TO: COMMUNITY AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION
FROM: JEREMY SWAN, COMMUNITY SERVICES DIRECTOR
DATE: APRIL 3, 2024
Reviewed by:
City Manager: n/a
SUBJECT:
Title
OAK PARK CEMETERY EXPANSION - PHASE 3 CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
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SUMMARY
The City of Claremont owns approximately eight acres of undeveloped property north of Oak Park Cemetery. Per the Oak Park Cemetery Master Plan, this property will be developed into additional cemetery property as part of a phased expansion process. In 2013, the City of Claremont completed the first phase of development. A second phase was opened for sale in 2023. Due to consistently high demand and sales, there are only approximately 450 full burial spaces available for sale. Without expansion, it is estimated that available property at Oak Park Cemetery could be fully sold in as few as three to four years.
To provide additional plots for sale, staff commissioned a conceptual design for Phase 3 of the Oak Park Cemetery Expansion Project. The conceptual design for the Phase 3 expansion is outlined in this report, and a copy is attached.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommended Action
Staff recommends the Community and Human Services Commission:
A. Approve the conceptual design for the Phase 3 Oak Park Cemetery Expansion Project, and
B. Recommend the City Council authorize the City Manager to execute a professional services agreement with RJM Design Group in the amount of $80,350 to prepare construction plans for bidding the Phase 3 Oak Park Cemetery Expansion Project.
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ALTERNATIVE TO RECOMMENDATION
In addition to the recommendation, there is the following alternative:
• Request additional information from staff.
FINANCIAL REVIEW
Estimated Project Costs
The cost to prepare project plans and specifications is $80,350. The preliminary Engineer’s Estimate for construction costs is $1,298,158. After including a fifteen percent contingency and estimated project management and inspection services, the total estimated project cost is $1,642,170.
Revenue Potential / Cost Recovery
For the past three years, Oak Park Cemetery revenues have exceeded expenditures by an average of approximately $320,000 per year. This trend is expected to continue, as sales from the Phase 3 expansion would help to ensure continued sales revenues. At current prices, the estimated revenue potential over the life of the expansion project is over $5.6 million.
ANALYSIS
Background
The Oak Park Cemetery Expansion Project - Phase 3 Conceptual Design is now available for review. The project will ensure that Oak Park Cemetery continues to have sellable property. This is important, as annual sales revenues cover the costs of sales, services, and ongoing maintenance for the developed cemetery such as landscape care, water, utilities, and tree care. Oak Park Cemetery currently has approximately 450 full grave spaces available for sale. The cemetery averages approximately 120 sales per year, and as the cemetery reaches capacity, choices will be limited. It is important to pursue the expansion project in 2024 to ensure that Oak Park Cemetery continues to have a variety of burial options for families.
Conceptual Design
The Phase 3 conceptual design includes the following features: approximately 995 new in-ground grave sites, a prefabricated restroom with two individual stalls and a new sewer lateral connection, an expanded parking lot, an extended roadway to provide vehicular access to the new area, new fencing to screen off the undeveloped property, and new trees and landscaping to provide a similar tree density to the historic cemetery once established.
Next Steps
The City Council will review this item at its April 9, 2024 meeting. If the staff recommendation is approved by City Council, staff will contract with RJM Design Group to provide the construction plans in preparation for bidding the Phase 3 Expansion in winter 2024-25. Construction would occur in 2025 and is anticipated to take approximately six months. Oak Park Cemetery operations would continue uninterrupted during construction.
RELATIONSHIP TO CITY PLANNING DOCUMENTS
Staff has evaluated the agenda item in relationship to the City’s strategic and visioning documents and finds that it applies to the following City Planning Documents: Council Priorities, Sustainable City Plan, Economic Sustainability Plan, General Plan, and the 2022-24 Budget.
COUNCIL COMMITTEE/COMMISSION REVIEW
The Friends of Oak Park Cemetery reviewed and approved the conceptual design at its March 5, 2024 meeting. The Friends of Oak Park Cemetery also expressed an interest in donating funds to add additional plantings along the proposed new fence line separating the Phase 3 Expansion from the undeveloped cemetery property. Staff and the landscape architect will consider this requested addition and associated costs as part of the plan development process.
PUBLIC NOTICE PROCESS
The agenda and staff report for this item have been posted on the City website and distributed to interested parties. If you desire a copy, please contact the City Clerk’s Office.
Submitted by: Prepared by:
Jeremy Swan Kristin Mikula
Community Services Director Community Services Manager
Attachment:
Oak Park Cemetery Phase 3 Conceptual Design