PREPARED BY: Charles Ching, A2CM DATE OF MEETING: 12/18/17
SUBJECT:
TITLE
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO ACCEPTING WORK PERFORMED BY STRAWN CONSTRUCTION FOR THE NEW SAN PABLO LIBRARY AS COMPLETE SUBJECT TO EXCEPTIONS AND DIRECTING THAT A NOTICE OF COMPLETION BE PREPARED AND FILED WITH THE COUNTY RECORDER
Label
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Adopt Resolution
Body
Compliance statements
Amenities / Quality of Life is an adopted policy item(s) under the FY 2018-21 City Council Priority Workplan, effective November 1, 2017.
CEQA Compliance Statement
Based on information provided in the San Pablo Library Project Categorical Exemption document that was prepared prior to the construction of the San Pablo Library and for which there has been no change in impacts or circumstances : a) the project qualifies for an exemption under CEQA Guidelines Section 15332 (i.e., Class 32) and, as a result, would not have a significant effect on the environment; b) the analysis shows there are no exceptions to qualifying for the infill exemption, as identified in CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2; and as a separate and independent basis; and; c) the project qualifies for streamlined CEQA review pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15183 because there are no project-specific effects which are particular to the project or its site that were not already evaluated in the 2011 certified San Pablo Avenue Specific Plan EIR.
BACKGROUND
The City of San Pablo (“City”) has long partnered with the County of Contra Costa to provide its citizens with a local branch of the County library system. Generally, the City has been responsible for securing space for a local library branch and paying rent, maintenance and operational costs related to the space, while the County provides all library services at that location.
The San Pablo library branch was located at 2300 El Portal Drive, Suite C, within the College Center shopping center. The City rents the space of approximately 8,900 square feet. The City has long been interested in securing a larger location for the San Pablo library branch in order to better serve library patrons.
To that end, the City secured a long term lease on a 22,000 square foot space at 13731 San Pablo Avenue, generally located at the southern corner of Church Lane and San Pablo Avenue as a new location for the San Pablo Library (“New San Pablo Library”). This allows the City to more than double the size of the current library and provide a more robust library to its patrons.
On November 16, 2015, the City adopted Resolution 2015-197 authorizing a contract with Group 4 Architecture to design the New San Pablo Library. On January 20, 2016, the San Pablo Planning Commission adopted Resolution 16-03 approving the design of the New San Pablo Library and determining that the project qualifies for a CEQA exemption as an in-fill development project, consistent with the provisions of CEQA Guidelines Section 15300.2, 15332 and 15183.
On September 6, 2016, adopted Resolution 2016-269 awarded Strawn Construction the contract for the New San Pablo Library. The work was completed on or about December 6, 2017 except for the following punch list items: outdoor planter box and internal lock system.
By adopting the attached Resolution, the City Council will accept the work as complete, with exceptions, and authorize the City Engineer to issue a Notice of Completion. This action will allow title to the work to transfer from the Contractor to the City and for a public notification period to allow any subcontractors to file stop notice claims if they have not been paid. If there are no claims, then the City can pay the contractor the retention amount minus any disputed amounts and minus sufficient funds to cover the remaining punch list items.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City is withholding 5% of the total project cost as retention. Upon acceptance of the project as complete, City Council authorizes the release of the retention amount minus disputed amounts upon completion of a 30-day recording with County Clerk. This retention amount is already budgeted and approved.
The City and contractor are discussing some disputed change orders and related issues. In the interest of resolving this matter in an expeditious manner, staff is requesting that the City Manager also be granted the authority to execute the appropriate documentation (e.g. change orders, settlement agreement) with any additional expenditure appropriated from the General Fund Designated Reserve at the City Council meeting on January 16, 2018.