Title
Adopt a Resolution:
a. Certifying that the Board has considered the Environmental Impact Report for the Monterey County Government Center and the Supplemental Environmental Impact Report for the East and West Wings Renovation Project;
b. Adopting Findings for project approval pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act;
c. Authorizing the East and West Wing and Administration Building tenant improvements and modular removal at the Government Center Facility located at 230 Church Street and 168 West Alisal Street, and modular removal at 111 West Alisal Street, Salinas; and
d. Adopting a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program.
(REF140014/East/West Wing Improvements and Modular Removal, Government Center, Salinas) (ADDED VIA ADDENDUM)
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors adopt a Resolution (Attachment A) to:
a. Certify that the Board of Supervisors has considered the Environmental Impact Report for the Monterey County Government Center and the Supplemental Environmental Impact Report for the East and West Wings Renovation Project;
b. Adopt Findings for project approval pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act;
c. Authorize the East and West Wing and Administration Building tenant improvements and modular removal, all at the Government Center Facility located at 230 Church Street and 168 West Alisal Street, and modular removal at 111 West Alisal Street, Salinas; and
d. Adopt a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program.
SUMMARY AND DISCUSSION:
At the May 5, 2015 Board of Supervisors meeting, the Board of Supervisors took a series of actions to support County capital improvement projects and directed staff to take all necessary actions for issuance of Certificates of Participation for a series of projects at Schilling Place and at the Government Center. The action included the County of Monterey East and West Wings Renovation Project, tenant improvements at the Government Center Administration Building, and the County of Monterey Government Center Modular Removal Project. Today's action is to make the appropriate CEQA findings for approval of the East and West Wings renovation, tenant improvements in the Government Center Administration Building, and removal of modulars, adopt the associated Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program to ensure implementation of the adopted mitigation measures, and take all actions necessary to authorize the East and West Wings and Administration Building tenant improvements, which will lead to the removal of the modular units currently housing the District Attorney and Public Defender offices, snack bar, and training center, as well as restoration of the open space and parking areas that preceded the installation of the modular units. Restoration of the sites will meet standards, including drought tolerant landscaping.
An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) was prepared for the Government Center Campus renovations in 2003. That EIR, which analyzed construction of a three story building, renovation of the North Wing, a pedestrian promenade, parking modifications, as well as upgrades of the East and West Wing, was certified by the Board of Supervisors in 2003 and identifies impacts to the environment from construction and use at the Government Center. A Supplemental EIR (SEIR) was prepared for Renovation of the East and West Wings at the Government Center, as the East and West Wings were subsequently listed as historic resources. The project analyzed in the EIR is summarized in section 1.1, page 1.0-1, of the Supplemental EIR, and includes the improvements being considered by the Board of Supervisors for today's action. The Board certified the SEIR on April 14, 2015. The SEIR discussed impacts to, and proposed mitigation measures for, cultural resource impacts to the historic structures. All applicable mitigation measures from both the EIR and SEIR are included in the Resolution for this project (Attachment A) as a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program. Other mitigation measures from the EIR were already implemented as part of construction of the Government Center and are not applicable to the current project.
The project before the Board, allowing tenant improvements to be conducted for the Administration Building and the East and West Wings of the Government Center block, would use bonds to fund the work necessary to complete the improvements, including relocating the District Attorney's Office (and other uses) from modular units at the northeast corner of the Government Center block, relocating the Public Defender's Office to the Administration Building, removing the modular buildings, and restoring the landscaped or parking area that preceded the use of those areas for modular buildings. The Board acted on May 5, 2015 to grant authority to the County Debt Manager to execute documents to facilitate the issuance of the bonds to finance the improvements.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The County Administrative Office (CAO) will be working with RMA on refining estimates for tenant improvement costs and to bring updated project specific estimates to both the Capital Improvement Committee and the Budget Committee. The CAO and RMA will be coordinating with all stakeholders in the completion of these projects.
FINANCING:
The Board of Supervisors provided direction to staff on May 5, 2015, to take all necessary steps to issue Certificates of Participation (COPs), estimated at $36,000,000, for the East and West Wings Renovation Project, tenant improvements to the Government Center Administration Building, and Modular Removal project.
Prepared by: Robert Schubert, Senior Planner ext. 5183
Approved by: Mike Novo, Director, RMA-Planning, ext. 5192
Carl Holm, Acting Director, Resource Management Agency, ext. 5103
cc: Board of Supervisors; Front Counter Copy; City of Salinas; Robert Schubert, Senior Planner; The Open Monterey Project (Molly Erickson); LandWatch (Amy White); file.
The following attachments are on file with the Clerk of the Board:
Attachment A Resolution Adopting CEQA Findings, Authorizing the Project, and Adopting a Mitigation Monitoring and Reporting Program
Attachment B Certified Environmental Impact Report for the Government Center
Attachment C Certified Supplemental Environmental Impact Report for the East and West Wings Renovation Project