Cathedral City Page 1 of 4 Printed on 11/6/2023
Staff Report
City Council
Item No. 7.D
Meeting Date: November 8, 2023
From: John Corella, Director of Engineering/Public Works Title: Agency Reimbursement Agreement between Coachella Valley Association of Governments and the City of Cathedral City for Design and Engineering Services of Varner Road between
Palm Drive and Date Palm Drive – Western Coachella Valley Flooding and Blowsand Project – Phase One.
City Council
RECOMMENDATION:
For the City Council to authorize the Mayor and the City Manager to execute the Agency Reimbursement Agreement by and between the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) and the City of Cathedral City for the engineering design of Varner Road between Palm Drive and Date Palm Drive in the amount not to exceed $592,231.57; and reallocate funding for this project to the Capital Improvement Project (CIP) Fund (331).
BACKGROUND:
Initiated in 2019, shortly after the “Valetine’s Day” rainstorm event, The Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a consultant to complete a “Flood and Blowsand Risk Assessment and Improvement Plan (Plan) for the Western Coachella Valley .” The outcome of the Plan was to identify and prioritize projects that would best fit the needs of the Western Coachella Valley during a flooding or emergency events.
Subsequently, CVAG issued a contract for the above -mentioned services to Michael Baker International, Inc. (MBI). After consultation with, and participation by, the Cities of Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City and Palm Springs, CVAG ; MBI completed the Plan in November of 2020. The Plan was accepted by the CVAG Transportation and Executive Committees shortly thereafter. The prioritized projects of the Plan were based on emergency and evacuation access, traffic volumes and stormwater flows.
The selected projects within the limits of Cathedral City are:
• Date Palm Drive from I-10 to Varner Road; and,
• Varner Road from Mountain View Road to Date Palm Drive.
Cathedral City Page 2 of 4 Printed on 11/6/2023
On July 6, 2022, CVAG staff issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Design and Engineering Services for the Western Coachella Valley Flooding and Blowsand Projects – Phase One. The scope of work consisted of design plans to improve the local agencies roads and bridges/culvert on the above -mentioned road way segments.
Bridge/culvert structures were to be designed to convey 100 -year flood events at roadway crossings at: the Whitewater River, Chino Canyon Creek, Willow Wash and the Long Canyon Wash. The roadway design was also required to include bicycle lanes and mitigation measures/improvements for blowsand events.
On August 16, 2022, CVAG received one (1) proposal from Michael Baker International, Inc. (MBI), for the Design and Engineering Services for the Western Coachella Valley Flooding and Blowsand Projects – Phase One. The proposal was reviewed by a project development team consisting of staff members from CVAG and the cities of Desert Hot Springs, Palm Springs, and Cathedral City.
In coordination with CVAG Staff, City Staff recommended removing the segment of the Date Palm Drive from I -10 to Varner from the MBI proposal, which in turn triggered City Staff to formally make a request to CVAG to process an amendment (Amendment No. 1) to the 2013 Reimbursement Agreement with the City for the design and construction of Date Palm from I-10 to Varner.
Amendment No. 1 to the Reimbursement Agreement with CVAG for the improvements of Date Palm Drive between I -10 and Varner Road was approved by the City Council at the Council Meeting of June 28, 2023. This Amendment No.1 covers for additional cost of the Project’s final design including the improvements required at the Long Canyon Wash crossing, adding four (4) more travel lanes, curb and gutter, sidewalk(s) and bicycle lanes, utility relocations and signalizing the intersection of Date Palm Drive and Varner Road.
In conjunction with all the above, Cathedral City Staff worked with CVAG Staff to modify MBI’s Flooding and Blowsand Plan proposal to exclude the design work included in Amendment No. 1, cited above; and swap in additional design work to include expanding the project’s Varner Road design limits to Varner Road from Palm Drive to Date Palm Drive. (Note: this 3.7-mile segment of Varner Road from Palm Drive to Date Palm Drive is already utilized as an I-10 bypass during flooding and emergency events , most recently during the Tropical Storm Hilary event.) A map of the proposed design limits is attached.
MBI subsequently submitted an updated proposal for the Design and Engineering of Varner Road between Palm Drive and Date Palm Drive (Project). The scope of work for this Project is to complete the ultimate design for this segment of Varner Road including the design of the major drainage under -crossings, bicycle lanes and traffic signals improvements. The updated proposal and scope of work were reviewed and accepted by CVAG and Cathedral City Staff.
On September 25, 2023, CVAG executed a Reimbursement Agreement with the City for the Design and Engineering of Varner Road between Palm Drive and Date Palm Drive Western Coachella Valley Flooding and Blowsand Project – Phase One (Project). The
Cathedral City Page 3 of 4 Printed on 11/6/2023
Reimbursement Agreement is attached to this report.
DISCUSSION:
Under CVAG's policy of funding eligible projects with member jurisdictions, effective January 1, 2007, the member jurisdiction(s) will be responsible for paying twenty-five percent (25%) of the project costs (the Local Share), as well as any ineligible project costs, and CVAG will be responsible for seventy-five percent (75%) of eligible project costs (the Regional Share).
The estimated total cost for professional design and engineering services for Varner Road between Palm Drive and Date Palm Drive is in the amount of $2,368,926.27.
Therefore, Cathedral City’s share of the Project cost is in the amount not -to-exceed $592.231.57, representing 25% of the anticipated Local Share of the project costs.
Overall, the completed design of the Project will provide the City with a number of items.
First, once the design of the roadway is completed, it will provide information on what portions of the roadway will require right of way acquisition. From this information staff can start looking at costs and/or means to secure the necessary right of way. Second, the completed design will provide a more comprehensive “Engineers Estimate” for the construction of the improvements. Third, the environmental documentation necessary to construct the Project will be completed and specific stormwater stream crossing permits will be secured. Lastly, and most importantly, the completed plans will be very attractive to grant program reviewers looking for shovel ready projects when the call for projects is released.
Staff is requesting City Council authorize the Mayor and the City Manager to execute the Agency Reimbursement Agreement by and between the Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) and the City of Cathedral City for the engineering design of Varner Road between Palm Drive and Date Palm Drive in the amount not to exceed $592,231.57; and reallocate funding for this project. The Capital Improvement Project (CIP) Plan identifies $750,000 from the General Fund for this project, currently shown as $375,000 in FY 2023/2024 and $ 375,000 in FY 2024/2025. Approval of this action will instead authorize amounts of $180,000 in FY 2023 /2024 and $412,231.57 in FY 2024/2025 resulting in an amended project total of $592,231.57 . The overall savings for this phase of the project will be $157,768.43 . Financial Services has identified RDA funding eligible to use for this project , resulting i n a savings to the General Fund of $750,000 over the two-year period.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Adopted CIP FY 2023/2024 and FY 2024/2025
Fund 331 - Capital Projects show the following approved planned allocations for C0XX11 Varner Road – Palm Drive to Date Palm Drive:
Account Description Account # FY 2023/24 FY 2024/25
Design - CITY MATCH 331-100-150-156-8600-8601 $ 375,000 $ 375,000
Cathedral City Page 4 of 4 Printed on 11/6/2023
Agency Reimbursement Agreement
The share cost for the engineering design services of Varner Road from Palm Drive to Date Palm Drive is in the amount of not-to-exceed $592,231.57.
A budget allocation in the amounts of $180,000.00 in CIP FY 2023/ 2024 and $412,231.57 in CIP FY 2024/ 2025 from CIP Fund (331 -100-150-156-8600-8601) is required to enter into the Agency Reimbursement Agreement for the engineering design services of the C0XX11 Varner Road – Palm Drive to Date Palm Drive Project.
FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN:
Goal B: Community Investment
Objective: Cathedral City roads, gateways, public spaces, and other city infrastructure are well planned, designed, constructed, and maintained.
ATTACHMENTS:
Varner Road - MAP
Adopted CIP FY 2023-24 - FY 2024-25
CVAG-22-022-01 Amend No. 1 -MBI- finalv2 - signed
Agency Reimbursement Agreement -CVAG