Title
REF220004 - PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT FOR GENERAL PLAN ELEMENTS UPDATES
a. Approve a Professional Services Agreement with Harris & Associates, Inc., to provide services to update the Housing Element, Safety Element, create the Environmental Justice Element, and prepare an environmental study for the not to exceed amount of $967,520 and for a term October 1, 2022 to September 30, 2025; and
b. Authorize the Contracts/Purchasing Officer of Contracts/Purchasing Supervisor to execute the Professional Services Agreement and future amendments to the Agreement where the amendments do not significantly alter the scope of work or change the approved Agreement amount by more than ten percent (10%), subject to review and approval by County Counsel.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Approve a Professional Services Agreement with Harris & Associates, Inc., to provide services to update the Housing Element, Safety Element, create the Environmental Justice Element, and prepare an Environmental for the not to exceed amount of $967,520 and for a term October 1, 2022 to September 30, 2025; and
b. Authorize the Contracts/Purchasing Officer of Contracts/Purchasing Supervisor to execute the Professional Services Agreement and future amendments to the Agreement where the amendments do not significantly alter the scope of work or change the approved Agreement amount by more than ten percent (10%), subject to review and approval by County Counsel.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
The Professional Services Agreement (PSA) with Harris & Associates, Inc., will provide professional services for the updates to the County’s Housing Element and Safety Element, as well as the preparation of a new Environmental Justice Element. The term of the PSA is October 1, 2022 to September 30, 2025 for the not to exceed amount of $967,520.
The adopted 2010 General Plan contains a total of eight elements with goals, policies, and regulations that govern the long-term plan for the County. The County’s current General Plan was adopted by the County on October 26, 2010.
HOUSING ELEMENT
Government Code section 65580 et seq. specifies that the Housing Element must assess housing needs and evaluate the current housing market in the County and then identify programs that will meet those housing needs. Also included is the community’s “Regional Housing Needs Allocation” (RHNA) which provides an estimate of the number of housing units that should be provided in order for the community to meet its share of new households in the region. The Housing Element document must review and evaluate its past housing programs and consider this review in planning future housing strategies. In the 5th Housing Element Cycle, which was approved by the Board of Supervisors on January 26, 2016, the RHNA was 1,551 units. Compare that to the expected RHNA of 3,326 units, and there is a projected 114% increase.
SAFETY ELEMENT
The Safety Element is one of the elements included in the adopted General Plan. This element combines the state mandated safety and noise elements. It establishes policies and programs to protect the public from risks associated with seismic, geologic, flood, and wildfire hazards. Pursuant to Government Code section 65302(g), the Safety Element requires updating. This Code requires local jurisdictions to update the Safety Element to address flood hazard zone, fire hazards, and climate adaption and resilience strategies upon revision of the Housing Element.
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ELEMENT
Currently, the Environmental Justice Element is not part of the adopted General Plan; however, the County is seeking to incorporate this stand-alone element. The element shall be prepared pursuant to Government Code section 65302(h), which requires that local jurisdictions prepare an Environmental Justice Element or related goals, policies, and objectives integrated into other elements that identify disadvantaged communities within the County. This includes identifying policies to reduce the unique or compounded health risks in environmental justice communities, prioritizing programs that address the needs of these communities, and promoting community engagement in decision-making processes.
Harris & Associates, Inc., was selected for their expertise and capabilities necessary to provide these services through a competitive selection process (RFP #10832) in accordance with County policies and state laws.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Offices of the County Counsel and Auditor-Controller have reviewed and approved the PSA as to form and legality, and fiscal provisions, respectively.
FINANCING:
The total not to exceed amount of this PSA is $967,520. The cost of these services will be performed over a three- (3-) year period during FY 2022-23, FY 2023-24, and FY 2024-25. Funding for this project in the amount of $560,000 was included in the FY2022-23 Adopted Budget for HCD Unit 8543, Appropriation Unit HCD002 from the Cannabis Assignment. Future work under this PSA is contingent on additional funding. Augmentation requests for future year funding will be included in the Departments Requested Budget for FY2023-24 and FY2024-25.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
This project supports the Board of Supervisors’ Strategic Initiatives with revision of the Housing Element for the 6th Cycle Update which will contribute to strengthening a diversified and healthy economy by removing barriers to potential housing development and promoting jobs/housing balance. The Housing Element 6th Cycle Update would include strategies to ease the discretionary review process of potential housing development for the effective and efficient management of resources. The Safety Element Update and preparation of a new Environmental Justice Element will include policies that improve the health and quality of life for Monterey County residents, especially those community members who experience a greater burden of health risks and have inadequate means to rehabilitate from disasters exacerbated by the effects of climate change. Infrastructure needs will be analyzed in the Safety Element Update for areas of less than two points of egress and existing development within known hazard areas.
X Economic Development
X Administration
X Health & Human Services
X Infrastructure
X Public Safety
Prepared by: Kathy Nielsen, Management Analyst II
Jaime Scott Guthrie, AICP, Senior Planner, x6414
Reviewed by: Melanie Beretti, AICP, Principal Planner
Approved by: Erik V. Lundquist, AICP, Director
The following attachments are on file with the Clerk of the Board:
Attachment 1 - PSA with Harris & Associates, Inc.
Attachment 2 - RFP #10832