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CC - ACTION ITEM: Introduction of an Ordinance Amending Culver City Municipal Code Sections 3.02.030 and 3.07.090 to: (1) Authorize the City Engineer and City Traffic Engineer to Approve Plans and Specifications for Purposes of California Government Code Section 830.6; and (2) Remove the Requirement for City Council Approval of Plans and Specifications for Public Works Projects Prior to Bidding.
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Meeting Date: October 26, 2026
Contact/Dept.: Thomas Check/Public Works Department
Phone Number: (310) 253-5627
Fiscal Impact: Yes [ ] No [X] General Fund: Yes [ ] No [X]
Attachments: Yes [X] No [ ]
Public Notification: E-Mail: Meetings and Agendas - City Council (10/22/2026)
Department Approval: Nick Zornes, Acting Public Works Director (10/07/2026)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council introduce an ordinance amending Culver City Municipal Code (CCMC) Sections 3.02.030 and 3.07.090 to: (1) authorize the City Engineer and City Traffic Engineer to approve plans and specifications for purposes of California Government Code Section 830.6; and (2) remove the requirement for City Council approval of plans and specifications for Public Works Projects.
BACKGROUND
The City delivers capital improvement and other projects through a combination of City staff, on-call professional services consultants, and competitively procured construction contractors. As staff has worked to advance the City Council’s adopted capital improvement and other priority projects, certain requirements of the Municipal Code have been identified as adding significant administrative time to the project delivery process.
Currently, the City Council approves plans and specifications for capital improvement projects prior to initiation of the bidding process where (1) the estimated expenditure for the project exceeds the City Manager’s Purchasing authority but does not exceed $150,000 and is not included in the current fiscal year budget; or (2) the estimated expenditure for the project exceeds $150,000. This process adds a significant amount of time to the pre-bidding timeline, and results in delays to the bidding and procurement process.
The proposed ordinance amends CCMC Section 3.02.030 to clarify the authority of the City Engineer and City Traffic Engineer to approve plans and specifications for purposes of the design immunity provisions of California Government Code Section 830.6. The ordinance also amends Section 3.07.090 to remove the requirement for the City Council to approve plans and specifications prior to bidding. The proposed amendments are intended to clarify and modernize the role of the City Engineer, which will also shorten project delivery timelines while preserving the City Council’s authority over project priorities and funding.
DISCUSSION
Amendment to Expressly Authorize the City Engineer and City Traffic Engineer to Approve Plans and Specifications for the Purposes of Design Immunity
California Government Code Section 830.6 provides certain protections to public entities and public employees from liability for injuries caused by the plan or design related to construction of, or improvements, to public property when the plan or design has been approved in advance by the legislative body or by an employee exercising discretionary authority to give such approval. These protections are commonly referred to as “design immunity.”
Staff recommends amending CCMC Section 3.02.030 to expressly authorize the City Engineer and City Traffic Engineer to approve plans and specifications for purposes of Government Code Section 830.6. The amendment would establish clear discretionary authority for these positions to approve engineering plans and specifications on behalf of the City for purposes of design immunity.
In addition, Staff recommends removal of the original language of this section, which effectively assigned all duties and responsibilities of the Public Works Director to the City Engineer as well. This language was adopted at a time when the Director of Public Works also served as the City Engineer. However, those roles have since been split, and many of the duties which the Code assigns to the Public Works Director are no longer appropriate for the City Engineer.
These changes are in line with the role of City Engineer in most other jurisdictions.
Council Approval of Plans and Specifications for Public Works Construction Projects
CCMC Section 3.07.090 currently requires the City Council to approve plans and specifications for Public Works construction projects where (1) the estimated expenditure for the project exceeds the City Manager’s Purchasing authority but does not exceed $150,000 and is not included in the current fiscal year budget; or (2) the estimated expenditure for the project exceeds $150,000, before the City may publish a Notice Inviting Bids. After the competitive bidding process is complete, staff must return to the City Council for separate approval to award the construction contract.
Staff recommends removing the requirement for separate City Council approval of plans and specifications prior to advertising a project for bids. Plans and specifications would instead be approved administratively by the City Engineer and/or City Traffic Engineer, as recommended above, allowing staff to proceed directly to competitive bidding once a project is ready for construction.
The proposed amendment would not delegate authority to staff to award construction contracts exceeding the Purchasing Authority. Following completion of the bidding process, staff would continue to return to the City Council for approval of the construction contract, as required under the City’s existing procedures. The City Council would therefore retain the ability to approve or decline to award the contract and to authorize any necessary project funding.
Revising the plans and specification approval requirements would allow authorized staff to approve plans while retaining the City Council’s ultimate authority over whether a construction contract is awarded. This change is expected to shorten the period between completion of project design and commencement of construction, particularly for projects for which funding and implementation have already been authorized by the City Council.
Taken together, the proposed amendments to CCMC Sections 3.02.030 and 3.07.090 would reduce administrative lead time between City Council authorization of a project and its implementation. Time saved during design, consultant contracting, and bidding would translate directly into shorter overall project delivery schedules while preserving the City Council’s authority over project funding and construction contract awards.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
There is no direct fiscal impact associated with adoption of the proposed ordinance.
The proposed amendments concerning Public Works plans and specifications would not change the existing requirement for City Council approval of construction contracts exceeding the Purchasing Authority. Staff would continue to return to the City Council following the competitive bidding process for approval of the construction contract and any associated appropriation or budget amendment, as applicable.
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2026-10-26_ATT_Proposed Ordinance Amending Culver City Municipal Code Sections 3.02.030 and 3.07.090.
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MOTION
That the City Council:
Introduce an ordinance amending Culver City Municipal Code (CCMC) Sections 3.02.030 and 3.07.090 to: (1) authorize the City Engineer and City Traffic Engineer to approve plans and specifications for purposes of California Government Code Section 830.6; and (2) remove the requirement for City Council approval of plans and specifications for Public Works Projects prior to bidding.