City of Gonzales
PUBLIC WORKS / CITY ENGINEER DEPARTMENT
ACTIVITY REPORT
TO: Honorable Mayor Rios and City Council
DATE: July 17, 2023
FROM: Patrick Dobbins, Public Works Director/City Engineer THROUGH: Carmen Gil, City Manager
SUBJECT: Public Works Activity Report
BUILDINGS
1. Community Center Complex Project – On 1/31/2023 the Request for Proposals was issued to the three short-listed Design/Build Teams. Two DBE proposals were submitted on 4/18/2023 and an award of contract to Otto Construction/WRNS was approved at the 6/5/2023 Council meeting. The Notice to Proceed for design of Phases 1 and 2 was issued on 6/16/2023 and a kick-off with the Otto Construction/WRNS Team was held on 6/28/2023.
WASTEWATER
1. Industrial Wastewater (IW) System – Construction documents for the IW Conveyance and Treatment Facility was completed in September 2022. Staff, city surveyor and real estate appraiser are finalizing the temporary and permanent easements needed for the pipeline contract. City staff is coordinating with the State Water Resources Control Board regarding the city’s State Revolving Fund loan application (most recent virtual meeting was 3/14/2023).
2. Water/Sewer Rate Study – A contract with Lechowicz & Tseng to prepare a Water/Sewer Rate Study was approved at the 11/21/2022 Council meeting. They have reviewed the city’s rate structure, utility billing data, impact fee studies and capital improvement programs and developed a financial model.
Staff will provide an update at the 8/07/2023 Council meeting.
3. Capital Improvement Program – Psomas updated the wastewater projects of the city’s Capital Improvement Program for use in the Water/Sewer Rate Study.
AGENDA
ITEM
13 WATER
1. Johnson Canyon Parallel Waterline – A design contract with Schaaf & Wheeler was approved at the 6/20/2023 Council meeting. The contract was executed, and a kick-off meeting was held on 6/29/2023.
2. Capital Improvement Program – Schaaf & Wheeler updated the city’s Water Model and updated the water projects of the city’s Capital Improvement Program for use in the Water/Sewer Rate Study.
3. Alpine Court Water/Sewer Service – Grant agreements with the State Water Resource Control Board (SWRCB) to fund the preliminary and final design of extending water and sewer service from Gonzales River Road to Alpine Camp were approved at the 7/06/20 City Council meeting. All plans and reports were provided to SWRCB staff by the 11/30/2022 deadline. Staff is currently coordinating with SWRCB staff on grant funding for construction of the water and sewer pipelines and related facilities.
4. Salinas Valley Basin Groundwater Sustainability Agency – Staff is an alternate on the SVBGSA Technical Advisory Committee (Soledad staff is the representative for South Valley cities).
ROADS
1. Safe Routes to School and the Fifth Street Separated Bike Lane Pilot Project – This project was presented at the 3/20/2023 Council meeting and the striping and high visibility crosswalks were installed on 4/5/2023 for the three-month pilot project. Staff presented a progress report at the 5/01/2023 Council meeting and received direction to continue the pilot project but remove the “wave” delineators. Staff made a final progress report at the 6/20/2023 Council meeting.
PARKS
2. Skate Park Improvements – Phase Two improvements to the skate park were funded by the 2018 Parks Bond Act. The contract with American Ramp Company was approved at the 9/19/2022 Council meeting. The project was substantially completed on 2/02/2023 and a ribbon cutting was held on 2/11/2023. The State Grant Manager visited the site on 5/12/2023 to inspect the installed improvements and authorized payment of the $178,000 of grant funds to reimburse the city. The Council accepted the work as complete at the 6/05/2023 meeting and a Notice of Completion was recorded with the County Recorder.
3. Meyer Park – Staff has coordinated numerous maintenance items over the last several months including fixing light fixtures, replacing uplifted sidewalk, pruning trees, and replacing the rubber mulch under the swings with wood fiber. We are working with MST on installing a bus shelter that the city and MST will split the cost for.
SOLID WASTE
1. Maury Treleven with Tri-Cities Disposal coordinated a Reuse, Recycle & Cleanup Event on 6/24/2023. The event was held at Fairview Middle School and 168 vehicles showed up. This event meets the outreach criteria for the city’s storm water permit as it provides alternatives to illegal dumping (especially the safe collection of items commonly dumped in storm drains) and outreach surveys conducted by Save the Whales. See the attached memo from Maury for more information.
2. California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (“Cal Recycle”) Coordination – Our annual meeting with staff from Cal Recycle, Salinas Valley Solid Waste Agency, Tri-Cities Disposal & Recycling, and the cities of Greenfield, Soledad and Gonzales was held on 4/26/2023.
3. Quarterly Tri-Cities Franchise Agreements Meetings – Staff from the Salinas Valley Solid Waste Authority, Tri-Cities Disposal & Recycling and the cities of Gonzales, Soledad, and Greenfield meet on a quarterly basis to discuss the various waste collection programs (commercial accounts, food waste, organic waste), compliance with latest state regulations, public outreach and education, customer surveys, etc).
DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS
1. Vista Lucia Development (City’s Sphere of Influence - East of US 101) a. Psomas developed a capital program of improvements to convey sewage from the SOI to the City WWTP for treatment and provided the draft technical memo in Mid-November for staff’s review.
The Final Technical Memorandum was submitted in April 2022. b. Staff and our on-call traffic engineer have coordinated with Caltrans District 5 staff on the process for preparation of a Project Study Report/Project Development Support (PSR-PDS).
Staff is preparing a Request for Proposals to engage a consultant to prepare the PSR-PDS documents.
c. On 3/28/2022 Staff met with Monterey County PW staff and discussed the applicant’s preliminary offsite roadway design. Staff met with Monterey County staff on 10/7/2022 and discussed executing a Maintenance Agreement for the city to be responsible for maintenance of Associated Lane when it’s widened as part of the Vista Lucia Development (maintenance will be funded by an assessment district formed as part of the development).
2. Rianda Cooler Development Project (Gloria Road) – Staff is coordinating with the applicant’s site civil engineer on frontage improvements along Gloria Road and the extension of city water/sewer service to the project site. We participate in bi-weekly meetings with the applicant’s consultant team.
On 6/12/2023 staff and the new Building Official met with the applicant to discuss building plan review process and the expected construction schedule
3. DR Horton/D’Arrigo - In June 2022, DR Horton began the feasibility analysis of developing the 130 acre parcel owned by D'Arrigo Bros. DR Horton introduced the project at a Joint Planning Commission/City Council meeting on 8/01/2022. Staff held a virtual meeting with DR Horton staff on 5/02/2023 to discuss proposed water and sewer improvements along future Herold Parkway to serve the Rianda Cooler Project.
OTHER PROJECTS
1. South Salinas Valley Broadband Authority – On 7/05/2023 the city received the High Level Design package funded by the $250,000 CPUC Local Agency Technical Assistance grant.
2. GIS – City staff continues to work on a GIS mapping system by inputting field data for water, sewer and storm drainage systems. Our water and wastewater consultants are using GIS to develop capital improvement projects to serve the proposed development projects in the SOI. GIS Staff with AMBAG is supporting our efforts including coordinating with County GIS staff to obtain additional mapping layers.
3. FEMA Flood Map Updates – Over the two years, FEMA and their consultants have been remapping seven watersheds in the Gabilan Mountains in the vicinity of South Salinas, Chualar, Gonzales and Soledad to update their Flood Maps. Preliminary flood insurance maps were released for public review on 10/21/2021. At the 12/06/2021 City Council Meeting, City staff made a presentation on this effort along with a letter to be sent to FEMA with our comments and questions on their mapping effort. A 90-day appeal period began on 5/12/2022 and we emailed our comment letter to FEMA staff on 7/26/2022.
4. Transportation Agency for Monterey County – Patrick Dobbins attends the monthly Technical Advisory Committee meetings and is the TAC Vice Chair for 2023.
PUBLIC WORKS OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE
WASTEWATER
Staff continues to perform testing and daily inspections at the treatment plant. Staff also performs regular maintenance and repairs. Staff presented to Kids Camp information regarding wastewater.
Andrew and Jimmy discussing wastewater and what not to flush! Staff joined the Fire Dept. in a controlled burn at the treatment plant to aid us in weed control.
PW staff along with the Fire Dept. performing controlled burn.
WATER
Staff continues to test and care for the water system. There have been a few leaks around town. Staff and West Valley have repaired them.
Repairing water line on Belden.
Staff held a water and wastewater day for Kids Camp. Staff presented to the camp kids information regarding our water and wastewater system and the life cycle of water.
Andrew and Jimmy presenting Water- the life cycle.
Jimmy explaining how a water meter works.
STORM WATER
Staff continues to clean out percolation ponds and perform dry weather work on storm drains.
PARKS
Staff mows and edges parks on a weekly basis. Staff cleans restrooms, cleans trash and makes repairs in parks regularly. Staff also performs rodent control.
Staff painting sound wall at Venice Park.
CANYON CREEK & MEYER PARKS
Staff continues to maintain Canyon creek and tot park.
STREETS
Staff continues to perform weed control all over town. Staff is prepping to begin street painting.
The Traffic light at Gonzales River Road and Alta Street was hit again, and repaired.
Traffic light at Alta and Gonzales River Rd.
Staff performing weed control on S. Alta Street.
Staff had a second day with the kids from Summer Camp. We talked about traffic control and played red light / green light with them.
Red Light / Green Light
Staff brought out heavy equipment and gave demonstrations and then allowed the kids to see the equipment up close and talk with the operators.
Roverto showing off his skills.
The boom truck.
The Vac-Con truck.
Staff wants to thank the Council for approving our new tractor. This is making our job much more efficient.
TRAINING
Staff will participate in SERP training. The State Water Board recently revised their orders on Sewer Emergency Response, and staff will participate in the updated training and drills.
Attachments:
1. Fifth Street Truck Ban
2. Gonzales Summer Cleanup Day