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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-20-2008 ~c CITY OF AUBURN CITY OF * PUBLIC WORKS COMMITTEE October 20, 2008 WASHINGTON 1. CALL TO ORDER Chairman Rich Wagner called the meeting to order at 3:30 pm in Council Chambers, located on the first floor of Auburn City Hall, 25 West Main Street, Auburn, Washington. Committee members present were: Chairman Rich Wagner and Member Virginia Haugen. Also present during the meeting were: Director Dowdy, City Engineer/Assistant Director Dennis Selle, Assistant City Engineer Ingrid Gaub, Senior Project Engineer Bill Helbig, Utilities Engineer Dan Repp, Water Utility Engineer Cynthia Lamothe, Strom Drainage Engineer Tim Carlaw, Sanitary Sewer Engineer Robert Elwell, Construction Manager Larry Dahl, Project Engineer Robert Lee, Street Systems Engineer Seth Wickstrom, Assistant Planning Director Kevin Snyder, Planner Chris Andersen, Office Assistant Heather Mustain, Citizen Wayne Osborne, and Department Secretary Jennifer Rigsby. Vice-Chair Cerino was absent from the meeting. His absence was excused. II. CONSENT AGENDA A. APPROVAL OF MINUTES It was moved by member Haugen, seconded by Chairman Wagner, that the Committee approve the Public Works Committee minutes for date, October 6, 2008. Motion carried, 2-0. B. APPROVE FINAL PAY ESTIMATE NO. 3 TO CONTRACT NO. 07-10 IN THE AMOUNT OF $25,183.40 FOR THE TOTAL CONTRACT PRICE OF $643,925.03 WITH RODARTE CONSTRUCTION INC AND ACCEPT CONSTRUCTION OF PROJECT NO. CP0730, 2007 PAVEMENT PRESERVATION - 6T" STREET SE REHABILITATION Project Engineer Lee reviewed the Change Orders for the project with the Committee. Change Order No. 1 was for an upgrade to the catch basins. Change Order No. 2 was to install a conduit for future ITS. Change Order No. 3 was an emergency storm improvement to address a flooding situation. Member Haugen asked for the total for Change Order No. 1. Lee answered the total was $39,569.00. The Committee had no further questions. It was moved by Member Haugen, seconded by Chairman Wagner, that the Committee recommend Council approve final pay estimate no. 3 to contract no. 07-10 with Rodarte Construction, Inc. and accept construction of project no. CP0730, 2007 Pavement Preservation -6 th Street SE Rehabilitation. Motion carried, 2-0. Page 1 Public Works Committee Minutes October 20, 2008 C. APPROVE FINAL PAY ESTIMATE NO. 14 TO CONTRACT NO. 05-06 IN THE AMOUNT OF $641.19 FOR THE TOTAL CONTRACT PRICE OF $3,623,069.07 WITH RODARTE CONSTRUCTION INC AND ACCEPT CONSTRUCTION OF PROJECT NO. C9056, AUBURN WAY SOUTH SEWER - PHASE I Sanitary Sewer Engineer Elwell reported the project has been substantially complete for some time and the contractor had to remove some stock piled dirt prior to acceptance of the project. The Committee posed no questions. It was move by Member Haugen, seconded by Chairman Wagner, that the Committee recommend Council approve final pay estimate no. 14 to contract no. 05-06 with Rodarte Construction, Inc. and accept construction of project no. C9056, Auburn Way South Sewer - Phase I. Motion carried, 2-0. D. APPROVAL FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF ELECTRICITY COSTS FOR STREET LIGHTS RELATED TO THE EAST POINT PLAT DEVELOPMENT Assistant City Engineer Gaub explained when the East Point Plat developer set up the street lights they did not set them up under the City account, but rather an account under the developer. The developer then transferred service to the Home Owners' Association at the point of 50% plus 1 occupancy of the plat. The Home Owners' Association thought they had been paying an electric bill for a specific residence but the bill in question was for the meter for the street lighting. The system was built to City standards and accepted. The proposal from staff is to be consistent with the policy on utility reimbursements or charges and allow a three year reimbursement of the cost to the Home Owners' Association. Chairman Wagner asked if the three year reimbursement policy was consistent with State law. Director Dowdy answered Finance Director Coleman indicated the utility policy is consistent with State guidelines. The Committee concurred a three year reimbursement was adequate. It was moved by Member Haugen, seconded by Chairman Wagner, that the Committee recommend Council approve the reimbursement of electricity costs for street lights related to the East Point Plat Development. Motion carried, 2-0. 111. ISSUES There were no issues for action. Page 2 Public Works Committee Minutes October 20, 2008 IV. DISCUSSION AND INFORMATION A. COMPREHENSIVE WATER PLAN POLICIES AND CRITERIA Water Utility Engineer Lamothe presented the Committee with the Draft Water Comprehensive Plan Update, Chapter 3 Policies and Criteria and matrix which outlined the proposed updates. Lamothe gave the Committee some background information regarding the update process. Chairman Wagner asked when the final draft would be presented for review. Lamothe answered by the end of 2008. The Committee reviewed the chapter with Water Utilities Engineer Lamothe and Utilities Engineer Repp. Water Utilities Engineer Lamothe responded to questions from Chairman Wagner regarding the acceptance of satellite water systems. Chairman Wagner discussed the satellite water system in Braunwood with Utilities Engineer Repp. Repp explained the planning perspective for satellite water systems. The City does not plan for satellite systems as part of the City infrastructure because they are private water systems, monitored and regulated by the State. The Committee discussed possibly restricting the acceptance of satellite water systems. Repp reviewed the current City policy regarding satellite water systems with the Committee. Chairman Wagner recommended more expansive explanation about satellite water systems in the Introduction. Director Dowdy stated, on page 3-8, there is additional reference to satellite water systems. Referring to page 3-2, Chairman Wagner asked for a more specific definition for the term "firm customers." Water Utilities Engineer Lamothe answered questions from Chairman Wagner regarding retail service areas, wholesale customers and interruptible service. Chairman Wagner commented on the Committee of the Whole Meeting decision not to plan for interruptible supplies during capital planning. Director Dowdy stated he interpreted the decision made by the Committee of the Whole to mean the City's capital needs to be spent on the City's firm needs for the future, but if another party wants to bring in capital to help plan for their wholesale need, it would not be prohibited. Member Haugen concurred. Chairman Wagner recommended including a statement in the Comprehensive Plan explaining the City would entertain capital partners for interruptible supplies. The Committee continued discussion about wholesale and retail customers. Chairman Wagner asked if private wells will be included in the Comprehensive Plan. Lamothe answered the City does not have the authority to prevent private wells. If a customer has a private well and wants to hook into City water, there is a code that allows the City to have the well decommissioned. Water Utilities Engineer Lamothe answered questions from Chairman Wagner regarding water service for construction needs, referencing the Facilities Extension Agreement and extensions of utilities outlines in the chapter being reviewed. Chairman Wagner, referencing page 3-8, asked if there are any meters that are on private property or inside buildings. Assistant Director/City Engineer Selle answered there are some water meters in easements but none inside buildings. Chairman Wagner asked that any references to Washington Administrative Codes (WAC) be better defined and a definition of the WAC is included. Page 3 Public Works Committee Minutes October 20, 2008 Water Utilities Engineer Lamothe and Utilities Engineer Repp responded to questions asked by the Committee regarding backup generators for water. Repp outlined the differences between the use of generators for sanitary sewer pump systems and water utilities. Repp reported staff is identifying the generator deficiencies and prioritizing the locations for the update to the Comprehensive Plan. Lamothe answered questions asked by Chairman Wagner about page 3-10, peek hour demand and reservoirs. Lamothe gave additional explanation of the City policy not to have redundant reservoirs and the usage of storage and pump stations for peek hour demand and fire flow. Chairman Wagner asked that the phrase "change in use or occupancy' on page 3-12, last paragraph, be changed to "change in use." The Committee concurred. Director Dowdy and Assistant Director/City Engineer Selle answered questions asked by the Committee regarding Lakeland Hills and exceptions to the fire flow requirements. Chairman Wagner asked that changes being made in the chapter be included in the final draft. He asked that the old text be struck through and the changed text be underlined. Utilities Engineer Repp and Assistant Director/City Engineer Selle responded to questions asked by Member Haugen regarding the installation of septic systems within the City. Water Utilities Engineer Lamothe provided the Committee with additional explanation of the City's goal to work with adjacent jurisdictions in terms of planning, which was added to the chapter's text. The Committee discussed the impact of other agencies' water supplies on the City. The Committee discussed consideration of financial incentives for water use efficiency. Director Dowdy stated that may be addressed in the rate study. Lamothe reported the City currently runs a low-flow shower head program and is in the process of collecting data on reduction of water use. The Committee discussed page 3-24, and the billing practices for condominiums. Chairman Wagner recommended reviewing the utility systems development charge be reviewed every two years instead of yearly. IT was recommended the Legal Department review section 3.10.4, Development Charges. The Committee reviewed page 3-27, section 3.10.7, Development Charge Cost Recovery. Page 4 Public Works Committee Minutes October 20, 2008 B. POLICY GUIDANCE FOR FINANCIAL SECURITIES FOR PLATS Assistant City Engineer Gaub presented the Committee with background information on the current City policy in regard to financial securities for subdivision Improvements. The City requires performance bonds for work in existing right-of-ways during construction of projects, both for capital projects and development projects. When a development project seeks a final plat approval, the current City code states that a financial security in the form of an assignment of funds, an irrevocable letter of credit, or other similar security as approved by the City Engineer is required. Several developers have requested that the City consider allowing a performance bond to be used to secure the completion of public improvements prior to their construction and allow a subdivision to receive a final plat approval. The Committee reviewed the pros and cons of the three types of financial securities outlined in the memo previously distributed. Director Dowdy discussed the cons of assignment of funds. Chairman Wagner asked how much a developer had to pay in order to be issued a performance bond. Assistant City Engineer Gaub answered there are several factors that determine the developers' cost, such as, financial stability and current rates and each surety sets their own rate structure. Assistant Director/City Engineer Selle summarized the two issues for discussion. One is the Committee's concerns and/or concurrence in allowing performance bonds to be used to provide financial security for final plat improvements. The second is there may be revisions to City Code necessary to reduce the City's risk in allowing final plats to proceed without the completion of the public improvements that staff is recommending be reviewed with the Code Update project. The Committee concurred with the proposed security method. Director Dowdy stated this topic will be discussed at the Planning and Community Development Committee, at the request of Mayor Lewis, and if we obtain concurrence from PCDC to proceed with the proposed use of bonding as an acceptable security method, staff would implement this method C. DESIGN STANDARDS UPDATE Assistant Director/City Engineer Selle recapped previous discussions with the Committee about focusing on Transportation and Storm Drainage Design Standards as one of the first phases of the Design Standards Update Project. In regard to the Storm Drainage Standards, there is a parallel effort to become compliant with the NPDES Phase II standards and will impact the timeline for completing the Storm Drainage Standards update. Staff is proposing starting the update of the Transportation Design Standards first to meet the March 2009 deadline and start working on Storm Drainage Standards in March 2009 in order to complete the storm update by August 2009, which coincides with the NPDES Phase 11 deadline. Assistant Director/City Engineer discussed the simplification of the process of the Design Standards Update Verses the Code Update process. The primary focus will be getting input from the Committee and using the Code Update Project Community Advisory Board as a sounding board for suggested changes unlike most of the Code Update Project where code revisions will be brought to the Planning Commission, the Advisory Board, Council Committees and the full City Council. Chairman Wagner stated the Committee will need a full understanding of the portions of the Design Standards being changed and recommended using the strike through/underline format. Page 5 Public Works Committee Minutes October 20, 2008 Wagner wants to see a more prescriptive document with less ability for staff to deviate from the Committee's approved standards and he suggested all areas of the Standards that contain the phrase "or may be an exception by the City Engineer," be reviewed and the exceptions quantified. The Committee briefly reviewed some of the grading standards and wording used at the beginning of the Design Standards chapters. Assistant Director/City Engineer Selle asked if there were specific concerns that the Committee wants reviewed in detail. Director Dowdy gave examples of portions of the standards sub- sections the Committee may want to apply more specific details or consider exceptions. Assistant Director/City Engineer Selle discussed the appeal process and how tightening the design standards and making them less flexible may lead to more developers appealing to the Public Works Committee. Chairman Wagner recommended City Attorney Heid further review the appeal process. The Committee recommended the Committee bring staff the sections and sub-sections they are most interested in updating first and then going back to review the remainder of the standards. City Engineer exceptions in the standards should also be reviewed as part of the first phase. Based on concerns stated by Director Dowdy, Chairman Wagner recommended Transportation and Clearing and Grading be reviewed together. Chairman Wagner asked if staff feels the current consultant has the technical skills needed to update the Design Standards. Assistant Director/City Engineer answered Roth-Hill has been hired to act as a sub-consultant to provide technical expertise and currently provides peer review services for the City. The Committee discussed the funds available for the project with Assistant Planning Director Snyder and indicated that the $10,000 allocated may not be sufficient to accomplish their goals. Chairman Wagner recommended scheduling one or two workshops with the Committee to work on the standards update after members have provided their lists of concerns to the City Engineer. D. A STREET NW EXTENSION PROJECT - NOISE WALL POLICY Senior Project Engineer Helbig distributed a hand out regarding the A Street NW Extension Project and its noise impacts on surrounding areas. One of the environmental issues impacting the area is the potential for noise increases. The Committee reviewed an aerial map of the area in question. The potential noise impacts on the area between the post office and 5th Street NW is triggering noise mitigation requirements. Helbig presented and reviewed the beneficial uses of noise mitigation measures including, concrete noise walls, wood fencing, and landscaping buffers. Helbig discussed the pros and cons of each measure and answered questions posed by the Committee. Helbig informed the Committee that the Washington State Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration preferred mitigation measure is concrete noise walls. He continued by identifying the costs and cost/benefits of noise walls in the corridor compared to guidance developed by federal and state agencies, showing that noise walls along A Street NW are approaching guideline maximums. Page 6 Public Works Committee Minutes October 20, 2008 Helbig informed the Committee that the four property owners in the affected area were surveyed as to what type of mitigation they would prefer. Helbig reported there were two responses and both were in favor of noise walls. This survey was conducted prior to the property owners being made aware of the cost. Staff requested guidance from the Committee as to what type of noise mitigation is preferred. Helbig pointed out installing noise walls in the City is not something that has been done along arterials in the past, and doing so now would set a new precedence. Senior Project Engineer Helbig responded to questions asked by Director Dowdy regarding rubberized asphalt. Chairman Wagner commented on the unpleasing aesthetics of noise walls. The Committee discussed concerns regarding vandalism, graffiti, and the high cost/benefit aspect of noise walls. The Committee's recommendation is to not utilize concrete noise walls in the city but suggestion is to use a combination of cedar fencing and landscaping as a noise mitigation measure. E. 2009 S.O.S. PROJECT UPDATE The Committee reviewed vicinity maps provided by Street Systems Engineer Wickstrom. The first map showed the proposed and optional streets for the 2009 S.O.S. Program and the second highlighted the remaining S.O.S. streets in the local street system. Wickstrom noted staff is planning to change Struck River Drive and M Street NW to classified streets in the next Comprehensive Transportation Plan. They will then be included in the arterial street improvement program and not the local street program. Chairman Wagner asked when data will be available for the annexation areas. Wickstrom answered there is currently a surveyor in the area and the data should be submitted in November 2008 and a map will be available for Committee review in early 2009. The committee concurred with the proposed street list for the 2009 program. F. CAPITAL PROJECT STATUS REPORT Item 12 - CP0635, 2007 Gateway Project, M Street SE: Chairman Wagner asked if lighting was included in the project. Senior Project Engineer Helbig answered there is lighting which will remain turned off until installation is complete. Chairman Wagner asked who is responsible for sign maintenance and graffiti removal. Helbig answered the Parks Department will maintain the sign and the sign is treated so graffiti can be clean off, or the sign can be repainted if necessary. Member Haugen asked when installation will be complete. Helbig answered within the next week or two. Item 21 - CP0762, Les Gove Neighborhood Improvements: Chairman Wagner asked if there were some streets in the area that could be deemed less critical. Senior Project Engineer Helbig responded a phasing plan has been developed and is being reviewed by the consultant. The plan will be presented to the Committee. Chairman Wagner requested a report on the historic water utility repair work in the area and their condition was verified. Utilities Engineer Repp explained that engineering staff worked with Maintenance and Operations staff to assess the condition of utilities in the Les Gove area. Page 7 Public Works Committee Minutes October 20, 2008 OTHER DISCUSSION Director Dowdy gave the Committee a brief report on his meeting with the King Counties Directors and the launching of a policy committee that has been established. V. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business to come before the Public Works Committee, the meeting was adjourned at 6:15 p.m. Approved this 3rd day of November, 2008. .Rich Wagner Je fer Rigsby Chairman P blic Works D art ctsecretary File: 17.2 Page 8