To: Board of Supervisors
From: Public Works
Agenda Section: Time Certain Matter
SUBJECT:
title
11:00 a.m. - Adoption of the 2020 Humboldt County Facilities Master Plan
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RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Receive the staff report on the 2020 Humboldt County Facilities Master Plan (FMP);
2. Adopt the 2020 Humboldt County FMP;
3. Reaffirm the need for a consolidated permitting facility (One-Stop Permitting); and
4. Provide staff direction on proposed first step implementation of the FMP.
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SOURCE OF FUNDING:
2020 Finance Plan and General Fund (1100)
DISCUSSION:
On Jun. 27, 2017, your Board authorized $200,000 to begin a Facility Assessment Plan in order to effectively and efficiently manage county physical assets.
On Mar. 13, 2018, your Board approved the professional services agreement with The KPA Group for facility assessment and master planning services. The purpose of developing a facilities master plan was to improve resident services, mitigate impact on the community, reduce operational costs and improve the overall condition of county-owned facilities. This planning process included an 18-month analysis of the county’s 220 facilities, which lead to specific project recommendations designed to meet the county’s current and future needs. The facility master planning efforts included: physical inspection and analysis of buildings, discussions with county staff, outreach to outside governmental agencies and providing and receiving surveys from both county staff and the general public, and review of facility photos and reports. It has also involved identifying facilities the county should retain and renovate, as well as facilities that either are too expensive, too difficult or too inefficient to renovate to serve future needs. Co-location of services was also reviewed.
On Nov. 13, 2018, your Board approved a Request for Proposal (RFP) to lease space for One-Stop Permitting services. Unfortunately, that RFP did not yield a single location that would meet the county’s needs for One-Stop Permitting. The committee that reviewed the RFP responses identified several concerns with the proposals, generally including one or more of the following: a) a lack of adequate parking, b) insufficient building areas, and c) significant traffic impacts.
On Apr. 16, 2019, your Board authorized additional facility master planning services. These services included: planning for a Clark Complex/One-Stop and administration/facility, conducting online department surveys, master plans for facilities in Garberville and Willow Creek, master plan visualization map/model, continued facilities assessments, initial stakeholder goals investigation, the development of project cost studies, coordination with stakeholders and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) transition planning services.
On Sept. 17, 2019, your Board received an update on Facilities Master Planning efforts.
The County of Humboldt provides services to more than 130,000 residents through 220 facilities, 140 of which are owned by the county and 80 leased. The majority of these facilities are located in the City of Eureka, as well as a majority of the county’s 2,400 staff. While the majority of public services are concentrated in Eureka, many of the facilities are disconnected from each other, forcing residents to travel across town to access related services.
The master planning process included facility condition assessments for major facilities. County facilities are, for the most part, in poor condition. The majority of county facilities were constructed prior to 1970, and over 87% were constructed prior to 1990. As these facilities continue to age, maintenance activities become less efficient and interruptions in service impact the public and staff with ever greater frequency. The consultant who completed the facility condition assessments in support of the FMP estimated current deferred maintenance for county-owned facilities to be well in excess of $20 million dollars. Their recommendation, with which staff concurs, recommends at least 25% of these maintenance costs be addressed with new construction or renovation. The draft Facility Master Plan overwhelmingly supports investment in new, energy efficient facilities for the County of Humboldt.
At the departmental level, the draft Facilities Master Plan identified recurring findings amongst departments:
1. In support of efficient facility operations, programs and services should be reorganized and co-located with like programs and services. This would benefit the public at both the county-wide and at the local community scale as well.
2. Most current facilities are unable to accommodate any significant growth in staff or greater public visitation.
3. Accessibility issues will need to continue to be addressed through construction improvements at county facilities for the foreseeable future. Some accessibility issues at existing facilities would be most efficiently addressed through relocation.
With the above in mind, the draft Facility Master Plan recommends a One-Stop Permitting facility as the highest priority project identified. This project could be combined with a new Administrative Building if site criteria and funding needs can be met.
During the planning effort, county staff and its consultant collaborated with representatives from the cities of Arcata and Eureka, Humboldt Community Services District, Humboldt Transit Authority, Redwood Coast Energy Authority, Humboldt Bay Harbor District, Humboldt County Office of Education and Redwood Region Economic Development. During this collaboration the county shared the concepts of its FMP, discussion included opportunities to co-locate facilities and explore possible inventory of assets and potential acquisitions that would provide the county with a location to realize its FMP objectives. Although, in theory, there was support for co-location of governmental services, participants did not reach out to follow up on further discussion around co-location or potential acquisitions.
Aviation was not included in the FMP, as Aviation is in the process of developing an Aviation Improvement Plan (AIP). If adopted, an addendum to the FMP will come to the Board at a later date for Aviation buildings not eligible for replacement in the AIP.
On Jul. 6, 2020, the draft Facilities Master Plan was released to the public for input with a survey tool. The survey tool was made available for 30 days and received 262 responses. Full details of the public survey are attached. As a broad overview, the results of the public survey may be summarized as follows:
1. For the renovation of existing facilities, the public survey indicates support for renovating Mental Health (Sempervirens) and the Garberville Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) facility.
2. For proposed new construction projects, the public survey generally indicates support for DHHS facilities, the John Haynes Memorial Building Discovery Study, and the One-Stop Permitting project.
3. The public supports grouping facilities in multiple locations based on programs and services offered.
4. The public is concerned with the age of county facilities and a lack of combined services available at existing facilities.
5. The public largely supports the following:
a. A long-term transition to greater county ownership of facilities and less leased facilities.
b. Use of the county leasing corporation to lease space to county departments and others.
c. Greater short-term initial investment in the implementation of the Facilities Master Plan, in order to reduce the overall cost of implementation.
The draft Facilities Master Plan was prepared to guide investment in county facilities over a long-term period of 10-20 years. The prioritization of projects must consider public input, consultant and staff recommendations, and the availability of local real property to support the projects.
Staff is continually seeking out new properties that may be purchased and developed, but the inventory of suitable sites is very low. Additionally, the purchase of property by a public agency has many hurdles and may take a great deal of time. However, the county currently owns multiple desirable properties in Eureka that may be re-developed or sold. Such properties include, but are not limited to the following:
• Public Works Land Use (3033 H Street)
• Planning and Building (3015 H Street)
• Hope Center and Case Management Building (2933 H Street)
• Mental Health Substance Use Disorder Program (734 Russ Street)
• Public Defender Building (101 4th Street)
• Public Works Main (1106 2nd Street)
• Building Maintenance (901 2nd Street)
• Public Works Materials Lab (931 2nd Street)
• Public Health (529 I Street)
Re-developing an existing site is ideal, but this requires having temporary space (also known as “swing space”) to allow programs and services to move out of a given facility, prior to demolition and reconstruction. Given the proposed investment contained in the draft Facilities Master Plan, swing space is likely to be a long-term need.
Selling of properties to invest in new construction would reduce the overall cost of implementation and is an ideal way to offset costs. This would require relocation of programs currently occupying facilities.
There are several large, vacant retail spaces available locally that may be utilized for swing space for multiple programs. Leasing a large space may accommodate multiple programs and leasing space can be accomplished relatively quickly. Tenant improvements will need to be completed, and this will require funding to support. However, these improvements are likely to benefit multiple programs over the course of their useful life. The leasing of a large, flexible swing space is the ideal first step in the implementation of the Facilities Master Plan.
Should your Board adopt a comprehensive Telecommuting Policy in the future, the county could see an increase in telecommuting. This could change the square footage needs for county programs in the future and would be taken into consideration.
Considering the historical support of your Board for a One-Stop Permitting Center, a consultant recommendation supporting the same, the public’s support for centralized services and renovation of Mental Health, and with regards to the very poor facility condition at the Clark Complex, staff recommends you approve the plan as described below:
1. Relocation of Planning and Building and Public Works Land Use from 3015 H Street, Eureka and relocating Environmental Health from 100 H St. Relocating these programs will allow for the formation of centralized permitting services or One-Stop Permitting Services. Staff would work to identify a leased facility that would house One-Stop Permitting as well as flexible swing space for the future movement of programs. 3015 H Street will be demolished and plans for a DHHS Campus Complex can begin. Staff will continue working with Public Health on renovation and expansion options for this program of need.
2. Moving Environmental Health Services will allow for the Public Defender to vacate its current location and relocate to 100 H Street. The Public Defender Building located at 1001 4th Street would then be demolished and sold or demolished and developed into a new facility as supported by the draft Facilities Master Plan.
3. Upon completion of the upcoming Garberville Mini-Campus project, fund and authorize staff to begin moving forward with the John Haynes Memorial Building Discovery Study.
Should your Board adopt the draft Facilities Master Plan, staff will provide annual updates on implementation efforts and will reference the FMP when bringing supported projects before your Board.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Adoption of the Facility Master Plan will not have a direct financial impact. If the Facility Master Plan is adopted and your Board directs staff on projects to pursue, these projects are likely to have significant financial impacts to be considered. Staff would detail those financial impacts at the time said projects are brought before your Board.
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK:
This action supports your Board’s Strategic Framework by providing for and maintaining infrastructure.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
N/A
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Your Board could choose to not adopt the 2020 Facilities Master Plan and direct staff on specific projects and properties. However, this is not recommended as the Facilities Master Plan would create a valuable reference point against which future projects may be considered.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment No. 1 - 2020 Facilities Master Plan
Attachment No. 2 - 2020 Facilities Master Plan Public Survey Results
Attachment No. 3 - Facility Condition Assessments
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: C-11, C7, C7, C-12, H1
Meeting of: 6/27/17, 3/13/18, 11/13/18, 4/16/19, 9/17/2019
File No.: N/A, N/A, 18-1453, 19-454, 19-1343