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San Carlos council approves downtown Phase 1A (Harrington Park) after discussion; one member abstains
Summary
The council approved the downtown plan Phase 1A Harrington Park project and authorized a $300,000 design‑support amendment to WRT Inc., after pulling item 8E for extra discussion about bidding, phasing and cost escalation; the motion passed with one abstention.
The San Carlos City Council voted on Nov. 10 to approve the downtown plan implementation Phase 1A (Harrington Park) and to authorize a $300,000 contract amendment to WRT Inc. for design support during construction.
Councilmember Nil Leighton pulled Item 8E from the consent calendar for discussion to ask staff about bid packaging and potential savings from combining Phase 1A and Phase 1B. City Engineer Gracley told the council the two phases are materially different—Phase 1B would present more complexity and staging challenges—and that design documents had already been split. Gracley also noted construction escalation uncertainty, citing an estimated industry figure of roughly 6% per year.
After discussion about schedule and right‑of‑entry needs for private properties along 1B, councilmember Neil moved to approve the Phase 1A plans and specifications, call for bids, and authorize the WRT Inc. amendment. The motion carried by roll call: four yes votes and one abstention. Councilmember John Dugan said he shared concerns about cost escalation and abstained from the final vote.
Why it matters: The approved Phase 1A is a near‑term, shovel‑ready piece of San Carlos’s downtown plan. Staff and council emphasized that staging and rights‑of‑entry make Phase 1B more complicated and that the city needs to manage escalation and construction timing carefully.
What the action includes: The approved motion authorized construction documents for Phase 1A, a call for bids, and a $300,000 amendment to WRT Inc. for design support during construction. Staff said 1B construction documents are being advanced (approximately 75% design) with a March–April target for completion, but that additional property‑owner coordination and staging analysis remain.
Next steps: Staff will proceed with the advertised call for bids for Phase 1A and continue work on 1B design and right‑of‑entry coordination. The council directed staff to continue cost‑management efforts and to return with updates as design and bid information become available.
