CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT
November 19, 2024 5e
AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO EXECUTE A STORM DRAIN EASEMENT WITH THE
SAN DIEGO UNIFIED PORT DISTRICT AND AGREEMENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE FIRST
STREET STORM WATER PUMP STATION FLOOD RELIEF PROJECT, APPROVAL OF SOLE SOURCE ELEMENTS OF THE PROJECT’S DESIGN, PURCHASE A PRE-PACKAGED PUMP
STATION, AND ADVERTISE THE PROJECT
RECOMMENDATION:
Authorize the City Manager to execute a storm drain easement with the San Diego Unified Port District and agreements associated with the First Street Storm Water Pump Station Flood Relief Project, all in a form approved by the City Attorney, and approval of sole source elements of the project’s design, purchase of a pre-packaged pump station, and advertise the project.
BACKGROUND:
The First Street storm drain system adjacent to the intersection of First Street and A Avenue collects storm water runoff from the surrounding area including the Coronado Ferry Landing. The system consists of a curb inlet at the intersection itself, a thirty-six inch concrete pipe that discharges into San Diego Bay, and a low-flow storm water diverter system that helps improve water quality in the bay by diverting low flows of runoff to the adjacent sewer via a diverter pump and a small force main. The diverter pump is located in a vault structure in the landscaped area of the Ferry Landing adjacent to the entry driveway. The diverter structure is located behind a wooden baffle and circular flap gate that helps prevent ocean tides from entering the diverter wet well chamber.
As it currently exists, the storm drain system’s outlet to the bay is partially or fully submerged by high tides; as a result, the system’s ability to discharge storm water runoff from rain events is negatively impacted leading to localized flooding of the surrounding area, and even more important can and has led to the failure of a transformer that provides power to the City‘s last sewer pump station (Transbay) that serves the entire Coronado community including the Navy‘s three installations (Naval Air Station North Island, Naval Amphibius Base Coronado and Silver Strand Training Complex). To help prevent property damage and address safety concerns from the flooding that can occur during storm events the City deploys temporary, above-ground pump systems to discharge runoff to the bay. During the event of January 22nd, 2024, staff was unable to deploy these systems and even doing so, due to their capacity would not have prevented the transformer from failing due to flooding.
The First Street Storm Water Flood Relief Project (“Project”) will replace the need for temporary pumping systems with a permanent storm water pump station, wet well, and new outlet structure that will operate and discharge runoff during high tide rain events, supplementing the existing storm drain system to reduce local street flooding. The majority of the proposed project improvements are located on San Diego Unified Port District (“Port”) property resulting in the need for Port approval of the project and coordination with their tenant, the Coronado Ferry Landing.
ANALYSIS:
Port District Conditional Project Approval:
The Project has been submitted to the Port for review and approval. In response, the Port has issued a draft District Conditional Project Approval that includes specific conditions the City must follow to construct the proposed Project (Attachment 1). These conditions include communication with the Ground Lease Tenant (Coronado Ferry Landing) and associated businesses about the Project’s potential impacts to access, parking, existing landscaping, etc.
The draft District Conditional Project Approval is anticipated to be finalized and presented to the Port’s governing Board for formal approval and issuance once the City has submitted executed easement documents (discussed in more detail below). If approved by the Board as currently written, the City will be granted a period of two (2) years to complete the proposed improvements.
Easement:
In order to construct and maintain the proposed improvements on Port property, an easement must first be granted from the Port to the City. During the Port’s review of the Project it was indicated the City would be required to submit easement documents executed by the City accepting the grant of an easement by the Port prior to approval and permit issuance by the Port for the Project. It was also determined that there is no easement for the existing City storm drain infrastructure. Therefore, the easement proposed for the Project encompasses both the existing and proposed improvements.
As drafted, the easement will commence on the execution date and is set to expire in fifty (50) years (Attachment 2). At the end of fifty years, a new easement will need to be drafted to supersede this easement. Pursuant to Resolution No. 9026 (Attachment 5), the City Manager has been granted the authority by the City Council to accept easements and covenants. Staff is recommending Council authorize the City Manager to execute the proposed easement documents for transparency/informational purposes.
Right of Entry:
The draft Conditional Project Approval from the Port includes a requirement to coordinate the project with the Port’s tenant, the Ferry Landing; the Ferry Landing is requiring the City to enter into a Right of Entry agreement prior to the start of construction. A draft Right of Entry Agreement has been drafted that will allow the City of Coronado to access the Ferry Landing property to construct the proposed improvements subject to certain conditions (Attachment 3). The conditions of the agreement include a requirement limiting construction activity to the “offseason” calendar months of October through March. Staff most recently met with the Ferry Landing and was informed that due to lease obligations between the Ferry Landing and the Port, the City may not be able to construct the Project in 2025 due to the Ferry Landing’s proposed restaurant project.
Both are expected to have overlapping construction timeframes and the City’s Project impacts the access to the proposed restaurant. Staff believes the access can be mitigated for both projects to occur at the same time.
Staff is recommending the City Council authorize the City Manager to execute finalized Right of Entry documents, in a format acceptable to the City Attorney, in support of the project.
Sole Source of Design Elements:
The Project design includes components specified to be sole sourced to a specific manufacturer. Public Contract Code (PCC) Section 3400 Subdivision (b) states that no agency shall draft specifications “calling for a designated material, product, thing, or service by specific brand or trade name unless the specification is followed by the words “or equal” so that bidders may furnish any equal materials, product, thing, or service.” However, sole sourcing is permissible when certain criteria are met.
PCC Section 3400 Subdivision (c) states that an agency may sole source a product “in order to match other products in use on a particular public improvement either completed or in the course of completion.” The items below are specified to maintain consistency, as they are either installed at other City facilities or the specific vendor is required for the items to be integrated into an existing system. The items to be sole sourced and the justification for such specification are listed below.
1. Flygt Pump Station – Submersible pumps manufactured by Flygt are currently installed at a number of Coronado pump stations including the Pine Street, and Trinidad Village pump stations; sole sourcing is desired to increase and maintain consistency with other pump stations. The desire for consistency across pump stations is important for both City staff familiarity with the submersible pumps and the ability to economically stock repair parts and replacement pumps.
2. Val-Matic Check Valves – Valves manufactured by Val-Matic are currently installed at a number of Coronado pump stations including Transbay, Cays Main, Glorietta Bay, and Parker pump station; sole sourcing is desired to increase and maintain consistency with other pump stations. The desire for consistency across pump stations is important for both City staff familiarity with the valves and the ability to economically stock repair parts and replacement valves.
Staff is recommending the City Council find the proposed sole sourcing of pumps and valves in compliance with the PCC and approve of the project being advertised with those items identified to be sole sourced.
Pump Station Purchase:
During design of the project the City was advised by its consultants to utilize a pre-manufactured (“pre-packaged”) pump station. Utilizing a pre-packaged station is anticipated to decrease the overall construction timeframe of the project as well as realize some cost savings for the project.
A pre-packaged pump station utilizing Flygt pumps was selected for consistency with existing equipment and familiarity of staff.
Staff is seeking approval to purchase the pump station at this time, as opposed to requiring a future contractor to make the purchase, in order to obtain the pump station in time for the anticipated construction schedule for the project. As previously mentioned, the Ferry Landing is limiting the construction timeframe to the offseason months of October through March. The manufacturer of the pump station, Flygt, is currently estimating an eight-month lead time to manufacture and deliver the station. Therefore, the City must pre-purchase the equipment now to have on-hand for an anticipated construction time frame as dictated per the Right of Entry agreement. See Attachment 4 for a current price quote ($239,239.31) and detailed breakdown of the proposed pump station components.
Approval to purchase the pump station as recommended authorizes the City Manager to execute the necessary procurement documents including purchase orders.
Authorization to Advertise:
Council’s authorization to advertise is being requested for this project considering the importance of the project and to inform the Council of the anticipated conditions of approval being required by the San Diego Unified Port District and the Ground Lease Tenant. The Council’s approval will allow staff to issue the construction documents for bid. Plans and specifications are available for review in the Public Services & Engineering Department.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The First Street Storm Water Pump Station Flood Relief Project (9743-20005) was originally approved in the Fiscal Year 2016-17 Capital Improvement Program with a budget allocation of $950,000 from the Wastewater Fund (61071000-97880-17020). To date, approximately $240,000 in expenses have been utilized for the design and permitting of the Project leaving a balance of approximately $710,000. Thus, there are currently adequate funds available to place the order of the pre-package pump station. However, the current construction cost estimate (including the cost of the pre-packaged pump station) is approximately $810,000. Therefore, additional funds may be required in order to fund construction of the project.
In March 2024, a funding request of $1.5 million was put forth in the Federal Fiscal Year 2025 Budget to help fund the construction of the First Street Pump Station project and the purchase of a sewer vacuum/jetter truck to assist with flood mitigation. The request was included within the Federal budget, and if the appropriation is approved, will require match funding from the City of $387,500 of storm drain/wastewater funds. The Federal budget still requires Congressional action but is anticipated to be approved by January 2025.
ALTERNATIVE:
The City Council may elect to not authorize the purchase of the pre-packaged pump and proceed with traditional open bid process. However, the risk to this selection is that the City will miss the construction window of October 2025 to February 2026 and postpone the construction of the improvements. The Council may elect to not authorize the execution of the proposed storm drain easement which is a conditional requirement of the District Conditional Project Approval.
However, this would preclude the project from being built. The Council could also direct staff to not sole source any of the item(s) identified for the project.
CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ACT:
San Diego Unified Port District has jurisdiction over this project and have determined this project to be Categorically Exempt pursuant to the CEQA Guidelines. Refer to Attachment 1.
PUBLIC NOTICE:
No notice required.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Draft District Conditional Project Approval
2. Proposed Storm Drain Easement
3. Right of Entry
4. Purchase Quote Pre-Packaged Pump Station
5. Resolution 9026 – Authorization For City Manager to Accept Easements Submitted By: Public Services and Engineering Department / Jessie Powell