March 25, 2008

City Council Meeting: March 11, 2008

Agenda Item: 8-B

1-H

To: Mayor and City Council

From: Craig Perkins, Director – Environmental and Public Works Management

Subject: Concept Design, Modification of Professional Services Agreement with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. and Appropriation of Funds for the Bicknell Avenue “Green Street” Project

Recommended Action

Staff recommends that the City Council:

1. review the concept design options and provide input on the development of a preferred concept design option;

2. authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute a modification to the professional services agreement with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $106,000 for design services of the Bicknell Avenue Street Greening Project; and

3. appropriate $106,000 from the Stormwater fund balance for the professional services agreement with Kimley-Horn and Associates.

Executive Summary

The Bicknell Avenue “Green Street” Project is a mostly grant-funded demonstration project intended to provide water quality improvements by reducing the impervious street surface and installing landscaped infiltration strips to reduce the quantity and improve the quality of storm water runoff. The location of the project is a one block area on Bicknell Avenue between Ocean Avenue and Neilson Way. Several options for implementing the proposed improvements were developed to address the water quality improvement aspects of the projects as well as other necessary uses of the street right-of-way including parking, traffic, operations and access for emergency services. The improvement options were discussed with the community at a public meeting held in November 2007. Staff seeks input from City Council on the attached design options prior to returning to the community to finalize the concept design.

Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. is recommended for design services associated with the implementation of this project and has developed the preliminary concepts. The modification to the professional services agreement will not exceed $106,000. Following appropriation, the agreement will be funded from the Stormwater fund balance.

Discussion

Federal, state and local regulations require the City to reduce urban runoff pollution from storm drain discharges into the Santa Monica Bay. The Bicknell Avenue “Green Street” project is intended to improve water quality and maintain the beneficial uses of the Santa Monica Bay, as well as improve the street’s aesthetics. This project will assist the City in complying with regulatory requirements imposed by the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) and Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL)mandates.

Bicknell Avenue between Ocean Avenue and Neilson Way is an ideal location for the proposed “Green Street” demonstration project. The existing street is wide enough (56’ curb to curb) so that reducing the width of the street to install pervious surfaces and infiltration strips is possible without affecting traffic/pedestrian flow. Additionally, several blocks of the surrounding area drain to this location and stormwater runoff is collected into a subsurface storm drain system at the west end of the street near Ocean Avenue. Therefore, by constructing the improvements at this location, stormwater runoff is collected and water quality is improved from a larger area of the City beyond the one block of Bicknell Avenue. The proposed “Green Street” project includes the reduction of impervious street surface by implementing landscaped infiltration strips adjacent to the existing curbs and gutters. The landscaped infiltration strips will collect runoff as it flows along the gutter. Collected runoff will be stored in chambers below the landscaped strips and will slowly infiltrate into the soil thus reducing the quantity and improving the quality of stormwater runoff discharged into Santa Monica Bay, and promoting more sustainable streetscapes. Should this project prove successful, additional streets with similar characteristics can be retrofitted during routine street reconstruction, through future grants and watershed capital improvement projects.

In developing options for this project, several constraints were identified. The proposed project area has twelve existing on-street permit parking spaces that need to be preserved. Any reduction to the width of the street must consider traffic flow and emergency vehicle access. Additionally, operations such as street sweeping, trash collection, utility access and landscape/tree maintenance must be maintained.

A professional services agreement was executed with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. in August 2007 to conduct one community meeting and develop preliminary design concepts. Three preliminary design concepts were developed by Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. to implement the proposed “Green Street” improvements. In all three options, the improvements are proposed to be installed in the existing street. City staff has determined that all three options can be designed to accommodate existing traffic flows as well as the needs of municipal operations. Therefore, the existing parkway utilities will not require relocation and the overall cost of implementing the project is reduced.

Option 1: Install 6 foot wide landscaped infiltration strips adjacent to both the north and south curbs. This option provides the largest amount of landscaped infiltration strips, minimizes impervious area and maximizes the amount of runoff that can be infiltrated. The existing parking is relocated to the new curb face and the amount of on-street parking remains the same. The street is narrowed by approximately 12 feet but sufficient width is maintained for parking and emergency vehicle access. The estimated cost for this option is approximately $700,000.

Option 2: Install 3 foot wide landscaped infiltration strips adjacent to both the north and south curbs and install two 8 foot wide landscaped median islands in the center of the street. This option provides a sufficient amount of landscaped infiltration strips and minimizes impervious area. The existing parking is relocated to the new curb face and the amount of on-street parking remains the same. Additionally, the median islands provide aesthetic benefits and separation between traffic lanes although medians limit the amount of continuous right of way available for emergency vehicle access at the location of the two islands. The estimated cost for this option is approximately $770,000 to $840,000.

Option 3: Install 4 foot wide landscaped infiltration strips on the north curb only and provide perpendicular parking along the south curb. This option slightly reduces the amount of impervious paving and provides a marginal amount of landscaped infiltration strips along the north curb only. This option provides the least amount of infiltration of stormwater runoff and does not accomplish all the objectives of the demonstration project. Perpendicular parking along the south curb provides approximately seven additional on-street parking spaces. The street is narrowed slightly due to the infiltration strip on the north curb and perpendicular parking on the south curb but sufficient continuous width is maintained for emergency vehicle access. The estimated cost for this option is $490,000 to $560,000.

The City of Santa Monica has been awarded a $450,000 Proposition 50 grant for design and construction of an urban runoff treatment demonstration project on Bicknell Avenue between Neilson Way and Ocean Avenue. On January 10, 2006, City Council adopted a Resolution authorizing the City to enter into a Grant Agreement with the State of California and authorizing the City Manager to execute the 2006 Grant Agreement for the Bicknell Green Street Best Management Practice Demonstration Project. This project must be substantially completed before the end of 2008 to allow adequate time to complete water quality monitoring during the 2008-09 rainy season. Results from this monitoring must be included in the project final report, which will be submitted by March 2009 to comply with the grant agreement funding deadline.

Contractor/Consultant Selection

On February 8, 2007, a Request for Proposal (RFP) with a preliminary scope of services was posted on the City’s website, soliciting proposals to design the Bicknell Avenue Street Greening Project.

On March 19, 2007, three proposals were received from the following firms: KPFF Consulting Engineers, Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. and Psomas. A selection committee consisting of staff from Civil Engineering & Architecture and Environmental Programs Divisions reviewed the proposal. On April 18, 2007, the selection committee interviewed all three consulting firms. The selection criteria included the firm’s technical competence, understanding of the project’s scope, direct experience on similar projects, approach to the work, qualifications of the proposed staff, staffing capabilities to meet the desired time frames, and cost of services. Based on the proposals and interviews, the selection committee recommended Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. to provide design services for this project.

After considering the design services cost proposal, it was decided to enter into an initial contract with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. to develop conceptual design options and facilitate initial community outreach. On August 9, 2007, a professional services agreement was executed for $34,000 with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. to develop a concept design for the Bicknell Green Street Project. It is now proposed that a modification to the professional services agreement is executed with this firm to finalize the concept design and develop schematic plans for the recommended option. Upon approval of the final concept design another modification to the professional services agreement will be necessary to develop final plans and specifications to construct the proposed improvements.

Community Outreach

On November 29, 2007, a community meeting was held to discuss the objectives of the project and solicit input from the community. A mailer was sent to approximately 350 residents adjacent to the project area to notify the community of the upcoming public meeting. Nine members of the public participated in the meeting. Five of the nine members of the public were Bicknell Avenue residents that live on the block where the improvements are proposed and four reside on Bicknell Avenue east of the project area.

At the community meeting, residents indicated that although street parking is limited on this block, there is no desire to add additional parking, as there is sufficient parking available on Ocean Avenue. A few community members from the area of Bicknell Avenue near Main Street indicated that parking is extremely limited on Bicknell Avenue east of Main Street. That area, however, is outside the limits of the project zone. The community members overwhelmingly supported the concept of constructing the demonstration project to improve water quality in Santa Monica Bay.

Financial Impacts & Budget Actions

Construction of the project will be primarily funded by the State Water Resources Control Board through a Proposition 50 grant for $450,000. The total project cost, including design services and construction, is estimated to be approximately $700,000. During the design process, staff will confirm funding options for the amount in excess of the available grant funds. At this time, the source of additional funds is likely to be Measure V (as adopted by Council on September 25, 2007). Potential increased maintenance costs associated with these improvements will also be evaluated during final design.

The following budget action is needed to make funds available for the contract: appropriate $106,000 from 34 fund balance to account number C340588.589000 (Stormwater System Improvement). Future appropriations will be required to modify the professional services agreement to complete final construction documents upon approval of the final concept design and to execute a construction contract to implement the improvements.

Prepared by:

Mark Cuneo, P.E., Principal Civil Engineer

Approved:	Forwarded to Council:
Craig Perkins Director - Environmental and Public Works Management Department	P. Lamont Ewell City Manager

Attachments: 1. Option 1 – Bicknell Avenue Plan

2. Option 1 – Bicknell Avenue Cross-section

3. Option 2 – Bicknell Avenue Plan

4. Option 2 – Bicknell Avenue Cross-section

5. Option 3 – Bicknell Avenue Plan