PURPOSE:

 

The purpose of this report is to request Council authorization for the City Manager to amend two Professional Services Agreements (PSA) with Impact Sciences and Kaku Associates for the environmental and traffic review of the project application submitted as Planned Development (PD) #2003-1, also known as, The Platt Project.

 

BACKGROUND & ANALYSIS:

 

On June 12, 2003, PW, LLC submitted a Planned Development application to construct a project in the area know as the North Triangle portion of the Media District.  This project is bounded on the north by Alameda Avenue, on the east by Lima Street, on the south by Olive Avenue and on the west by the State Route 134 freeway off-ramp.  On April 22, 2003, the City Council denied a previous application by this applicant on the same site.  The applicant, therefore, submitted four different development scenarios to be considered by the public and the City in processing this new application.  As stated in a letter by the applicant, they were submitting these various development scenarios in an effort to begin processing the appropriate environmental review and also to allow the environmental review to analyze different possible developments for the site.  The applicant stated their intention of meeting with the community to eventually select one scenario for consideration by the Council.

 

After an initial review of the project, staff determined that an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) was required and entered into a PSA with Impact Sciences for the environmental review, minus the traffic study, on a sole-source basis because of the firm�s previous experience in this project area.  Much of the background research was to be used again and the cost of the contract was $74,520, one which could be approved by the City Manager.

 

The Traffic Study, however, required approval by the City Council.  On August 12, 2003, the Council gave authorization for the City Manager to enter into a contract with Kaku Associates to prepare the traffic study for the proposed project scenarios.  This contract was for $101,130.

 

In December 2003, the applicant submitted a letter adding an additional scenario for consideration and stated that this new scenario, along with one of the four previously submitted are the two scenarios they wish to submit for consideration by the City.  Staff felt it was necessary to analyze this project under the Draft Environmental Impact Report (EIR) because it was different both in terms of land uses and site arrangement than the other four being studied.  Therefore, staff requested that both Kaku Associates and Impact Sciences study this scenario in the Draft EIR.

 

This additional work, therefore, necessitates amending the contracts to compensate the two environmental firms.  Specifically, the additional cost for Kaku Associates is estimated at $47,795 and the additional cost for Impact Sciences is estimated at $78,990.  This includes $21,807 for the cost of a subcontractor, ArchFX, to prepare the view corridor study.  As the Fee Resolution requires, the applicant will be required to pay the City the entire cost of the estimate plus 10% for an administrative review fee.