I. RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends City Council authorize a City Engineering Task Order in the amount of $292,100.00 for the City Engineer to prepared the design and specifications for Phase 2 of the Van Ness Storm Drain project in preparation of applying for the 2020 CDBG Infrastructure grant to fund construction of the project.
II. BACKGROUND:
The Storm Drain Master Plan includes the main trunk line that will convey runoff from the older established neighborhoods (Coalinga Street) along Van Ness to the Old School Farm Basin. Currently, a significant portion of the runoff travels along the streets since these older parts of the City do not have an underground system or in some areas the underground system is undersized. During any significant rain event, the storm water runoff for the northwest part of the City travels to the business district and floods several areas along Elm Avenue.
The Storm Drain Project will capture the runoff from the areas along Washington/Van Ness and move the water in a new underground pipeline eastwardly to the Old School Farm and retain in a City owned basin next to Warthan Creek. T
Phase 1, completed in 2011, began on the westerly side of Elm Avenue at Van Ness and proceeded underground towards the Old School Farm Site where it daylights into existing swales and terminates at the Warthan Creek Basin. This was completed with CDBG Funds.
Under the State CDBG Program, states award grants to smaller units of general local government that develop and preserve decent affordable housing, to provide services to the most vulnerable in our communities, and to create and retain jobs. Annually, each State develops funding priorities and criteria for selecting projects. CDBG Grants is a great program for the construction of public facilities and improvements, such as water and sewer facilities, streets, neighborhood centers, and the conversion of school buildings for eligible purposes.
Staf is expecting the notice of funding availability to be released in March so staff is attempting to position the City to be eligible when the funding becomes available as these grants are "over the counter" and only available while funding lasts.
III. DISCUSSION:
The Proposed Design and Construction for Phase 2 of the Storm Drain System will begin at Coalinga Street and Washington Street proceed underground towards the westerly side of Elm Ave where Phase 1 terminated. The Engineer’s Estimate for construction of Phase 2 is $2.3 Million. With Council approval, design would begin immediately in an effort to apply for CDBG construction funds in march or April 2020 since CDBG funds are only for "shelf ready" projects, meaning they are ready for construction.
Staff is requesting that the Council authorize the City Engineer to begin design on Phase 2 of the Van Ness Storm Drain project in the amount of $292,100.00 in order to get this project shelf ready and eligible for the 2020 funding cycle. Attached is the preliminary cost estimate, project scope and the storm drain master plan exhibit.
IV. ALTERNATIVES:
- Do not authorize the City Engineer to proceed with design of the Phase 2 Van Ness Storm Drain Project.
V. FISCAL IMPACT:
The design task order for the City Engineer is $292,100.00 which represents the development of topographic surveys, preliminary design and specifications and bidding documents. The $292,100.00 will come from a combination of $270,000.00 from the Storm Dain Impact Fee Fund that $22,100.00 from the Measure C Flexible Fund. If more funds become available in the Storm Drain Impact Fee Funds this design could be fully funded through the impact fee fund. |