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CC - (1) Approval of an Amendment to the Existing Professional Services Agreement with Raimi + Associates, Modifying the Scope of Services for the General Plan Update (GPU); and (2) FOUR-FIFTHS VOTE REQUIREMENT: Approval of Related Budget Amendment Allocating SB 2 Funding to the Project .
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Meeting Date: September 14, 2020
Contact Person/Dept: Ashley Hefner/CDD
Phone Number: (310) 253-5744
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: [X]
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date: N/A
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (09/10/2020), Notify Me - General Plan Update (09/08/2020)
Department Approval: Sol Blumenfeld, Community Development Director (08/21/2020)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council (1) approve an amendment to the existing professional services agreement with Raimi + Associates, modifying the scope of services for the General Plan Update (GPU); and (2) approval of a related budget amendment allocating SB 2 funding to the project (four-fifths vote requirement).
BACKGROUND
The contract with Raimi + Associates, the General Plan Update (GPU) consultant, was executed on June 25, 2019 (Attachment 1). The project kicked off in September 2019 and is ongoing. This GPU contract amendment is the result of several factors converging in the Spring/Summer of 2020. First, the City was awarded $82,500 in Senate Bill 2 (SB 2) funding in March 2020 that will pay for Housing Element update tasks in the GPU scope of service. The award allows for $82,500 of encumbered GPU funds to be reallocated to other enhanced and new GPU tasks. Almost concurrently, the COVID-19 pandemic struck, resulting in the Safer at Home Order, which prohibits in-person activities and requires modifications to the existing GPU engagement plan, and leading to an economic crisis. In late May 2020, responding to policing and police brutality issues, global demonstrations broke out leading to calls for reimagining public safety which also surfaced in the production of the GPU.
On May 19, 2020, City Council directed staff to provide an update on measures to address GPU public engagement strategies in response to safe distancing protocols related to COVID-19 and the Safer at Home Order. On June 30, 2020, the GPU team presented a modified engagement plan addressing the pandemic to the General Plan Advisory Committee (GPAC) to obtain recommendations before addressing City Council. The GPAC also discussed and provided recommendations addressing equity, community safety, and policing in the GPU in response to the national demonstrations. On July 13, 2020, a modified engagement plan was presented to the City Council, incorporating the GPAC recommendations and the GPU team received City Council direction on the matter.
DISCUSSION
The proposed modifications to the scope of services are related to engagement, public safety, and economic recovery and resiliency. Most of City Council’s direction on engagement strategies was incorporated into the proposed modifications. There are some items not included, mainly either due to time or budget constraints. The modifications are summarized below, full task descriptions are shown in Attachment 2, and budget implications are shown in Attachment 3.
Task 2.7: GPAC Meetings
GPAC meetings have required a higher level of effort with virtual meetings than anticipated in the original work scope. The team proposes three additional GPAC meetings to allow the consultants more time to meet and coordinate with the GPAC. One meeting includes a special joint meeting on September 17, 2020, of the GPAC and Chief’s Advisory Panel to discuss public safety and policing. City Council recommended the meetings be accessible by telephone.
Task 2.8: Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) Meetings
An additional TAC on reimagining community safety and policing is proposed. The community safety TAC will build on the community engagement and recommendations developed as part of the separate effort being conducted through the City Manager’s Office, including the Police Chief’s Advisory Panel. These two efforts will inform a more robust discussion about community safety in the Safety Element of the GPU. The consultant will collect and summarize research and technical analysis from these efforts to inform the Public Safety Element. A Housing TAC has also been added to ensure a focused discussion takes place on issues like addressing housing affordability, providing a range of housing options to address the City’s Regional housing Needs Allocation (RHNA). The planned TAC on urban space and design was removed to focus on these two new TACs and to avoid using Contingency Budget.
Task 2.11: Topic-Specific Existing Conditions Videos and Surveys
Engagement toolkits and use of project ambassadors was changed to topic-specific videos/surveys to coordinate, develop, and release topic-specific existing conditions documentation to build community knowledge and understanding. Videos will address these topics: Socio-economic profile & market analysis; Housing; Arts & Culture; Parks, Recreation, and Open Space; Hazards; Climate; Mobility; Health; Community Design, and Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the engagement toolkits/ambassador functions are no longer possible due to the Safer at Home Order.
Task 2.15: Culver City Storybank
A new task is proposed to initiate a Culver City Storybank featuring photos and stories submitted by residents. The Storybank would provide a unique, ground-level perspective of different areas of the city, highlight stories about the city’s past, and facilitate understanding of many issues, including economic disparities, facing community members.
Task 2.16: Volunteer Communications Network
A new task is proposed to create a Volunteer Communications Network to support the GPU effort. Volunteers commit to informing and encourage friends and neighbors to participate in the process, distribute flyers and future survey information, and help record stories (as part of the Storybank effort).
Task 12: Economic Recovery Strategy and Resiliency
A new task is proposed to bolster the Economic Development Element to inform goals, policies, and actions related to economic recovery and resiliency from the pandemic, and other future economic related crises the City may face. This task would include assessing key needs for recovery, identifying best practices, and outlining recovery strategies and economic resiliency recommendations.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
Due to the SB 2 grant award of $82,500 to cover Housing Element tasks, funds equal to that amount can be reallocated to the proposed GPU modifications. The allocation of SB 2 funding to the project requires a budget amendment, which requires a four-fifths vote. The modifications to the scope of services would not increase the overall budget and would not impact the General Fund. Some new tasks would require the use of Contingency Budget, totaling $20,540. The total amount of contingency funds in the approved budget is $196,755.00. As of the date of the latest consultant invoice (June 2020), $15,678.75 or 7.97% of the Contingency Budget has been spent on the existing conditions video series and associated surveys. Attachment 3 provides further detail on the related changes to the budget allocations.
ATTACHMENTS
1. 2020-09-14_ATT_Executed contract (approved scope of service and budget)
2. 2020-09-14_ATT_Proposed scope of service modified tasks only
3. 2020-09-14_ATT_Proposed changes to budget allocations - modified tasks only
MOTION
That the City Council:
1. Approve an amendment to the existing professional services agreement with Raimi + Associates, modifying the scope of services for the General Plan Update (GPU); and
2. Approve a related budget amendment allocating SB 2 funding to the project (four-fifths vote requirement); and
3. Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare the necessary documents; and
4. Authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the City.