CONSENT CALENDAR September 27, 2005

Transcription

1 Office of the Executive Officer September 27, 2005 To: From: Submitted By: Subject: Honorable Chairperson and Members of the Redevelopment Agency Phil Kamlarz, Executive Officer Dan Marks, Director, Planning and Development Contract: Streetscape Improvements Within and Outside the West Berkeley Project Area RECOMMENDATION Adopt a Resolution authorizing the Berkeley Redevelopment Agency to fund the design and construction of the Aquatic Park Connection Streetscape Improvement project, and authorizing the Executive Officer of the Redevelopment Agency to execute a contract and any amendments with Bellecci & Associates, Inc. for streetscape improvement design and engineering services along Fourth and Addison Streets for a term of one year in an amount not to exceed $135,000. FISCAL IMPACTS OF RECOMMENDATION Bellecci & Associates, Inc. will complete all services identified in the scope for a fee of $135,000. The funds for this project are available in Redevelopment Account and are budgeted for use in the current fiscal year. CURRENT SITUATION AND ITS EFFECTS Proposed Project The Aquatic Park Connection streetscape improvement project consists of upgrades and enhancements in the public right-of-way along five City blocks of Fourth Street between Hearst and Addison Streets, and Addison Street between Fourth Street and Bolivar Drive. Four of the project s five blocks are located outside of West Berkeley Project Area. The purpose of the project is to eliminate blight, replace and up-grade existing and inadequate facilities, improve public safety, create an attractive commercial environment, and increase the customer base in the Project Area. Project Findings Health and Safety Code Section of California s Community Redevelopment Law (CRL) requires that the Agency make findings that demonstrate the proposed project will benefit the Project Area and that there is no other source of funds to complete the project. These findings are detailed in the Background section of this report Milvia Street, Berkeley, CA 94704? Tel: (510) ? TDD: (510) ? Fax: (510) manager@ci.berkeley.ca.us Website:

2 Contract: Streetscape Improvements Outside the West Berkeley Project Area September 27, 2005 BACKGROUND After the Redevelopment Agency ( Agency ) agreed to contribute approximately $1.2 million toward the construction and development of the I-80 Pedestrian Overpass Bridge in 2000 (Resolution No. 1183), the West Berkeley Project Area Commission (PAC) and the immediate community identified the Aquatic Park Connection as a streetscape improvement project that would benefit and improve the West Berkeley Project Area. Since then, the Aquatic Park Connection project has been identified in the Agency s Five-Year Implementation Plan as a proposed project. Required Findings As required by Health and Safety Code Section of California s Community Redevelopment Law (CRL), the Agency must make the following findings: The proposed public improvements are of benefit to the Project Area or the immediate neighborhood of the Project Area; There are no other reasonable means available to the community for financing such public improvements; and The Agency s contribution to the cost of the public improvements will assist in elimination of one or more blighting conditions in the Project Area or provide for affordable housing and is consistent with the Agency s implementation plan. Discussion of Findings Finding #1: Benefits to the Project Area The Aquatic Park Connection streetscape improvement project will provide an enhanced public right-of-way that improves public safety for those traveling by foot, bicycle, or wheelchair between the I-80 Pedestrian Bridge and the Project Area. Together with the Parks and Waterfront Department s planned entrance to the Eastshore State Park on the east side of the I-80 Pedestrian Bridge, this streetscape improvement project will improve public access and safety between the Project Area and the Eastshore State Park and Berkeley Marina. These upgrades will enhance the Fourth Street commercial district and the new Berkeley Rail Stop, as well as encourage public use. Finding #2: No Other Means of Project Financing Typically, streetscape improvements in the public right-of-way would be under the purview of the Public Works Department. However, the Public Works Department has released its Capital Improvement Program and there is no plan, nor does the Department have the funds to implement, this five-block long streetscape improvement project in West Berkeley. In addition, with the City s current budget situation, there are no additional funds in the General Fund that can be allocated to this project. As a result, there is no time in the foreseeable future when the Aquatic Park Connection streetscape improvement project could be completed without the use of redevelopment funds. Finding #3: Elimination of Blight The proposed Aquatic Park Connection is specifically intended to provide a safe and aesthetically pleasing link between the West Berkeley Project Area and the Berkeley Page 2

3 Contract: Streetscape Improvements Outside the West Berkeley Project Area September 27, 2005 Marina and the Eastshore State Park. The project s upgrades will improve public safety and infrastructures by widening sidewalks, increasing curb cuts and crosswalks, improving the area s nighttime lighting, installing bicycle signs, and reducing the grade at the west end of Addison Street to not only comply with the American s with Disabilities Act (ADA), but to make the area accessible to everyone. These enhancements will encourage users not to rely solely on automobiles to access shops, services and recreational areas in and around the Project Area. As a result, the current blighting conditions of non-ada compliant sidewalks, a steep grade at the west end of Addison Street, inadequate curb cuts and crosswalks, poor nighttime lighting and public access will be upgraded to encourage public use and access to and from the Project Area by foot, bicycle and wheelchair. Discussion of Project and Design Contract Shortly after the Agency approved the transfer of funds to the Public Works Department to complete the I-80 Pedestrian Bridge in 2000, the West Berkeley Project Area Commission (PAC) identified the Aquatic Park Connection as a future Agency project to be completed. Since then, however, the Agency s redevelopment efforts have been focused on the completion of the Berkeley Rail Stop and Transit Plaza. Now that it is nearly complete, Agency staff has begun working on the Aquatic Park Connection streetscape improvement project. This past spring, staff circulated a Request for Proposal for design and engineering consulting, reviewed proposals with City staff and Project Area Commissioners, and conducted follow-up interviews with the finalists. Based on the recommendations of the review panelists, Bellecci & Associates, Inc. was selected as the consulting firm best suited for the project assignment. To achieve the project goals and objectives, Bellecci & Associates, Inc. will work with the PAC, Waterfront Commission, Transportation Commission, Commission on Disability, and other community representatives to develop design and engineering drawings for the five-block Aquatic Park Connection Streetscape Improvement Project along Fourth Street between Hearst and Addison Streets and along Addison Street between Fourth Street and Bolivar Drive. The proposed project will include new sidewalks, curbs, gutters, paving, landscaping, lighting and benches, and re-grading of the west end of Addison Street to be compliant with the American s with Disabilities Act. The role of Agency staff will be to manage the project and work with the community to ensure adequate public participation in development of the project and its design. RATIONALE FOR RECOMMENDATION With infrastructure improvements (e.g., Rail Stop, entrance to the Eastshore State Park) and new private developments underway in the immediate area, the PAC determined that the Aquatic Park Connection was a critical public right-of-way link that required upgrade and improvement to unify commercial growth, support consumer use and access, and promote recreational and public transportation uses. Page 3

4 Contract: Streetscape Improvements Outside the West Berkeley Project Area September 27, 2005 ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS CONSIDERED The West Berkeley Project Area Commission considered not implementing the project and leaving the public right-of-way as it currently exists. However, as stated previously, it was determined to be an important connection between the I-80 Pedestrian Bridge/Eastshore State Park and the West Berkeley Project Area that, if unimproved, would have a negative impact on the immediate area. CONTACT PERSON Wendy Cosin, Deputy Planning Directory, Attachments: 1: Resolution Page 4

5 RESOLUTION NO. N.S. AUTHORIZING THE BERKELEY REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY TO FUND THE DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE AQUATIC PARK CONNECTION STREETSCAPE IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, AND AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF THE REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT AND ANY AMENDMENTS WITH BELLECCI & ASSOCIATES, INC. FOR STREETSCAPE IMRPOVEMENT DESIGN AND ENGINEERING SERVICES ALONG FOURTH AND ADDISON STREETS FOR A TERM OF ONE YEAR IN AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $135,000 WHEREAS, on December 7, 1999, the Redevelopment Agency ( Agency ) adopted Resolution No to adopt the Five-Year Implementation Plan to include the Aquatic Park Connection streetscape improvement in order to enhance the link between the Project Area and the new I-80 Pedestrian Bridge; and WHEREAS, on June 28, 2005, the Agency adopted Resolution No to adopt the Five-Year Implementation Plan to continue to include the Aquatic Park Connection Streetscape Improvement project; and WHEREAS, in the spring of 2005, Agency staff circulated a Request for Proposals for Design and Engineering Services, received and reviewed three proposals, and conducted two interviews; and WHEREAS, on July 24, 2005, the review panel determined that Bellecci & Associates, Inc. were best qualified to prepare design and engineering drawings for the Aquatic Park Connection Streetscape Improvement Project; and WHEREAS, Section of the California Health and Safety Code provides that a redevelopment agency may, with the consent of the legislative body, pay all or part of the value of the land for and the cost of the installation and construction of any building, facility, structure, or other improvement which is publicly owned either within or without the project area, if the legislative body determines: (1) That the buildings, facilities, structures or other improvements are of benefit to the project area or the immediate neighborhood in which the project is located, regardless of whether the improvement is within another project area or, in the case of a project area in which substantially all of the land is publicly-owned, that the improvement is of benefit to an adjacent project area of the agency; and (2) That no other reasonable means of financing such building, facilities, structures or other improvements is available to the community; and (3) That the payment of funds for the acquisition of land or the cost of buildings, facilities, structures, or other improvements will assist in the elimination of one or more blighting conditions inside the project area or provide housing for low- or moderate-income persons, and is consistent with the implementation plan adopted pursuant to section 33490; and

6 WHEREAS, with respect to the required findings, the Aquatic Park Connection Streetscape Improvement Project benefits the West Berkeley Project Area and the residents in the Project Area by providing a safe and improved link for those traveling by foot, bicycle or wheelchair between the Project Area and the I-80 Pedestrian Bridge/Eastshore State Park. The Aquatic Park Connection Streetscape Improvement Project is intended to: improve access and increase public use between the Project Area and the I-80 Pedestrian Bridge, the Eastshore State Park, and the Berkeley Marina; improve public safety especially for pedestrians, bicyclists and people with disabilities; enhance the urban design of the public right-of-way by improving nighttime lighting, landscaping, paving, sidewalks, curbs and gutters; and increase revenue to the project area resulting from increased public use of the improved and enhanced access; and WHEREAS, there are no funds in the City s General Fund to assist with the design and construction costs of implementing this streetscape improvement project nor has the Public Works Department included this project in its Five-Year Capital Improvement Plan; and WHEREAS, there are no other reasonable means available to the community to finance the design and construction costs of the Aquatic Park Connection Streetscape Improvement Project; and WHEREAS, the current blighting conditions of non-ada compliant sidewalks, a steep grade at the west end of Addison Street, inadequate curb cuts and crosswalks, poor nighttime lighting and public access will be upgraded and corrected to encourage public use and access to and from the Project Area by foot, bicycle and wheelchair; and WHEREAS, the streetscape improvement project will assist in the elimination of these blighting conditions and is consistent with the Redevelopment Plan and Five-Year Implementation Plan under Budget Code BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Agency Executive Officer is hereby authorized and directed to execute a contract and any amendments with Bellecci & Associates, Inc. to produce design and engineering drawings for the Aquatic Park Connection Streetscape Improvement Project, for an amount not to exceed $135,000 for a term of one year. A record signature copy of said contract and any amendments to be on file in the Office of the City Clerk.