BACKGROUND:
The August 20, 2023, Tropical Storm Hilary struck Southern California, the Coachella Valley, and more specifically Cathedral City, resulting in flooded roads, neighborhoods and mud flows in various areas of Cathedral City. Runoff flood waters brought large amounts of sediment and debris and left areas of the City flooded and without access, covered in several feet of mud and debris.
Significant damage from mud flows occurred within approximately 40 acres at the northeast area of Panorama neighborhood (map of area attached). This mud flow resulted in the required road closures of:
•Date Palm Drive from I-10 to 30 th Avenue
•Vista Chino from Date Palm to Avenida Maravilla
•Horizon Road from Vista Chino to Panorama Road
•Adelina Road from Date Palm Drive to Horizon Road
•Avenida La Vista from Adelina Road to Los Gatos Road
•Panorama Road from Horizon Road to Avenida La Vista
•Tachevah Drive from Date Palm Drive to Avenida La Vista In order to expedite emergency and working access to the above cited streets, the City, under emergency operation protocols, hired contractors for the initial removal of mud and debris to open the streets for emergency personnel, residential and limited public access.
Due to accumulation of trash, vegetation and mud, flooding also occurred in other areas of the City requiring road closures. Specifically, these arterial roads closed to traffic included:
•Dinah Shore Drive from western City limits to Da Vall Drive, and •Varner Road from Palm Drive to Rio Del Sol/Bob Hope Drive.
The damage to the Date Palm Drive Bridge and the Ofelia Bringas Memorial Bridge was essentially the deposit of three (3) to six (6) feet of earth along the bottom of the Whitewater River Channel filling the actual drops of the drop-structures under each of the bridges. Long term, this sediment deposit will need to be removed to restore the channel to pre-storm capacities. This restoration work is being discussed with Caltrans and Coachella Valley Water District and the financial impact is not yet determined.
DISCUSSION:
The emergency work to restore access and traffic through Panorama Neighborhood began on August 21, 2023. During this disaster, various contractors were hired to assist the City. Residents disposed of mud, debris and trash from their properties and placed it in the right of way The emergency work included removing mud, debris, and trash from those streets and rights of way, while also ensuring emergency protective measures occurred to provide safe neighborhoods and traffic control. Some of these emergency tasks are still on-going.
Efforts to restore the neighborhoods from storm damages include heavy equipment contracting and rentals (loaders) to move the mud off the streets, roll-off dumpsters for local debris, portable restrooms for residents and volunteers, water trucks and street sweepers.
The primary contractors assisting the City on these emergency response efforts and tasks are listed below:
•Jacobsson Engineering Construction – Storm mud clean-up work •Demo Unlimited Inc. – Storm mud clean-up work
•Burrtec – Waste disposal and portable restrooms
•Tops and Barricades – Traffic control set up and removals •PS Tree Maintenance – Clean-up sidewalks, medians, and pathways •Signature Sculptures – Appliances and bulky items collection and removal •NAI Consulting Inc. – Assistance with disaster recover support with City’s Financial Services Department and outside agencies
City Staff has met with the following agencies to discuss the procedures required to access and recover funds spent to mitigate the storm’s damages:
•Riverside County Emergency Management Department (EMD) •California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES)
•Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
•California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)
At this date, the estimated costs for emergency services are:
CONTRACTOR TASK COST
Jacobsson
Engineering
Construction Inc.
Storm clean-up work $ 500,000
Demo Unlimited Inc. Storm clean-up work $ 78,200
Burrtec Waste disposal and Portable Restrooms $ 30,000 Tops and Barricades Traffic Control $ 10,300
PS Tree Maintenance Clean-up sidewalks, medians, and
pathways $ 244,000
Signature Sculptures Appliances and bulk items removal $ 12,000 NAI Consulting Inc Assistance with Disaster Recover Support FEMA and FHWA $ 10,000
SUB TOTAL $ 884,500
Contingency (20%) $ 177,500
TOTAL INITIAL EMERGENCY PHASE $1,062,000
A task order for each is attached to this Staff report.
Please note: The following costs do not reflect funding to permanently remove the approximately 150,000 to 250,000 cubic yards of mud deposited in the area which has been temporarily relocated to vacant areas, funds to clear the Whitewater River Channel under the Ofelia Bringas Memorial Bridge or Date Palm Bridge and other restorations of local and arterial roadways.
Staff is requesting an emergency appropriation from the City’s General Fund for contractors and consultants assisting the City during this initial phase of the emergency operations recovery work. Some of these emergency tasks are still on-going to clear and clean the City right of way on the major arterials and neighborhood streets. The estimated date for this initial phase of work to be completed is September 22, 2023.
Staff is requesting City Council authorize the City Manager to execute all task orders/contracts/purchase orders for the Phase I Emergency Response Work as a result of the impacts from the August 20, 2023 Tropical Storm Hilary in the amount of $1,062,000; and, approve a General Fund appropriation in the amount $1,062,000 to fund this Phase I Emergency Response Work.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This authorization is estimated to be $1,062,000 which is requested to come from the City’s General Fund.
The authorization for funding emergency repair work will require an amendment to the FY 2023-2024 Budget. Once additional costs are known, e.g., salary overtime, repairs, etc., a future amendment will be brought forward to City Council at a future date. It is estimated the total financial impact could be up to $3,000,000.
Note: On August 19, 2023, Governor Newsome proclaimed State of Emergency for much of Southern California to support Hurricane Hilary response and recovery efforts.
Staff is coordinating with appropriate local and state agencies (Caltrans District 8) to seek reimbursement of funds expended because of the storm event. On August 21, 2023 the City of Cathedral City proclaimed the presence of a local disaster; this disaster proclamation was ratified by the City Council on August 23, 2023.