Title
Adoption of Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Three-Year Lease Agreement with The Research Park, Located at 2020 Challenger Drive, for a Police Station Annex.
In accordance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), this action is categorically exempt from further environmental review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Sections 15183 and 15301. (Police 10031130)
Body
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Jennifer Ott, City Manager
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Alameda (City) Police Department (APD) is in need of additional workspace to enhance its operations and interactions with community members. The owner of The Research Park at 2020 Challenger Drive has offered to lease office space to APD for a nominal cost of $100 per month. This report recommends City Council adopt a resolution authorizing execution of a three-year lease agreement with The Research Park for the benefit of APD and the City as a whole.
BACKGROUND
In October 2023, the owner of commercial office space at 2020 Challenger Drive (The Research Park) offered space in Suite 100 for APD to use at nominal cost. The owner’s rationale for renting space to APD was that APD presence would help deter potential criminal activity in the area.
Currently, APD solely uses its main facility at 1555 Oak Street to support its approximately 99 employees (including sworn officers) and their work. For larger trainings and meetings, APD often needs to pay for off-site event space when city facilities are not available or sufficient. This location at The Research Park is located in Marina Village, on the west end of Alameda, and provides equitable access with space for APD staff to meet with community members in different parts of the City.
DISCUSSION
Because of the very low cost of leasing space at The Research Park and APD’s need for additional space for its employees, APD is requesting authority from the City Council to enter into a three-year lease agreement for Suite 100 at The Research Park (Suite 100). The lease would be for three years, until January 31, 2027, and the lease cost would be $100 per month in rent paid by the City to The Research Park, for a total of approximately $3,300. This cost, plus any associated costs, will be covered within the existing APD budget.
The lease would benefit APD, its employees, and the public. The owners of The Research Park are asking for only $100 per month in rent, a rare opportunity to provide more workspace for APD employees at a minimal cost. It is unlikely that any other commercial office space could meet APD’s requirements at an equivalent or lower cost.
APD plans to move parts of the Bureau of Support Services to Suite 100. Specifically, APD’s Traffic Section, Community Resource Unit, Violent Crimes Unit, and Property Crimes Unit would be located in this new space. These units were selected because they regularly interact with the public and have a regular schedule (Monday through Thursday, 7am to 5pm).
• The Traffic Section provides daily traffic enforcement on the City’s roadways and investigates serious injury and fatal collisions. Having office space at The Research Park will enable the Traffic Section to augment its work across the City.
• The Community Resource Unit works on longer-term challenges such as organized retail theft, blight, issues facing unhoused members of the community, often in coordination with other agencies. By having this unit located at The Research Park, the public will have easier access to the unit for communicating non-emergency concerns.
• The Violent Crimes and Property Crimes Units investigate and solve serious crimes within the City. Locating these units at The Research Park will allow easier access for victims of crime to meet with detectives.
In addition to benefiting the public, the additional office space benefits overall APD operations. The Traffic Unit is currently located in the basement of 1555 Oak Street. The Violent Crimes and Property Crimes Units are located on the second floor. By moving these units to The Research Park, the briefing room (currently in the basement) can be moved up to the second floor, and the basement can be reallocated for training space, including additional workstations for officers to watch individualized trainings and meeting space for one-on-one discussions. This is particularly useful right now because APD is engaged in extensive recruitment efforts and has hired new officers, some of whom are new to policing. Better training space will provide long-term benefits to these new officers and the City.
ALTERNATIVES
• Authorize the City Manager to execute a three-year lease agreement with The Research Park
• Reject the proposed lease agreement. APD will continue to use only its headquarters at 1555 Oak Street for its operations.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Staff anticipate that the combined cost of the rent and telecommunication access will be approximately $1,000 per month and can be covered within the Police Department’s existing budget. APD staff will work off department-issued cell phones and use remote access to the City network. The department will use extra furniture from the Police Administration Building and purchase additional supplies for the 11 to 13 workstations using existing grant funding. No additional budget appropriations are requested.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
This action is consistent with Section 3-10 of the City Charter, which allows leases to be authorized by resolution when the purchase price to be paid, together with any obligation imposed on the City, does not exceed the sum provided by the general law for cities requiring competitive bidding for the purchase of supplies and materials. The obligation imposed on the City by this lease is less than $5,000 (the threshold amount in Public Contract Code § 20162 for requiring competitive bidding).
This action is subject to the Levine Act.
This proposal supports the City’s strategic plan initiatives on “Enhancing Community Safety and Services” by increasing accessibility to APD services and resources.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15183, projects consistent with General Plan and Zoning. As a separate and independent basis, the project is also exempt from CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15301, Existing Facilities, which includes the operation, maintenance, leasing, or minor alteration of existing public or private structures and facilities involving negligible or no expansion of existing or former use. None of the exceptions to the exemption apply.
CLIMATE IMPACT
There are no identifiable climate impacts or climate action opportunities associated with the subject of this report.
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt the resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a three-year lease agreement with The Research Park for office space for APD.
Respectfully submitted,
Nishant Joshi, Chief of Police
By,
Jeffery Emmitt, Police Captain
Financial Impact section reviewed,
Margaret O’Brien, Finance Director
Exhibit:
1. Proposed Lease Agreement