COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES AGENCY

Date:

June 12, 2003

Hearing Date:

June 24, 2003

To:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

From:

Marcia Raines, Director of Environmental Services

Subject:

Appropriation Transfer Request for Agreement with Christopher A. Joseph and Associates for Preparation of the San Mateo Real Estate Inc. Subdivision Environmental Impact Report.

RECOMMENDATION

Approve an Appropriation Transfer Request (ATR) authorizing the transfer of $93,816 from unanticipated revenue to contractual services to provide appropriation for the contract with Christopher A. Joseph and Associates.

BACKGROUND

The County has entered into an agreement with Christopher A. Joseph and Associates to perform environmental consulting services to prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) and a Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) for a proposed subdivision located at Ascension Drive, San Mateo. The proposal is for a 25-lot subdivision including the following improvements: (1) new access roads; (2) sewer connections with the Crystal Springs Sanitary District; and (3) water connections with the California Water Service Company. The proposed transfer will set up an appropriation for this agreement in the amount of $93,816 from revenue received from the applicant, San Mateo Real Estate, Inc., from which to pay the consultant.

DISCUSSION

Christopher A. Joseph and Associates (CAJA) was selected to prepare the EIR after a Request for Proposals was issued to 14 qualified firms, three of which submitted proposals and were interviewed. CAJA was selected based on their understanding of the issues involved and their technical expertise with which to analyze those issues. CAJA’s contract amount was $93,816, and the project is expected to take seven months. This agreement has been approved by the County Manager’s Office.

Major project tasks include the following:

1.

Project scoping/public outreach to foster public involvement in the EIR process and solicit input on the EIR content.

2.

Development of four project alternatives to be evaluated, including a No Action Alternative.

3.

Description of the environmental setting and impact evaluation, including evaluation of noise, air quality, transportation, vegetation/wildlife, land use/zoning, geology, hydrology, and visual.

4.

Delivery of a Draft EIR to be circulated for public review and comment.

5.

Delivery of the Final EIR that includes responses to public comments.

6.

Attendance at key public hearings.

VISION ALIGNMENT

This contract with CAJA keeps the commitment of redesigning our urban environment to increase vitality, expand variety and reduce congestion and goal number 12: land use decisions consider transportation and other infrastructure needs as well as impacts on the environment and on surrounding communities. The contract contributes to this commitment and goal since CAJA will be undertaking an Environmental Impact Report for a proposed development scheme to assess the potential impacts on transportation and the environment.

FISCAL IMPACT

The appropriation will be offset by unanticipated revenue. There will be no net County cost.