PREPARED BY: CHARLES CHING DATE OF MEETING: 06/19/17
SUBJECT:
TITLE
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO AUTHORIZING THE EXECUTION OF A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BY AND BETWEEN THE CITY OF SAN PABLO AND THE CONTRA COSTA COUNTY FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT FOR THE SAN PABLO FIRE STATION REPLACEMENT PROJECT
Label
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Adopt Resolution
Body
Compliance statements
Public safety, collaborative funding partnerships and economic development, are adopted policy item(s) under the FY 2015-17 Council Priority Workplan Update, effective October 1, 2016.
CEQA Compliance Statement
Pursuant to Section 4(A)(1) of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Council consideration, the parties will make a determination of project feasibility, which includes review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (District) chose to be the lead agency under CEQA and is currently reviewing the assemblage and conveyance of the New Station 70 (defined below) to District, construction of the new Station 70, and conveyance of the Existing Station 70 (defined below) to the City. Once a proposed project budget is agreed upon and construction bids received, pursuant to Section 4(A)(8) of the Memorandum of Understanding, the City Council shall determine project feasibility, which will include at that point consideration of the CEQA review. Up to that point, the parties retain the ability to determine that the project is not feasible and to terminate the MOU. Thus, no final action will be taken until after consideration of the CEQA review prepared by the District.
BACKGROUND
The City of San Pablo (“City”) has long partnered with the District to provide fire and emergency medical services for the City. The District has assigned a two-person emergency medical services squad (the “EMS Squad”) to the District’s Station 70 (“Station 70”) located at 13928 San Pablo Avenue in the City (“Existing Station 70”), and the City pays the District for the costs of personnel, equipment and fuel for the EMS Squad. Station 70 is one of the busiest County fire stations, with more than 3,000 service calls each year; of which over 80% are for emergency medical services.
Station 70 crews had been operating out of a “temporary” modular building for many years, and with the addition of the EMS Squad, they no longer had adequate living space. Both the City and the District desire to construct a new Station 70 in the City with sufficient capacity to house the EMS Squad and other District personnel and apparatus necessary to fully staff Station 70.
Both the City and the District explored various options on constructing a new Station 70 (“New Station 70”) and concluded that building the New Station 70 on City-owned property located at 1800 23rd Street and 1821 Powell Street (“1800 23rd Street”) was the best option and provided the District a more central location compared to the Existing Station 70 location.
To that end, City and District staff put together the proposed Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) to outline the deal points for the construction of the new Station 70. Below are deal points under the proposed MOU:
• The City will acquire the Existing Station 70 from the District in exchange for 1800 23rd Street where the District will construct the New Station 70. This is a fair transaction given the values of both properties and the governmental purposes for the exchange.
• The City will contribute forty percent (40%) of the District’s cost of constructing the New Station 70, up to a maximum of $4.5 million. The City contribution will be disbursed as follows:
i. $2 million after the City has conveyed 1800 23rd Street to the District, the District has awarded the construction contract for New Fire Station 70 and documents have been recorded.
ii. $1,250,000 after fifty percent (50%) of the construction of the New Station 70 has been completed.
iii. The remainder of the City Contribution ($1,250,000) concurrent with the District’s conveyance of the Existing Station 70 to the City.
• If the District no longer provides fire or emergency medical services within the boundaries of the City, or decides to sell the New Station 70, the City will have the right of first offer to purchase the New Station 70 for 40% of the fair market value determined by an independent appraiser.
The District will be responsible for the design and construction of the New Station 70. Moreover, the District is also tasked with obtaining the information to determine the feasibility of the project including CEQA compliance, environmental review, title review, project specifications, project budget, solicitation of bids and overall project feasibility. Both the City and District’s governing bodies must determine the project to be feasible before the construction contract can be awarded and the project can move forward.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City will contribute forty percent (40%) of the District’s cost of constructing the New Station 70, up to a maximum of $4.5 million. No appropriations are needed at this time. Budget appropriations will be made at a later date.