Building a New Public Animal Shelter
A rendering of the new SLO County animal shelter.
The design and construction of a new public animal shelter in San Luis Obispo County moved forward last year. This project is unique because it’s the County’s first-ever design-build project, which is a more cost-effective and efficient way of constructing public facilities.
When the County typically works on a new construction project, it takes the “design-bid-build” approach, which requires the County to first hire an architect to design the project, then go out to bid for proposals from firms to build the project. In this “design-build” approach, the County only has to hire one firm who is responsible for both designing and building the project. This can save both time and money and ensures that there is a single point of responsibility, minimizing risk.
Finding a Formula That Works for Everyone
In February 2017, all seven cities agreed to participate in the project, which includes shared costs estimated to be about $13.7 million. The County agreed to manage the contract but work with the cities each step of the way and the cities agreed to pay for a portion of the overall project in order serve the needs of their constituents. That month, the County Board of Supervisors approved a contract with construction management firm Kitchell to manage the architectural and construction services of the new shelter.
However, in October 2017, the cities of Atascadero and Paso Robles announced that they planned to withdraw from the agreement, citing concerns with costs. The Board quickly created an ad hoc committee, which consisted of Board Chairperson John Peschong and District 5 Supervisors Debbie Arnold, to meet with city representatives and address their concerns. By December 2017, the committee reported that the two North County cities were considering rejoining the agreement.
“I think that the meeting went very well with the cities,” Supervisor Arnold reported to the Board on December 5, 2017. “We’ve got them back at the table and are hoping that we can come up with a formula that everyone will be happy with, so that the County can continue providing [animal] services countywide.”
The County provides animal services for the entire region, including all seven incorporated cities. In managing the shelter to house and care for stray and owner-relinquished animals, the County provides animal care, animal abuse investigations, and animal control services for each of the cities and the unincorporated areas. At the animal shelter, the County provides services to all kinds of animals, including dogs, cats, horses, goats, pigs, birds, and reptiles.
If the cities Atascadero and Paso Robles rejoin the agreement, the new shelter will continue to serve all cities in San Luis Obispo County as it currently does today. But if the cities do not rejoin the agreement, the County will no longer provide those services within the city limits of Atascadero and Paso Robles. Discussion continues with the cities of Atascadero and Paso Robles to address their concerns with the project and encourage their involvement.
Why is a New Animal Shelter Needed?
The existing animal shelter, located on Highway 1 between San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay, is the only public open intake animal shelter in San Luis Obispo County and receives approximately 4,500 animals annually.
Industry standards and public expectations of animal shelters have shifted substantially since the shelter was built in 1975. The facility is now outdated or inconsistent with the current understanding of humane animal sheltering. The current shelter has a variety of structural problems including a leaky roof, deteriorating walls and door frames, and overloaded drainage systems. It also doesn’t meet new codes required by the American with Disabilities Act (ADA).
“Unfortunately, the costs to fix the existing facility are so great that it makes more sense to replace the building,” said Assistant County Administrative Officer Guy Savage said in a statement in February 2017. “We hope to build a new facility that will better benefit the animals in our care and encourage more people to visit and adopt animals or reclaim their lost pets.”
When the County typically works on a new construction project, it takes the “design-bid-build” approach, which requires the County to first hire an architect to design the project, then go out to bid for proposals from firms to build the project. In this “design-build” approach, the County only has to hire one firm who is responsible for both designing and building the project. This can save both time and money and ensures that there is a single point of responsibility, minimizing risk.
Finding a Formula That Works for Everyone
In February 2017, all seven cities agreed to participate in the project, which includes shared costs estimated to be about $13.7 million. The County agreed to manage the contract but work with the cities each step of the way and the cities agreed to pay for a portion of the overall project in order serve the needs of their constituents. That month, the County Board of Supervisors approved a contract with construction management firm Kitchell to manage the architectural and construction services of the new shelter.
However, in October 2017, the cities of Atascadero and Paso Robles announced that they planned to withdraw from the agreement, citing concerns with costs. The Board quickly created an ad hoc committee, which consisted of Board Chairperson John Peschong and District 5 Supervisors Debbie Arnold, to meet with city representatives and address their concerns. By December 2017, the committee reported that the two North County cities were considering rejoining the agreement.
“I think that the meeting went very well with the cities,” Supervisor Arnold reported to the Board on December 5, 2017. “We’ve got them back at the table and are hoping that we can come up with a formula that everyone will be happy with, so that the County can continue providing [animal] services countywide.”
The County provides animal services for the entire region, including all seven incorporated cities. In managing the shelter to house and care for stray and owner-relinquished animals, the County provides animal care, animal abuse investigations, and animal control services for each of the cities and the unincorporated areas. At the animal shelter, the County provides services to all kinds of animals, including dogs, cats, horses, goats, pigs, birds, and reptiles.
If the cities Atascadero and Paso Robles rejoin the agreement, the new shelter will continue to serve all cities in San Luis Obispo County as it currently does today. But if the cities do not rejoin the agreement, the County will no longer provide those services within the city limits of Atascadero and Paso Robles. Discussion continues with the cities of Atascadero and Paso Robles to address their concerns with the project and encourage their involvement.
Why is a New Animal Shelter Needed?
The existing animal shelter, located on Highway 1 between San Luis Obispo and Morro Bay, is the only public open intake animal shelter in San Luis Obispo County and receives approximately 4,500 animals annually.
Industry standards and public expectations of animal shelters have shifted substantially since the shelter was built in 1975. The facility is now outdated or inconsistent with the current understanding of humane animal sheltering. The current shelter has a variety of structural problems including a leaky roof, deteriorating walls and door frames, and overloaded drainage systems. It also doesn’t meet new codes required by the American with Disabilities Act (ADA).
“Unfortunately, the costs to fix the existing facility are so great that it makes more sense to replace the building,” said Assistant County Administrative Officer Guy Savage said in a statement in February 2017. “We hope to build a new facility that will better benefit the animals in our care and encourage more people to visit and adopt animals or reclaim their lost pets.”