HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-06-12 City Council (10)City of Palo Alto
City Manager’s Report
TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:CITY MANAGER DEPARTMENT: POLICE
PUBLIC WORKS
DATE:JUNE 12, 2000 CMR:279:00
SUBJECT:RESULTS OF PHASE ONE WORK ASSOCIATED WITH THE
FOUR SITES UNDER CONSIDERATION FOR A NEW PUBLIC
SAFETY BUILDING
REPORT IN BRIEF
In March 1999, Council authorized staff to proceed with the conceptual designs, cost
estimations, and environmental assessments at four potential sites for a public safety building:
1) the existing Police building; 2) City Parking Lot 6 at 251 Sherman Avenue, 3) 2747 and 2785
Park Boulevard, and 4) Page Mill Road and E1 Camino Real. Additionally, Council directed
staff to identify creative and cost-effective opportunities to deal with the current site
deficiencies and to provide an associated economic impact analysis.
Ross Drulis Architects, the City’s project consultants, and City staff have completed the
following: major revisions to the original architectural program; a split-facility analysis; and
preliminary environmental assessments, economic impact analysis, cost analyses, and
conceptual designs for the four sites. This report summarizes the findings, proyides a summary
of the advantages and disadvantages of each site and the split-facility concept, and will serve
as the basis of discussion with the Council. Staff will return to Council in July with as specific
site recommendation and request for approval to proceed with Phase Two of this project.
CMR:279:00 Page 1 of 10
This information is presented as background for the June 12 study session on this issue. On July
17, staff will present site selection recommendations incorporating Council’s input from the
June 12 study session. Due to the length of the project definition document, copies are not
being included for general packet distribution, but are available at the Police Department for
interested citizens.
BACKGROUND
In 1997, the City completed a preliminary needs analysis to determine if a new public safety
facility should be pursued. The preliminary analysis concluded that, based upon the age of the
building, the growth in the Police Department, the changes in codes and standards for police
facilities, and the significant changes in basic law enforcement procedures and operations that
have occurred over 30 years, the current building does not meet the Department’s programmatic
needs, is operationally and technologically deficient, . and does not conform with many current
codes and standards. The study identified eight major areas in the Police Department which
required attention if efficient and effective public safety services were to continue to be
provided: evidence processing and storage, prisoner processing and detention, locker
rooms/equipment and records storage; conference room/interview/office space availability;
technology~ training, vehicle parking, and a dedicated Emergency Operations Center (EOC)
(CMR:342:97). The study confirmed that the Police Department was in violation on a number
of codes and was unable to comply with certain standards relating to prisoner processing and
evidence processing, handling, and storage. The study also found that the existing lighting,
electrical service, emergency power and other infrastructure is inadequate, has no capacity for
expansion, and under certain circumstances (e.g. major earthquake) could render the current
facility inoperable. It was determined that the current building would have great difficulty in
accommodating new technologies. In addition to general inefficiencies and the inability to meet
legal requirements, the study concluded that the current facility presented health, safety risks
and security risks. The study also looked at the needs for the Fire Department Administration.
As a result of this analysis, the Council concluded that there was a very compelling case to
move forward with planning for a new facility and directed staff to formally initiate the process
needed for site selection and construction of a new building. The Council reinforced this
¯ decision in December 1998. After reviewing a list General Fund capital projects, the Council
approved a recommendation that a new public safety building be included in the list of top
priority projects for initial funding.
Between July 1997 and March 1999, City staffand the consultant hired by the City, Ross/Drulis
Architects, completed a draft architectural program, prepared a preliminary site survey and
evaluation, and conducted considerable community outreach. Based upon that work, in March
CMR:279:00 Page 2 of 10
1999, staff recommended that Council provide direction to proceed with the conceptual designs,
cost estimates and environmental assessments for a public safety building at four potential sites:
Site One - Existing Police Building
Site Two - Downtown Library Site at 270 Forest Avenue
Site Three - City Parking Lot 6 at 251 Sherman Avenue
Site Four - 2747 and 2785 Park Boulevard
Council approved proceeding with further analysis of Sites One, Three and Four. However, the
Council removed the Downtown Library site from consideration due to its proximity to
residential areas and the strong organized public opposition from those areas; and added the site
at Page Mill Road and E1 Camino Real to the list. Additionally, Council directed staff to
identify creative and cost-effective opportunities to deal with the current site (split-facility
study) and to complete an associated cost analysis.
Staff returned to Council on May 24, 1999, with a Budget Amendment Ordinance (BAO) to
cover the costs of the revised scope of services for Ross Drulis Architects. The revised scope
of services included the completion of the split-facility study and a detailed economic impact
analysis for each of the four sites.
Since then, the consultants, with City staff assistance, have:
- revised the original architectural program
- completed a split-facility operational and. cost analysis
- conducted a preliminary environmental assessment and comparison for each site
- developed conceptual designs for each site
- completed an economic impact analysis for each site, and
- prepared a cost analysis for each site .
This report summarizes the conclusions of each of these tasks and provides the advantages and
disadvantages for each site, as well as the split-facility study. The attached project definition
document provides detailed information.
DISCUSSION
Architectural Program
As a result of the comments and discussion by Council, in March 1999, staff and the consultants
completed several reviews and significantly reduced the original architectural program. Staff
CMR:279:00 Page 3 of 10
concurred with Council comments and as a result, the program included in the attached
document reflects a 26 percent reduction in the size, compared to the originally proposed
program. After reviewing all the information, staff believes that it is essential to proceed with
a facility that would house the Police Department, the Communications 9-1-1 Center, and the
Emergency Operations Center (EOC). Inclusion of Fire Department Administration in the new
building would be eliminated from further consideration. Staff believes that a public safety
building totaling approximately 52,700 feet would provide adequate space for next 20 to 30
years and is consistent with the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) facility
guidelines for police buildings. It is important to note that a large part of the space is required
to complete tasks such as evidence handling and processing and storage, interviewing of crime
suspects, victims and witnesses, emergency response, prisoner processing and equipment
storage.
The staffing projections, that have been made as part of the architectural program process are
based upon staff’s best estimates for community needs, crime issues, technology forecasting,
and .demographic predictions for the next 20 years. Areas that staff believes additional
personnel resources will be needed in the future include traffic, parking and high-tech
investigators. This process, used by every jurisdiction that plans for new public safety
buildings, is followed to project space needs for police departments. In discussions with
numerous other cities who have built public safety facilities within the last five to ten years, it
is very apparent that those cities who underestimate future needs or reduce up-front costs
usually end up spending significantly more dollars to correct their projections and/or
deficiencies. Staff clearly understands that any additions to the Police Department’s staffing
authorizations would go through normal budget and Council approvals over the life of the
facility.
Split-Facility
At Council direction, the consultant completed a split-facility study that looked at various
alternatives to the construction of a new full-sized, full-service public safety building. As
detailed in the attached document, six options were analyzed relativeto operational
considerations, staffing projections, building size, and costs. While several of the split-facility
options are theoretically feasible and initially cost less for construction, staff only recommends
pursuing the one that reflects a facility that would include the Police Department,
Communications Center, and the City’s EOC. The others are not recommended due to cost
considerations, the need for increased staffing resources, inefficiencies and space redundancies.
If different divisions of the Police Department were to be housed in separate facilities, some
degradation in the Command and control of the organization would occur. Redundancy in some
CMR:279:00 Page 4 of 10
staff positions would also be required, resulting in higher long,range costs for the City. As an
example, currently Traffic, Parking, Special Events, and Police Reserve staff all share the same
clerical personnel. If Traffic and Parking offices were to be located in a separate building,
clerical staff would be needed for both locations. Other inefficiencies would also occur. Traffic
officers provide back up to patrol officers in many calls-for-service and their frequent
interaction at .briefings, meetings, and training with patrol officers is required. Loss of
productive time would result if officers were required to travel between Department locations.
After reviewing the architectural program, cost estimates, and the size of the space at each of
the four sites, staff believes that only split-facility option number three should be pursued.
While the Fire Department would certainly use the training and conference rooms in the new
building, staff believes it would be prudent to handle Fire Department administrative functions
in existing facilities. Because a new building would be built to "essential facility" standards that
would ensure, continued operations after a major earthquake or disaster, it would be important
to include the Communications Center and the City’s EOC in the new public safety facility.
Site Comparisons
After a review of all the information, it is clear that one perfect site does not exist, but that there
are advantages and disadvantages to each one. Based upon all of the information obtained to
date, the following is a summary of the advantages and disadvantages for each site.
1)Current Site
Advantages:
¯ Property Ownership: The City owns the property and therefore land acquisition
expenditures would not be a factor in the costs for the building.
¯Zoning: No zone change would be required.
Disadvantages:
¯ Cost: The expansion of the current facility is one of the most costly of the
alternatives studied. Approximately $10 million would be needed for temporary
relocation costs. This would have to be considered a one-time cost that would not
result in additional assets for the City.
¯Size: In order to achieve the needed square footage, three additional stories would
have to be added. The size of the structure so close to a residential area would
be incompatible.
¯Operational Disruption: If the current site was expanded, a temporary-leased
facility of adequate size would have to be found, and the Police Department
CMR:279:00 Page 5 of.10
2)
would need to be relocated during the time of construction. The disruption
associated with two complete moves (one to a temporary site and one to the
expanded facility) would be significant. Additionally, based on the information
provided in seismic evaluation, the Council Chambers would not be available for
use during the time of construction.
Unavailability of Space for Other City Use: Expansion at the current site would
preclude the space being used for other City purposes. Staff has had preliminary
discussions about the potential of using the space that would be vacated by the
Police Department for the City’s Development Center and/or the Fire Department
Administration. Another location would have to be found or a continuation of the
current costly leased space arrangement would be needed to keep the
Development Center operational:
Time Delay: There could be a delay of up to one year in the actual expansion
project created by the search for a temporary facility and negotiation of a lease
agreement, the purchase and installation of equipment for a temporary
Communications Center, and the relocation of remaining furniture and
equipment. The consultant’s estimate that each year of delay in the project at this
site represents approximately $1.26 million in additional construction costs, due
solely to inflation.
Sherman Avenue Parking Lots
Advantages:
¯ Property Ownership: The City owns the property and land acquisition costs would
not be a factor.
¯Size of Property: The size of the property is conducive for a public safety
building.
¯Use of Civic Center Space for Other City Needs: As noted above, the space
vacated by the Police Department could be used for the City’s Development
Center, the Fire Department or other purposes.
¯Zoning: Because this location is already zoned Public Facilities (PF), no zone
change would be required.
Disadvantages:
¯ Parking Garage Construction: Prior to the construction of the public safety
building, a replacement parking structure would need to be built in order to
accommodate the parking needs of the California Avenue business district. The
construction of a garage would extend the disruption to the area by about 12
CMR:279:00 Page 6 of 10
months and would delay the actual safety building project by that amount of time.
Again, this would add to the construction costs of the building.
Cost: Due to the cost of constructing the parking garage, as well as the costs of
delaying the .project ($2.2 million per year), the analysis revealed that this site
would be the most costly for a police building.
Economic Impact to Businesses: Based upon the information in the economic
impact analysis report, businesses in the area could expect to experience a
temporary loss in revenue during construction. There would be a reduction in the
number of customers that would frequent the businesses due to the disruption and
temporary loss of parking.
Community Opposition: Of the four remaining sites on the list, this site is the
most controversial. There has already been considerable public opposition,
especially by California Avenue business owners and residents of the Palo Alto
Central condominium complex.
2747 and 2785 Park Boulevard Site
Advantages:
¯ Current Occupancy: With the exception of the office building on the small portion
of the site (2747 Park Boulevard), there are no structures on this site.
¯Cost: Even considering land acquisition, the cost estimates for this site are the
lowest on the list, $4 to $15 million lowerthan the other locations.
¯Public Support: Of all the sites, this one has received the most public support and
is the least controversial.
Disadvantages:
¯ Property Ownership:The two parcels associated with this site are privately
owned. The owner of at least one of the parcels has indicated through third
parties that he would not be interested in selling the property.
Environmental Concerns: The preliminary environmental assessment indicated
that there may be the potential for significant environmental impacts including
impacts on local traffic. The completion of one initial study and a full
environmental impact report (EIR) would be required to determine the extent of
the impacts and what mitigation measures would be needed to reduce the impacts
to less than significant levels. It should be noted that similar potential impacts
have been identified at all four sites that are under consideration. An EIR would
also include a study that would identify any hazardous materials on the site and
would prescribe appropriate mitigation measures where necessary.
CMR:279:00 Page 7 of 10
Zoning: This site is currently zoned for General Manufacturing (GM) uses. The
project would require that Planned Community (PC) zoning be adopted for the
property.
4) .Page Mill Road/El Camino Real
Advantages:
¯Current Occupancy: There are currently not any structures located on the property.
¯Size of Property: The size of the property would allow for the construction of the
public safety building without the need for subterranean construction.
Disadvantages:
¯ Property Ownership: The property is owned by Stanford University. During very
informal discussions that occurred early in the process, Stanford representatives
indicated that they would not be interested in selling the property to the City.
¯Environmental Concerns: The environmental assessment revealed that a
groundwater plume .at the adjacent Superfund site may affect sub-grade-areas of
the site. A full EIR would be required to determine the impact and the extent of
mitigations.
¯Zoning: This site is currently zoned for Multi-Family Residential (RM-30) and
would require a zone change for a police facility.
Green Building Concept
The construction of a new police building provides an opportunity for the City to initiate its
vision of "green building" strategies. The building could serve as a model for the
implementation of environmentally sensitive building construction. Design of the project could
include green building, elements such as day-lighting, the use of recycled building materials,
energy conservation, and water efficiency planning. While the initial costs associated with the
use of green building strategies may be expected to add 15 percent to construction costs, over
the life of the building, significant cost reductions related to maintenance would result. The
estimated annual operational costs listed in the attached document do not reflect these long-term
operational cost reductions, but substantial reductions would be expected. Upon conceptual
approval of the green building concept by City Council, staff will include an expert on the
design team to conduct a.life-cycle benefit analysis that would be conducted as part of Phase
Two of the project.
CMR:279:00 Page 8 of 10
Public Art
In keeping with the City’s policy of including public art in new facilities, staff has included two
percent of construction costs for public art in the estimates. Depending upon the site, these
costs range from approximately $592,000 to $997,000.
RESOURCE IMPACTS
A total of $389,320 has been spent on this project to date since 1997. Staff will return to
Council with a Budget Amendment Ordinance that would cover Phase Two of the project costs
at the same time a recommended site is presented for Council approval on July 17. Phase Two
costs are estimated to :be approximately $1.5 million. Funding for site acquisition and
construction is anticipated to come from debt financing. The debt financing is also anticipated
to recover all costs incurred in Phases I and II, leading up to construction. Phase Two tasks
would include completion of an EIR, preliminary design, geo-technical analysis, green building
evaluation, and public outreach.
The following are the estimated costs for each site:
Initial
Construction
Costs
Site Mitigation
Costs
Green Building &
Allowance for
Public Art
Land Acquisition
Costs
Soft Costs @
30%
Total
Existing Civic
Center
$29,645,5O0
California
Avenue Area
$31,750,000
Park Boulevard
$32,527,OOO
E! Camino /
Page Mill
$29,595,000
$10,234,000 $11,587,000 $0 $0
$5,040,000 $7,501,000 $5,530,000 $5,031,000
$0 $0 $2,364,000 $13,653,504
$I0,405,000 $15,258,000 $11,417,000 $10,387,800
$55,324~500 $66,096,000 $51,838,100 $58,667,304
CMR:279:00 Page 9 of 10
While there has been a substantial reduction in the amount of space compared to the original
estimates, due to the addition of green building and public art costs, the total estimated costs of
the facility have not changed significantly.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
Preliminary environmental assessments on the four sites are attached. A full environmental
impact report on the selected site would be included among the tasks as part of Phase Two of
the proj ect.
ATTACHMENTS
CMR:342:97
Public Safety Building Project Definition Document
PREPARED BY: Lynne Johnson, Assistant Police Chief
DEPARTMENT HEAD REVIEW:
PATRICK of Police
GLENN ROBERTS, Public Works Director
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
HARRISON,Manager
CMR:279:00 Page 10 of 10
City of Palo Alto
City Manager’s Repor t
TO:HONORABLE CITY COUNCIL
FROM:
AGENDA DATE:
SUBJECT:
CITY MANAGER
JULY 28, 1997
DEPARTMENT:POLICE
FIRE
CMR:342:97
NEEDS ANALYSIS AND RECOMMENDATION FOR APPROVAL
TO INITIATE FORMAL PROCESS FOR ~ BUILDING OF A
NEW PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING.
Sta~ with assistance f~om EKONA Architecture and Planning, have completed a preliminary
needs assessment relative to current and future space and building requirements and a study
investigating the feasibility of constructing a new publiC safety facility. This report provides
Council with the findings of the study. As a resultof the information obtained from this work,
staff’requests Council approval to formally initiate the process required for the site selection and
construction of a new pubfic safety building. Staff would return to Council at a later time with
a request for funding that would be needed to hire consultants to assist with the completion of
a more formal and detailed’ needs assessment, feasibility study and site selection evaluation.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Staff recommends that Council direct staff to formally initiate the process needed for site
selection and construction of a new.pubfic safety building.
POLICY IMPLICATIONS " -
This proposal does not seek to change the level of- services provided b~ the Police and Fire
Departments in the City. The consolidation of the various divisions and the two departments
into an efficiently laid out, technologically advanced facifity will enhance existing operations,
reduce potential liabilities, and increase efficiency and productivity of personnel. The proposal
is consistent with the City Council’s existing priority on infrastructure and with the proposed
Comprehensive Plan section on Community Services and Facilities.
CMR:M2:97
Page 1 of 13
BACKGROUND_
The Police Department and the majority .of the Fire Department’s administrative staff are
housed in the Civic Center, which was built in 1970. Since the time of construction, a number
of piecemeal changes have been made to the original design in efforts to accommodate
additional pubfic safety space needs, changes in the way business is conducted, and the
increases in public .safety staff. However, these and other stopgap measures have not
adequately kept pace with the changing pubfic safety environment. The 27-year-old facility no
longer provides an efficient, code or legally compfiant environment. Based upon projections
for the next 20 years, the deterioration of the usefulness of the facility will result in even greater
safety, health, ~md security concerns. As a result of these concerns, staff completed a
preliminary assessment of current and future space needs and identified specific operational
deficiencies ~.associated with the facility. With the assistance of EKONA Architecture and
Planning consultants, a preliminary feasibility study for expansion of the existing building or
the construction of new structure has been.prepared. This report provides detailed information
regarding the process used in this assessment, themajor areas of concern, a summary of the
¯potential options and primary issues for City Council consideration and possible funding
mechanisms.
DISCUSSION
Staff con. ducted an internal assessment of curr~nt and future public safety needs based upon
personnel, technology, operational considerations and State and local code requirements. Staff
reviewed current services provided and developed projections for the next 20 years regarding
staffing and service levels. It should be emphasized that ~ preliminary needs assessment was
not intended to be a detailed comparison between current existing conditions and ideal
conditions or an architectural design.
A project team consisting of the Assistant Police Chief, Deputy Fire Chief~ Acting Assistant
Director of Public Works, Public Works Engineer, and an Administrative Services Senior
Finaacial Analyst was formed. As. part of the study, the project team visited a number of other
cities which have recently built or are in the process of building new public safety facilities."
The purpose of these visits was to determine what they experienced and concluded during
completion of their needs analysis, design, and construction phases, what things they did well
and what things they would do differently. Attachment One is a matrix that provides
information about these other agencies’ building projects.
While this work was being completed, a Request for Proposal (RFP) was developed for
consultant services to review and analyze the data. gathered by the project team; to project space
needs for the next 20 years based upon demographic and departmental information; to assess
CMR:342:97 Page 2 of 13
the cun:ent ~ctural con~tion of the e~-sting facilities; and to evaluate potential options. The
RFP was sent to five consultant firms; four responses were received. The project team reviewed
the proposals and Selected three for an interview (the fourth company asked to be removed from
consideration). Based upon information received in the proposal and the interview, the project
team selected EKONA Architecture and Planning to assist in. the completion.of the study.
EKONA has extensive experience in pubfic safety facility analysis, and design. The agreement
was less than $25,000, so Council approval was not required. The City Manager’s contingency
fund was used to pay for the study.
Areas of Ma_ior Em_nhasi~
During the initial needs assessment process, staff identified eightmajor areas which require
attention due to operational and procedural changes; judicial and legal decisions that have
already taken place; and anticipated changes that most probably will occur during the next five
years. These areas include training; evidence processing and storage; prisoner processing and
detention; locker rooms/equipment and records storage; conference room/interview/office space
availability; technology; vehicle parking; and a dedicated Emergency Operations Center (EOC).
While the detailed list of operational deficiencies is included in the ~ttached consultant’s report,
the following is a sunmuuy of the issues associated with each of the major areas:
Txaiaillg - The quantity, methods, and variety of training which are required for police
and fire employees has increased substantially over the years. On an average, fire
fighters and pofice officers receive about 250 hours of training annually per employee. "
The medium used for training is also undergoing significantmodification. In place of
the traditional classroom, teacher-lecture format, a transition to simulation and
interactive/video individual training is occurring. This process reduces costs.associated
with sending employees off-site and, on many. occasions, out of town for training;
however, space is needed in order to have the training equipment available for use by
staff at any time. It should also be noted that, presently, the Police Department rents the
training space at the Cubberley site-over 350 hours a year at a cost of almost $10,000.
The Fire Department’s annual cost for use of the Cubberley space is approximately
$5,200. If space were available in a public safety building for this and the other training
mentioned, not only would therebe a cost savings, but the space atCubbedey would be
available for rental to other organizations. Pofice and Fire would share the training room
in order to maximize its use.
Evidence Processin~Storag~ , The importance of proper evidence processingand
storage and the critical role evidence plays in successful prosecutions of criminals has
gained significant attention over the last several years. The mishandling, improper
CMR:M2:97
Page 3 of 13
storage, or incomplete analyzing of crucial pieces of evidence can have severe
consequences, such as charges not being filed by the District Attorney, mistrials, and
acquittals. The methods of retrieval and the types o£ evidence items collected have
undergone substantial changes due to advanced technology. The conventional p~ocess
of dusting for fingerprints is rapidly becoming obsolete and the use of Chemicals and
equipment such as ninhydrin, fume hoods and laser instruments is becoming the norm.
While the Police Department currently has a fume hood located in one o£the general
evidence storage rooms, the space surrounding the hood is cramped and inadequate,
making the task of processing larger items awkward and potentially dangerous.. .
The use of DNA comparisons in identification of suspects and victims was only a theory
in 1986. Today, this technique is widely used, especially in major homicide and sexual
assault cases. The processing of DNA ev!.’dence requires very specific conditions and
space resources. In order to safely deal with pathogens on materials that are-still wet
with blood and other substances, to collect all available specimens that may drop off the
items while they are drying, and to conveniently and safely allow for subsequent
cleanup, special biohazard materials storage containers should be used to dry the items.
These containers require special ventilation. Large freezer units are then needed for
storage of the items, until they can be destroyed..The containers and freezer units
require a considerable amount of space that is not available in the Police building. As
a result, when fitced with the task of dealing with these items, Police evidence
technicians must do their best to improvise.
The use of photographs, video and audio tapes as evidence has also increased
sub.stantially over the years. Up until 14. years ago, Police Department staff developed
ana printed all evidence photographs in a well-equipped darkroom. The darkroom was
dismantled, however, when space Was needed for data entry and records staff work
stations. Since then, outside vendors have processed all photos. While, fortunately, Palo
Alto Police have not yet experienced any situations similar to some other agencies
where their prosecutions have been jeopardized after employees of private processing
vendors have released photos to the press and other people, there have been problems
that have arisen regarding the timeliness with which the processing takes place. There
,are few, if any, v~dors available for printing of photographs on weekends or in the early
morning hours. This has resulted in the loss of valuable investigative time in certain
cases while waiting for the store’s normal business hours.
Similar issues involve the expanded use of video and audio equipment for crime scene
investigations and victim, witness and suspect recordings. Presently, the only space
available for the playing and duplication of these tapes is again in a cramped corner of
CMR:342:97 Page 4 of 13
one of the general property storage areas. Additional room is necessary for the
equipment.
The processing of vehicles used in major crimes is also of concern. Ideally, the vehicles
should be totally secured in an area that has extremely limited access. Currently,
vehicles must be parked in the pofice garage. This presents two problems: l) the limited
amount.of secured space for pofice vehicles is reduced even further, and 2) there is no
guarantee that contamination of evidence in/on the vehicle will not occur as numerous
employees have access to the police garage.
Prisoner Processin_p~Detention Ar~a - State law now requires that there not be any
contact between adult prisoners and minor prisoners who are being held in temporary
custody. Contact is defined as any communications including verbal, visual or
immediate physical presence. In the Police Department’s current building configuration,
this separation is exb’emely difficult and, on rare occasions, is impossible. The recent
arrests of five suspects (three- adults and two juveniles) simultaneously in the Kay
homicide clearly illustrated the Department’s.inability to meet this requirement.
The present configtwafion consisting of two holding areas located directly adjacent to the
property/evidence room result in inefficiencies and safety concerns.. While this area has
been made as secure as.possible within existing space constraints, the level of security
and the lack of a separate prisoner transport sally port necessitate the presence of at
least two officers to ensure the safety of personnel. Not only are a minimum of two
officers required while .suspects are being escorted to/from patrol vehicles, but also
during the period of time the suspects are held in the temporary holding cells. This
results in one less officer being available to respond to calls for service.
Thebooking fees the city pays to the County (estimated to be about $173,000 for FY
1997-98) have been a source of considerable discussion over the last six years. In
attempts to reduce the fees Palo Alto,.along with other Cities in the county, has decreased
the number of suspects actually booked. With the exception of violent or very serious
felony offenders, many arrestees are released after a citation has been issued to them.
In continuing efforts t~o reduce booking fees, a county-wide satellite booking plan is
being finalized for implementation within the next two years. Under this plan, each
police department would have computer access to the jail computer system that would
enable entry of the required arrestee information to be completed by the arresting officer
at his/her own facility. This work, together with the fingerprinting and photographing
of the arrestees, will be finished at each agency prior to the transportation of the
individuals to jail. The intent of the plan is not only to reduce fees, but also to decrease
CMR:342:97 Page $ of 13
the loss of productive officer time ~frequently spent waiting in line at the jail. for the
processing of arrestees. Due to configuration of Palo Alto’s present temporary holding
area and the less-than-ideal level of security, for the safety of the Department’s officers,
Police staff does not anticipate participating in the program until such time
improvements can be made to the current situation.
Locker Room/Equi_oment and Records Storage. - The amount and types of equipment
issued to police officers today differs signific .antly from that issued 10 to.20 years ago.
Previously, officers shared portable radios which were recharged in units located in each
patrol vehicle, used flashlights that required regular alkafine batteries, and handwrote
their reports on NCR .forms. Today, each officer is issued his/her own portable radio
with batteries which are recharged in special charging um’ts; halogen flashlights which
must be recharged; and laptop computers to prepare their reports. Additionally, the
equipment associated with specialized teams such as SWAT, canine, commercial tra~c
¯ enforcement, and accident reconstruction continues to require more and more storage
space.
At the time the present facility was built with only one locker room, there were not any
female pofice officers in the department, nor other female employees in positions such
as community service and parking enforcement. Since then, there have been up to 35
female employees at one time requiring lo~kers. As a result, due to. the lack of space and
the costs associated with additional remodeling, there are now five different locker
rooms of different sizes and configurations. Even with the addition of these other locker
rooms, there is not adequate space. Lockers for officers assigned to the detective
division are on a stairwell landing that does not provide for any priva~.
Space needed for the storage of bicycles that have been recovered or that are¯ being held
as evidence has been a problem for some time. Approximately 50 bikes are retrieved per
month~ While police staff return, a number of the bikes to owners when proof.of
ownership is demonstrated, at any given time there is an accumulation of well over 200
bikes..Presently, some bi~eS are kept in the police garage. Other bikes are stored in
large containers at theCity’sMunicipal Service Center 0VISC). This situation is very.
inefficient, in that staff or volunteers are forced to make numerous trips back and forth
to the MSC to allow citizens to view bikes for possible identification or pick up bikes
that have been determined to belong to them. Also the continual need to transport the
bikes back and forth has already been the cause of some employee back injuries caused
from the lifting of the bikes. ¯
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t
Due to lack of storage space, Police personnel records are currently kept in file cabinets
which are in unsecured common areas or in a staff member’ s office. The consequences
include compromised integrity of records, as well as numerous interruptions to work.
There is not any centralized storage space for Fire Department administration records
or standard office supplies, causing files to be stored in boxes under or beside desks, and
most suppliesto be kept in remote areas. This situation not only creates a safety hazard,
but also does not provide for convenient access or organization.
Conference/Interview Rooms/Office Space - Sufficient room is not available for
interviews with.victims and/or witnesses. Only one actual interview room exists and its
availability has been limited in the past when the room has been utilized for other
purposes, such as volunteer work space. It is not uncommon, therefore, for interviews
to be conducted in the public lobby area or in detectives’ offices, resulting in the lack
.of confidentiality of information received :from citizens, and a compromise in employee
sffety.
The lack of conference rooms, especially those which would accommodate six people
or fewer, together with the number of offices that are shared by two or more .people,
impedes private counseling sessions or .uninterrupted private mee.tings:
A shortage of office/workspace continues to be a significant issue forboth the Police
Department and Fire Administration. In 19"/0, Pofice Department staff totaled 136 and
the Fire Department 96.. Since then, the number of Pofice Department employees has
increased to 16"/.5 and the Fire Department to 123 positions. While there is not a one-
to-one correlation between the number of staff and the number of offices/work spaces,
the increase in the nmnber of employees over the years.has created a severe office/work
space shortage.
At the time the .Civic Center was constructed, the use of volunteer~,, other than police
reserve officers, was not even a consideration. Today, the Police Department has a very
active complement of volunteers; about 35 volunteers, provide services on a weeHy
basis. The environment in which they currently work is cramped, inconvenient and not
conducive for attracting additional volunteer assistance. Today, Fire administrators are
spread out over four completely different locations, the repercussions of which include
unproductive time spent traveling to/from meetings and inefficient day-to-day
operations.
CMR:342:97 Page 7 of 13
o
Q
~ - The increased use of technology in the day-to-day public safety operations
has been significant over the last 10 years. It is impossible to complete routine types of
tasks without the assistance of computers. As an example, officers are writing police
reports on personal computers and notebooks. Lack of existing space has meant the
Police Department has had to setup computer work stations in the Police briefing room,
and temporarily relocate its daily watch briefings into the existing Emergency
Operations Center (EOC).
The Police Department is accessing numerous ~’ederal, state, and local law enforcement
and private databases, many of which require special installation and equipment. These
computers are currently installed on a space available basis, rather than in areas where
they can be most efficiently used. Additionally, much of the hardware requires special
air conditioning and temperature control to ensure optimal operation. More electrical
and wiring connections are also anticipated... The consultants have determined that the
current electrical .system at the Civic Center has reached its maximum loading and
provides no capacity for expansion. If Police and Fire intend on keeping up. with
technological changes, this .problem must be resolved.
As additional technologies become available and are implemented for daily .law
enforcement operation (e.g., Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD), Automated Fingerprint
Identification System(AFIS), and others): the current shortage of processing and work
space throughout the Pofice Department will be exacerbated.
Vehicle Parking, -Over the years, the number of police vehicles has increased. In
addition to regnl~ patrol cars, vehicles have been added to the fleet, including trucks for
community service o~cers, electric Cushmans for the parking enforcement officers and,
most recently, motorcycles for the traffic team. Including the unmarked cars used by
detectives, there are 65 cars assigned to the Pofice Department that must have parking
available in .the Civic Center.
Originally, the secured pofice garage was .built with parking spaces for 31 .vehicles.
Since then, a ~otal of eight spaces have been lost due to the building retrofit work that
was ,completed several years ago; space needed for the motorcycles; and space needed
to park and recharge the electric Cushmans. As a consequence of the lack of secured
parking, the remaining patrol and unmarked vehicles must be kept in the Civic Center
garage when not in use. As a result, .some patrol cars have been the target of vandalism.
Dedicated Emergency_ Operations Center .(EOC) - For over the past 15 years, the City’s
EOC has been used for various other purposes, including computer training and
CMR:342:97 Page 8 of 13
conference room. Cun’ently, it serves as the Police Department’s shiiYbriefing room.
As a result, the City’s ability to mobiliz~e the EOC in the event of a disaster in a timely
fashion has been impaired. A dedicated, fully-equipped EOC is needed in order to save
time and resources during responses to disasters and critical incidents.
POTENTIAL OPTIONS
Based upon the information, that was gathered and analyzed, the .preliminary findings of the
needs .assessment indicate that the Pofice and Fire Departments have alreadyoutgrown existing
facilities and require approximately double the existing space. The original design and age of
the current building, together with the changes in codes, standards, and the general way
business is conduvted have resulted in inefficient operations and potentially unsafe conditions,
and have left the City vulnerable to potential future legal actions.
Three conceptual options were developed and evaluated as a result of this information.
Option One looked at expansion and renova~on to the ~u’rent Police Department building.
While this option certainly provides some relief to the operational a~d space deficiencies that
have been identified, it leaves some unresolved issues (e.g., the lack of enough space for
secured parking for police vehicles) and would require major disruptions to the entire Police
Dep .ar~m. ent operations, for the.duration of the build-out.and renovation.
Option Two involves the construction of a new facility at some other site. While this option
would cost more, it certainly provides the most comprehensive solution to the deficiencies and
needs. Additionally~ the vacated space at the current site could be used forother City
departments and services. The consultants and staff believe that this option best meets the
City’s needs..
Option Three is to do nothing. While there are no concrete costs associated with this option,
the potential impact resulting from legal actions, health, Safety, and security concerns, and the
continued inefficiencies of operation would over time be substantial.
PRIMARY ISSUES FOR COUNCIL CONSIDERATIOI~y
Staff believes three issues are critical in Council’s consideration of
recommendation to pursue development of a new public safety building.
selection, potential use of the vacated Civic Center space, and funding.
the proposed
These are site
CMR:342:97 Page 9 of 13
~ - A crucial part of the proposed formal process wouldbe a comprehensive
site evaluation. The process used for selection of an appropriate site and the impact on
the surrounding neighborhood would require considerable attention. During thecourse
of .the preliminary feasibility .study, limited discussion took place regarding the
availability 0fpotential sites for a new building,. The increase in project costs associated
with the purchase of property (estimated to be about $I0 million) compared .to using
City-owned property would be substantial. Additionally, the farther away the site would
befrom City Hall, the greater the costs for the required dedicated computer and
telephone hook-ups. Staff briefly reviewed City-owned property and determined that
there are three potential sites that meet the minimum size requirement. These include
the Downtown Library, the current PASCO site on Geng Road and the property on
Embarcadero Road adjacent to the Main Library. Formal evaluations of each of these
sites wouldbe necessary prior to the development of any specific location
recommendation. Because theie will be vaDring .levels of impacts to adjacent
neighborhoods associated with each option, staff intends to facilitate participation from.
the residents of thosd neighborhoods as part of the decision making process. An
additional factor that enters into the site selection p~’ocess is Council’s direction on the
library master plan that will be presented, to the Council within the next few months.
Reuse Of Civic Center Spa~. - There are numerous alternatives for reuse of space that
would be vacated at the Civic Center on the sixth floor, and in the Police wing. Some
preliminary ideas include the potential relocation of the Downtown Library if’ that site
was selected for the new public safety building; a one-stop permit center; and additional
office space for other departments. While staff is not prepared at this time to make any
specific recommendations, a logical course of action would be for the City to hire a
consultant to evaluate the @aceand develop the recommendations as part of this overall
effort. "
Fundin_~ Mechanism - Other cities that have funded such capital expenditures have used
various financing options. A common option, the use of redevelopment money, is not
available to the City of Palo Alto. The options include:
General Obligation Bonds: General obligation (GO) bonds can be issued to pay
for capital projects related to real property acquisition, new building construction,
and major renovations to existing buildings or building systems. ~ GO bonds
generate a.new source of funding through a lien on property tax bills of all Palo
Alto properties. The issuance of general obfigation bonds requires a general
election and the-approval of two-thirds of the voters.
¯ CMR:342:97 Page 10 of 13
Because GO bonds are paid for through additional revenue ~rom property taxes,
they have no impact on current General Fund spending levels or programs. In
other words, because they provide additional fimds, they do not require that
existing programs be reduced or other types of revenue increased. However,
because this method of financing requires voter approval, it is more difficult to
obtain. The City of Palo Alto has not issued GO bonds for many years.
Certificates of Participation: Another financing mechanism available to the City
is Certificates of Participation (COPs). With COPs, the financing is not
technically considered "debt" but instead is a long-term lease. Because COPs are
considered long-term leases, they are. exempt from the State Constitution’s
requirement for voter approval of long-term debt. They are commonly used in
California, and have been used by the City of Palo Alto to fund improvements at
the Golf Course (1978) and the Civic Center for seismic improvements (early
1980s). ..
COPs allow the City to raise tax-exempt funds through the leasinKof a public
facility to a non-profit corporation that the City establishes as a separate legal
entity. That entity enters into a long-term lease arrangement with the City to
lease a City asset. Investors buy..shares of the lease payments in the financial
markets. The proceeds from this .sale of the long-term leage are then used to
fmance the construction of the improvements. The City pays back the investors
by leasing the facility back from the corporation, with the lease payments senting
as debt Service payments. At the end of the lease period, typically 20-25 years,
the lease obligation is disencumbered and the City retains full title to the asset.
As with GO bonds, COPs may be used to finance land acquisition, construction
of new buildings, and major renovationsto existing buildings or building
systems.
Unlike GO bonds, the lease payments come out of the General Fund’s existing
revenues, as no new revenue is generated. Thus, they obligate the City over the
life of the payments, and potentially restrict the City’s future ability to offer new
programs and services.
Funding fi’om Reserves: Another financing option available is the use of reserves
to.fund capital expenditures. Given the estimated expense of either option, while
the whole cost could not be funded out of reserves, a portion of it could be,
Page 11 of 13
do ¯ Pa_v As You Go: Another financing option is "pay as you go," which is how the ¯
City has historically paid for capital expenditures. Similar to the use of reserve
funds, the projected cost of either option precludes this method of financing.
STEPS/PROJECT TIMELINI~.
Pending Council approval of staff’s recommendation to initiate a formal process for site
selection, design, and construction of a new public safety building, the following represents the
actual steps associated with the process and an estimated timeline:
Initiate process for completion of a detailed needs analysis; architectural program;
concept design; and site selection. August 1997 - September 1998. This step would
include the selection of a consultant to assist with the formal needs analysis,
identification of preliminary architectural issues, and evaluation of potential sites.
Finalize financing plan, prepare preliminary design, Complete environmental impact
assessment, and finalize relocation plan. October 1998 - August 1999..
Prepare final design, obtain appropriate permits, obtain financing, bid/award
construction contract. August 1999 - June 2000.
Construction of new facility. June 2000 June 2002.
FISCAL IMPACT
As indicated in the attached study, the estimated cost for Option 1 is approximately
$19,200,000 and Option 2 is $31,600,000. It should be noted that these estimates have been
escalated to the projected midpoint of construction. In other words, these are estimated for the
year 2001 dollars. Projected costs for Option 2 include land acquisition costs and, if City-
owned property was selected as the potential site, the property purchase price would be
eliminated. If the land cost is eliminated, the cost of Option 2 would be approximately $2
million more than Option 1. Costs for both options include new furniture and equipment. It
is important to point out.that estimated costs for Option 2 do NOT include those associated with
renovation of the current Civic Center space currently occupied by the Police Department so
that the space could be used for other services. Staff estimates these renovation costs would be
several million dollars.
ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
CMR:342:97 Page 12 of 13
An environmental assessment would be necessary prior to final decisions being made and .
therefore would be part of the proposed formal process.
A’I~I’ACHMENTS
Attachment 1: Matrix of Other Cities’ Public Safety Building Projects
EKONA Feasibility Study ¯
PREPARED BY:Lynne Johnson, Assistant Police Chief
Judith A. Jewell, Deputy Fire Chief ¯
Shannon Gaffaey, Senior
DEPARTMENT HEAD REVIEW:
DURKIN, Police Chief
’ ROBEN G.RIJALV~ Fire Ch~f/d-’- "
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL:
Administrative Services .Director
cc Joette Farrand
Page 13 of 13