Title
Chief Administrative Office, Parks Division, and Board of Supervisors Chili Bar Ad Hoc Committee recommending the Board:
1) Receive an update on the status of Chili Bar Park;
2) Make findings in accordance with County Ordinance Section 3.13.030 Contracting Out, that contracting out for necessary civil engineering work is more economical and feasible due to the specialty skills and qualifications needed and the fact that the ongoing aggregate of the work to be performed is not sufficient to warrant the addition of permanent staff;
3) Approve Agreement 8330 for Lebeck Engineering, Inc. in the amount of $95,753 for a two (2) year term, and authorize the Purchasing Agent to sign upon review by County Counsel and Risk; and
4) Dissolve the Ad Hoc Committee established to work on the Request for Proposals.
FUNDING: Discretionary Transient Occupancy Tax Revenue.
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 2012 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 June 23, 2020 (Legistar Item #20-0420), the Board approved funding to complete a study of the Chili Bar site. Following the review of the Chili Bar Feasibility Study (Legistar Item #21-1199), the Board of Supervisors directed staff to explore a concessionaire model for management of the site, explore grant and revenue-generating opportunities, and coordinate with the American River Conservancy, who holds a conservation easement for the lower portion of the site and manages and operates the park. 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. 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.
December 6, 2022, Legistar #22-2088, the Board was provided each of the three proposals. In that same item the Board appointed an ad hoc committee to include Supervisor Parlin and Supervisor Hidahl, in order to provide direction in refinement of an RFP, the evaluation of potential responses, and to determine a recommendation to the full Board.
After reviewing the three proposals, the ad hoc committee determined that there was one proposal that met the expectations of the Board. Several site visits were completed with the prospective concessionaire. Parks and Facilities staff also completed the following tasks:
• Demolished and removed the double-wide trailer at west end of site.
• Location of a 8000-10,000-gallon septic tank. However, all piping was determined to be obsolete, not reasonably repairable, and in need of replacement. The current tank, if proven to be structurally intact, could potentially be used as an RV dump site, but it would have to be pumped as it cannot have leach lines for RV waste. If the existing tank is repurposed for an RV dump station, a new septic system may need to be considered to support the adjacent existing restroom/laundry building.
• Hazardous materials mitigation on the retail store and removed the residence due to hazardous condition.
• Vegetation and debris removal at the back (western edge) of the property.
• Concrete trip hazards repaired in front of the store.
• Park staff submitted a grant to State Parks Boating and Waterways Division in 2022 to install a restroom for private boaters. The grant submission is in the amount of $182,323 for a vault restroom and an adjacent ADA parking space. Due to Boating and Waterways’ restrictions on grants for parks charging user fees over $13 per vehicle load this application has been put on hold.
• Installation of a new roof on the store building.
• Tree trimming at the front (east end) of the property.
• Road repairs to the road leading to lower-level parking area and private residences.
• Determined the property boundaries - Completed by the Survey’s Office
• Begin to renovate the existing store.
As a result of site investigations and review of old plans and documents, it was also determined that an in-depth site assessment would be needed to determine the infrastructure needs (including wastewater, water, and electrical), site layout, and costs.
Some of the work required for this assessment may be classified as bargaining unit work; however, the work also requires the specialty skills of civil engineers with experience in complex building design (including analysis and interpretation of plans and specifications relating to facility construction) which are not expressly identified in County classifications. Staff recommends the Board make findings in accordance with County Ordinance Section 3.13.030 that contracting out for this assessment is more economical and feasible due to the specialty skills and qualifications needed and the fact that the ongoing aggregate of the work to be performed is not sufficient to warrant the addition of permanent staff.
At the request of Facilities, the Procurement and Contracts Division issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) 23-918-072 for Professional Services including Civil Engineering. Six (6) qualified responses were received for this category. Lebeck Engineering was selected for this work as the firm is local and has successfully completed projects at other County parks.
The subject agreement with Lebeck Engineering will evaluate the site and provide four feasible, preliminary development options, with deliverables to include site plans and cost estimates. Following the completion of this work, staff will return to the Board with options and for further direction.
The El Dorado County Employees Association, Local #1, was informed of the proposed agreement.
ALTERNATIVES
The Board could choose not to execute the contract and provide staff alternate direction for the development of Chili Bar.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
1) 10/03/2006, Item 06-1593 - Chili Bar Acquisition Grant application
2) 08/14/2007, Item 07-1306 - Chili Bar Acquisition Negotiations
3) 08/14/2007, Item 07-1390 - Chili Bar Acquisition Negotiations
4) 11/06/2007, Item 07-1550 - Chili Bar Acquisition
5) 06/23/2020, Item 20-0420 - Chili Bar Feasibility Study Conceptual Approval
6) 07/21/2020, Item 20-0859 - Contract Approval for Chili Bar Feasibility Study
7) 07/27/2021, Item 21-1199 - Chili Bar Feasibility Study and RFI
8) 07/26/2022, Item 22-1215 - Chili Bar Lease Negotiations
9) 12/06/2022, Item 22-2088 - Chili Bar RFI Ad Hoc Committee
10) 2/21/2023, Item 23-0419 - ARC Chili Bar Park Lease and Updated Agreement
11) 4/18/2023, Item 23-0771 - Chili Bar FY 2023-24 Funding
12) 5/16/2023, Item 23-0935 - Chili Bar Food Truck License Agreement
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Environmental Management, Surveyor’s Office, Facilities Division
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Board has allocated $250,000 from Discretionary TOT, $100,000 from River Trust Fund and $1,000,000 from designations to be used for this site. The cost of this contract is proposed to be paid from the Discretionary TOT funds.
At this time, of the $1,350,000 allocated, there is a total of $1,180,382 of funding remaining. Of this remaining funding, there have been an additional $185,000 of expenses approved for project management, and interior/exterior repairs to the store that have not yet incurred.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Infrastructure
CONTACT
Jennifer Franich
Deputy Chief Administration Officer