DATE: June 3, 2026
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Water Utilities Department
TITLE: AMENDMENT 7 TO THE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE ASSOCIATES FOR THE LOMA ALTA SLOUGH WETLANDS ENHANCEMENT PROJECT
RECOMMENDATION
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Staff recommend that the City Council approve Amendment 7 to the professional services agreement with Environmental Science Associates, in the amount of $28,850, for a total contract amount not to exceed $644,786, for design services; and authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute the amendment for the Loma Alta Slough Wetlands Enhancement Project.
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BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
The Loma Alta Slough Wetlands Enhancement Project (Project) is a wetland restoration effort in South Oceanside on City-owned property. The Project site is located west of South Coast Highway adjacent to Buccaneer Beach Park and Pacific Street. The Project involves a phased restoration of the Loma Alta Slough’s habitat across seven vacant City-owned lots, totaling approximately 5.8 acres. The Project will expand coastal wildlife habitat and improve water quality while connecting new trails to the coast.
To date, the project planning, design, and permitting have been funded through multiple State and Federal grant awards to the City’s Water Utilities Department. Grant funds originating from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), State Coastal Conservancy (SCC), and the State Ocean Protection Council (OPC) total approximately $6 million for project construction.
On September 14, 2022, City Council approved a PSA with ESA under the OPC grant award in the amount not to exceed $138,630 for entitlement, final design, and construction bid support. City Council approved Amendment 1, in the amount not to exceed $70,000, on February 14, 2024; and Amendment 2, in the amount not to exceed $36,182, on May 22, 2024. Amendment 3 was administratively executed on August 15, 2024, to reallocate existing budget between project tasks. City Council approved Amendment 4 on February 19, 2025, which is funded through the State Coastal Conservancy grant in the amount not to exceed $166,514; and Amendment 5 was administratively executed on December 16, 2025. City Council approved Amendment 6 in the amount not to exceed $204,610 on April 8, 2026.
Additional funds are now needed for design services of four interpretative signage panels to be installed following construction of the Project.
The original budget was scoped three years ago during the initial OPC grant application. Since then, industry costs for professional design services, environmental consulting, and specialized labor have increased sharply. The consultant’s scope includes:
• Content creation and curation: researching, writing, and adapting scientific and historical narratives by leveraging existing data from the broader project files.
• Original artwork/illustrations: developing custom technical diagrams, maps, or wildlife illustrations specific to the Loma Alta Slough ecosystem.
• Material engineering: specifying durable, weather-resistant, anti-graffiti, and ADA compliant materials for a coastal environment.
• Stakeholder review/regulatory review: attending meetings for revisions between the city, OPC, and project partners.
The work completed under Amendment 7 in the amount not to exceed $28,850 would be funded by the OPC grant, as noted below in the Fiscal Impact section. This amount serves as the ‘not-to-exceed’ cap, and City staff are committed to mitigating these inflationary impacts by reviewing deliverables at every stage to ensure the City only expends the precise funds necessary to complete the task.
FISCAL IMPACT
Amendment 7 in the amount of $28,850 will be charged to the Ocean Protection Council grant account 836181022272.5305 which has a current available balance of $847,266; therefore, sufficient funds are available.
|
Account Number |
Amount |
Available Balance |
|
836181022272.5305 |
$28,850 |
$847,266 |
COMMISSION OR COMMITTEE REPORT
The Utilities Commission approved staff’s recommendation at its regularly scheduled meeting on May 19, 2026.
CITY ATTORNEY’S ANALYSIS
The referenced documents have been reviewed by the City Attorney and approved as to form.
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Prepared by: Bronti Cash, Watershed Protection Program Manager
Reviewed by: Frederick Mayo, Water Utilities Director
Submitted by: Jonathan Borrego, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Amendment 7 to PSA
2. Attachment A - Site Map