Agenda Item Wording:
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Authorize the City Manager to award the contract for RFP 22-23-45 - Professional Services for Preparation of an Industrial Land Inventory Analysis to 4Creeks, Inc. for a total amount not to exceed $60,000 (Capital Improvement Project #CP0536).
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Deadline for Action: 7/17/2023
Submitting Department: Community Development
Contact Name and Phone Number:
Devon Jones, Economic Development Manager, devon.jones@visalia.city <mailto:devon.jones@visalia.city>, (559) 713-4190
Paul Bernal, Community Development Director, paul.bernal@visalia.city <mailto:paul.bernal@visalia.city>, (559) 713-4025
Department Recommendation:
Authorize the City Manager to award the contract for RFP 22-23-45 - Professional Services for Preparation of an Industrial Land Inventory Analysis to 4Creeks, Inc. for a total amount not to exceed $60,000 (Capital Improvement Project #CP0536).
Background Discussion:
A key component of the Visalia 2030 General Plan’s economic development strategy is industrial development and corresponding job growth. The General Plan’s Economic Development Land Use Objective #1 (LU-O-1) is, “Maintain Visalia’s role as the regional commercial and industrial center for Tulare, Kings and southern Fresno counties.” Industrial sector job development is critical as these are "basic” or “primary” jobs. In economic development terms, basic jobs are those that make products or services that are consumed outside of the community, thereby generating “new” wealth for local workers and local service or retail sectors. Because Visalia’s jobs mainly come from the services, industrial, and retail sectors, prioritizing industrial job development best leverages the City’s economic development efforts to realize a growing, diversified local economy.
As the City strives to be a “development partner” through its various General Plan elements, this also means the City needs to strive to provide an adequate supply of available sites for industrial job development. At this time, industrial development and land acquisition activity has accelerated quite rapidly and while there is still considerable vacant land to be developed for industrial uses, available land for purchase is diminishing. With the expansion of larger speculative industrial spaces in the Visalia Industrial Park primarily for warehousing, distribution, and e-commerce, interest in industrial investment in Visalia appears to be at an all-time high. It is also time to conduct an analysis to see where the next phase of available industrial sites should be located.
Request for Proposals #22-23-45 was conducted for Capital Improvement Project #CP0536 which seeks the completion of an Industrial Land Inventory Analysis (ILIA) to assess the supply of industrial zoned land, market potential, and identification of possible properties to plan for future industrial land use and necessary infrastructure considerations now and in the future. Ideally, the analysis will also identify, or be used to identify potential industrial tenants that could be attracted to Visalia. The ILIA will aid the City in increasing its supply of industrial land to accommodate future development such that it does not become a barrier to growth.
4Creeks, Inc. was the sole respondent to RFP 22-23-45 and has been selected for award of this contract. 4Creeks, Inc., and their Project Team, which includes project partners Topograph and Economic & Planning Systems, Inc. (EPS), will identify the following items and conduct the following services in coordination with appropriate city staff:
1. Current and mid-term (0-10 years) industrial sector demand that City may be able to serve.
a. Survey local industrial brokerage community and other known applicable contacts for general market trends and regional industrial development activity and interest.
b. With Project Team partner, Economic Planning Systems (EPS) will produce a 10-year projection of potential land demand.
c. Optional task: Through partnership with EPS, will review the Visalia Economic Development Corporation’s 2021 Economic Strategic Plan and update the JobsEQ data to refine potential industrial sector targets.
2. Assessment of existing conditions in the industrial park and other industrial zoned areas within the City, to identify:
a. Sites available to accommodate potential demand and potential need for additional sites.
b. Development readiness of current inventory of vacant land.
c. Infrastructure needs.
3. Possible properties to plan for future industrial land use, and include:
a. Any necessary infrastructure improvements to realize industrial development.
b. Necessary land entitlement process.
c. Recommendations on how to proceed from a planning perspective.
4. Project Team partner, Topograph will create marketing materials to accompany the ILIA which will include:
a. Two (2) print pieces (plus digital versions for dissemination).
b. Professionally designed location maps.
c. Informational website highlighting the location and benefits.
Staff finds the proposal from 4Creeks, Inc. to exceed expectations of RFP 22-23-45 and recommends award of this contract to 4Creeks, Inc. and it’s Project Team.
Fiscal Impact:
This is Capital Improvement Project #CP0536 in the adopted 22/23 & 23/24 FY budget.
Prior Council Action: N/A
Other: N/A
Alternatives:
The City Council, in lieu of the recommendation, may elect to not award the contract for RFP 22-23-45 - Professional Services for Preparation of an Industrial Land Inventory Analysis.
Recommended Motion (and Alternative Motions if expected):
recommendation
I move to authorize the City Manager to award the contract for RFP 22-23-45 - Professional Services for Preparation of an Industrial Land Inventory Analysis to 4Creeks, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $60,000.
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Environmental Assessment Status: N/A
CEQA Review: N/A
Attachments:
1. RFP 22-23-45 Professional Services for Preparation of ILIA
2. RFP-22-23-45 Addendum 1