HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Resolution 13978 (Accept Essential Facilities Strategic Plan)RESOLUTION NO. 13978
RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL TO
ACCEPT THE ESSENTIAL FACILITIES STRATEGIC PLAN
WHEREAS, the ability of the City's Fire and Police Departments to carry out their
mission to serve and protect our citizens and provide a foundation for business prosperity is
essential. With an increased population, a rise in demand for emergency responses, current
economic constraints, and an aging infrastructure, the ability of our police and fire departments to
deliver essential emergency services in the future may be challenged; and
WHEREAS, the City's Police Department has a skilled staff of 90 total employees overseeing
the Traffic Unit, SWAT team, Foot -beat, Investigations, School Resource, Directed Patrol, Youth
Services Bureau, Records, Property Evidence, Dispatch, Permits and Personnel and Training. Currently,
these services are administered from an array of locations and temporary facilities; and
WHEREAS, the City's Fire Department has 80 total employees over seven stations, trained in
specialties including emergency medical care, firefighting, hazardous materials and emergency
preparedness. In addition, the San Rafael Fire Department is partnering with the Larkspur Fire
Department and the Marinwood Fire Department to provide shared services over an expanded operational
area; and
WHEREAS, in order to maintain high quality, cost effective and efficient service, today's "All
Risk" public safety entities must have the infrastructure to support and enhance their essential mission;
and
WHEREAS, starting in 2002, the City Council commissioned important facility studies which
resulted in the August 2003, "Strategic Analysis of City of San Rafael Essential Facilities," a companion
document also from August 2003 entitled, "Facility Evaluation Report of City of San Rafael Essential
Facilities," and a separate study of the San Rafael library; and
WHEREAS, a Critical Facilities Strategy Committee was established in September 2004 to
review the August 2003 studies and "recommend to the [City] Council financially sound and politically
viable strategies that would assure the ability of San Rafael's public safety facilities and library to meet
current and future needs;" and
WHEREAS, in November 2007, the City Council established a new Critical Facilities
Committee to "educate and inform the community about the current condition and needs for improving
our essential service buildings" and develop strategies (particularly funding) to begin addressing the
needs of our buildings. This Committee reviewed the 2003 reports and the work of the prior Committee,
studied the issues, and released their final report in August 2009; and
WHEREAS, in November 2013, the local voters passed Measure E, a three-quarter cent
transactions and use tax with a term of twenty years. This tax supplanted the former, one-half cent
transactions and use tax (Measure S), effective April 1, 2014; and
WHEREAS, in June 2014, the City Council allocated the additional funds from Measure E (i.e.,
the amounts collected in excess of the prior transactions and use tax), approximately $3.7 million/year, to
be used for public safety facilities improvements and construction; and
WHEREAS, after completion of Phase I preparatory work on a Strategic Plan, on December 15,
2014 the City Council authorized agreements with Mary McGrath Architects for architectural services
and Kitchell CEM Inc. for project management to complete Phase II, the preparation of an "Essential
Facilities Strategic Plan"; and
WHEREAS, the City Council Facilities Subcommittee appointed a Strategic Plan Working
Group which represents public safety personnel, and neighborhood, business, and property owners in San
Rafael, to advise the City Council Subcommittee on the Plan; and
WHEREAS, between January and July 2015, the City Council Facilities Subcommittee and the
Strategic Plan Working Group developed the Essential Facilities Strategic Plan dated July 20, 2015, that
addresses seismic safety and key operational efficiency issues at seven facilities including a new Public
Safety Center; and
WHEREAS, the order of magnitude cost plan for all seven projects ranges from $63 to $72
million; and
WHEREAS, consistent with the provisions of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA)
Guidelines, the Essential Facilities Strategic Plan has been reviewed to determine appropriate
environmental review. As the Essential Facilities Strategic Plan is a planning study that will serve as a
guide when making future recommendations regarding replacement and/or seismic upgrade of the City's
essential facilities, it has been determined that this Plan is exempt from environmental review per CEQA
Guidelines Section 15262 (Feasibility and Planning Studies);
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of San Rafael
accepts the Essential Facilities Strategic Plan dated July 20, 2015; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of San Rafael does hereby
thank the Strategic Plan Working Group members for their work on the Plan.
I, ESTHER BEIRNE, Clerk of the City of San Rafael, hereby certify that the foregoing
Resolution was duly and regularly introduced and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the
City of San Rafael held on Monday, the twentieth day of July, 2015 by the following vote, to wit:
AYES: COUNCILMEMBERS: Bushey, Colin, Gamblin, McCullough & Mayor Phillips
NOES: COUNCILMEMBERS: None
ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBERS: None
ESTHER BEIRNE, City Clerk