HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem No. 08 - Agreement with Ascent Environmental, Inc. to Prepare a New Climate Action and Ad_202403212332121928)Agreement with Ascent Environmental, Inc. to Prepare a New Climate Action and
Adaptation Plan (CAAP)
Approve and authorize the City Manager to execute a Professional Services Agreement
with Ascent Environmental, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $330,000 for the preparation of
a new Climate Action and Adaptation Plan in such final form as approved by the City
Attorney and authorize the City Manager to execute change orders not to exceed a 10%
contingency of $33,000 for unanticipated costs.
Page 1 of 3
REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL
To:Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From:Jason Simpson, City Manager
Prepared by:Todd Parton, Assistant City Manager
Date:March 26, 2024
Subject:Agreement with Ascent Environmental, Inc. to Prepare a New Climate
Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP)
Recommendation
Approve and authorize the City Manager to execute a Professional Services Agreement with
Ascent Environmental, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $330,000 for the preparation of a new
Climate Action and Adaptation Plan in such final form as approved by the City Attorney and
authorize the City Manager to execute change orders not to exceed a 10% contingency of $33,000
for unanticipated costs.
Background
In October 2023, the City of Lake Elsinore was awarded a grant from the California Governor's
Office through the Regional Climate Collaboratives Program. Grant funds in the amount of
$401,000 were awarded to develop a new climate adaptation and action plan (CAAP). The City
is partnering with the Social Work Action Group (SWAG) to develop an understanding of the
impacts of climate change, its impact on residents, prioritize suggestions from vulnerable
communities, and create priorities to meet identified needs.
SWAG and the City will work collaboratively to implement a community engagement program.
The objective of these engagement efforts will be to understand the effects of climate change as
experienced by the residents, especially on vulnerable communities.
Climate Action and Adaptation Plan
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Solicitations for request for proposals (RFPs) were initiated in December 2023. A total of six (6)
qualified bids were received from the following firms:
•Raimi + Associates,
•ASCENT ENVIRONMENTAL, INC. (Ascent),
•Environmental Science Associates (ESA),
•Blue Strike Environmental,
•Community Inclusive Wealth, and
•KERAMIDA, Inc.
Each RFP was reviewed by a City panel who selected three proposers for interviews: ESA, Blue
Strike Environmental, and Ascent. After the interviews, the panel identified Ascent as the
preferred proposer. This was based on the firm’s approach to the project, its understanding of the
project, its experience in developing and implementing comparable projects, and its project team
which includes Fehr & Peers as a subconsultant on circulation related topics.
Ascent estimates a timeline of approximately 18 months to complete the project.
Discussion
Lake Elsinore is currently operating under a Climate Action Plan (2011 CAP) that was adopted
by the City Council on December 13, 2011. Many of the objectives of this plan have been
addressed and updates are necessary to meet the objectives of the City’s 2021 to 2029 Housing
Element and current state requirements.
The CAAP aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from community activities and municipal
operations and to prepare the community for the impacts of climate change. It is to be a practical
plan with well-defined, achievable implementation strategies/mitigation measures. Lake Elsinore
will be provided the tools for implementation and the means to monitor and report its progress. It
is anticipated that the CAAP will meet CEQA qualification requirements, specifically meeting State
CEQA guidelines.
Work on the CAAP will occur through 10 identified tasks:
•Task 1 – Project initiation, data gathering, and management;
•Task 2 – Equitable Community outreach;
•Tasks 3 and 4 – Climate adaptation technical tasks;
•Tasks 5 through 8 – Essential tasks needed for greenhouse gas reduction components
and evaluation of the approach required by CEQA;
•Tasks 9 and 10 – Optional tasks to enhance usability of the CAAP and provide the City
with implementation and monitoring support.
SWAG is a partner with this project. Their primary focus is to help the City engage with the
vulnerable populations that they serve. This input is critical to ensuring that the plan identifies the
impacts and includes strategies by those who are impacted most significantly by the impacts of
climate. Ultimately, the CAAP will strive to embed equity into planning and program
implementation in order to create more just outcomes for all citizens.
Climate Action and Adaptation Plan
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Lake Elsinore and SWAG will develop a CAAP that specifically addresses the impacts of wildfire
exposure, extreme heat, severe weather, and the lack of access to services.
Fiscal Impact
Grant funds already awarded to the City in the amount of $401,000 are adequate to cover contract
costs, contingencies of approximately ten percent (10%), and project related incidental expenses
of up to $38,000 of SWAG and Lake Elsinore.
Attachments
Attachment 1 - Request for Proposals
Attachment 2 - Agreement
Attachment 3 - Proposal
Attachment 4 - Price Proposal
RFP-Climate Action and Adaptation Plan 1
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS –
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
FOR PREPARATION OF A
CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN
NOVEMBER 30, 2023
City of Lake Elsinore
Community Development Department
130 South Main Street
Lake Elsinore, California 92530
RFP-Climate Action and Adaptation Plan 2
November 30, 2023
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
The City of Lake Elsinore, hereinafter referred to as the City, is inviting proposals from qualified
consulting firms to assist them in developing a Climate Action and Adaptation Plan. To be
considered for this contract, your firm must meet the qualifications and satisfy the requirements as
stated in the Request for Proposal (RFP).
Time Schedule:
The following is the City's tentative schedule for the selection of a consulting firm:
1. Request for Proposals distributed: November 30, 2023
2. Deadline for submitting Questions: December 18, 2023 at 3:00 pm
3. Deadline for submitting Proposal: January 15, 2024 at 4:00 pm
4. Staff review of Proposals: January 16, 2024 to January 26, 2024
5. Interview of top firms, if needed: Week of February 5, 2024
6. Award of contract: February 28, 2024
Proposals for the RFP, as described herein, will be received electronically via the City of Lake
Elsinore’s online bid management portal PlanetBids, until 4:00 PM, January 15, 2024. Any changes
to this RFP are invalid unless specifically modified by the City of Lake Elsinore and issued as a
separate addendum document. Should there be any questions as to changes to the content of this
document; the City’s copy shall prevail. It is the Proposer’s sole responsibility to ensure that their
proposal, inclusive of any or all addenda, is uploaded to the proper place at the proper time. Any
proposal received after the scheduled closing time for receipt of proposals will not be considered.
Proposals must be submitted electronically via the City of Lake Elsinore e-Procurement System
PlanetBids as set forth in this RFP document. Unless otherwise specified, proposals submitted
by any other method such as hard copy, fax, or e-mail will be disqualified. Proposals may be
withdrawn on the PlanetBids vendor portal prior to the schedule submittal time and date receipt of
proposals. Proposers are encouraged to not wait until the deadline to submit proposals, as system-
related questions may arise.
All questions, technical, commercial, or contractual in nature shall be directed to the Q&A section on
the e-Procurement System PlanetBids. No phone calls will be allowed. Contact the City of Lake
Elsinore personnel or anyone other than those listed above regarding this RFP is prohibited
and may be grounds for elimination from the selection process. All questions regarding this RFP
must be submitted through the e-Procurement System PlanetBids no later than 3:00 PM, December
18, 2023.
Sincerely,
Community Development Department
RFP-Climate Action and Adaptation Plan 1
INTRODUCTION
The City of Lake Elsinore Community Development Department is seeking proposals from
qualified consultants for the preparation of a Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) that
will serve as a standalone document. The CAAP will provide goals, strategies, and actions to
enable the City to achieve or exceed greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goals; climate
adaptation and resilience strategies; and a means of reporting and monitoring the effectiveness
of the plan. The CAAP will also address the disproportionate effect climate change has on
historically underserved communities within the City and evaluate vulnerabilities and prioritize
climate adaptation and climate resilience strategies with a focus on community involvement
and helping disadvantaged community members adapt. The firm selected to lead this effort will
be expected to thoughtfully consider how to ensure that the document can be used by all
community members, and to incorporate features that encourage use and understanding of the
document at all levels and across all sectors. The final document should be extremely reader
friendly and contain high quality graphics. The CAAP will update the City’s current GHG
emissions reduction targets to align with state and regional targets to include those established
by the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) and Western Riverside Council
of Governments (WRCOG), integrate current climate science, and incorporate an equity
framework.
BACKGROUND
Nestled at the foot of the Cleveland National Forest, within the southwest portion of Riverside
County, lies the City of Lake Elsinore (City). The City encompasses approximately 43.5 square
miles with a Sphere of Influence (SOI) covering more than 72 square miles. Interstate 15 (I-15)
provides north-south regional access to the City. State Route 74 (SR-74) extends in a northeast
to southeast direction through the City and connect I-15 to the Ortega Highway. Surrounding
cities include Canyon Lake and Menifee to the east and Wildomar to the south. The City of Lake
Elsinore is also bordered to the north, east and southwest by unincorporated lands within the
County of Riverside. United States Forest Service lands within the Cleveland National Forest
border the City to the west. Along the I-15 corridor, the City of Corona is approximately twenty
miles to the north and the Cities of Murrieta and Temecula are within ten miles to the south. The
City of Perris is within ten miles to the northeast of the City along the SR-74 corridor. The City of
Lake Elsinore’s website is www.lake-elsinore.org.
In 2011 the City adopted a Climate Action Plan, a long-range plan to reduce local greenhouse
gas emissions that contribute to climate change. Twelve years ago, the Climate Action Plan
identified the activities in Lake Elsinore that generated greenhouse gas emissions, quantified
these emissions, and projected future trends. Although progressive for its time, the City’s Climate
Action Plan needs to be updated and centered around vulnerable communities.
RFP-Climate Action and Adaptation Plan 2
RFP-Climate Action and Adaptation Plan 3
RFP-Climate Action and Adaptation Plan 4
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
The CAAP objectives are to assess vulnerabilities, develop strategies to withstand changing
conditions, and to prepare the City to continue essential services equitably. Climate adaptation
and mitigation will become standard practice in Lake Elsinore. The project has the following
goals:
• Equitably plan for and respond to multiple climate risks by centering the needs of
vulnerable communities;
• Plan for all climate risks using an integrated approach across industries for climate
adaptation;
• Integrate social and physical infrastructure planning to achieve community resilience;
• Embed equity into the planning process to achieve equitable planning strategies and
outcomes; and
• Incorporate provisions of the City’s Environmental Justice Element contained in Chapter
3.0 (Public Safety and Welfare) of the Lake Elsinore General Plan as applicable.
SCOPE OF REQUIRED SERVICES
Proposals are sought that generally reflect the scope outlined herein. Consultants are strongly
encouraged to suggest refinements and innovative methodologies that ultimately achieve the
work products described below. Consultants are invited to utilize elements which incorporate
innovation and creativity to deliver a top value CAAP.
The consultants will include robust community outreach to develop the CAAP in cooperation with
staff, the City Council, the Social Work Action Group (SWAG), the Community Climate
Adaptation Team (CCAT) that will be established by the City, and members of the public. A
consultant is sought that will prepare a plan that is straight forward, implementable by staff, and
easy to understand for the community.
The project should begin with a review of existing documentation including, but not limited to, the
following:
• The City’s 2011 Climate Action Plan;
• The City’s General Plan as amended;
• The City’s Hazard Mitigation Plan;
• The City’s Active Transportation Plan;
• The Southern California Association of Governments Regional Transportation Plan;
• Regional Climate Adaptation Toolkit;
• Riverside County Climate Adaptation Plan; and
• City of Lake Elsinore VMT guidelines.
The CAAP should:
RFP-Climate Action and Adaptation Plan 5
• Develop a current GHG Inventory based on the latest available data to measure the City’s
progress in reducing GHG emissions;
• Incorporate innovative strategies and solutions for both climate action and adaptation;
• Identify local and regional climate challenges, opportunities, and direct impacts to the
City of Lake Elsinore;
• Develop GHG emissions projections based on baseline and various other scenarios, that
account for actions being taken at the State, Federal, and regional levels;
• Establish a set of cohesive strategies, implementation plans and metrics for measuring
progress;
• Recommend GHG emission reduction targets to align with Senate Bill 32 (“SB 32”) by
2030, and reach carbon neutrality on or before 2045;
• Activate and engage residents, businesses, and institutions with positive actions and
tangible benefits;
• Identify funding and implementation measures, including City and SWAG capacity
needed to implement the strategies identified;
• Develop a means of reporting and monitoring the effectiveness of the plan; and
• Address resilience and adaptation within the CAAP, including identifying strategies
The project schedule should include adequate time for public comment on the draft plan. Review
should include an analysis of the implications of each strategy on the environment, social equity,
and the local economy.
City staff recommends the following structure for the scope of work consisting of the following
tasks that are based upon the Work Plan that was included in the City’s Adaptation Planning
Grant Program (APGP) Application that was submitted to the State of California Governor’s
Office of Planning and Research (OPR). The Tasks, Subtasks, Descriptions and
Deliverable/Milestones from that Work Plan are included as Attachment A to this Request for
Proposal. OPR notified the City that it had been selected as a Round 1 Grantee for the APGP
on June 8, 2023. The City may modify the following tasks in collaboration with the selected
Consultant in order to assure that the City can provide the required documentation can be
submitted to OPR to demonstrate that the major outcomes and/or metrics used to demonstrate
success for each deliverable/milestone have been satisfied. All activities will be undertaken in
close coordination with the CCAT. The City reserves the right to negotiate a modified scope of
work with the selected Consultant that consists of fewer tasks to ensure that the project fits within
the City’s available budget and/or to add additional tasks to the scope based on needs that are
identified by the CCAT and that are subject to additional funding authorized at the City’s sole
discretion.
Task 1: Initiate Project
Subtask A: Project Kickoff
Project Kick-Off and Meeting with Consultant to establish planning process, identify goals and
objectives, and solidify project schedule.
Subtask B: Data and Information Gathering
The Consultant will review City's general plan, existing regional and local climate adaptation
RFP-Climate Action and Adaptation Plan 6
plans, and other relative plans for baseline data, and will identify omissions and hidden biases
that affect vulnerable communities.
Task 2: Assess Community Risks and Vulnerabilities
Subtask A: Identification and Risk Assessment
Building upon the City’s existing Hazard Mitigation Plan and other available plans, tools, and
resources, the Consultant will identify climate-related hazards, climate-related stressors and
critical community assets.
Subtask B: Vulnerability Analysis and Adaptation Measures
The Consultant will provide a vulnerability assessment of the risks that Lake Elsinore is likely to
face as the impacts of climate change become more severe. The risks evaluated must include,
but are not limited, to drought, extreme heat, precipitation, air quality, winds, wildfires, and any
indirect effects of sea level rise in nearby coastal communities (e.g. population migration). The
analysis will also address any disproportional impacts that climate change may have on
vulnerable populations across the City (e.g., seniors, children, low-income residents, persons
with disabilities, etc.). This effort should include both community adaptation and municipal
government operations. The Consultant shall gather and synthesize data as part of the planning
process, including FEMA’s National Risk Index Tool, Risk Map, the U.S. Climate Resilience
Toolkit, ArcGIS, and other tools.
Subtask C: Climate Resilience Priorities
Using FEMA's National Risk Index Tool, U.S. Census data and other tools, the Consultant will
prioritize potential exposures of vulnerable populations and identify climate resilience priorities.
Subtask D: Inventory Summary
The Consultant will prepare a GHG inventory based on tools and guidance provided by the
International Conference for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI). Information should be
collected and used to create a methodology worksheet using tools and guidance provided by
ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability. The methodology worksheet should include the City
operations inventory (data gathered from City departments will be presented in a worksheet for
a community wide inventory), and a worksheet that calculates the equivalent CO2 emission from
those energy uses. Resources used on the City operation inventory should include the Local
Government Operations Protocol (LGOP), developed by ICLEI, the California Air Resources
Board (CARB), the California Climate Action Registry (CCAR), and The Climate Registry (TCR).
The LGOP provides internationally recognized GHG accounting and reporting principles for cities
wanting to quantify and report emissions in a transparent way.
The Consultant will summarize and report findings to CCAT and will meet with CCAT to provide
feedback and input for prioritization.
Task 3: Execute Community Outreach for Public Involvement
Subtask A: Community Visioning
The Consultant will Identify and address community issues that are important to CCAT and key
stakeholders. Coordinate community visioning and community outreach with key stakeholders.
Subtask B: Community Outreach Plan
The Consultant will work with the City to develop a community outreach plan with an emphasis
on vulnerable communities.
RFP-Climate Action and Adaptation Plan 7
Subtask C: Community Forums and Workshops
The Consultant will attend a series of public community forums and workshops to receive public
input and to discuss the importance of climate resilience.
Subtask D: Public Survey
The Consultant will develop, promote and work with the City to disseminate an online resident
survey and to tabulate the results.
Subtask E: Community Summary
Evaluate themes that emerged during forums, meetings, and outreach activities. Analyze and
apply community input to the adaptation assessment.
Subtask F: Review and Summarize Vulnerability and Risk Findings
Conduct CCAT meeting to discuss the analysis of potential losses and vulnerabilities, and the
updated assessment.
Task 4: Develop Climate Adaptation Strategies
Subtask A: Refine and Revise Climate Adaptation and Resilience Goals
Refine and revise adaptation and resilience goals that are agreed upon by the CCAT, the public,
the State and the County to provide strong foundations for the strategies.
Subtask B: Develop, Evaluate, and Prioritize Climate Adaptation Strategies
Identify the strategies that best achieve the City’s goals. Use the industry best practice FEMA’s
STAPLEE Method (recommended in the U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit) to evaluate the
mitigation measures, and guide the selection climate adaptation and resilience strategies.
Subtask C: Draft Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP)
The Consultant shall develop a draft CAAP using the above-described GHG emission analysis.
The specific strategies and priority actions selected to meet the recommended target reductions
should be summarized into a strategic framework with specific near-term implementation plans
and a schedule for longer-term implementation plan development. Measures should identify
agencies and departments responsible, indicators for success, potential partnerships,
recommended funding sources, equity considerations, and appropriate methods to assess
progress. The CAAP should include sections focused on actions for the City, community actions,
and actions for individuals, which can be taken to reduce GHG emissions.
The Consultant will present draft CAAP to CCAT and key stakeholders, and incorporate final
input into the Plan. Several rounds of revisions and updated Draft CAAP and multiple meetings
with the CCAT and key stakeholders are expected.
Task 5: Finalize Climate Adaptation Plan
Subtask A: Present Final Draft of the Climate Action and Adaptation Plan at Public Hearings
The Consultant shall support City staff in presenting the finalized CAAP to the SWAG Board,
Planning Commission and City Council.
Subtask B: Replicable case study for State Adaptation Clearinghouse
The Consultant will develop a replicable case study and prepare documents for City review and
submission to the State Adaptation Clearinghouse.
RFP-Climate Action and Adaptation Plan 8
Subtask C: Prepare Final Climate Action and Adaption Plan Document
Following adoption of the element by the City Council, the Consultant will prepare a final version
of the CAAP, including any changes to the draft required by City Staff and officials.
Task 6: CEQA Documentation
The Consultant will need to identify California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) requirements
related to the adoption of the CAAP. The consultant will also need to identify implementation
tasks that require CEQA compliance. The analysis shall be submitted in a technical
memorandum. For clarity, the Consultant is not being asked to complete and submit CEQA
documents for each implementation task.
SUBMITTAL FORM AND CONTENT
To assist in the evaluation process, the following information is required in the RFP submittal:
• Cover letter - Signed letter by an individual authorized to negotiate on behalf of the
firm and must be binding for a term of 90 days from the date of submittal to the
City.
• Written description of services to be provided. Include both services outlined in this
request, as well as additional services recommended by your organization.
• Comprehensive, specific statement indicating the maximum cost for the project based
on the project as described herein. To the extent desired, additional recommendations
and services or options may be included as additions to the project on an optional basis.
These optional items shall be priced separately from this Request for Proposal.
• List of current and former clients, preferably municipalities. Include the name of the
client, contact person, telephone number and email address (if available).
• Demonstrated experience for similar plans completed for local agencies.
• Identify a window of time indicating availability to start the project. The selected firm will
be required to enter into a written contract with the City of Lake Elsinore in a form
approved by the City Attorney. It is expected that work will commence upon award of
contract.
• City’s Professional Services Agreement – Identify any sections of the City’s standard
consultant contract (Attachment B) that pose concerns and would require
negotiation/modification in order to be acceptable to consultant. If no concerns are
identified, submitter will be deemed to have accepted the form of the agreement.
• Evidence of all applicable business insurance coverage and licenses.
• Brief description of your organization’s history, growth, philosophy/culture, number of
employees, and number of years in business under the same name.
• Brief resume of the education and experience of those persons who will actually be
RFP-Climate Action and Adaptation Plan 9
conducting the study.
• Complete description of the organizational structure of your organization, and the
method by which work is done. An organizational work flow chart with description of
duties of the persons working on the study is useful.
The City of Lake Elsinore reserves the right to extend the deadline to meet the objectives of the
agency.
Submittal of Proposal and Fee Schedule: Upload One (1) Original Proposal and submit one
digital copy of the Fee Schedule within the PlanetBids e-Procurement portal under Cost Proposal
labeled: “Cost Proposal – “Community Development Climate Action and Adaptation Plan”
no later than January 15, 2024 at 4:00 pm PST.
SUBMITTAL EVALUATION
Upon receipt of the proposals, a technical evaluation will be performed. A consultant will be
selected on the basis of qualifications and experience. Evaluation criteria will include such
considerations as:
EVALUATION CRITERIA Weight
Presentation, completeness, clarity, organization, and conformance to the
RFP content requirements. 15%
Understanding project purpose and objectives 15%
Qualifications of the firm and the experts assigned, including education,
experience, and professional expertise in writing Climate Action and
Adaptation Plans.
40%
Approach to be followed and the tasks to be performed including detailed
steps, resources required, and proposed project schedule 30%
TOTAL: 100%
SELECTION COMMITTEE
The proceedings of the Selection Committee are confidential, and members of the Selection
Committee are not to be contacted by the proposers. The Selection Committee, comprised of
a minimum of three individuals, will evaluate Proposals and other submitted documentation
based on the criteria above. Firms may be invited to oral interviews before the Selection
Committee. If oral interviews are conducted, only the specifically identified project team
members, led by the designated project manager, will be asked to appear. Finalists will be
notified and informed of specific interview requirements and procedures. Teleconferencing may
be used in lieu of in-person interviews.
COST AND CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS
Once the selection process (written proposal review and oral interviews, if held) is complete,
the top‐ranking firm will be invited to enter into contract negotiations with the City. In addition,
consultants will be expected to accept the standard City contract language for professional
RFP-Climate Action and Adaptation Plan 10
services agreements. If negotiations are unsuccessful, discussions with the highest ranked firm
will be terminated and the second highest ranked firm may be contacted for negotiations.
RFP TIMETABLE
Proposals must be submitted by January 15, 2024 at 4:00 pm. The City of Lake Elsinore
reserves the right to extend the deadline to meet the objectives of the agency.
Each finalist will be evaluated on the basis of capabilities described in its written proposal and
any oral presentation. The organization that best matches the City of Lake Elsinore’s objectives
will be selected.
GENERAL INFORMATION
The selected consultant will be expected to enter into and perform services under a
Professional Services Agreement (PSA) with the City of Lake Elsinore. In the event the
consultant and the City are unable to agree on the terms of the PSA, the City reserves the right
to reject the submittal. Further, the City reserves the right to accept or reject any or all submittals
received as a result of this request, to negotiate with qualified sources, or to cancel in part, or
in its entirety, this Request for Proposal, if it is in the best interest of the City to do so.
This is a Request for Proposal (RFP). This RFP does not commit the City to pay any costs
incurred for the preparation of the submission of a proposal, or to contract for supplies or
services.
For a submittal to be considered responsive, all requested information must be submitted.
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A: Adaptation Planning Grant Program Application Work Plan
Attachment B: City of Lake Elsinore Standard Agreement for Professional Services
APGP Application Work Plan 1
Attachment A: Adaptation Planning Grant Program Application Work Plan
Task 1: Initial Project
Subtask Description
Activities or deliverables
Deliverables/Milestones
Major outcomes and/or metrics
used to demonstrate success
Subtask A: OPR Kick-Off
Meeting
Conduct project kick-off meeting
with OPR, Lake Elsinore and
Social Work Action Group, the
Co-Applicant
Meeting notes, established
project procedures, and action
items
Subtask B: Request For
Proposals for Vulnerability
Assessment, and Climate
Adaptation Strategies
Create and distribute RFP for
qualified consultant services.
Competitive selection of
consultant(s) and execute
agreement(s)
Final RFP, consultant
distribution list, final
consultant(s) agreement(s)
Subtask C :Project Kickoff Data and information gathering
in preparation for Project Kick-
Off and Meeting with
consultant(s) to establish
planning process, identify goals
and objectives, and solidify
project schedule
Meeting agenda, sign-in sheet
and Project Management Plan
with activities, schedule,
staffing, monitoring and
reporting.
Subtask D: Establish
Community Climate
Adaptation Team
Develop new partnerships,
organize stakeholders and form
a Community Climate
Adaptation Team (CCAT) with
expertise in equitable planning,
vulnerable communities,
transportation, utilities, public
health, regional science, social
services, policymaking, and
more
New partnerships developed
during grant period to
collaborate on community
involvement and Climate
Adaptation Plan
Subtask E: Data and
Information Gathering
Review City's general plan,
existing regional and local
climate adaptation plans, and
other relative plans for baseline
data, and identify omissions and
hidden biases that effect
vulnerable communities
Report and summarize existing
plans, goals, and strategies
Task 2: Assess Community Risks and Vulnerabilities
Subtask Description
Activities or deliverables
Deliverables/Milestones
Major outcomes and/or metrics
used to demonstrate success
Subtask A: Identification and
Risk Assessment
Build upon the City’s existing
Hazard Mitigation Plan and
other available plans, tools, and
List of projected climate
changes with degrees of
change, climate impacts with
APGP Application Work Plan 2
resources to identify climate-
related hazards, climate-related
stressors and critical community
assets. Determine how
vulnerable these assets are to
the identified risks.
exposures, potentially affected
community resources, current
capacity to address impacts,
and impact ratings based on
certainty and timeline for onset.
Subtask B: Vulnerability
Analysis
Gather and synthesize data as
part of the planning process,
including FEMA’s National Risk
Index Tool, Risk Map, the U.S.
Climate Resilience Toolkit,
ArcGIS, and other tools.
An analysis of who and what is
exposed and sensitive to climate
change, and an overview of the
City’s vulnerability levels to
identified hazards and
anticipated climate impacts, and
potential effects on resources,
especially in vulnerable
communities.
Subtask C: Climate Resilience
Priorities
Use FEMA's National Risk Index
Tool and U.S. Census data to
prioritize potential exposures of
vulnerable populations and
identify climate resilience
priorities.
List of climate resilience
priorities and vulnerable
communities with sensitivities
that require extra attention.
Subtask D: Inventory
Summary
Summarize and report findings
to CCAT. Meet with CCAT to
provide feedback and input for
prioritization.
Summaries, list of new
partnerships, feedback, and
follow-up action items.
Task 3: Execute Community Outreach for Public Involvement
Subtask Description
Activities or deliverables
Deliverables/Milestones
Major outcomes and/or metrics
used to demonstrate success
Subtask A: Community
Visioning
Identify and address community
issues that are important to
CCAT and key stakeholders.
Coordinate community visioning
and community outreach with
key stakeholders.
A compelling statement about
what key stakeholders aspire to
accomplish with adaptation
planning, meeting materials, list
of key stakeholders, and notes
from key stakeholder
discussions.
Subtask B: Community
Outreach
Plan
Develop community outreach
plan with an emphasis on
vulnerable communities.
Community Outreach Plan,
collateral in English and
Spanish, and copies of outreach
announcements and
promotions.
Subtask C: Community
Forums and
Workshops
Hold a series of public
community forums and
workshops to receive public
input and share about the
importance of climate resilience.
Feedback summaries, meeting
notes and recordings, and
follow-up action items.
Subtask D: Public Survey Develop, promote and
disseminate online resident
Copies of survey
announcements, and survey
APGP Application Work Plan 3
survey. results.
Subtask E: Community
Summary
Evaluate themes that emerged
during forums, meetings, and
outreach activities.
Analyze and apply community
input to adaptation assessment.
Compilation of community
feedback, analysis report, and
summary.
Subtask F: Review and
Summarize Vulnerability and
Risk Findings
Conduct CCAT meeting to
discuss the analysis of potential
losses and vulnerabilities, and
the updated assessment.
Data visualizations and
calculations that show
vulnerable structures and
populations, and identify needs
for future land-use
considerations based on areas
of vulnerability and potential
losses from the City’s
development trends.
Task 4: Develop Climate Adaptation Strategies
Subtask Description
Activities or deliverables
Deliverables/Milestones
Major outcomes and/or metrics
used to demonstrate success
Subtask A: Refine Climate
Adaptation and Resilience
Goals
Refine adaptation and resilience
goals that are agreed upon by
the CCAT, the city, the public,
the State and County to provide
strong foundations for the
strategies.
Defined and agreed upon
adaptation and resilience goals.
Subtask B: Develop, Evaluate,
and Prioritize Climate
Adaptation Strategies
Identify the strategies that best
achieve the City’s goals. Use
the industry best practice
FEMA’s STAPLEE Method
(recommended in the U.S.
Climate Resilience Toolkit) to
evaluate the mitigation
measures, and guide the
selection climate adaptation and
resilience strategies.
List of potential impacts
categorized by next steps
(develop strategies, evaluate
further or monitor), a set of
strategies to address adaptation
needs, and a plan for
implementing and monitoring for
strategies.
Subtask C: Draft Climate
Adaptation Plan
Draft Climate Adaptation Plan
with rounds of revisions and
updated drafts. Present draft
Climate Adaptation Plan to
CCAT and key stakeholders,
and incorporate final input into
the Plan.
Climate Adaptation Plan Drafts.
Task 5: Finalize Climate Adaptation Plan
Subtask Description
Activities or deliverables
Deliverables/Milestones
Major outcomes and/or metrics
used to demonstrate success
APGP Application Work Plan 4
Subtask A: Present Final
Climate Adaptation Plan to
City Council
Prepare Final Drafts, City
Resolution, and Plan Approval.
Final plan files, including GIS
shapefiles, maps, and source
documents in ArcGIS/ESRI
shapefile format and PDF format
along with project
documentation. The Climate
Adaptation Plan in MS Word
and PDF formats, and a final
printed copy of the plan.
Subtask B: Replicable case
study for State Adaptation
Clearinghouse
Develop replicable case study
and prepare documents for
submission to the State
Adaptation Clearinghouse.
Replicable case study in State
Adaptation Clearinghouse.
Task 6: Administer the Project
Subtask Description
Activities or deliverables
Deliverables/Milestones
Major outcomes and/or metrics
used to demonstrate success
Subtask A: Quarterly ICAPO
meetings
Quarterly ICAPO meetings and
information sharing.
Meeting notes and Peer-to-Peer
Learning.
Subtask B: Partnership
Evaluation
Project and partnership
evaluation, monitoring and
management.
Evaluation plans and
documentation that community
partnerships are meaningfully
serving vulnerable communities.
Subtask C: Indirect Costs Personnel costs associated with
grant invoicing, and
administrative, supervisory,
legal, and executive staff
Data collection, tracking,
invoicing, and reporting
associated with grant activities.
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AGREEMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Click or tap here to enter text.
Click or tap here to enter text.
This Agreement for Professional Services (the “Agreement”) is made and entered into as
of Click or tap to enter a date., by and between the City of Lake Elsinore, a municipal corporation
(‘‘City") and Click or tap here to enter text., a Click or tap here to enter text. ("Consultant").
RECITALS
A. The City has determined that it requires the following professional services:
Click or tap here to enter text.
B. Consultant has submitted to City a proposal, dated Click or tap to enter a date.,
attached hereto as Exhibit A (“Consultant’s Proposal”) and incorporated herein, to provide
professional services to City pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.
C. Consultant possesses the skill, experience, ability, background, certification and
knowledge to perform the services described in this Agreement on the terms and conditions
described herein.
D. City desires to retain Consultant to perform the services as provided herein and
Consultant desires to provide such professional services as set forth in this Agreement.
AGREEMENT
1. Scope of Services. Consultant shall perform the services described in
Consultant’s Proposal (Exhibit A). Consultant shall provide such services at the time, place, and
in the manner specified in Consultant’s Proposal, subject to the direction of the City through its
staff that it may provide from time to time.
2. Time of Performance.
a. Time of Essence. Time is of the essence in the performance of this
Agreement. The time for completion of the professional services to be performed by Consultant
is an essential condition of this Agreement. Consultant shall prosecute regularly and diligently
the professional services contemplated pursuant to this Agreement according to the agreed upon
performance schedule in Consultant’s Proposal (Exhibit A).
b. Performance Schedule. Consultant shall commence the services pursuant
to this Agreement upon receipt of a written notice to proceed and shall perform all services within
the time period(s) established in the Consultant’s Proposal (Exhibit A). When requested by
Consultant, extensions to the time period(s) specified may be approved in writing by the City
Manager.
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c. Term. The term of this Agreement shall commence upon execution of this
Agreement and shall continue until the services and related work are completed in accordance
with the Consultant’s Proposal (Exhibit A).
3. Compensation. Compensation to be paid to Consultant shall be in accordance
with the fees set forth in Consultants’ Proposal (Exhibit A), which is attached hereto and
incorporated herein by reference. In no event shall Consultant’s compensation exceed Click or
tap here to enter text. dollars (Click or tap here to enter text.) without additional written
authorization from the City. Notwithstanding any provision of Consultant’s Proposal to the
contrary, out of pocket expenses set forth in Exhibit A shall be reimbursed at cost without an
inflator or administrative charge. Payment by City under this Agreement shall not be deemed a
waiver of defects, even if such defects were known to the City at the time of payment.
4. Method of Payment. Consultant shall promptly submit billings to the City
describing the services and related work performed during the preceding month to the extent that
such services and related work were performed. Consultant’s bills shall be segregated by project
task, if applicable, such that the City receives a separate accounting for work done on each
individual task for which Consultant provides services. Consultant’s bills shall include a brief
description of the services performed, the date the services were performed, the number of hours
spent and by whom, and a description of any reimbursable expenditures. City shall pay
Consultant no later than forty-five (45) days after receipt of the monthly invoice by City staff.
5. Background Checks. At any time during the term of this Agreement, the City
reserves the right to make an independent investigation into the background of Consultant’s
personnel who perform work required by this Agreement, including but not limited to their
references, character, address history, past employment, education, social security number
validation, and criminal or police records, for the purpose of confirming that such personnel are
lawfully employed, qualified to provide the subject service or pose a risk to the safety of persons
or property in and around the vicinity of where the services will be rendered or City Hall. If the City
makes a reasonable determination that any of Consultant’s prospective or then current personnel
is deemed objectionable, then the City may notify Consultant of the same. Consultant shall not
use that personnel to perform work required by this Agreement, and if necessary, shall replace
him or her with a suitable worker.
6. Suspension or Termination.
a. The City may at any time, for any reason, with or without cause, suspend
or terminate this Agreement, or any portion hereof, by serving upon the Consultant at least ten
(10) days prior written notice. Upon receipt of such notice, the Consultant shall immediately cease
all work under this Agreement, unless the notice provides otherwise. If the City suspends or
terminates a portion of this Agreement such suspension or termination shall not make void or
invalidate the remainder of this Agreement.
b. In the event this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, the City
shall pay to Consultant the actual value of the work performed up to the time of termination,
provided that the work performed is of value to the City. Upon termination of the Agreement
pursuant to this Section, the Consultant will submit an invoice to the City, pursuant to Section
entitled “Method of Payment” herein.
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7. Plans, Studies, Documents.
a. Ownership of Documents. All plans, studies, documents and other writings
prepared by and for Consultant, its officers, employees and agents and subcontractors in the
course of implementing this Agreement, except working notepad internal documents, shall
become the property of the City upon payment to Consultant for such work, and the City shall
have the sole right to use such materials in its discretion without further compensation to
Consultant or to any other party. Consultant shall, at Consultant’s expense, provide such reports,
plans, studies, documents and other writings to City upon written request. City shall have sole
determination of the public’s rights to documents under the Public Records Act, and any third-
party requests of Consultant shall be immediately referred to City, without any other actions by
Consultant.
b. Licensing of Intellectual Property. This Agreement creates a nonexclusive
and perpetual license for City to copy, use, modify, reuse, or sublicense any and all copyrights,
designs, and other intellectual property embodied in plans, specifications, studies, drawings,
estimates, and other documents or works of authorship fixed in any tangible medium of
expression, including but not limited to, physical drawings or data magnetically or otherwise
recorded on computer diskettes, which are prepared or caused to be prepared by Consultant
under this Agreement ("Documents & Data"). Consultant shall require that all subcontractors
agree in writing that City is granted a nonexclusive and perpetual license for any Documents &
Data the subcontractor prepares under this Agreement. Consultant represents and warrants that
Consultant has the legal right to license any and all Documents & Data. Consultant makes no
such representation and warranty in regard to Documents & Data which were prepared by design
professionals other than Consultant or provided to Consultant by the City. City shall not be limited
in any way in its use of the Documents & Data at any time, provided that any such use not within
the purposes intended by this Agreement shall be at City’s sole risk.
c. Confidentiality. All ideas, memoranda, specifications, plans, procedures,
drawings, descriptions, computer program data, input record data, written information, and other
Documents & Data either created by or provided to Consultant in connection with the performance
of this Agreement shall be held confidential by Consultant. Such materials shall not, without the
prior written consent of City, be used by Consultant for any purposes other than the performance
of the services under this Agreement. Nor shall such materials be disclosed to any person or
entity not connected with the performance of the services under this Agreement. Nothing
furnished to Consultant which is otherwise known to Consultant or is generally known, or has
become known, to the related industry shall be deemed confidential. Consultant shall not use
City’s name or insignia, photographs relating to project for which Consultant’s services are
rendered, or any publicity pertaining to the Consultant’s services under this Agreement in any
magazine, trade paper, newspaper, television or radio production or other similar medium without
the prior written consent of City.
8. Consultant’s Books and Records.
a. Consultant shall maintain any and all ledgers, books of account, invoices,
vouchers, canceled checks, and other records or documents evidencing or relating to charges for
services, or expenditures and disbursements charged to City for a minimum period of three (3)
years, or for any longer period required by law, from the date of final payment to Consultant to
this Agreement.
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b. Consultant shall maintain all documents and records which demonstrate
performance under this Agreement for a minimum period of three (3) years, or for any longer
period required by law, from the date of termination or completion of this Agreement.
c. Any records or documents required to be maintained pursuant to this
Agreement shall be made available for inspection or audit, at any time during regular business
hours, upon written request by the City Manager, City Attorney, City Auditor or a designated
representative of these officers. Copies of such documents shall be provided to the City for
inspection at City Hall when it is practical to do so. Otherwise, unless an alternative is mutually
agreed upon, the records shall be available at Consultant’s address indicated for receipt of notices
in this Agreement.
d. Where City has reason to believe that such records or documents may be
lost or discarded due to dissolution, disbandment or termination of Consultant’s business, City
may, by written request by any of the above-named officers, require that custody of the records
be given to the City and that the records and documents be maintained in City Hall. Access to
such records and documents shall be granted to any party authorized by Consultant, Consultant’s
representatives, or Consultant’s successor-in-interest.
9. Independent Contractor.
a. Consultant is and shall at all times remain as to the City a wholly
independent contractor pursuant to California Labor Code Section 3353. The personnel
performing the services under this Agreement on behalf of Consultant shall at all times be under
Consultant’s exclusive direction and control. Neither City nor any of its officers, employees, or
agents shall have control over the conduct of Consultant or any of Consultant’s officers,
employees, or agents, except as set forth in this Agreement. Consultant shall not at any time or
in any manner represent that it or any of its officers, employees, or agents are in any manner
officers, employees, or agents of the City. Consultant shall not incur or have the power to incur
any debt, obligation, or liability whatsoever against City, or bind City in any manner.
b. Notwithstanding any other federal, state and local laws, codes, ordinances
and regulations to the contrary and except for the fees paid to Consultant as provided in the
Agreement, Consultant and any of its employees, agents, and subcontractors providing service
under this Agreement shall not qualify for or become entitled to, and hereby agree to waive any
claims to, any compensation, benefit, or any incident of employment by City, including but not
limited to eligibility to enroll in PERS as an employee of City and entitlement to any contribution
to be paid by City for employer contribution and/or employee contributions for PERS benefits.
10. PERS Eligibility Indemnification. In the event that Consultant or any employee,
agent, or subcontractor of Consultant providing services under this Agreement claims or is
determined by a court of competent jurisdiction or the California Public Employees Retirement
System (PERS) to be eligible for enrollment in PERS as an employee of the City, Consultant shall
indemnify, defend, and hold harmless City for the payment of any employee and/or employer
contributions for PERS benefits on behalf of Consultant or its employees, agents, or
subcontractors, as well as for the payment of any penalties and interest on such contributions,
which would otherwise be the responsibility of City.
11. Interests of Consultant. Consultant (including principals, associates and
professional employees) covenants and represents that it does not now have any investment or
interest in real property and shall not acquire any interest, direct or indirect, in the area covered
5
by this Agreement or any other source of income, interest in real property or investment which
would be affected in any manner or degree by the performance of Consultant’s services
hereunder. Consultant further covenants and represents that in the performance of its duties
hereunder no person having any such interest shall perform any services under this Agreement.
Consultant is not a designated employee within the meaning of the Political Reform Act
because Consultant:
a. will conduct research and arrive at conclusions with respect to his/her
rendition of information, advice, recommendation or counsel independent of the control and
direction of the City or of any City official, other than normal agreement monitoring; and
b. possesses no authority with respect to any City decision beyond rendition
of information, advice, recommendation or counsel. (FPPC Reg. 18700(a)(2).)
12. Professional Ability of Consultant. City has relied upon the professional training
and ability of Consultant to perform the services hereunder as a material inducement to enter into
this Agreement. Consultant shall therefore provide properly skilled professional and technical
personnel to perform all services under this Agreement. All work performed by Consultant under
this Agreement shall be in accordance with applicable legal requirements and shall meet the
standard of quality ordinarily to be expected of competent professionals in Consultant’s field of
expertise.
13. Compliance with Laws.
a. Consultant shall comply with all local, state and federal laws and
regulations applicable to the services required hereunder, including any rule, regulation or bylaw
governing the conduct or performance of Consultant and/or its employees, officers, or board
members.
b. Consultant represents that it has obtained and will maintain at all times
during the term of this Agreement all professional and/or business licenses, certifications and/or
permits necessary for performing the services described in this Agreement, including a City
business license.
14. Licenses. Consultant represents and warrants to City that it has the licenses,
permits, qualifications, insurance and approvals of whatsoever nature which are legally required
of Consultant to practice its profession. Consultant represents and warrants to City that
Consultant shall, at its sole cost and expense, keep in effect or obtain at all times during the term
of this Agreement, any licenses, permits, insurance and approvals which are legally required of
Consultant to practice its profession. Consultant shall maintain a City of Lake Elsinore business
license.
15. Indemnity. Consultant shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the City and its
officials, officers, employees, agents, and volunteers from and against any and all losses, liability,
claims, suits, actions, damages, and causes of action arising out of any personal injury, bodily
injury, loss of life, or damage to property, or any violation of any federal, state, or municipal law
or ordinance, to the extent caused, in whole or in part, by the willful misconduct or negligent acts
or omissions of Consultant or its employees, subcontractors, or agents, by acts for which they
could be held strictly liable, or by the quality or character of their work. The foregoing obligation
of Consultant shall not apply when (1) the injury, loss of life, damage to property, or violation of
6
law arises from the sole negligence or willful misconduct of the City or its officers, employees,
agents, or volunteers and (2) the actions of Consultant or its employees, subcontractor, or agents
have contributed in no part to the injury, loss of life, damage to property, or violation of law. It is
understood that the duty of Consultant to indemnify and hold harmless includes the duty to defend
as set forth in Section 2778 of the California Civil Code. Acceptance by City of insurance
certificates and endorsements required under this Agreement does not relieve Consultant from
liability under this indemnification and hold harmless clause. This indemnification and hold
harmless clause shall apply to any damages or claims for damages whether or not such insurance
policies shall have been determined to apply. By execution of this Agreement, Consultant
acknowledges and agrees to the provisions of this Section and that it is a material element of
consideration.
16. Insurance Requirements.
a. Insurance. Consultant, at Consultant’s own cost and expense, shall
procure and maintain, for the duration of the contract, unless modified by the City’s Risk Manager,
the following insurance policies.
i. Workers’ Compensation Coverage. Consultant shall maintain
Workers’ Compensation Insurance and Employer’s Liability Insurance for his/her
employees in accordance with the laws of the State of California. In addition, Consultant
shall require each subcontractor to similarly maintain Workers’ Compensation Insurance
and Employer’s Liability Insurance in accordance with the laws of the State of California
for all of the subcontractor’s employees. Any notice of cancellation or non-renewal of all
Workers’ Compensation policies must be received by the City at least thirty (30) days prior
to such change. The insurer shall agree to waive all rights of subrogation against City, its
officers, agents, employees and volunteers for losses arising from work performed by
Consultant for City. In the event that Consultant is exempt from Worker’s Compensation
Insurance and Employer’s Liability Insurance for his/her employees in accordance with
the laws of the State of California, Consultant shall submit to the City a Certificate of
Exemption from Workers Compensation Insurance in a form approved by the City
Attorney.
ii. General Liability Coverage. Consultant shall maintain commercial
general liability insurance in an amount not less than one million dollars ($1,000,000) per
occurrence for bodily injury, personal injury and property damage. If a commercial general
liability insurance form or other form with a general aggregate limit is used, either the
general aggregate limit shall apply separately to the work to be performed under this
Agreement or the general aggregate limit shall be at least twice the required occurrence
limit. Required commercial general liability coverage shall be at least as broad as
Insurance Services Office Commercial General Liability occurrence form CG 0001 (ed.
11/88) or Insurance Services Office form number GL 0002 (ed. 1/73) covering
comprehensive General Liability and Insurance Services Office form number GL 0404
covering Broad Form Comprehensive General Liability. No endorsement may be attached
limiting the coverage.
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iii. Automobile Liability Coverage. Consultant shall maintain
automobile liability insurance covering bodily injury and property damage for all activities
of the Consultant arising out of or in connection with the work to be performed under this
Agreement, including coverage for owned, hired and non-owned vehicles, in an amount
of not less than one million dollars ($1,000,000) combined single limit for each occurrence.
Automobile liability coverage must be at least as broad as Insurance Services Office
Automobile Liability form CA 0001 (ed. 12/90) Code 1 (“any auto”). No endorsement may
be attached limiting the coverage.
iv. Professional Liability Coverage. Consultant shall maintain
professional errors and omissions liability insurance appropriate for Consultant’s
profession for protection against claims alleging negligent acts, errors or omissions which
may arise from Consultant’s services under this Agreement, whether such services are
provided by the Consultant or by its employees, subcontractors, or sub consultants. The
amount of this insurance shall not be less than one million dollars ($1,000,000) on a
claims-made annual aggregate basis, or a combined single limit per occurrence basis.
b. Endorsements. Each general liability and automobile liability insurance
policy shall be with insurers possessing a Best’s rating of no less than A:VII and shall be endorsed
with the following specific language:
i. Notwithstanding any inconsistent statement in any required
insurance policies or any subsequent endorsements attached thereto, the protection
offered by all policies, except for Workers’ Compensation, shall bear an endorsement
whereby it is provided that, the City and its officers, employees, servants, volunteers and
agents and independent contractors, including without limitation, the City Manager and
City Attorney, are named as additional insureds. Additional insureds shall be entitled to
the full benefit of all insurance policies in the same manner and to the same extent as any
other insureds and there shall be no limitation to the benefits conferred upon them other
than policy limits to coverages.
ii. This policy shall be considered primary insurance as respects the
City, its elected or appointed officers, officials, employees, agents and volunteers.
Any insurance maintained by the City, including any self-insured retention the City may
have, shall be considered excess insurance only and shall not contribute with it.
iii. This insurance shall act for each insured and additional insured as
though a separate policy had been written for each, except with respect to the limits of
liability of the insuring company.
iv. The insurer waives all rights of subrogation against the City, its
elected or appointed officers, officials, employees or agents.
v. Any failure to comply with reporting provisions of the policies shall
not affect coverage provided to the City, its elected or appointed officers, officials,
employees, agents or volunteers.
vi. The insurance provided by this Policy shall not be suspended,
voided, canceled, or reduced in coverage or in limits except after thirty (30) days written
notice has been received by the City.
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c. Deductibles and Self-Insured Retentions. Any deductibles or self-insured
retentions must be declared to and approved by the City. At the City’s option, Consultant shall
demonstrate financial capability for payment of such deductibles or self-insured retentions.
d. Certificates of Insurance. Consultant shall provide certificates of insurance
with original endorsements to City as evidence of the insurance coverage required herein.
Certificates of such insurance shall be filed with the City on or before commencement of
performance of this Agreement. Current certification of insurance shall be kept on file with the
City at all times during the term of this Agreement.
17. Notices. Any notice required to be given under this Agreement shall be in writing
and either served personally or sent prepaid, first class mail. Any such notice shall be addressed
to the other party at the address set forth below. Notice shall be deemed communicated within
48 hours from the time of mailing if mailed as provided in this section.
If to City: City of Lake Elsinore
Attn: City Manager
130 South Main Street
Lake Elsinore, CA 92530
With a copy to: City of Lake Elsinore
Attn: City Clerk
130 South Main Street
Lake Elsinore, CA 92530
If to Consultant: Click or tap here to enter text.
Attn: Click or tap here to enter text.
Click or tap here to enter text.
Click or tap here to enter text.
18. Assignment and Subcontracting. The parties recognize that a substantial
inducement to City for entering into this Agreement is the professional reputation, experience and
competence of Consultant and the subcontractors listed in Exhibit B. Consultant shall be fully
responsible to City for all acts or omissions of any subcontractors. Assignments of any or all
rights, duties or obligations of the Consultant under this Agreement will be permitted only with the
express consent of the City. Consultant shall not subcontract any portion of the work to be
performed under this Agreement except as provided in Exhibit B without the written authorization
of the City. If City consents to such subcontract, Consultant shall be fully responsible to City for
all acts or omissions of those subcontractors. Nothing in this Agreement shall create any
contractual relationship between City and any subcontractor nor shall it create any obligation on
the part of the City to pay or to see to the payment of any monies due to any such subcontractor
other than as otherwise is required by law.
19. W aiver. Waiver of a breach or default under this Agreement shall not constitute a
continuing waiver of a subsequent breach of the same or any other provision under this
Agreement.
20. Litigation Expenses and Attorneys’ Fees. If either party to this Agreement
commences any legal action against the other party arising out of this Agreement, the prevailing
party shall be entitled to recover its reasonable litigation expenses, including court costs, expert
witness fees, discovery expenses, and attorneys’ fees.
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21. Mediation. The parties agree to make a good faith attempt to resolve any disputes
arising out of this Agreement through mediation prior to commencing litigation. The parties shall
mutually agree upon the mediator and share the costs of mediation equally. If the parties are
unable to agree upon a mediator, the dispute shall be submitted to JAMS or its successor in
interest. JAMS shall provide the parties with the names of five qualified mediators. Each party
shall have the option to strike two of the five mediators selected by JAMS and thereafter the
mediator remaining shall hear the dispute. If the dispute remains unresolved after mediation,
either party may commence litigation.
22. Prohibited Interests. Consultant maintains and warrants that it has not employed
nor retained any company or person, other than a bona fide employee working solely for
Consultant, to solicit or secure this Agreement. Further, Consultant warrants that it has not paid
nor has it agreed to pay any company or person, other than a bona fide employee working solely
for Consultant, any fee, commission, percentage, brokerage fee, gift or other consideration
contingent upon or resulting from the award or making of this Agreement. For breach or violation
of this warranty, City shall have the right to rescind this Agreement without liability. For the term
of this Agreement, no member, officer or employee of City, during the term of his or her service
with City, shall have any direct interest in this Agreement, or obtain any present or anticipated
material benefit arising therefrom.
23. Equal Opportunity Employment. Consultant represents that it is an equal
opportunity employer and it shall not discriminate against any subcontractor, employee or
applicant for employment because of race, religion, color, national origin, handicap, ancestry, sex
or age. Such non-discrimination shall include, but not be limited to, all activities related to initial
employment, upgrading, demotion, transfer, recruitment or recruitment advertising, layoff or
termination.
24. Prevailing Wages. Consultant is aware of the requirements of California Labor
Code Section 1720, et seq., and 1770, et seq., as well as California Code of Regulations, Title 8,
Section 16000, et seq., ("Prevailing Wage Laws"), which require the payment of prevailing wage
rates and the performance of other requirements on "public works" and "maintenance" projects.
Consultant agrees to fully comply with all applicable federal and state labor laws (including,
without limitation, if applicable, the Prevailing Wage Laws). It is agreed by the parties that, in
connection with the Work or Services provided pursuant to this Agreement, Consultant shall bear
all risks of payment or non-payment of prevailing wages under California law, and Consultant
hereby agrees to defend, indemnify, and hold the City, and its officials, officers, employees,
agents, and volunteers, free and harmless from any claim or liability arising out of any failure or
alleged failure to comply with the Prevailing Wage Laws. The foregoing indemnity shall survive
termination of this Agreement.
25. Severability. If any term or portion of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal,
or otherwise unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions of this
Agreement shall continue in full force and effect.
26. Controlling Law Venue. This Agreement and all matters relating to it shall be
governed by the laws of the State of California and any action brought relating to this Agreement
shall be held exclusively in a state court in the County of Riverside.
27. Authority to Enter Agreement. Consultant has all requisite power and authority to
conduct its business and to execute, deliver, and perform the Agreement. Each party warrants
that the individuals who have signed this Agreement have the legal power, right, and authority to
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make this Agreement and to bind each respective party. The City Manager is authorized to enter
into an amendment or otherwise take action on behalf of the City to make the following
modifications to the Agreement: (a) a name change; (b) grant extensions of time; (c) non-
monetary changes in the scope of services; and/or (d) suspend or terminate the Agreement.
28. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in several counterparts, each of
which shall constitute one and the same instrument and shall become binding upon the parties
when at least one copy hereof shall have been signed by both parties hereto. In approving this
Agreement, it shall not be necessary to produce or account for more than one such counterpart.
29. Entire Agreement; Incorporation; Conflict. This Agreement contains the entire
understanding between the parties relating to the obligations described herein. All prior or
contemporaneous understandings, agreements, representations and statements, oral or written,
are superseded in total by this Agreement and shall be of no further force or effect. Consultant’s
Proposal is incorporated only for the description of the scope of services and/or the schedule of
performance and no other terms and conditions from such proposal shall apply to this Agreement
unless specifically agreed to in writing. In the event of conflict, this Agreement shall take
precedence over those contained in the Consultant’s Proposal.
30. Amendments. This Agreement may be modified or amended only by a written
document executed by both Consultant and City and approved as to form by the City Attorney.
[Signatures on next page]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be executed on the
date first written above.
“CITY”
CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE, a municipal
corporation
City Manager
ATTEST:
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
City Attorney
Assistant City Manager
“CONSULTANT”
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Attachments: Exhibit A – Consultant’s Proposal
Exhibit B – List of Subcontractors
EXHIBIT A
EXHIBIT A
CONSULTANT’S PROPOSAL
[ATTACHED]
Page 13
EXHIBIT B
LIST OF SUBCONTRACTORS
[ATTACHED]
Page 14
EXHIBIT "C"
CERTIFICATE OF EXEMPTION FROM WORKERS= COMPENSATION INSURANCE
I hereby certify that in the performance of the work for which this Agreement is entered
into, I shall not employ any person in any manner so as to become subject to the Workers’
Compensation Laws of the State of California.
Executed on this day of ,20 at ,
California.
Consultant
Page 15
EXHIBIT "D"
LIST OF SUB-CONSULTANTS / SUBCONTRACTORS
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AGREEMENT FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
ASCENT ENVIRONMENTAL, INC.
Climate Action and Adaption Plan
This Agreement for Professional Services (the “Agreement”) is made and entered into as
of March 26, 2024, by and between the City of Lake Elsinore, a municipal corporation (‘‘City") and
ASCENT ENVIRONMENTAL, INC., a California corporation ("Consultant").
RECITALS
A. The City has determined that it requires the following professional services:
The City of Lake Elsinore requires a consultant with substantial experience in climate action and
adaptation planning and community outreach to assist with the development of a new Climate
Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP).
B. Consultant has submitted to City a proposal, dated March 5, 2024, attached hereto
as Exhibit A (“Consultant’s Proposal”) and incorporated herein, to provide professional services
to City pursuant to the terms of this Agreement.
C. Consultant possesses the skill, experience, ability, background, certification and
knowledge to perform the services described in this Agreement on the terms and conditions
described herein.
D. City desires to retain Consultant to perform the services as provided herein and
Consultant desires to provide such professional services as set forth in this Agreement.
AGREEMENT
1. Scope of Services. Consultant shall perform the services described in
Consultant’s Proposal (Exhibit A). Consultant shall provide such services at the time, place, and
in the manner specified in Consultant’s Proposal, subject to the direction of the City through its
staff that it may provide from time to time.
2. Time of Performance.
a. Time of Essence. Time is of the essence in the performance of this
Agreement. The time for completion of the professional services to be performed by Consultant
is an essential condition of this Agreement. Consultant shall prosecute regularly and diligently
the professional services contemplated pursuant to this Agreement according to the agreed upon
performance schedule in Consultant’s Proposal (Exhibit A).
b. Performance Schedule. Consultant shall commence the services pursuant
to this Agreement upon receipt of a written notice to proceed and shall perform all services within
the time period(s) established in the Consultant’s Proposal (Exhibit A). When requested by
Consultant, extensions to the time period(s) specified may be approved in writing by the City
Manager.
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c. Term. The term of this Agreement shall commence upon execution of this
Agreement and shall continue until the services and related work are completed in accordance
with the Consultant’s Proposal (Exhibit A).
3. Compensation. Compensation to be paid to Consultant shall be in accordance
with the fees set forth in Consultants’ Proposal (Exhibit A), which is attached hereto and
incorporated herein by reference. In no event shall Consultant’s compensation exceed three
hundred and thirty thousand dollars ($330,000) without additional written authorization from the
City. Notwithstanding any provision of Consultant’s Proposal to the contrary, out of pocket
expenses set forth in Exhibit A shall be reimbursed at cost without an inflator or administrative
charge. Payment by City under this Agreement shall not be deemed a waiver of defects, even if
such defects were known to the City at the time of payment.
4. Method of Payment. Consultant shall promptly submit billings to the City
describing the services and related work performed during the preceding month to the extent that
such services and related work were performed. Consultant’s bills shall be segregated by project
task, if applicable, such that the City receives a separate accounting for work done on each
individual task for which Consultant provides services. Consultant’s bills shall include a brief
description of the services performed, the date the services were performed, the number of hours
spent and by whom, and a description of any reimbursable expenditures. City shall pay
Consultant no later than forty-five (45) days after receipt of the monthly invoice by City staff.
5. Background Checks. At any time during the term of this Agreement, the City
reserves the right to make an independent investigation into the background of Consultant’s
personnel who perform work required by this Agreement, including but not limited to their
references, character, address history, past employment, education, social security number
validation, and criminal or police records, for the purpose of confirming that such personnel are
lawfully employed, qualified to provide the subject service or pose a risk to the safety of persons
or property in and around the vicinity of where the services will be rendered or City Hall. If the City
makes a reasonable determination that any of Consultant’s prospective or then current personnel
is deemed objectionable, then the City may notify Consultant of the same. Consultant shall not
use that personnel to perform work required by this Agreement, and if necessary, shall replace
him or her with a suitable worker.
6. Suspension or Termination.
a. The City may at any time, for any reason, with or without cause, suspend
or terminate this Agreement, or any portion hereof, by serving upon the Consultant at least ten
(10) days prior written notice. Upon receipt of such notice, the Consultant shall immediately cease
all work under this Agreement, unless the notice provides otherwise. If the City suspends or
terminates a portion of this Agreement such suspension or termination shall not make void or
invalidate the remainder of this Agreement.
b. In the event this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, the City
shall pay to Consultant the actual value of the work performed up to the time of termination,
provided that the work performed is of value to the City. Upon termination of the Agreement
pursuant to this Section, the Consultant will submit an invoice to the City, pursuant to Section
entitled “Method of Payment” herein.
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7. Plans, Studies, Documents.
a. Ownership of Documents. All plans, studies, documents and other writings
prepared by and for Consultant, its officers, employees and agents and subcontractors in the
course of implementing this Agreement, except working notepad internal documents, shall
become the property of the City upon payment to Consultant for such work, and the City shall
have the sole right to use such materials in its discretion without further compensation to
Consultant or to any other party. Consultant shall, at Consultant’s expense, provide such reports,
plans, studies, documents and other writings to City upon written request. City shall have sole
determination of the public’s rights to documents under the Public Records Act, and any third-
party requests of Consultant shall be immediately referred to City, without any other actions by
Consultant.
b. Licensing of Intellectual Property. This Agreement creates a nonexclusive
and perpetual license for City to copy, use, modify, reuse, or sublicense any and all copyrights,
designs, and other intellectual property embodied in plans, specifications, studies, drawings,
estimates, and other documents or works of authorship fixed in any tangible medium of
expression, including but not limited to, physical drawings or data magnetically or otherwise
recorded on computer diskettes, which are prepared or caused to be prepared by Consultant
under this Agreement ("Documents & Data"). Consultant shall require that all subcontractors
agree in writing that City is granted a nonexclusive and perpetual license for any Documents &
Data the subcontractor prepares under this Agreement. Consultant represents and warrants that
Consultant has the legal right to license any and all Documents & Data. Consultant makes no
such representation and warranty in regard to Documents & Data which were prepared by design
professionals other than Consultant or provided to Consultant by the City. City shall not be limited
in any way in its use of the Documents & Data at any time, provided that any such use not within
the purposes intended by this Agreement shall be at City’s sole risk.
c. Confidentiality. All ideas, memoranda, specifications, plans, procedures,
drawings, descriptions, computer program data, input record data, written information, and other
Documents & Data either created by or provided to Consultant in connection with the performance
of this Agreement shall be held confidential by Consultant. Such materials shall not, without the
prior written consent of City, be used by Consultant for any purposes other than the performance
of the services under this Agreement. Nor shall such materials be disclosed to any person or
entity not connected with the performance of the services under this Agreement. Nothing
furnished to Consultant which is otherwise known to Consultant or is generally known, or has
become known, to the related industry shall be deemed confidential. Consultant shall not use
City’s name or insignia, photographs relating to project for which Consultant’s services are
rendered, or any publicity pertaining to the Consultant’s services under this Agreement in any
magazine, trade paper, newspaper, television or radio production or other similar medium without
the prior written consent of City.
8. Consultant’s Books and Records.
a. Consultant shall maintain any and all ledgers, books of account, invoices,
vouchers, canceled checks, and other records or documents evidencing or relating to charges for
services, or expenditures and disbursements charged to City for a minimum period of three (3)
years, or for any longer period required by law, from the date of final payment to Consultant to
this Agreement.
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b. Consultant shall maintain all documents and records which demonstrate
performance under this Agreement for a minimum period of three (3) years, or for any longer
period required by law, from the date of termination or completion of this Agreement.
c. Any records or documents required to be maintained pursuant to this
Agreement shall be made available for inspection or audit, at any time during regular business
hours, upon written request by the City Manager, City Attorney, City Auditor or a designated
representative of these officers. Copies of such documents shall be provided to the City for
inspection at City Hall when it is practical to do so. Otherwise, unless an alternative is mutually
agreed upon, the records shall be available at Consultant’s address indicated for receipt of notices
in this Agreement.
d. Where City has reason to believe that such records or documents may be
lost or discarded due to dissolution, disbandment or termination of Consultant’s business, City
may, by written request by any of the above-named officers, require that custody of the records
be given to the City and that the records and documents be maintained in City Hall. Access to
such records and documents shall be granted to any party authorized by Consultant, Consultant’s
representatives, or Consultant’s successor-in-interest.
9. Independent Contractor.
a. Consultant is and shall at all times remain as to the City a wholly
independent contractor pursuant to California Labor Code Section 3353. The personnel
performing the services under this Agreement on behalf of Consultant shall at all times be under
Consultant’s exclusive direction and control. Neither City nor any of its officers, employees, or
agents shall have control over the conduct of Consultant or any of Consultant’s officers,
employees, or agents, except as set forth in this Agreement. Consultant shall not at any time or
in any manner represent that it or any of its officers, employees, or agents are in any manner
officers, employees, or agents of the City. Consultant shall not incur or have the power to incur
any debt, obligation, or liability whatsoever against City, or bind City in any manner.
b. Notwithstanding any other federal, state and local laws, codes, ordinances
and regulations to the contrary and except for the fees paid to Consultant as provided in the
Agreement, Consultant and any of its employees, agents, and subcontractors providing service
under this Agreement shall not qualify for or become entitled to, and hereby agree to waive any
claims to, any compensation, benefit, or any incident of employment by City, including but not
limited to eligibility to enroll in PERS as an employee of City and entitlement to any contribution
to be paid by City for employer contribution and/or employee contributions for PERS benefits.
10. PERS Eligibility Indemnification. In the event that Consultant or any employee,
agent, or subcontractor of Consultant providing services under this Agreement claims or is
determined by a court of competent jurisdiction or the California Public Employees Retirement
System (PERS) to be eligible for enrollment in PERS as an employee of the City, Consultant shall
indemnify, defend, and hold harmless City for the payment of any employee and/or employer
contributions for PERS benefits on behalf of Consultant or its employees, agents, or
subcontractors, as well as for the payment of any penalties and interest on such contributions,
which would otherwise be the responsibility of City.
11. Interests of Consultant. Consultant (including principals, associates and
professional employees) covenants and represents that it does not now have any investment or
interest in real property and shall not acquire any interest, direct or indirect, in the area covered
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by this Agreement or any other source of income, interest in real property or investment which
would be affected in any manner or degree by the performance of Consultant’s services
hereunder. Consultant further covenants and represents that in the performance of its duties
hereunder no person having any such interest shall perform any services under this Agreement.
Consultant is not a designated employee within the meaning of the Political Reform Act
because Consultant:
a. will conduct research and arrive at conclusions with respect to his/her
rendition of information, advice, recommendation or counsel independent of the control and
direction of the City or of any City official, other than normal agreement monitoring; and
b. possesses no authority with respect to any City decision beyond rendition
of information, advice, recommendation or counsel. (FPPC Reg. 18700(a)(2).)
12. Professional Ability of Consultant. City has relied upon the professional training
and ability of Consultant to perform the services hereunder as a material inducement to enter into
this Agreement. Consultant shall therefore provide properly skilled professional and technical
personnel to perform all services under this Agreement. All work performed by Consultant under
this Agreement shall be in accordance with applicable legal requirements and shall be performed
in accordance with that degree of care, skill, and diligence ordinarily exercised by professionals
providing similar services in the same or similar locale and under similar circumstances to that of
Consultant under this Agreement.
13. Compliance with Laws.
a. Consultant shall comply with all local, state and federal laws and
regulations applicable to the services required hereunder, including any rule, regulation or bylaw
governing the conduct or performance of Consultant and/or its employees, officers, or board
members.
b. Consultant represents that it has obtained and will maintain at all times
during the term of this Agreement all professional and/or business licenses, certifications and/or
permits necessary for performing the services described in this Agreement, including a City
business license.
14. Licenses. Consultant represents and warrants to City that it has the licenses,
permits, qualifications, insurance and approvals of whatsoever nature which are legally required
of Consultant to practice its profession. Consultant represents and warrants to City that
Consultant shall, at its sole cost and expense, keep in effect or obtain at all times during the term
of this Agreement, any licenses, permits, insurance and approvals which are legally required of
Consultant to practice its profession. Consultant shall maintain a City of Lake Elsinore business
license.
15. Indemnity. Consultant shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the City and its
officials, officers, employees, agents, and volunteers from and against any and all losses, liability,
claims, suits, actions, damages, and causes of action arising out of any personal injury, bodily
injury, loss of life, or damage to property, or any violation of any federal, state, or municipal law
or ordinance, to the extent caused, in whole or in part, by the willful misconduct, or negligent acts,
errors, or omissions of Consultant or its employees, subcontractors, or agents, in the performance
of Consultant’s services under the Agreement. The foregoing obligation of Consultant shall not
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apply when the injury, loss of life, damage to property, or violation of law arises from the sole
negligence or willful misconduct of the City or its officers, employees, agents, or volunteers.
Acceptance by City of insurance certificates and endorsements required under this Agreement
does not relieve Consultant from liability under this indemnification and hold harmless clause.
This indemnification and hold harmless clause shall apply to any damages or claims for damages
whether or not such insurance policies shall have been determined to apply. By execution of this
Agreement, Consultant acknowledges and agrees to the provisions of this Section and that it is a
material element of consideration.
16. Insurance Requirements.
a. Insurance. Consultant, at Consultant’s own cost and expense, shall
procure and maintain, for the duration of the contract, unless modified by the City’s Risk Manager,
the following insurance policies.
i. Workers’ Compensation Coverage. Consultant shall maintain
Workers’ Compensation Insurance and Employer’s Liability Insurance for his/her
employees in accordance with the laws of the State of California. In addition, Consultant
shall require each subcontractor to similarly maintain Workers’ Compensation Insurance
and Employer’s Liability Insurance in accordance with the laws of the State of California
for all of the subcontractor’s employees. Any notice of cancellation or non-renewal of all
Workers’ Compensation policies must be received by the City at least thirty (30) days prior
to such change. The insurer shall agree to waive all rights of subrogation against City, its
officers, agents, employees and volunteers for losses arising from work performed by
Consultant for City. In the event that Consultant is exempt from Worker’s Compensation
Insurance and Employer’s Liability Insurance for his/her employees in accordance with
the laws of the State of California, Consultant shall submit to the City a Certificate of
Exemption from Workers Compensation Insurance in a form approved by the City
Attorney.
ii. General Liability Coverage. Consultant shall maintain commercial
general liability insurance in an amount not less than one million dollars ($1,000,000) per
occurrence for bodily injury, personal injury and property damage. If a commercial general
liability insurance form or other form with a general aggregate limit is used, either the
general aggregate limit shall apply separately to the work to be performed under this
Agreement or the general aggregate limit shall be at least twice the required occurrence
limit. Required commercial general liability coverage shall be at least as broad as
Insurance Services Office Commercial General Liability occurrence form CG 0001 (ed.
11/88) or Insurance Services Office form number GL 0002 (ed. 1/73) covering
comprehensive General Liability and Insurance Services Office form number GL 0404
covering Broad Form Comprehensive General Liability. No endorsement may be attached
limiting the coverage.
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iii. Automobile Liability Coverage. Consultant shall maintain
automobile liability insurance covering bodily injury and property damage for all activities
of the Consultant arising out of or in connection with the work to be performed under this
Agreement, including coverage for owned, hired and non-owned vehicles, in an amount
of not less than one million dollars ($1,000,000) combined single limit for each occurrence.
Automobile liability coverage must be at least as broad as Insurance Services Office
Automobile Liability form CA 0001 (ed. 12/90) Code 1 (“any auto”). No endorsement may
be attached limiting the coverage.
iv. Professional Liability Coverage. Consultant shall maintain
professional errors and omissions liability insurance appropriate for Consultant’s
profession for protection against claims alleging negligent acts, errors or omissions which
may arise from Consultant’s services under this Agreement, whether such services are
provided by the Consultant or by its employees, subcontractors, or sub consultants. The
amount of this insurance shall not be less than one million dollars ($1,000,000) on a
claims-made annual aggregate basis, or a combined single limit per occurrence basis.
b. Endorsements. Each general liability and automobile liability insurance
policy shall be with insurers possessing a Best’s rating of no less than A:VII and shall be endorsed
with the following specific language:
i. Notwithstanding any inconsistent statement in any required
insurance policies or any subsequent endorsements attached thereto, the protection
offered by all policies, except for Workers’ Compensation, shall bear an endorsement
whereby it is provided that, the City and its officers, employees, servants, volunteers and
agents and independent contractors, including without limitation, the City Manager and
City Attorney, are named as additional insureds. Additional insureds shall be entitled to
the full benefit of all insurance policies in the same manner and to the same extent as any
other insureds and there shall be no limitation to the benefits conferred upon them other
than policy limits to coverages.
ii. This policy shall be considered primary insurance as respects the
City, its elected or appointed officers, officials, employees, agents and volunteers.
Any insurance maintained by the City, including any self-insured retention the City may
have, shall be considered excess insurance only and shall not contribute with it.
iii. This insurance shall act for each insured and additional insured as
though a separate policy had been written for each, except with respect to the limits of
liability of the insuring company.
iv. The insurer waives all rights of subrogation against the City, its
elected or appointed officers, officials, employees or agents.
v. Any failure to comply with reporting provisions of the policies shall
not affect coverage provided to the City, its elected or appointed officers, officials,
employees, agents or volunteers.
vi. The insurance provided by this Policy shall not be suspended,
voided, canceled, or reduced in coverage or in limits except after thirty (30) days written
notice has been received by the City.
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c. Deductibles and Self-Insured Retentions. Any deductibles or self-insured
retentions must be declared to and approved by the City. At the City’s option, Consultant shall
demonstrate financial capability for payment of such deductibles or self-insured retentions.
d. Certificates of Insurance. Consultant shall provide certificates of insurance
with original endorsements to City as evidence of the insurance coverage required herein.
Certificates of such insurance shall be filed with the City on or before commencement of
performance of this Agreement. Current certification of insurance shall be kept on file with the
City at all times during the term of this Agreement.
17. Notices. Any notice required to be given under this Agreement shall be in writing
and either served personally or sent prepaid, first class mail. Any such notice shall be addressed
to the other party at the address set forth below. Notice shall be deemed communicated within
48 hours from the time of mailing if mailed as provided in this section.
If to City: City of Lake Elsinore
Attn: City Manager
130 South Main Street
Lake Elsinore, CA 92530
With a copy to: City of Lake Elsinore
Attn: City Clerk
130 South Main Street
Lake Elsinore, CA 92530
If to Consultant: Ascent Environmental, Inc.
Attn: Poonam Boparai, Principal
1230 Columbia Street, Suite 440
San Diego, CA 92101
18. Assignment and Subcontracting. The parties recognize that a substantial
inducement to City for entering into this Agreement is the professional reputation, experience and
competence of Consultant and the subcontractors listed in Exhibit B. Consultant shall be fully
responsible to City for all acts or omissions of any subcontractors. Assignments of any or all
rights, duties or obligations of the Consultant under this Agreement will be permitted only with the
express consent of the City. Consultant shall not subcontract any portion of the work to be
performed under this Agreement except as provided in Exhibit B without the written authorization
of the City. If City consents to such subcontract, Consultant shall be fully responsible to City for
all acts or omissions of those subcontractors. Nothing in this Agreement shall create any
contractual relationship between City and any subcontractor nor shall it create any obligation on
the part of the City to pay or to see to the payment of any monies due to any such subcontractor
other than as otherwise is required by law.
19. Waiver. Waiver of a breach or default under this Agreement shall not constitute a
continuing waiver of a subsequent breach of the same or any other provision under this
Agreement.
20. Litigation Expenses and Attorneys’ Fees. If either party to this Agreement
commences any legal action against the other party arising out of this Agreement, the prevailing
party shall be entitled to recover its reasonable litigation expenses, including court costs, expert
witness fees, discovery expenses, and attorneys’ fees.
Page 9
21. Mediation. The parties agree to make a good faith attempt to resolve any disputes
arising out of this Agreement through mediation prior to commencing litigation. The parties shall
mutually agree upon the mediator and share the costs of mediation equally. If the parties are
unable to agree upon a mediator, the dispute shall be submitted to JAMS or its successor in
interest. JAMS shall provide the parties with the names of five qualified mediators. Each party
shall have the option to strike two of the five mediators selected by JAMS and thereafter the
mediator remaining shall hear the dispute. If the dispute remains unresolved after mediation,
either party may commence litigation.
22. Prohibited Interests. Consultant maintains and warrants that it has not employed
nor retained any company or person, other than a bona fide employee working solely for
Consultant, to solicit or secure this Agreement. Further, Consultant warrants that it has not paid
nor has it agreed to pay any company or person, other than a bona fide employee working solely
for Consultant, any fee, commission, percentage, brokerage fee, gift or other consideration
contingent upon or resulting from the award or making of this Agreement. For breach or violation
of this warranty, City shall have the right to rescind this Agreement without liability. For the term
of this Agreement, no member, officer or employee of City, during the term of his or her service
with City, shall have any direct interest in this Agreement, or obtain any present or anticipated
material benefit arising therefrom.
23. Equal Opportunity Employment. Consultant represents that it is an equal
opportunity employer and it shall not discriminate against any subcontractor, employee or
applicant for employment because of race, religion, color, national origin, handicap, ancestry, sex
or age. Such non-discrimination shall include, but not be limited to, all activities related to initial
employment, upgrading, demotion, transfer, recruitment or recruitment advertising, layoff or
termination.
24. Prevailing Wages. Consultant is aware of the requirements of California Labor
Code Section 1720, et seq., and 1770, et seq., as well as California Code of Regulations, Title 8,
Section 16000, et seq., ("Prevailing Wage Laws"), which require the payment of prevailing wage
rates and the performance of other requirements on "public works" and "maintenance" projects.
Consultant agrees to fully comply with all applicable federal and state labor laws (including,
without limitation, if applicable, the Prevailing Wage Laws). It is agreed by the parties that, in
connection with the Work or Services provided pursuant to this Agreement, Consultant shall bear
all risks of payment or non-payment of prevailing wages under California law, and Consultant
hereby agrees to defend, indemnify, and hold the City, and its officials, officers, employees,
agents, and volunteers, free and harmless from any claim or liability arising out of any failure or
alleged failure to comply with the Prevailing Wage Laws. The foregoing indemnity shall survive
termination of this Agreement.
25. Severability. If any term or portion of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal,
or otherwise unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining provisions of this
Agreement shall continue in full force and effect.
26. Controlling Law Venue. This Agreement and all matters relating to it shall be
governed by the laws of the State of California and any action brought relating to this Agreement
shall be held exclusively in a state court in the County of Riverside.
27. Authority to Enter Agreement. Consultant has all requisite power and authority to
conduct its business and to execute, deliver, and perform the Agreement. Each party warrants
that the individuals who have signed this Agreement have the legal power, right, and authority to
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make this Agreement and to bind each respective party. The City Manager is authorized to enter
into an amendment or otherwise take action on behalf of the City to make the following
modifications to the Agreement: (a) a name change; (b) grant extensions of time; (c) non-
monetary changes in the scope of services; and/or (d) suspend or terminate the Agreement.
28. Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in several counterparts, each of
which shall constitute one and the same instrument and shall become binding upon the parties
when at least one copy hereof shall have been signed by both parties hereto. In approving this
Agreement, it shall not be necessary to produce or account for more than one such counterpart.
29. Entire Agreement; Incorporation; Conflict. This Agreement contains the entire
understanding between the parties relating to the obligations described herein. All prior or
contemporaneous understandings, agreements, representations and statements, oral or written,
are superseded in total by this Agreement and shall be of no further force or effect. Consultant’s
Proposal is incorporated only for the description of the scope of services and/or the schedule of
performance and no other terms and conditions from such proposal shall apply to this Agreement
unless specifically agreed to in writing. In the event of conflict, this Agreement shall take
precedence over those contained in the Consultant’s Proposal.
30. Amendments. This Agreement may be modified or amended only by a written
document executed by both Consultant and City and approved as to form by the City Attorney.
[Signatures on next page]
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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be executed on the
date first written above.
“CITY”
CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE, a municipal
corporation
City Manager
ATTEST:
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
City Attorney
Assistant City Manager
“CONSULTANT”
ASCENT ENVIRONMENTAL, INC., a
California corporation
By: Poonam Boparai
Its: Principal
Attachments: Exhibit A – Consultant’s Proposal
Exhibit B – List of Subcontractors
EXHIBIT A
EXHIBIT A
CONSULTANT’S PROPOSAL
[ATTACHED]
EXHIBIT B
EXHIBIT B
LIST OF SUBCONTRACTORS
[ATTACHED]
EXHIBIT B
City of Lake Elsinore
Agreement for Professional Services w/
Ascent Environmental, Inc.
Climate Action and Adaptation Plan
LIST OF SUBCONTRACTORS
Company Name: Fehr & Peers
Address: 101 Pacifica, Suite 300, Irvine, CA 92618
Contact Person: Paul Herrmann, TE
Telephone Number: (949) 308-6318
Email: p.herrmann@fehrandpeers.com
Project Function: Project Manager
Principal Authorized to Bind Firm: Jason D. Pack, TE
#end
PROPOSAL FOR
Lake Elsinore Climate
Action and Adaptation Plan
PREPARED FOR:
City of Lake Elsinore
Community Development Department
130 South Main Street
Lake Elsinore, CA 92530
3.5.2024
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE i
01 / EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .............................................................................................. 1
02 / DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES ...................................................................................... 4
03 / COST OF SERVICES .................................................................................................. 30
04 / CLIENTS AND EXPERIENCE ..................................................................................... 31
05 / AGREEMENT ............................................................................................................. 38
06 / INSURANCE AND LICENSES ................................................................................... 39
07 / FIRM DESCRIPTION ................................................................................................. 41
SECTION 01 // EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 1
01 / EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City of Lake Elsinore (City) is embarking on the creation of its Climate Action and Adaptation Plan
(CAAP), which aims to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from community activities and municipal
operations and prepare the city for the impacts of climate change. The City has laid a foundation for climate
action and adaptation through recent activities such as being awarded a California Adaptation Planning
Grant and participation in regional climate initiatives such as Resilient IE .
There is an exciting opportunity to plan for growth and evolution in Lake Elsinore in a sustainable, resilient,
and equitable manner. The City recently updated its sixth cycle Housing Element, with the City’s Regional
Housing Needs Allocation requirements to construct almost 6,700 units by 2029. Lake Elsinore saw a 24
percent growth in population between 2010 and 2020 and is expecting a 74 percent growth in population
between 2020 and 2045, greater than growth expected in the county as a whole, demonstrating that Lake
Elsinore is a desirable community in which to live. To accommodate this projected growth, a significant
number of buildings and amount of infrastructure will need to be constructed. The opportunities to reduce
GHG emissions from the building sector lie both in requiring new construction to be low-carbon and in
retrofitting existing buildings to remove natural gas appliances and infrastructure as well as improving
building energy efficiency in existing development. About 29 percent of Lake Elsinore’s single-family homes
were constructed prior to 1978, when the California Building Ene rgy Efficiency Standards went into effect, and
could be a focus of the decarbonization and resilience strategies in the CAAP.
The momentum at the local level is matched by advances at the state level. The state adopted a 2030 GHG
reduction target of 40 percent below 1990 levels through Senate Bill (SB) 32 and the Assembly Bill (AB) 1279
targets to achieve net zero GHG emissions as soon as possible but no later than 2045 and to reduce
anthropogenic GHG emissions by 85 percent below 1990 levels by 2045. The state’s 2022 Scoping Plan for
Achieving Carbon Neutrality lays out a pathway to achieving the AB 1279 targets. In addition, the state has
climate adaptation objectives codified in state law. For example, AB 1482 requires California to release a State
Climate Adaptation Strategy every three years and SB 1320 calls for the development of California Climate
Change Assessments every five years. These requirements help to elevate the importance of climate
adaptation planning at both the state and local levels. There is also a regional push to coordinate and
collaborate in the Inland Empire on climate issues through the Inland Southern California Climate
Collaborative and the Inland Regional Energy Network.
Climate action and adaptation planning as a practice has also evolved in recent years with an emergent focus
on funding sources and implementation. A CAAP based on current science and best practices will serve as a
resource for the City to map out funding for GHG reduction and adaptation strategies and prioritize
implementation actions. An important aspect of the prioritization ex ercise will be identifying emissions
sources and activities that the City can meaningfully control and focusing the GHG reduction strategies on
these sources. Equally important are considerations of cost, i.e., the costs the City government and the
community would bear to implement the CAAP, as well as the costs of inaction, to inform and engage the
community on the need for action. Lake Elsinore has a large population of young families and majority
owner-occupied households. These demographics should be considered to equitably distribute the costs and
benefits of climate action and adaptation and to direct CAAP implementation in way s that prioritize the most
vulnerable populations in the city.
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CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 2
Achievement of the state’s GHG reduction targets requires deep decarbonization that involves transformative
change in seemingly every aspect of society —energy systems, transportation networks, neighborhood
design, and even governance practices, economic systems, and personal and social behavior. At the same
time, incremental change needs to occur in the short term so the City can judiciously approach the bold
reductions required in the future while maximizing co -benefits and cost-effectiveness for the City
government and the community. The City intends to establish an aspirational yet achievable path to realize
aggressive reduction targets by 2030 and 2045. This approach will help the City achieve reduction s in line
with state targets.
While deep GHG reductions are critical to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of climate change, it is equally
important for agencies to build climate resilience through their planning efforts to combat current and
forecasted impacts. The 2023 County of Riverside Operational Area Multi-Jurisdictional Local Hazard
Mitigation Plan (2023 MJLHMP) and the Western Riverside Council of Governments (WRCOG) Resilient IE
plan address climate vulnerabilities and will inform climate adaptation strategies for inclusion in the Lake
Elsinore CAAP. It will also be important for GHG reduction strategies to be developed with corresponding
resilience benefits in mind.
Preparing a CAAP is an ambitious and vital undertaking by the City that will come with unique challenges.
Achieving the state targets adopted under SB 32 and AB 1279 requires steep reductions in GHG emissions
over the next few years by 2030, and even deeper reductions over the next two decades. The projected risks
of the city and its residents to wildfire, extreme heat, and drought adds to the complexity of addressing
climate change holistically through the CAAP.
To reduce GHG emissions, many strategies will need to come from the transportation and building energy
sectors, with a combination of strategies focused on switching to zero -emission vehicles, reducing the
amount of vehicle miles traveled, moving building systems and appliances away f rom natural gas to
electricity, and increasing the amount of electricity generated from renewable and zero -carbon sources.
Important GHG reduction opportunities also include avoiding landfill disposal of food, yard, and other
organic waste, switching landscaping and construction equipment to cleaner technologies, using water more
efficiently, and planting and maintaining trees.
To enhance resilience, strategies will need to focus on reducing health impacts of wildfire smoke, ensuring
safe evacuation routes are in place, enhancing energy resilience through backup power supplies and the use
of microgrids, making hazard and emergency information multilingual and accessible, and considering
infrastructure upgrades that are needed to accommodate increased stresses associated with climate impacts.
Actions to reduce GHG emissions and adapt to climate impacts need to be developed with Lake Elsinore’s
specific demographics and existing built environment in mind to maximize benefits and improve the quality
of life for city residents as well as its thriving downtown. Therefore, the City’s CAAP requires creative and
ambitious solutions to meet the City’s objectives while also balancing the potentially conflicting expectation
of different stakeholders, such as residents, environmental and community advocates, real estate interests,
and the business community. The CAAP will also need to be developed with equity as a cornerstone, working
to ensure participation from community members who are not typically engaged in the planning process.
The firm chosen to assist with this effort must have the foresight and experience to anticipate challenges and
formulate proactive solutions to help the City successfully complete its CAAP. The firm needs to have
specialized experience helping cities of a similar size and scale prepare CAAPs, specifically in Southern
California, and a deep understanding of atmospheric and climate change science and contemporary
practices in climate action and adaptation planning along with the current and evolving requireme nts and
methods coming from state agencies. The chosen firm also needs to be poised to assist with the City ’s
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CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 3
community outreach efforts, offering expertise in innovative and authentic engagement techniques while
also having expert knowledge of climate action and adaptation planning. The firm also requires
demonstrated experience and expertise in integrating various planning efforts to ensure the seamless
transition and longevity of City activities.
Ascent is that firm. Founded 14 years ago, the firm is headquartered in Sacramento with offices in Irvine, San
Diego, Berkeley, and Lake Tahoe. With experienced staff in all locations, we have a thorough knowledge of
the California Air Resources Board’s (CARB’s) regulatory programs, having served as their consultant since
2010, other state agency activities, and the regulatory and political environment in Southern California.
Climate action and adaptation planning is one of our core services. Ascent will serve as the prime contractor.
We have strategically selected staff whose experience and expertise match well with the City’s needs.
One key differentiator for Ascent is our specialized experience developing CAAPs for cities of a size and scale
similar to Lake Elsinore. Complementary to that is our deep and long -standing experience developing CAAPs
in Southern California. As noted above, preparing a CAAP at this time presents both unique challenges and
opportunities for the City. The CAAP will need to be prepared in light of the state’s aggressive GHG
reduction targets. At the same time, the CAAP offers opportunities to align with other planning efforts (e.g.,
the General Plan update, Resilient IE) and position the City for funding opportunities from federal, state, and
regional governments and private sector sources. Ascent has successfully assisted m any cities in navigating
this process in preparation of their CAAPs and delivered comprehensive, implementable plans that reflect
local goals, values, and unique attributes.
We have supplemented our team with Fehr & Peers to assist with travel modeling and address mitigation
opportunities for vehicle miles traveled through their expertise working on the ongoing update to the City’s
General Plan and deep experience working in the Inland Empire.
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CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 4
02 / DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES
Ascent’s proposal outlines our approach to help the City of Lake Elsinore prepare its Climate Action and
Adaptation Plan, integrate equity throughout the plan and process, and devise and implement a robust
community engagement plan that is equitable, inclusive, authentic, and meaningful. T o balance the costs and
benefits of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change impacts, the CAAP should be
developed by engaging a wide cross-section of the public with a focus on outreach that successfully involves
traditionally underrepresented groups and communities and leverages resources from local institutions. The
CAAP needs to transcend the traditional singular regulatory approach to climate planning and be focused on
implementation and monitoring while being grounded in solid technical analysis.
The following section describes our proposed approach to complete the City’s scope of work and
successfully deliver its CAAP. Ascent is available to begin assisting the City with this project now and
anticipates completion of work in 18 months. A project schedule can be found on pages 28 and 29.
SCOPE OF WORK
The section describes Ascent’s approach and methodology for conducting the activities and tasks outlined in
the Request for Proposals (RFP). We understand that the City is open to proposals with refinements to the
scope of work presented in the RFP and innovative methods to ultimately deliver a CAAP that is relevant and
implementable. Drawing from our vast experience working with cities of a similar size and scale in Southern
California to prepare their CAAPs, we have made recommendations for scope refineme nts to clarify and align
tasks. We have also included Fehr & Peers as part of our team to ensure that the CAAP’s transportation
strategies are informed by local knowledge, tailored to the city’s context, and aligned with the City’s ongoing
General Plan update. Within each task, we have also indicated City responsibilities, as appropriate.
We understand that the City may need to modify this scope to ensure that the project aligns with the City’s
expectations and budget and would gladly work with the City to revise the scope to meet the City’s needs.
Ascent’s understanding of this project is to develop a comprehensive CAAP that addresses both GHG
reduction and climate adaptation, while centering community input and equity. Therefore, we have
structured our scope of work as follows:
Task 1. Project initiation, data gathering, and management
Task 2. Equitable community outreach to inform both the climate adaptation and GHG reduction
components of the CAAP and to inform the technical tasks included in the scope of work
Tasks 3 and 4. Climate adaptation technical tasks
Tasks 5 through 8. Essential tasks needed for the GHG reduction components of the CAAP and to
evaluate the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) approach
Tasks 9 and 10. Optional tasks to enhance the usability of the CAAP and provide City staff with
implementation support on near-term actions, as well as mechanisms for monitoring and reporting
progress
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TASK 1. Initiate Project
Task 1.1. Project Kickoff
A kickoff meeting is key to setting a strong foundation for project success. Ascent’s project management
team (principal-in-charge, project manager) will hold a kickoff meeting with City staff to refine project goals
and objectives, develop a project timeline and milestone schedule, and identify existing documents, data,
policies, and initiatives relevant to the CAAP. We also rec ommend using this meeting to confirm key
stakeholder groups, identify specific dates for near -term community outreach meetings, and establish the
timing of other future activities. Prior to the kickoff meeting, Ascent will conduct a preliminary review of
relevant documents to establish a solid understanding of the project background and progress. This review
would include the programs, plans, and policies identified under Task 1.2.
This meeting will also serve to establish the project management procedures, including invoicing terms and
communication protocols that are intended to keep all parties appropriately involved and informed. Ascent will
prepare a meeting agenda and summary meeting notes to document the main takeaways and action items.
Deliverables
✓ Draft and final milestone schedule (electronic)
✓ Kickoff meeting agenda and meeting summary (electronic)
City Responsibilities
✓ Participation in kickoff meeting (virtual)
✓ One set of consolidated, nonconflicting comments on draft milestone schedule in
strikethrough/underline (electronic)
✓ List of internal and external stakeholders (electronic)
Task 1.2. Data and Information Gathering
To create an effective and implementable CAAP, it is crucial to understand and leverage the existing policies
and programs already in place. As part of the preliminary research to develop the City’s CAAP, Ascent will
review existing initiatives the City has taken to address climate change and reduce GHG emissions. Existing
regional and local climate adaptation plans and other relevant plans and guides will also be reviewed to give us
insights on baseline data. The following is a list of several existing planning mechanisms, guides, and tools that
Ascent proposes to review to inform the CAAP’s development. We will review these initiatives and compile a
policy audit to support the development of climate adaptation and GHG reduction strategies. Given our
previous experience in developing climate action and adaptation plans, as well as team members’ expertise in
developing hazard mitigation plans and climate adaptation–compliant general plan safety elements, Ascent
would be efficient in reviewing many documents in this list. Our team is confident that we can extract the most
relevant and crucial information from these documents that would inform the CAAP’s development. The policy
audit will be an appendix to the CAAP document to provide transparency to the public on what was considered
in preparing strategies. The audit will be focused on identifying existing goals, policies, and actions in City and
partner agency documents that have relevance to adaptation, resilience, and GHG reduction. The audit is not
meant to generate an exhaustive list of actions, only to identify those that are relevant to the City’s CAAP. It is
anticipated that the strategy development process will build upon this list.
2011 Lake Elsinore Climate Action Plan
Lake Elsinore General Plan
Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District Urban
Water Management Plan
WRCOG Resilient IE
WRCOG Energy Resilience Plan
WRCOG/SBCTA’s Climate Resilient
Transportation Infrastructure Guidebook
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CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 6
Downtown Elsinore Specific Plan
2023 and 2017 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
WRCOG Climate Action Plan
SCAG Regional Climate Adaptation Framework
Regional Adaptation Collaborative Toolkit
U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit
Ascent carried out initial preliminary research, reviewing the documents listed above while preparing this scope
of work. For example, as discussed in the County’s 2023 MJLHMP, the City listed fire, flood, power failure,
extreme weather, and drought as the priority hazards. In addition, as discussed in the Western Riverside
Adaptation and Resiliency Strategy: Part 1, Vulnerability Assessment, WRCOG identified extreme agricultural
pests and diseases, air quality, drought, extreme heat, human health hazards, landslides, severe weather, and
wildfire as the most likely and impactful climate change–related hazards in western Riverside County. These
hazards generally align with the risks mentioned under Task 2, Subtask B, of the RFP, which is discussed in more
detail under Task 3 of our proposed scope of work.
As part of this task, Ascent will work to identify omissions and hidden biases that affect vulnerable
communities, while more in-depth assessment regarding climate change’s disproportional impacts on the
city’s vulnerable communities will be carried out under Task 3. To address omissions and hidden biases,
various data inequities, biases, and omissions will be discussed. Examples include:
Inadequate data in disadvantaged areas. GHG inventories may not capture comprehensive data from
low-income or marginalized areas. This data gap can lead to an underestimation in emissions , especially
in areas that may be more prone to pollution or lack green infrastructure.
Biases in transportation emissions data. In areas with limited public transportation options, residents may
rely on older, less-efficient vehicles. This can result in an underestimation of transportation-related
emissions in some areas.
Challenges in measuring walkability and commut ing practices. Accurately measuring walkability to transit
sites can be challenging in areas without sidewalks. Similarly, assessing the extent of carpooling and
walking to work without considering walkability factors may skew data.
Housing quality and infrastructure disparities. Inequities in housing quality, such as poor insulation and
inefficient heating and cooling systems, often result in higher energy consumption in low -income
households. Average energy consumption by household data may be skewed because of this.
Reduced public spaces in marginalized communities. Marginalized communities often have less public
space or resources allocated to public spaces, which can limit opportunities for public investment and
affect the community’s overall environmental impact.
Overlooked health impacts of emissions. The health consequences of air pollution, which can be
exacerbated in marginalized communities due to the location of emissions sources, are not directly
factored into GHG emissions inventories.
Ascent will identify relevant data and tools such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s)
National Risk Index and CalEnviroScreen to address these types of data inequities, biases, and omissions and
will discuss qualitatively these considerations as part of the CAAP. In addition, ground-truthing of data can
be accomplished through the community outreach process. Ascent will work with the City to identify other
local resources to fill data gaps and biases as feasible.
Deliverables
✓ Policy audit at CAAP appendix (electronic)
City Responsibilities
✓ Provide copies of data and resources requested (electronic)
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CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 7
Task 1.3. Ongoing Project Management
We understand that communication is fundamental to successfully accomplishing this work effort. We
envision our working relationship with the City as highly collaborative , with Ascent providing support
throughout the CAAP development process. The Ascent project management team will set up and facilitate
regular virtual meetings to discuss project status and ensure coordination with City staff. The purpose of
these meetings will be to discuss items such as deliverables, upcoming tasks or milestones, project schedule,
and next steps and to identify and discuss any critical path items such as outstanding data needs or schedule
constraints. Ascent will set up a SharePoint folder for sharing documents and deliverables between Ascent
and City staff. Also under this task, we will submit brief monthly written status reports summarizing project
activities, along with our invoices, to the City’s designated point of contact.
Deliverables
✓ Schedule and facilitate up to 30 project status meetings, 30 minutes each (virtual)
✓ Prepare agendas and action item summaries (electronic)
✓ Submit monthly invoices and progress reports (electronic)
City Responsibilities
✓ Participation in project status meetings (virtual)
TASK 2. Conduct Community Outreach for Public Involvement
Ascent approaches CAAP development in a way that is highly collaborative, allowing us to blend our
expertise in climate mitigation and adaptation planning with the community’s goals, needs, and knowledge.
We can provide the City with community outreach sup port to solicit and obtain public input on long -term
goals and near-term actions to be included in the CAAP.
We intend to build on the City’s communication and outreach efforts and to strategically enhance outreach
in certain geographic and topical areas to address the needs associated with the CAAP.
Task 2.1. Community Visioning
Under this task will provide technical support to the City for a community workshop that focuses on a vision
for the CAAP. The purpose of the workshop will be to share information about the CAAP and engage the
community in feedback exercises. This workshop will focus feedback activities on understanding community
needs and crafting a shared vision for a sustainable and resilient Lake Elsinore. This may include:
Interactive activities to gather input on community needs and a future vision, such as writing a postcard
to your future self, writing future state headlines that describe an ideal climate future, or creating a vision
collage in small groups.
Invitations to community members to contribute to the event, such as asking a community member to
recite a climate-related poem or inviting a local social enterprise to give a demonstration of its newest
green technology.
The community workshop will be advertised, hosted, and facilitated by the City or SWAG. Ascent wi ll advise
the City on potential feedback exercises to conduct during the workshop and up to two Ascent staff
members will attend the workshop. This scope of work assumes that City staff and/or SWAG will plan and
design the workshop activities and will have primary responsibility for preparing workshop content based on
input from Ascent. During the workshop Ascent will support the City by providing technical assistance related
to the components of the CAAP.
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CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 8
Deliverables
✓ Community visioning workshop attendance, input on community feedback exercises and workshop
content, and a written summary of verbal feedback related to the CAAP
✓ Spanish translation for workshop announcements and any materials for engagement activities, and live
interpretation for workshop
City Responsibilities
✓ Advertising, hosting, and scheduling of community visioning workshop
✓ Preparation and distribution of workshop announcements
✓ Leading and facilitating the community visioning workshop
✓ Design workshop activities and primary responsibility for preparing workshop content based on input
from Ascent
✓ Any hard-copy printing or reproduction of workshop materials
✓ Procurement of meeting location (if in person)
Task 2.2. Community Outreach Plan
Working with the City, the Social Work Action Group (SWAG), and the Community Climate Adaptation Team
(CCAT), Ascent will create a comprehensive and innovative community outreach plan that leverages our
experience and is customized to the unique needs of Lake Elsinore. The strategy will include:
a summary of the City’s community outreach goals and objectives, including metrics for measuring
engagement success;
a list of specific activities to reach, educate, and engage the community throughout the CAAP process;
a detailed schedule, format, and resources for all outreach activities through shared live resources;
a list of stakeholders and their roles in CAAP development;
a list of social media outlets to reach specific audiences (e.g., Facebook, Nextdoor, Instagram) and virtual
platforms for outreach (e.g., Zoom, Mural, Slido) in addition to traditional survey tools;
a confirmation of coordination, facilitation, and communication preferences; and
a clear breakdown of the City’s, SWAG’s, CCAT’s, and Ascent’s roles and responsibilities for implementing
and executing all outreach activities.
This process will be built on the City’s past and current outreach
efforts and communication methods (including coordination with
outreach for the ongoing General Plan update). This task
assumes the City and/or SWAG will provide Ascent with the
following: a list of the City’s and/or SWAG’s existing
communication tools to identify the most effective methods for
both informing and engaging target communities, and a list of
existing forums for seeking public input. We will revise the
community outreach plan based on feedback from the City, the
SWAG, and the CCAT.
To ensure engagement is effective, it is important to establish metrics for evaluating individual community
outreach events and the overall CAAP engagement processes. Working with City staff and relying on the
local expertise of the SWAG and the CCAT, we will prepare a set of metrics to measure success. To ensure
inclusive and fair decision-making during the CAAP development process, it is important to measure equity
and diversity and consider the unique needs of community groups, especially those that are hard to reach.
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CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 9
Intentional efforts should be made to engage individuals who face participation barriers by creating
equitable, inclusive, culturally sensitive, and multilingual spaces. We will ask the question: Do participants
reflect the diversity of age groups, ethnici ties, incomes, geographies, and unique needs of Lake Elsinore?
The following are examples of indicators that could be used for the community outreach plan. We will work
with the City, the SWAG, and the CCAT to prepare a complete set of indicators that meet the City’s project
objectives.
Community Diversity: What are participant demographics as they relate to the population’s
demographics where activities took place?
Empowerment: Has the CAAP engagement process involved underrepresented stakeholders?
Diversity of Input: Are opinions and perspectives reflective of the diverse community, or are they more
monolithic?
Equity: Was additional effort made to include underrepresented populations throughout the entire CAAP
engagement and for individual events?
Ownership: Do underrepresented communities and advocates feel a sense of ownership in the CAAP?
Deliverables
✓ Draft and final community outreach plan (electronic)
City Responsibilities
✓ One set of consolidated, nonconflicting comments on draft community outreach plan in
strikethrough/underline (electronic)
Task 2.3. Community Forums and Workshops
Ascent will attend and provide technical support during up to four community forums and workshops (four
events total). The purpose of the forums and workshops is to inform the community about the project and to
actively engage residents in the identification of climate action and adaptation strategies, as well as other
community priorities to consider as part of the CAAP. These events will be advertised, hosted, and facilitated
by the City or SWAG.
Options for gathering input include discussing in plenary (i.e., one large group), organizing into breakout
groups, and creating information/input stations on specific topics. The forums and workshops can include
both written and oral opportunities for feedback, including discussion or ques tion-and-answer sessions.
Strategies to engage attendees during the community forums and workshops will be identified in the
Community Outreach Plan prepared in Task 2.2.Ascent will advise the City on the identification of appropriate
format (e.g., online, in-person, hybrid), location, time, engagement strategies, and other details based on
factors like the target audiences and meeting objectives. This task assumes the community forums and
workshops may occur virtually via a platform like Zoom with a call-in option or in person and that the timing
and scheduling of events will coincide with important milestones of the CAAP development process so that
community members have meaningful opportunities to participate in and shape the development of the CAAP
throughout the entire process. In collaboration with City staff, the SWAG, and the CCAT, Ascent will provide
recommendations on the range of local stakeholders who represent Lake Elsinore’s communities to be involved
in the four CAAP-related community outreach events. These targeted stakeholders may include renters, small
businesses, schools, faith-based organizations, and non-English-speaking residents. This scope of work
assumes that City staff and/or SWAG will plan and design the event activities and will have primary
responsibility for preparing event content based on input from Ascent.
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CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 10
Deliverables
✓ Attend and provide technical support during community forums and workshops (up to four events
total)
✓ Input on event format, activities, content
✓ Integrate community feedback into applicable CAAP work products
✓ Spanish translation for workshop announcements/invitations and materials needed for engagement
activities, and live interpretation for up to four community forums and workshops
City Responsibilities
✓ Advertise, schedule, and host each community forum and workshop
✓ Procurement of meeting locations (if in person)
✓ Preparation and distribution of forum and workshop announcements and invitations
✓ Leading and facilitating the community forums and workshops
✓ Design forum and workshop activities and primary responsibility for preparing forum and workshop
content based on input from Ascent
✓ Any hard-copy printing or reproduction of community forums and workshops materials
Task 2.4. Public Survey
Ascent will collaborate with the City in developing a survey to collect information about relevant topics that
will inform the CAAP. We will work with City staff to create the content for the feedback form, which will be
concise and accessible on a computer or mobile device. We will translate the survey into Spanish. The survey
can be released via SurveyMonkey or similar. In addition, the survey can be printed and made available at
City facilities (e.g., libraries, community centers) for community members who are not able to provide
feedback online.
After the survey is closed, Ascent will summarize the findings, incorporating feedback into the CAAP where
applicable.
Deliverables
✓ Draft and final public survey (electronic)
✓ Summary of survey feedback (electronic)
City Responsibilities
✓ Printing/reproduction of the survey
✓ One set of consolidated, nonconflicting comments on draft public survey in strikethrough/underline
(electronic)
Task 2.5. Community Summary
Ascent will synthesize key themes from the community forums and workshop and survey, and prepare a
written summary of community input for the City’s review and for incorporation into the CAAP. Community
input will be integrated into applicable elements of Ascent work products and the CAAP document.
Deliverables
✓ Draft and final community input summary (electronic)
City Responsibilities
✓ One set of consolidated, nonconflicting comments on draft community summary in
strikethrough/underline (electronic)
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Task 2.6. Review and Summarize Vulnerability and Risk Findings
Ascent will present the findings of the climate vulnerability assessment to the CCAT, including vulnerable
communities’ hazard exposures and the priorities for climate resilience improvement.
Deliverables
✓ Presentation materials for one CCAT meeting (virtual)
City Responsibilities
✓ Scheduling of CCAT meeting
TASK 3. Assess Community Risks and Vulnerabilities
Global climate change is expected to intensify the impacts of existing environmental hazards, including
extreme heat conditions, flooding from large rain events, and more frequent and severe wildfire events. To
address the potential impacts of these hazardous events on the community, the City is expanding upon its
hazard mitigation planning efforts to focus on climate change.
Emergency planners and responders can take steps during the response,
recovery, hazard mitigation, and preparedness phases of the cycle (shown
on the left) to minimize the harm caused by a disaster and improve
resiliency against hazards and climate stressors. Note that the mitigation
here refers to hazard mitigation (i.e., adaptation to climate change hazards),
which is different from climate mitigation (i.e., reduction of GHG emissions
contributing to climate change). The 2023 MJLHMP focuses on optimizing
the hazard mitigation phase of the cycle, which involves making a
community more resilient to disasters so that when hazard events do
ultimately occur, the community suffers less damage and can recover more
effectively. The intent of climate adaptation planning falls within the hazard
mitigation stage as well. The process identifies vulnerabilities to climate events and provides pathways or
strategies to proactively reduce potential impacts and increase the adaptive capacity of the community.
Ascent recommends that the vulnerability assessment (Task 3) and development of adaptation strategies
(Task 4) follow a two-step approach consistent with climate adaptation frameworks recommended by the
California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) 2020 California Adaptation Planning Guide
(APG). Step one (Task 3) is the development of a climate vulnerability assessment to identify the City’s and
the community’s assets and populations that may be affected by climate hazards. The second step (Task 4) is
the identification and prioritization of corresponding climate adaptation strategies intended to reduce the
impact on vulnerable communities or assets as identified in step one.
Both steps are informed by a regulatory framework and guided by statewide climate assessments, plans, and
relevant efforts. The regulatory framework and current guidance will be documented in this effort. Both the
vulnerability assessment and the adaptation strategies will also make use of the existing information available
in the 2023 MJLHMP, WRCOG’s Resilient IE, and city-specific data and information to create an assessment
that focuses on resiliency in Lake Elsinore, with an emphasis on any disproportio nal impacts that climate
change may have on vulnerable populations across the city. The 2023 MJLHMP offers insights on historical
hazard events and the City’s most recent prioritization of hazards of concern, carried out by the 2023
MJLHMP Steering Committee, while WRCOG’s Resilient IE will support the assessments of climate change’s
impacts on these hazards and climate stressors.
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CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 12
Vulnerability Assessment
Subtasks A, B, and C in the RFP would all fall under Phase 2: Assess Vulnerability of the 2020 APG. The
purpose of the vulnerability assessment is to identify the city’s exposure to the effects and impacts of climate
change. More specifically, these effects and impacts include the prima ry effects caused by the initial impacts
of increased GHG emissions (e.g., average temperature and annual precipitation amounts) and the secondary
effects (e.g., drought, heat waves, flooding) that result from the primary eff ects. To perform the vulnerability
assessment, Ascent will characterize the climate hazards and other climate effects that are anticipated to
impact Lake Elsinore.
The vulnerability assessment methodology is consistent with the 2020 APG framework’s Phase 2: Assess
Vulnerability and takes into larger consideration the 2023 MJLHMP processes and outputs. The four steps are
shown in the graphic below.
Exposure (in response to RFP Subtask A): The purpose of this phase is to understand existing hazards in
the community and how they may change over multiple time periods. Ascent proposes an assessment of
climate exposure during the following time periods: near-term (2024–2050), mid-century (2040–2070),
and late-century (2070–2100), per APG’s guidance. We can work with City staff to identify whether other
time scales are preferred.
To perform this phase of the vulnerability assessment, Ascent will extract the hazard profile and risk
assessment information from the 2023 MJLHMP and Resilient IE to understand historical conditions and
identify data gaps. Then, we will expand upon the 2023 MJLHMP and Resilient IE efforts using Cal-Adapt
and other related, readily available tools to describe how climate hazards and other climate change–related
effects are projected to change. Consistent with the 2023 MJLHMP approach, Ascent will describe historical
events and map climate change–related effects in GIS, where possible. This subtask will also include the
identification of critical community assets, which would involve reviewing the critical facility database
developed during preparation of the 2023 MJLHMP. Additional GIS spatial analysis will be carried out if
needed, particularly for flood hazards, given that the FEMA’s National Flood Hazard Layer has a Letter of
Map Revision for Riverside County effective December 28, 2023, which is after Riverside County updated
the 2023 MJLHMP.
Sensitivity and Potential Impacts (in response to RFP Subtask B): This phase compiles a list of population
groups and community assets that are sensitive to localized climate change effects. The risk assessment will
ensure the discussion on drought, extreme heat, precipitation, air quality, winds, wildfires, and any indirect
effects of sea level rise in nearby coastal communities (e.g., population migration), especially given that
precipitation, air quality, and sea level rise were not extensively discussed in the 2023 MJLHMP. Meanwhile,
the analysis will address any disproportional impacts that climate change may have on vulnerable
populations across the city (e.g., seniors, children, low-income, persons with disabilities). Regarding
vulnerable populations data, Ascent will extract existing information from the 2023 MJLHMP, use
methodologies and define vulnerability communities consistent with the City’s forthcoming Environmental
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Justice Element, and leverage other well-recognized (spatial) tools, including FEMA’s National Risk Index
(NRI) Tool (including risk mapping data), the U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit, CalEnviroScreen, the California
Department of Water Resources’ Disadvantaged Communities mapping tool, the California Healthy Places
Index, and American Community Surveys, as well as Ascent’s in-house GIS capacity. We will fill in data gaps
with research from regional and state reports on climate impacts such as California’s fourth Climate Change
Assessment Inland Deserts Regional Report and with input from community members. We will make sure
to identify local and regional climate challenges, opportunities, and direct impacts on the city.
With regard to wildfire hazard, one of the most pressing climate hazards facing the city, Ascent has well-
established and extensive experience in wildfire adaptation and resiliency improvement. We are currently
working on a Fire-Adapted Communities Roadmap and Dashboard Project that aims to develop a
holistic, shared vision for statewide community wildfire resiliency that creates the conditions necessary
for permanently fire-adapted communities and healthy ecosystems. Ascent has a deep understanding of
how fire-adapted and resilient communities can be achieved and will apply this knowledge to Lake
Elsinore’s CAAP.
Adaptive Capacity: This phase intends to evaluate Lake Elsinore’s current ability to cope with climate
impacts. The ability to adapt is determined through two methods: First, we will conduct a review of
existing plans, policies, and programs relevant to climate, hazards, emergency operations, or public
safety (completed as part of Task 1.2). Second, Ascent will engage with City staff, the City Council, the
SWAG, the CCAT, and the public about current actions to support adaptive capacity.
Vulnerability Scoring and Climate Resilience Priorities (in response to RFP Subtask C): A scoring method
will be used to rank vulnerabilities by various factors to assist in the prioritization of climate
stressors/hazards. Vulnerability scores are based on several factors , including how severe projected
climate exposures will be, how sensitive population groups and assets are to the anticipated climate
effects, and whether sufficient adaptive capacity exists to manage the potential impact, which are all
covered by the subtasks described above. Meanwhile, accounting for climate hazards’ disproportionate
impacts on vulnerable populations will be a critical component of this vulnerability scoring and
prioritization subtask, by using tools including FEMA’s NRI, US census data, and American Community
Survey data. As part of this step, Ascent will establish an equity weighting factor to account for climate
change’s disproportionate impacts on vulnerable communities when prioritizing climate stressors, which
will be data-driven and informed by feedback from the affected vulnerable communities.
The output of the vulnerability assessment is intended to inform the City and the community about which
climate vulnerabilities are of the greatest concern and inform the subsequent prioritization of adaptation
strategy development (Task 4).
Deliverables
✓ Draft and final climate vulnerability assessment technical memorandum (electronic)
City Responsibilities
✓ One set of consolidated, nonconflicting comments on draft climate vulnerability assessment technical
memorandum in strikethrough/underline (electronic)
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TASK 4. Develop Climate Adaptation Strategies
Work under this task will be undertaken through a distributional equity lens, which is about the fair
distribution of resources, benefits, and burdens that result from climate planning decisions. Distributional
equity means prioritizing the allocation of finite resources and designing planning strategies to benefit
communities that experience the greatest climate and environmental inequities and have the most unmet
environmental health needs, while also ensuring that these communities do not disproportionat ely
experience economic, social, or environmental burdens because of such planning decisions.
The adaptation planning process aims to identify climate adaptation strategies that prepare Lake Elsinore for
the potential impacts of climate change consistent with the identified goals. Using the distributional equity lens
mentioned above, the strategies will focus heavily on protecting vulnerable communities. Ascent will leverage
the extensive community input that will be collected during Task 2 while developing adaptation strategies.
Furthermore, we will develop and prioritize adaptation strategies for each identified risk based on the level of
severity (low risk, medium risk, and high risk), as well as other criteria such as FEMA’s STAPLEE method, which is
recommended in the US Climate Resilience Toolkit and widely used for hazard mitigation and climate
adaptation strategies prioritization. In addition, Ascent will identify climate adaptation strategies for the
community as well as those for municipal government operations.
Task 4.1. Refine and Revise Climate Adaptation and Resilience Goals
In collaboration with the City staff, the SWAG, the CCAT, and community members, climate adaptation goals
will be developed that provide direction for achieving resiliency and act as guideposts throughout the planning
process and implementation. Establishing resilience goals builds transparency into the process, clarifies shared
outcomes, sets the foundation for future project decisions, and informs the development of adaptation
strategies as well as tracking and evaluation metrics. Ascent recommends that the City use the existing goals of
the 2023 MJLHMP and Resilient IE as a starting point and build on them to set forth locally appropriate goals
tailored to the needs and circumstances unique to Lake Elsinore.
Deliverables
✓ Draft and final climate adaptation and resilience goals (electronic)
City Responsibilities
✓ One set of consolidated, nonconflicting comments on draft climate adaptation and resilience goals in
strikethrough/underline (electronic)
Task 4.2. Develop, Evaluate, and Prioritize Climate Adaptation Strategies
Ascent will collaborate with City staff, the SWAG, the CCAT, and community members to prepare adaptation
strategies after the review of vulnerabilities and confirmation of the City’s vision and goals for adaptation and
resilience. We will develop the adaptation strategies consistent with the City’s existing or proposed policy
framework so the adaptation strategies are aligned with the expected outcomes and the terminology is
consistent. Each goal drafted in the previous step will have a set of strategies to support its achievement. As
outlined in the RFP, we will also incorporate innovative strategies and solutions for climate adaptation by
collaborating with the CCAT and stakeholders, as well as leveraging our extensive expertise in climate
adaptation planning. For example, when evaluating adaptation strategies, it is beneficial to consider the
additional purposes they could serve, which are also called co-benefits—additional beneficial results of an
action to increase resiliency, such as GHG reduction, cleaner air, improved public health, and/or increased
open green space. Ideally, all adaptation strategies will have one or more co-benefits. For instance, to adapt
to more frequent extreme heat events, we could propose an action to encourage or require the installation
or use of cool-roof technologies, passive solar home design, green roofs, and rooftop gardens.
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While supporting the mitigation of extreme heat events, this strategy will also have co-benefits related to
water conservation and addressing air quality impacts from reduced ozone formation. Other co -benefits
include benefits to public health and increased electrical grid resilience related to peak load reductions.
Some adaptation strategies may be general statements of policy preference or desired direction, while others
may be highly detailed and contain specific implementation directions. We recommend categorizing
strategies to provide the City with direction for implementation. Examples include the following:
Programmatic. Strategies to expand or create new programs, activities, and initiatives
Plans, regulations, and policy development. Strategies to develop or revise policies, plans, regulations,
and guidelines
Capital improvement/infrastructure projects. Strategies designed to address physical and functional
deficiencies and needs in the built and natural environment s
Education/outreach/coordination. Strategies related to initiating or expanding partnerships and
relationships, communicating and sharing information, and expanding awareness
Ascent will coordinate with City staff to identify adaptation strategies to be further evaluated in the next step.
The next step is the prioritization of adaptation strategies. To avoid disproportionate impacts on vulnerable
communities and protect communities already overburdened with pollution, equity will be centered in the
prioritization process. For example, according to APG’s recommendation, adaptation strategies should prioritize
resources for communities that experience the greatest inequities and most disproportionate impacts and have
the greatest unmet needs. Adaptation strategies should also address the underlying structural and institutional
systems that are the root causes of social and racial inequities. Ascent will work with City staff to make sure that
such adaptation strategies are devised and offered high priority. The US Environmental Protection Agency’s
Regional Resilience Toolkit also lists “Society and Equity” as one of its four “frames” when prioritizing adaptation
strategies. The toolkit recommends the consideration of effects on communities and the services on which they
rely, with specific attention paid to disproportionate impacts due to social, political, or economic inequality.
Moreover, the prioritization of adaptation strategies also supports making decisions about their implementation
in the face of uncertainty. Prioritization eases communication and transparency with community members.
Ascent, in coordination with City staff, will recommend a prioritization of the adaptation strategies prepared in
the previous step using FEMA’s STAPLEE method, including social, technical, administrative, political, legal,
economic, and environmental criteria. We will work with the City to decide whether other factors should also be
included in the prioritization criteria, such as the following ones that are recommended by the 2020 APG:
a. Vulnerability. Which strategies will be effective at addressing assets or systems with the highest
vulnerability?
b. Co-benefits. What are the co-benefits of the strategy? [briefly discussed above]
c. Monitoring. How will the strategy be evaluated for success?
Once adaptation strategies are prioritized, Ascent will identify the agencies and departments responsible,
indicators of success, potential partnerships and funding sources, equity considerations, and appropriate
methods to assess progress.
Deliverables
✓ Draft and final climate adaptation strategies (electronic)
City Responsibilities
✓ One set of consolidated, nonconflicting comments on draft climate adaptation strategies in
strikethrough/underline (electronic)
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TASK 5. Greenhouse Gas Inventory, Forecasts, Targets, and Reductions
Task 5.1. New GHG Emissions Inventory
Ascent will prepare an inventory of communitywide emissions. The inventory will set a robust, current
baseline to establish the City’s emissions forecasts and reduction targets. We recommend that the City use
the most recent calendar year for which complete data are available (anticipated to be 2022 , but may vary
depending on the project start date) to prepare the GHG emissions inventory. Emissions will be aggregated
and reported as carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2e) to show trends in GHG emissions from various activities.
We recommend using the global warming potential values from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change 6th Assessment Report to align with current science and climate action planning best practices.
We will develop a list of data needs to collect the most relevant and accurate data for the baseline inventory.
Ascent will work with the City to gather necessary permissions and access activities data from utilities and
agencies, including waste, water, electricity, and natural gas.
We will ensure the GHG inventory that will serve as the baseline for the CAAP includes the following
emissions sectors: transportation, residential and nonresidential building energy, off -road vehicles and
equipment, water, wastewater, and solid waste. The inventory will align with the U.S. Community Protocol for
Accounting and Reporting of Greenhouse Gas Emissions developed by ICLEI–Local Governments for
Sustainability (ICLEI) and recommended for use by local agencies in California by both CARB and the
Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR).
Team member Fehr & Peers will leverage the work currently being done as part of the Lake Elsinore General
Plan update to provide vehicle miles traveled (VMT) estimates for the inventory and forecasts (see Task 5.2).
Doing so will align the City’s CAAP with the data inputs and growth projections of its General Plan , which will
be critical if the City desires a CEQA-qualified CAAP that can streamline the environmental review process of
development projects implementing its updated General Plan, once adopted.
VMT inputs will be extracted from the Riverside County Transportation Model (RIVCOM), which is consistent
with Connect SoCal 2020, the 2020 Southern California Association of Governments Regional Transportation
Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCAG RTP/SCS) and has a base year of 2018 and a future year of
2045. Fehr & Peers will use this model to obtain VMT data for the inventory and forecasts because it is the
best available data source. Fehr & Peers will efficiently complete this task because VMT model runs
performed as part of the City’s General Plan update will be utilized , so no new modeling will be required.
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VMT will be calculated using the RTAC origin/destination methodology , which is the industry best practice
that tracks all trips to/from the city and assigns 100 percent of internal-internal, 50 percent of internal-
external and external-internal, and 0 percent of external-external trips to the city. (External-external or “pass-
through” trips are excluded because the City has no authority to influence the movement of vehicles through
its boundaries; for example, vehicles traveling through the city along Interstate 15). The VMT data will be
provided for both passenger vehicles and trucks and by speed bin to assist with conversion into GHG
emissions. Fehr & Peers will summarize the VMT data in tables and will briefly describe the methodology
used to calculate the VMT.
The inventory will use the following tools and emissions factors to quantify GHG emissions by sector:
Mobile source emissions factors for Riverside County from CARB’s EMFAC2021 database for passenger
cars, light-duty trucks, and medium- and heavy-duty trucks
Electricity-related emissions factors from Southern California Edison
Energy intensity factors from the Elsinore Valley Municipal Water District for water supply
Off-road emissions from CARB’s OFFROAD model
Solid waste emissions from disposal data and waste generation rates from the California Department of
Resources Recycling and Recovery
In addition, Ascent will include emissions from municipal operations in the communitywide inventory, by
accounting for GHG emissions resulting from the City government’s building and facility energy usage,
streetlight and traffic signal energy usage, employee commutes, City fleet (both on-road and off-road), water
usage, wastewater, and solid waste. Emissions from municipal operations will be accounted for using the
Local Government Operations Protocol (LGOP) developed by CARB, the California Climate Action Registry,
ICLEI, and The Climate Registry.
Ascent will present the inventory results in a GHG inventory technical memorandum for the City’s review and
prepare a final version that incorporates City comments. The memorandum contents will rely on Excel
worksheets that allow for easy transferability to a monitoring and tracking tool , if desired by the City (see
optional Task 10).
Deliverables
✓ Data request (electronic)
✓ Draft and final GHG inventory technical memorandum (electronic)
City Responsibilities
✓ One set of consolidated, nonconflicting comments on draft GHG inventory technical memorandum in
strikethrough/underline (electronic)
Task 5.2. Prepare GHG Emissions Forecasts and Reduction Targets
This task describes the preparation of GHG emissions forecasts and GHG reduction targets for the CAAP.
Ascent will prepare business-as-usual (BAU) forecasts of emission by sector for 2030 and 2045 to tie in with
SB 32 and AB 1279. An interim year of 2035 or 2040 can be evaluated if desired by the City. The BAU forecast
will be conservative, in that it will not account for regulatory changes enacted in the future but will account
for anticipated population and employment growth citywide to illustrate how emi ssions would grow if no
action were taken. The transportation sector of the BAU forecast will be based on RIVCOM growth
projections for Lake Elsinore provided by Fehr & Peers using available “off-the-shelf” data that does not
require the time or expense of new model runs.
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Following the calculation of BAU forecasts, we will calculate adjusted forecasts, which will consider adopted
and other reasonably foreseeable legislative and regulatory changes at the federal and state levels, including
SB 1020 (carbon-free electricity), the Advanced Clean Cars Program, and California Code of Regulations Title
24, Part 6 (the California Building Energy Code). Ascent will calculate the impact that these regulations will
have on 2030 and 2045 emissions levels (and an interim year if desired by the City) and will produce a
forecast that will provide a well-supported estimation of future emissions growth to support the
development of a qualified CAAP under CEQA, should the City intend to pursue that path. Both the BAU and
adjusted BAU forecasts will be included in the monitoring and tracking tool, if desired by the City (see
optional Task 10).
Under SB 32 and AB 1279, the state aims to reduce statewide emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030
and 85 percent below 1990 levels by 2045 and to achieve carbon neutrality no later than 2045. The state’s
2022 Scoping Plan for Achieving Carbon Neutrality lays out a path to achieving the targets for AB 1279, which
includes achieving deeper GHG reductions by 2030 than contemplated by SB 32. Ascent will identify and
recommend GHG emissions reduction targets consistent with guidance issued by CARB for l ocal plan-level
analysis. Ascent works closely with CARB on environmental documentation for its regulations. In this capacity,
we are intimately familiar with the data underlying CARB’s inventory and targets. Ascent can work with the
City to determine and confirm the most robust, applicable approach to a GHG reduction target that aligns
with the state’s targets. We are particularly familiar with the California Supreme Co urt’s decision regarding
GHG target setting pursuant to the Newhall Ranch case (Center for Biological Diversity, et al. v. California
Department of Fish and Wildlife [The Newhall Land and Farming Company, Real Part in Interest] [2015] 62
Cal.4th 204) and will develop GHG reduction targets that are mindful of the court’s guidance, ensuring that
targets will be set using substantial evidence and providing the City with legal defensibility for its CAAP,
especially if the City pursues a CEQA-qualified CAAP.
Ascent will establish 2030 and 2045 targets for the City that align with Lake Elsinore’s fair share of the state’s
targets. We will present the information in the GHG forecasts and targets technical memorandum for the
City’s review and prepare a final version that incorporates City comments .
Deliverables
✓ Draft and final GHG forecasts and targets technical memorandum (electronic)
City Responsibilities
✓ One set of consolidated, nonconflicting comments on draft GHG forecasts and targets technical
memorandum in strikethrough/underline (electronic)
Task 5.3. Identification of GHG Reduction Strategies
Ascent will identify and evaluate GHG emission reduction strategies (referred to as climate action strategies)
for inclusion in the CAAP. It will be important to craft strategies that demonstrate how their collective
implementation will achieve the GHG emission reduction targets specified under Task 5.2. Ascent will
incorporate feedback collected from City staff and the community outreach process into climate action
strategies. We will develop a preliminary list of climate action strategies in Microsoft Exc el. The climate action
strategies will be based on existing local and regional efforts (identified in Task 1.2), current and anticipated
future technology, regulatory frameworks, and other actions necessary to meet the City’s targets. The
strategies will focus on actions within the authority and influence of City government and will address all
sources of emissions in the community and municipal government op erations inventories. The strategies will
include efforts to advance energy efficiency, facilitate fuel switching and increased use of renewable
electricity in the building and transportation sectors, transportation alternative s, a robust move toward zero
waste, and other efforts toward decarbonization.
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The transportation sector is anticipated to be the largest source of GHG emissions in the city, so it will be
critical to develop strategies that achieve significant GHG reductions from this sector. Based on our
experience, strategies to support vehicle electrification and use of other zero -emissions vehicles will be the
most appropriate means of reducing transportation-related emissions in Lake Elsinore. However, we also
anticipate that some level of VMT reduction s will be needed to achieve GHG targets. Therefore, Ascent is
partnering with Fehr & Peers on this task to develop VMT reduction strategie s that are potentially feasible for
the land use context and local conditions of Lake Elsinore and aligned with the ongoing update of the City’s
General Plan. We understand that many VMT reduction strategies (for example, those with a heavy focus on
public transit or based on dense, urban environments) are not feasible for Lake Elsinore.
We will ensure the climate action strategies are tailored and appropriate for Lake Elsinore, reflecting the
diversity of land uses and building types, economic characteristics, community values, and other factors. The
purpose of the preliminary draft will be to review and discuss needed modifications to strategies, as well as
obtain input and confirm the nature and scope of strategies to be included in the CAAP. We will also work with
the City during review of the preliminary draft strategies to gather necessary activity data and develop
participation rates or performance targets and other parameters that will be required for further analysis.
Deliverables
✓ Data request of participation rates and performance targets (electronic)
✓ List of climate action strategies (electronic)
City Responsibilities
✓ Responses to data request of participation rates and performance targets (electronic)
✓ One set of consolidated, nonconflicting comments on list of climate action strategies in
strikethrough/underline (electronic)
Task 5.4. Analysis of GHG Reduction Measures and Implementation Actions
Following City review of the preliminary draft climate action strategies list, Ascent will revise the list into a set
of climate action strategies that will be more fully developed and analyzed and will be submitted to the City
for review and confirmation. As part of this task, we will quantify the GHG reductions expected to be
achieved by the strategies and will perform a gap analysis for the GHG reduction strategies to determine
whether they will achieve the GHG reduction targets. We will use case studies , peer-reviewed scientific
applications, state guidance documents, and other verified sources to inform these calculations and provide
substantial evidence behind the work. We will document all information, assumptions, and target indicators
used to quantify potential emissions reductions in a single master dataset for the GHG gap analysis. We will
use the expertise of Fehr & Peers to support the quantification of VMT reduction strategies that are feasible
for Lake Elsinore and aligned with the ongoing General Plan update.
Our underlying goal as we complete this technical analysis is to maximize the usability and longevity of the
work completed. We develop strategies to facilitate future implementation by City staff, and our worksheets
are intended to provide City staff with the tools to track progress after completion of the plan. The
worksheets include data that can be entered into the implementation monitoring tool included as optional
Task 10 in this proposal.
The full list of climate action strategies will be presented as a roadmap for the City to plan its GHG emissions
reduction activities. Ascent has experience developing roadmap frame works. We typically organize climate
action policies first by high-level strategy, followed by measures (which include policies) and implementation
actions (which include programs and infrastructure). Ascent will present these findings in the GHG gap
analysis technical memorandum.
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Deliverables
✓ Draft and final GHG gap analysis technical memorandum (electronic)
City Responsibilities
✓ One set of consolidated, nonconflicting comments on draft GHG gap analysis technical memorandum
in strikethrough/underline (electronic)
TASK 6. Draft Climate Action and Adaptation Plan
Task 6.1. Administrative Draft CAAP
Ascent will prepare a comprehensive administrative draft of the CAAP for review by City staff. This effort will
include assembly and integration of the work and products of prior tasks into the CAAP document. The
organization and format of the administrative draft will follow the example CAAP outline shown below. This
administrative draft CAP will not include final graphic design; the goal of the administrative draft will be to
receive the City’s feedback and approval of content before including graphic design details in the
screencheck draft prepared under Task 6.3.
The Administrative Draft CAAP will be prepared using the following outline as a guide .
Executive Summary. Overview of the CAAP and strategies via a plan -at-a-glance table for quick access and a
call to action for community members to take individual action.
Chapter 1. Introduction to CAAP, including an overview of climate change issues and the purpose/goals of
the CAAP and a summary of the CAAP process. This chapter will also include a discussion of the CAAP
development and community engagement processes.
Chapter 2. Background information section, describing the science underlying climate change and the
impacts anticipated for Lake Elsinore. This chapter will also describe existing federal and state regulations
related to climate adaptation and GHG emissions, as well as regional coordination and planning efforts
related to the CAAP.
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Chapter 3. The GHG inventory, forecasts, and targets section, reporting the updated GHG emissions
inventory and projected emissions by category. This chapter will include the BAU and adjusted BAU forecasts,
accounting for federal and state measures that result in low er GHG emissions in the city, inclusive of
municipal government operations. The inventory, forecasts, and targets will be graphically depicted to allow
visualization of the local context.
Chapter 4. Adaptation chapter, which identifies the climate change vulnerabilities in Lake Elsinore, as well as
an approach to address the city’s adaptive capacity.
Chapter 5. Climate action and adaptation strategies, which will include the level of GHG reduction
anticipated, demonstrating how the City will meet its GHG reduction targets, as well as build resilience to
climate impacts. This will be inclusive of municipal governm ent operations strategies.
Chapter 6. Implementation and monitoring, which identifies and prioritizes how actions will be implemented
using the results of the prioritization scoring analysis and CEQA considerations for streamlining benefits (if
the City pursues a qualified CAAP).
Chapter 7. Works cited, which will cite all work, protocols, agencies, or persons contacted in the development
of the CAAP.
Appendices. A detailed methodology and assumptions section to document and provide transparency in
how the inventory, forecasts, and GHG reduction strategies were calculated, as well as the vulnerability
assessment.
Deliverables
✓ Administrative draft CAAP in Microsoft Word (electronic)
City Responsibilities
✓ One set of consolidated, nonconflicting comments on administrative draft CAAP in
strikethrough/underline (electronic)
Task 6.2. Screencheck Draft and Public Draft CAAP
Following receipt of City comments on the administrative draft CAAP, Ascent will prepare a screencheck draft
version. The screencheck draft CAAP will present information using narrative and visually using maps, graphics,
tables, photos, and matrices. Explanatory text will read clearly and concisely. Information incorporated into the
CAAP will include content for public meetings, such as presentation slide decks and information for staff reports
(Task 7.2). The screencheck draft version will include the final graphic design. After receipt of City comments,
Ascent will prepare a publication-ready draft CAAP.
Deliverables
✓ Screencheck draft CAAP (electronic)
✓ Public draft CAAP (electronic)
City Responsibilities
✓ One set of consolidated, nonconflicting comments on screencheck draft CAAP in
strikethrough/underline (electronic)
✓ Access to City photographs for use in the CAAP document
✓ Publication of and noticing for public draft CAAP
✓ Hard-copy reproduction of the public draft CAAP
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Task 6.3. Review and Incorporate Comments into CAAP and Prepare Administrative Final CAAP
Following public review, Ascent will work with City staff to review comments received and identify any
potential changes needed to the public draft CAAP. This task includes up to 12 hours for Ascent to support
City staff by tracking and organizing public comments received on the plan and /or preparing written
responses to public comments. As part of this task, we will provide an administrative final CAAP to the City
for review and comment.
This task assumes that revisions to the CAAP document will be needed to clarify or briefly expand on content
presented in the draft CAAP in order to respond to issues raised in public comments on the draft CAAP. This
task does not include revisions that involve re-doing or revising modeling or technical calculations or other
analysis presented in the draft CAAP. This task also does not include responses to comments on
environmental topics related to CEQA compliance for the CAAP.
Deliverables
✓ Administrative final CAAP (electronic)
✓ Technical responses to public comments as needed (electronic)
City Responsibilities
✓ Printing or hard-copy reproduction of the Administrative final CAAP
✓ Tracking and organizing public comments; written responses to public comments
✓ One set of consolidated, nonconflicting comments on administrative final CAAP in
strikethrough/underline (electronic)
TASK 7. Finalize Climate Action and Adaptation Plan
Task 7.1. Prepare Final CAAP Document
Based on comments and requested changes on the administrative final CAAP by City staff, Ascent will
prepare the final CAAP for consideration by the SWAG, Planning Commission, and City Council. This task
assumes that revisions to the CAAP document will be needed to clarify or briefly expand on content
presented in the draft CAAP in order to respond to issues raised in public comments on the draft CAAP. This
task does not include revisions that in volve re-doing or revising modeling or technical calculations o r other
analysis presented in the draft CAAP.
Deliverables
✓ Final CAAP document (electronic)
City Responsibilities
✓ Printing or hard-copy reproduction of the Final CAAP
Task 7.2. Present Final CAAP at Public Hearings
Ascent will attend SWAG and Planning Commission meetings and City Council hearings related to the CAAP.
We will support City staff during the CAAP adoption process at each meeting/hearing. Up to three Ascent team
members will attend each meeting/hearing. We will also take notes at a summary level of comments received,
outcomes of the meeting/hearing, and input from the Planning Commission and City Council. If changes are
requested at the public meetings and hearings, Ascent will revise the final CAAP to reflect these revisions.
Deliverables
✓ Attendance at up to three meetings/hearings with appointed and elected official s (up to three Ascent
team members will attend each meeting/hearing)
✓ Meeting summaries for each meeting (electronic)
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CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 23
✓ Preparation of PowerPoint presentation and delivery of presentation at each meeting/hearing
(electronic)
✓ Revisions to final CAAP if requested during public hearings (electronic)
City Responsibilities
✓ Confirmation of meeting schedule and location for each meeting
✓ Preparation of staff reports for each meeting/hearing (electronic)
✓ Posting of final CAAP to City website (electronic)
Task 7.3. Replicable Case Study for State Adaptation Clearinghouse
After the CAAP has been adopted, Ascent will prepare a case study and associated documents for
submission to the State Adaptation Clearinghouse. The case study will follow the template provided by OPR,
which may include but is not limited to a summary of the CAAP, partnerships , outreach process, climate
impacts addressed, challenges, outcomes, and replicability. We will prepare one draft version for City review
and will prepare a final version that incorporates City comments.
Deliverables
✓ Draft and final case study for the State Adaptation Clearinghouse (electronic)
City Responsibilities
✓ One set of consolidated, nonconflicting comments on draft case study for the State Adaptation
Clearinghouse in strikethrough/underline (electronic)
✓ Submittal of case study to State Adaptation Clearinghouse (electronic)
TASK 8. CEQA Compliance Technical Memorandum
Ascent will prepare a technical memorandum advising the City on defensible CEQA compliance strategies for
the CAAP. The compliance strategies put forth in the memo will consider the following factors:
The feasibility of providing CEQA coverage for the CAAP within the scope of the environmental impact
report (EIR) being prepared for the ongoing update to the City’s General Plan
Opportunities to streamline the CAAP’s CEQA review, such as tiering from an existing certified EIR
Opportunities to exempt the CAAP from CEQA review
The reasonably foreseeable environmental effects resulting from the climate adaptation and GHG
reduction strategies of the CAAP
Perceived or actual controversy surrounding, or opposition to, the CAAP
Whether the City intends for its CAAP to meet the requirements of a CEQA-qualified plan for the
reduction of GHG emissions set forth in CEQA Guidelines Section 15183.5
The memorandum will also address how the CEQA compliance approach for the CAAP can streamline
potential CEQA compliance for implementation actions identified within the CAAP. In addition, the
memorandum will provide relative, high-level estimates of the costs and timelines of the different CEQA
compliance strategies. Because of the potentially sensitive nature of the memorandum’s contents , Ascent will
coordinate with the City prior to submission to determine the most appropriate method fo r delivery.
The memo will focus on compliance with the law, the State CEQA Guidelines, and relevant developments in
the California courts’ interpretation and application of CEQA, as well as the City’s local procedures.
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Ascent will submit a draft technical memorandum for City staff review and will submit a final technical
memorandum based on comments received from the City. The memorandum will be prepared as soon as
the draft adaptation and climate action strategies start taking shape so that there is ample time for the City
to make decisions about the CEQA compliance strategy and have the CEQA document prepared without
impacting the overall project schedule. Should the City seek Ascent’s support in preparing a CEQA
document, a budget and scope augmentation would be needed.
Deliverables
✓ Draft and final CEQA compliance technical memorandum (electronic)
City Responsibilities
✓ One set of consolidated, nonconflicting comments on draft technical memorandum in
strikethrough/underline (electronic)
TASK 9. Implementation Support (optional)
Task 9.1. Participant Perspective Cost-Benefit Analysis for Near-Term Actions (optional)
If desired by the City, we will use a variety of tools to evaluate the costs and benefits of up to 10 near-term
(i.e., 3 to 5 years from CAAP adoption) climate action and adaptation actions as they relate to participants
(i.e., the financial benefits and costs to residents, businesses, and the City to comply with the specified CAAP
actions). This evaluation will take the form of a participant perspective cost-benefit analysis (CBA).
The participant perspective CBA will evaluate the anticipated costs of each action, which may include
installation, maintenance, and equipment replacement; the opportunities to reduce costs through rebates,
tax credits, and other funding mechanisms; and the benefits realized from each action, which may include
energy cost savings, fuel consumption savings, and water savings. We will provide results in terms of dollars
per metric tons of CO2e ($/MTCO2e) reduced, which represents the total cost or benefit ass ociated with
reducing 1 MTCO2e. This approach will allow for the standardization of all actions to compare relative costs
of implementation. The participant perspective CBA will also include the cost of inaction, which will be based
on the social cost of carbon, consistent with CARB’s 2022 Scoping Plan for Achieving Carbon Neutrality.
Deliverables
✓ Data request of cost estimation parameters (electronic)
✓ List of cost estimation parameters and assumptions (electronic)
✓ Draft and final participant perspective CBA technical memorandum (electronic)
City Responsibilities
✓ Responses to data collection and cost estimation parameters confirmation requests (electronic)
✓ One set of consolidated, nonconflicting comments on draft participant perspective CBA technical
memorandum in strikethrough/underline (electronic)
Task 9.2. Administrator Perspective Cost-Benefit Analysis for Near-Term Actions (optional)
If desired by the City, we will evaluate the costs and benefits of up to 10 near-term (i.e., 3 to 5 years from
CAAP adoption) climate action and adaptation actions as they relate to the City (i.e., the financial benefits
and costs borne by the City to implement the specified CAAP actions). This evaluation will take the form of
an administrator perspective CBA.
The analysis will inform City staff and decision-makers regarding estimated City costs associated with staffing,
other program operational costs, and general order-of-magnitude capital costs, where applicable, for the
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CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 25
near-term actions. The administrator perspective CBA will be prepared based on available data, as well as
cost estimation parameters and other assumptions that will be discussed and verified with City staff.
Ascent will review all near-term actions and associated data used to quantify or characterize implementation
outcomes and identify any additional data needed to support calculation of estimated costs. We will develop
a list of cost estimation parameters (e .g., staffing costs per full-time equivalent [FTE] staff position, unit
infrastructure costs, or other parameters based on existing research or cost studies) that should be used to
guide cost estimation and submit the list to the City for review and confir mation prior to calculating cost
estimates. The administrator perspective CBA will also include an assessment of the cost -effectiveness for
GHG reduction actions, expressed as $/MTCO2e reduced.
Deliverables
✓ Data request of cost estimation parameters (electronic)
✓ List of cost estimation parameters and assumptions (electronic)
✓ Draft and final administrator perspective CBA technical memorandum (electronic)
City Responsibilities
✓ Responses to data collection and cost estimation parameters confirmation requests (electronic)
✓ One set of consolidated, nonconflicting comments on draft administrator perspective CBA technical
memorandum in strikethrough/underline (electronic)
Task 9.3. Funding and Financing Roadmap (optional)
If desired by the City, we can develop a funding and financing roadmap to accompany the CBA(s). Working
with City staff, we will develop a roadmap that documents a variety of funding types and resources for
implementation of CAAP measures. The roadmap will take the form of a stand-alone document that could
be appended to the CAAP. For each climate action and adaptation measure, the roadmap will evaluate the
types of capital that could be used to fund the activity, the pathways to receive that capital, and r esources
and/or partners to secure the capital. We will consider state grants such as those available through the
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, California Natural Resources Agency, and California Energy Commission
and those available through SCAG (which directs state and federal grants to local agencies).
We will also consider the types of funding or financing that may be available depending upon the measure.
These could include local revenue sources such as property taxes, sales tax, user fees, and impact fees, and
other types of government and private financing such as rebates and incentives, bonds, revolving loan funds,
credit enhancements, off-site retrofit programs, public-private partnerships, property-assessed clean energy,
and power purchase agreements, among others.
Using existing resources such as CARB’s Funding Wizard database, CivicWell’s Funding Navigation for
California Communities, and the US Climate Resilience Toolkit, and our knowledge of funding opportunities,
we will provide the City with a comprehensive assessment of funding opportunities available to implement
the CAAP.
Ascent will prepare an outline of the funding and financing roadmap for City approval. We will then prepare
a draft of the roadmap for City review and comment. Following receipt of City comments, we will prepare a
final funding and financing roadmap.
Deliverables
✓ Outline of funding and financing roadmap (electronic)
✓ Draft and final funding and financing roadmap (electronic)
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CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 26
City Responsibilities
✓ One set of consolidated, nonconflicting comments on funding and financing roadmap outline in
strikethrough/underline (electronic)
✓ One set of consolidated, nonconflicting comments on draft funding and financing roadmap in
strikethrough/underline (electronic)
Task 9.4. Develop Implementation Plan (optional)
If desired by the City, Ascent can prepare an implementation plan for the CAAP that details the specific steps
required to implement the near-term actions; it will also serve as a guidance and reference document for City
staff. Each near-term action will include the critical information needed for prioritization and effective
implementation. This information may include but is not limited to the following:
A rough order of magnitude cost to implement each action (unless optional Tasks 9.1 and 9.2 are
included in the contract)
Potential funding sources, funding mechanisms, and other resources available to implement the action
and build City staff and SWAG capacity (if optional Task 9.3 is included in the contract)
Estimated timeline for full implementation of the action
Identified City department(s) responsible for implementation, as well as potential partners to increase
capacity for ongoing implementation (e.g., the SWAG, regional agencies, community organizations)
Implementation mechanism(s) (e.g., ordinance, new program), including parts of existing City practices to
effectively and efficiently implement the action
Specific implementation metrics for each action to allow for monitoring and progress reporting
Ascent will submit an outline of the implementation plan for City approval. Following review of the outline,
we will prepare a draft implementation plan. Following receipt of City feedback on the draft, we will prepare
a final version of the implementation plan.
Deliverables
✓ Outline of implementation plan (electronic)
✓ Draft and final implementation plan (electronic)
City Responsibilities
✓ One set of consolidated, nonconflicting comments on implementation plan outline in
strikethrough/underline (electronic)
✓ One set of consolidated, nonconflicting comments on draft implementation plan in
strikethrough/underline (electronic)
TASK 10. Ongoing Monitoring and Reporting (optional)
Monitoring and reporting are critical components of the climate action planning process. Performing
monitoring on a regular basis and reporting the results in a clear manner will allow the City to evaluate
progress toward achieving its reduction targets, r evise and update strategies based on past performance,
and regularly reassess emissions projections.
From the beginning of CAAP development, we will focus on a data -driven process with a product that
facilitates implementation tracking. If desired by the City, we will work with City staff to develop an
implementation tracking tool that can be used by City staff to generate charts and graphs for use in
presentations, reports, and other documents. It can also be linked to the City’s website, allowing
transparency of progress with the public. We will work closely with City staff to clearly understand the need s
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CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 27
for the tool and how it can best support the City’s work, recognizing that the tool must impart useful and
relevant information without substantially adding to staff workloads. Ascent proposes using Microsoft Power
BI for developing the tracking tool becau se it can be integrated with the City’s GHG inventory and forecast
tools, providing seamless interoperability. The tool can also be integrated with Microsoft Excel through
macros to allow for easy updating that automatically refreshes the progress made on CAAP implementation.
After preparing the implementation monitoring tool, we will conduct training for City staff on how to use the
tool. The training will be conducted as an online webinar that is recorded so it can be used as a training tool
for new City staff.
Deliverables
✓ Draft and final implementation monitoring tool (electronic)
✓ Training for City staff (virtual)
City Responsibilities
✓ One set of consolidated, nonconflicting comments on draft implementation monitoring tool in
strikethrough/underline (electronic)
✓ Participation in training on implementation monitoring tool (virtual)
SCHEDULE
Ascent can begin work immediately. We will strive to exceed the City’s expectations by serving as a true
extension of staff. Our management style is proactive, and we look for opportunities to streamline the
planning process, where feasible.
Ascent will manage the project so that the schedule established at the beginning is maintained to the degree
it is under our control. The following is our proposed schedule for the City of Lake Elsinore Climate Action
and Adaptation Plan. Based on our expe rience, we are fully capable of meeting this schedule. If any element
of the schedule below does not meet the City’s expectations, we would appreciate the opportunity to discuss
with you how we can modify it to meet the City’s needs.
A high-level schedule is shown in the table below with the duration and estimated due date by task. The
schedule for the requested scope of work is up to 18 months , which aligns with the City’s obligation to
expend funds from its grant by January 31, 2026 . The timeline reflects that some tasks and deliverables
should begin prior to the completion of previous tasks. Optional tasks are not included in the schedule below
but if such tasks are selected, we can revise the schedule to include them. The overall ti meline for the project
is not anticipated to be extended should optional tasks be added.
Work Product/Milestone Mar-24 Apr-24 May-24 Jun-24 Jun-24 Aug-24 Sep-24 Oct-24 Nov-24 Dec-24 Jan-25 Feb-25 Mar-25 Apr-25 May-25 Jun-25 Jul-25 Aug-25 Receive Notice to Proceed
Task 1.1: Project Kickoff
Task 1.2: Data and
Information Gathering
Task 1.3: Ongoing Project
Management
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CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 28
Work Product/Milestone Mar-24 Apr-24 May-24 Jun-24 Jun-24 Aug-24 Sep-24 Oct-24 Nov-24 Dec-24 Jan-25 Feb-25 Mar-25 Apr-25 May-25 Jun-25 Jul-25 Aug-25 Task 2.1: Community
Visioning
Task 2.2: Community
Outreach Plan
Task 2.3: Community
Forums and Workshops
Task 2.4: Public Survey
Task 2.5: Community
Summary
Task 2.6: Review and
Summarize Vulnerability
and Risk Findings
Task 3: Assess Community
Risks and Vulnerabilities
Task 4.1: Refine and Revise
Climate Adaptation and
Resilience Goals
Task 4.2: Develop,
Evaluate, and Prioritize
Climate Adaptation
Strategies
Task 5.1: New GHG
Emissions Inventory
Task 5.2: Prepare GHG
Emissions Forecasts and
Reduction Targets
Task 5.3: Identification of
GHG Reduction Measures
Task 5.4: Analysis of GHG
Reduction Strategies
Task 6.1: Administrative
Draft CAAP
Task 6.2: Screencheck Draft
and Public Draft CAAP
Task 6.3: Review and
Incorporate Comments
into CAAP
Task 7.1: Prepare Final
CAAP Document
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CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 29
Work Product/Milestone Mar-24 Apr-24 May-24 Jun-24 Jun-24 Aug-24 Sep-24 Oct-24 Nov-24 Dec-24 Jan-25 Feb-25 Mar-25 Apr-25 May-25 Jun-25 Jul-25 Aug-25 Task 7.2: Present Final
Draft of CAAP at Public
Hearings
Task 7.3: Replicable Case
Study for State Adaptation
Clearinghouse
Task 8: CEQA Compliance
Technical Memorandum
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CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 30
03 / COST OF SERVICES
The proposed price for the Lake Elsinore Climate Action and Adaptation Plan is presented in the Cost
Proposal, submitted separately. For clarity, the following assumptions explain the basis of the proposed price.
The price is estimated based on a good -faith, current understanding of the project’s needs. If selected,
Ascent is interested in discussing the City’s needs and revising the scope of work and price, as warranted, to
meet expectations.
1. Proposed Price Validity. The price proposed to carry out the scope of work is valid for 90 days from the
date of submittal, after which it may be subject to revision.
2. Schedule. The price is based on the proposed schedule. If the schedule is protracted significantly (more
than 60 days) for reasons beyond Ascent’s control, a budget amendment may apply to the remaining
work. Ascent will consult with the City about a course of action.
3. Completion of Work. The scope of work is complete upon the acceptance by City staff of the final
deliverable.
4. Price and Staff Allocation to Tasks. The proposed price has been allocated to tasks. Work has been
assigned to the identified staff or labor category. Ascent may reallocate budget or staff among tasks, as
needed, as long as the total contract price is not exceeded.
5. Meetings and Conference Calls. The number and duration of proposed meetings and conference calls
are specified. If they are exceeded, a budget augmentation would be warranted.
6. Billing Rates. The proposed billing rates apply to the current calendar year. For work performed after this
year has concluded, budget augmentations and contract amendments will be calculated using updated
billing rates, unless precluded by contract terms.
7. Changes to the Project or Measures. If the descriptions of the project or measures are changed after
they have been approved for use by the City, a budget amendment will be warranted to the extent
completed work needs to be revised or redone.
8. Scope of Analysis. The price is based on the proposed scope of analysis. If new technical issues,
alternatives, field surveys, modeling, or analysis is identified after contract execution, a budget
amendment would be warranted.
9. Adequacy of Provided Materials. Materials provided by others are assumed to be complete and
adequate for use in the analysis. If supplemental or revised analysis, studies, data, or fieldwork is needed
to render such materials adequate, a budget amendment would be warranted.
10. Preliminary Draft Review Cycles and Reviewers. Review cycles and reviewers of preliminary drafts are
specified in the scope of work. Responses to additional reviewers, review cycles, or versions of
preliminary drafts can be provided with a budget augmentation.
11. Consolidated Comments. The City will provide Ascent with one consolidated set of reconciled,
nonconflicting comments on all draft deliverables.
12. Responses to Public Comments. After public review of the draft documents, Ascent will coordinate with
the City to develop response strategies. Budgeted labor hours (30 staff hours) for preparing responses to
comments are contained in Task 6.4. If the number or complexity of comments requires a greater level
of effort, Ascent and the City will coordinate on a course of action and budget augmentation, if needed.
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CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 31
04 / CLIENTS AND EXPERIENCE
Ascent has invested in climate action and adaptation planning as a practice since the firm’s inception, as it
aligns with our core values and depth of expertise. Our key team members have been involved in climate
action planning efforts throughout Californ ia for several decades, which is demonstrated through our project
experience. We have prepared CAPs and CAAPs for many agencies in the Inland Empire, San Diego region,
and throughout the state and are actively working on several plans with carbon neutrality and equity goals.
Ascent’s specific areas of experience and expertise in climate action planning include data collection,
preparation of emissions inventories and inventory updates, preparation of GHG emissions forecasts, GHG
reduction target setting, GHG reduction measures analysis, CAP implementation and monitoring, public
outreach, identification of co-benefits, and preparation of climate vulnerability assessments and climate
adaptation strategies. Ascent staff have been instrumental in preparing CAPs and sustainability p lans for
California cities and counties, including award-winning plans for the Cities of Encinitas, San Diego, Milpitas,
and Rancho Cucamonga and the County of Tuolumne.
In addition to preparing climate action and adaptation plans, Ascent prepares related documents with similar
components, such as sustainability and resiliency plans. We work with regional agencies such as the Metropolitan
Water District of Southern California, Imperial County Transportation Commission, Santa Clara Valley
Transportation Authority, San Mateo County Transit District, and Caltrain on climate action planning. We also
work with metropolitan planning organizations such as the Southern California Association of Governments, San
Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG), Metropolitan Transportation Commission/Association of Bay Area
Governments (MTC/ABAG), Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG), and Tahoe Metropolitan
Planning Organization (TMPO) on climate change, air quality, and GHG analyses in development of updates to
local Regional Transportation Plans/Sustainable Communities Strategies under SB 375.
Drawing from our substantial portfolio of experience, Ascent will be an effective partner with the City of Lake
Elsinore in preparing the City’s CAAP.
Equitable Public Outreach
Public engagement is a core component of our work, and
we can be responsive and innovative for any need —large
or small, in person or online. Regardless of the
circumstances, Ascent designs meaningful public
engagement programs to share information and gather
input from the public, stakeholders, community groups,
commissions, and decision-makers. Our staff are
experienced in designing and implementing inclusive
community engagement programs structured to quick ly
obtain meaningful input from a broad segment of the
community. Ascent staff have designed and facilitated
hundreds of community workshops, design charrettes,
focus group meetings, and online engagement activities, working in diverse communities and adap ting to
different cultures, languages, and political environments.
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CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 32
Ascent has successfully worked with communities where climate
change is a tough issue by reframing the conversation to focus on
the co-benefits of GHG reduction measures. For the Ventura
County General Plan, we balanced the concerns of the oil and gas
industry and the preservation of agricultural land with those of
environmental groups. For the Elk Grove Community Mobility
Resilience Plan, we developed a transparent stakeholder -informed
community process with public workshops, online outreach and
education, and formation of working groups comprising city staff,
representatives from state and regional agencies, community
organizations, and residents. Other similar projects where we
developed and implemented outreach plans include the
Escondido CAP, Monterey County CAAP, Tuolumne County CAP,
and Alameda County CAP.
Our team is poised to assist with the City’s community
engagement effort, offering expertise in innovative and authentic
engagement techniques, while also having expert knowledge of
climate action planning.
Equity
Although climate change affects everyone to some degree, not everyone
is affected equally. Frontline and vulnerable communities generally have
greater exposure to climate impacts and less capacity to adapt because of
long-standing structural and institutio nal inequities. Ascent understands
that true climate resilience will only be achieved through holistic
integration of equity into all stages of planning and implementation.
Equitable outcomes are not a given, but rather must be explicitly defined,
planned for, and prioritized throughout the climate action planning
process. When equity is put front and center, climate adaptation and
resilience strategies can address and lessen existing social, racial, and
health disparities. When equity is left out or minimized, planning processes can unintentionally widen the
gap and worsen these disparities.
To operationalize equity, Ascent uses a framework recommended by the California Adaptation Planning
Guide that identifies three types of equity: procedural, distributional, and structural.
Procedural equity is about creating outreach, engagement, and involvement processes that are
transparent, fair, and inclusive. It focuses on increasing opportunities for engagement and ownership in
decision-making, in all aspects of climate resilience planning, by the comm unities that are
disproportionately impacted by and most vulnerable to climate change.
Distributional equity is about the fair distribution of resources, benefits, and burdens that result from
climate resilience planning decisions. Distributional equity means prioritizing the allocation of finite
resources and designing planning strategies to benefit communities that experience the greatest climate
and environmental inequities and have the most unmet environmental health needs, while also ensuring
that these communities do not disproportionately experience economic, social, or environmental
burdens as a result of such planning decisions.
Procedural
Equity
Distributional
Equity
Structural
Equity
SECTION 04 // CLIENTS AND EXPERIENCE
CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 33
Structural equity involves making planning decisions that recognize and address the underlying
structural and institutional systems that are at the root of economic, social, and racial inequities. It is an
approach to decision-making that overtly seeks to correct past harms and to anticipate and prevent
future unintended consequences for disadvantaged social and racial groups. An approach based on
structural equity examines whether planning decisions to achieve climate resilience also eliminate
poverty, create workforce development opportunities, address racism, increase civic participation and
social cohesion, protect housing availability and affordability, increase educational outcomes, and
improve public health outcomes.
Ascent staff have experience in integrating equity into all types of climate -related plans, programs, and
projects. For example, we have developed equity implementation tools and environmental justice analyses in
CEQA documents to support clients with integrating equity into their internal decision -making. Moreover,
Ascent staff have implemented robust community engagement processes by partnering with local
organizations and residents in communities throughout the state, including San Diego, San Marcos, El Cajon,
Sacramento, Elk Grove, Fresno, and Truckee. Ascent’s knowledge of the unique issues facing vulnerable and
frontline communities means that the City can expect authentic and inclusive outreach as part of the climate
planning process.
Experience in Southern California
While the broad principles of climate planning are generally consistent across the state, a successful CAAP is
tethered to local conditions. It is important that the plan be prepared with recognition of residents and their
priorities, key stakeholders, political climate, governmental structure, and regulatory framework. We have
worked on several important climate planning projects in Southern California. This success is a result of our
continued dedication to recognizing that each agency has different needs, different work processes, and
different expectations. Our proposed principal-in-charge and project manager for this effort are longtime
residents of Southern California and understand the region’s regulatory environment and salient issues.
Other key members of the Ascent team and our subconsultant are also located in the greater Southern
California region and are ready to assist the City under this contract.
Ascent has assisted the Cities of
Murrieta, Rancho Cucamonga,
Irvine, Carlsbad, San Diego,
Encinitas, Solana Beach, Del Mar,
San Marcos, Escondido, Vista,
Oceanside, Lemon Grove, La Mesa,
and El Cajon on CAAPs, CAAP
implementation plans, and CAAP
consistency checklists. Our work
with many of the listed cities included both GHG reduction planning and vulnerability assessments and
adaptation planning. In addition, we have worked as an extension of staff at the County of San Diego for over
10 years, serving as resident climate change and air quality experts for current and advance planning efforts.
Ascent has been assisting SANDAG in standardizing and streamlining climate action planning in the San
Diego region through development of ReCAP and infographic CAP monitoring reports for member agencies
(ReCAP Snapshots). We developed the first-of-its-kind guide on climate action plans and CEQA as an
appendix to the ReCAP. The technical appendix includes detailed information and guidance regarding the
climate action planning process as it relates to CEQA, including CEQA compliance for preparation of a CAP,
considerations for development and use of qualified CAPs for subsequent project -level streamlining, roles of
SECTION 04 // CLIENTS AND EXPERIENCE
CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 34
other types of CAPs or sustainability plans and their relationship to CEQA, and mechanisms for streamlining
during environmental review. The appendix provides reference materials for local public agencies to help
them make informed decisions as part of local climate action planning processes.
We are currently working with the City of Irvine to develop an ambitious, visionary CAAP that strives to meet
a 2030 target to allow for CEQA streamlining benefits and a 2045 net-zero carbon goal. Development of the
CAAP includes inclusive outreach that captures city residents who have not typically been represented in
planning and political processes.
Project Experience
The table below is a snapshot of our expertise and specific experience in preparing climate action and
adaptation plans, with bolded projects that are most similar in size and scope to that desired by the City of
Lake Elsinore.
Jurisdiction and Project Name
Jurisdiction’s
Population
Completion
Year
Alameda County Community Climate Action Plan 143,876 Ongoing
Newark Climate Action Plan Update 47,312 Ongoing
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority Climate Action and Adaptation Plan N/A Ongoing
Santa Clara Valley Water District Climate Action Plan N/A Ongoing
Bakersfield Climate Action Plan 410,654 Ongoing
Carlsbad Climate Action Plan Update 114,161 Ongoing
Elk Grove Climate Action Plan 177,558 Ongoing
Irvine Climate Action and Adaptation Plan 313,705 Ongoing
La Mesa Climate Action Plan Update 61,040 Ongoing
Monterey County Community Climate Action and Adaptation Plan and
Municipal Climate Action Plan 2030
105,787 Ongoing
Oceanside Climate Action Plan 172,190 Ongoing
Sacramento County Climate Action Plan 610,442 Ongoing
San Diego County Climate Action Plan 627,142 Ongoing
Fremont Climate Action Plan Update 223,859 2023
Rancho Cordova Climate Action and Adaptation Plan 80,594 2023
Truckee Climate Action Plan 16,850 2023
Milpitas Climate Action Plan Update 77,744 2022
Rancho Cucamonga Climate Action Plan 176,359 2022
Tuolumne County Climate Action Plan 49,458 2022
Ventura County General Plan 94,003 2022
Encinitas Climate Action Plan 62,140 2021
Imperial Valley Regional Climate Action Plan 179,851 2021
Murrieta Climate Action Plan 111,351 2020
Escondido Climate Action Plan 150,258 2020
Lemon Grove Climate Action Plan 27,513 2020
SECTION 04 // CLIENTS AND EXPERIENCE
CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 35
Jurisdiction and Project Name
Jurisdiction’s
Population
Completion
Year
San Marcos Climate Action Plan 94,855 2020
South Lake Tahoe Climate Action Plan 21,355 2020
El Cajon Climate Action Plan 104,417 2019
Napa County Climate Action Plan 24,924 2019
Vista Climate Action Plan 97,766 2019
Solana Beach Climate Action Plan 13,025 2017
Tahoe Sustainability Action Plan N/A 2013
Sacramento Climate Action Plan 528,026 2011
Yolo County Climate Action Plan 35,900 2010
The leaders at Ascent have successfully managed and directed numerous climate action and adaptation
plans throughout California. Summaries of recent projects on which Ascent’s key staff have worked are
provided below. Each project description specifies the client and a reference, including contact information.
These project examples are anticipated to be similar to the types of activities for which the City may require
technical experts under this project.
Climate Action Plan and EIR
Client: City of Murrieta
Ascent worked with the City of Murrieta on a Focused General Plan Amendment,
Climate Action Plan update, CAP Consistency Checklist, and Supplemental EIR.
The CAP update was undertaken to address state legislation enacted since the
prior CAP was adopted. Ascent prepared an updated baseline inventory for the
City, developed GHG projections that align with state legislation policy and goals,
and recommended GHG reduction measures to achieve GHG reduction targets
consistent with state guidance. Ascent also prepared the City’s CAP Consistency
Checklist, which the City uses as a tool to streamline the CEQA process for new
development. In addition, we prepared a vulnerability assessment to address
current and projected climate change impacts in the city and recommended
adaptation and resiliency strategies to make the General Plan Safety Element
consistent with SB 379. Ascent also prepared the air quality and GHG analysis for
the Supplemental EIR for the Focused General Plan Amendment.
REFERENCE
Carl Stiehl, City Planner
City of Murrieta
1 Town Square
Murrieta, CA 92562
p: 951.461.6063
e: cstiehl@murrietaca.gov
SECTION 04 // CLIENTS AND EXPERIENCE
CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 36
Climate Action Plan and Supplemental EIR
Client: County of San Diego
The County of San Diego undertook preparation of a new CAP and
Supplemental Program EIR to the 2011 General Plan Update EIR in response to
litigation that led to rescission of the previous CAP. Ascent prepared the baseline
GHG inventory and emissions forecasts for communitywide sources and for
County internal operations. We worked with the County to develop GHG
reduction targets for specific benchmark years (2030 and 2050), consistent with
the state’s GHG reduction goals. Ascent evaluated and quantified the GHG
reduction potential of identified reduction measures and prepared a gap analysis
to determine whether the proposed list of strategies would achieve the County’s
target. We worked with the County to define an evaluation and monitoring
framework for the CAP. The Supplemental Program EIR, currently under
preparation, is a comprehensive evaluation of the CAP and evaluates the impacts
of the GHG-reducing measures. We also assisted the County with an extensive
public outreach program that has included the preparation of reports,
presentations, and supporting materials to disseminate information to
stakeholders and the public.
REFERENCE
Meghan Kelly, Sustainability
Project Manager
County of San Diego
5510 Overland Avenue, Suite 310
San Diego, CA 92123
p: 619.323.6462
e: meghan.kelly@sdcounty.ca.gov
Climate Action Implementation Plan
Client: City of San Diego
In 2022, the City of San Diego adopted an updated CAP that sets a new goal of
net-zero GHG emissions by 2035 and integrates and prioritizes the concepts of
social equity. The 2022 CAP included detailed information on GHG reduction
measures and 190 actions and supporting actions at a program level. There was
a need to organize this information in an implementable manner, which was
accomplished through the Climate Action Implementation Plan. This document,
completed in April 2023, charts how the City can accomplish the 190+ actions in
the CAP and calculates the expected costs of climate action in San Diego. The
Implementation Plan organizes the City’s processes and government structure
around those actions—centering equity, accountability, and transparency. To
establish implementation responsibility and authority, the Implementation Plan
identifies lead and supporting departments for all CAP actions and supporting
actions. It includes cost estimates to align the City’s future budgeting decisions
with the CAP and lays out the tasks and responsibilities to be carried forward by
departments and reported on through annual workplans. The Implementation
Plan clearly defines each City department’s CAP implementation work every fiscal
year and further integrates equity into climate action–related projects and
initiatives. It also sets forth the “measures of success” that will be used to
evaluate progress toward the CAP’s quantified performance targets.
The Implementation Plan won an award from the AEP San Diego Chapter in 2023
in the category of Outstanding Innovation in Resilient or Sustainable Planning and
Design.
REFERENCE
Shelby Busó, Chief Sustainability
Officer
City of San Diego
202 C Street
San Diego, CA 92101
p: 858.492.6005
e: sbuso@sandiego.gov
SECTION 04 // CLIENTS AND EXPERIENCE
CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 37
Climate Action Plan Update and Consistency Checklist
Client: City of Carlsbad
Ascent has assisted the City of Carlsbad with CAP-related items for several years.
The City previously adopted a CAP in September 2015 and updated the CAP to
incorporate best practices and the state’s long-term 2045 target. Ascent
prepared a CAP Compliance Checklist (including thresholds and screening levels)
to assist the City in determining whether a project is consistent with the CAP. The
purpose of the checklist is to provide a streamlined review process for proposed
new development projects that are subject to discretionary review and trigger
environmental review pursuant to CEQA. We also prepared accompanying
guidance on application of the checklist and alternate compliance mechanisms
for projects to numerically demonstrate consistency with the CAP. We are
currently assisting the City with a far-reaching public outreach process and with
preparation of a user-friendly CAP and accompanying CEQA document. The CAP
serves as a qualified GHG reduction plan, serving as a resource for GHG analysis
and mitigation pursuant to CEQA.
REFERENCE
Katie Hentrich, Senior Program
Manager/CAP Administrator
City of Carlsbad
1635 Faraday Avenue
Carlsbad, CA 92008
p: 760.602.4623
e: katie.hentrich@carlsbad.ca.gov
Imperial Valley Regional Climate Action Plan
Client: Southern California Association of Governments
Ascent worked with SCAG and the Imperial County Transportation Commission
(ICTC) to develop a regional framework for addressing GHG emissions and
applying framework components consistently at the local level to develop
jurisdiction-specific CAPs. The Sustainability Planning Grant (SPG) is intended to
provide SCAG member jurisdictions the resources to implement regional policies
at the local level, focusing on voluntary efforts that will meet local needs and
contribute to implementing the Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable
Communities Strategy (RTP/SCS), reducing GHG emissions, and providing a
range of local and regional benefits as outlined in the RTP/SCS.
The project included development of GHG inventories and projections for the
unincorporated county and the cities of Brawley, Calexico, Calipatria, Holtville, El
Centro, Imperial, and Westmorland. The Ascent team led a robust public
outreach effort to reach all sections of the community and develop CAPs that are
sensitive to the economic conditions in the region. The Regional CAP was
tailored to each ICTC member agency depending on whether it wanted a
qualified CAP or a policy-based document. The effort also included an economic
analysis of proposed GHG reduction strategies to determine feasibility and cost -
effectiveness.
REFERENCE
Lori Tapp, Contract Administrator
SCAG
900 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1700
Los Angeles, CA 90017
p: 213.236.1957
e: tapp@scag.ca.gov
WRCOG Climate Action Plan
Client: Western Riverside Council of Governments
Fehr & Peers provided support on the ongoing update to the Western Riverside
County Climate Action Plan. They participated in workshops with WRCOG
member jurisdictions to discuss current and future travel conditions and mobility.
Fehr & Peers prepared baseline and future year VMT inventories for all WRCOG
member jurisdictions to support GHG quantification and identified and
quantified regional and local strategies that would reduce GHG associated with
transportation as part of the Climate Action Plan. They also contributed to the
development of an updated monitoring tool to enable member jurisdictions to
track their level of participation in the CAP.
REFERENCE
Christopher Tzeng, Program
Manager
WRCOG
3390 University Ave., Suite 200
Riverside, CA 92501
p: 951.405.6711
e: ctzeng@wrcog.us
SECTION 05 // AGREEMENT
CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 38
05 / AGREEMENT
Ascent has reviewed the City of Lake Elsinore’s Agreement for Professional Services. If selected, we
respectfully request an opportunity to discuss Section 2a, Section 4, Section 5, Section 12, and Section 15
contained in the agreement.
SECTION 06 // INSURANCE AND LICENSES
CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 39
06 / INSURANCE AND LICENSES
Ascent maintains insurance coverage sufficient to meet the City’s requirements. A copy of the firm’s
Certificate of Liability Insurance can be found on the next page.
We also have a current City of Lake Elsinore business license (No. 026125), which, if Ascent is selected for this
project, will be renewed prior to the license’s expiration date of July 31, 2024.
Ascent’s California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) number is 1000042269, with an expiration date of
June 30, 2025. We maintain that registration as required.
SECTION 06 // INSURANCE AND LICENSES
CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 40
SECTION 07 // FIRM DESCRIPTION
CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 41
07 / FIRM DESCRIPTION
Ascent, a California S corporation, is a full -service climate change, environmental,
planning, urban design, and natural resources consulting firm headquartered in
Sacramento with staff resources and offices in San Diego, Irvine, Berkeley, and Lake Tahoe.
Comprehensive climate action and adaptation planning is one of Ascent’s core services.
The firm is renowned for its expertise in developing locally specific plans aimed at
addressing climate change mitigation and resilience. We offer the nimble responsiven ess of a small business
along with a depth of expertise and resources well beyond the size of the firm. In its 14 years of existence,
Ascent has grown from its initial five employees to approximately 130 professionals, providing climate action
and adaptation planning, urban design, urban planning, CEQA and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA)
compliance, air quality and noise analysis, natural resources, strategic regulatory guidance and permitting,
and GIS services in California and the western United States. Our staff members have a long and successful
history of working on environmental, climate change, and natural resources projects that are controversial
and complex.
Ascent has specialized experience helping counties and cities prepare and update their climate action and
adaptation plans to achieve carbon neutrality and align with equity goals. We also have a deep
understanding of atmospheric and climate change science , and of contemporary practices in climate action
and adaptation planning, along with the current and evolving requirements and methods coming from state
agencies. We have thorough knowledge of the California Air Resources Board, other state agency activit ies,
and the regulatory and political environment in California, with expert staff located throughout the state. We
have worked intimately with CARB, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD), OPR, and other
agencies since the firm’s founding. Furthermore, we have a longstanding history with cities and counties in
the Inland Empire, the San Diego region, and other areas of Southern California for providing climate action
planning support.
Ascent’s concern for the environment is reflected in the statement of our corporate vision: “We are inclusive,
diverse collaborators who advance community and environmental stewardship.” One of Ascent’s core values
embodies this philosophy—Be a Steward: We act to sustain and improve our firm, our communities, and our
environment.
Subconsultant
Fehr & Peers is passionate about transforming transportation consulting through
innovation and creativity. The firm derives inspiration by partnering with
communities to understand and shape local transportation futures objectively tailored to diverse needs.
Clients trust Fehr & Peers to help them overcome barriers and uncertainty by combining advanced expertise
with curiosity, humility, and initiative to deliver implementable, data-driven solutions that reinforce
community values. From the most straightforward to the most complex, team members actively listen to
client and community needs and handle every project with diligence and focus.
With a focus on innovation, Fehr & Peers differentiates itself by investing in research and development to
anticipate needs, explore the unknown, and collaboratively imagine a better future. The company’s culture of
applied innovation generates an appetite for new and better ways of approaching problems, motivates team
SECTION 07 // FIRM DESCRIPTION
CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 42
members to explore emerging transportation concepts and mobility trends, and inspires the development of
new analytical tools and techniques.
Fehr & Peers has been performing climate-related modeling and mitigation services for over 20 years and
has worked on over 50 climate action plans. Their climate mitigation work balances the need to travel with
GHG emission reduction goals for communities. The firm’s adaptation work assists clients in imagining future
alternatives that respond to a changing climate and long-term, community-identified mobility needs. Their
resilience work supports clients in planning for and responding to transportation syst em disruptions caused
by climate change and other natural disasters, in order to keep people connected to the places they need to
go. Fehr & Peers has worked on multiple climate action plans in the Southern California region, including
with the Cities of Irvine, San Clemente, Santa Ana, and more recently, Oxnard. Other notable projects include
the OCTA Rail Defense Against Climate Change, CAPCOA GHG Handbook Update, WRCOG Climate Action
Plan, and CVAG Inventories and Action Plan.
Company Organizational Chart
We have included a chart illustrating Ascent’s organizational structure at the end of this section.
Project Organizational Chart
The organizational chart below identifies the areas of expertise and responsibilities of our project team. As
demonstrated in the chart, we have established a management team and a group of accomplished technical
specialists who offer the City the experience, expertise, professional commitment, and availability to deliver
quality work products anticipated under this contract.
(F) - Fehr & Peers
GRAPHICS SPECIALIST
Corey Alling CLIMATE ACTION ANALYST
Sonam Sahu, PhD
OUTREACH SPECIALIST
Luis Montes
GIS SPECIALIST
Lisa Merry CLIMATE ADAPTATION PLANNER
Adam Qian
ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNER
Reida Khan
TRANSPORTATION/VMT
Jason Pack(F), TE
SENIOR CLIMATE ACTION
SPECIALIST
Fred Hochberg
CEQA LEAD
Eric Ruby
PROJECT MANAGER
Andrew Martin
PRINCIPAL -IN-CHARGE
Poonam Boparai
City of Lake Elsinore
SECTION 07 // FIRM DESCRIPTION
CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 43
EDUCATION
MS, Environmental Engineering (focus:
Air Quality Engineering and Science),
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
BE, Chemical Engineering, Birla Institute
of Technology and Science, Pilani, India
Poonam Boparai
PRINCIPAL-IN-CHARGE
Poonam is an Ascent principal and the firm’s San Diego office director. She has
over 15 years of experience in the public and private sectors conducting climate
action planning and air quality and GHG analyses. She possesses a unique skill
set that combines technical expertise with a keen understanding of planning
and environmental policy. Poonam leads climate action planning processes
that are informed by robust technical analysis and by inclusive, meaningful
engagement of agency and community stakeholders to develop effective and
locally appropriate and effective climate mitigation and adaptation policies and
plans. She has successfully applied her expertise in assisting agencies such as
the City of Murrieta, City of Rancho Cucamonga, City of Carlsbad, City of
Encinitas, County of San Diego, County of Santa Barbara, Imperial County
Transportation Commission, SANDAG, San Diego Unified Port District,
BAAQMD, and Sacramento Metropolitan Air Quality Management District with
air quality and climate change policy development, analysis methodologies,
GHG reduction strategies, and development of GHG thresholds of significance.
Relevant Experience
Murrieta Climate Action Plan and EIR (Principal-in-Charge [PIC])
San Diego County Climate Action Plan and Supplemental EIR (PIC)
Rancho Cucamonga General Plan Update and Climate Action Plan (PIC)
San Diego Climate Action Implementation Plan (PIC)
Carlsbad Climate Action Plan Update and Consistency Checklist (PIC)
Imperial Valley Regional Climate Action Plan (PIC)
EDUCATION
MCP (Master of City Planning), San
Diego State University
BA, Sociology, California State
University, Long Beach
Andrew Martin
PROJECT MANAGER
Andrew has 18 years of diverse public and private sector experience in local and
regional planning throughout California, with emphasis on managing climate
planning projects for public sector clients. His climate planning experience includes
managing climate action plans for local jurisdictions and overseeing the delivery of
customized climate action planning services for several SANDAG member cities.
His experience includes CAPs that meet or exceed California’s statewide 2030
reduction target and CAPs with goals to achieve net zero emissions. Andrew also
focuses on the intersection of CEQA and climate change issues. He is well versed in
CEQA requirements for the tiering and streamlining of GHG emissions and has
overseen the preparation of several CAPs that serve as CEQA-qualified plans for
the reduction of GHG emissions. Andrew also helps public agencies streamline
project-level CEQA analysis of GHG emissions through the preparation of CAP
Consistency Checklists. He has prepared CEQA compliance documents for CAPs
and specializes in GHG emissions analysis for projects subject to CEQA.
He has served clients throughout Southern California, including public agencies in San
Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, and Los Angeles Counties.
Relevant Experience
Murrieta Climate Action Plan and EIR (Project Manager [PM])
San Diego County Climate Action Plan and Supplemental EIR (PM)
Rancho Cucamonga General Plan Update and Climate Action Plan (PM)
Irvine Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (PM)
San Diego Climate Action Implementation Plan (PM)
Rancho Cordova Climate Action Plan (PM)
SECTION 07 // FIRM DESCRIPTION
CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 44
EDUCATION
BA, Social Ecology/Environmental
Science, University of California, Irvine
Eric Ruby
CEQA LEAD
Eric has more than 43 years of experience in policy and land planning,
entitlement, environmental compliance pursuant to NEPA and CEQA, and
regulatory permitting for a wide variety of projects, including general plan
updates, mixed-use master plans, specific plans, and large-scale infrastructure
projects, particularly for projects that include complex technical analyses and
controversial public policy and planning issues. He has prepared legally
defensible planning and environmental documentation for some of the most
controversial projects in Southern California and has prepared several specific
plans for projects in unincorporated Los Angeles County. In addition, he has
managed several community plan update CEQA documentation projects for
the City of Los Angeles and other Southern California jurisdictions in the past.
His responsibilities include overall program management and strategy
development, specific project direction and management, and client relations.
Eric is thoroughly conversant with local, state, and federal planning and
environmental regulations.
Relevant Experience
Temecula Valley Hospital Master Plan Update SEIR (PIC)
Coachella General Plan Update EIR (Project Director [PD])
Canyon Hills Specific Plan Amendment 3 and EIR (PD)
Fresh & Easy Riverside Distribution Center EIR (PD)
EDUCATION
MS, Environmental Science and
Management, University of California,
Santa Barbara
BA, Management of Public
Administration, Renmin University of
China
Adam Qian
CLIMATE ADAPTATION PLANNER
Adam is an environmental professional with 10 years of combined experience
in various environmental sciences, climate adaptation and hazard mitigation
planning, environmental planning management, GIS and spatial analysis, and
related fields, including 5 years of project management experience. He has
technical proficiency in data organization and analysis, GIS management, and
spatial mapping and analysis.
Relevant Experience
Alameda County Community Climate Action Plan and Safety Element
Update (Climate Adaptation Planner)
Monterey County Community Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (Assistant
Project Manager)
Sacramento County Climate Action Plan (Climate Adaptation Planner)
El Dorado County General Plan Safety Element Update and Climate
Vulnerability Assessment (Planner/GIS Specialist)
SECTION 07 // FIRM DESCRIPTION
CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 45
EDUCATION
Master of Public Policy (MPP), University
of California, Berkeley
BA, Political Economy, University of
California, Berkeley
Fred Hochberg
SENIOR CLIMATE ACTION SPECIALIST
Fred is a senior climate action specialist with experience in greenhouse gas
inventories, climate action planning, electric utilities, and analysis of large and
complex datasets. He has prepared CEQA-compliant greenhouse gas
inventories and forecasts, analyses of carbon stock in natural and working
lands, and siting studies for utility-scale solar, wind, and battery storage
projects. His expertise includes California electric grid planning, emissions
quantification, and the development of GHG reduction measures.
Relevant Experience
Irvine Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (Senior Climate Action Specialist)
Ventura County General Plan Phase II Energy Support (Senior Climate Action
Specialist
San Diego County Climate Action Plan (Senior Climate Action Specialist)
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority Climate Action and Adaptation
Plan (Senior Climate Action Specialist)
EDUCATION
PhD, Global Environmental Studies,
Kyoto University, School of Global
Environmental Studies, Kyoto, Japan
Post Graduate Diploma, Urban Planning
and Development, Indira Gandhi
National Open University, Delhi, India
M.Tech, Disaster Mitigation and
Management, Indian Institute of
Technology, Roorkee, India
B.Arch, Government College of
Architecture, Gautam Buddha Technical
University, Lucknow, India
Sonam Sahu, PhD
CLIMATE ACTION ANALYST
Sonam has over 6 years of research experience working on climate change
action plans and GHG analysis, and approximately 2 years of experience in
public outreach and engagement. She has worked on multiple climate change–
related projects with academic institutes and private organizations. She is
currently providing consulting support on developing and implementing
climate action plans for various cities in California. Sonam prepares GHG
emissions inventories and future emissions projections and sets GHG targets
for cities and counties. She also works with state agencies across cross-cutting
topics like air, water, transportation, housing, and disadvantaged communities.
Relevant Experience
Oceanside Climate Action Plan (Climate Action Analyst)
Rancho Cordova Climate Action Plan (Climate Action Analyst)
Sacramento County Climate Action Plan (Climate Action Analyst)
San Diego County Climate Action Plan (Climate Action Analyst)
SECTION 07 // FIRM DESCRIPTION
CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 46
EDUCATION
MS, Environmental Management,
University of San Francisco
BS, Environmental Policy Analysis and
Planning, University of California, Davis
Luis Montes
OUTREACH SPECIALIST
Luis specializes in public engagement. He brings a strong academic foundation
in environmental studies and a deep passion for community outreach and
education. Luis is skilled in public speaking and delivering oral presentations
and effective at drafting blog posts, talking points, presentations, letters of
recommendation, briefings, and white papers. He recognizes the crucial role
that community involvement plays in creating sustainable and resilient
landscapes, and he strives to empower individuals to take an active role in
mitigating climate risks.
Relevant Experience
Elk Grove Climate Action Plan Update (Assistant PM/Public Engagement)
Alameda County Community Climate Action Plan and Safety Element
Update (Climate Action Planner)
AMBAG Natural and Working Lands Climate Mitigation and Resiliency Study
(Climate Action Planner/Stakeholder Engagement)
EDUCATION
BA, Environmental Studies, University of
California, Santa Barbara
Reida Khan
ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNER
Reida is an environmental planner with over 8 years of industry experience. She
is well versed in preparing a variety of environmental documents, including
various IS/MNDs, EIRs, and categorical exemptions in compliance with CEQA.
Reida has experience in providing project management assistance and
conducting thorough QA/QC reviews. She has successfully guided clients
through the CEQA process for large and small projects throughout the state,
with a concentration in Northern California and the Bay Area. Reida’s diverse
project experience includes vegetation treatment projects, industrial
development, restoration, recreation, and open space projects. Some of these
projects involved intense public controversy.
Relevant Experience
Bakersfield Climate Action Plan IS/ND (Assistant Project Manager/
Environmental Planner)
North Coast Land Holdings Community Plan Amendment EIR
(Environmental Planner)
Riverbank Regional Recycled Water Project IS/MND (Environmental Planner)
SECTION 07 // FIRM DESCRIPTION
CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 47
EDUCATION
MS, Environmental Science and
Management, Conservation Planning
Specialization, University of California,
Santa Barbara
BS, Environmental Biology and
Management, Minors in GIS and
Psychology, University of California,
Davis
Lisa Merry
GIS SPECIALIST
Lisa is a GIS specialist and natural resources analyst. She possesses a strong
educational background in GIS and database management. Her experience
includes resource mapping and evaluation of wildlife habitats, botanical
surveys, and watersheds for purposes of resources management planning and
environmental impact analysis. Lisa manages the firm’s GIS practice. She
coordinates all GIS projects and the installation and configuration of all
software that is GIS-related and is building and maintaining the GIS system. Her
skills include GPS field data recording, GIS resources analysis and mapping,
natural resources assessments and management planning, and environmental
impact assessment.
Relevant Experience
Alameda County Community Climate Action Plan and Safety Element
Update (GIS Manager)
Rancho Cordova Climate Action Plan (GIS Manager)
Monterey County Community Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (GIS
Manager)
AMBAG Natural and Working Lands Climate Mitigation and Resiliency Study
(GIS Manager)
EDUCATION
BA, Communication, Saint Mary’s
College of California
Corey Alling
GRAPHICS SPECIALIST
Corey is a graphic designer and communications specialist with extensive
experience in the environmental and urban design fields. He conducts data and
information investigations related to renewable energy and transmission
projects, environmental impact assessment, habitat conservation planning,
outdoor recreation, and related topics. He also assists with internet applications
for public outreach, such as creating and designing email newsletters and
preparing public meeting materials.
Relevant Experience
Milpitas Climate Action Plan Update (Graphics Specialist)
Elk Grove Climate Action Plan Update (Graphics Specialist)
Fremont Climate Action Plan Update (Graphics Specialist)
Alameda County Community Climate Action Plan and Safety Element
Update (Graphics Specialist)
SECTION 07 // FIRM DESCRIPTION
CITY OF LAKE ELSINORE // CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN PAGE 48
EDUCATION
BA, Civil Engineering, University of
California, Davis
REGISTRATION
Licensed Traffic Engineer, State of
California (TR2402)
Jason Pack, TE
PRINCIPAL
Jason will serve as Fehr & Peers’ principal-in-charge on this project. He is
actively involved in a wide variety of project work but also finds time to lead
the firm’s research and development efforts in emergency evacuation
assessment. Jason has an extensive background in travel demand forecasting,
traffic operations assessment (including micro-simulation assessment), VMT
analysis, big data analysis, transit ridership forecasting, and transportation
impact studies involving NEPA and CEQA. His focus is to utilize his
experience and the technical resources of the company to help clients answer
their toughest questions related to mobility.
Relevant Experience
CEQA/NEPA Assessment, including SB 743 implementation
General Plan updates: Lake Elsinore, Rancho Cucamonga, Palm Springs,
Moreno Valley, Redlands, Corona
Impact Fee Programs, Banks, and Exchanges, including VMT programs
Emergency Evacuation Studies: Rancho Cucamonga, Moreno Valley,
Montecito, Portola Valley, Lafayette
Boparai Martin Ruby Qian Hochberg Sahu Montes Khan Merry Alling Lane
Principal-in-
Charge
Project
Manager CEQA Lead
Climate
Adaptation
Planner
Sr. Climate
Action
Specialist
Climate
Action
Analyst
Outreach
Specialist
Environmental
Planner
GIS
Specialist
Graphics
Specialist Publishing
hourly rate:$305 $235 $360 $195 $195 $140 $155 $155 $160 $125 $140
Task 1: INITIATE PROJECT Price Hours
1.1 Project Kickoff 1,860$ 8 2 4 2
1.2 Data and Information Gathering 16,510$ 94 2 4 40 8 40
1.3 Ongoing Project Management (includes up to 30
meetings)19,780$ 80 16 48 4 4 4 4
Subtotal, Task 1 38,150$ 182 20 56 4 44 12 40 6 0 0 0 0
Task 2: CONDUCT COMMUNITY OUTREACH FOR PUBLIC
INVOLVEMENT Price Hours
2.1 Community Visioning 4,290$ 22 2 6 4 8 2
2.2 Community Outreach Plan 8,970$ 52 2 8 40 2
2.3 Community Forums and Workshops 14,790$ 76 8 20 12 12 20 2 2
2.4 Public Survey 6,135$ 35 1 4 6 24
2.5 Community Summary 5,550$ 32 2 4 24 2
2.6 Review and Summarize Vulnerability and Risk Findings 3,890$ 18 2 4 12
Subtotal, Task 2 43,625$ 235 17 46 0 34 0 12 116 0 0 4 6
Task 3: ASSESS COMMUNITY RISKS AND VULNERABILITIES Price Hours
Assess Community Risks and Vulnerabilities 26,550$ 138 2 12 100 16 4 4
Subtotal, Task 3 26,550$ 138 2 12 0 100 0 0 0 0 16 4 4
Task 4: DEVELOP CLIMATE ADAPTATION STRATEGIES Price Hours
4.1 Refine and Revise Climate Adaptation and Resilience
Goals 9,630$ 48 2 4 40 2
4.2 Develop, Evaulate, and Prioritize Climate Adaptation
Strategies 27,110$ 136 2 12 120 2
Subtotal, Task 4 36,740$ 184 4 16 0 160 0 0 0 0 0 0 4
Task 5: GHG INVENTORY, FORECASTS, TARGETS, AND
REDUCTIONS Price Hours
5.1 New GHG Emissions Inventory 21,680$ 138 2 4 30 100 2
5.2 Prepare GHG Emissions Forecasts and Reduction
Targets 10,550$ 64 2 4 16 40 2
5.3 Identification of GHG Reduction Strategies 11,210$ 66 2 8 16 40
5.4 Analysis of GHG Reduction Measures and
Implementation Actions 24,570$ 152 2 8 40 100 2
Subtotal, Task 5 68,010$ 420 8 24 0 0 102 280 0 0 0 0 6
Task 6: DRAFT CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN Price Hours
6.1 Administrative Draft CAAP 21,200$ 136 2 10 16 100 8
6.2 Screencheck Draft and Public Draft CAAP 13,860$ 92 2 6 8 40 24 12
6.3 Review and Incorporate Comments into CAAP 7,480$ 40 2 8 8 8 8 6
Subtotal, Task 6 42,540$ 268 6 24 0 32 8 148 0 0 0 30 20
Task 7: FINALIZE CLIMATE ACTION AND ADAPTATION PLAN Price Hours
7.1 Prepare Final CAAP Document 6,350$ 36 2 4 6 6 10 4 4
7.2 Present Final CAAP at Public Hearings 6,740$ 30 6 12 4 4 2 2
7.3 Replicable Case Study for State Adaptation
Clearinghouse 13,930$ 76 2 8 24 16 24 2
Subtotal, Task 7 27,020$ 142 10 24 0 34 26 34 0 0 0 6 8
Task 8: CEQA COMPLIANCE TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM Price Hours
Technical Memorandum 10,410$ 56 2 8 4 40 2
Subtotal, Task 8 10,410$ 56 2 8 4 0 0 0 0 40 0 0 2
LABOR SUBTOTAL 293,045$ 1,625 69 210 8 404 148 514 122 40 16 44 50
21,045$ 49,350$ 2,880$ 78,780$ 28,860$ 71,960$ 18,910$ 6,200$ 2,560$ 5,500$ 7,000$
REIMBURSABLE EXPENSES
Printing -$
Mileage/Parking/Travel 2,000$
Translation and Interpretation 15,000$
Community Outreach Incentives -$
Subconsultants 22,973$
Fehr & Peers 22,973$
TOTAL PRICE
REVISED PRICE PROPOSAL
City of Lake Elsinore - Climate Action and Adaptation Plan
March 4, 2024
39,973$
333,018$
ASSUMPTIONS
Assumptions that explain the basis of the proposed price are enclosed and are an integral part of this proposed scope for work
for services.
The following tasks are presented as optional services and are contingent upon authorization of the client.
Task 2: CONDUCT COMMUNITY OUTREACH FOR PUBLIC
INVOLVEMENT Price Hours
2.7 Online Engagement 17,990$ 110 2 8 100
Subtotal, Optional Task 2 17,990$ 110 2 8 0 0 0 0 100 0 0 0 0
Task 9: IMPLEMENTATION SUPPORT Price Hours
9.1 Participant Perspective Cost-Benefit Analysis for Near-
Term Actions 37,400$ 186 4 20 60 100 2
9.2 Administrator Perspective Cost-Benefit Analysis for Near-
Term Actions 37,400$ 186 4 20 60 100 2
9.3 Funding and Financing Roadmap 27,360$ 138 2 12 40 80 2 2
9.4 Develop Implementation Plan 22,040$ 122 2 12 32 32 40 2 2
Subtotal, Optional Task 9 124,200$ 632 12 64 0 192 312 40 0 0 0 4 8
Task 10: ONGOING MONITORING AND REPORTING Price Hours
Ongoing Monitoring and Reporting 22,900$ 132 2 6 24 40 60
Subtotal, Optional Task 10 22,900$ 132 2 6 0 24 40 60 0 0 0 0 0
LABOR SUBTOTAL (Optional Tasks)165,090$ 874 16 78 0 216 352 100 100 0 0 4 8
4,880$ 18,330$ -$ 42,120$ 68,640$ 14,000$ 15,500$ -$ -$ 500$ 1,120$
REIMBURSABLE EXPENSES (Optional Tasks)
Online Platform (2-year subscription)8,000$
TOTAL PRICE (Optional Tasks)
OPTIONAL TASKS
8,000$
173,090$
Project No: 20230253.00