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Date: To: From: Subject: AGENDA BILL Agenda Item No. 5(0) February 6, 2011 El Cerrito City Council Jerry Bradshaw, Public Works Director/City Engineer Yvetteh Ortiz, Engineering Services Manager Melanie Mintz, Environmental Services Division Manager Award Design Services Contract to The Planning Center/DC&E for the Ohlone Greenway Natural Area and Rain Garden Project ACTION REQUESTED Adopt a resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a professional services agreement with The Planning Center/DC&E ("Consultant") in an amount not to exceed $135,000 to provide design services for the Ohlone Greenway NaturaLArea and Rain Garden project, and to approve potential change orders in an amount not to exceed $13,500. DISCUSSION Background California voters passed the Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2006 (Proposition 84) authorizing the legislature to appropriate $70 million for urban greening projects that reduce energy consumption, conserve water, improve air and water quality and provide other community benefits. The Strategic Growth Council manages the resulting Urban Greening program which provides competitive grant funds to preserve, enhance, increase or establish community green areas. Criteria for the grant program includes using natural systems and creating, enhancing or expanding community green spaces; providing multiple benefits; and consistency with the State's planning policies pursuant to Section 65041.1 of the Government Code specific to priorities such as promoting infill development and investment in existing communities, enhancing environmental and recreational resources, and encouraging location and resource efficient new development. On June 21, 2010 City Council adopted Resolution No. 2010-33 approving an application for grant funds from the Urban Greening Grant Program under Proposition 84 for the Ohlone Greenway Natural Area and Rain Garden project. On January 18, 2011 the City was notified by the Strategic Growth Council that it had been awarded $903,721 to implement the project. The project was one of23 awards made by the State out of a pool of 140 applications. ---PAGE BREAK--- Agenda Item No. 5(0) The grant concept was also presented to the Parks and Recreation Commission on April 28, 2010 and the project will be coordinated with the BART Earthquake Safety Program. Project Description The project will include improvements along the Ohlone Greenway from Brighton Avenue in Albany to Fairmount Avenue in El Cerrito. The project's conceptual design includes elements to treat urban stormwater runoff; create an informal play/exploration and gathering area; improve walkability; utilize and demonstrate low-maintenance, low water using native landscaping; improve riparian habitat; and foster connection to nature in this busy, dense location adjacent to neighborhoods, schools, retail, transit and future in-fill Transit-Oriented Development. The project implements the vision and goals of the Ohlone Greenway Master Plan (adopted by Council June 15, 2009) including: establishing focal points along the Greenway, providing better connections through the site to commercial and civic areas; improving safety and security; developing a more maintainable site; providing modern amenities; increasing opportunities for stewardship and community involvement. Please refer to Attachment 2 for an outline of the project conceptual· design. All improvements will be made to enhance the Ohlone Greenway while keeping in mind that non-motorized travel is the Greenway's foremost purpose. Coordination with BART and the City of Albany City staff has worked with BART and the City of Albany in the initial stages of this project. Staff is in the process of developing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for implementing the relatively minor improvements that will likely take place in the City of Albany. Albany will maintain all improvements in its jurisdiction. The City, consistent with its License Agreement with BART, will obtain an encroachment permit from BART and will maintain all landscape improvements that occur on BART's property within the project area. The City is also working with the BART Earthquake Safety Project (ESP) in scheduling this project. The project may consist of minor modifications to the ESP landscaping and grading plan which will be coordinated with BART. It is anticipated that design of the project will be completed by June 2012 so that construction can follow as closely behind the BART ESP as possible. Consultant Selection City staff released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Ohlone Greenway Natural Area and Rain Garden Design Services on November 16, 2011. Proposals were due December 16, 2011. The City received 10 proposals from qualified design teams and selected four to be interviewed. The short-list was developed based upon criteria which included the team's project understanding team experience and qualification proposed project team and work plan The short-list included MIG, The Planning Center/DC&E, Restoration Design Group and Questa. Interviews were held on January 23. Staff from the City of Albany and the Association of Bay Area Governments Bay Trail project joined City staff on the selection committee. While the RFP required the teams to submit a proposed Work Plan with anticipated tasks and estimated hours by team member; a fee proposal was not required at this time. Sealed fee proposals were Page 2 ---PAGE BREAK--- Agenda Item No. 5(0) submitted at the interviews and only the most highly ranked team's proposal was opened. The City then worked with the most highly ranked firm and negotiated the final fee based upon the grant budget. The design contract includes all design related services, including permitting, public outreach, development of construction documents, bidding assistance and design assistance during construction. The Planning Center/DC&E has extensive experience in developing sustainable urban spaces and also has experience working with the City of El Cerrito on Fairmount Avenue as the designer for the Lower Fairmount Streetscape and as a consultant on upper Fairmount Avenue. They are joined by AN-West Civil Engineers, ISC Irrigation, Fehr & Peers electrical and bicycle-pedestrian engineers, and Apex Civil and Land Surveying on this project. FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS The project is included in the City's adopted Capital Improvement Program (CIP). All hard and outside soft costs associated with this project are funded by the Proposition 84 Grant. The project will also fund project assistance for the Public Works Engineering Division staff. Staff time for the Environmental Services Division will be considered as in-kind services to support the project. A summary of the project budget is shown below. Design (inc! contingency) $ 148,500 Permits & Studies 15,000 Project Management 46,342 Construction 624,160 Contingenc)!_ 69,719 Grant Total $ 903,721 In-Kind Match 11,687 Project Total $ 915,408 Page 3 ---PAGE BREAK--- Reviewed by: Scott Hanin, City Manager Attachment: 1. Resolution 2. Ohlone Greenway Natural Area/Rain Gardens Master Plan/Focus Areas Page4 Agenda Item No. 5(0) ---PAGE BREAK--- RESOLUTION 2012-XX Agenda Item No. S(D) Attachment 1 RESOLUTION OF THE EL CERRITO CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH THE PLANNING CENTER/DC&E FOR DESIGN SERVICES ON THE OHLONE GREENWAY NATURAL AREA AND RAIN GARDEN PROJECT WHEREAS, the Ohlone Greenway Natural Area and Rain Garden Project is an approved Capital Improvement Project with authorized funding for design and construction; and WHEREAS, the City was awarded a Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control and Coastal Protection Bond Act of 2006 (Proposition 84) Urban Greening Grant for $903,721 for the project; and WHEREAS, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 2010-33 which approved submission of an application for Urban Greening Grant Funds; and WHEREAS, the City conducted a consultant selection process; and WHEREAS, The Planning Center/DC&E was selected from a field often proposing consultants, and four short-listed consultants as the most qualified for the Ohlone Greenway Natural Area and Rain Garden Project. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of El Cerrito hereby authorizes the City Manager or his designee to execute a professional services agreement with The Planning Center/DC&E in an amount not to exceed $13 5,000 for the Ohlone Greenway Natural Area and Rain Garden Project to provide design services, and to approve potential change orders in an amount not to exceed $13,500. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Resolution shall become effective immediately upon its passage and adoption. I CERTIFY that at a regular meeting on February 6, 2012 the City Council of the City ofEl Cerrito passed this Resolution by the following vote: AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: IN WITNESS of this action, I sign this document and affix the corporate seal of the City ofEl Cerrito on February XX, 2012. Cheryl Morse, City Clerk APPROVED: William C. Jones III, Mayor ---PAGE BREAK--- FAIRMONT AVENUE BRIGHTON AVENUE EL CERRITO PLAZA BART STATION & FUTURE T.O.D. ALBANY COUGARS ATHLETIC FIELD CERRITO CREEK CROSSING & OVERLOOK CREEK OVERLOOK / ACCESS POINT RIPARIAN VEGETATION / RESTORATION NATURAL DRAINAGE / BIOSWALES INVASIVE PLANT REMOVAL EL CERRITO PLAZA PEDESTRIAN ENHANCEMENT GREENWAY LINK TO EL CERRITO PLAZA ENHANCED VISUAL CONNECTION FOR PUBLIC SAFETY REINFORCED GREEN CORRIDOR FAIRMONTGATEWAY & NATURE PLAY INTERACTIVE NATURE PLAY AREA RAIN GARDENS TREAT URBAN RUNOFF NATURAL DRAINAGE / BIOSWALES PUBLIC ART SITE AMENITIES RESTORED REACH OF CERRITO CREEK ALBANY MIDDLE SCHOOL BIGHTON AVE. ENTRY/ CITY OF ALBANY & BART IMPROVEMENTS; NATIVE PLANT GARDEN (NOT IN GRANT SCOPE) EL CERRITO PLAZA SHOPPING CENTER CERRITO CREEK EL CERRITO PLAZA PEDESTRIAN ENHANCEMENTS PEDESTRIAN CONNECTION TO EL CERRITO PLAZA INVASIVE PLANT REMOVAL RIPARIAN VEGETATION / RESTORATION ENTIRE PROJECT AREA OHLONE NATIVE REVEGATION / BIOSWALE INVASIVE PLANT REMOVAL RIPARIAN VEGETATION / RESTORATION NATURAL DRAINAGE BIOSWALE NORTH FORK CERRITO CREEK APPROVED T.O.D. HOUSING, TRAIL & CREEK RESTORATION CITY OF EL CERRITO CITY OF ALBANY SAN PABLO AVENUE FRONTAGE WEST SIDE OF SHOPPING CENTER 4 5 Restoration Design Group, LLC 2612b Eighth Street Berkeley, CA 94710 T [PHONE REDACTED] F [PHONE REDACTED] www.restorationdesigngroup.com RDG OHLONE GREENWAY NATURAL AREA / RAIN GARDENS MASTER PLAN / FOCUS AREAS APRIL 2010 3 2 1 o Agenda Item 5(D) Attachment 2