To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): General Services
Staff Name and Phone Number: Caroline Judy, General Services: 707-565-8058
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
CAL FIRE Lease of Former Sierra Youth Center and Classroom at County’s Los Guilicos Campus
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Delegate authority to the General Services Director to execute a lease agreement, in form approved by County Counsel, with the State of California for the former Sierra Youth Center building and other facilities at the County’s Los Guilicos campus, for use as a full time, year-round CAL FIRE base.
B) Find that the subject agreement is in the public interest and that the use of the subject Los Guilicos facilities under the agreement will not substantially conflict or interfere with County use.
end
Executive Summary:
The Director of General Services requests Board approval, as Landlord, of a Lease with the State of California for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE)’s use of the former Sierra Youth Center building, the former Classroom/Multi-use building, and the adjacent parking area, court, and yard, located at the County’s Los Guilicos campus, for use by CAL FIRE firefighting and vegetation management personnel. Under the Lease, CAL FIRE will be required to use the facilities for a year-round, round-the clock (24/7) fire camp for housing and staging of up to forty non-incarcerated fire personnel. A firefighting team is expected to occupy during fire season (approximately nine (9) months/year), and a fuel abatement team would occupy during the wet season (approximately three (3) months/year). The proposed Lease will support the County’s fire prevention and response needs, support the Board’s Strategic Resilient Infrastructure pillar, and make use of unused and underutilized space at the Los Guilicos campus. The presence of CAL FIRE personnel and equipment in the Los Guilicos area will significantly improve response times and resources in the event of wildfire or other emergencies.
Discussion:
In March, 2021, County General Services and CAL FIRE began discussing the possibility of CAL FIRE use of the former Sierra Youth Center and Classroom at the County’s Los Guilicos campus. The proposed use would be CAL FIRE’s first fire camp in Sonoma County since the 1990s. According to CAL FIRE Sonoma County is currently served by fire crews from fire camps located in Fairfield and Dixon. Discussions and lease negotiations between the County and State have continued and are close to finalization. The proposed three year lease term will support the County’s fire prevention and response needs by establishing a CAL FIRE fire camp that will be occupied year-round, 24/7 by CAL FIRE personnel tasked with fire prevention and response in Sonoma County. The lease will also provide the County with cost recovery from the State for needed improvements and maintenance to the former Sierra Youth Center and Classroom buildings and adjacent yard.
Lease. While final terms and specific arrangements are yet to be finalized, the proposed Lease between the County, as Landlord, and the State, as Tenant, would contain the following key provisions:
1. Three (3) year lease commencing April 1, 2022, and expiring March 31, 2025
2. In addition to any other rent or payment amounts due under the Lease, the State will be required to establish and maintain year-round CAL FIRE personnel crews at the Premises and render appropriate fire protection services for the benefit of the local community
3. State will reimburse County for utility (electricity, water, and or gas only) expenses for Premises. State will provide and pay for its own trash service and State will reimburse County for all of County’s costs and expenses for premises maintenance. Prior to occupancy, County will repair or replace the former Classroom/Multi-use building roof, and replace magnetic locks on the former Sierra Youth Center doors with standard door locks, as well as re-install former stove in the kitchen and seal flooring where there are broken tiles. Cost estimate is below. Costs as to such repairs would be paid by State through rent payment(s).
4. Any additional improvements are to be completed at State expense and subject to County consent
Project Costs and Construction Schedule.
|
Building |
Improvement |
Budget |
|
|
|
Classroom |
New Roof |
$15,000 |
|
|
|
SYC |
Replace Door Locks |
$24,000 |
|
|
|
SYC |
Install Stove/Ansul |
$5,000 |
|
|
|
SYC |
Seal broken floor tiles |
$3,000 |
|
|
|
Total |
|
$47,000 |
|
|
Procedural Authority. If in the public interest and if the use will not interfere with County’s use of the subject property, Government Code section 25526.6 allows the County to lease, license, or allow use of County real property by any public agency, on terms and conditions as determined by the County. Here, the lease with CALFIRE will make available unused and underutilized space at the Los Guilicos campus that is not needed for County purposes. By assuring the presence of CAL FIRE personnel year-round at the location, the lease will facilitate expedited emergency response in the Los Guilicos area. When not responding to active emergencies, the CAL FIRE crews stationed under the Lease will provide the community benefit of year-round fire mitigation efforts.
Strategic Plan:
This item directly supports the County’s Five-year Strategic Plan and is aligned with the following pillar, goal, and objective.
Pillar: Climate Action and Resiliency
Goal: Goal 1: Continue to invest in wildfire preparedness and resiliency strategies
Objective: Objective 6: Develop training and staffing structures that effectively support disaster services work and emergency operations, particularly for large-scale and ongoing events.
Prior Board Actions:
None
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY 21-22 Adopted |
FY 22-23 Projected |
FY 23-24 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$22,500 |
$60,000 |
$60,000 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
$47,000 |
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
$69,500 |
$60,000 |
$60,000 |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
$22,500 |
$60,000 |
$60,000 |
|
State/Federal |
$47,000 |
|
|
|
Fees/Other |
|
|
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
$69,500 |
$60,000 |
$60,000 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
The State will reimburse General Services for the pre-occupancy tenant improvements, which are estimated to cost $47,000, through paying of rent under the Lease. A budget adjustment will be included for the tenant improvements in the Fiscal Year 21-22 2nd Quarter Consolidated Budget Adjustments.
The former Sierra Youth Center Building is currently being maintained as an unoccupied building by the General Services Facilities Operations Division. Using historical maintenance cost data from when the buildings were occupied between 2005 and 2010, and adjusting for inflation, General Services anticipates that the maintenance costs will increase by $60,000 annually once the building becomes occupied. There will also be an increase in utility costs. The amount is unknown at this time, but General Services will track costs over the next few months and work with the County Administrator to make sure there is adequate budget appropriations in the coming fiscal years.
|
Staffing Impacts: |
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|
|
Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
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|
|
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|
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|
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
None
Attachments:
1 - Lease between County of Sonoma as Landlord and the State as Tenant
2 - Historic Maintenance Expenses
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None