SUBJECT
Title
GENERAL SERVICES - APPROVAL OF AMENDMENTS FOR THE SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT, MOUNT WOODSON AND ABBEY MONASTERY COMMUNICATIONS SITES AND NOTICE OF EXEMPTIONS (DISTRICTS: 2 & 5)
Body
OVERVIEW
The San Diego - Imperial County Regional Communications System (RCS), managed and operated by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department’s (Sheriff) Wireless Services Division (WSD), provides numerous public safety agencies with day-to-day public safety and emergency responder communication support.
Mount Woodson and Abbey Monastery are two RCS communications sites that have been operated by the Sheriff since 1997 and 2002, respectively. Both sites have agreements that have expired and are on holdover, which has allowed the County to continue occupancy on a month-to-month basis as extensions were negotiated.
Staff from the Department of General Services have negotiated a tenth amendment to license agreement for the Mount Woodson communications site and a fifth amendment to lease agreement for Abbey Monastery communications site. Today’s request is for Board approval of the amendments.
RECOMMENDATION(S)
CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
1. Find the proposed lease amendment for the Abbey Monastery RCS site is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15301.
2. Find the proposed license amendment for the Mt. Woodson RCS site is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines pursuant to State CEQA Guidelines Section 15301.
3. Approve and authorize the Director, Department of General Services, to execute the proposed license amendment at Mount Woodson Road, Ramona, California.
4. Approve and authorize the Director, Department of General Services, to execute the proposed lease amendment for Abbey Monastery at 675 Benet Hill Road, Oceanside, California.
EQUITY IMPACT STATEMENT
The Wireless Services Division operates and maintains all public safety wireless communications systems used by the County of San Diego, including mobile and portable radios. The division also manages the San Diego County-Imperial County Regional Communications System (RCS) radio network that serves the majority of law enforcement, fire and public service including transportation and school users in this region. It is anticipated that the proposed amendments for the RCS sites will have a positive impact on the community by ensuring continuation of community access to public safety services.
SUSTAINABILITY IMPACT STATEMENT
Implementing effective sustainability objectives is crucial to ensuring safe and healthy communities and contributing to the overall success of the region. The approval of these amendments is appropriate as it supports the County’s Strategic Initiative of Sustainability to ensure the capability to respond to the immediate needs for individuals, families, and the region.
FISCAL IMPACT
Funds for this request are included in the Fiscal Year 2023-24 Operational Plan in the Sheriff’s Department. If approved, this request will result in costs and revenue of $146,088 in Fiscal Year 2023-24 ($70,476 for Mount Woodson and $75,612 for Abbey Monastery). Funds for the remaining terms and for each option year (if exercised), will be included in future years’ operational plans for the Sheriff’s Department. The funding source is revenue from Network Operating Cost fees collected from public safety agencies participating in the Regional Communication System. There will be no change in net General Fund cost and no additional staff years.
BUSINESS IMPACT STATEMENT
N/A
Details
ADVISORY BOARD STATEMENT
N/A
BACKGROUND
The San Diego - Imperial County Regional Communications System (RCS), managed and operated by the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department’s (Sheriff) Wireless Services Division (WSD), provides public safety voice and data communications to over 116 local, state, and federal agencies in San Diego and Imperial Counties. A high degree of coverage throughout both Counties is provided through the RCS network of communications sites. Mount Woodson and Abbey Monastery are two such sites that require amendments to extend the terms to continue operations.
On July 15, 1997 (12), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved a license for the Mount Woodson communications site which is located at the end of Mount Woodson Road in Ramona. The license was extended through a series of amendments and expired on January 31, 2018. The license has been on holdover, which allows continued occupancy after expiration, while American Tower, the lessor, renegotiated the master lease with the City of San Diego. Staff from the Department of General Services have negotiated a tenth amendment to the license agreement that would extend the term of the license for ten years and provide four five-year options to further extend the term.
On October 22, 2002 (6), the Board approved a lease for the Abbey Monastery communication site located at 675 Benet Hill Road to improve system coverage in Oceanside. The lease has been extended through a series of amendments. The lease expired on December 15, 2022, and the Sheriff has continued occupancy on a holdover basis while a lease amendment was negotiated. Staff from the Department of General Services have negotiated a fifth amendment to the lease agreement that would extend the term of the lease for ten years and provide four five-year options to further extend the term.
Today’s request is to approve the Tenth Amendment to License Agreement for the Mount Woodson communication site and the Fifth Amendment to Lease Agreement for the Abbey Monastery communication site.
ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT
The proposed amendments are categorically exempt from environmental review pursuant to Section 15301 of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines because they involve the lease of existing facilities with negligible or no expansion of the existing use.
LINKAGE TO THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO STRATEGIC PLAN
Today’s proposed action to approve amendments for the Sheriff’s Departments Mount Woodson and Abbey Monastery Communication Sites support the Community Initiative in the County’s 2023-2028 Strategic Plan by providing services that support safe communities.
Respectfully submitted,
HELEN N. ROBBINS-MEYER
Interim Chief Administrative Officer
ATTACHMENT(S)
Attachment A: Notice of Exemption, Mount Woodson
Attachment B: Notice of Exemption, Abbey Monastery