SR 09-27-2011 3JCity Council Meeting: September 27, 2011
Agenda Item: 3J
To: Mayor and City Council
From: I David Martin, Director, Planning and Community Development
Subject: Contract for Specific Planning Services related to the Downtown Specific
Plan
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and
execute a professional services agreement with Torti Gallas and Partners, Inc., in the
amount not to exceed $655,500 (includes a 15% contingency) to provide land use and
urban design services, transportation planning, economic analysis, architectural and
urban form studies, circulation and parking analysis, and community outreach services
related to the preparation of the Downtown Specific Plan.
Executive Summary
The Land Use and Circulation Element (LUCE) calls for detailed planning — Area and
Specific Plans — to achieve the coordination of land uses and circulation in significant
areas of the City. With the Expo Light Rail project coming soon, a priority was put on
planning efforts around the future light rail stations in Downtown, Bergamot and
Memorial Park. In these areas, the coordination of commercial and residential land
uses, pedestrian and bicycle connections, transit, and pedestrian- oriented urban design
advance community goals for economic and environmental sustainability, access to
local needs, and walkability.
The LUCE vision maintains the Downtown as the City's premier shopping and
entertainment center by continuing to encourage mixed -use development with
complementary uses ensuring the Downtown develops as a complete neighborhood,
serving both local residents and the region. Resident and visitor - serving uses and
amenities will continue to be a focus, as will increased mobility throughout the area and
connections to the Civic Center and the beach to facilitate all modes of travel including
access to the Downtown Exposition Light Rail station which is planned to be operative in
2015. The Downtown Specific Plan will establish the land -use, circulation and building
form for the expanded Downtown District and involve significant community outreach
and collaboration with key stakeholders, such as Downtown Santa Monica, Inc.
Staff recommends contracting with Torti Gallas and Partners, Inc. for the Downtown
Specific Plan as the lead consultant on the project for an amount not to exceed
$655,500 (includes a 15% contingency). They and their sub - consultants will provide
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land use and urban design services, transportation planning, economic analysis,
architectural and urban form studies, circulation and parking analysis, and community
outreach services.
Background
The Downtown Specific Plan is a high priority project called for in the LUCE, which the
Council adopted in July 2010, to translate the City's integrated land use and
transportation policy into detailed standards and guidelines to give shape to urban
design, transportation, open space, infrastructure and economic policy. The Downtown
Specific Plan will provide a framework for guiding and integrating new uses and
activities within the project area, and will become the basis for review and approval of all
projects within its boundaries. The LUCE deferred establishing specific height or floor
area ration (FAR) for the Downtown to the Specific Plan process. Once complete, the
Downtown Specific Plan will establish these parameters to govern private and public
investment in the area. Coordinated circulation, urban design and community benefits
priorities will be included in the plan to achieve the integrated and high quality
Downtown that Santa Monicans have come to expect and appreciate.
Concurrent with the Downtown Specific Plan process is a public /private joint
development opportunity for a City -owned site at 4th /5th and Arizona Avenue, in the
heart of the Downtown. To date, staff has held two well- attended workshops and is in
the process of analyzing the, results of this initial community outreach, providing a
preliminary viewpoint of the issues and community visions for the Downtown. The joint
development opportunity site and the Downtown Specific Plan share many underlying
analysis requirements. With key framework concepts and initial analysis underway, the
next step is to augment staff resources with a consultant team in order to perform land
use and transportation planning, urban design analysis, and the economic studies
necessary to deliver a draft plan.
Staff has developed timelines to move the Specific Plan forward to prepare effectively
for the arrival of the Expo and other significant public projects like the Colorado
`a
Esplanade and Palisades Garden Walk, and development of other City and private
projects.
Discussion
Consultant Selection
An RFQ was issued on April 15, 2011 in order to identify potential firms with the skills
and experience necessary to succeed in creating strategic plans to implement the
LUCE community vision. The RFQ was advertised widely and posted on Planet Bids,
Planetizen and the Planning and Community Development Department's webpage.
Staff received 72 qualifications submittals prior to the May 11 deadline from firms
throughout California and throughout the western United States. The qualifications were
reviewed for relevant experience and expertise that match the project needs, and 11
finalists were interviewed. These firms were rated against criteria that included
technical competence and experience, staff quality, quality of sub - consultant team,
project approach and planning, and customer service. For the Downtown Specific Plan
project, two interviewed firms with the most directly related experience and depth of
community involvement were issued a Request for Proposal, which invited the firms to
propose a scope of work within the project budget.
Staff recommends Torti Gallas and Partners, Inc. for urban design and project
management services, based on their experience, project approach and competitive
cost. Together, with their sub - consultants, the Torti Gallas design team has the
appropriate mix of skills and experience to deliver the Downtown Specific Plan on
schedule. As lead consultant, Torti Gallas will manage the project, coordinating the
activities of the sub - consultant team and taking responsibility for deliverables and work
products, as well as daily communication with City staff.
Staff's recommendation is based on Torti Gallas's experience, project approach,
comprehensive scope of services and competitive cost. Of the two proposals received,
the Torti Gallas proposal provided greater depth of at a competitive cost. In addition to
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their in -house team, sub - consultants have been selected to support three of the specific
work efforts that will provide the framework of the Specific Plan,
• Urban Design, which includes design guidelines, signage, and
infrastructure analysis.
• Transportation, Circulation and Parking traffic modeling and updates to the
parking program.
• Economic Analysis team to study market feasibility, and provide financial
analysis for proposed development alternatives.
The selected design team has the appropriate mix of skills and experience to deliver the
Downtown Specific Plan on schedule and at the high level that the community expects.
Torti Gallas has extensive experience in developing area plans with specific experience
in multi -modal transit planning including: Redlands Downtown Specific Plan, Crystal City
Master Plan, working with Los Angeles Metro on providing seamless multi -modal
connection to subway stations in the Los Angeles region, Coast Highway Vision Plan
and Design Guidelines for Oceanside California, and numerous TOD planning projects
throughout the country. Key team members are based in Los Angeles.
Public Outreach
Public outreach is already underway for the 4th /5th and Arizona project. With the
addition of the selected consultant team, staff anticipates continuing and expanding
public input to the entire Downtown Specific Plan area to include additional meetings,
working groups, regular discussions with Downtown Santa Monica, Inc., and one -on-
one interviews with stakeholders. Formal community outreach will begin in fall 2011,
and a draft Specific Plan is estimated to be complete within a year.
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Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
The professional services agreement to be awarded to Torti Gallas is $655,500
(includes a 15% contingency). Funds are included in the FY2011 -12 budget for
$500,000 in account C017057.589000 and in the FY2010 -11 budget for $155,500 in
account C017039.589000.
Prepared by: Sarah Lejeune, Principal Planner, Strategic and Transportation Planning
Approved:
David Martin
Director, Planning and Community
Development Department
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Forwarded to Council:
�� �� 1 V
Rod Gould
City Manager
Reference Contract No.
9476 (CCS).