Advisory Division
Public Works Section
The Public Works Section consists of 13 attorneys providing legal advice on matters pertaining to the construction, operation and maintenance of public buildings, streets, utilities and other infrastructure; the provision of public services such as water, sewer, solid waste collection, recycling, and disposal; and support services to other City Departments in areas such as energy efficiency, regulatory compliance, and purchasing of supplies and equipment. The Public Works Unit is divided into two teams: Public Services and Public Infrastructure.
The Public Services Team consists of six attorneys who provide legal advice and produce and analyze legislative, contractual, and other documents, across numerous legal disciplines, for a number of City Departments, including Storm Water, Environmental Services, Purchasing and Contracting, General Services, Information Technology, Equal Opportunity Contracting, and Park and Recreation. The Team's attorneys are responsible for drafting RFPs, contracts, franchises, ordinances, resolutions, Council policies, and administrative regulations; representing departments in various regulatory matters involving the Regional Water Quality Control Board ("RWQCB"), Air Pollution Control District, Department of Environmental Health, and the California Integrated Waste Management Board; assisting in grant acquisitions for energy and recycling projects; advising City task forces and advisory committees; and coordinating amongst various City Departments to resolve cross-Department legal issues. We provide legal advice in areas such as storm water regulations and compliance; environmental clean-up actions; Americans with Disabilities Act requirements; competitive bidding; equal opportunity contracting; intellectual property; advertising on City property; park and recreation public works projects; solid waste, hazardous waste, and recycling issues; and fees and taxes under Propositions 13 and 218.
The Public Infrastructure Team works closely with the departments of Public Utilities (Water and Wastewater), Purchasing and Contracting, Engineering and Capital Projects, General Services and the Office of the Mayor to oversee all forms of capital improvement and infrastructure projects from inception through completion. The Team's civil advisory attorneys review and advise these departments on such matters as water conservation, RFPs and RFQs, all applicable state, federal and municipal laws, bid protests and conflicts of interest. Our services include resolution of contract and insurance disputes, representation of the client departments in administrative hearings, drafting of City Council resolutions related to the funding and approval of significant capital projects and issuing memoranda on a broad range of legal issues.