ENVIRONMENT PLANNING DEVELOPMENT SOLUTIONS, INC. (EPD SOLUTIONS, INC.)

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Preparation of Scope of Work, Schedule, and Budget Once the project strategy has been developed and considered by the City, EPD will prepare a detailed draft scope of work, Microsoft Project schedule, and budget. EPD will identify technical experts responsible for preparation of necessary environmental surveys and studies (e.g., biological, noise, archaeological, historical, etc.) and will assign staff responsible for completing all tasks. Our approach to all projects focuses on collaboration. Our research conducted as part of this task, in close collaboration with our technical team, will assure a comprehensive analysis of a project's environmental setting and potential impacts is conducted, and potential issues are identified upfront, as well as opportunities to avoid such issues through project design refinements. The project schedule will identify specific tasks to show the deliverables expected at each stage. The Scope of Work, schedule, and budget will be provided to the City for review and approval. Project Initiation and Early Kick -of of Studies Immediately following City approval of the final Scope of Work, EPD will schedule a kick-off meeting with the City's project manager and other involved staff to review the latest project plans, milestones, and critical tasks to achieve those milestones, and confirm responsibilities for each of the tasks. EPD will also provide a list of data needs and other information needed for EPD to complete its Scope of Work. Part of the early project assessment process will be to identify what, if any, surveys or special analyses are needed that require a substantial period of time, and could hold up projects if not initiated right away. Examples include cultural studies and tribal consultation requirements, and the completion of certain biological surveys. Relative to cultural studies and tribal consultation, if the proposed project includes a General Plan Amendment the tribal consultation requirements of Senate Bill (SB) 18 apply. The preparation of certain environmental documents, such as negative declarations, MNDs, and EIRs, also require tribal consultation pursuant to Assembly Bill (AB) 52. If the City has not already done so, EPD will immediately request a Sacred Lands File search from the Native American Heritage Commission on behalf of the City, and will prepare the appropriate notifications for mailing to any tribes on the City's AB 52 contact list to begin the consultation process. We recommend sending SB 18 and/or AB 52 consultation notifications during the project initiation stage to ensure that if consultation is requested, it occurs early in the process and that any comments received, including recommended mitigation measures, are adequately accommodated for in the environmental documents. Failure to do so could result in months -long delays during the CEQA compliance stage. Similarly, certain focused biological surveys can only occur during specific times of the year, and failure to do so could result in project delays during the CEQA compliance stage or leading up to construction if such surveys are required prior to ground disturbance. Identifying these potential survey needs early in the process will allow the surveys to be built into the project schedule and sufficiently planned and budgeted for before delays occur. Task 2. Complete CEQA/NEPA Documenfs Project Description EPD will work with City staff and the applicants to prepare a comprehensive Project Description that will articulate the proposed development activity, required discretionary approvals, and any other pertinent information. Plans and related documentation will be the basis for the Project Description. EPD will prepare the Project Description for City review. This is a critical step because the description and the plans together will be the foundation upon which CEQA/NEPA and other regulations' compliance is based. EPD will revise the Project Description based on the City's comments and will produce a final version for use in all project - specific environmental documents and technical studies. Preparation of Environmental Document EPD will initiate preparation of the draft CEQA/NEPA documentation, as applicable, upon completion of the Project Description. During the preparation of the environmental documents, EPD will maintain regular lonuary 16, 2019 E I P I D Solutions, Inc.