TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: James Gillespie, Fire Marshal
PREPARED BY: Elizabeth Ellis, Administrative Assistant
SUBJECT:
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Vegetation Management and CEQA Compliance Agreement with DUDEK
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ABSTRACT
Murrieta Fire and Rescue seeks approval to enter into a contract with DUDEK for preparation of an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND) required to fulfill the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) obligations associated with Cal Fire grant #5TR23208. Completion of this work requires specialized environmental expertise that cannot be provided internally.
RECOMMENDATION
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Award the Vegetation Management and CEQA Compliance contract to DUDEK in the amount of $125,895, with an additional contingency not to exceed $14,105, bringing the total authorized contract amount to $140,000; and
Authorize the City Manager to execute the agreement.
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PRIOR ACTION/VOTE
On December 3, 2024, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 24-4798, authorizing acceptance of grant funds in the amount of $2,653,344 from the State of California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and authorizing the City Manager and their Designee to execute the Agreement on behalf of the City; approved the Agreement with the State of California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection for participation in the Wildfire Protection Grant Program; and authorized the City Manager to amend the Fiscal Year 2024/25 Operating Budget to allocate and appropriate the grant funds for $2,653,344 (Vote: 5-0).
STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT
This item aligns with the City Council goal to provide a high level of innovative public safety.
DISCUSSION
Murrieta Fire and Rescue (MFR) submitted a grant application for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Cal Fire Wildfire Prevention Grant Program. This grant provides funding for fire prevention projects and activities in and near fire-threatened communities that are on City-owned property. On August 19, 2024, MFR received notification from the granting agency informing the City of Murrieta (City) that it had been awarded a Wildfire Prevention Grant in the amount of $2,653,344.
MFR, in collaboration with the Planning Department, continues to advance efforts to comply with all requirements of the Cal Fire Grant. Staff has dedicated substantial time and resources toward initiating and progressing through the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review. Through a recent discussion with the Cal Fire Grants Team, staff received clarification that completion of the CEQA process, specifically development of an Initial Study/Mitigated Negative Declaration (IS/MND), is required, which necessitates a level of specialized technical expertise beyond what can be provided internally.
To meet this need, the City issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking qualified firms to prepare the required IS/MND. Four proposals were received and evaluated by the City’s review panel through a competitive process that included scoring and comprehensive evaluations of qualifications. Based on the results of this process, DUDEK was selected for the contract award in the amount of $125,895, with an additional contingency not to exceed $14,105, bringing the total authorized contract amount to $140,000.
PUBLIC NOTICING
The agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of the meeting at which the City Council considers the item).
CEQA AND REGULATORY OVERVIEW
This action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) and 15060(c)(3) of the CEQA Guidelines because this action will not result in a physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City Council previously established a budget appropriation for the FY24 Cal Fire Wildfire Prevention Grant. The project has allocated $140,000 from this grant to complete the required Vegetation Management and CEQA Compliance services to be completed through this Agreement.
As a reimbursable grant, the City will incur eligible expenses upfront and request reimbursements from Cal Fire in accordance with the terms of the grant. This grant does not require any local fund match or cost share.
ATTACHMENTS
ATT 1 - Agreement with Dudek