Approve plans and specifications for the Knights Landing Flood Management Project's elderberry transplant mitigation work; authorize the Director of General Services to award and execute a contract with the lowest responsive and responsible bidder for the elderberry transplant mitigation work, provided the contract amount does not exceed the available budgeted funds for the work, or to reject all bids; and authorize the Director or the Director's designee to approve change orders or amendments to the contract consistent with the applicable change order limits established in State law, but not to exceed a cumulative total of ten percent (10%) of the total original contract price. (No general fund impact) (Pistochini)

The County is embarking on a number of projects as part of the mitigation measures required for the Knights Landing Flood Management Project.  The Knights Landing Flood Management Project includes levee improvements to the town of Knights Landing, along with levee improvements along the County Services Area No. 6 (CSA-6) levee.  Some of the work will disturb existing elderberry shrubs, which could impact endangered Valley Elderberry Longhorn Beetle populations. The Board approved the Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) for the Knights Landing Flood Management Project on October 22, 2024.  The MND requires the County to undertake certain mitigation measures to reduce or eliminate any potentially significant project-related impacts, including the transplanting of impacted elderberry shrubs in the HCP/NCCP reserve system as approved by the Yolo Habitat Conservancy.  

The County has issued an Invitation for Bids (IFB) for the elderberry transplant mitigation work.  The proposed plans involve relocating approximately 23 viable elderberry shrubs to the County-owned Haller Muller Site along Cache Creek.  The Haller Muller Site is part of the proposed Cache Creek Parkway and used to support habitat restoration/preservation goals of both the County and the Yolo Habitat Conservancy.  Once the shrubs are relocated, the Yolo Habitat Conservancy will assume responsibility to ensure at least 60% of the relocated elderberry shrubs survive in the new location.   The dormancy period of the shrubs is generally from November to mid-February.  The County anticipates completing this project by mid-February 2026.  Due to the need to timely complete this work, staff requests that the Board delegate authority to the Director of General Services to award and sign the proposed contract with the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, consistent with the IFB and proposed plans and specifications, provided that the contract does not exceed budgeted funds. Staff anticipate the contract price will be around $200,000.

The Yolo Habitat Conservancy Board of Directors approved their portion of a Memorandum of Understanding with the County regarding conservation and restoration activities at the Haller Muller site on December 18, 2025.  The Yolo County Board of Supervisors is considering approving their portion of the same Memorandum of Understanding as part of today's consent agenda.

The Department collaborated with the Yolo Habitat Conservancy, the Department of Community Services, and the County Counsel's Office.

This project is considered a public works project as it will alter the existing landscaping at the Knights Landing levee sites, subject to prevailing wage. For this reason, the County is conducting a formal Invitation for Bids and intends to award the contract to the lowest cost responsive and responsible bidder. The solicitation was issued on December 30, 2025 and bids are due January 15, 2026.