The North Dunes consist of eight acres of an environmentally-sensitive habitat area. The white sands and native vegetation of the North Dunes have been impacted over past decades by uncontrolled public access and non-native, invasive species, including trees, ground cover, and landscape plantings. To protect and restore this irreplaceable dune habitat, the City implemented the North Dunes Habitat Restoration Project starting in October 2016.

The biological objectives of the North Dunes Habitat Restoration Plan are to eliminate all aggressive non-native species, restore the native dune scrub, expand the population of endangered Tidestrom’s lupine, and increase the quantity and quality of available habitat for the California legless lizard. The recreational objectives are to establish a trail system to provide safe visitor access to the North Dunes, without compromising the dune habitat and its wildlife.

Since 2016, consultants and volunteers, notably the Carmel Garden Club, have provided critical services in support of the North Dunes Habitat Restoration Project, including directing the removal of invasive species, guiding the installation of post and cable fencing to minimize trampling of native habitats, monitoring native and endangered species, restoration tasks, weed removal, volunteer oversight, native vegetation planting, and technical reporting.

In August 2021, the Planning Commission adopted Resolution No. 2021-023-PC to extend the Coastal Development Permit for the North Dunes Habitat Restoration Project through October 2026.

Consultant Selection Process

In April 2022, requests for Statements of Qualifications (SOQs) were advertised, from San Jose to Sacramento to San Luis Obispo, seeking qualifications from consultants covering 14 professional service areas, including Environmental Services, with anticipated projects related to the North Dunes Habitat Restoration, Coastal Engineering Study, Climate Adaptation and Action Plan implementation projects, and on-call services.

In May 2022, nine (9) SOQs received for Environmental Services were independently evaluated by a Selection Committee consisting of the Public Works Director and former Environmental Programs Manager. Denise Duffy & Associates, Inc. (DD&A), of Monterey, was determined to be best qualified to provide dune restoration and habitat management and reporting for the North Dunes Habitat Restoration Project, as well for providing On-Call Environmental Services.  DD&A’s proposed Coastal Biologists for the North Dunes Habitat Restoration Project, Josh Harwayne and John Wandke, have over 35 years of combined experience in coastal ecology and habitat restoration planning and implementation on the Monterey Peninsula.

On-call environmental services have also been necessary over the past many years to periodically provide biological and cultural resource surveys, regulatory consultations and permit application assistance, construction monitoring, and related services.

The negotiated fee of $86,560 over two fiscal years for the North Dunes Habitat Restoration Project and $25,000 for on-call environmental services brings the total not-to-exceed fee of the Agreement to $111,560, or approximately $55,780 per Fiscal Year.

In prior fiscal years, the North Dunes Habitat Restoration Project was budgeted as a Capital Improvement Project (CIP), but effective Fiscal Year (FY) 2023/24, budgets for the North Dunes Habitat Restoration Project, and other ongoing, maintenance-oriented projects, have been moved into the applicable department’s Operating Budget.