To: MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
From: ANDREW WINJE, PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR
TITLE
title
APPROVE AN AGREEMENT FOR CONSULTING SERVICES WITH GEOSYNTEC CONSULTANTS, INC. FOR AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $216,100 TO PERFORM ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING SERVICES TO SUPPORT A FEDERAL GRANT APPLICATION FOR THE REDONDO BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT SHOOTING RANGE PROJECT, JOB NO 20810 AND TO ASSIST WITH INQUIRIES FROM THE LOS ANGELES COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH REGARDING THE DOMINGUEZ PARK LANDSCAPING AND PLAYGROUND IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, JOB NO 30730
end
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Approval of this Agreement would permit Geosyntec Consultants Inc. (Geosyntec) to provide urgently needed services to support two important capital projects located at the Parks Maintenance Yard and Dominguez Park playground area, adjacent sites that were once part of the Redondo Beach Municipal Dump.
Pursuant to the City Council’s direction, staff is pursuing a federal Defense Community Infrastructure Pilot Program grant to fund a rebuild and enhancement of the Redondo Beach Police Department (RBPD) Shooting Range. The deadline for the submittal of the application for the 2025 Fiscal Year federal grant cycle is June 2025, with expected award in September 2025. The grant requires that awarded projects start construction within a reasonable period of time. The project is subject to environmental review under the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) and potentially the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA).
The site of the proposed shooting range lies within the boundaries of the former Redondo Beach Municipal Dump site, located at 1400 Beryl Street (Landfill), which closed in 1967. Geosyntec will perform the necessary environmental review to assess any potential environmental impacts from constructing a new shooting range, as required by NEPA and CEQA. Initiating the assessment now will help the City’s application score more favorably under the established evaluation criteria for the grant program.
Geosyntec will also be utilized to provide environmental documentation related to the Dominguez Park Landscaping and Playground Improvement Project. Like the shooting range, the park is located on the former Redondo Beach Municipal Dump site and it is periodically helpful to perform environmental review of construction activities on the premises to determine their potential affects.
Staff has used Geosyntec, Inc. (Geosyntec) for the City’s Enhanced Watershed Management Plan, Fulton Playfield Multi-Benefit Infiltration Project, and other environmental engineering services. Based on their previous experience and knowledge of the City’s facilities, staff is recommending approval of this contract to perform professional services for the RBPD Shooting Range Project and Dominguez Park Playground Project.
BACKGROUND
On July 2, 2024, the City Council discussed and reviewed possible options for the RBPD Shooting Range Capital Improvement Project. Staff was directed to explore the option of constructing an entirely new facility, with an estimated cost of approximately $17.2M. A federal grant could offset a majority (and possibly all) of the cost of the project, but a number of requirements are needed to apply for the grant. The proposed shooting range would need to meet the requirements of a Federal Facility Small Arms Range, which includes, but are not limited to, a 50-meter range, steel floors, five-foot wide lanes with ballistic side and downrange walls, specific communication and dust/exhaust collection systems, and a minimum of seven shooting lanes.
The proposed plan would include the demolition of the existing site and construction of a new facility, which would include a rebuild of the Parks Division yard facilities, which currently share the site. Much of the cost would be eligible for funding under the Defense Community Infrastructure Pilot Program, in partnership with the Los Angeles Air Force Base. If selected, the project must also be ready for construction within a reasonable period of time following grant award. In order to get the RBPD Shooting Range project to that stage, the project first needs to be reviewed for environmental compliance and potential mitigation. This process often requires an extended period of time for analysis, including public review and comment, multiple draft documents, and eventual adoption. As such, staff recommends initiating the work now with Geosyntec to best position the project for the construction readiness evaluation criteria in the grant application.
Geosyntec will determine the potential environmental impacts of the project, per NEPA and CEQA requirements. The scope of work includes NEPA and CEQA compliance analysis, Building Materials Survey, Decomposed Granite and Shallow Soil Excavation, Vapor Intrusion Field Investigation, Health Risk Assessment, and a Remediation Memorandum. If it is determined that the project is not NEPA or CEQA-exempt, Geosyntec will prepare the appropriate environmental documentation to determine next steps.
In addition, the City needs assistance responding to requests for information associated with the Dominguez Park Playground Equipment Improvement Project. The County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health issued a letter to the City claiming authority under California Regulation Code - Title 27 (27 CCR), Section 21190 to review the environmental impacts of the project. Engineering staff have proposed a plan to address the County’s requests for information. The plan includes an environmental assessment of the formal landfill site underlying the park and the affect, if any, of the installation of the replacement playground equipment. Geosyntec will gather historic documentation of the site and review and summarize all collected environmental data. It should be noted that past data shows there have been no negative environmental impacts as a result of previous park improvement projects. The analysis and report will be submitted to the LEA.
Approval of the proposed Agreement will allow Geosyntec to conduct all sampling, analysis, and reporting for the Shooting Range Project as required by NEPA and CEQA and also assist the City in responding to the LEA regarding the Dominguez Park Landscaping and Playground Improvement Project. Geosyntec is properly staffed to perform these critical services according to the expedited timeline required by the City.
COORDINATION
Work to advance the RBPD Shooting Range project is being coordinated between the Public Works and Police Departments. Response to the LEA has been coordinated between the Public Works Department and the City Attorney’s Office.
FISCAL IMPACT
Tasks associated with the RBPD Shooting Range and the Dominguez Park Landscaping and Playground Improvement Project will be funded through their respective project budgets. Currently, there is $1,331,786 available in the City’s CIP for the RBPD Shooting Range project. This portion of consulting work is estimated to cost no more than $204,300. The Dominguez Park Landscaping and Playground Improvement Project review will not exceed $11,800. Funding is available in the project account to cover the expense.
APPROVED BY:
Mike Witzansky, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
• Agmt - Geosyntec Consultants, Inc.
• Insurance - Geosyntec Consultants, Inc.