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Santa Barbara City Council to review airport master plan, new police station, firefighter salaries and more KENNETH SONG / NEWS-PRESS PHOTOSThe city of Santa Barbara staff is recommending that the city council authorize the Santa Barbara Airport to execute a $919,000-plus contract with Mead and Hunt Inc. for master planning services.
Updating the Santa Barbara Airport master plan. Moving forward with final design plans for a new, three-story police station and associated parking structure. Boosting firefighter salaries. And installing more than 90 new electric vehicle charging stations at nine city locations.
These and other topics appear on today’s Santa Barbara City Council agenda.
The meeting begins at 2 p.m. in the council chamber at Santa Barbara City Hall, 735 Anacapa St.
In their airport master plan update, staff recommends that the council authorize the airport to execute a $919,000-plus contract with Mead and Hunt Inc. for master planning services. The staff also recommends authorizing the airport director to approve expenditures up to nearly $92,000 for extra services that may result from necessary changes in the scope of work.
The Santa Barbara Airport completed its last Airport Master Plan in 2017, staff said, noting that the Federal Aviation Administration encourages updating airport master plans every five to 10 years to ensure the document is responsive to current and forecasted needs.
The FAA also believes the updates are needed to account for changes in conditions and operations.
“Since 2017, SBA has experienced healthy growth and a change in commercial aircraft from regional jets to widebody jets,” staff said in their report to the council. “This Master Plan Update will provide updated aviation forecasts and necessary capital improvements for the next 20 years” for the airfield, terminal areas and landside facilities, they said.
After conducting a thorough qualifications-based selection process, staff recommended the council award a contract with the highest rated firm, Mead and Hunt, Inc., to provide the master plan update.
Plans call for the update to be completed in about 18 months.
The airport master plan update will be discussed about midway in the agenda.
Toward the end of its meeting, council members will consider staff’s recommendation to award a contract for architectural and design services for the police station project, and to adopt a final mitigated negative declaration following a required environmental review of the project.
The Santa Barbara Police Department’s current headquarters are at 215 E Figueroa St. Today the Santa Barbara City Council is scheduled to consider staff’s recommendation to designate the commuter parking lot at 601 Santa Barbara St. as the final location of the new police station.The council also is being asked to designate the commuter parking lot at 601 Santa Barbara St. as the final location for the new police station.
If passed, the resolution will authorize the Public Works director to execute a contract with Cearnal Collective, LLP, to pay the firm more than $4.5 million for design services, and approve expenditures for up to $368,000-plus for extra services that may result from necessary changes in the scope of work.
A draft-mitigated negative declaration was prepared analyzing the potential environment effects of the proposed police station project, staff said. “Mitigation measures to reduce potentially significant impacts to less than significant levels were identified.”
The draft declaration was available for review during the required 30-day public comment period and Planning Board public hearing. No one from the public wished to speak during the hearing, and two written comments were received. One additional letter from the public was received during the 30-day public comment period, as well as one letter from the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District.
The final mitigated negative declaration before the council concludes that “no significant environmental impacts would result from the project,” staff said, adding that with its adoption by the council, “the project is ready to advance into the final phase of architectural and design services.”
The project consists of the demolition of the existing commuter lot and the construction of a new three-story, approximately 53-foot-tall, approximately 64,000-square-foot police station building, and associated 37.5-foot-tall, approximately 84,000-square-foot parking structure to accommodate 236 parking spaces — 128 spaces for Police Department fleet vehicles and 108 spaces for employee vehicles.
Each structure will have a subterranean level, and emergency service antennas will be installed on the roof of the parking structure. Eight additional vehicle surface parking spaces and four bicycle parking spaces will be provided for visitors.
Grading includes the removal and export of 22,000 cubic yards of material. A total of 23 Tipuana Tipu trees and 12 Oak trees will be removed, while nine Tipuana Tipu trees will be protected.
The existing Metropolitan Transit District bus stop shelter on Cota Street will be relocated further down Cota Street. The existing plaques commemorating the old Lincoln School will also be relocated and incorporated into the project.
Early on in their meeting, council members will discuss a proposed ordinance ratifying a tentative three-year pact negotiated between the city and the Santa Barbara City Firefighters’ Association calling for across-the-board salary increases of 1.5% effective July 30 of this year and 3% as of July 30, 2023.
To stay competitive with comparable agencies, city negotiators also have agreed to limited certification pay and longevity pay, staff said. “These professional certifications are earned through various courses and/or training and bring important elements of training that can benefit the City of Santa Barbara residents and the Central Coast.”
These new certifications include an increase to Emergency Medical Technician-Defibrillation pay, and the addition of Urban Search and Rescue and Water Rescue professional certification pay.
City negotiators also agreed to an increase of holiday hours for Juneteenth and Veteran’s Day.
In addition, negotiators between the city and the association’s bargaining unit agreed to provide all fire department employees with a voluntary medical examination on an annual basis, staff said. This program is intended to ensure that fire department personnel have appropriate levels of health and/or fitness to perform the essential functions of their positions. The program was previously limited based on funding availability.
The cost of the agreement in Fiscal Year 2023 is estimated to be $592,951 to the General Fund and $80,857 to the enterprise funds, for a total of $673,808 citywide. The financial impact of the memo of understanding reached by city and association firefighters was more than what was assumed in the city administrator’s FY2023 recommended budget and projected in FY2024 and beyond, staff noted.
The FY2023 recommended budget calls for the use of $1.3 million of General Fund reserves, along with $1 million of expenditure reduction targets, in order to balance the budget. The impact of the memo of understanding will result in the need to use additional reserves, staff said. Staff also will incorporate the financial impacts into the budget development process for the upcoming fiscal year 2024-2025 financial plan.
Also early in their meeting, council members will discuss passing an ordinance authorizing an agreement with Carbon Solutions Group EV, LLC for another 92 electric vehicle charging stations on top of the 66 already in operation, with the potential of adding more up to a total of 258 charging stations.
email: nhartstein@newspress.com
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