TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND COUNCILMEMBERS

FROM: DIRECTOR OF PLANNING, BUILDING & CODE ENFORCEMENT

DATE: JUNE 6, 2006

SUBJECT: EIR PREPARATION CONTRACT AMENDMENT FOR THE CRESTRIDGE ESTATES SENIOR HOUSING/SENIOR CENTER PROJECT (northwest corner of Crestridge Rd. & Crenshaw Blvd.)

Staff Coordinator: Eduardo Schonborn, AICP, Senior Planner

RECOMMENDATION

Authorize the Mayor and the City Clerk to sign an amendment to the professional services agreement with RBF Consulting in an amount not to exceed $35,337.50 to complete the preparation of an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Crestridge Estates Senior Housing/Senior Center Project on property located at the northwest corner of Crestridge Road and Crenshaw Boulevard.

BACKGROUND

On June 21, 2005, the City Council approved a contract with RBF in the amount of $142,730.50 for the preparation of the Crestridge Estates Senior Housing/Senior Center EIR, and the EIR subsequently commenced. On January 4, 2006, a Notice of Preparation was mailed to all interested parties and agencies seeking input on what issues the forthcoming EIR should address. In addition, a Scoping meeting was conducted on February 14, 2006 with the Planning Commission. Upon completion of the comment period (on February 15, 2006), RBF commenced work on the preparation of the Draft EIR.

On March 29, 2006, the applicant (LaingUrban) notified Staff that they intended to modify the project and provided Staff with a site plan illustrating some changes to the layout of the proposed Crestridge development. In summary, the changes include reducing the total number of units from 100, to 97 units; reducing the number of the large three-story buildings that contain apartment style condominiums, from 5 buildings to 4 buildings; providing more townhouse-style units; reducing the overall quantity of grading; and relocating the passive park area from the eastern side of the project site to the western side adjacent to the Belmont facility.

According to LaingUrban, the modifications were in response to comments received during the February 14, 2006 scoping meeting with the Planning Commission, and in response to speaking with some of the property owners that overlook the project site. Thus, after review of the proposed modified plan, the City’s EIR consultant (RBF) determined that an amendment to the contract is necessary since the modifications would result in edits, revisions and new analysis for EIR sections that had been prepared up to the time that a modified plan was produced. Therefore, since additional work is necessary that is beyond the original scope of the EIR contract, RBF has requested an amendment to the contract to cover this additional work.

DISCUSSION

The attached letter from RBF describes the additional work covered by the proposed contract amendment. These services are expected to total $32,125, which is augmented by a 10-percent administrative fee to cover City administrative costs. Thus, the resulting total amount will be $35,337.50. Staff, RBF and LaingUrban agree that all of these services are necessary to complete the EIR.

With respect to the status of the draft EIR itself, RBF has completed the preparation of many of the impact analysis sections and other portions of the draft document. Staff, RBF and LaingUrban are working to complete the draft EIR—including the items covered by this contract amendment—for public release and comment this summer.

CONCLUSION

For the reasons noted above, Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the Mayor and the City Clerk to sign an amendment to the professional services agreement with RBF in an amount not to exceed $35,337.50 to complete the preparation of the EIR for the Crestridge Estates Senior Housing/Senior Center project.

FISCAL IMPACT

The amended Crestridge Estates EIR contract has no fiscal impact on the City since the cost of preparation for the EIR is borne by the project applicant, LaingUrban.

Respectfully submitted:

Joel Rojas, AICP
Director of Planning, Building
and Code Enforcement

Reviewed by:

Les Evans,
City Manager

Attachments:

- Amended Agreement for Environmental Consulting Services
- Addendum Proposal by RBF, dated May 2, 2006

FIRST AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING SERVICES

THIS FIRST AMENDMENT TO AGREEMENT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING SERVICES is executed this 6th day of June 2006, by and between the City of Rancho Palos Verdes (hereinafter called "CITY"), and RBF Consulting (hereinafter called "CONSULTANT"), which are referred to collectively as “the Parties.”

RECITALS
WHEREAS, on June 22, 2005, CITY and CONSULTANT originally executed a professional services agreement for environmental consulting services related to the preparation of the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for the Crestridge Estates Senior Housing/Senior Center project; and,
WHEREAS, on March 26, 2006, the project applicant submitted an amended application to the City that, among other changes, revised the proposed project from 100 units to 97 units, which will have an impact upon the required environmental analysis; and,
WHEREAS, in response to the revisions that the applicant proposed, on May 4, 2006, CONSULTANT submitted a request to CITY for Amendment No. 1 to the professional services agreement for the Crestridge Estates Senior Housing/Senior Center EIR for additional work totaling thirty-two thousand one hundred twenty five dollars ($32,125.00), in order to conduct edits, revisions and new analysis for EIR sections that have been prepared to date, and to complete the preparation of the EIR for the Crestridge Estates Senior Housing/Senior Center project.

NOW, THEREFORE, the Parties agree as follows:

Section 1. Section 1 of the Agreement, entitled CONSULTANT'S Services, is hereby amended to add the following:
CONSULTANT shall perform the following additional professional services by conducting edits, revisions and new analysis for EIR sections that have been prepared to date for the Crestridge Estates Senior Housing/Senior Center project, as set forth in the "Contract Addendum No. 1, Crestridge Estates Senior Housing/Senior Center Project, City of Rancho Palos Verdes” from CONSULTANT, dated May 2, 2006, which is attached hereto as Exhibit ‘A’ and made part hereof by this reference.

Section 2. Section 3 of the Agreement, entitled Compensation, is hereby amended to add the following:
CITY agrees to compensate CONSULTANT, and CONSULTANT agrees to accept, in full satisfaction for the additional environmental analysis authorized by this First Amendment to the professional services agreement for the Crestridge Estates Senior Housing/Senior Center EIR, a fixed fee not to exceed $32,140.

Section 3. Section 15 of the Agreement, entitled Entire Agreement, is hereby amended to read as follows:
This Agreement, as modified by this First Amendment, represents the entire integrated agreement between CITY and CONSULTANT and supercedes all prior negotiations, representations or agreements, either written or oral between the Parties. Except as expressly modified by this First Amendment, all provisions of the original professional services agreement between CITY and CONSULTANT, as executed on June 22, 2005, remain in full force and effect. This Agreement may be further amended only by a written instrument signed by both CITY and CONSULTANT.

EXECUTED the day and year first stated above.

CITY OF RANCHO PALOS VERDES

By: _________________________________
MAYOR

RBF Consulting

By:_______________________________

Its: _______________________________
(Name/Title)

Exhibits:
‘A’ Contract Addendum No. 1, Crestridge Estates Senior Housing/Senior Center Project, City of Rancho Palos Verdes, dated May 2, 2006