Title
Chief Administrative Office, Parks Division, recommending the Board:
1) Receive and file the results of the Chili Bar Request for Information;
2) Establish a Chili Bar Ad Hoc Committee to work with staff and stakeholders, including the American River Conservancy, on a Chili Bar Request for Proposals; and
3) Appoint two members of the Board to serve on the Committee.
FUNDING: General Fund.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
Chili Bar is a rafting/kayaking put-in downstream of the Highway 193 Bridge over the South Fork of the American River. The site is approximately 16 acres and is owned by El Dorado County. The lower area of the property, located adjacent to the river, is operated for rafting activities by the American River Conservancy (ARC) under the terms of a conservation easement. The upper level includes parking, structures, and the site of a previously-existing mobile home park. Chili Bar is a heavily-used access point for the South Fork of the American River. The El Dorado County Parks and Trails Master Plan identifies the Chili Bar site as a Tier One Priority and identifies the need for the County to gather additional public input and finalize a plan for this site.
On July 27, 2021, the Board considered the final Chili Bar Feasibility Study, which included a full site assessment of the current infrastructure and deficiencies, public outreach, a detailed analysis for up to four conceptual alternatives, and a financial feasibility study. The Board provided support for Conceptual Alternative #3, which included the following design features and approximate costs:
Design Features
• Renovate restroom building
• Store with expanded patio
• On-site camp steward in renovated house
• 9-13 high end campsites
• Covered group gathering area
• Improved stair and ramp between terraces.
Estimated Initial Implementation Cost: $3,100,000
O&M Cost: $53,500
Revenue/year: $97,500
Net Revenue: $44,000
The Board also discussed a need to develop a process to refine the direction for the design features, services on site, and the scope of the amenities, as well as exploring a concessionaire model for site operation. In order to gauge interest in and to solicit ideas from the public, on September 12, 2022, staff released a Request for Information (RFI) for operation at Chili Bar (Attachment A). As noted in the RFI, the ideas and feedback received from this RFI were proposed to be incorporated into an RFP that would be used to select an operator and enter into a lease agreement at a future date.
The RFI yielded three responses, each with a different vision for use of the site (Attachments B, C, and D). Staff is recommending the appointment of an ad hoc committee of the Board to this project in order to provide direction in refinement of an RFP, the evaluation of potential responses, and to determine a recommendation to the full Board.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could choose to enter into a concessionaire contract with one of the RFI respondents. Government Code Section 25536(a) provides that upon 4/5 vote of the Board, a County may enter into a lease or concession or managerial contract for any county owned land devoted to or held for ultimate use for park or recreation without complying with the competitive bidding requirements. This could provide for a quicker process, however, it would also exclude the potential for responses from interested parties that did not respond to the RFI with the understanding that an RFP process would be forthcoming.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
Legistar Item #21-1199, July 27, 2021
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel
Parks and Recreation Commission
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Appoint two ad hoc committee members as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Financial impact resulting from changes to the site or the management of the site could be substantial depending on the direction of the Board and the scope of the project. The development of an RFP and the resulting responses will provide more information on financial impact, which will be included in future items.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Infrastructure
CONTACT
Vickie Sanders, Parks Manager 530-621-7538