HomeMy WebLinkAbout2025-04-08 - AGENDA REPORTS - CONTR MOD EIR MC 20 238O
Agenda Item: 6
CITY OF SANTA CLARITA
AGENDA REPORT
CONSENT CALENDAR
CITY MANAGER APPROVAL: Li
'
DATE: April 8, 2025
SUBJECT: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REPORT FOR WILEY CANYON
DEVELOPMENT PROJECT (MASTER CASE 20-238) - CONTRACT
MODIFICATIONS
DEPARTMENT: Community Development
PRESENTER: Erika Iverson
RECOMMENDED ACTION
City Council:
Authorize an increased expenditure authority for the environmental consultation with Dudek
contract for the preparation of the Wiley Canyon Development Project Environmental Impact
Report (Master Case 20-238) from $335,200 to $371,450 and include a contingency in the
amount of $18,572, for a total contract amount not to exceed $390,022.
2. Authorize the City Manager or designee to execute all documents, subject to City Attorney
approval.
BACKGROUND
The Wiley Canyon Development Project (Project), Master Case 20-238 is a request by Wiley
Canyon, LLC, (applicant) to develop a mixed -use project consisting of a four-story senior living
facility, ground -floor commercial, and 379 apartment units within three planning areas on an
approximately 31-acre site east of Interstate 5 and west of Wiley Canyon Road, between
Hawkbryn Avenue and Calgrove Boulevard in the community of Newhall, as shown on the
attached aerial map. The property is located in the Mixed Use Neighborhood zone and is within
the Calgrove Corridor/Smiser Ranch area, which has a maximum allowable development of
830,000 square feet, as identified in the City of Santa Clarita's (City) General Plan.
The Project was formally submitted on October 28, 2020, and requires an environmental review
under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Based on anticipated impacts
associated with the Project, and CEQA requirements, an Environmental Impact Report (EIR)
was deemed necessary. Since the City does not have the in-house expertise or resources available
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to complete an EIR. City staff solicited proposals from qualified firms to prepare the EIR in
August 2021.
On November 9, 2021, the City Council awarded the environmental consultation contract to
Dudek for a total contract amount not to exceed $263,956.
Dudek has since prepared a Draft EIR, which has been circulated for public review and
presented/discussed at two public hearings held by the Planning Commission. At the last
Planning Commission hearing, held in June 2024, the Planning Commission continued the
public hearing to a date uncertain to allow the applicant time to address their requests for more
information and to complete responses to public comments on the Draft EIR.
Due to the high number of individual comments that were submitted on the Draft EIR, additional
work was necessary, which required the Dudek contract to be updated. On August 27, 2024, the
City Council approved an amendment to the Dudek contract, increasing the contract amount to
$335,200 plus authorization for a ten -percent contingency of $33,520.
Since that time, the applicant team, inclusive of the technical consultants, has been unable to
provide responses to comments on the technical reports that must be addressed as part of the
Final EIR. Additionally, the applicant has decided to revise the Project in response to Planning
Commission comments, as well as comments received by the public. As a result, the scope of
work for Dudek needs to be amended, as described below, to address all outstanding comments
and to finalize the EIR.
CONTRACT AMENDMENT
The original proposal for the preparation of the EIR, and the subsequent contract amendment,
assumed that responses to comments on the technical studies prepared by the applicant team
would be addressed by the technical consultants who prepared the reports; however, the
applicant team is unable to provide responses to comments on their technical reports. The City's
consultant, at the cost of the applicant, will have to prepare responses that the applicant's
consultant team is unable to address, including Air Quality and Greenhouse Gas Emmission,
Biological Resources, Jurisdictional Resources, Geology and Soils, Hazards and Hazardous
Materials, Hydrology and Drainage, and Noise.
Additionally, further site plan changes were not contemplated when the previous amendment
was considered. Another project alternative will be analyzed as a result of the applicant's latest
changes to the Project. This additional work cannot be completed within the available
contingency funds that have already been authorized by the City Council.
The applicant's project changes, the Final EIR with responses to all the comments received on
the Draft EIR, and the additional analysis for another project alternative will be considered by
the Planning Commission at a future hearing if this amendment is approved.
The outstanding comments on technical reports require a response in the Final EIR and the
revisions to the site plan, resulting in the additional work to be done by the consultant and
therefore, the need to update the contract with Dudek. The updated total cost of the Dudek
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proposal is $371,450, an increase of $36,250. City staff has included a five -percent contingency
for $18,572, for a total contract amount not to exceed $390,022.
The applicant is responsible for all costs associated with the preparation of the EIR, including the
additional costs of this proposed amendment. The applicant will deposit the additional funds into
a trust account to be maintained by the City. Any unspent funds would be returned to the
applicant following completion of the Project review and public hearing process.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION
Other action as determined by the City Council.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no fiscal impact associated with this item. All costs associated with the preparation of
the EIR for the Wiley Canyon Development Project will be the responsibility of the applicant.
ATTACHMENTS
Dudek Change Order 2
Aerial
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March 11, 2025
Erika Iverson
Senior Planner
City of Santa Clarita Planning Division
23920 Valencia Boulevard, Suite 140
Santa Clarita, CA 91355
Subject: Change Order Request No. 2 the Wiley Canyon Project EIR
Dear Erika Iverson:
This letter provides Dudek's requested Change Order Number 2 (CO-2) to reflect the following: 1) additional effort
required to support the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act
(CEQA) for the proposed Wiley Canyon Project (Project); and 2) evaluation of a fifth project alternative for inclusion
on the Final EIR. This CO-2 requests an augment to Task 5 related to the Responses to Comments effort required
for the Final EIR.
In the proposal prepared for the Project, dated September 2021, for purposes of cost estimation Dudek assumed
that comments received on technical items prepared by other team members would be addressed by the
appropriate individual or firm who prepared the initial technical items for incorporation into the Final EIR. However,
Dudek understands that the technical team members and firms who prepared a number of the technical analyses
are not able to support this effort. As such, the City has requested that Dudek technical staff take over the
responsibility for completed the technical analyses to support the Response to Comment and Final EIR effort.
The attached CO-2 and Cost Estimate are provided for your consideration. Please note, Dudek has adjusted billing
rates since the original proposal in 2021; this Change Order request utilizes the current 2025 billing rates for Project
team members. If you have any questions or comments, please contact Ms. Cobleigh by phone at 626.204.9829
or by email at..,,vuIeigh@dude,,.,,v, . Thank you.
Sincerely,
Nicole Cobleigh
Senior Project Manager
DUDEK
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TO: ERIKA IVERSON
SUBJECT: CHANGE ORDER REQUEST NO. 2 THE WILEY CANYON PROJECT EIR
Scope of Work
Subtask 5.1 Draft Final EIR (Augmen•'.
Dudek technical staff will review the comments from agencies, organizations, and individuals, conduct the
necessary research, and then prepare responses to comments on technical analyses and reports prepared by other
consultants on behalf of the Applicant team. The responses to be prepared are related to the following technical
analyses and environmental topics:
• Air Quality/Greenhouse Gas Emissions/Health Risk Assessment
• Biological Resources
• Jurisdictional Resources
■ Geology and Soils
■ Hazards and Hazardous Materials
■ Hydrology, Water Quality, and Drainage
• Noise
• Transportation
Subtask 5.1 Assumptions
• No new technical studies will be required.
Subtask 5.1 Deliverables
■ One (1) electronic copy of the Draft Final EIR for City staff review
Subtask 5.2 Alternative 5 Evaluation
Dudek understands that the Project Applicant would like to have a fifth alternative evaluated for inclusion in the
Final EIR. Upon receipt of a general description of, and conceptual plan for, this new alternative, Dudek will conduct
a qualitative analysis of the new Alternative 5.
Subtask 5.2 Assumptions
■ No technical analyses will be required; the analysis will be qualitative in nature.
Subtask 5.2 Deliverables
■ Alternative 5 analysis added to the Final EIR
Cost Estimate
As shown in Attachment A, Cost Estimate, this Change Order request provides an itemized cost by staff and hourly
rate for the amount of $36,250. All tasks will continue to be billed on a time -and -materials basis in accordance with
the terms and conditions of our primary Agreement, dated December 16, 2021. This Change Order is provided to
document the City's written authorization to amend our existing Agreement. All other terms and conditions of the
original Agreement between the City and Dudek remain in effect. Upon receipt of signed authorization from the City,
work can continue in accordance with the requested CO-2.
D U D E K MARCH 2O25 2
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Dudek Labor Hours and Rates
Project Sr.
Senior Senior Senior Hydrogeologist Hydrogeologist Project Director/ Senior
Team Role: Specialist V Specialist III Specialist II IV/EngineerlV I/Engineer)
Team Member.• Nicole Cobleigh David Larocca
Billable Rate: $275.00 $250.00
Total Hours16 24
Total $4,400 $6,000
Audrey
Michael Cady Eric Schniewind Herschberger
$235.00 $215.00 $235.00
Environmental Specialist I Analyst V
Brandon
Whalen- TOTAL
Mark Storm Sabita Tewani Castellanos DUDEK
$300.00 $220.00 $155.00 HOURS
20 10 8 10 36 40
$4,700 $2,150 $1,880 $3,000 $7,920 $6,200
164
DUDEK
LABOR
COSTS
$36,250
20 10 8 10 36 40
$4,700 $2,150 $1,880 $3,000 $7,920 $6,200
164
DUDEK
LABOR
COSTS
$36,250
Wiley Canyon Mixed -Use Project
Assessor's Parcel Numbers 2825-012-007, 2825-007-010, 2825-012-011, 2825-012-901, and 2825-012-902
Proiect Site
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