard median projects (Wilshire Blvd.). As the design strategy for Ocean Park Boulevard includes many of these components, Urban Studio's selection was based on their experience and knowledge working across this range of issues. Budget/Financial Impact Funds are available. in account number 0027002.589000 to amend the contract with Urban Studio by $29,496 for a new total not to exceed $95,000. Prepared by: Peter D. James, Associate Planner, Community and Strategic Planning to Council: Eileeh Fogarty Director Planning & Co Department f // P. Lai fit EN ~,/ City Manager ity Development 3 Reference Contract No. 8958 (CCS).