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Woodside council approves payment to housing‑element consultant after HCD raised new analysis requirements
Summary
After public concern about cost overages, the Woodside Town Council voted 6–0 to approve payment to consultant Diab Bhatia for additional work on the housing‑element EIR that staff said was required by California HCD review, while councilmembers requested a future consultant‑evaluation process.
The Woodside Town Council voted unanimously to approve a payment to consulting firm Diab Bhatia for expanded work on the town’s housing‑element environmental review after staff said state reviewers required additional analyses.
Resident Kim Hansen raised the item during public communications, saying the consent calendar description labeled the work as routine but that the town was being asked to “authorize payment of over a quarter‑million dollars to Diab Bhatia” and calling the firm’s work “very inadequate.” She urged the council to re‑examine continuing to hire the consultant.
Town Manager Kevin Bryant told the council the town initially hired Diab Bhatia for sequence analysis and an initial study under an original scope of about $144,790. After the Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) returned a comment letter, staff and the consultant performed additional analyses, including a full sites analysis and AFFH work. Bryant said the scope expanded from an anticipated two focused areas to 10, work was completed, and the contract amendment before the council pays for services already performed.
Some councilmembers said the town lacked a formal consultant‑evaluation process and asked staff to create a brief record of consultant performance to guide future hiring decisions. Council members who had concerns about the political outcome of the housing work nonetheless agreed staff had to respond to HCD comments. “Given the fact that it was required work, we asked for it,” one councilmember said.
The council approved the payment by roll call (motion and vote recorded in the meeting), 6–0. Members said they expect staff to develop more formal feedback and documentation for municipal consultant engagements going forward.
Next steps: staff will record the requested procurement/consultant‑review recommendations for future contract decisions.
