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.
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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
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Reference Contract No.
8958 (CCS).