Title
Recommendation to Authorize the City Manager to Execute a No-Cost Second Amendment to the Agreement with Dudek for Development of the Urban Forest Plan, Extending the Term by One Year.
This action is categorically exempt from further environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15301 (Existing Facilities), 15308 (Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment), 15061 (Common Sense). (Public Works 26941570)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jennifer Ott, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In 2022, City Council approved a Service Provider Agreement (Agreement) with Dudek in an amount not-to-exceed $269,830 to update the City of Alameda’s (City) 2010 Master Street Tree Plan as the Urban Forest Plan (UFP). In 2023, the City entered into a First Amendment to the Agreement extending the term by one year. Due to the complexity and thoroughness required to develop feasible and practical recommendations, and additional time needed for community engagement, staff is now anticipating completion of the UFP in 2025 and recommending City Council approve a Second Amendment to the Agreement extending the term by an additional year to October 25, 2025. No additional funding is required to complete the plan.
BACKGROUND
In Fiscal Year 2022-23, City Council appropriated funds to update the City’s 2010 Master Street Tree Plan as the Urban Forest Plan (UFP). In 2022, City Council approved an agreement with Dudek in an amount not-to-exceed $269,830 for this work. In October 2023, the agreement term was extended by one year.
Developing the recommendations requires thorough data collection and analysis of the city's tree inventory and program management, environmental assessments for future climate conditions, and extensive community engagement to reflect diverse needs. To date, staff and Dudek have completed an analysis of the City’s urban forest, tree inventory and management program, developed recommendations for best management practices and a list of recommended tree species that are adapted to Alameda’s future climate. An initial community engagement process entailed multiple methods of engaging interested parties and community members, such as convening an urban forest working group, a community survey, various public outreach events and a listening session. This extensive public engagement and internal review process required more time than anticipated, and staff now recommends amending the Dudek agreement to extend the term by an additional year. No additional funding is required for this proposed term extension.
DISCUSSION
Staff now anticipates completion of the UFP in 2025. The process of developing the UFP has taken longer than anticipated due to the complexity and thoroughness required to develop feasible and practical recommendations. Staff now recommend an additional year extension of the agreement with Dudek. This additional time would be used to complete the draft plan, resume the remainder of the community engagement plan, and present the final plan to City Council for adoption. While staff believe that a full year will not be necessary to complete the UFP, the additional time allows flexibility should additional community engagement or other work be needed to complete the plan. No additional funds are needed to complete the plan.
Should the term of this agreement need to be extended further, without changing any other provision of the agreement as approved by City Council, staff further requests that City Council grant the City Manager the administrative discretion to do so without returning to City Council for further approval.
ALTERNATIVES
• Approve a one-year term extension as recommended by staff.
• Provide direction to modify the scope or authorized amount of the amendment.
• Do not approve this amendment and provide direction to staff. Not executing this amendment will result in tasks not being completed and may require staff to reprioritize other work in order to complete the work that Dudek was supposed to complete, resulting in further delay of UFP completion.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Original funding for this project was appropriated to the City’s Pavement, Lighting and Urban Forest Capital Improvement Program Project C17000 with monies allocated from the General Fund. No additional appropriations are needed for this amendment.
|
Agreement |
Approval Date |
Authorized Amount |
Expended to Date |
|
Original Agreement |
10/4/2024 |
$269,830 |
$257,302 |
|
1st Amendment |
10/30/2023 |
$0 |
$0 |
|
2nd Amendment |
|
$0 |
$0 |
|
Total |
|
$269,830 |
$257,302 |
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action is consistent with the following City documents:
• Climate Action and Resiliency Plan
• Alameda 2040 General Plan
• Green Infrastructure Plan
• Master Street Tree Plan
• City Strategic Plan, Project CC3 to Complete and implement Urban Forest Plan for all City trees. Strengthen tree protection ordinance and expand the urban forest.
This action is subject to the Levine Act.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This action does not constitute a “project” as defined in CEQA Guidelines Section 15378 and therefore no further CEQA analysis is required. Additionally, in accordance with CEQA, this action is categorically exempt from further environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15301 (Existing Facilities), 15308 (Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment), 15061 (Common Sense)
CLIMATE IMPACT
Implementation of the Urban Forest Plan will have a positive climate impact, improve Alameda’s urban forest and expand the tree canopy, supporting sequestration of greenhouse gas emissions, reduction of heat island effect, cleaning and slowing stormwater runoff, reducing building energy use, advancing social equity, and improving life for Alamedans.
RECOMMENDATION
Authorize the City Manager to execute a No-Cost Second Amendment to the service provider agreement with Dudek to extend the agreement term by one year, to complete the UFP.
Respectfully submitted,
Erin Smith, Public Works Director
By,
Liz Acord, Public Works Coordinator
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Margaret O’Brien, Finance Director
Exhibits:
1. Original Agreement and Amended Agreement
2. Second Amendment