HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 191-06TO:
FROM:
DATE:
SUBJECT:
City of Palo Alto
City Manager’s Report
HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
CITY MANAGER
APRIL 3, 2006
REVISED MILESTONES FOR
DEPARTMENT: PUBLIC WORKS
CMR:191:06
COUNCIL FY 2006-07 "TOP 3"
PRIORITIES OF EMERGENCY AND DISASTER PREPAREDNESS AND
RESPONSE AND INCREASE INFRASTRUCTURE FUNDING; AND
REQUEST FOR DIRECTION REGARDING POLICE BUILDING AND
LIBRARY
8
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1.Approve the revised milestones for the "Top 3" Priorities of Emergency and Disaster
Preparedness and Response and Increase Infrastructure Funding (Attachment A); and
2. Provide staff direction for the Library and Police Building "Top 3" priority.
BACKGROUND
At the City Council meeting of March 6, 2006 staff proposed milestones for the Council’s
"Top 3" Priorities, including "Infrastructure" (the Library and Police Building). At the meeting,
staff presented alternative milestones for the Police Building based on recent experience in
bringing the Library bond to election in 2002. These alternative milestones represent a timeline
which allows sufficient time for an EIR and additional time for a thorough public review process.
However, Council affirmed a desire to review a schedule which would put both projects on a
November 2007 ballot. Council also moved to rename the Top-3 Infrastructure priority
"Library" and "Police Building".
DISCUSSION
Staff has informed the Library Advisory Commission (LAC) and Police Building Blue Ribbon
Task Force (BRTF) of Council’s desire to have recommendations on the Library and Police
Building in time to make a November 2007 election. This would require the LAC and BRTF to
have their reports on the June 26, 2006 City Council agenda for approval. Both working groups
have agreed to meet this schedule.
The Library Advisory Commission’s recommendations to the Council are likely to represent
service enhancements as well as capital projects. In response to Council direction in December
2004, the Library Advisory Commission is working on a long range plan for the Library. Draft
recommendations will be shared with the Council on May 15, 2006, and the final report will be
presented to the Council on June 26, 2006.
CMR:191:06 Page 1 of 3
It should be noted that the recent community survey and other frndings reveal Palo Altans desire
Library service enhancements (such as larger collections and more convenient hours of
operation) as well as capital improvements (such as building renovations). The Commission is
currently evaluating this information and using it to shape its recommendations. At this time,
since the LAC’s recommendations are as yet unknown, it is unclear what kind of tax revenue
measure will be suitable to fund the Commission’s recommendations. For example, a bond issue
can only fund building projects, not operating expenditures. A special tax such as a parcel tax or
sales tax could fund operating costs as well as capital improvements.
Schedule A (Attachment B) shows critical milestones for the Library and Police Building
projects meeting the Council-directed November 2007 date. Staff has also attempted to identify
the following advantages and disadvantages of this schedule:
Advantages
o Keeps both projects together;
o Maintains the momentum currently behind these projects and keeps them in the
public spotlight;
o May allow these projects to reach the voters ahead of other measures currently in
the planning stages;
o Meets identified community needs as quickly as possible; and
o Minimizes construction cost increases due to inflation.
Disadvantages
o EIR would need to be done on an expedited basis (twelve months are typically
required, to allow time for project scoping and public comment);
o Limited time for Council deliberations and community feedback;
o No time for competitive RFP bid process to engage design/EIR consultant; would
require selection of consultant team on a sole-source basis if City code allows;
o Limited time to work with stakeholders and concerned parties to resolve
associated issues; and
o Very limited time for voter polling.
Attachment C is a generic schedule for a Capital Improvement Program (CIP) project
requiring a voter approval. This schedule was prepared based on experience from the 2002
Library bond election and shows the steps and time periods needed to bring a project to an
election, on an expedited "fast track" basis. The generic schedule shows a total duration of
about 22 months to accomplish all the steps needed for an election.
Since the March 6 Council meeting the City Attorney has clarified that consideration of a
general obligation bond election with a general municipal election would not necessarily be
required for the Library and Police Building funding measures. The City Clerk has provided
the following additional dates for an election after November 2007:
¯April 8, 2008
¯June 3, 2008
¯November 4, 2008
CMR:191:06 Page 2 of 3
PREPARED BY:
These dates could also be used for a special tax election. Schedule B shows revised
milestones for the Library and Police Building based on the durations shown in the generic
CIP project schedule. If the Council makes a fmal decision June 26 on the Police.Building it
is theoretically possible to meet the deadlines for an April 2008 election. For the Library, if
the Council chooses to add three months of additional deliberations and community feedback
over the summer of 2006, and chooses to keep both the Library and Police Building on the
same ballot, it could be possible to hold the election in June 2008 (the completion date shown
on Schedule B). Schedule B would provide adequate time for an EIR for the Police Building
and, if needed, the Library, and would allow additional time for public outreach, polling and
an election campaign for both projects.
GLENN S. ROBERTS
Public Works Director
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
CHRIS MOGENSEN
Assistant to the City Mano~er’~--~
Assistant City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: "Top 3" Emergency and Disaster Preparedness and Response and Increase
Infrastructure Funding Priorities
Attachment B: Library and Police Building Timelines (listing Schedule A and Schedule B)
Attachment C: Generic Capital Improvement Program Project Schedule with Funding Election
CMR: 191:06 Page 3 of 3
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ATTACHMENT A
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ATTACHMENT B
Schedule A
:iLibrary Advisory Commission (LAC) presents
idraft plan to Council
::LAC and Blue Ribbon Task Force present final
iplans to Council
Schedule B
May !5 06 May 15 06
Jun 26 06 Jun 26 06
Additional Council deliberations and community
i feedback
iCouncil approves and adopts LAC’s plan
!Staff completes proposed Library operational
iprogram, establishes estimates for annual Gosts,
i building(s) scope and project budget.
(skip)JuI-Sep 06
Jun 26 06 Sep 06.
Jul 06 Nov 06
Selection process to engage design/EIR
!consultant(s) for building project(s)
iCouncil awards sole source design/ElR
i contract(s) for building project(s)
(skip) *Oct 06 -Jan 07
Jul 06
Aug 06 Feb 07
Sep 06 Dec 06 -Jan 07
Sep 06 Jan 07
IEIR Notice of Preparation (NOP) issued
!Council determines appropriate financing
imeasure m~d level for both projects
iBegin first phase of community education
:process: educate corn m un ity about needs
;Work with stakeholders and concerned parties to
resolve associated issues
:Voter poll to test measure(s)
I Complete building project(s) to 35% design
iDesign review of building project(s) by review
~iboards and commissions
(skip)
Sep 06
Jan 07
Jan 07 - Feb 07
Feb - Mar 07
Apr 07
Jul 07
Aug - Oct 07
iVoter poll to fine-tune measure (skip)
iBegin second phase of community education~Mar 07iprocess: to sell the measure
!Complete EIR(s) **Jun 07
’.End of public education period Jul 07
iCouncil approves resolution for ballot measure Jul 07
iElection Nov 6 07
Nov 07
Dec 07
Jan 08
Mar 08
Mar 08
Jun 3 08
* skip competitive solicitation assuming project
qualifies for an exemption under Citv code
** assumes EIR can be done in 12 months with
no challenges
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ATTACHMENT C