SR 09-27-2011 3R (2)City Council Meeting: September 27, 2011
Agenda Item: 3— ~V,
To: Mayor and City Council
From: David Martin, Planning & Community Development Director
Subject: Contract for Planning Services related to the Bergamot Area Plan
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to negotiate and
execute a professional services agreement with The Planning CenterlDC &E, a
California -based company, in an amount not to exceed $546,485 (includes a 7%
contingency) from the HUD Community Challenge Planning Grant fund to provide
project management, urban design, planning, transportation planning, shared parking
strategies, economic analysis, infrastructure and utilities analysis, phasing and
implementation services related to the Bergamot Area 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
will make meaningful strides toward community goals for sustainability, access to local
needs, and walkability.
To this end, staff has initiated the Bergamot Area Plan, and is requesting Council
authorization to hire a consultant team to provide professional expertise for the
development and completion of the plan. Funding for the Bergamot Area Plan project
was awarded by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in 2010
in its first cycle of Community Challenge grants aimed at promoting sustainable and
integrated land use, transportation and cultural planning.
Staff recommends contracting with The Planning CenterJDC &E to lead a consultant
team and work with staff to develop and produce the plan for an amount not to exceed
$546,485 (includes a 7% contingency). The Planning CenterJDC &E were selected
following a competitive process including a Request for Qualifications, Request for
Proposals and interview process.
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Background
The Bergamot Area Plan is a high priority project to implement the LUCE, which the
Council adopted in July 2010. The integrated land use and transportation policy of the
LUCE highlighted the need for the Bergamot Area Plan to craft detailed standards and
guidelines to give shape to urban design, transportation, .balanced land uses, open
space, infrastructure and economic policies, with a particular focus on retaining the arts
and creative industries and making the Art Center at Bergamot Station a permanent,
economically - sustainable entity adjacent to the new light rail station. Based on this
citywide vision, the Bergamot Area Plan will provide a comprehensive framework for this
area's transformation as it becomes an accessible, transit - oriented, pedestrian- and
bike - friendly, and visually attractive complete neighborhood. The policies and
recommendations of the Bergamot Area Plan will form the basis for the Zoning
Ordinance standards in the Bergamot Transit Village and Mixed -Use Creative District
against which future projects will be evaluated.
Based on the LUCE vision and the opportunity to create a replicable model of
sustainability, the City of Santa Monica was awarded a $652,500 grant by HUD to
complete the Bergamot Area Plan, some of which has already been utilized for updated
software, outreach workshops, development of initial concepts, and required grant
expenses.
To date, staff has held two well- attended workshops, and has completed preliminary
analysis of several key plan components, which were discussed at the June 14, 2011
Council meeting. With key framework concepts being identified and analysis underway,
the next step is to augment staff resources with a consultant team that will perform land
use and transportation planning, urban design analysis, shared parking analysis,
economic and market studies and infrastructure analysis, ultimately compiling draft and
final plans.
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Staff has developed a detailed timeline to move this project forward to prepare
effectively for the arrival of the Expo to create a strong framework to integrate other
proposed investments. With the consultant team assembled, staff can quickly initiate
the next phase of work to inform the elaboration of plan alternatives, which will
ultimately result in a draft plan for public review and comment.
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 the western United States. The qualifications were reviewed
for relevant experience and expertise that match the project needs, and eleven finalists
were interviewed. For the Bergamot Area Plan project, two interviewed firms
demonstrated the most complete understanding of the project through a discussion of
related experience. 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. The two selected firms were issued a
Request for Proposal, which invited the firms to propose a scope of work and planning
methodology within the project budget. Following receipt of proposals, a clarification
memo with request for a revised scope and budget was sent to both teams. Based on
the revised submittals a decision was made by a team of five Strategic & Transportation
Planning Division staff members following consultation with the project inter-
departmental team.
Staff recommends that the Bergamot Area Plan contract be awarded to The Planning
CenterJDC &E based on their experience, project approach, comprehensive scope of
services and competitive cost. Some of the key sub - consultants to supplement The
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Planning CenterlDC &E's in -house team include Strategic Economics, Community
Design + Architecture (CD +A) and Michael Kadoma (Shared Parking). The City has
already contracted with Tom Nordyke for the Arts Integration component of the project,
and Nordyke will be brought into the project team under the management of The
Planning CenterlDC &E. Altogether, the selected design team has the appropriate mix
of skills and experience to deliver the Bergamot Area Plan on schedule and at the high
level that the community expects.
The Planning CenterJDC &E has extensive experience in developing numerous general
and specific plans, including the transit - oriented award - winning Downtown Santa Rosa
Station Area Specific Plan and Bayfair BART Station Area Improvement Plan. The
team brings expertise in conducting charrettes and multi- faceted community outreach
programs and familiarity with the HUD Sustainable Communities grant program and its
requirements. Urban design and streetscape team members from CD +A enrich the
team's capabilities with their experience leading the San Francisco Citywide
Streetscape Master Plan /Better Streets Plan, which proposes new standards that are
pedestrian- and transit - oriented, ecologically high - performance and balance the needs
of all the City's users. Key team members are based in both Southern and Northern
California. The contract includes a cost guarantee for the agreed -upon scope. The
contingency requested is within the HUD grant amount.
Public Outreach
The public outreach program is already underway for the Bergamot Area Plan. Staff
has hosted two well attended workshops, has met with property owners and key
stakeholders, interviewed artists and gallery owners, and has held a focus group with
the City's Art Commission. With the addition of the selected consultant team, staff
anticipates expanding the public outreach process to include additional public meetings,
community workshops, multi - disciplinary working groups and one -on -one interviews
with stakeholders, neighborhood residents.
Financial Impacts & Budget Actions
The professional services agreement to be awarded to The Planning CenterjDC &E will be
for an amount not to exceed $546,485 (includes a 7% contingency). Funds in the amount
of $521,485 are available in Account P206028.589000 (HUD Community Challenge
grant) and $25,000 is available in P016028.589000 (City Match).
Prepared by: Peter D. James, Senior Planner
Approved:
W UCL,
David Ma Martin, Planning and
Community Development Department
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Forwarded to Council:
h /
Rod Gould
City Manager
Reference Contract No.
9480 (CCS).