Agenda Item Wording:
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Inclusive Park Project - Review and approve the new proposed site location (McAuliff and Millcreek Parkway) for the Inclusive Park Project and approve contract amendment No. 2 in the amount of $405,500.63 to Westwood Professional Services for the change and update in design scope.
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Prepared by:
Cody McLaughlin, Associate Engineer, Cody.Mclaughlin@visalia.gov, (559) 713-4595
Dolores Verduzco, Financial Analyst, Dolores.Verduzco@visalia.gov, (559) 713-4540
Rebecca Keenan, Senior Civil Engineer, Rebecca.Keenan@visalia.gov, (559) 713-4541
Chris Crawford, City Engineer, Chris.crawford@visalia.gov, (559) 713-4331
Jason Huckleberry, Director of Engineering & Building, Jason.huckleberry@visalia.gov, (559) 713-4495
Department Recommendation:
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Authorize staff to move forward with design and construction of the project at the
alternative project site located at the northwest corner McAuliff Street and
Millcreek Parkway; and
2. Approve contract amendment No. 2 for the change in design scope in the
amount of $405,500.63.
Summary:
The Inclusive Park Project is a grant funded project that will design and construct the City of Visalia’s first fully inclusive park. The city was awarded grant funding from the state Department of Parks and Recreation through Proposition 68. The design contract was awarded to a design consultant and the project design was underway. Due to unforeseen conditions and obstacles, the project must be moved to an alternative project site. Staff is requesting authorization to move forward with design and construction of the project at the alternative project site located at the northwest corner of McAuliff Street and Millcreek Parkway. Additionally, staff is requesting the approval of contract amendment No. 2 in the amount of $446,286.63 for the change and update in project design scope. If council approves this alternate location, staff expects the design to be completed by the end of 2026, project to be bid in February/March 2027, construction to start in May of 2027, and a construction completion date estimated for early 2028.
Background Discussion:
In early 2021, the California Natural Resources Agency released the final guide and application for the Proposition 68 Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Grant Program. The purpose of this grant is to create new parks and recreation opportunities in underserved communities across California. The City submitted the Proposition 68 grant proposal for a new inclusive park project planned to be located on Oak Street between Burke Street and the Imagine U children’s museum facility. In Spring of 2022, the City of Visalia was selected as a grant awardee and awarded $7,829,352 for the new Inclusive Park project.
In the Fall of 2022 city staff proceeded through the consultant procurement process and awarded professional consulting services to Odell Engineering. Beginning in 2023, City staff began preliminary engineering and coordination efforts with the consultant. During the grant application process outreach efforts were performed, however given Covid impacts at the time, city staff felt there were obstacles that may have impacted outreach efforts. In turn, city staff determined there was a high importance to reconnect with the community on the project through additional public outreach while preliminary engineering efforts were under way. The additional public outreach was driven by city staff reviewing the grant required project scope and amenities and ensuring the right product was to be delivered to the users and the community. In coordination with the grant agency, city staff was informed that in order for the City to request changes or substitutions to the approved grant scope and amenities, the request needed to be supported either by: organized community outreach and feedback; design engineering and feasibility reasons; or cost engineering reasons. City staff organized and heavily marketed a public outreach meeting that was held at Imagine U Children’s Museum. In addition, staff had the opportunity to present and engage with community members and future park users at Able Industries within their facility. City staff also presented an updated concept layout to the City Parks and Recreation Commission and City Council which authorized staff to move forward with the updated conceptual layout and design scope.
City staff moved forward with the consultant, progressing through the design phase and preparing a bid package for construction. This project was being coordinated in conjunction with another city project, the “Oak Avenue Extension” project. The Oak Avenue Extension would build a one-way road south of the railroad tracks between Tipton Avenue and Burke Street. The Oak Avenue Extension project was intended to provide access to the Inclusive Park. Unfortunately, during the design phase and numerous meetings with railroad agencies, obstacles emerged that have resulted in the need to relocate the park project to an alternative site. Some of these obstacles include land use restrictions, design approvals, and conditional requirements that would significantly impact the Inclusive Park project, schedule, design components, and project budget beyond reasonable recovery.
City staff completed due diligence and research of possible parks sites that might provide an opportunity to the area, provide foundational design components to service the project, and satisfy grant agency requirements as an area of need. Ultimately the site that satisfied all parameters was determined to be a city owned 4.8-acre parcel located at the northwest corner of McAuliff Street and Mill Creek Parkway. Staff held a preliminary meeting with the grant agency representative and the representative communicated that this park location would be acceptable and a site change would be allowed through a request process. In addition, a Phase 1 and Phase 2 environmental site assessment has been performed and have not identified any significant concerns. If this new park location is approved by council, staff will coordinate with the grant agency to complete the necessary change of scope paperwork.
An outreach meeting was held on April 15th 2026 at Valley Oak Middle School, with 900 mailers sent out to the nearby neighborhood. 14 residents attended the meeting. The presentation focused on the new project site for consideration and the type of function and use of the future inclusive park. This outreach opportunity generated a variety of public opinions and comments ranging from some attendees expressing interest and excitement for the new inclusive park and other attendees expressing concerns about the project’s possible impacts to the area. Attendees expressed overwhelming frustration with the existing transient problem within the area around their homes. This issue seems to be occurring along Mill Creek, in the vacant city owned parcel south of the proposed location of the proposed park, and in Mill Creek Park just west of this location. They are also having issues with the transients rummaging in trash cans in the neighborhood. These frustrations seemed to drive a lot of the negative comments related to the park and concerns that the park would bring the transient population closer to their neighborhood. Listed below is a summary of several of the more significant concerns and the alternatives staff plans to investigate during the design phase of the park:
1. Concerns with transients utilizing the park and the bathrooms: City staff response is that this is going to be an enclosed park with a 6’ tall fence and it will only be open during specified hours. City staff will be opening and closing gates in the morning and in the evening so there will be a City presence that can report any issues to the appropriate departments. In addition City staff intends to explore design options for the bathroom equipment that would prioritize heavy duty commercial quality as an effort to prevent vandalization.
2. Park hours concern: The attendees’ opinion is that negative behavior in the area is most likely to occur after dark and requested that the park only be open during daylight hours. Staff will do more investigation into the appropriate park hours with this in mind.
3. Concerns about the parking lot being utilized for non-park activities: Staff response is that Staff can consider placing a vehicular access gate across the drive approach entrance that can be closed to coincide with park hours. This will need to be further discussed and investigated with the parks department during design.
4. Noise Nuisance: This comment seemed to be a misunderstanding about some of the park equipment. Various park equipment has the ability to make noises that are learning type tools for some of the special needs children. Staff does not believe that these noises will be loud enough to significantly affect the adjacent neighborhood.
5. Increased traffic activity in the neighborhood: The drive approach for this park will most likely be located on Manzanita St. Staff will keep resident concerns in mind when placing this drive approach. Heavy traffic to the inclusive park is not anticipated, but will be considered when designing the entry and exit points.
6. Request that the parking lot not be placed on Manzanita: Some of the attendees expressed concerns that they don’t want to be looking at a parking lot right next to their homes. This comment seemed to be geared towards residents wanting whatever was adjacent to their homes to look nice and be maintained. Staff will keep this in mind when placing the parking lot on the new project site.
7. Safety concerns about the uncontrolled intersection at McAuliff and Mill Creek Parkway: Staff informed the residents that the design is currently underway for a traffic signal at this location.
City staff has made note of public concerns and believe there are ways to mitigate some of these concerns and possible impacts through strategic design strategies and planned operations and management approaches to the project.
Consultant Change Order
With a change in park site location, City Staff coordinated with the design consultant for an updated contract amendment proposal that will orient scope and design efforts to the new project site in the amount of $405,500.63. This proposal includes an updated schedule that will have a complete bid package ready for bidding and construction before the end of the year. Upon approval of the new project site location and Contract Amendment No. 2, city staff would return to council to present an updated concept layout for approval.
City staff has taken the contract amendment to the change order committee for review and has received a recommendation for approval from council. Following council authorization to move forward with Contract Amendment No. 2 the consultant will update the concept layout and begin design and construction drawings. Staff will coordinate with the consultant to push through the design process and develop updated construction drawings, specifications, and an estimate to bid, in accordance with the following project schedule:
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Tentative Project Schedule |
|
Approval of Alternative Project Site and Updated Design Proposal |
May 4, 2026 |
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Completed Design |
December 2026 |
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Construction Begins |
May 2027 |
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Construction Complete |
January 2028 |
Fiscal Impact:
As a result of the unforeseen obstacles that came forward through the design phase of the Inclusive Park project and the Oak Avenue extension project coordination the need to relocate the Inclusive Park project has triggered a change in scope for the design consultant. City staff worked with the design consultant to develop an updated scope of work proposal. City staff meticulously refined and negotiated the updated scope of work proposal to transfer as much time and effort from the previous site to the new project site (such as site function, equipment selection, custom equipment design) in order to reduce the fee amount for the updated scope.
Staff is requesting a not to exceed amount of $405,500.63 contract amendment. This not to exceed amount includes the following tasks:
|
Contract Amendment #2: New Site Design Scope Proposal |
|
Task 1: Meetings and Project Management |
$20,745.00 |
|
Task 2: Topographic Survey |
$27,255.00 |
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Task 3: Site Analysis |
$8,860.00 |
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Task 4: Conceptual Plans |
$17,780.00 |
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Task 5: Design Development (50% PS&E) |
$64,580.00 |
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Task 6: Construction Documents (90% & 100% PS&E) |
$216,187.75 |
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Task 7: Bidding and Contract Award Services |
$5,9105.00 |
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Task 8: Construction Support Services |
$30,383.88 |
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Task 9: Construction Staking |
$52,580.00 |
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Total Amount: |
$446,286.63 |
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Contract Amendment #2: Remaining Scope of Services Not Performed |
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Total Amount: |
$(40,786.00) |
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Total Cost of New Site Design Contract Amendment #2: |
$405,500.63 |
In addition, the design consultant is providing a credit in the amount of $40,786 for the remaining scope of services not performed prior to the change in site location, this results in a net contract amendment amount of $405,500.63.
City staff will work with the design consultant to attempt to minimize additional costs to the park project where possible. Additional funding is being requested during the current budget cycle and is expected to be available in the 26/27 fiscal year for this project. Staff will also coordinate with the grant agency and see if there are any available funds for additional construction cost increases once bids are received.
Refer to the Project Budget Summary below.
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Inclusive Park Project Budget (CP0595) |
|
Soft Costs |
|
Design Consultant Initial Award |
$545,328 |
|
Design Credit for services not performed |
$(40,786) |
|
New Site Design Scope Proposal |
$446,286 |
|
Staff Time |
$220,000 |
|
Geotechnical |
$35,000 |
|
Materials Testing |
$50,000 |
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Subtotal |
$1,255,828 |
|
|
|
Construction Contract Estimate: |
$7,670,525 |
|
Contingency |
$853,999 |
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Subtotal |
$8,522,805 |
|
|
|
|
Project Total Cost: |
$9,780,352 |
|
|
|
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Current Project Grant Funds |
$7,829,352 |
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Current Project Park Funds |
$51,000 |
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Total Current Budget: |
$7,880,352 |
|
Budget Deficit: |
$(1,900,000) |
|
|
|
|
Additional Appropriation FY 26/27 Project Park Funds: |
$1,600,000 |
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Additional Appropriation FY 26/27 Project NE Capital Funds: |
$300,000 |
|
Total Additional Appropriation FY 26/27: |
$1,900,000 |
|
|
|
With the project budget shown above, staff recommends the approval for contract amendment no. 2 for this project. There are sufficient project funds to fund contract amendment no. 2. Additional funds are being requested in the next 2-Year capital improvement program in fiscal year 2026/27 from the Parks and Recreation Fund (211) in the amount of $1,600,000 and from the Northeast Capital Improvements Fund (291) in the amount of $300,000, to fully fund the construction phase.
Prior Council Action:
March 18, 2024 - Received a presentation on the Inclusive Park Project updated concept layout and provide direction regarding the updated layout.
November 07, 2022 - Council authorized the City Manager to enter into a contract with Odell Engineering (now Westwood Professional Services) for professional consulting services for the Inclusive Park Project in the amount not to exceed $547,095.00.
June 06, 2022 - Authorized the City Manager to accept and appropriate $7,829,352 in funds awarded form the State of California Natural Resources Agency, Proposition 68 Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Grant and appropriate $51,000 for staff indirect costs from the Parks Fund (211).
Other: NA
Alternatives: None Recommended
Recommended Motion (and Alternative Motions if expected):
recommendation
I move approve the new site location for the Inclusive Park Project and approve contract amendment No. 2 in the amount of $405,500.63 to Westwood Professional Services for the change and update in design scope.
Environmental Assessment Status: Categorical Exemption
CEQA Review: Categorical Exemption
Deadline for Action: 5/4/2026
Attachments: Alternative Project Site Location Map
Contract Amendment #2
Project Presentation
Strategic Goal: Indicates which City Strategic Goal(s) this item supports. Check all that apply.
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☐ Economic Vitality |
☐  Organizational Excellence |
☐ Fiscal Strength |
☒  Infrastructure & Growth |
☒  Quality of Life |