TO:
Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THROUGH:
Mark Danaj, City Manager
FROM:
Tony Olmos, Public Works Director
Joe Parco, City Engineer
Karen Domerchie, Senior Management Analyst
SUBJECT:Title
Award of Contract to David Volz Design for the Veterans Parkway Landscape Design Services in the Amount of $31,912 (Public Works Director Olmos).
AWARD
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Recommended Action
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that City Council:
1. Approve Consultant Agreement with David Volz Design in the amount of
$31,912 for the landscape architectural design services for the improvements to Veterans Parkway,
2. Authorize City Manager to execute Consultant Agreement, and
3. Approve a design contingency in the amount of $ 6,400.
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FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
There are sufficient funds in the approved Capital Improvement Program.
BACKGROUND:
In June 2013, the City Council approved the Veteran’s Parkway Landscape Guidelines that outline the vision of any future improvements to this prominent greenbelt. Shortly thereafter, the 2013 Competitive Trails Grant was made available by Los Angeles County Supervisor Knabe’s office, which focused on the construction of projects that improve trail and public access. On September 10, 2013, City Council approved a resolution endorsing the City’s application for this grant program and in December 2013, City was notified by the County that we had received the grant in the amount of $297,825. There is no local match required for this grant.
Since the grant does not pay for design, design funds in the amount of $135,000 were budgeted and approved as part of the FY14/15 Capital Improvement Program. The project scope for the design is laid out in two phases.
The first phase consists of landscape and access point improvements to Veterans Parkway. These improvements include design and construction of access points; purchase and placement of boulders and safety walls to create landscape features and seating areas; and purchase and installation of shade trees along the trail. This project will result in improvements throughout Veterans Parkway, and will utilize recommendations made in the City’s Landscape Master Plan Guidelines.
Several locations throughout the Veterans Parkway call for adding public access points to accommodate trail users that have made their own paths through the existing vegetation. By formalizing access points, this project seeks to improve safety along the Veterans Parkway and reduce the risk of injury to those who are currently utilizing unmarked and non-maintained paths to access the trail.
The second phase consists of trail improvements to the Manhattan Beach Gateway section of Veterans Parkway, and will require additional design services as well as landscape and hardscape construction. The Gateway section of the City’s Master Plan Guidelines highlights the intersection that marks the southern edge of the “Civic Core” of the Veterans Parkway. This area would reflect the City’s commitment to the development of sustainable civic spaces. Safety issues at street intersections and access points continue to be a concern in this complex zone of the parkway.
Additionally, improvements to the Gateway area of the Veterans Parkway will result in improved safety and circulation of users of this main section of the parkway, as well as access through a busy intersection. Successful completion and integration of safety features into this zone will draw attention to the need to continue to make improvements to the Veterans Parkway.
DISCUSSION:
On March 17, 2015, City staff solicited proposals from professional landscape architectural firms for the design work at Veterans Parkway based on the aforementioned scope of work.
The City received two (2) proposals, one from David Volz Design, Inc. in the amount of $31,912, and one from RJM Design Group in the amount of $87,900.
David Volz Design, Inc. was selected based on their extensive experience in materials and construction of public parkway and trail projects and for their cost competitiveness. David Volz Design, Inc.’s recent public projects include: four linear parks in Lynwood, multi-purpose trails in Anaheim, a new park in Diamond Bar, an $11.3 million dollar upgrade for Los Angeles County’s El Cariso Park, refurbishment of four parks for Irvine, the design of two new neighborhood parks for Glendale, and a $5 Million park refurbishment with beautiful new gardens for South Gate’s community park. David Volz Design, Inc. also completed the new Admiral Kidd Park for the City of Long Beach.
PROJECT TIMELINE:
It is anticipated that the landscape design documents will be completed and construction permits obtained by early 2016. Request for Bids for construction will be issued immediately thereafter. Construction would begin in the spring of 2016, and anticipated construction completion would be summer 2016. Final schedules will be developed with David Volz Design, Inc.
Since design elements are subjective, staff will present the preliminary project design to City Council at a future City Council meeting and will seek direction to move forward with completing the final design documents.
CONCLUSION:
Staff recommends that the City Council award contract to David Volz Design, Inc. for the Veterans Parkway Landscape Design Services in the amount of $31,912 and a design contingency of $6,400.
Attachments:
1. Professional Services Contract