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SR - AGR-6505 - SANTIAGO HILLS LMD LANDSCAPE RENOVATION 1. SUBJECT Turf Replacement and Landscape Renovation Bid No. 167 -46 at Santiago Hills Assessment District along Skylark Place. 2. SUMMARY Consistent with the overall renovation plan to replace the District's costly and aging landscape with new drought tolerant landscape, this portion of the renovation includes soil preparation, installation of new drought tolerant hydro -seed and plants, and installation of a new water efficient, sub - surface irrigation system along Skylark Place. 3. RECOMMENDED ACTION 1) Authorize the appropriation of $74,032 from Fund 291 unreserved fund balance to expenditure account number 291.7024.56015.20255 (Santiago Hills LAD General Renovations); and 2) Approve contract with Nieves Landscape, Inc. for an amount not to exceed $99,000 and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute on behalf of the City. 4. FISCAL IMPACT Upon appropriation, funds will be available to cover the cost of the contract as follows: 291.7024.56015.20255 Santiago Hills LAD General Renovations $99,000 5. STRATEGIC PLAN GOAL(S) 3a: Renovate, refurbish and improve public use places and spaces that are functional and safe. 6. GENERAL PLAN IMPLEMENTATION Land Use Element Goal 6.0: Advance development activity that is mutually beneficial to both the environment and the community. Policy 6.3: Establish and maintain greenways, and pedestrian and bicycle connections that complement the residential, commercial and open space areas they connect. Policy 6.8: Maximize landscaping along streetscapes and within development projects to enhance public health and environmental benefits. 7. DISCUSSION and BACKGROUND Background The Santiago Hills Landscape Assessment District (District) comprises over 32 acres of landscape, lighting, and other infrastructure maintained by the City under service agreements. Funds supporting the maintenance of the District landscape and other infrastructure are derived from an annual assessment of property owners within the District. In June, 2015 property owners in the District approved a ballot measure to increase the landscape assessment to address rising maintenance costs and to gradually make improvements to the outdated and inefficient landscape and irrigation throughout the District. Upon the passage of the increased landscape assessment, the City formed a Santiago Hills Assessment District Liaison Committee to ensure neighborhood input in decisions regarding landscape maintenance and budgetary priorities for the District. At an October 2015 Committee meeting, City staff presented a conceptual landscape drawing and plant palette which included California native and drought tolerant plant species and considerations for a low -flow, sub - surface irrigation system. The plan and plant palette were consistent with plans and plant selections reviewed by the Santiago Hills community at a workshop held in May 2015 and were presented as a template for landscape renovation projects to be completed over time as funds become available. Projects are determined annually based on available funds and resources to design and manage each project. The committee prioritized the renovation work to begin at the District entrances, including the Handy Creek Paseo, Trails End and Skylark Place. The first of the smaller renovation projects was completed on Trails End in 2016, to be followed by the Skylark Place entrance from Newport Avenue, presented here tonight. Attached is a map of the renovation project locations, indicating the committee's priorities, with the top priorities labeled 1. As funds allow each year, additional renovation projects will be completed until all the landscaping has been renovated throughout the District. Since completion of Trails End, the City has received feedback from a handful of residents who prefer a different look for the landscaping. Staff has made contact with these residents to explain the goals of the renovation projects and to inform them that Trails End is a maturing landscape ITEM 2 8/8/17 that will fill in and evolve over time. The look of the meadow grass seems to be the area of most concern. For the Skylark Place project, staff is evaluating options to reduce the meadow grass footprint to only use this plant material in areas where existing tree roots limit the planting options, and utilize other shrubs and ground cover within the established drought tolerant plant pallet in its place. In addition to the construction award being considered tonight, plans are being finalized for the Handy Creek Paseo Project at the corner of Newport and Chapman, which is anticipated to be awarded later this fiscal year. Staff will also consider the neighborhood feedback regarding meadow grasses and work with the Liaison Committee in the final design for this project. Discussion City staff advertised a formal bid request for the Skylark Place project on May 24 based on plans reviewed by the Santiago Hills Assessment District Liaison Committee. Six bids were received on June 22. A bid abstract summary is attached. Staff is recommending Nieves Landscape Inc. (Nieves), as the lowest responsible bidder. Reference checks came back with positive feedback from other cities indicating they did great work and completed their work on time. The City of Orange also has landscape maintenance service contracts with Nieves for the Santiago Hills Assessment District, as well as City Facilities and Rights of Way. Nieves has both a construction division and a maintenance services division. Award of this construction contract to Nieves will provide continuity with their maintenance services agreement after installation. Staff also contributes the favorable bid received by Nieves to their familiarity of the project site. The project scope includes soil preparation and minor adjustments to the existing grade, conversion of the existing irrigation system to a new low -flow, sub - surface system, and installation of new landscaping using California native and drought tolerant plants and groundcover. The amount of the bid received from Nieves Landscape Inc. is $99,000, just under the project cost estimate of $100,000. Funds in the amount of $24,968 are available as a carryover after the completion of the Trails End Project. The remaining $74,032 will need to be appropriated from the 291 fund balance. Upon approval of the contract tonight, work is anticipated to be complete by November, 2017. 8. ATTACHMENTS • Map of Santiago Hills Landscape Renovation Locations • Bid Abstract • Contract