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HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 7479 City of Palo Alto (ID # 7479) City Council Staff Report Report Type: Consent Calendar Meeting Date: 2/6/2017 City of Palo Alto Page 1 Summary Title: Approve Inclusion of New Restroom in Reconfigured Municipal Golf Course Title: Approval to Issue a Contract Change Order to Contract Number C16163847 With Wadsworth Golf Construction Company in the Amount of $198,850 for the Construction of a Prefabricated On-course Restroom at the Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course From: City Manager Lead Department: Public Works Recommendation Staff recommends that Council direct staff to issue a contract change order to Contract C16163847 with Wadsworth Golf Construction Company in the amount of $198,850 for the construction of a prefabricated on-course restroom at the Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course. Background The original reconfiguration design for the Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course included a new on-course restroom facility to remedy the poor condition and inconvenient location of the existing restroom. The new restroom design is ADA- compliant, includes adequate storage for supplies and cleaning equipment, and is sited to be conveniently accessible for golfers from Holes 4, 11, 12, and 16. Staff received bids for the Golf Course Reconfiguration Project on May 24, 2016. As bids were higher than expected, staff negotiated with the low bidder, Wadsworth Golf Construction Company, for a front-end deductive contract change order, approved by Council June 20, 2016, concurrently with a contract for the golf course reconfiguration project (CMR 7032). Approval of the deductive change order allowed the project to proceed into construction at a cost within the available project budget. City of Palo Alto Page 2 The deductive change order included $249,250 for deferring construction of the new restroom. Installation of sewer, water, and electrical connections to the site of the new restroom was retained in the contract to facilitate construction of the restroom at a later date. Although this cost savings scope was recommended by staff, it was described as moderately impactful in the staff report to Council. Since June, conditions have changed to prompt this change order recommendation. Golf Advisory Committee has voiced concerns about the new restroom omission, the consensus being that multiple opportunities for restroom breaks should be provided in the reconfigured golf course and to that end, the proposed restroom meets the request. Also the water service to the existing restroom would need to be replaced to make the facility usable and the facility would need to be renovated. Additionally, project construction has progressed favorably, with relatively low change order expenses, creating the opportunity to fund the new restroom utilizing previously appropriated funds. Discussion Staff is returning to Council to seek approval to restore the new restroom facility into the construction contract with Wadsworth Golf Construction Company. Several changed conditions have prompted this request. First, staff has received feedback from members of the Golf Advisory Committee expressing concern about the omission of the new restroom. Second, the project construction has progressed favorably to-date, with relatively low change order expenses incurred so far, creating the potential opportunity to fund the new restroom using previously appropriated funding. General consensus feedback from members of the Golf Advisory Committee has been that the reconfigured golf course should provide multiple opportunities for restroom breaks, and that the new restroom is strategically placed for better access from various golf holes. The existing on-course facility is only accessible from Holes 2 and 14. The proposed new restroom provides access from four golf holes, and in combination with the existing clubhouse restroom, golfers will have access to multiple restroom breaks. Staff also believes it would be more cost- effective, efficient, and less disruptive to the newly completed Baylands Golf Links course to construct the new restroom during the ongoing construction. City of Palo Alto Page 3 Council gave the city manager authority to expend up to $1,077,282 in contract change orders to the construction contract with Wadsworth Golf Construction Company when awarding the contract on June 20, 2016. To date, staff has issued change orders in the amount of $109,552 (only 10% of contingency), while completing approximately 24% of the project. Given the benefits of completing the new restroom along with the rest of the golf course, staff has had initial discussions with Wadsworth regarding the cost of adding a restroom back into the existing contract. To minimize costs, staff is pursuing a prefabricated building option which was included as an alternate bid item in the initial solicitation. Wadsworth has agreed to construct a prefabricated restroom at a cost of $198,850. Although the potential for additional, but unforeseen issues exhausting remaining contingency exists, staff is optimistic that the project, including the cost of the new restroom, could be completed within the approved contingency amount. Staff is returning to Council for direction to issue a change order to the contract with Wadsworth Golf Construction Company in the amount of $198,850 to construct a prefabricated on-course restroom and remove the existing restroom. Staff will endeavor to complete the remainder of the golf course reconfiguration using the existing funding, but will return to Council in the event additional appropriation is needed. Timeline The contract change order for the construction of the new restroom and removal of the existing restroom would be issued to Wadsworth Golf Construction Company upon affirmative direction from Council. The new Baylands Golf Links is scheduled to be opened for public use in October 2017. Resource Impact Council direction to install a new restroom using existing contingency will not require additional Council appropriations for the golf course Capital Improvement Program project. However, should unforeseen construction-related issues necessitate funding above the remaining contingency balance, staff will return to Council. At present, the cost of the reconfiguration is being paid by the general fund with a future debt issuance in the form of Certificates of Participation (COPs) for the City of Palo Alto Page 4 construction and to replenish the general fund. Should a need arise for additional appropriation prior to issuance of the COPs, the additional appropriation could be debt financed. Environmental Review An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) was prepared to evaluate the proposed potential impacts of the Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course Reconfiguration Project and identify appropriate mitigation measures in accordance with the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Council, acting on behalf of the City of Palo Alto in its role as lead agency for purposes of CEQA, adopted a resolution on February 3, 2014, certifying the final EIR for the project.