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CC - Approval of Professional Services Agreement with Tetra Tech for the Design of Culver Blvd Stormwater Regional Project, PR-002 in an Amount Not-to-Exceed $566,920 ($515,920 Base Cost with a 10% Contingency of $51,000)
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Meeting Date: December 11, 2017
Contact Person/Dept: Lee Torres/ PW Dept.
Phone Number: (310) 253-6457
Fiscal Impact: Yes [X] No [] General Fund: Yes [] No [X]
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [X] Attachments: []
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date:
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (12/06/17);
Department Approval: Charles D. Herbertson 11/30/17
_____________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council approve a professional services agreement with Tetra Tech, Inc. for the design of Culver Boulevard Stormwater Regional Project, PR-002 in an amount not-to-exceed $566,920 ($515,920 base cost with a 10% contingency of $51,000).
BACKGROUND
On December 28, 2012, the Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (LARWQCB) adopted R4-2012-0175, a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System Permit (MS4 Permit). This latest MS4 Permit establishes waste discharge requirements for stormwater and non-stormwater (urban runoff) discharges within the watersheds of Los Angeles County.
The Ballona Creek watershed is approximately 123 square miles in area and is comprised by the Cities of Beverly Hills and West Hollywood, and portions of the Cities of Los Angeles, Inglewood, Culver City, and Santa Monica as well as unincorporated areas of the County of Los Angeles. Culver City makes up approximately 3,125 acres, which is about 4% of the total Ballona Creek watershed drainage area. The Ballona Creek watershed is subject to a Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for metals and bacteria. The final compliance with metals and bacteria TMDLs is required by 2021.
To comply with the MS4 Permit, the City Council approved the development and implementation of an Enhanced Watershed Management Program (EWMP). The EWMP reviews the watershed as a whole and proposes Best Management Practices (BMPs) for responsible jurisdictions to complete. Furthermore, construction of larger regional projects that could capture, infiltrate, and/or reuse storm flows and urban runoff from an 85th percentile storm event or roughly 1.1 inch of rain is also required.
Culver Boulevard Realignment
As approved in the FY 2017-18 Capital Improvement Program, the Engineering Division is proposing a realignment of Culver Boulevard from Sepulveda Boulevard to Elenda Street to improve highway safety. This project will widen the main arterial roadway of Culver Boulevard between Sepulveda Boulevard and Elenda Street in order to separate the eastbound and westbound traffic with a new raised landscaped median and to provide a 5-foot wide buffer for residential parking on the south side of the street. The proposed widening will cause the existing 60-foot wide bicycle/pedestrian pathway and raised median, located to the north of Culver Boulevard, to be reconstructed to the north by 14 feet. As a result of the reconstruction “little” Culver Boulevard will be reduced in width from 50 feet to 35 feet, in this way minimizing the loss of area for the landscaped median on the south side of Culver Boulevard. The proposed reconstructed bicycle/pedestrian pathway raised median will be about 58 feet wide. Additional street improvements, such as construction of left turn lanes, new traffic signals at Harter Avenue and Huron Avenue, replacement of existing antiquated street lights, installation of new street lights, and sidewalk/parkway rehabilitation are part of the improvement project. A separate item on tonight’s agenda requests the City Council’s approval of the conceptual plan for this project and authorization to proceed to final design.
Prop 84 Grant
On January, 2016, Staff submitted a grant application for the Culver Boulevard Stormwater Project in the amount of $6,000,000 with City of Los Angeles as a project partner. In September, 2016, the Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission (SMBRC) recommended approval of $3,300,000 grant funding for the Project. However, due to the City of Los Angeles withdrawal as a project partner, the grant funding is in jeopardy. The loss in project partnership with the City of Los Angeles and decreasing the project stormwater infiltration capacity may result in the loss of this grant funding.
Therefore, Staff has been working to retain the grant funds by working with the City of Los Angeles, City of Beverly Hills, and Los Angeles Regional Water Quality Control Board (Regional Board) to allow the substitution of a project partner for the Culver Boulevard Stormwater Project.
Staff met with the Regional Board staff and proposed allowing the City of Beverly Hills to buy credit based on volumetric capacity from the Culver Boulevard Stormwater Project. The Regional Board was receptive to the concept, but advised all parties involved have to be in agreement prior to the Regional Board’s full evaluation and consideration of this proposal.
Since meeting with the Regional Board, Staff has met and had multiple discussions with City of Los Angeles and City of Beverly Hills officials to develop this credit trading concept. On December 5, 2017, the formal request letter was sent to the Regional Board to consider approval of credit trading. In the event of a favorable decision from the Regional Board, a letter will be sent to SMBRC asking for consideration of a revision to the grant application to substitute the City of Beverly Hills for the City of Los Angeles as a project partner and a reduction of project scope with respect to the total volume capacity of the Infiltration System (if Beverly Hills is unable or unwilling to purchase all of the project capacity originally assigned to Los Angeles).
DISCUSSION
The Public Works Department’s Environmental Programs and Operations Division (EPO) is proposing a Stormwater Regional Project (Project) that will consist of an infiltration and retention basin to capture stormwater/urban runoff from approximately 334 acres of drainage area. This Project proposes to utilize this opportunity to construct an infiltration gallery and retention basin underneath the new landscaped median and bikeway which is part of the Culver Boulevard Realignment Project mentioned above. A portion of the captured run-off is proposed to be stored in an underground retention basin and will be used to supplement the required irrigation for the proposed landscaping along Culver Boulevard.
Originally, the EWMP had identified the drainage area for this Regional Stormwater Project to also include 466 acres from the City of Los Angeles. Based on the total drainage area of 800 acres from both Culver City and Los Angeles, the maximum total volume would equate to 41 ac-ft. After further discussion with the design consultant, it was recommended that the project BMP’s should only be designed for approximately 30 ac-ft. volume. This optimum project size would allow for the maximum treatment for pollutant load reduction and staying below the point of diminishing returns.
However, due to the the City of Los Angeles’ inability to financially commit to the project, Staff has decided to move forward with the Project design for capturing stormwater/urban runoff volume for Culver City’s drainage area only. Staff is currently working with another municipality and the Regional Board (as mentioned above) to allow the substitution of another Project partner for Los Angeles. If this substitution is approved, the project drainage area will be increased to include all or a portion of the original Los Angeles drainage area.
Design Proposal
In August 2017, staff received six proposals for the civil design of the Project. After careful review of the proposals, staff interviewed the top three firms. Of the three firms, staff chose Tetra Tech, Inc, as the most qualified firm to have completed project designs of similar scope with an engineering design proposal of $515,920.
Tetra Tech has successfully planned and designed stormwater regional BMP projects in Southern California and is one of industry leaders in the design of multi-benefit stormwater projects. They have completed stormwater design projects for the cities of Los Angeles, Lakewood, and Santa Monica, and County of Los Angeles Sanitation District. Tetra Tech is highly recommended by the above mentioned cities.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
The probable project costs for are as follows:
Scenario #1
|
PROBABLE PROJECT COST (Volume Capacity for Culver City Run-Off Only) |
|
For a Total BMP Volume of 17 ac-ft |
|
Design |
$ 515,920 |
|
Environmental |
$ 75,000 |
|
Construction |
$15,000,000 |
|
Construction Engineering |
$ 400,000 |
|
Total Probable Cost |
$ 15,990,920 |
Scenario #2
|
PROBABLE PROJECT COST (Volume Capacity for Culver City + LA Run-Off) |
|
For a Total BMP Volume of 30 ac-ft |
|
Design |
$ 565,000 |
|
Environmental |
$ 75,000 |
|
Construction |
$25,000,000 |
|
Construction Engineering |
$ 500,000 |
|
Total Probable Cost |
$26,140,000 |
|
Estimated Project Cost Sharing (Scenario 1) |
|
Est. Total Project Cost |
$15,990,920 |
|
Grant Amount Requested |
$0 |
|
Project Fund Balance Needed |
$15,990,920 |
|
|
|
|
Culver City |
$15,990,920 |
|
|
|
|
|
Estimated Annual Maintenance |
|
$75,000 |
|
Estimated Project Cost Sharing (Scenario 2) |
|
Est. Total Project Cost |
$26,140,000 |
|
Grant Amount Requested |
$3,300,000 |
|
Project Fund Balance Needed |
$22,840,000 |
|
|
|
|
Estimated Capital Cost Sharing |
|
Culver City |
17 ac-ft (57%) |
$13,018,800 |
|
Partnering Agency |
13 ac-ft. (43%) |
$9,821,200 |
|
|
|
|
|
Estimated Annual Maintenance Cost Sharing |
|
Estimated Annual Maintenance Cost |
|
$75,000 |
|
Culver City |
17 ac-ft (57%) |
$42,750 |
|
Partnering Agency |
13 ac-ft (43%) |
$32,250 |
As indicated above, Staff is seeking approval for credit trading with another agency for the treated run-off volumes. The City of Beverly Hills is in agreement in concept only, but has not determined the actual amount to contribute as a project partner. The earliest the financial commitment may be determined is April, 2018.
|
Current Available Funding |
|
Funding Source |
Amount |
|
Culver Boulevard Stormwater Prj, CIP (43480000.730100.PR002) |
$2,000,000 |
|
Santa Monica Bay Restoration Commission, Prop 84 Grant |
$3,300,000 |
|
(Grant Funds Pending Final Approval) |
|
|
Total Available Funds |
$5,300,000 |
The cost for final design services as stated in proposal is in the amount of $515,920. It is recommended that the City Council authorize the Public Works Director/City Engineer to authorize amendments to the agreement for additional design work in an amount not-to-exceed $51,000 (10%) if necessary. If the proposed credit trading is approved and partnering agency has financially committed, an additional design cost estimated at $45,000 can be added as a change order. Also, staff will continue to seek grant funding opportunities to reduce the City’s cost for this project.
MOTION
That the City Council:
1. Approve a professional design services agreement with Tetra Tech, Inc. for the design of the Culver Boulevard Regional Project, PR-002 in an amount not-to-exceed $515,920;
2. Authorize the Public Works Director/City Engineer to approve amendments to the agreement with Tetra Tech in an amount not-to-exceed $51,000 for additional design work;
3. Authorize the City Attorney to review/prepare the necessary documents; and
4. Authorize the City Manager to execute such documents on behalf of the City.