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CC - (1) Update Regarding: (A) Inglewood Oil Field (IOF) Specific Plan Project Schedule; and (B) Expanded Air Quality Analysis to be Conducted for the IOF Specific Plan Project Environmental Impact Report (EIR), as Recommended by the City Council Oil Drilling Subcommittee; (2) Approval of Fourth Amendment to the Existing Professional Services Agreement with BonTerra Psomas, in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $81,895, for Environmental Consulting Services for the Preparation of the EIR for the Inglewood Oil Field (IOF) Specific Plan Project; (3) Approval of an Amendment to the Existing Professional Services Agreement with Melanie Doran Traxler, DBA Planning PLUS/P+, in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $40,000, for Planning/Project Management Services for the IOF Specific Plan Project; and (4) FOUR-FIFTHS VOTE REQUIREMENT: Approval of a Related Budget Amendment.
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Meeting Date: January 23, 2017
Contact Person/Dept: Heather Baker/Assistant City Attorney
Phone Number: (310) 253-5660
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [X] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: Yes [] No [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X]
Commission Name:
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (01/13/17 and 01/17/17); Ongoing Topics - Inglewood Oil Field and Sustainability and Environmental Issues (incl. Oil Drilling/Fracking) (01/13/17 and 01/17/17); (E-Mail) Sentinel Peak Resources (01/13/17 and 01/17/17); Posted on City’s Public Notification webpage (01/13/17)
Department Approval: Sol Blumenfeld, Community Development Director (01/17/17); and Carol Schwab, City Attorney (01/17/17)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council (1) receive an update regarding: (A) the Inglewood Oil Field (IOF) Specific Plan Project Schedule; and (B) an expanded air quality analysis to be conducted for the IOF Specific Plan Project Environmental Impact Report (EIR), as recommended by the City Council Oil Drilling Subcommittee; (2) approve a fourth amendment to the existing professional services agreement with BonTerra Psomas, in an amount not-to-exceed $81,895, for environmental consulting services for the preparation of EIR for the IOF Specific Plan Project; (3) approve an amendment to the existing professional services agreement with Melanie Doran Traxler, DBA Planning PLUS/P+, in an amount not-to-exceed $40,000, for planning/project management services for the IOF Specific Plan Project; and (4) approve of a related budget amendment (four-fifths vote requirement).
BACKGROUND
On April 13, 2015, the City Council approved a professional services agreement with BonTerra Psomas in the amount of $305,080 for the preparation of an EIR for the IOF Specific Plan Project (Psomas Agreement). Further, the City Council authorized the City Manager to approve amendments in an additional amount not-to-exceed 25% of the original amount of the Psomas Agreement. On October 5, 2015, the City Manager exercised such approval authority and executed a First Amendment to the Psomas Agreement in an additional amount of $76,270. On November 9, 2015, the City Council approved a Second Amendment to the Psomas Agreement in the additional amount of $141,239 to cover additional costs associated with further analysis of technical issues and additional peer review of existing technical studies relating to the preparation of the EIR. On February 22, 2016, the City Council approved a Third Amendment to the Psomas Agreement in the additional amount of $167,400 to cover costs associated with ongoing analysis needs, EIR project management, and in anticipation of public comments related to the circulation and review of the EIR.
Also, on August 4, 2016, the City entered into a $30,000 agreement with Melanie Doran Traxler, dba Planning PLUS/P+, to provide planning and project management services relating to the IOF Specific Plan Project (P+ Agreement). Contract service needs were necessitated due to the departure of previous planner Sherry Jordon, who had overseen the City’s review of the County of Los Angeles’ Community Service District (CSD) for the IOF and initiation of the IOF Specific Plan project on behalf of the City of Culver City. Due to the day-to-day time commitments and technical nature of the project, contract staff support was sought to provide dedicated project management and to facilitate progress of the Project. This agreement was approved under the City Manager’s administrative contract approval authority, in order to avoid further delays to the Project. Ms. Traxler’s initial proposal for a 12-month period was $60,000 for her services. The initial $30,000 has almost been exhausted and City staff is seeking the City Council’s approval to amend the P+ Agreement for the additional $40,000. This additional amount coincides with an approximate two-month extension of the IOF Specific Plan Project timeline.
DISCUSSION
Update - IOF Specific Plan Project Schedule
City staff, in conjunction with the City’s environmental consultant (BonTerra Psomas) and contract Planner/Project Manager (Melanie Doran Traxler), has made significant progress on the completion of the IOF Specific Plan Project EIR, which was tentatively scheduled to be released in February 2017. However, due to the need to resolve certain technical issues, including those related to the air quality, geo-seismic and project alternatives, the Project timeline has been delayed, with a new EIR release date of March 30, 2017 (see Attachment 1 for an updated Project timeline).
BonTerra Psomas Agreement
As contemplated in BonTerra Psomas’ original proposal and discussed in the April 13, 2015 staff report, it was anticipated that a budget enhancement may be necessary as the environmental process evolved. This is due to the highly technical nature of the Project, and the need for peer review of existing/previous technical studies to determine inadequacies, incomplete information, unsubstantiated conclusions and assumptions that may be inconsistent with Culver City’s objectives. Previous budget augments have primarily been related to compiling an adequate technical background against which the Project’s environmental impacts could be accurately assessed. As the Draft EIR nears completion, the current augment is necessary to define and evaluate appropriate mitigation options and project alternatives. The extent of analysis needed for mitigation/alternatives was not fully known until the preliminary project analysis was completed. This budget request is based on, but not limited to, the following:
• Expanded air quality analysis to evaluate a range of options and define a mitigation strategy for reducing or avoiding impacts related to air pollutant emissions that may affect regional/local air quality, greenhouse gases and climate change, and public health;
• Project alternatives analysis, in compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), to evaluate potentially feasible alternatives or modifications to the Project in order to reduce or avoid environmental impacts; and
• Project management and EIR coordination to review and finalize the remaining technical analysis and incorporate those conclusions into the EIR, and address team comments and revisions needed to prepare the Draft EIR for public circulation and review.
The above factors have contributed to the need for additional work by the Air Quality technical consultant (Yorke Engineering, LLC) and additional hours of project management and review by BonTerra, for a total budget augment of $81,895. If approved, the aggregate amount of the Psomas Agreement (including the First, Second and Third Amendments to the Agreement) will be $771,884.
Planning PLUS/P+ Agreement
Negotiation of the original terms with Planning PLUS/P+, including scope of services, rate and budget, contemplated an initial need for part-time services over an approximate 12-month period. Consistent with those terms, contract services in the total amount of $60,000 were anticipated. In order to facilitate a timely transition between planner Sherry Jordon and Melanie Doran Traxler, a first phase of the contract (authorizing up to $30,000 for an approximate six-month period) was authorized on August 4, 2016 under the City Manager’s administrative contract approval authority. In consideration of the progress that has ensued, in recognition of the need for continued project management and planning support to shepherd the IOF Specific Plan project through the public review and hearing process, and to coincide with the two-month extension to the Project timeline, approval is needed to amend the P+ Agreement for an additional $40,000 and extend the term for an additional eight months. If approved, the aggregate amount of the P+ Agreement will be $70,000.
Updated EIR Budget
At this time staff is requesting additional funds in the EIR budget in a total amount not-to-exceed $121,895 ($81,895 for BonTerra Psomas and $40,000 for Planning PLUS/P+).
FISCAL ANALYSIS
Funds for the initial Project EIR estimate were included in the Planning Division budget for Fiscal Year 2015-2016. A budget amendment is requested to appropriate General Fund reserves in the amount of $121,895 into the Planning Division - Other Contractual Services (10150200.619800) account. (A four-fifths vote is required to approve the budget amendment.)
ATTACHMENTS
1. 17-01-23_ATT 1_IOF Specific Plan Project Tentative Timeline -
REVISED 01-17-17
RECOMMENDED MOTIONS
That the City Council:
1. Receive an update regarding: (A) the Inglewood Oil Field (IOF) Specific Plan Project Schedule; and (B) an expanded air quality analysis to be conducted for the IOF Specific Plan Project Environmental Impact Report (EIR), as recommended by the Oil Drilling Subcommittee;
2. Approve an amendment to the existing professional services agreement with BonTerra Psomas for environmental consulting services for the preparation of the Environmental Impact Report for the Inglewood Oil Field Specific Plan Project in an amount not-to-exceed $81,895;
3. Approve an amendment to the existing professional services agreement with Melanie Doran Traxler, DBA Planning PLUS/P+, in an amount not-to-exceed $40,000, for planning/project management services for the IOF Specific Plan Project;
4. Approve a related budget amendment (four-fifths vote required);
5. Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare the necessary documents; and
6. Authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the City.