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Environmental Consultant List <br /> <br /> June 7, 2010 <br /> Page 2 <br /> DISCUSSION <br /> Staff identified a few years ago ways to streamline the environmental process in order to facilitate <br /> investment in the community by pre-qualifying environmental consultants. These consultants provide <br /> technical expertise related to preparing environmental impact reports and studies, negative <br /> declarations, environmental assessments, and other technical reports. These reports and studies are <br /> required under the state and federal law i.e., the California Environmental Quality Act and the <br /> National Environmental Policy Act. This streamlined environmental process can save as much as 4 <br /> months for development projects and capital improvement projects. This streamlined process was <br /> instituted in 2007 and has worked well. <br /> Similar to many cities, the City of Santa Ana utilizes consulting firms to provide technical expertise <br /> relating to environmental services. Recently, the City has contracted with environmental firms to <br /> prepare complex environmental impact reports for such projects as Parkview at Town and Country <br /> Manor, Corinthian College, the Transit Zoning Code, and the City's Housing Element. <br /> When a private development project requires an environmental study, the developer is required to <br /> submit payment to the City for the full cost of the study. This payment is placed in a special City <br /> account (account no. 09801001-24035). When the environmental report is completed, the City pays <br /> the consultant from this account. In the case of City development projects, the respective agency <br /> would pay the consultant for environmental services from their project funding allocation. In both <br /> cases, this requested action saves vital time in the selection and contracting process for consultants. <br /> A request for qualifications was sent to 52 consulting firms in April 2010. Proposals were submitted <br /> from 36 firms. These proposals were then evaluated and compiled onto a list of qualified firms. The <br /> list includes consulting firms that provide all disciplines of environmental and technical studies <br /> required to process various types of development and capital projects. <br /> It is recommended that the City approve the list of pre-qualified consultants for environmental <br /> services. These consultants then will be contracted with individually for specific projects each time a <br /> private developer or the City initiates a new project. <br /> ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT <br /> The approval of a consultant list for environmental consultation is statutorily exempt from CEQA. <br /> 25F-2 <br /> <br />