Report Prepared by: Leah Brown, Management Analyst, Development Services
Title
SUBJECT: Approval of a Professional Services Agreement for Design of an off the Shelf Master Plan Set for Cottages and Accessory Dwelling Units
REPORT IN BRIEF
Recommend approving an agreement for professional services with Precision Civil Engineering, Inc., to prepare an Off the Shelf Master Plan Set for Cottages and Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs).
RECOMMENDATION
City Council - Adopt a motion:
A. Approving an Agreement for Services with Precision Civil Engineering, Inc. (PCE), in the amount of $85,000 to prepare designs for an off the Shelf Master Plan Set for Cottages and ADUs and to prepare program documents; and,
B. Authorizing the City Manager or Deputy City Manager to execute the agreements.
Body
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve the agreement, as recommended by staff; or
2. Deny; or
3. Refer to staff for reconsideration of specific items.
AUTHORITY
Charter of the City of Merced, Section 200, et seq.
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
As provided for in the 2020-2021 Adopted Budget and the City Council’s Pro-Housing Policies.
DISCUSSION
In March 2019, the State of California, Department of Housing and Community Development listed a Notice of Funding Availability for Senate Bill 2 (SB2) Planning Grants Program. The goal of the program was to establish a permanent source of funding intended to increase the affordable housing stock in California. The City of Merced submitted an application that included a project to hire a designer to draft plans for an Off the Shelf Master Plan Set of Cottages or ADUs. The plans would be fully plan checked. The homeowner would purchase a building permit when they obtained the plans free of architect’s design charges for construction.
In February 2020, the City was awarded $310,000 based on population of SB2 funding.
In February 2022, the City issued a request for proposals (Attachment 1) to create and develop the Off the Shelf Master Plan Set for Cottages and Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU), we received proposals from the following companies:
Jackson & Sands Engineering, Inc.
Precision Civil Engineering, Inc.
Shelterwerk
The selection committee’s review of the written proposals and subsequent interview resulted in the recommendation of PCE as the best choice to meet our needs. PCE has recently completed similar programs in four other valley communities including the San Joaquin Valley - REAP. Staff reviewed the detailed scope of work and costs presented in PCE proposal and negotiated an Agreement for Professional Services (Attachment 2).
IMPACT ON CITY RESOURCES
The funding for this agreement is provided via a Planning Grants Program (SB2) from the State of California Department of Housing and Community Development. Funding is available withing the Fiscal Year 2021-22 budget in Fund 090-CA SB2 Housing Planning Grant.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Request for Proposals
2. Agreement signed by PCE