Adopt plans and specifications for the new Agriculture Department Corporation Yard, authorize the Director of General Services (or designee) to advertise for construction bids, and find that the project is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). (No general fund impact) (Pistochini/Martinez)

The Agriculture Department is in need of replacing two corporation yard buildings at 70 Cottonwood Street, Woodland as both buildings no longer meet the County's needs.  The two buildings were constructed in 1954 and 1966 and have a combined square footage of 13,000.  The Agriculture Department offices are located in a third building, Norton Hall, that was constructed in 1954.

The General Services Department conducted a review of county assets and determined that the most cost-effective option is to relocate the Agriculture Department in two phases to the county-owned property at 120 West Main Street, Woodland.  Phase 1 is to construct a new Agriculture Department corporation yard building.  Phase 2 is to relocate and reuse a 120 West Main Street, Suite D to house the Agriculture Department offices.

In Phase 1, the new construction of the corporation yard building will be a 6,020 square foot building.  This building will house the Pesticide ID Lab which will house staff essential in identifying harmful pests to agriculture, a Trapping Supply Room used to bait traps for the trapping program, the Metrology Lab which is used to conduct precise testing (by statute) of water, electric and vapor meters that are used to charge tenants, house Weights & Measures equipment needed for field-testing, and Parking Bays for sensitive vehicles to protect them from vandalism. General Services engaged Comstock Johnson Architects to develop plans and specifications for the new building.  A building permit was issued in December 2022.  Public Contract Code §20150.12 requires this Board to approve the plans and specifications for this project. Upon your approval of the plans and specifications and the authorization by this Board today, the Procurement Division will advertise the project soliciting construction bids.  After the completion of the competitive solicitation process, staff will return to this Board with a recommendation of award and execution of the contract, along with taking any formal budget action required through a budget resolution. The fiscal impact section of the staff report describes planned funding sources to completed the project and the anticipated date for construction start is summer 2023.

With today's adoption the plans and specifications (on file with the Clerk of the Board), the Director of General Services (or designee) can move the advertisement for construction bids.  A CEQA notice of exemption is included as Attachment A for the Board's consideration and approval on the grounds described therein.  

The General Services Department collaborated extensively with the Agriculture Department.  Additional collaboration occurred with the Department of Financial Services, County Counsel and County Administrator's Office.

The competitive solicitation process will commence upon the Board's adoption of the plans and specifications and the authorization of the Director of General Services, or designee, to advertise the construction bids.