Council approves Utica Park change orders, allocates ARPA funds to complete lighting and landscaping

An Angels Camp City Council majority on Jan. 7 approved change orders and a budget adjustment for Utica Park’s completion, voting to fund the immediate lighting and landscaping needs largely from the city’s ARPA balance.

The council approved amended change order 4 (speed cushions), change order 5 (additional lighting and wiring), and change order 6 (landscaping and irrigation work), and authorized a budget adjustment that includes a $3,000 contingency. Council members agreed to defer two optional items — full repaving of the parking lot and an artificial-turf option for bocce courts — for separate consideration.

The vote followed a lengthy presentation from project staff and contractor representatives explaining cost increases. Amy (staff presenter) told the council that initial budgets were based on pre‑COVID estimates and that inflation, added scope items and the need to replace an old irrigation system together drove the new requests. She said landscaping, including an irrigation replacement, accounted for the largest single increase and that a substantial portion of the landscaping cost — roughly $110,000 — is irrigation work not…