REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on Amendment No. 4 with Wallace Roberts and Todd, LLC (WRT) to Add Two Study Cities to the City Hall Relocation Study and Related Budget Amendment
Report
COUNCIL PILLAR
Promote and Enhance Economic, Housing, and Transportation Development
BACKGROUND
The City is nearing the completion of a planning effort to prepare a Downtown Precise Plan and Form Based Code to guide the redevelopment of the City's former Downtown area. The scope of work for the Downtown Precise Plan was expanded in response to a petition from Reclaiming our Downtown (ROD) to include a financial analysis of the costs and benefits (City Hall Relocation Study) associated with moving the City Hall to the Downtown. The City Council made this addition to the scope of work for the City's consultant, WRT, at the May 24, 2022 Council meeting, following Council consideration of a written petition submitted by resident Mary Grizzle on behalf of ROD. In June 2022, the City Council subsequently approved the allocation of funds for the requested Study through the budget process, and then on October 18, 2022, the City Council took actions to allow for the commencement of the scope of work by WRT on the City Hall Relocation Study.
The City Hall Relocation Study scope included an evaluation of six other cities as a comparative case study. WRT, in conjunction with subconsultants, analyzed 18 example sites and recommended six sites (Long Beach Civic Center, Watsonville City's Hall, Sonoma County Government Center, Malden Massachusetts' City Hall, Redwood City's City Hall, and Mountain View's City Hall) for further analysis to provide insight into the potential costs and benefits of locating a city hall in a similar Downtown context. Staff reviewed the proposed sites and WRT presented the six sites to the Downtown Community Task Force (DCTF) on March 14, 2023.
A second written petition submitted by resident Mary Grizzle on behalf of the members of ROD was heard at the M...
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