The following is a wrap-up of the July 16 City Council. You may view the complete agenda here as well as a video of the meeting here.

In a unanimous vote, the City Council approved the expenditure of $28,750 from Development Impact Fees to cover the cost of outreach and the grant application process for Smith Park and Smith Park Pool for grant funding from Proposition 68.

For some context, the City is currently applying for grants through the Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program which is funded by Proposition 68. This program will award over $650 million in multiple rounds of funding on a competitive basis for new parks and recreation opportunities in underserved communities.

Back in 2017, the City completed a Parks and Open Space Master Plan which outlined Smith Park Pool as a location that requires substantial renovation. This feedback, coupled with Proposition 68’s eligibility requirements, led to staff from Community Services to propose Smith Park Pool as a potential site that’s eligible for a grant.

To apply for the grant, Community Services staff selected Nancy Matthews of NLM Consulting to conduct community outreach and Pamela Yugar of Interwest Consulting Group for the grant writing portion. Both consultants have worked closely together before in grant writing and outreach. Community Services staff also recommended RHA Landscape Architects as the firm that could create a conceptual plan, which will be presented on July 17 at the final community outreach meeting. The total fees of three consultants totals to $28,750.

City Council approves agreement with JMDiaz for construction management and inspection for traffic signal installation at San Gabriel Boulevard and Commercial Avenue 

As part of the mixed-use project at 402-404 South San Gabriel Boulevard, the developer will place deposits with the City for a new traffic signal at San Gabriel Boulevard and Commercial Avenue.

The design was completed in 2013 and three bids were received in 2019. Comet Electric was determined to be the lowest responsible bidder with a bid of $218,575. Two additional elements – including underground conduit along and across the street to power the streetlights on Angeleno Avenue – would be installed for an additional cost of $27,755. For some context, over 15 years ago, streetlights were installed by the developer for the commercial building at the corner of Angeleno Avenue and San Gabriel Boulevard that were never connected to Southern California Edison’s grid. Construction is anticipated to begin in September 2019.

The project was originally proposed to be funded by the Great Streets Program at the July 2 City Council meeting. It will now be funded by Measure R after the City had learned it had received more Measure R revenue than was originally anticipated.

City Council approves professional service agreement with Civil Works Engineers for the Great Streets Program

Back in 2017, the City Council approved an agreement with Civil Works Engineers in the amount of $320,327 to assist with the Great Streets Program. In November 2017, the City Council approved an amendment with Civil Works Engineers to include additional streets in the design, increasing the purchase order by $73,115 for a total agreement that does not exceed $393,442.

Now, after evaluating the program, Civil Works Engineers has presented a scope of work and fee proposal for $21,225 due to the change of design at Junipero Place, two additional bulbout curb ramps on Santa Anita Street and an extension of the pavement limits on Santa Anita Street to Mission Road.

Funding for this amendment would be provided through the Great Streets Program budget.