DATE:
January 28, 2025
CATEGORY:
Consent
DEPT.:
Public Works
TITLE: Landfill Gas Collection System
Replacement—Back Nine, Design, Project
24-42—Professional Design Services
Agreement
RECOMMENDATION
1. Acting in its capacity as Board of Directors of the Shoreline Regional Park Community, transfer and appropriate $1,276,000 from the Shoreline Regional Park Community Fund to Landfill Gas Collection System Replacement—Back Nine, Design, Project 24-42.
2. Acting in the joint capacity as the City Council and Board of Directors of the Shoreline Regional Park Community, authorize the City Manager and Community Manager, or their respective designees to execute a professional services agreement with SCS Engineers (Business Entity No. 773324) to provide landfill gas collection engineering design and golf course design services for Landfill Gas Collection System Replacement—Back Nine, Design, Project 24-42, in a not-to-exceed amount of $1,538,000. All of the design engineering cost through construction for the project will be funded by the Shoreline Regional Park Community Fund.
BACKGROUND
The Mountain View Shoreline Landfill (MVSL) is a closed , Class III solid-waste landfill owned and operated by the City. It forms the foundation of Shoreline at Mountain View, a regional wildlife refuge and recreational area that hosts diverse land uses, including Shoreline Golf Links (an 18-hole golf course with a driving range), wildlife habitats, and other recreational facilities.
Within the MVSL is the 544 -acre site which contains approximately 350 acres of waste and has been subdivided into the North Shore, Back Nine, Front Nine, and 6A Northeast areas (see Figure 1).
Landfill Gas Collection System Replacement—Back Nine, Design Project 24-42— Professional Design Services Agreement
January 28, 2025
Figure 1: Landfill Sites
Shoreline Landfill Gas Collection and Control System
The existing gas collection and control system (GCCS) is a critical component of the infrastructure at MVSL. It consists of vertical wells and underground piping network that collects landfill gas.
Collected landfill gas is either used for power generation via microturbines or destroyed at the flare station. The overall GCCS includes:
• Gas collection piping that consists of headers (main collector pipes) and laterals (connecting vertical wells to headers) that convey landfill gas.
• Leachate conveyance piping that handles liquid extracted from landfill cells and condensed landfill gas that accumulates in the headers. Leachate discharges to the sanitary sewer system.
• Compressed air piping that powers pumps that improve landfill gas collection efficiency.
The GCCS operates continuously (24 hours per day) to safely convey landfill gasses from the landfill cells for power generation or destruction. Its operation is overseen by regulatory
Landfill Gas Collection System Replacement—Back Nine, Design Project 24-42— Professional Design Services Agreement
January 28, 2025
agencies, such as the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, Regional Water Quality Control Board, Solid Waste Local Enforcement Agency, Bay Area Air Quality Management District, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Back Nine Landfill Gas Collection and Control System
The Back Nine GCCS is situated on the southwest corner of the 544-acre landfill site and underlies Holes 10 through 18 of the Shoreline Golf Links and the Shoreline Athletic Fields (see Figure 2).
This system was originally installed in 1977 by PG&E, integrated into the City’s system in 1993, and last replaced by the City in 1995. Further adding to the site’s complexity, the Shoreline Golf Links, established in 1982, holds a prestigious Robert Trent Jones -designed designation. Any course alterations must involve Robert Trent Jones II (RTJ II) to preserve this distinction, which is vital to the course’s reputation, marketability, and appeal.
Figure 2: Back Nine GCCS and Holes 10 through 18 of Shoreline Golf Links
Maintaining a golf course built on a closed landfill has been complex due to ground settlement, drainage issues, and damage to course features like cart paths, greens, and irrigation systems.
Frequent minor regrading is required to prevent water ponding and maintain playability, while
Landfill Gas Collection System Replacement—Back Nine, Design Project 24-42— Professional Design Services Agreement
January 28, 2025
the shallow landfill cap limits vegetation options and creates difficult conditions to grow appropriate turf on the golf course . Environmental regulations and proximity to sensitive habitats, like burrowing owl preserves, further restrict maintenance activities, and heavy equipment use is limited to protect the landfill cap. These challenges demand constant attention to grading, infrastructure, and environmental compliance.
The western burrowing owl is listed as candidate status by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the western monarch butterfly is listed as candidate status by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Both species inhabit Shoreline Park and their protection has added complexity to projects in the area. Staff recommends performing both the gas piping system replacement and golf course renovation as one comprehensive project to streamline the California Environmental Quality Act ( CEQA) process. Through this process, potential impacts to these sensitive species and others will be thoroughly evaluated during the preparation of environmental clearance and permit documentation with regulatory agencies. M itigation measures will be determined and followed to protect the western burrowing owl and western monarch butterfly in accordance with their candidate status by CDFW and USFW respectively.
Renovating the golf course alongside the replacement of the gas piping system offers a cost- effective solution to these challenges. Combining projects minimizes redundancy, reduces costs, and consolidates timelines, limiting disruptions. It also provides an opportunity to improve drainage, stabilize surfaces, and modernize the course layout to enhance playability and attract more players. This integrated approach ensures long-term resilience, regulatory compliance, and a sustainable, high-quality facility that benefits both the community and the environment.
ANALYSIS
The purpose of Landfill Gas Collection System Replacement —Back Nine, Design, Project 24 -42 (the Project), is to replace the aging Back Nine GCCS and integrate its design with the renovation of Holes 10 through 18 of the Shoreline Golf Links. By designing the systems cohesively and concurrently, the project ensures GCCS components do not impede play and landfill systems are installed at maintainable depths.
The Project’s general scope of work consists of:
• Replacing approximately 73,800 linear feet of landfill gas headers, laterals, leachate conveyance lines, and compressed air piping.
• Preparing environmental regulatory documents for clearance and permits.
• Evaluating GCCS replacement needs under the Shoreline Athletic Fields.
• Renovating and restoring Holes 10 through 18, including the irrigation system.
Landfill Gas Collection System Replacement—Back Nine, Design Project 24-42— Professional Design Services Agreement
January 28, 2025
The GCCS under Holes 1 through 9 may be programmed for inclusion in the Five -Year CIP after the Back Nine Project is completed. The project would have a similar scope to this project , rehabilitating both the Front Nine GCCS and Golf Links’ Holes 1 through 9 concurrently.
In October 2024, the City issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for professional engineering design and construction support services for the Project. Included in the RFP is a requirement that proposers use RTJ II as the sole golf course designer for this project. Doing so would ensure a consistent design and maintain the golf course’s Robert Trent Jones designation. Through a City administrative process, RTJ II was preapproved to be the sole source designer for the City’s Golf Links. Staff requested a scope and estimated fee for these services from RTJ II to ensure that proposers had the same fee.
On November 13, 2024, two firms responded to the RFP. A review panel comprised of Public Works and Community Services staff deemed SCS Engineers to be the best- qualified firm based on the merits of their written proposal, experience in completing similar projects, demonstrated competence, and understanding of the project. The recommended not- to-exceed contract amount of $1,538,000 includes $1,123,631 for basic services and reimbursable expenses and an additional amount of $414,369 for optional services. The recommended fees are within the ranges typically charged for such services, and staff considers this fee to be fair and reasonable for the scope of work required. If the recommendation is approved, design work is scheduled to start in spring 2025 and take approximately two years to complete (spring 2027).
FISCAL IMPACT
Landfill Gas Collection System Replacement —Back Nine, Design, Project 24 -42, is currently funded with $650,000 from the Shoreline Regional Park Community Fund. Staff has identified $1,276,000 in additional funding needs as shown in Table 1 below.
Table 1: Project Design Cost
Consultant Design Services $ 1,538,000
Project Management and In-House Support 100,000
Permits, Printing, and Miscellaneous 50,000
Project Contingency 120,000
Subtotal $ 1,808,000
City Administration 118,000
Total Design Cost Estimate $ 1,926,000
Project Budget 650,000
Project Shortfall $ 1,276,000
Landfill Gas Collection System Replacement—Back Nine, Design Project 24-42— Professional Design Services Agreement
January 28, 2025
The project shortfall is attributed to higher -than-expected design costs for the GCCS and the inclusion of the golf course redesign, which was not part of the original landfill project scope when the budget was initially established. Design proposals for the GCCS exceeded the budget due to factors such as current market conditions, the specialized expertise required for landfill gas system design, and the complexities identified during project scoping coordination. The inclusion of the golf course redesign was recommended to ensure the long-term integrity of both systems and minimize disruptions as the GCCS improvements will require temporary closure of the back nine golf holes. This integrated approach supports sustainability while reducing play downtime for this area of the golf course. Therefore, inclusion of the golf course redesign and renovation with the design and replacement of the GCCS is being recommended.
To fully fund Project 24-42, an increase in appropriations of $1,276,000 is required. The funding increase addresses the combined needs of the GCCS and golf course improvements, with 70% allocated for the GCCS and 30% for the golf course. Staff recommends allocating this amount from the Shoreline Regional Park Community Fund, which has sufficient funding to support the recommended actions.
LEVINE ACT
California Government Code Section 84308 (also known as the Levine Act) prohibits city officials from participating in any proceeding involving a “license, permit, or other entitlement for use” if the official has received a campaign contribution exceeding $500 from a party, participant, or agent of a party or participant within the last 12 months. The Levine Act is intended to prevent financial influence on decisions that affect specific, identifiable persons or participants. For more information see the Fair Political Practices Commission website:
www.fppc.ca.gov/learn/pay-to-
play-limits-and-prohibitions.html
Please see below for information about whether the recommended action for this agenda item is subject to or exempt from the Levine Act.
SUBJECT TO THE LEVINE ACT
☒ Contract or franchise agreement
CONCLUSION
The Shoreline Landfill GCCS is a critical system that safeguards public health and safety while supporting the operation of Shoreline at Mountain View. The Landfill Gas Collection System Replacement—Back Nine Project involves a complex design to modernize the aging GCCS under Holes 10 through 18 of the Shoreline Golf Links, integrate golf course renovations to maintain its Robert Trent Jones designation, and address environmental regulatory requiremen ts. Potential impacts to the western burrowing owl and western monarch butterfly will be evaluated during Landfill Gas Collection System Replacement—Back Nine, Design Project 24-42— Professional Design Services Agreement
January 28, 2025
the preparation of environmental clearance and permit documentation with regulatory agencies and mitigation measures will be determined and followed. To fully fund project design, staff recommends an appropriation increase of $1,276,000 from the Shoreline Regional Park Community Fund, which has sufficient resources to support this critical project.
ALTERNATIVES
1. Do not authorize the additional appropriation from the Shoreline Regional Park Community Fund and direct staff to use other funding sources.
2. Provide other direction.
PUBLIC NOTICING—Agenda posting.
Prepared by:
Toni Eguilos
Associate Civil Engineer
Ariel Morales
Senior Civil Engineer
Reviewed by:
Tina S. Tseng
Principal Civil Engineer / Engineering and
Environmental Compliance
Lisa Au
Assistant Public Works Director
Approved by:
Jennifer Ng
Public Works Director
John R. Marchant
Community Services Director
Audrey Seymour Ramberg
Assistant City Manager
TE-AM/LL/4/CAM
980-01-28-25CR
204841