Title
Staff Report for a City of San Leandro City Council Resolution to Approve Amendment No. 1 to a Consulting Services Agreement with SWCA Environmental Consultants for On-Call Planning Services by $115,000 to an Amount Not to Exceed $150,000 (to be Fully Cost Recoverable Through Applicable Developer Planning Fees)
Staffreport
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The Planning Division of San Leandro's Community Development Department requests that the City Council approve and authorize the City Manager to amend an existing Consulting Services Agreement (CSA) with SWCA Environmental Consultants (SWCA) to provide additional assistance with contract planning services.
BACKGROUND
The City of San Leandro has existing CSAs with SWCA Environmental Consultants for both on-call contract planning services and the preparation of environmental assessments as per the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The firm was previously vetted and selected through a competitive Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process held in April 2020, affirmed by the City Council on June 15, 2020 under Resolution No. 2020-057.
Analysis
The CSA for on-call services provided by SWCA Environmental Consultants was established in July 2021 following the departure of three staff planners. The original not to exceed amount of the contract was $35,000, which was budgeted in the Planning Services Division budget and intended to cover what was assumed to be a temporary staffing shortage. Since that time, two of the three Planning positions have been successfully filled, but the department has been unable to fill the vacant Senior Planner position that was vacated this past summer. Planning Services Division intends to re-open recruitment for a Senior Planner in early 2022.
The current SWCA staff person is filling in the Senior Planner role and working on three large scale industrial and commercial development proposals that are expected to go to the Planning Commission/Board of Zoning Adjustments in 2022. This proposed amendment increases the existing CSA with SWCA by $115,000 (from $35,000) to an amount not to exceed $150,000 and extends the contract end date by 12 months from June 30, 2022 through June 30, 2023. The added funds will enable the temporary contract Senior Planner to continue working on the three labor-intensive projects as well as meeting the ongoing demand of new, large, cost recovery commercial, industrial and residential development projects that require planning entitlements, while the Planning Services Division seeks to fill the full time, permanent Senior Planner vacancy.
Legal Analysis
This report and the CSA amendment were reviewed by the City Attorney and approved as to form.
Fiscal Impacts
The work to be performed by the consultant is fully funded by project applicants through deposits placed into a deposit account, (Account number 010-41-001-5120). Approval of this item will have no fiscal impact to the City because it is cost recovery paid for by the applicant (e.g., developers, businesses).
Budget Authority
This consulting services agreement will require Council appropriation of $150,000 for Fiscal Year 2021-2022 and 2022-2023, an 18 month period ending June 30, 2023, from the General Fund Undesignated Fund Balance into Account 010-41-001-5120. This appropriation is fully funded by application deposits paid into the General Fund account in advance of the work performed, resulting in a 100% offset and no impact to the General Fund.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachments to the Staff Report
• None
Attachments to the Resolution
• Amendment No. 1 to the Consulting Services Agreement for SWCA Environmental Consultants
PREPARED BY:
Andrew J. Mogensen, AICP
Planning Manager
Community Development Department