Title
Development Services Department recommending the Board:
1) Approve the Request for Proposals for Phase 2 of the Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP); and
2) Authorize the Purchasing Agent to advertise and release the Request for Proposal. (Cont'd 5/24/11, Item 37) (Est. Time: 30 Min.)
FUNDING: General Fund.
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Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost: Unknown at this time. Cost to County to be determined based on proposals submitted in response to RFP. The Recommended FY 2011-12 budget does not include any funding for Phase 2 of the INRMP. Therefore any funding would come out of the General Fund contingency and require a budget transfer and 4/5 vote of the Board.
Background: There has been much history on this item. Attachment D includes a chronological history of Legistar items and prior board action taken on these items.
General Plan Policy 7.4.2.8 and Implementation Measure CO-M direct the County to prepare and adopt an Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan to off-set the impacts of loss and fragmentation of wildlife habitat form development. In May, 2009, the Board decided to split the process of developing the INRMP into two phases. The first, an information gathering, mapping, and developing options process, was completed in April upon the submittal of the Options Report and preparation of the draft RFP by the consultant. Phase 2 is the development of the plan itself. This phase includes identification of the mitigation program, development of a funding mechanism, management strategies, and monitoring. Please see Attachment B for full text of the policy.
Phase 1 completed the Habitat Inventory, developed a list of indicator species for monitoring purposes, evaluated wildlife movement corridors and constraints, and developed a discussion of alternatives approaches for development of the habitat protection strategy. Each of these work products will be available to the consultant selected to complete Phase 2 and will help inform the process for the second phase.
As this is a project under CEQA, an environmental document must be prepared for adoption of the program. The RFP indicates that completion of the Initial Study to determine the appropriate CEQA document is a required task. The Initial Study will assist the County in determining the appropriate CEQA document (Negative Declaration or EIR) that should be prepared. The subsequent environmental analysis will depend on the program that the Board intends to adopt and the policy decisions the Board makes relating to the INRMP. The resulting document could be prepared by staff or a subsequent contract may be needed for the preparation of an EIR, if one is determined to be necessary. The issue of environmental review is one that was of great interest to ISAC and PAWTAC. A record of their discussion is available in the meeting notes and minutes from the January meetings of those committees. (See Attachments B and C.)
Action to be taken following Board approval: Upon execution by the Chair, the Department will release the Request for Proposals, and return to the Board for approval of a contract award to the successful bidder.
Contact: Peter Maurer/ x5331
Concurrences: County Counsel