09-19-2014 BPU RPT 06 - Laserfiche WebLink

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W A T E R E N E am& RIVERSIDE PUBLIC UTILITIES Board Memorandum PUBLIC UTILITIES BOARD OF PUBLIC UTILITIES DATE: SEPTEMBER 19, 2014 ITEM NO: 6 SUBJECT: LONG RANGE PLANNING EFFORTS FOR RIVERSIDE PUBLIC UTILITIES NORTHSIDE REAL PROPERTY ASSETS; EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS ISSUE: The issue for Board of Public Utilities consideration is expenditure of $77,000 for a Professional Services contract to be administered by the Community Development Department for long range planning efforts related to RPU's Northside properties including the Ab Brown Soccer Complex and the former Riverside Golf Club. RECOMMENDATION: That the Board of Public Utilities approve the expenditure of $77,000 for long range planning efforts related to Riverside Public Utilities' Northside properties including the Ab Brown Soccer Complex and the former Riverside Golf Club. BACKGROUND: In December 2013, the Community Development Department's (CDD) Planning Division initiated a nationwide search for a consultant team that would prepare a citywide Smart Code Specific Plan and a related Program Environmental Impact Report (PEIR), and concurrently create a Northside Neighborhood Vision Plan. The consultant was also to provide master planning services for the 124 -acre former Riverside Golf Club and 55 -acre Ab Brown Sports Complex, both within the Northside Neighborhood. The City's efforts to solicit a consultant team involved a Request for Qualifications (RFQ), and a subsequent Request for Proposals (RFP). As a result of the RFQ /RFP process, the City's Consultant Selection Committee identified the partnership of Opticos Design, Inc. and Sargent Town Planning as the preferred consultant. On April 17, 2014, the City Council's Development Committee authorized CDD staff to negotiate a Professional Services Agreement to concurrently complete the Smart Code Specific Plan program, including the Northside Neighborhood visioning and master planning project. However, due to community concerns, a decision was made after the Development Committee meeting to bifurcate the Northside activities from the city -wide Smart Code effort, and pursue the Northside Visioning prior to initiating any Smart Code work. As an independent effort, the Northside Visioning has been identified as the "Northside Neighborhood Pledge." The intent of Northside Neighborhood Pledge is to establish a community -based vision for the former Riverside Golf Club and Ab Brown Sports Complex and identify community factors (opportunities and constraints) that will define the future use and development potential of the properties. The Northside Neighborhood Pledge project will be based on a combination of community visioning exercises, an evaluation of site - specific strengths and weaknesses, and limited technical analyses. The intended outcome is a pledge by the City to consider and respect the resulting community vision when the future Smart Code Specific Plan or other related land use planning efforts affecting these properties are initiated. The pledge project will be a precursor to any official process of defining land uses and Zoning designations of the properties, and will be instrumental in guiding any future use or sale of the properties, should they be deemed surplus by Riverside Public Utilities or the City of Riverside. By its design, the process and project creates value for RPU and its rate - payers through the identification of environmental constraints on the siting of wells, community concerns as to certain uses and potential development opportunities.