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Title:
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Approval of the Final Plans and Specifications and Authorization to Publish a Notice Inviting Bids for the Ballona Creek Stormwater and Rain Garden Improvement Project.
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City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
Meeting Date: 08/22/2011 Item Number: C-4
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM: Approval of the Final Plans and Specifications
and Authorization to Publish a Notice Inviting Bids for the Ballona Creek
Stormwater and RainGarden Improvement Project
Contact Person/Dept.: Lee Torres/PW Phone Number: 310-253-5623
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [] Attachments: []
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date: _______________
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Agenda and Meetings – City Council (08/17/2011); (Mail)
Culver City Unified School District (08/15/11)
Department Approval:
Charles D. Herbertson (08/15/11)
City Attorney Approval:
Carol Schwab (by H. Baker) (08/15/11)
Chief Financial Officer Approval:
Jeff Muir (by K. Marsden) (08/16/11)
City Manager Approval:
John M. Nachbar (08/17/11)
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends that the City Council approve the final plans and specifications
and authorize publication of a notice inviting bids for the Ballona Creek Stormwater
and Rain Garden Improvement Project, P-497.
BACKGROUND:
In March 2011, the City’s Public Works Department Environmental Programs and
Operations Division saw an opportunity to incorporate “rain gardens” within the new
landscaped slope of the Ballona Creek Bikeway and Landscaping Project. This area
is immediately behind the Culver CityUnifiedSchool District (School District) parking
area and playgrounds. “Rain gardens” are designed to intercept the initial storm
water run-off that contains pollutants and allow it to percolate through the soil. At the
time of this proposed idea, the Ballona Creek Bikeway and Landscaping
Improvement Project was nearly complete and could not be altered. Currently some
of the storm water run-off will flow into the new landscaped slope and new concrete
swales which is then conveyed to the Ballona Creek via storm drains.
On May 23, 2011, the City Council accepted and approved the filing of the Notice of
Completion for the Ballona Creek Bikeway and Landscaping Improvement Project,
P-497.
City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
DISCUSSION:
The City was awarded a $485,000 Environmental Protection Agency federal
appropriations grant for catch basin inserts. The catch basin inserts will prevent
debris from entering the catch basin during the dry season. Also this appropriation
has resulted in making available some of the Proposition 50 grant funds for rain
gardens on the recently completed Ballona Creek Bikeway and Landscaping Project
The following improvements are proposed for the project;
• Installation of new curb and gutter along the fence line behind the School
District parking area and playground to divert some of the storm water run–off
from approximately 2.75 acres of School District property into four (4) catch
basins.The storm water will flow into catch basins that will be connected to
engineered dispersal chamber systems. The systems are designed to
uniformly spread the storm runoff at a reduced velocity onto the existing
landscaped slope allowing the water to infiltrate the soil and also, thereby,
minimize the risk of soil erosion. The proposed catch basins will include
filtration devices which, along with the soil infiltration, will filter the soil of most
pollutants before the run-off finds its way into the Ballona Creek.
• Construction of two (2) rain gardens that are 800 square feet and 650 square
feet in area, respectively. The construction will involve removing the existing
landscaped slope and lowering the existing grade in order to accommodate
the proposed rain gardens. The rain gardens will then be re-landscaped with
native plants complementing the existing landscaping.
Maintenance
The maintenance of the proposed rain garden will be included with the existing
citywide contract for landscape and irrigation maintenance service with Marina
Landscape. Staff does not anticipate any additional cost for landscape maintenance
above the cost of maintaining the landscaping that is already in place today.
The filtration devices will be maintained through another contract that the City will
enter into at a later date.
Culver City Unified School District
Staff met with the Culver CityUnifiedSchool District to discuss the proposed
stormwater and rain garden improvement project. The School District is supportive
of the project. However, the School District stated that the existing “Construction
Access, Property Use, and Restoration License Agreement” executed on August 18,
2010 between the District and the City would have to be amended to include the
proposed improvements. Staff will work with the School District to execute the
agreement prior to construction contract award. City of Culver City, California
Agenda Item Report
A complete set of plans and specifications is available for public review in the City
Clerk’s Office or the Public Works Department Engineering Division office in City
Hall.
FISCAL ANALYSIS:
The State Water Resource Control Board approved the award of Proposition 50
Santa Monica Bay Restoration Grant Program (Prop 50 Grant) funds to the City.
The Prop 50 Grant authorized funding to design and install/construct a series of
innovative Storm Water Best Management Practices (BMP’s), such as, the
construction of rain gardens, full capture catch basin inserts, etc. as specified in the
executed grant agreement.
Estimated Project Expenses
Ballona Creek Stormwater and
RainGarden Improvement Project
$175,000
Construction Inspection Services
&Geotechnical Construction Services
$20,000
Total Estimated Project Expenses $195,000
Available Funds
P-497 Prop 50 (42300497) $200,000
Available Funds $200,000
MOTIONS:
That the City Council:
1. Approve the plans and specifications for the Ballona Creek Stormwater and
Rain Garden Improvement Project, P-497; and
2. Authorize publication of a notice inviting bids for the Ballona Creek
Stormwater and Rain Garden Improvement Project, P-497.