HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-11-19; Fire Station 2 Project Update; Gomez, Paz•'
To the members of the:
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Carlsbad
Council Memorandum
Nov. 19, 2020
To:
From:
Via:
Re:
Honorable Mayor Hall and Members of the City Council
Paz Gomez, Deputy City Manager, Public Works
Geoff Patnoe, Assistant City Manager /cK,
Fire Station No. 2 Project Update {Dist\.7t"4)
Memo ID #2020253
This memorandum provides an update on the status of Fire Station No. 2, Capital Improvement
Program (CIP) Project No. 4060, which will reconstruct the existing Fire Station No. 2 located at
1906 Arenal Road.
Background
Fire Station No. 2 (fire station) was built in 1969 for one full-time firefighter and a yearly
workload of fewer than 250 calls for service. Today, the fire station has a staff of five full-time
firefighters who handle approximately 4,000 calls per year. The fire station, which was designed
to house fire apparatus built in the 1960s, is too small to house the fire apparatus currently used
by public safety staff. The fire station also lacks the fire separation between the fire apparatus
parking area, working and living spaces and medical equipment supplies, which is now required
by the current California Building Code. Hence, there was a need to replace the existing fire
station with a new one.
Under a law passed by voters in 1982, the city may not spend more than $1 million in general
fund money to purchase or improve city property without first receiving voter approval.
A new fire station was estimated to cost more than $1 million, so this law would apply. In
November 2016, City of Carlsbad voters approved Measure 0, which authorized the use of
general fund money to replace Fire Station No. 2. The fire station will be rebuilt at the station's
existing site. During the reconstruction work, the fire station's staff will operate out of temporary
facilities in the parking lot area of the Carlsbad City Library located on Dove Lane (referred to as
the Dove Library), approximately one mile from the current site.
The reconstructed fire station will:
• Have enlarged fire apparatus bays to accommodate new, modern fire response vehicles
• Be built to current building and seismic codes with consideration for green technologies
• Provide gender-specific facilities
• Ensure medical supplies and living quarters are not exposed to carcinogens from
firefighting equipment
Public Works Branch
Fleet and Facilities Department
405 Oak Avenue I Carlsbad, CA 92008 I 760-434-2980 t
Council Memo -Fire Station No. 2 Project Update (District 4)
Nov. 19, 2020
Page 2
• Meet Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and National Fire Protection
Association (NFPA) standards
• Follow the architectural design elements of the surrounding community
Given the project's challenging site constraints, staff has chosen the design-build project delivery
method over the more traditional method of putting the full design of the project out to bid first
and using a design-bid-build delivery method. The design-build approach allows a greater level of
design and construction creativity. The first step in the design-build project delivery method is to
develop project criteria (i.e., preliminary design plans and specifications), which disclose all site
conditions and constraints known to the city and convey the city's requirements for the finished
project.
This project is consistent with the city's Climate Action Plan (CAP) Measures B, G and J, and
Council Policy No. 71:
• Measure B, Action 1: "Require PV (photovoltaic solar array) on large new non-residential
construction."
o The project work scope requires a photovoltaic solar array on the roof sized to
meet the requirements of City Ordinance CS-347, which was approved by City
Council on March 12, 2019
• Measure G, Action 2: "Commission city facilities."
o The project work scope requires a commissioning process that tests all newly
installed mechanical and electrical systems to ensure operational efficiency
• Measure J, Action 2: "Solar water heating and heat pump ordinance for new
non-residential construction."
o The project work scope requires installation of a solar water heater to meet this
requirement
• Council Policy No. 71, subparagraph 2(a), on construction of civic facilities: "Whenever
practicable and within a reasonable cost/benefit ratio, design and construct mechanical
and electrical systems to achieve the maximum energy efficiency achievable with current
technology."
o The design for this project meets the latest federal standards, as set forth in Title
24, with compliant heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment, light-
emitting diodes (LED) light fixtures and photovoltaic solar arrays to optimize
electrical energy efficiency
Additionally, this project will provide two electric vehicle charging stations, which will be available
for use by the public.
The project will demolish the existing 3,650 SF one-story facility and construct a new 10,782 SF
two-story facility. The fire apparatus access has been reconfigured so entrance will be from Arenal
Council Memo -Fire Station No. 2 Project Update (District 4)
Nov. 19, 2020
Page 3
Road with exit onto El Camino Real. This design necessitates adding traffic signals for a KEEP
CLEAR zone on southbound El Camino Real and relocating an existing bus stop on northbound
El Camino Real to approximately 20 feet south of the intersection at Arena I Road.
On Sept. 25, 2018, the city posted a project information webpage on the city's website. The
webpage includes historical information about the project as well as an estimated project
timeline. https://www.carlsbadca.gov/services/depts/fire/firestation2.asp .
The following background timeline is provided (targeted schedule completion dates are shown in
parentheses for some activities):
November 2016 -71% of City of Carlsbad voters approved Measure 0, which authorized
the use of general fund money to replace Fire Station No. 2. Under a law passed by voters
in 1982, the city may not spend more than $1 million in general fund money to purchase
or improve city property without first receiving voter approval.
April 2017 -Staff posted a Request for Qualifications as part of a solicitation process to
select a consultant to evaluate site conditions and constraints, and to develop bridging
documents for a design-build proposal solicitation.
July 11, 2017 -The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2017-134, which authorized an
agreement with Domusstudio Architecture, Inc. to develop bridging documents and
preliminary design plans and specifications for replacement of Fire Station No. 2 and
construction of a temporary fire station. (target was August 2017)
Oct. 18, 2017 -Enhanced stakeholder outreach began in conformance with
Council Policy No. 84, Development Project Public Involvement Policy.
July 20, 2018 -Preliminary project design plans and specifications were completed. A
conditional use permit, special use permit and variance applications were submitted to
the city for discretionary permitting review. (target was May 2018)
Oct. 31, 2018 -A Public Outreach Report, which detailed the public notification process
and two informal and two formal community outreach meetings, was completed and
submitted in accordance with Council Policy No. 84.
October 2019 -Plans and specifications for the temporary fire station at the Dove Library
location were submitted to the city for discretionary permitting review.
Nov. 26, 2019 -Staff completed review of the permit applications and submitted the
documents to the State of California, as required by the California Environmental Quality
Act (CEQA) Chapter 2.6, Section 21091(8), for public review. (target was February 2019)
Council Memo -Fire Station No. 2 Project Update (District 4)
Nov. 19, 2020
Page 4
The permit application review process took approximately 16 months (from July 2018 to
November 2019) instead of the targeted nine months (from May 2018 to February 2019)
due to the complexity of the design, number of exceptions to the standards, resolving
project questions on code compliance using the design-build methodology and CEQA
documentation.
Feb. 19, 2020-The Planning Commission adopted Resolution No. 7360, which approved
the conditional use permit, special use permit and variance required for the new fire
station, and Resolution No. 7361, which approved the conditional use permit and coastal
development permit for the temporary fire station.
April 21, 2020 -The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2020-065 approving the
preliminary design plans and specifications and authorizing the city clerk to advertise for a
design-build proposal solicitation. (target was February 2019)
Sept. 22, 2020-The City Council adopted Resolution No. 2020-193 authorizing award of a
design-build contract to Barnhart-Reese Construction, Inc. (Contractor), to provide
design-build services for the Fire Station No. 2 Replacement Project in an amount not to
exceed $11,222,472. (target was June 2019)
Discussion
On Nov. 2, 2020, the Contractor was issued a notice to proceed, which was approximately 14
months later than previously anticipated. The delays can be attributed to a delay in submitting
the application packet and the permit application review and approval processes taking longer
than previously expected, as explained above. The duration of the construction contract is 550
calendar days, excluding rain days and change orders that may extend the contract duration. The
estimated construction completion date is May 2022.
Upon award of the contract, the Contractor contacted the temporary housing trailer
manufacturer identified in the contract documents to procure the required trailers. The
manufacturer notified the Contractor that due to a housing demand driven by this year's
unprecedented wildfires, trailers are back-ordered by approximately six months, which could
delay the overall project schedule.
The Contractor is currently finalizing design of the project construction drawings and
specifications as required for issuance of a building permit. It is anticipated that the building
permit will be ready to issue in January 2021 for the temporary fire station, and that the building
permit to reconstruct Fire Station No. 2 will be ready to issue in spring 2021.
Council Memo -Fire Station No. 2 Project Update (District 4)
Nov. 19, 2020
Page 5
Construction of the temporary fire station at the Dove Library is anticipated to be completed and
ready for occupancy in spring 2021. Once completed, Fire Department personnel will operate
from the temporary fire station until the existing fire station is reconstructed.
Reconstruction of the existing fire station and removal of the temporary fire station are
anticipated to be completed by May 2022.
Next Steps
The Contractor will continue to work on acquiring a trailer for the temporary fire station and
finalizing the project design. Timeline is as follows:
January 2021: Issuance of building permit for temporary fire station
Spring 2021: Issuance of building permit for reconstructing the fire station
Spring 2021: Completion of temporary station construction and relocation of staff
May 2022: Completion of reconstruction of the fire station, return of staff to newly
reconstructed fire station and removal of temporary fire station, unless delays are
experienced and contract duration is extended
cc: Scott Chadwick, City Manager
Celia Brewer, City Attorney
Gary Barberio, Deputy City Manager, Community Services
Laura Rocha, Deputy City Manager, Administrative Services
Michael Calderwood, Fire Chief
Robby Contreras, Assistant City Attorney
Jeff Murphy, Community Development Director
Suzanne Smithson, Library & Cultural Arts Director
John Maashoff, Public Works Manager
Steven Stewart, Municipal Projects Manager